ACC ~ John 12 v13b

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER

BEDE “In the name of the Lord” signifies “In the name of God the Father,” [1] just as [our Lord] himself said elsewhere to the unbelieving Jews, “I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; another will come in his own name, him you will receive.” [2] Christ came in the name of God the Father because in everything that he did and said he was concerned with glorifying his Father and with proclaiming to human beings that he is to be glorified. The antichrist will come in his own name, and although he may be the wickedest person of all and a great help to the devil, he will see fit to call [3] himself the Son of God while “being opposed to and raised above everything that is said to be God and is worshiped.” [4] HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 2.3. [5]

[1] Although Augustine notes it might also be understood that he came “‘in his own name’ inasmuch as he is also himself the Lord,” quoting, interestingly enough, Jn 5:43 (Tractate on the Gospel of John 51.3 [NPNF 1 7:284]).

[2] Jn 5:43.

[3] Lat dignatur … cognominare.

[4] 2 Thess 2:4.

[5] CS 111:28-29; CCL 122:204.

THE DIVISIVE CLAIM

CHRYSOSTOM Do you see how this [praise] choked them the most, that is, the belief everyone had that he was not an enemy of God? And this is what had most divided the people, when he said that he came from the Father. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 66.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:245**.

THE RETURN OF THE KING

IRENAEUS The Lord granted, by means of his advent, a greater gift of grace to those of a later period than what he had granted to those under the Old Testament dispensation. For they indeed used to hear, from his servants, about the King who would come, and they rejoiced to a certain extent, inasmuch as they hoped for his coming. But those who have actually been in his presence and have been freed and made partakers of his gifts—they possess a greater amount of grace and a higher degree of exultation in their rejoicing because the King has arrived. This is also what David says, “My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; it shall be glad in his salvation.” [1] And for this reason, on his entrance into Jerusalem, all those who were in the way recognized David their king in the sorrow of his soul, and spread their garments for him and ornamented the way with green boughs, crying out with great joy and gladness, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: hosanna in the highest.” [2] … What had been declared by David concerning the Son of God was accomplished in his own person. … It was he himself who was announced by the prophets as Christ, whose name is praised in all the earth. AGAINST HERESIES 4.11.3. [3]

[1] Ps 35:9 (34:9 LXX).

[2] Mt 21:9.

[3] ANF 1:474-75; SC 100:502-6.

BECOMING A KING IS NOT A PROMOTION FOR THE LORD

AUGUSTINE What a cross of mental suffering the Jewish rulers must have endured when they heard such a great multitude proclaiming Christ as the King! But what honor was it to the Lord to be King of Israel? How great was it for the King of eternity to become the King of humanity? Christ was not the King of Israel so that he could exact tribute, put swords in his soldiers’ hands and subdue his enemies by open warfare. He was King of Israel in exercising kingly authority over their souls, in consulting for their eternal interests, in bringing into his heavenly kingdom those whose faith, hope and love were centered in himself. For the Son of God, the Father’s equal, the Word by whom all things were made, in his good pleasure to be King of Israel was a demotion not a promotion, a sign of his pity not an increase of his power. For he who was called on earth the King of the Jews is in heaven the King of angels. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 51.4. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:284**; CCL 36:440-41.