ACC ~ John 14 v1a

THE DISCIPLES NEEDLESSLY AFRAID FOR THEIR LORD

AUGUSTINE: Our Lord consoles his disciples who, as men, would be naturally alarmed and troubled at the idea of his death, by assuring them of his divinity, … “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me,” as if they must believe in him if they believed in God. This would not follow unless Christ were God. … You are in fear for this form of a servant. Let not your heart be troubled. The form of God shall raise it up. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 67.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:321**; CCL 36:495.

BETWEEN HOPE AND FEAR. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: In commanding them not to be troubled, Jesus placed them, as it were, on the threshold between hope and fear. This way, if they fell into weakness and suffering in their human frailty, the hope of his mercy might help them to recover. On the other hand, the fear of stumbling might urge them to fall less often inasmuch as they had not yet been endowed with the power from above, from on high—I mean the grace that comes through the Spirit that always keeps them from failure. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 9. [1]

[1] LF 48:232**.

JESUS CALMS THE DISCIPLES’ FEAR OF DEATH

AUGUSTINE: And as the disciples were afraid for themselves when Peter, the boldest and most zealous of them, had been told, “The rooster will not crow until you have denied me thrice, …” Jesus adds, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” … by way of an assurance to them in their trouble that they might with confidence and certainty look forward, after all their trials, to dwelling together with Christ in the presence of God. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 67.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:321**; CCL 36:495.

FAITH MORE POWERFUL THAN ANYTHING

CHRYSOSTOM: He shows the power of the Godhead within him, discerning their inward feelings when he says, “Let not your heart be troubled.” “Believe in God, believe also in me.” … Faith, too, in me, and in the Father who begat me, is more powerful than anything that shall come on you. And it will permit no evil thing to prevail against you. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 73.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:268**.

FAITH AS A WEAPON

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Here, Jesus makes an able soldier out of one who recently was a coward. And while the disciples were suffering with the anxieties of fear, he commands them to cling to the intense power of faith. … Faith is a weapon whose blade is stout and broad; it drives away all cowardice that may spring from the expectation of coming suffering and renders the darts of evildoers utterly void of effect and makes their temptations utterly profitless. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 9. [1]

[1] LF 48:232-33**.

UNITY OF NATURE, DISTINCTION OF PERSONS

HILARY OF POITIERS: Our Lord speaks in words deliberately chosen, so that whatever he claims for the Father, he signifies in modest language to be appropriate to himself. Take for example the command, “Believe in God, and believe in me.” He is identified with God in honor. How, I ask you, can he be separated from his nature? He says, “Believe in me also,” just as he said “Believe in God.” Do not the words “in me” signify his nature? Separate the two natures, but then you must also separate the two beliefs. If it is life that we should believe in God without Christ, strip Christ of the name and qualities of God. But if perfect life is given to those who believe in God only when they believe in Christ also, let the careful reader ponder the meaning of the saying, “Believe in God, and believe in me also,” for these words, uniting faith in him with faith in God, unite his nature to God’s. He enjoins first of all the duty of belief in God but adds to it the command that we should believe in himself also, which implies that he is God, since those who believe in God must also believe in him. Yet he excludes the suggestion of a unity contrary to religion, for the exhortation “Believe in God, believe in me also” forbids us to think of him as alone in solitude. ON THE TRINITY 9.19. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 9:161*; CCL 62A:389-90.