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diff --git a/46337-8.txt b/46337-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e122259 --- /dev/null +++ b/46337-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,17488 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gospel of St. John by Joseph MacRory + + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no +restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under +the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or +online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license + + + +Title: The Gospel of St. John + +Author: Joseph MacRory + +Release Date: July 19, 2014 [Ebook #46337] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO 8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN*** + + + + + + The Gospel of St. John + + With Notes Critical and Explanatory + + By the + + Rev. Joseph MacRory, D.D. + + Professor of Sacred Scripture and Hebrew, Maynooth College + + {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}.--St. John, xx. + 31. + + Browne & Nolan, Limited + + Dublin + + 1897 + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Preface. +Introduction. + I.--Authenticity Of The Fourth Gospel. + A.--External Evidence. + B.--Internal Evidence. + II.--Author. + III.--For Whom Written, And With What Object. + IV.--Outline Of The Plan Of The Gospel. + V.--Time And Place Of Writing. + VI.--Integrity. + VII.--Language. + VIII.--Christ's Discourses In The Gospel. + IX.--Errors Combated In The Gospel. +Chapter I. +Chapter II. +Chapter III. +Chapter IV. +Chapter V. +Chapter VI. +Chapter VII. +Chapter VIII. + Authenticity of John vii. 53-viii. 11. + Evidence against Authenticity. + Evidence in favour of Authenticity. + Conclusion. + Text. +Chapter IX. +Chapter X. +Chapter XI. +Chapter XII. +Chapter XIII. +Chapter XIV. +Chapter XV. +Chapter XVI. +Chapter XVII. +Chapter XVIII. +Chapter XIX. +Chapter XX. +Chapter XXI. +Footnotes + + + + + + + [Cover Art] + +[Transcriber's Note: The above cover image was produced by the submitter +at Distributed Proofreaders, and is being placed into the public domain.] + + + + + +_Nihil Obstat._ + +GUALTERUS MACDONALD, D.D., + +Censor Theolog. Deputat. + +IMPRIMATUR. + +Gulielmus, + +_Archiep. Dublinen., Hiberniae Primas._ + + + + + +PREFACE. + + +It may be well to state briefly the object and plan of the present work. +Some years ago their Lordships the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland +decided to lengthen considerably the course of Sacred Scripture read in +this College. As a result of their decision, all our students are now +expected to read the whole of the New Testament with the exception of the +Apocalypse, together with portions of the Old Testament. This change, +while it has the desirable advantage of familiarizing our students with a +larger portion of the Sacred Text, obviously renders it impossible that so +much time as formerly should be devoted to the study of any one portion. +The consequence of this is that it is now impossible for any but the very +ablest students to find time to read the longer commentaries, such as +those of Maldonatus, Estius, and A Lapide. I was not long, therefore, in +charge of the Class of Sacred Scripture, when I became convinced that it +would be useful, if not necessary, to provide the students with a more +compendious exposition of the portions of Scripture that they are expected +to study. + +With this object in view, I have not attempted, in the present work, to +give an exhaustive commentary on the Fourth Gospel. Such an attempt, +indeed, would have frustrated my object. I have tried rather, while +omitting nothing of importance, to introduce nothing unnecessary, and to +observe throughout the utmost consistent brevity. + +I am prepared to hear that some will consider I have passed too lightly +over the easier portions of the Gospel. I can only say, in reply, that +what I have done, has been done deliberately. Where the meaning of God's +word is sufficiently clear, I consider that it ought to be left to the +exercise of the student's intelligence to find it, and I am strongly of +opinion that in such cases a commentator may well be excused from +interposing his remarks between the reader and the Sacred Text. + +It might seem that the able and learned commentary of Dr. MacEvilly--the +only Catholic commentary hitherto existing on this Gospel in the English +language--would render such a work as the present unnecessary. But the +length of His Grace's work, like the works of Maldonatus, Estius, and A +Lapide, renders it not wholly adapted to the present conditions of our +students. Besides, anyone acquainted with the work of a professor will +readily realize how important it is, and how desirable, when possible, +that students should possess in handy and permanent form the professor's +views. No two men will think alike on all the difficult and intricate +questions arising out of the Gospel of St. John; and while I should feel +it my duty, if lecturing on the work of another, to impose upon the +students of my class the necessity of taking notes, I have hope that the +present work will to a large extent obviate such a necessity. His Grace's +work will, no doubt, continue to be used by many of our students in +preference to mine, and with all of them it will still hold its place as a +useful book of reference. + +The Latin Text that I have followed is a reprint from the Latin Vulgate +published at Turin in 1883: _Biblia Sacra Vulgatae Editionis, Sixti V. +Pontificis Maximi jussu recognita, et Clementis VIII. auctoritate edita. +Editio emendatissima, Indicis Congregationis decreto probata, et iterum +hoc anno evulgata. Augustae Taurinorum, typis Hyacinthi Marietti_, +MDCCCLXXXIII. In only one instance is there a conscious departure from +this edition, and that is in verses 3 and 4 of the first chapter, where I +have returned to the original punctuation of the Clementine Edition. + +The English Text is from the Rhemish New Testament approved by Cardinal +Wiseman, and published by Burns and Oates, Limited. + +MAYNOOTH COLLEGE, +_Ascension Thursday, 1897_. + + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + + +I.--Authenticity Of The Fourth Gospel. + + +That St. John the Apostle is also an Evangelist, and author of the fourth +Gospel, has been the all but unanimous testimony of tradition. If we +except the Alogi (St. Epiph., _Haer._, li. 3, 4), heretics of the second +century, who denied the Johannine authorship, not on historical, but on +dogmatic grounds, the authenticity of the Gospel was unquestioned down to +the end of the eighteenth century. Since that time, however, it has been +frequently and variously attacked by the so-called Rationalists, whose +many views in regard to it may be reduced to one or other of the three +following theories:-- + +1. The patrons of what is sometimes called the "partition theory" hold +that, though the work as a whole cannot be said to be St. John's, still +considerable portions of it are his. About the extent of these portions +they differ. Weisse, who, in the year 1838, first gave prominence to this +theory, held that the discourses attributed to Christ in the Gospel are +studies from the pen of St. John, representing what he considered to be +the doctrine of Christ; and that St. John's disciples afterwards set these +discourses in their present historical framework, and thus produced the +Gospel. Others, however, admit that some portions of the narrative, as +well as the discourses, are the work of St. John. + +2. The Gospel is in no part the work of St. John; still the historical +portions contain valuable traditions derived from that Apostle. Renan, who +holds this view, says:--"The fourth Gospel is not the work of the Apostle +John. It was attributed to him by one of his disciples, about the year +100. The discourses are almost wholly fictitious; but the narrative +portions contain valuable traditions, which reach back in part to the +Apostle John."(1) + +3. This, like the preceding theory, denies the Johannine authorship; but +it goes farther than the preceding, in denying to our Gospel any +historical value. According to this theory, not only are the discourses +spurious, but the historical portions are wholly unreliable, and the +Gospel was forged in the latter half of the second century. So Baur and +many others. + +Against these various adversaries there is abundant evidence, external and +internal, in favour of the authenticity of our Gospel. + + + +A.--External Evidence.(2) + + +1. The *Apostolic Fathers* do not, indeed, quote our Gospel as the work of +St. John, for it was not their custom to name the author from whom they +quoted; but passages are met with in the works of these fathers which are +very probably founded upon passages in our Gospel. Compare, for instance, +with John xxi. 20, the words of St. Clement of Rome ({~DAGGER~} 101):--"John also, +who leaned upon the bosom of our Lord, whom the Lord loved exceedingly" +(Epis. 1 _De Virgin_, c. 6); or with John iii. 8, the words of St. +Ignatius of Antioch ({~DAGGER~} 107):--"The Spirit, since He is born of God, is not +deceived, _for He knoweth whence He cometh and whither He goeth_" (Ad. +Philad. 7). It would be easy to multiply instances of this kind;(3) but, +as such coincidences are always more or less inconclusive, it is more +important to note here that Papias and Polycarp, two disciples of St. +John, indirectly support the claim of the fourth Gospel to authenticity. +For it is certain that both these writers accepted the First Epistle of +St. John as his.(4) Now, so great is the similarity of style between our +Gospel and that Epistle, and so close the relation between the two, that +we are justified in concluding, with Cornely (Introd. iii. 59, 3), that +Papias and Polycarp, admitting the one, probably admitted also the other +to be the work of St. John. Even Renan admits that "The two writings offer +the most complete identity of style, the same terms, the same favourite +expressions." Indeed we have now the direct testimony of Papias in a +fragment of his rather recently discovered: "Quant au silence de Papias il +n'est plus possible d'en tirer un argument contre le quatrième Evangile. +Un nouveau fragment de l'évêque d'Hieropolis, cité par Thomasius (i. 344) +... temoigne qu'il connaissait l'oeuvre de l'Apotre" (_Didon--Jesus Christ_, +Introd. xxviii.). + +2. The *Fathers of the second century* were thoroughly acquainted with our +Gospel, and some of them refer to it as the work of St. John. Thus, when +*Justin Martyr* ({~DAGGER~} 167), in proving the necessity of Baptism (_Apol._ i. +61), says: "For Christ said: 'Unless you be born again, you shall not +enter into the kingdom of heaven.' Now that those born once cannot enter +again into the wombs of their mothers, is clear to all," there can hardly +be a doubt that he had before his mind John iii. 3, 4. + +Again, *Tatian*, a disciple of St. Justin, actually wrote a Harmony of the +Four Gospels, known as Tatian's _Diatessaron_, which commenced with the +opening words of our Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word."(5) + +The *Muratorian Fragment*, which contains a list of canonical books, made +not later than 170 A.D., says: "John, one of the disciples, (is the +author) of the fourth Gospel." + +*Theophilus* of Antioch ({~DAGGER~} 186), who was the sixth successor to St. Peter +in the see of Antioch, says:--"These things we are taught by the Sacred +Scriptures, and by all inspired by the Holy Ghost, _of whom John says_: +'In the beginning was the Word,' " &c. + +Finally, *Irenĉus* ({~DAGGER~} 202), who was Bishop of Lyons in Gaul, from about +the year 180, and who wrote his work, _Against Heresies_, probably between +180 and 190 A.D., says:--"Afterwards John, a disciple of the Lord, who +reclined upon His breast, also wrote a Gospel." This testimony of Irenĉus +is of very special importance; for, besides being a native of Asia Minor, +and a bishop in Gaul, and thus representing in himself the traditions of +both countries, he was moreover a disciple of Polycarp, who was himself a +disciple of St. John, so that no one had better opportunities than Irenĉus +of learning everything connected with the Apostle. + +Indeed, so well was our Gospel known, and its authority recognised in the +second century, that even the heretics of the time sought the sanction of +its authority for their errors. "They use that which is according to +John," says Irenĉus, speaking of the Valentinian heretics of the second +century (Iren., _Haer._, iii. 11. 7). + +3. We abstain from quoting Fathers of the *third century*, because it is +not denied that they knew our Gospel, and acknowledged St. John to be the +author. Even Strauss (_Leben Jesu_, § 10, p. 47) says: "It is certain that +towards the end of the second century, the same four Gospels which we have +still, are found recognised in the Church, and are repeatedly quoted as +the writings of the Apostles, and disciples of the Apostles, whose names +they bear, by the three most eminent ecclesiastical teachers--Irenĉus, in +Gaul; Clement, in Alexandria; and Tertullian, in Carthage." + +It is undeniable then that before the close of the second century, the +fourth Gospel was everywhere in the Church received as the genuine work of +St. John. This, we hold, proves that it must be indeed his work. For he +lived on till the end of the first century; his disciples till the middle, +and their disciples till the end, of the second century. Is it possible +then that a spurious work, produced by some forger in the second century, +could have been everywhere so soon received and recognised as the work of +the Apostle? + + + +B.--Internal Evidence. + + +1. The author himself tells us (xxi. 20, 24), that he is "the disciple +whom Jesus loved, who also leaned on His breast at supper." Now according +to all the fathers, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," &c., was St. John. +Moreover, the three most favoured disciples were Peter, James, and John. +They alone were permitted to be present at the raising to life of the +daughter of Jairus (Mark v. 37), at the transfiguration (Matt. xvii. 1), +and at the agony in the garden (Matt. xxvi. 37). But Peter cannot be the +writer of our Gospel, from whom he is explicitly distinguished (John xxi. +20); nor James the Greater, for, in the opinion of all, he had been +beheaded by Herod Agrippa I. (Acts xii. 2) many years before our Gospel +was written. It remains then that the writer must be St. John. Nor does +this argument lose its force, even though we admit that the last two +verses of our Gospel (John xxi. 24, 25) were not written by St. John. For +since they have stood in the Gospel from the beginning, they must at least +be the evidence of a contemporary; so that we have here either an internal +argument or another powerful external one in favour of the Johannine +authorship. + +2. While the Apostle John plays an important part in the other Gospels, he +is not named even once in the fourth Gospel. If we had only it, we should +not know that there was an Apostle of that name. The fair inference then +is, that he himself being the writer, suppressed his own name through +modesty. Moreover, while the other Evangelists are accustomed, when they +speak of John the Baptist, to distinguish him from John the Apostle, our +author, again through modesty, ignores the Apostle, and refers nineteen +different times to the Baptist as John without any distinguishing +appellative. + +3. The style is just such as we should expect from St. John; the Greek +purer than that of the other Gospels, because of the author's long sojourn +in Asia Minor, yet not untinged by Hebraisms because of his earlier life +spent in Palestine. + +4. The whole Gospel points to its author as one who was intimately +acquainted with Palestine and its customs, and who had lived and moved +among the events he describes.(6) Thus the journey from Cana to Capharnaum +is rightly described as a _descent_ (John iv. 47, 51); the author is +acquainted with the pools of Bethsaida and Siloe at Jerusalem (John v. 2, +ix. 7), with the position of the brook of Cedron in relation to Jerusalem +and the Mount of Olives (John xviii. 1), and with the distance of Bethany +from the Holy City (xi. 18). + +Among Jewish customs he refers to the manner of purification before meals +(John ii. 6), and to their avoidance of intercourse with Samaritans (iv. +9), and hints at the objection of their teachers to speak publicly with +women (John iv. 27). He shows, too, that he is familiar, not merely with +Jewish festivals, but also with their peculiar solemnities (John vii. 2, +37), and the time of their occurrence (x. 22). Finally, he declares +himself an _eye-witness_, as well where he says:--"The Word was made flesh, +and dwelt among us, _and we saw His glory_" (John i. 14), as where he +tells us, "He _that saw it_, hath given testimony ... and he knoweth that +he saith true" (John xix. 35). + + + + +II.--Author. + + +St. John, Apostle, Evangelist, prophet, and martyr, was born in Galilee, +the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of some means, and Salome, one of those +holy women who ministered to our Lord during His public life, and stood by +His cross on Calvary (Mark i. 20; Matt. iv. 21, xxvii. 56; Mark xv. 40, +xvi. 1). Before his call by Jesus, John was probably a disciple of the +Baptist, and it is extremely likely that he was one of the two who at the +preaching of their Master first believed in Christ (John i. 37, and +foll.). Called with his brother James, immediately after Peter and Andrew +(Matt. iv. 18, 19, 21), he left all things to follow Christ, and became +the best beloved of all the disciples. With Peter and his own brother +James he was permitted to witness the raising to life of the daughter of +Jairus, and to be present at the transfiguration on Thabor, and the agony +in Gethsemane (Mark v. 27; Matt. xvii. 1; Matt. xxvi. 37). He was +privileged to recline on his Master's bosom at the Last Supper (John +xviii. 23), and to him alone was given from the cross the blessed trust of +providing for the Mother of God (John xix. 27). Nor did he fail to return +love for love. When the Apostles fled in terror from Gethsemane (Mark xiv. +50), Peter and John followed Jesus into the court of the High-priest (John +xviii. 15); and at the last tragic scene on Calvary, our Evangelist, brave +with the courage begotten of love, was still close to his Master (John +xix. 26). + +After the descent of the Holy Ghost, St. John, with St. Peter, took a +leading part in establishing the Church. He and Peter were the first to +suffer imprisonment for preaching the faith of Christ (Acts iv. 2, 3); +and, again in company with Peter, he was chosen to go down from Jerusalem, +and confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on the converted Samaritans. How +long he remained in Palestine, we cannot say with certainty. When St. Paul +went up to the Council of Jerusalem, in 47 A.D.,(7) he found St. John +there; but whether our Apostle had himself gone up specially to the +Council, or had hitherto confined his preaching to Palestine, it seems +impossible to say, for St. Peter was there too, though he had been already +Bishop of Antioch, and was then Bishop of Rome. + +In addition to the preceding facts gleaned from the New Testament, we +learn from tradition that the saint remained in Jerusalem till after the +Blessed Virgin's death (Niceph., _H. E._, ii. 42); that he subsequently +preached in Asia Minor, and, probably after the martyrdom of St. Paul (67 +A.D.), settled at Ephesus (Origen, _apud._ Euseb., _H. E._, iii. 1). In +the reign of Domitian (81-96 A.D.) he was taken to Rome, and thrown into a +cauldron of boiling oil, from which he came forth unhurt (Tertull., _De +Praescr._ 36).(8) He was then banished to the island of Patmos, in the +Aegean Sea, where he wrote the Apocalypse; was liberated on the accession +of Nerva (96-98 A.D.), and allowed to return to Ephesus, where he lived to +an extreme old age, and died in the sixty-eighth year after our Lord's +Passion (Jer., _Advers. Jovin_, i. 14), _i.e._, about 101 of the Dionysian +era. + + + + +III.--For Whom Written, And With What Object. + + +St. Jerome tells us that the fourth Gospel was written for the Christians +of Asia Minor, and at their request.(9) + +The object or scope of the Gospel was threefold:-- + +1. To prove that Jesus was the Son of God made man, and that all +supernatural life must come to us through faith in His name. Hence he +tells us in the very beginning that "the Word was God ... and the Word was +made flesh, and dwelt amongst us" (John i. 14); and in xx. 31: "But these +are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, +and that believing you may have life in His name." + +2. As connected with the preceding, indirectly to refute the heresies of +the Cerinthians, Ebionites, and Nicolaites,(10) all of whom erred in +regard to either the Divinity or humanity of Christ. See below IX., and +Cornely, iii., {~DAGGER~} 64. + +3. To supplement the three Synoptic Gospels. So nearly all the fathers. +And, indeed, it is perfectly evident that an Evangelist who is entirely +silent regarding the birth, infancy, and childhood of our Lord, and who +introduces Him abruptly to the reader at the beginning of His public life, +cannot have meant to write a complete life of Christ. And since St. John +wrote many years after the other Evangelists, it is not surprising to find +that his work partakes more of a supplemental character than any of the +Synoptic Gospels. + + + + +IV.--Outline Of The Plan Of The Gospel. + + +What has just been said regarding the object of the Gospel will enable us +to form a general conception of its plan. It must be carefully borne in +mind that St. John did not intend to write a Life of Christ, nor to give a +general view of His teaching, nor to compile a work on the general history +of his own times. His main object was to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was +the Son of God; and the various parts of the Gospel are carefully disposed +with a view to this end. Out of the vast mass of materials at his disposal +(xxi. 25; xx. 30) he selects such incidents, such miracles and discourses +of our Lord, as are best suited to the attainment of this special purpose. +In accordance with this view, we subjoin a brief outline of the _plan_ of +the Gospel. + +I. 1-18. + +*The Prologue.* The Word in His absolute, eternal Being; in His relation +to creation generally, and to the spiritual enlightenment and +sanctification of man; His incarnation. + +I. 19-XXI. 23. + +_The Narrative_, which divides itself naturally into two parts:-- + +(_a_) I. 19-XII. 50. Manifestation of Christ's Divinity in His _Public +Life_-- + +By the testimony of the Baptist. + +By the testimony of His disciples. + +By the testimony of His miracles. + +By the testimony of His discourses. + +(_b_) XIII. 1-XXI. 23. Manifestation of Christ's Divinity in His last +discourses, and in His passion, death, resurrection, and risen life. + +XXI. 24, 25. + +*The Epilogue*, in which the beloved disciple testifies that he is the +author of the Gospel, and that what he has written is true, though +incomplete. + + + + +V.--Time And Place Of Writing. + + +The exact date of our Gospel is uncertain. One thing is absolutely +certain: that it was written after the other three Gospels. Some have +placed it almost as early as 70 A.D.; but the weight of evidence, external +and internal, places it in the last decade of the first century, that is +to say, between 90 and 100 A.D. + +There is great doubt, too, as to the place where it was written. Irenĉus +distinctly states that it was written at Ephesus,(11) and many of the +fathers are of the same opinion. On the other hand, a large number of +ancient writers hold, that, like the Apocalypse, it was written in Patmos. +See Patrizzi, lib. i., cap. iv., § 86, who himself inclines to the latter +view. + + + + +VI.--Integrity. + + +With the exception of three passages: v. 4, vii. 53-viii. 11, and the +whole of the last chapter, which have been attacked as interpolations, the +integrity of the fourth Gospel has not been seriously questioned. These +passages we shall examine as they occur, and there discuss the question of +their authenticity. + + + + +VII.--Language. + + +It is certain that St. John wrote in Greek. Such has been the opinion of +all writers, and it is proved by the fact that he wrote for the Christians +of Asia Minor, whose language we know was Greek. + + + + +VIII.--Christ's Discourses In The Gospel. + + +St. John's Gospel has this peculiarity, that it is made up, in great part, +of Christ's discourses. Judging from the attention which the Evangelist +seems to pay to the order of time, we feel sure that these discourses are +reported in the chronological order in which they were delivered. + +But are they reported in the very words used by Christ? We feel convinced +that they are not. The important heads of doctrine, such as iii. 3, 5, +bearing on baptism; or vi. 48, 52, regarding the Blessed Eucharist, are, +doubtless, reported in almost(12) the exact words of our Lord. But the +discourses generally we believe to be reported merely in substance. For +this was sufficient for the Evangelist's purpose; and, therefore, we have +no reason to suppose a miraculous assistance which would enable him to +remember every word. No doubt the Evangelist had the assistance of +inspiration; but the Catholic view of inspiration warrants us in believing +that in general the ideas only, and not the words, were inspired. We thus +get rid of the Rationalist difficulty that the discourses must be +fictitious, because, they say, no human memory could retain such long +discourses for more than half a century. For in our view it is only the +substance of the discourses that is handed down, and, even if we +abstracted altogether from the assistance given him by inspiration, it is +not difficult to believe that the young and retentive mind of a loving +disciple would treasure up and retain the substance of his Divine Master's +discourses, aided as it must have been by the fact that these discourses, +besides being the food of his daily meditation, were doubtless again and +again repeated in his apostolic preaching. + + + + +IX.--Errors Combated In The Gospel. + + +There is not one of all the many heresies that have arisen regarding the +Person and natures of Jesus Christ that may not be refuted from the Gospel +of St. John. We intend, however, to speak here only of those errors which +had already arisen in the time of the Evangelist, and against which, +therefore, his Gospel was immediately directed. What these were we learn +from SS. Irenĉus and Jerome. The former distinctly says that our Gospel +was directed against the errors of *Cerinthus*, and of "those who are +called *Nicolaites*" (see above, III. 2, note); while the latter says that +it was directed against *Cerinthus*, and *other heretics, especially the +Ebionites*.(13) It is important for us, then, in approaching the study of +this Gospel to understand what was the nature of these errors against +which it was directed. + +*Cerinthus*, though professing belief in a Supreme Being, held that the +world was not made by Him, but by an inferior _power_ (virtus) distinct +from Him, and ignorant of Him. (2) That Jesus was not born of a Virgin, +but the child of Joseph and Mary, born according to the ordinary course of +nature. (3) That Christ (the Word) was quite distinct from Jesus; that, +however, He had descended upon Jesus immediately after the latter's +baptism, and remained with Him filling His soul till shortly before the +Passion; that then Christ departed from Jesus, who suffered and died a +_mere_ man, while Christ suffered nothing, being indeed entirely spiritual +and impassible.(14) + +The *Ebionites*, unlike the Cerinthians, admitted that the world was +created by God, but, like them, denied that Christ was anything but a mere +man. They scrupulously observed the Mosaic Law, which they held to be +_obligatory_, by the observance of which Jesus had merited to be called +Christ, and through which every man was able to become a Christ.(15) + +About the doctrine of the *Nicolaites*, which they claimed to have derived +from Nicolas the Deacon (Acts vi. 5), we know nothing definite; but it is +generally held that it was akin to that of the Cerinthians and Ebionites. + +Among the "other heretics" alluded to by St. Jerome in the passage cited +above were, doubtless, the *Simonians* (followers of Simon Magus, Acts +viii. 9, and foll.), and the *Docetae*. + +The *Simonians* agreed with the Cerinthians in denying that the world was +made by God, and that Jesus was God, and St. Irenĉus speaks of them as the +originators of the Gnostic heresy. "Simoniani a quibus _falsi nominis +scientia_ accepit initia." (_Adv. Haer._, i. xxxiii. 4.) + +The *Docetae* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} = to seem) held that Christ had only the +_appearance_ of a human body; and hence, that His sufferings and death +were not real, but apparent. + + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + 1-18. *The prologue*(*16*)* declares the Word's eternity, distinct + personality, and essential unity with God; His relations with + creation generally, and with man in particular; His incarnation, + and the fulness of grace, and perfection of revelation attained + through Him.* + + 19-34. *Some of the Baptist's testimonies to Christ.* + + 35-51. *Circumstances in which Christ's first disciples were + called.* + + +1. In principio erat Verbum, 1. In the beginning was the +et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Word, and the Word was with +Deus erat Verbum. God, and the Word was God. + +1. *In the beginning.* These words most probably mean here, as in Gen. i. +1, at the beginning of all created things; in other words, when time +began. Their meaning must always be determined from the context. Thus we +know from the context in Acts xi. 15, that St. Peter there uses them in +reference to the beginning of the Gospel. Similarly, the context here +determines the reference to be to the beginning of creation; for He who is +here said to have been in the beginning, is declared in verse 3 to be the +creator of all things, and must therefore have already been in existence +at their beginning. + +Others, however, have interpreted the words differently. Many of the +fathers understood them to mean: in the Father, and took this first clause +of v. 1, as a declaration that the Word was in the Father. But, though it +is quite true to say that the Word was and is in the Father (x. 38), both +being consubstantial, still such does not seem to be the sense of the +phrase before us. Had St. John meant to state this, surely he would have +written: In God, or, in the Father, was the Word. He names God in the next +two clauses: _And the Word was with God, and the Word was God_. Why then +should he at the risk of being misunderstood, refer to Him in this first +clause under another name? Besides, if this first clause stated the Word's +consubstantiality with the Father, the third clause: _And the Word was +God_, would then be tautological. + +Many of the commentators also urge against this view, that if the first +clause meant, in God (or, in the Father) was the Word, the _second_ clause +would be merely a repetition. But we cannot assent to this, since, as we +shall see, the second clause would add the important statement of the +Word's distinct personality. However, the view seems to us improbable for +the other reasons already stated. + +Others take "beginning" here to mean eternity, so that we should have in +this first clause a _direct_ statement of the Word's eternity. But against +this is the fact that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} (beginning) nowhere else bears this meaning, +and can be satisfactorily explained in a different sense here. Hence, as +already explained, "in the beginning" means: when time began. + +*Was* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), _i.e._, was _already_ in existence. Had St. John meant to +declare that at the dawn of creation the Word began to exist, he would +have used {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} as he does in verse 3 regarding the beginning of the +world, and again in verse 6 regarding the coming of the Baptist. This +cannot fail to be clear to anyone who contrasts verses 1, 2, 4, and 9 of +this chapter with verses 3, 6, and 14. In the former {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} is used throughout +in reference to the eternal existence of the Word;(17) in the latter +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}, when there is question of the beginning of created things (3), or +of the coming of the Baptist (6), or of the assumption by the Word of +human nature at the incarnation (14). At the beginning of creation, then, +the Word was already in existence; and hence it follows that He must be +uncreated, and therefore eternal. St. John's statement here that the Word +was already in existence in the beginning, is, accordingly, equivalent to +our Lord's claim to have existed _before_ the world was (xvii. 5), and in +both instances the Word's eternity, though not directly stated, follows +immediately. Hence we find that the Council of Nice and the fathers +generally inferred, against the Arians, the eternity of the Son of God +from this first clause of verse 1. "If He was in the beginning," says St. +Basil (_De Div._, _Hom._ xvi. 82), "when was He not?" + +*The Word* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}). St. John here, as well as in his First Epistle (i. +1), and in the Apocalypse (xix. 13), designates by this term the Second +Divine Person. That he speaks of no mere abstraction, or attribute of God, +but of a Being who is a distinct Divine Person, is clear. For this "Word +was with God, was God, was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us," and in the +person of Jesus Christ was witnessed to by the Baptist (i. 1, 14, 15, 29, +30). Outside the writings of St. John there is no _clear_(18) instance in +either Old or New Testament of this use of the term {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}. Throughout the +rest of the Scriptures its usual meaning is _speech_ or _word_. + +What, then, we may ask, led our Evangelist, in the beginning of his +Gospel, to apply this term rather than Son, or Son of God, to the Second +Divine Person? Why did he not say: In the beginning was the Son? + +Apart from inspiration, which, of course, may have extended to the +suggestion of an important word like the present, apart also from the +appropriateness of the term, of which we shall speak in a moment, it seems +very probable that St. John was impelled to use the term {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} because it +had been already used by the heretics of the time in the expression of +their errors.(19) Endowed, too, as St. John was, like the other Apostles, +with a special power of understanding the Sacred Scriptures (Luke xxiv. +46), and privileged as he had been on many an occasion to listen to the +commentaries of Christ Himself on the Old Testament, he may have been +able, where we are not, to see clearly in the Old Testament instances in +which {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} refers to the Son of God; _e.g._, "Verbo ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}) Domini +coeli firmati sunt" (Psalm xxxii. 6). + +One thing, at all events, is quite plain, that, whatever may be said +regarding his reason for the application of this _term_ to the Son of God, +St. John did not borrow his _doctrine_ regarding the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} from Plato or +Philo or the Alexandrian School. For though the term ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) is frequently +met with in the writings of both Plato and Philo, yet Plato never speaks +of it as a person, but only as an attribute of God; and Philo, though in +our opinion, he held the distinct personality of the Word, yet denied that +he was God, or the creator of matter, which latter Philo held to be +eternal. As to the Alexandrian School, to which Philo belonged, and of +whose doctrines he is the earliest witness, there is not a shadow of +foundation for saying that any of its doctors held the same doctrine as +St. John regarding the Divine Word. + +From the teaching of Christ, then, or by inspiration, or in both ways, our +Evangelist received the sublime doctrine regarding the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} with which +his Gospel opens. + +Having now inquired into the origin of the term {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} as applied to the +Son of God, and having learned the source whence St. John derived his +doctrine regarding this Divine Word, let us try to understand how it is +that the Son of God could be appropriately referred to as *the Word* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}). Many answers have been given, but we will confine ourselves to the +one that seems to us most satisfactory. + +We believe, and profess in the Athanasian Creed (Filius a Patre solo est +non factus, nec creatus, sed _genitus_), that the Son is begotten by the +Father; and it is the common teaching that He is begotten through the +Divine intellect. Now, this mysterious procession of the Son from the +Father through the intellect, is implied here in His being called the +Word. For, as our word follows, without passion or carnal feeling, from +our thought, as it is the reflex of our thought, from which it detracts +nothing, and which it faithfully represents; so, only in an infinitely +more perfect way, the Son of God proceeded, without passion or any carnal +imperfection, through the intellect of the Father, detracting nothing from +Him who begot Him, being the image of the Father, "the figure of His +substance." (Heb. i. 3.) "Verbum proprie dictum," says St. Thomas, "in +Divinis personaliter accipitur, et est proprium nomen personae filii, +significat enim quamdam emanationem intellectus. Persona autem quae +procedit in Divinis secundum emanationem intellectus, dicitur filius, et +hujusmodi processio dicitur generatio" (St. Thom., 1 Qu. 34, a. 2 c.) + +*And the Word was with God* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} here signifies not +motion towards, but a living union with, God.(20) God refers not to the +Divine Nature, but to the Divine Person of the Father (see 1 John i. 2); +otherwise the _Verbum_ would be unnecessarily and absurdly said here to be +with Himself, since He is the Divine Nature terminated in the Second +Person. Many commentators are of opinion that the use of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (with), and +not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (in), proves that the _Verbum_ is not a mere attribute of the +Father, but a distinct Person. So Chrys., Cyril, Theophy., A Lap., +Patrizzi, M'Evilly. + +*And the Word was God.* As our English version indicates, *Word* is the +subject of this clause, God the predicate, for in the Greek {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} has the +article, {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} wants it; and besides, as appears from the whole context, +St. John is declaring what the Word is, not what God is. A desire to begin +this clause with the last word of the clause preceding--a favourite +construction with St. John (see verses 4 and 5)--may have led to the +inversion in the original. Or the inversion may have been intended to +throw the Divinity of the Word into greater prominence by placing the +predicate before the verb. + +Some, like Corluy, refer *God*, in this third clause, to the Divine +Nature, which is common to the three Divine Persons; others, as Patrizzi, +to the Divine Nature as terminated in the Second Divine Person. We prefer +the latter view, but in either interpretation we have in this clause a +declaration of the Divinity of the Word, a proof that cannot be gainsaid +of His essential unity with the Father. Nor does the absence of the Greek +article before "God" in this third clause, when taken in conjunction with +its presence in the second, imply, as the Arians held, that the Word is +inferior to the Father. For our Evangelist certainly refers sometimes to +the supreme Deity without using the article (i. 6, 12, 18); and the +absence of the article is sufficiently accounted for in the present case +by the fact that {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} is a predicate standing before the copula.(21) + +2. Hoc erat in principio apud 2. The same was in the +Deum. beginning with God. + +2. *The same was in the beginning with God*. To emphasize the three great +truths contained in verse 1: namely, the Word's eternity, His distinct +personality, and essential unity with the Father, they are repeated in +verse 2. The same, that is, this Word who is God, was in the beginning, +and was with God. + +Various attempts have been made by the Unitarians to escape the invincible +argument for a Second Divine Person which these opening verses of our +Gospel contain. Thus, they put a full stop after the last "erat" of verse +1; and, taking the words in the order in which they occur in the Greek and +Latin, make the sense of the third clause: _And God was._ Then they join +"_verbum_," the last word of verse 1, with verse 2: This Word was in the +beginning with God. But even if we granted to the Unitarians this +punctuation of the verses, the sense of the third clause would still be +that the Word was God, and not that God existed. For "Deus" ({~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} without +the article), in the beginning of the third clause ought still to be +regarded as the predicate, with "verbum" of the preceding clauses as the +subject. This follows not merely from the absence of the Greek article +already alluded to, but also from the absurdity of the Unitarian view, +which supposes that St. John thought it necessary, after telling us that +the Word was with God, to tell us that God existed! + +Others have tried to explain away the text thus: At the beginning of the +Christian dispensation the Word existed, and the Word was most intimately +united to God by love. But, primum, they have still to explain how this +Word is declared Creator in verses 3 and 10; secundum, the statement in +verse 14: "And the Word was made flesh," implies transition of the Word to +a state different from that in which He existed "in the beginning;" but +the time of the transition is just the commencement of the Christian +dispensation, which cannot, therefore, be the time referred to in verse 1 +as "the beginning." + +3. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt: 3. All things were made by +et sine ipso factum est nihil, him: and without him was made +quod factum est, nothing that was made. +4. in ipso vita erat, et vita 4. In him was life, and the +erat lux hominum: life was the light of men. + +3. St. John passes on to the relations of the Word with creatures. *All +things* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} = {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, 1 Cor. viii. 6, Col. i. 16). The passages +indicated, as well as verse 10 of this chapter: _the world was made by +Him_, make it clear that the Son of God created all things. Nor could this +doctrine be more plainly stated than in the words before us: _All things +were made by Him_, &c. How absurd, then, is the Socinian view, according +to which St. John merely tells us here that all Christian virtues were +introduced, and the whole _moral_ world established by Christ! + +*Were made* {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}, _i.e._, got their whole _being_ from Him, and not +merely were fashioned by Him from pre-existing matter. The Cerinthian +theory, that the world was made by an inferior being, is here rejected. +*By Him* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK KORONIS~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}). We are not to suppose that the Word was an +instrument in the hands of the Father, or inferior to the Father, as the +Arians held. The preposition {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~} (per) is often used in reference to a +principal efficient cause. Thus, St. Paul says of the Father: God is +faithful, _by whom_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK KORONIS~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA AND PERISPOMENI~}) you are called unto the fellowship of His +Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord (1 Cor. i. 9. See also 1 Cor. i. 1, 2 Cor. i. +1, Gal. iv. 27, Heb. ii. 10.) And since our Evangelist has just declared +in verse 1 the Word's divinity, and knew Him to be one with the Father (x. +30), it cannot be implied here that the Word is inferior to the Father. +Some commentators hold that there is no special significance in the use +here of the preposition {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}, while others see in it an allusion to the +fact that the Son proceeds from the Father, and derives from Him His +creative power. According to these, creation is _from_ the Father, but +_through_ the Son, because the Son has received His creative power, +together with His essence, from the Father and is not, therefore, like the +Father, "principium sine principio." + +Others think that since all things were created according to the Divine +idea, _i.e._, according to the Divine and eternal wisdom, and since the +Word is that wisdom, therefore all things are rightly said to have been +created through the Word. So St. Thomas on this verse:--"Sic ergo Deus +nihil facit nisi per conceptum sui intellectus, qui est sapientia ab +aeterno concepta, scilicet Dei Verbum, et Dei Filius; et ideo impossibile +est quod aliquid faciat nisi per Filium." In this view, which seems to us +the most probable, though like all the Divine works that are "ad extra," +_i.e._ do not terminate in God Himself, creation is common to the Three +Divine Persons, yet, for the reason indicated, it is rightly said to be +through the Son. + +*And without him was made nothing* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} = not anything, emphatic for +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} nothing) *that was made* (Gr.: hath been made). By a Hebrew +parallelism the same truth is repeated negatively: all things were made by +Him, and nothing was made without Him. To this negative statement, +however, there is added, according to the method of pointing the passage +common at present, an additional clause which gives us the meaning: +nothing was made without Him, of all the things that have been made. This +restrictive clause may then be understood to imply that, together with the +Word, there was something else uncreated, that is to say (besides the +Father, whose uncreated existence would be admitted by all) the Holy Ghost +also. + +In this way after the Macedonian heresy arose in the middle of the fourth +century, and blasphemously held that the Word had made the Holy Ghost, +because without Him was made nothing, many of the Fathers replied: Nothing +was made without the Word, of the things that were made; but the Holy +Ghost was not made at all, and is therefore not included among the things +made by the Word. However, this restriction is not necessary to defend the +Divinity of the Holy Ghost. Even though we understand it to be stated +absolutely that nothing was made without the Son, no difficulty can +follow; for the Holy Ghost was not _made_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}), but _was_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) from +all eternity, as is clearly implied elsewhere. John xvi. 13, 14. + +On dogmatic grounds, therefore, there is no necessity for connecting: +_Quod factum est_, in the end of verse 3, with the preceding. And, as a +matter of fact, all the writers of the first three centuries seem to have +connected these words with verse 4,(22) and it appears to us very likely, +that it was because of the Macedonian heresy they began to be connected +with verse 3. St. Chrysostom certainly is very strong in connecting them +with verse 3, but the reason is because the heretics of the time were +abusing the other connection to support their errors. "For neither will +we," he says, "put a full stop after that 'nothing,' as the heretics do" +(Chrysostom on John, Hom. v). We must not, however, conclude, from this +remark of St. Chrysostom that it was the heretics alone who did so; for, +as we have said already, such was the ordinary way of connecting the +clauses during the first three centuries; and it is supported not only by +the Fathers, but by the oldest Latin MSS., and by some of the oldest Greek +MSS. And even after the Macedonian heretics had abused this passage to +blaspheme the Holy Ghost, the old pointing, or to speak more correctly the +old method of connecting the clauses, remained the more common.(23) Not +only did Cyril of Alexandria, and Augustine, and Venerable Bede, and St. +Thomas, and a host of others read in this way, but Maldonatus, who himself +prefers the connection in our English version: "Without Him was made +nothing that was made," admits that the usage of his time was against him, +and that it was then the practice to put a full stop after "nothing": +"Without Him was made nothing." Nor can the Sixtine or Clementine edition +of the Vulgate be appealed to in favour of our present pointing. As a +matter of fact, the Sixtine edition _rejected_ it, printing thus: "Et sine +ipso factum est nihil: quod factum est in ipso vita erat;" while the +Clementine Bible left the matter undecided by printing thus: "Et sine ipso +factum est nihil, quod factum est, in ipso vita erat," &c. We cannot, +therefore, understand to what Roman Bibles A Lapide refers when he says +that the Bibles corrected at Rome connect thus: "And without Him was made +nothing that was made." + +We think it extremely probable, then, that the words: Quod factum est +(_that was made_, or, as we shall render in our interpretation; _what was +made_), standing at present in the end of verse 3, are to be connected +with verse 4. Some may be inclined to blame us for departing from what is +at present the received connection of the words in such a well-known +passage as this. Let us, therefore, sum up briefly the evidence that has +forced us, we may say reluctantly, to connect the words with verse 4. + +1. Though Maldonatus tries to throw doubt upon the fact, this is the +connection adopted by practically all, if not all, the Fathers and other +writers of the first three centuries, and by the majority of writers +afterwards down to the sixteenth century. + +2. It is supported by the oldest MSS. of the Vulgate, and, what is more +remarkable, by some of the oldest Greek MSS., notwithstanding the fact +that St. Chrysostom was against it. + +3. The parallelism in the verse is better brought out: _All things were +made by Him, and without Him was made nothing._ + +4. If _Quod factum est_ were intended to be connected with the preceding, +the clause would be certainly unnecessary, and apparently useless, because +it is plain without it that the Evangelist is speaking of what was _made_, +and not including any uncreated Being, like the Father or the Holy Ghost. + +We prefer, then, to connect: _Quod factum est_, with what follows. But it +still remains for us to inquire in what way precisely the connection is to +be made, for various views have been held upon the subject. + +*A.* Some connect thus: What was made in (_i.e._ by) Him, was life, and +the life was the light of men. *B.* Others thus: What was made was life in +Him, and the life was the light of men. *C.* Others again, adopting the +same punctuation as in the preceding, but understanding differently: What +was made in it was the Life, and the Life was the Light of men. + +The last seems to us the correct view. For *A* is improbable, inasmuch as +it either declares all things to have life, or implies that though what +was made by the Word had life, yet there were other things wanting life, +which proceeded, as the Manichaeans held, from the evil principle. + +Nor can we accept *B*, even as explained by St. Augustine in the sense +that all created things are in the mind of God, as the house before +building is in the mind of the architect; and that being in the mind of +God they are God Himself, and "life in Him." For though this is in a +certain sense true, yet it seems to us unnatural to suppose that St. John +here, in this sublime exordium, thinks it necessary or useful to tell us +that the archetypes of created things lived in the Divine Mind. *C* then +appears to us to be the more probable view regarding the passage: "What +was made, in it was the Life;" or, more plainly: "In that which was made +was the Life;" for here, as elsewhere, St. John begins with the relative +(see i. 45, 1 John i. 1); so that, in this view, the Evangelist after +telling us the relations of the Word to all things at their beginning: +"All things were made by Him, and without Him was made nothing," now goes +on to point out His relations to them after their creation: first, His +relations with things generally: "In that which was made was the Life," +then his relations with man in the supernatural order: "And the Life was +the Light of men." + +5. Adopting this view as to the connection between verses 3 and 4, St. +Cyril of Alexandria thus explains: "The Life ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}), that is to say, the +Only-begotten Son of God, was in all things that were made. For He, being +by nature life itself, imparts being, and life, and motion to the things +that are ... In all things that were made was the Life, that is, the Word +which was in the beginning. The Word, being essential life, was mingling +Himself by participation with all existing things." + +If it be objected to this interpretation that the first {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~} of verse 4, +not having the article, cannot mean the Eternal Life, _i.e._ the Divine +Word, we reply that St. Cyril, one of the greatest of the Greek Fathers, +thought differently; and moreover, that very many of the commentators who +are against us in the interpretation of this passage, are yet with us in +referring {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~} here to the uncreated life of the Divine Word. + +But if we follow what is at present the common punctuation, and read: "In +Him was life," this is commonly interpreted to mean that the Word is the +source of supernatural life to man. S. Amb., S. Ath., Tol., Mald., A Lap., +Patr., Beel. + +But this view is not without difficulty. For, first, if it be merely meant +that life comes to man through the Word, we might rather expect that the +preposition {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~} of the preceding verse would have been retained. + +Secondly, if there be question here of the Word as the life of _man_, how +is it that it is only in the next clause that man is first mentioned? +Surely, if the opinion we are considering were correct, we should rather +expect St. John to have written: "In Him was the life of man, and the life +was the light." For these reasons, and because of what we have stated +already in favour of connecting "Quod factum est" with what follows, we +prefer to understand this passage, with St. Cyril, as a statement that the +Word, the Essential Life, was present in all things, conserving them in +existence. + +*And the Life was the Light of men.* In our view the meaning is that the +Word, the Life, who conserved all things in existence, was, moreover, in +the case of men, their Light--the source and author of their faith. Hence, +we suppose St. John, after referring to the creation of all things, in +verse 3, and the conservation of all things, in the beginning of verse 4, +to pass on now in the end of verse 4 to speak of that new creation that is +effected in man by means of a spiritual illumination: "All things were +made by (or through) Him, and without Him was made nothing. In that which +was made was the Life, and the Life was the Light of men." + +Those who interpret the beginning of the verse to mean that the spiritual +life of man comes through the Word, take the present clause as explaining +how that was so, how the Word was the Life; namely, inasmuch as He was the +Light. He was the source of our life of grace here and glory hereafter, +inasmuch as He was the source of our light, that is to say, our faith. And +some of them, as Patrizzi, hold that the order of the terms in this clause +is inverted, and that we should read: "the light of men was the life," +"light of men" being the subject. + +Maldonatus tells us that almost all writers before his time understood +"light of men" in reference to the light of reason. However, this view is +now generally abandoned, and rightly, for that man owed his reason to the +Word has been already implied in verse 3: "All things were made by Him." +Besides, the "light" of this fourth verse is doubtless the same as that of +verse 5, which _men did not receive_, and of verse 7, to which the Baptist +was to bear witness. But in neither of the latter verses can there be +question of the light of reason; hence, neither is there in verse 4. The +meaning, then, is that He who was the preserver of all things was moreover +the source of the _spiritual_ light of men. + +5. Et lux in tenebris lucet, 5. And the light shineth in +et tenebrae eam non darkness, and the darkness did +comprehenderunt. not comprehend it. +6. Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui 6. There was a man sent from +nomen erat Johannes. God, whose name was John. + +5. *And the light shineth.* The meaning is, that the Word, as the source +and author of faith, was always, as far as in Him lay, enlightening men. +*Shineth*--the present tense is used, though the latter part of the verse +shows that the past also is meant: "The light shineth in the darkness, and +the darkness _did not_ comprehend it." Probably the Evangelist avoids +using the past tense, lest it might be inferred that the Word had ceased +to shine. Besides, the present is more appropriate, seeing that, in the +sense explained, the Word shines _throughout all time_. From the beginning +the Word shone, as far as in Him lay. If men generally were not +enlightened, it was their own fault. But all who were saved from the +beginning, were saved through faith, and no one ever received the gift of +faith except in view of the merits of the Word Incarnate. "Nulli unquam +contigit vita nisi per lucem fidei, nulli lux fidei nisi intuitu Christi" +(St. August.) + +*The darkness* is man shrouded in unbelief. See Luke i. 79, Eph. v. 8. + +*And the darkness did not comprehend it.*(24) As we have just said, the +meaning is, that unbelieving men refused to be enlightened. Ordinarily, +indeed, light cannot shine in darkness without dispelling it; but in this +case the darkness was man, a free agent, capable of rejecting the light of +faith through which the Eternal Word was shining. In telling us that men +refused to be enlightened, the Evangelist is stating what was the general +rule, to which at all times there were noble exceptions. + +6. The correct rendering of the Greek text is: *There came* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}) *a +man, sent by God, whose name was John*. This reference to the Baptist in +the middle of this sublime exordium is surprising, and has been variously +accounted for. Some think that our Evangelist, after having treated of the +Divinity of the Word, merely wishes, before going on to speak of the +incarnation, to refer to the precursor. But it seems most probable that +the Evangelist wished to remove at once the error of those who, impressed +by the austerity and sanctity of the Baptist's life, had looked upon him +as the Messias. If any of them still remained at the time when St. John +wrote, or should arise afterwards, they are here told that the Baptist, +though having his mission from Heaven, was only a man intended to bear +witness to Christ. Thus the superior excellence of Christ is thrown into +relief from the fact that a great saint like the Baptist was specially +sent by Heaven to be His herald. The reference in this verse is to the +Baptist's coming into the world, at his conception, rather than to the +beginning of his preaching, for at the moment of his conception, he came, +sent by God to be the herald of Christ. See Luke i. 13-17. + +*John* is the same name as Jochanan ({~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~}), which is itself a shortened +form of Jehochanan = Jehovah hath had mercy. This name was appointed for +the Baptist, before his conception, by the Archangel Gabriel, Luke i. 13. + +7. Hic venit in testimonium, 7. This man came for a +ut testimonium perhiberet de witness, to give testimony of +lumine, ut omnes crederent per the light, that all men might +illum: believe through him. +8. Non erat ille lux, sed ut 8. He was not the light, but +testimonium perhiberet de was to give testimony of the +lumine. light. +9. Erat lux vera, quae 9. That was the true light, +illuminat omnem hominem which enlighteneth every man +venientem in hunc mundum that cometh into this world. + +7. This man came for witness, namely, in order that he might bear witness +of _the light_, that is to say, the Incarnate Word, to the end that +through him all might believe in the Word. + +8. *He was not the light* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), that is, he was not the great +uncreated light which enlighteneth all men; though, in his own way, the +Baptist too was a light, nay, as Christ Himself testified "the lamp that +burneth and shineth." (v. 35). {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} depends on {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (he came), which is to +be understood from the preceding verse. + +9. *That was the true light* (or, there was the true light), *which +enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world*. The Greek of this +verse may be construed and translated in three different ways:--1. By +connecting {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} with {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}: The true light, which enlighteneth every +man, was coming into this world. 2. By taking {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} as a nominative +agreeing with {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}: There was the true light which _at its coming_ into the +world, enlighteneth every man (iii. 19.) 3. By connecting {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} with +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, as in the Vulgate and our English version. This is far the most +probable view. In favour of it we have all the Latin Fathers, all the +Greek Fathers except one, and all the ancient versions. Besides, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} +is thus connected with the nearest substantive with which it agrees in +form. Add to this that the second opinion, the more probable of the other +two, would seem to signify that the Word was not a light to all men before +His coming, but only at His coming; and this, as we have explained above +on verse 5, is false. The meaning, then, is that the Word was the true, +_i.e._ the perfect light, and as far as in Him lies enlighteneth at all +times every man that cometh into this world, be he Jew or Gentile. *That +cometh into this world*, is in our view a Hebrew form of expression +equivalent to: that is born. It is used only here in the New Testament, +but "to be born" was commonly expressed by Jewish Rabbins by {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~} (to +come into the world). + +10. In mundo erat et mundus 10. He was in the world, and +per ipsum factus est, et the world was made by him, and +mundus eum non cognovit. the world knew him not. + +10. *He was in the world.* The Word, not the light, is the subject here, +as is proved by the masculine pronoun {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} towards the end of the verse. +It is disputed to what presence of the Word in the world there is +reference here. Almost all the Fathers understood the reference to be to +the presence of the Word in the world before the incarnation. According to +this view, which is held also by A Lapide, the Word was in the world, in +the universe, conserving what He had created, "sustaining all things by +the word of His power" (Heb. i. 3). God is everywhere present by His +essence, by His knowledge, and by His power; but it is of the latter +presence, which could be known, that the view we are considering +understands this clause. + +Maldonatus, though he admits that the Fathers are against him, holds that +the reference is to the mortal life of the Word Incarnate. He argues from +the fact that the world is blamed, in the next clause, for not having +known the Word; but knowledge of the Word was impossible before the +incarnation. It was possible indeed to know there was a God, but +impossible to know the Second Divine Person, the Word. Whatever may be +thought of the probability of this second view, the arguments ordinarily +adduced against it, from the use of the imperfect "erat" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) and from the +alleged fact that all the preceding verses refer to the Word before His +incarnation, have no weight. For the imperfect may be used not in +reference to Christ's existence before His incarnation, but to show that +He not merely appeared among men, but _continued_ to dwell for a time +among them; and the statement that everything before this verse refers to +the Word before His incarnation, cannot be sustained. For the "Light" to +which the Baptist came to bear witness (v. 7) was not the Word before His +incarnation, but the Word Incarnate, as is evident. According to this +second opinion, verse 11: He came unto His own, and His own received Him +not, merely emphasizes the ingratitude of the world towards the incarnate +Word by showing that He was rejected even by His own chosen people. + +*And the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.* Those who +interpret the first clause of this verse of the existence of the Word in +the world before the incarnation, understand the world to be blamed, in +the remainder of the verse, for its ignorance of its Creator. The world is +not blamed, they say, for not knowing the Word as the Second Divine +Person, for such knowledge it could not have gathered from the works of +creation, but for not knowing God (Rom. i. 20), who is one in nature with +the Word. + +Those who interpret the first part of the verse of the presence of Christ +on earth during His mortal life, hold that in the remainder the world is +blamed for not recognising the Word Incarnate as the Son of God, and +Second Divine Person. The meaning of the whole verse then, in this view, +is: that though the Son of God, who created the world, deigned to live +among men, yet they refused to recognise Him as God. + +11. In propria venit, et sui 11. He came unto his own, and +eum non receperunt. his own received him not. + +11. *He came unto his own.* It is clear from what we have said on the +preceding verse, that some take this to be the first reference to the +presence on earth of the Word Incarnate; while others regard it as merely +repeating the idea of the preceding verse, with the additional +circumstance that even _His own_ refused to recognise Christ. Some few +have held that the reference here is to the transient coming of the Word +in the apparitions of the Old Testament. But all the Fathers understood +the verse of the coming of the Word as man, and the verses that follow +prove their view to be correct. *His own* is understood by many of His own +world, which He had created; but we prefer to take it as referring to His +own chosen people, the Jews. "Verbum inter Judĉos veniens, natumque ex +gente Judĉorum, quos sibi Deus elegerat in populum peculiarem (Deut. xiv. +2) percommode dicitur venisse {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} atque ipsi Judaei Verbo {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} +esse dicuntur," Patriz. + +*And his own received him not.* That is to say, believed not in Him, but +rejected Him. This was the general rule, to which, of course, there were +exceptions, as the following verse shows. These words together with the +two following verses, we take to be a parenthetic reflexion on the +reception Christ met with, and the happy consequences to some. + +12. Quotquot autem receperunt 12. But as many as received +eum, dedit eis potestatem him, he gave them power to be +filios Dei fieri, his qui made the sons of God, to them +credunt in nomine eius. that believe in his name. +13. Qui non ex sanguinibus, 13. Who are born, not of +neque ex voluntate carnis blood, nor of the will of the +neque ex voluntate viri, sed flesh, nor of the will of man, +ex Deo nati sunt. but of God. + +12. There were some, however, who believed in Him, or, according to the +Hebraism, in His name, and to these, _whether Jews or Gentiles_, He gave +power to become adopted children of God. That is to say, after they had +co-operated with His grace and believed, He mercifully gave them further +grace whereby they could be justified, and thus be God's adopted children. +The last words of this verse: *To them that believe in His name*, explain +what is meant in the beginning of the verse by receiving Him. + +13. Some commentators have found great difficulty in this verse, because +they supposed that those who in the preceding verse are said to have got +the power to become children of God are here said to have been already +born of God. But the difficulty vanishes, it seems to us, if verse 13 be +taken as explaining not what those who believed were before they became +sons of God, but the _nature of the filiation_, to which those who +believed got power to raise themselves. It is not faith that makes them +sons of God, but through faith (not as a meritorious cause, but as a +condition) they attained to charity, which made them children of God. This +too is all that is meant in 1 Jn. v. 1. It is not meant that by believing +they are _eo ipso_, through faith alone, sons of God. Faith, as the +Council of Trent lays down, is the root of justification, but it is not +the formal nor even the meritorious cause of justification; it is a +condition "sine qua non." And just as St. Paul attributes justification to +faith without meaning that it is of itself sufficient, so St. John (1 John +v. 1) attributes to faith Divine sonship without meaning that it comes +from faith alone. See Decrees of the Council of Trent, Sess. vi. Chap. vi. +and viii. The meaning of the two verses, according to this view, is, that +as many as received Christ by believing in Him, got power to become +children of God, children who _were_ born ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) not of +_bloods_,(25) nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of +God. Thus verse 13 explains that these sons of God were born not in a +carnal but in a spiritual manner. "Tria hic de generatione humana sic +exponit St. Thomas: _ex sanguinibus_, ut ex causa materiali; _ex voluntate +carnis_,(26) ut ex causa efficiente quantum ad concupiscentiam (in qua est +voluntas sensitiva); _ex voluntate viri_, ut ex causa efficiente +intellectuali (libere actum conjugalem perficiente)." Corl. + +To be born of God, implies that we are transferred into a new life wherein +we become in some sense partakers of the Divine nature (2 Pet. i. 4). +Through the seed of Divine grace we are begotten anew and raised to this +higher life. + +14. Et Verbum caro factum est, 14. And the Word was made +et habitavit in nobis: et flesh, and dwelt among us (and +vidimus gloriam eius, gloriam we saw his glory, the glory as +quasi Unigeniti a Patre, it were of the only-begotten +plenum gratiae et veritatis. of the Father) full of grace + and truth. + +14. After the reflexion in verses 12 and 13 on the way Christ was received +by men, the Evangelist now states the _manner_ in which He came; namely, +by taking human nature. According to some, the first "and" is equivalent +to "for." "After He had said that those who received Him are born of God +and sons of God, He adds the cause of this unspeakable honour, namely, +that the Word was made flesh." (St. Chrys.). Others, however, think that +"and" has merely its ordinary conjunctive force. Note that {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, not +mentioned since verse 1, is again named, for emphasis, and to put it +beyond doubt or cavil that it is the same Eternal God of verse 1 who is +declared to have become man in verse 14. *Flesh* is a Hebraism for man. +See also Gen. vi. 12; Isai. xl. 5; Ps. lv. 5; John xvii. 2. Probably it is +used here specially against the Docetae, heretics who denied that Christ +had really taken flesh, which they contended was essentially polluted and +corrupt. + +"Docetae discernebant in homine tria principia {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, et +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} vel {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}. Duo priora habebant ut essentialiter polluta, cum +quibus ideo Verbum hypostatice uniri non posset. St. Joannes haec tria +Verbi hypostasi fuisse unita docet, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} hoc loco; {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, John +xii. 27; {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, xi. 33; xiii. 21; xix. 30," Corluy, p. 40, note. + +*And dwelt.* Many think, with St. Chrysostom and St. Cyril, that the Greek +verb used is employed specially to indicate that the Word did not cease to +be God when He became man, but _dwelt_ in His humanity as in a tent among +men. + +*And we saw.* The Greek verb signifies to behold with attention. We beheld +not merely His human nature present among us, but we beheld His glory as +in the transfiguration, Matt. xvii. 1, and ascension, Acts i. 9, 11. For +glory, the Greek word is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, the solemn Scriptural term for the glorious +majesty of God. + +*The glory as it were* (quasi, Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) of the only-begotten; _i.e._, glory +_such as was becoming_ the only-begotten, &c. Beware of taking the meaning +to be: a glory like that of the Son of God, but not His. As St. Chrys. +points out, the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} here expresses not similitude, but the most real +identity(27): "As if he said: We have seen His glory such as it _was +becoming and right_ that the only begotten and true Son of God should +have." S. Chrys. on John, Hom. xii. *Of the Father* should be *from the +Father*, and may be joined either with "glory," or with "only- +begotten."(28) + +*Full of grace and truth.* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, in the nominative, is the correct +reading). This is to be connected closely with the beginning of the verse: +"The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth," +and the other clause, *And we saw His glory*, &c., is parenthetic, thrown +in to prove the preceding statement. + +Christ is said to have been full of grace and truth, not merely in +Himself, but also, as the following verses prove, in reference to men with +whom He freely shared them. Kuinoel, followed by Patrizzi, understands by +"grace and truth" true grace or true benefits. But it is more natural to +take grace and truth as two distinct things, seeing that they are again +mentioned separately ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) in verse 17. Grace may be +understood in its widest sense; for not only had Christ the "gratia +unionis," as it is called, whereby His humanity was hypostatically united +to the Divinity; but, moreover, His human soul was replenished to its +utmost capacity with created grace, which not only sanctified Him, but was +also through Him a source of sanctification to us. See St. Thomas, p. 2, +sec. 7, 8. Christ is said to be "full of truth," not only because "all the +treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him" (Col. ii. 3), but +also because, as verse 17 states, He gave us the knowledge of the true +faith and true way of salvation. + +15. Ioannes testimonium 15. John beareth witness of +perhibet de ipso, et clamat, him, and crieth out, saying: +dicens: Hic erat quem dixi: This was he of whom I spoke: +Qui post me venturus est, ante He that shall come after me, +me factus est: quia prior me is preferred before me: +erat. because he was before me. + +15. *John.* The Baptist (for it is he who is meant: comp. with John i. 27; +Mark i. 4, 7; Luke iii. 2, 16) is now referred to parenthetically, as +confirming what our Evangelist has said, namely, that the eternal Word +dwelt among men. + +*Crieth out.* (Gr. perf. with pres. signif., Beel., _Gr. Gram._, § 41, 4 +(B) note); viz., gives solemn, public testimony. + +*This was he of whom I spoke* (rather, said). Some, like Patrizzi, think +that the testimony of the Baptist here referred to is a distinct testimony +not mentioned elsewhere. Others, and with more probability, hold that the +Evangelist mentions here by anticipation the same testimony whose +circumstances he describes in verses 29 and 30. + +*He that shall come after me*, in His public ministry, *is preferred +before me, because he was before me*. Some commentators, as Kuinoel and +Patrizzi, understand "before" in both cases of _time_: is before Me, +because He is eternal; others, as St. Chrys. and Toletus, in both cases of +dignity: is preferred before Me, because really preferable; and others, as +our English version, with St. Augustine, St. Thomas, Beelen, Alford, in +the former case of dignity in the latter of time: is preferred before Me, +because He is eternal. The last seems the correct interpretation, and in +it the past tense "is preferred" (ante me factus est) is used +prophetically for the future, or may be explained as a past: has been +preferred in the designs of God.(29) + +16. Et de plenitudine eius nos 16. And of his fulness we all +omnes accepimus, et gratiam have received, and grace for +pro gratia. grace. +17. Quia lex per Moysen data 17. For the law was given by +est, gratia et veritas per Moses, grace and truth came by +Iesum Christum facta est. Jesus Christ. + +16. After the parenthetic clause contained in verse 15, the Evangelist, +not the Baptist, continues regarding the Word: *And of his fulness* (see +verse 14) *we have all received, and grace for grace*. The second "and" is +explanatory. *Grace for grace*; _i.e._--(1) the grace of eternal life +following on the grace of justification here; or (2) abundant grace, +according as the grace given to Christ was abundant: gratia nobis pro +gratia Christi (Rom. v. 15); or (3) the more perfect grace of the New Law, +instead of that given under the Old Law (Chrysostom, Cyril, Patrizzi); or +(4), and best, by a Hebraism, abundant grace. "a{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}'i dicitur de +successione, gratiam unam post aliam (gratiam cumulatam)." (Beel., _Gr. +Gram._, § 51 A.) So also Kuin. + +17. The Evangelist confirms what is stated in verse 16, and at the same +time takes occasion to prefer Christ to Moses, as he has already preferred +Him to the Baptist. Moses was but the medium of _communicating_ to the +Jews the Mosaic Law, which only pointed out man's duty, without enabling +him to fulfil it--Rom. vii. 7, 8; but Christ was the _source_ and _author_ +of grace and truth to us; of all the graces whereby we are to merit +heaven, and of the perfect knowledge of the true faith. This is, +doubtless, directed against some of the Judaizers, who held that +sanctification through the Mosaic Law was at all times possible, even +after the Christian religion was established. + +18. Deum nemo vidit unquam: 18. No man hath seen God at +unigenitus Filius, qui est in any time: the only-begotten +sinu Patris, ipse enarravit. Son who is in the bosom of the + Father, he hath declared him. + +18. There is considerable difference of opinion as to the drift or bearing +of this verse. Some think that a reason is given why only Christ could +give the truth, because only He saw God in His essence. Others, that a +reason is given why the gifts of Christ mentioned in the preceding verse, +are superior to the Law given by Moses, namely, because Moses never saw +God in His essence. Others, that the evangelist explains how he and his +fellow-Apostles received of Christ's fulness, not only through what Christ +did (17), but through what He taught (18); and the necessity for such a +Divine teacher is shown by the fact that no one but He ever saw God. So +St. Thomas. + +Others, as Maldonatus and Patrizzi, hold that the Evangelist is here +adding to his own testimony, and that of the Baptist, the testimony of our +Lord Himself, in favour of all that he has said regarding our Lord in this +sublime prologue; the meaning being: What I have said regarding the +eternity, personality, and Divinity of the Word, regarding His power as +creator and regenerator, and regarding His incarnation, I have neither +seen with my own eyes, nor learned from anyone who saw, for "no man hath +seen God at any time," but Jesus Christ Himself explained these things to +me. + +*No man hath seen God at any time.* If understood of the vision of +_comprehension_ this is universally true of every creature, man or angel; +if of seeing God in His essence without comprehending Him, it is true of +all while they are here below. The latter is the sense here, for the +Evangelist wishes to signify that he could not have learned from any mere +mortal the foregoing doctrine. The saints in heaven see God in His +essence, for as our Evangelist tells us in his First Epistle: "We shall +see Him as He is" (1 John iii. 2. See also John xvii. 3). + +*The only-begotten Son.* Instead of: "The only-begotten Son," the reading: +"God only-begotten" is found in very many ancient authorities, and is +almost equally probable. Were it certain, it would be an additional proof +of Christ's Divinity. Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, because +while He is the natural Son of God, all others are but adopted sons. + +*Who is in the bosom of the Father* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}). This +means that the Son is consubstantial with the Father: "In illo ergo sinu, +id est in occultissimo paternae naturae et essentiae, quae excedit omnem +virtutem creaturae, est unigenitus Filius, et ideo consubstantialis est +Patri." St. Thomas on this verse. + +*He hath declared him.* "Him" is not represented in the original; and if +our view of the verse is the correct one, the object of the verb "hath +declared" is not so much the Word, as the doctrine contained in this +prologue concerning Him.(30) + +19. Et hoc est testimonium 19. And this is the testimony +Ioannis, quando miserunt of John, when the Jews sent +Iudaei ab Ierosolymis from Jerusalem priests and +sacerdotes et Levitas ad eum, Levites to him, to ask him: +ut interrogarent eum: Tu quis Who art thou? +es? + +19. The Evangelist now records, with its various circumstances, one of the +most solemn testimonies borne by the Baptist to Christ. The "Jews" are +probably the Sanhedrim, whose duty it was to inquire into the credentials +of preachers. The deputation was, therefore, a most solemn one, sent by +the Sanhedrim, from the Jewish capital, composed of Priests and Levites, +to make inquiries regarding a momentous question. + +20. Et confessus est, et non 20. And he confessed, and did +negavit: et confessus est: not deny: and he confessed: I +Quia non sum ego Christus. am not the Christ. + +20. The Baptist first confesses what he is not, and what many at the time +believed him to be, namely, the Christ (Luke iii. 15). + +21. Et interrogaverunt eum: 21. And they asked him: What +Quid ergo? Elias es tu? Et then? Art thou Elias? And he +dixit: Non sum. Propheta es said: I am not. Art thou the +tu? Et respondit: Non. prophet? And he answered: No. +22. Dixerunt ergo ei: Quis es, 22. They said therefore unto +ut responsum demus his qui him: Who art thou, that we may +miserunt nos? quid dicis de give an answer to them that +teipso? sent us? What sayest thou of + thyself? + +21. *Art thou Elias?* This question arose from a misunderstanding of Mal. +iv. 5. *Art thou the prophet?* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), as foretold by Moses (Deut. +xviii. 15). These interrogators evidently regarded "the prophet" as +different from the Messias, though in reality they were the same. See Acts +iii. 22-24. + +23. Ait: Ego vox clamantis in 23. He said: _I am the voice +deserto: Dirigite viam Domini, of one crying in the +sicut dixit Isaias propheta. wilderness, Make straight the + way of the Lord_, as said the + prophet Isaias. + +23. The Baptist with striking humility replies that he is merely a voice, +a passing sign--yet that voice spoken of by Isaias, which was to call upon +men to prepare their hearts to receive Christ. The Hebrew of Isaias may be +rendered: "The voice of one that crieth in the wilderness: Prepare ye the +way of the Lord (Jehovah), make straight in the desert a highway for our +God." Or, as is more probable from the Hebrew parallelism: "The voice of +one that crieth: Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord, make +straight in the desert a highway for our God." The Baptist, in applying to +himself this prophetic passage, which is also applied to him by the three +Synoptic Evangelists (Matt. iii. 3; Mark i. 3; Luke iii. 4), gives merely +the substance of the original. It is disputed whether Isaias refers in the +literal sense to preparing the roads by which the people should return +from the Babylonian Captivity, and only in the mystical sense to the +preparation for the Messias, or directly and literally to the preparation +for the Messias. The latter seems the more probable view. At any rate, the +words as applied here mean that the Baptist is the voice to which Isaias +referred (in some sense literal or mystical), and that the burden of his +cry in the desert of Judea is, that men who heard him in the desert should +prepare their hearts for Christ. + +The language is metaphorical, and alludes to the custom prevalent in those +days of sending forward couriers to get the roads ready for advancing +princes. + +24. Et qui missi fuerant, 24. And they that were sent +erant ex Pharisaeis. were of the Pharisees. + +24. The Pharisees were a sect among the Jews, so called according to some +from their founder, Pharos, or more probably, perhaps, from the Hebrew +verb "pharash" ({~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}) to separate, as though they were separated from and +above ordinary men, owing to their strict observance of the Law. They held +many erroneous tenets: thus--(1) They relied for God's favour upon their +carnal descent from Abraham. (2) They taught that no oath was binding in +which the name of God or the gold of the temple was not expressly invoked. +(3) That internal sins were not forbidden; and (4) some of their schools +admitted the right of arbitrary divorce. See Matt. v. 33-36; xix. 3; +xxiii. + +25. Et interrogaverunt eum, et 25. And they asked him, and +dixerunt ei: Quid ergo said to him: Why then dost +baptizas, si tu non es thou baptize, if thou be not +Christus, neque Elias, neque Christ, nor Elias, nor the +propheta? prophet? +26. Respondit eis Ioannes, 26. John answered them, +dicens: Ego baptizo in aqua: saying: I baptize with water; +medius autem vestrum stetit, but there hath stood one in +quem vos nescitis. the midst of you, whom you + know not. + +25. Being Pharisees, and therefore versed in the Law, they knew from +Ezech. xxxvi. 25, and Zach. xiii. 1, that in the time of the Messias there +was to be a baptism unto the remission of sins. They concluded, then, that +only the Messias, or some of those that were to accompany Him, could +confer this baptism; and, not understanding the import of the Baptist's +answer, verse 23, in which he really declared himself the herald of +Christ's coming, they ask why he presumes to baptize. + +26. The Baptist answers that his is not the baptism foretold by the +Prophets, which was to cleanse the sinner, but as he had declared at the +beginning of his preaching, a baptism unto penance (Matt. iii. 21). John's +baptism consisted in an ablution of the body, accompanied by the +profession of a penitential spirit, preparatory to the coming of Him who +was to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire (Matt. iii. 11). It could in +no sense be said to remit sin; while the baptism of Christ really remits +sin (Acts ii. 38). Hence the Council of Trent defined:--"Si quis dixerit +baptismum Joannis habuisse eamdem vim cum baptismo Christi anathema sit." +(Sess. vii., Can. i.) _De Bapt._ + +*There hath stood* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}); rather there *standeth*, the perfect of this +verb having a present signification. Many authorities indeed read the +later present {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}. The meaning is not that our Lord was then actually +present in the crowd, else St. John would probably have pointed him out, +as he did on the following day (v. 29); but that He was already present +among the Jewish people, was already living among them. + +27. Ipse est qui post me 27. The same is he that shall +venturus est, qui ante me come after me, who is +factus est: cuius ego non sum preferred before me: the +dignus ut solvam eius latchet of whose shoe I am not +corrigiam calceamenti. worthy to loose. + +27. Many authorities omit the words: "The same is," and also: "who is +preferred before me," and then connect with the preceding thus: "But there +hath stood One in the midst of you whom you know not, even He that shall +come (rather, that cometh) after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not +worthy to loose." So Tisch., Treg., Westcott, and Hort, and the Rev. Vers. +It is not easy to explain why the words are wanting in so many MSS., if +they were written by St. John; certainly it is easier to believe that they +were inserted by some scribe to bring the verse into closer resemblance to +15 and 30. + +In the latter part of the verse, the Baptist declares himself unworthy to +perform the lowest menial service for Christ. To loose the sandals of +their masters was the business of slaves; yet for even such service to +Christ the great Prophet confesses himself unfit. + +28. Haec in Bethania facta 28. These things were done in +sunt trans Iordanem, ubi erat Bethania beyond the Jordan, +Ioannes baptizans. where John was baptizing. + +28. *Bethania*, here mentioned, was situated in Peraea, east of the +Jordan, and must be carefully distinguished from the town of the same +name, in which Lazarus lived, about two miles east of Jerusalem, but west +of the Jordan. Many ancient authorities read Bethabara, instead of +Bethania. Origen, though admitting that nearly all the MSS. of his time +read Bethania, changed it, on topographical grounds, for Bethabara, in his +edition of our Gospel. Bethania, according to some, means the house of a +ship ({~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}), while Bethabara means the house of a ferry-boat ({~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} +{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}); so that, perhaps, they may have been different names for the same +place on the Jordan. + +29. Altera die vidit Ioannes 29. The next day John saw +Iesum venientem ad se, et ait: Jesus coming to him, and he +Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui saith: Behold the lamb of God, +tollit peccatum mundi. behold him who taketh away the + sin of the world. + +29. On the day after that on which the Baptist bore the preceding +testimony, he saw Jesus coming towards him. This is the first time that +the mention of the Holy Name occurs in our Gospel. *Jesus* (Gr. {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) is +the same as the Hebrew {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}, which is itself a contraction for {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}, +meaning God the Saviour. That our Lord was so called, to show that He was +to be the Saviour of men, is clear from the words of the angel to St. +Joseph: "And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call His name +JESUS, _for_ He shall _save_ His people from their sins" (Matt. i. 21). We +cannot be certain whence Jesus was now coming; but it seems very probable +that He was coming from the desert after His forty days' fast. We know +from St. Mark (i. 12) that as soon as He was baptized, "_immediately_ the +spirit drove Him out into the desert, and He was in the desert forty days +and forty nights." Since, then, the present occasion was subsequent to His +baptism, as we learn from a comparison of verse 33 with St. Matthew iii. +16 (for the Baptist alludes, on the present occasion, to what took place +at the baptism), it follows that it must have been at least forty days +subsequent. Christ seems too to have been absent when, on the day before +this, the Baptist bore witness to Him, else the Baptist would have +probably pointed Him out as present, just as he does on this occasion. All +things considered, then, it is likely Jesus is now returning, and that the +Baptist here takes the first opportunity of again commending Him to the +people. + +*Behold the lamb* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) of God. The Baptist, in these words, points +out Jesus as the Messias, for there is evident allusion to Isaias liii. +7-12, where the Messias is compared to a lamb before his shearers, bearing +the sins of many. In referring to Jesus as a lamb, the Baptist recalled +this prophecy, insinuated Christ's innocence, and perhaps suggested that +he was to be sacrificed. *Lamb of God*, because offered by God for the +sins of men, as we speak of the sacrifice of Abraham, meaning the +sacrifice offered by him; or it may mean simply the Divine Lamb. But the +first opinion seems more probable. + +*Who taketh away the sin of the world.* Every word is emphatic. Christ not +merely covers up, or abstains from imputing sin, but He takes it away +altogether, as far as in Him lies. And it is not merely legal impurities +that the sacrifice of this Divine Lamb will remove, but sin; and not +merely the sin of one race, like the Jewish, but the sin of the whole +world. "Sin," in the singular number, designates as one collective whole +every sin of every kind. + +30. Hic est de quo dixi: Post 30. This is he of whom I said: +me venit vir qui ante me After me there cometh a man, +factus est, quia prior me who is preferred before me: +erat: because he was before me. + +30. The Baptist goes on to say that Jesus is that very Person of whom he +had said on a previous occasion: *After me*, &c. Some take the reference +here to be to the testimony of the preceding day, when the Baptist bore +witnesses in verse 27; others think the reference is to the occasion +spoken of in verse 15, and regard that testimony as distinct from the one +recorded in verse 27. We prefer the latter view, and distinguish in all +six testimonies of the Baptist recorded in the Gospels. The first, before +Christ's Baptism, as in Matt. iii. 11; Mark i. 7; Luke iii. 16; the +second, as in John i. 15; the third, as in John i. 19-27; the fourth, as +in John i. 29-34; the fifth, as in John i. 35-36; and the sixth and last, +as in John iii. 27-36. + +31. Et ego nesciebam eum, sed 31. And I knew him not, but +ut manifestetur in Israel, that he may be made manifest +propterea veni ego in aqua in Israel, therefore am I come +baptizans. baptizing with water. + +31. *And I knew him not*; _i.e._, _officially_, so as to be able to bear +witness to Him publicly; or, better: I knew Him not personally; I was +unacquainted with Him, so that my testimony in His favour then and now +cannot be the result of prejudice or partiality towards Him. The Baptist +was indeed a relative of our Lord (Luke i. 36), and must known what his +father, Zachary, had declared, "Praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare +vias ejus" (Luke i. 76), that he himself was to herald the public coming +of Jesus. Yet, as Jesus dwelt at Nazareth in Galilee during His private +life; and John, reared in the hill country of Juda (Luke i. 39), spent the +years before his public mission--perhaps from his very childhood (as +Origen, Mald.) in the deserts (Luke i. 80), it is conceivable how he might +not have known Christ's appearance. "What wonder," says St. Chrys., "if he +who from his childhood spent his life in the desert, away from his +father's home, did not know Christ?" But as he had, while still in his +mother's womb, been divinely moved to recognise Christ (Luke i. 41, 44); +so, immediately before the baptism of the latter, he was enabled to +recognise Him (Matt. iii. 14). + +32. Et testimonium perhibuit 32. And John gave testimony, +Ioannes, dicens: Quia vidi saying: I saw the Spirit +Spiritum descendentem quasi coming down as a dove from +columbam de coelo, et mansit heaven, and he remained upon +super eum. him. +33. Et ego nesciebam eum: sed 33. And I knew him not: but +qui misit me baptizare in he, who sent me to baptize +aqua, ille mihi dixit: Super with water, said to me: He +quem videris Spiritum upon whom thou shalt see the +descendentem, et manentem Spirit descending and +super eum, hic est qui remaining upon him, he it is +baptizat in Spiritu Sancto. that baptizeth with the Holy + Ghost. +34. Et ego vidi: et 34. And I saw; and I gave +testimonium perhibui quia hic testimony, that this is the +est Filius Dei. Son of God. + +32-34. Some, as Patrizzi, take this as a new testimony; others, with more +probability, take it as a continuation of the preceding, and say that our +Evangelist inserts the words, *and John gave testimony*, in the middle of +the Baptist's words, in order to arrest the reader's attention. The +Baptist here declares what he had beheld after the baptism of Christ +(Matt. iii. 16), and how that sign had been revealed to him beforehand as +one that was to mark out the Messias, and _confirm_ his own faith: and how +he had accordingly on that occasion borne witness that Jesus is the Son of +God. + +*That baptizeth with the Holy Ghost*; _i.e._, who will _wash_ you, not +with water, but in the graces of the Holy Ghost. There may be special +reference to the graces conferred in Christian baptism. + +35. Altera die iterum stabat 35. The next day again John +Ioannes, et ex discipulis eius stood, and two of his +duo. disciples. +36. Et respiciens Iesum 36. And beholding Jesus +ambulantem, dicit: Ecce Agnus walking, he saith: Behold the +Dei. Lamb of God. +37. Et audierunt eum duo 37. And the two disciples +discipuli loquentem, et secuti heard him speak, and they +sunt Iesum. followed Jesus. +38. Conversus autem Iesus, et 38. And Jesus turning, and +videns eos sequentes se, dicit seeing them following him, +eis: Quid quaeritis? Qui said to them: What seek you? +dixerunt ei: Rabbi (quod Who said to him: Rabbi (which +dicitur interpretatum, is to say, being interpreted, +magister), ubi habitas? Master), where dwellest thou? + +35-38. Circumstances in which the first disciples attached themselves to +Jesus. The Evangelist interprets the Syro-Chaldaic word Rabbi (38), +because he is writing for the Christians of Asia Minor. + +39. Dicit eis: Venite, et 39. He saith to them: Come and +videte. Venerunt, et viderunt see. They came, and saw where +ubi maneret, et apud eum he abode, and they staid with +manserunt die illo: hora autem him that day: now it was about +erat quasi decima. the tenth hour. + +39. *About the tenth hour.* According to those who hold that St. John +numbers the hours of the day after the Jewish method, the time here +indicated would be about two hours before sunset. For the Jews divided the +natural day or time of light into twelve equal parts, each part being one- +twelfth of the whole, so that the length of their hour varied according to +the season of the year. If we suppose St. John to number as we do now, and +as the Greeks did then, the time here indicated would be about 10 a.m. + +40. Erat autem Andreas frater 40. And Andrew the brother of +Simonis Petri unus ex duobus Simon Peter was one of the two +qui audierant a Ioanne, et who had heard of John, and +secuti fuerant eum. followed him. + +40. It is extremely probable that the other who followed, and whose name +is not given, was our Evangelist himself. See Introd. I. B. 2. + +41. Invenit hic primum fratrem 41. He findeth first his +suum Simonem, et dicit ei: brother Simon, and saith to +Invenimus Messiam (quod est him: We have found the +interpretatum Christus). Messias, which is, being + interpreted, the Christ. + +41. *First*; _i.e._, before the other (our Evangelist) findeth his +brother, James. *Messias* (from the Hebrew root _Mashàch_ ({~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}), to +anoint) = {~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} = anointed. It was the custom to anoint Hebrew kings, +priests, and prophets; and Christ, as combining the three dignities in +Himself, was _the anointed_ by excellence. + +42. Et adduxit eum ad Iesum. 42. And he brought him to +Intuitus autem eum Iesus, Jesus. And Jesus looking upon +dixit: Tu es Simon filius him said: Thou art Simon the +Iona: tu vocaberis Cephas, son of Jona: thou shalt be +quod interpretatur Petrus. called Cephas, which is + interpreted Peter. + +42. Christ's omniscience is left to be inferred from His knowing Simon(31) +here at first sight. *Cephas*, Syro-Chaldaic, _Képha_ ({~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}); Hebrew _Keph_ +({~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}) = {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} (rock), from which we have {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} with the feminine +termination changed into the masculine. The change of Simon's name was now +predicted, but was probably not made till afterwards. See Mark iii. 16. + +43. In crastinum voluit exire 43. On the following day he +in Galilaeam, et invenit would go forth into Galilee, +Philippum. Et dicit ei Iesus: and he findeth Philip. And +Sequere me. Jesus saith to him: Follow me. + +43. *On the following day he would go forth.* The sense is: when He was +about to set out; "cum in eo esset, ut e Judaea abiret" (Kuin.). Jesus had +come from Nazareth, the home of His private life in Galilee, to be +baptized by John, (Matt. iii. 13; Mark i. 9). He had then spent forty days +in the desert, and been tempted there, (Matt. iii. 16-iv. 3); had returned +from the desert to the Jordan, and been witnessed to again by the Baptist +(see above John i. 15, 19-36), and was now on the point of returning to +Galilee. + +*Follow me.* Philip to whom these words were addressed was afterwards the +Apostle of that name. The call to follow our Lord on this occasion was not +the formal call to the _Apostleship_, but rather an invitation to him to +become a disciple. The same is to be said regarding the others referred to +in this chapter, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Nathanael. Four of +these--Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who had in the meantime returned to +Galilee, and were pursuing their calling of fishermen, were again called, +Matt. iv. 18-22, Luke v. 1-11; and on this second occasion "leaving all +things they followed Him," and became inseparably attached to Him as +disciples. Finally, the solemn formal call of the twelve to the +Apostleship is narrated, Matt. x. 2; Luke vi. 13. + +44. Erat autem Philippus a 44. Now Philip was of +Bethsaida, civitate Andreae et Bethsaida, the city of Andrew +Petri. and Peter. + +44. *Bethsaida.* In our view there were two towns of this name: the one +mentioned here, on the western shore of the sea of Galilee, about four +miles south of Capharnaum; the other Bethsaida Julias, situated to the +north east of the same sea. The latter was enlarged and greatly improved +by Philip the Tetrarch, son of Herod the Great, who gave it the name +Julias, in honour of Julia the daughter of the Roman Emperor Augustus. + +45. Invenit Philippus 45. Philip findeth Nathanael, +Nathanaël, et dicit ei: Quem and saith to him: We have +scripsit Moyses in lege, et found him of whom Moses in the +prophetae, invenimus Iesum law, and the prophets did +filium Ioseph a Nazareth. write, Jesus the son of Joseph + of Nazareth. +46. Et dixit ei Nathanaël: A 46. And Nathanael said to him: +Nazareth potest aliquid boni Can anything of good come from +esse? Dicit ei Philippus: Nazareth? Philip saith to him: +Veni, et vide. Come and see. + +45. Philip not only obeys the call to become a disciple himself, but +brings another disciple with him to Jesus. Nathanael (= _Deus dedit_) was +a native of Cana in Galilee (John xxi. 2), and is most probably identical +with Bartholomew (= son of Tolmai) the Apostle, "For Nathanael and Philip +are coupled in John i. 45, as Bartholomew and Philip are here (Matt. x. +3); Nathanael is named in the very _midst_ of Apostles, John xxi. 2. +'There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas, who is called Didymus, and +Nathanael who was of Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee.' Would +anyone but an Apostle be so named? Finally, Matthew, Luke, and Mark do not +allude to Nathanael, nor does John to Bartholomew" (M'Carthy on Matt. x. +3). + +*The son of Joseph.* Doubtless, he means a son conceived and born in the +ordinary way. So it was generally thought, and so thought Philip, ignorant +of the miraculous conception of Christ, and of His birth at Bethlehem. It +is absurd to charge our Evangelist, as De Wette has done, with ignorance +of Christ's miraculous birth of a virgin, because he records the ignorance +of Philip. + +*Nazareth*, for ever famous as the scene of the incarnation, was a little +town in Lower Galilee, in the tribal territory of Zabulon. It was the +dwelling-place of our Lord during His private life. Nazareth, indeed all +Galilee, was held in contempt (see John vii. 52), and hence Nathanael's +doubt, (verse 46), though he was himself a Galilean (John xxi. 2). + +47. Vidit Iesus Nathanaël 47. Jesus saw Nathanael coming +venientem ad se, et dicit de to him, and he saith of him: +eo; Ecce vere Israelita, in Behold an Israelite indeed, in +quo dolus non est. whom there is no guile. +48. Dicit ei Nathanaël: Unde 48. Nathanael saith to him: +me nosti? Respondit Iesus, et Whence knowest thou me? Jesus +dixit ei: Priusquam te answered, and said to him: +Philippus vocaret, cum esses Before that Philip called +sub ficu, vidi te. thee, when thou wast under the + fig-tree, I saw thee. +49. Respondit ei Nathanaël, et 49. Nathanael answered him, +ait: Rabbi, tu es Filius Dei, and said: Rabbi, thou art the +tu es rex Israel. Son of God, thou art the King + of Israel. + +47-49. When Nathanael had approached near enough to be able to hear what +was said, but before he had spoken anything from which our Lord might have +been thought to guess at his character, our Lord said: *Behold an +Israelite ** indeed, in whom there is no guile*; that is to say, one who, +not merely by descent, but by the simplicity and honesty of his character, +is a true son of Jacob. See Gen. xxv. 27; Rom. ix. 6. Jacob's name was +changed into Israel, after he wrestled with the angel, Gen. xxxii. 28. + +47-49. Nathanael must have felt convinced that he had been hidden from +Christ's natural view, otherwise he could not draw the inference which, +aided by divine grace, he draws. Whether Nathanael yet recognised Jesus to +be true God, and professed his belief in Him as such, in the words of +verse 49, is disputed. If we are to judge from his words ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), the +affirmative opinion seems much more probable. The words are an echo of the +Baptist's testimony (v. 34), but Nathanael confesses not alone Christ's +Divine origin, but also His human sovereignty: Thou art the Son of God, +Thou art the King of Israel. + +50. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 50. Jesus answered and said to +ei: Quia dixi tibi: Vidi te him: Because I said unto thee, +sub ficu, credis: maius his I saw thee under the fig-tree, +videbis. thou believest: greater things + than these shalt thou see. + +50. Jesus promises Nathanael stronger arguments in proof of His Divinity. +In the words: *Greater things than these shalt thou see*, the plural these +seems to point to the class and not merely the special incident. + +51. Et dicit ei: Amen, amen. 51. And he saith to him: Amen, +dico vobis, videbitis coelum amen, I say to you, you shall +apertum, et Angelos Dei see the heaven opened, and the +ascendentes, et descendentes Angels of God ascending and +supra Filium hominis. descending upon the son of + man. + +51. *Amen, amen*, is peculiar to John. The other Evangelists use "Amen" +only once in such asseverations. "Amen means verily (at the end of a +prayer, so be it); and when doubled, strengthens the asseveration, and +points to the solemnity of the declaration about to follow" (M'Ev.). + +*Son of man.* This term, probably derived in its Messianic sense from Dan. +vii. 13, 14, was very rarely applied to Christ, except by Himself, and we +find Him using it very frequently (though not exclusively; see, _e.g._, +Matt. ix. 6; xxiii. 30; Acts vii. 56) in connection with His privations, +sufferings, and death (Matt. viii. 20; xii.40; xvii. 12; xxvi. 21-25; John +iii. 14, &c.). It indicates that Christ was not only man like Adam; but +that, unlike him, He was _descended_ of man, and therefore our brother in +the truest sense. + +*You shall see.* Though Nathanael is addressed (and He saith to _him_), +yet the plural (videbitis) shows that the wondrous sign here promised was +to be seen not by him alone, but at least by Philip also, and probably by +others. The meaning of the prediction is obscure. Evidently some great +sign is promised; but what it is, interpreters are far from agreed. Some +take the words metaphorically, others literally. + +Of those who understand them metaphorically, some take the sense to be: +You shall see numerous miracles, such as are usually attributed to angels +(or, in the performance of which angels shall minister to Me) wrought by +Me, the Son of Man, during My public life. So Beelen, Maier, &c. We cannot +accept this view, for it seems highly improbable that our Lord would speak +in language so obscure to the guileless Nathanael and his companions on an +occasion like the present, when Nathanael had only just believed. + +Others understand of the spiritual glories of the whole period from the +commencement of Christ's public mission till the end of the world. Alford, +explaining this view (which, by the way, he calmly claims to have been +"the interpretation of all commentators of any depth in all times"!) says: +"It is not the outward visible opening of the material heavens nor ascent +or descent of angels in the sight of men, which the Lord here announces, +but the series of glories which was about to be unfolded in His Person and +work, from that time forward." Our difficulty in regard to this view is +the same as in regard to the preceding. + +St. Augustine is generally supposed to have understood this text in +reference to the preachers of the New Testament, "ascending" when they +preach the more sublime, "descending," when they preach the more +elementary doctrines of religion. If St. Augustine meant this as a +_literal_ interpretation of the passage, as he certainly seems to do in +Tract vii. on this Gospel, we cannot accept it. Surely, something stranger +and more striking is promised here, after the opening of the heavens, than +the sight of preachers! + +Others hold that we must interpret this passage entirely in the light of +Jacob's dream, Gen. xxviii. 12. Jacob saw a ladder reaching from earth to +heaven, with angels ascending and descending upon it. That vision meant in +his regard that God would make him the object of His special protection +(see Gen. xxviii. 13-15). And now Nathanael, who is _an Israelite indeed_, +a true son of Jacob (v. 47), is told that he and others shall see that +Divine favour and protection which Jacob's vision signified, extended in +such an extraordinary manner to Christ, during His life, that it will be +most manifest He is the Son of God. + +This view we regard as probable. The Fathers tell us that Nathanael was +particularly well versed in the Scriptures, and our Lord's words might +readily recall to his mind Jacob's dream, with all its significance of +Divine favour and protection. + +Of the opinions that attempt to explain the words literally, some may be +dismissed at once. Thus there cannot be reference to the angels who +appeared at Christ's birth, or after His temptations (Matt. iv. 11), for +Christ speaks of an event still to come, whereas His birth and temptations +were already past. Nor can there be reference to the transfiguration, even +if we suppose angels to have been present; nor to the agony in the garden; +nor to the resurrection; for on none of these occasions did Philip and +Nathanael see the angels. Less improbable, perhaps, is the view that there +is reference to the ascension, and the two angels that appeared then (Acts +i. 10). But this opinion too we reject without hesitation. In the passage +of the Acts referred to, St. Luke tells us: "And while they were beholding +Him going up to heaven, behold two men _stood by them_ in white garments." +Now, it is clear that angels who stood by the apostles and disciples, +cannot possibly be those referred to here as "ascending and descending +upon the Son of Man." + +A Lapide refers the prediction to some miraculous vision seen by the +disciples during our Lord's life, and not recorded in the Gospels. But it +seems improbable that the fulfilment of such a prediction would be passed +over in silence by all the Evangelists. + +Finally, there is the opinion, which is held by Maldonatus, that there is +reference to the last judgment, when the heavens shall be opened, and +Christ shall come riding on the clouds of heaven, accompanied by angels, +and all men shall be forced to confess Him God. This seems to us the most +probable interpretation. For, first, it is likely that our Lord refers to +the clearest and most incontrovertible proof that shall be given of His +Divinity; and such will be His coming in majesty to judge the world. +Secondly, we know that on another occasion, when he was challenged by the +Jewish High Priest to say if he was the Son of God, He appealed to this +same proof of His Divinity: "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou +tell us if thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith to him: Thou +hast said it. Nevertheless, I say to you: Hereafter you shall see the Son +of Man sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the +clouds of heaven" (Matt. xxvi. 63-64). Probably the expression: *ascending +and descending* is to be understood metaphorically, even in this opinion, +and means merely that the angels shall be _attendant upon_ the great +Judge, ready to execute His will. The order is remarkable: they are said +first to ascend, and then to descend, as was the case also in Jacob's +vision. + + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + + 1-11. *Christ at the marriage feast in Cana changes water into + wine.