ACC ~ John 10 v6

TWO REACTIONS TO THE GOSPEL

AUGUSTINE: Our Lord feeds by plain words, he exercises by obscure ones…. For when two people are listening to the words of the gospel, the one godly, the other ungodly, both can hear the words of the gospel, but it can also be the case that neither one of them understands the words. One person says, “What Jesus said is true and good, but we do not understand it.” The other says, “It is not worth attending to.” The first one knocks [on the door] in faith. Yes, and, if he continues to knock, it shall be opened to him. The second one, however, will hear the words in Isaiah, “If you do not believe, you shall not understand.” [1] TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 45.6-7. [2]

[1] Is 7:9 LXX.

[2] NPNF 1 7:251**.