Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause I came unto this hour.

“(Hom. lxvi) To our Lord’s exhortation to His disciples to endurance, they might have replied that it was easy for Him, Who was out of the reach of human pain, to talk philosophically about death, and to recommend others to bear what He is in no danger of having to bear Himself. So He lets them see that He is Himself in an agony, but that He does not intend to decline death, merely for the sake of relieving Himself: Now is My soul troubled.”

“(Tr. lii. 2) I hear Him say, He that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal; and I am ravished, I despise the world; the whole of this life, however long, is but a vapour in My sight; all temporal things are vile, in comparison with eternal. And again I hear Him say, Now is My soul troubled. Thou biddest my soul follow Thee; but I see Thy soul troubled. What foundation shall I seek, if the Rock gives way? Lord, I acknowledge Thy mercy. Thou of Thy love wast of Thine own will troubled, to console those who are troubled through the infirmity of nature; that the members of Thy body perish not in despair. The Head took upon Himself the affections of His members. He was not troubled by any thing, but, as was said above, He troubled Himself. (c. 11:33)”

“Above it was treated of the glory shown to Christ by various men; here he treats of the glory shown to Christ by God, and first the petition for this glory is set down; second the promise of glory is added, where it says, "there came therefore a voice from heaven," and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the affection of his soul; second he proposes the petition, where it says, "and what shall I say?" and so on. But note, concerning the first, that it is a wonderful thing that he says, "now is my soul troubled." For above he had exhorted his faithful to hold their soul in hatred in this world, and now, with death imminent, we hear the Lord himself saying, "now is my soul troubled." On account of which Augustine says: Lord, you command my soul to follow, and I see your soul troubled: what foundation shall I seek, if the rock itself gives way? And therefore we must see, first, what this troubling is in Christ; second, why he willed to undergo it. As to the first, it must be known that a thing is properly said to be troubled when it is stirred; hence we also say that the sea, when stirred up, is troubled. Whenever, therefore, something exceeds the measure of its quiet and tranquility, then it is said to be troubled. Now in the human soul there is a sensitive part and a rational part. In the sensitive part of the soul, indeed, troubling occurs when it is stirred by certain movements; as when it is contracted by fear, lifted up by hope, expanded by joy, or affected by some other passion. But this troubling sometimes remains under the rule of reason, and sometimes exceeds the limit of reason, namely when reason itself is thrown into disorder. This indeed happens frequently in us, but it has no place in Christ, since he is the very wisdom of the Father; nor even in any wise man — hence the opinion of the Stoics is that the wise man is not troubled, namely as regards reason. According to this, then, the sense is: "now is my soul troubled," that is, it was affected by the passions of fear and sadness as regards the sensitive part, by which passions, however, reason was not troubled nor did it abandon its order; Mark 14:33: "Jesus began to fear and to be weary." Now passions of this kind are in us in one way, and were in Christ in another way. For in us they exist of necessity, inasmuch as we are moved and affected as it were from without; but in Christ they are not of necessity, but from the command of reason, since in him there was no passion except what he himself stirred up. For to such a degree were the lower powers subject to reason in Christ, that they could do and suffer nothing except what reason ordained for them; and therefore it is said above, John 11:33, that Jesus groaned in spirit, and troubled himself; Psalm 59:4: "you have shaken the earth" (that is, human nature) "and have troubled it." Thus, then, the soul of Christ was troubled in such a way that the troubling in him was not against reason, but according to the order of reason. As to the second point, it must be known that the Lord willed to be troubled for two reasons. First, indeed, for the instruction of faith, namely that he might confirm the truth of human nature; and therefore, now drawing near to the Passion, he does everything in a human manner. Second, for the sake of example; for if he had done everything with unshaken constancy and had felt no passion in his soul, it would not have been a sufficient example to men for enduring death. And therefore he willed to be troubled, so that, when we are troubled, we might not refuse to endure death, nor fail; Hebrews 4:15: "we have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, tempted in all things, in the likeness of sin, without sin." Whence from this the continuity with what precedes appears. For because he had said, "he who hates his soul in this world keeps it unto life eternal," in which he had exhorted the disciples to the Passion, lest some should say: O Lord, you can safely dispute and philosophize about death, since you, being outside human sorrows, are not troubled on account of death — and therefore, that he might exclude this, he willed to be troubled. This troubling of Christ, moreover, was natural; for just as the soul naturally loves union with the body, so also it naturally shrinks from separation from it, especially since the reason of Christ permitted the soul and the lower powers to act as was proper to them. On account of this also, that he says, "now is my soul troubled," and so on, the error of Arius and Apollinaris is destroyed, who said that in Christ there was no soul, but the Word in its place. Consequently the Lord sets down the petition for glory, saying, "and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour": where the Lord transfers to himself the affection of a troubled man. In the manner of this he does four things concerning his petition: for first he sets down the question of one deliberating; second he proposes the petition, which proceeds from one movement; third he excludes that movement by reason; fourth he sets down another petition caused by another movement. Now he proposes the question of one in doubt, because it is natural for men placed in straits to deliberate; hence the Philosopher says in the Rhetoric that fear makes men disposed to take counsel. Therefore Christ, after the manifestation of his troubling, at once adds, "and what shall I say?" As if he were to say: what is to be done after this troubling? A similar thing is found in Psalm 54:6: "fear and trembling have come upon me." And it follows at once: "who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly away and be at rest?" For those who are in anguish and troubled by passion are weighed down, and seek a help by which they may be freed. He sets down the petition caused by one movement, because when someone is in doubt as to what he ought to do, he ought to have recourse to God; 2 Chronicles 20:12: "when we know not what we ought to do, this only we have as a refuge, that we direct our eyes to you, our God"; Psalm 121:1: "I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, whence help shall come to me." And therefore, having recourse to the Father, he says, "Father, save me," that is, free me from the tribulation which is imminent in the hour of the Passion; Psalm 69:2: "save me, O Lord, for the waters have come in even unto my soul." And, as Augustine says, it is the same thing that the Lord here says, "now is my soul troubled," and "Father, save me," as what is said in Matthew 26:38: "my soul is sorrowful even unto death." But it must be noted that this petition is not proposed from the proper movement of reason, but reason itself, as it were summoned as an advocate, speaks in the person of the natural affection, which desired not to die; and therefore reason marks the movement of natural affection in this petition. From this is resolved the question that is customarily raised, because, as it is said in Hebrews 5:7, "he was heard in all things for his reverence." And yet in that which he asked, he was not heard. To which it must be