Tractates on the Gospel of John (continued)
100 ST. AUGUSTINE tize with water, but in the midst of you there has stood one whom you do not know.'" In fact the lowly one was not being seen, and for that reason the lamp was lighted. See how he, who could be thought something else, gives way. "He it is who comes after me, who has been made before me." That is, as we already said,^® he has been placed before me. "The strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose." How abject he made himself! And thereby he was very much uplifted; for he who humbles himself will be exalted.^' (2) From this, holy people, you ought to see that,^^ if John so humbled himself that he said, "I am not worthy to loose the strap," how they have to be humbled who say, "We baptize, what we give is ours, and what is ours is holy." He said, "not I but that one;" they say, "we."^^ John is not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal; but if he would say that he was worthy, how humble would he be? Even if he could say that he was worthy and could say it as follows: "He comes after me who was made before me, only the strap of whose sandal I am worthy to loose," he would have humbled himself greatly. But when he says that he is not even worthy of this, truly he was filled with the Holy Spirit, he who [being] a servant, acknowledged the Lord in this way and deserved to become a friend from being a servant.
10. "These things were done in Bethany, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and he said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God; behold, he who takes away the sin of the world.'" Let no one claim for himself and assert that he takes away the sin of the world. Now notice those proud men at whom John pointed his finger. For heretics had not yet been born and he was already pointing them out; then from the river he was shouting
26. Cf. Tractate 3.7. 27. Cf. Lk 14.11; Mt 23.12. 28. The translation retains the anacoluthon in this sentence to keep the extemporaneous quality of the style of the Tractates.
29. A reference to the Donatists who claimed to be the only true Christian church, to have the only true baptism, and hence, to be the only source of true holiness.