Fathers

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What the Fathers say

John 11:42

Eastern Fathers

Cyril of Alexandria

Of course it is agreeably to His self-humiliation as a Man that the Christ thus speaks in a lowly manner, not according to the excellency of the Godhead: and He offers His thanks to the Father not on account of Lazarus only, but for the life of all men. For being good, He is of one mind with the Father in bringing back to life the nature of man which had fallen into liability to corruption through its disobedience; and there is no distinction between His goodness and that of the Father. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 7 ↗

Ignatius of Antioch

He was crucified in reality, and not in appearance, not in imagination, not in deceit. He really died, and was buried, and rose from the dead, even as He prayed in a certain place, saying, "But do Thou, O Lord, raise me up again, and I shall recompense them." And the Father, who always hears Him, answered and said, "Arise, O God, and judge the earth; for Thou shall receive all the heathen for Thine inheritance." The Father, therefore, who raised Him up, will also raise us up through Him, apart from whom no one will attain to true …

Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians ↗

Western Saints

Hilary of Poitiers

When He was about to restore Lazarus, He prayed to the Father: but what need had He of prayer, Who said, Father, I thank Thee, that Thou hast heard Me; and I know that Thou hearest Me always, but because of the multitude I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me? He prayed then for us, that we may know Him to be the Son; the words of prayer availed Him nothing, but He said them for the advancement of our faith. He was not in want of help, but we of teaching.

On The Trinity 10.71 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

1554 Christ's need to pray is excluded when he says, I knew that thou hearest me always. Here our Lord vaguely shows his own divinity. As if to say: In order that my will be done I do not need prayer, because from eternity my will has been fulfilled: "In all things he was heard for his reverence" (Heb 5:7). I knew with certitude that thou hearest me, the Word, always: because whatever you do, these things are in me to be done. 1555 Again, thou hearest me in my human nature always, because my will is always conformed to your will. …

Commentary on John ↗

Bonaventure

But I knew that you always hear me: Hebrews 5: "Offering prayers and supplications to God with tears and a loud cry, he was heard because of his reverence." Therefore I did not ask or give thanks as one in need; but on account of the people standing around, I said it, that they may believe that you sent me: and I in my works am not contrary to you, but in all things concordant: above in chapter eight: "As the Father has taught me, so I speak; and he who sent me is with me and has not left me alone, because I always do the things that …

Commentary on John, Chapter 11 ↗