1484. The fear of the disciples is mentioned when the Evangelist says, the disciples said to him: Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone you, and you would go there again? This was like saying: it seems that you are deliberately going to your death. Yet their fear was unreasonable, because the disciples had God with them as their protector, and one who is with God should not fear: let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? (Isa 50:8) The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? (Ps 26:2).
1484. Timor discipulorum ponitur cum dicitur dicunt ei discipuli: rabbi, nunc quaerebant te Iudaei lapidare, et iterum vadis illuc? Quasi dicant: videtur quod spontaneus vadas ad mortem. Sed timor iste irrationabilis est, quia secum habebant discipuli Deum protectorem, cum quo qui est, timere non debet; Is. l, 8: stemus simul: quis est adversarius meus? Ps. XXVI, 1: Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea: quem timebo?
1485. Our Lord dispels this fear by strengthening them. The Evangelist says, Jesus answered his disciples, are there not twelve hours of the day?
1485. Hunc timorem expellit Dominus confortans eos; unde dicit respondit Iesus, scilicet discipulis, nonne duodecim horae sunt diei? Ubi
First, we see something about the time;
primo ponit conditionem temporis;
second, what time is suited for walking;
secundo ostendit quod tempus sit aptum ambulationi;
third, what time is not.
tertio quod non sit aptum.
The second, he explains at if a man walk in the day, he does not stumble; the third at but if he walks in the night, he stumbles.
Secundum ibi si quis ambulaverit in die, non offendit; tertium ibi si autem ambulaverit in nocte, offendit.
1486. To understand this passage we should note that it has been explained in three ways. The first way is that of Chrysostom, and is this. Are there not twelve hours of the day? is like saying: you hesitate to go up to Judea because the Jews recently wanted to stone me; but the day has twelve hours, and what happens at one hour does not happen in another. So, although they would have stoned me before, they would not want to do this at another hour: for everything there is a season (Eccl 3:1); every matter has its time and way (Eccl 8:6).
1486. Ad intelligentiam autem huius litterae, sciendum est, quod tripliciter exponitur. Uno modo a Chrysostomo sic. Nonne duodecim horae sunt diei? Quasi dicat: vos dubitas ascendere in Iudaeam, quia nuper Iudaeu voluerunt me lapidare; sed dies habet duodecim horas, et quod contingit in una, non contingit in alia. Unde licet tunc voluissent me lapidare, in alia hora hoc nollent; Eccle. III, 1: omnia tempus habent. Et eiusdem VIII, 6: omni negotio tempus est et opportunitas.
1487. A literal question arises because he is speaking here either of the natural or of the artificial day. If he is speaking of the natural day, then what he says is false: because the natural day does not have twelve but twenty-four hours. Again, if he is speaking of the artificial day, his statement is false: because it is true only at the equinox, for not all artificial days have twelve hours.
1487. Sed hic incidit quaestio litteralis: quia aut loquitur de die naturali, aut de die artificiali. Si quidem loquatur de die naturali, tunc falsum est quod dicit; cum non habeant duodecim, sed vigintiquatuor horas. Similiter si loquitur de die artificiali, falsum est quod dicit: quia hoc non est verum nisi in aequinoctiali, quia non omnes dies artificiales habent duodecim horas.
I answer that we should understand this to refer to the artificial day, because all artificial days have twelve hours. For the hours of such days are distinguished in two ways. Some are equal in length and some are not. Those equal in length are distinguished according to the circle of the equator: and according to this not all days have twelve hours, but some have more and some less, except at the equator. The hour not equal in length are more distinguished according to the ascensions of the zodiac on account of its obliquity: because the zodiac does not ascend equally in all its parts, but at the equator equally. Now each artificial day has twelve of these unequal hours, because every day has six signs which ascend during the day, and six at night; but those which ascend in summer have a slower motion than those which ascend in winter, and of course the ascent of each sign makes up two hours.
