12. (Verse 5). They answered: Jesus of Nazareth, in this it is evident that they did not recognize him. Chrysostom: "Standing in their midst he blinded them, and thus he could have hidden."
Jesus said to them: I am he. Here it is noted that he was arrested voluntarily, because by offering himself he prostrated them: whence it follows: And Judas also, who betrayed him, stood with them, namely with the others standing; but having heard the word, they did not stand, but rather fell. On account of which he says:
13. (Verse 6). When therefore he said to them: I am he, they went backward, turning their face away from him, according to that word of the Psalm: "Let them be turned backward and put to confusion who devise evil against me." And they fell to the ground. Augustine: "One voice struck, repelled, and prostrated so great a crowd, fierce with hatred, terrible with arms, without any weapon, by the power of the hidden Divinity. What will he do when he comes to judge, who did this when he was about to be judged? What will he be able to do when he comes to reign, who was able to do this when he was about to die?" Job twenty-six: "And since we have scarcely heard a small drop of his discourse, who shall be able to behold the thunder of his greatness?"
14. (Verse 7). Again therefore he asked them. Here the third reason is noted why he was voluntarily arrested, because by manifesting himself he freed his disciples. He therefore manifests himself to them when he again asks: Whom do you seek? And they said, as before: Jesus of Nazareth. And just as he asked again, so a second time he offers and manifests himself.
15. (Vers. 8.). Jesus answered them: I told you that I am he. And because you did not recognize me then, I say it again, so that you may recognize me. They were blinded, lest they recognize him, as in the last chapter of Luke: "Their eyes were held, lest they recognize him." After he offered himself, he freed the disciples by his command alone: whence he adds: If you seek me, let these go. Augustine: "He commands the enemies, and they do what he commands: they let those go whom he does not will to perish." And the Evangelist shows that he did this by his own power: whence he says:
16. (Vers. 9.). That the word might be fulfilled which he said, above in the seventeenth chapter: Because those whom you gave me, O Father, I have not lost any of them: because he willed to suffer alone; Isaiah sixty-three: "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the nations there is no man with me."
17. But what does it mean that he says: I have not lost any of them? Is it not said in Matthew sixteen: He who loses his life for my sake shall find it?
Therefore Augustine explains this of eternal perdition, "because they did not yet believe in him as all those who do not perish believe." But that was said to those who believe perfectly.
18. (Vers. 10.). But Simon Peter. Here the fourth sign is noted, that he was apprehended voluntarily: because he restrained Peter who was resisting. The fervor of Peter in defending the Lord is therefore indicated in this, that having a sword, he drew it, as if unable to restrain himself, and struck the servant of the high priest, as if not discerning the person, and cut off his right ear. Chrysostom: "He indicates the impetuosity of the Apostle, because he made his assault at the very head." And the name of the servant was Malchus; this, as Chrysostom says, the Evangelist said for the sake of greater certainty. Peter, inflamed with zeal for the Law, struck those evildoers: First Maccabees two: "Mattathias saw and grieved, and his zeal was kindled according to the judgment of the Law, and he approached and slew him."
Spiritually: Peter, recognizing him, cut off the right ear, that is, obedience.
Therefore he restrained Peter who was thus resisting: whence there follows:
19. (Vers. 11.). Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put your sword into its sheath. Victor: "Let vengeance cease, let patience be shown," according to that saying in Matthew five: "I say to you, do not resist evil, but if anyone strikes you on one cheek, offer him the other." And he gives the reason: The chalice which the Father has given me, do you not wish that I drink it? As if to say: if you think rightly, you must will what the Father wills. Concerning this chalice, Matthew twenty-six: "Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me." The Son drank this chalice: whence Matthew twenty: "Can you drink the chalice that I am about to drink?" And concerning the will of the Father: whence Romans eight: "He did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all."
20. (Vers. 12.). The cohort therefore and the tribune etc. Here it is shown thirdly that the arrest of Christ was ignominious on the part of the cohort, because they seized and bound him as a robber. Therefore he says: The cohort therefore, that is, a multitude of soldiers established in one company, and the tribune, who presided over them, and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him. Victor says that "it was the custom of the Jews that whomever they judged worthy of death, they would hand over bound to the governor," and thus as a criminal: therefore in Matthew twenty-six the Lord says to them: "You have come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me." And they bound him, lest he flee, because Judas had said in Mark fourteen: "Whomever I shall kiss, he is the one: seize him and lead him away carefully."
QUESTIONS.
21. Question I. But it is asked here first concerning this, that the Lord offered himself to the Jews.
It seems that he gave them an occasion for doing evil.
Chrysostom responds: "The Lord showed all things that were sufficient to call them back," namely by restraining their sight so that they would not recognize him, and by casting them to the ground by his word alone. "But because they persisted in malice and had no excuse, he then delivered himself into their hands."
22. Question II. Likewise it is asked: since Peter so greatly provoked them, why did they not seize him?
Chrysostom responds that "no one else restrained them, but that power which previously cast them on their backs."
23. Question III. Likewise it is asked: since Peter had been commanded not to have a wallet, how then did he have a sword?
To this Victor responds that the Lord gave them that command when he sent them to preach; but when the time of persecution was at hand, he commanded that they carry necessities for sustenance and buy swords. And he took this from Luke twenty-two: He who has a purse, let him take it and a wallet, and he who does not have a sword, let him sell his tunic and buy a sword. Or it can be said that the Lord did not command this because he wished to defend himself, but so that he might show patience to those who seized him, because, although he had weapons, he was unwilling to use them.
24. Question IV. Likewise, since it had been said to the Apostles in Matthew five: If anyone strikes you on one of your cheeks, offer him the other also; it seems that Peter did wrong in this, that he struck.
Chrysostom responds: "Here he was not avenging himself, but his Master. Moreover, they were not yet in a certain manner perfect and consummate," as they afterwards were after the coming of the Holy Spirit; and then they fulfilled the perfection commanded to them for that time.
25. Question V. Likewise it is asked whether the successor of Peter can draw the material sword and strike. And that he can, seems evident from the example of Peter.
To this Bernard responds to Eugenius, speaking of the material sword: "The sword is yours, to be unsheathed perhaps at your nod, even if not by your hand. Otherwise, if it in no way pertained to you, when the Apostles said: Behold, here are two swords, the Lord would not have responded: It is enough, but rather: it is too much. Both swords therefore belong to the Church, but the material one is to be drawn on behalf of the Church, while the spiritual one is to be drawn by the Church."