Commentary on the Gospel of John

After the Evangelist has treated of the origin of Christ's teaching, here he consequently treats of its power. Now the teaching of Christ has an illuminative power and a life-giving power, because his words are spirit and life. Therefore he first treats of the illuminative power of Christ's teaching; secondly of its life-giving power, below in chapter 10: "Amen, amen, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, that man is a thief and a robber." He shows the illuminative power of Christ's teaching, first by word; secondly by miracle, where it says: "And Jesus passing by saw a man blind from birth." Concerning the first he does two things. First he introduces Christ teaching; secondly he sets forth the power of Christ's teaching, where it says: "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them." Now two things pertain to the office of teacher: first, that he instruct the devout; secondly, that he repel adversaries. So first Christ instructs the devout people; secondly he repels adversaries, where it says: "And the Scribes bring," and so on.

Concerning the first he does three things. First the place of the teaching is described; secondly the hearer; thirdly the teacher. Now the place of the teaching is the temple. Hence he first sets down a withdrawal from it; secondly a return. The withdrawal, indeed, when it says: "But Jesus went unto Mount Olivet." For the Lord had made this his custom, that during the day, when he was at Jerusalem on the feast days, he would preach in the temple and work signs and miracles, and in the evening he would return to Bethany, and he lodged with Lazarus's sisters, Mary and Martha, which was on the Mount of Olives. According to this custom, then, he says that when on the last day of the great feast Jesus had stood in the temple and preached, in the evening he went to Mount Olivet, where Bethany was. And this fits the mystery: for, as Augustine says, where was it fitting for Christ to teach and to manifest his mercy, if not on the Mount of Olives, the mount of anointing and of chrism? Now the olive signifies mercy: hence also in Greek "oleos" is the same as mercy. In Luke 10:34 it is said of the Samaritan that he poured in oil and wine, according to mercy and the severity of judgment. Likewise oil is healing; Isaiah 1:6: "the wound and the bruise and the swelling sore is not bound up, nor dressed with oil." It also signifies the spiritual medicine of grace, which has been derived to us. Psalm 44:8: "God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." And elsewhere: "like the ointment on the head which runs down upon the beard." Now the return to the place is set as timely; hence it says: "And early in the morning he came again into the temple." By which it is signified that he was about to manifest the knowledge and manifestation of his grace in his temple, that is, to his faithful ones; Psalm 47:10: "We have received, O God, thy mercy, in the midst of thy temple." And that he returned at daybreak designates the rising of the light of new grace; Hosea 6:3: "his going forth is prepared as the morning light."

Now the hearer of the teaching is the devout people; and therefore it says: "And all the people came to him"; Psalm 7:8: "the congregation of peoples shall surround thee." Now the teacher is introduced sitting; hence it says: "and sitting," that is, condescending, so that his teaching might be more easily grasped. For sitting signifies the humility of the incarnation; Psalm 138:1: "thou hast known my sitting down and my rising up." For because, appearing visible through the humanity he had taken on, they began to be more easily instructed about divine things; and therefore it says that "sitting he taught them," that is, the simple, and admiring his discourse; Psalm 24:9: "he will teach the meek his ways, and guide the mild in judgment"; Isaiah 2:3: "he will teach us his ways."

Consequently, when it says: "And the Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery," he repels adversaries, and first the temptation of calumny is set forth; secondly the repulsion of the calumniators, where it says: "But Jesus, bending himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground." Concerning the first he does three things. First the occasion of the temptation is set down; secondly the temptation itself is described, where it says: "They said to him: Master, this woman was just now taken in adultery"; thirdly the intention of the tempters, where it says: "And this they said tempting him." Now the occasion of the temptation is set as the adultery committed by the woman: and therefore first they aggravate the guilt; secondly they present the sinning person.

He says therefore, as to the first: "And the Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery." For, as Augustine says, three things were preeminent in Christ: namely truth, meekness, and justice. Of him indeed it had been foretold: "proceed and reign, because of truth and meekness and justice." For he brought truth as teacher, and this the Pharisees and Scribes had perceived while he taught. Below, in the same: "if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me?" For they could find no falsehood in his words and teaching; and therefore they had ceased to calumniate him about this. He brought meekness, however, as liberator; and this they came to know while he was not moved against enemies and persecutors; 1 Peter 2:23: "when he was reviled, he did not revile." Hence he said, Matthew 11:29: "learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart." And therefore they did not calumniate him about this either. But he brought justice as judge, and this because it was not yet known to the Jews, especially in judgments: therefore they set a scandal in this matter, wishing to know whether he would depart from justice for the sake of mercy. And therefore they propose to him a crime that was well known and worthy of confusion, namely adultery; Ecclesiasticus 9:10: "every harlot woman shall be trodden upon as dung in the way." Consequently they present the sinning person, so as to move him the more. Hence they also "placed her in the midst"; Ecclesiasticus 23:34: "she shall be brought into the midst, and among the sons of God," and so on.

Consequently, when it says: "And they said to him: Master, this woman was just now taken in adultery," they carry forward the temptation itself, and first they manifest the guilt; secondly they allege the justice of the law; thirdly they ask for the sentence. They manifest the guilt, indeed, when they say: "this woman was just now taken in adultery": and they exaggerate this guilt by three things, which ought to have moved Christ from his meekness. First from the novelty of the fault; hence they say "just now": for when it is old, it does not move so much, because perhaps a correction has already preceded. Secondly from its evidentness; hence they say "was taken," so that she cannot excuse herself, which is the custom of women, according to Proverbs 30:20: "she wipes her mouth, and says: I have done no evil." Thirdly from the enormity of the fault; hence they say "in adultery," which is a grave crime and the cause of many evils; Ecclesiasticus 9: "every woman who commits adultery shall sin, first of all against the law of her God". They allege the justice of the law when they say: "now in the law," namely Leviticus and Deuteronomy 22, "Moses commanded such to be stoned." Now they ask for the sentence when they add: "what therefore do you say?" This question is calumnious; as if they said: if he should judge that she be let go, he will not hold to justice. But far be it that he who had come to seek and to save what was lost should condemn her; above, chapter 3:17: "for God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him." Moreover the law could not command what was unjust. And therefore he does not say "let her be absolved," lest he seem to act against the law. And therefore consequently is added the perverse intention of the tempters, when it says: "And this they said tempting him." For they believed that Christ, lest he lose his meekness, would say that she ought to be let go; and thus they would accuse him as a transgressor of the law. 1 Corinthians 10:9: "nor may you tempt Christ, as they tempted."

Consequently, when it says: "But Jesus, bending himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground," he repels the adversaries by his wisdom. For the Pharisees tempted him on two counts: namely on justice and on mercy. And he preserved both in responding, and therefore first he shows how he preserved justice; secondly that he did not depart from mercy, where it says: "And Jesus, raising himself up, said to her," and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. First he proposes the sentence of justice; secondly is added the effect of the sentence, where it says: "But hearing this, they went out one by one." Concerning the first he does three things. First he describes the sentence; secondly he pronounces it; thirdly he perseveres again in writing the sentence.

Now he describes the sentence on the ground with his finger; hence it says: "But Jesus, bending himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground." According to some, he was writing that which is said in Jeremiah 22:29: "O earth, earth, hear... write the just man barren." But according to others, and better, it is said that he wrote the same words that he uttered, namely: "he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Neither, however, is certain. But he was writing on the ground for a threefold reason. One, indeed, according to Augustine, so as to show that those who were tempting him were to be inscribed on the earth; Jeremiah 17:13: "O Lord, they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth." But the just, and the disciples who follow him, are written in heaven; Luke 10:20: "rejoice and exult, because your names are written in heaven." Likewise, so as to show that he was working signs on earth: for he who writes, makes signs. To write on the ground, therefore, is to make signs: and therefore it says that "he bent himself down," namely through the mystery of the incarnation, from which, in the flesh he had assumed, he worked miracles. Thirdly, because the old law had been written on tablets of stone, as is found in Exodus 31 and 2 Corinthians 3. By which its harshness is signified: because whoever made void the law of Moses was put to death without any mercy, as is said in Hebrews 10:28. But the earth is soft. Therefore, so as to signify the sweetness and softness of the new law handed down through him, he wrote on the ground.

From this we ought to note three things in sentences. First, kindness in condescending toward those to be punished; hence he says "bending himself down"; James 2:13: "judgment without mercy to him that has not done mercy"; Galatians, last chapter, 1: "if a man be overtaken in any fault, you who are spiritual instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness." Secondly, discretion in discerning; hence he says "he wrote with his finger," which, because of its flexibility, signifies discretion; Daniel 5:5: "there appeared fingers, as it were of the hand of a man writing, over against the candlestick." Thirdly, certainty in pronouncing; hence he says "he wrote."

Now he brings forth the sentence at their insistence; hence it says: "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." For the Pharisees were transgressors of the law, yet they strove to accuse Christ of transgression of the law, and to condemn the woman: and therefore Christ proposes the sentence of justice, saying "he that is without sin among you," as if he were saying: let the sinning woman be punished, but not by sinners: let the law be fulfilled, but not by transgressors of the law, because, as is said in Romans 2:1: "for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself." Either, therefore, let her go, or with her undergo the penalty of the law.

Here arises the question whether a judge existing in sin sins by passing sentence against another who exists in the same sin. And although it is manifest that a judge, if publicly existing in sin, passes sentence, sins by scandalizing; nevertheless this same thing seems true even if he be in occult sin. For Romans 2:1: "in what thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself." Now it is agreed that no one condemns himself except by sinning: therefore it seems that in judging another he sins. I respond that one must use a twofold distinction here. For either the judge perseveres in the resolve to sin, or he repents of having sinned. Likewise either he punishes as a minister of the law, or of his own motion. And if indeed he repents of having sinned, the sin is no longer in him; and thus he could pass sentence without sin. But if he is in the resolve to sin: either he brings forth the sentence as a minister of the law, and thus he does not sin from the fact that he pronounces sentence, although he sins from the fact that he does such things, by reason of which he is worthy to receive a like sentence against himself; but if of his own motion, I say that in pronouncing sentence he sins, since he is not moved to this by love of justice, but from some evil root; otherwise he would first punish in himself what he notices in another; because this is said in Proverbs 18:17: "the just is first accuser of himself."

He perseveres, however, in writing, because "again bending himself down, he wrote": first indeed to show the firmness of his knowledge; Numbers 23:19: "God is not as man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed." Secondly to show that they were unworthy of his gaze. Hence, when he had struck them with zeal for justice, he did not deign to look at them, but turned his gaze away from them. Thirdly, so as to have regard for their shame, to give them free opportunity to depart. Now the effect of justice is their confusion; hence it says: "But hearing this, they went out one by one": both because they were entangled in graver sins, and their conscience gnawed at them the more; Daniel 13:5: "wickedness came out from the elder judges, who seemed to rule the people"; and also because they knew better the equity of the sentence pronounced; Jeremiah 5:5: "I will go therefore to the great men, and will speak to them; for they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God."

"And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing," that is, mercy and misery. He alone remained, however, because he alone was without sin. For, as is said in Psalm 13:1: "there is none that does good, there is not so much as one," namely Christ. And therefore perhaps the woman was terrified, and believed that she was to be punished by him. But if he alone remained, how does it say "standing in the midst"? And it must be said that the woman was standing in the midst of the disciples, and thus the word "alone" excludes strangers, not the disciples. Or "in the midst," that is, in doubt, whether she was to be absolved or condemned. Thus, then, it is clear that the Lord, in responding, preserved justice.

Consequently, when it says: "And Jesus, raising himself up, said to her," and so on, he shows that he did not depart from mercy, giving the sentence of mercy, and first he examines; secondly he absolves; thirdly he admonishes. Now he examines her concerning her accusers; hence it says that "Jesus, raising himself up," namely his face from the ground on which he was writing, turning to the woman, said to her: "woman, where are they that accused thee?" Likewise concerning condemnation; hence he asks: "has no man condemned thee?" And she answered: "no man, Lord." He absolves her, however; hence it says: "Jesus said to her: neither will I condemn thee," by whom perhaps you feared you would be condemned, because you have found no sin in me. Nor is it to be wondered at, because "God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him"; above, chapter 3:17; Ezekiel 18:32: "I will not the death of the sinner." He absolves her, however, from guilt, without imposing on her any penalty: because, since by absolving her outwardly he justified her inwardly, he could well change her so much inwardly, through sufficient contrition for her sins, that she was made immune from all penalty. Nor, however, is it to be drawn into custom that anyone, by the example of the Lord, should absolve someone without confession and the infliction of penalty; because Christ had an excellence in the sacraments, and was able to confer the effect without the sacrament, which no mere man can do. He admonishes her, however, when he says: "go, and now sin no more." For there were two things in this woman: namely nature and guilt. And the Lord could have condemned both. Nature, for instance, if he had ordered her to be stoned; and guilt, if he had not absolved her. He could also have absolved both, for instance if he had given her license to sin, saying: go, live as you wish, be secure about your liberation from me; I, however much you may sin, will free you even from Gehenna and from the tormentors of Hell. But the Lord, not loving guilt, not favoring sins, condemned the guilt itself, not the nature, saying "sin no more": so that thereby it may appear how sweet the Lord is through meekness, and upright through truth.

After the Evangelist has shown Christ teaching, he here consequently shows, first, the illuminative power of his teaching; second, he sets forth what is said concerning it, at the place, "The Pharisees therefore said to him: Thou givest testimony of thyself." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the privilege of spiritual light; second, its effect, at the place, "he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness"; third, its fruit, at the place, "but shall have the light of life." Now the privilege of spiritual light is set down with respect to Christ, who is light; and as to this he says, "Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world." This can be connected in one way to what was said immediately before. For because he had said, "Neither will I condemn thee," and so on, absolving her of the crime, therefore, lest anyone should doubt whether he himself could absolve and forgive sins, he deigns to show more openly the power of his divinity, saying that he is the light which drives away the darkness of sin. In another way it can be connected to what he said above in chapter 7:52, "Search the Scriptures, and see that a prophet doth not rise up out of Galilee." For because they reckoned him a Galilean, and as it were dependent on a particular place, they were rejecting his teaching; therefore the Lord shows that he is the universal light of the whole world, saying, "I am the light of the world," not of Galilee, nor of Palestine, nor of Judea.

