1968. Consequenter cum dicit audistis quia ego dixi vobis: vado, et venio ad vos; turbabantur enim ex recessu Christi sed in parte consolabantur, quod subdit et venio ad vos; supra: vado, et venio ad vos. Non tamen ex hoc consolabantur totaliter, timentes ne forsitan gregem lupus hoc intervallo invaderet in pastoris absentia: secundum illud Zach. XIII, 7: percute pastorem, et dispergentur oves. Dicit ergo non turbetur, quia vado, sed nec formidet, quia venio ad vos.
1968. Then when he says, you have heard that I said to you: I go away, and I come unto you, they were troubled because he was leaving them. But they were somewhat consoled because he added, and I will come to you. As before, I go away, and I come unto you. This did not completely console them because they were afraid that perhaps in the meantime, when the shepherd was gone, the wolf would attack the flock, according to strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered (Zech 13:7). Thus he said to them, let not your hearts be troubled because I go away, neither let them be afraid because I will come to you.
Vadit quidem sua potestate moriendo, et venit resurgendo; Matth. XX, 18: Filius hominis tradetur principibus sacerdotum et Scribis, et condemnabunt eum morte . . . et tertia die resurget. Ivit ascendendo; Is. LXIII, 1: iste formosus in stola sua, gradiens in multitudine fortitudinis suae. Veniet ad iudicandum; Lc. XXI, 27: videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube cum potestate magna et maiestate.
He goes by his own power, by dying; and he comes by arising: the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death . . . and he will rise on the third day (Matt 20:18). Again, he went by his ascension: the beautiful one in his robe, walking in the greatness of his strength (Isa 63:1); and he will come to judge: they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory (Luke 21:27).
1969. Totaliter autem consolatur eos cum dicit si diligeritis me, gauderetis utique; quasi dicat: si diligitis me, non debetis contristari, sed potius debetis gaudere de recessu meo, quia vado ad exaltationem meam, quia scilicet, vado ad Patrem, qui maior me est.
1969. He completely consoles them when he says, if you loved me, you would indeed be glad. It is like saying: if you love me, you should not be sad, but rather rejoice that I am leaving, because I am leaving to be exalted, because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
1970. Sed ex hoc Arius insultat dicens Patrem maiorem esse Filio. Cuius error ex ipsis verbis Domini excluditur. Nam ex intellectu eius, quomodo intelligitur vado ad Patrem, ex eodem intelligitur Pater maior me est. Filius autem non vadit ad Patrem nec venit ad nos inquantum est Filius Dei, secundum quod cum Patre fuit ab aeterno; supra I: in principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum. Sed dicitur ire ad Patrem, secundum humanam naturam. Sic ergo hoc quod dicit maior me est, non dicit inquantum Filius Dei, sed inquantum Filius hominis, secundum quod non solum est minor Patre et Spiritu Sancto, sed etiam ipsis angelis; Hebr. II, 9: eum autem qui modico quam angeli minoratus est, videmus Iesum propter passionem mortis, gloria et honore coronatum. Item quibusdam hominibus, scilicet parentibus, subditus erat quantum ad aliquid, ut legitur Lc. II, 51. Sic ergo minor est Patre secundum humanitatem, aequalis secundum divinitatem; Phil. II, 6: non rapinam arbitratus est esse se aequalem Deo: sed semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens.
1970. This passage led Arius to the disparaging statement that the Father is greater than the Son. Yet our Lord’s own words repel this error. One should understand the Father is greater than I, based on the meaning of I go to the Father. Now the Son does not go to the Father insofar as he is the Son of God, for as the Son of God he was with the Father from eternity: in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God (John 1:1). Rather, he is said to go to the Father because of his human nature. Thus when he says, the Father is greater than I, he does not mean I, as Son of God, but as Son of man, for in this way he is not only inferior to the Father and the Holy Spirit, but even to the angels: we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor on account of his passion and death (Heb 2:9). Again, in some things he was subject to human beings, as his parents (Luke 2:51). Consequently, he is inferior to the Father because of his human nature, but equal because of his divine nature: he did not think it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant (Phil 2:6).
1971. Potest etiam dici, secundum Hilarium, quod Pater etiam secundum divinitatem maior est Filio, sed tamen Filius non est minor, sed aequalis. Est enim Pater maior Filio non potestate, aeternitate et magnitudine: sed donantis seu principii auctoritate. Nam Pater nihil ab alio accipit, Filius autem naturam, ut ita dicam, a Patre accipit per aeternam generationem. Est ergo Pater maior, quia dat; sed Filius non est minor, sed aequalis, quia totum quod Pater habet, accipit; Phil. II, 9: dedit ei nomen quod est super omne nomen. Minor enim iam non est donante, cui unum esse donatur.
1971. One could also say, as Hilary does, that even according to the divine nature the Father is greater than the Son, yet the Son is not inferior to the Father, but equal. For the Father is not greater than the Son in power, eternity and greatness, but by the dignity of a grantor or source. For the Father receives nothing from another, but the Son, if I can put it this way, receives his nature from the Father by an eternal generation. So, the Father is greater because he gives; but the Son is not inferior, but equal, because he receives all that the Father has: God has bestowed on him the name which is above every name (Phil 2:9). For the one to whom a single act of existence is given, is not inferior to the giver.
1972. Chrysostomus autem ita exponit dicens, quod Dominus loquitur secundum suspicionem apostolorum, qui nondum noverant quid sit resurrectio, nec eum aequalem Patri existimabant. Et ideo dicit eis: et si non creditis mihi quod non possum mihi assistere, nec confiditis quod post crucem rursus vos videbo; tamen credatis mihi, quia vado ad Patrem, qui maior me est.
1972. Chrysostom explains this by saying that our Lord is saying this by taking into account the opinions of the apostles, who did not yet know of the resurrection or think that he was equal to the Father. And so he said to them: even if you do not believe me on the ground that I cannot help myself, or expect that I will see you again after my cross, yet believe me because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
1973. Respondet autem tacitae quaestioni, dicens et nunc dixi vobis priusquam fiat, ut cum factum fuerit credatis. Possent enim quaerere quare ista diceret et ideo praeveniens dicit nunc dixi vobis etc.
1973. He now answers an unspoken question when he says, and now I have told you before it comes to pass, so that when it comes to pass, you may believe. For they could have asked why he was telling them these things, and so he anticipates them by saying this, and now I have told you.
Sed quaerit Augustinus: cum fides sit de his quae non videntur, non debet homo credere postquam factum est, sed ante.
Augustine brought up a problem: since faith is concerned with things which are not seen, a person should not believe after the event, but before it.
Sed dicendum, quod aliud videbant, et aliud credebant. Viderunt ante mortem Christi et eius resurrectionem, quo viso, crediderunt quod ipse esset Christus Filius Dei. Unde cum factum fuit, non crediderunt fide nova, sed aucta; aut certe cum mortuus esset, defecta; cum surrexisset, refecta, ut Augustinus dicit.
One should say to this that the apostles saw one thing and believed another. They saw the death and resurrection of Christ, and having seen, they believed that he was the Christ, the Son of God. But after these events they did not believe with a new faith, but with an increased faith. Or, indeed, they believed with a failing faith when he had died, and a renewed faith when he arose, as Augustine says.
1974. Consequenter cum dicit iam non multa loquar vobiscum, ponit aliam causam consolationis ex parte recessus sui, quae sumitur ex causa mortis. Sciendum est autem, quod causa mortis quaedam est inducens dolorem, cum quis pro culpa occiditur; quaedam est inducens consolationem, cum quis scilicet moritur pro bono virtutis; I Petr. IV, 15: nemo vestrum patiatur ut fur aut homicida . . . Si autem ut Christianus, non erubescat. Circa hoc ergo
1974. Then when he says, I will not now speak many things with you, he mentions another source of their consolation, based on the reason for his death. Sometimes the reason for a person’s death is a cause for sorrow, as when one is killed because he is guilty; other reasons are consoling, as when someone dies for that good we call virtue: let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief . . . yet if one suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed (1 Pet 4:15). With respect to this,
primo ostendit Dominus quod peccatum non fuit causa suae mortis;
our Lord first shows that a sin was not the reason for his death;
secundo quod eius causa fuit virtus obedientiae et caritatis, ibi sed ut cognoscat mundus quia diligo Patrem.
second, that it was caused by the virtues of obedience and love, but that the world may know, that I love the Father.
1975. Dicit ergo iam non multa loquar vobiscum, propter temporis brevitatem; supra XIII, 33: filioli, adhuc modicum vobiscum, sum. Vel quia nondum capaces estis; infra XVI, 12: adhuc multa habeo vobis loqui, sed non potestis portare modo. Vel ideo non multa loquar vobiscum, quia in uno brevi sermone explicabo vobis quod non moriar ex culpa mea. Et hoc facit consequenter cum dicit venit enim princeps mundi huius, et in me non habet quidquam, scilicet diabolus, qui dicitur princeps, non ratione creationis, neque per naturalem potestatem, ut Manichaei blasphemant, sed ratione culpae huius, idest amatorum mundi: unde dicitur princeps mundi et peccati. Eph. ult., v. 12: non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem; sed adversus rectores et principes tenebrarum harum. Non ergo est princeps creaturarum, sed peccatorum et tenebrarum; Iob XLI, 25: ille est rex super omnes filios superbiae.