said that he was heard in those things which reason itself, on its own part, was asking, and asking as things to be granted. But what he here asks he does not propose on his own part, nor as something to be granted, but as expressing natural affection; and therefore, according to Chrysostom, it is read as a question: "And what shall I say? Shall I say this: Father, save me from this hour?" As if he were to say, I will not say this. He rejects this petition, which was proposed from the movement of natural appetite, saying, "for this cause I came unto this hour," as if he were to say: it is not just that I be freed from this hour of the Passion, because I came for this purpose, that I might suffer — not led by fatal necessity, not compelled by human violence, but offered up of my own accord; Isaiah 53:7: "he was offered because it was his own will"; above, John 10:18: "no man takes it from me," namely my soul, "but I lay it down of myself." Reason then sets forth its own petition, when he says, "Father, glorify your name." Here by "your name" we can understand two things. Namely, the Son himself. For a name is so called from knowledge, as it were a mark of notice; hence a name is that by which a thing is made manifest; but the Son manifests the Father; below, John 17:6: "Father, I have manifested your name to men." And of this name it is said, Isaiah 30:27: "behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar." The sense, therefore, is: "Father, glorify your name," that is, your Son; below, John 17:5: "glorify me, Father, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with you." Or, the name of the Lord is the knowledge of the Father; and then the sense is: do this, Father, glorify your name, that is, do that which is the glory of your name. And it comes to the same thing, because when the Son is glorified, the name of the Father is glorified. He says this, moreover, because by the Passion the Son was to be glorified; Philippians 2:8: "he became obedient," to the Father, "unto death, even the death of the cross. For which cause God also has exalted him." As if he were to say: natural affection asks that I be saved, but reason asks that your name be glorified, that is, that the Son may suffer, because, namely, by the Passion of Christ the knowledge of God was to be made glorious. For before the Passion God was known only in Judea, and his name was great in Israel; but after his Passion his name was made glorious among the nations. Consequently, where it says, "there came therefore a voice from heaven," and so on, the promise of glory is set down, and first the voice promising glory is introduced; second the opinion of the devout but doubting crowd is set down, where it says, "the crowd therefore that stood and heard said that it thundered"; third the exposition of the voice that was uttered is set down, where it says, "Jesus answered and said: this voice came not for me." He says, then, as to the first: "there came therefore a voice from heaven." This voice is the voice of God the Father, just as that which came above Christ when he was baptized, Matthew 3:17: "this is my beloved Son," and likewise that which came upon him when he was transfigured, Matthew 17:5. Although every such voice is formed by the power of the whole Trinity, it is nevertheless formed specially to represent the person of the Father, and hence it is called the voice of the Father: just as the dove was formed by the whole Trinity, to signify the person of the Holy Spirit; and likewise the body of Christ was formed by the whole Trinity, but was specially assumed by the person of the Word, because it was formed for this, that it should be united to him. This voice, then, does two things. First it manifests the past, saying, "and I have glorified it," that is, I have begotten it glorious from eternity, because the Son is nothing other than a certain brightness and splendor of the Father; Wisdom 7:26: "she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of the majesty of God"; Hebrews 1:3: "who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance." Or, "I have glorified it," at his nativity, when the Angels sang, "glory to God in the highest," Luke 2:14, and in the miracles done through him. Second it foretells the future: "and again I will glorify it," in the Passion, in which he triumphed over the Devil, and in the resurrection and ascension, and in the conversion of the whole world; Acts 3:13: "the God of our fathers has glorified his Son Jesus." The opinion of the doubting crowd concerning the voice is set down, where it says, "the crowd therefore that stood, and heard, said that it had thundered." In this crowd, indeed — and in every crowd — some were of coarser and slower understanding, others of keener understanding, although all were imperfectly disposed toward the knowledge of the voice itself. For the slothful and carnal did not perceive the voice itself except as to its sound; and therefore they said that it had thundered. But they were not altogether deceived: for the voice of the Lord was indeed a thunder, both because it had a wonderful signification, and because it contained the greatest things; Job 26:14: "seeing we have heard scarce a little spark of his words, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness?" Psalm 76:19: "the voice of your thunder in a wheel." Those of keener understanding, however, perceived of the voice itself that it was the sound of an articulate and significant voice; hence they said that it was a speaking. But believing Christ to be a mere man, they fell short, attributing that speaking to an Angel; hence they said, "an Angel has spoken to him"; and these indeed suffered something similar to the Devil, who believed that Christ needed the assistance of Angels; hence he said, Matthew 4: "he has given his Angels charge concerning you, and in their hands they shall bear you up." For he does not need the guardianship and help of Angels, but he himself glorifies and guards the Angels. The exposition of the voice follows, where it says: "Jesus answered, and said," and so on, and first he expounds the voice that was uttered; second he sets down the contradiction, where it says, "the crowd answered him"; third he adds the Lord's response, where it says, "Jesus therefore said to them." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the cause of the voice; second he adds its signification, where it says, "now is the judgment of the world," and so on. It must be known, as to the first, that because they had said, "an Angel has spoken to him" — and an Angel speaks to someone by revealing something for the benefit of him to whom he speaks, as is clear in Apocalypse 1 and Ezekiel 1 — therefore the Lord, showing that he does not need any voice or the assistance of angelic revelation, says: "not for me," namely to be instructed, "did this voice come, but for you." For it signified nothing that he did not already know, since "in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God," Colossians 2:3, so that he knew all that the Father knows. "But for you it came," namely to be instructed. In which it is given to be understood that many things were done concerning Christ by way of dispensation for our sake, not because Christ needed them; Romans 15:4: "whatever things were written, were written for our instruction." Consequently, where it says, "now is the judgment of this world," he sets down the signification of the voice, and first he sets down the judgment by which he was to be glorified; second he adds the effect of the judgment, where it says, "now shall the prince of this world be cast out"; and third the manner of the glorification, where it says, "and if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself." He says, then, "now is the judgment of this world." But if this is so, what then do we await, that the Lord should come again to judge? To which it must be said that he has already come to judge with the judgment of discernment, by which he would discern his own from those who are not his own; above, John 9:39: "for judgment I have come into this world." And of this he says, "now is the judgment of this world." But he is to come to judge with the judgment of condemnation, for which he did not come the first time; above, John 3:17: "for God sent not his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him." Or it must be said