1229. Then when he says, Abraham did not do this, he shows that their works are not like those of Abraham. He is saying in effect: because you act contrary to Abraham, you show that you are not his children, for it is written about him: he kept the law of the Most High, and was taken into covenant with him (Sir 44:20). 1229. Consequenter cum dicit hoc Abraham non fecit, ostendit eorum opera dissimilia esse operibus Abrahae, quasi dicat: in hoc probatis vos non esse filios Abrahae, quia facitis opera contraria operibus eius: nam de eo legitur Eccli. XLIV, 20, quod servavit legem Altissimi, et fuit in testimonio cum illo. Some frivolously object that Christ did not exist before Abraham and therefore that Abraham did not do this, since one who did not exist could not be killed. Sed aliqui superflue obiiciunt, quod Christus ante Abraham nondum erat, et ideo Abraham hoc non fecit: non enim occidi potuisset qui non erat. I answer that Abraham is not commended for something he did not do to Christ, but for what he did not do to anyone in like circumstances, i.e., to those who spoke the truth in his day. Sed dicendum, quod Abraham non commendatur ex hoc quod non fecit in Christo, sed ex eo quod non fecit in simili persona, idest in his qui tunc veritatem dicebant. Or, it might be answered that although Christ had not come in the flesh during the time of Abraham, he nevertheless had come into his mind, according to: in every generation she passes into souls (Wis 7:27). And Abraham did not kill wisdom by sinning mortally. Concerning this we read: they crucify the Son of God (Heb 6:6). Vel dicendum, quod si Christus non venerat tempore Abraham in carnem, venerat tamen in mentem, secundum illud Sap. VII, 27: in animas sanctas per nationem se transfert, quem tamen Abraham non interfecit mortaliter peccando: de quo dicitur ad Hebr. VI, 6: rursum crucifigentes Filium Dei, et ostentui habentes. 1230. Then when he says, you do the works of your father, he draws his conclusion. It was like saying: from the fact that you do not do the works of Abraham, it follows that you have some other father whose works you are doing. A similar statement is made: fill up, then, the measure of your fathers (Matt 23:32). 1230. Consequenter cum dicit vos facitis opera patris vestri, concludit propositum; quasi dicat: ex quo non facitis opera Abrahae, ergo habetis aliquem alium patrem, cuius opera facitis. Simile habetur Matth. XXIII, v. 32: vos implete mensuram patrum vestrorum. 1231. Then when he says, they said to him: we were not born of fornication, he shows that they do not take their origin from God, for since they knew from our Lord’s words that he was not speaking of carnal descent, they turn to spiritual descent, saying, we were not born of fornication, saying, we were not born of fornication. 1231. Consequenter cum dicit dixerunt itaque ei: nos ex fornicatione non sumus nati, ostendit eos non habere originem a Deo: quia enim iam ex verbis Domini cognoscebant eum non de carnali generatione loqui, ideo ad spiritualem generationem se transferunt, dicentes nos ex fornicatione non sumus nati etc. Ubi First, they give their own opinion; primo eorum opinionem proponunt; second, our Lord rejects it, at Jesus therefore said to them: if God were your Father. secundo eam Dominus excludit, ibi dixit ergo eis Iesus etc. 1232. According to some, the Jews are denying one thing and affirming another. They are denying that they were born of fornication. According to Origin, they said this tauntingly to Christ, with the unspoken suggestion that he was the product of adultery. It was like saying: we were not born of fornication as you were. 1232. In eorum autem opinione Iudaei unum negant et aliud asserunt. Negant se ex fornicatione natos: quod quidem, secundum Origenem, quasi improperando, Christo proponunt, latenter designantes, ipsum ex adulterio productum fore; quasi dicant nos ex fornicatione non sumus nati, sicut tu. But it is better to say that the spiritual spouse of the soul is God: I will betroth you to me forever (Hos 2:19), and just as a bride is guilty of fornication when she admits a man other than her husband, so in Scripture Judea was said to be fornicating when she abandoned the true God and turned to idols: for the land commits great harlotry by forsaking the Lord (Hos 1:2). And so the Jews said: we were not born of fornication. It was like saying: although our mother, the synagogue, may now and then have departed from God and fornicated with idols, yet we have not departed or fornicated with idols: we have not forgotten thee, or been false to thy covenant. Our heart has not turned back (Ps 44:17); but you, draw near hither, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the harlot (Isa 57:3). Sed melius potest