Theophylact of Ohrid — Commentary on Scripture

John 10:9

The door admits the sheep into the pasture; And shall go in and out, and find pasture. What is this pasture, but the happiness to come, the rest to which our Lord brings us?

Or, to go in is to watch over the inner man; to go out, (Colos. 3) to mortify the outward man, i. e. our members which are upon the earth. He that doth this shall find pasture in the life to come.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:10

Mystically, the thief is the devil, steals by wicked thoughts, kills by the assent of the mind to them, and destroys by acts.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:14-15

Hence the difference of the hireling and the Shepherd. The hireling does not know his sheep, because he sees them so little. The Shepherd knows His sheep, because He is so attractive to them.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:14-15

For the deceivers did not expose their lives for the sheep, but, like hirelings, deserted their followers. Our Lord, on the other hand, protected His disciples: Let these go their way. (infr. 18:8)

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:16

For there is one sign of baptism for all, and one Shepherd, even the Word of God. Let the Manichean mark; there is but one fold and one Shepherd set forth both in the Old and New Testaments.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:17

The Father does not bestow His love on the Son as a reward for the death He suffered in our behalf; but He loves Him, as beholding in the Begotten His own essence, whence proceeded such love for mankind.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:18

After declaring Himself the Master of His own life and death, which was a lofty assumption, He makes a more humble confession; thus wonderfully uniting both characters; showing that He was neither inferior to or a slave of the Father on the one hand, nor an antagonist on the other; but of the same power and will.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:22-23

The Evangelist mentions the time of winter, to show that it was near His passion. He suffered in the following spring; for which reason He took up His abode at Jerusalem.

Be thou also careful, in the winter time, i. e. while yet in this stormy wicked world, to celebrate the dedication of thy spiritual temple, by ever renewing thyself, ever rising upward in heart. Then will Jesus be present with thee in Solomon's porch, and give thee safety under His covering. (τῇ σκέπῃ αὐτοῦ) But in another life no man will be able to dedicate Himself.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:26-27

After He had said, Ye are not of My sheep, He exhorts them to become such: My sheep hear My voice.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:28

But how then did Judas perish? Because he did not continue to the end. Christ speaks of them who persevere. If any sheep is separated from the flock, and wanders from the Shepherd, it incurs danger immediately.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:30

He only means His perfect agreement with His Father.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:32

Our Lord remonstrates with them; Many good works have I showed you from My Father, showing that they had no just reason for their anger.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:36

Or, sanctified, i. e. set apart to be sacrificed for the world: a proof that He was God in a higher sense than the rest. To save the world is a divine work, not that of a man made divine by grace.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 10:40-42

We may observe that our Lord often brings out the people into solitary places, thus ridding them of the society of the unbelieving, for their furtherance in the faith: just as He led the people into the wilderness, when He gave them the old Law. Mystically, Christ departs from Jerusalem, i. e. from the Jewish people; and goes to a place where are springs of water, i. e. to the Gentile Church, that hath the waters of baptism. And many resort unto Him, passing over the Jordan, i. e. through baptism.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 11:3

And because they were women, and it did not become them to leave their home if they could help it. Great devotion and faith is expressed in these words, Behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick. Such was their idea of our Lord's power, that they were surprised, that one, whom He loved, could be seized with sickness.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 11:9-10

Some understand the day to be the time preceding the Passion, the night to be the Passion. In this sense, while it is day, would mean, before My Passion; Ye will not stumble before My Passion, because the Jews will not persecute you; but when the night, i. e. My Passion, cometh, then shall ye be beset with darkness and difficulties.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 11:15

Some have understood this place thus. I rejoice, He says, for your sakes; for if I had been there, I should have only cured a sick man; which is but an inferior sign of power. But since in My absence he has died, ye will now see that I can raise even the dead putrefying body; and your faith will be strengthened.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 11:20

At first she does not tell her sister, for fear, if she came, the Jews present might accompany her. And she did not wish them to know of our Lord's coming.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 11:21

She did not know that He could have restored her brother as well absent as present.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John 11:28

Perhaps she thought the presence of Christ in itself a call, as if it were inexcusable, when Christ came, that she should not go out to meet Him.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas