Tractates on the Gospel of John 5.1–5.15

Augustine of Hippo · Tractates on the Gospel of John · ca. 406–420 · Hippo Regius · 15 passages

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).

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Chapter 5

5.1PL 35:1413–1415

Sicut Dominus voluit, ad diem promissionis nostrae pervenimus: praestabit etiam hoc, ut ad ipsius promis sionis redditionem pervenire possimus. Tunc enim ea quae dicimus, et nobis et vobis si utilia sunt, ab ipso sunt: quae autem ab homine sunt, mendacia sunt; sicut ipse dixit Dominus noster Jesus Christus, Qui loquitur mendacium, de suo loquitur. Nemo ha bet de suo, nisi mendacium et peccatum. Si quid au tem homo habet veritatis atque justitiae, ab illo fonte est, quem debemus sitire in hac eremo, ut ex eo quasi guttis quibusdam irrorati, et in hac peregrinatione interim consolati, ne deficiamus in via, venire ad ejus requiem satietatemque possimus. Si ergo qui loquitur mendacium, de suo loquitur; qui loquitur veritatem, de Deo loquitur. Verax Joannes, veritas Christus; verax Joannes, sed omnis verax a veritate verax est: si ergo verax est Joannes, et verax esse homo non potest, nisi a veritate; a quo erat verax, nisi ab eo qui dixit, Ego sum veritas? Non ergo posset dicere, aut veritas contra veracem, aut verax contra veritatem. Veracem veritas misit; et ideo verax erat, quo niam a veritate missus erat. Si veritas Joannem miserat, Christus eum miserat. Sed quod Christus cum Patre facit, Pater facit: et quod Pater cum Christo facit, Christus facit. Nec seorsum Pater aliquid facit sine Filio; nec seorsum aliquid Filius sine Patre: inseparabilis charitas, inseparabilis unitas, inseparabi lis majestas, inseparabilis potestas, secundum hæc verba quæ ipse posuit, Ego et Pater unum sumus. Quis ergo misit Joannem? Si dicamus, Pater, verum dicimus; si dicamus, Filius, verum dicimus: manifestius autem ut dicamus, Pater et Filius. Quem misit autem Pater et Filius, unus Deus misit; quia Filius dixit, Ego et Pater unum sumus. Quomodo ergo nesciebat eum a quo missus est? Dixit enim, Ego nesciebam eum; sed qui me misit baptizare in aqua, ipse mihi dixit. Interrogo Joannem, Qui te misit baptizare in aqua, quid tibi dixit? Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem, sicut columbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto. Hoc tibi, o Joan nes, dixit qui te misit? Manifestum quia hoc. Quis ergo te misit? Forte Pater. Verus Deus Pater, et veri tas Deus Filius: si Pater sine Filio te misit, Deus sine veritate te misit: si ideo autem verax es, quia verita tem loqueris, et ex veritate loqueris; non te misit Pater sine Filio, sed simul te misit Pater et Filius: si ergo et Filius te misit cum Patre, quomodo nescie bas eum a quo missus es? Quem videras in veritate, ipse te misit ut agnosceretur in carne, et dixit, Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem sicut columbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto.

As the Lord willed, we have reached the day of our promise; he will grant this too, that we may reach the fulfilment of that promise. For then the things we say, if they are useful to us and to you, are from him; but what comes from man is falsehood, as our Lord Jesus Christ himself said: "He who speaks a lie speaks from his own." No one has anything of his own except falsehood and sin. But if a man has anything of truth and righteousness, it is from that fountain for which we ought to thirst in this desert, so that, sprinkled from it as with certain drops and comforted for the time being in this pilgrimage, we may not faint on the way but may be able to come to its rest and fullness. If, then, he who speaks a lie speaks from his own, he who speaks the truth speaks from God. John is truthful, Christ is the truth; John is truthful, but everyone truthful is truthful from the truth. If, then, John is truthful, and a man cannot be truthful except from the truth, from whom was he truthful, if not from him who said, "I am the truth"? So it could not be that either the truth spoke against the truthful man or the truthful man against the truth. The truth sent the truthful man; and he was truthful precisely because he was sent by the truth. If the truth had sent John, Christ had sent him. But what Christ does with the Father, the Father does; and what the Father does with Christ, Christ does. Neither does the Father do anything separately without the Son, nor the Son anything separately without the Father: inseparable love, inseparable unity, inseparable majesty, inseparable power, according to these words that he himself spoke: "I and the Father are one." Who, then, sent John? If we say the Father, we speak truly; if we say the Son, we speak truly; but it is clearer for us to say, the Father and the Son. And he whom the Father and the Son sent, the one God sent, because the Son said, "I and the Father are one." How then did he not know him by whom he was sent? For he said, "I did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me." I ask John: "He who sent you to baptize in water, what did he say to you?" "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." Is this what he who sent you said to you, O John? Clearly it is. Who, then, sent you? Perhaps the Father. God the Father is true, and God the Son is the truth: if the Father sent you without the Son, God sent you without the truth. But if you are truthful because you speak the truth and speak from the truth, the Father did not send you without the Son, but the Father and the Son sent you together. If, then, the Son also sent you with the Father, how did you not know him by whom you were sent? He whom you had seen in the truth, he himself sent you so that he might be recognized in the flesh, and said, "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit."

John 8:44 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:30 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Returning to the promised question, Augustine argues that John, being truthful, was sent by the Truth, Christ, together with the Father, so he must in some sense have known the one who sent him.

Quotations: John 8:44; John 14:6; John 10:30 (twice); John 1:33. The Father and Son acting inseparably is Augustine's Trinitarian teaching; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Chrislus → Christus); OCR slip in the digital text (Dens → Deus); OCR slip in the digital text (Ncc → Nec); OCR slip in the digital text (Non ergo, posset → Non ergo posset); OCR slip in the digital text (SicutDominus → Sicut Dominus); OCR slip in the digital text (cst → est); OCR slip in the digital text (ea quas → ea quae); OCR slip in the digital text (facil, → facit,); OCR slip in the digital text (nostra pervenimus → nostrae pervenimus); OCR slip in the digital text (requicm satietalemque → requiem satietatemque); OCR slip in the digital text (si ergo. et h'ilius → si ergo et Filius); OCR slip in the digital text (tc misit → te misit); OCR slip in the digital text (veri'tate → veritate); OCR slip in the digital text (verita lem → veritatem)): SicutDominus → Sicut Dominus; nostra pervenimus → nostrae pervenimus; ea quas → ea quae; fonte cst, → fonte est,; requicm satietalemque → requiem satietatemque; Chrislus → Christus; Non ergo, posset → Non ergo posset; verita lem → veritatem; veri'tate → veritate; facil, → facit,; facit. Ncc seorsum → facit. Nec seorsum; Dens → Deus; tc misit → te misit; si ergo. et h'ilius → si ergo et Filius.

Topics: Trinity

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.1 (PL 35:1413–1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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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.

5.2PL 35:1415

Hoc audivit Joannes, ut nosset eum quem non noverat, an ut plenius nosset quem jam noverat? Si enim omni ex parte non nosset, non venienti ad fluvium ut baptizaretur diceret, Ego a te debeo baptizari, et tu venis ad me? noverat ergo. Quando autem columba descendit? Jam baptizato Domino, et ab aqua ascendente. At si ille qui eum misit, dixit, Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem sicut colum bam, et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto; et non noverat eum, sed columba descendente cognovit eum; columba vero tunc descen dit, quando Dominus ab aqua ascendit; tunc autem cognoverat Joannes Dominum, quando ad eum Do minus ad aquam veniebat: manifestatur nobis quia Joannes secundum aliquid noverat, secundum aliquid nondum noverat Dominum. Nisi autem hoc intellexe rimus, mendax erat. Quomodo erat verax agnoscens, qui dicit, Tu ad me venis baptizari, et ego a te debeo baptizari? Verax est cum hoc dicit? Et quomodo rur sus verax est cum dicit, Ego non noveram eum; sed qui misit me baptizare in aqua, ipse mihi dixit, Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem sicut columbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto? Innotuit per columbam Dominus, non ei qui se non noverat, sed ei qui in eo aliquid noverat, aliquid non noverat. Nostrum est ergo quærere quid in eo Joannes nondum noverat, et per columbam didicit.

Did John hear this in order to know one whom he had not known, or in order to know more fully one whom he already knew? For if he had not known him in every respect, he would not have said to him as he came to the river to be baptized, "I ought to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" So he knew him. But when did the dove descend? When the Lord had already been baptized and was coming up from the water. Yet if he who sent him said, "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit," and John did not know him, but came to know him when the dove descended; and the dove descended when the Lord came up from the water; while John had recognized the Lord when the Lord was coming to him at the water: it is made clear to us that John in one respect knew the Lord, and in another respect did not yet know him. Unless we understand this, he was a liar. How was he truthful in recognizing him, saying, "Do you come to me to be baptized, and I ought to be baptized by you?" Is he truthful when he says this? And how again is he truthful when he says, "I did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit"? The Lord was made known through the dove, not to one who did not know him, but to one who knew something in him and did not know something. It is for us, then, to seek what in him John did not yet know and learned through the dove.

