Lord. What, then, did the dove teach? What did he who sent
116 ST. AUGUSTINE may not disdain to come to the baptism of the Lord because I have come to the baptism of the servant.
9. Therefore, John already knew this, and he knew the Lord. What, then, did the dove teach? What did he who sent him to whom he said, "He upon whom you will see the Spirit descending as a dove, and remaining upon him, he it is," what did he mean to teach through the dove, that is, through the Holy Spirit coming in this manner? Who is he? The Lord. I know. But did you already know this, that the Lord, having the power of baptizing, would give that power to no servant but would retain it for himself, so that everyone who is baptized through the ministry of the servant may ascribe it not to the servant, but to the Lord? Did you already know this? I did not know this; what in fact did he say to me? "He upon whom you will see the Spirit descending as a dove, and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit."
(2) He does not say, "He is the Lord." He does not say, "He is the Christ." He does not say, "He is God." He does not say, "He is Jesus." He does not say, "It is he who was born of the Virgin Mary, after you, before you."'^ He does not say this; for John already knew this. But what did he not know? That the Lord himself would retain and hold for himself such great power of baptism, whether [he is] present on earth or absent [on earth], since his body is in heaven, and [he is] present in majesty, that he would retain for himself the power of baptism, so that Paul might not say, "my baptism," and Peter might not say, "my baptism." Mark you, therefore, pay attention to the words of the apostles. No one of the apostles said, "my baptism." Although there was one gospel of all, still you find that they said, "my gospel"; you do not find that they said, "my baptism."
10. This, then, John learned, my brothers. What John learned through the dove, let us, too, learn. For the dove did not teach John, and not teach the Church, the Church to which it was said, "One is my dove."^° Let the dove teach the
19. I.e., who was born after you although he already existed before you did.
20. Cant 6.8 (NAB 6.9).