Sanctification and the Distinction of the World

He has sanctified all things both divinely and carnally. Therefore, he is glorified not only in those currently possessed under his kingdom, but also in those who remained from the beginning under the kingdom; for this is the 'let your will be done on earth as in heaven' (Matt 6:10). Such also is that which is said by the angels: 'glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men of good will' (Luke 2:14). Because of this, the Son of God came through a body, in order to extend the glory that is in heaven onto the earth, and to be glorified not only in the holy ones according to heaven, but also in those being sanctified according to the earth.

Clearly in this he divides that which is according to nature and that which is according to likeness (John 17:16); for he says that he himself is not from the world, and likewise the disciples are not from the world. It is evident, however, that Christ indeed was not from the world according to truth, until he had descended from heaven, but the apostles, according to the likeness, have descended from the world after having become like Christ. He says, moreover, that they have become men who are strangers, because of the virtue which is above man, and that they are appropriately hated by those thinking the opposite. They indeed now have with me, through the intimacy toward me, the estrangement toward the world, and no longer are bound to it. But they are anxious for the confirmation in this good thing, lest they be harmed by the evil malice of the devil and be estranged again from this divine intimacy.

Let the good be in them truly and the sanctification be real (John 17:17), lest, 'beginning in spirit, in flesh,' they should ever be accomplished, or even live according to carnal irrationality, but according to the virtue of this word, in which is again true virtue.

Much there is in this of inequality (John 17:18); for he says that he sends the disciples just as he himself is sent from the Father. There is no equality between the presence from heaven into the earth and the mission of the disciples occurring in the earth; for they are not sent as teachers by nature just as the Lord is, but having received the teaching power and wisdom, and thus through imitation, the good enters into the world, and that which was sent from heaven from the Father passes through all via the disciples sent by him.

One must pay attention to John presenting the history concerning the distress and grief of the Lord (John 18:1), which the others do not omit. But, as I have said, his writing leans more toward the manifestation of divinity, since the humanity was sufficiently foreknown; he speaks of human things more from an attack, but the proofs of divinity are clearer because of the folly.

It also seems there was a forgiveness from the Lord regarding their use of the sword then. For Luke recorded this as the Savior manifesting the impending war by saying, 'let someone sell his garment and buy a sword' (Luke 22:36), while the disciples said, 'look, two swords are here' (Luke 22:38), to which he replied, 'it is enough' (Luke 22:38). This was not a mindless thing being forgiven by the Lord, who commanded not to resist 'the evil one,' but also for the sake of what was said, so that he might show by deed what he had foretold by word, and since they were using the righteous sword, he stood and prevented them, so that they would no longer use it; as he himself, having said these things, recorded that after saying this, the Lord said, 'let it be until this,' and this 'until' has a limit and a prohibition of the use of the sword according to the law. And Luke adds to the history, 'and having touched the ear, he healed him' (Luke 22:51), which was the most manifest work toward harming no human being. But it should not be unknown that regarding such things there is also something mystical.

The cutting off of the high priest's servant's right ear should be considered by anyone as a sign of the deafness imposed upon them and of their inability to hear. For 'paralysis has come upon Israel' and 'hearing and not hearing' because of the impiety against the Savior, which was most present in the high priests. Therefore, the symbol of the removal of the ear was concerning a servant of the high priest.

And this too must be added to Luke's history, so that one might say that the restoration of the ear signifies the later restoration of the understanding of Israel, which is now removed, when they shall understand Him whom they ignored and may perhaps hear the preaching of Elijah; for the heart of the fathers shall be restored to the sons according to Malachi (Malachi 4:6). And those second ones shall be joined to us, being former according to time and...