Homilies on the Gospel of John

“Because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; again I leave the world, and go to the Father.”

For since His discourse concerning the Resurrection, and together with this, the hearing that “I came out from God, and there I go,” gave them no common comfort, He continually handles these things. He gave a pledge, in the first place, that they were right in believing on Him; in the second, that they should be in safety. When therefore He said, “A little while, and you shall not see Me; and again a little while, and you shall see Me”, they with reason did not understand Him. But now it is no longer so. What then is, “You shall not ask Me”? “You shall not say, 'Show us the Father,' and, 'Where are You going?' for you shall know all knowledge, and the Father shall be disposed towards you even as I am.” It was this especially which made them breathe again, the learning that they should be the Father's friends wherefore they say,