“Before the feast of the Passover,” it saith, “Jesus knowing that His hour was come.” Not then “knowing,” but (it means) that He did what He did having “known” long ago. “That He should depart.” Magnificently the Evangelist calleth His death, “departure.” “Having loved His own, He loved them unto the end.” Seest thou how when about to leave them He showeth greater love? For the, “having loved, He loved them unto the end,” showeth that he omitted nothing of the things which it was likely that one who earnestly loved would do. Why, then did He not this from the beginning? He worketh the greatest things last, so as to render more intense their attachment, and to lay up for them beforehand much comfort, against the terrible things that were about to fall on them. St. John calls them “His own,” in respect of personal attachment, since he calls others also “His own,” in respect of the work of creation; as when he saith, “His own received Him not.” ( c. i. 11.) But what meaneth, “which were in the world”? Because the dead also were “His own,” Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the men of that sort, but they were not in the world. Seest thou that He is the God both of the Old and New (Testament)? But what meaneth, “He loved them unto the end”? It stands for, “He continued loving them unceasingly,” and this the Evangelist mentions as a sure proof of great affection. Elsewhere indeed He spake of another (proof), the laying down life for His friends; but that had not yet come to pass. And wherefore did He this thing “now”? Because it was far more wonderful at a time when He appeared more glorious in the sight of all men. Besides, He left them no small consolation now that He was about to depart, for since they were going to be greatly grieved, He by these means introduceth also comfort to the grief.