Apostolic Constitutions — Commentary on Scripture

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

And again: "Will ye also go away? "

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

But it is the duty of the bishop to judge rightly, as it is written, "Judge righteous judgment; "

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

And when the elders had set another woman which had sinned before Him, and had left the sentence to Him, and were gone out, our Lord, the Searcher of the hearts, inquiring of her whether the elders had condemned her, and being answered No, He said unto her: "Go thy way therefore, for neither do I condemn thee."

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

For those destroying wolves soon address themselves to any one that is cast out of the Church, and esteem him as a lamb delivered for them to devour, reckoning his destruction their own gain. For he that is "their father, the devil, is a murderer."

John 9:1

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

He that supplied a defective part to him that was born blind from clay and spittle,

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

For "the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; but he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, that is, the devil, and he leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf seizes upon them."

John 10:29

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Which Thou hast redeemed with the precious blood of Thy Christ; be Thou their protector, aider, provider, and guardian, their strong wall of defence, their bulwark and security. For "none can snatch out of Thy hand: "

John 11:25

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

For the almighty God himself will raise us up through our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his infallible promise, and grant us a resurrection with all those that have slept from the beginning of the world. And we shall then be such as we now are in our present form, without any defect or corruption. For we shall rise incorruptible: whether we die at sea, or are scattered on the earth or are torn to pieces by wild beasts and birds, he will raise us by his own power. For the whole world is held together by the hand of God.…This resurrection was not believed by the Jews, when of old they said, “Our bones are withered, and we are gone.” To whom God answered and said, “Behold, I open your graves and will bring you out of them. And I will put my Spirit into you, and you shall live: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and will do it.” And he says by Isaiah: “The dead shall rise, and those that are in the graves shall be raised up. And those that rest in the earth shall rejoice, for the dew which is from you shall be healing to them.” There are indeed many and various things sa…

For the almighty God himself will raise us up through our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his infallible promise, and grant us a resurrection with all those that have slept from the beginning of the world. And we shall then be such as we now are in our present form, without any defect or corruption. For we shall rise incorruptible: whether we die at sea, or are scattered on the earth or are torn to pieces by wild beasts and birds, he will raise us by his own power. For the whole world is held together by the hand of God.…This resurrection was not believed by the Jews, when of old they said, “Our bones are withered, and we are gone.” To whom God answered and said, “Behold, I open your graves and will bring you out of them. And I will put my Spirit into you, and you shall live: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken it and will do it.” And he says by Isaiah: “The dead shall rise, and those that are in the graves shall be raised up. And those that rest in the earth shall rejoice, for the dew which is from you shall be healing to them.” There are indeed many and various things said concerning the resurrection, and concerning the continuance of the righteous in glory and concerning the punishment of the ungodly, their fall, rejection, condemnation, shame, “eternal fire and endless worm.” Now in order to show that it was in his power, if it had pleased him, that all men and women should be immortal, he provided the examples of Enoch and Elijah, who he did not allow to have any experience of death. Or if it had pleased him in every generation to raise those that died, that this also he was able to do he has made evident by himself and by others as when he raised the widow’s son by Elijah and the Shunammite’s son by Elisha. But we are persuaded that death is not a retribution of punishment, because even the saints have undergone it. In fact, even the Lord of the saints, Jesus Christ, the life of those who believe and the resurrection of the dead, [experienced it].… For it is he who raised Lazarus when he had been in the grave four days, and Jairus’s daughter and the widow’s son. It is he who raised himself by the command of the Father in the space of three days who is the pledge of our resurrection. For he says, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

John 11:48

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

And, "If we do not slay Christ, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and will take away both our place and nation."

John 11:51

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

Though he was himself ungodly; as also did Caiaphas, the falsely-named high priest.

John 12:6 · 2 passages

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

And Judas knowing this, who for a long time had been perverted, but was then smitten by the devil himself with the love of money, although he had been long entrusted with the purse.

"You shall not steal:" [Exodus 20:15] for Achan, when he had stolen in Israel at Jericho, was stoned to death; [Joshua 7:1] and Gehazi, who stole, and told a lie, inherited the leprosy of Naaman; [2 Kings 5:27] and Judas, who stole the poor's money, betrayed the Lord of glory to the Jews, [John 12:6] and repented, and hanged himself, and burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out; [Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18] and Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, who stole their own goods, and "tempted the Spirit of the Lord," were immediately, at the sentence of Peter our fellow-apostle, struck dead. [Acts 5:1-11]

John 12:43

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

When we are persecuted, let us not think it strange; let us not love the present world, nor the praises which come from men, nor the glory and honour of rulers, according as some of the Jews wondered at the mighty works of our Lord, yet did not believe on Him, for fear of the high priests and the rest of the rulers: "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

John 13:4

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

Afterward He puts water into a bason; and as we were sitting at meat, He came and washed the feet of us all, and wiped them with the towel."

John 13:17

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

And the Lord says: "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

John 13:20

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

For says the Lord: "He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that heareth me, heareth Him that sent me. "And, "He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me."

John 13:21

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And used to steal what was set apart for the needy, yet was he not cast off by the Lord, through much long-suffering; nay, and when we were once feasting with Him, being willing both to reduce him to his duty and instruct us in His own foreknowledge, He said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you will betray me; "and every one of us saying, "Is it I? "

John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

He who then had forbidden murder now forbids anger without cause. He who had forbidden adultery now forbids all unlawful lust. He who had forbidden stealing now pronounces him most happy who supplies those that are in want out of his own labors. He who had forbidden hatred now pronounces him blessed who loves his enemies.

John 13:35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Let him also be merciful, of a generous and loving temper; for our Lord says: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another."

John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

For the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ did not scruple to "lay down His life "as Himself says, "for His friends."