John 1:22 (WEB)
They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Fathers and councils · 26
John Chrysostom
“Ver.” — the author cites it
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Tertullian
“…prophecy—so completely failed, after the transfer of the whole Spirit to the Lord, that he presently sent to inquire whether He whom he had himself preached, whom he had pointed out when coming to him, were “HE.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 11, 12; John i. 6–36.
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Augustine of Hippo
“…being priests and Levites, had been sent, supposing that he was the very Christ, but he said that he was not, and gave forth a testimony concerning the Lord: a testimony respecting which if they chose to make a confession, they would teach themselves by what authority as the Christ He was doing those things; which…” — editor's note: John i. 19–27.
Read the whole comment“…Bridegroom, who both recognized Him in the Holy Spirit, and preached Him in His absence, and pointed Him out when He was present to the recognition of others;—I say nothing of these, as it might be replied that He ought not to have prayed for such when dead, who had gone hence with their great merits, and having met…” — editor's note: Chap. i. 19–36, and iii. 26–36.
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Catena Aurea on John
- OrigenCatena Aurea on John
This is the second testimony of John the Baptist to Christ, the first began with, This is He of Whom I spake; and ended with, He hath declared Him.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Or, after the introduction above of John’s testimony to Christ, is preferred before me, the Evangelist now adds when the above testimony was given, And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and…
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The Jews of Jerusalem, as being of kin to the Baptist, who was of the priestly stock, send Priests and Levites to ask him who he is; (c. 6). that is, men considered to hold a superior rank to the rest of their order,…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Such confidence had they in John, that they were ready to believe him on his own words: witness how it is said, To ask him, Who art thou?
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
They would not have sent, unless they had been impressed by his lofty exercise of authority, in daring to baptize.
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
John, as it appears, saw from the question, that the Priests and Levites had doubts whether it might not be the Christ, who was baptizing; which doubts however they were afraid to profess openly, for fear of…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
He denied directly being what he was not, but he did not deny what he was: thus, by his speaking truth, becoming a true member of Him Whose name he had not dishonestly usurped.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Or take this explanation: The Jews were influenced by a kind of human sympathy for John, whom they were reluctant to see made subordinate to Christ, on account of the many marks of greatness about him; his…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
For they knew that Elias was to preach Christ; the name of Christ not being unknown to any among the Jews; but they did not think that He our Lord was the Christ: and yet did not altogether imagine that there was no…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
These words gave rise to a very different question. In another place, our Lord, when asked by His disciples concerning the coming of Elias, replied, If ye will receive it, this is Elias. (Mat. 11:14) But John says, I…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Some one will say that John was ignorant that he was Elias; as those say, who maintain, from this passage the doctrine of a second incorporation, as though the soul took up a new body, after leaving its old one. For…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
But if we examine the truth accurately, that which sounds inconsistent, will be found not really so. The Angel told Zacharias concerning John, He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias. (Luke 1:17) As…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
He answers then the Levites and Priests, I am not, conjecturing what their question meant: for the purport of their examination was to discover, not whether the spirit in both was the same, but whether John was that…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Or because John was more than a prophet: for that the prophets announced Him afar off, but John pointed Him out actually present. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
You see them here pressing him still more strongly with their questions, while he on the other hand quietly puts down their suspicions, where they are untrue, and establishes the truth in their place: saying, I am…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
So spoke Esaias: the prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
Ye know that the only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father. Now we know, in the case of our own utterance, the voice first sounds, and then the word is heard. Thus John declares himself to be the voice, i.…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
Heracleon, in his discussion on John and the Prophets, infers that because the Saviour was the Word, and John the voice, therefore the whole of the prophetic order was only sound. To which we reply, that, if the…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Or because he declared the truth plainly, while all who were under the law spoke obscurely.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
John crieth in the wilderness, because it is to forsaken and destitute Judæa that he bears the consolatory tidings of a Redeemer.
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
There is need of the voice crying in the wilderness, that the soul, forsaken by God, may be recalled to making straight the way of the Lord, following no more the crooked paths of the serpent. This has reference both…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
The way of the Lord is made straight to the heart, when the word of truth is heard with humility; the way of the Lord is made straight to the heart, when the life is formed upon the precept.
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Cross-references · 7
Cited together in Origen on John 1:19–23 (6) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on John 1:19–23 (6) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 1:19–23 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 1:19–23 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Gregory the Great on John 1:19–23 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on John 1:19–23 (5) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Origen on John 1:19–23 (2) (Catena Aurea).