St Cyril of Alexandria Commentary on John (Second Part)

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Page 15

38 I sent you to reap that whereon YE have not laboured: other men have laboured, and YE are entered into their labours.

He at length unveils to them the whole mystery, and having removed the dark cloak of words, renders most clear the understanding of His meaning. For the Saviour being a Lover of the Prophets, and a Lover of the Apostles, makes neither the labour of those to be apart from the hand of the Apostles, nor does He allot entirely to the holy Apostles the glorying in respect of those who should be saved through faith in Him: but having mingled as it were the toil of each with their mutual co-work, He says (and with great reason) that one shall be the honour to both. He affirms that the Apostles had entered into the labours of the holy Prophets, not suffering them to spring upon the good fame of those who proceded them, but persuading them rather to honour them, as having gone before them in labour and time. That this will be to us too a most beautiful lesson, who will refuse to admit?

39    And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on Him for the saying of the woman which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

Israel is again hereby too condemned, and by the obedience [11] of the Samaritans, is convicted of being alike reckless of knowing and harsh. For the Evangelist marvels much at the many who believed on Christ, saying, For the saying of the woman; although they who were instructed through the law to the knowledge hereof, neither received the words of Moses, nor acknowledged that they ought to believe the heraldings of the Prophets. He in these words prepares the way before, or rather wisely makes a defence before, for that Israel should with reason be thrust away from the grace and hope that is to Christ-ward and that instead should come in the more obedient fulness of the Gentiles, or aliens.

11. [f] εὐπειθείας. This word seems to include also, readiness to believe, as the germ and parent of obedience: to which ἀφιλομαθὴς, " reckless of knowing," the germ and parent of wilful blindness, is contrasted.

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