Chapter Thirteen

¹ Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end. The Lord knew, even before all the ages, the day and the hour of His death; but when it was now come upon Him, He does a deed full of much love toward man and condescension, and showing forth much love toward the disciples. For being about to leave them, He displays a more vehement love. For the “Having loved them, he loved them to the end” signifies this, that He left out nothing of the things which one that loves exceedingly would be likely to do. Wherefore also He does this last of all, washing the feet of the disciples, so as to heighten their longing for Him, and to lay up beforehand for them much consolation against the terrors about to come upon them, reasoning that He who so loved them as even to wash their feet would not overlook them, not even in their terrors. And He names the death of Christ a “departure,” because of the taking up that is through the resurrection. Since, then, He was about to depart out of this world, He shows His love toward His own; and He names the disciples “His own” according to the principle of intimate relationship. For according to the manner of creation all men are God’s own; whence it is said, “He came to his own, and his own received him not”; but His own are the saints according to their being intimate with Him; even as also here He called the disciples “His own,” but added “which were in the world,” since He has also others that are His own—Abraham and the patriarchs—but not in the world, for they had departed hence. These, then, His own which were in the world He loved to the end; which is, He showed forth toward them a perfect love.

² And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; he rises from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he pours water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Marvelling that Christ washed him who had already practised the betrayal, the evangelist says, “The devil having now put into the heart of Simon’s son”; so to the very end did He tend the traitor. And the “Supper being ended” is not set down in vain, but that the inhumanity of Judas might be shown, that not even the fellowship of the table shamed him. Jesus, then, knowing that the Father had delivered all things into His hands—that is, that He had committed to Him the salvation of the faithful, and that it behoved Him henceforth to show them all the things that pertain to salvation, such as the washing of the disciples’ feet. For from hence humility is laid down as a law. And otherwise: Knowing that the Father had delivered all things to Him, and that He came forth from God and goes to God, His glory shall in no way be lessened by His washing the disciples’ feet. For did He snatch the glory, that He should fear to fall from it, and for this cause not deign to do anything lowly?—as the base-born suffer, who, when they have snatched glory, are altogether unwilling to bow themselves, lest they lose what they snatched and which belongs not to them. But He was King of all, and Son of God; for this is the “He came forth from God”—that is, from the essence of the Father—and again goes to God. So that the glory of Him who was so great was not about to be lessened by His washing the disciples. And consider to me, that if to humble oneself is the work of Him who comes forth from God and goes to God, then to boast oneself is plainly the work of him who comes forth from demons and departs to demons. And when you hear that “the Father delivered to Him,” think not that any weakness of the Son is here shown, but His honour toward the Father and oneness of mind. For if the Son seems to you weak because the Father is said to deliver to Him, conceive the Father also weak, because the Son delivers to Him the kingdom, as the Apostle says. But it is not so; rather the delivering signifies the oneness of mind, and the co-operation, so to speak, and the good pleasure of the Father. And observe also the exceeding measure of the humbling. For He washes not before the supper, but after all had reclined; He alone rises, while they are at rest; and He lays aside the garments, teaching us to make ourselves unhindered and light about the service; and He girds Himself with a towel, doing all things Himself, both the washing and the wiping; and He pours the water, and this too Himself. And these things are to us laws of how we must work all things ourselves, not using other servants.

³ Then comes he to Simon Peter: and Peter says to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter. He washes not Peter first, although he bore the primacy of the disciples; but perhaps the traitor, being shameless and impudent, reclined before Peter, and had his feet washed. Whence is this plain? From hence: “He began,” it says, “to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them”; then He comes to Simon Peter. So that it is shown that He washed not Peter first. For he would not have said, “He comes to Simon Peter,” unless He had washed some other before Peter. Now of the other disciples none would have been so presumptuous as to be washed before Peter; but it is likely that the traitor dared this. For if He had begun to wash one of the other disciples, that one, whoever he was, would have hindered the Lord, and said the things which Peter also said, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” But this is not the case. He washed, then, not one of the others first, but the traitor, then Peter. And the rest, instructed by Peter, likely did not resist, but accepted such an honour brought to them by Jesus. And observe also Peter’s words, how much emphasis they have: “Do you wash my feet—with these hands, wherewith you did cleanse lepers, wherewith you did raise the dead, wherewith you did open the eyes of the blind? You who have done these and greater things, wash mine, the servant’s, the unlearned man’s—and not the hands, nor any other more honourable part, but the feet, the last of all, the most defiled member and seeming dishonourable?” And what the Lord? “What I do you know not now”—namely, that it contains much humility, and this I teach you also. After these things, however, when in My name you shall cast out demons, when you shall see Me taken up into the heavens, when from the Spirit you shall learn that I sit at the right hand of the Father, then shall you know that He who so humbled Himself as even to wash your feet, He it is that gives you such power over demons, and was taken up, and was glorified together with the Father, in no way lessened by His humbling; and so henceforth shall you also embrace humility, which rather exalts and lessens not.

