Anf-03 v.iv.v.xxiii Pg 5
Luke ix. 41.
He will immediately have to submit to this remonstrance from me: “Whoever you are, O stranger,4378 4378 ἐπερχόμενε. The true Christ is ὁ ἐρχόμενος.
first tell us who you are, from whom you come, and what right you have over us. Thus far, all you possess4379 4379 Totum apud te.
belongs to the Creator. Of course, if you come from Him, and are acting for Him, we will bear your reproof. But if you come from some other god, I should wish you to tell us what you have ever committed to us belonging to yourself,4380 4380 De tuo commisisti.
which it was our duty to believe, seeing that you are upbraiding us with ‘faithlessness,’ who have never yet revealed to us your own self. How long ago4381 4381 Quam olim.
did you begin to treat with us, that you should be complaining of the delay? On what points have you borne with us, that you should adduce4382 4382 Imputes.
your patience? Like Æsop’s ass, you are just come from the well,4383 4383 This fable is not extant (Oehler).
and are filling every place with your braying.” I assume, besides,4384 4384 Adhuc.
the person of the disciple, against whom he has inveighed:4385 4385 Insiliit.
“O perverse nation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?” This outburst of his I might, of course, retort upon him most justly in such words as these: “Whoever you are, O stranger, first tell us who you are, from whom you come, what right you have over us. Thus far, I suppose, you belong to the Creator, and so we have followed you, recognising in you all things which are His. Now, if you come from Him, we will bear your reproof. If, however, you are acting for another, prythee tell us what you have ever conferred upon us that is simply your own, which it had become our duty to believe, seeing that you reproach us with ‘faithlessness,’ although up to this moment you show us no credentials. How long since did you begin to plead with us, that you are charging us with delay? Wherein have you borne with us, that you should even boast of your patience? The ass has only just arrived from Æsop’s well, and he is already braying.” Now who would not thus have rebutted the unfairness of the rebuke, if he had supposed its author to belong to him who had had no right as yet to complain? Except that not even He4386 4386 Nisi quod nec ille. This ille, of course, means the Creator’s Christ.
would have inveighed against them, if He had not dwelt among them of old in the law and by the prophets, and with mighty deeds and many mercies, and had always experienced them to be “faithless.” But, behold, Christ takes4387 4387 Diligit: or, loves.
infants, and teaches how all ought to be like them, if they ever wish to be greater.4388 4388
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, Chapter 9
VERSE (41) - Lu 8:25 Mr 9:19 Joh 20:27 Heb 3:19; 4:2,11