that judgment is twofold. One by which the world is condemned, and of this it is not speaking here; the other is the judgment of the world by which judgment is rendered on behalf of the world, inasmuch as the world is freed from the servitude of the Devil. In this way is to be understood that saying in Psalm 34:1: "judge, O Lord, those that wrong me; overthrow them that fight against me," and so on. And these two come to the same thing: because by this very fact that judgment is rendered on behalf of the world, the Devil being excluded, the good are discerned from the evil. The effect of the judgment is the exclusion of the Devil, hence he says, "now shall the prince of this world be cast out," by the power of the Passion of Christ. Hence his Passion is his glorification, so that by this he explains, as it were, what he said, "and I will glorify it," inasmuch, namely, as "the prince of this world shall be cast out," as though through the Passion he should have victory over the Devil; 1 John 3:8: "for this the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the Devil." But concerning this there is doubt about three things. First, concerning his saying that the Devil is the prince of this world; from which the Manichaeans say that he is the creator and lord of all visible things. To this it must be said that the Devil is called the prince of this world, not by natural dominion, but by usurpation, inasmuch as worldly men, having despised the true Lord, have subjected themselves to him; 2 Corinthians 4:4: "the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers." He is, therefore, the prince of this world, inasmuch as he rules among worldly men, as Augustine says, who are spread over the whole earth. For the name "world" is sometimes taken in a bad sense for men who love the world, above, John 1:10: "the world knew him not"; but sometimes in a good sense for good men who so live in the world that yet their conversation is in heaven; 2 Corinthians 5:19: "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." Second, there is doubt concerning his saying "shall be cast out." For if he were cast out, he would not tempt now as he tempted before, since yet he has not ceased to tempt; therefore he is not cast out. To which it must be said, according to Augustine, that although the Devil tempts men who have ceased to be of the world, he does not tempt in the same manner as before. For then he tempted and reigned from within, but afterward only from without. For as long as men are in sin, then he reigns from within, and tempts; Romans 6:12: "let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey the lusts thereof." Thus, then, he is cast out, because the effect of sin in man is not from within, but from without. Third, it is asked concerning his saying, "now shall the prince of this world be cast out": from which it seems to follow that before the Passion of Christ he was not cast out, and consequently, since he is cast out then when men are freed from sins, that Abraham, Isaac, and the others of the Old Testament were not freed from sin. To which it must be said, according to Augustine, that before the Passion of Christ he was cast out from individual persons, but not from the world, as afterward. For that which was then done in very few men, is now recognized to have been done, by the power of the Passion of Christ, in many and great peoples of Jews and Gentiles converted to Christ. Or it must be said that the Devil is cast out by this, that men are freed from sin; but before the Passion of Christ, all the just were freed from sin, but not totally, because they were still detained from being brought into the kingdom; and as to this he still had some right over them, which, however, was totally taken away by the Passion of Christ, when the flaming sword was removed, when it was said to the man: "today you shall be with me in Paradise." Now the manner of the Passion is by way of exaltation, hence he says, "and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself." Concerning this it must be known that Chrysostom uses this example: that if some tyrant, who had been accustomed to oppress, strike, and cast into chains certain of his subjects, should then, out of the same madness, treat in the same manner even one who is in no way subject to him, dragging him too into the same prison, deservedly ought he also to be deprived of dominion over the others who were subject to him: so also did Christ act against the Devil. For the Devil, on account of the sin of the first parent, had some right over men, whence he was able in some way to rage justly against them. But because he dared to attempt the same things even against Christ, in whom he had no right — since the tempter attacked him in whom he had nothing, as is said below, John 13 — therefore it was fitting that he should be deprived also of dominion, through the death of Christ. And this is what he says: "if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself." Here he first sets forth the manner of his death; second the Evangelist expounds what he says, where it says, "but this he said, signifying by what death he should die." Now the manner of death is by exaltation on the wood of the cross. The exposition, moreover, is that in this he signified by what death he was to die. It must be known, moreover, that the Lord willed to die the death of the cross for a twofold cause. One indeed on account of the disgracefulness of that death; Wisdom 2:20: "let us condemn him to a most shameful death." Hence Augustine also says: therefore the Lord willed to die in this manner, so that the very disgrace of death might not drive man back from the perfection of righteousness. Second, because in this way death is by way of exaltation; hence the Lord also says, "if I be lifted up." And this kind of death was indeed fitting to the fruit, the cause, and the figure of the Passion. Fitting to the fruit, indeed, because by the Passion he was to be exalted. Philippians 2:8: "he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross: for which cause God has exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." And therefore in Psalm 20:14 it was said: "be exalted, O Lord, in your own strength." It was fitting, moreover, to the cause of the Passion in two ways: both on the part of the Demon, and on the part of men. On the part of men, indeed, because he was dying for their salvation; but they had perished, because they had been cast down and sunk into earthly things; Psalm 16:11: "they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth." He willed, therefore, to die exalted, that he might lift up our hearts to heavenly things. For thus he himself is our way into heaven. On the part of the Demons, indeed, so that he, being lifted up in the air, might trample underfoot those who exercised principality and power in the air. It was fitting also to the figure, because the Lord commanded that the bronze serpent be made in the desert, as is found in Numbers 21:9; above, John 3:14: "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up," and so on. Thus, then, being exalted, "I will draw all things," by charity, "to myself"; Jeremiah 31:3: "with an everlasting love have I loved you, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you." In this also the charity of God toward man appears most greatly, inasmuch as he deigned to die for them; Romans 5:8: "God commends his charity toward us, because when as yet we were sinners, according to the time, Christ died for us." In this he fulfilled what the bride asks, Song of Songs 1:3: "draw me after you, we will run in the odor of your ointments." It must be noted, moreover, that the Father draws, and the Son also draws; above, John 6:44: "no man can come to me, except the Father, who has sent me, draw him." Therefore he says here, "I will draw all things," to show that the operation of both is the same. He says, however, "all things," not "all men," because not all are drawn to the Son. "All things," I say, "I will draw," that is, soul and body. Or, all kinds of men, namely Gentiles and Jews, slaves and free, males and females. Or, all things predestined to salvation. And it must be noted that this very thing, that he says he will draw all things to himself, is that the prince of this world shall be cast out: for there is no agreement of Christ with Belial, nor of light with darkness.”

