Commentary on the Gospel of John

Above, the Lord instructed his disciples by examples; here he comforts them with words. And first is set down a manifold exhortation in words; second, an explanation of the things that were said, in chapter 16: "These things I have spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized." Concerning the first, it should be known that two things were impending for the disciples, on account of which they could be troubled. One concerning the present, namely the impending departure of Christ; the other concerning the future, namely the tribulations they were going to suffer. First, therefore, he comforts them against the first, namely against his departure; second, against the tribulations they were going to suffer, in chapter 15, "I am the true vine," and so on.

Concerning the first he does two things. First he comforts them on the part of themselves who remain; second, on the part of himself who is departing, at the place "Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets forth beforehand his approach to the Father; second he promises them the gift of the Holy Spirit, at the place "If you love me, keep my commandments"; third, his presence, at the place "I will not leave you orphans." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth beforehand his approach to the Father; second he treats of the way by which he was to approach, at the place "And where I go you know, and the way you know." Concerning the first he does three things. First he excludes trouble; second he suggests his own power, at the place "You believe in God, believe also in me"; third he adds a promise, at the place "In my Father's house there are many mansions."

Concerning the first, it should be known that the disciples could be troubled by the Lord's above-mentioned words about the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and his own departure. And truly all these things brought on trouble and grief; Psalm 59:4: "You have moved the earth" — namely, of the disciples' hearts — "and you have troubled it." And therefore the Lord, wishing to heal their contrition, says, "Let not your heart be troubled." But against this: Acts 1:1, "Jesus began to do and to teach." But above, in chapter 13:21, it is said: "Jesus was troubled in spirit," and so on. How then does he teach that one should not be troubled, who was himself first troubled?

Response. It must be said that he did not teach the contrary of what he did. For it is said of him that he was troubled in spirit, not that his spirit was troubled. Here, however, he does not forbid that they be troubled in spirit, but forbids that their heart, that is, their spirit, be troubled. For there is a certain trouble from the spirit, proceeding from reason, which is praiseworthy and is not forbidden. 2 Corinthians 7:10: "For the sorrow that is according to God works repentance unto steadfast salvation." There is another sorrow or trouble of reason itself, which is not praiseworthy, because it leads away from its own rectitude; and this is forbidden: Psalm 36:24, "The just man shall not be troubled, for the Lord puts his hand under him." For he who always possesses God cannot be troubled.

And therefore the Lord adds the power of his divinity, saying, "You believe in God, believe also in me," where he presupposes one thing and enjoins another. He presupposes indeed their faith in God, saying "You believe in God," for in this they had already been instructed by him; Hebrews 11:6: "He who comes to God must believe." But he enjoins that they believe in him, saying, "and believe also in me." For if you believe in God, and I am God, it follows that you should believe in me. And this consequence holds, whether the term "God" is taken essentially, since the Son himself is God, or whether the term "God" stands for the person of the Father. For no one can believe in the Father unless he believes in the Son; above, chapter 5:23: "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father." Now in saying "and believe also in me," he testifies that he is true God; for although it is permitted to believe a man or a creature, we ought nevertheless to believe in no one except God. One must therefore believe in Christ as in God. 1 John, last chapter, 20: "that you may be in his true Son, Christ. This is the true God and eternal life"; above, chapter 6:29: "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

Consequently, when he says "In my Father's house there are many mansions," he adds the promise, which is that through Christ they may approach and be led in to the Father. Now a promise about others' approach to some place includes two things: one is antecedent, namely the preparation of the place; the other is consequent, namely the introduction into the place. And therefore the Lord here makes two promises: one which pertains to the preparation of the place, the other to the introduction into the place. The first, however, is not necessary, since the place is already prepared; but the second is; and therefore concerning this he does two things. First he excludes the necessity of the first promise; second he sets down the second promise, at the place "And if I shall go, and prepare you a place, I will come again and take you to myself." Concerning the first he does two things. First he excludes the necessity of preparation; second he shows his own capability of preparing, if it were necessary, at the place "If not, I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you."

He says therefore: "In my Father's house there are many mansions." Here it should be known that, since each one's house is that in which he dwells, that is called the house of God in which God dwells; but God dwells in the saints; Jeremiah 14:9: "You are in us, Lord," and so on. But in some indeed through faith; 2 Corinthians 6:16: "I will dwell in them, and walk among them." But in some through perfect enjoyment, 1 Corinthians 15:28: "that God may be all in all." There is therefore a twofold house of God. One is the Church militant, namely the congregation of the faithful; 1 Timothy 3:15: "that you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God" — God dwells there through faith; Revelation 21:3, "which is the Church of the living God." And of this: "Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and I will dwell in them." The other is the Church triumphant, namely the collection of the saints in the glory of the Father; Psalm 64:5: "We shall be filled with the good things of your house. Holy is your temple, wonderful in righteousness."

But the Father's house is said to be not only that which he himself inhabits, but also himself, because he is in himself. And in this house he gathers us. That God himself is a house is had from 2 Corinthians 5:1: "We have a house from God, not made by hands, eternal in the heavens." And this house is of glory, which is God himself; Jeremiah 17:12: "A throne of glory, on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctification." Now man dwells in this place, that is, in God, as regards the will and the affections, through the enjoyment of charity — 1 John 4:16: "He who abides in charity, abides in God, and God in him"; and as regards the intellect, through the knowledge of the truth — below, chapter 17:17: "Sanctify them in the truth." In this house, therefore, that is, in glory, which is God, there are many mansions, that is, diverse participations of his beatitude; for he who knows more will have a greater place. The diverse participations of divine knowledge and enjoyment, therefore, are the diverse mansions.

But here there is a question whether one can be more blessed than another. It seems that he cannot. For beatitude is an end; and what is perfect does not admit of more and less; therefore it cannot be had more or less. Response. It must be said that something is called perfect in two ways: absolutely, and in a certain respect. Now the absolute perfection of beatitude belongs to God alone, because he alone knows and loves himself as much as he is knowable and lovable (for he infinitely knows, and loves, his own infinite truth and goodness). And as regards this, the supreme good itself, which is the object and cause of beatitude, cannot be greater or less, for there is only one supreme good, which is God. But in a certain respect, that is, according to certain conditions of time, nature, and grace, one can be more blessed than another according to the attainment of this good, and the capacity of each man. For the more capable a man is of it, the more he participates in it, namely insofar as he is better disposed and ordered to its enjoyment; and to this he is disposed in two ways. For beatitude consists in two things: namely, in the divine vision, and to this one is disposed through purity; and therefore the more one has a heart raised up from earthly things, the more and more perfectly he will see God. Likewise, in the delight of enjoyment, and to this one is disposed through love; and therefore he who has a heart more fervent with the love of God will delight more in the divine enjoyment. Of the first it is said, Matthew 5:8: "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God."

Likewise a question is raised about what is said in Matthew 20, that one denarius is given to all who labor. But this denarius is nothing other than the mansion in the Father's house. There are not, therefore, many mansions. Response. It must be said that the reward of eternal life is both one and many. Many indeed according to the diverse capacity of those participating, according to which there are diverse mansions in the Father's house; but one in three ways. First, indeed, on account of the unity of the object, for it is the same thing that all the blessed see, and which all enjoy; and therefore one denarius, but it will be seen and loved in different ways. Job 22:26: "Then you shall abound with delights in the Almighty"; Isaiah 28:5: "In that day the Lord of hosts shall be a scepter of exultation and a crown of glory to the remnant of his people." And it is similar to if someone were to offer a fountain to people, so that all might drink at will; of which he who had a bigger vessel would receive more, and he who had a smaller, less. There is, therefore, one fountain on its own part, but not the same measure of those receiving. And this is the opinion of blessed Gregory, in Moralia XXII.

Second, on account of the same measure of eternity, according to Augustine: because all will have eternal beatitude, since the just will go into eternal life, but they are diverse on account of capacity. Third, on account of charity, which unites all things, making the joys of each the joys of all, and conversely; Romans 12:15: "to rejoice with those who rejoice," and so on. But it should be noted that from this word the Pelagians took occasion for erring. For they say that unbaptized children who die will be saved in the house of God, but not in the kingdom, because above, chapter 3:5, it is said: "Unless one be reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of God." But against this Augustine says that the Lord says that mansions of this kind are in the house of God. But nothing is more within the kingdom than a house, for a kingdom is constituted from cities, cities from towns, and towns from houses. If, therefore, the mansions are in the house, it is manifest that they are in the kingdom.

Consequently, when he says "If not, I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you," he shows his own capability of preparing a place for them, if it were necessary. For someone could say: it is true that in his Father's house many mansions are prepared; but if this were not so, he would not be able to prepare them. And therefore the Lord, excluding this, says that "if not," that is, if the mansions were not prepared, "I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you." Here it must be considered what this means, that he said "to prepare a place for you." Now a place is prepared in two ways. In one way, when it is arranged in itself, as when a place is cleaned or enlarged; Isaiah 54:2: "Enlarge the place of your tent." In another way, when the capability of entering is given to someone; hence Psalm 70:3 petitioned: "Be to me a God, a protector, and a place of strength" — as if to say: may I always have the capability of entering. And according to this it can be understood in two ways.

For if this place were something that had a defect, or anything created whatsoever, it would be subject to my power, so that I might perfect it; for every creature is subject to the power of the Word; above, chapter 1:3: "All things were made through him." If, therefore, it were such that it had a defect, I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you. But the place in itself is prepared. For this place is God himself, as has been said, in whom is the excellence of all perfections. But perhaps you do not have the capability of entering, and therefore, "if not" — that is, if you did not have the capability of entering, and were not predestined to that place — "I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you." For it is in my power to predestine you to that place. For he himself, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, predestined them to eternal life; Ephesians 1:4: "He chose us in him."

But because he had said above, "Where I go, you cannot follow me now," lest they should believe that they were finally cut off from him, he therefore adds, "And if I shall go, and prepare you a place, I will come again, and take you to myself," where he sets down the second promise, namely, the leading into the kingdom. Here there seems to be a contrariety of words. For he said: "if not, I would have told you that I go to prepare a place for you," where he suggests that he does not go to prepare a place. But here it is said, "if I shall go, and prepare you a place," where he suggests that he does go to prepare a place. But it must be said that in one way it could be read conjointly, so that the sense is: "if not" — that is, if it were necessary — "I would have told you, because I go to prepare a place for you." And again: "if not" — that is, "if I shall go and prepare you a place." But according to Augustine it is read distinctly, namely, that this is a different clause from that one. The Lord prepared from eternity by predestining; he prepared by executing. But he prepared through his own departure. Hence what he said first, that the mansions were prepared, is understood as regards the first preparation from eternity; but what he says here, "if I shall go and prepare," is understood as regards the execution of the eternal predestination.

Now the Lord prepared a place for us through his departure in five ways. First indeed by giving room to faith. For since faith is of things not seen, there was no faith concerning Christ among the disciples when they saw him in person. He therefore withdrew himself from them, so that him whom they had by bodily presence, and saw with the eyes of the body, they might have by spiritual presence, and discern with the eye of the mind, which is to have through faith. Second, by showing them the way of going to that place; Micah 1:13: "He has ascended, opening the way before them." Third, by praying for them; Hebrews 7:25: "Approaching God through himself, he is able to save"; Deuteronomy 33:26: "The rider of heaven is your helper." Fourth, by drawing upward; Song of Songs 1:3: "Draw me after you"; Colossians 3:1: "If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above." Fifth, by sending them the Holy Spirit; above, chapter 7:39: "The Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." But the completion of Christ's glorification was in his ascension; and therefore, as soon as he ascended, he sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples.

Thus, therefore, he foretold to them his bodily departure, saying "if I shall go, and prepare you a place"; then he promises them a spiritual return, saying "I will come again, and receive you." "I will come" at the end of the world, Acts 1:11: "As you have seen him ascending into heaven, so shall he come." "And I will take you to myself," glorified in soul and body; 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "Likewise we shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ in the air." But are the spirits of the apostles not received by Christ until the end of the world? To this it must be said that it is the opinion of the Greeks that the saints do not go to Paradise until the day of judgment. But if this were so, then the Apostle would have in vain the desire to be with Christ, Philippians 1:23. And therefore it must be said that, as soon as the house of this dwelling is dissolved, as regards the soul we are with Christ. And thus what he says, "I will come again, and take you to myself," can be expounded of a spiritual coming, by which Christ always visits the Church of the faithful, and gives life to each of the saints in death.

