ACC ~ John 12 v23

THE HOUR LOOKS TOWARD THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES

AUGUSTINE: We listen to the voice of the cornerstone. … Did he think of himself as glorified because the Gentiles wished to see? No. But he saw that after his passion and resurrection, the Gentiles in all lands would believe in him … and took occasion from this request of some Gentiles to see him to announce the approaching fullness of the Gentiles. For the Gentiles would believe that the hour of his being glorified was now at hand and that after he was glorified in the heavens the Gentiles would believe, as it is written in the psalm, “Set yourself up, O God, above the heavens, … and your glory above all the earth.” [1] … But it was necessary that his exaltation and glory should be preceded by the humiliation of his passion. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 51.8-9. [2]

THE GLORY IS THE CROSS

PROCLUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE:

[The Greeks say,] “We wish to see Jesus”—

not so much in order to look him in his face,

as to carry the cross.

And therefore Jesus, having seen their intention,

Openly said to those present:

“The hour has come

for the Son of man to be glorified.”

Glorified—referring to the conversion of the Greeks;

A glory that the Jews donned

But that the nations put on.

Therefore Jesus said concerning the Gentiles:

“The hour has come

For the Son of man to be glorified.”

Glorified—referring to the cross.

For from it the power of the Lord was made known,

Because it changed the shame into glory—

the insult into honor,

the curse into blessing,

the gall into sweetness,

the vinegar into milk,

the slap in his face into freedom,

death into life.

The hour has come,

For the Son of man to be glorified.

Glorified—referring to the cross,

For from it the cross is even now glorified.

For the cross itself even now still glorifies kings,

and gives radiance to priesthood,

and preserves virginity,

and establishes asceticism,

and strengthens union,

and guards widowhood,

and protects orphans,

and increases the blessing of children,

and multiples the church,

and enlightens the people,

and preserves a spiritual lifestyle, [3]

and opens paradise,

and guides the robber,

and roots out enmity,

and extinguishes hatred,

and puts demons to flight,

and drives the devil away.

HOMILY 9.3, ON THE PALM BRANCHES. [4]

[1] Ps 57:5 (56:6 LXX, Vg) and Ps 108:5 (107:6 LXX, Vg).

[2] NPNF 1 7:285**; CCL 36:442. See also Hilary On the Trinity 3.10 (NPNF 2 9:64).

[3] Gk erēmos is often used in patristic texts as metaphor for a spiritual lifestyle, as Barkhuizen the editor notes.

[4] ECS 1:152-53*.