* + + 12. *He goes down to Capharnaum.* + + 13-17. *At the approach of the Pasch He goes up to Jerusalem, and + there drives the buyers and sellers out of the Temple.* + + 18-22. *Challenged by the Jews for a sign of His authority, He + predicts His own Resurrection, as the disciples called to mind + after He had risen.* + + 23-25. *On the occasion of this first Pasch of His public life + many believe in Him because of His miracles.* + + +1. Et die tertia nuptiae 1. And the third day there was +factae sunt in Cana Galilaeae, a marriage in Cana of Galilee: +et erat mater Iesu ibi. and the mother of Jesus was + there. +2. Vocatus est autem et Iesus, 2. And Jesus also was invited, +et discipuli eius, ad nuptias. and his disciples, to the + marriage. + +1. The Evangelist having narrated how our Lord was witnessed to by the +Baptist, and joined by His first disciples, now proceeds to tell how He +bore testimony of Himself by His miracles. + +*The third day.* Naturally the third from the point of time last referred +to, in verse 43. + +The marriage feast was celebrated for a week among the Jews, and this +custom had come down from very ancient times, as we learn from the book of +Judges, xiv. 12. + +*Cana of Galilee* was situated most probably in the tribe of Zabulon near +Capharnaum. There was another Cana in the tribe of Aser, near Sidon (see +Jos. xix. 28). + +2. *And Jesus also was invited*; that is to say, He also, _as well as_ the +Blessed Virgin, was invited. Mald. holds that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} (et) is explanatory: on +that account, that is to say, because she _was_ there as a friend of the +family, Jesus was _invited_. + +3. Et deficiente vino, dicit 3. And the wine failing, the +mater Iesu ad eum: Vinum non mother of Jesus saith to him: +habent. They have no wine. + +3. *And the wine failing* (Gr. having failed). Either all the wine was +already drunk, or, at least, there was no more to be drawn; the last was +on the table. When we take into account what Mary says to the servants (v. +5), it is plain that her object in telling Jesus that the wine had run +short, was not that He and His disciples might retire (Bengel), nor that +He might exhort the company to patience (Calvin), nor that He might buy +wine (Kuin.), but that He might work a miracle. "The Mother of the Lord +having heard of the testimony of the Baptist, and seeing the disciples +gathered round her Son, the circumstances of whose miraculous birth she +treasured in her heart (Luke ii. 19, 51) must have looked now at length +for the manifestation of His power, and thought that an occasion only was +wanting. Yet even so she leaves all to His will" (Westc., in _Speaker's +Comm._). + +4. Et dicit ei Iesus: Quid 4. And Jesus saith to her: +mihi et tibi est mulier: Woman, what is it to me and to +Nondum venit hora mea. thee? My hour is not yet come. + +4. *Woman, what is it to me and to thee?* The Vulgate has. "Quid mihi et +tibi _est_, mulier?" But the verb is not in the Greek text ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}?), which would therefore be better translated: "What to Me and +to thee, woman?" The Revised Version of the Church of England renders: +"Woman, what have I to do with thee?" + +Most Protestant writers have held that these words of our Lord contain a +reproof of His mother. Among Catholics many have held that the words +contain _the semblance_ of reproof; to teach us, not Mary, that we are not +to be influenced by motives of flesh and blood in the service of God. +Others have held (and this is the general opinion of modern Catholic +commentators) that the words do not contain even the appearance of +reproof. + +(1) It is now generally acknowledged even by Protestant commentators that +the term {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} is not reproachful or disrespectful. According to Alford +there is no reproach in the term, but rather respect; and Trench says: "So +far from any harshness, the compellation has something solemn in it" +(_Miracles_, p. 100). Liddell and Scott's _Lexicon_, says: "It is often +used as a term of respect or affection, mistress, lady." Yet Calvin +impiously asserts that our Lord does not deign to call Mary His Mother: +"Deinde cur simplici repulsa non contentus eam in vulgarem mulierum +ordinem cogit, nec jam matris nomine dignatur?" "Why doubt of the heavenly +origin of a reformation wrought by such reasoning as this?" (McCarthy). + +Father Coleridge thinks that Mary is addressed here by the title {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} +because that is "what we may call her official and theological title ... +for she is the 'woman' of whom our Lord was born; she is the 'woman' of +whom God spake to our first parents when He made them the promise of a +Redeemer after the fall; she is the 'woman' to whom the whole range of +types look forward, who was to conceive and compass a man (Jer. xxxi. 22); +she is the 'woman,' the second Eve, as our Lord is the Man, and the Son of +Man, the second Adam."(32) But whatever may be thought of this view, +enough has been said to show that the term {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} does not imply reproof or +disrespect. + +(2) Neither does the phrase "What to Me and to thee?" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}?). +We find exactly the same phrase in Judg. xi. 12; 3 Kings xvii. 18; 4 Kings +iii. 13; 2 Paral. xxxv. 21; Mark v. 7; Luke viii. 28.(33) + +(A). After a candid examination of these texts, it must, we think, appear +that the meaning of the phrase is _not_: What does this concern you and +Me? for in some, if not all, of the passages cited the phrase cannot have +that meaning. Besides, is it likely Jesus would say that the wants of the +poor, who were His hosts, and perhaps His relatives, and their shame +consequent upon those wants, did not concern Him? + +(B). Neither is the meaning: What have I to do with you, or, what have I +in common with you? (as author of a miracle such as you suggest); it must +proceed from My Divine nature, while only My human nature has been derived +from you (so Augus., Tolet., Patriz.). For-- + +(_a_) This is not the meaning of the phrase in the parallel passages. + +(_b_) Christ gives a different reason: _My hour is not yet come._ + +(_c_) His person hypostatically united to His human nature, had that +nature in common with her, and it is of His person (_mihi_), not of His +Divine nature merely that He speaks. + +(C). What the precise meaning of the phrase is, it is difficult to +determine with certainty. In all the passages where it occurs, it seems to +indicate some divergence between the thoughts or wishes of the persons so +brought together. Most probably it is here a _remonstrance_; because the +suggestion that Christ should work a miracle is _inconvenient or +inopportune_, inasmuch as it brings moral pressure to bear upon Him to +make Him begin His miracles before the time at which, prescinding from +this suggestion, His public miracles were to begin. Something similar are +the words of God to Moses: "_Let Me alone_, that My wrath may be kindled +against them, and that I may destroy them" (Exod. xxxii. 10). On that +occasion God, after remonstrating, granted the prayer of Moses, just as on +this occasion, after remonstrating, He yielded to the suggestion of His +Mother. So St. Cyril of Alex., St. Amb., Corl, &c. + +Whether the above be the correct meaning of the phrase or not, one thing +is clear, against Calvin, Alf., Trench, &c., that the words cannot contain +a rebuke--not a _real_ rebuke; because there was no fault on Mary's part, +not even venial (Council of Trent, sess. vi., can. 23). St. Aug., whose +authority Protestants must respect, whatever they may think of that of the +Council of Trent, says: "De Sancta Maria Virgine, propter honorem Christi, +nullam prorsus quando de peccato agitur volo habere quaestionem" (_De +Natura et Gratia_, ch. xxxvi.). Moreover, if the Blessed Virgin were +guilty of any fault, it would be either because of the thing suggested, or +of some circumstance of time, place, motive, &c. Now, our Lord granted +what she suggested; the object was therefore, good. The circumstances were +the very same when the miracle was wrought as when it was suggested. As to +her motive, it may have been good--charity for the poor. Why, then, ascribe +a bad motive, such as vanity, without convincing proof? That the +suggestion was acceded to, goes to show that it was made in circumstances +in which it was not displeasing to God.(34) + +Neither is there in the words a _feigned_ rebuke, that is, feigned for our +instruction, to show us that we are not to regard flesh and blood in doing +the work of God (Mald., Tolet., &c.); for Christ actually did what was +suggested; and, besides, it is Catholic teaching that Christ in heaven +grants many requests to His Mother, _because_ she is His Mother. + +In vain, then, have Protestants tried to find, in these words of our Lord, +anything derogatory to the dignity of His Blessed Mother. To every +interpretation which would give such a sense to His words, we may answer, +with St. Justin, Martyr: "Non verbo matrem objurgavit qui facto +honoravit." "He reproved not His mother by what He said who honoured her +by what He did." + +*My hour is not yet come.* In our interpretation it is easy to explain +these words. His hour is not the hour of His death, nor the time when the +want of wine would be fully felt, but the time at which, according to the +ordinary providence of God, and prescinding from His Mother's suggestion, +His public miracles were to begin. + +5. Dicit mater eius ministris: 5. His mother saith to the +Quodcumque dixerit vobis, waiters: Whatsoever he shall +facite. say to you, do ye. + +5. *Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.* These are not the words of one +whose suggestion had been reproved and rejected. + +6. Erant autem ibi lapideae 6. Now there were set there +hydriae sex positae secundum six waterpots of stone, +purificationem Iudaeorum, according to the manner of the +capientes singulae metretas purifying of the Jews, +binas vel ternas. containing two or three + measures a-piece. + +6. For the custom of the Jews in the matter of ablutions, see Matt. xv. 2; +Mark vii. 2-5. The {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} was a Greek liquid measure, containing about +nine gallons, or, to be accurate, eight gallons 7.4 pints. There were six +jars, or water-pots, each containing two or three measures. If each jar +contained two measures, the whole quantity of wine miraculously provided +would be = 6 × 2 × 9 = 108 gallons. If each contained three measures, the +whole would be = 6 × 3 × 9 = 162 gallons. The quantity of wine +miraculously produced was therefore very great, being at least about 108 +gallons. It is absurd, however, to seek in this miracle of our Divine Lord +any excuse for intemperance. As well might God be accused of conniving at +intemperance, because He fills the grape each year with the moisture of +earth and heaven, and then transmutes this into the nobler juices which He +knows man will convert into wine. He gives in every case, that we may use, +not that we may abuse. If the quantity of wine miraculously provided on +this occasion was large, we ought to remember that the marriage feast +lasted for a week; that there were probably many guests present, whose +number was considerably increased by the invitation, at the last moment, +of Christ and His disciples on their arrival from Judea; that others would +probably be attracted now by the fame of this miracle, and the desire to +see Him who had wrought it; and, finally, that the quantity of the wine +made the miracle more striking. + +7. Dicit eis Iesus. Implete 7. Jesus saith to them: Fill +hydrias aqua. Et impleverunt the waterpots with water. And +eas usque ad summum. they filled them up to the + brim. + +7. *To the brim.* So that there was no room left to mix wine or anything +else with the water; this shows, too, the quantity of wine that was +miraculously supplied. + +8. Et dicit eis Iesus: Haurite 8. And Jesus saith to them: +nunc, et ferte architriclino. Draw out now, and carry to the +Et tulerunt. chief steward of the feast. + And they carried it. + +8. *Chief steward* (Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, chief, or ruler, and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, a dining- +room, with three couches, and more generally, a dining-room). The +president of the feast, according to some, was _one of the guests_ +selected by the host, or by the unanimous consent of the guests; according +to others, he was not a guest, but the _chief servant_. In the first view +he corresponds with the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} of the Greeks, and the "magister +convivii," or "arbiter bibendi," of the Romans; and this we take to be +correct, for his familiarity with the bridegroom (v. 10) bespeaks the +friend rather than the servant. + +9. Ut autem gustavit 9. And when the chief steward +architriclinus aquam vinum had tasted the water made +factam, et non sciebat unde wine, and knew not whence it +esset, ministri autem sciebant was, but the waiters knew who +qui hauserant aquam, vocat had drawn the water; the chief +sponsum architriclinus. steward calleth the + bridegroom. + +9. St. John mentions that the president of the feast knew not whence the +wine was, nor how it had been produced, in order to show that his +testimony in its favour was not the result of previous collusion with +Jesus. *Who had drawn the water.* {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} is the form for the +pluperfect, as well as for the perfect participle, and is rightly rendered +"had drawn." We consider it more likely that the reference is to their +drawing the water from the well in order to fill the water-pots. But if +the reference be to drawing the wine from the pots (in v. 8 the same Greek +verb is used in reference to that action), then the wine is called water +because it had been water so recently, just as the serpent is called a rod +in Exod. vii. 12. because it had been a rod immediately before. It is most +likely that the conversion took place in the water-pots, and not on the +way from them to the table. + +10. Et dicit ei: Omnis homo 10. And saith to him: Every +primum bonum vinum ponit: et man at first setteth forth +cum inebriati fuerint, tunc good wine, and when men have +id, quod deterius est: Tu well drank, then that which is +autem servasti bonum vinum worse. But thou hast kept the +usque adhuc. good wine until now. + +10. Most probably the Greek word ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) rendered in the Vulgate +"inebriati fuerint" does not here imply drunkenness, but only drinking +freely. "In classical use it generally, but not always, implies +intoxication. In the Hellenistic writers, however, as Josephus, Philo, and +the LXX., it very often denotes drinking freely, and the hilarity +consequent, which is probably the sense here" (Bloomf.). In any case, +whatever meaning we give the word here, the president of the feast merely +speaks of what was the common practice, without saying that the guests at +this particular feast had indulged to the same extent. + +11. Hoc fecit initium signorum 11. This beginning of miracles +Iesus in Cana Galilaeae: et did Jesus in Cana of Galilee: +manifestavit gloriam suam, et and manifested his glory, and +crediderunt in eum discipuli his disciples believed in him. +eius. + +11. This was Christ's first miracle, or better perhaps, it was His first +_public_ miracle, the first _sign_, or proof given in public of His Divine +power. It is worthy of note that our Lord honoured marriage on this +occasion not only by His presence, but also by His first public miracle. +The effect of the miracle is carefully noted by our Evangelist whose main +object, as we saw, is to prove Christ's Divinity. And He manifested His +glory, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} (see i. 14); and the faith of the disciples was _confirmed_. +The fact that they were disciples, shows that they had some faith already. + +12. Post hoc descendit 12. After this he went down to +Capharnaum, ipse, et mater Capharnaum, he and his mother, +eius, et fratres eius; et and his brethren, and his +discipuli eius: et ibi disciples: and they remained +manserunt non multis diebus. there not many days. + +12. *Capharnaum*, the largest town of Galilee, was situated, on the +western shore of the sea of Galilee (Matt. iv. 13, John vi. 24), and the +journey to it from Cana is rightly described as a descent. During His +public life our Lord seems to have dwelt chiefly in this town, which is +therefore sometimes spoken of as His own city (see Matt. ix. 1, and +compare with Mark ii. 1). It was long thought to be impossible to identify +the site of Capharnaum, but it seems now to be practically certain that +the site is that of the modern Tell Hûm, about two and a half miles south- +west of the point where the Jordan enters the sea of Galilee. Capharnaum +means the village ({~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}) of Nahum. _Tell_ is the Arabic for a hillock +covered with ruins, and it is reasonably conjectured that Hûm is a +contraction for Nahum, the first syllable, as sometimes happens in such +cases, being dropped. Thus Tell Hûm would mean the ruin-clad hillock of +Nahum. A summary of the various reasons for identifying the two places is +given by Pére Didon, in his able work: _Jesus Christ_, vol. ii., Appendix +F. The *brethren* of the Lord here referred to were His cousins, but +according to the Scriptural usage any near relations are called brethren. +Thus Abraham and Lot are "brethren" (Gen. xiii. 8), though Abraham was in +reality Lot's uncle (Gen. xi. 27). See also remarks on vii. 3. + +13. Et prope erat pascha 13. And the pasch of the Jews +Iudaeorum, et ascendit Iesus was at hand, and Jesus went up +Ierosoloymam: to Jerusalem. + +13. *And* (= for) *the Pasch*, &c. This was the first Pasch of our Lord's +public life. The Evangelist calls it the Pasch of the Jews, because he is +writing for the inhabitants of Asia Minor, most of whom were Greeks. The +Pasch (Heb. _pesach_, {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}), beginning at evening on the 14th, and ending +at evening on the 21st of Nisan,(35) was the greatest festival of the +Jews. The word "pasch" means the passing over (from _pasach_, {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}, to pass +or leap over), and the name was given to this festival as commemorating +the passing over of the houses of the Israelites when the destroying angel +slew the first-born in the land of Egypt (see Exod xii. 11, 12). + +*And Jesus went up to Jerusalem.* At the three principal feasts: Pasch, +Pentecost, and Tabernacles, all the male adults were bound to go up to the +temple at Jerusalem. + +14. Et invenit in templo 14. And he found in the temple +vendentes boves, et oves, et them that sold oxen and sheep +columbas, et numularios and doves, and the changers of +sedentes. money sitting. + +14. The animals here mentioned were sold to be sacrificed. The money- +changers were there to change foreign money into Jewish. It was probably +in the Court of the Gentiles that Christ found them. *In the temple* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}, _i.e._, in sacro loco). The {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} must be carefully distinguished +from the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (v. 20). The former included the temple proper, and also its +courts, porches, and porticoes; in a word, all its _sacred_ precincts; the +latter was the temple proper, the house of God, the place where He _dwelt_ +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} = to dwell). We know that around the temple as rebuilt by Herod the +Great, there were three courts: the outer, or that of the Gentiles; the +inner, or that of the Israelites; and between them, on the eastern side, +the Court of the women. In the inner court, or that of the Israelites, +there was a portion next the temple proper set apart for the priests. + +15. Et cum fecisset quasi 15. And when he had made as it +flagellum de funiculis, omnes were a scourge of little +eiecit de templo, oves quoque, cords, he drove them all out +et boves, et numulariorum of the temple, the sheep also +effudit aes, et mensas and the oxen, and the money of +subvertit. the changers he poured out, + and the tables he overthrew. + +15. *He drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen.* +These words of our version mean that He drove out not only the animals, +but also the sellers, and this is distinctly stated by S. Aug., and +several other Fathers. The sense of the Greek is ambiguous: *He drove all +out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen.* + +16. Et his qui columbas 16. And to them that sold +vendebant, dixit: Auferte ista doves he said: Take these +hinc, et nolite facere domum things hence, and make not the +Patris mei, domum house of my father a house of +negotiationis. traffic. + +16. Christ deals more leniently with those who sold the doves, perhaps +because these were the offerings of the poor. + +*A house of traffic.* Our Lord does not on this occasion say the traffic +was unjust, but implies that it was sacrilegious, as being carried on in a +holy place. On another occasion, three years afterwards, Christ again +drove traders from the temple, who He says had made it "a den of thieves," +adding the sin of injustice to that of sacrilege (Matt. xxi. 13). Note how +He calls God His Father. See v. 18. + +17. Recordati sunt vero 17. And his disciples +discipuli eius, quia scriptum remembered that it was +est: Zelus domus tuae comedit written: _The zeal of thy +me. house hath eaten me up._ + +17. Our Evangelist, mindful of his scope in writing this Gospel, draws +attention to the fulfilment of this prophecy of the Psalmist, inasmuch as +this tends to prove that Jesus was the Messias and the true God. +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (_will eat_ me up) is the true reading here, though the Psalm +has the prophetic past. + +18. Responderunt ergo Iudaei, 18. The Jews therefore +et dixerunt ei: Quod signum answered, and said to him: +ostendis nobis, quia haec What sign dost thou show unto +facis? us, seeing thou dost these + things? + +18. The Jews challenge (_answered_, meaning here, as frequently, _went on +to speak_) Christ for a proof of that authority which He appeared to claim +for Himself in driving them from the temple, and also in calling God His +Father (see v. 17-18). The incident itself, with so many men tamely +submitting to His action, was, as Origen points out, one of the most +wonderful signs He could have shown them. But they hoped, as St. Chryst. +remarks, to put Him in a dilemma by obliging Him either to work a miracle +on the spot, or else cease to interfere with them. + +19. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 19. Jesus answered, and said +eis: Solvite templum hoc, et to them: Destroy this temple, +in tribus diebus excitabo and in three days I will raise +illud. it up. + +19. Instead of working a miracle He merely refers darkly to a future sign +that was still some years off, as He does on a similar occasion, when +dealing with other unbelievers, Matt. xii. 38-40. "He, however," says St. +Chrys., "who even anticipated men's wishes, and gave signs when He was not +asked, would not have rejected here a positive request, had He not seen a +crafty design in it." + +Standing as He was beside Herod's temple, probably in the Court of the +Gentiles or immediately outside it, His words, *Destroy this temple, and +in three days I will raise it up*, were understood by the Jews (v. 20), +and apparently by His disciples (v. 22), in reference to Herod's temple. +Various views have been put forward to show that His words were not +necessarily misleading. + +(1) It is said that He may have pointed with His finger to His body while +He said: Destroy this temple. But the fact that He was actually +misunderstood by all seems to exclude this hypothesis. + +(2) It is held by many that He spoke both of Herod's temple and of His +body. So, apparently, Origen; and Cardinal Wiseman says explicitly: +"Finally did our Lord speak altogether of His resurrection so as to +exclude all allusion to rebuilding the temple which stood before Him? I +must confess that ... I cannot read the passage without being convinced +that He spoke of both" (_Lect. on the Euch._, p. 135, No. 4). We, however, +cannot bring ourselves to adopt this view against what seems to be the +clear sense according to the interpretation of the inspired Evangelist, +who tells us, (v. 21), _But He spoke of the temple of His body_. + +(3) There is the common answer, that He spoke ambiguously and allowed them +to be deceived, because they were unworthy of plainer speech. They were +not, however, necessarily deceived, for {~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (a temple) was used +frequently in reference to the human body (see, _e.g._, 1 Cor. iii. 16, +17; vi. 19; 2 Cor. vi. 16), and our Lord's language might have given them +some reason for suspecting that it was of His body He spoke. For the two +verbs, which he used {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~} though they could be understood in +reference to the temple of stone, applied more appropriately to His body; +the former signifying the breaking up or _loosing_ of the union between +His soul and body; the latter, the raising of the body to life, as so +often in St. Paul. See, _e.g._, 1 Cor. xv. 4, 12, 14, &c. + +*Destroy this temple*, is not, of course, a command to put Him to death, +but a permission like what He said to Judas: _That which thou dost, do +quickly_ (John xiii. 27). It was usual with the Prophets to announce their +predictions in the form of a command; as, for instance, Isaias (xlvii. 1): +"Come down, sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon." + +20. Dixerunt ergo Iudaei: 20. The Jews then said: Six +Quadraginta et sex annis and forty years was this +aedificatum est templum hoc, temple in building, and wilt +et tu in tribus diebus thou raise it up in three +excitabis illud? days? + +20. The rebuilding of the temple by Herod the Great is said by Josephus, +in Antiq. xv. 11, 1, to have been begun in the eighteenth year of his +reign; in B. Jud. i. 21, 1, in the fifteenth; the difference arising from +the fact that in one case Josephus counts from the death of Antigonus, in +the other from Herod's appointment by the Romans. (See Antiq. xvii. 8, 1.) +Reckoning from the latter, we have twenty years till the birth of Christ, +and thirty years since that event, making fifty, from which, however, four +must be subtracted, because our era is four years too late. This gives +forty-six years. The mere building of the temple took only nine years and +a half, but during the remainder of the time it was decorated. These +decorations were still going on, and were not completed till 64 A.D., so +that the Greek verb ought to get its proper sense: _has been_ in building. + +21. Ille autem dicebat de 21. But he spoke of the temple +templo corporis sui. of his body. + +21. The inspired Evangelist here tells us that it was of His body Christ +spoke. He adds the explanation to show, perhaps, how utterly devoid of all +foundation in fact was the distorted testimony of the false witnesses, who +on the night before His death charged our Lord with having threatened to +destroy the temple _made with hands_ (Matt. xxvi. 61; Mark xiv. 58). + +22. Cum ergo resurrexisset a 22. When therefore he was +mortuis, recordati sunt risen again from the dead, his +discipuli eius, quia hoc disciples remembered that he +dicebat, et crediderunt had said this, and they +scripturae, et sermoni quem believed the scripture, and +dixit Iesus. the word that Jesus had said. + +22. When Christ had risen His disciples understood the Scriptures, or +rather they believed that they (see, _e.g._, Psalms iii. 6; xv. 10), and +Christ's present words, referred to His resurrection. + +23. Cum autem esset 23. Now when he was at +Ierosolymis in pascha in die Jerusalem at the pasch, upon +festo, multi crediderunt in the festival day, many +nomine eius, videntes signa believed in his name, seeing +eius, quae faciebat. his signs which he did. + +23. *Upon the festival day.* Rather during the festal time, which, at the +Pasch, lasted a week, many believed in His name, that is to say, in Him, +seeing the miracles which he wrought, and which were _proofs_ of His +divine power. + +24. Ipse autem Iesus non 24. But Jesus did not trust +credebat semetipsum eis, eo himself unto them, for that he +quod ipse nosset omnes. knew all men. + +24. *Unto them*; _i.e._, all the Jews, or perhaps those very persons who +believed in Him; because, as searcher of hearts (verse 25), He foresaw +that they would not remain faithful followers. + +25. Et quia opus ei non erat 25. And because he needed not +ut quis testimonium perhiberet that any should give testimony +de homine: ipse enim sciebat of man: for he knew what was +quid esset in homine. in man. + +25. He knew this, not by any external indications, but because He is the +searcher of hearts. This is noted as another proof of Christ's Divinity, +because this knowledge of the secrets of the hearts of all men belongs to +God alone. See 3 Kings viii. 39; 1 Paral. xxviii. 9; Job xlii. 2; Ps. vii. +10; Acts xv. 8. Some of the saints in special cases were able to read the +hearts of certain individuals, but no one save God knows the hearts of +all. + + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + + 1-21. *Nicodemus comes to Christ; their discourse.* + + 22-36. *Christ begins to baptize; complaints of the Baptist's + disciples, and testimony of the Baptist to Christ's divine origin, + and to the necessity of faith in Him.* + + +1. Erat autem homo ex 1. And there was a man of the +pharisaeis, Nicodemus nomine, Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a +princeps Iudaeorum. ruler of the Jews. + +1. This chapter is closely connected with the end of the preceding. Among +the many who believed (ii. 23) was *a man of the Pharisees* (see i. 24). +The sect, name, and dignity of the man are mentioned, because of his +importance, and because of the importance of the discourse about to be +narrated. + +*A ruler of the Jews*; that is to say, as we gather from vii. 45, 50, he +was a member of the Sanhedrim. + +2. Hic venit ad Iesum nocte, 2. This man came to Jesus by +et dixit ei: Rabbi, scimus night, and said to him: Rabbi, +quia a Deo venisti magister: we know that thou art come a +nemo enim potest haec signa teacher from God: for no man +facere quae tu facis, nisi can do these signs which thou +fuerit Deus cum eo. dost, unless God be with him. + +2. Because he believed in Jesus, he came; but because he feared the Jews, +he came by night. + +*We know.* Nicodemus may have come in the name of several, to learn more +about Jesus, or he may be merely alluding to the fact that some others +were of the same belief. He professed his faith in Jesus as a heaven-sent +teacher, stating the nature of his belief. "Nicodemus estimates +accurately, we may almost say with theological precision, the force of the +evidence of the miracles of our Lord, if they were to be taken apart from +other considerations which belonged to the same subject-matter. The +miracles _in themselves_ proved exactly that God was with Him; but if they +were taken in conjunction with the witness of St. John the Baptist, with +our Lord's manner of working them, that is, _as one who was using His own +power_, and with His way of speaking of Himself, and of God as His Father, +they might have been enough to form the ground of a still higher faith +concerning our Blessed Lord" (Coleridge, _Life of our Lord_, vol. i., page +256). + +3. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 3. Jesus answered and said to +ei: Amen, amen, dico tibi, him: Amen, amen, I say to +nisi quis renatus fuerit thee, unless a man be born +denuo, non potest videre again, he cannot see the +regnum Dei. kingdom of God. + +3. *Jesus answered.* This might merely mean that He went on to speak, the +verb to answer being again and again found in this sense in the New +Testament. Here, however, it may be used in its strict sense of replying +to a question, for it seems to us extremely probable that a portion of the +discourse leading up to the statement made in verse 3 is omitted by the +Evangelist. It is highly improbable that the whole discourse between +Christ and Nicodemus is here recorded, as it seems very unlikely that +Nicodemus, after the trouble of coming specially to Christ by night, left +Him, or would be allowed to leave, after the two or three minutes in which +the discourse here reported was spoken. + +*Born again.* The Greek word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, which is rendered "again," may +mean--(_a_) from above, or (_b_) again. The latter meaning, however, is +more probable here, for so Nicodemus understood our Lord's words (see +verse 4): so, also S. Chrysostom, and nearly all the Latin fathers. +Compare, too, Tit. iii. 5; 1 Pet. i. 23. The truth expressed in this verse +is universal; whoever is born needs to be reborn in order to see (= "to +enter into," verse 5) the kingdom of God in Christ's Church here, and in +heaven hereafter. + +4. Dicit ad eum Nicodemus: 4. Nicodemus saith to him: How +Quomodo potest homo nasci, cum can a man be born when he is +sit senex? numquid potest in old? can he enter a second +ventrem matris suae iterato time into his mother's womb, +introire, et renasci? and be born again? + +4. Nicodemus either understood our Lord to speak of a second carnal birth; +or perhaps, not understanding the words at all, he may have pretended to +misunderstand, in order to get Christ to explain. His motive, at all +events, was good--to obtain light and instruction. + +5. Respondit Iesus: Amen, amen 5. Jesus answered: Amen amen, +dico tibi, nisi quis renatus I say to thee, unless a man be +fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu born again of water and the +sancto, non potest intriore in Holy Ghost, he cannot enter +regnum Dei. into the kingdom of God. + +5. Hence Christ goes on to give a more precise statement of the truth +contained in verse 3, with an additional explanation regarding the means +of regeneration under the new dispensation. + +*Amen, Amen.* This formula indicates the importance of the pronouncement. +It has been defined by the Council of Trent--(_a_) that there is question +in this fifth verse of natural water, and (_b_) of that natural water as +necessary for Baptism. "Si quis dixerit aquam veram et naturalem non esse +de necessitate baptismi, atque ideo verba illa D. N. J. C.: 'Nisi quis +renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu Sancto,' ad metaphoram aliquam +detorserit, anathema sit" (Sess. vii. Can. 2. De bapt.). + +This solemn declaration of the infallible Church settles, for Catholics, +the question as to whether there is reference here to Christian Baptism. +But even against heretics, for whom the Council of Trent speaks in vain, +it is not difficult to show that there must be reference here to +_Christian Baptism_. For (1) it cannot be denied that Christ inaugurated +some external rite of baptism (John iii. 25, 26; iv. 11). (2) Christ and +His disciples are represented (verse 22) as beginning to baptize after +this discourse with Nicodemus. (3) Every circumstance of this second birth +spoken of to Nicodemus is found in Christian Baptism. (_a_) Here we are +said to be born again; so, too, are we in Baptism:--"According to His mercy +He saved us by the laver of _regeneration_ and renovation of the Holy +Ghost" (Tit. iii. 5). (_b_) This second birth is necessary that we may be +saved and enter the kingdom of God; so is Christian Baptism (Mark xvi. 16; +Acts iii. 37, 38), (_c_) This second birth is through water and the Holy +Ghost; so is Baptism. See Acts viii. 36-47; Tit. iii. 5. + +Seeing that there is reference in the text to Christian Baptism, the word +"water" in the text, as the Council of Trent defined, is to be understood, +not metaphorically, but literally. Moreover, since this new birth is +attributed to the water as to the Holy Ghost "(ex aqua et Spiritu +Sancto"), water is not merely an empty symbol in the sacrament, but an +efficient cause of grace like the Holy Ghost; He being the principal, the +water the instrumental, efficient cause. + +This new birth in Baptism implies--(1) that we die to the old man of sin, +"for we are buried together with Him by Baptism into death" (Rom. vi. 4). +It implies (2) that we are born through the divine gift of God's grace to +a new and spiritual life, in which we are His adopted children. "So do you +also reckon that you are dead to sin, but _alive_ unto God in Christ Jesus +our Lord" (Rom. vi. 11). + +We may remark, before passing from this text--(1) against the Pelagians and +Anabaptists, that Baptism is here declared necessary for all who have been +born, and therefore for infants before the use of reason; (2) against the +Calvinists and Socinians, who hold that children of Christian parents need +not be baptized, that no exception is here made in favour of the children +of Christians; (3) against Protestants, that water in Baptism is not a +mere symbol of regeneration, but is as truly its efficient cause as the +Holy Ghost Himself; with this difference, however, that whereas the water +is the instrumental, the Holy Ghost is the principal, cause. + +6. Quod natum est ex carne, 6. That which is born of the +caro est: et quod natum est ex flesh, is flesh: and that +spiritu, spiritus est. which is born of the Spirit, + is spirit. + +6. Christ explains why the agent of the regeneration of which He speaks +must be the Holy Ghost. What is born of man (flesh here is taken for human +nature without grace), is merely human; what is born of the Holy Ghost, is +spiritual, and partakes of the Divine (2 Pet. i. 4). Since, then, the new +life to which a man must be born again is spiritual, a spiritual and +supernatural principle is required. + +7. Non mireris quia dixi tibi: 7. Wonder not, that I said to +Oportet vos nasci denuo. thee, you must be born again. + +7. Wonder not, therefore, that I said to you: ye must be born again, for +if that which is born of the flesh is flesh, certainly you need a new +birth to be born to a life which is so far above the flesh. + +8. Spiritus ubi vult spirat: 8. The Spirit breatheth where +et vocen eius audis, sed he will: and thou hearest his +nescis unde veniat, aut quo voice, but thou knowest not +vadat: sic est omnis qui natus whence he cometh, and whither +est ex spiritu. he goeth: so is every one that + is born of the Spirit. + +8. Christ goes on to show how a difficulty in knowing the way in which the +regeneration takes place is no proof of its impossibility, nor a reason +for incredulity regarding its possibility. The sense of this verse depends +upon the meaning given to the first "spirit," {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}. Some understand +this of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost acts in men according to His own +good pleasure; "you hear His voice that cannot be mistaken--its power, its +sweetness, the peace which it breathes, the light which it pours on you; +but you cannot tell that He is approaching, or when He will come, or how +He will work on your soul; _in such manner_ is it that everyone is born of +the Spirit who is so born" (Coleridge, _Public Life of our Lord_, vol. i., +page 262). Others understand the first spirit here of the wind; and this +is the more common opinion among commentators. In this view, by means of a +simple and obvious illustration from nature, Christ shows Nicodemus that +he must believe in the possibility of this second birth, even though he +know not the manner in which it takes place. The wind bloweth where it +listeth, and you know not whence it cometh or whither it goeth: _so is it_ +in regeneration; you are regenerated, though you cannot comprehend the +process. That {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} sometimes means wind in Biblical Greek, is undeniable +(see, _e.g._, Gen. vii. 1; Ps. civ. 4; Matt. xxiv. 31; Heb. i. 7), and the +use of the word here in different senses is plain from the comparison (*so +is it*, &c.), according to the patrons of this second opinion. Nor does +the fact that it is preceded by the article here oblige us, according to +these, to refer it to the Holy Ghost; for, just as in verse 5, without the +article, it refers to the Holy Ghost, so here, with the article, it may +not refer to Him. + +9. Respondit Nicodemus, et 9. Nicodemus answered, and +dixit ei: Quomodo possunt haec said to him: How can these +fieri? things be done? +10. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 10. Jesus answered, and said +ei: Tu es magister in Israel, to him: Art thou a master in +et haec ignoras? Israel, and knowest not these + things? + +9, 10. Nicodemus again asks how these things can come to pass, and Jesus +gently upbraids him for his ignorance. As one of the chief teachers of +Israel {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}(36) (see also vii. 45-50), one of the seventy-one +members of the Sanhedrim, or supreme Council of the Jews, he should be +familiar with the Sacred Scriptures, and ought to have read in them the +promise of a spiritual regeneration. See Ezech. xxxvi. 25; Zach. xiii. 1. + +11. Amen, amen, dico tibi, 11. Amen, amen I say to thee, +quia quod scimus loquimur, et that we speak what we know, +quod vidimus testamur, et and we testify what we have +testimonium nostrum non seen, and you receive not our +accipitis. testimony. + +11. Christ continues using the solemn form of asseveration. *What we +know.* The plural is used not of Himself and the Holy Spirit, nor of +Himself and the Prophets, nor of all born of the Spirit, nor of the Three +Persons of the Trinity, but simply as a plural of majesty. *What we have +seen.* Sight, says St. Chrys. on this verse, we consider the most certain +of all the senses, so that when we say we saw such a thing with our eyes, +we seem to compel men to believe us. In like manner, Christ, speaking +after the manner of men, does not indeed mean that He has seen actually +with the bodily eye the mysteries He reveals, but it is manifest that He +means He has the most certain and absolute (and we may add, immediate: see +above on i. 18) knowledge of them. In these words, then, Christ insists +upon His authority to teach, and His claim to be believed. + +12. Si terrena dixi vobis, et 12. If I have spoken to you +non creditis: quomodo, si earthly things, and you +dixero vobis coelestia, believe not: how will you +credetis? believe if I shall speak to + you heavenly things? + +12. If you will not believe Me when I teach you the comparatively +elementary doctrine of Baptism, which regards the regeneration of man here +on earth, how shall you believe if I go on to speak of truths more +sublime, more removed from the realms of sense and human comprehension? +The spiritual vision of Nicodemus was hardly able to bear the first ray of +truth; how then was it to bear the full flood of the light of higher +revelation? + +13. Et nemo ascendit in 13. And no man hath ascended +coelum, nisi qui descendit de into heaven, but he that +coelo, Filius hominis, qui est descended from heaven, the son +in coelo. of man who is in heaven. + +13. The meaning is: No one was in heaven except Him who has descended from +heaven, and now speaks to you; namely, the Son of Man, who still remains +in heaven. In this view, which is that of St. Thomas, Toletus, and Beelen, +Christ speaks of Himself as _having ascended_ into heaven only to +accommodate His language to human ideas, which conceive of _ascent_ to +heaven as necessary, in order to our being there. The Son of Man, *as Son +of God*, had, of course, been there from all eternity and needed not to +ascend. Some think that Christ here begins to explain the "heavenly +things" referred to in the preceding verse; but a more probable connection +is the following:--He had said: how shall you believe heavenly things from +Me since you question even the elementary truths which I tell you? And yet +from Me alone you must learn such things, for no one else has been in +heaven, so as to know and be able to teach you the mysteries of God. + +14. Et sicut Moyses exaltavit 14. And as Moses lifted up the +serpentem in deserto, ita serpent in the desert, so must +exaltarioportet Filium the son of man be lifted up: +hominis: +15. Ut omnis, qui credit in 15. That whosoever believeth +ipsum, non pereat, sed habeat in him, may not perish, but +vitam aeternam. may have life everlasting. + +14, 15. Christ now goes on to speak of some of the more sublime doctrines. +As Moses raised up the serpent, upon which whosoever looked was healed +(Numbers xxi. 4-9), so must Christ be lifted up on the cross (see John +viii. 28; xii. 32-34), to save those who believe in Him. The best +supported Greek reading of verse 15 would be rendered:--*That everyone who +believes may, through him, have eternal life*; {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK KORONIS~} (may not +perish, but) not being genuine, and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~} standing instead of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}. +Though faith is the only condition to salvation which is mentioned in +verse 15, others are supposed, as is evident from verse 5:--"Unless a man +be born again." &c. Faith, however, is often specially referred to, +because as the Council of Trent (Sess. vi., c. 8) says:--"Fides est humanae +salutis initium, fundamentum, et radix omnis justificationis." + +16. Sic enim Deus dilexit 16. For God so loved the +mundum, ut Filium suum world, as to give his only +unigenitum daret: ut omnis, begotten Son; that whosoever +qui credit in eum, non pereat, believeth in him, may not +sed habeat vitam aeternam. perish, but may have life + everlasting. + +16. Some commentators, following Erasmus, hold that what follows to the +end of verse 21, is not the language of Christ, but a comment of the +Evangelist; but more probably Christ still continues. The boundless love +of God for the world, and not merely for the elect, is declared to be the +cause of the incarnation, and the world's salvation its object. It was +this love that made God give His _only-begotten Son_ to suffer for men and +save them. + +17. Non enim misit Deus Filium 17. For God sent not his Son, +suum in mundum, ut iudicet into the world, to judge the +mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus world, but that the world may +per ipsum. be saved by him. + +17. For it was to save, not to judge the world, that the Son of God came +at His first coming. Hereafter in His second coming He will come to judge +and to condemn (the context proves there is question of the judgment of +condemnation). + +18. Qui credit in eum, non 18. He that believeth in him +iudicatur: qui autem non is not judged. But he that +credit, iam iudicatus est, doth not believe is already +quia non credit in nomine judged: because he believeth +unigeniti Filii Dei. not in the name of the only + begotten Son of God. + +18. He who believeth in Christ escapes the judgment of condemnation; but +he who believeth not is already condemned, because, inasmuch as he has not +believed, "the wrath of God," _i.e._, original sin (Eph. ii. 3) and its +effects in actual sin, remain upon him (verse 36); and he has rejected the +only means whereby he could be delivered from them. It is as it a +physician were sent to the sick, says St. Augustine, they who come to him +are cured; they who come not, perish; not through him, however, but +because of their disease. + +19. Hoc est autem iudicium: 19. And this is the judgment: +quia lux venit in mundum, et because the light is come into +dilexerunt homines magis the world, and men loved +tenebras quam lucem: erant darkness rather than the +enim eorum mala opera. light: for their works were + evil. + +19. This is the _reason_ of the condemnation, namely, that men do not come +to the light, but rather shrink from it, through the fear of being forced +by an awakened conscience to abandon sin. + +20. Omnis enim qui male agit, 20. For every one that doth +odit lucem, et non venit ad evil hateth the light, and +lucem, ut non arguantur opera cometh not to the light, that +eius: his works may not be reproved: + +20. *For every one that doth evil*, and, as St. Chrys. explains determines +to _remain_ in his wickedness, *hateth the light, and cometh not to the +light, that his works may not be reproved*. + +21. Qui autem facit veritatem, 21. But he that doth truth, +venit ad lucem, ut cometh to the light, that his +manifestentur opera eius, quia works may be made manifest, +in Deo sunt facta. because they are done in God. + +21. *But he that doth the ** truth*; that is to say, what truth directs, +or rather the practical truth of good works, for right action is the +realization of true thought, *cometh to the light*, by accepting the faith +of Christ, by believing (v. 18). *That his works may be made manifest.* +Just as he who does evil, and intends to persist in it, shuns the light, +in order that his works may not be reproved (v. 20), so he who does good, +and means to persevere in it, comes to the light and believes, in order +that his works may be approved. The antithesis between this and the +preceding verse, shows that the manifestation of which there is question +here is equivalent to approval; and indeed, from the nature of the case, +the manifestation of such works in the light of Christian truth would be +necessarily followed by their approval, not only by God, but also by the +enlightened judgment of him who wrought them. + +*Because* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) *they are done* (Gr. _have been done_) *in God*. These +words may be differently connected. They may give the reason why he who +does good, readily comes to the light, namely, because his works have been +good, and he is not afraid to have them tested. Or, they might be +understood to give the reason why such a one's works are approved, namely +because they are done in God. Or again, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} may be taken to mean not, +"because," but "that;" and then the sense will be, that he who does good +comes to the light and believes, that his works may be made manifest as +having been (that they have been) done in God. The last is perhaps the +simplest and most natural interpretation, but the first also is probable. + +But in any of these interpretations, the question arises--how can the works +of a man who has not yet believed, be said to have been "done in God." +Various answers have been given. We cannot agree with those commentators +who reply that there is question of future works to be performed after the +reception of faith; for the whole context, and the Greek text (_have been_ +done), show that there is question of past works done before their author +has come to the light. Nor do we think that there is question merely of +natural works done in the past with the aid of medicinal grace, for such +works would scarcely be said to have been "done in God." We hold, then, +that there is reference to the "initium fidei," that is to say, to all +those works that sprang from supernatural grace, were salutary in +themselves, and led up to faith. These are the only works of one who has +not yet believed, that can be properly said to have been done in God, done +according to His will and pleasure. That there are such works antecedent +to faith, cannot be denied; for the proposition: "Faith is the first +grace," put forward in the schismatical Council of Pistoia, was condemned +by Pius VI., in the Bull _Auctorem Fidei_. Besides, it is _de fide_, +against the Semipelagians, that supernatural grace is necessary for the +"initium fidei," from which it follows that the works included in the +"initium fidei," are salutary, and "done in God." + +22. Post haec venit Iesus, et 22. After these things Jesus +discipuli eius, in terram and his disciples came into +Iudaeam: et illic demorabatur the land of Judea; and there +cum eis, et baptizabat. he abode with them and + baptized. + +22. *After these things*; that is to say, after this discourse with +Nicodemus. How long our Lord remained in Jerusalem on the occasion of this +first Pasch, we know not. By *the land of Judea*, is meant the country +parts of that province, as distinguished from the city of Jerusalem, where +the discourse with Nicodemus had taken place. In these country parts, +then, Jesus baptized through His disciples (iv. 2), the baptism most +probably being sacramental. + +23. Erat autem et Ioannes 23. And John also was +baptizans in Aennon, iuxta baptizing in Ennon near Salim; +Salim: quia aquae multae erant because there was much water +illic, et veniebant, et there, and they came, and were +baptizabantur. baptized. + +23. *Ennon, near Salim.* The site of Aennon (Gr. {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, from a Chaldaic +word meaning springs) is difficult to determine. If we compare verse 26 of +this chapter with John i. 28, it would seem that Aennon was west of the +Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome place it eight miles south of Scythopolis, +"juxta Salim et Jordanem;" and the latter states that the ruins of +Melchizedek's palace existed in his day at Salim. These statements are so +positive that they cannot lightly be set aside. In the Jordan valley, +about seven and a-half miles from Beisan (Scythopolis), there is a +remarkable group of seven springs, all lying within a radius of a quarter +of a mile, which answers well to the description "many waters."(37) +According to this view, Aennon was situated in the north-east corner of +Samaria. Others, however, think, from the connection between this verse +and verse 22, in which Jesus is said to baptize in Judea, that Aennon also +was in Judea, and refer to Josue xv. 32, where the cities of Selim and +_Aen_ are mentioned as in the tribe of Juda. + +24. Nondum enim missus fuerat 24. For John was not yet cast +Ioannes in carcerem. into prison. + +24. The Evangelist notes that the Baptist had not yet been imprisoned, +probably lest it should be thought, from Matt. iv. 11, 12, that the +imprisonment of the Baptist followed at once upon the return of Christ +from the forty days' fast in the desert. This verse, therefore, affords a +strong proof that our Evangelist was acquainted with the Gospel of St. +Matthew. + +25. Facta est autem quaestio 25. And there arose a question +ex discipulis Ioannis cum between some of John's +Iudaeis de purificatione. disciples and the Jews + concerning purification: +26. Et venerunt ad Ioannem, et 26. And they came to John, and +dixerunt ei: Rabbi, qui erat said to him: Rabbi, he that +tecum trans Iordanem, cui tu was with thee beyond the +testimonium perhibuisti, ecce Jordan, to whom thou gavest +hic baptizat, et omnes veniunt testimony, behold he +ad eum. baptizeth, and all men come to + him. + +25, 26. A question arose between ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}, +_i.e._, "cujus auctores extitere discipuli Joannis," Beel, _Gr. Gram._, § +51, B. 2, 8) John's disciples and _the Jews_, _i.e._, some leading Jews, +perhaps members of the Sanhedrim, concerning the relative merits of John's +baptism and Christ's; and John's disciples come to their master, jealous +that his fame is being eclipsed by that of Him whom he had been the means +of bringing before the public notice. The best supported reading is _a +Jew_, not the Jews. + +27. Respondit Ioannes, et 27. John answered and said: A +dixit: Non potest homo man cannot receive anything, +accipere quidquam, nisi fuerit unless it be given him from +ei datum de coelo. heaven. +28. Ipsi vos mihi testimonium 28. You yourselves do bear me +perhibetis, quod dixerim: Non witness, that I said, I am not +sum ego Christus, sed quia Christ, but that I am sent +missus sum ante illum. before him. + +27, 28. John's answer to his disciples is his last recorded testimony to +Christ. It is to the effect that a man may not arrogate to himself power +or office unless he have authority from God, and that his own office is +merely that of precursor to the Messias. + +29. Qui habet sponsam, sponsus 29. He that hath the bride, is +est: amicus autem sponsi, qui the bridegroom: but the friend +stat, et audit eum, gaudio of the bridegroom, who +gaudet propter vocem sponsi. standeth and heareth him, +Hoc ergo gaudium meum impletum rejoiceth with joy because of +est. the bridegroom's voice. This + my joy therefore is fulfilled. + +29. By a familiar example the Baptist illustrates the difference between +himself and Christ. On the occasion of a Jewish marriage it was usual for +the bridegroom to have a friend ("amicus sponsi," corresponding to the +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} of the Greeks), whose duty it was to arrange the preliminaries +to the marriage, and at the marriage feast to minister to the bridegroom. +The sense of the Baptist's words then is, that though many are present to +a wedding, only one, he who hath the bride, is the bridegroom. His friend, +who has helped to bring about the marriage, is satisfied to stand and +minister to him, rejoicing exceedingly to hear the bridegroom speaking +with his bride, nor jealous of the happy relations which subsist between +them. *This, my joy, therefore, is fulfilled.* In these words the Baptist +points the application of the comparison to Christ and himself. The +Baptist is the "amicus sponsi," who prepared the disciples for Christ; +Christ is the bridegroom, and the disciples flocking to Christ (verse 26) +were to constitute the Church, which is His spouse. See 2 Cor. xi. 2; Eph. +v. 25, 27. + +30. Illum oportet crescere, me 30. He must increase, but I +autem minui. must decrease. + +30. John had fulfilled his mission; thenceforward, therefore, whereas +Christ, in virtue of His nature, and His office of Messias, should +increase, the Baptist himself should decrease, in influence and fame. + +31. Qui desursum venit, super 31. He that cometh from above, +omnes est. Qui est de terra, is above all. He that is of +de terra est, et de terra the earth, of the earth he is, +loquitur. Qui de coelo venit, and of the earth he speaketh. +super omnes est. He that cometh from heaven, is + above all. + +31. He that hath a divine origin is above all men, and so above me; but He +that is of the earth by origin, of the earth he is in nature, and of the +earth He speaks (compare verse 6). This is true of all men, in comparison +with Christ: their thoughts are earthly, weak, and limited; His divine and +inexhaustible; but it is also true absolutely, if we consider them apart +from faith and grace. "Hoc autem in Joanne verum est primo, si ejus nudam +naturam spectes, et seclusa Dei gratia, vocatione, et revelatione: sic +enim Joannes non nisi terreus et terrenus erat, nec nisi terrena sapiebat; +quia 'si quid divinum audisti a Joanne illuminantis est, non recipientis,' +ait St. Augustinus, quasi dicat, id accepit a Deo, non habet a se" (A +Lap.). + +32. Et quod vidit, et audivit, 32. And what he hath seen and +hoc testatur: et testimonium, heard, that he testifieth: and +eius nemo accipit. no man receiveth his + testimony. + +32. What Christ knoweth of His own _immediate_ divine knowledge, as being +"in the bosom of the Father" (i. 18), this He testifieth; and yet hardly +anyone ("no man" being an hyperbole) receiveth His testimony. Christ is +metaphorically spoken of here as seeing and hearing, to indicate His +direct and _immediate_ knowledge of things divine. Compare v. 19; vi. 46; +viii. 38; xv. 15; xvi. 13. + +According to Patrizzi and others, this and the following verses are the +words of the Evangelist; but more probably the Baptist continues to the +end of the chapter, developing the reason why Christ must increase. + +33. Qui accepit eius 33. He that hath received his +testimonium, signavit quia testimony, hath set to his +Deus verax est. seal that God is true. + +33. He who has believed in Christ has thereby testified solemnly (as +though he set his _seal_ to the testimony) that God is truthful. *God* +here refers to the Father; and the meaning is, that by believing what +Christ teaches, we believe Him to be truthful, and therefore believe the +Father also, from whom He has received His divine nature and knowledge, +and His mission as Messias, to be truthful. This is better than to refer +God here to the Son (Christ), as Maldonatus does; for in the next verse, +which proves this, God plainly refers to the Father. + +34. Quem enim misit Deus, 34. For he whom God hath sent, +verba Dei loquitur: non enim speaketh the words of God: for +ad mensuram dat Deus spiritum. God doth not give the spirit + by measure. + +34. *For he whom God* (the Father) *hath sent* (*as His Son*, verse 35), +as the Messias, *speaketh the words of God, for God doth not give the +spirit by measure*. The contrast is between the abundant gift of the +Spirit to Christ, as man, and the stinted participation of the same Spirit +by those who are merely of the earth (Rom. xii. 3; 1 Cor. xii. 14). The +sense, then, is, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were poured out in +abundance on Christ as man; that "He unceasingly possessed them all at +once to the greatest extent of which human nature is capable" (M'Ev.); and +this plenitude of the gifts of the Holy Ghost within Him is the reason why +He speaks the words of God. + +35. Pater diligit Filium: et 35. The Father loveth the Son: +omnia dedit in manu eius. and he hath given all things + into his hand. + +35. This plenitude of the Spirit in Christ, this fulness of grace and +truth (i. 16, 17), in Christ as man, is the effect of the love of the +Father for His Incarnate Son, which love has also caused the Father to +grant to Christ, as _man_, the _bestowal_ (He hath given all things *into +His hand*) of all the gifts of the Spirit required for the salvation of +men. + +36. Qui credit in Filium habet 36. He that believeth in the +vitam aeternam: qui autem Son, hath life everlasting: +incredulus est Filio, non but he that believeth not the +videbit vitam, sed ira Dei Son, shall not see life, but +manet super eum. the wrath of God abideth on + him. + +36. Since, then, Jesus Christ has been constituted our help unto +salvation, he that believes _in Him_ as Son of God (and acts accordingly) +hath eternal life begun in him by justification; he that believeth not, +&c. See verse 18. + +This splendid testimony of the Baptist in favour of Christ was intended to +detach his disciples from himself, and win them to Christ, of whom, as we +learn from verse 26, they had shown themselves jealous. + + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + + 1-4. *Jesus sets out from Judea to Galilee.* + + 5-26. *Arrival in Sichar, and discourse with the Samaritan woman.* + + 27-38. *Discourse with the disciples.* + + 39-42. *Stay with the people of Sichar.* + + 43-54. Continuation of the journey into Galilee, and healing of + the ruler's son. + + +1. Ut ergo cognovit Iesus quia 1. When Jesus therefore +audierunt pharisaei quod Iesus understood that the Pharisees +plures discipulos facit, et had heard that Jesus maketh +baptizat, quam Ioannes, more disciples, and baptizeth + _more_ than John, + +1. *When Jesus therefore understood*, &c. Christ is spoken of as if on +this occasion He gained knowledge of which He had been ignorant, because +though, as God, He knew all things, every inmost thought of the Pharisees, +yet, _as man_, like other men, He gathered knowledge from His fellow-men. +See Mald. + +*That Jesus.* Not that He Himself; because the report which the Pharisees +had heard is given verbatim, "that" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) merely introducing it. + +2. (Quamquam Iesus non 2. (Though Jesus _himself_ did +baptizaret sed discipuli not baptize, but his +eius,) disciples,) + +2. Jesus Himself did not usually baptize; probably because, like St. Paul +(1 Cor. i. 14-16), His mission was to preach and teach. It by no means +follows from this verse that He never baptized anyone; and many writers +are of opinion that He baptized some Himself. + +3. Reliquit Iudaeam, et abiit 3. He left Judea, and went +iterum in Galilaeam; again into Galilee. + +3. Because His time to suffer had not yet come, and much of the work of +His public mission still remained to be accomplished, He left Judea, the +headquarters of the Pharisees, whose jealousy He knew would be aroused by +the report mentioned in verse 1, and went again (see John i. 43) into +Galilee. + +4. Oportebat autem eum 4. And he was of necessity to +transire per Samariam. pass through Samaria. +5. Venit ergo in civitatem 5. He cometh therefore to a +Samariae, quae dicitur Sichar: city of Samaria which is +iuxta praedium quod dedit called Sichar; near the land +Iacob Ioseph filio suo. which Jacob gave to his son + Joseph. + +4, 5. Not choosing to cross to the east of the Jordan, and go up through +Peraea, as some of the stricter Jews did, who wished to avoid all possible +contact with the Samaritans, He was obliged to pass through Samaria. Of +the three provinces of Palestine west of the Jordan, Samaria was in the +centre, with Judea to the south, and Galilee to the north. "St. John is +thus careful to note that this was no mission to the Samaritans which the +Lord undertook. On the contrary, the law which He imposed on His +disciples: 'And into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not' (Matt. x. +5), this, during the days of His flesh, He imposed also on Himself. He was +not sent 'but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (Matt. xv. 24; +Acts xiii. 46); and if any grace reached Samaritan or heathen, it was, so +to speak, but by accident, a crumb falling from the children's table."(38) +Samaria had been the portion of the tribe of Ephraim and of half the tribe +of Manasses. The province derived its name from its chief city, Samaria, +which, in turn, got its name from Mount Somer (or Semer), on which it was +built (3 Kings xvi. 24). See A Lap. The city called Sichar(39) (the modern +Nabulus) by St. John is the ancient Sichem, where Abram built an altar to +the Lord (Gen. xii. 7), under the turpentine tree behind which Jacob +buried the idols of his household (Gen. xxxv. 4), and where the bones of +the twelve patriarchs were laid to rest (Acts vii. 16). + +*Near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph.* See Gen. xxxviii. 18, +19; Josue xxiv. 32. + +6. Erat autem ibi fons Iacob, 6. Now Jacob's well was there. +Iesus ergo fatigatus ex Jesus therefore being wearied +itinere, sedebat sic supra with his journey, sat thus on +fontem. Hora erat quasi sexta. the well. It was about the + sixth hour. + +6. *Jacob's well*, which he had dug or bought, was there; and Jesus, weary +because of His journey, sat _thus_ (_sic._, "hoc est, fatigatus ut erat," +Beel.) by the well. + +*It was about the sixth hour.* See on i. 39. + +7. Venit mulier de Samaria 7. There cometh a woman of +haurire aquam. Dicit ei Iesus: Samaria to draw water. Jesus +Da mihi bibere. saith to her: Give me to + drink. + +7. There cometh a woman of Samaria, not of the city of Samaria, for that +was six miles distant, but of the country of Samaria, a Samaritan woman, +to draw water.(40) + +8. (Discipuli enim eius 8. For his disciples were gone +abierant in civitatem ut cibos into the city to buy meats. +emerent.) + +8. Because He had no one else to give Him to drink, He asks her to do so, +and thus leads up naturally to the following discourse. + +9. Dicit ergo ei mulier illa 9. Then that Samaritan woman +Samaritana: Quomodo tu Iudaeus saith to him: How dost thou, +cum sis, bibere a me poscis, being a Jew, ask of me to +quae sum mulier Samaritana? drink, who am a Samaritan +non enim coutuntur Iudaei woman? For the Jews do not +Samaritanis. communicate with the + Samaritans. + +9. The Samaritans, with whom, as here stated, the Jews avoided all +intercourse, were either pure Assyrians or a mixture of Jews and +Assyrians, at best a mongrel race. Very probably some Jews were left +behind in Samaria at the time of the Assyrian captivity, under +Salmanassar, 721 B.C.; and from these intermarrying with the imported +Easterns sprang the Samaritans. The Jews regarded the Samaritans with +special aversion for many reasons. They were the descendants of the +Assyrian conquerors; they held what was the rightful inheritance of the +Jews; they corrupted Jewish worship; they endeavoured to prevent the +rebuilding of the Temple under Zorobabel (1 Esd. iv. 2, 7, 8), and were +always prepared to harbour the false friends or open enemies of the Jews. +Hence this woman, recognising in Christ's dress and accent His Jewish +origin, wonders that He would speak to, much less drink from, a Samaritan. +The last clause: *For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans*, is +added by the Evangelist as an explanation of the woman's question for +Gentile readers. + +10. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 10. Jesus answered and said to +ei: Si scires donum Dei, et her: If thou didst know the +quis est qui dicit tibi, Da gift of God, and who he is +mihi bibere; tu forsitan that saith to thee, Give me to +petisses ab eo, et dedisset drink; thou perhaps wouldst +tibi aquam vivam. have asked of him, and he + would have given thee living + water. + +10. *The gift of God* is not the Holy Ghost, nor Christ Himself, nor the +opportunity now offered her, but most probably the gift of grace, the +"living water" spoken of in the end of the verse. Hence Christ's words +mean: If you knew that there is a spiritual water which slakes the thirst +of man in the desert of this world, and that He who can bestow it speaks +to you, *thou perhaps wouldst have asked*, &c. *Perhaps* (_forsitan_) is +not represented in the Greek, in which we have an ordinary conditional +sentence; and certainly Christ knew without doubt what would have been the +result. The Vulgate translator, probably added "forsitan" to indicate that +she would still be _free_ to reject the grace offered. + +*Living water.* There is the same diversity of opinion here as in regard +to the "gift of God," with the addition that some have held the reference +here to be to the waters of baptism. We take it that the reference again +is to grace. Living water properly signifies _running water_, in +opposition to the stagnant water of pools or cisterns. Here, however the +words seem to be used in their highest sense, of waters which come from +God and bestow _life_ upon all who drink of them. + +11. Dicit ei mulier: Domine, 11. The woman saith to him: +neque in quo haurias habes, et Sir, thou hast nothing wherein +puteus altus est: unde ergo to draw, and the well is deep: +habes aquam vivam? from whence then hast thou + living water? +12. Numquid tu maior es patre 12. Art thou greater than our +nostro Iacob, qui dedit nobis father Jacob, who gave us the +puteum, et ipse ex eo bibit, well, and drank thereof +et filii eius, et pecora eius? himself, and his children, and + his cattle? + +11, 12. She understands Him to speak of natural water, which He seemed to +think superior to that of Jacob's well; and, concluding that He must refer +to the water of some other well, since indeed He had no bucket, no means +of drawing from the deep well at which she stood, she asks Him: Art Thou +greater than our father Jacob, so as to be able to provide a better water +than he provided for us in this well? That its waters were good enough for +him and his sons, is a proof of their excellence; that they sufficed for +all his household and cattle, is evidence of their abundance. There is a +tinge of resentment in the words of verse 12, for the Samaritans claimed +descent from Jacob (*our father, Jacob*), through Joseph and Joseph's +sons, Ephraim and Manasses, whose tribal territory they possessed, and +this Jewish Stranger seemed to the woman to set Himself above the great +Patriarch of her race. + +13. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 13. Jesus answered, and said +ei: Omnis qui bibit ex aqua to her: Whosoever drinketh of +hac, sitiet iterum: qui autem this water, shall thirst +biberit ex aqua quam ego dabo again: but he that shall drink +ei, non sitiet in aeternum: of the water that I will give + him, shall not thirst for + ever. + +13. Without replying explicitly that He was indeed greater than Jacob, +Christ implies this by declaring that the water which He will give is +superior to that of Jacob's well. For while the latter only satisfies +present wants, that which He will give will quench present and prevent +future thirst. What is said in Eccl. xxiv. 29: "They that drink Me shall +yet thirst," is not opposed to our Lord's words here; for in +Ecclesiasticus there is question of desire springing from love, here of a +craving arising from want. These words of our Lord show, then, that +sanctifying grace is of its own nature perennial in the soul. Time does +not wear it away; use does not consume it; unless it be expelled, it never +departs: "He that drinks ... shall not thirst for ever." + +14. Sed aqua, quam ego dabo 14. But the water that I will +ei, fiet in eo fons aquae give him, shall become in him +salientis in vitam aeternam. a fountain of water springing + up into life everlasting. + +14. But so far from thirsting, he shall have that within him, that is, the +Holy Ghost and His graces, which will conduct him to eternal life. In this +beautiful metaphor, the spiritual water of grace is represented as finding +its own level; coming from heaven, it will return thither in those whom it +has saved. The mention of *eternal life* ought to have made it clear that +Christ spoke of supernatural and spiritual water. + +15. Dicit ad eum mulier: 15. The woman saith to him: +Domine, da mihi hanc aquam, ut Sir, give me this water, that +non sitiam, neque veniam huc I may not thirst, nor come +haurire. hither to draw. + +15. Yet she probably still understands of Him merely natural water, "Adhuc +carnalis est mulier" (Mald.): and anticipates only relief from having come +to Jacob's well in future. + +16. Dicit ei Iesus: Vade, voca 16. Jesus saith to her: Go, +virum tuum, et veni huc. call thy husband, and come + hither. + +16. Christ, of course, knew she had no husband; but He knew also what +answer she would give, and He wished to get a natural opportunity of +disclosing to her the secrets of her wicked life, that He might manifest +His supernatural knowledge. + +17. Respondit mulier, et 17. The woman answered, and +dixit: Non habeo virum. Dicit said: I have no husband. Jesus +ei Iesus: Bene dixisti, quia said to her: Thou hast said +non habeo virum: well, I have no husband: +18. Quinque enim viros 18. For thou hast had five +habuisti: et nunc quem habes, husbands: and he whom thou now +non est tuus vir: hoc vere hast, is not thy husband. This +dixisti. thou hast said truly. + +17, 18. *Thou hast well said, I have no husband*, or rather, _husband_ I +have not, with an emphasis on husband, which is marked in the Greek by its +position in the sentence, as reproduced by Christ. + +*Thou hast had five husbands.* Though St. Chrys. and Mald. think that +there is question, not of husbands, but of paramours, the common opinion, +and certainly the obvious one, is that husbands are spoken of. It is not +necessary to suppose that the husbands made room for one another by death, +for she may have been divorced by several of them. See Deut. xxiv. 1, 2; +Matt. xix. 3. + +19. Dicit ei mulier: Domine, 19. The woman saith to him: +video quia propheta es tu. Sir, I perceive that thou art + a prophet. + +19. *A prophet*; _i.e._, here, as elsewhere frequently, one who has +supernatural knowledge, who knows things which are naturally hidden from +him. In these words the poor woman confesses her own guilt and the exalted +character of Christ, whom, however, she does not yet recognise as "_The_ +Prophet," the Messias, but only as a prophet. + +20. Patres nostri in monte hoc 20. Our fathers adored on this +adoraverunt, et vos dicitis, mountain, and you say that at +quia Ierosolymis est locus ubi Jerusalem is the place where +adorare oportet. men must adore. + +20. Not so much for the purpose of turning the conversation from the +unpleasant subject of her own character,(41) as in order to have the +opinion of a prophet upon an important question, she adds: *Our fathers*, +&c. + +She says that her Samaritan ancestors had worshipped on that mountain. She +evidently refers to public worship, public ceremonies appointed by God, +especially the worship of *sacrifice*; for the Jews never held that +private worship, as of prayer, should be restricted to Jerusalem. The +mountain to which she refers, and beneath the shadow of which Christ and +she were standing, is Mount Garizim, which overhangs the town of Sichar. +In the time of Alexander the Great, Manasses, a Jewish priest, was +excluded from the exercise of his ministry for marrying the daughter of +the king of Sichem. The king accordingly built for Manasses a temple on +Mount Garizim, where he offered sacrifice to the true God. This temple was +built about 330 B.C., and stood for two hundred years. After it was +destroyed, about 130 B.C., the Samaritans erected an altar upon Garizim, +and continued to offer sacrifice there; so that from the time of Manasses +the true God was worshipped, though imperfectly, among them. There still +remain a few families of Samaritans, under the shadow of Mount Garizim, in +the modern city of Nabulus, or Naplouse. + +21. Dicit ei Iesus: Mulier 21. Jesus saith to her: Woman, +crede mihi, quia venit hora believe me, that the hour +quando neque in monte hoc, cometh, when you shall neither +neque Ierosolymis adorabitis on this mountain, nor in +Patrem. Jerusalem adore the Father. + +21. Christ declares with all solemnity that the time is at hand--nay, +already come (see verse 23), when true worship _shall be restricted_ +neither to Jerusalem nor to Garizim; and hence her question is practically +unimportant. + +22. Vos adoratis quod 22. You adore that which you +nescitis: nos adoramus quod know not: we adore that which +scimus, quia salus ex Iudaeis we know; for salvation is of +est. the Jews. + +22. *You adore that which* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}) *you know not*. As the woman's inquiry +regarded not the object, but the place of worship, some have understood +these words of our Lord in reference to the place, as if He said: You +adore in a place for worshipping in which you have no Divine sanction, we +in a place pointed out by the finger of God. But it is difficult to +reconcile this view with our Lord's words: "You adore _that which_ you +know not." Hence it is more probable, that in replying to her inquiry, He +takes occasion to refer to the imperfect knowledge of God, possessed by +Samaritans. The neuter ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}) seems to be used in the first instance, to show +the want of personality and definiteness in the Samaritan idea of God,(42) +and in the second instance merely for the sake of correspondence between +the two members of the sentence. *We adore.* That Christ numbers Himself +among those who adore, merely proves that He had a human nature. + +23. Sed venit hora, et nunc 23. But the hour cometh, and +est, quando veri adoratores now is, when the true adorers +adorabunt Patrem in spiritu et shall adore the Father in +veritate. Nam et Pater tales spirit and in truth. For the +quaerit, qui adorent eum. Father also seeketh such to + adore him. + +23. Still, though this is so, not even to Jerusalem, shall worship be +restricted in the future; *but the hour cometh*, &c. + +What is the adoration *in spirit and in truth*, here foretold? Evidently +the worship of the new dispensation, as contrasted with that of the old; +this is plain from the whole context. What, then, is meant by saying that +the worship of the new dispensation is to be *in spirit and in truth*? +Various interpretations of the words have been given. + +(1) "In spirit" is opposed to the worship of the Jews; "in truth" to that +of the Samaritans. Hence the worship of the new dispensation is to be, +_not merely external_, as was the Jewish (unless it was accompanied by +faith in the Redeemer to come, in which case it was not merely Jewish, but +Christian), nor _false_, as was the Samaritan. (Toletus.) + +(2) "In spirit" is opposed to all merely external and local worship, +whether of _Jews_ or _Samaritans_; "in truth" to the _typical_ and +imperfect worship of the Jews. For the Jewish sacrifices and ceremonies +were only shadows and types of the realities in the New Law. "For the law +having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image (reality) +of the things: by the selfsame sacrifices which they offer continually +every year, can never make the comers thereunto perfect" (Heb. x. 1), +Mald., who favours next opinion also. + +(3) "In spirit" and "in truth" are synonymous, and signify true +supernatural worship, springing from faith and grace, and hence opposed to +all imperfect or false worship. This opinion, considered equally probable +with the preceding by Maldonatus, and held by Beelen and Corluy, we +prefer; for in verse 24, the fact that God is a Spirit (it is not stated +that He is also Truth) is given as the reason why He should be worshipped +in _both_ spirit and truth. + +The distinguishing features of true Christian worship, indicated in verses +21, 23, are that it is to be _universal_, not restricted, like the Jewish +or Samaritan, to Jerusalem or Garizim; and _spiritual_, offered with +hearts animated by faith and grace, and not consisting merely in external +rites. + +24. Spiritus est Deus: et eos, 24. God is a Spirit, and they +qui adorant eum, in spiritu et that adore him, must adore him +veritate oportet adorare. in spirit and in truth. + +24. In the end of verse 23 and in this verse Christ goes on to give the +reasons why this worship, which is primarily spiritual, is to exist in the +new and more perfect dispensation--(1). It is the Father's will. (2) It is +meet that such should be the worship paid to Him who is Himself a Spirit. +It is hardly necessary to point out that Calvin's interpretation of +adoration by faith alone cannot be admitted. Were that sufficient, the +devils themselves would be true adorers, for "the devils also believe and +tremble" (James ii. 19). Neither does Christ here imply that all +_external_ worship, external rites and ceremonies, were to cease, but only +that they were to cease to be _merely external_; else (1) His acts would +contradict His words, Luke xxii. 41; xxiv. 50; (2) His Apostles would +distinctly disobey Him: see Acts xvi. 25; ix. 40: Eph. iii. 14; (3) His +Church _in every age_ has misunderstood Him. + +25. Dicit ei mulier: Scio quia 25. The woman saith to him: I +Messias venit (qui dicitur know that the Messias cometh +Christus): cum ergo venerit (who is called Christ), +ille, nobis annuntiabit omnia. therefore when he is come, he + will tell us all things. + +25. The poor woman, apparently bewildered by what Christ had just said, is +satisfied to wait in confidence till Messias (here without the article, +used as a proper name) shall come, who, she believes, will make known all +that it is necessary to know regarding the place and character of the +worship of the true God. As the Samaritans admitted only the Pentateuch, +where the term Messias is not used (though His coming is foretold, Deut. +xviii. 18); as, moreover, she could not have gathered from the Pentateuch +the _time_ of His coming, she must have learned by rumour that the Jews +were _at this time_ expecting the Messias; her words, "He will tell _us_ +all things," showed that she hoped for His coming in her own day. + +It is difficult to say whether the words explanatory of Messias, *who is +called Christ*, are the woman's or our Evangelist's. That the Evangelist +explained the term before (i. 41), is not a proof that he does not do so +again, for see John xi. 16; xx. 24; xxi. 2. + +26. Dicit ei Iesus: Ego sum, 26. Jesus saith to her: I am +qui loquor tecum. he who am speaking with thee. +27. Et continuo venerunt 27. And immediately his +discipuli eius: et mirabantur, disciples came: and they +quia cum muliere loquebatur. wondered that he talked with +Nemo tamen dixit: Quid the woman. Yet no man said: +quaeris, aut quid loqueris cum What seekest thou, or why +ea? talkest thou with her? + +26, 27. At length Christ reveals Himself; and now that He has excited her +interest and awakened her faith, the disciples return from Sichar, and are +astonished to find Him speaking publicly with a woman--a thing not usually +done by Jewish doctors. + +28. Reliquit ergo hydriam suam 28. The woman therefore left +mulier, et abiit in civitatem, her waterpot, and went her way +et dicit illis hominibus: into the city, and saith to + the men there: +29. Venite, et videte hominem 29. Come, and see a man who +qui dixit mihi omnia has told me all things +quaecumque feci: numquid ipse whatsoever I have done. Is not +est Christus? he the Christ? +30. Exierunt ergo de civitate, 30. They went therefore out of +et veniebant ad eum. the city, and came unto him. + +28-30. The discourse being interrupted by the arrival of the disciples, +the woman, forgetful or indifferent regarding the errand which had brought +her to the well, *went her way into the city*, and soon returned with a +number of her fellow-citizens. + +31. Interea rogabant eum 31. In the meantime the +discipuli, dicentes: Rabbi, disciples prayed him, saying: +manduca. Rabbi, eat. +32. Ille autem dicit eis: Ego 32. But he said to them: I +cibum habeo manducare, quem have meat to eat which you +vos nescitis. know not. +33. Dicebant ergo discipuli ad 33. The disciples therefore +invicem: Numquid aliquis said one to another: Hath any +attulit ei manducare? man brought him to eat? +34. Dicit eis Iesus: Meus 34. Jesus saith to them: My +cibus est ut faciam voluntatem meat is to do the will of him +eius qui misit me, ut that sent me, that I may +perficiam opus eius. perfect his work. + +31-34. Meanwhile the disciples invite Jesus to eat, to whom He replies +that He has meat to eat which they know not, that meat being, as He +explains in verse 34, to do the will of Him that sent Him. It was no time +for attending to the wants of His human nature; He had more serious work +in hand in the conversion of the Samaritans. + +35. Nonne vos dicitis quod 35. Do not you say, there are +adhuc quatuor menses sunt, et yet four months, and then the +messis venit? Ecce dico vobis: harvest cometh? Behold I say +Levate oculos vestros, et to you, lift up your eyes, and +videte regiones, quia albae see the countries, for they +sunt iam ad messem. are white already to harvest. + +35. *There are yet four months, and then the harvest cometh.* Maldonatus, +followed by Father Coleridge, takes this to be a proverb(43) meaning that +there is no need of hurry--that the matter in question is still far off. +As, however, there is no evidence that such a proverb was current among +the Jews, it is much better to understand the verse thus: You say what is +true, that it is still four months till the harvest of nature; but lift up +your eyes, and behold the harvest of grace in the men of Sichar who are +approaching. + +As the barley harvest in Palestine came in about the middle of April, this +time, four months earlier, was the middle of December, the end of the +first year of our Lord's public life.(44) + +36. Et qui metit, mercedem 36. And he that reapeth +accipit, et congregat fructum receiveth wages, and gathereth +in vitam aeternam: ut, et qui fruit unto life everlasting: +seminat, simul gaudeat, et qui that both he that soweth, and +metit. he that reapeth, may rejoice + together. + +36. He encourages His disciples to the work; in saving others they save +themselves. + +37. In hoc enim est verbum 37. For in this is the saying +verum: quia alius est qui true: that it is one man that +seminat, et alius est qui soweth, and it is another that +metit. reapeth. +38. Ego misi vos metere quod 38. I have sent you to reap +vos non laborastis: alii that in which you did not +laboraverunt, et vos in labour: others have laboured, +labores: eorum introistis. and you have entered into + their labours. + +37-38. The Prophets and Doctors of the old Law had prepared the way for +the Apostles and disciples of Christ; had ploughed and sown where they +were now to reap. *I have sent you.* Mald., who holds that this is not the +same journey with that referred to in Matt. iv. 12, Mark i. 14, and that +the Apostles were already formally called by Christ, understands "I have +sent" of an action already completed by Christ. As, however, it is more +probable that the Apostles were not yet formally called (see Matt. iv. 12, +18; x. 1), it is better to understand this, with A Lap., of the Divine +decree to send the Apostles on their mission afterwards. + +39. Ex civitate autem illa 39. Now of that city many of +multi crediderunt in eum the Samaritans believed in +Samaritanorum, propter verbum him, for the word of the woman +mulieris testimonium giving testimony: He told me +perhibentis: Quia dixit mihi all things whatsoever I have +omnia quaecumque feci. done. +40. Cum venissent ergo ad 40. So when the Samaritans +illum Samaritani, rogaverunt were come to him, they desired +eum ut ibi maneret. Et mansit him that he would tarry there. +ibi duos dies. And he abode there two days. +41. Et multo plures 41. And many more believed in +crediderunt in eum propter him because of his own word. +sermonem eius. + +39-41. Many believed in Him on account of what the woman told them, and, +after He had remained two days in Sichar, many more on account of His +discourses. + +42. Et mulieri dicebant: Quia 42. And they said to the +iam non propter tuam loquelam woman: we now believe, not for +credimus: ipsi enim audivimus, thy saying: for we ourselves +et scimus, quia hic est vere have heard him, and know that +Salvator mundi. this is indeed the Saviour of + the world. + +42. This is the Hebrew way of expressing that it was not _so much_ on +account of the woman's saying, as because they had heard Him themselves. + +43. Post duos autem dies exiit 43. Now after two days he +inde: et abiit in Galilaeam. departed thence: and went into + Galilee. +44. Ipse enim Iesus 44. For Jesus himself gave +testimonium perhibuit, quia testimony that a prophet hath +propheta in sua patria honorem no honour in his own country. +non habet. + +43-44. The connection between these two verses is obscure. (1) Verse 44 +gives the reason why He had _left Galilee_, to which He now returns; or +(2) the reason why He _passes Nazareth_, and goes on to Capharnaum (Matt. +iv. 13), Tolet, A Lap., Corl.; or (3) the reason why He proceeded on His +way from _Judea, His birthplace_, into Galilee, Mald., Patriz. + +45. Cum ergo venisset in 45. And when he was come into +Galilaeam, exceperunt eum Galilee, the Galileans +Galilaei, cum omnia vidissent received him, having seen all +quae fecerat Ierosolymis in the things he had done at +die festo: et ipsi enim Jerusalem on the festival day: +venerant ad diem festum. for they also went to the + festival day. + +45. He is well received by the Galileans, because the remembrance of His +exercise of authority and of His miracles, on the occasion of the previous +Pasch (ii. 15, 23), is still fresh in their memories. + +46. Venit ergo iterum in Cana 46. He came again therefore +Galilaeae ubi fecit aquam into Cana of Galilee, where he +vinum. Et erat quidam regulus, made the water wine. And there +cuius filius infirmabatur was a certain ruler whose son +Capharnaum. was sick at Capharnaum. +47. Hic cum audisset quia 47. He having heard that Jesus +Iesus adveniret a Iudaea in was come from Judea into +Galilaeam, abiit ad eum, et Galilee, went to him, and +rogabat eum ut descenderet, et prayed him to come down and +sanaret filium eius: heal his son: for he was at +incipiebat enim mori. the point of death. + +46. *A certain ruler whose son was sick at Capharnaum*, on hearing that +Jesus was in Cana, came and asked Him to _come down_ and heal his son, who +was on the point of death. Origen thinks this ruler may have belonged to +the household of Cĉsar, and been on duty in Palestine at this time. But +Josephus uses the word ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) to designate the courtiers or officers +of the Herods (see B. J. vii. 5, 2; Antt. xv. 8, 4); so that this ruler of +Capharnaum may have been an officer of Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of +Galilee. Doubtless the ruler had heard of the miracle at the marriage +feast in Cana (ii. 7, 11); and perhaps he had witnessed the evidence of +Christ's miraculous power at the feast of the Pasch (ii. 23). + +48. Dixit ergo Iesus ad eum: 48. Jesus therefore said to +Nisi signa et prodigia him: Unless you see signs and +videritis, non creditis. wonders, you believe not. +49. Dicit ad eum regulus: 49. The ruler saith to him: +Domine, descende prius quam Lord, come down before that my +moriatur filius meus. son die. + +48. Christ upbraids the ruler for his imperfect faith. The ruler is blamed +either because he was waiting to _see_ a miracle before he would believe, +or because he foolishly considered that it was _necessary_ for Christ to +go down to Capharnaum in order to heal his son. + +50. Dicit ei Iesus: Vade, 50. Jesus saith to him: Go thy +filius tuus vivit. Credidit way, thy son liveth. The man +homo sermoni quem dixit ei believed the word which Jesus +Iesus, et ibat. said to him, and went his way. +51. Iam autem eo descendente, 51. And as he was going down, +servi occurrerunt ei, et his servants met him: and they +nuntiaverunt dicentes, quia brought word, saying that his +filius eius viveret. son lived. + +50. Jesus said to him, *Go thy way; thy son liveth*. It is plain, from all +the circumstances, that this miracle is quite distinct from that recorded +in Matt. viii. 5 and foll.; Luke vii. 2 and foll., though some of the +Rationalists have sought to identify the two. There it is the centurion's +servant, here the ruler's son, who is ill; there the illness is paralysis, +here fever; there, though asked not to go, Christ goes to the sick person; +here, though asked to go, he goes not. + +52. Interrogabat ergo horam ab 52. He asked therefore of them +eis in qua melius habuerit. Et the hour, wherein he grew +dixerunt ei: Quia heri hora better. And they said to him: +septima reliquit eum febris. Yesterday at the seventh hour + the fever left him. + +52. *The seventh hour;* _i.e._, about an hour after noon, 1 p.m., or 7 +p.m. See i. 39. + +53. Cognovit ergo pater, quia 53. The father therefore knew +illa hora erat, in qua dixit that it was at the same hour, +ei Iesus: Filius tuus vivit: that Jesus said to him, Thy +et credidit ipse, et domus son liveth; and himself +eius tota. believed and his whole house. +54. Hoc iterum secundum signum 54. This _is_ again the second +fecit Iesus, cum venisset a miracle that Jesus did, when +Iudaea in Galilaeam. he was come out of Judea into + Galilee. + +54. It is not said that this was the second miracle He performed, but that +it was the second He performed on coming out of Judea into Galilee. For +the first, see ii. 6, 11, and compare i. 43. + + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + + 1-9. *Jesus goes up to Jerusalem on the occasion of a festival, + and there cures a man on the Sabbath day.* + + 10-16. *The Jews first challenge him who was healed, and then + persecute Christ for violating the Sabbath.* + + 17. *Christ's answer and defence.* + + 18. *They are still more exasperated, and seek to kill Him.* + + 19-39. *Christ's discourse, in which He proves, by various + arguments, that He is justified in calling God HIS Father, and in + making Himself equal to God.* + + 40-47. *He upbraids their incredulity, and points out its cause.* + + +1. Post haec erat dies festus 1. After these things was a +Iudaeorum, et ascendit Iesus festival day of the Jews, and +Ierosolymam. Jesus went up to Jerusalem. + +1. The interval to be admitted between the events now about to be narrated +and the preceding, depends upon the answer to be given to the question: +what festival is here referred to? On this question a great diversity of +opinion has always existed among commentators. The more common opinion is +that it is the festival of the _Pasch_; others, however, hold that it is +the festival of _Pentecost_, or of _Tabernacles_, or of the _Purification_ +of the Temple, or of _Lots_. + +The Pasch was celebrated from the evening of the 14th till that of the +21st of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish sacred year. Pentecost was +the fiftieth day from the second day of the Pasch. The feast of +Tabernacles was celebrated from the evening of the 14th till that of the +22nd of Tisri, the seventh month of the sacred year. The feast of +Purification lasted eight days, beginning with the 25th Casleu, the ninth +month of the sacred year. The feast of Lots lasted two days, the 14th and +15th of Adar, the twelfth month of the sacred year. + +The three feasts of Pasch, Pentecost, and Tabernacles were the great +Jewish feasts, on which, and on which alone, all adult males were bound to +go up to Jerusalem to worship. See Exod. xxiii. 14-17; xxxiv. 18, 22, 23. +Many have held that the approach of the feast is mentioned (verse 1), as +giving the reason why Christ went up, like the other adult Jewish men, to +Jerusalem (ii. 13). Others, however, hold that the text merely states a +fact, that Christ went up on the occasion of a festival, without implying +at all that the festival was such as ought to be celebrated at Jerusalem. + +It is difficult, if not impossible, to definitely decide which feast is +meant; but it seems to us extremely probable that it is either Pasch or +Lots. In favour of the Pasch it is argued--(1) ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}) even without the +article(45) _may_ designate the Pasch (Matt. xxvii. 15; Mark xv. 6); and +it is to be believed that it does in the present instance, because ten +verses before (iv. 45) the same word is used to designate the Pasch +(compare John ii. 13, 23). (2) From iv. 35 we learn that Jesus was on His +way, through Samaria, to Galilee, in December; that is, about the _close_ +of the first year of His public life. Hence it cannot be to any of the +three great feasts of that _first_ year that our text refers. Naturally, +then, it is to the Pasch of the second year, which was the first great +feast to occur in the course of the year, and for which, if Christ had not +gone to Jerusalem, St. John would probably have explained His absence, as +He does (vii. 1) in reference to the Pasch mentioned vi. 4. (3) Were it +any other feast than that of the Pasch, which was by excellence _the_ +feast of the Jews, St. John, according to his custom (vii. 2; x. 22), +would have named it. (4) This is the opinion of St. Irenĉus, who was a +disciple of Polycarp, himself a disciple of our Evangelist. + +In favour of the feast of Lots--(1) The absence of the article in the more +probable reading points to one of the minor feasts of the Jews. (2) From +John iv. 35, and vi. 4, it would seem to be clear that this feast fell +between December and the Pasch; but only the feast of Lots occurred at +that time. (3) If this be the second Pasch of our Lord's public life, and +that in vi. 4 the third, then the events of a whole year are passed over +by our Evangelist, who proceeds, in vi. 1: "After these things Jesus +went," &c., affording no hint that he has passed over the events of a +year. (4). Were this the Pasch, St. John would have named it, as he does +on the other three occasions (ii. 13; vi. 4; xi. 55). But as it was only a +minor feast of the Jews, and probably unheard-of by the Christians of Asia +Minor, the Evangelist thinks it unnecessary to name it, and contents +himself with referring to it as *a feast of the Jews*. + +It is perhaps impossible, as we have said already, to decide with +certainty which feast is meant, but we shall follow the more common +opinion and hold that there is question of the Pasch. Thus, we hold that +St. John mentions four Paschs as having occurred during our Lord's public +life: the first in ii. 13; the second here; the third in vi. 4; and the +fourth and last in xii. 1 and xiii. 1, when our Lord was put to death. He +passes over the events that occurred between the second and third Pasch, +because they were already narrated by the Synoptic Evangelists. + +2. Est autem Ierosolymis 2. Now there is at Jerusalem a +probatica piscina, quae pond, _called_ Probatica, +cognominatur hebraice which in Hebrew is named +Bethsaida, quinque porticus Bethsaida, having five +habens. porches. + +2. The best supported Greek reading would be rendered, "Now there is in +Jerusalem _by the sheep-gate_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} being understood) a pond which is +called in Hebrew _Bethesda_," &c. + +Bethesda, in Syro-Chaldaic, which was the language of Palestine at this +time, means the house (place) of mercy; and the name was given in the +present instance on account of the merciful cures wrought there. For the +building of this sheep-gate by the priests, see 2 Esd. iii. 1. The site of +either gate or pond cannot be determined with certainty; but the pond +seems to have been close to the Temple, near the gate through which the +sheep to be sacrificed entered within the outer enclosure of the temple. +The *porches*, which served to shelter the sick from sun and rain, were +open on the sides, but covered with a roof supported on pillars. + +The Vulgate reading, *a sheep-pond*, has been variously explained. Some +say the pond might be so called because the sheep were washed there before +they were sacrificed; others, because their entrails were brought there to +be washed. *Bethsaida*, read by the Vulgate, means the house (place) for +fishing. + +3. In his iacebat multitudo 3. In these lay a great +magna languentium, caecorum, multitude of sick, of blind, +claudorum, aridorum, of lame, of withered, waiting +expectantium aquae motum. for the moving of the water. +4. Angelus autem Domini 4. And an Angel of the Lord +descendebat secundum tempus in descended at certain times +piscinam: et movebatur aqua. into the pond; and the water +Et qui prior descendisset in was moved. And he that went +piscinam post motionem aquae, down first into the pond after +sanus fiebat a quacumque the motion of the water, was +detinebatur infirmitate. made whole of whatsoever + infirmity he lay under. + +3, 4. The genuineness of the passage, beginning with *waiting for the +moving of the water*, and comprising the whole of verse 4, is disputed. +The Council of Trent, indeed, defined "libros singulos cum omnibus suis +partibus ... prout in vulgata Latina Editione habentur ... pro sacris et +canonicis esse suscipiendos:" but it is not thereby defined that every +tittle (_particula_) or every verse, is canonical Scripture. It would +seem, therefore, that Catholics are free to reject this passage, and it is +a question for criticism to decide whether we are to receive or reject it. + +After an examination of the evidence for and against, we believe that the +passage is more probably genuine. It stands in codex A (Alexandrinus), and +in at least ten other uncial and very many _cursive_ MSS. It is read in +the "Vetus Itala" and in the Vulgate; in the _plain_ and _figured_ Syriac +versions, and in the Persian, Coptic, and Arabian versions. It is read by +Cyril of Alexandria, Chrys., Theophy., Euthy., Tertull., Ambr., and +August. Finally, the context, especially the reply of the sick man (verse +7), supposes it. Why it came to be wanting in so many MSS. it is difficult +to explain.(46) + +That the wonderful efficacy here attributed to the water of this pond was +miraculous, and not merely, as the Rationalists would have us believe, the +effect of salubrious natural properties in the water, seems clear. For--(1) +there is the intervention of an angel which disturbed ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}) the +water; (2) only the first person entering the pond was cured; (3) he was +cured not gradually, but at once, and completely: "he was immediately made +whole;" (4) he was cured no matter what his disease. When the Rationalists +find for us an intermittent spring whose waters possess the properties +here attributed to Bethesda, we shall be prepared to listen to them. + +The waters of Bethesda, in their wonderful efficacy to cure every disease, +were a striking though imperfect type of the waters of Penance, which heal +every spiritual malady of everyone, be he first or last who bathes in +them. + +5. Erat autem quidam homo ibi 5. And there was a certain man +triginta et octo annos habens there, that had been eight and +in infirmitate sua. thirty years under his + infirmity. +6. Hunc cum vidisset Iesus 6. Him when Jesus had seen +iacentem, et cognovisset quia lying, and knew that he had +iam multum tempus haberet, been now a long time, he saith +dicit ei: Vis sanus fieri? to him: Wilt thou be made + whole? +7. Respondit ei languidus: 7. The infirm man answered +Domini, hominem non habeo, ut, him: Sir, I have no man, when +cum turbata fuerit aqua, the water is troubled, to put +mittat me in piscinam: dum me into the pond. For whilst I +venio enim ego, alius ante me am coming, another goeth down +descendit. before me. +8. Dicit ei Iesus: Surge, 8. Jesus saith to him: Arise, +tolle grabatum tuum, et take up thy bed, and walk. +ambula. +9. Et statim sanus factus est 9. And immediately the man was +homo ille: et sustulit made whole: and he took up his +grabatum suum, et ambulabat. bed and walked. And it was the +Erat autem sabbatum in die sabbath that day. +illo. + +5-9. Christ speaks with and heals a man who had been thirty-eight years +ill (of paralysis or some similar disease, as would appear from verses +7-8); and, to show how complete the cure was, perhaps also to give an +occasion for the discourse which follows, He orders the man who has been +cured to take up his bed and walk. It would be a rather severe trial of +recovered strength to have to carry some of the beds of modern times; but +that on which the poor paralytic had been resting was not cumbrous. It was +probably only a carpet or mattress, or at most there was but a very light +framework. In Acts v. 15, we find the term used in our text distinguished +from {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}, which was rather the bed of the rich, more expensive and +cumbrous. + +10. Dicebant ergo Iudaei illi 10. The Jews therefore said to +qui sanatus fuerat: Sabbatum him that was healed: It is the +est, non licet tibi tollere sabbath, it is not lawful for +grabatum tuum. thee to take up thy bed. + +10. *It is not lawful.* See Exod. xx. 8; Jer. xvii. 21, 22. + +11. Respondit eis: Qui me 11. He answered them: He that +sanum fecit, ille mihi dixit: made me whole, he said to me: +Tolle grabatum tuum, et Take up my bed, and walk. +ambula. + +11. The man appeals to the authority of Him who had cured him, who surely +must be from God, and able to dispense in the Sabbath law. + +12. Interrogaverunt ergo eum: 12. They asked him, therefore: +Quis est ille homo qui dixit Who is that man who said to +tibi, Tolle grabatum tuum, et thee: Take up thy bed and +ambula? walk? +13. Is autem qui sanus fuerat 13. But he who was healed, +effectus, nesciebat quis knew not who it was. For Jesus +esset. Iesus enim declinavit a went aside from the multitude +turba constituta in loco. standing in the place. + +13. Christ had gone aside to escape the envy of the evil-minded as well as +the admiration of the well-disposed. See vi. 15. A more correct rendering +of the Greek would be: *For Jesus had gone aside, there being a crowd in +the place.* + +14. Postea invenit eum Iesus 14. Afterwards Jesus findeth +in templo, et dixit illi: Ecce him in the temple, and saith +sanus factus es: iam noli to him: Behold thou art made +peccare, ne deterius tibi whole: sin no more, lest some +aliquid contingat. worse thing happen to thee. +15. Abiit ille homo, et 15. And the man went his way, +nuntiavit Iudaeis quia Iesus and told the Jews that it was +esset, quia fecit eum sanum. Jesus who had made him whole. + +14. Christ's words, *Sin no more*, insinuate that the man's previous +illness had been the result of sin; and he is warned that if he provoke +God further, something worse may happen to him; worse, perhaps, even on +this side, and infinitely worse beyond, the grave. "Some say, indeed," +says St. Chrys., "because we have corrupted ourselves for a short time, +shall we be tormented eternally? But see how long this man was tormented +for his sins. Sin is not to be measured by length of time, but by the +nature of sin itself." + +16. Propterea persequebantur 16. Therefore did the Jews +Iudaei Iesum, quia haec persecute Jesus, because he +faciebat in sabbato. did these things on the + sabbath. + +16. Therefore the Jews, especially the Scribes and Pharisees, persecuted, +or rather, perhaps, accused(47) Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath +(comp. vii. 23; Luke vi. 7), and for authorizing him who was healed to +violate the Sabbath. + +17. Iesus autem respondit eis: 17. But Jesus answered them: +Pater meus usque modo My Father worketh until now; +operatur, et ego operor. and I work. + +17. Christ's reply is, that as _His_ (not _our_, for He was the natural +Son of God, we are only adopted sons) Father worketh continually, and +therefore even on the Sabbath, conserving and governing all things; so, +too, He Himself, He being consubstantial with the Father. Thus He tells +them that equally with the Father He is exempt from the law of the +Sabbath. + +18. Propterea ergo magis 18. Hereupon therefore the +quaerebant eum Iudaei Jews sought the more to kill +interficere, quia non solum him, because he did not only +solvebat sabbatum, sed et break the sabbath, but also +patrem suum dicebat Deum, said God was his Father, +aequalem se faciens Deo. making himself equal to God. +Respondit itaque Iesus, et +dixit eis: + +18. They understand Him, so far at least as to see that He makes Himself +equal to God; and as they now consider Him to be not merely a Sabbath- +breaker, but also a blasphemer, they become more exasperated, and seek to +kill Him. See Deut. xiii. 5. + +19. Amen, amen dico vobis: non 19. Then Jesus answered and +potest Filius a se facere said to them: Amen, amen, I +quidquam, nisi quod viderit say unto you: the Son cannot +Patrem facientem: quaecumque do anything of himself, but +enim ille fecerit, haec et what he seeth the Father +Filius similter facit. doing: for what things soever + he doth, these the Son also + doth in like manner. + +19. The remainder of the chapter is taken up with Christ's discourse, in +which He asserts His Divinity, and proves it by various arguments. (1) By +His own testimony (19-30), which the Jews might be excused for rejecting, +were it alone and unsupported (31); (2) by the testimony of the Baptist +(32-35); (3) by the testimony of His miracles (36); (4) by the testimony +of His Father which is contained in the Sacred Scriptures (37-39). + +The Jews had understood Him to make Himself equal to God, and He goes on +not to withdraw, but to reiterate and expand what He had said. He declares +His operation as God to be identical with that of the Father; in a word, +His works to be the works of God. He had received, in His eternal +generation, His Divine nature and operation identical with the Father's, +and as God He does nothing except what the Father does, and the Father +does nothing except what He does. This inability to work of Himself, that +is to say, alone, without the Father (_a seipso_), proceeds not from any +defect of power, but from His inseparable union with the Father in nature +and operation. The Son's "seeing," and the Father's "showing" (v. 20), are +both metaphorical expressions, and signify that the Son derives His divine +nature and operation from the Father.(48) The Arians appealed to this +verse to prove the inferiority of the Son to the Father, because, they +said, Christ here declares Himself merely an imitator of the works of the +Father, just as a pupil or apprentice imitates his master. But Christ's +words, "I and the Father are one" (x. 30), show that there can be no +question here of inferiority; and, moreover, since _all_ things were made +by the Son (i. 3), it was impossible for Him to copy from anything made +beforehand. + +*But what he seeth* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) *the Father doing*. "But what," that is, not +by Himself, _but_ together with the Father, "nisi" of the Vulgate being +here equal to "sed." See Matt. xii. 4; Gal. ii. 16. + +*For what things soever He doth, these the Son also doth in like manner.