Chapter XX.—Figurative Senses Have Their Foundation in Literal Fact. Besides, the Allegorical Style is by No Means the Only One Found in the Prophetic Scriptures, as Alleged by the Heretics.

Now, to upset all conceits of this sort, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they rest—their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were the case, the figures themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the verities would not have been declared, out of which the figurative language is stretched. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will be that of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror for your face, if the face nowhere exists? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too: so that we have prophecies about the Lord Himself even, which are clearer than the day. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb; nor in a trope did she bear Emmanuel, that is, Jesus, God with us.111    Isa. vii. 14; Matt. i. 23. Even granting that He was figuratively to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria,112    Isa. viii. 4. still it was literally that He was to “enter into judgment with the elders and princes of the people.”113    Isa. iii. 13. For in the person of Pilate “the heathen raged,” and in the person of Israel “the people imagined vain things;” “the kings of the earth” in Herod, and the rulers in Annas and Caiaphas, were gathered together “against the Lord, and against His anointed.”114    Ps. ii. 1, 2. He, again, was “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer,” that is, Herod, “is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.”115    Isa. liii. 7. “He gave His back to scourges, and His cheeks to blows, not turning His face even from the shame of spitting.”116    Isa. l. 6, Sept. “He was numbered with the transgressors;”117    Isa. liii. 12. “He was pierced in His hands and His feet;”118    Ps. xxii. 17. “they cast lots for his raiment;”119    Ver. 18. “they gave Him gall, and made Him drink vinegar;”120    Ps. lxix. 22. Tertullian only briefly gives the sense in two words: et potus amaros. “they shook their heads, and mocked Him;”121    Ps. xxii. 8. “He was appraised by the traitor in thirty pieces of silver.”122    Zech. xi. 12. What figures of speech does Isaiah here give us? What tropes does David? What allegories does Jeremiah? Not even of His mighty works have they used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? did not the tongue of the dumb recover speech?123    Isa. xxxv. 5. did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong,124    Ver. 3. and the lame leap as an hart?125    Ver. 6. No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases which were healed by the Lord; but still they were all fulfilled literally: thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can only be taken in a pure and simple signification, and free from all allegorical obscurity; as when we hear of the downfall of nations and cities, of Tyre and Egypt, and Babylon and Edom, and the navy of Carthage; also when they foretell Israel’s own chastisements and pardons, its captivities, restorations, and at last its final dispersion.  Who would prefer affixing a metaphorical interpretation to all these events, instead of accepting their literal truth? The realities are involved in the words, just as the words are read in the realities.  Thus, then, (we find that) the allegorical style is not used in all parts of the prophetic record, although it occasionally occurs in certain portions of it.

CAPUT XX.

Ob hujusmodi igitur conjecturas, primam praestructionem eorum depellam, qua volunt omnia Prophetas per imagines concionatos: quando si ita esset, ne ipsae quidem imagines distingui potuissent, si non 0821B et veritates praedicatae fuissent, ex quibus imagines deliniarentur . Atque adeo, si omnia figurae, quid erit illud, cujus figurae? quomodo speculum obtendes, si nusquam est facies? Adeo autem non omnia imagines, sed et veritates; nec omnia umbrae, sed et corpora: ut in ipsum quoque Dominum insigniora quaeque luce clarius praedicarentur. Nam et virgo concepit in utero, non figurate; et peperit Emmanuelem, nobiscum Deum Jesum, non oblique; et si oblique accepturum virtutem Damasci, et spolia Samariae (Is., VIII, 4), sed manifeste venturum in judicium cum presbyteris et archontibus populi (Is., III, 14). Nam et tumultuatae sunt gentes (Ps., II) in persona Pilati, et populi meditati sunt inania in persona Israel. Astiterunt reges terrae, Herodes: et archontes congregati 0821C sunt in unum, Anna et Caipha: adversus Dominum, et adversus Christum ejus, qui et (Is., LIII) tanquam ovis ad jugulationem adductus est, et tanquam agnus ante tondentem , scilicet Herodem, sine voce, sic non aperuit os suum, dorsum suum ponens ad flagella, 0822A et maxillas ad palmas, et faciem non avertens a sputaminum jaculis ; deputatus etiam inter iniquos; perfossus (Ps., XXI) manus et pedes; sortem passus in vestimento, et potus amaros, et capitum irridentium nutus; triginta argenteis (Zach., XI, 12) adpretiatus a proditore. Quae hic figurae apud Esaiam? quae imagines apud David? quae aenigmata apud Hieremiam , ne virtutes quidem ejus per parabolas profatos ? Aut numquid nec (Es., XXXV, 6) oculi patefacti sunt caecorum, nec inclaruit lingua mutorum? nec manus aridae et genua dissoluta revaluerunt, nec claudi salierunt ut cervus? Quae etsi ipsi spiritaliter quoque interpretari solemus, secundum comparationem animalium vitiorum a Domino remediatorum; cum tamen et carnaliter adimpleta 0822B sunt, ostendunt prophetas in utramque speciem praedicasse; salvo eo quod plures voces eorum nudae et simplices, et ab omni allegoriae nubilo purae defendi possint : ut cum exitus gentium et urbium resonant (Is., XIII), Tyri, et Aegypti, et Babylonis, et Idumaeae, et Carthaginiensium navium; ut cum ipsius Israelis plagas aut venias, captivitates, restitutiones, ultimaeque dispersionis exitum perorant. Quis haec interpretabitur magis, quam recognoscet? Res in literis tenentur, ut literae in rebus leguntur . Ita non semper, nec in omnibus allegorica forma est prophetici eloquii, sed interdum et in quibusdam.