ACC ~ John 16 v29 - 33

OVERVIEW:

The disciples say that Jesus speaks plainly, but they do not even understand that they do not understand. Jesus asked questions to teach, not to learn (AUGUSTINE). His works testify to his origin (HILARY). When Jesus questions the disciples as to whether they now believe, it is a reminder of the tender age of their inner man (AUGUSTINE). Jesus foretells their betrayal (CHRYSOSTOM), when they would desert him not only with their bodies but also with their minds of faith, but he was never separated from his Father because he had come forth from the Father (AUGUSTINE).

In Christ our flesh is capable of overcoming suffering, death and corruption (GREGORY THAUMATURGUS). The suffering believers undergo is not because they have done evil but simply on account of the name (EUSEBIUS). The disciples’ peace comes in not rejecting Christ in the midst of tribulations (CHRYSOSTOM). They will have Christ within them even as they have the world outside (GREGORY THE GREAT). Tribulation begins with scattering, but they would later return and remain in him and have peace with him (AUGUSTINE). And so, Jesus tells them to be of good cheer and at peace because their Master is victorious (CHRYSOSTOM). In fact, the object of this entire discourse is to bring peace to their troubled hearts and minds (AUGUSTINE). These are words of comfort and love that no one should try to denude of power by dragging them down into doctrinal arguments (CHRYSOSTOM). Jesus wants us to know that we are not alone in our struggles and that the world is only as strong as Christ allows it to be (ORIGEN). We overcome the world and all its opposition as we fight it with the virtue that comes from being united with God (MAXIMUS).

16:29 | Now You Speak Plainly

DISCIPLES DO NOT EVEN KNOW THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND

AUGUSTINE: But how can they say, “Now you speak plainly and do not utter proverbs”? Had the hour, indeed, already come—the hour when he had promised that he would no longer speak to them with proverbs? Certainly such an hour had not yet come, as is shown by how he continues speaking to them. [1] … They say this then because, although our Lord’s communications to them still continue as proverbs to them, they are so far from understanding them that they do not even understand their own lack of understanding his words. They were still infants who had no spiritual discernment concerning what they heard. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.1. [2]

[1] See Jn 16:25-28.

[2] ESUS IS INFORMED THAT LAZARUS IS SICK | JOHN 11:1-5

16:30 | No One Need Question Jesus

QUESTIONS FOR OUR BENEFIT

AUGUSTINE: Why do they say this to someone who knew all things, instead of saying, “you don’t need for anyone to ask you”? It would have been more appropriate to have said, You don’t need to ask anyone. And yet we know that both of these were done, that is, that our Lord both asked questions and was asked. But this is soon explained. For both were for the benefit not of himself but of those whom he asked questions or by whom he was asked. He asked questions of people not in order to learn himself but to teach them. And in the case of those who asked questions of him, such questions were necessary for them in order to gain the knowledge they wanted. But they were not necessary for him to tell him what that was, because he knew what the inquirer wanted before the question was put to him. … And so, to know people’s thoughts beforehand was no great thing for the Lord, but to the minds of babes it was a great thing: “By this we know that you came forth from God.” TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:392-93**.

WORKS TESTIFY TO ORIGIN

HILARY OF POITIERS: They believe that he came forth from God because he does the works of God. … Notice how, on the one hand, they are not at all amazed when he says, “I am come into the world from the Father.” In fact, these are words which they had often heard before. But their reply shows a belief in and appreciation of the previous words when he had said, “I came forth from the Father.” They, in fact, make specific mention of this in their reply: “By this we believe that you came forth from God.” They didn’t add the phrase, “and are come into the world,” because they knew already that he was sent from God. But they had not yet received anything concerning the doctrine of his eternal generation. That unutterable doctrine they now began to see for the first time in consequence of these words and therefore reply that he spoke no longer in parables. For God is not born from God after the manner of human birth. His is a coming forth from, rather than a birth from God. He is one from one. He is not a portion, not a defection, not a diminution, not a derivation, not a pretension, not a passion. He is the birth of living nature from living nature. He is God coming forth from God, not a creature appointed to the name of God. He did not begin to be from nothing, but he came forth from a nature that has always existed. To come forth has the signification of birth, not of beginning. ON THE TRINITY 6.34-35. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 9:110-11**.

