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TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN OF RUFINUS.
1. But as it is not sufficient, in the discussion of matters of
such importance, to entrust the decision to the human senses and to the
human understanding, and to pronounce on things invisible as if they
were seen by us,[1] we must, in order to establish the positions which
we have laid down, adduce the testimony of Holy Scripture. And that
this testimony may produce a sure and unhesitating belief, either with
regard to what we have still to advance, or to what has been already
stated, it seems necessary to show, in the first place, that the
Scriptures themselves are divine, i.e., were inspired by the Spirit of
God. We shall therefore with all possible brevity draw forth from the
Holy Scriptures themselves, such evidence on this point as may produce
upon us a suitable impression, (making our quotations) from Moses, the
first legislator of the Hebrew nation, and from the words of Jesus
Christ, the Author and Chief of the Christian religious system.[3] For
although there have been numerous legislators among the Greeks and
Barbarians, and also countless teachers and philosophers who professed
to declare the truth, we do not remember any legislator who was able to
produce in the minds of foreign nations an affection and a zeal (for
him) such as led them either voluntarily to adopt his laws, or to
defend them with all the efforts of their mind. No one, then, has been
able to introduce and make known what seemed to himself the truth,
among, I do not say many foreign nations, but even amongst the
individuals of one single nation, in such a manner that a knowledge and
belief of the same should extend to all. And yet there can be no doubt
that it was the wish of the legislators that their laws should be
observed by all men, if possible; and of the teachers, that what
appeared to themselves to be truth, should become known to all. But
knowing that they could
TRANSLATION FROM THE GREEK.
(The translation from the Greek is designedly literal, that the difference between the original and the paraphrase of Rufinus may be more clearly seen.)
1. Since, in our investigation of matters of such importance, not
satisfied with the common opinions, and with the clear evidence of
visible things,[2] we take in addition, for the proof of our
statements, testimonies from what are believed by us to be divine
writings, viz., from that which is called the Old Testament, and that
which is styled the New, and endeavour by reason to confirm our faith;
and as we have not yet spoken of the Scriptures as divine, come and let
us, as if by way of an epitome, treat of a few points respecting them,
laying down those reasons which lead us to regard them as divine
writings. And before making use of the words of the writings
themselves, and of the things which are exhibited in them, we must make
the following statement regarding Moses and Jesus Christ,—the lawgiver
of the Hebrews, and the Introducer of the saving doctrines according to
Christianity, For, although there have been very many legislators among
the Greeks and Barbarians, and teachers who announced opinions which
professed to be the truth, we have heard of no legislator who was able
to imbue other nations with a zeal for the FROM THE LATIN. by no means
succeed in producing any such mighty power within them as would lead
foreign nations to obey their laws, or have regard to their statements,
they did not venture even to essay the attempt, lest the failure of the
undertaking should stamp their conduct with the mark of imprudence. And
yet there are throughout the whole world—throughout all Greece, and
all foreign countries—countless individuals who have abandoned the
laws of their country, and those whom they had believed to be gods, and
have yielded themselves up to the obedience of the law of Moses, and to
the discipleship and worship of Christ; and have done this, not without
exciting against themselves the intense hatred of the worshippers of
images, so as frequently to be exposed to cruel tortures from the
latter, and sometimes even to be put to death. And yet they embrace,
and with all affection preserve, the words and teaching of Christ.
2. And we may see, moreover, how that religion itself grew up in
a short time, making progress by the punishment and death of its
worshippers, by the plundering of their goods, and by the tortures of
every kind which they endured; and this result is the more surprising,
that even the teachers of it themselves neither were men of skill,[1]
nor very numerous; and yet these words are preached throughout the
whole world, so that Greeks and Barbarians, wise and foolish, adopt the
doctrines of the Christian religion.[3] From which it is no doubtful
inference, that it is not by human power or might that the words of
Jesus Christ come to prevail with all faith and power over the
understandings and souls of all men. For, that these results were both
predicted by Him, and established by divine answers proceeding from
Him, is clear from His own words: "Ye shall be brought before governors
and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the
Gentiles."[7] And again: "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
among all nations."[8] And again: "Many shall say to Me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Thy name, and in Thy name
cast out devils? And I will say unto them, Depart from Me, ye workers
of iniquity, I never knew you.''[9] If these
FROM THE GREEK. reception of his words; and although those who professed to philosophize about truth brought forward a great apparatus of apparent logical demonstration, no one has been able to impress what was deemed by him the truth upon other nations, or even on any number of persons worth mentioning in a single nation. And yet not only would the legislators have liked to enforce those laws which appeared to be good, if possible, upon the whole human race, but the teachers also to have spread what they imagined to be truth everywhere throughout the world. But as they were unable to call men of other languages and from many nations to observe their laws, and accept their teaching, they did not at all attempt to do this, considering not unwisely the impossibility of such a result happening to them. Whereas all Greece, and the barbarous part of our world, contains innumerable zealots, who have deserted the laws of their fathers and the established gods, for the observance of the laws of Moses and the discipleship of the words of Jesus Christ; although those who clave to the law of Moses were hated by the worshippers of images, and those who accepted the words of Jesus Christ were exposed, in addition, to the danger of death.
2. And if we observe how powerful the word has become in a very
few years, notwithstanding that against those who acknowledged
Christianity conspiracies were formed, and some of them on its account
put to death, and others of them lost their property, and that,
notwithstanding the small number of its teachers,[2] it was preached
everywhere throughout the world, so that Greeks and Barbarians, wise
and foolish, gave themselves up to the worship that is through
Jesus,[4] we have no difficulty in saying that the result is beyond any
human power,[5] Jesus having taught with all authority and
persuasiveness that His word should not be overcome; so that we may
rightly regard as oracular responses[6] those utterances of His, such
as, "Ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a
testimony against them and the Gentiles;"[7] and, "Many shall say unto
Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten in Thy name, and drunk in
Thy name, and in Thy name cast out devils? And I shall FROM THE LATIN.
sayings, indeed, had been so uttered by Him, and yet if these
predictions had not been fulfilled, they might perhaps appear to be
untrue,[2] and not to possess any authority. But now, when His
declarations do pass into fulfilment, seeing they were predicted with
such power and authority, it is most clearly shown to be true that He,
when He was made man, delivered to men the precepts of salvation.[3]
3. What, then, are we to say of this, which the prophets had
beforehand foretold of Him, that princes would not cease from Judah,
nor leaders from between his thighs, until He should come for whom it
has been reserved (viz., the kingdom), and until the expectation of the
Gentiles should come? For it is most distinctly evident from the
history itself, from what is clearly seen at the present day, that from
the times of Christ onwards there were no kings amongst the Jews. Nay,
even all those objects of Jewish pride,[8] of which they vaunted so
much, and in which they exulted, whether regarding the beauty of the
temple or the ornaments of the altar, and all those sacerdotal fillets
and robes of the high priests, were all destroyed together. For the
prophecy was fulfilled which had declared, "For the children of Israel
shall abide many days without king and prince: there shall be no
victim, nor altar, nor priesthood, nor answers."[10] These testimonies,
accordingly, we employ against those who seem to assert that what is
spoken in Genesis by Jacob refers to Judah; and who say that there
still remains a prince of the race of Judah—he, viz., who is the
prince of their nation, whom they style Patriarch[11] —and that there
cannot fail (a ruler) of his seed, who will remain until the advent of
that Christ whom they picture to themselves. But if the prophet's words
be true, when he says, "The children of Israel shall abide many days
without king, without prince; and there shall be no victim, nor altar,
nor priesthood;"[13] and if, certainly, since the overthrow of the
temple, victims are neither offered, nor any altar found, nor any
priesthood exists, it is most certain that, as it is written, princes
have departed from Judah, and a leader from between his thighs, until
the coming of Him for whom it has been reserved. It is established,
then, that He is come for whom it has been reserved, and in whom is the
expectation of the Gentiles. And this manifestly seems to be fulfilled
in the multitude of those who have believed on God through Christ out
of the different nations.
FROM THE GREEK. say unto them, Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you."[1] Wow it was perhaps (once) probable that, in uttering these words, He spoke them in vain, so that they were not true; but when that which was delivered with so much authority has come to pass, it shows that God, having really become man, delivered to men the doctrines of salvation.[4]
3. And what need is there to mention also that it was predicted
of Christ s that then would the rulers fail from Judah, and the leaders
from his thighs,[6] when He came for whom it is reserved (the kingdom,
namely); and that the expectation of the Gentiles should dwell in the
land?[7] For it is clearly manifest from the history, and from what is
seen at the present day, that from the times of Jesus there were no
longer any who were called kings of the Jews;[9] all those Jewish
institutions on which they prided themselves—I mean those arrangements
relating to the temple and the altar, and the offering of the service,
and the robes of the high priest-having been destroyed. For the
prophecy was fulfilled which said, "The children of Israel shall sit
many days, there being no king, nor ruler, nor sacrifice, nor altar,
nor priesthood, nor responses."[10] And these predictions we employ to
answer those who, in their perplexity as to the words spoken in Genesis
by Jacob to Judah, assert that the Ethnarch,[12] being of the race of
Judah, is the ruler of the people, and that there will not fail some of
his seed, until the advent of that Christ whom they figure to their
imagination. But if "the children of Israel are to sit many days
without a king, or ruler, or altar, or priesthood, or responses;" and
if, since the temple was destroyed, there exists no longer sacrifice,
nor altar, nor priesthood, it is manifest that the ruler has failed out
of Judah, and the leader from between his thighs. And since the
prediction declares that "the ruler shall not fail from Judah, and the
leader from between his thighs, until what is reserved for Him shall
come," it is manifest that He is come to whom (belongs) what is
reserved—the expectation of the Gentiles. And this is clear from the
multitude of the heathen who have believed on God through Jesus Christ.
FROM THE LATIN.
4. In the song of Deuteronomy,[1] also, it is prophetically
declared that, on account of the sins of the former people, there was
to be an election of a foolish nation,—no other, certainly, than that
which was brought about by Christ; for thus the words run: "They have
moved Me to anger with their images, and I will stir them up to
jealousy; I will arouse them to anger against a foolish nation."[3] We
may therefore evidently see how the Hebrews, who are said to have
excited God's anger by means of those (idols), which are no gods, and
to have aroused His wrath by their images, were themselves also excited
to jealousy by means of a foolish nation, which Cod hath chosen by the
advent of Jesus Christ and His disciples. For the following is the
language of the apostle: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that
not many wise men among you after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble (are called): but God has chosen the foolish things of the world,
and the things which are not, to destroy the things which formerly
existed."[4] Carnal Israel, therefore, should not boast; for such is
the term used by the apostle: "No flesh, I say, should glory in the
presence of God."[5]
5. What are we to say, moreover, regarding those prophecies of
Christ contained in the Psalms, especially the one with the
superscription, "A song for the Beloved;"[7] in which it is stated that
"His tongue is the pen of a ready writer; fairer than the children of
men;" that "grace is poured into His lips?" Now, the indication that
grace has been poured upon His lips is this, that, after a short period
had elapsed—for He taught only during a year and some months[8]—the
whole world, nevertheless, became filled with His doctrine, and with
faith in His religion. There arose, then, "in His days righteous men,
and abundance of peace,"[9] abiding even to the end, which end is
entitled "the taking away of the moon;" and "His dominion shall extend
from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth."[10]
There was a sign also given to the house of David. For a virgin
conceived, and bare Emmanuel, which, when interpreted, signifies, "God
with us: know it, O nations, and be overcome."[11] For we are conquered
and overcome, who are of the Gentiles, and remain as a kind of spoils
of His victory, who have subjected our necks to His grace. Even the
place of His birth was predicted in the prophecies of
FROM THE GREEK.
4. And in the song in Deuteronomy,[1] also, it is prophetically
made known that, on account of the sins of the former people,[2] there
was to be an election of foolish nations, which has been brought to
pass by no other than by Jesus. "For they," He says, "moved Me to
jealousy with that which is not God, they have provoked Me to anger
with their idols; and I will move them to jealousy with those which are
not a people, and will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation."[3]
Now it is possible to understand with all clearness how the Hebrews,
who are said to have moved God to jealousy by that which is not God,
and to have provoked Him to anger by their idols, were (themselves)
aroused to jealousy by that which was not a people—the foolish nation,
namely, which God chose by the advent of Jesus Christ and His
disciples. We see, indeed, "our calling, that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble (are called); but God hath
chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and base
things, and things that are despised, hath God chosen, and things that
are not, to bring to nought the things which formerly existed;"[6] and
let not the Israel according to the flesh, which is called by the
apostle "flesh," boast in the presence of God.
5. And what are we to say regarding the prophecies of Christ in
the Psalms, there being a certain ode with the superscription "For the
Beloved,"[7] whose "tongue" is said to be the "pen of a ready writer,
who is fairer than the sons of men," since "grace was poured on His
lips?" For a proof that grace was poured on His lips is this, that
although the period of His teaching was short—for He taught somewhere
about a year and a few months—the world has been filled with his
teaching, and with the worship of God (established) through Him. For
there arose "in His days righteousness and abundance of peace,"[9]
which abides until the consummation, which has been called the taking
away of the moon; and He continues "ruling from sea to sea, and from
the rivers to the ends of the earth."[10] And to the house of David has
been given a sign: for the Virgin bore, and was pregnant,[12] and
brought forth a son, and His name is Emmanuel, which is, "God with us;"
and as the same prophet FROM THE LATIN.
Micah, who said, "And thou, Bethlehem, land of Judah, art by no means small among the leaden of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a Leader, who shall rule My people Israel."[1] The weeks of years, also, which the prophet Daniel had predicted, extending to the leadership of Christ,[3] have been fulfilled. Moreover, he is at hand, who in the book of Job[4] is said to be about to destroy the huge beast, who also gave power to his own disciples to tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, without being injured by him. But if any one will consider the journeys of Christ's apostles throughout the different places, in which as His messengers they preached the Gospel, he will find that both what they ventured to undertake is beyond the power of man, and what they were enabled to accomplish is from God alone. If we consider how men, on hearing that a new doctrine was introduced by these, were able to receive them; or rather, when desiring often to destroy them, they were prevented by a divine power which was in them, we shall find that in this nothing was effected by human strength, but that the whole was the result of the divine power and providence,—signs and wonders, manifest beyond all doubt, beating testimony to their word and doctrine.
6. These points now being briefly established, viz., regarding
the deity of Christ, and the fulfilment of all that was prophesied
respecting Him, I think that this position also has been made good,
viz., that the Scriptures themselves, which contained these
predictions, were divinely inspired,—those, namely, which had either
foretold His advent, or the power of His doctrine, or the bringing over
of all nations (to His obedience). To which this remark must be added,
that the divinity and inspiration both of the predictions of the
prophets and of the law of Moses have been clearly revealed and
confirmed, especially since the advent of Christ into the world. For
before the fulfilment of those events which were predicted by them,
they could not, although true and inspired by God, be shown to be so,
because they were as yet unfulfilled. But the coming of Christ was a
declaration that their statements were true and divinely inspired,
although it was certainly doubtful before that whether there would be
an accomplishment of those things which had been foretold.
FROM THE GREEK.
says, the prediction has been fulfilled, "God (is) with us; know it, O nations, and be overcome; ye who are strong, be vanquished: "[3] for we of the heathen have been overcome and vanquished, we who have been taken by the grace of His teaching. The place also of His birth has been foretold in (the prophecies of) Micah: "For thou, Bethlehem," he says, "land of Judah, art by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Ruler, who shall rule My people Israel."[1] And according to Daniel, seventy weeks were fulfilled until (the coming of) Christ the Ruler.[5] And He came, who, according to Job,[6] has subdued the great fish,[7] and has given power to His true disciples to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and all the power of the enemy,[8] without sustaining any injury from them. And let one notice also the universal advent of the apostles sent by Jesus to announce the Gospel, and he will see both that the undertaking was beyond human power, and that the commandment came from God. And if we examine how men, on hearing new doctrines, and strange words, yielded themselves up to these teachers, being overcome, amid the very desire to plot against them, by a divine power that watched over these (teachers), we shall not be incredulous as to whether they also wrought miracles, God bearing witness to their words both by signs, and wonders, and divers miracles.
6. And while we thus briefly[9] demonstrate the deity of Christ,
and (in so doing) make use of the prophetic declarations regarding Him,
we demonstrate at the same time that the writings which prophesied of
Him were divinely inspired; and that those documents which announced
His coming and His doctrine were given forth with all power and
authority, and that on this account they obtained the election from the
Gentiles.[10] We must say, also, that the divinity of the prophetic
declarations, and the spiritual nature of the law of Moses, shone forth
after the advent of Christ. For before the advent of Christ it was not
altogether possible to exhibit manifest proofs of the divine
inspiration of the ancient Scripture; whereas His coming led those who
might suspect the law and the prophets not to be divine, to the clear
conviction that they were FROM THE LATIN.
If any one, moreover, consider the words of the prophets with all
the zeal and reverence which they deserve, it is certain that, in the
perusal and careful examination thus given them, he will feel his mind
and senses touched by a divine breath, and will acknowledge that the
words which he reads were no human utterances, but the language of God;
and from his own emotions he will feel that these books were the
composition of no human skill, nor of any mortal eloquence, but, so to
speak, of a style that is divine.[2] The splendour of Christ's advent,
therefore, illuminating the law of Moses by the light of truth, has
taken away that veil which had been placed over the letter (of the
law), and has unsealed, for every one who believes upon Him, all the
blessings which were concealed by the covering of the word.
7. It is, however, a matter attended with considerable labour, to
point out, in every instance, how and when the predictions of the
prophets were fulfilled, so as to appear to confirm those who are in
doubt, seeing it is possible for every one who wishes to become more
thoroughly acquainted with these things, to gather abundant proofs from
the records of the truth themselves. But if the sense of the letter,
which is beyond man, does not appear to present itself at once, on the
first glance, to those who are less versed in divine discipline, it is
not at all to be wondered at, because divine things are brought down
somewhat slowly to (the comprehension of) men, and elude the view in
proportion as one is either sceptical or unworthy. For although it is
certain that all things which exist in this world, or take place in it,
are ordered by the providence of God, and certain events indeed do
appear with sufficient clearness to be under the disposal of His
providential government, yet others again unfold themselves so
mysteriously and incomprehensibly, that the plan of Divine Providence
with regard to them is completely concealed; so that it is occasionally
believed by some that particular occurrences do not belong to (the plan
of) Providence, because the principle eludes their grasp, according to
which the works of Divine Providence are administered with
indescribable skill; which principle of administration, however, is not
equally concealed from all. For even among men themselves, one
individual devotes less consideration to it, another more; while by
every man, He who is on earth, whoever is the inhabitant of heaven, is
more acknowledged.[7] And the nature of bodies is clear to us in one
way, that of trees in another, that of animals in a third; the nature
of souls, again, is concealed in a different way; and the manner in
which the diverse movements of ra-
FROM THE GREEK.
composed by (the aid of) heavenly grace. And he who reads the words of the prophets with care and attention, feeling by the very perusal the traces of the divinity, that is in them, will be led by his own emotions to believe that those words which have been deemed to be the words of God are not the compositions of men. The light, moreover, which was contained in the law of Moses, but which had been concealed by a veil, shone forth at the advent of Jesus, the veil being taken away, and those blessings, the shadow of which was contained in the letter, coming forth gradually to the knowledge (of men).
