to the savior who has heard from the Father and has learned from him; but the phrase “Therefore you also do what you have heard from the father,” being addressed to the Jews who were seeking to kill the Son of God, to whom, as not yet being children of Abraham, it is said, “If you are children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham,” shows that they do not yet have the fruits of having come to the savior; but someone will reply to the one who objects thus, asserting that “Everyone who has heard from the father and has learned” is not the same as “Therefore you also do what you have heard from the father”; for he who, in addition to hearing from the father, has learned, certainly comes to the savior; but those who have heard, but not necessarily also learned, are not yet children of Abraham. 20.8.54 And we might ask of those who introduce “natures” and, regarding “Because my word has no place in you,” attribute it, according to Heracleon, to the fact that 20it has no place because they are unsuitable either in substance or in disposition20, how did those who are unsuitable 20.8.55 in substance hear from the father? But also, were these ever 20.8.55 sheep of Christ, or were they alien to him? And if they were alien, how did they hear from the father, when it is clearly said, as they suppose, to the aliens, “For this reason you 20.8.56 do not hear, because you are not of my sheep”? unless, perhaps, being hard-pressed, they involve themselves in another absurdity, saying that the aliens have heard from the father, but that these same ones do not hear from the savior. But if they were kindred to the savior and of the blessed nature, how did they seek to kill him? And how did the savior's word have no place in them? 20.9.n They answered and said to him: Our father is Abraham. 20.9.57 These men would seem to have made their answer by understanding the question of who their father was much more humbly than as the Lord 20.9.58 was speaking. For Jesus, referring to God, said, “And you therefore do what you have heard from the father”; but they, more humbly, confess the father of the nation as their own, saying: “Our 20.9.59 father is Abraham.” But someone, defending them as having answered well, would say that, as being modest and not claiming for themselves to be sons of God, when Jesus said, “What you have heard from the father, do,” and was referring to God, they say: “Our father 20.9.60 is Abraham.” But it is clear that the savior corrects this too as having been said falsely through “If you are children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham 20.9.61.” Not unreasonably, one might also ask this question: How is it consistent with the savior, who does not concede that they are children of Abraham, to say to them: “Therefore you also do what you have heard from the father,” when “From the father” refers to 20.9.62 God. For he who is not a child of Abraham * * * † if therefore one of those after Abraham is reprehensible, like those to whom the word is addressed, much more will he not 20.9.63 be a child of God. But see if we can also say in response to this that it is not said: "7and therefore you do what you have heard from your father <or> from our father"7, but “from the father,” who, even if he is a father, is not in every case also the father of those who are not children of Abraham and have not been formed from the seed of Abraham into the children of Abraham; or the indefinite expression “What you have heard from the father” can be taken to mean "7from my father"7, and this will be clear from “What I have seen with the father, I speak,” having the same force 20.9.64 as “with my father.” And in what follows we are taught of whom God is father, through the words the savior also says: “If 20.9.65 God were your father, you would love me.” And it is clear that those seeking to kill the son did not love him; and not loving him, they would not have been called [the] sons of God. So it is clear that “And therefore you do what you have heard from the father” does not have the same force as "7from your father"7. 20.10.n Jesus says to them: If you are children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham. 20.10.66 Those who select one of the works of Abraham, the one

πρὸς τὸν σωτῆρα τὸν ἀκούσαντα παρὰ τοῦ πα τρὸς καὶ μεμαθηκότα παρ' αὐτοῦ· τὸ δὲ «Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκού «σατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ποιεῖτε» ἀπαγγελλόμενον πρὸς τοὺς ζητοῦν τας ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ Ἰουδαίους, οἷς καὶ ὡς μηδέπω οὖσιν τέκνοις τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ λέγεται τὸ «Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, «τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ποιεῖτε», παρίστησιν τὸ μηδέπω τούτους καρ ποὺς ἔχειν τοῦ ἐληλυθέναι πρὸς τὸν σωτῆρα· πρὸς δὲ τὸν οὕτως ἀντιλέγοντα ἀπαντήσεταί τις, μὴ ταὐτὸν εἶναι φάσκων τὸ «Πᾶς ὁ «ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μαθών» τῷ «Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκού «σατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρός»· ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τῷ ἀκοῦσαι παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς μαθὼν πάντως ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν σωτῆρα· οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαν τες μὲν μὴ πάντως δὲ καὶ μεμαθηκότες οὐδέπω τέκνα εἰσὶν τοῦ Ἀβραάμ. 