⁴ Peter says to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash you not, you have no part with me. Simon Peter says to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Great was the reverence in Peter toward the Teacher, wherefore also he is exceedingly cautious and puts away such a service. For though at another time also he had been rebuked by Christ, and ought, because of that rebuke, to accept now also the Lord’s washing of him, yet, because of the great and exceeding thing now being done by Christ, he refuses, and reckons not that the Lord will perhaps again rebuke him, yet more vehemently, as disobedient. What then does Christ? He does not say to him, “I teach you humility, O Peter, and for this cause wash your feet.” For Peter would have said to Him, and would have sworn, that even without the washing of the feet he would practise humility. But what says He to him? That which He knew most of all stung his heart, this He brandishes over him, like some terror: “If I wash you not,” He says, “you have no part with me.” For since he was the one who most of all the other disciples longed to be with Christ (wherefore also he asked, “Where do you go?” and, “I will lay down my life for you,” promising it out of love), by this threat He shakes his soul. “For if I wash you not,” He says, “you have no part with me.” As, then, Peter heard this fearful threat, [as much as he was] vehement in the refusal, so much also in the consent, or rather yet more vehement, inasmuch as he gives even his head to be washed. And both were of love: both the refusal, from the exceeding honour for the Lord, and the consent, from being unwilling to be separated from Him. And do you, when you see one standing out from rashness, and saying even with an oath, “I will not do this,” then out of shame for the oath abiding by what was ill resolved, and thereby endangering either soul or body—aptly use the example of Peter, who, standing out, when he saw that the standing out led to separation from Christ, drew back from it.

⁵ Jesus says to him, He that is washed needs not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and you are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, You are not all clean. Taking occasion, the Lord reproves the traitor, as having an unclean mind, and needing to wash away his wickedness and to change his counsel. “You,” He says, “being washed, have no further need of another washing; one there is that is unclean, who has need of cleansing.” But many inquire how the Lord said to the apostles, “You are clean”; for they had not yet been freed from their sins, nor yet been counted worthy of the Spirit. For still sin held sway, still the curse was in force. For not yet had the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world been slain, not yet had He been hung upon the tree who redeemed us from the curse. How then were the apostles clean? It is, then, to be said that, even if they had not been wholly freed from their sins, yet “for the word’s sake,” He says, “which I have spoken to you, you are clean”—that is, “In this respect are you clean for the present. Already you have received the light, already you have been freed from the Jewish error.” For hear how Isaiah too teaches us to wash: “Wash you, and be clean; take away the wickednesses from your souls.” So that they also, since with all guilelessness and sincerity they were with Christ, are reasonably called by the Lord washed and clean. And some have understood by the supper the knowledge, at the end of the ages, of the mystery according to Christ, which Jesus, teaching His own disciples, washes also their feet, not as having filth, but making them ready for the Gospel, according to that which is said by Isaiah, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace.” “For you,” He says, “are clean, but in respect of yourselves; but you must be sent also for the cleansing of others, which is signified by your feet being washed.” The basin, then, gives us to understand not a cleansing of the sins of the apostles (for they are witnessed to be clean), but is a symbol of their being sent forth to the preaching, conveying to others also the cleanness given them by the Word of the Master. Wherefore also Peter says, “Not my feet only, but also my head”—that is, “Send me not only to the preaching, but cleanse also my head through martyrdom.” And take these things to me as fulfilled also now. For even now a supper takes place in the divine ministry, the divine body and His blood being set forth. What then is required of each of us to do, hear: We all have within ourselves, having believed in Christ, the Word of God and the evangelical preaching. For we all have received Christ into our hearts; but we ought, in this divine supper, to raise up the Word, and to lay aside His garments which cover Him. And the garment is love of money, the garment is vainglory, the garment is envy, and each of the other passions, which, lying upon the divine Word within us, weigh Him down. These, then, must be laid aside when the Word is raised up, that, being light, He may be able to work our cleansing through repentance. For the Word, being raised up, and having laid aside every burden and worldly care, will wash our reasonings, which are His disciples and follow Him; and He will wash the feet, that is, our practical movements and our goings. And if any need another cleansing, and longs also for distinction in the teaching and contemplative life, let him say to the Lord, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head”—that is, “Cleanse not only my goings, but also my hands, that I may be able to lead others by the hand and take them to the good; and my head, that in the contemplative and theological part I may have my opinion concerning the Divine cleansed and unspotted.” Thus, then, through confession we are able to wash ourselves, that we partake not unworthily of the supper, and eat and drink judgment to ourselves.

