Tractates on the Gospel of John
42 ST. AUGUSTINE men whose understanding is still only according to the flesh ^ and who are not yet able to raise themselves to a spiritual understanding, I am very much at a loss how, even with the Lord's largess, I may say or explain in my small measure what has been read from the gospel: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The fact is, the natural man does not understand this. What then, my brothers? Shall we remain silent because of this? Why, therefore, is there a reading, if we are going to remain silent? Or why listen, if there is no explanation? And what's more, why is it explained, if it is not understood? And so, because, on the other hand, I have no doubt that there are among you some who have the ability not only to grasp an explanation but also to understand it before the explanation is made, I shall not cheat those who can grasp it; but at the same time I am apprehensive about wasting the attention of those who cannot. Ultimately, God's mercy will be present so that there will perhaps be benefit enough for all, md each person will grasp what he can. In fact, the speaker, too, says what he is capable of saying. For who can say it as it is?
(2) I dare to say, my brothers, that perhaps not even John himself said it as it is; but even he spoke as far as he could. For he spoke about God, he, a human being, inspired by God, to be sure, but still a human being. Because he was inspired, he said something; if he had not been inspired, he would have said nothing. Now since he was an inspired human being, he did not express the entire reality, but said what a human being was capable of saying.
2. For this John, my dearest brothers, was one of those mountains about which it has been written, "Let the mountains receive peace for your people; and the hills justice."^ The mountains are eminent souls; the hills are httle souls.^ But the mountains receive peace for this very reason, so that
3. Cf. Rom 8.5. 4Cf. Ps 71.3. 5. Cf. En in Ps 7 1 .5-6 (CCL 39 974-975) where Augustine interprets this verse similarly and also defines peace and justice, though with no mention of faith. Also cf. En in Ps 124.5 ^"^^ (CCL 40.1838-1839 and 1843-1844).