Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Bede on Luke 11:51

  

Why ‘from the blood of Abel’, who first suffered martyrdom, is not to be wondered at all, but it must be asked, why ‘up to the blood of Zechariah’, when not only are there many who were killed after him up to the birth of Christ, but also immediately after Christ’s birth the innocent children in Bethlehem were killed by this generation. Perhaps because Abel was a shepherd of sheep, and Zechariah a priest, and the one was slain in the field, and the other in the courtyard of the temple, he wanted to make known under their name martyrs of both kinds, that is to say, bot the laity and those dedicated to the office of the altar. (Bede, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke [trans. Calvin B. Kendall and Faith Wallis; Translated Texts for Historians 85; Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2025], 412)

 

 

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The Peshitta of 1 Corinthians 4:6 and Athanasius and Theodoret on 1 Corinthians 4:6

While I am pretty critical of Trent Horn on the topic of "Mormonism," I stand by what I said back in 2017: His The Case for Catholicism is the best single-volume apologetic work by a modern Catholic author and he does great work against abortion. I also consider him one of the better mainstream apologists for Rome. Today, he just released a pretty good review of Michael Horton's defense of Sola Scriptura. Horton focused on Gal 1:8 and 1 Cor 4:6. You can see Trent's video here:


REBUTTING a Protestant's "Sola Scriptura Church Fathers"




I have already discussed 1 Cor 4:6 a few times on this blog. However, I decided to add to the discussion by checking out (1) the Peshitta and (2) some instances of the text in the Migne series.


The Leiden Peshitta for 1 Cor 4:6 reads:




 

 The above would be transliterated thusly:

 

Hāleyn dēn, aḥay meṭolathkun, hū sāmeth ‘al parṣuphā dīlī, w-da'aplow d'bān te'alphun, d'lō tetra'un yatir men mā dakhtayib, w-anōsh ‘al ḥabreh lō netrayim meṭal anōsh.

 

A machine translation (I will admit I used ChatGPT as I have never formally studied Syriac) renders the text as:

 

These things, therefore, my brothers, have been committed to you in accordance with your own measure—serving as the seal of my authority. And Apollos is among you so that you may not become overly exalted beyond what is written, nor should any man be commended in regard to his fellow as if he were greater than a man

 

This coheres well with another translation, that of Hastings:

 

These things, my Brethren, I have stated concerning the person of myself and of Apollos, for your sakes; that, in us, ye might learn not to think [of men], above what is written; and that no one might exalt himself in comparison with his fellow, on account of any person. (The Syriac New Testament: Translated into English from the Peshitto Version [9th ed.; trans. James Murdock; Boston: H. L. Hastings & Sons, 1915], Logos ed.)

 

In context, it appears that, at least in this tradition (all translation is interpretation, after all), what is in view is not the formal sufficiency of Scripture, but one should not place men “above what is written” (whether the Scripture in general or the Old Testament texts referenced by Paul earlier).

 

During a cursory check of my works from the Syriac Fathers (e.g., Ephrem; Jacob of Serugh), there is no discussion of 1 Cor 4:6. A search of the patristics up until the year 600 revealed only 24 references to this passage (according to the Bibl Index). I decided to check the references for (1) Athanasius in PG 26 and (2) Theodoret of Cyrus in PG 82.

 

Athanasius (PG 26:368A):

 