Matt 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John must have known Christ in one respect and not in another; the task is to find what he learned about Christ through the dove.

Quotations: Matt 3:14; John 1:33.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Nostrum -est → Nostrum est); OCR slip in the digital text (Ou vium → fluvium); OCR slip in the digital text (agua → aqua); OCR slip in the digital text (boc → hoc); OCR slip in the digital text (eat → est); OCR slip in the digital text (milii → mihi); OCR slip in the digital text (noverat,. aliquid → noverat, aliquid); OCR slip in the digital text (oaptizari, ct → baptizari, et)): Ou vium → fluvium; oaptizari, ct → baptizari, et; et manentem super eum, ipse eat qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto; → et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto;; autem boc intellexe → autem hoc intellexe; agua → aqua; milii → mihi; et manentem super eum, ipse eat qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto? → et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto?; noverat,. aliquid → noverat, aliquid; Nostrum -est → Nostrum est.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.2 (PL 35:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.3PL 35:1415

Quare missus est Joannes baptizans? Jam me mini me quantum potui dixisse Charitati vestræ. Si enim baptismus Joannis necessarius erat saluti nostrae; et modo debuit exerceri. Non enim modo non salvantur homines, aut non modo plures salvantur, aut alia tunc salus erat, et alia modo. Si mutatus est Christus, mutata esset salus: si salus in Christo est, et idem ipse Christus est, eadem nobis salus est. Sed quare missus est Joannes baptizans? Quia oportebat baptizari Christum. Quare oportebat baptizari Chri stum? Quare oportuit nasci Christum? quare oportuit crucifigi Christum? Si enim viam humilitatis de monstraturus advenerat, et seipsum facturus ipsam humilitatis viam; in omnibus ab eo implenda erat hu militas. Auctoritatem dare baptismo suo hinc dignatus est, ut cognoscerent servi quanta alacritate deberent currere ad baptismum Domini, quando ipse non de dignatus est suscipere baptismum servi. Donatum enim erat hoc Joanni, ut ipsius baptismus diceretur.

Why was John sent baptizing? I remember that I have already told your Charity as best I could. For if the baptism of John was necessary for our salvation, it ought to be practiced now as well. For it is not that men are not saved now, or that more are not saved now, or that there was one salvation then and another now. If Christ had changed, salvation would have changed; if salvation is in Christ, and Christ is the same, the same salvation is ours. But why was John sent baptizing? Because it was fitting that Christ be baptized. Why was it fitting that Christ be baptized? Why was it fitting that Christ be born? Why was it fitting that Christ be crucified? For if he had come to show the way of humility and to make himself that very way of humility, humility had to be fulfilled by him in all things. He deigned by this to give authority to his own baptism, so that servants might know with what eagerness they ought to run to the baptism of the Lord, when he himself did not disdain to receive the baptism of a servant. For this was granted to John: that the baptism should be called his.

Heb 13:8 (allusion, low confidence) · Matt 3:15 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John's baptism was not necessary for salvation; Christ received it to complete his humility and so to commend his own baptism to his servants.

Allusion: Heb 13:8 (Christ the same); Matt 3:15.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (baplismo → baptismo); OCR slip in the digital text (cadem → eadem); OCR slip in the digital text (esfet → esset); OCR slip in the digital text (nostrac → nostrae); OCR slip in the digital text (omniBus → omnibus); OCR slip in the digital text (sal. vantur → salvantur); OCR slip in the digital text (un cognoscerent → ut cognoscerent)): nostrac → nostrae; sal. vantur → salvantur; esfet → esset; cadem → eadem; omniBus → omnibus; baplismo → baptismo; un cognoscerent → ut cognoscerent.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.3 (PL 35:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.4PL 35:1415

Hoc attendat, et distinguat, et noverit Charitas vestra. Baptismus quem accepit Joannes, baptismus Joannis dictus est: solus tale donum accepit nullus ante illum justorum, nullus post illum, ut acciperet baptismum, qui baptismus illius diceretur. Accepit quidem; non enim a se posset aliquid: si enim a se quis loquitur, mendacium de suo loquitur. Et unde ac cepit, nisi a Domino Jesu Christo? Ab illo ut bapti zare posset accepit, quem postea baptizavit. Nolite mirari: sic enim hoc fecit Christus in Joanne, quomodo quiddam fecit in matre. De Christo enim dictum est, Omnia per ipsum facta sunt: si omnia per ipsum, et Maria per ipsum facta est, de qua postea natus est Christus. Intendat Charitas vestra, Quomodo creavit Mariam, et creatus est per Mariam; sic dedit baptismum Joanni, et baptizatus est a Joanne.

Let your Charity attend to this, distinguish it, and know it. The baptism that John received was called the baptism of John: he alone received such a gift; none of the righteous before him, none after him, received a baptism that was called his own baptism. He received it, indeed; for he could not have anything from himself: for if anyone speaks from himself, he speaks a lie from his own. And from whom did he receive it, if not from the Lord Jesus Christ? He received the power to baptize from him whom he afterwards baptized. Do not be surprised: for Christ did this in John just as he did something in his mother. For it was said of Christ, "All things were made through him": if all things were made through him, Mary too was made through him, of whom Christ was afterwards born. Let your Charity attend: just as he created Mary and was created through Mary, so he gave baptism to John and was baptized by John.

John 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · John 8:44 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John alone received a baptism called his own, given him by Christ, who was then baptized by him, just as Christ created Mary and was born of her.

Quotations: John 1:3; allusion to John 8:44. A stray asterisk in the digital text is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Joauni → Joanni); OCR slip in the digital text (Quoinodo → Quomodo); OCR slip in the digital text (diceretur *. → diceretur.); OCR slip in the digital text (eniin → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (nulius → nullus); OCR slip in the digital text (quo- ' modo → quomodo)): nulius → nullus; diceretur *. → diceretur.; eniin → enim; quo- ' modo → quomodo; Quoinodo → Quomodo; Joauni → Joanni.

Topics: Baptism, Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.4 (PL 35:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.5PL 35:1415–1417

Ad hoc ergo accepit baptismum a Joanne, ut acci piens quod inferius erat ab inferiore, ad id quod su perius erat hortaretur inferiores. Sed quare non solus ipse baptizatus est a Joanne, si ad hoc missus erat Joannes, per quem baptizaretur Christus, ut pararet viam Domino, id est ipsi Christo? Et hoc jam dixi mus; sed commemoramus, quia necessarium est pre senti quaestioni. Si solus Dominus noster Jesus Chri stus baptizatus esset baptismate Joannis: tenete quod dicimus; non tantum valeat saeculum, ut deleat e cor dibus vestris quod ibi scripsit Spiritus Dei; non tan tum valeant spinae curarum, ut suffocent semen quod seminatur in vobis: quare enim cogimur eadem re petere, nisi quia de memoria cordis vestri securi non sumus? si ergo solus Dominus baptizatus esset bapti smo Joannis, non deessent qui sic eum haberent, ut putarent baptismum Joannis majorem esse, quam est baptismus Christi. Dicerent enim: Usque adeo illud baptisma majus est, ut solus Christus eo baptizari meruisset. Ergo ut daretur nobis a Domino exemplum humilitatis, ad percipiendam salutem baptismatis, Christus suscepit quod ei opus non erat, sed propter nos opus erat. Et rursus, ne hoc ipsum quod accepit a Joanne Christus, praeponeretur baptismati Christi, permissi sunt et alii baptizari a Joanne. Sed qui bapti zati sunt a Joanne, non eis suffecit: baptizati sunt enim baptismo Christi; quia non baptismus Christi erat baptismus Joannis. Qui accipiunt baptismum Christi, baptismum Joannis non quaerunt: qui acceperunt ba ptismum Joannis, baptismum Christi quæsierunt. Ergo Christo suffecit baptismus Joannis. Quomodo non suf ficeret, quando nec ipse erat necessarius? Illi enim nullus baptismus erat necessarius; sed ad hortandos nos ad baptismum suum, suscepit baptismum servi. Et ne praeponeretur baptismus servi baptismo Domi ni, baptizati sunt alii baptismate conservi. Sed qui baptizati sunt baptismate conservi, oportebat ut ba ptizarentur baptismate Domini: qui autem baptizantur baptismate Domini, non opus habent baptismate conservi.

