Augustine of Hippo

Then there is the apostle Paul: "To each one of us," he says, "is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ," and to show that the gift of Christ is the Holy Spirit he went on to add, "That is why it says, he ascended on high, he took captivity captive, he gave gifts to people." But it is public knowledge that when the Lord Jesus had ascended to heaven after his resurrection from the dead he gave the Holy Spirit; and being filled with it those who believed began to speak with the tongues of all people. And do not let it worry you that he says "gifts," not "gift." He was quoting the text from a psalm, and what we read in the psalm is, "you have ascended on high, you have taken captivity captive, you have received gifts among people." This is the reading of most codices, especially the Greek ones, and we have it translated like this from the Hebrew. So the apostle said "gifts" just as the prophet did, not "gift"; but while the prophet said "you have received them among people," the apostle preferred to say "he has given them to people," in order that we might get the fullest meaning from both statements, the one prophetic, the other apostolic, since each has the authority of the divine utterance behind it.

"The Lord has said, Out of Basan I will be turned" [Psalm 68:22]: or, as some copies have, "Out of Basan I will turn." For He turns that we may be safe, of whom above has been said, "God of our healths, and God of saving men." For to Him elsewhere also is said, "O God of virtues, turn Thou us, and show Your face, and safe we shall be." Also in another place, "Turn us, O God of our healths." But he has said, "Out of Basan I will turn." Basan is interpreted confusion. What is then, I will turn out of confusion, but that there is confounded because of his sins, he that is praying of the mercy of God that they may be put away? Thence it is that the Publican dared not even to lift up his eyes to Heaven: [Luke 18:13] so, on considering himself, was he confounded; but he went down justified, [Luke 18:14] because "the Lord has said, Out of Basan I will turn." Basan is also interpreted drought: and rightly the Lord is understood to turn out of drought, that is, out of scarcity. For they that think themselves to be in plenty, though they be famished; and full, though they be altogether empty; are not turned...."I will turn unto the deep of the sea." If, "I will turn," why, "unto the deep of the sea"? Unto Himself indeed the Lord turns, when savingly He turns, and He is not surely Himself the deep of the sea. Does perchance the Latin expression deceive us, and has there been put "unto the deep," for a translation of what signifies "deeply"? For He does not turn Himself: but He turns those that in the deep of this world lie sunk down with the weight of sins, in that place where one that is turned says, "From the depths I have cried to You, O Lord." But if it is not, "I will turn," but, "I will be turned unto the deep of the sea;" our Lord is understood to have said, how by His own mercy He was turned even unto the deep of the sea, to deliver even those that were sinners in most desperate case. Though in one Greek copy I have found, not, "unto the deep," but "in the depths," that is, ἐ ν βυθοῖς: which strengthens the former sense, because even there God turns to Himself men crying from the depths. And even if He be understood Himself there to be turned, to deliver such sort also, it is not beside the purpose: and so then He turns, or else to deliver them is so turned, that His foot is stained in blood.

Likewise, in the same psalm, where it says, "the tongue of your dogs from the enemies by the same," dogs should not always be taken in an evil sense, otherwise the prophet would not blame "dogs not able to bark and loving to dream": 18 doubtless they would be praiseworthy dogs if they both knew how to bark and loved to watch. And certainly those three hundred men—a most sacred number according to the letter of the cross20—would not have been chosen to win the victory because they lapped water as dogs do, unless some great mystery were signified. Good dogs watch and bark to protect their house and their master, their flock and their shepherd. Finally, even here in the praises offered by the church, when a selection is made from this prophecy, it is the tongue of dogs that is mentioned, not their teeth. "The tongue of your dogs," it says, "from the enemies," that is, that those who used to be your enemies and raged against you may become your dogs and may bark for you. It added "from the same" to make them understand that this is not effected by themselves, but "by the same," that is, by his mercy and grace.

