ACC ~ John 8 v42

GOD IS THE FATHER OF THOSE WHO LOVE JESUS

ORIGEN: If, then, the [conditional] proposition is true, “If God were your father, you would love me,” it is clear that the [conditional] contrary to this is also true: If you do not love me, God is not your Father. God is not the Father, therefore, of those who do not love Jesus. And there was a time when Paul did not love Jesus. There was a time, then, when God was not Paul’s Father. Paul, therefore, was not a son of God by nature, but later he became a son of God. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.137-38. [1]

[1] FC 89:235; SC 290:224-26.

KEEPING COMMANDMENTS

ORIGEN: Now, at what other time does God become one’s father than at the time one keeps his commandments? It is because of these commandments that one who was not formerly a son of the father in heaven becomes his son, when the Father leads the one who becomes his son to regeneration, and is called “Father.” COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.140. [1]

[1] FC 89:236; SC 290:226.

THE SON IS IN THE FATHER

ORIGEN: But when one compares the condition that resulted from having taken up the form of a servant after he had emptied himself [1] with that former condition of the Son, you will understand how the Son has proceeded from God and has come to us, and [how he] has come out, as it were, of the one who sent him, even if, in another manner, the Father has not left him alone but is with him, [2] and is in the Son just as also the Son is in the Father. [3] For unless you understand that the Son is in the Father in a different way than he was before he proceeded from God, it will seem contradictory that he has both proceeded from God and, after he has proceeded from God, is still in God. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.155-56. [4]

[1] See Phil 2:7.

[2] See Jn 8:29.

[3] See Jn 14:10.

[4] FC 89:238-39; SC 290:232.

TO PROCEED IS NOT THE SAME AS TO COME

HILARY OF POITIERS: The Son of God here was not condemning the devout confidence of those who combine their confession that he is true God, the Son of God, with their own claim to be God’s children. What he is condemning here is the rash presumption of the Jews in claiming God for their Father when they did not love the Son: “If God were your Father, you would surely love me; for I proceeded from God.”… His proceeding is obviously different from his coming, for the two are mentioned side by side in this passage: “For I proceeded and came from God.” In order to elucidate the difference between “I proceeded from God” and “I came,” he further explains, “I did not come on my own, but he sent me.” These words tell us that he is not the source of his own existence. They also tell us that he has proceeded forth a second time from God [in the incarnation] when he was sent by him. But when our Lord says that those who called God their Father ought to love him because he has proceeded from God, there he means that his being born of God was the reason why he should be loved. This proceeding carries back our thoughts to the incorporeal birth, for their claim that God was their Father was supposed to be evident in their loving Christ who was begotten from God. For when the Son says, “Whoever hates me hates my Father as well,” this my is an assertion of his relationship to the Father that no one else has…. No one can worship the Father except those who love the Son. For the one and only reason that he gives for loving the Son is his origin from the Father, not by his advent [i.e. his incarnation] but by his birth [i.e., his eternal generation]. [1] And love for the Father is only possible for those who believe that the Son is from him. ON THE TRINITY 6.30. [2]

[1] Nativitas here means the eternal generation, as is normally the case with Hilary.

[2] NPNF 2 9:109**.

THE SENDING OF CHRIST AND HIS ETERNAL PROCESSION

AUGUSTINE: The sending of Christ is his incarnation. But the proceeding forth of the Word from God is an eternal procession…. From him, then the Son proceeded forth as God, the equal, the only Son, the Word of the Father. And he came to us, for the Word was made flesh [1] that he might dwell among us. His coming indicates his humanity. His staying indicates his divinity. It is his Godhead toward which we make progress, and it is by his humanity that we are able to make that progress. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 42.8. [2]

[1] Jn 1:14.

[2] NPNF 1 7:237**.

AN ALLUSION TO THOSE NOT SENT BY THE FATHER

ORIGEN: I think these words were spoken because there were some who came without being sent by the Father. Jeremiah teaches of such people who promise some teaching or prophecy, where it is written, “I did not send these prophets, yet they ran.” [1] COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 20.160. [2]

[1] Jer 23:21.

[2] FC 89:239**; SC 290:234.

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