Tractates on the Gospel of John
132 ST. AUGUSTINE gan to be stoned; and he, who but a little before was raging and boiling in spirit, as if he had attacked his enemies, and as if he had assailed them with violence by those fiery and blazing words as you have heard, "Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear," so that he who heard these words might think that Stephen, if he were allowed, wished them straightaway annihilated — when the rocks were coming upon him from their hands, upon his knees he said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."^ He had adhered to the unity of the dove.
(4) For earlier his master, upon whom the dove descended, had done that; hanging on the cross, he said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."'^ Therefore in the dove it has been shown that those sanctified by the Spirit should have no deceit; in the fire it has been shown that their simplicity should not remain frigid.
(5) And let it not disturb [you] that the tongues were parted.
For tongues'' are different, and so he made his appearance in parted tongues. "Parted tongues," [Scripture] says, "as of fire, and it sat upon everyone of them." Tongues differ from one another, but the difference of tongues does not constitute schisms. In parted tongues, fear not disintegration; recognize unity in the dove.
4. So therefore, it was necessary for the Holy Spirit to be shown coming upon the Lord in that manner in order that each and every one may understand that, if he has the Holy Spirit, he ought to be simple like a dove; that with his brothers he ought to have true peace, which the kisses of doves signify. For ravens also have kisses; but in ravens there is a false peace, in the true dove peace. Therefore not everyone who says, "Peace be with you," should be hearkened to as a dove.''^ (2) How then are the kisses of ravens distinguished from the kisses of doves? Ravens kiss, but they lacerate; the nature
9. Cf. Acts 7.60. 10. Lk 23.24. 1 1 . The English word tongue and the Latin word lingua both allow the same play on connotations, that is, tongue as the organ of speech and taste, and as a language.
12. Cf. Tractate 1.2.