⁶ So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said to them, Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. No longer to Peter only, but to all, He now discourses, and sets down the cause of so great humility concerning Himself. And it is the necessity that they should become imitators of this. So then perhaps even when He said to Peter, “You shall know hereafter,” He spoke concerning this present time; “for you shall know, O Peter, hereafter, when, having taken My garments and sat down, I shall begin to teach you and to say, ‘Know you what I have done to you?’ For if I, who am witnessed by you to be Lord and Master, and not falsely so witnessed (for I am), have washed your feet (and He said not, the servants’, the unlettered and unlearned, but left this to be reasoned out), you have a most necessary debt, to wash one another’s feet—that is, to render to one another every service. For through the washing, which seems the lowest ministry, we ought to perform also the others, much more the more honourable. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you also should do”—that is, with the same earnestness. For though My deed is the greater, inasmuch as I, being Master, washed servants’ feet, but you shall wash the feet of fellow-servants; yet we see the teachers also handing on letters to children with much beauty, that the children may come at least to the inferior degree of imitation. And He necessarily exhorts the apostles to these things. For since they were about to enjoy honour, some greater, some less, that they might not exalt themselves one over another, He purges the minds of all of them. “For the servant is not greater than his lord” so long as he is a servant, “neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him” so long as he is one that is sent; but when he becomes greater, then he is neither servant nor one that is sent.

⁷ If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am he. Lest they should say, “Why do you tell us these things as though we were ignorant? We ourselves also know the good of humility,” for this cause He says, “If you know, this alone suffices not, but then are you truly blessed, if you also do them.” Since the Jews also knew the commandments, but were not blessed, but most wretched, as not doing them. “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen.” He reproves, and reproves not, the traitor, bringing forth the word covertly. For He wished to lead him to repentance; wherefore also, leaving aside all the other benefits which He had shown toward him, He set down this, which is most of all able to shame him: “He that eats my bread”—he that is nourished by me, that enjoys table with me—a thing which puts even enemies to shame. And He said not, “This man betrays me,” but, “Has lifted up his heel against me”—that is, “He has framed guile and deceit against me”; from a metaphor of wrestlers, who, tripping up their antagonists, by treading on their heels, throw them down. And by saying, “I speak not of you all,” that He might not spread the fear among many, He plainly cuts him off, and shows that there is one who plots against Him; wherefore He says, “He that eats my bread.” But when Jesus said, “I know whom I have chosen,” shall we say concerning Judas? Did He not choose him also? He chose him indeed, being good, as also Saul; but he was changed; for he was self-determining. And He permits each to do as he wills; for He destroys not the free will. But when Judas was changed, He rejected him, though He had before chosen him. And the “That the scripture may be fulfilled” understand thus, as also the other like sayings concerning which we have often spoken. For Judas was not constrained to betray Him in order that the words of Scripture might prove true (for this is full of all blasphemy), but that we may know that the Scripture spoke concerning this man, whom we now see having accomplished the deed. “And all these things,” He says, “I foretell concerning the traitor, that when it is come to pass you may believe that I am he”—that is, that I speak truth.