* +St. Thomas on this verse says:--"Excludit in his tria circa potestatem +suam: scilicet particularitatem (_quaecumque_), diversitatem (_haec_), et +imperfectionem (_similiter_)." And St. Augustine on this verse says +beautifully: "He does not say whatsoever the Father doeth, the Son does +_other_ things like them, but the very same things. The Father made the +world, the Son made the world, the Holy Ghost made the world. If the +Father, Son and Holy Ghost, are one, it follows that one and the same +world was made by the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Ghost. Thus it +is the very same thing that the Son doth. He adds _likewise_, to prevent +another error arising. For the body seems to do the same things with the +mind, but it does not do them in a like way, inasmuch as the body is +subject, the soul governing; the body visible, the soul invisible. When a +slave does a thing at the command of his master, the same thing is done by +both; but is it in a like way? Now in the Father and Son there is not this +difference; they do the same things, and in a like way. Father and Son act +with the same power; so that the Son is equal to the Father." Since then +the works of the Son as God are the works of the Father, if they blamed +the Son for violating the Sabbath, they thereby blamed the Father also. +And it is of the Son _as God_ there is question here; for as man, or as +God-man He could do many things "of Himself," such as eating, walking on +the waters, &c., which, of course, the Father never did; and, moreover, it +would not be true to say that the Son as man does all that the Father +does. + +20. Pater enim diligit Filium, 20. For the Father loveth the +et omnia demonstrat ei quae Son, and showeth him all +ipse facit: et maiora his things which himself doth: and +demonstrabit ei opera, ut vos greater works than these will +miremini. he show him, that you may + wonder. + +20. Here is given the reason for the Son's identity of operation with the +Father. *For the Father loveth the Son*, and from all eternity +communicateth to Him the one Divine power and operation, whereby He +Himself doth all things; and that Divine power shall yet be _manifested_ +by the Son in greater works than the healing of the paralytic, that you +may wonder. + +We are not to conclude from this verse that the love of the Father is the +cause of the communication of the Divine nature to the Son, as if the Son +proceeded from the Father through love, and therefore through the Will. +The common teaching of theologians is that the Son proceeds not through +the Divine will, but through the Divine intellect. See Perr. De. Trin., § +401. Hence the meaning is not, that the Father loves the Son, and +_therefore_ communicates His Divine nature to Him. Toletus, however, +thinks that this form of expression is purposely used here by Christ to +show men that the Father shares His nature and power with the Son, since +among men, those who love share their goods with each other.(49) + +As already indicated, the future, "will show," is used in this verse in +reference to the _manifestation_ in time of that power which was given +from eternity. *That you may wonder.* Some take "that" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) here as +introducing a consequence; others, and rightly, in its usual sense as +introducing a purpose. The purpose of God was that they might wonder and +believe. + +21. Sicut enim Pater suscitat 21. For as the Father raiseth +mortuos, et vivificat: sic et up the dead, and giveth life: +Filius, quos vult, vivificat. so the Son also giveth life to + whom he will. + +21. The connection here shows that the raising of the dead is one of the +"greater works" just referred to, as is also the judgment by Christ +mentioned in the next verse. But who are the dead, and what is the +resurrection of which there is question? + +(_a_) Those who were _corporally_ dead like Lazarus, and were raised by +Christ, to the wonder of the Jews.(50) For--(1) This view suits the +context. Christ had cured a paralytic; He now promises greater miracles; +hitherto he had only healed bodies that were sick; now He would raise to +life bodies that were dead. (2) In verse 28 there is certainly question of +a corporal resurrection; therefore also here. (3) This raising of the dead +was to excite the wonder of the Jews; therefore there must be question of +the raising of the body, since a spiritual resurrection could not be +known, and hence could not be a matter of wonder. + +(_b_) Those _spiritually_ dead, who were to be raised through the +preaching of Christ and His Apostles from the death of sin to the life of +grace. For--(1) It is more probable that there is question of spiritual +death and resurrection in verse 24; therefore also in verse 21. (2) The +words "And now is" of verse 25 point to a resurrection then present, +therefore to a _spiritual_. (3) This view suits the context. The spiritual +resurrection brought about by Christ, though in itself invisible, produced +in the world effects _more wonderful_ than the curing of the paralytic, +and it is as a proof that Christ can raise those spiritually dead, that He +refers in verse 28 to the fact that He will raise those corporally dead. + +We prefer the latter view; but whichever view we may hold, we must bear in +mind that the sense is not that the Father raises some, and the Son +others, from the dead. As God, Christ's will is _identical_ with the +Father's, and what one does the other does. Christ then is here said to +raise "whom He will" in order to show us His absolute equality with the +Father. + +22. Neque enim Pater iudicat 22. For neither doth the +quemquam: sed omne iudicium Father judge any man: but hath +dedit Filio. given all judgment to the Son. + +22. Another greater work than the curing of the paralytic is the judging +of men. Some think it is the judgment of discussion, the trial which +awaits all (Heb. ix. 27), that is referred to; others that (as in verses +24, 29, and iii. 19) it is the judgment of condemnation passed upon the +reprobate, the Greek word which is used being generally (if not always) +used by St. John of the judgment of condemnation. When it is said here +that *neither doth the Father judge any man*, the meaning is that although +the Father and the Holy Ghost pass the same identical judgment as the Son, +yet they do not do this _visibly_, so as to be seen and heard like the +God-man Jesus Christ. This is particularly true in regard to the judgment +of the wicked; Christ alone, in His humanity, appears to them; for as St. +Augustine says: "Si mali Deum in propria natura viderent jam essent +beati." The Father gave all power to judge to Christ as God in the eternal +generation, to Christ as man at the incarnation; and it is as God and man +that Christ judges: as God authoritatively, and as man visibly.(51) + +23. Ut omnes honorificent 23. That all men may honour +Filium, sicut honorificant the Son, as they honour the +Patrem; qui non honorificat Father. He who honoureth not +Filium, non honorificat Patrem the Son, honoureth not the +qui misit illum. Father who hath sent him. + +23. Here is declared the end that God had in view in conferring the +supreme judiciary power upon the Son, namely, that men might honour Him +_equally_ with the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not +the Father who sent Him in the Incarnation equal in all things to Himself. +In dishonouring Jesus Christ, the Jews were dishonouring that Divine +nature and majesty which is one with the Father's, and they were, +moreover, spurning the testimony which the Father had already given to the +Divinity of His Son, as well after Christ's baptism (Matt. iii. 17), as in +the miracles which He had given Christ to perform (verse 36). + +24. Amen, amen dico vobis, 24. Amen, amen, I say unto +quia qui verbum meum audit, et you, that he who heareth my +credit ei qui misit me, habet word, and believeth him that +vitam aeternam, et in iudicium sent me, hath life +non venit, sed transiit a everlasting; and cometh not +morte in vitam. into judgment but is passed + from death to life. + +24. We believe the connection with the preceding to be this. In speaking +of the end God had in view in conferring the supreme judiciary power upon +the God-man, our Lord had noted parenthetically the effect of not +honouring the Son (verse 23); here He adds what the effect of honouring +Him is. + +*Amen, amen.* The repeated asseveration indicates the solemn importance of +the declaration about to be made, namely, that he who accepts the teaching +of Christ, and thereby the testimony of the Father testifying to Christ as +His Son, has eternal life. We take "death" and "life" of this verse of the +death of sin and the life of grace, and understand "has passed" in +reference to the justification of the sinner. See 1 John iii. 14, and what +we have said on i. 13. + +25. Amen, amen dico vobis, 25. Amen, amen, I say unto +quia venit hora, et nunc est, you, that the hour cometh and +quando mortui audient vocem now is, when the dead shall +Filii Dei: et qui audierint, hear the voice of the Son of +vivent. God, and they that hear shall + live. + +25. Having stated parenthetically the effect of dishonouring and honouring +Himself, Christ returns to the proof of His divine power. There is the +same difference of opinion here regarding the life and death meant, as in +verse 21. + +The words, *And now is*, favour the view that there is question of a +spiritual resurrection that had already begun. + +*And they that hear, shall live.* These words, too, suggest that there is +question of a spiritual resurrection, a resurrection in which all those +that hear and believe are to share. + +26. Sicut enim Pater habet 26. For as the Father hath +vitam in semetipso: sic dedit life in himself; so he hath +et Filio habere vitam in given to the Son also to have +semetipso: life in himself: + +26. For the Son is essential Life like the Father, and being in Himself +the source of life can therefore impart it to others. + +27. Et potestatem dedit ei 27. And he hath given him +iudicium facere, quia Filius power to do judgment, because +hominis est. he is the son of man. + +27. The meaning is, that as it was ordained from all eternity, that the +Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become man, so it was ordained +that He, as God-man should judge all men without exception in the general +judgment, and all who die after the incarnation, in the particular +judgment. + +28. Nolite mirari hoc, quia 28. Wonder not at this, for +venit hora in qua omnes qui in the hour cometh wherein all +monumentis sunt, audient vocem that are in the graves shall +Filii Dei: hear the voice of the Son of + God. + +28. *This* at which they are not to wonder, is His power of raising the +dead, _i.e._, the few whom He raised corporally during His public life, +or, as we prefer, the many whom He raised spiritually; and His power of +judging. + +*For the hour cometh wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the +voice of the Son of God.* It is admitted by all that the reference in +these words is to the general resurrection, and the Jews are told not to +be surprised at the spiritual resurrection, inasmuch as the resurrection +of all flesh shall come to pass at the word of the same Son of God. The +words of this verse imply that the spiritual resurrection excites less +wonder than the corporal; and this indeed is true, for though the +spiritual resurrection is, in fact, the greater miracle, and in itself +more wonderful, yet it is not sensible, and cannot excite our wonder so +much as the raising of even one dead body to life. + +29. Et procedent qui bona 29. And they that have done +fecerunt, in resurrectionem good things, shall come forth +vitae: qui vero mala egerunt, unto the resurrection of life; +in resurrectionem iudicii. but they that have done evil, + unto the resurrection of + judgment. + +29. This verse affords a clear proof that we are not justified by faith +alone, but that according to our works we shall be rewarded or condemned. + +30. Non possum ego a meipso 30. I cannot of myself do +facere quidquam. Sicut audio, anything. As I hear, so I +iudico: et iudicium meum judge: and my judgment is +iustum est, quia non quaero just: because I seek not my +voluntatem meam, sed own will, but the will of him +voluntatem eius qui misit me. that sent me. + +30. What Christ said in verse 19 of every operation of His, He now repeats +and applies in particular to this judgment. Since He judges as God-man, +the words "As I hear," probably refer both to His Divine nature, which, +like His judgment was identical with that of the Father, and to His human +nature, in which, on account of the plenitude of grace within Him, He can +think or will nothing contrary to the Father.(52) + +31. Si ego testimonium 31. If I bear witness of +perhibeo de meipso, myself, my witness is not +testimonium meum non est true. +verum. + +31. From verse 19 Christ has borne witness to Himself, to His Divine power +and equality with the Father, and now He says that if He were _alone_ in +bearing such witness of Himself, His witness would not be such as men +would be bound to receive. Of course, even though a man were alone and +unsupported in testifying regarding himself, still it is plain his witness +_might be true_; but it would not be trustworthy, such as ought to be +received, because it _might be false_, and would be reasonably suspected. +No doubt, Christ's testimony of Himself though unsupported would be more +than enough to those who believed in His Divinity; but He is here +addressing those who had no such belief. Comp. viii. 14-16. + +32. Alius est qui testimonium 32. There is another that +perhibet de me: et scio quia beareth witness of me: and I +verum est testimonium quod know that the witness which he +perhibet de me. witnesseth of me is true. + +32. Christ's witness of Himself is supported by that of the _Father_ (some +think, by that of the Baptist), to which He can confidently appeal. But +before mentioning how the Father's testimony is given, He turns aside for +a moment to appeal to the Baptist's testimony. + +33. Vos misistis ad Ioannem: 33. You sent to John; and he +et testimonium perhibuit gave testimony to the truth. +veritati. +34. Ego autem non ab homine 34. But I receive not +testimonium accipio: sed haec testimony from man: but I say +dico ut vos salvi sitis. these things that you may be + saved. + +34. He now tells them that He has invoked the testimony of the Baptist, +not that He needs any testimony of men, but in the hope that they, who had +regarded the Baptist as a prophet, might perchance accept his testimony to +Christ. + +35. Ille erat lucerna ardens, 35. He was a burning and a +et lucens: Vos autem voluistis shining light. And you were +ad horam exultare in luce willing for a time to rejoice +eius. in his light. + +35. The Greek is: _He was the lamp that burneth and shineth_. From the use +of the word _was_ here, it is fairly concluded that the Baptist had been +already put to death by Herod Antipas (Mark vi. 17-28). The Baptist was a +bright _lamp_ {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} of truth, but not _the light_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} i. 8, 9), which +was Christ Himself. + +36. Ego autem habeo 36. But I have a greater +testimonium maius Ioanne. testimony than that of John. +Opera enim quae dedit mihi For the works which the Father +Pater ut perficiam ea, ipsa hath given me to perfect: the +opera quae ego facio, works themselves, which I do, +testimonium perhibent de me, give testimony of me, that the +quia Pater misit me: Father hath sent me. + +36. A third testimony is now invoked in the miracles which the Father gave +Christ to perform. See x. 37, 38, and what was said above on iii. 2. + +37. Et qui misit me Pater, 37. And the Father himself who +ipse testimonium perhibuit de hath sent me, hath given +me: neque vocem eius unquam testimony of me: neither have +audistis, neque speciem eius you heard his voice at any +vidistis: time, nor seen his shape. +38. Et verbum eius non habetis 38. And you have not his word +in vobis manens: quia quem abiding in you: for whom he +misit ille, huic vos non hath sent, him you believe +creditis. not. + +37, 38. Besides the indirect testimony of the Father through Christ's +miracles, another testimony of His is now appealed to. Some understand +this of the testimony of the Father on the occasion of Christ's baptism, +(Matt. iii. 17). So Chrys., A Lap., M'Ev. But if there were reference to +that past and definite occasion, the Greek aorist, not the perfect, would +be used. Others, as Mald., connect this verse closely with the preceding, +and hold the reference is still to the Father's testimony given through +Christ's miracles. But the form of words: "And the Father Himself, who +hath sent Me, hath given testimony of Me," seems to add another distinct +testimony to those already mentioned. Others, therefore, hold that the +reference is to the Father's testimony conveyed through the oracles of the +prophets. So St. Cyril, Theoph., Euthy., Kuin., Corl.; and this opinion +seems to be the correct one. + +About the meaning and connection of the words which follow in this verse +and the next, there is a great variety of view. + +(1) Some thus: But you have never listened to His voice speaking to you +through the Sacred Scriptures, nor recognised Him as speaking in them, nor +do you believe in His inspired word; and the reason of this is, because +you do not believe in Me whom He has sent. (Patriz.) + +(2) Others thus: But though the Father has testified of Me, "neither have +you heard His voice ... abiding in you;" _i.e._, you have been excluded +from familiarity with Him, and from belief in His testimony, because you +refuse to believe in Me. (Hengstenberg.) + +(3) Others take the words to refer to the covenant entered into by God +with the Jews (Deut. xviii. 15-19), that He should terrify them no more by +His awful presence, as when He gave the law on Sinai (Exod. xx. 19-21), +but should speak to them through a prophet. Hence Christ's words signify: +The Father has borne testimony of Me, nor has He broken His word to you, +that you should hear and see no more the terrifying sounds and sights of +Sinai; and yet you refuse to keep your part of the compact ("you have not +His word abiding in you"), inasmuch as you refuse to believe in Me, the +Prophet whom He promised. (Tolet., Beel.) + +(4) Others again thus: The Father has borne unquestionable testimony of +Me, though not, I admit, in such a manner as that He could be seen, or His +voice heard by you. But that testimony you accept not (you have not His +word abiding in you), as is plain from the fact that you refuse to believe +in Me. See the note to A Lap., in Migne's Ed., which agrees with Kuinoel. + +Whatever view be adopted, we understand the testimony referred to in verse +37, to be that which is explicitly mentioned in verse 39; viz., the +testimony of God given through the Scriptures in the writings of Moses and +the prophets.(53) + +39. Scrutamini scripturas, 39. Search the scriptures, for +quia vos putatis in ipsis you think in them to have life +vitam aeternam habere: et everlasting; and the same are +illae sunt, quae testimonium they that give testimony of +perhibent de me: me: + +39. Here our Lord distinctly mentions the testimony to which He had +already alluded (verse 37). *Search the Scriptures*, or rather, *Ye search +the Scriptures*. In both the Greek and Latin texts the form of the verb +leaves it doubtful whether it is to be understood as an indicative or an +imperative. But the context, in which all the verbs are in the indicative, +and the course of the argument, render it much more probable that the form +is to be understood as an indicative. So, too, all the best modern +commentators, even among the Protestants; _e.g._, Kuin., Alf., Bloomf., +Westc., and the Revised Version, which renders: "Ye search the +Scriptures." + +It is unnecessary then to delay long in refuting the argument which used +to be drawn by Protestants from this text in favour of the +_indiscriminate_ reading of the Bible by all the faithful. A few words +will suffice. (1) It is much more probable that the words do not contain a +precept, but merely state a fact. (2) Even if they did contain a precept, +they are addressed very probably only to the Jewish _teachers_ (see verse +44). (3) Even if we admitted that the words contain a precept, and are +addressed to all the Jews, still it would not follow that all the faithful +now are bound to read the Bible, nor that the Church may not sometimes, +for grave reasons restrict the liberty to read it. For we must bear in +mind that our Lord is here referring to the Sacred Scriptures in +connection with one particular point, namely, the fulfilment of prophecy +in Himself. Even if the Jews were authorized or commanded to read the +Sacred Scriptures in regard to a particular question, it by no means +follows that Protestants are commanded or even authorized to read them in +order to form by the aid of private judgment an opinion on all questions +of faith and morals. + +The Catholic Church freely admits, of course, and insists that the reading +of the Bible is in itself good and useful; but since the Bible contains +"certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable +wrest ... to their own destruction" (2 Pet. iii. 16), hence she knows it +is possible that, like all God's best gifts, the Bible may in certain +circumstances be abused. + +40. Et non vultis venire ad me 40. And you will not come to +ut vitam habeatis. me that you may have life. + +40. *And* is equivalent to "and yet." + +41. Claritatem ab hominibus 41. I receive not glory from +non accipio. men. + +41. Not through a desire to gain glory from them has He borne the +preceding testimony to Himself. This is said parenthetically, and the next +verse is to be connected with verse 40. + +42. Sed cognovi vos, quia 42. But I know you, that you +dilectionem Dei non habetis in have not the love of God in +vobis. you. + +42. *But I know you, that* &c. Their unbelief in Christ was due to the +fact that they did not love God. Had they loved God, they would have +corresponded with grace, and recognised the Messias whom God had sent. + +43. Ego veni in nomine Patris 43. I am come in the name of +mei, et non accipitis me: si my Father, and you receive me +alius venerit in nomine suo, not: if another shall come in +illum accipietis. his own name, him you will + receive. + +43. The sense is: I am come in the name, and with the power of My Father +manifested in My works. If another come to you, and without giving any +evidence that He is from God, say that he is the Messias, you will believe +him, and believe in him. We know that this actually happened. Many false +Christs arose before the destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.); and obtained +a following among the people. A person named Barchochebas was the most +successful of those impostors. + +44. Quomodo vos potestis 44. How can you believe, who +credere, qui gloriam ab receive glory one from +invicem accipitis: et gloriam, another: and the glory which +quae a solo Deo est, non is from God alone, you do not +quaeritis? seek? + +44. Another cause of their unbelief is their empty vanity which sought, +and was satisfied with, the praise of men. + +45. Nolite putare quia ego 45. Think not that I will +accusaturus sim vos apud accuse you to the Father. +Patrem: est qui accusat vos There is one that accuseth +Moyses, in quo vos speratis. you, Moses, in whom you trust. + +45. It will not be necessary for Christ to accuse them before God, because +Moses, their own great prophet, will accuse them. + +46. Si enim crederetis Moysi, 46. For if you did believe +crederetis forsitan et mihi: Moses, you would perhaps +de me enim ille scripsit. believe me also. For he wrote + of me. + +46. *You would perhaps.* See above on iv. 10. + +47. Si autem illius litteris 47. But if you do not believe +non creditis, quomodo verbis his writings: how will you +meis credetis? believe my words? + +47. This is said because Moses far surpassed Him in their estimation; and +with the telling thought, that their own Scriptures, even Moses himself, +pointed Him out as their Messias, this weighty discourse ends. + + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + + 1-13. *Christ crosses with His disciples to the eastern shore of + the sea of Galilee, where He miraculously feeds a multitude with + five loaves and two fishes.* + + 14-15. *The multitude, moved by the miracle, wish to make Him + King, but He withdraws.* + + 16-21. *On the night of that same day, as the disciples are + crossing to the western side of the lake, a storm rises, and He + comes to them, walking upon the waters.* + + 22-25. *The following day the multitude also cross to the western + side of the lake, enter Capharnaum, and find Him there before + them.* + + 26-59. *Christ's discourse to the multitude, in which He promises + the Blessed Eucharist.* + + 60. *The place where the discourse was delivered.* + + 61-67. *Effect of the discourse--murmuring of many of the + disciples; His explanation, and their departure from Him.* + + 68-70. *St. Peter's noble confession in reply to a question of + Christ.* + + 71-72. *Christ refers to the wickedness of one of the Apostles, + and the Evangelist states to whom He refers.* + + +1. Post haec abiit Iesus trans 1. After these things, Jesus +mare Galilaeae, quod est went over the sea of Galilee, +Tiberiadis: which is that of Tiberias: + +1. The interval to be admitted between what is recorded in this chapter +and in the preceding depends upon the view we adopt as to what feast is +referred to in the first verse of the preceding. If that was the Feast of +Pasch, almost a year has elapsed, for we are told here, in verse 4, that +the pasch is again at hand. If that was the Feast of Lots, and this the +Pasch following, then the interval to be admitted is much less, only a +month. Those who, like us, admit the longer interval say that St. John +here passes over the events of that year, because they were already +related by the Synoptic Evangelists. + +In the last chapter we left Jesus at Jerusalem in Judea, the southern +province of Palestine, and now, soon after the death of the Baptist (Matt. +xiv. 3, Mark vi. 17, Luke iii. 20) and the return of the Apostles from +their first mission (Mark vi. 30; Luke ix. 10), we find Him in the +northern province, by the shores of the Sea of Galilee. This sea or lake +(the Jews called every large body of water a sea), which lay to the east +of the province of Galilee, was called also the Sea of Tiberias, because +of the town built by Herod Antipas, on its western shore, and named after +the Roman Emperor Tiberius. It was also called sometimes the Lake of +Gennesareth, from the fertile plain of that name on its N.W. shore. It is +almost heart-shaped, with the narrow end towards the south, and its extent +at present is 12-½ miles from north to south, by 8 miles at its widest +part east to west. (Smith's _B. D._, 2nd Ed.) + +2. Et sequebatur eum multitudo 2. And a great multitude +magna, quia videbant signa followed him, because they saw +quae faciebat super his qui the miracles which he did on +infirmabantur. them that were diseased. + +2. Jesus, accompanied by His disciples, having crossed the lake, a great +multitude follows Him. Comparing the Synoptic Evangelists (Matt. xiv. 13, +and foll.; Mark vi. 32, and foll.; Luke ix. 10, and foll.), we find that +the desert near Bethsaida (Julias) on the north-eastern side of the lake +was the place to which Jesus repaired (Luke); that the multitude followed +by land ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} = on foot, Matt., Mark); that they arrived before Him +(Mark), and that He taught them for a considerable time. + +3. Subiit ergo in montem 3. Jesus went therefore up +Iesus: et ibi sedebat cum into a mountain, and there he +discipulis suis. sat with his disciples. + +3. *Jesus therefore went up into a mountain* (Gr., _the_ mountain); +_i.e._, the well-known mountain range on that side of the lake. See too in +verse 15. + +4. Erat autem proximum pascha, 4. Now the Pasch, the festival +dies festus Iudaeorum. day of the Jews, was near at + hand. + +4. In the view we follow this was the third Pasch of our Lord's public +life. + +5. Cum sublevasset ergo oculos 5. When Jesus therefore had +Iesus, et vidisset quia lifted up his eyes, and seen +multitudo maxima venit ad eum, that a very great multitude +dixit ad Philippum: Unde cometh to him, he said to +ememus panes, ut manducent hi? Philip: Whence shall we buy + bread that these may eat? + +5. In the Synoptic Evangelists the disciples are represented as asking our +Lord to dismiss the multitude, that they may go and procure food. We may +reconcile with St. John's account thus. They make a suggestion, as in the +Synoptic Evangelists. He then turns to Philip, as in St. John. + +6. Hoc autem dicebat tentans 6. And this he said to try +eum: ipse enim sciebat quid him: for he himself knew what +esset facturus. he would do. + +6. *To try him.* "One kind of temptation leads to sin, with which God +never tempts anyone; and there is another kind by which faith is tried. In +this sense it is said that Christ proved His disciples. This is not meant +to imply that He did not know what Philip would say, but is an +accommodation to man's way of speaking. For as the expression: _Who +searcheth the hearts of men_, does not mean the searching of ignorance, +but of absolute knowledge; so here, when it is said that our Lord proved +Philip, we must understand that He knew him perfectly, but that He tried +him in order to confirm his faith. The Evangelist himself guards against +the mistake which this imperfect mode of speaking might occasion, by +adding _For He Himself knew what He would do_" (St. Aug.). + +7. Respondit ei Philippus: 7. Philip answered him: Two +Ducentorum denariorum panes hundred pennyworth of bread is +non sufficiunt eis, ut not sufficient for them, that +unusquisque modicum quid every one may take a little. +accipiat. + +7. The denarius was a Roman silver coin, whose value differed at different +times. From the year 217 B.C. till the reign of Augustus (30 B.C. to 14 +A.D.) it was worth 8-½_d._; afterwards, and, therefore, in the time of +Christ, it was worth about 7-½_d._ See Smith's _Lat. Dict. Calendarium_, +Tables viii. and ix. Two hundred denarii, then would be equal to about £6 +5_s._, and yet what bread this would purchase would not suffice to give +even a little to each, so great was the multitude. + +8. Dicit ei unus ex discipulis 8. One of his disciples, +eius, Andreas frater Simonis Andrew, the brother of Simon +Petri. Peter, saith to him: +9. Est puer unus hic, qui 9. There is a boy here that +habet quinque panes hath five barley loaves and +hordeaceos, et duos pisces: two fishes: but what are these +sed haec quid sunt inter among so many? +tantos? +10. Dixit ergo Iesus: Facite 10. Then Jesus said: Make the +homines discumbere. Erat autem men sit down. Now there was +foenum multum in loco. much grass in the place. The +Discubuerunt ergo viri, numero men therefore sat down in +quasi quinque millia. number about five thousand. + +10. Christ tells the disciples to bid the multitude be seated "on the +green grass" (Mark vi. 39); and about 5,000 men ("not reckoning women and +children," Matt. xiv. 21) sat down in companies "by hundreds and by +fifties" (Mark vi. 40). + +11. Accepit ergo Iesus panes: 11. And Jesus took the loaves: +et cum gratias egisset, and when he had given thanks, +distribuit discumbentibus: he distributed to them that +similiter et ex piscibus were set down. In like manner +quantum volebant. also of the fishes as much as + they would. + +11. Having returned thanks for all the benefits of God, and particularly +for that which He was now about to bestow, Christ took and blessed the +loaves and fishes, and through His disciples distributed them to the +multitude (Matt., Mark, Luke). It is not said at what precise time the +loaves were multiplied or enlarged, whether in the hands of Christ, or of +the disciples. It may be, as Mald. supposes, that the increase began in +our Lord's hands, and continued as far as necessary during the +distribution by the disciples. That it at least began in our Lord's hands, +we think extremely probable, for thus He was more clearly shown to be the +author of the miracle. + +12. Ut autem impleti sunt, 12. And when they were filled, +dixit discipulis suis: he said to his disciples: +Colligite quae superaverunt Gather up the fragments that +fragmenta, ne pereant. remain, lest they be lost. + +12. The disciples are told to gather up the fragments--(1) to teach us not +to neglect the gifts of God; (2) that the fragments might serve as a proof +and a memorial of the miracle which had been wrought. + +13. Collegerunt ergo, et 13. They gathered up +impleverunt duodecim cophinos therefore, and filled twelve +fragmentorum ex quinque baskets with the fragments of +panibus hordeaceis, quae the five barley loaves, which +superfuerunt his qui remained over and above to +manducaverant. them that had eaten. + +13. "Observe how the four Evangelists use the word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, _baskets_, in +narrating this miracle, thus distinguishing it from a like one recorded +elsewhere by Matthew and Mark, in which there were seven loaves, and 4,000 +men, and seven _panniers_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) of fragments. It is difficult perhaps +to point out distinctly how {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} differed from {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, but certain it +is that they did differ, else they would never have been so nicely +discriminated by the sacred writers in every instance" (M'Carthy: Gosp. of +the Sundays, fourth Sunday of Lent).(54) + +14. Illi ergo homines cum 14. Now these men, when they +vidissent quod Iesus fecerat had seen what a miracle Jesus +signum, dicebant: Quia hic est had done, said: This is of a +vere propheta, qui venturus truth the prophet that is to +est in mundum. come into the world. + +14. *The prophet*, the Messiah, for whom their fathers and they had +yearned so long (Luke vii. 19). + +15. Iesus ergo cum 15. Jesus therefore when he +cognovisset, quia venturi knew that they would come to +essent ut raperent eum, et take him by force and make him +facerent eum regem, fugit king, fled again into the +iterum in montem ipse solus. mountain himself alone. + +15. Jesus, knowing their thoughts and intentions, withdrew to _the_ +mountain, where He had already been earlier in the day (verse 3). And He +withdrew all alone, a circumstance which makes it extremely probable that +He rendered Himself invisible, else some of the crowd would have followed. + +It may seem strange at first sight, how differently Christ treats the +Jews, on their recognising Him as the Messias, from the way He treated the +Samaritans in similar circumstances (iv. 42, 43). And yet His action in +the two cases is intelligible enough. The Jews looked for a Messias who +would improve their external condition, free them from subjection to any +foreign power, and set them up as a powerful nation. But the Samaritans +could have, and had, no such hope from the advent of a Jewish Messias. +With the Jews, as we see in the present instance, the intention was to +declare the Messias their King, and thus to throw off their allegiance to +Rome. The consequence, of course, would have been great political +excitement and rebellion, ending, doubtless, in the triumph of the Roman +arms. But no matter what the success of such a rebellion, it would have +prejudiced the Roman world against the teachings of Christ, and rendered +more difficult the recognition of the spiritual character of Christ's +kingdom. + +16. Ut autem sero factum est 16. And when evening was come, +descenderunt discipuli eius ad his disciples went down to the +mare. sea. +17. Et cum ascendissent navim, 17. And when they had gone up +venerunt trans mare in into a ship, they went over +Capharnaum: et tenebrae iam the sea to Capharnaum: and it +factae erant: et non venerat was now dark, and Jesus was +ad eos Iesus. not come unto them. + +17. *They went over the sea.* Rather, *they were going*. From St. Matthew +we learn that Christ had told the disciples immediately after the miracle, +to go before Him across the lake, whilst He dismissed the crowd. St. Mark +adds that they were told to cross to Bethsaida; _i.e._, to the town of +this name, which was near Capharnaum. See above, i. 44. The direction of +the wind or some other motive may have induced them to go towards +Capharnaum, as St. John here tells us they did. + +18. Mare autem, vento magno 18. And the sea arose by +flante, exurgebat. reason of a great wind that + blew. +19. Cum remigassent ergo quasi 19. When they had rowed +stadia viginti quinque aut therefore about five and +triginta, vident Iesum twenty or thirty furlongs, +ambulantem supra mare, et they see Jesus walking upon +proximum navi fieri, et the sea, and drawing nigh to +timuerunt. the ship, and they were + afraid. + +19. The stadium, a Greek measure, was nearly equal to an English furlong, +so that the distance here indicated was, at the least, almost three miles. +The exact length of the stadium was 625 feet, that of the English furlong +is 660 feet. + +20. Ille autem dicit eis: Ego 20. But he saith to them: It +sum, nolite timere. is I: be not afraid. +21. Voluerunt ergo accipere 21. They were willing +eum in navim: et statim navis therefore to take him into the +fuit ad terram, in quam ibant. ship: and presently the ship + was at the land, to which they + were going. + +21. *They were willing therefore to take him into the ship.* {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} here +is equivalent to an adverb (Kuin.), and the sense is: "They gladly took +Him into the ship" (boat), as St. Mark indeed tells us they did (Mark vi. +51). Or, if, with Winer, _Gr. Gram._, p. 586, it be admitted that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} +never has an adverbial force, except in the participle, then we would +explain that though at first afraid (verse 19), they were afterwards +willing to take Him into the ship, and took Him in. + +22. Altera die, turba quae 22. The next day, the +stabat trans mare, vidit quia multitude that stood on the +navicula alia non erat ibi other side of the sea, saw +nisi una, et quia non that there was no other ship +introisset cum discipulis suis there but one, and that Jesus +Iesus in navim, sed soli had not entered into the ship +discipuli eius abiissent: with his disciples, but that + his disciples were gone away + alone. +23. Aliae vero supervenerunt 23. But other ships came in +naves a Tiberiade, iuxta locum from Tiberias, nigh unto the +ubi manducaverant panem, place where they had eaten the +gratias agente Domino. bread, the Lord giving thanks. +24. Cum ergo vidisset turba 24. When therefore the +quia Iesus non esset ibi, multitude saw that Jesus was +neque discipuli eius, not there, nor his disciples, +ascenderunt in naviculas, et they took shipping, and came +venerunt Capharnaum quaerentes to Capharnaum seeking for +Iesum. Jesus. + +22-24. On the following day, the crowd on the eastern shore seek for Jesus +(verse 24), thinking Him to be still on that side of the lake, inasmuch as +He had not left by the only boat that was there on the preceding evening +(verse 22). Not finding Him, they take boats which had just arrived on the +eastern shore, and cross to the western shore to seek Jesus in Capharnaum, +where He usually abode at this time. + +25. Et cum invenissent eum 25. And when they had found +trans mare, dixerunt ei: him on the other side of the +Rabbi, quando huc venisti? sea, they said to him: Rabbi, + when camest thou hither? + +25. When they found Jesus, they asked Him when He had come to Capharnaum, +being equally anxious, no doubt, to know _how_ He had come. + +26. Respondit eis Iesus, et 26. Jesus answered them and +dixit: Amen, amen dico vobis: said: Amen, amen, I say to +quaeritis me, non quia you, you seek me, not because +vidistis signa, sed quia you have seen miracles, but +manducastis ex panibus, et because you did eat of the +saturati estis. loaves, and were filled. + +26. Without answering their question, our Lord takes occasion from the +miracle of the preceding day to raise their thoughts to a higher and more +precious bread than that which He had miraculously given them. But first +He tells them that they followed Him, not because they had realized the +spiritual significance of His miracles, and believed Him to be God, but +merely, He implies, because they hoped for a gross material satisfaction, +such as they had experienced the preceding day. The Greek word, rendered: +_and were filled_, means literally; were satisfied with food, as animals +with fodder. + +Having thus made known to them, that He knew their motive in following +Him, He goes on to tell them to labour not, that is to say, not so much, +for the food that perisheth as for that which endureth unto eternal life. +This food enduring unto eternal life (verse 27) we understand to be the +Blessed Eucharist. + +But before giving our reasons for holding that reference to the Blessed +Eucharist begins here, and not merely at verses 48, 51, or 52, it is +desirable to indicate the Protestant interpretations of this discourse of +our Lord, and prove that they are untenable. + +Most Protestants deny that there is any reference to the Blessed Eucharist +in this chapter; they hold that it refers merely to the reception of +Christ through faith; and through faith especially in the atoning efficacy +of His passion and death. It is of this faith in His passion that they +interpret the words: "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and +drink His blood, you shall not have life in you," (verse 54). Indeed they +are logically constrained either to deny that there is reference here to +the sacrament of the Eucharist, or else to abandon their teaching +regarding the nature and efficacy of the sacraments. On the one hand, if +they admit reference to the Eucharist, they see the difficulty of denying +the real and substantial presence of Christ in the sacrament; on the other +hand, holding, as they do, that the few sacraments which they retain,(55) +are not _causes_ of grace, as the Catholic Church teaches, but merely +signs or pledges of grace, and external notes of the Church, they find +themselves in direct conflict with our Lord, if His words are to be +understood of the sacrament of the Eucharist. For again and again +throughout this discourse He attributes salvation and grace to the eating +of His flesh and the drinking of His blood, in such a way as to leave no +room for doubt that whatever it is He speaks of, whether faith or the +sacrament of the Eucharist, it is the cause of grace. See, _e.g._, 27, 52, +55, 57, 59. + +But besides those who deny that there is any reference to the Blessed +Eucharist in this chapter, there is a considerable number of Protestants +who take up even a more indefensible position. These admit the reference, +but contend that nothing more can be concluded from this or any other part +of Scripture than that Christ is _spiritually_ present in the Sacrament. +They will not admit that Christ is really and substantially present, much +less that the sacrament causes grace. Against the first class we shall +show that Christ refers, in this discourse, to the Blessed Eucharist; and +against the second, that His words prove that He is really and +substantially received in the sacrament. + +I. CHRIST REFERS IN THIS DISCOURSE TO THE BLESSED EUCHARIST.(56) + +We may premise that no more appropriate occasion could have been chosen by +Christ for promising this heavenly bread than the day following that on +which He had multiplied the bread in the desert; and we know that it was +Christ's practice to explain His doctrines as they were suggested by +circumstances. Thus, after curing the _centurion's_ servant, He foretells +the vocation of the _Gentiles_ (Matt. viii. 6-13); after expelling the +unclean spirit, He describes the power of Satan (Matt. xii. 22-45); after +asking for water, He speaks of the water of life to the Samaritan woman +(John iv. 10, and foll.); after healing the paralytic, He predicts the +general resurrection (John v. 28); and after curing the man born blind, He +denounces the blindness of the Pharisees (John ix. 41). It was quite in +accordance with Christ's practice, then, to predict the Blessed Eucharist +on the present occasion: and that He did so is proved by the following +arguments:-- + +(1) If St. John did not mean to record here a reference to the Blessed +Eucharist, then he does not mention that sacrament at all, for he does not +allude, unless perhaps very obscurely (xiii. 1) to its institution. But it +is very improbable that our Evangelist omits all mention of this sacrament +in his Gospel. For if, as we shall prove, this sacrament contains the body +and blood of Christ, there was a reason why St. John should mention it in +order to confirm the faithful against the Docetae who denied the reality +of Christ's human nature. Nor does it at all weaken this argument to say +that the Docetae who denied the reality of the body in which Christ had +walked and talked, would not be likely to be convinced by a reference to +His body present in the Eucharist. For St. John wrote, not to convert +heretics, but to confirm against heresy Christians who believed in the +real presence. + +(2) Christ's words (27, 52) can refer only to the Eucharist. For He speaks +of a food which was still to be given _in the future_, whereas His +_doctrines_, and His _Person_ as the object of faith, had been given +already. + +(3) His words: "Amen, amen, I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of +the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you" +(verse 54), could be understood only in a literal sense, and so +understood, they must refer to the Blessed Eucharist. For, if Christ had +spoken in a figurative sense, it should be in that figurative sense which +was known and recognised among the Jews. Now, the recognised figurative +sense of eating a man's flesh was to do him some serious injury, +especially by calumny.(57) Such a figurative sense, however, would be +absurd here; and hence Christ must have been understood, and must have +spoken, in the literal sense. See Wiseman's _Lect. on the Euch._, pp. +77-91. + +(4) The disciples understood our Lord to speak of a real eating of His +flesh and blood, such as takes place only in the Eucharist, and understood +Him correctly. Their words (verse 61), and their departure for ever from +Him (verse 67), show that they understood Him of a real eating; otherwise +why should they be offended or desert Him? What had He said that was new, +or hard to take in, if He merely spoke of the necessity of faith in +Himself or His doctrines? Their action, then, shows in what sense the +disciples understood Him; and His action in permitting them to depart, +shows they understood Him correctly. + +(5) The Jews understood Him of a real eating, which was quite different +from belief in His doctrines or in Himself, and which has no meaning +unless in reference to the Eucharist. "_How_ can this man give us _His +flesh_ to eat?" they said (verse 53); and His solemn asseveration, +negatively (verse 54), and positively (verse 55), shows that He is +inculcating the very truth which they had questioned, and which they were +bound to accept on His testimony, even though they could not see _how_ it +was to come to pass. + +II. CHRIST SPEAKS OF A REAL, ORAL RECEPTION OF HIS BODY AND BLOOD, AND NOT +MERELY OF A SPIRITUAL RECEPTION THROUGH FAITH EXCITED BY THE SACRAMENT. + +(1) The manna with which Christ compares the bread that He will give +(verses 49, 50, 59) was really eaten; therefore, also the bread, which is +His flesh (verse 52), is to be _really_ received. + +(2) After the Jews had murmured, Christ declared His flesh to be _truly_ +meat, and His blood to be _truly_ drink (verse 56), and therefore it must +be truly and really received. + +(3) In any sense other than the literal, Christ's meaning would be +obscure, and His words misleading; and our Evangelist, according to his +ordinary practice (i. 41, 42; ii. 21; iv. 2; xii. 33), would explain. But +he does not explain; therefore the language is not obscure, and therefore +the literal sense was meant. + +(4) See arguments (3), (4), and (5) for the preceding proposition. + +And now, having satisfied ourselves that there is reference to the Blessed +Eucharist in this chapter, and to a real, oral reception of Christ in the +sacrament, let us try to decide where that reference begins. Some (as +Wiseman, _Lect. on Euch._, p. 51, and foll.) say at verse 48; others, at +51; and others, at 52. But it seems much more probable that the reference +begins before any of these points; and Wiseman is certainly mistaken when +he states, on page 48: "That Protestants and Catholics are equally agreed +that the discourse, as far as the 48th or 51st verse refers entirely to +believing Christ. St. Cyril of Alex., Theophy., Toletus, Lucas of Bruges, +had held, before Wiseman's time, that the reference to the Blessed +Eucharist begins in verse 27"; and since his time, Beelen, Perrone, +Corluy, Franzelin,(58) and others have held the same. + +The most probable view seems to be that from verse 27, wherever there is +question of the bread (verses 27, 32, 33, 35, ... 59), the Blessed +Eucharist is meant. Christ began in verse 27 to promise the Blessed +Eucharist, but the Jews interrupted Him (verse 28), and their interruption +raised the question of faith in Him, so that He digressed for a time from +His main purpose to explain the necessity of faith, in order to ensure a +fruitful reception of the Eucharist. But though we admit this digression, +we hold that wherever Christ refers to the bread to be given, He means the +Blessed Eucharist, and that the reference to it begins in verse 27. For-- + +(1) In verse 27 He speaks of a food that was still _to be given in the +future_, just as in verse 52, where all Catholics admit there is question +of the Eucharist. + +(2) This food was to be given by the Son of Man, Christ Himself; and +though in verse 32 the Father is said to give it, this is naturally +explained by saying that the Father gives us in the Incarnation what +Christ gives in a sacramental form in the Eucharist. + +(3) The food in verse 27, is a food for which, as we shall see, faith is a +_preparation_; therefore, not itself faith. + +(4) In verses 32, 33, there is question of a bread that cometh down from +heaven, and giveth life to the world, and in verse 59, of a bread to which +the very same properties are attributed; and in both cases this heaven- +descended, life-giving bread is contrasted with the manna. Is it not +natural, then, to conclude, remembering that both passages belong to the +same discourse, that the same bread is meant in both instances? + +And now we have seen--(1) that there is reference to the Blessed Eucharist +in this discourse; (2) to a real reception of Christ in it; and (3) that +the reference most probably begins in verse 27. Having got so far, it will +not be very difficult to interpret the discourse, and to this we proceed +at once. + +27. Operamini non cibum qui 27. Labour not for the meat +perit, sed qui permanet in which perisheth, but for that +vitam aeternam, quem Filius which endureth unto life +hominis dabit vobis. Hunc enim everlasting, which the son of +Pater signavit Deus. man will give you. For him + hath God, the Father, sealed. + +27. *Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that ** which +endureth unto life everlasting.* As our Version indicates, the meat is the +object for the attainment of which they are exhorted to do their part. The +meaning cannot be that they are to _make_ the food by believing, as if the +food were faith; for they had not _made_ the bread in the desert the +previous day, nor were they thinking of making it now, but they were +trying, _striving to obtain it_. This sacramental food will endure _in its +effects_ unto eternal life. This food *the Son of Man will give*; _i.e._, +Christ as man will give us His flesh; but since the food is to endure in +its effects unto _eternal life_, mere man could not give such; and hence +it is added that the Father who is God has sealed with the impress of +Divinity (August., Tolet.) the Son of Man, who therefore, being God as +well as man, can give a food that will endure unto eternal life. + +28. Dixerunt ergo ad eum: Quid 28. They said therefore unto +faciemus ut operemur opera him: What shall we do that we +Dei? may work the works of God? +29. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 29. Jesus answered, and said +eis: Hoc est opus Dei, ut to them: This is the work of +credatis in eum quem misit God, that you believe in him +ille. whom he hath sent. + +28-29. Some of His hearers now interrupt Christ, not however to inquire +what this food was, but to ask what they must do on their part in order to +perform the works which they take it for granted _God requires_, before +they may receive such food. Christ's answer is, that in order to obtain +it, so that it may remain unto eternal life, they must believe in Himself. +So too is it even now; the sinner may sacrilegiously receive the Lord into +his breast, but it is only for Him who believes (and acts accordingly) +that the Sacrament endureth unto eternal life. + +30. Dixerunt ergo ei: Quod 30. They said therefore to +ergo tu facis signum ut him: What sign therefore dost +videamus, et credamus tibi? thou show that we may see, and +quid operaris! may believe thee? what dost + thou work? +31. Patres nostri 31. Our fathers did eat manna +manducaverunt manna in in the desert, as it is +deserto, sicut scriptum est: written, _He gave them bread +Panem de coelo dedit eis from heaven to eat_. +manducare. + +30-31. Christ having declared the necessity of faith in Himself, they now +ask for motives of credibility, and point to the great standing miracle +wrought for their fathers in the desert. But whereas He had demanded faith +in Himself: "That you believe _in Him_ whom He hath sent" (verse 29), they +seem to miss the point, and speak not of believing in Him, but merely of +believing Him, believing what He may have to say to them. They did not +mention Moses, nor was the manna given by Moses; but our Lord's reply +shows that the comparison between Himself and Moses was in their minds. It +is as if they said: You call upon us to believe you on the strength of the +miracle wrought yesterday in the desert, whereas Moses fed our _whole +race_ for _forty_ years with a bread _from heaven_. These people who speak +thus, are probably different persons from those who on the preceding day +recognised Christ as the Messias (verse 14). + +32. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: 32. Then Jesus said to them: +Amen, amen dico vobis: Non Amen, amen, I say to you: +Moyses dedit vobis panem de Moses gave you not bread from +coelo, sed Pater meus dat heaven, but my Father giveth +vobis panem de coelo verum. you the true bread from + heaven. +33. Panis enim Dei est qui de 33. For the bread of God is +coelo descendit, et dat vitam that which cometh down from +mundo. heaven, and giveth life to the + world. + +32-33. They had asked for some great miracle (comp. Matt. xii. 38), but +since they had already had sufficient evidence to enable them to believe, +Christ does not gratify their desire, but proceeds to declare that it was +not Moses who gave the manna, but God (see Ps. lxxvii. 21-24); so that +their tacit comparison of Moses with Himself is baseless. He then goes on +to declare that His Father giveth them the true bread from heaven. This +means, as we have already explained, that the Father gave us in the +Incarnation what Christ gives us in the Eucharist, namely, the Person of +the God-man. That it is true or perfect bread, He proves from the fact +that it comes, not like the manna from the clouds, but from heaven itself, +and that it not merely _sustains_ the life of _one people_, but _gives_ +life to the _world_. + +34. Dixerunt ergo ad eum: 34. They said therefore unto +Domine, semper da nobis panem him: Lord, give us always this +hunc. bread. +35. Dixit autem eis Iesus: Ego 35. And Jesus said to them: I +sam panis vitae, qui venit ad am the bread of life: he that +me, non esuriet: et qui credit cometh to me shall not hunger; +in me, non sitiet unquam. he that believeth in me, shall + never thirst. + +34, 35. They at once ask that He would give them this bread always. They +evidently think that He speaks of some excellent food like the manna, +which would support their corporal existence, and they desire to be +constantly supplied with it. But as they know not _what_ they ask, nor +_how_ they should be disposed to receive it, He tells them--(1) What the +bread is, namely, Himself; and (2) what is required for a proper and +fruitful reception of it, namely, faith in Himself. The words: *He that +cometh to Me*, mean the same thing as: *He that believeth in Me*. The +believer shall *never thirst*; because, if he act upon his belief, he will +receive Christ in the Eucharist, and be spiritually filled, never again to +thirst, except through his own fault. + +36. Sed dixi vobis, quia et 36. But I said unto you, that +vidistis me, et non creditis. you also have seen me, and you + believe not. +37. Omne quod dat mihi Pater, 37. All that the Father giveth +ad me veniet: et eum qui venit me shall come to me; and him +ad me, non ejiciam foras: that cometh to me, I will not + cast out. + +36, 37. Christ again, as in verse 26, reproves their want of faith, and +declares that those who believe in Him, do so through the grace of the +Father; and all such He receives and rejects not. + +38. Quia descendi de coelo, 38. Because I came down from +non ut faciam voluntatem meam heaven, not to do my own will, +sed voluntatem eius qui misit but the will of him that sent +me. me. +39. Hac est autem voluntas 39. Now this is the will of +eius qui misit me, Patris: ut the Father who sent me; that +omne quod dedit mihi, non of all that he hath given me, +perdam ex eo, sed resuscitem I should lose nothing, but +illud in novissimo die. should raise it up again in + the last day. +40. Haec est autem voluntas 40. And this is the will of my +Patris mei, qui misit me: ut Father that sent me; that +omnis qui videt Filium, et every one who seeth the Son, +credit in eum, habeat vitam and believeth in him, may have +aeternam, et ego resuscitabo life everlasting, and I will +eum in novissimo die. raise him up in the last day. + +38-40. He declares the reason why He does not reject such: because He came +down on earth to do His father's will; and that will is that all who +recognize in Him the Son of God and believe in Him as such (acting +according to that belief), should be raised up to a glorious life on the +last day. + +41. Murmurabant ergo Iudaei de 41. The Jews therefore +illo, quia dixisset: Ego sum murmured at him, because he +panis vivus, qui de coelo had said, I am the living +descendi. bread which came down from + heaven. +42. Et dicebant: Nonne hic est 42. And they said: Is not this +Iesus filius Ioseph, cuius nos Jesus the son of Joseph, whose +novimus patrem et matrem? father and mother we know? How +Quomodo ergo dicit hic: Quia than saith he, I came down +de coelo descendi? from heaven? +43. Respondit ergo Iesus, et 43. Jesus therefore answered +dixit eis: Nolite murmurare in and said to them: Murmur not +invicem: among yourselves. + +41-43. The Jews, by whom the Scribes and Pharisees perhaps are meant, now +murmur because He claims celestial origin, whereas they fancy they know +Him to be an ordinary man, born in the ordinary way of an earthly father +and mother. He merely reproves their murmuring without replying to their +difficulty, and proceeds to declare the necessity of grace. + +44. Nemo potest venire ad me, 44. No man can come to me, +nisi Pater qui misit me except the Father, who hath +traxerit eum: et ego sent me, draw him, and I will +resuscitabo eum in novissimo raise him up in the last day. +die. + +44. No one can believe in Him, unless the Father draw him; _i.e._, by +preventing and assisting grace. We have here a clear proof against the +Pelagians, for the necessity of grace in order to faith. It must be borne +in mind that, though we are drawn by God, we are drawn by impulses of +grace which we are free to resist.(59) + +45. Est scriptum in prophetis: 45. It is written in the +Et erunt omnes docibiles Dei. prophets: _And they all shall +Omnis qui audivit a Patre, et be taught of God_. Every one +didicit, venit ad me. that hath heard of the Father + and hath learned, cometh to + me. + +45. Christ declares _how_ we are drawn by the Father, namely, by an +illumination of the intellect and motion of the will, so that we hear +("audivit") and obey ("didicit"). *It is written in the Prophets: And they +shall all be taught of God.* The Jewish Scriptures were divided into the +Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographers, and the reference here is to the +portion written by the Prophets. The phrase: *They shall all be taught of +God*, which is found substantially in Isaias, liv. 13, implies direct +Divine teaching through the influence of the Spirit upon the mind and +heart, and indicates not merely one Divine communication, but an +established relationship, for the faithful who allow themselves to be +drawn, are life-long pupils in the school of God. + +46. Non quia Patrem vidit 46. Not that any man hath seen +quisquam, nisi is qui est a the Father, but he who is of +Deo, hic vidit Patrem. God, he hath seen the Father. + +46. *Not that any man hath seen the Father.* It is, says St. Augustine, +"as if He said: Do not when I tell you: Every man that hath heard and +learned of the Father, say to yourselves: We have never seen the Father, +and how then can we have learned from Him? Hear Him then in Me, I know the +Father, and am from Him." + +47. Amen, amen dico vobis: Qui 47. Amen, amen, I say unto +credit in me, habet vitam you: He that believeth in me +aeternam. hath everlasting life. + +47. Having pointed out the necessity of faith (verse 29), its sufficiency +(verse 35), and the necessary condition to it, namely, the grace of God +and correspondence therewith (verses 44, 45), He now solemnly repeats what +He had declared in verses 35 and 37, that he who believes in Him shall +have eternal life. The present tense, *hath everlasting life*, need create +no difficulty here: for he who believes will receive the Blessed +Eucharist, the food "that endureth unto everlasting life," (verse 57); and +the present tense is so used to indicate the certainty with which the +result will follow. + +48. Ego sum panis vitae. 48. I am the bread of life. +49. Patres vestri 49. Your fathers did eat manna +manducaverunt manna in in the desert, and are dead. +deserto, et mortui sunt. +50. Hic est panis de coelo 50. This is the bread which +descendens: ut si quis ex ipso cometh down from heaven: that +manducaverit, non moriatur. if any man eat of it, he may + not die. +51. Ego sum panis vivus, qui 51. I am the living bread, +de coelo descendi. which came down from heaven. + +48-51. Before quitting this portion of His discourse, and going on to +declare _how_ He is the bread of life, Christ sums up what He has said, +repeating again the proposition laid down in verse 35: "I am the bread of +life;" again comparing and preferring the Blessed Eucharist to the manna +(49, 50 compared with 32, 35); and combining in one the two propositions +contained in verses 35 and 38, namely, that He is the bread, and that He +came down from heaven. In verse 50 where it is declared that he who eats +this bread shall not die, the meaning is, that the Blessed Eucharist, _of +its own nature_, is calculated to save us from the death of the soul, and +to secure even for our bodies a glorious resurrection. Sin, of course, may +rob it of its glorious effects. + +52. Si quis manducaverit ex 52. If any man eat of this +hoc pane, vivet in aeternuum: bread, he shall live for ever: +et panis, quem ego dabo, caro and the bread that I will +mea est pro mundi vita. give, is my flesh for the life + of the world. + +52. Having summed up the preceding portion of His discourse, Christ now +proceeds to declare _how_ He is the bread of life. Till now He had +contented Himself with declaring that He is that bread, and with pointing +out the chief disposition necessary to receive Him worthily; now He goes +further, and points out _how_ He will be the bread of life; namely, by +giving His flesh, that is, His whole human nature (i. 14), to which the +Divine nature is inseparably united, to be received in the Blessed +Eucharist. Thus He gradually unfolds the mystery, reserving till the last +supper the further knowledge, that this reception of His body and blood +was to take place in a sacramental manner. + +*And the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.* +Many Greek MSS. read: "And the bread that I will give is My flesh, _which +I will give_ for the life of the world." If the words "which I will give" +be genuine, we would explain them not in reference to the sacrifice of the +cross, but in reference to the sacrifice of the Eucharist, in which Christ +is given for us and to us. Compare St. Luke: "This is My body, which is +_given for you_" (Luke, xxii. 19), and especially Luke xxii. 20, where the +Greek text shows that it is the blood _as in the chalice_ (and not as on +Calvary) that is said to be offered in sacrifice. But the words more +probably are not genuine; they are omitted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, +Tregelles, Westcott, and Hort, and by the Revised Version, as well as by +the Vulgate. + +Though not merely Christ's flesh, that is, His humanity (i. 14), but also +His Divinity, is received in the Blessed Eucharist, His human nature is +specially mentioned, lest it should be thought that He is the living bread +only as God, or merely spiritually. "Dixerat enim," says St. Thomas on +this verse. "Quod erat panis vivus; et ne intelligatur quod hoc ei esset +in quantum est Verbum, vel secundum animam tantum, ideo ostendit quod +etiam caro sua vivificativa est: est enim organum divinitatis suae: unde, +cum instrumentum agat virtute agentis, sicut divinitas Christi +vivificativa est, ita et caro virtute Verbi adjuncti vivificat; unde +Christus tactu suo sanabat infirmos." Besides, as St. Thomas adds, since +this Sacrament is commemorative of our Lord's Passion ("For as often as +you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the death +of the Lord," 1 Cor. xi. 26), His "flesh" is mentioned to remind us of the +weakness of that human nature wherein it was possible for Him who was God +to suffer. + +53. Litigabant ergo Iudaei ad 53. The Jews therefore strove +invicem, dicentes: Quomodo among themselves saying: How +potest hic nobis carnem suam can this man give us his flesh +suam dare ad manducandum? to eat? +54. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: 54. Then Jesus said to them: +Amen, amen dico vobis: Nisi Amen, amen, I say unto you; +manducaveritis carnem Filii Except you eat the flesh of +hominis, et biberitis eius the son of man, and drink his +sanguinem, non habebitis vitam blood, you shall not have life +in vobis. in you. +55. Qui manducat meam carnem, 55. He that eateth my flesh, +et bibit meum sanguinem, habet and drinketh my blood, hath +vitam aeternam: et ego everlasting life: and I will +resuscitabo eum in novissimo raise him up in the last day. +die. + +53-55. The Jews *therefore* (_ergo_, not enim), because of what He had now +said, disputed among themselves, evidently taking different views of what +He had said; but Jesus, far from retracting, solemnly insists upon what He +had just said, and declares negatively (verse 54), and positively (verse +55), not only the possibility, but the _necessity_ of receiving His body +and blood. It does not follow from verse 54, as the Utraquists falsely +contended, that Communion under both kinds is necessary; for Christ is +received whole and entire under either species. Under the species of bread +only the body is present _in virtue of the words of consecration_, and +similarly under the species of wine only the blood; but since Christ's +body is now a _living_ body, it follows that in the Blessed Eucharist, +where the body is, there also are the blood and the soul _in virtue of the +natural connection_ between the parts of a living body, and there, too, +the Divinity, _in virtue of the hypostatic union_. See Decrees of the +Council of Trent, sess. xiii., ch. 3. The precept is to receive both body +and blood, but not necessarily under both species. For, as the Council of +Trent (sess. xxi., cap. 1) points out, Christ attributes the same effects +to eating in verses 55, 58, 59, as He does here to eating and drinking. +See also 1 Cor. xi. 26, where he who eats _or_ drinks unworthily, is said +to be guilty of _both_ body and blood. The precept of Christ, then, is +obeyed whether one or both species be received, and it is a disciplinary +matter entrusted to the care of the Church, whether the faithful are to +receive under one or both species. + +Seeing, then, that there is no obligation for the faithful to receive the +Blessed Eucharist under both species, it may be asked why does Christ +mention both species? We reply, that He does so to signify that in the +Blessed Eucharist there is a perfect repast, which ordinarily supposes the +presence of both meat and drink; and, perhaps, also to indicate that this +sacrament is commemorative of His death, in which His body and blood were +separated. + +Nor do verses 54 and 55 afford any proof that the Blessed Eucharist is +necessary, _necessitate medii_ unto salvation, like Baptism (John iii. 5). +For--(1) Baptism is declared to be absolutely necessary for all, "unless a +man be born again;" here the Blessed Eucharist is declared necessary only +for those who are capable of receiving a precept, "Unless you eat," &c. +(2) From the nature of the case, Baptism, being a new _birth_, is +absolutely necessary for all who are to live the new spiritual life; and +as many as are born, must be _born again_ in order to live the higher +life; but the Blessed Eucharist is not the introduction to a new life, but +a means of nourishing the life already acquired. Hence for children who +have already acquired that spiritual life in Baptism, and cannot lose it +because incapable of sinning, the Blessed Eucharist cannot be necessary to +salvation, nor even for adults can it be absolutely necessary as a means, +if there be, as there are, other means of retaining the life already +acquired. + +56. Caro enim mea, vere est 56. For my flesh is meat +cibus: et sanguis meus, vere indeed: and my blood is drink +est potus. indeed; +57. Qui manducat meam carnem, 57. He that eateth my flesh +et bibit meum sanguinem, in me and drinketh my blood, abideth +manet, et ego in illo. in me, and I in him. + +57. In the Blessed Eucharist we are united to Christ, and His humanity +remains in us until the sacred species become corrupted; His divinity, +until mortal sin is committed, and He is expelled. + +58. Sicut misit me vivens 58. As the living Father hath +Pater, et ego vivo propter sent me, and I live by the +Patrem: et qui manducat me, et Father: so he that eateth me, +ipse vivet propter me. the same also shall live by + me. + +58. The sacred union between Christ and the communicant is compared to the +ineffable union between Him and His heavenly Father. + +*The living Father.* This is a unique instance of this title, but we +frequently find: _The Living God_, Matt. xvi. 16; 2 Cor. vi. 16, &c. *And +I live by* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) *the Father*. It is to be noted that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} is +followed by the accusative, not the genitive. If, then, we are to regard +it as meaning here what it ordinarily means when followed by the +accusative, and as the Vulgate seems to take it, the sense would rather +be: As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live _on account_ of the +Father, so he that eateth Me, the same also shall live _on account_ of Me. +This would mean that as complete devotion to the Father is the object of +the life of the Incarnate Son (the Son _as sent_), so complete devotion to +the Son shall be the object of the life of him to whom Christ shall have +united Himself in the Blessed Eucharist. Others, however, think that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} +is here equivalent to _through_, or _by_, as in our Rheims Version. The +sense then is: as Christ lives through the eternal life communicated to +Him in His eternal generation by the Father; so, in some way, the +communicant shall live in virtue of the spiritual life communicated to him +or sustained in him because of his union with Christ in the Blessed +Eucharist. + +59. Hic est panis qui de coelo 59. This is the bread that +descendit. Non sicut came down from heaven. Not as +manducaverunt patres vestri your fathers did eat manna, +manna, et mortui sunt. Qui and are dead. He that eateth +manducat hunc panem, vivet in this bread shall live for +aeternum. ever. + +59. This verse concludes and unites the principal points of the discourse. +Compare verses 32, 41, 49, 50, 52, 55. Hence it confirms the view we have +followed regarding the unity of subject throughout the discourse. + +*He that eateth this bread shall live for ever.* With this encouraging and +glorious promise, made not to any one people, nor to any class as such, +not even to all believers, but to each one (note the change from the +plural to the singular: _your fathers ... He that eateth_) who shall +worthily receive, and duly profit by the Blessed Eucharist, the discourse +ends. + +60. Haec dixit in synagoga 60. These things he said +docens, in Capharnaum. teaching in the synagogue, in + Capharnaum. + +60. Because of the solemn importance of the discourse, the place where it +was delivered is noted. At Tell Hûm (see above on ii. 12) the ruins of a +large synagogue are still to be seen. + +61. Multi ergo audientes ex 61. Many therefore of his +discipulis eius, dixerunt: disciples hearing it, said: +Durus est hic sermo, et quis This saying is hard, and who +potest eum audire? can hear it? + +61. The effect of the _discourse_ upon many of the disciples is recorded. +*Hard* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), _i.e._, harsh, hard to accept. + +62. Sciens autem Iesus apud 62. But Jesus knowing in +semetipsum quia murmurarent de himself, that his disciples +hoc discipuli eius, dixit eis: murmured at this, said to +Hoc vos scandalizat? them: Doth this scandalize + you? + +62. The Evangelist notes, according to his custom, that their thoughts +were known to Christ. + +63. Si ergo videritis Filium 63. If then you shall see the +hominis ascendentem ubi erat son of man ascend up where he +prius? was before? + +63. *If then you shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before?* +The sense according to some, is: If you shall see Me ascending into +heaven, it will then be easier to believe My doctrine, seeing I am Divine; +and you shall at the same time understand, that it is not in a bloody +manner (as you suppose) that you are to eat My body. Thus He would correct +their too carnal interpretation of His words, and point at the same time +to a reason why the true sense, however difficult, was to be accepted. +Others think that Christ's words increase the difficulty, the sense being, +if you are scandalized now, because I say, _while present with you_, that +I will give My body, how much more will you be scandalized when you see +that body taken away into heaven, and are yet asked to believe that it is +to be eaten on earth? It is argued in favour of this opinion, that the +form of Christ's reply: "Does this scandalize you? If _therefore_," &c., +indicates that their difficulty would then be greater. So Mald., Tolet., +Beel., Corl. We may remark, as against the Nestorians, that language could +not signify more clearly than this verse signifies the unity of Person in +Christ. The Son of Man will ascend to heaven where as Son of God He is +from all eternity. "Filius Dei et hominis unus Christus ... Filius Dei in +terra suscepta carne, Filius hominis in coelo in unitate personae." St. +Aug. on this verse. + +64. Spiritus est, qui 64. It is the spirit that +vivificat: caro non prodest quickeneth: the flesh +quidquam: verba quae ego profiteth nothing. The words +locutus sum vobis, spiritus et that I have spoken to you, are +vita sunt. spirit and life. + +64. Many interpretations of this verse have been advanced. The following +two are the most probable, intrinsically and extrinsically:-- + +(1) *The spirit* is the spirit of man elevated and ennobled by grace; *the +flesh*, the corrupt dispositions and weak thoughts of human nature unaided +by grace (see Rom. viii. 5, 6); and the meaning of the verse is; it is the +mind illumined by grace that quickeneth to faith and to a proper +understanding of My words; the mind or human nature by itself is of no +avail in such matters; the words which I have spoken to you are _to be +understood by_ the mind quickened and illumined by grace. So St. Chrys., +Teoph., Wisem., Perr., M'Ev. But there are serious difficulties against +this view--(1) "caro" is then taken metaphorically in this verse, while +throughout the context it has been taken literally of the flesh of Christ; +(2) the explanation of the words "are spirit and life" is unnatural. + +(2) Others take *the Spirit* of the Divinity of Christ, *the flesh* of His +humanity considered apart from the Divinity; and the meaning of the verse +then is: it is My Divinity that quickeneth, and maketh My flesh a meat +enduring unto eternal life; the flesh if separated from the Divinity would +profit nothing; the words which I have spoken to you regard My life-giving +Divinity as united to My humanity. In this view, as Mald. explains it, +"life," by a Hebraism, is equivalent to an adjective signifying _life- +giving_, as may be inferred from the beginning of the verse, where it is +said that it is the Spirit _that giveth life_.(60) Hence "Spirit and life" +is equivalent to _life-giving_ Spirit, and the latter part of the verse +means that Christ's words have reference to His life-giving Divinity in +union with His humanity. So, too, St. Cyril of Alex., Beel., Corl. We +prefer this view, and hold that Christ here gives the key to the solution +of the difficulty on account of which His disciples had murmured (verse +62). He had closed His discourse with words attributing eternal life to +the eating of His flesh (verse 59); they murmured accordingly, thinking it +absurd or incredible that such effect could follow from such a cause as +the eating of a man's flesh; and in verse 64 He explains that His flesh is +the flesh of the Man-God, which therefore through the quickening influence +of the Divinity with which it is united, is capable of producing such +marvellous effects. + +There is not a shadow of probability in the interpretation put upon this +verse by the Sacramentarians. They explained the verse to mean: that the +_figurative_ sense of what He had said regarding the necessity of eating +His flesh and blood profits, but that the _literal_ sense would profit +nothing. Thus they professed to find in these words an assurance that +Christ had not spoken of a real eating of His flesh in the Eucharist, but +only of a spiritual reception of Himself through faith. In reply to this +we say--(1) that throughout the rest of the Bible "spiritus" and "caro" are +not even once used of a figurative and literal sense; (2) if Christ here +gave the explanation which our adversaries suppose, how is it that, as we +learn from verse 67, many of His disciples retired notwithstanding, and +walked with Him no more? In such an explanation all their difficulty would +be removed, and they would be taught that it was only of a figurative +eating by faith that Christ had been speaking. How then account for their +departure? But it was different in the explanation we have given above. In +our view, Christ, still insisting on a real reception of His flesh, merely +explains how it is that such real reception can lead to such glorious +results. + +65. Sed sunt quidam ex vobis, 65. But there are some of you +qui non credunt. Sciebat enim that believe not. For Jesus +ab initio Iesus qui essent non knew from the beginning who +credentes, et quis traditurus they were that did not +esset eum. believe, and who he was that + would betray him. + +65. In the view we hold regarding verse 64, the connection of this verse +with it is: the fact that I am God explains what you find difficult in My +words (verse 64); but some of you do not believe Me to be God; and hence +your difficulty (verse 65). To indicate Christ's Divine knowledge, the +Evangelist adds that He knew _from the beginning_, &c. + +66. Et dicebat: Propterea dixi 66. And he said: Therefore did +vobis, quia nemo potest venire I say to you, that no man can +ad me, nisi fuerit ei datum a come to me, unless it be given +Patre meo. him by my Father. + +66. Christ's words in this verse are to be connected closely with the +beginning of the preceding, the intervening words of the Evangelist being +parenthetical. + +*Therefore did I say to you.* The allusion is to what was said above +(verse 44), which is substantially the same as what is said here, since to +be drawn to Christ by the Father is nothing else than to be given grace by +the Father to come to Christ. It might seem at first sight that these +words excuse the incredulity of those whom Christ addresses; but it is not +so. For, the reason they had not been drawn by the Father was because they +_would_ not, because they had not followed the promptings of grace. See +above on verse 45. "Peccabant tamen qui nolebant venire, id est credere in +Christum, tum quia habebant gratiam sufficientem, qua possent credere si +vellent, etsi non haberent efficacem, qua reipsa et actu crederent; tum +quia humiliter non petebant a Deo gratiam efficacem, qua actu crederent: +tum quia sua superbia aliisque peccatis illa gratia se fecerant indignos, +imo pervicaces Dei gratiam et fidem repellebant et refutabant" (A Lap. on +this verse). + +67. Ex hoc multi discipulorum 67. After this many of his +eius abierunt retro: et iam disciples went back; and +non cum illo ambulabant. walked no more with him. + +67. Had Christ in the preceding discourse spoken only of faith, surely, +all-merciful and loving as He is, He would have made His meaning clear, +before allowing many of His disciples to depart from Him for ever. It was +only, then, because they understood Him correctly, and refused to believe +Him, that He allowed them to depart. + +68. Dixit ergo Iesus ad 68. Then Jesus said to the +duodecim: Numquid et vos twelve: will you also go away? +vultis abire? + +68. *The twelve.* These are spoken of as well known, though this is the +first mention made of their number in this Gospel. + +*Will you also go away?* While the question implies that such desertion +was to be feared, its form implies a negative answer, and suggests that in +the case of the chosen twelve such conduct ought to be impossible. + +69. Respondit ergo ei Simon 69. And Simon Peter answered +Petrus: Domine, ad quem him: Lord, to whom shall we +ibimus? verba vitae aeternae go? thou hast the words of +habes: eternal life. +70. Et nos credidimus, et 70. And we have believed and +cognovimus quia tu es Christus have known that thou art the +Filius Dei. Christ the Son of God. + +69-70. Peter replies for all the Apostles (not knowing the unbelief of +Judas), and confesses the truth of Christ's doctrine, and, according to +the Vulgate reading, the Divinity of Christ. It is very doubtful, however, +whether the Vulgate reading here is correct. The oldest Greek MSS. read: +"And we have believed and know that Thou art the _Holy One_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) of +God." Whether in the mind of St. Peter this latter form of the words meant +a full confession of Christ's Divinity, or only that He was the Messias, +it is difficult to say. It would seem indeed from the praise bestowed upon +Peter by our Lord (Matt. xvi. 16) on an occasion subsequent to this, that +then for the first time Peter fully confessed Christ's Divinity. + +71. Respondit eis Iesus: Nonne 71. Jesus answered them: Have +ego vos duodecim elegi, et ex not I chosen you twelve; and +vobis unus diabolus est? one of you is a devil? + +71. Peter had answered as he thought for all the Apostles, but Christ +shows that He knows to the contrary. *A devil*, that is to say a sinner +inspired by the devil (viii. 44), Judas was (_est_) even then. + +72. Dicebat autem Iudam 72. Now he meant Judas +Simonis Iscariotem: hic enim Iscariot, the son of Simon: +erat traditurus eum, cum esset for this same was about to +unus ex duodecim. betray him, whereas he was one + of the twelve. + +72. The Evangelist explains who was meant. "The name Iscariot has received +many interpretations, more or less conjectural, but it is now universally +agreed that it is to be derived from Kerioth (Josh. xv. 25) a city in the +tribe of Judah, the Hebrew {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~} {~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW POINT HIRIQ~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} 'ish Keriyoth passing into +{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}" (Smith's _B. D._, 2nd Ed.). In this view, Judas, unlike the +other Apostles (Acts ii. 7), was from the Province of Judea. + + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + + 1. *Christ remains in Galilee.* + + 2-10. *His brethren urge Him to go up to Jerusalem to the Feast of + Tabernacles with them; this He declines to do, but goes afterwards + privately.* + + 11-13. *The chief men among the Jews look out for Him at the + Feast, and express different opinions regarding Him.* + + 14-24. *In the middle of the festival Christ goes up to the temple + and teaches.* + + 25-29. *Comments of some of the people of Jerusalem; Christ's + reply.* + + 30, 31. *Different opinions of the people regarding Him.* + + 32-36. *Jealously of the Sanhedrim, which sends officers to arrest + Him.* + + 37-39. *Christ's words on the eighth day of the feast, and St. + John's authentic interpretation.* + + 40, 41. *Different opinions among the people regarding Him.* + + 44-49. *Though some were anxious to arrest Him, no one durst, not + even the officers who had been sent for that purpose; consequent + indignation of the Priests and Pharisees.* + + 50-52. *Nicodemus interposes in Christ's favour; reply of the + other members of the Sanhedrim.* + + +1. Post haec autem ambulabat 1. After these things Jesus +Iesus in Galilaeam, non enim walked in Galilee, for he +volebat in Iudaeam ambulare, would not walk in Judea, +quia quaerebant eum Iudaei because the Jews sought to +interficere. kill him. + +1. Instead of "Galilaeam," "Judaeam," read "Galilea," "Judaea" (Abl.) in +the Vulgate. The sense is that Christ continues to remain in Galilee. + +2. Erat autem in proximo dies 2. Now the Jews' feast of +festus Iudaeorum scenopegia. tabernacles was at hand. + +2. See note on verse 1. + +3. Dixerunt autem ad eum 3. And his brethren said to +fratres eius: Transi hinc, et him: Pass from hence and go +vade in Iudaeam, ut et into Judea: that thy disciples +discipuli tui videant opera also may see thy works which +tua, quae facis. thou dost. + +3. *His brethren said to him: Pass from hence, and go into Judea, that thy +disciples also may see thy works which thou dost.* + +Who are these brethren of Jesus? + +(1) Not the children of Joseph and Mary, born to them after the birth of +our Lord, for this opinion of Helvidius was condemned as _heretical_ in +the Council of Lateran (649 A.D.), and is opposed to the universal and +constant tradition of the Church.(61) + +(2) Not the children of Joseph by a previous marriage; for this opinion +too, though not heretical, and though held by some of the fathers, is +opposed to the common opinion of Catholics, according to which St. Joseph +lived and died a virgin. + +(3) These brethren were _cousins_ of our Lord. The term "fratres" +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~}) is used in the Sacred Scriptures of many who are not children of +the same parents. Thus it is used of fellow-countrymen, Rom. ix. 3, 4; (2) +of co-religionists, Rom. i. 13; (3) of relations who were not, however, +members of the same family, Gen. xiii. 8, xiv. 4. In these verses of +Genesis, Abraham and Lot are referred to as _brethren_, though the former +was uncle to the latter (Gen. xii. 5). + +In Matthew xiii. 55, Mark vi. 3, James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude, are named +as brethren of our Lord; but whether they are the same cousins who are +referred to here by St. John, is disputed. Of those mentioned by SS. +Matthew and Mark, James, Jude, and probably Simon, were Apostles;(62) and +hence, on account of verse 5, some say it is not these, but other cousins +of our Lord, who are here referred to by St. John. However, there need be +no difficulty about admitting that the faith of the Apostles was still +imperfect, especially if we adopt what seems the more probable reading in +vi. 70. See Matthew xvii. 19, 20; Mark xvi. 15. + +These brethren of the Lord say to Him, that He ought to go up to +Jerusalem, where there would be a concourse of people to witness His +miracles. + +4. Nemo quippe in occulto quid 4. For there is no man that +facit, et quaerit ipse in doth anything in secret, and +palam esse: si haec facis, he himself seeketh to be known +manifesta teipsum mundo. openly. If thou do these + things, manifest thyself to + the world. +5. Neque enim fratres eius 5. For neither did his +credebant in eum. brethren believe in him. + +5. As already explained, if we regard the three Apostles as included among +the brethren, we may understand here that their faith was still +_imperfect_; if other cousins of our Lord are meant, they may have been +wholly without faith. + +6. Dicit ergo eis Iesus: 6. Then Jesus said to them: My +Tempus meum nondum advenit: time is not yet come; but your +tempus autem vestrum semper time is always ready. +est paratum. + +6. There are many opinions as to what is meant by _His time_, here +referred to by Christ. Some say it is the time of His passion; others, the +time for manifesting Himself to the world; and others, the time for going +up to Jerusalem. The latter opinion seems to us the most natural and most +probable. + +7. Non potest mundus odisse 7. The world cannot hate you; +vos: me autem odit, quia ego but me it hateth: because I +testimonium perhibeo de illo give testimony of it, that the +quod opera eius mala sunt. works thereof are evil. + +7. His brethren might go up to Jerusalem at any time, for they, even if +some of them were Apostles, had not yet incurred the odium of the _wicked_ +world (John xv. 18, 19). + +8. Vos ascendite ad diem 8. Go you up to this festival +festum hunc: ego autem non day, but I go not up to this +ascendo ad diem festum istum, festival day: because my time +quia meum tempus nondum is not accomplished. +impletum est. +9. Haec cum dixisset, ipse 9. When he had said these +mansit in Galilaea. things, he himself staid in + Galilee. +10. Ut autem ascenderunt 10. But after his brethren +fratres eius, tunc et ipse were gone up, then he also +ascendit ad diem festum non went up to the feast, not +manifeste, sed quasi in openly, but as it were in +occulto. secret. + +8-10. Christ here seems to say that He will not go up to Jerusalem for the +feast, and yet He went. Various answers to this difficulty have been +given:--(1) Many ancient MSS. and versions, instead of "Non ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}) ascendo" +read "_Nondum_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}) ascendo;" _i.e._, I go not up _yet_. However, as +this is the easier reading to explain, and as the other is equally well +supported by ancient authority, we are inclined to believe that the more +difficult ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}) is the true reading. Hence (2) others say that our Lord +used an ambiguous phrase: I go not up, meaning I go not up _now_ (but +shall go afterwards). (3) The correct explanation seems to be that +insinuated by our Evangelist. Christ said: I go not up (as you desire, in +your company, and publicly); then when He went up, it was not publicly, +but, as it were, in secret. + +11. Iudaei ergo quaerebant eum 11. The Jews therefore sought +in die festo, et dicebant: Ubi him on the festival day and +est ille? said: Where is he? + +11. The leaders of the Jews seek Him at the feast, but, through contempt, +do not name Him. + +12. Et murmur multum erat in 12. And there was much +turba de eo. Quidam enim murmuring among the multitude +dicebant: Quia bonus est. Alii concerning him. For some said: +autem dicebant: Non, sed He is a good man. And others +seducit turbas. said: No, but he seduceth the + people. +13. Nemo tamen palam 13. Yet no man spoke openly of +loquebatur de illo, propter him, for fear of the Jews. +metum Iudaeorum. + +13. *Openly* (_palam_) does not fully express the force of the Greek word, +which seems to mean here _with open approval_. + +14. Iam autem die festo 14. Now about the midst of the +mediante, ascendit Iesus in feast, Jesus went up into the +templum, et docebat. temple, and taught. + +14. The festival lasted for eight days, so that this would be the fourth +or fifth day. + +15. Et mirabantur Iudaei, 15. And the Jews wondered, +dicentes: Quomodo hic litteras saying: How doth this man know +scit, cum non didicerit? letters, having never learned? + +15. From this verse it is plain that Christ had never attended any of the +Jewish schools, where the _Scriptures_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) were explained. + +16. Respondit eis Iesus, et 16. Jesus answered them and +dixit: Mea doctrina non est said: My doctrine is not mine, +mea, sed eius qui misit me. but his that sent me. + +16. The sense is: The doctrine I preach has not been excogitated by Me; I +have received it from My Father. As man, Christ had received His knowledge +through the beatific vision, and by infusion into His human soul, and as +God, He had received it from the Father from all eternity. + +17. Si quis voluerit 17. If any man will do the +voluntatem eius facere, will of him: he shall know of +cognoscet de doctrina utrum ex the doctrine, whether it be of +Deo sit, an ego a meipso God, or whether I speak of +loquar. myself. +18. Qui a semetipso loquitur, 18. He that speaketh of +gloriam propriam quaerit: qui himself, seeketh his own +autem quaerit gloriam eius qui glory: but he that seeketh the +misit eum, hic verax est, et glory of him that sent him, he +iniustitia in illo non est. is true, and there is no + injustice in him. + +17, 18. In proof that His doctrine is from God, He appeals to two +arguments:--(1) If they will only follow the will of God, and believe, +_experience_ will teach them that His doctrine is divine. (2) The fact +that He seeks not His own glory, but the glory of the Father, is a proof +that His doctrine is the doctrine of the Father, and, therefore a proof +that He is veracious, and does not deceive (_injustitia_ in illo non est). +This second argument, as Mald. points out, is based upon what does, not +upon what should, happen among men. When men preach doctrines of their own +invention, they generally seek their own glory. + +19. Nonne Moyses dedit vobis 19. Did not Moses give you the +legem: et nemo ex vobis facit law, and _yet_ none of you +legem? keepeth the law? +20. Quid me quaeritis 20. Why seek you to kill me? +interficere? Respondit turba, The multitude answered and +et dixit: Daemonium habes: said: Thou hast a devil; who +quis te quaerit interficere? seeketh to kill thee? + +19, 20. Most probably Christ begins here to defend Himself against the +charge of violating the Sabbath, which the Jews had brought against Him on +a former occasion (v. 16, 18), and which they still remembered against +Him. + +He uses an "argumentum ad hominem": You do not keep the law yourselves, +why then seek to kill Me, even for what you allege to be a violation of +it? Some among the crowd were even then anxious to kill Jesus, as His +words prove, and to these He directs His words; but there were many +present who had no such intention, and some of these reply, *Thou hast a +devil*. They may have meant that He was possessed, or simply that He was +raving, out of His senses. + +21. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 21. Jesus answered and said to +eis: Unum opus feci, et omnes them: One work I have done; +miramini. and you all wonder: +22. Propterea Moyses dedit 22. Therefore Moses gave you +vobis circumcisionem: (non circumcision (not because it +quia ex Moyse est, sed ex is of Moses, but of the +patribus) et in sabbato fathers); and on the sabbath- +circumciditis hominem. day you circumcise a man. +23. Si circumcisionem accipit 23. If a man receive +homo in sabbato, ut non circumcision on the sabbath- +solvatur lex Moysi: mihi day, that the law of Moses may +indignamini quia totum hominem not be broken; are you angry +sanum feci in sabbato? at me because I have healed + the whole man on the sabbath- + day? + +21-23. He proceeds to show by sober reasoning, that they ought not to +blame Him for having healed the man on the Sabbath. + +The *one work* of verse 21 is the healing of the man on the Sabbath day +(v. 9, 16). Some prefer to connect "propterea" with verse 21: "and you all +wonder on account of it." But it is better to connect it, as in the +Vulgate, with what follows. The sense is: it was on this account Moses +gave you circumcision; namely, because it had been handed down from the +Patriarchs (Gen. xvii. 10), not because it was properly a part of the law. +If then a man may receive circumcision on the Sabbath, _and yet_ the law +regarding the observance of the Sabbath is not violated thereby, are you +angry with Me because, doing the will of God, I made a man whole, both +body and soul, on the Sabbath? In this explanation, "ut" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) is ecbatic, +denoting a consequence. See Gen. xxii. 14; John x. 17; Apoc. xiii. 13. +Others, however, give the particle its ordinary telic force, and explain +thus: If then a man may receive circumcision on the Sabbath, _in order +that_ the law commanding circumcision to be performed on the eighth day be +not violated, are you angry, &c.? Both explanations are probable, and +leave the argument unchanged. + +24. Nolite iudicare secundum 24. Judge not according to the +faciem, sed iustum iudicium appearance, but judge just +iudicate. judgment. + +24. *According to the appearance*; _i.e._, take no account of persons, but +judge according to the merits of the case. + +25. Dicebant ergo quidam ex 25. Some therefore of +Ierosolymis: Nonne hic est Jerusalem said: Is not this he +quem quaerunt interficere? whom they seek to kill? +26. Et ecce palam loquitur, et 26. And behold he speaketh +nihil ei dicunt. Numquid vere openly, and they say nothing +cognoverunt principes quia hic to him. Have the rulers known +est Christus? for a truth that this is the + Christ? + +25, 26. Some of the people of Jerusalem (the correct reading is +{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) said: can it be that they have discovered that He is really +Christ? + +27. Sed hunc scimus unde sit: 27. But we know this man +Christus autem cum venerit, whence he is: but when the +nemo scit unde scit. Christ cometh, no man knoweth + whence he is. + +27. And yet this cannot be, for we know this man whence he is; but when +the Christ cometh no man knoweth whence He is. This erroneous opinion of +theirs may have arisen from Micheas, v. 2: "His going forth is from the +beginning from the days of eternity;" and Mal. iii. 2: "And who shall be +able to think of the day of His coming?" + +28. Clamabat ergo Iesus in 28. Jesus therefore cried out +templo docens, et dicens: Et in the temple, teaching and +me scitis, et unde sim scitis: saying: You both know me, and +et a meipso non veni, sed est you know whence I am, and I am +verus qui misit me, quem vos not come of myself; but he +nescitis. that sent me is true, whom you + know not. + +28. The meaning is: You know Me as man, and you know My parents, and yet I +come not of My own authority, but sent by My Father, who therein shows +Himself true to His promises. + +29. Ego scio eum: quia ab ipso 29. I know him, because I am +sum, et ipse me misit. from him, and he hath sent me. + +29. He declares His Divine knowledge of the Father, His eternal +generation, and mission in time. + +30. Quaerebant ergo eum 30. They sought therefore to +apprehendere: et nemo misit in apprehend him: and no man laid +illum manus, quia nondum hands on him, because his hour +venerat hora eius. was not yet come. + +30. They rightly understand Him to claim to be Divine, and as a +consequence seek to apprehend Him; but the time for His sufferings had not +yet arrived, and so they were powerless. + +31. De turba autem multi 31. But of the people many +crediderunt in eum, et believed in him, and said: +dicebant: Christus cum When the Christ cometh, shall +venerit, numquid plura signa he do more miracles than these +faciet quam quae hic facit? which this man doth? + +31. Many of the multitude--in contrast with their leaders--believed in Him. +*When the Christ cometh, shall he*, &c. The question, expecting, as it +does, a negative answer (numquid), suggests that Jesus must be the Christ. + +32. Audierunt pharisaei turbam 32. The Pharisees heard the +murmurantem de illo haec: et people murmuring these things +miserunt principes et concerning him: and the rulers +pharisaei ministros, ut and Pharisees sent ministers +apprehenderent eum. to apprehend him. + +32. *Rulers*, rather chief priests ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}). The *ministers* were +officers attendant upon the Sanhedrim, or engaged about the temple. See +verses 45, 46; xiii. 3, 18, 22; xix. 6; Acts v. 22, 26. As the Sanhedrim +was made up of chief priests, Pharisees, and Scribes, probably it was the +Sanhedrim that sent these ministers to apprehend Christ. + +33. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: 33. Jesus therefore said to +Adhuc modicum tempus vobiscum them: Yet a little while I am +sum: et vado ad eum qui me with you: and _then_ I go to +misit. him that sent me. + +33. Omit "eis" (to them). Christ's words were probably directed not merely +to the ministers, but to all the people. *Yet a little while I am with +you*, _i.e._, almost six months more after this feast of Tabernacles, and +then He would go to the Father. + +34. Quaeretis me, et non 34. You shall seek me, and +invenietis: et ubi ego sum vos shall not find me: and where I +non potestis venire. am, _thither_ you cannot come. + +34. *You shall seek me, and shall not find me.* Some think these words +were fulfilled at the siege of Jerusalem, when many of the Jews must have +looked in vain for help from Him whom they had put to death. + +Others, like Maldonatus, say the statement is conditional: even if you +sought me, you should not find me, after a little while. + +Since the same words: "You shall seek me," were afterwards addressed to +the Apostles (xiii. 33), it is not likely that the reference is to seeking +Him at the destruction of Jerusalem, for the Apostles did not seek Him +then. It would also seem from xiii. 33 that the view of Maldonatus just +stated is not probable, for in xiii. 33 there is not a conditional +statement, but simply a prediction that the Apostles would seek Him. Hence +we take it that in the text before us also, there is a prediction that the +Jews after His departure would, when in distress and tribulation, desire +to see Him once more among them. Doubtless, many Jews afterwards had such +a desire, but it was in vain, for He had gone to Him that sent Him. + +*And where I am* (= shall be) *thither you cannot come*. + +These words too were afterwards addressed to the Apostles (xiii. 33), and +we believe in the same sense as here. The meaning is that until death at +least the separation would be complete, for He would be no longer here, +and where He would be they could not join Him. Some take the words: "You +cannot come," as meaning here that the Jews on account of their sins could +_never_ enter heaven. But since, as we have said, the same words were +afterwards addressed to the Apostles, the view we have adopted seems more +probable. + +35. Dixerunt ergo Iudaei ad 35. The Jews therefore said, +semetipsos: Quo hic iturus among themselves: Whither will +est, quia non inveniemus eum? he go, that we shall not find +numquid in dispersionem him? will he go unto the +gentium iturus est, et dispersed among the gentiles, +docturus gentes? and teach the gentiles? + +35. *The dispersed among the Gentiles*, _i.e._, the Jews scattered among +the Gentiles, or more probably the Gentiles themselves ({~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, not +{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) scattered over the world. The concluding words of the verse: +"and teach the Gentiles" render the latter view the more probable. + +36. Quis est hic sermo, quem 36. What is this saying that +dixit: Quaeretis me, et non he hath said: You shall seek +invenietis: et ubi sum ego, me, and shall not find me; and +vos non potestis venire? where I am, you cannot come? +37. In novissimo autem die 37. And on the last _and_ +magno festivitatis, stabat great day of the festivity, +Iesus, et clamabat, dicens: Si Jesus stood and cried, saying: +quis sitit, veniat ad me, et If any man thirst, let him +bibat. come to me, and drink. +38. Qui credit in me, sicut 38. He that believeth in me, +dicit scriptura, flumina de as the scripture saith, _Out +ventre eius fluent aquae of his belly shall flow rivers +vivae. of living water_. + +37, 38. On the last day, the great day of the feast, that is, the eighth +day, Jesus cried aloud to the people assembled at the temple. His words +mean: If anyone thirst spiritually, let him come to Me by faith, and grace +shall be abundantly poured into his soul. The words: *Out of his belly*, +&c., are nowhere to be found in the Old Testament; but, as signifying the +abundance of grace in the new dispensation, they convey the sense of many +passages of the Old Testament. See Is. xli. 18, xliv. 3.; Ezech. xxxvi. +25; Joel ii. 28. + +39. Hoc autem dixit de 39. Now this he said of the +Spiritu, quem accepturi erant Spirit which they should +credentes in eum: nondum enim receive who believed in him: +erat Spiritus datus, quia for as yet the Spirit was not +Iesus nondum erat given, because Jesus was not +glorificatus. yet glorified. + +39. The Evangelist gives an authentic interpretation of our Lord's words: +*For as yet the Spirit was not given*. These words explain why our Lord +spoke of the abundant outpouring of the Spirit as _still to come_, for the +Holy Ghost was not yet given, inasmuch as Christ was not yet glorified +(xvi. 7). When it is said that the Holy Ghost was not yet given, the +meaning is, that He was not yet given so _abundantly_, so _manifestly_, or +so _universally_, as He has been since the first Pentecost. It is not +meant that the Holy Ghost had not been given to the just of the Old +Testament. They, as well as we, had the grace of the Holy Ghost in their +souls; moreover, according to the common teaching of the fathers and +theologians, they, like the just now, had the Holy Ghost united to their +souls, not merely by His grace, but also by a substantial union. This +union is not, however, peculiar to the Holy Ghost, but is common to the +Three Divine Persons, by reason of their unity of nature, and is only by +appropriation attributed to the Holy Ghost. See Franz., _De Trin., last +Disp._; Corl., pp. 198, 199. + +40. Ex illa ergo turba cum 40. Of that multitude +audissent hos sermones eius, therefore, when they had heard +dicebant: Hic est vere these words of his, some said: +propheta. This is the prophet indeed. +41. Alii dicebant: Hic est 41. Others said: This is the +Christus. Quidam autem Christ. But some said: Doth +dicebant: Numquid a Galilaea the Christ come out of +venit Christus? Galilee? +42. Nonne scriptura dicit: 42. Doth not the scripture +Quia ex semine David, et de say: That Christ cometh out of +Bethlehem castello, ubi erat the seed of David, and from +David, venit Christus? Bethlehem the town where David + was? +43. Dissensio itaqua facta est 43. So there arose a +in turba propter eum. dissension among the people + because of him. +44. Quidam autem ex ipsis 44. And some of them would +volebant apprehendere eum: sed have apprehended him: but no +nemo misit super eum manus. man laid hands upon him. + +40-44. The Evangelist notes the difference of opinion among the crowd. +Some believed Him to be _the Prophet_ promised to Moses (Deut. xviii. 18); +others (wrongly distinguishing between the Prophet and the Messias) held +Him to be the Messias; others doubted (verse 41); others remained wholly +incredulous (verse 44). In verse 42, three different passages of Sacred +Scripture are combined: "of the seed of David" (Is. xi. 1); "from +Bethlehem" (Mich. v. 2); "the town where David was" (1 Kings xvii. 12). + +45. Venerunt ergo ministri ad 45. The ministers therefore +pontifices et pharisaeos. Et came to the chief priests and +dixerunt eis illi: Quare non the Pharisees. And they said +adduxistis illum? to them: Why have you not + brought him? +46. Responderunt ministri: 46. The ministers answered: +Numquam sic locutus est homo, Never did man speak like this +sicut hic homo. man. +47. Responderunt ergo eis 47. The Pharisees therefore +pharisaei; numquid et vos answered them: Are you also +seducti estis? seduced? +48. Numquid ex principibus 48. Hath any one of the rulers +aliquis credidit in eum, aut believed in him, or of the +ex pharisaeis? Pharisees? +49. Sed turba haec, quae non 49. But this multitude that +novit legem maledicti sunt. knoweth not the law, are + accursed. + +45-49. The officers, who had been sent a few days before to apprehend +Christ (see above, 14, 32), or perhaps other officers, return and bear +favourable testimony to Him, for which they are rebuked by the Pharisees. + +50. Dixit Nicodemus ad eos, 50. Nicodemus said to them, he +ille qui venit ad eum nocte, that came to him by night, who +qui unus erat ex ipsis. was one of them. +51. Numquid lex nostra iudicat 51. Doth our law judge any +hominem nisi prius audierit ab man, unless it first hear him, +ipso, et cognoverit quid and know what he doth? +faciat? +52. Responderunt, et dixerunt 52. They answered and said to +ei: Numquid et tu Galilaeus him: Art thou also a Galilean? +es? Scrutare scripturas, et Search the scriptures, and see +vide quia a Galilaea propheta that out of Galilee a prophet +non surgit. riseth not. + +50-52. Nicodemus (iii. 1, 2) interposes in Christ's favour; to whom the +members of the Sanhedrim impatiently reply that no prophet had ever arisen +in Galilee, thus disposing, as they thought, of Christ's claim to be a +prophet. But they were wrong in their assumption that Christ had been born +in Galilee (see Luke ii. 4-7), and equally wrong in the conclusion they +drew that, being a Galilean, He could not be a prophet. For the Sacred +Scriptures had nowhere said that a prophet could not arise in Galilee; +nay, they prove that the prophet Jonas was a Galilean, 4 Kings, xiv. 25. + +53. Et reversi sunt 53. And every man returned to +unusquisque in domum suam. his own house. + +53. See next chapter. + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + + 1-2. *Christ having spent the night on the Mount of Olives, + returns in the morning to the temple and teaches.* + + 3-11. *The story of the woman taken in adultery.* + + 12-20. *Discourse of Christ with the Pharisees in the treasury.* + + 21-29. *He upbraids them for their incredulity, and foretells His + own crucifixion.* + + 30-50. *Many believed in Him, but others remained incredulous + (33), and to these He says that they are not the children of + Abraham, but of the devil.* + + 51-59. *Challenged by the Jews, He declares Himself greater than + Abraham; and when they were about to stone Him for this + declaration, He hides Himself.* + + + + +Authenticity of John vii. 53-viii. 11. + + +This is the second of the three passages in our Gospel, whose authenticity +has been seriously questioned. See Introd. VI. We shall sum up the +evidence by which the critical question must be decided, and then say what +we think as to the genuineness of the passage. + + + +Evidence against Authenticity. + + +1. _Manuscripts._--The passage is wanting in the four oldest Greek MSS. +that we possess, viz., in B, {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}, A, C; the two former of which are thought +by critics to belong to the fourth, and the two latter, to the fifth +century; also in four other _uncial_ MSS., in more than sixty _cursives_, +and in thirty-three Evangelistaries.(63) In about fifty other MSS., though +read, it is marked as doubtful. + +2. _Versions._--It is wanting in the best MSS. of the "Vetus Itala;" in the +"Simple" and "Figured" Syriac; in most MSS. of the Coptic; in all of +Gothic, and in some of the Armenian. + +3. _Fathers._--The passage is not commented upon by any of the Greek +fathers that wrote upon this Gospel. + +4. _Internal evidence_ is said to prove the passage spurious, because of +the use of many words and phrases not elsewhere used by St. John.(64) + + + +Evidence in favour of Authenticity. + + +1. _Manuscripts._--The passage is found in seven _uncial_ MSS. (one of +which, D, though itself only of the sixth century, is thought to represent +the text of the Gospels as it stood in the second century); in more than +three hundred cursives, and in six Evangelistaries. + +2. _Versions._--The passage is found in the Latin Vulgate, in the Arabic, +Persian, Ethiopic, Syriac of Jerusalem, Slavic, and Anglo-Saxon. + +3. _Fathers._--_The passage_ is read by nearly all the Latin +fathers--Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Leo the Great, Chrysologus, Sedulius, +Cassiodorus, &c.; and in the _Apostolic Constitutions_, a work of the +third, or, at the latest, the fourth century. + +4. _Internal Evidence_--(_a_) Christ's merciful treatment of the adulteress +harmonizes beautifully with His declaration immediately after (viii. 15), +that at His first coming He condemned no man. (_b_) It is inconceivable +how a passage _of this nature_ could ever have found its way into so many +MSS., unless it was written by St. John. On the other hand, it is easy to +see how, though genuine, it came to be omitted in many MSS., through the +fear that Christ's merciful treatment of the adulteress might encourage +sinners. This is exactly what St. Augustine says:--"Nonnulli modicae fidei, +vel potius inimici verae fidei, credo metuentes peccandi impunitatem dari +mulieribus suis, illud quod de adulterae indulgentia Dominus fecit, +abstulerunt de codicibus suis, quasi permissionem peccandi tribuerit qui +dixit: 'Jam deinceps noli peccare' " (St. Aug., _De Conj. Adult._, 2, 7). + +As regards the arguments _against_ the passage, we believe that the reason +given by St. Augustine in the words just quoted, explains the absence of +the passage in so many MSS., versions, and fathers. As to the internal +arguments against the passage, it must be admitted that a number of words +are used here which are not met with elsewhere in the writings of St. +John; but then the subject is peculiar, and besides in many other passages +which are unquestioned, we meet with several words not used elsewhere by +the Evangelist.