The Manichees, however, as Augustine says, understood this falsely. For because their imagination was concerned only with sensible things, they were unable to extend themselves to intellectual and spiritual things; they believed that above corporeal things nothing existed in the nature of things, and hence they said that God was a body, and a certain infinite light, and they thought that this sun visible to the eyes of the flesh was the Lord Christ; and on this account they held that he himself had said, "I am the light of the world." But this cannot stand, and the Catholic Church condemns such a fiction. For this corporeal sun is a light which the sense can attain; and therefore it is not the supreme light, which the intellect alone attains, which is the intelligible light proper to the rational creature. Of this light Christ speaks here, "I am the light of the world." Of this it is said above, in 1:9, "That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world." Now this sensible light is a certain image of that intelligible light: for every sensible thing is, as it were, something particular, whereas intellectual things are, as it were, something total. Just as this particular light has an effect upon the thing seen, inasmuch as it makes colors actually visible, and also upon the one seeing, because through it the eye is strengthened to see, so that intelligible light makes the intellect knowing. For whatever light there is in the rational creature is wholly derived from that supreme light; above, 1:9, "enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world." Likewise it makes all things actually intelligible, inasmuch as all forms are derived from it, through which things have that whereby they are known, just as all the forms of artifacts are derived from the art and reason of the artisan; Psalm 103:24, "How great are thy works, O Lord! Thou hast made all things in wisdom." And therefore he rightly says, "I am the light of the world": not the sun made, but he through whom the sun was made. Yet, as Augustine says, the light which made the sun was itself made under the sun, and is covered with the cloud of flesh, not that it might be obscured, but that it might be tempered.

By this is also excluded the heresy of Nestorius, who said that the Son of God was united to man only by indwelling. For it is agreed that he who uttered these words, namely "I am the light of the world," was a man. Unless, therefore, he who was speaking and was seen to be a man were personally the Son of God, he would not have said "I am the light of the world," but rather "in me dwells the light of the world."

Now the effect of this light is to expel darkness; hence he says, "he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness." And because this light is universal, it therefore universally expels all darkness. Now darkness is threefold, namely, of ignorance; Psalm 81:5, "They have not known nor understood: they walk on in darkness." And this is a darkness of reason in itself, insofar as it is beclouded by itself. Likewise, darkness of guilt; Ephesians 5:8, "You were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord." And this is a darkness of human reason not from itself, but from appetite, inasmuch as, being ill-disposed through the passions or a habit, it desires something as good which nevertheless is not truly good. Likewise, the darkness of eternal damnation; Matthew 25:30, "And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness." But the first two are in this present life; the third belongs to the end of the way. He, therefore, who follows me, "walketh not in darkness," of ignorance, because "I am the truth"; nor of guilt, because "I am the way"; nor of eternal damnation, because "I am the life." And therefore he consequently adds the fruit of the teaching, namely, "but shall have the light of life": for he who has this light is outside the darkness of damnation.

He says, however, "he that followeth," because just as whoever does not wish to err in darkness must follow him who carries the light, so whoever wishes to be saved must follow Christ, who is the light, by believing and loving; and thus the apostles followed him, Matthew 4:20. Now because bodily light can fail through its setting, it happens that he who follows it falls into darkness. But this light, which knows no setting, never fails; and therefore he who follows it has an unfailing light, namely, of life. For visible light does not give life, but assists from without the operations of bodily life; but this light gives life, because we live inasmuch as we have intellect, which is a certain participation of that light. But when that light shall shine forth perfectly, then we shall have perfect life; Psalm 35:10, "For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light"; as if to say: then we shall have life itself perfectly when we shall see that very light through its species. Hence it is said, John 17:3, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." But it must be noted that what he says, "he that followeth me," pertains to merit; but what he says, "shall have the light of life," pertains to reward.

Consequently, when he says, "The Pharisees therefore said to him," and so on, he shows these three things which he said of himself, and first the first; second the second, at the place, "Again therefore Jesus said to them"; third the third, at the place, "Amen, amen I say to you, if any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever." Now the first thing he said was "I am the light of the world," which troubled the Jews; and therefore he first sets down the contradiction of the Jews; second, their refutation, by manifesting the truth of his own saying, at the place, "Jesus answered, and said to them," and so on. Now it is manifest concerning the first that what he said in the temple he said in the sight of the crowds, but here in the presence of the Pharisees. And therefore the Pharisees themselves said to him: "Thou givest testimony of thyself, thy testimony is not true"; as if they were to say: from this very fact, that thou bearest witness of thyself, thy testimony is not true. For among men it is neither acceptable nor fitting that a man should praise himself; Proverbs 27:2, "Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth": because a man is not made commendable by this, but if he is commended by God; 2 Corinthians 10:18, "For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom God commendeth": because God alone knows him perfectly. But no one can sufficiently commend God, except himself; and therefore it is necessary that he bear witness of himself, and also concerning men; Job 16:20, "Behold my witness is in heaven." And so the Jews were being deceived.

Consequently, when he says, "Jesus answered, and said to them," and so on, the Lord repels their contradiction, and first by the authority of the Father; second he removes the contradiction that arose concerning the Father, at the place, "They said therefore to him: Where is thy father?" Now the contradiction of the Jews proceeded by a certain consequence, and therefore he first shows their consequence does not hold; second he proves that his own testimony is true, at the place, "I judge not any man," and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows the falsity of their consequence; second he adds the cause of their deception, at the place, "But you know not whence I come, or whither I go." Now their consequence was that from this very fact, that Christ bore witness of himself, his testimony was not true. But the Lord says the contrary, namely that from this it is true. Hence he answered, and said to them: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is true": and this because "I know whence I come, and whither I go"; as if to say, according to Chrysostom, because I am from God, and am God, and the Son of God. Now God is "true": Romans 3:4. He says, however, "I know whence I come," that is, I know my own origin, "and whither I go," namely, to the Father, whom no one can know perfectly except the Son of God; Matthew 11:27, "Neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him." Now whoever knows by affection and by intellect whence he comes and whither he goes cannot but speak the truth, for he comes from God and goes to God; and God is truth: how much more, then, does the Son of God, who perfectly knows whence he comes and whither he goes, speak the truth?

Consequently, when he says, "But you know not whence I come, or whither I go," he shows the cause of their error, which is ignorance of the divinity of Christ; for because they were ignorant of it, they judged of him according to his humanity. Thus there was a twofold cause of error in them. One, that they were ignorant of his divinity; the other, that they judged of him according to his humanity alone. And therefore as to the first he says, "You know not whence I come," that is, my eternal procession from the Father, "or whither I go." Above: "he is true that sent me, and the things I have heard of him, these same I speak in the world"; Job 28:20, "Whence then cometh wisdom?"; Isaiah 53:8, "Who shall declare his generation?" As to the second he says, "You judge according to the flesh," namely concerning me, thinking me to be only flesh, and not God. Or "according to the flesh," that is, wickedly and unjustly. For just as to live according to the flesh is to live wickedly, so too to judge according to the flesh is to judge wickedly.

Consequently, when he says, "I judge not any man," he shows that his testimony is true, and that it is false that he alone bears witness of himself. And because mention has been made of judgment, he shows first that he is not alone in judging; second, that he is not alone in bearing witness, at the place, "and in your law it is written," and so on. Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the deferral of judgment; second the truth of judgment; and third the reason for that truth. He sets down the deferral of judgment indeed when he says, "I judge not any man"; as if to say: you judge wickedly, but "I judge not any man"; above, 3:17, "For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him." Or, "I judge not any man," namely according to the flesh, as you judge; Isaiah 11:3, "He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears." But yet at some time I shall judge; because "the Father hath given all judgment to the Son"; above, chapter 5:22. And then "my judgment is true," that is, just; Psalm 95, "he shall judge the world with equity"; Romans 2:2, "we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that do such things." In this the truth of the judgment is shown. He shows the reason for the truth when he says, "because I am not alone." Now what he said above, 5:22, "the Father judgeth not any man," is to be understood as apart from the Son, or because the Father will not appear visibly to all in the judgment; and therefore he says, "I am not alone," because I am not forsaken by him, but am together with him; below, 14:10, "I am in the Father, and the Father in me." Now this saying excludes the error of Sabellius, who said that the person of the Father and of the Son is one, and that they differ only according to names. For if this were so, he would not have said, "I am not alone," but rather "I, and he who sent me," but he would have said: I am the Father, and I myself am the Son. Distinguish, therefore, the persons, and know that the Son is other than the Father.

Consequently, when he says, "and in your law it is written," and so on, he shows that he is not alone in bearing witness; nor does testimony, however, differ as judgment does: hence he does not say, I do not bear witness. First, therefore, he introduces the law; second he concludes the proposition, at the place, "I am one that give testimony of myself." He says, therefore, "in your law," and given to you, Ecclesiasticus 24:23, "Moses commanded a law"; "it is written," Deuteronomy 19, "that the testimony of two men is true": for it stands thus there, "In the mouth of two or three shall every word stand." But, according to Augustine, this saying, "the testimony of two men is true," raises a great question. For it can happen that two should lie. For chaste Susanna was pressed hard by two false witnesses, as is found in Daniel 13:5ff. Even the whole people lied against Christ. The answer is this: this saying, "the testimony of two men is true," is to be understood as meaning that it is to be held as true in judgment. The reason for this is that in human acts true certitude cannot be had; and therefore that is taken which can be had more certainly, which is through a multitude of witnesses: for it is more probable that one should lie than that many should; Ecclesiastes 4:12, "a threefold cord is not easily broken." Nevertheless, by this saying, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand," he leads us back, according to Augustine, to a consideration of the Trinity, in which there is a perpetual stability of truth, from which all truths are derived. He says, however, "of two or three," because in Sacred Scripture sometimes three persons are named, sometimes two, with whom also the Holy Spirit is understood, who is the bond of the two. If, therefore, the testimony of two or three men is true, my testimony is true, because both I bear witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me; above, 5:36, "I have a greater testimony than that of John."

But this does not seem to pertain to the matter proposed. First, indeed, because the Father of the Son of God is not a man; whereas he himself says, "the testimony of two men is true." Second, because there are two witnesses of something when they bear witness concerning some third thing; but if one bears witness concerning one, there are not two witnesses. Since, therefore, Christ bears witness of himself, and likewise the Father of Christ, it seems that there are not two witnesses. But it must be said that Christ here argues from the lesser. For it is manifest that the truth of God is greater than the truth of man. If, therefore, they believe the testimony of men, much more should the testimony of God be believed. 1 John 5:9, "If you receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater." Likewise he says this in order to show that he is consubstantial with the Father, and does not need testimony from another, as Chrysostom says.

Consequently, when he says, "They said therefore to him: Where is thy father?" he removes the question that arose concerning the Father, and first he sets down the question of the Jews; second he sets down the response of Christ; third he indicates the assurance of the one responding. Now the question of the Jews proposed to Christ was about the Father, where he was: hence they said to him, "Where is thy father?" For they understood Christ to have a human father as they themselves had; and therefore, because they had heard him say, "I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me," and here they saw him alone, they say, "Where is thy father?" Or it must be said that they speak here with a certain irony and contempt; as if they were to say: why do you so often bring in your father to us? Is he of such great power that his testimony should be believed? For he is unknown and ignoble. They understood this of Joseph; nevertheless they were ignorant of the Father. Psalm 113:2, "Lest at any time the Gentiles should say: Where is their God?"

Now the response of Christ is hidden, at the place: "Jesus answered: You neither know me, nor my Father." For because they sought not out of a desire to learn but out of malice, therefore Christ does not open the truth to them; but he shows, first, their ignorance; second, how they might arrive at knowledge of the truth. He shows their ignorance indeed when he says, "you neither know me"; as if to say: do not ask about the Father, because you do not know me. For because you think me a man, therefore you seek my father as a man; but because you do not know me, neither can you know the Father. But against this: above, 7:28, he said, "You both know me, and you know whence I am." It must be said that they knew him according to his humanity, but not according to his divinity.

It must be known, however, according to Origen, that some, taking an occasion of error from this saying, said that the Father of Christ was not the God of the Old Testament; for the Jews knew him, according to that saying of Psalm 75:1, "In Judea God is known." But to this there is a fourfold response. First, that the Lord therefore says the Jews are ignorant of the Father because they conduct themselves after the manner of those who are ignorant, inasmuch as they do not keep his commandment. And this response pertains to act. Second, they are said to be ignorant of God because they do not cleave to him spiritually through love: for he who knows something cleaves to it. Third, because even if they knew him through faith, they did not have full knowledge of him. Above, 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Fourth, because in the Old Testament the Father became known under the aspect of the omnipotent God, Exodus 6:3, "I appeared to them in God almighty, and my name Adonai I did not show them," but not under the aspect of Father; hence, although they knew him as God, they did not know him as the Father of the consubstantial Son.

Now he says that he himself is the way of arriving at knowledge of the Father: hence he says, "if you knew me," as if to say: because I speak of my Father as hidden, it is necessary first that you should know me, and then perhaps you will know my Father. For the Son is the way to knowledge of the Father. Below, 14:7, "If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also." For, according to Augustine, what is "if you knew me" but "I and the Father are one"? It is a everyday manner of speaking, when you see someone resembling another, that you say: if you have seen this one, you have seen that one, not indeed that the Father is the Son, but that he is like the Father. He says, however, "perhaps," not in doubt, but by way of reproach, as if you were to be indignant with your servant, and say: do you scorn me? Consider that perhaps I am your lord.

Now the assurance of Christ in responding is shown by the Evangelist, when he says, "These words Jesus spoke in the treasury." And first indeed from the place where he was teaching, namely in the treasury and in the temple. For "gaza," in the Persian tongue, means riches, and "phylaxe" means to keep; hence "gazophylacium" is set down in Scripture for a chest where riches are kept; and it is taken in this way in 4 Kings 12:9, that "Joiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord." But sometimes it stands for the house where riches are kept; and it is taken in this way here. Second, from the fact that those who had been sent to seize him could not do so, because he himself was unwilling: hence he says, "and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come," in which he should suffer; not a fated hour, but one predestined by his own will from eternity. Hence Augustine says, "his hour was not yet come," not the hour in which he would be compelled to die, but that in which he would deign to be slain.

