Mercurial > hg > Aquinas
diff john/english/John6.html @ 35:178aed5d2c3c
convert to XML
| author | ht |
|---|---|
| date | Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:05:42 +0000 |
| parents | 25a799388159 |
| children |
line wrap: on
line diff
--- a/john/english/John6.html Mon Nov 30 21:59:53 2009 +0000 +++ b/john/english/John6.html Mon Nov 30 22:05:42 2009 +0000 @@ -1,1865 +1,2964 @@ -<html> +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> +<meta name="generator" content= +"HTML Tidy for Cygwin (vers 25 March 2009), see www.w3.org" /> +<title></title> </head> -<body style=text-align:justify><blockquote> -<CENTER><p><span style="font-size: 60pt">6</span></p> -<p><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 1</span></p></CENTER> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>1 After this Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. 2 And a great -multitude followed him because they saw the miracles he worked on those who were sick. 3 -Jesus therefore went up a mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover -was near, a festival day of the Jews. 5 Then, when Jesus lifted his eyes and saw that a great -multitude had come to him, he said to Philip, -<DD>“Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?”<BR> -6 He said this, however, to test him, for he knew what he would do. 7 Philip replied, “Two -hundred denarii worth of bread would not suffice for each to have a little bit.” 8 One of his -disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five -barley loaves and two fishes, but what are these for so many?” 10 Jesus then said, -<DD>“Make the people recline.”<BR> -There was much grass in the place. Therefore the men reclined, in number about five thousand. -11 Jesus then took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he distributed it to those reclining; -he did likewise with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they had their fill, he said to his -disciples, -<DD>“Gather up the fragments that are left over, -<DD>lest they be wasted.”<BR> -13 They therefore gathered and filled twelve baskets with the leftovers, from the five barley -loaves and the two fishes, that remained after all had eaten.</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>838 The Evangelist has presented the teaching of Christ on the spiritual life, by which he gives -life to those who are born again. He now tells us of the spiritual food by which Christ sustains -those to whom he has given life. First, he describes a visible miracle, in which Christ furnished -bodily food. Secondly, he considers spiritual food (6:26). He does two things about the first. -First, he describes the visible miracle. Secondly, he shows the effect this miracle had (6:14). He -tells us two things about this miracle. First, its circumstances, secondly, about its actual -accomplishment (v 5). As to the first he does three things. First he describes the crowd that Jesus -fed, secondly, the place; thirdly, the time (v 4). As to the first he does three things. First, he -identifies the place where the crowd followed Jesus; secondly, the people who followed him; and -thirdly, he tells why they followed him.</p> -<p>839 The Evangelist describes the place to which the crowd followed our Lord when he says, -<span style="font-weight: bold">After this Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee, </span>i.e., after the mysterious words Jesus had -spoken concerning his power. This Sea of Galilee is mentioned frequently in various places in -Scripture. Luke calls it a lake (Lk 5:1) because its water is not salty, but was formed from the -waters flowing in from the Jordan. Yet it is still called a “Sea,” because in Hebrew all bodies of -water are called “seas”: “God called the waters ‘seas’” (Gn 1:10). It is also called Gennesaret -because of the character of its location: for this water is tossed about a great deal, being buffeted -by the winds that come from the vapors rising from its surface. Thus in Greek the word -“Gennesaret” means “wind forming.” It is called the Sea of Galilee from the province of Galilee -in which it is located. Again, it is called the Sea of Tiberias from the city of Tiberias: this city -was situated on one side of the sea, facing Capernaum on the opposite side. The city of Tiberias -was formerly called Chinnereth, but later, when it was rebuilt by Herod the Tetrarch, it was -renamed as Tiberias in honor of Tiberius Caesar.</p> -<p>840 The literal reason why Jesus crossed the sea is given by Chrysostom: to give ground to the -anger and agitation which the Jews felt against Christ because of the things he had said about -them. As Chrysostom says: just as darts strike a hard object with great force if they meet it, but -pass on and soon come to rest if nothing is in their way, so also the anger of defiant men -increases when they are resisted, but if we yield a little, it is easy to keep their fury within -bounds. So Christ, by going to the other side of the sea, was able to soften the anger of the Jews, -caused by what he had said. He thus gives us an example to act in the same way: “Do not be -provoked by one who speaks evil of you” (Sir 8:14).</p> -<p>841 In the mystical sense, the sea signifies this present troubled world: “This great sea, stretching -wide” (Ps 103:25). Our Lord crossed over this sea when he assumed the sea of punishment and -death by being born, trod it under foot by dying, and then crossing over it by his rising, arrived -at the glory of his resurrection. We read of this crossing: “Jesus knew that his time had come to -leave this world for the Father” (below 13:1). A great crowd, composed of both peoples, has -followed him in this crossing, by believing in him and imitating him: “Your heart will be full of -wonder and joy, when the riches of the sea will be given to you” (Is 60:5); “Rise up, O Lord, you -who demand that justice be done; and the people will gather round you” (Ps 7:7).</p> -<p>842 The crowd that followed him is described as large, <span style="font-weight: bold">And a great multitude followed him.</span></p> -<p>843 The reason why they followed him is because he was performing miracles, hence he says, -<span style="font-weight: bold">because they saw the miracles he worked on those who were sick. </span>We should point out that -some followed Christ because of his teachings, that is, those who were better disposed. But there -were others, i.e., those who were less perfect and less perceptive, who followed him because they -were attracted by visible miracles; “Signs were given to unbelievers, not to believers” (1 Cor -14:22). Still others followed him out of devotion and faith, those, namely, whom he had cured -of some bodily defect: for our Lord had so healed their body that they were also completely -healed in soul: “The works of God are perfect” (Dt 32:4). This is clear, because he expressly said -to the paralytic, “Do not sin again” (above 5:14), and in Matthew (9:2) he says, “Son, your sins -are forgiven”; and these remarks concern the health of the soul rather than that of the body.</p> -<p>844 We might remark that although the Evangelist had mentioned only three miracles (the one -at the marriage reception, the son of the official, and the paralytic), he says here in a general way, -<span style="font-weight: bold">the miracles he worked. </span>He does this to indicate that Christ worked many other miracles that -are not mentioned in this book, as he will say below (21:25). For his main object was to present -the teaching of Christ.</p> -<p>845 Then he gives the location of the miracle, on a mountain; hence he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus therefore -went up a mountain, </span>i.e., privately, <span style="font-weight: bold">and there sat down with his disciples. </span>Now a mountain -is a place well suited for refreshment, for according to the Psalm a mountain signifies the -perfection of justice: “Your justice is like the mountains of God” (Ps 35:7). And so, because we -cannot be satisfied by earthly things—indeed, “Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again” -(above 4:13)—but spiritual things will satisfy us, our Lord leads his disciples to a higher place -to show that full satisfaction and the perfection of justice are found in spiritual realities. We read -of this mountain: “The mountain of God is a rich mountain” (Ps 67:16). Thus he also exercised -his office of teacher there, sitting with his disciples; for he is the one who teaches every man.</p> -<p>846 The time is mentioned when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Now the Passover was near. </span>This time was also well -suited for their refreshment, for “Passover” means “passage”: “It is the Passover of the Lord, that -is, his passage” (Ex 12:11). We understand from this that anyone who desires to be refreshed by -the bread of the divine Word and by the body and blood of’ the Lord, must pass from vices to -virtues: “Our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed, and so let us feast with the unleavened bread -of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor 5:7). And again, divine Wisdom says: “Pass over to me, all who -desire me” (Sir 24-26).</p> -<p>This is the second Passover the Evangelist has mentioned. However, our Lord did not go to -Jerusalem this time, as the law commanded. The reason for this being that Christ was both God -and man: as man he was subject to the law, but as God he was above the law. So, he observed -the law on certain occasions to show that he was a man, but he also disregarded the law at other -times to show that he was God. Further, by not going he indicated that the ceremonies of the law -would end gradually and in a short time.</p> -<p>847 Then he considers the miracle itself (v 5). First, why it was needed. Secondly, its -accomplishment. We can see the need for this miracle from our Lord’s question to his disciple, -and the disciple’s answer. First, our Lord’s question is given; and then the answer of his disciple -(v 7). He does three things about the first. First, the occasion for the question is given; secondly, -we have the-question itself (v 5b); thirdly, we are told why Christ asked this question (v 6).</p> -<p>848 The occasion for Christ’s question was his sight of the crowd coming to him. Hence he says, -<span style="font-weight: bold">Then, when Jesus, </span>on the mountain with his disciples, i.e., with those who were more perfect, -<span style="font-weight: bold">lifted his eyes and saw that a great multitude had come to him. </span>Here we should note two -things about Christ. First, his maturity: for he is not distracted by what does not concern him, but -is appropriately concerned with his disciples. He is not like those spoken of in Proverbs (30:13): -“A generation whose eyes are proud.” And, “A man’s dress, and laughter, and his walk, show -what he is” (Sir 19:27). Secondly, we should note that Christ did not sit there with his disciples -out of laziness; he was looking right at them, teaching them carefully and attracting their hearts -to himself: “Then he lifted his eyes to his disciples” (Lk 6:20). Thus we read: <span style="font-weight: bold">Then, when Jesus -lifted his </span>eyes. In the mystical sense, our Lord’s eyes are his spiritual gifts; and he lifts his eyes -on the elect, i.e., looks at them with compassion, when he mercifully grants these gifts to them: -This is what the Psalm asks for: “Look upon me, O Lord, and have mercy on me” (Ps 85:16).</p> -<p>849 Our Lord’s question concerns the feeding of the crowd; so he said to Philip: <span style="font-weight: bold">Where shall -we buy bread that these may eat? </span>He assumes one thing and asks about another. He assumes -their poverty, because they did not have food to offer this great crowd; and he asks how they -might obtain it, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?</span></p> -<p>Here we should note that every teacher is obliged to possess the means of feeding spiritually the -people who come to him. And since no man possesses of himself the resources to feed them, he -must acquire them elsewhere by his labor, study, and persistent p rayer: “Hurry, you who have -no money, and acquire without cost wine and milk” (Is 55:1). And there follows: “Why do you -spend your money,” i.e., your eloquence, “for what is not bread,” i.e., not the true wisdom which -refreshes—“Wisdom will feed him with the bread of life and understanding” (Si 15:5)—“and -why do you work for what does not satisfy you,” i.e., by learning things that drain you instead -of filling you?</p> -<p>850 Our Lord’s intention is given when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">He said this, however, to test him. </span>Here the -Evangelist raises one difficutly in answering another. For we could wonder,why our Lord asked -Philip what to do, as though our Lord himself did not know. The Evangelist settles this when he -says, <span style="font-weight: bold">for he knew what he would do. </span>But it seems that the Evangelist raises another difficulty -when he says, to test him. For to test is to try out; and this seems to imply ignorance.</p> -<p>I answer that one can test another in various ways in order to try him out. One man tests another -in order to learn; the devil tests a man in order to ensnare him: “Your enemy, the devil, as a -roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he can devour” (1 Pt 5:8). But Christ (and God) does not -test us in order to learn, because he sees into our hearts; nor in order to ensnare us, for as we read -in James (1:13): “God does not test [i.e., tempt] anyone.” But he does test us that others might -learn something from the one tested. This is the way God tested Abraham: “God tested Abraham” -(Gn 22:1); and then it says (v 12): “Now I know that you fear God,” i.e., I have made it known -that you fear the Lord. He tests Philip in the same way: so that those who hear his answer might -be very certain about the miracle to come.</p> -<p>851 Now we have the answer of the disciples. First, the answer of Philip; then that of Andrew -(v 8).</p> -<p>852 With respect to the first, note that Philip was slower in learning than the others, and so he -asks our Lord more questions: “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us” (below -14:8). Here, according to the literal sense, Andrew is better disposed than Philip, for Philip does -not seem to have any understanding or anticipation of the corning miracle. And so he suggests -that money is the way by which they could feed all the people, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Two hundred denarii -worth of bread would not suffice for each to have a little bit. </span>And since we do not have that -much, we cannot feed them. Here we see the poverty of Christ, for he did not even have two -hundred denarii.</p> -<p>853 Andrew, however, seems to sense that a miracle is going to take place. Perhaps he recalled -the miracle performed by Elisha with the barley loaves, when he fed a hundred men with twenty -loaves (2 Kgs 4:42). And so he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">There is a boy here who has five barley loaves. </span>Still, he -did not suspect that Christ was going to perform a greater miracle than Elisha: for he thought that -fewer loaves would be miraculously produced from fewer, and more from a larger number. But -in truth, he who does not need any material to work with could feed a crowd as easily with few -or many loaves. So Andrew continues: <span style="font-weight: bold">but what are these for so many? </span>As if to say: Even if -you increased them in the measure that Elisha did, it still would not be enough.</p> -<p>854 In the mystical sense, widsom is a symbol for spiritual refreshment. One kind of wisdom was -taught by Christ, the true wisdom: “Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor -1:24). Before Christ came, there were two other teachings or doctrines: one was the human -teachings of the philosophers; the other was the teachings found in the written law. Philip -mentions the first of these when he speaks of buying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Two hundred denarii worth of bread -would not suffice, </span>for human wisdom must be acquired. Now the number one hundred implies -perfection. Thus two hundred suggests the twofold perfection necessary for this wisdom: for -there Ire two ways one arrives at the perfection of human wisdom, by experience and by -contemplation. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not suffice, </span>because -no matter what human reason can experience and contemplate of the truth, it is not enough to -completely satisfy our desire for wisdom: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the -strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this: -that he knows and understands me” (Jer 9:23). For the wisdom of no philosopher has been so -great that it could keep men from error; rather, the philosophers have led many into error.</p> -<p>It is Andrew who mentions the second kind of teaching [thai of the law] . He does not want to -buy other bread, but to feed the crowd with the loaves of bread they had, that is, those contained -in the law. And so he was better disposed than Philip. So he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">There is a boy here who has -five barley loaves. </span>This boy can symbolize Moses, because of the imperfection found in the state -of the law: “The law brought nothing to perfection” (Heb 7:19); or the Jewish people, who were -serving under the elements of this world (Gal 4:3).</p> -<p>This boy had five loaves, that is, the teaching of the law: either because this teaching was -contained in the five books of Moses, “The law was given through Moses” (above 1:17); or -because it was given to men absorbed in sensible things, which are made known through the five -senses. These loaves were of barley because the law was given in such a way that what was life-giving in it was concealed under physical signs: for the kernel in barley is covered with a very -firm husk. Or, the loaves were of barley because the Jewish people had not yet been rubbed free -of carnal desire, but it still covered their hearts like a husk: for in the Old Testament they -outwardly experienced hardships because of their ceremonial observances: “A yoke, which -neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10). Further, the Jews were engrossed in -material things and did not understand the spiritual meaning of the law: “A veil is over their -hearts” (2 Cor 3:15).</p> -<p>The two fishes, which gave a pleasant flavor to the bread, indicate the teachings of the Psalms -and the prophets. Thus the old law not only had five loaves, i.e., the five books of Moses, but also -two fishes, that is, the Psalms and the prophets. So the Old Testament writings are divided into -these three: “The things written about me in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the -Psalms” (Lk 24:44). Or, according to Augustine, the two fishes signify the priests and kings who -ruled the Jews; and they prefigured Christ, who was the true king and priest.</p> -<p><span style="font-weight: bold">But what are these for so many? </span>for they could not bring man to a complete knowledge of the -truth: for although God was known in Judea, the Gentiles did not know him.</p> -<p>855 Next (v 10), the miracle is presented. First, we see the people arranged; secondly, the miracle -itself; and thirdly, the gathering of the leftovers. He does two things about the first. First, he -shows Christ directing the disciples to have the people recline; secondly, why this was -appropriate; and thirdly, he tells us the number of people present.</p> -<p>856 Our Lord told his disciples to arrange the people so that they could eat; thus Jesus says, -<span style="font-weight: bold">Make the people recline, </span>i.e, to eat. For as mentioned before, in former times people took their -meals lying on couches; consequently, it was the custom to say of those who sat down to eat that -they were reclining. In the mystical sense, this indicates that rest which is necessary for the -perfection of wisdom. Again, the people are prepared by the disciples because it is through the -disciples that the knowledge of the truth has come to us: “Let the mountains receive peace for -the people” (Ps 71:3).</p> -<p>857 The character of the place shows why it was convenient that they recline, for <span style="font-weight: bold">There was -much grass in the place. </span>This is the literal meaning. In the mystical sense, grass indicates the -flesh: “All flesh is grass” (Is 40:6). In this sense it can refer to two things. First, to the teachings -of the Old Testament, which were given to a people resting in things of the flesh and wise -according to the flesh: “If you are willing, and listen to me, you will eat the good things of the -land” (Is 1:19); “The posterity of Jacob dwells in a land of grain, wine and oil” (Dt 33:28). Or, -it can refer to one who perceives true wisdom, which cannot be attained without first abandoning -the things of the flesh: “Do not imitate this world” (Rom 12:2).</p> -<p>858 There was a. great number of people; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the men reclined, in number about five -thousand. </span>The Evangelist counted only the men, according to the custom in the law, for as -mentioned in Numbers (1:3), Moses counted the people who were twenty years and older, -without including the women. The Evangelist does the same, because only men can be -completely instructed: “We speak wisdom to those who are mature” (1 Cor 2:6); “Solid food is -for the mature” (Heb 5:14).</p> -<p>859 Then (v 11), the Evangelist presents the feeding of the crowd. First, we see the attitude of -Christ; secondly, the food used; thirldy, that the people were satisfied. As to the attitude of Jesus, -both his humility and his giving of thanks are mentioned.</p> -<p>860 We see his humility because he took the bread and gave it to the people. Now although in -this miracle Christ could have fed the people with bread created from nothing, he chose to do so -by multiplying bread that already existed. He did this, first, to show that sensible things do not -come from the devil, as the Manichean error maintains. For if this were so, our Lord would not -have used sensible things to praise God, especially since “The Son of God appeared to destroy -the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8). He did it, secondly, to show that they are also wrong in -claiming that the teachings of the Old Testament are not from God but from the devil. Thus, to -show that the doctrine of the New Testament is none other than that which was prefigured and -contained in the teachings of the Old Testament, he multiplied bread that already existed, -implying by this that he is the one who fulfills the law and brings it to perfection: “I have not -come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it,” as we read in Matthew (5:17).</p> -<p>861 We see that he gave <span style="font-weight: bold">thanks, when he had given thanks. </span>He did this to show that whatever -he had, he had from another, that is, from his Father. This is an example for us to do the same. -More particularly, he gave thanks to teach us that we should thank God when we begin a meal: -“Nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Tim 4:4); “The poor will eat and -be satisfied; and they will praise the Lord” (Ps 21:27). Again, he gave thanks to teach us that he -was not praying for himself, but for the people who were there, for he had to convince them that -he had come from God. Accordingly, he prays before he works this miracle before them, in order -to show them that he is not acting against God, but according to God’s will.</p> -<p>We read in Mark (6:41) that Christ had the apostles distribute the bread to the people. It says here -that he distributed it because in a way he himself does what he does by means of others. In the -mystical sense, both statements are true: for Christ alone refreshes from within, and others, as -his ministers, refresh from without.</p> -<p>862 Their food was bread and fish, about which enough has been said above.</p> -<p>Finally, those who ate were completely satisfied, because they took <span style="font-weight: bold">as much as they wanted. -</span>For Christ is the only one who feeds an empty soul and fills a hungry soul with good things: “I -will be satisfied when your glory appears” (Ps 16:15). Others perform miracles through having -grace in a partial manner; Christ, on the other hand, does so with unlimited power, since he does -all things superabundantly. Hence it says that the people <span style="font-weight: bold">had their fill.</span></p> -<p>863 Now we see the leftovers collected (v 12). First, Christ gives the order; secondly, his -disciples obey.</p> -<p>864 The Evangelist says that after the people had eaten their fill, Christ said to his disciples: -<span style="font-weight: bold">Gather up the fragments that are left over. </span>This was not pretentious display on our Lord’s -part; he did it to show that the miracle he accomplished was not imaginary, since the collected -leftovers kept for some time and provided food for others. Again, he wanted to impress this -miracle more firmly on the hearts of his disciples, whom he had carry the leftovers: for most of -all he wanted to teach his disciples, who were destined to be the teachers of the entire world.</p> -<p>865 His disciples obeyed him faithfully; hence he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">They therefore gathered and filled -twelve baskets with the leftovers. </span>Here we should note that the amount of food that remained -was not left to chance, but was according to plan: for as much as Christ willed was left over, no -more and no less. This is shown by the fact that the basket of each apostle was filled. Now a -basket is reserved for the work of peasants. Therefore, the twelve baskets signify the twelve -apostles and those who imitate them, who, although they are looked down upon in this present -life, are nevertheless filled with the riches of spiritual sacraments. There are twelve because they -were to preach the faith of the Holy Trinity to the four parts of the world.</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 2</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>14 Now when these people saw that Jesus had worked a miracle, they said: “This is truly the -Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 So Jesus, knowing that they would come to seize him -and make him king, fled again into the mountains, alone. 16 When evening came, his disciples -went down to the sea. 17 After they got into the boat, they set out across the sea to Capernaum. -It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough, agitated by -a great wind. 19 After they had rowed twenty-five or thirty stadia [three or four miles] , they saw -Jesus walking on the water, coming toward the boat, and they were afraid. 20 But he said to -them: -<DD>“It is I. Do not be afraid.”<BR> -21 They then wanted to take him into the boat; and suddenly the boat was on the land toward -which they were going.</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>866 Above, the Evangelist told us of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Now he shows the -threefold effect this miracle had on the people. First, its effect on their faith; secondly, on their -plans to honor Jesus; thirdly, how it led them (and the disciples) to search for Jesus.</p> -<p>867 With respect to the first, we should note that the Jews said in the Psalm: “We have not seen -our signs; there is now no prophet” (Ps 73:9). For it was customary in earlier days for the -prophets to work omany signs; so, when these signs were absent, prophecy se emed to have -ended. But when the Jews.see such signs, they believe that prophecy is returning. Accordingly, -the people were so impressed by this miracle they just saw that they called our Lord a prophet. -Thus we read, <span style="font-weight: bold">Now when these people, </span>who had been filled with the five <span style="font-weight: bold">loaves, saw that Jesus -had worked a miracle, they said: This is truly the Prophet. </span>However, they did not yet have -perfect faith, for they believed that Jesus was only a prophet, while he was also the Lord of the -prophets. Yet, they were not entirely wrong, because our Lord called himself a prophet.</p> -<p>868 Here we should remark that a prophet is called a seer: “He who is now called a prophet was -formerly called a seer” (I Sm 9:9). Further, seeing pertains to the cognitive power. Now in Christ -there were three kinds of knowledge. First of all, there was sense knowledge. And in this respect -he had some similarity to the prophets, insofar as sensible species could be formed in the -imagination of Christ to present future or hidden events. This was especially due to his -passibility, which was appropriate to his state as a “wayfarer.” Secondly, Christ had intellectual -knowledge; and in this he was not like the prophets, but was even superior to all the angels: for -he was a “comprehensor” in a more excellent way than any creature. Again, Christ had divine -knowledge, and in this way he was the one who inspired the prophets and the angels, since all +<body style="text-align:justify"> +<blockquote> +<center> +<p><span style="font-size: 60pt">6</span></p> +<p><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 1</span></p> +</center> +<blockquote> +<p>1 After this Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee, which is that +of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him because they saw +the miracles he worked on those who were sick. 3 Jesus therefore +went up a mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. 4 Now +the Passover was near, a festival day of the Jews. 5 Then, when +Jesus lifted his eyes and saw that a great multitude had come to +him, he said to Philip,</p> +<dl> +<dd>“Where shall we buy bread that these may +eat?”<br /> +6 He said this, however, to test him, for he knew what he would do. +7 Philip replied, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would +not suffice for each to have a little bit.” 8 One of his +disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 +“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two +fishes, but what are these for so many?” 10 Jesus then +said,</dd> +<dd>“Make the people recline.”<br /> +There was much grass in the place. Therefore the men reclined, in +number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the bread, and when +he had given thanks, he distributed it to those reclining; he did +likewise with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they had +their fill, he said to his disciples,</dd> +<dd>“Gather up the fragments that are left over,</dd> +<dd>lest they be wasted.”<br /> +13 They therefore gathered and filled twelve baskets with the +leftovers, from the five barley loaves and the two fishes, that +remained after all had eaten.</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>838 The Evangelist has presented the teaching of Christ on the +spiritual life, by which he gives life to those who are born again. +He now tells us of the spiritual food by which Christ sustains +those to whom he has given life. First, he describes a visible +miracle, in which Christ furnished bodily food. Secondly, he +considers spiritual food (6:26). He does two things about the +first. First, he describes the visible miracle. Secondly, he shows +the effect this miracle had (6:14). He tells us two things about +this miracle. First, its circumstances, secondly, about its actual +accomplishment (v 5). As to the first he does three things. First +he describes the crowd that Jesus fed, secondly, the place; +thirdly, the time (v 4). As to the first he does three things. +First, he identifies the place where the crowd followed Jesus; +secondly, the people who followed him; and thirdly, he tells why +they followed him.</p> +<p>839 The Evangelist describes the place to which the crowd +followed our Lord when he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">After this Jesus went across the Sea of +Galilee,</span> i.e., after the mysterious words Jesus had spoken +concerning his power. This Sea of Galilee is mentioned frequently +in various places in Scripture. Luke calls it a lake (Lk 5:1) +because its water is not salty, but was formed from the waters +flowing in from the Jordan. Yet it is still called a +“Sea,” because in Hebrew all bodies of water are called +“seas”: “God called the waters +‘seas’” (Gn 1:10). It is also called Gennesaret +because of the character of its location: for this water is tossed +about a great deal, being buffeted by the winds that come from the +vapors rising from its surface. Thus in Greek the word +“Gennesaret” means “wind forming.” It is +called the Sea of Galilee from the province of Galilee in which it +is located. Again, it is called the Sea of Tiberias from the city +of Tiberias: this city was situated on one side of the sea, facing +Capernaum on the opposite side. The city of Tiberias was formerly +called Chinnereth, but later, when it was rebuilt by Herod the +Tetrarch, it was renamed as Tiberias in honor of Tiberius +Caesar.</p> +<p>840 The literal reason why Jesus crossed the sea is given by +Chrysostom: to give ground to the anger and agitation which the +Jews felt against Christ because of the things he had said about +them. As Chrysostom says: just as darts strike a hard object with +great force if they meet it, but pass on and soon come to rest if +nothing is in their way, so also the anger of defiant men increases +when they are resisted, but if we yield a little, it is easy to +keep their fury within bounds. So Christ, by going to the other +side of the sea, was able to soften the anger of the Jews, caused +by what he had said. He thus gives us an example to act in the same +way: “Do not be provoked by one who speaks evil of you” +(Sir 8:14).</p> +<p>841 In the mystical sense, the sea signifies this present +troubled world: “This great sea, stretching wide” (Ps +103:25). Our Lord crossed over this sea when he assumed the sea of +punishment and death by being born, trod it under foot by dying, +and then crossing over it by his rising, arrived at the glory of +his resurrection. We read of this crossing: “Jesus knew that +his time had come to leave this world for the Father” (below +13:1). A great crowd, composed of both peoples, has followed him in +this crossing, by believing in him and imitating him: “Your +heart will be full of wonder and joy, when the riches of the sea +will be given to you” (Is 60:5); “Rise up, O Lord, you +who demand that justice be done; and the people will gather round +you” (Ps 7:7).</p> +<p>842 The crowd that followed him is described as large, +<span style="font-weight: bold">And a great multitude followed +him.</span></p> +<p>843 The reason why they followed him is because he was +performing miracles, hence he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">because they saw the miracles he worked on +those who were sick.</span> We should point out that some followed +Christ because of his teachings, that is, those who were better +disposed. But there were others, i.e., those who were less perfect +and less perceptive, who followed him because they were attracted +by visible miracles; “Signs were given to unbelievers, not to +believers” (1 Cor 14:22). Still others followed him out of +devotion and faith, those, namely, whom he had cured of some bodily +defect: for our Lord had so healed their body that they were also +completely healed in soul: “The works of God are +perfect” (Dt 32:4). This is clear, because he expressly said +to the paralytic, “Do not sin again” (above 5:14), and +in Matthew (9:2) he says, “Son, your sins are +forgiven”; and these remarks concern the health of the soul +rather than that of the body.</p> +<p>844 We might remark that although the Evangelist had mentioned +only three miracles (the one at the marriage reception, the son of +the official, and the paralytic), he says here in a general way, +<span style="font-weight: bold">the miracles he worked.</span> He +does this to indicate that Christ worked many other miracles that +are not mentioned in this book, as he will say below (21:25). For +his main object was to present the teaching of Christ.</p> +<p>845 Then he gives the location of the miracle, on a mountain; +hence he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus therefore went +up a mountain,</span> i.e., privately, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">and there sat down with his disciples.</span> +Now a mountain is a place well suited for refreshment, for +according to the Psalm a mountain signifies the perfection of +justice: “Your justice is like the mountains of God” +(Ps 35:7). And so, because we cannot be satisfied by earthly +things—indeed, “Whoever drinks this water will be +thirsty again” (above 4:13)—but spiritual things will +satisfy us, our Lord leads his disciples to a higher place to show +that full satisfaction and the perfection of justice are found in +spiritual realities. We read of this mountain: “The mountain +of God is a rich mountain” (Ps 67:16). Thus he also exercised +his office of teacher there, sitting with his disciples; for he is +the one who teaches every man.</p> +<p>846 The time is mentioned when he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Now the Passover was near.</span> This time was +also well suited for their refreshment, for “Passover” +means “passage”: “It is the Passover of the Lord, +that is, his passage” (Ex 12:11). We understand from this +that anyone who desires to be refreshed by the bread of the divine +Word and by the body and blood of’ the Lord, must pass from +vices to virtues: “Our Passover, Christ, has been sacrificed, +and so let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and +truth” (1 Cor 5:7). And again, divine Wisdom says: +“Pass over to me, all who desire me” (Sir 24-26).</p> +<p>This is the second Passover the Evangelist has mentioned. +However, our Lord did not go to Jerusalem this time, as the law +commanded. The reason for this being that Christ was both God and +man: as man he was subject to the law, but as God he was above the +law. So, he observed the law on certain occasions to show that he +was a man, but he also disregarded the law at other times to show +that he was God. Further, by not going he indicated that the +ceremonies of the law would end gradually and in a short time.</p> +<p>847 Then he considers the miracle itself (v 5). First, why it +was needed. Secondly, its accomplishment. We can see the need for +this miracle from our Lord’s question to his disciple, and +the disciple’s answer. First, our Lord’s question is +given; and then the answer of his disciple (v 7). He does three +things about the first. First, the occasion for the question is +given; secondly, we have the-question itself (v 5b); thirdly, we +are told why Christ asked this question (v 6).</p> +<p>848 The occasion for Christ’s question was his sight of +the crowd coming to him. Hence he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Then, when Jesus,</span> on the mountain with +his disciples, i.e., with those who were more perfect, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">lifted his eyes and saw that a great multitude +had come to him.</span> Here we should note two things about +Christ. First, his maturity: for he is not distracted by what does +not concern him, but is appropriately concerned with his disciples. +He is not like those spoken of in Proverbs (30:13): “A +generation whose eyes are proud.” And, “A man’s +dress, and laughter, and his walk, show what he is” (Sir +19:27). Secondly, we should note that Christ did not sit there with +his disciples out of laziness; he was looking right at them, +teaching them carefully and attracting their hearts to himself: +“Then he lifted his eyes to his disciples” (Lk 6:20). +Thus we read: <span style="font-weight: bold">Then, when Jesus +lifted his</span> eyes. In the mystical sense, our Lord’s +eyes are his spiritual gifts; and he lifts his eyes on the elect, +i.e., looks at them with compassion, when he mercifully grants +these gifts to them: This is what the Psalm asks for: “Look +upon me, O Lord, and have mercy on me” (Ps 85:16).</p> +<p>849 Our Lord’s question concerns the feeding of the crowd; +so he said to Philip: <span style="font-weight: bold">Where shall +we buy bread that these may eat?</span> He assumes one thing and +asks about another. He assumes their poverty, because they did not +have food to offer this great crowd; and he asks how they might +obtain it, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Where shall we +buy bread that these may eat?</span></p> +<p>Here we should note that every teacher is obliged to possess the +means of feeding spiritually the people who come to him. And since +no man possesses of himself the resources to feed them, he must +acquire them elsewhere by his labor, study, and persistent p rayer: +“Hurry, you who have no money, and acquire without cost wine +and milk” (Is 55:1). And there follows: “Why do you +spend your money,” i.e., your eloquence, “for what is +not bread,” i.e., not the true wisdom which +refreshes—“Wisdom will feed him with the bread of life +and understanding” (Si 15:5)—“and why do you work +for what does not satisfy you,” i.e., by learning things that +drain you instead of filling you?</p> +<p>850 Our Lord’s intention is given when he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">He said this, however, to test +him.</span> Here the Evangelist raises one difficutly in answering +another. For we could wonder,why our Lord asked Philip what to do, +as though our Lord himself did not know. The Evangelist settles +this when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">for he knew what +he would do.</span> But it seems that the Evangelist raises another +difficulty when he says, to test him. For to test is to try out; +and this seems to imply ignorance.</p> +<p>I answer that one can test another in various ways in order to +try him out. One man tests another in order to learn; the devil +tests a man in order to ensnare him: “Your enemy, the devil, +as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he can devour” (1 +Pt 5:8). But Christ (and God) does not test us in order to learn, +because he sees into our hearts; nor in order to ensnare us, for as +we read in James (1:13): “God does not test [i.e., tempt] +anyone.” But he does test us that others might learn +something from the one tested. This is the way God tested Abraham: +“God tested Abraham” (Gn 22:1); and then it says (v +12): “Now I know that you fear God,” i.e., I have made +it known that you fear the Lord. He tests Philip in the same way: +so that those who hear his answer might be very certain about the +miracle to come.</p> +<p>851 Now we have the answer of the disciples. First, the answer +of Philip; then that of Andrew (v 8).</p> +<p>852 With respect to the first, note that Philip was slower in +learning than the others, and so he asks our Lord more questions: +“Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for +us” (below 14:8). Here, according to the literal sense, +Andrew is better disposed than Philip, for Philip does not seem to +have any understanding or anticipation of the corning miracle. And +so he suggests that money is the way by which they could feed all +the people, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Two hundred +denarii worth of bread would not suffice for each to have a little +bit.</span> And since we do not have that much, we cannot feed +them. Here we see the poverty of Christ, for he did not even have +two hundred denarii.</p> +<p>853 Andrew, however, seems to sense that a miracle is going to +take place. Perhaps he recalled the miracle performed by Elisha +with the barley loaves, when he fed a hundred men with twenty +loaves (2 Kgs 4:42). And so he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">There is a boy here who has five barley +loaves.