Four point one. That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired
Four point one. That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired
That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired
Four point one point one point one. But, since it is not sufficient, in discussing topics so great and important, to leave the conclusion of the matter to human opinion and common conceptions and, so to speak, to pronounce on things invisible as if visible, we must also adduce, for the proof of what we have said, the testimonies of the divine Scriptures. And that these testimonies may possess an assured and indubitable conviction, both regarding what we have to say and what we have already said, it seems necessary first to show that the Scriptures themselves are divine, that is, inspired by the Spirit of God. We shall, therefore, as briefly as we can, establish even this point, by offering from the divine Scriptures themselves passages that can suitably make an impression upon us, that is, first from Moses, the lawgiver of the Hebrew nation, and then from the words of Jesus Christ, the author and leader of the Christian religion and teaching.
On the Divine Inspiration of the Divine Scriptures
On the Divine Inspiration of the Divine Scriptures
Four point one point one point one. Since, in investigating matters of such importance, not being satisfied with the common conceptions and the evidence of things that are seen, adducing in addition, for the manifest proof of our assertions, testimonies from what are believed by us to be divine writings, both from that which is called the Old Testament and that which is called the New, we endeavour by reason to confirm our faith, and, as we have not yet spoken of the Scriptures as divine, come and let us treat of a few points regarding them, as in an epitome, laying out for this purpose the reasons that move us to regard them as divine.
For although there have been very many lawgivers among the Greeks and Barbarians, and also countless teachers and philosophers professing that they declare the truth, we remember no lawgiver who was able to instil in the minds of foreign nations a certain desire and eagerness such that they adopted his laws willingly or defended them with every effort of mind. No one, then, has been able to introduce and implant what seemed to himself the truth not only among many foreign nations but even among a single nation, in such a way that knowledge of and belief in this should extend to all. And yet it cannot be doubted that the lawgivers would have wished their laws to be observed by all human beings, if it were possible, while the teachers would have wished that what appeared to themselves to be the truth should become known to all. But knowing that they were altogether incapable of this, and that they did not possess such power as would summon foreign nations to the observance of their laws and teaching, they did not dare to attempt or to try this at all, lest an ineffective and futile effort at this should brand them as foolhardy. And yet throughout the whole world, throughout the whole of Greece and every foreign nation, there are innumerable and immeasurable people who have abandoned their ancestral laws and those whom they had reckoned gods, and handed themselves over to the observance of the Law of Moses and to the discipleship and worship of Christ, and this despite the fact that an intense hatred has been incited against them by those who worship idols, such that they are frequently subjected by them to tortures and sometimes even led to death; yet they nevertheless embrace and guard, with all affection, the word of Christ's teaching.
writings. And first of all, before making use of the words in the writings themselves and the things set forth in them, one must treat these points regarding Moses and Jesus Christ, the lawgiver of the Hebrews and the author of the saving doctrines of Christianity.
For although there have been very many lawgivers among the Greeks and Barbarians, and teachers who proclaimed doctrines declaring the truth, we have no record of a lawgiver able to instil zeal for the acceptance of his words among the other nations; although a great apparatus of supposed logical demonstration has been brought forward by those professing to philosophize about truth, no one has been able to impress upon diverse nations what was deemed by him the truth, or even upon any credible number of persons in a single nation. And yet not only would the lawgivers have wished to enforce
Four point one point two. And one can see how in a short time this religion has increased, making progress through the punishment and death of its worshippers, and also by the plundering of their goods and every kind of torture endured by them. And this is especially wonderful since its teachers themselves are neither very skilful nor very numerous; yet this word is preached in all the world, so that Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish, adopt the Christian religion. From which there is no doubt that it is not by human strength or assistance that the word of Christ Jesus comes to prevail, with all force and conviction, in the minds and hearts of all. Moreover, that this was foretold by him and confirmed by his divine utterances is clear, as when he says, You shall be brought before governors and rulers for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations, and also, This Gospel will be preached to all nations, and again, Many will say to me on that day: 'Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in your name, and in your name cast out demons?' And I will say to them: 'Depart from me, you workers of those laws which appeared to be good, if possible, upon the whole race of human beings, but the teachers also would have wished that what they imagined to be the truth should have spread throughout the world. But being unable to summon those of other languages and from many nations to the observance of their laws and the acceptance of their teachings, they did not at all attempt to do this, considering, not unwisely, the impossibility of such a result happening for them. Yet every land, Greek and barbarian, throughout our world, contains thousands of devotees, who have abandoned ancestral laws and those reckoned to be gods for the observance of the laws of Moses and the discipline of the words of Jesus Christ, even though those who adhere to the Law of Moses are hated by the worshippers of idols, and those who accept the word of Jesus Christ in addition to being hated are in danger of death.
