Homilies on the Gospel of John

“Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour.”

“But surely this is not the expression of one urging them to go even to death.” Nay, it is that of one greatly so urging them. For lest they should say, that “He being exempt from mortal pains easily philosophizes on death, and exhorts us being himself in no danger,” He shows, that although feeling its agony, on account of its profitableness He declines it not. But these things belong to the Dispensation, not the Godhead. Wherefore He says, “Now is My soul troubled”; since if this be not the case, What connection has 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 were the infirmities of His human nature.

2. “But,” He says, “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 behooves to bear what is coming on. I say not, Deliver Me from this hour,” but what?