</span> Still, he did not suspect that Christ was going to +perform a greater miracle than Elisha: for he thought that fewer +loaves would be miraculously produced from fewer, and more from a +larger number. But in truth, he who does not need any material to +work with could feed a crowd as easily with few or many loaves. So +Andrew continues: <span style="font-weight: bold">but what are +these for so many?</span> As if to say: Even if you increased them +in the measure that Elisha did, it still would not be enough.</p> +<p>854 In the mystical sense, widsom is a symbol for spiritual +refreshment. One kind of wisdom was taught by Christ, the true +wisdom: “Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of +God” (1 Cor 1:24). Before Christ came, there were two other +teachings or doctrines: one was the human teachings of the +philosophers; the other was the teachings found in the written law. +Philip mentions the first of these when he speaks of buying: +<span style="font-weight: bold">Two hundred denarii worth of bread +would not suffice,</span> for human wisdom must be acquired. Now +the number one hundred implies perfection. Thus two hundred +suggests the twofold perfection necessary for this wisdom: for +there Ire two ways one arrives at the perfection of human wisdom, +by experience and by contemplation. So he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not +suffice,</span> because no matter what human reason can experience +and contemplate of the truth, it is not enough to completely +satisfy our desire for wisdom: “Let not the wise man glory in +his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the rich man in +his riches. But let him who glories glory in this: that he knows +and understands me” (Jer 9:23). For the wisdom of no +philosopher has been so great that it could keep men from error; +rather, the philosophers have led many into error.</p> +<p>It is Andrew who mentions the second kind of teaching [thai of +the law] . He does not want to buy other bread, but to feed the +crowd with the loaves of bread they had, that is, those contained +in the law. And so he was better disposed than Philip. So he says: +<span style="font-weight: bold">There is a boy here who has five +barley loaves.</span> This boy can symbolize Moses, because of the +imperfection found in the state of the law: “The law brought +nothing to perfection” (Heb 7:19); or the Jewish people, who +were serving under the elements of this world (Gal 4:3).</p> +<p>This boy had five loaves, that is, the teaching of the law: +either because this teaching was contained in the five books of +Moses, “The law was given through Moses” (above 1:17); +or because it was given to men absorbed in sensible things, which +are made known through the five senses. These loaves were of barley +because the law was given in such a way that what was life-giving +in it was concealed under physical signs: for the kernel in barley +is covered with a very firm husk. Or, the loaves were of barley +because the Jewish people had not yet been rubbed free of carnal +desire, but it still covered their hearts like a husk: for in the +Old Testament they outwardly experienced hardships because of their +ceremonial observances: “A yoke, which neither our fathers +nor we were able to bear” (Acts 15:10). Further, the Jews +were engrossed in material things and did not understand the +spiritual meaning of the law: “A veil is over their +hearts” (2 Cor 3:15).</p> +<p>The two fishes, which gave a pleasant flavor to the bread, +indicate the teachings of the Psalms and the prophets. Thus the old +law not only had five loaves, i.e., the five books of Moses, but +also two fishes, that is, the Psalms and the prophets. So the Old +Testament writings are divided into these three: “The things +written about me in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in +the Psalms” (Lk 24:44). Or, according to Augustine, the two +fishes signify the priests and kings who ruled the Jews; and they +prefigured Christ, who was the true king and priest.</p> +<p><span style="font-weight: bold">But what are these for so +many?</span> for they could not bring man to a complete knowledge +of the truth: for although God was known in Judea, the Gentiles did +not know him.</p> +<p>855 Next (v 10), the miracle is presented. First, we see the +people arranged; secondly, the miracle itself; and thirdly, the +gathering of the leftovers. He does two things about the first. +First, he shows Christ directing the disciples to have the people +recline; secondly, why this was appropriate; and thirdly, he tells +us the number of people present.</p> +<p>856 Our Lord told his disciples to arrange the people so that +they could eat; thus Jesus says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Make the people recline,</span> i.e, to eat. +For as mentioned before, in former times people took their meals +lying on couches; consequently, it was the custom to say of those +who sat down to eat that they were reclining. In the mystical +sense, this indicates that rest which is necessary for the +perfection of wisdom. Again, the people are prepared by the +disciples because it is through the disciples that the knowledge of +the truth has come to us: “Let the mountains receive peace +for the people” (Ps 71:3).</p> +<p>857 The character of the place shows why it was convenient that +they recline, for <span style="font-weight: bold">There was much +grass in the place.</span> This is the literal meaning. In the +mystical sense, grass indicates the flesh: “All flesh is +grass” (Is 40:6). In this sense it can refer to two things. +First, to the teachings of the Old Testament, which were given to a +people resting in things of the flesh and wise according to the +flesh: “If you are willing, and listen to me, you will eat +the good things of the land” (Is 1:19); “The posterity +of Jacob dwells in a land of grain, wine and oil” (Dt 33:28). +Or, it can refer to one who perceives true wisdom, which cannot be +attained without first abandoning the things of the flesh: +“Do not imitate this world” (Rom 12:2).</p> +<p>858 There was a. great number of people; thus he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">the men reclined, in number about +five thousand.</span> The Evangelist counted only the men, +according to the custom in the law, for as mentioned in Numbers +(1:3), Moses counted the people who were twenty years and older, +without including the women. The Evangelist does the same, because +only men can be completely instructed: “We speak wisdom to +those who are mature” (1 Cor 2:6); “Solid food is for +the mature” (Heb 5:14).</p> +<p>859 Then (v 11), the Evangelist presents the feeding of the +crowd. First, we see the attitude of Christ; secondly, the food +used; thirldy, that the people were satisfied. As to the attitude +of Jesus, both his humility and his giving of thanks are +mentioned.</p> +<p>860 We see his humility because he took the bread and gave it to +the people. Now although in this miracle Christ could have fed the +people with bread created from nothing, he chose to do so by +multiplying bread that already existed. He did this, first, to show +that sensible things do not come from the devil, as the Manichean +error maintains. For if this were so, our Lord would not have used +sensible things to praise God, especially since “The Son of +God appeared to destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8). +He did it, secondly, to show that they are also wrong in claiming +that the teachings of the Old Testament are not from God but from +the devil. Thus, to show that the doctrine of the New Testament is +none other than that which was prefigured and contained in the +teachings of the Old Testament, he multiplied bread that already +existed, implying by this that he is the one who fulfills the law +and brings it to perfection: “I have not come to destroy the +law, but to fulfill it,” as we read in Matthew (5:17).</p> +<p>861 We see that he gave <span style="font-weight: bold">thanks, +when he had given thanks.</span> He did this to show that whatever +he had, he had from another, that is, from his Father. This is an +example for us to do the same. More particularly, he gave thanks to +teach us that we should thank God when we begin a meal: +“Nothing is to be rejected if it is received with +thanksgiving” (1 Tim 4:4); “The poor will eat and be +satisfied; and they will praise the Lord” (Ps 21:27). Again, +he gave thanks to teach us that he was not praying for himself, but +for the people who were there, for he had to convince them that he +had come from God. Accordingly, he prays before he works this +miracle before them, in order to show them that he is not acting +against God, but according to God’s will.</p> +<p>We read in Mark (6:41) that Christ had the apostles distribute +the bread to the people. It says here that he distributed it +because in a way he himself does what he does by means of others. +In the mystical sense, both statements are true: for Christ alone +refreshes from within, and others, as his ministers, refresh from +without.</p> +<p>862 Their food was bread and fish, about which enough has been +said above.</p> +<p>Finally, those who ate were completely satisfied, because they +took <span style="font-weight: bold">as much as they wanted.</span> +For Christ is the only one who feeds an empty soul and fills a +hungry soul with good things: “I will be satisfied when your +glory appears” (Ps 16:15). Others perform miracles through +having grace in a partial manner; Christ, on the other hand, does +so with unlimited power, since he does all things superabundantly. +Hence it says that the people <span style="font-weight: bold">had +their fill.</span></p> +<p>863 Now we see the leftovers collected (v 12). First, Christ +gives the order; secondly, his disciples obey.</p> +<p>864 The Evangelist says that after the people had eaten their +fill, Christ said to his disciples: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Gather up the fragments that are left +over.</span> This was not pretentious display on our Lord’s +part; he did it to show that the miracle he accomplished was not +imaginary, since the collected leftovers kept for some time and +provided food for others. Again, he wanted to impress this miracle +more firmly on the hearts of his disciples, whom he had carry the +leftovers: for most of all he wanted to teach his disciples, who +were destined to be the teachers of the entire world.</p> +<p>865 His disciples obeyed him faithfully; hence he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">They therefore gathered and filled +twelve baskets with the leftovers.</span> Here we should note that +the amount of food that remained was not left to chance, but was +according to plan: for as much as Christ willed was left over, no +more and no less. This is shown by the fact that the basket of each +apostle was filled. Now a basket is reserved for the work of +peasants. Therefore, the twelve baskets signify the twelve apostles +and those who imitate them, who, although they are looked down upon +in this present life, are nevertheless filled with the riches of +spiritual sacraments. There are twelve because they were to preach +the faith of the Holy Trinity to the four parts of the world.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE 2</span></p> +<blockquote> +<p>14 Now when these people saw that Jesus had worked a miracle, +they said: “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the +world.” 15 So Jesus, knowing that they would come to seize +him and make him king, fled again into the mountains, alone. 16 +When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea. 17 After +they got into the boat, they set out across the sea to Capernaum. +It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea +became rough, agitated by a great wind. 19 After they had rowed +twenty-five or thirty stadia [three or four miles] , they saw Jesus +walking on the water, coming toward the boat, and they were afraid. +20 But he said to them:</p> +<dl> +<dd>“It is I. Do not be afraid.”<br /> +21 They then wanted to take him into the boat; and suddenly the +boat was on the land toward which they were going.</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>866 Above, the Evangelist told us of the miracle of the loaves +and fishes. Now he shows the threefold effect this miracle had on +the people. First, its effect on their faith; secondly, on their +plans to honor Jesus; thirdly, how it led them (and the disciples) +to search for Jesus.</p> +<p>867 With respect to the first, we should note that the Jews said +in the Psalm: “We have not seen our signs; there is now no +prophet” (Ps 73:9). For it was customary in earlier days for +the prophets to work omany signs; so, when these signs were absent, +prophecy se emed to have ended. But when the Jews.see such signs, +they believe that prophecy is returning. Accordingly, the people +were so impressed by this miracle they just saw that they called +our Lord a prophet. Thus we read, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Now when these people,</span> who had been +filled with the five <span style="font-weight: bold">loaves, saw +that Jesus had worked a miracle, they said: This is truly the +Prophet.</span> However, they did not yet have perfect faith, for +they believed that Jesus was only a prophet, while he was also the +Lord of the prophets. Yet, they were not entirely wrong, because +our Lord called himself a prophet.</p> +<p>868 Here we should remark that a prophet is called a seer: +“He who is now called a prophet was formerly called a +seer” (I Sm 9:9). Further, seeing pertains to the cognitive +power. Now in Christ there were three kinds of knowledge. First of +all, there was sense knowledge. And in this respect he had some +similarity to the prophets, insofar as sensible species could be +formed in the imagination of Christ to present future or hidden +events. This was especially due to his passibility, which was +appropriate to his state as a “wayfarer.” Secondly, +Christ had intellectual knowledge; and in this he was not like the +prophets, but was even superior to all the angels: for he was a +“comprehensor” in a more excellent way than any +creature. Again, Christ had divine knowledge, and in this way he +was the one who inspired the prophets and the angels, since all knowledge is caused by a participation in the divine Word.</p> -<p>Still, these people seemed to realize that Christ was a superior prophet, for they said: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is -truly the Prophet. </span>For although there had been many prophets among the Jews, they were -waiting for a particular one, according to: “The Lord your God will raise up a prophet for you” -(Dt 18:15). This is the one they are speaking of here; thus it continues: <span style="font-weight: bold">who is to come into the +<p>Still, these people seemed to realize that Christ was a superior +prophet, for they said: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is +truly the Prophet.</span> For although there had been many prophets +among the Jews, they were waiting for a particular one, according +to: “The Lord your God will raise up a prophet for you” +(Dt 18:15). This is the one they are speaking of here; thus it +continues: <span style="font-weight: bold">who is to come into the world.</span></p> -<p>869 Next, we see the second effect of Christ’s miracle: the honor the people planned for Christ, -which he refused. First, we have the attempt by the people; secondly, Christ’s flight from them.</p> -<p>870 The attempt of the people is mentioned when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">they would come to seize him and -make him king. </span>A person or thing is seized if it is taken in a way that one does not will or is not -opportune. Now it is true that God’s plan from all eternity had been to establish the kingdom of -Christ; but the time for this was not then opportune. Christ had come then, but not to reign in the -way we ask for his reign when we say, “Your kingdom come” (Mt 6:10); at that time he will -reign even as man. Another time was reserved for this: after the judgment of Christ, when the -saints will appear in glory. It was about this kingdom the disciples asked when they said: “Lord, -will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?” (Acts 1:6).</p> -<p>So the people, thinking he had come to reign, wanted to make hirn their king. The reason for this -is that men often want as their ruler someone who will provide them with temporal things. Thus, -because our Lord had fed them, they were willing to make him their king: “You have a mantle, -be our ruler” (Is 3:6). Chrysostom says: “See the power of gluttony. They are no longer -concerned about his breaking the Sabbath; they are no longer zealous for God. All these things -are set in the background now that their bellies are full. Now he is regarded as a prophet among -them, and they want to set him on the royal throne as their king.”</p> -<p>87 1 We see Christ’s flight when he says that he <span style="font-weight: bold">fled again into the mountains, alone. </span>We can -see frorn this that when our Lord had first seen the crowd of people he came down from the -mountain and fed them in the valley, for we would not read that he went again into the mountains -if he had not come down from them.</p> -<p>Why did Christ flee from the people, since he really is a king? There are three reasons for this. -First, because it would have detracted from his dignity to have accepted a kingdom from men: -for he is so great a king that all other kings are kings by participating in his kingship: “It is by me -that kings rule” (Prv 8:15). Another reason is that it would have been hanuful to his teaching if -he had accepted this dignity and support from men; for he had worked and taught in such a way -that everything was attributed to divine power and not to the influence of men: “Praise from men -I do not need” (above 5:41). The third reason was to teach us to despise the dignities of this -world: “I have given you an example that as I have done to you, so you should do also” (below -13:15); “Do not seek dignity from men” (Sir 7:4). And so, he refused the glory of this world, but -still endured its punishment of his own will: “Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame, for -the joy set before him” (Heb 12:2).</p> -<p>872 Matthew seems to conflict with this, for he says that “Jesus went up the mountain alone, to -pray” (Mt 14:23). However, in the opinion of Augustine, there is no conflict here, because he had -reason both to flee and to pray. For our Lord is teaching us that when a reason for flight draws -near, there is great reason to pray.</p> -<p>In the mystical sense, Christ went up into the mountain when the people he had fed were ready -to subject themselves to him, because he went up into heaven when the people were ready to -subject themselves to the truth of the faith, according to: “A congregation of people will surround -you. Return above for their sakes,” i.e., return on high so a congregatation of people may -surround you (Ps 7:8). </p> -<p>He says that Christ <span style="font-weight: bold">fled</span>, to indicate that the people could not understand his grandeur: for if we -do not understand something, we say that it flees or eludes us.</p> -<p>873 Now he considers the third effect of Christ’s miracle, the search for Christ. First, by his -disciples; secondly, by the people. As to the first, he does two things. First, he tells of the -eagerness of the disciples; and secondly, enlarges upon this (v l7b). He does two things about the -first. First, he tells that they went down to the shore. Secondly, he tells of their journey across the -sea (v 17).</p> -<p>874 Note, about the first, that Christ went up into the mountain without the knowledge of his -disciples. So, they waited there until evening came, for they expected that he would come back -to them. But their love was so great that when evening came they just had to go looking for him. -Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, </span>looking for Jesus.</p> -<p>In the mystical sense, “evening” signifies our Lord’s passion or his ascension. For as long as the -disciples enjoyed Christ’s physical presence, no trouble disturbed them and no bitterness vexed -them: “Can the friends of the groom mourn as long as the groom is with them?” (Mt 9:15). But -when Christ was away, then they “went down to the sea,” to the troubles of this world: “This -great sea, stretching wide” (Ps 103:25).</p> -<p>875 He adds that they crossed, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">After they got into the boat, they set out across the sea -to Capernaum, </span>for the love that burned within them could not endure our Lord’s absence for -very long.</p> -<p>876 Now (17b), he enlarges upon what he had already said in summary fashion. First, on their -going down to the sea; secondly, on their crossing (v 18).</p> -<p>877 As to the first, he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. </span>The -Evangelist does not tell us this without a reason, for it shows the intensity of their love, since not -even night or evening could stop them.</p> -<p>In the mystical sense, the “dark” signifies the absence of love; for light is love, according to: “He -who loves his brother dwells in the light” (1 Jn 2:10). Accordingly, there is darkness in us when -Jesus, “the true light” (above 1:9) does not come to us, because his presence repells all darkness.</p> -<p>Jesus left his disciples alone for this length of time so that they might experience his absence; and -they did indeed experience it during the storm at sea: “Know and realize, that it is evil and bitter -for you to have left the Lord” (Jer 2:19). He left them, in the second place, so that they might -look for him more earnestly: “Where has your beloved gone, most beautiful of women? We will -search for him with you” (Sg 5:17).</p> -<p>878 As for their crossing, first we see the storm at sea; then Christ coming to them, and the time; -and thirdly, the effect this had.</p> -<p>879 The storm was caused by a rising wind; thus he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">The sea became rough, agitated by -a great wind. </span>This wind is a symbol for the trials and persecutions which would afflict the -Church due to a lack of love. For as Augustine says, when love grows cold, the waves of the sea -begin to swell and danger threatens the boat. Still, these winds and the storm, with its waves and -darkness, did not stop (lie progress of’ the boat or so batter it that it broke apart: “He who -perseveres to the end will be saved” (Mt 24:13); and again: “And the rains fell. and the floods -came, and the house did not collapse,” as we read in Mattliew (7:25).</p> -<p>880 Christ did not appear to them when the storm first began, but only some time later; thus he -says, <span style="font-weight: bold">After they had rowed twentyfive or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus. </span>We see from this that -our Lord allows us to be troubled for a while so our virtue may be tested; but he does not desert -us in the end, but comes very close to us: “God is faithful, and will not allow you to be tested -beyond your strength” (1 Cor 10:13).</p> -<p>According to Augustine, the twenty-five stadia they rowed are the five books of Moses. For -twenty-five is the square of five, since five times five is twenty-five. But a number that is -multiplied in this way keeps the meaning of its root. Thus, just as five signifies the old law, so -twenty-five signifies the perfection of the New Testament. Thirty, however, signifies that -perfection of the New Testament which was lacking in the law: for thirty is the result of -multiplying five by six, which is a perfect number. So, Jesus comes to those who row twenty-five -or thirty stadia, i.e., to those who fulfill the law or the perfection taught by the Gospel; and he -comes treading under foot all the waves of pride and the dignities of this present world: “You -rule the might of the sea and calm its waves” (Ps 88:10). And then we will see Christ near our -boat, because divine help is close: “The Lord is near to all who fear him” (Ps 144:18). Thus it -is clear that Christ is near to all those who seek him rightly. Now the Apostles loved Christ very -keenly: this is obvious because they tried to go to him despite the darkness, the stormy sea, and -the distance to shore. Consequently, Christ was with them.</p> -<p>881 Now we see the effect of Christ’s appearance. First, the interior effect; secondly, the exterior -effect (v 2 1 b).</p> -<p>882 The interior effect of Christ’s appearance was fear; and he mentions the fear of the disciples -at the sudden appearance of Christ when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">and they were afraid. </span>This was a good fear, -because it was the effect of humility: “Do not be proud; rather fear” (Rom 11:20); or it was an -evil fear, because “they thought it was a ghost” (Mk 6:49); “They trembled with fear” (Ps 13:5): -for fear is especially appropriate to the carnal, because they are afraid of spiritual things.</p> -<p>Secondly, we see Christ encouraging them against two dangers. First, they are encouraged against -the danger to the faith in their intellect when he says, It is 1, to eliminate their doubts: “Look at -my hands and my feet! It is really me” (Lk 24:39). Secondly, Christ encourages them against the -danger of fear in their emotions, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do not be afraid: </span>“Do not be afraid when they are -present” (Jer 1:8); “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom sliall I fear” (Ps 26:1 ).</p> -<p>Thirdly, we see the reaction of the disciples, for <span style="font-weight: bold">They then wanted to take him into the boat. -</span>This signifies that we receive Christ by love and contemplation after servile fear has been taken -out of our hearts: “I stand at the door and knock. If any one opens it for me, I will enter” (Rv -3:20).</p> -<p>883 There were two exterior effects: the storm abated, and their boat suddenly landed, although -it had just been at a distance from the shore, for our Lord gave them a calm journey, without -danger. He himself did not enter the boat because he wished to accomplish a greater miracle. So -here we have three miracles: the walking on the sea, the quick calming of the storm, and the -sudden arrival of the boat on the land although it had been far away. We learn from this that the -faithful, in whom Christ is present, put down the swelling pride of this world, tread under their -feet its waves of tribulation, and cross quickly to the land of the living: “Your good spirit will -lead me to land” (Ps 142:10).</p> -<p>884 There are a number of difficulties here. The first concerns the literal sense: Matthew (14:22) -seems to conflict with our present account for he says that the disciples were told by Christ to go -the shore, while here it says the disciples went there to search for him. Another difficulty is that -Matthew (14:34) says that the disciples crossed over to Gennesaret, while we read here that they -came to Capernaum. The third difficulty is that Matthew (14:32) says that Christ got into the -boat, but here he did not.</p> -<p>Chrysostom settles these difficulties quite briefly by saying that the two accounts do not deal with -the same miracle. For, as he says, Christ frequently miraculously walked upon the sea in front -of his disciples, but not for the people, lest they think he did not have a real body. But, according -to Augustine, and this is the better opinion, John and Matthew are describing the same miracle. -Augustine answers the first difficulty by saying it makes no difference that Matthew says the -disciples went down to the shore because our Lord told them to. For it is possible that our Lord -did so, and they went believing that he would sail with them. And that is why they waited until -night, and when Christ did not come, they crossed by themselves.</p> -<p>There are two answers to the second difficulty. One is that Capernaum and Gennesaret are -neighboring towns on the same shore. And perhaps the disciples landed at a place near both, so -that Matthew mentions one and John the other. Or, it might be said that Matthew does not say -that they came to Gennesaret immediately, they could have come first to Capernaurn and then -to Gennesaret. [The answer to the third difficulty is not given.]</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 3</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>22 On the next day, the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no second -boat there, but only one, and that Jesus had not gone into the boat, but only his disciples had -gone. 23 But other boats arrived from Tiberias, near the place where they had eaten the bread, -after having given thanks to God. 24 When therefore the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor -his disciples, they got into the boats and set off for Capernaum, looking for Jesus. 25 When they -found him on the other side of the sea, they said: “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus -replied and said: -<DD>“Amen, amen, I say to you: -<DD>you seek me not because you have seen miracles, -<DD>but because you have eaten of the bread -<DD>and have been filled. -<DD>27 Do not work for the food that perishes, -<DD>but for that which endures to eternal life, -<DD>which the Son of Man will give you, -<DD>for on him has God the Father set his seal.”<BR> -28 Then they said to him: “What must we do that we may perform the works of God?” 29 Jesus -replied and said to them: -<DD>“This is the work of God, -<DD>that you believe in him whom he sent.”<BR> -30 They then said to him: “What sign then are you going to give that we may see and believe -you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate ffianna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He -gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>885 After having described how the disciples searched for Christ, the Evangelist now shows the -people looking for him. First, he states their motive; secondly, the occasion; and thirdly, the +<p>869 Next, we see the second effect of Christ’s miracle: +the honor the people planned for Christ, which he refused. First, +we have the attempt by the people; secondly, Christ’s flight +from them.</p> +<p>870 The attempt of the people is mentioned when he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">they would come to seize him and +make him king.</span> A person or thing is seized if it is taken in +a way that one does not will or is not opportune. Now it is true +that God’s plan from all eternity had been to establish the +kingdom of Christ; but the time for this was not then opportune. +Christ had come then, but not to reign in the way we ask for his +reign when we say, “Your kingdom come” (Mt 6:10); at +that time he will reign even as man. Another time was reserved for +this: after the judgment of Christ, when the saints will appear in +glory. It was about this kingdom the disciples asked when they +said: “Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this +time?” (Acts 1:6).</p> +<p>So the people, thinking he had come to reign, wanted to make +hirn their king. The reason for this is that men often want as +their ruler someone who will provide them with temporal things. +Thus, because our Lord had fed them, they were willing to make him +their king: “You have a mantle, be our ruler” (Is 3:6). +Chrysostom says: “See the power of gluttony. They are no +longer concerned about his breaking the Sabbath; they are no longer +zealous for God. All these things are set in the background now +that their bellies are full. Now he is regarded as a prophet among +them, and they want to set him on the royal throne as their +king.”</p> +<p>87 1 We see Christ’s flight when he says that he +<span style="font-weight: bold">fled again into the mountains, +alone.</span> We can see frorn this that when our Lord had first +seen the crowd of people he came down from the mountain and fed +them in the valley, for we would not read that he went again into +the mountains if he had not come down from them.</p> +<p>Why did Christ flee from the people, since he really is a king? +There are three reasons for this. First, because it would have +detracted from his dignity to have accepted a kingdom from men: for +he is so great a king that all other kings are kings by +participating in his kingship: “It is by me that kings +rule” (Prv 8:15). Another reason is that it would have been +hanuful to his teaching if he had accepted this dignity and support +from men; for he had worked and taught in such a way that +everything was attributed to divine power and not to the influence +of men: “Praise from men I do not need” (above 5:41). +The third reason was to teach us to despise the dignities of this +world: “I have given you an example that as I have done to +you, so you should do also” (below 13:15); “Do not seek +dignity from men” (Sir 7:4). And so, he refused the glory of +this world, but still endured its punishment of his own will: +“Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame, for the joy +set before him” (Heb 12:2).</p> +<p>872 Matthew seems to conflict with this, for he says that +“Jesus went up the mountain alone, to pray” (Mt 14:23). +However, in the opinion of Augustine, there is no conflict here, +because he had reason both to flee and to pray. For our Lord is +teaching us that when a reason for flight draws near, there is +great reason to pray.</p> +<p>In the mystical sense, Christ went up into the mountain when the +people he had fed were ready to subject themselves to him, because +he went up into heaven when the people were ready to subject +themselves to the truth of the faith, according to: “A +congregation of people will surround you. Return above for their +sakes,” i.e., return on high so a congregatation of people +may surround you (Ps 7:8).</p> +<p>He says that Christ <span style="font-weight: bold">fled</span>, +to indicate that the people could not understand his grandeur: for +if we do not understand something, we say that it flees or eludes +us.</p> +<p>873 Now he considers the third effect of Christ’s miracle, +the search for Christ. First, by his disciples; secondly, by the +people. As to the first, he does two things. First, he tells of the +eagerness of the disciples; and secondly, enlarges upon this (v +l7b). He does two things about the first. First, he tells that they +went down to the shore. Secondly, he tells of their journey across +the sea (v 17).</p> +<p>874 Note, about the first, that Christ went up into the mountain +without the knowledge of his disciples. So, they waited there until +evening came, for they expected that he would come back to them. +But their love was so great that when evening came they just had to +go looking for him. Thus he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">When evening came, his disciples went down to +the sea,</span> looking for Jesus.</p> +<p>In the mystical sense, “evening” signifies our +Lord’s passion or his ascension. For as long as the disciples +enjoyed Christ’s physical presence, no trouble disturbed them +and no bitterness vexed them: “Can the friends of the groom +mourn as long as the groom is with them?” (Mt 9:15). But when +Christ was away, then they “went down to the sea,” to +the troubles of this world: “This great sea, stretching +wide” (Ps 103:25).</p> +<p>875 He adds that they crossed, saying, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">After they got into the boat, they set out +across the sea to Capernaum,</span> for the love that burned within +them could not endure our Lord’s absence for very long.</p> +<p>876 Now (17b), he enlarges upon what he had already said in +summary fashion. First, on their going down to the sea; secondly, +on their crossing (v 18).</p> +<p>877 As to the first, he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">It +was already dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.</span> The +Evangelist does not tell us this without a reason, for it shows the +intensity of their love, since not even night or evening could stop +them.</p> +<p>In the mystical sense, the “dark” signifies the +absence of love; for light is love, according to: “He who +loves his brother dwells in the light” (1 Jn 2:10). +Accordingly, there is darkness in us when Jesus, “the true +light” (above 1:9) does not come to us, because his presence +repells all darkness.</p> +<p>Jesus left his disciples alone for this length of time so that +they might experience his absence; and they did indeed experience +it during the storm at sea: “Know and realize, that it is +evil and bitter for you to have left the Lord” (Jer 2:19). He +left them, in the second place, so that they might look for him +more earnestly: “Where has your beloved gone, most beautiful +of women? We will search for him with you” (Sg 5:17).</p> +<p>878 As for their crossing, first we see the storm at sea; then +Christ coming to them, and the time; and thirdly, the effect this +had.</p> +<p>879 The storm was caused by a rising wind; thus he says: +<span style="font-weight: bold">The sea became rough, agitated by a +great wind.</span> This wind is a symbol for the trials and +persecutions which would afflict the Church due to a lack of love. +For as Augustine says, when love grows cold, the waves of the sea +begin to swell and danger threatens the boat. Still, these winds +and the storm, with its waves and darkness, did not stop (lie +progress of’ the boat or so batter it that it broke apart: +“He who perseveres to the end will be saved” (Mt +24:13); and again: “And the rains fell. and the floods came, +and the house did not collapse,” as we read in Mattliew +(7:25).</p> +<p>880 Christ did not appear to them when the storm first began, +but only some time later; thus he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">After they had rowed twentyfive or thirty +stadia, they saw Jesus.</span> We see from this that our Lord +allows us to be troubled for a while so our virtue may be tested; +but he does not desert us in the end, but comes very close to us: +“God is faithful, and will not allow you to be tested beyond +your strength” (1 Cor 10:13).</p> +<p>According to Augustine, the twenty-five stadia they rowed are +the five books of Moses. For twenty-five is the square of five, +since five times five is twenty-five. But a number that is +multiplied in this way keeps the meaning of its root. Thus, just as +five signifies the old law, so twenty-five signifies the perfection +of the New Testament. Thirty, however, signifies that perfection of +the New Testament which was lacking in the law: for thirty is the +result of multiplying five by six, which is a perfect number. So, +Jesus comes to those who row twenty-five or thirty stadia, i.e., to +those who fulfill the law or the perfection taught by the Gospel; +and he comes treading under foot all the waves of pride and the +dignities of this present world: “You rule the might of the +sea and calm its waves” (Ps 88:10). And then we will see +Christ near our boat, because divine help is close: “The Lord +is near to all who fear him” (Ps 144:18). Thus it is clear +that Christ is near to all those who seek him rightly. Now the +Apostles loved Christ very keenly: this is obvious because they +tried to go to him despite the darkness, the stormy sea, and the +distance to shore. Consequently, Christ was with them.</p> +<p>881 Now we see the effect of Christ’s appearance. First, +the interior effect; secondly, the exterior effect (v 2 1 b).</p> +<p>882 The interior effect of Christ’s appearance was fear; +and he mentions the fear of the disciples at the sudden appearance +of Christ when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">and they +were afraid.</span> This was a good fear, because it was the effect +of humility: “Do not be proud; rather fear” (Rom +11:20); or it was an evil fear, because “they thought it was +a ghost” (Mk 6:49); “They trembled with fear” (Ps +13:5): for fear is especially appropriate to the carnal, because +they are afraid of spiritual things.</p> +<p>Secondly, we see Christ encouraging them against two dangers. +First, they are encouraged against the danger to the faith in their +intellect when he says, It is 1, to eliminate their doubts: +“Look at my hands and my feet! It is really me” (Lk +24:39). Secondly, Christ encourages them against the danger of fear +in their emotions, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do not +be afraid:</span> “Do not be afraid when they are +present” (Jer 1:8); “The Lord is my light and my +salvation, whom sliall I fear” (Ps 26:1 ).</p> +<p>Thirdly, we see the reaction of the disciples, for <span style= +"font-weight: bold">They then wanted to take him into the +boat.</span> This signifies that we receive Christ by love and +contemplation after servile fear has been taken out of our hearts: +“I stand at the door and knock. If any one opens it for me, I +will enter” (Rv 3:20).</p> +<p>883 There were two exterior effects: the storm abated, and their +boat suddenly landed, although it had just been at a distance from +the shore, for our Lord gave them a calm journey, without danger. +He himself did not enter the boat because he wished to accomplish a +greater miracle. So here we have three miracles: the walking on the +sea, the quick calming of the storm, and the sudden arrival of the +boat on the land although it had been far away. We learn from this +that the faithful, in whom Christ is present, put down the swelling +pride of this world, tread under their feet its waves of +tribulation, and cross quickly to the land of the living: +“Your good spirit will lead me to land” (Ps +142:10).</p> +<p>884 There are a number of difficulties here. The first concerns +the literal sense: Matthew (14:22) seems to conflict with our +present account for he says that the disciples were told by Christ +to go the shore, while here it says the disciples went there to +search for him. Another difficulty is that Matthew (14:34) says +that the disciples crossed over to Gennesaret, while we read here +that they came to Capernaum. The third difficulty is that Matthew +(14:32) says that Christ got into the boat, but here he did +not.</p> +<p>Chrysostom settles these difficulties quite briefly by saying +that the two accounts do not deal with the same miracle. For, as he +says, Christ frequently miraculously walked upon the sea in front +of his disciples, but not for the people, lest they think he did +not have a real body. But, according to Augustine, and this is the +better opinion, John and Matthew are describing the same miracle. +Augustine answers the first difficulty by saying it makes no +difference that Matthew says the disciples went down to the shore +because our Lord told them to. For it is possible that our Lord did +so, and they went believing that he would sail with them. And that +is why they waited until night, and when Christ did not come, they +crossed by themselves.</p> +<p>There are two answers to the second difficulty. One is that +Capernaum and Gennesaret are neighboring towns on the same shore. +And perhaps the disciples landed at a place near both, so that +Matthew mentions one and John the other. Or, it might be said that +Matthew does not say that they came to Gennesaret immediately, they +could have come first to Capernaurn and then to Gennesaret. [The +answer to the third difficulty is not given.]