Mercurial > hg > Aquinas
diff john/english/John13.html @ 31:25a799388159
originals from http://www.josephkenny.joyeurs.com/CDtexts/SSJohn.htm
| author | ht |
|---|---|
| date | Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:16:17 +0000 |
| parents | |
| children | d79bd8213f32 |
line wrap: on
line diff
--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/john/english/John13.html Tue Nov 24 20:16:17 2009 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,2418 @@ +<html> +<head> +</head> +<body style=text-align:justify><blockquote> +<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 60pt">13</span> +<p align=center><B>LECTURE I +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew +that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved +his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, +when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's +son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into +his hand, and that he had come from God and was going to God…<a href="#_ftn1" +name="_ftnref1">[1]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1727 Above, the Evangelist set forth some of the events leading +to Christ's passion and death; in this part he shows how Christ prepared his +disciples before his passion. First, we see how he formed them by his example; +secondly, how he comforted them with his words (c 14); thirdly, how he +strengthened them by the help of his prayers (c 17). Concerning the first he +does two things: first, he presents the example Christ gave for his disciples +to imitate; and secondly we see the weakness of the disciples, who were not yet +ready to follow him (v 21). Concerning the first he does three things: first, +he sets forth the example; secondly, he shows that the example was useful (v +6); thirdly, we see Jesus asking them to imitate it (v 12). Concerning the +first he does two things: first, he describes the love of Christ, who is giving +the example; secondly, the action in which he gave the example (v 2). +Concerning the first he mentions three things: first, the feast about to be +celebrated; secondly, the approaching death of Christ; thirdly, Christ's +burning love. + +<p>1728 The feast at hand was the Passover; so he says, <b>Now +before the feast of the Passover</b>. Here we should note that some say the +[Latin] word <i>pascha</i> comes from the Greek word for "passion," and that +this feast is called the <i>Pascha</i> because it is then that we celebrate the +passion of our Lord. As a matter of fact, the word <i>pascha</i> in Greek does +mean "to suffer." Yet the primary origin of this word is from the Hebrew word, <i>pesah</i>, +which means a "passage," as in Exodus [12:11]: "It is the <i>pesah</i>," +passage, or a passing over, "of the Lord." This is the meaning the Evangelist +gives it here because of two passings. The first was the passing of the angel +striking down the first-born of the Egyptians and sparing the first-born of the +Hebrews (Ex 12:12); and the other was the passage of the children of Israel through the Red Sea. So it was reasonable to call this feast the <i>Pascha</i>, [translated +into English as Passover]. + +<p>We can say that our Passover takes +its meaning from both languages, Greek and Hebrew. For the passage of Christ +from this world to the Father took place through his passion. "He passed about +doing good and healing all" [Acts 10:38]. Again, all of us who follow Christ +have our own passage: either by reform and martyrdom, according to the saying, +"We have passed through fire and water and you have brought us to a place of +refreshment" [Ps 66:12]; or by the desire of our mind aspiring to heavenly +things: "Pass over to me all you who desire me and be filled with my fruits" +[Sir 24:19]. + +<p>1729 As we read in Exodus (23:14), the Jews had three great +feasts, when they gathered together in a place chosen by the Lord: The Pesah, +when the lamb was sacrificed, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, that is, +the <i>Skenopegia</i>. But the greatest feast was that of the Passover. + +<p>A problem arises as to why he says +here, <b>before the feast of the Passover</b>, for the feast of the Passover is +when the lamb was sacrificed, that is, on the 14th day of the month. So since +he says, <b>before the feast of the Passover</b>, it seems that this was taking +place on the 13th day, the day before the 14th. And indeed, the Greeks accept +this, and say that our Lord suffered on the 14th, when the Jews were supposed +to celebrate the Passover, and that our Lord, knowing that his passion was +near, anticipated the celebration of the Passover and celebrated his own +Passover on the day before the Passover feast of the Jews. And because it is +commanded in Exodus (12:18) that from the evening of the 14th day to the 21st +day the Hebrews should not have any leavened bread, they further say that the +Lord celebrated not with unleavened bread, but with leavened bread, because +Hebrews did have leavened bread on the 13th day, that is, before the Passover. + +<p>But the other three Evangelists do +not agree with this, for they say the time was the first day of Unleavened +Bread, when the lamb was to be sacrificed (Mt 26:17; Mk 14:12; Lk 22:7). It +follows from this that our Lord's supper took place on the very day that the +Jews sacrificed the lamb. + +<p>1730 The Greeks respond to this that the other Evangelists +did not report this truly; and so John, who wrote the last of the Gospels, +corrected them. But it is heresy to say that there is anything false not only +in the Gospels but anywhere in the canonical scriptures. Consequently, we have +to say that all the Evangelists state the same thing and do not disagree. + +<p>To elucidate this it should be +noted that, as is stated in Leviticus (23:5), the feasts of the Jews began on +the evening of the preceding day. The reason for this was that they reckoned +their days according to the moon, which first appears in the evening; so, they +counted their days from one sunset to the next. Thus for them, the Passover +began on the evening of the preceding day and ended on the evening of the day +of the Passover. We celebrate feasts in the same way; so something that takes +place with us on the vigil of Christmas is said to have happened on Christmas. +And so the other Evangelists, using this way of speaking, said that the supper +took place on the first day of Unleavened Bread, meaning it took place on the +evening before the first full day of the feast of Unleavened Bread. But here, +John the Evangelist regards the Passover as that entire daytime which was +celebrated, but not as the evening before, which was also celebrated. Thus he says, +<b>before the feast of the Passover</b>. Consequently, it is clear that our +Lord's supper took place on the 14th day in the evening [the beginning of the +14th day, the day beginning in the evening]. + +<p>1731 The death of Christ, which was approaching, was his passage +from this world by his passion. And as to this he says, <b>Jesus knew that his +hour had come</b>: for this feast was a symbol of the passion of Christ, "All +these things happened to them as symbols" [1 Cor 10:11]. So he at once mentions +the reality, that is, the passion of Christ. And as a way of showing that the +word <i>pascha</i> came from <i>pesah</i>, meaning a passage, he mentions his +passage, <b>to depart</b>, pass, <b>out of this world to the Father</b>. + +<p>1732 Here the Evangelist mentions three things about the +passion of Christ: first, that it was foreseen; secondly, that it was fitting; +thirdly, it was a source of benefits and exaltation. + +<p>It was foreseen and not fortuitous; +so he says, <b>Jesus knew</b>. He is saying in effect; Jesus suffered knowingly +and willingly, not unexpectedly and unwillingly. "Jesus, knowing all that was +to befall him" (18:4). The opposite is said of us: "There is great affliction +for man because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot +know in any way" [Eccl 8:7]. + +<p>1733 The passion of Christ was fitting, first as to its +time; and as to this he says, <b>that his hour had come</b>, which was the time +of the Passover, when his passage would be by the cross: "There is a time and +opportunity for every business" [Eccl 8:6]. This is the hour of which he said, +"My hour has not yet come" (2:4). Yet this hour was not a matter of fate, as +though governed by the course and arrangement of the stars; it was determined +by the disposition and providence of God. I say, therefore, it was determined +for the Jewish Passover because it was fitting to this Jewish feast that the +reality follow the symbol, that is, that when the lamb, which was a symbol of +Christ, was sacrificed, Christ, who was truly the Lamb of God, should be +immolated. "You know that you were ransomed…not with perishable things such as +silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb +without blemish or spot" (1 Pet 1:18-19). + +<p>It was also fitting to the +situation, for Christ was now glorified: "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in +him God is glorified" (13:31). He had already revealed the Father to the world: +"I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world" +(17:6). What remained, therefore, was to accomplish his passion and the work of +human redemption, about which we read: "It is finished," followed by, "and he +bowed his head and gave up his spirit" (19:30). + +<p>1734 The passion of Christ was a source of benefits and +glory, not of defeat, because it was in order that he could <b>depart out of +this world to the Father</b>, by making his human nature a partaker in the +glory of the Father: "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God +and your God" (20:17). This does not mean that he would pass from one place to +another, since God the Father is not contained by any place: "Do I not fill +heaven and earth? (Jer 23:24). Rather, just as Christ is said to have come from +the Father, not by leaving him, but by assuming an inferior nature like our +own, so he is said to have returned to the Father insofar as, even in his human +nature, he became a sharer in the Father's glory. "The life he lives he lives +to God" (Rom 6:10); "Every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is +in the glory of God the Father" [Phil 2:11]. + +<p>1735 Then when he says, <b>having loved his own who were in +the world, he loved them to the end</b>, he commends the intense love of +Christ; and this on four points. + +<p>First, because his love was first, +according to "Not that we have loved God, but that he has first loved us" [1 Jn +4:10]. And as to this he says, <b>having loved his own</b>, trying to suggest +that this was in advance of our love. I say he loved us before he created us: +"For thou lovest all things that exist, and have loathing for none of the +things which thou hast made" (Wis 11:24). He loved us before he called us: "I +have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you, taking +pity on you" [Jer 31:3]. And he loved us before he redeemed us: "Greater love +has not man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (15:13). + +<p>1736 Secondly, his love is commended as fitting, because he +loved <b>his own</b>. Here we should note that God loves persons in various +ways, depending on the various ways they are Christ's. Now, one can be his in +three ways. First, by creation; and God loves these by conserving their goods +of nature: "He came to his own home, and his own people," by creation, +"received him not" (1:11). Others are his by donation, that is, those given to +him by God the Father through faith: "Thine they were, and thou gave them to me, +and they have kept thy word" (17:6); and he loves these by preserving their +goods of grace. Finally, some are his by a special devotion: "Behold, we are +your bone and flesh" (1 Chron 11:1); he loves these by consoling them in a +special way.<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> + +<p>1737 Thirdly, Christ's love is commended because it was +needed, since he loved <b>his own who were in the world</b>. Those who were +already in the glory of the Father are his, because even our fathers of long +time past were his insofar as they hoped to be set free by him: "All his holy +ones are in his hand" [Deut 33:3]. But these do not need such love as this as +much as those who were in the world; so he says, <b>who were in the world</b>, +that is, in body, but not in mind. + +<p>1738 Fourthly, his love is commended because it was perfect, +so he says, <b>he loved them to the end</b>. Now there are two kind of ends: +the end in the intention, and the end in execution. The end in intention is +that to which our intention is directed; and this end ought to be eternal life, +according to, "The return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life" +(Rom 6:22). Again this end should be Christ: "For Christ is the end of the law, +that every one who has faith may be justified" (Rom 10:4). But these two are +really one end, because eternal life is nothing other than enjoying Christ in +his divinity: "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, +and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (17:3). From this point of view he says, <b>he +loved them to the end</b>, in order to lead them to himself, the end; or, to +lead them to eternal life, which is the same thing. "I have loved you with an +everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn you, taking pity on you" [Jer 31:3]. + +<p>The end in execution is the +terminus or outcome of a thing; so in this sense, death can be called an end. +Thus he could say, <b>he loved them to the end</b>, that is, up to death. Used +in this way, it can have three meanings. The first, mentioned by Augustine, is +a very human way, and means that Christ loved his own until he died, but then +no longer.<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a> +This meaning is false: for Christ, who was not ended by death, by no means ends +his love at death. Another meaning would take the word "to" as indicating a +cause; and then it would mean, <b>he loved them to the end</b>, that is, his +love for them led him to death: "He loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal +2:20). A third meaning would be this: although Christ had already shown them +many signs of his love, yet <b>to the end</b>, that is, at the time of his +death, he showed them signs of a greater love: "I did not say these things to +you from the beginning, because I was with you" (16:4). He would be saying in +effect: it was not necessary then to show you how much I loved you, but now +that I am leaving it is, so that my love and the memory of me might be +impressed more deeply into your hearts. + +<p>1739 Then when he says, <b>during supper</b>, he describes +the act by which Christ gave his example. First, he mentions the time of the +action; secondly, the dignity of the one acting (v 3); thirdly, his humility (v +4). He describes the time in two ways: in one way, as the time of Christ's +love; in another way, by emphasizing the sin of Judas. + +<p>1740 In regard to the first, he says, literally, "when +supper was done." Here we should note that both things that are permanent and +things that are successive are said to be done or made. A permanent thing is +said to be done or made when it has come to the perfection of its proper +species and form; thus a house is said to be done or made when it has proper +form. But in something which is successive, it is said to be made or done when +it is over or is finished; thus the world is said to have been made when it was +completed. But even things like this can be said to be made or done when they +receive their appropriate species. So when he says here, literally, "when +supper was done," he does not mean it was finished and over with: for after +Christ washed the feet of the disciples, he returned to his place and gave the +morsel to Judas. "When supper was done" rather means that it was prepared and +now brought to his own species: for the group had already begun to eat, and +then Christ got up. Thus Christ washed the feet of the disciples <b>during +supper</b>. + +<p>We read about such a supper in Luke +[14:16], "A man once gave a great supper." A breakfast and supper are different. +What is given at the beginning of the day is called a breakfast, while what is +given at its end is called supper. Likewise, that spiritual nourishment +suitable for those beginning is called breakfast, while that nourishment +appropriate for the advanced is more like a supper. + +<p>1741 Then when the Evangelist says, <b>when the devil had +already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him</b>, +he depicts the time by emphasizing the sin of the traitor. He mentions his sin +for two reasons. First, the better to bring out the evil of Judas, who in spite +of so many tokens of love and humble service, considered committing such a +great sin: the Psalm (41:9) says: "Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who +ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me." And secondly, the better to +show the wonderful love of Christ who, although knowing this, treated him with +love and humility by washing his feet: "With those who hated peace I was +peaceable" [Ps 120:7]. + +<p>1742 But can the devil put anything into our hearts? It +seems he can, for a Psalm speaks of things "sent by evil angels" [Ps 77:49]. To +explain this, we should note that what is in a person's thought and will is +said to be in his heart. So the statement, <b>when the devil had already put it +into the heart of Judas</b>, should be understood to refer to his will. + +<p>Understanding it the above way, +there are two ways something can be put into our heart. First, directly; and in +this way only one who has the power to move our will from within can put +something into our heart. Only God can do this; consequently, he alone can +directly move our will: "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand," in +the power, "of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will" (Prv 21:10). But because +the will is also moved by an external object, something apprehended as a good, +it follows that anyone who brings to mind, or suggests that something is good +is said to put something into our heart indirectly, by making us apprehend +something as good, which in turn moves our will. This happens in two ways. By +an external suggestion, and then one person can put something into another's +heart; or by an interior suggestion, which is the way the devil puts something +into our heart. For our imagination, since it is a physical reality, is subject +to the power of the devil when God allows it. So, whether we be awake or +asleep, he forms in it certain images which, when apprehended, move our will to +desire something. And so the devil puts something into our heart, not directly +by moving our heart, but indirectly, by suggestion.