“Honour is here done to Christ by his Father in a voice from heaven, occasioned by the following part of his discourse, and which gave occasion to a further conference with the people. In these verses we have, I. Christ's address to his Father, upon occasion of the trouble which seized his spirit at this time: Now is my soul troubled, Joh 12:27. A strange word to come from Christ's mouth, and at this time surprising, for it comes in the midst of divers pleasing prospects, in which, one would think, he should have said, Now is my soul pleased. Note, Trouble of soul sometimes follows after great enlargements of spirit. In this world of mixture and change we must expect damps upon our joy, and the highest degree of comfort to be the next degree to trouble. When Paul had been in the third heavens, he had a thorn in the flesh. Observe, 1. Christ's dread of his approaching sufferings: Now is my soul troubled. Now the black and dismal scene began, now were the first throes of the travail of his soul, now his agony began, his soul began to be exceedingly sorrowful. Note, (1.) The sin of our soul was the trouble of Christ's soul, when he undertook to redeem and save us, and to make his soul an offering for our sin. (2.) The trouble of his soul was designed to ease the trouble of our souls; for, after this, he said to his disciples (Joh 14:1), "Let not your hearts be troubled; why should yours be troubled and mine too?" Our Lord Jesus went on cheerfully in his work, in prospect of the joy set before him, and yet submitted to a trouble of soul. Holy mourning is consistent with spiritual joy, and the way to eternal joy. Christ was now troubled, now in sorrow, now in fear, now for a season; but it would not be so always, it would not be so long. The same is the comfort of Christians in their troubles; they are but for a moment, and will be turned into joy. 2. The strait he seems to be in hereupon, intimated in those words, And what shall I say? This does not imply his consulting with any other, as if he needed advice, but considering with himself what was fit to be said now. When our souls are troubled we must take heed of speaking unadvisedly, but debate with ourselves what we shall say. Christ speaks like one at a loss, as if what he should choose he wot not. There was a struggle between the work he had taken upon him, which required sufferings, and the nature he had taken upon him, which dreaded them; between these two he here pauses with, What shall I say? He looked, and there was none to help, which put him to a stand. Calvin observes this as a great instance of Christ's humiliation, that he should speak thus like one at a loss. Quo se magis exinanivit gloriae Dominus, eo luculentius habemus erga nos amoris specimen - The more entirely the Lord of glory emptied himself, the brighter is the proof of the love he bore us. Thus he was in all points tempted like as we are, to encourage us, when we know not what to do, to direct our eyes to him. 3. His prayer to God in this strait: Father, save me from this hour, ek tēs ōras tautēs - out of this hour, praying, not so much that it might not come as that he might be brought through it. Save me from this hour; this was the language of innocent nature, and its feelings poured forth in prayer. Note, It is the duty and interest of troubled souls to have recourse to God by faithful and fervent prayer, and in prayer to eye him as a Father. Christ was voluntary in his sufferings, and yet prayed to be saved from them. Note, Prayer against a trouble may very well consist with patience under it and submission to the will of God in it. Observe, He calls his suffering this hour, meaning the expected events of the time now at hand. Hereby he intimates that the time of his suffering was, (1.) A set time, set to an hour, and he knew it. It was said twice before that his hour was not yet come, but it was now so near that he might say it was come. (2.) A short time. An hour is soon over, so were Christ's sufferings; he could see through them to the joy set before him. 4. His acquiescence in his Father's will, notwithstanding. He presently corrects himself, and, as it were, recals what he had said: But for this cause came I to this hour. Innocent nature got the first word, but divine wisdom and love got the last. Note, those who would proceed regularly must go upon second thoughts. The complainant speaks first; but, if we would judge righteously, we must hear the other side. With the second thought he checked himself: For this cause came I to this hour; he does not silence himself with this, that he could not avoid it, there was no remedy; but satisfies himself with this, that he would not avoid it, for it was pursuant to his own voluntary engagement, and was to be the crown of his whole undertaking; should he now fly off, this would frustrate all that had been done hitherto. Reference is here had to the divine counsels concerning his sufferings, by virtue of which it behoved him thus to submit and suffer. Note, This should reconcile us to the darkest hours of our lives, that we were all along designed for them; see Th1 3:3. 5. His regard to his Father's honour herein. Upon the withdrawing of his former petition, he presents another, which he will abide by: Father, glorify thy name, to the same purport with Father, thy will be done; for God's will is for his own glory. This expresses more than barely a submission to the will of God; it is a consecration of his sufferings to the glory of God. It was a mediatorial word, and was spoken by him as our surety, who had undertaken to satisfy divine justice for our sin. The wrong which by sin we have done to God is in his glory, his declarative glory; for in nothing else are we capable of doing him injury. We were never able to make him satisfaction for this wrong done him, nor any creature for us; nothing therefore remained but that God should get him honour upon us in our utter ruin. Here therefore our Lord Jesus interposed, undertook to satisfy God's injured honour, and he did it by his humiliation; he denied himself in, and divested himself of, the honours due to the Son of God incarnate, and submitted to the greatest reproach. Now here he makes a tender of this satisfaction as an equivalent: "Father, glorify thy name; let thy justice be honoured upon the sacrifice, not upon the sinner; let the debt be levied upon me, I am solvent, the principal is not." Thus he restored that which he took not away. II. The Father's answer to this address; for he heard him always, and does still. Observe, 1. How this answer was given. By a voice from heaven. The Jews speak much of a Bath-kôl - the daughter of a voice, as one of those divers manners by which God in time past spoke to the prophets; but we do not find any instance of his speaking thus to any but to our Lord Jesus; it was an honour reserved for him (Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5), and here, probably, this audible voice was introduced by some visible appearance, either of light or darkness, for both have been used as vehicles of the divine glory. 