7. It would be tedious now to enumerate the most ancient
prophecies respecting each future event, in order that the doubter,
being impressed by their divinity, may lay aside all hesitation and
distraction, and devote himself with his whole soul to the words of
God. But if in every part of the Scriptures the superhuman element of
thoughts does not seem to present itself to the uninstructed, that is
not at all wonderful; for, with respect to the works of that providence
which embraces the whole world, some show with the utmost clearness
that they are works of providence, while others are so concealed as to
seem to furnish ground for unbelief with respect to that God who orders
all things with unspeakable skill and power. For the artistic plan[4]
of a providential Ruler is not so evident in those matters belonging to
the earth, as in the case of the sun, and moon, and stars; and not so
clear in what relates to human occurrences, as it is in the souls and
bodies of animals,—the object and reason of the impulses, and
phantasies and natures of animals, and the structure of their bodies,
being carefully ascertained by those who attend to these things.[5] But
as (the doctrine of) providence is not at all weakened[6] (on account
of those things which are not understood) in the eyes of those who have
once honestly accepted it, so neither is the divinity of Scripture,
which extends to the whole of it, (lost) on account of the inability of
our weakness to discover in every expression the hidden splendour of
the doctrines FROM THE LATIN.
tional understandings are ordered by Providence, eludes the view of men in a greater degree, and even, in my opinion, in no small degree that of the angels also. But as the existence of divine providence is not refuted by those especially who are certain of its existence, but who do not comprehend its workings or arrangements by the powers of the human mind; so neither will the divine inspiration of holy Scripture, which extends throughout its body, be believed to be non-existent, because the weakness of our understanding is unable to trace out the hidden and secret meaning in each individual word, the treasure of divine wisdom being hid in the vulgar and unpolished vessels of words,[3] as the apostle also points out when he says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels,"[4] that the virtue of the divine power may shine out the more brightly, no colouring of human eloquence being intermingled with the truth of the doctrines. For if our books induced men to believe because they were composed either by rhetorical arts or by the wisdom of philosophy, then undoubtedly our faith would be considered to be based on the art of words, and on human wisdom, and not upon the power of God; whereas it is now known to all that the word of this preaching has been so accepted by numbers throughout almost the whole world, because they understood their belief to rest not on the persuasive words of human wisdom, but on the manifestation of the Spirit and of power. On which account, being led by a heavenly, nay, by a more than heavenly power, to faith and acceptance,[8] that we may worship the sole Creator of all things as our God, let us also do our utmost endeavour, by abandoning the language of the elements of Christ, which are but the first beginnings of wisdom, to go on to perfection, in order that that wisdom which is given to them who are perfect, may be given to us also. For such is the promise of him to whom was entrusted the preaching of this wisdom, in the words: "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, who will be brought to nought;"[10] by which he shows that this wisdom of ours has nothing in common, so far as regards the beauty of language, with the wisdom of this world. This wisdom; then, will be inscribed more clearly and perfectly on our hearts, if it be made known to us according to the revelation of the mystery which has been hid from eternity,[11] but now is manifest through the Scriptures of prophecy, and the advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Many, not understanding the Scriptures in a spiritual sense, but
incorrectly,[12] have fallen into heresies.
8. These particulars, then, being briefly stated regarding the
inspiration of the sacred Scriptures by
FROM THE GREEK.
veiled in common and unattractive phraseology.[1] For we have the treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power of God may shine forth, and that it may not be deemed to proceed from us (who are but) human beings. For if the hackneyed[2] methods of demonstration (common) among men, contained in the books (of the Bible), had been successful in producing conviction, then our faith would rightly have been supposed to rest on the wisdom of men, and not on the power of God; but now it is manifest to every one who lifts up his eyes, that the word and preaching have not prevailed among the multitude "by persuasive words of wisdom, but by demonstration of the Spirit and of power."[5] Wherefore, since a celestial or even a super-celestial power compels us to worship the only Creator, let us leave the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, i.e., the elements,[6] and endeavour to go on to perfection, in order that the wisdom spoken to the perfect may be spoken to us also. For he who possesses it promises to speak wisdom among them that are perfect, but another wisdom than that of this world, and of the rulers of this world, which is brought to nought. And this wisdom will be distinctly stamped[7] upon us, and will produce a revelation of the mystery that was kept silent in the eternal ages,[9] but now has been manifested through the prophetic Scriptures, and the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
8. Having spoken thus briefly[13] on the subject of the divine
inspiration of the FROM THE LATIN.
the Holy Spirit, it seems necessary to explain this point also, viz., how certain persons, not reading them correctly, have given themselves over to erroneous opinions, inasmuch as the procedure to be followed, in order to attain an understanding of the holy writings, is unknown to many. The Jews, in fine, owing to the hardness of their heart, and from a desire to appear wise in their own eyes, have not believed in our Lord and Saviour, judging that those statements which were uttered respecting Him ought to be understood literally, i.e., that He ought in a sensible and visible manner to preach deliverance to the captives, and first build a city which they truly deem the city of God, and cut off at the same time the chariots of Ephraim,[5] and the horse from Jerusalem; that He ought also to eat butter and honey,[6] in order to choose the good before He should come to how how to bring forth evil.[7] They think, also, that it has been predicted that the wolf—that four-footed animal—is, at the coming of Christ, to feed with the lambs, and the leopard to lie down with kids, and the calf and the bull to pasture with lions, and that they are to be led by a little child to the pasture; that the ox and the bear are to lie down together in the green fields, and that their young ones are to be fed together; that lions also will frequent stalls with the oxen, and feed on straw. And seeing that, according to history, there was no accomplishment of any of those things predicted of Him, in which they believed the signs of Christ's advent were especially to be observed, they refused to acknowledge the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; nay, contrary to all the principles of human and divine law,[9] i.e., contrary to the faith of prophecy, they crucified Him for assuming to Himself the name of Christ. Thereupon the heretics, reading that it is written in the law, "A fire has been kindled in Mine anger;"[11] and that "I the Lord am a jealous (God), visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation;"[12] and that "it repenteth Me that I anointed Saul to be king; "[13] and, "I am the Lord, who make peace and create evil;"[14] and again, "There is not evil in a city which the LoRD hath not done;"[15] and, "Evils came down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem ;"[16] and, "An evil spirit from the Lord plagued Saul;"[17] and reading many other passages similar to these, which are found in Scripture, they did not venture to assert that these were not the Scriptures of God, but they considered them to be the words of that creator God whom the Jews worshipped, and who, they judged, ought to be regarded as just only, and not also as good; but that the Saviour had come to announce to us a more perfect God, who, they allege, is not the creator of the world,—there being different and discordant opinions
FROM THE GREEK.
holy Scriptures, it is necessary to proceed to the (consideration of the) manner in which they are to be read and understood, seeing numerous errors have been committed in consequence of the method in which the holy documents[1] ought to be examined[2] not having been discovered by the multitude. For both the hardened in heart, and the ignorant persons[3] belonging to the circumcision, have not believed on our Saviour, thinking that they are following the language of the prophecies respecting Him, and not perceiving in a manner palpable to their senses[4] that He had proclaimed liberty to the captives, nor that He had built up what they truly consider the city of God, nor cut off "the chariots of Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem,"[5] nor eaten butter and honey, and, before knowing or preferring the evil, had selected the good.[6] And thinking, moreover, that it was prophesied that the wolf—the four-footed animal—was to feed with the lamb, and the leopard to lie down with the kid, and the calf and bull and lion to feed together, being led by a little child, and that the ox and bear were to pasture together, their young ones growing up together, and that the lion was to eat straw like the ox:[8] seeing none of these things visibly accomplished during the advent of Him who is believed by us to be Christ, they did not accept our Lord Jesus; but, as having called Himself Christ improperly,[10] they crucified Him. And those belonging to heretical sects reading this (statement), "A fire has been kindled in Mine anger;"[11] and this, "I am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation;"[12] and this," I repent of having anointed Saul to be king;"[13] and this, "I am a God that maketh peace, and createth evil;"[14] and, among others, this, "There is not wickedness in the city which the Lord hath not done;"[15] and again this, "Evils came down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem;"[16] and, "An evil spirit from the Lord plagued Saul; "[17] and countless other passages like these—they have not ventured to disbelieve these as the Scriptures of God; but believing them to be the (words) of the Demiurge, whom the Jews worship, they thought that as the Demiurge was an imperfect and unbenevo- FROM THE LATIN.
among them even on this very point, because, when they once depart from a belief in God the Creator, who is Lord of all, they have given themselves over to various inventions and fables, devising certain (fictions), and asserting that some things were visible, and made by one (God), and that certain other things were invisible, and were created by another, according to the vain and fanciful suggestions of their own minds. But not a few also of the more simple of those, who appear to be restrained within the faith of the Church, are of opinion that there is no greater God than the Creator, holding in this a correct and sound opinion; and yet they entertain regarding Him such views as would not be entertained regarding the most unjust and cruel of men.
9. Now the reason of the erroneous apprehension of all these
points on the part of those whom we have mentioned above, is no other
than this, that holy Scripture is not understood by them according to
its spiritual, but according to its literal meaning. And therefore we
shall endeavour, so far as our moderate capacity will permit, to point
out to those who believe the holy Scriptures to be no human
compositions, but to be written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and
to be transmitted and entrusted to us by the will of God the Father,
through His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, what appears to us, who
observe things by a right way of understanding,[3] to be the standard
and discipline delivered to the apostles by Jesus Christ, and which
they handed down in succession to their posterity, the teachers of the
holy Church. Now, that there are certain mystical economies[5]
indicated in holy Scripture, is admitted by all, I think, even the
simplest of believers. But what these are, or of what kind they are, he
who is rightly minded, and not overcome with the vice of boasting, will
scrupulously[6] acknowledge himself to be ignorant. For if any one,
e.g., were to adduce the case of the daughters of Lot, who seem,
contrary to the law of God,[7] to have had intercourse with their
father, or that of the two wives of Abraham, or of the two sisters who
were married to Jacob, or of the two hand-maids who increased the
number of his sons, what other answer could be returned than that these
were certain mysteries,[8] and forms of spiritual things, but that we
are ignorant of what nature they are? Nay, even when we read of the
construction of the tabernacle, we deem it certain that the written
descriptions are the figures of certain hidden things; but to adapt
these to their appropriate standards, and to open up
FROM THE GREEK.
lent God, the Saviour had come to announce a more perfect Deity, who, they say, is not the Demiurge, being of different opinions regarding Him; and having once departed from the Demiurge, who is the only uncreated God, they have given themselves up to fictions, inventing to themselves hypotheses, according to which they imagine that there are some things which are visible, and certain other things which are not visible, all which are the fancies of their own minds. And yet, indeed, the more simple among those who profess to belong to the Church have supposed that there is no deity greater than the Demiurge, being right in so thinking, while they imagine regarding Him such things as would not be believed of the most savage and unjust of mankind.
9. Now the cause, in all the points previously enumerated, of the
false opinions, and of the impious statements or ignorant assertions[1]
about God, appears to be nothing else than the not understanding the
Scripture according to its spiritual meaning, but the interpretation of
it agreeably to the mere letter. And therefore, to those who believe
that the sacred books are not the compositions of men, but that they
were composed by inspiration[2] of the Holy Spirit, agreeably to the
will of the Father of all things through Jesus Christ, and that they
have come down to us, we must point out the ways (of interpreting them)
which appear (correct) to us, who cling to the standard[4] of the
heavenly Church of Jesus Christ according to the succession of the
apostles. Now, that there are certain mystical economies made known by
the holy Scriptures, all—even the most simple of those who adhere to
the word—have believed; but what these are, candid and modest
individuals confess that they know not. If, then, one were to be
perplexed about the intercourse of Lot with his daughters, and about
the two wives of Abraham, and the two sisters married to Jacob, and the
two handmaids who bore him children, they can return no other answer
than this, that these are mysteries not understood by us. Nay, also,
when the (description of the) fitting out of the tabernacle is read,
believing that what is written is a type,[9] they seek FROM THE LATIN.
and discuss every individual point, I consider to be exceedingly difficult, not to say impossible. That that description, however, is, as I have said, full of mysteries, does not escape even the common understanding. But all the narrative portion, relating either to the marriages, or to the begetting of the children, or to battles of different kinds, or to any other histories whatever, what else can they be supposed to be, save the forms and figures of hidden and sacred things? As men, however, make little effort to exercise their intellect, or imagine that they possess knowledge before they really learn, the consequence is that they never begin to have knowledge; or if there be no want of a desire, at least, nor of an instructor, and if divine knowledge be sought after, as it ought to be, in a religious and holy spirit, and in the hope that many points will be opened up by the revelation of God—since to human sense they are exceedingly difficult and obscure—then, perhaps, he who seeks in such a manner will find what it is lawful[1] to discover.
10. But lest this difficulty perhaps should be supposed to exist
only in the language of the prophets, seeing the prophetic style is
allowed by all to abound in figures and enigmas, what do we find when
we come to the Gospels? Is there not hidden there also an inner, namely
a divine sense, which is revealed by that grace alone which he had
received who said, "But we have the mind of Christ, that we might know
the things freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not
in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit
teacheth?"[12] And if one now were to read the revelations which were
made to John, how amazed would he not be that there should be contained
within them so great an amount of hidden, ineffable mysteries,[4] in
which it is clearly understood, even by those who cannot comprehend
what is concealed, that samething certainly is concealed. And yet are
not the Epistles of the Apostles, which seem to some to be plainer,
filled with meanings so profound, that by means of them, as by some
small receptacle,[5] the clearness of incalculable light[6] appears to
be poured into those who are capable of understanding the meaning of
divine wisdom? And therefore, because this is the case, and because
there are many who go wrong in this life, I do not consider that it is
easy to pronounce, without danger, that any one knows or understands
those things, which, in order to be opened up, need the key of
knowledge ; which key, the Saviour declared, lay with those who were
skilled in the law. And here, although it is a digression, I think we
should inquire of those who assert that before the advent of the
Saviour there was no truth among those who were engaged in the study of
the
FROM THE GREEK.
to adapt what they can to each particular related about the tabernacle,—not being wrong so far as regards their belief that the tabernacle is a type of something, but erring sometimes in adapting the description of that of which the tabernacle is a type, to some special thing in a manner worthy of Scripture. And all the history that is considered to tell of marriages, or the begetting of children, or of wars, or any histories whatever that are in circulation among the multitude, they declare to be types; but of what in each individual instance, partly owing to their habits not being thoroughly exercised—partly, too, owing to their precipitation—sometimes, even when an individual does happen to be well trained and clear-sighted, owing to the excessive difficulty of discovering things on the part of men,—the nature of each particular regarding these (types) is not clearly ascertained.
10. And what need is there to speak of the prophecies, which we
all know to be filled with enigmas and dark sayings? And if we come to
the Gospels, the exact understanding of these also, as being the mind
of Christ, requires the grace that was given to him who said, "But we
have the mind of Christ, that we might know the things freely given to
us by God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's
wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth."[3] And who, on reading
the revelations made to John, would not be amazed at the unspeakable
mysteries therein concealed, and which are evident (even) to him who
does not comprehend what is written? And to what person, skilful in
investigating words, would the Epistles of the Apostles seem to be
clear and easy of understanding, since even in them there are countless
numbers of most profound ideas, which, (issuing forth) as by an
aperture, admit of no rapid comprehension?[7] And therefore, since
these things are so, and since innumerable individuals fall into
mistakes, it is not safe in reading (the Scriptures) to declare that
one easily understands what needs the key of knowledge, which the
Saviour declares is with the lawyers. And let those answer who will not
allow that the truth was with these before the advent of Christ, how
the key of knowledge is said by our Lord Jesus Christ to be with those
who, as they allege, FROM THE LATIN.
law, how it could be said by our Lord Jesus Christ that the keys of knowledge were with them, who had the books of the prophets and of the law in their hands. For thus did He speak: "Woe unto you, ye teachers of the law, who have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them who wished to enter in ye hindered."[3]
11. But, as we had begun to observe, the way which seems to us
the correct one for the understanding of the Scriptures, and for the
investigation of their meaning, we consider to be of the following
kind: for we are instructed by Scripture itself in regard to the ideas
which we ought to form of it. In the Proverbs of Solomon we find some
such rule as the following laid down, respecting the consideration of
holy Scripture: "And do thou," he says, "describe these things to
thyself in a threefold manner, in counsel and knowledge, and that thou
mayest answer the words of truth to those who have proposed them to
thee."[6] Each one, then, ought to describe in his own mind, in a
threefold manner, the understanding of the divine letters,—that is, in
order that all the more simple individuals may be edified, so to speak;
by the very body of Scripture; for such we term that common and
historical sense: while, if some have commenced to make considerable
progress, and are able to see something more (than that), they may be
edified by the very soul of Scripture. Those, again, who are perfect,
and who resemble those of whom the apostle says, "We speak wisdom among
them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the
princes of this world, who will be brought to nought; but we speak the
wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, which God hath decreed before the
ages unto our glory;"[7]—all such as these may be edified by the
spiritual law itself (which has a shadow of good things to come), as if
by the Spirit. For as man is said to consist of body, and soul, and
spirit, so also does sacred Scripture, which has been granted by the
divine bounty s for the salvation of man; which we see pointed out,
moreover, in the little book of The Shepherd, which seems to be
despised by some, where Hermas is commanded to write two little books,
and afterwards to announce to the presbyters of the Church what he
learned from the Spirit. For these are the words that are written: "And
you will write," he says, "two books; and you will give the one to
Clement, and the other to Grapte.[9] And let Grapte admonish the widows
and orphans, and let Clement send through all the cities
FROM THE GREEK.
had not the books which contain the secrets[1] of knowledge, and perfect mysteries.[2] For His words run thus: "Woe unto you, ye lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye have not entered in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered."[3]
11. The way, then, as it appears to us, in which we ought to deal
with the Scriptures, and extract from them their meaning, is the
following, which has been ascertained from the Scriptures themselves.
By Solomon in the Proverbs we find some such rule as this enjoined
respecting the divine doctrines of Scripture:[4] "And do thou portray
them in a threefold manner, in counsel and knowledge, to answer words
of truth to them who propose them to thee."[5] The individual ought,
then, to portray the ideas of holy Scripture in a threefold manner upon
his own soul; in order that the simple man may be edified by the
"flesh," as it were, of the Scripture, for so we name the obvious
sense; while he who has ascended a certain way (may be edified) by the
"soul," as it were. The perfect man, again, and he who resembles those
spoken of by the apostle, when he says, "We speak wisdom among them
that are perfect, but not the wisdom of the world, nor of the rulers of
this world, who come to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God in a
mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God hath ordained before the ages,
unto our glory,"[7] (may receive edification) from the spiritual law,
which has a shadow of good things to come. For as man consists of body,
and soul, and spirit, so in the same way does Scripture, which has been
arranged to be given by God for the salvation of men. And therefore we
deduce this also from a book which is despised by some—The
Shepherd—in respect of the command given to Hermas to write two books,
and after so doing to announce to the presbyters of the Church what he
had learned from the Spirit. The words are as follows: "You will write
two books, and give one to Clement, and one to Grapte. And Grapte shall
admonish FROM THE LATIN
which are abroad, while you will announce to the presbyters of the Church." Grapte, accordingly, who is commanded to admonish the orphans and widows, is the pure understanding of the letter itself; by which those youthful minds are admonished, who have not yet deserved to have God as their Father, and are on that account styled orphans. They, again, are the widows, who have withdrawn themselves from the unjust man, to whom they had been united contrary to law; but who have remained widows, because they have not yet advanced to the stage of being joined to a heavenly Bridegroom. Clement, moreover, is ordered to send into those cities which are abroad what is written to those individuals who already are withdrawing from the letter,—as if the meaning were to those souls who, being built up by this means, have begun to rise above the cares of the body and the desires of the flesh; while he himself, who had learned from the Holy Spirit, is commanded to announce, not by letter nor by book, but by the living voice, to the presbyters of the Church of Christ, i.e., to those who possess a mature faculty of wisdom, capable of receiving spiritual teaching.