But note, according to Origen, that whenever a place is designated in which the Lord did something, this happens on account of a mystery. In the treasury, therefore, which is the place of riches, Christ taught, so as to give it to be understood that the coins, that is, the words of his teaching, bear the image of the great King stamped upon them. Note also that when he was teaching, "no man laid hands on him," because his words were more powerful than those who wished to seize him: but when he willed to be crucified, he was silent.

After the Lord had manifested concerning himself the privilege of light, here he consequently manifests the effect of light, namely that it frees from darkness; and first he shows that they themselves are held fast in darkness; second he teaches the remedy by which they may be freed from it, at the place, "The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself?" and so on.

Concerning the first he does three things. First the Lord announces his own departure; second he shows the perverse zeal of the Jews; third, their failure. Now the Lord says that his departure is through death; and therefore he says "I go," in which he gives two things to understand.

First, that he dies voluntarily, namely as one going, and not led by another. Below, John 16:5: "I go to him who sent me"; below, John 10:18: "No one takes my soul from me, but I lay it down of myself." And according to this it is rightly continued from what precedes. For he had said: "No one laid hold of him," and so on. And why? Because of himself he goes spontaneously.

Second, he shows that the death of Christ was a certain advancing to that place whence he had come and whence he had not departed; for just as one who goes forward makes progress, so Christ through death arrived at the glory of exaltation. Philippians 2:8: "He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; for which cause God also exalted him"; below, John 13:3: "Knowing that he came forth from God, and goes to God."

He shows their perverse zeal in the deceitful seeking of Christ; and as to this he says, "You will seek me." Now some seek Christ devoutly out of charity; and this seeking is followed by life; Psalm 68:33: "Seek the Lord, and your soul shall live." But these seek impiously, and out of hatred, in order to persecute; Psalm 37:13: "They that sought my soul used violence." And thus he says "you will seek me," namely persecuting, after his death indeed with infamy; Matthew 27:63: "We have remembered that that deceiver said, while yet alive, After three days I will rise again." Likewise in my members; Acts 9:4: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

And death follows upon this pursuit; and therefore he adds their failure, which he foretells to them, saying, "And you shall die in your sin"; and first he foretells the failure which consists in the condemnation of death; second, the failure which consists in their exclusion from glory, at the place, "Where I go, you cannot come."

He says therefore: because you seek me unjustly, therefore "in your sin," that is, remaining in it, "you shall die." This can be understood in one way of bodily death; and thus he dies in his sins who perseveres in them right up until death. And thus by saying "you shall die in your sin" he aggravates their obstinate persistence. Jeremiah 8:6: "There is none that does penance for his sin, saying, What have I done?"; Ezekiel 32:27: "They are gone down to hell with their weapons."

In another way, of the death of sin, of which it is said in Psalm 33:21: "The death of the wicked is very evil." And just as bodily death is preceded by infirmity of the body, so also this death is preceded by a certain infirmity. For as long as sin is remediable, then it is as it were a certain infirmity that precedes; Psalm 6:3: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak." But when it is irremediable, either absolutely, as after this life, or with respect to itself, as is the sin against the Holy Spirit, then it causes death; 1 John 5:16: "There is a sin unto death; I do not say that anyone should pray for that." And accordingly the Lord foretells to them that the infirmity of sinners is unto death.

He shows the failure which consists in their exclusion from glory when he says, "Where I go, you cannot come." Where the Lord goes, these also go through death; but the Lord without sin, while these indeed with sins, since they die in their sin, and therefore they do not arrive at the glory of the vision of the Father. And therefore he says, "Where I go" — namely, spontaneously through my passion, namely to the Father and to his glory — "you cannot come," because you do not will to. For if they had willed it and had not been able, it would not reasonably be said to them, "You shall die in your sin."

But it must be noted that some are hindered from being able to go where Christ goes, in two ways. In one way by reason of contrariety, and thus sinners are hindered; and of this he speaks here; and therefore to those simply persevering in sin he says, "Where I go, you cannot come." Psalm 100:7: "He that works pride shall not dwell in the midst of my house"; Isaiah 35:8: "It shall be called the holy way, and the polluted shall not pass through it"; Psalm 14:1: "Who shall dwell in your tabernacle? He that is innocent in hands and clean of heart." In another way by reason of imperfection, or lack of disposition; and in this way the just are hindered as long as they are in the body; 2 Corinthians 5:6: "As long as we are in the body, we are pilgrims away from the Lord." And to such the Lord does not say simply, "Where I go, you cannot come," but adds a qualification of time; below, John 13:37: "Where I go, you cannot follow me now."

Next, when he says "The Jews therefore said," and so on, he deals with the remedy by which they may be freed from darkness, and first he proposes the remedy for escaping the darkness; second he adduces reasons for obtaining this remedy, at the place, "They said therefore to him, Who are you?" Third, he foretells the manner of arriving at this, at the place, "Jesus therefore said to them: When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then you shall know."

Concerning the first he does two things. First is set forth the occasion of Christ's words; second are set forth those things by which the intimation of the remedy is caused, at the place, "You are from beneath." Now the occasion of Christ's words is taken from the person, or the understanding, of the Jews. For since they were carnal, they understood in a carnal way the Lord's words which he had spoken, "Where I go, you cannot come"; 1 Corinthians 2:14: "The natural man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God."

Hence the Jews say, "Will he kill himself?" Which indeed, according to Augustine, is a foolish opinion. For could they not have come where Christ went, if he were to kill himself? They too could indeed kill themselves. Thus therefore death was not the terminus to which Christ was about to go, but the way by which he was going to the Father. Hence he did not say that they could not go to death, but that through death they could not go to the place to which Christ was exalted through it, namely to the right hand of God.

According to Origen, however, perhaps not without cause do the Jews say this. For they had from the traditions that the Christ would die voluntarily, just as he himself said, below, John 10:18: "No one takes my soul, but I lay it down of myself." Which they seem to have had especially from Isaiah 53:12: "Because he has delivered his soul unto death, therefore I will divide him a portion with many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong." Because therefore they had some suspicion concerning Jesus that he was the Christ, therefore, when he said "I go," and so on, they introduced this opinion, that he would voluntarily hand himself over to death. But they utter this insultingly, saying, "Will he kill himself?" Otherwise they would have said: "Will his soul, when it shall please him, go forth, the body being left behind?" — which we cannot do. And on account of this he says, "Where I go, you cannot come."

Next, when he says, "You are from beneath," and so on, he proposes the remedy for escaping the darkness, and first he sets forth beforehand his own origin and theirs; second from this he concludes his proposition, at the place, "I said therefore to you," and so on.

Now concerning the first he differentiates his own origin from their origin in two ways. First, because he is from above, and they from beneath. Second, because they are of this world, of which Christ is not. But, as Origen says, it is one thing to be "from beneath," and another to be "of this world"; for "above" and "beneath" are differences of place. Lest, therefore, from his saying that he is "from above" they should understand him to be from the upper part of this world, therefore, excluding this, he says that he is not "of this world." As if he were to say: I am so much "from above," that nevertheless I am wholly above this whole world.

And indeed that they are of this world and from beneath is manifest; but that Christ is from above, and not of this world, truly requires understanding. For certain ones, holding that all visible created things were made by the Devil, as the Manichaeans, said that Christ, even as to his body, was not of this visible world, but of a world of another creation, namely the invisible one. Valentinus also, wrongly taking this up, said that Christ had brought a heavenly body. That this, however, is not the true understanding here appears, because the Lord says to the apostles themselves, below, John 15:19: "You are not of this world."

It must be said, therefore, that it can be understood of Christ the Son of God, and of Christ the man. For Christ, insofar as he is the Son of God, is from above; below, John 16:28: "I came forth from the Father, and came into the world." And likewise he is not of this sensible world, that is, the one which consists in sensible things, but of the intelligible world, which is in the mind of God, since he is the very Word of God, insofar as he is the highest wisdom. For all things were made in wisdom. Hence it is said of him above, John 1:10: "The world was made through him."

But insofar as he is man, Christ is from above, because he did not have his affection set on worldly and lowly things, but on higher things, among which the soul of Christ had its dwelling, according to that saying of Philippians 3:20: "Our conversation is in heaven"; Matthew 6:21: "Where your treasure is, there is your heart also." And conversely, these who are from beneath have a lowly origin, and are of this world, because they have their affection set on earthly things; 1 Corinthians 15:47: "The first man was of the earth, earthly."

Next, when he says, "I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins," he concludes his proposition, and first he makes clear what he had said about their failure; second he shows them the remedy, at the place, "For if you believe not," and so on.

Now it must be known concerning the first that each thing, in its progress, follows the condition of its origin; hence those things which have a lowly origin, if left to themselves, naturally tend downward. And nothing naturally tends upward except what has a higher origin; above, John 3:13: "No one ascends into heaven, but he that descended from heaven." The Lord therefore says: this is the reason why you cannot come where I go, because since you are from beneath, as far as it is in you, you cannot but fall; and therefore what I said, that you shall die in your sins, is true, unless you cling to me.

And therefore, so as not totally to exclude the hope of salvation, he sets forth a remedy, saying, "For if you believe not that I am, you shall die in your sin"; as if he were to say: you were born in original sin, from which you cannot be absolved except through faith in me, because if you do not believe that I am, you shall die in your sin.

And he says "I am," but not what he is, so as to call to mind what was said to Moses, Exodus 3:14: "I am who am"; for being itself is proper to God. For in every other nature besides the divine, being and that-which-is differ, since every created nature participates its being from that which is being through essence, namely God himself, who is his own very being, such that his being is his essence. Hence he alone is named from it. And therefore he says, "Unless you believe that I am" — that is, that I am truly God, who has being through essence — "you shall die in your sin."

For he says "that I am," to show his eternity. For in all things that begin there is a certain mutability, and some potency toward non-being, whence there is found in them a certain past and future; and therefore there is not there true being through itself. But in God there is no potency toward non-being, nor did his being begin; and therefore he is being itself, which is properly designated by the present tense.

Next, when he says, "They said therefore to him, Who are you?" he sets forth reasons leading to faith, and first is set forth the interrogation of the Jews; second, the response of Christ, at the place, "Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak to you"; third, the blinding of their understanding, at the place, "And they understood not," and so on.

For because the Lord had said, "Unless you believe that I am," it still remained to ask who he was; and therefore they said to him, "Who are you?" As if they were to say: whence are you, that we should have to believe you? And therefore next, when he says, "The beginning, who also speak to you," he answers, leading them to belief, first from the sublimity of his nature; second from his judiciary power, at the place, "I have many things to speak and to judge of you"; third from the truthfulness of the Father, at the place, "But he that sent me is true."

What leads them to believe Christ indeed is the sublimity of his nature, because he himself is the beginning. Hence Jesus said to them: "The beginning, who also speak to you." "Principium" ["beginning"] in Latin is of neuter gender; hence it is doubtful whether it is here of the nominative or the accusative case. But in Greek it is of feminine gender, and in this place it is of the accusative case. Hence, according to Augustine, it should not be read: "I am the beginning," but rather: "Believe me to be the beginning, lest you die in your sins."

The Father, too, is called "beginning." And in one way indeed the name "beginning" is common to the Father and the Son, inasmuch as they are one beginning of the Holy Spirit through common spiration; and the three persons together are the beginning of the creature through creation. In another way it is proper to the Father, inasmuch as the Father is the beginning of the Son through eternal generation. We do not, however, speak of several beginnings, just as we do not speak of several gods; Psalm 109:3: "With you is the principality in the day of your strength," and so on.

Here, however, the Lord says he is the beginning with respect to the whole creature; for that which is such through essence is the beginning and cause of those things which are such through participation. Now to be through essence, as has been said, is to be his own being.

But because Christ has in himself not only the divine nature, but also the human, therefore he adds "who also speak to you"; for man cannot immediately bear the voice of God, because, according to Augustine, weak hearts cannot hear the intelligible word without a sensible voice. Exodus 20: "What is man, that he should hear the voice of the Lord his God?" Therefore, so that we might hear the divine Word itself immediately, he took on flesh, by whose instrument he spoke to us; hence he says "who also speak to you"; that is, having been made lowly for your sake, I have come down to these words. Hebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all has spoken to us by his Son"; above, John 1:18: "The only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, he himself will make [it] known to you."

Or otherwise, according to Chrysostom, so that by saying "the beginning, who also speak to you" he might reprove the slowness of understanding of the Jews. For after the many signs which they had seen done by him, still hardened, they ask the Lord, "Who are you?" and so on. And therefore Jesus answered, "I am the beginning," that is, who have spoken to you from the beginning; as if he were to say: you have no need still to ask who I am, since it ought already to be manifest. Hebrews 5:12: "Whereas for the time you ought to be masters, you have need to be taught again what are the first elements of the words of God."

Second, his judiciary authority leads them to believe Christ; and therefore he adds, "I have many things to speak and to judge of you"; as if he were to say: I have the authority to judge you. But it must be known that it is one thing to speak to us, and another to speak of us. For Christ speaks to us for our benefit, namely so as to draw us to himself; and thus he speaks to us, while we live, by preaching, inspiring, and doing such things. But he speaks of us not for our benefit, but to show his own justice; and in this way he will speak of us in the future judgment.

But on the contrary. Above, John 3:17: "For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him." Response. It must be said that it is one thing to judge, and another to have the power to judge. "To judge" denotes the act of judgment; and this does not pertain to the first coming of the Lord, as he said above: "I judge no one" — namely, for the present. But "to have the power to judge" denotes the power of judgment; and this Christ has; above, John 5:22: "The Father has given all judgment to the Son"; Acts 10:42: "It is he who was appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead." And therefore he says pointedly, "I have many things to speak and to judge of you" — but in the future judgment.

The truthfulness of the Father also leads to belief in Christ; and as to this he says, "But he who sent me is true"; as if he were to say: the Father is true; but I speak things consonant with him; therefore I speak true things; therefore you ought to believe me. He says therefore, "he who sent me" — namely the Father — "is true," not by participation, but by the very essence of truth; otherwise, since the Son is truth itself, he would be greater than the Father; Romans 3:4: "But God is true."

"And I speak the things which I have heard from him": not by human hearing, but through eternal generation I received them, these I speak. Isaiah 21:10: "The things which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you"; above, John 5:19: "The Son cannot do anything of himself."

