On Genesis PDF
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On Genesis Augustinian Heritage 1nstitute, 1nc. Board ofDirectors Michael T. Dolan, secretary Daniel E. Doyle, O.S.A. Joseph T. Kelley Patricia H. Lo, treasurer Thomas Martin, O.S.A. Boniface Ramsey, O.P. John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., president Translation Advisory Board Gerald Bonner Maria Boulding, O.S.B. Allan D. Fitzgerald, O.S.A. Edmund Hill, O.P. Joseph McGowan Boniface Ramsey, O.P. Roland J. Teske, S.J. THE WORKS OFSAlNTAUGUSTlNE A Translation for the 21st Century Part I - Books Volume 13: On Genesis •W^e,^"^, B.s-op «* %*• 77/£ WORKS OF SAINTAUGUST1NE A Translation for the 21st Century On Genesis: On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis The Literal Meaning of Genesis 1/13 introductions, translation and notes by Edmund Hill, O.P. editor John E. Rotelle, O.S.A. New City Press Hyde Park, New York BR PublishedintheUnitedStatesbyNewCityPress 202CardinalRd.,HydePark,NewYork12538 ©2002AugustinianHeritage1nstitute LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData: Augustine,Saint,BishopofHippo. TheworksofSaintAugustine. "AugustinianHeritage1nstitute" 1ncludesbibliographicalreferencesandindexes. Contents: —pi.3,v.15.ExpositionsofthePsalms, I-32 —pt.3,v. 1.SermonsontheOldTestament, 1-19. —pt.3.v.2.SermonsontheOldTestament,20-50—[etall—pt.3, v. 10Sermonsonvarioussubjects,341-400. 1. Theology—Earlychurch,ca.30-600. 1.Hill, Edmund. 11.Rotelle,JohnE. 111.Augustinian Heritage1nstitute. 1V.Title. BR65.A5E53 1990 270.2 89-28878 1SBN 1-56548-055-4(series) 1SBN1-56548-175-5(pt. 1,v.13) WeareindebtedtoBrepolsPublishers,Turnholt,Belgium.fortheiruseoftheLatincriticaltext ofEnarrationesinPsalmos1-CLed.D.EligiusDekkers,O.S.B.etJohannesFraipont, CorpusChristianorumLatinorumXXXV111-XL(Turnholt, 1946)1-2196. NihilObstat:JohnE.Rotelle,O.S.A.,S.T.L.,CensorDeputatus 1mprimatur:+PatrickSheridan,D.D..VicarGeneral ArchdioceseofNewYork.July22, 1999 TheNihilObstatandImprimaturareofficialdeclarationsthatabookorpamphletisfreeofdoctrinalor moralerror.NoimplicationiscontainedthereinthatthosewhohavegrantedtheNihilObstatand 1mprimaturagreewiththecontents,opinionsorstatementsexpressed. PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica £vel> 0V~ o$-03 Contents General Introduction 13 Augustine's personal interestinthesubjectofcreation 13 The theological investigationofthe mystery ofcreation 15 Thetraditionofinterpretation oftheHexaemeron 17 Thephilosophical backgroundofAugustine's interpretation ofGenesis . 19 ImportanceofAugustine'scommentaries on Genesis 20 On Genesis: A Refutation ofthe Manichees lntroduction 25 Origin and intention—25; Method of interpretation—28; Structure—31; Main contents—32;1mportanceofthework—35 ExtractfromRevisions (l, 10, 1-3) 36 Bookl 39 Advised by friends toeschewelaboraterhetoric, heintendstohelpordinaryunlearned CatholicsmeettheattacksoftheManicheesontheOldTestament—39;Answerstodiffi cultiesmadebytheManicheesabout"1nthebeginning...,"Genesis 1:1—40;Goddidnot makeheavenandearthoutofanypre-existingmaterial,andwasnotindarknessbeforehe madethelight—42;Darknessisjusttheabsenceoflight—43;HowtheSpiritofGodwas borneoverthewater—44; VariousnamesgiventothebasicmaterialoutofwhichGod formedthecosmos; andthis materialhe madefrom nothing—45; QuibblesaboutGod seeingthatthelightwasgood—47;WhyitdoesnotsaythatGodmadethedarkness—48; Manicheeslurontheorderofeveningandmorning—49;Differencebetweenthewater aboveandthewaterbelowthefirmament—49;Theseaanddrylandformedfromthemate rialearliercalledinvisibleearthandthenwater—50;Manicheequibbleabouttheoriginof poisonous,pricklyplants,andtreesthatbearnofruit—51;Manicheeslursontheworkof thefourthday—51;Quibblesabouttheworkofthefifthday—53;Whatwasthepointof God making so many different kinds of animal?