dici, quod sponsus animae spiritualiter Deus est, Oseae II, 19: sponsabo te mihi. Sicut autem fornicatur sponsa cum praeter sponsum suum carnalem, alium virum admittit; ita, in Scripturis, Iudaea fornicari dicebatur quando Deum verum deserens, idolis adhaerebat; Oseae I, 2: fornicans fornicabitur terra a Domino. Dicunt ergo Iudaei nos ex fornicatione non sumus nati; quasi dicant: si aliquando mater nostra synagoga a Deo recedens fornicata est cum idolis, nos tamen non recessimus, nec cum idolis fornicati sumus; Ps. XLIII, 18: nec obliti sumus te, et inique non egimus in testamento tuo, et non recessit retro cor nostrum; Is. LVII, 3: ascendite huc, filii fornicatricis, semen adulteri et fornicariae. Further, they affirm that they are children of God; and this seems to follow from the fact that they did not believe that they were born of fornication. Thus they say, we have one God, the Father: have we not all one father? (Mal 2:10); and I thought you would call me, my Father (Jer 3:19). Affirmant autem se esse filios Dei: quod videbatur sequi ex quo non credebant se natos ex fornicatione; unde dicunt unum Patrem habemus Deum; Mal. II, 10: nonne unus est Pater omnium nostrum? Ier. III: Patrem vocabis me. 1233. Next, at Jesus therefore said to them: if God were your Father, our Lord refutes their opinion: 1233. Consequenter cum dicit dixit ergo eis Iesus etc., confutatur eorum opinio a Domino, et first we see the sign of being a child of God; primo proponit divinae filiationis signum; second, the reason for this sign is given, at for I proceeded and came forth from God; and secundo assignat rationem signi, ibi ego enim a Deo veni etc.; third, we see that the Jews lack this sign, at why do you not know my speech? tertio ostendit eos a praedicto signo deficere, ibi quare loquelam meam non cognoscitis? 1234. With respect to the first it should be noted that above he had said that the sign of being a child according to the flesh was in the exterior actions that a person performs; but here he places the sign of being a child of God in one’s interior affections. For we become children of God by sharing in the Holy Spirit: you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship (Rom 8:15). Now the Holy Spirit is the cause of our loving God, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Rom 5:5). Therefore, the special sign of being a child of God is love: be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love (Eph 5:1). Therefore he says, if God were your Father, you would indeed love me: the innocent and the right in heart, who are the children of God, have clung to me (Ps 21:4). 1234. Sciendum est autem circa primum, quod supra signum carnalis filiationis dixit esse opera exteriora, quae homines exterius operantur; hic autem signum filiationis divinae ponit interiorem affectionem. Nam filii Dei efficimur per communicationem Spiritus Sancti; Rom. VIII, 15: non accepistis spiritum servitutis iterum in timore, sed spiritum adoptionis. Spiritus autem sanctus causa est amoris Dei, quia caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum, qui datus est nobis: Rom. V, 5. Signum ergo speciale divinae filiationis est dilectio; Eph. V, 1: estote imitatores Dei sicut filii carissimi, et ambulate in dilectione. Et ideo dicit si Deus Pater vester esset, diligeretis utique me; Ps. c. XXIV, 21: innocentes et recti, qui sunt filii Dei, adhaeserunt mihi. 1235. Then, at for I proceeded and came forth from God, he gives the reason for this sign. 1235. Rationem autem signi assignat, dicens ego enim ex Deo processi et veni, et First, he states the truth; primo ponit veritatem; second, he rejects an error, at for I came not of myself. secundo excludit errorem, ibi neque enim a meipso veni. 1236. The truth he asserts is that he proceeded and came forth from God. 1236. Veritas autem, quam proponit, est quod a Deo processit et venit. It should be noted that all friendship is based on union, and so brothers love one another inasmuch as they take their origin from the same parents. Thus our Lord says: you say that you are the children of God; but if this were so, you would indeed love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God. Therefore, any one who does not love me is not a child of God. I say I proceeded from God from eternity as the Only Begotten, of the substance of the Father: from the womb before the daystar I begot you (Ps 109:4); in the beginning was the Word (John 1:1). And I came forth as the Word who was made flesh, sent by God through incarnation. I came forth from the Father, from eternity, as the Word, and have come into the world when I was made flesh in time (John 16:28). Sed sciendum est, quod omnis amicitia in coniunctione fundatur; unde et fratres se diligunt inquantum ex eisdem parentibus principium sumunt. Dicit ergo Dominus: vos dicitis quod filii Dei estis; sed si hoc esset, diligeretis me, quia a Deo processi et veni. Qui ergo non me diligit, non est filius Dei. Processi, inquam, a Deo, ut unigenitus ab aeterno, de substantia Patris; Ps. CIX, 3: ante Luciferum genui te; supra I: in principio erat Verbum. Veni autem, ut Verbum caro factum est, et missus a Deo per incarnationem; infra XVI, 28: exivi a Patre, ut Verbum ab aeterno, et veni in mundum, ut caro, factum in tempore. 