The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. John
Tropologically. The mind of a penitent sinner, and also the mind of a righteous man, when thinking on martyrdom, entrance into “ religion,” or any other difficult and heroic work, is like a woman in her pangs, because he strives with great pain and labour to bring His conversion, martyrdom, or entrance into religion, to the birth. Read S. Augustine (Conf. viii. 8), where he records with what great effort he brought to the birth his purpose of a new life. As Isaiah says (chap. xxvi. 17.) But yet this travailing causes great joy. But the ungodly in like manner bring their evil deeds to the birth with great labour and pain, which turns into the torments of hell at last. See Isaiah lix. 4 ; Ps. vii. 14 ; Wisd. v. 7, and elsewhere.
Again, a preacher, a confessor, or any one else who strives to win souls to God, does it with great travail. Whence S. Gregory (Moral. xxx. 9) compares such an one to a labouring hind, which with great difficulty brings forth her young, and bellows through pain. Explaining Job xxxix. 1. Few persons think what labour is displayed in the preaching of the Fathers. With what pangs, with what efforts in faith and conversation, do they bring forth souls. How do they look round with careful observation, so as to be bold in their directions, compassionate in infirmities, gentle in their exhortations, humble in displaying authority, resolute in contempt of earthly things, unbending in enduring hardships, and yet weak in not ascribing their strength to themselves. How pained for those that fall, how anxious for those that still stand, with what fervour they strive to attain to more, with what fear to keep fast what they have already attained to.
And your joy no man will take from you . “ Because Christ, who dieth no more, is their joy” ( Gloss Inter.) And that will be more true in heaven. Hence S. Augustine (in loc.) “Nor will any end suffice, save that of which there is no end.”
Ver. 23. — And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. The word ἐρωτήσετε signifies either, ye will ask Me no questions , or ye will ask Me for nothing, make no request
1. S. Cyril explains it in the first sense : “ There will be no need to ask Me anything, when I have risen and sent the Holy Spirit. For I by my rising, and He by His coming, will teach you all things which concern your office. They had in their ignorance asked Him many things : ‘ Whither goest Thou ?’ ‘ How can we know the way ?’ ‘ Show us the Father.’ ‘ Why dost Thou manifest Thyself to us, and not unto the world ?’ see chap. xiv. 5, 8, 22. And here too as to the meaning of the words ‘ a little while.’ He fittingly replies, the Holy Spirit will so enlighten you, that ye will have no need to ask questions, as ye did before.” So also Euthymius.
2. S. Chrysostom (Hom. 78), Theophylact, Ribera, and others explain it thus, “ After My Resurrection ye will have no need to pray to Me, ye will have only to ask the Father in My name. This is supported by what next follows.” (3.) S. Augustine combines both these explanations, and refers to the day of heavenly glory. “ He was asked by the disciples,” he says, “when He would restore the kingdom to Israel. He was asked by S. Stephen to receive his spirit. I therefore think that what He here says must be referred to the time when we shall see Him as He is, when nothing will remain to be desired, no secret will have to be inquired about.”
Verily , Verily, I say unto you (I most surely promise you; S. Augustine says, “ I swear,” regarding the words as an oath), whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name , He will give it you . This is a fresh consolation of the Apostles, a fresh instruction given by Christ that they should use His aid, though absent, to obtain all that they needed from the Father, viz., by asking in His Name. Be not distressed at My absence. For I solemnly promise that the Father will give whatever ye ask in My Name. Ye used to ask everything from Me. I am going away, and I put the Father in My place. What ye used to ask of Me, ask now of the Father. He will as readily, as lovingly, and as fully, hear and understand you as I used to do.
And object not to the absence or the distance, the Father being in heaven, and you on earth. For the Father is on earth also (since He is everywhere). Nay, He is within you, in your mind and soul, and that not merely by His essence, presence, and power, but also by His Grace. For your soul is His abode and temple, in which He desires to be praised, worshipped, and invoked by you. Therefore invoke Him there as most familiarly and intimately present, and He will hear you then.
