QUESTIONS.
15. Question I. But it is asked here: since the Lord had come not only to teach but also to suffer, it seems that on account of the suffering or persecution of the Jews he ought not to have ceased from teaching; therefore neither ought he to have left Judea, where there was especially a place for teaching.
I respond: It must be said that the Lord, although he willed to suffer and did not fear to suffer, had nevertheless appointed a fitting time for his passion, and before that time he did not wish to deliver himself into the hands of his persecutors; and therefore he did not walk in Judea.
16. Question II. But it is asked secondly: since the Jews could not anticipate the time determined by the Lord, it seems that before that time they could not lay hands on him; therefore neither ought he to have absented himself on this account.
I respond: It must be said that the Lord so manifested himself to the good that he nevertheless concealed himself from the wicked; and conversely, he so hid himself from the wicked that he was nevertheless not hidden from the good. And therefore sometimes he conquered by power, sometimes by prudence, as is said in Job chapter twenty-six, that by his prudence he struck the proud one. And therefore, although he could powerfully restrain them, he preferred at that time to wisely withdraw. — Another reason is that he might show true humanity in himself; therefore sometimes he showed himself powerful, sometimes weak. Whence another reading has: For he could not walk in Judea. — The third reason is for our instruction, that we should not wonder if holy men fear and avoid dangers, nor should we despair of ourselves.
17. Question III. Likewise, an inquiry is made concerning what he says: I will not go up: and afterward it is said that when they had gone up, then he himself also went up. — It seems that he does the contrary of what he had previously said.
To this the response is given in multiple ways: first, thus: I will not go up, namely with you, you however go up. — But this exposition raises a question, namely why he did not wish to go up with them.
On account of this, others respond and place emphasis on what is said: to this feast day; the Interlinear Gloss says: "That is, to the first day," which was the more solemn, but to the intermediate days. — But this likewise raises a question, namely why he does not go up on the first day.
Therefore it is expounded in a third way, that "words must be understood according to their subject matter"; and the Lord was responding to the persuasion of his brethren that he should manifest himself. For this reason he says: I will not go up to manifest myself; therefore it is said in the text: he did not go up openly. And therefore he did not go up with his brethren nor on the first day, lest his going up should be manifest.
18. Question IV. Likewise, an inquiry is made concerning the Lord's response, in which he says: My time has not yet come.
Although this ought not to be understood as referring to fate, it nevertheless seems that the Lord's action depends on time, which seems unfitting, since he is omnipotent.
The response is given in one way, that the Lord's action is twofold: one according to his Divinity , and this does not depend on time; the other according to his humanity, and this requires a definite time. And this was the work of redemption, and with respect to this he was saying: My time has not yet come.
It is answered in another way, that to act at a determined time can be understood in two ways: either from need, or from fittingness. In the first way, trees bear fruit at a determined time in summer; in the second way, God shows mercy and judges and saves. Hence, because the paschal time was most fittingly suited to our redemption, so that the Law might be fulfilled in the Gospel according to the most fitting correspondence, therefore he awaited the paschal time.
19. Now about the midst of the feast. After the concealment has been treated, the discussion turns to the manifestation of our Teacher, who had been hiding as described above. And the procedure follows this order: first, the Teacher's manifestation in teaching is set forth; second, the Jews' amazement in hearing; third, the commendation of his doctrine in responding.
(Verse 14). Therefore the Teacher's manifestation is set forth first; on account of which he says: Now about the midst of the feast, and this was "the fourth day of the feast," as the Gloss says, which is the middle of the seven days: Jesus went up into the temple and was teaching, in a public place, not a hidden one, lest his doctrine be suspect; below in the eighteenth chapter: "I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and in secret I have said nothing."
20. (Vers. 15.). And the Jews marveled, etc. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the amazement of the Jews. The reason for their amazement was, as Augustine says, that "they had never seen him learning letters, yet they heard him disputing about the Law." On account of which he says: And the Jews marveled, saying: How does this man know letters, since he has not learned ? Whence the Lord could say that word of Proverbs 30: "I have not learned wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the Holy Ones"; Luke 2: "They marveled at his understanding and his answers."
21. (Vers. 16.). Jesus answered them. Here the third point is set forth, namely Christ's response, by which he satisfies their amazement, showing that he does not have knowledge through acquisition, as other men have, but from his origin. On account of which he says: My doctrine, namely that which I teach, is not mine, that is, not from me, or for my glory, or acquired by me, but his who sent me, that is, from the Father, who sent me. For all things which the Son has, he receives from the Father: above in chapter five: "I cannot do anything of myself," and so neither can I teach anything. And because this response was not manifest except to those who hear rightly — and these are those who hear in order to act — for this reason he says:
22. (Vers. 17.). If anyone wills to do his will, namely of God the Father, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God, or whether I speak of myself; because otherwise he cannot truly know either me or my doctrine. Therefore it is said in 1 John 2: "He who says that he knows God and does not keep his commandments is a liar." And thus it is commendable from its origin, and it is also commendable from its end, in this, that in teaching he does not seek his own glory; and he makes this manifest as follows:
23. (Vers. 18.). He who speaks of himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks his own glory is a liar, because he usurps what belongs to another: Isaiah 48: "I will not give my glory to another"; but I in teaching do not seek my own glory, but I seek the glory of him who sent me; therefore my doctrine is true. For this reason he says: But he who seeks the glory of him who sent him, he is true, and there is no injustice in him. Christ sought the glory of his Divinity, not of his humanity, because to him all glory is due: 1 Timothy 1: "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory," etc. He is just and true, because conversely, to usurp another's honor for oneself is falsehood and injustice. So the Antichrist will usurp, of whom it is said in 2 Thessalonians 2: "He will be exalted and lifted up above all that is called God."
QUESTIONS.
24. Question I. But it is asked here: since the Lord went up to Jerusalem secretly in order to avoid the fury of the Jews, why is it that he teaches openly in the temple?
Augustine responds that "his hiding was a matter of example; that he speaks openly and is not seized is an indication of his power."
Alternatively, it can be said that his very teaching deflected the fury of the Jews, while it raised them up into admiration.
25. Question II. It is asked concerning what he says, that he had not learned letters and yet knew letters:
1. How did they themselves know that the Lord knew letters?