Church Fathers Commentary John 1:11-13

"He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." — John 1:11-13 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: When He said that the world did not know Him, He referred to the times of the old covenant. But what follows refers to the time of His preaching: He came to His own.

St. Augustine of Hippo: This is because all things were made by Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: By “His own,” we should understand either the world, or Judea, which He had chosen for His inheritance.

St. John Chrysostom: He came to His own, not for His own benefit, but for the good of others. But from where did He who fills all things, and is everywhere present, come? He came out of condescension to us, though in reality He had been in the world all along. Because the world did not see Him, for it did not know Him, He was pleased to take on flesh. This manifestation and condescension is called His advent.

The merciful God so orders His plans that we may shine in proportion to our goodness. Therefore, He does not compel, but invites people, through persuasion and kindness, to come of their own free will. And so, when He came, some received Him, and others did not. He does not desire an unwilling and forced service, for no one who comes unwillingly devotes himself wholly to Him.

This is why the evangelist adds, And his own received him not. He calls the Jews “His own” here, as they were His special people—though in another sense, all people are His own, since they were made by Him. To the shame of our shared human nature, John said above that the world, which was made by Him, did not know its Maker. So here again, indignant at the ingratitude of the Jews, he brings an even heavier charge: that His own people did not receive Him.

St. Augustine of Hippo: But if no one at all received Him, then no one would be saved. For no one will be saved except the one who received Christ at His coming. Therefore, the evangelist adds, As many as received Him.

St. John Chrysostom: Whether they are slaves or free, Greek or Barbarian, wise or unwise, women or men, the young or the aged—all are made worthy of the honor that the Evangelist now proceeds to mention: To them gave He power to become the sons of God.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Oh, what amazing goodness! He was born the Only Son, yet He would not remain so. He did not begrudge admitting joint heirs to His inheritance, nor was this inheritance diminished by having many partake in it.

St. John Chrysostom: He did not say that He made them sons of God, but that He gave them power to become sons of God. This shows that much care is needed to preserve the image of our adoption, received in Baptism, untarnished. It also shows that no one can take this power from us unless we rob ourselves of it.

If the representatives of worldly governments often have nearly as much power as the governments themselves, how much more is this the case with us, who derive our dignity from God. At the same time, the Evangelist wishes to show that this grace comes to us through our own will and effort. In short, given the work of grace, it is in the power of our free will to become sons of God.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, the meaning is that the most perfect sonship will only be attained at the resurrection, as the Apostle said, Wailing for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. He therefore gave us the power to become sons of God, that is, the power of obtaining this grace at a future time.

St. John Chrysostom: And because, in the matter of these inexpressible benefits, the giving of grace belongs to God while the exercise of faith belongs to humanity, the evangelist adds, even to those who believe on his name. Why then, John, do you not declare the punishment of those who did not receive Him? Is it because there is no greater punishment than this: that when the power to become sons of God is offered to people, they do not become so, but voluntarily deprive themselves of this dignity? Besides this, however, inextinguishable fire awaits all such people, as will become clear later in the Gospel.

St. Augustine of Hippo: To be made sons of God and brothers of Christ, they must, of course, be born. For if they are not born, how can they be sons? The sons of men are born of flesh and blood, the will of man, and the embrace of marriage. But how these spiritual sons are born, the next words declare: Not of bloods—that is, of the male and the female.

The word “bloods” is not correct Latin, but since it is plural in the Greek, the translator preferred to render it that way, even though it is not strictly grammatical. He also explained the word so as not to offend the sensibilities of his hearers.

The Venerable Bede: It should be understood that in Holy Scripture, “blood” in the plural often signifies sin. Thus in the Psalms: Deliver me from blood-guiltiness.

St. Augustine of Hippo: In what follows, Nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, “the flesh” stands for the female. This is because when she was made from the rib, Adam said, This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.

“The flesh” therefore stands for the wife, just as “the spirit” sometimes stands for the husband, because the one ought to govern and the other to obey. For what is worse than a house where the woman rules over the man? But the people we speak of are born neither of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Venerable Bede: The carnal birth of human beings originates in the embrace of marriage, but spiritual birth is dispensed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

St. John Chrysostom: The Evangelist makes this declaration so that, being taught the lowliness and inferiority of our first birth—which is through blood and the will of the flesh—and understanding the loftiness and nobility of the second birth through grace, we might receive great knowledge worthy of the One who fathered us, and then show great zeal.