16:31-32 | Faith and the Hour of Desertion

REMINDER OF THE TENDER AGE OF THE INNER MAN

AUGUSTINE: Finally, he reminds them of their weak tender age in respect of the inner man. Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?” TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:392**.

BETRAYAL FORETOLD

CHRYSOSTOM: He tells them, “You still have a long way to go to reach perfection. Nothing, as of yet, has been achieved by you. In fact, you will soon betray me to my enemies, and you will be so afraid that you will not even be able to flee together. But I will not be harmed because of this.”… He shows them that now, when they say they believe, they really do not yet believe, nor does he accept their words. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 79.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:292-93**.

JESUS NEVER SEPARATED FROM THE FATHER

AUGUSTINE: He replied, “The Father is with me,” so that they would not think that the Son had come forth from the Father in any sense that would lead them to suppose that [the Father] had also withdrawn from his presence. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:393*.

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DESERTION

AUGUSTINE: But when he was taken, not only did [the disciples] outwardly abandon his bodily presence, but they mentally abandoned their faith. This is what he is talking about when he says, “Do you now believe?” … This was as if he had said, Afterward, you will be so confused that you will leave behind even what you now believe. It is apparent that this is indeed what happened because they did fall into such despair and such a death, so to speak, of their old faith. For instance, Cleopas, after Jesus’ resurrection, and unaware that he was speaking with Jesus, narrated what had happened to him, saying, “We trusted that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” [1] They left him, in other words, by abandoning the very faith that had formerly believed in him. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.3. [2]

[1] Lk 24:21.

[2] NPNF 1 7:393*.

16:33 | In the World You Have Tribulation

IN CHRIST WE ARE CAPABLE OF ETERNAL LIFE

GREGORY THAUMATURGUS: [Christ] says, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And he said this not as holding before us any contest proper only to God but as showing our own flesh in its capacity to overcome suffering, and death and corruption. TWELVE TOPICS ON THE FAITH 12. [1]

[1] ANF 6:52**.

FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE

EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA: When the Master gave them gloomy prophecies, if they paid attention to the things he said to them … they demonstrated the strength and depth of their nature, since it is evident they had no fear of disciplining the body, nor did they run after pleasure. And their master too, as one who himself would not soothe them by deceit, was like them in renouncing his property. And so, when he prophesied about the future in such an open and honest way, he convinced them to choose his way of life. These were prophecies of what would happen to them for his name’s sake that told how they would be brought before rulers and kings and undergo all sorts of punishments, not for any wrong they had done due to any reasonable charge, but solely for this: his name’s sake. And we who see it now fulfilled ought to be struck by the prediction. For the confession of the name of Jesus always inflames the minds of rulers. And even though one who confesses Christ has done no evil, they still punish him with every kind of contempt “for his name’s sake,” as the worst of evildoers. But if someone else swears away the name and denies that he is one of Christ’s disciples, he is let off scot-free, even if he has been convicted of many crimes. PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5. [1]

[1] POG 1:136-37**.

PEACE IN NOT REJECTING CHRIST

CHRYSOSTOM: “These things have I said to you so that you might have peace,” that is, that you may not drive me from your thoughts but receive me. No one should drag these words down into some type of doctrinal argument. They are spoken for our comfort and love. “For,” [Jesus might say], “not even when you suffer such things as I have mentioned will your troubles come to an end, but as long as you are in the world you will have sorrow, not only when I am betrayed but also afterward. However, raise up your spirits, for you will suffer no serious harm. When the Master is victorious, the disciples should not be dejected.” “And how,” tell me, “have you conquered the world?” “I have already said that I have cast down its ruler, but you shall know later when everything yields and obeys you.” HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 79.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:293**.

CHRIST WITHIN, WORLD WITHOUT

GREGORY THE GREAT: As if he said, Have me within you to comfort you because you will have the world without you. MORALS ON THE BOOK OF JOB 26.16.26. [1]

[1] LF 23:151**.