2. What the answer was. It was an express return to that petition, Father, glorify thy name: I have glorified it already, and I will glorify it yet again. When we pray as we are taught, Our Father, hallowed be thy name, this is a comfort to us, that is it an answered prayer; answered to Christ here, and in him to all true believers. (1.) The name of God had been glorified in the life of Christ, in his doctrine and miracles, and all the examples he gave of holiness and goodness. (2.) It should be further glorified in the death and sufferings of Christ. His wisdom and power, his justice and holiness, his truth and goodness, were greatly glorified; the demands of a broken law were fully answered; the affront done to God's government satisfied for; and God accepted the satisfaction, and declared himself well pleased. What God has done for the glorifying of his own name is an encouragement to us to expect what he will yet further do. He that has secured the interests of his own glory will still secure them. III. The opinion of the standers-by concerning this voice, Joh 12:29. We may hope there were some among them whose minds were so well prepared to receive a divine revelation that they understood what was said and bore record of it. But notice is here taken of the perverse suggestion of the multitude: some of them said that it thundered: others, who took notice that there was plainly an articulate intelligible voice, said that certainly an angel spoke to him. Now this shows, 1. That it was a real thing, even in the judgment of those that were not at all well affected to him. 2. That they were loth to admit so plain a proof of Christ's divine mission. They would rather say that it was this, or that, or any thing, than that God spoke to him in answer to his prayer; and yet, if it thundered with articulate sounds (as Rev 10:3, Rev 10:4), was not that God's voice? Or, if angels spoke to him, are not they God's messengers? But thus God speaks once, yea twice, and man perceives it not. IV. The account which our Saviour himself gives of this voice. 1. Why it was sent (Joh 12:30): "It came not because of me, not merely for my encouragement and satisfaction" (then it might have been whispered in his ear privately), "but for your sakes." (1.) "That all you who heard it may believe that the Father hath sent me." What is said from heaven concerning our Lord Jesus, and the glorifying of the Father in him, is said for our sakes, that we may be brought to submit to him and rest upon him. (2.) "That you my disciples, who are to follow me in sufferings, may therein be comforted with the same comforts that carry me on." Let this encourage them to part with life itself for his sake, if they be called to it, that it will redound to the honour of God. Note, The promises and supports granted to our Lord Jesus in his sufferings were intended for our sakes. For our sakes he sanctified himself, and comforted himself. 2. What was the meaning of it. He that lay in the Father's bosom knew his voice, and what was the meaning of it; and two things God intended when he said that he would glorify his own name: - (1.) That by the death of Christ Satan should be conquered (Joh 12:31): Now is the judgment. He speaks with a divine exultation and triumph. "Now the year of my redeemed is come, and the time prefixed for breaking the serpent's head, and giving a total rent to the powers of darkness; now for that glorious achievement: now, now, that great work is to be done which has been so long thought of in the divine counsels, so long talked of in the written word, which has been so much the hope of saints and the dread of devils." The matter of the triumph is, [1.] That now is the judgment of the world; krisis, take it as a medical term: "Now is the crisis of this world." The sick and diseased world is now upon the turning point; this is the critical day upon which the trembling scale will turn for life or death, to all mankind; all that are not recovered by this will be left helpless and hopeless. Or, rather, it is a law term, as we take it: "Now, judgment is entered, in order to the taking out of execution against the prince of this world." Note, The death of Christ was the judgment of this world. First, It is a judgment of discovery and distinction - judicium discretionis; so Austin. Now is the trial of this world, for men shall have their character according as the cross of Christ is to them; to some it is foolishness and a stumbling-block, to others it is the wisdom and power of God; of which there was a figure in the two thieves that were crucified with him. By this men are judged, what they think of the death of Christ. Secondly, It is a judgment of favour and absolution to the chosen ones that are in the world. Christ upon the cross interposed between a righteous God and a guilty world as a sacrifice for sin and a surety for sinners, so that when he was judged, and iniquity laid upon him, and he was wounded for our transgressions, it was as it were the judgment of this world, for an everlasting righteousness was thereby brought in, not for Jews only, but the whole world, Jo1 2:1, Jo1 2:2; Dan 9:24. Thirdly, It is a judgment of condemnation given against the powers of darkness; see Joh 16:11. Judgment is put for vindication and deliverance, the asserting of an invaded right. At the death of Christ there was a famous trial between Christ and Satan, the serpent and the promised seed; the trial was for the world, and the lordship of it; the devil had long borne sway among the children of men, time out of mind; he now pleads prescription, grounding his claim also upon the forfeiture incurred by sin. We find him willing to have come to a composition (Luk 4:6, Luk 4:7); he would have given the kingdoms of this world to Christ, provided he would hold them by, fRom. and under him. But Christ would try it out with; by dying he takes off the forfeiture to divine justice, and then fairly disputes the title, and recovers it in the court of heaven. Satan's dominion is declared to be a usurpation, and the world adjudged to the Lord Jesus as his right, Psa 2:6, Psa 2:8. The judgment of this world is, that it belongs to Christ, and not to Satan; to Christ therefore let us all atturn tenants. [2.] That now is the prince of this world cast out. First, It is the devil that is here called the prince of this world, because he rules over the men of the world by the things of the world; he is the ruler of the darkness of this world, that is, of this dark world, of those in it that walk in darkness, Co2 4:4; Eph 4:12. Secondly, He is said to be cast out, to be now cast out; for, whatever had been done hitherto towards the weakening of the devil's kingdom was done in the virtue of a Christ to come, and therefore is said to be done now. Christ, reconciling the world to God by the merit of his death, broke the power of death, and cast out Satan as a destroyer; Christ, reducing the world to God by the doctrine of his cross, broke the power of sin, and cast out Satan as a deceiver. The bruising of his heel was the breaking of the serpent's head, Gen 3:15. When his oracles were silenced, his temples forsaken, his idols famished, and the kingdoms of the world became Christ's kingdoms, then was the prince of the world cast out, as appears by comparing this with John's vision (Rev 12:8-11), where it is said to be done by the blood of the Lamb. Christ's frequent casting of devils out of the bodies of people was an indication of the great design of his whole undertaking. Observe, With what assurance Christ here speaks of the victory over Satan; it is as good as done, and