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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

2.

Augustin replied: The meaning of all this is, that the Hebrew prophets foretold nothing of Christ, and that, if they did, their predictions are of no use to us, and they themselves did not live suitably to the dignity of such prophecies. We must therefore prove the fact of the prophecies; and their use for the truth and steadfastness of our faith; and that the lives of the prophets were in harmony with their words. In this threefold discussion, it would take a long time under the first head to quote from all the books the passages in which Christ may be shown to have been predicted. Faustus' frivolity may be met effectually by the weight of one great authority. Although Faustus does not believe the prophets, he professes to believe the apostles. Above, as if to satisfy the doubts of some opponent, he declares that he assuredly believes the Apostle Paul. ¹ Let us then hear what Paul says of the prophets. His words are: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which He had promised before by His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh." ² What more does Faustus wish? Will he maintain that the apostle is speaking of some other prophets, and not of the Hebrew prophets? In any case, the gospel spoken of as promised was concerning the Son of God, who was made for Him of the seed of David according to the flesh: and to this gospel the apostle says that he was separated. So that the Manichaean heresy is opposed to faith in the gospel, which teaches that the Son of God was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. Besides, there are many passages where the apostle plainly testifies in behalf of the Hebrew prophets, with an authority by which the necks of these proud Manichaeans are broken.

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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

2.

Augustinus respondit: Nempe his omnibus verbis id agit Faustus, ut prophetas Hebraeos neque quicquam de Christo praenuntiavisse neque, si praenuntiarunt, eorum testimonia nobis prodesse neque illos ipsos ex eorundem testimoniorum dignitate vixisse credamus. Nos itaque demonstrabimus et eorum de Christo praesagia, et, quantum per ea nobis ad fidei veritatem firmitatemque consultum sit, et eos suae prophetiae congruenter apteque vixisse. In hac tripertita disputatione illud, quod primo posui, longum est sic probare, ut de illis omnibus libris testimonia proferam, quibus ostendam Christum esse praedictum; sed huius hominis levitatem gravissimo auctoritatis pondere conteram. p. 331,3 Ita quippe non accipit prophetas Hebraeos, ut accipere se tamen profiteatur apostolos. Apostolus autem Paulus, de quo cum se ipse tamquam ex adversa voce interrogasset, utrum eum acciperet, respondit: Et maxime, quid de illorum prophetia dicat, audiamus: Paulus inquit servus Christi vocatus apostolus segregatus in evangelium dei, quod ante promiserat per prophetas suos in scripturis sanctis de filio suo, qui factus est ei ex semine David secundum carnem. Quid vult amplius? Nisi forte hoc de aliis aliquibus prophetis, non de nostris Hebraeis dictum volunt intellegi. p. 331,13 Sed quamquam per quoslibet dictum sit, de illo tamen filio dei promissum est evangelium, qui factus est ei ex semine David secundum carnem, in quod evangelium segregatum se dicit apostolus. Istorum autem perfidiae hoc sit contrarium, quod secundum hoc evangelium credimus filium dei factum ex semine David secundum carnem*, tamen apertiora cognoscant, quibus evidentissimum prophetis Hebraeis testimonium perhibetur per eum apostolum, cuius auctoritate superborum istorum colla frangantur.