20.8.54 Πυνθανοίμεθα δ' ἂν τῶν τὰς φύσεις εἰσαγόντων καὶ εἰς τὸ «Ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν» ἀποδιδόντων κατὰ Ἡρακλέωνα ὅτι 20διὰ τοῦτο οὐ χωρεῖ ὅτι ἀνεπιτήδειοι ἤτοι κατ' οὐσίαν ἢ κατὰ γνώμην20, πῶς οἱ ἀνεπιτήδειοι κατ' 20.8.55 οὐσίαν ἤκουσαν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός; ἀλλὰ καὶ πότερόν ποτε πρό 20.8.55 βατα οὗτοι ἦσαν τοῦ χριστοῦ, ἢ ἀλλότριοι ὑπῆρχον αὐτοῦ; εἰ δὲ ἦσαν ἀλλότριοι, πῶς ἤκουσαν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, σαφῶς, ὡς οἴονται, λεγομένου πρὸς τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους ὅτι «∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὑμεῖς 20.8.56 «οὐκ ἀκούετε, ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν»; εἰ μὴ ἄρα θλιβόμενοι ἑτέρῳ ἀτόπῳ ἑαυτοὺς περιβάλλουσιν λέγοντες παρὰ μὲν τοῦ πατρὸς ἀκηκοέναι τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους, μὴ ἀκούειν δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς τούτους παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος. εἰ δ' οἰκεῖοι τοῦ σω τῆρος ἦσαν καὶ τῆς μακαρίας φύσεως, πῶς ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι; καὶ πῶς ὁ τοῦ σωτῆρος λόγος οὐκ ἐχώρει ἐν αὐτοῖς; 20.9.n Ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· Ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν. 20.9.57 ∆όξαιεν ἂν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν οὗτοι πεποιῆσθαι πολὺ ταπει νότερον ἐκδεξάμενοι περὶ τοῦ τίς αὐτῶν ἦν ὁ πατὴρ ἢ ὡς ὁ κύριος 20.9.58 ἔλεγεν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἰησοῦς ἀναφέρων ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ἔφασκεν τὸ «Καὶ «ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ποιεῖτε»· οἱ δὲ ταπεινότε ρον τὸν τοῦ ἔθνους παρομολογοῦσιν ἑαυτῶν πατέρα λέγοντες· «Ὁ 20.9.59 «πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν». βοηθῶν δ' ἄν τις αὐτοῖς ὡς καλῶς ἀποκριναμένοις φήσειε ὅτι ὡς μέτριοι καὶ μὴ διδόντες ἑαυτοῖς τὸ εἶναι υἱοῖς θεοῦ, τοῦ Ἰησοῦ λέγοντος· «Ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς «ποιεῖτε» καὶ ἀναφέροντος ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, φασίν· «Ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν 20.9.60 Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν». δῆλον δὲ ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο εὐθύνει ὁ σωτὴρ ὡς ψευδῶς εἰρημένον διὰ τοῦ «Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ 20.9.61 «ποιεῖτε». οὐκ ἀτόπως δὲ καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα ζητήσαι τις ἄν, ὅτι Πῶς κατὰ τὸν σωτῆρά ἐστιν, μὴ συγκατατιθέμενον εἶναι αὐτοὺς τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, τὸ λέγειν αὐτοῖς· «Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ «πατρὸς ποιεῖτε» ἀναφερομένου τοῦ «Παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς» ἐπὶ τὸν 20.9.62 θεόν. ὁ γὰρ μὴ ὢν τέκνον τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ * * * † αν οὖν τῶν μετὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ψεκτὸς ὡς οὗτοι πρὸς οὓς ὁ λόγος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οὐκ 20.9.63 ἔσται τέκνον τοῦ θεοῦ. ὅρα δὲ εἰ καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο δυνάμεθα λέγειν ὅτι οὐκ εἴρηται· "7καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν <ἢ> παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν"7, ἀλλὰ «παρὰ τοῦ πατρός», ὅστις κἂν ᾖ πατήρ, οὐ πάντως καὶ τῶν μὴ τέκνων τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν πατὴρ καὶ μὴ μεμορφωμένων ἀπὸ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ· ἢ ἀδιορίστως εἰρημένον τὸ «Ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς» δύναται λαμβάνεσθαι ἀντὶ τοῦ "7ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου"7, καὶ τοῦτο ἔσται σαφὲς ἐκ τοῦ «Ἃ ἐγὼ ἑώρακα παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ λαλῶ» ἴσον δυναμέ 20.9.64 νου τῷ «παρὰ τῷ πατρί μου». καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς δὲ διδασκόμεθα τίνων ἐστὶν ὁ θεὸς πατήρ, δι' ὧν καὶ ταῦτα λέγει ὁ σωτήρ· «Εἰ ὁ 20.9.65 «θεὸς πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἦν ἠγαπᾶτε ἂν ἐμέ». σαφὲς δὲ ὅτι οἱ ζητοῦντες ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν υἱὸν οὐκ ἠγάπων αὐτόν· μὴ ἀγαπῶντες δὲ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἂν ἐχρημάτιζον [οἱ] υἱοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ. ὥστε δῆλον ὅτι τὸ «Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν «ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ποιεῖτε» οὐκ ἴσον δύναται τῷ "7παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν"7. 20.10.n Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ποιεῖτε. 20.10.66 Οἱ ἕν τι ἐπιλεξάμενοι τῶν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἔργων, τὸ