Tractates on the Gospel of John 41.1–41.13

Latin text: Migne, PL 35 (Latin text: Migne, Patrologia Latina, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888).

Show

Chapter 41

41.1PL 35:1691–1693

Quod de lectione pristina sequitur, et de sancto Evangelio hodie nobis recitatum est, tunc distuli di­ cere, quoniam multa jam dixeram, et de libertate in quam nos vocat gratia Salvatoris, non praetereun­ ter neque negligenter fuerat disserendum: hinc ho­ die, Domino adjuvante, statuimus loqui vobis. Qui­ bus enim loquebatur Dominus Jesus Christus, Judæi erant, ex magna quidem parte inimici, sed etiam amici ex quadam parte jam facti, et futuri: nam quosdam ibi videbat, sicuti jam diximus, qui post ejus passionem fuerant credituri. Hos intuens dixe­ rat: Cum exaltaveritis Filium hominis, tunc cognoscetis quia ego sum. Erant ibi etiam qui haec loquente illo continuo crediderunt; ipsis locutus est quod audivimus hodie: Dicebat ergo Jesus ad eos qui crediderant ei, Judæos: Si manseritis in verbo meo, vere discipuli mei eritis. Manendo eritis: quia enim nunc credentes estis, manendo videntes eritis. Ideo sequitur, Et cognoscetis veritatem. Veritas incommu­ tabilis est. Veritas panis est, mentes reficit nec de­ ficit: mutat vescentem, non ipsa in vescentem muta­ tur. Ipsa est veritas Verbum Dei, Deus apud Deum unigenitus Filius. Hæc Veritas carne induta est pro­ pter nos, ut de Maria virgine nasceretur, et imple­ retur prophetia, Veritas de terra orta est. Hæc ergo Veritas cum Judæis loquere­ tur, latebat in carne: latebat autem non ut negaretur, sed ut differretur; differretur, ut in carne pateretur; in carne autem pateretur, ut caro peccati redimeretur. Stans itaque conspicuus secundum infirmitatem carnis Dominus noster Jesus Christus, et secundum majestatem divinitatis occultus, dixit ad eos qui ei, cum haec loqueretur, crediderant, Si manseritis in verbo meo, vere discipuli mei eritis. Qui enim perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit. Et cognoscetis veritatem, quæ modo vos latet, et lo­ quitur vobis. Et veritas liberabit vos. Hoc verbum Do­ minus a libertate posuit, Liberabit vos. Nihil est enim aliud proprio liberat, nisi liberum facit. Quomodo salvat nihil est aliud quam salvum facit; quomodo sanat nihil est aliud quam sanum facit; ditat nihil est aliud quam ditem, id est, divitem facit: sic liberat nihil est aliud quam liberum facit. Hoc in verbo græco planius est. Nam in latina consuetudine plerumque dicimus hominem liberari, quod ad libertatem non pertinet, sed tantum ad salutem: sicut quisquam dicitur liberari ab infirmitate; usitate dicitur, non tamen proprie. Sic autem posuit Dominus hoc ver­ bum, ut diceret, Et veritas liberabit vos, ut in græca lingua nemo dubitet eum de libertate dixisse.

What follows from the earlier reading, and was recited to us today from the holy Gospel, I put off speaking of then, since I had already said much, and the freedom to which the grace of the Savior calls us had to be discussed neither in passing nor carelessly; so today, with the Lord's help, we have decided to speak to you of it. For those to whom the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking were Jews, for the most part enemies, but also in part already made friends, and others who would become so: for he saw some there, as we have already said, who would believe after his passion. Looking at these he had said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am.” There were also there those who believed at once as he was saying these things; to them he spoke what we heard today: “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples.” By remaining you will be; for since you are now believers, by remaining you will be seers. Therefore it follows, “And you will know the truth.” The truth is unchangeable. The truth is bread: it refreshes minds and does not fail; it changes the one who feeds on it, it is not itself changed into the one who feeds. The truth itself is the Word of God, God with God, the only-begotten Son. This Truth was clothed with flesh for our sake, to be born of the Virgin Mary and to fulfill the prophecy, “Truth has sprung from the earth.” This Truth, then, when he spoke with the Jews, was hidden in the flesh; but hidden not so as to be denied, but so as to be deferred; deferred, so that he might suffer in the flesh; and he would suffer in the flesh so that the flesh of sin might be redeemed. So our Lord Jesus Christ, standing visible according to the weakness of the flesh and hidden according to the majesty of his divinity, said to those who had believed in him when he spoke these things, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples.” For “he who perseveres to the end will be saved.” “And you will know the truth,” which now is hidden from you and speaks to you. “And the truth will set you free.” The Lord took this word from freedom: “will set you free” (liberabit). For in its proper sense “sets free” means nothing else than “makes free.” As “saves” is nothing else than “makes safe”; as “heals” is nothing else than “makes healthy”; “enriches” is nothing else than “makes rich”: so “sets free” is nothing else than “makes free.” In the Greek word this is plainer. For in Latin usage we often say that a man is “freed” in a sense that does not belong to freedom but only to safety: as someone is said to be “freed” from an illness; it is said in common usage, yet not properly. But the Lord used this word, saying, “And the truth will set you free,” in such a way that in the Greek language no one doubts that he spoke of freedom.

John 8:28 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:31 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 85:11 (84:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: To those who believed, Christ promised that by remaining in his word they would know the Truth, himself, which would set them free, that is, make them truly free.

  • John 8:28, 8:31–32, Ps 85:11 (84:12 LXX), and Matt 10:22 are quoted. The Greek ἐλευθερώσει, “will make free,” is behind Augustine's remark.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Dens → Deus); OCR slip in the digital text (IIoc → Hoc); OCR slip in the digital text (Juda;i → Judæi); OCR slip in the digital text (credidcrant → crediderant); OCR slip in the digital text (critis → eritis); OCR slip in the digital text (cum de libertate → eum de libertate); OCR slip in the digital text (liberlatc → libertate); OCR slip in the digital text (libertatcm → libertatem); OCR slip in the digital text (nibil → nihil); OCR slip in the digital text (orta eat. → orta est.); OCR slip in the digital text (paterclur → pateretur); OCR slip in the digital text (rclicit → reficit); OCR slip in the digital text (redime. retur → redimeretur)): liberlatc → libertate; Juda;i → Judæi; critis → eritis; rclicit → reficit; Dens → Deus; orta eat. → orta est.; paterclur → pateretur; redime. retur → redimeretur; credidcrant → crediderant; IIoc → Hoc; nibil → nihil; libertatcm → libertatem; cum de libertate → eum de libertate.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.1 (PL 35:1691–1693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-1) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.2PL 35:1693

Denique et Judæi sic intellexerunt, et responde­ runt ei: non illi qui jam crediderant, sed illi qui in turba erant nondum credentes: responderunt ei, Se­ men Abrahæ sumus, et nemini servivimus unquam; quomodo tu dicis, Liberi eritis? Non autem dixerat Dominus, Liberi eritis; sed, Veritas liberabit vos. In quo tamen verbo illi, quia, sicut dixi, patet in græco, non intellexerunt nisi libertatem; et extu­ lerunt se quod semen essent Abrahæ, et dixerunt, Semen Abrahæ sumus; et nemini servivimus unquam; quomodo tu dicis, Liberi eritis? O pellis innata! Non est ista magnitudo, sed tumor. Et hoc ipsum secun­ dum hujus temporis libertatem quomodo verum dixistis, Nemini servivimus unquam? Joseph non est venumdatus? Prophetæ sancti in captivitatem non sunt ducti? Deinde, nonne ipse ille est populus qui in Ægypto lateres fa­ ciebat, et regibus duris non saltem in auro et argento, sed in luto serviebat? Si nemini servistis unquam, o ingrati, quid est quod assidue vobis imputat Deus quod vos de domo servitutis liberavit? An forte patres vestri servierunt, vos autem qui loquimini, nemini unquam serviatis? Quomodo ergo solvebatis jam tributa Ro­ manis, unde et ipsi Veritati laqueum quasi captionis proposuistis, ut diceretis, Licet reddere tributum Cæ­ sari? ut si dixisset, Licet; teneretis eum quasi male optasset libertati seminis Abrahæ: si autem diceret, Non licet; calumniaremini apud reges terrae, quod prohiberet regibus tributa persolvi. Merito prolato nummo victi estis, et captioni vestræ vos ipsi estis respondere compulsi. Ibi enim vobis dictum est, Red­ dite Cæsari quæ Cæsaris sunt, et Deo quæ Dei sunt; cum vos ipsi respondissetis quod nummus haberet ima­ ginem Cæsaris. Quia sicut quærit Caesar in nummo imaginem suam, sic Deus quaerit in homine suam. Haec ergo respondit Judæis. Movet enim me, fratres, hominum vana superbia, quia etiam de ipsa, quam carnaliter intelligebant, sua libertate mentiti sunt dicentes, Nemini servivimus unquam.