Now this saying, "He that sent me is true," is connected to what precedes in two ways. In one way thus: I say that I have to judge concerning you. But my judgment will be true, because he who sent me is true. Romans 2:2: "The judgment of God is according to truth." In another way, according to Chrysostom: I say that I have to judge concerning you; but I defer this, not out of powerlessness, but so as to obey the will of the Father; for he who sent me is true. Hence, since he had promised a savior and a defender, he sent me now to save; and I, because I speak only the things which I have heard from him, therefore speak to you things salutary.

Next, when he says, "And they understood not that he called God his Father," he reproves the slowness of their understanding; for they did not yet have the eyes of the heart open, by which they might understand the equality of Father and Son, and this because they were carnal; 1 Corinthians 2:14: "The natural man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God."

Here first Christ foretells by what means they ought to arrive at faith, which is the remedy against death; and concerning this he does two things. First he shows by what they are to come to faith; second he teaches what is to be believed concerning himself, at the place, "That I am."

He says therefore first that they ought to arrive at faith through his passion. Hence Jesus said to them: "When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then you shall know"; as if he were to say: now you do not know that my Father is God; but "when you shall have lifted up the Son of man," that is, when you shall have fastened me to the wood of the cross, "then you shall know" — namely, some of you, through faith; below, John 12:32: "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself."

Now the reason, according to Augustine, that he calls to mind the passion of the cross is so as to give hope to sinners, namely so that no one, however conscious of guilt from whatever crime, might despair, since those who crucified Christ are themselves freed from sins through the blood of Christ. For there is no one so great a sinner that he cannot be freed through the blood of Christ.

Or, according to Chrysostom, "when you shall have lifted up the Son of man" — namely on the cross — "then you shall know," that is, you will be able to know what sort I am, not only through the glory of my resurrection, but also through the punishment of your captivity and destruction.

Now as to the second, he teaches three things to be believed concerning himself. First, the majesty of his divinity; second, his origin from the Father; third, his inseparability from the Father.

The majesty of his divinity indeed, when he says "that I am"; that is, I have in me the nature of God, and I am he who spoke to Moses, saying: "I am who am." But because the whole Trinity pertains to being itself, therefore, lest the distinction of persons be excluded, he next teaches that his origin from the Father is to be believed, when he says, "And of myself I do nothing; but as the Father has taught me, these things I speak."

But because Jesus began to do and to teach, therefore he designates his origin from the Father in two respects: namely in the things which he does, whence he says, "And of myself I do nothing" (above, John 5:19: "The Son cannot do anything of himself"), and in the things which he teaches, whence he says, "But as the Father has taught me"; that is, he handed on knowledge by begetting me knowing. For since the nature of truth is simple, for the Son to be is the same as to know; and thus just as the Father, by begetting, gave the Son that he might be, so by begetting he gave him that he might know; above, John 7:16: "My doctrine is not mine."

And lest it be understood that he was sent by the Father as though distinct from him, therefore third he teaches that his inseparability from the Father is to be believed, when he says, "And he who sent me" — namely the Father — "is with me," through unity of essence; below, John 14:10: "I am in the Father, and the Father is in me." Likewise through the conjunction of love; above, John 5:20: "The Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does." And thus the Father sent the Son in such a way that he did not depart from him. Hence it follows, "and he has not left me alone," because his affection is fixed upon me.

But although both are together, nevertheless one was sent, and the other sent: because the mission is the incarnation, which indeed belongs to the Son alone, and not to the Father.

Now that he has not left me is evident from a sign, "because I do always the things that are pleasing to him"; which indeed is set down not as a meritorious cause, but as a sign; as if he were to say: this very fact, that I always do, without beginning, without end, the things that are pleasing to him, is a sign that he is always with me, and has not left me; Proverbs 8:30: "I was with him forming all things." Or otherwise: "he has not left me," that is, as man, by protecting me, because I always do the things that are pleasing to him. And according to this he states a meritorious cause.

Next, when he says, "As he spoke these things, many believed in him," the effect of his teaching is set forth, which is the conversion of many to faith from hearing the teaching of Christ; Romans 10:17: "Faith then comes by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ."

Having set forth the remedy for escaping the darkness, here he consequently shows the efficacy of this remedy itself, and first the efficacy of the remedy is set forth; second, the need for the remedy is introduced, at the place, "The Jews answered him." Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows what is required from those to whom the remedy is conferred, which pertains to merit; second, what is rendered to them in return for it, which pertains to reward, at the place, "you shall truly be my disciples." He says therefore first: it has been said that many believed in him; and therefore he tells them, namely those who believed in him, the Jews, what is required of them, namely that they remain in his word: hence he says, "If you shall remain in my word, you shall truly be my disciples." As if to say: it is not because you believe superficially that you will be my disciples, but if you remain in my word.

Now three things are required of us concerning the word of God: namely, carefulness in hearing, James 1:19: "Let every man be swift to hear," etc.; faith in believing, Romans 10:17: "Faith comes from hearing"; and constancy in persevering, Ecclesiasticus 6:21: "How very harsh is wisdom to unlearned men, and the fool will not continue in it." And therefore he says "if you shall remain," namely through steadfastness of faith, through continual meditation, Psalm 1:2: "He shall meditate on his law day and night"; and through fervent affection: "his will was in the law of the Lord." Hence Augustine says that those remain in the words of the Lord who yield to no temptations.

Now the first thing that is rendered to those who persevere, he shows when he says, "you shall truly be my disciples," and this with respect to three things: namely with respect to the elevation of discipleship to Christ, with respect to the knowledge of the truth, and with respect to the attainment of liberty. And indeed it is a privilege of great dignity to be a disciple of Christ; Joel 2:23: "Sons of Zion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, because he has given you a teacher of justice." And with respect to this he says, "you shall truly be my disciples": for the greater the teacher, the more exalted his disciples are; but Christ is the most excellent and highest teacher: therefore his disciples are most excellent.

Now three things are required on the part of disciples. The first is understanding, for grasping the words of the teacher; Matthew 15:16: "Are you also even yet without understanding?" But Christ alone can open the ear of understanding; Luke 24:45: "he opened their mind, that they might understand the Scriptures." And therefore it was said, Isaiah 50:5: "The Lord has opened my ear." The second is assent, for believing the teacher's judgment: for, as it is said in Luke 6:40, "the disciple is not above his master," and therefore he ought not to contradict him. Hence it is said, Ecclesiasticus 4:30: "In no way contradict the word of truth." And therefore Isaiah adds: "But I do not contradict." Third is stability, for persevering; above, 6:67, it is said that many disciples went back, and now walked no more with him. And therefore Isaiah adds: "I have not gone back."

But it is a greater thing to know the truth, since this is the end of the disciple. And this too the Lord renders to believers; hence he says, "you shall know the truth," namely of the doctrine which I teach; below, 18:37: "For this was I born, and for this I came, that I might give testimony to the truth." Likewise, of the grace which I bring about; above, John 8:17: "Grace and truth were made through Jesus Christ." And it is called the truth of grace by comparison to the figures of the old law. Likewise, of the eternity in which I abide; Psalm 118:89: "Forever, O Lord, your word abides; unto generation and generation is its truth." But the greatest thing is the attainment of liberty, which the knowledge of the truth brings about in believers; hence he says, "and the truth shall set you free."

Now "to free," in this place, does not imply exemption from any distress whatsoever, as it sounds in the Latin, but properly means to make free. And this from three things: for the truth of doctrine will free from the error of falsity; Proverbs 8:7: "My throat shall meditate truth, and my lips shall detest wickedness"; the truth of grace will free from the bondage of sin; Romans 8:2: "the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus will free me from the law of sin and death"; but the truth of eternity, in Christ Jesus, will free us from corruption; Romans 8:21: "the creature itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption."

Consequently, when he says "They answered him: We are the seed of Abraham," etc., he shows that the need for the remedy is present in the Jews, and first the presumption of the Jews is aggravated, who deny that they need such a remedy; second it is shown how they need the remedy, at the place, "Jesus answered them: Amen, amen I say to you." Now the presumption of the Jews is shown in a certain presumptuous question; hence "the Jews answered him: We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to anyone. How do you say, You shall be free?" In which indeed, first they affirm something; second they deny something; and third they ask a question.

They affirm indeed that they are the seed of Abraham, hence they say, "We are the seed of Abraham": in which their vain glory is shown, because they glory in the origin of the flesh alone; Matthew 3:9: "do not begin to say, We have Abraham for our father." Those who seek to be exalted by carnal nobility do a similar thing; Hosea 9:11: "all their glory is from the birth, from the womb, and from the conception."

But they deny servitude, hence they say, "we have never been slaves to anyone": in which they show themselves both dull and lying. Dull indeed, because what the Lord speaks of concerning spiritual liberty, they understand of the bodily kind; 1 Corinthians 2:14: "the animal man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God." But they are liars, because if what they say, "we have never been slaves to anyone," they mean of bodily servitude, they speak either universally with respect to the whole race of the Jews, or specially with respect to themselves. If indeed universally, they manifestly lie: for Joseph was sold, and their fathers served in Egypt, as is evident from Genesis 40 and Exodus 1. Hence Augustine says: O ungrateful ones, what is it that God constantly reproaches you with, that he freed you from the house of bondage, if you never served anyone? For it is said, Deuteronomy 6:13: "I led you out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage," etc. But if they speak of themselves, they still cannot be excused from lying: for they themselves at that time were paying tribute to the Romans; hence they were saying, Matthew 22:17: "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"

Now they ask about the manner of liberty; hence they say, "How do you say, You shall be free?" The Lord had promised them two things: namely liberty and the knowledge of truth, when he said: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." By which the Jews understood that they were being reckoned by the Lord as slaves and ignorant. And although it is more injurious to lack knowledge than liberty, yet because they were carnal, neglecting the truth, they inquire about the manner of liberty; Psalm 16:12: "they have set their eyes looking down to the earth."

Here the Lord, excluding their presumption, convicts them of needing the aforesaid remedy, and first he deals with their servitude; second, with their liberation, at the place, "but the servant does not abide in the house forever"; third, with their origin, at the place, "I know that you are the children of Abraham." Now he convicts them of servitude, not bodily, of the kind they understood, but spiritual, namely of sin; and to emphasize this he sets forth two things beforehand: namely a doubled oath; hence he says, "Amen, amen I say to you." "Amen" is a Hebrew word, which is interpreted "truly," or "so be it." This word, according to Augustine, neither the Greek nor the Latin translator dared to translate, so that it might have honor under the veil of secrecy — not that it should be bound up, but lest, laid bare, it should become cheapened — and especially on account of reverence for the Lord, who frequently made use of it. Here therefore the Lord sets forth, as it were, a kind of oath, which is for this reason doubled, that he might show his statement to be more firm; Hebrews 6:17: "he interposed an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have the strongest comfort." Second, a universal expression, when he says "everyone," whether Jew or Greek, rich or poor, emperor or beggar; Romans 3:23: "there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for all have sinned, and need the glory of God."

He also sets forth servitude, saying, "whoever commits sin is the servant of sin." But against this: a servant is not moved by his own will, but by his master's; but whoever commits sin is moved by his own will: therefore he is not a servant. Response. It must be said that each thing is that which belongs to it according to its own nature: therefore when it is moved by something extraneous, it does not act of itself, but from the impression of another; and this is servile. Now man according to his own nature is rational. Therefore when he is moved according to reason, he is moved by his own motion, and acts of himself, which belongs to liberty; but when he sins, he acts outside of reason, and then he is moved as if by another, the terms remaining alien to him: and therefore "whoever commits sin is the servant of sin"; 2 Peter 2:19: "by whatever a man is overcome, of this also he is the slave." But the more one is moved by something extraneous, the more he is reduced into servitude; and the more he is overcome by sin, the less he has of his own motion, namely of reason, and the more he is made a slave. Hence the more freely and with less difficulty some carry out the perverse things they wish, the more they are bound as liable to the service of sin, as Gregory says.

Now this servitude is the gravest, because it cannot be avoided: for wherever a man goes, he carries sin within himself, although its act and delight pass away; Isaiah 14:3: "When God shall give you rest ... from your hard servitude," namely of sin, by which you formerly served. But bodily servitude can be escaped at least by fleeing; hence Augustine says: O wretched servitude (namely of sin). The servant of men, sometimes wearied by the hard commands of his master, finds rest by fleeing; the servant of sin drags sin along with himself, wherever he flees: for the sin which he has committed is within; the pleasure passes away; the sin (that is, the act) passes away: what delighted has passed by, what stings has remained.

Consequently, when he says, "but the servant does not abide in the house forever," he deals with liberation from servitude: for since all have sinned, all were servants of sin. But the hope of liberation is at hand for you from him who is free from sin; and this is the Son. Hence concerning this he does three things. First he sets forth beforehand the condition of the servant, so that the free man may be distinguished from the servant; second he shows the condition of the son to be different from that of the servant; third he concludes to the power of the son in liberating.

The condition of the servant, therefore, is transitory and unstable; hence he says, "the servant does not abide in the house forever." This house is the Church; 1 Timothy 3:15: "that you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God." In which house indeed some who are spiritually servants remain only for a time, just as in the house of a paterfamilias bodily servants remain for a time, but not forever: because although at present the wicked are not separated in number from the faithful, but only in merit, yet in the future they will be separated in both ways; Galatians 4:30: "Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman." But the condition of the son is eternal and stable; hence he says, "but the son," that is, Christ, "abides forever," namely in the Church, as in his own house; Hebrews 3:6, it is said that Christ, as a son in his own house, etc. And indeed he of himself abides in the house forever, because he himself is immune from sin; but we, just as we are freed from sin through him, so also through him we abide in the house.

Now the Son has the power of liberation; hence he adds, "if therefore the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed"; Galatians 4:31: "we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free, by which liberty Christ has made us free." For, as the Apostle says, he gave as the price not silver, but his own blood: for he came in the likeness of sinful flesh, having no sin at all; and therefore a true sacrifice for sin was made: hence through him we are freed not from barbarians, but from the Devil.

And note that liberty is manifold. Namely, perverse liberty, when someone abuses it for sinning; and this is liberty from justice, which no one is compelled to keep; 1 Peter 2:16: "as free, and not as having liberty for a cloak of malice." Vain liberty, which is temporal, or carnal, Job 3:19: "the servant is free from his master." True and spiritual liberty, which is the liberty of grace, namely to be without crimes; and this is imperfect, because the flesh lusts against the spirit, so that we do not do the things that we will, Galatians 5:17. And the liberty of glory, perfect and full, which will be in the homeland; Romans 8:21: "the creature itself shall be delivered from servitude": and this will be, because there will be nothing there inclining to evil, nothing oppressing, since there will be liberty from guilt and from punishment.