even when he yields to death he triumphs over it. (2.) That by the death of Christ souls should be converted, and this would be the casting out of Satan (Joh 12:32): If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me. Here observe two things: - [1.] The great design of our Lord Jesus, which was to draw all men to him, not the Jews only, who had been long in a profession a people near to God, but the Gentiles also, who had been afar off; for he was to be the desire of all nations (Hag 2:7), and to him must the gathering of the people be. That which his enemies dreaded was that the world would go after him; and he would draw them to him, notwithstanding their opposition. Observe here how Christ himself is all in all in the conversion of a soul. First, It is Christ that draws: I will draw. It is sometimes ascribed to the Father (Joh 6:44), but here to the Son, who is the arm of the Lord. He does not drive by force, but draws with the cords of a man (Hos 11:4; Jer 31:3), draws as the loadstone; the soul is made willing, but it is in a day of power. Secondly, It is to Christ that we are drawn: "I will draw them to me as the centre of their unity." The soul that was at a distance from Christ is brought into an acquaintance with him, he that was shy and distrustful of him is brought to love him and trust in him, - drawn up to his terms, into his arms. Christ was now going to heaven, and he would draw men's hearts to him thither. [2.] The strange method he took to accomplish his design by being lifted up from the earth. What he meant by this, to prevent mistake, we are told (Joh 12:33): This he spoke signifying by what death he should die, the death of the cross, though they had designed and attempted to stone him to death. He that was crucified was first nailed to the cross, and then lifted up upon it. He was lifted up as a spectacle to the world; lifted up between heaven and earth, as unworthy of either; yet the word here used signifies an honourable advancement, ean hupsōthō - If I be exalted; he reckoned his sufferings his honour. Whatever death we die, if we die in Christ we shall be lifted up out of this dungeon, this den of lions, into the regions of light and love. We should learn of our Master to speak of dying with a holy pleasantness, and to say, "We shall then be lifted up." Now Christ's drawing all men to him followed his being lifted up from the earth. First, It followed after it in time. The great increase of the church was after the death of Christ; while Christ lived, we read of thousands at a sermon miraculously fed, but after his death we read of thousands at a sermon added to the church. Israel began to multiply in Egypt after the death of Joseph. Secondly, It followed upon it as a blessed consequence of it. Note, There is a powerful virtue and efficacy in the death of Christ to draw souls to him. The cross of Christ, though to some a stumbling-stone, is to others a loadstone. Some make it an allusion to the drawing of fish into a net; the lifting up of Christ was as the spreading of the net (Mat 13:47, Mat 13:48); or to the setting up of a standard, which draws soldiers together; or, rather, it refers to the lifting up of the brazen serpent in the wilderness, which drew all those to it who were stung with fiery serpents, as soon as ever it was known that it was lifted up, and there was healing virtue in it. O what flocking was there to it! So there was to Christ, when salvation through him was preached to all nations; see Joh 3:14, Joh 3:15. Perhaps it has some reference to the posture in which Christ was crucified, with his arms stretched out, to invite all to him, and embrace all that come. Those that put Christ to that ignominious death thought thereby to drive all men from him; but the devil was outshot in his own bow. Out of the eater came forth meat. V. The people's exception against what he said, and their cavil at it, Joh 12:34. Though they had heard the voice from heaven, and the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth, yet they object, and pick quarrels with him. Christ had called himself the Son of man (Joh 12:23), which they knew to be one of the titles of the Messiah, Dan 7:13. He had also said that the Son of man must be lifted up, which they understood of his dying, and probably he explained himself so, and some think he repeated what he said to Nicodemus (Joh 3:14), So must the Son of man be lifted up. Now against this, 1. They alleged those scriptures of the Old Testament which speak of the perpetuity of the Messiah, that he should be so far from being cut off in the midst of his days that he should be a priest for ever (Psa 110:4), and a king for ever (Psa 89:29, etc.), that he should have length of days for ever and ever, and his years as many generations (Psa 21:4; Psa 61:6), from all which they inferred that the Messiah should not die. Thus great knowledge in the letter of the scripture, if the heart be unsanctified, is capable of being abused to serve the cause of infidelity, and to fight against Christianity with its own weapons. Their perverseness in opposing this to what Jesus had said will appear if we consider, (1.) That, when they vouched the scripture to prove that the Messiah abideth for ever, they took no notice of those texts which speak of the Messiah's death and sufferings: they had heard out of the law that Messiah abideth for ever; and had they never heard out of the law that Messiah should be cut off (Dan 9:26), and that he should pour out his soul unto death (Isa 53:12), and particularly that his hands and feet should be pierced? Why then do they make so strange of the lifting up of the Son of man? Note, We often run into great mistakes, and then defend them with scripture arguments, by putting those things asunder which God in his word has put together, and opposing one truth under pretence of supporting another. We have heard out of the gospel that which exalts free grace, we have heard also that which enjoins duty, and we just cordially embrace both, and not separate them, nor set them at variance. (2.) That, when they opposed what Christ said concerning the sufferings of the Son of man, they took no notice of what he had said concerning his glory and exaltation. They had heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever; and had they not heard our Lord Jesus say that he should be glorified, that he should bring forth much fruit, and draw all men to him? Had he not just now promised immortal honours to his followers, which supposed his abiding for ever? But this they overlooked. Thus unfair disputants oppose some parts of the opinion of an adversary, to which, if they would but take it entire, they could not but subscribe; and in the doctrine of Christ there are paradoxes, which to men of corrupt minds are stones of stumbling - as Christ crucified, and yet glorified; lifted up from the earth, and yet drawing all men to him. 2. They asked hereupon, Who is the Son of man? This they asked, not with a desire to be instructed, but tauntingly and insultingly, as if now they had baffled him, and run him down. "Thou sayest, The Son of man must die; we have proved the Messiah must not, and where is then thy Messiahship? This Son of man, as thou callest thyself, cannot be the Messiah, thou must therefore think of something else to pretend to." Now that which prejudiced them against Christ was his meanness and poverty; they would rather have no Christ than a suffering one. VI. What Christ said to this exception, or rather what he said upon it. The objection was a perfect cavil; they might, if they pleased, answer it themselves: man dies, and yet is immortal, and abideth for ever, so the Son of man. Therefore, instead of answering these fools according to their folly, he gives them a serious caution to take heed of trifling away the day of their opportunities in such vain and fruitless cavils as these (Joh 12:35, Joh 12:36): "Yet a little while, and but a little while, is the light with you; therefore be wise for yourselves, and walk while you have the light." 