Fathers

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What the Fathers say

John 12:31

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast down." What connection hath this with, "I have glorified, and will glorify"? Much, and closely harmonizing. For when God saith, "I will glorify," He showeth the manner of the glorifying. What is it? That one should be cast down. But what is, "the judgment of this world"? It is as though He said, "there shall be a tribunal and a retribution." How and in what way? "He slew the first man, having found him guilty of sin, (for 'by sin death entered'-Rom. v. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 67 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

This sore-yearned-for time of the Saviour's sojourn upon earth showed that the judgment and justice for the Gentiles was already come. For they were about to be delivered from the arrogant usurpation of the devil, and the Holy and Righteous Judge was portioning out most righteous mercy to them. For I think we ought not to suppose that the world was even now being condemned, when the moment of its justification was come; but judgment, in the sense of vengeance, shall come upon the world hereafter. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 8 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

The words "now is the judgment of this world" seem to have no connection with what precedes them. For what relation do they have to the words "and I have glorified it and will glorify it again"? But there is, without doubt, a connection. Since the Father said from above "I will glorify," the Lord shows us the manner of the glorification. What exactly? That the prince of this world will be cast out and defeated, and for the world there will be judgment, that is, vengeance. …

Commentary on John ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

The judgment at the end of the world will be of eternal rewards and punishments. But there is another judgment, not of condemnation, but of selection, which is the one meant here; the selection of His own redeemed, and their deliverance from the power of the devil: Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. The devil is not called the prince of this world, in the sense of being lord over heaven and earth; God forbid. The world here stands for the wicked dispersed over all the world. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Jerome

I know certain men for whom the king of Nineveh, (who is the last to hear the proclamation and who descends from his throne, and forgoes the ornaments of his former vices and dressed in sackcloth sits on the ground, he is not content with his own conversion, preaches penitence to others with his leaders, saying, "let the men and beasts, big and small of size, be tortured by hunger, let them put on sackcloth, condemn their former sins and betake themselves without reservation to penitence!) is the symbol of the devil, who at the end …

Commentary on Jonah, Chapter 3, Verses 6-9 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

He says, Now is the judgment of this world, he states the meaning of this voice. First, he mentions the judgment by which he would be glorified; secondly, the effect of this judgment; and thirdly, the way he will be glorified (v 32). He says, Now is the judgment of this world. But if this is true, why do we expect that our Lord will come again to judge? …

Commentary on John ↗