Lecture 8 — Christ came to save the world

^12:42^ However, many of the chief men also believed in him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, that they might not be cast out of the synagogue. [n. 1707]

^12:43^ For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. [n. 1709]

^12:44^ But Jesus cried, and said: he who believes in me, does not believe in me, but in him who sent me. [n. 1711]

^12:45^ And he who sees me, sees him who sent me. [n. 1712]

^12:46^ I have come a light into the world; that whosoever believes in me, may not remain in darkness. [n. 1713]

^12:47^ And if any man hear my words, and does not keep them, I do not judge him: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. [n. 1716]

^12:48^ He who despises me, and receive not my words, has one who judges him; the word which I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day. [n. 1718]

^12:49^ For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father who sent me, he gave me commandment what I should say, and what I should speak. [n. 1721]

^12:50^ And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. The things therefore that I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so do I speak. [n. 1725]

1706. Above, the Evangelist described the failing of those who did not believe at all; here he explains the failing of those who believed in secret, because they were timid, faint-hearted.

First, he mentions their dignity;

second, their failing: but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him;

and third, he suggests the root of this failing: for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

1707. The dignity of those who believed in secret was great, for they were the authorities, and on this point he says, many of the chief men also believed in him. He is saying in effect: I said that although Jesus had done so many signs, still they did not believe in him; and although this was true for the majority, yet there were some who did believe in him, because many of the chief men also, of the people, believed in him. One of these was Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night, as was said (John 3:1). Thus the words of the Psalm were fulfilled: the princes of the peoples gather as their people of the God of Abraham (Ps 47:9); and the statement of the Pharisees is proved false: has any one of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in him (John 7:48).

1708. The failing of these authorities is timidity, faint-heartedness; thus he says, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him. For as stated above, the Pharisees agreed . . . that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue (John 9:22). So, although they believed with their hearts, they did not profess him with their lips. Their faith, therefore, was insufficient: for a man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved (Rom 10:10). Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed (Luke 9:26).

1709. The root of their failing is vanity, vainglory; so he says, for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. By confessing Christ publicly they would have lost the glory of men, but won the glory of God. But they chose rather to be deprived of the glory of God than the glory of men: how are you able to believe who receive glory from one another; and the glory which is from God alone you do not seek? (John 5:44). If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ (Gal 1:10).

1710. Now he shows how Christ rebuked the Jews for their unbelief:

first, he shows their duty to believe;

second, he mentions the fruit of faith: I have come a light into the world;

third, he warns the unbelievers about punishment: **and if any man hear my words, and does not keep them, I do not judge him ** (John 11:47).

But because vision comes after faith,

with regard to the first, he treats of faith;

and second, of vision: and he who sees me, sees him who sent me.

1711. As to the first he says, but Jesus cried out, both because of the importance of what he intended to say and because of their free will, to charge them with their sins: cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression (Isa 58:1).

And said, he who believes in me, does not believe in me but in him who sent me. This seems to contain a contradiction, for he says, he who believes in me, does not believe in me. To understand this we should note first, according to Augustine, that our Lord said this to distinguish his divine and human nature. For since the proper object of faith is God, we can indeed believe that a creature exists, but we should not believe in a creature but in God alone. Now in Christ there is a created nature and the uncreated nature. Therefore, the truth of faith requires that our faith be in Christ as having an uncreated nature. And so he says, he who believes in me, that is, in my person, does not believe in me, as a human being, but in him who sent me, that is, he believes in me as sent from the Father: my doctrine is not mine, but his who sent me (John 7:16).

According to Chrysostom, however, our Lord says this to suggest his origin. It is a way of speaking similar to a person drawing water from a stream and saying that this water is not from the stream but from the spring: for it does not originate from the stream. So our Lord says, he who believes in me, does not believe in me, but in him who sent me, as though to say: I am not the source of myself, but my divinity is from another, that is, from my Father. So, he who believes in me, does not believe in me, except insofar as I am from the Father.

1712. Then when he says, and he who sees me, sees him who sent me, he treats of vision.

In regard to this we should note that just as the Father sent the Son to convert the Jews, so Christ also sent his disciples: as the Father has sent me, I also send you (John 20:21). But no one of the disciples dared to say, nor should he, that one should believe in him, although he could say that one should believe him. For this could not take place without detracting from the One who sent him, because if someone believed in the disciple, they would cease to believe in the master. So the Jews could say on the same basis that since you have been sent from the Father, anyone who believes in you ceases to believe in the Father. Therefore, our Lord shows against this that one who does not believe in him, does not believe in the Father. This is his meaning when he says, he who sees me, sees him who sent me.