Sed ad hoc dicendum, quod intelligendum est de die artificiali: quia omnes dies artificiales habent duodecim horas. Nam horae huiusmodi dierum distinguuntur dupliciter. Quaedam enim sunt aequales, et quaedam sunt inaequales. Aequales autem distinguuntur secundum circulum aequinoctialis: et secundum hoc non omnes dies habent duodecim horas sed aliqui plures, aliqui pauciores; nisi tantum in aequinoctio. Inaequales autem distinguuntur secundum ascensiones zodiaci propter eius obliquitatem: quia non aequaliter ascendit zodiacus in omnibus partibus suis; aequinoctialis autem aequaliter: et de istis horis inaequalibus quilibet dies artificialis habet duodecim horas; quia quolibet die ascendunt sex signa de die, et sex de nocte; sed illa quae ascendunt in aestate, sunt tardioris motus quam illa quae ascendunt in hieme; ascensus autem cuiuslibet signi facit duas horas.
1488. If a man walks in the day, that is, honorably, and without consciousness of any evil, let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in that day (Rom 13:13), he does not stumble, that is, he does not come upon anything that might harm him. And this is because he sees the light of this world, i.e., the light of righteousness is in him: light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart (Ps 97:11). It is like our Lord were saying: we can go securely because we are walking during the day.
1488. Si quis ambulaverit in die, idest honeste, et absque conscientia alicuius mali, Rom. XIII, 13: sicut in die honeste ambulemus, non offendit, idest, non invenit quod ei noceat. Et hoc ideo quia lucem huius mundi videt; idest, lux iustitiae in eo est; Ps. XCVI, 11: lux orta est iusto, et rectis corde laetitia; quasi dicat Dominus: nos secure possumus ire, cum in die ambulemus.
1489. But if he walks in the night, that is, in the night of iniquities, he will easily find dangers. Concerning this night we read: those who sleep at night (1 Thess 5:7). But such a one, stumbles, that is, strikes against something, because the light, of righteousness, is not in him.
1489. Si autem ambulaverit in nocte, scilicet iniquitatum, de facili multa pericula inveniet: de qua nocte I Thess. V, 7: qui dormiunt, nocte dormiunt. Et talis offendit, idest impingit, quia lux, scilicet iustitiae, non est in eo.
1490. A certain Greek, Theophylactus, explains this another way. Beginning at if a man walk in the day, he says that the day is the presence of Christ in the world, and the night is the time after Christ’s Passion. So the meaning is this: the Jews are not to be feared because as long as I am in the world it is not you, but I, who am in danger. Thus, when the Jews wanted to arrest Christ, he said to the crowd: if therefore you seek me, let these go their way. That the word might be fulfilled which he said: of them whom thou hast given me, I have not lost any one. (John 18:8–9). But if he walk in the night, that is, in the time after the passion, you should be afraid to go into Judea, because you will suffer persecution from the Jews: strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered (Zech 7:7).
1490. Alio modo exponit quidam Graecus, scilicet Theophylactus, ab illo loco si quis ambulaverit in die, dicens, quod dies est praesentia Christi in mundo, nox vero est tempus post Passionem eius. Ut sit sensus: non est timendum de Iudaeis, quia quamdiu ego sum in mundo, vobis non imminet periculum, sed mihi. Unde quando Iudaei eum capere voluerunt, infra XVIII, 8, dixit Dominus turbis: si ergo me quaeritis, sinite hos abire. Ut impleretur sermo quem dixit: quia quos dedisti mihi, non perdidi ex eis quemquam. Sed in nocte, idest in tempore post passionem, tunc timendum est vobis ire in Iudaeam, quia patiemini a Iudaeis persecutionem; Zach. XII, 7: percute pastorem, et dispergentur oves.
1491. Augustine explains it another way, so that the day indicates Christ, at I must do the works of him who sent me while it is day (John 9:4), and as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). The twelve hours of this day are the twelve apostles: have I not chosen you twelve? (John 6:71).
1491. Alio modo exponit Augustinus sicut per diem intelligatur Christus; supra c. IX, 4: me oportet operari opera eius qui misit me, donec dies est: et quamdiu sum in mundo, lux sum mundi. Huius ergo diei duodecim horae, sunt duodecim apostoli; supra VI, 71: nonne ego vos duodecim elegi?
But what should we say of what follows: and one of you is a devil? (John 6:71). Judas, therefore, was not an hour of this day because he gave no light. We should say that our Lord spoke these words not in reference to Judas, but to his successor, who was Matthias.
