Fathers

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What the Fathers say

John 17:23

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"That they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me." He saith these latter words immediately after the other, to show that peace hath more power to attract men than a miracle; for as it is the nature of strife to separate, so it is that of agreement to weld together. "And I have loved them as Thou hast loved Me." Here again the "as" means, as far as it is possible for a man to be loved; and the sure proof of His love is His giving Himself for them. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 82 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

For we are made one with each other after the manner already indicated, and we are also made one with God. And in what sense we are made one with Him, the Lord very clearly explained, and to make the benefit of His teaching plain, added the words: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfected into one. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 11 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"I in them, and You in Me." By this He shows that the apostles also contained the Father within themselves. "For I," He says, "am in them; and I have You in Myself, therefore You also are in them." In another place He says that the Father and He Himself will come and make Their abode (John 14:23). By this He shuts the mouth of Sabellius and shows two Persons. By this He also overthrows the madness of Arius; for He says that the Father abides in the disciples through Him. …

Commentary on John ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Nor is this said, however, as if to mean that the Father was not in us, or we in the Father. He only means to say, that He is Mediator between God and man. And what He adds, That they may be made perfect in one, shows that the reconciliation made by this Mediator, was carried on even to the enjoyment of everlasting blessedness. So what follows, That the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, must not be taken to mean the same as the words just above, That the world may believe. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Ambrose of Milan

There are some … who in their desire to deny the unity of the divine substance try to make light of the love of the Father and the Son, because it is written, "You have loved them, as you have loved me." But when they say this, what else do they do but adopt a likeness of comparison between the Son of God and human beings? Can we indeed be loved by God as the Son is, in whom the Father is well-pleased? The Son is well-pleasing in himself; we are well-pleasing through him. …

Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.7.88-91 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

The manner of this unity is added when he says, I in them and you in me. They arrive at unity, because they see that I am in them, as in a temple: "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor 3:16), by grace, which is a certain likeness of the Father's essence, by which you, Father, are in me by a unity of nature: "I am in the Father and the Father in me" (14:10). And this is in order that they may become perfectly one. …

Commentary on John ↗