1. In general, we may observe here, (1.) The concern Christ has for the souls of men, and his desire of their welfare. With what tenderness does he here admonish those to look well to themselves who were contriving ill against him! Even when he endured the contradiction of sinners, he sought their conversion. See Pro 29:10. (2.) The method he takes with these objectors, with meekness instructing those that opposed themselves, Ti2 2:25. Were but men's consciences awakened with a due concern about their everlasting state, and did they consider how little time they have to spend, and none to spare, they would not waste precious thoughts and time in trifling cavils. 2. Particularly we have here, (1.) The advantage they enjoyed in having Christ and his gospel among them, with the shortness and uncertainty of their enjoyment of it: Yet a little while is the light with you. Christ is this light; and some of the ancients suggest that, in calling himself the light, he gives a tacit answer to their objection. His dying upon the cross was as consistent with his abiding for ever as the setting of the sun every night is with his perpetuity. The duration of Christ's kingdom is compared to that of the sun and moon, Psa 72:17; Psa 89:36, Psa 89:37. The ordinances of heaven are unchangeably fixed, and yet the sun and moon set and are eclipsed; so Christ the Sun of righteousness abides for ever, and yet was eclipsed by his sufferings, and was but a little while within our horizon. Now, [1.] The Jews at this time had the light with them; they had Christ's bodily presence, heard his preaching, saw his miracles. The scripture is to us a light shining in a dark place. [2.] It was to be but a little while with them; Christ would shortly leave them, their visible church state would soon after be dissolved and the kingdom of God taken from them, and blindness and hardness would happen unto Israel. Note, It is good for us all to consider what a little while we are to have the light with us. Time is short, and perhaps opportunity not so long. The candlestick may be removed; at least, we must be removed shortly. Yet a little while is the light of life with us; yet a little while is the light of the gospel with us, the day of grace, the means of grace, the Spirit of grace, yet a very little while. (2.) The warning given them to make the best of this privilege while they enjoyed it, because of the danger they were in of losing it: Walk while you have the light; as travellers who make the best of their way forward, that they may not be benighted in their journey, because travelling in the night is uncomfortable and unsafe. "Come," say they, "let us mend our pace, and get forward, while we have day-light." Thus wise should we be for our souls who are journeying towards eternity. Note, [1.] It is our business to walk, to press forward towards heaven, and to get nearer to it by being made fitter for it. Our life is but a day, and we have a day's journey to go. [2.] The best time of walking is while we have the light. The day is the proper season for work, as the night is for rest. The proper time for getting grace is when we have the word of grace preached to us, and the Spirit of grace striving with us, and therefore then is the time to be busy. [3.] We are highly concerned thus to improve our opportunities, for fear lest our day be finished before we have finished our day's work and our day's journey: "Lest darkness come upon you, lest you lose your opportunities, and can neither recover them nor despatch the business you have to do without them." Then darkness comes, that is, such an utter incapacity to make sure the great salvation as renders the state of the careless sinner quite deplorable; so that, if his work be undone then, it is likely to be undone for ever. (3.) The sad condition of those who have sinned away the gospel, and are come to the period of their day of grace. They walk in darkness, and know neither where they go, nor whither they go; neither the way they are walking in, nor the end they are walking towards. He that is destitute of the light of the gospel, and is not acquainted with its discoveries and directions, wanders endlessly in mistakes and errors, and a thousand crooked paths, and is not aware of it. Set aside the instructions of the Christian doctrine, and we know little of the difference between good and evil. He is going to destruction, and knows not his danger, for he is either sleeping or dancing at the pit's brink. (4.) The great duty and interest of every one of us inferred from all this (Joh 12:36): While you have light, believe in the light. The Jews had now Christ's presence with them, let them improve it; afterwards they had the first offers of the gospel made to them by the apostles wherever they came; now this is an admonition to them not to out-stand their market, but to accept the offer when it was made to them: the same Christ saith to all who enjoy the gospel. Note, [1.] It is the duty of every one of us to believe in the gospel light, to receive it as a divine light, to subscribe to the truths it discovers, for it is a light to our eyes, and to follow its guidance, for it is a light to our feet. Christ is the light, and we must believe in him as he is revealed to us; as a true light that will not deceive us, a sure light that will not misguide us. [2.] We are concerned to do this while we have the light, to lay hold on Christ while we have the gospel to show us the way to him and direct us in that way. [3.] Those that believe in the light shall be the children of light; they shall be owned as Christians, who are called children of light (Luk 16:8; Eph 5:8) and of the day, Th1 5:5. Those that have God for their Father are children of light, for God is light; they are born from above, and heirs of heaven, and children of light, for heaven is light. VII. Christ's retiring from them, hereupon: These things spoke Jesus, and said no more at this time, but left this to their consideration, and departed, and did hide himself from them. And this he did, 1. For their conviction and awakening. If they will not regard what he hath said, he will have nothing more to say to them. They are joined to their infidelity, as Ephraim to idols; let them alone. Note, Christ justly removes the means of grace from those that quarrel with him, and hides his face from a froward generation, Deu 32:20. 2. For his own preservation. He hid himself from their rage and fury, retreating, it is probable, to Bethany, where he lodged. By this it appears that what he said irritated and exasperated them, and they were made worse by that which should have made them better.”

