HOMILY LXVII. JOHN xii. 25, 26. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me. SWEET is the present life, and full of much pleasure, yet not to all, but to those who are riveted to it. Since, if any one look to heaven and see the beauteous things there, he will soon despise this life, and make no account of it. Just as the beauty of an object is admired while none more beautiful is seen, but when a better appears, the former is despised. If then we would choose to look to that beauty, and observe the splendor of the kingdom there, we should soon free ourselves from our present chains; for a kind of chain it is, this sympathy with present things. And hear what Christ saith to bring us in to this, He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal; if any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and, Where I am, there is1 My servant also. The 'shall be words seem like a riddle, yet they are not so, but are full of much wisdom. But how shall "he that loveth his life, lose it?" When he doeth its unseemly desires, when he gratifies it where he ought not. Wherefore one exhorteth us, saying, Walk not in the desires of thy soul; for so wilt thou destroy Ecclus. 18, 30. it, since it leadeth away from the path leading to virtue; N. T. LXVII. I al. 'looking or 'dis 592 How we must hate our own life in this world. HOMIL.just as, on the contrary, he that hateth it in this world, shall save it. But what meaneth, He that hateth it? He who yields not to it when it commands what is pernicious. And He said not, "he that yieldeth not to it," but, He that hateth it; for as we cannot endure even to hear the voice of those we hate, nor to look upon them with pleasure, so from the soul also we must turn away with vehemence, when it commands things contrary to what is pleasing to God. For since He was now about to say much to them concerning death, His own death, and saw that they were dejected' and desponding, He spake very strongly, saying, down,' What say I? If ye bear not valiantly My death? Nay, if dainful ye die not yourselves, ye will gain nothing." Observe also how He softens the discourse. It was a very grievous and sad thing to be told, that the man who loves life should die. And why speak I of old times, when even now we shall find many gladly enduring to suffer any thing, in order to enjoy the present life, and this too when they are persuaded concerning things to come; who when they behold buildings, and works of art, and contrivances, weep, uttering the reflection, "How many things man inventeth, and yet becometh dust! So great is the longing after this present life." To undo these bonds then, Christ saith, He that hateth his soul in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. For that thou mayest know that He spake as exhorting them, and dissipating their fear, hear what comes next. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me. Speaking of death, and requiring the following which is by works. For certainly he that serveth must follow him who is served. And observe at what time He said these things to them; not when they were persecuted, but when they were confident; when they thought they were in safety on account of the honour and attention of the many, when they might Mat. 16, rouse themselves and hear, Let him take up his cross, and 2 lit. in follow Me; that is, "Be ever," He saith, "prepared against battle dangers, against death, against your departure hence." Then array' after He had spoken what was hard to bear, He putteth also the prize. And of what kind was this? The following Him, and being where He is; shewing that Resurrection shall succeed death. For, saith He, 24. Christ our example through human feeling. 593 JOHN XII. Where I am, there is My servant also. But where is Christ? In heaven. Let us therefore even 27. 28. before the Resurrection remove thither in soul and mind. 1 shall be N. T. 2 honour If any man serve Me, the Father shall love him. Why said He not, "I?" Because they did not as yet hold N. T. a right opinion concerning Him, but held a higher opinion of the Father. For how could they imagine any thing great concerning Him, who did not even know that He was to rise again. Wherefore He said to the sons of Zebedee, It is Mark not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is 10, 40. prepared by My Father, yet He it is that judgeth. But in this passage He also establisheth His genuine sonship3. For as 3 T the servants of His own Son, so will the Father receive them. Ver. 27. Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. γνήσιον no αὐτὸν "But surely this is not the expression of one urging them' al. 'is to go even to death." Nay, it is that of one greatly so urging longer' them. For lest they should say, that "He being exempt from mortal pains easily philosophises on death, and exhorts us being himself in no danger," He sheweth, that although feeling its agony, on account of its profitableness He de-saywri clineth it not. But these things belong to the Dispensation,' not the Godhead. Wherefore He saith, Now is My soul troubled; since if this be not the case, what connection hath that which was spoken, and His saying, Father, save Me from this hour? And so troubled, that He even sought deliverance from death, if at least it were possible to escape. These [2.] were the infirmities of His human nature. "But," He saith, "I have not what to say, when asking for deliverance." For for this cause came I unto this hour. As though He had said, "Though we be confounded, though we be troubled, let us not fly from death, since even now I though troubled do not speak of flying; for it behoveth to bear what is coming on. I say not, Deliver Me from this hour," but what? Ver. 28. Father, glorify Thy Name. &c. Although My trouble urges Me to say this, yet I say the 6 i. e. opposite, Glorify Thy Name, that is, Lead Me henceforth to Save Me the Cross;" which greatly shews His humanity, and a nature unwilling to die, but clinging to the present life, proving that LXVII. 