Tractates on the Gospel of John (continued)
TRACTATE 8 189 his providential will;^^ and before he himself, as God, created her from whom he himself, as man, was to be created, he knew [his] mother. But at a specific hour he did not acknowledge her in a mystery; and at a specific hour which had not yet come he acknowledged her again in a mystery. For he acknowledged her then when that to which she had given birth was dying. For that through which Mary had been made was not dying, but that which was made from Mary was dying. The eternity of [his] divinity was not dying, but the weakness of [his] flesh was dying. Therefore he made that reply, distinguishing in the faith of believers the one who came from the one through whom he came.
(3) For he, God and Lord of heaven and earth, came through a woman as his mother. In regard to the fact that he was Lord of the world. Lord of heaven and earth, he was also, of course. Lord of Mary; and in regard to the fact that he was creator of the world, creator of heaven and earth, he was also the creator of Mary. But insofar as it was said, "made of a woman, made under the Law," ^' he was the son of Mary. He was the Lord of Mary, he was the son of Mary; he was the creator of Mary, he was created from Mary.^' Do not be amazed that he is both son and Lord. For as he was [the son] of Mary, so, also, he was said to be the son of David; indeed the son of David precisely because the son of Mary. Hear the Apostle speaking clearly: "who was born of the seed of David, according to the flesh."
Hear that he was also the Lord of David; and let David himself say this: "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand.'"^^ And Jesus himself proposed this to the Jews, and by it refuted them.^^ (4) Therefore just as he was both the son and the Lord of David, the son of David according to the flesh, the Lord of David according to [his] divinity, so he was the son of Mary
20. The translation involves a theological interpretation; Augustine has in praedestbmtione, perhaps better simply, "in predestination." 21. Gal 4.4. 22. Cf. Tractate ^.4^. 23. Rom 1.3. 24. Ps 109.1. 25. Cf. Mt 22.41-46; Mk 12.35-37; 20.41-44.