“Father, glorify thy name,.... The perfections of his nature, particularly his justice and holiness, meaning in himself; by his sufferings and death; intimating hereby, that his Father's glory was what he had in view, and that the securing of that would give him an infinite pleasure amidst all his sorrows. The Arabic version, and Nonnus, read "glorify thy Son", as in Joh 17:1, and the Ethiopic version takes in both, "glorify thy name, and thy Son": and indeed, what glorifies the one, glorifies the other; see Joh 13:31. Then came there a voice from heaven; as at his baptism and transfiguration, and which came from the Father, and was an articulate one, and what the Jews call "Bath Kol", or "the daughter of the voice": saying, I have both, glorified it; meaning in the incarnation, ministry, obedience and miracles of Christ; and particularly in that late one in raising Lazarus from the dead: and will glorify it again; by supporting him under, and carrying him through his sufferings and death, and by raising him from the dead, and setting him at his own right hand.”

“Now is my soul troubled - Our blessed Lord took upon him our weaknesses, that he might sanctify them to us. As a man he was troubled at the prospect of a violent death. Nature abhors death: God has implanted that abhorrence in nature, that it might become a principle of self preservation; and it is to this that we owe all that prudence and caution by which we avoid danger. When we see Jesus working miracles which demonstrate his omnipotence, we should be led to conclude that he was not man were it not for such passages as these. The reader must ever remember that it was essentially necessary that he should be man; for, without being such, he could hot have died for the sin of the world. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour - Και τι ειπω; πατερ, σωσον με εκ της ὡρας ταυτης· which may be paraphrased thus: And why should I say, Father, save me from this hour? when for this cause I am come to this hour. The common version makes our blessed Lord contradict himself here, by not attending to the proper punctuation of the passage, and by translating the particle τι what, instead of why or how. The sense of our Lord's words is this: "When a man feels a fear of a sudden or violent death, it is natural to him to cry out, Father, save me from this death! for he hopes that the glory of God and his welfare may be accomplished some other way, less dreadful to his nature: but why should I say so, seeing for this very purpose, that I might die this violent death for the sins of mankind, I am come into the world, and have almost arrived at the hour of my crucifixion."”

“Now is my soul troubled. Christ permitted this fear and horror to come upon his human nature, as he did afterwards in the garden of Gethsemani. Father, save me from this hour; yet he presently adds, but for this cause I came unto this hour; that is, I came into this world for this end, that I might die on a cross for all mankind. In like manner, when he had said in the garden, let this cup pass from me, he presently joined these words: but not my will, but thine be done. (Witham) — Lest the disciples, upon hearing our Saviour exhorting them willingly and courageously to suffer death, should think within themselves, that he could well exhort them to these things, being himself beyond the reach of human misery, he assures them in this place, that he himself is in agony, and yet does not refuse to die for them. (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxvi. in Joan.)”

“Now is my soul troubled--He means at the prospect of His death, just alluded to. Strange view of the Cross this, immediately after representing it as the hour of His glory! (Joh 12:23). But the two views naturally meet, and blend into one. It was the Greeks, one might say, that troubled Him. Ah! they shall see Jesus, but to Him it shall be a costly sight. and what shall I say?--He is in a strait betwixt two. The death of the cross was, and could not but be, appalling to His spirit. But to shrink from absolute subjection to the Father, was worse still. In asking Himself, "What shall I say?" He seems as if thinking aloud, feeling His way between two dread alternatives, looking both of them sternly in the face, measuring, weighing them, in order that the choice actually made might be seen, and even by himself the more vividly felt, to be a profound, deliberate, spontaneous election. Father, save me from this hour--To take this as a question--"Shall I say, Father, save me," &c.--as some eminent editors and interpreters do, is unnatural and jejune. It is a real petition, like that in Gethsemane, "Let this cup pass from Me"; only whereas there He prefaces the prayer with an "If it be possible," here He follows it up with what is tantamount to that--"Nevertheless for this cause came I unto this hour." The sentiment conveyed, then, by the prayer, in both cases, is twofold: (1) that only one thing could reconcile Him to the death of the cross--its being His Father's will He should endure it--and (2) that in this view of it He yielded Himself freely to it. What He recoils from is not subjection to His Father's will: but to show how tremendous a self-sacrifice that obedience involved, He first asks the Father to save Him from it, and then signifies how perfectly He knows that He is there for the very purpose of enduring it. Only by letting these mysterious words speak their full meaning do they become intelligible and consistent. As for those who see no bitter elements in the death of Christ--nothing beyond mere dying--what can they make of such a scene? and when they place it over against the feelings with which thousands of His adoring followers have welcomed death for His sake, how can they hold Him up to the admiration of men?”