"There have been seen Your steps, O God" [Psalm 68:24]. The steps are those wherewith You have come through the world, as though in that chariot You were going to traverse the round world; which chariot of clouds He intimates to be His holy and faithful ones in the Gospel, where He says, "From this time you shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds." [Mark 13:26] Leaving out that coming wherein He shall be Judge of quick and dead, [2 Timothy 4:1] "From this time," He says, "you shall see the Son of Man coming in clouds." These "Your steps have been seen," that is, have been manifested, by the revealing the grace of the New Testament. Whence has been said, "How beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim peace, that proclaim good things!" [Romans 10:15] For this grace and those steps were lying hid in the Old Testament: but when there came the fullness of time, and it pleased God to reveal His Son, [Galatians 4:4] that He might be proclaimed among the Gentiles, "there were seen Your steps, O God: the steps of my God, of the King who is in the holy place." In what holy place, save in His Temple? "For the Temple of God is holy," he says, "which you are." [1 Corinthians 3:17]

"There is Benjamin the younger in a trance" [Psalm 68:27]. There is Paul the last of the Apostles, who says, "For even I am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham, out of the tribe of Benjamin." [Philippians 3:5] But evidently "in a trance," all men being amazed at a miracle so great as that of his calling. For a trance is the mind's going out: which thing sometimes chances through fear; but sometimes through some revelation, the mind suffering separation from the corporal senses, in order that that which is to be represented may be represented to the spirit. Whence even thus may be understood that which here has been written, namely, "in a trance;" for when to that persecutor there had been said from Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me:" [Acts 9:4] there being taken from him the light of the eyes of flesh, he made answer to the Lord, whom in spirit he saw, but they that were with him heard the voice of him replying, though seeing no one to whom he was speaking. Here also the trance may be understood to be that one of his, whereof he himself speaking, says, that he knew a man caught up even unto the third Heaven; but whether in the body, or whether out of the body, he knew not: [2 Corinthians 12:2] but that he being caught up into Paradise, heard ineffable words, which it was not lawful for a man to speak. "Princes of Juda the leaders of them, princes of Zabulon, princes of Nephthalim." Since he is indicating the Apostles as princes, wherein is even "Benjamin the younger in a trance," in which words that Paul is indicated no one doubts; or when under the name of princes there are indicated in the Churches all men excelling and most worthy of imitation: what mean these names of the tribes of Israel?...For the names are Hebrew: whereof Juda is said to be interpreted confession, Zabulon habitation of strength, Nephthalim my enlargement. All which words do intimate to us the most proper princes of the Church, worthy of their leadership, worthy of imitation, worthy of honours. For the Martyrs in the Churches hold the highest place, and by the crown of holy worth they do excel. But however in martyrdom the first thing is confession, and for this is next put on strength to endure whatsoever shall have chanced; then after all things have been endured, straits being ended, breadth follows in reward. It may also thus be understood; that whereas the Apostle chiefly commends these three things, faith, hope, love; [1 Corinthians 13:13] confession is in faith, strength in hope, breadth in love. For of faith the substance is, that with the heart men believe unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession be made unto salvation. [Romans 10:10] But in sufferings of tribulations the thing itself is sorrowful, but the hope is strong. For, "if that which we see not we hope for, through patience we wait for it." [Romans 8:25] But breadth the shedding abroad of love in the heart does give. For "love perfected casts out fear:" which fear "has torment," [1 John 4:18] because of the straits of the soul....