Then the Jews too understood it so, and answered him; not those who had already believed, but those in the crowd who did not yet believe. They answered him, “We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to anyone; how do you say, You will be free?” But the Lord had not said, “You will be free,” but “The truth will set you free.” Yet in this word, since, as I said, it is plain in the Greek, they understood nothing but freedom; and they exalted themselves because they were the seed of Abraham, and said, “We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never been slaves to anyone; how do you say, You will be free?” O inflated skin! This is not greatness, but swelling. And even as regards the freedom of this present time, how have you spoken truly, “We have never been slaves to anyone”? Was Joseph not sold? Were the holy prophets not led into captivity? Then, is this not the very people that made bricks in Egypt, and served hard kings not even in gold and silver but in clay? If you have never been slaves to anyone, O ungrateful men, why is it that God constantly reminds you that he freed you from the house of slavery? Or perhaps your fathers were slaves, but you who speak have never been slaves to anyone? How, then, were you already paying tribute to the Romans, from which you even set a snare, as it were, for the Truth himself to catch him, saying, “Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?”, so that if he said, “It is lawful,” you might hold him as having wished ill to the freedom of the seed of Abraham; but if he said, “It is not lawful,” you might slander him before the kings of the earth for forbidding tribute to be paid to kings? Deservedly, when the coin was brought out, you were defeated, and were compelled to answer your own trap yourselves. For there it was said to you, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's,” when you yourselves had answered that the coin had Caesar's image. For as Caesar seeks his image on the coin, so God seeks his on man. This, then, is what he answered the Jews. For the vain pride of men moves me, brothers, because even about their very freedom, which they understood carnally, they lied, saying, “We have never been slaves to anyone.”

John 8:33 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 37:28 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 24:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 13:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 5:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 22:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 22:21 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Jews boasted that as Abraham's seed they had never been slaves, though their history and their tribute to Rome proved otherwise.

  • John 8:32–33 and Matt 22:17–21 are quoted; Gen 37:28, 2 Kgs 24–25, Exod 1:14, and Exod 13:3 (Deut 5:6) are alluded to. The digital text's stray references “(IV Reg. XXIV)” and “(Ex. XIII, 3; Deut. v, 6, etc.” are removed as apparatus. Augustine's rebuke of the Jews' boast is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text ( ( IV Reg. XXIV) → ); OCR slip in the digital text ( (td. XIII, 3; Deut. v, 6, etc. → ); OCR slip in the digital text (Libcri → Liberi; critis → eritis); OCR slip in the digital text (Prophet:c → Prophetæ); OCR slip in the digital text (critis → eritis); OCR slip in the digital text (dixcrunt → dixerunt); OCR slip in the digital text (intelleXerunt → intellexerunt); OCR slip in the digital text (iuto → luto); OCR slip in the digital text (juda Movet enim. me → Judæis. Movet enim me); OCR slip in the digital text (libertate. mentiti → libertate mentiti); OCR slip in the digital text (lit diceretis → ut diceretis); OCR slip in the digital text (patcl → patet); OCR slip in the digital text (qni loquimini → qui loquimini); OCR slip in the digital text (qtiod → quod); OCR slip in the digital text (sentinis Abrabre → seminis Abrahæ); OCR slip in the digital text (ser. vistis → servistis); OCR slip in the digital text (tribula → tributa); OCR slip in the digital text (unqnam → unquam); OCR slip in the digital text (ves ipsi → vos ipsi)): Liberi critis? → Liberi eritis?; Libcri critis; → Liberi eritis;; patcl → patet; intelleXerunt → intellexerunt; qtiod → quod; dixcrunt → dixerunt; Prophet:c → Prophetæ; ( IV Reg. XXIV) → ; iuto → luto; ser. vistis → servistis; (td. XIII, 3; Deut. v, 6, etc. → ; qni loquimini → qui loquimini; unqnam → unquam; tribula → tributa; lit diceretis → ut diceretis; sentinis Abrabre → seminis Abrahæ; ves ipsi → vos ipsi; juda Movet enim. me → Judæis. Movet enim me; libertate. mentiti → libertate mentiti.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.2 (PL 35:1693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-2) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.3PL 35:1693

Dominus autem quid responderit, hoc potius et intentius audiamus, ne et nos ipsi servi inveniamur. Respondit enim eis Jesus: Amen, amen dico vobis, quia omnis qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati. Ser­ vus est, utinam hominis et non peccati! Quis non sub his verbis contremiscat? Præstet nobis Dominus Deus noster, id est et mihi et vobis, ut pro sententia lo­ quar de hac libertate appetenda, et de illa servitute vitanda. Amen, amen dico vobis, Veritas dicit: et quale est Domini Dei nostri dicere, Amen, amen dico vobis? Multum commendat quod ita pronuntiat; quo­ dammodo, si dici fas est, juratio ejus est, Amen, amen dico vobis. Amen quippe interpretatur, Verum: et tamen non est interpretatum, cum potuisset dici, Verum dico vobis. Nec græcus hoc interpres ausus est facere, nec latinus: nam hoc verbum quod est Amen, nec græcum est nec latinum, sed hebræum. Sic mansit, non est interpretatum, ut honorem ha­ beret velamento secreti: non ut esset negatum, sed ne vilesceret nudatum. Nec semel tamen, sed bis a Domino dictum est, Amen, amen dico vobis. Jam quan­ tum hoc commendatum sit, ex ipsa geminatione cognoscite.

But let us rather and more attentively hear what the Lord answered, lest we ourselves too be found slaves. “Jesus answered them, Amen, amen, I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” He is a slave; would that it were of a man and not of sin! Who does not tremble at these words? May the Lord our God grant us, that is, both me and you, that I may speak as the sentence requires about seeking this freedom and avoiding that slavery. “Amen, amen, I say to you”: the Truth speaks; and what is it for the Lord our God to say, “Amen, amen, I say to you”? He commends much what he so pronounces; in a way, if it is right to say so, “Amen, amen, I say to you” is his oath. For Amen means “true”; and yet it has not been translated, although it could have been said, “I say to you truly.” Neither the Greek translator nor the Latin dared to do this; for this word, Amen, is neither Greek nor Latin but Hebrew. So it has remained untranslated, so that it might have honor under the veil of secrecy: not so as to be denied, but so as not to become cheap by being laid bare. And it was said by the Lord not once but twice, “Amen, amen, I say to you.” Recognize now from the very doubling how strongly this is commended.

John 8:34 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ's “Amen, amen,” left untranslated from the Hebrew, is a solemn assurance, like an oath, that whoever commits sin is sin's slave.

  • John 8:34 is quoted. The digital text's stray slash is removed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Amm, → Amen,); OCR slip in the digital text (Mullum commendat qnod → Multum commendat quod); OCR slip in the digital text (Nee græcus hoc interpres ausus I est facere, nee → Nec græcus hoc interpres ausus est facere, nec); OCR slip in the digital text (Nee semel → Nec semel); OCR slip in the digital text (appetcuda → appetenda); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim eia → enim eis); OCR slip in the digital text (ct tamcn → et tamen); OCR slip in the digital text (hebræum. / → hebræum.); OCR slip in the digital text (id cst → id est); OCR slip in the digital text (nubis DominusDcus → nobis Dominus Deus); OCR slip in the digital text (peccalum → peccatum); OCR slip in the digital text (potnisset → potuisset); OCR slip in the digital text (quo­ dammodo,si → quo­ dammodo, si); OCR slip in the digital text (uos ipsi → nos ipsi); OCR slip in the digital text (vobis.Jam → vobis. Jam)): uos ipsi → nos ipsi; cnim eia → enim eis; peccalum → peccatum; nubis DominusDcus → nobis Dominus Deus; id cst → id est; appetcuda → appetenda; Mullum commendat qnod → Multum commendat quod; quo­ dammodo,si → quo­ dammodo, si; ct tamcn → et tamen; potnisset → potuisset; Nee græcus hoc interpres ausus I est facere, nee → Nec græcus hoc interpres ausus est facere, nec; Amm, → Amen,; hebræum. / → hebræum.; Nee semel → Nec semel; vobis.Jam → vobis. Jam.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.3 (PL 35:1693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-3) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.4PL 35:1693