12. This point, indeed, is not to be passed by without notice,
viz., that there are certain passages of Scripture where this "body,"
as we termed it, i.e., this inferential historical sense,[4] is not
always found, as we shall prove to be the case in the following pages,
but where that which we termed "soul" or "spirit" can only be
understood. And this, I think, is indicated in the Gospels, where there
are said to be placed, according to the manner of purification among
the Jews, six water-vessels, containing two or three firkins[5]
a-piece; by which, as I have said, the language of the Gospel seems to
indicate, with respect to those who are secretly called by the apostle
"Jews," that they are purified by the word of Scripture,—receiving
indeed sometimes two firkins, i.e., the understanding of the "soul" or
"spirit," according to our statement as above; sometimes even three
(firkins), when in the reading (of Scripture) the "bodily" sense, which
is the "historical," may be preserved for the edification of the
people. Now six water-vessels are appropriately spoken of, with regard
to those persons who are purified by being placed in the world; for we
read that in six days—which is the perfect number—this world and all
things in it were finished. How great, then, is the utility of this
first "historical" sense which we have mentioned, is attested by the
multitude of all believers, who believe with adequate faith and
simplicity, and does not need much argument, because it is openly
manifest to all; whereas of that sense which we have called above the
"soul," as it were, of Scripture, the Apostle Paul has given us
numerous examples in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. For we find
the expression, "Thou shalt not muzzle the
FROM THE GREEK.
the widows and the orphans, and Clement will send to the cities abroad, while you will announce to the presbyters of the Church." Now Grapte, who admonishes the widows and the orphans, is the mere letter (of Scripture), which admonishes those who are yet children in soul, and not able to call God their Father, and who are on that account styled orphans,—admonishing, moreover, those who no longer have an unlawful bridegroom,[1] but who remain widows, because they have not yet become worthy of the (heavenly) Bridegroom; while Clement, who is already beyond the letter, is said to send what is written to the cities abroad, as if we were to call these the "souls," who are above (the influence of) bodily (affections) and degraded[2] ideas,—the disciple of the Spirit himself being enjoined to make known, no longer by letters, but by living words, to the presbyters of the whole Church of God, who have become grey[3] through wisdom.
12. But as there are certain passages of Scripture which do not
at all contain the "corporeal" sense, as we shall show in the following
(paragraphs), there are also places where we must seek only for the
"soul," as it were, and "spirit" of Scripture. And perhaps on this
account the water-vessels containing two or three firkins a-piece are
said to lie for the purification of the Jews, as we read in the Gospel
according to John: the expression darkly intimating, with respect to
those who (are called) by the apostle "Jews" secretly, that they are
purified by the word of Scripture, receiving sometimes two firkins,
i.e., so to speak, the "psychical" and "spiritual" sense; and sometimes
three firkins, since some have, in addition to those already mentioned,
also the "corporeal" sense, which is capable of (producing)
edification. And six water-vessels are reasonably (appropriate) to
those who are purified in the world, which was made in six days—the
perfect number. That the first "sense," then, is profitable in this
respect, that it is capable of imparting edification, is testified by
the multitudes of genuine and simple believers; while of that
interpretation which is referred back to the "soul," there is an
illustration in Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians. The expression
is, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the
corn;"[6] to which he adds, "Doth God FROM THE LATIN.
mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn."[1] And afterwards, when explaining what precept ought to be understood by this, he adds the words: "Doth God take care for oxen? or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written; that he who plougheth should plough in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope of partaking."[2] Very many other passages also of this nature, which are in this way explained of the law, contribute extensive information to the hearers.
13. Now a "spiritual" interpretation is of this nature: when one
is able to point out what are the heavenly things of which these serve
as the patterns and shadow, who are Jews "according to the flesh," and
of what things future the law contains a shadow, and any other
expressions of this kind that may be found in holy Scripture; or when
it is a subject of inquiry, what is that wisdom hidden in a mystery
which "God ordained before the world for our glory, which none of the
princes of this world knew;"[3] or the meaning of the apostle's
language, when, employing certain illustrations from Exodus or Numbers,
he says: "These things happened to them in a figure,[5] and they are
written on our account, on whom the ends of the ages have come."[6]
Now, an opportunity is afforded us of understanding of what those
things which happened to them were figures, when he adds: "And they
drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them, and that Rock was
Christ."[7] In another Epistle also, when referring to the tabernacle,
he mentions the direction which was given to Moses: "Thou shalt make
(all things) according to the pattern which was showed thee in the
mount."[8] And writing to the Galatians, and upbraiding certain
individuals who seem to themselves to read the law, and yet without
understanding it, because of their ignorance of the fact that an
allegorical meaning underlies what is written, he says to them in a
certain tone of rebuke: "Tell me, ye who desire to be under the law, do
ye not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons; the
one by a bond-maid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the
bond-woman was born according to the flesh; but he of the free woman
was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two
covenants."[9] And here this point is to be attended to, viz., the
caution with which the apostle employs the expression, "Ye who are
under the law, do ye not hear the law?" Do ye not hear, i.e., do ye not
understand and know? In the Epistle to the Colossians, again, briefly
summing up and condensing the meaning of the whole law, he says: "Let
no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of holy
days, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath, which are a shadow of
things to come."[11] Writing to the Hebrews
FROM THE GREEK.
take care of oxen? or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this was written: that he that plougheth should plough in hope, and that he who thresheth, in hope of partaking."[2] And there are numerous interpretations adapted to the multitude which are in circulation, and which edify those who are unable to understand profounder meanings, and which have somewhat the same character.
13. But the interpretation is "spiritual," when one is able to
show of what heavenly things the Jews "according to the flesh" served
as an example and a shadow, and of what future blessings the law
contains a shadow. And, generally, we must investigate, according to
the apostolic promise, "the wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the world for the glory" of the just, which
"none of the princes of this world knew."[4] And the same apostle says
somewhere, after referring to certain events mentioned as occurring in
Exodus and Numbers, "that these things happened to them figuratively,
but that they were written on our account, on whom the ends of the
world are come."[6] And he gives an opportunity for ascertaining of
what things these were patterns, when he says: "For they drank of the
spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."[7] And in
another Epistle, when sketching the various matters relating to the
tabernacle, he used the words: "Thou shall make everything according to
the pattern showed thee in the mount."[8] Moreover, in the Epistle to
the Galatians, as if upbraiding those who think that they read the law,
and yet do not understand it, judging that those do not understand it
who do not reflect that allegories are contained under what is written,
he says: "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear
the law? For it is written, Abraham had two sons; the one by the
bond-maid, the other by the free woman. But he who was by the bond-maid
was born according to the flesh; but he of the free woman was by
promise. Which things are an allegory:[10] for these are the two
covenants," and so on. Now we must carefully observe each word employed
by him. He says: "Ye who desire to be under the law," not "Ye that are
under the law;" and, "Do ye not FROM THE LATIN.
also, and treating of those who belong to the circumcision, he says: "Those who serve to the example and shadow of heavenly things."[1] Now perhaps, through these illustrations, no doubt will be entertained regarding the five books of Moses, by those who hold the writings of the apostle, as divinely inspired. And if they require, with respect to the rest of the history, that those events which are contained in it should be considered as having happened for an ensample to those of whom they are written, we have observed that this also has been stated in the EpiStle to the Romans, where the apostle adduces an instance from the third book of Kings, saying, "I have left me seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal;"[3] which expression Paul understood as figuratively spoken of those who are called Israelites according to the election, in order to show that the advent of Christ had not only now been of advantage to the Gentiles, but that very many even of the race of Israel had been called to salvation.
14. This being the state of the case, we shall sketch out, as if
by way of illustration and pattern, what may occur to us with regard to
the manner in which holy Scripture is to be understood on these several
points, repeating in the first instance, and pointing out this fact,
that the Holy Spirit, by the providence and will of God, through the
power of His only-begotten Word, who was in the beginning God with God,
enlightened the ministers of truth, the prophets and apostles, to
understand the mysteries of those things or causes which take place
among men, or with respect to men.[6] And by "men," I now mean souls
that are placed in bodies, who, relating those mysteries that are known
to them, and revealed through Christ, as if they were a kind of human
transactions, or handing down certain legal observances and
injunctions, described them figuratively;[7] not that any one who
pleased might view these expositions as deserving to be trampled under
foot, but that he who should devote himself with all chastity, and
sobriety, and watchfulness, to studies of this kind, might be able by
this means to trace out the meaning of the Spirit of God, which is
perhaps lying profoundly buried, and the context, which may be pointing
again in another direction than the ordinary usage of speech would
indicate.
FROM THE GREEK.
hear the law?"—"hearing" being understood to mean "comprehending" and "knowing." And in the Epistle to the Colossians, briefly abridging the meaning of the whole legislation, he says: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of a new moon, or of Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come."[2] Moreover, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, discoursing of those who belong to the circumcision, he writes: "who serve for an ensample and shadow of heavenly things."[1] Now it is probable that, from these illustrations, those will entertain no doubt with respect to the five books of Moses, who have once given in their adhesion to the apostle, as divinely inspired;[4] but do you wish to know, with regard to the rest of the history, if it also happened as a pattern? We must note, then, the expression in the Epistle to the Romans, "I have left to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal,"[3] quoted from the third book of Kings, which Paul has understood as equivalent (in meaning) to those who are Israelites according to election, because not only were the Gentiles benefited by the advent of Christ, but also certain of the race of God.[5]
14. This being the state of the case, we have to sketch what seem
to us to be the marks of the (true) understanding of Scriptures. And,
in the first place, this must be pointed out, that the object of the
Spirit, which by the providence of God, through the Word who was in the
beginning with God, illuminated the ministers of truth, the prophets
and apostles, was especially (the communication) of ineffable mysteries
regarding the affairs of men (now by men I mean those souls that make
use of bodies), in order that he who is capable of instruction may by
investigation, and by devoting himself to the study of the profundities
of meaning contained in the words, become a participator of all the
doctrines of his counsel. And among those matters which relate to souls
(who cannot otherwise obtain perfection apart from the rich and wise
truth of God), the (doctrines) belonging to God and His only-begotten
Son are necessarily laid down as primary, viz., of what nature He is,
and in what manner He is the Son of God, and what are the causes of His
FROM THE LATIN.
And in this way he might become a sharer in the knowledge of the Spirit, and a partaker in the divine counsel, because the soul cannot come to the perfection of knowledge otherwise than by inspiration of the truth of the divine wisdom. Accordingly, it is of God, i.e. of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that these men, filled with the Divine Spirit, chiefly treat; then the mysteries relating to the Son of God—how the Word became flesh, and why He descended even to the assumption of the form of a servant—are the subject, as I have said, of explanation by those persons who are filled with the Divine Spirit. It next followed, necessarily, that they should instruct mortals by divine teaching, regarding rational creatures, both those of heaven and the happier ones of earth; and also (should explain) the differences among souls, and the origin of these differences; and then should tell what this world is, and why it was created; whence also sprung the great and terrible wickedness which extends over the earth. And whether that wickedness is found on this earth only, or in other places, is a point which it was necessary for us to learn from divine teaching. Since, then, it was the intention of the Holy Spirit to enlighten with respect to these and similar subjects, those holy souls who had devoted themselves to the service of the truth, this object was kept in view, in the second place, viz., for the sake of those who either could not or would not give themselves to this labour and toil by which they might deserve to be instructed in or to recognise things of such value and importance, to wrap up and conceal, as we said before, in ordinary language, under the covering of some history and narrative of visible things, hidden mysteries. There is therefore introduced the narrative of the visible creation, and the creation and formation of the first man; then the offspring which followed from him in succession, and some of the actions which were done by the good among his posterity, are related, and occasionally certain crimes also, which are stated to have been committed by them as being human; and afterwards certain unchaste or wicked deeds also are narrated as being the acts of the wicked. The description of battles, moreover, is given in a wonderful manner, and the alternations of victors and vanquished, by which certain ineffable mysteries are made known to those who know how to investigate statements of that kind. By an admirable discipline of wisdom, too, the law of truth, even of the prophets, is implanted in the Scriptures of the law, each of which is woven by a divine art of wisdom, as a kind of covering and veil of spiritual truths; and this is what we have called the "body" of Scripture, so that also, in this way, what we have called the covering of the letter, woven by the art of wisdom, might be capable of edifying and profiting many, when others would derive no benefit.
FROM THE GREEK.
descending even to (the assumption of) human flesh, and of complete humanity; and what, also, is the operation of this (Son), and upon whom and when exercised. And it was necessary also that the subject of kindred beings, and other rational creatures, both those who are divine and those who have fallen from blessedness, together with the reasons of their fall, should be contained in the divine teaching; and also that of the diversities of souls, and of the origin of these diversities, and of the nature of the world, and the cause of its existence. We must learn also the origin of the great and terrible wickedness which overspreads the earth, and whether it is confined to this earth only, or prevails elsewhere. Now, while these and similar objects were present to the Spirit, who enlightened the souls of the holy ministers of the truth, there was a second object, for the sake of those who were unable to endure the fatigue of investigating matters so important, viz., to conceal the doctrine relating to the previously mentioned subjects, in expressions containing a narrative which conveyed an announcement regarding the things of the visible creation,[1] the creation of man, and the successive descendants of the first men until they became numerous; and other histories relating the acts of just men, and the sins occasionally committed by these same men as being human beings, and the wicked deeds, both of unchastity and vice, committed by sinful and ungodly men. And what is most remarkable, by the history of wars, and of the victors, and the vanquished, certain mysteries are indicated to those who are able to test these statements. And more wonderful still, the laws of truth are predicted by the written legislation;—all these being described in a connected series, with a power which is truly in keeping with the wisdom of God. For it was intended that the covering also of the spiritual truths—I mean the "bodily" part of Scripture—should not be without profit in many cases, but should be capable of improving the multitude, according to their capacity. FROM THE LATIN.
15. But as if, in all the instances of this covering (i.e., of
this history), the logical connection and order of the law had been
preserved, we would not certainly believe, when thus possessing the
meaning of Scripture in a continuous series, that anything else was
contained in it save what was indicated on the surface; so for that
reason divine wisdom took care that certain stumbling-blocks, or
interruptions,[3] to the historical meaning should take place, by the
introduction into the midst (of the narrative) of certain
impossibilities and incongruities; that in this way the very
interruption of the narrative might, as by the interposition of a bolt,
present an obstacle to the reader, whereby he might refuse to
acknowledge the way which conducts to the ordinary meaning; and being
thus excluded and debarred from it, we might be recalled to the
beginning of another way, in order that, by entering upon a narrow
path, and passing to a loftier and more sublime road, he might lay open
the immense breadth of divine wisdom.[5] This, however, must not be
unnoted by us, that as the chief object of the Holy Spirit is to
preserve the coherence of the spiritual meaning, either in those things
which ought to be done or which have been already performed, if He
anywhere finds that those events which, according to the history, took
place, can be adapted to a spiritual meaning, He composed a texture of
both kinds in one style of narration, always concealing the hidden
meaning more deeply; but where the historical narrative could not be
made appropriate to the spiritual coherence of the occurrences, He
inserted sometimes certain things which either did not take place or
could not take place; sometimes also what might happen, but what did
not: and He does this at one time in a few words, which, taken in their
"bodily" meaning, seem incapable of containing truth, and at another by
the insertion of many. And this we find frequently to be the case in
the legislative portions, where there are many things manifestly useful
among the "bodily" precepts, but a very great number also in which no
principle of utility is at all discernible, and sometimes even things
which are judged to be impossibilities. Now all this, as we have
remarked, was done by the Holy Spirit in order that, seeing those
events which lie on the surface can be neither true nor useful, we may
be led to the investigation of that truth which is more deeply
concealed, and to the ascertaining of a meaning worthy of God in those
Scriptures which we believe to be inspired by Him.
16. Nor was it only with regard to those Scriptures which were
composed down to the advent of Christ that the Holy Spirit thus dealt;
but as being one and the same Spirit, and proceeding from one God, He
dealt in the same way with the evangelists and apostles. For even those
narratives which He in-
FROM THE GREEK.
15. But since, if the usefulness of the legislation, and the
sequence and beauty[1] of the history, were universally evident of
itself,[2] we should not believe that any other thing could be
understood in the Scriptures save what was obvious, the word of God has
arranged that certain stumbling-blocks, as it were, and offences, and
impossibilities, should be introduced into the midst of the law and the
history, in order that we may not, through being drawn away in all
directions by the merely attractive nature of the language,[4] either
altogether fall away from the (true) doctrines, as learning nothing
worthy of God, or, by not departing from the letter, come to the
knowledge of nothing more divine. And this also we must know, that the
principal aim being to announce the "spiritual" connection in those
things that are done, and that ought to be done, where the Word found
that things done according to the history could be adapted to these
mystical senses, He made use of them, concealing from the multitude the
deeper meaning; but where, in the narrative of the development of
super-sensual things,[6] there did not follow the performance of those
certain events, which was already indicated by the mystical meaning,
the Scripture interwove in the history (the account of) some event that
did not take place, sometimes what could not have happened; sometimes
what could, but did not. And sometimes a few words are interpolated
which are not true in their literal acceptation,[7] and sometimes a
larger number. And a similar practice also is to be noticed with regard
to the legislation, in which is often to be found what is useful in
itself, and appropriate to the times of the legislation; and sometimes
also what does not appear to be of utility; and at other times
impossibilities are recorded for the sake of the more skilful and
inquisitive, in order that they may give themselves to the toil of
investigating what is written, and thus attain to a becoming conviction
of the manner in which a meaning worthy of God must be sought out in
such subjects.
16. It was not only, however, with the (Scriptures composed)
before the advent (of Christ) that the Spirit thus dealt; but as being
the same Spirit, and (proceeding) from the one God, He did the same
thing both with the evangelists and the apostles, FROM THE LATIN.
spired them to write were not composed without the aid of that wisdom of His, the nature of which we have above explained. Whence also in, them were intermingled not a few things by which, the historical order of the narrative being interrupted and broken up, the attention of the reader might be recalled, by the impossibility of the case, to an examination of the inner meaning. But, that our meaning may be ascertained by the facts themselves, let us examine the passages of Scripture. Now who is there, pray, possessed of understanding, that will regard the statement as appropriate,[2] that the first day, and the second, and the third, in which also both evening and morning are mentioned, existed without sun, and moon, and stars—the first day even without a sky? And who is found so ignorant as to suppose that God, as if He had been a husbandman, planted trees in paradise, in Eden towards the east, and a tree of life in it, i.e., a visible and palpable tree of wood,[3] so that any one eating of it with bodily teeth should obtain life, and, eating again of another tree, should come to the knowledge of good and evil? No one, I think, can doubt that the statement that God walked in the afternoon in paradise, and that Adam lay hid under a tree, is related figuratively in Scripture, that some mystical meaning may be indicated by it. The departure of Cain from the presence of the Lord will manifestly cause a careful reader to inquire what is the presence of God, and how any one can go out from it. But not to extend the task which we have before us beyond its due limits, it is very easy for any one who pleases to gather out of holy Scripture what is recorded indeed as having been done, but what nevertheless cannot be believed as having reasonably and appropriately occurred according to the historical account. The same style of Scriptural narrative occurs abundantly in the Gospels, as when the devil is said to have placed Jesus on a lofty mountain, that he might show Him from thence all the kingdoms of the word, and the glory of them. How could it literally come to pass, either that Jesus should be led up by the devil into a high mountain, or that the latter should show him all the kingdoms of the world (as if they were lying beneath his bodily eyes, and adjacent to one mountain), i.e., the kingdoms of the Persians, and Scythians, and Indians? or how could he show in what manner the kings of these kingdoms are glorified by men? And many other instances similar to this will be found in the Gospels by any one who will read them with attention, and will observe that in those narratives which appear to be literally recorded, there are inserted and interwoven things which cannot be admitted historically, but which may be accepted in a spiritual signification.[6]
FROM THE GREEK.
