ACC ~ John 16 v30

QUESTIONS FOR OUR BENEFIT

AUGUSTINE: Why do they say this to someone who knew all things, instead of saying, “you don’t need for anyone to ask you”? It would have been more appropriate to have said, You don’t need to ask anyone. And yet we know that both of these were done, that is, that our Lord both asked questions and was asked. But this is soon explained. For both were for the benefit not of himself but of those whom he asked questions or by whom he was asked. He asked questions of people not in order to learn himself but to teach them. And in the case of those who asked questions of him, such questions were necessary for them in order to gain the knowledge they wanted. But they were not necessary for him to tell him what that was, because he knew what the inquirer wanted before the question was put to him. … And so, to know people’s thoughts beforehand was no great thing for the Lord, but to the minds of babes it was a great thing: “By this we know that you came forth from God.” TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 103.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:392-93**.

WORKS TESTIFY TO ORIGIN

HILARY OF POITIERS: They believe that he came forth from God because he does the works of God. … Notice how, on the one hand, they are not at all amazed when he says, “I am come into the world from the Father.” In fact, these are words which they had often heard before. But their reply shows a belief in and appreciation of the previous words when he had said, “I came forth from the Father.” They, in fact, make specific mention of this in their reply: “By this we believe that you came forth from God.” They didn’t add the phrase, “and are come into the world,” because they knew already that he was sent from God. But they had not yet received anything concerning the doctrine of his eternal generation. That unutterable doctrine they now began to see for the first time in consequence of these words and therefore reply that he spoke no longer in parables. For God is not born from God after the manner of human birth. His is a coming forth from, rather than a birth from God. He is one from one. He is not a portion, not a defection, not a diminution, not a derivation, not a pretension, not a passion. He is the birth of living nature from living nature. He is God coming forth from God, not a creature appointed to the name of God. He did not begin to be from nothing, but he came forth from a nature that has always existed. To come forth has the signification of birth, not of beginning. ON THE TRINITY 6.34-35. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 9:110-11**.

Jn