(65) Even Renan admits that there is nothing in the passage +that is at variance with the style of the fourth Gospel.(66) + + + +Conclusion. + + +From the evidence, which has been impartially laid before the reader, we +hold we are justified in concluding that even on mere critical grounds the +passage is more probably genuine. Some, as Franzelin (_De Sacra. Script._, +Thes. xix., pp. 466, 467), go farther, and hold, that since the decree of +the Council of Trent (Sess. iv.), which defined all the sacred books of +the Bible, and _all their parts_, as found in the Latin Vulgate, to be +canonical, it is not lawful for any Catholic to question the authenticity +of this passage. They argue that this passage constitutes a _part_ (not +merely a "particula") of the Gospel of St. John, and is, therefore, +covered by the decree of Trent. Nor can it be said in reply that the +Council, in the words "cum omnibus suis partibus," meant to define the +authenticity of the Deuterocanonical fragments of the _Old_ Testament +only, for the Acts(67) of the Council show that these words were intended +to refer especially to the fragments of the Gospels. + +To conclude, then, we hold that we are not only critically justified in +accepting John vii. 53-viii. 11, as authentic, but that it is extremely +probable that as Catholics we are _bound_ to accept it. + + + + +Text. + + +1. Iesus autem perrexit in 1. And Jesus went unto mount +montem Oliveti: Olivet. + +1. In contrast to those who retired to their homes (vii. 53), Jesus +retired to Mount Olivet, where He often spent the night in prayer (Luke +xxi. 37; vi. 12). Mount Olivet, separated from Jerusalem by the brook of +Cedron, was a Sabbath day's journey from the City (Acts i. 12); that is to +say, about seven and a-half stadia, and therefore less than an English +mile. + +2. Et diluculo iterum venit in 2. And early in the morning he +templum, et omnis populus came again into the temple, +venit ad eum, et sedens and all the people came to +docebat eos. him, and sitting down he + taught them. + +2. Early on the morning that followed the eight days of the Feast of +Tabernacles (see vii. 37), He came again to the temple, and all the people +who were assembled in the City from the various parts of Palestine, came +to Him, and He was teaching them. + +3. Adducunt autem scribae et 3. And the scribes and +pharisaei mulierem in Pharisees bring unto him a +adulterio deprehensam: et woman taken in adultery; and +statuerunt eam in medio. they set her in the midst, + +3. While Jesus was engaged in teaching the people, the Pharisees bring to +him a woman who had been caught in adultery, *in the very act*, as we +learn from the Greek of verse 4. + +4. Et dixerunt ei: Magister, 4. And said to him: Master, +haec mulier modo deprehensa this woman was even now taken +est in adulterio. in adultery. +5. In lege autem Moyses 5. Now Moses in the law +mandavit nobis huiusmodi commanded us to stone such a +lapidare. Tu ergo quid dicis? one. But what sayest thou? + +5. It is not stated anywhere in the Pentateuch that the adulterer and +adulteress should be _stoned_, but it is, that they should be put to death +(Lev. xx. 10). Doubtless the death was by stoning, as is indicated in +Ezech. xvi. 38-40. + +6. Hoc autem dicebant 6. And this they said, +tentantes eum, ut possent tempting him, that they might +accusare eum. Iesus autem accuse him. But Jesus bowing +inclinans se deorsum, digito himself down, wrote with his +scribebat in terra. finger on the ground. + +6. They hoped to entrap our Lord; for if he acquitted the woman they could +charge him with being an adversary of the Mosaic Law (Lev. xx. 10); while +if He condemned her to death, they could charge Him with defying the Roman +Law, which at this time denied to the Jews the right of inflicting capital +punishment (John xviii. 31). What Jesus wrote it is impossible to say. +Probably it was His intention to signify by this turning away to something +else that He wished not to have anything to do with the matter in +question. + +7. Cum ergo perseverarent 7. When therefore they +interrogantes eum, erexit se, continued asking him, he +et dixit eis: Qui sine peccato lifted up himself and said to +est vestrum, primus in illam them: He that is without sin +lapidem mittat. among you, let him first cast + a stone at her. + +7. *Let him first cast a stone at her.* The deep wisdom of this answer +gave them no ground for charging Him with opposition to any law, and at +the same time referred them to their own guilty consciences. He does not +say that sinners may not be punished by sinners, but implies that it was +not seemly that they who were guilty of the same or greater sins should be +the accusers of the poor wretch who stood before them. + +8. Et iterum se inclinans, 8. And again stooping down, he +scribebat in terra. wrote on the ground. + +8. Having shamed them by this appeal to the tribunal of their conscience, +He again stooped down to write, probably to afford them an opportunity to +depart. + +9. Audientes autem unus post 9. But they hearing _this_ +unum exibant, incipientes a went out one by one, beginning +senioribus: et remansit solus at the eldest. And Jesus alone +Iesus, et mulier in medio remained, and the woman +stans. standing in the midst. +10. Erigens autem se Iesus, 10. Then Jesus lifting up +dixit ei: Mulier, ubi sunt qui himself, said to her: Woman, +te accusabant? nemo te where are they that accused +condemnavit? thee? Hath no man condemned + thee? +11. Quae dixit: Nemo, Domine. 11. Who said: No man, Lord. +Dixit autem Iesus: Nec ego te And Jesus said: Neither will I +condemnabo: vade, et iam condemn thee. Go, and now sin +amplius noli peccare. no more. + +11. *Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.* Doubtless the +treatment of her accusers by Christ, and abundant grace poured into her +soul, had already moved the woman's heart to repentance, and Christ, +exercising His Divine power, absolved her from her sin. He did not condemn +her, but, in telling her to sin no more, He showed that she had done what +was wrong, and warned her as to the future. Thus the incident shows the +boundless mercy of Christ for sinners, His hatred of sin, and, what St. +John probably had chiefly before his mind in recording it, Christ's Divine +power to forgive sin. + +12. Iterum ergo locutus est 12. Again therefore Jesus +eis Iesus, dicens. Ego sum lux spoke to them, saying: I am +mundi: qui sequitur me non the light of the world: he +ambulat in tenebris, sed that followeth me, walketh not +habebit lumen vitae. in darkness, but shall have + the light of life. + +12. We do not know whether this is a new discourse, or only a continuation +of that referred to above in verse 2. On Christ's words here recorded, see +above on i. 5. They follow Christ, who believe in Him, and obey Him. + +13. Dixerunt ergo ei 13. The Pharisees therefore +pharisaei: Tu de teipso said to him: Thou givest +testimonium perhibes: testimony of thyself: thy +testimonium tuum non est testimony is not true. +verum. + +13. *Thy testimony is not true*; that is to say, is not juridical, such as +ought to be accepted. + +14. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 14. Jesus answered, and said +eis: Et si ego testimonium to them: Although I give +perhibeo de meipso, verum est testimony of myself, my +testimonium meum: quia scio testimony is true: For I know +unde veni, et quo vado: vos whence I came, and whither I +autem nescitis unde venio, aut go: but you know not whence I +quo vado. come, or whither I go. + +14. Christ's answer is: though I bear testimony of Myself, My testimony +should be accepted, because I am God (I know whence I came, and whither I +go); self-interest and self-love can have no influence on Me, so as to +warp My judgment or weaken My testimony. + +15. Vos secundum carnem 15. You judge according to the +iudicatis: ego non iudico flesh: I judge not any man. +quemquam: + +15. *You judge according to the flesh*; _i.e._, according to appearances, +as though I were a mere man; or, more probably, according to your carnal +ideas (Rom. viii. 4-6); thinking Me an impostor, you condemn Me. *I judge +not any man.* The sense is that Christ at His first coming, condemned no +one, for it is of the judgment of condemnation there is question, +according to what seems the most probable view. Compare iii. 17; xii. 47. + +16. Et si iudico ego, iudicium 16. And if I do judge, my +meum verum est, quia solus non judgment is true: because I am +sum: sed ego, et qui misit me, not alone, but I and the +Pater. Father that sent me. + +16. The meaning is: if I did judge, My judgment would be just, because not +the judgment of a mere man, but identical with the judgment of My Father. +See x. 30; xiv. 10. + +17. Et in lege vestra scriptum 17. And in your law it is +est, quia duorum hominum written, that the testimony of +testimonium verum est. two men is true. + +17. {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} ... {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH VARIA~}, indicate the transition in which He passes from speaking +of condemnation to speak of His testimony. Your law, He says, requires and +is satisfied with two Witnesses (Deut. xvii. 6). + +18. Ego sum qui testimonium 18. I am one that give +perhibeo de meipso: et testimony of myself: and the +testimonium perhibet de me, Father that sent me, giveth +qui misit me, Pater. testimony of me. + +18. Now, two bear testimony to Me. Two _Persons_ bore testimony that the +man Christ, who spoke to the Jews, was God. The Son Himself, as God bore +this testimony by word and work, and the Father by the miracles that He +gave the Son to perform (v. 36). + +19. Dicebant ergo ei: Ubi est 19. They said therefore to +Pater tuus? Respondit Iesus: him: Where is thy Father? +Neque me scitis, neque Patrem Jesus answered: Neither me do +meum: si me sciretis forsitan you know, nor my Father: if +et Patrem meum sciretis. you did know me, perhaps you + would know my Father also. + +19. To their question Jesus answers: *Neither me do you know, nor my +Father*. The sense is: You know not who I am, _that I am God_; if you knew +and recognised Me to be God, you would also know who My Father is, that He +must be God; and thus you would know the answer to your question, since +God dwells in heaven. On the use of "forsitan," see above on iv. 10. + +20. Haec verba locutus est 20. These words Jesus spoke in +Iesus in gazophylacio, docens the treasury, teaching in the +in templo: et nemo apprehendit temple: and no man laid hands +eum, quia necdum venerat hora on him, because his hour was +eius. not yet come. + +20. The Greek word translated by "treasury" is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}, derived from +the Persian _gaza_ (money), and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} (to guard). This treasury was a +chest or safe for holding money (see Luke xxi. 1), but by metonymy the +name was given to the cloister in which it stood. This cloister was in the +court of the women. See above on ii. 14. + +21. Dixit ergo iterum eis 21. Again therefore Jesus said +Iesus: Ego vado, et quaeretis to them: I go, and you shall +me, et in peccato vestro seek me, and you shall die in +moriemini. Quo ego vado, vos your sin. Whither I go, you +non potestis venire? cannot come. + +21. It is doubtful whether this is a continuation of the preceding, or a +new discourse. For the meaning of the verse, see above on vii. 34. The +particular _sin_ referred to here is infidelity; but dying in infidelity, +meant dying in many sins besides; and hence the plural _sins_, is used in +verse 24. + +22. Dicebant ergo Iudaei: 22. The Jews therefore said: +Numquid interficiet Will he kill himself, because +semetipsum, quia dixit: Quo he said: Whither I go, you +ego vado, vos non potestis cannot come? +venire? + +22. Josephus (_De Bello Jud._, iii. 8, 5) tells us that the Pharisees +believed that the lowest depths of hell are reserved for suicides. The +words of this verse may refer to that superstition; as if they said: does +He mean to go into the depths of hell, where we the children of Abraham +cannot, of course, follow Him? But the more simple explanation is: He +cannot escape from us wherever He may go on this earth. Does He then mean +to take His own life, that so He may be out of our reach? + +23. Et dicebat eis: Vos de 23. And he said to them: You +deorsum estis, ego de supernis are from beneath, I am from +sum. Vos de mundo hoc estis, above. You are of this world, +ego non sum de hoc mundo. I am not of this world. + +23. Taking no notice of what had just been said, Jesus proceeds in His +discourse. *You*, He says, *are from beneath, I am from above* (see iii. +31); _i.e._, you are earthly in origin and nature, I am of heaven; +moreover, you are earthly in sentiment, you belong to the _wicked_ world +(see xv. 19), I do not belong to it. Thus He shows them there is a twofold +difference between Him and them; and unless by the supernatural principle +of faith they are lifted above their nature, and taken out of the wicked +world, they shall die in their sins, and shall never here or hereafter be +able to follow whither He goeth. Instead of _peccato_ (Vulg.) in the end +of verse 24, read _peccatis_. *For if you believe not that I am he.* "He" +is not represented in the Greek or Latin text, and ought not to stand in +the English. The predicate may be purposely suppressed in order to leave +the meaning, which was still sufficiently intelligible, obscure, and thus +afford no opportunity to His enemies of charging Him with blasphemy. + +24. Dixi ergo vobis quia 24. Therefore I said to you, +moriemini in peccatis vestris: that you shall die in your +si enim non credideritis quia sins. For if you believe not +ego sum, moriemini in peccato that I am he, you shall die in +vestro. your sin. +25. Dicebant ergo ei: Tu quis 25. They said therefore to +es? Dixit eis Iesus: him: Who art thou? Jesus said +Principium, qui et loquor to them: The beginning, who +vobis. also speak unto you. + +25. This is a very obscure verse. Christ had just spoken of faith in +Himself; but in Himself _under what aspect_ He had not defined; and now in +the hope of evoking an answer for which they could punish Him, they ask: +*Who art thou?* His answer is purposely obscure. It is according to the +Greek text, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (or {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}; which is rendered in +the Vulgate: _Principium qui et loquor vobis_, and in our Rheims version: +*The beginning, who also speak unto you*. + +About the meaning of this answer there is a great diversity opinion. Some +take the words affirmatively, others interrogatively; some understand {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} as a substantive, others as an adverb; some regard {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} as a +relative (that which), others as an interrogative = {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~} (how or why?) and +others again as a conjunction, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (for, or, because). The Vulgate +translator may have read {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (who) instead of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, or {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}; or possibly +"Qui et" of our Vulgate is a corruption of "quia," which is found in the +oldest Vulgate MSS. The objection against the Vulgate and English +translations is that while {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} is an accusative, they _seem_ to +understand it as a nominative. Nor can it be replied, that it is attracted +into the accusative case of the relative which follows; for, apart from +the fact that there is no other instance of such attraction in St. John, +the explanation is inadmissible here, inasmuch as these translations +understand the relative not as an accusative, but as a nominative. A +better defence is that of St. Augustine, who would supply some such words +as: "Believe Me to be," before the sentence, thus making _principium_ the +accusative after _esse_: Believe Me to be the beginning, &c. + +(2) Others, understanding {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} in the same way as the preceding +opinion, take {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} as a relative, and render: I am the beginning, that +which I also declare unto you. Here there is room for attraction, since +the relative is now taken as an accusative; but against such attraction is +the usage of St. John, as already stated. + +(3) Others, taking {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} as an adverb (from the beginning), render: I +am from the beginning, from eternity, what I even declare unto you. But it +is objected to this view that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} is not found elsewhere in Sacred +Scripture in this sense, and moreover that the verb {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~} (to discuss with, +to converse) is wrongly taken to be equivalent to {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} (to declare). To +this latter point, however, it is replied that the two verbs are +frequently interchanged in later Greek. + +(4) Others thus: Even that which I have also spoken to you from the +beginning.(68) But this view is open to the same objections as the +preceding. + +(5) Others again: Essentially (or, in very deed) that which I speak unto +you. So Alford. + +(6) Others: On the whole, why do I even speak with you? So St. Chrys., +Corluy, &c. + +(7) Others: Absolutely, or most certainly, that which I also tell you. So +Beel., Kuin, &c. {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} is thus taken as equivalent to _omnino_, for +which sense Beelen quotes several classical writers. + +We prefer the sixth and seventh opinions; but rather the seventh, since it +supposes Christ to answer their question, though in language purposely +obscure. In the sixth opinion, Christ vouchsafes no answer to their +question, and we should naturally expect an impatient interruption from +them immediately after, were that opinion correct. + +26. Multa habeo de vobis 26. Many things I have to +loqui, et iudicare: sed qui me speak and to judge of you. But +misit, verax est: et ego quae he that sent me is true; and +audivi ab eo, haec loquor in the things I have heard of +mundo. him, these same I speak in the + world. + +26. Some explain thus: I have many things to say of you, and to condemn in +you, _but with this only will I charge you now_, namely, that you are +guilty of incredulity, since He who sent Me is true (truthful), and I +speak His words, and yet you refuse to believe in Me. But the ellipsis +here is not sufficiently obvious; and, hence, we prefer to understand +thus: I have many things, &c., but My judgments will be just, and such as +cannot be gainsaid. + +27. Et non cognoverunt quia 27. And they understood not +Patrem eius dicebat Deum. that he called God his father. + +27. The Greek is: _They knew not that He spoke to them of the Father_. + +28. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: Cum 28. Jesus therefore said to +exaltaveritis Filium hominis, them: When you shall have +tunc cognoscetis quia ego sum, lifted up the son of man, then +et a meipso facio nihil, sed shall you know that I am he, +sicut docuit me Pater, haec and that I do nothing of +loquor: myself, but as the Father hath + taught me, these things I + speak. + +28. *Lifted up.* The reference is to Christ's crucifixion as is clear from +xii. 32, 33. The substance of Christ's prediction is, that after His death +they will come to recognise Him as God. We know how truly this prediction +was fulfilled, not merely in the centurion and his soldiers (Matt. xxvii. +54), and in the crowd that returned from Calvary, striking their breasts +(Luke xxiii. 48), but all along from that time through the preaching of +the Apostles. On the Father's teaching the Son, see above on v. 19, 20. + +29. Et qui me misit, mecum est 29. And he that sent me is +et non reliquit me solum, quia with me, and he hath not left +ego quae placita sunt ei, me alone: for I do always the +facio semper. things that please him. + +29. *For.* "The word seems to be used as in Luke vii. 47, to indicate the +sign of the truth of the statement made, and not to give the ground of the +fact stated" (Westc.). + +30. Haec illo loquente, multi 30. When he spoke these +crediderunt in eum. things, many believed in him. +31. Dicebat ergo Iesus ad eos, 31. Then Jesus said to those +qui crediderunt ei Iudaeos: Si Jews who believed him: If you +vos manseritis in sermone meo, continue in my word, you shall +vere discipuli mei eritis: be my disciples indeed. + +31. Christ here lays down the test by which His disciples are to be known. +It is only when we accept His words, and conform our works thereto, that +we can be truly said to be His disciples. + +32. Et cognoscetis veritatem, 32. And you shall know the +et veritas liberabit vos. truth, and the truth shall + make you free. + +32. *The truth*; _i.e._, the whole body of revelation. + +33. Responderunt ei: Semen 33. They answered him: We are +Abrahae sumus, et nemini the seed of Abraham, and we +servivimus unquam: quomodo tu have never been slaves to any +dicis: Liberi eritis? man: how sayest thou: You + shall be free? +34. Respondit eis Iesus: Amen, 34. Jesus answered them: Amen, +amen dico vobis: quia omnis amen, I say unto you, that +qui facit peccatum, servus est whosoever committeth sin, is +peccati: the servant of sin. +35. Servus autem non manet in 35. Now the servant abideth +domo in aeternum: filius autem not in the house for ever: but +manet in aeternum: the son abideth for ever: +36. Si ergo vos filius 36. If therefore the son shall +liberaverit, vere liberi make you free, you shall be +eritis. free indeed. + +33-36. To Christ's promise that the truth should make them free, some of +the crowd who remained incredulous, replied that they were never slaves, +to which Christ makes answer that they are the slaves of sin: and only +when the Son of God shall free them, shall they be truly free. Verse 35 is +an illustration drawn from ordinary life. As slaves who displease their +masters may be sold, or expelled from the household, so you who, instead +of serving God, are the slaves of sin, are, and shall remain, excluded +from the household of God here and hereafter. + +37. Scio quia filii Abrahae 37. I know that you are the +estis: sed quaeritis me children of Abraham: but you +interficere, quia sermo meus seek to kill me, because my +non capit in vobis. word hath no place in you. +38. Ego quod vidi apud Patrem 38. I speak that which I have +meum loquor, et vos quae seen with my Father: and you +vidistis apud patrem vestrum, do the things that you have +facitis. seen with your father. + +38. *Your father*; _i.e._, the devil (see verse 44). Others understand +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} as an imperative; do then the works which you have seen with your +father (Abraham). But since the following verse proves that the Jews +understood Christ to speak of another father than Abraham, for this +reason, and because of verse 44, the first interpretation is preferable. +The sense then is: You do the works that you have learned from your father +the devil. + +39. Responderunt, et dixerunt 39. They answered, and said to +ei: Pater noster Abraham est. him: Abraham is our father. +Dicit eis Iesus: Si filii Jesus saith to them: If you be +Abrahae estis, opera Abrahae the children of Abraham, do +facite. the works of Abraham. + +39. *If you be the children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham.* The +Greek is: If you _were_ the (true) children of Abraham, you would do the +works of Abraham. + +40. Nunc autem quaeritis me 40. But now you seek to kill +interficere, hominem qui me, a man who have spoken the +veritatem vobis locutus sum, truth to you, which I have +quam audivi a Deo: hoc Abraham heard of God. This Abraham did +non fecit. not. +41. Vos facitis opera patris 41. You do the works of your +vestri. Dixerunt itaque ei: father. They said therefore to +Nos ex fornicatione non sumus him: We are not born of +nati: unum patrem habemus fornication: we have one +Deum. Father _even_ God. +42. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: Si 42. Jesus therefore said to +Deus pater vester esset, them: If God were your father, +diligeretis utique me: ego you would indeed love me. For +enim ex Deo processi, et veni: from God I proceeded, and +neque enim a me ipso veni, sed came: for I came not of +ille me misit. myself, but he sent me. + +41, 42. Understanding Christ to mean that they were not true Jews, but +idolaters ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} being frequently used of idolatry in the Bible; _e.g._, +Ezech. xvi. 15, foll.; see ii. 4, 5,), they protest that they are not +idolaters, and that they worship but one God. To this Christ replies, that +if they were true children of God, they would love Himself. *I proceeded +and came*, denote respectively the eternal generation, and mission in +time. + +43. Quare loquelam meam non 43. Why do you not know my +cognoscitis? Quia non potestis speech? Because you cannot +audire sermonem meum. hear my word. + +43. The sense is: why do you not understand My discourses ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) on this +and on other occasions? The reason is, because you cannot, you _will not_, +receive My doctrine ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}). What we do not desire to hear, we are slow to +understand. Christ's teaching, so opposed to flesh and blood, so much at +variance with all that the Jews had hoped for from their Messias, they +were very unwilling to accept. "Ideo audire non poterant, quia corrigi +credendo nolebant" (St. August.). + +44. Vos ex patre diabolo 44. You are of _your_ father +estis: et desideria patris the devil, and the desires of +vestri vultis facere. Ille your father you will do. He +homicida erat ab initio, et in was a murderer from the +veritate non stetit: quia non beginning, and he stood not in +est veritas in eo: cum the truth; because truth is +loquitur mendacium, ex not in him. When he speaketh a +propriis loquitur, quia mendax lie, he speaketh of his own: +est, et pater eius. for he is a liar, and the + father thereof. + +44. At last He plainly tells them who their father is. *He was a murderer +from the beginning*, for he tempted Eve, and thus brought death upon the +human race, and he prompted Cain to slay Abel. + +*And he stood not in the truth*; or rather, he _standeth_ not in the truth +(the perfect of this verb having a present signification. See Winer, _Gr. +Gram. N. T._, p. 342(69)), because there is no truth in his nature. St. +Augustine argued from this verse to prove the fall of the rebel angels: +"Ergo in veritate fuit, sed non stando cecidit, et de veritate lapsus +est." But the conclusion is not warranted by this verse, for the true +meaning of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, and the reason given by our Lord for the devil's not +standing in the truth--namely, _because truth is not in him_, show that +there is no reference to the devil as he was before the fall, but only to +his nature and methods since. *Of his own*, _i.e._, in accordance with his +nature. *The father thereof*, namely, of _lying_. We thus, with Beelen, +refer {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} (ejus) to {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (understood). "{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}, scil. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} quae vox +sumi debet ex antegressa {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} in qua veluti continetur" (_Gr. Gram. N. +T._, page 104). + +45. Ego autem si veritatem 45. But if I say the truth, +dico, non creditis mihi. you believe me not. + +45. Instead of "si" (Vulg.) the Greek has {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (quia): because I speak the +truth. + +46. Quis ex vobis arguet me de 46. Which of you shall +peccato? Si veritatem dico convince me of sin? If I say +vobis, quare non creditis the truth to you, why do you +mihi? not believe me? + +46. Christ appeals to His integrity of character and innocence of life; as +if He said: it cannot be My life that prevents you from believing: so that +if My doctrine is true, you have no excuse. + +47. Qui ex Deo est, verba Dei 47. He that is of God, heareth +audit. Propterea vos non the words of God. Therefore +auditis, quia ex Deo non you hear them not, because you +estis. are not of God. + +47. "He assigns the cause of their not believing or obeying His words, +viz., because they are not of God. They are not children of God, sharers +in His spirit; but rather children of the devil, filled with his spirit" +(M'Evilly). + +48. Responderunt ergo Iudaei, 48. The Jews therefore +et dixerunt ei: Nonne bene answered and said to him: Do +dicimus nos quia Samaritanus not we say well that thou art +es tu, et daemonium habes? a Samaritan, and hast a devil? +49. Respondit Iesus: Ego 49. Jesus answered: I have not +daemonium non habeo: sed a devil; but I honour my +honorifico Patrem meum, et vos Father, and you have +inhonorastis me. dishonoured me. + +48, 49. They say to Him that He is a Samaritan, and has a devil. The first +charge He passes over as unworthy of notice; to the second He replies +that, so far from having a devil, He honours His Father, while they +dishonour Himself. On account of His language, strange to them, and His +earnest fervour, they say that He is possessed; and He replies that His +words and manner are due to the fact that He is seeking the glory of His +Father. + +50. Ego autem non quaero 50. But I seek not my own +gloriam meam: est qui quaerat, glory: there is one that +et iudicet. seeketh and judgeth. + +50. But though _you dishonour_ (the Greek has the present in end of 49) +_Me_, I will not seek to avenge the dishonour; the Father will avenge it. +See Deut. xviii. 19. + +51. Amen, amen dico vobis: si 51. Amen, amen, I say to you: +quis sermonem meum servaverit, If any man keep my word, he +mortem non videbit in shall not see death for ever. +aeternum. + +51. In verse 32, He promised freedom, now He promises immortality, to +those that hearken to His words. + +52. Dixerunt ergo Iudaei: Nunc 52. The Jews therefore said: +cognovimus quia daemonium Now we know that thou hast a +habes. Abraham mortuus est, et devil. Abraham is dead, and +prophetae: et tu dicis: Si the prophets: and thou sayest: +quis sermonem meum servaverit, If any man keep my word he +non gustabit mortem in shall not taste death for +aeternum. ever. +53. Numquid tu maior es patre 53. Art thou greater than our +nostro Abraham, qui mortuus father Abraham, who is dead? +est? et prophetae mortui sunt. and the prophets are dead. +Quem teipsum facis? Whom dost thou make thyself? + +52, 53. The Jews accuse Him of preferring Himself to Abraham and the +prophets, to which He replies-- + +54. Respondit Iesus: Si ego 54. Jesus answered: If I +glorifico, meipsum, gloria mea glorify myself, my glory is +nihil est: est Pater meus, qui nothing. It is my Father that +glorificat me, quem vos glorifieth me, of whom you say +dicitis quia Deus vester est. that he is your God. + +54. If I glorify Myself, _let it go for nought_; it is My Father, &c. + +55. Et non cognovistis eum. 55. And you have not known +Ego autem novi eum: et si him, but I know him. And if I +dixero quia non scio eum, ero shall say that I know him not, +similis vobis, mendax. Sed I shall be like to you, a +scio eum, et sermonem eius liar. But I do know him, and +servo. do keep his word. + +55. The Jews knew not the Father as the Father of Christ; moreover, they +knew Him not at all with a practical knowledge so as to serve Him. + +56. Abraham pater vester 56. Abraham your father +exultavit ut videret diem rejoiced that he might see my +meum: vidit, et gavisus est. day: he saw it, and was glad. + +56. *Abraham your father rejoiced*, &c. He leaves it to be inferred that +He, being the object of Abraham's hope and joy, is greater than Abraham, +and still not opposed to him. Our Lord's _day_ here is not the eternal +existence of the Son, nor the day of His death, nor Himself, the day-star +of justice, but the day for which all the ancient just had so long prayed +and sighed: "_drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds +rain the just_" (Is. xlv. 8), the day or time of Christ's mortal life on +earth. *Rejoiced that he might see* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}). Most probably the meaning +is, that Abraham, after God had revealed to him that the Messias was to be +born of his seed, hoped and yearned in joyful confidence that he might see +Christ on earth. *He saw it, and was glad.* It would seem from these words +that Abraham saw in the way in which he had yearned to see. And since he +cannot have yearned to see Christ's day merely by faith, for he already +saw it by faith; hence there must be question here of some other vision. +Mald., A Lap., and most commentators hold that Abraham's mental vision was +elevated by God, so that from limbo he saw and knew that Christ was on +earth just as the angels and saints in heaven know what happens on earth +and in hell. The aorist tenses in the Greek ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}), with their +past definite signification, are not easily reconciled with this view, and +hence others prefer to suppose that there is reference to some very +special revelation made to Abraham during his life on earth, in which he +saw with something more than the vision of ordinary faith the time and +various circumstances of Christ's mortal life (compare Heb. xi. 13). + +57. Dixerunt ergo Iudaei ad 57. The Jews therefore said to +eum: Quinquaginta annos nondum him: Thou art not yet fifty +habes, et Abraham vidisti? years old, and hast thou seen + Abraham? + +57. In saying Christ was not yet fifty years of age, they take an age +about which there could be no dispute, as if they said: at the very +outside Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham? The +common opinion is that Christ died in his thirty-fourth year, though, +strange to say, St. Irenĉus held the singular view that he lived to be +fifty. (Iren., _Adv. Haer._, ii. 39, 40.) + +58. Dixit eis Iesus: Amen, 58. Jesus said to them: Amen, +amen dico vobis, antequam amen, I say to you, before +Abraham fieret, ego sum. Abraham was made, I am. + +58. In verse 56, He spoke of the day of His mortal life, now He declares +His eternity. *Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made* +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, came into being), *I am* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}). + +59. Tulerunt ergo lapides, ut 59. They took up stones +iacerent in eum. Iesus autem therefore to cast at him. But +abscondit se, et exivit de Jesus hid himself, and went +templo. out of the temple. + +59. Understanding Him to claim to be eternal, as He really did, they took +up stones to stone Him, the Law commanding that a blasphemer, as they +accounted Him, should be stoned (Lev. xxiv. 16). But Jesus hid Himself, +most probably rendered Himself invisible, and thus passed out of the +temple, showing us that it is sometimes advisable, and conducive to the +greater glory of God, that we should flee from danger, even when we are +persecuted for God's sake. Many ancient authorities add at the end of this +verse: "And going through the midst of them went His way, and so passed +by;" but more probably the words are a gloss. + + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + + 1-7. *Jesus cures a man born blind.* + + 8-13. *Comments of the man's neighbours, who bring him to the + Pharisees.* + + 14. *It was on the Sabbath day the cure was wrought.* + + 15-23. *Interview between the man and the Pharisees. They refuse + to believe that he had been blind, and summon his parents in order + to ascertain the truth. The parents declare that he had indeed + been born blind.* + + 24-34. *Again therefore the Pharisees interrogate the man himself, + and at length, wincing under his remarks and indignant with him + for his favourable opinion of Jesus, they expel him from their + assembly.* + + 35-38. *Jesus finds him, and now illumines the darkness of his + soul.* + + 39-41. *The blindness of the Pharisees.* + + +1. Et praeteriens Iesus vidit 1. And Jesus passing by, saw a +hominem caecum a nativitate: man who was blind from his + birth. + +1. Some think that the events about to be narrated occurred shortly after +Christ left the temple (viii. 59) and had been rejoined by His disciples, +who are supposed to have left when He disappeared. This view seems to us +more probable than that which places the events about to be narrated on a +different day from those referred to in the close of the preceding +chapter. When we are told that Jesus went out of the temple (viii. 59), +and passing by, saw a man blind from his birth, the natural inference is, +that the Evangelist is speaking of Christ's passing along after He left +the temple. This view is confirmed too by the fact, that *Jesus* should +not be read in this verse, being spurious according to all critics, but +must be supplied from the preceding chapter. + +The man was *blind from his birth*, so that it was no mere passing +affection of the eyes, from which he suffered; and thus the miracle was +the more striking. + +2. Et interrogaverunt eum 2. And his disciples asked +discipuli eius: Rabbi, quis him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, +peccavit, hic, aut parentes this man, or his parents, that +eius, ut caecus nasceretur? he should be born blind? + +2. How the disciples knew the man had been *born blind*, we are not told. +To excite greater compassion, and probably to obtain alms, he may have +been himself proclaiming the fact. It was reasonable enough that the +disciples should think of the sins of the man's parents as the reason why +he was born blind, for God Himself tells us that He is "jealous, visiting +the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth +generation" (Exod. xx. 5). And we know that David was punished by the +death of his child (2 Kings xii. 14). But why should the disciples imagine +that the man might have been born blind on account of _his own_ sins? Some +think that the disciples may have been imbued with the false notions of +the Jews regarding the transmigration of souls, and have thought that this +man's soul had sinned in some previous state of existence, and been +therefore imprisoned in a blind body. But it is unlikely that the +disciples at this time, the third year of our Lord's public life, were +still in such ignorance.(70) Others think that the question means: was he +born blind for some sin which it _was foreseen_ he would commit? Others +think that the question was hastily put without advertence to its +absurdity. Others that the meaning is: was it for his own, or, _since that +is out of the question_, was it for the sin of his parents that this man +was born blind? + +3. Respondit Iesus: Neque hic 3. Jesus answered: Neither +peccavit, neque parentes eius: hath this man sinned, nor his +sed ut manifestentur opera Dei parents; but that the works of +in illo. God should be made manifest in + him. + +3. Christ replies that neither the man himself nor his parents had sinned, +so as to explain his blindness--{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, as a _cause_ why he should be born +blind; but his blindness was ordained, or at least permitted, for the sake +of the miracle which Christ was now about to work. + +4. Me oportet operari opera 4. I must work the works of +eius qui misit me, donec dies him that sent me, whilst it is +est: venit nox, quando nemo day: the night cometh when no +potest operari. man can work. + +4. *Day* is here the span of Christ's mortal life: *night* the time after +death, when Christ was no longer to perform works visibly before men. Of +course, as God, Christ still works, "sustaining all things by the word of +His power" (Heb. i. 3), but of this Divine operation there is no question +here. + +5. Quamdiu sum in mundo, lux 5. As long as I am in the +sum mundi. world, I am the light of the + world. + +5. *The light.* See i. 4, 5. Christ was the spiritual light, and as a +symbol and proof of His office of spiritual light-giver, He was now about +to open the eyes of the blind man to the light of day. + +6. Haec cum dixisset, exspuit 6. When he had said these +in terram, et fecit lutum ex things, he spat on the ground, +sputo, et linivit lutum super and made clay of the spittle, +oculos eius. and spread the clay upon his + eyes. + +6. *He spat on the ground.* Of course such ceremonies as that here +recorded were wholly unnecessary to Christ for effecting the cure. Why He +sometimes used them it is hard to say; perhaps to help to excite the faith +of those who were being cured. "Those who impiously jeer at the use of +ceremonies, and material elements in connection with spiritual effects, +which they symbolize, have a clear refutation in this action, and several +similar actions on the part of our Divine Redeemer for similar effects +(Mark vii. 33; viii. 23)." (McEvilly). + +7. Et dixit ei: Vade, lava in 7. And said to him: Go, wash +natatoria Siloe (quod in the pool of Siloe, which is +interpretatur Missus). Abiit interpreted, Sent. He went +ergo, et lavit, et venit therefore, and washed, and he +videns. came seeing. + +7. St. John interprets for his readers the Hebrew name ({~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}) of the +pool. Some have regarded the interpretation as the gloss of a copyist or +interpreter; but there is practically no authority for doubting that it +was written by St. John. Doubtless the pool bore this name for some mystic +reason; by the natural salubrity of its waters, or by a supernatural +virtue, like Bethesda (v. 2), it may have typified _Him who was sent_ from +God to heal men. The pool which still retains its old name _Birket +Silwan_, is one of the few undisputed sites at Jerusalem. St. Jerome +speaks of the spring which supplied it as situated at the foot of Mount +Sion, and mentions also the intermittent character of the spring. See +Isaiah viii. 6. In another place St. Jerome speaks of Siloe as situated at +"the foot of Mount Moria," so that there is no reason for doubting that +the pool was situated in the valley called Tyropaeon, which separated +Mount Sion from Mount Moria, just where _Birket Silwan_ is still to be +seen. See also Josephus, _Bella Jud._, v. 4. 1. The blind man journeying +towards the pool, with clay upon his eyes, must have attracted the +attention of many, and thus helped to make the miracle more public. That +one born blind, and accustomed to move about Jerusalem, would be able to +find his way to the pool, there is no reason to doubt; in any case there +need be no difficulty raised on this point, as he could probably have +readily found some one willing to guide him. + +8. Itaque vicini, et qui 8. The neighbours therefore, +viderant eum prius quia and they who had seen him +mendicus erat, dicebant: Nonne before that he was a beggar, +hic est qui sedebat et said: Is not this he that sat, +mendicabat? Alii dicebant: and begged? Some said: This is +Quia hic est. he. +9. Alii autem: Nequaquam, sed 9. But others _said_: No, but +similis est ei. Ille vero he is like him. But he said: I +dicebat: Quia ego sum. am he. +10. Dicebant ergo ei: Quomodo 10. They said therefore to +aperti sunt tibi oculi? him: How were thy eyes opened? +11. Respondit: Ille homo qui 11. He answered: That man that +dicitur Iesus, lutum fecit, et is called Jesus, made clay, +unxit oculos meos, et dixit and anointed my eyes, and said +mihi: Vade ad natatoria Siloe, to me: Go to the pool of +et lava, Et abii, et lavi, et Siloe, and wash. And I went, I +video. washed, and I see. + +11. *He answered: That man* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} is the true reading) *that is +called Jesus.* He yet recognises in Christ only a holy man, but refers to +Him as one who was well known and much spoken of. + +12. Et dixerunt ei: Ubi est 12. And they said to him: +ille? Ait: Nescio. Where is he? He saith: I know + not. +13. Adducunt eum ad pharisaeos 13. They bring him that had +qui caecus fuerat. been blind to the Pharisees. + +13. Why they brought him to the Pharisees is not certain; probably in +order to have the facts sifted more closely, and perhaps to have Christ +condemned of violating the Sabbath (verse 14). + +14. Erat autem sabbatum, 14. Now it was the sabbath +quando lutum fecit Iesus, et when Jesus made the clay and +aperuit oculos eius. opened his eyes. +15. Iterum ergo interrogabant 15. Again therefore the +eum pharisaei quomodo Pharisees asked him, how he +vidisset. Ille autem dixit had received his sight. But he +eis: Lutum mihi posuit super said to them: He put clay upon +oculos, et lavi, et video. my eyes, and I washed, and I + see. +16. Dicebant ergo ex 16. Some therefore of the +pharisaeis quidam: Non est hic Pharisees said: This man is +homo a Deo, qui sabbatum non not of God, who keepeth not +custodit. Alii autem dicebant: the sabbath. But others said: +Quomodo potest homo peccator How can a man that is a sinner +haec signa facere? Et schisma do such miracles? And there +erat inter eos. was a division among them. +17. Dicunt ergo caeco iterum: 17. They say therefore to the +Tu quid dicis de illo qui blind man again: What sayest +aperuit oculos tuos? Ille thou of him that hath opened +autem dixit: Quia propheta thy eyes? And he said: He is a +est. prophet. + +16, 17. The Pharisees themselves disagree as to the character of Christ, +and ask the man who had been cured (note how he is still spoken of as +blind, just as in the Blessed Eucharist (vi. 52) the flesh of Christ is +spoken of as bread, not because it is any longer bread, but because of +what it is known to have been shortly before) what he thought of Him who +cured him. His reply is that Christ is a prophet ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} without the +article), a man sent by God; not _the_ Prophet, for he did not yet +recognise Christ as the Messias. + +18. Non crediderunt ergo 18. The Jews then did not +Iudaei de illo quia caecus believe concerning him, that +fuisset et vidisset, donec he had been blind and had +vocaverunt parentes eius qui received his sight, until they +viderat: call the parents of him that + had received his sight. + +18. The Pharisees now doubt the _fact_ of the cure, and send for the man's +parents to inquire if he had indeed been born blind. + +19. Et interrogaverunt eos, 19. And asked them, saying: Is +dicentes: Hic est filius this your son, who you say was +vester, quem vos dicitis quia born blind? How then doth he +caecus natus est? Quomodo ergo now see? +nunc videt? +20. Responderunt eis parentes 20. His parents answered them +eius, et dixerunt: Scimus quia and said: We know that this is +hic est filius noster, et quia our son, and that he was born +caecus natus est: blind. +21. Quomodo autem nunc videat, 21. But how he now seeth, we +nescimus: aut quis eius know not: or who hath opened +aperuit oculos, nos nescimus: his eyes, we know not: ask +ipsum interrogate: aetatem himself; he is of age, let him +habet, ipse de se loquatur. speak for himself. + +19-21. Three questions are put to the parents; to two they reply: that +this is their son, and that he was born blind; but to the third they +return no answer, though, doubtless, they believed their son's account of +the cure. + +22. Haec dixerunt parentes 22. These things his parents +eius, quoniam timebant said, because they feared the +Iudaeos: iam enim Jews: For the Jews had already +conspiraverant Iudaei, ut si agreed among themselves, that +quis eum confiteretur esse if any man should confess him +Christum, extra synagogam to be Christ, he should be put +fieret. out of the synagogue. + +22. *Put out of the synagogue*; that is to say, deprived of all religious +intercourse by a sort of excommunication. + +23. Propterea parentes eius 23. Therefore did his parents +dixerunt: Quia aetatem habet, say: He is of age, ask him. +ipsum interrogate. +24. Vocaverunt ergo rursum 24. They therefore called the +hominem qui fuerat caecus, et man again that had been blind, +dixerunt ei: Da gloriam Deo: and said to him: Give glory to +nos scimus quia hic homo God. We know that this man is +peccator est. a sinner. + +24. The man himself is again interrogated. The words: *Give glory to God* +are a sort of adjuration; as if they said--remember you are in the presence +of God, and speak the truth. See Jos. viii. 19. And yet while, pretending +to be anxious to hear the truth, they tried to overawe the poor man by +declaring that they are convinced already that Christ is an impostor and +sinner. + +25. Dixit ergo eis ille: Si 25. He said therefore to them: +peccator est, nescio: unum If he be a sinner, I know not: +scio, quia caecus cum essem, one thing I know, that whereas +modo video. I was blind, now I see. + +25. *Being blind*, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}. The _present_ part. is used relatively to +the time when he blind. + +26. Dixerunt ergo illi: Quid 26. They said then to him: +fecit tibi: Quomodo aperuit What did he to thee? How did +tibi oculos? he open thy eyes? +27. Respondit eis: Dixi vobis 27. He answered them: I have +iam, et audistis: quid iterum told you already, and you have +vultis audire? numquid et vos heard: why would you hear it +vultis discipuli eius fieri? again? will you also become + his disciples? + +27. *You have heard* (Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}, _You did not heed_). *Will you +also become his disciples?* These words are ironical. The man saw that the +Pharisees were hostile to Jesus, and his natural gratitude towards his +benefactor made him impatient with them. + +28. Maledixerunt ergo ei, et 28. They reviled him +dixerunt: Tu discipulus illius therefore, and said: Be thou +sis: nos autem Moysi discipuli his disciple; but we are the +sumus. disciples of Moses. + +28. *They reviled him* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) *therefore, and said: Be thou that +man's disciple*. + +29. Nos scimus quia Moysi 29. We know that God spoke to +locutus est Deus: hunc autem Moses: but as to this man, we +nescimus unde sit. know not from whence he is. + +29. The meaning is: We know not whether this man is sent by God or the +devil. + +30. Respondit ille homo, et 30. The man answered, and said +dixit eis: In hoc enim to them: Why herein is a +mirabile est quia vos nescitis wonderful thing that you know +unde sit, et aperuit meos not from whence he is, and he +oculos: hath opened my eyes. + +30. *You* is emphatic; you the teachers of God's people! + +31. Scimus autem quia 31. Now we know that God doth +peccatores Deus non audit: sed not hear sinners: but if a man +si quis Dei cultor est, et be a server of God, and doth +voluntatem eius facit, hunc his will, him he heareth. +exaudit. + +31. *Now we know that God doth not hear sinners.* These are the words of +the blind man, and we are not bound to hold that they state what is true: +that they were spoken by the man, the inspired Evangelist tells us; and +the _fact_ that they were spoken is all that is covered by inspiration. +But the words are generally true in the sense in which the context proves +they were used. For God does not generally hear sinners so as to work +miracles at their will; and this is what the words mean. That God never +hears the prayers of sinners, is not stated here, and is not true. + +32. A saeculo non est auditum 32. From the beginning of the +quia quis aperuit oculos caeci world it hath not been heard, +nati. that any man hath opened the + eyes of one born blind. +33. Nisi esset hic a Deo, non 33. Unless this man were of +poterat facere quidquam. God, he could not do anything. + +33. *Anything*; that is to say, such as the miracle performed upon me. + +34. Responderunt, et dixerunt 34. They answered, and said to +ei: In peccatis natus es him: Thou wast wholly born in +totus, et tu doces nos? Et sins, and dost thou teach us? +eiecerunt eum foras. And they cast him out. + +34. *Thou wast wholly born in sins*, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (_totus_); that is to say, +altogether, entirely, as thy blindness proves. And dost thou, steeped from +thy birth in sin and ignorance, presume to teach us, the sainted doctors +of the Law? *And they cast him out.* Some take the sense to be, that they +excommunicated him, but the obvious meaning is, that they drove him from +their presence, wherever it was that they were assembled. + +35. Audivit Iesus quia 35. Jesus heard that they had +eiecerunt eum foras: et cum cast him out: and when he had +invenisset eum, dixit ei: Tu found him, he said to him: +credis in Filium Dei? Dost thou believe in the Son + of God? + +35. Christ as God knew, of course, that the man had been expelled by the +Pharisees; but He waited till He heard it as man, and then went to seek +for and reward the poor fellow, who had so intrepidly defended Him before +them. Instead of *Son of God*, some manuscripts of great authority read +_Son of Man_; but it is more probable that the former is the correct +reading. We may here remark how Christ, who had cured the blindness of the +body without requiring faith now asks for faith in Himself before He will +dispel the deeper darkness of the soul. "Qui fecit te sine te, non +justificat te sine te; fecit nescientem, justificat volentem" (St. Aug., +Serm. 15, _de verbis Apost._). + +36. Respondit ille, et dixit: 36. He answered, and said: Who +Quis est, Domine, ut credam in is he, Lord, that I may +eum? believe in him? + +36. Probably the man recognised the voice of his benefactor, whom he had +not seen until now, and he at once shows himself prepared to do what he +understands Christ's question to suggest. He believed that Christ who had +cured him, and whom he regarded as a prophet, would not deceive him as to +who was really the Son of God. Lord (Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}) ought rather to be +rendered "Sir." It is a term of respect, but does not at all imply that +the man already recognised Christ to be his Lord and God, as is clear from +the context. + +37. Et dixit ei Iesus: Et 37. And Jesus said to him: +vidisti eum, et qui loquitur Thou hast both seen him; and +tecum, ipse est. it is he that talketh with + thee. + +37. *Thou hast both seen.* The meaning is: Thou _seest_ Him, the Greek +perfect having here the force of a present. See 1 John iii. 6. Christ's +reference to the man's _seeing_, was doubtless designed to stimulate his +gratitude, and help him to faith. + +38. At ille ait: Credo Domine. 38. And he said: I believe, +Et procidens adoravit eum. Lord. And falling down he + adored him. + +38. He *adored* Christ as God. Though the word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, which is here +rendered "adored," does not, in our opinion, necessarily imply supreme +worship in the Greek of either the Old or New Testament,(71) still the +context here determines it to that meaning. For Christ had just declared +Himself to be the Son of God, and it is _as such_ the man worships Him. + +39. Et dixit Iesus: In 39. And Jesus said: For +iudicium ego in hunc mundum judgment I am come into this +veni: ut qui non vident world, that they who see not, +videant, et qui vident caeci may see: and they who see, may +fiant. become blind. + +39. *For judgment I am come into this world.* The blind man had recovered +sight in two senses--bodily and spiritual--and Christ, as the occasion +naturally suggested, now goes on to speak of spiritual blindness. Christ's +words here are not contradictory of iii. 17 or viii. 15, because here +there is question of a different judgment. In those passages there is +question of the judgment of _condemnation_, for which Christ did not come +at His first coming; here there is question of the judgment of +_discernment_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), and for this He had come at His first +coming. The sense of the present passage then is: I am come to separate +the good from the bad; to make known who love God, and who do not; to show +and to effect that those who have been regarded as spiritually blind, and +who, indeed, in many cases, have been so, may have the eyes of their souls +opened to the light of truth, while those who have been thought, and who +think themselves, to see (such as you Pharisees), may be shown to be +indeed spiritually blind, and may really _become more blind_, by being +involved in deeper darkness through their own unbelief. This latter +effect--that they should become more blind--was not directly intended by +Christ, but it was foreseen and permitted, and this is enough to justify +Christ's expression: "That they who see may become blind." Compare Rom. v. +20: "Now the law entered in that sin might abound." + +40. Et audierunt quidam ex 40. And some of the Pharisees, +pharisaeis qui cum ipso erant who were with him, heard; and +et dixerunt ei: Numquid et nos they said unto him: Are we +caeci sumus? also blind? +41. Dixit eis Iesus: Si caeci 41. Jesus said to them: If you +essetis, non haberetis were blind, you should not +peccatum: nunc vero dicitis: have sin: but now you say: We +Quia videmus. Peccatum vestrum see. Your sin remaineth. +manet. + +40, 41. The Pharisees ask: *Are we also blind?* and Jesus replies: *If you +were blind, you should not have sin*; that is to say, if you were blind +through invincible ignorance, or, as we prefer to hold, if you were blind +_in your own estimation_, if you _recognised_ your spiritual blindness, +you should not have sin, because I would wipe it out; but now that you +_say_ you see, and rely upon yourselves, your sin remaineth. + + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + + 1-5. *The parable (or rather allegory, see below on verse 1), of + the door of the sheepfold.* + + 6. *The Pharisees understood not the parable.* + + 7-10. *Christ, therefore, applies it.* + + 11-18. *The parable of the Good Shepherd.* + + 19-21. *There was a difference of opinion among the Pharisees + regarding Christ.* + + 22-30. *On another occasion the Pharisees ask Him to tell them + plainly if He is the Christ; to whom He replies that He is, and + the Son of God, one in nature with His Father.* + + 31. *Thereupon they took up stones to stone Him.* + + 32-38. *He defends his language by a quotation from their own + Psaltery.* + + 39-42. *When they sought to take Him prisoner, He escaped from + them, and crossed over to the east side of the Jordan, where many + believed in him.* + + +1. Amen, amen dico vobis: qui 1. Amen, amen, I say to you: +non intrat per ostium in ovile he that entereth not by the +ovium, sed ascendit aliunde, door into the sheepfold, but +ille fur est, et latro. climbeth up another way, the + same is a thief and a robber. + +1. This verse and those that follow down to the end of verse 18, are a +continuation of the discourse directed to the Pharisees, and begun in ix. +39, with which verse this tenth chapter might more correctly have been +commenced. The logical connection of the following parable with the close +of the preceding chapter is not clear. Some, as St. Aug., say that Christ +is proving that the Pharisees were _blind_, else they would recognise Him +as the _door_ through which the true fold must be entered, and as the +_true Shepherd_. Others, as St. Chrys., think that He is replying to a +tacit objection of the Pharisees, to the effect that they refused to +recognise Him, not because they were blind, but because He was an +impostor. + +The parable, taken strictly, is a narrative of a probable but fictitious +_event_, like that relating to the Prodigal Son (Luke xv. 11-32). Where, +as in the present instance, there is continued or prolonged metaphor, +without the description of any event, some would call it an allegory and +not a parable; but we prefer not to interfere with a phrase so familiar as +"the parable of the good Shepherd." It will be noted that we speak of +parables, and not merely of one parable, for we hold that the parable of +Christ as _door_ of the fold is distinct from that of Christ as Shepherd. +Our reasons for this will appear as we proceed. To understand the +grammatical sense of these two parables, we must bear in mind what were +the relations of the shepherd to his sheep in eastern countries, and +especially in Palestine. + +In the Spring of the year the Jewish shepherd conducted his sheep to their +pasture, and there they remained until the end of the following Autumn. At +night they were enclosed in folds, the flocks of several shepherds being +sometimes gathered in the same fold. The fold, open overhead, was +surrounded by a wall, in which there was but one door, at which the +doorkeeper (_ostiarius_) remained through the night, until the shepherd's +return in the morning. A thief, wishing to steal sheep, would, of course, +not attempt to enter by the door, but would climb the wall. On the +shepherd's return in the morning the door of the fold was thrown open by +the doorkeeper, and each shepherd entered and called his own sheep, which, +knowing his voice, followed him to their own pasture. Throughout the whole +day the shepherd remained with them, guarding them from wild beasts and +robbers, and attending to the weak and maimed. Thus his relations with his +sheep were very close and constant indeed, and must be carefully borne in +mind, in order that we may rightly appreciate the full significance of +these beautiful parables. + +*He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold.* If we strip this +language of its metaphorical character, the sense is: that the teacher who +enters not into the Church through Christ as the door, that is to say, by +believing in Christ, is a false teacher, as were therefore, the Scribes +and Pharisees. Christ, then, is the door (see verse 7); the Church is the +sheepfold; and the Scribes and Pharisees, with all such, are the thieves +and robbers who injure their fellow-men, sometimes secretly like thieves, +sometimes with open violence like robbers. That Christ is signified by +"the door," is the view of SS. Aug., Cyril, Bede, Greg., and of A Lap.; +and is, indeed, distinctly stated by Himself, in verse 7, after His +hearers had failed to understand His words. Hence we unhesitatingly reject +the view of Mald. and many others, who take "the door" in verse 1 to be +different from that in verse 7; the latter, they say, being the door of +the _sheep_, Christ Himself; the former the door of the shepherds, which +Mald. understands of _legitimate authority_ to teach. We have no doubt +that the door in both verses is the same, because Christ begins to +explain, in verse 7: "Jesus _therefore_ said to them again" what He had +said in verses 1-5. + +2. Qui autem intrat per 2. But he that entereth in by +ostium, pastor est ovium. the door, is the shepherd of + the sheep. + +2. The sense is that he who entereth by faith in Christ, and by Christ's +authority, is _a_ true shepherd ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, without the article). Such a +pastor is contrasted with the Pharisees who blindly refused to enter by +the only gate. + +3. Huic ostiarius aperit, et 3. To him the porter openeth; +oves vocem eius audiunt, et and the sheep hear his voice: +proprias oves vocat nominatim, and he calleth his own sheep +et educit eas. by name, and leadeth them out. + +3. *To him the porter openeth.* In the higher sense, the porter is not the +Scriptures, nor Christ Himself, but the Holy Ghost. To the true pastor of +souls the Holy Ghost "openeth," by giving him grace to teach and govern +rightly, and by moving the hearts of the faithful to listen to and profit +by his teaching. + +*And leadeth them out.* It is an obvious and familiar principle that in +explaining metaphorical language, we are not to expect resemblance in all +points between the two things which are implicitly compared. If we say +Patrick is a lion, we mean that he has courage or strength; but we do not +mean that he has four legs. Similarly, though the Church is compared to a +sheepfold, it does not follow that because the sheep had to be led outside +the fold in order to find pasture, that therefore the faithful must be +_led outside the Church_ before they can obtain the spiritual food of +their souls. No, the Church is a fold which has its pastures within +itself; and what Christ here declares is that a good pastor does for the +faithful what the shepherd does for the sheep when he leads them forth; +namely, he provides them with proper nourishment. + +4. Et cum proprias oves 4. And when he hath let out +emiserit, ante eas vadit: et his own sheep, he goeth before +oves illum sequuntur, quia them: and the sheep follow +sciunt vocem eius. him, because they know his + voice. + +4. A good pastor not only puts before his people the sound doctrine of +faith, and the right line of duty, but he also goes before them, guiding +and directing them by his example, and is rewarded by their obedience, for +"the sheep follow him," and tread in his footsteps. + +5. Alienum autem non 5. But a stranger they follow +sequuntur, sed fugiunt ab eo: not, but fly from him, because +quia non noverunt vocem they know not the voice of +alienorum. strangers. + +5. The true reading is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, (_will_ not +follow, but _will_ fly), the sense, however, being the same. As the sheep +followed their own shepherd every morning from the fold to their pasture, +and would follow no stranger, so faithful Christians take their spiritual +nourishment from, and are obedient to, only the true pastor. + +6. Hoc proverbium dixit eis 6. This proverb Jesus spoke to +Iesus. Illi autem non them. But they understood not +cognoverunt quid loqueretur what he spoke to them. +eis. + +6. *Proverb.* The Greek word ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) suggests the notion of a saying +that is deep and mysterious and not merely metaphorical. See John xvi. 25, +29. + +7. Dixit ergo eis iterum 7. Jesus therefore said to +Iesus: Amen, amen dico vobis, them again: Amen, amen, I say +quia ego sum ostium ovium. to you, I am the door of the + sheep. + +7. *Jesus therefore said to them again*; _i.e._, _because_ they did not +understand, He explains. As we have said already, we take the door here to +be the same as in verse 1, and the reference in both cases to be to +Christ. Here, however, Christ is spoken of as the door through which the +sheep, there as the door through which the shepherd, entered. But this +need create no difficulty, for as we explained in our preliminary remarks +on verse 1, there was only one door on the ordinary sheepfold, and through +it both sheep and shepherd entered. + +8. Omnes quotquot venerunt, 8. All _others_, as many as +fures sunt et latrones, et non have come, are thieves and +audierunt eos oves. robbers: and the sheep heard + them not. + +8. *All others, as many as ** have come* (many ancient authorities add +"before Me"). The sense is: all others who have come forward before now, +pretending to be the door, the Messias, _are_ thieves and robbers. The +present "_are_" is used to denote the essential character of their nature. +*But* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK KORONIS~}, _at_ not _et_) *the sheep heard them not*; _i.e._, did not +listen to them so as to remain their disciples. Many such impostors +pretending to be the Messias had arisen before this time; such were +Theodas and Judas of Galilee (Acts v. 36, 37); and, after the time of +Christ, Simon Magus, Barchochebas, and others appeared in the same +character. + +9. Ego sum ostium. Per me si 9. I am the door. By me, if +quis introierit, salvabitur: any man enter in, he shall be +et ingredietur, et egredietur, saved: and he shall go in, and +et pascua inveniet. go out, and shall find + pastures. + +9. Christ here declares Himself the door absolutely; and therefore, as we +have held, the door of both sheep and shepherds. He then proceeds to +explain in this verse what this means in reference to the sheep, and in +next verse what it means in reference to the shepherds. *Shall go in and +go out* is a Hebraism (1 Kings xxix. 6; 2 Paral. i. 10; Psalm. cxx. 8), +meaning he shall deal securely, confidently, and freely.(72) + +10. Fur non venit nisi ut 10. The thief cometh not, but +furetur, et mactet, et perdat. for to steal and to kill and +Ego veni ut vitam habeant, et to destroy. I am come that +abundantius habeant. they may have life, and may + have it more abundantly. + +10. In reference to the pastor, he who enters not through Christ (and who +is therefore a thief, verse 1), cometh not but to steal, &c. This verse +effects the transition from Christ as door to Christ as shepherd. He here +sets Himself in opposition to the thief, and so passes on naturally to +another parable in which He speaks of Himself as shepherd. + +11. Ego sum pastor bonus. 11. I am the good shepherd. +Bonus pastor animam suam dat The good shepherd giveth his +pro ovibus suis. life for his sheep. + +11. *I am the good shepherd* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}); that particular shepherd +foretold by the prophets (Ezech. xxxiv. 11, 15, 16, 22, 23; Zach. xi. 17; +Isai. xl. 11). There is no difficulty in the fact that Christ now calls +Himself the shepherd, whereas in the preceding verses He has spoken of +Himself as the door of the sheepfold. For we hold that a new parable +begins in verse 11, and it is obviously open to Christ to use a new +metaphor, in which to express under a new aspect His relations to the +faithful. See xv. 1, where, in the metaphor of the true vine, His +relations with the faithful are set forth under yet another aspect. *The +good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.* This is to be understood, of +Christ, and is the first note of this great Shepherd. + +12. Mercenarius autem et qui 12. But the hireling, and he +non est pastor, cuius non sunt that is not the shepherd, +oves propriae, videt lupum whose own the sheep are not, +venientem, et dimittit oves, seeth the wolf coming, and +et fugit: et lupus rapit, et leaveth the sheep, and flieth: +dispergit oves: and the wolf catcheth, and + scattereth the sheep. + +12. *The hireling* is most probably a pastor who has a divine mission like +the Pharisees (Matt. xxiii. 2) which, however, he abuses for base motives +of self-interest. Such an one, and also he who has no true mission, flieth +at the approach of _any danger_, the particular danger from the wolf being +put to represent danger in general. + +13. Mercenarius autem fugit, 13. And the hireling flieth, +quia mercenarius est, et non because he is a hireling; and +pertinet ad eum de ovibus. he hath no care for the sheep. + +13. The last word of verse 12 and the first three words of verse 13 in the +Vulgate: "Oves: Mercenarius autem fugit," are regarded by many as not +genuine; the remaining portion of verse 13 is to be connected with +"flieth" of verse 12, in case they are omitted. + +14. Ego sum pastor bonus: et 14. I am the good shepherd; +cognosco meas, et cognoscunt and I know mine, and mine know +me meae. me. + +14. Here we have another note of our great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He +knows _every member_ of His flock; not merely the _just_, or the _elect_ +(as Aug., Bede, Ypr., Tol.), and watches over each with special +solicitude. And they, in turn, know Him with the knowledge of faith +accompanied by charity. That there is not question merely of a barren +faith, is proved by the comparison in the next verse between this +knowledge and Christ's. If it be objected that all Christians do not love +Christ, we reply that, _as far as in Him lies_, they do; and the purpose +of the parable is to show Christ's love and solicitude for His sheep, to +show forth what He does for them, not what they do for Him. He knows them, +gathers them into His one fold, saves them by His grace here, and conducts +them to heaven hereafter. What the sheep must do on their part after +entering the fold, is outside the scope of the parable. + +15. Sicut novit me Pater, et 15. As the Father knoweth me, +ego agnosco Patrem: et animam and I know the Father: and I +meam pono pro ovibus meis. lay down my life for my sheep. + +15. Connect with 14: *I know mine, and mine know me, as the Father knoweth +me, and I know the Father.* The knowledge is similar, but not, of course, +equal; just as our perfection can never equal the infinite perfection of +God, though Christ says: "Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father +is perfect." Matt. v. 48. + +*And I lay down my life for my sheep.* Perfect knowledge and sympathy +bring forth the perfect remedy, and Christ's knowledge and love of His +sheep receive their fitting consummation in His sacrifice. The words "I +lay down My life" show that Christ gave up His life freely and voluntarily +(see verse 18); while the closing words of the verse prove the vicarious +character of Christ's sacrifice. + +16. Et alias oves habeo, quae 16. And other sheep I have, +non sunt ex hoc ovili: et that are not of this fold; +illas oportet me adducere, et them also I must bring, and +vocem meam audient, et fiet they shall hear my voice, and +unum ovile, et unus pastor. there shall be one fold and + one shepherd. + +16. Having referred to His death for men, Christ goes on to speak of the +call of the Gentiles, thereby indicating the efficacy of His sacrifice for +all, whether Jews or Gentiles. *And other sheep I have, that are not of +this fold.* The other sheep were those Gentiles who were outside the +Jewish Church, but were to be brought within the Church of Christ, so that +there might be one fold (rather _flock_), and one shepherd. Strictly +speaking, the Gentiles except very few were not yet His sheep, but those +who were to obey the call are spoken of as such by anticipation, and +because in the designs of God it was decreed that they should be +efficaciously called to the faith. *And there shall be one fold and one +shepherd.* The "one fold," or rather "one flock" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}), distinctly +implies the unity of Christ's Church, and the "one shepherd," is Jesus +Christ Himself as invisible head, with the Pope His representative as +visible head.(73) We have therefore three very important declarations in +this verse. (1) The faith was to be preached to the Gentiles; (2) Christ +was to have but one flock composed alike of Jews and Gentiles; (3) that +one flock was to have one supreme visible head. Some, like Mald., think +that the expression "_this_ fold" implies that there was another fold, +that is to say, those who were to be called from among the Gentiles. But +this does not necessarily follow, as the contrast may be, and we believe +is, not between a fold of the Jews and a fold of the Gentiles, but between +the fold of the Jewish Church which excluded the Gentiles, and the fold of +the Christian Church which was to include them. + +17. Propterea me diligit 17. Therefore doth the Father +Pater: quia ego pono animam love me: because I lay down my +meam, ut iterum sumam eam. life that I may take it again. + +17. After the parenthetical statement in verse 16, Christ takes up what He +had said in the end of verse 15, about laying down His life. *Therefore*: +that is to say, because I lay down My life, and so obey Him, the Father +loveth Me. *That I may take it again.* "Ut" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) cannot be taken to +express a purpose here, but means either _so as_, as Mald. holds, or, _on +the condition that_, as Patrizzi. The supreme dominion which Christ here +claims over His own life and death, is a proof of His Divinity. + +18. Nemo tollit eam a me: sed 18. No man taketh it away from +ego pono eam a meipso, et me: but I lay it down of +potestatem habeo ponendi eam: myself, and I have power to +et potestatem habeo iterum lay it down; and I have power +sumendi eam. Hoc mandatum to take it up again. This +accepi a Patre meo. commandment have I received of + my Father. + +18. *No man taketh it away from me; but I lay it down of myself.* Christ +declares that His death would be voluntary, because He would lay down His +life _freely_. But a difficulty here presents itself. How was He free in +laying down His life, if, as He declares, in the end of this same verse, +He had a command from His Father to do so? Surely He was bound not to +disobey that command, and thus bound to die, and so not free in dying? The +difficulty then is to reconcile Christ's freedom in dying with the +Father's command that He should die. Many answers have been given. + +(1) The command of the Father was not really a command or precept, but +only a wish, with which Christ, without sinning, was free not to +correspond. But this answer is commonly rejected by commentators and +theologians, who hold that there was a strict command. Hence:-- + +(2) Christ was commanded to redeem man, but not to die. He could have +redeemed us in many other ways; therefore in choosing death as the way, He +died freely. But it is replied to this that St. Paul tells us that Christ +was _obedient even unto death_ (Phil. ii. 8), thereby implying that His +death was commanded. + +(3) Christ was commanded to die, but was left free as to the manner and +circumstances of His death, and therefore was free as to the actual death +He underwent upon the cross. But it is again replied that St. Paul +declares "He was obedient unto death, even the _death of the cross_" +(Phil. ii. 8). + +(4) De Lugo and others hold that Christ's freedom in dying consisted in +the fact that He could have asked and obtained a dispensation from His +Father. He freely chose not to ask a dispensation; therefore He died +freely. + +(5) Franzelin inclines to the view that the will of the Father was merely +a "beneplacitum," a wish, until Christ freely accepted it, when it became +a command: consequent, however, upon Christ's free acceptance. Thus, in +virtue of this free acceptance, Christ died freely, though having a +command from His Father that He should die. + +(6) Lastly, there is the opinion of Suarez, who explains thus: Christ's +human will had, strictly speaking, the _power_ of resisting the will of +God, and of sinning, and was therefore free: consequently, His human will +was free in accepting the command to die, because, strictly speaking, it +had the power to resist. No doubt this power could never be reduced to act +in our Divine Lord, for the Second Divine Person, in virtue of its +hypostatic union with Christ's humanity, was bound to preserve His human +will from sin by the operation of grace. + +"On account of this perpetual watchfulness on the part of the Second +Divine Person," says A Lap., who adopts this opinion, "the humanity of +Christ is said to be extrinsically impeccable; not that the Divinity took +away the _power_ of sinning (non quod Verbum illam (humanitatem) +praedeterminaret), but that it always supplied the grace, under the +influence of which it was foreseen that Christ's human will would freely +fulfil each precept." This view we prefer; and hence we hold--(1) that +Christ had a _strict command_ from His Father to die; (2) that His human +will had the _power_ to disobey this command, and was consequently free in +accepting death; (3) that the Second Divine Person provided that this +power to disobey could _never be reduced to act_, and hence Christ was +always extrinsically impeccable. + +19. Dissensio iterum facta est 19. A dissension rose again +inter Iudaeos propter sermones among the Jews for these +hos. words. +20. Dicebant autem multi ex 20. And many of them said: He +ipsis: Daemonium habet, et hath a devil, and is mad: why +insanit: quid eum auditis? hear you him? +21. Alii dicebant: Haec verba 21. Others said: These are not +non sunt daemonium habentis; the words of one that hath a +numquid daemonium potest devil: Can a devil open the +caecorum oculos aperire? eyes of the blind? + +19-21. Again, as on previous occasions there was a difference of opinion +among the leaders of the Jews. + +22. Facta sunt autem encaenia 22. And it was the feast of +in Ierosoylmis: et hiems erat. the dedication at Jerusalem; + and it was winter. + +22. A new chapter might well have been begun here. The events and +discourses recorded by the Evangelist, from chapter viii., probably +followed close upon the Feast of Tabernacles (vii. 2). Now the Evangelist +suddenly passes on to the Feast of Purification. During the period of more +than two months that intervened (see above on v. 1), Christ returned to +Galilee (Luke ix. 51; xiii. 22); or, as Patrizzi holds, spent his time in +the country parts of Judea, away from Jerusalem. The Feast of the +Dedication instituted by Judas Maccabeus, about 165 B.C., in memory of the +cleansing of the temple and dedication of the altar of holocausts after +the defeat of the Syrians, was celebrated annually for eight days. The +first day of the feast was the 25th of Casleu, the ninth month of the +Jewish sacred year, which corresponded to the latter part of our November +and the first part of December. See 1 Mach. iv. 59. + +23. Et ambulabat Iesus in 23. And Jesus walked in the +templo, in porticu Salomonis. temple in Solomon's porch. + +23. And because it was winter, Jesus was walking in Solomon's porch. This +was probably a cloister, open on one side, and covered overhead, and +stood, according to Beel. (Comm. on Acts iii. 11), on the eastern side of +the court of the Gentiles. That the Porch of Solomon referred to in 3 +Kings vi. 3; 2 Paral. iii. 4, is not meant here (as Mald. holds), we feel +certain; for that being within the court of the priests, Christ would not +have been permitted by the Jewish priests to approach, much less walk, +there. + +24. Circumdederunt ergo eum 24. The Jews therefore came +Iudaei, et dicebant ei: round about him, and said to +Quousque animam nostram him: How long dost thou hold +tollis? si tu es Christus, dic our souls in suspense? if thou +nobis palam. be the Christ tell us plainly. + +24. *How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense?* The phrase here used +by the Evangelist to record the words of the Jews is a Hebraism (see Exod. +xxxv. 21; Deut. xxiv. 15; Prov. xix. 23). They wished Christ to state +openly that He was their Messias, their King, probably in order that they +might accuse Him before the Roman authorities of treason against Rome. + +25. Respondit eis Iesus. 25. Jesus answered them: I +Loquor vobis, et non creditis: speak to you, and you believe +opera quae ego facio in nomine not: the works that I do in +Patris mei, haec testimonium the name of my Father, they +perhibent de me: give testimony of me. +26. Sed vos non creditis, quia 26. But you do not believe: +non estis ex ovibus meis. because you are not of my + sheep. + +25, 26. He again appeals to His miracles, and upbraids their incredulity. + +27. Oves meae vocem meam 27. My sheep hear my voice: +audiunt: et ego cognosco eas, and I know them, and they +et sequntur me: follow me. + +27. We prefer to understand the *sheep* here, as in verse 14, not of the +just merely, nor of the elect only, but, with A Lap., of all the faithful. +All the faithful hear Christ, so as to _believe_, and in this they are +contrasted with those addressed in the preceding verse, who believe not; +and all too follow Christ so as to imitate His example, _as far as lies in +Him_. + +28. Et ego vitam aeternam do 28. And I give them life +eis: et non peribunt in everlasting; and they shall +aeternum, et non rapiet eas not perish for ever, and no +quisquam de manu mea. man shall pluck them out of my + hand. + +28. In the same sense He gives them life eternal, and they shall not +perish, and (= for) no one can snatch them from His hand. As far as their +salvation depends upon Him, they shall be saved; they may indeed fail to +correspond with His grace, but they shall not perish through His fault. +They may desert Him themselves, but no one shall snatch them from Him. + +29. Pater meus quod dedit 29. That which my Father hath +mihi, maius omnibus est: et given me is greater than all: +nemo potest rapere de manu and no one can snatch _them_ +Patris mei. out of the hand of my Father. +30. Ego et Pater unum sumus. 30. I and the Father are one. + +29, 30. He proves that no one shall snatch them from Him. No one shall +snatch them from the Father (_who_ is greater and more powerful than all). +But I and the Father are one in nature and power; therefore no one shall +snatch them from Me. This is the argument in the more probable Greek +reading, and is more natural than that afforded by the Vulgate. We would +read then instead of the present Vulgate text in verse 29: "Pater meus +_qui_ dedit mihi _major_ omnibus est," &c.(74) Note that the unity with +the Father to which Christ here lays claim is not a _moral_ union, but a +unity of _nature and power_, else the proof of His statement that no one +could snatch His sheep from His hands would not be valid. + +31. Sustulerunt ergo lapides 31. The Jews then took up +Iudaei, ut lapidarent eum. stones to stone him. + +31. See above on viii. 59. + +32. Respondit eis Iesus: Multa 32. Jesus answered them: Many +bona opera ostendi vobis ex good works I have shewed you +Patre meo, propter quod eorum from my Father; for which of +opus me lapidatis? those works do you stone me? + +32. *For which of those works do you stone me?* _i.e._, wish to stone +Me.(75) + +33. Responderunt ei Iudaei: De 33. The Jews answered him: For +bono opere non lapidamus te, a good work we stone thee not, +sed de blasphemia; et quia tu but for blasphemy; and because +homo cum sis, facis teipsum that thou, being a man, makest +Deum. thyself God? +34. Respondit eis Iesus: Nonne 34. Jesus answered them: Is it +scriptum est in lege vestra not written in your law: _I +quia: Ego dixi, dii estis? said you are gods_? + +34. To the charge of blasphemy Christ replies, and His reply has been +often urged by Arians and Unitarians to show that He did not claim to be +the natural Son of God, but merely meant to call Himself God in some +improper sense, analogous to that in which the Sacred Scriptures sometimes +speak of judges, who were merely men, as gods. + +The sense of verse 34 is: men are called gods in your own law, the +reference being to Psalm lxxxi. 6. + +35. Si illos dixit deos, ad 35. If he called them gods, to +quos sermo Dei factus est, et whom the word of God was +non potest solvi scriptura: spoken, and the scripture + cannot be broken; +36. Quem Pater sanctificavit, 36. Do you say of him, whom +et misit in mundum, vos the Father hath sanctified and +dicitis: Quia blasphemas, quia sent into the world: Thou +dixi, Filius Dei sum. blasphemest, because I said, I + am the Son of God? + +35, 36. While all Catholic commentators and theologians contend that +Christ does not in these two verses withdraw His claim to true Divinity, +yet they differ as to the sense of His reply, and hence as to the +interpretation of the verses. + +(1) Some, as Franzelin, hold that Christ here proves both that He is God, +and that He has a right to call Himself God. The argument then is +according to these: if your judges could be called gods, even in an +improper sense, how much more _in the strictest sense_ can He be called +and is He God, whom the Father generated _holy with His own holiness_, and +sent into the world? + +(2) Others, as Maran, Jungmann, &c., explain the argument here from the +context in the 81st Psalm. Christ, they say, reasons thus. If men could be +called gods, as they are in Sacred Scripture (and the Sacred Scripture +cannot be gainsaid), how much more, in a strict sense, can He be called +God, and is He God, whom the same Scriptures address in the 8th verse of +the same 81st Psalm: "Arise, _O God_, judge Thou the earth, for Thou shalt +inherit among the nations"? + +(3) Others hold that Christ in these two verses does not insist upon the +_nature_ of His Sonship, but contents Himself with showing that He has a +right to _call_ Himself God; then in the following verses He shows that He +is God in the strictest sense. In this view Christ prescinds in these +verses from the sense in which He is God, and shows that _in some sense_, +as the legate of the Father, He has a right to be called God. This was +sufficient for the moment to shut the mouths of His adversaries. Whether +He is God in the truest and strictest sense, or only in an improper sense, +He does not here insist, though His language shows that even in these +verses He speaks of Himself as truly God. For the argument shows that in +concluding, in verse 36, that He has a right to call Himself "Son of God," +He means to justify his original statement: "I and the Father are one" +(verse 30); but these statements are synonymous, and the one justifies the +other only when there is question of natural Sonship. No merely adopted +son of God could say that He is one with the Father. + +Any of these answers solves the objection drawn from these verses against +Christ's Divinity; but we prefer the last, and hold, therefore, that +Christ first proves against the Pharisees that He has a right to _call_ +Himself God, and then goes on to show in what sense He is God. + +37. Si non facio opera Patris 37. If I do not the works of +mei, nolite credere mihi. my Father, believe me not. +38. Si autem facio, et si mihi 38. But if I do, though you +non vultis credere, operibus will not believe me, believe +credite, ut cognoscatis et the works: that you may know +credatis quia Pater in me est, and believe that the Father is +et ego in Patre. in me, and I in the Father. + +37, 38. He appeals to His miracles as a proof that He is God in the +strictest sense. See notes on iii. 2. *That the Father is in me, and I in +the Father.* According to the fathers, this is a statement in other words +of what He said above: "I and the Father are one." "The Son," says St. +Augustine on this verse, does not say: "The Father is in Me, and I in Him, +in the sense in which men who think and act aright may say the like; +meaning that they partake of God's grace, and are enlightened by His +Spirit. The Only-begotten Son of God is in the Father, and the Father in +Him, as an equal in an equal." + +39. Quaerebant ergo eum 39. They sought therefore to +apprehendere: et exivit de take him; and he escaped out +manibus eorum. of their hands. + +39. *They sought therefore to take him.* These words prove that His +hearers did not understand Christ to retract what He had said. + +40. Et abiit iterum trans 40. And he went again beyond +Iordanem, in eum locum ubi the Jordan into that place +erat Ioannes baptizans primum: where John was baptizing +et mansit illic. first: and there he abode. + +40. He went again to Bethania beyond the Jordan. See above on i. 28. The +name of Bethania must have been dear to our Evangelist, because it was +probably in its neighbourhood he had first met his heavenly Master. + +41. Et multi venerunt ad eum, 41. And many resorted to him, +et dicebant: Quia Ioannes and they said: John indeed did +quidem signum fecit nullum. no sign. + +41. *John indeed did no sign.* This remark is of great importance as +showing how little tendency there was to invest great and popular teachers +with miraculous powers. And yet the Rationalists will have us believe that +our Lord's miracles were all a popular delusion! + +42. Omnia autem quaecumque 42. But all things whatsoever +dixit Ioannes de hoc, vera John said of this man were +erant. Et multi crediderunt in true. And many believed in +eum. him. + +42. *And many believed in him.* Most authorities add the note of place +_there_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}), as if the Evangelist wished to bring out into bolder +relief the incredulity of the Jews (verse 39), by contrasting it with the +faith of those beyond the Jordan. + + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + + 1-3. *The illness of Lazarus is made known to Christ.* + + 4-10. *After the lapse of two days, Christ proposes to return to + Judea; the disciples try to dissuade Him.* + + 11-16. *Before setting out, He declares that Lazarus is dead.* + + 17-32. *On Christ's approach He is met by the sisters of Lazarus, + and many Jews.* + + 33-44. *Having groaned in the spirit, wept, and returned thanks to + His Father, He raises Lazarus from the dead.* + + 45-53. *Many believed in Him on account of the miracle, but the + chief priests and Pharisees forthwith resolved on putting Him to + death.* + + 54-56. *Jesus retired from the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and the + chief priests and Pharisees gave orders, that anyone knowing where + He was, should inform upon Him, in order that He might be + arrested.* + + +1. Erat autem quidam languens 1. Now there was a certain man +Lazarus a Bethania, de sick named Lazarus, of +castello Mariae et Marthae Bethania, of the town of Mary +sororis eius. and of Martha her sister. + +1. "The narrative of the raising of Lazarus is unique in its completeness. +The essential circumstances of the fact in regard to persons, manner, +results, are given with perfect distinctness. The history is more complete +than that in chapter ix., because the persons stand in closer connection +with the Lord than the blind man, and the event itself had in many ways a +ruling influence on the end of His ministry. Four scenes are to be +distinguished:--(1) the prelude to the miracle (1-16); (2) the scene at +Bethany (17-32); (3) the miracle (33-44); (4) the immediate issues of the +miracle (45-57)" (Westcott in the Speakers Comm.). + +*Bethania.* This _village_ lay nearly two miles east of Jerusalem; see +verse 18, and our remarks on vi. 19. To prevent the reader from +confounding it with Bethania beyond the Jordan (i. 28), the Evangelist +adds that he means the village of Mary and of Martha her sister, who are +supposed to be already known to the reader from the Synoptic Gospels. See, +_e.g._, Luke x. 38-42. Bethania is spoken of as their village, not because +they owned it, but because they resided there, just as Bethsaida is called +the city of Andrew and Peter (i. 44). In this village, then, Lazarus was +_seriously_ ill ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}; see James v. 14). + +2. (Maria autem erat, quae 2. (And Mary was she that +unxit Dominum unguento, et anointed the Lord with +extersit pedes eius capillis ointment and wiped his feet +suis: cuius frater Lazarus with her hair: whose brother +infirmabatur.) Lazarus was sick.) + +2. The Greek aorist ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) shows that the reference is to some +unction that had already taken place, and not to that which happened +subsequently, and which is narrated by our Evangelist (xii. 3; Matt. xxvi. +7; Mark xiv. 3). The unction here referred to we take to be that recorded +by St. Luke (vii. 37, 38); and hence, notwithstanding their apparently +different characters, we regard Mary the sister of Lazarus (xi. 2) as +identical with "the woman who was a sinner in the city" (Luke vii. 37). +For St. John in the words: "Mary was she that anointed the Lord," &c., +certainly seems to speak of an unction already known to his readers, and +the only unction of Christ, as far as is known, that had taken place +before this illness of Lazarus, is that recorded by St. Luke in the +passage referred to. In this view, then, our Lord was _twice_ anointed by +a woman; on the first occasion in the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luke +vii. 40, 46), probably in Galilee (see Luke vii. 11), as recorded by St. +Luke vii. 37, 38; on the second occasion at Bethania, in Judea, in the +house of Simon the leper (Matt. xxvi. 6), as recorded by Matthew, Mark, +and John (J. xii. 3). As the present verse proves that Mary, the sister of +Lazarus, had already anointed our Lord: and as John xii. 3, with its +context, proves that the same sister of Lazarus again anointed Him on a +subsequent occasion, we hold that the only woman referred to in the +Gospels as having anointed the living body of our Lord, is Mary, the +sister of Lazarus; and that she did so on _two_ different occasions. Thus, +as already stated, we identify Luke's "sinner in the city" with the sister +of Lazarus. If it be objected that the contemplative character of the +sister of Lazarus (Luke x. 38-42), and the close friendship of Jesus with +her and her family (John xi. 3, 5), forbid us to regard her as identical +with the woman who had once been "a sinner in the city," we reply that +Mary, converted in the beginning of our Lord's public life, had now for +some years led an edifying life of penance. As a sinner she had lived in +some city of Galilee, far away from home, whither she may have gone with +some lover whom she met at Jerusalem at one of the great festivals; now +she lived with her brother at Bethania, in Judea, where possibly her +former sinful life may have been unknown, so that there was no danger of +scandal in Christ's friendship with herself and her family. To those who, +like Steenkiste (_Comm. on Matt. Quaes._ 678, _conclusio_), have "a deep- +rooted repugnance" to believing that the sister of Lazarus had ever been a +public sinner, we would recall the fact that there are many sinners in +heaven to-day enjoying the society of God after a far shorter penance than +we require to suppose in the case of the sister of Lazarus, before she +began to enjoy the friendship of Christ. Our Divine Lord's tenderness and +mercy towards sinners are written on every page of the Gospels, and the +only real difficulty here is that to which we have already replied, +arising from the danger of scandal, through our Lord's associating with +such a woman. + +Thus far we have spoken only of "the sinner," and the sister of Lazarus; +but there is a further question, whether Mary Magdalen (Luke viii. 2; +Matt. xxvii. 56, 61; Matt. xxviii. 1; John xx. 1, &c.) and they are all +three, one and the same person. We believe it to be more probable that +they are. The more common opinion among the fathers identifies the three; +from the sixth till the seventeenth century their identity was +unquestioned in the Western Church; and our Roman Breviary and Missal +still identify them on the Feast of St. Mary Magdalen, the 22nd of July. +So, too, Tertull., Gregory the Great, Mald., Natal-Alex., Mauduit, M'Ev., +Corluy. + +We have stated what we consider the most probable view--that Christ was +twice anointed during His public life, and on both occasions by the same +person, the sister of Lazarus, who is identical with "the sinner" and +Magdalen. It is right, however, that we should add, that there is great +diversity of opinion, even among Catholic commentators. Some have held +that there were three different unctions, others that there was only one. +Some have held that the sister of Lazarus, "the sinner," and Magdalen are +all three distinct; others, that at least the sister of Lazarus and the +sinner are distinct; and among those who will not admit the identity of +all three are found such able commentators as St. Chrys., Estius, Calmet, +Beelen. In such a case, where the Scriptures are obscure, where the +fathers disagree, where commentators are so divided, and the Greek Church, +which celebrates three different feasts for the three women, _seems_ (we +say _seems_, because the different feasts might possibly be celebrated in +honour of the same woman) to differ from the Latin, it is hard to attain +to anything more than probability, and we have set forth above what, after +a very careful examination of the whole question, seems to us most +probable. See Corl., _Dissert._, p. 263 and foll.; Mald. on Matt. xxvi. 6, +7, and xxvii. 56; Steenk. on Matt. _Quaes._ 678. + +3. Miserunt ergo sorores eius 3. His sisters therefore sent +ad eum, dicentes: Domine, ecce to him, saying: Lord, behold, +quem amas infirmatur. he whom thou lovest is sick. + +3. They merely announce their trouble through a messenger, and in hopeful +confidence leave the remedy to Jesus. "Sufficit ut noveris: non enim amas +et deseris" (St. Aug. on this verse). + +4. Audiens autem Iesus dixit 4. And Jesus hearing it, said +eis: Infirmitas haec non est to them: This sickness is not +ad mortem, sed pro gloria Dei, unto death, but for the glory +ut glorificetur Filius Dei per of God: that the Son of God +eam. may be glorified by it. + +4. *And Jesus hearing it, said to them* ("to them" (_eis_) is not +genuine): *This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God: that +the Son of God may be glorified by it.* The words of Christ were obscure +until the miracle threw light upon them. They mean that the sickness of +Lazarus was not to end in _ordinary_ death, for ordinary death is the end +of mortal life, whereas Lazarus was to live again a mortal life. The +sickness and death of Lazarus were intended to show forth the Divine power +of Jesus in the miracle to be wrought. + +5. Diligebat autem Iesus 5. Now Jesus loved Martha and +Martham, et sororem eius her sister Mary, and Lazarus. +Mariam, et Lazarum. + +5. Some connect this verse with what has gone before, as giving the reason +why the sisters of Lazarus informed Jesus of the illness of His friend. +But it is better to connect with what follows in this way. Jesus loved +Lazarus, and therefore when He had remained in the same place two days, +then He said: Let us go into Judea again, as if He were unable to remain +any longer away from His friend. Thus it is not merely His return to +Judea, but His return after two days, that proves His friendship. Had He +returned sooner, the miracle of the raising of Lazarus would have been +less striking, and would not have afforded to Martha and Mary such a +powerful motive of faith. See below on verse 15. + +The passing notice here of a friendship that must have been the result of +long and intimate intercourse shows us how incomplete are the Gospel +records. It is very interesting to notice how in this verse St. John +refers to the love of Jesus for Lazarus and his sisters by a different +word from that used by the sisters in verse 3. Instead of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, which +expresses the affection of personal attachment, St. John, now that there +is question of the love of Jesus not only for Lazarus but also for his +sisters, uses {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, which expresses rather esteem than love, rather a +reasoning appreciation than a heartfelt attachment. See below on xxi. +15-17, where the contrast between the two words is most marked. + +6. Ut ergo audivit quia, 6. When he had heard therefore +infirmabatur, tunc quidem that he was sick, he still +mansit in eodem loco duobus remained in the same place two +diebus. days. +7. Deinde post haec dixit 7. Then after that he said to +discipulis suis: Eamus in his disciples: Let us go into +Iudaeam iterum. Judea again. +8. Dicunt ei discipuli: Rabbi, 8. The disciples say to him: +nunc quaerebant te Iudaei Rabbi, the Jews but now sought +lapidare, et iterum vadis to stone thee: and goest thou +illuc? thither again? + +8. The disciples, fearing for His safety and for their own (see verse 16, +where Thomas takes it for granted that return to Judea meant death to Him +and them), try to dissuade Him from returning. + +9. Respondit Iesus: Nonne 9. Jesus answered: Are there +duodecim sunt horae diei? Si not twelve hours of the day? +quis ambulaverit in die, non If a man walk in the day, he +offendit, quia lucem huius stumbleth not, because he +mundi videt: seeth the light of this world. + +9. The meaning is: just as a man walks safely and without stumbling during +the period of daylight, which is a fixed period that cannot be shortened: +so, during the time appointed for My mortal life by My Father, I am safe, +and so are you. + +10. Si autem ambulaverit in 10. But if he walk in the +nocte offendit, quia lux non night he stumbleth, because +est in eo. the light is not in him. + +10. But after the time of My mortal life, then, indeed, _you_ may expect +persecution and suffering; for when I am gone, you shall be as men walking +after the sun's light has gone down. + +11. Haec, ait, et post haec 11. These things he said: and +dixit eis: Lazarus amicus after that he said to them: +noster dormit: sed vado ut a Lazarus our friend sleepeth; +somno excitem eum. but I go that I may awake him + out of sleep. +12. Dixerunt ergo discipuli 12. His disciples therefore +eius: Domine, si dormit, said: Lord, if he sleep, he +salvus erit. shall do well. +13. Dixerat autem Iesus de 13. But Jesus spoke of his +morte ejus: illi autem death; and they thought that +putaverunt quia de dormitione he spoke of the repose of +somni diceret. sleep. +14. Tunc ergo Iesus dixit eis 14. Then therefore Jesus said +manifeste: Lazarus mortuus to them plainly: Lazarus is +est: dead; + +11-14. Jesus declares of His own Divine knowledge (there is no hint of a +second message) that Lazarus sleeps. The disciples fail to understand, and +He explains. + +15. Et gaudeo propter vos, ut 15. And I am glad for your +credatis, quoniam non eram sakes, that I was not there, +ibi; sed eamus ad eum. that you may believe: but let + us go to him. + +15. Jesus rejoices that He was not with Lazarus, in which case His tender +mercies would have led Him to prevent the death of Lazarus, and He +rejoices for the sake of His disciples, inasmuch as a new and powerful +motive to _strengthen_ their faith would now be afforded them in the +miracle to be wrought. + +16. Dixit ergo Thomas, qui 16. Thomas therefore, who is +dicitur Didymus, ad called Didymus, said to his +condiscipulos: Eamus et nos, fellow-disciples: Let us also +ut moriamur cum eo. go, that we may die with him. + +16. See verse 8. *Thomas*, Aramaic {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}, means a twin, the Greek +equivalent being Didymus. The Greek equivalent is again mentioned after +the name in xx. 24, xxi. 2. Possibly Thomas was commonly known in Asia +Minor as Didymus. + +17. Venit itaque Iesus: et 17. Jesus therefore came and +invenit eum quatuor dies iam found that he had been four +in monumento habentem. days already in the grave. + +17. *Four days.* The day of the messenger's arrival would probably be the +first day: two other days our Lord remained in Peraea after He had +received the news, and one more He would be likely to spend in the journey +to Bethania. Dying upon the first day, Lazarus, according to the custom of +the Jews, that burial should immediately follow on death (see, _e.g._, +Acts v. 6, 10), had been buried on that same day, as a comparison of this +verse with 39 clearly proves. + +18. (Erat autem Bethania iuxta 18. (Now Bethania was near +Ierosolyman quasi stadiis Jerusalem, about fifteen +quindecim.) furlongs off.) + +18. See above on verse 1, and especially on vi. 19. + +19. Multi autem ex Iudaeis 19. And many of the Jews were +venerant ad Martham et Mariam, come to Martha and Mary, to +ut consolarentur eas de fratre comfort them concerning their +suo. brother. + +19. *The Jews*, whom our Evangelist always carefully distinguishes from +the "turba," or lower class, were leading men among the people; so that it +appears from this that the family of Lazarus had a good social standing. + +20. Martha ergo ut audivit 20. Martha therefore, as soon +quia Iesus venit, occurrit as she heard that Jesus was +illi: Maria, autem domi come, went to meet him; but +sedebat. Mary sat at home. +21. Dixit ergo Martha ad 21. Martha therefore said to +Iesum: Domine si fuisses hic, Jesus: Lord, if thou hadst +frater meus non fuisset been here, my brother had not +mortuus: died. +22. Sed et nunc scio quia 22. But now also I know that +quaecumque poposceris a Deo, whatsoever thou wilt ask of +dabit tibi Deus. God, God will give it thee. + +22. Even still she has hope that He may intercede with God to restore life +to her brother. + +23. Dicit illi Iesus: Resurget 23. Jesus saith to her: Thy +frater tuus. brother shall rise again. + +23. In words, purposely ambiguous, and meant to try her faith, Jesus +assures her that her brother shall rise again. + +24. Dicit ei Martha: Scio quia 24. Martha saith to him: I +resurget in resurrectione in know that he shall rise again +novissimo die. in the resurrection at the + last day. + +24. Understanding Him to speak of the final resurrection, or at least +wishing to force Him to explain, she says: *I know*, &c. Note how Martha's +words prove the faith of the Jews of that time in the resurrection of the +body. + +25. Dixit ei Iesus: Ego sum 25. Jesus said to her: I am +resurrectio et vita: qui the resurrection and the life: +credit in me, etiam si mortuus he that believeth in me +fuerit, vivet: although he be dead, shall + live. +26. Et omnis qui vivit et 26. And every one that liveth, +credit in me, non morietur in and believeth in me shall not +aeternum. Credis hoc? die for ever. Believest thou + this? + +25, 26. Christ avails of this occasion to perfect her faith, and in the +beautiful and consoling words which we read in the antiphon of the +_Benedictus_ in the Office for the Dead, declares that He Himself by His +own power, and not merely by supplication to the Father, as she imagined +(verse 22), is the author of our resurrection and life. In the following +words He explains what He means. He who believes in Me, and dies in the +living faith, which worketh by charity, even though he be _corporally_ +dead, like Lazarus, shall live again a glorious life, even in his body; +and everyone who is living _in the body_, and so believeth shall never +die, because though he shall indeed pass through the gates of death, I +shall quicken him again to a better life so that he may be said rather to +have slept than died.(76) If this interpretation of the words, "shall +never die," seem to anyone strained, he may take them in reference to the +death of the soul; but as there is question in the context of the raising +of the _body_ of Lazarus, we consider the opinion we have adopted more +probable. In these verses, then, Jesus declares Himself the resurrection +and the life; the resurrection of the _dead_, the enduring life of the +_living_. So that verse 25 encourages Martha to hope to have Lazarus +restored to her, and verse 26 warns her to look to herself, in order that +she may live for ever. + +27. Ait illi: Utique Domine, 27. She saith to him: Yea, +ego credidi quia tu es Lord, I have believed that +Christus Filius Dei vivi, qui thou art Christ the Son of the +in hunc mundum venisti. living God, who art come into + this world. +28. Et cum haec dixisset, 28. And when she had said +abiit, et vocavit Mariam, these things, she went, and +sororem suam silentio, dicens: called her sister Mary +Magister ad est, et vocat te. secretly, saying: The master + is come and calleth for thee. +29. Illa ut audivit, surgit 29. She, as soon as she heard +cito, et venit ad eum. _this_, riseth quickly and + cometh to him. +30. Nondum enim venerat Iesus 30. For Jesus was not yet come +in castellum: sed erat adhuc into the town; but he was +in illo loco ubi occurrerat ei still in that place where +Martha. Martha had met him. +31. Iudaei ergo qui erant cum 31. The Jews therefore who +ea in domo, et consolabantur were with her in the house and +eam, cum vidissent Mariam quia comforted her, when they saw +cito surrexit et exiit, secuti Mary that she rose up speedily +sunt eam dicentes: Quia vadit and went out, followed her, +ad monumentum ut ploret ibi. saying: She goeth to the + grave, to weep there. +32. Maria ergo, cum venisset 32. When Mary therefore was +ubi erat Iesus, videns eum, come where Jesus was, seeing +cecidit ad pedes eius, et him, she fell down at his +dicit ei: Domine, si fuisses feet, and saith to him: Lord, +hic, non esset mortuus frater if thou hadst been here, my +meus. brother had not died. + +27-32. To Christ's question, if she believed what He had said of Himself +as the resurrection and the life, she replies that she believes(77) Him to +be the Messias, the Son of God, and so she implicitly believes in +everything He teaches, even though, as was probably the case now, she did +not quite understand. Then she goes home, and secretly calls her sister +Mary, who hurries out to meet Jesus. The Jews, thinking Mary went out to +weep at the tomb of Lazarus, follow her, and she and they come to the +place where Jesus still remained outside the village. Mary repeats almost +the exact words which Martha had used on meeting Jesus. + +33. Iesus ergo, ut vidit eam 33. Jesus therefore, when he +plorantem, et Iudaeos qui saw her weeping, and the Jews +venerant cum ea, plorantes, that were come with her, +infremuit spiritu, et turbavit weeping, groaned in the +seipsum. spirit, and troubled himself. + +33. The word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} which we translate *groaned*, is far more +expressive of indignation than of grief. So Tolet., Beel., Trench, &c. +Christ's indignation on the present occasion was on account of sin which +brought death upon Lazarus and the whole human race, or rather perhaps on +account of the incredulity of the Jews, which made this miracle and the +sorrow consequent upon the death of Lazarus necessary. + +*Troubled himself.* These words imply Christ's supreme control over the +passions of His human nature. + +34. Et dixit: Ubi posuistis 34. And said: Where have you +eum? Dicunt ei: Domine, veni, laid him? They say to him: +et vide. Lord, come and see. + +34. He knew well, but probably wished to excite their faith and hope by +the question. + +35. Et lacrymatus est Iesus. 35. And Jesus wept. + +35. Truly this is a touching scene! The Lord of heaven weeps over the +grave of His departed friend. In no other part of the Gospels are the +human and Divine sides of our Blessed Lord's character more clearly +brought out than in this beautiful story of the raising of Lazarus. Christ +as man weeps over him, whom He is about as God to raise from the dead. + +36. Dixerunt ergo Iudaei: Ecce 36. The Jews therefore said: +quomodo amabat eum. Behold how he loved him. +37. Quidam autem ex ipsis 37. But some of them said: +dixerunt: Non poterat hic, qui Could not he that opened the +aperuit oculos caeci nati, eyes of the man born blind, +facere ut hic non moreretur? have caused that this man + should not die? +38. Iesus ergo rursum fremens 38. Jesus therefore again +in semetipso, venit ad groaning in himself, cometh to +monumentum: erat autem the sepulchre: Now it was a +spelunca: et lapis cave; and a stone was laid +superpositus erat ei. over it. + +38. Caves were the usual family vaults of the Jews, sometimes natural, +sometimes artificial and hollowed out of a rock. See Gen. xxiii. 