But Chrysostom introduces this differently. For because he had said, "whoever commits sin is the servant of sin," lest the Jews should anticipate and say, "although we are servants of sin, nevertheless we can be freed through the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law," for this reason the Lord shows that through these they cannot be freed, but only through the Son. Hence he says "the servant," that is, Moses and the priests of the old testament, "does not abide in the house forever"; Hebrews 3:5: "Moses as a servant in all his house." And the ceremonies also are not eternal; and therefore they cannot confer eternal liberty.

Consequently, when he says, "I know that you are the children of Abraham," he deals with their origin: and first he acknowledges their origin according to the flesh; second he inquires into their origin according to the spirit, at the place, "but you seek to kill me," etc. Now he says that the origin of their flesh is Abraham. "I know," he says, "that you are the children of Abraham," by origin of the flesh only, not by likeness of faith; Isaiah 51:2: "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah who bore you."

He inquires into their spiritual origin, saying, "but you seek to kill me," and first he shows that they have a spiritual origin; second he excludes the presumed origin, at the place, "they answered, and said to him: Abraham is our father"; third he shows their true origin, at the place, "you are of your father the Devil." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth their guilt; second he concludes to their spiritual origin, at the place, "you do the things that you have seen with your father." Concerning the first he does three things. First he lays upon them the guilt of homicide; second, the crime of unbelief; third he takes away from them any way of excuse.

The Lord therefore shows that they proceed spiritually from an evil root, and therefore he pointedly accuses them of sin; and setting aside all the other things by which the Jews were manifoldly entangled, he calls to mind for them only that which they continually had in mind, namely the sin of homicide, because, as was said above, they wished to kill him. And therefore he says, "but you seek to kill me," which is against your law; Exodus 20:13: "You shall not kill"; below, 11:53: "from that day therefore they devised to put him to death."

But they might say that to kill someone for a fault is not a sin, and therefore the Lord says that the cause of the homicide is not indeed a fault of Christ, nor their own justice, but their own unbelief; as if to say: you seek to kill me, not on account of justice, but on account of your unbelief, because my word does not take hold in you; Matthew 19:11: "not all take this word, but they to whom it is given." Now the Lord uses this manner of speaking, first indeed to show the excellence of his word; as if to say: my word exceeds your capacity, for it concerns spiritual things, but you have a carnal understanding; and therefore you do not grasp it; 1 Corinthians 2:14: "the animal man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God." Second, on account of a certain likeness. For, as Augustine says, the word of God is to unbelievers as a hook to fish, which does not catch unless it is caught. And therefore he says, "my word does not take hold in you," that is, in your heart, because it is not received in you in the way that Peter was caught; above, 6:69: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Nor, however, is any injury done to those who are caught: for indeed it catches unto salvation, not unto destruction.

For it is said, Deuteronomy 18:20, that the prophet who speaks from the mouth of the Lord things which the Lord has not said, ought to be put to death. Hence, lest the Jews should say that he ought to be put to death, on the ground that he spoke of himself and not from the mouth of the Lord, he goes on to add, saying, "I speak the things that I have seen with my Father"; as if to say: it cannot be imputed to me that I speak things I have not heard, since I speak not only things heard, but, what is more, things seen. For the other prophets spoke the things they had heard, but I speak the things I have seen; above, chapter 1:18: "No man has seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him"; 1 John 1: "that which we have seen and heard, we declare unto you." This must be understood of the vision of most certain knowledge, because the Son knows the Father just as he himself knows himself: concerning which it is said, Matthew 2:27: "no one knows the Father but the Son."

Now he concludes to their spiritual origin, saying, "and you do the things that you have seen with your father"; as if to say: I speak those things which befit my origin; but you do those things which are with your father, namely the Devil, whose children they were, according to Augustine, not insofar as they were men, but insofar as they were wicked. Those things, I say, which you have seen, the Devil suggesting them; Wisdom 2:24: "by the envy of the Devil, death entered into the world." According to Chrysostom, there is another reading: "you, do the things that you have seen with your father" — as if to say: just as I show my Father in truth by words, so do you show by works your father according to origin, namely Abraham; hence he says: do the things you have seen with your father, taught through the law and the prophets.

After the Lord showed that the Jews had some spiritual origin, here he excludes from them the origins which they presumptuously attributed to themselves, and first he excludes the origin which they said they derived from Abraham; second, the origin which they thought they had from God, at the place, "They said therefore to him: We are not born of fornication." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the opinion of the Jews about their origin; second he excludes it, at the place, "If you are the sons of Abraham, do the works of Abraham." Now it should be known concerning the first, that because the Lord had said to them, "what you have seen with your father, you do," therefore, glorying in their carnal generation, they transfer themselves to Abraham. Hence they say, "Abraham is our father," as if to say: if we have a spiritual origin, we are good, because Abraham our father is good; Psalm 104:6: "the seed of Abraham, his servants." And, as Augustine says, they were striving to provoke him to say something evil about Abraham, so that it might be an occasion for them to do what they were planning, namely, to kill Christ. But the Lord, consequently, when he says, "If you are the sons of Abraham, do the works of Abraham," excludes this opinion of theirs as falsely put forward, and he sets forth first the sign owed to sonship of Abraham; second he shows that this sign is not in the Jews, at the place, "but now you seek to kill me"; third he concludes his proposition, at the place, "you do the works of your father."

Now the sign of someone's sonship is that he be made like him whose son he is: for just as carnal children, for the most part, are made like their carnal parents, so also spiritual children (if they are truly children) ought to imitate their spiritual parents; Ephesians 5:1: "Be imitators of God, as most dear children." And as to this he says, "If you are the sons of Abraham, do the works of Abraham"; as if to say: this would be the sign that you were sons of Abraham, if you imitated him; Isaiah 51:2: "Look unto Abraham your father, and to Sara that bore you."

But here a doubt arises, because he seems indeed to deny that they are sons of Abraham, speaking doubtfully, "if you are the sons of Abraham," whereas he had affirmed above, saying: "I know that you are the sons of Abraham." To this a twofold answer is given. In one way, according to Augustine, that above he affirmed them to be sons of Abraham according to the flesh; but here he denies that they are his sons according to the imitation of works, and especially of faith. Their flesh, then, was from him, but their life was not; Galatians 3: "they who are of faith, these are reckoned in the seed."

In another way, according to Origen, that both refer to spiritual origin. But where we have: "I know that you are the sons of Abraham," in the Greek it is had: "I know that you are the seed of Abraham"; but here he says, "If you are the sons of Abraham, do the works of Abraham"; because the Jews indeed, spiritually speaking, were the seed of Abraham, but not his sons. There is a difference between seed and son: for seed is something unformed, and yet it has in itself the natures of that of which it is the seed; but a son, once the seed has been transformed by the informative power, from the agent into the matter supplied to it by the woman, with nourishment superadded, has the likeness of the one who generated him. In the same way the Jews indeed were the seed of Abraham inasmuch as in them some trace of those things which God had infused into Abraham appeared; but because they had not arrived at the perfection of Abraham, therefore they were not his sons; and on account of this he says to them, "If you are the sons of Abraham, do the works of Abraham"; that is, strive toward the perfect imitation of his works.

Now from the fact that he says, "do the works of Abraham," it seems that whatever he did, we too ought to do. Therefore we ought to take several wives, and go in to a handmaid, as Abraham did. I respond. It must be said that the chief work of Abraham is faith, by which he was justified before God; Genesis 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." And therefore "do the works of Abraham" must be understood as: believe after the likeness of Abraham. But against this is the fact that faith does not seem able to be called a work, since it is distinguished as against works; James 2:26: "faith without works is dead." I respond. It must be said that faith can be called a work, according to that above, 6:29: "this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." But an interior work is not manifest to men, but to God alone, according to that in 1 Kings 16:7: "men see the things that appear, but God looks upon the heart." Hence it is that we are more commonly accustomed to call "works" those things which are exterior. Faith, therefore, is distinguished not from all works, but only from exterior ones.

But must we do all the works of Abraham? To this it must be said that a work can be considered in two ways: either according to the species of the work itself, and in this way not all his works are to be imitated; or according to their root, and in this way the works of Abraham are to be imitated, because whatever he did, he did out of charity. Hence Augustine says that the celibacy of John is not preferred to the marriage of Abraham, since the root of both was the same. Or it must be said that all the works of Abraham are to be imitated as to their signification, because "all these things happened to them in figure," as is said in 1 Corinthians 10:11.

Consequently, when he says, "but now you seek to kill me," he shows that the aforesaid sign of sonship is not in them, and first the works of the Jews are set down; second he shows these to be unlike the works of Abraham, at the place, "this Abraham did not do." Now the wicked and perverse works of the Jews are shown, because they were murderers; hence he says, "but now you seek to kill me"; Isaiah 1:21: "How is the faithful city, that was full of judgment, become a harlot? Justice dwelt in it, but now murderers." But this murder was an inestimable sin against the person of the Son of God. Hence, because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 2:8, "if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory," therefore the Lord does not say that they seek to kill the Son of God, but a man: because although the Son of God is said to have suffered and died on account of the unity of the suppositum, this is not insofar as he is the Son of God, but on account of human weakness, because, as is said in 2 Corinthians, last chapter, 4: "if he was crucified through our weakness, yet he lives by the power of God."

And in order the more to aggravate their murder, he shows that they had no cause of death against him; hence he adds, "who have spoken to you the truth, which I have heard from God." This truth is that he said he was equal to God; above, 5:18: "the Jews sought to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath, but also said that God was his father, making himself equal to God." He heard this truth from God inasmuch as from eternity, through eternal generation, he received from the Father the same nature which he himself has; above, 5:26: "as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself."

Now he excludes two causes on account of which prophets were commanded to be killed in the law. First indeed on account of falsehood, Deuteronomy 13:5, where it is commanded that if any prophet should arise speaking falsehood, or a deviser of dreams, he should be killed: and this the Lord excludes from himself, saying, "who have spoken to you the truth"; Proverbs 8:7: "my throat shall meditate truth." Second, if any prophet should have spoken in the name of false gods, or in the name of God something which he himself had not commanded, he was to be killed, as is had in Deuteronomy 13:5. And this the Lord excludes from himself, when he says, "which I have heard from God."

Consequently, when he says, "this Abraham did not do," he shows that their works are unlike the works of Abraham, as if to say: in this you prove yourselves not to be sons of Abraham, because you do works contrary to his works: for of him it is read, Ecclesiasticus 44:20, that "he kept the law of the most High, and was in testimony with him." But some object superfluously, that Christ did not yet exist before Abraham, and therefore Abraham did not do this: for he could not have killed one who did not exist. But it must be said that Abraham is not commended from the fact that he did not do this to Christ, but from the fact that he did not do it to a like person, that is, to those who at that time spoke the truth. Or it must be said that if Christ had not yet come in the flesh in the time of Abraham, he had nonetheless come into his mind, according to that in Wisdom 7:27: "through nations she conveys herself into holy souls"; and this one Abraham did not kill by sinning mortally: of which it is said in Hebrews 6:6: "crucifying again the Son of God, and making him a mockery."

Consequently, when he says, "you do the works of your father," he concludes his proposition; as if to say: since you do not do the works of Abraham, therefore you have some other father, whose works you do. Something similar is had in Matthew 23:32: "fill up then the measure of your fathers."

Consequently, when he says, "They said therefore to him: We are not born of fornication," he shows that they do not have their origin from God: for because they already knew from the Lord's words that he was not speaking of carnal generation, therefore they transfer themselves to spiritual generation, saying, "we are not born of fornication," and so on. Here first they set forth their opinion; second the Lord excludes it, at the place, "Jesus therefore said to them," and so on.

Now in their opinion the Jews deny one thing and assert another. They deny that they were born of fornication: which indeed, according to Origen, they put forward to Christ as it were by way of reproach, covertly signifying that he had been produced from adultery; as if they said, "we are not born of fornication, as you are." But it can better be said that the spouse of the soul, spiritually, is God, Hosea 2:19: "I will espouse you to me." Now just as a bride commits fornication when, besides her carnal spouse, she admits another man; so, in the Scriptures, Judea was said to commit fornication when, deserting the true God, she clung to idols; Hosea 1:2: "the land committing fornication shall go a-whoring from the Lord." The Jews say therefore, "we are not born of fornication"; as if they said: if at some time our mother the synagogue, departing from God, committed fornication with idols, we nonetheless did not depart, nor did we commit fornication with idols; Psalm 43:18: "neither have we forgotten you, and we have not done wickedly in your covenant, and our heart has not turned back"; Isaiah 57:3: "come up hither, you sons of the fornicatress, the seed of the adulterer and of the harlot." They affirm, however, that they are sons of God: which seemed to follow from the fact that they did not believe themselves born of fornication; hence they say, "we have one Father, God"; Malachi 2:10: "is there not one Father of us all?" Jeremiah 3: "you shall call me Father."

Consequently, when he says, "Jesus therefore said to them," etc., their opinion is refuted by the Lord, and first he sets forth the sign of divine sonship; second he assigns the reason for the sign, at the place, "for I proceeded and came from God," etc.; third he shows that they fall short of the aforesaid sign, at the place, "why do you not know my speech?"

Now it should be known concerning the first, that above he said the sign of carnal sonship to be exterior works, which men perform outwardly; but here he sets down interior affection as the sign of divine sonship. For we are made sons of God through the communication of the Holy Spirit; Romans 8:15: "you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but the spirit of adoption." Now the Holy Spirit is the cause of the love of God, because "the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given to us": Romans 5:5. The special sign, therefore, of divine sonship is love; Ephesians 5:1: "be imitators of God as most dear children, and walk in love." And therefore he says, "If God were your father, you would indeed love me"; Psalm 24:21: "the innocent and the upright," who are the sons of God, "have stuck close to me."