The seeing which is referred to here is not a physical vision, but a consideration of the truth by the mind. And the reason why one who sees the Son also sees the Father is that the Father is in the Son by a unity of essence. For one thing is said to be seen in another either because they are the same, or they are entirely conformed. But the Father and the Son are the same in nature and entirely conformed: because the Son is the image of the Father and unlike in nothing, for he is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15); he reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature (Heb 1:3). And so, just as one believes in the Father, so also he believes in me: Philip, he who sees me sees the Father . . . do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? (John 14:9–10). Which was like saying: the reason wherby he who sees me see also the Father, is bceause the Father is in me, and I am in him.

Thus it is clear what faith should be: faith should be in Christ, as God, just as it is in the Father.

1713. Next he shows the fruit of faith. First, he shows his own worth and power when he says, I have come a light into the world. It has already been explained how Christ is a light: he was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world (John 1:9), and I am the light of the world (John 8:12).

He also shows by this that he has the divine nature. For to be light is proper to God; others may give off light, that is participate in light, but God is light by essence: God is light and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). But because he dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen (1 Tim 6:16), we were unable to approach him. And so it was necessary that he come to us. This is what he says, I have come a light into the world, that is, I am the unapproachable light which rescues from error and disperses intellectual darkness: I came forth from the Father and have come into the world (John 16:28); he came unto his own (John 1:11). And although the apostles are called light, you are the light of the world (Matt 5:14), they are not light in the same way as Christ. For they are a light whose light has been given to them, even though in some way they also give light, that is, in their ministry. Furthermore, none of the apostles could truly say, I have come a light into the world, because when they came into the world they were still darkness and not light: we are wrapped in darkness (Job 37:19).

1714. Second, he continues, that whoever believes in me, may not remain in darkness. To become enlightened, therefore, is an effect of faith: he who follows me does not walk in darkness (John 8:12). May not remain in darkness: that is, the darkness of ignorance, of unbelief and eternal damnation. This shows that all are born in the darkness of sin: for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord (Eph 5:8). And in the darkness of ignorance: a man whose way is hidden and God has surrounded him with darkness (Job 3:23). And in the end, unless they turn to Christ, they will be brought to the darkness of eternal damnation. And so, he who does not believe in me remains in darkness: but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life; but the wrath of God rests on him (John 3:36).

1715. Then he discloses the punishment of unbelievers, and if any man hear my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him, which they will incur through their condemnation at the judgment.

First, he states that the judgment will be delayed;

second, that there will be a judgment in the future: he who despises me, and does not receive my words, has one that judges him;

and third, he shows the cause of the judgment; the word that I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day.

About the first he does two things.

First, he expounds the love of judgment;

Second, he assigns the reason of judgment.

1716. As to the first he says, and if any man hear my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him.

Note that the ones to be beatified are those who hear the word of God and keep it, believing it within in their hearts, and doing it without in their actions. But they who hear it but take no care to keep it, become more guilty: for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified (Rom 2:13); but be doers of the word, and not hearers only (Jas 1:22). And so, and if any man hear my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him.

But this seems to conflict with what was said: the Father, has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). Therefore, we should understand it as, I do not judge him at this time. It could be considered a weakness in him if he overlooked those who despised him. And so he says that such persons will be judged, although not now; for we read that God will bring every deed into judgment (Eccl 12:14), and flee from the face of iniquity, for the sword is the avenger of iniquity: and know that there is a judgment (Job 19:29).

1717. He continues with the reason for the delay, saying, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Now the Son of God comes two times: one time he comes as Savior, and the next as Judge. But since all were in sin, if he had come the first time as Judge, he would have saved no one, because all were the children of wrath. And so it was fitting that he come first to save believers, and later to judge both believers and sinners. This is what he is saying: I do not judge now, for I came not, at this first time, to judge the world, but to save the world. As is said above, for God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him (John 3:17).

1718. Then when he says, he who despises me and does not receive my words, has one who judges him, he foretells the judgment to come. It is like saying: although those who do not keep my word are not judged now, they will not go unpunished, whoever they are, because, he who despises me and does not receive my words, by believing them and acting according to them, has one who judges him. The reason for this is that if one does not receive the word of Christ, he scorns the word of God, whose Word is Christ, just like the one who does not obey the command of his master. Flee from the face of iniquity; and know that there is a judgment (Job 19:29); for God will bring every deed into judgment (Eccl 12:14); woe to you who scorn. Will not you yourselves also be scorned? (Isa 33:1); they who despise me will be despised (1 Sam 2:30).

1719. Then when he says, the word that I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day, he assigns the cause of the judgment. And

first, he mentions the cause of the judgment;

second, the adequacy of this cause: for I have not spoken of myself.