—as even these do not contain throughout a pure history of events, which are interwoven indeed according to the letter, but which did not actually occur.[1] Nor even do the law and the commandments wholly convey what is agreeable to reason. For who that has understanding will suppose that the first, and second, and third day, and the evening and the morning, existed without a sun, and moon, and stars? and that the first day was, as it were, also without a sky? And who is so foolish as to suppose that God, after the manner of a husbandman, planted a paradise in Eden, towards the east, and placed in it a tree of life, visible and palpable, so that one tasting of the fruit by the bodily teeth obtained life? and again, that one was a partaker of good and evil by masticating what was taken from the tree? And if God is said to walk in the paradise in the evening, and Adam to hide himself under a tree, I do not suppose that any one doubts that these things figuratively indicate certain mysteries, the history having taken place in appearance, and not literally.[4] Cain also, when going forth from the presence of God, certainly appears to thoughtful men as likely to lead the reader to inquire what is the presence of God, and what is the meaning of going out from Him. And what need is there to say more, since those who are not altogether blind can collect countless instances of a similar kind recorded as having occurred, but which did not literally[[5] take place? Nay, the Gospels themselves are filled with the same kind of narratives; e.g., the devil leading Jesus up into a high mountain, in order to show him from thence the kingdoms of the whole world, and the glory of them. For who is there among those who do not read such accounts carelessly, that would not condemn those who think that with the eye of the body—which requires a lofty height in order that the parts lying (immediately) under and adjacent may be seen—the kingdoms of the Persians, and Scythians, and Indians, and Parthians, were beheld, and the manner in which their princes are glorified among men? And the attentive reader may notice in the Gospels innumerable other passages like these, so that he will be convinced that in the histories that are literally re- FROM THE LATIN.,
17. In the passages containing the commandments also, similar
things are found. For in the law Moses is commanded to destroy every
male that is not circumcised on the eighth day, which is exceedingly
incongruous,[2] since it would be necessary, if it were related that
the law was executed according to the history, to command those parents
to be punished who did not circumcise their children, and also those
who were the nurses of little children. The declaration of Scripture
now is, "The uncircumcised male, i.e., who shall not have been
circumcised, shall be cut off from his people."[3] And if we are to
inquire regarding the impossibilities of the law, we find an animal
called the goat-stag,[4] which cannot possibly exist, but which, as
being in the number of clean beasts, Moses commands to be eaten; and a
griffin,[5] which no one ever remembers or heard of as yielding to
human power, but which the legislator forbids to be used for food.
Respecting the celebrated[6] observance of the Sabbath also he thus
speaks: "Ye shall sit, every one in your dwellings; no one shall move
from his place on the Sabbath-day."[8] Which precept it is impossible
to observe literally; for no man can sit a whole day so as not to move
from the place where he sat down. With respect to each one of these
points now, those who belong to the circumcision, and all who would
have no more meaning to be found in sacred Scripture than what is
indicated by the letter, consider that there should be no investigation
regarding the goat-stag, and the griffin, and the vulture; and they
invent some empty and trifling tales about the Sabbath, drawn from some
traditional sources or other, alleging that every one's place is
computed to him within two thousand cubits."[10] Others, again, among
whom is Dositheus the Samaritan, censure indeed expositions of this
kind, but themselves lay down something more ridiculous, viz., that
each one must remain until the evening in the posture, place, or
position in which he found himself on the Sabbath-day; i.e., if found
sitting, he is to sit the whole day, or if reclining, he is to recline
the whole day. Moreover, the injunction which runs, "Bear no burden on
the Sabbath-day,"[12] seems to me an impossibility. For the Jewish
doctors, in consequence of these (prescriptions), have betaken
themselves, as the holy apostle says, to innumerable fables, saying
that it is not accounted a burden if a man wear shoes without nails,
but that it is a burden if shoes with nails be worn; and that if it be
carried on one shoulder, they consider it a burden; but if on both,
they declare it to be none.
FROM THE GREEK.
corded, circumstances that did not occur are inserted.
17. And if we come to the legislation of Moses, many of the laws
manifest the irrationality, and others the impossibility, of their
literal[1] observance. The irrationality (in this), that the people are
forbidden to eat vultures, although no one even in the direst famines
was (ever) driven by want to have recourse to this bird; and that
children eight days old, which are uncircumcised, are ordered to be
exterminated from among their people, it being necessary, if the law
were to be carried out at all literally with regard to these, that
their fathers, or those with whom they are brought up, should be
commanded to be put to death. Now the Scripture says: "Every male that
is uncircumcised, who shall not be circumcised on the eighth day, shall
be cut off from among his people."[7] And if you wish to see
impossibilities contained in the legislation, let us observe that the
goat-stag is one of those animals that cannot exist, and yet Moses
commands us to offer it as being a clean beast; whereas a griffin,
which is not recorded ever to have been subdued by man, the lawgiver
forbids to be eaten. Nay, he who carefully considers (the famous
injunction relating to) the Sabbath, "Ye shall sit each one in your
dwellings: let no one go out from his place on the seventh day,"[9]
will deem it impossible to be literally observed: for no living being
is able to sit throughout a whole day, and remain without moving from a
sitting position. And therefore those who belong to the circumcision,
and all who desire that no meaning should be exhibited, save the
literal one, do not investigate at all such subjects as those of the
goat-stag and griffin and vulture, but indulge in foolish talk on
certain points, multiplying words and adducing tasteless[11]
traditions; as, for example, with regard to the Sabbath, saying that
two thousand cubits is each one's limit.[13] Others, again, among whom
is Dositheus the Samaritan, condemning such an interpretation, think
that in the position in which a man is found on the Sabbath-day, he is
to remain until evening. Moreover, the not carrying of a burden on the
Sabbath-day is an impossibility; and therefore the Jewish teach- FROM
THE LATIN.
18. And now, if we institute a similar examination with regard to
the Gospels, how shall it appear otherwise than absurd to take the
injunction literally, "Salute no man by the way?"[2] And yet there are
simple individuals, who think that our Saviour gave this command to His
apostles! How, also, can it appear possible for such an order as this
to be observed, especially in those countries where there is a rigorous
winter, attended by frost and ice, viz., that one should possess
"neither two coats, nor shoes? "[2] And this, that when one is smitten
on the right cheek, he is ordered to present the left also, since every
one who strikes with the right hand smites the left cheek? This precept
also in the Gospels must be accounted among impossibilities, viz., that
if the right eye "offend" thee, it is to be plucked out; for even if we
were to suppose that bodily eyes were spoken of, how shall it appear
appropriate, that when both eyes have the property of sight, the
responsibility of the "offence" should be transferred to one eye, and
that the right one? Or who shall be considered free of a crime of the
greatest enormity, that lays hands upon himself? But perhaps the
Epistles of the Apostle Paul will appear to be beyond this. For what is
his meaning, when he says, "Is any man called, being circumcised? Let
him not become uncircumcised."[4] This expression indeed, in the first
place, does not on careful consideration seem to be spoken with
reference to the subject of which he was treating at the time, for this
discourse consisted of injunctions relating to marriage and to
chastity; and these words, therefore, will have the appearance of an
unnecessary addition to such a subject. In the second place, however,
what objection would there be, if, for the sake of avoiding that
unseemliness which is caused by circumcision, a man were able to become
uncircumcised?[6] And, in the third place, that is altogether
impossible.
The object of all these statements on our part, is to show that
it was the design of the Holy-Spirit, who deigned to bestow upon us the
sacred Scriptures, to show that we were not to be edified by the letter
alone, or by everything in it,—a thing which we see to be frequently
impossible and inconsistent; for in that way not only absurdities, but
impossibilities, would be the result; but that we are to understand
that certain occurrences were interwoven in this "visible" history,
which, when considered and un-
FROM THE GREEK.
ers have fallen into countless absurdities,[1] saying that a shoe of such a kind was a burden, but not one of another kind; and that a sandal which had nails was a burden, but not one that was without them; and in like manner what was borne on one shoulder (was a load), but not that which was carried on both.
18. And if we go to the Gospel and institute a similar
examination, what would be more irrational than (to take literally the
injunction), "Salute no man by the way,"[2] which simple persons think
the Saviour enjoined on the apostles? The command, moreover, that the
right cheek should be smitten, is most incredible, since every one who
strikes, unless he happen to have some bodily defect,[3] smites the
left cheek with his right hand. And it is impossible to take
(literally, the statement) in the Gospel about the "offending" of the
right eye. For, to grant the possibility of one being "offended" by the
sense of sight, how, when there are two eyes that see, should the blame
be laid upon the right eye? And who is there that, condemning himself
for having looked upon a woman to last after her, would rationally
transfer the blame to the right eye alone, and throw it away? The
apostle, moreover, lays down the law, saying, "Is any man called, being
circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised."[4] In the first place,
any one will see that he does not utter these words in connection with
the subject before him. For, when laying down precepts on marriage and
purity, how will it not appear that he has introduced these words at
random?[5] But, in the second place, who will say that a man does wrong
who endeavours to become uncircumcised, if that be possible, on account
of the disgrace that is considered by the multitude to attach to
circumcision.
All these statements have been made by us, in order to show that
the design of that divine power which gave us the sacred Scriptures is,
that we should not receive what is presented by the letter alone (such
things being sometimes not true in their literal acceptation, but
absurd and impossible), but that certain things have been introduced
into the actual history and into the legislation that are useful in
their literal sense.[7] FROM THE LATIN.
derstood in their inner meaning, give forth a law which is advantageous to men and worthy of God.
19. Let no one, however, entertain the suspicion that we do not
believe any history in Scripture to be real, because we suspect certain
events related in it not to have taken place; or that no precepts of
the law are to be taken literally, because we consider certain of them,
in which either the nature or possibility of the case so requires,
incapable of being observed; or that we do not believe those
predictions which were written of the Saviour to have been fulfilled in
a manner palpable to the senses; or that His commandments are not to be
literally obeyed. We have therefore to state in answer, since we are
manifestly so of opinion, that the truth of the history may and ought
to be preserved in the majority of instances. For who can deny that
Abraham was buried in the double cave[3] at Hebron, as well as Isaac
and Jacob, and each of their wives? Or who doubts that Shechem was
given as a portion to Joseph?[4] or that Jerusalem is the metropolis of
Judea, on which the temple of God was built by Solomon?—and countless
other statements. For the passages which hold good in their historical
acceptation are much more numerous than those which contain a purely
spiritual meaning. Then, again, who would not maintain that the command
to "honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with
thee,"[5] is sufficient of itself without any spiritual meaning, and
necessary for those who observe it? especially when Paul also has
confirmed the command by repeating it in the same words. And what need
is there to speak of the prohibitions, "Thou shalt not commit
adultery," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not bear false
witness,"[7] and others of the same kind? And with respect to the
precepts enjoined in the Gospels, no doubt can be entertained that very
many of these are to be literally observed, as e.g., when our Lord
says, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all;"[8] and when He says,
"Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart;"[9] the admonitions also which
are found in the writings of the Apostle Paul, "Warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards
all men,"[12] and very many others. And yet I have no doubt that an
attentive reader will, in numerous instances, hesitate whether this or
that history can be considered to be literally true or not; or whether
this or that precept ought to be observed according to the letter or
no. And therefore great pains and labour are to be employed, until
every reader reverentially understand that he is dealing with divine
and not human words inserted in the sacred books.
FROM THE GREEK.
19. But that no one may suppose that we assert respecting the
whole that no history is real[1] because a certain one is not; and that
no law is to be literally observed, because a certain one, (understood)
according to the letter, is absurd or impossible; or that the
statements regarding the Saviour are not true in a manner perceptible
to the senses;[2] or that no commandment and precept of His ought to be
obeyed;—we have to answer that, with regard to certain things, it is
perfectly clear to us that the historical account is true; as that
Abraham was buried in the double cave at Hebron, as also Isaac and
Jacob, and the wives of each of them; and that Shechem was given as a
portion to Joseph;[4] and that Jerusalem is the metropolis of Judea, in
which the temple of God was built by Solomon; and innumerable other
statements. For the passages that are true in their historical meaning
are much more numerous than those which are interspersed with a purely
spiritual signification. And again, who would not say that the command
which enjoins to "honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well
with thee,"[5] is useful, apart from all allegorical meaning,[6] and
ought to be observed, the Apostle Paul also having employed these very
same words? And what need is there to speak of the (prohibitions),
"Thou shall not commit adultery," "Thou shall not kill," "Thou shall
not steal," "Thou shall not bear false witness?"[7] And again, there
are commandments contained in the Gospel which admit of no doubt
whether they are to be observed according to the letter or not; e.g.,
that which says, "But I say unto you, Whoever is angry with his
brother,"[10] and so on. And again, "But I say unto you, Swear not at
all."[11] And in the writings of the apostle the literal sense is to be
retained: "Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded,
support the weak, be patient towards all men;"[12] although it is
possible for those ambitious of a deeper meaning to retain the
profundities of the wisdom of God, without setting aside the
commandment in its literal meaning.[13] The careful (reader), however,
will be in doubt[14] as to certain points, being unable to show without
FROM THE LATIN.
20. The understanding, therefore, of holy Scripture which we
consider ought to be deservedly and consistently maintained, is of the
following kind. A certain nation is declared by holy Scripture to have
been chosen by God upon the earth, which nation has received several
names: for sometimes the whole of it is termed Israel, and sometimes
Jacob; and it was divided by Jeroboam son of Nebat into two portions;
and the ten tribes which were formed under him were called Israel,
while the two remaining ones (with which were united the tribe of Levi,
and that which was descended from the royal race of David) was named
Judah. Now the whole of the country possessed by that nation, which it
had received from God, was called Judea, in which was situated the
metropolis, Jerusalem; and it is called metropolis, being as it were
the mother of many cities, the names of which you will frequently find
mentioned here and there in the other books of Scripture, but which are
collected together into one catalogue in the book of Joshua the son of
Nun.[4]
21. This, then, being the state of the case, the holy apostle
desiring to elevate in some degree, and
FROM THE GREEK.
long investigation whether this history so deemed literally occurred or not, and whether the literal meaning of this law is to be observed or not. And therefore the exact reader must, in obedience to the Saviour's injunction to" search the Scriptures,"[1] carefully ascertain in how far the literal meaning is true, and in how far impossible; and so far as he can, trace out, by means of similar statements, the meaning everywhere scattered through Scripture of that which cannot be understood in a literal signification.
20. Since, therefore, as will be clear to those who read, the
connection taken literally is impossible, while the sense preferred[2]
is not impossible, but even the true one, it must be our object to
grasp the whole meaning, which connects the account of what is
literally impossible in an intelligible manner with what is not only
not impossible, but also historically true, and which is allegorically
understood, in respect of its not having literally occurred.[3] For,
with respect to holy Scripture, our opinion is that the whole of it has
a "spiritual," but not the whole a "bodily" meaning, because the bodily
meaning is in many places proved to be impossible. And therefore great
attention must be bestowed by the cautious reader on the divine books,
as being divine writings; the manner of understanding which appears to
us to be as follows:—The Scriptures relate that God chose a certain
nation upon the earth, which they call by several names. For the whole
of this nation is termed Israel, and also Jacob. And when it was
divided in the times of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the ten tribes
related as being subject to him were called Israel; and the remaining
two, along with the tribe of Levi, being ruled over by the descendants
of David, were named Judah. And the whole of the territory which the
people of this nation inhabited, being given them by God, receives the
name of Judah, the metropolis of which is Jerusalem,—a metropolis,
namely, of numerous cities, the names of which lie scattered about in
many other passages (of Scripture), but are enumerated together in the
book of Joshua the son of Nun.[5]
21. Such, then, being the state of the case, the apostle,
elevating our power of FROM THE' LATIN.
to raise our understanding above the earth, says in a certain place, "Behold Israel after the flesh;"[1] by which he certainly means that there is another Israel which is not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. And again in another passage, "For they are not all Israelites who are of Israel."[2]
FROM THE GREEK.
discernment (above the letter), says somewhere, "Behold Israel after the flesh,"[1] as if there were an Israel "according to the Spirit." And in another place he says, "For they who are the children of the' flesh are not the children of God;" nor are "they all Israel who are of Israel; "[3] nor is "he a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that 'circumcision' which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one 'inwardly;' and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter."[4] For if the judgment respecting the "Jew inwardly" be adopted, we must understand that, as there is a "bodily" race of Jews, so also is there a race of "Jews inwardly," the soul having acquired this nobility for certain mysterious reasons. Moreover, there are many prophecies which predict regarding Israel and Judah what is about to befall them. And do not such promises as are written concerning them, in respect of their being mean in expression, and manifesting no elevation (of thought), nor anything worthy of the promise of God, need a mystical interpretation? And if the "spiritual" promises are announced by visible signs, then they to whom the promises are made are not "corporeal." And not to linger over the point of the Jew who is a Jew "inwardly," nor over that of the Israelite according to the "inner man"—these statements being sufficient for those who are not devoid of understanding—we return to our subject, and say that Jacob is the father of the twelve patriarchs, and they of the rulers of the people; and these, again, of the other Israelites. Do not, then, the "corporeal" Israelites refer their descent to the rulers of the people, and the rulers of the people to the patriarchs, and the patriarchs to Jacob, and those still higher up; while are not the "spiritual" Israelites, of whom the "corporeal" Israelites were the type, sprung from the families, and the families from the tribes, and the tribes from some one individual whose descent is not of a "corporeal" but of a better kind,—he, too, being born of Isaac, and he of Abraham,—all going back to Adam, whom the apostle declares to be Christ? For every beginning of those families which have relation to God as to the Father of all, took its commencement lower down with Christ, who is next to the God and Father of all,[5] being thus the Father of every soul, as 22. Being taught, then, by him that there is one Israel according to the flesh, and another according to the Spirit, when the Saviour says, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,"[1] we do not understand these words as those do who savour of earthly things, i.e., the Ebionites, who derive the appellation of "poor" from their very name (for "Ebion" means "poor" in Hebrew[2]); but we understand that there exists a race of souls which is termed "Israel," as is indicated by the interpretation of the name itself: for Israel is interpreted to mean a "mind," or "man seeing God." The apostle, again, makes a similar revelation respecting Jerusalem, saying, "The Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."[4] And in another of his Epistles he says: "But ye are come unto mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, and to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, and to the Church of the first-born which is written in heaven."[5] If, then, there are certain souls in this world who are called Israel, and a city in heaven which is called Jerusalem, it follows that those cities which are said to belong to the nation of Israel have the heavenly Jerusalem as their metropolis; and that, agreeably to this, we understand as referring to the whole of Judah (of which also we are of opinion that the prophets have spoken in certain mystical narratives), any predictions delivered either regarding Judea or Jerusalem, or invasions of any kind, which the sacred histories declare to have happened to Judea or Jerusalem. Whatever, then, is either narrated or predicted of Jerusalem, must, if we accept the words of Paul as those of Christ speaking in him, be understood as spoken in conformity with his opinion regarding that city which he calls the heavenly Jerusalem, and all those places or cities which are said to be cities of the holy land, of which Jerusalem is the metropolis. For we are to suppose that it is from these very cities that the Saviour, wishing to raise us to a higher grade of intelligence, promises to those who have well managed the money entrusted to them by Himself, that they are to have power over ten or five cities. If, then, the prophecies delivered concerning Judea, and Jerusalem, and Judah, and Israel, and Jacob, not being understood by us in a carnal sense, signify certain divine mysteries, it certainly follows that those prophecies also which were delivered either concerning Egypt or the Egyptians,
FROM THE GREEK.
Adam is the father of all men. And if Eve also is intended by the apostle to refer to the Church, it is not surprising that Cain, who was born of Eve, and all after him, whose descent goes back to Eve, should be types of the Church, inasmuch as in a pre-eminent sense they are all descended from the Church.
22. Now, if the statements made to us regarding Israel, and its
tribes and its families, are calculated to impress us, when the Saviour
says, "I was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,"[1]
we do not understand the expression as the Ebionites do, who are poor
in understanding (deriving their name from the poverty of their
intellect—"Ebion" signifying "poor" in Hebrew), so as to suppose that
the Saviour came specially to the "carnal" Israelites; for "they who
are the children of the flesh are not the children of God."[3] Again,
the apostle teaches regarding Jerusalem as follows: "The Jerusalem
which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."[4] And in
another Epistle: "But ye are come unto mount Zion, and to the city of
the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and to the Church of the
first-born which are written in heaven."[6] If, then, Israel is among
the race of souls,[7] and if there is in heaven a city of Jerusalem, it
follows that the cities of Israel have for their metropolis the
heavenly Jerusalem, and it consequently is the metropolis of all Judea.