Now he assigns the reason for the sign, saying, "for I proceeded and came forth from God," and first he sets down the truth; second he excludes error, at the place, "for neither did I come of myself." Now the truth which he sets forth is that he proceeded and came from God. But it should be known that every friendship is founded in a conjunction; hence brothers also love one another inasmuch as they take their origin from the same parents. The Lord therefore says: you say that you are sons of God; but if this were so, you would love me, because I proceeded and came from God. Whoever, therefore, does not love me, is not a son of God. "I proceeded," I say, "from God," as the Only-begotten from eternity, from the substance of the Father; Psalm 109:3: "before the day-star I begot you"; above, 1: "in the beginning was the Word." But "I came," as the Word made flesh and sent by God through the incarnation; below, 16:28: "I came out from the Father," as the Word from eternity, "and am come into the world," as flesh, made in time.

He excludes the error, however, when he says, "for neither did I come of myself": and first he excludes the error of Sabellius, who said that Christ did not have his origin from another, but imagined the Father and the Son to be the same in person. And as to this he says, "for neither did I come of myself"; that is, according to Hilary, I came not existing of myself, but as it were sent by another, namely by the Father; hence he adds, "but he sent me"; Galatians 4:4: "God sent his Son, born of a woman, made under the law." Second, the error of the Jews, who said that Christ was not sent by God, but was a false prophet: of whom it is said: "I did not send them, but they ran of themselves." And as to this he says, according to Origen, "for neither did I come of myself, but he sent me." This one Moses was asking for: "I beseech you, Lord, send whom you will send."

Now he shows that they fall short of this sign, when he says, "why do you not know my speech?" For, as was said above, love of Christ is the sign of divine sonship; but these men did not love Christ: hence it is manifest that they fall short of this sign. Now that they do not love, they show through its effect: for an effect of someone's love is that the one who loves gladly hears the words of the one loved. Hence Song of Songs 2:14: "let your voice sound in my ears, for your voice is sweet." And Song of Songs, last chapter, 13: "make me hear your voice: the friends hearken to you." Because, therefore, these men did not love Christ, it seemed hard to them even to hear his voice; above, 6:61: "this saying is hard: who can hear it?" Wisdom 2:15: "he is grievous to us, even to behold."

Now it happens that someone does not gladly hear the words of another, because he cannot examine them and consequently cannot know them, and therefore they contradict them; Job 6:29: "answer, I beseech you, without contention... and you shall not find iniquity in my tongue." And therefore he says, "why do you not know my speech?" — saying and asking, "what is this that he said: where I go you cannot come?" And this, I say, you do not know for this reason, because you cannot hear my word; that is, you have so hard a heart toward me, that you do not even wish to hear my word.

After the Lord showed that the Jews have a certain spiritual origin, and excluded from them the origin they presumed to have, here he asserts the true origin, ascribing to them the fatherhood of the Devil. First he sets forth his intention; second he assigns them the reason, at the words and the desires of your father you will do; third he makes manifest the reason he had set forth, at the words he was a murderer from the beginning. He says, then: you do the works of the Devil, therefore you are of your father the Devil, namely by imitation; Ezekiel 16:3: "your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite."

Here the heresy of the Manichees is to be guarded against, who say that there is a certain nature of evil, and a certain race of darkness with its own princes, from which all corruptible things draw their origin; and that according to this, all men have proceeded from the Devil according to the flesh. They held moreover that certain souls belong to the good creation, and certain to the evil; hence they said that this saying of the Lord's, you are of your father the Devil, was uttered because you have proceeded from him according to the flesh, and your souls are of the evil creation. But, as Origen says, to introduce two natures on account of the difference between good and evil seems similar to one who would say that the substance of a seeing eye is one thing, and that of a dim or averted eye another. For just as a healthy eye and a bleary one do not differ in substance, but rather a certain deficient cause occurs, namely one that makes it grow dim, so the substance and nature of a thing is the same, whether it is good or has in itself a defect, which is the sin of the will. The Jews, therefore, insofar as they are evil, are not said to be sons of the Devil by nature, but by imitation.

Consequently, when he says and you wish to do the desires of your father, he explains the reason he had assigned; as if to say: you are not sons of the Devil as though created by him and brought into being by him, but because, imitating him, you wish to do the desires of your father, which indeed are evil. For just as he envied man, and killed him — Wisdom 2:24: "through the envy of the Devil death entered into the world" — so also you, envying me, seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you.

Consequently, when he says he was a murderer from the beginning, he makes manifest the reason he had set forth, and first he sets down the condition of the Devil which they imitate; second he shows that they are imitators of that condition, at the words but I, if I tell the truth, you do not believe me. It must be known, concerning the first point, that a twofold sin holds chief sway in the Devil: namely the sin of pride toward God, and the sin of envy toward man, whom he killed. But it is from the sin of envy toward man, by which he inflicts harms upon men, that the sin of pride is known by us; and therefore he first sets down the Demon's sin against man, second his sin against God, at the words and he did not stand in the truth.

Now the sin of envy against man is that he killed him; hence he says: he, namely the Devil, was a murderer from the beginning. Here it must be known that the Devil did not kill man girded with a sword, but by evil persuasion; Wisdom 2:24: "through the envy of the Devil death entered into the world." And first indeed the death of sin entered, Psalm 33:22 (34:21): "the death of sinners is the worst"; and afterward bodily death, Romans 5:12: "through one man sin entered, and through sin, death." And, as Augustine says, do not think that you are not a murderer when you persuade your brother to evil. It must be noted, however, according to Origen, that he is called a murderer not on account of some one person only, but for the whole race, which he destroyed in Adam, in whom all die, as is said in 1 Corinthians 15:22. Hence he is called murderer by antonomasia; and this from the beginning, namely from the time there was man, who could be killed, from which time murder could take place: for man could not be killed unless man had first come to be.

Consequently, when he says and he did not stand in the truth, he sets down the Demon's sin against God, which consists in this: that he turned himself away from the truth, which is God. And first he shows him turned away from the truth; second he shows him contrary to the truth, at the words when he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own. Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows him turned away from the truth; second he makes manifest what he said, at the words because the truth is not in him. He says, then, and he did not stand in the truth. Here it must be known that truth is twofold: of speech and of deed.

The truth of speech is that by which someone utters with the mouth what he bears in the heart, and it is found in the nature of things; Ephesians 4:25: "putting away lying, speak the truth each one with his neighbor"; Psalm 14:3 (15:2): "who speaks the truth with his neighbor, who has not done deceit with his tongue." The truth of justice is when someone does what is fitting for him according to the order of his own nature; of which he says above, John 3:21: "he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God." Speaking, therefore, of this truth, the Lord says and in the truth — namely of justice — he did not stand, because he abandoned the order of his own nature, which was that he should be subject to God, and through this same subjection attain his own beatitude and the fulfillment of his natural desire. Hence, when he wished to attain this of himself, he fell from the truth.

Now this saying, he did not stand in the truth, can be understood in two ways: either that he never stood in the truth, or that he stood in it at some time but did not remain in it. But that he never was in the truth of justice can itself have a twofold sense. One indeed is according to the Manichees, who say that the Devil is naturally evil, from which it follows that he was always evil, for what is present naturally is always present. But this is heretical, because in Psalm 145:6 (146:6) it is said that God made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. Therefore every being is from God; and everything that is from God, insofar as it is, is good. And therefore others said that the Demon, by his own nature, was created good by God, but in the first instant was made evil through free will. And these differ from the Manichees, because the latter say the demons were always evil, and naturally so, whereas these say they were always evil, but through free will.

But it might seem to someone that, since an Angel is not evil by nature but through the sin of his own will, and sin is a certain act, it could have come about that the Angel was good at the beginning of the act but, at the end of the evil act, was made evil. It is manifest, however, that the act of sin in the Demon is subsequent to creation, and the terminus of creation is the very being of the Angel, whereas the terminus of the operation of sin is that they are evil. And thus, on this reasoning, they hold that it is impossible that in the first instant in which the Angel began to be, he was evil. But this reasoning does not seem sufficient, for it holds only in temporal motions, which are carried out successively, and not in instantaneous motions. For in successive motions, the instant in which the action begins is one thing, and that in which it is terminated another: just as, if local motion follows upon an alteration, local motion and alteration cannot be terminated in the same instant. But in instantaneous changes, the terminus of the first and of the second change can occur at once and in the same instant, just as in the same instant in which the moon is illumined by the sun, the air is illumined by the moon. It is manifest, however, that creation is instantaneous, and likewise the movement of free will in the Angels, since they had no need of the comparison and discourse of reason; hence nothing prevents there being, at once and in the same instant, both the terminus of creation, in which he was good, and again the terminus of free will, in which he was evil.

And some grant this, but say that it was not so, although it could have been — and this on account of the authority of Scripture. For it is said of the Devil, under the figure of the king of Babylon, Isaiah 14:12: "how have you fallen, Lucifer, who rose in the morning?" And Ezekiel 28:13 says, under the person of the king of Tyre: "you were in the delights of the paradise of God." And therefore they say that he was not evil at the beginning of his creation, but was good for a time, and fell through free will.

But it must be said that in the first instant of his creation he could not have been evil. The reason for this is that no act has the character of sin except insofar as it is beyond the order proper to the nature of the voluntary agent. Now in any order of acts, the natural act is prior; just as in understanding, the first principles are understood first, and through them other things are understood; and likewise in willing, we first will the ultimate perfection and the ultimate end, the appetite for which is naturally present in us, and on account of which we desire other things. But what happens according to nature is not sin. It is impossible, therefore, that the Devil's first act was evil. The Devil, therefore, was good in some instant, but he did not stand in the truth — that is, he did not remain in it. As to what is said in 1 John 3:8, "the Devil has sinned from the beginning," it must be said that he did indeed sin from the beginning, because from the time he began to sin, he never ceased.

Consequently, when he says because the truth is not in him, he makes manifest what he had said. This manifestation, indeed, is understood in two ways. In one way, according to Origen, it is a manifestation of the general by the specific, just as if I wished to manifest that Socrates is an animal by the fact that he is a man; as if he were to say: he did not stand in the truth, but fell — and this because the truth is not in him. Now there is a twofold degree of those not standing in the truth. For some do not stand in the truth because they are not made firm in it, but waver — Psalm 72:2 (73:2): "but my feet were almost moved, my steps had almost slipped." Others, however, recoil totally from the truth. And thus the Devil did not stand in the truth, but withdrew from it through aversion.

But is there, then, no truth at all in him? Indeed, if there were no truth at all in him, he would understand neither himself nor anything else, since understanding is only of true things — which is unfitting. It must be said, therefore, that in the demons there is some truth, as there is something true in them. For no evil totally corrupts the good, since at the very least the subject in which the evil is, is itself good. Therefore Dionysius says that in the demons the natural goods remain intact. Thus, then, there is some truth in them, but not the perfective truth from which they have turned away, namely from God, who is the perfective truth and wisdom.

In the second way, however, this manifestation is by a sign, as Augustine says. For it seems that rather the contrary ought to have been said — namely, that the truth is not in him because he did not stand in the truth. But just as a cause is sometimes made manifest through its effect, so the Lord wished to show that he did not stand in the truth through the fact that the truth is not in him: for it would be in him, had he stood in the truth. A similar manner of speaking is found in Psalm 16:6 (17:6): "I have cried out because you have heard me," as if from this it appears that he cried out, because he was heard.

Consequently, when he says when he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, he shows that the Devil is contrary to the truth. First he sets forth his intention; second he makes manifest his proposition, at the words because he is a liar, and the father thereof. Now contrary to truth is the false and the lie; and the Devil is contrary to the truth because he speaks a lie: and therefore he says when he speaks, he speaks a lie. Here it must be known that whoever, besides God, speaks from his own, speaks a lie — although not everyone who speaks a lie speaks from his own. Only God, however, in speaking from his own, speaks the truth. For truth is the illumination of the intellect; but God is the light itself, and by him all are illumined — above, John 1:9: "it was the true light, which illumines every man coming into this world" — hence he is truth itself, and others do not speak the truth except insofar as they are illumined by him. Hence, as Ambrose says, every truth, by whomever it is spoken, is from the Holy Spirit.

Thus, then, when the Devil speaks from his own, he speaks a lie; man too, when he speaks from his own, speaks a lie; but when he speaks from God, then he speaks the truth; Romans 3:4: "but God is true, and every man a liar," as far as it depends on himself. But not every man who speaks a lie speaks from his own, because sometimes he receives this from another — not indeed from God, who is truthful, but from him who did not stand in the truth and first devised the lie. And therefore he alone, singularly, when he speaks a lie, speaks from his own; 1 Kings 22 (final chapter): "I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets"; Isaiah 19:14: "the Lord has mingled" — that is, has permitted to be mingled — "in the midst thereof a spirit of error."

He makes manifest, however, his proposition when he says because he is a liar, and the father thereof. This indeed the Manichees, understanding it badly, took as positing generations of demons, thinking that the Devil has a father. Hence they said that the Devil is a liar, and the father thereof — that is, the Devil is the father of himself. This indeed is not to be understood in this way. For the Lord said that the Devil is a liar, and the father thereof — that is, the father of the lie: for not everyone who lies is the father of his own lie. For, as Augustine says, if you received a lie from another and told it, you indeed have lied, but you are not the father of the lie. The Devil, however, because he did not receive the lie from elsewhere — the lie by which he killed man as if by poison — is the father of the lie, just as God is the Father of truth. For the Devil first devised the lie, when he lied to the woman: "you shall not die at all," Genesis 3:4. How this was true, the outcome of the matter afterward proved.

It must be known, however, that these words, from that passage you are of your father the Devil onward, are expounded in the book On the Questions of the New and Old Testament as referring to Cain, in this way: he is called a devil who does the works of the Devil, and you imitate him. Cain was a murderer from the beginning — namely from the time he killed Abel his brother — and he did not stand in the truth, because the truth is not in him. And this appears because, when the Lord asked him (Genesis 4:9): "where is Abel your brother?" he answered, saying: "I know not, Lord; am I my brother's keeper?" Hence he himself is a liar, and the father thereof — namely the Devil, who is his father by impression. The first exposition, however, is better.

After he had set down the condition of the devil, the Lord here consequently shows that the Jews are imitators of the devil's condition. Now the Lord ascribed two conditions of malice to the devil, namely homicide and lying. As to homicide, indeed, in which these men were imitating the devil, he had reproved them above, in the same place: "But now you seek to kill me, a man who have spoken to you the truth, which I have heard from God" (John 8:40). And therefore, passing over this, he rebukes them for their aversion from the truth, and first he shows that they are averse from the truth; second, he excludes the cause which they could have alleged, at the place, "Which of you shall convict me of sin?"; third, he concludes to the true cause of their aversion, at the place, "If I say the truth, why do you not believe me?"

