What is this saying that he hath said: You shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, you cannot come?

“(Hom. l. 2) That they wanted His presence, appears from His saying, Ye seek Me, and shall not find Me. But when did the Jews seek Him? Luke relates that the women lamented over Him: and it is probable that many others did the same. And especially, when the city was taken, would they call Christ and His miracles to remembrance, and desire His presence.”

“(Tract. xxxi. 9) He does not say, Where I shall be, but Where I am. For Christ was always there in that place whither He was about to return: He returned in such a way, as that He did not forsake us. Visibly and according to the flesh, He was upon earth; according to His invisible majesty, He was in heaven and earth. Nor again is it, Ye will not be able, but, Ye are not able to come: for they were not such at the time, as to be able. That this is not meant to drive men to despair, is shewn by His saying the very same thing to His disciples; Whither I go, ye cannot come; and by His explanation last of all to Peter, Whither I go, ye cannot follow Me now, but ye shall follow Me afterwards.”

“After the Lord had set down the principle of his origin, here he consequently intimates its term — namely, that to which he is about to go by means of death — and first the term of Christ's way is intimated; secondly, the crowds' wonder at his words is set down, where it says, "The Jews therefore said among themselves," and so on. Concerning the first he does three things. First he intimates the term of his life; secondly he foretells the future longing of the crowds, where it says, "you shall seek me, and shall not find me"; thirdly he adds their deficiency, where it says, "and where I am, you cannot come." Concerning the first he does two things. First he foretells the postponement of his death; secondly he hints at whither he is about to go by means of death, where it says, "and I go to the Father," etc.: and thus in the first he shows his power; in the second, his will to suffer. He shows his power indeed in the postponement of his death, because, although the Jews sought to seize him, they were nevertheless unable to do this unless Christ willed it; below, chapter 10:18: "No one takes my soul from me, but I lay it down.." And therefore Jesus said to them, "Yet a little while I am with you"; as if to say: you wish to kill me, but this is not placed in your will, but in mine, and I determine that I am still with you for a little while; therefore wait a short time. What you wish to do now, you shall do: for "yet a little while I am with you." In this indeed the Lord makes satisfaction, first to the crowd that revered him, making it more eager to hear him, as it were left for a short time, in which they might avail themselves of this teaching, as Chrysostom says. Below, chapter 12, verse 36: "While you have the light, believe in the light." Secondly, to the crowd that persecuted him, as if to say: your desire for my death is not deferred for long, wherefore bear it patiently, because it is still but a little. For I must fulfill my dispensation — namely, by preaching and by working miracles — and thus arrive at the passion; Luke 13:32: "Go, and tell that fox, that today and tomorrow I work, and the third day I am consummated.." Now there is a threefold cause why Christ willed to preach for so short a time. The first, to demonstrate his power, in that in so short a time he would change the whole world; Psalm 83:11: "For better is one day in your courts above thousands." The second is to arouse the desire of the disciples, namely that they might desire him the more whom they were to have for a little while by bodily presence; Luke 17:22: "The days will come, when you shall desire one day of the Son of man.." The third is to increase the spiritual progress of the disciples. For since Christ's humanity is for us the way of tending toward God, as is said below, chapter 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," we ought not to rest in it as in a term, but through it we ought to tend toward God. Therefore, lest the hearts of the disciples, carnally affected toward Christ, should rest in him as in a man, Christ for this reason quickly withdrew his bodily presence from them; whence he said, below, chapter 16:7, "It is expedient for you that I go"; 2 Corinthians 5:16: "And if we have known Christ according to the flesh" — namely, at that time when he was with us bodily — "but now we know him so no longer." He shows the will of his passion when he says, "and I go to him that sent me," as one going spontaneously, namely through the passion; Isaiah 53:7: "He was offered because it was his own will"; Ephesians 5:2: "He offered himself a victim to God, for an odor of sweetness.." "I go," I say, "to the Father who sent me." And this fittingly: for anything whatsoever naturally returns to its own principle; Ecclesiastes 1:7: "Unto the place from which the rivers come, they return." Below, chapter 13:3: "Knowing that he was come from God, and goeth to God." And again, chapter 16:5: "I go to him that sent me." Consequently, when he says, "you shall seek me, and shall not find me," he foretells the desire of the Jews, as if to say: it is but a little that you are able to enjoy my teaching; but this little, which you now reject, you shall someday seek, and shall not find; Isaiah 55:6: "Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found"; and in Psalm 68:33: "Seek ye the Lord," namely in the present, "and your soul shall live." Now this saying, "you shall seek me, and shall not find me," can be understood either of a bodily seeking of Christ, or