Traduction Masquer
Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

2.

Augustin replied: Well, in answer to your own questions, you tell us first that you believe the gospel, and next, that you do not believe in the birth of Christ; and your reason is, that the birth of Christ is not in the gospel. What, then, will you answer the apostle when he says, "Remember that Christ Jesus rose from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel?" ¹ You surely are ignorant, or pretend to be ignorant, what the gospel is. You use the word, not as the apostle teaches, but as suits your own errors. What the apostles call the gospel you depart from; for you do not believe that Christ was of the seed of David. This was Paul's gospel; and it was also the gospel of the other apostles, and of all faithful stewards of so great a mystery. For Paul says elsewhere, "Whether, therefore, I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed." ² They did not all write the gospel, but they all preached it. The name evangelist is properly given to the narrators of the birth, the actions, the words, the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word gospel means good news, and might be used of any good news, but is properly applied to the narrative of the Saviour. If, then, you teach something different, you must have departed from the gospel. Assuredly those babes whom you despise as semi-Christians will oppose you, when they hear their mother Charity declaring by the mouth of the apostle, "If any one preach another gospel than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed." ³ Since, then, Paul, according to his gospel, preached that Christ was of the seed of David, and you deny this and preach something else, may you be accursed! And what can you mean by saying that Christ never declares Himself to have been born of men, when on every occasion He calls Himself the Son of man?

Edition Masquer
Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

2.

Augustinus respondit: Certe interrogasti te ipsum velut ex persona nostra, utrum acciperes evangelium, et respondisti: Maxime. Rursusque interrogasti, utrum acciperes Christum natum, et respondisti: Non ita est, hanc scilicet causam subiciens, quia generatio Christi non pertinet ad evangelium.

Quid ergo respondebis apostolo dicenti: Memor esto Christum Iesum resurrexisse a mortuis ex semine David secundum evangelium meum?

Vides certe, quam nescias vel te nescire fingas, quid sit evangelium, nec ex doctrina apostolica sed ex vestro errore nomines evangelium.

At si hoc appellas evangelium, quod apostoli appellaverunt, aberras ab evangelio, qui non credis Christum ex semine David, quod apostolus secundum suum evangelium praedicari testatus est. p. 255,7

Quod autem erat apostoli Pauli evangelium, hoc etiam ceterorum apostolorum et omnium fidelium dispensatorum tanti sacramenti. Hoc enim alibi dicit: Sive ergo ego sive illi; sic praedicamus et sic credidistis.

Non enim omnes illi evangelium conscripserunt, sed tamen omnes evangelium praedicaverunt. Narratores quippe originis, factorum, dictorum, passionum domini Iesu Christi proprie dicti sunt evangelistae.

Nam et ipsum nomen si quaeramus quid latine interpretetur, bonus nuntius dicitur evangelium vel bona adnuntiatio. Quod quidem cum aliquid bonum adnuntiatur, semper dici potest, proprie tamen hoc vocabulum obtinuit illa quam dixi adnuntiatio salvatoris. Si autem vos aliud adnuntiatis, extra evangelium vos esse manifestum est. p. 255,19 Utique sunt adversus vos parvuli, quos appellatis semichristianos, si matris caritatis vocem sibi ex ore apostolico personantem audiant : Si quis vobis adnuntiaverit praeterquam quod adnuntiavimus vobis, anathema sit.

Cum ergo ipse Paulus secundum evangelium suum adnuntiaverit Christum ex semine David, vos qui hoc negatis et aliud adnuntiatis anathema sitis.

Quis non autem videat, quanta caecitate dicatur, quod nusquam se Christum natum ex hominibus dicat, cum paene numquam se filium hominis taceat?