Fathers of the Church
They will put you out of the synagogues . . .
Augustine, Tr, 93, 2 continued: But what harm was it that the Apostles should be put out of the Synagogues of the Jews; for were they not about to cut themselves off from them even if no one should put them out of them? But by this He wished to warn them that the Jews would not receive Christ, Whom they themselves would not abandon. For as there was no other people of God than this seed of Abraham, if they should acknowledge Christ, we should not have here the Churches of Christ, there the Synagogues of the Jews. But since they would not, what is left but that continuing apart from Christ they should put out of the Synagogues those who would not abandon Christ?
And then, after He had said this to them, He added: Yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God. These words He added as though to console those who would be driven out from the Synagogues. Would it be that this sundering from the Synagogues would so trouble them that they would prefer to die rather than linger on in this life outside the congregations of the Jews? Be it far from us to think they should be so troubled who sought, not the glory of men, but the glory of God. This then is the meaning of the words, They will put you out of the Synagogues: Have no fear of this isolation. Though cut off from their congregations, you shall bring together so many in My Name, that they, in fear lest the Temple and the mysteries of the Old Law be forsaken, shall kill you, and think that in doing so they render a service to God; having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (Rom. x. 2).
Chrysostom: Then He added for their consolation:
And these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor me ...
As if to say: For your consolation it is enough that you suffer these things for My Father and Me.
Augustine, Tr. 93: Lest however these evils, which were however speedily to pass away, should come of a sudden upon souls which were unaware and unprepared, He for this reason foretells them when He goes on to say:
But these things I have told you, that when the hour cometh . . .
Augustine, Tr. 94 in John: But the other three Evangelists show that He foretold these things before the time of the Supper; whereas, according to John, it was when this was over that He spoke of them. Perhaps the question is answered in this way: that they also relate that He was close to His Passion when He spoke of these things. Not, therefore, from the beginning, when He was with them. But Matthew records that these things were foretold, not alone on the eve of the Passion, but from the beginning (Mt. x. 17).
.........But now that He was about to leave them, it was necessary that He should tell them that He was to come by Whose means it would be that charity would be poured out into their hearts, and they would with confidence preach the Word of God.
They will put you out of the synagogues . . .
Augustine, Tr, 93, 2 continued: But what harm was it that the Apostles should be put out of the Synagogues of the Jews; for were they not about to cut themselves off from them even if no one should put them out of them? But by this He wished to warn them that the Jews would not receive Christ, Whom they themselves would not abandon. For as there was no other people of God than this seed of Abraham, if they should acknowledge Christ, we should not have here the Churches of Christ, there the Synagogues of the Jews. But since they would not, what is left but that continuing apart from Christ they should put out of the Synagogues those who would not abandon Christ?
And then, after He had said this to them, He added: Yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God. These words He added as though to console those who would be driven out from the Synagogues. Would it be that this sundering from the Synagogues would so trouble them that they would prefer to die rather than linger on in this life outside the congregations of the Jews? Be it far from us to think they should be so troubled who sought, not the glory of men, but the glory of God. This then is the meaning of the words, They will put you out of the Synagogues: Have no fear of this isolation. Though cut off from their congregations, you shall bring together so many in My Name, that they, in fear lest the Temple and the mysteries of the Old Law be forsaken, shall kill you, and think that in doing so they render a service to God; having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (Rom. x. 2).
Chrysostom: Then He added for their consolation:
And these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor me ...
As if to say: For your consolation it is enough that you suffer these things for My Father and Me.
Augustine, Tr. 93: Lest however these evils, which were however speedily to pass away, should come of a sudden upon souls which were unaware and unprepared, He for this reason foretells them when He goes on to say:
But these things I have told you, that when the hour cometh . . .
Augustine, Tr. 94 in John: But the other three Evangelists show that He foretold these things before the time of the Supper; whereas, according to John, it was when this was over that He spoke of them. Perhaps the question is answered in this way: that they also relate that He was close to His Passion when He spoke of these things. Not, therefore, from the beginning, when He was with them. But Matthew records that these things were foretold, not alone on the eve of the Passion, but from the beginning (Mt. x. 17).
.........But now that He was about to leave them, it was necessary that He should tell them that He was to come by Whose means it would be that charity would be poured out into their hearts, and they would with confidence preach the Word of God.