⁸ Truly, truly, I say to you, He that receives whomever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me. What connection have these present words with what went before? For while He was speaking concerning the traitor, He adds, “He that receives whomever I send receives me.” Yet it is a very great connection. For since He had spoken concerning His being betrayed, and discoursed of His being about to leave them, and they were henceforth about to go out, and be scattered, and suffer many terrors, He consoles them in two ways: by one, that which is from Himself. For He showed them both what He Himself was about to suffer, and what He had done to the traitor, washing his feet and choosing him as a partner of the table. For if they should call these things to mind, they will assuredly bear all the terrors easily. This, then, is one way, both through the things which He did, tending His enemy to the end, and through the things which He was about to suffer, the Lord consoling them. And another way is from His opening to them the houses of all, and promising them that all should receive them who heard their word. Do you see the connection of the present words with what went before? He was about to leave them, they were about to suffer countless evils and terrors; He consoled them by the example concerning Himself, being about to be betrayed by a disciple, yet washing him; He consoles them also by foretelling them that, even though they suffer many terrors, yet all shall receive them. “For he that receives you,” He says, “receives me, and [him that sent me]. As God Himself,” He says, “shall they honour you who are without wickedness.”

⁹ When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spoke. The Lord, considering that the traitor is deprived of both—both of the endurance in toils and of the honour from those who receive—is troubled in spirit, that is, He is smitten in His soul with grief. And “He testified,” it says, instead of, He foretold, He bore witness beforehand, He declared. The disciples, then, doubting, looked one on another. For though each of them was conscious to himself of cleanness, and were aware of nothing wicked in their own minds, yet they held the word of the Lord more worthy of credit than their own consciences. Wherefore also they are grieved and perplexed. For the declaration was of Him who cannot lie, which they believed would assuredly come to pass. And some have understood the “one of you” thus: “One,” He says, “falling away from your choir, and going out from you, shall betray me”; even as also the “Behold, Adam is become as one of us.” For here too they took the saying more curiously. He is become, He says, “as one of us,” having fallen—that is, the devil; for as that one has fallen away, so also this one through disobedience has become “of us”—which is, has fallen away from us.

¹⁰ Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spoke. He then lying on Jesus’ breast says to him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. Why, when all are in anguish, and even the chief Peter himself is trembling, does John, as though in delight, lie upon the bosom of the Lord? And further, why does he say concerning himself, “whom Jesus loved”? He lay there for these two reasons: one, because he was loved most of all the others—and a sign of love is the lying with the Lord; and the other, because he wished to show himself a stranger to the charge, through his speaking with boldness and confidence. And he witnesses concerning himself that Jesus loved him, solving a question. For lest you, hearing that Peter beckoned to him to ask, should suppose that Peter beckoned to him as to his superior, the evangelist says concerning himself, “Peter beckoned to me not as to one greater, but as to one beloved by Christ.” So that this is rather of a humble mind, not of an ostentatious one. For he does not say, “I loved Jesus”—which is witnessed of Peter—but what? “He,” he says, “loved me, having taken me to Himself out of mercy and compassions”; which the Apostle also says, “I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of God”; and again, “Having known God, or rather being known of God.” So then also the “whom Jesus loved” is not a boast, but a token of humility. And why does not Peter ask the Lord, but beckon to John? Because, from much warmth, he is found in many places rushing forward, and being rebuked; for this cause he now fears to ask, lest the Lord should again chide him as rash. And why does John fall upon the breast of Jesus thus unreservedly and without holding back? Because they conceived as yet nothing great concerning Christ, nor were they trained to render the due honour to the honourable; for they were fishermen, men unlearned in what was fitting. And the Lord permits him to fall upon the breast, dissolving his despondency, and soothing the trouble of his mind, and simply lulling his grief to sleep. For it is likely that on their faces also much dejection appeared. And not even thus, being asked, does the Lord reveal the traitor by name, but through the sop, as it were, makes him manifest, shaming the traitor, and bringing him to a sense of the table and the bread; whereof having partaken, he ought not to have betrayed and gone mad against his nourisher. “Receive,” He says, “the bread, of which you have partaken with me; come to a sense of the common table.” But he understood not, being stupefied in soul by the passion. And if you too will lie near Jesus, and fall upon His breast, and learn the mystic things from Him, be earnest to be loved by Him through a simple and good mind. For John was the most guileless, and simplest, and meekest of all; wherefore also he was loved. And you too, then, if you are such, guileless, shall be counted worthy even to lie upon the breast of Jesus (which is a symbol of the theological dignity; for the Scripture knows the oracles of the Lord to be hidden in the heart), and so shall there be revealed to you both all the mystery and the traitor of the word. For to him that has been entrusted with the grace of theology, the traitor also of the word—he, I mean, who holds opinions contrary to the right faith—becomes manifest. For the heretic who falsifies the word of truth [is shown].