Quid est ergo commendatum? Verum, verum dico vobis, Veritas dicit; quae utique etsi non diceret, Verum dico, mentiri omnino non posset: tamen com­ mendat, inculcat; dormientes quodammodo excitat, intentos facit, contemni non vult. Quid dicens? Amen, amen dico vobis, quia omnis qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati. O miserabilis servitus! Plerumque homi­ nes cum dominos malos patiuntur, venales se petunt; non quærentes dominum non habere, sed saltem mu­ tare; servus peccati quid faciat? quem interpellet? apud quem interpellet? apud quem se venalem petat? Deinde servus hominis aliquando sui domini duris imperiis fatigatus, fugiendo requiescit: servus pec­ cati quo fugit? Secum se trahit quocumque fugerit. Non fugit seipsum mala conscientia, non est quo eat, sequitur se; imo non recedit a se: peccatum enim quod facit, intus est. Fecit peccatum, ut aliquam corporalem caperet voluptatem: voluptas transit, peccatum manet; præteriit quod delectabat, reman­ sit quod pungat. Mala servitus! Aliquando fugiunt homines ad Ecclesiam, et plerumque eos patimur tanquam indisciplinatos: volentes carere dominis qui nolunt carere peccatis. Aliquando autem etiam illicito jugo et improbo subjecti fugiunt ad Ecclesiam, quia retinentur ingenui ad servitutem, et interpellatur episcopus: et nisi curet operam impedere, ne ingenuitas opprimatur, immisericors deputatur. Ad Christum omnes fugiamus, contra peccatum Deum Liberatorem interpellemus: venales nos petamus, ut ejus sanguine redimamur. Dicit enim Dominus, Gra­ tis venumdati estis, et sine argento redimemini. Sine pretio, sed vestro; quia meo. Hoc Do­ minus dicit: ipse enim pretium dedit, non argentum, sed sanguinem suum. Nam nos et servi et egeni re­ manseramus.

What, then, is commended? “Truly, truly, I say to you,” the Truth says; who, even if he did not say, “I say truly,” could not lie at all; yet he commends, he presses it home; he in a way rouses the sleeping, makes them attentive, does not want to be despised. Saying what? “Amen, amen, I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” O pitiable slavery! Often men, when they suffer bad masters, seek to be put up for sale, not seeking to have no master, but at least to change him. What is the slave of sin to do? To whom shall he appeal? Before whom shall he appeal? Before whom shall he ask to be sold? Then, the slave of a man, worn out at times by the harsh commands of his master, finds rest by fleeing: where does the slave of sin flee? Wherever he flees, he drags himself with him. A bad conscience does not flee itself; there is nowhere for it to go; it follows itself; rather, it does not withdraw from itself; for the sin that it commits is within. He committed sin to take some bodily pleasure: the pleasure passes, the sin remains; what delighted has gone by, what stings has remained. Evil slavery! Sometimes men flee to the Church, and we often put up with them as undisciplined: wanting to be without masters, they who do not want to be without sins. But sometimes men subjected to an unlawful and wicked yoke also flee to the Church, because freeborn persons are being held in slavery, and the bishop is appealed to; and unless he takes care to exert himself so that free birth is not oppressed, he is thought unmerciful. Let us all flee to Christ; let us appeal to God the Deliverer against sin; let us ask to be sold, so that we may be redeemed by his blood. For the Lord says, “You were sold for nothing, and you will be redeemed without silver.” Without price, but your own; because it is mine. The Lord says this; for he himself gave the price, not silver but his blood. For we had remained both slaves and needy.

John 8:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 52:3 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The slave of sin cannot flee or change his master, for his sin is within; only Christ, who redeemed us with his blood, can free him.

  • John 8:34 and Isa 52:3 are quoted. The passage on slaves who take refuge in the Church and on freeborn persons held in slavery reflects the social practice of Augustine's time; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Ecclesiam, i quia → Ecclesiam, quia); OCR slip in the digital text (Sinc → Sine); OCR slip in the digital text (caim → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim pretium → enim pretium); OCR slip in the digital text (com­ niendat → com­ mendat); OCR slip in the digital text (cst peccati → est peccati); OCR slip in the digital text (ct improbo → et improbo); OCR slip in the digital text (deLectabat → delectabat); OCR slip in the digital text (dieo vobis, quia omnia qui → dico vobis, quia omnis qui); OCR slip in the digital text (egeui → egeni); OCR slip in the digital text (interpellalur → interpellatur); OCR slip in the digital text (ne I ingenuitas → ne ingenuitas); OCR slip in the digital text (omues → omnes); OCR slip in the digital text (qnoeumque fogerit → quocumque fugerit); OCR slip in the digital text (quia mco → quia meo); OCR slip in the digital text (sakem → saltem); OCR slip in the digital text (sanguincm → sanguinem); OCR slip in the digital text (se'petunt → se petunt); OCR slip in the digital text (seipsam → seipsum); OCR slip in the digital text (turni­ nes → homi­ nes); OCR slip in the digital text (utaliqnam → ut aliquam); OCR slip in the digital text (venalcs nos pctamus → venales nos petamus)): com­ niendat → com­ mendat; dieo vobis, quia omnia qui → dico vobis, quia omnis qui; cst peccati → est peccati; turni­ nes → homi­ nes; se'petunt → se petunt; sakem → saltem; qnoeumque fogerit → quocumque fugerit; seipsam → seipsum; caim → enim; utaliqnam → ut aliquam; deLectabat → delectabat; ct improbo → et improbo; Ecclesiam, i quia → Ecclesiam, quia; interpellalur → interpellatur; ne I ingenuitas → ne ingenuitas; omues → omnes; venalcs nos pctamus → venales nos petamus; Sinc → Sine; quia mco → quia meo; cnim pretium → enim pretium; sanguincm → sanguinem; egeui → egeni.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.4 (PL 35:1693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-4) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.5PL 35:1693–1695

Liberat ergo ab hac servitute solus Dominus: qui illam non habuit, ipse de illa liberat; solus enim in hac carne venit sine peccato. Nam quos videtis in manibus matrum parvulos ferri, nondum ambulant, et jam sunt compediti; traxerunt enim de Adam quod solvatur a Christo. Pertinet etiam ad ipsos cum baptizantur, ista gratia quam Dominus pollicetur; quia de peccato solus liberare potest, qui venit sine peccato, et factus est sacrificium pro peccato. Au­ distis enim cum Apostolus legeretur: Pro Christo, inquit, legatione fungimur, tanquam Deo exhortante per nos; obsecramus pro Christo; id est, tanquam vos Christus obsecret. Quid? Reconciliari Deo. Si exhor­ tatur et obsecrat Apostolus ut reconciliemur Deo, ini­ mici eramus Deo. Nemo enim reconciliatur nisi ex inimicitiis. Inimicos autem nos non natura, sed pec­ cata fecerunt. Unde inimici illius, inde servi peccati. Non habet Deus liberos inimicos; necesse est servi sint: et servi remanebunt nisi ab illo liberentur, cui peccando inimici esse voluerunt. Obsecramus ergo, inquit, pro Christo, reconciliari Deo. Quomodo autem reconciliamur, nisi solvatur quod inter nos et ipsum separat? Ait enim per prophetam: Non gravavit aurem ne audiat, sed peccata vestra separant inter vos et Deum. Quia ergo non reconciliamur nisi ablato quod in medio est, et posito quod in medio sit. Est enim medium separans, sed contra est media­ tor reconcilians; medium separans est peccatum, mediator reconcilians est Dominus Jesus Christus: Unus enim Deus, et unus mediator Dei et hominum, homo Christus Jesus. Ut ergo tollatur maceria separans quod est peccatum, venit ille media­ tor, et factus est sacrificium sacerdos ipse. Et quia sa­ crificium factus est pro peccato, offerens seipsum in holocaustum in cruce passionis suæ, sequitur Apo­ stolus et dicit, cum dixisset, Obsecramus pro Christo, reconciliari Deo: quasi diceremus, quomodo poteri­ mus reconciliari? Eum, inquit, id est ipsum Christum, qui non noverat peccatum, peccatum pro nobis fecit, ut nos simus justitia Dei in ipso. Eum ipsum, inquit, Christum Deum, qui non noverat pecca­ tum. Venit enim in carne, hoc est in similitudine car­ nis peccati, non tamen in carne pec­ cati, non habens ullum omnino peccatum: et ideo factus est verum sacrificium pro peccato, quia nullum habebat ipse peccatum.