So he received baptism from John for this purpose: that by receiving what was inferior from an inferior, he might exhort inferiors to what was superior. But why was he not the only one baptized by John, if John, by whom Christ was to be baptized, was sent for this, to prepare the way for the Lord, that is, for Christ himself? We have already said this too, but we recall it, because it is necessary for the present question. If our Lord Jesus Christ alone had been baptized with the baptism of John (hold on to what we say; let the world not have such power as to blot out of your hearts what the Spirit of God has written there; let the thorns of cares not have such power as to choke the seed that is sown in you: for why are we forced to repeat the same things, unless because we are not confident of the memory of your heart?), if, then, the Lord alone had been baptized with the baptism of John, there would not have been lacking those who so regarded it as to think the baptism of John greater than the baptism of Christ. For they would say, "That baptism is so much greater that Christ alone deserved to be baptized with it." So, in order that an example of humility might be given us by the Lord for receiving the salvation of baptism, Christ received what he had no need of, but which there was need of for our sake. And again, lest that very thing which Christ received from John should be put above the baptism of Christ, others too were allowed to be baptized by John. But for those who were baptized by John it was not enough: they were baptized with the baptism of Christ, because the baptism of John was not the baptism of Christ. Those who receive the baptism of Christ do not seek the baptism of John; those who received the baptism of John sought the baptism of Christ. So for Christ the baptism of John was enough. How would it not be enough, when not even it was necessary? For to him no baptism was necessary; but to exhort us to his baptism, he received the baptism of a servant. And lest the baptism of the servant be put above the baptism of the Lord, others were baptized with the baptism of a fellow servant. But those who were baptized with the baptism of a fellow servant had to be baptized with the baptism of the Lord; while those who are baptized with the baptism of the Lord have no need of the baptism of a fellow servant.

Matt 13:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 19:5 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ received John's baptism as an example of humility, and others received it too lest it seem greater than Christ's; but those baptized by John still needed Christ's baptism.

Allusions: the parable of the sower (Matt 13:7, 22); Acts 19:3-5 (disciples of John baptized in the name of Jesus).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (IlIi euim → Illi enim); OCR slip in the digital text (cflocent → suffocent); OCR slip in the digital text (co baptizari → eo baptizari); OCR slip in the digital text (consen i → conservi); OCR slip in the digital text (csse → esse); OCR slip in the digital text (csset → esset); OCR slip in the digital text (qnare → quare); OCR slip in the digital text (seminator → seminatur); OCR slip in the digital text (sic cum → sic eum); OCR slip in the digital text (tcnete → tenete)): qnare → quare; tcnete → tenete; cflocent → suffocent; seminator → seminatur; csset → esset; sic cum → sic eum; majorem csse, → majorem esse,; co baptizari → eo baptizari; IlIi euim → Illi enim; consen i → conservi.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.5 (PL 35:1415–1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.6PL 35:1417

Quoniam ergo acceperat Joannes baptismum, qui proprie Joannis diceretur; Dominus autem Jesus Christus noluit baptismum suum alicui dare, non ut nemo baptizaretur baptismo Domini, sed ut semper ipse Dominus baptizaret: id actum est, ut et per mi nistros Dominus baptizaret, id est ut quos ministri Domini baptizaturi erant, Dominus baptizaret, non illi. Aliud est enim baptizare per ministerium, aliud baptizare per potestatem. Baptisma enim talis est, qualis est ille in cujus potestate datur; non qualis est ille per cujus ministerium datur. Talis erat baptismus Joannis, qualis Joannes: baptismus justus tanquam justi, tamen hominis; sed qui acceperat a Domino istam gratiam, et tantam gratiam, ut dignus esset praeire judicem, et eum digito ostendere, et implere vocem prophetiæ illius, Vox clamantis in deserto, pa rate viam Domino. Tale autem baptisma Domini, qualis Dominus: ergo baptisma Domini divi num, quia Dominus Deus.

Since, then, John had received a baptism that was properly called John's, while the Lord Jesus Christ did not wish to give his baptism to anyone (not so that no one should be baptized with the Lord's baptism, but so that the Lord himself should always baptize), it was arranged that the Lord should baptize even through ministers, that is, that those whom the Lord's ministers were to baptize, the Lord should baptize, not they. For it is one thing to baptize by ministry, another to baptize by power. For baptism is such as he is in whose power it is given, not such as he is by whose ministry it is given. The baptism of John was such as John was: a righteous baptism, as of a righteous man, yet of a man; but of one who had received from the Lord this grace, and so great a grace, that he was worthy to go before the judge and point him out with his finger and fulfill the voice of that prophecy: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord." But the baptism of the Lord is such as the Lord is: therefore the baptism of the Lord is divine, because the Lord is God.

Isa 40:3 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:23 (quotation, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ keeps the power of baptism to himself and baptizes through ministers; baptism is as holy as the one in whose power it is given, not as the minister who gives it.

Quotation: Isa 40:3 (cf. John 1:23). This distinction between ministry and power is the basis of Augustine's case against the Donatists; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Demo → nemo); OCR slip in the digital text (altcui → alicui); OCR slip in the digital text (bominis → hominis); OCR slip in the digital text (clamanlis → clamantis); OCR slip in the digital text (crat → erat); OCR slip in the digital text (csset → esset); OCR slip in the digital text (ilJe → ille); OCR slip in the digital text (laic → talis); OCR slip in the digital text (ut,quos → ut quos)): altcui → alicui; Demo → nemo; ut,quos → ut quos; laic → talis; ilJe → ille; crat → erat; bominis → hominis; csset → esset; clamanlis → clamantis.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.6 (PL 35:1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.7PL 35:1417

Potuit autem Dominus Jesus Christus, si vellet, dare potestatem alicui servo suo, ut daret baptismum suum tanquam vice sua, et transferre a se baptizandi potestatem, et constituere in aliquo servo suo, et tan tam vim dare baptismo translato in servum, quantam vim haberet baptismus datus a Domino. Hoc noluit ideo, ut in illo spes esset baptizatorum, a quo se baptizatos agnoscerent. Noluit ergo servum ponere spem in servo. Ideoque clamabat Apostolus, cum videret homines volentes ponere spem in seipso: Numquid Paulus pro vobis crucifixus est? aut in nomine Pauli baptizati estis? Baptizavit ergo Paulus tanquam minister, non tanquam ipsa potestas: bapti zavit autem Dominus tanquam potestas. Intendite. Et potuit hanc potestatem servis dare, et noluit. Si enim daret hanc potestatem servis, id est, ut ipsorum esset quod Domini erat, tot essent baptismi quot es sent servi; ut quomodo dictum est baptisma Joannis, sic diceretur baptisma Petri, sic baptisma Pauli, sic baptisma Jacobi, baptisma Thomae, Matthaei, Bartho lomæi: illud enim baptisma Joannis dictum est. Sed forte aliquis resistit, et dicit: Proba nobis quia illud baptisma Joannis dictum est. Probabo, ipsa Veritate dicente, quando interrogavit Judaeos, Baptisma Joan nis unde erat? de coelo, an ex hominibus? Ergo ne tot baptismata dicerentur, quot essent servi qui baptizarent accepta potestate a Domino; sibi tenuit Dominus baptizandi potestatem, servis ministe rium dedit. Dicit se servus baptizare; recte dicit, sicut Apostolus dicit, Baptizavi autem et Stephanæ domum: sed tanquam minister. Ideo si sit et ma lus, et contingat illi habere ministerium, et si eum homines non norunt, et Deus eum novit: permittit Deus baptizari per eum, qui sibi tenuit potestatem.

Now the Lord Jesus Christ could, if he wished, have given power to one of his servants to give his baptism as in his place, and have transferred the power of baptizing from himself and established it in some servant of his, and given to the baptism transferred to the servant as much force as the baptism given by the Lord would have. This he did not wish, so that the hope of the baptized might be in him by whom they acknowledged that they had been baptized. So he did not wish the servant to place his hope in a servant. And that is why the apostle cried out, when he saw men wishing to place their hope in him: "Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" So Paul baptized as a minister, not as the power itself; but the Lord baptized as the power. Attend. He could have given this power to servants, and he did not wish to. For if he had given this power to servants, that is, so that what was the Lord's should be theirs, there would be as many baptisms as there were servants; so that just as the baptism of John was spoken of, so the baptism of Peter would be spoken of, the baptism of Paul, the baptism of James, the baptism of Thomas, of Matthew, of Bartholomew: for that baptism was called John's. But perhaps someone objects and says, "Prove to us that that baptism was called John's." I will prove it, from the Truth himself, when he asked the Jews, "The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?" So, lest as many baptisms be spoken of as there were servants who baptized with power received from the Lord, the Lord kept to himself the power of baptizing and gave the ministry to his servants. The servant says that he baptizes; he says it rightly, as the apostle says, "I also baptized the household of Stephanas"; but as a minister. And so, even if he is evil, and it happens that he holds the ministry, even if men do not know him but God knows him, God permits baptism to be given through him, God who kept the power for himself.

1 Cor 1:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 21:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:16 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ chose not to transfer his power of baptizing to any servant, lest hope be placed in men and there be as many baptisms as ministers; so even an evil minister's baptism is Christ's.

Quotations: 1 Cor 1:13; Matt 21:25; 1 Cor 1:16. Augustine's argument is directed against the Donatist view that an unworthy minister's baptism is invalid; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Apostulus → Apostolus); OCR slip in the digital text (Dcus → Deus); OCR slip in the digital text (Joanais → Joannis); OCR slip in the digital text (Judxos → Judaeos); OCR slip in the digital text (baptismum. suum → baptismum suum); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (eatis → estis); OCR slip in the digital text (et Deus cum novit → et Deus eum novit); OCR slip in the digital text (idco → ideo); OCR slip in the digital text (sc bapti satos → se baptizatos); OCR slip in the digital text (spero in scipso → spem in seipso); OCR slip in the digital text (unde rat → unde erat)): baptismum. suum → baptismum suum; idco → ideo; sc bapti satos → se baptizatos; spero in scipso → spem in seipso; eatis → estis; Si cnim daret → Si enim daret; illud cnim baptisma → illud enim baptisma; Joanais → Joannis; Judxos → Judaeos; unde rat → unde erat; Apostulus → Apostolus; et Deus cum novit → et Deus eum novit; Dcus → Deus.

