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Prologus, §6

Breviloquium · Prologus

Textus Latinus
p. 207

§ 6. De modo exponendi4 sacram Scripturam.

Quemadmodum autem Scriptura haec specialem habet modum procedendi, sic iuxta suum procedendi modum speciali suo modo debet intelligi et exponi. Cum enim ipsa sub una littera multiplicem tegat intelligentiam, expositor debet abscondita producere in lucem5 et illam eductam manifestare per aliam Scripturam magis patentem: sicut si exponerem illud Psalmi6: Apprehende arma et scutum, et exsurge in adiutorium mihi, et velim explicare, quae sint arma divina; dicam, quod eius veritas et bona voluntas; et quod ita sit, probandum per Scripturam apertam. Nam et scribitur alibi: Scuto bonae voluntatis tuae coronasti nos; et iterum: Scuto circumdabit te veritas eius. — Ad quod non potest quis de facili pertingere, nisi per assuefactionem lectionis textum et litteram Bibliae commendet memoriae; alioquin in expositione Scripturarum nunquam poterit esse potens. Unde sicut qui dedignatur prima addiscere elementa, ex quibus dictio integratur, nunquam potest noscere nec dictionum significatum nec rectam legem constructionum; sic qui litteram sacrae Scripturae spernit ad spirituales eius intelligentias nunquam assurget.

Attendat autem expositor, quod non ubique requirenda est allegoria, nec omnia sunt mystice exponenda. Propter quod notandum est, quod Scriptura sacra quatuor habet partes. Una est, in qua secundum litteram agit de mundanis naturis, et per illas significat reparationem nostram, sicut apparet in descriptione formationis mundi. — Alia est, in qua agit de actibus et processibus illius populi Israelitici, et per illos significat reparationem generis humani. — Tertia est, in qua nudis verbis7 significat et exprimit quae pertinent ad nostram salutem quantum ad fidem vel mores. — Quarta est, in qua praenuntiat nostrae salutis mysterium, partim verbis nudis, partim aenigmaticis et obscuris. Et propterea Scriptura in his locis variis non est uniformiter exponenda.

Debet autem expositor dirigi in expositione sacrae Scripturae secundum triplicem regulam, quae trahi potest de verbis beati Augustini in libro de Doctrina christiana8.

Prima est haec. Ubicumque in hac Scriptura prima verborum significatio significat res creationis, sive singulares actus humanae conversationis, ibidem res significatae per verba primo significantur, deinde nostrae reparationis mysteria; ubi vero prima

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significatio verborum exprimit fidem sive caritatem, ibi nulla est allegoria quaerenda.

Secunda regula est ista. Ubi verba huius Scripturae significant res creationis, aut conversationis populi Israelitici, ibi quaerat ex alio Scripturae loco, quid quaelibet res significet, et deinde significationem suam eliciat per verba nude significantia fidei veritatem, vel morum etiam honestatem; utpote si dicatur: Oves pariunt gemellos fetus1, ostendat, quod oves significant ibi homines, et geminus fetus geminam caritatem.

Tertia regula est ista. Quando aliqua Scriptura habet aliquem intellectum litteralem et spiritualem, debet discutere expositor, utrum illa attributio conveniat historico, an spirituali significato, si forte utrique non poterit convenire; si autem utrique competit, tunc litteraliter et spiritualiter debet affirmari; si vero altero modo tantum, tunc spiritualiter solum debet intelligi: sicut sabbatum Legis2 esse perpetuum, sacerdotium aeternum, possessionem terrae aeternam, et pactum circumcisionis esse aeternum; quae omnia ad spirituale significatum referenda sunt.

