838. The Evangelist has presented the teaching of Christ on the spiritual life, by which he gives life to those who are born again. He now tells us of the spiritual food by which Christ sustains those to whom he has given life. 838. Posita doctrina de vita spirituali qua Christus regeneratos vivificat, consequenter Evangelista agit de spirituali nutrimento quo Christus vivificatos sustentat, et First, he describes a visible miracle, in which Christ furnished bodily food. primo ponit visibile miraculum, quod fecit Christus exhibendo nutrimentum corporale; Second, he considers spiritual food: Jesus answered them and said: amen, amen I say to you, you seek me, not because you have seen miracles (John 6:26). secundo agit de nutrimento spirituali, ibi respondit eis Iesus, et dixit: amen, amen dico vobis, quaeritis me, non quia etc. He does two things about the first. Circa primum duo facit. First, he describes the visible miracle about bodily nourishment. Primo ponit miraculum visibile de nutrimento corporali; Second, he shows the effect this miracle had: now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done (John 6:14). secundo ostendit effectum miraculi, ibi illi ergo homines cum vidissent etc. He tells us two things about this miracle. Circa miraculum duo ponit: First, its circumstances, scilicet eius circumstantias, second, about its actual accomplishment: when Jesus had lifted up his eyes. et eius patratione, ibi et cum sublevasset oculos Iesus. As to the first he does three things. Circa primum tria facit. First he describes the crowd that Jesus fed, Primo describit multitudinem quam pavit; second, the place; at: Jesus therefore went up into a mountain; secundo determinat locum ubi pavit, ibi subiit ergo in montem Iesus; third, the time: now the Pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. tertio tempus quando pavit, ibi erat autem proximum Pascha etc. As to the first he does three things. Circa primum tria facit. First, he identifies the place where the crowd followed Jesus; Primo determinat locum quo multitudo eum sequitur; second, the people who followed him; and secundo turbam sequentem; third, he tells why they followed him. tertio causam sequelae assignat. 839. The Evangelist describes the place to which the crowd followed our Lord when he says, after these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, i.e., after the mysterious words Jesus had spoken concerning his power. 839. Quo autem turba Dominum sequeretur, insinuat Evangelista cum dicit post haec abiit Iesus trans mare Galilaeae; idest, post mystica verba quae Dominus de sua potestate dixerat. This Sea of Galilee is mentioned frequently in various places in Scripture. Luke calls it a lake (Luke 5:1) because its water is not salty, but was formed from the waters flowing in from the Jordan. Yet it is still called a Sea, because in Hebrew all bodies of water are called seas: God called the waters ‘seas’ (Gen 1:10). It is also called Gennesaret because of the character of its location: for this water is tossed about a great deal, being buffeted by the winds that come from the vapors rising from its surface. Thus in Greek the word Gennesaret means ‘wind forming.’ It is called the Sea of Galilee from the province of Galilee in which it is located. Again, it is called the Sea of Tiberias from the city of Tiberias: this city was situated on one side of the sea, facing Capernaum on the opposite side. The city of Tiberias was formerly called Chinnereth, but later, when it was rebuilt by Herod the Tetrarch, it was renamed as Tiberias in honor of Tiberius Caesar. Mare autem istud Galilaeae frequenter in Scriptura et in diversis locis nominatur. Quia autem istud mare non est salsum, sed est quaedam congregatio aquarum ex influxu Iordanis, ideo a Luca dicitur stagnum, ut habetur Lc. V, 1; quia vero secundum proprietatem Hebraici idiomatis, omnes congregationes aquarum vocantur maria, secundum illud Gen. I, 10: congregationesque aquarum appellavit maria, ideo dicitur mare. Sed Genesareth cognominatur a natura loci: nam multum fluctuat ex reverberatione ventorum, qui ex ipsis aquae resolutionibus generantur: unde Genesareth in Graeco, idem est quod auram generans. Denominatur etiam Galilaeae a Galilaea provincia, in qua est. Tiberiadis vero a civitate sic dicta, quae erat ex una parte ipsius maris, ex opposito habens civitatem Capharnaum ex alia parte, quae prius vocabatur Zenereth, sed postea ab Herode tetrarcha instaurata in honorem Tiberii Caesaris, Tiberias appellata fuit. 840. The literal reason why Jesus crossed the sea is given by Chrysostom: to give ground to the anger and agitation which the Jews felt against Christ because of the things he had said about them. As Chrysostom says: just as darts strike a hard object with great force if they meet it, but pass on and soon come to rest if nothing is in their way, so also the anger of defiant men increases when they are resisted, but if we yield a little, it is easy to keep their fury within bounds. So Christ, by going to the other side of the sea, was able to soften the anger of the Jews, caused by what he had said. He thus gives us an example to act in the same way: do not be provoked by one who speaks evil of you (Sir 8:14). 