Theodore of Mopsuestia — Commentary on Scripture

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Therefore, he says, not only must you not be upset by my suffering or have doubts about my words that will be confirmed by the facts later on, but you must also be drawn to that suffering so that you might enjoy the same things I do by suffering the same things I do. The one who appears to be so concerned with his life here that he does not want to submit it to testing will lose it in the future world. The one who hates his life, and in this world exposes it to afflictions, gathers much more fruit for himself. Jesus does not express this idea as if he wants to reveal here something about life. Rather, he simply identifies love for life as something that is prevalent among us as we seek to defend, preserve and protect our body and life from any possible danger.

John 12:31

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

What happens, [Jesus says,] now takes place on behalf of the world. For the whole world is judged in me now. You see, the first man, having been condemned to death on account of disobedience, became subject to the devil. Likewise all after him, becoming evil, brought on themselves the devil to be an exceedingly heavy tyrant over them, and because of this they were even more impious, making the kingdom of death worse for themselves. Therefore, because no one was able to wage war against it, Christ, being God, able to do everything, gave himself up on behalf of all people, the ones of old and those who are living now.The world, therefore, is judged in me and through me. For, having committed no sin but having accomplished every kind of virtue and in no way found worthy of death, I accept death unjustly, so that in this way I may make my case against the devil, the one who himself killed me and was condemned. Having been freed from the bonds of death, I will rise, but I will also raise with me the common race of humanity by the case I make, and all will be acquitted of the verdict. He…

What happens, [Jesus says,] now takes place on behalf of the world. For the whole world is judged in me now. You see, the first man, having been condemned to death on account of disobedience, became subject to the devil. Likewise all after him, becoming evil, brought on themselves the devil to be an exceedingly heavy tyrant over them, and because of this they were even more impious, making the kingdom of death worse for themselves. Therefore, because no one was able to wage war against it, Christ, being God, able to do everything, gave himself up on behalf of all people, the ones of old and those who are living now.The world, therefore, is judged in me and through me. For, having committed no sin but having accomplished every kind of virtue and in no way found worthy of death, I accept death unjustly, so that in this way I may make my case against the devil, the one who himself killed me and was condemned. Having been freed from the bonds of death, I will rise, but I will also raise with me the common race of humanity by the case I make, and all will be acquitted of the verdict. He, on the other hand, who wickedly controlled the people in this life will be deposed from power. And the bonds of death, with which he surrounded people and was easily controlling them, will be taken away. These are the same bonds that caused them to sin all the more, as the devil attained a greater mastery over them.

John 12:38

That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

What did he see? In the spiritual vision, in the revelation of divine nature, which is incomprehensible, Isaiah saw the glory that, since it is common to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Scripture cannot establish precisely whether it is the glory of the Son or the Holy Spirit, and therefore neither the Evangelist nor the apostle are in contradiction by saying that it is the glory of the Son or of the Holy Spirit.

John 12:42

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

Then the Evangelist said that many among the authorities who believed in him hid their opinion about him because of the Pharisees, because they feared they might lose their privileges and because they valued the glory of people more than the glory of God. What did our Lord say? While some believed, others did not even accept the accomplished miracles, others only came to know the truth through the miracles but hid their opinion because of their fear of the Pharisees as they pursued human glory.

John 12:45

And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

[In verse 44], he said, “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me.” He said this because they allege they were prosecuting him in order to avenge God. And so he says in effect, “I refer you to [the Father] because, you see, the one who believes in me is the one who comes to know the Father fully through me.” That is why he said what he did there. On the other hand, “whoever sees me sees him who sent me” seems to contradict what had just been said. The statement in [verse 44] shows the difference between Father and Son, while [verse 45] shows their perfect similarity. Because the first statement showed such great humility, however, he logically concluded the second in order to declare his similarity with the Father. Both statements, however, show that he never stood far apart from the Father. The first he said for the unbelievers. The second was to indicate how precise his likeness was to the Father’s.

John 12:49

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

We need to consider the purpose of the words. Indeed he means This is the purpose of my advent—salvation for all. You who do not believe will be condemned—but not by me because this is contrary to my passion, and it is not your condemnation I am after. Because of your [evil] mind you will be condemned by my own words which leave no excuse to the unbelievers on judgment day. These are the words that I spoke many times. In other words, I want nothing that is against the will of the Father, nor do I intend to establish a congregation for myself alone. I always led you all to the Father with my words by telling you that I was sent by him and that it was from him that I received the command to tell you the right words. Therefore I spoke to you words that were in agreement with his will. And this same thing I testify now to you: By those same words you will be condemned. Indeed you will not be able to come up with any excuses, as if you were defending the honor of God, because I always led you to him.

