11. But although the wickedness of man can
pervert his intellectual powers, nevertheless the words retain their
meaning. Our Lord prays to His Father that those who shall
believe in Him may be one, and as He is in the Father and the Father in
Him, so all may be one in Them. Why dost thou bring in here an
identity of mind, why a unity of soul and heart through agreement of
will? For there would have been no lack of suitable words for our
Lord, if it were will that made them one, to have prayed in this
fashion,—Father, as We are one in will, so may they also be one
in will, that we may all be one through agreement. Or could it be
that He Who is the Word was unacquainted with the meaning of words? and
that He Who is Truth knew not how to speak the truth? and He Who is
Wisdom went astray in foolish talk? and He Who is Power was compassed
about with such weakness that He could not speak what He wished to be
understood? He has clearly spoken the true and sincere mysteries
of the faith of the Gospel. And He has not only spoken that we
may comprehend, He has also taught that we may believe, saying, That
they all may be one, as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they
also may be in Us. For those first of all is the prayer of
whom it is said, That they all may be one. Then the
promotion of unity is set forth by a pattern of unity, when He says,
as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in
Us, so that as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father,
so through the pattern of this unity all might be one in the Father and
the Son.