By the craft of the Diuel speaking in a serpent, our first parents transgressed Gods commandment. 7. who being ashamed vvould hide them selues. 9 but are reproued by God. 14. and besides other particular punishements (yet with promise of a Redemer) are cast out of Paradise.
1Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise?Ma il serpente era il più astuto di tutti gli animali della terra fatti dal Signore Dio. Questi disse alla donna: Per qual motivo comandovvi Iddio, che non di tutte le piante del paradiso mangiaste i frutti?BVT the serpent also was more subtile then al the beasts of the earth, which our Lord God had made. Which said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eate of euerie tree of Paradise?Sed et serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus terræ quæ fecerat Dominus Deus. Qui dixit ad mulierem: Cur præcepit vobis Deus ut non comederetis de omni ligno paradisi ? 2And the woman answered him, saying: Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise we do eat:Cui rispose la donna: Del frutto delle piante, che sono nel paradiso, noi ne mangiamo:To whom the woman answered: Of the fruite of the trees that are in paradise, we doe eate:Cui respondit mulier: De fructu lignorum, quæ sunt in paradiso, vescimur: 3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die.Ma del frutto dell'albero, che è nel mezzo del paradiso, ci ordinò il Signore di non mangiare, e di non toccare, affinché per disgrazia noi non abbiamo a morire.but of the fruite of the tree which is in the middes of paradise, God hath commanded vs that we should not eate: and that we should not touch it, lest perhapes we die.de fructu vero ligni quod est in medio paradisi, præcepit nobis Deus ne comederemus, et ne tangeremus illud, ne forte moriamur. 4And the serpent said to the woman: No, you shall not die the death.Ma il serpente disse alla donna: Assolutamente voi non morrete.And the serpent said to the woman: No you shal not dye the death.Dixit autem serpens ad mulierem: Nequaquam morte moriemini. 5For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened: and you shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.Imperocché sa Dio, che in qualunque tempo ne mangerete, si apriranno i vostri occhi: e sarete come Dei, conoscitori del bene, e del male.For God doth know that in what day soeuer you shal eate therof, your eyes shal be opened: and you shal be as gods, knowing good & euil.Scit enim Deus quod in quocumque die comederitis ex eo, aperientur oculi vestri, et eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum.
6And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold: and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband, who did eat.Vide adunque la donna, che il frutto dell'albero era buono a mangiarsi, e bello a vedere, e appetitoso all'aspetto: e colse il frutto, e mangiollo; e ne diede a suo marito, il quale ne mangiò.The woman therfore sawe that the tree was good to eate, and fayre to the eyes, and delectable to behold: and she tooke of the fruite therof, and did eate, and gaue to her husband, who did eate.Vidit igitur mulier quod bonum esset lignum ad vescendum, et pulchrum oculis, aspectuque delectabile: et tulit de fructu illius, et comedit: deditque viro suo, qui comedit. 7And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceived themselves to be naked, they sewed together fig leaves, and made themselves aprons.E si apersero gli occhi ad ambedue: ed avendo conosciuto, che erano ignudi cucirono delle foglie di fico, e se ne fecero delle cinture.And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceiued themselues to be naked, they sowed togeather leaues of a figge tree, and made themselues aprons.Et aperti sunt oculi amborum; cumque cognovissent se esse nudos, consuerunt folia ficus, et fecerunt sibi perizomata. 8And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.E avendo udita la voce del Signore Dio, che camminava nel paradiso nel tempo, che levasi il vento dopo il mezzodì, si nascose Adamo, e la sua moglie alla vista del Signore in mezzo agli alberi del paradiso.And hearing the voice of our Lord God walking in paradise at the after none ayre: Adam hid himselfe and so did his wife from the face of our Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.Et cum audissent vocem Domini Dei deambulantis in paradiso ad auram post meridiem, abscondit se Adam et uxor ejus a facie Domini Dei in medio ligni paradisi. 9And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?E il Signore Dio chiamò Adamo, e dissegli: Dove sei tu?And our Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?Vocavitque Dominus Deus Adam, et dixit ei: Ubi es ? 10And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.E quegli rispose: Ho udito la tua voce nel paradiso: ed ho avuto ribrezzo, perché era ignudo, e mi sono ascoso.Who said: I heard thy voice in paradise: and I feared, because I was naked, and I hid me.Qui ait: Vocem tuam audivi in paradiso, et timui, eo quod nudus essem, et abscondi me.
11And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?A cui disse Dio: Ma e chi ti fece conoscere, che eri ignudo, se non l'aver tu mangiato del frutto, del quale io aveva a te comandato di non mangiare?To whom he said: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eate?Cui dixit: Quis enim indicavit tibi quod nudus esses, nisi quod ex ligno de quo præceperam tibi ne comederes, comedisti ? 12And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.E Adamo disse: La donna datami da te per compagna, mi ha dato del frutto, e l'ho io mangiato.And Adam said: The woman, which thou gauest me to be my felow companion, gaue me of the tree, and I did eate.Dixitque Adam: Mulier, quam dedisti mihi sociam, dedit mihi de ligno, et comedi. 13And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.E il Signore Dio disse alla donna: Perché facesti tal cosa? Ed ella rispose: Il serpente mi ha sedotta, ed io ho mangiato.And our Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? who answered: The serpent deceiued me, & I did eate.Et dixit Dominus Deus ad mulierem: Quare hoc fecisti ? Quæ respondit: Serpens decepit me, et comedi. 14And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.E il Signore Dio disse al serpente: Perché tu hai fatto questo, maledetto tu tra tutti gli animali, e le bestie della terra: tu camminerai sul tuo ventre e mangerai terra per tutt'i giorni di tua vita.And our Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, accursed art thou among al catle, & beasts of the earth: vpon thy brest shalt thou goe, & earth shalt thou eate al the dayes of thy life.Et ait Dominus Deus ad serpentem: Quia fecisti hoc, / maledictus es inter omnia animantia, et bestias terræ: / super pectus tuum gradieris, et terram comedes cunctis diebus vitæ tuæ. 15I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.Porrò inimicizia tra te, e la donna, e tra il seme tuo, e il seme di lei. Ella schiaccerà la tua testa, e tu tenderai insidie al calcagno di lei.I wil put enmyties betwen thee & the woman, and thy seed and the seed of her. she shal bruise thy head in peeces, & thou shalt lye in waite of her heele.Inimicitias ponam inter te et mulierem, / et semen tuum et semen illius: / ipsa conteret caput tuum, / et tu insidiaberis calcaneo ejus.
16To the woman also he said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee.E alla donna ancor disse: Io moltiplicherò i tuoi affanni e le tue gravidanze; con dolore partorirai i figliuoli, e sarai sotto la potestà del marito, ed ei ti dominerà.To the woman also he said: I wil multiplie thy trauailes, and thy child bearinges: in trauaile shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be vnder thy husbands power, and he shal haue dominion ouer thee.Mulieri quoque dixit: Multiplicabo ærumnas tuas, et conceptus tuos: in dolore paries filios, et sub viri potestate eris, et ipse dominabitur tui. 17And to Adam he said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work: with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.E ad Adamo disse: Perché hai ascoltata la voce della tua consorte, e hai mangiato del frutto, del quale io ti avea comandato di non mangiare, maledetta la terra per quello che tu hai fatto: da lei trarrai con grandi fatiche il nudrimento per tutti i giorni della tua vita.And to Adam he said: Because thou hast heard the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I cō manded thee, that thou shouldest not eate, cursed is the earth in thy woorke: with much toyling shalt thou eate thereof al the dayes of thy life.Adæ vero dixit: Quia audisti vocem uxoris tuæ, et comedisti de ligno, ex quo præceperam tibi ne comederes, maledicta terra in opere tuo: in laboribus comedes ex ea cunctis diebus vitæ tuæ. 18Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herbs of the earth.Ella produrrà per te spine e triboli, e mangerai l'erba della terra.Thornes and thystles shal it bring forth to thee, & thou shalt eate the herbes of the earth.Spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi, et comedes herbam terræ. 19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.Mediante il sudore della tua faccia mangerai il tuo pane, fino a tanto che tu ritorni alla terra, dalla quale sei stato tratto: perocché tu sei polvere, e in polvere tornerai.In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread, til thou returne to earth, of which thou wast taken: because dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt returne.In sudore vultus tui vesceris pane, donec revertaris in terram de qua sumptus es: quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris.
20And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.E Adamo pose alla sua moglie il nome di Eva, perché ella era per esser la madre di tutti i viventi.And Adam called the name of his wife, Eue: for because she was mother of al the liuing.Et vocavit Adam nomen uxoris suæ, Heva: eo quod mater esset cunctorum viventium. 21And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.E fece ancora il Signore Dio ad Adamo, e alla sua moglie delle tonache di pelle, delle quali li rivestì.Our Lord God also made for Adam and his wife garments of skynnes, and clothed them.Fecit quoque Dominus Deus Adæ et uxori ejus tunicas pelliceas, et induit eos: 22And he said: Behold Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil: now therefore lest perhaps he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.E disse: Ecco, che Adamo è diventato come uno di noi, conoscitore del bene, e del male: ora adunque, che a sorte non istenda egli la mano sua, e colga dell'albero della vita; e ne mangi, e viva in eterno.And said: Loe Adam is become as it were one of vs, knowing good & euil: now therfore lest perhapes he reach forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, & eate, and liue for euer.et ait: Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est, sciens bonum et malum: nunc ergo ne forte mittat manum suam, et sumat etiam de ligno vitæ, et comedat, et vivat in æternum. 23And the Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to till the earth from which he was taken.E il Signore Dio lo discacciò dal paradiso di delizie, affinché lavorasse la terra: da cui era stato tratto.And our Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, to worke the earth of which he was taken.Et emisit eum Dominus Deus de paradiso voluptatis, ut operaretur terram de qua sumptus est. 24And he cast out Adam: and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.E discacciatone Adamo, collocò davanti al paradiso di delizie un Cherubino con una spada, che gettava fiamme, e faceva ruota a custodire la strada, che menava all'albero della vita.And he cast out Adam: and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubins, & a flaming, and a turning sworde, for to keepe the way of the tree of life.Ejecitque Adam: et collocavit ante paradisum voluptatis cherubim, et flammeum gladium, atque versatilem, ad custodiendam viam ligni vitæ.
3:1
Haydock
Why hath God? Hebrew, "Indeed hath God, etc." as if the serpent had overheard Eve arguing with herself, about God's prohibition, with a sort of displeasure and presumption. St. Augustine thinks, she had given some entrance to these passions, and the love of her own power, and hence gave credit to the words of the serpent, de Gen. ad lit. 11:30. She might not know or reflect that the serpent could not reason thus, naturally; and she had as yet, no idea or dread of the devil. (Lombard, 2 Dist. 21.) This old serpent entered into the most subtle of creatures, and either by very expressive signs, or by the motion of the serpent's tongue, held this delusive dialogue with Eve. Moses relates what happened exteriorily; but from many expressions, and from the curse, ver. 15, he sufficiently indicates, that an evil spirit was the latent actor. (Haydock)
Menochius
Of every tree. Satan perverts the word of God, giving it an ambiguous turn: in doing which, he has set heretics a pattern, which they follow. (Menochius)
3:3
Haydock
Not touch it. She exaggerates, through dislike of restraint, St. Ambrose. Or through reverence, she thought it unlawful to touch what she must not eat, lest perhaps, as if there could be any doubt. "God asserts, the woman doubts, Satan denies." (St. Bernard) Thus placed, like Eve, between God and the devil, to whom shall we yield our assent? (Haydock)
Perhaps we die, Hebrew, "lest ye die."
3:5
Haydock
God. The old serpent's aim is, to make us think God envies our happiness. (Haydock)
Menochius
Or he would have Eve to suppose, she had not rightly understood her maker, who would surely never deprive her of a fruit which would give her such an increase of knowledge, as to make her conclude she was before comparatively blind. (Menochius)
3:6
Menochius
Woman saw, or gazed on with desire and fond dalliance. (Menochius)
Consulting only her senses, which represented the fruit to her as very desirable, and caused her to give credit to the devil's insinuations, rather than to the express word of God. Do not unbelievers the like, when they refuse to admit the real presence and transubstantiation, though they cannot be ignorant, that this way of proceeding always leads to ruin.
Her husband, who, instead of reproving her for her rashness, did eat, through excessive fondness, not being able to plead ignorance, or that he was deceived. "Earth trembled from her entrails, sky loured, and muttering thunder, some sad drops wept at completing of the mortal sin."
Calmet
(Genesis 2:14.) In what light soever we consider the fault of this unhappy pair, it is truly enormous: the precept was so easy and just, the attempt to be like God in knowledge so extravagant, that nothing but pride could have suggested such woeful disobedience. By the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, Romans 5:19. This ruin of himself, and of all his posterity, Adam could not hide from his own eyes, Genesis 2:17. (Calmet)
3:7
Challoner
And the eyes, etc. Not that they were blind before, (for the woman saw that the tree was fair to the eyes, ver. 6.) nor yet that their eyes were opened to any more perfect knowledge of good; but only to the unhappy experience of having lost the good of original grace and innocence, and incurred the dreadful evil of sin. From whence followed a shame of their being naked; which they minded not before; because being now stript of original grace, they quickly began to be subject to the shameful rebellions of the flesh. (Challoner)
Milton
Behold the noble acquisition of experimental knowledge! This is supposed to have taken place about a week after they had enjoyed the sweets of innocence and of Paradise, that they might afterwards be moved to repentance, when they contrasted their subsequent misery with those few golden days. They saw that they had received a dreadful wound, even in their natural perfections, and that their soul was despoiled of grace, which, of themselves, they could never regain. O! what confusion must now have seized upon them! "Confounded long they say, as stricken mute." (Milton)
Haydock
(Haydock) Aprons, or they interwove tender branches covered with leaves round their middle; a practice, which even the wild Indians and Americans observed, when they were discovered by Columbus. They will rise up in condemnation of those pretended civilized nations, who, like the Greeks, could wrestle or bathe quite naked, without any sense of shame. (Haydock)
Calmet
Adam's fig-tree, in Egypt, has leaves above a yard long, and two feet broad. (Calmet)
3:8
Afternoon air. God's presence has often been indicated by an unusual wind. (3 Kings 19:12; Acts 2:2.) The sovereign judge will not suffer the day to pass over, without bringing our first parents to a sense of their fault. They hid themselves, loving darkness now, because their works were evil.
3:9
Calmet
Where. In what state have thy sins placed thee, that thou shouldst flee from thy God? (St. Ambrose, C. 14) Some think it was the Son of God who appeared on this occasion, St. Augustine; etc. or an Angel. (Calmet)
3:10
Menochius
Afraid. The just man is first to accuse himself: But Adam seeks for excuses in his sin: he throws the blame on his wife, and ultimately on God. (Menochius)
Haydock
Thou gavest me. Heretics have since treated the Sovereign Good with the like insolence; saying plainly, that God is the author of sin, and that the crime of Judas is no less his work than the conversion of St. Paul. See Calvin's works, and many of the first reformers, Luther, etc. cited. (Exodus 8:15.) (Haydock)
3:13
Menochius
The serpent, which thou hast made so cunning, and placed with us, deceived me. God deigns not to answer their frivolous excuses. (Menochius)
3:14
St. Chrysostom
Cursed. This curse falls upon the natural serpent, as the instrument of the devil; who is also cursed at the same time by the Holy Ghost. What was natural to the serpent and to man in a state of innocence, (as to creep, etc. to submit to the dominion of the husband, etc.) becomes a punishment after the fall. (St. Chrysostom)
Tirinus
There was no enmity, before, between man and any of God's creatures; nor were they noxious to him. (Tirinus)
Menochius
The devil seems now to crawl, because he no longer aspires after God and heavenly things, but aims at wickedness and mean deceit. (Menochius)
3:15
Challoner
She shall crush. Ipsa, the woman: so divers of the fathers read this place, conformably to the Latin: others read it ipsum, viz. the seed. The sense is the same: for it is by her seed, Jesus Christ, that the woman crushes the serpent's head. (Challoner)
Haydock
The Hebrew text, as Bellarmine observes, is ambiguous: He mentions one copy which had ipsa instead of ipsum; and so it is even printed in the Hebrew interlineary edition, 1572, by Plantin, under the inspection of Boderianus. Whether the Jewish editions ought to have more weight with Christians, or whether all the other manuscripts conspire against this reading, let others inquire. The fathers who have cited the old Italic version, taken from the Septuagint agree with the Vulgate, which is followed by almost all the Latins; and hence we may argue with probability, that the Septuagint and the Hebrew formerly acknowledged ipsa, which now moves the indignation of Protestants so much, as if we intended by it to give any divine honour to the blessed Virgin Mary. We believe, however, with St. Epiphanius, that "it is no less criminal to vilify the holy Virgin, than to glorify her above measure." We know that all the power of the mother of God is derived from the merits of her Son. We are no otherwise concerned about the retaining of ipsa, she, in this place, than in as much as we have yet no certain reason to suspect its being genuine. As some words have been corrected in the Vulgate since the Council of Trent by Pope Sixtus V. and others, by Pope Clement VIII. so, if, upon stricter search, it be found that it, and not she, is the true reading, we shall not hesitate to admit the correction: but we must wait in the mean time respectfully, till our superiors determine. (Haydock) Kemnitzius certainly advanced a step too far, when he said that all the ancient fathers read ipsum. Victor, Avitus, St. Augustine, St. Gregory, etc. mentioned in the Douay Bible, will convict him of falsehood. Christ crushed the serpent's head by his death, suffering himself to be wounded in the heel. His blessed mother crushed him likewise, by her co-operation in the mystery of the Incarnation; and by rejecting, with horror, the very first suggestions of the enemy, to commit even the smallest sin. (St. Bernard, ser. 2, on Missus est.) "We crush," says St. Gregory, Mor. 1. 38, "the serpent's head, when we extirpate from our heart the beginnings of temptation, and then he lays snares for our heel, because he opposes the end of a good action with greater craft and power." The serpent may hiss and threaten; he cannot hurt, if we resist him. (Haydock)
3:16
St. Augustine
And thy conceptions. Septuagint, "thy groaning." The multifarious sorrows of childbearing, must remind all mothers (the blessed Virgin Mary alone excepted) of what they have incurred by original sin. If that had not taken place, they would have conceived without concupiscence, and brought forth without sorrow. (St. Augustine, City of God 14:26.)
Haydock
Conceptions are multiplied on account of the many untimely deaths, in our fallen state. Power, which will sometimes be exercised with rigor. (Haydock)
3:17
Haydock
Thy work, sin; thy perdition is from thyself: this is all that man can challenge for his own. (Haydock)
3:18
Calmet
Thorns, etc. These were created at first, but they would have easily been kept under: now they grow with surprising luxuriancy, and the necessaries of life can be procured only with much labour. All men here are commanded to work, each in his proper department. The Jews were careful to teach their children some trade or useful occupation. St. Paul made tents, and proclaims, If any man will not work, neither let him eat, 2 Thessalonians 3:10. (Calmet)
3:19
Haydock
Dust, as to the visible part; and thy soul created out of nothing. This might serve to correct that pride, by which Adam had fallen; and the same humbling truths are repeated to us by the Church every Ash-Wednesday, to guard us against the same contagion, the worm of pride, to which we are all so liable. Thus Adam was again assured that he should die the death, with which God had threatened him, and which the devil had told Eve would not be inflicted. (Ver. 4.) God created man incorruptible, (inexterminabilem, immortal). But by the envy of the devil, death came into the world, Wisdom 2:23. (Haydock)
3:20
Calmet
The living. Hebrew chai, one who brings forth alive, (Symmachus,) or one who imparts life, in which she was a figure of the blessed Virgin Mary. (Calmet)
Haydock
Adam gives his wife this new name, in gratitude for not being cut off by death on the very day of his transgression, as he had every reason to expect and fear he would have been, Genesis 2:17. (Haydock)
Kennicott
The printed Hebrew reads here, and in many other place, Eva, he, instead of Eja, she; thus, He was the mother, ver. 12, he gave, etc. an inaccuracy unknown to the Samaritan and the best manuscripts copies. (Kennicott.)
3:21
Haydock
Of skins, which Adam took from the beasts which he offered in sacrifice to his merciful Judge, testifying thereby that he had forfeited his life, and uniting himself to that sacrifice of the woman's promised seed, by which alone he believed the sin of the world was to be expiated. (Haydock)
3:22
Challoner
Behold Adam, etc. This was spoken by way of reproaching him with his pride, in affecting a knowledge that might make him like to God. (Challoner)
St. Augustine
"These are the words of God, not insulting over man, but deterring others from an imitation of his pride." (St. Augustine, de Gen. 11:39.)
Menochius
For ever. The sentence is left imperfect: (Calmet) but by driving man from Paradise, God sufficiently shewed how he would prevent him from eating of the tree of life, (Haydock) which Adam had not yet found. As he was now condemned to be miserable on earth, God, in mercy, prevented him from tasting of that fruit, which would have rendered his misery perpetual. (Menochius)
Haydock
He would suffer him to die, that, by death, he might come, after a life of 930 years, spent in sorrow and repentance, to the enjoyment of himself. (Haydock)
Worthington
Lest perhaps. God does not exercise his absolute power, or destroy free-will, but makes use of ordinary means and precautions, to effect his designs. (St. Augustine) (Worthington)
3:24
Cherubims. Angels of the highest order, and of a very complex figure, unlike any one living creature. Theodoret supposes that God forced Adam to retire from that once charming abode, by the apparition of hideous spectres. The devils were also hindered from coming hither, lest they should pluck the fruit of the tree of life, and by promising immortality, should attract men to their service. The flaming sword, might be a fire rising out of the earth, of which Grotius thinks the pits, near Babylon, are still vestiges. These dreadful indications of the divine wrath would probably disappear, when Paradise had lost its superior beauty, and became confounded with the surrounding countries
Calmet
Thus we have seen how rapidly Moses describes the creation of all things, the fall of man, and the promised redemption. But in these few lines, we discover a solution of the many difficulties which have perplexed the learned, respecting these most important subjects. We know that the world is not the effect of chance, but created and governed by divine Providence. We are no longer at a loss to explain the surprising contrast of good and evil, observable in the same man. When we have attentively considered the Old Adam and the New[New Adam, Jesus Christ], we find a clue to lead us through all the labyrinths of our Holy Religion. We could wish, perhaps, for a greater detail in Moses, but he left the rest to be supplied by tradition. He has thrown light enough upon the subjects, to guide the well-disposed, and has left sufficient darkness to humble and to confound the self-conceited and wicked, who love darkness rather than the light. (Calmet)
Haydock
Concerning the transactions of these early times, parents would no doubt be careful to instruct their children, by word of mouth, before any of the Scriptures were written; and Moses might derive much information from the same source, as a very few persons formed the chain of tradition, when they lived so many hundred years. Adam would converse with Mathusalem, who knew Sem, as the latter lived in the days of Abram. Isaac, Joseph, and Amram, the father of Moses, were contemporaries: so that seven persons might keep up the memory of things which had happened 2500 years before. But to entitle these accounts to absolute authority, the inspiration of God intervenes; and thus we are convinced, that no word of sacred writers can be questioned. (Haydock)
3:7
And the eyes, etc.... Not that they were blind before, (for the woman saw that the tree was fair to the eyes, ver. 6.) nor yet that their eyes were opened to any more perfect knowledge of good; but only to the unhappy experience of having lost the good of original grace and innocence, and incurred the dreadful evil of sin. From whence followed a shame of their being naked; which they minded not before; because being now stript of original grace, they quickly began to be subject to the shameful rebellions of the flesh.
3:15
She shall crush.... Ipsa, the woman; so divers of the fathers read this place, conformably to the Latin: others read it ipsum, viz., the seed. The sense is the same: for it is by her seed, Jesus Christ, that the woman crushes the serpent’s head.
3:22
Behold Adam, etc.... This was spoken by way of reproaching him with his pride, in affecting a knowledge that might make him like to God.
3:1
1 VVhy hath God? [Here we may see how sinne came first amongst men. For Sinne entred among men by the enuie & craft of the diuel, man cō senting to his suggestions. Eue first sined in thought, then in words last in deedes. the diuel enuying mās happie state tempted Eue the weaker person, beginning Cap. 2. 24. Ioan. 8, 44. S. Aug. lib. 14. deciuit. c. 11. Rupert. li. de Trinit. & operibus eius c. 4. with a question, therby to allure her into conference, and by such a question as might bring her into suspition of Gods affection towards man, saying: VVhy hath God commanded you, that you should not eate of euerie tree of paradise? insinuating by these words, and withal internally suggesting, that God dealt hardly with them, abridging their libertie without cause. And when he had got so much of her, that she was displeased with the precept, which she shewed by adding of her owne (to make it seme more greuous) that they were forbidden to touch the tree: and againe by reporting the punishment as doubtful, saying: lest perhaps vve dye, then the tempter auouched boldly, and falsly, that they should not dye, and charged God to be enuious of the benefite they should get by eating of that tree, saying their eyes should be opened, and they should be as Goddes, knowing good and euil. Vpon which perswasion, and liking also she had to the fruite, she did take and eate, and perswaded Adam also to eate. And forthwith Bad sequels of sinne. they saw that they would not haue seene, knew euil which they had better Lib. de vera Religione c. 14. Lib. 1. Retract. c. 13. not to haue knowen, were ashamed, and endeuored to couer, and hide them selues. Euen thus the diuel dealeth with men euer since, assaulting the weaker persons, and weaker part, as the flesh and sensualitie, and by them setteth vpon No sinne can be without freewil. the stronger and superior part, to get consent of freewil, without which there is no sinne. According to that famous saying of S. Augustin: Pe•atum adeo est voluntarium, vt nullo modo sit peccatum, si non voluntarium. Sinne is so voluntarie, that in no vvise it can be sinne, if it be not voluntarie. wherfore it was no sinne in Eue to Concupiscēce no sinne, but the effect, and occasion of sinne. Also occasion of merite. be tempted by the serpent, which she could not auoide, nor in Adam to be tempted by Eue, but they sinned when they consented to the euil suggestions. And S Aug. lib. 1. de nupt. & con. c. 23. Gal. 5. 2 Tim. 2. now in the regenerate, though concupiscence remaine, which is the effect of sinne past, & occasion of sinne in those that yeld againe to tētations, yet is it not sinne, but punishment of sinne, and matter of exercise in the iust, and if we resist, of merite: and therfore S. Paul exhorteth vs, to vvalle in the spirite, and the lusts of the flesh vve shal not accomplish. And in an other place sheweth, that he vvhich fighteth lavvfully, shal be crovvned.
Serpēts most craftie to escape harme, when they hurt men: so is the diuel.
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Concordanza 2. Cor. 11. 3.
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Concordanza Eccl. 25. 1. Tim. 2, 14.
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After sinne they were ashamed, not before S. Chris.
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Al this curse perteineth to the diuel that spake in the serpēt. S. Aug, l. 2. de Gen. ad lit. cap. 36. S. Beda in hunc locum.
Earthlie or worldlie and carnal men S. Greg. in Psal. 101.
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15. She shal bruise] Protestants wil not admitte this reading, ipsa conteret, she The Latin text defended against Kemnisius and other Protestants. See Card. Bellarmin. li. 2. c. 12. de verbo Dei. Both readings veld the same sense. shal bruise, lest our Blessed Ladie should be said anie way to bruise the serpents head. And Kemnisius amongst others saith, that al ancient Fathers read, ipsum, not, ipsa. But he is conuinced of lying by Claudius Marius Victor. lib. 1. in Gen. Alcimus Auitus lib. 3. carm. c. 6. S. Chrisostom bom. 17. in Genes. S. Ambrose lib de fuga saeculi cap. 7. S. Augustin lib. 2. de Genesi contra Manichaeos, cap. 18 & lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam cap. 26. S. Gregorie lib. 1. Moralium cap. 38. And after them S. Bede, Eucherius, Rabanus, Rupertus, Strabus, and Lira vpon this place, S. Bernard ser 2. super Misus est. And manie others, who read ipsa as the Latin text now hath.
But whether we read, She shal bruise, or, her sede, that is her sonne Christ, shal bruise the serpents head, we attribute no more, nor no lesse to Christ, nor to our Ladie by the one reading, then by the other: for by the text, I vvil put enmities betvven thee and the vvoman, betvven thy seede, and her seede. It is clere, that this enmitie and battle pertained to the woman and her seede on the one partie, and to this diuel, that spake by the serpent, and al the wicked, on the other partie, and that the victorie should happen to mankind. VVhich being captiue by Adams sinne, occasioned by a woman, should be redeemed, both As Adam was the cause, and ••e an occasion of mans captiuitie: so Christ is the true cause and his mother an occasion of our restauration. sexes, though in farre different sorte, concurring therto. And so it is most true, that Christ by his owne proper powre, and his blessed mother by her most immediate cooperating to his Incarnation (and consequently to other Misteries) did bruise the serpents head, breake and vanquish his powre. S ⸢Ir⸣eneus li 3. c. 33. & lib. 5. circa med, S. Epiph, Haer. 78. S. Ieron. ep 22. ad Eustoch. S. Aug. (or S. Fulgent) ser. 18 de Sanctis. de fide & Symb. de Agone Christiano. Ser. 2. super Missus est. As manie ancient Fathers do excellently discourse: namely S. Bernard, writing vpon these wordes in the Apocalips. cap. 12. A great signe appeared in heauen, a vvoman clothed vvith the sunne: Albeit (saith he) by one man and one woman we were greatly damaged: yet (God be thanked) by one man and one woman al losses are repaired, and that not without great increase of graces. For the benefite doth farre excede the losse. Our merciful father geuing vs for a terrestrial Adam Christ our Redemer, & for old Eue Gods owne mother. Moreouer Our B. Ladie resisted al euil suggestions. as the same S. Bernard sheweth, this blessed Virgin in singular sorte bruised the serpents head, in that she quite vanquished al maner suggestions of the wicked serpēt, neuer yelding to, not taking delight in anie euil moued by him.
Though good men resist tentations at the first assaults, and so bruise the serpēts head, yet he ••••o•eth stil to deceiue especially in the end of mans life. signified by the •eele. S Gre. in cap. 1. Iob.
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Concordanza 1. Cor. 14.
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Al men trauel one way or other: & such as suffer wides to ouergrowe (in their souls) shal after this life either sustaine the fyre of Purgatorie or eternal paine. S. Aug. li 2. c. 20. de Gen. cō. Man.
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19. Dust thou art] By these wordes Adam was admonished to humble him selfe, considering the matter wherof his bodie was made, and into which he Iob 42. Esai. 58. Ierem. 6. Ionae. 3. Mat. 11. should be resolued againe. wherupon it came to be a ceremonie amongst penitents, The ceremonie of ashes, on Ashwenesday. to cast ashes on their heads. As appeareth in holie Scriptures for which cause the Church now also vseth this ceremonie the first day of Lent, putting ashes on her childrens heades: willing them to remember, that dust they are, and to dust they shal returne, to moue vs by this meditation to more serious penance.
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She was mother rather of al the dying: but in figure of our B. Lady who is mother of Christ, life it selfe, she is called mother of the liuing. S. Epiph. her. 78.
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22. ••st perhaps] Notwithstanding Gods eternal decree in disposing al Gods prouidence concurreth with mans free wil. thinges, and his omnipotencie which nothing can resist, yet he produceth good, and either auoideth or disposeth of euil which he suffereth, by ordinarie meanes, as appeareth Act. 27, v. 31. and that because man hath free wil, with de grat. & liber. arb. c. 6. de corrept. & grat. ad art. falso impos. which God concurreth, & destroyeth not nor forceth. as S. Augustin teacheth.
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24. Placed Cherubins] Man being cast out of paradise, the same is defended Paradise defended by Angels and by fire & sworde. God destroyeth not nature with duble gard. with Angels, that are watchful, wise, and potent; and with fire and sword, most terrible armoure to man. wherby againe we see, that God vseth ordinarie meanes in his prouidence, as the ministrie of Angels & humane terror, and would neither destroy the tree, nor depriue it of the vertue to prolong life, nor bereue man of freewil, by which he might desire to returne: but conseruing nature in al creatures, preuenteth inconueniences otherwise. Good Angels hinder diuels of their desires.
These Angels also hinder the diuel, that he can not enter paradise, lest he S. Aug. lib. 11. de Gen ad lit. c. 40. should take of the fruite of the tree, and geue it to men to prolong their liues, and therby draw them to his seruice.
