Tractates on the Gospel of John 55–111

Tractate 102

TRACTATE 102 On John 16.23–28 ow, these words of the Lord must be expounded: “Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you.” It has already been said in the earlier parts of this discourse of the Lord, in regard to those who ask for some things from the Father in Christ’s name and do not receive [them], that whatever is asked for contrary to the essential character of the faith is not asked for in the name of the Savior.1 For, not the sound of the letters and the syllables, but what the sound itself signifies and what is rightly and truly understood by that sound, this must be taken as the meaning of what he says when he says, “in my name.” Consequently, he who entertains that opinion of Christ which ought not to be entertained about the only Son of God does not ask in his name even if he does not leave Christ unspoken in letters and syllables ; for he asks in the name of him of whom he is thinking when he asks. But he who entertains the opinion that ought to be entertained about him, this man asks in his name, and he receives what he asks for if he does not ask contrary to his eternal salvation. Moreover he receives when he ought to receive . For certain things are not denied but are put off that they may be given at the appropriate time. (2) In such a way, surely, his words, “He will give to you,” must be understood, so that the benefits signified by these words are perceived as such as properly pertain to those who are asking. For indeed, the saints are favorably heard for [themselves, but are not favorably heard for] all, either of 241 1. See Tractate 73 On Jn 14.13–14. their friends or enemies or of anyone else; for it was not said unqualifiedly “will give” but “will give to you.” 2. “Until now,” he says, “you have not asked anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” That which he calls full joy assuredly is not carnal, but spiritual joy, and when it will be so great that no longer is there anything to be added to it, without doubt then it will be full. Therefore, whatever is asked for of such a sort as pertains to attaining their joy, this is to be asked for in the name of Christ, if we understand divine grace, if we request the truly blessed life. But if anything else is asked for, no matter what, nothing is asked for, not because it is altogether not a thing, but because in comparison with so great a thing, whatever else is desired is nothing. For a human being is not absolutely no thing, and yet the Apostle says about him “who thinks himself to be something, whereas he is nothing.”2 For indeed in comparison with the spiritual man who knows by the grace of God that he is what he is,3 anyone who engages in vain presumption is nothing. Therefore , “Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you,” can also rightly be understood in such a way that these words “if anything” are understood not as whatever pleases but as anything which, in comparison with the blessed life, is not in reality nothing. (2) And what follows, “Until now you have not asked anything in my name,” can be understood in two ways: either that you have not asked in my name because you have not come to know the name as it ought to be known, or you have not asked for anything since in comparison with the thing that you ought to have asked for what you did ask for is to be considered as nothing. Therefore, in order that in his name they may ask, not for nothing, but for full joy (since if they ask for anything else, it is the same as nothing ), he encourages them, saying, “Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full,” that is, ask this in my name, ST. AUGUSTINE 242 2. Gal 6.3. 3. Cf. 1 Cor 15.10. namely, that your joy may...