1237. He rejects an error when he says, I came not of myself. And first, he rejects the error of Sabellius, who said that Christ did not have his origin from another, for he said that the Father and the Son were the same in person. In regard to this he says, I came not of myself, i.e., according to Hilary, I came, not existing of myself, but in a way as sent by another, that is, the Father. Thus he adds, but he sent me: God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law (Gal 4:4). 1237. Errorem autem excludit cum dicit neque enim a meipso veni: et primo excludit errorem Sabellii, qui Christum non ab alio originem habuisse dicit, sed idem esse Patrem et Filium in persona finxit. Et quantum ad hoc dicit neque enim a meipso veni; idest, secundum Hilarium, ego veni non a meipso existens, sed quasi ab alio missus, scilicet a Patre, unde subdit sed ille me misit; Gal. IV, 4: misit Deus Filium suum natum ex muliere, factum sub lege. Second, he rejects an error of the Jews who said that Christ was not sent by God, but was a false prophet, of whom we read: I did not send the prophets, yet they ran (Jer 23:21). And in regard to this he says, according to Origen, I came not of myself, but he sent me. Indeed, this is what Moses prayed for: I beseech thee, Lord send whom thou wilt send (Exod 4:13). Secundo vero errorem Iudaeorum, qui dicebant Christum non esse missum a Deo, sed falsum prophetam: de quibus dicitur: non mittebam eos, sed ipsi currebant. Et quantum ad hoc dicit, secundum Origenem, neque enim a meipso veni, sed ille me misit. Hunc petebat Moyses: obsecro, Domine, mitte quem missurus es. 1238. He shows that they lack this sign when he says, why do you not know my speech? For as was stated above, to love Christ is the sign of being a child of God; but they did not love Christ; therefore it is obvious that they did not have this sign. That they do not love Christ is shown by the effect of love: for the effect of loving someone is that the lover joyfully hears the words of the beloved; thus we read: let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet (Song 2:14). And again, my companions are listening for your voice; let me hear it (Song 8:13). Therefore, because they did not love Christ, it seemed tedious to them even to hear his voice: this saying is hard, and who is able to accept it? (John 6:61); the very sight of him is a burden to us (Wis 2:15). 1238. Ostendit autem eos ab hoc signo deficere, cum dicit quare loquelam meam non cognoscitis? Nam, sicut dictum est supra dilectio Christi est signum filiationis divinae: isti autem Christum non diligebant: unde manifestum est eos ab hoc signo deficere. Quod autem non diligunt, manifestant per effectum: nam effectus dilectionis alicuius est quod diligens libenter audit verba dilecti. Unde Cant. II, 14: sonet vox tua in auribus meis; vox enim tua dulcis. Et Cant. ult., 13: fac me audire vocem tuam: amici auscultant te. Quia ergo isti Christum non diligebant, durum videbatur eis etiam vocem eius audire; supra VI, 61: durus est hic sermo: quis potest eum audire? Sap. II, 15: gravis est nobis etiam ad videndum. It sometimes happens that a person is not glad to hear the words of another because he cannot weigh them and for that reason does not understand them, and so he contradicts them: answer, I beseech you, without contention . . . and you shall not find iniquity on my tongue (Job 6:29). Therefore he says, why do you not know my speech? For you asked earlier, what is this that he said, where I go, you cannot come? (John 8:21). I say that you do not understand because you cannot bear to hear my word, i.e., your heart is so hardened against me that you do not even want to hear me. Contingit autem quod aliquis non libenter audit verba alicuius, quia ea examinare non potest nec per consequens cognoscere, et ideo eis contradicunt; Iob VI, 29: respondete, obsecro, absque contentione . . . et non invenietis in lingua mea iniquitatem. Et ideo dicit quare loquelam meam non cognoscitis? Dicentes et interrogantes: quid est hoc quod dixit: quo ego vado vos non potestis venire? Et hoc ideo, inquam, non cognoscitis, quia non potestis audire sermonem meum; idest, ita durum cor habetis ad me, quod nec sermonem meum audire vultis. Lecture 6 Lectio 