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On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Chapter XX.--Figurative Senses Have Their Foundation in Literal Fact. Besides, the Allegorical Style is by No Means the Only One Found in the Prophetic Scriptures, as Alleged by the Heretics.

Now, to upset all conceits of this sort, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they rest--their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were the case, the figures themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the verities would not have been declared, out of which the figurative language is stretched. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will be that of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror for your face, if the face nowhere exists? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too: so that we have prophecies about the Lord Himself even, which are clearer than the day. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb; nor in a trope did she bear Emmanuel, that is, Jesus, God with us. ¹ Even granting that He was figuratively to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, ² still it was literally that He was to "enter into judgment with the elders and princes of the people." ³ For in the person of Pilate "the heathen raged," and in the person of Israel "the people imagined vain things;" "the kings of the earth" in Herod, and the rulers in Annas and Caiaphas, were gathered together "against the Lord, and against His anointed." ⁴ He, again, was "led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer," that is, Herod, "is dumb, so He opened not His mouth." ⁵ "He gave His back to scourges, and His cheeks to blows, not turning His face even from the shame of spitting." ⁶ "He was numbered with the transgressors;" ⁷ "He was pierced in His hands and His feet;" ⁸ "they cast lots for his raiment;" ⁹ "they gave Him gall, and made Him drink vinegar;" ¹⁰ "they shook their heads, and mocked Him;" ¹¹ "He was appraised by the traitor in thirty pieces of silver." ¹² What figures of speech does Isaiah here give us? What tropes does David? What allegories does Jeremiah? Not even of His mighty works have they used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? did not the tongue of the dumb recover speech? ¹³ did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong, ¹⁴ and the lame leap as an hart? ¹⁵ No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases which were healed by the Lord; but still they were all fulfilled literally: thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can only be taken in a pure and simple signification, and free from all allegorical obscurity; as when we hear of the downfall of nations and cities, of Tyre and Egypt, and Babylon and Edom, and the navy of Carthage; also when they foretell Israel's own chastisements and pardons, its captivities, restorations, and at last its final dispersion. Who would prefer affixing a metaphorical interpretation to all these events, instead of accepting their literal truth? The realities are involved in the words, just as the words are read in the realities. Thus, then, (we find that) the allegorical style is not used in all parts of the prophetic record, although it occasionally occurs in certain portions of it.

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De resurrectione carnis

XX.

[1] Ob huiusmodi igitur coniecturas primam praestructionem eorum depellam, qua volunt omnia prophetas per imagines contionatos: quando, si ita esset, ne ipsae quidem imagines distingui potuissent, si non et veritates praedicatae fuissent ex quibus imagines deliniarentur. [2] Atque adeo si omnia figurae, quid erit illud cuius figurae? Quomodo speculum obtendes si nusquam est facies? Adeo autem non omnia imagines sed et veritates, nec omnia umbrae sed et corpora, ut in ipsum quoque dominum insigniora quaeque luce clarius praedicarentur. [3] Nam et virgo concepit in utero non figurate, et peperit Emmanuelem, nobiscum deum [Iesum], non oblique: etsi oblique accepturam virtutem Damasci et spolia Samariae, sed manifeste venturum in iudicium cum presbyteris et archontibus populi. [4] Nam et tumultuatae sunt gentes in persona Pilati, et populi meditati sunt inania in persona Israelis: adstiterunt reges terrae, Herodes, et archontes congregati sunt in unum, Annas et Caiaphas, adversus dominum et adversus Christum eius: [5] qui et tanquam ovis ad iugulationem adductus est, et tanquam agnus ante tondentem, scilicet Herodem, sine voce, sic non aperuit os suum, dorsum suum ponens ad flagella et maxillas ad palmas, et faciem non avertens a sputaminum iaculis: deputatus etiam inter iniquos, perfossus manus et pedes, sortem passus in vestimento et potus amaros et capitum inridentium nutus, triginta argenteis adpretiatus a proditore. [6] Quae hic figurae apud Esaiam, quae imagines apud David, quae aenigmata apud Hieremiam, ne virtutes quidem eius per parabolas profatos? Aut numquid nec oculi patefacti sunt caecorum, nec inclaruit lingua mutorum, nec manus aridae et genua dissoluta revaluerunt, nec claudi salierunt ut cervus? [7] Quae etsi spiritaliter quoque interpretari solemus secundum comparationem animalium vitiorum a domino remediatorum, cum tamen et carnaliter adimpleta sunt ostendunt prophetas in utramque speciem praedicasse, salvo eo quod plures voces eorum nudae et simplices et ab omni allegoriae nubilo purae defendi possunt: [8] ut cum exitus gentium et urbium resonant, Tyri et Aegypti et Babylonis et Idumaeae et Carthaginensium navium, et cum ipsius Israelis plagas aut venias, captivitates restitutiones, ultimaeque dispersionis exitum perorant. [9] Quis haec interpretabitur magis quam recognoscet? res in litteris tenentur, litterae in rebus leguntur. Ita non semper nec in omnibus allegorica forma est prophetici eloquii, sed interdum et in quibusdam.