Topics: Baptism, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.7 (PL 35:1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.8PL 35:1417

Hoc autem Joannes non noverat in Domino. Quia Dominus erat, noverat; quia ab ipso debebat baptizari, noverat: et confessus est quia veritas erat ille, et ille verax missus a veritate; hoc noverat. Sed quid in eo non noverat? Quia sibi retenturus erat ba ptismatis sui potestatem, et non eam transmissurus et translaturus in aliquem servum: sed sive baptiza ret in ministerio servus bonus, sive baptizaret in mi nisterio servus malus, non sciret se ille qui baptiza retur baptizari, nisi ab illo qui sibi tenuit baptizandi potestatem. Et ut noveritis, fratres, quia hoc in illo non noverat Joannes, et hoc didicit per columbam: Dominum enim noverat, sed eum baptizandi sibi po testatem retenturum, et nulli servo eam daturum, nondum noverat; secundum hoc dixit, Et ego nescie bam eum. Et ut noveritis quia ibi hoc didicit, atten dite sequentia: Sed qui misit me baptizare in aqua, ipse mihi dixit, Super quem videris Spiritum descen dentem, quasi columbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est. Quid ipse est? Dominus. Sed jam noverat Domi num. Ergo putate huc usque dixisse Joannem, Ego non noveram eum; sed qui me misit baptizare in aqua, ipse mihi dixit. Quærimus quid dixerit? Sequitur, Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem, quasi columbam, et manentem super eum. Non dico sequentia; interim attendite: Super quem videris Spi ritum descendentem, tanquam columbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est. Sed quid ipse est? quid me voluit per columbam docere qui me misit? Quia ipse erat Dominus? Jam noveram a quo missus eram: jam noveram eum cui dixi: Tu ad me venis baptizari? ego a te debeo baptizari: usque adeo ergo noveram Dominum, ut ego ab eo vellem baptizari, non ut a me ipse baptizaretur: et tunc mihi dixit, Sine modo; impleatur omnis justitia; pati veni, baptizari non venio? impleatur omnis justitia, ait mihi Deus meus; impleatur omnis justitia, doceam plenam humilitatem: novi super bientes in futuro populo meo, novi aliquos in aliqua excellentiori gratia futuros homines, ut cum viderint idiotas aliquos baptizari, illi quia meliores sibi videntur, sive continentia, sive eleemosynis, sive doctrina, de dignentur isti fortasse accipere quod illi inferiores ac ceperunt; oportet ut sanem eos, ut non dedignentur venire ad baptisma Domini, quia ego veni ad bapti sma servi.

This, however, John did not know in the Lord. That he was the Lord, he knew; that he ought to be baptized by him, he knew; and he confessed that he was the truth and that he himself was a truthful man sent by the truth: this he knew. But what did he not know in him? That he was going to keep to himself the power of his baptism and not hand it on and transfer it to any servant; but that, whether a good servant baptized in ministry or a bad servant baptized in ministry, the one being baptized should know that he was baptized only by him who kept to himself the power of baptizing. And so that you may know, brothers, that John did not know this in him, and learned it through the dove: the Lord he knew, but that he would keep to himself the power of baptizing and give it to no servant, he did not yet know; in this respect he said, "And I did not know him." And so that you may know that he learned this there, attend to what follows: "But he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is." He is what? The Lord. But he already knew the Lord. So suppose John to have said up to this point, "I did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me." We ask what he said? It follows: "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him." I am not yet giving what follows; meanwhile attend: "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is." But he is what? What did he who sent me want to teach me through the dove? That he was the Lord? "I already knew by whom I had been sent; I already knew him to whom I said, 'Do you come to me to be baptized? I ought to be baptized by you.' I knew the Lord so well that I wished to be baptized by him, not that he should be baptized by me. And then he said to me, 'Let it be so now; let all righteousness be fulfilled.' I have come to suffer; have I not come to be baptized? Let all righteousness be fulfilled, my God says to me; let all righteousness be fulfilled; let me teach full humility. I know the proud who will be in my future people; I know that some men will be of some more excellent grace, so that when they see certain uneducated people baptized, they, because they seem better to themselves, whether in self-restraint, or almsgiving, or learning, may perhaps disdain to receive what those inferiors have received; I must heal them, so that they do not disdain to come to the baptism of the Lord, because I came to the baptism of a servant."

John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 3:15 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: What John learned through the dove was that Christ would keep the power of baptizing for himself, so that whoever ministers, good or bad, it is Christ who baptizes.

Quotations: John 1:33; Matt 3:14-15. In the last part Augustine speaks in the person of John and then of Christ; the direct speech is marked accordingly.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Scquitur → Sequitur); OCR slip in the digital text (acciperc → accipere); OCR slip in the digital text (baplizari → baptizari); OCR slip in the digital text (baptizarct → baptizaret); OCR slip in the digital text (cam transmissurus → eam transmissurus); OCR slip in the digital text (ct tunc → et tunc); OCR slip in the digital text (eat → est); OCR slip in the digital text (ile, → ille,); OCR slip in the digital text (meliorcs sihi → meliores sibi); OCR slip in the digital text (milii → mihi); OCR slip in the digital text (novcrat → noverat); OCR slip in the digital text (pali veni → pati veni); OCR slip in the digital text (rclenlurum, ct → retenturum, et); OCR slip in the digital text (se qnentia → sequentia); OCR slip in the digital text (sivc → sive); OCR slip in the digital text (vcni → veni); OCR slip in the digital text (vcritate → veritate)): ile, → ille,; vcritate → veritate; cam transmissurus → eam transmissurus; sed sivc baptiza → sed sive baptiza; baptizarct → baptizaret; rclenlurum, ct → retenturum, et; novcrat → noverat; eum, ipse eat. Quid → eum, ipse est. Quid; Scquitur → Sequitur; se qnentia → sequentia; eum, ipse eat. Sed → eum, ipse est. Sed; baplizari → baptizari; ct tunc → et tunc; pali veni → pati veni; milii → mihi; meliorcs sihi → meliores sibi; eleemosynis, sivc doctrina, → eleemosynis, sive doctrina,; acciperc → accipere; vcni → veni.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.8 (PL 35:1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.9PL 35:1417–1419

Jam ergo hoc noverat Joannes, et noverat Do minum. Quid ergo docuit columba? quid voluit per columbam, id est, per Spiritum sanctum sic venien tem docere, qui miserat eum, cui ait, Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem, tanquam columbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est? Quis ipse est? Domi nus. Novi. Sed numquid hoc jam noveras, quia Domi nus iste baptizandi habens potestatem, eam potestatem nulli servo daturus est, sed sibi eam retenturus est, ut omnis qui baptizatur per servi ministerium, non imputet servo, sed Domino? numquid hoc jam noveras? Non hoc noveram: adeo quid mihi dixit: Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem tanquam co lumbam, et manentem super eum, ipse est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto. Non ait, Ipse est Dominus; non ait, ipse est Christus; non ait, ipse est Deus; non ait, ipse est Jesus; non ait, ipse est qui natus est de virgine Maria, posterior te, prior te: non ait hoc; jam enim hoc noverat Joannes. Sed quid non noverat? Tantam potestatem Baptismi ipsum Dominum habitu rum et sibi retenturum, sive præsentem in terra, sive absentem corpore in coelo et præsentem majestate, sibi retenturum Baptismi potestatem: ne Paulus di ceret, Baptismus meus; ne Petrus diceret, Baptismus meus. Ideo videte, intendite voces Apostolorum. Nemo Apostolorum dixit, Baptismus meus. Quamvis unum omnium esset Evangelium, tamen invenis dixisse, Evangelium meum: non invenis dixisse, Baptisma meum.

So John already knew this, and he knew the Lord. What, then, did the dove teach? What did he who had sent him wish to teach through the dove, that is, through the Holy Spirit coming in this way, he to whom he said, "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is"? Who is he? "The Lord. I know." But did you already know this, that this Lord, having the power of baptizing, would give that power to no servant but keep it for himself, so that everyone who is baptized through the ministry of a servant should attribute it not to the servant but to the Lord? Did you already know this? "I did not know this; that is why he said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'" He does not say, "He is the Lord"; he does not say, "He is the Christ"; he does not say, "He is God"; he does not say, "He is Jesus"; he does not say, "He is the one who was born of the Virgin Mary, after you, before you": he does not say this, for John already knew this. But what did he not know? That the Lord himself would have such great power of baptism and keep it for himself, whether present on earth or absent in body in heaven and present in majesty; that he would keep the power of baptism for himself, so that Paul should not say, "My baptism," nor Peter say, "My baptism." So see, attend to the words of the apostles. None of the apostles said, "My baptism." Although the Gospel of all of them was one, yet you find that they said, "My gospel"; you do not find that they said, "My baptism."