John 13:1

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

From here the Evangelist passes to the story of the passion. Here also, insofar as is possible, he is careful in saying nothing that has already been related by the other [Evangelists], unless the course of the narrative obliges him [to do so], and it is impossible to construct an accurate order of events without reporting part of the facts already related by his colleagues. When he reports those things done and said by our Lord to his disciples, which we do not find to be mentioned by the others in their books, he wants to show that our Savior did not undergo his passion outside his knowledge and expectation but by his free will. Only when he wanted to did he taste death.… In the same way here, by writing, “Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father,” he means that he knew exactly the time of his passion and everything that would happen to him.

John 13:5

After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Humility is the principle of all virtues: it removes any contrast, division or dissension from human beings and plants into them peace and charity. And through charity it grows and increases.

John 13:10

Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

Simon did not want his teacher to wash his feet. The purpose of our Lord’s action was … to teach you that you should deeply love and eagerly help one another. Peter did not know that that was the purpose of his action. So again our Lord said to him who was still resisting, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Since from these words Peter believed that this washing of the feet was in place of baptism, and that from it he would have obtained his share with the Lord and therefore might say that he was entirely washed—if this was the present situation, the Lord corrected his ignorance by saying, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” Then the Evangelist by explaining the words of our Lord added, “For he knew who was to betray him. For this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ ” By speaking to Simon our Lord means to say: “This is not the baptism for the remission of sins. You have already received it once and do not need it twice, because you were made clean by the first you received…

Simon did not want his teacher to wash his feet. The purpose of our Lord’s action was … to teach you that you should deeply love and eagerly help one another. Peter did not know that that was the purpose of his action. So again our Lord said to him who was still resisting, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Since from these words Peter believed that this washing of the feet was in place of baptism, and that from it he would have obtained his share with the Lord and therefore might say that he was entirely washed—if this was the present situation, the Lord corrected his ignorance by saying, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” Then the Evangelist by explaining the words of our Lord added, “For he knew who was to betray him. For this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ ” By speaking to Simon our Lord means to say: “This is not the baptism for the remission of sins. You have already received it once and do not need it twice, because you were made clean by the first you received. Now it is necessary that only your feet are washed, and soon you will know the purpose of this act.” Certainly the disciples received the baptism of remission from John, in which the teaching of our Lord confirmed them even more by exhorting them to virtue. And then the descended Spirit perfected them when it later came on them.

John 13:19

Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

I could not reveal what was about to happen, he says. However, in order that you might not think that I did not know the thoughts of those who follow me—or that I was unaware of what was happening to me and therefore striving in vain because of the shameful things that were happening to me—I foretell the facts before the event so that when they happen you will know who I am.

John 13:21

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

As in the episode of Lazarus he said that he was troubled in spirit, because he foretold what would happen, and that he was angered in order to show that he had knowledge of the things that still had to happen as if they had already happened, so here too he says he was angered because of Judas’s betrayal and was confused by how vicious he was. He also said here the words “Jesus was troubled in spirit” because through the operation of the Spirit that was in him he foreknew the future [and the trouble that awaited him].

John 13:27

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

What Judas believed to be hidden and turning around in his mind was disclosed through the handing of the bread and made known to all the disciples. He was so far away from the admirable virtue of the one who knows the inner thoughts that, even though he had to feel ashamed and blush because of that public rebuke, he on the contrary confirmed even more inside himself the will of his iniquity. And since he was offended by the blame [he received], he prepared to execute his crime at once. The Evangelist rightly called this thought the entry of Satan by attributing to Satan the confirmation of Judas’s will.

John 13:32

If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

The time is near when the Son of man who was assumed will be glorified in a laudable way and in which, above all, God will be revealed before everybody through the things that happen to him. The events that happened at the time of the crucifixion, when the earth shook, the light of the sun was obscured, the darkness covered the earth, the sepulchers opened and the rocks were broken, showed how great was already—and how great would have been—the magnificence of the one who had been crucified. And, at the same time, they were the reason why people admired God who made the Son of man worthy of such an honor. “If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.” Evidently, he says, God is glorified by those things that are happening in him as much as he also glorifies him. It cannot happen that he appears to be admirable because of him if the things that happened to him were not great. And they, he says, had already been given to him.

