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to these words. But perhaps you will say, "You say all these things, but you are not a credible witness, bearing witness for yourself." Therefore, first putting down their contentiousness by this, by stating what they were about to say, and showing that He knows the secrets of their mind, and offering this as the first proof of His power, afterwards, after the objection, He provides also other clear and indisputable proofs, bringing forward three witnesses of what was said: the works done by Him, the testimony of the Father, the preaching of John. And He places the lesser first, that of John. For after saying, "There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that his testimony is true," He added, "You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth." And yet, if your testimony is not true, how do you say, "I know that the testimony of John is true," and that "He has borne witness to the truth"? Do you see how it is clear even from this that the statement, "My testimony is not true," was said in reference to their suspicion? 2. What then if he testified out of favor? he says. For so that they might not say this, see how He removed this suspicion also. For He did not say, "John bore witness to me," but first, "You have sent to John;" and you would not have sent, if you did not consider him credible. And what is greater: for they did not send to ask him about Christ, but about himself. [and one whom they considered] credible in matters concerning himself, much more so in matters concerning another. For we are all, so to speak, naturally inclined not to believe those who speak about themselves as much as those who speak about others. But they considered this man so credible, that even in matters concerning himself he did not need another's testimony. For those who were sent did not say, "What do you say about Christ?" but, "Who are you? What do you say about yourself?" So great was the admiration they had for the man. He hinted at all this, therefore, by saying, "You have sent to John." For this reason also the Evangelist not only said that they sent, but is also precise about those who were sent, that they were both priests and from the Pharisees, not ordinary men, nor outcasts, nor such as to be corrupted and deceived, but able to learn with precision what was said by him. But I do not receive testimony from man. For what reason then did you bring forward the testimony of John? And yet his testimony was not that of a man. 59.231 For "He who sent me to baptize with water," he says, "He said to me." So that the testimony of John was also the testimony of God; for having learned from Him he said what he said. But lest they should say, "How is it clear that he learned from God?" and be occupied with these things, He silences them from His abundance, still addressing their suspicion. For it was not likely that many knew these things, but they paid attention to John for the time being, as one speaking from himself. For this reason He says: "I do not receive testimony from man." And if you were not going to receive testimony from man, and to argue from it, for what reason did you bring forward his testimony? Therefore, so that they might not say these things, hear how He corrected such an objection by what followed. For after saying, "I do not receive testimony from man," He added: "But I say these things that you may be saved." What He says is something like this: I, being God, did not need this man's testimony, which is human; but since you paid more attention to him, and considered him more credible than all, and ran to him as a prophet (for the city poured out to the Jordan), but did not believe me even when I was working miracles; for this reason I remind you of that testimony. "He was the burning and shining lamp," He says, "and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." For lest they should say, "What then, if he said it, but we did not receive it?" He shows that they did receive what was said. For they did not send just anyone, but priests and Pharisees. Thus they admired the man, and could not at that time contradict what was said. But the phrase, "for a season," shows their fickleness, and that quickly of him

