Second, concerning the prediction of the passion, four points are set forth.
28. Now there were certain Gentiles. One preamble to the passion has already been determined, namely the conspiracy of the Pharisees; here the second is determined, namely the illumination of the Gentiles, which is a most useful fruit following upon the passion of Christ. And since in the passion of Christ there came about the illumination of the Gentiles and the blinding of the Jews, therefore this part has four subsections. In the first is determined or shown the prefiguration of the calling of the Gentiles. In the second, the fruitfulness of the passion is foretold, at the words: Amen, amen, I say to you, etc. In the third, the exposition of the aforementioned fruit, at the words: The crowd therefore, which stood and heard the voice. In the fourth is described the future blinding of the Jews, at the words: Jesus spoke these things, etc.
Therefore there is first intimated the future calling of the Gentiles in this, that they seek the Lord, and the Lord offers himself as benevolent: and this is described in the following order: first is set forth the solicitude of the Gentiles: second, the intercession of the disciples: third, the condescension of the Master.
29. (Vers. 20.). Therefore the solicitude of the Gentiles is indicated in this, that they desire and seek to see Jesus; on account of which he says: Now there were certain Gentiles among those who had come up to worship on the feast day. They worshipped in the temple, since they too were heard; 3 Kings 8, in the prayer of Solomon: "The foreigner, who is not of your people, if he comes and prays in this place, you will hear him in heaven," etc.
30. (Vers. 21.). These therefore came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee; above in chapter one: "Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter." They went to him as to one better known and expressed their desire: whence they asked him, saying: Lord, we wish to see Jesus. Nor is it a wonder if they desired to see him, because, according to that verse of the Psalm, "beautiful in form above the sons of men," "he was wholly desirable." Augustine: "Behold, the Jews wished to kill him, the Gentiles to see him." On account of this, Matthew 21: "The kingdom shall be taken from you and given to a nation producing its fruits."
31. (Vers. 22.). Philip came. Here is touched upon the second point, namely the intercession of the disciples at the petition of the Gentiles. And so that Philip might more easily obtain his request, he takes a companion: on account of which he says: Philip came and told Andrew, as the greater: and then Andrew as the greater goes first in the announcement; whence he says: Andrew again and Philip told Jesus. In which it is intimated that prelates are mediators between the simple and the Lord, who offer the desires of the poor to the Lord: Deuteronomy 5, Moses said: "I was the mediator and intermediary between God and you"; Hebrews 5: "Every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in the things that pertain to God."
32. (Vers. 23.). But Jesus answered them. Here is touched upon the third point, namely the condescension of the Lord, by which he satisfies the desire of the Gentiles, saying that the time has now come for manifesting himself to the nations. On account of which he says: The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified, that is, that he might be manifested to the nations, and through this his brightness and glory might be known. This is the hour of the passion and of our redemption, which was long awaited and desired. In this hour the Gentiles are called: on account of which the Apostle says in Romans 13: "It is the hour for us now to rise from sleep." This is the hour of which it was said above in chapter seven: "No one seized him, because his hour had not yet come."
QUESTIONS.
33. Question I. But it is asked: since the Gentiles worshipped their own idols and had their own gods, whence is it that they went up to worship in Jerusalem?
And it must be said that from among the Gentiles some were converted to the rite of the Jews, and these were called proselytes; and Chrysostom says of these that "they were close to becoming proselytes; therefore, already beginning to believe, they came to see the solemnity and to worship in the temple."
34. Question II. But then it is asked: why did Philip not turn them away? And it seems that he should have, because he had heard from the Lord in Matthew 10: Go not into the way of the Gentiles; and in Matthew 15: I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; therefore it seems that he acted against the Lord's command when he admitted their petition.
I respond: It must be said that Philip himself had seen that He cared not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, and he saw that He willed the salvation of all; on the other hand, he considered His command; therefore he acted cautiously, because he neither entirely rejected the petition nor straightforwardly admitted it, and therefore he consulted Andrew. They indeed, presuming upon the Lord's mercy, told Jesus, because He was able, as He willed, as Lord, to manifest Himself to all.
35. Question III. Likewise it is asked: why does He now more than before manifest Himself to the Gentiles?
And it must be said that it was on account of the nearness of the Passion, in which was the salvation of the Gentiles. Another reason: because the Jews had already, through the conspiracy of Christ's death, rejected the grace of God; and therefore after their conspiracy the Lord turns to the Gentiles.
36. Amen, amen, I say to you. After the prefiguration of the calling of the Gentiles has been described, here is set forth the prediction of the fruit of the Passion, and this indeed in the following manner. First, the fruitfulness of the Passion is foretold. Second, because the Passion has no effect except in the imitators of Christ, there is set forth an exhortation to imitation, at the words: He that loveth his life, etc. Third, because none imitate unless they are called by the Lord, the prayer made on their behalf is noted, at the words: Now is my soul troubled. Fourth, because He obtains all that He asks, the hearing of the prayer is noted, at the words: There came therefore a voice, etc.