<a href="#_ftn4" +name="_ftnref4">[4]</a> + +<p>1743 Then (v 3) he considers the dignity of the one acting, +for "The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself" (Sir 3:18). So the +Evangelist, about to speak of Christ's humility, treats first of his very great +dignity because of his knowledge, saying, <b>Jesus, knowing that the Father had +given all things into his hands</b>. For spiritual gifts are such that they are +not unrecognized when given: "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, +but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed +on us by God" (1 Cor 2:12). Thus, Christ knew what had been given to him by +God; and the Evangelist mentions this so Christ's humility would be more +admirable. For sometimes it happens that a person is of great dignity, yet +because of his simplicity he does not realize it. If such a person were to do +something humble, it would not be regarded as worthy of great praise: "If you +do not know yourself, O fairest among women…" [Song 1:8]. But if someone does know +his own dignity, and still his affections are inclined to what is humble, his +humility should be praised. And this is why the Evangelist says, <b>Jesus, +knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands</b>; and he still +did not neglect to do what was humble. + +<p>Secondly, we see his dignity as to +his power, because <b>the Father had given all things into his hands</b>, that +is, into his power. God gave, in time, to Christ as man, what was in the power +of the Son from eternity: "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to +me" (Mt 28:18). He says, <b>the Father had given all things into his hands</b>, +for two reasons. First, to show that Christ did not suffer against his will. +For if all things were in <b>his hands</b>, that is, in his power, it is clear +that his enemies could do nothing to him against his will. Secondly, because +when a person of little importance is honored, he easily becomes proud; nor +does he do anything humble, lest it seem to lessen his dignity. But when one of +great dignity is honored, he does not neglect the humble things. And so +Christ's dignity is mentioned here. + +<p>Thirdly, we see his dignity because +of his nobility, when he says, <b>that he had come from God and was going to +God</b>: "living with God" as Wisdom (8:3) says. Fourthly, his dignity because of +his holiness, because he <b>was going to God</b>, for our holiness lies in our +going to God. He mentions this because since Christ is going to God, it is +special to him to lead others to God. This is done especially by humility and +love; and so he offers them an example of humility and love. +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 2 +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>4 [He] rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and +girded himself with a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to +wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. +6 He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" 7 +Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you +will understand." 8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus +answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have not part in me." 9 Simon Peter +said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus +said to him, "He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but +he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not all of you." 11 For he knew +who was to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all clean."<a +href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5">[5]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1744 After showing the dignity of Christ, the Evangelist now +commends his humility, which Christ showed by washing the feet of the +disciples. First, the Evangelist mentions Christ's preparation for this humble +task; secondly, the service itself (v 5). + +<p>1745 In regard to the first, we should note that in +performing this humble task, Christ shows himself a servant: "The Son of man +came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" +(Mt 20:28). Now three things are necessary for a good servant. First, he should +be careful to notice anything that might be lacking in his service; and this +would be hampered if he were sitting or lying down. Thus servants stand. So he +says, Christ <b>rose from supper</b>: "For which is the greater, one who sits +at table, or one who serves" (Lk 22:27). Secondly, a servant should not be +encumbered, so he can do everything necessary to his service. And since too +much clothing is such a hindrance, our Lord <b>laid aside his garments</b>. +Thirdly, a good servant is prepared, having at hand everything which he needs. +In Luke (10:40) we read that Martha "was distracted with much serving." So our +Lord <b>girded himself with a towel</b>, so he would be ready not just to wash +their feet, but to dry them as well. And since he who had come from God and was +going to God is now washing the feet of others, he is treading under foot the +universal tendency to pride. + +<p>1746 As to its mystical meaning, this action can be referred +to two things: the incarnation of Christ and his passion. If it is referred to +his incarnation, it tells us three things about Christ. First, he was willing +to help the human race, indicated by the fact that he <b>rose from supper</b>. +For God seems to be sitting down as long as he allows us to be troubled; but +when he rescues us from it, he seems to rise, as the Psalm (43:26) says: "Rise +up, come to our help." Secondly, it indicates that he emptied himself: not that +he abandoned his great dignity, but he hid it by taking on our smallness: +"Truly, thou art a God who hidest thyself" (Is 45:15). This is shown by the +fact that he <b>laid aside his garments</b>: "He emptied himself, taking the +form of a servant" (Phil 2:7). Thirdly, the fact that he <b>girded himself with +a towel</b> indicates that he took on our mortality: "taking the form of a +servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Phil 2:7). + +<p>If this event is referred to the +passion of Christ, then he literally set aside his garments when the soldiers +stripped him: "for my clothing they cast lots" (19:23). And he was girded with +a towel in the tomb. And also in his passion he laid aside the garments of our +mortality and put on a towel, that is, the splendor of immortality: "Christ being +raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over +him" (Rom 6:9). + +<p>1747 Then when the Evangelist says, <b>Then he poured water +into a basin…</b>, he describes Christ's service, and shows his admirable +humility in three ways. First, as to what kind of service it was, for it was +very lowly, since the Lord of majesty stooped down to wash the feet of his +servants. Secondly, as to the number of things he did, for he put water into +the basin, washed their feet, and then dried them. Thirdly, as to the way it +was done: for Christ did not do it through others or with their help, but by +himself. "The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself" (Sir 3:18). + +<p>1748 As for the mystical meaning, three things can be +gathered from these events. First, the pouring out of Christ's blood on the +earth is indicated by his pouring water into the basin. For the blood of Jesus +can be called water because it has the power to cleanse: "He washed us from our +sins in his own blood" (Rev 1:4). And so blood and water came out of his side +at the same time to show us that his blood washes away sins. Or, water can +indicate the passion of Christ, for in Scripture water signifies tribulations: +"Save me O God! For the waters," that is, tribulations, "have come up to my +soul" [Ps 69:1]. Therefore, <b>he poured water into a basin</b>, that is, he +impressed the memory of his passion on the minds of the faithful by their faith +and devotion: "Remember my affliction and my bitterness, the wormwood and the +gall!" (Lam 3:19). + +<p>1749 Secondly, when he says, <b>and began to wash</b>, it +indicates our human imperfection. For after Christ, the apostles were more +perfect than others, and yet even they needed to be washed, since they were +unclean to some degree. We can understand by this that no matter how perfect a +person may be, he acquires some uncleanness, and still needs to become more +perfect: "Who can say, 'I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin'?" +(Prv 20:9). However, only the feet of such persons are unclean. But others are +not only unclean in their feet, they are stained all over. For those who lie +down in earthly uncleanness are defiled all over; thus, those who cling +entirely to the love of earthly things, both in their affections and their +senses, are entirely unclean. But those who stand, that is, tend to heavenly +things in mind and desire, become unclean only on their feet. For just as a +person who is standing must at least touch the earth with his feet, so we, as +long as we live this mortal life which needs earthly things to sustain the +body, acquire some uncleanness, at least because of our sensuality. Thus our +Lord told the disciples to shake the dust from their feet (Lk 9:5). The +Evangelist says that Christ <b>began to wash</b>, because the cleansing of our +earthly affections begins here and is completed in the future. Then the words +of Isaiah (35:8) will be fulfilled: "It shall be called the Holy Way." + +<p>Note that, according to Origen, our +Lord began to wash the feet of his disciples right before his passion, for if +he had washed them a long time before, they would have become dirty again.<a +href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6">[6]</a> +So he began to wash them a short time before he would wash the apostles with +the water of the Holy Spirit, after his passion: "Before many days you shall be +baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Act 1:5). In short, when our Lord put water +into the basin, this indicated the pouring out of his blood; and when he began +to wash the feet of his apostles, this indicated the cleansing of our sins. + +<p>1750 Thirdly, we have indicated the fact that Christ took upon +himself our punishments; for he not only cleansed us from our stains, but took +upon himself the punishments they deserved. For our own punishments and penance +would not be enough unless they were founded on the merits and power of +Christ's passion. This is shown by the fact that he wiped the feet of his +disciples with his towel, that is, his body (1 Pet 2:21). + +<p>1751 Then when the Evangelist says, <b>he came to Simon +Peter</b>, he shows the example was beneficial by means of an encounter between +the Teacher and the disciple. In this encounter our Lord shows that this +example is both a mystery and necessary (v 8); and secondly, that it is +appropriate (v 9). As to the first, the Evangelist does two things. First, he +mentions the circumstances for Christ's speaking; secondly, what Christ said (v +7). + +<p>1752 The occasion for Christ's words was the refusal of +Peter to allow this example of humility; he says, <b>he came to Simon Peter, +and Peter said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? </b>There are three +explanations for this. + +<p>According to Origen, our Lord began +to wash their feet by beginning with the last.<a href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" +title="">[7]</a> +The reason for this was that just as a doctor who must care for a number of +sick begins with those who need it more, so too Christ, when he washed the +grimy feet of his disciples, began with the dirtiest, and then came to Peter, +who needed it less than the others: "beginning with the last, up to the first" +(Mt 20:8). The Evangelist seems to indicate this: for Christ <b>began to wash +the disciples' feet</b>, and then he follows this with, <b>he came to Simon +Peter</b>. It seems from this that Jesus washed the feet of the others first. + +<p>1753 If you ask why Peter was the first to object, Origen +replies that this was due to the intense love Peter had for Christ.<a +href="#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8">[8]</a> +The other disciples had a certain respectful awe and fear of Christ, and so +complied without question to everything he did. But Peter, more aflame with +love - "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?…Yes Lord; you know +that I love you" (21:15) - and taking confidence from this love, refuses to +comply and asks to know why: "A true friend will act as your equal and assume +authority in your household" [Sir 6:11]. This is why in Scripture Peter often +asks for explanations and does not hesitate to say what he thinks is best. + +<p>1754 The second explanation is by Chrysostom.<a href="#_ftn9" +name="_ftnref9">[9]</a> +He says that Christ was ready to start with the first of the apostles, but +Judas, the betrayer, in his foolishness and pride, pushed ahead of Peter. None +of the others would have dared to go ahead of Peter. Thus the Evangelist is +speaking of Judas when he says, <b>he began to wash the disciples' feet</b>, +that is, the feet of Judas, who, as proud and foolish, would make no objection +or refuse to allow what our Lord did. But when he came to Peter, who revered +and loved his Teacher, Peter refused with awe and asked for an explanation. And +any of the others would have done the same. + +<p>1755 The third explanation is by Augustine.<a href="#_ftn10" +name="_ftnref10">[10]</a> +He says the words of the Evangelist do not show that our Lord first washed the +feet of the other disciples and then came to Peter. Rather, according to his +custom, the Evangelist first mentions the incident and after that gives the +order of events within in, just as he did in Chapter 6. So he first mentions +the entire incident, that is, Christ washed the feet of his disciples; and +then, if we should ask how this was done, he says that he came first to Simon +Peter. And so he was the first to refuse, saying, <b>Lord, do you wash my feet?</b> + +<p>These words have great depth. He +says, <b>Lord, do you</b>, who are the Son of the living God, <b>wash my feet</b>, +who am Simon, the son of Jonah? <b>Lord, do you</b>, the Lamb without spot, the +mirror without stain, and the brightness of eternal light, <b>do you wash my +feet</b>, who am a sinner? "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Lk +5:8). <b>Lord, do you</b>, who are the Creator, <b>wash my feet</b>, I who am a +creature and of little faith? Peter said these things struck by awe at the +realization of the dignity of Christ, as in "I have considered your works, and +have feared" [Hab 1:3]. + +<p>1756 Then (v 7), we see the words of Christ, which show that +this action is a mystery. Christ said to Peter: <b>What I am doing you do not +know now, but afterward you will understand</b>. This action is both an example +and a mystery. It is an example of humility to be practiced: "For I have given +you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you" (v 15) And it is +a mystery because it signifies an interior cleansing: "He who has bathed does +not need to wash, except for his feet" (v 10). + +<p>So what Christ said can be understood +in two ways. In one way, <b>What I am doing you do not know now</b>, that is, +you do not now understand that what I am doing is an example; <b>but afterward +you will understand</b>, when he explained it to them saying: "Do you know what +I have done to you?" (v 12). In another way, <b>What I am doing you do not know +now</b>; that is to say, this is a mystery and something hidden, and it +signifies an interior cleansing which only I can accomplish, and which you do +not understand now, <b>but afterward you will understand</b>, when you receive +the Holy Spirit: "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear +them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth" +(16:12). + +<p>1757 Next, he shows that this action is necessary. First, +the Evangelist mentions what Peter said which provoked Christ's answer; +secondly, we see what Christ said. + +<p>1758 Peter says, <b>You shall never wash my feet</b>. He is +saying in effect: By no means will I submit to this from my Teacher, my Lord +and my God. And although Peter said this out of zeal, it was an imprudent and +disordered zeal: "They have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened" (Rom +10:2). His zeal was disordered for three reasons. He refused something that was +beneficial and necessary; for as we read: "We do not know how to pray as we +ought" (Rom 8:26). And so it is imprudent to refuse what God gives us, even if +it seems disadvantageous. Paul too asked to be freed from his thorn (2 Cor +12:8), yet it was for his benefit. Again, it seemed to indicate a certain +disrespect for Christ by wanting to go against his plans. Finally, it seemed to +disparage his companions in that the others, according to Origen, yielded to +Christ without an argument, while Peter refused, saying, <b>You shall never +wash my feet</b>.