</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE 3</span></p> +<blockquote> +<p>22 On the next day, the crowd that stood on the other side of +the sea saw that there was no second boat there, but only one, and +that Jesus had not gone into the boat, but only his disciples had +gone. 23 But other boats arrived from Tiberias, near the place +where they had eaten the bread, after having given thanks to God. +24 When therefore the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his +disciples, they got into the boats and set off for Capernaum, +looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the +sea, they said: “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 +Jesus replied and said:</p> +<dl> +<dd>“Amen, amen, I say to you:</dd> +<dd>you seek me not because you have seen miracles,</dd> +<dd>but because you have eaten of the bread</dd> +<dd>and have been filled.</dd> +<dd>27 Do not work for the food that perishes,</dd> +<dd>but for that which endures to eternal life,</dd> +<dd>which the Son of Man will give you,</dd> +<dd>for on him has God the Father set his seal.”<br /> +28 Then they said to him: “What must we do that we may +perform the works of God?” 29 Jesus replied and said to +them:</dd> +<dd>“This is the work of God,</dd> +<dd>that you believe in him whom he sent.”<br /> +30 They then said to him: “What sign then are you going to +give that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 +Our fathers ate ffianna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He +gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>885 After having described how the disciples searched for +Christ, the Evangelist now shows the people looking for him. First, +he states their motive; secondly, the occasion; and thirdly, the search itself (v 24).</p> -<p>886 The crowd of people was looking for Christ because of the miracle mentioned above, that -is, because he had crossed the sea without using any boat. They realized this because the other -evening he had not been on the shore near where he had performed the miracle of the bread, and -where there had been only one boat which had left for the opposite shore with the disciples, but -without Christ. So that morning, when they could not find Christ on this side, since he was -already on the other side although there was no other boat he could have used, they suspected that -he had crossed by walking upon the sea. And this is what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">On the next day, </span>following -the one on which he had worked the miracle of the bread, <span style="font-weight: bold">the crowd that stood on the other -side of the sea</span>, where he had performed this miracle, <span style="font-weight: bold">saw that there was no second boat there, -but only one, </span>because the day before that was the only one there, and they had seen <span style="font-weight: bold">that Jesus -had not gone into the boat, but only his disciples had gone. </span>This one ship signifies the -Church, which is one by its unity of faith and sacraments: “One faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5). -Again, our Lord’s absence from his disciples signifies his physical absence from them at the -ascension: “After the Lord Jesus spoke to them, he was taken up into heaven” (Mk 16:19).</p> -<p>887 It was the arrival of other boats from the opposite side of the sea that gave the people the -opportunity to look for Christ; they could cross on these and search for him. He says: <span style="font-weight: bold">But other -boats arrived, </span>from the other side, that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">from Tiberias, near the place where they had eaten -the bread, after having given thanks to God.</span></p> -<p>These other boats signify the various sects of heretics and of those who seek their own profit, and -not the good of Jesus Christ: “You seek me ... because you have eaten of the bread and have been -filled” (v 26). These groups are either separated in faith, as are the heretics, or in the love of -charity, as are the carnal, who are not properly in the Church, but next to it, insofar as they have -a feigned faith and the appearance of holiness: “They have the appearance of devotion, but deny -its power” (2 Tim 3:5); “Do not be surprised if the ministers of Satan disguise themselves” (2 -Cor 11:14).</p> -<p>888 The people were eager to find Christ. First, he shows how they looked for him; secondly, -how they questioned him after they found him (v 25).</p> -<p>889 He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">When the people saw that Jesus was not there, </span>nor <span style="font-weight: bold">his disciples, they got into -the boats, </span>which had come from Tiberias, <span style="font-weight: bold">looking for Jesus; </span>and this is praiseworthy: “Search -for the Lord while he can be found” (Is 55:6); “Seek the Lord, and your soul will have life” (Ps -68:33).</p> -<p>890 Once they found him, they questioned him. <span style="font-weight: bold">When they, </span>the people, <span style="font-weight: bold">found him, </span>Christ, <span style="font-weight: bold">on -the other side of the sea, </span>they asked him: <span style="font-weight: bold">Rabbi, when did you come here? </span>This can be -understood in two ways. In the first way, they were asking about the time only. And then, -Chrysostom says, they should be rebuked for their rudeness, because, after such a miracle, they -did not ask how he crossed without a boat, but only when he did so. Or, it can be said that by -asking <span style="font-weight: bold">when, </span>they wanted to know not just the time, but the other circumstances connected with -this miraculous crossing.</p> -<p>891 Note that now, after they have found Christ, they do not wish do make him their king, while -before, after he had fed them, they did. They wanted to make him their king then because they -were emotionally excited with the joy of their meal; but such emotions quickly pass. So it is that -things that we plan according to our emotions do not last; but matters that we arrange by our -reason last longer: “A wise man continues on in his wisdom like the sun; a fool changes like the -moon” (Sir 27:12); “The work of the wicked will not last” (Prv 11:18)</p> -<p>892 Then (v 26), our Lord begins to mention a food that is spiritual. First, he states a truth about -this spiritual food. In the second place, he clears up a misunderstanding (6:41). As to the first he -does three things. First, he presents a truth about this spiritual food; secondly, he mentions its -origin; and thirdly, he tells 4hem how this spiritual food is to be acquired (6:34). He does two -things about the first. First, he explains this spiritual food and its power; in the second place, he -tells what this food is (v 28). As to the first, he does two things. First, he rebukes them for their -disordered desires; in the second place, he urges them to accept the truth (v 27).</p> -<p>893 He says, Amen, amen, I say to you, that although you seem to be devout, <span style="font-weight: bold">you seek me not -because you have seen miracles, but because you have eaten of the bread and have been -filled. </span>As if to say: You seek me, not for the sake of the spirit, but for the sake of the flesh, -because you hope for more food. As Augustine says, these people represent those who seek Jesus -not for himself, but in order to gain certain worldly advantages: as those engaged in some -business call on clerics and prelates, not for the sake of Christ, but so that through their -intervention they might be advanced into the ranks of those who are important; and like those -who hurry to the churches, not for Christ, but because they have been urged to do so by those -who are more powerful; and like those who approach our Lord for sacred orders not because they -desire the merits of the virtues, but because they are looking for the satisfactions of this present -life, as wealth and praise, as Gregory says in his <i>Moralia</i>. This is obvious: for to perform -miracles is a work of divine power, but to eat loaves of bread which have been multiplied is -temporal. Accordingly, those who do not come to Christ because of the power they see in him, -but because they eat his bread, are not serving Christ but their own stomachs, as we see from -Philippians (3:19); and again, “He will praise you when you are good to him,” as we read in the -Psalm (48:19).</p> -<p>894 He leads them back to the truth by calling their attention to spiritual food, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do not -work for the food that perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life. </span>First, he mentions -its power; secondly, that it comes from him, <span style="font-weight: bold">which the Son of Man will give you.</span></p> -<p>895 The power of this food is seen in the fact that it does not perish. In this respect we should -point out that material things are likenesses of spiritual things, since they are caused and -produced by them; and consequently they resemble spiritual things in some way. Now just as the -body is sustained by food, so that which sustains the spirit is called its food, whatever it might -be. The food that sustains the body is perishable, since it is converted into the nature of the body; -but the food that sustains the spirit is not perishable, because it is not converted into the spirit; -rather, the spirit is converted into its food. Hence Augustine says in his <i>Confessions</i>: “I am the -food of the great; grow and you will eat me. But you will not change me into yourself, as you do -bodily food, but you will be changed into me.”</p> -<p>So our Lord says: work, i.e., seek by your work, or merit by your works, <span style="font-weight: bold">not for the food that -perishes, </span>i.e., bodily food: “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food, but God will -destroy both” (1 Cor 6:13), because we will not always need food; but <span style="font-weight: bold">work for that which, </span>that -is, the spiritual food, <span style="font-weight: bold">endures to eternal life. </span>This food is God himself, insofar as he is the Truth -which is to be contemplated and the Goodness which is to be loved, which nourish the spirit: -“Eat my bread” (Prv 9:5); “Wisdom will feed him with the bread of life and understanding” (Sir -15:5). Again, this food is the obedience to the divine commands: “My food is to do the will of -him who sent me” (above 4:34). Also, it is Christ himself: “I am the bread of life” (6:35); “My -flesh truly is food and my blood truly is drink” (6:56): and this is so insofar as the flesh of Christ -is joined to the Word of God, which is the food by which the angels live. The difference between -bodily and spiritual food which he gives here, is like the one he gave before between bodily and -spiritual drink: “Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water -that I give, will never be thirsty again” (4:13). The reason for this is that bodily things are -perishable, while spiritual things, and especially God, are eternal.</p> -<p>896 We should note that according to Augustine, in his work, <i>On the Labor of Monks, </i>that -certain monks misunderstood our Lord’s saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do not work for the food that perishes, </span>and -claimed that spiritual men should not perform physical work. But this interpretation is false -because Paul, who was most spiritual, worked with his hands: as we read in Ephesians, there he -says (4:28): “Let him who stole, steal no longer, rather let him work with his hands.” The correct -interpretation, therefore, is that we should direct our work, i.e., our main interest and intention, -to seeking the food that leads to eternal life, that is, spiritual goods. In regard to temporal goods, -they should not be our principal aim but a subordinate one, that is, they are to be acquired only -because of our mortal body, which has to be nourished as long as we are living this present life. -So the Apostle speaks against this opinion, saying: “If any one will not work, neither let him eat” -(2 Thes 3:10); as if to say: those who maintain that physical work is not to be done should not -eat, since eating is physical.</p> -<p>897 Next (v 27), he mentions the one who gives this spiritual food. First, we see the author of -this food; secondly, the source of his authority to give us this food. Christ is the author of this -spiritual food, and the one who gives it to us. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">which, </span>that is, the food that does not -perish, <span style="font-weight: bold">the Son of Man will give you. </span>If he had said, “the Son of God,” it would not have been -unexpected; but he captures their attention by saying that <span style="font-weight: bold">the Son of Man </span>gives this food. Yet -the Son of Man gives this food in a spiritual way, because human nature, weakened by sin, found -spiritual food distasteful, and was not able to take it in its spirituality. Thus it was necessary for -the Son of Man to assume flesh and nourish us with it: “You have prepared a table before me” -(Ps 22:5).</p> -<p>898 He adds the source of his authority to give us this food when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">for on him has God -the Father set his seal. </span>As if to say: the Son of Man will give us this food because he surpasses -all the sons of men by his unique and preeminent fulness of grace. Thus he says, on him, i.e., on -the Son of Man, <span style="font-weight: bold">has God the Father set his seal, </span>i.e., he has significantly distinguished him -from others: “God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows” (Ps +<p>886 The crowd of people was looking for Christ because of the +miracle mentioned above, that is, because he had crossed the sea +without using any boat. They realized this because the other +evening he had not been on the shore near where he had performed +the miracle of the bread, and where there had been only one boat +which had left for the opposite shore with the disciples, but +without Christ. So that morning, when they could not find Christ on +this side, since he was already on the other side although there +was no other boat he could have used, they suspected that he had +crossed by walking upon the sea. And this is what he says: +<span style="font-weight: bold">On the next day,</span> following +the one on which he had worked the miracle of the bread, +<span style="font-weight: bold">the crowd that stood on the other +side of the sea</span>, where he had performed this miracle, +<span style="font-weight: bold">saw that there was no second boat +there, but only one,</span> because the day before that was the +only one there, and they had seen <span style= +"font-weight: bold">that Jesus had not gone into the boat, but only +his disciples had gone.</span> This one ship signifies the Church, +which is one by its unity of faith and sacraments: “One +faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5). Again, our Lord’s +absence from his disciples signifies his physical absence from them +at the ascension: “After the Lord Jesus spoke to them, he was +taken up into heaven” (Mk 16:19).</p> +<p>887 It was the arrival of other boats from the opposite side of +the sea that gave the people the opportunity to look for Christ; +they could cross on these and search for him. He says: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">But other boats arrived,</span> from the other +side, that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">from Tiberias, near +the place where they had eaten the bread, after having given thanks +to God.</span></p> +<p>These other boats signify the various sects of heretics and of +those who seek their own profit, and not the good of Jesus Christ: +“You seek me ... because you have eaten of the bread and have +been filled” (v 26). These groups are either separated in +faith, as are the heretics, or in the love of charity, as are the +carnal, who are not properly in the Church, but next to it, insofar +as they have a feigned faith and the appearance of holiness: +“They have the appearance of devotion, but deny its +power” (2 Tim 3:5); “Do not be surprised if the +ministers of Satan disguise themselves” (2 Cor 11:14).</p> +<p>888 The people were eager to find Christ. First, he shows how +they looked for him; secondly, how they questioned him after they +found him (v 25).</p> +<p>889 He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">When the people saw +that Jesus was not there,</span> nor <span style= +"font-weight: bold">his disciples, they got into the boats,</span> +which had come from Tiberias, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">looking for Jesus;</span> and this is +praiseworthy: “Search for the Lord while he can be +found” (Is 55:6); “Seek the Lord, and your soul will +have life” (Ps 68:33).</p> +<p>890 Once they found him, they questioned him. <span style= +"font-weight: bold">When they,</span> the people, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">found him,</span> Christ, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">on the other side of the sea,</span> they asked +him: <span style="font-weight: bold">Rabbi, when did you come +here?</span> This can be understood in two ways. In the first way, +they were asking about the time only. And then, Chrysostom says, +they should be rebuked for their rudeness, because, after such a +miracle, they did not ask how he crossed without a boat, but only +when he did so. Or, it can be said that by asking <span style= +"font-weight: bold">when,</span> they wanted to know not just the +time, but the other circumstances connected with this miraculous +crossing.</p> +<p>891 Note that now, after they have found Christ, they do not +wish do make him their king, while before, after he had fed them, +they did. They wanted to make him their king then because they were +emotionally excited with the joy of their meal; but such emotions +quickly pass. So it is that things that we plan according to our +emotions do not last; but matters that we arrange by our reason +last longer: “A wise man continues on in his wisdom like the +sun; a fool changes like the moon” (Sir 27:12); “The +work of the wicked will not last” (Prv 11:18)</p> +<p>892 Then (v 26), our Lord begins to mention a food that is +spiritual. First, he states a truth about this spiritual food. In +the second place, he clears up a misunderstanding (6:41). As to the +first he does three things. First, he presents a truth about this +spiritual food; secondly, he mentions its origin; and thirdly, he +tells 4hem how this spiritual food is to be acquired (6:34). He +does two things about the first. First, he explains this spiritual +food and its power; in the second place, he tells what this food is +(v 28). As to the first, he does two things. First, he rebukes them +for their disordered desires; in the second place, he urges them to +accept the truth (v 27).</p> +<p>893 He says, Amen, amen, I say to you, that although you seem to +be devout, <span style="font-weight: bold">you seek me not because +you have seen miracles, but because you have eaten of the bread and +have been filled.</span> As if to say: You seek me, not for the +sake of the spirit, but for the sake of the flesh, because you hope +for more food. As Augustine says, these people represent those who +seek Jesus not for himself, but in order to gain certain worldly +advantages: as those engaged in some business call on clerics and +prelates, not for the sake of Christ, but so that through their +intervention they might be advanced into the ranks of those who are +important; and like those who hurry to the churches, not for +Christ, but because they have been urged to do so by those who are +more powerful; and like those who approach our Lord for sacred +orders not because they desire the merits of the virtues, but +because they are looking for the satisfactions of this present +life, as wealth and praise, as Gregory says in his <i>Moralia</i>. +This is obvious: for to perform miracles is a work of divine power, +but to eat loaves of bread which have been multiplied is temporal. +Accordingly, those who do not come to Christ because of the power +they see in him, but because they eat his bread, are not serving +Christ but their own stomachs, as we see from Philippians (3:19); +and again, “He will praise you when you are good to +him,” as we read in the Psalm (48:19).</p> +<p>894 He leads them back to the truth by calling their attention +to spiritual food, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do not +work for the food that perishes, but for that which endures to +eternal life.</span> First, he mentions its power; secondly, that +it comes from him, <span style="font-weight: bold">which the Son of +Man will give you.</span></p> +<p>895 The power of this food is seen in the fact that it does not +perish. In this respect we should point out that material things +are likenesses of spiritual things, since they are caused and +produced by them; and consequently they resemble spiritual things +in some way. Now just as the body is sustained by food, so that +which sustains the spirit is called its food, whatever it might be. +The food that sustains the body is perishable, since it is +converted into the nature of the body; but the food that sustains +the spirit is not perishable, because it is not converted into the +spirit; rather, the spirit is converted into its food. Hence +Augustine says in his <i>Confessions</i>: “I am the food of +the great; grow and you will eat me. But you will not change me +into yourself, as you do bodily food, but you will be changed into +me.”</p> +<p>So our Lord says: work, i.e., seek by your work, or merit by +your works, <span style="font-weight: bold">not for the food that +perishes,</span> i.e., bodily food: “Food is for the stomach, +and the stomach for food, but God will destroy both” (1 Cor +6:13), because we will not always need food; but <span style= +"font-weight: bold">work for that which,</span> that is, the +spiritual food, <span style="font-weight: bold">endures to eternal +life.</span> This food is God himself, insofar as he is the Truth +which is to be contemplated and the Goodness which is to be loved, +which nourish the spirit: “Eat my bread” (Prv 9:5); +“Wisdom will feed him with the bread of life and +understanding” (Sir 15:5). Again, this food is the obedience +to the divine commands: “My food is to do the will of him who +sent me” (above 4:34). Also, it is Christ himself: “I +am the bread of life” (6:35); “My flesh truly is food +and my blood truly is drink” (6:56): and this is so insofar +as the flesh of Christ is joined to the Word of God, which is the +food by which the angels live. The difference between bodily and +spiritual food which he gives here, is like the one he gave before +between bodily and spiritual drink: “Whoever drinks this +water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I +give, will never be thirsty again” (4:13). The reason for +this is that bodily things are perishable, while spiritual things, +and especially God, are eternal.</p> +<p>896 We should note that according to Augustine, in his work, +<i>On the Labor of Monks,</i> that certain monks misunderstood our +Lord’s saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Do not work +for the food that perishes,</span> and claimed that spiritual men +should not perform physical work. But this interpretation is false +because Paul, who was most spiritual, worked with his hands: as we +read in Ephesians, there he says (4:28): “Let him who stole, +steal no longer, rather let him work with his hands.” The +correct interpretation, therefore, is that we should direct our +work, i.e., our main interest and intention, to seeking the food +that leads to eternal life, that is, spiritual goods. In regard to +temporal goods, they should not be our principal aim but a +subordinate one, that is, they are to be acquired only because of +our mortal body, which has to be nourished as long as we are living +this present life. So the Apostle speaks against this opinion, +saying: “If any one will not work, neither let him eat” +(2 Thes 3:10); as if to say: those who maintain that physical work +is not to be done should not eat, since eating is physical.</p> +<p>897 Next (v 27), he mentions the one who gives this spiritual +food. First, we see the author of this food; secondly, the source +of his authority to give us this food. Christ is the author of this +spiritual food, and the one who gives it to us. Thus he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">which,</span> that is, the food +that does not perish, <span style="font-weight: bold">the Son of +Man will give you.</span> If he had said, “the Son of +God,” it would not have been unexpected; but he captures +their attention by saying that <span style="font-weight: bold">the +Son of Man</span> gives this food. Yet the Son of Man gives this +food in a spiritual way, because human nature, weakened by sin, +found spiritual food distasteful, and was not able to take it in +its spirituality. Thus it was necessary for the Son of Man to +assume flesh and nourish us with it: “You have prepared a +table before me” (Ps 22:5).</p> +<p>898 He adds the source of his authority to give us this food +when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">for on him has God +the Father set his seal.</span> As if to say: the Son of Man will +give us this food because he surpasses all the sons of men by his +unique and preeminent fulness of grace. Thus he says, on him, i.e., +on the Son of Man, <span style="font-weight: bold">has God the +Father set his seal,</span> i.e., he has significantly +distinguished him from others: “God, your God, has anointed +you with the oil of gladness above your fellows” (Ps 44:8).</p> -<p>Hilary explains it this way. <span style="font-weight: bold">God set his seal, </span>i.e., impressed with a seal. For when a seal is -impressed on wax, the wax retains the entire figure of the seal, just as the Son has received the -entire figure of the Father. Now the Son receives from the Father in two ways. One of these ways -is eternal, and <span style="font-weight: bold">set his seal </span>does not refey to this way, because when something is sealed the -nature receiving the seal is not the same as the nature impressing the seal. Rather, these words -should be understood as referring to the mystery of the incarnation, because God the Father has -impressed his Word on human nature; this Word who is “the brightness of his glory, and the -figure of his substance” (Heb 1:3).</p> -<p>Chrysostom explains it this way. God the Father has <span style="font-weight: bold">set his seal, </span>i.e., God the Father specifically -chose Christ to give eternal life to the world: “I came that they may have life” (below 10:10). For -when someone is chosen to perform some great task, he is said to be sealed for that task: “After -this, the Lord appointed (<i>designo, </i>appoint; <i>signo, </i>seal, mark) seventy other disciples” (Lk 10:1).</p> -<p>Or, it could be said that God the Father <span style="font-weight: bold">set his seal, </span>i.e., Christ was made known by the Father, -by his voice at Christ’s baptism, and by his works, as we saw in the fifth chapter.</p> -<p>899 Next (v 28), we see the nature of spiritual food. First, the Jews pose their question; in the -second place, we have the answer of Jesus Christ (v 29).</p> -<p>900 Concerning the first, we should note that the Jews, since they had been taught by the law, -believed that only God was eternal. So when Christ said that his food would endure to eternal -life, they understood that it would be a divine food. Thus when they question Christ, they do not -mention this food, but rather the work of God, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">What must we do that we may perform -the works of God? </span>Indeed, they were not far from the truth, since spiritual food is nothing else -than performing and accomplishing the works of God: “What shall I do to gain eternal life?” (Lk -18:18).</p> -<p>901 The Lord’s answer is given when he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the work of God, that you believe in him -whom he sent. </span>Here we should reflect that in Romans (4:2), the Apostle distinguished faith from -works, saying that Abraham was justified by his faith, not by his works. If this is so, why does -our Lord say here that to have faith, i.e., to believe, is a work of God? There are two answers to -this. One is that the Apostle is not distinguishing faith from absolutely all works, but only from -external works. External works, being performed by our body, are more noticeable, and so the -word “works” ordinarily refers to them. But there are other works, interior works, performed -within the soul, and these are known only to the wise and those converted in heart.</p> -<p>From another point of view, we can say that to believe can be regarded as included in our -external works, not in the sense that it is an external work, but because it is the source of these +<p>Hilary explains it this way. <span style="font-weight: bold">God +set his seal,</span> i.e., impressed with a seal. For when a seal +is impressed on wax, the wax retains the entire figure of the seal, +just as the Son has received the entire figure of the Father. Now +the Son receives from the Father in two ways. One of these ways is +eternal, and <span style="font-weight: bold">set his seal</span> +does not refey to this way, because when something is sealed the +nature receiving the seal is not the same as the nature impressing +the seal. Rather, these words should be understood as referring to +the mystery of the incarnation, because God the Father has +impressed his Word on human nature; this Word who is “the +brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance” +(Heb 1:3).</p> +<p>Chrysostom explains it this way. God the Father has <span style= +"font-weight: bold">set his seal,</span> i.e., God the Father +specifically chose Christ to give eternal life to the world: +“I came that they may have life” (below 10:10). For +when someone is chosen to perform some great task, he is said to be +sealed for that task: “After this, the Lord appointed +(<i>designo,</i> appoint; <i>signo,</i> seal, mark) seventy other +disciples” (Lk 10:1).</p> +<p>Or, it could be said that God the Father <span style= +"font-weight: bold">set his seal,</span> i.e., Christ was made +known by the Father, by his voice at Christ’s baptism, and by +his works, as we saw in the fifth chapter.</p> +<p>899 Next (v 28), we see the nature of spiritual food. First, the +Jews pose their question; in the second place, we have the answer +of Jesus Christ (v 29).</p> +<p>900 Concerning the first, we should note that the Jews, since +they had been taught by the law, believed that only God was +eternal. So when Christ said that his food would endure to eternal +life, they understood that it would be a divine food. Thus when +they question Christ, they do not mention this food, but rather the +work of God, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">What must we +do that we may perform the works of God?</span> Indeed, they were +not far from the truth, since spiritual food is nothing else than +performing and accomplishing the works of God: “What shall I +do to gain eternal life?” (Lk 18:18).</p> +<p>901 The Lord’s answer is given when he says: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">This is the work of God, that you believe in +him whom he sent.</span> Here we should reflect that in Romans +(4:2), the Apostle distinguished faith from works, saying that +Abraham was justified by his faith, not by his works. If this is +so, why does our Lord say here that to have faith, i.e., to +believe, is a work of God? There are two answers to this. One is +that the Apostle is not distinguishing faith from absolutely all +works, but only from external works. External works, being +performed by our body, are more noticeable, and so the word +“works” ordinarily refers to them. But there are other +works, interior works, performed within the soul, and these are +known only to the wise and those converted in heart.</p> +<p>From another point of view, we can say that to believe can be +regarded as included in our external works, not in the sense that +it is an external work, but because it is the source of these works.</p> -<p>Thus he significantly says: <span style="font-weight: bold">that you believe in him </span>(<i>in illum</i>)<i>. </i>Now it is one thing to say: “I -believe in God,” (<i>credere Deum</i>),<i> </i>for this indicates the object. It is another thing to say: “I believe -God,” (<i>credere Deo</i>),<i> </i>for this indicates the one who testifies. And it is still another thing to say: -“I believe in God,” (<i>in Deum</i>), for this indicates the end. Thus God can be regarded as the object -of faith, as the one who testifies, and as the end, but in different ways. For the object of faith can -be a creature, as when I believe in the creation of the heavens. Again, a creature can he one who -testifies, for I believe Paul (<i>credo Paulo</i>) or any of the saints. But only God can be the end of -faith, for our mind is directed to God alone as its end. Now the end, since it has the character of -a good, is the object of love. Thus, to believe in God (<i>in Deum</i>)<i> </i>as in an end is proper to faith -living through the love of charity. Faith, living in this way, is the principle of all our good works; -and in this sense to believe is said to be a work of God.</p> -<p>902 But if faith is a work of God, how do men do the works of God? Isaiah (26:12) gives us the -answer when he says: “You have accomplished all our works for us.” For the fact that we believe, -and any good we do, is from God: “It is God who is working in us, both to will and to -accomplish” (Phil 2:13). Thus he explicitly says that to believe is a work of God in order to show -us that faith is a gift of God, as Ephesians (2:8) maintains.</p> -<p>903 Next, we see the origin of this food. First, we have the question asked by the Jews; secondly, -the answer of Christ (v 32). Three things are done about the first: first, the Jews look for a sign; -secondly, they decide what it should be; and thirdly, they bring in what is narrated in Scripture.</p> -<p>904 They look for a sign by asking Christ: <span style="font-weight: bold">What sign then are you going to give that we may -see and believe you? </span>This question is explained differently by Augustine and by Chrysostom. -Chrysostom says that our Lord was leading them to the faith. But the evidence that leads one to -the faith are miracles: “Signs were given to unbelievers” (1 Cor 14:22). And so the Jews were -looking for a sign in order to believe, Afor it is their custom to seek such signs: “For Jews -demand signs” (1 Cor 14:22). So they say: <span style="font-weight: bold">What sign then are you going to </span>give?</p> -<p>But it seems foolish to ask for a miracle for this reason, for Christ had just performed some in -their presence which could lead them to believe, as multiplying the bread and walking on the -water. What they were asking was that our Lord always provide them with food. This is clear -because the only sign they mention is the one given by Moses to their ancestors for forty years, -and they ask in this way that Christ always provide food for them. Thus they say: <span style="font-weight: bold">Our fathers -ate manna in the desert. </span>They did not say that God provided their ancestors with the manna, so -that they would not seem to be making Christ equal to God. Again, they did not say that Moses -fed their ancestors, so they would not seem to be preferring Moses to Christ, trying in this way -to influence our Lord. We read of this food: “Man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77:25).</p> -<p>905 According to Augustine, however, our Lord had said that he would give thein food that -would endure to eternal life. Thus, he seemed to put himself above Moses. The Jews, on the other -hand, considered Moses greater than Christ; so they said: “We know that God spoke to Moses, -but we do not know where this man is from” (below 9:29). Accordingly, they required Christ to -accomplish greater things than Moses; and so they recall what Moses did, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Our Fathers -ate manna in the desert. </span>As if to say: What you say about yourself is greater than what Moses -did, for you are promising a food that does not perish, while the manna that Moses gave became -wormy if saved for the next day. Therefore, if we are to believe you, do something greater than -Moses did. Although you have fed five thousand men once with five barley loaves, this is not -greater than what Moses did, for he fed all the people with manna from heaven for forty years, -and in the desert too: “He gave them the bread of heaven” (Ps 77:24).</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 4</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>32 Jesus therefore said to them: -<DD>“Amen, amen, I say to you: -<DD>Moses did not give you bread from heaven, -<DD>but my Father gives you true bread from heaven. -<DD>33 For the true bread is that which descends -<DD>from heaven, and gives life to the world.” -<BR>34 They then said to him: “Lord, give us this bread always.” 35 But Jesus said to them: -<DD>“I am the bread of life. -<DD>Whoever comes to me shall not hunger; -<DD>and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. -<DD>36 But I have told you that you have both seen me -<DD>and do not believe. -<DD>37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me; -<DD>and the one who comes to me I will not cast out, -<DD>38 because I have come down from heaven, -<DD>not to do my own will, -<DD>but the will of him who sent me. -<DD>39 Now it is the will of him who sent me, the Father, -<DD>that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing, -<DD>but raise it up on the last day. -<DD>40 For this is the will of my Father, who sent me, -<DD>that every one who sees the Son and believes in him, -<DD>should have eternal life. -<DD>And I will raise him up on the last day.”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>906 Having told us the question the Jews had asked Christ, the Evangelist now gives his answer. -First, Christ tells us of the origin of this spiritual food; secondly, he proves what he has just said -(v 33).</p> -<p>907 Concerning the first, we should note that the Jews had mentioned two things to Christ -concerning the bodily food which had been given to their ancestors: the one who gave this food, -Moses, and the place, that is, from heaven. Accordingly, when our Lord tells them about the -origin of spiritual food, he does not mention these two, for he says that there is another who gives -this food and another place. He says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Amen, amen, I say to you: Moses did not give you bread -from heaven. </span>There is another who gives to you, that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">my Father; </span>and he gives, not, just -bodily bread, but <span style="font-weight: bold">the true bread from heaven.</span></p> -<p>908 But was it not true bread that their ancestors had in the desert? I answer that if you -understand “true” as contrasted with “false,” then they had true bread, for the miracle of the -manna was a true miracle. But if “true” is contrasted with “symbolic,” then that bread was not -true, but was a symbol of spiritual bread, that is, of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom that manna -signified, as the Apostle says: “All ate the same spiritual food” (1 Cor 10:3).</p> -<p>909 When the Psalm (77:24) says, “He gave them the bread of heaven,” this seems to conflict -with, <span style="font-weight: bold">Moses did not give you bread from heaven. </span>I answer that the word “heaven” can be -understood in three ways. Sometimes it can mean the air, as in “The birds of heaven ate them” -(Mt 13:4); and also in, “The Lord thundered from heaven” (Ps 14:14). Sometimes “heaven” -means the starry sky; as in, “The highest heaven is the Lord’s” (Ps 113:16), and in, “The stars -will fall from heaven” (Mt 24:19). Thirdly, it can signify goods of a spiritual nature, as in -“Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven” (Mt 5:12). So the manna was from -heaven, not the heaven of the stars or of spiritual food, but from the air. Or, the manna was said -to be from heaven insofar as it was a symbol of the true bread from heaven, our Lord Jesus -Christ.</p> -<p>910 When he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">For the true bread is that which descends from heaven, and gives life to -the world, </span>he proves that it is from heaven by its effect. For the true heaven is spiritual in nature, -and has life by its own essence; therefore, of itself, it gives life: “It is the spirit that gives life” -(below 6:64). Now God himself is the author of life. Therefore, we know that this spiritual bread -is from heaven when it produces its proper effect, if it gives life. That bodily bread used by the -Jews did not give life, since all who ate the nianna died. But this [spiritual]<i> </i>bread does give life, -so he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">the true bread, </span>not that symbolic bread, <span style="font-weight: bold">is that which descends from heaven. </span>This -is clear, because it <span style="font-weight: bold">gives life to the world: </span>for Christ, who is the true bread, gives life to whom -he wills: “I came that they may have life” (below 10:10). He also descended from heaven: “No -one has gone up to heaven except the One who came down from heaven” (above 3:13). Thus -Christ, the true bread, gives life to the world by reason of his divinity; and he descends from -heaven by reason of his human nature, for as we said on the prior text, he came down from -heaven by assuming human nature: “He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2:7).</p> -<p>911 Now he considers the acquisition of this spiritual food. First, we see the Jews asking for it; -secondly, he shows the way it is acquired (v 3 5).</p> -<p>912 We should note with respect to the first, that the Jews understood what Christ said in a -material way; and so, because they desired material things, they were looking for material bread -from Christ. Hence they said to him, <span style="font-weight: bold">Lord, give us this bread always, </span>which physically -nourishes us. The Samaritan woman also understood what our Lord said about spiritual water in -a material way, and wishing to slake her thirst, said, “Give me this water” (above 4:15). And -although these people understood what our Lord said about food in a material way, and asked for -it this way, we are expected to ask for it as understood in a spiritual way: “Give us this day our -daily bread” (Mt 6:11), because we cannot live without this bread.</p> -<p>913 Then, he shows how this bread is acquired. First, he shows what this bread is; secondly, how -to obtain it (v 37). Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he explains what this bread -is, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life; </span>secondly, he gives the reason for this, <span style="font-weight: bold">Whoever comes to me shall -not hunger; </span>thirdly, he shows why this had to be explained (v 36).