—54; Man made to God's image; Manicheegibes—56;Authorityoverallanimalsgiventohumanitywhilestillinitssinless state—58; A spiritual interpretation ofthe blessing: 1ncrease and multiply and fill the earth—58;Aspiritualinterpretationoftheauthoritygiventhemoveralltheanimals—59; Godsawthatallthingstogetherwereverygood—60;Manicheemockeryofthenotionof Godrestingontheseventhday—60;Thesixdaysofcreationrepresentthesixagesofthe world—62;Amorepersonalallegoricalinterpretationofthesevendays—67 Bookll 69 A moredetailedaccountofthecreationofthe man, to be taken figuratively, notliter ally—69;Withoutprejudicetothestudyoftheliteral,historicalsense,heisgoingtosearch outthefigurative meaningofthis story—72;Thegreeneryofthe fieldandthefodder. Genesis2:5,meansthesoul—72;Thespringcomingupfromtheearth,Genesis2:6—74; SumminguptheexpositionofGenesis2:4-6—75;Onthemakingofthemanfromthemud oftheearth—76;Ontheblowingofthespiritoflifeintotheman—77;Whatissignifiedby thedelightsofParadise—79;WhattheriversofParadiseindicate—80;Whatthemandid in Paradise, and his need for help—81; The stages by which God provided a help for Adam—82; The slumberofAdam from which Eve was made —82; The relationship between the man and the woman—83; The devil represented by the serpent—84; The valueofnotinghowtheserpentsucceeded—86:ThemeaningoftheirencounterwithGod inParadise—87;Puttingtheblameonothers,inthelastresortonGod—88;Thesentence passedontheserpent,representingthedevil—88;ThemeaningofGenesis3:14—89;The penaltypaidbythewoman—90;Thepenaltypaidbytheman—91;OnAdamgivinghis wifethenameofLife,andonGodclothingthemwithtunicsofskin—92;Twowaysof taking"Adamhasbecomelikeoneofus"—93;TheCherubimandtheflamingsword—95; ThestoryisalsopropheticofChristandtheChurch—96;Heretics,especiallyManichees, propheticallysignifiedbytheserpent—97;TheManicheestellliesaboutChristandalso declarethathe told lieshimself—98: Adam's fall andpunishmentinterpretedallegori- cally—100;Conclusion;summaryanswerstoManicheeobjections—100;Thenatureof God—102 Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis lntroduction 105 Origin and intention—105; 1ntention and hermeneutics—106; Exegesis—108; 1mpor tanceofthework—110 ExtractfromRevisions(I, 18) 112 UnfinishedLiteral Commentaryon Genesis 114 1ntroductoryadmonitions—114;History,allegory,analogy,andaetiology—116;Various historical ways ofinterpreting Genesis 1:1—116; Genesis 1:2; the earth invisible and shapeless; darkness over the abyss—119; Genesis 1:2; what may be meant by "water"—120;Genesis1:2;themeaningofthespiritofGod;Genesis1:3:Withwhatkind ofvoicedidGodspeak?