Homilies on the Gospel of John

“And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it has come to pass, you might believe that I Am.”

As though He had said, “You would not have known, had I not told you. And I should not have told you, had I not been confident.” Do you see that the speech is one of condescension? For when He says, “Think ye that I cannot pray to the Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of Angels”, He speaks to the secret thoughts of the hearers; since no one, even in the height of madness, would say that He was not able to help Himself, but needed Angels; but because they thought of Him as a man, therefore He spoke of “twelve legions of Angels.” Yet in truth He did but ask those who came to take Him a question, and cast them backwards. (If any one say that the Father is greater, inasmuch as He is the cause of the Son, we will not contradict this. But this does not by any means make the Son to be of a different Essence.) But what He says, is of this kind: “As long as I am here, it is natural that you should deem that I am in danger; but when I have gone 'there,' be confident that I am in safety; for Him none will be able to overcome.” All these words were addressed to the weakness of the disciples, for, “I Myself am confident, and care not for death.” On this account, He said, “I have told you these things before they come to pass”; “but since,” He says, “you are not yet able to receive the saying concerning them, I bring you comfort even from the Father, whom you entitle great.” Having thus consoled them, He again tells them sorrowful things,