Traduction Masquer
Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

5.

I give unceasing thanks to my teacher, who prevented me from falling into this error, so that I am still a Christian. For I, like you, from reading this verse without sufficient consideration, had almost resolved to become a Jew. And with reason; for if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, and as a vessel in order to be filled full must not be empty, but partly filled already, I concluded that no one could become a Christian but an Israelite, nearly filled already with the law and the prophets, and coming to Christ to be filled to the full extent of his capacity. I concluded, too, that in thus coming he must not destroy what he already possesses; otherwise it would be a case, not of fulfilling, but of emptying. Then it appeared that I, as a Gentile, could get nothing by coming to Christ, for I brought nothing that he could fill up by his additions. This preparatory supply is found, on inquiry, to consist of Sabbaths, circumcision, sacrifices, new moons, baptisms, feasts of unleavened bread, distinctions of foods, drink, and clothes, and other things, too many to specify. This, then, it appeared, was what Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfill. Naturally it must appear so: for what is a law without precepts, or prophets without predictions? Besides, there is that terrible curse pronounced upon those who abide not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them. ¹ With the fear of this curse appearing to come from God on the one side, and with Christ on the other side, seeming, as the Son of God, to say that he came not to destroy these things, but to fulfill them, what was to prevent me from becoming a Jew? The wise instruction of Manichaeus saved me from this danger.

Edition Masquer
Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

5.

Quare indeficientes ego praeceptori meo refero gratias, qui me similiter labantem retinuit, ut essem hodie christianus. Nam ego quoque, cum capitulum hoc imprudens legerem, quemadmodum tu paene ieram in consilium Iudaeus fieri. Nec immerito; etenim si Christus legem non venit solvere, sed adimplere, adimpletio autem numquam in vase inani dicitur, sed in semo, solus mihi videbatur Israhelita posse christianus fieri, p. 501,8 qui refertus maxima ex parte lege ac prophetis ad Christum veniret replendus eo, cuius adhuc videretur esse capacior, si tamen et ipse priora non solveret; alioquin nec circa eum adimpletio haec esset, sed exhaustio. At ego ex gentibus veniens incassum me accessisse putabam ad Christum, quia nihil tale afferrem, quod in me de suis posset adiectionibus adimplere. Quaerens ergo, quaenam esset prior illa mensura, invenio sabbata, peritomen, sacrificia, neomenias ac baptismata, azymophagias, ciborum discretiones, potuum, vestimentorum et alia quae percurrere longum est. Arbitratus ergo sum hoc esse nec aliud quicquam, quod se Christus non venisse solvere dixerit, sed adimplere. Nec immerito. Quid enim lex sine mandatis? Quid prophetae sine praefatibus? p. 501,21 Ad haec invenio etiam amarum illic inditum maledictum adversus eos, qui non permanserint in omnibus, quae scripta sunt in libro legis illius, ut faciant ea. Et illinc ergo maledictum metuens tamquam dei, et hinc Christum tamquam eius filium dicentem audiens, quod enim non venerit eadem solvere, sed adimplere, vide, si quid impedire iam poterat, quin factus essem Iudaeus. Sed huic periculo me Manichaei veneranda fides eripuit.