9; Judith +xvi. 24; Isai. xxii. 26; John xix. 41. + +39. Ait Iesus: Tollite 39. Jesus saith: Take away the +lapidem: Dicit ei Martha, stone. Martha, the sister of +soror eius qui mortuus fuerat: him that was dead, saith to +Domine, iam foetet, him: Lord, by this time he +quatriduanus est enim. stinketh, for he is now of + four days. + +39. Martha evidently imagined that Jesus wished merely to see her +brother's corpse, and she shudders at the thought of its being exposed, +now decomposing, to the gaze of the crowd. Her words and Christ's reply, +both show that she did not _now_ hope that Jesus could raise her brother +who was four days dead. + +A little before indeed she had hoped for even this (verse 22); but now her +faith began to waver. "Habuit ergo alternantes motus gratiae et naturae, +fidei et diffidentiae, spei et desperationis de resurrectione Lazari" (A +Lap.). + +From this verse we learn that Lazarus was four days dead; from verse 17 +that he was four days in the grave; hence he must have been buried on the +day he died. + +40. Dicit ei Iesus: Nonne dixi 40. Jesus saith to her: Did +tibi quoniam si credideris, not I say to thee, that if +videbis gloriam Dei? thou believe, thou shalt see + the glory of God? + +40. Christ's reply shows that Martha's faith was now imperfect. *Did I not +say to thee, that if thou believe, thou shalt see the glory of God?* Where +He had said these exact words to her is not recorded, but the reference is +probably to what was said to the messenger and reported by him to the +sisters of Lazarus (4), or to the discourse with Martha, epitomized above +(23-26). By the "glory of God" is meant the glorious power of God. + +41. Tulerunt ergo lapidem: 41. They took therefore the +Iesus autem elevatis sursum stone away. And Jesus lifting +oculis, dixit: Pater gratias up his eyes said: Father, I +ago tibi quoniam audisti me: give thee thanks that thou + hast heard me. + +41. The stone that closed the mouth of the cave was removed, and Jesus +raising His eyes to heaven returns thanks to His Father. As man He returns +thanks for the power which He was about to manifest; and He does so before +the event, so confident is He that Lazarus will start at His call. Jesus +did not enter the sepulchre; if He had entered, our Evangelist who records +all the circumstances so minutely would have mentioned the fact. It is +hardly necessary to remark upon the absurd explanation of Paulus and +Gabler, to the effect that Jesus alone looked into the sepulchre, or alone +entered it, and to His surprise found Lazarus alive; that He then returned +thanks to God that Lazarus was not dead, and told Lazarus to come out of +the sepulchre. For that Christ did not enter the sepulchre, is clear from +what has been already stated, as well as from His words, "Come forth," +which imply that He was outside. That He alone looked into the sepulchre, +is incredible; for we may be sure that the natural curiosity of the crowd +assembled, led many of them to look into the sepulchre. Is it likely too, +that if Jesus on looking into the sepulchre saw His friend alive, He would +coolly begin to return thanks to God, and then quietly tell Lazarus to +come out? He should have been more than man, which our adversaries will +not admit Him to have been, to preserve such coolness in such +circumstances. + +42. Ego autem sciebam quia 42. And I knew that thou +semper me audis: sed propter hearest me always, but because +populum qui circumstat, dixi, of the people who stand about +ut credant quia tu me misisti. have I said it; that they may + believe that thou hast sent + me. + +42. Christ's thanks to the Father on this occasion must not lead us to +suppose that some unexpected favour had been conferred by the Father upon +Him. He knew well that on account of the conformity of His will with that +of His Father, He could ask nothing that His Father could refuse; but He +returns thanks now, as He Himself tells us, in order that the people +present might believe that the Father had sent Him. In other words, Jesus +wished to make the raising of Lazarus a clear proof of His Divinity, by +thus calling God to witness to the miracle before it was wrought. +Unquestionably the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a most powerful +proof of the Divinity of Christ. It was a manifest and public miracle +performed in the presence of a whole crowd of witnesses (see 19, 31, 45), +performed to prove that Christ had come from the Father (verse 42); that +He was the resurrection and the life (verses 25, 26); that He was the Son +of God (verse 4); that, in fact, He was all that which, a short time +previously, and in Jerusalem itself, He had claimed to be, namely, the +Lord of life, one with the Father (x. 28, 30). Such a miracle in such +circumstances God could never have permitted, had Christ not been in truth +all that He claimed to be. + +Rationalists have tried in various ways to explain away this stupendous +miracle. Some say that the story is a pure concoction of St. John, else it +would have been narrated by some other Evangelist. Others, that the death +of Lazarus was merely feigned, a pious ruse in which Christ and Lazarus, +as well as Martha and Mary were accomplices, with the object of inducing +the people to accept and follow the teachings of Christ. + +But we need hardly point out how absurd it is to suppose, that St. John +would attempt, fifty years after the Synoptic Evangelists, to invent and +put forward such a minute account of an extraordinary event till then +unheard-of by the Jews. That the other Evangelists make no mention of this +stupendous miracle is remarkable, but may be accounted for by the fact +that prior to the history of the Passion, they confine their narratives +almost entirely to what Christ said and did in Galilee. Hence they do not +mention the healing of the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years +(John v. 5-9), nor of the man born blind (John ix.), nor, for the same +reason, the raising of Lazarus, all these miracles having occurred in +Judea. + +The second theory mentioned above hardly requires refutation. Even His +Jewish enemies never accused Christ of fraud or deception; and in this +particular instance the Jews, many of whom were hostile to Jesus (verse +46), and no doubt investigated the miracle, had not the slightest +suspicion of fraud. So certain were all, even the Pharisees, that the +miracle was genuine, that without attempting to deny it, they merely +bethink themselves what they will do with Jesus (verses 47, 48). + +43. Haec cum dixisset, voce 43. When he had said these +magna clamavit: Lazare veni things, he cried with a loud +foras. voice: Lazarus, come forth. +44. Et statim prodiit qui 44. And presently he that had +fuerat mortuus, ligatus pedes been dead came forth, bound +et manus institis, et facies feet and hands with winding- +illius sudario erat ligata. bands, and his face was bound +Dixit eis Iesus: Solvite eum, about with a napkin. Jesus +et sinite abire. said to them: Loose him and + let him go. +45. Multi ergo ex Iudaeis qui 45. Many therefore of the Jews +venerant ad Mariam et Martham; who were come to Mary and +et viderant quae fecit Iesus, Martha, and had seen the +crediderunt in eum. things that Jesus did, + believed in him. +46. Quidam autem ex ipsis 46. But some of them went to +abierunt ad pharisaeos, et the Pharisees, and told them +dixerunt eis quae fecit Iesus. the things that Jesus had + done. +47. Collegerunt ergo 47. The chief priests +pontifices et pharisaei therefore and the Pharisees +concilium et dicebant: Quid gathered a council, and said: +facimus, quia hic homo multa What do we, for this man doth +signa facit? many miracles? +48. Si dimittimus eum sic, 48. If we let him alone so, +omnes credent in eum: et all will believe in him, and +venient Romani, et tollent the Romans will come, and take +nostrum locum, et gentem. away our place and nation. + +48. They dreaded lest the Romans, fearing He should become king, should +come and destroy their temple and nation. + +49. Unus autem ex ipsis 49. But one of them named +Caiphas nomine, cum esset Caiphas, being the high-priest +pontifex anni illius, dixit that year, said to them: You +eis: Vos nescitis quidquam. know nothing. +50. Nec cogitatis quia expedit 50. Neither do you consider +vobis ut unus moriatur homo that it is expedient for you +pro populo, et non tota gens that one man should die for +pereat. the people, and that the whole + nation perish not. +51. Hoc autem a semetipso non 51. And this he spoke not of +dixit: sed cum esset pontifex himself: but being the high- +anni illius, prophetavit quod priest of that year, he +Iesus moriturus erat pro prophesied that Jesus should +gente. die for the nation. +52. Et non tantum pro gente, 52. And not only for the +sed ut filios Dei, qui erant nation, but to gather together +dispersi, congregaret in unum. in one the children of God, + that were dispersed. + +49-52. Then Caiphas, the High-priest for that year said: *You know +nothing*, &c. Caiphas meant that Jesus should be got rid of to save the +Jewish nation from incurring the anger of the Romans. The Holy Ghost, +however, as St. John tells us, signified through Caiphas (as an +unconscious instrument) that the death of Jesus was necessary for the +eternal salvation of the Jewish people, and of all to be called to the +faith who were scattered then or since among the Gentiles. Caiphas was +unaware of the solemn sense of the words which he enunciated; so that the +Holy Ghost speaking through a prophet may sometimes mean one thing, the +Prophet himself something quite different. It is the common opinion, too, +that even the _inspired writers_ did not always understand the meaning of +what they wrote, and in such cases the sense of Scripture is, of course, +that which was intended by the Holy Ghost. + +Caiphas, whom on this occasion the Holy Ghost employed to declare the +necessity for man of the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, was the Jewish +High-priest at the time (xi. 49, xviii. 13). His father-in-law, Annas, is +called High-priest by St. Luke (Luke iii. 2; Acts iv. 6), from which some, +as Beelen, conclude, that each filled the office of High-priest every +alternate year. For this view, however, there is no historical evidence, +and it seems more probable that Annas is called High-priest by St. Luke, +not because he was then discharging the duties of the successor of Aaron, +but because, having been High-priest, and unlawfully deposed (A.D. 14) by +Valerius Gratus, the Roman Governor of Judea, he was still regarded by the +Jews as the lawful High-priest.(78) + +Or it may be that, as _President of the Sanhedrim_, a position which Annas +filled, after he had been deposed from that of High-priest, he is styled +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} by St. Luke. This latter is the view of Cornely, iii., § 76, n. +18. See Acts vii. 1; ix. 1, 2. + +53. Ab illo ergo die 53. From that day therefore +cogitaverunt ut interficerent they devised to put him to +eum. death. + +53. Thus the raising of Lazarus, which was the occasion of Caiphas' +suggestion, had an important influence upon the final determination of the +Jews to put Christ to death. St. John notes the growth of Jewish hostility +step by step: v. 16 ff.; vii. 32, 45 ff.; viii. 45 ff.; viii. 59; ix. 22; +x. 39. + +54. Iesus ergo iam non in 54. Wherefore Jesus walked no +palam ambulabat apud Iudaeos, more openly among the Jews, +sed abiit in regionem iuxta but he went into a country +desertum, in civitatem quae near the desert, unto a city +dicitur Ephrem, et ibi that is called Ephrem, and +morabatur cum discipulis suis. there he abode with his + disciples. + +54. The city of Ephrem (Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}) is probably the same to which Josephus +refers (_Bell. Jud._, iv. 9, 9) as situated in the mountains of Judea. The +city probably occupied the site of the modern et-Taiyibeh, about 14 miles +N.E. of Jerusalem, in the mountainous district lying between the central +towns and the Jordan. See Smith's _B. D._ + +55. Proximum autem erat pascha 55. And the pasch of the Jews +Iudaeorum: et ascenderunt was at hand: and many from the +multi Ierosolymam de regione country went up to Jerusalem +ante pascha, ut sanctificarent before the pasch, to purify +seipsos. themselves. + +55. This was the fourth and last Pasch of our Lord's public life, and +during it He was put to death. *To purify themselves*; _i.e._, from any +legal uncleanness, in order that they might be able to keep the Passover. +See Numb. ix. 10; 2 Paral. xxx. 17; Acts xxi. 24-56. In any case where +sacrifice was required in the process of purification, it was necessary to +go to Jerusalem, because there only could sacrifice be offered. + +56. Quaerebant ergo Iesum: et 56. They sought therefore for +colloquebantur ad invicem, in Jesus; and they discoursed one +templo stantes: Quid putatis, with another, standing in the +quia non venit ad diem festum? temple: What think you, that +Dederant autem pontifices et he is not come to the festival +pharisaei mandatum, ut si quis day? And the chief priests and +cognoverit ubi sit, indicet, the Pharisees had given a +ut apprehendant eum. commandment, that if any man + knew where he was, he should + tell, that they might + apprehend him. + +56. Whether those who sought Jesus were His friends or enemies, is +disputed. But from what follows in this verse, we believe they were His +enemies, who were looking for Him, in order to deliver Him up to the +Sanhedrim. + +*What think you, that he is not come to the festival day?* We much prefer +to understand here two questions--*What think you?* Do you think *that he +will not come to the feast*? For our Rhemish translation gives {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~} a past, whereas it ought to have a future sense. Hence the Revised +Version translates with two questions. + + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + + 1-8. *The Supper in Bethania six days before the Pasch.* + + 9-11. *The chief priests think of killing Lazarus.* + + 12-19. *On the day after the supper Christ enters Jerusalem in + triumph, to the disgust of the Pharisees.* + + 20-22. *Some Gentile Proselytes wish to see Him.* + + 23-33. *Christ (at the temple) foretells the near approach of His + passion, and a voice from heaven is heard.* + + 34-36. *He continues to refer to His approaching death, and + exhorts the people to faith.* + + 37-43. *Yet though they had witnessed many miracles, most of them + refused to believe, as the prophets had foretold.* + + 44-50. *Christ's testimony regarding the object of the + Incarnation, and the necessity of faith in Him.* + + +1. Iesus ergo ante sex dies 1. Jesus therefore six days +paschae venit Bethaniam, ubi before the pasch came to +Lazarus fuerat mortuus, quem Bethania, where Lazarus had +suscitavit Iesus. been dead, whom Jesus raised + to life. + +1. Maldonatus connects with xi. 55: since the Pasch was near, Jesus on His +way to Jerusalem to celebrate it, came to Bethania. *Six days before the +pasch.* This peculiar Greek construction would be better rendered in +Latin; "sex diebus ante pascha." We have now entered upon the last week of +our Divine Lord's mortal life, but there is a diversity of opinion +regarding the exact day here indicated. The principal views regarding the +days of our Lord's arrival at Bethania, of the supper there, and of the +triumphant entry into Jerusalem, are:-- + +(1) Arrival at Bethania on Friday; the supper (_a_) on the same evening, +or (_b_) according to others, on Saturday evening; the triumphal entry on +Sunday. + +(2) Arrival at Bethania on Saturday evening; the supper on the same +evening; the entry into Jerusalem (_a_) on Sunday, or (_b_) according to +others, on Monday. + +(3) Arrival on Sunday; supper on the same evening; the entry into +Jerusalem on Monday. + +2. Fecerunt autem ei coenam 2. And they made him a supper +ibi: et Martha ministrabat, there: and Martha served, but +Lazarus vero, unus erat ex Lazarus was one of them that +discumbentibus cum eo. were at table with him. + +2. In Bethania then (in the house of Simon the leper, as we learn from +Matt. xxvi. 6; Mark xiv. 3) a supper was prepared for Jesus, at which +Lazarus was present and Martha served. We take it as certain that Matthew +(xxvi. 6-13) and Mark (xiv. 3-9) refer to the same unction of Christ which +is recorded by St. John in the following verses here. If not, we should +have to suppose that the same murmuring for the same cause in the same +circumstances took place a second time within four days, though +reprehended by Christ on the first occasion it occurred. That SS. Matthew +and Mark seem to refer to an occasion _two_ days before the Pasch (Matt. +xxvi. 2; Mark xiv. 1), while St. John refers to an occasion _six_ days +before, is readily explained. The two Synoptic Evangelists record this +anointing of Jesus by Mary out of its place, and in connection with the +treachery of Judas, because it was it that finally determined Judas to +betray our Lord.(79) + +3. Maria ergo accepit libram 3. Mary therefore took a pound +unguenti nardi pistici, of ointment of right +pretiosi, et unxit pedes Iesu, spikenard, of great price, and +et extersit pedes eius anointed the feet of Jesus, +capillis suis: et domus and wiped his feet with her +impleta est ex odore unguenti. hair: and the house was filled + with the odour of the + ointment. + +3. When we bear in mind the prominence given to Lazarus, Martha, and Mary +in the preceding chapter, and find two of the three mentioned in verse 2 +here, it is certain that the Mary mentioned here, in verse 3, can be no +other than she who was sister to Martha and Lazarus. + +*Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard.* We learn +from Matthew and Mark that the ointment was contained in an alabaster box. +Alabaster is a species of stone resembling marble, and derives its name +from Alabastron, a town in Egypt, near which it was found in large +quantities. The term "alabaster box" came in time to be applied to any box +for holding perfumes. + +*Spikenard*, or nard, is a famous aromatic substance obtained from an +eastern plant of the same name. It is said in our Rhemish Version to be +*right* spikenard. The Greek adjective thus translated is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, which +may mean _genuine_, from {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}; or _liquid_, from {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}, to +drink); or, as St. Augustine says, the nard may have been so called from +the place in which it was obtained. St. John tells us that Mary anointed +the _feet_ of our Lord, who, according to the Jewish custom, would be +reclining on His left side upon a couch, with His feet stretching out +behind. The first two Evangelists mention only the unction of our Lord's +head, so that St. John supplements their account. The fact that the odour +of the ointment filled the house, is mentioned as a proof of its +excellence. Pliny (xiii. 3) refers to such unctions among the Romans: +"Vidimus etiam vestigia pedum tingi." + +4. Dixit ergo unus ex 4. Then one of his disciples, +discipulis eius, Iudas Judas Iscariot, he that was +Iscariotes, qui erat eum about to betray him, said: +traditurus: +5. Quare hoc unguentum non 5. Why was not this ointment +veniit trecentis denariis, et sold for three hundred pence, +datum est egenis? and given to the poor? + +4, 5. From SS. Matt. and Mark, it would seem that at least two of the +disciples must have murmured, for St. Matt. says: "And the disciples +seeing it, had indignation;" and St. Mark: "Now there were some that had +indignation within themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the +ointment made?" We may admit, then, that some of the others joined Judas +in murmuring, but probably from a different motive; or, we may hold, with +some commentators, that the plural is used indefinitely for the singular. + +*Judas Iscariot* (Gr. Judas Iscariot, _son of Simon_: see notes on vi. 72) +spoke out, asking why this ointment was not sold at 300 pence, and the +price given to the poor? We discussed above on vi. 7, the value of the +Roman silver penny at this time current in Palestine, from which it +appears that this box of ointment was thought to be worth nearly £10 of +our money. + +6. Dixit autem hoc, non quia 6. Now he said this, not +de egenis pertinebat ad eum, because he cared for the poor; +sed quia fur erat, et loculos but because he was a thief, +habens, ea quae mittebantur and having the purse, carried +portabat. the things that were put + therein. + +6. St. John here declares the motive of Judas. It was not love for the +poor, as he pretended, but because, being purse-bearer, for our Lord and +the disciples, he was always anxious to receive money, that he might have +an opportunity of filching some of it for himself. Whether with our +Rhemish Version we give {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} the meaning of "carried," or, as others +prefer, "made away with," at all events, it is plain from the verse, in +which Judas is declared a thief, that he sometimes appropriated to his own +uses money from the common purse. In his case, too, the saying was true: +"Nemo repente fit turpissimus." + +7. Dixit ergo Iesus: Sinite 7. Jesus therefore said: Let +illam ut in diem sepulturae her alone, that she may keep +meae servet illud. it against the day of my + burial. + +7. There is a difference of reading in this verse. Many ancient +authorities read: *She has kept it* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) *against the day of my +burial*; and the meaning of this reading is plain. The more probable(80) +Greek reading, however, is: "_That she might keep it_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} ... {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}) +_against the day of My burial_." In this reading we take our Lord's reply +to mean: Let her alone: it was not sold (Judas had asked: Why was it not +sold?) in order that she might keep it against the day of My burial. Thus +we would read "servaret" instead of "servet" in the Vulgate; and we take +"ut" to depend not on "sinite," but on some words such as "non veniit" (it +was not sold) understood. St. John's report of Christ's words agrees +substantially with that of St. Mark, who represents our Lord as saying: +"She is come beforehand to anoint My body for the burial" (Mark xiv. 8); +and both accounts, as well as that of St. Matt. (xxvi. 12), "She hath done +it for My burial," signify that our Lord's death was so close at hand that +this unction might be regarded as a preparation for His burial; and hence +Mary was not to be blamed, inasmuch as such honours were usually paid to +bodies before burial. + +Immediately after their account of this unction, SS. Matt. and Mark +narrate the compact of Judas with the Jews to betray Jesus for thirty +pieces of silver; so that it is extremely probable that it was spite at +losing the price of the ointment used on this occasion that finally +determined Judas to betray our Lord. + +8. Pauperes enim semper 8. For the poor you have +habetis vobiscum: me autem non always with you; but me you +semper habetis. have not always. + +8. *But me you have not always.* Christ as God is, no doubt, everywhere, +even now; and even as man He is still upon our altars in the Blessed +Sacrament; but He is no longer with us in a mortal body capable of +deriving sensible pleasure and comfort from such ministrations as those of +Mary upon this occasion. + +9. Cognovit ergo turba multa 9. A great multitude therefore +ex Iudaeis quia illic est: et of the Jews knew that he was +venerunt, non propter Iesum there: and they came, not for +tantum, sed ut Lazarum Jesus' sake only, but that +viderent, quem suscitavit a they might see Lazarus, whom +mortuis. he had raised from the dead. +10. Cogitaverunt autem 10. But the chief priests +principes sacerdotum ut et thought to kill Lazarus also: +Lazarum interficerent. +11. Quia multi propter illum 11. Because many of the Jews +abibant ex Iudaeis, et by reason of him went away, +credebant in Iesum. and believed in Jesus. + +9-11. A great multitude, on learning that Christ was in Bethania, flocked +out to see the wonder-worker, and Lazarus whom He had raised from the +dead; and so many were being converted by that miracle, that the chief +priests thought of putting Lazarus to death, that they might thus get rid +of a living and manifest proof of the almighty power of Jesus. + +12. In crastinum autem turba 12. And on the next day a +multa, quae venerat ad diem great multitude, that was come +festum, cum audissent quia to the festival day, when they +venit Iesus Ierosolymam. had heard that Jesus was + coming to Jerusalem, + +12. On the day after the supper, which we take to have been Sunday or +Monday, that is, the first or second day of the Jewish week, a great +multitude came to meet our Lord and escort Him into Jerusalem. Hundreds of +thousands always flocked to Jerusalem for the Pasch, and though the feast +was still some days off, a great number had already arrived. Doubtless +many of the inhabitants of Jerusalem were also among the crowd on this +occasion. + +13. Acceperunt ramos palmarum, 13. Took branches of palm- +et processerunt obviam ei, et trees, and went forth to meet +clamabant: Hosanna, benedictus him, and cried: Hosanna, +qui venit in nomine Domini, blessed is he that cometh in +rex Israel. the name of the Lord, the king + of Israel. + +13. Carrying palm branches, with shouts of joy and triumph, they hailed +Jesus as the Messias, and King of Israel; in the words of the great +Paschal chant (Ps. cxvii. 26), *Hosanna* ({~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}, which is contracted for +{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) means: _pray_, _save_, or: _save, I beseech_. It may be taken +here as a prayer to Jesus to save them, or rather as a prayer to God to +save and bless their Messias. Or it may be that it was used as an +expression of joy without attention to its literal meaning, as the +expressions "vivat," "vive le roi," and the like, are sometimes used at +the present day. + +14. Et invenit Iesus asellum, 14. And Jesus found a young +et sedit super eum, sicut ass, and sat upon it, as it is +scriptum est: written: + +14. From the Synoptic Evangelists we learn that Jesus sent His disciples +telling them where they should find the colt, and St. Matthew tells us +that they brought the colt and its mother, and spread their garments upon +both ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK KORONIS~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, Matt. xxi. 7). They spread their garments upon both, +because they did not know upon which He would choose to sit. And St. +Matthew adds that Jesus sat _upon them_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}); that is, as we take +it, upon the garments that had been spread upon the colt. In this way the +accounts of the four Evangelists are reconciled. + +Another difficulty occurs here, if we compare the parallel passage of St. +Luke (xix. 29). For, whereas St. John's account naturally leads us to +suppose that the ass's colt was procured on the way _between_ Bethania, +where Christ had supped on the preceding night (xii. 1, 2) and Jerusalem, +St. Luke, on the other hand, says: "And it came to pass _when He was come +nigh to Bethphage and Bethania_, unto the mount called Olivet, He sent two +of His disciples, saying, Go into the town which is over against you, at +your entering into which you shall find the colt of an ass tied," &c. We +have searched in vain for a satisfactory solution of this difficulty. If +the words of St. Luke are to be taken strictly as meaning that Christ was +not merely near to, but _approaching_ Bethania, then we would hold that on +this morning, before the procession started, He had retired from Bethania +eastward, and therefore farther away from Jerusalem, and was now again +approaching the village on His way to the Holy City. There is nothing +improbable in this supposition, for Christ did many things which the +Evangelists have not recorded (John xxi. 25), and it enables us to +reconcile two accounts, which are not easily reconciled otherwise. + +15. Noli timere filia Sion: 15. _Fear not, daughter of +ecce rex tuus venit sedens Sion: behold, thy king cometh, +super pullum asinae. sitting on an ass's colt._ + +15. St. Matthew (xxi. 4) says that these things were done that prophecy +might be fulfilled; that is, they were brought about by God, not by the +disciples, who, as St. John tells us in the next verse, were ignorant that +they were fulfilling a prophecy. The whole quotation here is substantially +from Zach. ix. 9: "Rejoice greatly ('fear not,' of St. John) O daughter of +Sion; shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold thy King will come to +thee, the Just and Saviour: He is poor and riding upon an ass, and (even) +upon a colt the foal of an ass." + +16. Haec non cognoverunt 16. These things his disciples +discipuli eius primum: sed did not know at the first: but +quando glorificatus est Iesus, when Jesus was glorified, then +tunc recordati sunt quia haec they remembered that these +erant scripta de eo, et haec things were written of him, +fecerunt ei. and that they had done these + things to him. + +16. The disciples did not know at that time that prophecy was being +fulfilled; but when the light of the Holy Ghost had flooded their souls at +the first Pentecost (Acts ii. 4), then they recognised in these things the +fulfilment of prophecy. + +17. Testimonium ergo 17. The multitude therefore +perhibebat turba quae erat cum gave testimony, which was with +eo quando Lazarum vocavit de him when he called Lazarus out +monumento, et suscitavit eum a of the grave, and raised him +mortuis. from the dead. + +17. *When he called Lazarus out of the grave.* It is doubtful, and +authorities are much divided, whether the true reading here is _when_ +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}), or _that_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}). In the former reading, eye-witnesses of the +miracle now bore testimony of it; in the latter, the crowd that was now +with Him having heard and believed that the miracle had been wrought, now +bore witness _that_ Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. + +18. Propterea et obviam venit 18. For which reason also the +ei turba, quia audierunt eum people came to meet him: +fecisse hoc signum. because they heard that he had + done this miracle. + +18. It was on account of this miracle too that the crowd had come out to +meet Him. We take "the multitude" in this verse to be the same as that +referred to in the preceding ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}); and what St. John tells us is, +that their coming out to meet Him, and their testimony regarding Him, both +proceeded from the fact that He had raised Lazarus from the dead. + +19. Pharisaei ergo dixerunt ad 19. The Pharisees therefore +semetipsos: Videtis quia nihil said among themselves: Do you +proficimus? ecce mundus totus see that we prevail nothing? +post eum abiit. behold, the whole world is + gone after him. + +19. The jealousy of the Pharisees is at once aroused, and, as often +happens in such circumstances, they exaggerate, saying that the whole +world had gone after Him. + +Our Lord moved on towards Jerusalem, riding upon the ass,(81) between two +enthusiastic crowds (see Matt. xxi. 9; Mark xi. 9). As He approached the +city, and shouts of joy and thanksgiving rose from the crowds which +preceded and followed, some Pharisees, as we learn from St. Luke, bade +Jesus rebuke His disciples for the words of homage they were using. To +whom He replied: "I say to you, if these shall hold their peace, the +stones will cry out" (Luke xix. 40). Then when He had mounted the summit +of Olivet, and the city and temple burst upon His view, He wept, and "went +on to prophesy the destruction of the city with a particularity of detail, +to the exactness of which the subsequent history bears wonderful +testimony." (Coleridge, _Life of our Life_, vol. ii., p. 187). See Luke +xix. 41-44. + +When the procession entered Jerusalem, the "whole city was moved, saying, +Who is this?" And the people said, "This is Jesus the Prophet from +Nazareth of Galilee" (Matt. xxi. 10, 11). As we learn from St. Mark, Jesus +went up to the temple, and there the events occurred which St. John +records down to verse 36. + +20. Erant autem quidam 20. Now there were certain +gentiles, ex his qui gentiles among them who came +ascenderant ut adorarent in up to adore on the festival +die festo. day. +21. Hi ergo accesserunt ad 21. These therefore came to +Philippum, qui erat a Philip, who was of Bethsaida +Bethsaida Galilaeae, et of Galilee, and desired him, +rogabant eum, dicentes: Domine saying: Sir, we would see +volumus Iesum videre. Jesus. +22. Venit Philippus, et dicit 22. Philip cometh and telleth +Andreae: Andreas rursum et Andrew. Again Andrew and +Philippus dixerunt Iesu. Philip told Jesus. + +20-22. Some Gentiles, who were probably proselytes, had come to Jerusalem +for the Pasch, and they ask Philip that they may see, that is, speak with +Jesus. Philip consults his fellow-townsman, Andrew (John i. 44), and they +both make known the request to Jesus. Our Lord was probably in the Court +of the Jews, into which the Gentiles could not enter, so that their +request meant that Jesus should come out into the Court of the Gentiles. +See above on ii. 14. + +23. Iesus autem respondit eis, 23. But Jesus answered them +dicens: Venit hora, ut saying: The hour is come, that +clarificetur Filius hominis. the son of man should be + glorified. + +23. The Evangelist does not tell us whether Jesus granted an audience to +these Gentiles, but goes on to record His reply to the disciples: *The +hour is come that the son of man should be glorified*: _i.e._, the hour of +His death to be followed by His glorious resurrection and ascension by the +descent of the Holy Ghost, and the call of the Gentiles. + +24. Amen, amen dico vobis, 24. Amen, amen, I say to you, +nisi granum frumenti cadens in unless the grain of wheat +terram, mortuum fuerit, falling into the ground die; +25. Ipsum solum manet: si 25. Itself remaineth alone. +autem mortuum fuerit, multum But if it die, it bringeth +fructum affert. Qui amat forth much fruit. He that +animam suam, perdet eam: et loveth his life shall lose it: +qui odit animam suam in hoc and he that hateth his life in +mundo, in vitam aeternam this world, keepeth it unto +custodit eam. life eternal. + +24, 25. In a beautiful comparison our Lord points out that as the grain of +wheat dies in order that it may fructify, so in the providence of God His +death is necessary to His triumph and His glory. And applying this +doctrine to His disciples, He points out that whoever loveth his life +inordinately here, shall lose it for eternity, and he that hateth (a +Hebraism for _loveth less_) his life in this world, keepeth it unto life +eternal. + +26. Si quis mihi ministrat, me 26. If any man minister to me, +sequatur: et ubi sum ego, let him follow me: and where I +illic et minister meus erit. am, there also shall my +Si quis mihi ministraverit, minister be. If any man +honorificabit eum Pater meus. minister to me, him will my + Father honour. + +26. *If any man minister to me, let him follow me.* This exhortation to +follow Christ in despising this life for God's sake, is addressed to all +His followers, who are to minister to Him by the service of devout lives; +but it is applicable in a special way to Priests, for to them belongs the +privilege of the special ministry. To such as imitate Him He gives the +glorious promise, that where He is, that is, in the glory of the Father, +which as God He then enjoyed, and which as man He was to merit by His +passion, there also shall His followers be. + +27. Nunc anima mea turbata 27. Now is my soul troubled. +est. Et quid dicam? Pater, And what shall I say? Father, +salvifica me ex hac hora. Sed save me from this hour. But +propterea veni in horem hanc. for this cause I came unto + this hour. + +27. The thought of His approaching Passion now disturbed His human soul, +for as He was true man, His humanity naturally shuddered at the suffering +and death He was about to undergo. Compare Matt. xxvi. 38; Mark xiv. 34. +Christ, of course, permitted this fear to seize upon Him, so that it was +wholly voluntary; and He manifested it at this particular time, probably +lest His disciples should be tempted to say that it was easy for Him who +was God to exhort others to despise their life and endure suffering. He +shows them, therefore, that He dreads death like the rest of men; and St. +John records the fact because of the Docetae, who denied the reality of +the Incarnation, and consequently of Christ's sufferings. See above on i. +14, and Introd. IX. + +*Father save me from this hour.* Some read this with a note of +interrogation after it, as if the meaning were: Shall I say to the Father +to save Me from this hour? But we may understand the words as a +conditional prayer proceeding from Christ's human will; conditional, that +is, upon his Father's will to save Him from the Passion which He was to +undergo, just as in St. Luke xxii. 42: "Father, if Thou wilt, remove this +chalice from Me; but not My will, but Thine be done." That such, indeed, +is the meaning here, is proved by what follows, where Jesus retracts this +conditional prayer, saying that it was for the very purpose that He might +suffer, that He came unto this hour. + +28. Pater, clarifica nomen 28. Father, glorify thy name. +tuum. Venit ergo vox de coelo: A voice therefore came from +Et clarificavi, et iterum heaven: I have both glorified +clarificabo. it, and will glorify it again. + +28. In this verse, then, He prays absolutely to the Father to glorify His +name by the sufferings and death of the Son. And a voice came from the +air, produced there by God or an angel, saying: *I have both glorified +(it), and will glorify (it) again*. The sense of these words of the Father +is disputed. The Latin fathers understand the sense to be; I have +glorified Thee from all eternity, and will glorify Thee again as God-man +after Thy ascension. In favour of this view is the prayer of Christ: "And +now glorify Thou Me, O Father, with Thyself, with the glory which I had +before the world was, with Thee" (John xvii. 5). The Greek fathers, on the +other hand, all take the sense to be: I have already glorified Thee by +many miracles, and will again glorify Thee in the miracles to be wrought +at Thy death, resurrection, and ascension, and afterwards by Thy followers +in Thy name. It will be noted that the fathers generally understand the +words of God the Father in reference to the glorification of Christ, +whereas Christ's prayer regarded the glorification of the Father's name. +We feel convinced, however, that the _direct_ object of glorification in +both instances is the Father's name. For when Christ prays: "Glorify Thy +name," and the Father answers: "I have glorified, and will again glorify," +obviously the answer must refer to the glorification of the Father's name, +for which Christ had prayed. Since, however, the glorification of the +Father was to be brought about by the glorification of the Son; hence, +this too is indirectly referred to, and our interpretation agrees +substantially with that of the fathers. + +29. Turba ergo quae stabat et 29. The multitude therefore +audierat, dicebat tonitruum that stood and heard, said +esse factum. Alii dicebant: that it thundered. Others +Angelus ei locutus est. said, An Angel spoke to him. +30. Respondit Iesus, et dixit: 30. Jesus answered and said: +Non propter me haec vox venit, This voice came not because of +sed propter vos. me, but for your sakes. + +30. Jesus declares that the voice from heaven was the Father's testimony +to Him, given for their sakes, in order that they might believe in Him. + +31. Nunc iudicium est mundi: 31. Now is the judgment of the +nunc princeps huius mundi world: now shall the prince of +eiicietur foras. this world be cast out. + +31. *Now is the judgment of the world.* There is a difference of opinion +as to what judgment is here spoken of; whether the judgment of liberation +of the world in general, or the judgment of condemnation of the _wicked_ +world. In favour of the former, it is argued--(_a_) that since Satan was to +be cast out, or deprived of his dominion over the world, therefore the +world was to be liberated; (_b_) that verse 32 declares the effect of this +judgment: the world shall be liberated, and as a consequence I shall draw +all things to Myself; (_c_) that the world to be judged is that over which +Satan had ruled, and from which he was now to be cast out. But before the +Incarnation he had held sway over the whole world (Rom. iii. 23, xi. 32; +Gal. iii. 22). Therefore, it is the whole world that is to be judged, and +hence there must be question of the judgment of liberation. So St. Aug., +Mald., A Lap., Tolet., Beel., Patriz. + +In favour of the latter view, which is held by St. Chrysostom and most of +the Greek fathers, it is argued--(_a_) that St. John always uses {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} of +the judgment of condemnation; (_b_) that the world in the beginning of the +verse is the same whose prince is to be deprived of his dominion; that, +therefore, it should stand or fall with its prince; hence since he is to +be stripped of his dominion, it is to be condemned; (_c_) that in the +discourse after the Last Supper, Christ always means by the world, the +_wicked_ world, opposed to Himself (John xiv. 17, 22, 30; xv. 18, 19; +xviii. 9, 16, 25); therefore, also here, and hence there must be question +of the judgment of condemnation. *The prince of this world* is plainly the +devil. See also 2 Cor. iv. 4; Eph. ii. 2, vi. 12. In the Talmud the same +title is given to the prince of devils. By Christ's death the devil was +cast out: that is, deprived of that almost universal sway which he had +exercised over men before the coming of Christ. "At nondum diabolus e +mundo ejectus videtur esse, cum in eo adhuc grassetur. Ejectus foras +dicitur non quod nunc in mundo non sit, et in multis etiamnum dominetur; +sed quod, quantum in Christo fuit, ejectus fuerit, ita ut, si homines +vellent, nihil prorsus in ipsos haberet potestatis. Homines illi postea +portam arcis aperuerunt, et proditione quadam in suam quisque domum +admittit. Itaque etiam nunc regnat et operatur, sed in filios +diffidentiae, Eph. ii. 2" (Mald. on this verse). + +32. Et ego si exaltatus fuero 32. And I, if I be lifted up +a terra, omnia traham ad from the earth, will draw all +meipsum: things to myself. + +32. *And I, if I be lifted up from the earth.* Christ here predicted that +after His death on the cross (see next verse) He should become a centre of +attraction, and draw all men ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} is the more probable reading, not +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}), both Jews and _Gentiles_ to Himself. This marvellous prophecy +began to be fulfilled in the centurion and his companions (Matt. xxvii. +54), and the rest of the multitude that witnessed the crucifixion (Luke +xxiii. 48), and is daily receiving its fulfilment still. + +33. Hoc autem dicebat, 33. (Now this he said, +significans qua morte esset signifying what death he +moriturus. should die.) + +33. St. John here gives us an authentic interpretation. + +34. Respondit ei turba: Nos 34. The multitude answered +audivimus ex lege quia him: We have heard out of the +Christus manet in aeternum; et law, that Christ abideth for +quomodo tu dicis, Oportet ever; and how sayest thou: The +exaltari Filium hominis? Quis son of man must be lifted up? +est iste Filius hominis? Who is this son of man? + +34. The multitude understood Jesus to speak of His death, or at least of +His withdrawal from them, and object that He cannot be the Messias, who, +as they understood the Scriptures (the law is here put for the whole +Scriptures), was to remain for ever. They quote no single text, but +probably they had gathered this idea from many passages; _e.g._, Isai. ix. +6, 7; Ps. cix. 4; Dan. vii. 13, 14, &c. It is not unlikely that they had +the passage of Daniel specially before their minds, for there the power of +the _Son of Man_ is described as "an everlasting power that shall not be +taken away, and His kingdom (a kingdom) that shall not be destroyed." +Hence, they argued, if Christ was to die, He could not be the Messias, but +must be some other _Son of Man_ than he spoken of by Daniel. + +35. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: 35. Jesus therefore said to +Adhuc modicum, lumen in vobis them: Yet a little while, the +est. Ambulate dum lucem light is among you. Walk +habetis, ut non vos tenebrae whilst you have the light, +comprehendant: et qui ambulat that the darkness overtake you +in tenebris, nescit quo vadat. not. And he that walketh in + darkness knoweth not whither + he goeth. + +35. Christ might have easily replied, showing them from the same +Scriptures that the Messias was to suffer and die (see, _e.g._, Isai. +liii.; Dan. ix. 26); but probably because He saw that the motive of the +multitude in objecting was not to seek light, but to disprove His claim to +be the Messias, He did not vouchsafe a reply to their objection, but went +on to exhort them to believe, for thus they should find a solution of all +their difficulties. + +*Yet a little while*; _i.e._, a few days more, the light, which is +Himself, is to be among them. He exhorts them, therefore, to walk, that +is, to believe, while He is present among them, in order that darkness, +that is, the time when He is gone from among them, may not find them still +in their unbelief. + +*And* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~} = {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}) *he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he +goeth*. Christ does not mean to say that they could not believe after His +death; but just as, though it is quite possible to walk during the time of +darkness, still it is easier to walk in daylight, so it was easier for +them to believe now, when He, the Sun of Justice was corporally present +among them, than it would be when He had withdrawn His light. We take, +"darkness," then, with Mald., not of sin, nor of unbelief, but, as opposed +to the light which is Christ, of the time when Christ could be no longer +present among them, after His death, as in verse ix. 4; xi. 9, 10. + +36. Dum lucem habetis, credite 36. Whilst you have the light, +in lucem, ut filii lucis believe in the light, that you +sitis. Haec locutus est Iesus: may be the children of light. +et abiit, et abscondit se ab These things Jesus spoke, and +eis. he went away, and hid himself + from them. + +36. He now explains what He means by telling them to walk. It is that they +should believe. *That you may be* (become) *the children of light*. The +phrase "children of light" is a Hebraism, meaning those who are to possess +the light, who are destined for it. Compare Luke xvi. 8; Eph. v. 8. + +*And he went away, and hid himself from them.* SS. Matt. and Mark tell us +that He went to Bethania with the twelve and remained there (Matt. xxi. +17; Mark xi. 11). + +37. Cum autem tanta signa 37. And whereas he had done so +fecisset coram eis, non many miracles before them, +credebant in eum: they believed not in him. +38. Ut sermo Isaiae prophetae 38. That the saying of Isaias +impleretur, quem dixit: the prophet might be +Domine, quis credidit auditui fulfilled, which he said: +nostro? et brachium Domini cui _Lord, who hath believed our +revelatum est? hearing? and to whom hath the + arm of the Lord been + revealed?_ +39. Propterea non poterant 39. Therefore they could not +credere, quia iterum dixit believe, because Isaias said +Isaias: again. +40. Excaecavit oculos eorum, 40. _He hath blinded their +et induravit cor eorum: ut non eyes, and hardened their +videant oculis, et non heart, that they should not +intelligant corde, et see with their eyes, nor +convertantur, et sanem eos. understand with their heart, + and be converted, and I should + heal them._ + +37-40. Before closing this first part of the _narrative_ portion of the +Gospel (see Introd. iv.), St. John pauses in the history to note the hard- +hearted incredulity of the Jews, notwithstanding the fact that Christ had +wrought _so many_ miracles; an incredulity, however, which had been +foretold by Isaias, which, therefore, came to pass now _in order that_ +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) the prediction of the Prophet should be fulfilled (verses 37, 38); +and which came to pass necessarily (_necessitate consequente_), because, +as Isaias declared, they no longer had the abundant graces necessary in +order that they might believe (verses 39, 40). Thus the incredulity of the +Jews in our Lord's time was _necessary_ to the end that prophecy might be +fulfilled. How then, we may ask, was that incredulity culpable, if those +who were incredulous were not free and able to believe? The answer is, +that this incredulity was necessary by a necessity consequent upon the +prediction of the inspired Prophet, which prediction was itself consequent +upon God's foreknowledge that the Jews would, culpably and of their own +free will, remain incredulous. God foresaw this incredulity, predicted it, +because He foresaw it was to be; and, of course, it came to pass, as He +had foreseen it would. Hence, when God foresees, or His Prophet predicts, +the commission of a certain sin, that sin is infallibly, yet freely +committed. It is, as if we saw a man walking across a plain; he does so, +not because we see him, but we see him because he walks. Similarly, in the +boundless plain of His eternal present, God sees all things that are to +be, and they happen, not because He sees them, but He sees them because +they are to happen. + +Note, in verse 38, that *our hearing* means what has been heard _from_ us, +for the preachers of the Gospel are represented in Isaias as complaining +of the small number of those who listened to them. *The arm of the Lord* +is Christ, according to several of the fathers; or we may take it to mean +the power of the Lord in the work of man's redemption. + +Note, in verse 40, where the prophecy is cited freely, after neither the +Hebrew nor the Septuagint, that it is not meant that God blinded any man +_positively_, but only negatively, by the withdrawal of His more abundant +graces. + +41. Haec dixit Isaias, quando 41. These things said Isaias +vidit gloriam eius, et locutus when he saw his glory, and +est de eo. spoke of him. + +41. See Isaias vi. 1, 9, 10, where the Prophet says: "I saw the Lord" +({~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} = the Supreme God), words which are here referred by St. John to the +Prophet's having seen Christ; therefore, according to St. John, Christ is +the Supreme God. + +It would also seem from this verse that the Son of God Himself, and not +merely an angel representing Him, appeared to Isaias on that occasion. It +was the common opinion of the fathers, though denied by most of the +scholastics, that God sometimes appeared in the O. T. apparitions. + +*And spoke of him*, rather, "and he spoke of Him," for this clause does +not depend upon the preceding "when." It is a statement that it was of +Christ Isaias spoke the words just quoted. + +42. Verumtamen et ex 42. However many of the chief +principibus multi crediderunt men also believed in him: but +in eum: sed propter pharisaeos because of the Pharisees they +non confitebantur, ut e did not confess _him_, that +synagoga non eiicerentur: they might not be cast out of + the synagogue. + +42. See above on ix. 22. + +43. Dilexerunt enim gloriam 43. For they loved the glory +hominum magis quam gloriam of men, more than the glory of +Dei. God. +44. Iesus autem clamavit, et 44. But Jesus cried, and said: +dixit: Qui credit in me, non He that believeth in me, doth +credit in me sed in eum qui not believe in me, but in him +misit me. that sent me. + +44. These words of our Lord recorded in the remainder of this chapter seem +to have been spoken on a subsequent day of Holy Week (see verse 36); but +on what precise day, it is difficult to determine. *Doth not believe in +me* is the Hebrew way of saying: doth not _so much_ believe in Me, as in +Him that sent Me. Compare Mark ix. 36. + +45. Et qui videt me, videt eum 45. And he that seeth me, +qui misit me. seeth him that sent me. + +45. In these words Christ declares His unity of nature with the Father. +"Sensus est de visione corporali, non quod Deus oculo corporeo videatur +immediate, et per se, sed mediante humanitate, cui Divina substantia +Patris et Filii est unita" (Tolet.). + +46. Ego lux in mundum veni: ut 46. I am come a light into the +omnis qui credit in me, in world; that whosoever +tenebris non maneat. believeth in me, may not + remain in darkness. + +46. *Darkness* here means unbelief and sin. + +47. Et si quis audierit verba 47. And if any man hear my +mea, et non custodierit, ego words and keep them not: I do +non iudico eum, non enim veni not judge him: for I came not +ut iudicem mundum, sed ut to judge the world, but to +salvificem mundum. save the world. + +47. *I do not judge him*; _i.e._, I do not _condemn_ him. Compare iii. 17; +viii. 15, 50. At his _first_ coming Christ did not come to condemn, but to +save. + +48. Qui spernit me, et non 48. He that despiseth me, and +accipit verba mea, habet qui receiveth not my words, hath +iudicet eum: sermo quem one that judgeth him: the word +locutus sum, ille iudicabit that I have spoken, the same +eum in novissimo die. shall judge him in the last + day. + +48. *Hath one that judgeth him*; namely, the Father (viii. 50). Hence the +sense of the verse is that he that despiseth Me ... hath one that judgeth +him _even now_; and moreover, on the last day My words shall rise in +judgment against him. + +49. Quia ego ex meipso non sum 49. For I have not spoken of +locutus, sed qui misit me myself, but the Father who +Pater, ipse mihi mandatum sent me, he gave me +dedit quid dicam, et quid commandment what I should say, +loquar. and what I should speak. + +49. This verse gives the reason why the words of Christ shall stand in +judgment against the unbeliever; because His words were not merely His +own, uttered by His private authority, but spoken by the command of His +Father, whom therefore they despise, in despising Him. In our view Christ +here speaks of Himself as man. + +If *say* and *speak* are to be distinguished, then "say" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}) refers to +the formal discourses, "speak" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}) to the ordinary conversations; so +that in all His words Christ had spoken to them the words of God. + +50. Et scio quia mandatum eius 50. And I know that his +vita aeterna est. Quae ergo commandment is life +ego loquor, sicut dixit mihi everlasting. The things +Pater, sic loquor. therefore that I speak; even + as the Father said unto me, so + do I speak. + +50. To show them their folly, and in the hope of yet inducing them to +believe, He tells them He knows with certainty that the command of the +Father (that is, what the Father had commanded Him to say and do, and +hence, all His own words and works) is the cause of life eternal to +mankind. Hence their folly in not believing. + +*The things therefore that I speak; even as the Father said unto me, so do +I speak.* Thus He concludes, insisting on the fact that He is the legate +of God (consubstantial with the Father, verse 45), and as such worthy to +be believed. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + + 1-20. *On the night before (according to the Jewish method of + reckoning their days, on the first night of) the great festal week + of the Pasch, Jesus celebrates the Paschal Supper with His + disciples in Jerusalem, washes their feet, exhorts them to imitate + His example of humility and charity, and hints at the sin of + Judas.* + + 21-30. *He reveals the traitor, who then leaves the supper-room.* + + 31-39. *He foretells the near approach of His own death and + glorification; gives the new commandment of Christian charity, and + predicts the triple denial by Peter.* + + +With this chapter the second part of the narrative of our Gospel +commences. See Introd. IV. + +St. John now passes on to the history of the events of the night before +our Lord's death, omitting a number of incidents of Holy Week, which had +been already recorded by the Synoptic Evangelists. Thus, he does not +mention the weeping over Jerusalem (Luke xix. 39-44); the cursing of the +barren fig-tree (Matt. xxi. 18, 19, Mark xi. 12-14); or the cleansing of +the temple (Matt. xxi. 12, 14; Mark xi. 15; Luke xix. 45, 46). There can +be little doubt that it was his intention to supplement the Synoptic +Gospels, for not only does he omit many things that they record, but he +records very much that they omit. + +1. Ante diem festum paschae, 1. Before the festival day of +sciens Iesus quia venit hora the pasch, Jesus knowing that +eius ut transeat ex hoc mundo his hour was come, that he +ad Patrem: cum dilexisset suos should pass out of this world +qui erant in mundo, in finem to the Father: having loved +dilexit eos. his own who were in the world, + he loved them unto the end. + +1. *Before the festival day of the pasch.* We are here met by a serious +difficulty when we compare with these words of St. John the accounts of +the Synoptic Evangelists; for, while they represent the supper, referred +to by St. John in verse 2, as having taken place on the evening of the +first day of Azymes, St. John here seems to place it prior to that Feast. +If we had only the Synoptic Gospels, we should, without any hesitation, +come to the conclusion--(_a_) that our Lord and His Apostles ate the +Paschal Supper on the night before He died; and (_b_) that the Jews that +year eat it on the same night. For St. Matthew tells us: "And on the first +day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou +that we prepare for thee to eat the pasch? But Jesus said: Go ye into the +city to a certain man, and say to him: The Master saith, my time is near +at hand; with thee I make the pasch with my disciples. And the disciples +did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the pasch. But when it +was evening he sat down with his twelve disciples" (Matt. xxvi. 17-20). +Similarly, St. Mark (xiv. 12-17) and St. Luke (xxii. 7-14) seem to take +for granted that the ordinary time for celebrating the Paschal Supper was +come, for St. Mark says: "Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, +_when they sacrificed the pasch_, the disciples say to him," &c.; and St. +Luke: "And the day of the unleavened bread came, on which _it was +necessary_ that the pasch should be killed." St. John, on the other hand, +in the verse before us, in which he introduces his account of the events +of this last night of Christ's mortal life, speaks of the time as; +"_Before_ the festival day of the pasch." Moreover, in subsequent +passages(82) of our Gospel, to which we shall direct attention as they +occur, St. John uses language which, at first sight, at least, would seem +to show that the Jews did not eat the Pasch on the night of Christ's last +supper, but on the following night, after He was crucified. Hence the +difficulty of reconciling St. John's account with that of the Synoptic +Evangelists. A vast amount of learning has been expended upon this +question, and a great deal has been written upon it. We shall indicate as +briefly as possible the different opinions, and state what seems to us +most probable. + +(1) Some, as St. Clement of Alexandria, Calmet, &c., have held that our +Lord did not eat the Pasch at all in the last year of His life. They argue +from texts in St. John, which prove, they say, that the time for eating +the Pasch had not come until after Christ was put to death. They take the +"first day of the Azymes," in the Synoptic Gospels, to mean the 13th day +of Nisan; and hold that it, and not the 14th, was so called because the +Jews removed all leaven from their houses a day before the Feast. In this +view they have no difficulty in reconciling St. John's account with that +of the other Evangelists; for the Synoptic Evangelists are then made to +represent the Last Supper as having taken place on the 13th of Nisan. That +being so, it is at once concluded that there cannot be question of the +Paschal Supper, but of an ordinary supper, and St. John, in agreement with +the Synoptists, states that the supper in question was held "before the +festival day of the pasch." + +This opinion, however, we regard as wholly improbable and untenable in the +face of the statements of the Synoptic Evangelists, for these statements +are such as to leave no reasonable doubt that our Lord and His Apostles +did eat the Paschal Supper the night before He died. Thus, they tell us +that the disciples were sent by our Lord to prepare the Pasch, that they +prepared it, and that when the time for eating it was come, Christ sat +down with the Twelve.(83) Moreover, St. Luke tells us that after they sat +down, Christ said: "With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you +before I suffer" (Luke xxii. 15)--words which clearly imply that on the +occasion of that last supper the Pasch was eaten by Christ and the +Apostles. Hence the opinion we are now considering, which would reconcile +the Evangelists by holding that our Lord, on the night before He died, did +not partake of the Paschal Supper, but only of an ordinary supper, is, as +we have already said, wholly improbable; and, indeed, the book of a +certain Florentine named Vecchietti, published at the close of the +sixteenth century, and maintaining this view, was condemned by the Holy +Office and its author imprisoned.(84) + +(2) Others, especially among the Greeks, admit that our Lord did eat the +Paschal Supper on this occasion, but hold that He did so on the night +following the 13th of Nisan, thus anticipating by a day the ordinary time +for celebrating it. + +But this view, too, seems to us very improbable; for the language of the +Synoptic Evangelists appears to us to prove conclusively that our Lord did +not anticipate the legal time for eating the Pasch, which, as we know from +Exod. xii. 6, 8, and from tradition, was the night following the 14th of +Nisan. Thus St. Mark, in the passage already quoted, says: "Now, on the +first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, the +Imperf. denoting what was _customary_) the pasch, the disciples say to +Him: Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the pasch?" +(Mark xiv. 12). And St. Luke: "And the day of the unleavened bread came, +on which it was _necessary_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) that the pasch should be killed" (Luke +xxii. 7). These texts, we believe, prove that our Lord celebrated His last +supper on the night following the 14th of Nisan, the night on which the +Jews were bound by their Law to eat the Pasch. Hence we unhesitatingly +reject any view which supposes Him to have anticipated the legal time for +the Paschal Supper. + +(3) Others, as Harduin, Bisping, &c., hold that the 13th of Nisan with the +Judeans was the 14th with the Galileans, who therefore kept the Pasch a +day earlier than the Judeans; and that our Lord, being a Galilean, did the +same. This opinion, too, would enable us to readily reconcile the +Evangelists; but unfortunately the assumption as to a difference of +computation between the Judeans and Galileans is a mere conjecture, and +has no evidence to support it. + +(4) Others, as Petav., Mald., Kuin., Coleridge,(85) Cornely, &c., hold +that our Lord and the Apostles eat the Paschal Supper on the night of the +14th of Nisan, while the Jews that year eat it on the night of the 15th. +Maldonatus holds that it was customary with the Jews from the time of the +Babylonian captivity, whenever the first day of the Pasch fell on a +Friday, to transfer it to Saturday, in order that two solemn feasts might +not occur on successive days. According to this view, our Lord +corresponded with the requirements of the Jewish Law; the Jews, on the +other hand, followed the custom which had been introduced after the +Babylonian captivity. In this view, too, it is easy to reconcile St. +John's statement with those of the other Evangelists. He speaks of the +night of the Last Supper, in reference to the feast as celebrated that +year by the Judeans, and so places it _before_ the feast; they, on the +other hand, speak of it in reference to the strict Law, and place it on +the first day of Azymes, or rather on the night following the first day of +Azymes.(86) + +The great names of many who have held this opinion, lend to it +considerable probability, and if the custom which is alleged in its favour +were proved to have existed in the time of Christ, we would at once adopt +it. But it is seriously disputed whether such a custom did exist at that +time. It is true, indeed, that among the modern Jews, when the Paschal +feast should begin on Friday, they always defer it till the Sabbath; and +the Talmud is referred to by Comely (vol. iii., § 73, 1) as saying that +the same has been the Jewish practice ever since the Babylonian captivity. +Others, however, contend that the custom is not as old as the time of +Christ, and that in His time the first day of the Pasch was kept on a +Friday whenever it happened to fall on that day. Aben-Ezra (on Levit. +xxiii. 4) says: "Tam ex Mischna quam ex Talmude probatur Pascha in +secundam, quartam, et _sextam_ feriam quandoque incidisse." Since, then, +the hypothesis on which this opinion rests seems doubtful, the opinion +itself appears to us less satisfactory than that which follows. + +(5) Lastly, there is the old, and always the most common opinion, that our +Lord did eat the Pasch at His last supper; that He eat it on the night of +the 14th of Nisan; and that the Jews eat it on that same night. So St. +Jer., St. Aug., St. Anselm, Suarez, Tolet., A Lap., Benedict XIV., +Patriz., M'Carthy, Corluy, Didon. This opinion is certainly in accordance +with the obvious meaning of the Synoptic Evangelists; and the objections +against it, which are chiefly drawn from the Gospel of St. John,(87) can +all be answered satisfactorily, as we shall show when discussing the +passages on which they are founded. + +We hold, then, that Christ and the Jews eat the Pasch on the night +following the 14th of Nisan, when, according to the Jewish method of +counting their days, the 15th had already commenced; and that Christ was +put to death on the 15th, the first and most solemn day of the Paschal +week. + +And now, returning to the text of St. John, we are confronted at the very +commencement of this chapter by an objection to our view, in the words: +"Before the festival day of the pasch." If Christ celebrated the Last +Supper on the night after the 14th of Nisan, how does St. John speak of +the time of this supper as "before the festival day of the pasch"? To this +difficulty various answers have been given. (1) Some have replied that St. +John means by "day" the natural day, or time of light; and then it is +plain that a supper celebrated on the night following the 14th was before +the festival _day_ of the 15th. This explanation is unsatisfactory, for in +the original St. John does not merely say "Before the festal day," but +"Before the festal period" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}; comp., _e.g._, vii. 2, 14, +37). + +(2) Others say that the words {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} are equivalent to {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}; "quod ita praecedit festum, ut tamen sit pars festi" are the +words of Bochart, with whom Stier agrees. See Smith's _B. D._, Art. +"Passover." + +(3) Others prefer to believe that as St. John wrote sixty years after the +Last Supper, after he had spent many years in Asia Minor, and become +accustomed to Greek habits of thought and expression, he speaks according +to the Greek method of reckoning the day. The Greeks, like ourselves, +reckoned their days from midnight to midnight; and St. John, speaking of +the supper as taking place before the midnight that followed the 14th of +Nisan, might well refer it to a time previous to the festival.(88) + +*Jesus, knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this +world to the Father.* As God, Jesus knew from all eternity the hour of His +death; as man, he knew it from the first moment of the Incarnation. +Knowing, then, that He was about to pass out of this vale of sorrow and +misery, and by His death, resurrection, and ascension, go to share in the +glory of the Father, having throughout His life loved His Apostles (His +own), whom He was now leaving behind Him to struggle with the world, so He +now chose to manifest towards them His love _in an extraordinary manner_. +{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} which in our Rhemish Version is translated "unto the end," we +understand, with the Greek fathers, who ought to be the best judges of the +meaning of the phrase, as equivalent to _excessively_, or _in a surpassing +manner_. This excessive love Jesus manifested on this last night, as well +in the washing of the Apostles' feet as in the institution of the Blessed +Eucharist, the elevation of the Apostles to the dignity of the priesthood, +and the loving discourse which followed this supper. + +2. Et coena facta, cum 2. And when supper was done +diabolus iam misisset in cor (the devil having now put into +ut traderet eum Iudas Simonis the heart of Judas Iscariot, +Iscariotae: the son of Simon, to betray + him), + +2. *And when supper was done.* We have taken for granted that the supper +here mentioned by St. John is identical with the last supper referred to +by the Synoptic Evangelists, for there is no room for reasonable doubt as +to their identity. On both occasions the traitor is revealed, and the +denial by Peter foretold, and on both the supper is followed by the +departure to the Garden of Olives.(89) + +"There are good grounds for questioning the correctness of the Greek +reading, which in the Vulgate is translated 'coena facta'; for the +_present_ participle ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}) and not the past ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}) is found in +many MSS. of the highest authority. Finally, it is obvious that, +considering the special signification of the Greek verb employed ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} +_to be, to come into being_), even the _past_ participle by no means +implies that the supper was then over, but merely that it had commenced, +and was then going on. The same participle is used unquestionably in this +sense in many passages of the New Testament; as, for instance, in John +xxi. 4: 'When morning _was come_;' in Mark vi. 2, '_during_ the Sabbath;' +Matt. xxvi. 6, 'Jesus _being_ now at Bethany,' and in many other passages" +(Dr. Walsh, _Harmony of the Gospel Narratives_, note 19.) The meaning, +then, is that supper was proceeding. + +*The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of +Simon, to betray him.* This inhuman treachery was suggested by Satan, but +freely consented to by the wretched Apostle. The treachery of Judas is +here mentioned to throw into relief the loving mercy and condescension of +Jesus in washing even the traitor's feet. + +3. Sciens quia omnia dedit ei 3. Knowing that the Father had +Pater in manus, et quia a Deo given him all things into his +exivit, et ad Deum vadit. hands, and that he came from + God, and goeth to God. + +3. While fully conscious of His dignity, of His supreme dominion over all +things, and of the fact that He had come out from the bosom of God in the +incarnation, and would return thither by His resurrection and ascension, +He yet makes Himself as it were the servant of His Apostles. + +4. Surgit a coena, et ponit 4. He riseth from supper, and +vestimenta sua: et cum layeth aside his garments, and +accepisset linteum, praecinxit having taken a towel, girded +se. himself. + +4. *He riseth from supper.* Hence it is clear that the supper had already +begun when the washing of the Apostles' feet took place. And for the +reasons given above on verse 2, as also because of verse 12 ("being sat +down again") we hold that it was _not over_; so that we adhere to the +traditional view that the washing of the feet took place during the +supper.(90) Commentators generally hold that the Paschal Supper on the +present occasion was followed by the ordinary supper or evening meal, and +this again by what we may call the Eucharistic Supper. It is generally +held that the washing of the feet took place immediately after the Paschal +Supper, or during the ordinary, and before the Eucharistic Supper. At the +Paschal Supper the company at the table might not be less than ten nor +more than twenty. In our Lord's time those partaking of the supper +reclined on couches, this being the usage then, as standing had been +originally. "The rites of the supper were regulated according to the +succession of four, sometimes five, cups of red wine mixed with water, +which were placed before the head of the house or the most eminent guest, +who was called the celebrant, the president, or _proclaimer of the +feast_."(91) (See Dr. Walsh, _Harmony of the Gospel Narratives_, note 16.) + +Christ having risen from the supper *layeth aside his garments*. The +pallium or cloak, a square or oblong piece of cloth, which was thrown +loosely around the body outside the tunic, was probably what was laid +aside;(92) and thus Jesus made Himself more like a servant, for servants +were not accustomed to wear the cloak. Then He took a towel, and girded +Himself therewith. "Quid mirum," says St. Augustine, si "praecinxit se +linteo qui formam servi accipiens habitu inventus est ut homo?" Note how +the Evangelist narrates every little circumstance connected with this act +of marvellous condescension. + +5. Deinde mittit aquam in 5. After that, he putteth +pelvim, et coepit lavare pedes water into a basin, and began +discipulorum, et extergere to wash the feet of his +linteo quo erat praecinctus. disciples, and to wipe them + with the towel, wherewith he + was girded. + +5. *After that, he putteth water into a basin.* In the Greek we have _the_ +basin ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}), probably denoting a vessel ordinarily used for the +washing of feet, or that had been provided for the ceremony of the washing +of hands, which was portion of the ritual of the Paschal Supper. We take +it that the fourth and fifth verses describe in a general way how our Lord +set about washing the disciples' feet. + +6. Venit ergo ad Simonem 6. He cometh therefore to +Petrum. Et dicet ei Petrus: Simon Peter. And Peter said to +Domine, tu mihi lavas pedes? him: Lord, dost thou wash my + feet? + +6. Here the Evangelist goes on to state in detail what happened when our +Lord presented Himself first of all before Peter. Thus we need not suppose +that our Lord had washed the feet of any other disciple before He came to +Peter. St. Peter almost always stands first among the Apostles, and on the +present occasion, the remonstrance would naturally come from the first +person at whose feet our Lord presented Himself. + +"There is nothing to support the old notion that the action began with +Judas. It is more natural to suppose that the Lord began with St. Peter. +In that case his refusal to accept the services is more intelligible than +it would be if others had already accepted it" (Westc. in _The Speaker's +Commentary_). + +*Dost thou wash my feet?* The position of the pronouns in the Greek brings +out sharply the contrast of the persons. + +7. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 7. Jesus answered, and said to +ei: Quod ego facio, tu nescis him: What I do, thou knowest +modo, scies autem postea. not now, but thou shalt know + hereafter. + +7. Peter, bewildered by His Divine Master's condescension, is told that he +shall afterwards learn the moral significance of what Jesus was about to +do. + +8. Dicit ei Petrus: Non 8. Peter said to him: Thou +lavabis mihi pedes in shalt never wash my feet. +aeternum. Respondit ei Iesus: Jesus answered him: If I wash +Si non lavero te, non habebis thee not, thou shalt have no +partem mecum. part with me. + +8. Strong in faith, and mindful of the dignity of his Master, with that +impetuosity which displayed itself on other occasions, Peter declares that +he will never consent to such an act of self-abasement on the part of his +Lord. Christ at once replies to him: *If I wash thee not, thou shalt have +no part with me.* The meaning is, that if Peter refused obedience to +Christ's wish, now distinctly made known to him in these words, he should +be excluded from Christ's society here and hereafter. Complete surrender +of his will to Christ was a necessary condition of discipleship. + +The washing of the feet here referred to is not a sacrament; the practice +of the Church makes this clear. Besides, it cannot be shown that grace was +annexed to it. No doubt, without it Peter was to have no part with Christ; +but this, we hold, would be the effect of disobedience, not the result of +wanting anything which the washing could bestow. In reality, Peter was +already in the state of grace, for in the tenth verse Jesus tells the +Apostles that they are _clean_; and though He qualifies the statement by +saying that all are not clean, yet St. John explains this qualification in +reference to Judas only. Hence Peter was already in the state of grace, +and there is nothing in the text or context to show that he was to obtain +grace if his feet were washed, but only that he was to lose it if they +were not. + +9. Dicit ei Simon Petrus: 9. Simon Peter saith to him: +Domine, non tantum pedes meos, Lord, not only my feet, but +sed et manus, et caput. also my hands and my head. +10. Dicit ei Iesus: Qui lotus 10. Jesus saith to him: He +est, non indiget nisi ut pedes that is washed, needeth not +lavet, sed est mundus totus. but to wash his feet, but is +Et vos mundi estis, sed non clean wholly. And you are +omnes. clean, but not all. + +10. *Jesus saith to him: He that is washed* (rather _bathed_), *needeth +not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly*. Some ancient authorities +omit the words "but" and "his feet," and the meaning whether in regard to +body or soul is then clear and simple, namely, that he who has bathed has +no need to wash, but is already clean. However, the words are much more +probably genuine; and the difficulty they create is doubtless the reason +why they are wanting in some authorities. Taking them as genuine, then, +let us try to explain the verse. Some have understood our Lord to speak +only of a corporal washing, as if He merely meant that the Apostles who +had bathed, or at least washed their hands before this Supper (see above +on ii. 6), now needed nothing except to have their feet washed. But the +common opinion of commentators understands our Lord to speak of a +spiritual washing, of which the washing of the feet was a symbol, and this +view we accept. For the closing words of the verse: "And you are clean, +but not all" when taken together with St. John's explanation in verse 11, +leave no doubt that our Lord speaks of spiritual cleanness, and therefore +we may fairly conclude that He speaks also of a spiritual washing. He was +about to wash their feet literally, but He intended that ceremony as a +symbol of the higher cleansing process required of them and others as a +fitting preparation before receiving the Blessed Eucharist. Such +preparation was not absolutely necessary in their case, for they were +already clean from mortal sin, but it was fitting and in some sense +required, in order that they might remove the dust of venial sin, which +was daily clinging to them in their contact with the world. It is clearly +implied that if they had not been clean, that is to say, free from mortal +sin, a more thorough cleansing would have necessary. + +The meaning, then, seems to be that one who has bathed spiritually by +having his soul cleansed from mortal sin, needs afterwards, as a fitting +preparation for the Blessed Eucharist, merely that limited cleansing that +was symbolized by the washing of only the feet. + +11. Sciebat enim quisnam esset 11. For he knew who he was +qui traderet eum: propterea that would betray him; +dixit: Non estis mundi omnes. therefore he said: You are not + all clean. +12. Postquam ergo lavit pedes 12. Then after he had washed +eorum, et accepit vestimenta their feet, and taken his +sua: cum recubuisset iterum, garments, being sat down +dixit eis: Scitis quid fecerim again, he said to them: Know +vobis? you what I have done to you? +13. Vos vocatis me, Magister 13. You call me Master, and +et Domine: et benedicitis: sum Lord: and you say well, for so +etenim. I am. +14. Si ergo ego lavi pedes 14. If then I, being _your_ +vestros, Dominus et Magister: Lord and Master, have washed +et vos debetis alter alterius your feet; you also ought to +lavare pedes. wash one another's feet. +15. Exemplum enim dedi vobis, 15. For I have given you an +ut quemadmodum ego feci vobis, example, that as I have done +ita et vos faciatis. to you, so you do also. +16. Amen, amen dico vobis: Non 16. Amen, amen, I say to you: +est servus maior domino suo: The servant is not greater +neque apostolus maior est eo than his lord: neither is the +qui misit illum. apostle greater than he that + sent him. + +12-16. Having concluded the washing of the feet, and _again reclined_, +Jesus points out to the Apostles the moral significance of what He had +done. If He, whom they rightly called Lord and Master condescended to wash +their feet, how much more ought they to wash the feet of one another, and +perform towards one another similar acts of humility and mutual charity? +It was that they might reflect in their own lives this spirit of humility +and charity that He had set them the example; and though such humble +offices of charity might at first sight seem unworthy of them, or beneath +them, yet a servant is not greater than his master; and whither Christ had +stooped they too should be prepared to stoop. + +17. Si haec scitis, beati 17. If you know these things, +eritis si feceritis ea. you shall be blessed if you do + them. + +17. In this verse, He promises them happiness here and hereafter, if they +continue to fulfil towards one another such offices of humility and mutual +charity. + +18. Non de omnibus vobis dico: 18. I speak not of you all: I +ego scio quos elegerim: sed ut know whom I have chosen: but +adimpleatur scriptura: Qui that the scripture may be +manducat mecum panem, levabit fulfilled, _He that eateth +contra me calcaneum suum. bread with me, shall lift up + his heel against me_. + +18. Christ does not here qualify the promise made in verse 17, for that +promise was conditional, and as such is universally true. But taking +occasion from the word "blessed," which He had used, He proceeds to say +that not all of them are, or shall be, blessed. + +*I know whom I have ** chosen.* SS. Aug. and Bede understand Christ to +speak of the choice or election by which He had predestined some to +_glory_; and as Judas was not predestined, therefore Christ had not +intended to speak of blessedness in connection with him. But since, in +other parts of Scripture, Christ never attributes the act of +predestinating to Himself, but only to the Father, hence we prefer, with +Tol., Mald., A Lap., to understand here not of election to glory, but of +the call to the Apostleship; and the sense is: I know what sort are the +twelve whom I have chosen to be Apostles, and that one of them is not +blessed, and never shall be. *But that the Scripture may be fulfilled.* +The sense is: but though I know and knew how unworthy one of you is, still +I called him to the Apostleship, that the Scripture might be fulfilled +which foretold his ingratitude and guilt. That the prediction of the +treachery of Judas did not deprive him of his liberty, nor extenuate his +guilt, see above on xii. 38. The Scripture quoted is from Psalm xl. 10, +where David complains of the ingratitude of some person whom he had +treated as his familiar friend. David and his false friend were types of +Christ and Judas; and, as we learn from the present passage of St. John, +the mystical sense of David's words had reference to the betrayal of +Christ by Judas. In the quotation, the words *shall lift* (or rather "has +lifted," for _levabit_ ought to be _levavit_) *up his heel against me*, +are to be taken metaphorically. The meaning probably is that the +ingratitude of Judas is like that of the beast which kicks him who feeds +it and treats it kindly. + +19. Amodo dico vobis, 19. At present I tell you, +priusquam fiat: ut cum factum before it come to pass: that +fuerit, credatis quia ego sum. when it shall come to pass, + you may believe that I am he. + +19. Christ tells them that He now makes known to them the treachery of one +of them, in order that when it shall have come to pass, they may remember +that He had foreknowledge of it, and may believe Him to be God. + +20. Amen, amen dico vobis: qui 20. Amen, amen, I say to you, +accipit si quem misero, me he that receiveth whomsoever I +accipit: qui autem me accipit, send, receiveth me: and he +accipit eum qui me misit. that receiveth me, receiveth + him that sent me. + +20. Some hold that this verse has no connection with the context here; and +that the words of Christ with which it was connected are omitted by our +Evangelist. Others connect in various ways. With Beelen, we prefer to +connect as follows. In verses 15-17, Christ had exhorted the Apostles to +share in His humiliations; then, in verses 18 and 19 he digressed, to +speak of the treachery of Judas; and now after the digression He tells +them, for their consolation, that they shall be sharers in His honour. + +Some harmonists place the institution of the Blessed Eucharist immediately +after the words recorded in verse 20; others, after verse 22; and others, +at other points in the narrative. + +21. Cum haec dixisset Iesus, 21. When Jesus had said these +turbatus est spiritu: et things, he was troubled in +protestatus est, et dixit: spirit: and he testified, and +Amen, amen dico vobis: quia said: Amen, amen, I say to +unus ex vobis tradet me. you, one of you shall betray + me. + +21. *He was troubled in spirit.* As we said above on xi. 23, this +perturbation of soul was freely permitted by Christ. The disclosure of the +traitor had been begun earlier in the night. It is recorded more or less +fully by the four Evangelists, but in such a manner as to render it +extremely probable that Christ returned to the subject several times +during the night. St. Matthew (xxvi. 21, and foll.) and St. Mark (xiv. 18, +and following) record the allusion to the traitor, immediately before the +institution of the Blessed Eucharist. St. Luke, on the other hand, records +it immediately after the same event: "This is the chalice, the New +Testament, in my blood, which shall be shed for you. But yet behold, the +hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table" (Luke xxii. 20, +21). St. John does not refer, at least explicitly, to the institution of +the Blessed Eucharist; but in his narrative the treachery of Judas is at +first insinuated during the washing of the feet (verse 10); again alluded +to in verse 18; and, finally, clearly foretold in verse 26. We can best +reconcile all the Evangelists by holding that, in the hope of deterring +Judas from his awful purpose, our Lord returned several times to the same +subject: first, during the washing of the feet, as in St. John; then +before the institution of the Blessed Eucharist, as in SS. Matthew and +Mark; then, immediately after the institution, as in St. Luke; and +finally, when the dipped bread was handed to the traitor, and he left the +room, as in St. John. + +"No doubt it would be difficult to admit this supposition if the words in +question (the words of the Synoptic Evangelists) contained, as seems +generally to be taken for granted, a distinct identification of the +traitor. For it could hardly be supposed that Judas, if thus pointed out, +could have retained his place at the supper table, among the Apostles. +But, in reality, there is no reason to regard the expressions recorded by +St. Matthew and St. Mark--and the same may be said of that recorded by St. +Luke--as thus distinctly identifying the one who was to betray our Lord." + +"We may, indeed, regard them as conveying an intimation to _Judas +himself_, if, as may be supposed, at the time they were uttered, or +shortly before it, his hand had been upon the table, or if he had helped +himself to some meat from the same dish as our Lord, and those others who +sat in immediate proximity to Him. Or we may even suppose that those +expressions, or at least some of them, were _altogether indefinite_, so as +to convey only the sad intelligence that it was one of His chosen Twelve +who was about to betray Him; just as the words, '_Unus vestrum_ me +traditurus est,' of St. Matthew (xxvi. 21), or the '_Unus ex vobis_ tradet +me, qui manducat mecum' of St. Mark (xiv. 18), or the prophetic words of +the Psalmist (Ps. xl. 10) quoted by our Lord, as recorded by St. John +(xiii. 18), '_Qui manducat mecum panem_, levabit contra me calcaneum +suum.' + +"But there appears no sufficient reason for supposing that any of the +expressions hitherto quoted was calculated, or was intended, to identify +the traitor, at least _in the eyes of his fellow-Apostles_.(93) Thus, +then, there is no difficulty in supposing that they may have been spoken +by our Lord at even an early period of the supper." + +"The incident recorded by St. John (xiii. 21, 30) is of an essentially +different character. There our Lord, after announcing in general terms, +'Unus ex vobis tradet me,' is appealed to by St. John, at the instance of +St. Peter, to declare who the traitor may be. The request of the beloved +disciple is promptly met by the response, 'Ille est, cui ego intinctum +panem porrexero;' and the traitor is immediately pointed out by the signal +thus selected by our Lord: 'Et quum intinxisset panem, dedit Judae Simonis +Iscariotae.' "(94) + +22. Aspiciebant ergo ad 22. The disciples therefore +invicem discipuli, haesitantes looked one upon another, +de quo diceret. doubting of whom he spoke. + +22. *The disciples therefore looked* (rather, _were looking_, as in the +original and Vulgate) *one upon another, doubting of whom he spoke*. The +words vividly recall the actual scene. Strange as the prediction was, no +one doubted its fulfilment; they merely doubted of whom He spoke. We say +of _whom_ He spoke, for though the original might mean, of _what_ He +spoke, Peter's question immediately afterwards: "Who is it of whom he +speaketh?" (v. 24), shows that their doubt regarded merely which of them +was to betray Him. Earlier in the night, when He first referred to the +betrayal, they may perhaps have doubted even _what_ He meant; but that +stage was now passed, and the only doubt remaining was as to which of +their number was to play the part of traitor. + +23. Erat ergo recumbens unus 23. Now there was leaning on +ex discipulis eius in sinu Jesus' bosom one of his +Iesu, quem diligebat Iesus. disciples whom Jesus loved. + +23. *Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom.* Rather: "Now there was +reclining at the table _in_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} ... {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) Jesus' bosom." Instead of +sitting at table, as we do now, the Jews of our Lord's time, and for some +time before and after, reclined. The guests lay resting on their left arm, +stretched obliquely, their feet being behind them, instead of under the +table, as with us. In this way a guest was reclining close to the bosom of +the guest behind him, and such was the position that St. John occupied in +reference to Christ on this occasion. When three reclined on the same +couch, the centre was the place of honour. + +*One of his disciples whom Jesus loved.* This, according to all antiquity, +was our Evangelist himself. The title, which occurs here for the first +time, is perhaps suggested by the recollection of the privileged position +he occupied at the Last Supper. It occurs again, xix. 26; xxi. 7, 20. +Comp. also xx. 2. + +24. Innuit ergo huic Simon 24. Simon Peter therefore +Petrus, et dixit ei: Quis est, beckoned to him, and said to +de quo dicit? him: Who is it of whom he + speaketh? + +24. The best-supported Greek reading agrees substantially with the +Vulgate: "Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell +who it is of whom he speaketh." According to this reading, St. John was +not asked to inquire of Jesus who the traitor was, but St. Peter takes for +granted that St. John had already learned from Jesus, and simply asks the +beloved disciple to make it known to them all. In the other and less +probable reading, St. John is asked _to inquire_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) who the +traitor is. It might seem more in accordance with St. Peter's character, +that he should directly ask our Lord to point out the traitor, but it is +possible that Christ's threat, recorded in verse 8, may have made him less +confident than usual. + +25. Itaque cum recubuisset 25. He therefore leaning on +ille supra pectus Iesu, dicit the breast of Jesus saith to +ei: Domine quis est! him: Lord, who is it? + +25. If St. Peter supposed that St. John already knew who the traitor was, +he was mistaken, as we see by this verse. + +*He therefore leaning on.* The best-supported Greek reading would be +rendered thus: _He leaning back, as he was, on_ &c. ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}). + +From his reclining position, St. John had merely to lean a little farther +back in order to rest his head on His Divine Master's breast. Thus "as he +was," _i.e._, without changing his position at table, by merely leaning +back, he was not only close to the _bosom_ of Jesus, but was on His +breast, and could whisper his question. All the fathers speak of the +privilege conferred upon St. John on this occasion in his being admitted +to such familiarity with his Divine Master. + +26. Respondit Iesus: Ille est 26. Jesus answered: He it is +cui ego intinctum panem to whom I shall reach bread +porrexero. Et cum intinxisset dipped. And when he had dipped +panem, dedit Iudae Simonis the bread, he gave it to Judas +Iscariotae. Iscariot, _the son_ of Simon. + +26. If we suppose the bread which was handed to Judas to have been dipped +in the Charoseth ({~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}) a kind of sauce used at the Paschal Supper, then +the meats of the Paschal Supper must have been still upon the table. This +there is no difficulty in admitting, even if the ordinary supper, +following upon the Paschal Supper, had already been partaken of. + +27. Et post buccellam, 27. And after the morsel, +introivit in eim Satanas. Et Satan entered into him. And +dixit ei Iesus; Quod facis, Jesus said to him: That which +fac citius. thou dost, do quickly. + +27. After the morsel had been given to Judas, "Satan entered into him;" +that is to say, Judas now revealed as a traitor, at least to St. John, +became still more confirmed in his evil purpose. The words are generally +understood not as implying corporal possession of Judas by the devil, but +as signifying that the devil now gained full control over him in reference +to the crime contemplated. *And Jesus said to him: That which thou dost, +do quickly*, again intimating that He knew the traitor's thoughts, and at +the same time manifesting His own readiness to suffer. These words of our +Lord do not contain a command or permission to Judas to commit the crime: +but, taking for granted the traitor's fixed determination "That which thou +dost," _i.e._, hast determined to do, they show Christ's readiness and +eagerness to begin to drink of the chalice that awaited Him. + +28. Hoc autem nemo scivit 28. Now no man at the table +discumbentium ad quid dixerit knew to what purpose he said +ei. this unto him. + +28. The disciples, even St. John, knew not to what purpose Christ had told +Judas to do quickly what he was determined to do. Though St. John, at +least, had learned immediately before that Judas was to betray our Lord, +still he probably did not expect that the betrayal would follow so rapidly +upon the disclosure of the traitor. + +29. Quidam enim putabant, quia 29. For some thought, because +loculos habebat Judas, quod Judas had the purse, that +dixisset ei Iesus: Eme ea quae Jesus had said to him: Buy +opus sunt nobis ad diem those things which we have +festum: aut egenis ut aliquid need of for the festival day: +daret. or that he should give + something to the poor. + +29. *For some thought ... for the festival day*. This conjecture of the +Apostles is adduced by some writers as a proof that the supper mentioned +by St. John in this thirteenth chapter is not the Paschal Supper; or, if +the Paschal Supper, that it was not celebrated on the night of the 14th of +Nisan. They argue--(_a_) that on the night of the 14th of Nisan it would +not have been lawful to buy or sell; and, therefore, the Apostles would +not have conjectured as on this occasion they did; and (_b_) that on the +night of the 14th of Nisan the Feast would already have begun, and the +Apostles would not have conjectured that Judas was about to buy +necessaries in preparation for the Feast. + +But to (_a_) we reply that the buying and selling of articles of food was +not forbidden during the Pasch (Exod. xii. 16), and certainly was not +forbidden on a festival that fell, as in this case, on a Friday, the day +before the Sabbath. To (_b_) we answer that though the festival time had +begun, yet it lasted seven days; and the fact that a few hours of the +festal period had already elapsed would not prevent the Apostles from +conjecturing that Judas might be making provision for the long period that +was still to come. *To the poor.* From this conjecture, and from xii. 5, +we may conclude that our Lord and the Apostles were in the habit of giving +alms to the poor. + +30. Cum ergo accepisset ille 30. He therefore having +buccellam, exivit continuo. received the morsel, went out +Erat autem nox. immediately. And it was night. + +30. When Judas found himself revealed as the traitor, he immediately left +the supper-room. The Evangelist adds: *And it was night*, no doubt in +order to give completeness to the history, but possibly also to mark the +contrast of the light Judas left behind him with the outer darkness into +which he went forth. "Erat autem nox," says St. Aug., "Et ipse qui exivit +erat nox." + +Let us here pause for a moment in the narrative of St. John to inquire +whether the Blessed Eucharist was instituted before the departure of +Judas; whether, therefore, he sacrilegiously received the Blessed +Eucharist and was ordained priest at the Last Supper. The great majority +of the fathers answer in the affirmative. This view seems to us extremely +probable. For the Synoptic Evangelists all take care to tell us that Jesus +sat down with the Twelve; and then a few verses afterwards, without any +indication of a change in the company, without the slightest hint that +anyone had departed, they proceed: "And whilst they were at supper, Jesus +took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to His disciples, and said: +Take ye, and eat; this is My body" (Matt. xxvi. 26). Compare St. Mark and +St. Luke. Hence, although they must have had the treachery of Judas before +their minds while writing, yet they say not a word about his departure, as +it might naturally be expected they would, if he had actually departed. +Nay, St. Luke's version of our Lord's words clearly implies that Judas was +present at the institution of the Blessed Eucharist; for in St. Luke our +Lord seems to contrast His own love in instituting the Blessed Eucharist +with the treachery of _one who was present_. "This is the chalice, the New +Testament in My blood, which shall be shed for you. _But yet_ behold, the +hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table" (Luke xxii. 20, +21). Therefore, according to St. Luke, Judas was still at the table after +the institution; and St. Mark states that all present drank of the +chalice: "And they all drank of it" (xiv. 23). + +It seems to us, then, much more probable that Judas received the Blessed +Eucharist, and was ordained priest at the Last Supper. Many, however, hold +the opposite view; among others, St. Hilary, Innocent III., Salmeron, B. +Lamy, Corluy, Langen, and Cornely. The latter says that he agrees in this +"Cum plerisque modernis" (Corn., iii., p. 298, note). Their principal +arguments are: (1) That St. Matthew, who was present at the Last Supper, +records the disclosure of the traitor _before_ the institution of the +Eucharist, while we know from St. John (verse 30) that Judas departed when +he was disclosed: therefore he departed before the institution of the +Eucharist. But this argument loses its force, if we hold as above, that +Christ referred on several occasions during the night to the treachery of +Judas, and _only on the last occasion_ definitely disclosed who the +traitor was. + +(2) They say, that surely our Lord did not allow Judas to make a +sacrilegious Communion and receive Holy Orders, when He could so easily +have prevented it. But we may reply that Christ referred several times to +the betrayal, in order to recall Judas to a better sense; failing in this, +He left him free, just as He leaves unworthy communicants or bad priests +free now. + +We believe, then, that modern commentators have no solid reason for +departing from what was undeniably the common view in the early Church, +that Judas at the Last Supper did receive Holy Communion and was ordained +priest. + +31. Cum ergo exisset, dixit 31. When he therefore was gone +Iesus: Nunc clarificatus est out, Jesus said: Now is the +Filius hominis: et Deus son of man glorified, and God +clarificatus est in eo. is glorified in him. + +31. With this verse our Lord's last discourses begin. They are divided +into two portions by the change of place at the close of chapter xiv., the +first portion containing what was spoken in the Supper Room (xiii. 31-xiv. +31); the second, what was spoken just outside the Supper Room or along the +way to Gethsemane or at some point on the way (xv., xvi.). In the first +portion the leading ideas are that He and the Apostles are to be separated +because He is about to ascend to the glory of the Father; still, that +notwithstanding the separation, they shall not be orphans, but He and they +shall be united. + +*When he therefore was gone out Jesus said.* The departure of Judas marked +the beginning of the end, and Jesus at once turned to the eleven with +words that prove His knowledge of what was about to happen, and His +acceptance of the issue of the traitor's work. + +*Now is the son of man glorified.* Judas had finally decided to betray +Him, and He Himself had fully accepted what was to follow, so that His +death, now so certain and so near, might be spoken of as already past: "is +... glorified." For their consolation and encouragement He refers to His +death as a glorification, as indeed it was, being a triumph over Satan and +sin, and the prelude to victory over death itself. + +*And God is glorified in him.* God's rigorous justice and boundless love +for men were manifested by His sending His Divine Son to die for them, and +hence God was glorified in the death of Christ. See Rom. iii. 25, 26; v. +8, 9. + +32. Si Deus clarificatus est 32. If God be glorified in +in eo, et Deus clarificabit him, God also will glorify him +eum in semetipso: et continuo in himself: and immediately +clarificabit eum. will he glorify him. + +32. Many authorities omit the words: "If God be glorified in him." *In +himself.* The meaning seems to be: _with_ Himself, as in xvii. 5: "And now +glorify thou me, O Father, with thyself." *Immediately*, we refer to the +time of the crucifixion. + +33. Filioli, adhuc modicum 33. Little children, yet a +vobiscum sum quaeretis me: et little while I am with you. +sicut dixi Iudaeis: Quo ego You shall seek me, and as I +vado, vos non potestis venire: said to the Jews: Whither I +et vobis dico modo. go, you cannot come: so I say + to you now. + +33. The glorification of Christ implied His departure from the Apostles, +and the time was now come for making known to them the separation. At +present they, any more than His enemies, could not follow Him, and what He +had before declared to His enemies (vii. 33, 34), He now declares to His +dearest friends. Yet, though the substance of the declaration is in both +cases the same, Christ's purpose in making it was very different. To the +Jews it was made in the hope that they would thus be urged to make good +use of the time that still remained to them before the separation, while +in the present case the motive seems rather to be to forearm the Apostles +by forewarning them and putting before them various motives of +consolation. + +The term ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) occurs only here in the Gospels, but is found six (or +seven) times in St. John's First Epistle. The diminutive form is +expressive of tender affection, and perhaps of anxiety for those who were +still immature. + +*Little children you shall seek me*, &c. See above on vii. 34. The +declaration is somewhat different in form on this second occasion. The +words: "and shall not find me" (vii. 34) are omitted, and instead of: +"where I am" the present text has: "whither I go." As we have said, the +leading idea in both cases is of separation, but since that separation was +to be followed in the case of the Apostles by spiritual union (xiv. 18, +23), hence He now omits the words: "and shall not find me;" though in the +sense of not finding Him any longer visibly present among them, the words +were true even in reference to the Apostles. + +34. Mandatum novum do vobis: 34. A new commandment I give +ut diligatis invicem, sicut unto you: That you love one +dilexi vos, ut et vos another, as I have loved you, +diligatis invicem. that you also love one + another. + +34. Christ calls this commandment a new one, because though love of the +neighbour had been commanded in the Law (Lev. xix. 18), yet love modelled +on the love of Christ as its exemplar, Christian love, had never been +commanded before. The words: *As I have loved you*, imply that we should +love our neighbour with the same kind of love, and from the same motive, +as Christ loves us; but not, of course, in the same measure, for of this +we are incapable. + +35. In hoc cognoscent omnes 35. By this shall all men know +quia discipuli mei estis, si that you are my disciples, if +dilectionem habueritis ad you have love one for another. +invicem. + +35. This mutual love was to be a distinctive mark of Christ's perfect +disciples. And so, in fact, it was in the early Church, for Tertullian +tells us that the Pagans used to say: "See how these Christians love one +another"!... "and how they are ready to die for one another"! (Apol. 39). + +36. Dicit et Simon Petrus: 36. Simon Peter saith to him: +Domine, quo vadis? Respondit Lord whither goest thou? Jesus +Iesus: Quo ego vado, non potes answered: Whither I go, thou +me modo sequi: sequeris autem canst not follow me now, but +postea. thou shalt follow hereafter. + +36. St. Peter, all absorbed in Christ's words, (verse 33), which signified +that he was to be separated from his Divine Master, asks: *Lord, whither +** goest thou?* Christ's reply means that He was going to His Father, +whither Peter should one day follow, though he could not follow then. +*Thou shalt follow hereafter.* These words implied Peter's final +perseverance and salvation. + +37. Dicit ei Petrus: Quare non 37. Peter saith to him: Why +possum te sequi modo? animam cannot I follow thee now? I +meam pro te ponam. will lay down my life for + thee. + +37. St. Peter, not understanding Christ's reply, and thinking that He +meant to go to some place of danger, testifies his readiness to die for +Christ, and hence, he implies, to follow Him anywhere. + +38. Respondit ei Iesus: Animam 38. Jesus answered him: Wilt +tuam pro me pones? Amen, amen thou lay down thy life for me? +dico tibi: non cantabit Amen, amen, I say to thee, the +gallus, donec ter me neges. cock shall not crow, till thou + deny me thrice. + +38. Christ replies, rebuking Peter's boastful confidence, and declaring +that so far was Peter from being ready at that time to die for Him, that +before cockcrow he would deny Him thrice. + +We believe that our Lord _twice_ on this night predicted the denials by +Peter: once in the supper-room, as recorded by St. John here, and by St. +Luke (xxii. 34), and again on the way to Gethsemane, as recorded by St. +Matt. (xxvi. 30-34), and St. Mark (xiv. 26-30). By the latter Evangelists +the prophecy of Peter's denial is distinctly placed on the way to +Gethsemane, and connected with the prophecy of the general desertion of +the Apostles. This latter prophecy, it may well be, called forth from +Peter a second expression of his fearless attachment to his Master, and +this was followed in turn by a second reference to Peter's denials. + +While the other three Evangelists represent our Lord as saying that the +three denials by Peter should take place before the cock would crow, St. +Mark, who was a disciple of St. Peter, records the prediction more +minutely, and represents our Lord as saying: "Before the cock crow +_twice_, thou shalt deny me thrice" (Mark xiv. 30). There is, however, no +contradiction between St. Mark and the others, even if all refer to the +same prediction; for the _second_ crowing of the cock, before which, +according to St. Mark, the three denials were to take place, is that which +is meant by the other Evangelists, and which was universally known as +"_the_ cockcrowing." That the cockcrowing in our Lord's time was regarded +as so distinct a note of time as to have given its name to one of the four +watches of the night, we have clear evidence in the Gospels. Thus, in St. +Mark (xiii. 35), our Lord says: "Watch ye therefore (for you know not when +the lord of the house cometh; at even, or at midnight, _or at the +cockcrowing_, or in the morning)." Thus, then, although the cock crew +after Peter's _first_ denial, as St. Mark records (Mark xiv. 68), still +the time generally known as cockcrow--about 3 a.m.--was that meant when the +word was used, as it is in our Lord's prediction in SS. Matt., Luke, and +John, without any special indication that the first crowing of the cock +was the one intended. Hence, the _second_ crowing of the cock referred to +by St. Mark was _the_ cock-crowing mentioned by the other three +Evangelists. + +Before quitting this chapter, it may be well, for clearness sake, to +repeat here what we consider to be the most probable order of events at +the Last Supper. + +(1) There was the Paschal Supper. + +(2) During the Paschal Supper, or at its close (but certainly before the +ordinary supper was over: see above on verse 2), the washing of the feet, +accompanied by the first allusion to the traitor (John xiii. 10). + +(3) The ordinary supper, during which + +(4) Another reference to the traitor (Matt. xxvi. 21 _ff._; and Mark xiv. +18 _ff._). + +(5) The Eucharistic Supper. + +(6) A third reference to the traitor (Luke xxii. 21). + +(7) The strife among the Apostles as to which of them was the greatest, +occasioned, perhaps, by the anxiety of each to shift from himself the +charge of treachery. + +(8) The question of St. John (John xiii. 25), and the final disclosure of +the traitor, who quits the supper room. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + + 1-4. *Christ bids the Apostles not to be troubled in heart, and + puts before them three motives of consolation.* + + 5-7. *Interrupted by Thomas He declares Himself to be* _the way_, + *and His Father* _the term_ *whither He goeth*. + + 8-12_a_. *Philip's request, and Christ's reply containing a fourth + motive of consolation.* + + 12_b_-14. *All who have the requisite faith shall perform even + greater miracles than His, for whatever they shall ask the Father + or Himself in His name, He will grant.* + + 15-17. *As a fifth motive of consolation, He promises to send them + the Holy Ghost.* + + 18-21. *As a sixth motive, He promises to come to them Himself.* + + 22-24. *Not only to them but to all the faithful shall He come + together with the Father and the Holy Ghost.* + + 25-26. *As a seventh motive, He tells them that the Holy Ghost + will teach them all truth, and call to their minds all He has said + to them.* + + 27. *As an eighth motive, He bequeathes them His peace.* + + 28. *Finally, as a ninth, He tells them that to leave them and go + to the Father is for His greater glory.* + + 29. *His object in foretelling His departure and return.* + + 30-31. *He declares the approach of Satan, and invites the + Apostles to quit the Supper-room.* + + +1. Non turbetur cor vestrum. 1. Let not your heart be +Creditis in Deum, et in me troubled. You believe in God, +credite. believe also in me. + +1. *Let not your heart be troubled.* Continuing the discourse after the +Last Supper, begun in xiii. 31, Jesus begins to console the Apostles. He +saw that they were sore at heart, as well they might be, on account of +what He had foretold that night--the treachery of one of their number, the +denials of another, and His own departure whither they could not follow. + +*You believe in God, believe ** also in me*; that is, believe Me also to +be God, who can therefore overcome all My enemies, and make you victorious +over yours. Instead of "you believe" we have in the Greek {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}, which +by its form might be either an indicative or imperative, but is more +probably an indicative, because it is not likely that Christ thought it +necessary to exhort the Apostles to believe in God, a thing that every Jew +did. + +2. In domo Patris mei 2. In my Father's house there +mansiones multae sunt; si quo are many mansions. If not, I +minus, dixissem vobis: quia would have told you, that I go +vado parare vobis locum. to prepare a place for you. + +2. *In my Father's house there are many mansions.