John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 16:25 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: What the dove taught John was not who Jesus was, which he knew, but that Christ would keep for himself the power of baptism, so that no apostle ever speaks of 'my baptism'.

Quotation: John 1:33; allusion to Rom 2:16 and 16:25 ('my gospel').

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Petrus diceret. Baptismus → Petrus diceret, Baptismus); OCR slip in the digital text (Qnamvis unum oinniuin → Quamvis unum omnium); OCR slip in the digital text (aanclo → sancto); OCR slip in the digital text (cam potesta lem → eam potestatem); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (dixissc → dixisse); OCR slip in the digital text (el manentem → et manentem); OCR slip in the digital text (iii coelo → in coelo); OCR slip in the digital text (intenditevoces → intendite voces); OCR slip in the digital text (mens. → meus.); OCR slip in the digital text (posterior tc, prior te → posterior te, prior te); OCR slip in the digital text (potestatum → potestatem); OCR slip in the digital text (super eam → super eum); OCR slip in the digital text (viruine → virgine)): el manentem → et manentem; super eam → super eum; cam potesta lem → eam potestatem; aanclo → sancto; viruine → virgine; posterior tc, prior te → posterior te, prior te; cnim → enim; iii coelo → in coelo; potestatum → potestatem; Petrus diceret. Baptismus → Petrus diceret, Baptismus; intenditevoces → intendite voces; mens. → meus.; Qnamvis unum oinniuin → Quamvis unum omnium; tamen invenis dixissc, Evangelium → tamen invenis dixisse, Evangelium; non invenis dixissc, Baptisma → non invenis dixisse, Baptisma.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.9 (PL 35:1417–1419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.10PL 35:1419

Hoc ergo didicit Joannes, fratres mei. Quod di dicit Joannes per columbam, discamus et nos. Non enim columba Joannem docuit, et Ecclesiam non do cuit, cui Ecclesiæ dictum est, Una est columba mea. Columba doceat columbam; noverit colum ba quod Joannes didicit per columbam. Spiritus sanctus in specie columbae descendit. Hoc autem quod di scebat Joannes in columba, quare in columba didicit? Oportebat enim ut disceret: nec hoc forte oportebat, nisi ut per columbam disceret. Quid dicam de colum ba, fratres mei! aut quando mihi sufficit facultas vel cordis vel linguae, dicere quomodo volo? Et forte non digne volo quomodo dicendum est; nec si tamen pos sum dicere quomodo volo: quanto minus quomodo dicendum est? Ego a meliore hoc audire vellem, non vobis dicere.

This, then, is what John learned, my brothers. What John learned through the dove, let us too learn. For the dove did not teach John and fail to teach the Church, the Church to which it was said, "My dove is one." Let the dove teach the dove; let the dove know what John learned through the dove. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. But this that John was learning in the dove, why did he learn it in the dove? For it was necessary that he learn it; and perhaps it was necessary only that he should learn it through the dove. What shall I say about the dove, my brothers? Or when will the capacity of heart or tongue be enough for me to say it as I wish? And perhaps I do not even wish worthily as it ought to be said; and even if I could say it as I wish, how much less as it ought to be said! I would rather hear this from someone better than speak it to you.

Song 6:9 (6:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 3:16 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: What John learned through the dove the Church, Christ's one dove, must also learn; Augustine confesses his inadequacy to explain why it was taught through a dove.

Quotation: Song 6:9 (6:8 LXX/Vulg.); allusion to Matt 3:16.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (cnim → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (dicere, → dicere.); OCR slip in the digital text (iingua → linguae); OCR slip in the digital text (mea.Columba → mea. Columba); OCR slip in the digital text (nee → nec)): cnim → enim; mea.Columba → mea. Columba; iingua → linguae; est; nee si → est; nec si; dicere, → dicere..

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.10 (PL 35:1419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.11PL 35:1419

Discit Joannes eum quem noverat: sed in eo discit in quo eum non noverat; in quo noverat non discit. Et quid noverat? Dominum. Quid non noverat? Potestatem dominici baptismi in nullum hominem a Domino transituram, sed ministerium plane transitu rum: potestatem a Domino in neminem, ministerium et in bonos et in malos. Non exhorreat columba mi nisterium malorum, respiciat Domini potestatem. Quid tibi facit malus minister, ubi bonus est Dominus? Quid te impedit malitiosus praeco, si est benevolus judex? Joannes didicit per columbam hoc. Quid est quod didicit? Ipse repetat: Ipse mihi dixit, inquit, Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem, tanquam columbam, et manentem super eum, hic est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto. Non ergo te decipiant, o columba, seductores, qui dicunt, Nos baptizamus. Columba, agnosce quid docuit columba. Hic est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto. Per columbam discitur quia hic est; et tu ejus potestate putas te baptizari, cujus ministerio baptizaris? Si hoc putas, nondum es in corpore co lumbæ; et si non es in corpore columbae, non miran dum quia simplicitatem non habes. Simplicitas enim maxime per columbam designatur.

John learns to know him whom he already knew; but he learns in that respect in which he did not know him; in that respect in which he knew him, he does not learn. And what did he know? The Lord. What did he not know? That the power of the Lord's baptism would pass from the Lord to no man, but the ministry plainly would pass: the power from the Lord to no one, the ministry both to the good and to the bad. Let the dove not shrink from the ministry of the bad; let it look to the power of the Lord. What does a bad minister do to you, when the Lord is good? How does a malicious herald hinder you, if the judge is well disposed? John learned this through the dove. What is it that he learned? Let him repeat it himself: "He said to me," he says, "He on whom you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, this is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." So let not seducers deceive you, O dove, those who say, "We baptize." Dove, recognize what the dove taught: "This is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." Through the dove it is learned that this is he; and you think that you are baptized by the power of him by whose ministry you are baptized? If you think this, you are not yet in the body of the dove; and if you are not in the body of the dove, it is no wonder that you do not have simplicity. For simplicity above all is signified by the dove.

John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:16 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Through the dove John learned that the ministry of baptism passes to good and bad ministers alike, but its power remains with Christ; those who say 'We baptize' lack the dove's simplicity.

Quotation: John 1:33; allusion to Matt 10:16 (simple as doves). 'Those who say, We baptize' are the Donatists; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Quid cst → Quid est); OCR slip in the digital text (baptizamus, Columba → baptizamus. Columba); OCR slip in the digital text (boc → hoc); OCR slip in the digital text (columbas → columbae); OCR slip in the digital text (cum quem → eum quem); OCR slip in the digital text (pr:cco, si cst → praeco, si est); OCR slip in the digital text (pt in bonos → et in bonos); OCR slip in the digital text (simpliciutem → simplicitatem); OCR slip in the digital text (tc baptizari → te baptizari)): cum quem → eum quem; pt in bonos → et in bonos; pr:cco, si cst → praeco, si est; Quid cst → Quid est; baptizamus, Columba → baptizamus. Columba; tc baptizari → te baptizari; Si boc putas, → Si hoc putas,; columbas → columbae; simpliciutem → simplicitatem.

Topics: Baptism, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.11 (PL 35:1419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.12PL 35:1419

Quare per simplicitatem columbæ didicit Joan nes, quia hic est qui baptizat in Spiritu sancto, fratres mei, nisi quia columbae non erant qui Ecclesiam dissipaverunt? Accipitres erant, milvi erant. Non laniat columba. Et vides illos invidiam nobis facere, quasi de persecutionibus quas passi sunt. Corporales quidem passi quasi persecutiones, cum essent flagella Domini manifeste dantis disciplinam ad tempus, ne damnet in æternum, si eam non cognoverint, seque correxerint. Illi vere persequuntur Ecclesiam, qui dolis perse quuntur; illi gravius cor feriunt, qui linguæ gladio feriunt: illi acerbius sanguinem fundunt, qui Christum quantum in ipsis est, in homine occidunt. Perterriti videntur quasi judicio potestatum. Quid tibi facit po testas, si bonus es? Si autem malus es, time potesta tem: Non enim frustra gladium portat, dicit Apostolus. Tuum gladium noli educere, quo percutis Christum. Christiane, quid tu persequeris in christiano? quid in te persecutus est imperator? Car nem persecutus est; tu in christiano spiritum perse queris. Non occidis tu carnem. Et tamen nec carni parcunt: quotquot potuerunt cædendo necaverunt; nec suis nec alienis pepercerunt. Notum est hoc omnibus. Invidiosa est potestas, quia legitima est: invi diose facit, qui jure facit: sine invidia facit, qui præ ter leges facit. Attendat unusquisque vestrum, fratres mei quid habeat christianus. Quod homo est, com mune cum multis: quod christianus est, secernitur a multis; et plus ad illum pertinet quod christianus, quam quod homo. Nam quod christianus, renovatur ad imaginem Dei, a quo homo factus est ad imaginem Dei: quod autem homo, posset et malus, posset et paganus, posset et idololatra. Hoc tu perseque ris in christiano, quod melius habet: hoc enim illi vis auferre unde vivit. Vivit enim temporaliter secundum spiritum vitæ, quo corpus animatur; vivit autem ad æternitatem secundum Baptisma quod accepit a Domino: hoc illi vis tollere, quod accepit a Domino; hoc illi vis tollere unde vivit. Latrones eos quos vo lunt exspoliare, sic volunt, ut ipsi plus habeant, et illi nihil habeant: tu et tollis huic, et apud te non erit plus; non enim plus tibi fit, quia huic tollis. Sed vere hoc faciunt, quod hi qui tollunt animam; et alteri tol lunt, et ipsi duas animas non habent.

