ACC ~ John 11 v9 - 10

CHRIST IS THE DAY, THE DISCIPLES ARE TWELVE HOURS

AUGUSTINE What did the Lord mean? As far as I can judge … he wanted to dissuade them from their doubting and unbelief. For their words were meant to keep the Lord from death, who had come to die, in order to save themselves from death too. [1] … And so, when [these] men presumed to give advice to God, disciples to their Master, servants to their Lord, patients to their physician, our Lord reproved them, saying, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble.” Follow me if you do not want to stumble. Do not give counsel to me when you should be receiving it from me instead. … He showed himself to be the day by appointing twelve disciples. If I am the day, he says, and you are the hours, is it for the hours to give counsel to the day? The day is followed by the hours, not the hours by the day. … Even when Judas fell, he was still succeeded by Matthias, and the number twelve was preserved. Our Lord did not make the choice of twelve disciples arbitrarily, then, but to indicate that he himself is the spiritual Day. Let the hours be lightened by the day so that by the preaching of the hours, the world may believe on the day. Follow me, then, says our Lord, if you wish not to stumble. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 49.8. [2]

[1] Peter had done something similar in Mt 16:22-23.

[2] NPNF 1 7:272-73**; CCL 36:424.

TWELVE PATRIARCHS, TWELVE APOSTLES, TWELVE DAYS

ORIGEN As the day is divided into twelve hours, accordingly the twelve patriarchs and the choir of the apostles are equal in number with the hours of the day, having as their Sun Christ our God, who is also the spiritual Day, from whom there is learning and the enlightenment of its knowledge. FRAGMENT 137 ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. [1]

[1] AEG 4:165-66*; GCS 10(4):573.

IT IS NOT THE TIME FOR THE SUN/SON TO WITHDRAW

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA Perhaps he compares to the ever-moving course of the day, the easily-swayed and novelty-loving mind of people, which is not established in one opinion but vacillates from one way of thinking to another, just as the day changes from one hour to another. This is also how the words “are there twelve hours in the day” can be understood. In other words, “I,” he says, “am the Day and the Light. Therefore, just as it is not possible for the light of the day to fail without having completed its appointed time, so it is not among possibilities that the illumination that proceeds from me should be shrouded from the Jews without having fully reached its fitting measure of love for humankind.” And he speaks of the time of his presence as “day,” and of that before it as “night,” as the Lord also does when he says, “We must work the works of him that sent us while it is day.” [1] This therefore is what he says here: “This is not the time for me to separate myself from the Jews, even though they are unholy. Instead, I must do everything that I can for their healing. For they must not now be punished by having the divine grace (like the light of the sun) withdrawn from them. But just as the light of the day does not fail until the twelve hours have been completed, so the illumination that proceeds from me is not shrouded before the proper time. However, until I am crucified I remain among the Jews, sending forth unto them like light the understanding of the knowledge of God. For since the Jews are in the darkness of unbelief, and so stumble on me as on a stone, I must go back to them and enlighten them so that they may desist from their madness in fighting against God.” COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 7. [2]

[1] See Jn 9:4.

[2] LF 48:112-13**.

STUMBLING WITHOUT THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

ATHANASIUS Consider what I have said, that the Light is Christ. Everyone who will walk in his commandments will not be laid hold of by evil. These twelve hours that are in the day are the twelve apostles. The devil … is compared with the night. He who walks in the will of the devil will stumble because he does not have the light of Christ. HOMILY ON THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS. [1]

[1] AJSL 57:264*.

THE UPRIGHT NEED FEAR NO EVIL

CHRYSOSTOM It is as if Jesus is saying that the upright need fear no evil. It is only the wicked who have cause to fear. We have done nothing worthy of death, and therefore we are in no danger. Or, he is saying, If any one sees this world’s light, he is safe. The one who is with me is even safer. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 62.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:228**.