John 13:33 · 2 passages

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

But, he says, as I said to the Jews that they could not come where I go, “so now I say to you.” Notice that he added “now.” By saying that they could not come where he goes, he means that they still cannot face death like him. In fact, they all run away. And even Simon denied him. But he added “now” to declare that afterward they would disregard sufferings and trials. Indeed, after the descent of the Holy Spirit they even enjoyed suffering for Christ since they were fully confirmed in faith in him and in the promise of future things. Therefore, he says, even though you are led by love to look for me—I know that you do this because of your love for me—nevertheless you cannot prove now your love with your works since your natural weakness inspires you with fear. Therefore things are going to happen [now] that cannot happen in a different way. If you want, you can do what I am teaching you to do even now while you are still a little apprehensive since it is useful now, and it will be [even more] useful later.

He references the time up until his passion when he says “only a little longer.” He says to the Jews, “You will look for me,” and adds, “and you will not find me,” because they would no longer see him anymore after his passion. But to his disciples he only says, “You will look for me.” Indeed, they looked for him and, since they were led by devotion in their search for him and saw themselves deprived of the care of their teacher, they found him. They saw him after his resurrection, and they lived and ate with him until he ascended into heaven.

John 13:35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

How is it new? “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” The way to love is what is new. In the Law it had been ordered that anyone should love his neighbor like himself. But the voice of the Lord wants our companions in faith to be loved even more than ourselves, because he orders us to imitate his love for us. In the words that follow he shows that accurately. Indeed, in order to amplify the greatness of this precept he says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” So excellent is the observation of that command that it is a sign clear enough of my discipleship.

John 13:38

Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

This is not contrary to what is said in Mark. For he said, “The rooster will not crow twice before you will deny me three times.” You see, as soon as he denied him, the rooster crowed. And as he denied for a third time, the rooster crowed for a second time, in some way bearing witness to the truthfulness of the Lord, as well as reminding Peter both what he said to the Lord and what he heard from him. Therefore, when he denied at first, by the will of the Lord the bird uttered a sound out of its proper time. But when he denied for the third time, then it crowed at the appointed time. However Mark, dictating the Gospel according to Peter’s view, also said how many times the bird crowed during the denial, as if he wanted to establish more clearly the reproach of Peter by his own sin.

John 14:2

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

With my Father there is such an abundance that he can give everyone the delights of eternal happiness.… He tells us that here since the custom among us, when space is scarce, is to reserve a place to stay in advance due to lack of available rooms.

John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

So, he says, was not such a long time sufficient to teach you about my Father and me? And yet you still are looking to see him. If you had known me, you would have known the Father through me and would have not thought that he can be seen with bodily eyes. Since the expression “you still do not know me” seemed not to fit in with the words “show us the Father,” he clearly explains this by saying, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ ” There is no difference, he says, so that whoever sees me sees the Father himself. There is a perfect similarity between us two that shows the Father himself in me. Very aptly he adds, “How can you say?” as he confirms through his open amazement the words said above. How can you ask me, he says, to show you the Father, if not for the fact that you ignore me completely? Therefore what I said is true, “You neither know my Father nor me. If you had known me, you would have known him too,” because the perfect likeness would have shown him.

John 14:10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Among all the words said so far, especially here, he clearly shows that he talks about their likeness. Indeed, in the same way, by turning the speech to the Father and him, he reveals the perfect likeness of their nature, so that, as the Father lives in him, and he in the Father, a perfect likeness can be shown in each of them. Then he proves and confirms his words by saying, “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own.” If you do not believe, he says, in these words, know that so perfect is the conformity of nature, ideas, and virtue that there is no difference in the words either. Whatever I say is in common, and do not only speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me does his works. It would have been opportune to add, “My Father speaks through the words: I do not speak.” But he had said above, “The words that I say,” and here, “The Father does his works,” in order to show that the nature is common, the words are common and the works are common as well. From this it is evident that through the words, “I do not speak on my own,” he does not signify an inferior state, but…

Among all the words said so far, especially here, he clearly shows that he talks about their likeness. Indeed, in the same way, by turning the speech to the Father and him, he reveals the perfect likeness of their nature, so that, as the Father lives in him, and he in the Father, a perfect likeness can be shown in each of them. Then he proves and confirms his words by saying, “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own.” If you do not believe, he says, in these words, know that so perfect is the conformity of nature, ideas, and virtue that there is no difference in the words either. Whatever I say is in common, and do not only speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me does his works. It would have been opportune to add, “My Father speaks through the words: I do not speak.” But he had said above, “The words that I say,” and here, “The Father does his works,” in order to show that the nature is common, the words are common and the works are common as well. From this it is evident that through the words, “I do not speak on my own,” he does not signify an inferior state, but a perfect communion and an inseparable union. And this appears especially from the context.