Jesus answered,
Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world.
All Commentaries on John 11:9 Go To John 11
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? Lyra and those who follow him expound thus, as if it were "As the twelve hours change through the day, and the breezes change with them, so the minds of the Jews may easily be changed, that those who before hated Me may now love and receive Me!"
Secondly, S. Augustine, Bede, and Rupertus: "As the twelve hours follow the day, that Isaiah , the course of the sun, so that they succeed each other in turn, so it is your duty to follow Me; for I am as it were your sun and day, but ye accompany Me as the twelve hours." And the Gloss: "Christ calls Himself the day, in which they ought to walk, that they may not stumble, and without whom if they walk they stumble; as the disciples just now did in being unwilling that He should die, who came to die for men; but them He calls hours, because these follow the day."
Thirdly, S. Cyril, as if: "Some hours of My day, that Isaiah , of My life, shall remain, in which it behoves Me to preach and to benefit the Jews: the night will come, that Isaiah , My Passion and Death; because of which I shall encompass them in the shades of slaughter and calamity: for night is the symbol of wrath and calamities."
Fourthly and rightly: Certain and fixed is the period of day, that Isaiah , of twelve hours, within which any one may walk without stumbling, because he has the light by which he sees and avoids obstacles: so and with equal certainty the time of My life is fixed by God the Father, in which I have to live and do the works which I have been sent to perform. This therefore I call the day; and in this I have no danger to fear from the Jews for Myself or for you, nor can I be slain before the time foreordained for Me by My Father; that Isaiah , before the setting and night of My life shall come.
If any man walk, &c.