(Verse 24). First, therefore, the fruitfulness of the Passion is touched upon by the example of the grain; on account of which He says: Amen, amen, I say to you; speaking assertively to the Gentiles who had sought Him, in order to confirm them in faith: unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die:
37. (Verse 25). It itself remaineth alone. According to the letter, it is not multiplied unless it dies; First Corinthians 15: "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die first." But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit: because then it produces a harvest.
So it is to be understood of Christ, who is a grain of wheat on account of its purity and abundance of richness, on account of which the best bread is made from it: so also the flesh of Christ, who is "the living bread that came down from heaven," above in the sixth chapter. Of this it is said in the Psalm: "He satisfies you with the fat of wheat." This grain, falling into the earth, through lowliness, died through the bitterness of the Passion; therefore it is said in the Psalm: "You have brought all your waves upon me. You have put my acquaintances far from me; they have made me an abomination to themselves." This grain brought forth much fruit, because it brought many sons into glory: Hebrews 2: "It was fitting for him who brought many sons into glory to perfect the author of their salvation through suffering"; Isaiah 60: "When the multitude of the sea shall be converted to you, the strength of the nations shall come to you."
He who loves his soul. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the exhortation to imitate the Passion: and he exhorts by setting forth the advantage and the example. On account of the advantage and disadvantage he says: He who loves his soul will lose it: and by soul he means the bodily life, just as below in the thirteenth chapter Peter said: "I will lay down my soul for you." And he who hates his soul in this world, that is, by giving it for Christ, keeps it unto eternal life; Matthew 16: "He who would save his soul will lose it, and he who loses it for my sake will find it." Augustine: "If you desire to hold life with Christ, do not fear death for Christ. Happy are those who keep their life by losing it, lest they lose it by loving it." To this same end he exhorts by example:
38. (Verse 26). If anyone serves me, let him follow me, as a servant follows his Lord, otherwise he is not a true servant: let him follow, namely through the footsteps of the Passion; 1 Peter 2: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his footsteps"; so that, just as one imitates in suffering, so also in glory. On account of which he adds: That where I am, there also my servant may be; 2 Timothy 2: "It is a faithful saying: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him"; therefore faithful, because promised by the Lord: Revelation 3: "He who overcomes, I will give him to sit with me on my throne." Lest anyone disdain to serve him, he adds the summit of honor: If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him: because he himself honored me: 1 Kings 2: "He who honors me, I will honor; but those who despise me shall be ignoble." He will honor, I say, because he will make a son out of a servant: Romans 8: "The Spirit himself gives testimony to our spirit that we are sons of God; and if sons, also heirs: heirs indeed of God, and co-heirs with Christ."
39. (Vers. 27.). Now my soul is troubled etc. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the entreaty for those who are to be called: and since the Lord was placed between two things, because the flesh shrank from death, it was necessary for him to pray on its behalf; but because he had come for the sake of our salvation, he prefers the prayer for our conversion to the prayer for his own deliverance, for which he prays first; whence he says: Now my soul is troubled, namely by the fear of death: Matthew 26: "He began to be troubled and sorrowful." And what shall I say? As if to say: shall I ask on its behalf, that I might escape death? I shall ask indeed, in order to show my weakness: on account of which he says: Father, save me from this hour, namely of the passion; Matthew 26: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." But he did not ask this in order to be heard; on account of which he adds: But for this reason I have come to this hour, namely that I might die, and therefore concerning this I do not wish to be heard, but concerning this:
40. (Vers. 28.). Father, glorify your name: and this is to ask that the name of God be made known to the nations through the passion. He prays for us, for whom he also offers himself: whence in Hebrews 5 it is said of Christ: "In the days of his flesh, offering prayers and supplications to God, who was able to save him from death, with a strong cry and tears, he was heard because of his reverence."
A voice therefore came from heaven. Here the last point is touched upon, namely the hearing, as a sign of which he says: A voice came from heaven, saying: I have both glorified, namely through miraculous works, and I will glorify again, through yet more wondrous works, such as our redemption and Christ's exaltation to the heavens. The glorification was accomplished by the Father: whence in Hebrews 5: "Christ did not glorify himself to be made high priest, but he who spoke to him: You are my Son, today I have begotten you." Whence this voice is attributed to the Father, as in Matthew 3 at the baptism, in Matthew 17 at the transfiguration, and now. Whence the voice bore testimony to Christ at his coming or incarnation, at his passion, and at his resurrection.
QUESTIONS.
41. Quest. I. But the question is raised concerning what he says: He who loves his soul shall lose it.