So that the sense is: "I will come again" to the Church spiritually and continually, "and I will take you to myself" — that is, I will confirm you in my faith and love; Song of Songs 6:1: "My beloved has gone up to the bed of spices" — that is, to the congregation of the saints — "to feed" — that is, to delight in the virtues — "and to gather lilies" — that is, to draw pure souls to himself, when he gives life to the saints in death. Then he adds the fruit, saying, "that where I am, you also may be" — that is, where the head is, there let the members be; where the master is, there let the disciples be; Matthew 24:28: "Wherever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered"; above, chapter 12:26: "Where I am, there also shall my servant be."

Above, the Lord comforted the disciples concerning his departure, promising them that they would have access to the Father; here he consequently treats of the way by which they come to the Father. Now a way is not known without its terminus; and therefore he also treats of the terminus, and first he sets forth the way and the terminus, as known to them; second, he makes manifest what he had proposed, where it says, Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going." Concerning the first, it should be known that the Lord had said: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to you" (John 14:3). Because perhaps the disciples might ask him where he was going, as above, at John 13:36, Peter asked: "Lord, where are you going?" Therefore the Lord, knowing this, said to them, "And where I am going you know, and the way you know" (John 14:4). For I am going to the Father, whom you know as made manifest to you through me; below, John 17:6: "I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me." But the way by which I go is myself, whom you know; above, John 1:14: "We have seen his glory." Rightly, therefore, he said, "Where I am going you know, and the way you know": because they knew the Father through Christ, and they knew Christ through his manner of life and presence among them.

Next, when it says, "Thomas said to him," etc., the Lord makes manifest what he had proposed, and first the occasion of the manifestation is set forth beforehand; second, the manifestation of what was proposed is added, where it says, "Jesus said to them: I am the way, the truth, and the life." Now the occasion of the manifestation was the doubt of Thomas as he questioned. Hence Thomas said to him: "Lord, we do not know where you are going," and so on. Here notice that Thomas denies both things which the Lord had affirmed: for the Lord said that they knew both the way and the terminus of the way; but Thomas denies that he knows the way and the terminus. Yet both are true. For it is true that they knew, yet they did not know that they knew. For they knew many things about the Father and the Son, which they had learned from Christ; but they did not know that the Father was he to whom Christ was going, and that the Son was the way by which he was going. For it is difficult that one should go to the Father. Nor is it surprising if they did not know this: because although they knew Christ perfectly according to his humanity, they nevertheless knew his divinity imperfectly; Job 28:7: "The bird has not known his path." And he adds: how can we know the way? For knowledge of the way depends on knowledge of the terminus; therefore, since the terminus is unknown to us — 1 Timothy 6:16: "He dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen, nor can see" — therefore his way is beyond our investigation, according to that saying of Romans 11:33: "His ways are past finding out."

Next, when it says, "Jesus said to them: I am the way, the truth, and the life," the manifestation of the things asked about is set down. Now the Lord had proposed two things to be manifested to them: first, indeed, the way and its terminus; second, that they knew both. He therefore first manifests the first, and second the second, where it says: "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." Concerning the first, he does two things. First he manifests what the way is; second, what the terminus is, where it says: "No one comes to the Father except through me." Now the way, as has been said, is Christ himself: and therefore he says, "I am the way," and so on. And this indeed has sufficient reason: for through him we have access to the Father, as is said in Romans 5:2. It also fits the purpose by which he intends to resolve the doubt of the doubting disciple. But because this way is not distant from its terminus, but joined to it, he adds "the truth and the life"; and thus he himself is at once the way and the terminus. The way indeed according to his humanity, the terminus according to his divinity. Thus, therefore, according as he is man, he says, "I am the way"; according as he is God, he adds, "the truth and the life." By these two the terminus of this way is fittingly designated. For the terminus of this way is the end of human desire, and man especially desires two things: first, indeed, the knowledge of truth, which is proper to himself; second, the continuation of his own being, which is common to all things. Now Christ is the way of arriving at the knowledge of truth, since he himself is nevertheless the truth; Psalm 85:11: "Lead me, O Lord, in your truth, and I will enter into your way." Christ is also the way of arriving at life, since he himself is nevertheless the life; You have made known the ways of life. And therefore he designated the terminus of this way by truth and life: which two things were said above, in chapter 1, concerning Christ. First, indeed, that he himself is life: hence, "in him was life"; then, that he is truth, because "he was the light of men" (John 1:4); and light is truth.

But it should be noted that these two things belong to Christ properly and of themselves. For truth belongs to him of himself because he himself is the Word. For truth is nothing other than the equation of a thing to the intellect, which comes about when the intellect conceives the thing as it is. The truth of our intellect, therefore, pertains to our word, which is its conception. But although our word is true, it is nevertheless not truth itself, since it is not true of itself, but from the fact that it is equated to the thing conceived. The truth of the divine intellect, therefore, pertains to the Word of God. But because the Word of God is true of himself, since he is not measured by things, but things are true only insofar as they approach a likeness to him: hence it is that the Word of God is truth itself. And because no one can know truth unless he adheres to truth, it is necessary that everyone who desires to know truth should adhere to this Word. Life, moreover, belongs to him properly: because everything that has some operation from itself is called living; but those things are called non-living which do not have motion from themselves. Among the operations of life, the chief are the intellectual operations: hence the intellect itself is called living, and its act is a certain life. Now in God, to understand and the intellect are the same; hence it is manifest that the Son, who is the Word of the Father's intellect, is his life. Thus, therefore, Christ designated himself as the way, joined to the terminus: because he himself is the terminus, having in himself whatever can be desired, namely, existing as truth and life.

If, then, you should ask by what way you may cross over, take Christ, because he himself is the way; Isaiah 30:21: "This is the way, walk in it." And Augustine says: walk by means of the man, and you will arrive at God. For it is better to limp along the way than to walk strongly outside the way. For he who limps on the way, even if he makes little progress, draws nearer to the terminus; but he who walks outside the way, the more strongly he runs, the further he is removed from the terminus. But if you should ask where you are going, cling to Christ, because he himself is the truth, at which we desire to arrive; Proverbs 8:7: "My throat shall meditate truth," and so on. If you ask where you may remain, cling to Christ, because he himself is the life. Proverbs 8:35: "He who shall find me shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord." Cling, therefore, to Christ, if you wish to be secure: for you will not be able to go astray, because he himself is the way. Hence those who cling to him do not walk in a pathless place, but by the straight way; Proverbs 4:11: "I will show you the way of wisdom." On the other hand, it is said of certain people: "They have not found the way of the dwelling of truth". Likewise, he cannot be deceived, because he himself is the truth, and teaches all truth; For this I was born, and for this I came, that I might bear witness to the truth. Likewise, he cannot be disturbed, because he himself is life and the giver of life; above, John 10:10: "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." For, as Augustine says, the Lord says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," as if he were saying: By what way do you wish to go? I am the way. Where do you wish to go? I am the truth. Where do you wish to remain? I am the life. For, as Hilary says, he who is the way does not lead into wandering paths, nor does he who is the truth mock by falsehoods, nor does he who is the life abandon one in the error of death.

Or, otherwise: there are three things in man which pertain to holiness, namely action, contemplation, and intention; and these are perfected by Christ. For to those who exercise the active life, Christ is the way; but to those who persevere in the contemplative life, Christ is the truth; and he directs the intention of both the active and the contemplative to life, namely eternal life. For he teaches them to go forth and to preach for the age to come. Thus, therefore, the Lord is for us the way by which we go to him, and through him to the Father. But since he himself, who is the way, goes to the Father, is he then a way to himself? But, as Augustine says, he himself is the way, and the one who goes by the way, and that to which he goes: hence he goes through himself to himself. For he, insofar as he is man, is the way: hence he came through the flesh, remaining where he was; and he goes through the flesh, not abandoning that from which he had come; through the flesh also he returns to himself, to truth and life: for God had come through the flesh to men — truth to liars, life to the mortal. For "God is true, but every man is a liar" (Romans 3:4). But when he withdrew himself from men, and raised up his flesh to that place where no one lies, that same one who is the Word made flesh returned through his flesh to the truth, which is himself. And it is similar if I were to say: my mind too, while I speak to others, goes out to them, yet does not abandon me; but when I fall silent, I return in a certain way to myself, and yet remain with those to whom I speak. Thus, therefore, Christ, who is the way for us, was also made a way for himself, that is, for his flesh, that it might go to truth and life.

Next, when it says, "No one comes to the Father except through me," he makes manifest what had been asked concerning the terminus of the way. Now the way, which is Christ, as has been said, leads to the Father. But because the Father and the Son are one, this way also leads to himself. And therefore Christ says that he himself is the terminus of the way. "No one," he says, "comes to the Father except through me." But it should be known that, as the Apostle says, "no one knows the things of man except the spirit of man that is in him" (1 Corinthians 2:11), which is to be understood as applying except insofar as a man wishes to manifest himself. Now one manifests his secret through his word; and therefore no one can come to the secret of a man except through the word of that man. Since, therefore, no one knows even the things of God except the Spirit of God, no one can come to the knowledge of the Father except through his Word, which is his Son; Matthew 11:27: "Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son." And just as a man, wishing to reveal himself by the word of his heart, which he brings forth by mouth, clothes that word in a certain way with letters or voice, so God, wishing to manifest himself to men, clothed his Word, conceived from eternity, with flesh in time. And thus no one can arrive at the knowledge of the Father except through the Son. Hence, above, John 10:9, he says: "I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he shall be saved." But it should be noted, according to Chrysostom, that above, at John 6:44, the Lord says: "No one can come to me unless my Father draws him"; but here he says, "No one comes to the Father except through me." In this the equality of the Son to the Father is shown. It is clear, therefore, what the way is, namely Christ; and what the terminus is, namely the Father.

Next, when it says, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father," he shows that the disciples know both things, namely where he is going, and the way; and first he sets forth the manifestation, second he excludes the doubt that arises, where it says, "Philip said to him: Lord, show us the Father." Concerning the first, he does two things. First he shows the concomitance of the knowledge had of the Son with the knowledge had of the Father; second he makes manifest how the disciples stand with respect to knowledge of the Father, where it says, "and from now on you shall know him." He says, therefore, first: I have said that I am the way, and that you know the way, namely myself; therefore you also know where I am going, because knowledge of me cannot be had without knowledge of the Father. And this is what he says: "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." Above, at John 8:19, he says to the Jews: "If you knew me, perhaps you would also know my Father." What, then, is the meaning of his saying here, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father," whereas there he says "perhaps"? It seems that there he was in doubt about what he here asserts. But it must be said that there he was speaking to the Jews, whom he was rebuking; and therefore he adds "perhaps," not doubting, but rebuking them. Here, however, he is speaking to the disciples whom he is instructing; and therefore he proposes the truth to them with assertion, saying, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father"; as if to say: if you knew my grace and dignity, you would also assuredly know that which is the Father's. For a thing is known by nothing better than by its word and its image; but the Son is the Word of the Father; above, John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God"; ibid., 14: "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father." The Son is also the image of the Father; Colossians 1:15: "Who is the image of the invisible God"; Hebrews 1:3: "Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance." In the Son, therefore, the Father is known, as in his own proper word and image.

But it should be noted that insofar as something approaches the likeness of the paternal Word, to that extent the Father is known in it, and likewise insofar as it has something of the image of the Father. But since every created word is some likeness of that Word, and in each thing a likeness of the divinity is found, whether of image or of trace, but an imperfect one: hence it is that through no creature, and by no understanding or conception of a created intellect, can that very thing which God is be known perfectly; but only the only-begotten Word, which is the perfect and complete image of the Father, knows and comprehends the very quiddity of the Father. Hence, according to Hilary, these words can be construed otherwise. For when the Lord says, "No one comes to the Father except through me," Arius, when asked how one goes to the Father through the Son, answers that it is through the admonition of teaching, namely insofar as the Son instructs men about the Father by his teaching, according to that saying below, John 17:6: "Father, I have manifested your name to men." But the Lord, excluding this, says, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father"; as if to say: Arius, or any other man whatsoever, can indeed announce things about the Father, but no one is so great that, once he is known, the Father is known through him, except the Son alone, who is of the same nature as him.