¹¹ And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus to him, That you do, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this to him. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said to him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. “It was night when he went out.” Since the Lord had given the sop to Judas, if perchance, coming to a sense of the table and the bread, he might draw back from the betrayal, but Judas not even thus was bettered; then indeed, then, he became more completely Satan’s, and was henceforth delivered up to him, as incorrigible. For so long as he seemed to be one of the disciples, and a part of the holy choir, Satan had not so great an entrance to him; but when the Lord had cut him off, and separated him from the other disciples, holding him up as an example through the bread, from that time he took him as one forsaken by the Lord and set apart from the divine choir. For observe also the “Satan entered into him”—that is, he sank into the inmost parts of his heart, and possessed his soul. For before, he troubled him from without through the passion of love of money; but now he wholly mastered him, suggesting to him the betrayal. Jesus, then, says to him, “That you do, do quickly.” And this is not of one urging him to the betrayal, but, as it were, of one upbraiding him for coming to the betrayal. For in saying “Do,” He says, as it were, this: “Behold, I let you go; do what you will; I hinder not your purpose, I hold you no longer.” For before this He Himself held back the wickedness, keeping to Himself the time of the death, according as He also said, “No man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of myself.” “And this no man at the table knew.” This is worthy of inquiry, how no man knew, although, the Lord being asked who was the traitor, He said, “He to whom I shall give the sop.” It appears, then, that He said this secretly to John alone, so that none of the others heard. Since John too, falling upon the breast, asks all but into His ear, so that the traitor might not become manifest; for else Peter would perhaps have drawn his sword and slain him. Did not then even John know him? Neither did he. For he would not have expected that a disciple would proceed to so great a transgression. For that holy soul, being far from such wickedness, would not easily have suspected this even of another. None then knew, but they thought that the “Do quickly” was said concerning buying something for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. For He took much forethought for the poor; and He who exhorted others not to have a wallet, nor money, Himself carried a bag, showing that even he who is without possessions and crucified to the world must take much care for this matter. “And it was night,” He says, “when he went out.” Neither did the evangelist note this in passing—that it was night—but that he might teach us that not even the time hindered him, but even though it was night he framed the guile. He went out, then, on the fifth day, it seems to me, in the evening, when also Satan entered into him. For on the fourth day he assailed him, namely, when the woman in Matthew poured out the ointment; and he, going away, spoke with the Jews concerning the betrayal. But on the fifth, in the evening, he entered into him—that is, possessed his heart; even as it is one thing to smite someone with a sword, and another to plunge it into the inward parts of the Saviour. “And it was night”—and perhaps also a spiritual night.

¹² Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. Since the reasonings of the disciples had fallen, by saying “Now is the Son of man glorified,” He raises them up. For He persuades them not to be downcast, but rather to rejoice. For this is glory—namely, to suffer, and through the things dishonourable to procure honour for men. And otherwise: Through the miracles in the cross He was glorified—the sun darkened, the rocks rent, the veil torn, and all the other prodigies that came to pass. And how shall God glorify the Son in Himself? That is, through Himself, not through another, not through angels and archangels, nor through any other power, but through Himself; for He did all things to the glory of the Son. “Straightway,” then, He says, “shall He glorify Him”—that is, He shall not delay, but in the cross itself, and again, having raised Him after three days, and after forty days having supplied the grace of the Spirit to the disciples. And let us look also from above at the aim of the words. “Now is the Son of man glorified,” He says—that is, “I, teaching, working wonders—and the glory came not round about Me, but went up to God and the Father. Since, then, My glory becomes the glory of the Father, be not downcast. For the Father will again glorify Me, that He also may be glorified. For do I appropriate the glory to Myself, and it goes not up to Him? Nay, the glory is common. So that He will again glorify Me; and He will not delay, but straightway, when I suffer the dishonourable sufferings, when I seem through death to be removed out of the midst, then rather will He honour Me, then will He make it manifest through the resurrection.”