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.23
… but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from this ye shall not eat: for in the day that ye shall eat of it, ye shall die by death;” he then, lying against the Lord, tempted man, as the Scripture says that the serpent said to the woman: “Has God indeed said this, Ye shall not eat from every tree of the garden?”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. An Answer to the Jews 10
… the prohibition of any “likeness of anything,” set forth a brazen serpent, placed on a “tree,” in a hanging posture, for a spectacle of healing to Israel, at the time when, after their idolatry, they were suffering extermination by serpents, except that in this case he was exhibiting the Lord’s cross on which the “serpent” the devil was “made a show of,”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Appendix: Against All Heresies 2
To these are added those heretics likewise who are called Ophites : for they magnify the serpent to such a degree, that they prefer him even to Christ Himself; for it was he, they say, who gave us the origin of the knowledge of good and of evil.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. A Strain of Sodom 1
His wife (ah me, for woman! even then
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 14
… For as Christ springs from the tribe of Judah, so Antichrist is to spring from the tribe of Dan. And that the case stands thus, we see also from the words of Jacob: “Let Dan be a serpent, lying upon the ground, biting the horse’s heel.” What, then, is meant by the serpent but Antichrist, that deceiver who is mentioned in Genesis,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 3.3
… But from this man he took not away anything, great or little of his possessions. But let us rather examine the very words and the method of the plot. “The serpent came” saith he “and said to the woman, What is it that God hath said, ye shall not eat of every tree which is in the garden?”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 1.24
… and so the conduct of the unjust steward in the Gospel is spoken of as wise. Moreover “The children of this world are wiser than the children of light,” and
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 3.5
5. What snares, think you, is the devil now weaving? What stratagems is he preparing? Perchance, mindful of his old trick,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 22.29
29. Many are the stratagems which the wily enemy employs against us. “The serpent,” we are told, “was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 12.12
… For as in the case of that visible wedlock of the two human beings who were made first, the serpent did not eat of the forbidden tree, but only persuaded them to eat of it; and the woman did not eat alone, but gave to her husband, and they eat together; although she alone spoke with the serpent, and she alone was led away by him:
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 12.13
… but I have desired to find something which the beasts had not; and I have rather thought the bodily sense should be understood to be the serpent, whom we read to have been more subtle than all beasts of the field.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 42.11
… For the devil, in his ill-will to man, assuming the guise of a serpent, spoke to the woman, and from the woman instilled his poison into the man. They died by listening to the devil,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.7
… he asked for Job, and received. Have ye not here also heard concerning the devil, that “he that committeth sin is of the devil”? Not that the devil created, but that the sinner imitates. Is it not said of him, “He stood not in the truth”? Is not even he “that old serpent,” who, through the woman pledged the first man in the drink of poison?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.4
… And God saith to him, What dost thou bear in thine hand? A rod. Cast it on to the ground,” etc. What doth it intimate? For this was not done to no purpose. Let us inquire of the writings of God. To what did the serpent persuade man? To death.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.5
… not so that the substance is changed into anything corporal and temporal, when by means of corporal and temporal signs, whether belonging to the eyes or to the ears, as far as men are able to receive it, He would make His will to be known. For if an angel is able to use air, mist, cloud, fire, and any other natural substance or corporal species;
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 8.10
… “But the serpent was wiser” or as the Hebrew copies express it, “more subtle than all the beasts of the earth, which the Lord God had made.”
san Giovanni Damasceno † 749 d.C. An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2.10
… For God set him as ruler over all things on the earth and in the waters. Even the serpent was accustomed to man, and approached him more readily than it did other living creatures, and held intercourse with him with delightful motions . And hence it was through it that the devil, the prince of evil, made his most wicked suggestion to our first parents
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.23
… “Has God indeed said this, Ye shall not eat from every tree of the garden?” And when she had exposed the falsehood, and simply related the command, as He had said, “From every tree of the garden we shall eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die:”
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… Some Marcion, in rivalry to Marcion, would have stood up and said: O most excellent God; how different are his ways from the Creator’s! Knowing that men would rush down headlong over it, He placed them actually on the very precipice. For thus do men treat of the Creator respecting His law of the tree.
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 7.5
… For they remembered that in six days God formed the creation, and those things which were made in paradise; and how man, receiving a command not to touch the tree of knowledge, ran aground, the author of evil having led him astray.
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.25
25. This is why the heathen rage and the peoples imagine vain things; why tree
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.23
… for God knew that in the day ye shall eat of it your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 3.4
… She gave the holy things to the dog, to the swine. He trod under foot the words: and turned and rent the woman. And see how he works evil. “Ye shall not die the death” saith he.
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 7
… For if, being such as she is, she aspire to have need of nothing and withdraw herself from God; suppose her not fallen into that condition, and into what extreme madness would she not have insensibly sunk? If, endowed with a mortal body, she expected greater things from the false promise of the Devil—(for, “Ye shall be,” said he, “as gods”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 12.8
… naked from that enlightenment of truth, and with the eyes of their conscience opened to behold how they were left shameful and unseemly, like the leaves of sweet fruits, but without the fruits themselves, they so weave together good words without the fruit of good works, as while living wickedly to cover over their disgrace as it were by speaking well.
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sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. The Refutation of All Heresies 10.30
… And thou shalt receive the kingdom of heaven, thou who, whilst thou didst sojourn in this life, didst know the Celestial King. And thou shalt be a companion of the Deity, and a co-heir with Christ, no longer enslaved by lusts or passions, and never again wasted by disease. For thou hast become God:
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 7.39
… when it is said of the woman, “The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise;” and again not seeing, as when he introduces the serpent saying to the woman, as if she and her husband had been blind, “God knows that on the day that ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened;”
Antipapa Novaziano † 258 d.C. A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 20
… And what in the world is the reason, that although they say that this name was given even to Moses, since it is said, “I have made thee as a god to Pharaoh,” it should be denied to Christ, who is declared to be ordained
Archelao † fl. 278 d.C. The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 33
… while through Cain, on the other hand, he effected the beginning of murder, introducing himself into the firstlings of the “fruits,” which that man administered so badly. From this the devil has been called a murderer from the beginning, and also a liar, because he deceived the parties to whom he said, “Ye shall be as gods;”
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 38
… But when through the Devil’s malice and the woman’s caprice, to which she succumbed as the more tender, and which she brought to bear upon the man, as she was the more apt to persuade, alas for my weakness! (for that of my first father was mine), he forgot the Commandment which had been given to him;
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. On the Making of Man 20.4
… “and the woman saw,” it says, “that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes to behold, and fair to see; and she took of the fruit thereof and did eat
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 11.3
… and instead of permitting it to proceed any further, He admonished Him by actual experience, that he was mortal and corruptible; thus to convince him that he must never again think or dream of such things as he had done. For the devil’s suggestion, was, “Ye shall be as gods.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 13
What can the reason be, that at each temptation He adds this, “If Thou be Son of God?” Much the same as he did in that former case, he doth also at this time. That is, as he then slandered God, saying, “In the day ye eat, your eyes shall be opened;”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 10
… In this way it was that he suborned Job’s wife, by putting on the mask of natural affectionateness, to give that wretchless advice. And so when conversing with Adam, he puts on the air of one concerned and watching over his interests, and saith, that “your eyes shall be opened in the day that ye eat of the tree.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Second Corinthians 2
… But he calleth him adversary and accuser, because he both accuseth God to man and us to God, and us again one to another. For at one time he accused Job to God, saying, “Doth Job serve the Lord for nought?” ( Job i. 9 . LXX. ver. 16.) at another time God to Job, “Fire came down from heaven.” And again, God to Adam, (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
If any now takes offense at the existence of heretics, let him remember that it was so from the beginning, the devil always setting up error by the side of truth. God from the beginning promised good, the devil came too with a promise. God planted Paradise, the devil deceived, saying, “Ye shall be as gods.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 54
“And abode not in the truth.” That is, in the right life. For since they continually accused Him of not being from God, He telleth them that this also is from thence. For the devil first was the father of a lie, when he said, “In the day that ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 14.13
The devil, then, would not have ensnared man in the open and manifest sin of doing what God had forbidden, had man not already begun to live for himself. It was this that made him listen with pleasure to the words, “Ye shall be as gods,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 22.30
… There shall we be still, and know that He is God; that He is that which we ourselves aspired to be when we fell away from Him, and listened to the voice of the seducer, “Ye shall be as gods,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 11.5
… but if a faulty likeness, then certainly a debased and perverse one. For even souls in their very sins strive after nothing else but some kind of likeness of God, in a proud and preposterous, and, so to say, slavish liberty. So neither could our first parents have been persuaded to sin unless it had been said, “Ye shall be as gods.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on Faith and the Creed 4
… For by no other path was it possible for us to return but by humility, who fell by pride, according as it was said to our first creation, “Taste, and ye shall be as gods.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on Nature and Grace 33
… and afterwards, when his malice and envy pursued man, who was yet standing in his uprightness, it subverted him in the same way in which he himself fell. For the serpent, in fact, only sought for the door of pride whereby to enter when he said, “Ye shall be as gods.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.7
… Such, then, was “the opening of his eyes” which the serpent had promised him in his temptation
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 17.16
… Were He to make Himself equal, He would fall by robbery. For he who wished to make himself equal with God, whilst he was not so, fell, and of an angel became a devil, and administered to man that cup of pride by which himself was cast down. For this fallen said to man, envying his standing, “Taste, and ye shall be as gods;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 7.5
… and first fulfil what Thou hast enjoined; that men by Thy example overcoming pride may not be possessed of the devil, who against Thy commandments advised to pride, saying, “Eat, and your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 36.15
… For the same was not wanting to Adam, the first man: but the foot of pride came against him, and the hand of the sinner removed him, that is, the proud hand of the devil. As he who seduced him, said of himself, “I will sit in the sides of the north;” so he persuaded him, by saying, “Taste, and ye shall be as gods.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.23
23. And man exalteth himself: and in order that he may belong to the first captivity, he heareth the serpent suggesting, “Taste, and ye shall be as Gods.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 91.3
… Who is this? He dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, who is not proud, like those who ate, that they might become as Gods, and lost the immortality in which they were made. For they chose to dwell under a defence of their own, not under that of the Most High: thus they listened to the suggestions of the serpent,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.5
… but φιλαργυρία , by which is signified “love of money.” But the Apostle must be understood to have meant genus by species when he used this word, that is, to have meant avarice universally and generally by love of money, which is truly the root of all evils.
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 5.6
… For it was gluttony through which he took the fruit of the forbidden tree, vainglory through which it was said “Your eyes shall be opened,” and pride through which it was said “Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 8.25
… “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High,” he became a liar, and “abode not in the truth;” but brought forth a lie from his own storehouse of wickedness and so became not only a liar, but also the father of the actual lie, by which when he promised Divinity to man and said “Ye shall be as gods,”
Pseudo-Clement The Recognitions of Clement 2.39
… But that there are many gods, the law itself informs me. For, in the first place, it says this in the passage where one in the figure of a serpent speaks to Eve, the first woman, ‘On the day ye eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, ye shall be as gods,’
Pseudo-Clement The Clementine Homilies 16.6
… and then, when they had thus looked up, God said, ‘Behold, Adam is become as one of us.’ When, then, the serpent said,
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Prayer 22
… but if Israel did not observe it, our Law, amplified and supplemented, would vindicate the addition for itself; let it be excused for imposing the veil on virgins also. Under our dispensation, let that age which is ignorant of its sex retain the privilege of simplicity. For both Eve and Adam, when it befell them to be “wise,”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Modesty 6
… not yet was it worthy of the gift of salvation; not yet apt for the office of sanctity. It was still, up to that time, accounted as being in Adam , with its own vicious nature, easily indulging concupiscence after whatever it had seen to be “attractive to the sight,”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 7.39
… for Moses, in his account of the creation of the world, introduces man before his transgression as both seeing and not seeing: seeing, when it is said of the woman, “The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise;”
Afraate † 346 d.C. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 6.3
3. For it was through Eve that he came in upon Adam,
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.25
25. This is why the heathen rage and the peoples imagine vain things; why tree is set over against tree, hands against hand, the one stretched out in self indulgence,
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 37
VII. How then dost thou demand Chastity, while thou dost not thyself observe it? How dost thou demand that which thou dost not give? How, though thou art equally a body, dost thou legislate unequally? If thou enquire into the worse—The Woman Sinned, and so did Adam.
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 20.17
17. So, then, we are prepared by the imperial commands, but are strengthened by the words of Scripture, which replies: “Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish.” That temptation then is no light one, for, we know that those temptations are more severe which arise through women. For even Adam
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 54
… that so we may bear the former courageously, but not the latter. And besides, the whole thing there was Adam’s own doing. Wherefore didst thou the woman’s bidding? (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 14.17
… not yet did the flesh by its disobedience testify against the disobedience of man. For they were not created blind, as the unenlightened vulgar fancy; for Adam saw the animals to whom he gave names, and of Eve we read, “The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.56
… that there is, therefore, no reconciliation except by the remission of sins, through the one grace of the most merciful Saviour,—through the one sacrifice of the most veritable Priest; and that none who are born of the woman, that trusted the serpent and so was corrupted through desire,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.6
… and—absurder still—obtained sight, not as dogs do, by growing, but by sinning? Far be it from us to entertain such an opinion. But they gather that opinion of theirs from reading: “She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat: and the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 73.1
… although they would not actually make the request, but murmured because it was wanting. But to let us know that the wrong lies not with any creature of God, but with obstinate disobedience and inordinate desire, it was not in swine’s flesh that the first man found death, but in an apple;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 69.5
… God made man, He made substance; and O that he had continued in that which God made Him! If man had continued in that which God made him, in him would not have been fixed He whom God begot. But moreover because through iniquity man fell from the substance wherein he was made
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 69.27
… how have they “added,” or what is that smiting of the Lord? Without doubt He is speaking in the person of him from whom He had received a body, from whom He had taken unto Him flesh, that is in the person of mankind, of Adam himself who was smitten with the first death because of his sin.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 102.5
… 4 ). Deservedly, since all flesh is grass. But how did this happen unto thee? “Since I have forgotten to eat my bread.” For God had given His commandment for bread. For what is the bread of the soul? The serpent suggesting, and the woman transgressing, he touched the forbidden fruit,
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Modesty 6
… not yet was it worthy of the gift of salvation; not yet apt for the office of sanctity. It was still, up to that time, accounted as being in Adam , with its own vicious nature, easily indulging concupiscence after whatever it had seen to be “attractive to the sight,” and looking back at the lower things, and checking its itching with fig-leaves.
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 7.39
… and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise;” and again not seeing, as when he introduces the serpent saying to the woman, as if she and her husband had been blind, “God knows that on the day that ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened;” and also when it is said, “They did eat, and the eyes of both of them were opened.”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 10.2
… And it has likened the fig-tree to the command given to man in paradise, because, when he was deceived, he covered his nakedness with the leaves of a fig-tree;
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 51.5
… and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman” for him? Or what bodies can Adam and Eve have covered with fig-leaves after eating of the forbidden tree?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 14.17
… not yet did the flesh by its disobedience testify against the disobedience of man. For they were not created blind, as the unenlightened vulgar fancy;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 2.10
… but the thing itself, so far as concerns this testimony of Scripture, where God spake with man, is, in my judgment, not discoverable, because it does not evidently appear even whether Adam usually saw God with the eyes of his body; especially as it is a great question what manner of eyes it was that were opened when they tasted the forbidden fruit;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.36
… and then the man and the woman grew ashamed of their nakedness, when they perceived the rebellious motion of the flesh, which they had not felt before, and which perception is called “the opening of their eyes;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 2.39
… As, therefore, the damnable evil of adultery, whenever man is born in it, is not chargeable on God, who certainly amidst man’s evil work actually produces a good work; so, likewise, all which causes shame in that rebellion of the members which brought the accusing blush on those who after their sin covered these members with the fig-tree leaves,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 2.41
… Nor would that have happened which abashed the man and woman when they covered their loins; because in the same sacred records it is expressly written that the sin was first committed, and then immediately followed this hiding of their shame.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.6
… Or did those two disciples, after the Lord’s resurrection, walk in the way with Him with their eyes shut, since the evangelist says of them that “in the breaking of bread their eyes were opened, and they knew Him”? What, therefore, is written concerning the first man and woman, that “the eyes of them both were opened,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.7
… For it is by an especial propriety that those parts of the body are designated as natural . This, then, was the reason why the first human pair, on experiencing in the flesh that motion which was indecent because disobedient, and on feeling the shame of their nakedness, covered these offending members with fig-leaves;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.14
… For why is the especial work of parents withdrawn and hidden even from the eyes of their children, except that it is impossible for them to be occupied in laudable procreation without shameful lust? Because of this it was that even they were ashamed who first covered their nakedness.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.17
… Since, however, we can ascertain his intention, we are pretty sure that he meant by these words to indicate the lust of the organs of generation. Do not the words in question appear to you to be the fig-leaves, under cover of which is hidden nothing else but that which he feels ashamed of? For just as they of old sewed the leaves together
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.36
… For the former would have been quite possible before any antecedent commission of sin, and by it the united pair would not have been made to blush; whereas the latter arose after the perpetration of sin, and they were obliged to hide it, from very shame.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 1.32
For they did not use for themselves tunics to cover their whole bodies after their sin, but aprons,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 19.4
… and will He not see thee in His Light? For what is, “When thou wast under the fig-tree I saw thee”? What does it mean? Call to mind the original sin of Adam, in whom we all die. When he first sinned, he made himself aprons of fig-leaves,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 60.1
… The fig-tree is the human race. And the three years are the three times; one before the Law, the second under the Law, the third under grace. Now there is nothing unsuitable in understanding by “the fig-tree” the human race. For when the first man sinned, he covered his nakedness with fig-leaves;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 72.1
… For in this place it is understood that by the fig-tree He signified sin. Not that it always signifies this, but as I have said in this place, in that fitness of significancy, in which ye know that the first man, when he sinned, covered himself with fig leaves. For with these leaves they covered their nakedness when they blushed for their sin;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 7.21
21. We must inquire whether this fig-tree signifies anything. Listen, my brethren. We find the fig-tree cursed because it had leaves only, and not fruit. In the beginning of the human race, when Adam and Eve had sinned, they made themselves girdles of fig leaves.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 9.14
… But all highest purposes are the gates of the daughter of Sion, through which we come to the vision of peace in the Holy Church.…Or haply are the gates of death the bodily senses and eyes, which were opened when the man tasted of the forbidden tree,
san Giovanni Damasceno † 749 d.C. An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 3.1
Man , then, was thus snared by the assault of the arch-fiend, and broke his Creator’s command, and was stripped of grace and put off his confidence with God, and covered himself with the asperities of a toilsome life (for this is the meaning of the fig-leaves
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.17.1
… But who is this Being? Is He some unknown one, and a Father who gives no commandment to any one? Or is He the God who is proclaimed in the Scriptures, to whom we were debtors, having transgressed His commandment? Now the commandment was given to man by the Word. For Adam, it is said, “heard the voice of the Lord God.”
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. On Genesis 1
Gen. iii. 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden at even.
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 6.64
… “But as for thee, stand thou here by Me.” And if certain expressions indicate a kind of motion, as it were, on His part, such as this, “They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day,”
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.19
19. And since we have touched on things connected with Paradise, I am truly astonished at the truth of the types. In Paradise was the Fall, and in a Garden was our Salvation. From the Tree came sin, and until the Tree sin lasted. In the evening, when the Lord walked in the Garden, they hid themselves
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Answer to Eunomius' Second Book 1
… To those who steadfastly take their stand upon righteousness,—that He stands. To those who are seated in righteousness,—that He sits. And again, in the case of those who have moved from their steadfastness in righteousness,—that He moves or walks; as, in the case of Adam, the sacred history records God’s walking in the garden in the cool of the day
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 8
… But take it not amiss! we will assuredly pay you the debt with interest; for thus it is expedient both for you, and for us who are to discharge it. Meanwhile, however, let us now speak on that subject which we left out yesterday. And what was it we left out yesterday? “God was walking,” it says, “in Paradise in the cool of the day.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 13.21
… in which ignorance, the mother of admiration, may be intent upon them, in fear of those hidden signs. For such is the entrance unto the faith for the sons of Adam forgetful of Thee, while they hide themselves from Thy face,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 2.10
… This is not indeed expressly laid down in the book, but the general tenor of its reading sounds in this sense, especially in that which is written, that Adam heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden in the cool of the evening, and hid himself among the trees of the garden; and when God said, “Adam, where art thou?”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 1.4
… its pleasures, saith, “Let not the foot of pride come against me.” From this earth pride cast forth him who said, “I will place my seat in the north, and I will be like the Most High.” From the face of the earth it cast forth him also who, after that he had consented and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God, hid himself from the Face of God.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 38.14
… But whence that trouble? “My courage faileth me.” Wherefore hath my courage failed me? “The light of mine eyes also is gone from me.” Thus Adam also could not see “the light of his eyes.” For the “light of his eyes” was God Himself, whom when he had offended, he fled to the shade, and hid himself among the trees of Paradise.
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
Orth. —But your opponent would retort that even in the Old Testament the divine Scripture says many things œconomically, as for instance, “Adam heard the voice of the Lord God walking,”
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.15.4
… Wherefore also the Scripture, pointing out what should come to pass, says, that when Adam had hid himself because of his disobedience, the Lord came to him at eventide, called him forth, and said, “Where art thou?”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 2.25
It is now high time that I should, in order to meet all objections of this kind, proceed to the explanation and clearing up of the other trifles, weak points, and inconsistencies, as you deemed them. God calls out to Adam,
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 16
… for our sakes also were they done—(even ours , I say), “upon whom the ends of the world are come.” In this way it was that even then He knew full well what human feelings and affections were, intending as He always did to take upon Him man’s actual component substances, body and soul, making inquiry of Adam (as if He were ignorant), “Where art thou, Adam?”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Fasting 6
… where, when he had made a cave his inn, with how familiar a meeting with God was he received! “What (doest) thou, Elijah, here?” Much more friendly was this voice than, “Adam, where art thou?”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.14
… And there is nothing to be wondered at in the Saviour doing this, since indeed the God of the universe, bearing with the manners of men as a man beareth with the manners of his son, makes inquiry, as—“Adam, where art thou?”
sant'Ilario di Poitiers † 367 d.C. Homilies on the Psalms 1
Now God shews clearly in the cases of Adam and Abraham that He does not know sinners, but does know believers. For it was said to Adam when he had sinned: Adam, where art thou
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.28
… and they, being thus taught, set right those of Thessalonica when likely on this point to run into error. However, since Christ’s enemies do not yield even to these considerations, I wish, though knowing that they have a heart harder than Pharaoh, to ask them again concerning this. In Paradise God asks, ‘Adam, where art Thou
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Concerning Repentance 2.11
103. So you find Adam concealing himself, when he knew that God was present, and wishing to be hidden when called by God with that voice which wounded the soul of him who was hiding: “Adam, where art thou?”
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 20.17
… For even Adam was overthrown by Eve, whereby it came to pass that he erred from the Divine commandments. And when he recognized his error, feeling the reproach of a guilty conscience, he would fain have hidden himself, but he could not be hidden, and so God said to him: “Adam, where art thou?”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 7.7
7. But God, willing to show even by this that sin had not quenched His tenderness, nor disobedience taken away His favor toward him, and that He still exercised His Providence and care for the fallen one, said, “Adam, where art thou?”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 74
And the Father too will be found to be saying such things. For He Himself likewise saith, “Adam, where art thou?”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 64
[2.] And why say I that the Son did this, when the Father also who took not the flesh doeth the same thing? For He also endured that many lowly things should be said concerning Him for the salvation of the hearers. For the, “Adam, where art thou?” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 31
Let us then not deny [our sins], I beseech you, nor be shameless, that we may not unwillingly pay the penalty. Cain heard God say, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” ( Gen. iv. 9 .) Seest thou how this made his sin more grievous? But his father did not act thus. What then? When he heard, “Adam, where art thou?” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 13.15
… (This was intimated by the words He uttered, when the man, stupefied by fear, had hid himself, “Adam, where art thou?”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.14
… He might also cavil at Christ’s not knowing who touched Him, when the woman suffering from an issue of blood touched the hem of His garment; as Faustus blames God for not knowing where Adam had hid himself. If this ignorance is implied in God’s saying, "Where art thou, Adam?"
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 49.20
… depart from me.” What does that mean, “I know you not”? I see you not in that light of mine—in that righteousness which I know. So here, also, as if knowing nothing of such a sinner, He said, “Where have ye laid him?” Similar in character was God’s voice in Paradise after man had sinned: “Adam, where art thou?”
papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 10.39
… xi. 34 ), I felt exactly as you felt, that, if they say that the Lord did not know where Lazarus had been buried, and for that reason enquired, they will undoubtedly be compelled to acknowledge that the Lord did not know in what places Adam and Eve had hidden themselves after their sin, when He said in Paradise, Adam, where art thou (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 12.10
… the serpent. Observe also the wisdom of God; for when Adam said, “I heard Thy voice, and I was afraid, for I was naked, and I hid myself,”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 31
… Cain heard God say, “Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” ( Gen. iv. 9 .) Seest thou how this made his sin more grievous? But his father did not act thus. What then? When he heard, “Adam, where art thou?” ( Gen. iii. 9 ), he said, “I heard Thy voice, and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.21
… Then there arose in men affections common to the brutes which are productive of shame, and which made man ashamed of his own nakedness.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 23
… and He does not say, Wretch! thou very wretch! after receiving so great benefits, hast thou after all trusted to the devil? and left thy Benefactor, to take up with the evil spirit? But what saith He? “Who told thee that thou art naked, unless thou hast eaten of the Tree, from which alone I commanded thee not to eat?” (
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sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 49
… Do you not burn, as with a fire in your conscience? Are you not in fear of the day of judgment, in which none of your present advisers will be there to aid you? For each shall give account of those entrusted to his hands. For how did his excuse benefit the man who hid the money? Or how did it benefit Adam to say, ‘The woman beguiled me
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 2.2
… What shall we say then? Shall we plead the anxieties of business? Nay He has anticipated this by saying, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” Or that we have been deceived by others? But it did not help Adam in his defence to screen himself behind his wife, and say “the woman whom thou gavest me, she deceived me;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 14.11
… And consequently he was not deceived as the woman was deceived, but he was deceived as to the judgment which would be passed on his apology: “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me, and I did eat.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 14.14
But it is a worse and more damnable pride which casts about for the shelter of an excuse even in manifest sins, as these our first parents did, of whom the woman said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat;” and the man said, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.23.5
… For this purpose, too, He interrogates them, that the blame might light upon the woman; and again, He interrogates her, that she might convey the blame to the serpent. For she related what had occurred. “The serpent,” says she, “beguiled me, and I did eat.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 42
… often at least thou hast restrained thine anger.” And if she say, “The beauty of such a woman moved me;” tell her, “Yet wast thou able to have mastered thyself.” Bring forward those that have got the better, bring forward the first woman, who said, “The serpent beguiled me,”
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.23.3
… But the curse in all its fulness fell upon the serpent, which had beguiled them. “And God,” it is declared, “said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above all the beasts of the earth.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.10
… In Genesis: “Then God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou from every kind of the beasts of the earth. Upon thy breast and thy belly shalt thou crawl, and earth shall be thy food all the days of thy life. And I will place enmity between thee and the woman and her seed. He shall regard thy head, and thou shalt watch his heel.”
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Concerning Repentance 1.13
… He wounds the flesh but preserves the life. And then it is written: “Then shall the wolves and the lambs feed together, the lion and the ox shall eat straw, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in My holy mountain, saith the Lord.” For this is the sentence of condemnation on the serpent: “Dust shall be thy food.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 7.3
3. You tell me that Bonosus, like a true son of the Fish, has taken to the water. As for me who am still foul with my old stains, like the basilisk and the scorpion I haunt the dry places. Bonosus has his heel already on the serpent’s head, whilst I am still as food to the same serpent which by divine appointment devours the earth.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 22.3
… To us men this life is a race-course: we contend here, we are crowned elsewhere. No man can lay aside fear while serpents and scorpions beset his path. The Lord says: “My sword hath drunk its fill in heaven,” and do you expect to find peace on the earth? No, the earth yields only thorns and thistles, and its dust is food for the serpent.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 38.4
… it is made of wool, plain and scrupulously clean. It is intended to keep her clothes right, and not to cut her waist in two. Therefore, if the scorpion looks askance upon her purpose, and with alluring words tempts her once more to eat of the forbidden tree, she must crush him beneath her feet with a curse, and say, as he lies dying in his allotted dust:
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 13.12
… This delivering up is first signified in Genesis, where, when it had been said to the serpent, “Dust shalt thou eat,” it was said to the man, “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shall return.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 7.4
… whereas whatever souls the devil shall have taken by his persecutions, he will keep. “And let him tread my life upon the earth:” that is, by treading let him make my life earth, that is to say, his food. For he is not only called a lion, but a serpent too, to whom it was said, “Earth shalt thou eat.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 62.7
… And where is it that Thou hast leaped over them? where is it that Thy conversation is in Heaven? But they cleave unto earthly things, as though earthborn they mind the earth, and are earth, the serpent’s food.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 104.39
… Thou dost not wish that God give thee to be devoured by the serpent; because not the serpent’s food: i.e. forsake not the Word of God. For where it is said to the serpent, “Dust thou shalt eat,” it is said to the transgressor, “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.”
papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.19
… xxxii. 6 ). For the most part also edacity leads us even to lechery, because, when the belly is distended by repletion, the stings of lust are excited. Whence also to the cunning foe, who opened the sense of the first man by lust for the apple, but bound it in a noose of sin, it is said by the divine voice, On breast and belly shalt thou creep (
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san Giustino † 165 d.C. Dialogue with Trypho 102
… But if any of you say to us, Could not God rather have put Herod to death? I return answer by anticipation: Could not God have cut off in the beginning the serpent, so that he exist not, rather than have said, ‘And I will put enmity between him and the woman, and between his seed and her seed?’
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 4.40.3
… As also the Scripture tells us that God said to the serpent, “And I will place enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel.”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.21.1
… He shall be on the watch for ( observabit ) thy head, and thou on the watch for His heel.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Apparel of Women 1.6
… Some say, too, that gems are culled from the foreheads of dragons , just as in the brains of fishes there is a certain stony substance. This also was wanting to the Christian woman, that she may add a grace to herself from the serpent! Is it thus that she will set her heel on the devil’s head,”
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. On Genesis 1
… Nor was there any other traitor to the Lord save the (Jewish) people. “Shall rob him,” i.e., shall plot against him. At the heels: that refers to the help of the Lord against those who lie in wait against Him. And again, the words “at the heels” denote that the Lord will take vengeance swiftly. He shall be well armed in the foot
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.19
… For the last husband hated his wife and will write out for her some day at the consummation of things a bill of divorcement, when God so orders it, and will give it into her hands and will send her away from his dwelling; for as the good God will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between his seed and her seed,
sant'Efrem il Siro † 373 d.C. Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 3
With the weapon of the deceiver the First-born clad Himself, that with the weapon that killed, He might restore to life again! With the tree wherewith he slew us, He delivered us. With the wine which maddened us, with it we were made chaste! With the rib that was drawn out of Adam, the wicked one drew out the heart of Adam. There rose from the Rib
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.10
… let us turn away from them from whom God turns away; let us also ourselves say unto God with all boldness concerning all heretics, Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee, and am not I grieved with Thine enemies ? For there is also an enmity which is right, according as it is written, I will put enmity between thee and her seed
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 45
… But he who would flee from Egypt and the things of Egypt must put on shoes for safety’s sake, especially in regard to the scorpions and snakes in which Egypt so abounds, so as not to be injured by those which watch the heel
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Holy Spirit 1.pref.16
… May the drops from Thee come upon me, shedding forth grace and immortality. Wash the steps of my mind that I may not sin again. Wash the heel of my soul, that I may be able to efface the curse, that I feel not the serpent’s bite
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 4.10
… As to ourselves then, let us fortify our souls; for if the loss of wealth should threaten us, or even death, and yet no one can rob us of our religion, we are the happiest of men, Christ commended this when he said, “Be ye wise as serpents.” For just as he exposes the whole body in order that he may save the head,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 36.16
… But wherefore said he this against pride, “Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity”? Because those who now are ungodly, have fallen by pride. Therefore when the Lord would caution His Church, He said, “It shall watch thy head, and thou shalt watch his heel.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 45.11
… and a lawgiver from his thighs”? Did not Abraham himself (to whom was promised the seed in which “all the nations of the earth were to be blessed”), when he sent his servant to seek and to bring home a wife for his son, being by faith fully persuaded, that in that, so to speak, contemptible seed was contained the great Name;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 49.1.6
… With the heel a man slippeth. Let your Love observe. What was said by God to the Serpent? “She shall mark thy head, and thou shalt mark her heel.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.13
… what single dragon then, whose head was broken, but the devil himself ought we to understand? What with him hath He done? “Thou hast broken the head of the dragon.” That is, the beginning of sin. That head is the part which received the curse, to wit that the seed of Eve should mark the head of the serpent.
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 7.21
… For the soldier of Christ will be victorious and in safety, and free from all the attacks of desire, so long as this most evil spirit does not implant in his heart a seed of this desire. Wherefore, though in the matter of all kinds of sins we ought ordinarily to watch the serpent’s head,
3:16
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.23.3
3. It was for this reason, too, that immediately after Adam had transgressed, as the Scripture relates, He pronounced no curse against Adam personally, but against the ground, in reference to his works, as a certain person among the ancients has observed: “God did indeed transfer the curse to the earth, that it might not remain in man.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 2.11
Up to the fall of man, therefore, from the beginning God was simply good; after that He became a judge both severe and, as the Marcionites will have it, cruel. Woman is at once condemned to bring forth in sorrow, and to serve her husband,
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Apparel of Women 1.1
… “In pains and in anxieties dost thou bear (children), woman; and toward thine husband (is) thy inclination, and he lords it over thee.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.16
… what ought to be in the case of those who are joined together by God, so that they may be joined together in a manner worthy of God, the Saviour adds, “So that they are no more twain;” and, wherever there is indeed concord, and unison, and harmony, between husband and wife, when he is as ruler and she is obedient to the word, “He shall rule over thee,”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. On the Dress of Virgins 22
… Do you wish to know what ill the virtue of continence avoids, what good it possesses? “I will multiply,” says God to the woman, “thy sorrows and thy groanings; and in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.33
In Genesis: “Multiplying I will multiply thy sorrows and thy groanings, and in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy turning shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. On Virginity 12
… and after that they covered themselves with the skins of dead animals; and then were sent forth into this pestilential and exacting land where, as the compensation for having to die, marriage was instituted
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. On Virginity 13
… What is the cause of widowhood but marriage? And retirement from this would bring with it an immunity from the whole burden of these sad taxes on our hearts. Can we expect it otherwise? When the verdict that was pronounced on the delinquents in the beginning is annulled, then too the mothers’ “sorrows
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.10
… The father is the first to grow, to enter old age, to grieve, to weep. If, then, the son is after him in time, he is older in experience than the son. If the child comes to be born, the parent escapes not the shame of begetting.