594 Meaning of the Voice that came from Heaven. HOMIL. He was not exempt from human feelings. For as it is no blame to be hungry, or to sleep, so neither is it to desire the present life; and Christ indeed had a body pure from sin, yet not free from natural wants, for then it would not have been a body. By these words also He taught something else. Of what kind is that? That if ever we be in agony and dread, we even then start not back from that which is set before us; and by saying', Glorify Thy Name, He sheweth that He dieth for the truth, calling the action, "glory to God." And ' and by saying this fell out after the Crucifixion. The world was about to be converted, to acknowledge the name of God, and to serve Him, not the Name of the Father only, but also that of the Son; yet still as to this He is silent. 1 Ben. omits omits 'only' There came therefore a Voice from Heaven, I have both glorified It, and will glorify It again. When had He "glorified It?" By what had been done before; and I will glorify It again after the Cross. What then said Christ? Ver. 30. This Voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. They thought that it thundered, or that an Angel spake to Him. And how did they think this? Was not the voice clear and distinct? It was, but it quickly flew away from them as being of the grosser sort, carnal and slothful. And 2 Ben. some of them caught the sound only, others knew that the voice was articulate, but what it meant, knew not. What saith Christ? This Voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. Why said He this? He said it, setting Himself against what they continually asserted, that He was not of God. For He Who was glorified by God, how was He not from that God whose name by Him was glorified? indeed for this purpose the Voice came. Wherefore He saith Himself, This Voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes, "not that I may learn by it any thing of which I am ignorant, (for I know all that belongeth to the Father,) but for your sakes." For when they said, "An Angel hath spoken unto Him," or "It hath thundered," and gave not heed to Him, He saith, “it was for your sakes, that even so ye might be led to enquire what av. 29. omitted. The people therefore thundered; others said, An Angel spake that stood by, and heard it, said that it to Him. God glorified by the judgment against Satan. 595 31. the words meant." But they, being excited, did not even so JOHN enquire, though they heard that the matter related to them. XII. For to one who knew not wherefore it was uttered, the Voice naturally appeared indistinct. The Voice came for your sakes. Seest thou that these lowly circumstances take place on their account, not as though the Son needeth help? Ver. 31. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast down'. I cast out, the world. What connexion hath this with, I have glorified, and will N. T. glorify? Much, and closely harmonizing. For when God saith, I will glorify, He sheweth the manner of the glorifying. What is it? That one shall be cast down. But what is, the2 i. e. judgment of this world? It is as though He said, "there shall prince be a tribunal and a retribution." How and in what way? "He 3 of this slew the first man, having found him guilty of sin, (for by sin 3 i. e. death entered;) but in Me this he found not. Why then did Satan. Rom. 5, he spring upon Me and give Me over to death? Why did he 12. put into the mind of Judas to destroy Me?" (Tell me not that it was God's dispensation, for this belongeth not to the devil, but His wisdom; for the present let the disposition of that evil one be enquired into.) "How then is the world judged in Me?" It shall be said, as if a court of justice were sitting, to Satan, "Well, thou hast slain all men, because thou didst find them guilty of sin. But why didst thou slay Christ? Is it not clear that thou didst it wrongfully?" Therefore in Him the whole world shall be avenged. But, that this may be still more clear, I will make it plain by an example. Suppose there is some cruel tyrant, bringing ten thousand evils on all those who fall into his hands. If such a one engaging with a king, or a king's son, slay him unjustly, his death will have power to get revenge for the others also. Suppose there is one who demands payment of his debtors, that he beats them and casts them into prison; then from the same recklessness that he leads to the same dungeon one who owes him nothing: such a man shall suffer punishment for what he hath done to the others. For that one shall destroy him. So [3.] also it is in the case of the Son; for of those things which the devil hath done against us, of these shall the penalty be required by means of what he hath dared against |