Next, when it says, "and from now on you shall know him," he shows how the disciples stand with respect to the knowledge of the Father. Now the Lord had said above to the disciples that they knew the Father, saying, "Where I am going you know." And this Thomas denied, saying: "Lord, we do not know where you are going." And therefore here the Lord shows that in one way they know the Father, so as to show that his own word is true, and in another way they do not know him, so that Thomas's word may be true. And for this he sets down a twofold knowledge of the Father: one which will be in the future; the other which was in the past. He says, therefore, that "from now on you shall know him." He says "from now on" because there is a twofold knowledge of the Father. One is perfect, which is through the immediate vision of him, which will be in our homeland; 1 John 3:2: "When he shall appear, we shall be like him." The other is imperfect, which is through a glass and in a riddle, which we have through faith; 1 Corinthians 13:12: "We see now through a glass, in a dark manner." This, therefore, can be understood of either; so that the sense would be: "from now on you shall know him" with perfect knowledge in our homeland; below, John 16:25: "I will tell you plainly of my Father"; as if to say: it is true that you do not know him with perfect knowledge, but from now on you shall know him, once the mystery of my passion has been accomplished. Or "from now on," that is, after my resurrection and ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit, you shall know him with a perfect knowledge of faith, because, "when the Spirit the Paraclete shall come, he will teach you all things, and bring to your mind whatsoever I shall have said to you" (below, John 14:26). Thus, therefore, you speak truly in saying that you do not know him with perfect knowledge; but I speak truly in saying that you have seen him; Baruch 3:38: "Afterwards he was seen upon earth, and conversed with men." For they saw Christ according to the assumed flesh, in which was the Word, and in the Word the Father: hence in him they saw the Father; above, John 8:29: "He who sent me is with me." But note that the Father was not in the flesh through unity of person, but was in the incarnate Word through unity of nature, and in the incarnate Christ the Father was seen; above, John 1:14: "We saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father."

Here the Lord resolves the doubt arising in the disciple, and first the position of the one doubting is set forth; second, the removal of the doubt, at the place, "Jesus said to him," etc. Concerning the first, it must be known that the Lord above promised the disciples a certain thing to come, namely the perfect knowledge of God, when he said: "From now on you shall know him"; and something in the past, namely that they had seen him. Hearing this, Philip believed that he had seen the Father; but he asks for knowledge of him, saying, "Lord, show us the Father," so that the request for this showing is not referred to sight but to knowledge; "and it is enough for us." Nor is this strange, since the vision of the Father is the end of all our desires and actions, so that nothing further is required; Psalm 15:11: "You will fill me with the vision of your countenance"; Psalm 102:5: "who fills me with gladness by your countenance," that is, "fills your desire with good things."

Here the doubt is removed, and first the removal of the doubt is set forth; second, the manifestation of what was said is added, at the place: "The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from myself." In the first, he first charges Philip with slowness; second, he teaches the truth, at "Philip, he who sees me sees also the Father"; third, he reproves the request, at "How do you say, Show us the Father?"

He says therefore first, "I have been with you so long a time, and you have not known me?" As if to say: from the long companionship in which I have dwelt with you for so long a time, you ought to have known me. And if you had known me, you would certainly have known the Father also. From the fact, then, that you do not know the Father, you let it be understood that you do not know me; in which you are to be charged with slowness. Matthew 15:16: "Are you also even yet without understanding?" Hebrews 5:12: "Whereas for the time you ought to be teachers, you again have need to be taught."

But here a doubt arises: because above the Lord said to the disciples that they knew him, when he said, "You know the way," etc.; but here he seems to say the contrary, saying, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." But it must be said, according to Augustine, that among the disciples there were some who knew Christ according as he was the Word of God; of whom one was Peter, where he said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." There were others who truly did not know him, among whom was Philip. As to the first, therefore, the Lord says: "Where I go, you know"; but as to the second, he says: "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father."

Or otherwise. Christ could be known in two ways: namely, according to human nature, and thus all knew him; and as to this he says: "And where I go, you know, and the way you know." And according to the divine nature, and thus they had not yet known him perfectly; and as to this he says, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." And this is clear from what he adds: "Philip, he who sees me sees also the Father"; as if he were to say: if you knew me, you would know the Father; and so you would not say, "Show us the Father," because you would already have seen him, having seen me. Above, John 8:19: "If you knew me, perhaps you would also know my Father."

But from this Sabellius takes the support for his error, saying: what is this that he said, "he who sees me sees also the Father," unless that the Father and the Son are the very same? To this Hilary says: if this were so, the Lord would have said, "He who sees me sees the Father," with no conjunction added; but because he added the conjunction, saying, "sees also the Father," he shows a distinction. And it is a similar manner of speaking, according to Augustine, as when someone speaking of two similar things says: if you have seen this one, you have seen that one also. In the Son, however, there is the most perfect likeness of the Father; and therefore he says, "he who sees me sees also the Father." But yet in the Son there is a greater likeness than in men, because in men there can never be a likeness according to the same form or quality in number, but only according to species; whereas in the Son there is the same nature in number as is in the Father; and therefore the Father is seen more in the vision of the Son than the Father is seen in the vision of any man, however alike they may seem.

But it is to be noted that from the words spoken here, the error of Arius is excluded as to two points. First, as to the fact that he denied the consubstantiality. For it is impossible that in the vision of a created substance an uncreated substance could be seen, just as through the knowledge of a substance of one genus, knowledge of a substance of another genus cannot be had. It is manifest, therefore, that the Son is not a created substance, but is consubstantial with the Father; otherwise he who sees the Son would not see the Father. Second, as to what they say concerning that text of 1 Timothy 1:17, "to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God," namely that the Father alone is invisible, but the Son has often been seen in his nature: for if this were so, it would follow also that the Father had frequently been seen, since he who sees the Son sees also the Father. Since, then, the Father is invisible according to his nature, it is impossible that the Son according to his nature should have been seen.

But someone objects: why did the Lord rebuke Philip, who, seeing the Son, was seeking to see the Father, since no one is to be blamed who, seeing an image, wishes to see the thing imaged? To this Chrysostom responds, saying that Philip, hearing about the vision and knowledge of the Father, wanted to see the Father himself with bodily eyes, just as he supposed he had seen the Son himself; and therefore the Lord disapproved of this, showing him that he had not even seen the Son himself in his nature with a bodily eye. Augustine, however, says that the Lord did not disapprove of the request, but the soul of the one requesting. For Philip says, "Show us the Father, and it is enough for us," as if he were saying: we know you, but this is not enough. And thus he believed that there was not perfect sufficiency in the knowledge of the Son, but in the knowledge of the Father. From which he seemed to think that the Son was less than the Father. And this the Lord rebuked, showing that in the knowledge of the Son there is the same sufficiency that is in the knowledge of the Father, saying, "he who sees me sees also the Father."

And so, consequently, when he says, "How do you say, Show us the Father?" he first disapproves of his request; second, the root of the request. He disapproves of the request indeed, saying, "How do you say, Show us the Father?"—since, namely, the Father is seen in the Son. Philip could indeed have said what is found in Job 39:34: "I who have spoken lightly, what can I answer? I will put my hand upon my mouth." He disapproves of the root of the request when he says, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" As if he were to say: you wish to have the Father, believing that in him you have sufficiency; but if you believe this, you do not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me. For if you believed this, you would hope that in me you would have all the sufficiency that is in the Father.

Now this that he says, "I am in the Father and the Father in me," is said on account of the unity of essence, of which it is said above, John 10:30: "I and the Father are one." For it is to be known that essence stands otherwise in relation to person in divine things than in men. For in men, the essence of Socrates is not Socrates, because Socrates is something composite; but in divine things the essence is the same as the person in reality, and thus the essence of the Father is the Father, and the essence of the Son is the Son. Wherever, then, the essence of the Father is, the Father himself is; and wherever the essence of the Son is, the Son himself is. But the essence of the Father is in the Son, and the essence of the Son is in the Father. Therefore the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son. And thus Hilary explains it.

Here the Lord manifests his response, and first through the works which he does by himself; second, through the works which he was going to do through the disciples, at "Amen, amen I say to you: he who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do." In the first, therefore, he first sets forth the works which he himself does; second, he draws the conclusion of faith, at "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?"

Now faith concerning Christ, that he was God, could be manifested from two things: namely, from his teaching, and from his miracles. And these two things the Lord states below: "If I had not done among them the works that no one else has done, they would not have sin"—as to the first. And "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin," and, above, John 7:46, "Never did man speak like this"—as to the second. Above, John 9:32, the blind man said of him: "From the beginning of the world it has not been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind." From these two things the Lord shows his divinity.

As to the first he says, "The words that I speak to you"—namely, through the instrument of his humanity—"I do not speak from myself, but from him who is in me," namely from the Father; above, John 8:26: "I speak in the world the things which I have heard from my Father." The Father, then, who speaks in me, is in me. But because whatever a man speaks, it is necessary that he have this from the first word; and the first Word, namely the Word of God, is from the Father; therefore it is necessary that all the words we speak be from God. When, therefore, someone speaks words which he has from the Father, the Father is in him.

As to the second, he says, "The Father abiding in me, he himself does the works," because no one could do the works that I do; above, John 5:19: "The Son cannot do anything of himself." But Chrysostom asks how Christ, beginning from words, comes to works. For he said: "The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from myself," and afterward says: "he himself does the works." But this is resolved in two ways. In one way, according to Chrysostom, who says, according to the aforesaid manner of conjunction, that he first speaks of the teaching, and afterward speaks of the miracles. According to Augustine, it must be said that he calls the words which the Lord spoke, works: above, John 6:29: "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent." Therefore when he says, "he himself does the works," he gives to understand that his words are themselves a kind of works.

But note that from these two, distinctly, two heresies take their support: because what he says, "I am in the Father," Sabellius takes for himself, saying that the Father and the Son are the same; but what he says, "I do not speak from myself," Arius takes up, concluding from this that the Son is less than the Father. But by these very same words the said heresies are excluded. For if the Father and the Son were the same, as Sabellius pretends, the Son would not say, "The words that I speak to you, I do not speak from myself." But if the Son were less than the Father, as Arius blasphemes, he would not say, "The Father abiding in me, he himself does the works." Since, then, from the two aforesaid things the faith of the Trinity is manifested, therefore, in response, he concludes that very faith, saying, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" How this is to be understood has indeed been explained above. In the Greek it reads "believe," namely, believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Or: it is a wonder that you do not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me.

But note that before this he spoke only to Philip; but from the place where he says, "The words that I speak," etc., he speaks to all the apostles together. For if the words that I say do not suffice to show the consubstantiality, at least believe on account of the works themselves. Above, John 5:36: "The works which the Father has given me to accomplish, these bear witness of me"; and John 10:38: "If you do not believe me, believe the works."

After the Lord manifested what he had said through the works that he did by himself, here he manifests it through the works that he was going to do through the disciples; and first he sets forth the works of the disciples; second, he suggests the manner of operating, at "whatever you shall ask." In the first, he first sets forth the works of the disciples; second, he assigns the reason for what he has said, at "because I go to the Father."

He says therefore first, "Amen, amen I say to you," as if to say: the works that I do are so great that they sufficiently provide an argument for my divinity; but if these do not suffice for you, look to the works which I am going to do through others. For the greatest sign of great power is that a man work outstanding things not only by himself, but also through others; and therefore he says, "Amen, amen, I say to you: he who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do"; which words show not only the power of the divinity in Christ, but also the power of faith, and the union of Christ with the faithful. For just as the Son operates on account of the Father abiding in him through unity of nature, so also the faithful operate on account of Christ abiding in them through faith; Ephesians 3:17: "that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts."