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Concerning Virgins 1.6
27. Why should I further speak of the painful ministrations and services due to their husbands from wives, to whom before slaves God gave the command to serve?
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 31
… Consider, at any rate, with how many evils our present life is filled; reflect how often thou thyself hast cursed our present life. For indeed things go on to worse, and from the very beginning thou wert involved in no small condemnation. For, saith He, “In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;” and, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread;”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 49
… Then let us seek this before all things. He that seeks money, seeks not this. Let us seek those things which can remain fixed. Let us not seek a wife from among the rich, lest the excess of wealth on her side produce arrogance, lest that arrogance be the means of marring all. See you not what God did? how He put the woman in subjection? (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 7
… and plucked away the laws of nature, and set open the gates for death, and brought that curse into action, and suffered not that wretch to call to mind either the birth-pangs, or his parents, or anything else, but made him so furious, and led him to such a pitch of phrenzy, that even when God exhorted him and said, “Unto thee shall be his recourse,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 31
… Now consider; Adam sinned, and Eve sinned, and both transgressed, yet they were not equally sinful. And therefore neither were they equally punished. For the difference was so great that Paul said, “Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 26
… he said indeed that she was “bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh:” ( Gen. ii. 23 .) but of rule or subjection he no where made mention unto her. But when she made an ill use of her privilege and she who had been made a helper was found to be an ensnarer and ruined all, then she is justly told for the future, “thy turning shall be to thy husband.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 37
… For having said, “Let your women keep silence in the churches;” and “it is not permitted unto them to speak, but let them be in subjection;” he added, “as also saith the law.” And where doth the law say this? “Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 1 Timothy 9
… For the woman taught the man once, and made him guilty of disobedience, and wrought our ruin. Therefore because she made a bad use of her power over the man, or rather her equality with him, God made her subject to her husband. “Thy desire shall be to thy husband?” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… but only that fear of God which is full of delight. There is not, “In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread,” nor “thorns and thistles” ( Gen. iii. 19, 18 ); no longer, “In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and to thy husband shall be thy desire and he shall rule over thee.” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 22.18
… When God says to Eve, “In pain and in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children,” say to yourself, “That is a law for a married woman, not for me.” And when He continues, “Thy desire shall be to thy husband,”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 48.14
… “The nuptial tie, then, is not to be avoided as a crime, but to be refused as a hard burden. For the law binds the wife to bring forth children in labor and in sorrow. Her desire is to be to her husband that he should rule over her.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 130.8
… and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 13.32
… And as in his soul there is one power which rules by directing, another made subject that it might obey, so also for the man was corporeally made a woman,
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 15.7
… For when He had said to her, “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow shall thou bring forth children,” then He added, “and thy turning shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.53
… thorns also and thistles shall the ground bring forth to thee,” how comes it to pass that this labour and toil continues since the remission of sins, and that the ground of believers yields them this rough and terrible harvest? Again, since it was said to the woman in consequence of her sin, “In sorrow shall thou bring forth children,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 127.5
… There is a certain woman, in whom what was said unto Eve, “in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children,” is shown after a spiritual manner. The Church beareth children, the Bride of Christ; and if she beareth them, she travaileth of them. In figure of her, Eve was called also “the Mother of all living.”
papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 11.64
… For it is the pleasure of the flesh, not the pain, that is in fault. But it is in the carnal intercourse that the pleasure lies; for in bringing forth of offspring there is pain and groaning. Whence even to the first mother of all it is said, In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children (
3:17
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 7.28
… for it, however good it may be, still forms part of the earth, which was originally cursed for the transgression of Adam. For these words, “Cursed shall the ground be for what thou hast done; with grief, that is, with labour, shalt thou eat of the fruit of it all the days of thy life,”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. On the Advantage of Patience 11
… in sorrow and in groaning shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it give forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the food of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, till thou return into the ground from which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou go.”
san Tascio Cecilio Cipriano † 258 d.C. Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.59
… in sadness and groaning shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: thorns and thistles shall it cast forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field in the sweat of thy brow. Thou shalt eat thy bread until thou return unto the earth from which also thou wast taken; because earth thou art, and to earth thou shalt go.”
san Dionigi di Alessandria † 265 d.C. Exegetical Fragments 4
… Short is our life, and full of sorrow. Howbeit it was not meet that He should bid them pray directly that that curse might not be fulfilled, which is expressed thus: “Cursed is the ground in thy works: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.18
18. Adam received the sentence, Cursed is the ground in thy labours; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Holy Spirit 1.4
… For many heretics have said that the God of the Old Testament is one, and the God of the New Testament is another. But as the Father is one Who both spake of old, as we read, to the fathers by the prophets, and to us in the last days by His Son; “and as the Son is one, Who according to the tenour of the Old Testament was offended by Adam,
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.37
… in sorrow shalt thou eat its fruit all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, till thou return to the earth from which thou wast taken.”
Tirannio Rufino † 411 d.C. A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed 22
… thorns: and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 7.16
… but that it so ordereth sins, that what have been delights to man in sinning, should be instruments to the Lord avenging. “Behold,” he says, “he hath travailed with injustice.” Now what had he conceived, that he should travail with injustice? “He hath conceived,” he says, “toil.” Hence then comes that, “In toil shall thou eat thy bread.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 62.11
… If thou that hadst leapt over them art saying, “Once He hath spoken;” I turn to another Scripture and it saith to me, “In many quarters and in many ways formerly God hath spoken to the fathers in the prophets.” What is, “Once hath God spoken”? Is He not the God that in the beginning of mankind spake to Adam?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 66.11
11. In whom? “In Him that reigneth in His virtue for everlasting” ( ver. 7 ). For what virtue have we and is it everlasting? If everlasting were our virtue, we should not have slipped, should not have fallen into sin, we should not have deserved penal mortality. He, of His good pleasure, took up that whereunto our desert threw us down.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.9
… wherefore I have kept Thy word” ( ver. 67 ); or, as some have it more closely, “Thy utterance,” that is, lest I should be humbled again. This is better referred to that humiliation which took place in Adam, in whom the whole human creature, as it were, being corrupted at the root, as it refused to be subject to truth, “was made subject to vanity.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 23.11
… For the law of sin is really what the fall of its first father brought on mankind by that fault of his, against which there was uttered this sentence by the most just Judge: “Cursed is the ground in thy works; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and in the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread.”
3:18
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 2.11
… Woman is at once condemned to bring forth in sorrow, and to serve her husband, although before she had heard without pain the increase of her race proclaimed with the blessing, Increase and multiply , and although she had been destined to be a help and not a slave to her male partner. Immediately the earth is also cursed,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 22.19
… The command to increase and multiply first finds fulfilment after the expulsion from paradise, after the nakedness and the fig-leaves which speak of sexual passion. Let them marry and be given in marriage who eat their bread in the sweat of their brow; whose land brings forth to them thorns and thistles,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 125.7
… how much less men whose whole life is one long temptation. Woe be to us who commit fornication every time that we cherish lust. “My sword,” God says, “hath drunk its fill in heaven;” much more then upon the earth with its crop of thorns and thistles.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.53
… Might not some man, by not understanding this, raise a question and ask, If God has said to man because of his sin, “In the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat thy bread: thorns also and thistles shall the ground bring forth to thee,”
3:19
sant'Ignazio di Antiochia † 108 d.C. Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 9
… for “he that does not work, let him not eat.” For say the [holy] oracles, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread.”
san Giustino † 165 d.C. Hortatory Address to the Greeks 30
… And that man was formed of earth, Homer, too, having discovered from the ancient and divine history which says, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 5.16.1
1. And since Adam was moulded from this earth to which we belong, the Scripture tells us that God said to him, “In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat thy bread, until thou turnest again to the dust from whence thou wert taken.”
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, XIV 1
… “For everything going in at the mouth, is cast out into the draught.” If then corruptible, it is obvious that she was also mortal. But if mortal, then there was certainly no curse; nor was that a [condemnatory] sentence, when the voice of God spake to the man, “For earth thou art, and unto earth shall thou return,”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 5.9
… For the syllable RE always implies iteration (or happening again ). We say, therefore, that the body falls to the ground by death, as indeed facts themselves show, in accordance with the law of God. For to the body it was said, (“Till thou return to the ground, for out of it wast thou taken; for) dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Resurrection of the Flesh 6
… Or must this remain to show how much more nobly man could fabricate a god, than God could form a man? Now, although the clay is offensive (for its poorness), it is now something else. What I possess is flesh, not earth, even although of the flesh it is said: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Resurrection of the Flesh 18
… It is only the man who is ignorant of the fact that the flesh falls by death, that can fail to discover that it stands erect by means of life. Nature pronounces God’s sentence: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Resurrection of the Flesh 26
… For consider that primeval sentence which God spake when He called man earth ; saying, “Earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou return.”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Resurrection of the Flesh 52
… and nothing else is sown than that which decays in the ground; and it is nothing else than the flesh which is decayed in the ground. For this was the substance which God’s decree demolished, “Earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou return;”
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. The Refutation of All Heresies 6.30
… This, he says, is what has been declared: “He who raised Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortal and natural bodies.” For loam has come under a curse; “for,” says he, “dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen De Principiis 3.6.5
… and that by the will of its Creator, and at the time appointed, it will be restored to life; and that a second time a change will take place in it, so that what at first was flesh (formed) out of earthly soil, and was afterwards dissolved by death, and again reduced to dust and ashes (“For dust thou art,”
san Dionigi di Alessandria † 265 d.C. Exegetical Fragments 4
… Short is our life, and full of sorrow. Howbeit it was not meet that He should bid them pray directly that that curse might not be fulfilled, which is expressed thus: “Cursed is the ground in thy works: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;” or thus, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return.”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 3.3
And, first, we must inquire if Adam can be likened to the Son of God, when he was found in the transgression of the Fall, and heard the sentence, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 3.6
… For it was fitting that the Evil One should be overcome by no other, but by him whom he had deceived, and whom he was boasting that he held in subjection, because no otherwise was it possible that sin and condemnation should be destroyed, unless that same man on whose account it had been said, “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return,”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 10.6
… which it becomes all men willingly to prefer in honour and to praise above all things; some, that by its means they may be betrothed to the Word, practising virginity; and others, that by it they may be freed from the curse, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. From the Discourse on the Resurrection, Part I 1
… but this which is mortal and corrupting is of flesh,—in order that, “as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly?” For the image of the earthy which we have borne is this, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. From the Discourse on the Resurrection, Part III 2
… for all these things, also, are the workmanship of God. What, then, is the house which is made with hands? It is, as I have said, the short-lived existence which is sustained by human hands. For God said, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread;”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. Fragments 1
… And the casting of Jonah from the ship into the sea, signifies the fall of the first man from life to death, who received that sentence because, through having sinned, he fell from righteousness: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.21
65. And thus since the truth declares that the Word is not by nature a creature, it is fitting now to say, in what sense He is ‘beginning of ways.’ For when the first way, which was through Adam, was lost, and in place of paradise we deviated unto death, and heard the words, ‘Dust thou art, and unto dust
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 61
… ’ For it was not some man that gave Himself up for us; since every man is under sentence of death, according to what was said to all in Adam, ‘earth thou art and unto earth thou shalt return.
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Letters 8.11
… Here too you see the Holy Ghost present with the Father and the Son. And what would you say also as to the resurrection of the dead when we shall have failed and returned to our dust? Dust we are and unto dust we shall return.
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Letters 269
… The teaching of Scripture is always useful, and specially at times like this. Remember, then, the sentence passed by our Creator. By it all we who are dust shall return to dust.
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.16
… and noticing that, laborious as the latter is, ours is more laborious, and of more consequence, from the nature of its subject matter, the power of its science, and the object of its exercise. The one labours about bodies, and perishable failing matter, which absolutely must be dissolved and undergo its fate,
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Against Eunomius 2.7
… And why do I talk thus when I really ought to confute the folly of such notions by beginning with the first man? For if it is a property of the incorruptible only not to divide its essence in begetting, and if Adam was corruptible, to whom the word was spoken, “Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Concerning Repentance 1.13
… “Then shall the wolves and the lambs feed together, the lion and the ox shall eat straw, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in My holy mountain, saith the Lord.” For this is the sentence of condemnation on the serpent: “Dust shall be thy food.” What dust? Surely that of which it is said: “Dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou return.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 12
For if he who had paradise for his portion, for one disobedience underwent such dreadful things after his honor; we, who have received Heaven, and are become joint heirs with the Only Begotten, what excuse shall we have, for running to the serpent after the dove? For it will be no longer, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 16
… Observe in fact; when they were in the desert, then they “waxed fat, they grew thick, they spread out in breadth, they kicked” ( Deut. xxxii. 15 ): and ever and always ease was an evil. Therefore also from the beginning He said to Adam: “In the sweat of thy face thou shall eat thy bread.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
For since he had spoken of those who “caused divisions and offences among them,” he has mentioned “the God of peace” also, that they might feel hopeful about the riddance of these evils. For he that rejoiceth in this (i.e., peace) will put an end to that which makes havoc of it. And he does not say, will subject, but “will bruise” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 42
… For therefore are we become earthy, because we have done evil: not because we were originally formed “earthy,” but because we sinned. For sin came first, and then death and then the sentence, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
[10.] For that is indeed rest, where “pain, sorrow and sighing are fled away” ( Isa. xxxv. 10 ): where there are neither cares, nor labors, nor struggle, nor fear stunning and shaking the soul; but only that fear of God which is full of delight. There is not, “In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread,” nor “thorns and thistles” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 17.2
… What is it to you if I am? Stay quiet, and all is said. You are afraid, I suppose, that, with my fluent knowledge of Syriac and Greek, I shall make a tour of the churches, lead the people into error, and form a schism! I have robbed no man of anything; neither have I taken what I have not earned. With my own hand daily and in the sweat of my brow
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 79.6
6. Why do I farther postpone the end? “All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.” The dust has returned to the dust.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 4.16
… But that which I had conceived of Thee was falsehood, not truth,—fictions of my misery, not the supports of Thy blessedness. For Thou hadst commanded, and it was done in me, that the earth should bring forth briars and thorns to me, and that with labour I should get my bread.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 10.31
… I heard also another voice, “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content, I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound . . . I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Lo! a soldier of the celestial camp—not dust as we are. But remember, O Lord, “that we are dust,” and that of dust Thou hast created man;
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 13.15
… “Adam, where art thou?” —words which He used not in ignorance of inquiry, but warning him to consider where he was, since God was not with him.) But when the soul itself forsook the body, corrupted and decayed with age, the other death was experienced of which God had spoken in pronouncing man’s sentence, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shall thou return.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 13.23
… Now, since God by the words, “Adam, where art thou?” pointed to the death of the soul, which results when He abandons it, and since in the words, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. City of God 20.20
… on this very account it is said, “That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die?” Or if we cannot properly speak of human bodies as sown, unless in so far as by dying they do in some sort return to the earth, as also the sentence pronounced by God against the sinning father of the human race runs, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Acts or Disputation Against Fortunatus the Manichaean 2
… "Ye are called for freedom," and "the grace of God has made me free from the law of sin and of death." But the law of sin is that whoever has sinned shall die. From this law we are freed when we have begun to be righteous. The law of death is that by which it was said to man: "Earth thou art and into earth thou shalt go."
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.2
… It is the unbelievers who have died this death, to whom the Lord pointed when He said, “Let the dead bury their dead.” Now what will be their answer, when we read that God, when reproving and sentencing the first man after his sin, said to him, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return?”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.4
But in addition to the passage where God in punishment said, “Dust thou art, unto dust shalt thou return,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.5
… But I think the expression “in heaven” means in the spiritual firmament, where dwells everlasting righteousness: in comparison with which a wicked soul is called earth, to which it is said when it sins, “Earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt return.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.11
… so that you begin with the heavens, you reckon the air the second, water the third, the earth the fourth. It may therefore seem to be suitably said, “till thou hast paid the last fourth,” in the sense of “till thou hast expiated thy earthly sins:” for this the sinner also heard, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shall thou return.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.17
… But spiritually the expression heaven means holy souls, and earth sinful ones: and since the spiritual man judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man, he is suitably spoken of as the seat of God; but the sinner to whom it is said, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shall thou return,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.5
… But it is not written, The Lord is nigh unto tall men, or unto those who dwell on mountains; but it is written, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart,” which refers rather to humility. But as a sinner is called earth, when it is said to him, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 7.4
… “And let him tread my life upon the earth:” that is, by treading let him make my life earth, that is to say, his food. For he is not only called a lion, but a serpent too, to whom it was said, “Earth shalt thou eat.” And to the sinner was it said, “Earth thou art, and into earth shalt thou go.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 11.7
… Which temple he violateth, who for the sake of his own pre-eminence separateth himself from the Catholic society. “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord, His seat is in heaven.” If you take heaven to be the just man, as you take the earth to be the sinner, to whom it was said, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou go;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 41.5
5. But why this? Because He “scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” Why this? Because to men sinning was it said, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 47.11
… Wherefore? “For the mighty gods of the earth;” they who were mighty gods of the earth, presuming upon earth. What earth? Themselves; for every man is earth. For to man was it said, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 72.12
… “in His presence shall fall down the Ethi opians,” He added, “and His enemies shall lick the earth:” that is, shall love men, so that they shall be jealous of the glory of Christ, to whom hath been said, “Be Thou exalted above the Heavens, O God, and above all the earth Thy glory.” For man earned to hear, “Earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt go.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.4
… and as He declareth “propositions,” He would declare in like sort the expositions thereof, we should not be here toiling: but now so hidden and closed are all things, that even if we are able by His aid to arrive at anything, whereon we may feed to our health, still we must eat the bread in the sweat of our face; and pay the penalty of the ancient sentence
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 83.12
… He adds, “Thou only art the Most Highest in all the earth:” or, as other copies have it, “over all the earth;” as it might be said, in all the heaven, or over all the heaven: but he used the latter word in preference, to depress the pride of earth. For earth ceaseth to be proud, that is, man ceaseth, to whom it was said, “Thou art dust;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 85.5
5. “Be not angry with us for ever” ( ver. 5 ). For by the anger of God we are subject to death, and by the anger of God we eat bread on this earth in want, and in the sweat of our face.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 85.11
11. On the same passage we may mention another meaning. “Truth is sprung out of the earth:” confession from man. For thou, O man, wast a sinner. O earth, who when thou hadst sinned didst hear the sentence, “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 103.14
… neither keepeth He His anger for ever” ( ver. 9 ). Since it is in consequence of His anger that we live in the scourges and corruption of mortality: we have this in punishment for the first sin.…Is it not through His anger, my brethren, that “in the sweat of thy face and in toil thou shalt eat bread, and the earth shall bear thorns and thistles unto thee”?
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 140.16
… “The upright shall dwell with Thy Countenance.” For ill was it with them in their own countenance; well will it be with them with Thy Countenance. For when they loved their own countenance, “In the sweat of their countenance did they eat bread.”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
… He received it in His own hands, He made a chair of His own throne; nay more He seated it on His own right hand, let us then recognise who it was to whom it was said ‘Sit thou on my right hand’ and what was that nature to which God said ‘Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return.’”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 14
… I am aware, my excellent friend, that you know all this, and I beg you to reflect on human nature; you will find that it is mortal, and received the doom of death from the beginning. It was to Adam that God said “Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return.”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 18
… But when I consider the course of nature, and the law which the Creator has laid down in the words “Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return,”
papa san Leone I Magno † 461 d.C. Sermons 24
… But because in unhappy rashness he trusted the envious deceiver, and agreeing to his presumptuous counsels, preferred to forestall rather than to win the increase of honour that was in store for him, not only did that one man, but in him all that came after him also hear the verdict: “earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou go
papa san Leone I Magno † 461 d.C. Sermons 28
Keep far from your hearts, dearly beloved, the poisonous lies of the devil’s inspirations, and knowing that the eternal Godhead of the Son underwent no growth while with the Father, be wise and consider that to the same nature to which it was said in Adam, “Thou art earth, and unto earth shalt thou go
3:20
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Veiling of Virgins 5
… Accordingly, let none interpret with a prophetic reference a name which was deduced from another signification; especially since it is apparent when she did receive a name founded upon a future (circumstance)—there, namely, where she is surnamed “Eve,” with a personal name now, because the natural one had gone before.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Genesis 1
To her the name of “Life”—which is called “Eve”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 123.12
… “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.” Certainly it is not said “to his wives.” Paul in explaining the passage refers it to Christ and the church; making the first Adam a monogamist in the flesh and the second a monogamist in the spirit. As there is one Eve who is “the mother of all living,”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.12
… But what matters that to us? For it constantly happens that our memory fails in verbal accuracy, while the sense is still maintained. Nor was it God, but her husband, who gave Eve her name, which should signify Life ; for thus it is written: “And Adam called his wife’s name Life, because she is the mother of all living.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 120.2
… This was announced beforehand, when Noah was commanded to make a door in the side of the ark, whereby the animals might enter which were not destined to perish in the flood, and by which the Church was prefigured. Because of this, the first woman was formed from the side of the man when asleep, and was called Life, and the mother of all living.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 41.9
… “Shall He that sleepeth, not add this, that He rise up again?” Where fore slept He? Because “Adam is the figure of Him that was to come.” And Adam slept, when out of his side was made Eve. Adam in the figure of Christ, Eve in the figure of the Church; whence she was called “the mother of all living.”
3:21
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Apparel of Women 1.1
… you are the first deserter of the divine law: you are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God’s image, man. On account of your desert—that is, death—even the Son of God had to die. And do you think about adorning yourself over and above your tunics of skins?
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. From the Discourse on the Resurrection, Part I 1
II. Now the question has already been raised, and answered, that the “coats of skins”
san Gregorio di Nissa † 395 d.C. Funeral Oration on Meletius 1
… No longer does he pray to the type or shadow of the things in heaven, but he looks upon the very embodiment of these realities. No longer through a glass darkly does he intercede with God, but face to face he intercedes with Him: and he intercedes for us , and for the “negligences and ignorances” of the people. He has put away the coats of skin
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Concerning Repentance 2.11
… God cast Adam out of Paradise immediately after his fault; there was no delay. At once the fallen were severed from all their enjoyments that they might do penance; at once God clothed them with garments of skins, not of silk.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 51.5
… Oh horror! that a man should be so frantic and foolish as to hold that John the Baptist, Peter, the apostle and evangelist John, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the rest of the prophets, are made co-heirs of the devil in the kingdom of heaven! I pass over his idle explanation of the coats of skins,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 128.3
… Far from it, they rejoin: “let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide. Is any called being circumcised,”— that is, as a virgin?—“let him not become uncircumcised” —that is, let him not seek the coat of marriage given to Adam on his expulsion from the paradise of virginity.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 7.18
… to the end that they might go on no further in self-confidence, but rather should become weak, seeing before their feet the Divinity weak by taking our “coats of skins;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. The Confessions 13.15
… As it is said, For heaven shall be folded up like a scroll; and now it is extended over us like a skin. For Thy divine Scripture is of more sublime authority, since those mortals through whom Thou didst dispense it unto us underwent mortality. And Thou knowest, O Lord, Thou knowest, how Thou with skins didst clothe men
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. On the Holy Trinity 12.11
… so the slippery motion of falling away [from what is good] takes possession of the negligent only gradually, and beginning from a perverse desire for the likeness of God, arrives in the end at the likeness of beasts. Hence it is that being naked of their first garment, they earned by mortality coats of skins.
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.84
… And as injury is worse than not doing good, the evil-doer is called the elder and the other the younger. Er, the name of the elder, means a preparer of skins, which were the coats given to our first parents when they were punished with expulsion from paradise.
3:22
san Giustino † 165 d.C. Dialogue with Trypho 62
… These are the words: ‘And God said, Behold, Adam has become as one of us, to know good and evil.’
san Giustino † 165 d.C. Dialogue with Trypho 129
… One upon the earth, who, it says, descended to behold the cry of Sodom; Another in heaven, who also is Lord of the Lord on earth, as He is Father and God; the cause of His power and of His being Lord and God. Again, when the Scripture records that God said in the beginning, ‘Behold, Adam has become like one of Us,’
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 2.25
… so that even then was initiated the evangelic doctrine, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Now, although Adam was by reason of his condition under law subject to death, yet was hope preserved to him by the Lord’s saying, “Behold, Adam is become as one of us;”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On the Resurrection of the Flesh 63
… And should the vessels themselves afterwards fail to hold her, escaping from even these, and returning to her mother earth, she is absorbed once more, as it were, by its secret embraces, ultimately to stand forth to view, like Adam when summoned to hear from his Lord and Creator the words, “Behold, the man is become as one of us!”
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Against Praxeas 12
… In the following passage, however, “Behold the man is become as one of us,”
san Metodio d'Olimpo † 311 d.C. The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 3.3
… And how shall he be admitted to be “the tree of life” who was cast out for his transgression, lest “he should again stretch forth his hand and eat of it, and live forever?”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 15
… and God also upbraiding him with this, and mocking his folly, said, “Behold, Adam is become as one of us”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 30
And this He saith unto them in irony; as when He said, “Behold, Adam is become as one of us;”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.15
… Strong they willed to be, who thought that they would be Gods by means of the forbidden food. Adam became strong, over whom was reproachfully said, “Behold, Adam hath become like one of us.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 13.12
… or else He has not granted him a free will, if He has suffered him only to will or be capable of evil, but neither to will or be capable of what is good of himself. And, in this case how will that first statement of the Lord made about men after the fall stand: “Behold, Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil?”
Pseudo-Clement The Recognitions of Clement 2.39
… and after they have tasted of the tree, God Himself testifies, saying to the rest of the gods, ‘Behold, Adam is become as one of us;’
Pseudo-Clement The Clementine Homilies 3.39
… or if not, that I may know.’ Thus he shows himself ignorant. And in his saying respecting Adam, ‘Let us drive him out, lest he put forth his hand and touch the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever;’
Pseudo-Clement The Clementine Homilies 16.6
… and then, when they had thus looked up, God said,
3:23
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.24
… According to the deeper sense, however, he was sent into the world, the world being understood as this earthly place where men are; and the careful student will have this in view in enquiring from where John was sent. Examining the words more closely, he will perhaps declare that as it is written of Adam,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 51.5
… For the divine Scripture has not said, “God put down Adam and Eve upon the earth,” but “He drove them out of the paradise, and made them dwell over against the paradise.”
3:24
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.11.8
… and such as was the form of the living creatures, so was also the character of the Gospel. For the living creatures are quadriform, and the Gospel is quadriform, as is also the course followed by the Lord. For this reason were four principal ( καθολικαί ) covenants given to the human race:
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Repentance 12
… For, sinner as I am of every dye, and born for nothing save repentance, I cannot easily be silent about that concerning which also the very head and fount of the human race, and of human offence, Adam, restored by exomologesis to his own paradise,
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Genesis 1
A cherubim, while fierce the hot point glows,
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. The Refutation of All Heresies 6.12
… but in the woman this same blood is converted into milk. And the conversion of the male becomes generation, but the conversion of the female nourishment for the fœtus. This, he says, is “the flaming sword, which turned to guard the way of the tree of life.”
Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus 6.49
… Now, as he asserts that these are silly statements, let him turn his attention not merely to each one of them (in general), but to this in particular, “He placed the cherubim, and the flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life,”
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.31
… Adam by the Tree fell away; thou by the Tree art brought into Paradise. Fear not the serpent; he shall not cast thee out; for he is fallen from heaven . And I say not unto thee, This day shalt thou depart, but, This day shalt thou be with Me . Be of good courage: thou shalt not be cast out. Fear not the flaming sword; it shrinks from its Lord
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
XVI. But further—Jesus goeth up out of the water…for with Himself He carries up the world…and sees the heaven opened which Adam had shut against himself and all his posterity,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Colossians 6
… that thou mayst be able to grasp the Serpent and choke him, “to tread upon serpents and scorpions.” ( Luke x. 19 .) But as the gifts are great, so is the punishment great also. It is not possible for him that hath fallen from Para dise, to dwell “in front of Paradise” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 39.4
… Jacob, it is true, mourned for Joseph, whom he fancied slain, and thought to meet only in the grave (his words were: “I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning”), but he only did so because Christ had not yet broken open the door of paradise, nor quenched with his blood the flaming sword and the whirling of the guardian cherubim.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 51.5
… For the divine Scripture has not said, “God put down Adam and Eve upon the earth,” but “He drove them out of the paradise, and made them dwell over against the paradise.” He does not say “under the paradise.” “He placed…cherubims and a flaming sword…to keep the way of the tree of life.”
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 60.3
… “repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For “from the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.” The flaming sword that keeps the way of paradise and the cherubim that are stationed at its doors
3:1
Potest secundo, ex Hebraeo verti, serpens erat in multas spiras et gyros complicatus et involutus; hoc enim quoque significat Hebraeum aram: unde aramim vocantur acervi segetum; hae enim spirae indices sunt internae serpentis versutiae, qua hominem implicavit et circumvenit. Primo, Cajetanus per serpentem intelligit diabolum, qui non externa voce, sed tantum interna suggestione tentavit Evam. Secundo, Cyrillus lib. III contra Julianum, et Eugubinus in Cosmopoeia, putant daemonem hic non verum serpentem, sed serpentis tantum speciem et formam induisse: sicut angeli dum assumunt corpus humanum, non verum, sed aereum, quod speciem habeat veri et humani, assumunt. Verum omnes alii docent, hunc verum fuisse serpentem; dicitur enim hic fuisse callidior cunctis, non angelis, sed animantibus, in quem natura sua callidum et vafrum vafer diabolus congrue ingressus, in ejus ore, quasi in organo certa ratione moto, colliso et modulato, vocem humanam, ut potuit, effinxit. Ita S. Chrysostomus, Procopius et Augustinus, lib. XIV De Civitate, cap. xx. Aliqui putant, ait Magister Sententiarum in II, dist. vi, hunc diabolum fuisse Luciferum, qui primum Adam tentavit, et vicit; secundum quoque, puta Christum, tentavit, sed ab eo victus est, et in infernum relegatus. Apte diabolus in specie, non ovis, non asini, sed serpentis, tentavit Adam. Primo, quia serpens natura est callidus; secundo, quia naturaliter homini est contrarius, eique insidiatur, ut clanculum mordeat; tertio, quia serpentis est repere, venenum diffundere, hominem interimere: hoc autem facit daemon; quarto, quia serpens toto corpore terrae adhaeret: ita Adam credendo serpenti et diabolo, totus brutus et terrenus factus est, ut non nisi bonis terrae inhiet. Hinc S. Augustinus, lib. XI De Genesi ad litteram, cap. xxviii, docet diabolum uti solere forma serpentum ad decipiendos homines, quia ea decepit Adamum et Evam, ibique vidit hanc fraudem sibi bene succedere. Eadem de causa dixit Pherecydes Syrus daemones e coelo a Jove fuisse deturbatos, quorum princeps dictus sit Ophioneus, id est serpentinus. Tropologice: «Diabolus, ait S. Augustinus, tentat ut leo, tentat ut draco;» nam, ut ait Gregorius in cap. I Job, «fideli famulo dominus cunctas hostis callidi machinationes insinuat, scilicet quod opprimendo rapit, insidiando circumvenit, minando terret, suadendo blanditur, desperando frangit, promittendo decipit.» Species tentationum et modos recenset S. Bernardus: «Tentatio, ait, alia est importuna, quae procaciter insistit; alia est dubia, quae animum dubietatis nebula involvit; tertia est subita, quae judicium rationis praevenit; quarta est occulta; quae deliberationis ordinem praeterfugit; quinta violenta, quae vires nostras transcendit; sexta fraudulenta, quae animum seducit; septima perplexa, quae variis viis impeditur.» Nota: Eva non exhorruit aspectum serpentis, quia domina animalium certa erat nullum sibi nocere posse. Ita S. Chrysostomus, hom. 16. Dices, quomodo saltem eum loquentem non exhorruit? Respondent primo, Josephus et S. Basilius (quod sensit et Plato in Politico), in paradiso animantia quaelibet habuisse vim et facultatem loquendi. Addit S. Ephrem apud Barcepha lib. I De Paradiso, serpenti ad tempus non tantum loquendi, sed et intelligendi vim hic a Deo concessam esse, idque probat ex vers. 1 et 13. Sed haec sunt paradoxa. Secundo, Procopius, Cyrillus supra, Abulensis et Pererius respondent Evam necdum scivisse soli homini naturalem esse vim loquendi. Sed hoc repugnat perfectae scientiae quam habuit tam Eva, quam Adam. Respondeo ergo: Scivit Eva serpentem naturaliter non posse loqui: admirata est ergo eum loquentem, et suspicata, id quod erat, altiori vi, scilicet divina, angelica aut diabolica id fieri; metus aberat, quia necdum peccarat, et sciebat se Deo curae esse. Ita D. Thomas, I part., Quaest. XCIV, art. 4. Ita «Sapienti nihil est inopinabile: pueri et insipientes ad omnia, quasi nova obstupescunt.» Eugubinus putat hunc serpentem fuisse basiliscum, qui rex est serpentum. Delrio putat fuisse viperam; Pererius scytalen, quia magnitudine et tergi varietate praefulgens intuentes detinet. Verum in hac re nihil est certi. Adde, scytale et basiliscus sunt stultae naturae; hic autem serpens erat callidior cunctis animantibus; in eum enim ingressus est daemon, non veneni spargendi, sed decipiendi causa. Probabile est, quod censent multi, fuisse eum qui communiter serpens nuncupatur, quia serpit; et coluber, quia umbras excolit; et anguis, quia angulos petit et latebras. Hic enim sine addito vocatur serpens: reliqui cum addito, ut serpentes reguli, igniti, etc., aut proprio nomine viperae, cerastae, amphisbaenae, aspides, etc. nuncupantur. Hic etiam callidissimus est, et plane prono corpore repit, quod de hoc serpente dicitur vers. 14. Quare improbabile est, quod hic aiunt Beda, Dionysius Carthusianus, et Historia Scholastica, ac S. Bonaventura, in II, distinct. xxi, et Vincentius in Speculo historiali, serpentem hunc fuisse draconem, pedibus insistentem, facie virginea, tergo vario instar iridis fulgente, ita ut in admirationem Evam traheret, eumque erectum incedere solitum. Hic enim monstruosus fuisset serpens, quem Deus initio mundi non condidit, quem proinde statim exhorruisset et fugisset Eva.