</p> -<p>914 Jesus said to them: <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life, </span>for as we saw above, the word of wisdom is the -proper food of the mind, because the mind is sustained by it: “He fed him with the bread of life -and understanding” (Sir 15:3). Now the bread of wisdom is called the bread of life to distinguish -it from material bread, which is the bread of death, and which serves only to restore what has -been lost by a mortal organism; hence material bread is necessary only during this mortal life. -But the bread of divine wisdom is life-giving of itself, and no death can affect it. Again, material -bread does not give life, but only sustains for a time a life that already exists. But spiritual bread -actually gives life: for the soul begins to live because it adheres to the word of God: “For with -you is the fountain of life,” as we see in the Psalm (35:10). Therefore, since every word of -wisdom is derived from the Only Begotten Word of God—The fountain of wisdom is the Only -Begotten of God” (Sir 1:5)—this Word of God is especially called the bread of life. Thus Christ -says, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life. </span>And because the flesh of Christ is united to the Word of God, it also -is life-giving. Thus, too, his body, sacramentally received, is life-giving: for Christ gives life to -the world through the mysteries which he accomplished in his flesh. Consequently, the flesh of -Christ, because of the Word of the Lord, is not the bread of ordinary life, but of that life which -does not die. And so the flesh of Christ is called bread: “The bread of Asher is rich” (Gn 49:20).</p> -<p>His flesh was also signified by the manna. “Manna” means “What is this?” because when the -Jews saw it they wondered, and asked each other what it was. But nothing is more a source of -wonder than the Son of God made man, so that everyone can fittingly ask, “What is this?” That -is, how can the Son of God be the Son of Man? How can Christ be one person with two natures? -“His name will be called Wonderful” (Is 9:6). It is also a cause for wonder how Christ can be -present in the sacrament.</p> -<p>915 Next (v 35), he gives the reason for this from the effect of this [spiritual] bread. When -material bread is eaten, it does not permanently take away our hunger, since it must be destroyed -in order to build us up; and this is necessary if we are to be nourished. But spiritual bread, which -gives life of itself, is never destroyed; consequently, a person who eats it once never hungers -again. Thus he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Whoever comes to me shall not hunger; and whoever believes in me -shall never thirst.</span></p> -<p>According to Augustine, it is the same thing to say, <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever comes</span>, as to say, <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever believes</span>: -since it is the same to come to Christ and to believe in him , for we do not come to God with -bodily steps, but with those of the mind, the first of which is faith. To eat and to drink are also -the same: for each signifies that eternal fulness where there is no want: “Blessed are they who -hunger and thirst for what is right, for they will be filled” (Mt 5:6); so that food which sustains -and that drink which refreshes are one and the same.</p> -<p>One reason why temporal things do not take away our thirst permanently is that they are not -consumed altogether, but only bit by bit, and with motion, so that there is always still more to be -consumed. For this reason, just as there is enjoyment and satisfaction from what has been -consumed, so there is a desire for what is still to come. Another reason is that they are destroyed; -hence the recollection of them remains and generates a repeated longing for those things. -Spiritual things, on the other hand, are taken all at once, and they are not destroyed, nor do they -run out; and consequently the fulness they produce remains forever: “They will neither hunger -nor thirst” (Rv 7:16); “Your face will fill me with joy; the delights in your right hand (i.e., in -spiritual goods) will last forever,” as the Psalm (16:11) says.</p> -<p>916 Then (v 36), we see why Christ had to explain these things. For someone could say: We -asked for bread; but you did not answer, “I will give it to you,” or “I will not.” Rather, you say, -I am the bread of life; and so your answer does not seem to be appropriate. But our Lord shows -that it is a good answer, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">I have told you that you have both seen me and do not -believe. </span>This is the same as a person having bread right in front of him without his knowing it, -and then being told: Look! The bread is right before you. And so Christ says: <span style="font-weight: bold">I have told you (I -am the bread of life) that you have both seen me and do not believe, </span>i.e., you want bread, and -it is right before you; and yet you do not take it because you do not believe. In saying this he is -censuring them for their unbelief: “They have seen and hated both me and my Father” (below -15:24).</p> -<p>917 Then (v 37), he shows how this bread is acquired. First, he mentions the way to acquire it; -secondly, the end attained by those who come to him (v 37b); thirdly, he enlarges on this (v 38).</p> -<p>918 Concerning the first, we should note that the very fact that we believe is a gift of God to us: -“You are saved by grace, through faith; and this is not due to yourself, for it is the gift of God” -(Eph 2:8); “It has been granted to you not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him” (Phil -1:29). Sometimes, God the Father is said to give those who believe to the Son, as here: <span style="font-weight: bold">All that -the Father gives me shall come to me. </span>At other times, the Son is said to give them to the Father, -as in 1 Corinthians (15~24): “He will hand over the kingdom to God and the Father.” We can see -from this that just as the Father does not deprive himself of the kingdom in giving to the Son, -neither does the Son in giving to the Father. The Father gives to the Son insofar as the Father -makes a person adhere to his Word: “Through whom (that is, the Father) you have been called -into the fellowship of his Son” (1 Cor 1:9). The Son, on the other hand, gives to the Father -insofar as the Word makes the Father known: “I have made known your name to those you have -given ine” (below 17:6). Thus Christ says: <span style="font-weight: bold">All that the Father gives me shall come to me, </span>i.e., -those who believe in me, whom the Father makes adhere to me by his gift.</p> -<p>9 19 Perhaps some might say that it is not necessary for one to use God’s gift: for many receive -God’s gift and do not use it. So how can he say: <span style="font-weight: bold">All that the Father gives me shall come to me? -</span>We must say to this that in this giving we have to include not only the habit, which is faith, but -also the interior impulse to believe. So, everything which contributes to salvation is a gift of God.</p> -<p>920 There is another question. If everything which the Father gives to Christ comes to him, as -he says, then only those come to God whom the Father gives him. Thus, those who do not come -are not responsible, since they are not given to him. I answer that they are not responsible if they -cannot come to the faith without the help of God. But those who do not come are responsible, -because they create an obstacle to their own coming by turning away from salvation, the way to -which is of itself open to all.</p> -<p>921 Then (v 37b), the end attained by those who come is mentioned. For some might say, “We -will come to you, but you will not receive us.” To exclude this he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to -me, </span>by steps of faith and by good works, <span style="font-weight: bold">I will not cast out. </span>By this he lets us understand that -he is already within, for one must be within before one can be sent out. Let us consider, therefore, -what is interior, and how one is cast out from it.</p> -<p>We should point out that since all visible things are said to be exterior with respect to spiritual -things, then the more spiritual something is the more interior it is. What is interior is twofold. -The first is the most profound, and is the joy of eternal life. According to Augustine, this is a -sweet and most interior retreat, without any weariness, without the bitterness of evil thoughts, -and uninterrupted by temptations and sorrows. We read of this: “Share the joy of your Lord” (Mt -25:21); and, “You will hide them in the secret of your face,” that is, in the full vision of your -essence (Ps 30:2 1). From this interior no one is cast out: “He who conquers, I will make him a -pillar in the temple of the living God; and he will no longer leave it” (Rv 3:12), because “the just -will go to everlasting life,” as we see from Matthew (25:46). The other interior is that of an -upright conscience; and this is a spiritual joy. We read of this: “When I enter into my house I will -enjoy repose” (Wis 8:16); and “The king has brought me into his storerooms” (Sg 1:3). It is from -this interior, that some are cast out.</p> -<p>So, when our Lord says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me I will not cast out, </span>we can understand this -in two ways. In one way, those who come to him are those who have been given to him by the -Father through eternal predestination. Of these he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me, </span>predestined -by the Father, <span style="font-weight: bold">I will not cast out: </span>“God has not rejected his people, the people he chose” (Rom -11:2). In a second way, those who do go out are not cast out by Christ, rather, they cast -themselves out, because through their unbelief and sins they abandon the sanctuary of an upright -conscience. Thus we read: <span style="font-weight: bold">I will not cast out </span>such; but they do cast themselves out: “You are -the burden, and I will cast you aside, says the Lord” (Jer 23:33). It was in this way that the man -who came to the wedding feast without wedding clothes was cast out (Mt 22:13).</p> -<p>922 Next (v 3 8), he gives the reason for what he just said. First, he mentions his intention to -accomplish the will of the Father; secondly, he states what the will of the Father is (v 39); and -thirdly, he shows the final accomplishment of this will (v 40b).</p> -<p>923 Concerning the first, we should note that this passage can be read in two ways: either as -Augustine does, or following the interpretation of Chrysostom. Augustine understands it this -way: <span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me I will not cast out; </span>and this is because the one who comes to -me imitates my humility. In Matthew (11:29), after our Lord said, “Come to me, all you who -labor,” he added, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” Now the true gentleness -of the Son of God consists in the fact that he submitted his will to the will of the Father. Thus he -says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me I will not cast out, because I have come down from heaven, -not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. </span>Since a soul abandons God because -of its pride, it must return in humility, coming to Christ by imitating his humility; and this -humility of Christ was in not doing his own will, but the will of God the Father.</p> -<p>Here we should note that there were two wills in Christ. One pertains to his human nature, and -this will is proper to him, both by nature and by the will of the Father. His other will pertains to -his divine nature, and this will is the same as the will of the Father. Christ subordinated his own -will, that is, his human will, to the divine will, because, wishing to accomplish the will of the -Father, he was obedient to the Father’s will: “My God, I desired to do your will” (Ps 39:9). We -ask that this will be accomplished in our regard when we say, “Your will be done” (Mt 6:10). -Thus, those who do the will of God, not their own will, are not cast out. The devil, who wanted -to do his own will out of pride, was cast from heaven; and so too the first man was expelled from -paradise.</p> -<p>Chrysostom explains the passage this way. The reason I do not cast out one who comes to me is -because I have come to accomplish the will of the Father concerning the salvation of men. So, -if I have become incarnate for the salvation of men, how can I cast them out? And this is what -he says: I will not cast out one who comes, <span style="font-weight: bold">because I have come down from heaven, not to do -my own will, my </span>human will, so as to obtain my own benefit, <span style="font-weight: bold">but the will of him who sent me</span>, -that is, the Father, “He desires the salvation of all men” (1 Tim 2:4). And therefore, so far as I -am concerned, I do not cast out any person: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled -to God by the death of his Son, now much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by his -life” (Rom 5:10).</p> -<p>924 Then (v 39), he shows what the Father wills; and next, why he wills it (v 40).</p> -<p>925 He says: I will not cast out those who come to me, because I have taken flesh in order to do -the will of the Father: <span style="font-weight: bold">Now it is the will of him who sent me, the Father, </span>that those who come -to me <span style="font-weight: bold">I will not cast out; </span>and so I will not cast them out. “This is the will of God, your -sanctification” (1 Thes 4:3). Therefore he says that it is the will of the Father <span style="font-weight: bold">that of all that he, -</span>the Father, <span style="font-weight: bold">has given me I should lose nothing, </span>i.e., that I should lose nothing until the time of -the resurrection. At this time some will be lost, the wicked; but none of those given to Christ -through eternal predestination will be among them: “The way of the wicked will perish” (Ps 1:7). -Those, on the other hand, who are preserved until then, will not be lost.</p> -<p>Now when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">lose</span>, we should not understand this as implying that he needs such people -or that he is damaged if they perish. Rather, he says this because he desires their salvation and -what is good for them, which he regards as his own good.</p> -<p>926 What John later reports Christ as saying seems to conflict with this: “None of them,” that -is, of those you have given me, “have been lost except the son of perdition” (below 17:12). Thus, -some of those given to Christ through eternal predestination are lost. Accordingly, what he says -here, <span style="font-weight: bold">that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing, </span>is not true. We must say to this that -some are lost from among those given to Christ through a present justification; but none are lost -from among those given to him through eternal predestination.</p> -<p>927 Now he gives the reason for the divine will (v 40). The reason why the Father wills that I -lose nothing of all that he has given me is that the Father wills to bring men to life spiritually, -because he is the fountain of life. And since the Father is eternal, he wills, absolutely speaking, -that every one who comes to me should have eternal life. And this is what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">For this is -the will of my Father, who sent me, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him, -should have eternal life. </span>Note that he said above: “Whoever hears my voice and believes in him -who sent me, possesses eternal life” (above 5:24), while here he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">every one who sees the -Son and believes in him. </span>We can understand from this that the Father and the Son have the same -divine nature; and it is the vision of this, through its essence, that is our ultimate end and the -object of our faith. When he says here, <span style="font-weight: bold">sees the Son, </span>he is referring to the physical sight of Christ -which leads to faith, and not to this vision through essence which faith precedes. Thus he -expressly says, <span style="font-weight: bold">every one who sees the Son and believes in him: </span>“Whoever believes in him ... -will not encounter judgment, but has passed from death to life” (above 5:24); “These things are -written that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that believing you may have -life in his name” (below 20:3 1).</p> -<p>928 This will of the Father will also be accomplished. So he adds: <span style="font-weight: bold">And I will raise him up on -the last day, </span>for he wills that we have eternal life not just in our soul alone, but also in our body, -as Christ did at his resurrection: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: -some to an everlasting life, and others to everlasting shame” (Dn 12:2); “Christ, having risen -from the dead, will not die again” (Rom 6:9).</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE5</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>41 The Jews therefore grumbled about him because he had said, “I amthe living bread that has -come down from heaven.” 42 And they said: “Is he not the son of Joseph? Do we not know his -father and mother? How then can he say that he has come down from heaven?” 43 Jesus -responded and said to them: -<DD>“Stop grumbling among yourselves. -<DD>44 No one can come to me -<DD>unless the Father, who sent me, draws him. -<DD>And I will raise him up on the last day. -<DD>45 It is written in the prophets; -<DD>‘They shall all be taught by God.’ -<DD>Every one who has heard the Father and has learned, -<DD>comes to me. -<DD>46 Not that any one has seen the Father, -<DD>except the one who is from God— -<DD>he has seen the Father.”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>929 Those opinions that conflict with the above teaching of Christ are now rejected. First, those -of’ the people, who were discontented; secondly, those of the disciples, who were in a state of -doubt (v 61). He does two things about the first. First, we see the people grumble about the origin -of this spiritual food; secondly, we see Christ check the dispute which arose over the eating of -this spiritual food (v 53). As to the first he does two things. First, he mentions the grumbling of -the people; secondly, how it was checked (v 43). As to the first he does two things. First, he -shows the occasion for this complaining; secondly, what those complaining said (v 42).</p> -<p>930 He continues that some of the people were grumbling over what Christ had said, that is, -because Christ had said, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the living bread that has come down from heaven, </span>a spiritual -bread they did not understand or desire. And so they grumbled because their minds were not -fixed on spiritual things. They were following in this case the custom of their ancestors: “They -grumbled in their tents” (Ps 105:25); “Do not grumble, as some of them did” (1 Cor 10:10). As -Chrysostom says, they had not complained till now because they still hoped to obtain material -food; but as soon as they lost that hope, they began to grumble, although they pretended that it -was for a different reason. Yet they did not contradict him openly due to the respect they had for -him arising from his previous miracle.</p> -<p>931 He says those who complained said: <span style="font-weight: bold">Is he not the son of Joseph? </span>For since they were -earthly minded, they only considered Christ’s physical generation, which hindered them from -recognizing his spiritual and eternal generation. And so we see them speaking only of earthly -things, “He who is of earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things” (above 3:3 1), and not -understanding what is spiritual. Thus they said: <span style="font-weight: bold">How then can he say that he has come down -from heaven? </span>They called him the son of Joseph as this was the general opinion, for Joseph was -his foster father: “the son of Joseph (as was supposed)” (Lk 3:23).</p> -<p>932 Next (v 43), the grumbling of the people is checked. First, Christ stops this complaining; -secondly, he clears up their difficulty (v 47). As to the first he does two things. First, he checks -their complaining, secondly, he tells why they were doing it (v 44).</p> -<p>933 Jesus noticed that they were grumbling and checked them, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Stop grumbling among -yourselves. </span>This was good advice, for those who complain show that their minds are not firmly -fixed on God; and so we read in Wisdom (1:11): “Keep yourselves from grumbling, for it does -no good.”</p> -<p>934 The reason for their grumbling was their unbelief, and he shows this when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">No one -can come to me </span>.... First, he shows that if one is to come to Christ, he has to be drawn by the -Father. Secondly, he shows the way one is drawn (v 45). As to the first he does three things. First, -he mentions that coming to Christ surpasses human ability; secondly, the divine help we receive -for this; and thirdly, the end or fruit of this help.</p> -<p>That we should come to Christ through faith surpasses our human ability; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">No one -can come to me. </span>Secondly, divine help is effective in helping us to this; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">unless the -Father, who sent me, draws him. </span>The end or fruit of this help is the very best, so he adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">And -I will raise him up on the last day.</span></p> -<p>935 He says first: It is not unexpected that you are grumbling, because my Father had not yet -drawn you to me, for <span style="font-weight: bold">No one can come to me, </span>by believing in me, <span style="font-weight: bold">unless the Father, who sent -me, draws him.</span></p> -<p>There are three questions here. The first is about his saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">unless the Father draws him. </span>For -since we come to Christ by believing, then, as we said above, to come to Christ is to believe in -him. But no one can believe unless he wills to. Therefore, since to be drawn implies some kind -of compulsion, one who comes to Christ by being drawn is compelled.</p> -<p>I answer that what we read here about the Father drawing us does not imply coercion, because -there are some ways of being drawn that do not involve compulsion. Consequently, the Father -draws men to the Son in many ways, using the different ways in which we can be drawn without -compulsion. One person may draw another by persuading him with a reason. The Father draws -us to his Son in this way by showing us that he is his Son. He does this in two ways. First, by an -interior revelation, as in: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed -this to you (that is, that Christ is the Son of the living God), but it was done so by my Father” (Mt -16:17). Secondly, it can be done through miracles, which the Son has the power to do from the -Father: “The very works which my Father has given me to perform ... they bear witness to me” -(above 5:36).</p> -<p>Again, one person draws another by attracting or captivating him: “She captivated him with her -flattery” (Prv 7:21). This is the way the Father draws those who are devoted to Jesus on account -of the authority of the paternal greatness. For the Father, i.e., the paternal greatness, draws those -who believe in Christ because they believe that he is the Son of God. Arius—who did not believe -that Christ was the true Son of God, nor begotten of the substance of the Father—was not drawn -in this way. Neither was Photinus—who dogniatized that Christ was a mere man. So, this is the -way those who are captivated by his greatness are drawn by the Father. But they are also drawn -by the Son, through a wonderful joy and love of the truth, which is the very Son of God himself. -For if, as Augustine says, each of us is drawn by his own pleasure, how much more strongly -ought we to be drawn to Christ if we find our pleasure in truth, happiness, justice, eternal life: -all of which Christ is! Therefore, if we would be drawn by him, let us be drawn through love for -the truth, according to: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” -(Ps 36:4). And so in the Song of Solomon, the bride says: “Draw me after you, and we will run -to the fragrance of your perfume” (1:4).</p> -<p>An external revelation or an object are not the only things that draw us. There is also an interior -impulse that incites and moves us to believe. And so the Father draws many to the Son by the -impulse of a divine action, moving a person’s heart from within to believe: “It is God who is -working in us, both to will and to accomplish” (Phil 2:13); “1 will draw them with the cords of -Adam, with bands of love” (Hos 11:4); “The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; he turns -it wherever he wills” (Prv 2 1:1).</p> -<p>936 The second problem is this. We read that it is the Son who draws us to the Father: “No one -knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal him” (Mt 11:26); “1 have -made your name known to those you have given me” (below 17:6). So how can it say here that -it is the Father who draws us to the Son? This can be answered in two ways: for we can speak -of Christ either as a man, or as God. As man, Christ is the way: “I am the way” (below 14:6); and -as the Christ, he leads us to the Father, as a way or road leads to its end. The Father draws us to -Christ as man insofar as he gives us his own power so that we may believe in Christ: “You are -saved by grace, through faith; and this is not due to yourself, for it is the gift of God”’ (Eph 2:8). -Insofar as he is Christ, he is the Word of God and manifests the Father. It is in this way that the -Son draws us to the Father. But the Father draws us to the Son insofar as he manifests the Son.</p> -<p>937 The third problem concerns his saying that no one can come to Christ unless the Father -draws him. For according to this, if one does not come to Christ, it is not because of himself, but -is due to the one who does not draw him. I answer and say that, in truth, no one can come unless -drawn by the Father. For just as a heavy object by its nature cannot rise up, but has to be lifted -by someone else, so the human heart, which tends of itself to lower things, cannot rise to what -is above unless it is drawn or lifted. And if it does not rise up, this is not due to the failure of the -one lifting it, who, so far as lies in him, fails no one; rather, it is due to an obstacle in the one who -is not drawn or lifted up.</p> -<p>In this matter we can distinguish between those in the state of integral nature, and those in the -state of fallen nature. In the state of integral nature, there was no obstacle to being drawn up, and -thus all could share in it. But in the state of fallen nature, all are equally held back from this -drawing by the obstacle of sin; and so, all need to be drawn. God, in so far as it depends on him, -extends his hand to every one, to draw every one; and what is more, he not only draws those who -receive him by the hand, but even converts those who are turned away from him, according to: -“Convert us, O Lord, to yourself, and we will be converted” (Lam 5:21); and “You will turn, O -God, and bring us to life,” as one version of the Psalm (84:7) puts it. Therefore, since God is -ready to give grace to all, and draw them to himself, it is not due to him if someone does not -accept; rather, it is due to the person who does not accept.</p> -<p>938 A general reason can be given why God does not draw all who are turned away from him, -but certain ones, even though all are equally turned away. The reason is so that the order of divine -justice may appear and shine forth in those who are not drawn, while the immensity of the divine -mercy may appear and shine in those who are drawn. But as to why in particular he draws this -person and does not draw that person, there is no reason except the pleasure of the divine will. -So Augustine says: “Whom he draws and whom he does not draw, why he draws one and does -not draw another, do not desire to judge if you do not wish to err. But accept and understand: If -you are not yet drawn, then pray that you may be drawn.” We can illustrate this by an example. -One can give as the reason why a builder puts some stones at the bottom, and others at the top -and sides, that it is the arrangement of the house, whose completion requires this. But why he -puts these particular stones here, and those over there, this depends on his mere will. Thus it is -that the prime reason for the arrangement is referred to the will of the builder. So God, for the -completion of the universe, draws certain ones in order that his mercy may appear in them; and -others he does not draw in order that his justice may be shown in them. But that he draws these -and does not draw those, depends on the pleasure of his will. In the same way, the reason why -in his Church he made some apostles, some confessors, and others martyrs, is for the beauty and -completion of the Church. But why he made Peter an apostle, and Stepehen a martyr, and -Nicholas a confessor, the only reason is his will. We are now clear on the limitations of our -human ability, and the assistance given to us by divine help.</p> -<p>939 He follows with the end and fruit of this help when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">And I will raise him </span>tip <span style="font-weight: bold">on the -last day, </span>even as man; for we obtain the fruit of the resurrection through those things which -Christ did in his flesh: “For as death came through a man, so the resurrection of the dead has -come through a man” (1 Cor 15:21). So <span style="font-weight: bold">I</span>, as man, <span style="font-weight: bold">will raise him up, </span>not only to a natural life, -but even too the life of glory; and this on the last day. For the Catholic Faith teaches that the -world will be made new: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Rv 2 1:1), and that among -the changes accompanying this renewal we believe that the motion of the heavens will stop, and -consequently, time. “And the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land, raised his hand to -heaven” (Rv 10:5), and then it says that he swore that “time will be no more” (v 6). Since at the -resurrection time will stop, so also will night and day, according to “There will be one day, -known to the Lord, not day and night” (Zec 14:7). This is the reason he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">And I will raise -him up on the last day.</span></p> -<p>940 As to the question why the motion of the heavens and time itself will continue until then, and -not end before or after, we should note that whatever exists for something else is differently -disposed according to the different states of that for which it exists. But all physical things have -been made for man; consequently, they should be disposed according to the different states of -man. So, because the state of incorruptibility will begin in men when they arise—according to -“What is mortal will put on incorruption,” as it says in 1 Corinthians (15:54)—the corruption of -things will also stop then. Consequently, the motion of the heavens, which is the cause of the -generation and corruption of material things, will stop. “Creation itself will be set free from its -slavery to corruption into the freedom of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).</p> -<p>So, it is clear that the Father must draw us if we are to have faith.</p> -<p>941 Then (v 45), he considers the way we are drawn. First, he states the way; secondly, its -effectiveness (v 45b); and thirdly, he excludes a certain way of being drawn (v 46).</p> -<p>942 The manner in which we are drawn is appropriate, for God draws us by revealing and -teaching; and this is what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by -God. </span>Bede says that this comes from Joel. But it does not seem to be there explicitly, although -there is something like it in: “O children oi Zion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, -because he will give you a teacher of justice” (JI 2:23). Again, according to Bede, he says, in the -prophets, so that we might understand that the same meaning can be gathered from various -statements of the prophets. But it is Isaiah who seems to state this more explicitly: “All your -children will be taught by the Lord” (is 54:13). We also read: “I will give you shepherds after my -own heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and doctrine” (Jer 3:15).</p> -<p>943 <span style="font-weight: bold">They shall all be taught by God, </span>can be understood in three ways. In one way, so that all -stands for all the people in the world; in another way, so that it stands for all who are in the -Church of Christ, and in a third way, so it means all who will be in the kingdom of heaven.</p> -<p>If we understand it in the first way, it does not seem to be true, for he immediately adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">Every -one who has heard the Father and has learned, comes to me. </span>Therefore, if every one in the -world is taught [by God], then every one will come to Christ. But this is false, for not every one -has faith. There are three answers to this. First, one could say, as Chrysostorn does, that he is -speaking of the majority: all, i.e., very many shall be taught, just as we find in Matthew: “Many -will come from the East and the West” (Mt 8:11). Secondly, it could mean, all, so far as God is -concerned, shall be taught, but if some are not taught, that is due to themselves. For the sun, on -its part, shines on all, but some are unable to see it if they close their eyes, or are blind. From this -point of view, the Apostle says: “He desires the salvation of all men, and that all come to the -knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). Thirdly, we could say, with Augustine, that we must make -a restricted application, so that <span style="font-weight: bold">They shall all be taught by God, </span>means that all who are taught, -are taught by God. It is just as we might speak of a teacher of the liberal arts who is working in -a city: he alone teaches all the boys of the city, because no one there is taught by anyone else. It -is in this sense that it was said above: “He was the true light, which enlightens every man coming -into this world” ( 1:9).</p> -<p>944 If we explain these words as referring to those who are gathered into the Church, it says: -They shall all, all who are in the Church, be taught by God. For we read: “All your children will -be taught by the Lord” (Is 54:13). This shows the sublimity of the Christian faith, which does not -depend on human teachings, but on the teaching of God. For the teaching of the Old Testament -was given through the prophets; but the teaching of the New Testament is given through the Son -of God himself. “In many and various ways (i.e., in the Old Testament) God spoke to our fathers -through the prophets; in these days he has spoken to us in his Son” (Heb 1:1); and again in (2:3): -“It was first announced by the Lord, and was confirined to us by those who heard him.” Thus, -all who are in the Church are taught, not by the apostles nor by the prophets, but by God himself. -Further, according to Augustine, what we are taught by men is from God, who teaches from -within: “You have one teacher, the Christ” (Mt 23:10). For understanding, which we especially -need for such teaching, is from God.</p> -<p>945 If we explain these words as applying to those who are in the kingdom of heaven, then <span style="font-weight: bold">They -shall all be taught by God, </span>because they will see his essence without any intermediary: “We -shall see him as he is” (1 Jn 3:2).</p> -<p>946 This drawing by the Father is most effective, because, <span style="font-weight: bold">Every one who has heard the Father -and has learned, comes to me. </span>Here he mentions two things: first, what relates to a gift of God, -when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">has heard, </span>that is, through God, who reveals; the other relates to a free judgment, -when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">and has learned, </span>that is, by an assent. These two are necessary for every teaching -of faith. <span style="font-weight: bold">Every one who has heard the Father, </span>teaching and making known, <span style="font-weight: bold">and has learned, -</span>by giving assent, comes to me.</p> -<p>He comes in three ways: through a knowledge of the truth; through the affection of love; and -through imitative action. And in each way it is necessary that one hear and learn. The one who -comes through a knowledge of the truth must hear, when God speaks within: “I will hear what -the Lord God will speak within me” (Ps 84:9); and he must learn, through affection, as was said. -The one who comes through love and desire—“If any one thirsts, let him come to me and drink” -(below 7:37)—must hear the word of the Father and grasp it, in order to learn and be moved in -his affections. For that person learns the word who grasps it according to the meaning of the -speaker. But the Word of the Father breathes forth love. Therefore, the one who grasps it with -eager love, learns. “Wisdom goes into holy souls, and makes them prophets and friends of God” -(Wis 7:27). One comes to Christ through imitative action, according to: “Come to me, all you -who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you” (Mt 11:28). And whoever learns even in this -way comes to Christ: for as the conclusion is to things knowable, so is action to things -performable. Now whoever learns perfectly in the sciences arrives at the conclusion; therefore, -as regards things that are performable, whoever learns the words perfectly arrives at the right -action: “The Lord has opened my ear; and I do not resist” (Is 50:5).</p> -<p>947 To correct the thought that some might have that every one will hear and learn from the -Father through a vision, he adds: <span style="font-weight: bold">Not that any one has seen the Father, </span>that is, a person living -in this life does not see the Father in his essence, according to: “Man will not see me and live” -(Ex 33:20), <span style="font-weight: bold">except the one, </span>that is the Son, <span style="font-weight: bold">who is from God—he has seen the Father, </span>through -his essence. Or, <span style="font-weight: bold">Not that any one has seen the Father, </span>with a comprehensive vision: neither -man nor angel has ever seen or can see in this way; <span style="font-weight: bold">except the one who is from God, </span>i.e., the -Son: “No one knows the Father except the Son” (Mt 11:27).</p> -<p>The reason for this, of course, is that all vision or knowledge comes about through a likeness: -creatures have a knowledge of God according to the way they have a likeness to him. Thus the -philosophers say that the intelligences know the First Cause according to this likeness which they -have to it. Now every creature possesses some likeness to God, but it is infinitely distant from -a likeness to his nature, and so no creature can know him perfectly and totally, as he is in his own -nature. The Son, however, because he has received the entire nature of the Father perfectly, -through an eternal generation, sees and comprehends totally.</p> -<p>948 Note how the words used are appropriate: for above, when he was speaking of the -knowledge others have, he used the word “heard”; but now, in speaking of the Son’s knowledge, -he uses the word “seen,” for knowledge which comes through seeing is direct and open, while -that which comes through hearing comes through one who has seen. And so we have received -the knowledge we have about the Father from the Son, who saw him. Thus, no one can know the -Father except through Christ, who makes him known; and no one can come to the Son unless he -has heard from the Father, who makes the Son known.</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 6</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><DD>47 “Amen, amen, I say to you: -<DD>Whoever believes in me has eternal life. -<DD>48 1 am the bread of life. -<DD>49 Your fathers ate manna in the desert, -<DD>and they are dead. -<DD>50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, -<DD>so that if anyone eats of this [bread] -<DD>he will not die. -<DD>51 I am the living bread -<DD>that has come down from heaven. -<DD>52 If anyone eats of this bread, -<DD>he will live forever. -<DD>And the bread which I will give is my flesh, -<DD>for the life of the world.”</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>949 After our Lord quieted the grumbling of the Jews, he now clears up the doubt they had -because of his saying, “I am the bread that has come down from heaven.” he intends to show here -that this is true. This is the way he reasons: The bread which gives life to the world descended -from heaven; but I am the bread that gives life to the world: therefore, I am the bread which -descended from heaven. He does three things concerning this. First, he presents the minor -premise of his reasoning, that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life. </span>In the second place, he gives the major -premise, that is, that the bread that descended from heaven ought to give life (v 49). Thirdly, we -have the conclusion (v 5 1). As to the first he does two things. First, he states his point; secondly, -he expresses it as practically proved (v 48).</p> -<p>950 His intention is to show that he is the bread of life. Bread is life-giving insofar as it is taken. -Now one who believes in Christ takes him within himself, according to: “Christ dwells,in our -hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17). Therefore, if he who believes in Christ has life, it is clear that -he is brought to life by eating this bread. Thus, this bread is the bread of life. And this is what he -says: Amen, amen, I say to you: <span style="font-weight: bold">Whoever believes in me, </span>with a faith made living by love, -which not only perfects the intellect but the affections as well (for we do not tend to the things -we believe in unless we love them), <span style="font-weight: bold">has eternal life.</span></p> -<p>Now Christ is within us in two ways: in our intellect through faith, so far as it is faith; and in our -affections through love, which informs or gives life to our faith: “He who abides in love, abides -in God, and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16). So he who believes in Christ so that he tends to him, -possesses Christ in his affections and in his intellect. And if we add that Christ is eternal life, as -stated in “that we may be in his true Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 -Jn 5:20), and in “In him was life” (above 1:4), we can infer that whoever believes in Christ has -eternal life. He has it, I say, in its Ciause and in hope, and he will have it at some time in reality.</p> -<p>951 Having stated his position, he expresses it as, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life, </span>which gives life, as -clearly follows from the above. We read of this bread: “The bread of Asher will be rich, he will -furnish choice morsels,” of eternal life, “to kings” (Gn 49:20).</p> -<p>952 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your fathers ate manna in the desert, and they are dead, </span>he gives -the major premise, namely, the bread that descended from heaven ought to have the effect of -giving life. First, he explains this; secondly, he draws his point (v 50).</p> -<p>953 He explains his meaning through a contrasting situation. It was said above (909) that Moses -gave the Jews bread from heaven, in the sense of from the air. But bread that does not come from -the true heaven cannot give adequate life. Therefore, it is proper to the heavenly bread to give -life. So, the bread given by Moses, in which you take pride, does not give life. And he proves this -when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your fathers ate manna in the desert, and they are dead.