Now the works which Christ did, and which the disciples do by the power of Christ, are works of miracles; Mark, last chapter, 17: "And these signs shall follow those who believe: in my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents," etc. But it is a wonder what he adds: "and greater than these he shall do." In one way we may say that the Lord does more and greater things through the apostles than through himself. For the greatest among the miracles of Christ was that the sick were healed by the touch of the hem of his garment, as is found in Matthew 9:20. But of Peter it is read in Acts 5:15 that the sick were healed by his shadow. Now it is a greater thing for a shadow to heal than a hem.

In another way, we may say that Christ did more through the words of the disciples than through his own. For here the Lord speaks of works that were done through words, as Augustine says, which he then called works where the words that were spoken, and the fruit of those same words, was the faith of those who heard. For it is read of Christ, Matthew 19:22, that the young man was not induced to sell what he had and to follow him. For when he said to the young man, "Go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor," it is added: "he went away sad." But of Peter and the other apostles it is read, Acts 4, that when they preached, people sold their possessions and all that they had, and brought the price of them to the feet of the apostles.

But someone objects that the Lord does not say that the apostles will do greater things, but "he who believes in me." Is it then the case that he who has not done greater things than Christ is not to be counted among those who believe in Christ? Far from it. For this would be a hard thing. Therefore it must be said otherwise, that Christ does a twofold work. One without us, namely to create heaven and earth, to raise the dead, and things of this kind; the other he works in us, but not without us: which is the work of faith, by which the impious is brought to life. Of these, then, the Lord speaks here, which are common to the believer. And this is the work which Christ does in us, but not without us; for whoever believes does the same things; because what is done in me by God is also done in me by myself, namely through free will. Whence the Apostle says: "yet not I"—understand, alone—"but the grace of God with me."

And of these he says, "the works that I do, he also shall do, and greater than these he shall do": because it is a greater thing to justify the impious than to create heaven and earth. For the justification of the impious, as far as it is in itself, perseveres forever; Wisdom 1:15: "justice is perpetual and immortal." But heaven and earth shall pass away, as is said in Luke 21:33. Likewise, because a corporeal work is ordered to a spiritual one: but heaven and earth are a corporeal work, whereas the justification of the impious is a spiritual work.

But here a doubt arises. For in the creation of heaven and earth is included also the creation of the holy angels. Does he, then, who cooperates with Christ toward his own justification, do greater things than to create an angel? This Augustine does not determine, but says: let him judge who can, whether it is a greater thing to create righteous angels than to justify impious men; certainly, if both are equal as to power, this is of a greater mercy. But if we attend carefully to which works the Lord is speaking of here, we do not prefer the creation of the angels to the justification of the impious. For by what he says, "and greater than these he shall do," we are not obliged to understand all the works of Christ, but only, perhaps, those which he was doing at that time. But at that time he was acting by the word of faith; and it is indeed a lesser thing to preach the words of righteousness, which he did apart from us, than to justify the impious, which he so does in us that we also do it.

Consequently he assigns the reason for what was said, "therefore he shall do greater things," saying, "because I go to the Father." This can be applied in three ways. In one way, according to Chrysostom: I operate as long as I am in the world, but, when I depart, you will be in my place; and therefore what I do, you will do, and even greater things, because I go to the Father, and beyond this I work nothing further by myself, namely by preaching. In another way, let the sense be: the Jews believe that, with me killed, my faith will be extinguished; and this is not true, but rather it will be the more approved, and you will do greater things because I go to the Father; that is, I do not perish, but remain in my own dignity, and I shall be in the heavens; above, John 13:31: "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him." In a third way: you will do greater things, and this because I go to the Father; as if he were to say: since I shall be more glorified, it befits me to do greater things, and also to give you powers for doing greater things. Whence, before Jesus was glorified, the Spirit was not given to the disciples in that fullness in which he was given afterward; above, John 7:39: "the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Here he suggests the manner of operating, and first he sets forth what he intends; second, he assigns the reason, at "that the Father may be glorified in the Son," etc. Concerning the first, it must be known that, since the Lord had said, "and greater than these he shall do," so that from the greatness of the works the greatness of the doer might be known, someone could believe that he who believes in the Son of God would be greater than he himself. And therefore the Lord excludes this from the manner of acting, because the Son does his works by his own authority, but he who believes in him does them with entreaty; and therefore he says, "and whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, this I will do." Here the equality of believers to the Son is excluded in three ways.

First indeed, because they, as has been said, act by entreating: whence he says, "whatever you shall ask"; Matthew 7:8: "everyone who asks, receives." Second, because they act by the power of the Son; whence he says, "in my name," that is, in the power of my name; Acts 4:12: "there is no other name given under heaven to men, by which we must be saved." For this name is above every name; Psalm 113:9: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory"—third, because the Son himself does all the works in them and through them: whence he says, "this I will do." And note that the Father is asked, and the Son does it; because the works of the Father and the Son are indivisible; above, John 5:19: "whatever the Father does, these the Son likewise does also." For the Father does all things through the Son; above, chapter 1:3: "all things were made through him."

But what is the meaning of his saying, "whatever you shall ask, this I will do," since we see his faithful ones ask and not receive? But, according to Augustine, it must be considered here, first, that he says "in my name," and then what he adds, "this I will do." For the name of Christ is the name of salvation; Matthew 1:21: "You shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." He, therefore, who asks something pertaining to salvation, asks in the name of Christ.

But it happens that someone asks for something not pertaining to salvation, from two causes. Namely, from a depraved affection; as, for instance, when he asks for something to which he is inclined, which, however, if he had it, would impede his salvation. And therefore he who asks in this way is not heard, because he asks amiss; James 4:3: "you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss." For when someone, out of a depraved affection, is going to make bad use of what he wishes to receive, he rather does not receive it, by the mercy of the Lord, because he was not heard according to his wish, but rather according to his benefit. For the good Lord often denies what we ask, in order to grant what we would prefer. Second, from ignorance, when someone sometimes asks for what he believes is expedient for him, and yet it is not expedient. But, rather consulting for these, God does not do what they ask. For Paul, who labored more than all, thrice besought the Lord that the sting of the flesh might depart from him, and yet did not obtain what he asked, because it was not expedient for him; 2 Corinthians 12:8; and Romans 8:26: "for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself asks for us with unspeakable groanings"; Matthew 20:22: "you do not know what you ask." It is clear, therefore, that when we ask in his name, namely in the name of Jesus Christ, he himself will do this.

Now he says "this I will do" in the future, and not "this I do" in the present, because sometimes he delays doing what we ask, in order to increase our desire, and so that it may be done at a fitting time; Leviticus 26:3: "I will give you rain in its seasons"; Isaiah 49:8: "in the day of salvation I have heard you." It also sometimes happens that we ask on behalf of someone for whom perhaps we are not heard, namely when his merits stand in the way; Jeremiah 7:16: "Therefore do not pray for this people, for I will not hear you"; and 15:1: "If Moses and Samuel should stand before me, my soul is not toward this people."

Consequently, when he says, "that the Father may be glorified in the Son," he gives the reason. And this is read thus by Augustine: "whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, this I will do"—so that here is the pause. And he resumes: "that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you shall ask me anything in my name, this I will do"; as if he were to say: therefore I will do what you ask in my name, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, etc.; and all things that the Son does are ordered to the glory of the Father; above, John 8:50: "I do not seek my own glory." Thus also we ought to order all our works to the glory of God; 1 Corinthians 10:31: "do all things to the glory of God."

Above, the Lord consoled the disciples concerning his departure, promising them their access to the Father; but because it could seem to them a long while before they would come to the Father, and in the meantime they would grieve to be without their teacher, therefore he consoles them, promising them the Holy Spirit. And first the preparation for the reception of the Holy Spirit is set down; second, the gift of the Holy Spirit is promised, at the place, "and he will give you another Paraclete"; third, the promise of the Holy Spirit is explained, at the place, "that he may abide with you forever."

Now one preparation for the reception of the Holy Spirit was necessary on the part of the disciples, and another on the part of Christ. On the part of the disciples indeed a twofold preparation was necessary, namely, love of heart, and obedience of work. Of these, the Lord supposes them to have the one. And as to this he says, "If you love me"; and this is apparent, because you grieve over my departure; below, John 15:27: "you have loved me, because you have been with me from the beginning." But the other he commands for the future: and as to this he says, "keep my commandments," as if to say: do not show the love which you have for me in weeping, but in obedience to my commandments; for this is the manifest sign of love; below, John 14:23: "if anyone loves me, he will keep my word." These two things, therefore, prepare for the reception of the Holy Spirit. For since the Holy Spirit is love, he is given only to those who love; Proverbs 8:17: "I love those who love me." Likewise he is given to the obedient; Acts 3:15: "we are witnesses of this thing," etc.; Isaiah 66:2: "upon whom my spirit shall rest," etc.

But does the obedience of the disciples and their love for Christ prepare for the Holy Spirit? It seems not: because the love by which we love God is through the Holy Spirit; Romans 5:5: "the charity of God is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who is given to us." But obedience is in us from the Holy Spirit; Romans 8:14: "those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God"; and Psalm 118:32: "I have run the way of your commandments, when you enlarged my heart." But someone could say that through love of the Son we merit the Holy Spirit; and having him, we love the Father. But this is opposed by the fact that the love of the Father and of the Son is the same. And therefore it must be said otherwise, that this is the case in the gifts of God, that he who uses well the gift granted to him merits the receiving of a more abundant grace and gift; and he who uses it badly, that very thing which he received is taken away from him. For, as is read in Matthew 25:24ff., from the slothful servant was taken away the talent which he had received from his lord, because he had not used it well, and it was given to him who had received five, with which he had gained another five. So therefore it is also with the gift of the Holy Spirit. For no one can love God unless he has the Holy Spirit; for we do not go before the grace of God, but it goes before us. For "he first loved us," as is said in 1 John 4:10. And therefore it must be said that the apostles indeed first received the Holy Spirit, so that they might love God and obey his commandments; but it was necessary, in order that they receive the Holy Spirit in a more ample fullness, that they use well, by loving and obeying, the gift of the Holy Spirit previously received. And according to this is the sense: "if you love me," through the Holy Spirit which you have, and you obey my commandments, you will receive the Holy Spirit, whom you will have in a more ample fullness.

Another preparation was necessary on the part of Christ; and as to this he says, "I will ask the Father," etc. Here it must be known that our Lord Jesus Christ, inasmuch as he is man, is the mediator of God and men, as is said in 1 Timothy 2:5. Hence, inasmuch as he is man, approaching God, he obtains for us the heavenly gifts, and coming to us he raises us up, and leads us back to God. Since, therefore, he had already come to us, and by giving us the commandments of God had led back believers to himself, it remained that he should return to the Father, and obtain spiritual gifts; Hebrews 7:25: "approaching God by himself, he is able to save forever." And this he does by asking the Father. And this is what he says, "I will ask the Father," etc.; Ephesians 4:8: "ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men." But note that he who asks that it be given, and he who gives the Paraclete, are the same one. He asks inasmuch as he is man, he gives inasmuch as he is God. But he says "and I will ask," in order to drive away their sadness over his departure, since that very departure is the reason why they would receive the Holy Spirit.

Here the promise of the Holy Spirit is set down. But note that this name "Paraclete" is Greek, and signifies "consoler"; and therefore he said, "he will give you another Paraclete," namely, the Father—yet not without the Son—that is, the Holy Spirit, who is the consoler, since he is the spirit of love; and love produces spiritual consolation and joy; Galatians 5:22: "the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy," etc. He himself is the intercessor, etc., Romans 8:26: "for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asks for us with unspeakable groanings." But this word "another," which he used, designates the personal distinction in the divine persons, against Sabellius. But an objection is raised: because that which is called "Paraclete" implies an operation of the Holy Spirit; therefore in saying "another Paraclete," he seems to designate an otherness of nature: for otherness of operation designates otherness of nature; therefore the Holy Spirit is of another nature than the Son.