Τούτο δε λέγων, οσδέν Έτερον έσήμανεν ή οτι τη ήμων ένότητι γένοιντο κα! αύτοι έν πρός άλλήλου; ούτως, ώς ήμεϊς Έν έσμεν φύσει και άληθείς άλλως δε ούκ άν γένοιντο έν, εί μή έν ήμιν μάθωσι τήν ένότητα· καί δτι το, έν ήμιν, ταύτην έχει τήν ση- μασίαν, άκούσαι Παύλου λέγοντος έστι· Ταϋτα δέ μετεσχημάτισα είς έμαυτόν καί Άπολλώ, Tνα έν ήμιν μάθητε τό μή ύπέρ ά γέγραπται φυσιούσθαι. Το άρα, έν ήμιν, ούκ έστιν έν τψ Πατρί, ώς έστιν ό Υίδς έν αύτω, άλλά παράδειγμα και εικών, άντ! τού είπεϊν, Έξ ήμων μαθέτωσαν. Ώς γάρ ό Παύλος τοίς Κορινθίοις, ούτως ή του Υιού κα τού Πατρός ενότης, τοϊς πάσιν ύπογραμμός καί μάθησίς έστι, καθ' ήν δύνανται μανθάνειν, βλέποντες είς τήν κατά φύσιν ένότητα του Πατρός και τού Υιού, πώς καl αύτο όφείλουσιν Εν πρός αλλήλους γίνεσθαι τφ φρονήματι. Εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ ἑτέρως ἀπολογήσασθαι περὶ τοῦ ῥητοῦ, δύναται πάλιν τὸ, ἐν ἡμῖν, ἴσον εἶναι τῷ λέγειν , τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἵνα ἓν γένωνται, τὸ αὐτὸ λέγοντες · ἄνευ γὰρ Θεοῦ τοῦτο γενέσθαι αδύνατον καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἐν τοῖς θείοις λόγοις, ὡς τὸ, Ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ποιήσομεν δύναμιν, καὶ, Ἐν σοὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν κερατιοῦμεν. Οὐκοῦν δῆλον, ὅτι ἐν ὀνόματι Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ δυνάμεθα, τὸ ἓν γενόμενοι , βέβαιον ἔχειν τῆς ἀγάπης τὸν σύνδεσμον. Πάλιν γὰρ, τὴν αὐτὴν διάνοιαν  ἐπεκτείνων , φησὶν ὁ Κύριος · Κἀγὼ τὴν δόξαν, ἣν δέδωκάς μοι, δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν, καθὼς ἡμεῖς ἕν. Καλῶς καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὐκ εἶπεν , ἵνα ὦσιν ἐν σοὶ , ὡς κἀγὼ εἰμι ·ἀλλὰ, καθὼς ἡμεῖς, ειπεν ο δε λεγων, καθως, ου ταυτοτητα δεικνυσιν, αλλ' εικονα και παράδειγμα του λεγομενου.

 

 

“Now, in saying this he signifies something else—that they have become one in our unity; are they indeed one with one another? In this way, since we are one by nature and truth, they could not otherwise become one unless they had learned true unity. Moreover, in our midst this very sign is present—as we hear Paul declare: ‘Thus I have conformed both myself and Apollos, that you might learn among us not to be of a nature exceeding that which is written to exist.’

 

Therefore, among us there is not in the Father what the Son is in Him but rather a pattern and likeness—so that, in effect, they may learn from us (as it is said, “From among us let them learn”). For just as Paul taught the Corinthians, so the unity of the Son and the Father is set forth as the foundation and doctrine for all. By beholding the natural unity of the Father and the Son, they can learn how they too must be one in mind toward one another.

 

And if it is necessary to offer another explanation regarding this saying, it can again be demonstrated that among us there is an equality with that which is proclaimed—by the power of the Father and the Son—so that, becoming one, we all proclaim the same truth; for without God this could not come into being, and indeed it is found once more in the divine words, ‘In God we shall produce power,’ and ‘In you we shall trample our enemies.’

 

Thus it is evident that in the name of the Father and the Son we are enabled, by becoming one, to possess a secure bond of love. Again, extending this same thought, the Lord declares: ‘And I have given them the glory which you gave me, that they may be one, just as we are one.’ Here he does not say that they should be “in You, as I am,” but rather “as we are” – for they do not demonstrate absolute identity, but rather a likeness and pattern of that which is spoken.”

 

Theodore of Cyrus (PG 82:256B-C):

 

«Ώστε μή πρό καιρού τι κρίνετε, Έως εν ό Κύριος έλθη, ος καί φωτίσει τά κρυπτά τού σκότους, καί φανερώσει τάς βουλάς τών καρδιών, καί τότε ό έπαινος γενήσεται έκάστω άπό τού Θεού. » Υμεϊς, φησίν, όράτε τά φαινόμενα, Θεψ δε δήλα καί τά χρυπτόμενα · άλλά κατά τόν παρόντα βίον ού πάντα γυμνοί, έν έκείνω δε πάντα δήλα γενήσεται. Το δίκαιον τοίνυν κριτήριον άναμείνατε · δψεσθε γάρ τηνικαϋτα δικαίας τάς αναρρήσεις. Καί επειδή έν τοϊς πρόσθεν έαυτόν είς μέσον προτέθεικε, καί τόν Άπολλώ, καί τόν Κηφάν, άπό των μειζόνων δεικνύς του γινομένου τήν άτοπίαν, άναγκαίως λοιπόν τήν κατηγορίαν γυμνοί.

