Tractates on the Gospel of John 55–111

Tractate 62

TRACTATE 62 On John 13.26–31 know, dearest people, that some can be distressed , whether they are godly, and so ask about it, or they are ungodly, and so find fault with it, that after the Lord dipped the bread and gave it to his betrayer, Satan entered into him. For so its has been written: “And when he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon; and after the bread, then Satan entered into him.” For they say, “Did the bread of Christ, proffered from the table of Christ, so deserve this, that after it Satan entered into his disciple?” (2) To these we answer that we are taught from this rather how one must beware of receiving evilly a good thing. For it makes much difference, not what he receives, but who receives it, not what sort of thing it is that is given, but of what sort is he to whom it is given. For good things hinder and bad things benefit, depending on those to whom they are given. “Sin,” says the Apostle, “in order to be seen clearly as sin, worked death for me through what was good.”1 Look, evil has been done through good when the good is taken in an evil way. Likewise he says, “In the greatness of my revelations , in order that I may not be exalted, a thorn for my flesh has been given me, an angel of Satan to buffet me. Concerning this three times I begged the Lord that he take it from me. And he said to me: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power reaches perfection in weakness.’”2 Look, through evil, good has been done when the evil is taken in a good way. 1. Rom 7.13. 2. 2 Cor 12.7–9. 37 (3) Why, then, do you wonder if there was given to Judas the bread of Christ, by which he is subjected to the devil, since you see on the opposite side there was given to Paul an angel of the devil by whom he was perfected in Christ? Thus the good was a hindrance to the evil and the evil benefitted the good. Remember, about this it has been written: “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily , will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”3 And the discussion, when the Apostle said this, was about those men who were taking the Lord’s body like any other food indiscriminately and carelessly. Therefore, if this one, who does not exercise judgment, that is, does not distinguish the Lord’s body from other foods, is reproached, in what way is he condemned, who at his table, pretending to be a friend, approaches while an enemy? If the negligence of the one feasting is touched with reprimand, with what punishment is the seller of his host struck? But what was the bread given to the traitor except a manifestation of that grace for which he had been ungrateful? 2. After this bread, then Satan entered into the Lord’s betrayer in order that, after he was delivered over to him, he might possess more fully him into whom he had already entered in order to deceive. For neither was he not in him when he went to the Jews and agreed on a price for betraying the Lord, since the Evangelist Luke most openly testifies to these things and says, “But Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve; and he went away and spoke with the chief priests.”4 See where it is shown that Satan had now entered into Judas. Therefore, he had first entered by introducing into his heart the thought by which he might betray Christ; for already such a man had he come to dine. But now, after the bread, he entered into him not to tempt one who was still another’s, but to take possession of one who was his own. 3. Now however, as some who read carelessly think, did Judas then receive Christ’s body. For it must be understood ST. AUGUSTINE 38 3. 1 Cor 11.27. 4. Lk 22.3–4. that the Lord had already distributed the Sacrament of his body and blood to all of them when Judas himself also was there, as the holy Luke...