</span></p> -<p>In this statement he first reproaches them for their faults, when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your fathers, </span>whose -sons you are, not only according to the flesh, but also by imitating their actions, because you are -grumblers just as “they grumbled in their tents” (Ps 105:25); this was why he said to them: “Fill -up, then, the measure of your fathers,” as we read in Matthew (23:32). As Augustine says, this -people is said to have offended God in no matter more than by grumbling against God.</p> -<p>Secondly, he mentions for how short a time this was done, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">in the desert: </span>for they were -not given manna for a long period of time; and they had it only while in the desert, and not when -they entered the promised land (Jos 5). But the other bread [from the true heaven] preserves and -nourishes one forever. Thirdly, he states an inadequacy in that bread, that is, it did not preserve -life without end; so he says, and they are dead. For we read in Joshua (c 5) that all who grumbled, -except Joshua and Caleb, died in the desert. This was the reason for the second circumcision, as -we see here, because all who had left Egypt died in the desert.</p> -<p>954 One might wonder what kind of death God is speaking of here. If he is speaking of physical -death, there will be no difference between the bread the Jews had in the desert and our bread, -which came down from heaven, because even Christians who share the latter bread die -physically. But if he is speaking of spiritual death, it is clear that both then among the Jews and -now among the Christians, some die spiritually and others do not. For Moses and many others -who were pleasing to God did not die, while others did. Also, those who eat this bread [of the -Christians] unworthily, die spiritually: “He who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks -judginent upon himself” (1 Cor 11:29).</p> -<p>We may answer this by saying that the food of the Jews has some features in common with our -spiritual food. They are alike in the fact that each signifies the same thing: for both signify Christ. -Thus they are called the same food: “All ate the same spiritual food” ( 1 Cor 10:3). He calls them -the same because each is a symbol of the spiritual food. But they are different because one [the -manna] was only a symbol; while the other [the bread of the Christians] contains that of which -it is the symbol, that is, Christ himself. Thus we should say that each of these foods can be taken -in two ways. First, as a sign only, i.e., so that each is taken as food only, and without -understanding what is signified; and taken in this way, they do not take away either physical or -spiritual death. Secondly, they may be taken in both ways, i.e., the visible food is taken in such -a way that spiritual food is understood and spiritually tasted, in order that it may satisfy -spiritually. In this way, those who ate the manna spiritually did not die spiritually. But those who -eat the Eucharist spiritually, both live spiritually now without sin, and will live physically -forever. Thus, our food is greater than their food, because it contains in itself that of which it is -the symbol.</p> -<p>955 Having presented the argument, he draws the conclusion: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread that comes, -down from heaven. </span>He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">This, </span>the Gloss says, to indicate himself. But our Lord does not -understand it this way as it would be superfluous, since he immediately adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the living -bread that has come down from heaven. </span>So we should say that our Lord wants to say that the -bread which can do this, i.e., give life, comes from heaven; but I am that bread: thus, I am that -bread that comes down from heaven. Now the reason why that bread which comes down from -heaven gives a life which never ends is that all food nourishes according to the properties of its -nature; but heavenly things are incorruptible: consequently, since this food is heavenly, it is not -corrupted, and as long as it lasts, it gives life. So, he who eats it, will not die. Just as if there were -some bodily food which never corrupted, then in nourishing it would always be life-giving. This -bread was signified by the tree of life in the midst of Paradise, which somehow gave life without -end: “He must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take from the tree of life and eat, and -live forever” (Gn 3:22). So if the effect of this bread is that anyone who eats it will not die, and -I am such, then [anyone who eats of me will not die].</p> -<p>956 He does two things concerning this. First, he speaks of himself in general; secondly, in -particular, <span style="font-weight: bold">And the bread which I will give is my flesh. </span>In regard to the first, he does two -things: first, he mentions his origin; secondly his power (v 52).</p> -<p>957 He said, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the living bread; </span>consequently, I can give life. Material bread does not give -life forever, because it does not have life in itself; but it gives life by being changed and -converted into nourishment by the energy of a living organism. <span style="font-weight: bold">That has come down from -heaven: </span>it was explained before [4671 how the Word came down. This refuted those heresies -which taught that Christ was a mere man, because according to them, he would not have come -down from heaven.</p> -<p>958 He has the power to give eternal life; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">If anyone eats of this bread, </span>i.e., -spiritually, <span style="font-weight: bold">he will live, </span>not only in the present through faith and justice, but <span style="font-weight: bold">forever. </span>“Everyone -who lives and believes in me, will never die” (below 11:26).</p> -<p>959 He then speaks of his body when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">And the bread which I will give is my flesh.</span> For -he had said that he was the living bread; and so that we do not think that he is such so far as he -is the Word or in his soul alone, he shows that even his flesh is life-giving, for it is an instrument -of his divinity. Thus, since an instrument acts by virtue of the agent, then just as the divinity of -Christ is lifegiving, so too his flesh gives life (as Damascene says) because of the Word to which -it is united. Thus Christ healed the sick by his touch. So what he said above, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the living -bread, </span>pertained to the power of the Word; but what he is saying here pertains to the sharing in -his body, that is, to the sacrament of the Eucharist.</p> -<p>960 We can consider four things about this sacrament: its species, the authority of the one who -instituted it, the truth of this sacrament, and its usefulness.</p> -<p>As to the species of this sacrament: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread; </span>“Come, and eat my bread” (Prv 9:5). The -reason for this is that this is the sacrament of the body of Christ; but the body of Christ is the -Church, which arises out of many believers forming a bodily unity: “We are one body” (Rom -12:5). And so because bread is formed from many grains, it is a fitting species for this sacrament. -Hence he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">And the bread which I will give is my flesh.</span></p> -<p>961 The author of this sacrament is Christ: for although the priest confers it, it is Christ himself -who gives the power to this sacrament, because the priest consecrates in the person of Christ. -Thus in the other sacraments the priest uses his own words or those of the Church, but in this -sacrament he uses the words of Christ: because just as Christ gave his body to death by his own -will, so it is by his own power that he gives himself as food: “Jesus took bread, he blessed it and -broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: ‘Take and eat it, this is my body’ “ (Mt 26:26). Thus -he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">which I will </span>give; and he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">will give, </span>because this sacrament had not yet been -instituted.</p> -<p>962 The truth of this sacrament is indicated when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">is my flesh</span>. He does not say, “This -signifies my flesh,” but it <span style="font-weight: bold">is my flesh, </span>for in reality that which is taken is truly the body of Christ: -“Who will give us his flesh so that we may be satisfied?” as we read in Job (31:3 1).</p> -<p>Since the whole Christ is contained in this sacrament, why did he just say, this <span style="font-weight: bold">is my flesh</span>? To -answer this, we should note that in this mystical sacrament the whole Christ is really contained: -but his body is there by virtue of the conversion; while his soul and divinity are present by natural -concomitance. For if we were to suppose whal is really inipossible, that is, that the divinity of -Christ is separated from his body, then his divinity would not be present in this sacrament. -Similarly, if someone had consecrated during the three days Christ was dead, his soul would not -have been present there [in the sacrament], but his body would have been, as it was on the cross -or in the tomb. Since this sacrament is the commemoration of our Lord’s passion—according to -“As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord” (1 Cor -11:26)—and the passion of Christ depended on his weakness—according to “He was crucified -through weakness” (2 Cor 13:4)—he rather says, <span style="font-weight: bold">is my flesh, </span>to suggest the weakness through -which he died, for “flesh” signifies weakness.</p> -<p>963 The usefulness of this sacrament is great and universal. It is great, indeed, because it -produces spiritual life within us now, and will later produce eternal life, as was said. For as is -clear from what was said, since this is the sacrament of our Lord’s passion, it contains in itself -the Christ who suffered. Thus, whatever is an effect of our Lord’s passion is also an effect of this -sacrament. For this sacrament is nothing other than the application of our Lord’s passion to us. -For it was not fitting for Christ to be always with us in his own presence; and so he wanted to -make up for this absence through this sacrament. Hence it is clear that the destruction of death, -which Christ accomplished by his death, and the restoration of life, which he accomplished by -his resurrection, are effects of this sacrament.</p> -<p>964 The usefulness of this sacrament is universal because the life it gives is not only the life of -one person, but, so far as concerns itself, the life of the entire world: and for this the death of -Christ is fully sufficient. “He is the offering for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those -of the entire world” (1 Jn 2:2).</p> -<p>We should note that this sacrament is different from the others: for the other sacraments have -individual effects: as in baptism, only the one baptized receives grace. But in the immolation of -this sacrament, the effect is universal: because it affects not just the priest, but also those for -whom he prays, as well as the entire Church, of the living and of the dead. The reason for this -is that it contains the universal cause of all the sacraments, Christ. Nevertheless, when a lay -person receives this sacrament it does not benefit others <i>ex opere operato </i>[by its own power] -considered as a receiving. However, due to the intention of the person who is acting and -receiving, it can be communicated to all those to whom he directs his intention. It is clear from -this that lay persons are mistaken when they receive the Eucharist for those in purgatory.</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 7</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>53 The Jews therefore disputed among themselves, saying: “How can this man give us his flesh -to eat?” 54 Jesus then said to them: -<DD>“Amen, amen, I say to you, -<DD>unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, -<DD>you will not have life in you. -<DD>55 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life; -<DD>and I will raise him up on the last day. -<DD>56 For my flesh truly is food, -<DD>and my blood truly is drink. -<DD>57 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood -<DD>abides in me, and I in him. -<DD>58 Just as the living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father, -<DD>so whoever eats me, -<DD>he also will live because of me. -<DD>59 This is the bread that has come down from heaven. -<DD>Unlike your fathers who ate manna and are dead, -<DD>whoever eats this bread shall live forever.” -<BR>60 These things he said teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>965 Above, our Lord checked the grumbling of the Jews over the origin of this spiritual food; -here, he stops their dispute over the ealing of this same food. First, we see their dispute; -secondly, our Lord stops it (v 54); thirdly, the Evangelist mentions the place where all this -happened (v 60).</p> -<p>906 As to the first, note that the Evangelist brings in the dispute among the Jews in the form of -a conclusion, <span style="font-weight: bold">saying, The Jews therefore disputed among themselves. </span>And this is fitting: for -according to Augustine, our Lord had just spoken to them about the food of unity, which makes -into one those who are nourished on it, according to, “Let those who are just feast and rejoice -before God,” and then it continues, according to one reading, “God makes those who agree to -live in one house” (Ps 67:4). And so, because the Jews had not eaten the food of harmony, they -argued with each other:<span style="font-weight: bold"> </span>“When you fast, you argue and fight” (Is 58:4). Further, their quarreling -with others shows that they were carnal: “For while you are envious and quarreling, are you not -carnal?” (1 Cor 3:3). Therefore, they understood these words of our Lord in a carnal way, i.e., -as meaning that our Lord’s flesh would be eaten as material food. Thus they say, <span style="font-weight: bold">How can this -man give us his flesh to eat? </span>As if to say: This is impossible. Here they were speaking against -God just as their fathers did: “We are sick of this useless food” (Nm 21:5).</p> -<p>967 Our Lord stops this argument. First, he states the power that comes from taking this food; -secondly, he amplifies on it (v 55). As to the first he does three things. First, he states why it is -necessary to eat this flesh; secondly, its usefulness; and thirdly, he adds something about its truth -(v 56).</p> -<p>968 Jesus said: <span style="font-weight: bold">Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and -drink his blood, you will not have life in you. </span>As if to say: You think it is impossible and -unbecoming to eat my flesh. But it is not only possible, but very necessary, so much so that -<span style="font-weight: bold">unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have, </span>i.e., you -will not be able to have, <span style="font-weight: bold">life in you, </span>that is, spiritual life. For just as material food is so necessary -for bodily life that without it you cannot exist—“They exchanged their precious belongings for -food” (Lam 1:11); “Bread strengthens the heart of man” (Ps 103:15)—so spiritual food is -necessary for the spiritual life to such an extent that without it the spiritual life cannot be -sustained: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word which comes from the mouth -of God” (Dt 8:3).</p> -<p>969 We should note that this statement can refer either to eating in a spiritual way or in a -sacramental way. If we understand it as referring to a spiritual eating, it does not cause any -difficulty. For that person eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood in a spiritual way who -shares in the unity of the Church; and this is accomplished by the love of charity: “You are one -body, in Christ” (Rom 12:5). Thus, one who does not eat in this way is outside the Church, and -consequently, without the love of charity. Accordingly, such a one does not have life in himself: -“He who does not love, remains in death” (1 Jn 3:14).</p> -<p>But if we refer this statement to eating in a sacramental way, a difficulty appears. For we read -above: “Unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of -God” (3:5). Now this statement was given in the same form as the present one: <span style="font-weight: bold">Unless you eat -the flesh of the Son of Man. </span>Therefore, since baptism is a necessary sacrament, it seems that the -Eucharist is also. In fact, the Greeks think it is; and so they give the Eucharist to newly baptized -infants. For this opinion they have in their favor the rite of Denis, who says that the reception of -each sacrament should culminate in the sharing of the Eucharist, which is the culmination of all -the sacraments. This is true in the case of adults, but it is not so for infants, because receiving the -Eucharist should be done with reverence and devotion, and those who do not have the use of -reason, as infants and the insane, cannot have this. Consequently, it should not be given to them -at all.</p> -<p>We should say, therefore, that the sacrament of baptism is necessary for everyone, and it must -be really received, because without it no one is born again into life. And so it is necessary that -it be received in reality, or by desire in the case of those who are prevented from the former. For -if the contempt within a person excludes a baptism by water, then neither a baptism of desire nor -of blood will benefit him for eternal life. However, the sacrament of the Eucharist is necessary -for adults only, so that it may be received in reality, or by desire, according to the practices of the -Church.</p> -<p>970 But even this causes difficulty: because by these words of Our Lord, it is necessary for -salvation not only to eat his body, but also to drink his blood, especially since a repast of food -is not complete without drink. Therefore, since it is the custom in certain Churches for only the -priest to receive Christ’s blood, while the rest receive only his body, they would seem to be +<p>Thus he significantly says: <span style="font-weight: bold">that +you believe in him</span> (<i>in illum</i>)<i>.</i> Now it is one +thing to say: “I believe in God,” (<i>credere +Deum</i>), for this indicates the object. It is another thing to +say: “I believe God,” (<i>credere Deo</i>), for this +indicates the one who testifies. And it is still another thing to +say: “I believe in God,” (<i>in Deum</i>), for this +indicates the end. Thus God can be regarded as the object of faith, +as the one who testifies, and as the end, but in different ways. +For the object of faith can be a creature, as when I believe in the +creation of the heavens. Again, a creature can he one who +testifies, for I believe Paul (<i>credo Paulo</i>) or any of the +saints. But only God can be the end of faith, for our mind is +directed to God alone as its end. Now the end, since it has the +character of a good, is the object of love. Thus, to believe in God +(<i>in Deum</i>) as in an end is proper to faith living through the +love of charity. Faith, living in this way, is the principle of all +our good works; and in this sense to believe is said to be a work +of God.</p> +<p>902 But if faith is a work of God, how do men do the works of +God? Isaiah (26:12) gives us the answer when he says: “You +have accomplished all our works for us.” For the fact that we +believe, and any good we do, is from God: “It is God who is +working in us, both to will and to accomplish” (Phil 2:13). +Thus he explicitly says that to believe is a work of God in order +to show us that faith is a gift of God, as Ephesians (2:8) +maintains.</p> +<p>903 Next, we see the origin of this food. First, we have the +question asked by the Jews; secondly, the answer of Christ (v 32). +Three things are done about the first: first, the Jews look for a +sign; secondly, they decide what it should be; and thirdly, they +bring in what is narrated in Scripture.</p> +<p>904 They look for a sign by asking Christ: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">What sign then are you going to give that we +may see and believe you?</span> This question is explained +differently by Augustine and by Chrysostom. Chrysostom says that +our Lord was leading them to the faith. But the evidence that leads +one to the faith are miracles: “Signs were given to +unbelievers” (1 Cor 14:22). And so the Jews were looking for +a sign in order to believe, Afor it is their custom to seek such +signs: “For Jews demand signs” (1 Cor 14:22). So they +say: <span style="font-weight: bold">What sign then are you going +to</span> give?</p> +<p>But it seems foolish to ask for a miracle for this reason, for +Christ had just performed some in their presence which could lead +them to believe, as multiplying the bread and walking on the water. +What they were asking was that our Lord always provide them with +food. This is clear because the only sign they mention is the one +given by Moses to their ancestors for forty years, and they ask in +this way that Christ always provide food for them. Thus they say: +<span style="font-weight: bold">Our fathers ate manna in the +desert.</span> They did not say that God provided their ancestors +with the manna, so that they would not seem to be making Christ +equal to God. Again, they did not say that Moses fed their +ancestors, so they would not seem to be preferring Moses to Christ, +trying in this way to influence our Lord. We read of this food: +“Man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77:25).</p> +<p>905 According to Augustine, however, our Lord had said that he +would give thein food that would endure to eternal life. Thus, he +seemed to put himself above Moses. The Jews, on the other hand, +considered Moses greater than Christ; so they said: “We know +that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is +from” (below 9:29). Accordingly, they required Christ to +accomplish greater things than Moses; and so they recall what Moses +did, saying: <span style="font-weight: bold">Our Fathers ate manna +in the desert.</span> As if to say: What you say about yourself is +greater than what Moses did, for you are promising a food that does +not perish, while the manna that Moses gave became wormy if saved +for the next day. Therefore, if we are to believe you, do something +greater than Moses did. Although you have fed five thousand men +once with five barley loaves, this is not greater than what Moses +did, for he fed all the people with manna from heaven for forty +years, and in the desert too: “He gave them the bread of +heaven” (Ps 77:24).</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE 4</span></p> +<blockquote> +<p>32 Jesus therefore said to them:</p> +<dl> +<dd>“Amen, amen, I say to you:</dd> +<dd>Moses did not give you bread from heaven,</dd> +<dd>but my Father gives you true bread from heaven.</dd> +<dd>33 For the true bread is that which descends</dd> +<dd>from heaven, and gives life to the world.”<br /> +34 They then said to him: “Lord, give us this bread +always.” 35 But Jesus said to them:</dd> +<dd>“I am the bread of life.</dd> +<dd>Whoever comes to me shall not hunger;</dd> +<dd>and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.</dd> +<dd>36 But I have told you that you have both seen me</dd> +<dd>and do not believe.</dd> +<dd>37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me;</dd> +<dd>and the one who comes to me I will not cast out,</dd> +<dd>38 because I have come down from heaven,</dd> +<dd>not to do my own will,</dd> +<dd>but the will of him who sent me.</dd> +<dd>39 Now it is the will of him who sent me, the Father,</dd> +<dd>that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing,</dd> +<dd>but raise it up on the last day.</dd> +<dd>40 For this is the will of my Father, who sent me,</dd> +<dd>that every one who sees the Son and believes in him,</dd> +<dd>should have eternal life.</dd> +<dd>And I will raise him up on the last day.”</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>906 Having told us the question the Jews had asked Christ, the +Evangelist now gives his answer. First, Christ tells us of the +origin of this spiritual food; secondly, he proves what he has just +said (v 33).</p> +<p>907 Concerning the first, we should note that the Jews had +mentioned two things to Christ concerning the bodily food which had +been given to their ancestors: the one who gave this food, Moses, +and the place, that is, from heaven. Accordingly, when our Lord +tells them about the origin of spiritual food, he does not mention +these two, for he says that there is another who gives this food +and another place. He says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Amen, +amen, I say to you: Moses did not give you bread from +heaven.</span> There is another who gives to you, that is, +<span style="font-weight: bold">my Father;</span> and he gives, +not, just bodily bread, but <span style="font-weight: bold">the +true bread from heaven.</span></p> +<p>908 But was it not true bread that their ancestors had in the +desert? I answer that if you understand “true” as +contrasted with “false,” then they had true bread, for +the miracle of the manna was a true miracle. But if +“true” is contrasted with “symbolic,” then +that bread was not true, but was a symbol of spiritual bread, that +is, of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom that manna signified, as the +Apostle says: “All ate the same spiritual food” (1 Cor +10:3).</p> +<p>909 When the Psalm (77:24) says, “He gave them the bread +of heaven,” this seems to conflict with, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Moses did not give you bread from +heaven.</span> I answer that the word “heaven” can be +understood in three ways. Sometimes it can mean the air, as in +“The birds of heaven ate them” (Mt 13:4); and also in, +“The Lord thundered from heaven” (Ps 14:14). Sometimes +“heaven” means the starry sky; as in, “The +highest heaven is the Lord’s” (Ps 113:16), and in, +“The stars will fall from heaven” (Mt 24:19). Thirdly, +it can signify goods of a spiritual nature, as in “Rejoice +and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven” (Mt +5:12). So the manna was from heaven, not the heaven of the stars or +of spiritual food, but from the air. Or, the manna was said to be +from heaven insofar as it was a symbol of the true bread from +heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ.</p> +<p>910 When he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">For the true +bread is that which descends from heaven, and gives life to the +world,</span> he proves that it is from heaven by its effect. For +the true heaven is spiritual in nature, and has life by its own +essence; therefore, of itself, it gives life: “It is the +spirit that gives life” (below 6:64). Now God himself is the +author of life. Therefore, we know that this spiritual bread is +from heaven when it produces its proper effect, if it gives life. +That bodily bread used by the Jews did not give life, since all who +ate the nianna died. But this [spiritual] bread does give life, so +he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">the true bread,</span> not +that symbolic bread, <span style="font-weight: bold">is that which +descends from heaven.</span> This is clear, because it <span style= +"font-weight: bold">gives life to the world:</span> for Christ, who +is the true bread, gives life to whom he wills: “I came that +they may have life” (below 10:10). He also descended from +heaven: “No one has gone up to heaven except the One who came +down from heaven” (above 3:13). Thus Christ, the true bread, +gives life to the world by reason of his divinity; and he descends +from heaven by reason of his human nature, for as we said on the +prior text, he came down from heaven by assuming human nature: +“He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” +(Phil 2:7).</p> +<p>911 Now he considers the acquisition of this spiritual food. +First, we see the Jews asking for it; secondly, he shows the way it +is acquired (v 3 5).</p> +<p>912 We should note with respect to the first, that the Jews +understood what Christ said in a material way; and so, because they +desired material things, they were looking for material bread from +Christ. Hence they said to him, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Lord, give us this bread always,</span> which +physically nourishes us. The Samaritan woman also understood what +our Lord said about spiritual water in a material way, and wishing +to slake her thirst, said, “Give me this water” (above +4:15). And although these people understood what our Lord said +about food in a material way, and asked for it this way, we are +expected to ask for it as understood in a spiritual way: +“Give us this day our daily bread” (Mt 6:11), because +we cannot live without this bread.</p> +<p>913 Then, he shows how this bread is acquired. First, he shows +what this bread is; secondly, how to obtain it (v 37). Concerning +the first, he does three things. First, he explains what this bread +is, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life;</span> +secondly, he gives the reason for this, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Whoever comes to me shall not hunger;</span> +thirdly, he shows why this had to be explained (v 36).</p> +<p>914 Jesus said to them: <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the +bread of life,</span> for as we saw above, the word of wisdom is +the proper food of the mind, because the mind is sustained by it: +“He fed him with the bread of life and understanding” +(Sir 15:3). Now the bread of wisdom is called the bread of life to +distinguish it from material bread, which is the bread of death, +and which serves only to restore what has been lost by a mortal +organism; hence material bread is necessary only during this mortal +life. But the bread of divine wisdom is life-giving of itself, and +no death can affect it. Again, material bread does not give life, +but only sustains for a time a life that already exists. But +spiritual bread actually gives life: for the soul begins to live +because it adheres to the word of God: “For with you is the +fountain of life,” as we see in the Psalm (35:10). Therefore, +since every word of wisdom is derived from the Only Begotten Word +of God—The fountain of wisdom is the Only Begotten of +God” (Sir 1:5)—this Word of God is especially called +the bread of life. Thus Christ says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life.</span> And because the +flesh of Christ is united to the Word of God, it also is +life-giving. Thus, too, his body, sacramentally received, is +life-giving: for Christ gives life to the world through the +mysteries which he accomplished in his flesh. Consequently, the +flesh of Christ, because of the Word of the Lord, is not the bread +of ordinary life, but of that life which does not die. And so the +flesh of Christ is called bread: “The bread of Asher is +rich” (Gn 49:20).</p> +<p>His flesh was also signified by the manna. “Manna” +means “What is this?” because when the Jews saw it they +wondered, and asked each other what it was. But nothing is more a +source of wonder than the Son of God made man, so that everyone can +fittingly ask, “What is this?” That is, how can the Son +of God be the Son of Man? How can Christ be one person with two +natures? “His name will be called Wonderful” (Is 9:6). +It is also a cause for wonder how Christ can be present in the +sacrament.</p> +<p>915 Next (v 35), he gives the reason for this from the effect of +this [spiritual] bread. When material bread is eaten, it does not +permanently take away our hunger, since it must be destroyed in +order to build us up; and this is necessary if we are to be +nourished. But spiritual bread, which gives life of itself, is +never destroyed; consequently, a person who eats it once never +hungers again. Thus he says: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Whoever comes to me shall not hunger; and +whoever believes in me shall never thirst.</span></p> +<p>According to Augustine, it is the same thing to say, +<span style="font-weight: bold">whoever comes</span>, as to say, +<span style="font-weight: bold">whoever believes</span>: since it +is the same to come to Christ and to believe in him , for we do not +come to God with bodily steps, but with those of the mind, the +first of which is faith. To eat and to drink are also the same: for +each signifies that eternal fulness where there is no want: +“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for what is right, +for they will be filled” (Mt 5:6); so that food which +sustains and that drink which refreshes are one and the same.</p> +<p>One reason why temporal things do not take away our thirst +permanently is that they are not consumed altogether, but only bit +by bit, and with motion, so that there is always still more to be +consumed. For this reason, just as there is enjoyment and +satisfaction from what has been consumed, so there is a desire for +what is still to come. Another reason is that they are destroyed; +hence the recollection of them remains and generates a repeated +longing for those things. Spiritual things, on the other hand, are +taken all at once, and they are not destroyed, nor do they run out; +and consequently the fulness they produce remains forever: +“They will neither hunger nor thirst” (Rv 7:16); +“Your face will fill me with joy; the delights in your right +hand (i.e., in spiritual goods) will last forever,” as the +Psalm (16:11) says.</p> +<p>916 Then (v 36), we see why Christ had to explain these things. +For someone could say: We asked for bread; but you did not answer, +“I will give it to you,” or “I will not.” +Rather, you say, I am the bread of life; and so your answer does +not seem to be appropriate. But our Lord shows that it is a good +answer, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">I have told you +that you have both seen me and do not believe.</span> This is the +same as a person having bread right in front of him without his +knowing it, and then being told: Look! The bread is right before +you. And so Christ says: <span style="font-weight: bold">I have +told you (I am the bread of life) that you have both seen me and do +not believe,</span> i.e., you want bread, and it is right before +you; and yet you do not take it because you do not believe. In +saying this he is censuring them for their unbelief: “They +have seen and hated both me and my Father” (below 15:24).</p> +<p>917 Then (v 37), he shows how this bread is acquired. First, he +mentions the way to acquire it; secondly, the end attained by those +who come to him (v 37b); thirdly, he enlarges on this (v 38).</p> +<p>918 Concerning the first, we should note that the very fact that +we believe is a gift of God to us: “You are saved by grace, +through faith; and this is not due to yourself, for it is the gift +of God” (Eph 2:8); “It has been granted to you not only +to believe in him, but also to suffer for him” (Phil 1:29). +Sometimes, God the Father is said to give those who believe to the +Son, as here: <span style="font-weight: bold">All that the Father +gives me shall come to me.</span> At other times, the Son is said +to give them to the Father, as in 1 Corinthians (15~24): “He +will hand over the kingdom to God and the Father.” We can see +from this that just as the Father does not deprive himself of the +kingdom in giving to the Son, neither does the Son in giving to the +Father. The Father gives to the Son insofar as the Father makes a +person adhere to his Word: “Through whom (that is, the +Father) you have been called into the fellowship of his Son” +(1 Cor 1:9). The Son, on the other hand, gives to the Father +insofar as the Word makes the Father known: “I have made +known your name to those you have given ine” (below 17:6). +Thus Christ says: <span style="font-weight: bold">All that the +Father gives me shall come to me,</span> i.e., those who believe in +me, whom the Father makes adhere to me by his gift.</p> +<p>9 19 Perhaps some might say that it is not necessary for one to +use God’s gift: for many receive God’s gift and do not +use it. So how can he say: <span style="font-weight: bold">All that +the Father gives me shall come to me?</span> We must say to this +that in this giving we have to include not only the habit, which is +faith, but also the interior impulse to believe. So, everything +which contributes to salvation is a gift of God.</p> +<p>920 There is another question. If everything which the Father +gives to Christ comes to him, as he says, then only those come to +God whom the Father gives him. Thus, those who do not come are not +responsible, since they are not given to him. I answer that they +are not responsible if they cannot come to the faith without the +help of God. But those who do not come are responsible, because +they create an obstacle to their own coming by turning away from +salvation, the way to which is of itself open to all.</p> +<p>921 Then (v 37b), the end attained by those who come is +mentioned. For some might say, “We will come to you, but you +will not receive us.” To exclude this he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me,</span> by steps of +faith and by good works, <span style="font-weight: bold">I will not +cast out.</span> By this he lets us understand that he is already +within, for one must be within before one can be sent out. Let us +consider, therefore, what is interior, and how one is cast out from +it.</p> +<p>We should point out that since all visible things are said to be +exterior with respect to spiritual things, then the more spiritual +something is the more interior it is. What is interior is twofold. +The first is the most profound, and is the joy of eternal life. +According to Augustine, this is a sweet and most interior retreat, +without any weariness, without the bitterness of evil thoughts, and +uninterrupted by temptations and sorrows. We read of this: +“Share the joy of your Lord” (Mt 25:21); and, +“You will hide them in the secret of your face,” that +is, in the full vision of your essence (Ps 30:2 1). From this +interior no one is cast out: “He who conquers, I will make +him a pillar in the temple of the living God; and he will no longer +leave it” (Rv 3:12), because “the just will go to +everlasting life,” as we see from Matthew (25:46). The other +interior is that of an upright conscience; and this is a spiritual +joy. We read of this: “When I enter into my house I will +enjoy repose” (Wis 8:16); and “The king has brought me +into his storerooms” (Sg 1:3). It is from this interior, that +some are cast out.</p> +<p>So, when our Lord says, <span style="font-weight: bold">the one +who comes to me I will not cast out,</span> we can understand this +in two ways. In one way, those who come to him are those who have +been given to him by the Father through eternal predestination. Of +these he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to +me,</span> predestined by the Father, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I will not cast out:</span> “God has not +rejected his people, the people he chose” (Rom 11:2). In a +second way, those who do go out are not cast out by Christ, rather, +they cast themselves out, because through their unbelief and sins +they abandon the sanctuary of an upright conscience. Thus we read: +<span style="font-weight: bold">I will not cast out</span> such; +but they do cast themselves out: “You are the burden, and I +will cast you aside, says the Lord” (Jer 23:33). It was in +this way that the man who came to the wedding feast without wedding +clothes was cast out (Mt 22:13).</p> +<p>922 Next (v 3 8), he gives the reason for what he just said. +First, he mentions his intention to accomplish the will of the +Father; secondly, he states what the will of the Father is (v 39); +and thirdly, he shows the final accomplishment of this will (v +40b).</p> +<p>923 Concerning the first, we should note that this passage can +be read in two ways: either as Augustine does, or following the +interpretation of Chrysostom. Augustine understands it this way: +<span style="font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me I will not +cast out;</span> and this is because the one who comes to me +imitates my humility. In Matthew (11:29), after our Lord said, +“Come to me, all you who labor,” he added, “Learn +from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” Now the true +gentleness of the Son of God consists in the fact that he submitted +his will to the will of the Father. Thus he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">the one who comes to me I will not cast out, +because I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but +the will of him who sent me.</span> Since a soul abandons God +because of its pride, it must return in humility, coming to Christ +by imitating his humility; and this humility of Christ was in not +doing his own will, but the will of God the Father.</p> +<p>Here we should note that there were two wills in Christ. One +pertains to his human nature, and this will is proper to him, both +by nature and by the will of the Father. His other will pertains to +his divine nature, and this will is the same as the will of the +Father. Christ subordinated his own will, that is, his human will, +to the divine will, because, wishing to accomplish the will of the +Father, he was obedient to the Father’s will: “My God, +I desired to do your will” (Ps 39:9). We ask that this will +be accomplished in our regard when we say, “Your will be +done” (Mt 6:10). Thus, those who do the will of God, not +their own will, are not cast out. The devil, who wanted to do his +own will out of pride, was cast from heaven; and so too the first +man was expelled from paradise.</p> +<p>Chrysostom explains the passage this way. The reason I do not +cast out one who comes to me is because I have come to accomplish +the will of the Father concerning the salvation of men. So, if I +have become incarnate for the salvation of men, how can I cast them +out? And this is what he says: I will not cast out one who comes, +<span style="font-weight: bold">because I have come down from +heaven, not to do my own will, my</span> human will, so as to +obtain my own benefit, <span style="font-weight: bold">but the will +of him who sent me</span>, that is, the Father, “He desires +the salvation of all men” (1 Tim 2:4). And therefore, so far +as I am concerned, I do not cast out any person: “For if, +when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his +Son, now much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by his +life” (Rom 5:10).</p> +<p>924 Then (v 39), he shows what the Father wills; and next, why +he wills it (v 40).</p> +<p>925 He says: I will not cast out those who come to me, because I +have taken flesh in order to do the will of the Father: +<span style="font-weight: bold">Now it is the will of him who sent +me, the Father,</span> that those who come to me <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I will not cast out;</span> and so I will not +cast them out. “This is the will of God, your +sanctification” (1 Thes 4:3). Therefore he says that it is +the will of the Father <span style="font-weight: bold">that of all +that he,</span> the Father, <span style="font-weight: bold">has +given me I should lose nothing,</span> i.e., that I should lose +nothing until the time of the resurrection. At this time some will +be lost, the wicked; but none of those given to Christ through +eternal predestination will be among them: “The way of the +wicked will perish” (Ps 1:7). Those, on the other hand, who +are preserved until then, will not be lost.