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| Chapter XXXVIII.—The Teachings of the Greek Poets and Philosophers Confirmatory of Those of the Hebrew Prophets.
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Chapter XXXVIII.—The Teachings of the Greek Poets and Philosophers Confirmatory of Those of the Hebrew Prophets.
But what matters it whether they were before or
after them? Certainly they did at all events utter things confirmatory
of the prophets. Concerning the burning up of the world, Malachi the
prophet foretold: “The day of the Lord cometh as a burning oven,
and shall consume all the wicked.”629
And Isaiah: “For the
wrath of God is as a violent hail-storm, and as a rushing mountain
torrent.”630
The Sibyl, then, and the other prophets, yea,
and the poets and philosophers, have clearly taught both concerning
righteousness, and judgment, and punishment; and also concerning
providence, that God cares for us, not only for the living among us, but
also for those that are dead: though, indeed, they said this unwillingly,
for they were convinced by the truth. And among the prophets indeed,
Solomon said of the dead, “There shall be healing to thy flesh,
and care taken of thy bones.”631
And the same says David,
“The bones which Thou hast broken shall rejoice.”632
And
in agreement with these sayings was that of Timocles:—
“The dead are pitied by the loving God.”
And the writers who spoke of a
multiplicity of gods came at length to the doctrine of the unity of God,
and those who asserted chance spoke also of providence; and the advocates
of impunity confessed there would be a judgment, and those who denied
that there is a sensation after death acknowledged that there is. Homer,
accordingly, though he had said,—
“Like fleeting vision passed the soul
away,”633
says in another place:—
“To Hades went the disembodied soul;”634
And again:—
“That I may quickly pass through Hades’ gates,
Me bury.”635
And as regards the others whom
you have read, I think you know with sufficient accuracy how they
have expressed themselves. But all these things will every one
understand who seeks the wisdom of God, and is well pleasing to Him
through faith and righteousness and the doing of good works. For
one of the prophets whom we already mentioned, Hosea by name, said,
“Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent,
and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and
the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall
therein.”636
He, then, who is desirous of learning, should
learn much.637
| 637 We have
adopted the reading of Wolf in the text. The reading of the mss. is, “He who desires
to learn should desire to learn.” Perhaps the most satisfactory
emendation is that of Heumann, who reads φιλομυθεῖν
instead of φιλομαθεῖν:
“He who desires to learn should also desire to discuss subjects, and
hold conversations on them.” In this case, Theophilus most probably
borrows his remark from Aristotle, Metaphysic. i. c. 2. |
Endeavour therefore to meet [with me] more frequently, that, by hearing
the living voice, you may accurately ascertain the truth.
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