—124;Whatsortoflightwasmade—124;Genesis1:4:thegood ness ofthe light-—125; Genesis 1:4: how light was divided from darkness—125; The variousmeaningsdarknesscanhave—126;Genesis1:5:whether"light"and"day,""dark ness"and"night,"areineachcasejusttwonamesforthesamething—128;Howthere couldbenightanddaybeforetheheavenlybodieswerecreated—129;Genesis 1:5;God needsnoperiodoftimeinwhichtoeffecthisworks—130;Genesis 1:6-7:Thedifference betweenthewatersaboveandbelowthefirmament—131;Genesis 1:7-8—132;Genesis 1:9-10:By"waters"herethebasicmaterialoftheworldismeant—134;Genesis1:11:An additionalworkperformedonthethirdday—135;Genesis 1:14-15:Problemaboutheav enlybodiesbeing"fordays"—136; Morequestionsaboutthelamps fixedinthefirma ment—136;Genesis 1:14:Timesareasign,ortraceofeternity—137:Questionofwhat phasethemoonwasmadein—138;Makingandplacingthelampsarethesamethingfor God—139;Theexplanationof"thebeginning"ofday,etc.—140;Genesis1:20:Questions about fishand birds—140; The meaningofthesolid structureextended in scripture to includethehigherlevelsofpureair—141;ThishumidlowerairmadewhenGodsaid:Let drylandappear—142;Theoriginofspringsandrivers—142;Morequestionsaboutbirds andreptiles—143;Genesis 1:21—143;Genesis 1:22—144;Final proofthatthedaysof creationarenotdaysintheordinarysense—144;Genesis 1:23—145;Genesis 1:24:The production of land animals—146; Genesis 1:25-26: The actual making of the land animals—146; The making of man; both connected with and distinguished from the making of other animals—147; Why the terms "image" and "likeness" are both used—147;Thewholeuniverse,invariousways,sharesinthedivinelikeness—148;The divinelikenesslocatedinthehumanreasonormind—149;Finalsection,addedattimeof revision;alternativeinterpretationof"Letusmakemantoourimageandlikeness"—150 The Literal Meaning ofGenesis Introduction 155 Origin and intention—155; The relation between faith and science—156; Exegetical method—157;Structure—162;Date—164;1mportanceofthework—165 ExtractfromRevisions (ll, 24) 167 Book l 168 Themultiplemeaningsofscripture—168;Genesis1:1-2:thestateofthequestion—168;1n whatwaydidGod"say"things?—169; 1s thelightspiritual,corporeal,orboth?—170; WhyGoddidnotsay"Letitbemade"abouttheunformedbasicmaterial—171;Whatspir itualformlessnessmightbe,andhowitisformed—172;HowthemysteryoftheTrinityis hinted at in these verses—173; The question oftime; when did God say, Let light be made?—174;Howdaynumberonewasspent—175;Thefunctionofthesunonthefourth day—177; How did evening and morning follow each other during the first three days?—178;Asthewaterunderheavenhadfirstcoveredthewholeearth, wheredidit recede to, for the dry land to appear?—179; When had earth and water been created?—180;WhydidGodnot"seethatitwasgood"aftercreatingformlessmatter,in verse2?—180;Formlessmatterpriorasasource,butnotpriorintime,tothethingsformed outofit—181;Asuggestionthatduringthefirstthreedaysnightanddaymeancontraction andemissionoflight—182;Whatcaneveningandmorning,nightandday,beforspiritual light?—183; 1n what way God works—185; Augustine's method in this commen tary—186;Statingallpossiblemeaningsbywayofquestions—187;Whathavewegotten fromhis"rubbingthegraininhishands"likethis?—188 Bookll 190 Howtherecanbewaterabovethesolidstructureofthesky—190;Aproblemraisedby Psalm 136:6—191;Airbynature,beinglighterthanearth,liesaboveit—192;Firelike wiselighterthanair,andsolyingaboveit—193;SaintBasil'ssolution—194;Thecold ness ofthe planet Saturn—195; How the persons ofthe Trinity are indicated in the text—196;Themeaningof"made"—198;TheuncreatedWisdomoftheWordimpressed asacreatedlightontheangelicintelligence—199;Ontheshapeofthesky—201;Whether the heavens rotate ornot—203; When were earth and watercreated?