Whatever, therefore, is predicted of Jerusalem, and spoken of it, if we
listen to the words of Paul as those of God, and of one who utters
wisdom, we must understand the Scriptures as speaking of the heavenly
city, and of the whole territory included within the cities of the holy
land. For perhaps it is to these cities that the Saviour refers us,
when to those who have gained credit by having managed their "pounds"
well, He assigns the presidency over five or ten cities. If, therefore,
the prophecies relating to Judea, and Jerusalem, and Israel, and Judah,
and Jacob, not being understood by us in a "carnal" sense, indicate
some such mysteries (as already mentioned), it will follow also that
the predictions concerning Egypt and the Egyptians, Babylon and the
Babylonians, Tyre and the Tyrians, Sidon and the Si- or Babylonia and
the Babylonians, and Sidon and the Sidonians, are not to be understood
as spoken of that Egypt which is situated on the earth, or of the
earthly Babylon, Tyre, or Sidon. Nor can those predictions which the
prophet Ezekiel delivered concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt, apply to
any man who may seem to have reigned over Egypt, as the nature of the
passage itself declares. In a similar manner also, what is spoken of
the prince of Tyre cannot be understood of any man or king of Tyre. And
how could we possibly accept, as spoken of a man, what is related in
many passages of Scripture, and especially in Isaiah, regarding
Nebuchadnezzar? For he is not a man who is said to have "fallen from
heaven," or who was "Lucifer," or who "arose in the morning." But with
respect to those predictions which are found in Ezekiel concerning
Egypt, such as that it is to be destroyed in forty years, so that the
foot of man should not be found within it, and that it should suffer
such devastation, that throughout the whole land the blood of men
should rise to the knees, I do not know that any one possessed of
understanding could refer this to that earthly Egypt which adjoins
Ethiopia. But let us see whether it may not be understood more
fittingly in the following manner: viz., that as there is a heavenly
Jerusalem and Judea, and a nation undoubtedly which inhabits it, and is
named Israel; so also it is possible that there are certain localities
near to these which may seem to be called either Egypt, or Babylon, or
Tyre, or Sidon, and that the princes of these places, and the souls, if
there be any, that inhabit them, are called Egyptians, Babylonians,
Tyrians, and Sidonians. From whom also, according to the mode of life
which they lead there, a sort of captivity would seem to result, in
consequence of which they are said to have fallen from Judea into
Babylonia or Egypt, from a higher and better condition, or to have been
scattered into other countries.
23. For perhaps as those who, departing this world in virtue of
that death which is common to all, are arranged, in conformity with
their actions and deserts—according as they shall be deemed
worthy—some in the place which is called "hell,"[1] others in the
bosom of Abraham, and in different localities or mansions; so also from
those places, as if dying there, if the expression can be used,[3] do
they come down from the "upper world"[4] to this "hell." For that
"hell" to which the souls of the dead are conducted from this world,
is, I believe, on account of this distinction, called the "lower hell"
by Scripture, as is said in the book of Psalms: "Thou hast delivered my
soul from the lowest hell"[6] Every one, accordingly, of those who
descend to the earth is, according to his deserts, or agreeably to the
position which he occupied there, ordained to be born in this world, in
a different country, or among a different
donians, or the other nations, are spoken not only of these "bodily" Egyptians, and Babylonians, and Tyrians, and Sidonians, but also of their" spiritual" (counterparts). For if there be "spiritual" Israelites, it follows that there are also "spiritual" Egyptians and Babylonians. For what is related in Ezekiel concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt does not at all apply to the case of a certain man who ruled or was said to rule over Egypt, as will be evident to those who give it careful consideration. Similarly, what is said about the ruler of Tyre cannot be understood of a certain man who ruled over Tyre. And what is said in many places, and especially in Isaiah, of Nebuchadnezzar, cannot be explained of that individual. For the man Nebuchadnezzar neither fell from heaven, nor was he the morning star, nor did he arise upon the earth in the morning. Nor would any man of understanding interpret what is said in Ezekiel about Egypt—viz., that in forty years it should be laid desolate, so that the footstep of man should not be found thereon, and that the ravages of war should be so great that the blood should run throughout the whole of it, and rise to the knees—of that Egypt which is situated beside the Ethiopians whose bodies are blackened by the sun.
23. And perhaps as those here, dying according to the death
common to all, are, in consequence of the deeds done here, so arranged
as to obtain different places according to the proportion of their
sins, if they should be deemed worthy of the place called Hades;[2] so
those there dying, so to speak, descend into this Hades, being judged
deserving of different abodes—better or worse—throughout all this
space of earth, and (of being descended) from parents of different
kinds,[5] so that an Israelite may sometimes fall among Scythians, and
an Egyptian descend into Judea. And yet the Saviour came to gather
together the lost sheep of the house of Israel; but many of the
Israelites not having yielded to His teaching, nation, or in a
different mode of life, or surrounded by infirmities of a different
kind, or to be descended from religious parents, or parents who ate not
religious; so that it may sometimes happen that an Israelite descends
among the Scythians, and a poor Egyptian is brought down to Judea. And
yet our Saviour came to gather together the lost sheep of the house of
Israel; and as many of the Israelites did not accept His teaching,
those who belonged to the Gentiles were called. From which it will
appear to follow, that those prophecies which are delivered to the
individual nations ought to be referred rather to the souls, and to
their different heavenly mansions. Nay, the narratives of the events
which are said to have happened either to the nation of Israel, or to
Jerusalem, or to Judea, when assailed by this or that nation, cannot in
many instances be understood as having actually[3] occurred, and are
much more appropriate to those nations of souls who inhabit that heaven
which is said to pass away, or who even now are supposed to be
inhabitants of it.
If now any one demand of us clear and distinct declarations on
these points out of holy Scripture, we must answer that it was the
design of the Holy Spirit, in those portions which appear to relate the
history of events, rather to cover and conceal the meaning: in those
passages, e.g., where they are said to go down into Egypt, or to be
carried captive to Babylonia, or when in these very countries some are
said to be brought to excessive humiliation, and to be placed under
bondage to their masters; while others, again, in these very countries
of their captivity, were held in honour and esteem, so as to occupy
positions of rank and power, and were appointed to the government of
provinces;—all which things, as we have said, are kept hidden and
covered in the narratives of holy Scripture, because "the kingdom of
heaven is like a treasure hid in a field; which when a man findeth, he
hideth it, and for joy thereof goeth away and selleth all that he hath,
and buyeth that field."[1] By which similitude, consider whether it be
not pointed out that the very soil and surface, so to speak, of
Scripture—that is, the literal meaning—is the field, filled with
plants and flowers of all kinds; while that deeper and profounder
"spiritual" meaning are the very hidden treasures of wisdom and
knowledge which the Holy Spirit by Isaiah calls the dark and invisible
and hidden treasures, for the finding out of which the divine help is
required: for God alone can burst the brazen gates by which they are
enclosed and concealed, and break in pieces the iron bolts and levers
by which access is prevented to all those things which are written and
concealed in Genesis respecting the different kinds of souls, and of
those seeds and generations which either have a close connection with
Israel s or are widely separated from his descendants; as well as what
is that descent
FROM THE GREEK.
those from the Gentiles were called. ... And these points, as we suppose, have been concealed in the histories. For "the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."[1] Let us notice, then, whether the apparent and superficial and obvious meaning of Scripture does not resemble a field filled with plants of every kind, while the things lying in it, and not visible to all, but buried, as it were, under the plants that are seen, are the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge; which the Spirit through Isaiah[2] calls dark and invisible and concealed, God alone being able to break the brazen gates that conceal them, and to burst the iron bars that are upon the gates, in order that all the statements in the book of Genesis may be discovered which refer to the various genuine kinds, and seeds, as it were, of souls, which stand nearly related to Israel, or at a distance from it; and the descent into Egypt of the seventy souls, that they may there become as the "stars of heaven in multitude." But since not all who are of them are the light of the world—" for not all who are of Israel are Israel "[4]—they become from seventy souls as the "sand that is beside the sea-shore innumerable." FROM THE LATIN.
of seventy souls into Egypt, which seventy souls became in that land as the stars of heaven in multitude. But as not all of them were the light of this world—"for all who are of Israel are not Israel"[1] they grow from being seventy souls to be an important people,[2] and as the "sand by the sea-shore innumerable."
FROM THE LATIN.
24. This descent of the holy fathers into Egypt will appear as
granted to this world by the providence of God for the illumination of
others, and for the instruction of the human race, that so by this
means the souls of others might be assisted in the work of
enlightenment. For to them was first granted the privilege of converse
with God, because theirs is the only race which is said to see God;
this being the meaning, by interpretation, of the word "Israel."[1] And
now it follows that, agreeably to this view, ought the statement to be
accepted and explained that Egypt was scourged with ten plagues, to
allow the people of God to depart, or the account of what was done with
the people in the wilderness, or of the building of the tabernacle by
means of contributions from all the people, or of the wearing of the
priestly robes, or of the vessels of the public service, because, as it
is written, they truly contain within them the "shadow and form of
heavenly things." For Paul openly says of them, that "they serve unto
the example and shadow of heavenly things."[2] There are, moreover,
contained in this same law the precepts and institutions, according to
which men are to live in the holy land. Threatenings also are held out
as impending over those who shall transgress the law; different kinds
of purifications are moreover prescribed for those who required
purification, as being persons who were liable to frequent pollution,
that by means of these they may arrive at last at that one purification
after which no further pollution is permitted. The very people are
numbered, though not all; for the souls of children are not yet old
enough to be numbered according to the divine command: nor are those
souls who cannot become the head of another, but are themselves
subordinated to others as to a head, who are called "women," who
certainly are not included in that numbering which is enjoined by God;
but they alone are numbered
who are called "men," by which it might be shown that the women could not be counted separately? but were included in those called men. Those, however, especially belong to the sacred number, who are prepared to go forth to the battles of the Israelites, and are able to fight against those public and private enemies[4] whom the Father subjects to the Son, who sits on His right hand that He may destroy all principality and power, and by means of these bands of His soldiery, who, being engaged in a warfare for God, do not entangle themselves in secular business, He may overturn the Kingdom of His adversary; by whom the shields of faith are borne, and the weapons of wisdom brandished; among whom also the helmet of hope and salvation gleams forth, and the breastplate of brightness fortifies the breast that is filled with God. Such soldiers appear to me to be indicated, and to be prepared for wars of this kind, in those persons who in the sacred books are ordered by God's command to be numbered. But of these, by far the more perfect and distinguished are shown to be those of whom the very hairs of the head are said to be numbered. Such, indeed, as were punished for their sins, whose bodies fell in the wilderness, appear to possess a resemblance to those who had made indeed no little progress, but who could not at all, for various reasons, attain to the end of perfection; because they are reported either to have murmured, or to have worshipped idols, or to have committed fornication, or to have done some evil work which the mind ought not even to conceive. I do not consider the following even to be without some mystical meaning,[5] viz., that certain (of the Israelites), possessing many flocks and animals, take possession by anticipation of a country adapted for pasture and the feeding of cattle, which was the very first that the right hand of the Hebrews had secured in war.[1] For, making a request of Moses to receive this region, they are divided off by the waters of the Jordan, and set apart from any possession in the holy land. And this Jordan, according to the form of heavenly things, may appear to water and irrigate thirsty souls, and the senses that are adjacent to it.[2] In connection with which, even this statement does not appear superfluous, that Moses indeed hears from God what is described in the book of Leviticus, while in Deuteronomy it is the people that are the auditors of Moses, and who learn from him what they could not hear from God. For as Deuteronomy is called, as it were, the second law, which to some will appear to convey this signification, that when the first law which was given through Moses had come to an end, so a second legislation seems to have been enacted, which was specially transmitted by Moses to his successor Joshua, who is certainly believed to embody a types of our Saviour, by whose second law—that is, the precepts of the Gospel—all things are brought to perfection.
25. We have to see, however, whether this deeper meaning may not
perhaps be indicated, viz., that as in Deuteronomy the legislation is
made known with greater clearness and distinctness than in those books
which were first written, so also by that advent of the Saviour which
He accomplished in His state of humiliation, when He assumed the form
of a servant, that more celebrated and renowned second advent in the
glory of His Father may not be pointed out, and in it the types of
Deuteronomy may be fulfilled, when in the kingdom of heaven all the
saints shall live according to the laws of the everlasting Gospel; and
as in His coming now He fulfilled that law which has a shadow of good
things to come, so also by that (future) glorious advent will be
fulfilled and brought to perfection the shadows of the present advent.
For thus spake the prophet regarding it: "The breath of our
countenance, Christ the Lord, to whom we said, that under Thy shadow we
shall live among the nations; "[4] at the time, viz., when He will more
worthily transfer all the saints from a temporal to an everlasting
Gospel, according to the designation, employed by John in the
Apocalypse, of "an everlasting Gospel."[5]
26. But let it be sufficient for us in all these matters to adapt
our understanding to the rule of religion, and so to think of the words
of the Holy Spirit as not to deem the language the ornate composition
of feeble human eloquence, but to hold, according to the scriptural
statement, that" all the glory of the King is within,"[6] and that the
treasure of divine meaning is enclosed within the flail vessel of the
common letter. And if any curious reader were still to ask an
explanation of individual points, let him come and hear, along with
ourselves, how the Apostle Paul, seeking to penetrate by help of the
Holy Spirit, who searches even the "deep things" of God, into the
depths of divine wisdom and knowledge, and yet, unable to reach the
end, so to speak, and to come to a thorough knowledge, exclaims in
despair and amazement, "Oh the depth of the riches of the knowledge and
wisdom of God!"[7] Now, that it was from despair of attaining a perfect
understanding that he uttered this exclamation, listen to his own
words: "How unsearchable are God's judgments! and His ways, how past
finding out! "[7] For he did not say that God's judgments were
difficult to discover, but that they were altogether inscrutable; nor
that it was (simply) difficult to trace out His ways, but that they
were altogether past finding out. For however far a man may advance in
his investigations, and how great soever the progress that he may make
by unremitting study, assisted even by the grace of God, and with his
mind enlightened, he will not be able to attain to the end of those
things which are the object of his inquiries. Nor can any created mind
deem it possible in any way to attain a full comprehension (of things);
but after having discovered certain of the objects of its research, it
sees again others which have still to be sought out. And even if it
should succeed in mastering these, it will see again many others
succeeding them which must form the subject of investigation. And on
this account, therefore, Solomon, the wisest of men, beholding by his
wisdom the nature of things, says, "I said, I will become wise; and
wisdom herself was made far from me, far further than it was; and a
profound depth, who shall find? "[8] Isaiah also, knowing that the
beginnings of things could not be discovered by a mortal nature, and
not even by those natures which, although more divine than human, were
nevertheless themselves created or formed; knowing then, that by none
of these could either the beginning or the end be discovered, says,
"Tell the former things which have been, and we know that ye are gods;
or announce what are the last things, and then we shall see that ye are
gods."[9] For my Hebrew teacher also used thus to teach, that as the
beginning or end of all things could be comprehended by no one, save
only our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, so under the form of a
vision Isaiah spake of two seraphim alone, who with two wings cover the
countenance of God, and with two His feet, and with two do fly, calling
to each other alternately, and saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD
God of Sabaoth; the whole earth is full of Thy glory."[1] That the
seraphim alone have both their wings over the face of God, and over His
feet, we venture to declare as meaning that neither the hosts of holy
angels, nor the "holy seats," nor the "dominions," nor the
"principalities," nor the "powers," can fully understand the beginning
of all things, and the limits of the universe. But we are to understand
that those "saints" whom the Spirit has enrolled, and the "virtues,"
approach very closely to those very beginnings, and attain to a height
which the others cannot reach; and yet whatever it be that these
"virtues" have learned through revelation from the Son of God and from
the Holy Spirit—and they will certainly be able to learn very much,
and those of higher rank much more than those of a lower—nevertheless
it is impossible for them to comprehend all things, according to the
statement, "The most part of the works of God are hid."[2] And
therefore also it is to be desired that every one, according to his
strength, should ever stretch out to those things that are before,
"forgetting the things that are behind," both to better works and to a
clearer apprehension and understanding, through Jesus Christ our
Saviour, to whom be glory for ever!
27. Let every one, then, who cares for truth, be little concerned
about words and language, seeing that in every nation there prevails a
different usage of speech; but let him rather direct his attention to
the meaning conveyed by the words, than to the nature of the words that
convey the meaning, especially in matters of such importance and
difficulty: as, e.g., when it is an object of investigation whether
there is any "substance" in which neither colour, nor form, nor touch,
nor magnitude is to be understood as existing visible to the mind
alone, which any one names as he pleases; for the Greeks call such
aswmaton , i.e., "incorporeal," while holy Scripture declares it to be
"invisible," for Paul calls Christ the "image of the invisible God,"
and says again, that by Christ were created all things "visible and
invisible." And by this it is declared that there are, among created
things, certain "substances" that are, according to their peculiar
nature, invisible. But although these are not themselves "corporeal,"
they nevertheless make use of bodies, while they are themselves better
than any bodily substances. But that "substance" of the Trinity which
is the beginning and cause of all things, "from which are all things,
and through which are all things, and in which are all things," cannot
be believed to be either a body or in a body, but is altogether
incorporeal. And now let it suffice to have spoken briefly on these
points (although in a digression, caused by the nature of the subject),
in order to show that there are certain things, the meaning of which
cannot be unfolded at all by any words of human language, but which are
made known more through simple apprehension than by any properties of
words. And under this rule must be brought also the understanding of
the sacred Scripture, in order that its statements may be judged not
according to the worthlessness of the letter, but according to the
divinity of the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration they were caused to
be written.
SUMMARY (OF DOCTRINE) REGARDING THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THE OTHER TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THE PRECEDING PAGES.
28. It is now time, after the rapid consideration which to the
best of our ability we have given to the topics discussed, to
recapitulate, by way of summing up what we have said in different
places, the individual points, and first of all to restate our
conclusions regarding the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Seeing God the Father is invisible and inseparable from the Son,
the Son is not generated from Him by "prolation," as some suppose. For
if the Son be a "prolation" of the Father (the term "prolation" being
used to signify such a generation as that of animals or men usually
is), then, of necessity, both He who "prolated" and He who was
"prolated" are corporeal. For we do not say, as the heretics suppose,
that some part of the substance of God was converted into the Son, or
that the Son was procreated by the Father out of things
non-existent,[3] i.e., beyond His own substance, so that there once was
a time when He did not exist; but, putting away all corporeal
conceptions, we say that the Word and Wisdom was begotten out of the
invisible and incorporeal without any corporeal feeling, as if it were
an act of the will proceeding from the understanding. Nor, seeing He is
called the Son of (His) love, will it appear absurd if in this way He
be called the Son of (His) will. Nay, John also indicates that "God is
Light,"[4] and Paul also declares that the Son is the splendour of
everlasting light.s As light, accordingly, could never exist without
splendour, so neither can the Son be understood to exist without the
Father; for He is called the "express image of His person,"[1] and the
Word and Wisdom. How, then, can it be asserted that there once was a
time when He was not the Son? For that is nothing else than to say that
there was once a time when He was not the Truth, nor the Wisdom, nor
the Life, although in all these He is judged to be the perfect essence
of God the Father; for these things cannot be severed from Him, or even
be separated from His essence. And although these qualities are said to
be many in understanding,[2] yet in their nature and essence they are
one, and in them is the fulness of divinity. Now this expression which
we employ—"that there never was a time when He did not exist"—is to
be understood with an allowance. For these very words "when" or "never"
have a meaning that relates to time, whereas the statements made
regarding Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are to be understood as
transcending all time, all ages, and all eternity. For it is the
Trinity alone which exceeds the comprehension not only of temporal but
even of eternal intelligence; while other things which are not included
in it[3] are to be measured by times and ages. This Son of God, then,
in respect of the Word being God, which was in the beginning with God,
no one will logically suppose to be contained in any place; nor yet in
respect of His being "Wisdom," or "Truth," or the "Life," or
"Righteousness," or "Sanctification," or "Redemption:" for all these
properties do not require space to be able to act or to operate, but
each one of them is to be understood as meaning those individuals who
participate in His virtue and working.