of a spiritual one. If it be understood of the bodily seeking, then, according to Chrysostom, they sought him when the daughters of Jerusalem, that is, the women, mourned over him, as is said in Luke 23:27, and it is credible that many others suffered this then. Nor is it remote from the truth, because, with tribulation impending over the Jews, and especially when the city was being taken, mindful of Christ and of his miracles, they would desire his presence, by which they might be freed; and according to this it must be said, "you shall seek me" — that is, my bodily presence — "and shall not find me." But if it be understood of the spiritual seeking, it must be said, according to Augustine, that him whom they refused to know while present, they afterward sought when, seeing the multitude believing, and pricked at heart over the crime of Christ's death, they said to Peter, Acts 2:37: "What shall we do, men and brethren?" Thus, then, they sought Christ when they believed in him who forgave their crimes, whom they had seen dying by their own crime. Consequently, when he says, "and where I am, you cannot come," he shows their deficiency. Nor does he say "whither I go," which would be more consequent upon what was said before, namely "I go to the Father who sent me"; but he says "where I am," so as to show himself to be God and man. Man indeed, insofar as he goes — below, chapter 16:5, "I go to him that sent me" — but insofar as Christ was always there, whither he was to return, he shows himself to be God; above, chapter 3:13: "No man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven." Thus, then, according to Augustine, just as Christ returned so as not to abandon us, so he descended to us through the assumption of visible flesh, so that according to his invisible majesty he might also be in heaven. He does not, however, say "you shall not find," because some were about to go there too; but he says "you cannot come," namely for as long as you are so disposed. For no one can arrive at the heavenly inheritance unless he is an heir of God. Now one becomes an heir of God through faith in Christ; above, chapter 1:12: "He gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name." But the Jews did not yet believe in him; and therefore he says, "you cannot come." In Psalm 23:3 it is asked: "Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?" And the answer is given: "the innocent in hands, and clean of heart." But the Jews were not clean of heart, nor innocent in hands, because they wished to kill Christ; therefore he says: you cannot ascend into the mountain of the Lord. Consequently, when he says, "The Jews therefore said among themselves," the wonder of the Jews is set down, who, although they had a carnal understanding of Christ, nevertheless partly believed. And they do three things. First they wonder; secondly they suspect; and thirdly they argue against their own suspicion. They wonder indeed when they say among themselves, whither is he about to go, that we shall not find him? For, as has been said, they understood this carnally; 1 Corinthians 2:14: "The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God." And therefore, that he was about to go, not indeed through death, but bodily, to some place to which it would not be lawful for them to ascend, they suspect on this matter, saying, "Will he go into the dispersion of the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?" For the Gentiles had been estranged from converse with the Jews; Ephesians 2:12: "Strangers to the testaments, having no hope of the promise, and without God in this world, alienated from the conversation of Israel." And therefore, as if reproaching them, they say "into the dispersion of the Gentiles," who were scattered everywhere, and imperfectly mingled with one another; Genesis 10:32: "These are the families of Noah, according to their peoples and nations: and by these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood." But the people of the Jews was gathered together in one place, and in the worship of one God, and in the observance of the law; Psalm 146:2: "The Lord buildeth up Jerusalem: he will gather together the dispersed of Israel." Nor do they say that he is about to go to the Gentiles as one who was to become a Gentile, but as one who was to bring them back: whence they add, "and teach the Gentiles." Which perhaps they took from Isaiah 49:6: "It is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth." Although, however, these men did not understand what they were saying, just as Caiphas also did not understand when he said, "It is expedient for you that one man should die, and not that the whole nation should perish," nevertheless they speak the truth, and foretold the salvation of the Gentiles, as Augustine says, in that he was about to go to the Gentiles, not by the presence of his body, but by his own feet, namely the apostles. For he sent his members to us, and made us his members; below, chapter 10:16: "Other sheep I have, that are not of this fold; them also I must bring... and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." And therefore in Isaiah 2:3 it is said, in the person of the Gentiles: "he will teach us his ways." But they object against what they suspect, saying, "What is this saying that he said: You shall seek me?" As if they said: if he had said "you shall seek me, and shall not find me, and where I am, you cannot come," it could indeed be understood that he was about to go to the Gentiles; but by the fact that he added, "where I am you cannot come," he seems to exclude this understanding. For it is not impossible for us to go to the Gentiles, and so on.”