So the Lord alone frees from this slavery: he who did not have it frees from it; for he alone came in this flesh without sin. For the little ones you see carried in their mothers' arms do not yet walk, and they are already fettered; for they have drawn from Adam what is to be loosed by Christ. This grace which the Lord promises belongs to them too, when they are baptized; because he alone can free from sin who came without sin and was made a sacrifice for sin. For you heard when the apostle was read: “We act as ambassadors for Christ,” he says, “as though God were exhorting through us; we beseech you for Christ,” that is, as though Christ were beseeching you. What? “Be reconciled to God.” If the apostle exhorts and beseeches that we be reconciled to God, we were enemies of God. For no one is reconciled except from enmity. But it was not nature but sins that made us enemies. From the same source we are his enemies as we are slaves of sin. God does not have free enemies; they must be slaves; and they will remain slaves unless they are freed by him whose enemies they chose to be by sinning. “So we beseech you,” he says, “for Christ, be reconciled to God.” But how are we reconciled, unless what separates us and him is loosed? For he says through the prophet, “He has not made his ear heavy so as not to hear; but your sins separate between you and God.” So we are not reconciled except when what is in the middle is taken away and what should be in the middle is set there. For there is a separating middle, but against it there is a reconciling mediator; the separating middle is sin, the reconciling mediator is the Lord Jesus Christ: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” So, that the separating wall, which is sin, might be taken away, that mediator came and became the sacrifice, himself the priest. And because he became a sacrifice for sin, offering himself as a whole burnt offering on the cross of his passion, the apostle goes on, having said, “We beseech you for Christ, be reconciled to God,” as if we should say, “How shall we be able to be reconciled?”, and says: “Him,” that is, Christ himself, “who knew no sin, he made sin for us, so that we might be the justice of God in him.” Him, he says, Christ God himself, who knew no sin. For he came in the flesh, that is, in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet not in sinful flesh, having no sin at all; and therefore he became a true sacrifice for sin, because he himself had no sin.

2 Cor 5:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 59:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 59:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:14 (echo, medium confidence) · Rom 8:3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Only Christ, sinless, frees from sin's slavery, which even infants inherit from Adam; as mediator he removed the sin that separated us from God by becoming a sacrifice for sin.

  • 2 Cor 5:20–21, Isa 59:1–2, 1 Tim 2:5, and Rom 8:3 are quoted or alluded to; Eph 2:14 (the dividing wall) is echoed. Augustine's teaching on infants' inherited sin and their baptism is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (bac → hac); OCR slip in the digital text (cruco → cruce); OCR slip in the digital text (ct servi → et servi); OCR slip in the digital text (dixis et → dixisset); OCR slip in the digital text (earne → carne); OCR slip in the digital text (ipsos t cum → ipsos cum); OCR slip in the digital text (legcretnr → legeretur); OCR slip in the digital text (mediuni → medium); OCR slip in the digital text (nebis → nobis); OCR slip in the digital text (ohsecrat → obsecrat); OCR slip in the digital text (qnam → quam); OCR slip in the digital text (sacerdosipse → sacerdos ipse)): in bac carne → in hac carne; ipsos t cum → ipsos cum; qnam → quam; legcretnr → legeretur; ohsecrat → obsecrat; ct servi → et servi; mediuni → medium; sacerdosipse → sacerdos ipse; cruco → cruce; dixis et → dixisset; nebis → nobis; earne → carne.

Topics: Baptism, Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.5 (PL 35:1693–1695; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-5) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.6PL 35:1695

Sed forte de sensu meo dixi, quia peccatum sacrificium est pro peccato. Qui legerunt, agnoscant; qui non legerunt, non sint pigri: non sint, inquam, pigri ad legendum, ut veraces sint ad judicandum. Cum de sacrificiis enim praeciperet Deus offerendis pro peccato, in quibus sacrificiis non erat expiatio peccatorum, sed umbra futurorum, eadem ipsa sa­ crificia, easdem ipsas hostias, easdem ipsas victi­ mas, eadem ipsa animalia quæ admovebantur ma­ ctanda pro peccatis, in quorum sanguine sanguis ille figurabatur, peccata Lex appellat: usque adeo ut in quibusdam locis scriptum sit ita, ut sacerdotes im­ molaturi ponerent manus suas super caput peccati, id est, super caput victimæ immolandæ pro peccato. Tale ergo peccatum, id est, sacrificium pro peccato, factus est Dominus noster Jesus Christus, qui non no­ verat peccatum.

But perhaps I have said from my own understanding that “sin” is a sacrifice for sin. Let those who have read recognize it; let those who have not read not be lazy; let them not, I say, be lazy in reading, so that they may be truthful in judging. For when God gave commands about the sacrifices to be offered for sin, in which sacrifices there was no expiation of sins but a shadow of things to come, the Law calls these same sacrifices, these same offerings, these same victims, these same animals that were brought to be slain for sins, in whose blood that blood was prefigured, “sins”: so much so that in some places it is written that the priests, when about to sacrifice, should lay their hands on the head of the sin, that is, on the head of the victim to be sacrificed for sin. Such a “sin,” then, that is, a sacrifice for sin, our Lord Jesus Christ became, who knew no sin.

2 Cor 5:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 4:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 10:1 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Law itself calls the sin offerings “sins,” so Christ was “made sin” by becoming the sacrifice for sin.

  • 2 Cor 5:21 is alluded to; the laying of hands on the head of the sin offering is from Lev 4:4, 24, 29 (in the Latin, “sin” for “sin offering”); Heb 10:1 is echoed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (admovcbantur → admovebantur); OCR slip in the digital text (nt in → ut in); OCR slip in the digital text (oflerendis → offerendis); OCR slip in the digital text (quoruln → quorum); OCR slip in the digital text (sa- - crificium → sacrificium)): sa- - crificium → sacrificium; oflerendis → offerendis; admovcbantur → admovebantur; quoruln → quorum; nt in → ut in.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.6 (PL 35:1695; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-6) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.7PL 35:1695

Merito liberat ab hac servitute peccati ille qui dicit in Psalmis: Factus sum tanquam homo sine adju­ torio, inter mortuos liber. Solus enim liber, quia non habebat peccatum. Ipse enim dicit in Evangelio: Ecce venit princeps hujus mundi, diabolum significans venturum in Judæis persecuto­ ribus; ecce, inquit, venit, et in me nihil inveniet. Non quomodo in eis quos occidit etiam justos, invenit qualecumque peccatum, in me nihil inveniet. Et tanquam ei diceretur, si nihil in te in­ veniet, quare te occidet? Subjecit, et ait: Sed ut sciant omnes quia voluntatem Patris mei facio, surgite, eamus hinc. Non, inquit, mortem mei peccati neces­ sitate persolvo, sed in eo quod morior, voluntatem Patris mei facio: plusque ibi facio quam patior, quia si nollem, nec passus essem. Habes illum alio loco dicentem, Potestatem habeo ponendi animam meam, et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam. Ecce vere in mortuis liber.

Deservedly does he free from this slavery of sin who says in the Psalms, “I have become like a man without help, free among the dead.” For he alone was free, because he had no sin. For he himself says in the Gospel, “See, the prince of this world is coming,” signifying the devil coming in the persecuting Jews; “see,” he says, “he is coming, and in me he will find nothing.” Not as in those whom he killed, even the just, he found some sin or other: in me he will find nothing. And as though it were said to him, “If he finds nothing in you, why will he kill you?”, he added and said, “But that all may know that I do the will of my Father, rise, let us go from here.” I do not pay death, he says, by the necessity of my sin, but in dying I do the will of my Father; and there I do more than I suffer, because if I did not will it, I would not suffer. You have him saying in another place, “I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again.” See, truly free among the dead.

Ps 88:4 (87:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 88:5 (87:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:30 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:31 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:18 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ alone was “free among the dead,” having no sin for the devil to find; he died by doing his Father's will, not by necessity.

  • Ps 88:4–5 (87:5–6 LXX), John 14:30–31, and John 10:18 are quoted. Augustine's gloss that the devil came “in the persecuting Jews” is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Subjecit, ct ait → Subjecit, et ait); OCR slip in the digital text (eam.. Ecce verc → eam. Ecce vere); OCR slip in the digital text (hubeo → habeo); OCR slip in the digital text (mundi. diabolum → mundi, diabolum); OCR slip in the digital text (peccat! → peccati)): peccat! → peccati; mundi. diabolum → mundi, diabolum; Subjecit, ct ait → Subjecit, et ait; hubeo → habeo; eam.. Ecce verc → eam. Ecce vere.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.7 (PL 35:1695; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-7) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.8PL 35:1695–1697