Why did John learn through the simplicity of the dove that "this is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit," my brothers, unless because those who scattered the Church were not doves? They were hawks, they were kites. The dove does not tear. And you see them trying to stir up ill will against us, as it were, about the persecutions they have suffered. Bodily persecutions they did, in a sense, suffer, since these were the scourges of the Lord, plainly giving discipline for a time, so that he may not condemn them for ever if they do not recognize it and correct themselves. Those truly persecute the Church who persecute it by deceit; those strike the heart more grievously who strike with the sword of the tongue; those shed blood more bitterly who, as far as in them lies, kill Christ in a man. They seem terrified, as it were, by the judgment of the authorities. What does the authority do to you, if you are good? But if you are evil, fear the authority: "For he does not bear the sword in vain," says the apostle. Do not draw your own sword, with which you strike Christ. Christian, what are you persecuting in a Christian? What did the emperor persecute in you? He persecuted the flesh; you persecute the spirit in a Christian. You do not kill the flesh. And yet they do not spare even the flesh: as many as they could they killed by beating; they spared neither their own nor others. This is known to all. The authority is resented because it is lawful: he acts invidiously who acts by right; he acts without ill will who acts outside the laws. Let each one of you consider, my brothers, what a Christian has. That he is a man, he has in common with many; that he is a Christian sets him apart from many; and what belongs to him more is that he is a Christian than that he is a man. For as a Christian he is renewed to the image of God, by whom man was made to the image of God; but as a man he could be evil, he could be a pagan, he could be an idolater. You persecute in a Christian what is better in him: for you want to take away from him that by which he lives. For he lives in time by the spirit of life by which the body is animated; but he lives for eternity by the baptism he received from the Lord. You want to take from him what he received from the Lord; you want to take from him that by which he lives. Robbers want to strip those they rob in such a way that they themselves have more and the others have nothing; you both take from this man and will not have more yourself, for you do not gain more because you take from him. But truly they do what those do who take a life: they take it from another, and they themselves do not have two lives.

Rom 13:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:10 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Augustine answers Donatist complaints of persecution: they suffered lawful correction, while they themselves persecute the spirit by trying to take from Catholics, through rebaptism, the baptism by which they live.

Quotation: Rom 13:4; allusions to Rom 13:3; Col 3:10. Augustine defends the imperial laws against the Donatists and accuses them of violence (the 'beating' refers to attacks by Donatist bands); his polemic is translated as written. 'He acts invidiously who acts by right' (invidiose facit, qui jure facit) seems to give the Donatists' complaint ironically; NPNF reads it the same way.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Dei,: → Dei:); OCR slip in the digital text (Dumino → Domino); OCR slip in the digital text (Hoctu → Hoc tu); OCR slip in the digital text (NO mino → Domino); OCR slip in the digital text (NolUm est hoc om - nibus → Notum est hoc omnibus); OCR slip in the digital text (Uti vcre → Illi vere); OCR slip in the digital text (anImas → animas); OCR slip in the digital text (aulcm → autem); OCR slip in the digital text (cduccre → educere); OCR slip in the digital text (cnim illi vis auterre → enim illi vis auferre); OCR slip in the digital text (cos quos → eos quos); OCR slip in the digital text (ct alteri → et alteri); OCR slip in the digital text (ct illi → et illi); OCR slip in the digital text (danlis → dantis); OCR slip in the digital text (dis sipaverunt' → dissipaverunt?); OCR slip in the digital text (eat qui baptixat → est qui baptizat); OCR slip in the digital text (eraut → erant); OCR slip in the digital text (essem → essent); OCR slip in the digital text (facil. → facit.); OCR slip in the digital text (imagincm → imaginem); OCR slip in the digital text (mclius → melius); OCR slip in the digital text (nc damnet → ne damnet); OCR slip in the digital text (necavcrunt → necaverunt); OCR slip in the digital text (pcr cutis → percutis); OCR slip in the digital text (persecu'ts → persecutus); OCR slip in the digital text (porlal → portat); OCR slip in the digital text (possetet malus, pos sctet paganus, posset I et → posset et malus, posset et paganus, posset et); OCR slip in the digital text (qunm → quam); OCR slip in the digital text (quoiquot → quotquot); OCR slip in the digital text (sanguincm → sanguinem); OCR slip in the digital text (sicvolunt → sic volunt); OCR slip in the digital text (tamcn nec carui → tamen nec carni); OCR slip in the digital text (tu riunt → feriunt)): eat qui baptixat → est qui baptizat; dis sipaverunt' → dissipaverunt?; eraut → erant; essem → essent; danlis → dantis; nc damnet → ne damnet; Uti vcre → Illi vere; tu riunt → feriunt; sanguincm → sanguinem; porlal → portat; cduccre → educere; pcr cutis → percutis; persecu'ts → persecutus; tamcn nec carui → tamen nec carni; quoiquot → quotquot; necavcrunt → necaverunt; NolUm est hoc om - nibus → Notum est hoc omnibus; facil. → facit.; qunm → quam; imagincm → imaginem; Dei,: → Dei:; aulcm → autem; possetet malus, pos sctet paganus, posset I et → posset et malus, posset et paganus, posset et; Hoctu → Hoc tu; mclius → melius; cnim illi vis auterre → enim illi vis auferre; NO mino → Domino; Dumino → Domino; cos quos → eos quos; sicvolunt → sic volunt; ct illi → et illi; ct alteri → et alteri; anImas → animas.

Topics: Persecution, Baptism, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.12 (PL 35:1419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.13PL 35:1419–1421

Quid ergo vis auferre? Unde tibi displicet quem vis rebaptizare? Dare non potes quod jam habet, sed facis negare quod habet. Quid acerbius faciebat paga nus, persecutor Ecclesiæ? Exserebantur gladii adver sus martyres, emittebantur bestiæ, ignes admoveban tur: utquid ista? Ut diceret qui ista patiebatur, Non sum christianus. Quid doces tu eum quem vis rebaptizare, nisi ut primo dicat, Non sum christianus? Ad quod aliquando persecutor proferebat flammam, ad hoc tu producis linguam: seducendo facis quod ille occidendo non fecit. Et quid est quod daturus es, et cui daturus es? Si tibi verum dicat, et non seductus a te mentiatur, dicturus est, Habeo. Interrogas, Habes Baptisma? Habeo, dicit. Quamdiu habeo dicit, inquis, non sum daturus. Et noli dare: quod enim vis dare, haerere in me non potest; quia quod accepi, au ferri a me non potest. Sed tamen exspecta; videam quid me vis docere. Dic, inquit, primo, Non habeo. Sed hoc habeo: si dixero, Non habeo, mentior; quod enim habeo, habeo. Non habes, inquit. Doce quia non habeo. Malus tibi dedit. Si malus Christus, malus mihi dedit. Non, inquit, malus Christus: sed non tibi Chri stus dedit. Quis ergo mihi dedit? responde: ego me a Christo scio accepisse. Dedit tibi, inquit, sed tradi tor nescio quis, non Christus. Videro quis fuerit mi nister, videro quis fuerit præco; de officiali non disputo, judicem attendo: et forte quod objicis officiali, mentiris: sed nolo discutere; causam officialis sui cognoscat Dominus amborum: forte si exigam ut probes, non probas; imo mentiris: probatum est te probare non potuisse: sed non ibi pono causam meam, ne cum studiose cœpero defendere homines innocen tes, putes me spem meam vel in hominibus innocen tibus posuisse: fuerint homines qualeslibet, ego a Christo accepi, ego a Christo baptizatus sum. Non, inquit, sed ille episcopus te baptizavit, et ille episcopus illis communicat. A Christo sum baptizatus, ego novi. Unde nosti? Docuit me columba quam vidit Joannes. O milve male, non me dilanias a visceribus columbæ: in columbæ membris numeror; quia quod columba docuit, hoc novi. Tu mihi dicis, Ille te baptizavit, aut ille te baptizavit; per columbam mihi et tibi dicitur, Hic est qui baptizat: cui credo, milvo, an columbae?

