ACC ~ John 8 v14

GOD IS A COMPETENT WITNESS TO HIMSELF

CHRYSOSTOM: In order to refute their arguments and to show that he adapted his expressions to address the suspicions of those who thought he was no more than a mere man, our Lord says, “Though I bear record of myself, my record is still true.” And he adds the reason, “For I know where I come from,” in other words, I am from God, I am God and the Son of God. Now, God is surely a competent witness to himself. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 52.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:188**.

A LIGHT ENLIGHTENS OTHERS AND MAKES ITSELF KNOWN

AUGUSTINE: The light shows both other things and also itself. You light a lamp, for instance, to look for your coat, and the burning lamp affords you light to find your coat. Do you light the lamp to see the lamp itself when it burns? A burning lamp is indeed capable at the same time of exposing to view other things that the darkness covered and of showing itself to your eyes…. The witness of the light then is true, whether it shows itself or other things. For without light you cannot see light, and without light you cannot see any thing else that is not light. If light is capable of showing other things that are not lights, is it not capable of showing itself?… Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ is a competent witness to himself. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 35.4, 6. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:205-6*.

JESUS REFERS TO THE FATHER

AUGUSTINE: “For, I know where I come from and where I am going.” This has reference to the Father; for the Son, who is himself equal [to the Father], gave glory to him by whom he was sent. How greatly then should one glorify the Creator who made him!… He did not separate from his Father, however, when he came, or desert us when he returned— unlike that sun which in going to the west leaves the east. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 35.4-5. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:205-6*.

NOT EVERYONE SEES THE LIGHT

AUGUSTINE: A burning lamp is indeed capable at the same time of exposing to view other things that the darkness covered and of showing itself to your eyes. So also the Lord Christ distinguished between his faithful ones and his enemies, as between light and darkness: as between those whom he illuminated with the ray of faith and those on whose closed eyes he shed his light. So, too, the sun shines on the face of the sighted and of the blind. Both alike, while standing and facing the sun, have the sun shine on them, but both are not enlightened in the eyesight. The one sees; the other does not. The sun is present to both, but one of them is absent from the present sun. So likewise the Wisdom of God, the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is everywhere present because truth is everywhere, wisdom is everywhere… Therefore the light bears witness to itself. It opens the healthy eyes and is its own witness so that it may be known as the light…. It is also present [to unbelievers], but they do not have the eyes of the heart with which to see it. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 35.4. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:205*.