Cum ergo omnis qui facit peccatum, servus sit peccati, quæ sit spes nobis libertatis, audite. Servus autem, inquit, non manet in domo in æternum. Eccle­ sia est domus, servus peccator est. Intrant multi in Ecclesiam peccatores. Non ergo dixit, Servus non est in domo; sed, non manet in domo in æternum. Si ergo nullus ibi servus erit, quis ibi erit? Cum enim rex justus sederit in throno, sicut Scriptura loquitur, quis gloriabitur castum se habere cor? aut quis gloriabitur mundum se esse a peccato? Multum nos terruit, o fratres mei, dicendo, Servus non manet in domo in æternum. Adjungit autem, et dicit, Filius autem manet in æternum. Ergo solus in domo sua erit Christus? nullus illi populus cohaerebit? Cui erit caput, si non erit corpus? An forte totum hoc Filius, caput et corpus? Non enim sine causa et terruit, et spem dedit: terruit, ne peccatum amaremus; spem dedit, ne de peccati solutione diffideremus: Omnis, inquit, qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati. Servus autem non manet in domo in æternum. Quae ergo nobis spes est, qui non sumus sine peccato? Audi spem tuam; Filius manet in æternum. Si ergo vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis. Haec spes nostra est, fratres, ut a libero liberemur, et liberando servos nos faciat: servi enim eramus cupiditatis, liberati servi effici­ mur charitatis. Hoc et Apostolus dicit; Vos autem fratres in libertatem vocati estis; tantum ne libertatem in occasionem carnis detis, sed per charitatem servite invicem. Non ergo dicat christianus: Liber sum, in libertatem vocatus sum: servus eram, sed redemptus sum, et ipsa redemptione liber effe­ ctus sum, faciam quod volo; nemo me prohibeat a voluntate mea, si liber sum. Sed si ista voluntate peccatum facis, servus es peccati. Noli ergo libertate abuti ad libere peccandum, sed utere ad non peccandum. Erit enim voluntas tua libera, si fuerit pia. Eris liber, si fueris servus; liber peccati, servus justitiæ: dicente Apostolo, Cum servi essetis peccati, liberi eratis justitiæ: nunc autem liberati a peccato, servi autem facti Deo, habetis fructum vestrum in sanctificationem, finem vero vitam æternam. Hoc conemur, id agamus.

Since, then, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin, hear what hope of freedom there is for us. “But the slave,” he says, “does not remain in the house forever.” The Church is the house; the slave is the sinner. Many sinners enter the Church. So he did not say, “The slave is not in the house,” but “does not remain in the house forever.” If, then, no slave will be there, who will be there? For “when the just king sits on the throne,” as Scripture says, “who will boast that he has a chaste heart? Or who will boast that he is clean from sin?” He has greatly frightened us, my brothers, by saying, “The slave does not remain in the house forever.” But he adds and says, “But the Son remains forever.” Will Christ, then, be alone in his house? Will no people cleave to him? Whose head will he be, if there is no body? Or perhaps the Son is this whole, head and body? For not without cause did he both frighten and give hope: he frightened so that we might not love sin; he gave hope so that we might not distrust the loosing of sin. “Everyone,” he says, “who commits sin is the slave of sin. But the slave does not remain in the house forever.” What hope, then, is there for us, who are not without sin? Hear your hope: “The Son remains forever. If, then, the Son sets you free, then you will truly be free.” This is our hope, brothers: that we may be freed by the free one, and that by freeing us he may make us slaves; for we were slaves of desire; freed, we are made slaves of love. The apostle says this too: “But you, brothers, have been called to freedom; only do not make freedom an occasion for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Let not the Christian say, then, “I am free; I have been called to freedom; I was a slave, but I have been redeemed, and by that very redemption I have been made free; I will do what I will; let no one hinder me from my will, if I am free.” But if by that will you commit sin, you are the slave of sin. So do not abuse freedom to sin freely, but use it so as not to sin. For your will will be free if it is pious. You will be free if you are a slave: free of sin, slave of justice; as the apostle says, “When you were slaves of sin, you were free of justice; but now, freed from sin and made slaves of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end, eternal life.” Let us strive for this; let us do this.

John 8:34 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:35 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 20:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 20:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The slave of sin does not remain in God's house, but the Son, head and body, does; freed by him, we become slaves of love and justice rather than of sin.

  • John 8:34–36, Prov 20:8–9 (LXX), Gal 5:13, and Rom 6:20, 22 are quoted. The digital text's stray “^” is removed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Cbristus → Christus); OCR slip in the digital text (Deo., → Deo,); OCR slip in the digital text (agaunis. ^ → agamus.); OCR slip in the digital text (alternum → æternum); OCR slip in the digital text (boc → hoc); OCR slip in the digital text (ct dicit → et dicit); OCR slip in the digital text (eat peccati → est peccati); OCR slip in the digital text (eritcaput → erit caput); OCR slip in the digital text (libcr. si fucris → liber, si fueris); OCR slip in the digital text (liberali → liberati); OCR slip in the digital text (nulius → nullus); OCR slip in the digital text (volo y nemo → volo; nemo)): domo in alternum. Eccle­ → domo in æternum. Eccle­; nulius → nullus; domo in alternum. Adjungit → domo in æternum. Adjungit; ct dicit → et dicit; Cbristus → Christus; eritcaput → erit caput; totum boc Filius, → totum hoc Filius,; eat peccati → est peccati; manet in alternum. Si → manet in æternum. Si; cupiditatis, liberali servi → cupiditatis, liberati servi; volo y nemo → volo; nemo; libcr. si fucris → liber, si fueris; autem liberali a → autem liberati a; Deo., → Deo,; agaunis. ^ → agamus..

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.8 (PL 35:1695–1697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-8) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.9PL 35:1697

Prima libertas est carere criminibus. Intendite, fratres mei, intendite; ne forte possim perducere vobis ad sensum et qualis modo sit, et qualis futura sit ista libertas. Quemlibet valde justum discutias in hac vita, quamvis jam sit dignus justi vocabulo, non est tamen sine peccato: audi ipsum sanctum Joan­ nem, cujus et hoc Evangelium est, in Epistola sua dicentem, Si dixerimus, inquit, quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Solus hoc dicere potuit in mortuis liber, de solo dici potuit qui non noverat peccatum; de solo dici potuit: etenim expertus est omnia secundum similitudinem sine peccato. Solus dicere potuit, Ecce veniet princeps mundi, et in me nihil inveniet. Quemcumque alium licet justum discusseris, non omnimodo est sine peccato. Nec qua­ lis erat Job, cui Dominus tale testimonium perhibe­ bat, ut diabolus invideret, et postularet tentandum, tentans superaretur, ut ille probaretur. Ideo autem ille probatus est, non quia latebat Deum coronandus, sed ut innotesceret hominibus imitandus. Etiam ipse Job quid dicit? Quis enim mundus? Nec infans, cujus est unius diei vita super terram. Sed plane multi justi dicti sunt sine querela, quod intelligitur sine crimine: nulla enim querela justa est de his in rebus humanis, qui non habent crimen. Crimen autem est peccatum grave, accusatione et damnatione dignissimum. Non ergo Deus quædam peccata damnat, quædam justificat et laudat: nulla laudat, odit omnia. Quomodo odit medicus ægritudinem ægroti, et id agit curando ut ægritudo pellatur, æger levetur: sic Deus gratia sua hoc in nobis agit, ut peccatum consumatur, homo liberetur. Sed quando consumitur, inquies? Si minui­ tur, quare non consumitur? Minuitur autem in vita proficientium, quod in vita consumitur perfectorum.

The first freedom is to be without crimes. Attend, my brothers, attend, so that perhaps I may be able to bring you to perceive both what kind of freedom this is now and what kind it will be. Examine anyone, however just, in this life: although he is already worthy of the name of just, yet he is not without sin. Hear holy John himself, whose Gospel this too is, saying in his Epistle, “If we say,” he says, “that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” He alone who was free among the dead could say this; it could be said of him alone who knew no sin; it could be said of him alone: for he was tested in all things according to the likeness, without sin. He alone could say, “See, the prince of the world is coming, and in me he will find nothing.” Whoever else you examine, however just, he is not altogether without sin. Not even such a one as Job was, to whom the Lord bore such witness that the devil envied him and asked that he be tested, and in testing was overcome, so that Job might be proved. But he was proved, not because it was hidden from God that he was to be crowned, but so that he might become known to men to be imitated. Yet what does Job himself say? “For who is clean? Not even an infant whose life on earth is one day.” But clearly many just men have been called “without complaint,” which is understood as without crime: for in human affairs there is no just complaint against those who have no crime. Now a crime is a grave sin, most worthy of accusation and condemnation. God does not, then, condemn some sins and justify and praise others: he praises none, he hates all. As a physician hates the sickness of the sick man, and by curing works to drive out the sickness and relieve the sick man, so God by his grace works this in us: that sin may be consumed and man set free. But when is it consumed, you will say? If it is diminished, why is it not consumed? It is diminished in the life of those who make progress; it is consumed in the life of the perfect.

1 John 1:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 4:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 1:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 2:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 14:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 14:5 (quotation, medium confidence) · Luke 1:6 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The first freedom is to be without crimes, that is, grave sins, for no one in this life but Christ is without sin; God hates all sin and by grace diminishes it in the progressing and consumes it in the perfect.

