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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Cyril of Alexandria
A prophecy of the future is manifestly a sure pledge of what the future has in store for us. Christ confirms therefore the heart of His disciples, and seems to inspire in them a firm conviction that He is really ascending to God the Father in the heavens, to reign with Him and share His throne as God, and as God really begotten of Him. For do not, He says, set My departure, which is according to the flesh and an object of sight (for I will be with you as God for ever), on a level with that of the holy prophets. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
That is: I am so calm, I do not fear death and do not grieve, that I even foretell it; therefore I command you also to rejoice, so that when it comes to pass, you may believe Me, that just as I knew about the sorrows that would befall you and, having foretold them, did not lie, so also in My prediction concerning your consolation and guidance I will not prove false, but all joyful things will come to you.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
But is not the time for belief before a thing takes place? Is it not the praise of faith, that it believes what it does not see? according to what is said below to Thomas: Because thou hast seen, thou hast believed. He saw one thing, believed another: what he saw was man, what he believed was God. And if belief can be talked of with reference to things seen, as when we say that we believe our eyes; yet it is not mature faith, but is merely preparatory to our believing what we do not see. …
Thomas Aquinas
He now answers an unspoken question when he says, And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. For they could have asked why he was telling them these things, and so he anticipates them by saying this. Augustine brought up a problem: since faith is concerned with things which are not seen, a person should not believe after the event, but before it. One should say to this that the apostles saw one thing and believed another. …
Bonaventure
And now I have told you. After the consolation has been set forth, there is here added the hastening of departure. And first is noted the reason for foretelling; second, the reason for hastening; third, the sign of the hastening. There is noted, therefore, first the reason why he foretells, namely for the strengthening of faith; on account of which he says: Now I have told you before it comes to pass, that, when it shall come to pass, you may believe: because that strengthened their faith, since they saw it happen just as he had …
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