John 14:28

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holdencaulfield

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Could someone explain this verse to me.

“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)
 
JK, I just figured it out. He was referring to His humanity, not His Divinity.
 
You are on the right path. St. Thomas Aquinas said this,
Thus when he says, the Father is greater than I, he does not mean I, as Son of God, but as Son of man, for in this way he is not only inferior to the Father and the Holy Spirit, but even to the angels: “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels” [Heb 2:9]. Again, in some things he was subject to human beings, as his parents (Lk 2:51). Consequently, he is inferior to the Father because of his human nature, but equal because of his divine nature: “He did not think it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” [Phil 2:6].
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But as Thomas points out what St. Hilary said, it can be understood as,
One could also say, as Hilary does, that even according to the divine nature the Father is greater than the Son, yet the Son is not inferior to the Father, but equal.[52] For the Father is not greater than the Son in power, eternity and greatness, but by the dignity of a grantor or source. For the Father receives nothing from another, but the Son, if I can put it this way, receives his nature from the Father by an eternal generation. So, the Father is greater because he gives; but the Son is not inferior, but equal, because he receives all that the Father has: “God has bestowed on him the name which is above every name” (Phil 2:9). For the one to whom a single act of existence (esse) is given, is not inferior to the giver.
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St. John Chrysostom sees another possible meaning, saying,
Chrysostom explains this by saying that our Lord is saying this by taking into account the opinions of the apostles, who did not yet know of the resurrection or think that he was equal to the Father.[53] And so he said to them: even if you do not believe me on the ground that I cannot help myself, or expect that I will see you again after my cross, yet believe me because I go to the Father, who is greater than I.
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what is the reference for that St. Hillary quote.
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thanks.
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From St. Thomas Aquinas in his commentary on the Gospel of John. Not his catena, but his commentary. All that I quoted was straight from the commentary.
 
paraphasing from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible:

The Father alone posses divine Paternity and has the distinction of being entirely without origin. While the Jesus and the Holy spirit are begotten and proceed from the Father.

That doesn’t mean that any of the Divine persons exceeds the others in greatness or glory in the Trinity. Because they are the eternal, it’s more of a relational hierarchy.

Peace,

Ryan 🙂
 
MH84 said:
How do you know that? Jesus didnt give this suggestion did He?
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I’m just saying that makes sense. Christ made himself weaker than the angels. However we know that the Son is equal to the Father.
 
ryanoneil said:
paraphasing from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible:

The Father alone posses divine Paternity and has the distinction of being entirely without origin. While the Jesus and the Holy spirit are begotten and proceed from the Father.

That doesn’t mean that any of the Divine persons exceeds the others in greatness or glory in the Trinity. Because they are the eternal, it’s more of a relational hierarchy.

Peace,

Ryan 🙂
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yes.
 
It seems that God the Father, remaining in Heaven, had the greater position. Jesus humbled Himself willfully, allowing Himself to become flesh.

I think of “greater” being in terms of position and circumstance, though only God knows the answer for certain.
 
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