</p> +<p>Now when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">lose</span>, +we should not understand this as implying that he needs such people +or that he is damaged if they perish. Rather, he says this because +he desires their salvation and what is good for them, which he +regards as his own good.</p> +<p>926 What John later reports Christ as saying seems to conflict +with this: “None of them,” that is, of those you have +given me, “have been lost except the son of perdition” +(below 17:12). Thus, some of those given to Christ through eternal +predestination are lost. Accordingly, what he says here, +<span style="font-weight: bold">that of all that he has given me I +should lose nothing,</span> is not true. We must say to this that +some are lost from among those given to Christ through a present +justification; but none are lost from among those given to him +through eternal predestination.</p> +<p>927 Now he gives the reason for the divine will (v 40). The +reason why the Father wills that I lose nothing of all that he has +given me is that the Father wills to bring men to life spiritually, +because he is the fountain of life. And since the Father is +eternal, he wills, absolutely speaking, that every one who comes to +me should have eternal life. And this is what he says: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">For this is the will of my Father, who sent me, +that every one who sees the Son and believes in him, should have +eternal life.</span> Note that he said above: “Whoever hears +my voice and believes in him who sent me, possesses eternal +life” (above 5:24), while here he says: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">every one who sees the Son and believes in +him.</span> We can understand from this that the Father and the Son +have the same divine nature; and it is the vision of this, through +its essence, that is our ultimate end and the object of our faith. +When he says here, <span style="font-weight: bold">sees the +Son,</span> he is referring to the physical sight of Christ which +leads to faith, and not to this vision through essence which faith +precedes. Thus he expressly says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">every one who sees the Son and believes in +him:</span> “Whoever believes in him ... will not encounter +judgment, but has passed from death to life” (above 5:24); +“These things are written that you may believe that Jesus +Christ is the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in +his name” (below 20:3 1).</p> +<p>928 This will of the Father will also be accomplished. So he +adds: <span style="font-weight: bold">And I will raise him up on +the last day,</span> for he wills that we have eternal life not +just in our soul alone, but also in our body, as Christ did at his +resurrection: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the +earth will awake: some to an everlasting life, and others to +everlasting shame” (Dn 12:2); “Christ, having risen +from the dead, will not die again” (Rom 6:9).</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE5</span></p> +<blockquote> +<p>41 The Jews therefore grumbled about him because he had said, +“I amthe living bread that has come down from heaven.” +42 And they said: “Is he not the son of Joseph? Do we not +know his father and mother? How then can he say that he has come +down from heaven?” 43 Jesus responded and said to them:</p> +<dl> +<dd>“Stop grumbling among yourselves.</dd> +<dd>44 No one can come to me</dd> +<dd>unless the Father, who sent me, draws him.</dd> +<dd>And I will raise him up on the last day.</dd> +<dd>45 It is written in the prophets;</dd> +<dd>‘They shall all be taught by God.’</dd> +<dd>Every one who has heard the Father and has learned,</dd> +<dd>comes to me.</dd> +<dd>46 Not that any one has seen the Father,</dd> +<dd>except the one who is from God—</dd> +<dd>he has seen the Father.”</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>929 Those opinions that conflict with the above teaching of +Christ are now rejected. First, those of’ the people, who +were discontented; secondly, those of the disciples, who were in a +state of doubt (v 61). He does two things about the first. First, +we see the people grumble about the origin of this spiritual food; +secondly, we see Christ check the dispute which arose over the +eating of this spiritual food (v 53). As to the first he does two +things. First, he mentions the grumbling of the people; secondly, +how it was checked (v 43). As to the first he does two things. +First, he shows the occasion for this complaining; secondly, what +those complaining said (v 42).</p> +<p>930 He continues that some of the people were grumbling over +what Christ had said, that is, because Christ had said, +<span style="font-weight: bold">I am the living bread that has come +down from heaven,</span> a spiritual bread they did not understand +or desire. And so they grumbled because their minds were not fixed +on spiritual things. They were following in this case the custom of +their ancestors: “They grumbled in their tents” (Ps +105:25); “Do not grumble, as some of them did” (1 Cor +10:10). As Chrysostom says, they had not complained till now +because they still hoped to obtain material food; but as soon as +they lost that hope, they began to grumble, although they pretended +that it was for a different reason. Yet they did not contradict him +openly due to the respect they had for him arising from his +previous miracle.</p> +<p>931 He says those who complained said: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Is he not the son of Joseph?</span> For since +they were earthly minded, they only considered Christ’s +physical generation, which hindered them from recognizing his +spiritual and eternal generation. And so we see them speaking only +of earthly things, “He who is of earth is earthly and speaks +of earthly things” (above 3:3 1), and not understanding what +is spiritual. Thus they said: <span style="font-weight: bold">How +then can he say that he has come down from heaven?</span> They +called him the son of Joseph as this was the general opinion, for +Joseph was his foster father: “the son of Joseph (as was +supposed)” (Lk 3:23).</p> +<p>932 Next (v 43), the grumbling of the people is checked. First, +Christ stops this complaining; secondly, he clears up their +difficulty (v 47). As to the first he does two things. First, he +checks their complaining, secondly, he tells why they were doing it +(v 44).</p> +<p>933 Jesus noticed that they were grumbling and checked them, +saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">Stop grumbling among +yourselves.</span> This was good advice, for those who complain +show that their minds are not firmly fixed on God; and so we read +in Wisdom (1:11): “Keep yourselves from grumbling, for it +does no good.”</p> +<p>934 The reason for their grumbling was their unbelief, and he +shows this when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">No one can +come to me</span> .... First, he shows that if one is to come to +Christ, he has to be drawn by the Father. Secondly, he shows the +way one is drawn (v 45). As to the first he does three things. +First, he mentions that coming to Christ surpasses human ability; +secondly, the divine help we receive for this; and thirdly, the end +or fruit of this help.</p> +<p>That we should come to Christ through faith surpasses our human +ability; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">No one can +come to me.</span> Secondly, divine help is effective in helping us +to this; thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">unless the +Father, who sent me, draws him.</span> The end or fruit of this +help is the very best, so he adds, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">And I will raise him up on the last +day.</span></p> +<p>935 He says first: It is not unexpected that you are grumbling, +because my Father had not yet drawn you to me, for <span style= +"font-weight: bold">No one can come to me,</span> by believing in +me, <span style="font-weight: bold">unless the Father, who sent me, +draws him.</span></p> +<p>There are three questions here. The first is about his saying: +<span style="font-weight: bold">unless the Father draws him.</span> +For since we come to Christ by believing, then, as we said above, +to come to Christ is to believe in him. But no one can believe +unless he wills to. Therefore, since to be drawn implies some kind +of compulsion, one who comes to Christ by being drawn is +compelled.</p> +<p>I answer that what we read here about the Father drawing us does +not imply coercion, because there are some ways of being drawn that +do not involve compulsion. Consequently, the Father draws men to +the Son in many ways, using the different ways in which we can be +drawn without compulsion. One person may draw another by persuading +him with a reason. The Father draws us to his Son in this way by +showing us that he is his Son. He does this in two ways. First, by +an interior revelation, as in: “Blessed are you, Simon +Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you (that +is, that Christ is the Son of the living God), but it was done so +by my Father” (Mt 16:17). Secondly, it can be done through +miracles, which the Son has the power to do from the Father: +“The very works which my Father has given me to perform ... +they bear witness to me” (above 5:36).</p> +<p>Again, one person draws another by attracting or captivating +him: “She captivated him with her flattery” (Prv 7:21). +This is the way the Father draws those who are devoted to Jesus on +account of the authority of the paternal greatness. For the Father, +i.e., the paternal greatness, draws those who believe in Christ +because they believe that he is the Son of God. Arius—who did +not believe that Christ was the true Son of God, nor begotten of +the substance of the Father—was not drawn in this way. +Neither was Photinus—who dogniatized that Christ was a mere +man. So, this is the way those who are captivated by his greatness +are drawn by the Father. But they are also drawn by the Son, +through a wonderful joy and love of the truth, which is the very +Son of God himself. For if, as Augustine says, each of us is drawn +by his own pleasure, how much more strongly ought we to be drawn to +Christ if we find our pleasure in truth, happiness, justice, +eternal life: all of which Christ is! Therefore, if we would be +drawn by him, let us be drawn through love for the truth, according +to: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the +desires of your heart” (Ps 36:4). And so in the Song of +Solomon, the bride says: “Draw me after you, and we will run +to the fragrance of your perfume” (1:4).</p> +<p>An external revelation or an object are not the only things that +draw us. There is also an interior impulse that incites and moves +us to believe. And so the Father draws many to the Son by the +impulse of a divine action, moving a person’s heart from +within to believe: “It is God who is working in us, both to +will and to accomplish” (Phil 2:13); “1 will draw them +with the cords of Adam, with bands of love” (Hos 11:4); +“The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; he turns +it wherever he wills” (Prv 2 1:1).</p> +<p>936 The second problem is this. We read that it is the Son who +draws us to the Father: “No one knows the Father but the Son, +and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal him” (Mt 11:26); +“1 have made your name known to those you have given +me” (below 17:6). So how can it say here that it is the +Father who draws us to the Son? This can be answered in two ways: +for we can speak of Christ either as a man, or as God. As man, +Christ is the way: “I am the way” (below 14:6); and as +the Christ, he leads us to the Father, as a way or road leads to +its end. The Father draws us to Christ as man insofar as he gives +us his own power so that we may believe in Christ: “You are +saved by grace, through faith; and this is not due to yourself, for +it is the gift of God”’ (Eph 2:8). Insofar as he is +Christ, he is the Word of God and manifests the Father. It is in +this way that the Son draws us to the Father. But the Father draws +us to the Son insofar as he manifests the Son.</p> +<p>937 The third problem concerns his saying that no one can come +to Christ unless the Father draws him. For according to this, if +one does not come to Christ, it is not because of himself, but is +due to the one who does not draw him. I answer and say that, in +truth, no one can come unless drawn by the Father. For just as a +heavy object by its nature cannot rise up, but has to be lifted by +someone else, so the human heart, which tends of itself to lower +things, cannot rise to what is above unless it is drawn or lifted. +And if it does not rise up, this is not due to the failure of the +one lifting it, who, so far as lies in him, fails no one; rather, +it is due to an obstacle in the one who is not drawn or lifted +up.</p> +<p>In this matter we can distinguish between those in the state of +integral nature, and those in the state of fallen nature. In the +state of integral nature, there was no obstacle to being drawn up, +and thus all could share in it. But in the state of fallen nature, +all are equally held back from this drawing by the obstacle of sin; +and so, all need to be drawn. God, in so far as it depends on him, +extends his hand to every one, to draw every one; and what is more, +he not only draws those who receive him by the hand, but even +converts those who are turned away from him, according to: +“Convert us, O Lord, to yourself, and we will be +converted” (Lam 5:21); and “You will turn, O God, and +bring us to life,” as one version of the Psalm (84:7) puts +it. Therefore, since God is ready to give grace to all, and draw +them to himself, it is not due to him if someone does not accept; +rather, it is due to the person who does not accept.</p> +<p>938 A general reason can be given why God does not draw all who +are turned away from him, but certain ones, even though all are +equally turned away. The reason is so that the order of divine +justice may appear and shine forth in those who are not drawn, +while the immensity of the divine mercy may appear and shine in +those who are drawn. But as to why in particular he draws this +person and does not draw that person, there is no reason except the +pleasure of the divine will. So Augustine says: “Whom he +draws and whom he does not draw, why he draws one and does not draw +another, do not desire to judge if you do not wish to err. But +accept and understand: If you are not yet drawn, then pray that you +may be drawn.” We can illustrate this by an example. One can +give as the reason why a builder puts some stones at the bottom, +and others at the top and sides, that it is the arrangement of the +house, whose completion requires this. But why he puts these +particular stones here, and those over there, this depends on his +mere will. Thus it is that the prime reason for the arrangement is +referred to the will of the builder. So God, for the completion of +the universe, draws certain ones in order that his mercy may appear +in them; and others he does not draw in order that his justice may +be shown in them. But that he draws these and does not draw those, +depends on the pleasure of his will. In the same way, the reason +why in his Church he made some apostles, some confessors, and +others martyrs, is for the beauty and completion of the Church. But +why he made Peter an apostle, and Stepehen a martyr, and Nicholas a +confessor, the only reason is his will. We are now clear on the +limitations of our human ability, and the assistance given to us by +divine help.</p> +<p>939 He follows with the end and fruit of this help when he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">And I will raise him</span> tip +<span style="font-weight: bold">on the last day,</span> even as +man; for we obtain the fruit of the resurrection through those +things which Christ did in his flesh: “For as death came +through a man, so the resurrection of the dead has come through a +man” (1 Cor 15:21). So <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I</span>, as man, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">will raise him up,</span> not only to a natural +life, but even too the life of glory; and this on the last day. For +the Catholic Faith teaches that the world will be made new: +“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Rv 2 1:1), +and that among the changes accompanying this renewal we believe +that the motion of the heavens will stop, and consequently, time. +“And the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land, +raised his hand to heaven” (Rv 10:5), and then it says that +he swore that “time will be no more” (v 6). Since at +the resurrection time will stop, so also will night and day, +according to “There will be one day, known to the Lord, not +day and night” (Zec 14:7). This is the reason he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">And I will raise him up on the last +day.</span></p> +<p>940 As to the question why the motion of the heavens and time +itself will continue until then, and not end before or after, we +should note that whatever exists for something else is differently +disposed according to the different states of that for which it +exists. But all physical things have been made for man; +consequently, they should be disposed according to the different +states of man. So, because the state of incorruptibility will begin +in men when they arise—according to “What is mortal +will put on incorruption,” as it says in 1 Corinthians +(15:54)—the corruption of things will also stop then. +Consequently, the motion of the heavens, which is the cause of the +generation and corruption of material things, will stop. +“Creation itself will be set free from its slavery to +corruption into the freedom of the children of God” (Rom +8:21).</p> +<p>So, it is clear that the Father must draw us if we are to have +faith.</p> +<p>941 Then (v 45), he considers the way we are drawn. First, he +states the way; secondly, its effectiveness (v 45b); and thirdly, +he excludes a certain way of being drawn (v 46).</p> +<p>942 The manner in which we are drawn is appropriate, for God +draws us by revealing and teaching; and this is what he says: +<span style="font-weight: bold">It is written in the prophets: They +shall all be taught by God.</span> Bede says that this comes from +Joel. But it does not seem to be there explicitly, although there +is something like it in: “O children oi Zion, rejoice and be +joyful in the Lord your God, because he will give you a teacher of +justice” (JI 2:23). Again, according to Bede, he says, in the +prophets, so that we might understand that the same meaning can be +gathered from various statements of the prophets. But it is Isaiah +who seems to state this more explicitly: “All your children +will be taught by the Lord” (is 54:13). We also read: +“I will give you shepherds after my own heart, and they will +feed you with knowledge and doctrine” (Jer 3:15).</p> +<p>943 <span style="font-weight: bold">They shall all be taught by +God,</span> can be understood in three ways. In one way, so that +all stands for all the people in the world; in another way, so that +it stands for all who are in the Church of Christ, and in a third +way, so it means all who will be in the kingdom of heaven.</p> +<p>If we understand it in the first way, it does not seem to be +true, for he immediately adds, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Every one who has heard the Father and has +learned, comes to me.</span> Therefore, if every one in the world +is taught [by God], then every one will come to Christ. But this is +false, for not every one has faith. There are three answers to +this. First, one could say, as Chrysostorn does, that he is +speaking of the majority: all, i.e., very many shall be taught, +just as we find in Matthew: “Many will come from the East and +the West” (Mt 8:11). Secondly, it could mean, all, so far as +God is concerned, shall be taught, but if some are not taught, that +is due to themselves. For the sun, on its part, shines on all, but +some are unable to see it if they close their eyes, or are blind. +From this point of view, the Apostle says: “He desires the +salvation of all men, and that all come to the knowledge of the +truth” (1 Tim 2:4). Thirdly, we could say, with Augustine, +that we must make a restricted application, so that <span style= +"font-weight: bold">They shall all be taught by God,</span> means +that all who are taught, are taught by God. It is just as we might +speak of a teacher of the liberal arts who is working in a city: he +alone teaches all the boys of the city, because no one there is +taught by anyone else. It is in this sense that it was said above: +“He was the true light, which enlightens every man coming +into this world” ( 1:9).</p> +<p>944 If we explain these words as referring to those who are +gathered into the Church, it says: They shall all, all who are in +the Church, be taught by God. For we read: “All your children +will be taught by the Lord” (Is 54:13). This shows the +sublimity of the Christian faith, which does not depend on human +teachings, but on the teaching of God. For the teaching of the Old +Testament was given through the prophets; but the teaching of the +New Testament is given through the Son of God himself. “In +many and various ways (i.e., in the Old Testament) God spoke to our +fathers through the prophets; in these days he has spoken to us in +his Son” (Heb 1:1); and again in (2:3): “It was first +announced by the Lord, and was confirined to us by those who heard +him.” Thus, all who are in the Church are taught, not by the +apostles nor by the prophets, but by God himself. Further, +according to Augustine, what we are taught by men is from God, who +teaches from within: “You have one teacher, the Christ” +(Mt 23:10). For understanding, which we especially need for such +teaching, is from God.</p> +<p>945 If we explain these words as applying to those who are in +the kingdom of heaven, then <span style="font-weight: bold">They +shall all be taught by God,</span> because they will see his +essence without any intermediary: “We shall see him as he +is” (1 Jn 3:2).</p> +<p>946 This drawing by the Father is most effective, because, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Every one who has heard the Father +and has learned, comes to me.</span> Here he mentions two things: +first, what relates to a gift of God, when he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">has heard,</span> that is, through God, who +reveals; the other relates to a free judgment, when he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">and has learned,</span> that is, by +an assent. These two are necessary for every teaching of faith. +<span style="font-weight: bold">Every one who has heard the +Father,</span> teaching and making known, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">and has learned,</span> by giving assent, comes +to me.</p> +<p>He comes in three ways: through a knowledge of the truth; +through the affection of love; and through imitative action. And in +each way it is necessary that one hear and learn. The one who comes +through a knowledge of the truth must hear, when God speaks within: +“I will hear what the Lord God will speak within me” +(Ps 84:9); and he must learn, through affection, as was said. The +one who comes through love and desire—“If any one +thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (below +7:37)—must hear the word of the Father and grasp it, in order +to learn and be moved in his affections. For that person learns the +word who grasps it according to the meaning of the speaker. But the +Word of the Father breathes forth love. Therefore, the one who +grasps it with eager love, learns. “Wisdom goes into holy +souls, and makes them prophets and friends of God” (Wis +7:27). One comes to Christ through imitative action, according to: +“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will +refresh you” (Mt 11:28). And whoever learns even in this way +comes to Christ: for as the conclusion is to things knowable, so is +action to things performable. Now whoever learns perfectly in the +sciences arrives at the conclusion; therefore, as regards things +that are performable, whoever learns the words perfectly arrives at +the right action: “The Lord has opened my ear; and I do not +resist” (Is 50:5).</p> +<p>947 To correct the thought that some might have that every one +will hear and learn from the Father through a vision, he adds: +<span style="font-weight: bold">Not that any one has seen the +Father,</span> that is, a person living in this life does not see +the Father in his essence, according to: “Man will not see me +and live” (Ex 33:20), <span style="font-weight: bold">except +the one,</span> that is the Son, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">who is from God—he has seen the +Father,</span> through his essence. Or, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Not that any one has seen the Father,</span> +with a comprehensive vision: neither man nor angel has ever seen or +can see in this way; <span style="font-weight: bold">except the one +who is from God,</span> i.e., the Son: “No one knows the +Father except the Son” (Mt 11:27).</p> +<p>The reason for this, of course, is that all vision or knowledge +comes about through a likeness: creatures have a knowledge of God +according to the way they have a likeness to him. Thus the +philosophers say that the intelligences know the First Cause +according to this likeness which they have to it. Now every +creature possesses some likeness to God, but it is infinitely +distant from a likeness to his nature, and so no creature can know +him perfectly and totally, as he is in his own nature. The Son, +however, because he has received the entire nature of the Father +perfectly, through an eternal generation, sees and comprehends +totally.</p> +<p>948 Note how the words used are appropriate: for above, when he +was speaking of the knowledge others have, he used the word +“heard”; but now, in speaking of the Son’s +knowledge, he uses the word “seen,” for knowledge which +comes through seeing is direct and open, while that which comes +through hearing comes through one who has seen. And so we have +received the knowledge we have about the Father from the Son, who +saw him. Thus, no one can know the Father except through Christ, +who makes him known; and no one can come to the Son unless he has +heard from the Father, who makes the Son known.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE 6</span></p> +<blockquote> +<dl> +<dd>47 “Amen, amen, I say to you:</dd> +<dd>Whoever believes in me has eternal life.</dd> +<dd>48 1 am the bread of life.</dd> +<dd>49 Your fathers ate manna in the desert,</dd> +<dd>and they are dead.</dd> +<dd>50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven,</dd> +<dd>so that if anyone eats of this [bread]</dd> +<dd>he will not die.</dd> +<dd>51 I am the living bread</dd> +<dd>that has come down from heaven.</dd> +<dd>52 If anyone eats of this bread,</dd> +<dd>he will live forever.</dd> +<dd>And the bread which I will give is my flesh,</dd> +<dd>for the life of the world.”</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>949 After our Lord quieted the grumbling of the Jews, he now +clears up the doubt they had because of his saying, “I am the +bread that has come down from heaven.” he intends to show +here that this is true. This is the way he reasons: The bread which +gives life to the world descended from heaven; but I am the bread +that gives life to the world: therefore, I am the bread which +descended from heaven. He does three things concerning this. First, +he presents the minor premise of his reasoning, that is, +<span style="font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life.</span> In +the second place, he gives the major premise, that is, that the +bread that descended from heaven ought to give life (v 49). +Thirdly, we have the conclusion (v 5 1). As to the first he does +two things. First, he states his point; secondly, he expresses it +as practically proved (v 48).</p> +<p>950 His intention is to show that he is the bread of life. Bread +is life-giving insofar as it is taken. Now one who believes in +Christ takes him within himself, according to: “Christ +dwells,in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17). Therefore, if +he who believes in Christ has life, it is clear that he is brought +to life by eating this bread. Thus, this bread is the bread of +life. And this is what he says: Amen, amen, I say to you: +<span style="font-weight: bold">Whoever believes in me,</span> with +a faith made living by love, which not only perfects the intellect +but the affections as well (for we do not tend to the things we +believe in unless we love them), <span style= +"font-weight: bold">has eternal life.</span></p> +<p>Now Christ is within us in two ways: in our intellect through +faith, so far as it is faith; and in our affections through love, +which informs or gives life to our faith: “He who abides in +love, abides in God, and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16). So he who +believes in Christ so that he tends to him, possesses Christ in his +affections and in his intellect. And if we add that Christ is +eternal life, as stated in “that we may be in his true Son, +Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 Jn +5:20), and in “In him was life” (above 1:4), we can +infer that whoever believes in Christ has eternal life. He has it, +I say, in its Ciause and in hope, and he will have it at some time +in reality.</p> +<p>951 Having stated his position, he expresses it as, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I am the bread of life,</span> which gives +life, as clearly follows from the above. We read of this bread: +“The bread of Asher will be rich, he will furnish choice +morsels,” of eternal life, “to kings” (Gn +49:20).</p> +<p>952 Then when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your +fathers ate manna in the desert, and they are dead,</span> he gives +the major premise, namely, the bread that descended from heaven +ought to have the effect of giving life. First, he explains this; +secondly, he draws his point (v 50).</p> +<p>953 He explains his meaning through a contrasting situation. It +was said above (909) that Moses gave the Jews bread from heaven, in +the sense of from the air. But bread that does not come from the +true heaven cannot give adequate life. Therefore, it is proper to +the heavenly bread to give life. So, the bread given by Moses, in +which you take pride, does not give life. And he proves this when +he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your fathers ate manna in +the desert, and they are dead.</span></p> +<p>In this statement he first reproaches them for their faults, +when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Your fathers,</span> +whose sons you are, not only according to the flesh, but also by +imitating their actions, because you are grumblers just as +“they grumbled in their tents” (Ps 105:25); this was +why he said to them: “Fill up, then, the measure of your +fathers,” as we read in Matthew (23:32). As Augustine says, +this people is said to have offended God in no matter more than by +grumbling against God.</p> +<p>Secondly, he mentions for how short a time this was done, +saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">in the desert:</span> for +they were not given manna for a long period of time; and they had +it only while in the desert, and not when they entered the promised +land (Jos 5). But the other bread [from the true heaven] preserves +and nourishes one forever. Thirdly, he states an inadequacy in that +bread, that is, it did not preserve life without end; so he says, +and they are dead. For we read in Joshua (c 5) that all who +grumbled, except Joshua and Caleb, died in the desert. This was the +reason for the second circumcision, as we see here, because all who +had left Egypt died in the desert.</p> +<p>954 One might wonder what kind of death God is speaking of here. +If he is speaking of physical death, there will be no difference +between the bread the Jews had in the desert and our bread, which +came down from heaven, because even Christians who share the latter +bread die physically. But if he is speaking of spiritual death, it +is clear that both then among the Jews and now among the +Christians, some die spiritually and others do not. For Moses and +many others who were pleasing to God did not die, while others did. +Also, those who eat this bread [of the Christians] unworthily, die +spiritually: “He who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and +drinks judginent upon himself” (1 Cor 11:29).</p> +<p>We may answer this by saying that the food of the Jews has some +features in common with our spiritual food. They are alike in the +fact that each signifies the same thing: for both signify Christ. +Thus they are called the same food: “All ate the same +spiritual food” ( 1 Cor 10:3). He calls them the same because +each is a symbol of the spiritual food. But they are different +because one [the manna] was only a symbol; while the other [the +bread of the Christians] contains that of which it is the symbol, +that is, Christ himself. Thus we should say that each of these +foods can be taken in two ways. First, as a sign only, i.e., so +that each is taken as food only, and without understanding what is +signified; and taken in this way, they do not take away either +physical or spiritual death. Secondly, they may be taken in both +ways, i.e., the visible food is taken in such a way that spiritual +food is understood and spiritually tasted, in order that it may +satisfy spiritually. In this way, those who ate the manna +spiritually did not die spiritually. But those who eat the +Eucharist spiritually, both live spiritually now without sin, and +will live physically forever. Thus, our food is greater than their +food, because it contains in itself that of which it is the +symbol.</p> +<p>955 Having presented the argument, he draws the conclusion: +<span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread that comes, down +from heaven.</span> He says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">This,</span> the Gloss says, to indicate +himself. But our Lord does not understand it this way as it would +be superfluous, since he immediately adds, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I am the living bread that has come down from +heaven.</span> So we should say that our Lord wants to say that the +bread which can do this, i.e., give life, comes from heaven; but I +am that bread: thus, I am that bread that comes down from heaven. +Now the reason why that bread which comes down from heaven gives a +life which never ends is that all food nourishes according to the +properties of its nature; but heavenly things are incorruptible: +consequently, since this food is heavenly, it is not corrupted, and +as long as it lasts, it gives life. So, he who eats it, will not +die. Just as if there were some bodily food which never corrupted, +then in nourishing it would always be life-giving. This bread was +signified by the tree of life in the midst of Paradise, which +somehow gave life without end: “He must not be allowed to +stretch out his hand and take from the tree of life and eat, and +live forever” (Gn 3:22). So if the effect of this bread is +that anyone who eats it will not die, and I am such, then [anyone +who eats of me will not die].</p> +<p>956 He does two things concerning this. First, he speaks of +himself in general; secondly, in particular, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">And the bread which I will give is my +flesh.</span> In regard to the first, he does two things: first, he +mentions his origin; secondly his power (v 52).</p> +<p>957 He said, <span style="font-weight: bold">I am the living +bread;</span> consequently, I can give life. Material bread does +not give life forever, because it does not have life in itself; but +it gives life by being changed and converted into nourishment by +the energy of a living organism. <span style= +"font-weight: bold">That has come down from heaven:</span> it was +explained before [4671 how the Word came down. This refuted those +heresies which taught that Christ was a mere man, because according +to them, he would not have come down from heaven.</p> +<p>958 He has the power to give eternal life; thus he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">If anyone eats of this +bread,</span> i.e., spiritually, <span style="font-weight: bold">he +will live,</span> not only in the present through faith and +justice, but <span style="font-weight: bold">forever.</span> +“Everyone who lives and believes in me, will never die” +(below 11:26).</p> +<p>959 He then speaks of his body when he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">And the bread which I will give is my +flesh.</span> For he had said that he was the living bread; and so +that we do not think that he is such so far as he is the Word or in +his soul alone, he shows that even his flesh is life-giving, for it +is an instrument of his divinity. Thus, since an instrument acts by +virtue of the agent, then just as the divinity of Christ is +lifegiving, so too his flesh gives life (as Damascene says) because +of the Word to which it is united. Thus Christ healed the sick by +his touch. So what he said above, <span style="font-weight: bold">I +am the living bread,</span> pertained to the power of the Word; but +what he is saying here pertains to the sharing in his body, that +is, to the sacrament of the Eucharist.</p> +<p>960 We can consider four things about this sacrament: its +species, the authority of the one who instituted it, the truth of +this sacrament, and its usefulness.</p> +<p>As to the species of this sacrament: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">This is the bread;</span> “Come, and eat +my bread” (Prv 9:5). The reason for this is that this is the +sacrament of the body of Christ; but the body of Christ is the +Church, which arises out of many believers forming a bodily unity: +“We are one body” (Rom 12:5). And so because bread is +formed from many grains, it is a fitting species for this +sacrament. Hence he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">And the +bread which I will give is my flesh.</span></p> +<p>961 The author of this sacrament is Christ: for although the +priest confers it, it is Christ himself who gives the power to this +sacrament, because the priest consecrates in the person of Christ. +Thus in the other sacraments the priest uses his own words or those +of the Church, but in this sacrament he uses the words of Christ: +because just as Christ gave his body to death by his own will, so +it is by his own power that he gives himself as food: “Jesus +took bread, he blessed it and broke it, and gave it to his +disciples, saying: ‘Take and eat it, this is my body’ +“ (Mt 26:26). Thus he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">which I will</span> give; and he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">will give,</span> because this +sacrament had not yet been instituted.</p> +<p>962 The truth of this sacrament is indicated when he says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">is my flesh</span>. He does not +say, “This signifies my flesh,” but it <span style= +"font-weight: bold">is my flesh,</span> for in reality that which +is taken is truly the body of Christ: “Who will give us his +flesh so that we may be satisfied?” as we read in Job (31:3 +1).</p> +<p>Since the whole Christ is contained in this sacrament, why did +he just say, this <span style="font-weight: bold">is my +flesh</span>? To answer this, we should note that in this mystical +sacrament the whole Christ is really contained: but his body is +there by virtue of the conversion; while his soul and divinity are +present by natural concomitance. For if we were to suppose whal is +really inipossible, that is, that the divinity of Christ is +separated from his body, then his divinity would not be present in +this sacrament. Similarly, if someone had consecrated during the +three days Christ was dead, his soul would not have been present +there [in the sacrament], but his body would have been, as it was +on the cross or in the tomb. Since this sacrament is the +commemoration of our Lord’s passion—according to +“As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you +proclaim the death of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:26)—and the +passion of Christ depended on his weakness—according to +“He was crucified through weakness” (2 Cor +13:4)—he rather says, <span style="font-weight: bold">is my +flesh,</span> to suggest the weakness through which he died, for +“flesh” signifies weakness.</p> +<p>963 The usefulness of this sacrament is great and universal. It +is great, indeed, because it produces spiritual life within us now, +and will later produce eternal life, as was said. For as is clear +from what was said, since this is the sacrament of our Lord’s +passion, it contains in itself the Christ who suffered. Thus, +whatever is an effect of our Lord’s passion is also an effect +of this sacrament. For this sacrament is nothing other than the +application of our Lord’s passion to us. For it was not +fitting for Christ to be always with us in his own presence; and so +he wanted to make up for this absence through this sacrament. Hence +it is clear that the destruction of death, which Christ +accomplished by his death, and the restoration of life, which he +accomplished by his resurrection, are effects of this +sacrament.</p> +<p>964 The usefulness of this sacrament is universal because the +life it gives is not only the life of one person, but, so far as +concerns itself, the life of the entire world: and for this the +death of Christ is fully sufficient. “He is the offering for +our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the entire +world” (1 Jn 2:2).</p> +<p>We should note that this sacrament is different from the others: +for the other sacraments have individual effects: as in baptism, +only the one baptized receives grace. But in the immolation of this +sacrament, the effect is universal: because it affects not just the +priest, but also those for whom he prays, as well as the entire +Church, of the living and of the dead. The reason for this is that +it contains the universal cause of all the sacraments, Christ. +Nevertheless, when a lay person receives this sacrament it does not +benefit others <i>ex opere operato</i> [by its own power] +considered as a receiving. However, due to the intention of the +person who is acting and receiving, it can be communicated to all +those to whom he directs his intention. It is clear from this that +lay persons are mistaken when they receive the Eucharist for those +in purgatory.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE 7</span></p> +<blockquote> +<p>53 The Jews therefore disputed among themselves, saying: +“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 54 Jesus +then said to them:</p> +<dl> +<dd>“Amen, amen, I say to you,</dd> +<dd>unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his +blood,</dd> +<dd>you will not have life in you.</dd> +<dd>55 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal +life;</dd> +<dd>and I will raise him up on the last day.</dd> +<dd>56 For my flesh truly is food,</dd> +<dd>and my blood truly is drink.</dd> +<dd>57 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood</dd> +<dd>abides in me, and I in him.</dd> +<dd>58 Just as the living Father has sent me, and I live because of +the Father,</dd> +<dd>so whoever eats me,</dd> +<dd>he also will live because of me.</dd> +<dd>59 This is the bread that has come down from heaven.