He says therefore first: it has been said that the devil is a liar, and the father of lying, whom indeed you imitate, because you do not wish to adhere to the truth. Hence he says, "But if I say the truth to you, you do not believe me." Luke 22:67: "But if I shall say to you, you will not believe me." And above, John 3:12: "how, if I shall tell you heavenly things, will you believe?" Whence also Isaiah 53:1 complains, saying: "Lord, who has believed our report?"

Now the cause of their unbelief, which the Jews could allege, was sin in Christ; for even in speaking the truth, a sinner is not easily believed. Whence Psalm 49:16: "But to the sinner God has said: Why do you declare my justices?" They could therefore say: we do not believe, because you are a sinner. And so he excludes this cause, saying: "Which of you shall convict me of sin?" As if to say: you have no just cause why you do not believe me when I speak the truth, since no sin can be found in me; 1 Peter 2:22: "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."

According to Gregory, the meekness of God is to be weighed, who does not disdain to show by reason that he is not a sinner, he who by the power of his divinity could justify sinners; Job 31:13: "If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me." Also to be admired is the singular excellence of Christ's purity, because, as Chrysostom says, no man could say this with confidence — "Which of you shall convict me of sin?" — except our God alone, who did no sin; Proverbs 20:9: "Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?" As if to say, no one but God alone. And in Psalm 13:3: "They are all gone aside, they are become unprofitable together: there is none that does good, no not one," that is, except Christ.

Now he concludes to the true cause of their aversion, saying: "If I say the truth, why do you not believe me?" And first he sets this down; second he excludes the Jews' contradiction, at the place, "The Jews therefore answered," and so on. As to the first he does three things. First he sets down the question; second he assumes a reasonable proposition; third he infers the intended conclusion. He says therefore first: since then you cannot say that you do not believe me because I am a sinner, it now remains to ask why, if I say the truth, you do not believe me, since I am not a sinner; as if to say: if you, who hold me in hatred, cannot convict me of sin, it is manifest that you hate me on account of the truth, because I say that I am the Son of God; Proverbs 18:2: "A fool receives not the words of prudence, unless you say those things that are in his heart."

Now he assumes a reasonable and true proposition, saying: "He that is of God, hears the words of God." For as it is said in Ecclesiasticus 13:19, "every beast loves its like," so whoever is of God, insofar as he is such, has a likeness to the things that are of God, and adheres to them. Whence he that is of God gladly hears the words of God; below, John 18:37: "Everyone that is of the truth, hears my voice." And the word of God ought especially to be gladly heard by those who are of God, since it is itself the seed by which we are begotten into sons of God; below, John 10:35: "He called them gods, to whom the word of God was spoken."

And therefore from this he infers the intended conclusion, saying: "Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God"; as if to say: therefore my sin is not the cause of your unbelief, but your malice; Ecclesiasticus 6:21: "How exceedingly bitter is wisdom to unlearned men." And, as Augustine says, they are indeed of God according to nature, but they are not of God by fault and depraved affection; for this word was said to those who were not only vitiated by sin — for this was common to all — but also foreknown as those who would not believe with that faith by which they might be freed from the bond of sins.

Now it must be noted that there is a threefold degree of those badly disposed, as Gregory says. For there are some who do not deign to hear the precepts of God even with the bodily ear, that is, with exterior hearing; of whom it is said in Psalm 57:5: "like the deaf asp that stops her ears." There are others who indeed perceive these things with the bodily ear, but embrace them with no desire of the mind, having no will to fulfill them; Ezekiel 33:31: "they hear your words, and do them not." There are others who gladly receive the words of God, so that they are even pierced with compunction unto tears; but after the time of weeping, either oppressed by tribulations or allured by delights, they return to iniquity; an example of which is had in Matthew 13:18ff. and Luke 8:11ff., concerning the word choked by cares. Ezekiel 3:7: "the house of Israel will not hear you, because they will not hear me." It is therefore a sign that a man is of God if he gladly hears the words of God; but those who refuse to hear, whether in affection or in effect, are not of God.

Here he excludes the Jews' contradiction, and first the Evangelist sets down the Jews' contradiction; second, the Lord's exclusion of it, at the place, "Jesus answered: I have not a devil." Now the Jews impute two things to Christ in their contradiction. First, that he is a Samaritan, when they say, "Do we not say well, that you are a Samaritan?" Second, that he has a devil; whence they add, "and have a devil." Now in their saying, "Do we not say well?" it is given to understand that they frequently reproached the Lord with this word. And indeed as to the second, that he is possessed by a demon, we read in Matthew 9:34 and 12:24, where they said: "By Beelzebub the prince of devils he casts out devils." But that they called him a Samaritan is found nowhere except here in the Gospel, although perhaps they said this many times; for many things were said and done concerning Jesus and by Jesus which are not written in the Gospels, as it is said below, John 20:25.

Now a twofold cause can be assigned why the Jews said this to Christ. One indeed, because the Samaritans were a nation hateful to the people of Israel, in that, when the ten tribes had been led into captivity, they possessed their land; above, John 4:9: "for the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans." Since therefore Christ, in rebuking the Jews, was believed by the Jews to do this out of hatred, therefore they reputed him a Samaritan and, as it were, an adversary, and so on. The other reason is, because the Samaritans partly kept the Jewish rites, and partly did not. Seeing therefore that Christ in some things kept the law, and in some things dissolved it, as for instance the sabbath, the Jews called him a Samaritan.

Likewise, for a twofold cause they said that he had a devil. One indeed, because the miracles which he performed, and the thoughts which he revealed, they did not attribute to divine power in Christ, but suspected that he did these things by the art of devils. Whence they said: "By Beelzebub the prince of devils he casts out devils." The other reason is on account of his discourses, which transcended human capacity, saying that God was his Father, and that he had descended from heaven, and so on. Now it is the custom of the unlearned, when they hear such things, to account them diabolical; and so these men believed that Christ spoke as it were filled with a devil; below, John 10:20: "others said: He has a devil, and is mad; why hear you him?" And they say these words in order to accuse him of sin, against what he had said: "Which of you shall convict me of sin?"

Consequently, when he says, "Jesus answered: I have not a devil," the Lord repels the contradiction of the Jews. Now they had imputed two things to Christ: namely, that he was a Samaritan, and that he had a devil. As to the first, the Lord does not excuse himself; and this for a twofold reason. One indeed, according to Origen, because the Jews always wished to separate themselves from the Gentiles. But now the time had come when the distinction between Gentiles and Jews was to be removed, and all were to be called back to the way of salvation; and therefore the Lord, to show that he had come for the salvation of all, so that — more than Paul — having been made all things to all, he might gain all (1 Corinthians 9), did not deny that he was a Samaritan. The other reason is, because "Samaritan" is interpreted "keeper"; and because he himself is especially our keeper, according to Psalm 121:4: "Behold he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keeps Israel," therefore he did not deny that he was a Samaritan.

But he denies that he has a devil, saying, "I have not a devil," and first indeed he repels the injury inflicted; second he charges the pertinacity of those who inflict the injury, at the place, "and you have dishonored me." As to the first he does two things. First he repels the injury inflicted; second he manifests this by its opposite, at the place, "but I honor my Father." Now it must be noted, as to the first, that the Lord, in correcting the Jews, frequently spoke harshly to them: "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites," and many things which are read in the Gospels. But it is not found that the Lord, when the Jews inflicted harsh words or deeds upon him personally, spoke to them injuriously or harshly; but, as Gregory says, God, receiving injury, does not answer with contumelious words, but simply says, "I have not a devil." From which fact what is suggested to us, except that at the time when we receive contumelies from our neighbors out of falsehood, we too should keep silent about their evil words, lest the ministry of just correction be turned into the arms of fury? And that we ought to vindicate the things that pertain to God, but despise the things that pertain to ourselves.

Now this word, namely "I have not a devil," Christ alone can say, as Origen says; for he has nothing of what belongs to the devil, whether light or grave, in himself; whence below, John 14:30: "the prince of this world comes, and in me he has not anything"; 2 Corinthians 6:15: "what agreement has Christ with Belial?" Now he manifests what he had said by its opposite, saying, "but I honor my Father." For the devil resists the honor of God; whoever therefore seeks the honor of God is a stranger to the devil. Christ therefore, who honors his Father, namely God, does not have a devil. Now it is proper and singular to Christ that he honors his Father, as it is said in Malachi 1:6: "the son honors the father." But Christ is singularly the Son of God.

Consequently, when he says, "and you have dishonored me," he charges the pertinacity of those who do him injury, and first he accuses those doing the injury; second he excludes an unexpected cause of accusation; third he foretells to them their due condemnation. He says therefore first: I honor my Father, and you have dishonored me; as if to say: I do what I ought; you do what you ought not; nay rather, in that you have dishonored me, you dishonor my Father; above, John 5:23: "he who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent him." But because they might say: you are too harsh, you care too much for your own glory, thus accusing us; therefore, excluding this, he adds, speaking insofar as he is man, "but I seek not my own glory." For God alone is he who can seek his own glory without fault; others, however, only in God; 2 Corinthians 10:17: "he that glories, let him glory in the Lord"; below, in this same chapter: "if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing."

But does not Christ, insofar as he is man, have glory? Nay rather, great glory in every way; for although he himself does not seek it, yet "there is one who seeks it," namely the Father. For it is said in Psalm 8:7: "you have crowned him with glory and honor," namely Christ as man. And elsewhere, Psalm 20:6: "you have laid upon him glory and great beauty." And he will not only seek my glory in those who work the living causes of truth, but he will also punish and condemn those who contradict my glory; whence he adds, "and judges." But against this, above, John 5:22, it is said: "the Father judges no man, but has given all judgment to the Son." I answer: the Father judges no man apart from the Son, because even this judgment which he will make concerning what you do me injury in, he will make through the Son. Or it must be said that judgment is sometimes taken for condemnation; and this judgment the Father has given to the Son, because he alone will appear in visible form in judgment, as was said above. Sometimes it is taken for discernment, and of this he speaks here. Whence he says in Psalm 42:1: "Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause"; as if to say: it is the Father who will distinguish my glory from yours. For you, he discerns as glorying for the sake of the world, and the glory of his Son, whom he has anointed above his fellows, and who is without sin, from you; but you are men with sin.

Above, the Lord had promised two things to those who follow him: namely, liberation from darkness, and the attainment of life, saying: "he who follows me does not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." And of the first indeed it was spoken above; but now he deals with the second, namely with the attainment of life through Christ, and first he sets forth the truth; second he repels the contradiction of the Jews, at the place "The Jews therefore said: now we know," and so on. Now it should be known that although Christ had been provoked with injuries and reproaches, he did not for that reason cease from teaching; but after he had been said to have a devil, he bestowed the benefits of his preaching all the more abundantly, saying "amen, amen I say to you," and so on. In which an example is given to us, that when the perversity of evil men grows, and those who are converted are trampled down through the reproaches of men, preaching ought not only not to be broken off, but even to be increased; Ezekiel 2:6: "therefore, son of man, do not fear them, nor be afraid of their words"; 2 Timothy 2:9: "I labor even unto bonds, as an evildoer; but the word of God is not bound."

Now the Lord does two things in these words. One indeed is what he requires, the other what he promises. He requires indeed the keeping of his word; hence he says "if anyone keeps my word." For the word of Christ is truth; therefore we ought to keep it, first indeed through faith and continual meditation; Proverbs 4:6: "keep her and she will keep you"; second through the fulfillment of the work; below, John 14:21: "he who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me." But he promises liberation from death; hence he says "he will not see death forever," that is, he will not experience it; Ecclesiasticus 24:30: "they who work in me," namely in the divine wisdom, "shall not sin; and they who make me clear shall have life everlasting." And fittingly such a reward is owed to such merit. For eternal life consists chiefly in the divine vision; below, John 17:3: "this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." Now a certain seedbed and beginning of this vision comes about in us through the word of Christ; Luke 8:11: "the seed is the word of God." Therefore just as he who keeps the seed of some plant or tree so that it not be spoiled arrives at the reception of the fruit, so he who keeps the word of God arrives at eternal life; Leviticus 18:5: "the things which a man shall do, he shall live in them."

Consequently, when he says "the Jews therefore said," and so on, the refutation of the Jews' contradiction is set forth. Now they contradict Christ in three ways. First indeed by charging him with falsehood; second by mocking, at the place "the Jews therefore said to him: you are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Third by persecuting, at the place "they therefore took up stones to cast at him." Concerning the first they do two things. First they attempt to convict him of presumption; second Christ responds to certain of the things that were said, at the place "if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing." Concerning the first they do three things. First they hurl a reproach; second they set forth a fact, at "Abraham is dead," and so on; third they question, at "are you greater than our father Abraham?"

Now they hurled the reproach of lying when they say "now we know that you have a devil." And this they said for this reason, because it is known among the Jews that the deviser of sins is the Devil, and especially of lying, according to that saying, 3 Kings 22:22: "I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets." Now because it seemed to them that what the Lord said, namely "if anyone keeps my word, he will not see death forever," was an open lie — for they, being carnal, understood of bodily death what he had said of spiritual and eternal death, and especially because it seemed to contradict the authority of Sacred Scripture, Psalm 88:49: "who is the man who lives, and shall not see death, shall he deliver his soul from the hand of hell?" — therefore they say to him "you have a devil," as if to say: from the instigation of the Devil you speak a lie. And in order to convict him of lying, they do two things. First indeed they set forth the death of the ancients; second they repeat the words of Christ, at "and you say," and so on.

They say therefore: truly what you say is false: "if anyone keeps your word," and so on, for "Abraham," a man, "is dead," as is clear in Genesis 25. Likewise the prophets also have died; 2 Kings 14:14: "we all die, and like water we slip down into the earth, which does not return." And indeed although they have died bodily, nevertheless they have not died spiritually; Matthew 22:32, the Lord says: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Afterward it follows: "he is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Therefore they are dead in body, but they live in spirit, because they kept the word of God, and lived by faith. And it was of that death that the Lord understood, not of bodily death.