Response. It must be said that the Holy Spirit is consoler and advocate, and the Son likewise. For that the Son is advocate is said in 1 John 2:1: "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ." That he is consoler, Isaiah 61:1: "the Spirit of the Lord ... has sent me to place consolation for those who mourn in Sion." Yet the Son and the Holy Spirit are consoler and advocate under different aspects, if we take it by appropriation of the persons: for Christ is called advocate inasmuch as, according to what he is as man, he intercedes for us with the Father; but the Holy Spirit inasmuch as he makes us to ask. Likewise the Holy Spirit is called consoler inasmuch as he is formally love; but the Son inasmuch as he is the Word. And this in two ways: because through teaching, and inasmuch as the Son himself gives the Holy Spirit, and kindles love in our hearts. Thus therefore the word "another" does not designate an otherness of nature in the Son and the Holy Spirit; but it designates a different mode in which each is consoler and advocate.

Here the promise is set down, and first as to the giving itself; second as to the gift itself; third as to those receiving the gift. Now the giving is true, because it is perpetual; hence he says, "that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth." For to someone something is given for a time only, and this is not a true gift; but it is then true when it is given to be had forever; and therefore the Holy Spirit is truly given, because he is given that he may remain with them forever: here indeed enlightening and teaching and suggesting, and afterward bringing them in to see the form; 1 Kings 16:13: "the spirit of the Lord was directed into David from that day forward." But Judas, although he received him, nevertheless did not always remain with him: because he did not receive him so that he would remain with him forever, but only according to present righteousness. But according to Chrysostom it can be said that the Lord says these things to exclude a certain carnal suspicion of the disciples. For they could suspect that that Paraclete given to them would afterward, through a passion, depart from them, as he himself would; and he excludes this by saying, "that he may abide with you forever"; as if to say: he will not suffer death as I do, nor will he depart from you.

But against this: above, John 1:33, this was said to John the Baptist: "upon whom you shall see the Spirit descend and remain, he it is who baptizes." From which it seems proper to Christ that the Holy Spirit always remains with him; which is not true, if he remains forever with the disciples. Response. According to Chrysostom it must be said that the Holy Spirit is said to remain in us through his gifts. But of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, certain ones are necessary for salvation, and these are common to all the saints, and always remain in us, as is charity, which "never fails," as is said in 1 Corinthians 13:8, because it will also be in the future. But certain others are not of the necessity of salvation, but are given to the faithful for the manifestation of the Spirit; 1 Corinthians 12:7: "to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for usefulness." Thus, therefore, as to the first gifts, the Holy Spirit remains with the disciples and the saints forever; but as to the second gifts, it is proper to Christ that he remain with him always: because he always has, in the fullness of his power, the ability to work miracles and to prophesy, and other such things. But it is not so with others; because, as Gregory says, the spirits of the prophets are not subject to the prophets.

But the gift is most excellent, because he is "the Spirit of truth." Indeed he said "Spirit," to show the subtlety of his nature. For "spirit" is said of something hidden and invisible, hence what is invisible is accustomed to be called spirit. So too the Holy Spirit is hidden and invisible: above, John 3:8: "the spirit breathes where he wills, and you hear his voice, but you do not know where he comes from or where he goes." Likewise, to show his power, because he moves us to act and work well. For "spirit" implies a certain impulse, hence we also call the wind "spirit"; Romans 8:14: "those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God"; Psalm 142:10: "your good spirit shall lead me into the right land." But he adds "of truth," because he proceeds from truth, and speaks truth. For the Holy Spirit is nothing other than love. When, therefore, someone is impelled to love earthly things and the world, then he is impelled by the spirit of the world; 1 Corinthians 2:12: "but we have not received the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is from God." But when he is impelled to the works of the flesh, then he is not impelled by the Holy Spirit; Ezekiel 13:3: "woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit." But this Spirit leads to the knowledge of truth, because he proceeds from the truth, who says above in the same chapter: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." For, just as in us, from truth conceived and considered, there follows the love of that very truth, so in God, the truth having been conceived, which is the Son, love proceeds. And just as he proceeds from it, so he leads into the knowledge of it; below, chapter 16:14: "he will glorify me, because he will receive of mine," etc. And therefore Ambrose says that every truth, by whomever it is spoken, is from the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3: "no one can say, 'the Lord Jesus,' except in the Holy Spirit"; below, John 15:26: "when the Paraclete shall come, whom I will send you, the Spirit of truth." But to manifest the truth belongs to the property of the Holy Spirit. For it is love that brings about the revelation of secrets; below, John 15:15: "but I have called you friends, because whatever I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you"; Job 36:33: "he announces concerning it (namely, the truth) to his friend."

But believers receive the Holy Spirit, and as to this he says, "whom the world cannot receive," and first he shows who they are to whom he is not given; second he shows to whom he is given, at the place, "but you shall know him," etc. First, however, he shows that he is not given to the world; second he assigns the cause why he is not given. As to the first, he says, "whom the world cannot receive." Here the Lord calls "the world" the lovers of the world. These indeed, as long as they love the world, cannot receive the Holy Spirit, for he is the love of God; but no one can love God and the world with a final love: 1 John 2:15: "if anyone loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him." For Gregory says, Morals V, 20: "the Holy Spirit kindles everything that he has filled, to desire invisible things." And since worldly hearts love only visible things, the world does not receive him, because it does not rise up to love invisible things. "For secular minds, the more they expand themselves outward through desires, the more they narrow the bosom of the heart for his reception." Wisdom 1:5: "the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee the deceitful."

As to the second, he says, "because it does not see him, nor knows him." For spiritual gifts are not received unless desired, Wisdom 6:14: "she anticipates," namely divine Wisdom, "those who desire her," and things are not desired unless known in some way. But that they are not known happens from two causes. First indeed from this, that a man does not set his intention toward the knowledge of them; second, because someone cannot be capable of that knowledge. But worldly people do not have this. For, first, they do not intend to desire these things, and as to this he says, "because it does not see him"; that is, it does not set its intention toward knowing him; Psalm 16:11: "they have set their eyes to bend down upon the earth." Likewise they cannot know these things, hence he says "it does not know him": for, as Augustine says, "worldly love does not have invisible eyes, through which the Holy Spirit cannot be seen except invisibly." 1 Corinthians 2:14: "the animal man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God." Just as an infected tongue does not sense a good flavor on account of the corruption of the humor, so a soul infected by the corruption of the world does not taste the sweetness of heavenly things. Or, according to Chrysostom, I say that "he will give you another Paraclete, the Spirit of truth"; but this one will not assume flesh, because "the world does not see him, nor knows him," that is, it will not receive him, but only you will.

Here he shows, first, to whom the Holy Spirit is given; second, he assigns the reason. Now he is given to the faithful: hence he says, "but you," who are moved by the Holy Spirit, "shall know him": 1 Corinthians 2:12: "but we have not received the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is from God." And this for the reason that you despise the world; 2 Corinthians 4:18: "while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." But the reason for this is, "because he shall remain with you." Here first note the familiarity of the Holy Spirit toward the apostles, because "he shall remain with you," that is, for your benefit; Psalm 142:10: "your good spirit shall lead me into the right way"; Wisdom 12:1: "O how good, Lord, is your spirit in all things." Second, note a certain intimate indwelling of his, because "he shall be in you," that is, in the innermost part of our heart; Ezekiel 11:19: "and I will put a new spirit within their bowels."

Above, the Lord promised the Holy Spirit as Consoler. But because the apostles had not risen very far toward knowledge of the Holy Spirit, and were greatly attached to the presence of Christ, this sort of consolation seemed to them slight; and therefore in this part he first promises them his return, and second his gifts, at the place "these things I have spoken to you while remaining with you," and so on. Concerning the first, he first promises them a renewed visitation; second, he assigns the reason, at the place "he who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me"; third, he excludes the disciple's doubt, at the place "Judas said to him," and so on. Concerning the first, he first makes known to them his return; second, he makes known the manner of his returning, at the place "yet a little while, and the world sees me no more"; third, he foretells the fruit of his return, at the place "in that day you shall know," and so on. Concerning the first, he first shows the necessity of returning; second, he promises the return. Now the necessity of returning is that the disciples should not remain orphans; and this is what he says: "I will not leave you orphans." For "orphani" in Greek are "pupilli" in Latin; and these are called little ones lacking a father, according to that word of Lamentations 5:3: "We are become orphans without a father, our mothers are as widows."

Now it must be considered that a man can have a threefold father. Namely, a father of origin, Hebrews 12:9: "we have had indeed fathers of our flesh," and so on. Likewise a father of wicked imitation; above, John 8:44: "you are of your father the devil." Likewise a father of gratuitous adoption; Romans 8:15: "you have received the spirit of adoption of sons." But those who imitate the devil as father, God does not adopt as sons, because "there is no agreement of light with darkness," as is said in 2 Corinthians 6:15. Likewise not those who are excessively carnally attached to their parents, because it is said in Matthew 10:37: "he who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." Whoever, then, is an orphan — that is, one who has cast off the affection of sin, and abandons carnal affection toward parents — that one God adopts to himself as a son; Psalm 26:10: "for my father and my mother have left me, but the Lord has taken me up." And much more so him who leaves them behind; Psalm 44:11: "forget your people and your father's house, and the king shall desire your beauty."

But it must be noted that Christ presents himself to his disciples as a father: for although this name "father," taken personally, is proper to the person of the Father, yet taken essentially it belongs to the whole Trinity. Hence above, in chapter 13:33, he said to them: "little children, yet a little while I am with you." He promises them his coming, saying "I will come to you." Christ had already come to them, by assuming flesh, 1 Timothy 1:15: "Christ Jesus came into this world." There remained, then, a threefold coming of his, of which two are bodily: one, namely, after the resurrection and before the ascension, namely when, having departed from them through death, Jesus came after the resurrection and stood in the midst of the disciples, as is said below in chapter 20. The other will be at the end of the world, of which it is said in Acts 1:11: "as you have seen him going into heaven, so shall he come"; Luke 21:27: "they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty." But the third is spiritual and invisible, namely when he comes to his faithful through grace, in life or in death; Job 9:11: "if he comes to me, I shall not see him."

He says, then, "I will come to you," referring after the resurrection to the first coming; below, chapter 16:22: "but I will see you again." Likewise at the end of the world; Isaiah 3:14: "the Lord shall come to judgment." Likewise in death, to receive you to myself; above, in the same place, "I will come to you, and take you to myself." Likewise, "I will come to you" by visiting spiritually; below, in the same place, "we will come to him, and make our abode with him." Here he sets forth the manner of his visitation, showing that this visitation is to be shown to the apostles in a singular way. And because they might believe that he would still return to them existing in mortal condition, therefore he consequently excludes this, saying "yet a little while, and the world sees me no more."

To explain first concerning the return after the resurrection: then the sense is: "yet a little while" — that is, for a little time I am with you in this mortal flesh, and then I shall be crucified; but afterward "the world sees me no more." And this is because after the resurrection he did not manifest himself to all, but to witnesses foreordained by God, namely his disciples, Acts 1:8; and therefore he says "but you shall see me," namely in a glorified and immortal body. He assigns the reason for these things, saying "because I live, and you shall live." Here he removes a doubt. For the disciples might say: how shall we see you, who will die, and we too will die with you? And therefore he says that this will not be so, "because I live" — that is, I shall live after the resurrection, Revelation 1:18: "I was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever." "And you shall live," because you will not be killed now along with me; below, chapter 18:8: "if you seek me, let these go their way." Or "I live," through the resurrection, "and you shall live" — that is, you shall rejoice therefrom, because below, chapter 20:20: "the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord." Living is taken in this way in Genesis 45:27: "when Jacob had heard that Joseph reigned in the land of Egypt, his spirit revived," namely on account of joy.

But against this exposition Augustine objects: because from the fact that the Lord says "yet a little while, and the world sees me no more," it follows that the men of the world will never see him, which is false, because at the judgment they will see him, according to Revelation 1:7: "every eye shall see him." To which it could be said that it is true concerning the men of the world: (...) "yet a little while" the world will not see him in this mortal flesh; and for this reason Augustine explains this "yet a little while," referring it to the second coming, in which he will come to judge. And that time up to the judgment is called "little" in comparison to eternity. For "a thousand years before your eyes are as yesterday, which is past": Psalm 89:4. And in this way the Apostle in Hebrews 12:26-27 calls that time little, explaining that word of Haggai 2:7: "yet a little while, and I will move heaven and earth," and so on.