6 The father of lies Pater mendaciorum ^8:44 You are of your father the devil, and you will do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he did not stand in the truth, because the truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar and the father of lies. [n. 1239] ^8:44 Vos ex patre diabolo estis, et desideria patris vestri vultis facere. Ille homicida erat ab initio, et in veritate non stetit, quia non est veritas in eo: cum loquitur mendacium, ex propriis loquitur, quia mendax est, et pater eius. [n. 1239] 1239. After showing that the Jews had a certain spiritual origin, and after rejecting the origin they presumed they had, our Lord here gives their true origin, ascribing their fatherhood to the devil. 1239. Postquam Dominus Iudaeos ostendit originem aliquam spiritualem habere et exclusit ab eis originem praesumptam, hic astruit veram, ascribens eis paternitatem diaboli, et First, he makes his statement; primo proponit intentum; second, he gives its reason; at and you will do the desires of your father; secundo rationem eis assignat, ibi et desideria patris vestri vultis facere; third, he explains this reason, at he was a murderer from the beginning. tertio positam rationem manifestat, ibi ille homicida erat ab initio. 1240. He says: you are of your father the devil, and you will do the desires of your father, that is, by imitating him: your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite (Ezek 16:3). 1240. Dicit ergo vos facitis opera diaboli, ergo vos ex patre diabolo estis, scilicet per imitationem; Ez. XVI, 3: pater tuus Amorrhaeus, et mater tua Cethaea. Here one must guard against the heresy of the Manicheans who claim that there is a definite nature called ‘evil,’ and a certain race of darkness with its own princes, from which all corruptible things derive their origin. According to this opinion, all men, as to their flesh, have come from the devil. Further, they say that certain souls belong to that creation which is good, and others to that which is evil. Thus they said that our Lord said, you are of your father the devil, because they came from the devil according to the flesh, and their souls were part of that creation which was evil. Cavenda est hic haeresis Manichaeorum, qui dicunt esse quamdam naturam ‘mali,’ et gentem quamdam tenebrarum cum principibus suis, a qua corruptibilia omnia originem trahunt; et secundum hoc omnes homines secundum carnem ex diabolo processisse. Ponebant autem quasdam animas ad bonam creationem pertinere, et quasdam ad malam; unde dicebant hoc dictum a Domino vos ex patre diabolo estis, quia ab eo secundum carnem processistis, et animae vestrae sunt de mala creatione. But as Origen says, to suppose that there are two natures because of the difference between good and evil seems to be like saying that the substance of an eye which sees is different from that of an eye that is clouded or crossed. For just as a healthy and bleary eye do not differ in substance, but the bleariness is from some deficient cause, so the substance and nature of a thing is the same whether it is good or has a defect in itself, which is a sin of the will. And so the Jews, as evil, are not called the children of the devil by nature, but by reason of their imitating him. Sed, ut Origenes dicit, introducere duas naturas propter differentiam boni et mali, simile videtur ei qui diceret alteram esse oculi videntis substantiam, alteram caligantis vel se avertentis. Quemadmodum enim oculi sani et lippi non differunt substantia, sed quaedam contingit causa deficiens, scilicet quae facit eum caligare; ita eadem est substantia et natura rei, sive sit bona, seu habeat in se defectum, quod est peccatum voluntatis. Non ergo Iudaei ut mali, dicuntur filii diaboli natura, sed imitatione. 1241. Then when he says, and you will do the desires of your father, he gives the reason for this, for their being of the devil. It is like saying: you are not the children of the devil as though created and brought into existence by him, but because by imitating him you will do the desires of your father. And these desires are evil, for as he envied and killed man—through the devil’s envy death entered the world (Wis 2:24)—so you too envy me and but now you seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you (John 8:40). 1241. Consequenter cum dicit et desideria patris vestri vultis facere, rationem assignatam exponit; quasi dicat: non estis filii diaboli tamquam ab eo creati, et in esse producti sed quia eum imitantes, desideria patris vestri vultis facere, quae quidem mala sunt: nam sicut ille invidit homini, et occidit, Sap. II, 24: invidia diaboli mors intravit in orbem terrarum, ita et vos mihi invidentes, quaeritis me interficere hominem, qui veritatem locutus sum vobis.