Sed timendum est valde quod sequitur: et unus ex vobis diabolus est. Iudas ergo non erat hora huius diei, quia non lucebat. Sed dicendum, quod Dominus hoc dixit, non habito respectu ad Iudam, sed ad successorem eius Mathiam.
Thus, the sense of are there not twelve hours of the day? is as though he were saying: you are the hours, I am the day. Just as the hours follow the day, so you must follow me. So, if I wish to go to Judea you ought not to precede me or change my will, but you should follow me. He said something similar to Peter: get behind me, Satan! (Matt 16:23), i.e., do not go ahead of me, but follow me by imitating my will. If a man walk in the day is the same as saying: you should not fear any danger, because you are going with me who am the day. So just as one who walks in the day does not run into anything, that is, he does not stumble, so also you who walk with me: if God is for us, who is against us? (Rom 8:31). And this is because he sees the light of this world in me. But if he walks in the night, in the darkness of ignorance and sin, then he stumbles; and this is because the, spiritual, light is not in him, not because of a defect in the light, but because of his own rebellion: there are those who rebel against the light (Job 24:13).
Est ergo sensus nonne duodecim horae sunt diei? Quasi diceret: vos estis horae, ego sum dies. Sicut ergo horae consequuntur diem, ita et vos me debetis sequi. Unde si ego volo ire in Iudaeam, vos non debetis me praecedere, nec mutare voluntatem meam; sed debetis me sequi. Simile dicit Petro, Matth. XVI, 23: vade retro post me, Satanas, idest, non praecedas me, sed me sequere, voluntatem meam imitando. Si quis ambulaverit in die, quasi diceret: non debetis timere periculum, quia vos itis mecum, qui sum dies. Unde sicut qui in die vadit non impingit, idest non offendit; ita nec vos qui mecum itis; Rom. VIII, 31: si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? Et hoc ideo quia lucem huius mundi videt, in me. Si autem ambulaverit in nocte, idest in tenebris ignorantiae et peccati, tunc offendit; et hoc ideo quia lux, scilicet spiritualis, non est in eo, non quidem ex defectu lucis, sed eorum rebellione; Iob XXIV, 13: ipsi fuerunt rebelles lumini.
Lecture 3
Lectio 3
The death of Lazarus
Mors Lazari
11:11 These things he said, and after that he said to them: Lazarus our friend sleeps, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. [n. 1493]
11:11 Haec ait, et post haec dicit eis: Lazarus amicus noster dormit; sed vado, ut a somno excitem eum. [n. 1493]
11:12 His disciples therefore said: Lord, if he sleeps, he will be well. [n. 1497]
11:12 Dixerunt ergo discipuli eius: Domine, si dormit salvus erit. [n. 1497]
11:13 But Jesus spoke of his death, and they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep. [n. 1499]
11:13 Dixerat autem Iesus de morte eius; ille autem putaverunt quia de dormitione somni diceret. [n. 1499]
11:14 Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly: Lazarus is dead. [n. 1501]
11:14 Tunc ergo Iesus dixit eis manifeste: Lazarus mortuus est; [n. 1501]
11:15 And I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, that you may believe, but let us go to him. [n. 1502]
11:15 et gaudeo propter vos, ut credatis quoniam non eram ibi. Sed eamus ad eum. [n. 1502]
11:16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: let us also go, that we may die with him. [n. 1503]
11:16 Dixit ergo Thomas, qui dicitur Didymus, ad condiscipulos: eamus et moriamur cum eo. [n. 1503]
1492. Above, our Lord mentioned his intention of going to the place where Lazarus had died; now he reveals his intention to raise him.
1492. Supra praenuntiavit Dominus propositum de accedendo ad locum defuncti, hic manifestat propositum de defuncti suscitatione, et
The Evangelist first mentions this intention;
primo praenuntiat ipsum propositum;
second, the attitude of the disciples, at Thomas therefore.
secundo discipulorum affectum, ibi dicit ei Thomas etc.