* Here He puts before +them the _first_ motive of consolation; namely, that there is room for +them as well as for Him in heaven, in that house of God, the eternal +antitype of the Jewish Temple (ii. 16), wherein He exercised the rights of +a Son. "Mansions" renders the Vulgate "mansiones," which were resting- +places or stations along the highways, where travellers found +refreshments. The Greek word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~} is found in the New Testament only here +and in verse 23. + +*If not, I would have told you that I go to prepare a place for you.* +_That_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, Vulg., quia) is almost certainly genuine,(95) and hence we +must explain the text, retaining it, though its presence creates +difficulty. + +(1) Some explain thus. If not, yet even in that case I would have told you +that I go to prepare a place for you (my intimate friends). And if (in +that case) I should go to prepare a place you, I would return, &c. Against +this view, however, it is fairly objected that Christ's going is thus +represented as purely _hypothetical_, whereas from the text it seems to be +real: "And if I shall go ... I will come again." + +(2) Others thus: If not, would I have told you that I go to prepare a +place for you? In this view a note of interrogation is supplied, a thing +that the original text, which was unpointed, admits; and reference is made +to some past occasion when He promised to go and prepare places for them. +That we have no record of a promise made in so many words, does not prove, +of course, that it was not made. + +(3) Others thus: If not, I would have told you _so. But, in fact, there +are many mansions_, for I go to prepare a place for you. Against this view +it is objected that it supplies an ellipsis, which is in no way indicated +in the text. The same meaning, however, may be had without any ellipsis, +if the words: "If not, I would have told you" be regarded as parenthetic. +The sense will then be: in My Father's house there are many mansions (if +not, I would have told you), as is proved by the fact that I go to prepare +a place for you. + +*To prepare a place.* Christ by his death, resurrection, and ascension +opened heaven, and made ready a place for man. + +3. Et si abiero, et 3. And if I shall go, and +praeparavero vobis locum: prepare a place for you: I +iterum venio, et accipiam vos will come again, and will take +ad meipsum, ut ubi sum ego, et you to myself, that where I am +vos sitis. you also may be. + +3. *I will come again.* This is a _second_ motive of consolation. There is +a difference of opinion as to what coming of Christ is meant. Some +understand of His coming at the death of each and the particular judgment; +others, of His coming at the general judgment; and others, of both. We +prefer the last opinion, for while Christ took the souls of the Apostles +to the mansions of bliss at their particular judgment, it is only at the +general judgment that He will take their bodies and perfect their +felicity. The words cannot refer to the continual coming of Christ to the +Church through the Holy Ghost whom He has sent; such a meaning is excluded +by the words that follow: "And will take," &c. + +4. Et quo ego vado scitis, et 4. And whither I go you know, +viam scitis. and the way you know. + +4. And though you may think that you know not whither I go, nor the way +thereto, yet you know both. For you know My Father to whom I go, and you +know Me, the way that leads to Him. This may be regarded as a _third_ +motive of consolation. + +5. Dicit ei Thomas: Domine, 5. Thomas saith to him: Lord, +nescimus quo vadis: et quomodo we know not whither thou +possumus viam scire? goest, and how can we know the + way? +6. Dicit ei Iesus: Ego sum 6. Jesus saith to him, I am +via, et veritas, et vita, nemo the way, and the truth, and +venit ad Patrem, nisi per me. the life, no man cometh to the + Father but by me. + +5, 6. St. Thomas interrupts, and Jesus explains, pointing out that He +Himself is the way to the Father. + +*I am the way, and the truth, and the life.* Many interpretations of these +words have been given. We believe that the first clause: "I am the way," +answers Thomas' difficulty; but as such a statement itself needed +explanation, the remaining words "and the truth, and the life," are added +to explain how Christ is the way namely, inasmuch as He is the Truth, +_i.e._ the author of faith; and the Life, _i.e._ the author of grace and +of the supernatural life of the soul. In this view the phrase hebraizes, +the first "and" being explanatory: I am the way, _inasmuch as_ I am the +truth and the life. This seems better than to hold with SS. Augustine and +Thomas that Christ declares Himself the way _as man_, the truth and the +life as God. St. Augustine's words are: "Ipse igitur (vadit) ad seipsum +per seipsum." But the words that follow in this verse: "No man cometh to +the Father but by me," show that the Father, and not Christ as God, is the +term to which the way in question leads. + +7. Si cognovissetis me, et 7. If you had known me, you +Patrem meum utique would without doubt have known +cognovissetis: et amodo my Father also; and from +cognoscetis eum, et vidistis henceforth you shall know him, +eum. and you have seen him. + +7. Having told them that He Himself is the way, He now proceeds to point +out to them that if they had known this way in the manner they ought, they +should also have known the term towards which it led. Hence the sense is: +You would know the Father to whom I go, if you knew Me; for I and the +Father are the same divine substance (John x. 30). Thomas had said that +they did not know the term of Christ's journey, and therefore could not +know the way thereto, implying that the way was to be known from, or at +least after, the term to which it led. Christ now declares that the +reverse is the case; and if they had known Him, the way, they should also +have known the Father. The words: *If you had known me*, imply that they +had not yet known Christ as they ought. They had indeed known Him to some +extent as He admits in verse 4, but they had not realized fully His +Divinity and consubstantiality with the Father, else they would have +implicitly known the Father in knowing Him. *And from henceforth you shall +know him, and you have seen him.* We would render the Greek thus: "And +_even now_ (see John xiii. 19) you know Him, and you have seen Him." The +sense is, that even now they knew the Father in some way through their +imperfect knowledge of Christ, and they had seen Him in seeing Christ, +because, as Christ adds in verse 9: "He who seeth me, seeth the Father +also." Thus it was true that in an imperfect manner they knew whither +Christ went, and the way thereto (verse 4), yet equally true that they +knew neither way nor term so clearly as they might, considering that He +had now for more than three years been gradually revealing Himself to +them. + +8. Dicit ei Philippus: Domine, 8. Philip saith to him: Lord +ostende nobis Patrem, et show us the Father, and it is +sufficit nobis. enough for us. + +8. Thomas is silenced, but Philip now interposes, and failing to +understand Christ's statement that they had seen the Father, asks Him to +show them the Father, probably in some visible form, and then they will +ask no more. + +9. Dicit ei Iesus: Tanto 9. Jesus saith to him:. So +tempore vobiscum sum: et non long a time have I been with +cognovistis me? Philippe, qui you: and have you not known +videt me, videt et Patrem. me? Philip, he that seeth me +Quomodo tu dicis: Ostende seeth the Father also. How +nobis Patrem? sayest thou, show us the + Father. + +9. Christ replies, again insisting on His consubstantiality with the +Father: *He that seeth me, seeth the Father also* ("also" is probably not +genuine.) These words prove clearly, against the Arians, Christ's +consubstantiality, or unity of nature, with the Father; otherwise in +seeing Him they could not be said to see the Father even implicitly. Yet +it is clear against the Sabellians that the Father and the Son are +distinct Persons, for Christ plainly distinguishes Himself from the Father +in verse 6 where He says "No man cometh to the Father but by me;" and +again in verse 13, where He says that He goes to the Father. There is, +then, identity of nature, but distinction of Persons. _Cognovistis_ of the +Vulgate ought to be _cognovisti_, Philip being addressed. + +10. Non creditis quia ego in 10. Do you not believe that I +Patre, et Pater in me est? am in the Father, and the +Verba quae ego loquor vobis, a Father in me? The words that I +meipso non loquor. Pater autem speak to you, I speak not of +in me manens, ipse facit myself. But the Father who +opera. abideth in me, he doth the + works. + +10. *Do you not believe* (_creditis_ ought to be _credis_) *that I am in +the Father and the Father in me*? He who saw Christ saw the Father +implicitly, in virtue of the unity of nature. The words, and the +connection with verse 9, show clearly that such is the identity of nature +in the Father and the Son that He who sees the Son, thereby in some sense +sees the Father also. "Hoc autem quod dicit," says St. Thomas on this +verse, " 'Ego in Patre et Pater in me est,' dicitur propter essentiae +unitatem, de qua dicitur supra x. 30. 'Ego et Pater unum sumus.' Sciendum +est enim, quod essentia aliter se habet in divinis ad personam, et aliter +in hominibus. Nam in hominibus essentia Socratis non est Socrates, quia +Socrates est quid compositum, sed in divinis essentia est idem personae +secundum rem, et sic essentia Patris est Pater, et essentia Filii, Filius. +Ubicumque ergo est essentia Patris, est ipse Pater, et ubicumque est +essentia Filii, est ipse Filius. Essentia autem Patris est in Filio et +essentia Filii est in Patre. Ergo Filius est in Patre, et Pater in Filio." + +Then He goes on to prove that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father, +from the fact that His words and works are the words and works of the +Father. Instead of "the works" many authorities read "His works;" but the +sense is the same, for the works were both Christ's and the Father's. + +11. Non creditis quia ego in 11. Believe you not that I am +Patre, et Pater in me est? in the Father, and the Father + in me. + +11. According to the Vulgate reading, Christ, for emphasis, repeats the +question of verse 10. In the original there is not a question, but simply +an injunction addressed to all the Apostles; "Believe me that I am in the +Father, and the Father in me." + +12. Alioquin propter opera 12. Otherwise believe for the +ipsa credite. Amen, amen dico very works' sake. Amen, amen, +vobis, qui credit in me, opera I say to you, he that +quae ego facio et ipse faciet, believeth in me, the works +et maiora horum faciet, quia that I do, he also shall do, +ego ad Patrem vado. and greater than these shall + he do. + +12. The sense is: But if My testimony does not suffice to satisfy you of +My Divinity, at least believe on account of My miracles. + +Having thus replied to the interruptions of Thomas and Philip He now +proceeds to put before the Apostles other motives of consolation. The +mention of the _fourth_ motive opens with the solemn "Amen, amen;" and the +Apostles are told that whoever believeth in Him shall perform even greater +miracles than His ("majora horum" is a Graecism for "majora his"), the +reason being that in leaving His followers He bequeaths to them His +thaumaturgic power, and bequeaths it in great perfection, because He +ascends to the glory of the Father. + +*Greater than these.* The miracles of Christ's followers were greater than +His in their visible effects. "Evangelizantibus discipulis ... gentes +etiam crediderunt; haec sunt sine dubitatione majora" (St. Aug. _ad +loc._). We think it very probable that the charism of miracles is here +promised not merely to the Apostles, but _to the Church_, in which it +still resides; for it is promised to whoever believeth. Of course, not +every faith is sufficient that we may work miracles; a specially strong, +unwavering faith is necessary. See Matt. xxi. 21. + +13. Et quodcumque petieritis 13. Because I go to the +Patrem in nomine meo, hoc Father: and whatsoever you +faciam: ut glorificetur Pater shall ask the Father in my +in Filio. name, that will I do: that the + Father may be glorified in the + Son. + +13. In the Vulgate the words: "Because I go to the Father," are rightly +connected with the preceding, and form portion of verse 12. + +*And whatsoever you shall ask the Father.* The words "the Father" are +probably not genuine, but they indicate the sense. For it is by the Son's +doing what is asked of the Father that the Father is glorified in the Son. + +*In my name* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}). This phrase occurs here for the first +time in this Gospel. Compare the phrase "in the name of my Father," v. 43; +x. 25; xvii. 6; 11, 12, 26, and the words of the Evangelist i. 12; ii. 23; +iii, 18. The phrase before us occurs again in xiv. 26; xv. 16; xvi. 23; +xvi. 24; and xvi. 26. See also Acts iii. 6; iv. 10, 12. In the present +verse, and wherever there is question of asking, it seems to mean: _while +invoking with faith the name of Christ_. + +14. Si quid petieritis me in 14. If you shall ask me +nomine meo, hoc faciam. anything in my name, that I + will do. + +14. Moreover, whatsoever miracle they shall ask of Himself, in His own +name (and, of course, with the requisite faith), that He will perform. We +incline to the view that in verses 13 and 14 there is question _primarily_ +of miracles; but the expression "si quid" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) is so general, that we +would not limit the promise, but are inclined to believe that it proves +the efficacy of all prayer of supplication offered with the proper +dispositions. + +15. Si diligitis me, mandata 15. If you love me keep my +mea servate. commandments. + +15. Now begins the promise of the Holy Ghost--the _fifth_ and greatest +motive of consolation. But first in this verse, He requires as a condition +that they should prove the love they protested by keeping His +commandments; for, as St. Gregory says, "Love is proved by deeds." + +16. Et ego rogabo Patrem, et 16. And I will ask the Father, +alium Paraclitum dabit vobis, and he shall give you another +ut maneat vobiscum in Paraclete, that he may abide +aeternum. with you for ever. + +16. "Paraclitus"(96) may mean comforter, advocate, or helper. Bearing in +mind the tribulations in which the Apostles were already, and the still +greater ones that awaited them, we think the principal meaning here is +that of comforter. But this does not exclude the other meanings, +especially that of helper, which the Holy Ghost undoubtedly was in an +eminent degree. This other Comforter, who is promised in Christ's stead, +will not leave the Apostles, as Christ did, but is to remain with them for +ever. It is disputed whether the Holy Ghost is here promised only to the +Apostles, or, in them, to the whole teaching Church. In the first case, +"for ever," would mean during their lives; in the second, it would mean +till the end of the world, as long as the Church shall endure. This latter +sense we prefer, for--(1) the words "for ever" favour this view; (2) though +the Apostles needed a comforter, yet not they only, but their successors +quite as much; (3) this spirit is promised to teach them all truth (John +xvi. 13); why, except in order that they through themselves _and their +successors_ might teach the world? (4) we know from the event that on the +day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost came not to the Apostles alone (Acts ii. +4). We hold then that the Holy Ghost is here promised to the _Ecclesia +docens_, represented by the Apostles, to abide with her for ever. + +In either interpretation it cannot be proved from this text that the +Apostles were to be confirmed in grace after the descent of the Holy +Ghost, for it is enough for the fulfilment of the promise here made that +the Holy Ghost was to be, as far as in Him lay, an enduring Comforter, +though the Apostles, on their part, might expel and banish Him. This verse +proves the personality of the Holy Ghost, for He is sent in the place of +Christ (see also verse 26). It proves also His Divinity, for only a Divine +Person would be thus compared to Christ, and spoken of as _another_ +Comforter. Moreover the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father is +here implied in the fact that the Father is said to send the Holy Ghost. +For the sending of one Divine Person by another, implies the Eternal +Procession of one from the other with a relation to some term in time.(97) +Finally, the three Persons of the Trinity are shown to be distinct, for +the Father will send the Holy Ghost at the request of the Son. + +17. Spiritum veritatis, quem 17. The Spirit of truth, whom +mundus non potest accipere, the world cannot receive, +quia non videt eum, nec scit because it seeth him not, nor +eum: vos autem cognoscetis knoweth him: but you shall +eum, quia apud vos manebit, et know him; because he shall +in vobis erit. abide with you, and shall be + in you. + +17. *The Spirit of truth.* The Holy Ghost is so called not only because He +is essential Truth, but also because He was to come to the Apostles as a +teacher of truth (verse 26). + +In the following words the Apostles are told that the wicked world (i. 10; +xiv. 30; xvii. 9, 16) cannot receive the Holy Ghost, for as St. Paul says: +"the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of +God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand: because it is +spiritually examined" (1 Cor. ii. 14). + +*It seeth him not, nor knoweth him.* Some take the meaning to be: seeth +Him not with the eyes of the body, nor discerneth Him by spiritual vision; +others, and with more probability, take both clauses as synonymous and in +reference to spiritual vision. The sense is that because the wicked world +will refuse to recognise the Holy Ghost, it will be incapable of receiving +Him at His coming. Want of vision shall be a hindrance to possession. + +*But you shall know him; because he shall abide with you, and shall be in +you.* Reversing the order of thought, He now says that the presence of the +Holy Ghost abiding in the Apostles shall bring them still fuller +knowledge. Such seems to be the sense of the verse according to the +Vulgate reading. But in the latter part of the verse, instead of "shall +know" and "shall abide," we have in both instances the present tense in +the Greek, and many authorities also read the present instead of "shall +be." The clause would then run: "but you know him because he abides with +you and is in you." + +But even in this reading the present may stand for the future, and the +meaning will be the same as in the Vulgate. + +18. Non relinquam vos 18. I will not leave you +orphanos: veniam ad vos. orphans, I will come to you. + +18. As a _sixth_ motive of consolation, He tells them that He will come +again to them Himself. Already indeed he had spoken of His coming to them, +and had put it forward as a motive of consolation (verse 3), but the +coming there meant we take to be different from that now referred to, and +hence a new motive of consolation is now put forward in the coming +promised here. + +*I will come* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}) *to you*. There are various views as to what +coming of Christ is here promised. + +(1) Some hold that the reference is to the coming after His resurrection +when we know He appeared to the Apostles but was unseen by the world. So +St. Chrys., St. Thom., Patriz., &c. + +(2) Others hold that there is question of the coming at the Day of +Judgment. As the years are measured before God, only "a little while" +shall elapse till then, and it is only after the Day of Judgment that the +promise of verse 20: "In that day you shall know that I am in my Father, +and you in me, and I in you" shall be fully realized. So St. Aug., Mald., +&c. + +(3) Others understand of the coming of Christ in and with the Holy Ghost +on the day of Pentecost. If the consubstantiality and circumincession of +the three Divine Persons be borne in mind, the whole passage that follows +as far as verse 24, will then be naturally explained. So St. Cyril, Beel., +Bisp., &c. We prefer the last view, and hold that from 15-24, there is +question of the coming of the Holy Ghost, first in reference to the +Apostles (15-20), and then in reference to the faithful generally (21-24). +In reference to the Apostles, the coming of the Holy Ghost is first +considered in itself (15-17), and next, for their consolation, as implying +and including the coming of Christ Himself (18-20). + +Though this view may at first sight seem forced, we believe that if the +connection in the passage be followed closely, it must appear the most +probable. For when St. Jude, alluding to the words of verse 19, asks, in +verse 22, how Christ shall be seen by the Apostles, yet unseen by the +world, Christ's reply, in verse 23, goes to show that the vision is +spiritual, and such as is explained by the fact, that He and His Father +will come and make their abode in those that love Him. + +19. Adhuc modicum, et mundus 19. Yet a little while: and +me iam non videt. Vos autem the world seeth me no more. +videtis me, quia ego vivo, et But you see me: because I +vos vivetis. live, and you shall live. + +19. *Yet a little while.* This we understand of the few hours that +remained till His death. After that, the world should see Him no longer. +But, He adds, you shall see Me (present for future); not, indeed, with the +eyes of the body, but with those of the soul; because I live (the present +being used, perhaps, of His Divine life, in virtue of which He was to +resume the life of the body), and you shall live the life of grace, which +will be rewarded by the vision of Me. + +Thus he tells them that they shall live a spiritual life, a kind of +participation in His own glorious life (vi. 57), and that for this reason +they shall be privileged to see Him spiritually. That there is question of +spiritual vision, is proved, we believe, from what follows; for they shall +see according as He shall manifest Himself (verse 21); and this +manifestation of Himself He explains in verse 23 of His abiding in them. + +20. In illo die vos 20. In that day you shall know +cognoscetis quia ego sum in that I am in my Father, and +Patre meo, et vos in me, et you in me, and I in you. +ego in vobis. + +20. In that time, after I have come to you at Pentecost (together with the +Holy Ghost), you shall know clearly that I am in My Father, that I am God, +and that you are in Me as its branches in the vine (see below, xv. 2), +deriving all your spiritual life from Me, and I in you by a _special +indwelling_ enjoyed only by the just. See above on vii. 39. If there be a +comparison here between the mutual indwelling of the Father and Son on the +one hand, and that of Christ and the just on the other, it is plain that +the likeness is only imperfect and analogical. Yet such texts as this (see +also vi. 58; xvii. 21, 23), even when we make all necessary allowance for +the imperfection of the likeness, prove clearly how marvellously intimate +and sacred is the union that exists between Christ and the souls of the +just. + +21. Qui habet mandata mea, et 21. He that hath my +servat ea, ille est, qui commandments, and keepeth +diligit me. Qui autem diligit them: he it is that loveth me. +me, diligetur a Patre meo: et And he that loveth me, shall +ego diligam eum, et manifestab be loved of my Father: and I +o ei meipsum. will love him, and will + manifest myself to him. + +21. *He that hath* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) *my commandments, and keepeth them*, &c. Not +only to the Apostles, but to all that love Him, Christ will manifest +Himself, for in and with the Holy Ghost He and His Father will come and +abide in them. + +22. Dicit ei Iudas, non ille 22. Judas saith to him, not +Iscariotes: Domine, quid the Iscariot: Lord, how is it, +factum est quia manifestaturus that thou wilt manifest +es nobis teipsum, et non thyself to us, and not to the +mundo? world? +23. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 23. Jesus answered, and said +ei: Si quis diligit me, to him: If any one love me, he +sermonem meum servabit, et will keep my word, and my +Pater meus diliget eum, et ad Father will love him, and we +eum veniemus, et mansionem will come to him, and will +apud eum faciemus: make our abode with him. + +22-23. Asked by the Apostle Jude, brother to James the Less, who was also +called Thaddeus, how He would manifest Himself to the Apostles, yet be +unseen by the world, Christ replies that He will come and dwell in all +that love Him, and thus manifest Himself, and be seen by them in a +spiritual manner. + +24. Qui non diligit me, 24. He that loveth me not, +sermones meos non servat. Et keepeth not my words. And the +sermonem quem audistis, non word which you have heard is +est meus: sed ejus qui misit not mine; but the Father's who +me, Patris. sent me. + +24. He had just said that those who love Him will keep His words and obey +them, and now He adds that those who do not love Him will not keep His +words. The reason why He here insists upon this observance of His words +is, that such observance is necessary, before He will manifest Himself and +make His abode in any heart. For, as is clear from verse 21, Christ will +manifest Himself only to those who are loved by the Father; but they alone +are loved by the Father who love Christ, and they alone love Christ who +keep His commandments (verse 23). + +*And the word which you have heard*, &c. "Sermonem" (Vulg.) ought to be +"sermo," and the verb in the original is in the present ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}). The +sense, therefore, is: the words which you are _wont to hear_ from Me are +not Mine alone, but the Father's also who sent Me. *Is not mine, but the +Father's who sent me.* This form of expression, which seems to declare +that the words are in no way Christ's, is a Hebraism, and means that they +are not His alone. See above on vii. 16. Of course the authority of +Christ's words was equal in every way to that of the Father's, but since +the Apostles did not yet fully realize His Divinity with all that it +implied, He invokes the Father's authority as having more weight with +them. + +25. Haec locutus sum vobis, 25. These things have I spoken +apud vos manens. to you, abiding with you. +26. Paraclitus autem Spiritus 26. But the Paraclete, the +sanctus, quem mittet Pater in Holy Ghost, whom the Father +nomine meo, ille vos docebit will send in my name, he will +omnia, et suggeret vobis vobis teach you all things, and +omnia, quaecumque dixero bring all things to your mind, +vobis. whatsoever I shall have said + to you. + +25, 26. These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you; and if +you fail to fully understand them, yet be consoled with My assurance that +the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He +will teach you all that you need know, and _recall to your minds_ +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) all that I _said_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) to you. This may be regarded as the +_seventh_ motive of consolation. + +Here again, as in verse 16, we have mention of three distinct Persons: the +Holy Ghost is to be sent by the Father in the name of the Son. And, as we +remarked on verse 16, the fact that the Holy Ghost is to be sent by the +Father, proves His procession from the Father. + +The Holy Ghost is said to be sent _in Christ's name_, most probably +because He was sent in the place of Christ, another Comforter and Helper, +to console the Apostles and carry on the work begun by Christ. + +The infallible teaching authority of the _Apostles_ follows from the fact +that they were to be taught by the Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth (verse +17). And since they were endowed with this infallible teaching authority +in order that they might teach the flock of Christ (xv. 16); since, +moreover, there is still the same need for an infallible teaching +authority in the Church, if the work of Christ and His Apostles is to be +continued without danger of failure, we are warranted in concluding that +an infallible teaching authority still resides in the _Church_. + +Hence, to use Christ's own words: "The gates of hell shall not prevail +against her" (Matt. xvi. 18), because in her _office of teacher_ she has +Christ with her, all days, even, to the consummation of the world. "Euntes +... _docete ... et ecce_ ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad +consummationem saeculi" (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20). + +27. Pacem relinquo vobis, 27. Peace I leave with you, my +pacem meam do vobis: non peace I give unto you: not as +quomodo mundus dat, ego do the world giveth, do I give +vobis. Non turbetur cor unto you. Let not your heart +vestrum, neque formidet. be troubled, nor let it be + afraid. + +27. As the _eighth_ motive of consolation, Christ gives the Apostles His +peace. Among the Jews it was customary for the people to salute and take +leave of one another by wishing one another peace. Christ here says that +His words are not a mere wish or empty formula; with Him to wish peace was +to confer it, and that in a true and lasting manner. + +28. Audistis quia ego dixi 28. You have heard that I said +vobis: Vado et venio ad vos. to you: I go away and I come +Si diligeretis me, gauderetis unto you. If you loved me, you +utique, quia vado ad Patrem: would indeed be glad, because +quia Pater maior me est. I go to the Father: for the + Father is greater than I. + +28. *You would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father.* "Naturae +humanae gratulandum est, eo quod sic assumpta est a Verbo unigenito, ut +immortalis constitueretur in coelo, atque ita fieret terra sublimis, ut +incorruptibilis pulvis sederet ad dexteram Patris." (St. Aug. _in loc._). + +*For the Father is greater than I.* These words have been variously +explained. We would interpret either with St. Chrys.: For the Father is +greater than I, _in your estimation_; or better still: For the Father is +greater than I _as man_. Hence, since by His going to the Father, Christ's +humanity was to share in the glory of the Father, and thus be exalted, +they should rejoice at His going, if they really loved Him. This is the +_ninth_ motive proposed for their consolation. + +The Arians triumphantly pointed to the words: "The Father is greater than +I," as a proof of the inferiority of the Son to the Father. But in neither +of the interpretations which we have given of the words, does the Arian +heresy find any support. And certainly whatever be the correct +interpretation, Christ cannot, without contradicting Himself, mean that +_as God_ He is inferior to the Father. For He had already told them that +He is in the Father, and the Father in Him (verse 10), and in the face of +His enemies He had proclaimed that He and the Father are one (John x. 30). + +29. Et nunc dixi vobis 29. And now I have told you +priusquam fiat: ut cum factum before it come to pass: that +fuerit, credatis. when it shall come to pass you + may believe. + +29. Not that they did not believe His words beforehand: but they would be +strengthened in their belief of all He had told them, when they should see +fulfilled this special prediction _of His going away and returning_ (verse +28). + +30. Iam non multa loquar 30. I will not now speak many +vobiscum: venit enim princeps things with you. For the +mundi huius, et in me non prince of this world cometh, +habet quidquam. and in me he hath not + anything. + +30. Satan who is here called *the prince of this* (rather _the_) *world* +(see also xii. 31, xvi. 11; 2 Cor. iv. 4; Eph. ii. 2, vi. 12), and who was +now urging on Judas and the Jews to lay hands on Christ, found nothing in +Christ in virtue of which Christ could be in any way subjected to him. + +*In me he hath not anything.* From what we have just said it will be seen +that the meaning is: he has no authority over Me, no claim upon Me, +inasmuch as sin has never had any share in Me. + +31. Sed ut cognoscat mundus 31. But that the world may +quia diligo Patrem et sicut know that I love the Father: +mandatum dedit mihi Pater, sic and as the Father hath given +facio. Surgite, eamus hinc. me commandment, so do I: + Arise, let us go hence. + +31. Yet, to prove His love for, and His obedience to, the Father, He will +submit to be forthwith seized by the minions of Satan. The construction of +this verse is not clear. The first part may depend on the last clause: +arise, let us go hence, that the world, &c., or there may be ellipsis in +the opening words (comp. ix. 3; xiii. 18), the sense being: but _I deliver +Myself to death_ that the world, &c. For explanation of the words, "As the +Father hath given me commandment," see above on x. 18. + +*Arise, let us go hence.* We may reasonably conclude that Jesus, +accompanied by the Apostles, now left the supper-room. Had they not done +so, St. John would probably have referred to the delay. Whether they +paused in a porch or court of the house, or at some quiet spot on the way, +till the discourse and prayer to the Father (xv.-xvii.) were spoken, or +proceeded immediately through the city towards the Garden of Olives, and +had arrived at the brook of Cedron (John xviii. 1), when Christ concluded, +is disputed. Bearing in mind the crowded condition of Jerusalem during the +Paschal week, and that probably it was hardly yet 10 p.m., when the +streets would be still thronged with people, we think it extremely +unlikely that such a discourse and prayer, as are contained in John +xv.-xvii. 26, were spoken while Christ and the Apostles passed through the +streets of the city. We think it most probable, then, that they paused at +some quiet spot on the outskirts of the city, or in a porch or court of +the house where they had supped. + + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + + 1-11. *In a beautiful allegory, Christ declares the necessity of + union with Himself in order to a supernatural life.* + + 12-17. *He inculcates mutual love, proposing as a model His own + love for the Apostles--a love which made him ready to lay down His + life for them (13), and which was spontaneous (16).* + + 18-25. *He fortifies them against the world's hatred by reminding + them that it hated Himself, and so they shall only be treading in + His footsteps. He points out too how inexcusable is this attitude + of the world towards Himself and His followers.* + + 26-27. *He again promises the Holy Ghost, who together with the + Apostles, will bear testimony of Him.* + + +1. Ego sum vitis vera: et 1. I am the true vine; and my +Pater meus agricola est. Father is the husbandman. + +1. After they had left the supper-room Christ again addresses the +Apostles. The fact that the Evangelist gives the discourse that follows +without any introductory remark, such as: And Christ said, or: And while +they went Christ said--favours the view that only a slight break separated +this discourse from that recorded in the preceding chapter. This would, +therefore, render it very probable that what follows was spoken in the +vicinity of the house in which they had supped rather than on the +outskirts of the city. + +As Christ was about to leave His Apostles, He now impresses upon them the +necessity of abiding in Him by faith and love. For this purpose He +compares Himself to the stem of the vine, and the Apostles to its +branches. As the branches draw all their life and nourishment from the +stem, so must the Apostles draw all their spiritual life from Him. This +idea would be illustrated by the relation between the trunk of any tree +and its branches. The chief reason, then, why He compares Himself to the +vine is because it was customary to prune its branches, and He was about +to speak of the pruning of His mystical branches by the Father.(98) He is +_the true_, that is the perfect vine, because He nourishes His members +more perfectly than does any vine tree its branches. In a similar sense He +is the true light (John i. 9), and the true bread (John vi. 32). + +"He is the 'vine' in His _humanity_, in which the branches of the same +nature are united with Him. But it is from His _Divinity_ the branches +derive the spiritual and life-giving influence that leads to eternal +happiness" (MacEv.) + +It is needless to say, that in calling Himself the true vine, Christ does +not mean to signify that He is really a vine. The language is plainly +metaphorical, and is so explained by our Lord Himself in verses 4 and 5. +Hence it bears no comparison with the words used by Christ in instituting +the Blessed Eucharist. In the latter case He declared that what He held in +His hands was His body, and there was nothing in His words, or in the +circumstances in which they were uttered to point to a figurative sense. +On the contrary, His discourse delivered twelve months beforehand in the +Synagogue of Capharnaum, and recorded in the sixth chapter of our Gospel, +prepared the Apostles to receive His words, mysterious though they must +have seemed, in the literal sense. + +*And my Father is the husbandman.* The Father attends to and purifies +Christ's followers in a manner similar to that employed by the vine- +dresser, that so they may produce more abundant fruit. The Arians appealed +to this text to show that Christ was inferior to God. For as the vine and +the husbandman are not of the same nature, so neither, they said, are +Christ and the Father of the same nature. We answer that in metaphorical +language the comparison is not to be pressed too far, only indeed in that +particular, or in regard to that point, for the illustration of which the +metaphor is employed. See above on x. 3. Now in the present instance +Christ points out (in verse 4) that His metaphorical language is designed +to show the necessity for the Apostles of union with Himself. Nothing +therefore can be inferred in regard to His _nature_ and the Father's. In +reality, Christ, _as God_, was husbandman, as well as the Father; but as +it would not suit the comparison to call Himself both vine and husbandman, +He attributes the office of husbandman to the Father. "Numquid unum sunt +agricola et vitis? Secundum hoc ergo vitis Christus, secundum quod ait: +Pater major me est. Secundum autem id quod ait: Ego et Pater unum sumus, +et ipse agricola est." (St. Aug.)(99) + +2. Omnem palmitem in me non 2. Every branch in me, that +ferentem fructum, tollet eum: beareth not fruit, he will +et omnem qui fert fructum, take away: and every one that +purgabit eum, ut fructum plus beareth fruit he will purge +afferat. it, that it may bring forth + more fruit. + +2. *Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit.* From this it follows that +branches may be unfruitful and yet really remain branches, and members of +Christ's Church. The sense of Christ's words is: Every Christian that +beareth not the fruit of good works, the Father _takes_ away (Gr. +present), either in this life, by permitting them to fall into heresy, or +at death when they shall no longer remain members of the Church. They are +therefore lopped off like useless branches. The good, too, are purified by +the Father, who _prunes_ their hearts, removing therefrom all impediments +to perfection, taking away everything that would hinder or impede the +vital power in the production of spiritual fruit. As even the best +branches are improved by judicious pruning, so the just are rendered more +perfect by the purifying action of the Divine Husbandman. {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} in both +cases is redundant. + +3. Iam vos mundi estis propter 3. Now you are clean by reason +sermonem, quem locutus sum of the word which I have +vobis. spoken to you. + +3. *Now* (already) *you are clean*. The meaning is that the Apostles were +already pruned, that the obstacles to their spiritual growth had been +taken away by His words addressed to them that night. It is possible that, +as some think, there is reference to all Christ's teaching; but we believe +there is at least _special_ reference to the discourse of that last night. +For He had that night perfected their knowledge (xiv. 6-11); guarded them +against an unavailing sorrow (xiv. 1-2, &c.); checked the presumption of +some (xiii. 38), and supplied motives to confirm the faith of all (xiv. +29). + +4. Manete in me: et ego in 4. Abide in me: and I in you. +vobis. Sicut palmes non potest As the branch cannot bear +ferre fructum a semetipso, fruit of itself, unless it +nisi manserit in vite: sic nec abide in the vine, so neither +vos, nisi in me manseritis. can you, unless you abide in + me. + +4. *Abide in me, and I in you.* The meaning is: take care that ye abide in +Me by faith and love, and I will abide in you by love and grace.(100) Or +it may be that the last clause too is imperative in conception: permit me +to abide in you. Since they are exhorted to abide, it follows that they +were free not to abide; and hence it is possible, as the Council of Trent +defined (Sess. vi., Can. 23) to fall away from faith and grace. *Of +itself*--that is, as the source of its vital energy. + +5. Ego sum vitis, vos 5. I am the vine; you the +palmites: qui manet in me et branches: he that abideth in +ego in eo, hic fert fructum me, and I in him, the same +multum: quia sine me nihil beareth much fruit: for +potestis facere. without me you can do nothing. + +5. The theme (verse 1) is again repeated, and now there is added the +clause: *Ye are the branches*, which definitely sums up what was already +implied in the preceding verses. *For without me you can do nothing.* +These words show that, though as we have seen in the preceding verse the +Apostles were free not to abide in Him, they were not able of themselves +to abide in Him or to bear any supernatural fruit except through His +grace. The words refute the Pelagian and Semipelagian heresies, for they +show that without the aid of Christ's grace we are capable of no +supernatural good work. "Sive ergo parum, sive multum, sine illo fieri non +potest, sine quo nihil fieri potest" (St. Aug. _in loc._). It would be +difficult, we think, to prove from this text by itself that even where +_habitual_ grace is present, _actual_ grace is also necessary in order to +a salutary work; but the traditional interpretation given to this text by +the fathers forbids us to doubt that the necessity of actual grace also is +here revealed. + +There is no question in this text of the necessity of God's concurrence in +our _natural_ acts; the question is of Christ's influx as mystic vine upon +the faithful who remain united to Him as branches. + +6. Si quis in me non manserit, 6. If any one abide not in me: +mittetur foras sicut palmes: he shall be cast forth as a +et arescet et colligent eum, branch, and shall wither, and +et in ignem mittent, et ardet. they shall gather him up, and + cast him into the fire, and he + burneth. + +6. Observe the variety of tense in the verbs of this verse in the Greek +text. "Sensus est: Si quis in me non manserit, jam eo ipso _ejectus est_ +foras sicut palmes et _exaruit_" (Beel., _Gr. Gram._, § 41, 5, b). The +casting forth and withering happen simultaneously with the separation from +Christ. The words of the verse indicate the punishment which is in store +for those who die separated from Christ. In the Greek we have {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} (ea) +instead of "eum" of the Vulgate; and the sense, is that as men usually +gather up the _withered branches_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}), and fling them into the fire, +where they burn, so shall the angels of God do to the sinner. See Matt. +xiii. 41. + +7. Si manseritis in me, et 7. If you abide in me, and my +verba mea in vobis manserint: words abide in you, you shall +quodcumque volueritis petetis, ask whatever you will, and it +et fiet vobis. shall be done unto you. + +7. In contrast with the unhappy condition of those separated from Christ, +they who remain in Him by faith, and keep His words through charity +working by faith, shall obtain from God through prayer whatever they ask, +provided it be necessary or useful to their spiritual life. "Whatsoever we +shall ask according to His will He heareth us" (1 John v. 14). + +8. In hoc clarificatus est 8. In this is my Father +Pater meus, ut fructum glorified; that you bring +plurimum afferatis, et forth very much fruit, and +efficiamini mei discipuli. become my disciples. + +8. It is clear from these words that the good works of the just give glory +to God. Instead of "efficiamini," the more probable Greek reading is +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} (efficiemini), and the meaning is; And so you shall become more +and more My disciples. + +9. Sicut dilexit me Pater, et 9. As the Father hath loved +ego dilexi vos. Manete in me, I also have loved you. +dilectione mea. Abide in my love. + +9. As ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) expresses not equality, but resemblance. The resemblance +consists in this, that as the Father loved Christ's humanity gratuitously, +without any previous merit on its part, and united it with the Person of +the Word, so Christ loved the disciples gratuitously, and united them with +Himself. So Toletus, following St. Aug. Then Christ adds as a practical +conclusion: Take care to remain in the enjoyment of that love of mine for +you. Or the meaning of the whole verse according to the Greek text may be: +as the Father hath loved Me, and as I have loved you, so abide ye in the +enjoyment of that love of Mine for you. + +10. Si praecepta mea 10. If you keep my +servaveritis, manebitis in commandments, you shall abide +dilectione mea, sicut et ego in my love; as I also have +Patris mei praecepta servavi, kept my Father's commandments, +et maneo in eius dilectione. and do abide in his love. + +10. Here he points out how they are to continue to enjoy His love: it is +by keeping His commandments. + +11. Haec locutus sum vobis, ut 11. These things I have spoken +gaudium meum in vobis sit, et to you, that my joy may be in +gaudium vestrum impleatur. you, and your joy may be + filled. + +11. The meaning is: these things, namely, that you should keep My +commandments and continue to retain My love, I have spoken in order that +My joy on account of you may continue (the true reading is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~}, not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}, +but does not alter the sense), and your joy may be perfected. + +12. Hoc est prĉceptum meum ut 12. This is my commandment, +diligatis invicem, sicut that you love one another, as +dilexi vos. I have loved you. + +12. He had just said that the observance of His commandments is a +necessary condition to be fulfilled by those who would retain His love, +and now He goes on to point to one commandment that in a special manner is +_His_, the "new commandment" (xiii. 34), to which they must attend. + +13. Maiorem hac dilectionem 13. Greater love than this no +nemo habet, ut animam suam man hath, that a man lay down +ponat quis pro amicis suis. his life for his friends. + +13. In this verse He explains what sort is that love of His upon which +theirs must be modelled (comp. 1 John iii. 16). The meaning is, that no +greater proof of love for a friend can be given than to lay down one's +life for him. This He was about to do for them. The comparison is not +between dying for a _friend_ and dying for an _enemy_, but between the +different proofs of love for a friend. + +14. Vos amici mei estis, si 14. You are my friends, if you +feceritis quae ego praecipio do the things that I command +vobis. you. + +14. Here He shows that in speaking of laying down His life for His +friends, He means laying it down for the Apostles. + +15. Iam non dicam vos servos, 15. I will not now call you +quia servus nescit quid faciat servants: for the servant +dominus eius. Vos autem dixi knoweth not what his Lord +amicos: quia omnia quaecumque doth. But I have called you +audivi a Patre meo, nota feci friends: because all things +vobis. whatsoever I have heard of my + Father, I have made known to + you. + +15. He has referred to them as friends, and will do so in future. +Formerly, indeed, He had referred to them as His servants (John xii. 26, +xiii. 16), but now after He has taken them so fully into His confidence, +told them of His speedy departure from them (xiii. 33), pointed out to +them His consubstantiality with the Father (xiv. 7-11), and instructed +them that the Holy Ghost was to come to them (xiv. 16, 17), He will no +longer speak of them as servants, but as friends. + +*All things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to +you.* That is to say, all the knowledge which was communicated to Him, +together with His Divine nature, in His eternal generation by the Father; +all this, as far as they were capable (John xvi. 12), and it was useful +for them, He had communicated to them. + +16. Non vos me elegistis: sed 16. You have not chosen me: +ego elegi vos et posui vos, ut but I have chosen you; and +eatis, et fructum afferatis: have appointed you, that you +et fructus vester maneat: ut should go, and should bring +quodcumque petieritis Patrem forth fruit, and your fruit +in nomine meo, det vobis. should remain: that whatsoever + you shall ask of the Father in + my name, he may give it you. + +16. *You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you.* Or more exactly; "it +was not you that chose Me, but I chose you," where the aorist refers back +to the definite act of selecting and calling the Apostles. Not only then +was His love for them most intense, as was signified in verse 13, but it +was also _gratuitous_, unmerited: and this is now pointed out. You did not +choose Me as your friend, but I chose you as My special friends, My +Apostles; and set you up as such, in order that you should go into the +whole world (Mark xvi. 15). and bear fruit in yourselves and others, and +that this fruit should remain unto eternal life. + +*That* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) *whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may +give it you*. Some as Mald. and A Lap. take {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} here to denote a +consequence: if you bring forth the fruit for which I have chosen you, _it +will come to pass_ that whatsoever, &c. Others think {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} may retain its +usual telic force: I appointed you in order that ... your fruit should +remain, and that whatsoever _in reference to that fruit_ you shall ask, +&c. On what is meant by asking the Father in Christ's name, see above on +xiv. 13. + +17. Haec mando vobis, ut 17. These things I command +diligatis invicem. you, that you love one + another. + +17. Some take the meaning to be: these things, namely, the greatness and +gratuitousness of My love for you _I insist upon_, to the end that you may +love one another. Others as Mald. and Patriz. take the meaning to be the +same as in verse 11: this is what I command you, namely, that you love one +another. The use of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} (haec) and not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} (hoc) is rather against the +latter view, but it is replied that the plural demonstrative followed by +the single precept is intended to signify that charity is the fulfilment +of the whole law. + +18. Si mundus vos odit, 18. If the world hate you, +scitote quia me priorem vobis know you that it hath hated me +odio habuit. before you. + +18. Having exhorted them to mutual love, He now fortifies them against the +hatred of the world and the persecutions that awaited them. The world, as +is plain, is the wicked world, and in being hated by it they shall only be +treading in the footsteps of their Master. + +*It hath hated.* The Greek perfect implies not merely a passing +manifestation of hatred, but an abiding and persistent feeling. + +19. Si de mundo fuissetis, 19. If you had been of the +mundus quod suum erat world, the world would love +diligeret: quia vero de mundo its own: but because you are +non estis, sed ego elegi vos not of the world, but I have +de mundo propterea odit vos chosen you out of the world, +mundus. therefore the world hateth + you. + +19. *If you had been*, ought rather to be: if you were. The five-fold +repetition of "the world" in this verse brings vividly before us this +great antagonist of Christ. + +20. Mementote sermonis mei, 20. Remember my word that I +quem ego dixi vobis: Non est said to you: The servant is +servus maior domino suo. Si me not greater than his master. +persecuti sunt, et vos If they have persecuted me, +persequentur: si sermonem meum they will also persecute you: +servaverunt, et vestrum if they have kept my word, +servabunt. they will keep yours also. + +20. He now reminds them of what He had told them before (xiii. 16) that: +"a servant is not greater than his master," and from this He goes on to +signify what they must expect to meet with from the world. + +*If they have kept my word.* Some think there is reference to those who +having been of the world came out from it to follow Christ and keep His +word. But it appears more probable that He speaks of those who are still +of the world, and leaves it to be supplied that since they had not kept +His word, so neither would they keep that of the Apostles. By the word of +the Apostles is meant the word of Christ as preached by them. + +21. Sed haec omnia facient 21. But all these things they +vobis propter nomen meum: quia will do to you for my name's +nesciunt eum qui misit me. sake: because they know not + him that sent me. + +21. But remember that you shall suffer in a glorious cause; namely, on My +account; for they will persecute you because you are My followers, and +this because through culpable ignorance they will not recognise God as My +Father, nor Me as the Son of God. + +22. Si non venissem, et 22. If I had not come, and +locutus fuissem eis, peccatum spoken to them, they would not +non haberent: nunc autem have sin: but now they have no +excusationem non habent de excuse for their sin. +peccato suo. +23. Qui me odit et Patrem meum 23. He that hateth me, hateth +odit. my Father also. + +22, 23. That this ignorance is culpable, He now proves from the fact that +He had Himself declared to them His relations with the Father. The sin +(_peccatum_) is that of incredulity, and in remaining incredulous and +hating Christ, they thereby showed that they hated the Father who sent +Him. + +24. Si opera non fecissem in 24. If I had not done among +eis quae nemo alius fecit, them the works that no other +peccatum non haberent: nunc man hath done, they would not +autem et viderunt, et oderunt have sin: but now they have +et me, et Patrum meum. both seen and hated both me + and my Father. + +24. Not only His words (verse 22), but also His unparalleled miracles +deprived them of all excuse for their unbelief. See above on iii. 2. But +now they have seen, or ought to have seen, the Father in Me (see above on +xiv. 9); and they have seen Me, and they have hated Us both. + +25. Sed ut adimpleatur sermo 25. But that the word may be +qui in lege eorum scriptus fulfilled which is written in +est: Quia odio habuerunt me their law: _They have hated me +gratis. without cause_. + +25. Yet, He continues, it is only what their own Scriptures (Ps. xxxiv. +19) foretold, that they would hate Him without cause. Thus this hatred of +the world, so far from weakening the faith of the Apostles in Christ as +the Messias, should confirm it, since the Messias was to be hated by the +world. In this verse {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} has its usual _telic_ force, and the sense is: +but this has come to pass _in order that_ the Scripture might be +fulfilled. See above on xii. 37-40. The passage of the Psalm referred to +is probably Messianic in its literal sense. + +26. Cum autem venerit 26. But when the Paraclete +Paraclitus, quem ego mittam cometh, whom I will send you +vobis a Patre, spiritum from the Father, the Spirit of +veritatis, qui a Patre truth, who proceedeth from the +procedit, ille testimonium Father, he shall give +perhibebit de me: testimony of me. +27. Et vos testimonium 27. And you shall give +perhibebitis, quia ab initio testimony, because you are +mecum estis. with me from the beginning. + +26, 27. The connection with the preceding is: though the world hate +Christ, yet the Holy Ghost and the Apostles shall bear witness to Him. +Here again, in verse 26, we have distinct mention of the Three Persons of +the Blessed Trinity. See xiv. 16, 26. Though the Holy Ghost is not here +said to proceed from the Son as well as from the Father ("ex Patre +Filioque"), yet this is implied in His being sent by the Son (see above on +xiv. 26), and can be clearly proved against the schismatical Greeks from +other parts of Scripture, as from John xvi. 13, 14. The Greek rendered +*you shall give testimony*, is ambiguous, and may be either an imperative +or an indicative. However, as Christ seems to be speaking of the witnesses +who will maintain His cause against the world, and not to be prescribing +the duty of the Apostles, the indicative is preferable. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + + 1-4. *Christ points out the violence of the persecutions which + await the Apostles, and His object in forewarning them.* + + 5-7. *He again consoles them, and tries to reconcile them to His + departure, by telling them that it is necessary, in order that the + Holy Ghost may come to them.* + + 8-15. *He points out that the Holy Ghost will convince the world + vv. (8-11), instruct them in what they were not yet able to learn + (vv. 12-13), and give glory to Christ Himself (vv. 14-15). Hence + they ought to desire the Holy Ghost's coming.* + + 16-22. *He promises that after a brief absence, during which they + shall have bitter sorrow, He will return to them, and their sorrow + shall give place to joy.* + + 23, 24. *He bids them to pray to the Father in His name, and + promises that such prayer will be heard.* + + 25-28. *Though He has spoken obscurely to them in this last + discourse, the time is at hand when He will speak plainly--a time + when they will ask the Father in His name.* + + +1. Haec locutus sum vobis, ut 1. These things have I spoken +non scandalizemini. to you, that you may not be + scandalized. + +1. His object in foretelling *these things* was that the Apostles might +not be scandalized; _i.e._, might not waver in the faith amid the trials +that were before them. But what are "these things" to which He refers? +Some, as St. Aug., understand the reference to be to the promise of the +Comforter (xv. 26, 27). Others, as Mald., to the persecutions that awaited +the Apostles, because the prediction of those persecutions now would +prepare the Apostles for them; nay, when those persecutions should come, +they would be another proof of the omniscience, and, therefore, of the +Divinity of Christ. Others, as A Lap., combine both the preceding +opinions. This appears to us the correct view, for Christ has spoken +towards the end of the preceding chapter, both of the persecutions that +the Apostles were to endure, and of the Comforter, who was to come to +them; and the prediction of both facts was calculated to sustain them when +trials should come. On the one hand, they would not become disspirited by +_unexpected_ reverses; on the other, they would trust in the Comforter, +who had been promised. + +2. Absque synagogis facient 2. They will put you out of +vos: sed venit hora, ut omnis the synagogues: yea, the hour +qui interficit vos, arbitretur cometh, that whosoever killeth +obsequium se praestare Deo: you, will think that he doth a + service to God. + +2. *They will put you out of the synagogues* (or rather, synagogue) _i.e._ +excommunicate you. Compare ix. 22; xii. 42. Yea, He continues, the time is +approaching when persecution will be so violent that your countrymen will +think that they do a service to God by putting you to death. The mention +of the synagogue proves that the reference is to _Jewish_ persecutions. No +doubt many of the Jews thought, like St. Paul (Acts xxvi. 9; 1 Tim. i. +13), that they were pleasing God by persecuting Christians. Their +ignorance, however, while it extenuated, did not wholly excuse, their sin, +for it was culpable. They ought to have known from Christ's words and +works, and from the fulfilment of prophecy in Him, that He was the +Messias, to whom, therefore, they were bound to hearken (Deut. xviii. 19), +and whose religion was to perfect and supplant their own. + +3. Et haec facient vobis, quia 3. And these things will they +non noverunt Patrem neque me. do to you, because they have + not known the Father, nor me. + +3. See above on xv. 21. + +4. Sed haec locutus sum vobis: 4. But these things I have +ut, cum venerit hora eorum, told you, that when the hour +reminiscamini quia ego dixi shall come, you may remember +vobis. that I told you of them. + +4. "Eorum" of the Vulgate is to be connected with "reminiscamini," on +which it depends. The comma ought to be before "eorum;" the Greek text +makes this clear. As we said above on verse 1, the fact that Christ had +foretold these persecutions, would be another proof of His Divinity. +Moreover, since He knew that these persecutions were in store, and did not +avert them, the Apostles ought to learn from this to bear them with +resignation, inasmuch as they were not merely endured for Him, but +permitted by Him. + +5. Haec autem vobis ab initio 5. But I told you not these +non dixi, quia vobiscum eram. things from the beginning, +Et nunc vado ad eum, qui misit because I was with you. And +me: et nemo ex vobis now I go to him that sent me, +interrogat me, Quo vadis? and none of you asketh me: + Whither goest thou? + +5. *But I told you not these things from the beginning.* "These things," +we again understand, as in verse 1, both of the persecutions which were +before them, and of the coming of the Holy Ghost to take Christ's place, +and console the Apostles. + +But had He not already predicted that the Apostles were to be persecuted? +Had He not said: "But beware of men. For they will deliver you up in +councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And you shall be +brought before governors and before kings for My sake, for a testimony to +them and to the Gentiles"? (Matt. x. 17, 18). To this we may reply, with +Mald., that He had never predicted persecution until now, and that St. +Matthew, in recording, in the passage cited, the prediction of +persecution, does not follow the order of time, but inserts, in connection +with the mission of the Apostles to the Jews what was spoken long after, +probably immediately before, Christ's ascension, when they were receiving +their mission to the whole world. (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20). Or we may +reply--and this answer we prefer--that although He had before predicted the +persecution of the Apostles, yet He had not till now told them what He +told them on this occasion; namely, that they should be excommunicated by +the Jews, and that men would think they were actually honouring God in +persecuting them. So that although He had before predicted persecution, +still it was only now He predicted its terrible violence. + +*And* (Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} = _but_) *now I go to him that sent me*. These words are to +be connected closely with the preceding. Before, He had not told them +these things, _but_ now He is about to leave them, and there is, +therefore, a special reason for His referring to the future. + +*And none of you asketh me: Whither goest thou?* Or: "And does none of you +ask Me: Whither goest thou"? Our Lord probably remained silent for a few +moments after announcing His departure, in order to see if anyone would +question Him further about it. Since no one did, He mildly reminds them in +the words before us, that they are not sufficiently solicitous to learn +the things that concerned Him; but, as He goes on to say in verse 6, are +too much occupied with their own sorrows. No doubt, Peter had already +asked Him: "Lord, whither goest Thou?" (John xiii. 36); and Thomas had +said: "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?" +(John xiv. 5), but they had not persevered in asking; and at present, when +He is just about to depart, they put Him no questions about the glory that +was before Him, or the nature of the kingdom that awaited Him. + +6. Sed quia haec locutus sum 6. But because I have spoken +vobis: tristitia implevit cor these things to you sorrow +vestrum. hath filled your heart. + +6. *These things* we again take, as in verses 1 and 5, to refer to the +persecutions which He had predicted, and to the coming of the Holy Ghost +_after His departure_. That there is not question merely of persecutions +predicted, is proved by the next verse, in which He goes on, in immediate +connection with this (_But_ I tell you the truth, it is expedient to you +that I go) to reconcile them to His departure. For the same reason, there +is not question merely of the coming of the Holy Ghost, since that was no +cause for sorrow, but of His coming _in Christ's place_. The prediction of +persecution, and of the coming of the Holy Ghost as _implying the +departure of Christ_, was what filled their hearts with sorrow. + +7. Sed ego veritatem dico 7. But I tell you the truth: +vobis: expedit vobis ut ego it is expedient to you that I +vadam: si enim non abiero, go: for if I go not, the +Paraclitus non veniet ad vos: Paraclete will not come to +si autem abiero, mittam eum ad you: but if I go, I will send +vos. him to you. + +7. *But.* The meaning is: notwithstanding your silence (verse 5), or: +notwithstanding your sorrow (verse 6), *I tell you the truth: it is +expedient to you that I go*. This expediency arose from the free +disposition of the Divine economy that the Son of God should remove from +among men His visible presence before the Holy Ghost should come. Nothing +in the nature of things necessarily required this; but God freely decreed +it so. + +8. Et cum venerit ille, arguet 8. And when he is come he will +mundum de peccato, et de convince the world of sin, and +iustitia, et de iudicio. of justice, and of judgment. +9. De peccato quidem, quia non 9. Of sin: because they +crediderunt in me: believed not in me. +10. De iustitia vero, quia ad 10. And of justice: because I +Patrem vado, et iam non go to the Father; and you +videbitis me: shall see me no longer. +11. De iudicio autem, quia 11. And of judgment: because +princeps huius mundi iam the prince of this world is +iudicatus est. already judged. + +8-11. We may take these four verses together, as the three last explain +the first. Christ goes on to show why it is expedient for the Apostles +that He should leave them, and that the Holy Ghost should come. *And when +he is come, he will convince*, &c. The Greek word for "will convince" is +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, which may mean either--(_a_) to rebuke, or (_b_) to prove a thing +clearly so that it must be admitted. It is not absolutely necessary that +the word be used in the same sense throughout these verses; but since +there is nothing to indicate that it is used in different senses, we take +it in the same sense throughout. This sense we believe to be the second +just indicated, for this alone suits verses 10 and 11. + +The meaning of the whole passage, then, we take to be the following:--And +when the Holy Ghost is come, He will clearly prove to the _unbelieving_ +world, principally through your preaching and miracles, its own sin, My +justice, and its own condemnation. Its own sin of incredulity, which is +proved by the fact that the children of this wicked world did not believe +in Me (verse 9); My justice, which is proved by the fact that I go to God +to reign with Him for ever, so that men shall see Me no more; its own +condemnation, which is shown to be certain by the fact that its prince, +the devil, is already condemned. Christ's victory over the devil at His +death implied the condemnation of the devil's kingdom, the world. And as +Christ's death was so near, the devil might be said to be already +condemned. + +If it be objected to our interpretation that, since there is question in +verses 9 and 11 of the _world's_ sin and condemnation, so there must be +question of the world's justice in verse 10, we reply that Christ makes it +sufficiently clear that He is speaking in verse 10 of His own justice by +the words He adds: "Because I go to the Father, and you shall see Me no +longer." + +If it be objected that the Holy Ghost did not prove to the world its own +sin, nor Christ's justice, nor its own condemnation, we reply that He did, +though the world in many of its children closed its eyes to the proof; +_Oculos habent et non videbunt_. (Ps. cxiii. 5.) The world saw in the +sanctity of the Christian religion, in the miracles wrought by Christ's +followers, in the power of the Apostles and their successors over devils +and those possessed by devils, what ought to have convinced it of Christ's +Divinity, and of its own sin and inevitable condemnation. + +12. Adhuc multa habeo vobis 12. I have yet many things to +dicere: sed non potestis say to you: but you cannot +portare modo. hear them now. + +12. *I have yet many things.* Among these many things which they were not +yet able to bear were, probably, the nature of His earthly kingdom, and +the abrogation of the Jewish Law, in as far as it was judicial and +ceremonial. As Jews who had grown up imbued with deepest reverence for the +Mosaic Law, the Apostles were naturally slow to believe that it was to be +abrogated; and immediately before St. Peter received Cornelius into the +Church as the first-fruits of the Gentile world, he had to be taught by a +vision from heaven that the Jewish distinction between clean and unclean +meats was no longer to exist. (Acts x. 10-16.) And as to the nature of +Christ's earthly kingdom, the Apostles in common with the rest of their +race still hoped that the Messias would establish a mighty Jewish empire, +and restore Israel to a foremost place among the nations. Even on +Ascension day they still cherished this hope, as we learn from the Acts: +"Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts +i. 6). + +13. Cum autem venerit ille 13. But when he, the Spirit of +Spiritus veritatis, docebit truth, is come, he will teach +vos omnem veritatem: non enim you all truth. For he shall +loquetur a semetipso: sed not speak of himself: but what +quaecumque audiet loquetur, et things soever he shall hear, +quae ventura sunt annuntiabit he shall speak: and the things +vobis. that are to come he shall shew + you. + +13. *But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come.* Though you are now unable +to bear these truths, you shall be taught them all by the Holy Ghost. The +Greek for *will teach* (docebit) is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, which means to lead on the +way, to conduct; and the sense, therefore, is: He shall _guide_ you into +_all the truth_ (which I have still to tell you, but which you are now +unable to bear). We are not to suppose that the Apostles were taught all +the truth on the day of Pentecost; the revelation was vouchsafed +gradually, and at their death the deposit of faith was complete.(101) +Since the Apostles' time, doctrines and dogmas have, indeed, been more +fully drawn out and developed, but no new doctrines have been revealed. +This follows clearly from the words we are considering; for it was to the +Apostles, to those same men who were now unable to bear it, that the Holy +Ghost was to teach the _whole_ truth. + +The promise here made to the Apostles, that they should be taught the +whole truth by the Holy Ghost, while it regarded them _directly_, regarded +the whole Church indirectly; for it is to them as Apostles, appointed to +teach the whole Church, that Christ speaks: "I have chosen you, and have +appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit, and your +fruit should remain" (John xv. 16). And in the solemn prayer to the +Father, with which this discourse concludes, He prays the Father: +"Sanctify them (the Apostles) in (the) truth.... And not for them only do +I pray, but for them also who, through their word, shall believe in me." +So that the Apostles first, and through them the Church of Christ, +received the whole truth from the Holy Ghost.(102) + +*For he shall not speak of himself.* These words give a reason why the +Holy Ghost shall teach the truth. No other reason than His own Divinity +and essential truthfulness was necessary; but, as the Apostles did not yet +understand that this new Comforter was Divine, Jesus vouchsafes another +reason to convince them of His truthfulness. This other reason is, that +the Holy Ghost shall speak to them, not what has been excogitated or +invented by Himself, but what he received from the Son of God in His +eternal procession. Doubtless the Apostles did not yet know much about the +mystery of the Divine procession; still they could gather from these words +that the new Comforter was to announce to them the truth, as Christ's +legate, and this was enough. + +*But what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak.* A Divine Person +(unless He were possessed of two natures, like Jesus Christ) cannot be +conceived to acquire anything except in His procession; for once He is a +Divine Person He is infinite, and can receive nothing that He does not +already possess. Hence whatever the Holy Ghost _heard_, He heard from all +eternity, in proceeding from the Father and the Son.(103) Yet, though the +Holy Ghost heard and hears from all eternity, the _future_ tense "shall +hear" is used because there is question of knowledge _to be manifested in +the future_.(104) + +*And the things that are to come he shall shew you.* Hence the Holy Ghost +was to confer the gift of prophecy on the Apostles. As evidence that He +conferred this gift upon them, see Acts xx. 29; St. Jude 17, 18, and The +Apocalypse. + +14. Ille me clarificabit: quia 14. He shall glorify me; +de meo accipiet, et because he shall receive of +annuntiabit vobis. mine, and shall shew _it_ to + you. + +14. *He shall glorify me. because he shall receive of mine* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}), +*and shall shew it to you*. + +The Holy Ghost gave glory to Christ before men by showing that Christ was +the Messias and Saviour of the world. This He did principally through the +Apostles, by imparting to them (in so far it was necessary or useful for +them) the knowledge which He had received from the Son, and especially, as +the context here (verse 16) proves, the knowledge of future things. In the +words, "He shall receive of mine," we refer "mine" to the Son's knowledge, +which, however, _in reality_ does not differ in a Divine Person from His +essence.(105) + +As we remarked already on verse 13, a Divine Person (having no other +nature than the Divine), cannot be conceived to receive anything except in +His procession; and hence when the Holy Ghost is here said to receive from +the Son, we have a convincing proof that _He proceeds from the Son_. + +The schismatical Greeks attempted in two ways to get rid of the argument +that is thus afforded for the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son. + +(_a_) First, they supplied {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} after {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}, and thus represented +Christ as saying that the Holy Ghost should receive from the Father. Hence +they concluded that He proceeds only from the Father. But we say in +reply--(1) that it is against the rules of Greek syntax that the possessive +pronoun {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} should refer to a word not expressed in the phrase. (2) +That all the fathers, Greek as well as Latin, referred {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} to _what +is in the Son_ and not to the Father. (3) The context here Proves that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} does not refer to the Father. For in verse 15 we have the pronoun +repeated in the plural: "All things whatsoever the Father hath _are mine_ +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). Therefore I said, he shall receive of _mine_," and it is +plain that in both instances _mine_ refers to the same thing; hence not to +the Father, but to what is in the Son, communicated from the Father. + +(_b_) Equally inadmissible is the other interpretation by which it was +attempted to explain away this text. According to this second view, +Christ's words would mean: The Holy Ghost shall glorify Me because He +shall receive of Mine _from My Father_, and shall show it to you. But +there is nothing to justify this insertion of the words "from My Father;" +on the contrary, the whole context points to the fact that the Holy Ghost +is to receive what is the Son's (of mine) _from the Son Himself_. For +since the Holy Ghost in reality glorified the Father and Himself as well +as the Son, when we find it here stated that He shall glorify the Son, +_because_ He shall receive of Him, the natural inference is, that He +receives from Him directly, and not merely through the Father. Besides, +when the text distinctly states that the Holy Ghost shall receive of the +Son, it is wholly arbitrary and really not an interpretation of the words +at all to say that He receives of the Son _through the Father_, and not +directly of the Son Himself. + +Hence the words of this verse plainly mean that the Holy Ghost receives +from the Son, and consequently, as we saw above on verse 13, afford a +proof that He proceeds from the Son, just as those of xv. 26 prove that He +proceeds from the Father. He proceeds, therefore, as our faith professes, +Ex Patre _Filioque_. + +15. Omnia quaecumque habet 15. All things whatsoever the +Pater, mea sunt. Propterea Father hath, are mine. +dixi: quia de meo accipiet, et Therefore I said, he shall +annuntiabit vobis. receive of mine, and show _it_ + to you. + +15. *Therefore I said, he shall receive*, &c. The present ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) is +the more probable reading, but it is used for the future, so that the +Vulgate gives the meaning. This verse is variously connected with the +preceding, even by Catholic commentators. We believe that Christ is here +proving what He has just said, namely, that the Holy Ghost should receive +of Him. The proof is this: All whatsoever the Father hath (except, of +course, the relation of Paternity) is the Son's; but the Father has +_spiratio activa_: in other words, the Holy Ghost proceeds from Him, +therefore He proceeds from the Son also: "All things whatsoever the Father +hath are mine; _therefore_ I said, He shall receive of mine, and shew it +to you." Note that this verse, too, furnishes a clear proof of the +procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son, since the Son has all that the +Father hath. + +16. Modicum, et iam non 16. A little while, and now +videbitis me: et iterum you shall not see me: and +modicum, et videbitis me: quia again a little while, and you +vado ad Patrem? shall see me: because I go to + the Father. + +16. Instead of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~} the best supported Greek text reads {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (no longer), +and omits the words "because I go to the Father." We are not, however, +convinced that the Vulgate is wrong in retaining the words, for the next +verse, where they are certainly genuine, makes it clear that our Lord must +have used the words here; though, of course, it is possible that St. John +did not record them. + +*A little while.* There are two probable interpretations of the two +"little whiles." According to one, the first "little while" is the short +time until Christ's death, and _after_ that they should not see Him; then +another "little while," namely the three days that His body was in the +grave, and _after_ that they should see Him risen to a glorious and +immortal life. According to the other, the first "little while" is the +time until the ascension, and _after_ that they should see Him no longer +among them on earth; the second "little while" is the time from the +ascension until the day of general judgment, and _after_ that they should +see Him for ever, their joy no man should take from them (verse 22), and +they would require to ask Him no questions (verse 23), because all would +be clear in the light of the beatific vision. + +We prefer the latter view; for when Christ goes on in the following verses +to explain, His words, especially in verses 22 and 23, are not easily or +naturally understood in the first interpretation. For, though the Apostles +did rejoice after His resurrection (John xx. 20), and though that glorious +event with all that it implied must have been to them a source of lasting +joy, still they had very many occasions for sorrowing subsequently. +Besides, we know that after His resurrection they put Him questions (Acts +i. 6). Hence, we prefer to hold that the second "little while" (with the +Lord a thousand years are as one day, 2 Peter iii. 8) shall terminate with +the day of judgment, for then only shall they require to put Him no +questions, and both body and soul shall be for ever happy. + +*Because I go to the Father.* Some connect with both the preceding +members. Others, as Mald., only with the first member--you shall not see +Me, because I go to the Father. + +17. Dixerunt ergo ex 17. Then some of his disciples +discipulis eius ad invicem: said one to another: What is +Quid est hoc quod dicit nobis: this that he saith to us: A +Modicum, et non videbitis me: little while, and you shall +et iterum modicum: et not see me: and again a little +videbitis me, et quia vado ad while, and you shall see me, +Patrem? and because I go to the + Father? +18. Dicebant ergo: Quid est 18. They said therefore: What +hoc quod dicit Modicum: is this that he saith, A +nescimus quid loquitur. little while? we know not what + he speaketh. + +17, 18. The Apostles were perplexed, and did not understand. Doubtless +their sorrow at the thought of His departure confused them, and in any +case the meaning was not clear. + +19. Cognovit autem Iesus quia 19. And Jesus knew that they +volebant cum interrogare et had a mind to ask him: and he +dixit eis: De hoc quaeritis said to them: Of this do you +inter vos quia dixi, Modicum? inquire among yourselves, +et non videbitis me: et iterum because I said: A little +modicum, et videbitis me. while, and you shall not see + me: and again a little while, + and you shall see me? + +19. Though they had spoken only among themselves, Jesus knew their +thoughts, and was aware of their perplexity. + +20. Amen, amen dico vobis: 20. Amen, amen, I say to you, +quia plorabitis et flebitis that you shall lament and +vos, mundus autem gaudebit: weep, but the world shall +vos autem contristabimini, sed rejoice: and you shall be made +tristitia vestra vertetur in sorrowful, but your sorrow +gaudium. shall be turned into joy. +21. Mulier cum parit, 21. A woman, when she is in +tristitiam habet, quia labour, hath sorrow, because +venithora eius: cum autem her hour is come: but when she +pepererit puerum, iam non hath brought forth the child, +meminit pressurae propter she remembereth no more the +gaudium, quia natus est homo anguish, for joy that a man is +in mundum. born into the world. + +20, 21. He compares their brief sorrow here below to that of a woman in +labour, and their lasting joy to that of a mother when she has brought +forth her child. + +22. Et vosigitur nunc quidem 22. So also you now indeed +tristitiam habetis, iterum have sorrow, but I will see +autem videbo vos, et gaudebit you again, and your heart +cor vestrum: et gaudium shall rejoice; and your joy no +vestrum nemo toilet a vobis? man shall take from you. + +22. Applying the preceding comparison, He says: You too now in this life, +the period of your travail, have sorrow; but I will see you again at the +day of general judgment (or, perhaps, when their souls should enter +heaven), and then your joy shall be lasting. + +23. Et in illo die me non 23. And in that day you shall +rogabitis quidquam. Amen, amen not ask me anything. Amen, +dico vobis: si quid petieritis amen, I say to you: if you ask +Patrem in nomine nemo dabit the Father anything in my +vobis. name, he will give it you. + +23. In that time, when you shall enjoy the vision of God, you shall not +require to put me any questions(106) ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}) as just now you +wished to do (verse 19), because you shall know all that you can desire to +know. Thus in the interpretation that we have adopted, Christ, after +promising the Apostles the knowledge of future things while they are here +on earth (verses 13-15), goes on in the following verses (16-23) to +promise them His own. society, eternal joy, and perfect knowledge in the +life to come. + +*Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}) *the Father anything*, +&c. These words ought to begin a new verse, for a new subject, the +efficacy of prayer, is begun. The correct Greek reading is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), and agrees with the Vulgate, "si quid." Most critics of the Greek +text read the latter part of this verse thus: "If you ask the Father +anything, He will give it you in my name." Still we are inclined to +believe that the Vulgate reading, which connects "in my name" with "ask" +and not with "will give," is correct; for immediately after (in verses 24 +and 26) we have question of asking in the name of Christ. Moreover, the +connection between verses 23 and 24, with the apparent antithesis: "if you +ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it you. Hitherto you have +not asked anything in my name," confirms the Vulgate reading. We prefer +the Vulgate reading therefore, and the sense is, that if they ask the +Father anything in the name, through the merits, of Christ, He will give +it; provided, of course, as St. John says in his First Epistle (v. 14) +they ask according to the will of God. Hence the Church always asks +through the merits of Christ: "Per Christum Dominum nostrum," or "Per +Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum," &c. + +There could be no clearer proof than this verse affords of the wondrous +efficacy of prayer. + +24. Usque modo non petistis 24. Hitherto you have not +quidquam in nomine meo: asked anything in my name. +petite, et accipietis, ut Ask, and you shall receive: +gaudium vestrum sit plenum. that your joy may be full. + +24. They had already indeed asked of Christ Himself; they had also asked +the Father; but not in the name of Christ, as they are now bid to do. This +was a new form of prayer. The Jews, when praying, begged of God to +remember their Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Christians appeal +through the name and merits of Jesus Christ. + +25. Haec in proverbiis locutus 25. These things I have spoken +sum vobis. Venit hora, cum iam to you in proverbs. The hour +non in proverbiis loquar cometh when I will no more +vobis, sed palam de Patre speak to you in proverbs, but +annuntiabo vobis. will show you plainly of the + Father. + +25. *In proverbs.* The word translated "proverbs" is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, which +signifies not merely proverbial, but also obscure or figurative language; +and this is the sense here, as is proved by the antithesis between +speaking "in proverbs" and speaking "plainly." "These things," then, +concerning His death, His resurrection, His return to the Father, the +"little whiles," &c., He had spoken obscurely. We must hold that the words +of institution of the Blessed Eucharist are not included in "these +things." They did not belong to this discourse _after_ the Last Supper, +but were spoken during the supper. Moreover, had they been obscure, surely +three Evangelists and St. Paul would not have narrated them without some +explanation. + +*The hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs.* "Hour" is +the ordinary Hebraism for time. Some refer this to the next life, some to +the forty days of Christ's risen life, and some to the time after +Pentecost. With St. Aug. and Mald. we prefer this latter view, for the +first opinion seems excluded by the next verse, where it is said they will +ask of the Father during the time in question, and we know they shall not +require to ask in heaven. The second opinion too (unless it be joined with +the third) is improbable, for it was not till the day of Pentecost, when +they were "endued with power from on high" (Luke xxvi. 49), that they were +able to bear plain speaking, or that Christ _through the Holy Ghost_ spoke +plainly to them. + +26. In illo die in nomine meo 26. In that day you shall ask +petetis: et non dico vobis in my name: and I say not to +quia ego rogabo Patrem de you, that I will ask the +vobis: Father for you: + +26. *I say not to you, that I will ask the Father for you.* The sense is: +I need not say, I do not need to tell you, that I will ask the Father for +you. This form of expression is what is called "praeteritio," not +"exclusio," for we know that Christ is "always living to intercede for us" +(Heb. vii. 25). The connection in the following verse: "For the Father +Himself," &c., shows that Christ also wished to intimate that such +intercession on His part would not be necessary, because the Father +Himself would be prompt to hear and answer their prayers. Thus they should +understand that, though Christ, their advocate, was leaving them, yet they +had no reason to be disheartened, since the Father unsolicited would love +them and hear their prayers, because they had loved Christ, and believed +Him to be the Messias sent by God. + +27. Ipse enim Pater amat vos, 27. For the Father himself +quia vos me amastis, et loveth you, because you have +credidistis quia ego a Deo loved me, and have believed +exivi. that I came out from God. +28. Exivi a Patre, et veni in 28. I came forth from the +mundum: iterum relinquo Father, and am come into the +mundum, et vado ad Patrem. world: again I leave the + world, and I go to the Father. + +28. Taking up the closing words of the preceding verse, He insists upon +the truth of what they have believed. For in coming into the world I did +come out from God, who is My Father, and now I return to Him in leaving +the world, Some commentators refer the words: "I came forth from the +Father" to the eternal procession, and the following words to the mission +in time; but we think the view we follow more probable; for what is here +asserted is what the Apostles had already believed, and we doubt if they +yet understood or believed in the eternal procession. + +29. Dicunt ei discipuli eius: 29. His disciples say to him: +Ecce nunc palam loqueris, et Behold now thou speakest +proverbium nullum dicis: plainly, and speakest no + proverb. + +29. In saying that He was about to leave the world and go to the Father, +He spoke plainly, and explained their doubts of verse 17. + +30. Nunc scimus quia scis 30. Now we know that thou +omnia, et non opus est tibi ut knowest all things, and thou +quis te interroget: in hoc needest not that any man +credimus quia a Deo existi. should ask thee. By this we + believe that thou comest forth + from God. + +30. Seeing that He had read their thoughts (verse 19), and anticipated +their inquiries, even for this reason they declare their faith in Him as +the Messias and Son of God to be _confirmed_ and made perfect. + +31. Respondit eis Iesus: Modo 31. Jesus answered them: Do +creditis? you now believe? + +31. Christ's reply does not deny that they believe; yet insinuates, if we +take it interrogatively with the Vulgate, that He had reason to doubt the +firmness of the faith they boasted, as indeed He goes on to declare +plainly in the following verses. + +32. Ecce venit hora, et iam 32. Behold the hour cometh, +venit, ut dispergamini and it is now come, that you +unusquisque in propria, et me shall be scattered every man +solum relinquatis: et non sum to his own, and shall leave me +solus, quia Pater mecum est. alone: and yet I am not alone + because the Father is with me. + +32. *Hour* is again a Hebraism for time. This same prediction, or a +similar one, is recorded by St. Matt. (xxvi. 31), and St. Mark (xiv. 27), +and according to both it was made after Christ and the Apostles had left +the supper room to go towards the Mount of Olives. As we observed above on +xiv. 31, we think it highly improbable that this long discourse after the +Last Supper was spoken in the crowded streets of Jerusalem; and if the +words of SS. Matthew or Mark obliged us to hold that the prediction, +recorded by those Evangelists was spoken whilst Christ and the Apostles +passed along the streets, we would hold that this prediction, recorded by +St. John, is a different one, and that Christ referred twice on this night +to the desertion of His Apostles. In reality, however, SS. Matthew and +Mark can be satisfactorily explained on the supposition that the +prediction which they record was spoken outside the house where Christ and +the Apostles had supped, or at some quiet spot on the way to Mount Olivet. + +33. Haec locutus sum vobis, ut 33. These things I have spoken +in me pacem habeatis. In mundo to you, that in me you may +pressuram habebitis: sed have peace. In the world you +confidite, ego vici mundum. shall have distress: but have + confidence, I have overcome + the world. + +33. These last discourses He had spoken to confirm their faith and afford +them consolation, that so they might have peace of heart, despite the +hatred of the world. Then He closes this beautiful discourse with the +consoling and encouraging assurance that He was just about to conquer the +world (by prolepsis He speaks of His victory as already gained). The +context shows that this assurance implied that they too, through Him, +should triumph over the world. For it is because His victory implied +theirs that He tells them to have confidence. "For whatsoever is born of +God overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the +world, our faith" (1 John v. 4). + +Thus in His last words to His Apostles before His passion, at the very +moment when He knew that His enemies were approaching (xv. 30), Christ +confidently claims the glory of a conqueror. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + + 1-5. *As man, Christ prays to the Father for Himself.* + + 6-19. *He prays for the Apostles.* + + 20-23. *He prays for all the faithful.* + + 24-26. *His last prayer for the Apostles.* + + +1. Haec locutus est Iesus: et 1. These things Jesus spoke, +sublevatis oculis in coelum, and lifting up his eyes to +dixit: Pater venit hora, heaven, he said: Father, the +clarifica Filium tuum ut hour is come, glorify thy Son, +Filius tuus clarificet te: that thy Son may glorify thee. + +1. *These things*, we understand here of all that is comprised in the +discourses just recorded (xiii. 31-xvi. 33). Having completed His words of +warning and consolation and love, Jesus now turns from teaching to prayer, +from earth to heaven, from His children to His Father. + +*Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee.* Christ, _as man_, prays +to His Father; and the sense is: The time of My trial is come; do not +desert Me, but glorify Me by exalting My humanity to a participation in +the glory of the Divinity; that so, by My resurrection and ascension, I +may give glory to Thee, by giving eternal life to all whom Thou hast given +me(107) (verse 2). + +2. (_a_) Sicut dedisti ei 2. As thou hast given him +potestatem omnis carnis, ut power over all flesh, that he +omne quod dedisti ei, det eis may give eternal life to all +vitam aeternam. whom thou hast given him. + +2. These words explain _how_ Christ will glorify the Father, namely, by +giving eternal life to all whom the Father had given Him. + +*All flesh* is a Hebraism for all mankind (John i. 14); and by another +Hebraism the nominative "omne" of the Vulgate is redundant, the sense +being as in our English version. + +This verse we connect with the last clause of verse 1, and take the sense +to be: That Thy Son may glorify Thee, _according as_ Thou hast given Him +power over all men, _in order that_ in them He may glorify Thee. In other +words, Christ prays that the Father may bring about His own glory, which +He had in view in giving Christ power over all men. There are various +other interpretations, but the above seems to us best, as it connects +naturally with the preceding, and retains the ordinary signification of +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}. + +This power over all men, Christ, as God, possessed from eternity, and as +God-man He obtained at His incarnation. + +Though He has power over all men, yet He does not give eternal life to all +men, but only to those _whom God has given Him_ (vi. 37), because only +these correspond with His grace. This is implied in Christ's language +here, for the words, "to all whom Thou has given Him," explain the +expression all flesh, and show that it is only in those who believe that +the universal Power over "all flesh" is efficacious. + +3. Haec est autem vita 3. Now this is eternal life: +aeterna: ut cognoscant te, that they may know thee, the +solum Deum verum, et quem only true God, and Jesus +misisti Iesum Christum. Christ, whom thou hast sent. + +3. *Now this is eternal life*, &c. The sense is: this is the pledge, the +cause of eternal life (see John iii. 36), that they know Thee _with the +knowledge of faith_, know Thee to be the only true God and Jesus Christ +whom Thou hast sent. The Greek {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} +shows that the Father is here said to be the only God, to the exclusion of +other Gods, but not to the exclusion of other Persons who participate in +the same Godhead. It is not meant that the Father is the only Divine +Person. There are other Persons in the Godhead, but there is no other +Godhead. The words mean, then, that they may know Thee to be the only true +God, to the exclusion of all other Gods; but do not mean that they may +know Thee alone to be the true God, to the exclusion of the Son and Holy +Ghost. + +Many of the fathers adopt another interpretation of the verse, holding +that the order of the words is inverted, and that Divinity is predicated +of both the Father and Christ. They understand the verse thus: that they +may know Thee and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent, to be the only true +God. So SS. Aug., Amb., Hil., Greg. Naz., Athan., Cyp. The latter +interpretation more clearly establishes Christ's Divinity against the +Arians; but in any interpretation it is clear that Christ implies His own +Divinity, since He declares that the knowledge of Himself, equally with +that of the Father, is the cause and pledge of eternal life. He who had +said: "I and the Father are one" (John x. 30), and who, a few verses +farther down in this prayer, says to the Father: "All my things are thine, +and thine are mine," cannot reasonably be supposed to withdraw His claims +to Divinity in the words before us. + +Some of the fathers, and many of the scholastics, hold that there is +question in verse 3 not of the knowledge of God through _faith_, but of +the knowledge of the blessed in heaven; and they argue from this verse to +prove that the essence of life eternal consists in _knowing_ God; in other +words, that the happiness of the blessed consists in an act of the +_intellect_; namely, the vision of God.(108) Since we believe that the +question here is of the knowledge of God through faith, and not through +the beatific vision, we hold that no argument can be drawn from this verse +as to the essence of the happiness of the blessed. + +4. Ego te clarificavi super 4. I have glorified thee on +terram: opus consummavi, quod the earth: I have finished the +dedisti mihi ut faciam: work which thou gavest me to + do: + +4. Some understand these words as proleptic, and take the sense to be: I +am about to glorify Thee by My death, to finish the work of _redemption_ +which thou gavest Me to do. Others understand of the work of preaching, +which was now actually completed, and by which the Father's name and glory +had been manifested _upon the earth_. The latter interpretation seems to +us the more natural, and more suited to the context, especially to verse +6: "I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast given me out of +the world." + +5. Et nunc clarifica me tu, 5. And now glorify thou me, O +Pater, apud temetipsum, Father, with thyself, with the +claritate, quam habui, prius glory which I had, before the +quam mundus esset, apud te. world was, with thee. + +5. In return for His having given glory to the Father _upon the earth_, +Christ, as man, prays the Father to glorify Him in heaven. There is a +difficulty here, arising from the fact that Christ seems to pray that the +glory which as God He possessed from all eternity may be given to Him _as +man_. Now, the glory of God is incommunicable, and even the blessed +humanity of Christ is incapable of partaking fully thereof. Hence various +interpretations have been advanced in order to explain this difficulty:-- + +(1) Some say that Christ, as man, prays merely for that glory which, _in +the decrees of God, was given_ to His humanity from all eternity. But +against this view is the fact that the fathers generally quoted the latter +part of this verse to prove the eternal existence and Divinity of Christ. + +(2) Hence others, and we believe rightly, hold that in the latter part of +the verse there is question of the Divine and eternal glory of Christ, and +understand Him to pray that His humanity, according to its capacity, may +be made to partake of the glory of the Divinity. Of course, the humanity +was incapable of receiving the infinite glory of the Divinity; but the +glorious qualities of Christ's glorified body are a participation, +according to the capacity of the body, of the eternal glory of the Son. +"Da ut claritas et gloria quam ego ut Deus ab aeterno tecum habeo, +communicetur et extendatur usque ad carnem meam, quae propter +dispensationem hactenus est suspensa"(109) (Tolet.) + +6. Manifestavi nomen tuum 6. I have manifested thy name +hominibus, quos dedisti mihi to the men whom thou hast +de mundo. Tui erant, et mihi given me out of the world. +eos dedisti: et sermonem tuum Thine they were, and to me +servaverunt. thou gavest them: and they + have kept thy word. + +6. This passage from verse 6-19 refers primarily to the Apostles, as +appears from verses 12 and 18; and Christ prayed specially for them +because He was sending them into the world, the heralds of His Gospel +(verse 18), the foundations upon which His earthly kingdom was to be +reared (Eph. ii. 20). The sense is: I have manifested Thy name, Thy glory +_effectually_ (He had manifested it to others, who refused to believe) to +those whom Thou hast given Me to be My Apostles; they were Thine by +election, &c. + +In this verse, as well as in verses 7 and 8, the correct reading is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} +(gavest), not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (hast given).(110) + +7. Nunc cognoverunt quia 7. Now they have known that +omnia, quae dedisti mihi: abs all things which thou hast +te sunt: given me are from thee. +8. Quia verba quae dedisti 8. Because the words which +mihi, dedi eis: et ipsi thou gavest me, I have given +acceperunt, et cognoverunt to them: and they have +vere quia a te exivi, et received them, and have known +crediderunt quia tu me in very deed that I came out +misisti. from thee, and they have + believed that thou didst send + me. +9. Ego pro eis rogo: non pro 9. I pray for them: I pray not +mundo rogo, sed pro his quos for the world, but for them +dedisti mihi, quia tui sunt: whom thou hast given me: + because they are thine: + +9. *I pray for them.* The pronouns are emphatic. For these men who on so +many grounds are deserving of Thy grace and care, do I, to whom Thou +gavest them, ask. But what does the Saviour of the world mean by saying +that He does not pray for the world, He who on the cross prayed for the +very men that crucified Him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what +they do"? (Luke xxiii. 34). Some reply that Christ speaks not of +sufficient, but of efficacious prayer; but the true view is that He is +speaking only of this particular prayer, in which He asks for the Apostles +what the world was unfit and unwilling to receive (see verses 13, 17, 18). + +The fact, then, that He prays in this prayer, not for the Father's +enemies, but for those who belong to both the Father and Himself is put +forward as a reason why He ought to be heard by the Father. + +*Because they are thine.* These words sum up this first reason, and we +take them as depending upon the phrase: "I pray for them" at the +commencement of the verse. + +10. Et mea omnia tua sunt: et 10. And all my things are +tua mea sunt: et clarificatus thine, and thine are mine: and +sum in eis. I am glorified in them. + +10. *And all my things are thine, and thine are mine.* Could anyone but +God address God so? These words seem to be thrown in to give a reason for +the statement: "they are thine," the reason being that since they were +Christ's (the Father had made them Christ's), they must be the Father's +also, for "all my things are thine, and thine are mine." + +The remaining words of this verse afford a second reason why the Father +ought to hear Christ's prayer for the Apostles and watch over them, +because Christ, through them, had been glorified before men, as a teacher +is honoured by disciples attaching themselves to him. Or the words: "I am +glorified," may possibly be proleptic, and mean that Christ was to be +glorified _afterwards_ through the preaching of the Apostles. + +11. Etiam non sum in mundo, et 11. And now I am not in the +hi in mundo sunt, et ego ad te world, and these are in the +venio. Pater sancte, serva eos world, and I come to thee. +in nomine tuo, quos dedisti Holy Father, keep them in thy +mihi: ut sint unum, sicut et name, whom thou hast given me: +nos. that they may be one, as we + also are. + +11. A third reason why they ought now to receive the Father's special care +was because Christ was now leaving them, and they were to remain in the +world. + +*Keep them in thy name, whom thou hast given me.* The sense of this +reading is sufficiently evident. The best-supported Greek reading, +however, is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH DASIA AND PERISPOMENI~}(111) (not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH DASIA AND PERISPOMENI~} being attracted into the dative case of +the preceding noun, and standing for {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~}. The most probable meaning of this +Greek reading is: keep them in the confession of Thy name, in the +knowledge of Thee, which Thou hast given to Me, and which I in turn have +given to them; that they may be one by a union of faith and charity +resembling, though in an imperfect way, the union between the Persons of +the Blessed Trinity. + +12. Cum essem cum eis, ego 12. While I was with them, I +servabam eos in nomine tuo. kept them in thy name. Those +Quos dedisti mihi, custodivi: whom thou gavest me have I +et nemo ex eis periit, nisi kept: and none of them is +filius perditionis, ut lost, but the son of +scriptura impleatur. perdition, that the scripture + may be fulfilled. + +12. *I kept them.* In the original, the imperfect tense {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} brings out +more clearly Christ's continuous care. + +In this verse, too, there is a difference of opinion as to whether {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} or +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~} is the correct reading, but the Vulgate reading is more strongly +supported here than in verse 11. + +*And none of them is lost, but the son of perdition.* "Son of perdition" +is a Hebraism, signifying one devoted to destruction, as Judas was, +through his own fault. + +None of them was lost in either soul or body except Judas, who was already +lost as to his soul, though not irreparably; and who was soon to be +irreparably lost both as to soul and body. But this loss of Judas was not +to be ascribed to Christ, but took place _in order that_ (see above on +xii. 37-40) the Scripture (Ps. xl. 10) might be fulfilled. The Holy Ghost +had predicted the ruin of Judas, because it was foreseen that this would +certainly come about through the wretched Apostle's own fault. In the +words: "none of them is lost," we think there is question of both the +bodies and souls of the Apostles; for while it is generally admitted that +Christ here claims to have guarded the _souls_ of the Apostles from +spiritual ruin, John xviii. 8, 9, seems to prove, as we shall there show, +that in the words before us Christ speaks of having guarded from harm +their bodies also. + +13. Nunc autem ad te venio: et 13. And now I come to thee: +haec loquor in mundo, ut and these things I speak in +habeant gaudium meum impletum the world, that they may have +in semetipsis. my joy filled in themselves. + +13. *These things* we refer to what Christ had already spoken in the +hearing of the Apostles in this prayer to the Father; namely, that He +should give them life eternal (verse 2); that He should be glorified with +the Father (verse 5); and that in His absence the Father would watch over +them, and keep them in His name (verse 11). + +*That they may have my joy filled* (made full) *in themselves*. "My joy" +might mean the joy they had received from Christ, or the joy they felt +_because_ of Christ; but we think the most probable and most natural +meaning is: that they may have the joy which _I feel_ in going to the +Father, made full in themselves. Before this time He had said to them: "If +you loved Me, you would indeed _be glad_, because I go to the Father" +(xiv. 28); and now He has spoken in this prayer of the glory which awaited +Him, and of the care of the Father for the Apostles, in order that they +may be reconciled to, and fully rejoice in, His departure to the Father. + +14. Ego dedi eis sermonem 14. I have given them thy +tuum, et mundus eos odio word, and the world hath hated +habuit, quia non sunt de them, because they are not of +mundo, sicut et ego non sum de the world; as I am not of the +mundo. world. + +14. *I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them.* "I" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}) +is emphatic; I, Thy Son. This is a _fourth_ reason why the Father ought to +watch over and guard the Apostles--the world hated them, and this because +they had received the words of Christ, which are the words of the Father. + +Though _in_ the world, the Apostles were not _of_ the world, not imbued +with its spirit, nor pandering to its tastes. + +15. Non rogo ut tollas eos de 15. I pray not that thou +mundo, sed ut serves eos a shouldst take them out of the +malo. world, but that thou shouldst + keep them from evil. + +15. *From evil* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}). This may refer to the evil of the wicked +world which is sin, or to the devil, the _evil one_. The parallel passage +in 1 John v. 18, 19 favours the latter view. These words, to which the +Apostles were listening, gave them to know that they must not despair, and +wish to quit the world when trials should come; but rather, remaining in +the world, keep themselves unspotted from its defilements. + +16. De mundo non sunt, sicut 16. They are not of the world: +et ego non sum de mundo. as I also am not of the world. + +16. The last clause of verse 14 is repeated as the ground of another +petition, namely, that the Father may "sanctify" them. + +In order to emphasize the point in their hearing, and also as a motive why +God ought to hear the petition that follows, the fact that the Apostles +are not men of the world is repeated and insisted upon by Christ. + +17. Sanctifica eos in 17. Sanctify them in truth. +veritate. Sermo tuus veritas Thy word is truth. +est. + +17. *In the truth*, is the correct reading; not "in _thy_ truth," nor "in +truth." The word in which they are to be sanctified is probably the word +of God, which Christ had preached, and which is referred to in the end of +the verse: "Thy word is truth;" and not, as Mald. holds, the real +sanctification of the New Law as opposed to the typical and merely +external sanctification by which the priests of the Old Law were set apart +for their functions. + +In the Gospel, then, and for the preaching of the Gospel Christ prays that +the Apostles may be sanctified. But what does the word "sanctify" here +mean? Sometimes the word {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} signifies to make holy, or to make more +holy, or to keep more holy (1 Cor. vii. 11; 1 Thess. v. 23); at other +times, it means to set apart or destine for an office; and in this sense +it is generally used throughout the Old Testament. Both senses are +probably combined in the word here, for it was by making and keeping them +holy that the Apostles were to be efficaciously set apart by the Father +for the sacred mission to which Christ had already called them. + +18. Sicut tu me misisti in 18. As thou hast sent me into +mundum, et ego misi eos in the world, I also have sent +mundum. them into the world. + +18. This verse shows that the sanctification is prayed for especially with +a view to their mission as Apostles. *Have sent* (Greek "did send") is +used proleptically, for the Apostles had not yet received their mission to +the _Gentile_ world. See John xx. 21; Matthew xxviii. 18, 19; Mark xvi. +15. + +19. Et pro eis ego sanctifico 19. And for them do I sanctify +meipsum: ut sint et ipsi myself: that they also may be +sanctificati in veritate. sanctified in truth. + +19. *And for them do I sanctify myself.