The Strangers

Alienum autem non sequuntur, sed fugiunt ab eo: quia non noverunt vocem alienorum. Dicit ergo: Alienum. Glossa: Alienus est in quo non est vox Christi, etiamsi bonus videatur: et iste est haereticus habens typum pastoris, et non veritatem: et iste est alienus voce. Alienus autem vita est, qui non habet conformitatem in virtute cum Christo. De primis dicitur: Nec sint alieni participes tui. Filii alieni mentiti sunt mihi, filii alieni inveterati sunt, et claudicaverunt a semitis suis. De alienis vita dicitur: Vae pastoribus qui disperdunt et dilacerant gregem pascuae meae, dicit Dominus. Illi enim quaerunt utilitatem propriam, et non ovium. Lac comedebatis, et lanis operiebamini, et quod crassum erat, occidebatis: gregem autem meum non pascebatis. Hic ergo est alienus de quo dicit: Alienum autem. Non sequuntur, quia verba eorum inducunt ad errorem, exemplum ad malum, via ad interitum, praeventio eorum ad mortem aeternam. De verbis dicitur: Evigilate, justi. Et supra: Corrumpunt mores bonos colloquia mala. Dominus solus dux ejus fuit: et non erat cum eo deus alienus. De malitia autem exempli, Nolite ire post eos. Fili mi, ne ambules cum eis: pedes enim illorum ad malum currunt. De viis eorum: Fiat via illorum tenebrae, et lubricum: et angelus Domini persequens eos. De perditione finali dicitur: Est via quae videtur homini justa, novissima autem ejus deducunt ad mortem. Propter haec et pastores isti sunt subdoli, aut in voce, aut in vita, aut in via, aut in fine ad quem ducunt suas conventiculas et congregationes. Ejusmodi pseudoapostoli sunt operarii subdoli, transfigurantes se in Apostolos Christi, hoc est, in officium apostolicum. Talis fuit Judas Galilaeus: talis fuit et Theodas: qui ambo perierunt, et omnes qui secuti fuerant eos perierunt cum ipsis. Sanctus Albertus Magnus, Commentarium in Joannem, Caput X Source: Here, p185

They do not follow the stranger, but they flee from Him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. 1 He says, 'the stranger' The gloss 'That which is strange is what is not the voice of Christ, even if it seems to be good.' And this is the heretic who has the form of the shepherd, and not the truth. This is the voice of the stranger. But the life is strange which does not conform to Christ in virtue. Concerning the first it is said: 'Nor let strangers be partakers with you.' 2 'Strange sons have lied about me, strange sons have withered away, they have hobbled on their paths.' 3 Concerning the strange life it is said 'Woe to you shepherds who scatter and wound the flock of my pasture, ' says the Lord. 'They seek their own advantage and not the sheep's.' 4 'You consumed the milk, you made use of the wool, and what was fat you slew, but you did not feed my flock.' 5 This, then, is the stranger concerning which he says, 'They do not follow the stranger...' 'They do not follow,' because their words lead to error, their example to evil, their way to ruin, their leadership to eternal death. Concerning which it is said: 'Be watchful, you righteous ones,' and before that: 'Evil speech corrupts good manners.' 6 'The Lord alone was his leader, and there was no strange god with him.' 7 Concerning the wickedness of example: 'Do not go after them.' 'My son, do not walk with them, for their feet hurry to evil.' 8 Concerning their ways: 'Let their ways be dark and slippery and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.' 9 Concerning their final ruin: 'There is a way that seems right to a man that at last leads to death.' 10 And because of such things these shepherds are cunning, either in voice, or in life, or in their ways, or in the end to which they lead their groups and congregations. 'Such false apostles are cunning workers, transforming themselves into Apostles of Christ,' 11 that is, for the apostolic office. Such was Judas the Galilean and Theodas, who both perished, and all who followed them perished with them. 12 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St John, Chapter 10 1 Jn 10.5 2 Prov 5.17 3 Ps 17.46 4 Jerem 23.1 5 Ezek 34.3 6 1 Cor 15.33-34 7 Deut 32.12 8 Lk 21.8, Prov 1.15-16 9 Ps 34.6 10 Prov 14.12 11 2 Cor 11.13 12 Acts 5.36-37