  • 1 John 1:8, Heb 4:15, John 14:30, and Job 14:4–5 (LXX) are quoted; Job 1–2 is alluded to; “without complaint” echoes Luke 1:6 and Phil 2:15. The digital text's stray reference “(Job. I, II)” is removed as apparatus.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text ( (Job. I,II). → .); OCR slip in the digital text (Eliam → Etiam); OCR slip in the digital text (Evaugclium → Evangelium); OCR slip in the digital text (Idco → Ideo); OCR slip in the digital text (ager levetur → æger levetur); OCR slip in the digital text (angritudinem → ægritudinem); OCR slip in the digital text (bac vita → hac vita); OCR slip in the digital text (ct qualis → et qualis); OCR slip in the digital text (eL damnatione → et damnatione); OCR slip in the digital text (igit, → agit,); OCR slip in the digital text (iniclligitur → intelligitur); OCR slip in the digital text (innote. ceret bominibus → innotesceret hominibus); OCR slip in the digital text (intenditc → intendite); OCR slip in the digital text (jusli → justi); OCR slip in the digital text (justa cst → justa est); OCR slip in the digital text (latcbat → latebat); OCR slip in the digital text (possim perducere I vobis → possim perducere vobis); OCR slip in the digital text (qua­ lis crat → qua­ lis erat); OCR slip in the digital text (seemulum → secundum); OCR slip in the digital text (supcraretur → superaretur)): intenditc → intendite; possim perducere I vobis → possim perducere vobis; ct qualis → et qualis; bac vita → hac vita; Evaugclium → Evangelium; seemulum → secundum; qua­ lis crat → qua­ lis erat; supcraretur → superaretur; (Job. I,II). → .; Idco → Ideo; latcbat → latebat; innote. ceret bominibus → innotesceret hominibus; Eliam → Etiam; jusli → justi; iniclligitur → intelligitur; justa cst → justa est; eL damnatione → et damnatione; angritudinem → ægritudinem; ager levetur → æger levetur; igit, → agit,.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.9 (PL 35:1697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-9) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.10PL 35:1697

Prima est ergo libertas, carere criminibus. Ideo et apostolus Paulus quando elegit ordinandos vel presbyteros vel diaconos, et quicumque ordinan­ dus est ad præposituram Ecclesiæ, non ait, Si quis sine peccato est; hoc enim si diceret, omnis homo reprobaretur, nullus ordinaretur: sed ait, Si quis sine crimine est, sicuti est homi­ cidium, adulterium, aliqua immunditia fornicationis, furtum, fraus, sacrilegium, et cætera hujusmodi. Cum cœperit ea non habere homo (debet autem non habere omnis christianus homo), incipit caput erigere ad li­ bertatem: sed ista inchoata est, non perfecta libertas. Quare, inquit aliquis, non est perfecta libertas? Quia video aliam legem in membris meis, repugnantem legi mentis meæ: non enim quod volo ago, ait, sed quod odi illud facio. Caro, inquit, con­ cupiscit adversus spiritum, et spiritus adversus car­ nem, ut non ea quæ vultis illa faciatis. Ex parte li­ bertas, ex parte servitus: nondum tota, nondum pura, nondum plena libertas, quia nondum aeternitas. Ha­ bemus enim ex parte infirmitatem, ex parte accepi­ mus libertatem. Quidquid peccatum est a nobis, an­ tea deletum est in Baptismo. Numquid quia deleta est; tota iniquitas, nulla remansit infirmitas? Si non remansisset, sine peccato hic viveremus. Quis autem audeat hoc dicere nisi superbus, nisi misericordia li­ beratoris indignus, nisi qui seipsum vult decipere, et in quo veritas non est? Ergo ex eo quod remansit aliquid infirmitatis, audeo dicere, ex qua parte servi­ mus Deo, liberi sumus: ex qua parte servimus legi peccati, adhuc servi sumus. Unde dicit Apostolus quod dicere coeperamus: Condelector legi Dei secun­ dum interiorem hominem. Ecce unde liberi, unde con­ delectamur legi Dei: libertas enim delectat. Nam quamdiu timore facis quod justum est, non Deus te delectat. Quamdiu adhuc servus facis, te non dele­ ctat: delectet te, et liber es. Noli timere poenam, sed ama justitiam. Nondum potes amare justitiam? time vel pœnam, ut pervenias ad amandam justitiam.

The first freedom, then, is to be without crimes. That is why the apostle Paul too, when he chose those to be ordained, whether presbyters or deacons, and whoever is to be ordained to the leadership of the Church, does not say, “If anyone is without sin”; for if he said this, every man would be rejected and no one would be ordained; but he says, “If anyone is without crime,” such as murder, adultery, some uncleanness of sexual immorality, theft, fraud, sacrilege, and others of this kind. When a man has begun not to have these (and every Christian man ought not to have them), he begins to lift his head toward freedom; but this is freedom begun, not perfected. Why, someone says, is it not perfect freedom? Because “I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind; for I do not do what I will,” he says, “but what I hate, that I do.” “The flesh,” he says, “lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, so that you do not do the things you will.” Freedom in part, slavery in part: not yet whole, not yet pure, not yet full freedom, because not yet eternity. For we have weakness in part, we have received freedom in part. Whatever sin we had was blotted out before, in baptism. Because all iniquity has been blotted out, has no weakness remained? If it had not remained, we would live here without sin. But who would dare to say this, except a proud man, except one unworthy of the Deliverer's mercy, except one who wants to deceive himself and in whom the truth is not? So, because something of weakness has remained, I dare to say: in the part in which we serve God, we are free; in the part in which we serve the law of sin, we are still slaves. Hence the apostle says what we had begun to say: “I delight in the law of God according to the inner man.” See whence we are free, whence we delight in the law of God: for freedom delights. For as long as you do what is just from fear, God does not delight you. As long as you still do it as a slave, he does not delight you: let him delight you, and you are free. Do not fear punishment, but love justice. Can you not yet love justice? Fear even punishment, so that you may come to love justice.

1 Tim 3:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 1:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 1:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 7:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 1:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 7:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Church officers must be without crime, not without sin; freedom from crime begins freedom, but in this life weakness remains, and we are free only in the part in which we delight in God's law.

  • 1 Tim 3:10 and Titus 1:6–7, Rom 7:23, 7:15, Gal 5:17, Rom 7:22, and 1 John 1:8 are quoted or alluded to. Fornicatio is rendered “sexual immorality” and adulterium “adultery.”

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Quia « video → Quia video); OCR slip in the digital text (Quis autem I ' audeat → Quis autem audeat); OCR slip in the digital text (Red ama → sed ama); OCR slip in the digital text (Si non rei mansisset → Si non remansisset); OCR slip in the digital text (car­ nem,ut non ea 'lux vultis illa faciatis. i Ex → car­ nem, ut non ea quæ vultis illa faciatis. Ex); OCR slip in the digital text (chrislianus → christianus); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim si → enim si); OCR slip in the digital text (csl ergo → est ergo); OCR slip in the digital text (ct apostolus → et apostolus); OCR slip in the digital text (dele­ etat → dele­ ctat); OCR slip in the digital text (eat, sicuti → est, sicuti); OCR slip in the digital text (facio > → facio); OCR slip in the digital text (ii­ bertatem → li­ bertatem); OCR slip in the digital text (inmunditia → immunditia); OCR slip in the digital text (inquitaliquis → inquit aliquis); OCR slip in the digital text (lcgi → legi); OCR slip in the digital text (mcis → meis); OCR slip in the digital text (paenam → pœnam); OCR slip in the digital text (presbytcros → presbyteros); OCR slip in the digital text (secun­ dnm → secun­ dum); OCR slip in the digital text (tcgi → legi); OCR slip in the digital text (voloago → volo ago)): csl ergo → est ergo; ct apostolus → et apostolus; presbytcros → presbyteros; cnim si → enim si; eat, sicuti → est, sicuti; inmunditia → immunditia; chrislianus → christianus; ii­ bertatem → li­ bertatem; inquitaliquis → inquit aliquis; Quia « video → Quia video; mcis → meis; lcgi → legi; voloago → volo ago; facio > → facio; car­ nem,ut non ea 'lux vultis illa faciatis. i Ex → car­ nem, ut non ea quæ vultis illa faciatis. Ex; Si non rei mansisset → Si non remansisset; Quis autem I ' audeat → Quis autem audeat; secun­ dnm → secun­ dum; tcgi → legi; dele­ etat → dele­ ctat; Red ama → sed ama; paenam → pœnam.