TRIBULATION BEGINS WITH SCATTERING

AUGUSTINE: The scattering of everyone to his own home was the beginning of the tribulation. … For in adding, “and you shall leave me alone,” he did not mean that they would do this in the subsequent tribulation that they would have to endure in the world after his ascension. They were not going to desert him then. That is when they would abide and have peace in him. … In the tribulation that they encountered after his glorification when they had received the Holy Spirit they did not leave him. Even though they fled from city to city, they never fled from him. Rather, while they did indeed have tribulation in this world, they made him their refuge so that they would have peace in him, instead of being fugitives from him. When the Holy Spirit was given to them, they were joyful then and victorious in his strength. For he would not have overcome the world if the world had still overcome his members. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.3. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:393**.

THE OBJECT OF THE ENTIRE DISCOURSE IS PEACE

AUGUSTINE: When he says, “These things have I spoken to you, that in me you might have peace,” he refers not only to what he has just said but also to what he had said all along, either from the time that he first had disciples, or since the supper, when he began this long and wonderful discourse. … He declares this to be the object of his whole discourse, that is, that in him they might have peace. And this peace will have no end but is itself the end of every godly action and intention. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 104.1. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:393-94**.

WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR STRUGGLES

ORIGEN: We are not to suppose that each individual must contend with all these adversaries, which would be impossible for anyone . … For I think that human nature has definite limitations, even though there is a Paul, of whom it is said, “He is a chosen vessel unto me,” [1] or a Peter against whom “the gates of hell shall not prevail,” [2] or a Moses, “the friend of God.” [3] For not even one of these could face the whole crowd of opposing powers at once without destruction to himself, except perhaps on the condition that there was working within him the power of him who said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” …

I do not think that human nature alone can maintain a contest with angels and with the powers of the “height” and of the “depth” or with “any other creature.” [4] But when it feels the presence of the Lord dwelling within it, confidence in the divine help will lead it to say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” [5] ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3.2.5. [6]

[1] Acts 9:15.

[2] See Mt 16:18.

[3] See Ex 33:11.

[4] Rom 8:38-39.

[5] Ps 27:1 (26:1 LXX).

[6] ANF 4:332-33*; GCS 22(5):252-53.

THE WORLD IS ONLY AS STRONG AS CHRIST ALLOWS

ORIGEN: We are persecuted when God allows the tempter the power to persecute us. But when God does not want us to suffer this, even in the world that hates us, we wondrously have peace and are of good cheer because of him who said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And truly he has overcome the world, because the world is strong only insofar as its Victor wants it to be. He has received from the Father the victory over the world. And because of his victory we can indeed be of good cheer. AGAINST CELSUS 8.70. [1]

[1] ANF 4:666**; SC 150:336-38.

VICTORY OVER THE WORLD MEANS TO BE WITH GOD

MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR: Rebelling as we do against God through the passions and agreeing to pay tribute in the form of evil to that cunning tyrant and murderer of souls, the devil, we cannot be reconciled with God until we have first begun to fight against the devil with all our strength. For even though we assume the name of faithful Christians, until we have made ourselves the devil’s enemies and fight against him, we continue by deliberate choice to serve the shameful passions. And nothing of profit will come to us from our peace in the world, for our soul is in an evil state, rebelling against its own maker and unwilling to be subject to his kingdom. It is still sold into bondage to hordes of savage masters who urge it toward evil and treacherously contrive to make it choose the way that leads to destruction instead of that which brings salvation.

God made us so that we might become “partakers of the divine nature” [1] and sharers in his eternity, and so that we might come to be like him [2] through deification by grace. It is through deification that all things are reconstituted and achieve their permanence. And it is for its sake that what is not is brought into being and given existence. If we desire to belong to God in both name and reality, let us struggle not to betray the Word [3] to the passions. [4] … To deny the Word is to fail through fear to do what is good. To betray him is deliberately to choose and commit sin. The outcome of every affliction endured for the sake of virtue is joy, the outcome of every labor is rest, and the outcome of every shameful treatment is glory. In short, the outcome of all sufferings for the sake of virtue is to be with God, to remain with him forever and to enjoy eternal rest. VARIOUS TEXTS ON THEOLOGY, FIRST CENTURY 41-44. [5]

[1] 2 Pet 1:4.

[2] See 1 Jn 3:2.

[3] Or, “Logos.”

[4] He cites the examples of Judas and Peter; see Mt 26:14-16, 69-75.

[5] TP 2:172-73*.