14 But what of that resurrection of the body? For these who hear and live, whence live, except by hearing? For “the friend of the Bridegroom stands and hears Him, and rejoices greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice:” not because of his own voice; that is to say, they hear and live by partaking, not by coming into being; and all that hear live, because all that obey live. Tell us something, O Lord, also of the resurrection of the flesh; for there have been those who denied it, asserting that this is the only resurrection which is wrought by faith.
Of which resurrection the Lord has just now made mention, and inflamed our desire, because “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall live.” It is not some of those who hear shall live, and others shall die; but “all that hear shall live,” because all that obey shall live. Behold, we see a resurrection of the mind; let us not therefore let go our faith of the resurrection of the flesh. And unless Thou, O Lord Jesus, declare to us this, whom shall we oppose to those who assert the contrary?
For truly all sects that have undertaken to engraft any religion upon men have allowed this resurrection of minds; otherwise, it might be said to them, If the soul rise not, why do you speak to me? What do you mean to do in me? If you do not make of the worse a better, why do you speak? If you do not make a righteous of the unrighteous, why do you speak? But if you make righteous of the unrighteous, godly of the ungodly, wise of the foolish, you confess that my soul does rise again, if I comply with you and believe.
So, then, all those that have founded any sect, even of false religion, while they wished to be believed, could not but admit this resurrection of minds: all have agreed concerning this; but many have denied the resurrection of the flesh, and affirmed that the resurrection had taken place already in faith. Such the apostle resists, saying, “Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection has taken place already, and overthrow the faith of some.” They said that the resurrection had taken place already, but in such manner that another was not to be expected; and they blamed people who were looking for a resurrection of the flesh, just as if the resurrection which was promised were already accomplished in the act of believing, namely, in the mind.
The apostle censures these. Why does he censure them? Did they not affirm what the Lord spoke just now: “The hour comes, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live”? But, says Jesus to you, it is of the life of minds that I am hitherto speaking: I am not yet speaking of the life of bodies; but I speak of the life of that which is the life of bodies, that is, of the life of souls, in which the life of bodies exists. For I know that there are bodies lying in the tombs; I know also that your bodies will lie in the tombs.
I am not speaking of that resurrection, but I speak of this; in this, rise ye again, lest ye rise to punishment in that. But that you may know that I speak also of that, what do I add? “For as the Father has life in Himself, even so has He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” This life which the Father is, which the Son is, to what does it pertain? To the soul or to the body? It is not surely the body that is sensible of that life of wisdom, but the rational mind. For not every soul has capacity to apprehend wisdom.
A brute beast, in fact, has a soul, but the soul of the brute beast cannot apprehend wisdom. It is the human soul, then, that can perceive this life which the Father has in Himself, and has given to the Son to have in Himself; because that is “the true light which enlightens,” not every soul, but “every man coming into this world.” When, therefore, I speak to the mind itself, let it hear, that is, let it obey and live.
Source: Tractates on the Gospel of John (New Advent)