* St. Aug. understands of the +sanctification wherewith the Son of God sanctified the humanity He +assumed. "Quando Verbum caro factum est, tunc sanctificavit se in se, id +est hominem se in Verbo se, quia unus Christus Verbum et homo: propter sua +vero membra dicit: et pro eis ego sanctifico meipsum, hoc est, ipsos in +me, quoniam in me etiam ipsi sunt et ego. Ut sint et ipsi sanctificati in +veritate. Quid est 'et ipsi' nisi quemadmodum ego." (St. Aug. _in loc._). + +But the common opinion is that Christ speaks of the sacrifice of Himself +which He was about to offer a few hours afterwards. In this view the +meaning is: and for them do I set Myself apart, do I consecrate Myself as +a victim, that they may be truly and efficaciously set apart and +consecrated for the preaching of the Gospel. Thus while the word +"sanctify" has in both clauses the same generic meaning of setting apart, +there is yet a difference. Christ sets Himself apart, devotes Himself to +death, that they may be consecrated in the fulness of grace for the work +of the Apostleship. Christ sets Himself apart, but the Apostles are +evidently to be set apart by the Father; that is to say, effectually +fitted by the Father for the work to which Christ had already called them. + +*In truth.* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}). The absence of the Greek article distinguishes +this clause from that in verse 17. There the question is of "_the_ truth," +the word of God; here "in truth," seems to be equivalent to truly, +really--that they also may be truly sanctified. Compare 2 John 1; 3 John 1. + +20. Non pro eis autem rogo 20. And not for them only do I +tantum, sed et pro eis qui pray, but for them also who +credituri sunt per verbum through their word shall +eorum in me: believe in me: + +20. Instead of *shall believe* the more probable Greek reading has the +present tense, as if Christ looked upon the Church of the future as +actually present. He now prays not alone for the Apostles, but for all who +should believe through their preaching. There is direct reference to the +Apostles and their converts, but the prayer of Christ included the +successors of both. + +21. Ut omnes unum sint, sicut 21. That they all may be one, +tu Pater in me, et ego in te, as thou, Father, in me, and I +ut et ipsi in nobis unum sint: in thee: that they also may be +ut credat mundus quia tu me one in us: that the world may +misisti. believe that thou hast sent + me. + +21. The unity of the faithful cannot, of course, equal the unity of nature +in the Persons of the Blessed Trinity; but since it is here compared with +the latter, we are justified in concluding that it is as perfect as +possible; and hence a unity of intellect through faith, of will through +charity, and of government through the due subordination of the different +members. Such a moral miracle as this unity implies, must suppose a +_principle_ of unity in the Church; that is to say, a teaching and ruling +authority by which this marvellous unity is Divinely secured. + +The words *That the world may believe that thou hast sent me* show that +this unity was to be a _note_ of the true Church, pointing it out even to +the wicked world as the Church of God. + +22. Et ego claritatem quam 22. And the glory which thou +dedisti mihi, dedi eis: ut hast given me, I have given to +sint unum, sicut et nos unum them: that they may be one, as +sumus. we also are one. + +22. *And the glory which thou hast given me, I have ** given to them.* +Some understand "the glory" here mentioned to be the gift of working +miracles; others, the glory _about to be enjoyed_ by Christ's humanity, +which is to be shared in by all the faithful after the day of judgment; +others, the glorious privilege of Divine filiation which makes the +faithful the adopted sons, as Christ was the natural Son, of God; others, +in fine, the glory of the Divinity which Christ had just shared with the +Apostles that night, and which He was to share with all the faithful in +future, in giving them His own glorious and Divine Person in the Blessed +Eucharist. + +We believe that either the third or fourth is the correct opinion. But it +is not easy to choose between these two. The third is the more obvious, +and is certainly very probable; but in favour of the fourth it must be +said it was very natural that Christ speaking of the union of the faithful +on this night when He had instituted the Blessed Eucharist, should refer +to that wonderful cause and pledge of union which He had just left to the +faithful in the Blessed Sacrament: "For we, being many, are one bread, one +body, all that partake(112) of one bread" (1 Cor. x. 17). See also John +vi. 57. + +23. Ego in eis, et tu in me: 23. I in them, and thou in me: +ut sint consummati in unum: et that they may be made perfect +cognoscat mundus, quia tu me in one; and the world may know +misisti, et dilexisti eos, that thou hast sent me, and +sicut et me dilexisti. hast loved them as thou hast + also loved me. + +23. *I in them, and thou in me.* This clause is in apposition to the last +clause of the preceding verse: "that they may be one, as we also are one," +and explains how the union there spoken of is effected, namely, by the +presence of Christ in the faithful. + +24. Pater, quos dedisti mihi, 24. Father, I will that where +volo ut ubi sum ego, et illi I am, they also whom thou hast +sint mecum: ut videant given me may be with me: that +claritatem meam, quam dedisti they may see my glory which +mihi, quia dilexisti me ante thou hast given me, because +constitutionem mundi. thou hast loved me before the + creation of the world. + +24. Here, too, as in verses 11, 12, some of the critics read the neuter +pronoun {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND VARIA~} (that which) instead of {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (they whom). The Vulgate reading is +at least equally probable. Having prayed in verses 20-21 for all the +faithful, Christ now continues His prayer for the Apostles, as a +comparison of this verse with verses 11 and 12 proves. And this, His last +petition for them, is, that they may one day be made partakers of that +glory which He as God enjoyed eternally, and into which as man He was to +enter at His ascension. + +*That they may see my glory*; that is to say, see and enjoy the glory of +My Divinity (reflected also in My humanity; see above on verse 5). We +believe there is not question merely of the glory of Christ's humanity, +for He seems to pray here that the Apostles may enjoy the bliss of heaven, +which does not consist in the vision of Christ's humanity, but in the +vision and enjoyment of the Divinity. If this is the correct view, and we +think, with A Lap., that it is, then this glory was given from all +eternity to the Son. The words: *Because thou hast loved me*, do not, in +this view, state the _cause_ of the communication of the eternal glory of +the Father to the Son. See above on chapter v., verse 20. + +If the words be understood, as St. Aug. understood them, of Christ's +humanity, then the meaning is: Share with My Apostles the glory which Thou +art _about to bestow_ upon Me because from all eternity Thou hast loved +Me, and predestined Me _as man_ for this glory. In this view the love of +the Father for Christ as man is the reason why He glorifies Christ's +humanity. + +The phrase *before the creation of the world*, or more accurately, "before +the foundation of the world," denotes that the world is not eternal; while +Christ's claim to have been loved by the Father before creation, is a +claim to personal existence before the world began, and indirectly, +therefore, a claim to an eternal Personality. + +25. Pater iuste, mundus te non 25. Just Father, the world +cognovit: ego autem te hath not known thee: but I +cognovi, et hi cognoverunt have known thee: and these +quia te me misisti. have known, that thou hast + sent me. +26. Et notum feci eis nomen 26. And I have made known thy +tuum, et notum faciam: ut name to them, and will make it +dilectio, qua dilexisti me, in known; that the love wherewith +ipsis sit, et ego in ipsis. thou hast loved me, may be in + them, and I in them. + +25, 26. These verses give a reason why the Father who is _just_, and who +rewards man's merits, even though these merits are themselves the result +of His grace, ought to hear Christ's prayer. The reason is, because He who +prays had known and loved the Father, and they for whom He prays had known +and received Himself as the Messias. Moreover, He had made known the +Father to them, and would do so still more, afterwards, through the Holy +Ghost. + +*That the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in +them.* Here He states His object in making known the Father's name. It was +in order that the special love of the Father might extend to them, and +that He Himself might remain intimately united to them by His grace, and +by the presence of the Divinity in their souls. + +With these beautiful and consoling words, which bespoke the special love +of the Father for the Apostles, and His own enduring presence with them +notwithstanding His departure, Christ concludes this sublime prayer to His +eternal Father. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + + 1-7. *Jesus retires to the Garden of Gethsemani, where, having + been betrayed by Judas, He freely delivers Himself up, after He + had first shown His almighty power, by casting His enemies to the + ground.* + + 8-11. *He requests that the Apostles be allowed to depart + unmolested, and forbids Peter to defend Him with the sword.* + + 12-14. *He is seized, bound, and led before Annas.* + + 15-27. *He is led before Caiphas, followed by Peter and John, and + while being examined there, is thrice denied by Peter.* + + 28-38. *He is led before Pilate, the Roman Governor, and examined + by him.* + + 39-40. *Pilate attempts to release Jesus, but the crowd calls for + the release of Barabbas.* + + +1. Haec cum dixisset Iesus, 1. When Jesus had said these +egressus est cum discipulis things, he went forth with his +suis trans torrentem Cedron, disciples over the brook +ubi erat hortus in quem Cedron, where there was a +introivit ipse, et discipuli garden, into which he entered +eius. with his disciples. + +1. Having finished His last discourses to the Apostles, and His prayer to +the Father, Jesus accompanied by the Apostles now proceeds towards Mount +Olivet (Matt xxvi. 36; Mark xiv. 32), crossing the brook of Cedron on His +way. As we stated already, we believe that the discourse (xv. 1-xvi. 33) +and the prayer after the Last Supper were not spoken while Christ and the +Apostles passed along, but at some point of rest either outside the +Supper-room or along the way. See above on xiv. 31. Nor are we to suppose +from the words of this verse, "He went forth," that it was only now Christ +and the Apostles left the Supper-room. As we remarked already, had Christ +and the Apostles not left the Supper-room when He gave the word to do so +(xiv. 31), St. John would very probably have noted the fact, and added +some word of explanation. In the verse before us, then, there is not +question of going forth from the Supper-room but of going forth from the +city. Comp. Matthew xxvi. 30, 36; Mark xiv. 26, 32. + +*Over the brook Cedron.* Many authorities read "over the brook of the +cedars" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). *Where there was a garden.* SS. Matthew and Mark say +that He came to "an enclosed piece of ground" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), called Gethsemani. +"Gethsemani--{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}, (gath) = a wine-press, and {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} (shemen) = oil--was the +spot where the prediction of Isaias was fulfilled: 'I have trodden the +wine press alone' (Isaias lxviii. 3). A modern garden, enclosed by a wall, +in which are some old olive-trees, said to date from the time of Christ, +is now pointed out as the Garden of Gethsemani. It is on the left bank of +the Kedron, about seven hundred and thirty feet from the east wall of the +city, and immediately south of the road, from St. Stephen's Gate to the +summit of Olivet .... This garden is, there is little reason to doubt, the +spot alluded to by Eusebius, when he says (_O. S._, 2, pp. 248, 18) that +'Gethsemane was at the foot of the Mount of Olives, and was then a place +of prayer for the faithful' " (Smith's _B. D._, _sub voc_). + +The Cedron is a small _winter-flowing_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) stream, which passes +through the ravine below the eastern wall of Jerusalem, and separates the +Mount of Olives from the Temple mount. For mention of it in the Old +Testament see 3 Kings ii. 37; xv. 13; 4 Kings xxi. ii. 4; Jer. xxxi. 40. + +St. John passes over the history of the prayer in the garden, of the +appearance of the angel to strengthen Christ, and of the sweat of blood, +because all this had been already recorded by the Synoptic Evangelists. +(Matt. xxvi. 38-44; Mark xiv. 34-40; Luke xxii. 40-44.) + +2. Sciebat autem et Iudas qui 2. And Judas also, who +tradebat eum, locum: quia betrayed him, knew the place: +frequenter Iesus convenerant because Jesus had often +illuc cum discipulis suis. resorted thither together with + his disciples. + +2. *Who betrayed him.* In the original the present participle marks the +process of betrayal as going on. *Jesus had often resorted thither with +his disciples.* The original might be rendered more exactly "Jesus and +(with) his disciples often assembled there." We know from St. Luke xxi. +37, that our Lord on the occasion of this last visit to Jerusalem was in +the habit of spending His nights on Mount Olivet, and the same Evangelist +tells us that, on this occasion after the Last Supper, "going out he went +according to his custom to the Mount of Olives" (Luke xxii. 39). + +3. Iudas ergo cum accepisset 3. Judas therefore having +cohortem, et a pontificibus et received a band of soldiers, +pharisaeis ministros, venit and servants from the chief +illuc cum laternis, et priests and the Pharisees, +facibus, et armis. cometh thither with lanterns + and torches and weapons. + +3. *A band of soldiers.* If "the band" here means a whole cohort, it was +the tenth part of a Roman legion, and contained about six hundred +infantry, with thirty cavalry. The words of this verse, as well as the +presence of the "tribune" (verse 12), who was the commander of a cohort, +justify the belief that a whole cohort was present on this occasion. Very +likely the authorities were afraid that a strongly-supported attempt might +be made to save or rescue Christ from them. This large body of soldiers, +strengthened by servants or officers of the temple ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) who were +sent by the chief-priests and Pharisees, came furnished with arms and +lights. As it was now full moon, this being the night of the 14th of the +lunar month Nisan, it might seem that the lights were unnecessary, but +probably the garden was considerably shaded by trees, and no doubt it was +feared that Jesus might try to hide in some dark nook or lurk beneath the +shrubs or trees. + +4. Iesus itaque sciens omnia 4. Jesus therefore knowing all +quae ventura erant super eum, things that should come upon +processit, et dixit eis: Quem him, went forth, and said to +quaeritis? them: Whom seek ye? + +4. Christ's foreknowledge is pointed out, both to prove His Divinity, and +to show His readiness to suffer. For, though aware of the sufferings He +was to endure, He did not seek to escape from them. He who had before +withdrawn from His enemies (viii. 59; xii. 36, &c.), now that His hour was +come, _went forth_ (from the enclosure of the garden) to meet them. + +We learn from St. Luke (xxii. 47) that Judas preceded the soldiers, and +gave the traitor's kiss to Jesus, thus marking Him out as the person to be +arrested. We learn too from St. Matthew (xxvi. 50), that Jesus addressed +the traitor, even in this hour of infamy as His friend: "Friend, whereto +art thou come?" and from St. Luke (xxii. 48), that He addressed to him the +pathetic words: "Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" +After meekly receiving the kiss from the wretched Apostle, Jesus addressed +the crowd. + +5. Responderunt ei: Iesum 5. They answered him: Jesus of +Nazarenum. Dicit eis Iesus: Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: +Ego sum. Stabat autem et Iudas I am he. And Judas also, who +qui tradebat eum, cum ipsis. betrayed him, stood with them. +6. Ut ergo dixit eis, Ego sum, 6. As soon therefore as he had +abierunt retrorsum, et said to them: I am he: they +ceciderunt in terram. went backward, and fell to the + ground. + +5, 6. If our view is correct, that the traitor's kiss had preceded +Christ's question: "Whom seek ye?" then it would seem that the soldiers +were withheld by Divine power from at once rushing on Jesus; and in order +to visibly prove His power and His ability to escape from them if He +wished, they were stricken to the ground. This prostration of Christ's +enemies cannot be explained on natural grounds. + +7. Iterum ergo interrogavit 7. Again therefore he asked +eos: Quem quaeritis? Illi them: Whom seek ye? And they +autem dixerunt: Iesum said: Jesus of Nazareth. +Nazarenum. +8. Respondit Iesus: Dixi vobis 8. Jesus answered, I have told +quia ego sum: si ergo me you, that I am he. If +quaeritis, sinite hos abire. therefore you seek me, let + these go their way. + +8. *Let these go their way.* The meaning obviously is, do not arrest or +molest these My disciples. + +9. Ut impleretur sermo quem 9. That the word might be +dixit; Quia quos dedisti mihi, fulfilled, which he said: Of +non perdidi ex eis quemquam. them whom thou hast given me, + I have not lost any one. + +9. The Evangelist sees in Christ's care for the safety of the disciples on +this occasion a fulfilment of His words recorded in xvii. 12. It is true +those words as spoken seem to refer only to the time then past, but as +Christ then knew that He would continue to guard the Apostles from danger +during the few hours of His life that remained, He meant the words to +express His care for the Apostles up to the moment of His death, and +therefore on this occasion at Gethsemani. His present action was, +accordingly, one fulfilment of what is recorded in xvii. 12. We believe +that Christ's care for the Apostles in the present instance regarded their +bodies as well as their souls. That it regarded their bodies, may be +fairly concluded from His words: "let these go their way;" and that it +regarded their souls is clear from the consideration that if arrested now +they would probably have fallen into sin by denying Him. + +10. Simon ergo Petrus habens 10. Then Simon Peter having a +gladium eduxit eum: et sword, drew it; and struck the +percussit pontificis servum: servant of the high-priest, +et abscidit auriculam eius and cut off his right ear. And +dexteram. Erat autem nomen the name of the servant was +servo Malchus. Malchus. + +10. The Synoptic Evangelists merely say that _one_ of those who were with +Jesus struck the servant of the high-priest, but St. John tells us that +this one was Peter. The Synoptists may have suppressed Peter's name +through fear of inconvenient consequences to him, but now that the Prince +of the Apostles was dead, there was no further reason for such +concealment. We cannot say whether any other motive than a desire for +historic completeness prompted St. John to give, as he does, the servant's +name as well as Peter's. + +11. Dixit ergo Iesus Petro: 11. Jesus therefore said to +Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam. Peter: Put up thy sword into +Calicem, quem dedit mihi the scabbard. The chalice +Pater, non bibam illum? which my Father hath given me, + shall I not drink it? + +11. *Put up thy sword into the scabbard.* The words are given more fully +by St. Matt. (xxvi. 52, ff). *The chalice ... shall I not drink it?* In +Matt. xxvi. 39, we read that on this same night, and in Gethsemani, before +the arrival of Judas, Christ had prayed: "Father, if it be possible, let +this chalice pass from me;" but now, since it was not to pass, He accepts +it willingly. + +12. Cohors ergo, et tribunus 12. Then the band and the +et ministri Iudaeorum tribune, and the servants of +comprehenderunt Iesum, et the Jews, took Jesus, and +ligaverunt eum: bound him: + +12. The *tribune* was the commander of the cohort. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, strictly +taken, means the commander of one thousand men. See above on verse 3. + +13. Et adduxerunt eum ad Annam 13. And they led him away to +primum: erat enim socer Annas first, for he was +Caiphae, qui erat pontifex father-in-law to Caiphas, who +anni illius. was high-priest of that year. + +13. This journey to Annas is mentioned only by St. John. Annas, though not +the actual high-priest, was the head of the Sanhedrim, and a man of great +authority among the Jews (see above on xi. 49), and so Jesus was brought +before him in the first instance. + +14. Erat autem Caiphas, qui 14. Now Caiphas was he who had +consilium dederat Iudaeis: given the counsel to the Jews, +Quia expedit, unum hominem that it was expedient that one +mori pro populo. man should die for the people. +15. Sequebatur autem Iesum 15. And Simon Peter followed +Simon Petrus, et alias Jesus, and so did another +discipulus. Discipulus autem disciple. And that disciple +ille erat notus pontifici, et was known to the high-priest, +introivit cum Iesu in atrium and went in with Jesus into +pontificis. the court of the high-priest. + +15. The other disciple was almost certainly our Evangelist himself (see +Introd. I. B. 2); and the fact that he was known to the high-priest makes +it probable that he belonged to a family of some importance. + +But who is the high-priest into whose court Peter and John followed Jesus? +Is it Caiphas that is meant, or Annas? Some think the reference is to +Annas, who, it must be admitted, is called "high-priest" by St. Luke (Luke +iii. 2; Acts iv. 6), and to whom it has just been stated, in verse 13, +that Jesus was led. But as our Evangelist has just stated in verse 13, as +he also does in xi. 49, that Caiphas was high-priest for that year, we +prefer to hold that the "high-priest" here referred to is not Annas, but +Caiphas. We hold, then, that what is recorded by St. John in this passage +(verses 15-23) took place in the court of Caiphas, after Jesus had been +led thither from Annas, and that verse 24: "Annas (_had_) sent," &c., is +added by St. John to guard the reader against supposing that what is +recorded in verses 15-23 took place at the house of Annas. St. Cyril of +Alexandria, and a few Greek and Syrian MSS. read verse 24 between verses +13 and 14. + +In this view the account of St. John harmonizes at once with the Synoptic +Gospels, which represent St. Peter's first denial, recorded in verse 17 +here, as taking place in the court of Caiphas. + +Many commentators of note, such as Patrizzi among Catholics, and Alford +among Protestants, reconcile St. John's account with that of the Synoptic +Evangelists in another way. They hold that the events recorded in verses +15-23 took place when Jesus was brought before Annas; but as Caiphas and +Annas occupied an official residence in common, or as Annas was, perhaps, +the guest of Caiphas, his son-in-law, on this night of the Paschal Supper, +though it was _Annas_ who examined Christ, as recorded by St. John (verses +10-23), yet it was to the court of Caiphas, or the common court attached +to the house of Annas and Caiphas, that Jesus entered (verse 15); and +there, too, St. Peter denied His Master for the first time. In any of the +above opinions, St. John agrees with the Synoptic Evangelists, that the +place of St. Peter's first denial was the court of Caiphas: but in the +second opinion, the "high priest" of verse 19 is Annas, not Caiphas. See +Patriz., Liber ii. Adnot. clxxvii. + +From St. Matthew (xxvi. 59) and St. Mark (xiv. 55) we learn that Caiphas +was not alone on this occasion. The whole Sanhedrim was present; but as +the case was an important one, this body had to meet again formally after +day-dawn, to finally decide it. See below on verse 28. + +16. Petrus autem stabat ad 16. But Peter stood at the +ostium foris. Exivit ergo door without. The other +discipulus alius qui erat disciple therefore who was +notus pontifici, et dixit known to the high-priest, went +ostiariae: et introduxit out, and spoke to the +Petrum. portress, and brought in + Peter. + +16. *But Peter stood* (was standing) *at the door without*. "An oriental +house is usually built round a quadrangular interior court; into which +there is a passage (sometimes arched) through the front part of the house, +closed next the street by a heavy folding gate, with a small wicket for +single persons, kept by a porter. In the text, the interior court, often +paved or flagged, and open to the sky, is the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}, where the attendants +made a fire; and the passage, beneath the front of the house, from the +street to this court is the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (Mark xiv. 68), or {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (Matt. +xxvi. 71). The place where Jesus stood before the high-priest may have +been an open room or place of audience on the ground-floor, raised +somewhat above the court (Mark xiv. 66) in the rear or on one side of the +court; such rooms, open in front, being customary" (Robinson, _Notes to +Harmony_). + +17. Dicit ergo Petro ancilla 17. The maid therefore that +ostiaria: Numquid et tu ex was portress, saith to Peter: +discipulis es hominis istius? Art not thou also one of this +Dicit ille: Non sum. man's disciples? He saith: I + am not. + +17. It will be convenient to treat of the three denials by Peter (verses +17, 25-27) together. Many Rationalist and Protestant commentators have +alleged that it is impossible to harmonize the different accounts of these +denials. We hope to show, however, that there is little difficulty in +harmonizing them. + +To this end we would draw attention, with Dean Alford,(113) to the +following points:-- + +"In the first place, we are not bound to require accordance ... in the +_recognition_ of Peter _by different persons_. These may have been _many_ +on _each occasion_ of denial, and independent narrators may have fixed on +different ones among them." + +"Secondly, no reader ... will require that the _actual words spoken by +Peter_ should in each case be _identically reported_." In support of this +view, Alford refers to the remarks of St. Augustine on the words: "Domine, +salva nos, perimus" (Matt. viii. 25). "What matters it," says St. Aug., +referring to the different versions of the words given by the Evangelists, +"whether the disciples, in calling on the Lord, really used one or another +of those three expressions, or some other, not recorded by any of the +Evangelists, differing from all those that are recorded, but still giving +the sense, that those who called upon Him were perishing, and called on +Him to save them." + +"Thirdly, I do not see that we are obliged to limit the narrative to +_three sentences_ from Peter's mouth, _and no more_. On _three occasions_ +during the night he was _recognised_, on _three occasions he was a denier_ +of his Lord: such a statement may well embrace _reiterated expressions of +recognition_, and _reiterated and importunate denials on each occasion_." + +"And those remarks being taken into account, I premise that all difficulty +is removed, the resulting inference being that the narratives are +_genuine, truthful accounts of facts underlying them all_." + +Similarly, Patrizzi:--"Considerare etiam juvat, ut ea difficultas quam +quidam in hac historia esse putant, quod alter Evangelista ait Petrum a +muliere, alter a viro, hic ab uno, ille a pluribus, fuisse interrogatum, +in specie quidem gravis, re tamen ipsa propemodum nulla sit; ex his enim +nihil aliud consequitur, nisi, non unum, sed plures, sive simul, sive +alium post alios, Petrum esse percontatos, hunc autem, nisi multis ac +repetitis interrogationibus adactum non respondisse, quod apprime veri +simile est, imo vix dubitandum de hoc foret, etiamsi ex evangeliis id +minime colligeretur" (Lib. ii. Adnot. clxxviii.) That the reader may apply +these principles, and convince himself as to their sufficiency, we quote +from Dr. Walsh's _Harmony of the Gospel Narratives_, a tabulated statement +suggesting the chief points to be attended to in the four Gospel accounts. + + + 1st Denial: + + ST. MATTHEW.: There came to him _a maid servant_: "Thou also wast + with Jesus the Galilean." "I know not what thou sayest." + + ST. MARK.: There cometh to him _one of the maid servants_: "Thou + also wast with Jesus of Nazareth." "I neither know nor understand + what thou sayest." + + ST. LUKE.: There came a _certain maid servant_: "This man was also + with him." "Woman, I know him not." + + ST. JOHN.: And _the maid that was portress_ said to Peter: "Art + not thou also one of this man's disciples?" "I am not." + + 2nd Denial: + + ST. MATTHEW.: _As he went out_ to the vestibule, _another maid_ + saw him, and she saith to them that were there: "This man also was + with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied with an oath: "I do not know + the man." + + ST. MARK.: And _the maid servant_ seeing him, began to say to the + standers by: "This is one of them." He denied again. + + ST. LUKE.: And _another (Alius)_ says: "Thou also art one of + them." "_O man_, I am not." + + ST. JOHN.: Peter was _standing and warming himself_; and they said + to him: "Art not thou also one of his disciples?" "I am not." + + 3rd Denial: + + ST. MATTHEW.: _They that stood by_ said: "Surely thou also art one + of them; for even thy speech doth discover thee." He began to + curse and swear that he knew not the man. + + ST. MARK.: _They that stood by_ said: "Surely thou art one of + them; for thou also art a Galilean." He began to curse and swear, + saying: "I know not this man of whom you speak." + + ST. LUKE.: _Another man_ said: "Surely this man was with him, for + he is a Galilean." "Man, I know not what thou sayest." + + ST. JOHN.: _One of the servants of the high priest_ saith: "Did I + not see thee in the garden with him?" Peter then denied again. + + +Thus, it is plain that there is no difficulty in regard to the _first_ +denial, whether we suppose that St. Peter made use of the different +expressions attributed to him, or, as seems more probable in regard to +this first occasion, used only one expression, which is _substantially_ +reported by the four Evangelists. + +In regard to the _second_ denial it is to be noted-- + +(_a_) That according to SS. Matthew and Mark the maid does not address +herself to Peter, but to those who were around; so that there is no +difficulty when we learn from St. Luke that Peter was addressed by a man +(_alius_) on the occasion. + +(_b_) St. Matthew, in the account of this denial, speaks of a _different_ +maid from her who brought about the first denial. St. Mark seems to speak +of the _same_ maid, for he has {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} (xiv. 69), which would seem to +refer to _the_ maid already mentioned. There is nothing improbable, +however, in supposing that _two_ maids spoke to those around on the +occasion of the second denial. + +(_c_) As to the _place_ of the second denial, St. John says that it +occurred while "Peter was standing and warming himself," while St. Matthew +says it occurred "as he went out to the vestibule," or more correctly, +according to the Greek, "after he _had gone_ out" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) into the +vestibule. But again we may readily explain by saying that on this +occasion Peter was challenged in _both places_, and denied in both. + +In regard to the _third_ denial, the reason given, in St. John, by the +high-priest's servant, for identifying Peter as a follower of Jesus, is +different from that given in the other Evangelists; but there is no +difficulty in supposing that several different reasons were given by +different persons. + +18. Stabant autem servi et 18. Now the servants and +ministri ad prunas, quia ministers stood at a fire of +frigus erat, et calefaciebant coals, because it was cold, +se: erat autem cum eis et and warmed themselves. And +Petrus stans, et calefaciens with them was Peter also +se. standing, warming himself. + +18. We are not to connect this verse with the preceding, as if it +indicated that Peter was _standing_ during the first denial. We know from +St. Matthew (xxvi. 69; Comp. Mark xiv. 54; Luke xxii. 55) that he was +_sitting_, and from St. Mark (xiv. 68) that after the first denial he went +out into the passage or vestibule ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). Hence what St. John +says here is to be understood in reference to a time between the first and +second denial. + +The Greek here is somewhat different from the Vulgate. It would be +rendered: "Now the servants and the officers were standing, having made a +fire of charcoal, for it was cold, and they were warming themselves," &c. +The Roman soldiers had, doubtless, gone back to their quarters in the +castle of Antonia, close to the Temple; and hence we find mention here of +only the servants of the high-priest and the Temple guards. + +19. Pontifex ergo interrogavit 19. The high-priest therefore +Iesum de discipulis suis, et asked Jesus of his disciples, +de doctrina eius. and of his doctrine. + +19. Meantime, while Peter was denying Him in the court, Jesus was being +examined by the high-priest in a room or hall of the house of Caiphas. See +above on verse 16. As we have said already, we believe that Caiphas is the +"high-priest" here referred to; so that St. John here supplements the +account given by the Synoptic Evangelists of the preliminary trial, before +Caiphas (Matt, xxvi 59-68; Mark xiv. 55-65; Luke xxii. 54-63). From the +other Evangelists we learn that many false witnesses now appeared against +Jesus; but the inquiry regarding His _disciples_ and _doctrine_ here +recorded by St. John is mentioned by no other Evangelist. + +The inquiry regarding Christ's disciples was probably intended to find out +whether He had collected these followers around Him with any seditious or +unlawful object; and that regarding His doctrine in the hope of convicting +Him from His own mouth of blasphemy. Later on in this trial, as we learn +from SS. Matt. and Mark, they did condemn Him of blasphemy, and judge Him +deserving of death. + +20. Respondit ei Iesus: Ego 20. Jesus answered him: I have +palam locutus sum mundo: ego spoken openly to the world: I +semper docui in synagoga, et have always taught in the +in templo, quo omnes Iudaei synagogue, and in the temple, +conveniunt: et in occulto whither all the Jews resort; +locutus sum nihil. and in secret I have spoken + nothing. + +20. Jesus makes no reply regarding His disciples, because it was +sufficiently plain that they followed Him from no unworthy motive, but for +sake of His doctrine and its fruits. Of His doctrine, therefore He speaks. +But since He, of all teachers (the twice-repeated {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~} is in each instance +emphatic) had taught publicly, and nothing in private _that was different +from_ His public teaching (or the meaning may be, nothing that He tried to +hide), He refers his interrogator to those who had heard Him, as their +testimony ought naturally to be sought rather than His in a matter that so +intimately concerned Himself. + +21. Quid me interrogas? 21. Why askest thou me? ask +interroga eos qui audierunt them who have heard what I +quid locutus sim ipsis? ecce have spoken unto them: behold +hi sciunt quae dixerim ego. they know what things I have + said. + +21. *Behold they* (these, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) *know what things I have said*. Some +think that Christ here referred, perhaps pointed, to the Priests and +Pharisees around him, or to the crowd in the court outside; for we know +from St. Luke (xxii. 61) that those outside in the court were visible from +the hall where Christ was being examined. It may be, however, that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} +refers simply to all and any who had at any time heard His doctrine. + +22. Haec autem cum dixisset, 22. And when he had said these +unus assistens ministrorum things, one of the servants +dedit alapam Iesu, dicens: Sic standing by gave Jesus a blow, +respondes pontifici? saying: Answerest thou the + high-priest so? + +22. *A blow.* "Alapa" is a blow on the ear; but the Greek word ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}) +signifies any blow with the open hand or with a rod or stick. The blow was +given by one of the Temple guards. + +23. Respondit ei Iesus: Si 23. Jesus answered him: If I +male locutus sum, testimonium have spoken evil, give +perhibe de malo: si autem testimony of the evil: but if +bene, quid me caedis? well, why strikest thou me? + +23. *If I have spoken* (rather, spoke) *evil*. It is not clear whether the +reference is to the words just uttered in reply to the high-priest (verse +21), or to the general teaching of Christ. The use of the aorist here, +just as in verses 20 and 21, is in favour of the latter view. + +We have here an example of Christ's meekness and patience in very trying +circumstances, a practical application of the words contained in Matt. v. +39. + +24. Et misit eum Annas ligatum 24. And Annas sent him bound +ad Caipham pontificem. to Caiphas the high-priest. + +24. "Et" is not genuine; the true reading is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, "Jesus, +therefore, had sent him," &c.(114) We take it that this is added by St. +John to signify that Jesus _had been_ already sent to Caiphas before the +events recorded in verses 15-23. "Misit" ought, then, to be "miserat," a +sense which the Aorist {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} admits. Compare, for this sense of the +aorist, John iv. 45, 46; xi. 30; xiii. 12; xix. 23. + +25. Erat autem Simon Petrus 25. And Simon Peter was +stans, et calefaciens se. standing, and warming himself. +Dixerunt ergo ei: Numquid et They said therefore to him: +tu ex discipulis eius es? Art not thou also one of his +Negavit ille, et dixit: Non disciples? He denied it, and +sum. said: I am not. +26. Dicit ei unus ex servis 26. One of the servants of the +pontificis, cognatus eius, high-priest (a kinsman to him +cuius abscidit Petrus whose ear Peter cut off) saith +auriculam: Nonne ego te vidi to him: Did I not see thee in +in horto cum illo? the garden with him? + +25, 26. Here we have St. John's account of Peter's second and third +denial. See above on verse 17. We learn from St. Luke that the third +denial took place about an hour after the second. + +27. Iterum ergo negavit 27. Again therefore Peter +Petrus: et statim gallus denied: and immediately the +cantavit. cock crew. + +27. From St. Mark, who, being a disciple of St. Peter, generally records +more minutely the incidents connected with the Prince of the Apostles, we +learn that the cock crew after St. Peter's _first_ denial, as well as +after the third. But, as we explained on xiii. 38, the second crowing, +which took place after the third denial, occurred at the time ordinarily +known as cockcrow, and to it St. John refers here. + +28. Adducunt ergo Iesum a 28. Then they led Jesus from +Caipha in praetorium. Erat Caiphas to the governor's +autem mane: et ipsi non hall. And it was morning: and +introierunt in praetorium, ut they went not into the hall, +non contaminarentur, sed ut that they might not be +manducarent pascha. defiled, but that they might + eat the pasch. + +28. The Evangelist here passes over much that had already been recorded by +the Synoptic Evangelists. From them we learn that Christ, at this midnight +meeting before the Council, was accused by false witnesses, convicted of +blasphemy, and judged deserving of death (Matt. xxvi. 66; Mark xiv. 64). +Then he was apparently given over to the charge of the servants of the +high-priest, was spat upon and struck with the closed fist (_colaphis_) +(Mat. xxvi. 67), and with the open hand or a stick ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}); and, +being blindfolded, was mockingly asked to tell who it was that struck him. +Thus He remained, perhaps, till daybreak,(115) mocked and abused by the +servants; though some think that for a part of the time He was put into +prison. + +Then when morning was come, the Synoptic Evangelists tell us that Jesus +was again brought before the Sanhedrim, which almost at once decided to +hand him over to Pilate for punishment. "From Luke (as also, he might have +added, from Matt. xxvii. 1; Mark xv. 1) we learn that the night council +had been dissolved and that early again, in the morning of the last day of +our Lord's life, another more solemn assembly (rather the same assembly) +was summoned, at which all the chief-priests and elders and scribes +assisted, the subject of discussion being urgent and most important. It +was, besides, a wise Jewish maxim that legal proceedings especially in +capital cases should be conducted in the light of day, and not in the +darkness of night" (M'Carthy on St. Matt. xxvii. 1). + +It was after this morning council that Jesus was bound (Matt. xxvii. 2; +Mark xv. 1) and led before Pilate, as St. John here narrates. At this +point, when the Lord was brought before Pilate, and His death now seemed +certain, Judas, touched with remorse, but not with true repentance, +brought back the blood-money to the priests, and flung it in the temple; +then in despair went and hanged himself (Matt. xxvii. 3-5). + +*Then they led Jesus.* The true reading is: "they lead Jesus therefore." +That is to say, in accordance with their determination to put Christ to to +death, a determination of which we are informed by St. Matthew (xxvii. 1), +they bring Him before the representative of Roman authority to have the +sentence of death confirmed. See below on verse 29. + +*And they went not into ** the hall* (rather, the governor's residence, +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}.) The Roman Governors ordinarily dwelt at Caesarea, on the sea +coast; but at the more important Jewish festivals they resided in +Jerusalem, for the purpose of preventing or repressing, if necessary, any +uprising of the Jewish people against Roman authority (Josephus, _Bell. +Jud._, ii. 14, 3). When in Jerusalem, they usually occupied the palace of +Herod the Great on Mount Sion. A tradition as old as the fourth century, +however, states that on this occasion Pilate was staying in the castle of +Antonia, beside the temple on Mount Moria. + +*And it was morning* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DIALYTIKA AND OXIA~}). Just as a condemnation to death at night was +technically illegal according to Jewish law, so a Roman court could not be +held till after sunrise. It is likely that the sun was not long risen on +this morning till the Jews in their eagerness appeared with their prisoner +at the residence of Pilate. The term {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DIALYTIKA AND OXIA~} is, in fact, used in St. Mark +xiii. 35, for the fourth watch of the night. + +*That they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the pasch.* + +In our note on xiii. 1 we held that the Jews, as well as our Lord, +sacrificed the Paschal lamb on Thursday evening, and eat it that night; +and hence we hold that "the Pasch" here referred to, which on this Friday +morning was still to be eaten, was not the Paschal lamb. Had there been +question of the Paschal Supper proper, then such a defilement as that +contracted by entering the house of a Gentile would not have prevented the +Jews from partaking of the supper; for it would appear from Lev. xv. 5, +where there is question of a defilement apparently as serious as that +which would be contracted from entering the house of a Gentile, that such +defilement continued only "until the evening," and, therefore, could not +be a hindrance to participation in the Paschal Supper, which was eaten +_after_ the evening, and when the next Jewish day had begun.(116) + +There is question, then, of some of the other Paschal sacrifices which +were partaken of during the seven days of the Paschal feast (Deut. xvi. 2, +3; 2 Paral. xxx. 22), perhaps of the special sacrifice known as the +Chagigah ({~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}).(117) + +From such a sacrifice, eaten, as we learn from the Mishna in the note +below, not only at night, but also _during the day_, a defilement +contracted in the morning would exclude. + +In view of the anxiety of the Jews to avoid the legal defilement incurred +by entering a house from which all leaven had not been removed, one cannot +help wondering, with St. Augustine, at their blind hypocrisy: "O impia et +stulta caecitas: habitaculo videlicet contaminarentur alieno, et non +contaminarentur scelere proprio!" + +29. Exivit ergo Pilatus ad eos 29. Pilate therefore went out +foras, et dixit: Quam to them, and said: What +accusationem affertis adversus accusation bring you against +hominem hunc? this man? +30. Responderunt, et dixerunt 30. They answered and said to +ei: Si non esset hic him: If he were not a +malefactor, non tibi malefactor, we would not have +tradidissemus eum. delivered him up to thee. +31. Dixit ergo eis Pilatus: 31. Pilate therefore said to +Accipite eum vos, et secundum them: Take him you, and judge +legem vestram iudicate eum. him according to your law. The +Dixerunt ergo ei Iudaei: Nobis Jews therefore said to him: It +non licet interficere is not lawful for us to put +quemquam. any man to death. + +29-31. As they entered not, Pilate, now first mentioned by St. John, went +out to them and asked: *What accusation bring you against this man?* It is +very likely he had already learned something of the nature of the +accusation, either on the preceding night when the Roman soldiers were +required for Gethsemani, or just now before coming out of his house, but +he would naturally wish to have it made formally. They, having already +pronounced Jesus deserving of death, and having brought Him to Pilate +merely to have the sentence of death pronounced and executed without any +formality of trial, are indignant at the Roman's question, and reply as in +verse 30: "If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up +to thee." Pilate, wishing to shift from himself responsibility for +Christ's death, bids the Jews to take Him, and judge Him according to +their own law. This they declined to do, alleging as a reason that the +Romans had taken away from the Jews the power to punish by death. This, +however, was merely an evasion, for they knew thoroughly that Pilate's +permission in the present case was sufficient warrant for their action, +even if they put Jesus to death. But the motive of the Jewish leaders was +to make the responsibility for His death, in the eyes of the Jewish +people, rest upon the Romans. + +32. Ut sermo Iesu impleretur 32. That the word of Jesus +quem dixit, significans qua might be fulfilled which he +morte esset moriturus. said, signifying what death he + should die. + +32. *That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled.* The refusal of the Jews +to judge Jesus according to their own law came to pass, adds St. John, +that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, in which He had foretold that +He should die the death of the cross (John iii. 14; xii. 32-34; Matt. xx. +19). Had He been punished according to Jewish law, having been judged a +blasphemer, He should have been stoned to death, according to Levit. xxiv. +14: "Bring forth the blasphemer without the camp, and let them that heard +him put their hands upon his head, and let all the people stone him." + +33. Introivit ergo iterum in 33. Pilate therefore went into +praetorium Pilatus, et vocavit the hall again, and called +Iesum, et dixit ei: Tu es rex Jesus, and said to him: Art +Iudaeorum? thou the king of the Jews? + +33. It was probably at this point, after they had refused to judge Jesus +according to their own law, and when they saw that Pilate was not at once +proceeding to condemn Him, that the Jews brought forward those three +distinct charges against Him, which St. Luke records: "We have found this +man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and +saying that He is Christ the king" (Luke xxiii. 2). Upon this, Pilate +returned into the house, had Jesus called in(118), and questioned Him on +the third count in the indictment just brought against Him. The pretension +of any Jew to be the King of Palestine was a point which, as questioning +the sovereignty of Rome, a Roman governor was bound to look to. Pilate, +therefore, asked Him: *Art thou the King of the Jews?* The words may mean +either, "Art thou He who has just now become notorious under this title?" +or, "Dost thou claim the title, as it is said?" The title itself would be +likely to arrest Pilate's attention, whether he had heard it spoken of +before in connection with the entry into Jerusalem or only now from the +Jews. And further, he would rightly conclude that the title, when thus put +forward, would be fitted to call out any fanaticism which there might be +in a political enthusiast. In each of the four Gospels, the first words of +Pilate to Jesus are the same: "Art thou the King of the Jews?" (Matt. +xxvii. 11; Mark xv. 2; Luke xxiii. 3). "The form of the sentence ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}) +suggests a feeling of surprise in the questioner: 'Art thou, poor, and +bound, and wearied, the the King of whom men have spoken?' Comp. iv. 12." +Westc. in _Speaker's Commentary_. + +34. Respondit Iesus: A 34. Jesus answered: Sayest +temetipso hoc dicis, an alii thou this thing of thyself, or +dixerunt tibi de me? have others told it thee of + me? + +34. To Pilate's question, Christ replies: Sayest thou this of thyself, +from thy own knowledge or suspicion of My having taken part in seditious +practices, or is it merely because of what others, through envy and +jealousy, have now told thee of Me? These words were, doubtless, intended +to remind Pilate that, although Governor of Judea during all the time of +Christ's public life (Luke iii. 1), he had no reason from his own personal +knowledge to find fault with Jesus. Hence, he ought to suspect the charges +that had been made. + +35. Respondit Pilatus: Numquid 35. Pilate answered: Am I a +ego Iudaeus sum? Gens tua et Jew? Thy own nation and the +pontifices tradiderunt te chief priests have delivered +mihi: quid fecisti? thee up to me: what hast thou + done? + +35. Pilate impatiently replies, signifying that as he was not a Jew, he +might easily be ignorant of Christ's guilt, while it would be well known +to Christ's countrymen who now accused Him. + +36. Respondit Iesus: Regnum 36. Jesus answered: My kingdom +meum non est de hoc mundo: si is not of this world. If my +ex hoc mundo esset regnum kingdom were of this world, my +meum, ministri mei utique servants would certainly +decertarent ut non traderer strive that I should not be +Iudaeis: Nunc autem regnum delivered to the Jews: but now +meum non est hinc. my kingdom is not from hence. + +36. In response to Pilate's question: "What hast thou done?" Jesus +proceeds to explain that His is not that mighty temporal kingdom for which +the Jews had hoped, and which the Romans might well fear; if it were, His +followers would surely have striven that He should not be delivered to the +Jews; but in truth it was not a temporal kingdom. + +*My kingdom is not from hence*; _i.e._ is not _of this world_, not a +temporal kingdom. _In_ this world it was, and is; but _of_ this world it +is not. See xvii. 15, 16. + +37. Dixit itaque et Pilatus: 37. Pilate therefore said to +Ergo rex es tu? Respondit him: Art thou a king then? +Iesus: Tu dicis quia rex sum Jesus answered: Thou sayest +ego. Ego in hoc natus sum, et that I am a king. For this was +ad hoc veni in mundum, ut I born, and for this came I +testimonium perhibeam into the world: that I should +veritati: omnis qui est ex give testimony to the truth. +veritate, audit vocem meam. Every one that is of the + truth, heareth my voice. + +37. *Art thou a king then?* Pilate asked; to which Jesus replied: "Thou +sayest it" (Matt., Mark, Luke); or, as here, "Thou sayest that I am a +king,"(119) meaning thou sayest truly, what is the fact. That this is the +sense of the phrase, see Matt. xxvi. 64, and compare with Mark xiv. 61. +Then, having made this admission, Jesus at once proceeds to point out the +spiritual character of the kingdom which He had come to establish. That +kingdom is His Church, which was established, not amid the clash of arms +or din of battle, but by the preaching of the truth, and to which all +belong, whether Jew or Roman, who hear the truth. + +38. Dicit et Pilatus: Quid est 38. Pilate saith to him: What +Veritas? Et cum hoc dixisset, is truth? And when he said +iterum exivit ad Iudaeos, et this he went out again to the +dicit eis: Ego nullam invenio Jews, and saith to them: I +in eo causam. find no cause in him. + +38. At the mention of "the truth," Pilate asks: *What is truth?* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, +without the article). The question was not asked for information, for +Pilate went out without waiting for an answer, but impatiently or +sneeringly, as if he said: "Yes, but what _is_ truth?" Then Pilate went +out again to the Jews, and told them that he could find in Jesus no reason +for condemning Him. + +Then it was, probably, that as St. Luke tells us: "They were more earnest, +saying: He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, +beginning from Galilee to this place" (Luke xxiii. 5). "Amid their +confused and passionate exclamation, the practised ear of Pilate caught +the name of 'Galilee,' and he understood that Galilee had been the chief +scene of the ministry of Jesus. Eager for a chance of dismissing a +business of which he was best pleased to be free, he proposed, by a +master-stroke of astute policy, to get rid of an embarrassing prisoner, to +save himself from a disagreeable decision, and to do an unexpected +complaisancy to the unfriendly Galilean tetrarch, who, as usual, had come +to Jerusalem--nominally to keep the Passover, really to please his +subjects, and to enjoy the sensations and festivities offered at that +season by the densely-crowded capital" (Farrar). + +39. Est autem consuetudo 39. But you have a custom that +vobis, ut unum dimittam vobis I should release one unto you +in pascha: vultis ergo at the pasch: will you +dimittam vobis regem therefore that I release unto +Iudaeorum? you the king of the Jews? +40. Clamaverunt ergo rursum 40. Then cried they all again, +omnes dicentes: Non hunc, sed saying: Not this man, but +Barabbam. Erat autem Barabbas Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a +latro. robber. + +39. Then, after Herod had examined and mocked Christ, he sent Him back to +Pilate (Luke xxiii. 8-12); and now it was, after the return from Herod, +that Pilate thought of releasing Jesus, in accordance with his custom of +releasing a prisoner every year at the festival of the Pasch. + +*Will you, therefore, that I release unto you the king of the Jews?* or as +St. Matt. has: "Whom will you that I release to you; Barabbas, or Jesus, +that is called Christ?" (Matt. xxvii. 17). Barabbas, as we learn from the +Synoptic Evangelists, was a "notorious prisoner," "who was put in prison +with some seditious men, who, in the sedition, had committed murder." +Pilate hoped, therefore, that the release of Jesus rather than of a +notorious criminal like Barabbas would be called for. But the people, +instigated by the chief-priests and elders (Matt. xxvii. 20), blindly +called for the release of Barabbas. + +*A robber.* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), one who appropriates the goods of another by open +violence, as opposed to the thief ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), who takes what is not his +own, secretly and by fraud. + +We have followed the view held by Patrizzi and the majority of +commentators, that Pilate on only _one occasion_, and after the return +from Herod, proposed our Lord to the Jews as the prisoner to be released. +Others, as Father Coleridge and Dr. Walsh, hold that on _two_ different +occasions, once before the journey to Herod, as recorded by St. John, and +once after, as recorded by the Synoptic Evangelists, Christ was proposed +by Pilate as the prisoner to be released. But we are not convinced by the +reasons urged in favour of this view. It is argued--(_a_) from the fact +that in St. John the question of releasing a prisoner is first mentioned +by Pilate, while in the Synoptic Evangelists the question of having a +prisoner released to them is first moved by the people. But we say, in +reply, that there is nothing in the Synoptic accounts which forbids us to +suppose that Pilate first mentioned the matter, as in St. John: "You have +a custom that I should release one unto you at the Pasch;" that then they +called upon him to observe the custom on that occasion, and that he +forthwith put before them the choice between Jesus and Barabbas. Certainly +St. Matt. (xxvii. 17) as well as St. John represents Pilate as the first +to refer to the matter. + +(_b_) Father Coleridge argues also from the fact that Pilate, in St. +Matt., says to the Jews: "Whom will you that I release to you; Barabbas, +or Jesus, that is called Christ?" "That he mentions Barabbas along with +our Lord," says Father Coleridge, "can only be explained by the fact that, +as St. John mentions, Barabbas had been already called for by the priests +and crowd, when Pilate had, for the first time, spoken of the custom." But +it seems to us that the mention of Barabbas by Pilate is sufficiently +explained by the fact which St. Matthew himself had just mentioned in the +preceding verse, that Barabbas was a "notorious prisoner;" and hence his +name was more familiar to Pilate than the names of the other prisoners. +Moreover his well-known guilt encouraged Pilate to hope that if the choice +lay between him and Jesus, the Jews would surely call for the release of +our Lord. + +Before quitting this chapter, it may be well to point out the different +tribunals, before which, as we have seen, Jesus was led on this last night +and morning of His mortal life. + +(1) First, then, He was led from Gethsemane before Annas. + +(2) He was led before Caiphas. + +(3) When day dawned, He was led before the Sanhedrim. + +(4) He was led before Pilate. + +(5) He was led before Herod Antipas. + +(6) On His return from Herod, He was again led before Pilate. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + + 1-5. *Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns, clothed with a + purple garment, and mockingly saluted by the soldiers as King of + the Jews; then shown to the people.* + + 6-7. *The people, led on by the Priests and their servants, demand + Christ's death.* + + *8-12. Pilate becomes still more unwilling to interfere with + Jesus, and again examines Him, and makes known his intention of + releasing Him.* + + 13-16. *Then the Jews charge him with disloyalty to the Roman + Emperor, and at length Pilate gives way and delivers Jesus to be + crucified.* + + 17-22. *Jesus is led to Calvary, and crucified between two + robbers.* + + 23-24. *The soldiers divide His other garments among four of them, + but cast lots for His tunic.* + + 25-27. *Jesus gives John to the Blessed Virgin as her son, and her + in turn to him as his mother.* + + 28-30. *Jesus, having partaken of the vinegar which was offered to + Him in a soaked sponge, dies.* + + 31-37. *The legs of the two robbers are broken, and the side of + Jesus pierced with a lance.* + + 38-42. *Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus embalm and bury the body + of Jesus.* + + +1. Tunc ergo apprehendit 1. Then, therefore Pilate took +Pilatus Iesum, et flagellavit. Jesus, and scourged him. + +1. After he had released Barabbas, Pilate now thought of another but a +cruel means of saving the life of Jesus. He had Him scourged, hoping thus +to satisfy the fury of His enemies (Luke xxiii. 22). Then was fulfilled +the prophecy of Isaias: "_I have given my body to the strikers_, and My +cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them +that rebuked me, and spat upon me" (Isaias 1. 6). + +Had Christ been scourged by Jewish authority, according to the Jewish law +He should not have received more than forty stripes. "According to the +measure of the sin shall the measure also of the stripes be: Yet so that +they exceed not the number of forty: lest thy brother depart shamefully +torn before thy eyes" (Deut. xxv. 2, 3). By Jewish practice the number of +stripes was restricted to thirty-nine (See 2 Cor. xi. 24). But as the +scourging was ordered by Pilate, it was, doubtless, inflicted according to +the cruel Roman method, in which there was no limit to the number of +stripes that might be inflicted. The word used by the Greek translator of +St. Matthew and by St. Mark in reference to this scourging is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, +which, like that used by St. John ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), signifies a scourging +with whips or flagella(120) (not _rods_, which were sometimes used by the +Romans; Acts xvi. 22. Comp. 2 Cor. xi. 25). The _flagellum_ was chiefly +used in the punishment of slaves. It was made of cords or thongs of +leather, knotted with bones or circles of bronze, or pieces of hard wood, +and sometimes terminated by hooks in which latter case it was called a +scorpion. No wonder that Horace (_Sat._ 1, 3, 119) speaks of it as +"horribile flagellum." It was with this brutal instrument of torture, +then, that our Lord was mangled on this morning by the fierce Roman +soldiers. + +The pillar to which according to tradition our Lord was tied while being +scourged, was brought from Jerusalem to Rome, in 1223 A.D. "In a small +shrine to the right of the chapel (in the Church of St. Praxedes on the +Esquiline, near St. Mary Major's), is preserved the marble pillar to which +our Lord is said to have been bound. It measures two feet three inches in +height, not including its circular pedestal, which is two inches high; its +lower diameter is one foot and a-half, its upper is only nine inches, and +its top was attached to a ring, the perforation for which remains" (Dr. +Donovan's _Rome, Ancient and Modern_). + +2. Et milites plectentes 2. And the soldiers platting a +corronam de spinis, crown of thorns, put it upon +imposuerunt capiti eius: et his head: and they put on him +veste purpurea circumdederunt a purple garment. +eum. + +2. There is a difficulty here when we compare this verse with Matt. xxvii. +26-29; Mark xv. 15-18. For, while St. John here represents the crowning +with thorns(121) and the incident of the cloak as _preceding_ the sentence +of death (see verse 16), SS. Matthew and Mark seem to say that they +followed it. + +Hence, some have held that Christ was twice crowned with thorns and clad +with a cloak, and hailed as King of the Jews: once before the sentence as +signified here, and once after as indicated by SS. Matthew and Mark. + +But it seems the more probable opinion that these events occurred only +once, and before the sentence was passed, as St. John records. In this +view, SS. Matthew and Mark do not record these events and the sentence in +the order in which they occurred.(122) We would suggest, in support of +this view, that these Evangelists, in recording the sentence by which +Barabbas recovered his liberty (Matt. xxvii. 26; Mark xv. 15), depart from +the order of time to record in connection with the liberation of Barabbas +the condemnation of Jesus. Thus the sentence of death, though following +the crowning with thorns is represented in the two first Gospels as +preceding it. + +*A purple garment.* If it be objected that while the cloak according to +St. John was _purple_, according to St. Matthew it was _scarlet_, we reply +that the same difficulty occurs on a comparison of St. Matthew with St. +Mark, for the latter also says the cloak was _purple_; and yet all admit +that SS. Matthew and Mark refer to the same occasion. In reality, the two +Greek words translated purple and scarlet seem to have been frequently +interchanged. + +"{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} is vaguely used to signify different shades of red, and is +especially convertible with crimson = {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}, Matt." (Alf. on St. Mark +xv. 17). + +3. Et veniebant ad eum, et 3. And they came to him, and +dicebant: Ave rex Iudaeorum: said: Hail, king of the Jews, +Et dabant ei alapas. and they gave him blows. + +3. *Hail, king of the Jews.* The soldiers had derisively arrayed Him in +the insignia of royalty; nothing was wanting but the mockery of their +homage; this they now offer. St. Matthew is more explicit: "And bowing the +knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews" (Matt. +xxvii. 29). + +*And they gave him blows.* From St. Matthew we learn, too, that "spitting +upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head" (Matt. xxvii. 30). + +4. Exivit ergo iterum Pilatus 4. Pilate therefore went forth +foras, et dicit eis: Ecce again, and saith to them: +adduco vobis eum foras, ut Behold I bring him forth unto +cognoscatis quia nullam you, that you may know that I +invenio in eo causam. find no cause in him. + +4. Pilate now brought Jesus forth, hoping that the wretched plight to +which our Saviour had been reduced, that the mockery and degradation and +suffering to which He had been subjected, would satisfy them, and with +this view he says to them in effect: Behold I bring Him forth to you that +I may make known to you again that I can find no reason for condemning +Him; see, then, the miserable state to which He is reduced, and be +satisfied. + +5. (Exivit ergo Iesus portans 5. Jesus therefore came forth +coronam spineam, et purpureum bearing the crown of thorns, +vestimentum). Et dicit eis: and the purple garment. And he +Ecce homo. saith to them: Behold the Man. + +5. This verse gives us the graphic description of an eye-witness. *Behold +the Man.* "Behold" is an interjection, not a verb. It it were a verb, +"man" would be in the accusative case governed by it. This, indeed, is +what is suggested by our translation and punctuation: "Behold the Man." +But in the original, "man" is in the nominative case ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), and the +meaning is: Behold, here before you is _the Man_. + +6. Cum ergo vidissent eum 6. When the chief priests +pontifices et ministri therefore and the servants had +clamabant dicentes: Crucifige, seen him, they cried out, +crucifige eum, Dicit eis saying: Crucify him, crucify +Pilatus: accipite cum vos et him. Pilate saith to them: +crucifigite: ego enim non Take him you, and crucify him; +invenio in eo causam. for I find no cause in him. + +6. As soon as Jesus appeared, the chief-priests and the ministers at once +raised the savage cry, fearing lest the sight of His bleeding and mangled +body might melt the hearts of the people. + +Pilate's words: *Take him, you, and crucify him*, are thought by some to +be ironical, as if he said: Take him you, if you dare. We prefer, however, +to understand the words, like the similar words in verse xviii. 31, as the +expression of his desire to please the Jews. He was convinced that Jesus +was innocent, and was unwilling himself to condemn Him; yet, to please the +Jews, he would permit them to put Him to death. + +7. Responderunt ei Iudaei: Nos 7. The Jews answered him: We +legem habemus, et secundum have a law; and according to +legem debet mori, quia Filium the law he ought to die, +Dei se fecit. because he made himself the + Son of God. + +7. *The Jews answered him: We have a law.* The Jews reply, that though the +Roman governor sees nothing in Him for which to condemn Him, yet, +according to their law, Jesus has incurred the penalty of death: "He that +blasphemeth the name of the Lord, dying let him die; all the multitude +shall stone him" (Lev. xxiv. 16). + +*Because he made himself the Son of God.* Note here that the Jews +understood Christ to have claimed to be the _natural_ Son of God. Had they +understood Him to speak of Himself merely as an adopted son, they could +not have blamed Him, for the just are frequently spoken of in the Old +Testament as sons of God. From St. Luke xxiii. 2, then, we know that the +Jews understood Jesus to claim to be "Christ, the King;" that is to say, +to be the Messias; and from the verse before us we learn that they +understood Him to claim to be the Son of God. As such then, and for such +claims on His part, He was put to death; and the fact that He chose rather +to die, than explain away or withdraw these claims, proves that He was +understood correctly. + +8. Cum ergo audisset Pilatus 8. When Pilate therefore had +hunc sermonem, magis timuit. heard this saying, he feared + the more. + +8. *He feared the more.* When Pilate heard that Christ claimed to be the +Son of God, he became _more_ afraid to interfere with or condemn Him. +Already her dream which Pilate's wife had made known to him (Matt. xxvii. +19), and the majesty, serenity, and evident innocence of Jesus, must have +greatly impressed the governor. + +9. Et ingressus est praetorium 9. And he entered into the +iterum, et dixit ad Iesum: hall again, and he said to +Unde es tu? Iesus autem Jesus: Whence art thou? But +responsum non dedit ei. Jesus gave him no answer. + +9. Again, therefore, he entered the palace ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). Jesus, too, was +led in, and Pilate questioned Him in reference to the accusation just made +against Him. You have been charged with claiming to be the Son of God: +*Whence art thou?* from heaven, or of earth, like other men? Pilate was +unworthy of an answer, or else Jesus thought it useless to explain to one +who would not understand or believe it His eternal generation from the +Father, and accordingly He was silent. + +10. Dicit ergo ei Pilatus: 10. Pilate therefore saith to +Mihi non loqueris? nescis quia him: Speakest thou not to me? +potestatem habeo crucifigere knowest thou not that I have +te et potestatem habeo power to crucify thee, and I +dimittere te? have power to release thee? + +10. *Speakest thou not to me?* In the original the pronoun, standing at +the head of the clause, is emphatic. Speakest thou not _to me_, the +representative of Roman power, who have authority ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) to liberate +or crucify thee? + +*Knowest thou not that I have power*, &c. The more probable order of the +clauses is: "I have power to release thee, and I have power to crucify +thee," the motive of hope standing before that of fear. + +11. Respondit Iesus: Non 11. Jesus answered: Thou +haberes potestatem adversum me shouldest not have any power +ullam, nisi tibi datum esset against me, unless it were +desuper. Propterea qui me given thee from above. +tradidit tibi, maius peccatum Therefore he that hath +habet. delivered me to thee, hath the + greater sin. + +11. Pilate's claim to unlimited power over Him makes Jesus again break +silence. His words are an implicit admission that Pilate possesses power +over Him, but at the same time a reminder that there was One greater than +even a Roman governor, without whose permission Pilate could do nothing +against Him. + +*Unless it were given thee from above.* From the original, in which we +have {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} (datum, not data), it is clear that the +verb has not "power" for its subject, but is to be taken impersonally: +Unless it were given thee from above _to have such power_. + +"From above" has been taken by some to refer to the Sanhedrim, as if +Christ here referred to it as a higher tribunal than Pilate's; but this +view cannot be admitted. Not only is it opposed to the ordinary sense of +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (iii. 31; James i. 17; iii. 15, 17), but it would make our Lord say +that Pilate had received his power from the Sanhedrim--a statement which +would not be correct. "From above", then, means: from heaven or from God. + +*Therefore he that hath delivered* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) *me to thee +hath the greater sin*. Some, as Kuinoel, hold that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} is here +merely a formula of transition (like the Hebrew {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~}, Judg. viii. 7, &c.), +of which no account is to be taken. The meaning is then sufficiently +clear. But if, as most commentators take for granted, we are to give {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} its ordinary inferential force, the connection is very obscure, and +has been variously explained. + +(_a_) Some thus: Because you exercise your power _unwillingly_ therefore +your sin is less than that of Caiphas and the Sanhedrim, who have +delivered me to you, and are forcing you to condemn me. But it is rightly +objected against this interpretation, that the word "unwillingly," upon +which it turns, is neither expressed nor suggested in the text. + +(_b_) Others thus: Since you have received from God power over Me, _but +have not had an opportunity of judging of My character_, therefore your +sin is less than that of Caiphas and the Sanhedrim, who with the clearest +evidences of My Divinity before them have yet condemned Me and delivered +Me to you. But it is objected to this view also, that the words upon which +the interpretation hinges, are not found in the text. + +(_c_) Others thus: since you possess lawful authority, therefore the +Sanhedrim is more guilty in handing Me over to you than it would be, if +you possessed not this authority. For, in handing Me over to you, they try +to brand Me as a malefactor, and they surrender Me to one who has the +power to put Me to death, even by the cruel death of crucifixion. In this +view, held by Toletus, the sin of the Sanhedrim is compared, not with that +of Pilate, but with what their own sin would have been, had they merely +brought Jesus before some unlawful tribunal. + +The last connection, though, perhaps, not sufficiently obvious, is the +most natural. The meaning of the whole verse is: You have lawful authority +indeed, but not independently of God; and since you have lawful authority, +therefore, My accusers are the more guilty. + +The words "he that hath delivered me to thee" refer primarily to Caiphas, +the high-priest, but include the Sanhedrim with him in the responsibility +for delivering up Christ. + +12. Et exinde quaerebat 12. And from thenceforth +Pilatus dimittere eum. Iudaei Pilate sought to release him. +autem clamabant, dicentes: Si But the Jews cried out, +hunc dimittis, non es amicus saying: If thou release this +Caesaris: omnis enim qui se man, thou art not Cesar's +regem facit contradicit friend. For whosoever maketh +Caesari. himself a king, speaketh + against Cesar. + +12. *And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him.* Pilate, who had +hitherto tried to shirk the trial of Jesus, or to induce the Jews to call +for His release, now "sought" himself to release Him. At this juncture, +when all other motives had failed to move Pilate, the Jews exasperated +charge him with being the enemy of Cĉsar, if he refuse to condemn one who +claimed to be a sovereign within Cĉsar's dominions. Their words conveyed +to Pilate that they would denounce him to Cĉsar, in case he persisted in +refusing to condemn Jesus. Tiberius (14-37 A.D.), who was Roman Emperor at +the time, was, according to Suetonius (Vit. Tib., c. 58), a most +suspicious tyrant, and one with whom, as Tacitus tells us: "Majestatis +crimen omnium accusationum complementum erat" (Ann. iii. 38). + +13. Pilatus autem cum audisset 13. Now when Pilate had heard +hos sermones, adduxit foras these words, he brought Jesus +Iesum: et sedit pro tribunali, forth; and sat down in the +in loco qui dicitur judgment seat, in the place +Lithostrotos, hebraice autem that is called Lithostrotos, +Gabbatha. and in Hebrew Gabbatha. + +13. Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth. Pilate, +through fear of the Emperor, at length gave way, and Jesus, who had +remained within the house after the interrogation (verses 9-11), while +Pilate was signifying his own intention to the people (verse 12), was now +brought forth, and Pilate formally took his seat to pass sentence of +death. + +*In the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha.* The +Rev. Vers. renders: "At a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew +Gabbatha." The judgment-seat was usually in front of the Praetorium, on an +elevated platform. The Syro-Chaldaic word Gabbatha means _a high place_, +probably from the root {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} (Gabhah), and such high places were usually +paved with many-coloured stones, hence the name "Lithostrotos" (from +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, a stone, and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, covered, or paved). Suetonius (Caes. 8, 46) +says that Julius Cĉsar carried such a pavement with him on his +expeditions. + +14. Erat autem parasceve 14. And it was the parasceve +paschae, hora quasi sexta, et of the pasch, about the sixth +dicit Iudaeis: Ecce rex hour, and he saith to the +vester. Jews: Behold your king. + +14. *And it was the parasceve of the Pasch.* "Parasceve" (Gr. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}) +means _preparation_, or _day of preparation_, and the expression: "the +parasceve of the Pasch" _might_ mean the day of preparation for the +Paschal feast, and hence the day _before_ the feast began. This, indeed, +is the meaning given to the phrase by all those who hold that Christ, in +the last year of His mortal life, celebrated the Paschal Supper a day +before the Jews.(123) They hold that St. John here signifies that the +Jewish Pasch had not yet begun. But the phrase may have, and we believe +has, a different meaning. We know from St. Mark that "Parasceve" was +another name for Friday; "It was the Parasceve, that is, the day before +the Sabbath" (Mark xv. 42). Friday naturally enough got this name, because +it was the _day of preparation_ for the Jewish Sabbath. + +By "the parasceve of the Pasch," then, we understand the Friday of the +Paschal week, and we take it that St. John here indicates the day of the +week, as in the words immediately following he indicates the hour of the +day. His readers, some of whom were, doubtless, acquainted with the +Synoptic Gospels, would be already aware that this day was the first of +the Paschal week, and not the eve of the festival. See above on xiii. 1. + +*About the sixth hour.* A very great difficulty arises from a comparison +of this account with that of St. Mark. For St. Mark says: "And it was the +_third_ hour, and they crucified Him.... And when the sixth hour was come, +there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour" (Mark xv. +25, 33). + +Thus, while St. John represents our Lord as _condemned_ about the _sixth_ +hour, St. Mark represents Him as already _crucified_ at the _third_ hour. +How, it is asked, could He be crucified at the _third_ hour, if He was not +condemned till the _sixth_? + +Many solutions of this difficulty have been proposed, but some of them are +so improbable, that we will not delay upon them. When, for instance, St. +Augustine says that St. Mark, in stating that the Jews crucified Jesus at +the third hour, means that at that time they crucified Him with their +_tongues_ by calling for His crucifixion, it is plain from the whole +context of St. Mark that such a view cannot be admitted; because he +evidently speaks of the real nailing of Jesus to the cross. Thus he says: +"And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the inscription of +his cause was written over, _The King of the Jews_. And with him they +crucify two thieves, the one on his right hand, and the other on his +left.... And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and +saying: ... save thyself, coming down from the cross" (Mark xv. 25-30). + +But, setting aside the less probable methods of reconciliation, we must +notice four which have found favour with commentators. + +(1) Maldonatus and many of the older commentators hold that besides the +division of the Jewish day into twelve hours, there was also another +division into four periods, corresponding to the four watches of the +night.(124) Thus, at the Pasch, which occurred about the time of the +vernal equinox, these four periods, or "hours," would be +respectively--(_a_) from 6 to 9 a.m.; (_b_) from 9 a.m. to noon; (_c_) from +noon to 3 p.m.; and (_d_) from 3 to 6 p.m. According to Mald., these +periods were called respectively, the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth +"hour." He curiously supposes, however, that sometimes any one of these +"hours" or periods was referred to either by the name of the hour with +which it began, or by the name of that with which it closed. Hence the +period between 9 a.m. and noon, or, to speak more correctly, a time within +that period--about 11.30 a.m.--is referred to by St. Mark as the _third_ +hour; while a time within the same period, but about an hour earlier is +referred to by St. John as the sixth hour. + +This view is now generally abandoned, and not without reason. For, in the +first place, there are no solid grounds for believing that the fourfold +division of the Jewish day here supposed, ever existed. In the second +place, even if it had existed, we should require a great deal of proof, +indeed, before we could believe that the "hours" were numbered in so +strange and confusing a fashion. + +(2) More probable than the preceding is the view of Cornely (Introd., vol. +iii., § 73, 3). He, too, like Mald., holds the above fourfold division of +the day, but says that the divisions were called respectively, the first, +third, sixth, and ninth hour. Now, the Synoptic Evangelists, he says, +follow this fourfold division of the day; and, hence, St. Mark's third +hour is the time from 9 a.m. to noon. St. John, on the other hand, reckons +according to the more accurate Jewish method of dividing the day into +twelve equal parts; and, therefore, his phrase, "about the sixth hour," +means _about noon_. Cornely thinks that the vagueness of the phrase: +"_About_ the sixth hour" justifies us in supposing that the time when +Pilate passed sentence upon our Lord, according to St. John, may have been +as early as half-past ten. Thus, condemned about half-past ten, Jesus +could be led out to Calvary and put upon the cross before noon; in other +words, while, as St. Mark says, it was still the third hour. + +Though this view is more probable than the preceding, we cannot accept it. +For it supposes, like the preceding, a division of the day into four +"hours," for which Cornely offers no evidence any more than Maldonatus. +Moreover, we cannot bring ourselves to believe that St. John would refer +to a time so early as half-past ten as "about the sixth hour." + +(3) Others think that while St. Mark follows the Jewish division of the +day, and, therefore counts the hours from sunrise, St. John, on the other +hand, follows the Greek method, and counts them from midnight. Thus, about +the time of the equinox, St. Mark's "third hour" would mean about 9 a.m., +while St. John's "about the sixth hour" would mean about 6 a.m. According +to this view, our Lord was condemned about 6 a.m., and nailed to the cross +about 9 a.m. + +Against this view, it is held by many writers that St. John, like the +other Evangelists, counts the hours of the day from sunrise, that is to +say, according to the Jewish method.(125) + +But a still more serious difficulty against this view arises from the +difficulty of finding time for all the events of the morning of the +Crucifixion between day-dawn and 6 a.m.--the time at which, in this +opinion, our Lord was condemned by Pilate. "Those events ... were--(1) the +meeting of the Council; (2) the procession to Pilate's Court; (3) the +various incidents recorded by the four Evangelists on the occasion of our +Lord's first appearance before Pilate's tribunal; (4) the sending of our +Lord to Herod; (5) the interview between our Lord and Herod; (6) the +mocking of our Lord by Herod's soldiers; (7) the return to the Court of +Pilate; (8) the scourging; (9) the crowning with thorns; (10) the mocking +of our Lord by the Roman soldiers; (11) the incident of the 'Ecce Homo,' +and (12) the final interview, within the Praetorium, between our Lord and +Pilate, at the close of which Pilate came forth, and, after a final effort +to obtain the liberation of our Lord, took his place on the judgment seat, +'and it was now about the sixth hour.' + +(4) "It would seem, then, that the most satisfactory solution of the +difficulty is that given by the great majority of modern +commentators--Catholic as well as Protestant--namely, that an error has +crept into the text of St. John's Gospel, and that the true reading of the +passage in question there (xix. 14), is to be obtained by substituting +'third' for 'sixth.' + +"Manifestly, such a correction of the text removes the difficulty we are +considering. On the one hand, it leaves abundance of time before Pilate's +sentence--three or four hours--for the events of the earlier part of the +morning. On the other hand, it leaves quite sufficient time--an interval, +it may be supposed, of nearly an hour--between the passing of the sentence +and the actual crucifixion; for St. John's statement, that it was 'about' +the third hour, might surely be understood of any time between half-past +eight and nine o'clock; and St. Mark's words are quite consistent with the +supposition that our Lord was crucified at any time between nine and ten. + +"And it is not to be supposed that the emendation of the text is suggested +merely on _a priori_ grounds. For (1) this reading is actually found in +one of the five Greek MSS. of the New Testament that rank highest in +antiquity and authority--Codex D. (_Cantabrigiensis_ or _Bezae_): this MS +dates probably from the 5th or 6th century. Moreover (2) we have in its +favour the very strong testimony of an ancient writer, the author of the +_Chronicon Paschale_ (circ. A.D. 630), who adopts this reading on the +authority of many 'accurate copies,' and mentions the striking fact that +the clause was thus read in St. John's original autograph of his Gospel, +then extant, and, of course, deeply venerated by the faithful in the +Church at Ephesus." (See Patrizzi, _De Evangeliis_, lib. ii., n. 195.) + +"But, it may be objected, is it not a somewhat forced hypothesis to +suppose that an interchange of two words so dissimilar as {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~} and +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~},--the Greek words for 'third' and 'sixth' respectively--could have +occurred by an error of transcription? By no means. For, in the first +place, it must be remembered that the usage was almost universal of using +the numeral characters--which, in Greek consist of letters of the +alphabet--instead of writing the words in full. Thus the change would +consist merely in the substitution of one letter for another. But, +furthermore, it is essential to explain that when the ancient MSS. of the +Greek Testament were written, it was the usage to employ only capital, or, +as they are called, uncial letters--thus those MSS. themselves are commonly +known as uncial. Now, since the character by which the numeral 3 was +represented was _gamma_, the _third_ letter of the Greek alphabet, its +uncial form was {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER GAMMA~}. The character by which the numeral 6 was represented +was the now obsolete _digamma_, at one time the _sixth_ letter of the +Greek alphabet: its uncial form was {~GREEK LETTER DIGAMMA~}. + +"Thus then we find that the error which, it is suggested, has crept into +this verse of the text of St. John consisted merely in the interchange of +the characters {~GREEK LETTER DIGAMMA~} and {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER GAMMA~}--a mistake so easily made that its very facility +constitutes a strong antecedent probability in favour of the view that it, +in fact, occurred."(126) + +In this view, which seems to us the most probable, Christ was condemned +_about_ the _third_ hour. As the _third_ hour at the season of the Pasch +extended from about 8 till 9 a.m., St. Mark's "third hour" may refer to a +time immediately after 8 a.m. This opinion allows abundance of time for +the events which on that Good Friday morning preceded the sentence of +death. For, as the sun at the Pasch rose about 6 a.m., day-dawn began +about half-past four; and thus we have nearly four hours from the +assembling of the Sanhedrim, before which Jesus was led at dawn, till the +sentence was pronounced upon Him by Pilate. In this view, our Lord was put +upon the cross about 9 a.m. + +*Behold your king.* This, like Pilate's words in the next verse, was +probably said to annoy the Jews because they had forced him to condemn +Jesus. + +15. Illi autem clamabant: 15. But they cried out: Away +Tolle, tolle, crucifige eum. with him, away with him, +Dicit eis Pilatus: Regem crucify him. Pilate saith to +vestrum crucifigam? them: Shall I crucify your +Responderunt pontifices: Non king? The chief priests +habemus regem, nisi Caesarem. answered: We have no king but + Cesar. + +15. *We have no king but Caesar.* Though the Jews were at this time +chafing under the dominion of the Romans, the chief priests, blinded by +their hatred of Christ, here proclaimed their submission to the Roman +yoke. + +16. Tunc ergo tradidit eis 16. Then therefore he +ilium ut crucifigeretur. delivered him to them to be +Susceperunt autem Iesum, et crucified. And they took +eduxerunt. Jesus, and led him forth. + +16. And now Pilate at last delivered Jesus to them to be crucified, having +first, as St. Matthew tells us, gone through the vain ceremony of washing +his hands, as if he could thus wash his soul from the guilt of weakly +consenting to Christ's death! + +17. Et baiulans sibi crucem, 17. And bearing his own cross +exivit in eum qui dicitur he went forth to that place +Calvariae locum, hebraice which is called Calvary, but +autem Golgotha: in Hebrew Golgotha. + +17. The words "and led him forth," are probably not genuine. We learn from +the Synoptic Evangelists that Jesus was now mocked, stripped of the purple +cloak, and clothed with His own garments. Then, like Isaac of old (Gen. +xxii. 6), bearing the wood on which He was to suffer, Jesus _went forth_ +(comp. xviii. 1) to the place where He was crucified. By Jewish as well as +Roman law the execution should take place outside the city; Numb. xv. 35; +3 K. xxi. 13. And Cicero says: Quid enim attinuit, cum Mamertini _more +atque instituto suo_, crucem fixissent _post urbem_ in via Pompeia, &c. +(Verr. v. 66). Calvary, which is now within the walls of Jerusalem, was +then outside them, lying to the west of the city. A very old tradition +represents Jesus as falling three times beneath the cross on His way to +Calvary; and the three Synoptic Evangelists tell us that Simon of +Cyrene(127), probably a Jew who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the +Pasch, was forced to carry the cross. It is disputed whether Simon was +made to bear the cross alone or merely to assist Jesus. The latter view is +frequently followed in paintings, but the former seems more probable. +Jesus was now worn and weak, and as the Jews were impatient to hurry on to +the place of punishment; perhaps, too, through a fear that He might +otherwise die on the way and deprive them of the pleasure of seeing Him +writhing on the cross, they would be more likely to relieve Him from even +helping to carry the cross. "Nota," says A Lapide, "non videri Simonem +crucem gestasse cum Christo hac ratione, ut Christus priorem crucis +partem, Simon posteriorem portaret, uti pingunt pictores; sed ipsum solum +totam Christi praeeuntis crucem gestasse" (A Lap. on St. Matt. xxvii. 32). + +St. Luke alone mentions the incident of the women of Jerusalem, who +followed Jesus bewailing and lamenting for Him (Luke xxii. 27-31). A very +ancient tradition represents the Blessed Virgin as meeting Jesus in this +sad procession to Calvary. + +_Calvaria_ in the Vulgate is not a proper name. "It is simply the Latin +for {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, a _bare skull_, and used in Vulgate only here (Matt.) and in +the parallel passages of Mark, Luke, and John when describing the +crucifixion--nowhere else in the Old or New Testament. Golgotha was the +Hebrew name of the spot where our Lord was crucified. The pure Hebrew form +of the word {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} (Gulgoleth), meaning a skull (from {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} (galal) _to roll, +to be round_), is found in Judges ix. 53. Thence came the Chaldaic (rather +we should say, Syro-Chaldaic), Gulgalta, abbreviated into Golgotha. But +why was the place called Golgotha, or _skull_? Either because criminals +were commonly executed on that spot, and many skulls were found there +bleaching in the sun (St. Jerome and most modern Catholic comm.); or the +mound was skull-like (St. Cyril of Jerusalem alludes to this view, but +refutes it); or (according to tradition) the skull of the first man, Adam, +was buried there (Orig., St. Epiph., and nearly all the fathers) ...: In +accordance with this opinion (of the fathers), we see so often in +paintings and pictures a skull placed at the foot of the cross. Although +we read constantly in sermons of the _hill_ of Calvary, there is little to +show that there was any hill or mound on the spot named _Golgotha_. St. +Cyril of Jerusalem objects to the derivation of Calvary from the mound +being skull-shaped, because he says there was _no hill_ there. In the +whole history of the Passion no mention is made of the _mount_ or hill of +Calvary.... The traditional spot is simply on a high ground, like Holborn +in London, or Patrick's-hill in Dublin, or the Pantheon in Paris" (Dr. +M'Carthy, on St. Matthew, xxvii. 33). + +18. Ubi crucifixerunt eum, et 18. Where they crucified him, +cum eo alios duos hinc et and with him two others, one +hinc, medium autem Iesum. on each side, and Jesus in the + midst. + +18. Whether Jesus was nailed to the cross while it was lying upon the +ground, or whether the cross was first erected and He then raised up to it +by ropes and ladders, is disputed.(128) + +As to the shape of the cross, too, on which He was crucified, there is a +slight difference of opinion. Setting aside the _crux simplex_, which was +merely an upright stake, the _crux compacta_, so called from the parts +being joined together, was threefold: "_decussata_ (cut into two equal +parts), like the letter X; _commissa_, like the letter T, and _immissa_, +or Latin +, which differs from the _commissa_, by having the long upright +beam projecting over the transverse bar" (M'Carthy). The almost unanimous +tradition of the fathers holds that Christ died upon the Latin cross, and +there is no reason to doubt that this is correct. + +*And with him two others.* These are described as "robbers" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}), by +St. Matt. (xxvii. 38), and St. Mark (xv. 27), and as "malefactors" by St. +Luke (xxiii. 32). It may possibly have been to add to His disgrace and +shame that the Jews had these punished together with Jesus. "And the +Scripture was fulfilled which saith: _And with the wicked he was reputed_" +(Mark xv. 28). + +19. Scripsit autem et titulum 19. And Pilate wrote a title +Pilatus: et posuit super also: and he put it upon the +crucem, Erat autem scriptum: cross. And the writing was, +IESUS NAZARENUS, REX JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF +IUDAEORUM. THE JEWS. + +19. *Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.* It was usual to indicate in +some such way the name and offence of those crucified, and so Pilate had +an inscription placed over the head of Jesus, giving His name, and the +reason why He suffered. We should have expected, however, that Pilate +would have caused to be written: Jesus of Nazareth who _claimed to be_ +king of the Jews. But no, either to annoy the Jews, or by an over-ruling +Providence, Pilate wrote: "KING OF THE JEWS," thus proclaiming Christ's +royal dignity even while he crucified Him. + +The title is slightly different in all four Evangelists. _Hic est Jesus +Rex Judaeorum_ (Matthew); _Rex Judaeorum_ (Mark); _Hic est Rex Judaeorum_ +(Luke); _Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum_ (John). + +It is very probable that St. John gives the precise words of the title, +the others the substance. For all that is at present legible(129) of the +Hebrew text of the title agrees exactly with St. John. + +The title, written on a whitened wooden tablet, together with the true +cross, nails, and lance, was discovered during the excavations ordered by +an English woman, St. Helen, the mother of Constantine the Great, about +the year 326 A.D. The title was placed by St. Helen in the Church of the +Holy Cross on the Esquiline, in Rome, where it is still venerated. See Dr. +Donovan's _Rome, Ancient and Modern_, vol. i., p. 508. + +20. Hunc ergo titulum multi 20. This title therefore many +Iudaeorum legerunt: quia prope of the Jews did read: because +civitatem erat locus, ubi the place where Jesus was +crucifixus est Iesus: et erat crucified was nigh to the +scriptum hebraice, graece, et city: and it was written in +latine. Hebrew, in Greek, and in + Latin. + +20. *The place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.* Calvary +was less than a mile from the centre of Jerusalem, and as the city was +then crowded, many read the title. The title was in three languages, that +all might be able to read it. The Jews resident in Palestine could read +the Syro-Chaldaic; the strangers could read the Greek; and the Roman +soldiers, the Latin. It was formerly held by some commentators that the +three inscriptions were in Latin, but written in Syro-Chaldaic, Greek, and +Latin characters, respectively. This opinion, however, has nothing to +recommend it. The obvious sense of the verse before us, and the relics of +the title, prove that the inscription was in three different languages. +Many authorities reverse the order of the two last clauses in this verse: +"in Latin, and in Greek." + +21. Dicebant ergo Pilato 21. Then the chief priests of +pontifices Iudaeorum: Noli the Jews said to Pilate: Write +scribere, Rex Iudaeorum: sed not, the king of the Jews, but +quia ipse dixit: Rex sum that he said: I am the king of +Iudaeorum. the Jews. + +21. *Then the chief priests.* Rather, "the chief priests of the Jews, +_therefore_," &c. + +22. Respondit Pilatus: Quod 22. Pilate answered: What I +scripsi, scripsi. have written, I have written. + +22. *What I have written, I have written.* Pilate, already tired of the +painful business, and disgusted with the Jews, refused to make any change +in what he had written. + +23. Milites ergo cum 23. The soldiers therefore +crucifixissent eum, acceperunt when they had crucified him, +vestimenta eius (et fecerunt took his garments (and they +quatuor partes: unicuique made four parts, to every +militi partem), et tunicam. soldier a part) and also his +Erat autem tunica coat. Now the coat was without +inconsutilis, desuper contexta seam, woven from the top +per totum. throughout. + +23. It was the custom to give the clothes to the executioners. The tunic +was the inner garment worn next the skin, and reaching from the neck to +the ankles. It was usually fastened round the neck with a clasp. + +24. Dixerunt ergo ad invicem: 24. They said then one to +Non scindamus eam, sed another: Let us not cut it, +sortiamur de illa cuius sit. but let us cast lots for it +Ut scriptura impleretur, whose it shall be; that the +dicens: Partiti sunt scripture might be fulfilled, +vestimenta mea sibi: et in saying: _They have parted my +vestem meam miserunt sortem. garments among them: and upon +Et milites quidem haec my vesture they have cast +fecerunt. lots_. And the soldiers indeed + did these things. + +24. As Christ's tunic was seamless, and the soldiers thought it a pity to +tear it, they cast lots for it; God so ordaining, in order that the +Scripture might be fulfilled. According to an old tradition, the tunic had +been woven for Jesus by the Blessed Virgin's own hands. + +25. Stabant autem iuxta crucem 25. Now there stood by the +Iesu mater eius, et soror cross of Jesus, his mother, +matris eius, Maria Cleophae, and his mother's sister, Mary +et Maria Magdalene. of Cleophas, and Mary + Magdalen. + +25. *By the cross.* There is no contradiction between this and the +Synoptic Evangelists (Matt. xxvii. 55; Mark xv. 40; Luke xxiii. 49), who +represent the women as standing "afar off;" for they refer to a time +subsequent to Christ's death, St. John to a time when He was hanging on +the cross still alive. + +*His mother's sister.* Mary of Cleophas was the wife of Cleophas, and +mother of the Apostle James the Less. She was a cousin of the Blessed +Virgin. Some writers, however, prefer to think, that she is called a +"sister," because her husband Cleophas was brother to St. Joseph. + +26. Cum vidisset ergo Iesus 26. When Jesus therefore had +matrem, et discipulum stantem seen his mother and the +quem diligebat, dicit matri disciple standing, whom he +suae: Mulier, ecce filius loved, he saith to his mother: +tuus. Woman, behold thy son. +27. Deinde dicit discipulo: 27. After that, he saith to +Ecce mater tua. Et ex illa the disciple: Behold thy +hora accepit eam discipulus in mother. And from that hour the +sua. disciple took her to his own. + +26, 27. *Woman* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) is the same term by which Jesus addressed His +mother at the marriage feast of Cana (John ii. 4). Its use on the present +sad, solemn occasion were itself sufficient proof that the term implies no +disrespect. (See above on ii. 4.) The virgin disciple is here commended to +the Blessed Virgin's care, to be loved and treated as her son; and she, in +turn, to His care, to be loved and respected and supported as a mother. +There is no reason for doubting the common opinion that St. Joseph was +dead at this time; had he been still alive, the Blessed Virgin would, +doubtless, have remained under his care. + +*To his own* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, _i.e._ {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}). The meaning is that he took her +to where he himself abode. He may have had a house of his own, for his +father seems to have been a man of some means (Mark i. 20), and the +expression would most naturally refer to his own house (Acts xxi. 6). But +it is possible, too, that he merely lodged in another's house. In xvi. 32, +it is predicted that the Apostles should be scattered every man to his own +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}), and very few of these poor Galilean fishermen can have +owned houses in Jerusalem. + +Regarding the common belief that St. John, at the foot of the cross, +represented the whole human race, or, at least, all the faithful, it must +be said that the fathers make no mention of this view, and that there is +nothing in the obvious literal sense of the passage to indicate that St. +John held any such representative capacity. + +28. Postea sciens Iesus quia 28. Afterwards Jesus knowing +omnia consummata sunt, ut that all things were now +consummaretur scriptura, accomplished, that the +dixit: Sitio. scripture might be fulfilled, + said: I thirst. + +28. *Afterwards*, when three o'clock was come, Jesus, knowing that He had +done all for which He had been sent, and that the prophecies regarding the +Messias had been fulfilled in Himself, in order that one remaining +prophecy might be accomplished, said: *I thirst*. Sorrow, and suffering, +and the loss of blood had exhausted the humours of the body, and naturally +produced thirst. + +29. Vas ergo erat positum 29. Now there was a vessel set +aceto plenum. Illi autem there full of vinegar. And +spongiam plenam aceto, hyssopo they putting a sponge full of +circumponentes, obtulerunt ori vinegar about hyssop, put it +eius. to his mouth. + +29. *Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar.* Some think that +the "vinegar" was the posca, or thin wine, which was the ordinary drink of +the Roman soldiers, and that it was there on this occasion for their use. +But the fact that the sponge and hyssop seem to have been at hand, +provided apparently for the sake of the victims, makes it very probable +that the vinegar also was provided on their account. We must carefully +distinguish this occasion from another referred to by SS. Matt. and Mark, +prior to the crucifixion (Matt. xxvii. 34; Mark xv. 23). These Evangelists +refer to the present occasion also, but they speak of only one who took +the sponge, and gave Christ to drink (Matthew xxvii. 48; Mark xv. 36). We +may reconcile St. John's account with theirs, by saying that he simply +uses the indefinite plural for the singular; or that he ascribes to many +what was done by one with their approval. One of those present, then, +probably a soldier, took a sponge,(130) and soaked it in vinegar, and +fastened it around the point of a sprig of hyssop, and then reached it up +to our Lord's mouth that He might suck it. Thus was the Scripture +accomplished: "And in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink" (Ps. +lxviii. 22). Many think that the vinegar was given to hasten death. + +Hyssop is an aromatic plant, which grows upon walls. Its stalks are less +than two feet long, so that our Lord's mouth seems not to have been raised +higher above the ground than such a stalk in a man's outstretched arm +could reach. + +30. Cum ergo accepisset Iesus 30. Jesus therefore when he +acetum, dixit: Consummatum had taken the vinegar, said: +est. Et inclinato capite It is consummated. And bowing +tradidit spirituum. his head, he gave up the + ghost. + +30. *It is consummated*; that is, all the purpose of My life is completed; +only one thing remains, that I finish My course and crown My life and +sufferings by My death. Then, as St. Luke tells us: "Jesus crying with a +loud voice, said: Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying +this he gave up the ghost" (Luke xxiii. 46). + +*He gave up the ghost.* He gave up His soul into the hands of His eternal +Father. The expression used seems to be employed with the special purpose +of showing that His death itself was a voluntary act (comp. x. 17, 18). +"Spiritum cum verbo sponte dimisit, praevento carnificis officio." +(Tertull. Apol., ch. 21, p. 58.) And St. Augustine on this verse says +beautifully: "Quis ita dormit quando voluerit, sicut Jesus mortuus est +quando voluit? Quis ita vestem ponit quando voluerit, sicut se carne exuit +quando vult? Quis ita cum voluerit abit, quomodo ille cum voluit obiit? +Quanta speranda vel timenda potestas est judicantis, si apparuit tanta +morientis?" + +It may be useful to set down here together what are commonly referred to +as the seven last "words" of Jesus on the cross. The Synoptic Evangelists +record four of them, and St. John the other three. The first was: "Father +forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke xxiii. 34); the +second, addressed to the good thief: "Amen, I say to thee, this day thou +shalt be with me in paradise" (Luke xxiii. 43); the third: "Woman behold +thy son," together with the words addressed to St. John: "Behold thy +mother" (John xix. 26, 27); the fourth: "My God, my God, why hast thou +forsaken me?" (Matthew xxvii. 46; Mark xv. 34); the fifth: "I thirst" +(John xix. 28); the sixth: "It is consummated" (John xix. 30); and the +seventh: "Father into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke xxiii. 46). + +31. Iudaei ergo (quoniam 31. Then the Jews (because it +parasceve erat), ut non was the parasceve) that the +remanerent in cruce corpora bodies might not remain upon +sabbato (erat enim magnus dies the cross on the sabbath-day +ille sabbati), rogaverunt (for that was a great sabbath- +Pilatum ut frangerentur eorum day) besought Pilate that +crura, et tollerentur. their legs might be broken, + and that they might be taken + away. + +31. *(Because it was the parasceve) that the bodies*, &c. We would take +away the brackets. The fact that it was Friday, and that the Sabbath was, +therefore, near, made the Jews anxious to have the bodies removed. This +verse strongly confirms the view we hold (see above on verse 14) that St. +John means by parasceve, the day before the Sabbath, that is to say, +Friday; not the day before the Paschal feast. For, in the present verse +the fact that it was the parasceve is evidently taken to imply that the +next day would be the Sabbath. + +*For that was a great sabbath day.* The better-supported Greek reading +would be rendered: For great was the day of that sabbath ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}). The meaning is that this Sabbath was specially solemn, because +it was the Sabbath that fell within the Paschal week. + +*And that they might be taken away.* We read in Deut. xxi. 22, 23: "When a +man hath committed a crime for which he is punished with death, and being +condemned to die is hanged on a gibbet, his body shall not remain upon the +tree, but shall be buried _the same day_." It was more than usually +necessary to have the bodies buried on the same day in the present case, +as the next day was to be a Sabbath, and a very special Sabbath, too. And +as the Sabbath began at sunset, hence the anxiety of the Jews to have the +bodies removed. The breaking of the legs was intended to insure death. +With the Romans it was usual to let the bodies of the crucified hang till +they rotted. + +32. Venerunt ergo milites: et 32. The soldiers therefore +primi quidem fregerunt crura, came: and they broke the legs +et alterius, qui crucifixus of the first, and of the other +est cum eo. that was crucified with him. +33. Ad Iesum autem cum 33. But after they were come +venissent, ut viderunt eum iam to Jesus, when they saw that +mortuum, non fregerunt eius he was already dead, they did +crura: not break his legs. +34. Sed unus militum lancea 34. But one of the soldiers +latus eius aperuit, et with a spear opened his side, +continuo exivit sanguis et and immediately there came out +aqua. blood and water. + +34. *Opened* (Vulg., aperuit) *his side*. It is very much more probable +that the verb in the original is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (pierced) not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (opened). *A +spear*; ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}). This was the long lance of a horseman. The lance is now +preserved and venerated in Rome, in St. Peter's. It wants the point, which +is kept in the holy chapel in Paris. + +It is uncertain whether it was Christ's right side or left that was +pierced with a lance. According to the Ethiopian Version, and the +apocryphal Gospels of Nicodemus and the Infancy, it was the right. Thus a +very early tradition points to the right side, and it was on his right +side, too, that St. Francis was marked when he received the sacred +stigmata. + +*And immediately there came out blood and water.* It is disputed whether +this flow of blood and water was natural or miraculous. + +(1) Some hold that each flow was miraculous, because in a _dead_ body +blood does not flow and water is not found in the region of the heart. + +(2) Others, on the contrary, hold that in each case the flow was quite +natural, because in a dead body the _clot_ or red corpuscles become +separated from the _serum_ or watery substance of the blood, and both +would naturally flow out when Christ's side was pierced. This opinion, +however, is improbable, as the best modern physiologists say it would +require four hours after death to effect this separation,(131) and no such +length of time can be admitted between the death of Christ at three +o'clock and the piercing of his side, for he had to be buried before +sunset, that is to say, at the latest, about 6 p.m. + +(3) Hence others hold that Christ's heart had broken, and that the blood +which had therefore flowed into the pericardium, or sheath of the heart, +had become, when extravasated, _rapidly_ dissolved into its constituent +elements. This view is held by some writers of great authority. See Dr. +Stroud's _Treatise on the Physical Cause of the Death of Christ_. Against +it, however, we have the opinion of physiologists, that the heart never +breaks except in those in whom the organism has been long diseased; and it +is contrary to the common opinion that Christ took or had a diseased body, +or any diseased organ. + +(4) Hence, with Corluy, we think the most probable view is, that the blood +flowed naturally from a body _only a short time dead_, the water +miraculously. Certainly the fathers generally seem to see in this flow of +blood and water a mystery, something that was not ordinary or natural, and +many think that our Evangelist himself, in the next verse, _insists_ upon +the truth of what he says, as if it were something wholly unnatural and +difficult to believe. It may, however, be replied to this latter argument +that he insists upon the truth of the facts, not because anything +miraculous and difficult to believe had taken place, but because there was +question of the fulfilment of two important Messianic prophecies. + +According to the fathers, the flow of blood typified the Sacrament of the +Blessed Eucharist, that of water, the Sacrament of Baptism. Thus St. Cyril +of Alex.: "Lancea latus ejus perfodiunt, unde cruor aqua mistus scaturiit, +quod Eulogiae mysticae et baptismatis imago quaedam erat atque primitiae." + +35. Et qui vidit, testimonium 35. And he that saw it hath +perhibuit: et verum est given testimony: and his +testimonium eius. Et ille scit testimony is true. And he +quia vera dicit: ut et vos knoweth that he saith true; +credatis. that you also may believe. + +35. *And he that saw* (hath seen) *it hath given testimony*. "It" is not +represented in the original, and ought not to stand in our English +version, as it seems to determine the reference to be merely to the sight +of the flow of blood and water. We take the object of the verb "hath +seen," to be _all_ that is stated in the two preceding verses; namely, +that Christ's legs were not broken, that His side was pierced, and that +blood and water flowed. That this is the meaning is proved by the next +verse. + +*That you also may believe.