Four point one point two. And if we consider how in a very few years, although those professing Christianity are persecuted, and some of them are put to death on this account, while others suffer the loss of their possessions, yet the word has been able, despite there not being many teachers, to be preached everywhere throughout the iniquity; I never knew you.' If these sayings, indeed, had been thus uttered by him, and yet those things foretold had not come to fulfilment, they might perhaps hardly appear to be true and not to possess any authority. But now, when the things foretold by him do indeed come into effect, and since they were foretold with such power and authority, he is most clearly shown to be truly God who, having become human, has delivered the saving commandments to human beings.
Four point one point three. But what, then, is to be said of this, that the prophets had foretold beforehand of him that Rulers will not cease from Judah, nor leaders from his loins, until he should come, for whom it is reserved, that is, the kingdom, and until the expectation of the nations shall come? For it is most abundantly evident from history itself and from what is clearly seen at the present day that from the times of Christ onwards kings have not existed among the Jews. Moreover, all those ceremonies of the Jews, of which they made such a great deal of boasting and in which they exulted, whether regarding the adornment of the temple or the ornaments of the altar, and all those priestly head-bands and the robes of the high priests, were all destroyed together. For the prophecy has been fulfilled which said, For the children of Israel will sit for many days without a king, without a ruler; there will be no sacrifice nor altar nor priesthood nor oracles.
world, so that Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish, have submitted themselves to the worship of God through Jesus, we shall not hesitate to say that the matter is more than human, Jesus having taught with all authority and persuasiveness that his word should prevail; so that one may reasonably regard as oracles those utterances of his, such as, You shall be brought before governors and rulers for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations, and, Many will say to me on that day: 'Lord, Lord, have we not eaten in your name and drunk in your name and cast out demons in your name?' And I will say to them: 'Depart from me, you workers of iniquity; I never knew you.' That he uttered these words speaking in vain, so that they were not true, was perhaps possible; but when what was said with so much authority has come to pass, it shows that God, having truly become human, delivered to human beings the doctrines of salvation.
We use these testimonies, then, against those who seem to assert that what is said by Jacob in Genesis is said of Judah and say that there remains to this day a prince from the race of Judah, that is, he who is the prince of their nation, whom they call 'the Patriarch', and that neither can there fail [a ruler] of his seed, who will remain until the arrival of that Christ as they picture him to themselves. But if what the prophet says is true, The children of Israel will sit for many days without king, without ruler; there will be no sacrifice nor altar nor priesthood, and if, indeed, from the time when the temple was overthrown, no sacrifices are offered, nor is an altar found, nor does a priesthood exist, then it is most certain that rulers have ceased from Judah, as it is written, and a leader from his loins, [when] he came, for whom it is reserved. It is established, then, that he came, for whom it is reserved, and in whom also is the expectation of the nations. This is clearly seen to have been fulfilled in the multitude of those who, from different nations, have believed through Christ in God.
Four point one point three. What need is there to mention also [how] Christ was foretold, that then those called 'rulers' would cease from Judah and leaders from his loins, when he should come for whom it is reserved, the kingdom clearly, and the expectation of the nations should sojourn? For it is abundantly clear from the history and from what is seen today that from the times of Jesus there were no longer those who were called kings of the Jews, all those Jewish institutions in which they prided themselves having been destroyed, I mean those relating to the temple and the altar and the performance of worship and the robes of the high priest. For the prophecy was fulfilled which said, The children of Israel will sit for many days, there being neither king nor ruler, neither sacrifice, nor altar, nor priesthood, nor oracles.
And these sayings we use in response to those who, in being perplexed by what was said in Genesis by Jacob to Judah, assert that the Ethnarch, being of the race of Judah, rules the people, and that those of his seed will not cease until the sojourn of Christ, as they imagine him. For if The children of Israel will sit many days, there being neither king nor ruler, neither sacrifice nor altar nor priesthood nor oracles, [and] from the point when the temple was razed to the ground there is neither sacrifice nor altar nor priesthood, it is clear that a ruler has ceased from Judah and a leader from his loins. And since the prophecy says, A ruler would not cease from Judah nor a leader from his loins until there should come the things reserved for him, it is clear that he has arrived to whom
Four point one point four. In the song in Deuteronomy, also, it is indicated through prophecy that, on account of the sins of the former people, there will be an election of a foolish nation, none other certainly than that which has come to pass through Christ. For it says this, They have provoked me with their idols, and I will drive them to jealousy; I will enrage them with a foolish nation. It is therefore evident enough to perceive how the Hebrews, who are said to have provoked God with those which are no gods and to have enraged him with their idols, have themselves also been enraged in jealousy by means of the foolish nation, which God chose through the arrival of Christ Jesus and his disciples. For the Apostle speaks in this way, For consider your calling, brethren, that not many among you were wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God chose the foolish things of the world and those which are not, that he might destroy the things which formerly were. Therefore, Israel according to the flesh, for such is it called by the Apostle, should not glory: Let no flesh, I say, glory in the presence of God!
it is reserved, the expectation of the nations. And this is clear from the multitude of the nations who have believed, through Christ, in God.