Topics: Church office, Baptism, Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.10 (PL 35:1697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-10) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.11PL 35:1697

Ergo jam ille ex parte superiore liberum se esse sentiebat, unde dicebat, Condelector legi Dei se­ cundum interiorem hominem. Delectat me lex, delectat me quod jubet lex, delectat me ipsa justitia. Video autem aliam legem in membris meis: hæc est quae re­ mansit infirmitas: repugnantem legi mentis meæ, et captivantem me in lege peccati, quæ est in membris meis. Ex hac parte sentit captivitatem, ubi non est impleta justitia: nam ubi condelectatur legi Dei, non captivus, sed legis amicus est; et ideo liber, quod amicus. Quid ergo ex eo quod restat? Quid, nisi re­ spiciamus ad illum qui dixit, Si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis? Denique et ipse qui loquebatur, ad illum respexit: Infelix ego homo, quis me libe­ rabit, inquit, de corpore mortis hujus? Gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Ergo si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis. Denique ita conclu­ sit: Igitur ipse ego mente servio legi Dei, carne autem legi peccati. Ipse ego, inquit: non enim duo sumus inter nos contrarii de diversis princi­ piis venientes; sed ego ipse mente servio legi Dei, carne autem legi peccati, quamdiu languor obluctatur saluti.

So he already felt himself free in his higher part, whence he said, “I delight in the law of God according to the inner man.” The law delights me, what the law commands delights me, justice itself delights me. “But I see another law in my members”: this is the weakness that has remained; “warring against the law of my mind, and making me captive in the law of sin which is in my members.” In this part he feels captivity, where justice has not been fulfilled; for where he delights in the law of God, he is not a captive but a friend of the law, and therefore free, because a friend. What, then, of what remains? What but to look to him who said, “If the Son sets you free, then you will truly be free”? In short, he who was speaking also looked to him: “Unhappy man that I am, who will free me from the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” “So if the Son sets you free, then you will truly be free.” In short, he concluded thus: “So I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” “I myself,” he says: for we are not two, opposed to each other, coming from different principles; but I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin, as long as sickness struggles against health.

Rom 7:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:25 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:36 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul was free where he delighted in God's law and captive where weakness remained; he looked to the Son for full freedom, being one man serving God's law with the mind and sin's law with the flesh.

  • Rom 7:22–25 and John 8:36 are quoted. “Not two … from different principles” rejects the Manichaean doctrine of two opposed natures in man. The digital text's stray quotation marks are removed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (ad Ilum respexit: « Infelix ego honio → ad illum respexit: Infelix ego homo); OCR slip in the digital text (autcm aliti → autem aliam); OCR slip in the digital text (caplivus → captivus); OCR slip in the digital text (conclu­ sit: « Igitur → conclu­ sit: Igitur); OCR slip in the digital text (ct ipse → et ipse); OCR slip in the digital text (eritis. > Denique → eritis. Denique); OCR slip in the digital text (liberuin → liberum); OCR slip in the digital text (nun est → non est); OCR slip in the digital text (peccati. pse ego → peccati. Ipse ego); OCR slip in the digital text (ure quod → me quod)): liberuin → liberum; ure quod → me quod; autcm aliti → autem aliam; nun est → non est; caplivus → captivus; ct ipse → et ipse; ad Ilum respexit: « Infelix ego honio → ad illum respexit: Infelix ego homo; eritis. > Denique → eritis. Denique; conclu­ sit: « Igitur → conclu­ sit: Igitur; peccati. pse ego → peccati. Ipse ego.

Topics: Ethics, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.11 (PL 35:1697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-11) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.12PL 35:1697–1699

Sed si carne servis legi peccati, fac quod ait ipse Apostolus: Non ergo regnet peccatum in vestro mortali corpore ad obediendum desideriis ejus, neque exhibeatis membra vestra arma iniquitatis peccato. Non ait, Non sit; sed, Non regnet. Quam­ diu peccatum necesse est esse in membris tuis, saltem illi regnum auferatur, non fiat quod jubet. Surgit ira? noli dare irae linguam ad maledicendum; noli dare irae manum aut pedem ad feriendum. Non surgeret ira ista irrationabilis, nisi peccatum esset in mem­ bris: sed tolle illi regnum, non habeat arma unde contra te pugnet; discet etiam non surgere, cum arma cœperit non invenire. Non exhibeatis membra vestra arma iniquitatis peccato; alioquin toti captivi eritis, et non erit dicere, Mente servio legi Dei. Mens enim si teneat arma, membra non moventur in mi­ nisterium furentis peccati. Teneat arcem imperator interior, quia sub majore imperatore juvandus assistit; frenet iram, coerceat concupiscentiam. Inest ta­ men quod frenetur, inest quod coerceatur, inest quod teneatur. Quid autem volebat ille justus mente serviens legi Dei, nisi ut omnino non esset quod frenaretur? Et hoc debet conari omnis qui tendit ad perfe­ ctionem, ut et ipsa concupiscentia cui non dantur ad obediendum membra, quotidie in proficiente minua­ tur. Velle, inquit, adjacet mihi, perficere autem bonum non. Numquid dixit, Non mihi adjacet facere bonum? Si hoc dixisset, spes nulla esset. Non ait, Non mihi adjacet facere, sed, Non mihi adjacet perficere. Quae est enim perfectio boni, nisi consum­ ptio et finis mali? Quæ est autem consumptio mali, nisi quod Lex dicit, Non concupisces? Omnino non concupiscere perfectio boni est, quia consumptio mali est. Hoc dicebat ille, Perficere bo­ num non mihi adjacet; quia non poterat facere ut non concupisceret: faciebat tantum ut concupiscentiam refrenaret, ut concupiscentiæ non consentiret, et concupiscentiæ membra ad satellitium non præberet. Per­ ficere ergo, inquit, bonum non mihi adjacet: non possum implere quod dictum est, Non concupisces. Quid ergo opus est? Ut impleas, Post concupiscentias tuas non eas. Hoc age interim quamdiu insunt illicitæ concupiscentiæ in carne tua, Post concupiscentias tuas non eas. Mane in servitute Dei, in libertate Christi; mente servi legi Dei tui. Noli te dare concupiscentiis tuis: sequendo eas, vires eis addis; dando eis vires quomodo vincis, quando contra te inimicos nutris vi­ ribus tuis?

But if with the flesh you serve the law of sin, do what the apostle himself says: “Let not sin, then, reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires; nor present your members as weapons of iniquity to sin.” He does not say, “Let it not be,” but “Let it not reign.” As long as sin must be in your members, at least let its reign be taken away; let not what it commands be done. Does anger rise? Do not give anger your tongue for cursing; do not give anger your hand or foot for striking. This irrational anger would not rise unless sin were in the members; but take away its reign; let it not have weapons with which to fight against you; it will learn not even to rise, when it begins not to find weapons. “Do not present your members as weapons of iniquity to sin”; otherwise you will be wholly captive, and it will not be possible to say, “With the mind I serve the law of God.” For if the mind holds the weapons, the members are not moved into the service of raging sin. Let the inner commander hold the citadel, because he stands to be helped under a greater commander; let him curb anger, restrain desire. Yet there is in us what is to be curbed, what is to be restrained, what is to be held. But what did that just man, serving the law of God with the mind, want, except that there should be nothing at all to curb? And everyone who strives toward perfection ought to strive for this, that even desire, to which the members are not given to obey, may be lessened daily in one who makes progress. “To will,” he says, “is present with me, but to perfect the good is not.” Did he say, “To do good is not present with me”? If he had said this, there would be no hope. He does not say, “To do is not present with me,” but “To perfect is not present with me.” For what is the perfection of good but the consuming and end of evil? And what is the consuming of evil but what the Law says, “You shall not covet”? Not to covet at all is the perfection of good, because it is the consuming of evil. This is what he said: “To perfect the good is not present with me,” because he could not bring it about that he did not covet; he only brought it about that he curbed desire, that he did not consent to desire, and did not lend his members to desire as its attendants. “To perfect the good,” then, he says, “is not present with me”: I cannot fulfill what was said, “You shall not covet.” What, then, is needed? That you fulfill, “Do not go after your desires.” Do this meanwhile, as long as unlawful desires are in your flesh: “Do not go after your desires.” Remain in the service of God, in the freedom of Christ; with the mind serve the law of your God. Do not give yourself to your desires: by following them you add strength to them; by giving them strength, how do you conquer, when you feed enemies against yourself with your own strength?

Rom 6:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:7 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Sin must not be allowed to reign in our members, though desire remains; we cannot yet fulfill “You shall not covet,” but we can refuse to follow our desires.