Cur praecepit vobis Deus Ita vertunt quoque Septuaginta. Astute serpens hic conatur evertere finem praecepti, ut evertat ipsum praeceptum, q. d. Non apparet justa ratio et causa, cur Deus vetuerit esum hujus arboris: ergo revera et serio eum non vetuit; sed quod dixit: «Non comedetis ex eo,» joco et ludens dixit. Antecedens probat serpens ex ipsa utilitate arboris, dicens vers. 5: «Scit enim Deus quod in quocumque die comederitis ex eo, aperientur oculi vestri, et eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum.» Nota: Pro cur hebraice est aph ki, quod ad verbum sonat, etiamne, vel itane verum est; et, ut Chaldaeus vertit, verumne est quod dixit (dixerit) Deus: Non comedetis ex omni arbore horti? Hoc sensu clarius apparet, quod serpens non accusarit Deum inclementiae: hanc enim blasphemiam statim exhorruisset Eva; sed subdole quasi commendans Deum ita loquatur, q. d. Non credo Deum, qui tam liberalis est, hanc arborem ita serio et absolute vetuisse, licet vos hoc putetis: cur enim fructum tam pulchrum et utilem vobis invideret? cur vos ita arctaret et oneraret? Bonitas enim opponitur invidiae: hinc in Deo, qui summe est bonus, non potest esse aliquid invidiae; hoc est quod canit Boetius: «Summi forma boni livore carens.» Idem docet Plato in Timaeo, et Aristoteles, lib. I Metaphys. cap. II, ubi impugnat Simonidem, qui dicebat Deum invidisse homini honorem sapientiae. Sic enim, inquit Aristoteles, Deus esset tristis et consequenter miser: invidia enim est tristitia de alieno bono. Porro noster interpres non verba sequens, sed sensum, aph ki, cum Septuaginta vertit cur. Huic expositioni directe respondet responsio Evae, stabiliens et asseverans praeceptum Dei quasi serium et absolutum, quod serpens quasi joco dictum elidere volebat, et ita haec expositio cum priori in idem recidit. Ex hoc Hebraeo aph ki videtur quod serpens huic interrogationi praemiserit alios sermones, quibus ad eam viam sterneret, licet eos taceat Moses, v. g. de libertate et dignitate humanae naturae, de obligatione et multitudine praeceptorum naturalium et supernaturalium fidei, spei, charitatis, homini impositorum, ut inde concluderet eum ulterius novo hoc positivo Dei praecepto gravari non debere. Ita Procopius et alii. Tropologice, Abbas Hyperichius in Vitis Patrum: «Susurrans, ait, serpens ad Evam, de paradiso ejecit eam. Huic ergo similis est, qui proximo suo obloquitur: quoniam et audientis se animam perdit; et suam non salvat.» Rursum S. Bernardus, lib. de Vita solitaria, ex hoc loco docet perfectam obedientiam debere esse indiscretam, ut scilicet non discernat quid, vel quare praecipiatur. «Adam, ait, gustavit in malum suum de ligno vetito, edoctus ab eo qui suggerendo ait: Quare praecepit, etc. Ecce discretio, cur praeceptum sit. Et addidit: Sciebat enim quia qua die comederitis, aperientur oculi vestri, et eritis sicut dii. Ecce ut quid praeceptum sit, scilicet quod deos fieri non sinat. Discrevit, comedit, et inobediens factus est, et de paradiso ejectus est. Unde infert: sic et animalem discretum, novitium prudentem, incipientem sapientem, in cella diu posse consistere, in congregatione durare impossibile est. Stultus fiat, ut sit sapiens; et haec sit omnis ejus discretio, ut in hoc nulla sit ei discretio.» Vide Cassianum, coll. 12, et lib. IV De Instit. renunc. cap. x, xxiv et xxv, ac S. Gregorium super lib. II Reg. cap. iv, quorum hoc est axioma: «Verus obediens, nec praeceptorum intentionem discutit, nec praecepta discernit; quia qui omne vitae suae judicium majori subdidit, in hoc solo gaudet, si quod sibi praecipitur operatur; quia hoc tantum bonum putat, si praeceptis obediat.»
Ut non comederetis de omni ligno Non omni, id est nullo, inquit S. Chrysostomus, Rupertus, et S. Augustinus, lib. XI De Genesi ad litteram cap. xxx, quasi serpens dicat, Deum nullius arboris fructum homini concessisse, itaque mentiatur, ut Deum crudelitatis accuset. Sed hoc nimis patens et crassum fuisset mendacium. Secundo et melius, «non ex omni,» q. d. Cur aliquod prohibuit, scilicet lignum scientiae boni et mali? Tertio et optime, ambigue more suo loquitur per serpentem diabolus, ut haec ejus interrogatio vel de omni, vel de aliquo tantum ligno prohibito accipi possit; idque subdole, ut insinuet non majorem esse prohibendae unius arboris, quam omnium rationem: itaque aut omnes, aut nullam prohiberi debuisse. Rursum, Deum qua facilitate unam hanc prohibuit, eadem deinceps alias omnes prohibiturum. Unde mulier huic ambiguae ejus interrogationi statim respondet sub distinctione, dicens: «De fructu lignorum quae sunt in paradiso, vescimur (vesci possumus, vesci nobis licet); de fructu vero ligni quod est in medio paradisi, praecepit nobis Deus, ne comederemus.»
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Putat S. Ambrosius, lib. De Paradiso, cap. xii, Evam ex taedio et odio praecepti hoc addidisse de suo, itaque invidiose exaggerasse duritiem praecepti. Deus enim nec aspectum, nec tactum, sed esum tantum prohibuerat. Verum Eva adhuc integra et sancta videtur potius ex religione et reverentia divini praecepti hoc dixisse, q. d. Deus praecepit ne hanc arborem tangamus ad comedendum ex ea, ideoque religionem nobis injecit et metum, ut statuerimus ipsi nobiscum nulla ratione, nullo casu, illam vel leviter contingere, ut sic quam longissime absimus a comestione et violatione praecepti.
Ne forte moriamur Deus absolute affirmarat moriemini, mulier dubitat, diabolus negat: ut enim Evam nutantem vidit, instat eam impellere dicens: «Non moriemini.» Ita Rupertus. Verum Eva erat adhuc integra, adeoque ex religione addidit praecepto to ne tangeremus; non ergo videtur dubitasse de poena mortis praecepto adjuncta. Vox ergo pen, id est forte, Hebraice saepe non est dubitantis, sed asserentis et confirmantis rem vel praeceptum, tantumque innuit dubium de futuro eventu, cum is pendet ex futura hominis actione libera, q. d. Ne forte comedamus, ideoque moriamur: si enim comederimus, certo moriemur. Sic accipitur forte Matth. XXI, 23, et saepe apud Prophetas.
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Tentat serpens Evam removendo poenam, et promissis lactando. Nota hic quinque ejus splendida mendacia: primum, «non moriemini;» secundum, «aperientur oculi vestri;» tertium, «eritis sicut dii;» quartum, «scietis bonum et malum;» quintum, «scit Deus haec omnia esse vera, et me non mentiri,» q. d. Cum Deus haec sciat, vosque amet, non est verisimile eum vos hac arbore tam proficua privare voluisse. Itaque vel joco tantum illam prohibuit, vel sub hoc ejus praecepto aliquid mysterii latet; quod necdum scitis: scietis autem cum ex ea comederitis. Ita S. Augustinus, lib. XI De Genesi ad litteram cap. xxx. Moraliter, idem etiamnum diabolus persuadet pene omnibus hominibus; sed quia res contraria nimis clara est, et de facto patet omnes omnino mori, hinc astu utitur, ut omnibus persuadeat to nequaquam moriemini: nimirum, facit quod facere solet medicus, qui medicinam amaram, quam aeger integram respueret, in partes dividit, itaque eam per bolos ei dat, ut sensim totam absumat. Ita et daemon mortem per partes et annos dividit, ac persuadet juvenibus: non morieris in flore et vigore aetatis; nimium robustus es: facile vives adhuc annos quinquaginta. Studiosis persuadet: non morieris antequam finias studia; aliis, antequam finias negotia, quae habes prae manibus. Denique nemo est tam senex, qui non putet se adhuc saltem ad annum victurum. Ita omnes decipit. Cum enim quotannis mors aliquos auferat, et ita sensim omnes, hinc fit ut singuli ab ea auferantur, cum minime putant, quia putant se saltem ad annum adhuc victuros. Unde sequitur axioma verissimum: Mors omnibus et singulis vicinior est, quam omnes et singuli putent; quia illo anno quo singuli moriuntur, putant se non morituros, sed adhuc ad annum victuros. Accedit quod Christus dicat se venturum, ut fur in nocte, quem herus domus remotum, imo non venturum putat, Matth. XXIV, 43. Sicut ergo fur observat tempus, quo herus dormiat, ut eum spoliet: sic mors inexpectantes et quasi dormientes corripit. Qui sapit ergo, aperiat oculos, et hanc claram diaboli fraudem discutiat, ac persuadeat mortem sibi vicinam esse: imo se illo anno, forte illo mense, illa hebdomade, illo die moriturum. Sapienter Poeta: «Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum.» Ita S. Hieronymus et S. Carolus Borromaeus in mensa habebant cranium mortui, ut jugiter mortis instantis meminissent. Quorumdam Sanctorum fuit haec salutatio, ut, cum sibi occurrerent, prior salutando diceret: «Moriendum est;» responderet alter resalutans: «Nescimus quando.» Ita S. Marcella, ait S. Hieronymus ad Principiam, «sic aetatem duxit et vixit, ut semper se crederet esse morituram. Sic induta est vestibus, ut meminisset sepulcri, memor Satyrici: Vive memor lethi, fugit hora, hoc quod loquor inde est; et: Memento semper diem mortis, et nunquam peccabis; laudabatque illud Platonis, qui philosophiam esse meditationem mortis dixit.» Praeclare noster Thomas theodidactos lib. I De Imitatione Christi, cap. XXIII: «Hodie, ait, homo est, et cras non comparet. O hebetudo et duritia cordis humani, quod solum praesentia meditatur, et futura (etiam vicina) non magis praevidet! Sic te in omni facto et cogitatu deberes tenere, quasi hodie vel statim esses moriturus.» Et inferius: «Beatus qui horam mortis suae semper ante oculos habet, et ad moriendum quotidie se disponit. Si vidisti aliquando hominem mori, cogita quia et tu per eamdem transibis viam. Cum mane fuerit, puta te ad vesperam non perventurum: vespere autem facto, mane non audeas tibi polliceri. Semper ergo paratus esto, et taliter vive, ut nunquam te imparatum mors inveniat. Quando illa extrema hora venerit, multum aliter sentire incipies de tota vita tua praeterita, et valde dolebis, quod tam negligens et remissus fuisti. Quam felix et prudens, qui talis nunc nititur esse in vita, qualis optat inveniri in morte! Dabit namque magnam fiduciam feliciter moriendi perfectus contemptus mundi, fervens desiderium in virtutibus proficiendi, amor disciplinae, labor poenitentiae, promptitudo obedientiae, abnegatio sui, et supportatio cujuslibet adversitatis pro amore Christi.» Et paulo post: «Veniet, quando unum diem seu horam pro emendatione desiderabis, et nescio an impetrabis: dum tempus habes, congrega tibi divitias immortales; praeter salutem tuam nihil cogites, solum quae Dei sunt cures, serva te tanquam peregrinum et hospitem super terram; serva cor liberum, et sursum ad Deum erectum, quia non habes hic manentem civitatem.» Denique observa illud S. Hieronymi: «Sic stude tanquam semper victurus, sic vive tanquam semper moriturus.»
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Hinc putant aliqui apud Abulensem in cap. XIII, quaest. 492, Adam et Evam non habuisse oculos apertos, sed fuisse caecos, donec comederunt pomum vetitum: tunc enim aperti sunt oculi amborum, et viderunt se esse nudos, vers. 7. Verum hoc repugnat felicitati status innocentiae, in qua conditi sunt Adam et Eva. Dico ergo, oculus hic mentis, non corporis intelligitur: nam, ut ait Aristoteles, I Ethicorum, «intellectus est quidam oculus,» praesertim quia oculus ac visus, prae caeteris sensibus, subservit intellectui ad cognitionem: ex visis enim oriuntur memoriae, ex memoria experientia, ex experimentis ars vel scientia: itaque sensus est, q. d. Adeo clari ingenii, et perspicacis intelligentiae efficiemini, ut videamini vobis prius caeci fuisse. Ita Rupertus, quem vide lib. III De Trinitate cap. vii et viii.
Eritis sicut dii Non essentia, hoc enim est impossibile; sed similitudine quadam sapientiae et omniscientiae, ut sequitur. Quare perperam aliqui sic explicant: eritis sicut angeli, non enim ad angelicam, sed ad divinam similitudinem ambiendam excitati sunt. Hoc est enim quod ait Deus vers. 22: «Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est.» Quaeres, quodnam fuerit primum Evae peccatum? Respondet Rupertus, Hugo et Magister in II, distinct. xxi, primum Evae peccatum fuisse, quod to forte quasi dubitans addiderit praecepto Dei dicens: «Ne forte moriamur.» Secundo S. Ambrosius, quod addiderit to ne tangeremus; tertio S. Chrysostomus, quod cum serpente et diabolo sermonem miscuerit. Sed haec parum probabilia videntur. Nec enim primum hominis peccatum fuit in intellectu, sed in affectu. Nam ante peccatum homo errare, aut decipi non poterat; hinc D. Thomas, Quaest. III, LXXXIX, art. 3, addit hominem in eo statu non potuisse peccare venialiter, idque ex Dei speciali protectione: nec enim peccatum veniale auferre potest gratiam; nec rursum consistere potest cum perfectissimo illo justitiae originalis statu. Dico ergo: Primum Evae, uti et Adae postea, peccatum fuit superbia; patet hoc Ecclesiastici x, 14; Tobiae IV, 14; idque indicant hic Hebraea; et Septuaginta, vers. 6, nimirum Eva et Adam audientes: «Eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum,» invitati sunt ad suam excellentiam intuendam, augendam et extollendam: itaque ad seipsos conversi intumuerunt, ut a Deo recesserit cor eorum, et tandem omniscientiam quamdamque divinitatis aequalitatem appetierint, uti fecit et Lucifer. Unde hoc illis objecit Deus vers. 22, dicens: «Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est, sciens bonum et malum.» Ita S. Ambrosius, lib. IV in Lucam; S. Ignatius, epist. ad Trallianos; Chrysostomus in I Tim. II, 14; Augustinus, lib. XI De Genesi ad litteram cap. v, et lib. XVI De Civitate cap. xiii, ubi docet amorem excellentiae ita innatum et intentum esse in natura rationali integra et perfecta, ut hic amor quasi primus sit in homine, qui hominem incitet ad alia quaevis prosequenda, hoc fine ut excellat. Et S. Bernardus: Ambo, inquit, scilicet diabolus et homo, affectarunt altitudinem; ille potentiae, iste scientiae. Dico secundo: Haec superba appetentia omniscientiae divinae videtur in eo sita fuisse, quod appetierint, ut ait Scriptura, scire bonum et malum, ut scilicet per seipsam, ac virtute naturae suae et ingenii, possent in omnibus se dirigere discernendo et eligendo quod bonum est, atque cavendo quod malum est: itaque possent se dirigere sua scientia, suopte marte, suis viribus ad bene beateque vivendum, atque plenam felicitatem assequendam, quasi dii quidam essent, qui a nemine, ne a Deo quidem, dirigi vel adjuvari deberent, uti fecit et Lucifer. Ita S. Thomas II-II, Quaest. CLXIII, art. 2: licet enim speculative sciret Adam, se a Deo pendere et illuminari debere, aliterque fieri non posse, tamen practice per superbiam ita se gessit, ita hanc omniscientiae et divinitatis similitudinem appetiit, ac si revera sine Deo, per se suasque vires ea potiri posset: superbia enim sensim intumescens excaecat et dementat mentem. Dico tertio: Ex hac superbia mox secuta est impatientia et indignatio animi indignantis se hoc praecepto constringi, et a pomo tam nobili arceri; deinde curiositas; mox concupiscentia gulae, ut dicitur vers. 6; denique error in intellectu: credidit enim tam Eva, quam Adam verbis serpentis promittentis omniscientiam et immortalitatem, si ex arbore vetita comederent: indeque tandem prosiliit ad perfectam inobedientiam, et praecepti transgressionem, puta ad realem comestionem. Dico quarto: Non tantum Eva, sed et Adam quoque superbia excaecatus credidit verbis serpentis: «Eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum;» ideoque fidem amisit. Prior pars patet, quia hoc Deus illi improperat, dicens: «Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est, sciens bonum et malum.» Haec enim verba ironice dicta significant quid Adam ex gustato pomo juxta promissa serpentis speraverit, nec tamen sit consecutus. Unde Adamum a serpente, per Evam serpentis promissa referentem, esse deceptum, ejusque verbis fidem habuisse; docent S. Ignatius ad Trallianos, Irenaeus, lib. III, cap. xxxvii; Hilarius in Matth. XII; Epiphanius, haeres. 39; Ambrosius, in cap. x Lucae; Cyrillus, lib. III contra Julianum; Augustinus, lib. XI De Genesi ad litteram cap. xxi et xxiv, et lib. IV De Civitate cap. vii. Unde patet et pars posterior conclusionis; hoc enim ipso quo Adam credidit diabolo, promittenti ex pomo vetito divinam omniscientiam, quodque non moreretur, aversus est, et discredidit Deo comminanti ac dicenti: «In quacumque die comederis, morte morieris.» Fuit ergo infidelis; ergo non tantum gratiam, sed et fidem in Deum amisit. Ita S. Augustinus, lib. I Contra Julianum, cap. III. Dices: Quomodo ergo Apostolus I ad Timoth. cap. II, ait Adam non esse seductum, sed Evam? Respondeo, quia Eva seducta fuit a serpente, volente eam seducere, ut ederet pomum; Adam vero non a serpente deceptus, sed tantum illectus fuit ab uxore, quae eum non intendebat decipere: de quo plura I Tim. II, 14.
Sicut dii scientes bonum et malum Dei prima perfectio, homini appetibilis et imitabilis, est scientia. «Nil est per quod magis diis assimilemur, quam per ipsum scire,» ait Cicero: unde et Horatius loquens de Deo, sic ait: Unde nil majus generatur ipso, / Nec viget quidquam simile, aut secundum; / Proximos illi tamen occupavit / Pallas honores. Et Damasius: «Pervigil, ait, Dei oculus simplici intuitu praeterita, praesentia, futura praesentialiter cognoscit.» Et Boetius: «Deus, ait, quae sunt, quaeque fuerunt, uno mentis cernit ictu. Quem, quia respicit omnia solus, verum possis dicere solem.» Hinc angeli Deo proximi pollent intellectu, indeque vocantur intelligentiae; quinimo daemones graece vocantur, quasi scientes vel sapientes: naturales enim dotes, etiam post lapsum, in illis manserunt integrae, teste S. Dionysio. Hinc homines naturali appetitu scire desiderant, ait Aristoteles. Audi Quintilianum lib. I Institutionum: «Sicut aves, inquit, ad volatum, equi ad cursum, ad saevitiam ferae gignuntur, ita nobis propria est mentis agitatio atque solertia; unde origo animi caelestis creditur. Hebetes vero et indociles, non tam secundum naturam hominis eduntur, quam prodigiosa sunt corpora, et monstris insignia.» Ratio est, quia hominis naturalis operatio est ratiocinari, discurrere, intelligere; qua a bestiis et saxis homo distinguitur. Hinc Diogenes ridens quemdam divitem ignarum sedere super lapidem: «Apte, ait, lapis sedet super lapidem.» Solon rogatus quid esset dives indoctus? respondit: Est ovis habens aureum vellus. Stulti ergo sunt, qui sapientiam et doctrinam despiciunt, Proverbiorum I, 22; hi enim dicunt: «Malo guttam fortunae, quam vas sapientiae.» Sapientes vero dicunt cum Salomone, Sapientiae VII, 8: «Praeposui illam (sapientiam) regnis et sedibus, et divitias nihil esse duxi in comparatione illius: omne aurum in comparatione illius est arena exigua;» et Proverbiorum cap. VIII, 11: «Melior est sapientia cunctis opibus pretiosissimis, et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.» Sicut enim sensus gaudet objecto suo sensili, sic intellectus gaudet scibili et scientia; aeque ac voluntas bono et virtute. Verum in Adamo, uti et in multis ejus posteris, nimius fuit hic sciendi amor.
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Scientes bonum et malum, — quia per experientiam scietis quantum malum sit inobedientia, et consequenter quantum bonum sit obedientia: ita aliqui: quasi verum hic dixerit daemon, suaque hac stropha illuserit Evae, quae amplius quid hic sibi promitti putabat. Verum dico esse hebraismum: scietis bonum et malum, id est, scietis omnia quaecumque bona sunt vel mala, vera vel falsa, necessaria vel contingentia, ut discernere possitis quid utile est, quid inutile; quid agendum, quid fugiendum in rebus omnibus. 6. VIDIT IGITUR MULIER. — Prius viderat, sed sine concupiscentia comedendi; jam post tentationem elata in superbiam, videt illud ad concupiscendum et comedendum. Vidit ergo, id est curiosius, et cum voluptate illecebrosa illud intuita est, ac morose consideravit. Ex eo igitur patet Evam, post verba serpentis, non ante peccasse. Perperam ergo Rupertus censet eam ante peccasse sponte superbiendo, et interius concupiscendo pomum vetitum; diabolum deinde accessisse, ut eam ad peccatum opere externo consummandum impelleret. Bonum, — suave, sapidum et gratum esset palato ad vescendum: color roseus pomorum et cerasorum index est saporis, gulamque irritat. ASPECTUQUE DELECTABILE. — Hebraice, venechmad lehaskil, id est concupiscibile ad intelligendum; quod Hebraei exponunt, concupiscibile ad scientiam et prudentiam comparandam. De eo enim dixerat serpens: «Eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum.» Verum, quia Eva hoc videre nequibat oculis corporeis, de quibus to vidit hic accipi patet ex duobus membris praecedentibus: hinc secundo, melius noster Interpres, Chaldaeus et Vatablus vertunt, concupiscibile ad contemplandum, quod scilicet sua forma et pulchritudine (unde et Septuaginta vertunt horaion, id est speciosum) Evam quasi detineret in moroso sui intuitu et contemplatione. Vide de curiositate et custodia oculorum S. Gregorium XXI Moral. II. Audi et S. Bernardum, De Gradibus humilitatis, in primo, qui est curiositas: «Serva, o Eva, commissum, exspecta promissum, cave prohibitum, ne perdas concessum. Quid tuam mortem tam intente intueris? quid illo tam crebro vagantia lumina jacis? quid spectare libet, quod manducare non licet? Oculos, inquis, tendo, non manum: non est interdictum ne videam, sed ne comedam. Hoc etsi culpa non est, culpae tamen indicium est; te enim intenta ad aliud, latenter interim in cor tuum serpens illabitur, blande alloquitur; blanditiis rationem, mendaciis timorem compescit: Nequaquam, inquiens, morieris; auget curam, dum incitat gulam; acuit curiositatem, dum suggerit cupiditatem; offert tandem prohibitum, et aufert concessum; porrigit pomum, et surripit paradisum; haurit virus peritura, et perituros paritura.» DEDITQUE VIRO SUO, — narrans illi quaecumque diabolus promiserat, ac jubens eum securum esse a metu mortis, cum eam quae comederat superstitem videret: ita cito decepta cito decepit virum. Adam enim hisce auditis in superbiam elatus, appetensque omniscientiam conjugi consensit, et comedit ex ligno vetito. Sic «a muliere factum est initium peccati, et per illam omnes morimur,» Eccli. XXV, 33. Addit S. Augustinus, lib. XIV De Civit. cap. XI, Adamum, eo quod non esset expertus Dei severitatem, putasse veniale esse hoc suum peccatum, facileque se illius veniam a Deo impetraturum. Discant hic viri, mulieres esse periculosas illecebras et suave venenum, cum suis concupitis et concupiscentiis indulgent, quibus se et viros perdunt: iis ergo viriliter se opponant et resistant. «Memento semper quod paradisi colonum de possessione sua mulier ejecerit,» ait S. Hieronymus, epist. ad Nepotianum. Ita fecit Saturus, Hunerici regis procurator, qui ad arianismum sollicitatus abnuit; mox uxor timens familiae eversionem, adductis liberis ad genua mariti advolvitur, perque omnia sacra obtestatur, misereatur sui, et pendentis a lacte matris filiolae aliorumque pignorum: Deum condonaturum quod invitus ipse fecerit, cum alii idipsum fecerint voluntarii. Tum ipse cum S. Job ei respondit: «Tanquam una ex insipientibus mulieribus loqueris: reformidarem ista, mulier, si tantum hujus vitae dulcedo esset futura amara, in amissione rerum nostrarum; imo si tu vere diligeres maritum, nunquam eum tuis insidiosis blanditiis, in secundae mortis exitium praecipitare conareris. Age, distrahant liberos, auferant uxorem, diripiant facultates. Ego Domini promissionum plane securus, verba in mente fixa tenebo: Si quis non reliquerit uxorem, liberos, agrum, aut domum, meus non poterit esse discipulus.» Uxor discedit: Saturus spoliatus omnibus, et multis suppliciis debilitatus, mendicus demum relinquitur. Testis est Victor Uticensis in Persecut. Wandal. Pari modo Thomas Morus uxori suae restitit, Deique offensam offensae regis, et eversioni familiae suae praetulit. QUI COMEDIT. — Notat Pererius octo peccata Adae: primum fuit superbia; secundum, nimius amor placendi uxori suae; tertium, curiositas; quartum, incredulitas: quasi Deus mortem figurate, vel comminatorie, non autem absolute intentasset violanti legem; quintum, praesumptio: quasi haec legis violatio tantum esset leve et veniale peccatum; sextum, gula; septimum, inobedientia; octavum, excusatio, de qua S. Augustinus, serm. 19 De Sanctis: «Si Adam, ait, se non excusasset, a paradiso non exulasset;» ac consequenter comedisset de ligno vitae: ergo et immortalitatem et justitiam originalem (haec enim connexa sunt) recuperasset. Verum contraria sententia, ut docet Pererius, est verior. Adam enim mox ut peccavit, ante omnem sui excusationem, incurrit absolutam sententiam mortis. Nam, cap. II, vers. 17, ea lata fuit absolute: «In quacumque, ait, die comederis ex eo, morte morieris,» id est, certissime morieris. Hebraea et Septuaginta addunt secum, scilicet Eva pomum dedit viro, ut secum una vesceretur; videtur ergo Eva bis comedisse, semel sola, secundo cum Adamo, ut eum ad esum pelliceret et in esu se sociam praeberet. Unde Septuaginta habent, et comederunt, et Chaldaeus, comedit (scilicet Adam) cum ea. Quaeres, uter gravius peccaverit, Adam an Eva? Respondet D. Thomas II II, Quaest. CLXIII, art. 4, si peccatum in se spectes, gravius peccasse Evam, tum quia prior peccavit, tum quia Adamum ad peccatum induxit, itaque se, et ipsum nosque omnes perdidit. Si tamen circumstantiam personae spectes, gravius peccasse Adamum, tum quia perfectior erat et prudentior quam Eva, tum quia Adam immediate a Deo acceperat hoc praeceptum, Eva vero mediate tantum, scilicet per Adamum.
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Q. d. Gratiae et justitiae originalis tegumento per peccatum spoliati, adverterunt suam nuditatem, confusionem et verecundiam, ex eo quod sentirent in se motus concupiscentiae rebelles rationi, praesertim libidinis ad invicem. Hi enim motus inhonesti ita pudore afficiunt hominem, ut ipsa membra sua, in quibus haec concupiscentia regnat, tegat et abscondat: indeque tertio, adverterunt quantum bonum justitiae originalis amiserant, et in quantum peccatum ac malum ceciderant; quarto, cognoverunt Deum, Deique sententiam esse veracem; serpentem vero et daemonem esse mendacem in promissis sibi factis. Ita S. Chrysostomus, Rupertus et S. Augustinus, lib. XIV De Civit. XVII. Ex hoc loco colligitur quod Eva per peccatum spoliata gratia, non adverterit suam confusionem et nuditatem, donec Adamum ad idem peccatum induxit, idque quia brevis mora intercessit inter utriusque peccatum, qua Eva tota occupata suis pomi deliciis, utque eas viro suo offerret et persuaderet, non reflectebat ad suam miseriam et nuditatem; aut certe, ut vult Franciscus Aretinus, Eva non fuit spoliata justitia originali, quatenus ea fuit gratia gratis data, nec sensit motus concupiscentiae et nuditatem suam, donec Adam peccavit: tunc enim totum hocce primaevum inobedientiae peccatum consummatum fuit, tuncque uterque ex decreto Dei justitia originali spoliatus est, indeque erubuit. Si enim Eva ea spoliata fuisset mox ut peccavit, erubuisset de sua nuditate, nec ausa fuisset nuda ire ad virum, sed prae verecundia latebras aut vestem quaesisset, uti fecit mox ut Adam peccavit. Cur ex nuditate naturaliter sequatur verecundia, vide apud S. Cyprianum serm. De Ratione circumcisionis. Hinc S. Augustinus, serm. 77 De Tempore, docet gulam esse matrem libidinis, sicut abstinentia mater est castitatis. «Adam, ait, non nisi intemperantia provocante Evam cognovit: quamdiu enim in illis mansit temperata parcitas, mansit et impolluta virginitas; et quamdiu jejunarunt ab interdictis epulis, tamdiu et a pudendis jejunarunt peccatis. Fames enim amica virginitatis est, inimica lasciviae; saturitas vero castitatem prodit, nutrit illecebram.» Addit ibidem S. Augustinus, hac de causa Christum jejunasse et esuriisse in deserto, ut suo jejunio purgaret gulam et libidinem Adae, ipsumque et nos immortalitati, quam per gulam ejus perdidimus, restitueret. FECERUNT SIBI PERIZOMATA, — id est cingula ad ventrem, puta lumbaria, seu ventralia subligacula, ut scilicet tegerent partes inhonestas: caetero enim corpore manserunt nudi, sicut ipse Adam ait Deo vers. 10, uti faciunt jam Brasilii, Cafres, aliique Indi. Putat S. Irenaeus, lib. III, cap. XXXVII, eos ex ficu haec fecisse, in signum poenitentiae, et quasi cilicium sibi aptasse; nam folia ficus pungunt et stimulant. Vide et S. Ambrosium, lib. De Paradiso, cap. XIII.
