Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.
All Commentaries on John 12:24 Go To John 12
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat, &c. Christ teaches us that His glorification would come to Him through the death of the Cross, lest the Apostles and the faithful should be offended at it. Hear S. Augustine (in loc.), "Jesus by this meant Himself. For He was the grain of wheat which had to die, and be multiplied; to die through the unbelief of the Jews, to be multiplied by the faith of all people." This means, that as a grain of wheat thrown into the ground does not germinate except it die, but if it die it germinates and brings forth much fruit; Song of Solomon , in like manner, I must needs die, that by the merits and through the example of my death, I may bring forth many eminent and striking fruits of virtue and faith: I mean the many thousands of Martyrs, Virgins, Doctors, and Confessors, all over the world in the present and future ages. This also comes to pass in the death of Martyrs, when one dies, and many spring up in his place, and embrace the faith of Christ. The Church reads this passage on the Feast of S. Lawrence, and other Martyrs. Tertullian truly says (in fin. Apol.), "The Blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church," and adds, "Torture us, rack us, condemn us, crush us: your iniquity is the proof of our innocence." And again, "The more exquisite your cruelty, the more does it attract to our sect; we increase in number the oftener you mow us down." S. Gregory (Dialog. lib. iii. cap39) gives a remarkable instance in S. Hermengild. He was killed by his father Leovigild, an Arian king, and thus won the king himself and his brother Recared, and the whole nation of the Visigoths, to the orthodox faith. "One, then," says S. Gregory, "died in that nation, that many might live; and while one grain fell to the ground in faith, to win the faith of souls, an abundant harvest sprang up."
Anagogically. Bede says, "Jesus was sown of the seed of the Patriarchs, on the field of this world, that Isaiah , He was incarnate: He died Himself alone, He arose in company with many." Hear S. Bernard (Serm. xv. in Cant.), "Let the grain die; let the harvest of the Gentiles spring up. It was needful that Christ should suffer, and rise from the dead, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name, not to Judea only, but to all nations; to the end that from that one Name of Christ thousands of thousands should be called Christians, and say "Thy Name is as ointment poured forth."" (Song i3).
