V. But, as I was saying, to return to my argument;
for this reason great multitudes followed Him, because He condescended
to our infirmities. What next? The Pharisees also, it says,
came unto Him, tempting Him, and saying unto Him, is it lawful for a
man to put away his wife for every cause? Again the Pharisees
tempt Him; again they who read the Law do not know the Law; again they
who are expounders of the Law need others to teach them. It was
not enough that Sadducees should tempt Him concerning the Resurrection,
and Lawyers question Him about perfection, and the Herodians about the
poll-tax, and others about authority; but some one must also ask about
Marriage at Him who cannot be tempted, the Creator of wedlock, Him who
from the First Cause made this whole race of mankind. And He
answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that He which made them
at the beginning made them male and female? He knoweth how to
solve some of their questions and to bridle others. When He is
asked, By what authority doest thou these things? He Himself, because
of the utter ignorance of those who asked Him, replies with another
question; The baptism of John, was it from Heaven or of men? He
on both sides entangles His questioners, so that we also are able,
following the example of Christ, sometimes to check those who argue
with us over-officiously, and with still more absurd questions to solve
the absurdity of their questions. For we too are wise in vanity
at times, if I may boast of the things of folly. But when He sees
a question that calls for reasoning, then He does not deem His
questioners unworthy of prudent answers.