"And the world sees me no more," because further, after the judgment, the men of the world who are lovers of it and wicked will not see him, going into eternal fire. Hence Isaiah 26:10, according to another reading, it is said: "let the impious be taken away, that he may not see the glory of God." "But you," who have followed me and have remained with me in my temptations, "shall see me" in perpetual eternity; Isaiah 33:17: "they shall see the king in his beauty"; 1 Thessalonians 4:16: "we shall always be with the Lord." And this is so "because I live, and you shall live" — as if he were to say: just as I have glorious life in soul and in body, so also you shall have; Philippians 3:21: "he will reform the body of our lowliness, made like to the body of his glory." And he says this because our glorious life is created from the glorious life of Christ; 1 Corinthians 15:22: "as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive." But of himself he speaks in the present tense, "I live," because his resurrection was not to be deferred after his death, but was to follow immediately; according to Psalm 107:3: "I will arise early," because, as is said in Psalm 15:10: "you will not allow your holy one to see corruption." But of the disciples he says "you shall live," in the future, because the resurrection of their bodies was to be deferred until the end of the world, according to Isaiah 26:19: "your dead shall live, my slain shall rise again."

Here is set forth the fruit of the visitation, which is the knowledge of those things which the apostles did not know. For as was said above, Peter did not know where Christ was going; hence he said: "Lord, where are you going?" Thomas too did not know this, nor the way by which he was going; hence he said: "we know not where you are going, and how can we know the way?" Philip, moreover, did not know the Father; hence he asked, saying: "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." These things indeed were caused by ignorance of one single thing: namely, from the fact that they did not know how the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father; hence he also said to Philip: "do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" The knowledge of this, then, the Lord promises them, saying here "in that day you shall know that I am in my Father," and so on. From which all doubt is excluded from the hearts of the disciples.

This can be explained both of the coming at the time of the resurrection, and of the coming to judgment. But a twofold knowledge of the mysteries of the divinity must be distinguished. One is imperfect, which is had through faith; the other perfect, which is had through vision (species); concerning which it is said in 1 Corinthians 13:12: "we see now through a glass in a dark manner," as to the first, "but then face to face," as to the second. He says, then, "in that day," after my resurrection, "you shall know that I am in my Father" — and this by the knowledge of faith, because then, seeing him risen and being with them, they had most certain faith concerning him, especially those who received the Holy Spirit, who taught them all things. Or "in that day" of the final resurrection at the judgment, "you shall know," namely openly through vision (species); 1 Corinthians 13:12: "then I shall know even as I am known."

But what will they know? Two things which he says above: one, namely, that "the Father remaining in me, he himself does the works"; and as to this he says "that I am in my Father," namely through the consubstantiality of nature. The other, that he says he will do works through the disciples, saying: "he who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do"; and as to this he says "and you in me, and I in you." Here it must be noted that, because the Lord here seems to posit a similar relation of himself to the Father and of the disciples to himself, the Arians wished that, just as the disciples are lesser than Christ and not consubstantial with him, so the Son would be lesser than the Father, and of another substance than he. And therefore it must be said that this, when he says "I am in my Father," is said by reason of the consubstantiality of nature; above, chapter 10:30: "I and the Father are one"; and above, chapter 1:1: "the Word was with God."

But this that he says, "and you in me," and so on, is understood, in one way, that the disciples are in Christ. For that which is protected by someone is said to be in him, as the contained is in the container; and in this way it is said that the things which are in the kingdom are in the king. And according to this it is said in Acts 17:28: "in him we live, and move, and are." And "I am in you," by remaining within, and working, and dwelling within through grace; Ephesians 3:17: "that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts"; and 2 Corinthians 13:3: "do you seek a proof of him who speaks in me, Christ?" In another way, according to Hilary: "you in me," supply: you will be in me through your nature, which I assumed; for in assuming our nature, he assumed us all; Hebrews 2:16: "for nowhere did he take hold of the angels, but he took hold of the seed of Abraham." And "I am in you," through the receiving of my sacrament: because he who receives the body of Christ, Christ is in him; above, chapter 6:57: "he who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me, and I in him." In another way, "you in me, and I in you," supply: we are, through mutual love: because this is said in 1 John 4:16: "God is love: and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him." And these things were unknown to you, but nevertheless in that day you shall know them.

Here is assigned the reason for the visitation. And the Lord gives a twofold reason why the Lord is seen by the faithful, and not by the world. The first is their true love toward God; the second is the love of God toward them, at the place "but he who loves me shall be loved by my Father." As to the first he says "he who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves me." Here it must be noted that that is true love which shows and proves itself in work; for by the exhibiting of work, love is manifested. For since to love someone is to will good to him and to desire the things which he himself wills, one who does not do the will of the beloved, nor carries out what he knows him to will, does not seem truly to love. Whoever, then, does not do the will of God does not seem truly to love him; and therefore he says "he who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" — that is, who has true love toward me.

But note that someone has the commandments of God, first indeed in the heart, through memory and continual meditation; Psalm 118:11: "in my heart have I hidden your words, that I may not sin against you." But this does not suffice, unless one keeps them in work; Psalm 110:10: "good understanding to all that do it." Some, indeed, have them in the mouth, by speaking and exhorting; Psalm 118:103: "how sweet are your words to my mouth." And these too must keep them in work: because "he who shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven": Matthew 5:19. Hence they are reproved by God who say and do not, Matthew 23. Some, moreover, have them in the ear, hearing them gladly and diligently; above, John 8:47: "he who is of God, hears the words of God." Nor does this suffice, unless they keep them: because "not the hearers of the law, but the doers, shall be justified": Romans 2:13; above, John 6:27: "labor not for the food which perishes, but for that which endures unto life everlasting." Therefore whoever thus has the commandments of God keeps them in some fashion, but it is still further required of him that he keep them by persevering. Hence Augustine says: "he who has them in memory and keeps them in life, who has them in speech and keeps them in conduct, who has them by hearing and keeps them by doing, who has them by doing and keeps them by persevering, he it is who loves me."

As to the second he says "but he who loves me shall be loved by my Father." But this at first glance seems absurd. For does God love us because we love him? Far from it. For it is said in 1 John 4:10: "not as though we had loved God, but because he first loved us." And therefore it must be said that we have the understanding of this from the things which were said above, namely, "he who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who will love me." For it is not said there that he therefore loves because he keeps the commandments; but because he loves, therefore he fulfills the commandments. And it must be said in the same way here, that someone therefore loves Christ because he is loved by the Father, and not therefore is he loved because he loves. We love the Son, therefore, because the Father loves us. For true love has this property, that it draws the beloved to the love of the one who loves; Jeremiah 31:3: "with an everlasting love have I loved you, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you."

But because the love of the Father is not without the love of the Son, since the love of both is the same — for "whatever things the Father does, these the Son likewise also does": above, chapter 5:19 — therefore he adds "and I will love him." But since the Father and the Son love all things from eternity, why does he say "I will love," in the future? It must be said, then, that love, considered as it is in the divine will, is thus eternal; but considered as it is manifested in the execution of the work and effect, it is temporal. And therefore the sense is "and I will love him" — that is, I will show the effect of my love, namely because I will manifest myself to him — because it is to this end that I will love, that I may manifest.

Now it must be known that the love of someone toward another is sometimes in a qualified sense (secundum quid), sometimes simply (simpliciter). In a qualified sense, indeed, when he wills to him some particular good; but simply, when he wills to him every good. Now God loves all things caused by him in a qualified sense, because to every creature he wills some good, even to the demons themselves — namely, that they live and understand and are, which are certain goods. But he loves simply those to whom he wills every good, namely that they may have God himself, whom to have is to have the truth, because God is truth. But truth is then possessed when it is known. Those, therefore, he loves truly and simply to whom he manifests himself, who is the truth. And this is what he says, "I will manifest myself to him," namely in the future through glory, which is the ultimate effect of future beatitude; Job 36:33: "he declares concerning it to his friend, that it is his possession." Wisdom 6:14: "he anticipates those who desire him."

But someone could say: will not the Father manifest himself? Indeed, both the Father and the Son: for the Son manifests both the Father and himself at the same time, since he is the Father's Word; Matthew 11:27: "neither does anyone know the Father except the Son," and so on. And yet, if in the meantime the Son manifests himself to someone in some way, this is a sign of divine love. Hence this too can be the reason why the world will not see him — namely, because he will not manifest himself to it; and this is because he does not love it.

Above, the Lord promised the disciples his visitation; here he removes the disciple's doubt. And first the disciple's doubt is set down; second, Christ's response, where it says "Jesus answered." One should know, concerning the first point, that it is the custom of holy and humble men that when they hear great things about themselves, they are stupefied and marvel. Now the disciples had heard the Lord saying, "Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more; but you shall see me," etc., from which it seemed that the apostles were being preferred above the whole world; and therefore Jude, brother of James, whose epistle is read among the canonical ones, placed in wonder and stupefaction, says, "Lord, how is it come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself to us?" As if he were to say: what will be the cause? Are we above the whole world? David said something similar in 2 Kings 7:18: "Who am I, and what is my house?" In Matthew 25:37 the just say: "Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee?"

Next, where it says "Jesus answered," Christ's response is set down, where first he assigns the cause of his manifestation to the disciples and not to the world; second, he clarifies something he had said, where it says "And the word which you have heard is not mine." In the first part he shows why he is going to manifest himself to the disciples; second, he shows why he is not going to manifest himself to the world, where it says "He who loveth me not, keepeth not my words." And in the first part he first sets down the fitness of the disciples to have Christ's manifestation; second, he intimates the process and order of the manifestation, where it says "And my Father will love him."

Concerning the first point he sets down two things that render a man fit for the manifestation of God. The first is charity; the second is obedience. As to the first he says, "If any one love me." For three things are necessary for a man wishing to see God. First, that he draw near to God; Deuteronomy 33:3: "They that approach to his feet shall receive of his doctrine." Second, that he lift up his eyes to see him; Isaiah 40:26: "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these things." Third, that he be free for the vision; for spiritual things cannot be seen unless one is free from earthly things; Psalm 33:9: "Be still, and see that the Lord is sweet." And charity does these three things. For charity itself joins the soul of man to God; 1 John 4: "He that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him." It itself raises one's gaze toward God; Matthew 6:21: "Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also." Whence it is said: where your love is, there is your eye. It itself makes one free from worldly things; 1 John 2:15: "He who loveth the world, the charity of God is not perfect in him." Therefore, conversely, he who perfectly loves God does not have in him the love of the world.

Now from charity follows obedience; whence he says, "He will keep my word." As Gregory says: the proof of love is the showing of the deed. The love of God is never idle; for it works great things if it exists, but if it refuses to work, it is not love. For the will, and especially the will regarding the end, moves the other powers to their acts: for a man does not rest unless he does those things through which he may arrive at the end intended, especially if his will is intense toward it. When, therefore, the will of a man is intense toward God, who is his end, it moves all his powers to do those things which lead to him. Now one is made intent upon God through charity; and therefore it is charity that makes us keep the commandments; 2 Corinthians 5:14: "The charity of Christ presseth us"; Song of Songs 8:7: "The lamps thereof are lamps of fire." And through obedience man is made fit to see God; Psalm 118:104: "By thy commandments," namely by those kept by me, "I have had understanding." And again: "I have had understanding above the ancients."

Next, where it says "And my Father will love him," the process and order of the manifestation is set down. Now there are three things by which the divine manifestation comes to a man. The first is divine love; and as to this he says, "My Father will love him." It was said above why he says "will love" in the future, namely with regard to the effect of love, although he loved from eternity as regards the will to do good; Malachi 1:2: "I have loved Jacob, but have hated Esau." But he does not say, "I will love him," because this had already been made clear to them above; Proverbs 8:17: "I love them that love me." It remained, therefore, that he should intimate to them that the Father loved them; Deuteronomy 4:37: "He loved the peoples: all his saints are in his hand."