840. Ratio autem litteralis quare Iesus abiit trans mare, assignatur a Chrysostomo, ut Christus cederet furori et turbationi Iudaeorum, quam conceperant contra Christum propter ea quae de se supra dixerat. Unde, ut ipse dicit, sicut iacula cum in durum aliquod incidunt gravius feriunt, quae autem non habuerint aliquod obvians, dissolvuntur cito immissa, et quiescunt; ita et cum audacibus hominibus impetuose et resistendo incesserimus, saeviunt magis; si autem eis cesserimus, facile mollimus eorum insaniam. Propterea Christus furorem Iudaeorum ex praemissis sermonibus natum, secedendo trans mare, mitigavit; dans nobis in hoc exemplum simile faciendi. Eccli. VIII, 14: ne stes contra faciem contumeliosi. 841. In the mystical sense, the sea signifies this present troubled world: this great sea, stretching wide (Ps 103:25). 841. Mystice autem per mare, praesens saeculum turbidum designatur; Ps. CIII, v. 25: hoc mare magnum et spatiosum manibus. Our Lord crossed over this sea when he assumed the sea of punishment and death by being born, trod it under foot by dying, and then crossing over it by his rising, arrived at the glory of his resurrection. We read of this crossing: Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father (John 13:1). Hoc mare transiit Dominus quando mare mortalitatis et poenalitatis assumpsit nascendo, calcavit moriendo et transiens resurgendo, in gloriam resurrectionis pervenit. De isto transitu dicitur infra XIII, 1: sciens Iesus quia venit hora eius ut transeat ex hoc mundo ad Patrem. A great crowd, composed of both peoples, has followed him in this crossing, by believing in him and imitating him: your heart will be full of wonder and joy, when the riches of the sea will be given to you (Isa 60:5); rise up, O Lord, you who demand that justice be done; and the people will gather round you (Ps 7:7). Eum transeuntem secutae sunt, credendo et imitando, turbae multae, ex utroque populo collectae; Is. LX, 5: tunc mirabitur et dilatabitur cor tuum, quando conversa fuerit ad te multitudo maris; Ps. VII, 7: exsurge, Domine in praecepto quod mandasti, et synagoga populorum circumdabit te. 842. The crowd that followed him is described as large, and a great multitude followed him. 842. Describitur ergo turba sequens copiosa, quia sequebatur eum multitudo magna. 843. The reason why they followed him is because he was performing miracles, hence he says, because they saw the miracles that he performed on those who were diseased. 843. Causa autem propter quam sequebatur, est operatio miraculorum; unde dicit quia videbant signa quae faciebat super his qui infirmabantur. We should point out that some followed Christ because of his teachings, that is, those who were better disposed. But there were others, i.e., those who were less perfect and less perceptive, who followed him because they were attracted by visible miracles; signs were given to unbelievers, not to believers (1 Cor 14:22). Still others followed him out of devotion and faith, those, namely, whom he had cured of some bodily defect: for our Lord had so healed their body that they were also completely healed in soul: the works of God are perfect (Deut 32:4). This is clear, because he expressly said to the paralytic, sin no more (John 5:14), and it is said, son, your sins are forgiven (Matt 9:2); and these remarks concern the health of the soul rather than that of the body. Sciendum est, quod quidam sequebantur eum propter doctrinam eius, qui scilicet melius erant dispositi; alii vero imperfectiores sequebantur eum propter admirationem signorum visibilium, grossioris mentis existentes. Signa enim, ut dicitur I Cor. XIV, 22, non sunt data fidelibus, sed infidelibus. Aliqui etiam propter devotionem et fidem eum sequebantur, scilicet illi quos corpore sanaverat: sic enim a Domino sanabantur in corpore ut etiam perfecte sanarentur in anima; Deut. XXXII, 4: Dei perfecta sunt opera. Et hoc patet, quia paralytico (supra VIII, 11), signanter dixit: vade, et amplius noli peccare; et Matth. IX, 2: fili, remittuntur tibi peccata; quae magis ad sanitatem animae pertinent quam corporis. 844. We might remark that although the Evangelist had mentioned only three miracles, the one at the marriage reception, the son of the official, and the paralytic, he says here in a general way, the miracles he performed. He does this to indicate that Christ worked many other miracles that are not mentioned in this book (John 21:25). For his main object was to present the teaching of Christ. 