EXPLANATION OF THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN by SAINT THEOPHYLACT

THE EXPLANATION OF THE HOLY GOSPEL

ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN

by

SAINT THEOPHYLACT

Saint John 12:25-26 (KJV)
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

The Lord urges the disciples to love life eternal more than this transitory, earthly life, because He knows that with his passion near, they were likely to become utterly dejected. “You must not despair after My death.   Moreover, know that My death will not benefit you at all unless you also willingly submit to death. Every man who satisfies his sinful desires surrenders to the desires, of the Flesh, and is fearful of death loveth his present life shall lose it.   But he that does not submit to the demands of the flesh or desire its attractions hated his life and shall keep it unto life eternal.”  By the word hateth, the Lord indicates how resolutely we must spurn all sinful desires. The things we hate we cannot bear to see or hear mentioned. We must cultivate hatred for the irrational appetites of the soul; we must hate them with perfect hatred. 

Christ’s words, he that hateth life, seem harsh, so he softens them by adding in this world.  

Our life in this world is very brief.   “I do not command you to hate your life forever: only in this passing world must you abhor it, and then, only when it demands that you do evil.”   

Next He turns to the profit gained by doing so:  “he… shall keep it unto life eternal. If you hate your life for a short time you will insure an animated divine life for all eternity.” Again urging us to despise the present life and be fearless in the face of death the Lord adds:  “If any man serve Me, let him follow Me and be ready for death, as I am”.  Christ bids us to follow Him by imitating his deeds. After explaining this,  He Comforts and strengthens us:  Where I am there shall also My servant be.  Where is Christ?  In heaven.   Therefore, if you remain detached from this world and willingly follow Christ in death, you will be with him in heaven.  

Life above and life below are opposed to one another.  If you love your life below, you will not find a dwelling place above; whereas if you flee the world you will gain life in heaven.  If any man serve me, him will My Father honor, the Lord promises. Because he wishes to establish his own legitimacy, Christ refrains from saying, “I will honor him”.  The true God and Father honors the faithful servant of His rightful, obedient Son.  God the Father would not honor the servant of a son opposed to Him.  Thus we must never seek to preserve our earthly life by avoiding suffering for the truth and virtue.  We are servants of Christ, so we joyfully enjoy tribulation for His sake.  In so doing, we shall find ourselves where Christ is.  By this I do not mean that we shall attain His divine rank and dignity, but that we shall win such heavenly honors as befit men.  He is God by nature; we are gods only by adoption and grace.