Ad hoc autem, quod per sacrarum Scripturarum silvam quis secure incidendo et exponendo incedat, opus est, ut prius noverit ipsius sacrae Scripturae veritatem per verba explicita, videlicet ut attendat, quomodo Scriptura describat initium, progressum et consummationem duplicis corporis, quasi ex opposito se respicientium, bonorum scilicet, qui hic se humiliant, ut exaltentur sempiternaliter in futuro, et malorum, qui hic se exaltant, ut aeternaliter deprimantur3. Unde ipsa agit de toto universo quantum ad summum et imum, primum et ultimum, et quantum ad decursum intermedium, sub forma cuiusdam crucis intelligibilis, in qua describi habet et quodam modo videri lumine mentis tota machina universi; ad quam quidem intelligendam oportet nosse rerum principium, Deum, ipsarum rerum creationem, lapsum, redemptionem per sanguinem Iesu Christi4, reformationem per gratiam, curationem per Sacramenta, et tandem retributionem per poenam et gloriam sempiternam.

Et quia haec doctrina tam in scriptis Sanctorum quam etiam doctorum sic diffuse tradita est, ut ab accedentibus ad Scripturam sacram audiendam non possit per longa tempora videri nec audiri — propter quod etiam novi theologi frequenter ipsam Scripturam sacram exhorrent tanquam incertam5 et inordinatam et tanquam quandam silvam opacam — rogatus a sociis6, ut de paupercula scientiola nostra aliquid breve in summa dicerem de veritate theologiae, eorumque precibus devictus, assensi breviloquium quoddam facere, in quo summatim non omnia, sed aliqua magis opportuna ad tenendum breviter tangerentur, addens simul cum hoc rationem aliquam ad intelligendum, secundum quod occurrebat pro tempore.

Quia vero theologia sermo est de Deo et de primo principio, utpote quia ipsa tanquam scientia et doctrina altissima omnia resolvit in Deum tanquam in principium primum et summum: ideo in assignatione rationum in omnibus, quae in hoc toto opusculo vel tractatulo continentur, conatus sum rationem sumere a primo principio, ut sic ostenderem, veritatem sacrae Scripturae esse a Deo, de Deo, secundum Deum et propter Deum, ut merito ista scientia appareat una esse et ordinata et theologia non immerito nuncupata. — Si quid igitur imperfectum, vel obscurum, vel superfluum, vel minus rectum ibi fuerit, venia occupationi et brevitati temporis et pauperculae scientiae concedatur; si quid vero rectum, soli Deo honor et gloria7 referatur.

Ut autem sequentia clarius elucescant, titulos particulares capitulorum praemittere curavi, ad faciliorem memoriam et lucidiorem contuitum dicendorum, quae septem partitionibus et septuaginta duobus capitulis distinguuntur.

EXPLICIT PROLOGUS.

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English Translation

§ 6. On the mode of expounding4 sacred Scripture.

Now just as this Scripture has a special mode of proceeding, so, according to its own mode of proceeding, it must in its own special way be understood and expounded. For since it covers a manifold understanding beneath one letter, the expounder must bring hidden things forth into the light5 and make what has been drawn out manifest through another Scripture that is more open: as, if I were to expound that saying of the Psalm6, Take hold of arms and shield, and rise up to help me, and wished to explain what the divine arms are, I shall say that they are his truth and his good will; and that this is so must be proved through open Scripture. For it is written elsewhere: With the shield of thy good will thou hast crowned us; and again: His truth shall compass thee with a shield. — To which no one can easily attain unless by habitual reading he commits the text and letter of the Bible to memory; otherwise he will never be able to be capable in the exposition of the Scriptures. Hence, just as he who disdains to learn first the elements from which a word is put together can never know either the meaning of words or the right law of constructions, so he who despises the letter of sacred Scripture will never rise to its spiritual understandings.

But let the expounder take heed that allegory is not to be sought everywhere, nor are all things to be expounded mystically. On account of which it must be noted that sacred Scripture has four parts. One is that in which, according to the letter, it treats of the natures of the world, and through them signifies our reparation, as appears in the description of the world's formation. — Another is that in which it treats of the acts and courses of that Israelite people, and through them signifies the reparation of the human race. — The third is that in which in bare words7 it signifies and expresses what pertains to our salvation as regards faith or morals. — The fourth is that in which it foretells the mystery of our salvation, partly in bare words, partly in enigmatic and obscure ones. And on that account Scripture is not to be expounded uniformly in these various places.