</dd> +<dd>Unlike your fathers who ate manna and are dead,</dd> +<dd>whoever eats this bread shall live forever.”<br /> +60 These things he said teaching in the synagogue at +Capernaum.</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>965 Above, our Lord checked the grumbling of the Jews over the +origin of this spiritual food; here, he stops their dispute over +the ealing of this same food. First, we see their dispute; +secondly, our Lord stops it (v 54); thirdly, the Evangelist +mentions the place where all this happened (v 60).</p> +<p>906 As to the first, note that the Evangelist brings in the +dispute among the Jews in the form of a conclusion, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">saying, The Jews therefore disputed among +themselves.</span> And this is fitting: for according to Augustine, +our Lord had just spoken to them about the food of unity, which +makes into one those who are nourished on it, according to, +“Let those who are just feast and rejoice before God,” +and then it continues, according to one reading, “God makes +those who agree to live in one house” (Ps 67:4). And so, +because the Jews had not eaten the food of harmony, they argued +with each other: “When you fast, you argue and fight” +(Is 58:4). Further, their quarreling with others shows that they +were carnal: “For while you are envious and quarreling, are +you not carnal?” (1 Cor 3:3). Therefore, they understood +these words of our Lord in a carnal way, i.e., as meaning that our +Lord’s flesh would be eaten as material food. Thus they say, +<span style="font-weight: bold">How can this man give us his flesh +to eat?</span> As if to say: This is impossible. Here they were +speaking against God just as their fathers did: “We are sick +of this useless food” (Nm 21:5).</p> +<p>967 Our Lord stops this argument. First, he states the power +that comes from taking this food; secondly, he amplifies on it (v +55). As to the first he does three things. First, he states why it +is necessary to eat this flesh; secondly, its usefulness; and +thirdly, he adds something about its truth (v 56).</p> +<p>968 Jesus said: <span style="font-weight: bold">Amen, amen, I +say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink +his blood, you will not have life in you.</span> As if to say: You +think it is impossible and unbecoming to eat my flesh. But it is +not only possible, but very necessary, so much so that <span style= +"font-weight: bold">unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and +drink his blood, you will not have,</span> i.e., you will not be +able to have, <span style="font-weight: bold">life in you,</span> +that is, spiritual life. For just as material food is so necessary +for bodily life that without it you cannot exist—“They +exchanged their precious belongings for food” (Lam 1:11); +“Bread strengthens the heart of man” (Ps +103:15)—so spiritual food is necessary for the spiritual life +to such an extent that without it the spiritual life cannot be +sustained: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every +word which comes from the mouth of God” (Dt 8:3).</p> +<p>969 We should note that this statement can refer either to +eating in a spiritual way or in a sacramental way. If we understand +it as referring to a spiritual eating, it does not cause any +difficulty. For that person eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his +blood in a spiritual way who shares in the unity of the Church; and +this is accomplished by the love of charity: “You are one +body, in Christ” (Rom 12:5). Thus, one who does not eat in +this way is outside the Church, and consequently, without the love +of charity. Accordingly, such a one does not have life in himself: +“He who does not love, remains in death” (1 Jn +3:14).</p> +<p>But if we refer this statement to eating in a sacramental way, a +difficulty appears. For we read above: “Unless one is born +again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of +God” (3:5). Now this statement was given in the same form as +the present one: <span style="font-weight: bold">Unless you eat the +flesh of the Son of Man.</span> Therefore, since baptism is a +necessary sacrament, it seems that the Eucharist is also. In fact, +the Greeks think it is; and so they give the Eucharist to newly +baptized infants. For this opinion they have in their favor the +rite of Denis, who says that the reception of each sacrament should +culminate in the sharing of the Eucharist, which is the culmination +of all the sacraments. This is true in the case of adults, but it +is not so for infants, because receiving the Eucharist should be +done with reverence and devotion, and those who do not have the use +of reason, as infants and the insane, cannot have this. +Consequently, it should not be given to them at all.</p> +<p>We should say, therefore, that the sacrament of baptism is +necessary for everyone, and it must be really received, because +without it no one is born again into life. And so it is necessary +that it be received in reality, or by desire in the case of those +who are prevented from the former. For if the contempt within a +person excludes a baptism by water, then neither a baptism of +desire nor of blood will benefit him for eternal life. However, the +sacrament of the Eucharist is necessary for adults only, so that it +may be received in reality, or by desire, according to the +practices of the Church.</p> +<p>970 But even this causes difficulty: because by these words of +Our Lord, it is necessary for salvation not only to eat his body, +but also to drink his blood, especially since a repast of food is +not complete without drink. Therefore, since it is the custom in +certain Churches for only the priest to receive Christ’s +blood, while the rest receive only his body, they would seem to be acting against this.</p> -<p>I answer that it was the custom of the early Church for all to receive both the body and blood of -Christ; and certain Churches have still retained this practice, where even those assisting at the -altar always receive the body and blood. But in some Churches, due to the danger of spilling the -blood, the custom is for it to be received only by the priest, while the rest receive Christ’s body. -Even so, this is not acting against our Lord’s command, because whoever receives Christ’s body -receives his blood also, since the entire Christ is present under each species, even his body and -blood. But under the species of bread, Christ’s body is present in virtue of the conversion, and -his blood is present by natural concomitance; while under the species of wine, his blood is -present in virtue of the conversion, and his body by natural concomitance.</p> -<p>It is now clear why it is necessary to receive this spiritual food.</p> -<p>971 Next, the usefulness of this food is shown: first, for the spirit or sou; secondly, for the body, -<span style="font-weight: bold">and I will raise him up on the last day.</span></p> -<p>972 There is great usefulness in eating this sacrament, for it gives eternal life; thus he says, -<span style="font-weight: bold">Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. </span>For this spiritual food is similar -to material food in the fact that without it there can be no spiritual life, just as there cannot be -bodily life without bodily food, as was said above. But this food has more than the other, because -it produces in the one who receives it an unending life, which material food does not do: for not -all who eat material food continue to live. For, as Augustine says, it can happen that many who -do take it die because of old age or sickness, or some other reason. But one who takes this food -and drink of the body and blood of our Lord <span style="font-weight: bold">has eternal life. </span>For this reason it is compared to -the tree of life: “She is the tree of life for those who take her” (Prv 3:18); and so it is called the -bread of life: “He fed him with the bread of life and understanding” (Sir 15:3). Accordingly, he -says, <span style="font-weight: bold">eternal life, </span>because one who eats this bread has within himself Christ, who is “the true -God and eternal life,” as John says (1 Jn 5:20).</p> -<p>Now one has eternal life who eats and drinks, as it is said, not only in a sacramental way, but also -in a spiritual way. One eats and drinks sacramentally or in a sacramental way, if he receives the -sacrament; and one eats and drinks spiritually or in a spiritual way, if he attains to the reality of -the sacrament. This reality of the sacrament is twofold: one is contained and signified, and this -is the whole Christ, who is contained under the species of bread and wine. The other reality is -signified but not contained, and this is the mystical body of Christ, which is in the predestined, -the called, and the justified. Thus, in reference to Christ as contained and signified, one eats his -flesh and drinks his blood in a spiritual way if he is united to him through faith and love, so that -one is transformed into him and becomes his member: for this food is not changed into the one -who eats it, but it turns the one who takes it into itself, as we see in Augustine, when he says: “I -am the food of the robust. Grow and you will eat me. Yet you will not change me into yourself, -but you will be transformed into me.” And so this is a food capable of making man divine and -inebriating him with divinity. The same is true in reference to the mystical body of Christ, which -is only signified [and not contained], if one shares in the unity of the Church. Therefore, one who -eats in these ways <span style="font-weight: bold">has eternal life. </span>That this is true of the first way, in reference to Christ, is clear -enough. In the same way, in reference to the mystical body of Christ, one will necessarily have -eternal life if he perseveres: for the unity of the Church is brought about by the Holy Spirit: “One -body, one Spirit ... the pledge of our eternal inheritance” (Eph 4:4; 1:14). So this bread is very -profitable, because it gives eternal life to the soul; but it is so also because it gives eternal life to -the body.</p> -<p>973 And therefore he adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">and I will raise him up on the last day. </span>For as was said, one who -eats and drinks in a spiritual way shares in the Holy Spirit, through whom we are united to Christ -by a union of faith and love, and through him we become members of the Church. But the Holy -Spirit also merits the resurrection: “He who raised Jesus Christ our Lord form the dead, will raise -our mortal bodies because of his Spirit, who dwells in us” (Rom 8:11). And so our Lord says that -he will raise up to glory whoever eats and drinks; to glory, and not to condemnation, as this -would not be for their benefit. Such an effect is fittingly attributed to this sacrament of the -Eucharist because, as Augustine says and as was said above, it is the Word who raises up souls, -and it is the Word made flesh who gives life to bodies. Now in this sacrament the Word is present -not only in his divinity, but also in the reality of his flesh; and so he is the cause of the -resurrection not just of souls, but of bodies as well: “For as death came through a man, so the -resurrection of the dead has come through a man” (1 Cor 15:21). It is now clear how profitable -it is to take this sacrament.</p> -<p>974 We see its truth when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">For my flesh truly is food. </span>I some might think that what he -was saying about his flesh and blood was just an enigma and a parable. So our Lord rejects this, -and says, <span style="font-weight: bold">my flesh truly is food. </span>As if to say: Do not think that I am speaking metaphorically, -for my flesh is truly contained in this food of the faithful, and my blood is truly contained in this -sacrament of the altar: “This is my body ... this is my blood of the new covenant,” as we read in -Matthew (26:26).</p> -<p>Chrysostom explains this statement in the following way. Food and drink are taken for man’s -refreshment. Now there are two parts in man: the chief part is the soul, and the second is the -body. It is the soul which makes man to be man, and not the body; and so that truly is the food -of man which is the food of the soul. And this is what our Lord says: <span style="font-weight: bold">my flesh truly is food, -</span>because it is the food of the soul, not just of the body. The same is true of the blood of Christ. -“He has led me to the waters that refresh” (Ps 22:2). As if to say: This refreshment is especially -for the soul.</p> -<p>Augustine explains these words this way. A thing is truly said to be such and such a thing if it -produces the effect of that thing. Now the effect of food is to fill or satisfy. Therefore, that which -truly produces fulness is truly food and drink. But this is produced by the flesh and blood of -Christ, who leads us to the state of glory, where there is neither hunger nor thirst: “They will -neither hunger nor thirst” (Rv 7:16). And so he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">For my flesh truly is food, and my blood -truly is drink.</span></p> -<p>975 Now our Lord proves that this spiritual food has such power, that is, to give eternal life. And -he reasons this way: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood is united to me, but whoever -is united to me has eternal life: therefore, whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal -life. Here he does three things: first, he gives his major premise; secondly, the minor premise, -which he proves (v 58); and thirdly, he draws his conclusion: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread that has come -down from heaven.</span></p> -<p>976 We should note, with respect to the first, that if his statement, <span style="font-weight: bold">He who eats my flesh and -drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him, </span>is referred to his flesh and blood in a mystical -way, there is no difficulty. For, as was said, that person eats in a spiritual way, in reference to -what is signified only, who is incorporated into the mystical body through a union of faith and -love. Through love, God is in man, and man is in God: “He who abides in love, abides in God, -and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16). And this is what the Holy Spirit does; so it is also said, “We know -that we abide in God and God in us, because he has given us his Spirit” (1 Jn 4:13).</p> -<p>If these words are referred to a sacramental reception, then whoever eats this flesh and drinks this -blood abides in God. For, as Augustine says, there is one way of eating this flesh and drinking -this blood such that he who eats and drinks abides in Christ and Christ in him. This is the way -of those who eat the body of Christ and drink his blood not just sacramentally, but really. And -there is another way by which those who eat do not abide in Christ nor Christ in them. This is -the way of those who approach [the sacrament] with an insincere heart: for this sacrament has -no effect in one who is insincere. There is insincerity when the interior state does not agree with -what is outwardly signified. In the sacrament of the Eucharist, what is outwardly signified is that -Christ is united to the one who receives it, and such a one to Christ. Thus, one who does not -desire this union in his heart, or does not try to remove every obstacle to it, is insincere. +<p>I answer that it was the custom of the early Church for all to +receive both the body and blood of Christ; and certain Churches +have still retained this practice, where even those assisting at +the altar always receive the body and blood. But in some Churches, +due to the danger of spilling the blood, the custom is for it to be +received only by the priest, while the rest receive Christ’s +body. Even so, this is not acting against our Lord’s command, +because whoever receives Christ’s body receives his blood +also, since the entire Christ is present under each species, even +his body and blood. But under the species of bread, Christ’s +body is present in virtue of the conversion, and his blood is +present by natural concomitance; while under the species of wine, +his blood is present in virtue of the conversion, and his body by +natural concomitance.</p> +<p>It is now clear why it is necessary to receive this spiritual +food.</p> +<p>971 Next, the usefulness of this food is shown: first, for the +spirit or sou; secondly, for the body, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">and I will raise him up on the last +day.</span></p> +<p>972 There is great usefulness in eating this sacrament, for it +gives eternal life; thus he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has +eternal life.</span> For this spiritual food is similar to material +food in the fact that without it there can be no spiritual life, +just as there cannot be bodily life without bodily food, as was +said above. But this food has more than the other, because it +produces in the one who receives it an unending life, which +material food does not do: for not all who eat material food +continue to live. For, as Augustine says, it can happen that many +who do take it die because of old age or sickness, or some other +reason. But one who takes this food and drink of the body and blood +of our Lord <span style="font-weight: bold">has eternal +life.</span> For this reason it is compared to the tree of life: +“She is the tree of life for those who take her” (Prv +3:18); and so it is called the bread of life: “He fed him +with the bread of life and understanding” (Sir 15:3). +Accordingly, he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">eternal +life,</span> because one who eats this bread has within himself +Christ, who is “the true God and eternal life,” as John +says (1 Jn 5:20).</p> +<p>Now one has eternal life who eats and drinks, as it is said, not +only in a sacramental way, but also in a spiritual way. One eats +and drinks sacramentally or in a sacramental way, if he receives +the sacrament; and one eats and drinks spiritually or in a +spiritual way, if he attains to the reality of the sacrament. This +reality of the sacrament is twofold: one is contained and +signified, and this is the whole Christ, who is contained under the +species of bread and wine. The other reality is signified but not +contained, and this is the mystical body of Christ, which is in the +predestined, the called, and the justified. Thus, in reference to +Christ as contained and signified, one eats his flesh and drinks +his blood in a spiritual way if he is united to him through faith +and love, so that one is transformed into him and becomes his +member: for this food is not changed into the one who eats it, but +it turns the one who takes it into itself, as we see in Augustine, +when he says: “I am the food of the robust. Grow and you will +eat me. Yet you will not change me into yourself, but you will be +transformed into me.” And so this is a food capable of making +man divine and inebriating him with divinity. The same is true in +reference to the mystical body of Christ, which is only signified +[and not contained], if one shares in the unity of the Church. +Therefore, one who eats in these ways <span style= +"font-weight: bold">has eternal life.</span> That this is true of +the first way, in reference to Christ, is clear enough. In the same +way, in reference to the mystical body of Christ, one will +necessarily have eternal life if he perseveres: for the unity of +the Church is brought about by the Holy Spirit: “One body, +one Spirit ... the pledge of our eternal inheritance” (Eph +4:4; 1:14). So this bread is very profitable, because it gives +eternal life to the soul; but it is so also because it gives +eternal life to the body.</p> +<p>973 And therefore he adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">and I +will raise him up on the last day.</span> For as was said, one who +eats and drinks in a spiritual way shares in the Holy Spirit, +through whom we are united to Christ by a union of faith and love, +and through him we become members of the Church. But the Holy +Spirit also merits the resurrection: “He who raised Jesus +Christ our Lord form the dead, will raise our mortal bodies because +of his Spirit, who dwells in us” (Rom 8:11). And so our Lord +says that he will raise up to glory whoever eats and drinks; to +glory, and not to condemnation, as this would not be for their +benefit. Such an effect is fittingly attributed to this sacrament +of the Eucharist because, as Augustine says and as was said above, +it is the Word who raises up souls, and it is the Word made flesh +who gives life to bodies. Now in this sacrament the Word is present +not only in his divinity, but also in the reality of his flesh; and +so he is the cause of the resurrection not just of souls, but of +bodies as well: “For as death came through a man, so the +resurrection of the dead has come through a man” (1 Cor +15:21). It is now clear how profitable it is to take this +sacrament.</p> +<p>974 We see its truth when he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">For my flesh truly is food.</span> I some might +think that what he was saying about his flesh and blood was just an +enigma and a parable. So our Lord rejects this, and says, +<span style="font-weight: bold">my flesh truly is food.</span> As +if to say: Do not think that I am speaking metaphorically, for my +flesh is truly contained in this food of the faithful, and my blood +is truly contained in this sacrament of the altar: “This is +my body ... this is my blood of the new covenant,” as we read +in Matthew (26:26).</p> +<p>Chrysostom explains this statement in the following way. Food +and drink are taken for man’s refreshment. Now there are two +parts in man: the chief part is the soul, and the second is the +body. It is the soul which makes man to be man, and not the body; +and so that truly is the food of man which is the food of the soul. +And this is what our Lord says: <span style="font-weight: bold">my +flesh truly is food,</span> because it is the food of the soul, not +just of the body. The same is true of the blood of Christ. +“He has led me to the waters that refresh” (Ps 22:2). +As if to say: This refreshment is especially for the soul.</p> +<p>Augustine explains these words this way. A thing is truly said +to be such and such a thing if it produces the effect of that +thing. Now the effect of food is to fill or satisfy. Therefore, +that which truly produces fulness is truly food and drink. But this +is produced by the flesh and blood of Christ, who leads us to the +state of glory, where there is neither hunger nor thirst: +“They will neither hunger nor thirst” (Rv 7:16). And so +he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">For my flesh truly is +food, and my blood truly is drink.</span></p> +<p>975 Now our Lord proves that this spiritual food has such power, +that is, to give eternal life. And he reasons this way: Whoever +eats my flesh and drinks my blood is united to me, but whoever is +united to me has eternal life: therefore, whoever eats my flesh and +drinks my blood has eternal life. Here he does three things: first, +he gives his major premise; secondly, the minor premise, which he +proves (v 58); and thirdly, he draws his conclusion: <span style= +"font-weight: bold">This is the bread that has come down from +heaven.</span></p> +<p>976 We should note, with respect to the first, that if his +statement, <span style="font-weight: bold">He who eats my flesh and +drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him,</span> is referred to +his flesh and blood in a mystical way, there is no difficulty. For, +as was said, that person eats in a spiritual way, in reference to +what is signified only, who is incorporated into the mystical body +through a union of faith and love. Through love, God is in man, and +man is in God: “He who abides in love, abides in God, and God +in him” (1 Jn 4:16). And this is what the Holy Spirit does; +so it is also said, “We know that we abide in God and God in +us, because he has given us his Spirit” (1 Jn 4:13).</p> +<p>If these words are referred to a sacramental reception, then +whoever eats this flesh and drinks this blood abides in God. For, +as Augustine says, there is one way of eating this flesh and +drinking this blood such that he who eats and drinks abides in +Christ and Christ in him. This is the way of those who eat the body +of Christ and drink his blood not just sacramentally, but really. +And there is another way by which those who eat do not abide in +Christ nor Christ in them. This is the way of those who approach +[the sacrament] with an insincere heart: for this sacrament has no +effect in one who is insincere. There is insincerity when the +interior state does not agree with what is outwardly signified. In +the sacrament of the Eucharist, what is outwardly signified is that +Christ is united to the one who receives it, and such a one to +Christ. Thus, one who does not desire this union in his heart, or +does not try to remove every obstacle to it, is insincere. Consequently, Christ does not abide in him nor he in Christ.</p> -<p>977 Now he presents his minor premise, that is, whoever is united to Christ has life. He mentions -this to show the following similarity: the Son, because of the unity he has with the Father, -receives life from the Father; therefore one who is united to Christ receives life from Christ. And -this is what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">Just as the living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father. -</span>These words can be explained in two ways about Christ: either in reference to his human nature, -or in reference to his divine nature.</p> -<p>If they are explained as referring to Christ the Son of God, then the “as” implies a similarity of -Christ to creatures in some respect, though not in all respects, which is, that he exists from -another. For to be from another is common to Christ the Son of God and to creatures. But they -are unlike in another way: the Son has something proper to himself, because he is from the Father -in such a way that he receives the entire fulness of the divine nature, so that whatever is natural -to the Father is also natural to the Son. Creatures, on the other hand, receive a certain particular -perfection and nature. “Just as the Father possesses life in himself, so he has given it to the Son -to have life in himself” (above 5:26). He shows this because, when speaking of his procession -from the Father, he does not say: “As I eat the Father and I live because of the Father, “ as he -said, when speaking of sharing in his body and blood, whoever eats me, he also will live because -of me. This eating makes us better, for eating implies a certain sharing. Rather, Christ says that -he lives because of the Father, not as eaten, but as generating, without detriment to his equality.</p> -<p>If we explain this statement as applying to Christ as man, then in some respect the “as” implies -a similarity between Christ as man and us: that is, in the fact that as Christ the man receives -spiritual life through union with God, so we too receive spiritual life in the communion or -sharing in this Sacrament. Still, there is a difference: for Christ as man received life through -union with the Word, to whom he is united in person; while we are united to Christ t through the -sacrament of faith. And so he says two things: <span style="font-weight: bold">sent me</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold">Father</span>. If we refer these words to -the Son of God, then he is saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">I live because of the Father, </span>because the Father himself is -living. But if they are referred to the Son of Man, then he is saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">I live because of the Father, -</span>because the Father has sent me, i.e., made me incarnate. For the sending of the Son is his -incarnation: “God sent his Son, made from a woman” (Gal 4:4).</p> -<p>978 According to Hilary, this is a rejection of the error made by Arius. For if we live because of -Christ, because we have something of his nature (as he says, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks -my blood has eternal life”), then Christ too lives because of the Father, because he has in himself -the nature of the Father (not a part of it, for it is simple and indivisible). Therefore, Christ has the -entire nature of the Father. It is because of the Father, therefore, that the Son lives, because the -Son’s birth did not involve another and different nature [from that of the Father].</p> -<p>979 Next (v 59), he presents his two conclusions. For they were arguing about two things: the -origin of this spiritual food and its power. The first conclusion is about its origin; the second is -about its power: <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever eats this bread shall live forever.</span></p> -<p>980 With respect to the first, we should note that the Jews had been troubled because he had said, -“I am the living bread that has come down from heaven” (v 51 ). Therefore, in opposition to -them, he arrives at this same conclusion again, from his statement, “I live because of the Father,” -when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread that has come down from heaven. </span>For to come down from -heaven is to have an origin from heaven; but the Son has his origin from heaven, since he lives -because of the Father: therefore, Christ is the one who has come down from heaven. And so he -says, <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread that has come down from heaven, </span>i.e., from the life of the Father. -<span style="font-weight: bold">Come down</span>, in relation to his divinity; or <span style="font-weight: bold">come down</span>, even in his body, so far as the power that -formed it, the Holy Spirit, was from heaven, a heavenly power. Thus, those who eat this bread -do not die; as our fathers died, who ate the manna that was neither from heaven, nor was living -bread, as was said above. How those who ate the manna died is clear from what has been -mentioned before.</p> -<p>981 The second conclusion, concerning the power of this bread, is given when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever -eats this bread shall live forever. </span>This follows from his statement, “He who eats my flesh and -drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (v 57). For whoever eats this bread abides in me, and -I in him. But I am eternal life. Therefore, <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever eats this bread, </span>as he ought, <span style="font-weight: bold">shall live +<p>977 Now he presents his minor premise, that is, whoever is +united to Christ has life. He mentions this to show the following +similarity: the Son, because of the unity he has with the Father, +receives life from the Father; therefore one who is united to +Christ receives life from Christ. And this is what he says: +<span style="font-weight: bold">Just as the living Father has sent +me, and I live because of the Father.</span> These words can be +explained in two ways about Christ: either in reference to his +human nature, or in reference to his divine nature.</p> +<p>If they are explained as referring to Christ the Son of God, +then the “as” implies a similarity of Christ to +creatures in some respect, though not in all respects, which is, +that he exists from another. For to be from another is common to +Christ the Son of God and to creatures. But they are unlike in +another way: the Son has something proper to himself, because he is +from the Father in such a way that he receives the entire fulness +of the divine nature, so that whatever is natural to the Father is +also natural to the Son. Creatures, on the other hand, receive a +certain particular perfection and nature. “Just as the Father +possesses life in himself, so he has given it to the Son to have +life in himself” (above 5:26). He shows this because, when +speaking of his procession from the Father, he does not say: +“As I eat the Father and I live because of the Father, +“ as he said, when speaking of sharing in his body and blood, +whoever eats me, he also will live because of me. This eating makes +us better, for eating implies a certain sharing. Rather, Christ +says that he lives because of the Father, not as eaten, but as +generating, without detriment to his equality.</p> +<p>If we explain this statement as applying to Christ as man, then +in some respect the “as” implies a similarity between +Christ as man and us: that is, in the fact that as Christ the man +receives spiritual life through union with God, so we too receive +spiritual life in the communion or sharing in this Sacrament. +Still, there is a difference: for Christ as man received life +through union with the Word, to whom he is united in person; while +we are united to Christ t through the sacrament of faith. And so he +says two things: <span style="font-weight: bold">sent me</span> and +<span style="font-weight: bold">Father</span>. If we refer these +words to the Son of God, then he is saying, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">I live because of the Father,</span> because +the Father himself is living. But if they are referred to the Son +of Man, then he is saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">I live +because of the Father,</span> because the Father has sent me, i.e., +made me incarnate. For the sending of the Son is his incarnation: +“God sent his Son, made from a woman” (Gal 4:4).</p> +<p>978 According to Hilary, this is a rejection of the error made +by Arius. For if we live because of Christ, because we have +something of his nature (as he says, “Whoever eats my flesh +and drinks my blood has eternal life”), then Christ too lives +because of the Father, because he has in himself the nature of the +Father (not a part of it, for it is simple and indivisible). +Therefore, Christ has the entire nature of the Father. It is +because of the Father, therefore, that the Son lives, because the +Son’s birth did not involve another and different nature +[from that of the Father].</p> +<p>979 Next (v 59), he presents his two conclusions. For they were +arguing about two things: the origin of this spiritual food and its +power. The first conclusion is about its origin; the second is +about its power: <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever eats this +bread shall live forever.</span></p> +<p>980 With respect to the first, we should note that the Jews had +been troubled because he had said, “I am the living bread +that has come down from heaven” (v 51 ). Therefore, in +opposition to them, he arrives at this same conclusion again, from +his statement, “I live because of the Father,” when he +says, <span style="font-weight: bold">This is the bread that has +come down from heaven.</span> For to come down from heaven is to +have an origin from heaven; but the Son has his origin from heaven, +since he lives because of the Father: therefore, Christ is the one +who has come down from heaven. And so he says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">This is the bread that has come down from +heaven,</span> i.e., from the life of the Father. <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Come down</span>, in relation to his divinity; +or <span style="font-weight: bold">come down</span>, even in his +body, so far as the power that formed it, the Holy Spirit, was from +heaven, a heavenly power. Thus, those who eat this bread do not +die; as our fathers died, who ate the manna that was neither from +heaven, nor was living bread, as was said above. How those who ate +the manna died is clear from what has been mentioned before.</p> +<p>981 The second conclusion, concerning the power of this bread, +is given when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">whoever eats +this bread shall live forever.</span> This follows from his +statement, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides +in me, and I in him” (v 57). For whoever eats this bread +abides in me, and I in him. But I am eternal life. Therefore, +<span style="font-weight: bold">whoever eats this bread,</span> as +he ought, <span style="font-weight: bold">shall live forever.</span></p> -<p>982 Jesus said this in the synagogue, in which he was teaching at Capernaum. He used to teach -in the temple and in the synagogues in order to attract many, so that at least some might benefit: -“I have proclaimed your justice in the great assembly” (Ps 39:10).</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style="font-weight: bold">LECTURE 8</span></p> -<BLOCKQUOTE><p>61 On hearing this, many of his disciples said: “This is a hard saying! Who can accept it?” 62 But -Jesus, knowing fully that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them: -<DD>“Does this scandalize you? -<DD>63 What if you should see the Son of Man -<DD>ascending to where he was before? -<DD>64 It is the spirit that gives life; -<DD>flesh profits nothing. -<DD>The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. -<DD>65 But there are some of you who do not believe.” -<BR>For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would believe in him and who it was that would -betray him. 66 And he said: -<DD>“This is why I said to you, -<DD>that no one call come to me, -<DD>unless it be given him by my Father.” -<BR>67 From this time on, many of his disciples turned back, and no longer walked with him. 68 -Jesus then said to the Twelve: -<DD>“Do you too wish to leave?” -<BR>69 Simon Peter replied: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 70 We -have come to believe and to know that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 71 Jesus answered -him: -<DD>“Did I not choose you Twelve? -<DD>And one of you is a devil.” -<BR>72 Now he was talking about Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, who would betray him, since he was -one of the Twelve.</p></BLOCKQUOTE> -<p>983 After our Lord put an end to the complaining and arguing among the Jews, he now removes -the scandal given to his disciples. First, we see the scandal of those disciples who left him; -secondly, the devotion of those who remained with him (v 68). Concerning the first, he does -three things: first, we see the scandal given to his disciples; secondly, the kindly way Christ takes -it away (v 62); and thirdly, the stubbornness and unbelief of those who leave him (v 67).</p> -<p>984 We should note, with respect to the first, that there were many Jews who adhered to Christ, -believed him and followed him. And although they had not left all things as the Twelve did, they -were still all called his disciples. It is of these that he says, many, that is, many of the people who -believed him, <span style="font-weight: bold">on hearing this, </span>what he had said above, said, <span style="font-weight: bold">This is a hard saying! </span>We read of -these: “They believe for a while, and in the time of testing fall away” (Lk 8:13). He says, <span style="font-weight: bold">many</span>, -because “The number of fools is infinite” (Ecc 1:15); and, “Many are called but few are chosen” -(Mt 20:16).</p> -<p>They said: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is a hard saying! </span>Now that is said to be hard which is difficult to divide, and -which offers resistance. Accordingly, a saying is hard either because it resists the intellect or -because it resists the will, that is, when we cannot understand it with our mind, or when it does -not please our will. And this saying was hard for them in both ways. It was hard for their -intellects because it exceeded the weakness of their intellects: for since they were earthly minded, -they were incapable of understanding what he said, namely, that he would give them his flesh to -eat. And it was hard for their wills, because he said many things about the power of his divinity: -and although they believed him as a prophet, they did not believe that he was God. Consequently, -it seemed to them that he was making himself greater than he was. “His letters are strong” (2 Cor -10:10), “Wisdom is exceedingly unpleasant to the unlearned” (Sir (, 21 ). And so it reads on. -<span style="font-weight: bold">Who can accept it? </span>They said this as an excuse: for since they had given themselves to him, they -should have accepted what he said. But because he was not teaching them things that were -pleasing to them, they were waiting for an occasion to leave him: “A fool does not accept words -of wisdom unless You tell him what he desires” (Prv 18:2).</p> -<p>985 Next (v 62), we see the kindly way Christ dispelled their difficulty. First, he takes notice of -it; secondly, he removes its cause (v 63); and thirdly, he mentions what the cause was (v 65).</p> -<p>986 He had noticed that they were scandalized because they had said, although privately, so he -could not hear, <span style="font-weight: bold">This is a hard saying! </span>But Christ, who in virtue of his divinity knew that they -had said this, mentions it. And this is what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">But Jesus, knowing in himself, </span>what they -said within themselves, that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">that his disciples were grumbling about this</span>—“He did not need -anyone to give him testimony about men. He was well aware of what was in man’s heart” (above -2:25); “God searches into the hearts and loins of men” (Ps 7:10)—said to them, <span style="font-weight: bold">Does this -scandalize you? </span>As if to say: You should not be scandalized at this. Or, it can be understood less -strongly, as meaning: I know that you are scandalized at this. “He will be our sanctification,” i.e., -those who believe in Christ, but “a stumbling-stone to the two houses of Israel,” to the grumbling -disciples and the crowds (Is 8:4).</p> -<p>987 But since teachers should avoid creating difficulties for those who are listening to them, why -did our Lord mention those things that would upset the people and have them leave? I answer -that Christ had to mention such things because his teaching required it. For they had pleaded with -him for material food, when he had come to strengthen their desire for spiritual food; and so he -had to make known to them his teaching on spiritual food.</p> -<p>Nevertheless, their difficulty was not caused by any defect in what Christ was teaching, but by -their own unbelief. For if they had not understood what our Lord was saying, because of their -own earthly mindedness, they could have questioned him, as the apostles had done in similar -circumstances. According to Augustine, however, our Lord purposely permitted this situation, -to give teachers a reason for consolation and patience with those who belittle what they say, since -even the disciples presumed to disparage what Christ said.</p> -<p>988 Then (v 63), he takes away the occasion of their scandal so far as concerns the person -speaking and what he said, as Chrysostom says. First, he deals with the person who was -speaking; secondly, with what he said (v 64).</p> -<p>989 The occasion for their scandal was when they heard our Lord say divine things about -himself. And so, because they believed that he was the son of Joseph, they were upset at what -he said<span style="font-weight: bold"> </span>about<span style="font-weight: bold"> </span>himself. God takes away this reason by showing them his divinity more openly, and -says: You are upset over the things I have said about myself; <span style="font-weight: bold">What if you should see the Son -of Man ascending to where he was before? </span>What would you say then? As if to say: You can -never deny that I came down from heaven, or that I am the one who gives and teaches eternal life. -He did the same thing before with Nathanael. When Nathanael said to him, “You are the King -of Israel” our Lord, wanting to lead him to more perfect knowledge, answered him: “You will -see greater things than this” (above 1:5 0). And here too, our Lord reveals to them something -greater about himself which would happen in the future, saying, <span style="font-weight: bold">What if you should see the Son -of Man ascending to where he was before? </span>Indeed, he did ascend into heaven in the sight of -his disciples (Acts 1:9). If, therefore, he does ascend to where he was before, then he was in -heaven before: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven” -(above 3:13).