Tractates on the Gospel of John
TRACTATE 2 recognized. For if he were to come as God, he would not come to those who could not see God. For he neither comes nor departs according to that which God is, since he is present everywhere and is confined by no place. But according to what did he come? According to that which appeared as man.
5. Because, then, he was man in such a way that God lay hidden in him, there was sent before him a great man through whose witness he might be found to be more than man. And who is this? "There was a man." And how could this man speak the truth about God? "Sent from God." What was he called? "Whose name was John." Why did he come? "This man came for a witness, to give witness concerning the light, that all might believe through him." What kind of man was this who was to give witness concerning the light? Something great was this John, immense merit, great grace, great eminence! Admire him! Yes, certainly, admire him, but as a mountain. For a mountain is in darkness unless it is clothed in light. Therefore, admire John, but only to the extent that you hear what follows: "He was not himself the light." Lest when you take the mountain to be light, you suffer shipwreck on the mountain and do not find consolation.'^ (2) But what should you admire? The mountain as a mountain. But raise yourself up to him who gives light to the mountain which was itself raised up for this purpose, that it might first receive the rays and report them to your eyes. Thus "he was not himself the light."
6. Why then did he come? "To give witness concerning the light." Why this? "That all might believe through him." And to what light was he to give witness. "It was the true light." Why has "true" been added? Because an enlightened man is also called a light; but the true light is that which enlightens. For example, our eyes are also called lights; and yet, unless a lamp be lit during the night or the sun come out during the day, these lights are open for no good reason. So then John, too, was a light, but not the true light, because, not enlight-
15. Cf. Tractate 1.3.
16. The connotation "eye" for "light" is very common in Latin and less frequent in Greek. It has no English equivalent.