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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"But I receive not testimony from man." "Why then hast Thou brought forward that of John?" His testimony was not the "testimony of man," for, saith he, "He that sent me to baptize with water, He said unto me." So that John's testimony was the testimony of God; for having learned from Him he said what he did. But that none should ask, "Whence is it clear that he learnt from God?" and stop at this, He abundantly silences them by still addressing Himself to their thoughts. …
Cyril of Alexandria
He doth not reject the word of John as useless, nor declare the witness of the truth to be of none effect (for He would with justice have seemed to have wrought absurdity against Himself, by unreasonably dismissing from credence him whom He sent to cry. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Although I, as God, have no need of human testimony — the Lord has no need of the testimony of a servant — yet since you consider him more truthful and heed him more than Me, and you resorted to him, while you do not believe in Me even in the face of miracles, therefore I remind you also of John's testimony, and I do everything, accepting even what is unworthy of My divinity, if only you might be saved.
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
Then (v 34), he gives the reason why an appeal was made to the testimony of John. First, he excludes a supposed reason. Next, he presents the true reason (v 34b). Someone might think that John's testimony was brought in to assure them about Christ, on the ground that Christ's own testimony was not sufficient. He excludes this reason when he says, I myself do not need proof from men. …
Bonaventure
"But I do not receive testimony from man," supply: on account of any need of My own: Psalm: "I said to the Lord: You are my God, for You have no need of my goods"; but I recall it for the sake of your salvation. Whence He also says: "But these things I say, that you may be saved," namely by believing in Me through his testimony, because, as it is said in Mark 16, "he who believes and is baptized shall be saved." And truly they ought to have believed at John's testimony.
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