* The sense is not that you also may believe +that blood and water flowed, or that Christ really died; but, with Beel.; +Bisp., Corl., that you also, as well as I, may more firmly believe that +Jesus is the Messias foretold by the prophets. These words, then, express +the full purpose that our Evangelist had in view in testifying to the +facts just stated. {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} (that) may be taken to depend upon the three +preceding clauses, or upon the words immediately preceding: "saith true." + +36. Facta sunt enim haec, ut 36. For these things were done +scriptura impleretur: Os non that the scripture might be +comminuetis ex eo. fulfilled: _You shall not + break a bone of him_. + +36. *For these things were done.* "For" establishes the connection, and +proves, we think, the view we hold. It is as if the Evangelist said: these +things happened, and I insist upon their truth, because they afford a +strong argument why you should believe that Jesus was the Messias. + +*You shall not break a bone of him*, had reference in its literal sense +(Exod. vii. 46; Num. ix. 12) to the Paschal lamb; yet, St. John tells us +here that the prophecy was fulfilled in Christ. Hence we have here an +invincible argument for the existence of a mystical sense in Scripture. + +37. Et iterum alia scriptura 37. And again another +dicit: Videbunt in quem scripture saith: _They shall +transfixerunt. look on him whom they + pierced_. + +37. The quotation is from Zach. xii. 10, according to the Hebrew text, +except that, perhaps, the correct reading in Zach. is "on me," and not "on +him." The passage in Zach. is Messianic in its literal sense, and the +context shows that there is question of looking upon Jesus in sorrow and +regret for what had taken place. We know from St. Luke that "all the +multitude returned (from Calvary) striking their breasts" (xxiii. 48). + +38. Post haec autem rogavit 38. After these things Joseph +Pilatum Ioseph ab Arimathaea of Arimathea (because he was a +(eo quod esset discipulus disciple of Jesus, but +Iesu, occultus autem propter secretly for fear of the Jews) +metum Iudaeorum), ut tolleret besought Pilate that he might +corpus Iesu. Et permisit take away the body of Jesus. +Pilatus. Venit ergo, et tulit And Pilate gave leave. He came +corpus Iesu. therefore and took away the + body of Jesus. + +38. *After these things.* We learn from SS. Matthew and Mark that when +Joseph approached Pilate it was evening (Matthew xxvii. 57; Mark xv. 42). +Joseph was "a rich man" (Matthew xxvii. 57), "a noble counsellor" (Mark +xv. 43), that is a member of the Sanhedrim, "a good and a just man" (Luke +xxiii. 50). + +*Arimathea.* Opinion is divided as to whether this was Rama in the tribe +of Benjamin (Matt. ii. 18), or Rama (Ramathaimsophim) in the tribe of +Ephraim (1 Kings i. 1). The latter, the birthplace of the Prophet Samuel, +is called Ramatha in 1 Kings i. 19. St. Luke calls Arimathea "a city of +Judea" (Luke xxiii. 51). St. Jerome (Onom. sacr., 2nd Ed., p. 178) +identifies Arimathea with Remftis, now Rantieh, on the plain North of +Lydda. See Smith's _B. D._ _sub voc._ + +*Secretly.* Till now he had been a disciple in secret, but after the death +of Christ both he and Nicodemus boldly appeared in public as devoted +friends of their dead Master. + +*And Pilate gave leave.* Permission was usually given to the friends of +one who had been executed to bury his body. Sometimes, indeed, Roman +Governors granted such permission only on receiving money from the friends +(Cic., Verr. v. 45), but in the present instance Pilate granted the +privilege gratis ("_Donavit_ corpus Jesu," Mark xv. 45). + +We learn from St. Mark that Pilate gave the body only after he had +summoned the centurion and learned that Jesus was dead (Mark xv. 44, 45). + +*He came therefore and took away the body of Jesus.* We learn from St. +Mark (xv. 46), and St. Luke (xxiii. 53), that he "took down" the body of +Jesus, either aiding in or directing the work. Hence he must have returned +to the foot of the cross, before the orders given to the soldiers (verses +31, 32) were fully carried out. If we suppose Joseph to have come soon +after the Jews (verse 31) to Pilate, the governor, before granting his +request, would naturally wish to be certain that Jesus was dead, and would +therefore summon the centurion and make inquiry (Mark xv. 44, 45); then +Joseph, returning from wherever Pilate was at the time, arrived before the +body of our Lord had been taken down by the soldiers. + +39. Venit autem et Nicodemus, 39. And Nicodemus also came, +qui venerat ad Iesum nocte he who at first came to Jesus +primum, ferens mixturam by night, bringing a mixture +myrrhae et aloës, quasi libras of myrrh and aloes, about an +centum. hundred pound _weight_. + +39. *He who at first came to Jesus by night.* The reference is to the +visit recorded above in iii. 1, ff. St. John alone makes mention of +Nicodemus on this occasion. The phrase "at first" may imply that Nicodemus +visited Christ on other occasions, or it may indicate merely the beginning +of Christ's ministry. The present public act of reverence in the light of +day, beside a crowded city, is thrown into relief by contrast with the +timid visit then paid "by night." + +*Bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.* +"The compound was made of the gum of the myrrh tree, and a powder of the +fragrant aloe wood. The amount of the preparation ('about a hundred pound +weight,' that is, a hundred Roman pounds of nearly twelve ounces) has +caused some needless difficulty. The intention of Nicodemus was, without +doubt, to cover the body completely with the mass of aromatics. Comp. 2, +Chro. (Paralip.) xvi. 14: for this purpose the quantity was not excessive +as a costly gift of devotion." (Westc. in _The Speaker's Commentary_.) + +40. Acceperunt ergo corpus 40. They took therefore the +Iesu, et ligaverunt illud body of Jesus, and bound it in +linteis cum aromatibus, sicut linen cloths with the spices, +mos est Iudaeis sepelire. as the manner of the Jews is + to bury. + +40. *And bound it in linen cloths* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}). They bound the body in +swathes of linen cloth covered with layers of the aromatic mixture. The +Synoptists speak only of "a linen cloth" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) in which the body was +"wrapped." We may naturally suppose that the body when embalmed was +wrapped in a large linen cloth. + +*A new sepulchre, wherein no man yet had been laid.* We learn from St. +Matthew (xxvii. 60), that the sepulchre belonged to Joseph, and from all +the Synoptists that it was hewn out of a rock, and therefore artificial. +As no other body had been buried in the sepulchre, there could be no +possible doubt that the body that rose was that of our Lord. + +41. Erat autem, in loco ubi 41. Now there was in the +crucifixus est, hortus, et in place, where he was crucified, +horto monumentum novum, in quo a garden; and in the garden a +nondum quisquam positus erat. new sepulchre, wherein no man + yet had been laid. +42. Ibi ergo propter 42. There therefore because of +parasceven Iudaeorum, quia the parasceve of the Jews they +iuxta erat monumentum, laid Jesus, because the +posuerunt Iesum. sepulchre was nigh at hand. + +42. *Because the sepulchre was nigh at hand.* It seems to be implied that +if there had been more time, some other sepulchre would have been chosen. +As it was, because the Sabbath was at hand they laid Him in the tomb that +was most convenient. St. John writing for the Christians of Asia Minor, +speaks of "the parasceve of the Jews," because when he wrote, Saturday was +the Parasceve of Christians, the day of rest having been already changed +from Saturday to Sunday, in honour of our Blessed Lord's resurrection. +(See Acts xx. 7; 1 Cor. xvi. 2.) + + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + + 1-10. *On Easter Sunday morning Magdalen comes to the tomb, and + then runs to Peter and John, who also come to the tomb.* + + 11-17. *Magdalen, having followed Peter and John back to the tomb, + sees first two angels, and then Jesus Himself.* + + 18. *Then she announces to the disciples that Jesus had appeared + to her.* + + 19-23. *Appearance of Jesus to the disciples on Easter Sunday + evening when he instituted the Sacrament of Penance.* + + 24, 25. *Incredulity of Thomas.* + + 26-29. *Appearance of Jesus again on Low Sunday to Thomas and the + other disciples, when Thomas believes, and confesses his faith.* + + 30, 31. *Incompleteness of this narrative regarding the miracles + which Christ wrought to prove his resurrection, and statement of + the object which St. John had in view in recording what he has + recorded.* + + +St. John's narrative regarding the visit of Magdalen to the tomb on Easter +Sunday morning is very simple, when taken by itself. She came to the tomb +or, at least, started for it, "when it was yet dark," and then ran from +the tomb to tell Peter and John that the body of Jesus had been removed +(xx. 1, 2). But when we compare this account with those of the other +Evangelists several serious difficulties arise. Thus, while St. John says +that Magdalen "cometh early, _when it was yet dark_, unto the sepulchre;" +St. Matthew says that she and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre "in +the _end of the Sabbath_ (according to the Vulgate: '_Vespere_ Sabbati'), +when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week" (Matt. xxviii. +1). And St. Mark creates still further difficulty when he says: "And when +the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen, and Mary (the mother) of James, and +Salome bought (not brought; Vulg. emerunt) sweet spices, that coming they +might anoint Jesus. And very early in the morning, the first day of the +week, they come to the sepulchre, _the sun being now risen_" (Mark xvi. +1-2). Thus, while St. Matt. represents Magdalen as coming to the sepulchre +in the end of the Sabbath, or as the still more difficult text of the +Vulgate has it: "Vespere Sabbati," St. Mark represents her as coming on +Sunday morning, _when the sun was risen_; and St. John, as coming on the +Sunday morning _when it was yet dark_. + +Again, while St. John does not mention the appearance of any angel on the +occasion of Magdalen's first visit to the tomb (John xx. 1), St. Mark says +that when the women entered the tomb "they saw a young man _sitting_ on +the right side clothed with a white robe" (Mark xvi. 5); and St. Luke, +that after the women entered the tomb, and found not the body of the Lord +"behold _two_ men _stood_ by them in shining apparel" (Luke xxiv. 4).(132) + +Various theories have been advanced to reconcile these different accounts. +Maldonatus (on Matt. xxviii. 3) undertakes, with his usual great ability, +but, we think, without success, to reconcile them in the hypothesis, not +merely that there was only one company of women, but also that Mary +Magdalen visited the tomb but once on the morning of the resurrection. +Others, while admitting that Magdalen came twice to the tomb that morning, +as, indeed, seems to follow naturally from St. John's account (xx. 2-11), +hold that there was only one company of women, and that all the +Evangelists speak of the same company. Others again hold that not only did +Magdalen come twice to the tomb, but that at least two different companies +of women visited the tomb that morning, and that some Evangelists refer to +the visit of one company, others to the visit of the other company. Thus +Patrizzi (_De Evang._, Diss. liii. 5, 6, 7) supposes SS. Matt. and Mark to +refer to the visit of one company, SS. Luke and John to the visit of a +different company. On the other hand Dr. Walsh (_Harmony of the Gosp. +Narr._), Cornely (Introd. III., _Synops. Chron._, p. 301), and Greswell +(_Harm. of the Gosp._), suppose St. Luke to refer to the visit of one +company, the other three Evangelists to that of a different company. + +The following seems to us the most satisfactory method of reconciling all +the accounts. Very early on Sunday morning, "when it was yet dark" (John +xx. 1), Mary Magdalen, accompanied, perhaps from the start, by Mary of +Cleophas, set out from Bethany, where we suppose her to have spent the +preceding day and night in the house of her brother Lazarus. To this same +departure from Bethany and to the same two women (compare Matt. xxviii. 1 +with xxvii. 56) St. Matt. refers: "And in the end of the Sabbath, when it +began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and +the other Mary to see the sepulchre" (Matt. xxviii. 1).(133) Proceeding on +their way they were joined by Salome and probably by others, and arrived +at the tomb, "the sun being now risen" (Mark xvi. 2). The journey from +Bethany was nearly three miles, for Bethany was nearly two miles east of +Jerusalem (John xi. 18), and Calvary was another mile westward from the +eastern part of the city. We may well suppose, then, that an hour and a +half--the length of morning twilight at Jerusalem about the season of the +Pasch (Patriz. Diss. liii. 2)--was spent on the journey, especially if, as +we may suppose, there were delays on the way while the party was being +joined by other women; and hence, though the start from Bethany took place +while it was still dark (John xx. 1), they did not arrive at the tomb till +the sun had risen (Mark xvi. 2). + +While these women were on their way, Christ rose and quitted the sealed +tomb, and after His resurrection an angel rolled away the stone and sat +upon it, _in the sight of the guards_ (Matt. xxviii. 2-4). The women on +arriving saw the stone already rolled away (Mark xvi. 4; John xx. 1), and +Magdalen probably ran and looked into the tomb. Not seeing the body of +Jesus, she concluded it had been removed, and ran to say so to the +disciples (John xx. 2). + +Her companions remained at the tomb and entered it, and the angel +mentioned by St. Matt. (xxviii. 5) and St. Mark (xvi. 5) appeared to them. +The women then left the tomb in fear and astonishment and great joy, and +ran to tell the disciples, but through fear told no one _on the way_ (Mark +xvi. 8), though their hearts were full of the wonderful and joyous event. + +Soon after their departure from the tomb, Peter and John arrived coming to +see if what Magdalen announced was true. Then Peter and John departed, and +Magdalen who had followed them to the tomb, remained behind them, and saw +the two angels _sitting_ (John xx. 12). Then Jesus appeared to her (John +xx. 14-17), before he had appeared to anyone else, as we learn from St. +Mark: "But He rising early the first day of the week appeared first to +Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven devils" (xvi. 9).(134) +Meantime the women, Magdalen's companions, were on their way to the +disciples, and now Jesus appeared to them (Matt. xxviii. 9), immediately +after He had appeared to Magdalen. + +And now we have reconciled the accounts of SS. Matthew, Mark, and John +regarding Magdalen and her companions. It remains to speak of St. Luke's +account. + +We believe that St. Luke speaks of a different company of women from that +referred to by the other Evangelists. There is nothing improbable in +supposing that more than one company of women came to the tomb on Sunday +morning. As they had not been able to visit it on the Sabbath, a visit of +several companies on Sunday morning is just what might be expected. But we +are not obliged to depend merely on _a priori_ reasoning. For St. Luke's +company prepared their spices on Friday evening before the Sabbath: "and +returning they prepared spices and ointments: and on the Sabbath-day they +rested according to the commandment" (Luke xxiii. 56); the other company, +after the Sabbath, when the first day of the Jewish week had begun: "and +when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen and Mary _the mother_ of James +and Salome bought sweet spices, that coming they might anoint Jesus." +(Mark xvi. 1). Moreover, the women of whom St. Luke speaks seem to have +come to the tomb earlier than any other company, for they came {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (literally, at the first dawn, Luke xxiv. 1): and we are not to +conclude that they merely set out for the tomb at this early hour, for +they seem to have arrived at the tomb before the sun was risen: see Luke +xxiv. 22: {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}. + +Again, the natural inference from Luke xxiv. 9-12, 22-24 is that the women +he mentions had returned from the tomb and announced Christ's resurrection +before Peter and John went to the tomb. We are disposed to hold with +Patrizzi (Lib. iii., Diss. liii. 4) that St. Luke xxiv. 10 is a summary +account of _all_ the announcements made by the various women to the +different followers of Christ that morning; and hence all the women there +referred to need not be supposed to have gone to the disciples before +Peter and John went to the tomb. But we think that Luke xxiv. 22-24, +compared with Luke xxiv. 12, proves that others besides Magdalen had come +to the disciples from the tomb before Peter and John went thither. "Yea, +and certain women also of our company affrighted us, who before it was +light ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) were at the sepulchre. And not finding his body, came, +saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who say that he is +alive. And some of our people went to the sepulchre: and found it so as +the women had said, but him they found not" (Luke xxiv. 22-24). + +Hence we hold that St. Luke's company of women started for the tomb at +early dawn, after Magdalen had set out from Bethany, but as they probably +spent the night in Jerusalem, they _arrived before_ her, saw the two +angels _standing_ (Luke xxiv. 4), and then went to announce Christ's +resurrection to the disciples. Not long after the departure of this +company, Magdalen and her companions arrived at the tomb, and Magdalen +_running_ from the tomb (John xx. 2) arrived at the house where Peter and +John were staying, about the same time as St. Luke's company, or perhaps a +little later. Her announcement that the Lord's body had been removed, +confirming to some extent the announcement of St. Luke's company that He +had risen, Peter and John now ran to the tomb. The events that followed +have been already arranged above. + +1. Una autem sabbati, Maria 1. And on the first day of the +Magdalene venit mane, cum week, Mary Magdalen cometh +adhuc tenebrae essent, ad early, when it was yet dark +monumentum; et vidit lapidem unto the sepulchre: and she +sublatum a monumento. saw the stone taken away from + the sepulchre. + +1. *The first day of the week.* The Vulgate reading "una" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI~}) is a +Hebraism for _prima_; and the week is called by the name of its principal +day, the Sabbath. Comp. Luke xviii. 22. + +*And when it was yet dark.* She started from Bethany while it was yet +dark, but she did not arrive at Calvary till the sun was risen (Mark xvi. +2). + +2. Cucurrit ergo, et venit ad 2. She ran therefore, and +Simonem Petrum, et ad alium cometh to Simon Peter, and to +discipulum quem amabat Iesus, the other disciple whom Jesus +et dicit illis: Tulerunt loved, and saith to them: They +Dominum de monumento, et have taken away the Lord out +nescimus ubi posuerunt eum. of the sepulchre, and we know + not where they have laid him. + +2. It is likely that before running to tell the Apostles that the body was +removed, Magdalen had looked into the sepulchre and convinced herself it +was not there. + +*And cometh to Simon Peter.* Notwithstanding his fall on the preceding +Thursday night, which can hardly have remained till now unknown to +Magdalen, Peter was still regarded as the leader of the disciples. + +*The other disciple whom Jesus loved*, is our Evangelist. He and Peter may +have been staying in different places in the city. Our Blessed Lady was +staying in the same house as St. John (xix. 27). + +*They have taken away the Lord.* It is plain that the angels had not yet +appeared to Magdalen and told her that Jesus was risen. Yet Maldonatus +supposes she had already seen the angels, and learned that Jesus was +risen, as recorded below in verses 11, 12, ff. + +*We know not.* These words show that Magdalen had not come alone to the +tomb. + +3. Exiit ergo Petrus, et ille 3. Peter therefore went out, +alius discipulus, et venerunt and that other disciple, and +ad monumentum. they came to the sepulchre. + +3. *And they came to the sepulchre.* The meaning is that they "went +towards" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) the sepulchre. + +4. Currebant autem duo simul, 4. And they both ran together, +et ille alius discipulus and that other disciple did +praecucurrit citius Petro, et outrun Peter, and came first +venit primus ad monumentum. to the sepulchre. + +4. We have here the vivid touches of one of the two actors in the scene. +The incidents of that eventful morning must have remained for ever fresh +in his memory. St. John being the younger man was able to run more quickly +than Peter. + +5. Et cum se inclinasset, 5. And when he stooped down, +vidit posita linteamina, non he saw the linen cloths lying: +tamen introivit. but yet he went not in. + +5. It would appear from this, as indeed we might expect, that it was +necessary to stoop in order to look into the sepulchre. See also verse 11 +and Luke xxiv. 12. + +Having stooped and looked in, St. John saw (seeth) the linen swathes in +which the body of our Saviour had been bound (xix. 40). + +6. Venit ergo Simon Petrus 6. Then cometh Simon Peter, +sequens eum, et introivit in following him, and went into +monumentum, et vidit the sepulchre, and saw the +linteamina posita. linen cloths lying. + +6. St. John had arrived first at the tomb, but (deterred by some feeling +of fear or awe) he did not enter, as he takes care to record. Then Peter +arrived less fleet but more brave, and, apparently, without pausing to +look in, at once enters the tomb. + +*And saw (seeth).* In the original we have here the verb {~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, denoting +an intent and searching gaze, as distinct from St. John's simple look +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) described in the preceding verse. + +7. Et sudarium quod fuerat 7. And the napkin that had +super caput eius, non cum been about his head, not lying +linteaminibus positum, sed with the linen cloths, but +separatim involutum in unum apart, wrapt up into one +locum. place. + +7. *And the napkin.* St. Peter's more searching examination discovered +what had been unnoticed by St. John. The presence of the linen swathes, +and the napkin folded and laid apart, are doubtless mentioned as proof +that Christ was truly risen. Had His body been simply taken away to some +other tomb, those taking it, whether friends or enemies, would not have +gone to the useless trouble of removing the spice-covered bandages and the +napkin. And, certainly, if it had been hurriedly stolen, such nice care +would not have been taken to fold the napkin and place it apart. So, +substantially, St. Chrysostom on this verse. + +8. Tunc ergo introivit et ille 8. Then that other disciple +discipulus qui venerat primus also went in, who came first +ad monumentum, et vidit, et to the sepulchre: and he saw +credidit: and believed. + +8. St. John now followed Peter into the cave. + +*And he saw and believed.* St. Augustine understands this to mean that +John believed what Magdalen had said (verse 2), namely that the body of +Jesus had been removed. We prefer to understand that he believed what St. +Luke's company of women had told him, namely, that Jesus was risen from +the dead; for when our Evangelist speaks of belief _absolutely_, as here, +he usually means faith. + +9. Nondum enim sciebant 9. For as yet they knew not +scripturam, quia oportebat eum the scripture, that he must +a mortuis resurgere. rise again from the dead. + +9. *For as yet.* We take the meaning to be, that as yet _until now_ they +knew not the Scripture, that it was necessary Jesus should rise from the +dead. Even now St. Peter "went away, wondering in himself at that which +was come to pass" (Luke xxiv. 12). + +10. Abierunt ergo iterum 10. The disciples therefore +discipuli ad semetipsos. departed again to their home. + +10. *The disciples therefore*--thinking that they could learn nothing more +there--*departed again to their home*. + +11. Maria autem stabat ad 11. But Mary stood at the +monumentum foris, plorans. Dum sepulchre without, weeping. +ergo fleret, inclinavit se, et Now as she was weeping, she +prospexit in monumentum: stooped down, and looked into + the sepulchre. + +11. *But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping.* Maldonatus holds +that what is here recorded took place when Magdalen came to the tomb +(verse 1), but that St. John hastening to tell of the coming of St. Peter +and himself to the tomb, inverts the order of events in his narrative. But +this is unnatural. We take it that Magdalen had followed Peter and John +back to the tomb, and now remained behind them. "A stronger affection," +says St. Augustine, "riveted to the spot one of a weaker nature." + +12. Et vidit duos angelos in 12. And she saw two angels in +albis, sedentes, unum ad white, sitting, one at the +caput, et unum ad pedes, ubi head, and one at the feet, +positum fuerat corpus Iesu. where the body of Jesus had + been laid. + +12. *And she saw two angels.* The vision of angels now accorded to +Magdalen is not mentioned by any other Evangelist. + +13. Dicunt ei illi: Mulier, 13. They say to her: Woman, +quid ploras? Dicit eis: Quia why weepest thou? She saith to +tulerunt Dominum meum: et them: Because they have taken +nescio ubi posuerunt eum. away my Lord: and I know not + where they have laid him. + +13. Magdalen's words here are the same as in verse 2, except that "my +Lord" is substituted for "The Lord," and "I know not" for "we know not." +Both her statement and her loss are now more personal. + +14. Haec cum dixisset, 14. When she had thus said, +conversa est retrorsum, et she turned herself back, and +vidit Iesum stantem: et non saw Jesus standing; and she +sciebat quia Iesus est. knew not that it was Jesus. + +14. *She turned herself back.* Magdalen, conscious, perhaps, of another +presence, or moved by the ecstatic gaze of the angels on Jesus, now turned +round and saw Him, but did not recognise Him. Probably, as happened to the +two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke xxiv. 16), her eyes were held +that she should not know Him. + +15. Dicit ei Iesus: Mulier, 15. Jesus saith to her: Woman, +quid ploras? quem quaeris? why weepest thou? Whom seekest +Illa existimans quia thou? She thinking that it was +hortulanus esset, dicit ei: the gardener, saith to him: +Domine, si tu sustulisti eum, Sir, if thou hast taken him +dicito mihi ubi posuisti eum: hence, tell me where thou hast +et ego eum tollam. laid him: and I will take him + away. + +15. *The gardener*; that is, the man who had charge of Joseph's garden, in +which our Lord was buried. The man's presence in the garden at that hour +of the morning--about 7 o'clock--naturally suggested the thought. Without +answering his question, Magdalen replies: *Sir, if thou hast taken him +hence.*... As if she imagined everyone to be filled like herself with only +one thought, she does not say who it is she is seeking. + +*And I will take him away.* To her love everything seemed possible, nor +does she pause to think whether she could carry the body, nor whither she +would bear it. + +16. Dicit ei Iesus: Maria. 16. Jesus saith to her: Mary. +Conversa illa, dicit ei: She turning, saith to him: +Rabboni (quod dicitur Rabboni (which is to say, +magister). Master). + +16. Our Lord now calls her by her name, and she at once recognises Him. + +*She, turning, saith to him* (very many authorities add "in Hebrew") +*Rabboni*. The word strictly means "my Master," but the pronominal suffix, +just as in Rabbi, gradually became almost a part of the title. The Hebrew +spoken by Magdalen was of course Syrochaldaic The corresponding word in +pure Hebrew would be Rabban ({~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~}). + +17. Dicit ei Iesus: Noli me 17. Jesus saith to her: Do not +tangere, nondum enim ascendi touch me, for I am not yet +ad Patrem meum, vade autem ad ascended to my Father: but go +fratres meos, et dic eis: to my brethren, and say to +Ascendo ad Patrem meum, et them: I ascend to my Father +Patrem vestrum, Deum meum, et and to your Father, to my God +Deum vestrum. and your God. + +17. Probably Magdalen had prostrated herself at His feet, and was clinging +to them, as did other women that morning (Matt. xxviii. 9). Christ's words +are variously explained. The following view seems to be the most natural: +Do not seek to cling to Me, to remain with Me now ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} is often used +not in the sense of touching, but of clinging to, hanging on by. See Lidd. +and Scott); you shall have other opportunities of satisfying your love, +since I am to remain with you for forty days, and am not at once ascending +to My Father. + +*But go to My brethren and say to them.* For her consolation she is made +the harbinger of Christ's further exaltation. + +*To My Father and to your Father.* "Non ait Patrem nostrum, sed _Patrem +meum et Patrem vestrum_. Aliter ergo meum, aliter vestrum: natura meum, +gratia vestrum. Neque dixit Deum nostrum, sed _Deum meum_, sub quo ego +homo; et Deum vestrum, inter quos et ipsum mediator sum" (St. Aug. on St. +John Tr. 121.) + +18. Venit Maria Magdalene 18. Mary Magdalen cometh and +annuntians discipulis: Quia telleth the disciples: I have +vidi Dominum, et haec dixit seen the Lord, and these +mihi. things he said to me. + +18. Magdalen went and announced to the disciples that she had seen the +Lord; but, as St. Mark, xvi. 11, tells us, they did not believe her. + +19. Cum ergo sero esset die 19. Now when it was late that +illo, uno sabbatorum, et fores same day, the first of the +essen clausae, ubi erant week, and the doors were shut, +discipuli congregati propter where the disciples were +metum Iudaeorum: venit Iesus, gathered together for fear of +et stetit in medio, et dixit the Jews, Jesus came and stood +eis: Pax vobis. in the midst, and said to + them: Peace be to you. + +19. *Now when it was late that same day.* Jesus now appears to the ten +Apostles on Easter Sunday evening. Before this, and after the appearance +to Magdalen, He had appeared to the women returning from the tomb (Matthew +xxviii. 9); then to Peter (Luke xxiv. 34); then, towards evening, to the +two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke xxiv. 13, 31); so that the +apparition to the apostles on Easter Sunday evening was the _fifth_ +apparition of Jesus on that day, mentioned in the Gospels. He passed +through the closed doors in virtue of the property of subtility which His +glorified body possessed, and saluted the Apostles "and those who were +with them" (Luke xxiv. 33-36) with the usual Jewish salutation. + +From a comparison of St. Luke (xxiv. 33-36), we know that the disciples +who had returned from Emmaus were present when our Lord appeared on the +occasion here mentioned by St. John. Now, Emmaus was sixty stadia (about +seven English miles) from Jerusalem (Luke xxiv. 13), and the two disciples +did not reach Emmaus till it was "towards evening," and the day was "far +spent" (Luke xxiv. 29). Hence though they tarried only a short time in +Emmaus (Luke xxiv. 33), they can hardly have returned much before dark. +Indeed it may have been after dark, and in that case the words "when it +was late that same day" would prove that our Evangelist speaks here, not +according to the Jewish method of counting the day from evening to +evening, but according to the Greek method of counting, as we do, from +midnight to midnight. + +20. Et cum hoc dixisset, 20. And when he had said this, +ostendit eis manus et latus. he shewed them his hands, and +Gavisi sunt ergo discipuli, his side. The disciples +viso Domino. therefore were glad, when they + saw the Lord. + +20. Then to convince them that it was not a spirit they saw (see Luke +xxiv. 37), He showed them (the wounds in) His hands, and feet (Luke xxiv. +39), and side, and said to them, as St. Luke tells us: "Handle and see, +for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to have" (Luke xxiv. +39). From these words it is plain that Christ's glorified body, though it +had passed through the closed doors, was yet capable of being touched and +handled.(135) When He had partaken of food in presence of the disciples +(Luke xxiv. 42, 43), and dispelled all their doubts as to the reality of +His body, then, as St. John tells us here, they were glad. + +21. Dixit ergo eis iterum: Pax 21. He said therefore to them +vobis. Sicut misit me Pater, again: Peace be to you. As the +et ego mitto vos. Father hath sent me, I also + send you. + +21. When fear had been dispelled and doubt overcome, He saluted them again +with the usual salutation, and proceeded to confer upon them the power of +forgiving sins. *As the Father hath sent me*, with Divine authority for +the salvation of mankind, so with the same authority and for the same +purpose, I, who have equal authority with the Father, send you. + +22. Haec cum dixisset, 22. When he had said this, he +insufflavit: et dixit eis: breathed on them; and he said +Accipite Spiritum sanctum: to them: Receive ye the Holy + Ghost: + +22. *He breathed on them.* He breathed upon the Apostles (probably with +one breath upon all) to signify what His words expressed, that He was +giving them the Holy Ghost. Already, indeed, the Holy Ghost was in their +souls, but He was now given to them more fully in His grace, and in the +new power which they received of forgiving sins. This power of forgiving +sins is common to the three Divine Persons, but is here attributed to the +Holy Ghost, like all other things pertaining to our sanctification. Though +the Apostles already had the Holy Ghost in their souls and though He was +given to them more fully now, yet He was still to be given in a _visible_ +and fuller manner on the day of Pentecost. It is important to note that +the power of forgiving sins here evidently attributed to the Holy Ghost +proves Him to be God, for only God, who is offended by sin, can give +authority and power to forgive it. + +23. Quorum remiseritis 23. Whose sins you shall +peccata, remittuntur eis: et forgive, they are forgiven +quorum retinueritis, retenta them: and whose _sins_ you +sunt. shall retain, they are + retained. + +23. The Council of Trent has defined that there is question here of the +remission of sins in the Sacrament of Penance.(136) As the Council points +out, the Church always understood the words in this sense, and the natural +meaning of the words signifies that the sins are to be remitted or +retained by a _judicial sentence_ of the persons here addressed. For the +words are: _If you remit_ the sins of some (Greek, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), that is if +you _decide_ to remit the sins of some, and to retain the sins of others, +&c. + +Since there is question of a judicial sentence, and since judgment can be +passed only upon subjects, it follows that there can be question here only +of sins committed _after_ Baptism. + +Upon the words of this text note--(1) That the persons to whom this +wondrous power is given are to _forgive_ (remiseritis) sins, not merely to +_declare_ them forgiven by God. + +(2) That there is no restriction as to the sins that may be forgiven; so +that there is no such thing as an irremissible sin, if only the minister +can decide that the penitent is worthy to receive the Sacrament, and the +penitent have the proper dispositions. (3) That instead of the present +tense (remittuntur eis) which stands in the first member(137), we have the +perfect (retenta sunt) in the second member, implying that the sins +_remain_ as they were. (4) That in the second member the words are not: +Whose sins you shall not forgive, but whose sins you shall _retain_; +implying, in the minister, a _positive_ judgment adverse to the penitent. +For other questions arising out of this text, consult works on Dogmatic +Theology. + +It appears from St. Luke, xxiv. 33, that there were other persons than the +Apostles present, when these words were spoken and this power to forgive +sins conferred. It may be that Christ made it clear that this power was +given only to the Apostles and their successors, the bishops and priests +of the Catholic Church; but, at all events, the tradition of the Catholic +Church, with which the Holy Ghost remains to teach her all truth (John +xvi. 13), has decided that the power was given only to these. + +Whether the power of forgiving sins was on this occasion given to Thomas, +who was absent, is disputed. Some, as Mald., hold that it was, and appeal +to the case mentioned in Numb. xi. 26, when the spirit of prophecy was +given to Eldad and Medad, though they were absent. Others, as Toletus, and +A Lap., hold that it was not, as Thomas was now incredulous, but that it +was given on the following Sunday, when Jesus appeared to Thomas and +converted him. + +24. Thomas autem unus ex 24. Now Thomas, one of the +duodecim, qui dicitur Didymus, twelve, who is called Didymus, +non erat cum eis quando venit was not with them when Jesus +Iesus. came. + +24. *Thomas.* See above on xi. 16. *One of the twelve* "He says one of the +twelve, although the Apostolic College was _now_ reduced to _eleven_, +because 'twelve' was the original number, just as in the case of the +'Decemvirs,' they would be thus termed, although only _nine_ out of the +_ten_ were present on a particular occasion" (M'Ev.). + +25. Dixerunt ergo ei alii 25. The other disciples +discipuli: Vidimus Dominum. therefore said to him: We have +Ille autem dixit eis: Nisi seen the Lord. But he said to +videro in manibus eius fixuram them: Except I shall see in +clavorum, et mittam digitum his hands the print of the +meum in locum clavorum, et nails, and put my finger into +mittam manum meum in latus the place of the nails, and +eius, non credam. put my my hand into his side, + I will not believe. + +25. The reply of Thomas shows how he had dwelt on each terrible detail of +the Passion. The other Apostles may have told him how Christ had pointed +to His hands and feet, and invited them to "handle and see" that it was He +Himself. (Luke xxiv. 29, 30). If so, the language of Thomas would +naturally be shaped in accordance with what they told him. + +26. Et post dies octo, iterum 26. And after eight days, +erant discipuli eius intus: et again his disciples were +Thomas cum eis. Venit Iesus, within, and Thomas with them. +ianuis clausis, et stetit in Jesus cometh, the doors being +medio, et dixit: Pax vobis. shut, and stood in the midst, + and said: Peace be to you. + +26. *And after eight days*, that is to say, on Low Sunday, Christ again +appeared to the Apostles, Thomas being present; and this was His _sixth_ +appearance. Thomas, though still without faith, had remained in the +company of the Apostles. + +27. Deinde dicit Thomae: Infer 27. Then he said to Thomas: +digitum tuum huc, et vide put in thy finger hither, and +manus meas, et affer manum see my hands, and bring hither +tuam, et mitte in latus meum: thy hand and put it into my +et noli esse incredulus, sed side; and be not faithless, +fidelis. but believing. + +27. We may here admire our Lord's tender and touching mercy in +condescending to such pains to dispel the unbelief of Thomas. The language +used is such as to prove to the Apostle that Jesus knew the very words in +which he had questioned the resurrection. + +28. Respondit Thomas, et dixit 28. Thomas answered, and said +ei: Dominus meus et Deus meus. to him: My Lord, and my God. + +28. *My Lord, and my God* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}). As often in the +New Testament (Mark ix. 25; Luke viii. 54; John viii. 10), the nominative +is here used for the vocative (see Beel., _Gr. Gram._, § 29, Adnot. 1). +For the Evangelist expressly states that Thomas addressed Christ. It is +absurd then to contend, as the Socinians and Paul of Heidelberg did, that +these words are simply an exclamation, meaning: O Jehovah! For, besides +the fact that Christ is addressed, the Jews were not in the habit of using +any such exclamation. The second council of Constant., cap. 12, condemned +those who, following the teaching of Theodore of Mopsuestia, said: "Haec +verba a Thoma non dicta fuisse de Christo, sed miraculo resurrectionis +perculsum, Thomam laudasse Deum qui Christum resuscitasset." + +Thomas's words, then, are a confession of faith, as our Lord's words in +the next verse prove, and of faith in Christ's humanity and Divinity. + +In confessing Jesus to be his Lord, Thomas acknowledges Him to be "the +master" who had been crucified; while, in the remaining words, he clearly +confesses Christ's Divinity. And so our Evangelist, ever mindful of his +object in writing this Gospel, records this splendid testimony to the +humanity and Divinity of Jesus Christ, and our Lord's approval thereof. + +29. Dixit ei Iesus: Quia 29. Jesus saith to him: +vidisti me Thoma, credidisti: Because thou hast seen me, +beati qui non viderunt et Thomas, thou hast believed: +crediderunt. blessed are they that have not + seen, and have believed. + +29. *Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas thou hast believed.* "Aliud vidit, +et aliud credidit. Vidit hominem et cicatrices, et ex hoc credidit +divinitatem resurgentis" (St. Thomas Aquin). + +*Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.* Rather: "Blessed +are they that _saw not_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), and believed." + +The aorist seems to point to something that had already taken place during +the preceding week. Some had believed who had merely heard from the +Apostles or the pious women that Jesus was risen, and their faith was more +prompt and praiseworthy than that of Thomas. + +30. Multa quidem et alia signa 30. Many other signs also did +fecit Iesus in conspectu Jesus in the sight of his +discipulorum suorum, quae non disciples, which are not +sunt scripta in libro hoc. written in this book. + +30. *Many other signs.* We understand not of the various other miracles of +Christ's mortal and risen life, but of the other _proofs_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, +literally signs) of His resurrection and Divinity, which he afforded +during His risen life. For, the miracles of His mortal life were wrought +in the sight of all the people; but the _proofs_ of His resurrection were +given only "in the sight of His disciples." So Mald., Tol., Corn., &c. + +31. Haec autem scripta sunt ut 31. But these are written that +credatis quia Iesus est you may believe that Jesus is +Christus Filius Dei: et ut the Christ the Son of God; and +credentes, vitam habeatis in that believing you may have +nomine eius. life in his name. + +31. But what is here written _in evidence of His resurrection_ is written +in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messias ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}), the +Son of God; and that believing you may have life, the life of grace here, +and of glory hereafter, through His name; that is, through faith in Him. + + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + + 1-14. *Appearance of Jesus to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee; + the miraculous draught of fish, after which St. John first + recognises Jesus, and St. Peter leaps from the boat into the water + to come to Him. The breakfast miraculously prepared for the + disciples by Jesus.* + + 15-17. *Peter's triple confession of his love for his master; he + is constituted by Jesus visible head of the whole Church.* + + 18-19. *Jesus predicts the manner of Peter's death, as St. John + explains.* + + 20-23. *He reproves Peter's curiosity regarding the end in store + for St. John.* + + 24-25. *The conclusion.* + + +The authenticity of this last chapter of our Gospel has been questioned +(see Introd. v.), and it has been contended that the chapter was not +written by St. John, but by some disciple or disciples of his after his +death. Even among those who admit its authenticity, some have held that it +was not written at the same time as the rest of the Gospel, but at a later +period, and added on as an appendix.(138) Both those who deny the +authenticity of the chapter, and those who hold it to be an authentic +_appendix, written at a later date_, argue from the last two verses of +chapter xx., which, they say, prove that St. John intended to conclude at +that point. In addition to this, those who deny the authenticity, contend +that the style of this chapter is so different from that of the rest of +the Gospel as to compel the belief that both cannot possibly be the work +of the same hand. + +We may begin by remarking that no Catholic is free to doubt the +_inspiration_ of the chapter, so that whoever wrote it must have been +inspired. This follows from the decree of Trent, which defined the _entire +books_ of the Vulgate with all their _parts_ (and this is certainly a +part, not merely a "particula" of this Gospel) to be canonical Scripture. +See above on iv. 3, 4. + +Hence, the only questions remaining are: (_a_) whether St. John or _some +other inspired writer_ wrote the chapter; and (_b_) in case St. John wrote +it, whether he wrote it at the same time as the rest of the Gospel, or +later, and as an appendix. + +With Catholic commentators generally, we hold that the chapter was written +by St. John and at the same time as the rest of the Gospel. For, since it +is read in all the MSS., and quoted by all the fathers, the natural +inference is that it stood in the Gospel from the beginning. Against this +unanimous testimony of tradition, the arguments for any other view have no +weight. For, as to the argument drawn from the last two verses of chapter +xx., we have already, with Mald., Tol., and Cornely, given the most +probable explanation of those verses, from which it appears that they were +not intended as a conclusion of the whole Gospel, but only of that portion +of it which deals with the proofs of His Divinity afforded by Christ to +the Apostles during His risen life.(139) + +As to the argument from the difference of style, we confidently deny that +any such difference exists. Kuinoel, no mean judge on such a point, and +certainly not a prejudiced witness, says: "Omnino probari nequit, +scribendi genus, in hoc capite, si clausulam(140) ejus exceperis, diversum +esse a scribendi genere, quod in reliquo Evangelio deprehenditur." + +1. Postea manifestavit se 1. After this Jesus shewed +iterum Iesus discipulis ad himself again to the disciples +mare Tiberiadis. Manifestavit at the sea of Tiberias. And he +autem sic: shewed _himself_ after this + manner. + +1. *After this.* How many days after Low Sunday (xx. 26) the events now to +be recorded occurred, we cannot determine. In the meantime, at all events, +the disciples had left Jerusalem and gone to Galilee (Mat. xxviii. 16), in +obedience to the express desire of their Divine Master (Mat. xxviii. 7; +Mark xvi. 7). + +*The sea of Tiberias.* See above on vi. i. + +2. Erant simul Simon Petrus, 2. There were together Simon +et Thomas, qui dicitur Peter, and Thomas who is +Didymus, et Nathanael, qui called Didymus, and Nathanael +erat a Cana Galilaeae, et who was of Cana in Galilee, +filii Zebedaei, et alii ex and the sons of Zebedee, and +discipulis eius duo. two others of his disciples. + +2. *Nathanael* is most probably the same with Bartholomew, the Apostle. +See above on i. 45. + +*And two others of his disciples.* Who they were we cannot tell. Had "the +sons of Zebedee" not been already named, it would be quite in the style of +our Evangelist to refer to his brother James and himself in this way. + +3. Dicit eis Simon Petrus: 3. Simon Peter saith to them: +Vado piscari, Dicunt ei: I go a fishing. They say to +Venimus et nos tecum. Et him: We also come with thee. +exierunt, et ascenderunt in And they went forth and +navim: et illa nocte nihil entered into the ship, and +prendiderunt. that night they caught + nothing. + +3. As they had not yet begun to preach the Gospel, and thus to have a +right to support from the faithful, they had to provide themselves with +the necessaries of life, and so they "go a fishing." + +*And they went forth* from the house where they were, *and entered into +the ship* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), which was there, lent or hired for their use; *and +that night they caught nothing*, God having so arranged, no doubt, in +order to make the miracle of the following morning more remarkable. + +4. Mane autem facto stetit 4. But when the morning was +Iesus in littore: non tamen come, Jesus stood on the +cognoverunt discipuli quia shore: yet the disciples knew +Iesus est. not that it was Jesus. + +4. *But when the morning was come.* The better supported Greek reading +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} not {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) gives the meaning: "When the morning was +breaking." But even if this be the correct reading, and the morning was +only breaking, still this fact by itself may not be the whole reason why +the disciples failed to recognise Jesus. Even when they had come close to +him (verse 12), they knew it was He, rather because of what had happened +than from the testimony of their eyes. Comp. Luke xxiv. 16. + +5. Dixit ergo eis Iesus: Pueri 5. Jesus therefore said to +numquid pulmentarium habetis? them: Children, have you any +Responderunt ei: Non. meat? They answered him: No. + +5. Jesus called to them from the shore: "Have you any meat?" The Revised +Version renders: "Have you aught to eat?" The Hellenistic Greek word +({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), which is here used, meant primarily something that was eaten +as relish with other food, but it came to mean food generally, and so the +meaning here probably is: "have you anything to eat?" See Lidd. and Scott, +_sub voce_. + +6. Dicit eis: mittite in 6. He saith to them: Cast the +dexteram navigii rete: et net on the right side of the +invenietis. Miserunt ergo: et ship; and you shall find. They +iam non valebant illud trahere cast therefore: and now they +prae multitudine piscium. were not able to draw it for + the multitude of fishes. + +6. *On the right side of the ship.* Jesus directed them to the particular +spot (which John, who was present, is careful to record), in order that +they might not look upon the draught as a mere accident. Why they so +readily obeyed one unknown to them, we cannot say with certainty. Perhaps +the minds of some of them reverted to another occasion, in many respects +similar to this (Luke v. 4-10), when, after a night of fruitless toil, +their Master, then with them in His mortal flesh, blessed their labours +with a miraculous draught of fish in the morning. And though they did not +now _know_ it was He that spoke to them, yet we cannot help thinking, +especially when we remember how they were now come to Galilee in +expectation of His appearance to them, that some of them must have +_suspected_ that perhaps it was He who now called to them from the shore. + +*To draw it*, _i.e._, into the boat. In verse 11 we are told that they +"drew" it to land. It will be noticed that a different word is used in +verse 8 of dragging the net after the boat. + +7. Dixit ergo discipulus ille 7. That disciple therefore +quem diligebat Iesus, Petro: whom Jesus loved, said to +Dominus est. Simon Petrus cum Peter: It is the Lord. Simon +audisset quia Dominus est, Peter, when he heard that it +tunica succinxit se (erat enim was the Lord, girt his coat +nudus) et misit se in mare. about him (for he was naked) + and cast himself into the sea. + +7. The beloved disciple infers from the miraculous draught that it is the +Lord who stands upon the shore. *Simon Peter* (add "therefore," {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) *when +he heard that it was the Lord, girt his coat about him (for he was +naked)*. The virgin disciple was the first to recognise his master, but +Peter as usual was the leader in action. The "coat" was some garment +usually _worn over another_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}), perhaps an outer and looser +tunic, which Peter had laid aside while fishing. As he was about to swim +to his Master, and foresaw that his garments should necessarily be wet, he +probably thought it decorous to have some other garment on him besides the +tight-fitting inner tunic. We suppose therefore that he was already +clothed in the inner tunic. He girded himself in order that the garment +might not impede him when swimming. The Greek word, which, in our Version, +is rendered "naked," is used not only of those who are entirely naked, but +also of those who are sparingly clad. See Matt. xxv. 36; Acts xix. 16; 1 +Kings xix. 24. + +8. Alii autem discipuli 8. But the other disciples +navigio venerunt (non enim came in the ship (for they +longe erant a terra, sed quasi were not far from the land, +cubitis ducentis), trahentes but as it were two hundred +rete piscium. cubits) dragging the net with + fishes. + +8. *In the ship.* Rather: "in the boat" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}). It may be that the +reference is to a small boat that was attached to the larger vessel ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}) mentioned in verse 3. As the cubit was eighteen inches, the +distance of the boat from the shore was 100 yards. + +9. Ut ergo descenderunt in 9. As soon then as they came +terram, viderunt prunas to land, they saw hot coals +positas, et piscem lying, and a fish laid +superpositum, et panem. thereon, and bread. + +9. *They saw hot coals lying.* In the circumstances, the natural view is +that the fire, as well as the fish and bread, was provided miraculously. +Doubtless one of Christ's objects in preparing this repast was to prove to +His disciples that He could and would provide for the temporal as well as +the spiritual necessities of His followers. + +10. Dicit eis Iesus: Afferte 10. Jesus saith to them: Bring +de piscibus, quos prendidistis hither of the fishes which you +nunc. have now caught. + +10. There are various views as to why He said this. Some say because He +wished them to cook some of the fish, as what was on the fire was not +enough for all. But, especially on account of the next verse, we believe +Christ's object was to give the disciples an occasion of seeing at once +the size and number of the fishes, that so they might be the more +impressed with the greatness of the miracle. + +11. Ascendit Simon Petrus, et 11. Simon Peter went up, and +traxit rete in terrain, plenum drew the net to land, full of +magnis piscibus centum great fishes, one hundred +quinquaginta tribus. Et cum fifty-three. And although +tanti essent, non est scissum there were so many, the net +rete. was not broken. + +11. *Simon Peter went up.* Peter went _aboard_, and drew the net to land. +The fact that the net was not broken is evidently mentioned as something +extraordinary. If this great draught was intended, as doubtless it was +(see Matthew iv. 19; Luke v. 10: "From henceforth thou shalt catch men"), +to symbolize the success which was to attend the labours of the Apostles +in drawing men into the Church, we may note how fitting it was that Peter +led the way in going to fish (verse 3), and landed the net, and brought +the fish to his Master on this occasion. For it was he who first preached +to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, converting about three thousand (Acts +ii. 14-41), and he, too, who opened the Church to the Gentiles (Acts x. +1-48). + +12. Dicit eis Iesus: Venite, 12. Jesus saith to them: Come, +prendete. Et nemo audebat and dine. And none of them who +discumbentium interrogare eum: were at meat, durst ask him: +Tu quis es? scientes quia Who art thou? knowing that it +Dominus est. was the Lord. + +12. *Come, and dine* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}). The _primary_ meaning of the Greek word +used, has reference to breakfast, and since it was early morning (verse +4), that is the meaning here. + +*And none of them that were at meat durst ask him.* The best supported +Greek reading has: "And none _of the disciples_ durst ask him." The words +that follow in this verse seem to imply that Christ's appearance on this +occasion was not that which was familiar to the disciples; yet that +because of the miracles they were convinced that it was He. Some, as +Kuinoel, think that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} (durst) is redundant. + +13. Et venit Iesus, et accipit 13. And Jesus cometh and +panem, et dat eis, et piscem taketh bread, and giveth them, +similiter. and fish in like manner. + +13. Their risen Master is not merely their host, but He condescends also +to be their servant. Whether He Himself ate with them, as on another +occasion (Luke xxiv. 43), we are not told. + +*And taketh bread* ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). The article points back to the bread +mentioned in verse 9, which Christ Himself had provided. So, too, in the +case of the fish ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). + +14. Hoc iam tertio 14. This is now the third time +manifestatus est Iesus that Jesus was manifested to +discipulis suis, cum his disciples, after he was +resurrexisset a mortuis. risen from the dead. + +14. *This is now the third time*, &c. It was not His third appearance +absolutely, for our Evangelist himself has already recorded three before +this: that to Magdalen (xx. 14-18), that to the ten Apostles on Easter +Sunday (xx. 19-23), and that to the eleven on Low Sunday (xx. 26). The +meaning, then, appears to be, that this was the third appearance to any +_considerable number_ of the disciples. + +Some, as Patrizzi, suppose this appearance at the sea of Galilee to have +been absolutely the seventh, after the resurrection, mentioned in the +Gospels. Others make it the eighth, and suppose the one upon the mountain +of Galilee (Matt. xxviii. 16) to have been the seventh. We rather incline +to the view that it was the seventh; and, perhaps, at this seventh +appearance Jesus named to the Apostles the mountain on which His eighth +appearance would take place (Matt. xxviii. 16). For the other appearances +of the Lord during the forty days of His risen life, see Mark xvi. 14-20; +Acts i. 4-9; 1 Cor. xv. 5-7. + +15. Cum ergo prandissent, 15. When therefore they had +dicit Simoni Petro Iesus: dined, Jesus saith to Simon +Simon Ioannis, diligis me plus Peter: Simon _son_ of John, +his? Dicit ei: Etiam Domine, lovest thou me more than +tu scis quia amote. Dicit ei: these? He saith to him: Yea, +Pasce agnos meos. Lord, thou knowest that I love + thee. He saith to him: Feed my + lambs. + +15. *When, therefore.* When they had breakfasted, and were, therefore, +free from distractions, so that they could attend to what was said, Jesus +addressed Peter. + +*Simon, son of John* (see above on i. 42). It was certainly not without a +reason that Jesus here addressed Peter by his former name of Simon. Though +the Apostle's name had been already changed into Peter (Mark iii. 10), +still he had not yet begun to be what that new name indicated, the _rock_ +or foundation of the Church, its Pope and supreme head on earth. Our Lord +was now about to confer that dignity upon him, and the mention of his +former name, now that he was accustomed to the name of Peter, was +calculated to remind him of the change of name, and still more of the +_promised_ authority and pre-eminence (Matt. xvi. 17, 19), which that +change implied. + +*More than these.* It is supremely ridiculous to suppose, as some +Protestants have done, that Christ merely meant to ask, if Peter loved Him +more than he loved _these fish_. Surely that would be but a poor proof of +his love for his Master! It is equally improbable, though not quite so +absurd, to suppose that Christ meant: Lovest thou Me more than thou lovest +these companions of thine? For Peter knew and believed Jesus to be God +(Matt. xvi. 16), had declared before now his readiness to die with Him +(Luke xxii. 33), and on this very morning had proved the intensity of his +love for his Master by leaping from the boat and quitting the Apostles to +come to Him. Surely, then, it is wholly improbable that Christ merely +meant to ask if Peter loved Him more than he loved his fellow-Apostles. + +The meaning, then, plainly is: lovest thou Me more than these love Me? +Peter replies, humbly avoiding any comparison between his own love and +that of his companions, and appealing to Jesus, whom he knew to be the +Searcher of Hearts, in confirmation of the love that he avows: *Yea, Lord, +thou knowest that I love thee*. It is worthy of note that the word which +Peter uses to express his love, is not that which Christ had just used in +His question. Christ had asked: Lovest thou ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) Me? Peter replies: +Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}) Thee. Many commentators think +the distinction is not to be pressed, but we cannot believe that Peter +changed the word without a reason, especially as he does so again in his +second reply (verse 16), and Christ, in His third question, adopts the +word that Peter insists upon using. Whatever the distinction be, it is +lost in our English version; but the reader will see that an effort is +made to preserve it in the Vulgate, which in each case renders {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}, by +"diligo," and {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} by "amo." We think that Trench properly appreciates +the difference between the two words. "On occasion," he says, "of that +threefold Lovest thou Me," which the risen Lord addresses to Peter, He +asks him first, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}. At that moment, when all the pulses in the heart +of the now penitent Apostle are beating with an earnest affection towards +his Lord, this word on that Lord's lips sounds too cold; not sufficiently +expressing the warmth of his personal affection toward Him. Besides the +question itself, which grieves and hurts Peter (verse 17), there is an +additional pang in the form which the question takes, sounding as though +it were intended to put him at a comparative distance from his Lord, and +to keep him there; or at least as not permitting him to approach so near +to Him as he fain would. He, therefore, in his answer substitutes for it +the word of a more _personal_ love, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} (verse 15). When Christ +repeats the question in the same words as at the first, Peter in his reply +again substitutes his {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~} for the {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} of his Lord (verse 16). And now +at length he has conquered; for when for the third time his Master puts +the question to him, He does it with the word which Peter feels will alone +express all that is in his heart, and instead of the twice-repeated +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, His word is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, now (verse 17). (Trench, _Syn. of the New +Testament_, pp. 48, 49).(141) + +16. Dicit ei iterum: Simon 16. He saith to him again: +Ioannis, diligis me? Ait illi: Simon _son_ of John, lovest +Etiam, Domine, tu scis quia thou me? He saith to him: Yea +amo te. Dicit ei: Pasce agnos Lord, thou knowest that I love +meos. thee. He saith to him: Feed my + lambs. + +16. In the second question our Lord drops the comparison between Peter's +love and that of the other Apostles, and, according to the Greek text, +uses different words in giving Peter his commission. Before, it was: +_Feed_ My _lambs_ ({~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}): now it is: _Tend_ (or rule) My +_sheep_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}). Among Uncial MSS., B and C read {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} +(little sheep) here. But A, D, X, and nearly all others read {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}; and +while the Vulg. (agnos) favours the former, the Vetus Itala (oves) +supports the latter. It is difficult, then, to decide between the two +readings. + +Whether Christ intended to signify one portion of His Church by the lambs, +the remaining portion by the sheep, or merely used two different terms to +indicate, in each case, _the whole flock_, matters little as to the sense +of the passage; for in either case the whole flock of Christ is committed +to Peter's care. + +17. Dicit ei tertio: Simon 17. He said to him the third +Ioannis, amas me? Contristatus time: Simon son of John, +est Petrus, quia dixit ei lovest thou me? Peter was +tertio, Amas me? et dixit ei: grieved, because he had said +Domine, tu omnia nosti: tu to him the third time, Lovest +scis quia amo te. Dixit ei: thou me? And he said to him: +Pasce oves meas. Lord, thou knowest all things: + thou knowest that I love thee. + He said to him: Feed my sheep. + +17. Again, a third time, Jesus puts the question, but now changing His +word to the stronger word of Peter's choice. This threefold repetition of +the question, provoking the threefold confession of Peter's love, was +probably intended, not only to make amends for Peter's threefold denial, +but also to indicate the solemn importance of the trust that was now +committed to him. Peter was grieved at the repetition of the question, +because it seemed as if his Lord suspected the sincerity of his love, or, +perhaps, he feared that the repeated questioning foreboded another fall. + +*He said to him: Feed my sheep.* Here, too, as in the preceding verse it +is doubtful whether "little sheep" or "sheep" is the true reading. In +favour of the former we have here not only B and C but also A. On the +other hand, the Vulgate in this verse (oves) supports the latter. The +diminutive, as a term of endearment, would not be out of place in this +verse or the preceding. + +The Vatican Council has interpreted this passage, verses 15-17, of the +bestowal of the primacy on Peter--a primacy not merely of honour, but also +of jurisdiction--so that no Catholic is free to interpret the passage in +any sense other than this. "Docemus itaque et declaramus, Juxta Evangelii +testimonia primatum _jurisdictionis_ in _universam_ Dei Ecclesiam +_immediate_ et directe beato Petro Apostolo promissum atque collatum a +Christo Domino fuisse.... Atque uni Simoni Petro contulit Jesus post suam +resurrectionem summi pastoris et rectoris jurisdictionem in totum suum +ovile, dicendo: Pasce agnos meos: Pasce oves meas" (_Decr. Vat._, cap. 1, +_De Apost. Prim. Instit._) And, indeed, the passage cannot reasonably be +interpreted in any other sense. For Peter alone is addressed, and his love +for his master singled out for comparison with that of his companions, to +show that to him individually, and not to them with him, the commission +here given was entrusted. + +What that commission was the Vatican Council tells us in the passage +already quoted, and the words of Christ prove. Peter was appointed to feed +the _whole flock_ of Christ, to rule it as a shepherd rules his sheep. +Now, the shepherd not merely feeds his sheep, but he directs and controls +them, tends them, guards them from harm (see above on x. 1), and in +various other ways promotes their good. "Wherefore the primacy conferred +upon Peter in this metaphor is an _ordinary_(142), _immediate_(143), +_universal_, _supreme_, power to _teach_ men the doctrine of Christ, to +furnish them with the _pastures_ of salvation, through the Sacraments, +evangelical counsels, &c.; to _make laws_ by which the sheep may be +directed to the eternal pastures; to _appoint subordinate pastors_; to +_secure that the laws be observed_; to _punish_ disobedient sheep, and to +_bring back erring sheep_ to the fold. It is, therefore, the fullest power +of _Episcopal jurisdiction_. Wherefore St. Peter himself (1 Peter ii. 25) +calls Christ 'the _shepherd_ and bishop of souls' " (Corl.). + +This wonderful power, then, which as visible head of the Church, and in +behalf of its invisible Head Jesus Christ, Peter was to exercise through +himself and his successors over all the flock of Christ, whether bishops, +priests, or people, was given to him on the shore of the sea of Galilee, +on the present occasion. + +18. Amen, amen dico tibi: cum 18. Amen, amen, I say to thee: +esses iunior, cingebas te, et when thou wast younger, thou +ambulabas ubi volebas: cum didst gird thyself, and didst +autem senueris, extendes manus walk where thou wouldst. But +tuas, et alius te cinget, et when thou shalt be old, thou +ducet quo tu non vis. shalt stretch forth thy hands, + and another shall gird thee, + and lead thee whither thou + wouldst not. + +18. We are told by St. John in the following verse that, in the words +recorded in this, Christ signified by _what kind_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH YPOGEGRAMMENI~}) of death Peter +should glorify God. Why the Lord chose this particular time, immediately +after he had appointed Peter supreme head of the Church, to foretell for +the Apostle a martyr's death by crucifixion, we cannot say with certainty. +Probably it was to console Peter, now grieved by the thrice-repeated +question, and to assure him that, though he had denied his Lord and had +just now been closely questioned as to his love, yet his final +perseverance was secure. + +*When thou wast younger*, opposed here to: "When thou shalt be old," +probably includes Peter's life up to the time to which the prediction +refers. It is as if Christ had said: Whilst thou _art_ young; for as +Kuinoel on this verse says: "Praeterita de re praesente in oraculis +adhibentur." At all events, Peter was still young in the sense of the word +here, for we know from verse 7 that on this very morning he had girded +himself. *Thou didst gird thyself*, &c. The meaning is: Throughout your +life, as on this morning before you swam to Me, you gird yourself when you +will to do what you will, and go where you will; but the day shall come +when your hands shall no longer be free to gird yourself, but you shall +stretch them forth to have them bound to the transverse beam of a +cross,(144) and another shall gird you (with a cloth round your loins), +and shall lead you away to death--to death, from which human nature +_naturally_ recoils. + +19. Hoc autem dixit, 19. And this he said, +significans qua morte signifying by what death he +clarificaturus esset Deum. Et should glorify God. And when +cum hoc dixisset, dicit ei: he had said this, he saith to +Sequere me. him: Follow me. + +19. *And this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God.* +When St. John wrote this, St. Peter's death had thrown light on Christ's +words, if, indeed, our Evangelist did not understand their meaning at the +time they were spoken. That Peter understood it, we may rest assured. +According to tradition, Peter, at his own request, was crucified with his +head downwards, declining, in his humility, to be crucified like his Lord. + +*Follow me.* Most of the fathers take these words to mean, not so much +that Peter was now to walk after Jesus, as that he was to follow Him +through the death of the cross to the glory of the Father. Compare xiii. +36, 37. + +20. Conversus Petrus vidit 20. Peter turning about, saw +illum discipulum, quem that disciple whom Jesus loved +diligebat Iesus, sequentem, following, who also leaned on +qui et recubuit in coena super his breast at supper, and +pectus eius, et dixit: Domine said: Lord, who is he that +quis est qui tradet te? shall betray thee? + +20. *Peter turning about, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following.* +From these words it would appear that Christ had begun to move away and +Peter to follow, as if to symbolize the higher sense in which Peter was +one day to tread in His footsteps. + +*Who also leaned.* Rather, "who also leaned back" ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). The +reference is to the incident recorded in xiii. 25, not to the position +John occupied at table. + +21. Hunc ergo cum vidisset 21. Him therefore when Peter +Petrus, dixit Iesu: Domine hic had seen, he saith to Jesus: +autem quid? Lord, and what _shall_ this + man _do_? + +21. Peter, having learned what his own end was to be, was now anxious to +know the end that awaited our Evangelist, who was so dear to Jesus and to +himself. He therefore asked: "And what shall this man do?" or rather as +the Greek has it; "And this man, what?" that is to say, what end awaits +him? + +22. Dicit ei Iesus: Sic eum 22. Jesus saith to him: So I +volo manere donec veniam, quid will have him to remain till I +ad te? tu me sequere. come, what is it to thee? + follow thou me. + +22. *So I will*, &c. "So" translates the Vulgate "sic," which is a +misprint for _si_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}). Hence the true reading is: If I will have him to +remain till I come, what is it to thee? Follow _thou_ Me. Our Lord here +reproves Peter's curiosity and bids him see to himself, nor wish to know +more than his Master was pleased to communicate. + +*Follow thou me.* "Thou" is emphatic. Peter's question regarding the end +that awaited John; and our Lord's reply, contrasting as it does the two +Apostles ("If I will have _him_" ... Follow _thou_), justifies us in +taking the words "Follow thou me" in reference to Peter's death by +crucifixion. + +23. Exiit ergo sermo iste 23. This saying therefore went +inter fratres quia discipulus abroad among the brethren, +ille non moritur. Et non dixit that that disciple should not +ei Iesus: Non moritur: sed: die. And Jesus did not say to +Sic eum volo manere donec him: He should not die; but, +veniam, quid ad te? So I will have him to remain + till I come, what is it to + thee? + +23. Our Evangelist tells us here what was _not_ the meaning of the Lord's +words; what their meaning was, he does not say. He merely wished to show +that the words afforded no ground for the belief which prevailed among the +faithful, and which his own very advanced age at the time when this Gospel +was written tended to confirm, that he was not to die at all, or at least +not until the day of judgment. Those who deny the authenticity of this +last chapter appeal triumphantly to this verse. It was written, they say, +after St. John died, when it become necessary to explain away the meaning +that had been put upon our Lord's words. But, from what we have said +already, the reader will have seen that there is not the slightest reason +why this verse may not have been written by St. John himself. + +There is a difference of opinion as to what our Lord meant by the words: +"If I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee?" Some have +taken the meaning to be: If I will have him to remain till I come for him +in a _natural_ death, what is it to thee? But this is not probable; Christ +comes for the martyr just as much as for him who dies a natural death. + +Others thus: If I will have him to remain till My coming at the +destruction of Jerusalem, what is it to thee? + +But it is most likely that Christ's coming when spoken of absolutely, as +here, refers to His coming at the day of judgment. Hence the most probable +view seems to be: _If I were_ to will him to remain living even till the +day of judgment, what were that to thee? Thus our Lord makes a purely +hypothetical case, and conveys no information to Peter, thereby reproving +still more his curiosity. + +24. Hic est discipulus ille 24. This is that disciple who +qui testimonium perhibet de giveth testimony of these +his, et scripsit haec: et things, and hath written these +scimus quia verum est things: and we know that his +testimonium eius. testimony is true. +25. Sunt autem et alia multa 25. But there are also many +quae fecit Iesus: quae si other things which Jesus did: +scribantur per singula, nec which if they were written +ipsum arbitror mundum capere every one, the world itself, I +posse eos, qui scribendi sunt, think, would not be able to +libros. contain the books that should + be written. + +24, 25. The authenticity of these verses has been questioned more than +that of the rest of the chapter, both because it is not in St. John's +manner to speak of himself in the plural number (as here in verse 24: +"_we_ know"), and because of the hyperbole in verse 25. For these reasons, +some Catholic writers have denied their authenticity, though no Catholic, +as far as we are aware, has denied their _inspiration_. Those Catholics +who deny their authenticity, hold that they were probably written by the +bishops of Asia Minor, at whose request St. John wrote the Gospel. See +Introd. iii., note. This view is not without some probability. Still, we +prefer the common opinion of Catholic commentators, that the verses were +written by St. John himself; for without them the conclusion of the Gospel +would be extremely abrupt. + +As to the reasons for the opposite view, though we admit that St. John +does not usually employ the first person plural, still it is not unnatural +that in closing his Gospel he should wish to confirm his own testimony by +an appeal to the consenting voice of his contemporaries. Besides, he does +use the same form of expression in i. 14: "And we saw his glory." See also +1 Ep. i. 3. As to the argument drawn from the alleged extravagance of the +hyperbole in verse 25, it has no weight. For, there is no reason why St. +John may not have used this striking hyperbole to signify the +inexhaustible treasury of instruction contained in our Divine Lord's life +and works, and to suggest the deep truth that a full account ("every one") +of Christ's human life would be practically infinite. "Hunc loquendi +modum," says St. Aug. on this passage, "Graeco nomine hyperbolem vocant: +qui modus, sicut hoc loco, ita in nonnullis aliis divinis Literis +invenitur ... et multa hujusmodi, sicut _alii tropi_, Scripturis S. non +desunt." + + + + + + +FOOTNOTES + + + 1 _Vie de Jesus_, ed. xiii., pp. 10, 11. + + 2 See Lamy, vol. ii., pp. 246-270; Cornely, Introd. iii., pp. 216-260. + + 3 See, _e.g._, Cornely, iii., pp. 222, 223. + + 4 Eusebius, _Hist. Eccl._, iii. 39. + + 5 St. Ephrem ({~DAGGER~} 373) wrote a Commentary, in Syriac, on the + _Diatessaron_, and this Commentary is still extant in an Armenian + translation, which is probably as old as the fifth century. + + 6 It is important to note this, because the Rationalist arguments + against the Johannine authorship prove nothing against St. John that + they do not prove also against all his contemporaries. + + 7 See notes on chronology of the Acts. + + 8 St. Jerome, referring to this, writes: "Refert Tertullianus quod + Romae missus in ferventis olei dolium purior et vegetior exierit + quam intraverit." (_Advers. Jovin_, i. 26.) + + 9 "Joannes quum esset in Asia, et jam tunc haereticorum semina + pullularent Cerinthi et Ebionis et ceterorum qui negant Christum in + carne venisse ... coactus est ab omnibus tunc pene Asiae Episcopis + et multarum ecclesiarum legationibus de divinitate Salvatoris altius + scribere."--_Prol. in Matthew._ + + 10 Iren., _Haer._ iii. 1: "Joannes volens per evangelii annunciationem + auferre, eum qui a Cerintho inseminatus erat hominibus errorem et + multo prius ab his qui dicuntur Nicolaitae ... sic inchoavit + evangelium." + + 11 "Joannes discipulus Domini ... et ipse edidit evangelium Ephesi + Asiae commorans."--_Haer._ iii. 1. + + 12 Corluy, indeed, supposes the heads of doctrine to be reported in + precisely the exact words of our Lord: "Eas propositiones quae quasi + capita doctrinae apparent ... ad verbum referri admittendum + putamus," are his words. But the fact that the words of institution + of the Blessed Eucharist are _differently_ reported by the Synoptic + Evangelists seems to us to refute this view. + + 13 "Joannes novissime omnium scripsit evangelium, rogatus ab Asiae + episcopis, adversus Cerinthum aliosque haereticos et maxime tunc + Ebionitarum dogma consurgens, qui asserunt Christum ante Mariam non + fuisse."--_Jer. de Vir. Illust._, 9. + + 14 The words of Irenĉus are:--"Et Cerinthus autem quidam in Asia, non a + primo Deo factum esse mundum docuit, sed a Virtute quadam valde + separata, et distante ab ea principalitate, quae est super universa, + et ignorante eum, qui est super omnia, Deum. Jesum autem subjecit + non ex Virgine natum (impossibile enim hoc ei visum est); fuisse + autem Joseph et Mariae filium similiter ut reliqui omnes homines.... + Et post baptismum descendisse in eum ab ea principalitate quae est + super omnia ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) Christum figura columbae, + et tunc annuntiasse incognitum Patrem, et virtutes perfecisse, in + fine autem revolasse iterum Christum de Jesu, et Jesum passum esse + et resurrexisse, Christum autem impassibilem perseverasse, + existentem spiritalem."--Iren., _Adv. Haer._, i. xxvi. + + 15 "_Ebionaei_ autem consentiunt quidem mundum ab eo, qui revera Deus + est, factum esse; quae autem ad Christum pertinent, consimiliter + Cerintho fabulantur. Moribus Judaicis utuntur secundum legem; + quapropter et Christum Dei vocatum esse Jesum, quum nemo ex reliquis + observaret legem. Etenim si quis alius fecisset quae in lege + praescripta sunt, ille evasisset Christus. Posse autem etiam ipsos, + si similiter egerint, Christos evadere; etenim illum quoque hominem + aeque ac reliquos fuisse dicunt."--_Philosophumena_, vii. 16, 3342 + (Migne). + + 16 Referring to this sublime prologue, St. Augustine says: "Ceteri tres + evangelistae tanquam cum homine Domino in terra ambulant, et de + divinitate ejus pauca dixerunt, istum autem quasi piguerit in terra + ambulare, sicut in ipso exordio sui sermonis intonuit, erexit se non + solum super terram et super omnem ambitum aeris et coeli, sed super + omnem etiam exercitum angelorum, omnemque constitutionem + invisibilium potestatum; et pervenit ad eum per quem facta sunt + omnia, dicendo: 'In principio erat verbum.' Huic _tantae sublimitati + principii_ etiam caetera congrua praedicavit," etc.--Tract 36 on St. + John. + + 17 Compare also 1 John i. 1, where our Vulgate should have translated + by "erat" instead of "fuit." + + 18 According to many, Heb. iv. 12 affords another instance in the New + Testament. + + 19 "Huic nomini seligendo occasionem forte dederunt tunc jam grassantes + doctrinae Gnosticorum, qui ita post Philonem vocabant ens aliquod + sublimius quod dicebant Jesu fuisse unitum. Sic etiam nomina {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}, + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, a Gnosticis tribuuntur aeonibus + suis, quae omnia Joannes in suo prologo sensu genuino + exponit."--Corl., _Comm. in S. Joan._, Quaer. 3, p. 26. + + 20 Sometimes (with {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}) the import of the accusative is apparently + lost, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} signifying _with_, particularly in connection with names + of persons (John i. 1); but here {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} indicates (ideal) + _annexation_, implying rather the active notion of intercourse than + a mere passive idea.--Winer, Gr. _Gram. N. T._, 8th Eng. ed., p. 504, + h. and note 4. + + 21 "The omission of the article before the predicate, when the + predicate stands before the copula is the usage of the New + Testament."--Alford, on this verse. + + 22 See Patrizzi, iii. Diss. viii. 21. + + 23 Patriz. + + 24 The R. V. has "apprehended it not," with marginal alternative: + "overcame it not." + + 25 "Pluralis adhibetur ratione habita utrusque parentis."--Beel, _Gr. + Gram._ § 273, note. + + 26 St. Thomas seems to prefer St. Augustine's peculiar view, that the + woman is here meant by "caro." The other opinion given above is + given by him only in the second place as an alternative. + + 27 Compare our expression: he acted _like_ a man. + + 28 Verba "a Patre" aeque jungi possunt nomini sive "unigeniti," sive + "gloriam." Si primum, sensus erit unigeniti, qui est ex Patre, neque + enim Verbum {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, quod continetur in {~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} constructum + reperitur cum praepositione {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}.--Patriz. + + 29 Patrizzi, following Kuinoel, contends that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} (before) is + never used of priority in dignity; but see Alford, who cites Gen. + xlviii. 20, as well as Plato and Demosthenes, for this meaning. + + 30 Thus far, the prologue of our Gospel, of which Franzelin truly + says:--"Singula doctrinae capita de J. Christo vero Deo, Deique Filio + in unum quodamodo collecta verticem conspiciuntur. Hoc enim loco is + qui in tempore caro factus est, docetur esse Deus, Deus aeternus, + Deus creator universi, Deus auctor gratiae et ordinis + supernaturalis, Deus cui supremus cultus debetur."--_De Verbo + Incarn._, Th. 8. + + 31 Simon, vel Symeon (Act xv. 14 sine var. lect. in Gr. codd., 2 Pet. + i. 1, {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}, A, K, L, P, &c.) {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} (exauditio, Gen. xxix. 33). "Nomen + Patris aut Jonas, {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI~} (Matt. xvi. 17), aut {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} vel {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} (Joan + xxi. 15) legitur; Joan i. 43 codd. graeci alii {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI~} alii {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~} vel + {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}; unde prius nomen non essi nisi alterius corruptionem nec + quidquam cum nomine prophetae Jonae habere commune elucet."--Corn. + iii. § 212, note 1. + + 32 _Publ. Life of our Lord_, vol. i., p. 185. + + 33 Consult also, as almost exactly the same, 2 Kings xvi. 10; Josue + xxii. 24; Matthew viii. 29; Matthew xxvii. 29; Mark i. 2. + + 34 See M'Carthy, _Gospels of the Sundays_, p. 72. + + 35 Nisan, the first month of the sacred year of the Jews, corresponded + to the latter half of March and the first half of April. + + 36 "Additus ibi voci {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} articulus Nicodemum exhibet tanquam ex + Israelis doctoribus _excellentibus unum_."--Beel., _Gr. Gram._, § 17, + 4, adnot 3. + + 37 Smith's _Dictionary of the Bible_, 2nd edition, 1893. + + 38 Trench, _Studies in the Gospels_, p. 84. + + 39 The name Sichar is derived by some from _shikkor_ ({~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}), a + drunkard; by others _sheqquer_ ({~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW POINT SIN DOT~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}), a liar; the city of liars, + perhaps of _false_ worship. + + 40 "Venit mulier ad puteum et fontem quem non speravit invenit."--St. + Aug. + + 41 Massillon, in a beautiful Lenten Sermon on this subject, says: + "Nouvelle artifice, dont elle s'avise pour détourner la question de + ses moeurs, qui lui déplait, et qui l'embarasse, elle se jette + habiliment sur une question de doctrine." + + 42 Compare Acts xvii. 23, where the true reading is {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, agreeing + with the Vulgate. + + 43 Compare the saying, common in parts of Ireland: "It is long till + Hallow-day." + + 44 Our Lord was probably baptized by John between the middle of October + and the 25th December: "Quae quum ita sint, dies baptismi fuerit + oportet inter medium Octobrem interque viii. Kal., Januar," + Patrizzi, _Diss._ xlvii., c. i. 11. + + 45 It is not certain which is the correct reading, whether {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~} or {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~} + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH VARIA~} (a feast, or _the_ feast). Nearly all the critics are against + reading the article. So Lachmann, Tisch, Westc., and Hort; and, so + too, the Protestant Revised Version. Still, there are a great many + ancient authorities, among them the Codex {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} (Sinait.) in favour of + reading the article. But even if the reading were certain, it would + still be doubtful what feast is meant. + + 46 The passage is regarded as spurious by Tisch., Tregell., Westc., and + Hort, and by the Rev. Vers. + + 47 "{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} haud raro est verbum forense, atque significat + accusare."--Kuin. + + 48 "Unde secundum Augustinum, demonstrare Patrem Filio, nihil aliud est + quam Patrem generare Filium. Et Filium videre quae Pater facit, + nihil aliud est quam Filium esse et naturam a Patre recipere."--St. + Thom. on verse 20. + + 49 "Est argumentum ab humano modo sumptum, respectu hominum illorum, + qui se amant, hi enim mutuo sibi omnia communicant, nihil sibi + occultant, et cum revera Pater summe diligat Filium, utitur hoc + argumento ut signo, et probatione propter nos, non autem quod causa + sit cur omnia demonstret,"--Tolet. For other explanations, Corl., + page 118, may be consulted. + + 50 Mald. thinks that the principal reference in verses 21 and 25 is to + the _general_ resurrection. + + 51 "Deus eam (potestatem judiciariam) communicare noluit nec congrue + potuit puro homini, sed Christo soli, qui Deus est et homo. Ipse + enim ut Deus, summam habet auctoritatem judicandi; ut homo vero + habet facultatem judicium hoc visibiliter coram hominibus salvandis + et damnandis exercendi."--A Lap. + + 52 "Nam ipse, qua Deus, idem numero habet judicium, eandem numero + mentem et voluntatem divinam quam habet Pater; qua homo vero, totus + regitur a deitate et verbo inhabitante, ut aliud judicare et velle + nequeat quam id quod ejus deitas, quasi praeses, judicat et vult."--A + Lap. + + 53 The inspiration of the prophets, though usually attributed to the + Holy Ghost, is, like every work that is not terminated in God + Himself, common to the three divine Persons, and is here referred to + the Father, since Christ is addressing the Jews, who knew nothing of + the Holy Ghost, and would not value His testimony. + + 54 From Juvenal we learn that in Rome the cophinus was carried about + with them by the Jews: "Judaeis Quorum cophinus foenumque + supellex."--_Sat._ iii. 14. + + 55 Calvin retained Baptism, Eucharist, and Holy Orders; Zwingli, + Baptism, Eucharist, and Matrimony; Luther, in the Confession of + Augsburg, Baptism, Eucharist, and Penance; and the Anglican Church, + in the 25th of the Thirty-nine Articles, Baptism and the Eucharist. + + 56 Though it is not _defined_ that there is reference to the Blessed + Eucharist in any part of the 6th chapter of St. John, still, since + the Council of Trent understood the passage (52-59) in this sense + (Sess. xiii., cap. 2), as did nearly all the fathers who commented + on the chapter, it would be rash for a Catholic to deny that the + Blessed Eucharist is promised in the passage 52-59. + + 57 "De hac significatione inter philologos nulla est dubitatio, confer + Psal. xxvi. (_Hebr._ 27) 2; Job xix. 22; Mich. iii. 3."--Franz., _De + Euch._, Thes. iii., p. 22, note. + + 58 Though Franz. holds that the discourse from verse 35-47 regards + _faith_ in Christ, yet he holds that the Blessed Eucharist is + referred to in verse 27.--_De Euch. Thes._, iii., p. 15. + + 59 "Noli te cogitare invitum trahi; trahitur animus et amore ... Ramum + viridem ostendis ovi, et trahis illam. Nuces puero demonstrantur et + trahitur."--St. August. + + 60 See, _e.g._, above iii. 6: What is born of the spirit is spirit; + _i.e._, spiritual. + + 61 Even Renan, who had held this view in the _Vie de Jesus_ abandoned + it in a later work: _Les Evangiles_, Appendix, page 542. + + 62 That James the brother of the Lord was an Apostle, is proved from + Gal. i. 19. See also Acts ix. 27, 28. Now Jude, the author of the + short Epistle which bears his name, who is commonly referred to as + identical with Jude the Apostle, calls himself a brother of James + (only James the Less, the brother of the Lord, and well-known bishop + of Jerusalem can be meant). Jude 1; hence, two at least, of the + brothers of the Lord mentioned by Matthew (xiii. 55), Mark (vi. 3), + were Apostles: and since the Apostle Simon is mentioned side by side + with them in the four lists of the Apostles, it is fairly concluded + that he was their brother Simon; hence three of these brethren of + the Lord were Apostles. + + 63 Evangelistaries are selections from the Gospels for the purpose of + liturgical reading. + + 64 "Relate ad stylum haec praesertim notantur; pro particala {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} quam + amat Joannes, semper adhibetur {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}; deinde occurunt vocabula (vel + phrases), quibus Joannes nullibi utitur: {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, et {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}."--Corn., Introd., + iii., p. 235, n. 3. + + 65 _e.g._, ix. 21-28, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}; {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}; {~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}. + + 66 "Rien dans le morceau ne fait disparate avec le style du quatrième + Evangile."--Renan, _Vie de Jesus_, ed. 18, page 500. + + 67 _Theiner_, i., pp. 71-77. + + 68 So the Protestant Revised Version, which in the margin gives as an + alternative: How is it that I even speak to you at all? + + 69 It is hardly necessary to remind the reader that the present of this + verb means to place, and hence the perfect means, I have placed + myself, or stand. + + 70 Besides the Pharisees believed that only the _good_ souls passed + into other bodies. See Josephus, _Ant._, viii. 1, 3; _B. Jud._, ii. + 8, 14. + + 71 That {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} is often used of merely civil worship in the Old + Testament is not denied by anyone; and that it is so used in the New + Testament also, see Matt. xviii. 26, where it is far more probable + that {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} ("adorabat," not "orabat," as Vulg.) is the correct + reading. + + 72 "Significat enim haec phrasis primo securitatem, secundo fiduciam, + tertio libertatem conversandi ubilibet, suo munere fungendi, et + quaelibet negotia peragendi pro Christo et per Christum."--A Lap. + + 73 "Patres omnes ... intelligunt de uno pastore _in terris existente_ + qui _visibiliter_ pascat et regat."--Suarez, _De Fide_, Tract. 1, + Disp. 9, Sect. 6, n. 3. + + 74 "Lectio Vulgatae ita foret exponenda: Pater _quod_ dedit mihi, + divinam naturam secum identicam, id _majus_ est rebus omnibus, + adeoque omnibus creaturis potentius; ideoque nemo potest oves rapere + de manu mea, sicut nec de manu Patris, nam _Ego et Pater unum + sumus_.... Ceterum si duo versiculi in Vulgata complexive sumuntur, + exprimunt quum Patris omnipotentiam tum Filii cum Patre + consubstantialitem; quae duo dogmata etiam in originali textu + habentur, licet alio modo. Ergo duae lectiones _dogmatice_ + concordant substantialiter."--Corl. + + 75 "Praesens adhibetur ad significandum id quod _jam jam_ eventurum + est, aut quod quis jam in eo est ut faciat."--Beel., _G. G._, 41, 2, + a. + + 76 The bodies of the wicked also shall be raised on the last day, but, + as A Lap. says: "Quia resurgent ad tormenta Gehennae, hinc vita + eorum potius mors dicenda est, quam vita." + + 77 The Perfect here has a Present signification. "Praesentis temporis + loco Perfectum adhibetur eatenus tantum quatenus verbo perfecti + temporis significatur actio quaepiam aut conditio, quae praeterito + tempore incepta nunc perdurat quaeque adeo sui initium tantum + praeterito tempore habeat."--Beel., _Gr. Gram._, § 41, 4 a. + + 78 By its original institution, the office of High-priest was to be + held for life; but we know from Josephus that the High-priest was + frequently deposed by the Romans. "Praetor in Judaeam missus est + Valerius Gratus; qui Ananum Pontificatu privavit, et eum Ismaeli + Phabi filio tribuit, atque hunc non multo post abdicavit, et id + munus Eleazaro Anani Pontificis filio commisit. Uno autem anno post + sacerdotium huic ademtum Simoni Camithi filio tradidit; cumque is + dignitatem non ultra anni spatium tenuisset, Josephus, cui etiam + Caiphae nomen fuit, ei successit."--Josephus, _Antiq._, xviii. 2, 2. + + 79 "Dubium non est, quin Matthaeus et Marcus, ut explicent quo modo + Judas ad traditionem pervenerit, narrationem hanc parenthetico modo + illis, quae de Pharisaeorum et sacerdotum consilio tradunt, + inseruerint."--Corn., iii., p. 296, note n. So too Coleridge, _Life + of our Life_, vol. ii., p. 46: "The two earlier Evangelists give + their accounts of that supper out of its place, and in immediate + connection with the Passion of our Lord, for the obvious reason that + it was an incident of that supper, which finally determined Judas to + betray our Lord to His enemies, and thus to bring about His death." + + 80 So Lachm., Tisch., Treg., West & Hort. The R. V. has: Suffer her to + keep it against the day of my burying, and in margin: Let her alone; + it was that she might keep it. + + 81 It is frequently mentioned as a proof of our Lord's humility that He + condescended in this hour of triumph to ride upon an ass; and the + context in the prophecy of Zachary quoted above seems to favour this + view. Still there is good reason for supposing that the ass was + commonly used by nobles in the East (see, _e.g._, Judg. v. 10, x. 4; + 3 Kings i. 33), and that for this reason, Christ may have used it in + the hour of His triumph. + + 82 See, _e.g._, John xviii. 28, where we are told that the Jews, on the + morning of the crucifixion, abstained from entering the hall of + Pilate, "that they might not be defiled, but that they might _eat + the pasch_." + + 83 Matt. xxvi. 17-20; Mark xiv. 12-17; Luke xxii. 7-14. + + 84 See Coleridge, _Passiontide_, Part ii., p. 33. + + 85 _Passiontide_, Part ii., pp. 40-42. + + 86 Since the Jews removed all leaven from their houses on the 14th + Nisan, that day seems to have been called the first day of Azymes. + It was _during_ that day that the last supper was _prepared_, but it + was during the following _night_ (Exod. xii. 8), and therefore when + the next Jewish day had already commenced, that it was eaten. + + 87 The following are the passages from which the objections are + drawn:--John xiii. 1; xiii. 29; xviii. 28; xix. 14, 31. + + 88 See the able article, by Dr. Molloy, in _I. E. Record_, vol. ix., + pp. 445-464. + + 89 The reader may consult with profit _I. E. Record_, vol. x., pp. + 110-114. + + 90 "Adhuc coenabatur quum Dominus surrexit et pedes lavit discipulis + suis."--St. Aug. + + 91 Anyone who desires fuller information on the rites of the Paschal + Supper will find it in Maclean's account given by Dr. Walsh in the + note referred to above. + + 92 "Quam enim Romani togam aut pallium, id est summan vestem, Graeci, + ui ex Plutarcho discimus, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} appellabant."--Mald, _in loco_. + + 93 Matt. xxvi. 25: "And Judas that betrayed him, answering said: Is it + I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said _it_," presents + considerable difficulty, as Judas appears to be there distinctly + pointed out. Some have held that only the traitor himself heard + Christ's reply; but it is difficult to see how some of the others + close to Jesus should not also hear it. Hence we prefer to hold that + these words, though recorded by St. Matt. before his account of the + institution of the Blessed Eucharist were in reality not spoken till + after the dipped bread had been given to the traitor. + + 94 Dr. Walsh, _Harmony of the Gospel Narratives_, pp. 137, 138. + + 95 It is read by Lachm., Tisch., Tregel., Westc., and Hort, and by the + Revised Version as well as the Vulgate. + + 96 The quantity of the third syllable in this word varies. Strictly it + ought to be long, the word being derived from the Greek {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}; + but in ecclesiastical Latin it is generally short, and spelled with + _i_ instead of _e_, as in the _Veni Creator_: Qui diceris + Paraclitus. + + 97 "Ex dictis colligitur duo ad missionem proprie dictam concurrere, + alterum, sempiternam processionem personae, quae mittitur; alterum, + externam aliquam efficientiam, sive sub sensus incidat, ut cum, + homine suscepto. Verbum hominibus apparuit, aut sub columbae specie + Spiritus Sanctus, sive interius sit nec aspectabile quod agitur, ut + cum Spiritus S. ad fidelium quemque demittitur."--Perrone, _De + Trin._, cap. vi., Scholion 4, note 3. + + 98 See also A Lap. _in loco_. Some who hold that this was spoken _on + the way_ to Gethsemane, think that the mention of the vine was + suggested by the sight of a vine as Christ and the Apostles passed + along. + + 99 See Less. of Thir. Noct. Comm. Marty. (Temp. Pasch.) + + 100 "Non eo modo illi in ipso, sicut ipse in illis. Utrumque autem + prodest, non ipsi, sed illis. Ita quippe in vite sunt palmites, ut + viti non conferant, sed inde accipiant unde vivant, ita vero vitis + est in palmitibus, ut vitale alimentum subministret eis, non sumat + ab eis. Ac per hoc, et manentem in se habere Christum et manere in + Christo, discipulis prodest utrumque, non Christo. Nam praeciso + palmite potest de viva radice alius pullulare; qui autem praecisus + est, sine radice non potest vivere."--St. Aug. _in loc._ + + 101 "Non utique ipso die Pentecostes, sed _tempore_ adventus Spiritus + Sancti paulatim, ac per gradus inducti sunt in omnem veritatem, ut + ex manifestis factis et ex ipsis verbis constat: _inducet_ in omnem + veritatem {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH DASIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}."--_Franz._ _De Trad._, p. 267. note 1. + + 102 See Franz., _De Div. Trad. Thes._, xxii. 11. + + 103 "Semper itaque audit Spiritus Sanctus quia semper scit: ergo et + scivit, et scit, et sciet; ac per hoc et audivit, et audit, et + audiet: quia sicut jam diximus, hoc est illi audire quod scire, et + scire illi hoc est quod esse. Ab illo igitur audivit, audit, et + audiet a quo est: ab illo est a quo procedit."--St. Aug. on this + verse, _Tract._ 99. + + 104 "Uno verbo: Spiritus Sanctus aeternaliter audit et accipit a Filio + cum respectu ad effectum in tempore, qui tum quando Christus + loquebatur, promittebatur adhuc futurus; ideo auditio et acceptio + quae aeternaliter et ideo etiam tunc est, quando existit effectus, + potuit propter hanc operationem et propter effectum futurum ad extra + enuntiari in forma temporis futuri."--Franz., _De Trin. Thes._, + xxxii. i. 4 c. + + 105 "Igitur in _significatione formali_ illud _meum_, quod Spiritus + veritatis dicitur accipere communicatum a Filio, est absoluta + sapientia cum respectu ad extra, ad doctrinam scilicet inspirandam + et annuntiandam. At profecto sapientia absoluta _identice ac + realiter_ est ipsamet essentia divina."--Franz., _Thes._, xxxii. i. 4 + b. + + 106 There is a clear and important difference between the two words for + asking used in this verse. {~GREEK KORONIS~}{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} always in classical, and + generally in Hellenistic Greek, means to interrogate, to question. + In Hellenistic Greek it sometimes means to request, to petition, as + in verse 26 below; but even then there is a distinction which is + carefully observed throughout the New Testament between it and + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}. {~GREEK KORONIS~}{~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} is used of the request of an equal, or at least of a + familiar friend, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} of the supplication of an inferior. Hence + Christ never once uses the latter word in reference to His own + asking of the Father. + + 107 "Resuscita me, ut innotescas toti orbi per me."--St. Aug. + + 108 All theologians admit that the happiness of the blessed consists + _radically_ in the vision of God; but while many Thomists hold that + it consists _essentially_ in this, other theologians hold that it + consists in acts of the will, as of love and joy, as well as of the + intellect. + + 109 Christ's human soul enjoyed the beatific vision from the first + moment of the incarnation; but the connatural effects of this upon + His body were suspended during His mortal life. + + 110 "_Aoristus_ ... indicat peractam rem esse aut nunc aut olim, hoc + est, aliqua praeteriti temporis parte, quae _indefinita_ + relinquitur. _Perfectum_ sicut in classica graecitate, ita et in + graecitate N. Testamenti adhiberi solet ad significandam actionem + plane praeteritam, quae aut nunc finita est, aut per effectus suos + durat."--Beel., _G. G._, § 41. + + 111 So Griesb., Lachm., Tisch., Treg., Westc., Hort, and the Revised + Version. + + 112 Or more correctly: "for we all partake of one bread." + + 113 Fourth Edition, London, 1859. + + 114 "Est autem in Graeco sensus hujus sententiae apertior: non enim + habetur particula copulativa, sed illativa, et non est praeteritum, + sed aoristus primus qui saepe plusquam perfecti significationem + habet. Sensus ergo est: _Miserat_ igitur eum Annas ligatum ad + Caipham Pontificem, est enim locutio revertentis ad narrationem + praetermissam, et particula illativa indicat quae relata sunt, + fuisse facta postquam missus est Christus ab Anna ad Caipham."--Tol., + _in loc._ + + 115 We shall not be far from the truth, if we say that the Paschal + Supper began about 7 p.m.; that Jesus retired to Gethsemani about + 10; that He was arrested between 11 and 12; that the midnight trial + was over about 2 a.m.; and that day dawned about 4.30. + + 116 Maimonides, _De Pasch._, vi. 1, says: "Qui cadaver reptilis tetigit, + aut reptile, aut _quid aliud simile_ die decima quarta, is lavatur, + et postquam lotus est, pro eo pascha mactant, et sub vesperam, quum + sol ei occubuit, _pascha comedit_." + + 117 We read in the Mishna, which is the oldest portion of the Jewish + Talmud, and was composed about the beginning of the third century: + "Sacrificium festi Chagigah ({~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) adducebatur ex grege et jumento, + agnis et capris, masculis et feminis; et comedebatur per _duos dies_ + et unam noctem." (Mish., _Pesachim_, vi. 4.) + + 118 Jesus till now had been outside, for it is well known the Roman law + required that the criminal should be present to hear the charges + brought against him. See Acts xxiv. 2. + + 119 We prefer to render: "Thou sayest it, _for_ ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH DASIA AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}) I am a king;" and + thus St. John's version of Christ's reply is more like that of the + other Evangelists. + + 120 {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} indeed belongs to late Greek, and is derived from the + Latin flagellum. + + 121 We know not what kind of thorns was used for the crown. Benedict + XIV. says that in his time it could not be decided from any relics + of the thorns known to exist to what species they belonged. + + 122 "Jesus igitur flagellis caesus spinisque coronatus fuit, ante quam + Pilatus eum capite damnaret. Non ergo est dubium, ordinem in his + referendis a Matthaeo et a Marco minime esse observatum."--Patriz. + + 123 See above on xiii. 1. + + 124 That a division of the night into four watches existed, is proved + from the New Testament. See, _e.g._, Mark xiii. 35: Luke xii. 38. + + 125 Whether St. John numbers the hours of the day according to the + Jewish or modern method it is extremely difficult to decide from his + Gospel. In only four passages (i. 39; iv. 6; iv. 52; and xix. 14) + does he refer to distinct hours of the day, and to these passages + the patrons of both opinions appeal. In John iv. 6 we read that it + was "about the sixth hour" when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the + well, and if we are right in holding that it was then the month of + December (see above on iv. 35), this would go to show that our + Evangelist numbers according to the Jewish method. For at 6 a.m. or + 6 p.m. it would be dark, and it is wholly improbable that Jesus in + the darkness would have held conversation alone with the woman. + + 126 Dr. Walsh, _Harmony of the Gospel Narratives_, note 35. + + We have not mentioned the view of those who hold that the error from + transcription occurred in St. Mark and not in St. John, and that we + ought to read "sixth" instead of "third" in St. Mark xv. 25. For, as + Patrizzi well points out, if St. Mark had written "sixth" in verse + 25, he would not, after describing the mocking of Christ upon the + cross, say in verse 33: "And when the _sixth hour was come_ there + was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour." If error + has crept in, then, it is not in St. Mark. + + 127 Cyrene was "the principal city of that part of Northern Africa, + which was anciently called Cyrenaica, and also (from its five chief + cities) Pentapolitana. This district was that wide projecting + portion of the coast (corresponding to the modern Tripoli) which was + separated from the territory of Carthage on the one hand, and that + of Egypt on the other."--Smith's _B. D._ + + 128 The following questions also are disputed:--(_a_) Whether Christ had + the crown of thorns upon Him while He hung on the cross; (_b_) + whether He was entirely naked; (_c_) whether four nails or three + were used, that is to say, whether His feet like His hands were + nailed separately or were placed one over the other, with one nail + piercing both. + + 129 Darras, _Hist. Eccles._ vol. v., says that P. Drach was able to + trace all the Hebrew characters, and that they agree exactly with + St. John's version of the title. + + 130 The sponge is still preserved in Rome, in St. John Lateran's. + + 131 Longet, _Physiologie_, t. ii., p. 701. + + 132 St. Matt. on this point need create no difficulty, for although he + says that an angel rolled back the stone from the mouth of the + sepulchre and sat upon it (probably _outside_ the sepulchre), yet he + does not say that the women were addressed by the angel while he sat + upon the stone, nor even that he was seen by them while he was in + that position. That he was seen by the guards, one of whom may have + been afterwards converted and have told this incident, is plain from + St. Matt.: but we are free to suppose that when the angel addressed + the women (Matt. xxviii. 5), he may have been already within the + sepulchre, as in St. Mark. + + 133 The difficulty against this view, from the fact that St. Matt., + according to the Vulgate Version, represents these women as coming + to the tomb on the _evening_ of the Sabbath (Vespere sabbati), + disappears, if we admit that the Vulgate rendering of the Greek + phrase, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PSI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} is incorrect, or, at least, misleading, and + should rather be post sabbatum, as the phrase is explained by Mald., + Cornely (iii. p. 301, note S), Kuin., Bloomf., and the majority of + commentators. Certainly we are convinced that Magdalen did not visit + the tomb on Saturday evening; for had she done so, she must have + learned that the tomb was guarded and the stone that closed it + sealed, and she and her companions would not come as they did on + Sunday morning, saying to one another: "Who shall roll away the + stone for us?" Had she been at the tomb on Saturday evening, she + could not have hoped to be allowed to roll away the stone, which was + sealed and guarded; or, if she hoped for this permission from the + soldiers, then there would have been no room for the difficulty as + to who should roll away the stone, as the soldiers, if they + permitted its removal, might be counted upon to remove it for women. + + 134 It is the common belief that Jesus appeared first of all to the + Blessed Virgin, though the appearance to Magdalen is the first + mentioned in the Gospels. Estius and some other great commentators, + however, deny that He appeared to the Blessed Virgin, and hold that + as he appeared in order to confirm the faith of those to whom he + appeared, there was no need that He should appear to the Blessed + Virgin. + + 135 "Unde secundum naturam suam palpabile est corpus gloriosum, sed ex + virtute supernaturali hoc ei competit ut cum vult non palpetur a + corpore non glorioso."--St. Thomas, _Summ. Theol._, Suppl., q. 83, + art. 6. + + 136 "Si quis dixerit verba illa Domini Salvatoris: Accipite Spiritum + Sanctum; quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis; et quorum + retinueritis, retenta sunt: non esse intelligenda de potestate + remittendi et retinendi peccata in Sacramento Poenitentiae, Sicut + Ecclesia Catholica ab initio semper intellexit; detorserit autem, + contra institutionem hujus Sacramenti, ad auctoritatem praedicandi + evangelium, anathema sit."--Sess. xiv., Can. 2, _De Poen._ + + 137 This reading, however, is not certain, some critics read the perfect + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} (remissa sunt). So Tisch., Treg., Westc. & Hort., and + Lachm. + + 138 Some, who admit the authenticity of verses 1-23, deny that of verses + 24 and 25. + + 139 The miraculous draught of fish in chapter xxi. was not intended to + confirm the faith of the disciples, which now needed no + confirmation, but to typify the fecundity of the Church over which + Peter was about to be placed. + + 140 By "clausulam" he means the last two verses of the chapter. + + 141 So, too, Hesych. and Lidd. and Scott take {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~} as stronger than + {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PERISPOMENI AND YPOGEGRAMMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}, so that the two words correspond to "amare" and "diligere" + respectively, as the Vulgate makes them. The distinction between the + two Latin words is well recognised. Thus Cicero (Ep. Fam. xiii. 47), + writing to one friend about another says: "Ut scires illum a me non + _diligi_ solum verum etiam _amari_." + + 142 _I.e._, belonging to him in virtue of his office. + + 143 _I.e._, extending _directly_ over all the faithful, and not merely + mediately through their several bishops. (See Franz., _De. Eccl. + Thes._, x. iii. 2 c.) + + 144 "Crux enim solebat ita a cruciariis portari, ut brachia ligno + transverso funibus extensa alligarentur."--Corl. + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN*** + + + +CREDITS + + +July 19, 2014 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. 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