1975. He says, I will not now speak many things with you, because the time is short: little children, yet a little while I am with you (John 13:33). Or, because you are not yet ready for it: I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now (John 16:12). Or, I will no longer talk much with you, because I will briefly explain to you that I will not die because of my own guilt. And he does this when he says, for the prince of this world is comes, and in me he has not anything. This prince is the devil, and he is called a prince of this world not because he is its creator, or because of his natural power, as the Manicheans blasphemed, but because of guilt, that is, because of the lovers of this world. For this reason he is called the prince of the world and of sin: for we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against . . . the world rulers of this present darkness (Eph 6:12). Therefore, he is not the ruler of creatures, but of sinners and of darkness: he is king over all the children of pride (Job 41:34).
Hic ergo princeps venit ad persequendum: intravit enim in cor Iudae ut proderet, Iudaeorum vero ut occiderent; sed in me non habet quidquam: nam in nobis non habet potestatem nisi propter peccatum; supra VIII, v. 34: qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati. In Christo autem nullum peccatum erat, neque secundum animam: I Petr. II, 22: qui peccatum non fecit etc. neque secundum carnem, quia ex Virgine absque originali peccato de Spiritu Sancto conceptus; Lc. I, 25: quod enim ex te nascetur sanctum, vocabitur Filius Dei. Quia ergo diabolus Christum, in quo nullum ius habuit, etiam invasit, perdere meruit quod iuste possidebat; Mc. V, 7: quid nobis et tibi, Iesu Fili Dei Altissimi? Sic ergo patet quod causa mortis suae non fuit culpa; sed nec erat cur moreretur, si non habet peccatum.
So this ruler comes to afflict: he entered into the heart of Judas to incite his betrayal, and into the hearts of the Jews to incite them to kill. But and in me he has not anything, for he has no power over us except because of sin: whoever commits sin is the slave of sin (John 8:34). Now in Christ there was no sin: not in his soul, he committed no sin (1 Pet 2:22), nor in his flesh, because he was conceived of the Virgin without original sin through the Holy Spirit: the child to be born of you will be called holy, the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Because the devil even attacked Christ, over whom he had no right, he deserved to lose what he justly held: what have I do to with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? (Mark 5:7). So it is clear that the cause of Christ’s death was not his own guilt; and there was no reason for him to die if he had no sin.
1976. Consequenter veram causam adiungit, quae est bonum virtutis; et ideo dicit sed ut cognoscat mundus quia diligo Patrem: quod, secundum Augustinum sic punctatur: sed ut cognoscat mundus quia diligo Patrem, et sicut mandatum dedit mihi Pater, sic facio, suspensive, surgite, eamus hinc.
1976. Then he mentions the true reason for his death, which is that good which is virtue. He says, but that the world may know, that I love the Father. Augustine relates this sentence, but that the world may know, that I love the Father: and as the Father has given me commandment, so I do, to what follows, arise, let us go hence.
Ubi sciendum est, quod duo moverunt Christum ad mortem sustinendam, scilicet amor Dei et dilectio proximi; Eph. V, 2: ambulate in dilectione. Et hoc probat per indicium, quia mandata sua implet; supra: si diligitis me, mandata mea servate. Et quantum ad hoc dicit sed ut cognoscat mundus quia diligo Patrem etc.; et hoc efficaciter, quia scilicet morior; unde subdit et sicut mandatum dedit mihi Pater, sic facio: quod est secundum quod Pater movit eum ad mortem suscipiendam, scilicet obedientia, quae ex amore causatur. Mandatum autem hoc dedit Pater non Filio Dei, qui cum sit Verbum, est etiam mandatum Patris; sed dedit Filio hominis, inquantum animae eius inspiravit necessarium esse saluti humanae ut Christus in humana natura moreretur. Ut ergo hoc mundus cognoscat, surgite, de loco ubi coenaverant, et eamus, ad locum ubi ego sum tradendus, ut videatis quod non ex necessitate, sed ex caritate et obedientia morior; Iob XXXIX, 21: audacter in occursum pergit armatis.
Two things led Christ to undergo death: love for God and love for neighbor; walk in love (Eph 5:2). He shows this love by the sign that he accomplishes what God commands: if you love me keep my commandments (John 14:15). Referring to this he says, that the world may know, that I love the Father, with an active love, because I go to die. Thus he adds, as the Father has given me commandment, so I do. This is obedience, which is produced by love; and it is the second thing by which the Father moved him to undergo death. The Father did not give this commandment to the Son of God, who, since he is the Word, is also the command of the Father. He gave this commandment to the Son of man, insofar as he infused into his soul that it was necessary for the salvation of humankind that the Christ die in his human nature. And so, that the world may know these things, arise, from the place where they had eaten, let us go hence, to the place where I am to be betrayed, so that you can see that I am not dying by necessity, but from love and obedience: he goes out to meet the weapons (Job 39:21).
