ACC ~ John 5 v2

AGITATED BY CHRIST

AUGUSTINE: That pool and that water, in my opinion, signified the people of the Jews. For the Apocalypse of John clearly indicates to us that peoples are suggested by the name of waters. When many waters were shown to him and he asked what they were, he received the answer that they were peoples. [1] Therefore that water, that is, that people was shut in by the five books of Moses as by five porticoes.

But those books brought forth sick people; they did not heal. For the law convicted sinners; it did not absolve them…. What happened, then, that they, who could not be healed in the porticoes, were healed in that agitated water? For, suddenly, the water was seen to be agitated, but he by whom it was agitated was not seen. You may believe that this used to happen by an angel’s power [2] but still not without some significant symbolic meaning. After the agitation of the water, the one who was able to thrust himself in, and he alone, was healed. Whoever thrust himself in after him did so without effect.

What, then, does this mean, except that Christ came to the Jewish people, and by doing great things, by teaching useful things, he agitated sinners, agitating the water by his presence and stirring it up in preparation for his passion? But he agitated while being hidden. “For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.” [3] Therefore to descend into the agitated water is to believe humbly in the Lord’s passion. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 17.2.1-3.3. [4]

[1] See Rev 17:15; Augustine Tractates on the Gospel of John 6.11.

[2] Some manuscripts of John’s Gospel have an additional verse 4, which relates how an angel came down and stirred up the water of the pool. This verse is not found in the earliest manuscripts and papyri. Augustine’s words here do not require that he has this verse in mind but strongly suggest it.

[3] See 1 Cor 2:8.

[4] FC 79:109-11*; CCL 36:170-71.

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