“In the last day, that great day of the feast,.... That is, of tabernacles, as appears from Joh 7:2, which was usually called "the feast", in distinction from the passover and Pentecost (q); and the eighth day of it was called , "the last day of the feast" (r), as here: and it was a "great day", being, as is said in Lev 23:36, an holy convocation, a solemn assembly, in which no servile work was done, and in which an offering was made by fire unto the Lord. According to the traditions of the Jews, fewer sacrifices were offered on this day than on the rest; for on the first day they offered thirteen bullocks, and lessened one every day; so that on the seventh, day, there was but seven offered, and on the eighth day but one, when the priests returned to their lots, as at other feasts (s); but notwithstanding the Jews make out this to be the greater day for them, since the seventy bullocks offered on the other seven days, were for the seventy nations of the world; but the one bullock, on the eighth day, was peculiarly for the people of Israel (t): and besides, they observe, that there were several things peculiar on this day, as different from the rest; as the casting of lots, the benediction by itself, a feast by itself, an offering by itself, a song by itself, and a blessing by itself (u): and on this day they had also the ceremony of drawing and pouring water, attended with the usual rejoicings as on other days; the account of which is this (w): "the pouring out of water was after this manner; a golden pot, which held three logs, was tilled out of Siloah, and when they came to the water gate, they blew (their trumpets) and shouted, and blew; (then a priest) went up by the ascent of the altar, and turned to the left hand, (where) were two silver basins--that on the west side was filled with water, and that on the east with wine; he poured the basin of water into that of wine, and that of wine into that of water.'' At which time there were great rejoicing, piping, and dancing, by the most religious and sober people among the Jews; insomuch that it is said (x), that "he that never saw the rejoicing of the place of drawing of water, never saw any rejoicing in his life.'' And this ceremony, they say (y), is a tradition of Moses from Mount Sinai, and refers to some secret and mysterious things; yea, they plainly say, that it has respect to the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost (z). "Says R. Joshua ben Levi, why is its name called the place of drawing water? because, from thence , "they draw the Holy Ghost", as it is said, "and ye shall draw water with joy out of the wells of salvation", Isa 12:3.'' Moreover, it was on this day they prayed for the rains for the year ensuing: it is asked (a), "from what time do they make mention of the powers of the rains (which descend by the power of God)? R. Eliezer says, from the first good day of the feast (of tabernacles); R. Joshua says, from the last good day of the feast.--They do not pray for the rains, but near the rains;'' that is, the time of rains; and which, one of their commentators says (b), is the eighth day of the feast of tabernacles; for from the feast of tabernacles, thenceforward is the time of rains. The Jews have a notion, that at this feast the rains of the ensuing year were fixed: hence they say (c), that "at the feast of tabernacles judgment is made concerning the waters;'' or a decree or determination is made concerning them by God. Upon which the Gemara (d) has these words, "wherefore does the law say pour out water on the feast of tabernacles? Says the holy blessed God, pour out water before me, that the rains of the year may be blessed unto you.'' Now when all these things are considered, it will easily be seen with what pertinency our Lord expresses himself on this day, with respect to the effusion of the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, as follows: Jesus stood and cried; he now stood up, whereas at other times he used to sit, and spoke with a loud voice, both to show his fervour and earnestness, and that all might hear: saying, if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. This is to be understood not of a natural thirst, though the allusion is to it, which is very painful and distressing; as the instances of the Israelites in the wilderness, Samson after he had slain the Philistines, and our Lord upon the cross, show; much less a sinful thirst, a thirst after the riches, honours, and pleasures of this life; but a spiritual thirst, or a thirst after spiritual things, after salvation by Christ, and a view of interest in it, free and full pardon of sin through him, justification by his righteousness, a greater degree of knowledge of him, more communion with him, and conformity to him, and after the sincere milk of the word, and the breasts of Gospel ordinances: and such that thirst after these things, and eagerly desire them, and are in pain and uneasiness without them, as a man is, who has a violent thirst upon him, are such as are regenerated and quickened by the Spirit of God, and are made sensible of themselves, and of their state and condition by nature. Now these Christ invites to come unto him, not to Moses and his law, moral or ceremonial, and to obedience to them, and works of righteousness done by them, to any creature, or creature acts; for these are cisterns without water, where no true peace, joy, righteousness, and salvation are to be had; but to himself, who is the fountain of gardens, the well of living waters, and who is as rivers of water in a dry land, to thirsty souls: and when come to him, which is by believing in him, they are encouraged to drink; that is, to take of the water of life freely, or to take of his grace freely; salvation by him is of free grace, and the pardon of sin is according to the riches of grace, and justification is freely by his grace, and so all other blessings; and of this they may drink abundantly, or they may partake of it largely: there is a fulness of grace in Christ, and there is an abundance of it communicated to his people; it is exceeding abundant; it flows, and overflows, and may be drank of to satisfaction, till their souls are as a watered garden, and they are satisfied with the goodness of the Lord. (q) Shirshashirim Rabba, fol. 5. 3. & 7. 3. (r) Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 7. sect. 6. & Maimon. in ib. (s) Bartenora in Misn. Succa, c. 5. sect. 6. (t) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 55. 2. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 21. fol. 231. 1. (u) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 48. 1. (w) Misn. Succa, c. 4. sect. 9. (x) Misn. Succa, c. 5. sect. 1, 4. (y) T. Zebachim, fol. 110. 2. Maimon. in Misn. Succa, c. 4. sect. 9. & Hilthot Tamidin, c. 10. sect. 6. (z) T. Hieros. Succa, fol. 55. 1. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 70. fol. 62. 3. & Midrash Ruth, fol. 32. 2. Caphtor, fol. 52. 1. (a) Misn. Taanith, c. 1. sect. 1, 2. (b) Bartenora, in ib. (c) Misn. Roshhashana, c. 1. sect. 2. (d) T. Bab. Roshhashana, fol. 16. 1.”