Tractates on the Gospel of John (continued)
186 ST. AUGUSTINE to his mother. But if he does not yet understand in what manner Jesus said, "What is it to me and to you, woman?" let him in the meanwhile believe that he did say it, and that he said it to his mother. The devoted faith of the believer will bring forth the fruit of understanding.
7. I ask you, O faithful Christians, was the mother of Jesus there? Answer: She was. How do you know? Answer: The gospel says this. What did Jesus reply to his mother? Answer: "What is it to me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet come." And how do you know this? Answer: The gospel says this. Let no one corrupt this your belief if you wish to keep your virginity intact for the bridegroom. But if it is asked of you why he answered his mother this way, let him who understands speak. But he who does not yet understand, let him still believe most firmly that Jesus made such an answer and that he made it to his mother. By this devotion he will merit also to understand why he so answered, if he should knock by praying and without quarreling he should approach the door of truth. Only let him beware lest, while he thinks that he knows or is ashamed not to know why he answered thus, he may be compelled to believe either that the Evangelist who said, "the mother of Jesus was there," had lied or that Christ himself suffered a false death for our sins and showed false scars for our justification,'^ and falsely said, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."'^ (2) For if there were a false mother, false flesh, false death, false wounds of the passion, false scars of the Resurrection, then the truth will not set free those who believe in him, but rather falsehood will. Rather, let falsehood yield to truth; and let all be confounded who want to appear truthful because they try to show Christ to be deceitful and who do not want it to be said to them, "We do not believe you because you are lying," when they say that the truth itself lied.
(3) And, yet, if we should say to them, "How do you know that Christ said, 'What is it to me and to you, woman?'" they
15. Cf. Rom 4.25. 16. Cf. Jn 8.31-32.