 

«Ταϋτα δ, άδελφοι, μετεσχημάτισα κίς μαυτόν καί Άπολλώ δι' δμάς, ίνα έν ήμιν μάθητε το μή ύπέρ γέγραπται φρονεΐν.» Εί ήμετς οί τών διδασκάλων διδάσκαλοι, οί το κήρυγμα θεόθεν δεξάμενοι, τάς ήμετέρας προσηγορίας ούχ επεθείκαμεν, άλλ' άπο Χριστού καλεΐσθαι παρηγ- γυήσαμεν, σκοπήσατε πόσης έστίν άσεβείας μεστόν, τό παρ' έκείνων γινόμενον. Τούτο γάρ λέγει· "Ira έr ήμιν μάθητε το μή ύπέρ δ γέγραπται φρονεΐν, Γέγραπται δέ· « Ό θέλων έν ύμϊν είναι πρώτος, ίστω πάντων έσχατος. » Καί· «Έκαστος έν φ εκλήθη, εν τούτω μενέτω.» "Ενα ύπέρ τού ένδς μή φυσιούσθαι κατά του έτέρου.» Οι γάρ έαυτούς διανεί- μαντες, καί οι μέν έκ τούτου, οί δε έξ εκείνου κα- εΐσθαι βουληθέντες, άλλήλοις διεμάχοντο, τούς φετέρους Έκαστοι διδασκάλους ύπερτιθέναι τών λλων φιλονεικούντες.

 

“Therefore, do not judge prematurely until the Lord has come—He who will illuminate the hidden recesses of darkness and reveal the counsels of the heart—so that then the praise from God will be made perfect. He says, ‘Behold the appearances, and see that which is manifested and made illustrious; yet in this present life you are not always exposed, whereas in that life all things will be made clear.’ Therefore, hold fast to the just standard; for you will clearly perceive the righteous expressions. And because in times past he set himself among them—along with Apollos and Cephas—thereby showing through the greater ones the incongruity of what was taking place, the charge against them is necessarily laid bare.

 

“Thus, brethren, I have conformed both myself and Apollos to our own manner, that you might learn among us not to think in ways beyond what is written.” For we were the teachers of teachers, having received the preaching from God; and we did not impose our own titles, but rather urged that we be called by Christ. Look at how much unseemliness is evident in what is happening among them. For it is said: “Learn among yourselves not to think beyond what is written.” And it is written, “Let him who wishes be first among you, and let the last be the last of all.” And, “Let each be called to remain in his own place.” One should not be above another. For they divided themselves—some from one group, others from another—and those coming from the latter contended with one another, each exalting his own teachers above the rest in a spirit of rivalry.

 

It appears that neither commentator interpreted it as teaching the formal sufficiency of Scripture. 

 

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Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Sang Youl Cho on the Divine Council in the Ancient Near East

  

In this research three indications of “divine assembly”, “divine council”, and “pantheon” are to be interchangeably used to denote the plurality of deities. (Sang Youl Cho, Lesser Deities in the Ugaritic Texts and the Hebrew Bible: A Comparative Study of their Nature and Roles [Deities and Angels of the Ancient World 2; Piscataway, New Jersey: Gorgias Press, 2007], 1 n. 3)

 

ilm “Gods”

 

This term is a generic form which expresses the plurality of Ug. il, “god” (KTU 1.1 iv 6, and passim). Lesser deities are often stated as “gods” in the Ugaritic texts (KTU 1.3 iii 32; 1.15 iii 19; 1.17 i 2-3, etc.). All lesser deities in the celestial assembly may be identified as “gods” as well as their master god. (Ibid., 11)

 

 

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Ambrose's Teaching on the Song of Solomon having a typological prefiguration of Baptismal Regeneration in On the Mysteries 7.35

  