844. Notandum autem quod cum Evangelista non fecerit mentionem, nisi de tribus miraculis, scilicet de nuptiis, de filio reguli, et paralytico, hic tamen indeterminate dicit signa quae faciebat, ut det intelligere, quia Christus multa alia signa fecit, ut dicitur infra ult., 25, de quibus in hoc libro mentionem non facit. Intendebat enim specialiter ad manifestandum Christi doctrinam. 845. Then he gives the location of the miracle, on a mountain; hence he says: Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, i.e., privately, and he sat there with his disciples. Now a mountain is a place well suited for refreshment, for according to the Psalm a mountain signifies the perfection of justice: your justice is like the mountains of God (Ps 35:7). And so, because we cannot be satisfied by earthly things—indeed, whoever drinks this water will thirst again (John 4:13)—but spiritual things will satisfy us, our Lord leads his disciples to a higher place to show that full satisfaction and the perfection of justice are found in spiritual realities. We read of this mountain: the mountain of God is a rich mountain (Ps 67:16). Thus he also exercised his office of teacher there, sitting with his disciples; for he is the one who teaches every man. 845. Consequenter determinat locum miraculi, qui est mons; unde dicit subiit ergo in montem, idest latenter ascendit Iesus, et ibi sedebat cum discipulis suis. Et quidem mons satis est congruus locus refectioni: per montem enim signatur perfectio iustitiae, secundum illud Ps. XXXV, 7: iustitia tua sicut montes Dei. Quia ergo haec terrena non satiant, immo qui biberit ex aqua hac sitiet iterum, ut dicitur supra II, 13, spiritualia vero satiant; ideo Dominus ad altiora cum discipulis ascendit, ut ostendat in spiritualibus satietatem et perfectionem iustitiae inveniri: de quo monte dicitur in Ps. LXVII, 16: mons Dei, mons pinguis. Unde et ibi doctoris exercebat officium, sedens cum discipulis suis: ipse enim est qui docet omnem hominem scientiam. 846. The time is mentioned when he says, now the Pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. This time was also well suited for their refreshment, for Pasch means passage: it is the Passover of the Lord, that is, his passage (Exod 12:11). We understand from this that anyone who desires to be refreshed by the bread of the divine Word and by the body and blood of the Lord, must pass from vices to virtues: our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed, and so let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor 5:7). And again, divine wisdom says: pass over to me, all who desire me (Sir 24:26). 846. Consequenter describitur tempus, cum dicit erat autem proximum Pascha, quod quidem tempus congruit refectioni. Pascha enim interpretatur transitus: Ex. XII, 11: est enim phase, idest transitus Domini, ut det intelligere quod quisquis pane divini Verbi et corpore et sanguine Domini desiderat refici, debet transire de vitiis ad virtutes. I Cor. V, v. 7: Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus, itaque epulemur in azymis sinceritatis et veritatis. Eccli. XXIV, 26, dicit divina sapientia: transite ad me, omnes, qui concupiscitis me. This is the second Passover the Evangelist has mentioned. However, our Lord did not go to Jerusalem this time, as the law commanded. The reason for this being that Christ was both God and man: as man he was subject to the law, but as God he was above the law. So, he observed the law on certain occasions to show that he was a man, but he also disregarded the law at other times to show that he was God. Further, by not going he indicated that the ceremonies of the law would end gradually and in a short time. Hoc autem est secundum Pascha, de quo Evangelista mentionem facit: ad quod quidem, iuxta legis praeceptum, quod habetur Ex. XXIII, 17, Dominus non ascendit in Ierusalem. Cuius ratio est, quia Christus Deus erat et homo: et inquantum homo suberat quidem legi; inquantum Deus supra legem erat. Ut ergo se hominem ostenderet, servabat aliquando legem; ut vero Deum, legem solvebat. Unde et per hoc quod non ivit, dedit intelligere quod paulatim et in brevi legalia cessarent. 847. Then he considers the miracle itself, at when Jesus had lifted up his eyes, and saw that a very great multitude came to him. 847. Consequenter agit de patratione miraculi, cum dicit cum sublevasset ergo oculos Iesus, et vidisset etc., et First, why it was needed. primo ostenditur necessitas patrandi miraculi; Second, its accomplishment, at then Jesus said: make the men sit down. secundo subditur ipsa patratio, ibi dicit ergo Iesus: facite homines discumbere etc. We can see the need for this miracle from our Lord’s question to his disciple, and the disciple’s answer. Necessitas autem miraculi fiendi sumitur ex interrogatione Domini, et responsione discipulorum, et ideo First, our Lord’s question is given; and primo ponitur Domini interrogatio; then the answer of his disciple, at Philip answered him. secundo discipulorum responsio, ibi respondit ei Philippus etc.