46. (Vers. 20.). And he confessed. Here the second point is touched upon, namely John's steadfastness, who was not terrified by their authority so as to turn aside from a true confession. Therefore he says: And he confessed and did not deny, that is, he made a true confession and persevered in it; Second Corinthians 1: "God is faithful, for our word which was among you was not in him 'yes' and 'no': but in him was 'yes' ." And he confessed, the truth, namely, that I am not the Christ. He responded more to the intention than to the question. Concerning this faithful confession, Matthew 10: "Everyone who shall confess me before men, I also will confess him before my Father." John confessed most greatly, because when he could have been regarded as Christ, he was unwilling. Gregory: "While he did not wish to claim the name of Christ, he became a member of Christ."
47. (Vers. 21.). And they asked him. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the importunity of the questioners, because they did not desist with a single response, but pressed on insistently; therefore he says: And they asked him: What then? that is, what are you, if you are not the Christ? Are you Elijah? And he said: I am not. And still they press on: Are you the Prophet? that is, some lesser one. And he answered: No.
Therefore they ask generally about other Prophets, but about Elijah specifically, because they believed Elijah would precede Christ; Matthew 17: "Why do the Scribes say that Elijah must come first?" But still they press on:
48. (Vers. 22.). They therefore said to him: Who are you? Still they press on and state the reason for their insistence: That we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself ? It seemed foolish to them to return to those who sent them without a definite answer. For it is the mark of a wise messenger to bring back definite answers; Proverbs 22: "Behold, I have written down wisdom for you, so that you might answer with words of truth to those who sent you."
49. (Vers. 23.). He said: I am the voice of one crying. Here the fourth point is touched upon, namely in the response humble truth: humble, because he did not attribute to himself dignity but office. Therefore he says: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: crying, I say, this: Make straight the way of the Lord. Literally, John was crying in the wilderness: Matthew 3: "John came preaching in the wilderness of Judea and was crying: Make straight the way of the Lord"; because he was preaching repentance, through which the way of the sinner to the Lord is made straight, which way is crooked as long as he sins, but is made straight through the observance of the commandments: whence below, chapter 14: "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him." Thus the way of the Lord is made straight to the heart: and this office he confirms by the testimony of Isaiah: As Isaiah the prophet says: Isaiah 40: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord."
Questions.
50. Question I. But it is asked here first concerning the interrogation of the Jews. Since they knew John's origin and life, why do they ask: Who are you?
And it must be answered to this that who sometimes asks about substance, as when it is said: who did this or that? Sometimes about the proper designation, as Priscian says.
Who, father, is that man who thus accompanies him as he goes?
Sometimes it specifically asks, among other conditions, about dignity: for worthy and eminent persons are called ecclesiastical persons. Therefore it must be said here that although they knew his origin, life, and name, nevertheless they were in doubt about his dignity.
51. Question II. Likewise, concerning John's response it is asked, because he responds to the second interrogation that he is not Elijah.
AGAINST: 1. Matthew 11: "If you wish to know, he himself is Elijah." Therefore either the Lord speaks falsely, or John does.
2. Likewise, he responds that he is not a prophet: against: Luke 1: "You, child, shall be called a prophet of the Most High."
I respond that John was answering more according to the intention of the questioners than according to the question. It must be understood, therefore, that the Jews asking about Elijah were asking about him corporally, about that very same one who existed in the Old Testament; but John responds that he is not Elijah in the proper sense, while the Lord calls him Elijah figuratively, because what John was to the first coming, Elijah will be to the second. Similarly it must be said that they were asking about the prophet and the office of prophesying precisely, insofar as a prophet foretells future things; but John was a prophet and more than a prophet, because he pointed out the one who was present. Therefore, according to their intention, he responds that he is not a prophet.
52. Question III. Likewise, it is asked concerning the third response: 1. Why John is called a voice, and why he said that he was a voice.
2. Likewise, what does he mean when he says: Make straight the way of the Lord, since Jeremiah 10 says: "I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not his own, nor is it for a man to direct his steps." Therefore he exhorts to the impossible.
I respond: It must be said that just as the Son of God is most rightly called the Word, so his precursor is most rightly called the voice. The voice has a fourfold property with respect to the word, by reason of which he is rightly so called. The voice precedes the word; so John preceded Christ; Luke 1: "He shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah." It manifests the word: so John manifested Christ: above in the same chapter: "He came for testimony, that he might bear witness concerning the light." It passes away and leaves the word remaining: so John with respect to Christ: below in chapter 3: "I must decrease, but he must increase." It is useless without the word: so too John's preaching without Christ: below in the same chapter: "I baptize you in water, but there has stood in your midst one whom you do not know."
2. To the objection concerning direction, it must be said that the direction of the way is through grace and charity, which is from God alone: but the preparation for direction is to be made, according to what is in us. And this is commanded here: whence Gregory: "The way of the Lord is directed to the heart, when life is prepared according to the commandment."
53. And those who had been sent. John has already spoken the truth about himself: but here he gives testimony concerning Christ, and he describes it in this order. First is set forth the wickedness of the questioners: second, the truth of the testimony: third, the renown of the testimony.
(Verse 24.). First, then, is touched upon the wickedness of the questioners: because, when they had heard the truth, they seek to calumniate the teacher of truth. And the reason for this was that they were malicious: therefore he says: Those who had been sent were from the Pharisees, therefore malicious and scrutinizers: Chrysostom: "Those were sent who knew not how to seek the truth, but to envy it"; therefore they inquire maliciously and wickedly. Therefore he says:
54. (Verse 25.). And they asked him and said to him, as if reproving him: Why then do you baptize, if you are not Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? You act without authority and foolishly. Whence Chrysostom: "Because they were unable to supplant him by flatteries, they attempt to cast accusations upon him." Whence Chrysostom exclaims: "O what madness! O what arrogance! O what intemperate investigation! You were sent to be instructed by him: Who are you? And you wish to impose a charge of law?" In this, therefore, the wickedness of the questioners is intimated.
55. (Verse 26.). John answered them. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the truth of the testimony. For John expresses the truth of his office and from this the dignity of Christ. Therefore he says: I baptize you in water: that is, I wash exteriorly, not as Christ does interiorly: but I prepare for Christ; whence Acts nineteen: "John baptized with the baptism of penance, saying: That they should believe in him who was to come." Therefore he adds: But there has stood in the midst of you one whom you do not know: that is, among you; whom you do not know, according to what the Lord says below in chapter eight: "You know neither me nor my Father." For him I prepare. Therefore he says:
56. (Verse 27.). He it is who is to come after me, because I precede him as a forerunner. Who was made before me, that is, more worthy than I: below in chapter three: "I must decrease, but he must increase." And how much more worthy he is, he shows: The strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten. In the literal sense this is true, because no one, however good, ought to consider himself worthy even to remove Christ's sandals; whence that centurion said in Matthew eight: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof."
Allegorically, the sandal is the humanity of Christ; the shod foot, the Divinity made human; the strap of the sandal, the union of natures. To loosen the strap of the sandal, therefore, is to explain the mystery of the union, for which John declares himself unworthy, because Isaiah fifty-three says: "His generation, who shall declare it?" As if to say: no one is worthy.
57. (Verse 28.). These things were done in Bethany. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the renown of the testimony, which is noted in this, that he gave this testimony in a public place, where many were gathering. Therefore he says: These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where