The second is divine visitation; and as to this he says, "And we will come to him." But against this: to come signifies local motion; but God is not changed; therefore, etc. Response: God is said to come to us not because he himself is moved toward us, but because we are moved toward him. For a thing is said to come into a place in which it previously was not: but this does not befit God, since he is everywhere; Jeremiah 23:24: "I fill heaven and earth." He is also said to come into someone insofar as he is there in a new way, according to which he had not previously been there, namely through the effect of grace; and through this effect of grace he makes us approach him.

But it must be noted, according to Augustine, that God comes to us in three ways, and by the same we go to him. First, indeed, he comes to us by filling us with his effects, and we go to him by receiving them; Ecclesiasticus 24:26: "Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my generations." Second, by illuminating, and we go to him by considering; Psalm 33:6: "Come ye to him and be enlightened." Third, indeed, by helping, and we go to him by obeying: because we cannot even obey unless helped by Christ; Isaiah 2:3: "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord."

But why did he make no mention of the Holy Spirit? Augustine says that this is not said in the sense that he is to be excluded when the Father and the Son come, because above it is said: "that he may abide with you forever." But since in the Trinity there are two things, namely the distinction of persons and the unity of essence: sometimes mention is made of the three persons, to intimate the distinction of persons; sometimes, however, mention is made of two without the third, to intimate the unity of essence. Or it should be said that, since the Holy Spirit is nothing other than the love of the Father and the Son, when the Father and the Son are posited, the Holy Spirit is understood.

Third, for the manifestation of God there is necessary the perseverance of both, namely in the love of God and in his visitation; and as to this he says, "And will make our abode with him." In this he touches two things. First, indeed, the firmness of adherence to God when he says "abode." For God comes to some through faith, but does not remain, because "they believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away": Matthew 8:13. To some he comes through compunction for sin, yet does not remain with them, because they return to their sins; Proverbs 26:11: "As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly." But in his predestined he remains always; Matthew, last chapter, 20: "Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." Second, he shows the familiarity of Christ toward men: because "with him," namely with the one who loves so as to obey, inasmuch as he delights with us, and makes us delight in himself. Proverbs 8:31: "My delights were to be with the children of men"; Isaiah 6:5: "The Lord thy God shall rejoice over thee."

Chrysostom, however, referring this to another intention, says that Jude, hearing "I will not leave you orphans," etc., "and you shall see me," etc., thought that Christ would come to them after death, as the dead come to us in sleep; whence he asks: what has happened, that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world? As if to say: woe to us, since thou art going to die, and as one dead thou must attend upon us. Therefore, to exclude this, he says: "I and the Father will come to him," that is, as the Father manifests himself, so also do I, "and will make our abode with him": which is not of dreams, in which no delay is incurred.

Here he sets down the cause why he is not going to manifest himself to the world: which cause indeed is the removal of those things by reason of which he says he will manifest himself to men. For when the cause is removed, the effect is removed; but they themselves do not have the cause by which the divine manifestation might come to them: therefore God is not going to manifest himself to the world and to worldly men. That they do not have the cause appears, because the world "loveth me not"; and as to this he says, "he who loveth me not." Again, he does not obey me: whence he says, "keepeth not my words." For as Gregory says: "of the love of the Creator, tongue and mind and life are required." The cause is therefore clear why he is going to manifest himself to his own, and not to strangers: because these indeed love; for love distinguishes the saints from the world; Job 36:32: "from the violent," namely the proud, "he hideth the light"; and thus he declares concerning it to his friend, that it is his possession; ibid. 28:14: "the depth saith: it is not in me; the sea," that is, the turbulent, "saith: it is not with me."

Next, where it says "And the word which you have heard is not mine," he clarifies what he said above: "If any one love me, he will keep my word. And my Father will love him," etc. For someone could say that this statement has no reasonable ground, since it would rather have been more reasonable to say: "I will love him, and I will come to him." And therefore he excludes this, saying, "And the word which you have heard is not mine," that is, it is not mine of myself, but it is mine from another, namely from the Father, who sent me. As if to say: he loves neither me alone, nor even the Father, who does not hear this word. And therefore he who loves him and the Father merits the manifestation of both.

He says therefore "and the word," or the discourse, "which you have heard," uttered by me as man, is indeed mine, insofar as I pronounce it, and "is not mine," insofar as it is mine from another; above, John 7:16: "My doctrine is not mine"; further in the same place: "the words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself." But note, according to Augustine, that when the Lord speaks of his own words, he speaks in the plural, "my words"; but where he speaks of the word of the Father, he speaks in the singular, saying, "and the word which you have heard is not mine"; because through the word of the Father he wished himself to be understood, who is his one and only Word. Whence he does not say that he himself is his own, but the Father's, because he is neither his own image, nor his own son, but the Father's. Now all the words in our hearts are from the one Word of the Father.

Here the Lord promises his disciples gifts. He had promised them the Holy Spirit and himself, and therefore here he first shows what will follow from the coming of the Holy Spirit; second, what will follow from himself, where it says "Peace I leave with you." From the coming of the Holy Spirit great things will follow, namely the understanding of all the words of Christ. And therefore concerning this he first recalls to them his teachings; second, he promises them understanding of them, where it says "But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, ... will teach you all things." He says therefore, as to the first, "these things," namely what I have said, "I have spoken to you," through the instrument of my humanity, "abiding with you," by bodily presence. And this indeed is the greatest benefit, that the Son himself should speak to us, and teach us; Hebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days hath spoken to us by his Son"; Deuteronomy 5:26: "what is all flesh, that it should hear its Lord?"

Now he promises them that he will give the understanding of these teachings through the Holy Spirit; whence he says, "But the Paraclete ... will teach you all things." Here he does three things concerning the Holy Spirit. First he describes him; second, his mission; third, his effect. Him indeed he describes in many ways: as Paraclete, Spirit, and Holy. He is indeed Paraclete, because he consoles us, both as to the sorrows arising from the tribulations of this world, of which he consoles us, 2 Corinthians 7:5: "Without were fightings, within were fears"; 2 Corinthians 1:4: "who comforteth us in all our tribulation." And this he does inasmuch as he is love, making us love God, and to hold him in great esteem: on account of which we suffer reproaches with joy, according to that saying, Acts 8:39: "the apostles went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus"; Matthew 5:12: "Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven." Likewise he consoles us against the sorrows arising from past sins: concerning which it is said, Matthew 5:5: "Blessed are they that mourn." And this he does inasmuch as he gives us hope of pardon; below, John 20:23: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them"; Isaiah 61:3: "that I might appoint to the mourners of Sion... to give them comfort."

He is indeed Spirit, because he moves hearts to obey God. Isaiah 59:19: "When he shall come as a violent stream, which the spirit of the Lord driveth"; Romans 8:14: "For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." He is Holy, moreover, because he consecrates us to God; and all things consecrated are called holy; 1 Corinthians 6:19: "Know you not that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost?" Psalm 45:5: "The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful," etc.

Next, where it says "whom the Father will send in my name," he treats of his mission. Now it is not to be understood that he comes to us by local motion, but that he ought to be in them in a certain new way, in which he had not previously been; Psalm 103:30: "Send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created," namely in spiritual being. But note, that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son: and therefore, to show this, he sometimes says that the Father sends him, as here; sometimes that he himself sends him, below, chapter 16:7: "whom I will send you," etc. But he never says that he is sent by the Father, without making mention of himself; whence he says, "whom the Father will send in my name." Nor does he say that he is sent by the Son himself, without recalling the Father; whence he says, "whom I will send you from the Father."

But what is this that he says, "in my name"? Will the Holy Spirit then be named the Son? It could be said that this is said inasmuch as the Holy Spirit was given to the faithful upon the invocation of the name of Christ. But it is better that we say that just as the Son comes in the name of the Father, above, John 5:44: "I am come in the name of my Father," so also the Holy Spirit comes in the name of the Son. Now the Son comes in the name of the Father, not because he were the Father, but because he is the Son of the Father: likewise the Holy Spirit comes in the name of the Son, not because he would be called the Son, but because he is the Spirit of the Son; Romans 8:9: "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his"; Galatians 4:6: "God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts": not because he would be called the Son, but because he is the Spirit of the Son; Romans 8:29: "he predestinated us to be made conformable to the image of his Son": and this indeed on account of the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father, and of the Holy Spirit with the Son. Likewise, just as the Son, coming in the name of the Father, subjected his faithful to the Father: Apocalypse 5:10: "Thou hast made us to our God a kingdom," etc.: so the Holy Spirit has conformed us to the Son, inasmuch as he adopts us as sons of God; Romans 8:15: "you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba, Father."

Next he treats of the effect of the Holy Spirit, saying, "He will teach you all things." For, just as the effect of the mission of the Son was to lead to the Father, so the effect of the mission of the Holy Spirit is to lead the faithful to the Son. Now the Son, since he is Wisdom itself begotten, is Truth itself; above, John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." And therefore the effect of this mission is that he makes men participants of divine wisdom, and knowers of the truth. The Son, then, hands down to us the teaching, since he is the Word; but the Holy Spirit makes us capable of his teaching. He says therefore, "He will teach you all things," because whatever a man may teach outwardly, unless the Holy Spirit inwardly gives understanding, he labors in vain: because unless the Spirit be present to the heart of the hearer, the teacher's discourse will be idle. Job 32:8: "the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding"; and to such an extent that even the Son himself, speaking through the instrument of his humanity, avails not, unless he himself works inwardly through the Holy Spirit.

But note, that above, John 6:43, he says: "Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me." Here he weighs what this is, because one does not learn without the Holy Spirit teaching, as if to say: he who receives the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, he knows the Father, and the Son, and comes to them. Now he makes us know all things by inwardly inspiring, directing, and elevating us to spiritual things. For just as one who has an infected taste does not have true knowledge of flavors, so too one who is infected with love of the world cannot taste divine things: according to that saying, 1 Corinthians 2:14: "But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God."

But since to suggest belongs to lesser persons, for instance to officials in divine matters, is the Holy Spirit, who suggests to us, therefore less than us? It must therefore be said, according to Gregory, that the Holy Spirit is said to suggest, not because he brings knowledge to us from below; but he supplies from what is hidden the powers for knowing. Or he teaches, inasmuch as he makes us participate in the wisdom of the Son. He suggests, inasmuch as he impels us as love does. Or "he will suggest to you all things," that is, he will bring back to memory; Psalm 21:28: "all the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord." For one should know that of those things which Christ said to the disciples, some they did not understand, and of some they did not have memory. The Lord therefore says, "He will teach you all things," which you cannot understand now, "and will suggest to you all things," which you cannot commit to memory. For how could the Evangelist John, after forty years, have had memory of all the words of Christ which he wrote in the Gospel, unless the Holy Spirit had suggested them to him?

Above, the Lord promised his disciples what they were to obtain from the presence of the Holy Spirit; here he promises the gift which they were to obtain from his own coming and presence. It must be known, however, that if the property of the persons is considered, namely of the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Lord seems to interchange the gifts. For since the Son is the Word, the gift of wisdom and of knowledge seems to belong to him appropriately. But to the Holy Spirit, since he is love, which is the cause of peace, peace is appropriated. Yet because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Son, and what the Holy Spirit gives, he has from the Son, therefore he attributes to the Holy Spirit this gift of knowledge, where he says, "he will teach you all things," etc., which nevertheless is appropriated to the Son. But because the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, therefore what the Holy Spirit does appropriately is attributed to the Son. And in this way Christ attributes peace to himself, saying, "Peace I leave with you": where first he promises the gift of peace, which he leaves; second he distinguishes this peace from the peace of the world, where he says, "not as the world gives do I give to you."

He says, then, "Peace I leave." It must be known that peace is nothing other than the tranquility of order: for things are then said to have peace when their order remains undisturbed. Now in man there is a threefold order: namely of man to himself, of man to God, and of man to his neighbor; and thus there is a threefold peace in man. One is intrinsic, according to which he is at peace with himself, without disturbance of his powers; Psalm 118:165: "Much peace have they that love your law." Another is that by which man is at peace with God, being totally subject to his ordination; Romans 5:1: "Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God." The third peace is toward one's neighbor; Hebrews 12:14: "Follow peace with all the saints, and holiness."