<a href="#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11">[11]</a> + + +<p>1759 Our Lord reproved him, saying, <b>If I do not wash you, +you have not part in me</b>. This statement can refer to two things: to the +action that Christ was performing, or to what the action signified. + +<p>If we refer it to what the action +signified, the meaning is clear. For no one can share in the eternal +inheritance and be a joint heir with Christ unless he is spiritually clean, for +we read: "But nothing unclean shall enter it" (Rev 21:27). And in the Psalm +(15:1) it says: "O Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tent?" And the answer is +given: "He who walks blamelessly." Therefore, it is like he was saying: <b>If I +do not wash you</b>, you will not be clean; and if you are not clean, <b>you +have no part in me</b>. + +<p>But if we refer this statement to +the action itself, then it can be asked if this washing was necessary for +salvation. We can say to this that just as some things are forbidden because +they are evil, and some things are evil because they are forbidden, so some +things are commanded because they are necessary, and some things are necessary +because they are commanded. And so this washing, about which our Lord said, <b>If +I do not wash you, you have no part in me</b>, if considered in itself, was not +necessary for salvation. But on the supposition that it was commanded by +Christ, then it was necessary: "To obey is better than sacrifice," and so +"stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1 Sam 15:22-23). + +<p>1760 Then the Evangelist shows the action was appropriate. +First, the words of Peter are given; and then Christ's answer. + +<p>1761 Peter's words indicate his intense love for Christ. +Before, when our Lord said to him, <b>What I am doing you do not know now</b>, +he had intimated that it would be useful; yet Peter paid no attention to this, +and could not be persuaded to have his feet washed. But when our Lord warned +him it would mean they would no longer be together, saying,<b> you have no part +in me</b>, Peter offered more than just his feet, saying, <b>Lord, not my feet +only, but also my hands and my head! </b>For Peter was frightened by this +answer, and affected by love and fear, he offered all of himself for washing. +Clement tells us in his <i>Itinerary</i> that Peter was so touched by the +physical presence of Christ, whom he had loved so intensely, that after the +ascension, when he recalled the sweetness of Christ's presence, and his holy +manner, he wept so much that his cheeks appeared to be furrowed.<a +href="#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12">[12]</a> + +<p>1762 We may note that there are three things in a person: +the head at the top, the feet at the bottom, and the hands in the middle. The +same is true for the inner person, that is, for the soul. There is the head, +which is the higher reason, by which the soul adheres to God. "The head of a +woman is her husband" (1 Cor 4:4), that is, the higher reason. The hands are +the lower reason, which is concerned with the works of the active life. Finally, +the feet are the sensuality. Now our Lord knew that his disciples were clean +as to their head, because they had been united to God by faith and charity; and +their hands were clean because their works were holy. But as to their feet, +they still retained some affection for earthly things in their sensuality. And +so Peter, anxious because of our Lord's warning, agrees not only to have his +feet washed, but also his hands and head, saying, <b>Lord, not my feet only but +also my hands and my head</b>. It was like saying: I do not know if my hands +and feet need washing - "I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am +not thereby acquitted" (1 Cor 4:4) - and so I am ready to wash <b>not my feet +only</b>, that is, my lower affections - "I had bathed my feet, how could I +soil them?" (Song 5:3) - <b>but also my hands</b>, that is, my works - "I will +wash my hands among the innocent" [26:6] - <b>and my head</b>, that is, my +higher reason - "Wash your face" (Mt 6:17). + +<p>1763 Then (v 10), the Evangelist gives our Lord's answer. +First, our Lord states a general principle; secondly, he applies it to this +situation; and thirdly, the Evangelist explains these words of Christ. + +<p>1764 He says at first, <b>he who has bathed does not need to +wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over</b>, except for his feet, +which touch the earth. We understand from this that the apostles had already +been baptized. For he says, <b>he who has bathed</b>, and then adds, <b>and you +are clean</b>, that is, because they had been baptized. + +<p>1765 Some say they had been baptized only with the baptism +of John. But this does not seem to be true, because then they would not have +bathed, because the baptism of John did not cleanse within from guilt. And so +it should be said, according to Augustine, that they had been baptized with the +baptism of Christ.<a href="#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13">[13]</a> +If you object that Christ did not baptize but only his disciples, as was stated +above (4:2), I say that he did not baptize the crowds, but only his disciples +and those he knew well. + +<p>But since baptism cleanses even the +stains from the feet, it seems that one who has bathed, that is, is baptized, +does not need to wash his feet. I answer that if they had left this world +immediately after their baptism, they would have had no need for this washing, +for since they would be entirely clean, they would go to God at once. But those +who live in this world after their baptism cannot reach such perfection that +disordered movement of the sensuality in regard to earthly affections never +arise. And so it is necessary that they wash their feet either by martyrdom, +which is a baptism of blood, or by repentance, which is a baptism of fire, so +that they can return to God. + +<p>1766 Then when he says, <b>you are clean, but not all of you</b>, +our Lord applies this general principle to the situation. But if they were +clean, why did our Lord wash them again? Augustine says their hands and heads +were clean, but that their feet needed washing.<a href="#_ftn14" +name="_ftnref14">[14]</a> +Chrysostom says that they were not absolutely clean, because they had not yet +been cleansed from original sin: for since Christ had not yet suffered, the +price of our redemption had not yet been paid - but they were clean in a +limited sense, that is, from the errors of the Jews.<a href="#_ftn15" +name="_ftnref15">[15]</a> +Origen says that they were clean, but that a further cleansing was needed, for +reason should always aspire to better gifts, always strive for the heights of +virtue, and glow with the brightness of righteousness: "He who is holy, let him +be sanctified further" [Rev 22:11]. <b>But not all of you</b>, because one of +them was dirty both in hands and head.<a href="#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" +title="">[16]</a> + +<p>1767 This is why the Evangelist says, <b>for he knew who was +to betray him</b>. He is saying that Christ said, <b>but not all of you</b>, +because he knew the uncleanness of Judas the betrayer. In general, there are +two things which cleans a person: alms and compassion for the poor - "Give alms +and then all things are clean for you" [Lk 11:41] - and love for God - "her +sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much" (Lk 7:47); "love covers +all offenses" (Prv 10:12). But Judas lacks these two things. He lacked +compassion because he was a thief and, holding the money, he stole the alms of +the poor. He also lacked love for Christ, because the devil had already put it +into this heart to betray Christ to the chief priests to be crucified. +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 3 +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>12 When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, +and resumed his place [again], he said to them, "Do you know what I have done +to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If +I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash +one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do +as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater +than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you +know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of you +all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, 'He +who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I tell you this now, +before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am +he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives anyone whom I send receives +me; and he who receives me receives he who sent me."<a href="#_ftn17" +name="_ftnref17">[17]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1768 After our Lord showed that his humble service was +necessary, he then urges that it be imitated. First, the Evangelist describes +the circumstances of this exhortation; secondly, he mentions the exhortation +itself (v 12b). Concerning the first he does two things: first, he mentions the +sequence in this exhortation; secondly, he describes the one giving the +exhortation (v 12a). + +<p>1769 The sequence found in this exhortation is that Christ +later taught in words what he had first done by his actions. In regard to this +he says, <b>When he had washed their feet</b>: "Jesus began to do and teach" +(Acts 1:1): "He who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the +kingdom of heaven" (Mt 5:19). + +<p>1770 He describes the one giving the exhortation by his +clothing and posture. As to his clothing, different clothing is suitable to +different people depending on the different activities appropriate to each: "A +man's attire…shows what he is" (Sir 19:30). One sort of attire is suitable for +a servant, and another for a teacher. Now because a servant must be ready to +serve, he does not have any superfluous clothing; and so Christ, when he wished +to serve, "rose from supper, laid aside his garments." And a teacher, who +should be serious and of great authority, ought also to be suitably dressed. +Thus our Lord, when beginning to teach, had <b>taken his garments</b>. + +<p>As to his posture: when Christ +began to serve he rose; he says that Christ "rose from supper." But now, about +to teach, he reclines; he says, <b>he resumed his place again, he said to them</b>. +The reason for this is that teaching should be done in an atmosphere or +serenity, and it is by sitting and being quiet that the soul becomes wise and +discerning. + +<p>1771 Three events here are able to indicate mysteries. When +Christ sends the Holy Spirit to his disciples he will be giving them complete +teaching: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my +name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I +have said to you" (14:26). But three things are to take place before the Spirit +is sent. First, their sins are to be washed away by his passion: "He washed us +from our sins in his own blood" [Rev 1:5]. In reference to this he says, <b>when +he had washed their feet</b>, that is, completely cleansed them by his blood. +Secondly, there is the resurrection of Christ. Christ had a mortal body before +his passion, but he was not mortal because he was, as a person, the Son or God; +his mortality was due to the human nature he assumed. But after he rose from +the dead by the power of his divinity, he took on bodily immortality. And in +reference to this he says, he had <b>taken his garments</b>, that is, he arose +immortal. He says <b>his garments</b> because he did this by his own power: +"The life he lives he lives to God," that is, by the power of God (Rom 6:10). +We read of these garments: "He who conquers shall be clad thus in white +garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life" (Rev 3:5). +Also, before the Spirit is sent, Christ is to be seated [next to the Father] +after his ascension: "If I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you" +(16:7). And referring to this he says, <b>and resumed his place again</b>, that +is, remaining and sitting at the right hand of the Father: "The Lord Jesus, +after he had spoken to them, was taken up into the heaven, and sat down at the +right hand of God" (Mk 16:19). He says, <b>again</b>, not because as the Son of +God he had ever ceased to sit with the Father, for he is in the bosom of the +Father from all eternity, but because as man he was raised to the greater goods +of the Father: "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the +name which is above every name" (Phil 2:9). + +<p>And so, before sending into them +the Holy Spirit, who would perfectly teach them, Christ would wash them with +the blood he shed; take up his garments by rising; and resume his place by +ascending in glory. + +<p>1772 Next (v 12b), he gives his exhortation. First, he asks +a question; secondly, he accepts their acknowledgement; thirdly, he draws a +conclusion from this; fourthly, he confirms this conclusion. + +<p>1773 Christ questions them when he says, <b>Do you know what +I have done to you? </b>This means: You have seen what I have done, but you do +not know why I did it. And he asks them in this way in order to show the +greatness of his action and to prompt them to reflect on it. For we should +meditate on the works of God because they are profound: "How great are thy +works, O Lord! Thy thoughts are very deep" (Ps 92:5). We can barely know the +works of God: "Then I saw all the works of God, that man cannot find out the +work that is done under the sun" (Eccl 8:17). Yet it is still a delight to +think about them: "For thou O Lord, hast made me glad by thy work; at the work +of thy hands I sing for joy" (Ps 92:4). Further, these works are helpful, +because they lead us to a knowledge of their author: "For from the greatness +and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator" +(Wis 13:5); "These very works which I am doing, bear me witness" (5:36). + +<p>According to Origen, this statement +can be rendered as, <b>Know what I have done to you</b>.<a href="#_ftn18" +name="_ftnref18">[18]</a> +In this way, it has an imperative sense, as if Christ were saying: You ought to +understand what I have done to you. In this interpretation our Lord said this +to rouse their understanding. + +<p>1774 Our Lord accepts their acknowledgment, <b>You call me +Teacher and Lord</b>. He mentions what they acknowledge; and than he approves +of it. + +<p>1775 As to the first, we should note that in 1 Corinthians +(1:24), the Apostle says two things about Christ: he is the power of God and +the wisdom of God. As the power of God, he rules all things, for as Ambrose +says, the word "Lord" is a name of power.<a href="#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" +title="">[19]</a> +As the wisdom of God he teaches everyone. Thus the disciples called him <b>Lord +</b>- "Lord, to whom shall we go?" (6:68) - <b>and Teacher </b>- "Rabbi, eat" +(4:31). And with good reason. For he is the Lord, who alone creates and +restores: "Know that the Lord is God!" (Ps 100:3). And he is the only Teacher +who teaches from within: "You have one master, the Christ" (Mt 23:10). + +<p>1776 When he says, <b>and you are right</b>, he approves +their acknowledgement. Here we should note that something which is spoken can +be commendable for two reasons. First, because what is said is in harmony with +the thing about which it is said; and this happens if what is said is true, for +if it is false, it does not harmonize with the thing. So it is well said: +"Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth" (Eph 4:25). +For lies must be avoided to such an extent that even if it seems that they lead +to the glory of God, they should not be spoken. In reference to this point he +says, <b>and you are right</b>; because what you say is true, for it applies to +me, <b>for so I am</b>, Teacher and Lord. I am the Teacher because of the +wisdom I teach by my words; I am the Lord because of the power I show in my +miracles. + +<p>Secondly, what is spoken can be commendable +because it is in harmony with the person speaking. There are some who call +Christ Teacher and Lord, but it is not in harmony with themselves, for they do +not defer to the teaching and commands of God; and such people do not speak +rightly. So to those who say, "Lord, Lord, open to us," the answer is given, +"Truly, I say to you, I do not know you" (Mt 25:11), because they are not +speaking from their hearts, but only with their lips. But the apostles spoke +rightly, because it was in agreement with themselves. And so Christ replied, <b>and +you are right</b>, that is, you are speaking the truth, <b>for so I am</b>, +that is, for you I am the Teacher and the Lord, for you listen to me as Teacher +- "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (6:6) - and you +follow me as Lord - "Lo, we have left everything and followed you" (Mt 19:27). + +<p>1777 This seems to conflict with the statement in Proverbs +(27:2): "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth." It seems, therefore, +that it was not right for our Lord to praise himself. Augustine answers this in +two ways.