ACC ~ John 1 v15b

JESUS’ GREATNESS COMES FROM HIS ESSENCE, SURPASSING JOHN

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The obvious and received meaning is this: As far as his birth according to the flesh is concerned, the Baptist preceded the Savior, and Emmanuel clearly followed and came after by six whole months, as the blessed Luke related. Some suppose this is what John meant, in other words, that he who comes after me, in point of age, is preferred before me…. But this carries us too far afield….

Rather, the Baptist advances as it were from an image drawn from our affairs to the exposition of subtler thoughts. For one who leads is always considered to be more glorious than those who follow, and things that succeed yield the palm to those that precede them…. As for example when one has surpassed the skill of his teacher and, leaving that behind, attains to something superior. I think that he who is surpassed may correctly say of his overachieving student, “He that comes after me has become before me.” Transferring then the force of our idea to our Savior Christ and the holy Baptist, you will rightly understand it…. The Baptist was admired by all. He made many disciples. A great multitude of those who came for baptism was always surrounding him. Christ, albeit superior, was unknown, and they did not know that he was truly God. Since, then, he was unknown while the Baptist was admired, he seemed I suppose to fall short of him. He came a little after him who had still the higher position in honor and glory from people. But “he that comes after has become before,” being shown to be greater and superior to John. For the One was at length revealed by his works to be God, the other not surpassing the measure of human nature, is found at last to have become after. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.9. [1]

[1] LF 43:113-15**. See also Augustine Sermon 380.5 (WSA 3 10:365).

WE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIS FULLNESS

AUGUSTINE: John admitted he was a lamp lit from Christ, and that is why he took refuge at his feet, to avoid being blown out by the wind of pride if he flew too high. He was in fact so great that some people thought he might be the Christ, and if he had not been his own witness that he was not, the mistake would have persisted, and people would have gone on thinking he was. What a humble man. The honor was offered him by the people, and he spurned it. People were getting the wrong ideas about his greatness, and he put himself in his place. He did not want to be magnified by the words of people, because he had grasped the Word of God. SERMON 66.1. [1]

[1] WSA 3 3:210*.

Jn