Each word is emphatical. (1.) I promise you, because ye are My intimates, My disciples and Apostles, whom I specially love, that I will have a special care of you, and provide for you in everything. And this is said through the Apostles to the faithful in every age, as represented by them. (2.) Whatsoever , that is, which is profitable for you, and for the honour of God. “ Something which is something, and not a mere nothing,” (Gloss Inter.) And as S. Augustine says (in loc.), “something, which is not ‘nothing’ in comparison with the Blessed Life.” He therefore who asks for anything unlawful or hurtful is not heard. And though we may ask for things temporal, as health, wealth, &c., yet ye ought to ask them for a good purpose, that we may the more please God, and perform more good works. (3.) We should ask in a proper manner : that is, humbly, reverently, confidently, ardently, perseveringly. (4.) The Father , as sons asking a father, for He loves you supremely with fatherly affection. 5. “In My Name” by Me and My merits, not your own. 6. “He will give it you” surely and certainly, if ye ask aright.
In My Name. Plead this with the Father, and it will obtain everything. “He sets forth the virtue of His Name” (says S. Chrysostom), “ for when He is merely ‘ named ’ before the Father, He worketh marvellous things. Think not that ye will be left; My Name will give you full confidence.”
But what is it to ask in the Name of Christ ? S. Gregory (Hom. xxvii.) tells us “Jesus is the Name of the Son. It means Saviour. He therefore asks in the Name of the Saviour, who asks that which pertains to real salvation, for if that is asked which is not expedient, it is not asked in Christ’s Name. The Lord therefore says to the Apostles, who were still weak in the faith, “ Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name, because ye know not how to seek for eternal salvation. And hence it is that S. Paul was not heard, because if he had been freed from temptation it would not have profited him ” (2 Cor. xii.) And further on, “Weigh well your petitions ; see if ye ask in the Name of Jesus. For ye seek not Jesus, in the house of Jesus, if in the temple of eternity ye pray importunately for temporal things ; for a wife, a house, clothing, or food.” And S. Augustine : “ A thing is not asked in the Name of the Saviour, if it be asked contrary to the purpose of salvation ; and he who thinks of Christ what he ought not to think of the only Son of God, does not ask in His Name. But he who asks as he ought receives when he ought to receive. For some things are not denied but deferred, in order that they may be given at a fitting time.” So Bede, Rupert, and S. Thomas. All this is quite true, not literally but symbolically.
2d. S. Cyril, and after him Jansenius, say more literally, “He speaks in My Name who so speaks that Christ may manifest Himself as the Mediator, and, together with the Father, the Giver of grace. For as God He and the Father together confer gifts upon us, but as Mediator He presents our prayers to the Father, for He gives us boldness and confidence to approach the Father.”
3d. Euthymius says “In My name” means as My people, as Christians.
4th. The genuine meaning is given by S. Chrysostom, Theophylact , Toletus, and others, who say, “To ask in the Name of Christ is to ask through the merits of Christ. For He, by His death, merited for us that we should obtain whatever we ask of God. This with respect to us is grace, with respect to Christ is but justice. His name signifies in Scripture His strength, virtue, merits, grace, dignity, and authority. To ask in the Name of Christ, is in asking to allege His merits, and to trust in them, not in our own ; that God may thus look, not on our unworthiness and our sins, but upon the face of His Anointed, and for His holiness and merits grant us that which we do not deserve. Christ therefore points here not merely to God, but to God Incarnate, and obedient as far as unto the death of the Cross. For He merited for us, that the Father should hear our prayers. And thus the Church ends all her prayers ‘ through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ” The Jews, in like manner, used to pray through the merits of Abraham, &c. We through the merits of Christ, which infinitely surpass theirs.
Fifthly, Ribera explains thus, “ Ask as sent by Me, as though I through you ask this of the Father. Ask not as though it were to be given to you, but to Me, as a king makes request to the Pontiff through his legate, and as the brethren of Joseph prayed him for their father's sake to forgive their iniquity, as though He had taken it upon himself, and demanded that it should be forgiven. In like manner Christ confers on us His merits, the authority and grace which He has with the Father, that we may ask the Father through them.”