<a href="#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20">[20]</a> +First, it is wrong for a person to commend himself because of the danger of +becoming proud: because if one is inclined to pride, it is dangerous for him to +be pleased with himself. When there is no danger of pride, self-praise is not +wrong. This danger was not to be feared in Christ, for if one is above +everything, then no matter how much he praises himself, he does not commend +himself too much. + +<p>Augustine also says that sometimes +it is good that a person commends himself, as when this is beneficial to +others.<a href="#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21">[21]</a> +The Apostle commended himself this way to the Corinthians (2 Cor 11). Now for +us to know God is very beneficial and necessary in every way, for our entire +perfection lies in this. Thus it was a benefit for us that he reveal his +greatness to us, for how could we know it if it were not shown to us by the one +who knows. Thus it was necessary that Christ commend himself to us, for as +Augustine says, if he did not praise himself in order to avoid seeming +arrogant, he would be depriving us of wisdom: "Wisdom will praise herself" (Sir +24:1). + +<p>1778 He draws the conclusion when he says, <b>If I then, +your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one +another's feet</b>. He is arguing here from what is less [expected] to what is +more [expected]. For it seems less [expected] that one who is greater humble +himself than one who is not as great. And with this in mind he concludes, <b>If +I then</b>, who am greater, because I am <b>your Lord and Teacher, have washed +your feet</b>, then <b>you</b> who are not as great, because you are disciples +and servants,<b> ought</b>, far more than I, <b>to wash one another's feet</b>: +"Whoever would be great among you must be your servant…even as the Son of man +came not to be served but to serve" (Mt 20:26). + +<p>1779 It seems that the statement, <b>you ought to wash one +another's feet</b>, is a precept. And one who neglects a precept sins in a +serious way. Therefore, [it is a serious sin not to wash the feet of others]. I +reply, according to Augustine, that every one should wash the feet of others, +either in a physical or spiritual way.<a href="#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" +title="">[22]</a> +And it is much better, and true beyond argument, that one should do this in a +physical way, so that a Christian will not consider it beneath him to do what +Christ did. For when a person stoops down to the feet of his neighbor, humility +is awakened in his heart, or if already there it is made stronger. + +<p>If one cannot do this in a physical +way, it should at least be done in one's heart. When feet are washed, their +stains are washed away. So we wash the feet of our neighbors in a spiritual way +when, as far as we can, we wash away their moral stains. This is done in three +ways. The first way is by forgiving their offenses, as in "And if one has a +complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, +so you also must forgive" (Col 3:13). Another way is by praying because of +their sins, according to "Pray for one another, that you may be healed" (Jas +5:16). These two kinds of washing can be done by all the faithful. The third +way belongs to prelates, who ought to wash by forgiving sins by the power of +the keys: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are +forgiven" (20:22). + +<p>We can also say that by this action +our Lord pointed out all the works of mercy. For one who gives bread to the +hungry washes his feet, as does one who practices hospitality, or gives food to +one in need; and so on for the other works. "Contribute to the needs of the +saints" (Rom 12:13). + +<p>1780 He supports his conclusion in four ways: first, by his +intention; secondly, by his authority (v 16); thirdly, by the reward due this +action (v 17); and fourthly, by the dignity of those whose feet he washed (v +20). + +<p>1781 He said the reason I did this was to give you an +example; so <b>you also ought to wash one another's feet</b>, because that was +what I intended by this action. For when we are dealing with the conduct of +people, example has more influence than words. A person chooses and does what +seems good to him, and so what one chooses is a better indication of what is +good than what one teaches should be chosen. This is why when someone says one +thing and does another, what he does has more influence on others than what he +has taught. Thus it is especially necessary to give example by one's actions. + +<p>Now the example of a mere human +being would not be adequate for the entire human race to imitate, both because +human reason cannot take everything into account, and it does err in what it +does take into account. And so there was given to us the example of the Son of +God, which cannot be in error and is adequate for all situations. Thus +Augustine says: "Pride is not healed if it is not healed by the divine +humility" <a href="#_ftn23" name="_ftnref23" +title="">11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>[23]</a>; and the same is true of avarice and the +other vices. + +<p>Note that the Son of God is a +fitting and sufficient example for us. For he is the art of the Father, and +just as he was the model or pattern for every thing created, so he was the +model for our justification: "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an +example that you should follow in his steps" (1 Pet 2:21); "My foot has held +fast to his steps, I have kept his way and have not turned aside," as we read +in Job (23:11). + +<p>1782 Then when he says, <b>Truly, truly, I say to you, a +servant is not greater than his master</b>, he strengthens his conclusion by +his authority. First, he mentions the status of his disciples; secondly, the +work they do. + +<p>Then the status of the disciples is +that they are servants: "so you also, when you have done all that is commanded +you, say, 'We are unworthy servants'" (Lk 17:10). The work they have to do is +to be apostles - and an apostle is one who is sent: "He…chose from them twelve, +whom he named apostles" (Lk 6:13). So he says: I say that "you also ought to +wash one another's feet" as I have washed yours, because <b>a servant is not +greater than his master</b>, and this refers to their status, <b>nor is he who +is sent grater than he who sent him</b>. Although the Son of God was sent to +us, as we see in Hebrews (3:1), and he is equal to the one who sent him, that +is, the Father, yet it is true of all others that he who is sent is not greater +than the one who sent him. + +<p>1783 This seems to contradict what our Lord said to his +disciples below (15:15): "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant +does not know what his master is doing." I answer that there are two ways of +being a servant. One way is based on reverence and respect, "filial fear," and +this produces a good servant: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Mt +25:23). This is the kind of servant our Lord is talking about here in John +(13:16). The other way of being a servant is based on the fear of punishment, +"servile fear." This kind of servant is mentioned in "You wicked servant! I +forgave you all that debt because you besought me" (Mt 18:33). This is the kind +of servant our Lord refers to when he says: "No longer do I call you servants" +(15:15). + +<p>1784 When he says, <b>If you know these things, blessed are +you if you do them</b>, he strengthens his conclusion by a reward. First, he +mentions the reward; secondly, he excludes someone from it (v 18). + +<p class=MsoHeader> + +<p>1785 <b>If you know these things</b>, which many do know, <b>blessed +are you if you do them</b>, which is true of few. He says, "know" and "do" +because we read: "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it" (Lk +11:28); and "A good understanding have all those who practice it" (Ps 111:10). +On the other hand, "Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for +him it is sin" (Jas 4:17). + +<p>1786 He excludes someone when he says, <b>I am not speaking +of you all</b>. First, he says there is an exception; secondly, he gives the +reason for the exception (v 18). Thirdly, he tells why he said there was an +exception (v 19). He does two things about the first: he mentions there is an +exception; he answers an unspoken question. + +<p>1787 He says there is an exception when he says, <b>I am not +speaking of you all</b>. He is saying in effect: You will be blessed, but not +all of you, because <b>I am not speaking of you all </b>when I say you will be +blessed: "All the runners compete, but only one receives the prize" (1 Cor +9:24). For there is one of you, that is, Judas, who will not be blessed, and he +will not do these things. + +<p>According to Origen, our Lord did +not say <b>blessed are you</b>, without qualification; but he added a +condition, <b>if you do them</b>.<a href="#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24">[24]</a> +And this is true for all of them, even Judas; for if Judas had done these +things, he would have been blessed. So for Origen, Jesus is excluding Judas +from his servants, "a servant is not greater than his master" (v 16). It was +like saying: I say you are servants and apostles, <b>but I am not speaking of +you all</b>: for Judas, since he was a servant of sin, was not a servant of the +Divine Word, nor was he an apostle once the devil had entered into his heart. + +<p>1788 Someone could say: Since Christ does not say that all +are blessed or his apostles, then some member of his group might perish +unexpectedly. Our Lord answers this saying, <b>I know whom I have chosen</b>. +This was like saying: Those who have been chosen will not perish; but not all +have been chosen. So, the one who will perish will be the one who has not been +chosen, that is, Judas: "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (15:16). + +<p>1789 This seems to conflict with his earlier statement: "Did +I not choose you, the twelve?" (6:71). Therefore, since Judas was one of the +twelve, it seems that he was chosen. I answer that one can be chosen in two +ways. One is for a present righteousness; and Judas was chosen for this. The +other is for final glory; and Judas was not chosen for this. + +<p>1790 The reason there was an exception was so <b>that the scripture +may be fulfilled </b>- not that scripture forced the event, but it did mention +an event that would happen: "Everything written about me in the law of Moses +and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled" (Lk 24:44); "Not an iota, +nor a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished" (Mt 5:18). This +scripture says: <b>He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me</b>. This +is another translation of what we have in the Psalm [41:9] as: "The man of my +peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has greatly deceived me." The +intimacy Judas had with Christ is shown when we read, <b>he who ate my bread</b>: +for Judas, along with the other disciples, ate bread with Christ, even +consecrated bread. Further, his malicious efforts against Christ are shown when +it says, <b>has lifted his heel against me</b>; that is, he will try to crush +me. And we do crush our enemies under our heel: "She shall crush your head, and +you will lie in wait for her heel" [Gen 3:15]. And so one is said to raise his +heel against another when he tries to crush him. But Judas will not be able to +do this, because I will be exalted by the very thing with which he wants to +crush me: "And I, when am lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to +myself" [12:32]. + +<p>1791 We have an example in this for ourselves: let us not be +set back if we happen to suffer evil from those close to us or from the +malicious, since we can remember the conduct of Judas who, in spite of having +received unlimited goods, returned the contrary to his benefactor. Our Lord chose +Judas, whom he knew would become an evil person, so that we could realize that +there would be no human society which does not have some evil members: "As a +lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens" (Song 2:2). And in one of his +letters Augustine says: "I don't care to assume that my household is better +than the group of the apostles."<a href="#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25">[25]</a> +We can also understand from this that if a prelate receives someone into the +Church, and this person becomes bad, the prelate should not be blamed. Look at +Judas! Even though he was chosen by Christ he turned out to be a traitor. The +same thing happened to Philip when he received Simon the magician: "Shall they +repay good with evil, by making a snare to take my life?" [Jer 18:20]; "A man's +foes will be those of his own household" (Mt 10:36). + +<p>1792 Then when he says, <b>I tell you this now</b>, he gives +the reason why he mentioned there was an exception. As if to say: I have been +silent about his malice for a long time, but because the time is near when it +will appear publicly, therefore, <b>I tell you this now, before it takes place, +that when it does take place you may believe that I am he </b>who predicts the +future and reveals the secrets of the heart: things which are characteristic of +God. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can +understand it? 'I the Lord search the mind and try the heart'" (Jer 17:9); +"Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods" (Is +41:23). Or, "I am who am" [Ex 3:14]. + +<p>1793 Next (v 20), he confirms his conclusion from the +dignity of those whose feet he washed. For their dignity was so great that +services performed for them seemed in a way to rebound to God, although +according to a certain progression: because things done for the faithful +through Christ rebound to God the Father. + +<p>First, he shows how those things +done for the disciples of Christ flow back or rebound to Christ. Regarding this +he says, <b>Truly, truly, I say to you</b>. He is saying in effect: Truly, you +ought to wash their feet, because <b>he who receives any one whom I send +receives me</b>, that is, I regard as done to me the service given to those +whom I send: "He who receives you receives me" (Mt 10:41). Secondly, he shows +how a service given to Christ rebounds to the Father, saying, <b>he who receives +me receives him who sent me</b>: "That all may honor the Son, even as they +honor the Father" (5:23). + +<pIndent2>However, according to Origen, this verse can be +understood in two ways.<a href="#_ftn26" name="_ftnref26">[26]</a> +In one way by compressing the two parts into one, and then the sense is: he who +receives those sent by me also receives the Father. The second way keeps the +parts distinct, and then the meaning is: he who receives, that is, in a +physical way, those sent by me, receives me; and those who receive me, that is, +coming into their souls in a spiritual way - as in "that Christ may dwell in +your hearts through faith" (Eph 3:17) - receives him who sent me, the Father. +Not only will I dwell in him, but the Father will also: "We will come to him +and make our home with him" (14:23). + +<p>1794 Arius used this text in the following way to help +support his own error: the Lord says that he who receives him receives the +Father; and so the relationship between the Father who sends and the Son is the +same as that of the Son who sends and the disciples. But Christ who sends is +greater than the disciples who are sent; thus, the Father is greater than the +Son. + +<p>We should answer this, according to +Augustine, by saying that there were two natures in Christ, a human and a +divine nature.<a href="#_ftn27" name="_ftnref27">[27]</a> +In the first part he is speaking with reference to his human nature, saying, <b>he +who receives any one whom I send receives me</b>, as human, for I share with +them in one [human] nature. In the second part he speaks in reference to his +divinity: <b>he who receives me</b>, who am God, <b>receives him who sent me</b>, +for I have the same [divine] nature as him. + +<p>Or, we could understand it to mean: +he who receives one whom I send, receives me, for my authority is in him; and +he who receives me receives the Father, whose authority is in me. In this way, +these words show that Christ is the bridge between God and humankind, as in +"There is one mediator between God and the men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim +2:5). +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 4 + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>21 When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, +and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 The +disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his +disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast [lap] of Jesus; 24 +so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks." +25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, "Lord, who is +it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is he whom I shall give this morsel [bread] when I +have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel [bread], he gave it to Judas, +the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him.