First, we see our Lord stating his intention
Propositum autem praenuntiat
implicitly and rather obscurely;
primo quasi implicite et obscure;
second, the Evangelist mentions how slow the disciples were to understand this: his disciples therefore said;
secundo Evangelista ostendit tarditatem intellectus discipulorum, ibi dixerunt ergo discipuli;
and third, we see our Lord stating his intention plainly: then therefore Jesus said.
tertio Dominus ipsum propositum denuntiat manifeste, ibi tunc ergo dixit eis Iesus.
1493. The Evangelist says, these things he said, and after that he said to them, that is, having said those things already mentioned, Jesus now says to his disciples, Lazarus our friend sleeps. According to Chrysostom, this seems to be a second reason for the disciples not to fear: the first was based on their innocence, because if a man walk in the day, he does not stumble (John 11:9); but this reason is based on current necessity, it being necessary to go there.
1493. Dicit ergo haec ait, et post haec dicit illis, quasi diceret: his, quae supra posita sunt, dictis, postmodum dicit discipulis suis Lazarus amicus noster dormit. Quod quidem, secundum Chrysostomum, videtur facere ad secundam rationem excludentem timorem discipulorum: nam prima procedebat ex discipulorum innocentia, quia qui ambulat in die, non offendit; ista sumitur ex necessitate imminente, quasi necessarium sit ire.
1494. We see three things about this.
1494. Unde circa hoc tria facit.
First, he recalls his previous friendship with the dead man, saying, our friend Lazarus. This was to say: he was a friend because of the many things and favors he did for us; so we should not neglect him in his needs: he who overlooks his own advantage for the sake of a friend is just (Prov 12:26).
Primo commemorat pristinam amicitiam defuncti, dicens Lazarus amicus noster: amicus scilicet propter multa beneficia et obsequia quae nobis exhibuit; et ideo non debemus in necessitate deficere; Prov. XII, 26: qui negligit damnum propter amicum fidelem.
1495. Second, he mentions that help is needed now, saying, sleeps, and so should be helped: a brother is born for adversity (Prov 17:17). Lazarus our friend sleeps, with respect to the Lord, as Augustine says; but with respect to men he was dead, as they were unable to revive him.
1495. Secundo ponit necessitatis instantiam; unde dicit dormit: unde oportet quod ei subveniatur; Prov. XVII, 17: frater in angustiis comprobatur. Dormit, inquam, ut dicit Augustinus, Domino; sed mortuus erat hominibus, qui eum suscitare non poterant.
We should note that the word ‘sleep’ can be understood in several ways. Sometimes it refers to a natural sleep: so Samuel went and slept until morning (1 Sam 3:9); and you will sleep securely (Job 11:18). Sometimes it indicates the sleep of death: we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13). Sometimes it is understood as some kind of negligence: behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Ps 121:4). And sometimes it means the sleep of sin: awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead (Eph 5:14). Again, it can mean the repose of contemplation: I slept, but my heart was awake (Song 5:2). It can also signify the rest of future glory: in peace I will both lie down and sleep (Ps 4:8).
Sciendum est enim, quod ‘somnus’ accipitur multis modis. Quandoque pro somno naturae; I Reg. III, 9: dormivit Samuel usque mane. Et Iob XI, 18: securus dormias etc. Quandoque pro somno mortis; I Thess. IV, v. 12: nolumus vos ignorare de dormientibus, ut non contristemini, sicut et ceteri qui spem non habent. Quandoque pro negligentia; Ps. CXX, 4: ecce dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel. Quandoque vero pro somno culpae; Eph. V, 14: exurge qui dormis, et exurge a mortuis. Quandoque pro quiete contemplationis; Cant. V, 2: ego dormio, et cor meum vigilat. Quandoque pro quiete futurae gloriae; Ps. IV, 9: in pace in idipsum dormiam, et requiescam.
Death is called a sleep because of the hope we have of a resurrection; so death has come to be called a sleep from the time that Christ died and arose: I lie down and sleep (Ps 3:6).
Mors autem dicitur somnus propter spem resurrectionis; et ideo mors consuevit appellari dormitio, ab eo tempore quo Christus mortuus est et resurrexit; Ps. III, 6: ego dormivi, et soporatus sum.