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τοῖς ῥήμασι τούτοις. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐρεῖτε, Πάντα ταῦτα σὺ λέγεις, οὐκ εἶ δὲ ἀξιόπιστος μάρτυς σαυτῷ μαρτυρῶν. Τούτῳ τοίνυν πρῶτον καταλύων αὐτῶν τὴν φιλονεικίαν, τῷ θεῖναι ὅπερ ἔμελλον ἐρεῖν, καὶ δεῖξαι ὅτι οἶδεν αὐτῶν τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῆς διανοίας, καὶ ταύτην πρώτην ἀπόδειξιν τῆς αὐτοῦ δυνάμεως παρεχόμενος, ὕστερον μετὰ τὴν ἀντίθεσιν, καὶ ἑτέρας ἀποδείξεις παρέχεται σαφεῖς καὶ ἀναντιῤῥήτους, τρεῖς παράγων μάρτυρας τῶν λεγομένων, τὰ ἔργα τὰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γενόμενα, τοῦ Πατρὸς τὴν μαρτυρίαν, τοῦ Ἰωάννου τὸ κήρυγμα. Καὶ τίθησι προτέραν τὴν ἐλάττω, τὴν Ἰωάννου. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, Ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ μαρτυρῶν περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ, ἐπήγαγεν· Ὑμεῖς ἀπεστάλκατε πρὸς Ἰωάννην, καὶ ἐμαρτύρησε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. Καίτοι γε εἰ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθὴς ἡ μαρτυρία σου, πῶς λέγεις, ὅτι Οἶδα ὅτι ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία Ἰωάννου, καὶ ὅτι Ἐμαρτύρησε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ; Ὁρᾷς πῶς σαφὲς κἀντεῦθέν ἐστιν ὅτι τὸ, Ἡ μαρτυρία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθὴς, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόνοιαν εἴρηται; βʹ. Τί οὖν, εἰ ἐκεῖνος ἐμαρτύρησε χάριτι; φησίν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο λέγωσιν, ὅρα πῶς καὶ ταύτην ἀνεῖλε τὴν ὑπόνοιαν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἰωάννης ἐμαρτύρησέ μοι· ἀλλὰ πρότερον, Ὑμεῖς ἀπεστάλκατε πρὸς Ἰωάννην· οὐκ ἂν δὲ ἀπεστείλατε, εἰ μὴ ἀξιόπιστον ἡγεῖσθε. Καὶ τὸ δὴ μεῖζον· οὐ γὰρ ἔπεμψαν αὐτὸν περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐρωτῶντες, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ· [ὂν δὲ ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ] ἀξιόπιστον εἶναι ἐνόμιζον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἑτέρου. Πεφύκαμεν γὰρ, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ἅπαντες ἄνθρωποι, μὴ οὕτω πιστεύειν τοῖς περὶ ἑαυτῶν λέγουσιν, ὡς τοῖς περὶ ἄλλων. Τοῦτον δὲ οὕτως ἀξιόπιστον εἶναι ἐνόμισαν, ὡς καὶ ἐν τοῖς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ μὴ δεηθῆναι μαρτυρίας ἑτέρας. Οἱ γὰρ ἀποσταλέντες οὐκ εἶπον, Τί λέγεις περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; ἀλλὰ, Σὺ τίς εἶ; τί λέγεις περὶ σεαυτοῦ; Οὕτω μέγα τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὸ θαῦμα εἶχον. Τοῦτο οὖν ὅλον ᾐνίξατο, διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, Ὑμεῖς ἀπεστάλκατε πρὸς Ἰωάννην. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς, οὐχ ὅτι ἀπέστειλαν, εἶπε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀπεσταλμένων ἀκριβολογεῖται, ὅτι ἦσαν καὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων, οὐχ οἱ τυχόντες, οὐδὲ ἀπεῤῥιμμένοι, οὐδὲ οἷοι διαφθαρῆναι καὶ παραλογισθῆναι, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἱκανοὶ μαθεῖν τὰ παρ' ἐκείνου λεγόμενα. Ἐγὼ δὲ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν οὐ λαμβάνω. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τὴν Ἰωάννου παρήγαγες; Καίτοι οὐδὲ ἡ ἐκείνου, ἀνθρώ 59.231 που μαρτυρία ἦν. Ὁ γὰρ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, φησὶν, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν. Ὥστε καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἰωάννου μαρτυρία τοῦ Θεοῦ μαρτυρία ἦν· παρὰ γὰρ ἐκείνου μαθὼν ἔλεγεν ἅπερ ἔλεγεν. Ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ λέγωσι, Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον, ὅτι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔμαθε; καὶ περὶ ταῦτα καταγίνωνται, ἐκ τοῦ περιόντος αὐτοὺς ἐπιστομίζει, ἔτι πρὸς τὴν ὑπόνοιαν αὐτῶν διαλεγόμενος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν εἰκὸς ταῦτα πολλοὺς εἰδέναι, ἀλλ' ὡς οἴκοθεν λέγοντι, τέως προσεῖχον τῷ Ἰωάννῃ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν οὐ λαμβάνω. Καὶ εἰ μὴ ἔμελλες παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν λαμβάνειν, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἰσχυρίζεσθαι, τίνος ἕνεκεν παρῆγες αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν; Ἵνα οὖν μὴ ταῦτα λέγωσιν, ἄκουσον πῶς καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀντίθεσιν τῇ ἐπαγωγῇ διωρθώσατο. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν οὐ λαμβάνω, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λέγω, ἵνα ὑμεῖς σωθῆτε. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἐδεόμην τῆς τούτου μαρτυρίας, Θεὸς ὢν, τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης· ἐπειδὴ δὲ μᾶλλον αὐτῷ προσείχετε, καὶ πάντων ἀξιοπιστότερον ἡγεῖσθε, καὶ ἐκείνῳ μὲν ὡς προφήτῃ προσεδράμετε (καὶ γὰρ ἡ πόλις ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἐξεχύθη), ἐμοὶ δὲ οὐδὲ θαυματουργοῦντι ἐπιστεύσατε· διὰ τοῦτο ὑμᾶς ἀναμιμνήσκω τῆς μαρτυρίας ἐκείνης. Ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ λύχνος ὁ καιόμενος, φησὶ, καὶ φαίνων· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐθελήσατε πρὸς ὥραν ἀγαλλιασθῆναι ἐν φωτὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγωσι, Τί οὖν, εἰ ἐκεῖνος μὲν εἶπεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐδεξάμεθα; δείκνυσιν ὅτι καὶ ἀπεδέξαντο τὰ εἰρημένα. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ τοὺς τυχόντας ἔπεμψαν, ἀλλ' ἱερεῖς καὶ Φαρισαίους. Οὕτω τὸν ἄνδρα ἐθαύμαζον, καὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις ἀντειπεῖν οὐκ εἶχον τότε. Τὸ δὲ, Πρὸς ὥραν, τὴν εὐκολίαν αὐτῶν δεικνύντος ἐστὶ, καὶ ὅτι ταχέως αὐτοῦ