The true father and the nature of scorpions

It is cast down. Let them hear that they are unable to bring forth fruit from those things which they do not accept. For they do not accept John the Baptist, who happens to be one of the Old Testament. However, it must even so be said to them: through all their opposition, he denies that things are good by nature and that things are evil by nature. For he says to them: 'Produce therefore fruit worthy of repentance' (Matt 3:8). But repentance and its fruit do not fall either toward the evil in essence or toward the good in nature. For how can the always-good need repentance? Or how can the evil by nature make use of the good of repentance? For he who is evil in essence is unable to turn away from sin; nor does repentance occur for the sake of the good.

Furthermore, concerning the stones, which are shown by him, he says children shall be raised up to Abraham (Matt 3:9); but by saying stones, he means the foolish, and still men remaining in wickedness. For if these were to repent and to believe in God, they would be children of Abraham, who because of this was counted a man of God, because he believed in God, as his faith was counted toward righteousness (Gen 15:6). And since we heard that also being said by them toward those born from Abraham and the other holy men, 'You breed of hedgehogs' (Matt 3:7), saying 'hedgehogs' signifies those around Abraham; let them know they are fighting against the sequence of the chapter. For he reproves them, as not being of Abraham, but offspring of hedgehogs, pretending and shouting to be of Abraham. For the Savior says in another chapter to them...

Abraham did not do this, though you lie, saying he is your father. For if you were children of Abraham, you would have done the works of Abraham. But you are from your own father, the devil, and you desire to do the desires of your own father. For he has been a manslayer from the beginning, and he does not stand in the truth (John 8:44). And it is well to say, 'He does not stand,' showing him previously standing in the truth.

He calls the devil their father, because of the similarity of manner and quality. Thus, he did not say that Abraham and the saints with him are scorpions. For he had this change, to be sons of scorpions, because they used evil men as teachers, according to their own choice. Thus John says to them: Since you desired to undergo a change from virtue to snakes—for such were not even less in essence—stop being offspring of scorpions (Matt 3:7), whose quality you desired to have. For evil comes from evil, and you strove to be unrighteous from the unrighteous.

But since, because you are coming to baptism, you say you bring a sign of repentance, yet you do this hypocritically, I say to you: Who showed you to flee from the coming wrath (Matt 3:10)? For the one repenting, repents for this reason: so that he may no longer flee from the wrath that is coming against those who sin. And 'Who showed you?' is inquired, so that he might say the one truly showing how to withdraw from wickedness does not make this happen hypocritically. But you do this with hypocrisy, coming to be baptized. Therefore, you will not be cleansed.