Now the expounder must be guided in expounding sacred Scripture by a threefold rule, which can be drawn from the words of blessed Augustine in the book On Christian Doctrine8.

The first is this. Wherever in this Scripture the first signification of the words signifies things of creation, or particular acts of human converse, there the things signified by the words are signified first, and then the mysteries of our reparation; but where the first

signification of the words expresses faith or charity, there no allegory is to be sought.

The second rule is this. Where the words of this Scripture signify things of creation, or of the converse of the Israelite people, there let him seek from another place of Scripture what each thing signifies, and then let him draw out its signification through words that nakedly signify the truth of faith or also the uprightness of morals: as, if it be said The sheep bring forth twin young1, let him show that sheep there signify men, and the twin young the twofold charity.

The third rule is this. When some Scripture has both a literal and a spiritual understanding, the expounder must examine whether that attribution befits the historical or the spiritual signification, if perhaps it cannot befit both; but if it befits both, then it must be affirmed both literally and spiritually; but if only in one of the two ways, then it must be understood spiritually alone: as that the sabbath of the Law2 is perpetual, the priesthood eternal, the possession of the land everlasting, and the covenant of circumcision eternal — all of which are to be referred to a spiritual signification.

But in order that one may walk safely through the forest of the sacred Scriptures, cutting a way and expounding, it is needful that he first know the truth of sacred Scripture itself through explicit words: namely, that he attend to how Scripture describes the beginning, the progress, and the consummation of a twofold body which look upon each other as it were from opposite sides — namely of the good, who humble themselves here that they may be exalted everlastingly in the future, and of the evil, who exalt themselves here that they may be cast down eternally3. Hence Scripture treats of the whole universe as regards the highest and the lowest, the first and the last, and as regards the intermediate course, under the form of a certain intelligible cross, in which the whole machine of the universe has to be described and in a certain way seen by the light of the mind; and to understand this it is necessary to know the beginning of things, God; the creation of those things themselves, their fall, their redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ4, their reformation through grace, their healing through the Sacraments, and at last their retribution through everlasting punishment and glory.

And because this teaching, both in the writings of the Saints and also in those of the doctors, has been handed down so diffusely that it cannot be seen or heard for a long time by those approaching to hear sacred Scripture — on account of which also new theologians frequently shrink from sacred Scripture itself as from something uncertain5 and disordered and like a certain shadowy forest — I was asked by my companions6 that out of our poor little store of knowledge I should say something brief in summary concerning the truth of theology; and overcome by their prayers, I consented to make a certain breviloquium, in which summarily not all things, but some of the more useful things for holding briefly, might be touched on, adding along with this some reason for understanding, according as it occurred at the time.

But because theology is discourse about God and about the first principle, inasmuch as it, being the highest science and teaching, resolves all things into God as into the first and highest principle: therefore in assigning reasons in all the matters contained in this whole opuscule or little treatise, I have tried to take my reason from the first principle, so as thus to show that the truth of sacred Scripture is from God, about God, according to God, and for the sake of God — so that this science may deservedly appear to be one and ordered, and not undeservedly named theology. — If, then, anything imperfect, or obscure, or superfluous, or less than right shall have been there, let pardon be granted to my occupations and to the shortness of the time and to my poor little knowledge; but if anything is right, let it be referred to God alone as honor and glory7.

But in order that what follows may shine forth more clearly, I have taken care to set out beforehand the particular titles of the chapters, for the easier remembering and the clearer contemplation of the things to be said, which are distinguished by seven parts and seventy-two chapters.

HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 4
    V intelligendi et exponendi, I intelligendi et procedendi.
    V has intelligendi et exponendi, I intelligendi et procedendi.
  2. 5
    Respicitur Iob 28, 11: Profunda quoque fluviorum scrutatus est et abscondita in lucem produxit. D absconditam.
    Reference is made to Job 28:11: The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light. D has absconditam.
  3. 6
    Psalm. 34, 2. — Seq. locus est Ps. 5, 13; tertius est Ps. 90, 5. — Cfr. Hexaëm. serm. 19. — Inferius pro et velim M ut velim, et ex permultis codd. et 2 substituimus probandum (A D E F O addunt est) pro probatur, Q probabo.
    Psalm 34:2. — The following passage is Psalm 5:13; the third is Psalm 90:5. — Cf. the Hexaëmeron, sermon 19. — Below, for et velim M has ut velim; and from very many codices and edition 2 we have substituted probandum (A D E F O add est) for probatur, Q probabo.
  4. 7
    B C addunt et apertis. Inferius pro praenuntiat A B pronuntiat, T significat.
    B C add et apertis. Below, for praenuntiat A B have pronuntiat, T significat.
  5. 8
    Libr. III. c. 10. n. 14. seqq. Cfr. ibid. II. c. 9. n. 14. seqq. — Inferius voci fidem L praefigit nudam.
    Book III, c. 10, n. 14 ff. Cf. ibid., II, c. 9, n. 14 ff. — Below, L prefixes nudam to the word fidem.
  6. 1
    Cant. 4, 2: Dentes tui sicut greges tonsarum... omnes gemellis fetibus, et sterilis non est inter eas. Cfr. ibid. 6, 5. — Mox pro geminus L Q gemelli.
    Canticle 4:2: Thy teeth as flocks of sheep that are shorn… all with twins, and there is none barren among them. Cf. ibid., 6:5. — Shortly after, for geminus L Q have gemelli.
  7. 2
    Cfr. Exod. 12, 16. seq.; de sacerdotio Exod. 40, 13. et Num. 25, 13; de possessione terrae Gen. 17, 8, ubi etiam v. 13. de circumcisione. — Inferius post terrae K addit promissionis, et pro spirituale significatum B spiritualem intellectum.
    Cf. Exodus 12:16 f.; on the priesthood, Exodus 40:13 and Numbers 25:13; on the possession of the land, Genesis 17:8, where also v. 13 on circumcision. — Below, after terrae K adds promissionis, and for spirituale significatum B has spiritualem intellectum.
  8. 3
    Respicitur Matth. 23, 12: Qui autem se exaltaverit etc. — Plures codd. et 2 et aeternaliter deprimuntur (K deprimentur), B sempiternaliter deprimuntur.
    Reference is made to Matthew 23:12: And he that shall exalt himself, etc. — Very many codices and edition 2 have et aeternaliter deprimuntur (K deprimentur), B sempiternaliter deprimuntur.
  9. 4
    In codd. et 2 omittitur Iesu Christi.
    In the codices and edition 2 Iesu Christi is omitted.
  10. 5
    Q incultam.
    Q has incultam.
  11. 6
    D F fratribus; in verbis seqq. secuti sumus S; de paupercula exhibent etiam I K L M N O U V, Vat. ut paupere portiuncula scientiolae nostrae; 1, 2, 3 cum pluribus codd. ut de paupertaticula [C paupertate, T particula, A H pauperticula] scientiolae nostrae [A K M O V meae]. (Apud Hieronymum occurrit paupertatula, diminutivum paupertatis). Mox pro breve I breviter, qui etiam inferius pro tangerentur substituit tangerem.
    D F have fratribus; in the following words we have followed S; de paupercula is also given by I K L M N O U V; the Vatican edition ut paupere portiuncula scientiolae nostrae; 1, 2, 3, together with very many codices, ut de paupertaticula [C paupertate, T particula, A H pauperticula] scientiolae nostrae [A K M O V meae]. (In Jerome there occurs paupertatula, a diminutive of paupertas.) Shortly after, for breve I has breviter, and the same below substitutes tangerem for tangerentur.
  12. 7
    Epist. I. Tim. 1, 17. — Aliquanto superius verbo sumere A praemittit ducere et.
    First Epistle to Timothy 1:17. — Somewhat above, A prefixes ducere et to the word sumere. ---
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