¹³ Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me: and as I said to the Jews, Where I go, you cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. Since after a little while they were about to undergo grievous things, He foretells these to them henceforth, that they may have them in remembrance and be prepared beforehand for them. And this too contributes to His glory. For that the things about to befall the disciples should be foretold by Him was no small glory of His, the disciples afterward calling to mind that the Lord foretold these things to them. And showing that He knows not now for the first time, but even long before, that they shall seek Him when they are in temptations, He says that He said this very thing to the Jews also, as knowing it long before. And by saying “Where I go,” He shows His death to be a departure and a removal to a better place, that receives not corruptible bodies. To the Jews He said, “You shall seek me, and where I go you cannot come,” brandishing fear over them; but to the disciples, kindling their longing. For we are wont, when we see any of our dearest withdrawing, to be most warmed, and the more when they depart to a place to which it is not possible for us to go. Kindling, then, their longing, He says these things. Wherefore also He added, “Little children,” that they might not suppose that He said these things to them from such a disposition as that wherewith He spoke also to the Jews, but out of love. The Jews, then, sought Him when their city was taken, and the God-sent wrath was borne against them from every side, as Josephus too testifies that these things befell them because of the death of Jesus. And the disciples, when they fled, when they were otherwise afflicted; wherefore also elsewhere, “The bridegroom shall be taken away,” He says, “and the friends of the bridechamber shall fast.” He foretells, then, the things to come both to these and to those—to the one because of unbelief, to the other because of love, and that they might not fall into the terrors unexpectedly. And since it was likely that they should fall into tumult, hearing these things, as being about to be left desolate, He consoles them, saying, “Grieve not; for I give you a strong guardian—love. For if you have this, you shall be unconquerable, being strengthened by one another.” Then, since one might have been perplexed, “How do you give a new commandment, O Lord, namely love, which we know to have been enjoined also in the Old [Testament]?”—He adds, “As I have loved you, that you also love one another.” “For as I,” He says, “freely loved you, your good deeds not having gone before, but human nature being even hostile and brought to nothing, yet I Myself laid hold of it and sanctified it; so do you also freely love one another; and even if your brother offend you, remember it not.” Do you see that this is the new commandment, to love one’s neighbour for nothing, owing him nothing? But the law said, “You shall love your friend,” commanding to repay love as a debt to a neighbour who first began. And showing that they shall not be extinguished when He has departed, but shall be conspicuous, He says, “By this shall all men know.” Do you see how He declares that they shall be recognized of all, consoling them not a little hereby? And leaving aside to characterize them by the miracles, He characterizes them by love. For many that have wrought miracles shall hear, “I know you not.” And if even the whole world was brought to the faith by the miracles, what wonder? For because the power of love was within. But if they were divided from one another, no one would have believed them thus raging against one another; worthy [thereby] of being numbered among the believers, both in heart and...

¹⁴ Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where do you go? Jesus answered him, Where I go, you can not follow me now; but you shall follow me afterwards. Peter said to him, Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake. Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for my sake? Truly, truly, I say to you, The cock shall not crow, till you have denied me three times. Peter, having become through much warmth rather rash, when he heard the Lord say, “Where I go, you cannot come,” asks, “Where do you go?”—as though saying this to Christ: “What road is this, which I shall not be able to come?” For not as wishing to learn this does he ask, but covertly he hints this, that “Even though you are about to go a road harder than all, I will follow you”; so did he love ever to be with Christ. Wherefore He too answers to his mind: “You can not follow me now; but you shall follow me afterwards.” But he is so rash as even to contradict Christ. For not content to receive good hopes, that he shall follow afterwards, he persists in his standing-out, and acts presumptuously: “Why cannot I follow you? I will lay down my life for your sake.” Observe the vehemence of longing. Since he heard the Lord say, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend,” he henceforth aspires to this degree, and to the highest love; wherefore also he promises to lay down his life for the Lord. The Saviour, then, showing him that it belongs to Himself alone, and not to any man, to promise such things with authority, says, “Before the cock crow, you shall deny me three times”—that is, now. For neither was the interval long; for it was in the dead of night that He was discoursing, and the first and second watch of the night had passed. Since, then, the much love had made Peter contentious, He accepts the love, but cuts off the contention. Wherefore also He strips him of the help from above, and trains him to recognize his weakness. For if you love, you ought to obey the beloved. “I said, You can not, and you contradict. Through the denial you shall know clearly that it is not possible for [my word] not to come to pass.” So that, caring for him, He permitted him to fall, that in the things after these, when he should take up the stewardship of the world, he might not suffer this once only, but three times. Thus the abandonment by God [brings forth] this as a very great benefit. [Headings of what follows:] Concerning Thomas, not knowing where the Lord goes. Concerning Judas Thaddaeus asking Jesus. Concerning the Paraclete.