What, then, do you want to take away? Why are you displeased with the man you want to rebaptize? You cannot give what he already has, but you make him deny what he has. What more bitter thing did the pagan persecutor of the Church do? Swords were drawn against the martyrs, beasts let loose, fires brought near: to what end? So that the one suffering these things might say, "I am not a Christian." What do you teach the man you want to rebaptize, except first to say, "I am not a Christian"? For the purpose for which the persecutor once brought out the flame, you bring out the tongue: by seducing you do what he did not do by killing. And what is it you are going to give, and to whom are you going to give it? If he tells you the truth and does not lie, seduced by you, he is going to say, "I have it." You ask, "Do you have baptism?" "I have it," he says. "As long as he says, 'I have it,'" you say, "I will not give it." Then do not give it: for what you want to give cannot cling to me, because what I have received cannot be taken from me. But wait, though; let me see what you want to teach me. "Say first," he says, "'I do not have it.'" But I have it: if I say, "I do not have it," I lie; for what I have, I have. "You do not have it," he says. Show that I do not have it. "A bad man gave it to you." If Christ is bad, a bad man gave it to me. "No," he says, "Christ is not bad; but Christ did not give it to you." Who then gave it to me? Answer: I know that I received it from Christ. "Someone gave it to you," he says, "but some traitor or other, not Christ." I will see about who the minister was, I will see about who the herald was: I do not argue about the official, I look to the judge. And perhaps what you charge against the official is a lie; but I will not discuss it. Let the Lord of both look into the case of his official. Perhaps if I demand that you prove it, you will not prove it; rather, you lie: it has been proved that you could not prove it. But I do not rest my case there, lest, when I begin zealously to defend innocent men, you think that I have placed my hope even in innocent men. Let the men have been what they may; I received it from Christ, I was baptized by Christ. "No," he says, "that bishop baptized you, and that bishop is in communion with those people." I was baptized by Christ, I know it. "How do you know?" The dove that John saw taught me. O wicked kite, you do not tear me from the inward parts of the dove: I am counted among the members of the dove, because I know what the dove taught. You say to me, "That man baptized you," or, "That man baptized you"; through the dove it is said to me and to you, "This is he who baptizes." Whom am I to believe, the kite or the dove?

John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Rebaptism makes a Christian deny his baptism as the pagan persecutors tried to make martyrs deny Christ; against Donatist charges about the minister, the Catholic answers that the dove taught that Christ is the one who baptizes.

Quotation: John 1:33. 'Traitor' (traditor) was the Donatists' charge against Catholic bishops, whom they accused of having handed over the Scriptures in the persecution of Diocletian; the dialogue is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Hie occidendo → ille occidendo); OCR slip in the digital text (Illc le → Ille te); OCR slip in the digital text (Raptisma? llabco → Baptisma? Habeo); OCR slip in the digital text (Undc → Unde); OCR slip in the digital text (baptizal → baptizat); OCR slip in the digital text (boc → hoc); OCR slip in the digital text (causans → causam); OCR slip in the digital text (columlwe → columbae); OCR slip in the digital text (dicerct → diceret); OCR slip in the digital text (dis puto, judiccm → disputo, judicem); OCR slip in the digital text (doccs → doces); OCR slip in the digital text (eo gnoscat Dorninus → cognoscat Dominus); OCR slip in the digital text (habco → habeo); OCR slip in the digital text (illc episcopus → ille episcopus); OCR slip in the digital text (in-. quis → inquis); OCR slip in the digital text (libi → tibi); OCR slip in the digital text (lingnam → linguam); OCR slip in the digital text (negarc → negare); OCR slip in the digital text (no!o → nolo); OCR slip in the digital text (posuissc: rucrint → posuisse: fuerint); OCR slip in the digital text (pro. bes → probes); OCR slip in the digital text (prubatum est te pro harc non potuissc → probatum est te probare non potuisse); OCR slip in the digital text (putes mc → putes me); OCR slip in the digital text (qnod → quod); OCR slip in the digital text (reha plizare → rebaptizare); OCR slip in the digital text (respondc → responde); OCR slip in the digital text (rucrit → fuerit); OCR slip in the digital text (seductUs → seductus); OCR slip in the digital text (tihi → tibi); OCR slip in the digital text (uon → non); OCR slip in the digital text (vidcam → videam)): Undc → Unde; Dare uon potes → Dare non potes; negarc → negare; dicerct → diceret; doccs → doces; reha plizare → rebaptizare; lingnam → linguam; Hie occidendo → ille occidendo; libi → tibi; seductUs → seductus; Raptisma? llabco → Baptisma? Habeo; in-. quis → inquis; qnod → quod; vidcam → videam; Non habco. → Non habeo.; Sed boc habeo: → Sed hoc habeo:; habeo, habco. → habeo, habeo.; respondc → responde; rucrit → fuerit; dis puto, judiccm → disputo, judicem; no!o → nolo; eo gnoscat Dorninus → cognoscat Dominus; pro. bes → probes; prubatum est te pro harc non potuissc → probatum est te probare non potuisse; causans → causam; putes mc → putes me; posuissc: rucrint → posuisse: fuerint; illc episcopus → ille episcopus; Illc le → Ille te; tihi → tibi; baptizal → baptizat; columlwe → columbae.

Topics: Baptism, Heresy, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.13 (PL 35:1419–1421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.14PL 35:1421

Certe tu mihi dic, ut per illam lucernam con fundaris, qua confusi sunt et priores inimici, pares tui pharisæi, qui cum interrogarent Dominum, in qua potestate ista faceret: Interrogabo et ego vos, inquit, istum sermonem, Dicite mihi, Baptisma Joannis unde est? de coelo an ex hominibus? Et illi qui præparabant jaculari dolos, irretiti sunt quæstione, coeperunt vol vere apud semetipsos, et dicere, Si dixerimus quia de cœlo est, dicturus est nobis, Quare non credidistis ei? Joannes enim dixerat de Domino, Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccatum mundi. Quid ergo quæritis, in qua potestate facio? O lupi, in potestate Agni facio quod facio. Sed ut nossetis Agnum, quare non credidistis Joanni, qui dixit, Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccatum mundi? Scientes ergo illi quid dixisset Joannes de Domino, dixerunt apud se, Si dixerimus quia de coelo est baptismus Joannis, dicet no bis, Quare ergo non credidistis ei? Si dixerimus quia ex hominibus est, lapidabimur a populo; quia prophetam habent Joannem. Hinc timebant homines, hinc verita tem fateri confundebantur. Tenebrae tenebras respon derunt, sed a luce superatæ sunt. Quid enim respon derunt? Nescimus: quod sciebant, dixerunt, nescimus. Et Dominus, nec ego vobis dico, inquit, in qua potestate ista facio. Et confusi sunt primi ini mici. Unde? De lucerna. Quia erat lucerna? Joannes. Probamus quia lucerna erat? Probamus. Dominus enim dicit: Ille erat lucerna ardens et lucens. Probamus quia et de ipso confusi sunt inimici? Psalmum audi: Paravi, inquit, lucernam Christo meo; inimicos ejus induam confusione.

Surely you must tell me, so that you may be confounded by that lamp by which the earlier enemies too were confounded, your peers the Pharisees, who, when they asked the Lord by what authority he did these things, were told, "I too will ask you this one question: tell me, the baptism of John, where is it from? From heaven or from men?" And those who were preparing to hurl their tricks were caught in the net of the question; they began to turn it over among themselves and say, "If we say it is from heaven, he will say to us, Why did you not believe him?" For John had said of the Lord, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sin of the world." "Why then do you ask by what authority I act? O wolves, by the authority of the Lamb I do what I do. But to know the Lamb, why did you not believe John, who said, Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sin of the world?" So they, knowing what John had said about the Lord, said among themselves, "If we say that the baptism of John is from heaven, he will say to us, Why then did you not believe him? If we say it is from men, we will be stoned by the people, for they hold John to be a prophet." On this side they feared men; on that side they were ashamed to confess the truth. Darkness answered with darkness, but it was overcome by the light. For what did they answer? "We do not know": what they knew, they said, "We do not know." And the Lord said, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things." And the first enemies were confounded. By what? By the lamp. Who was the lamp? John. Do we prove that he was a lamp? We prove it. For the Lord says, "He was a burning and shining lamp." Do we prove that the enemies were confounded through him too? Hear the Psalm: "I have prepared a lamp for my Christ," it says; "his enemies I will clothe with confusion."

Matt 21:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 21:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 21:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 21:27 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:29 (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 132:17 (131:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 132:18 (131:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: As the Pharisees were confounded by the question about John's baptism, so the Donatists, their peers, are confounded by the same 'lamp', John.

Quotations: Matt 21:23-27; John 1:29; John 5:35; Ps 132:17-18 (131:17-18 LXX/Vulg.). Augustine likens the Donatists to the Pharisees; translated as written. A stray 't' after 'pares' in the digital text is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Itine → Hinc); OCR slip in the digital text (Tenebra tenebras → Tenebrae tenebras); OCR slip in the digital text (apud sc, → apud se,); OCR slip in the digital text (crat → erat); OCR slip in the digital text (eat → est); OCR slip in the digital text (pares t tui → pares tui); OCR slip in the digital text (qni → qui); OCR slip in the digital text (quud → quod)): pares t tui → pares tui; dicturus eat nobis, → dicturus est nobis,; ecce qni tollit → ecce qui tollit; apud sc, → apud se,; Itine → Hinc; Tenebra tenebras → Tenebrae tenebras; quud → quod; crat → erat.