  • Rom 6:12–13, Rom 7:18, Exod 20:17 (Rom 7:7), Rom 7:25, and Sir 18:30 are quoted. Sirach is outside the 66 books and is tagged as extrabiblical. The digital text's stray reference “(Rom. VII), 18)” is removed as apparatus.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Apostulus → Apostolus); OCR slip in the digital text (Mens enim 4i teneat → Mens enim si teneat); OCR slip in the digital text (Postconcupiscentias tuasnon → Post concupiscentias tuas non); OCR slip in the digital text (Si Unc dixisset, spes uulla → Si hoc dixisset, spes nulla); OCR slip in the digital text (Son regnet → Non regnet); OCR slip in the digital text (bo­ numnon → bo­ num non); OCR slip in the digital text (cocrceaLur → coerceatur); OCR slip in the digital text (coerccat → coerceat); OCR slip in the digital text (concupisces y → concupisces?); OCR slip in the digital text (concupisceuLiæ → concupiscentiæ); OCR slip in the digital text (csL → est); OCR slip in the digital text (et iim concupiscentia → et ipsa concupiscentia); OCR slip in the digital text (freucLur → frenetur); OCR slip in the digital text (insunt. illicitæ → insunt illicitæ); OCR slip in the digital text (iu libertate → in libertate); OCR slip in the digital text (milii → mihi); OCR slip in the digital text (noH dare → noli dare); OCR slip in the digital text (non Gat → non fiat); OCR slip in the digital text (nonessetquodfrenaretur?Et → non esset quod frenaretur? Et); OCR slip in the digital text (omnisqui → omnis qui); OCR slip in the digital text (peccati Teneat → peccati. Teneat); OCR slip in the digital text (perficere autem. bonum "on (Rom. VII), 18). → perficere autem bonum non.); OCR slip in the digital text (perfitere → perficere); OCR slip in the digital text (posbum → possum); OCR slip in the digital text (sequendo cas → sequendo eas); OCR slip in the digital text (tuti captivi emis, et non crit → toti captivi eritis, et non erit); OCR slip in the digital text (undo contra → unde contra)): Apostulus → Apostolus; Son regnet → Non regnet; non Gat → non fiat; noH dare → noli dare; undo contra → unde contra; tuti captivi emis, et non crit → toti captivi eritis, et non erit; Mens enim 4i teneat → Mens enim si teneat; peccati Teneat → peccati. Teneat; coerccat → coerceat; freucLur → frenetur; cocrceaLur → coerceatur; nonessetquodfrenaretur?Et → non esset quod frenaretur? Et; omnisqui → omnis qui; et iim concupiscentia → et ipsa concupiscentia; perficere autem. bonum "on (Rom. VII), 18). → perficere autem bonum non.; Si Unc dixisset, spes uulla → Si hoc dixisset, spes nulla; milii → mihi; perfitere → perficere; concupisces y → concupisces?; bo­ numnon → bo­ num non; concupisceuLiæ → concupiscentiæ; posbum → possum; dictum csL, → dictum est,; Postconcupiscentias tuasnon → Post concupiscentias tuas non; insunt. illicitæ → insunt illicitæ; iu libertate → in libertate; sequendo cas → sequendo eas.

Extrabiblical texts: Sir 18:30 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.12 (PL 35:1697–1699; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-12) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.

41.13PL 35:1699

Quæ igitur libertas plena atque perfecta in illo Domino Jesu qui dixit, Si vos Filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis; quando plena et perfecta libertas erit? Quando nullæ inimicitiæ, quando novissima inimica destruetur mors. Oportet enim corruptibile hoc induere incorruptionem, et mortale hoc induere immortalitatem: cum autem mortale hoc induerit im­ mortalitatem, tunc fiet sermo qui scriptus est, Ab­ sorpta est mors in victoriam. Ubi est, mors, conten­ tio tua? Quid est, Ubi est, mors, contentio tua? Caro concupiscebat adversus spiritum, et spiritus adversus carnem; sed quando peccati caro vigebat. Ubi est, Mors, contentio tua? Jam vive­ mus, jam non moriemur, in illo qui pro nobis mor­ tuus est et resurrexit: ut qui vivunt, inquit, jam non sibi vivant, sed ei qui pro ipsis mortuus est et resurrexit. Precemur medicum saucii, portemur in stabulum curandi. Ille est enim qui promittit sanitatem, qui miseratus est in via semivivum a latroni­ bus derelictum: infudit oleum et vinum, curavit vulnera, levavit in jumentum, perduxit in stabulum stabulario commendavit. Cui stabulario? Forte illi qui dicit, Pro Christo legatione fungimur. Dedit etiam duos nummos, qui impenderentur saucio curando: forte ipsa sunt duo præ­ cepta, in quibus tota Lex pendet et Prophetæ. Ergo, fratres, et Ecclesia hoc tempore, in qua saucius sanatur, stabulum est viatoris: sed ipsi Ecclesiæ sursum est hæreditas possessoris.

What, then, is the full and perfect freedom in the Lord Jesus, who said, “If the Son sets you free, then you will truly be free”? When will there be full and perfect freedom? When there are no hostilities; when “the last enemy, death, is destroyed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality; and when this mortal has put on immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your struggle?” What is “Where, O death, is your struggle?” “The flesh lusted against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh,” but that was when the flesh of sin was strong. “Where, O death, is your struggle?” Now we shall live, now we shall not die, in him who died for us and rose: “so that those who live,” he says, “may no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose.” Let us, the wounded, pray to the physician; let us be carried to the inn to be cured. For he it is who promises health, who had mercy on the man left half dead on the road by robbers: he poured in oil and wine, he cared for the wounds, he lifted him onto his beast, he brought him to the inn, he commended him to the innkeeper. To what innkeeper? Perhaps to him who says, “We act as ambassadors for Christ.” He also gave two coins to be spent on curing the wounded man: perhaps they are the two commandments on which the whole Law and the Prophets hang. So, brothers, the Church too in this time, in which the wounded man is healed, is the traveler's inn; but for the Church itself the inheritance of the owner is above.

John 8:36 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:53 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:54 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:55 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:35 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 22:40 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Perfect freedom will come when death is swallowed up in victory; meanwhile the Church is the inn where Christ, the Good Samaritan, has us cared for.

  • John 8:36, 1 Cor 15:26, 53–55, Gal 5:17, 2 Cor 5:15, 2 Cor 5:20, and Matt 22:40 are quoted; the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–35) is allegorized.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Domnino Jesu qni divit → Domino Jesu qui dixit); OCR slip in the digital text (Ecdesia → Ecclesia); OCR slip in the digital text (aduersus apiritum → adversus spiritum); OCR slip in the digital text (bere liberi → vere liberi); OCR slip in the digital text (carnelll, sed → carnem; sed); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim corruptibile Loc → enim corruptibile hoc); OCR slip in the digital text (commendavit Cut → commendavit. Cui); OCR slip in the digital text (cst et resurrexit: fit gui vivunt,inquit, jum → est et resurrexit: ut qui vivunt, inquit, jam); OCR slip in the digital text (ct vinum → et vinum); OCR slip in the digital text (etiun dUOS nummos, qni → etiam duos nummos, qui); OCR slip in the digital text (gui pro ipsis mortuusest → qui pro ipsis mortuus est); OCR slip in the digital text (i;itnr → igitur); OCR slip in the digital text (jUIDclIluln → jumentum); OCR slip in the digital text (miseratus cst → miseratus est); OCR slip in the digital text (nohis → nobis); OCR slip in the digital text (resurrexit, Precemur → resurrexit. Precemur); OCR slip in the digital text (s onitatem → sanitatem); OCR slip in the digital text (seJ ipsi → sed ipsi); OCR slip in the digital text (stabulumcurandi → stabulum curandi); OCR slip in the digital text (tua»?Quid → tua? Quid); OCR slip in the digital text (vietriam → victoriam); OCR slip in the digital text («novissima inimica destructur → novissima inimica destruetur)): i;itnr → igitur; Domnino Jesu qni divit → Domino Jesu qui dixit; bere liberi → vere liberi; «novissima inimica destructur → novissima inimica destruetur; cnim corruptibile Loc → enim corruptibile hoc; vietriam → victoriam; tua»?Quid → tua? Quid; aduersus apiritum → adversus spiritum; carnelll, sed → carnem; sed; nohis → nobis; cst et resurrexit: fit gui vivunt,inquit, jum → est et resurrexit: ut qui vivunt, inquit, jam; gui pro ipsis mortuusest → qui pro ipsis mortuus est; resurrexit, Precemur → resurrexit. Precemur; stabulumcurandi → stabulum curandi; s onitatem → sanitatem; miseratus cst → miseratus est; ct vinum → et vinum; jUIDclIluln → jumentum; commendavit Cut → commendavit. Cui; etiun dUOS nummos, qni → etiam duos nummos, qui; Ecdesia → Ecclesia; seJ ipsi → sed ipsi.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 41.13 (PL 35:1699; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/41-1/#p-41-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-tractatus-ioannem-41-13) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne PL 35 (digital text, Open Greek and Latin), then compared batch by batch with the public-domain English of NPNF¹ 7 (Gibb and Innes, 1888); differences checked against the Latin.