Sermon 379
SERMO 379
SERMON OF SAINT AUGUSTINE ON SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
How profound is the mystery of John the Baptist.
Saint John the Baptist, whose nativity we celebrate today, was so great among men that the Lord Christ bore such testimony to him, saying: Among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. We have heard, when the holy Gospel was read, how miraculously he was conceived out of despair, with what testimony of the Holy Spirit he was begotten. His father, because he did not believe, became mute. Announced then by an angel and not believed, the voice was taken from his father, and being born, he loosened his tongue. The great and lofty mystery of this great man is difficult not only to explain but even to think about worthily. Nevertheless, to the best of our ability, as much as God grants, for the solemnity of this day, since this is what you most should and do expect to hear, receive, I say, the sacrament of this matter.
John bears witness to Christ.
Before the Lord Christ, John was sent ahead. Prophets were also sent before through earlier ages, who did not fail to preach Christ and foretell His coming. For such a great judge was about to come that many heralds ought to precede Him. From the very beginning of the human race, Christ did not cease to be prophesied and His coming foretold: indeed, we cannot recall all these prophecies, but those who are diligent about the divine Scriptures know both what I leave unsaid and recognize what I state. Lastly, John was born, a man, but a man than whom no one ever existed greater, and to whom no man could ever be compared. But the Lord Christ was about to come, not only a man but also God; because God in flesh is indeed both God and man: always God, a man for a time; God before time, a man in time; God before the ages, a man at the end of the age; God, through whom man was created, who made man, deigned to become that which He made for the sake of man. Therefore, this is Christ. But John, only a man. Therefore, to the coming Lord Jesus Christ, who was more than a man, to prevent Him from being considered merely a man, John had to bear greater testimony to Him.
Let us hear the testimonies.
I spoke briefly. If the more intelligent have prevailed, the slower ones should not be abandoned. Let what I have said be explained more clearly again, with the Lord's help. Christ, I say, the Lord, is not only God, not only man, but both God and man: God who made us, man who remade us. But John was only a man. But how great a man? Listen concerning him to both God and man. O Lord, who is John? How great is John? Among those born of women, he says, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. O John, O great man, among those born of women, no one greater has arisen, and you tell me: Who is this? Tell me, O great man: Who is this who is considered only a man? Who is this, listen: Of whom I am not worthy, he says, to carry the sandals. Who is this, listen; these are John's words about the Lord Christ: He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom - speaking of himself - stands and listens to him and rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Again, another testimony from John himself: We have all received from his fullness.
The Word God.
Understand, my brothers, recall the saving mystery, hunger for the word of God, grasp what we preach, so that we may rejoice together in the truth. Christ the Lord, who and how great he became for us so small, ask from John the Evangelist. He himself speaks of the Lord Christ: In the beginning was the Word. What does Moses say? In the beginning God made heaven and earth. What does John say? In the beginning, not: God made the word, but: the Word was. The Word was before the heaven and earth were made in the beginning, the Word was there to make them, but it is the Word of God, so that it would not be despised by the custom of human words through which it was made. Hear John: The Word was with God, and the Word was God. What kind of God, how great a God? All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made. What was made in him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Lux vera.
What therefore is said: The darkness did not comprehend? Be light so that you may comprehend. Let faith make you light so that it may fulfill the forms. As long as we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord; if we are absent from the Lord, we are absent from the light. What then? Shall we remain in darkness? Far from it. Come to Him and be illumined. Hence because the evangelist John said: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it, lest there be darkness left, what does he say thereafter? There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. God could not be seen: a lamp was lit: There was a man whose name was John. The light in Christ was so great that tainted hearts could not grasp it: it was made a comfort to them by the lamp, so that the lamp might bear witness to the light. For there was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light. Why? Because the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. So John came, a man tempered by the darkness of his mortal frailty. Let him come and speak about Christ what man cannot grasp: he came to bear witness to the light. And it continues: He was not that light. Who? John. He was not that light, but to bear witness to the light. Which light? It follows: He was the true light. True. What kind of true light? That which enlightens every man coming into this world, therefore also John. If He enlightens every man, then also John, than whom no one greater has arisen among those born of women. If He enlightens every man, John spoke truly: We all have received from His fullness.
John was a burning lamp.
