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De resurrectione carnis

XXXI.

[1] Plane si et populus allegorice mussitaret ossa sua arefacta et spem suam perditam, dispersionis exitum querulus, merito videretur et deus figuratam desperationem figurata promissione consolatus. [2] Sed cum dispersionis quidem iniuria nondum populo accidisset, resurrectionis vero spes apud illum saepissime cecidisset, manifestus est de corporum interitu labefactans fiduciam resurrectionis: ita et deus eam restruebat fidem quam populus destruebat. [3] Quanquam etsi aliqua praesentium rerum tunc conflictatione maerebat Israel, non idcirco in parabola accipienda esset revelationis intentio sed in testationem resurrectionis, ut in illam spem erigeret illos, aeternae scilicet salutis et necessarioris restitutionis, et averteret a respectu praesentium rerum. [4] Ad hoc enim et alibi prophetes, Exibitis----de sepulchris----velut vituli de vinculis soluti et conculcabitis inimicos: et rursus, Gaudebit cor vestrum et ossa vestra velut herba orientur----quia et herba de dissolutione et corruptela seminis reformatur. [5] in summa, si proprie in Israelis statum resurgentium ossuum imago contenditur, cur etiam non Israeli tantummodo verum et omnibus gentibus eadem spes adnuntiatur et recorporandarum et redanimandarum reliquiarum et de sepulchris exsuscitandorum mortuorum? [6] De omnibus enim dictum est, Vivent mortui et exsurgent de sepulchris: ros enim qui a te, medela est ossibus eorum. [7] Item alibi, Veniet adorare omnis caro in conspectu meo, dicit dominus. Quando? Cum praeterire coeperit habitus mundi huius: [8] supra enim, Quemadmodum caelum novum et terra nova quae ego facio, in conspectu meo, dicit dominus, ita stabit semen vestrum. [9] Tunc ergo et quod subiecit implebitur, Et exibunt----utique de sepulchris----et videbunt artus eorum qui impie egerunt, quoniam vermis eorum non decidet et ignis eorum non extinguetur, et erit satis conspectui omni carni----scilicet quae resuscitata et egressa de sepulchris dominum pro hac gratia adorabit.

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On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Chapter XXXI.--Other Passages Out of the Prophets Applied to the Resurrection of the Flesh.

Unquestionably, if the people were indulging in figurative murmurs that their bones were become dry, and that their hope had perished--plaintive at the consequences of their dispersion--then God might fairly enough seem to have consoled their figurative despair with a figurative promise. Since, however, no injury had as yet alighted on the people from their dispersion, although the hope of the resurrection had very frequently failed amongst them, it is manifest that it was owing to the perishing condition of their bodies that their faith in the resurrection was shaken. God, therefore, was rebuilding the faith which the people were pulling down. But even if it were true that Israel was then depressed at some shock in their existing circumstances, we must not on that account suppose that the purpose of revelation could have rested in a parable: its aim must have been to testify a resurrection, in order to raise the nation's hope to even an eternal salvation and an indispensable restoration, and thereby turn off their minds from brooding over their present affairs. This indeed is the aim of other prophets likewise. "Ye shall go forth," (says Malachi), "from your sepulchres, as young calves let loose from their bonds, and ye shall tread down your enemies." ¹ And again, (Isaiah says): "Your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall spring up like the grass," ² because the grass also is renewed by the dissolution and corruption of the seed. In a word, if it is contended that the figure of the rising bones refers properly to the state of Israel, why is the same hope announced to all nations, instead of being limited to Israel only, of reinvesting those osseous remains with bodily substance and vital breath, and of raising up their dead out of the grave? For the language is universal: "The dead shall arise, and come forth from their graves; for the dew which cometh from Thee is medicine to their bones." ³ In another passage it is written: "All flesh shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord." ⁴ When? When the fashion of this world shall begin to pass away. For He said before: "As the new heaven and the new earth, which I make, remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed remain." ⁵ Then also shall be fulfilled what is written afterwards: "And they shall go forth" (namely, from their graves), "and shall see the carcases of those who have transgressed: for their worm shall never die, nor shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be a spectacle to all flesh" ⁶ even to that which, being raised again from the dead and brought out from the grave, shall adore the Lord for this great grace.