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Puta terribilem strepitum et fragorem ex concussione arborum a Deo excitatum; nam quasi ad vestigia Dei venientis a longe et per arbores gradientis arbores concutiebantur: erat enim vox haec Dei deambulantis in paradiso, ut ait Moses. Cajetanus tamen vocem intelligit non arborum, sed loquentis et irati Dei, ac, ut vult Abulensis, dicentis: «Adam, ubi es?» Porro agnovit Adam hanc esse Dei vocem, primo, quia jam ante cum Deo collocutus, vocem solitam Dei agnovit; secundo, quia haec vox erat ingens et terribilis, dignaque Deo: licet enim per angelum efformata esset, tamen Deum referebat: vide Can. 16; tertio, quia Adam sciebat nullum alium esse hominem, qui hanc vocem excitaret; quarto, quia conscientia peccati, ipseque Deus menti ejus suggerebant hanc Dei vindicis esse vocem. AD AURAM POST MERIDIEM, — puta inclinante die, quando aspirare solent lenes zephyri, et aura ab hominibus diurno aestu fatigatis captari. Ita ex Symmacho, Aquila et Theodotione S. Hieronymus in Quaest. hebraic. Apparuit enim hic Deus, aut potius angelus vice Dei quasi homo, et hominis specie deambulans in paradiso. Adde, «ad auram,» quia aura sive ventus (flabat enim ex ea parte qua adventans Deus gradiebatur) faciebat audiri sonitum Dei eminus, ut Adam majori Dei metu percelleretur, tempusque haberet latebras quaerendi. Ita Franciscus Arctinensis. Nota to post meridiem: Illud enim, inquit Irenaeus lib. V, significat quod Christus ad mundi vesperam venturus esset, ad redimendum Adam ejusque posteros. Tropologiam, quot modis nobis Deus loquatur, vide apud S. Gregorium lib. XXVIII Moral. cap. II et III. ABSCONDIT SE IN MEDIO LIGNI, — id est lignorum, puta inter arbores densissimas paradisi. Est enallage. Nota hic cum Pererio quinque peccati fructus et effectus: primus est, quod aperti sint oculi; secundus, est nuditas; tertius, pudor et confusio; quartus, est vermis conscientiae; quintus, est pavor et metus divini judicii. Vere S. Bernardus: «In peccato, ait, transit jucunditas non reditura, manet anxietas non relictura;» quin et Musonius apud Gellium: «Cum quis, ait, per voluptatem aliquid turpe gessit, quod suave est abit, quod turpe et triste est manet.» E contrario in labore virtutum, quod durum et triste est abit, quod suave et laetum est manet.
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Q. d. In alio loco te, o Adam, reliqui, in alio te invenio: gloria te vestiveram, gloriose coram me incedebas, nunc nudum te video et latebras quaerentem; unde hoc tibi accidit? quis in tantam te induxit vicissitudinem? quis fur vel latro te omnibus tuis dotibus spolians, in tantam inopiam te redegit? ubi nuditatis sensus, ubi confusio haec tibi contigit? cur fugis, cur erubescis? cur lates? cur paves? num adstat qui te accuset? num premunt testes? unde tanta formido te invasit? ubi jam sunt illa tam magnifica serpentis promissa? ubi est prima illa tua mentis tranquillitas? ubi securitas animi? ubi pax et fiducia conscientiae? ubi omnis illa tantorum bonorum possessio, malorumque omnium vacuitas? Ita S. Ambrosius, lib. De Paradiso, cap. XIV. Ubi est, ait, tua bene sibi conscia confidentia? timor iste culpam fatetur, latebra praevaricationem: ubi es ergo? non in quo loco, quaero, sed in quo statu? quo te deduxerunt peccata tua, ut fugias Deum tuum quem ante quaerebas?
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«Timui,» id est, erubui, verecundatus sum in conspectum tuum venire; nam hisce ficus foliis sola pudenda aegre contexi, caetero corpore adhuc sum nudus. Id est ideo (Hebraeum enim vav, id est et, saepe est causale), «abscondi me.» Sic timor saepe sumitur pro pudore, adeoque timor vel metus reverentiae vocatur ipse pudor et reverentia, ut dixi Hebr. XII, 28. 11. QUIS ENIM. — Vox enim non est in Hebraeo, nec est causalis, sed emphatica, idemque valet quod enim vero, sed enim, atqui. Instat enim et urget hic Deus Adamum, ut suae nuditatis causam et culpam agnoscat. 12. MULIER QUAM DEDISTI MIHI SOCIAM. — Justus in principio accusator est sui: nobis Adam jam post peccatum concupiscentia, superbia et sui amore plenus, praeit quaerere excusationes in peccatis: deinde culpam in uxorem se pellicientem, quin et in ipsum Deum, qui talem dedit uxorem, derivat.
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Qui praesens erat coram Deo, Adamo et Eva: licet enim post tentationem daemon reliquisset serpentem, isque huc illucque reptaret; tamen Dei nutu directus fuit ad locum, in quo Adam e latebris a Deo evocatus, coram Deo prodiit; praesertim, quia locus tentationis serpentis, a loco latebrarum Adae non multum distabat: mox enim ut Adam tentatus lapsus est, vestes et vicinas latebras quaesivit. QUIA FECISTI HOC, MALEDICTUS ES INTER OMNIA ANIMANTIA. — Convertit se Deus ad primum et certum mali auctorem, malesuadum anguem, eique maledicit. Nota primo, per serpentem hic ad litteram accipi tum verum serpentem, ut vult S. Ephrem, Barcepha, Tostatus et Pererius; tum diabolum, qui erat motor, locutor et quasi anima serpentis. Unde secundo, hae omnes poenae ad litteram aliquo modo conveniunt serpenti, quia ipse diaboli fuit organum, et ruinae hominum instrumentum: quaedam tamen magis competunt diabolo. De diabolo enim accipiunt haec omnes veteres. Tertio, serpens est maledictus, quia abominabilis, horridus, venenatus et noxius est prae omnibus animalibus, praesertim homini, cum quo post peccatum naturalem habet antipathiam. Quarto, licet ante tentationem Evae serpens non erectus (ut vult S. Basilius, homil. De Parad., et Didymus in Catena Lipomani), sed super pectus graderetur reptando per cavernas, terramque comederet: utrumque enim ei est naturale; tamen non erat tunc abominabilis, nec infamis; sed suus ei inter bestias erat locus et dignitas. Post tentationem vero et supplantationem Evae, factus est serpens invisus, infamis, abominabilis homini: atque reptare, lucem et homines fugere, antra sequi, terram comedere, quae prius ei erant naturalia, jam eidem confirmata sunt in poenam, et ordinata in infamiam: cur enim quaeso serpenti in quo non erat culpa, naturalia dona tollerentur, quae nec daemonibus propter peccatum ablata fuerunt? Sic mors homini, et humano corpori ex elementis contrariis composito, est quasi naturalis, sed post ejus peccatum coepit illi esse poena peccati. Sic iris ante naturalis, post diluvium, coepit esse signum pacti inter Noe, hominesque et Deum initi, Genes. IX, 46. Quinto, congrua et justa fuit haec poena serpentis, scilicet in amicitiam et familiaritatem hominis conatus fuit anguis irrepere: ideo fit illi odium et execratio; erexerat anguem diabolus, ut cum femina misceret colloquium: ideo jubetur in solo repere; persuaserat esum pomi: ideo ad esum terrae damnatur; in os feminam erat intuitus: ideo nunc calcaneum intuetur, eisque insidiatur, ait Delrio. Sexto, symbolice haec competunt daemoni. Nam, ut ait Rupertus lib. III De Trinitate, cap. XVIII, daemon super pectus graditur, quia jam non coelestia, ut olim cum esset angelus, sed terrena, imo infernalia semper cogitat, atque terra, id est homines qui terrena sapiunt, sunt cibus et pabulum ejus jam post peccatum Adae. Hos enim ipse in terra ventre repere, id est gulae et luxuriae totos vacare docet. Ita S. Gregorius, lib. XXI Moral. cap. II. Rursum S. Augustinus, lib. II De Genesi contra Manichaeos, cap. XVII; Beda, Rupertus, Hugo, Cajetanus: Super pectus, inquiunt, et super ventrem graditur daemon, quia duabus viis homines adoritur et seducit: primo, per superbiam, quae figuratur pectore; secundo, per libidinem, quae adumbratur ventre; in pectore enim est vis irascibilis, in ventre concupiscibilis, quos appetitus commovet et accendit daemon, iisque homines ad gravissima impellit.
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INIMICITIAS PONAM INTER TE ET MULIEREM. — Quia enim Deus hominem ob peccatum dominio in bestias privavit, hinc serpens homini coepit esse noxius et lethalis; et vicissim homo coepit esse serpenticida, cum ante peccatum nec antipathia, nec horror, nec odium, nec nocendi studium fuisset inter hominem et serpentem. Tradit Aristoteles salivam hominis cruciare serpentem, et, si tangat fauces (quibus Evam tentavit), eum occidere. IPSA CONTERET CAPUT TUUM. — Triplex est hic lectio. Prima est codicum Hebraeorum qui habent: «Ipsum,» scilicet semen, «conteret caput tuum;» et ita legit S. Leo, et ex eo Lipomanus. Secunda est: «Ipse (scilicet homo vel Christus) conteret caput tuum:» ita Septuaginta et Chaldaica. Tertia est: «Ipsa conteret caput tuum.» Ita Biblia romana et omnia pene latina legunt cum S. Augustino, Chrysostomo, Ambrosio, Gregorio, Beda, Alcuino, Bernardo, Eucherio, Ruperto et aliis. Accedunt quaedam exemplaria Hebraea, quae pro הוא legunt היא vel הוא, cum chirich parvo vel magno. Adde הוא hu saepe poni pro היא hi, praesertim cum emphasis est, et virile aliquid feminae tribuitur, uti hic est contritio capitis serpentis. Exempla sunt hic vers. 12 et 20. Genes. XVII, 14, Genes. XXIV, 44, Genes. XXXVIII, 21 et 25. Nec obstat verbum masculinum ישוף iascuph, id est conteret; est enim crebra enallage generis in Hebraeo: ut masculinum ponatur pro feminino, et contra, praesertim si causa et mysterium aliquod subsit, sicut hic subest, uti jam dicam. Ergo הי iascuph ponitur pro הי tascuph. Sic cap. II, 23, dicitur יקרא אשה iickare issa, pro תקרא אשה tickare issa. Unde et Josephus lib. I, cap. III, ita legit, uti noster Interpres habet; habet enim: «Praecepit ut mulier capiti ejus plagas inferret,» ut vertit Ruffinus. Ex quo patet olim הוא, id est ipsa, legisse Josephum, sed haereticos typographos vocem γυνή ex eo jam sustulisse. Nota primo, nullam ex his tribus lectionibus esse rejiciendam; imo omnes sunt verae: nam cum Deus hic opponat quasi antagonistas, mulierem cum suo semine serpenti cum suo semine, consequenter vult dicere, mulierem cum suo semine contrituram caput serpentis; sicut e contrario serpens tam mulieris quam seminis ejus calcaneo insidiatur. Ideoque videtur Moses hic in Hebraeo verbum masculinum cum pronomine feminino permiscuisse dicens, הוא ישוף hi iascuph, ipsa conteret, ut significaret tam mulierem quam semen ejus, adeoque mulierem per semen suum, puta per Christum, contrituram caput serpentis. Nota secundo: Haec, ut dixi, tam serpenti quam diabolo, qui fuit quasi motor et anima serpentis, ad litteram competunt. Haec enim antipathia, odium, horror et bellum post peccatum ad litteram esse coepit inter serpentes et homines, tam viros quam feminas, uti jam experientia patet. Imo Rupertus, lib. III, cap. XX, specialem et notandam adfert experientiam, scilicet quod caput serpentis difficillime gladiis, vectibus et malleis ita conteri possit, ut totum corpus enecetur; si tamen mulier planta nuda dentem serpentis praevenerit, et caput ejus presserit, statim cum capite totum corpus plane interire. Rursum, haec ipsa magis Christo et beatae Virgini contra diabolum pugnanti, etiam ad litteram conveniunt. Mulier enim est Eva, quae diabolum contrivit quando poenitentiam egit, vel potius mulier est beata Maria, Evae filia; semen ejus est Jesus et Christiani; serpens est diabolus, semen ejus sunt infideles, omnesque impii. Ergo B. Maria contrivit serpentem; quia ipsa semper plena et gloriosa fuit victrix diaboli, omnesque haereses (quae caput sunt serpentis) in universo mundo contrivit, ut canit Ecclesia; Christus vero perfectissime eum ejusque caput et machinationes contrivit, dum virtute propria in cruce diabolo regnum omne, et spolia sua ademit; atque a Christo tam Eva poenitens, quam Maria innocens, nos quoque omnes virtutem conterendi diabolum, ejusque semen (id est suggestiones; secundo, semen, id est impios homines: horum enim pater et princeps est diabolus) accepimus. Hoc enim est quod dicitur Psalm. XC: «Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis, et conculcabis leonem et draconem.» Et Luc. X: «Ecce dedi vobis potestatem calcandi super serpentes, et super scorpiones, et super omnem virtutem inimici.» Et ad Rom. XVI: «Deus conterat Satanam sub pedibus vestris velociter.» Ita Theodoretus, Rupertus, Beda hic, Augustinus, lib. XI De Civit. cap. XXXVI; Epiphanius, lib. II Contra Antidicomarianos, et passim alii Patres. Apposite S. Chrysostomus, hom. De interdictione arbor., tom. I, Adamo opponit Christum, Evae B. Mariam, serpenti Gabrielem: «Mors, inquit, per Adam, vita per Christum; Evam serpens seduxit, Maria Gabrieli consensit; sed seductio Evae attulit mortem, consensus Mariae peperit saeculo Salvatorem. Restauratur per Mariam, quod per Evam perierat; per Christum redimitur, quod per Adam fuerat captivatum; per Gabrielem promittitur, quod per diabolum fuerat desperatum.» CONTERET. — Hebraice est ישוף iascuph, quod R. Abraham vertit, percutiet; R. Salomon, contundet; Septuaginta vertunt, τηρήσει, id est conteret; Philo tamen, lib. II Allegor., cum nonnullis legit ἐπιτηρήσει, id est observabit. Unde et Chaldaeus vertit, ipse observabit tibi quae fecisti ei a principio, et tu observabis ei in finem. Proprie Hebraeum שוף scuph videtur significare subito et quasi ex insidiis ac latebris aliquem percutere, obruere, calcare, conterere, ut patet Job IX, 17, et Psalm. CXXXIX, 11; unde et Noster hic mox vertit, insidiaberis. Vide hic quam deliri fuerint et haeretici et idololatrae, dicti Ophitae, id est serpentini, ab ophis, id est serpente, quem colebant, eo quod ipse suggerendo pomum vetitum, principium cognitionis boni et mali fuerit Adae et posteris ejus: ideoque panem ei offerebant; ritum oblationis refert Epiphanius, haeres. 37. ET TU INSIDIABERIS CALCANEO EJUS. — Hebraice est idem verbum jam dictum iascuph, quod Septuaginta paulo ante verterunt, τηρήσει, id est conteret: hic vero vertunt τηρήσεις, id est observabis (scilicet insidiando ei), sic enim ex Septuaginta legunt hic Josephus, Philo, S. Hieronymus, Ambrosius, Irenaeus, Augustinus et alii. Solent enim proprie serpentes in pratis et silvis latitantes non aperta vi, sed dolis se ulcisci, atque a tergo incautos mordere et percutere in calce, indeque in totum corpus veneno proserpente occidere. Ita Rupertus. Symbolice Philo: Calcaneus, inquit, est ea pars animae quae terrenae adharescit naturae, quaeque in sensum et voluptates terrenas prona est et labilis; huic, et per hanc menti et voluntati insidiatur daemon, ideoque Christus discipulorum pedes in ultima coena lavit ut hoc signum esset, dilutum jam esse maledictum illud calcanei, quo ab ipso rerum primordio serpentis morsibus patebat aditus. Pari modo diabolus insidiatur calcaneo, id est per insidias quasi a tergo percutere conatur (significatur enim hic actus percutiendi non perfectus, sed inchoatus, sive conatus, more Hebraeo) Christum, beatam Virginem et Christianos; sed non praevalet illis quamdiu ipsi manent semen Christi, puta filii Dei. Adde diabolum reipsa percutere et conterere aliquos ex hoc semine, scilicet fideles eos qui in Ecclesia sunt quasi calcaneus, id est imi, viles et terrae affixi. Rursum Christi caput est divinitas, calcaneus est humanitas; hanc dum offendit et occidit daemon, occisus est: tunc enim Christus contrivit caput illius, id est ejus superbiam dejecit, atque omnem ejus impetum prostravit. Allegorice, inimicitia haec inter mulierem et serpentem significat odium et bellum continuum inter Ecclesiam et diabolum, uti docet S. Joannes Apocal. cap. XII, vers. 13, et passim Patres: imo aliqui, ut P. Gordonus, Controvers. I, capite XVII, litteraliter hic per mulierem intelligunt Ecclesiam, per serpentem diabolum. Verum mulier potius ad litteram mulierem, mystice Ecclesiam significat; unde Apostolus, Ephes. cap. V, vers. 32, vocat hoc Sacramentum, sive, ut graece est, mysterium Christi et Ecclesiae. Tropologice, S. Gregorius libr. I Moral. cap. XXXVIII: «Caput, inquit, serpentis conterimus, cum initia tentationis a corde extirpamus, et tum ipse insidiatur calcaneo nostro, quia finem bonae actionis callidius et potentius oppugnat.» Et S. Augustinus in Psal. XLVIII et CIII: «Si Diabolus, inquit, tuum calcaneum observat, tu caput illius observa. Caput illius est initium malae suggestionis; quando incipit mala suggerere, tunc repelle, antequam surgat delectatio, et sequatur consensus. Itaque vitabis caput ejus, atque adeo non apprehendet ille calcaneum tuum,» nimirum: Principiis obsta: sero medicina paratur, Cum mala per longas invaluere moras. Et S. Bernardus, ad sororem De modo bene vivendi, cap. XXIX: «Caput, inquit, serpentis conteritur, quando ibi culpa emendatur ubi nascitur.» Huc accedit Alcuinus, vel Albinus: Diabolus, inquit, insidiatur calcaneo nostro, quia extremum vitae nostrae acrius oppugnat. Hac de causa Sancti fini suo timuerunt, tumque ferventius Deo servierunt. Ita S. Hilarion in morte timens ait sibi: «Septuaginta fere annos Domino servivisti, et mori times?» Abbas Pambo moriens dixit: «Discedo jam hinc ad Deum meum; sed ita, ut qui hactenus vix incoeperim Deum vere et recte colere.» Arsenius: «Da, inquit, Domine, ut vel nunc incipiam pie vivere.» S. Franciscus sub mortem: «Fratres, ait, usque nunc parum profecimus, incipiamus nunc servire Deo; redeamus ad humilitatis et novitiatus primordia;» dixit et fecit, teste S. Bonaventura in ejus Vita. Sic et Antonius: «Hodie, inquit, vos religiosum institutum arripuisse arbitramini.» Et Barlaam ad Josaphat: «Cogita» quotidie «te hodie coepisse servire Deo, te hodie finiturum.» Agatho sancte vixerat, et tamen dicebat: «Mortem horreo, quia alia sunt judicia Dei, alia hominum.»
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MULTIPLICABO. — Hebraice הרבה ארבה harba arbe, multiplicando multiplicabo, id est plurimum et certissime multiplicabo. Haec enim geminatio tam multitudinem, quam certitudinem significat. Triplex hic poena infligitur mulieri ob triplex ejus peccatum. Nam primo, quia credidit serpenti dicenti: «Eritis sicut dii,» audit: «Multiplicabo aerumnas tuas et conceptus tuos;» secundo, quia gulose pomum vetitum comedit, audit: «In dolore paries;» tertio, quia virum seduxit, audit: «Sub viri potestate eris.» Ita Rupertus. AERUMNAS ET CONCEPTUS. — Hoc est, aerumnas conceptuum; est enim hendiadys frequens Hebraeis, qualis est illa Poetae: «Aurum frenosque momordit,» id est, frenos aureos momordit. Aerumnae hae, ante conceptum, sunt sordes et fluxus menstrui; in ipso conceptu, defloratio, pudor et dolor; post conceptum, immunditia, foetor, retentio menstruorum, incontinens appetitus, pondus prolis per novem menses, fastidia, spasmi, et plurima pericula, de quibus Aristoteles, lib. VII De Historia animal. cap. IV. IN DOLORE PARIES. — Cum hoc dolore conjunctum est saepe periculum vitae, tum matris, tum prolis, idque tam animae, quam corporis, estque hic dolor tantus, ut illa experta dixerit: «Malle se decies sub armis de vita decernere, quam semel parere.» Dolor hic in muliere major est quam in ullo animali, propter continuarum partium difficiliorem divulsionem, ut docet Aristoteles supra cap. IX. Hunc dolorem mulier in statu innocentiae Dei beneficio et providentia effugisset. Ecce quam parva voluptas peccati, gutta, inquam, mellis, quantum fel, quantos dolores in Evam omnesque posteros induxit? SUB VIRI POTESTATE ERIS. — Non ut prius sponte, libens, mira suavitate et concordia, sed saepe invita, cum summa molestia et repugnantia. Accepit enim hic vir potestatem uxorem coercendi et puniendi. Ita Molina. Hebraice est: Ad virum teschukatech, id est concupiscentia, discursus, vel recursus; aut, ut Septuaginta et Chaldaeus, conversio tua erit, q. d. Quidquid desiderabis, necesse erit ad virum recurras, ut illud impetres et perficias. Proinde si sapis, oculi tui semper os, oculos, nutum et propensionem viri observent, ut illi placeas, morem geras, eumque tibi devincias. Si sapis, non aliud appetas, quam quod marito placiturum scies; si pacem et quietem amas, cum marito sentias et consentias; cave ne contra stimulum calcitres. Addit Rupertus: «Sub viri potestate eris.» Adeo, inquit, hoc verum est, ut secundum leges Romanas, Gentiles licet, non licuerit uxori condere testamentum, sine viri auctoritate; et quia sub viri erat manu, capite diminuta dicebatur. Et ipse dominabitur tui. — Dominatus hic viri, si justus et moderatus, legis est naturae; si imperiosus et tyrannicus, praeter naturam est; sed uterque feminae molestus, et poena peccati est; ergo contra naturam est, et instar monstri, si femina viro dominari velit.
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17. «Quia audisti» — quia obedivisti uxori potius quam mihi. «Maledicta terra in opere tuo.» — Nota cum Ada et Procopio, Abulensi, Pererio, terram hic a Deo maledici non absolute, sed «in opere tuo,» quia scilicet tibi, o Adam, eam laboranti et sudanti paucos dabit fructus, imo saepe tribulos et spinas, ut sequitur. Secundo, licet ante peccatum terra naturaliter spinas quoque et tribulos germinasset (quod licet negent Beda, Rupertus et alii, verius tamen esse ostendi cap. 1, vers. 12): illud tamen ipsum jam factum est poena hominis peccantis; quia si Adam non peccasset, ex paradisi (in quo amoenitatis loco omnia juvissent et recreassent hominem, nec quidquam fuisset quod eum laederet, ac consequenter in eo non fuissent spinae) fructibus sine ullo labore vixisset; jam autem laborans ut victum sibi paret, spinas saepe et carduos metit, quibus non pascitur, sed laeditur. Adde tertio, per peccatum hoc Adae primaeva terrae bonitas et fertilitas impedita et imminuta videtur, ideoque crebriores, et pluribus in locis jam germinat tribulos et spinas, quam ante peccatum germinabat; hoc enim factum est Cain peccanti, Genes. IV, 12. Sic quoque Israelitis, ob peccata, Deus saepe per Prophetas minatur coelum aeneum et terram ferream. Sic et hodie saepe Deus urbes et regna ob peccata sterilitate punit. Unde Chaldaeus et Aquila vertunt, maledicta terra propter te; et Theodotion, maledicta terra in transgressione tua: radix enim abar significat transgredi. Ubi nota quarto: Hebraea jam habent baabureha, id est propter te, uti vertit Chaldaeus et Aquila. Noster vero cum Septuaginta (ex quibus patet hanc lectionem esse priscam, indeque veriorem) legit baabodecha, id est in opere tuo. Litterae enim res et daleth sunt valde similes, ut ab una in aliam facilis sit lapsus. Tropologice S. Basilius, homil. De Paradiso: Rosa, inquit, hic spinis est conjuncta, tantum non aperta nos voce contestans, et dicens: Quae jucunda vobis sunt, o homines, tristibus permixta sunt. Nam vere in humanis ita comparatum est, ut nullum eorum sincerum sit, sed confestim laetitiae et hilaritati conglutinetur maestitia, conjugio viduitas, puerorum educationi cura et sollicitudo, fecunditati aborsus, vitae splendori ignominia, prosperis successibus dispendia, deliciis satietas, sanitati infirmitas. Florida quidem est rosa, sed mihi tristitiam infligit. Quoties florem hunc video, peccati mei admoneor, propter quod terra ut spinas ac tribulos proferret, condemnata est. «In laboribus comedes ex ea.» — Hebraeum ittsabon significat laborem mixtum magnis molestiis, aerumnis et doloribus, qualis est agriculturae, isque varius, multiplex et continuus, quo tamen omni vix adhuc victum sibi et suis parat homo. Notat Isidorus Clarius, congrue cuique suas hic poenas a Deo infligi: nimirum serpens arroganter se erexerat; ideo jubetur repere in terra. Mulier delicias pomi gustarat; ideo parere jubetur in doloribus. Adam ignave cesserat mulieri; ideo in laboribus jubetur victum sibi parare. Hoc est ergo «jugum grave super filios Adam, a die exitus de ventre matris eorum, usque in diem sepulturae in matrem omnium,» Eccli. XL, 1. Sub hoc jugo gemimus omnes. Ex ea. — Hebraice comedes eam, puta ejus germina et fructus. 18. «Et comedes herbam terrae» — q. d. Non delicias et fructus paradisi, non etiam perdices, lepores, carnes assas et elixas, sed simplices et viles herbas terrae comedes, tum temperantiae, tum poenitentiae causa. Hebraei enim herbas terrae vel agri vocant vulgares et viles herbas, quibus bruta aeque ac homo vescuntur. Nimirum per peccatum homo factus erat quasi equus et mulus: ergo eodem cum iis cibo vescatur oportet. Tropologiam vide apud Cassianum, Collat. lib. XXIII, cap. XI.
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19. «Quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.» — Septuaginta, quia terra es, et in terram redibis. Homo ergo post peccatum immedicabili quasi phthisi, puta contrariarum qualitatum pugna et corruptione laborat, quae eum sensim absumit et enecat. Hebraeum aphar proprie pulverem significat; sed, ut ante dixi, pulvis hic, ex quo factus est Adam, fuit aqua mixtus, ideoque lutum et limus terrae, unde et in limum cadaver hominis post mortem resolvitur. Quid ergo superbis, terra et cinis? Hinc patet mortem homini non esse naturae conditionem, sed peccati supplicium. Unde acute S. Augustinus in Sententia 260: «Homo, ait, factus erat immortalis: Deus esse voluit; non perdidit quod homo erat, sed perdidit quod immortalis erat, et de inobedientiae superbia, contracta est poena naturae.» Idem patet Rom. V, 12, et Sapient. II, 23. S. Chrysostomus putat hanc mortis sententiam mitigare illam priorem: «In labore comedes ex ea.» Quam enim haec poena nobis sit utilis, docte ostendit Rupertus, lib. III, cap. XXIV et XXV, ubi inter caetera ait, primo, «ne malam mortem animae suae homo nesciret, et securus usque ad ultimi judicii diluculum in suis voluptatibus dormiret, morte illum carnis percellit Deus, ut saltem ejus instantis metu evigilet; hinc et secundo, diem et horam mortis voluit esse incognitam, quae hominem semper sollicitum, semperque suspensum superbire non sinat.» Tertio, ex Plotino docet misericordiae Dei fuisse, quod hominem fecerit mortalem, ne perpetuis cruciaretur hujus vitae aerumnis. Quarto, voluit Deus hominem vivere in laboribus. Curis acuens mortalia corda, Nec torpere gravi passus sua regna veterno. Ita Rupertus. Moraliter, quid ergo est homo? Audi Gentiles. Primo, homo est fortunae lusus, inconstantiae imago, corruptionis speculum, temporis spolium, inquit Aristoteles; secundo, homo est mancipium mortis, viator transiens; tertio, est pila qua ludit Deus, inquit Plautus; quarto, est imbecillum corpus et fragile, nudum, inerme, alienae opis indigens, ad omnem fortunae contumeliam projectum, inquit Seneca; quinto, est corruptionis vinculum, viva mors, sensitivum cadaver, sepulcrum circumvertibile, velamen opacum, inquit Trismegistus; sexto, est simulacrum et tenuis umbra, inquit Sophocles; septimo, est umbrae somnium, inquit Pindarus; octavo, est exul et incola miseri mundi: quid enim jam est mundus, nisi scrinium dolorum, schola vanitatis, forum impostorum? uti dixit quidam Philosophus. Quid est homo? Audi fideles, sapientes et prophetas. Primo, homo est sperma foetidum, saccus stercorum, esca vermium, inquit S. Bernardus; secundo, homo est ludibrium Dei, inquit Zeno Imperator fugiens, audita suorum clade; tertio, homo est stilla situlae, est locusta, est momentum staterae, est gutta roris antelucani, est foenum, est flos, est nihilum et inane, ut ait Isaias cap. XL, vers. 6, 15, 17, 22; quarto, est universa vanitas, ut ait Psaltes, Psalm. XXXVIII, 6; quinto, est nuntius praecurrens, est navis pertransiens, est avis transvolans, est sagitta emissa, est fumus, est lanugo, est spuma gracilis, est hospes unius diei, Sapient. cap. V, vers. 9; sexto, est pulvis et cinis, ut ait Abraham Genes. cap. XVIII, vers. 27; septimo, «homo natus de muliere, brevi vivens tempore, repletur multis miseriis; qui quasi flos egreditur et conteritur, et fugit velut umbra, et nunquam in eodem statu permanet,» Job XIV, 1. Disce ergo, o homo, tam teipsum, quam mundum contemnere. Audi S. Augustinum in Sentent., Sent. ultima: «Divitiis flores, et majorum nobilitate te jactas, et exultas de patria et pulchritudine corporis, et honoribus qui tibi ab hominibus deferuntur: respice teipsum, quia mortalis es, et quia terra es, et in terram ibis; circumspice eos qui ante te similibus splendoribus fulsere: ubi sunt quos ambiebant civium potentatus? ubi insuperabiles imperatores? ubi qui conventus disponebant et festa? ubi equorum splendidi invectores? ubi exercituum duces? ubi satrapae tyrannici? nunc omnia pulvis, nunc omnia favillae, nunc in paucis versibus eorum memoria est. Respice sepulcra, et vide, quis servus, quis dominus, quis pauper, quis dives? discerne, si potes, vinctum a rege, fortem a debili, pulchrum a deformi. Memor itaque naturae ne extollaris aliquando; memor autem eris, si teipsum respexeris.» Ita Zozimas, redeunte Paschate, revertens ad locum a S. Maria Aegyptiaca condictum, eam jacentem et mortuam reperit, ac pone in terra scriptum: «Sepeli, Abba Zosima, miserae Mariae corpusculum: terram redde terrae et pulverem pulveri.» Cumque ligonem non haberet, affuit leo, qui unguibus terram effodit, fecitque fossam, in qua Zosimas Sanctae corpus sepelivit.
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«Vocavit,» postquam ejectus est paradiso: nam statim post peccatum Deique sententiam paradiso est ejectus. Est ergo hic prolepsis sive anticipatio. Heva. — Hebraice est chavva, id est vivens, aut potius vivificans, a radice chaia, id est vixit, «eo quod» futura «esset mater cunctorum viventium.» Unde Septuaginta pro Heva vertunt ζωή, id est vita. Ab Hebraeo chaia, vel chava, id est vixit, descendit imperativus chave, vel have, id est vive, quae vox est salutantis et bene precantis, q. d. χαῖρε, ὑγίαινε. Pro have Latini dicunt, ave; et Paeni, havo. Unde illud Plauti in Poenulo: Havo (id est ave, salve), cujates estis? aut quo ex oppido? Ita noster Serarius in Josue cap. II, quaest. XXV. Nota, Rabbinos perperam subjecisse puncta in chavva: punctandum enim et legendum est Cheva, vel Heva; ita enim legerunt Septuaginta, Noster et alii. Sic Rabbini imperite pro Cyrus legunt Cores, pro Darius, Dariaves. Hoc nomine Heva se et uxorem, ad mortem a Deo damnatos, solatur Adam, quod per Evam gignet posteros viventes, in quibus et ipsi, licet morituri, tamen quasi parentes in filiis victuri sint perenniter. Hinc Eva typus fuit B. Mariae, quae mater est viventium, non temporali, sed spirituali et aeterna vita in coelo. Ita S. Epiphanius, haeresi 78. Melior ergo mater est Maria quam Eva. Eva enim tam morientium, quam viventium cunctorum mater est, et vocari potest. Unde Lyranus et Abulensis: Eva, inquiunt, significat matrem omnium, non simpliciter, sed aerumnose et misere in hac mortali vita viventium. Hinc pie aliqui contemplantur apte vocari Evam, quasi hoc nomen alludat ad ejulationem parvulorum ex Eva progenitorum: masculus enim recenter natus ejulando dicit a, femina vero dicit e, q. d. Dicant e vel a quotquot nascentur ab Eva. Rursum Eva per anastrophen et apocopen latine est ve; per solam anastrophen est ave, quod B. Virgini salutando detulit Gabriel Archangelus.