—204; Why the productionofvegetationisincludedintheworkofthethirdday—205;Howthefirstthree dayspassedbeforethelampsintheheavensweremade—205;Problemoftheluminaries beingforsignsandtimes—207;Questionofthephaseinwhichthemoonwasmade—209; On the relative brillianceofsun, moon and stars—211; Against astrology and divina tion—212;Whethertheluminariesofheavenareanimated,livingbeingsornot—214 Booklll 216 Whythelivingcreaturesofthewatersandtheairwereproducedbeforethoseofthedry land—216;Thatthe heavens weredestroyed in the flood means thattheairwastrans formedintothenatureofwater—217;Variousopinionsaboutthechangingoftheelements intooneanother;theelement,air,isnotomittedinthecreationnarrative—218;Thefive sensesinrelationtothefourelements—219;Howthefacultyofsensationisrelateddiffer entlytothefourelementsineachofthefivesenses—220;Theelementofairnotover lookedbytheauthorofGenesis—220;Flyingcreaturesrightlysaidtohavebeencreated fromthewaters—221;Whyfisharecalledreptilesoflivesouls—222;Refutationofthose naturalscientistswhoallottedeachelementitsownanimals—223;Grantedthatdemons maybecalledairybeings,scripture'saccountoftheproductionofbirdsfromthewateris stillvalid—224;Onthevariouskindsofanimalcreatedfromtheearth—225;Thespecial pointofthephrase"accordingtokind"—227;Whyablessinglikethatgiventohumanity wasonlygiventoaquaticanimals—228;Onthecreationofinsects—229;Thecreationof poisonousanimals—230;Whybeastswerecreatedthatharmeachother—230;Aworry aboutthebodiesofthedeadthathavebeeneatenbywildanimals—231;Whyandwhen thornsandthistlesandtreesthatbearnofruitwerecreated—232;Whyitisonlyinthe creationofmanthatGodsays"Letusmake,etc."—233;1nwhatrespectmanwasmadeto the imageofGod; and why itdoesnot say afterthecreation ofman, "And thusitwas made"—234;Difficultyaboutthefoodprovidedforman,inconnection withhiscondi tionalimmortality—236;TheopinionthatGenesis1:27referstothecreationofthehuman spirit, 2:7 to the creation of the body—237; What "And thus it was made" refers to here—238;Whyitdoesnotsayindividuallyaboutthehumancreature"AndGodsawthat itwasgood"—239 Book lV 241 Howthesixdaysofcreation aretobeunderstood—241;Theperfectionofthenumber six—242;Allthingsinmeasureandnumberandweight—245;MeasureisinGodwithout measure,numberwithoutnumber,weightwithoutweight—246;Theideaofmeasureand numberand weight, with reference to which all things were arranged, is there in God himself—248; How we perceive the perfection ofthe number six—249; How God's resting on the seventh day is to be understood—250; 1n what sense God is said to rest—250;WhetherGodhimselfcouldproperlybesaidtorest—252;Howtoreconcile God'srestingontheseventhdaywithhis"workinguntilnow,"John5:17—252;Another wayofreconcilingGod'srestingwithhiscontinuousworking—253;Ontheobservanceof thesabbath,andtheChristiansabbath—254;Thequestionraised:whyGodonlysanctified the day ofhis rest—255; An answerproposed to thequestionjust raised—256; God's restingontheseventhdaymeanshestandsinneedofnoothergood—257;Ourrestistobe foundinGod—257;Whytheseventhdayhadamorningbutnoevening—258;Another explanationofwhytheseventhdayhadamorningwithoutanevening—261;Whetherthe seventhdaywascreated—261;Onthelightthatprecededthelampsinthesky,andonthe alternationofdayandnight—262;Howspirituallightmaybeunderstoodtohavemani