1002 Christ's Divine Power latent in the flesh HOMIL. 2. Sciebat et Judas, qui tradebat eum, locum." CXII. v. 2. v. 3. v. 4-6. The order of the words is, sciebat locum, qui tradebat eum: And Judas, which betrayed Him, knew the place; because, saith he, Jesus had ofttimes resorted thither with His disciples. There then the wolf clad in sheep's clothing, and tolerated among the sheep by the deep counsel of the Master of the house, learned where, for a short time, he might scatter the flock, by treacherously attacking the Shepherd. Judas then, saith he, having received a band of men, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. The band was composed, not of Jews, but of soldiers. Let it be understood therefore to have been received from the governor, as for the purpose of arresting a criminal, with due observance of the order of lawful authority, that none might dare oppose the arrest: though that both so large a band had been drawn together, and that it came so fully armed, was in order either to deter from, or also to quell, all opposition, should any dare to defend Christ. For in such sort was His power hidden and veiled with infirmity, that His enemies could deem these precautions necessary against Him, against Whom nothing would have availed, but what He Himself would; He, the Good, Who putteth the bad to good use, and bringeth good things out of bad, in order to make good men of bad, and to distinguish good from bad. 3. Jesus therefore, as the Evangelist goes on to say, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am He. And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon then as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Where now is the band of soldiers, and the officers of the chief men and Pharisees? Where the terror and defence of weapons? For though that was so great a crowd, fierce in hate and terrible with arms, yet did that one word, I am He, spoken by Him, without any weapon smite them through, drive back, lay them prostrate. For God was latent in that Flesh; and the Eternal Day was so hidden by the members of that humanity, that it needed to be sought with lanterns and torches, to be at times dismayed His enemies. XVIII. 1003 put to death by the darkness! I am He, saith He; and JOHN beats down the ungodly. What shall He do when He comes 7-10. to judge, Who did this when about to be judged? What shall be His might when He comes to reign, Who had this might when He was at the point to die? And now also everywhere by the Gospel Christ saith, I am He; and the Jews are looking for Antichrist that they may go backward and fall to the ground, because forsaking heavenly things they desire earthly! Surely it was to lay hold on Jesus that the persecutors came with the traitor. Whom they sought they found; they heard the word I am He; then why did they not lay hold on Him, but went backward and fell; but because so He would, who could whatever He would? But then, had He never suffered Himself to be taken by them, they indeed would not have done the thing they came for, but neither would He have done that for which He came. They in their rage sought Him to put Him to death; but He also sought us by dying for us. And therefore, because when they would hold Him and could not, He shewed His power, let them hold Him now, that by means of them, all unwitting, He may do His will. 4. Then asked He them again, Whom seek ye? And they v. 7-9. said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am He: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way: that the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, Of them which Thou gavest Me have I lost none. If, saith He, ye seek Me, let these go their way. He bids His enemies, and they do the thing He bids them; they suffer those to go their way whom He wishes not to go to destruction'. But were they not to die afterward? Then why, if1 ire, they died then, would it be their destruction, but because Hom. they did not yet so believe on Him as those believe who go 113. §. 2. not to destruction? perire 5. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote v. 10. the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Only this Evangelist has expressly mentioned the name of this servant, just as Luke Luke22, a Inimicos videt. Morel. Element. Crit. p. 129, 130. conjectures that it should be inimicos jubet. And so it is read in the Catena Aurea of Thom. 51. 1004 The mystery of the wounding and healing of Malchus. HOMIL. only, that the Lord touched his ear and healed him. But CXII. Malchus is by interpretation, "one that shall reign." What 6. 24. then is the significance of the cutting off and healing of the ear, but the renewal of the hearing by cutting off the oldRom. 7, ness, that it may be in newness of the Spirit, not in oldness of the letter? And who can doubt that he to whom this is done by Christ shall reign with Christ? Moreover, that he was found a servant, this also pertaineth to that oldness Gal. 4, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. But when soundness was imparted, therein was liberty prefigured. Yet the Lord reproved the deed of Peter, and forbade him to go further, saying, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it? For in his own deed, the disciple wished only to defend his Master, and had no thought of a thing to be signified. Therefore must both he be admonished unto patience, and this thing be written for our understanding. That He saith the cup of suffering was given Him by the Father, is just Rom. 8, what the Apostle saith, If God be for us, who is against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. Yet is He also the Author of this cup that drank it whence the same Apostle also saith, Christ loved Eph. 5, us, and delivered Himself up for us an oblation and sacrifice unto God for an odour of a sweet smell. 31. 32. 2. v. 12. 6. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews laid hold upon Jesus, and bound Him. Laid hold upon↳ Him Whom they came not near unto: since He is the Day, whereas they continued to be the darkness; nor was it said. Ps. 34, to them, Draw near to Him, and be enlightened. For had 5. Vulg. & LXX, they thus drawn near, they would have laid hold upon Him not with hands to kill Him, but with the heart to receive Him. But now when they laid hold on Him in that way, then they went further from Him; and bound Him by Whom they should rather have wished to be loosed. And there were perchance among them those who then put their bonds upon Christ, and afterward, being delivered by Him, Ps. 116, said, Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder. Let this be enough for to-day; that which follows shall be handled, God willing, in another discourse. 16. b Comprehenderunt: Aug. alludes to John 1, 5. et tenebræ eam non comprehenderunt. HOMILY CXIII. JOHN Xviii. 13-27. Now And led Him away to Annas first: for he was father-in-law to Caiphas, which was the high priest that same year. Caiphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. But Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. And the servants and officers stood there, by a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. The high priest then asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world: I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou Me? ask them which heard Me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou Me? Now Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiphas the high priest. HOMIL. 2. Rom. 8, 32. But Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew. 1. WHEN the persecutors had taken and bound, delivered Eph. 5, up by Judas, the same Lord, Who loved us, and delivered Himself up for us, and Whom the Father spared not, but delivered Him up for us all; (that, as for Judas, it may be understood, that far from being laudable for the good we have by this delivering up, he is damnable for the wicked▼. 13.14. ness which he had in his wish;) they led Him, John the Evangelist relates, to Annas first. Nor does he omit to mention why this was done: for, saith he, he was father-inlaw to Caiphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. It Mat. 26, is but natural that Matthew, as wishing to relate the circumstances more briefly, mentions only His being taken to Caiphas; for in fact the reason why He was taken to Annas first, was, that this person was father-in-law to Caiphas: where it is to be understood that the said Caiphas wished it so to be. 57. v. 15. 26. 2. But, saith he, Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Who this disciple was, is not to be rashly affirmed, seeing it is not mentioned. It is the wont however ch. 13, of this same John thus to signify himself, and to add, whom 23: 19, Jesus loved. Perhaps then, he may be the person here: but be who it may, let us look to what follows. But Peter v.161.7. stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. Behold, that most firm pillar, touched but by one breath of air, trembles all over! Where is now that boldness of promising, and confident vaunting of himself? Where now those words that he |