29. Now, if any one were to say that, through those who are
partakers of the "Word" of God, or of His "Wisdom," or His "Truth," or
His "Life," the Word and Wisdom itself appeared to be contained in a
place, we should have to say to him in answer, that there is no doubt
that Christ, in respect of being the "Word" or "Wisdom," or all other
things, was in Paul, and that he therefore said, "Do you seek a proof
of Christ speaking in me?"[4] and again, "I live, yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me."[5] Seeing, then, He was in Paul, who will doubt that He
was in a similar manner in Peter and in John, and in each one of the
saints; and not only in those who are upon the earth, but in those also
who are in heaven? For it is absurd to say that Christ was in Peter and
in Paul, but not in Michael the archangel, nor in Gabriel. And from
this it is distinctly shown that the divinity of the Son of God was not
shut up in some place; otherwise it would have been in it only, and not
in another. But since, in conformity with the majesty of its
incorporeal nature, it is confined to no place; so, again, it cannot be
understood to be wanting in any. But this is understood to be the sole
difference, that although He is in different individuals as we have
said—as Peter, or Paul, or Michael, or Gabriel—He is not in a similar
way in all beings whatever. For He is more fully and clearly, and, so
to speak, more openly in archangels than in other holy men.[6] And this
is evident from the statement, that when all Who are saints have
arrived at the summit of perfection, they are said to be made like, or
equal to, the angels, agreeably to the declaration in the Gospels.[7]
Whence it is clear that Christ is in each individual in as great a
degree as the amount of his deserts allows.[8]
30. Having, then, briefly restated these points regarding the
nature of the Trinity, it follows that we notice shortly this statement
also, that "by the Son" are said to be created "all things that are in
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were
created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all, and all things
consist by Him, who is the Head."[9] In conformity with which John also
in his Gospel says: "All things were created by Him; and without Him
was not anything made."[10] And David, intimating that the mystery of
the entire Trinity was (concerned) in the creation of all things, says:
"By the Word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of
them by the Spirit of His mouth."[11]
After these points we shall appropriately remind (the reader) of
the bodily advent and incarnation of the only-begotten Son of God, with
respect to whom we are not to suppose that all the majesty of His
divinity is confined within the limits of His slender body, so that all
the "word" of God, and His "wisdom," and "essential truth," and "life,"
was either rent asunder from the Father, or restrained and confined
within the narrowness of His bodily person, and is not to be considered
to have operated anywhere besides; but the cautious acknowledgment of a
religious man ought to be between the two, so that it ought neither to
be believed that anything of divinity was wanting in Christ, nor that
any separation at all was made from the essence of the Father, which is
everywhere. For some such meaning seems to be indicated by John the
Baptist, when he said to the multitude in the bodily absence of Jesus,
"There standeth one among you whom ye know not: He it is who cometh
after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose."[1]
For it certainly could not be said of Him, who was absent, so far as
His bodily presence is concerned, that He was standing in the midst of
those among whom the Son of God was not bodily present.
31. Let no one, however, suppose that by this we affirm that some
portion of the divinity of the Son of God was in Christ, and that the
remaining portion was elsewhere or everywhere, which may be the opinion
of those who are ignorant of the nature of an incorporeal and invisible
essence. For it is impossible to speak of the parts of an incorporeal
being, or to make any division of them; but He is in all things, and
through all things, and above all things, in the manner in which we
have spoken above, i.e., in the manner in which He is understood to be
either "wisdom," or the "word," or the "life," or the "truth," by which
method of understanding all confinement of a local kind is undoubtedly
excluded. The Son of God, then, desiring for the salvation of the human
race to appear unto men, and to sojourn among them, assumed not only a
human body, as some suppose, but also a soul resembling our souls
indeed in nature, but in will and power[2] resembling Himself, and such
as might unfailingly accomplish all the desires and arrangements of the
"word" and "wisdom." Now, that He had a soul,[3] is most clearly shown
by the Saviour in the Gospels, when He said, "No man taketh my life
from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay down my life,
and I have power to take it again."[4] And again, "My soul is sorrowful
even unto death."[5] And again, "Now is my soul troubled."[6] For the
"Word" of God is not to be understood to be a "sorrowful and troubled"
soul, because with the authority of divinity He says, "I have power to
lay down my life." Nor yet do we assert that the Son of God was in that
soul as he was in the soul of Paul or Peter and the other saints, in
whom Christ is believed to speak as He does in Paul. But regarding all
these we are to hold, as Scripture declares, "No one is clean from
filthiness, not even if his life lasted but a single day." [7] But this
soul which was in Jesus, before it knew the evil, selected the good;
and because He loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God
"anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows." [8] He is
anointed, then, with the oil of gladness when He is united to the
"word" of God in a stainless union, and by this means alone of all
souls was incapable of sin, because it was capable of (receiving) well
and fully the Son of God; and therefore also it is one with Him, and is
named by His titles, and is called Jesus Christ, by whom all things are
said to be made. Of which soul, seeing it had received into itself the
whole wisdom of God, and the truth, and the life, I think that the
apostle also said this: "Our life is hidden with Christ in God; but
when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear
with him in glory."[9] For what other Christ can be here understood,
who is said to be hidden in God, and who is afterwards to appear,
except Him who is related to have been anointed with the oil of
gladness, i.e., to have been filled with God essentially,[10] in whom
he is now said to be hidden? For on this account is Christ proposed as
an example to all believers, because as He always, even before he knew
evil at all, selected the good, and loved righteousness, and hated
iniquity, and therefore God anointed Him with the oil of gladness; so
also ought each one, after a lapse or sin, to cleanse himself from his
stains, making Him his example, and, taking Him as the guide of his
journey, enter upon the steep way of virtue, that so perchance by this
means, as far as possible we may, by imitating Him, be made partakers
of the divine nature. according to the words of Scripture: "He that
saith that he believeth in Christ, ought so to walk, as He also
walked."[11]
This "word," then, and this "wisdom," by the imitation of which
we are said to be either wise or rational (beings), becomes "all things
to all men, that it may gain all;" and because it is made weak, it is
therefore said of it, "Though He was crucified through weakness, yet He
liveth by the power of God."[12] Finally, to the Corinthians who were
weak, Paul declares that he "knew nothing, save Jesus Christ, and Him
crucified."[13]
32. Some, indeed, would have the following language of the
apostle applied to the soul itself, as soon as it had assumed flesh
from Mary,[14] viz., "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God, but divested Himself (of His glory)[15]
taking upon Himself the form of a servant;"[16] since He undoubtedly
re- stored it to the form of God by means of better examples and
training, and recalled it to that fulness of which He had divested
Himself.
As now by participation in the Son of God one is adopted as a
son,' and by participating in that wisdom which is in God is rendered
wise, so also by participation in the Holy Spirit is a man rendered
holy and spiritual. For it is one and the same thing to have a share in
the Holy Spirit, which is (the Spirit) of the Father and the Son, since
the nature of the Trinity is one and incorporeal. And what we have said
regarding the participation of the soul is to be understood of angels
and heavenly powers in a similar way as of souls, because every
rational creature needs a participation in the Trinity.
Respecting also the plan of this visible world—seeing one of the
most important questions usually raised is as to the manner of its
existence—we have spoken to the best of our ability in the preceding
pages, for the sake of those who are accustomed to seek the grounds of
their belief in our religion, and also for those who stir against us
heretical questions, and who are accustomed to bandy about[2] the word
"matter," which they have not yet been able to understand; of which
subject I now deem it necessary briefly to remind (the reader).
33. And, in the first place, it is to be noted that we have
nowhere found in the canonical Scriptures,[3] up to the present time,
the word "matter" used for that substance which is said to underlie
bodies. For in the expression of Isaiah, "And he shall devour ulh ,"
i.e., matter, "like hay,"[4] when speaking of those who were appointed
to undergo their punishments, the word "matter" was used instead of
"sins." And if this word "matter" should happen to occur in any other
passage, it will never be found, in my opinion, to have the
signification of which we are now in quest, unless perhaps in the book
which is called the Wisdom of Solomon, a work which is certainly not
esteemed authoritative by all.[5] In that book, however, we find
written as follows: "For thy almighty hand, that made the world out of
shapeless matter, wanted not means to send among them a multitude of
bears and fierce lions."[6] Very many, indeed, are of opinion that the
matter of which things are made is itself signified in the language
used by Moses in the beginning of Genesis: "In the beginning God made
heaven and earth; and the earth was invisible, and not arranged:"[7]
for by the words "invisible and not arranged" Moses would seem to mean
nothing else than shapeless matter. But if this be truly matter, it is
clear then that the original elements of bodies s are not incapable of
change. For those who posited "atoms"—either those particles which are
incapable of subdivision, or those which are subdivided into equal
parts—or any one element, as the principles of bodily things, could
not posit the word "matter" in the proper sense of the term among the
first principles of things. For if they will have it that matter
underlies every body—a substance convertible or changeable, or
divisible in all its parts—they will not, as is proper, assert that it
exists without qualities. And with them we agree, for we altogether
deny that matter ought to be spoken of as "unbegotten" or "uncreated,"
agreeably to our former statements, when we pointed out that from
water, and earth, and air or heat, different kinds of fruits were
produced by different kinds of trees; or when we showed that fire, and
air, and water, and earth were alternately converted into each other,
and that one element was resolved into another by a kind of mutual
consanguinity; and also when we proved that from the food either of men
or animals the substance of the flesh was derived, or that the moisture
of the natural seed was converted into solid flesh and bones;—all
which go to prove that the substance of the body is changeable, and may
pass from one quality into all others.
34. Nevertheless we must not forget that a substance never exists
without a quality, and that it is by an act of the understanding alone
that this (substance) which underlies bodies, and which is capable of
quality, is discovered to be matter. Some indeed, in their desire to
investigate these subjects more profoundly, have ventured to assert
that bodily nature[9] is nothing else than qualities. For if hardness
and softness, heat and cold, moisture and aridity, be qualities; and
if, when these or other (qualities) of this sort be cut away, nothing
else is understood to remain, then all things will appear to be
"qualities." And therefore also those persons who make these assertions
have endeavoured to maintain, that since all who say that matter was
uncreated will admit that qualities were created by God, it may be in
this way shown that even according to them matter was not uncreated;
since qualities constitute everything, and these are declared by all
without contradiction to have been made by God. Those, again, who would
make out that qualities are superimposed from without upon a certain
underlying matter, make use of illustrations of this kind: e.g., Paul
un- doubtedly is either silent, or speaks, or watches, or sleeps, or
maintains a certain attitude of body; for he is either in a sitting, or
standing, or recumbent position. For these are "accidents" belonging to
men, without which they are almost never found. And yet our conception
of man does not lay down any of these things as a definition of him;
but we so understand and regard him by their means, that we do not at
all take into account the reason of his (particular) condition either
in watching, or in sleeping, or in speaking, or in keeping silence, or
in any other action that must necessarily happen to men.[1] If any one,
then, can regard Paul as being without all these things which are
capable of happening, he will in the same way also be able to
understand this underlying (substance) without qualities. When, then,
our mind puts away all qualities from its conception, and gazes, so to
speak, upon the underlying element alone, and keeps its attention
closely upon it, without any reference to the softness or hardness, or
heat or cold, or humidity or aridity of the substance, then by means of
this somewhat simulated process of thought[2] it will appear to behold
matter clear from qualities of every kind.
35. But some one will perhaps inquire whether we can obtain out
of Scripture any grounds for such an understanding of the subject. Now
I think some such view is indicated in the Psalms, when the prophet
says, "Mine eyes have seen thine imperfection;"[3] by which the mind of
the prophet, examining with keener glance the first principles of
things, and separating in thought and imagination only between matter
and its qualities, perceived the imperfection of God, which certainly
is understood to be perfected by the addition of qualities. Enoch also,
in his book, speaks as follows: "I have walked on even to
imperfection;"[4] which expression I consider may be understood in a
similar manner, viz., that the mind of the prophet proceeded in its
scrutiny and investigation of all visible things, until it arrived at
that first beginning in which it beheld imperfect matter (existing)
without "qualities." For it is written in the same book of Enoch, "I
beheld the whole of matter;"[5] which is so understood as if he had
said: "I have clearly seen all the divisions of matter which are broken
up from one into each individual species either of men, or animals, or
of the sky, or of the sun, or of all other things in this world." After
these points, now, we proved to the best of our power in the preceding
pages that all things which exist were made by God, and that there was
nothing which was not made, save the nature of the Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit; and that God, who is by nature good, desiring to
have those upon whom He might confer benefits, and who might rejoice in
receiving His benefits, created creatures worthy (of this), i.e., who
were capable of receiving Him in a worthy manner, who, He says, are
also begotten by Him as his sons. He made all things, moreover, by
number and measure. For there is nothing before God without either
limit or measure. For by His power He comprehends: all things, and He
Himself is comprehended by the strength of no created thing, because
that nature is known to itself alone. For the Father alone knoweth the
Son, and the Son alone knoweth the Father, and the Holy Spirit alone
searcheth even the deep things of God. All created things, therefore,
i.e., either the number of rational beings or the measure of bodily
matter, are distinguished by Him as being within a certain number or
measurement; since, as it was necessary for an intellectual nature to
employ bodies, and this nature is shown to be changeable and
convertible by the very condition of its being created (for what did
not exist, but began to exist, is said by this very circumstance to be
of mutable nature), it can have neither goodness nor wickedness as an
essential, but only as an accidental attribute of its being. Seeing,
then, as we have said, that rational nature was mutable and changeable,
so that it made use of a different bodily covering of this or that sort
of quality, according to its merits, it was necessary, as God foreknew
there would be diversities in souls or spiritual powers, that He should
create also a bodily nature the qualities of which might be changed at
the will of the Creator into all that was required. And this bodily
nature must last as long as those things which require it is a
covering: for there will be always rational natures which need a bodily
covering; and there will therefore always be a bodily nature whose
coverings must necessarily be used by rational creatures, unless some
one be able to demonstrate by arguments that a rational nature can live
without a body. But how difficult—nay, how almost impossible—this is
for our understanding, we have shown in the preceding pages, in our
discussion of the individual topics.
36. It will not, I consider, be opposed to the nature of our
undertaking, if we restate with all possible brevity our opinions on
the immortality of rational natures. Every one who participates in
anything, is unquestionably of one essence and nature with him who is
partaker of the same thing. For example, as all eyes participate in the
light, so accordingly all eyes which partake of the light are of one
nature; but although every eye partakes of the light, yet, inasmuch as
one sees more dearly, and another more obscurely, every eye does not
equally share in the light. And again, all hearing receives voice or
sound, and therefore all hearing is of one nature; but each one hears
more rapidly or more slowly, according as the quality of his hearing is
clear and sound. Let us pass now from these sensuous illustrations to
the consideration of intellectual things. Every mind which partakes of
intellectual light ought undoubtedly to be of one nature with every
mind which partakes in a similar manner of intellectual light. If the
heavenly virtues, then, partake of intellectual light, i.e., of divine
nature, because they participate in wisdom and holiness, and if human
souls, have partaken of the same light and wisdom, and thus are
mutually of one nature and of one essence,—then, since the heavenly
virtues are incorruptible and immortal, the essence of the human soul
will also be immortal and incorruptible. And not only so, but because
the nature of Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, whose intellectual
light alone all created things have a share, is incorruptible and
eternal, it is altogether consistent and necessary that every substance
which partakes of that eternal nature should last for ever, and be
incorruptible and eternal, so that the eternity of divine goodness may
be understood also in this respect, that they who obtain its benefits
are also eternal. But as, in the instances referred to, a diversity in
the participation of the light was observed, when the glance of the
beholder was described as being duller or more acute, so also a
diversity is to be noted in the participation of Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, varying with the degree of zeal or capacity of mind. If such
were not the case,[1] we have to consider whether it would not seem to
be an act of impiety to say that the mind which is capable of
(receiving) God should admit of a destruction of its essence;[2] as if
the very fact that it is able to feel and understand God could not
suffice for its perpetual existence, especially since, if even through
neglect the mind fall away from a pure and complete reception of God,
it nevertheless contains within it certain seeds of restoration and
renewal to a better understanding, seeing the "inner," which is also
called the "rational" man, is renewed after "the image and likeness of
God, who created him." And therefore the prophet says, "All the ends of
the earth shall remember, and turn unto the LORD; and all the kindreds
of the nations shall worship before Thee."[5]
37. If any one, indeed, venture to ascribe essential corruption
to Him who was made after the image and likeness of God, then, in my
opinion, this impious charge extends even to the Son of God Himself,
for He is called in Scripture the image of God.[4] Or he who holds this
opinion would certainly impugn the authority of Scripture, which says
that man was made in the image of God; and in him are manifestly to be
discovered traces of the divine image, not by any appearance of the
bodily frame, which is corruptible, but by mental wisdom, by justice,
moderation, virtue, wisdom, discipline; in fine, by the whole band of
virtues, which are innate in the essence of God, and which may enter
into man by diligence and imitation of God; as the Lord also intimates
in the Gospel, when He says, "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father
also is merciful; "[5] and, "Be ye perfect, even as your Father also is
perfect."[6] From which it is clearly shown that all these virtues are
perpetually in God, and that they can never approach to or depart from
Him, whereas by men they are acquired only slowly, and one by one. And
hence also by these means they seem to have a kind of relationship with
God; and since God knows all things, and none of things intellectual in
themselves can elude His notice[7] (for God the Father alone, and His
only-begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit, not only possess a knowledge of
those things which they have created, but also of themselves), a
rational understanding also, advancing from small things to great, and
from things visible to things invisible, may attain to a more perfect
knowledge. For it is placed in the body, and advances from sensible
things themselves, which are corporeal, to things that are
intellectual. But lest our statement that things intellectual are not
cognisable by the senses should appear unbecoming, we shall employ the
instance of Solomon, who says, "You will find also a divine sense; "[8]
by which he shows that those things which are intellectual are to be
sought out not by means of a bodily sense, but by a certain other which
he calls "divine." And with this sense must we look on each of those
rational beings which we have enumerated above; and with this sense are
to be understood those words which we speak, and those statements to be
weighed which we com- mit to writing. For the divine nature knows even
those thoughts which we revolve within us in silence. And on those
matters of which we have spoken, or on the others which follow from
them, according to the rule above laid down, are our opinions to be
formed.
ELUCIDATIONS.
I.
(Teaching of the Church, p. 240.)
IT is noteworthy how frequently our author employs this
expression in this immediate connection. Concerning the punishment of
the wicked he asserts a "clearly defined teaching." He shows what the
Church's teaching "has laid down" touching demons and angels. Touching
the origin of the world, he again asserts the Church's teaching, and
then concedes, that, over and above what he maintains, there is "no
clear statement regarding it,"—i.e., the creation and its antecedents.
Elsewhere he speaks of "the faith of the Church," and all this as
something accepted by all Christians recognised as orthodox or
Catholics.
Not to recur to the subject of the creeds[1] known at this period
in the East and West, this frequent recognition of a system of
theology, or something like it, starts some interesting inquiries. We
have space to state only some of them:—
1. Was Origen here speaking of the catechetical school of
Alexandria, and assuming its teaching to be that of the whole Church?
2. If so, was not this recognition of the Alexandrian leadership
the precursor of that terrible shock which was given to Christendom by
the rise of Arianism out of such a stronghold of orthodoxy?
3. Does not the power of Athanasius to stand "against the world"
assure us that he was strong in the position that "the teaching of the
Church," in Alexandria and elsewhere, was against Arias, whom he was
able to defeat by prescription as well as by Scripture?