festedthealternationofdayandnight—263;AngelicknowledgeofthingsintheWordof God,andinthethingsthemselves—264;Theknowledgeoftheangels—265;Whynightis notmentionedagainduringeachofthesixdays—266;Repeatedexplanationofwhatthe repetitionoftheonedaymadebyGodreallymeans—266;Theordinarydaysoftheweek arequiteunlikethe sevendaysofGenesis—267;Treatingthelightanddayasspiritual realities is not a metaphorical interpretation—268; Day, evening, and morning in the knowledgeoftheangels—268;Moreabouttheorderofday,evening,andmorninginthe angelicknowledgeofthings—269;Whetherallthingswerecreatedsimultaneously,orone byoneduringthesixdays—271;Allthingsbothmadesimultaneously,andnonetheless alsomadeinsixdays—273;ConclusionaboutthedaysofGenesis—275 BookV 276 The world really created on one day—276; Why the addition of"the greenery ofthe field"—277;Theprecisewordingofthenarrativegivesustounderstandthatallthings werecreatedsimultaneously—278;Whythehayissaidtohavebeenmadebeforeitsprang up—279;Thenatureoftimeinthesixdaysofcreation—282;Whethertheverse"Godhad notrained"etc. supportsthe viewofsimultaneouscreation—284;Onthe springwhich wateredthewholeearth—285;Theplaceofconjecturewherescriptureissilent—287;The particularinstanceofthisspring—287;Reiteratingthepointthatthecreationofallcrea turestookplacesimultaneously,whiletheirmanagementandregulationisconductedover intervalsandperiodsoftime—289;Differentwaysofknowingthings,followingonthese differencesinGod'sworking—290;Godknowsthingsbeforetheyexist—290;Parenthet ical noteontheproperphrasingofthissentence—291;Whatsortoflifeallthingsarein God—292;Godisnearertousthanaremanyofthethingshemade—292;Abriefrecapitu lation—293;Howcreation,muchofitunknowntous,isknowntoGodandtothe"day," whichisthespiritual,rationalcreation—294;Themysteryofthekingdomrevealedtothe angelsfromthebeginning—295;HowGodisstillworking—296;Allthingsgovernedby divineprovidence—297;FurtherargumentsinsupportofGod'sprovidentialcontrolofthe world—298;Anillustrationofhoweventhingsweseedevelopingandcomingtobenow were all created simultaneously at the beginning—299; Recapitulation ofthe "literal meaning"ofGenesis2:4-6—300 BookVl 301 Twopossiblewaysofreadingthistext;firstthewayofrecapitulatingtheworkofthesixth day—301;Difficultiesaboutthisway—302;Therestofthestoryevidentlytellsofevents occurringintime—303;AwarningnottotakeAugustineassayingthingsthatinfactheis notsaying—305; An untenablesuggestion thatitwasonly the human soul which was createdonthesixthday—307;HowcouldGodaddresspeopleonthesixthdaywhodidnot yet exist as such?—308; A question aired which the author thinks ought not to be pursued—309;Differentlevelsofcausalityatwhichthingspre-existintheircauses—310; HowGodmadetheman'sbody—312;Therelationshipbetweentheprimalformulaeand what emerges from them in historical time—315; Whether the first man's body was formedembodyingsoulorspirit—318;Anothertwisttothisquestion—319;Thesolution totheproblem—321;Adifficultquestionaboutthesoulisdeferredtothenextbook—323 BookVll 324 OnwhatcanbemeantbyGodpuffingorblowing—324;Whetherthesoulwasmadeoutof nothing,oroutofsomealreadymadespiritualmaterial—326;Difficultiesaboutthenotion ofspiritualmaterial—328;Furtherremarksontherelationshipbetweenhumanandanimal souls—330;Thesamecontinued,withanasideabouttheManichees—331;1fthehuman soul is not made out of non-rational soul, neither is it made out of