<a +href="#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28">[28]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1795 Above, the Evangelist presented the example Christ gave +to his disciples to imitate. Here he shows the failure of the disciples who +were not yet ready to follow him; a failure which Christ predicted. First, we +see the failure of the disciple who betrayed him; secondly, of the disciple who +denied him (v 36). Two things are done with the first: one of the disciples is +said to be a betrayer; secondly, we see him leave the supper. Two things are +done concerning the first: the betrayal is predicted; then we see it beginning +to be executed (v 27a). Two things are done about the first: the crime of the +traitor is foretold; secondly, the traitor is identified (v 22). + +<p>1796 Two things are done about the first: the emotions of +the one foretelling the betrayal are mentioned; secondly, the event predicted +is mentioned. + +<p>The one foretelling the betrayal is +Christ, and he is troubled. As to this the Evangelist says, <b>When Jesus had +thus spoken</b>, inviting them once again to works of love, he visualized the +disciple who was to betray him and <b>he was troubled in spirit</b>. Here we +should note that to be troubled is to be disturbed. This is shown by an event +mentioned before: "From time to time an angel of the Lord used to come down +into the pool and the water was disturbed…the sick man said, 'Sir, I have no +one to plunge me into the pool once the water is troubled'" (5:4). Here it is +the same thing for water to be disturbed or troubled. We also say the sea is +troubled when it is disturbed. And so to say that a soul is troubled is to say +that it is disturbed. Now there are some acts of the soul which do not involve +a disturbance in the body; these are the actions of its intellectual powers. +But the acts of the sensory appetite do involve a disturbance in the body; +these are the actions of its intellectual powers. But the acts of the sensory +appetite do involve some bodily disturbance; and so the affections of the +sensory appetite are called passions. Now among all the affections or passions +of the sensory appetite, sadness involves the most disturbance. While pleasure, +since it implies a rest in a good which is possessed, has more the character of +rest than of disturbance. Even fear, since it is concerned with an evil to come +in the future, has less disturbance than sadness, which involves an evil which +is present. This is why one who is afflicted with sadness is especially said to +be troubled. So Christ was troubled, that is, he was sad. + +<p>1797 We can recall here that there have been philosophers, +the Stoics, who said that those who are wise are not troubled this way or by +such passions. For although they admit that one who is wise may have fear, or +joy or desire, such a one is never sad. It is clear that this is false because +Jesus, who is the highest wisdom, was troubled. + +<p>Note that one can be troubled in +two ways. Sometimes it comes from the flesh, which means that one is troubled +because of some apprehension by the senses, but independently of the judgment +of reason. Yet sometimes this can remain within the limits of reason and not +cloud one's reason; in this case, Jerome would call it a <i>propassion</i>.<a +href="#_ftn29" name="_ftnref29">[29]</a> +This can happen in one who is wise. At other times, this can go beyond the +limits of reason and trouble reason. This is not found in the wise. + +<p>The second way of being troubled is +to have it come from one's reason, that is, when one is troubled in the sensory +appetite because of a judgment of reason and from deliberation. This was the +way Christ was troubled. And so the Evangelist is careful to say that<b> he was +troubled in spirit</b>, that is, the sensory appetite of Christ was troubled +because of a judgment of his reason. Thus he said above (11:33) that Jesus +"troubled himself." For in Christ all things arose from the deliberation of +reason, even in his sensory appetite; and so there were in him no sudden +disturbances of his sensuality. + +<p>1798 Jesus willed to be troubled at this time for two +reasons. First, in order to instruct us in the faith. For suffering and death, +which human nature naturally shuns, were drawing near to him; and when he +realized this, he became sad because they were harmful and evil for him. And so +he willed, by a judgment of reason, to be troubled even in his soul, to show us +that he had a real human nature. This excludes the error of Apollinaris who +said that Christ did not have a soul, but the Word took its place. + +<p>Secondly, he did this to aid our +own progress. According to Augustine, he saw that the traitor was about to +leave and return with the Jews who wanted to capture him.<a href="#_ftn30" +name="_ftnref30">[30]</a> +By this action, Judas was severed from the society of the saints and drew down +a sentence of death upon himself. And because Jesus loved him, this made him +sad. This gives an example to superiors that if now and then they have to pass +a harsh judgment on their subjects, they should do it with a sad heart, +according to "Let a good man strike or rebuke me in kindness" (Ps 141:5). For +when Jesus decided to reveal the treachery of Judas to the others, <b>he was +troubled in spirit and testified</b>, to show he was not ignorant of his +betrayal, and said, <b>Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me</b>. + + +<p>1799 He is careful to say, <b>one of you</b>, i.e., one of +those chosen for this holy society, so that we might understand that there would +never be a society so holy that it would be without sinners and those who are +evil: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves +before the Lord, and Satan also came among them" (Job 1:6). + +<p>He said one of them, not two or +several, so it would not seem that he was reproving the whole group rather than +the traitor in the group. For we should not think a group bad because one +member is bad; although if several are bad, the group could be considered bad. +He said, <b>one of you</b>, that is, one of your number, not one of you in +merit or one in spirit: "They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if +they had been of us, they would have continued with us" (1 Jn 2:19).<b> One of +you will betray me</b>. Me, the Teacher, the Lord, the Savior. + +<p>1800 Next (v 22), the traitor is privately identified. +First, the occasions for this are mentioned; secondly, the traitor is +identified (v 26); thirdly, we see the effect of his identification (v 27). +There were two occasions for his identification: one was the uncertainty of the +disciples, and the other was a question asked by one of the disciples. First, +John mentions their uncertainty; and then the disciple's question. + +<p>1801 With regard to the first, note that the good disciples +had very great love for Christ and their faith was very strong. Because of +their love each one assumed that he would not be the one to deny Christ; yet +because their faith was so strong they were most certain that what Christ said +could not be false. And so, although none of them was conscious of any evil, +they nevertheless thought the prediction of Christ was truer and more +believable than their own opinion. Accordingly, considering that they were +human and that their affections could change so much that they could will the +opposite of what they willed before, they were more uncertain of themselves +than of the truth spoken by Christ. So, <b>the disciples looked at one another, +uncertain of whom he spoke</b>: "Therefore let any one who thinks that he +stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor 10:12); "If I wash myself with snow, and +cleanse my hands with lye, yet thou will plunge me into a pit" (Job 9:30). + +<p>1802 Next (v 23), the disciple's question is stated. First +we see the intimacy he had with Christ; secondly, what led him to ask (v 24); +thirdly, his question (v 25). + +<p>1803 The disciple's intimacy with Christ is shown by the +fact that he was lying close to him. He says, <b>one of the disciples was lying +close to the lap of Jesus</b>. This was John the Evangelist who wrote his +Gospel. He wrote of himself in the third person to avoid boasting. In this he +followed the custom of others who wrote Sacred Scripture. Moses wrote of +himself this way, as though he were someone else: "and the Lord said to Moses" +(Lev 11:1). And so did Matthew: "He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax +office" as we see from Matthew (Mt 9:9). And further on Paul did the same: "I +know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven" +(2 Cor 12:2). + +<p>1804 John here mentions three things about himself. First, +the love he had for Christ as he rested on him. John said that he <b>was lying</b>, +that is resting: "Then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and lift up +your face to God" (Job 22:26); "He leads me beside the waters of rest" (Ps +23:2). Secondly, he intimates his knowledge of mysteries, which were made known +to him by Christ, and especially for the writing of this Gospel. He says he was +lying <b>close to the lap of Jesus</b>, for the lap signifies things that are +hidden: "The only Son, who is in the lap of the Father, he has made him known" +[1:18]. Thirdly, he mentions the special love Christ had for him, saying, <b>whom +Jesus loved</b>, not exclusively, but in a way above others. Exactly how Christ +loved him more than others will be stated more clearly at the end of this book. + + +<p>For the present, it is enough to +say that John was more loved by Christ for three reasons. First, because of the +cleanliness of his purity: for he was a virgin when chosen by the Lord, and +always remained so: "He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is +gracious, will have the king as his friend" (Prv 22:11). Secondly, because of +the depth of his wisdom, for he saw further into the secrets of God than +others; and so he is compared to an eagle, "A wise servant has the king's +favor" [Prv 14:35]. Thirdly, because of the great intensity of his love for +Christ: "I love those who love me" (Prv 8:17). + +<p>1805 Then when he says, <b>so Simon Peter beckoned to him</b>, +John mentions what led him to question Christ. But since to beckon is to +suggest something without speaking any words, why does he say that Peter both <b>beckoned…and +said? </b>I answer that the [Latin] word beckon can also mean just to think +something within ourselves, as "The fool says in his heart…" (Ps 53:1). And, +even more so, we can say that someone said something when he indicates by some +external sign or gesture what he has conceived in his heart. This is the +meaning of his saying that Peter <b>beckoned…and said</b>, that is, thinking of +something within himself, he indicated it by some kind of gesture. Or, one +could say that he first gave some gesture, and then said in words: <b>Who is it +of whom he speaks? </b>that is, who will betray him. + +<p>1806 Since everywhere in the Gospels Peter is always +presented as bold and as the first to speak out because of his fervent love, +why is he now keeping silent? Chrysostom gives three reasons for this.<a +href="#_ftn31" name="_ftnref31">[31]</a> +One is that Peter had just been reprimanded by our Lord for not allowing him to +wash his feet, and had heard, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." +As a result, he preferred not to bother our Lord just now. Another reason is +that Peter did not want our Lord to reveal this openly so that others could +hear it. And so because Peter was a few feet away from Christ and would not be +the only one to hear his answer, he urged John, who was next to Jesus, to ask +him. + +<p>The third reason is mystical. John +signifies the contemplative life, and Peter the active life. Now Peter is +instructed by Christ by means of John because the active life learns about +divine things by means of the contemplative life: "Mary sat at the Lord's feet +and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving" (Lk +10:39). + +<p>1807 Then when he says, <b>So lying thus, close to the +breast of Jesus, he said to him, Lord, who is it?</b> he mentions the question. +Note that when Peter was beckoning to John to get him to question our Lord, +John was leaning near the lap of Jesus. But now when John asks he is near the +breast of Jesus, for the breast is closer to the mouth than the lap is. And so +John moved from the lap of Christ to his breast so he could hear his answer +more quietly and privately. + +<p>As for the mystical interpretation, +we can see from this that the more a person wants to grasp the secrets of +divine wisdom, the more he should try to get closer to Christ, according to: +"Come to him and be enlightened" [Ps 34:5]. For the secrets of divine wisdom +are especially revealed to those who are joined to God by love: "He shows his +friend that it is his possession" [Job 36:33]; "His friend comes and searches +into him" [Prv 18:17]. + +<p>1808 Then when he says, <b>Jesus answered</b>, he identifies +the betrayer: first by words, then by an action. He identifies by words when he +says, <b>It is he to whom I shall give this bread when I have dipped it</b>. +This can signify two things, depending on how bread is understood. If it is +understood to indicate something evil, it signifies the hypocrisy of Judas. For +just as dipped bread is stained and has changed in appearance so also a +pretender, for he thinks one thing in his heart while he simulates something +else with his words. And Judas was like this, for on the outside he pretended +to love the Teacher, but in his heart he planned to betray him: The wicked +"speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts" (Ps 28:3). + +<p>If bread is taken to signify +something good, then this action stresses the malice of Judas. When bread is +dipped it tastes better. So Christ gave Judas dipped bread to show that +although Judas had received many good things from Christ, in spite of these he +betrayed him: "But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We +used to hold sweet converse together" (Ps 55:13). + +<p>1809 He identifies the betrayer by an action when he says,<b> +so when he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot</b>. +Some say that this bread was the consecrated body of Christ. But, according to +Augustine, this is not so.<a href="#_ftn32" name="_ftnref32">[32]</a> +For it is clear from the other Evangelists that our Lord gave his body to the +disciples while he was having supper. Thus it is evident that Judas received +the body of Christ at the same time as the other disciples, that is, during the +supper. During the course of this meal Jesus rose and washed the feet of the +disciples and returned to his place. And it was only after this that he gave the +bread to Judas. Clearly, this was not the body of Christ. + +<p>1810 He continues with the effect of this identification, +saying, <b>then after the morsel, Satan entered into him</b>. Here we might ask +how Satan enters into a person. I answer that there are two ways of +understanding Satan's entering into a person. He could enter into a person's +body, as in the case of those who are physically molested by a devil. In this +way the devil can essentially enter into a person. Or, we might take it to mean +that the devil enters into a person's mind, so that the devil would essentially +penetrate the mind. However, no one but God can enter into a person in this +way. Now the rational soul does not have quantitative dimensions so that +something could be in it except what gives it existence, which is there by its +own power. Now where the power of God is, there also is his essence: for in God +essence and power are the same. So it is clear that God is in the soul +essentially. Yet the devil can enter into the human mind in the sense that a +person who has been seduced by him follows him in doing evil; this is an effect +of the devil's malice, which someone has loved.<a href="#_ftn33" +name="_ftnref33">[33]</a> + +<p>1811 It was said above: "And during supper, when the devil +had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray +him…". But now he says, <b>Satan entered into him</b>. So there seems to be a +difference between "put into" and "enter into." I say that this was not said to +indicate a difference, but to note a growth in evil. The devil is said to put +something evil into a person's heart when the person yields to him and assents +to the evil, but with some fear as to whether he ought to do this or not. But +he enters into a person's heart when one totally gives himself to following his +suggestions and offers no resistance at all. Thus Satan first put the plan to +deceive Christ into Judas, and then he entered into to possess him more +completely and to lead him to accomplish the evil. + +<p>1812 One might ask why Luke (22:3) says that Satan entered +into Judas even before he received the morsel. This seems to conflict with what +John says here, that <b>after the morsel, Satan entered into him</b>. I answer +that in the first cast Satan entered into him to plan the betrayal, but now he +entered into him to accomplish and complete it. + +<p>1813 Was it wrong to give Judas this morsel, for after that +Satan would enter into him? I say, no. Judas himself was evil, and used a good +thing in an evil way. In a similar way, when someone unworthily receives the +Eucharist, which is good and even the best of things, he receives it in an evil +way and it turns out to be evil for him, because he "eats and drinks judgment +upon himself" (1 Cor 11:29). +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 5 + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>27b Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do +quickly." 