Four point one point four. And in the song of Deuteronomy the future election of foolish nations on account of the sins of the former people is prophetically made known, which has come to pass through none other than Jesus. For, it says, they made me jealous with what is no god, they enraged me with their idols; so I will make them jealous with what is no nation, and enrage them with a foolish nation. Now it is possible to understand very clearly in what manner the Hebrews, who are said to have made God jealous with what is no god and to have enraged him by their idols, have been enraged to jealousy by what is no nation, by a foolish nation, which God chose through the sojourn of Christ Jesus and his disciples. We see, then, our calling, that not many were wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God chose the foolish things of the world, in order to shame the wise, and God chose the low and the despised, even things that are not, in order to bring to naught things that formerly were, and so that Israel according to the flesh (which is called by the Apostle flesh) should not boast in the presence of God.
Four point one point five. What is to be said, moreover, regarding those prophecies regarding Christ in the Psalms, especially in that one which is entitled A Song for the Beloved, in which it is said that his tongue is the pen of a scribe swiftly writing, fairer than the children of human beings, that grace was poured on his lips? Now, a proof that grace was poured on his lips is this, that although the time of his teaching was brief (for he taught for but a year and some months), the whole world, nevertheless, has been filled with his teaching and faith in his religion. There has arisen in his days righteousness and an abundance of peace, abiding even to the end, which end is called the taking away of the moon; and he has dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. A sign was also given to the house of David. For a virgin has conceived in the womb and born Emmanuel, which is interpreted 'God with us'. There is also
Four point one point five. And what need is there to speak about the prophecies regarding Christ in the Psalms, there being a certain ode with the superscription For the Beloved, whose tongue is said to be the pen of a swift writer; fairer in beauty than the sons of men, since grace was poured upon his lips? A proof that grace was poured upon his lips is that although the period of his teaching was short (for he taught for about a year and a few months) the world has been filled with his teaching and the religion that came through him. For, In his days righteousness has arisen and an abundance of peace abiding until the consummation, which is called the taking away of the moon; and he remains having dominion from sea to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth. And a sign has been given to the house of David: for the virgin [did bear and] conceived and bore a son, and his name is Emmanuel, which is God with us. Also fulfilled is, as the same prophet says, God is with us; Understand, you nations, and be defeated; you who are strong, be defeated. For we have been defeated and vanquished, we who have been captured from the nations by the grace of his word. But even the fulfilled that which the same prophet says, God is with us. Understand, you nations, and be defeated. For we have been conquered and overcome, we who are of the nations and who are as it were the spoils of his victory, who have bowed our necks to his grace. Even the place of his birth was foretold in the prophet Micah, saying, And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for from you shall come a leader, who shall rule my people Israel. And, also, the weeks of years until Christ the leader, which the prophet Daniel had foretold, has been fulfilled. He is, moreover, at hand, who was foretold by Job, who is about to destroy the great beast, who also gave to his familiar disciples the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, without being harmed in any way by them. But if anyone will consider the journeys of the apostles of Christ throughout each place, in which, sent by him, they preached the Gospel, he will find both that what they ventured to undertake is beyond human and also that it is from God that they were able to accomplish what they had ventured. If we consider how human beings, when hearing that a new teaching is being introduced by these [apostles], were able to receive them, or rather, when often desiring to bring them to destruction, were prevented by some divine power that was present with them, we will find that nothing in this matter was effected by human strength, but the whole by divine power and providence, signs and wonders, manifest beyond all doubt, bearing witness to their word and teaching.
place of his birth has been foretold in Micah: For you, Bethlehem, he says, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. And the seventy weeks until Christ the ruler, according to Daniel, were fulfilled. And he came, the one who, according to Job, has subdued the great beast and has given to his genuine disciples authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all power of the enemy, without being harmed by them in any way. Let anyone also consider the universal sojourn of the apostles sent by Jesus to announce the Gospel, and he will see both that the daring venture was not human and that the command was divine. And if we examine how human beings, on hearing new teachings and strange words, accepted these men, being defeated, in their desire to plot