Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

John 13:1

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Before the feast of the Passover," it saith, "Jesus knowing that His hour was come." Not then "knowing," but (it means) that He did what He did having "known" long ago. "That He should depart." Magnificently the Evangelist calleth His death, "departure." "Having loved His own, He loved them unto the end." Seest thou how when about to leave them He showeth greater love? For the, "having loved, He loved them unto the end," showeth that he omitted nothing of the things which it was likely that one who earnestly loved would do. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 70 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

The Evangelist says that the Savior, before enduring his suffering for our salvation, was aware that the time of his translation to heaven was now close, "even at the doors," and he gave a proof of the absolute perfection of his love for his own that were in this world.… All things made by Christ our Savior, all intellectual and reasonable creatures, the powers above, and thrones, and principalities and all things related to these, inasmuch as they have all been made [by him], belong to Christ our Savior as his own possessions. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 9 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

The Lord even before all ages knew the hour of His death, and when it arrived, He performs a deed full of great love for mankind and condescension, showing great love for the disciples. For, intending to leave them, He displays the strongest love toward them. The words "having loved them, He loved them to the end" mean that He omitted nothing that one who loves deeply ought to do. …

Commentary on John ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Pascha is not a Greek word, as some think, but Hebrew: though there is remarkable agreement of the two languages in it. The Greek word to suffer being πασχεῖν, pascha has been thought to mean passion, as being derived from the above word. But in Hebrew, pascha is a passing over; the feast deriving its name from the passing of the people of God over the Red Sea into Egypt. All was now to take place in reality, of which that passover was the type. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Bede

He loved them so much that by that very love he would end his bodily life for a time and soon pass from death to life, from this world to the Father. "Greater love has no one than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends." And so, each passing over—the one under the Law and the other under the gospel—was consecrated with blood, the former with the paschal lamb, the latter with "Christ, our Passover, who was sacrificed for us." The latter had his blood poured out on the cross, the former had its blood sprinkled in the …

Homilies on the Gospels 2.5 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Above, the Evangelist set forth some of the events leading to Christ's passion and death; in this part he shows how Christ prepared his disciples before his passion. First, we see how he formed them by his example; secondly, how he comforted them with his words (c 14); thirdly, how he strengthened them by the help of his prayers (c 17). …

Commentary on John ↗