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Treatise concerning the christian priesthood

7.

For how was it, tell me, that he confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, ¹ though he had not yet begun to work miracles? How was it that he wrestled with the Grecians and threw them? ² and why was he sent to Tarsus? Was it not because he was so mighty and victorious in the word, and brought his adversaries to such a pass that they, unable to brook their defeat, were provoked to seek his life? At that time, as I said, he had not begun to work miracles, nor could any one say that the masses looked upon him with astonishment on account of any glory belonging to his mighty works, or that they who contended with him were overpowered by the force of public opinion concerning him. For at this time he conquered by dint of argument only. How was it, moreover, that he contended and disputed successfully with those who tried to Judaize in Antioch? and how was it that that Areopagite, ³ an inhabitant of Athens, that most devoted of all cities to the gods, followed the apostle, he and his wife? was it not owing to the discourse which they heard? And when Eutychus ⁴ fell from the lattice, was it not owing to his long attendance even until midnight to St. Paul's preaching? How do we find him employed at Thessalonica and Corinth, in Ephesus and in Rome itself? Did he not spend whole nights and days in interpreting the Scriptures in their order? and why should any one recount his disputes with the Epicureans and Stoics. ⁵ For were we resolved to enter into every particular, our story would grow to an unreasonable length.

When, therefore, both before working miracles, and after, St. Paul appears to have made much use of argument, how can any one dare to pronounce him unskillful whose sermons and disputations were so exceedingly admired by all who heard them? Why did the Lycaonians ⁶ imagine that he was Hermes? The opinion that he and Barnabas were gods indeed, arose out of the sight of their miracles; but the notion that he was Hermes did not arise from this, but was a consequence of his speech. In what else did this blessed saint excel the rest of the apostles? and how comes it that up and down the world he is so much on every one's tongue? How comes it that not merely among ourselves, but also among Jews and Greeks, he is the wonder of wonders? Is it not from the power of his epistles? whereby not only to the faithful of to-day, but from his time to this, yea and up to the end, even the appearing of Christ, he has been and will be profitable, and will continue to be so as long as the human race shall last. For as a wall built of adamant, so his writings fortify all the Churches of the known world, and he as a most noble champion stands in the midst, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, casting down imaginations, and every high thing which exalts itself against the knowledge of God, ⁷ and all this he does by those epistles which he has left to us full of wonders and of Divine wisdom. For his writings are not only useful to us, for the overthrow of false doctrine and the confirmation of the true, but they help not a little towards living a good life. For by the use of these, the bishops of the present day fit and fashion the chaste virgin, which St. Paul himself espoused to Christ, ⁸ and conduct her to the state of spiritual beauty; with these, too, they drive away from her the noisome pestilences which beset her, and preserve the good health thus obtained. Such are the medicines and such their efficacy left us by this so-called unskillful man, and they know them and their power best who constantly use them. From all this it is evident that St. Paul had given himself to the study of which we have been speaking with great diligence and zeal.

Traduction Masquer
Traité du Sacerdoce

7.

Comment confondit-il les Juifs de Damas, (Act. IX, 22), avant qu’il eût commencé à faire des miracles? Commuent terrassa-i-il les Juifs Hellénistes? pourquoi fut-il envoyé à Tarse? (Act. IX, 29, 30), sinon parce qu’avec la force irrésistible de sa parole il vainquait tous ses adversaires, et les pressait si vivement que, ne pouvant supporter leur défaite, ils s’exaspérèrent jusqu’à jurer sa mort? Car, je le répète, à ce moment il n’avait pas encore fait de (604) miracles. On ne peut doue pas dire que, la multitude l’admirant déjà comme un thaumaturge, ses antagonistes étaient écrasés sous l’ascendant de sa renommée. Il n’était puissant jusque-là que par la force de sa parole. De quelle arme se servait-il à Antioche pour combattre les Judaïsants? (Galat. II, 11.) N’est-ce pas par son éloquence seule que dans Athènes, la ville la plus superstitieuse du monde, il gagna l’Aréopagite avec sa femme? (Act. XVII, 34.) Quel charme merveilleux ne possédait-il pas en parlant, puisqu’on passait des nuits à l’entendre? témoin Eutyque tombé du haut d’une fenêtre (Act. XX, 9.) A Thessalonique, à Corinthe, à Ephèse, à Rome que fait-il? il prêche des jours entiers et même des nuits entières expliquant les Ecritures, disputant contre les Epicuriens et les Stoïciens. (Act. XVII, 18.) Je ne finirais pas, si je relevais toutes les occasions dans lesquelles il a montré son talent pour la parole.

Avant qu’il eût fait des miracles, comme pendant le cours de ses prodiges, on le voit user fréquemment de la parole. Qui donc osera nommer ignorant celui qui, soit qu’il fût aux prises avec un adversaire, soit qu’il haranguât la multitude se faisait admirer de tout le monde? Les Lycaoniens crurent voir en lui leur Mercure; ses miracles et ceux de Barnabé les firent passer pour des dieux; mais il n’y eut que l’éloquence qui fit prendre Paul pour le dieu de l’éloquence. (Act. XIV, 11.) N’est-ce pas par là qu’il a surpassé les autres Apôtres? D’où vient que par toute la terre son nom se trouve si fréquemment dans la bouche des hommes? D’où vient qu’il est plus admiré que tous les autres, non-seulement parmi nous, mais même parmi les Juifs et les Grecs? N’est-ce pas à cause du prodigieux mérite de ses épîtres, qui ont fait tant de bien aux fidèles de son temps et à ceux qui sont venus depuis, et qui en feront encore tant à ceux qui viendront, jusqu’au dernier avènement du Christ; car il ne cessera pas d’être utile aux hommes tant que durera le genre humain. Ses admirables écrits sont comme une muraille de diamant qui entoure et protége les Eglises dans toutes les parties du monde. Champion immortel du Christ, il est encore aujourd’hui debout au milieu de l’Eglise, enchaînant toute pensée sous l’obéissance du Christ, renversant tous les conseils, abattant toute hauteur qui s’élève contre la science de Dieu. (II Cor. X, 5.)

Or, tout cela, il le fait par les admirables épîtres qu’il nous a laissées, épîtres toutes pleines de la sagesse divine.

Ses précieux écrits servent non-seulement au renversement des fausses doctrines et au solide établissement de la vraie foi, mais ils sont encore d’une très-grande utilité pour instituer la règle des bonnes moeurs. C’est par leur moyen qu’aujourd’hui encore les évêques parent et ornent la chaste Vierge qu’il a nommée l’épouse de Jésus-Christ (II. Cor. XI, 2), et qu’ils travaillent à former en elle tous les traits du type de la beauté spirituelle; c’est par eux qu’ils repoussent les maux qui fondent sur l’Eglise, et qu’ils lui conservent la santé dont ellejouit. Tels sont les remèdes que cet ignorant nous a laissés, et telle est leur vertu, comme l’expérience l’apprend à ceux qui en font continuellement usage. De tout ceci, concluons que saint Paul attachait une grande importance au talent de la parole.