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some +thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what +we need for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, +after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.<a +href="#_ftn34" name="_ftnref34">[34]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1814 We now see the betrayal itself, after it was predicted. +First, we see that Judas was allowed to do what was predicted; and secondly, +how it was done (v 30). John does three things with the first: first, he gives +the words of our Lord, allowing Judas to act; secondly, he mentions that the +meaning of these words was not clear; and thirdly, he states how the Apostles +understood them. + +<p>1815 Our Lord's words were: <b>What you are going to do, do +quickly</b>. This is not a command or a counsel, since sin cannot be commanded +or counseled, because "The command of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes" +(Ps 19:8). It is, rather, a permission. As we have seen, the devil had put it +into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus, and he had already made arrangements +with the chief priests. Yet he could not carry this out unless Christ himself +gave permission, because "No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down +of my own accord" (10:18); "He was offered because it was his own will" [Is +53:7]. + +<p>These words also reprimand the evil +act of betrayal, and imply that while Christ was conferring benefits on him, +Judas was planning his death: "But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before +you" (Ps 50:21). As Augustine says, they are also the words of one who eagerly +desires to carry out the work of our redemption.<a href="#_ftn35" +name="_ftnref35">[35]</a> +Still, Christ was not commanding the crime, but predicting it. He was not so +much seeking the ruin of the one who betrayed him as he was hurrying to become +the salvation of believers: "I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am +constrained until it is accomplished!" (Lk 12:50). + +<p>1816 What our Lord said was not clear to the disciples. John +says, <b>Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him</b>. We can +understand from this that the words of Christ are so profound and so above +human understanding that we can understand no more of them than what he +reveals: "It is the glory of God to conceal the word" [Prv 25:2]. + +<p>1817 A question arises here. Since our Lord had indicated to +John who the traitor was, saying, <b>it is he to whom I shall give this bread +when I have dipped it</b>, and then he gave it to Judas, the disciples seem to +have been exceedingly dull not to have understood what he had just said. I +answer that our Lord said this privately to John in order not to reveal the +betrayer. The reason for this being that Peter loved Christ so fiercely that +had he been certain that Judas was about to betray him, he would have quickly +killed him. + +<p>1818 Since John himself was one of those at the dinner, why +did he say, <b>no one at the table knew why he said this to him</b>? I answer +that it is usual for one who is good and without evil to believe that others +also are without evil. Now John was extremely good and would never consider +becoming a betrayer. Thus he never suspected that another disciple would commit +such a great crime. + +<p>1819 Now the Evangelist tells us what the disciples, +ignorant of the real reason Jesus was speaking, thought he meant: some of the +disciples <b>thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling +him…</b> Here we should note that the Lord God of Heaven, who feeds all living +things, had a purse, not to own the things of earth, but to save the offerings +of believers and so provide for his own necessities and the needs of others. +This purse was in the care of Judas. As Augustine says, this teaches us that +the Church can have and reserve money for its immediate needs.<a href="#_ftn36" +name="_ftnref36">[36]</a> +It also teaches us that the Church's money should be used for only two things. +First, for what pertains to divine worship; for we read, <b>Buy what we need +for the feast</b>, that is, what we can use to worship God on the festival day: +"Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house" +(Mal 3:10). Secondly, its money can be used to help the poor, so he adds, or <b>that +he should give something to the poor</b>. + +<p>1820 One might argue against this that Matthew (6:34) says, +"do not be anxious about tomorrow." Augustine answered this and said that or +Lord did not command the saints not to keep the money or other goods of one day +for the next.<a href="#_ftn37" name="_ftnref37">[37]</a> +Rather, he said, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow." This means that we should +not be preaching or doing other religious services in order to provide a future +for ourselves; nor should we omit acting in a virtuous way because of fear of +the future. Thus it is clear that when our Lord said "Do not be anxious about +tomorrow," he was forbidding two things. First, we are not to do good to secure +our future; secondly, we are not to omit doing good because we fear a future +poverty. + +<p>Chrysostom explains this clearly +when he says: "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, that is, do not anticipate +today the cares of the next day; the troubles of today are enough."<a +href="#_ftn38" name="_ftnref38">[38]</a> + +<p>1821 Some might also wonder why our Lord had a purse, since +he told his disciples, "Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals" (Lk 10:4). +According to Chrysostom, our Lord possessed a purse to provide for those in +need and to teach us that no matter how poor and crucified to the world we may +be, we should be concerned for the poor, according to "He has distributed +freely, he has given to the poor" (Ps 112:9).<a href="#_ftn39" name="_ftnref39" +title="">[39]</a> +Or, we could say that when he told them to take nothing on their way, he was +referring to individual preachers and Apostles, who should carry nothing when +they went to preach. But it did not refer to the entire group which would need +something for themselves and for the poor. + +<p>1822 Next (v 30), John shows that what was predicted came +about. First, he mentions the action which was done; secondly, the time when it +was done. + +<p>1823 What was done was done quickly, because <b>after +receiving the morsel, he immediately went out</b>. Note that, as Origen says, +the Evangelist does not say that Judas ate the morsel, but that he received it.<a +href="#_ftn40" name="_ftnref40">[40]</a> +This can be understood in two ways. First, it could be that Judas was so troubled +about obeying the Teacher that when he received the morsel, he did not eat it, +but perhaps left it on the table and without delay went out to complete his +betrayal. The reason for this could be that the devil did not allow Judas to +eat the bread. For the devil, who had already entered into the heart of Judas, +feared that if Judas ate the bread, the devil would have to leave, since he +could not be in the same place as Jesus: "What accord has Christ with Belial?" +(2 Cor 6:15); "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons" (1 +Cor 10:21). + +<p>Taken the other way, we could think +that Judas ate the bread he received. Then the meaning is, <b>after receiving +the morsel</b>, not only in his hand, but even eating it, <b>he immediately +went out</b>. He thus made use of a good thing in a bad way. This is exactly +what someone does who unworthily eats the bread of the Lord, or drinks from his +chalice: he eats and drinks to his own damage and adds to his sin. So the bread +Jesus gave to Judas became a source of harm: for after the bread entered into +him so did Satan. + +<p>1824 The time is described as one of darkness: <b>and it was +night</b>. He mentions this for two reasons. First, to emphasize the malice of +Judas. It had grown in his heart to such a degree that even the inconvenience +of the hour did not cause him to wait till the morning: "The murderer rises in +the dark…and in the night he is as a thief" (Job 24:14). + +<p>In the second place, he wants to +show his state of mind. <b>It was night</b>, because the mind of Judas the +traitor was dark, without divine light. "If any one walks in the day, he does +not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if any one walks in +the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him" (11:9-10). +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 6 + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of +man glorified and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God +will also glorify him in himself, and [will] glorify him at once. + +<p>1825 After Judas left to bring about our Lord's death, Jesus +mentions that he himself will be leaving for glory. First, to console them, he +mentions the glory to which he is going; secondly, he foretells his leaving (v +33).</BLOCKQUOTE></b> + +<p>1826 The glory to which he is going is the glorification and +exaltation of Christ insofar as he is the Son of man. <b>When he had gone out</b>, +that is Judas, <b>Jesus said</b>, to his disciples, <b>Now is the Son of man +glorified, and in him God is glorified</b>. The [Latin] word used was actually +"clarified" and not "glorified." But both words mean the same thing. To be +clarified, (to be made bright or splendorous, to be displayed and made known) +is the same as to be glorified, for glory is a kind of splendor. According to +Ambrose, someone has glory when he is known with clarity and praised.<a +href="#_ftn41" name="_ftnref41">[41]</a> +And so exegetes translate the Greek word "clarify" as "glorify," and vice +versa. + +<p>We can understand this statement in +four ways, by referring it to the four kinds of glory which Christ had: the +glory of the cross; the glory of his judicial power; the glory of his +resurrection; and the glory of being known by the faith of the people. +Scripture attributes this fourfold glory to Christ. + +<p>1827 First, then, Christ was glorified by being lifted up on +the cross. Even Paul said that his own glory was in the cross: "But far be it +from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal 6:14). This +is the glory Chrysostom has in mind in his explanation of the text.<a +href="#_ftn42" name="_ftnref42">[42]</a> +In this explanation our Lord mentions four things about the glory of the cross: +the glory itself; the fruit of this glory; the author of the glory; and the +time of the glory. + +<p>As to the first [the very glory of +the cross] he says, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>. Note that when +something is beginning, it seems in a way to already exist. Now when Judas went +out to bring back the soldiers, this seems to be the beginning of Christ's +passion, the passion by which he was to be glorified. This is why he says, <b>now +is the Son of man glorified</b>, that is, the passion by which he will be +glorified is now beginning. Indeed, Christ was glorified by the passion of the +cross because by it he conquered the enemies of death and the devil: "that +through death he might destroy him who has the power of death" (Heb 2:14). +Again, he acquired glory because by his cross he joined heaven and earth: "to +reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by +the blood of his cross" (Col 1:20). Further, he was glorified by his cross +because by it he acquired all kingship. One version of Psalm 95 (v 9) says: +"Say to the nations that the Lord has reigned from his cross." Again, Christ +was glorified by the cross because he accomplished many miracles on it: the +curtain of the temple was split, an earthquake occurred, rocks were split and +the sun was darkened, and many saints arose, as Matthew (27:51) states. So with +his passion drawing near, these are the reasons why our Lord said, <b>now is +the Son of man glorified</b>. It is like saying: now my passion is beginning, +the passion which is my glory. + +<p>The fruit of this glory is that God +is glorified by it. So he says, <b>and in him God is glorified</b>, that is, in +the glorified Son of man. For the glory of the passion leads to the glory of +God. If God was glorified by the death of Peter - "This he said to show by what +death he was to glorify God" (21:19) - he was much more glorified by the death +of Christ. + +<p>The author of this glory is not an +angel or a human being, but God himself. He says, <b>if God is glorified in him</b>, +that is, if his glory is so great that God is glorified by it, he does not need +to be glorified by another. But <b>God will also glorify him in himself</b>, +that is, through himself: "Father, glorify me"<a href="#_ftn43" name="_ftnref43" +title="">[43]</a> +(17:5). + +<p>The time for this glory is fast +approaching, because God <b>will glorify him at once</b>, that is, he will give +him the glory of the cross. "For the cross, although it is foolish to the +Gentiles and to those who are lost, yet to us who believe, it is the very great +wisdom of God and the power of God" (1 Cor 1:18). + +<p>1828 The second glory of Christ is the glory of his judicial +power: "And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power +and glory" (Mk 13:26). This is the glory about which Augustine speaks, as the +gloss says.<a href="#_ftn44" name="_ftnref44">[44]</a> +In reference to this, he does four things here: first, he mentions the glory of +the judicial power of Christ; secondly, he shows the merit from which he +acquired it; thirdly, he expounds on this; fourthly, he shows the source of +Christ's glory. As to the first, he says, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>. +We should note that in Sacred Scripture, one thing is not explicitly said to +signify another, and the word for the signifying thing is also used for the +thing signified. For example, we do not read that "The rock signified Christ"; +rather, it says, "And the Rock was Christ" (1 Cor 10:4). In the departure of +Judas away from the apostles we have a kind of image of the future judgment, +when the wicked will be separated from the good, and Christ will put the sheep +on his right and the goats on his left (Mt 25:33). Since this departure of +Judas signified the future judgment, right after this our Lord began to speak +of the glory of his judicial power, saying, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>; +that is, this departure or separation represents the glory which the Son of man +will have in the judgment, where none of the good will perish and none of the +evil will be with them. He does not say: "Now is the glorification of the Son +of man signified," but rather, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>, in +keeping with the above-mentioned custom of Scripture. + +<p>Now the merit of this glorification +is that God would be glorified in him. For God is glorified by those who seek +to do his will, and not their own. Christ was like this: "For I have come down +from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me" (6:38). And +this is why <b>in him God is glorified</b>. He amplifies on this when he says, <b>if +God is glorified in him</b>, that is, if, by doing the will of God, he +glorifies God, then rightly <b>God will also glorify him in himself</b>, so +that the human nature assumed by the eternal Word will be given an eternal +glory. Thus, <b>in himself</b>, that is, in his own glory: "Therefore God has +highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name" +(Phil 2:9). Therefore the glorification by which God is glorified in Christ is +the merit in virtue of which Christ as man is glorified <b>in himself</b>, that +is, in the glory of God. This will occur when his human nature, its weakness +having been laid down by the death of the cross, receives the glory of +immortality at the resurrection. So the resurrection itself was the source from +which this glory began. Accordingly he says, <b>and will glorify him at once</b>, +at the resurrection, which will quickly come: "I will arise in the morning +early" [Ps 108:2]: and also, "You will not let your Holy One see corruption" +[Ps 16:10]. + +<p>1829 The third glory of Christ is the glory of his +resurrection, about which we read, "We were buried therefore with him by +baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of +the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Rom 6:4). It is in terms of +this glory that Hilary explains this passage, and Augustine also in part.