1720. He says: I say that such a person has one that judges him. But who will that judge be? He says, the word that I have spoken, the same will judge him in the last day. According to Augustine, this is the same as saying: I will judge him on the last day. For Christ revealed himself in his sayings, he announced himself. He, therefore, is the word that he spoke, for he spoke about himself: **although I give testimony about myself, my testimony is true: for I know from where I came and to where I go **(John 8:14). It is like saying: what I have said to them and what they have despised will judge them: he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness (Acts 10:42).

1721. Then he shows the sufficiency of this cause, saying, for I have not spoken of myself.

So first he shows this from the origin of his sayings;

second, from their dignity or value: and I know that his commandment is life everlasting.

Concerning the first he does two things:

first, he excludes a false notion:

second, he states the truth.

1722. The false notion, of course, is that the Son works, or says, or is, merely of himself, and not from another: for this would be to say that the Son is not from the Father. This is what he does say: I say that the word which I have spoken will judge them, for I have not spoken of myself. As is said above, the Son cannot do anything of himself (John 5:19); I speak not of myself (John 14:10). For I have not spoken of myself, is the same as I was not born of myself but from the Father. He is saying in effect, I will judge him on the last day, appearing in the form of a servant: he has given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of Man (John 5:27). Yet I will not judge from human authority, that is, because I am the Son of man, but from divine authority, because I am the Son of God. Therefore, I will not judge of myself, but from the Father from whom I have the authority to judge.

1723. He establishes the truth when he says, but the Father who sent, he gave me commandment what I should say, and what I should speak. Unless this is appropriately understood, it can be the source of two errors.

The first is that since the one commanding is greater than the one commanded, the Father is greater than the Son. Second, since what is given to someone was not possessed by him before it was given, and so was not known by him, it seems that if the Father gave a commandment to the Son it follows that the Son at some time did not have it, and so did not know it. As a result, something has been added to the Son, and so the Son is not truly God.

In answer to this we should note that all the divine commands are in the mind of the Father, since these commands are nothing other than the plans or patterns of things to be done. And so just as the patterns of all creatures produced by God are in the mind of the Father, and are called ideas, so the patterns of all things to be done by us are in his mind. And just as the patterns of all things pass from the Father to the Son, who is the Wisdom of the Father, so also the patterns of all things to be done. Therefore, the Son says, the Father who sent me, he gave me, as God, commandment, that is, by an eternal generation he has communicated to me what I should say within and what I should speak without, just as what we say (if we speak the truth) makes known what is in our minds.

1724. Chrysostom explains all this differently, and more clearly. First of all: if any man hear my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. Otherwise it can be explained plainly, if any man hear my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. Now one is said to be condemned in two ways: either by a judge or by the reason for the condemnation. For a murderer is condemned to be hanged both by the judge who passes sentence and by the murder he committed, which is the reason for his condemnation. He says, I do not judge him, that is, I am not the reason for his condemnation, but he himself is: your destruction, O Israel is from yourself; your help is only in me (Hos 13:9). And the reason is: for I did not come to judge the world, that is, I was not sent to condemn but to save.

But will not such a person be judged? He certainly will, because he who despises me and does not receive my words, has one who judges him. He shows what that judge is when he says, the word that I have spoken, and you have heard, will be his accuser and the same will judge him in the last day. As said below, if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin (John 15:22). He shows that the word that he spoke will judge them by saying, for I have not spoken of myself. This is not said causally, but in a material sense, so that the meaning is: you say that your word will judge. But what is that word? It is the word that I have spoken, for I have not spoken of myself; that is, it is the word from the Father that I have spoken, and what he gave me to say and speak. Otherwise, if I had spoken something in opposition to the Father, or something I had not received from the Father, and they had believed me, they would have an excuse. But because I have spoken as I have, it is certain that they have rejected not only me, but also my Father.

1725. According to this explanation, the statement, the Father who sent me, he gave me commandment what I should say and what I should speak, shows the sufficiency of the basis of the judgment because of the dignity or value of the word. First, its dignity is given; second, the fact that the word was spoken.

Its dignity is stated when he says, I know that his commandment is life everlasting. This is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20). For the Son himself is the commandment of the Father, that is, he is eternal life. If you would enter life, keep the commandments (Matt 19:17).

Therefore, because the Father has given me commandment, and this commandment is eternal life, and since I have come to lead men to eternal life, I accomplish the commandment of the Father in all that I do. This is what he is saying, the things therefore that I speak, even as the Father said unto me. According to Chrysostom, whose explanation is clear, the meaning is: the things therefore that I speak, when preaching in public, even as the Father said unto me, that is, insofar as I have received knowledge from him, understanding this was received by Christ as man.

1726. But if, with Augustine, we understand this to apply to Christ as God, how can the Father say something to him, since Christ is his Word?

The answer is that the Father did not say anything to him as though he spoke by words to his only Word. Rather, the Father spoke to the Son by generating him, and giving him life in himself: he said to me: you are my Son (Ps 2:7).