Apparent clash: “You know me” and “You know neither me nor my Father”
If the same hearers were addressed both by “You know me, and you know where I am from” and by “You know neither me nor my Father”, the saying would look like a flat contradiction.
As it is, “You know me” is reported to certain Jerusalemites, while “You know neither me” is spoken to the Pharisees. The letter sharpens the knot: “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either.”
Greek
Εἰ μὲν πρὸς τοὺς αὐτοὺς ὁ λόγος ἦν ὁ λέγων· Κἀμὲ οἴδατε καὶ πόθεν εἰμί, καὶ ὁ φάσκων· Οὔτε ἐμὲ οἴδατε οὔτε τὸν πατέρα μου, ἀντικρὺς ἂν ἔδοξεν ἐναντίον εἶναι τὸ λεγόμενον.
νυνὶ δὲ τὸ μὲν Κἀμὲ οἴδατε πρός τινας τῶν Ἱεροσολυμιτῶν ἀπαγγέλλεται, τὸ δὲ Οὔτε ἐμὲ οἴδατε πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους. προσεπιτείνει δὲ τὴν ἀπορίαν καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ· Πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on John, Book 19 (later tomoi). Complete on this page: §§1–23.
English follows Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV (GCS 10, 1903). Heine FOTC was not used as wording. This page is Book 19 §§1–23 of the later books (13, 19, 20, 28, 32).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV = GCS 10 (1903) (Greek · Book 19 §§1–23)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.