<a +href="#_ftn45" name="_ftnref45">[45]</a> + +<p>From this aspect, Christ first +foretells this glory of his, saying, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>. +Here he is speaking of the future as if it has already happened, because what +we think will quickly happen we regard as good as done. Now the glory of the +resurrection was very near, and so he says, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>, +as if his body, by its union with the divine nature, had in a way acquired the +glory of the divinity. + +<p>Secondly, he mentions the cause of +this glory quite subtly. As he said, in the resurrection the humanity of Christ +was glorified because of its union with the divine nature; and there was one +person, that of the Word. For we read: "You will not leave my soul in Sheol; +you will not let your holy one," who is the holiest of all, "see corruption" +[Ps 16:10]. Such glory is also due to this human being, Christ, in so far as he +is God. We too will have the glory of the resurrection to the extent that we +share in the divinity: "He who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will give life +to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you" (Rom 8:11). +So he says that <b>the Son of man</b>, that is, Christ considered in his human +nature, <b>is glorified</b>, by his resurrection. And who will glorify him? He +says, <b>God will also glorify him in himself</b>, so that this human being, +Christ, who reigns in the glory which is from the glory of God, may himself +pass into the glory of God, that is, might entirely abide in God, as though +deified by the way his human nature is possessed. It is like saying: A lamp is +bright because a fire is burning brightly within it. That which sends the rays +of brightness into the human nature of Christ is God; and thus the human nature +of Christ is glorified by the glory of his divinity, and the human nature of +Christ is brought into the glory of his divinity, not by having its nature +changed, but by a sharing of glory in so far as this human being, Christ, is +adored as God: "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the +name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should +bow" (Phil 2:9). So he says, <b>if God is glorified in him</b>, that is, if it +is true that the glory of his divinity overflows to the glory of his humanity, +subsequently <b>God will also glorify him in himself</b>, give him a share of +his own glory by assuming him into that glory: "Every tongue should confess +that the Lord Jesus is in the glory of the Father" [Phil 2:11]. + +<p>Thus, Christ has a twofold glory. +One is in his human nature, but is derived from his divinity. The other is the +glory of his divinity, into which his human nature is in a way taken up. But +each glory is different. The first-mentioned glory had a beginning in time. For +this reason he speaks of it as past, saying, <b>and in him God is</b>, or has +been, <b>glorified</b>, on the day of the resurrection. The other glory is +eternal, because from eternity the Word of God is God. And the human nature of +Christ, assumed into this glory, will be glorified forever. And so he speaks of +this as in the future: <b>and will glorify him at once</b>, that is, he will +always establish him in that glory forever. + +<p>1830 The fourth glory of Christ is the glory of being known +by the faith of the people. Origen has this kind of glory in mind in his +exposition.<a href="#_ftn46" name="_ftnref46">[46]</a> +According to him, glory means one thing in ordinary speech, and another thing +in Scripture. In ordinary speech, glory is the praise given by a number of +people, or the clear knowledge of someone accompanied by praise, as Ambrose +says.<a href="#_ftn47" name="_ftnref47">[47]</a> +While in Scripture, glory indicates that a divine sign or mark is upon one. We +read in Exodus [40:34] that "The glory of the Lord appeared over the +tabernacle," that is, a divine sign rested over it. The same happened to the +face of Moses, when it was glorified. Just as glory, in the physical sense, +indicates that a divine sign rests upon one, so, in the spiritual sense, that +intellect is said to be glorified when it is so deified and so transcends all +material things that it is raised to a knowledge of God. It is by this that we +are made sharers of glory: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory +of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to +another" (2 Cor 3:18). Therefore, if anyone who knows God is glorified and made +a sharer of glory, it is clear that Christ, who knows God most perfectly, since +he is the brightness of the entire divine glory (Heb 1:30), and able to receive +the splendor of the entire divine glory, if, I say, this is so, then Christ is +most perfectly glorified. And all who know God owe this to Christ. + +<p>But men did not yet realize that +Christ was so glorified by this most perfect knowledge and participation in the +divinity. And so, although he was glorified in himself, he was not yet glorified +in the knowledge of men. He began to have his glory at his passion and +resurrection, when men began to recognize his power and divinity. Our Lord, +speaking here of this glory, says, <b>Now is the Son of man glorified</b>, that +is, now, in his human nature, he is receiving glory in the knowledge of men +because of his approaching passion. <b>And in him God</b>, the Father, <b>is +glorified</b>. For the Son not only reveals himself, but the Father as well: +"[Father] I have manifested thy name" (17:6). Consequently, not only is the Son +glorified, but the Father also: "No one knows the Father except the Son and any +one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Mt 11:27). He says, <b>in him</b>, +because one who sees the Son also sees the Father (14:9). + +<p>It is characteristic of one who is +greater to return what is greater. And thus he adds, <b>if God is glorified in +him</b>, that is, if the glory of God the Father somehow increases because of +the glory of the Son of man, because the Father becomes better known, <b>God +will also glorify him in himself</b>, that is, make it known that Christ Jesus +is in his glory. This will not be delayed for he <b>will glorify him at once</b>. +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 7 + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>33 "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You +will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going +you cannot come.' 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one +another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this +all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."</BLOCKQUOTE></b> + +<p> 1831 Above, our Lord spoke of the glory he would acquire by +his leaving. Here, he is telling them that he will leave them. First, he +foretells his leaving; secondly, he shows that his disciples were not yet fit +to follow him (v 33b); thirdly, he shows how they can become fit, <b>A new +commandment I give to you</b>. + +<p>1832 He briefly foretells his coming departure, saying, <b>Little +children, yet a little while I am with you</b>. He uses the words of a parent +to his children the more to inflame their love; for it is when friends are about +to leave each other that they especially glow with love: "Having loved his own +who were in the world, he loved them to the end" (13:1). He says, <b>little +children</b>, to show their imperfection, for they were not yet perfectly +children, because they did not yet perfectly love. They were not yet perfect in +charity: "My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be +informed in you" (Gal 4:19). Still, they had grown somewhat in perfection, +because from slaves they became little children, as he calls them here, and +brethren, "Go to my brethren and say to them" (20:17). + +<p>1833 We should note that the expression, <b>yet a little +while</b>, can be explained in three ways, according to the three ways Christ +is present to his disciples. Christ was present to his disciples in body. But +his body can be considered in two ways. First, we can view it as having the +characteristics that belong to human nature, for Christ had a mortal body, just +as others. So, <b>a little while</b>, is understood as the time between these +words and his death. So the sense is: <b>yet a little while I am with you</b>, +that is, a little time remains until I am taken and die, and then I will rise +and be immortal, even in body: "Christ being raised from the dead will never +die again; death no longer has dominion over him" (Rom 6:9). So Luke (24:44) +says: "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you." + +<p>Secondly, he was with them in body, +but a body that was already glorified. Then, <b>a little while</b>, indicates +the time that intervened until his ascension: "A little while, and you will see +me no more; again a little while, and you will see me, because I go to the +Father" [16:16]; "Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and +the earth and the sea and the dry land" (Hag 2:6). + +<p>Thirdly, it can be explained as +applying to the spiritual presence of Christ, his presence in his divinity and +in the sacraments. Then, <b>a little while</b>, is taken to mean the time which +would intervene until the end of the world. This is a little while in +comparison with eternity: "Children it is the last hour" (1 Jn 2:18). Then the +meaning is: <b>yet a little while I am with you</b>, that is, although I will +leave you in body, I am still spiritually with you for <b>a little while</b> +which remains before the end of the world: "I am with you always, to the close +of the age" (Mt 28:20). + +<p>Yet this explanation is not +appropriate to the presence of Christ in his divinity, for he will be with them +not only to the end of the world, but for all eternity. For this reason Origen +explains it another way.<a href="#_ftn48" name="_ftnref48">[48]</a> +He says that Christ is always with the perfect, who do not sin in a serious +way. But he is not always present to the imperfect, because when they sin he +withdraws from them. Now in a little while the disciples would leave Christ, +fall away and abandon him: "You will all fall away because of me this night" +(Mt 26:31). And so Christ spiritually withdrew from them. In reference to this +he says, <b>yet a little while I am with you</b>, that is, in a little while +you will leave and abandon me, and then I will not be with you. + +<p>1834 Next, he mentions their inability to follow him. First, +he notes their effort, <b>you will seek me</b>, whom you have spiritually +abandoned by your flight and denials. <b>You will seek me</b>, I say, by your +repentance, as Peter did, who wept bitterly: "Seek the Lord while he may be +found" (Is 55:6); "In their distress they seek me" (Hos 5:15). Or, <b>you will +seek me</b>, that is, you will want me to be present in body: "The days are +coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you +will not see it" (Lk 17:22). + +<p>Secondly, he shows their weakness, +saying, <b>as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, Where I am going you +cannot come</b>. Yet this was said differently to the two. Some of the Jews +would never be converted. It was to these that it was said absolutely that they +could not go where Christ was going. But now that Judas has gone, none of the +remaining disciples would be separated from Christ. And to them he did not say +absolutely, <b>you cannot come</b>, but added, <b>now I say to you</b>. It is +like saying: <b>I said to the Jews</b>, that is, to the obstinate among them, +that they could never come. But <b>I say to you</b>, that for <b>now</b>, you +cannot follow me, because you are not perfect enough in charity to want to die +for me. For I will leave you by dying. + +<p>Again, I am going to the glory of +my Father, to which no one can come unless he is perfect in charity. Also, I +will be glorified now, for as we read, "Now is the Son of man glorified." But +it is not yet the time for your bodies to be glorified; so, <b>where I am going +you cannot come</b>. + +<p>1835 Then, he teaches them how they can become fit to follow +him: <b>a new commandment I give to you</b>. First, he mentions the special +character of this commandment; secondly, he shows why they should live up to it +(v 35). As to the first he does three things: first, he mentions a feature of +this commandment, secondly, its meaning; and thirdly, its standard. + +<p>1836 The feature of this commandment he emphasizes is its +newness. Thus he says, <b>a new commandment</b>. But did not the Old Testament +or Law have a commandment about the love of one's neighbor? It did, because +when Christ was asked by a lawyer which was the greatest commandment, he +replied: "You shall love the Lord your God," and continued, "You shall love +your neighbor as yourself" (Mt 22:37). This is found in Leviticus: "You shall +love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18). + +<p>Nevertheless, there are three +special reasons why this commandment is said to be new. First, because of the +newness, the renewal, it produces: "You have put off the old nature with its +practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge +after the image of its creator" (Col 3:9). This newness is from charity, the +charity to which Christ urges us. Secondly, this commandment is said to be new +because of the cause which produces this renewal; and this is a new spirit. +There are two spirits: the old and the new. The old spirit is the spirit of +slavery; the new is the spirit of love. The first produces slaves; the second, +children by adoption: "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall +back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship" (Rom 8:15); "A new +heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you" (Ez 36:26). The +spirit sets us on fire with love because "God's love has been poured into our +hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5). Thirdly, it is a new commandment +because of the effect it established, that is, a New Covenant. The difference +between the New and the Old Covenant is that between love and fear: as we read +in Jeremiah (31:31): "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel." +Under the Old Covenant, this commandment was observed through fear; under the +New Covenant it is observed through love. So this commandment was in the Old +Law, not as characteristic of it, but as a preparation for the New Law. + +<p>1837 The import of the commandment is mutual love; thus he +says: <b>that you love one another</b>. It is of the very nature of friendship +that is not imperceptible; otherwise, it would not be friendship, but merely +good-will. For a true and firm friendship the friends need a mutual love for +each other; for this duplication makes it true and firm. Our Lord, wanting +there to be perfect friendship among his faithful and disciples, gave them this +command of mutual love: "Whoever fears the Lord directs his friendship aright" +(Sir 6:17). + +<p>1838 The standard for this mutual love is given when he +says, <b>as I have loved you</b>. Now Christ loved us three ways: gratuitously, +effectively and rightly. + +<p>He loved us gratuitously because he +began to love us and did not wait for us to begin to love him: "Not that we +loved God, but because he first loved us" [1 Jn 4:10]. In the same way we +should first love our neighbors and not wait to be loved by them or for them to +do us a favor. + +<p>Christ loved us effectively, which +is obvious from what he did; for love is proven to exist from what one does. +The greatest thing a person can do for a friend is to give himself for that +friend. This is what Christ did: "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" +(Eph 5:2). So we read: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down +his life for his friends" (15:13). We also should be led by this example and +love one another effectively and fruitfully: "Let us not love in word or in +speech but in deed and in truth" (1 Jn 3:18). + +<p>Christ also loved us rightly. Since +all friendship is based on some kind of sharing (for similarity is a cause of +love), that friendship is right which is based on a similarity or a sharing in +some good. Now Christ loved us as similar to himself by the grace of adoption, +loving us in the light of this similarity in order to draw us to God. "I have +loved you with an everlasting love; and so taking pity on you, I have drawn +you" [Jer 31:3]. We also, in the one we love, should love what pertains to God +and not so much the pleasure or benefits the loved one gives to us. In this +kind of love for our neighbor, even the love of God is included. + +<p>1839 Then when he says, <b>By this all men will know that +you are my disciples</b>, he gives the reason for following this command. Here +we should note that one who is in the army of a king should wear this emblem. +The emblem of Christ is the emblem of charity. So anyone who wants to be in the +army of Christ should be stamped with the emblem of charity. This is what he is +saying here: <b>By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you +have love for one another</b>. I mean a holy love: "I am the mother of +beautiful love and of fear and of knowledge and of holy hope" [Sir 24:24]. + +<p>Although the apostles received many +gifts from Christ, such as life, intelligence and good health, as well as +spiritual goods, such as the ability to perform miracles - "I will give you a +mouth and wisdom" (Lk 21:15) - none of these are the emblem of a disciple of +Christ, since they can be possessed both by the good and the bad. Rather, the +special sign of a disciple of Christ is charity and mutual love; "He has put +his seal upon us and given us his Spirit" (2 Cor 1:22). +<BR><BR><BR> +<p align=center><b>LECTURE 8 + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" +Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall +follow afterward." 37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I +will lay down my life for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life +for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have +denied me three times."