The Song of Songs as well, according to Ambrose, contains a typological prefiguration of baptism (DM 7.35), in the Bride’s words, “I am dark and beautiful”, if interpreted, not literally, but allegorically (as Origen and Gregory of Nyssa had done, joining the Bible and Greek philosophy in their exegesis, including the maxim “Know Yourself”): “the Church, who has received these clothes thanks to the laver of regeneration (baptism), says in the Song of Songs: ‘I am dark and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem’: dark because of the weakness of human condition, and beautiful thanks to the divine grace; dark because I am constituted by sinners, beautiful thanks to the sacrament of faith [fidei sacramentum]”. (Haec vestimenta [. . .] Ecclesia, per lavacrum regenerationis adsumpta, dicit in canticis: “Nigra sum et decora, filiae Hierusalem”: nigra per fragilitatem condicionis humanae, decora per gratiam; nigra quia ex peccatoribus, decora fidei sacramento.) Sacramentum fidei is the sacrament of baptism, since it is through baptism that one becomes a Christian, either at birth or after converting. (Ilaria L. E. Ramelli , “The Sources of Augustine on Christ’s Death and Resurrection as Exemplum and Sacramentum: Origen and Ambrose?,” in Origen, the Philosophical Theologian: Trinity, Christology, and Philosophy-Theology Relation [Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte 160; Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2025], 489)

 

 

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Bede on Luke 4:10-11 and the Devil’s Incompetency at Interpreting Scripture

  

We read this in the ninetieth Psalm, but there the prophecy is not about Christ, but about a holy man. The devil, therefore, interprets the Scripture badly. Indeed, if he knew that it was really written about the Saviour, he ought to have said what follows in the same Psalm and which is directed against himself: ‘You will walk upon the asp and the basilisk, and you will trample underfoot the lion and the dragon.’ He speaks of the help of the angels as if to one who is weak; like an equivocator, he is silent about the fact that he is trampled under. (Bede, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke [trans. Calvin B. Kendall and Faith Wallis; Translated Texts for Historians 85; Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2025], 217)

 

 

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Monday, March 31, 2025

Bede on Luke 1:28, 30-31 and How Mary is “full of grace”

  

Rightly is she called ‘full of grace’, who without a doubt contains a grace which no other woman ever merited, in that she will conceive and bear the very author of grace. . . . When he saw that she was troubled by this unusual salutation, he calls by name as if she were intimately known, and bids her not to fear, which is only natural given that he alone had custody over her. And because he had said she was full of grace, he both affirms that same grace more fully and explains it more copiously saying: [Luke 1:31] Behold you will conceive in your womb, and you will bring forth a son, and you will call his /32/ name Jesus. Jesus means ‘saviour’ or ‘salvific’. The angel who was speaking to Joseph explained the mystery of his name, saying: For he will save his people from their sins. He does not say ‘the people of Israel’ but ‘his people’, that is, a people called both from foreskin and from circumcision into the unity of faith, so that after they have been gathered together from different sides there might be one sheepfold and one shepherd. (Bede, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke [trans. Calvin B. Kendall and Faith Wallis; Translated Texts for Historians 85; Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2025], 131-32)

 

 

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Francis J. Hall (Anglican) on Jesus's Resurrection and Its Relationship to Our Justification

 

Book VII, Chapter 8, §10

 

Our justification. Human nature is substantially constituted by the union of flesh and spirit, and the full functioning and development of human persons is conditioned by this union. The fall of mankind, the redemption, and the subsequent mysteries of grace are determined in their effects upon us by this constitution of our nature. In particular, the redemption of the body, above described, is the redemption of the human spirit as well, and apart from the latter, the former is an idle tale. If the resurrection of Christ makes possible the conversion of our corruptible bodies into spiritual ones, it does so because it enables our spirits to transcend their earthly weaknesses, and to subject their bodies to the uses for which they have learned through holy discipline to employ them. The effects of the resurrection in relation to the body and the spirit of man are branches of one mystery of glorification. In relation to our spirits, the initial effect of our Lord’s resurrection—mediated through the Body of Christ, by our incorporation therein—is our justification [cf. Rom. 4:25]. And our justification is the inception of our sanctification and entire transformation in disposition and character, after the pattern of the righteousness of God in Christ. This whole mystery of justification and sanctification is made possible, both in inception and in progress, by Christ’s meritorious redemption, and by the dispensation of grace which His resurrected opened up. But because of the peculiarly-immediate causal relation in which the resurrection stands to the sacramental dispensation of grace, flowing from HIs glorified Manhood, Scripture connects justification primarily with that fact [Rom. 4:25].  (Francis J. Hall, Anglican Dogmatics, ed. John A. Porter, 2 vols. [Nashotah, Wis.: Nashotah House Press, 2021], 2:254-55)

 

 

 

In technical parlance, the meritorious cause of justification is the death of Christ, but its direct causal antecedent is the resurrection (Rom. 4:25). (Ibid., 2:255 n. 1)

 

 

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