John 8:53 (WEB)
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Fathers and councils · 26
John Chrysostom
“Ver.” — the author cites it
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Catena Aurea on John
- Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
As it is necessary that the good should grow better by contumely, so are the reprobate made worse by kindness. On hearing our Lord’s words, the Jews again blaspheme: Then said the Jews unto Him, Now we know Thou hast…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Those who believe the Holy Scriptures, understand that what men do contrary to right reason, is not done without the operation of devils. Thus the Jews thought that Jesus had spoken by the influence of the devil,…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Again, they have recourse to the vainglorious argument of their descent: Art Thou greater than our father Abraham, winch is dead? They might have said, Art Thou greater than God, whose words they are dead who heard?…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
For they do not see that not Abraham only, but every one born of woman, is less than He who was born of a Virgin. Now were the Jews right in saying that Abraham was dead? for he heard the word of Christ, and kept it,…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
For being given over to eternal death, which death they saw not, and thinking only, as they did, of the death of the body, their minds were darkened, even while the Truth Himself was speaking. They add: Whom makest…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
As if to say, Thou a person of no account, a carpenter’s son of Galilee, to take glory to Thyself!
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
Whom makest Thou Thyself? i. e. Of what merit, of what dignity wouldest Thou be accounted? Nevertheless, Abraham only died in the body; his soul lived. And the death of the soul which is to live for ever, is greater…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
This was the speech of persons spiritually blind. For Jesus did not make Himself what He was, but received it from the Father: Jesus answered and said, If I honour Myself, My honour is nothing.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
This is to answer their suspicions; as above, If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
He shews in these words that the glory of this present life is nothing.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
This is to answer those who said, Whom makest Thou Thyself? He refers His glory to the Father, from Whom is: It is My Father that honoureth Me. The Arians take occasion from those words to calumniate our faith, and…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
The Father glorified the Son, at His baptism, on the mount, at the time of His passion, when a voice came to Him, in the midst of the crowd, when He raised Him up again after His passion, and placed Him at the right…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
He adds, Of whom ye say that He is your God; meaning to tell them that they were not only ignorant of the Father, but even of God.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
For had they known the Father really, they would have reverenced the Son. But they even despise God, who in the Law forbad murder, by their clamours against Christ. Wherefore He says, Ye have not known Him.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
As if to say, Ye call Him your God, after a carnal manner, serving Him for temporal rewards. Ye have not known Him, as He should be known; ye are not able to serve Him spiritually.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Some heretics say that the God proclaimed in the Old Testament is not the Father of Christ, but a kind of prince of bad angels. These He contradicts when He calls Him His Father, whom the Jews called their God, and…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
As if to say, As ye, saying that ye know Him, lie; so were I a liar, did I say I knew Him not. It follows, however, (which is the greatest proof of all that He was sent from God,) But I know Him.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Having that knowledge by nature; for as I am, so is the Father also; I know Myself, and therefore I know Him. And He gives the proof that He knows Him: And I keep His saying, i. e. His commandments. Some understand,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He spoke the saying of the Father too, as being the Son; and He was Himself that Word of the Father, which He spoke to men.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
In answer then to their question, Art Thou greater than our father Abraham, He shews them that He is greater than Abraham; Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: he saw it, and was glad; he must have rejoiced,…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
As if to say, He regarded My day, as a day to be desired, and full of joy; not as if I was an unimportant or common person.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He did not fear, but rejoiced to see: he rejoiced in hope, believing, and so by faith saw. It admits of doubt whether He is speaking here of the temporal day of the Lord, that, viz. of His coming in the flesh, or of…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
Abraham saw the day of the Lord even then, when he entertained the three Angels, a figure of the Trinity.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
They are aliens from Abraham if they grieve over what he rejoiced in. By this day perhaps He means the day of the cross, which Abraham prefigured by the offering up of Isaac and the ram: intimating hereby that He did…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
If they rejoiced to whom the Word appeared in the flesh, what was his joy, who beheld in spiritual vision the light ineffable, the abiding Word, the bright illumination of pious souls, the indefectible wisdom, still…
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Cross-references · 2
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 8:52–56 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on John 8:52–56 (Catena Aurea).