Now they repeat the word of Christ when they add "and you say: if anyone keeps my word, he will not taste death forever." Like careless and malicious hearers, confusing the Lord's saying, they do not repeat the same words. For the Lord said "he will not see death," but they in fact uttered "he will not taste death." But as to their intention it is the same: because by either expression they understand that death, namely bodily death, he will not experience forever. But as to the true meaning, there is a difference, as Origen says, between tasting death and seeing it: for to see death is to experience it perfectly; but to taste is to have some taste or participation of death. Now just as it is a greater penalty to see death than to taste it, so it is a greater glory not to taste death than not to see it. For those do not taste death who are on high with Christ, that is, who keep their standing in an intellectual place: of whom it is said, Matthew 16:28: "there are some of those standing here who will not taste death, until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Some, however, there are who, even if they do not see death by sinning mortally, nevertheless taste something through some light affection for earthly things. And therefore the Lord, as is found in the Greek, and as Origen also expounds, said "he will not see death forever": because he who has received and kept the word of Christ, even if he taste something, will nevertheless not see death.

Now they question when they say "are you greater than our father Abraham, who has died?" And first indeed they ask concerning the comparison of him to the ancient fathers: "are you," they say, "greater than our father Abraham?" They could, as Chrysostom says, according to their carnal understanding, have asked something higher: namely, "are you greater than God?" For Abraham and the prophets kept the commandments of God, and nevertheless died bodily. So then if anyone keeps your word he will not die, it seems that you are greater than God. But they are content with this lesser charge, because they thought him lesser than Abraham; whereas it is written in Psalm 85:8: "there is none like you among the gods, O Lord"; and Exodus 15:11: "who is like you among the mighty, O Lord?" — as if to say, none.

Second, they ask concerning his own estimation, namely what he makes himself to be; as if to say: if you are greater than these, namely Abraham and the prophets, it seems that by this it is understood that you are of a higher nature, perhaps an angel, or God. But we do not think this of you. And therefore they do not say "who are you," but "what do you make yourself?" Because whatever is said above these men, since we do not recognize it of you, we shall reckon that you are fabricating it. Similarly they said below, John 10:33: "for a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God."

Consequently, when he says "Jesus answered," and so on, the Lord's response is set forth, and first he responds to the second question; second to the first, at "Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day." Concerning the first the Lord does three things. First he excludes the falsity which they intended; second he teaches the truth, which they did not know, at "it is my Father who glorifies me"; third he makes manifest both of the things they had proposed, at "and you have not known him."

He says therefore: you ask me, saying, "what do you make yourself?" as though I usurped for myself a glory that I do not have. But this utterance was superfluous, since I do not make myself to be what I am, but I have received it from the Father: for "if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing." This could be understood in this way of Christ according as he is the Son of God, so that it be said with precision, "if I," namely alone, "glorify myself," that is, attribute to myself glory which the Father does not attribute to me, "my glory is nothing": for the glory of Christ, according as he is God, is the glory of the Word and Son of God; but the Son has nothing except as born, that is, what he received by being born from another: if therefore it were granted, per impossibile, that his glory were not from another, it would not be the glory of the Son. It seems better, however, that this be said of Christ according as he is man. For whoever attributes to himself a glory which he does not have from God, that glory is false: for whatever is of truth is from God; but what is contrary to truth is false, and consequently, nothing. Glory therefore which is not from God is nothing; Hebrews 5:5, it is said of Christ, that "he did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high priest"; 2 Corinthians 10:18: "for it is not he who commends himself who is approved, but he whom God commends." Thus therefore the falsity of the Jews is made clear.

Now the truth, which he intends to teach, he sets forth, saying "it is my Father who glorifies me," as if to say: I do not glorify myself, as you fabricate; but there is another who glorifies me, namely my Father: whom indeed he describes from his property, and from his nature. From the property indeed of fatherhood; hence he says "my Father," and not "I." From which word indeed, as Augustine says, the Arians calumniate against our faith, saying that the Father is greater than the Son: for greater is he who glorifies than he who is glorified by him. If therefore the Father glorifies the Son, the Father is greater than the Son. But it must be said that the argument would indeed have an appearance of truth, unless it were found conversely that the Son glorifies the Father: for the Son says, below, John 17:1: "Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you." And in the same place: "I have glorified you on earth." Now in the Greek "to glorify" and "to make clear" are the same; and, according to Ambrose, "glory is a clear knowledge accompanied by praise."

Now this saying, "it is my Father who glorifies me," can be referred to Christ both according as he is the Son of God, and according as he is the son of man. According indeed as he is the Son of God, the Father glorifies him with the glory of divinity, begetting him equal to himself from eternity; Hebrews 1:3: "who, being the brightness of glory and the figure of his substance...sits at the right hand of majesty on high"; Philippians 2:11: "every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father." But according as he is man, he had glory through the overflow of divinity into himself, and of a singular grace and glory; above, John 1:14: "we shall see his glory, glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Now from the nature of divinity he describes him, when he says "whom you say is your God." But lest you think he means another father than God, he says he is glorified by God; below, John 13:31: "now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God also will glorify him in himself." But, according to Augustine, this saying is against the Manicheans, who say that the Father of Christ was not announced in the Old Testament, but is one of the princes of the evil angels. Now it is established that the Jews do not say that their God is other than the God of the Old Testament. Therefore the God of the Old Testament is the Father of Christ who glorifies him.

Now he makes manifest both things, namely the falsity of the Jews, and his own truth, when he says "and you have not known him." Now he makes this manifest in two ways. First indeed by showing the ignorance of the Jews; second his own knowledge, at "but I have known him." Concerning the first it should be known that the Jews could say: you say that you are glorified by God; but his judgments are known to us, according to that saying, Psalm 147:20: "he has not done in like manner to every nation, and he has not made known his judgments to them." Therefore if what you say is true, we surely would know this: since therefore it escapes us, it is established that it is not true. And therefore, concluding, he says "and you have not known him"; as if to say: it is no wonder if you do not know the glory with which my Father glorifies me, whom you say is your God, since you do not even know God himself. But against this, Psalm 75: "God is known in Judea." I answer: as God, but not as Father, is he known by them; hence above he said "it is my Father who glorifies me." Or it must be said that "you have not known him" in affection: because you worship in a carnal manner him who is to be worshiped spiritually; above, John 4:24: "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Likewise in effect, because you have scorned to fulfill his commandments; Titus 1:16: "they profess that they know God, but in their deeds they deny him."

But because they could say: granted that we do not know your glory, how do you know that you have glory from God the Father? Therefore he adds his own knowledge, saying "but I know him," and first he sets forth his own knowledge; second he shows the necessity of declaring this knowledge, at "and if I should say that I do not know him, I shall be a liar like you"; third he explains what he says, at "but I know him." He says therefore: I know that I have glory from God the Father because I know him, with that knowledge indeed with which he himself knows himself, and no one else except the Son; Matthew 11:27: "no one knows the Son but the Father, nor does anyone know the Father but the Son," namely by the perfect knowledge of comprehension. And because everything imperfect takes its beginning from what is perfect, hence it is that all our knowledge is derived from the Word: hence it follows, "and to whomever the Son wills to reveal him."

But because, to those judging according to the flesh, it could be ascribed to arrogance in Christ to say that he knows God, therefore he adds the necessity of his statement, when he adds "and if I should say that I do not know him, I shall be a liar like you." For, according to Augustine, arrogance is not to be avoided in such a way that truth be abandoned and a lie be incurred. Therefore he says "if I should say"; as if he said: just as you, saying that you know him, lie; so I, if I should say that I do not know, when I do know him, would be a liar like you. Hence this comparison follows from the contrary, so that the likeness is in the lying; because just as these men lie, saying that they know him whom they do not know, so Christ would be a liar, if he said he did not know whom he does know. But there is unlikeness in the knowledge: because these men do not know him, whereas Christ does know him.

But could Christ have said this? He could indeed have uttered the words materially, but not have intended to express a falsehood: because this could not have come about except through an inclination of Christ's will toward falsehood, which was impossible, just as it was impossible for him to sin. Nevertheless the conditional statement is true, even though the antecedent and the consequent are impossible. Now that he knows the Father, he makes manifest by adding "but I know him": and by speculative knowledge, when he says "I know," intellectually through the said knowledge, "him," namely the Father; likewise by affective knowledge, namely through the consent of the will toward him: hence he says "and I keep his word"; above, John 6:38: "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me."

Consequently, when he says "Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day," he responds to the first question which the Jews had put to him, saying "are you greater than our father Abraham?" showing himself greater, by this reasoning. For whoever expects some good from someone, and his own perfection, is less than the one from whom he expects it; but Abraham had the whole hope of his perfection and his good in me: therefore he is less than me. And as to this he says "Abraham your father," of whom indeed you boast, "rejoiced that he might see my day." Here he sets forth a twofold vision and a twofold joy, but in one order and then another. For first he places beforehand the joy of rejoicing, saying "he rejoiced," and adds the vision, saying "that he might see." Then he places beforehand the vision, saying "he saw," and adds the joy, saying "and he was glad." And thus the joy stands between two visions, proceeding from one, and tending toward the other: as if he said, "he saw, and was glad that he might see my day."

First then it must be seen what this day is which he saw, and rejoiced that he might see it. Now there is a twofold day of Christ: namely the day of eternity, of which in Psalm 2:7: "today have I begotten you." Likewise the day of the incarnation and of his humanity, of which below, John 9:4: "I must work...while it is day"; Romans 13:12: "the night has passed, and the day has drawn near." In both ways therefore we say that Abraham saw first the day of Christ, namely of eternity, and of the incarnation, through faith; Genesis 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." And that he saw the day of eternity is manifest: for otherwise he would not have been justified by God, because, as it is said Hebrews 11:6, "he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder to those who seek him."

Now that he saw the day of the incarnation is made manifest from three things: namely from the oath which he exacted from his servant, for Genesis 24:2, he says to his servant whom he was sending: "put your hand under my thigh, and swear to me by the God of heaven." From which, as Augustine says, it was signified that from his thigh the God of heaven was to proceed. Second, as Gregory says, when in the figure of the highest Trinity he received three angels as guests. Third when he recognized the passion of Christ prefigured in the offering of the ram and Isaac; Genesis 22.

Thus therefore from this vision he rejoiced; but he did not rest in it, rather from this he leapt forward in rejoicing to another vision, namely the open vision and vision through the divine essence, placing his whole joy, as it were, in it. Hence he says "he rejoiced that he might see," by an open vision, "my day," namely of my divinity and my humanity; Luke 10:24: "many kings and prophets desired to see the things which you see, and they did not see them."

Consequently, when he says "the Jews therefore said to him," and so on, he shows how the Jews mock the words of Christ, and first the mockery of Christ's words by the Jews is set forth, for the purpose of refutation; second the manifestation of these very words by Christ is added, in order to avoid the mockery, at "Jesus therefore said: amen, amen I say to you," and so on. Since therefore Christ had said that Abraham rejoiced that he might see his day, the Jews, having a carnal mind, and weighing in him only the age of his flesh, mock the saying, and say "you are not yet fifty years old." Truly he was not yet fifty years old, nor even forty, but he was around thirty years old; Luke 3:23: "Jesus was beginning to be about thirty years old." Now that they say "you are not yet fifty years old" is perhaps for this reason, because among the Jews the jubilee year was held in the greatest reverence, as though reckoning everything by it, in which they also freed captives, and released purchased possessions. As if they said: you have not yet passed the span of a single jubilee, and have you seen Abraham? Although the Lord had not said that he had seen Abraham, but that Abraham had seen his day.

And therefore the Lord, in order to avoid the mockery, responding to the Jews, explains his words, saying "amen, amen I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am": in which words the Lord says two notable things about himself, and things effective against the Arians. One is that, as Gregory says, he joins together at once the verb of the present tense and of the past. For "before" signifies the past; "I am" is of the present tense. Therefore, in order to show that he is eternal, and to suggest that his being is the being of eternity, he does not say "before Abraham I was," but "before Abraham I am": for eternal being does not know past and future time, but includes all time in one indivisible present. Hence that saying can be applied, Exodus 3:14: "he who is has sent me to you"; and "I am who am." Therefore before or after Abraham he had being, who was able both to approach through the display of a present, and to withdraw through the course of a life.

The other is, according to Augustine, that when he was speaking of Abraham, who is a creature, he did not say "before Abraham was" but "before Abraham was made." But speaking of himself, in order to show that he was not made as a creature, but was begotten from eternity of the essence of the Father, he does not say "I am made," but "I am," he "who in the beginning was the Word"; above, John 1:1; Proverbs 8:25: "before all the hills the Lord begot me."

Consequently, when he says "they therefore took up stones to cast at him," the intention of the Jews against Christ is set forth: and first the persecution of the Jews is set forth; second the escape of Christ. Now the persecution of the Jews proceeds from unbelief. For the minds of unbelievers, unable to bear the words of eternity, nor to understand them, reckoned it blasphemy; and therefore, according to the command of the law, wishing to stone him as a blasphemer, "they took up stones to cast at him," and so on. And, as Augustine says, such was the hardness of the stones — where would it run except to stones? Below, John 10:33: "for a good work we do not stone you." Similar is the action of those who, through hardness of heart not understanding a truth openly uttered, blaspheme the one who utters it; hence it is said in the canonical letter of Jude: "whatever things they do not know, they blaspheme."

Now the escape of Christ is from his own power: hence it follows "but Jesus hid himself," who indeed, if he had wished to exercise the power of his divinity in his own acts, could have bound them, or overwhelmed them with the penalties of sudden death. Now he "hid himself," specifically for two reasons. First, that he might give to his faithful an example of avoiding their persecutors; Matthew 10:23: "if they persecute you in one city, flee into another." Second, because he had not chosen this kind of death, but rather wished to be immolated on the altar of the cross; and because the time was not yet fulfilled, he still fled. Thus therefore, as a man, he fled from the stones. Now he did not hide himself under a stone or in a corner, but by the power of his divinity, making himself invisible to them, he went out, and withdrew from the temple. He did something similar, Luke 4:29, when they wished to cast him down from the brow of the hill. By which, as Gregory says, it is given to be understood that truth itself is hidden from those who scorn to follow its words. For truth flees the humble mind which it does not find; Isaiah 8:17: "who hides his face from the house of Jacob." And likewise also because he had to leave them, who were not accepting correction and truth, and go to the Gentiles; Matthew 23:38: "behold, your house shall be left to you desolate."

Chapter 9