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| Chapter III. The answer on the many kinds of food provided in holy Scripture.
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Chapter III.
The answer on the many kinds of food provided in holy
Scripture.
Serenus: The authority of
holy Scripture says on those points on which it would inform us some
things so plainly and clearly even to those who are utterly void of
understanding, that not only are they not veiled in the obscurity of
any hidden meaning, but do not even require the help of any
explanation, but carry their meaning and sense on the surface of the
words and letters: but some things are so concealed and involved in
mysteries as to offer us an immense field for skill and care in the
discussion and explanation of them. And it is clear that God has so
ordered it for many reasons: first for fear lest the holy mysteries, if
they were covered by no veil of spiritual meaning, should be exposed
equally to the knowledge and understanding of everybody, i.e., the
profane as well as the faithful and thus there might be no difference
in the matter of goodness and prudence between the lazy and the
earnest: next that among those who are indeed of the household of
faith, while immense differences of intellectual power open out before
them, there might be the opportunity of reproving the slothfulness of
the idle, and of proving the keenness and diligence of the earnest. And
so holy Scripture is fitly compared to a rich and fertile field, which,
while bearing and producing much which is good for man’s food
without being cooked by fire, produces some things which are found to
be unsuitable for man’s use or even harmful unless they have lost
all the roughness of their raw condition by being tempered and softened
down by the heat of fire. But some are naturally fit for use in both
states, so that even when uncooked they are not unpleasant from their
raw condition, but still are rendered more palatable by being cooked
and heated by fire. Many more things too are produced only fit for the
food of irrational creatures, and cattle, and wild animals and birds,
but utterly useless as food for men, which while still in their rough
state without being in any way touched by fire, conduce to the health
and life of cattle. And we can clearly see that the same system holds
good in that most fruitful garden of the Scriptures of the Spirit, in
which some things shine forth clear and bright in their literal sense,
in such a way that while they have no need of any higher
interpretation, they furnish abundant food and nourishment in the
simple sound of the words, to the hearers: as in this passage:
“Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord;” and:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy strength.”1519
But there are some which, unless they are weakened down by an
allegorical interpretation, and softened by the trial of the fire of
the spirit cannot become wholesome food for the inner man without
injury and loss to him; and damage rather than profit will accrue to
him from receiving them: as with this passage: “But let your
loins be girded up and your lights burning;” and:
“whosoever has no sword, let him sell his coat and buy himself a
sword;” and: “whosoever taketh not up his cross and
followeth after Me is not worthy of Me;”1520
| 1520 S. Luke xii. 35; xxii. 36; S. Matt. x.
38. | a
passage which some most earnest monks, having “indeed a zeal for
God, but not according to knowledge”1521
understood literally, and so made themselves wooden crosses, and
carried them about constantly on their shoulders, and so were the cause
not of edification but of ridicule on the part of all who saw them. But
some are capable of being taken suitable and properly in both ways,
i.e., the historical and allegorical, so that either explanation
furnishes a healing draught to the soul; as this passage: “If any
one shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other
also;” and: “when they persecute you in one city, flee to
another;” and: “if thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that
thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven,
and come follow Me.”1522
| 1522 S. Matt. v. 39; x. 23; xix. 21. | It produces
indeed “grass for the cattle” also, (and of this food all
the fields of Scripture are full); viz., plain and simple narratives of
history, by which simple folk, and those who are incapable of perfect
and sound understanding (of whom it is said “Thou, Lord, wilt
save both man and beast”)1523
may be made
stronger and more vigorous for their hard work and the labour of actual
life, in accordance with the state and measure of their
capacity.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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