Tractates on the Gospel of John
64 ST. AUGUSTINE to them what they saw, they wanted to attribute to themselves what they saw. And having become proud, they lost what they saw and were turned from it to idols and images and to the cults of the demons to adore creation and to despise the creator.
(2) But these [philosophers] were already crushed and they did these things; however they became proud that they might be crushed. However in their pride they said that they were wise. These, then, about whom [the Apostle] said, "Who when they knew God," saw what John is saying, that all things were made through the Word of God. For these ideas are also found in the books of the philosophers, and also that God has an only begotten Son through whom all things exist.
(3) They could see that which is, but they saw from afar. They did not wish to hold fast to the lowliness of Christ, a ship in which they might arrive safely at that which they could see from afar. And in their eyes the cross of Christ seemed sordid. A sea must be crossed, and do you despise ihe wood? Oh! Proud wisdom! You ridicule the crucified Christ, and he is the very one whom you have seen from afar. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God."^^ But why was he crucified? Because the wood of his lowliness was necessary for you. For you had swollen with pride and had been cast forth far from that homeland; and the way has been washed out by the waves of this world, and there is no way by which you can cross over to the homeland unless you are carried by the wood. Ungrateful man, do you ridicule him who has come to you that you may return? He himself became the way, and this through the sea. For this reason he walked on the sea that he might show that there is a way on the sea. But you, who cannot in any way yourself walk on the sea, be carried by the ship, be carried by the wood!
(4) Believe in the crucified one, and you will be able to arrive. For your sake he was crucified, that he might teach humility and because if he were to come as God, he would not be
13. Cf. Jn 1.1. 14. Cf. Mt 14.22-23; Mk 6.45-51; Jn 6.16-21.