any bodily element—332;Asatisfactorycompromisesuggestedbymedicalscience—332;Conclu siontothefindingsofmedicalscience;thatthesoulisnotanykindofbody—335;Further evidencethatthesoulisquitedifferentfromanyofitsbodilyagents—336;Thesoulnot madefromsomefifthelement,norfromanythingmaterialatall—337;Difficultiesabout supposing that a causal formula ofthe soul was inscribed in the original six days of creation—339;Thepossibilityconsideredofthehumansoulhavingbeencreatedinitsfull actualityattheoriginalsimultaneouscreationofallthings—341;Aproblemraisedbythis idea—341;Afurtherquestion—342;Theproblemprovisionallysolved—342;Tomain tainthatthesoulwascreatedonlywhenitwasbreathedintothemanalreadyformedwill notsquarewiththesetextsofscripture—343;Conclusion: hehopesreaderswillatleast havelearnedhowtodiscusshardquestionswithoutmakingrashassertions—345 BookVIlI 346 ThreewaysoftakingtheaccountofParadise:literally,figuratively,orboth—346;Whathe saidonthispointinhistwovolumesonGenesisagainsttheManichees—348;Whatissaid aboutParadiseisreconciledwithwhatiswrittenaboutthethirdandsixthdays—350;How toexplainthetreeoflifeandthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevilinanhistoricalaswell asanallegorical sense—351;Thesamecontinued,withadiscussionofcertaincompli catingfactors—352;Onthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevil—354;Ontheriversof Paradise—355;QuestionaboutthemanbeingputinParadisetowork—356;Thesame continued,onacosmicscale—357;QuestionaboutthemanbeingputinParadisetoguard it—358;WhyGodisonlycalled"theLordGod"fromthispointon—360;Moreabouthow Godworksandguardsman—361;OnthecommandgiventoAdam—363;Furtherreflec tionsonthenatureofgoodandevil;whyEmmanueldidnothavetoexperiencethediffer encebetweenthem—364;Moreproblemsaboutthenamingofthetreeofknowledgeof goodandevil—365;WhetherGodgavethecommandtothemanalone,ortothewomanas well—367;1nwhatwaydidGodspeaktoAdam?—368;Moreaboutthetwofoldoperation ofdivineprovidence—368;Thepointillustratedbyacloserlookatthewaythesoulmoves thebody—369; 1fthiscannotbeunderstooditmustbebelieved,asalsothetruthabout God'simmovabilitywhichthisaboutthesoulismeanttoillustrate—371;Returningtothe twofoldoperationofGod'sprovidence,andtheorderestablishedthereby—371;Moreon the interaction ofcreatures, especially ofangels on lower orders ofcreation—372; A summingupofwhathasbeensaidaboutGodinrelationtotimeandspace,andaboutthe twofoldoperationofhisprovidence—373;ReturningtothequestionofhowGodspoketo Adam—374 Book lX 376 Recapitulationaboutthemakingoftheanimals—376;VariouswaysinwhichGodcould have spoken—377; 1twasonly fortheprocreationofchildren thatthe man neededthe woman'shelp—378;Whytheydidnotin factcouple in Paradise—380;Exceptforthe purpose ofprocreation, another man would have been a more suitable companion for Adam—380; How onegeneration could havegiven way tothe next hadtherebeen no sin—380; Whysetasidethereasonofhavingchildren?Acomparisonofthe valuesof marriageandvirginity—382;Abadreasonforsupposingthattheywouldnothavebeen allowedtomateinParadise—383;Anothermisapprehensiononthepoint—383;1nPara disetheywerenottheslavesofcarnalconcupiscence—384:Todoubtthatthewomanwas madeforthemantoeffectthepeoplingoftheearthistocallinquestioneverythingwe believe—386;1twasforapropheticorsymbolicreasonthattheanimalswerebroughtto
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