Therefore, was John not the light? What can we say against the Gospel? Another John, also truthful, testifies and says: He was not the light. The Apostles are called light, and was the one greater than whom no one born of women has arisen not light? But how do we prove that the Apostles are called light? Listen to the Lord Christ speaking to the Apostles: You are the light of the world. And John was light: I do not dare to detract from John what is given to the Apostles, nor do I detract from the Lord Jesus himself, who has deigned to bear such testimony to him, that no one born of women has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Let him therefore solve the question who promised illumination, let him clearly solve it. Listen. He was not the light, it was said thus, so that you would not believe you could be enlightened by him. In himself, as much as was in himself, because he was illuminated, he was light. To illuminate you, he was not light. Finally, to teach you how he was not the light, he immediately added in comparison to whom he was not: He was the true light. He added, true. What do you mean by true? What enlightens every man, for the light that is illuminated is light by participation in light, not by its own power. The true light, which enlightens, is not extinguished; a lamp can be both lit and extinguished. How are the Apostles called light? How, as a lamp. How is this proven? So that I may not seem disrespectful, shortly afterwards listen to the Lord himself: You are the light of the world, and he follows: No one lights a lamp and places it under a bushel; thus you are light as a lamp. What about John? Let the Lord himself be heard, he said about John himself: He was the burning and shining lamp. The Apostles are a lamp, John is a lamp. Worthily did he recognize himself as a lamp and submitted himself to the day: I am not worthy, he says, to loosen the strap of his sandal. He rightly did not place himself on high, so that he would not be extinguished by the wind of pride.
John, the friend of the bridegroom, sends to Christ; he wanted to teach us this.
We say therefore through John, and through a man it is necessary to believe in Christ, and hope is not to be placed in a man but in Christ. Behold, you have a great man, greater than whom no one has arisen. John he is, but see where he sends you. John, a friend of the bridegroom, is jealous for the bridegroom, not for himself, as the blessed apostle Paul. And he also a friend of the bridegroom, how did he not want hope to be placed in himself? Carnal men were dividing themselves at that time, and some were saying: I am of Paul; others: I am of Apollos; others: I am of Cephas; others: I am of Christ. The triple voice of chaff is the voice: I am of Cephas, that is, of Peter, still a voice of chaff. I am of Christ: now it is wheat, there is the mass which, when the threshing floor is winnowed, will appear at the end and fill the granary of eternal life. Therefore, then, the apostle Paul, because he was jealous for the bridegroom not for himself, reproves them and drives them away from himself. Does he make it for himself? For what of himself? He says: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Certainly you honored me, certainly you wanted to be mine. Do not be mine lest we perish together, but let us all belong to him so that we may remain on the threshing floor: Was Paul crucified for you? Friend, he says, I am of the bridegroom: I am jealous for the bridegroom, not for myself. Consider, my brothers, and see what I say. If anyone journeys and entrusts his bride to a friend, and while he is journeying, the wanton woman sets her eye on the friend who is her guardian, will he not shudder at another’s lust, lest he lose his own faith? So also see where John sent them: Indeed, I baptize you with water. But he who comes after me is greater than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Come through me, but do not remain in me. Pass over to him who created both you and me, because he gives life: We have all received from his fullness. Whence we, thence also you; let us drink together, lest pride cause us to perish. Thus John sent to Christ. However just they may be, however much they may excel in grace, however much they may shine with wisdom, however much they may be exalted by merits, they are mountains. Look at the Psalm: I lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from where shall my help come? Because there was a man sent from God, whose name was John; this one came to bear witness to the light. You lifted up your eyes to the mountain John, from where help would come to you, because he bore witness to the light. Follow the psalm, do not remain on the mountain: My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He is Christ: All things were made through him. He is the maker of the world: For he is the Word of the Father, the Father made all things through the Word. Do not despise the humble vestment, because it is the medicine of the sick. Did it become vile because it was hidden? Could you bear it if it were revealed? Give thanks to him, for clothed as a human, he adjusted himself to our infirmity, so that he might make us partakers of his divinity. Sing faith so that you may come to sight. Walk the way, so that you may be led to the homeland. He remains there to where we go, he came from where we return, yet he so came that he did not depart from there, so ascended into heaven that he did not desert us.