</BLOCKQUOTE></b> + +<p>1840 Above, John mentioned the defection of one of the +disciples, Judas the traitor; here he tells of the failure of another, Peter, +who denied Christ. First we see the occasion of Christ's prediction; secondly, +the prediction of Peter's denial. He does two things about the first: he +mentions Peter's desire; secondly, his confidence, <b>Why cannot I follow you +now? </b>He does two things about the first: he shows Peter expressing his +desire; secondly, he shows that its fulfillment will be delayed, <b>you cannot +follow me now</b>. + +<p>1841 Peter's desire is shown by the quick way he questioned +Christ: <b>Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going?</b> Peter had +heard our Lord say that he would be with them just for a little while, and he +became anxious about Christ's leaving them. So he asks, <b>Where are you going?</b> +Chrysostom says about this: "Peter's love was indeed great, and more furious +than a fire that nothing could stop."<a href="#_ftn49" name="_ftnref49">[49]</a> +This is why even after Christ had said, "Where I am going you cannot follow," +Peter still wanted to follow him. So he asked where he was going, just like we +read in the Song of Songs: "Whither has your beloved gone, O fairest among +women? Whither has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?" (6:1). + +<p>1842 Yet he cannot now have what he desires, since for the +present he is prevented from following Christ. <b>Where I am going you cannot +follow me now; but you shall follow afterward</b>. This is like saying: You are +still imperfect, and thus not able to follow me now; but later, when you are +perfect, you will follow me. This is similar to what we will read further on: +"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young," that is, imperfect, "you +girded yourself…but when you are old," and have climbed the mountain of +perfection, "you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you" +(21:18). + +<p>1843 When John says, <b>Peter said to him</b>, he indicates +Peter's confidence. Peter had understood what our Lord had just said as +expressing some doubt about the perfection of Peter's love. Love is perfect +when one exposes oneself to death for a friend: "Greater love has no man than +this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (15:13). And so because Peter +was ready to die for Christ, he declared that he was perfect in love when he +said, <b>I will lay down my life for you</b>, that is, I am ready to die for +you. He really meant this, and was not pretending. Still, we do not know the +strength of our own love until it meets some obstacle to be overcome: "I am not +aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted" (1 Cor 4:4). + +<p>1844 Next, John shows Jesus predicting the denial of Peter. +First, Jesus checks Peter's presumption; secondly, he predicts his denial. + +<p>1845 As to the first we should note that after Christ said <b>you +cannot follow me now</b>, Peter was confident of his own strength and said that +he could follow Christ and die for him. Our Lord checked him by saying, <b>Will +you lay down your life for me? </b>It is like saying: Think what you are +saying. I know you better than you know yourself; you do not know how strong +your own love is. So do not assume that you can do everything. "So do not +become proud, but stand in awe" (Rom 11:20). A similar thought is found in +Matthew (26:41): "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." + +<p>Our Lord allowed Peter to be +tempted and to fall so that when he became head of the Church he would have an +unpretentious opinion of himself and have compassion for his subjects when they +sinned: "For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our +weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without +sinning" (Heb 4:15). In Peter, some temptations grew into sins. But Christ was +tempted as we are, not because he committed sin, but because the temptations +were penal in character. + +<p>1846 Christ predicts Peter's denial when he says, <b>Truly, +truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three +times</b>. This causes a problem as it seems to be false: for in [some versions +of] Mark (14:68) we read that the cock crowed immediately after his first +denial. Augustine answers this in two ways.<a href="#_ftn50" name="_ftnref50" +title="">[50]</a> +In the first way he says that our Lord was expressing Peter's state of mind +rather than his actions: for such fear had overcome Peter's soul that he was +ready, by the time the cock crowed, to deny our Lord not only once but three +times. So the meaning is: you will be ready to deny me three times before the +cock crows. He explains it another way by saying the prediction refers to the +very beginning of Peter's denial. Something is said to happen before something +else even it if only begins to happen. Now our Lord predicted three denials; +they began before the first cock-crow, although the entire series was not +completed before it. Here the meaning is: your triple denial will begin before +the cock crows. + +<p>1847 There is also a question about where these words were +spoken. Matthew and Mark say that our Lord said this to Peter after they had +left the upper room; but Luke and John say he said this in the upper room. It +is after the farewell discourses that John has Jesus saying, "Rise, let us go +hence" (below 14:31). In answer to this we should say that it is true that our +Lord said this in the upper room. Matthew and Mark did not follow the order of +history, but of memory. + +<p>One could also say, with Augustine, +that our Lord said this three times.<a href="#_ftn51" name="_ftnref51">[51]</a> +A close inspection of our Lord's words which led to his predicting the denial +of Peter shows that three different things were said. In Matthew we read that +our Lord said: "You will all fall away because of me this night" (Mt 26:31); +and Mark says the same (Mk 14:27). Peter answered: "Though they all fall away +because of you, I will never fall away" (Mt 26:33). Then Jesus said: "This very +night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times" (Mt 26:34). In +Luke, however, we read that Jesus said: "Satan demanded to have you, that he +might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail" +(Lk 22:31). Peter then said, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to +death" (Lk 22:33). Our Lord answered this: "I tell you, Peter, the cock will +not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me" (Lk 22:34). But +here, in John, when Peter asked our Lord where he was going, our Lord replied: +"the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times." We can conclude +from this that our Lord predicted Peter's denial several times. + +</div> + +<div><br clear=all> + +<hr align=left size=1 width="33%"> + +<div id=ftn1> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> +St. Thomas refers to Jn 13:1 in the <i>Summa Theologiae: +</i>III, q. 46, a. 9, s. c. and ad 1; q. 74, a. 4, obj. 1. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn2> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> +Summa- + +</div> + +<div id=ftn3> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3">[3]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 55, ch. 2, col 1785; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:1-5. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn4> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4">[4]</a> +Summa-will can be moved by God, by internal suggestion and external suggestion + +</div> + +<div id=ftn5> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5">[5]</a> +St. Thomas refers to Jn 13:4 in the <i>Summa +Theologiae:</i> III, q, 74, a. 4, obj. 1; Jn 13:5: <i>ST</i> III, q. 46, a. 9, +ad 1; Jn 13:10: <i>ST</i> III, q. 72, a. 6, ad 2; q. 83, a. 5, ad 1. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn6> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6">[6]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. +2; PG 14, col. 405; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, +13:1-5. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn7> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7">[7]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. 4; PG 14, col. 411; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, +13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn8> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8">[8]</a> Origen, <i>In +Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. 5; PG 14, col. 412; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn9> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9">[9]</a> <i>In Ioannem hom</i>., 70, ch. +2; PG 59, col. 383; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, +13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn10> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10">[10]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 56, ch. 1, col. 1788; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn11> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11">[11]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. +5; PG 14, col. 412; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn12> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12">[12]</a> Clement, <i>Itinerary.</i> + +</div> + +<div id=ftn13> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13">[13]</a><i>Epistola +64, </i> ch. 5, no. 10; PL 33, col. 178; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>,<i> +</i>13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn14> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14">[14]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 56, ch. 3, col. 1788; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn15> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15">[15]</a> <i>In Ioannem hom</i>., 70, ch. +2; PG 59, col. 384; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn16> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16">[16]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, +XXXII, ch. 6; PG 14, col. 416; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:6-11. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn17> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17">[17]</a> +St. Thomas refers to Jn 13:13 in the <i>Summa +Theologiae:</i> II-II, q. 132, a. 1, ad 1; Jn 13:15: <i>ST </i>III, q. 37 a. 1, +obj. 2; Jn 13:17: <i>ST</i> I-II, q. 4, a. 6, s. c.; q. 5, a. 7, s. c.; q. 7, +a. 2, ad 3; Jn 13:18: <i>ST </i>III, q. 36, a. 3, s. c. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn18> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18">[18]</a> Origen, +<i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. 57 PG 14, col. 430; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn19> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19">[19]</a> Ambrose, <i>Expos sec. Lucam</i>, X, ch .3 ; PL 15, col. +1804-5. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn20> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20">[20]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 58, ch. 3, col. 1793; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn21> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21">[21]</a> Ibid.; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn22> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22">[22]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 58, ch. 4, col. 1794; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn23> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23">[23]</a> +Augustine, <i>De Agone Christiano</i>, ch. XI, 12; PL 40, col. 297. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn24> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24">[24]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. +8; PG 14, col. 424; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, +13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn25> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25">[25]</a> +Augustine, <i>Epistola 78</i>, ch. 8; PL 33, col. 272. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn26> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref26" name="_ftn26">[26]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. +10; PG 14, col. 431 cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn27> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref27" name="_ftn27">[27]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 59. ch. 2, col. 1796; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:12-20. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn28> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref28" name="_ftn28">[28]</a> +St. Thomas refers to Jn 13:26, 27 in the <i>Summa +Theologiae:</i> III, q. 81, a. 2, obj. 3. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn29> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref29" name="_ftn29">[29]</a> Comm. +in Matt., I; PL 26, col. 38C. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn30> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref30" name="_ftn30">[30]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 60, ch. 1, col. 1797; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn31> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref31" name="_ftn31">[31]</a> <i>In Ioannem hom</i>., 72, ch. +1; PG 59, col. 389, 390; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn32> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref32" name="_ftn32">[32]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 62, ch. 3, col. 1802; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn33> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref33" name="_ftn33">[33]</a> +Summa-God is in the soul essentially, but the devil cannot be. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn34> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref34" name="_ftn34">[34]</a> +St. Thomas refers to Jn 13:29 in the <i>Summa +Theologiae:</i> II-II, q. 188, a. 7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn35> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref35" name="_ftn35">[35]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 62, ch. 4, col. 1802-3; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn36> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref36" name="_ftn36">[36]</a> Ibid., +5, col. 1803; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn37> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref37" name="_ftn37">[37]</a> Ibid.; +cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>,<i> </i>13:21-30 + +</div> + +<div id=ftn38> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref38" name="_ftn38">[38]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 72, ch. 2; PG 59, col. 392. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn39> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref39" name="_ftn39">[39]</a> <i>In Ioannem hom</i>., 72, ch. +2; PG 59, col. 391, 392; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn40> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref40" name="_ftn40">[40]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. 16; PG 14, col. 443; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, +13:21-30. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn41> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref41" name="_ftn41">[41]</a>Ambrose, +<i>Hexaemeron</i>, III, ch. 7, no. 30; PL col. 168B, see also Sermo III De +Caritate, 11; PL 18, col. 142A. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn42> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref42" name="_ftn42">[42]</a>Chrysostom, +<i>In Ioannem hom</i>., +72, ch. 2; PG 59, col. 392; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea</i>, 13:31-32. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn43> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref43" name="_ftn43">[43]</a> +Summa-1827-1830, the glory of Christ. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn44> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref44" name="_ftn44">[44]</a> Gloss. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn45> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref45" name="_ftn45">[45]</a> +Augustine, <i>Tract. in Io</i>., 63, ch. 3, col. 1805; +Hilary, <i>De +Trin</i>., 11, ch. 42; PL 10; Cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>13:31-32. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn46> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref46" name="_ftn46">[46]</a> Origen, +<i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. 17, 18; PG 14, col. 445-451; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:31-32. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn47> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref47" name="_ftn47">[47]</a> +Ambrose, <i>Hexaemeron</i>, III, ch. 7, no. 30; PL col. 168B. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn48> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref48" name="_ftn48">[48]</a> Origen, <i>In Ioan.</i>, XXXII, ch. +19; PG 14, col. 453 ; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, +13:33-35. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn49> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref49" name="_ftn49">[49]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 63, ch. 3; PG 59, col. 31; +cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:36-38. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn50> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref50" name="_ftn50">[50]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io.</i>, 66, ch. 2, col. 1880-1; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>7:9-13. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn51> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref51" name="_ftn51">[51]</a> <i>De consensus evangelistarum</i>, 3, ch. 11; PL 34; cf. <i>Catena Aurea</i>, 13:36-38. +</body></html>
