Traduction Masquer
The City of God

Chapter 48.--That Haggai's Prophecy, in Which He Said that the Glory of the House of God Would Be Greater Than that of the First Had Been, ¹ Was Really Fulfilled, Not in the Rebuilding of the Temple, But in the Church of Christ.

This house of God is more glorious than that first one which was constructed of wood and stone, metals and other precious things. Therefore the prophecy of Haggai was not fulfilled in the rebuilding of that temple. For it can never be shown to have had so much glory after it was rebuilt as it had in the time of Solomon; yea, rather, the glory of that house is shown to have been diminished, first by the ceasing of prophecy, and then by the nation itself suffering so great calamities, even to the final destruction made by the Romans, as the things above-mentioned prove. But this house which pertains to the new testament is just as much more glorious as the living stones, even believing, renewed men, of which it is constructed are better. But it was typified by the rebuilding of that temple for this reason, because the very renovation of that edifice typifies in the prophetic oracle another testament which is called the new. When, therefore, God said by the prophet just named, "And I will give peace in this place," ² He is to be understood who is typified by that typical place; for since by that rebuilt place is typified the Church which was to be built by Christ, nothing else can be accepted as the meaning of the saying, "I will give peace in this place," except I will give peace in the place which that place signifies. For all typical things seem in some way to personate those whom they typify, as it is said by the apostle, "That Rock was Christ." ³ Therefore the glory of this new testament house is greater than the glory of the old testament house; and it will show itself as greater when it shall be dedicated. For then "shall come the desired of all nations," ⁴ as we read in the Hebrew. For before His advent He had not yet been desired by all nations. For they knew not Him whom they ought to desire, in whom they had not believed. Then, also, according to the Septuagint interpretation (for it also is a prophetic meaning), "shall come those who are elected of the Lord out of all nations." For then indeed there shall come only those who are elected, whereof the apostle saith, "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world." ⁵ For the Master Builder who said, "Many are called, but few are chosen," ⁶ did not say this of those who, on being called, came in such a way as to be cast out from the feast, but would point out the house built up of the elect, which henceforth shall dread no ruin. Yet because the churches are also full of those who shall be separated by the winnowing as in the threshing-floor, the glory of this house is not so apparent now as it shall be when every one who is there shall be there always.

Edition Masquer
De civitate Dei (CCSL)

Caput XLVIII: Prophetiam Aggaei, qua dixit maiorem futuram gloriam domus dei, quam primum fuisset, non in reaedificatione templi, sed in ecclesia Christi esse conpletam.

Haec domus dei maioris est gloriae, quam fuerat illa prima lignis et lapidibus ceterisque pretiosis rebus metallisque constructa. non itaque Aggaei prophetia in templi illius instauratione conpleta est. ex quo enim est instauratum, numquam ostenditur habuisse tantam gloriam, quantam habuit tempore Salomonis; immo potius ostenditur primum cessatione prophetiae fuisse domus illius gloriam diminutam, deinde ipsius gentis cladibus tantis usque ad ultimum excidium, quod factum est a Romanis, sicut ea, quae supra sunt commemorata testantur. haec autem domus ad nouum pertinens testamentum tanto utique maioris est gloriae, quanto meliores sunt lapides uiui, quibus credentibus renouatisque construitur. sed ideo per instaurationem templi illius significata est, quia ipsa renouatio illius aedificii significat eloquio prophetico alterum testamentum, quod appellatur nouum. quod ergo deus dixit per memoratum prophetam: et dabo pacem in loco isto, per significantem locum ille, qui eo significatur, intellegendus est; ut, quia illo loco instaurato significata est ecclesia, quae fuerat aedificanda per Christum, nihil aliud accipiatur, quod dictum est: dabo pacem in loco isto, nisi dabo pacem in loco, quem significat locus iste. quoniam omnia significantia uidentur quodammodo earum rerum, quas significant, sustinere personas; sicut dictum est ab apostolo: petra erat Christus, quoniam petra illa, de qua hoc dictum est, significabat utique Christum. maior est itaque gloria domus huius noui testamenti quam domus prioris ueteris testamenti, et tunc apparebit maior cum dedicabitur. tunc enim ueniet desideratus cunctis gentibus, sicut legitur in Hebraeo. nam primus eius aduentus nondum erat desideratus omnibus gentibus. non enim quem deberent desiderare sciebant, in quem non crediderant. tunc etiam secundum septuaginta interpretes - quia et ipse propheticus sensus est - uenient quae electa sunt domini de cunctis gentibus. tunc enim uere non uenient nisi electa, de quibus dicit apostolus: sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem. ipse quippe architectus, qui dixit: multi uocati, pauci uero electi, non de his, qui uocati sic uenerunt, ut de conuiuio proicerentur, sed de electis demonstraturus est aedificatam domum, quae nullam ruinam deinceps formidabit. nunc autem, quando et hi replent ecclesias, quos tamquam in area uentilatio separabit, non apparet tanta gloria domus huius, quanta tunc apparebit, quando, quisquis ibi erit, semper erit.