Tractates on the Gospel of John
198 ST. AUGUSTINE mighty in work and word in the sight of God and all the people, how our priests and princes delivered him up to the sentence of death, and crucified him. But we were hoping that it was he who should redeem Israel. And now today is the third day since these things were done."
(3) And when one of the two, whom he had found on the road going to a nearby village, had said these and other things, he himself answered and said, "'O senseless ones and slow of heart to believe in all things which the Prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer all these things and enter into his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he was interpreting to them the things that were concerning him in all the Scripture." (4) Likewise in another place, when he was even willing to be touched by the hands of the disciples that they might believe that he has arisen in body, he said, '"These are the words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled which have been written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me.' Then he opened their understanding to them, that they might understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, 'Thus it has been written, that the Christ suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day, and that penance and remission of sins be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'" 5. When these words from the gospel, which are certainly clear, have been understood, all those mysteries which lie hidden in this miracle of the Lord will be opened. Consider what he said, that it was necessary for the things which have been written about him to be fulfilled in Christ. Where were they written? "In the Law," he said, "and the Prophets and the Psalms." He omitted none of the ancient Scriptures. That was the water; and for that reason they were called senseless by the Lord because they still tasted water, not wine. But how
13. Cf. Lk 24.18-21. 14. Cf. Lk 24.25-27. 15. Cf. Lk 24.44-47. 16. The word play suggested in footnote 10 continues in this section. Here the critical vr'ord in the Latin is insensati which I have translated "sense-