Topics: Baptism, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.14 (PL 35:1421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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5.15PL 35:1421

Adhuc in hujus vitæ tenebris ad lucernam fidei ambulamus: teneamus et nos lucernam Joannem, confundamus et inde inimicos Christi; imo ipse confundat inimicos suos per lucernam suam, Interroge mus et nos quod Dominus Judaeos, interrogemus et di camus, Baptisma Joannis unde est? de coelo, an ex ho minibus? Quid dicturi sunt, videte, si non et ipsi tan quam inimici de lucerna confunduntur. Quid dicturi sunt? Si dixerint, Ex hominibus; et ipsi sui eos lapida bunt: si autem dixerint, De cælo; dicamus eis, Quare ergo non credidistis ei? Dicunt fortasse, Credimus ei. Quomodo ergo dicitis quia vos baptizatis, et Joannes dicit, Hic est qui baptizat? Sed ministros, inquiunt, tanti judicis justos oportet esse, per quos baptizatur. Et ego dico, et omnes dicimus, quia justos oportet esse tanti judicis ministros: sint ministri justi, si vo lunt; si autem noluerint esse justi qui cathedram Moysi sedent, securum me fecit magister meus, de quo Spiritus ejus dixit, Hic est qui baptizat. Quomodo securum me fecit? Scribæ, inquit, et Pharisæi cathe dram Moysi sedent; quae dicunt, facite; quae autem faciunt, facere nolite: dicunt enim, et non faciunt. Si fuerit minister justus, computo illum cum Paulo, computo illum cum Petro; cum istis com puto justos ministros: quia vere justi ministri gloriam suam non quærunt; ministri enim sunt, pro judicibus haberi nolunt, spem in se poni exhorrescunt: ergo computo cum Paullo justum ministrum. Quid enim di cit Paulus? Ego plantavi, Apollo rigavit; sed Deus in crementum dedit: neque qui plantat est aliquid, neque qui rigat; sed qui incrementum dat Deus. Qui vero fuerit superbus minister, cum zabulo computatur: sed non contaminatur donum Christi, quod per illum fluit purum, quod per illum transit liquidum venit ad fertilem terram. Puta quia ipse lapi deus est, quia ex aqua fructum ferre non potest: et per lapideum canalem transit aqua, transit aqua ad areolas; in canali lapideo nihil generat, sed tamen hortis plurimum fructum affert. Spiritualis enim vir tus Sacramenti ita est ut lux: et ab illuminandis pura excipitur, et si per immundos transeat, non inquina tur. Sint plane ministri justi, et gloriam suam non quærant, sed illius cujus ministri sunt: non dicant, Baptisma meum est; quia non est ipsorum. Attendant ipsum Joannem. Ecce Joannes plenus erat Spiritu sancto; et baptismum de caelo habebat, non ex ho minibus: sed quatenus habebat? Ipse dixit, Parate viam Domino. Ubi autem cognitus est Dominus, ipse factus est via; non jam opus erat baptismate Joannis, quo pararetur via Domino.

We still walk in the darkness of this life by the lamp of faith: let us too hold John as our lamp, and let us confound Christ's enemies from it too; or rather, let him confound his enemies by his lamp. Let us too ask what the Lord asked the Jews; let us ask and say, "The baptism of John, where is it from? From heaven or from men?" See what they will say, whether they too are not confounded by the lamp, as enemies. What will they say? If they say, "From men," even their own people will stone them; but if they say, "From heaven," let us say to them, "Why then did you not believe him?" Perhaps they say, "We do believe him." How then do you say that you baptize, while John says, "This is he who baptizes"? "But," they say, "the ministers of so great a judge, through whom baptism is given, ought to be righteous." I too say, and we all say, that the ministers of so great a judge ought to be righteous: let the ministers be righteous, if they will. But if those who sit on the chair of Moses will not be righteous, my teacher has made me safe, he of whom his Spirit said, "This is he who baptizes." How has he made me safe? "The scribes and Pharisees," he says, "sit on the chair of Moses; what they say, do; but what they do, do not do: for they say and do not do." If the minister is righteous, I count him with Paul, I count him with Peter; with these I count righteous ministers: because truly righteous ministers do not seek their own glory; for they are ministers, they do not want to be taken for judges, they shudder at hope being placed in them. So I count a righteous minister with Paul. For what does Paul say? "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth; so neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the growth." But a proud minister is counted with the devil; yet the gift of Christ is not defiled, which flows through him pure, which passes through him clear and comes to fertile ground. Suppose that he is stony, that he cannot bear fruit from the water: the water passes even through a stone channel, the water passes to the garden beds; in the stone channel it produces nothing, but to the gardens it brings much fruit. For the spiritual power of the sacrament is like light: it is received pure by those to be enlightened, and if it passes through the unclean, it is not defiled. Let the ministers by all means be righteous, and not seek their own glory but the glory of him whose ministers they are; let them not say, "The baptism is mine," because it is not theirs. Let them look to John himself. See, John was full of the Holy Spirit, and he had a baptism from heaven, not from men; but how long did he have it? He himself said, "Prepare the way for the Lord." But once the Lord was known, he himself became the way; there was no longer need of the baptism of John, by which the way might be prepared for the Lord.

Matt 21:25 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 23:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 23:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:7 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:3 (quotation, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Ministers of baptism ought to be righteous, but an unworthy minister cannot defile Christ's gift, which passes through him like water through a stone channel or light through unclean places.

Quotations: Matt 21:25; John 1:33; Matt 23:2-3; 1 Cor 3:6-7; Isa 40:3 (John 1:23). Zabulus is a Latin form of diabolus ('the devil'). The images of the stone channel and of light are Augustine's argument against the Donatist view of the minister; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text (Ii quidarn → liquidum); OCR slip in the digital text (Jud.cos → Judaeos); OCR slip in the digital text (Spirlu → Spiritu); OCR slip in the digital text (amem → autem); OCR slip in the digital text (arcolas ' → areolas); OCR slip in the digital text (ba ptismatc → baptismate); OCR slip in the digital text (caim → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (cniin → enim); OCR slip in the digital text (confundamus ct → confundamus et); OCR slip in the digital text (crelo → caelo); OCR slip in the digital text (ct Joannes → et Joannes); OCR slip in the digital text (ct per lapidcum → et per lapideum); OCR slip in the digital text (cumputo illum cum Petro i cum → computo illum cum Petro; cum); OCR slip in the digital text (eat → est); OCR slip in the digital text (fccit → fecit); OCR slip in the digital text (fucrit → fuerit); OCR slip in the digital text (ila cst ut lux: rt nb illuminandis pura excipitur, ct si → ita est ut lux: et ab illuminandis pura excipitur, et si); OCR slip in the digital text (justi, ct gloriam → justi, et gloriam); OCR slip in the digital text (lapidco → lapideo); OCR slip in the digital text (nolucriul → noluerint); OCR slip in the digital text (nou → non); OCR slip in the digital text (nude est → unde est); OCR slip in the digital text (per illam fluit → per illum fluit); OCR slip in the digital text (qni plantat → qui plantat; eat → est); OCR slip in the digital text (qum dicunt, facile; quæ autem (atiunt → quae dicunt, facite; quae autem faciunt); OCR slip in the digital text (qvi → qui); OCR slip in the digital text (sedent I, → sedent,); OCR slip in the digital text (se corum me fccil → securum me fecit); OCR slip in the digital text (sui cos → sui eos); OCR slip in the digital text (suut → sunt); OCR slip in the digital text (tenramus → teneamus)): tenramus → teneamus; confundamus ct → confundamus et; Jud.cos → Judaeos; nude est → unde est; sui cos → sui eos; ct Joannes → et Joannes; dicit, Hic eat qui baptizat? → dicit, Hic est qui baptizat?; nolucriul → noluerint; sedent I, → sedent,; fccit → fecit; dixit, Hic eat qui baptizat. → dixit, Hic est qui baptizat.; se corum me fccil → securum me fecit; qum dicunt, facile; quæ autem (atiunt → quae dicunt, facite; quae autem faciunt; fucrit → fuerit; cumputo illum cum Petro i cum → computo illum cum Petro; cum; caim → enim; Quid cniin di → Quid enim di; qni plantat eat aliquid, → qui plantat est aliquid,; sed qvi incrementum → sed qui incrementum; per illam fluit → per illum fluit; Ii quidarn → liquidum; ct per lapidcum → et per lapideum; arcolas ' → areolas; lapidco → lapideo; Spiritualis cniin vir → Spiritualis enim vir; ila cst ut lux: rt nb illuminandis pura excipitur, ct si → ita est ut lux: et ab illuminandis pura excipitur, et si; justi, ct gloriam → justi, et gloriam; suut → sunt; Spirlu → Spiritu; crelo → caelo; amem → autem; via; nou jam → via; non jam; ba ptismatc → baptismate.

Topics: Baptism, Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Tract. Ev. Jo. 5.15 (PL 35:1421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-tractatus-ioannem/5-1/#p-5-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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