But it must be noted that in us three things ought to be ordered: namely the intellect, the will, and the sensitive appetite: namely so that the will is directed according to the mind, or reason; and the sensitive appetite according to the intellect and the will. And therefore Augustine, in the book On the Words of the Lord, defining the peace of the saints, says: peace is serenity of mind, tranquility of soul, simplicity of heart, the bond of love, the fellowship of charity: so that serenity of mind is referred to reason, which ought to be free, not bound, nor absorbed by any inordinate affection; tranquility of soul is referred to the sensitive part, which ought to rest from the disturbance of the passions; simplicity of heart is referred to the will, which ought to be borne wholly toward God as its object; the bond of love is referred to one's neighbor; the fellowship of charity, to God.

Now the saints have this peace here, and they will have it in the future; but here indeed imperfectly, because we can have peace neither with ourselves, nor with God, nor with our neighbor without some disturbance; but in the future we shall have it perfectly, when we shall reign without an enemy, where we shall never be able to dissent. And the Lord here promises us both. The first, when he says, "Peace I leave with you," namely in this age, so that you may conquer the enemy, and so that you may love one another; which is, as it were, a testament established for us by Christ to be kept; Ecclesiasticus 45:30: "He made to him a covenant of peace, and made him a prince." As Augustine says, he will not be able to arrive at the inheritance of the Lord who is unwilling to observe his testament; nor can he have concord with Christ who is willing to be at discord with a Christian. The second, however, when he says, "My peace I give to you," namely in the future; Isaiah, last chapter, v. 12: "I will turn away upon her," namely the heavenly Jerusalem, "like a river of peace."

But since, whether in the world or in the homeland, the whole peace of the saints comes to them through Christ — below, 16:33: "In me you shall have peace" — why does the Lord, when speaking of the peace of the saints on the way, not say, "My peace I give to you," but only when he speaks of the peace of the saints in the homeland? To which it must be said that each peace, namely the present and the future, is Christ's; but the present is his only as author; the future, however, is his as author and possessor: for he always had it, because he always was without contradiction. But the present peace, as has been said, is with some contradiction; and therefore, although he makes it, nevertheless he does not possess it. And, according to what has been said, the exposition proceeds concerning the peace of time and the peace of eternity. But, according to Augustine, both can be explained of the peace of time: and he says "Peace I leave with you" by way of example, but "I give you my peace" by power and virtue.

Consequently, when he says, "not as the world gives do I give to you," he distinguishes this peace from the peace of the world. Now the peace of the saints is distinguished from the peace of the world in three respects. First, as to intention: for the peace of the world is ordered to the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of temporal things, whereby it comes about that it sometimes cooperates with men unto sin; Wisdom 14:22: "Living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace." But the peace of the saints is ordered to eternal goods. The sense, then, is: "not as the world gives do I give"; that is, not to the same end: because the world gives with a view to possessing exterior things in quiet, but I give with a view to obtaining eternal things.

Second, as to feigning and truth: because the peace of the world is feigned, since it is only exterior; Psalm 27:3: "They speak peace with their neighbor, but evils are in their hearts"; but the peace of Christ is true, because it is both interior and exterior. And thus the sense is: "not as the world gives," that is, I do not give a feigned peace, as the world does, but a true one.

Third, as to perfection: because the peace of the world is imperfect, since it is only with regard to the quiet of the exterior man and not of the interior; Isaiah 57:21: "There is no peace to the wicked, says the Lord"; but the peace of Christ gives quiet both interiorly and exteriorly; Psalm 118:165: "Much peace have they that love your law." And the sense is: "not as the world gives," that is, not so imperfect a peace.

Above, the Lord consoled his disciples with reasons drawn from the side of the disciples themselves, by promising them access to the Father, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and his own return; but here he consoles them with reasons drawn from his own side, from which a twofold cause of consolation could come to them. One, from the benefit of the fruit that would follow from Christ's departure; the other, from the cause of his death. And therefore he first sets down the first; second, the second, at the place "I will now speak much with you no more." Now the fruit that followed from Christ's departure was his own exaltation, etc., whence the disciples could be consoled. For it is the custom of friends that, when a friend goes off to his own exaltation, they are less desolated at his departure; and therefore the Lord sets down this cause for their consolation. And first he excludes the doubt of the heart; second, he calls to mind something that consoled them in part, and in part troubled them; third, he adds the cause that consoles totally; fourth, he answers a certain tacit question.

He excludes indeed the trouble of the heart, saying, "Let not your heart be troubled," and so on. Trouble is referred to sadness; dread to fear. Now sadness and fear agree in something, namely in this, that each is about an evil; but they differ, because sadness is about a present evil, while dread is about a future evil. Now the Lord says, "Let not your heart be troubled," concerning present evil — Psalm 111:6: "The just man shall not be moved"; "nor let it be afraid," namely concerning the future — Isaiah 51:12: "Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a mortal man?" This is to be understood of human fear, for he does not exclude divine fear.

Consequently, when he says, "You have heard that I said to you: I go, and I come to you"; for they were troubled by Christ's departure, but they were in part consoled by what he adds, "and I come to you" — above: "I go, and I come to you." Yet they were not totally consoled by this, fearing lest perhaps the wolf might invade the flock in this interval, in the absence of the shepherd, according to that saying of Zechariah 13:7: "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." He says therefore, "let it not be troubled," because "I go"; but "let it not be afraid" either, because "I come to you." He goes indeed by his own power in dying, and he comes by rising again; Matthew 20:18: "The Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death... and the third day he shall rise again." He went by ascending; Isaiah 63:1: "This beautiful one in his robe, walking in the greatness of his strength." He will come to judge; Luke 21:27: "They shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty."

But he consoles them totally when he says, "If you loved me, you would indeed rejoice"; as if to say: if you love me, you ought not be saddened, but rather you ought to rejoice at my departure, because I go to my exaltation, namely because "I go to the Father, who is greater than I." But from this Arius exults, saying that the Father is greater than the Son. His error is excluded by these very words of the Lord. For from the understanding by which "I go to the Father" is understood, from that same understanding "the Father is greater than I" is understood. But the Son does not go to the Father, nor does he come to us, insofar as he is the Son of God, according to which he was with the Father from eternity — above, chapter 1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." But he is said to go to the Father according to his human nature.

Thus, therefore, when he says "is greater than I," he does not say it insofar as he is the Son of God, but insofar as he is the Son of man, according to which he is not only less than the Father and the Holy Spirit, but even than the angels themselves; Hebrews 2:9: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor." Likewise he was subject, in some respect, to certain men, namely his parents, as is read in Luke 2:51. So then he is less than the Father according to his humanity, equal according to his divinity; Philippians 2:6: "He thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant."

It can also be said, according to Hilary, that the Father, even according to divinity, is greater than the Son, but nevertheless the Son is not lesser, but equal. For the Father is greater than the Son not in power, eternity, and greatness, but in the authority of one who gives, that is, of a principle. For the Father receives nothing from another, but the Son, so to speak, receives his nature from the Father through eternal generation. The Father, then, is greater because he gives; but the Son is not lesser, but equal, because he receives all that the Father has; Philippians 2:9: "He gave him a name which is above all names." For he to whom one and the same being is given is no longer lesser than the one giving.

Chrysostom, however, expounds it thus, saying that the Lord speaks according to the suspicion of the apostles, who did not yet know what the resurrection was, nor did they consider him equal to the Father. And therefore he says to them: even if you do not believe me that I am not able to help myself, nor trust that after the cross I shall see you again; nevertheless believe me, that I go to the Father, who is greater than I.

He responds, however, to a tacit question, saying, "And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it shall come to pass, you may believe." For they might ask why he was saying these things, and therefore, anticipating them, he says, "Now I have told you," and so on. But Augustine asks: since faith is of those things which are not seen, a man ought not to believe after it has come to pass, but before. But it must be said that they saw one thing, and believed another. They saw, before, the death of Christ and his resurrection; and having seen this, they believed that he was the Christ, the Son of God. Hence when it had come to pass, they believed not with a new faith, but with an increased one; or rather, indeed, when he had died, it was diminished; when he had risen, it was restored, as Augustine says.

Consequently, when he says, "I will now speak much with you no more," he sets down another cause of consolation on the part of his departure, which is taken from the cause of his death. Now it must be known that the cause of death is of one kind inducing sorrow, when someone is killed for a fault; and of another kind inducing consolation, namely when someone dies for the good of virtue; 1 Peter 4:15: "Let none of you suffer as a thief or a murderer... but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed." Concerning this, therefore, the Lord first shows that sin was not the cause of his death; second, that the cause of it was the power of obedience and charity, at the place, "but that the world may know that I love the Father."

He says, therefore, "I will now speak much with you no more," on account of the brevity of the time; above, chapter 13:33: "Little children, yet a little while I am with you." Or because you are not yet capable of it; below, chapter 16:12: "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." Or he says, "I will not speak much with you," for this reason: because in one brief discourse I will explain to you that I shall not die on account of my own fault.

And he does this consequently, when he says, "For the prince of this world comes, and in me he has nothing," namely the Devil, who is called prince, not by reason of creation, nor by natural power, as the Manichaeans blaspheme, but by reason of the fault of this world, that is, of its lovers; hence he is called the prince of the world and of sin. Ephesians, last chapter, verse 12: "Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and princes of this darkness." He is not, therefore, the prince of creatures, but of sinners and of darkness; Job 41:25: "He is king over all the children of pride." This prince, therefore, comes to persecute: for he entered into the heart of Judas, that he might betray, and into the hearts of the Jews, that they might kill; but "in me he has nothing": for in us he has no power except on account of sin; above, chapter 8, verse 34: "He who commits sin is the servant of sin." But in Christ there was no sin, neither according to the soul — 1 Peter 2:22: "Who did no sin," etc. — nor according to the flesh, because he was conceived of the Holy Spirit from a virgin without original sin; Luke 1:35: "For that which shall be born of thee shall be called holy, the Son of God." Because, therefore, the Devil also invaded Christ, in whom he had no right, he deserved to lose what he justly possessed; Mark 5:7: "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the most high God?" Thus, then, it is clear that the cause of his death was not fault; indeed there was no reason why he should die, if he had no sin.

Consequently he adds the true cause, which is the good of virtue; and therefore he says, "but that the world may know that I love the Father": which, according to Augustine, is punctuated thus: "but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father has given me commandment, so do I" — with a suspended pause — "arise, let us go hence." Here it must be known that two things moved Christ to undergo death, namely love of God and love of neighbor; Ephesians 5:2: "Walk in love." And he proves this by a sign, in that he fulfills his own commandments; above: "If you love me, keep my commandments." And as to this he says, "but that the world may know that I love the Father," etc.; and this effectively, namely because I die; hence he adds, "and as the Father has given me commandment, so do I": which is according to that whereby the Father moved him to undertake death, namely obedience, which is caused by love. Now the Father gave this commandment not to the Son of God, who, since he is the Word, is himself also the commandment of the Father; but he gave it to the Son of man, insofar as he inspired in his soul that it was necessary for human salvation that Christ should die in his human nature. That the world, therefore, may know this: "arise" — from the place where they had supped — "and let us go" — to the place where I am to be handed over — that you may see that I die not out of necessity, but out of charity and obedience; Job 39:21: "He goes forth boldly to meet armed men."

According to Chrysostom, however, it is read otherwise: namely, that at the point where he says "so do I" there is the end of the sentence; and at the point where he resumes, "arise, let us go hence," there is the beginning of another; so that the sense is: I do not die as though the prince of this world had anything in me, but because I love the Father, therefore I do this. But do you arise, and let us go hence. For he saw that they were afraid, both on account of the time, because it was deep night, and on account of the place, because they were plainly stationed in a house in a village, so that they kept turning their eyes toward the door, as if expecting enemies to invade them, and on this account not attending to the things that were being said. And therefore, that they might better understand the words he was about to say, he leads them into another, secluded place, so that, judging themselves to be safe, they might listen more attentively to what he was saying to them; Hosea 2:14: "I will lead her into solitude, and I will speak to her heart."