Chapter 25.—The Same Word Does Not Always Signify the Same Thing.

And when it is shown to be figurative, the words in which it is expressed will be found to be drawn either from like objects or from objects having some affinity.

35.  But as there are many ways in which things show a likeness to each other, we are not to suppose there is any rule that what a thing signifies by similitude in one place it is to be taken to signify in all other places.  For our Lord used leaven both in a bad sense, as when He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,”174    Matt. xvi. 6; Luke xii. 1. and in a good sense, as when He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”175    Luke xiii. 21.

36.  Now the rule in regard to this variation has two forms.  For things that signify now one thing and now another, signify either things that are contrary, or things that are only different.  They signify contraries, for example, when they are used metaphorically at one time in a good sense, at another in a bad, as in the case of the leaven mentioned above.  Another example of the same is that a lion stands for Christ in the place where it is said, “The lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed;”176    Rev. v. 5. and again, stands for the devil where it is written, “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.”177    1 Pet. v. 8.  In the same way the serpent is used in a good sense, “Be wise as serpents;”178    Matt. x. 16. and again, in a bad sense, “The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty.”179    2 Cor. xi. 3.  Bread is used in a good sense, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven;”180    John vi. 51. in a bad, “Bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”181    Prov. ix. 17.  And so in a great many other cases.  The examples I have adduced are indeed by no means doubtful in their signification, because only plain instances ought to be used as examples.  There are passages, however, in regard to which it is uncertain in what sense they ought to be taken, as for example, “In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red:  it is full of mixture.”182    Ps. lxxv. 8.  Now it is uncertain whether this denotes the wrath of God, but not to the last extremity of punishment, that is, “to the very dregs;” or whether it denotes the grace of the Scriptures passing away from the Jews and coming to the Gentiles, because “He has put down one and set up another,”—certain observances, however, which they understand in a carnal manner, still remaining among the Jews, for “the dregs hereof is not yet wrung out.”  The following is an example of the same object being taken, not in opposite, but only in different significations:  water denotes people, as we read in the Apocalypse,183    Rev. xvii. 15. and also the Holy Spirit, as for example, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water;”184    John vii. 38. and many other things besides water must be interpreted according to the place in which they are found.

37.  And in the same way other objects are not single in their signification, but each one of them denotes not two only but sometimes even several different things, according to the connection in which it is found.

CAPUT XXV. Idem verbum non idem significat ubique.

Quod cum apparuerit, verba quibus continetur, aut a similibus rebus ducta invenientur, aut ab aliqua vicinitate attingentibus.

35. Sed quoniam multis modis res similes rebus apparent, non putemus esse praescriptum ut quod in aliquo loco res aliqua per similitudinem significaverit, hoc eam semper significare credamus. Nam et in vituperatione fermentum posuit Dominus, cum diceret, Cavete a fermento Pharisaeorum (Matth. XVI, 11); et in laude, cum diceret, Simile est regnum coelorum mulieri quae abscondit fermentum in tribus mensuris farinae, donec fermentaretur totum (Luc. XIII, 21).

0079 36. Hujus igitur varietatis observatio duas habet formas. Sic enim aliud atque aliud res quaeque significant, ut aut contraria, aut tantummodo diversa significent. Contraria scilicet, cum alias in bono, alias in malo res eadem per similitudinem ponitur, sicut hoc est quod de fermento supra diximus. Tale est etiam quod leo significat Christum, ubi dicitur, Vicit leo de tribu Juda (Apoc. V, 5); significat et diabolum, ubi scriptum est, Adversarius vester diabolus tanquam leo rugiens circuit, quaerens quem devoret (I Petr. V, 8). Ita serpens in bono est, Astuti ut serpentes (Matth. X, 16); in malo autem, Serpens Evam seduxit in astutia sua (II Cor. XI, 3). In bono panis, Ego sum panis vivus, qui de coelo descendi (Joan. VI, 51); in malo, Panes occultos libenter edite (Prov. IX, 17): sic et alia plurima. Et haec quidem quae commemoravi, minime dubiam significationem gerunt, quia exempli gratia commemorari nonnisi manifesta debuerunt. Sunt autem quae incertum sit in quam partem accipi debeant, sicut, Calix in manu Domini vini meri plenus est mixto. Incertum est enim utrum iram Dei significet non usque ad novissimam poenam, id est usque ad faecem; an potius gratiam Scripturarum a Judaeis ad Gentes transeuntem, quia inclinavit ex hoc in hoc, remanentibus apud Judaeos observationibus quas carnaliter sapiunt, quia faex ejus non est exinanita (Psal. LXXIV, 9). Cum vero res eadem non in contraria, sed tantum in diversa significatione ponitur, illud est in exemplum, quod aqua et populum significat, sicut in Apocalypsi legimus (Apoc. XVII, 15, et XIX, 6); et Spiritum sanctum, unde est illud, Flumina aquae vivae fluent de ventre ejus (Joan. VII, 38); et si quid aliud atque aliud, pro locis in quibus ponitur, aqua significare intelligitur.

37. Sic et aliae res non singulae, sed unaquaeque earum, non solum duo aliqua diversa, sed etiam nonnunquam multa significat, pro loco sententiae, sicut posita reperitur.