4. Is it not clear that all this was asserted, held, and defined
without help from the West, and that the West merely responded Amen to
what Alexandria had taught from the beginning?
5. Is not the evidence overwhelming, that nothing but passive
testimony was thus far heard of in connection with the see of Rome?
6. If the "teaching of the Church," then, was so far independent
of that see that Christendom neither waited for its voice, nor
recognised it as of any exceptional importance in the definition of the
faith and the elimination of heresy, is it not evident that the entire
fabric of the Middle-Age polity in the West has its origin in times and
manners widely differing from the Apostolic Age and that of the
Ante-Nicene Fathers?
II.
(Subjection, p. 343.)
The subordination of the Son, as held by all Nicene Christians,
is defended by Bull[2] at great length and with profound learning. It
is my purpose elsewhere to quote his splendid tribute to the
substantial orthodoxy of Origen. Professor Shedd, in his work on
Christian Doctrine,[3] pronounces the Nicene Creed "the received
creed-statement among all Trinitarian Churches." I assume that this
note will be of interest to all theological minds. For an
unsatisfactory and meagre account of primitive creeds, see Bunsen,
Hippol., iii. pp. 125-132. III.
(Proceedeth from the Father, p. 344.)
The double procession is no part of the Creed of Christendom; nor
did it become fixed in the West, till, by the influence of Charlemagne,
the important but not immaculate Council of Frankfort (A.D. 794)
completed the work of Toledo, and committed the whole West to its
support. The Anglican Church recites the Filioque liturgically, but
explains its adhesion to this formula in a manner satisfactory to the
Easterns. It has no rightful place in the Creed, however; and its
retention in the Nicene Symbol is a just offence, not only to the
Greeks, but against the great canon, Quod semper, etc.
Compare Pearson on the Creed,[1] and these candid words:
"Although the addition of words to the formal Creed be not
justifiable," etc. Consult the valuable work of Theophanes Procopowicz,
Bishop of Novgorod, which contains a history of the literature of the
subject down to his times.[2] It is a matter debated anew in our own
age, in view of advances to the Greeks made by Dr. Dollinger and the
Old Catholics. Let me refer to a volume almost equally learned and
ill-digested,[3] written by a clever author who was perverted to
Romanism, and returned, after many years, to the Church of England. It
bears the marks of many unreal impressions received during his
"Babylonish captivity." I refer to a work of E. S. Foulkes.
IV.
(The faith of the Church, p. 347.)
Before the Nicene Council local creeds were in use, all agreeing
substantially; all scriptural, but some more full than others. Of these
the ancient Symbol of Jerusalem was chief, and this forms the base of
the Nicene Creed. It is here noteworthy that Origen speaks of "the
faith" as something settled and known: clearly, he did not
intentionally transgress it. Bull says,[4] "Graeci Scriptores
Ante-Nicaeni ton kanona ths pistews passim in scriptis suis
commemorant." See the Jerusalem Creed, on the same page; and note, the
Church of Jerusalem is called by the Second (Ecumenical Council (A.v.
381), "the mother of all the Churches." So ignorant were the Fathers of
that date of any other "mother Church," that they address this very
statement to the clergy of Rome.[5] Compare Eusebius, book iv. cap.
viii.
V.
(Endowed with freedom of will, p. 347.)
Elsewhere in this treatise our author defines the will as "able
to resist external causes." The profound work of Edwards needs no words
of mine.[6] As an example of logic the most acute, it is the glory of
early American literature. I read it eagerly during my college course,
while under the guidance of my instructor in philosophy, the amiable
and profound Dr. Tappan (afterwards president of the University of
Michigan), who taught us to admire it, but not to regard it as
infallible. See his vigorous review of Edwards,[7] in which he argues
as a disciple of Coleridge and of Plato.
On allied subjects, let me refer to Wiggers's Augustinismus,
etc., translated by Professor Emerson of Andover;[8] also to Bledsoe's
Theodicy,[9] heretofore cited. I venture to say, that, among the
thinkers of America, and as Christian philosophers, both Bledsoe and
Tappan are less known and honoured than they deserve to be. VI.
(Not esteemed authoritative by all, p. 379.)
Not by Jerome, nor Rufinus, nor Chrysostom. Gregory the Great,
Bishop of Rome, is also shown by Lardner (Credib., v. 127) to have
quoted "the wisdom of Solomon" only as the sayings of a wise man; not
at all as Scripture. The Easterns are equally represented by John
Damascene (A.D. 730), who says of this book that it is one of those
"excellent and useful" books which are not reckoned with the
hagiographa. But Methodius is an exception; for he quotes this book
twice (says Lardner) as if it were Scripture, and certainly cites it
not infrequently. Yet his testimony does not amount, perhaps, to more
than an acceptance of the same as only deutero-canonical; i.e., as one
of the books read in the Church for instruction, but not appealed to as
establishing any doctrine otherwise unknown to the Church. We may
examine this subject when we come to Methodius, in vol. vi. of this
series.
NOTE.
THIS is a convenient place for the following tables, compiled
from Eusebius as far as his history goes; i.e.A.V. 305. See also Dr.
Robinson's Researches.
I.THE SEE OF JERUSALEM.
1. James, the Lord's brother. 2. Simeon. 3. Justus. 4. Zacchaeus. 5. Tobias. 6. Benjamin. 7. John. 8. Matthew. 9. Philip. 10. Seneca. 11. Justus. 12. Levi. 13. Ephres. 14. Joseph. 15. Judah. 16. Marcus. 17. Cassian. 18. Publius. 19. Maximus. 20. Julian. 21. Caius. 22. Symmachus. 23. Caius II. 24. Julian II. 25. Capito. 26. Maximus II. 27. Antoninus. 28. Valens. 29. Dolichianus. 30. Narcissus. 31. Dius. 32. Germanio. 33. Gordius. 34. Narcissus II. 35. Alexander. 36. Mazabanes. 37. Hymenmus. 38. Zabdas. 39. Hermon, A.D. 300.
II.THE SEE OF ALEXANDRIA.
1. Annianus. 2. Avilius. 3. Cerdon. 4. Primus. 5. Justus. 6. Eumenes. 7. Marcus. 8. Celadion. 9. Aggripinus. 10. Julianus. 11. Demetrius. 12. Heraclas. 13. Dionysius. 14. Maximus. 15. Theonas. 16. Peter. 17. Achillas. 18. Alexander,[1] A.D. 326. A LETTER TO ORIGEN FROM AFRICANUS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA.
GREETING, my lord and son, most worthy Origen, from Africanus.[1]
In your sacred discussion with Agnomon you referred to that prophecy of
Daniel which is related of his youth. This at that time, as was meet, I
accepted as genuine. Now, however, I cannot understand how it escaped
you that this part of the book is spurious. For, in sooth, this
section, although apart from this it is elegantly written, is plainly a
more modern forgery. There are many proofs of this. When Susanna is
condemned to die, the prophet is seized by the Spirit, and cries out
that the sentence is unjust. Now, in the first place, it is always in
some other way that Daniel prophesies—by visions, and dreams, and an
angel appearing to him, never by prophetic inspiration. Then, after
crying out in this extraordinary fashion, he detects them in a way no
less incredible, which not even Philistion the play-writer would have
resorted to. For, not satisfied with rebuking them through the Spirit,
he placed them apart, and asked them severally where they saw her
committing adultery. And when the one said, "Under a holm-tree"
(prinos), he answered that the angel would saw him asunder (prisein);
and in a similar fashion menaced the other who said, "Under a
mastich-tree" (schinos), with being rent asunder (schisthenai). Now, in
Greek, it happens that "holm-tree" and "saw asunder," and "rend" and
"mastich-tree" sound alike; but in Hebrew they are quite distinct. But
all the books of the Old Testament have been translated from Hebrew
into Greek.
2. Moreover, how is it that they who were captives among the
Chaldaeans, lost and won at play? thrown out unburied on the streets,
as was prophesied of the former captivity, their sons torn from them to
be eunuchs, and their daughters to be concubines, as had been
prophesied; how is it that such could pass sentence of death, and that
on the wife of their king Joakim, whom the king of the Babylonians had
made partner of his throne? Then if it was not this Joakim, but some
other from the common people, whence had a captive such a mansion and
spacious garden? But a more fatal objection is, that this section,
along with the other two at the end of it, is not contained in the
Daniel received among the Jews. And add that, among all the many
prophets who had been before, there is no one who has quoted from
another word for word. For they had no need to go a-begging for words,
since their own were true; but this one, in rebuking one of those men,
quotes the words of the Lord: "The innocent and righteous shall thou
not slay." From all this I infer that this section is a later addition.
Moreover, the style is different. I have struck the blow; do you give
the echo; answer, and instruct me. Salute all my masters. The learned
all salute thee. With all my heart I pray for your and your circle's
health. A LETTER FROM ORIGEN TO AFRICANUS.
ORIGEN to Africanus, a beloved brother in God the Father, through
Jesus Christ, His holy Child, greeting. Your letter, from which I learn
what you think of the Susanna in the Book of Daniel, which is used in
the Churches, although apparently somewhat short, presents in its few
words many problems, each of which demands no common treatment, but
such as oversteps the character of a letter, and reaches the limits of
a discourse.[1] And I, when I consider, as best I can, the measure of
my intellect, that I may know myself, am aware that I am wanting in the
accuracy necessary to reply to your letter; and that the more, that the
few days I have spent in Nicomedia have been far from sufficient to
send you an answer to all your demands and queries even after the
fashion of the present epistle. Wherefore pardon my little ability, and
the little time I had, and read this letter with all indulgence,
supplying anything I may omit.
2. You begin by saying, that when, in my discussion with our
friend Bassus, I used the Scripture which contains the prophecy of
Daniel when yet a young man in the affair of Susanna, I did this as if
it had escaped me that this part of the book was spurious. You say that
you praise this passage as elegantly written, but find fault with it as
a more modern composition, and a forgery; and you add that the forger
has had recourse to something which not even Philistion the play-writer
would have used in his puns between prinos and prisein, schinos and
schisis, which words as they sound in Greek can be used in this way,
but not in Hebrew. In answer to this, I have to tell you what it
behoves us to do in the cases not only of the History of Susanna, which
is found in every Church of Christ in that Greek copy which the Greeks
use, but is not in the Hebrew, or of the two other passages you mention
at the end of the book containing the history of Bel and the Dragon,
which likewise are not in the Hebrew copy of Daniel; but of thousands
of other passages also which I found in many places when with my little
strength I was collating the Hebrew copies with ours. For in Daniel
itself I found the word "bound" followed in our versions by very many
verses which are not in the Hebrew at all, beginning (according to one
of the copies which circulate in the Churches) thus: "Ananias, and
Azarias, and Misael prayed and sang unto God," down to "O, all ye that
worship the Lord, bless ye the God of gods. Praise Him, and say that
His mercy endureth for ever and ever. And it came to pass, when the
king heard them singing, and saw them that they were alive." Or, as in
another copy, from "And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising
God and blessing the Lord," down to "O, all ye that worship the Lord,
bless ye the God of gods. Praise Him, and say that His mercy endureth
to all generations."[2] But in the Hebrew copies the words, "And these
three men, Sedrach, Misach, and Abednego fell down bound into the midst
of the fire," are immediately followed by the verse, "Nabouchodonosor
the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto
his counsellors." For so Aquila, following the Hebrew reading, gives
it, who has obtained the credit among the Jews of having interpreted
the Scriptures with no ordinary care, and whose version is most
commonly used by those who do not know Hebrew, as the one which has
been most successful. Of the copies in my possession whose readings I
gave, one follows the Seventy, and the other Theodotion; and just as
the History of Susanna which you call a forgery is found in both,
together with the passages at the end of Daniel, so they give also
these passages, amounting, to make a rough guess, to more than two
hundred verses.
3. And in many other of the sacred books I found sometimes more
in our copies than in the Hebrew, sometimes less. I shall adduce a few
examples, since it is impossible to give them all. Of the Book of
Esther neither the prayer of Mardochaios nor that of Esther, both
fitted to edify the reader, is found in the Hebrew. Neither are the
letters;[1] nor the one written to Amman about the rooting up of the
Jewish nation, nor that of Mardochaios in the name of Artaxerxes
delivering the nation from death. Then in Job, the words from "It is
written, that he shall rise again with those whom the Lord raises," to
the end, are not in the Hebrew, and so not in Aquila's edition; while
they are found in the Septuagint and in Theodotion's version, agreeing
with each other at least in sense. And many other places I found in Job
where our copies have more than the Hebrew ones, sometimes a little
more, and sometimes a great deal more: a little more, as when to the
words, "Rising up in the morning, he offered burnt-offerings for them
according to their number," they add, "one heifer for the sin of their
soul;" and to the words, "The angels of God came to present themselves
before God, and the devil came with them," "from going to and fro in
the earth, and from walking up and down in it." Again, after "The Loan
gave, the LORD has taken away," the Hebrew has not, "It was so, as
seemed good to the Lord." Then our copies are very much fuller than the
Hebrew, when Job's wife speaks to him, from "How long wilt thou hold
out? And he said, Lo, I wait yet a little while, looking for the hope
of my salvation," down to "that I may cease from my troubles, and my
sorrows which compass me." For they have only these words of the woman,
"But say a word against God, and die."
4. Again, through the whole of Job there are many passages in the
Hebrew which are wanting in our copies, generally four or five verses,
but sometimes, however, even fourteen, and nineteen, and sixteen. But
why should I enumerate all the instances I collected with so much
labour, to prove that the difference between our copies and those of
the Jews did not escape me? In Jeremiah I noticed many instances, and
indeed in that book I found much transposition and variation in the
readings of the prophecies. Again, in Genesis, the words, "God saw that
it was good," when the firmament was made, are not found in the Hebrew,
and there is no small dispute among them about this; and other
instances are to be found in Genesis, which I marked, for the sake of
distinction, with the sign the Greeks call an obelisk, as on the other
hand I marked with an asterisk those passages in our copies which are
not found in the Hebrew. What needs there to speak of Exodus, where
there is such diversity in what is said about the tabernacle and its
court, and the ark, and the garments of the high priest and the
priests, that sometimes the meaning even does not seem to be akin? And,
forsooth, when we notice such things, we are forthwith to reject as
spurious the copies in use in our Churches, and enjoin the brotherhood
to put away the sacred books current among them, and to coax the Jews,
and persuade them to give us copies which shall be untampered with, and
free from forgery! Are we to suppose that that Providence which in the
sacred Scriptures has ministered to the edification of all the Churches
of Christ, had no thought for those bought with a price, for whom
Christ died;[2] whom, although His Son, God who is love spared not, but
gave Him up for us all, that with Him He might freely give us all
things?[3]
5. In all these cases consider whether it would not be well to
remember the words, "Thou shalt not remove the ancient landmarks which
thy fathers have set."[4] Nor do I say this because I shun the labour
of investigating the Jewish Scriptures, and comparing them with ours,
and noticing their various readings. This, if it be not arrogant to say
it, I have already to a great extent done to the best of my ability,
labouring hard to get at the meaning in all the editions and various
readings;[5] while I paid particular attention to the interpretation of
the Seventy, lest I might to be found to accredit any forgery to the
Churches which are under heaven, and give an occasion to those who seek
such a starting-point for gratifying their desire to slander the common
brethren, and to bring some accusation against those who shine forth in
our community. And I make it my endeavour not to be ignorant of their
various readings, lest in my controversies with the Jews I should quote
to them what is not found in their copies, and that I may make some use
of what is found there, even although it should not be in our
Scriptures. For if we are so prepared for them in our discussions, they
will not, as is their manner, scornfully laugh at Gentile believers for
their ignorance of the true reading as they have them. So far as to the
History of Susanna not being found in the Hebrew.
6. Let us now look at the things you find fault with in the story
itself. And here let us begin with what would probably make any one
averse to receiving the history: I mean the play of words between
prinos and prisis, schinos and schisis. You say that you can see how
this can be in Greek, but that in Hebrew the words are altogether
distinct. On this point, however, I am still in doubt; because, when I
was considering this passage (for I myself saw this difficulty), I
consulted not a few Jews about it, asking them the Hebrew words for
prinos and prisein, and how they would translate schinos the tree, and
how schisis. And they said that they did not know these Greek words
prinos and schinos, and asked me to show them the trees, that they
might see what they called them. And I at once (for the truth's dear
sake) put before them pieces of the different trees. One of them then
said, that he could not with any certainty give the Hebrew name of
anything not mentioned in Scripture, since, if one was at a loss, he
was prone to use the Syriac word instead of the Hebrew one; and he went
on to say, that some words the very wisest could not translate. "If,
then," said he, "you can adduce a passage in any Scripture where the
schinos is mentioned, or the prinos, you will find there the words you
seek, together with the words which have the same sound; but if it is
nowhere mentioned, we also do not know it." This, then, being what the
Hebrews said to whom I had recourse, and who were acquainted with the
history, I am cautious of affirming whether or not there is any
correspondence to this play of words in the Hebrew. Your reason for
affirming that there is not, you yourself probably know.
7. Moreover, I remember hearing from a learned Hebrew, said among
themselves to be the son of a wise man, and to have been specially
trained to succeed his father, with whom I had intercourse on many
subjects, the names of these elders, just as if he did not reject the
History of Susanna, as they occur in Jeremias as follows: "The LORD
make thee like Zedekias and Achiab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in
the fire, for the iniquity they did in Israel."[1] How, then, could the
one be sawn asunder by an angel, and the other rent in pieces? The
answer is, that these things were prophesied not of this world, but of
the judgment of God, after the departure from this world. For as the
lord of that wicked servant who says, "My lord delayeth his coming,"
and so gives himself up to drunkenness, eating and drinking with
drunkards, and smiting his fellow-servants, shall at his coming "cut
him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers,"[2] even
so the angels appointed to punish will accomplish these things (just as
they will cut asunder the wicked steward of that passage) on these men,
who were called indeed elders, but who administered their stewardship
wickedly. One will saw asunder him who was waxen old in wicked days,
who had pronounced false judgment, condemning the innocent, and letting
the guilty go free; [3] and another will rend in pieces him of the seed
of Chanaan, and not of Judah, whom beauty had deceived, and whose heart
lust had perverted.[4]
8. And I knew another Hebrew, who told about these elders such
traditions as the following: that they pretended to the Jews in
captivity, who were hoping by the coming of Christ to be freed from the
yoke of their enemies, that they could explain clearly the things
concerning Christ, ... and that they so deceived the wives of their
countrymen.[5] Wherefore it is that the prophet Daniel calls the one
"waxen old in wicked days," and says to the other, "Thus have ye dealt
with the children of Israel; but the daughters of Juda would not abide
your wickedness." 9. But probably to this you will say, Why then is
the "History" not in their Daniel, if, as you say, their wise men hand
down by tradition such stories? The answer is, that they hid from the
knowledge of the people as many of the passages which contained any
scandal against the elders, rulers, and judges, as they could, some of
which have been preserved in uncanonical writings (Apocrypha). As an
example, take the story told about Esaias; and guaranteed by the
Epistle to the Hebrews, which is found in none of their public books.
For the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in speaking of the
prophets, and what they suffered, says, "They were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, they were slain with the sword"[6] To whom, I ask, does
the "sawn asunder" refer (for by an old idiom, not peculiar to Hebrew,
but found also in Greek, this is said in the plural, although it refers
to but one person)? Now we know very well that tradition says that
Esaias the prophet was sawn asunder; and this is found in some
apocryphal work, which probably the Jews have purposely tampered with.
introducing some phrases manifestly incorrect, that discredit might be
thrown on the whole.
