1. To the objection concerning the holy man, it is answered that he generates carnally, and therefore generates what is carnal. Hence, even if he is purified insofar as he is a person, nevertheless not insofar as he is a principle of generation. Augustine's example is of clean grain, which generates grain in chaff.
2. As for what he says concerning spirit, that is said not through essence, but through conformity and adherence: 1 Corinthians 6: He who clings to God is one spirit.
21. Question IV. An inquiry is made concerning what he says: The Spirit breathes where he wills, and you do not know whence he comes. - To the contrary: Bernard in the Canticles says that a man ought to know the time of spiritual visitation.
Chrysostom responds that he said this concerning the wind, because man does not have knowledge of it, much less of spiritual birth.
But Augustine rejects this exposition, because man well knows that the south wind comes from the south and tends toward the north: therefore he expounds it concerning the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, as to what is said: You do not know whence he comes, emphasis must be placed on the word. He does not say: you do not know when he comes, because one can well know through fervor and lukewarmness when he comes: but you do not know whence he comes, namely whether to repay in the present the good things that a man has done, or to increase merits: you do not know where he goes, whether far away, never to return, or near, about to return at once. Therefore Bernard says that one must always fear: "Fear," he says, "when he has smiled upon you, fear when he has departed, and when he returns again."
22. Question V. Likewise an inquiry is made concerning what he says: If I have told you earthly things etc.: what are these earthly things? For everything he spoke is spiritual, nothing earthly.
To this Chrysostom responds that the earthly things which he spoke of are those things he said concerning the spirit, that is, concerning the wind: but Augustine expounds it concerning the raising of the temple, which he had foretold in the preceding chapter, namely insofar as it was of the earth, whether it be understood of the material temple or of the body of Christ, because it was taken from our earth. - It can be answered otherwise, that he calls earthly those things which have been said above, not absolutely, but because they are small in comparison to the things yet to be said.
23. And no one has ascended into heaven. He determined above the way of salvation; here he determines the principle of salvation, so that through this Nicodemus's inquiry about how these things can come to be may be fully satisfied. And the principle of salvation is described here in this order: first is determined what is the saving principle: second, what is the mode of saving: third, what reason moves to saving.
(Verse 13). The principle saving us is He who alone can enter heaven by Himself, and all others through Him; and this is Christ the Lord. Therefore He says: And no one has ascended into heaven, that is, no one has the power of ascending thither; except He who descended from heaven, through the assumption of humanity: the Son of Man, who is in heaven, through the presence and immensity of the Divinity: therefore everyone who ascends and is saved, ascends through Him. Concerning this power of ascending and descending, Ephesians 4: "He who descended is the same one who also ascended above all the heavens, that He might fill all things." Concerning His existence in heaven, above in chapter 1: "The Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." He it is who makes one ascend from death to life: below in chapter 8: "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."
24. (Verse 14). And as Moses lifted up etc. Here the second point is touched upon, namely how the Son of God saves, namely through His passion. Therefore He says: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert: Numbers 21: "Moses made a bronze serpent and set it up as a sign; those who had been struck, looking upon it, were healed." So must the Son of Man be lifted up, namely on the gibbet of the cross, so that all who look upon Him through faith may be healed. Therefore He says:
25. (Verse 15). That everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life: below in chapter 11: "He who believes in Me, even if he shall have died, shall live; and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall not die forever." He most fittingly describes the passion in relation to the figure, so that it may become more credible; and most fittingly did the figure precede, because, just as there they were not healed by the serpent unless they looked upon it, so neither are they healed through Christ unless they believe in Him.
26. (Verse 16). For God so etc. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the motivating reason for saving in this way; and this was the immensity of divine love toward lost mankind. On account of which He says: For God so loved the world, that is, worldly and sinful man: that He gave His Only-begotten Son: Ephesians 2: "God, who is rich in mercy, on account of His exceeding charity with which He loved us, when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ." Therefore exceeding, because He gave more than was necessary: Romans 8: "He who did not spare even His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." He gave Him, I say, for all as regards sufficiency, but as regards efficacy, for the elect and for believers. Therefore He adds: That everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life. The passion avails none but believers, because, as it is said in Hebrews 11, "without faith it is impossible to please God."
QUESTIONS.
27. Question I. But a question arises here, first, concerning what He says: No one ascends into heaven except He who descended from heaven.
Against this: 1. All the saints ascend, and yet none of them descended.
2. Likewise, the body of Christ ascended into heaven, and yet did not descend from heaven.
3. Likewise it is objected: if this is understood of Christ, it is understood either according to the divine nature or the human. Not according to the human, because that nature did not descend from heaven, and moreover at that time, when he was speaking, it was not in heaven. It cannot be according to the divine, because it did not ascend, since it could not become greater nor did it change place.
Some respond that the exception here comprehends not only Christ, who is the head, but rather the whole body of Christ; and all those and only those who belong to his body ascend.
But this cannot stand, because the body did not descend from heaven. Therefore it must be understood that to ascend is here said by one's own power, not power given from elsewhere, and thus only Christ was able to do so.
2. To what is objected concerning the body, Augustine responds that it is no obstacle, because the body is like a garment; whence if someone descended naked from a mountain and ascended clothed, we say: no one ascended except he who descended; so also in the matter at hand.
3. To what is asked—according to which nature is this said?—I respond: It must be said that in that statement three things are said of one hypostasis: to ascend belongs to him by reason of the human nature; to descend, by reason of the divine in relation to the human, because he humbled himself by assuming flesh; but to be in heaven, as at that time, according to the divine nature purely. And thus the whole cannot be referred back to one nature, but to one hypostasis.
28. Question II. Likewise Chrysostom asks concerning what he says: As [Moses] lifted up, etc.: why, when expressing the passion, did he not say to hang on the cross, so as to speak more plainly?
I respond: It must be said that the Lord was revealing the mystery of the passion to Nicodemus as something honorable, as something credible, as something hidden: as something honorable, lest the man, still carnal, should despise and recoil from it; therefore he said to be lifted up, not to be hung. As something credible, so that he might give assent; therefore through the preceding marvelous figure he intimates the marvelous effect of the passion. Also as something hidden, so that he might hold it more dearly; and therefore he does not explain it but leaves him a place for meditating, and through this for making progress and for arriving at the gift of understanding.
29. Question III. The question concerns what he says: That everyone who believes in him may not perish. Therefore no one who has faith will be condemned, however wicked he may be. — If you say that this is understood of formed faith, then according to this no one who has formed faith can be condemned.