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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"The world," he says, "knew Him not"; but they of whom the world was not worthy knew Him. And having spoken of those who knew Him not, he in a short time puts the cause of their ignorance; for he does not absolutely say, that no one knew Him, but that "the world knew him not"; that is, those persons who are as it were nailed to the world alone, and who mind the things of the world. For so Christ was wont to call them; as when He says, "O Holy Father, the world hath not known Thee." (c. xvii. …
Cyril of Alexandria
And the world knew Him not. The bearer of the Spirit is watchful and hastens to forestall the sophistry of some; and you may marvel again at the reasoning in his thoughts. He named the Son Very Light, and affirmed that He lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and besides says that He was in the world and the world was made through Him. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
He was in the world as the omnipresent God, and one might also say that He was in the world with respect to providence and preservation. However, he says: "Why do I say that He was in the world, when there would not even be a world if He had not created it?" From all sides he proves that He is the Creator, at once removing both the madness of Manes, who said that an evil creator produced all things, and the madness of Arius, who called the Son of God a creature, and at the same time leading every person to the confession of the …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
The Light which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world, came here in the flesh; because while He was here in His Divinity alone, the foolish, blind, and un-righteous could not discern Him; those of whom it is said above, The darkness comprehended it not. Hence the text; He was in the world. (Tr. ii. c. …
Thomas Aquinas
So it is clear, from the efficacy of the divine Word, that the lack of knowledge in men is not due to the Word, because he is effective in enlightening all, being the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world. But so you do not suppose this lack arose from the withdrawal or absence of the true light, the Evangelist rules this out adding, He was in the world. A comparable statement is found in "He is not far from any one of us," that is, God, "for in him we live, and move, and are" (Acts 17:28). …
Bonaventure
"He was in the world," by effect: whence "the world was made through him," through whom he could be known; Wisdom 13: "From the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the Creator of these could be knowably seen." And yet "the world knew him not": "the world," that is, worldly people — this is a metonymy: below in chapter seventeen: "Just Father, the world has not known you." This is the reason why he came: whence Chrysostom says: "Because being in the world, he was not thought to be present, since he was not yet known: he …
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