However, some one hard pressed by this argument may have recourse
to the opinion of those who reject this Epistle as not being Paul's;
against whom I must at some other time use other arguments to prove
that it is Paul's.[7] At present I shall adduce from the Gospel what
Jesus Christ testifies concerning the prophets, together with a story
which He refers to, but which is not found in the Old Testament, since
in it also there is a scandal against unjust judges in Israel. The
words of our Saviour run thus: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the
sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our
fathers, we would not have been partaken with them in the blood of the
prophets. Wherefore be ye witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the
children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure
of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye
escape the damnation of Gehenna? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you
prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and
crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and
persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the
righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel
unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the
temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall
come upon this generation." And what follows is of the same tenor: "O
Jerusalem; Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them
which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."[1]
Let us see now if in these cases we are not forced to the
conclusion, that while the Saviour gives a true account of them, none
of the Scriptures which could prove what He tells are to be found. For
they who build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of
the righteous, condemning the crimes their fathers committed against
the righteous and the prophets, say, "If we had been in the days of our
fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the
prophets."[2] In the blood of what prophets, can any one tell me? For
where do we find anything like this written of Esaias, or Jeremias, or
any of the twelve, or Daniel? Then about Zacharias the son of
Barachias, who was slain between the temple and the altar, we learn
from Jesus only, not knowing it otherwise from any Scripture. Wherefore
I think no other supposition is possible, than that they who had the
reputation of wisdom, and the rulers and elders, took away from the
people every passage which might bring them into discredit among the
people. We need not wonder, then, if this history of the evil device of
the licentious elders against Susanna is true, but was concealed and
removed from the Scriptures by men themselves not very far removed from
the counsel of these elders.
In the Acts of the Apostles also, Stephen, in his other
testimony, says, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers
persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming
of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and
murderers."[3] That Stephen speaks the truth, every one will admit who
receives the Acts of the Apostles; but it is impossible to show from
the extant books of the Old Testament how with any justice he throws
the blame of having persecuted and slain the prophets on the fathers of
those who believed not in Christ. And Paul, in the first Epistle to the
Thessalonians, testifies this concerning the Jews: "For ye, brethren,
became followers of the Churches of Cod which in Judea are in Christ
Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen,
even as they have of the Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and their
own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are
contrary to all men."[4] What I have said is, I think, sufficient to
prove that it would be nothing wonderful if this history were true, and
the licentious and cruel attack was actually made on Susanna by those
who were at that time elders, and written down by the wisdom of the
Spirit, but removed by these rulers of Sodom,[5] as the Spirit would
call them.
10. Your next objection is, that in this writing Daniel is said
to have been seized by the Spirit, and to have cried out that the
sentence was unjust; while in that writing of his which is universally
received he is represented as prophesying in quite another manner, by
visions and dreams, and an angel appearing to him, but never by
prophetic inspiration. You seem to me to pay too little heed to the
words, "At sundry times, and in divers manners, God spake in time past
unto the fathers by the prophets."[6] This is true not only in the
general, but also of individuals. For if you notice, you will find that
the same saints have been favoured with divine dreams and angelic
appearances and (direct) inspirations. For the present it will suffice
to instance what is testified concerning Jacob. Of dreams from God he
speaks thus: "And it came to pass, at the time that the cattle
conceived, that I saw them before my eyes in a dream, and, behold, the
rams and he-goats which leaped upon the sheep and the goats,
white-spotted, and speckled, and grisled. And the angel of God spake
unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob. And I said, What is it? And he said,
Lift up thine eyes and see, the goats and rams leaping on the goats and
sheep, white-spotted, and speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all
that Laban doeth unto thee. I am God, who appeared unto thee in the
place of God, where thou anointedst to Me there a pillar, and vowedst a
vow there to Me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return
unto the land of thy kindred."[1]
And as to an appearance (which is better than a dream), he speaks
as follows about himself: "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled
a man with him until the breaking of the day. And he saw that he
prevailed not against him, and he touched the breadth of his thigh; and
the breadth of Jacob's thigh grew stiff while he was wrestling with
him. And he said to him, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said,
I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him,
What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said to him, Thy name
shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: for thou
hast prevailed with God, and art powerful with men. And Jacob asked
him, and said, Tell me thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou
dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the
name of the place Vision of God: for I have seen God face to face, and
my life is preserved. And the sun rose, when the vision of God passed
by."[2] And that he also prophesied by inspiration, is evident from
this passage: "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather
yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the
last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and
hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, my first-born, my might, and
the beginning of my children, hard to be born, hard and stubborn. Thou
weft wanton, boil not over like water; because thou wentest up to thy
father's bed; then defiledst thou the couch to which thou wentetest
up.[3] And so with the rest: it was by inspiration that the prophetic
blessings were pronounced. We need not wonder, then, that Daniel
sometimes prophesied by inspiration, as when he rebuked the elders
sometimes, as you say, by dreams and visions, and at other times by an
angel appearing unto him.
11. Your other objections are stated, as it appears to me,
somewhat irreverently, and without the becoming spirit of piety. I
cannot do better than quote your very words: "Then, after crying out in
this extraordinary fashion, he detects them in a way no less
incredible, which not even Philistion the play-writer would have
resorted to. For, not satisfied with rebuking them through the Spirit,
he placed them apart, and asked them severally where they saw her
committing adultery; and when the one said, 'Under a holm-tree'
(prinos) he answered that the angel would saw him under (prisein); and
in a similar fashion threatened the other, who said, 'Under a
mastich-tree' (schinos), with being rent asunder."
You might as reasonably compare to Philistion the play-writer, a
story somewhat like this one, which is found in the third book of
Kings, which you yourself will admit to be well written. Here is what
we read in Kings:—
"Then there appeared two women that were harlots before the king,
and stood before him. And the one woman said, To me, my lord, I and
this woman dwell in one house; and we were delivered in the house. And
it came to pass, the third day after that I was delivered, that this
woman was delivered also: and we were together; there is no one in our
house except us two. And this woman's child died in the night; because
she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from my
arms. And thine handmaid slept. And she laid it in her bosom, and laid
her dead child in my bosom. And I arose in the morning to give my child
suck, and he was dead; but when I had considered it in the morning,
behold, it was not my son which I did bear. And the other woman said,
Nay; the dead is thy son, but the living is my son, And the other said,
No; the living is my son, but the dead is thy son. Thus they spake
before the king. Then said the king, Thou sayest, This is my son that
liveth, and thy son is the dead: and thou sayest, Nay; but thy son is
the dead, and my son is the living. And the king said, Bring me a
sword. And they brought a sword before the king: And the king said,
Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to
the other. Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the
king (for her bowels yearned after her son), and she said, To me, my
lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other
said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then the king
answered and said, Give the child to her which said, Give her the
living child, and in no wise slay it: for she is the mother of it. And
all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they
feared the face of the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in
him to do judgment."[4]
For if we were at liberty to speak in this scoffing way of the
Scriptures in use in the Churches, we should rather compare this story
of the two harlots to the play of Philistion than that of the chaste
Susanna. And just as the people would not have been persuaded if
Solomon had merely said, "Give this one the living child, for she is
the mother of it;" so Daniel's attack on the elders would not have been
sufficient had there not been added the condemnation from their own
mouth, when both said that they had seen her lying with the young man
under a tree, but did not agree as to what kind of tree it was. And
since you have asserted, as if you knew for certain, that Daniel in
this matter judged by inspiration (which may or may not have been the
case), I would have you notice that there seem to me to be some
analogies in the story of Daniel to the judgment of Solomon, concerning
whom the Scripture testifies that the people saw that the wisdom of God
was in him to do judgment.[1] This might be said also of Daniel, for it
was because wisdom was in him to do judgment that the elders were
judged in the manner described.
12. I had nearly forgotten an additional remark I have to make
about the prino-prisein and schino-schiesein difficulty; that is, that
in our Scriptures there are many etymological fancies, so to call them,
which in the Hebrew are perfectly suitable, but not in the Greek. It
need not surprise us, then, if the translators of the History of
Susanna contrived it so that they found out some Greek words, derived
from the same root, which either corresponded exactly to the Hebrew
form (though this I hardly think possible), or presented some analogy
to it. Here is an instance of this in our Scripture. When the woman was
made by God from the rib of the man, Adam says, "She shall be called
woman, because she was taken out of her husband." Now the Jews say that
the woman was called "Essa," and that "taken" is a translation of this
word as is evident from "chos isouoth essa," which means, "I have taken
the cup of salvation;"[2] and that "is" means "man," as we see from
"Hesre ais," which is, "Blessed is the man."[3] According to the Jews,
then, "is" is "man," and "essa" "woman," because she was taken out of
her husband (is). It need not then surprise us if some interpreters of
the Hebrew "Susanna," which had been concealed among them at a very
remote date, and had been preserved only by the more learned and
honest, should have either given the Hebrew word for word, or hit upon
some analogy to the Hebrew forms, that the Greeks might be able to
follow them. For in many other passages we can, I find traces of this
kind of contrivance on the part of the translators, which I noticed
when I was collating the various editions.
13. You raise another objection, which I give in your own words:
"Moreover, how is it that they, who were captives among the Chaldeans,
lost and won at play, thrown out unburied on the streets, as was
prophesied of the former captivity, their sons torn from them to be
eunuchs, and their daughters to be concubines, as had been prophesied;
how is it that such could pass sentence of death, and that on the wife
of their king Joakim, whom the king of the Babylonians had made partner
of his throne? Them, if it was not this Joakim, but some other from the
common people, whence had a captive such a mansion and spacious
garden?"
Where you get your "lost and won at play, and thrown out unburied
on the streets," I know not, unless it is from Tobias; and Tobias (as
also Judith), we ought to notice, the Jews do not use. They are not
even found in the Hebrew Apocrypha, as I learned from the Jews
themselves." However, since the Churches use Tobias, you must know that
even in the captivity some of the captives were rich and well to do.
Tobias himself says, "Because I remembered God with all my heart; and
the Most High gave me grace and beauty in the eyes of Nemessarus, and I
was his purveyor; and I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael,
the brother of Gabrias, at Ragi, a city of Media, ten talents of
silver."[4] And he adds, as if he were a rich man, "In the days of
Nemessarus I gave many alms to my brethren. I gave my bread to the
hungry, and my clothes to the naked: and if I saw any of my nation
dead, and cast outside the walls of Nineve, I buried him; and if king
Senachereim had slain any when he came fleeing from Judea, I buried
them privily (for in his wrath he killed many)." Think whether this
great catalogue of Tobias's good deeds does not betoken great wealth
and much property, especially when he adds, "Understanding that I was
sought for to be put to death, I withdrew myself for fear, and all my
goods were forcibly taken away."[5]
And another captive, Dachiacharus, the son of Ananiel, the
brother of Tobias, was set over all the exchequer of the kingdom of
king Acherdon; and we read, "Now Achiacharus was cup-bearer and keeper
of the signet, and steward and overseer of the accounts."[6]
Mardochaios, too, frequented the court of the king, and had such
boldness before him, that he was inscribed among the benefactors of
Artaxerxes.
Again we read in Esdras, that Neemias, a cup-bearer and eunuch of
the king, of Hebrew race, made a request about the rebuilding of the
temple, and obtained it; so that it was granted to him, with many more,
to return and build the temple again. Why then should we wonder that
one Joakim had garden, and house, and property, whether these were very
expensive or only moderate, for this is not clearly told us in the
writing?
14. But you say, "How could they who were in captivity pass
sentence of death?" asserting, I know not on what grounds, that Susanna
was the wife of a king, because of the name Joakim. The answer is, that
it is no uncommon thing, when great nations become subject, that the
king should allow the captives to use their own laws and courts of
justice. Now, for instance, that the Romans rule, and the Jews pay the
half-shekel to them, how great power by the concession of Caesar the
ethnarch has; so that we, who have had experience of it, know that he
differs in little from a true king! Private trials are held according
to the law, and some are condemned to death. And though there is not
full licence for this, still it is not done without the knowledge of
the ruler, as we learned and were convinced of when we spent much time
in the country of that people. And yet the Romans only take account of
two tribes, while at that time besides Judah there were the ten tribes
of Israel. Probably the Assyrians contented themselves with holding
them in subjection, and conceded to them their own judicial processes.
15. I find in your letter yet another objection in these words:
"And add, that among all the many prophets who had been before, there
is no one who has quoted from another word for word. For they had no
need to go a-begging for words, since their own were true. But this
one, in rebuking one of these men, quotes the words of the Lord, 'The
innocent and righteous shall thou not slay.'" I cannot understand how,
with all your exercise in investigating and meditating on the
Scriptures, you have not noticed that the prophets continually quote
each other almost word for word. For who of all believers does not know
the words in Esaias? "And in the last days the mountain of the LORD
shall be manifest, and the house of the LORD on the top of the
mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations
shall come unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let
us go up to the mountain of the LORD, unto the house of the God of
Jacob; and He will teach us His way, and we will walk in it: for out of
Zion shall go forth a law, and a word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And
He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into
pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither
shall they learn war any more."[1]
But in Micah we find a parallel passage, which is almost word for
word: "And in the last days the mountain of the LORD shall be manifest,
established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above
the hills; and people shall hasten unto it. And many nations shall
come, and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the
house of the God of Jacob; and they will teach us His way, and we will
walk in His paths: for a law shall go forth from Zion, and a word of
the LORD from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and
rebuke strong nations; and they shall beat their swords into
ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not
lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more."[2]
Again, in First Chronicles, the psalm which is put in the hands
of Asaph and his brethren to praise the Lord, beginning, "Give thanks
unto the LORD, call upon His name,"[3] is in the beginning almost
identical with Ps. cv., down to "and do my prophets no harm;" and after
that it is the same as Ps. xcvi., from the beginning of that psalm,
which is something like this, "Praise the Lord all the earth," down to
"For He cometh to judge the earth." (It would have taken up too much
time to quote more fully; so I have given these short references, which
are sufficient for the matter before us.) And you will find the law
about not bearing a burden on the Sabbath-day in Jeremias, as well as
in Moses.[4] And the rules about the passover, and the rules for the
priests, are not only in Moses, but also at the end of Ezekiel.[5] I
would have quoted these, and many more, had I not found that from the
shortness of my stay in Nicomedia my time for writing you was already
too much restricted.
Your last objection is, that the style is different. This I
cannot see.
This, then, is my defence. I might, especially after all these
accusations, speak in praise of this history of Susanna, dwelling on it
word by word, and expounding the exquisite nature of the thoughts. Such
an encomium, perhaps, some of the learned and able students of divine
things may at some other time compose. This, however, is my answer to
your strokes, as you call them. Would that I could instruct you! But I
do not now arrogate that to myself. My lord and dear brother Ambrosius,
who has written this at my dictation, and has, in looking over it,
corrected as he pleased, salutes you. His faithful spouse, Marcella,
and her children, also salute you. Also Anicetus. Do you salute our
dear father Apollinarius, and all our friends. A LETTER FROM ORIGEN TO
GREGORY.[1]
1. GREETING in God, my most excellent sir, and venerable son
Gregory, from Origen. A natural readiness of comprehension, as you well
know, may, if practice be added, contribute somewhat to the contingent
end, if I may so call it, of that which any one wishes to practise.
Thus, your natural good parts might make of you a finished Roman lawyer
or a Greek philosopher, so to speak, of one of the schools in high
reputation. But I am anxious that you should devote all the strength of
your natural good parts to Christianity for your end; and in order to
this, I wish to ask you to extract from the philosophy of the Greeks
what may serve as a course of study or a preparation for Christianity,
and from geometry and astronomy what will serve to explain the sacred
Scriptures, in order that all that the sons of the philosophers are
wont to say about geometry and music, grammar, rhetoric, and astronomy,
as fellow-helpers to philosophy, we may say about philosophy itself, in
relation to Christianity. 2. Perhaps something of this kind is shadowed
forth in what is written in Exodus from the mouth of God, that the
children of Israel were commanded to ask from their neighbours, and
those who dwelt with them, vessels of silver and gold, and raiment, in
order that, by spoiling the Egyptians, they might have material for the
preparation of the things which pertained to the service of God. For
from the things which the children of Israel took from the Egyptians
the vessels in the holy of holies were made,—the ark with its lid, and
the Cherubim, and the mercy-seat, and the golden coffer, where was the
manna, the angels' bread. These things were probably made from the best
of the Egyptian gold. An inferior kind would be used for the solid
golden candlestick near the inner veil, and its branches, and the
golden table on which were the pieces of shewbread, and the golden
censer between them.[7] And if there was a third and fourth quality of
gold, from it would be made the holy vessels; and the other things
would be made of Egyptian silver. For when the children of Israel dwelt
in Egypt, they gained this from their dwelling there, that they had no
lack of such precious material for the utensils of the service of God.
And of the Egyptian raiment were probably made all those things which,
as the Scripture mentions, needed sewed and embroidered work, sewed
with the wisdom of God, the one to the other other, that the veils
might be made, and the inner and the cuter courts. And why should I go
on, in this untimely digression, to set forth how useful to the
children of Israel were the things brought from Egypt, which the
Egyptians had not put to a proper use, but which the Hebrews, guided by
the wisdom of God, used for God's service? Now the sacred Scripture is
wont to represent as an evil the going down from the land of the
children of Israel into Egypt, indicating that certain persons get harm
from sojourning among the Egyptians, that is to say, from meddling with
the knowledge of this world, after they have subscribed to the law of
God, and the Israelitish service of Him. Ader[2] at least, the
Idumaean; so long as he was in" the land of Israel, and had not tasted
the bread of the Egyptians, made no idols. It was when he fled from the
wise Solomon, and went down into Egypt, as it were flying from the
wisdom of God, and was made a kinsman of Pharaoh by marrying his wife's
sister, and begetting a child, who was brought up with the children of
Pharaoh, that he did this. Wherefore, although he did return to the
land of Israel, he returned only to divide the people of God, and to
make them say to the golden calf, "These be thy gods, 0 Israel, which
brought thee up from the land of Egypt."[3] And I may tell you from my
experience, that not many take from Egypt only the useful, and go away
and use it for the service of God; while Ader the Idumaean has many
brethren. These are they who, from their Greek studies, produce
heretical notions, and set them up, like the' golden calf, in Bethel,
which signifies "God's house." In these words also there seems to me an
indication that they have set up their own imaginations in the
Scriptures, where the word of God dwells, which is called in a figure
Bethel. The other figure, the word says, was set up in Dan. Now the
borders of Dan are the most extreme, and nearest the borders of the
Gentiles, as is clear from what is written in Joshua, the son of Nun.
Now some of the devices of these brethren of Ader, as we call them, are
also very near the borders of the Gentiles.
3. Do you then, my son, diligently apply yourself to the reading
of the sacred Scriptures. Apply yourself, I say. For we who read the
things of God need much application, lest we should say or think
anything too rashly about them. And applying yourself thus to the study
of the things of God, with faithful prejudgments such as are well
pleasing to God, knock at its locked door, and it will be opened to you
by the porter, of whom Jesus says, "To him the porter opens."[1] And
applying yourself thus to the divine study, seek aright, and with
unwavering trust in God, the meaning of the holy Scriptures, which so
many have missed. Be not satisfied with knocking and seeking; for
prayer is of all things indispensable to the knowledge of the things of
God. For to this the Saviour exhorted, and said not only, "Knock, and
it shall be opened to you; and seek, and ye shall find,"[2] but also,
"Ask, and it shall be given unto you."[3] My fatherly love to you has
made me thus bold; but whether my boldness be good, God will know, and
His Christ, and all partakers of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of
Christ. May you also be a partaker, and be ever increasing your
inheritance, that you may say not only, "We are become partakers of
Christ,"[4] but also partakers of God.
ELUCIDATION.
Tins golden letter, doubtless genuine, was attended with very
great consequences, of which we shall gather more hereafter. It is
worthy of the solemn consideration of young students to whom this page
may come. Gregory was unbaptized when Origen (circa A.D. 230) thus
addressed his conscience.
On the letters here inserted, let me refer the student to Routh,
Reliqu., ii. pp. 312-327; also same vol., pp. 222-228; also iii.
254-256.
For the facts concerning this letter to Gregory, see Cave, i. p.
400.