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Nota hic disparem genium diaboli et Dei; diabolus hominem voluptatula aliqua supplantat, mox eum in profundo miseriae et confusionis jacentem destituit, ut sit miserabile omnibus, qui eum vident, spectaculum: at Deus miserabili licet hosti suo, succurrit, eum vestit et tegit. Origenes hic non veras tunicas pelliceas, sed carnalia et mortalia corpora intelligit, quibus post peccatum Adam et Eva induti sunt; ridiculum enim, ait, est dicere, quod Deus fuerit Adae coriarius et pellium sutor. Verum hic est error: haec enim verba historice et litteraliter, ut sonant, sunt accipienda, uti docet S. Augustinus, lib. XI De Genes. ad litt. cap. XXXIX, imo ipse Origenes hom. 6 in Levit.: «Talibus, inquit, oportebat indui peccatorem (pelliceis scilicet tunicis), quae essent mortalitatis, quam primo peccato acceperat, et fragilitatis ejus, quae ex carnis corruptione veniebat, indicium.» Theodorus Heracleotes et Gennadius putant arborum cortices hic vocari pelles, indeque vestes Adae esse factas. Verum hoc merito refellit Theodoretus Quaest. XXXIX. Pelles has Deus non creavit ex nihilo, ut vult Procopius, sed eas vel angelorum ministerio animalibus occisis detraxit (non enim unum par in quaque specie, ut vult Theodoretus, sed plura initio creavit Deus); vel aliunde subito transmutavit et efformavit. Rursum pelles hic naturales, scilicet cum villis et pilis intellige: hoc enim innuit Hebraeum or, et Latinum pelliceas; idque primo, ut hae vestes tam hieme, quam aestate sola inversione Adamo et Evae servirent. Secundo, quia non ad ornatum datae sunt, sed ad necessitatem, ut nimirum nuditatem tegerent, et aeris injurias arcerent. Tertio, quia hae vestes symbolum erant non tantum verecundiae, sed et frugalitatis, continentiae ac poenitentiae. Non purpura, non panno, sed pellibus quasi cilicio Deus homines post peccatum vestivit, ut doceret similem simplicem nobis debere esse vestitum. Hinc SS. quadraginta milites et Martyres apud S. Basilium a praefecto nudati, et in gelidum stagnum conjecti, ut ejus frigore necarentur, hac se voce animabant: «Non amictum, inquiunt, exuimus, sed hominem veterem concupiscentiae deceptione corruptum; gratias agimus tibi, Domine, quod cum isto amictu, simul et peccatum exuere licet: quoniam ob serpentem eum induimus, ob Christum vero exuimus.» Ita frigore pene enecti flammis traduntur, angelis e coelo coronas eorum triumphales ostentantibus. Quarto, hae vestes e mortuorum pellibus factae monebant Adamum, eum mortis fuisse reum. Ita S. Augustinus, lib. II De Genes. contra Manichaeos, cap. XXI, Alcuinus et alii. Allegorice, Adam vestitus typus fuit Christi, qui licet purus esset et sanctus, indui tamen voluit pellibus, id est vestiri peccatis nostris, dum habitu inventus ut homo, in similitudinem carnis peccati factus est. Quid ergo, o homo, gloriaris in veste serica? Vestis enim est nota et stigma peccati; perinde ut compedes, ut catenae, sive ferreae sive aeneae, sunt symbola et vincula furum et malefactorum. Talis fuit vestis primorum Romanorum Senatorum, de qua Propertius: Curia, praetexto quae nunc nitet alta senatu, Pellitos habuit rustica corda patres.
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«Hoc, ait S. Augustinus, lib. II De Genesi contra Manichaeos, cap. XXII, dupliciter intelligi potest: vel unus ex nobis, quasi et ipse Deus, quod pertinet ad insultationem, sicut dicitur: Unus ex senatoribus, utique senator; aut certe, quia et ipse Deus esset, quamvis creatoris sui beneficio, non natura, si sub ejus potestate manere voluisset: sic dictum est, ex nobis, quomodo dicitur, Ex consulibus aut proconsulibus, qui jam non est.» Addit deinde S. Augustinus: «Sed ad quam rem factus est tanquam unus ex nobis? ad scientiam scilicet dignoscendi boni et mali, ut iste per experimentum disceret dum sentit malum, quod Deus per sapientiam novit: et potestatem illam Omnipotentis, quam pati noluit beatus atque consentiens, poena sua discat esse inevitabilem.» Prior sensus germanior est: eum enim exigit to factus est. Est ergo ironia et sarcasmus, q. d. Voluit Adam nobis per esum pomi fieri similis, en quam factus est dissimilis; voluit scire bonum et malum, en in quale ignorantiae barathrum corruit. Ita Gennadius, Theodoretus et Rupertus, qui ait: «Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est, ut jam non simus nos Trinitas, sed quaternitas: quanquam non cum Deo Deus, sed contra Deum affectaverit esse Deus.» Sunt haec verba Dei Patris non ad angelos, ut vult Oleaster et Abulensis, sed ad Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, ut patet, itaque intelligit ipse Abulensis in cap. XIII, Quaest. 486. Nunc ergo, — supple cavendum est, vel expellendus est ex paradiso. Est aposiopesis. Et vivat in aeternum, — sed moriatur, juxta sententiam in eum latam cap. II, vers. 17; mors haec poena est homini, est et poenae abbreviatio; mos enim Dei est, ait S. Chrysostomus hic, ut puniens non minus quam benefaciens, suam erga nos declaret providentiam, q. d. ait Rupertus: «Homo quia miser est, sit etiam temporalis, itaque sit dissimilis tam Deo, quam diabolo: Deus enim et aeternus est et felix, et est ejus aeterna felicitas, felix aeternitas: horum alterum, id est felicitatem, perdidit diabolus; aeternitatem vero non amisit, et est ejus aeterna infelicitas, infelix aeternitas. Parcamus, inquit Deus, homini; et quia felicitatem perdidit, aeternitatem quoque praeripiamus infelici; ut in neutro sit quasi unus ex nobis. Nobis est aeterna felicitas, felix aeternitas; sit illi temporalis miseria, vel misera temporalitas, et tunc illi commodius reformetur aeternitas, cum fuerit recuperata felicitas.»
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Hebraice est iescallechehu in piel, id est ejecit, expulit eum. Septuaginta addunt, et collocavit eum e regione, seu in conspectu (hoc enim est ἀπέναντι) paradisi, scilicet ut ejus aspectu bonum amissum assidue lugeret et acrius poeniteret. Nota: Emisit Deus Adam per angelum, qui eum vel manu eduxit, uti Raphael Tobiam; vel abripuit, uti rapuit Habacuc ex Judaea in Babylonem, ut ferret prandium Danieli. Ita S. Augustinus et Abulensis, qui addit angelum ex paradiso Adamum transtulisse in Hebron, ubi creatus fuerat, vixit, et postea sepultus est. Quaeres, quo die hoc sit factum? Abulensis putat Adamum peccasse et expulsum esse ex paradiso altero die a creatione sua, id est sabbato. Pererius octavo die, idque hoc fine, ut interim aliquot dierum intervallo beatum illum in paradiso statum experiretur. Alii quadragesimo die: unde Christus pro hac Adae gula totidem, id est quadraginta diebus jejunavit. Alii trigesimo quarto anno, sicuti triginta quatuor annos Christus vixit, et peccatum hoc expiavit. Verum communiter Patres, S. Irenaeus, Cyrillus, Epiphanius, Sarugensis, Ephrem, Philoxenus, Barcepha, et Diodorus apud Pererium, tradunt Adamum eodem die quo creatus est peccasse, et die paradiso ejectum esse, scilicet feria sexta die Veneris; imo sub eamdem horam, qua Christus in cruce mortuus est extra Jerusalem, et latronem nosque omnes paradiso restituit. Huic sententiae favet series Scripturae: nam ex vers. 8 patet haec contigisse post meridiem, remittente se aestu, et leni aura afflante. Favet et invidia diaboli, quae non permisit diu Adamum stare. Favet et perfectio naturae in qua conditus est Adam, per quam ipse, uti et angelus, statim se resolvit, et alterutram partem elegit. Denique si diu in paradiso fuisset, utique ex arbore vitae comedisset. Sicut ergo Christus eodem loco, scilicet in monte Calvariae, voluit crucifigi, in quo sepultus erat Adam: ita ipse diem peccati et exilii nostri tunc notavit, damna diei ut solveret et dependeret. Addunt S. Ephrem apud Barcepha, in fine lib. I De Paradiso; Philoxenus et Jacobus Sarugensis, Adamum creatum esse hora nona matutina, et paradiso expulsum esse hora tertia pomeridiana, itaque in paradiso tantum sex horas commoratum esse.
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«Et collocavit ante paradisum voluptatis Cherubim, et flammeum gladium atque versatilem.» — Quaeres, qui sint Cherubim, quis gladius hic? Primo, Tertullianus in Apologetico, et D. Thomas, II-II, Quaest. CLXV, art. ultim., putant esse zonam torridam, quae ob aestum impervia est, quam proinde Deus, inquiunt, inter hasce nostras regiones et paradisum interposuit. Secundo, Lyranus et Tostatus volunt haec esse ignem undique paradisum ambientem. Idem censent multi Patres citandi in fine hujus capitis. Tertio, Theodoretus et Procopius censent esse μορμολύκια, et spectra quaedam terribili forma, qualia terriculamenta contra aves ponuntur in hortis. Verum dico, haec omnia proprie ut sonant accipienda esse, nimirum quod angeli ex ordine Cherubim positi sint ante paradisum, ut ejus aditu prohiberent tum Adam et homines, tum etiam daemones, ne scilicet ipsi paradisum ingressi fructum arboris vitae decerperent, quem hominibus offerrent, pollicentes eis immortalitatem, ut hac ratione eos ad sui amorem et cultum pellicerent. Ita S. Chrysostomus, Augustinus, Rupertus et alii. Nota primo: Cherubim potius, quam Thronis, Virtutibus, aut Principatibus custodia paradisi demandata est, quia Cherubim sunt vigilantissimi et perspicacissimi; unde a scientia vocantur Cherubim, ideoque aptissimi sunt vindices omniscientiae Dei, quam ambierat Adam. Hinc patet angelos superiores quoque mitti ad terram, uti ostendi Hebr. I, vers. ult. Nota secundo: Videntur hi Cherubim fuisse humana forma induti; nam habent et vibrant flammeum gladium, et in omnes partes versatilem, ut eo feriant eos, qui paradisum ingredi volent. Nota tertio: Pro flammeum gladium hebraice est lahat hachereb, id est flammam gladii. Unde incertum est an gladius hic fuerit flamma habens formam et speciem gladii, an vero revera fuerit gladius, sed igne candens, fulgurans et quasi flammas vomens. Nota quarto: Ablatus est et cessavit hic gladius, uti et Cherubim; quando paradisus desiit, puta in diluvio. Allegorice, ut S. Ambrosius ad illud Psal. CXVIII, «Retribue servo tuo, et vivam,» et Rupertus lib. III, cap. XXXII, hic flammeus gladius est ignis Purgatorii, quem ante paradisum coelestem morientibus, necdum in hac vita plane purgatis, posuit Deus; indeque Cherubim, id est angeli, animas plane purgatas in paradisum, puta in coelum educunt. Imo S. Ambrosius, Origenes, Lactantius, Basilius, Rupertus ex hoc loco putant ante coelum positum esse ignem, quem omnes animae, etiam S. Petri et S. Pauli, post mortem transire debeant, ut eo examinentur, et si impurae reperiantur, ut per eum purgentur, de quo dixi I Corinth. III, 15. Moraliter nota: Sex poenae indictae sunt Adae (cum Eva) et posteris ejus, quae congrue respondent sex ejus peccatis: primum ejus peccatum fuit inobedientia: ob hanc sensit carnis et sensus rebellionem; secundum fuit gula: ob hanc punitus fuit labore et fatigatione. «In sudore, inquit, vultus tui vesceris pane tuo;» tertium fuit furtum pomi: ob hoc punitus fuit carnis dolore, puta fame, siti, frigore, calore, morbis, etc. «Multiplicabo, ait, aerumnas tuas;» quartum fuit infidelitas, qua discredidit Deo, et credidit daemoni: ob hanc punitus fuit morte, qua anima discedit et separatur a corpore; quintum fuit ingratitudo: ob hanc privari meruit sua substantia, quam a Deo acceperat, et incinerari. «Pulvis, ait, es, et in pulverem reverteris;» sextum fuit superbia: per hanc meruit privari paradiso, coelo et coelitibus, atque detrudi in tartara. Ex dictis patet peccatum Adae, si primam et propriam speciem peccati spectes, non fuisse omnium gravissimum: fuit enim inobedientia legis positivae Dei, hac autem gravior est blasphemia, odium Dei, obstinata impoenitentia, etc. Quare gravius peccarunt Arius, Lutherus, Judas et alii, quam Adam. Si tamen damna ex hoc peccato consecuta spectes, fuit Adae peccatum omnium gravissimum: per hoc enim ipse se et omnes suos posteros perdidit, adeoque quicumque damnatur, propter hoc peccatum vel immediate, vel mediate damnatur; et hac ratione hoc peccatum dici potest irremissibile; quia in omnes posteros ejus culpa et poena transit, nec id remitti aut impediri ullo modo potest.
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« Qui dexit ad mulierem » : — Cum evidens sit et ab auctore etiam tamquam evidens supponi debeat, serpentem natura loquendi facultate haud esse instructum, patet per se spiritum aliquem per illum serpentem esse locutum. Quem spiritum fuisse nequam docemur tentatione et consequente divina maledictione. Explicite idipsum confirmat Sap. 2,24 * « Invidia autem diaboli mors introivit in orbem terrarum »; qui ideo Io. 8,44 dicitur « homicida ab initio » et Ap. 12,9; 20,2 nomen nanciscitur « serpens antiquus, qui seducit universum orbem ». Hebraeis antiquitus notum fuisse diabolum, fuse demonstrat L. Reinke, Beitrage II. 272 sqq., licet de eo, uti etiam de immortalitate animae, rarius neque ita explicite loquantur. Neque tamen adstruere cogeris, ipsis serpentis gutture, lingua, ore, quae humano sermoni edendo penitus sunt inepta (Per.), diabolum efformasse verba ; sufficit admittere, arte daemonisita Evae sensus esse affectos, ut vocem e serpentis ore profectam indubie arbitraretur. Cf. Cyrill. Alex. Contra [ulian. III, M. 76.632 sqq.; Bonfr.; Calm. Ergo certe in aliqua re mulieris sensus decepti sunt. Serpentem vidit, agnovit, eius sibi alloquium audire visa est : tamen non ipse loquebatur. Ubi sponte nascitur quaestio, an alius praeterea fuerit in muliere sensuum error, an daemon forte non vocem tantum , sed vel ipsam serpentis formam sit ementitus. Quod sensisse videtur Eugubinus (Cosmopoeia, Lugd. 1535) et merito defendi posse censet Reinke p. 269. Neque dicas, eundem, cuius modo laudabatur sagacitas, iam in scenam produci serpentem. Producitur idem aut re et forma, aut forma tantum. Nonne idem producitur loquens? At non idem re loquebatur, sed specie solum idem. Scilicet, quod merito adnotat ReznÁe p. 352 et etiam affirmat Lamy, auctor « refert factum prout oculis exterhis proditum est; non agit interpretem, non explicat quis fuerit ille serpens ». Oculis autem protoparentum proditum est factum ita, ut primum formam serpentis adrepentis conspicerent, dein vocem ex eius ore profectam audirent : narrant igitur adfuisse serpentem esseque locutum , neque in ea narratione falsitatis quidquam subest, cum rem, qualis sensibus obiceretur, referant. Leve est illud quoque, quod obiicit Per., verum adfuisse serpentem, quod v. 1* poena in serpentem decernitur. Haud quidquam ea poena in serpentis conditione mutavit, qui iam ante supra pectus gradiretur. Dein quaero, cur eain serpentem . tandem poena feratur : nonne ob tentationis verba, quae specie tantuni e serpentis ore profecta erant? Quodsi iuste sententia ferri potuit in serpentem ob illud, quod loqui visus erat, ergo iuste quoque feretur in serpentem , qui non ipse sed specie tenus solummodo adfuerit. Minus feliciter Lamy priora verba ita premit : « Serpens ille vaferrimum se pracbuit, quando protoparentes in peccatum induxit ». ^*'? non est necessario de uno aliquo determinato eventu accipiendum neque, si de uno tentationis facto agatur, apparet ratio comparalionis adhibitae serpentem inter et reliqua animalia. — Neque placet HReinke p. 353 affirmans, ideo serpentem visum esse protoparentibus animalium omnium callidissimum, quod rationalis creaturae instar sit locutus : tum iam nulla erat ratio comparationis cum ceteris bestiis instituendae, nisi supponas protoparentes aut putasse aut saltem suspicatos esse, cetera eliam animalia posse loqui. — Frequenter monent auctores, ideo a muliere tentationis initium fecisse daemonem, quod ca magis quam Adam deceptioni pateret : « Adam praeditus sapientia, quam a Dco acceperat, qua etiam nomina indidit rebus, haudquaquam ca fuisset passus quae mulier, si prior a serpente fuisset interpellatus » (Proc.).
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« Cur praecepit vobis Deus, ut non comederetis de omni ligno paradisi? » Quod daemon constanter secunda persona plurali de homine loquatur, prodit eius consilium et mulieris et viri perdendorum (Caz.). LXX «t $&u, Symm. zpos «i, Aq. yf 6v: sed recte explicant expressionem ellipticam Chald. Syr. verumne est quod seu verene. Perperam Cai. ex voce colligit, alia plura cum muliere locutum esse serpentem, sed haec sola compendio referri : plurane locuti sint necne, textu non docemur neque nostra interest scire. Licet 52... wb sensum induere consuevit nullus , nemo, kamen eadem expressio sensum habere absolute potest non omnis, ei ita serpentis quaestio reapse est ambigua, licet sensus falsus quique Evae provocet correctionem , utique magis sit obvius. « Hoc nimirum daemonis ingenium est ambigue loqui » (Bonfr.). Infelicius coniicit Proc., daemonem, quid Deus prohibuisset, reapse ignorasse. Quaestio est admirantis, cf. Gen. 18,13 : « Verene paritura sum anus? » Admiratio est de nimia severitate seu duritia prohibentis. « Quamvis, quod sub interrogatione profertur, nec verum nec falsum sit, mendacium tamen hic serpens manifeste sibilavit, rem sicut erat se nescire simulans, ut paulatim felle suo miseram audientis venenaret.animam,... ut paulatim serpendo venenum odii, quo ardebat ipse contra creatorem , magis ac magis iniiceret homini, et cum aggeratione quasi indigni praecepti conflaret indignationem excitaretque audaciam rebellandi? » (Rup.). Merito etiam monet Aug., ideo prohibitionem interrogatione in memoriam revocasse serpentem , quo magis « praevaricatio esset inexcusabilis », quippe quam neque ignorantia legis neque deficiens attentio attenuaret. Dein coarctant serpentis verba humanam libertatem, etiam praeter limites divina prohibitione statutos, quo certius eliciant mulieris responsum : aegre quippe restringi libertatem ferimus omnes (Caz.). v. 9 « Cuirespondit mulier : De fructu lignorum » — vere secundum sensum Syr. addit omnzum — « quae sunt in paradiso , vesctmur », i. e. vesci licet (Per.); v. 3 « de fructu vero ligni, quod est in medio paradisi, praecepit nobis Deus ne comederemus et ne tangeremus illud, ne forte moriamur ». 15 de se nequaquam habet sensum dubii (forte), quasi mulier de certitudine poenae secuturae dubitaverit (Malv.). Ex verbis igitur colligitur intellexisse mulierem , quam serio Deus eum fructum comedi prohibuerit (DilIm.), simulque prohibitionem non reputasse nimis gravem, quippe quae fructus reliquarum arborum omnium edendos concessisset (Per.). Arborem vetitam simpliciter describit Eva ut « lignum, quod est in medio paradisi », cum ex 2,9 cum hoc versu collato efficiatur etiam lignum vitae in medio paradiso prostitisse : unam iam in mente mulier habet prohibitam arborem, alterius arboris vix non immemor effecta; fertur quippe in vetita humana mens. Durius aliqui in verbis v. 2 sq. Evam carpunt, speciatim quod non totidem atque 2,16 sq. verbis Dei prohibitionem referat. Quare Amór. (De Parad. c. 12 n. 56; M. 14.303) causatur « decolorare » eam divinum mandatum ; Rup. ait « depravare tribus modis, quibus usque hodie depravare nititur s. scripturam omnis, qui est ex parte diaboli, sc. appositione, diminutione, mutatione ». Quaestio tandem est de verbis e? ne tangeremus illud , quae 2,16 sq. desiderantur. Quae Proc. putat revera a Deo esse pronuntiata, licet 2,16 sq. non referantur. Amór., Cai. censent Evam , quod sibi displiceat, more mulierum exaggerare mandatum. Sapientius Ma/v., Lap. aliique pronuntiant verba ab Eva adiecta esse « ex religione et reverentia divini praecepti ».
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V. « Dixit autem. serpens ad mulierem : Nequaquam morte moriemzni ». Negatur Dei veracitas una brevi sententia; verbi finiti vis augetur adscripto infinitivo intensivo; negatio non inter utrumque, quod usitatius, inseritur sed utrumque praecedit (De/.).
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v. 5 « Seit enim Deus , quod in quocunque die comederitis ex eo , apertentur oculi vestri et eritis sicut dit scientes bonum et malum ». Primum daemon removet metum supremi mali, mortis, dein excitat spem insignis plane boni (Per.); primum Dei negat veracitatem , dein non caritate sed invidia Deum moveri affirmat (Bonfr.). « Mendax enim ipse est, invidus ipse est. Mendax autem sibi similem i. e. mendacem vult facere Deum. Item vere invidus praecepti Dei causam esse invidám audet asserere... Quasi parum fuerit, quod superbiendo Dei similitudinem perdidit, adhuc detrahendo similem sibi Deum asserere praesumit » (Rup.). Promittit autem apertum iri oculos mentis (Ca?.) : « tanta nascetur animae perspicacia, ut merito iudicare possitis, vos hactenus nihil scivisse et quasi caecos fuisse » (Bonfr.). De expressione sczentes bonum et malum vide, quae diximus ad 2,9. e'5x pluralem intellexere V«/g. LXX, specialius vero Targumem et Versio Sam. interpretata sunt angelos; e contra Syr. singulari vertit Deus, quod confirmari Ma/v. monet v. 92: « Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis factus est ». Simul merito advertit Caz., hanc uti alias daemonis voces esse ambiguan : suggerit daemon, gustato fructu vetito fore omniscios sicut Deum; revera experti sunt in se ipsis boni malique discrimen, quale experti sunt m'5x, i. e. angeli, et quidem in hoc contextu angeli lapsi.
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V. 6 « Vidit igitur mulier », — « Ne sententiam videretur praecipitare, accedit propius ad arborem eamque contemplatur curiose » (Mar.). « Audierat, quod dixisset Deus : In quocunque die comederitis ex eo, morte moriemini; audierat serpentem e contrario dicentem : Nequaquam moriemini. Inter haec anceps naturam ligni propriis sensibus diiudicare voluit, ut sciret, cui potissimum, Deo videlicet vel serpenti, palmam concederet veritatis. At illi, qui de hoc iudicare debuerant, interiores oculi exteriorum iam erant oculorum concupiscentia praepediti; ut non viderent » (Rup.). Quid autem vidit? « Quod bonum esset lignum ad vescendum et pulchrum oculis aspectuque delectabile ». In ultüimo membro reliqui textus repetunt subiectum /77num. Syr. illud membrum vertit uti Vulg.; LXX est anceps; sed Targumzm ei Versio Sam. vertunt desiderabile ad intelligendum seu sapiendum; et ita verti debet Hebr. (Ca?. aliique) ob sequentes rationes. Hiphil5*2wn secus nunquam de oculorum aspectu adhibetur; oratio secus esset pleonastica idemque sonaret, quod modo pulchrum oculis; nulla appareret ratio emphatice intertio membro repetiti subiecti. Quomodo autem haec omnia vid:t Eva? Egit ipsa, uti agere consuevere, quotquot sensuum testimonio omnia dirimenda suscipiunt. Quod sc. oculis videret lignum aspectu esse delectabile, neque quidquam videret, quo non esse bonum ad vescendum proderetur, iudicavit bonum esse etiam ad vescendum; rursum, quod nihil videret, quo lignum non esse praestiturum scientiam demonstraretur, iudicavit habere reapse virtutem a serpente eidem attributam. « Et tulit de fructu illius et comedit, deditque viro suo » secum , « qui comedit ». LXX Sam. et Versio Sam. comederunt, sequentis sc. vocis » huc transsumentes. Cf. Ephr. v. "1 « Et aperti sunt oculi amborum ; cumque cognovissent se esse nudos, consuerunt folia ficus », « utendo pediculis frondium pro acu et filo » (Caz.), « et fecerunt sibi perizomata ». Ficum praetulere non ob aliam sane rationem, quam quod aliis arboribus propior adesset. An eadem etiam aptior? Id negant Kn. et Lagarde (Mittheilungen I. 2. sqq.) : sed nota textum non edicere, ea folia sapienter ab Adam ei usui esse adhibita; Deus illico folis substituit pelles. Gratuito Mar. veterum quorumdam resuscitavit opinionem, ficum fuisse ipsam arborem vetitam. Iam totam hanc narrationem ironia quaedam pervadit. Cernitur ea in serpentis promissione apertum iri oculos, quae eo postea impleta est, ut oculi aperirentur ad nuditatem percipiendam ; in promissione fore transgressores sicut t'n5w, qui dein effecti reapsi sunt sicut 2'n5x seu angeli (lapsi). Et haec quidem in serpentis verbis reperitur ironia; sed est etiam alia, qualis est lusus vorborum inter a"ovy nudi et àv sagaz;, et verba Dei v. 22: « Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis etc. ». Eadem ironia initio nostri versus cernitur, ubi ipse pudor conscientiam nuditatis consecutus exprimitur verbis aper sunt oculi amborum ; idem h. l. est aperiri oculos e£ cum pudore conscium fieri nuditatis : non aliam scientiam nacti sunt Dei maiestate contempta (Theodoret.). « Ergo accidit eis similiter quodammodo ut pueris, qui priusquam ad rationis usum perveniant, de nuditate minime verecundantur; ubi autem ratio vim discernendi bonum a malo exercere, et ipsi libero arbitrio uti coeperint, continuo de nuditate erubescunt. Quod igitur pueris propter aetatem contingit, hoc illis propter iustitiae originalis praesentiam vel absentiam evenit » (Per.).
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v. 8 « Et cum audisseni vocem Domini Dei deambulantis in paradiso ad auram post meridiem , abscondit se Adam et uxor eius a. facie Domini Dei in. medio ligni paradisi ». Vocem wp Cai. intelligit Dei loquentis : sed idem verbum 2 Reg. 5,24; 3 Reg. 19,12 de strepitu advenientis adhibetur; unde Ephr. scribit « vocem pedum ». At minime ad eum strepitum vox restringitur, neque »nnn necessario dicit deambulare, sed solemnem divinae maiestatis incessum, cf. Lev. 96,19; Deut. 93,14 (15); 2 Reg. 7,6. Igitur Malv. illud 5p interpretatur « levem quemdam sonum advenientis Dei », melius fortasse Donfr. « fragorem quemdam ac sonum inarticulatum, quo non tantum aer resonaret, sed omnia, quae in paradiso erant, ad Dei adventum concuterentur, accommodatum nimirum et ad maiestatem Dei advenientis indicandam et peccatores terrefaciendos ». Unde etiam facilius explicatur Adami et Evae terror se abscondentium, non solum quod Deus offensus adesset, sed quod tanta maiestate adesset. Cf. Proc. Ceterum, quod se absconderint, ratio princeps sane erat conscientia admissi sceleris, necnisi secundaria nuditas, quam perizomatibus iam aliquatenus velavissent. Ubi Vulg. ad, i. e. versus auram post meridiem, ibi Hebr. cwn mmb, quod ad verbum transferunt Aq. Symm. ; LXX cb ósiwóv, i. e. tempore pomeridiano. Explicant Chald. et Ps. Ion. wm nc, « versus requiem diei »; Syr. « vespera dici »; Theod. àv xà zvepntt zpóg zat&juEw. cric fu£pac, « in aura versus refrigerationem diei ». Ili erzo omnes tempus pomeridianum inter et vespertinum indicant, excepto Targ. Hier. « versus robur diei », et Vers. Sam. « versus fervofem diei », qui meridiem exprimunt : sed falso, nam tempus meridianum est Q'*" an Gen. 18, 1, et vespere in partibus orientis aura refrigerat aerem. Sensus autem temporis ita determinandi is est, adfuisse Deum eodem, quo peccasset homo, die, brevi interiecto intervallo, cum tentator serpens v. 14 adhuc praesens adesset.
Arg. — Confessione admissi criminis a reis hominibus elicita, primum serpenti Deus maledicit et protoevangelio ruinam praenuntiat, dein Hevae et Adae poenis impositis tunicas suppetit eosque e paradiso misericorditer dimittit.
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v. 9 « Vocavitque Dominus Deus Adam et dixit ei : Ubi es? » « Inerepantis vox est, non ignorantis » (Aug.). Iudex quodammodo in tribunali assidet Deus; « tamquam loco accusante citat Adam interrogando : Ubi tu? ut ex ipso loco incipiat convinci ad confitendum peccatum suum » (Ca?.). « Quid factum est? In alio statu te reliqui, in alio te invenio : gloria vestitum te reliqui, nunc in nudilate te invenio » (Chrys.).
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v. 10 « Qui ait : Vocem tuam audtvi in paradiso et timui, eo quod nudus essem , et abscond? me ». Timui seu « verecundatus sum » (Lap.) « in conspectum tuum venire » (Bonfr.) propter nuditatem : sentit Adam, quam indecens sit vel ex parte nudum Dei intrare praesentiam. Ratio vero, cur nunc nuditatem vereretur, quam ante non erubuisset, utique peccatum erat, cuius aliqua confessio ipse ille timor erat : « timor me invasit ob delictum, latebras quaesivi propter nuditatem » (Proc.). Sed eam confessionem non fuisse satis explicitam ostendunt Dei verba
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v. 11: « Cui dizit : Quis enim indicavit tibi, quod nudus esses, nisi quod ez ligno, de quo » — solo addunt LXX, unde h. 1. Patrum Graecorum aliqui, quam facilis fuerit divina prohibitio, amplificant — « praeceperam tibi, ne comederes, comedisti? » « Haec ipsa scientia, qua nudum te esse perspexisti, culpa est, quia rapina est » (Rup.). Ceterum Heór. duas habet quaestiones : « Quis indicavit tibi, quod nudus esses? » et dein, reo non respondente, pergitur : « An ex ligno etc.? »
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v. 19. « Dixitque Adam : Mulier, quam dedisti mihi sociam », — . "12y mecum, quod pulchre Symm. reddit 4» covo»wág vot, et Proc. monet idem esse atque « adiutorium » 2,18 — « dedit mihi de ligno et comedi ». « Antequam diceret, comed? , scutum defensionis arripuit dicens : Mulier etc. » (Rup.). Reapse tam Adam quam Eva voce comed; sententiam claudunt, sed ante aliquibus culpam extenuare conantur : Adam in Evam, Eva in serpentem culpam reiicit, Adam illud etiam effert, mulierem sibi ab ipso Deo datam exstitisse causam ruinae. « Peccavi, sed non peccassem, nisi tu mihi talem vitae sociam adiunxisses... Serpens, quem tu creasti et inter nos hic degere permisisti, cui tantum versutiae tribuisti, me decepit » (MenocA.). Quas protoparentum excusationes plures cum Aug., Rup. severe carpunt, tamquam totidem effugia agnoscendae culpae confodiunt; dum alii cum Chrys., Proc. mitius sentiunt. Et reapse erat in illis excusationibus veri aliquid, quod merito extenuandae culpae adhibebatur. Minus graviter peccaratl Adam uxoris blanditiis seductus, quam si ipse unus sibi peccati auctor fuisset. Erat efficax quoddam implorandae divinae miserationis momentum, ut ab ea exhiberetur vir muliere seductus, " quam ipsi Deus tamquam adiutorium maxime necessarium individue copulasset. Caveamus igitur, ne aequo severius protoparentes nostros carpamus. Facile etiam Dei verba ita cum Proc. exponuntur, ut indulgens iudex illorum excusationes non respuerit sed admiserit. Adamo se defendente, quod mulieri fuisset obsecutus, Deus defensionem non respuit sed polius admittit, illico ad mulierem conversus; item ubi mulier serpentem seductorem demonstravit, illico à muliere ad serpentem convertitur Deus.
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v. 13 « Et dizit Dominus Deus ad mulierem : Quare hoc fecisti? Quae respondit : Serpens decepit me et comedi ». « Missa muliere festinat Deus ad' serpentem. Mirabile vide iudicium. Deceptos interrogat, deceptorem non interrogat. Non, ul ad causam ipsum dicendum cohortaretiur, ait : Quid fecisti? sed quasi malum malique auctorem penitusque incorrigibilem veniaque indignum affatur : Quia hoc fecisti etc. » (Proc.). llli similia vide apud Ephr.