1977. Secundum Chrysostomum autem aliter legitur: ut in hoc scilicet quod dicit sic facio, sit finis sententiae; et in hoc quod resumit: surgite, eamus hinc, sit principium alterius: ut sit sensus: non morior, quasi princeps mundi huius habeat in me quidquam, sed quia diligo Patrem, ideo hoc facio. Vos autem surgite et eamus hinc. Videbat enim eos formidare et propter tempus, quia nox profunda erat, et propter locum, quia in villa manifeste sistebant, ita ut semper circumvolverent ad ostium oculos, quasi expectando hostes eos invadentes, et propter hoc non attendentes his quae dicebantur. Et ideo ut melius verba quae dicturus erat intelligerent, ducit eos in locum alium secretum, ut aestimantes se securos esse, attentius audiant quae diceret eis; Oseae II, 14: ducam eam in solitudinem, et loquar ad cor eius.
1977. Chrysostom understands this differently, since he does not relate arise, let us go hence, to what came before it in the same way. The meaning now is: I am not dying because the ruler of this world has power over me; that I love the Father. But as for you, rise, let us go hence. He said this because he saw they were afraid, both because of the time, as it was deep into the night, and due to the place, for they were obviously at some house and constantly watching the entrance as if expecting to be set upon by their enemies. Consequently they were not paying attention to what he was saying. So Christ led them to another hidden place, so that feeling more secure they could listen with more attention to what he would say to them and understand it better: I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her (Hos 2:14).
Caput 15
Chapter 15
Continuatio Sermonis in Coena
The Last Supper Discourse Cont.
Lectio 1
Lecture 1
Vitis vera
The true vine
15:1 Ego sum vitis vera, et Pater meus agricola est. [n. 1979]
15:1 I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman. [n. 1979]
15:2 Omnem palmitem in me non ferentem fructum, tollet eum; et omnem qui fert fructum, purgabit eum, ut fructum plus afferat. [n. 1983]
15:2 Every branch in me, that does not bear fruit, he will take away: and every one that bears fruit, he will purge, that it may bring forth more fruit. [n. 1983]
15:3 Iam vos mundi estis propter sermonem quem locutus sum vobis. [n. 1987]
15:3 Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you. [n. 1987]
15:4 Manete in me, et ego in vobis. Sicut palmes non potest ferre fructum a semetipso, nisi manserit in vite, sic nec vos, nisi in me manseritis. [n. 1988]
15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me. [n. 1988]
15:5 Ego sum vitis et vos palmites. Qui manet in me et ego in eo, hic fert fructum multum: quia sine me nihil potestis facere. [n. 1990]
15:5 I am the vine: you the branches: he who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. [n. 1990]
15:6 Si quis in me non manserit, mittetur foras sicut palmes; et arescet; et colligent eum, et in ignem mittent, et ardet. [n. 1994]
15:6 If any one does not abide in me, he will be cast forth as a branch, and will wither, and they will gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burns. [n. 1994]
15:7 Si manseritis in me, et verba mea in vobis manserint, quodcumque volueritis petetis, et fiet vobis. [n. 1995]
15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask whatever you will, and it will be done unto you. [n. 1995]
15:8 In hoc clarificatus est Pater meus ut fructum plurimum afferatis et efficiamini mei discipuli. [n. 1996]
15:8 In this is my Father glorified; that you bring forth much fruit, and become my disciples. [n. 1996]
1978. Dominus in hoc sermone specialiter intendebat animos discipulorum confortare contra duo: scilicet contra unum quod imminebat in praesenti, quod erat passio eius; et aliud quod timebatur futurum, scilicet tribulatio eis superventura. Unde contra ista duo dixerat eis non turbetur cor vestrum, quantum ad primum, neque formidet, quantum ad secundum.
1978. In this talk our Lord especially wants to comfort his disciples about two things: one was near, in the present, and this was his passion; the other was what they feared in the future, and this was the troubles which would come upon them. He had said to them about these two things: let not your heart be troubled, referring to the first, nor let it be afraid (John 14:27), referring to the second.
Postquam ergo confortavit eos de recessu suo, hic confortat eos contra tribulationes eis superventuras, et
So now, after comforting them over his leaving, let not your heart be troubled (John 14:1), he strengthens them for the troubles which will come upon them.
primo proponit eis quamdam similitudinem;
First, he presents a certain image;
secundo ex illa procedit ad propositum, ibi iam vos mundi estis.
second, he moves from this to his intention: now you are clean by reason of the word.
Similitudo autem est de vite et agricola. Unde
The image he presents is of a vine and a vinedresser.
primo proponit vitem;
First, he mentions the vine;
secundo introducit agricolam;
second, the vinedresser;