15. "Vos secundùm carnem judicatis: ego non judico quemquam :

16. "Et si judico ego, judicium meum verum est, quia solus non sum sed ego, et qui misit me Pater.

17. Et in lege vestrâ scriptum est quia duorum hominum testimonium verum est:

18. "Ego sum qui testimonium perhibeo de meipso, et testimonium perhibet de me qui misit me Pater."

19. Dicebant ergò ei: "Ubi est Pater tuus ?" Respondit JESUS: "Neque me scitis neque Patrem meum: si me sciretis, forsitan et Patrem meum sciretis."

20. Hæc verba locutus est JESUS in gazophylacio, docens in templo. Et nemo apprehendit eum, quia necdùm venerat hora ejus.

15. You judge according to the flesh: I judge not any

man:

16. And if I do judge, my judgment is true: because I am not alone, but I and he that sent me, the Father.

17. And in your law it is written, that the testimony of two men is true.

18. I am one that give testimony of myself, and the Father that sent me giveth testimony of me.

19. They said therefore, unto him: "Where is thy Father? Jesus answered: Neither me do you know, nor my Father: if you did know me, you would know my Father also.

20. These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, teaching in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

Whether Our Lord resumed the discourse which the Pharisees with the adultress had interrupted, or began a new one, directly they left Him, to His flock is doubtful. At all events, the drift of the words we have culled here is an attempt to bring the tormenting Pharisee questioners to a knowledge of His Incarnation from the very objection they put regarding His word as testimony of Himself.

It was a trying time with Him. The toils were being set round about Him and He had but six months in which to instruct a stiff-necked people and sow the seeds of future truths in a hard-headed set of Apostles.

1Again. This word has been differently interpreted, but really, adverbs give some people more trouble than they are worth.

2Light of life. This is the light of which S. John speaks in the first chapter of his Gospel, namely the road to sanctity clearly defined.

Thou givest testimony of Thyself.-This is retorting one of His own statements; that if he bore testimony of Himself His testimony was not reliable.

Whence I came.-He insinuates the Divinity here, which can neither deceive nor be deceived, but yet so as not to provoke them further.

Flesh.-Seeing Him so poor and unpretending.

I am not alone.-Here again He tries to raise up their ideas. "It is written.-Deuteronomy xvii. 6.

8The Father. He may have referred here to the evidence of His baptism at the Jordan.

"Where is thy Father ?—This was said in a snarl at His poor origin, as they thought, and the answer was to make them as wise as they deserved. 10 Treasury. This was near the door where people put in their offerings for the Temple.

"The beginning who also speak to you." which gives great trouble to interpreters. the beginning is in the accusative case, in either the accusative or nominative.

Many sound interpreters (A'Lapide among the rest) think that the Greek has an understood preposition governing it, like In the beginning in Genesis, and the first chapter of St. John. "Apx" is in the dative or ablative, there.

The Latin could bear the interpretation, I am the beginning and the end, alpha and omega, as in the Apocalypse.

Modern Catholic interpreters, following the school of S. John Chrysostom, think its meaning may be rendered thus:-"Altogether, what is the use in My speaking to such people as you are?" We must confess that this looks far-fetched-though it is well sustained by F. Corluy-grammatically.

1Again. He resumes His discourse for a new concourse of hearers, as we suppose people were passing in and out by the gazophylacium or treasury, continually.

2 Shall seek me.-When it is too late, as remarked in Chapter vii. 34; but here there is something more dreadful. The servants of the Pharisees did believe in Our Lord and were converted; the Pharisees themselves, whom He addresses now did not, and He tells them the consequence.

3Whither.-Heaven they cannot come to because of their death in sin. 4Kill himself.-The Pharisees were determined to put Him to death, and they thought He would commit suicide to escape them.

51 am from above.-He insinuates His origin and puts their mean thoughts on a level with the abyss.

"I am he.-The Messias, the Promised One.

"The beginning. This difficult word may be taken simply (we venture the explanation) as, Just where we began and yet I speak to you without fruit." Began having a twofold meaning, in the Aramaic language which Our Lord spoke; and being applied either to His divinity or to his Incarnation-both of which they failed to believe or appreciate. 8Of you. He could say things but forbears.

"From him. He speaks only what is wanted and ordained.

10Did not know.-This ignorance is at the root of the difficult language which was spoken only for the elect who did know.

11Lifted up.-The Crucifixion made them strike their breasts and confess. 12 Left me alone.—We two are one.

A Treasure:

Ist. Is not valued when possessed.

2nd. Wept after when it is lost.

3rd. Very difficult to recover.

Pharisees and their servants: Ist. The first were not worthy of grace.

2nd. The others were simple and got it.

3rd. The servants were converted and lived.

4th. The Pharisees died in their sins.