Tractates on the Gospel of John
176 ST. AUGUSTINE would it be for us if we had remained there where he saw us?
Would we not be lying there? What is this greater thing? When did we see the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man?
23. I had already spoken once about these angels ascending and descending.'*^ But, in case you may have forgotten, I speak briefly, to recall it to your minds; for I would say more if I were not recalling, but just beginning.
(2) In a dream Jacob saw a ladder and on this ladder he saw angels ascending and descending; and he anointed the stone which he had placed at his head.^^ You have heard that the Messiah is the Christ; you have heard that the Christ is the Anointed.'" For he did not place the anointed stone so that he might come and adore it; otherwise it would be idolatry and not a representation of Christ. Therefore a representation was made, so far as a representation needed to be made, and Christ was represented. The stone was anointed, but not so as to make an idol. The stone was anointed. Why a stone? "Behold, I lay in Sion a chosen stone, precious; and he who believes in it shall not be confounded." '' Why anointed? Because [the name] "Christ" [is derived] from [the word] chrisma. (3) But what did he see that time on the ladder? Angels ascending and descending. So also is the Church, brothers: the angels of God, good preachers, preaching Christ; that is, they ascend and descend upon the Son of man. How do they ascend, and how do they descend? From one we have an example. Hear the Apostle Paul; what we find in him, let us believe also about the rest of the preachers of truth.
(4) See Paul ascending: "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven, and heard unutterable words which it is not granted to man to speak." You heard him ascending; hear him descending: "I
68. Perhaps he is referring to En in Ps 1 19.2 (CCL 40.1777-1779) which had been delivered prior to the Tractates on John.
69. Cf. Gn 28.10-22. 70. In section 13 of this Tractate. 71. Cf. 1 Pt 2.6, quoting Is 28.16. 72. Cf. 2 Cor 12.2-4.