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v. 1& « Et ast Dominus Deus ad. serpentem : Quia fecisti hoc , maledictus es inter omnia animantia et bestias terrae ». Non inepte Ps. Ion. et. Targ. Hier. huic narrationis parti verba praefigunt : « Et adduxit Dominus Deus tres istos in iudicium ». Reapse iudicium agitur, et in sententia ferenda a serpente iudex procedit ad mulierem et virum, uti in causa investiganda a viro descenderat ad mulierem et serpentem. o2») reddunt LXX àzó; sed scrpenti non maledicitur a reliquis animalibus. Cai. verlit plus quam; sed an reliqua animalia maledictioni subsunt? an hic forte iam alluditur ad illud Rom. 8, 20, vanitati subiectam esse creaturam? Nota T2 habere significationem primitus localem : ergo si cui cum aliis comparato tribuatur qualitas, quam etiam ipsi habent, vertendum plus quam seu prae; si cui cum aliis comparato tribuatur qualitas, qua ipsi carent, vertendum ínter (Vulg.). « Super pectus tuum gradieris et terram comedes cunctis diebus vitae tuae », quamdiu vives; et quod hic de uno illo serpente affirmatur, necessario etiam de tota eius progenie intelligitur, cum quia sunt eiusdem cum illo speciei, tum quia semen serpentis v. 15 explicite effertur. - Textum crassius accipientes Jos., Ephr. aliique putavere, serpentem primitus pedes habuisse et erectumincessisse. Verum nos non cogi textu adstruere, totam serpentis naturam tam stupendum in modum fuisse mutatam, iam videre Proc., Rup. et fatentur recentiores communiter. « Dico ergo, etiamsi haec omnia, quae quasi in poenam contra serpentem decernuntur, fuerint naturalia, tamen ante peccatum non habuisse rationem poenae aut quasi poenae, post vero habuisse » (Bonfr.). « Sic iris ante naturalis, post Noe coepit esse signum pacti inter Noe hominesque et inter Deum initi » (MenocA.). « Sic Adamo quoque et Evae quaedam deputantur in poenam, quae etiam in statu innocentiae fuerant ipsis naturalia, v. g. uxorem subdi marito, herbis vesci, terram germinare ipsis spinas et alia » (T?r.). « Serpens organum hic daemonis in specie sua non peccavit, ac proinde nec nulla ei nova - poena imponitur, sed solum in opprobrium est denuntiatio suae nati-- vae maledictionis. Idem fere de daemone, qui non peccavit nisi solito modo tentando; quapropter non decernitur nova poena. Nam cum sit extra statum viae, quae ille facit, nec ad meritum nec ad culpam ei imputantur, quo fit ut nec ad praemium sint nec ad poenam » (Gord.). — Neque textus edicit, serpentem uti terra seu pulvere (^Zy) pro cibo. Dicitur quidem « serpenti pulvis panis » Is. 65,95 vel in statu paradisi restituendi : sed id aliud non est nisi « lingere pulverem », quod Mich. 7,17 de serpentibus, Is. 49,23 de iis praedicatur, qui coram aliis humi prosternuntur. Lingere vero pulverem ideo specialius serpentes dicuntur, qui os et linguam semper humi depressa gestent. Ob idipsum dicuntur comedere pulverem, quia scriptura h. 1. uti in Cosmogonia res naturales describit, quales obtutui obiiciuntur : iam videmus serpentes carnibus et herbis non vesci; quibus vescantur, non videmus; os continuo prope terram gestare, quo pulverem frequenter hauriant, videmus; quod sufficit, ut dicamus illos terram comedere. Quo modo Proc. quoque : « videmus », ait, « reptilia omnia vesci lerra ». Putavere aliqui, v. 14 sq. unice dici de diabolo, nullatenus autem de vero serpente, hinc narrationem totam quantam esse figuratam , metaphoricam : ita Aug., Hugo. Imo /tup. exinde, quod serpentes etiam ante lapsum pedibus caruerint, infert verba « supra pectus tuum gradieris » de solo diabolo, minime vero de serpente intelligi oportere. Sed sermonem etiam esse de ipso serpente, demonstrat contextus inde a v. 1. Neque obiicias, serpentem animal irrationale puniendum non esse : punitur ut instrumentum diabolicae nequitiae. Sic pater ensem comminuit, quo filius occidebatur (Chrys.). Cf. Jac. Edess. Dicuntur ergo haec omnia et de serpente et de diabolo, de serpente ut instrumento visibili, de diabolo ut agente invisibili, de serpente proxime et immediate, de diabolo mediate et per émutav, sensu non allegorico neque metaphorico sed quodammodo concomitante. Cf. Bonfr., Mar., Tir., Lap. etc. Hinc ne singula diabolo applicare coneris, ne exponere nitaris, quomodo ille super pectus gradiatur, terram comedat etc. Sufficit generalior quaedam similitudo : maledictus est uti serpens, ita etiam diabolus; abjectio serpentis in pulvere adrepentis adumbrat abjectionem daemonis de coelo ad ima delapsi; inimicitiae ad diabolum longe verius spectant, quam ad serpentem.
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v. 15 « Inimicitias ponam nter te et mulierem, et semen tuum et semen illius : àipsa conteret caput tuum, et tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius ». Vertendum 2psum sc. semen, aut 2pse sc. personificando semen. Primum nota, genuinam Vulgatae lectionem esse ipsa, i. c. hanc vocem ab ipso S. Hier. esse profectam, non vero librariorum incuria irrepsisse. Sensus vero, quem ea lectio suggerit, et argumenta dogmatica, quae eidem innituntur, vera manent, etiamsi Hebr. ipse aut ipsum vertendum esse demonstretur, cum quia sensus dogmaticus versione authentica expressus falsus esse nequit, tum ex subiecia materia, quia so. st sc. seminis triumphus necessario etiam mulieris triumphus sit oportet : vincente ipso "vincit i ipsa. Cf. Verc. — Nota porro, genuinam LXX lectionem esse abró;, quod üpsi personnificatione ad tb exígux referunt; non ab:ó, quod solus habet Theophil. Antioch. (ad Autol. II n. 21; M. 6. 1085). Neque dicas ex a$t1ó cov corruptione oriri potuisse aótó; cov, nam secundum leges critices praecise haec altera lectio, quod sit difficilior, tamquam genuina est retinenda. Cf. Reinke II. 207. Iam Hebr. NW! verti oportere ipsum aut ipse, sequentes efficiunt rationes (cf. C. Sane, si testes hos pensemus, fateri cogimur, utramque et conterendi et observandi significationem solida auctoritate radici *'"w attribui. Ubi perperam aliqui utramque significationem ex radice T"INV vel "v2 inhiare derivare studuerunt, cui cum radice mo vel "no nihil videtur esse commune. Utramque tamen signi(icationem huic radici competere, nihil est quod dubitemus. Adverte, Chald. Iob. 9, 17 ad eam exprimendam uti radice PP quae a significatione tenuem esse profecta duplicem induat significationem comminuendi scu conterendi, et minutim seu attente faciendi et hinc studendi. Habes hic in una radice coniunctas significationes conterendi et studendi seu observandi seu insidiandi : cur non utramque radici etiam au" concedamus? Tandem utraque significatio pro nostro textu non solum admitti potest, sed etiam debet : sc. si alterutram a s. scriptore primarie adstruas fuisse intentam, illico alteram etiam veram esse legitima conclusione demonstrabis. Etenim perpetuae in perpetuis inimicitiis insidiae concipi nequeunt. quin semel saltem vel iterum aut hominis calcaneus vnlnerari aut serpentis caput conteri concedatur; sed neque conteri alteruter potest in tam perpetuis inimicitiis, nisi insidiae praecesserint, ex insidiis quippe pugnare scrpontis maxime proprium cst neque homo ita facile, nisi attente prius serpentem observaverit, eius conteret caput. Utramque significationem unica ad instar textus hebraei voce versiones exprimere non valuere; quare omnibus perpensis videtur nobis tandem Vulgatae versio conteret... insidiaberis ceteris felicius Hebraei sensum exprimere. Elenim duplicem effert significationem radicis propriam, dum reliqui alterutram tantum enuntiant. Apte autem conteret dc semine dicitur lethale vulnus capiti inflicturo, dum serpentis mor- . sus, quod lethales non sint, insidiae potius sint, non clades. Of. F. X. Patritii S. I. de Interpretatione Scr. S. II. 46 sqq., Romae 1844. Alia quaedam notanda. Serpens idem omnino erit intelligendus, qui antea : ergo serpens oculis conspectus, auribus auditus, idem simul diaboli instrumentum intus latentis. Ruüdicule igitur Jos. serpentem interpretatur mere materialem, cui Deus iam indat venenum indicatque perpetuas cum homine inimicitias, eius caput impetituro, in quo insit veneni vis. Venenosus fuisse ille serpens gratis asseritur : venenosum.- fuisse ante tentationem, nihil est quod affirmes; neque talem post tentationem factum esse quidquam indicat, eum v. 14 eius serpentis naturam immutatam relinquat. - Similiter niulier v Nn eadem omnino, quae in hac tota Husllone: erit intelligenda ; eadem, quae v. 1. 2. b 6. 12. 13. 16 hoc nomine designatur ; eadem, quae v. 9. 17 1h'vN et 4nCN, mulier eius et mulier tua audiebat; ergo utique Eva. Nihil est, cur exegeta asserat, in hoc nvNa articulum esse « emphaticum ». Neque cum Lamy obiicias, sermonem hic esse de muliere diaboli inimica futura, Evam autem peccato factam esse diaboli amicam. Facta est utique peccato amica, sed protoevangelio constituitur eidem inimica : promissione salutis recipiendae Eva cum toto genere humano ad certamen contra pum redintegrandum provocatur. n2*N ajunt in Scripturis de solis inimicitiis eorum , qui ratione praediti sint, usurpari (Pass. n. 889). Apte omnino vox h. 1. scribitur de inimicitiis cum eo serpente, qui modo esset locutusatque ita latentis in se rationis indicia dedisset. Monetque EpAr., has inimicitias opponi « fictae caritati », quam in tentatione simulaverat serpens. Quod inimicitiae asserantur serpentem inter et Evam, non. sequitur, ab iisdem excludi Adamum : sed de sola muliere est sermo, quia hanc solam immediate serpens deceperat et quia Dei sententia eodein, quo tentatio, procedit ordine, à serpente sc. ad mulierem, a muliere ad virum. Semen mulieris est tota mulieris posteritas, totum genus humanum. Reinke p. 242, in uno v. 15 vocem semen aut. utrobique collective, aut utrobique de individuo esse accipiendam, non vero modo de collectione et modo de individuo. Cum ergo semen serpentis certissime sumatur collective, ergo item semen mulieris. Conveniebat praeterea, ut de seminis universi fatis edoceretur Adam, qui non ignoraret a divini in pa- Quare in hanc seminis collectivam interpretationem iam « conspirant nostri temporis exegetae fere omnes » (M. Flunk S. J., in : Zeitschrift für kath. Theologie, Innsbruck 1888 p. 315). Quandoque sensu translato aliqui dicuntur semen, non quod carne geniti sed quod spiritu quodammodo cognati sint, uti Is. 1,& « semen iniquorum », Matth. 3,7 « progenies viperarum » (cf. Rom. 4,16). Sed is sensus translatus probandus est, non supponendus, h. l. autem est minime necessarius. Vides iam, Christum quoque seminis mulieris ambitu concludi; at non solum Christum. Vulnus siquidem, quod serpens seminis calcaneo infligit, imprimis est peccatum; peccatum autem in Christo non est. nusquam eiusmodi semen mulieris inveniri potest : unde non aliter quam per adumbrationem ac similitudinem ad Evam hostiles illae inimicitiae referuntur, quas cum huius stirpe serpens ille et, qui in serpente inerat, invidia llagrans diabolus exercet... Plene quidem ac perfecte accommodari ad illam (Evam) universa nequeunt, sed in ' 'sanetissima, eximia ac singulari stirpe, quae ab sola Virgine Maria sine ulla viri consuetudine propagata est, reapse ac penitus impletur ». Hinc patefit, quam apte semen dicatur mulieris, cum secus patri attribuatur (v. g. Abrahae), non matri. Dei iudicium procedit a serpente ad mulierem, a muliere ad virum : v. 15 serpentis ad mulierem, v. 16 mulieris ad virum rationem explicat : ergo viri mentio a v. 15 exsulare debet. Generatim porro posteritas quaeque etiam est matris semen, licet pleniori sensu patris sit. Ubi vero is, qui in posterorum numero ceteris futurus est clarior et communi hosti funeslior, partu edendus est virgineo, ibi totum etiam semen longe aptius mulieri prae viro attribuitur. Semen serpentis proxime est progenies serpentis istius materialis, universi illi eiusdem speciei serpentes, qui super pectora gressuri terramque sunt comesturi. Inimicitiae vero, quae inter hos serpentes et semen mulieris praenuntiantur, eo maxime consistunt, quod serpentum familia cum ob affinitatem cum alis venenosis reptilibus, tum ob memoriam fraudis in paradiso commissae hominibus sit perquam exosa. Praeterea vero uti v. 14, ita etiam v. 15 mediate diabolum spectat; et quod ibi dicebamus, verba generaliori tantum ratione ad daemonem referri eiusque demonstrare abiectionem , quin expressiones « super pectus gradiri », « terram comedere » in illo distinctam patiantur applicationem, idem de v. 15 erit asserendum. Imago a serpentis semine petita non est nimium quoad singula premenda, daemonis fatum generaliori ratione adumbrat. Serpentis semen praeterea intelliguntur reliqui daemones sensu translato, quod sc. non proprie ex illo sint geniti, sed malitia illi sint cognati. Neve obiicias, cum semen mulieris intelligatur sensu proprio, non posse in. eodem contextu semen serpentis sensu translato accipi : quod semen reapse intelligitur sensu proprio, quatenus ad veros serpentes refertur, et hoc suffieit. Convenienter igitur semen serpentis interpretabimur, praeter veros serpentes, daemones universim. — At num mali etiam homines serpentis semini accensendi sunt? Id omnino repudiandum videtur, quod ii iam mulieris semine includantur, et quidem ea illius parte, quae serpentis morsus patiatur. Perfectae autem inimicitiae inter utrumque semen concipi nequeunt, si magna, imo maior seminis mulieris pars constanter supponatur ad seminis serpentis partes transfugere. Mali homines licet aliis scripturae locis semen diaboli dicantur, h. 1. non daemonis semini sed eius victimis adnumerantur. Mox vero a serpentis semine ad unum serpentem redit oratio, cuius caput conterendum affirmatur, curi quia in illum unum praesentem ies QUT D ferenda est iudicis sententia, tum quia in illo uno tamquam principe conteruntur omnes, omniumque cladibus ille unus etiam prosternitur. Regi quippe et victoriae et clades omnes attribuuntur. Unde etiam solvitur difficultas, quam suggerit Lamy, eundem illum unum serpentem conterendum scribi non a muliere sed à semine mulieris , conteri primum ac postea adhuc mordere. Ex opposita parte solum semen mulieris, non ipsa mulier, contriturum asseritur serpentis caput : vincit sc. in semine et cum semine mulier (Vulg. 2psa), sed pugnae et victoriae non ita feminis adscribi consuevere. Ceterum illud certe etiam habet textus, plus ad victoriam collaturum esse semen, quam mulierem i..e. Evam, et protoparentum unam victoriae spem in semine esse. | His praemissis textus ipse superest exponendus, et quidem adhibita primum verbi ** significatione observandi , insidiandi tantum. Igitur insütuuntur inimicitiae perpetuae genus humanum inter et serpentem; perpetuae inquam, i. e. duraturae quamdiu durabit semen mulieris in ea, quae nunc est, conditione rerum, et quamdiu durabit una genimen serpentis materialis, ergo usque ad finem mundi. Instituuntur veri nominis 2ntim:citiae , foederis nesciae, quales inter hominem sunt et colubrum, quae partis adversae non quodlibet damnum, sed quam fieri possit maximum, imo lethale intendant; inimicitiae, quae ex horrore procedant non adventitio ideoque abdicando, qualis hominem ab homine dividit, sed natura insito, ineluctabili. Ex inimicitiis nas- ponit sc. narratio minorum serpentum aliquem, anguem , colubrum, non immanium illorum, qui totum hominem circumplectantur et suffocent. Insidiae igitur in eo sunt, ut homo observet caput serpentis, quod opportuno momento impacto calcaneo conterat, serpens autem observét calcaneum, quem demissum aut evadat omnino aut sublato capite mordeat. Verum haec insidiarum ratio simul continet victoriae ab homine reportandae et exitii serpenti infligendi esplicitam promissionem. Ubi recolas, quod supra monebamus, nihil esse in textu, quo serpentem venenosum adstruere permittamur. Igitur serpens loco omnino iniquiore constitutus cernitur, caput continuo periculo obiici, nonnisi ad calcaneum pertingere valet. Quid tandem, si votis omnibus potiatur, efficiat? vulnus haud lethale calcaneo infliget; homo e contra, ubi semel caput attente observaverit, calcaneum fortiter impegerit, contrita éervice interimet. At qui perpetuo certamine loco omnino iniquiore contenderit, nonne is necessario prosternetur? nonne aliquando tandem in tot saeculorum lucta hominis calcaneus in serpentis cervicem certo ictu descendet? Vides, in locis vel maxime a serpentum genimine infestatis semen mulieris pedetentim superare serpentesque exterminare : at horum serpentum fata serpentum spiritualium fata praesagiunt. Meministi, serpentes e numero eorum esse animalium, quae Gen. 1,26 creator hominis dominio subiecit neque post lapsum eidem dominio subtraxit : vel istud igitur, ut daemonis fata describantur imagine petita ab eo animali, quod homini Dei voluntate subdatur, demonstrat hominem e lucta cum serpentis semine victorem esse proditurum. Accedit tandem , inimicitias illas decerni in daemonem tamquam poena, tamquam pars eius maledictionis praecipua. At quaenam in hoc cernitur poena, ut spirituiilli rebelli perpetuae promittantur inimicitiae, nisi certa simul clades exhibeatur? Igitur v. 15, etsi solam :nsidiandi significationem verbo "1v snpponas, verum est protoevangelium promissionem habens obtinendae aliquando completae contra daemonem victoriae ; vel ex perpetuis futuris insidiis sequitur serpentis caput aliquando fore conterendum. Ex quo inferas, conterendi significationem, quae verbi "v aeque, imo fortasse magis est propria, reapse h. 1l. a s. narratore fuisse intentam. Ea autem admissa significatione textus evidentius etiam est protoevangelium. Non iam insidiae describuntur inimicitias secutae, sed in mediam inducimur luctam. Neque unus tantum eius luctae eventus fortuito quasi seligitur, sed summa totius certaminis oculis proponitur, ut genus quidem humanum aliquod neque tamen lethale patiatur damnum, serpens e contra exitialem omnino stragem. Promitütur ergo textu perfecta de daemone victoria a mulieris semine reportanda : victoria perfecta denique, non tamen vulneris in semine expers, mordebit quippe serpens calcaneum. 1lla porro victoria, perpensis textus verbis, duplici ratione cogitari poterat : vel ita, ut totum semen collective spectatum , omnes pari gressu posteri in eam victoriam essent conspiraturi; vel ita, ut post continuum et fortasse incertum certamen wnus tandem e semine pro omnibus potiretur victoria. Prior illa spes, si unquam priscorum mortalium animis inhaesit, mox tristem in modum defecit, conspecto Caini scelere totque aliorum post ipsum miserrima ruina (M. F/unk l. c. p. 316). Quare primi aevi homines verbis protoevangelii cum factis evidentibus comparatis adigebantur ad salutem ab uno aliquo Evae postero exspectandam. Quod egregie confirmat tot gentium de promisso protoparentibus redemptore unanimis traditio. Sunt etiam in Dei verbis 3,15 aliqua, quae huic sensul favent : victoria vi verborum semini promissa prae Eva; vulnera, quae si in ipso triumphatore non reperirentur, illustriorem efficerent victoriam. Cum vero tam inimicitiae quam victoria sint a Deo positae seu decretae, Dei auxilium speciali prorsus ratione aderit redemptori ; ipse Deus fictae serpentis amicitiae veras substituet inimicitias, hominemque peccato inimicum sibi effectum in perfectam per redemptorem recipiet amicitiam. Igitur textus cum antiquissimis factis collatus clare demonstrabat unum venturum redemptorem. Messianicum hoc vaticinium etiam reputabat Chald. : Et inimicitias pono inter te Gab initio, et tu eum observabis in fine. Igitur caput et calcaneum interpretatus est Chald. initium et finem; pro **W utitur significatione observandi, recordandi ; pro nomine collectivo semen substituit individuale filius. Ipsum Messiae nomen habet Ps. Ion. : « Et erit, quando observabunt filii mulieris praecepta legis, studebunt percutere te in caput tuum; quando vero relinquent praecepta legis, studebis mordere cos in calcaneis eorum. Verum erit medicina eis, tibi autem non erit medecina, quia ipsi facturi sunt contritionem (NIY12WV) caleaneo in diebus regis Messiae ». Studebunt , studebis respondet formis verbi "n accepti significatione observandi. Eandem paraphrasim tradit Targ. Hier. cum aliquibus additamentis, quae omittere possumus praeter ultimum. Videtur sc. non intellexisse verba xaipya ND"w. Et illud quidem derivabat a radice *2 WU, significatione non conterendi sed quietum esse, hoc autem cum Chald. accipiebat sensu translato finis. Ultimum igitur incisum hac explicavit paraphrasi : « quia ipsi alter alteri facturi sunt pacem N2A3pYy23 (i. e.) in extremo finc dierum, in diebus regis Messiae ». Quos testes si attente perpenderis, facile perspicies veteres Hebraeos communiter protoevangelium interpretatos esse de Messia venturo. Unde pronum erit inferre, illud etiam a0:ó; apud LXX non merae prosopopoeae esse tribuendum, sed inde explicandum, quod LXX quoque in semine mulieris unum aliquod distinxerint individuum. Ad quorumdam autem exceptionem, si textus messianicus esset, futurum íuisse ut a Christo et apostolis citaretur, respondeas promissionem seminis mulieris magis determinatam fuisse sequentibus promissionibus seminis Abrahae et Davidis, quas utique Christus et apostoli citabant. Paucis tandem protoevangelium cum dogmate de zmmaculata Virginis conceptione conferre placet. Ubi primum lectio Vulg. /psa argumentum praebet non quidem scripturisticum, at verum et certum, cum ea plenam de serpente victoriam mulieri etiam tribuens falli nequeat, simulque documentum sit fidei ecclesiae antiquioris, sine qua illa lectio praevalere minime potuit. Patres ecclesiaeque scriptores docentes oraculo Gen. 3,15 « clare aperteque praemonstratum fuisse misericordem humani generis redemptorem , ac designatam beatissimam eius matrem V. M., ac simul ipsissimas utriusque contra diabolum inimicitias insigniter expressas » , licet sensus literalis limites quandoque transcendant, certum et ipsi praebent fidei eeclesiae documentum. Et noía, Bullae Dogmaticae verba « clare aperteque » iungi utique verbo « praemonstratum », sed non necessario iungi alteri verbo « designatam ». Examinaturi porro, quaenam ipsi textui insit probandi vis, ad librum convertimur J. B. Malou, episcopi Brugensis, qui in perpolienda Bulla utilissimam ipse navavit operam : L'Immaculée Conception de . la B. V. M., Bruxelles 1857, I. 248 sqq. Protoevangelium igitur explicaturus hoc praemittit axioma : « Ante omnia firmiter persuasum habeamus oportet hoc principium, eam esse divinarum prophetiarum indolem, ut tanto sint obscuriores, quanto sint antiquiores. Quarum pleraeque cum tempora respiciant ab iis, quo ipsae ortae sunt, remotissima , providente Deo spissiore primum velo obteguntur, illustrandae saeculorum decursu aut novis, quibus evolvantur et explicentur, oraculis aut, quibus impleri incipiant, eventibus. Hinc fit, ut, quod ab incunabulis videbatur densissimis tenebris obvolutum oraculum, ubi primum impletum sit, clarissima luce fulgeat ». — Hoc igitur stabilito . axiomate , quid protoparentes verba Gen. 3,15 audientes intellexerint , explorat, pronuntiatque intellexisse futuram mulierem aliquam cum filio perfectam de serpente victoriam nacturam. Id efficit supposito Vwu/- gatae tertu : verum protoparentes non utebantur Vulgata, non legebant ipsa, nvwn non vertebant « une femme ». Novit utique Malou textum hebraeum, sed illud 2psa pronuntiat sensum exprimere, « qui certissime insit literae, et ab universo contextu magis etiam quam a litera indicetur ». Immaculatam conceptionem protoparentes intellexisse non affirmat. — Tandem, quid nos eadem verba audientes intelligere debeamus, disquirit : sc. mulierem esse Mariam, filium Deum incarnatum; contrito serpentis capite exprimi cum gratiis reliquis etiam immaculatam conceptionem; inimicitias vero, quod intelligendae sint absolutae, explicite edicere eandem conceptionem. Haec vero laudatus auctor eruit non e solo textu, sed ex eodem cum posterioribus prophetus, locis parallelis Patrumque effatis comparato. De quibus nobis h. 1. non est dicendum. s
3:16
v. 16 « Mulieri quoque dizit : » -— Gopulgtü initio versus legebant, cum quibusdam codicibus hebr. et chald., Vulg. LXX Syr. Sam. estque ea fere necessaria, cf. v. 17. Maledixerat serpenti, maledicit v. 17 terrae, non maledicit neque mulieri neque viro : sententia misericordiae est (cf. 4,11). « Nec mulierem ita exsecratur, ne pariat omnino. Ante enim benedictionem dederat :. Crescite et multiplicamini. Sunt autem eiusmodi Dei dona, ut eorum ipsum non poeniteat » (Severian.). Sequentes poenae mulieris propriae sunt prae viro, imo eam attingunt speciatim qua uxor est (Caz.); praeter has easdem etiam poenas patitur quas Adam, in quo non sexus consideratur sed natura. « Mw/ttplicabo aerumnas tuas et conceptus tuos ». Non : aerumnas tuas, et. inter has potissimum conceptus (De/.); sed est hendiadys, ergo aerumnas conceptuum (Per.). LXX pro conceptus habet czsveyyóv, gemi(us, contra omnes. 3XY non est necessario aerumna , dolor, 1.32z1, uti fit in mulierum partubus. Sed tenore verborum obtinet hic, quod v. 1^ monebamus, non tam novum aliquid in poenam imponi, quam quae ante fuissent, partus labores virique dominium, elevari in permanens signum eft hinc poenam admissi delicti. Quae utique accedente iam ignorantia corporibusque in morbos pronis plurimum habitura erant.doloris. Hebr. multiplicans multiplicabo, «i. e. plurimum et certissime multiplicabo.» (Lap.). Ex ea, quam modo adstruebamus, hendiady patet, non necessario e textu erui, quod post Ephr. voluere non pauci, futuros esse post lapsum partus numero etiam plures, quam ante fuissent. Tamen is sensus textui congruit. « Mulier quanto foecundior, tanto aerumnosior », inquit Rup. idque explicat Per., quod operosius sit numerosiorem educare prolem, quod ubi plures conceptus, ibi plures sint abortus, deformia plura et infirma, et quod in maiore numero natorum minor sit numerus electorum. — Iam, quod modo dictum fuerat, repetitur : « In dolore paries filios », seu ?n labore (ct. v. 17), « et sub viri potestate eris, et tpse dominabitur tui ». npn h. 1. (cf. 4,7) certe designat mulieris affectum in virum, Cant. 7,10 (11) viri in mulierem. Quod Vulg. scribit potestas, explicationis potius tentamen est quam versio : in Quaest. Hebr. S. Hier. vertit conversio. Quem sensum ubique exprimunt LXX ázootpoo), item Theod. ad. 4,7, ubique Syr. usus radico *35, Chald. 4,7 paraphrasin describens verbo 2*n| reverti. Versio Sam. eandem vocem vertit conversio. Sed Gen. 4,7 Vulg. vertit appetitus, cui accedit Symm. (etiam h. 1.) ópuxj, Ps. Ion. 3,16 et 4,7 et Targ. Hier. 3,16 (4,7 vocem omittens) mv'"rY2, quam vocem habet ctiam Chald. Cant. 7,10. Anceps est Aq. ouv&osta, coniunctio, et. Chald. h. 1. A 6(n2*Nn, quod vel a 3*Nn reverti (cf. hebr. 3*9) vel à 3*NnD appetere (hebr. 3Nn) erit derivandum. Ne vero cum Dilim. coniiciamus, npTUn ortum esse corruptione ex n2*vn (cf. 1 Reg. 7,17), illud prohibet, admittendam fore eandem tribus textibus corruptionem. Porro pu vel PP videtur primitus significare impellere, currere, unde duo habentur derivata, pw via et npron impetus , appetitus , possuntque ambae signilicationes convertendi aut revertendi et appetendi indidem derivari. Haec ultima utique [facilius aptatur tribus Iaudatis textibus in eamque altera, si praeferatur, necessario rccidet. Significatione vocis determinata quaeritur, quid sibi velit h. 1. ad virum tuum erit appetitus tuus. Quae Proc. ita explicabat : « Mulier, ubi perpessa fuerit gravissimos partus dolores, non aversatur viri coniunctionem , sed eam avidius expetit ». Consentiuntque Per., Mar. aliique. Verum, si hoc sensu plane carnaliincisum accipiatur, vix non erit necesse ultimum quoque incisum e/ 2pse domznabitur tui codem crassiori sensu inferpretari : « in eius arbitrio erit tuae concupiscentiae obsequi » (Mar.). Quod videtur adversari apostolo 1 Cor. 15,34 scribenti : « Mulieres in ecclesiis taceant, non enim permittitur eis loqui, sed subditas esse, s?cut et lex dicit ». Hinc cum eodem Proc. placet alterum addere sensum : « ad virum tuum erit tua conversio, i. e. ipse erit tuum refugium, portus, anchora tutissimusque ex omni periculo receptus ». « Oculi tui semper os, oculos, nutum et propensionem viri observent, ut illi placeas, morem geras eumque tibi devincias » (Lap.). Ultimum vero incisum e/ z//e dominabitur tui paenultimo nectitur illudque complet. Est enim etiam mariti ad uxorem appetitus (cf. Cant. 7,10), etiam ipse omnia cum illa communicat, illi in omnibus placere studet. At vir tamquam domnus agit, qui subditam sibi sociam mulcere cupit, mulier tamquam inferior, quae domino placere sollicita est. — Duo igitur v. 16 mulieri imponit, partus labores ut matri , ut coniugi subiectionem.
3:17
v. 17 « Adae vero dixit : Quia audesti vocem uxoris tuae et comedisti de ligno , ex quo praeceperam tibi ne comederes, maledicta terra n opere tuo ». Uti non Eva sed serpens, ita iam terra, non Adam maledictione plectitur (Severian.). Cum Vulg. consentit LXX £v «ci; £oyet; c29 , Symm. &y «3, égacla oc»; quod opus Hier. in Quaest. Hebr. intelligi vult non agriculturam , sed peccatum, appellatque ad 7Aeod. iv fü «apaóáos. oso. Chald. Syr. Aq. et Versio Sam. propter te, quae versio est, praeferenda. Fortasse priores illi auctores pro "v2 legebant 47272. Neque tamen huiusmodi mendum necessario est adstruendum; nam ipsa vox 3y Ios. 5,11 sq. significat proventum, proventus autem Adami h. l. est eius opus; et radicis 37 proprius est sensus £ransgredi, unde Theod. «apá6asu. — Explicatur iam sequentibus, in quo maledictio consistat (Ca2.); ita tamen, ut et res ad oculum depingatur, etillius solummodo agricolarum status, in quo Adam victurus sit, molestiae attingantur. De cetero cf. Rom. 8,19 sqq. « In laboribus » — vay, uti v. 16 — « comedes ez ea cunctis diebus vitae tuae ». Tamdiu durabit maledictio terrae, quamdiu visibilis serpentis v. 1'* maledictio. In cibo peccavit homo, in cibo punitur.
3:18
v. 18 « Spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi ». vvv etiamnum apud Palaestinos carduum designat (Ges.-Mühlau). Ex textu infert Ephr., nisi peccasset homo, non futuras fuisse spinas. Sed merito monet Ca£m. : « Quae hodie nascuntur, non genus sunt novum plantarum post rerum creationem productum ». Et Bonfr. : « Producebat etiam terra ante peccatum tribulos et spinas, nam et haec ad universi perfectionem et specierum multiplicationem spectant habentque usum suum vel ad medicinam vel ad pastum animalium vel ad aliam rem quampiam ». « Et comedes herbam terrae ». Voce 3vy,uti 1,11 sq. 29 et 2,5, primarie cerealia designantur. Perperam Hwgo putabat exprimi « cibum iumentorum », et Ps. Ion. et Targ. Hier. integram eflinxere fabellam : « Respondit Adam et dixit : Peto per miserationes a facie tua, Domine, ne reputemur sicut bestiae, ut comedamus herbam agri. Surgemus nunc et laborabimus manibus nostris et comedemus cibum de cibo terrae, et sic discrimen fiat nunc coram te inter filios hominis et filios iumentorum ».
