{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/009/0090268.htm","path":"chr/ecf/009/0090268.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/009/0090268.htm","text":"29. The Six Testimonies of the Baptist Enumerated. Jesus\u2019 \u201cCome and See.\u201d Significance of the Tenth Hour.\nAccordingly John came to bear witness of the light, and in his witness-bearing he cried, saying, 4767 \u201cHe that cometh after me exists before me; for He was before me; for of His fulness we have all received and grace for grace, for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.\u201d This whole speech is from the mouth of the Baptist bearing witness to the Christ. Some take it otherwise, and consider that the words from \u201cfor of His fulness\u201d to \u201cHe hath declared Him\u201d are from the writer, John the Apostle. The true state of the case is that John\u2019s first testimony begins, as we said before, \u201cHe that cometh after me,\u201d and ends, \u201cHe hath declared Him,\u201d and his second testimony is that spoken to the priests and levites sent from Jerusalem, whom the Jews had sent. To them he confesses and does not deny the truth, namely, that he is not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet, but \u201cthe voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as saith Isaiah the prophet.\u201d 4768 After this there is another testimony of the same Baptist to Christ, still teaching His superior nature, which goes forth into the whole world and enters into reasonable souls. He says, 4769 \u201cThere standeth One among you whom you know not, even He that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.\u201d Consider if, since the heart is in the middle of the whole body, and the ruling principle in the heart, the saying, \u201cThere standeth One among you whom you know not,\u201d can be understood of 4770 the reason which is in every man. John\u2019s fourth testimony of Christ after these points to His human sufferings. He says, 4771 \u201cBehold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who exists before me, for He was before me. And I knew Him not, but that He should be made p. 344 manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.\u201d And the fifth testimony is recorded in the words, 4772 \u201cI beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it abode upon Him, and I knew Him not, but He that sent me to baptize with water, He said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, the same is He that baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.\u201d In the sixth place John witnesses of Christ to the two disciples: 4773 \u201cHe looked on Jesus as He walked and saith, Behold the Lamb of God.\u201d After this testimony the two disciples who heard it followed Jesus; and Jesus turned and beheld them following, and saith unto them, \u201cWhat seek ye?\u201d Perhaps it is not without significance that after six testimonies John ceases from his witness-bearing and Jesus brings forward in the seventh place His \u201cWhat seek ye?\u201d Very becoming in those who have been helped by John\u2019s testimony is the speech in which they address Christ as their Master, and declare their wish to see the dwelling of the Son of God; for they say to Him, \u201cRabbi,\u201d which answers to \u201cMaster,\u201d in our language, \u201cwhere dwellest Thou?\u201d And since every one that seeketh findeth, when John\u2019s disciples seek Jesus\u2019 dwelling, Jesus shows it to them, saying, \u201cCome and see.\u201d By the word \u201cCome\u201d He exhorts them perhaps to the practical part of life, while the \u201csee\u201d is to suggest to them that that speculation which comes in the train of right conduct will be vouchsafed to those who desire it; in Jesus\u2019 dwelling they will have it. After they had asked where Jesus dwells, and had followed the Master and had seen, they desired to stay with Him and to spend that day with the Son of God. Now the number ten is a sacred one, not a few mysteries being indicated by it; and so we are to understand that the mention of the tenth hour as that at which these disciples turned in with Jesus, is not without significance. Of these disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, is one; and he having profited by this day with Jesus and having found his own brother Simon (perhaps he had not found him before), told him that he had found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, Christ. It is written that \u201che that seeketh findeth.\u201d Now he had sought where Jesus dwelt, and had followed Him and looked upon His dwelling; he stays with the Lord \u201cat the tenth hour,\u201d and finds the Son of God, the Word, and Wisdom, and is ruled by Him as King. That is why he says, \u201cWe have found the Messiah,\u201d and this a thing which every one can say who has found this Word of God and is ruled as by a king, by His Divinity. As a fruit he at once brings his brother to Christ, and Christ deigned to look upon Simon, that is to say, by looking at him to visit and enlighten his ruling principle; and Simon by Jesus\u2019 looking at him was enabled to grow strong, so as to earn a new name from that work of firmness and strength, and to be called Peter.","title":"Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol IX: Epistle to Gregory and Orige...","type":"page"}