</p> -<p>990 Let us note that Christ is one person: the person of the Son of God and the person of the Son -of Man being the same person. Still, because of his different natures, something belongs to Christ -by reason of his human nature, that is, to ascend, which does not belong to him by reason of his -divine nature, according to which he does not ascend, since he is eternally at the highest summit -of things, that is, in the Father. It is according to his human nature that it belongs to him to ascend -to <span style="font-weight: bold">where he was before, </span>that is, to heaven, where he had not been in his human nature. (This is -in opposition to the teaching of Valentinus, who claimed that Christ had assumed a heavenly -body). Thus, Christ ascended in the sight of his apostles to where he was before according to his -divinity; and he ascended, by his own power, according to his humanity: “I came forth from the -Father, and I have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and am going to the Father” -(below 16:28).</p> -<p>991 Augustine understands this passage differently. He said that the disciples were scandalized -when our Lord said that he would give him them his flesh to eat because they understood this in -a material minded way, as if they were literally to eat this flesh, just like the flesh of an animal. -Our Lord rejected this interpretation and said. <span style="font-weight: bold">What if you should see the Son of Man -ascending, </span>with his entire body, <span style="font-weight: bold">to where he was before? </span>Would you say that I intended to give -you my flesh to eat like you do the flesh of an animal?</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p>992 Then (v 64), he settles the offense they took at what he said. And, as Chrysostom says, he -distinguished two ways in which his words could be understood. And secondly, he showed which -way was appropriate here (v 64b).</p> -<p>With respect to the first, we should note that Christ’s words can be understood in two senses: in -a spiritual way, and in a material way. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">It is the spirit that gives life, </span>that is, if you -understand these words according to the spirit, i.e., according to their spiritual meaning, they will -give life. <span style="font-weight: bold">Flesh profits nothing, </span>that is, if you understand them in a material way, they will be -of no benefit to you, they will, rather, be harmful, for “If you live according to the flesh you will -die” (Rom 8:13).</p> -<p>What our Lord said about eating his flesh is interpreted in a material way when it is understood -in its superficial meaning, and as pertaining to the nature of flesh. And it was in this way that the -Jews understood them. But our Lord said that he would give himself to them as spiritual food, -not as though the true flesh of Christ is not present in this sacrament of the altar, but because it -is eaten in a certain spiritual and divine way. Thus, the correct meaning of these words is -spiritual, not material. So he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The words that I have spoken to you</span>, about eating my flesh, -<span style="font-weight: bold">are spirit and life</span>, that is, they have a spiritual meaning, and understood in this way they give -life. And it is not surprising that they have a spiritual meaning, because they are from the Holy -Spirit: “It is the Spirit who tells mysteries” (1 Cor 14:2). And therefore, the mysteries of Christ -give life: “I will never forget your justifications, because through them you have brought me to -life” (Ps 118:93).</p> -<p>993 Augustine explains this passage in a different way, for he understands the statement, flesh -profits nothing, as referring to the flesh of Christ. It is obvious that the flesh of Christ, as united -to the Word and to the Spirit, does profit very much and in every way; otherwise, the Word -would have been made flesh in vain, and the Father would have made him known in the flesh in -vain, as we see from 1 Timothy (c 4). And so we should say that it is the flesh of Christ, -considered in itself, that profits nothing and does not have any more beneficial effect than other -flesh. For if his flesh is considered as separated from the divinity and the Holy Spirit, it does not -have different power than other flesh. But if it is united to the Spirit and the divinity, it profits -many, because it makes those who receive it abide in Christ, for man abides in God through the -Spirit of love: “We know that we abide in God and God in us, because he has given us his Spirit” -(1 Jn 4:13). And this is what our Lord says: the effect I promise you, that is, eternal life, should -not be attributed to my flesh as such, because understood in this way, <span style="font-weight: bold">flesh profits nothing. </span>But -my flesh does offer eternal life as united to the Spirit and to the divinity. “If we live by the Spirit, -let us also walk by the Spirit” “Gal 5:25). And so he adds, <span style="font-weight: bold">The words that I have spoken to you -are spirit and life, </span>i.e., they must be understood of the Spirit united to my flesh; and so -understood they are life, that is, the life of the soul. For as the body lives its bodily life through -a bodily spirit, so the soul lives a spiritual life through the Holy Spirit: “Send forth your Spirit, -and they will be created” (Ps 103:30).</p> -<p>994 Then (v 65), he indicates the reason why they were upset, that is, their unbelief. As if to say: -the cause of your difficulty is not the hardness of what I have just said, but your own unbelief. -And so first, he mentions their unbelief; secondly, he excludes an incorrect interpretation; and -thirdly, he gives the reason for their unbelief.</p> -<p>995 Our Lord indicated their unbelief when he said, <span style="font-weight: bold">But there are some of you who do not -believe</span>. He did not say, “who do not understand.” He did more than this, for he gave the reason -why they did not understand: they did not understand because they did not believe. “If you do not -believe, you will not understand,” as we read in another version of Isaiah (7:9). He said, <span style="font-weight: bold">some</span>, -in order to exclude his disciples: “All do not have faith” (2 Thes 3:2); “All do not obey the -Gospel” (Rom 10:16); “They did not believe what he said” (Ps 105:24).</p> -<p>996 The Evangelist then rejects an incorrect interpretation when he adds, For Jesus knew. As if -to say: Jesus did not say, there are some of you who do not believe, because he just recently -learned it, but because <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus knew from the beginning</span>, i.e., of the world, <span style="font-weight: bold">those who would -believe in him, and who it was that would betray him. </span>“All things are naked and open to his -eyes” (Heb 4:13); “All things were known to the Lord God before they were created,” as we read -in Sirach (23:29).</p> -<p>997 Our Lord next mentioned the cause of their unbelief, which was the withdrawal of attracting -grace. Thus he said: This is why I said to you. As if to say: Thus it was necessary to tell you what -I told you before: <span style="font-weight: bold">that no one can come to me, </span>i.e., through faith, <span style="font-weight: bold">unless it be given him by my -Father. </span>It follows from this, according to Augustine, that the act of believing itself is given to -us by God. Why it is not given to everyone we discussed above, where our Lord used almost the -same words (6:44). They are repeated here for two reasons. First, to show that Christ received -them in the faith more for their advantage and benefit than for his own: “It has been granted to -you to believe in him” (Phil 1:29). As if to say: It is good for you to believe. Thus Augustine -says: “It is a great thing to believe: rejoice, because you have believed.” Secondly, to show that -Christ was not the son of Joseph, as they thought, but of God, for it is God the Father who draws -men to the Son, as is clear from what has been said.</p> -<p>998 Then (v 67), we see the stubbornness of the disciples: for although our Lord had rebuked -them and had taken away the cause of their difficulty so far as it concerned himself, they still -would not believe. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">From this time on, many of his disciples turned back. </span>He did -not say, “they left,” but that they <span style="font-weight: bold">turned back, </span>i.e., from the faith, which they had in a virtuous -way; and cut off from the body of Christ, they lost life, because perhaps they were not in the -body, as Augustine says. There are some who turn back in an absolute way, that is, those who -follow the devil, to whom our Lord said, “Go back, Satan” (Mt 4:10). We also read of certain -women that “Some turned back after Satan” (1 Tim 5:15). But Peter did not turn back in this -way; he rather turned after Christ: “Follow after me, Satan” (Mt 16:23). But the others followed -after Satan.</p> -<p>Then follows: they <span style="font-weight: bold">no longer walked with him, </span>that is, even though we are required to walk -with Jesus: “I will show you man what is good,” and then it continues on, “to walk attentively -with your God” (Mi 6:8).</p> -<p>999 Then (v 68), our Lord examined those disciples who remained with him. First, we see this -in the question he asked them; secondly, Peter’s answer shows the devotion of those who -remained; and thirdly, our Lord corrects Peter’s answer (v 71).</p> -<p>1000 Our Lord examined the Twelve who remained as to their willingness to stay on; and so he -said to the Twelve, that is, to the Apostles, Do you too wish to leave? He asked them this for two -reasons. First, so that they would not take pride, thinking it was due to their own goodness, in the -fact that they stayed on while the others left, and think that they were doing Christ a favor. And -so he showed that he did not need them by holding them off, but still giving them strength: “If -you live rightly, what do you give him, or what does he receive from your hand?” (Jb 35:7). -Secondly, it sometimes happens that a person would really prefer to leave another but is kept -from doing so by shame or embarrassment. Our Lord did not want them to stay with him because -they were forced to do so out of embarrassment (because to serve unwillingly is not to serve at -all), and so he took away any embarrassment in their leaving or necessity for their staying, and -left it to their own judgment whether they wanted to stay with him or leave, because “God loves -a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).</p> -<p>1001 Then, from Peter’s answer, we see the devotion of those who did not leave. For Peter—who -loved the brethren, who guarded his friendships, and had it special affection for -Christ—answered for the whole group, and said, <span style="font-weight: bold">Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the -words of eternal life. </span>Here he did three things. First, he extolled the greatness of Christ; -secondly, he praised his teaching; and thirdly, he professed his faith.</p> -<p>1002 He extolled the greatness of Christ when he said, <span style="font-weight: bold">Lord, to whom shall we go?</span> As if to say: -Are you telling us to leave you? Give us someone better to whom we can go. But then, “There -is no one like you among the strong, O Lord” (Ex 15:11); “Who is like God” (Ps 88:7). And so -you will not tell us to go. “Where can I go that is away from your spirit?” (Ps 138:7). Further, -according to Chrysostom, Peter’s words show great friendship; for to him, Christ was more -worthy of honor than father or mother.</p> -<p>1003 He praised his teaching when he said, <span style="font-weight: bold">You have the words </span>of <span style="font-weight: bold">eternal life. </span>Now Moses, -and the prophets, also spoke the words of God; but they rarely had the words of eternal life. But -you are promising eternal life. What more can we ask? “Whoever believes in me has eternal life” -(above 6:47); “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (above 3:36).</p> -<p>1004 He professed his faith when he said, <span style="font-weight: bold">We have come to believe and to know that you are -the Christ, the Son of God.</span> For in our faith there are two things above all that must be believed: -the mystery of the Trinity, and the Incarnation. And these two Peter professed here. He professed -the mystery of the Trinity when he said, you are the Son of God: for in calling Christ the Son of -God he mentioned the person of the Father and that of the Son, along with the person of the Holy -Spirit, who is the love of the Father and of the Son, and the bond or nexus of both. He professed -the mystery of the Incarnation when he said, you are the Christ: for in Greek, the word “Christ” -means “anointed”; anointed, that is, with the invisible oil of the Holy Spirit. He was not anointed -according to his divine nature, because one who is anointed by the Holy Spirit is Made better by -that anointing. But Christ, so far as he is God, is not made better. Thus, Christ was anointed as -man.</p> -<p>He said, <span style="font-weight: bold">We have come to believe and to know</span>, because believing comes before knowing. And -therefore, if we wanted to know before believing, we would neither know nor be able to believe, -as Augustine says, and as in that other version of Isaiah: “If you do not believe, you will not -understand” (Is 7:9).</p> -<p>1005 Our Lord corrected Peter’s answer when he said, <span style="font-weight: bold">Did I not choose you Twelve? And one -of you is a devil. </span>First, we have the Lord’s reply: secondly, the Evangelist’s explanation of it (v +<p>982 Jesus said this in the synagogue, in which he was teaching +at Capernaum. He used to teach in the temple and in the synagogues +in order to attract many, so that at least some might benefit: +“I have proclaimed your justice in the great assembly” +(Ps 39:10).</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 0.125in"><span style= +"font-weight: bold">LECTURE 8</span></p> +<blockquote> +<p>61 On hearing this, many of his disciples said: “This is a +hard saying! Who can accept it?” 62 But Jesus, knowing fully +that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them:</p> +<dl> +<dd>“Does this scandalize you?</dd> +<dd>63 What if you should see the Son of Man</dd> +<dd>ascending to where he was before?</dd> +<dd>64 It is the spirit that gives life;</dd> +<dd>flesh profits nothing.</dd> +<dd>The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.</dd> +<dd>65 But there are some of you who do not believe.”<br /> +For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would believe in him +and who it was that would betray him. 66 And he said:</dd> +<dd>“This is why I said to you,</dd> +<dd>that no one call come to me,</dd> +<dd>unless it be given him by my Father.”<br /> +67 From this time on, many of his disciples turned back, and no +longer walked with him. 68 Jesus then said to the Twelve:</dd> +<dd>“Do you too wish to leave?”<br /> +69 Simon Peter replied: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have +the words of eternal life. 70 We have come to believe and to know +that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 71 Jesus answered +him:</dd> +<dd>“Did I not choose you Twelve?</dd> +<dd>And one of you is a devil.”<br /> +72 Now he was talking about Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, who would +betray him, since he was one of the Twelve.</dd> +</dl> +</blockquote> +<p>983 After our Lord put an end to the complaining and arguing +among the Jews, he now removes the scandal given to his disciples. +First, we see the scandal of those disciples who left him; +secondly, the devotion of those who remained with him (v 68). +Concerning the first, he does three things: first, we see the +scandal given to his disciples; secondly, the kindly way Christ +takes it away (v 62); and thirdly, the stubbornness and unbelief of +those who leave him (v 67).</p> +<p>984 We should note, with respect to the first, that there were +many Jews who adhered to Christ, believed him and followed him. And +although they had not left all things as the Twelve did, they were +still all called his disciples. It is of these that he says, many, +that is, many of the people who believed him, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">on hearing this,</span> what he had said above, +said, <span style="font-weight: bold">This is a hard saying!</span> +We read of these: “They believe for a while, and in the time +of testing fall away” (Lk 8:13). He says, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">many</span>, because “The number of fools +is infinite” (Ecc 1:15); and, “Many are called but few +are chosen” (Mt 20:16).</p> +<p>They said: <span style="font-weight: bold">This is a hard +saying!</span> Now that is said to be hard which is difficult to +divide, and which offers resistance. Accordingly, a saying is hard +either because it resists the intellect or because it resists the +will, that is, when we cannot understand it with our mind, or when +it does not please our will. And this saying was hard for them in +both ways. It was hard for their intellects because it exceeded the +weakness of their intellects: for since they were earthly minded, +they were incapable of understanding what he said, namely, that he +would give them his flesh to eat. And it was hard for their wills, +because he said many things about the power of his divinity: and +although they believed him as a prophet, they did not believe that +he was God. Consequently, it seemed to them that he was making +himself greater than he was. “His letters are strong” +(2 Cor 10:10), “Wisdom is exceedingly unpleasant to the +unlearned” (Sir (, 21 ). And so it reads on. <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Who can accept it?</span> They said this as an +excuse: for since they had given themselves to him, they should +have accepted what he said. But because he was not teaching them +things that were pleasing to them, they were waiting for an +occasion to leave him: “A fool does not accept words of +wisdom unless You tell him what he desires” (Prv 18:2).</p> +<p>985 Next (v 62), we see the kindly way Christ dispelled their +difficulty. First, he takes notice of it; secondly, he removes its +cause (v 63); and thirdly, he mentions what the cause was (v +65).</p> +<p>986 He had noticed that they were scandalized because they had +said, although privately, so he could not hear, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">This is a hard saying!</span> But Christ, who +in virtue of his divinity knew that they had said this, mentions +it. And this is what he says: <span style="font-weight: bold">But +Jesus, knowing in himself,</span> what they said within themselves, +that is, <span style="font-weight: bold">that his disciples were +grumbling about this</span>—“He did not need anyone to +give him testimony about men. He was well aware of what was in +man’s heart” (above 2:25); “God searches into the +hearts and loins of men” (Ps 7:10)—said to them, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Does this scandalize you?</span> As +if to say: You should not be scandalized at this. Or, it can be +understood less strongly, as meaning: I know that you are +scandalized at this. “He will be our sanctification,” +i.e., those who believe in Christ, but “a stumbling-stone to +the two houses of Israel,” to the grumbling disciples and the +crowds (Is 8:4).</p> +<p>987 But since teachers should avoid creating difficulties for +those who are listening to them, why did our Lord mention those +things that would upset the people and have them leave? I answer +that Christ had to mention such things because his teaching +required it. For they had pleaded with him for material food, when +he had come to strengthen their desire for spiritual food; and so +he had to make known to them his teaching on spiritual food.</p> +<p>Nevertheless, their difficulty was not caused by any defect in +what Christ was teaching, but by their own unbelief. For if they +had not understood what our Lord was saying, because of their own +earthly mindedness, they could have questioned him, as the apostles +had done in similar circumstances. According to Augustine, however, +our Lord purposely permitted this situation, to give teachers a +reason for consolation and patience with those who belittle what +they say, since even the disciples presumed to disparage what +Christ said.</p> +<p>988 Then (v 63), he takes away the occasion of their scandal so +far as concerns the person speaking and what he said, as Chrysostom +says. First, he deals with the person who was speaking; secondly, +with what he said (v 64).</p> +<p>989 The occasion for their scandal was when they heard our Lord +say divine things about himself. And so, because they believed that +he was the son of Joseph, they were upset at what he said about +himself. God takes away this reason by showing them his divinity +more openly, and says: You are upset over the things I have said +about myself; <span style="font-weight: bold">What if you should +see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?</span> What +would you say then? As if to say: You can never deny that I came +down from heaven, or that I am the one who gives and teaches +eternal life. He did the same thing before with Nathanael. When +Nathanael said to him, “You are the King of Israel” our +Lord, wanting to lead him to more perfect knowledge, answered him: +“You will see greater things than this” (above 1:5 0). +And here too, our Lord reveals to them something greater about +himself which would happen in the future, saying, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">What if you should see the Son of Man ascending +to where he was before?</span> Indeed, he did ascend into heaven in +the sight of his disciples (Acts 1:9). If, therefore, he does +ascend to where he was before, then he was in heaven before: +“No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down +from heaven” (above 3:13).</p> +<p>990 Let us note that Christ is one person: the person of the Son +of God and the person of the Son of Man being the same person. +Still, because of his different natures, something belongs to +Christ by reason of his human nature, that is, to ascend, which +does not belong to him by reason of his divine nature, according to +which he does not ascend, since he is eternally at the highest +summit of things, that is, in the Father. It is according to his +human nature that it belongs to him to ascend to <span style= +"font-weight: bold">where he was before,</span> that is, to heaven, +where he had not been in his human nature. (This is in opposition +to the teaching of Valentinus, who claimed that Christ had assumed +a heavenly body). Thus, Christ ascended in the sight of his +apostles to where he was before according to his divinity; and he +ascended, by his own power, according to his humanity: “I +came forth from the Father, and I have come into the world. Now I +am leaving the world and am going to the Father” (below +16:28).</p> +<p>991 Augustine understands this passage differently. He said that +the disciples were scandalized when our Lord said that he would +give him them his flesh to eat because they understood this in a +material minded way, as if they were literally to eat this flesh, +just like the flesh of an animal. Our Lord rejected this +interpretation and said. <span style="font-weight: bold">What if +you should see the Son of Man ascending,</span> with his entire +body, <span style="font-weight: bold">to where he was +before?</span> Would you say that I intended to give you my flesh +to eat like you do the flesh of an animal?</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p>992 Then (v 64), he settles the offense they took at what he +said. And, as Chrysostom says, he distinguished two ways in which +his words could be understood. And secondly, he showed which way +was appropriate here (v 64b).</p> +<p>With respect to the first, we should note that Christ’s +words can be understood in two senses: in a spiritual way, and in a +material way. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">It is +the spirit that gives life,</span> that is, if you understand these +words according to the spirit, i.e., according to their spiritual +meaning, they will give life. <span style="font-weight: bold">Flesh +profits nothing,</span> that is, if you understand them in a +material way, they will be of no benefit to you, they will, rather, +be harmful, for “If you live according to the flesh you will +die” (Rom 8:13).</p> +<p>What our Lord said about eating his flesh is interpreted in a +material way when it is understood in its superficial meaning, and +as pertaining to the nature of flesh. And it was in this way that +the Jews understood them. But our Lord said that he would give +himself to them as spiritual food, not as though the true flesh of +Christ is not present in this sacrament of the altar, but because +it is eaten in a certain spiritual and divine way. Thus, the +correct meaning of these words is spiritual, not material. So he +says, <span style="font-weight: bold">The words that I have spoken +to you</span>, about eating my flesh, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">are spirit and life</span>, that is, they have +a spiritual meaning, and understood in this way they give life. And +it is not surprising that they have a spiritual meaning, because +they are from the Holy Spirit: “It is the Spirit who tells +mysteries” (1 Cor 14:2). And therefore, the mysteries of +Christ give life: “I will never forget your justifications, +because through them you have brought me to life” (Ps +118:93).</p> +<p>993 Augustine explains this passage in a different way, for he +understands the statement, flesh profits nothing, as referring to +the flesh of Christ. It is obvious that the flesh of Christ, as +united to the Word and to the Spirit, does profit very much and in +every way; otherwise, the Word would have been made flesh in vain, +and the Father would have made him known in the flesh in vain, as +we see from 1 Timothy (c 4). And so we should say that it is the +flesh of Christ, considered in itself, that profits nothing and +does not have any more beneficial effect than other flesh. For if +his flesh is considered as separated from the divinity and the Holy +Spirit, it does not have different power than other flesh. But if +it is united to the Spirit and the divinity, it profits many, +because it makes those who receive it abide in Christ, for man +abides in God through the Spirit of love: “We know that we +abide in God and God in us, because he has given us his +Spirit” (1 Jn 4:13). And this is what our Lord says: the +effect I promise you, that is, eternal life, should not be +attributed to my flesh as such, because understood in this way, +<span style="font-weight: bold">flesh profits nothing.</span> But +my flesh does offer eternal life as united to the Spirit and to the +divinity. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the +Spirit” “Gal 5:25). And so he adds, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">The words that I have spoken to you are spirit +and life,</span> i.e., they must be understood of the Spirit united +to my flesh; and so understood they are life, that is, the life of +the soul. For as the body lives its bodily life through a bodily +spirit, so the soul lives a spiritual life through the Holy Spirit: +“Send forth your Spirit, and they will be created” (Ps +103:30).</p> +<p>994 Then (v 65), he indicates the reason why they were upset, +that is, their unbelief. As if to say: the cause of your difficulty +is not the hardness of what I have just said, but your own +unbelief. And so first, he mentions their unbelief; secondly, he +excludes an incorrect interpretation; and thirdly, he gives the +reason for their unbelief.</p> +<p>995 Our Lord indicated their unbelief when he said, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">But there are some of you who do not +believe</span>. He did not say, “who do not +understand.” He did more than this, for he gave the reason +why they did not understand: they did not understand because they +did not believe. “If you do not believe, you will not +understand,” as we read in another version of Isaiah (7:9). +He said, <span style="font-weight: bold">some</span>, in order to +exclude his disciples: “All do not have faith” (2 Thes +3:2); “All do not obey the Gospel” (Rom 10:16); +“They did not believe what he said” (Ps 105:24).</p> +<p>996 The Evangelist then rejects an incorrect interpretation when +he adds, For Jesus knew. As if to say: Jesus did not say, there are +some of you who do not believe, because he just recently learned +it, but because <span style="font-weight: bold">Jesus knew from the +beginning</span>, i.e., of the world, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">those who would believe in him, and who it was +that would betray him.</span> “All things are naked and open +to his eyes” (Heb 4:13); “All things were known to the +Lord God before they were created,” as we read in Sirach +(23:29).</p> +<p>997 Our Lord next mentioned the cause of their unbelief, which +was the withdrawal of attracting grace. Thus he said: This is why I +said to you. As if to say: Thus it was necessary to tell you what I +told you before: <span style="font-weight: bold">that no one can +come to me,</span> i.e., through faith, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">unless it be given him by my Father.</span> It +follows from this, according to Augustine, that the act of +believing itself is given to us by God. Why it is not given to +everyone we discussed above, where our Lord used almost the same +words (6:44). They are repeated here for two reasons. First, to +show that Christ received them in the faith more for their +advantage and benefit than for his own: “It has been granted +to you to believe in him” (Phil 1:29). As if to say: It is +good for you to believe. Thus Augustine says: “It is a great +thing to believe: rejoice, because you have believed.” +Secondly, to show that Christ was not the son of Joseph, as they +thought, but of God, for it is God the Father who draws men to the +Son, as is clear from what has been said.</p> +<p>998 Then (v 67), we see the stubbornness of the disciples: for +although our Lord had rebuked them and had taken away the cause of +their difficulty so far as it concerned himself, they still would +not believe. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">From +this time on, many of his disciples turned back.</span> He did not +say, “they left,” but that they <span style= +"font-weight: bold">turned back,</span> i.e., from the faith, which +they had in a virtuous way; and cut off from the body of Christ, +they lost life, because perhaps they were not in the body, as +Augustine says. There are some who turn back in an absolute way, +that is, those who follow the devil, to whom our Lord said, +“Go back, Satan” (Mt 4:10). We also read of certain +women that “Some turned back after Satan” (1 Tim 5:15). +But Peter did not turn back in this way; he rather turned after +Christ: “Follow after me, Satan” (Mt 16:23). But the +others followed after Satan.</p> +<p>Then follows: they <span style="font-weight: bold">no longer +walked with him,</span> that is, even though we are required to +walk with Jesus: “I will show you man what is good,” +and then it continues on, “to walk attentively with your +God” (Mi 6:8).</p> +<p>999 Then (v 68), our Lord examined those disciples who remained +with him. First, we see this in the question he asked them; +secondly, Peter’s answer shows the devotion of those who +remained; and thirdly, our Lord corrects Peter’s answer (v +71).</p> +<p>1000 Our Lord examined the Twelve who remained as to their +willingness to stay on; and so he said to the Twelve, that is, to +the Apostles, Do you too wish to leave? He asked them this for two +reasons. First, so that they would not take pride, thinking it was +due to their own goodness, in the fact that they stayed on while +the others left, and think that they were doing Christ a favor. And +so he showed that he did not need them by holding them off, but +still giving them strength: “If you live rightly, what do you +give him, or what does he receive from your hand?” (Jb 35:7). +Secondly, it sometimes happens that a person would really prefer to +leave another but is kept from doing so by shame or embarrassment. +Our Lord did not want them to stay with him because they were +forced to do so out of embarrassment (because to serve unwillingly +is not to serve at all), and so he took away any embarrassment in +their leaving or necessity for their staying, and left it to their +own judgment whether they wanted to stay with him or leave, because +“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).</p> +<p>1001 Then, from Peter’s answer, we see the devotion of +those who did not leave. For Peter—who loved the brethren, +who guarded his friendships, and had it special affection for +Christ—answered for the whole group, and said, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words +of eternal life.</span> Here he did three things. First, he +extolled the greatness of Christ; secondly, he praised his +teaching; and thirdly, he professed his faith.</p> +<p>1002 He extolled the greatness of Christ when he said, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Lord, to whom shall we go?</span> +As if to say: Are you telling us to leave you? Give us someone +better to whom we can go. But then, “There is no one like you +among the strong, O Lord” (Ex 15:11); “Who is like +God” (Ps 88:7). And so you will not tell us to go. +“Where can I go that is away from your spirit?” (Ps +138:7). Further, according to Chrysostom, Peter’s words show +great friendship; for to him, Christ was more worthy of honor than +father or mother.</p> +<p>1003 He praised his teaching when he said, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">You have the words</span> of <span style= +"font-weight: bold">eternal life.</span> Now Moses, and the +prophets, also spoke the words of God; but they rarely had the +words of eternal life. But you are promising eternal life. What +more can we ask? “Whoever believes in me has eternal +life” (above 6:47); “Whoever believes in the Son has +eternal life” (above 3:36).</p> +<p>1004 He professed his faith when he said, <span style= +"font-weight: bold">We have come to believe and to know that you +are the Christ, the Son of God.</span> For in our faith there are +two things above all that must be believed: the mystery of the +Trinity, and the Incarnation. And these two Peter professed here. +He professed the mystery of the Trinity when he said, you are the +Son of God: for in calling Christ the Son of God he mentioned the +person of the Father and that of the Son, along with the person of +the Holy Spirit, who is the love of the Father and of the Son, and +the bond or nexus of both. He professed the mystery of the +Incarnation when he said, you are the Christ: for in Greek, the +word “Christ” means “anointed”; anointed, +that is, with the invisible oil of the Holy Spirit. He was not +anointed according to his divine nature, because one who is +anointed by the Holy Spirit is Made better by that anointing. But +Christ, so far as he is God, is not made better. Thus, Christ was +anointed as man.</p> +<p>He said, <span style="font-weight: bold">We have come to believe +and to know</span>, because believing comes before knowing. And +therefore, if we wanted to know before believing, we would neither +know nor be able to believe, as Augustine says, and as in that +other version of Isaiah: “If you do not believe, you will not +understand” (Is 7:9).</p> +<p>1005 Our Lord corrected Peter’s answer when he said, +<span style="font-weight: bold">Did I not choose you Twelve? And +one of you is a devil.</span> First, we have the Lord’s +reply: secondly, the Evangelist’s explanation of it (v 72).</p> -<p>1006 Because Peter was great-hearted and included all in his answer, <span style="font-weight: bold">We have come to believe -and to know that you are the Christ, the Son of God, </span>it seemed that all of them would arrive -at eternal life. And so our Lord excluded Judas from this community of believers. This trust was -commendable in Peter, who did not suspect any evil in his companions; but we must also admire -the wisdom of our Lord, who saw what was hidden. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Did I not choose you -Twelve? And one of you is a devil; </span>not by nature, but by imitating the devil’s malice: “Death -came into the world -by the envy of the devil; his disciples imitate him” (Wis 2:24); “After the -morsel, Satan entered into him” (below 13:27), because Judas became like him in malice.</p> -<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> </p> -<p>1007 But if Christ chose Judas, who was later to become evil, it seems that our Lord made a -mistake in choosing him. First, we might answer this as Chrysostom does, and say that this -choice was not for predestination, but for some task, and in reference to a condition of present -justice. Sometimes a person is chosen this way, not in relation to the future, but according to -present realities; for being chosen in this way does not destroy one’s free choice or the possibility -of sinning: hence we read, “Let him who thinks that he stands, take heed so he will not fall” (1 -Cor 10:12). And so our Lord did choose Judas, but not as evil at that time; and being so chosen -did not take away his possibility of sinning. Secondly, we could answer with Augustine, who said -that our Lord did chose Judas as evil. And although he knew that he was evil, because it is -characteristic of a good person to use evil for good, God made good use of this evil in allowing -himself to be betrayed in order to redeem us. Or, we could say that the choice of the Twelve does -not refer here to the persons, but rather to the number; as if to say: I have chosen Twelve. For this -number is fittingly set apart for those who would preach the faith of the Holy Trinity to the four -corners of the world. And indeed, this number did not pass away, because Matthias was -substituted for the traitor. Or, according to Ambrose, Jesus chose Judas as evil so that when we -read that our Lord and Master was betrayed by his disciple, we might be consoled if sometimes -our friends betray us.</p> -<p>1008 We could ask here why the disciples did not say anything after our Lord said, <span style="font-weight: bold">one of you -is a devil; </span>for later on, when he says, “One of you will betray me” (below 13:21), they reply, “Is -it I, Lord?” (Mt 26:22). 1 answer that the reason for this is that our Lord was speaking here in a -general way when he said that one of them was a devil; for this could mean any kind of malice, -and so they were not disturbed. But later on, when they heard of such a great crime, that their -Master would be betrayed, they could not keep quiet. Or, we could say that when our Lord said -this, each of them had confidence in his own virtue, and so none feared for himself; but after he -said to Peter, “Follow after me, Satan” (Mt 16:23), they were afraid, and realized their own -weakness. That is why they asked in that indecisive way, “Is it I, Lord?”</p> -<p>1009 Finally, what our Lord had just said privately is explained by the Evangelist when he says, -<span style="font-weight: bold">he was talking about Judas, </span>as events proved and which will be clear below (c 13).</p> +<p>1006 Because Peter was great-hearted and included all in his +answer, <span style="font-weight: bold">We have come to believe and +to know that you are the Christ, the Son of God,</span> it seemed +that all of them would arrive at eternal life. And so our Lord +excluded Judas from this community of believers. This trust was +commendable in Peter, who did not suspect any evil in his +companions; but we must also admire the wisdom of our Lord, who saw +what was hidden. Thus he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">Did +I not choose you Twelve? And one of you is a devil;</span> not by +nature, but by imitating the devil’s malice: “Death +came into the world -by the envy of the devil; his disciples +imitate him” (Wis 2:24); “After the morsel, Satan +entered into him” (below 13:27), because Judas became like +him in malice.</p> +<p style="margin-bottom: 0.125in; margin-bottom: 0.125in"> + </p> +<p>1007 But if Christ chose Judas, who was later to become evil, it +seems that our Lord made a mistake in choosing him. First, we might +answer this as Chrysostom does, and say that this choice was not +for predestination, but for some task, and in reference to a +condition of present justice. Sometimes a person is chosen this +way, not in relation to the future, but according to present +realities; for being chosen in this way does not destroy +one’s free choice or the possibility of sinning: hence we +read, “Let him who thinks that he stands, take heed so he +will not fall” (1 Cor 10:12). And so our Lord did choose +Judas, but not as evil at that time; and being so chosen did not +take away his possibility of sinning. Secondly, we could answer +with Augustine, who said that our Lord did chose Judas as evil. And +although he knew that he was evil, because it is characteristic of +a good person to use evil for good, God made good use of this evil +in allowing himself to be betrayed in order to redeem us. Or, we +could say that the choice of the Twelve does not refer here to the +persons, but rather to the number; as if to say: I have chosen +Twelve. For this number is fittingly set apart for those who would +preach the faith of the Holy Trinity to the four corners of the +world. And indeed, this number did not pass away, because Matthias +was substituted for the traitor. Or, according to Ambrose, Jesus +chose Judas as evil so that when we read that our Lord and Master +was betrayed by his disciple, we might be consoled if sometimes our +friends betray us.</p> +<p>1008 We could ask here why the disciples did not say anything +after our Lord said, <span style="font-weight: bold">one of you is +a devil;</span> for later on, when he says, “One of you will +betray me” (below 13:21), they reply, “Is it I, +Lord?” (Mt 26:22). 1 answer that the reason for this is that +our Lord was speaking here in a general way when he said that one +of them was a devil; for this could mean any kind of malice, and so +they were not disturbed. But later on, when they heard of such a +great crime, that their Master would be betrayed, they could not +keep quiet. Or, we could say that when our Lord said this, each of +them had confidence in his own virtue, and so none feared for +himself; but after he said to Peter, “Follow after me, +Satan” (Mt 16:23), they were afraid, and realized their own +weakness. That is why they asked in that indecisive way, “Is +it I, Lord?”</p> +<p>1009 Finally, what our Lord had just said privately is explained +by the Evangelist when he says, <span style="font-weight: bold">he +was talking about Judas,</span> as events proved and which will be +clear below (c 13).</p> +</blockquote> </body> - </html>