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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

2.

Verumtamen utrum et hoc a Christo dictum sit, dubios etiam nos et incertos scribentium ipsa varietas facit. Namque cum duo evangelistae Matthaeus et Lucas de centurione quodam pariter narrent, cuius puer tunc infirmaretur et propter quem visus fuerit hoc ipsum dixisse Iesus, quia scilicet tantam fidem non invenisset in Israhel, quantam in illo homine gentili quamvis et pagano, eo quod dixerit idem non se fuisse tam dignum, ut sub tectum suum intraret Iesus, sed id rogare tantum, ut iuberet verbo, et sanaretur puer suus, solus tamen Matthaeus hoc adicit Iesum prosecutum esse, ut diceret: p. 786,13 Amen dico vobis, quia multi venient ab oriente et occidente et recumbent cum Abraham et Isaac et Iacob in regno caelorum; filios autem regni mittent in tenebras exteriores, multos quidem, qui venturi forent, paganos significans propter centurionem, quia esset et ipse gentilis, in quo tamen tanta fuisset fides inventa, filios autem regni appellans Iudaeos, in quibus nulla esset inventa fides. At vero Lucas quamquam et ipse ut necessarium hoc et memorabile inter Christi mirabilia gesta inserendum putaverit evangelio suo, de Abraham tamen illic, de Isaac et Iacob nullam facit mentionem. Quodsi quis dicat idcirco pratermisisse eum, quia enim dictum id iam satis fuisset a Matthaeo, cur ergo gestum ipsum commemorat erga centurionem et puerum eius, quod aeque longe satis insinuatum iam fuisset nobis Matthaei sollertia? p. 786,27 Sed falsum est. Namque et de obsecratione ipsa adveniendi Iesum Matthaeus quidem dicit, quod enim idem per semet ipsum centurio venerit ad eum rogaturus medelam, Lucas autem non, sed quia maiores natu ad eum miserit Iudaeorum, qui ne forte sperneretur ab eodem tamquam gentilis – quoniam hi quidem Iesum volunt esse plane Iudaeum – persuadere ingressi sunt ei dicentes dignum esse, cui id praestaret, quoniam quidem diligeret gentem suam et synagogam ipse aedificasset sibi, tamquam et hoc ad dei filium pertineret, si aedificationem synagogae suae Iudaei de centurione pagano meruerint. Nec tamen omnifariam et Lucas hoc verbum reticuit, puto recogitans, ne forte fuisset verum; sed locum tamen mutat applicatque id alteri cuidam causae longe dissimili, id est ubi dicit Iesus ad discipulos suos: p. 787,14 Contendite intrare per angustum ostium; multi enim venient quaerentes intrare et non poterunt. Cum autem intraverit inquit pater familias et clauserit ianuam, incipietis foris stare et pulsare dicentes: domine, aperi nobis. Et respondens dicet: nescio vos. Tunc incipietis dicere: manducavimus et bibimus coram te et in plateis nostris et synagogis docuisti. Et dicet vobis: nescio unde estis; discedite a me omnes, operarii iniquitatis. Ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium, cum videritis Abraham et Isaac et Iacob et omnes prophetas introeuntes in regnum dei, vos autem expelli foras. Et venient ab oriente et occidente et austro et aquilone et recumbent in regno dei. p. 788,1 Hoc vero ipsum quidem, quia multi excludentur a regno dei, qui scilicet nomen tantummodo Christi portaverint, sed non fecerint opera eius, nec Matthaeus scribere praetermisit, sed de Abraham illic et Isaac et Iacob nullam facit omnino mentionem. Item de centurione et puero eius etiam Lucas quidem scripsit, sed aeque ipse de Abraham illic et Isaac et Iacob nihil omnino testatur, ut, quia ubinam dictum sit certo constare non possit, nihil prohibeat etiam non credere, quia sit dictum.

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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

2.

However, there is a difficulty in deciding as regards this verse too, whether the words were really spoken to Christ, for there is a discrepancy in the narratives. For while two evangelists, Matthew and Luke, both alike tell of the centurion whose servant was sick, and to whom these words of Jesus are supposed to have applied, that He had not seen so great faith, no, not in Israel, as in this man, though a Gentile and a Pagan, because he said that he was not worthy that Jesus should come under his roof, but wished Him only to speak the word, and his servant should be healed; Matthew alone adds that Jesus went on to say, "Verily I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness." By the many who should come are meant the Pagans, on account of the centurion, in whom, although he was a Gentile, so great faith was found; and the children of the kingdom are the Jews, in whom there was no faith found. Luke, again, though he too mentions the occurrence in his Gospel as part of the narrative of the miracles of Christ, says nothing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If it is said that he omitted it because it had been already said by Matthew, why does he tell the story at all of the centurion and his servant, since that, too, has the advantage of being recorded at length in Matthew's ingenious narrative? But the passage is corrupt. For, in describing the centurion's application to Jesus, Matthew says that he came himself to ask for a cure; while Luke says he did not, but sent elders of the Jews, and that they, in case Jesus should despise the centurion as a Gentile (for they will have Jesus to be a thorough Jew), set about persuading Him, by saying that he was worthy for whom He should do this, because he loved their nation, and had built them a synagogue; ¹ here again taking for granted that the Son of God was concerned in a pagan centurion having thought it proper to build a synagogue for the Jews. The words in question are, indeed, found in Luke also, perhaps because on reflection he thought they might be genuine; but they are found in another place, and in a connection altogether different. The passage is where Jesus says to His disciples, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many shall come seeking to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house has entered in, and has shut to the door, ye shall begin to stand without, and to knock, saying Lord, open to us. And He shall answer and say, I know you not. Then ye shall begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets and synagogues; but He shall say unto you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, entering into the kingdom of God, and you yourselves cast out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God." ² The part where it is said that many shall be shut out of the kingdom of God, who have only borne the name of Christ, without doing His works, is not left out by Matthew; but he makes no mention here of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. In the same way, Luke mentions the centurion and his servant, without alluding in that connection to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. Since it is uncertain when the words were spoken, we are at liberty to doubt whether they were spoken at all.