3:19
v. 19 « In sudore vultus tuz vesceris pane »; « atille tuus panis vitam tibi nequaquam perpetuabit, sed infiemitatem tuae mortalitatis aliquamdiu sustentabit » (Hup.). Recte monet Dim., panem haud raro quidem dici de cibo universim, at hic scribi in oppositione ad fructus arborum paradisi. Sane arborum fructibus potest . quis in Palaestina vel Babylonia sine multo sudore vesci, cum haec sponte nascantur et vix aliquam exigant culturam. Rursum agitur de eo cibo, eui comparando maxime obsunt spinae et tribuli, qui cibus sunt cerealia. Tandem erat iam 54,9 Cain agricola et obtulit de fructibus terrae sacrificium , sane non legumina. Ergo videtur h. 1. veri nominis panis intelligi. Putabat Mar., hac Dei maledictione redditam esse terram. infoecundam. Sapientius Per. * « neque putandum est », inquit, « naturalem terrae fertilitatem propter hominis peccatum aut omnino demptam fuisse aut diminutam : eodem modo se illa habuit ante et post hominis peccatum ». Eo autem iniquior effecta est hominis conditio, quod ille iam e paradisi fertilissima sede expulsus, ob ignorantiam minus etiam fertiles tractus inhabitaret et rudioribus methodis agrum exocoleret. Ergo etiam in Adamo idem hucusque, quod in serpente et Eva , observabamus, non tam novas imponi poenas quam, quae ante iam fuissent, nune poenalia decerni, quae hominis utique ignorantia et malitia graviora in dies essent evasura. Punit se ipsum homo magis, quam punitur. Át nunc tandem positiva etiam adiicitur, quam 2,17 Deus comminatus fuerat, poena : « donec revertaris zn terram , de qua sumptus es, quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris ». Cf. dicta ad 2,7.
3:20
v. 20 « Et vocavit Adam nomen uxoris suae Heva, eo quod iater esset cunctorum viventium ». Coniunctivus ostendit, iudicasse S. Hieronymum , ultima verba esse ipsius Adae; quod etiam putabat Aug. E contra Ca:., Per.. verba censent à s. narratore esse adiecta , ut nominis ab Adamo impositi rationem daret. Verba, cuiuscunque sint auctoris, sunt inspirata atque edicunt, Adamum et Evam totius generis humani exstitisse protoparentes (Proc.). Nomen mulieris aliquanto serius impositum tamen h. 1. commemoratur, quo facilius ^1 mentio Hevae intelligatur. mn forma est inter Hebraeos antiquata, sed Phoenicibus usitata pro n'n, LXX (tw, minus recte Symm. teoyovoc (Dillm.). Hunc versum explanaturus fup. : « Mira narrantis digressio! » exclamat. « Necdum sententia terminata est tantae calamitatis, ut vacet hinc divertere ad dicendum nobis, quo nomine reus iam convietus et pendens sub iudicis manu suam uxorem nuncupavit ». Ipse in Adami vesaniam invehitur uxorem appellantis vitam, quo ipso tempore peccato esset mortuus. Similiter Mar. : « Praeposteram . hominis lapsi rationem! Deus illi graves calamitates denuntiat, ipse oblectatur inanibus titulis! » Aequius Calm. nomen censet imposuisse Adamum, grati in Deum animi argumentum ob prorogatam etiam post peccatum vitam; imo Del. in hoc versu primum celebrat Adami actum fidei, quod novo vitae nomine salutaverit mulierem , per quam Deus redemptionem efficiendam promisisset. At prudenter hic Per. dubitat, narrenturne haec eo, quo gesta sint ordine; et Lap. diserte asserit, nomen impositum esse nonnisi post eiectos paradiso protoparentes, sed proleptice hic impositum referri. Sane protoparentes a Deo 5, 29 nomine generico nO"N appellati sunt, quod mox evasit nomen proprium ipsius Adami. Hic 2, 23 mulierem nomine generico nvNw appellavit. At, ubi nati sunt liberi et maxime filiae, visum est opportunum, ut prima mulier appellaretur nomine, quod non ipsi cum filiabus esset commune, sed ipsam cum a liberis tum a marito dislingueret : imposuit ei igitur Adam, qua dominus 3, 16, nomen mater n'n. Adami nomen, aliis productis hominibus, non est mutatum, quod illud a Deo solo Adami domino mutandum fuisset, qui non censuit mutandum. Ergo probabilius nomen impositum mulieri tum, quando primum geniti liberi. At cur impositum h. l. commemoratur, nulla contextus habita ratione? Crediderim insertum a collectore antiquissimarum harum traditionum, quod adverterit 4, 4 nomen Hevae legi illudque sibi ante explicandum duxerit. Explicationem inseruit loco minus apto : at inspiratio non exigit, ut auctor inspiratus singula quaeque locis maxime aptis inserat; aut potuit 3, 90 antiquitus immediate ante 4, 1 legi. -
3:21
v. 21 « Fecit quoque Dominus Deus Adae et uxori etus tunicas pelliceas et induit eos » ; non tunzcas cutis (Chald.) seu ad cutem tegendam. « Et apte primarum vestium materia corium describitur, utpote quod minimum operis expetit inter materias vestium » (Caz?.). Fecit Deus « in perpetuam inobedientiae memoriam » (CArys.); dein ut verecundiae consuleret testareturque, vel post peccatum se hominem amore et providentia prosequi (Per.); et ut in animalium morte suum fatum contemplarentur protoparentes (Ephr.). Sapienter monet Theodoret., superflue et curiose haec inquiri, amplectenda esse scripturae verba sciendumque, nihil creatori esse difficile. Quidni adstruamus, ipsa animalia holocausto esse consumpta, detractis primum pro vestibus pellibus? Ita omnia Deo digne peraguntur.
3:22
v. 93 « Et ait : Ecce Adam quasi unus ez nobis factus est sciens bonum et malum ». Symm. $yo3 ào' £a7:c5, itemque Targumtm : pvofecto ita verti possunt voces 121::2 "i32, sed nullus habetur sensus. Putabat Rup., voce Adam hic et virum et mulierem designari : 23^, uti in tota hac narratione, designat Adamum, sed Adam repraesentat totam humanitatem et, quae de ipso dicuntur, etiam de Heva valent; cf.
3:23
v. 23 « emisit eum » , utique etiam Hevam. Plurali noó:s alludi ad SS. Trinitatis mysterium , diximus ad 1,26; quod pulchre amplificat up. : « Quis enim vel qualis Adam? Adam in anima iam mortuus et corpore quoque in brevi moriturus, indigens victu et necessario coopertus atque cooperiendus vestitu. Sed enim quilibet ex nobis, sive Pater sive Filius sive Spiritus S., neque mortuus est neque morietur, neque propter famem victu, neque propter turpitudinem aut frigus indiget vestitu ». Verba Dei habent zroniam (Ephr.), quam suggerit hominis miseria comparata antecedenti ambitioni; neque est illa ironia Deo indigna, cum ex fine commiserationis proferatur, collatam veniam consequatur novumque beneficium praecedat. Erat enim insigne Dei beneficium, ut hominem jam miserum futurum paradiso excluderet, ne eius evaderet perpetua miseria (Menoch.). « Nunc ergo, ne forte mittat manum suam et sumat etiam de ligno vitae et comedat et vivat in aeternum , » — consiructio est incompleta, apodosin veluti suppetit factum v. 23 narrandum. Merito infert Hugo, fructum arboris vitae etiam post peccatum largiturum fuisse immortalitatem. Nota auctores quosdam (cf. Rup.) assumpsisse ignorasse Adamum, quae inter paradisi arbores esset arbor vitae, edocendum postmodum, si tentationem superasset : quae hypothesis totam solvit difficultatem, quam sensere recentiores aliqui (cf. ad 2,9), arborem vitae nonnisi initio et fine narrationis (2,9 et 3,22) commemorari ideoque spuriam esse et eliminandam. Non commemoratur decursu narrationis, quia nihil de illa erat nuntiandum, cum vel istud ignoraret Adam, quae tot arborum salutares illos ferret fructus. v. 93 « Et emisit eum Dominus Deus de paradiso voluptatis , ut operaretur terram, de qua sumptus est ». Sequens verbum utique aliquam violentiam exprimit,
3:24
v. 2& : « ezecitque Adam et collocavit ante. paradisum voluptatis Cherubim et flammeum gladium atque versatilem ad custodiendam viam ligni vitae ». Secundum quae ad. 2,8 diximus, 2'p23 vertendum non aate sed ab. oriente (Syr., Versio Sam.) ; ab oriente autem collocavit Deus Cherubim non ob aliam rationem nisi, quia eiectus paradiso homo ad orientem et ipse sedem fixerat. Ubi statim insurgit difficultas, quam etiam Caz. sentiebat, videri asseri paradisus fuisse ex aliis partibus omnibus inaccessus : id vero quomodo intelligatur, maxime si de Babylonia , regione omnino plana et patenti, sermo sit? Adverte LXX pro duobus tria huius sententiae legisse verba : X2) AXT(XA08V GS oy Gr évavst vo9 x apaelocu «Tio vpuotig, xat Ezabs cà Nspcutiy. Etiam Jac. Edess. in suo textu syro tertium videtur legisse verbum, et quidem formam verbi mv : facillime autem post 12v" excidere potuit nav". Ergo praeferenda lectio LXX, secundum quam docemur iussum esse hominem ad orientem paradisi incolere, constitutos autem esse Cherubim, qui omnem omnino paradisi aditum praecludevent. Crux praeterea interpretum erat illud n»snnmn aona va5. LXX oAevivn» bopgalay , et reliqui item g/adzum interpretati sunt. Neque mirandum profecto in textu obscuriore omnes formam 23m transtulisse gladium. At hinc fit locutio intricatior et etiam obscurior : quodsi enim de flamma agatur, cur ea tandem gladius vocatur? si de gladio, cur is flamma dicitur, maxime in narratione prosaica, historica? Adde, borum eventuum narrationem ab Adam ad posteros traditione descendisse : at ipse primitus certissime illam flammam , qualiscunque demum fuerit, non descripsit adhibito gladZi tropo, cum gladii nonnisi serius sint inventi. Porro, si gladium asserere placet, cuius tandem manu is gladius versabatur? Non utique manibus Cherubim, fuissent quippe tum gladii uno plures, neque constructione ipsis Cherubim coordinarentur. Puncta 33m ut participium (cf. Ier. 50,21. 21) et verte : et flammam devorantem , huc illuc discurrentem (cf. lob 371,129) ad custodiendam viam ligni vitae. Vides iam hac flamma omnes v nN 5x vx, jungentesque alas supra propitiatorium , in quo i. e. supra àrcam censebatur numen residere. Nihil est, cur supponamus his Cherubim fuisse animalium corpora. Cf. 3 Reg. 6, 23 sqq. Certe non erant iidem atque tauri vel leones alati Assyriorum , quorum alae ita corporibus sunt affixae, ut duorum alae iungi nequeant, nisi illi duo terga invicem obvertant. Potius Cherubim tabernaculi videntur similes fuisse geniis Aegyptiorum, qui forma sunt humana, quandoque utique caput habent milvi, et alas jungunt supra aediculam , in qua, non supra quam numen residet. Sane cum in tabernaculi supellectili plura ab Aegyptiis mutuatus sit Moyses, censere oportebit, eum angelorum quoque symbola ab Aegyptiis potius quam ab Assyriis mutuatum esse. 3) Dicitur esse penes Lud. de Clercq inscriptio quaedam cuneiformis, in qua genii illi Assyriorum Arubu vocentur, ergo idem quod Cherub. Arg. — Narratio, quod monebamus, ad instar narrationis immediate prae cedentis in duas dispescitur partes, quarum prior Caini peccatum, altera Dei in fratricidam iudicium describit. Relatis breviter v. 1 sq. utriusque fratris ortu et studiis, v. 3-5 invidiae causa, v. 6 sq. praevia Dei sollicitudine, narratur v. 8 succincte et nervose Caini fratricidium. Mox uti cap. ^ introducitur Dominus, interrogat reum (cf. 3,9. 13), maledicit ipsi, non terrae (cf. 3,17. 14). Eiicitur ille e regione Eden, uti Adam eiiciebatur e paradiso. Et, licet Cain parente longe sit pravior, prosequitur tamen et ipsum aliqua miseratione Deus 4,13 sqq. Profecto, uno ealamo haec et altera cap. 3 narratio descriptae esse deprehenduntur. Cap. IV. « Hactenus altum sanctae huius scripturae verticem rependo potius quam gradiendo transegimus, et deinceps lucidi atque amoeni campi fessi sese aperiunt pedibus et ingerunt obtutibus ». Ita Rup. : at, misere iam mutata rerum conditione, plena sunt sequentia capita controversiarum perquam intricatarum.
3:1
… Satana si accostò ad Eva per farla peccare e indurre poi il marito a cadere nella colpa (Gen. 3, 1-5). Sedotta, «la donna... colse un frutto e ne mangiò, e ne diede anche a suo marito al par di lei, ed egli pure ne mangiò» (Gen. 3, 6). Fu consumato così il primo peccato e venne distrutta …
… degli a., ma essa è implicita nel fatto che l'unico Dio viene descritto come creatore di tutti gli esseri (Ex. 20, 11; Ps. 148, 2-5). Esistevano prima che l'uomo peccasse nel paradiso terrestre: la presenza del tentatore astuto sotto forma di serpente (Gen. 3, 1-15) lascia intuire la caduta degli a. (trasformati in demoni), descritta nel Nuovo Testamento. …
… Ciò posto, dalla S. Scrittura (Gen. 3, 1-13; Eccl., 25, 33) risulta che Eva fu causa morale e diretta della nostra rovina, poiché indusse Adamo ad accontentare al peccato. …
Gen. 3, 1-14, ove P. Joion propone di intendere «d.» o un rettile (cf. P. F. Ceuppens, De historia primaeva, Roma 1934, pp. 166-79).
… L'uomo, causa il peccato (Gen. 3, 1-13; v. PECCATO ORIGINALE), è cacciato dal p. t., al cui ingresso vigilano i Cherubini, perché l'umanità colpevole più non vi si avvicini (ibid. 3, 14-24).
… S. Paolo si riferisce al racconto di Gen. 3, 1-19; trascura Eva, perché Adamo è il capo dell'umanità opposto al Cristo. …
… Il culto di Asclepio, con l'emblema del serpente, può aver evocato Gen. 3, 1 (cf. Apoc. 12, 9; 20, 2).
S., quale «tentatore» che reca all'uomo la rovina, appare dapprima nel serpente che tenta Eva e rovina l'uomo (Gen. 3, 1-15), che simboleggia «il male» (Gen. 4, 7); è connesso con il dragone (v.), che Dio domina e sconfigge. È affine, benché nel Vecchio Testamento si
3:3
… La m. fu minacciata ai progenitori come pena alla trasgressione di un precetto divino, e poiché la trasgressione avvenne, la minaccia ebbe il suo effetto (Gen. 2, 17; 3, 3). Così la m. entrò nel mondo per causa del peccato (Sap. 2, 23-24; Io. 8, 44; Rom. 5, 12; I Cor. 15, 21-22; Hebr. 9, 27). Non che la m. non sia naturale all'uomo, creatura complessa …
3:5
ALBERO DELLA SCIENZA DEL BENE E DEL MALE
… I colpevoli sperimentarono il disordine della natura decaduta (Gen. 2, 9.17; 3, 5-8).
… Il viso supino del dannato, caratteristico degli invidiosi, il ricordo della « frutta del mal orto », il suo insistere che gli aprano gli occhi — anche il serpe aveva promesso a Eva che i loro occhi si sarebbero aperti: aperientur oculi vestri (Gen. 3, 5) — il nome della zona, tolto da quel Tolomeo che tradì Pompeo, tutto fa intendere ch'egli violò la legge universale dell'humana civilitas, la quale ordina si segga a un'unica mensa, …
… Già in questo senso si introdusse il tentatore quando insinuò ai progenitori che, peccando, sarebbero diventati «sicut di» (Gen. 3, 5). Soprattutto attorno a questo tema svolse s. Agostino la sua Città di Dio, in cui, fra l'altro, un gruppo di uomini cerca l'amore di sé fino al disprezzo di Dio.
3:6
… Satana si accostò ad Eva per farla peccare e indurre poi il marito a cadere nella colpa (Gen. 3, 1-5). Sedotta, «la donna... colse un frutto e ne mangiò, e ne diede anche a suo marito al par di lei, ed egli pure ne mangiò» (Gen. 3, 6). Fu consumato così il primo peccato e venne distrutta l'armonia della creazione. …
… Rabbā 29) e nel Talmūd: «L'angelo Sammael, l'empio, è il capo di tutti i s.» (Henoch 40, 7; Deut. rabbā su 33, 1); Sammael, identificato con l'angelo con cui lottò Giacobbe (Gen. 32, 25-32), è tenuto a bada da Michael o Phanuel; è l'«angelo della morte» che tentò Eva (Targum Ier. 1 su Gen. 3, 6). Il capo del regno del male è Mastema (= S.) in Iubil., Damasc., «Manuale» della «Comunità dell'alleanza» di H. Qumrān. …
3:7
ALBERO DELLA SCIENZA DEL BENE E DEL MALE
… Sulla natura della nulla si può dire; R. Nehemia, Teodoreto e Procopio l'identificano col fico (cf. Gen. 3, 7). La tradizione pone in contrasto l'albero vivo del paradiso terrestre che provocò la morte, e l'albero morto del Calvario che donò la vita: Ipse lignum tunc notavit damna ligni ut …
… Nel Gen. 3, 7 sgg., si rileva abbastanza chiaramente che i progenitori, prima immuni della c., ne cominciano a sentire la tirannia dopo la caduta.
… « Subito si apersero gli occhi ad ambedue e si avvidero di essere nudi » (Gen. 3, 7); sentono nelle membra moti ed appetiti contrari alla ragione e cercano nasconderli. …
3:8
La punizione (Gen. 3, 8-24) non tardò. …
… limitò a farne gli esseri più perfetti dell'universo, ma volle colmarli di benefici e doni speciali, del tutto superiori ed indebiti alla loro natura: li pose in un bellissimo verziere (v. PARADISO), perché vi menassero, nella filiale familiarità con lui (ibid. 3, 8), una vita felice, immortale (ibid. 2, 17; 3, 19), senz'alcuna sofferenza e timore. …
… armonia con lente preparazioni divine (Jahweh, Dio della vita: Gen. 5, 24; Deut. 32, 39; I Reg. 17; II Reg. 2, 3, 11-12; 4, 33-36; 13, 21; Ps. 9, 2; Sap. 2, 24; 16, 13) e con profonde aspirazioni del cuore umano (permanente familiarità con Dio: Gen. 3, 8; Is. 38, 18; Ps. 6, 5-6; 73, 25; giustizia ultraterrena come opera di Jahweh: Ier. 31, 29; Ez. 18). Il primo accenno appare al sec. VIII, sotto il velo del simbolismo in Os. …
3:14
… hindu legend and art, Londra 1926; H. Gressmann, Altorientalische Texte zum Alten Test., Berlino-Lipsia 1926, pp. 138-41; id., Altorientalische Bilder zum A. T., ivi 1927, pp. 106-17; P. Joilon, Le grand dragon, l'ancien serpent (Apoc. 12, 9 et Gen. 3, 14), in Recherches de science rel., 17 (1927), pp. 444-46; C. Rüsch, Mulier, draco et bestia in Apoc. 12, in Virbum Domini, 8 (1928), pp. 271-74; E. Landett, Dragons et génies, …
… Egli sarà semen mulieris, un nato di donna (Gen. 3, 14-15), ma anche Figlio di Dio (Ps. 2, 7; ibid. 109); sarà un fanciullo concepito da una Vergine (Is. 7, 14), ma anche il Dio forte (ibid. 9, 6); sarà il Servo fedele di Jahweh, che salverà …
… Il tentativo di Satana di fare dell'uomo un suo stabile gregario contro l'Eterno è rintuzzato da Dio: il genere umano fin da quel momento gli è nemico e infliggerà a Satana una sconfitta totale e definitiva (Gen. 3, 14 sg.). …
… L'uomo, causa il peccato (Gen. 3, 1-13; v. PECCATO ORIGINALE), è cacciato dal p. t., al cui ingresso vigilano i Cherubini, perché l'umanità colpevole più non vi si avvicini (ibid. 3, 14-24).
… Il Protoevangelo (Gen. 3, 14-15), considerato nella luce del Nuovo Testamento e della Tradizione, annunzia il sorgere di una donna che sarà partecipe della messianità di suo Figlio e alla sua dipendenza. …
3:15
4. Il nuovo (o secondo) A. — Nell'atto stesso in cui Dio puniva con rigore il peccato dei protoparenti, la sua misericordia prometteva il Redentore (Gen. 3, 15; v. PROTOVANGELO): è l'annunzio del nuovo A. venturo che avrebbe schiacciato il capo al peccato. …
… Fin dal «protovangelo» (Gen. 3, 15) è delineata la lotta religiosa fra il Messia a capo dei giusti e Satana con i suoi satelliti.
1. Testi biblici. - Il primo testo biblico è il cosiddetto Protovangelo (Gen. 3, 15): «Io porrò inimicizia fra te e la donna, fra la prole tua e la prole di lei; essa (nel testo ebraico: «la prole») ti schiacerà il capo e tu ferirai il suo calcagno». …
… 23; Judc. 6, 12, 16; I Sam. 10, 7), denota la singolare missione della Vergine in ordine della divina redenzione: è Lei l'eletta di Dio per dare compimento alla grande promessa: Inimicitias ponam inter te et Mulierem; et semen tuum et semen Illius (Gen. 3, 15). La causa di Maria sarà quella stessa del Figlio suo. All'epica lotta, in cui sono protagonisti il Cristo e la Vergine da una parte, Satana e i suoi dall'altra, accenna anche, nel …
Oggi tutti i libri dell'intera B. sono divisi in capitoli, e ogni capitolo è diviso in brevi tratti chiamati «versetti»; capitoli e versetti sono numerati in ordine progressivo, e secondo tale numerazione essi vengono citati: p. es., Gen. 3, 15, indica il versetto 15 del cap. 3° del Genesi. …
IV. LA S. SCRITTURA — Il Protovangelo (Gen. 3,15), secondo l'interpretazione data dalla bolla dogmatica Ineffabilis Deus, esprime una indissolubile unione di Maria con Cristo nella Redenzione, ossia nella lotta con il serpente …
… ed ha rivelata ai nostri progenitori: il Figlio della Donna per eccellenza sarà morso nel calcagno dal serpente, che lo priverà della vita umana; ma nel corso di questa lotta, che finisce con la morte, il Salvatore schiacerà il capo del serpente (cf. Gen. 3, 15). Gesù annunziò ad un tempo e questa vittoria e il sacrificio con il quale la ricompensa, allorché disse nella vigilia della sua passione: «Ora si fa il giudizio di questo mondo; ora …
santi plaudono alla caduta del d. (cf. Lc. 10, 18; Io. 12, 31), il quale fa «guerra ai rimasti del seme della Donna» (Apoc. 12, 1-17). È, in forma più drammatica, «l'ostilità» descritta in Gen. 3, 15 (J. Bover, p. 325 sg.) tra il serpente (il špākav dei vv. 3-9, 13, 16 sg., è detto ἔφις «serpente» nei vv. 9 e 14 sg.) e la Donna, il cui «seme» (già in Gen. 3, 15) è perseguitato …
… Allora appunto cominciò a comparire l'argomento biblico, specialmente quello desunto dal Protovangelo (Gen. 3, 15) e dal saluto angelico (Lc. 1, 28). Anche la festa della Concezione, in quel tempo, si diffuse ovunque, specialmente presso i religiosi.
La prima ed anche la più discussa è quella contenuta nel Protoevangelo (v.), dove «l'inimicizia» posta fra Dio e «la donna» (Gen. 3, 15), fra la discendenza della donna e quella del Serpente-Satana, è una inimicizia evidentemente morale (vittoria sul peccato) e, dovendosi risolvere con la sconfitta del serpente, suppone …
Oltre al Protovangelo (Gen. 3, 15) nel quale Maria appare associata a Cristo in tutta l'opera della salvezza, e perciò non solo nell'acquisto ma anche nella distribuzione di tutte le grazie, si possono trovare nel …
… L'ultimo fondamento di questa fede oggi universale, che lentamente si esplicitò e fu chiarita dai Padri e dai teologi, è la S. Scrittura, nella quale è adombrata la vittoria totale di Cristo e di Maria sul peccato e sulle sue conseguenze morali e fisiche (cf. Gen. 3, 15; Rom. 4, 12; 5, 14; 6, 8; I Cor. 15, 21-26. 54-57). Pertanto il Pontefice ritiene venuto il momento di definire quanto è così largamente documentato e così profondamente radicato nella …
… Implicita, ma evidente, è la tendenza a connettere il « seme della benedizione » di Abramo con il seme della donna (Gen. 3, 15), in quanto nascerà da Israele. …
scatto, λύτρωσις, è in Gen. 3, 15. Così pure in parti
… E qui i p. illustrano i disegni di Jahweh per la continuazione dell'alleanza, che deve realizzare il piano salvifico, annunziato già in Gen. 3,15. La misericordia divina serberà un « resto » al suo popolo; lo ricondurrà in patria dopo averlo purgato da ogni traccia d'idolatria; con questo « resto » rinnoverà l'alleanza. …
PROTOEVANGELO. - Correntemente si designa così Gen. 3,15, perché contiene il « primo lieto annuncio » di salvezza per l'umanità dopo il peccato
… tornano a S. (I Tim. 5, 15), il cristiano deve resistere, combattere con le armi dello spirito (I Pt. 5, 9; Iac. 4, 7; Eph. 6, 10-17). Cristo lo ha sconfitto sulla croce e sarà annientato (Col. 2, 15; II Cor. 10, 5). Dio schiacerà il «serpente antico» (Gen. 3, 15) sotto i piedi dei fedeli (Rom. 16, 22). Il mondo di S. combatte ora Gesù e i suoi, ma Gesù alla fine vincerà e conquisterà il mondo (Io. 16, 33; 17, 21, 23); «il capo di questo mondo» …
… Gli studiosi di ogni tempo, non esclusi i moderni, spesso non si comprendono e conseguentemente si combattono e ciò appunto per l'uso dei termini, di cui alcuni hanno una storia lunga ed intricata, come accade oggi, p. es., per certe questioni mariologiche (Gen. 3,15 e Apoc. 12, 1-18). Non di rado è piuttosto questione di parole. …
3:16
… Questa «singolare benedizione», conseguenza della «pienezza di grazia» e della «speciale presenza del Signore in lei», è opposta alla classica maledizione divina: «Ritornerai in polvere» (Gen. 3, 16-19). Si tratta perciò di una «benedizione» che è in radicale antitesi con la maledizione fulminata da Dio nel paradiso terrestre e che equivale ad una triplice benedizione, espressa dal …
Dopo il peccato d'origine, di cui E. fu l'iniziatrice Dio sentenza contro E.: « Farò assai grandi il tuo travaglio e la tua gravidanza... eppure ti sentirai attratta verso tuo marito ed egli ti comanderà » (Gen. 3, 16); all'orgoglio e sensualità, elementi essenziali della colpa, risponde la pena. …
3:17
… dal calendario fondato sull'anno solare di 364 giorni (né ebraico, né di altri popoli); a volte è fedele nel riferire le parole dei Patriarchi (dai quali s'intende originata la storia d'Israele), ed a volte ha delle soppressioni interessate, come di Gen. 3, 17.
NOÈ (EBR. NŌAH, SETTANTA NŌE; CF. ANTICO BABIL. NUHIJA)
… metodo dell'assonanza, collegare l'etimologia del nome: si legge infatti che alla nascita del bambino il padre « lo chiamò Nōah, dicendo: Questi ci allevierà (verbo niham) dal nostro lavoro e dalle fatiche delle nostre braccia per il suolo, maledetto (Gen. 3,17) da Dio » (ibid. 5, 29); allusione all'effetto ristoratore del vino e ai nuovi metodi di agricoltura.
3:18
E siccome alle medesime cause seguono i medesimi effetti, ecco che la terra si è convertita in una «selva fonda», irta di «triboli e spine» (Gen. 3, 18), come quella dove fu esiliato il nostro progenitore. …
3:19
… significazione dell'immortalità dell'anima, della fede nella risurrezione della carne; ad un richiamo palese di avvenimenti ed insegnamenti biblici, già operanti nella tradizione giudaica, come dell'idea del corpo-seme (I Cor. 15, 36-44), della terra-madre (Gen. 3, 19; Iob. 1, 21; Eccl. 40, 1), della morte-riposo e sonno (Dan. 12, 2; Io. 11, 11-39).
… Così pure dopo la disubbidienza si legge in Gen. 3, 19: «Mangerai il tuo pane col sudore della tua fronte insino a tanto che ritorni alla terra... ché sei polvere e in polvere ritornerai». …
… sua opera di redenzione sociale del l. Esso non è per sé pena dovuta al peccato originale, perché anche nel Paradiso Terrestre nello stato di giustizia originale l'uomo avrebbe lavorato (cf. Gen. 2, 15; il peccato originale aggiunse al l. la fatica (ibid. 3, 19: «Mangersi il pane con il sudore della tua fronte»), che, se associata alla Passione di Cristo, diventa elemento della redenzione (cf. s. Giov. …
I. TEOLOGIA DOGMATICA. - Nella S. Scrittura si descrive la m. come una dissoluzione (Phil. 1, 25; II Tim. 4, 6), come un deporre la propria spoglia (II Pt. 1, 14), un uscire dal corpo: il corpo ritorna alla terra, donde era venuto (Gen. 3, 19; Ps. 145, 4; Eccle. 12, 7); l'anima prima della Redenzione si riuniva a quelle precedenti uscite da questa vita nello Ie'dl, come è detto nel Vecchio Testamento (Gen. 15, 15; 25, 8; 49, 29; v. LIMBO. …
S. Paolo insegnò sempre l'universalità della morte (Rom. 5, 12-21; I Cor. 15, 22; Hebr. 9,27; cf. Gen. 3,19; Eccle. 12, 7; Ps. 88, 49). Tutta l'economia redentiva da lui illustrata si compendia nell'antitesi morte-vita, nel susseguirsi di due eoni: la tribolazione di questo tempo e la gloria …
… volle colmarli di benefici e doni speciali, del tutto superiori ed indebiti alla loro natura: li pose in un bellissimo verziere (v. PARADISO), perché vi menassero, nella filiale familiarità con lui (ibid. 3, 8), una vita felice, immortale (ibid. 2, 17; 3, 19), senz'alcuna sofferenza e timore. …
… Già la S. Scrittura mostra il carattere afflittivo del lavoro (Gen. 3, 19); esso è poi un obbligo sociale cui non possono sottrarsi proprio coloro che si sono messi contro la società, ed è un mezzo efficacissimo per combattere l'ozio e la conseguente depressione …
… 7, 27 con innodans in luogo di innovat della Volgata) natus anno XXVIII regis Ge(n)sirici pridie idus septembres Vitalis pr(e)sb(yter) vidi annis XXXVIII requi(esco) ho(die) hic positus placida in pace reserbor pulberi pulbis » (reminiscenza del Gen. 3, 19).
3:20
… E. fu creata perché l'uomo avesse «un aiuto a sé conveniente» (Gen. 2, 18-20). Fu da Adamo (v.) chiamata E. (ebr. Ḥawmāh) dal verbo ḥājāh «vivere»: quindi «madre dei viventi» (Gen. 3, 20).
… v'era alcun uomo per coltivare la terra... e l'uomo fu fatto anima vivente»; ibid. 2, 18: «E il Signore Dio disse: non è bene che l'uomo sia solo; io gli farò un aiuto simile a lui»; ibid. 2, 22: «Jahweh Dio formò una donna e la condusse ad Adamo»; ibid. 3, 20: «Adamo diede alla sua donna il nome di Eva, perché ella è stata madre di tutti i viventi»; Sap. 10, 10: «Fu la Sapienza a conservare il primo uomo formato da Dio per essere il padre …
I. L'U. COME PROPRIETÀ ESSENZIALE. - 1. Nozione dell'u. d. C. - L'u. d. C. viene determinata dalla sua natura di società soprannaturale fondata dal Figlio di Dio. Come il genere umano forma un'unità di tutti i discendenti dal primo Adamo e dalla « madre di tutti i viventi » (Gen. 3, 20) Eva, così la Chiesa, società o comunità dei rigenerati, forma un'u. di tutti i discendenti dal secondo Adamo, Cristo, figli della seconda Eva, Maria, la quale è rappresentante e insieme …
3:21
Un frammento da una omelia su Gen. 3,21 pare autentico.
… Aglaophon comincia, interpretando la veste pellicca di Gen. 3, 21 data all'uomo dopo il peccato col corpo e provando la resurrezione senza corpo con Mt. 22, 23. Viene citato allora Origene secondo il quale nei corpi spirituali degli eredi del Regno …
3:22
… L'espulsione del peccatore dal paradiso protettore (Gen. 3, 22) corrisponde all'intrinseca esigenza del peccato, che pone sotto la sovranità di Satana; il ritorno al paradiso (Lc. 24, 43) sarà il termine della Redenzione, descritto spesso come …
3:23
CHERUBINO (EBR. PLUR. HĒRUBHÎM)
… I c. dapprima compaiono in Gen. 3, 23-24, alla porta del Paradiso terrestre, per impedire ai progenitori, con una spada fiammeggiante, l'accesso all'albero della vita (cf. Ez. 28, 14, 16). La loro raffigurazione era l'unica …
3:24
… Agostino, De Civitate Dei, XIII, 20; XIV, 26; s. Cirillo Alessandrino, Adv. Iulianum, 3). Dopo il peccato, Dio scacciò i progenitori dal paradiso e collocò dei cherubini «ad oriente del giardino dell'Eden per custodire la via che conduceva all'a. della v.» (Gen. 3, 24); sicché l'a. conservava ancora il potere di prolungare la vita mortale.
… I cherubini posti a guardia del giardino dell'Eden si presentano come a., ministri di Dio (Gen. 3, 24).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.