"There shall come ambassadors out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall prevent the hands of Him" [Psalm 68:31]. Under the name of Egypt or of Ethiopia, he has signified the faith of all nations, from a part the whole: calling the preachers of reconciliation ambassadors. "For Christ," he says, "we have an embassy, God as it were exhorting through us: we beseech you for Christ to be reconciled to God." [2 Corinthians 5:20] Not then of the Israelites alone, whence the Apostles were chosen, but also from the rest of the nations that there should be preachers of Christian peace, in this manner has been mystically prophesied. But by that which he says, "shall prevent the hands of Him," he says this, shall prevent the vengeance of Him: to wit, by turning to Him, in order that their sins may be forgiven, lest by continuing sinners they be punished. Which thing also in another Psalm is said, "Let us come before the face of Him in confession." As by hands he signifies vengeance, so by face, revelation and presence, which will be in the Judgment. Because then, by Egypt and Ethiopia he has signified the nations of the whole world; immediately he has subjoined, "to God (are) the kingdoms of the earth." Not to Sabellius, not to Arius, not to Donatus, not to the rest of the bulls stiff-necked, but "to God (are) the kingdoms of the earth." But the greater number of Latin copies, and especially the Greek, have the verses so punctuated, that there is not one verse in these words, "to God the kingdoms of the earth," but, "to God," is at the end of the former verse, and so there is said, "Ethiopia shall come before the hands of her to God," and then there follows in another verse, "Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, psalm ye to the Lord" [Psalm 68:32]. By which punctuation, doubtless to be preferred by the agreement of many copies, and those deserving of credit, there seems to me to be implied faith which precedes works: because without the merits of good works through faith the ungodly is justified, just as the Apostle said, "To one believing in Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness:" [Romans 4:5] in order that afterwards faith itself through love may begin to work. For those alone are to be called good works, which are done through love of God. But these faith must needs go before, so that from thence these may begin, not from these this....This is faith, whereof to the Church Herself is said in the Song of Songs, "You shall come and shall pass hence from the beginning of faith." For She has come like the chariot of God in thousands of men rejoicing, having a prosperous course, and She has passed over from this world to the Father: in order that there may come to pass in Her that which the Bridegroom Himself says, who has passed hence from this world to the Father, [John 13:1] "I will that where I am, these also may be with Me:" [John 17:24] but from the beginning of faith. Because then in order that good works may follow, faith does precede; and there are not any good works, save those which follow faith preceding: nothing else seems to have been meant in, "Ethiopia shall come before the hands of her to God," but, Ethiopia shall believe in God. For thus she "shall come before the hands of her," that is, the works of her. Of whom, except of Ethiopia herself? For this in the Greek is not ambiguous: for the word "of her" there in the feminine gender most clearly has been put down. And thus nothing else has been said than "Ethiopia shall come before her hands to God," that is, by believing in God she shall come before her works. For, "I judge," says the Apostle, "that a man is justified through faith without the works of the Law. Is He God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles?" So then Ethiopia, which seems to be the utmost limit of the Gentiles, is justified through faith, without the works of the Law....For the expression in Greek, χεῖρα αὐτῆς, which most copies have, both of "hand of her" and "her own hand" may be understood: but that which is uncommon in the Greek copies, χειρας αὐτῆς, by both "hands of her" and "her own hands," in Latin may be expressed.

Henceforward, as if through prophecy all things had been discoursed of which now we see fulfilled, he exhorts to the praise of Christ, and next He foretells His future Advent. "Kingdoms of earth, sing ye to God, psalm ye to the Lord: psalm ye to God, who has ascended above the Heaven of Heavens to the East" [Psalm 68:33]. Or, as some copies have it, "who has ascended above the Heaven of Heaven to the East." In these words he perceives not Christ, who believes not His Resurrection and Ascension. But has not "to the East," which he has added, expressed the very spot; since in the quarters of the East is where He rose again, and whence He ascended? Therefore above the Heaven of Heaven He sits at the right hand of the Father. This is what the Apostle says, "the Same is He that has ascended above all Heavens." [Ephesians 4:10] For what of Heavens does remain after the Heaven of Heaven? Which also we may call the Heavens of Heavens, just as He has called the firmament Heaven: [Genesis 1:8] which Heaven, however, even as Heavens we read of, in the place where there is written, "and let the waters which are above the Heavens praise the name of the Lord." And forasmuch as from thence He is to come, [Acts 1:11] to judge quick and dead, observe what follows: "behold, He shall give His voice, the voice of power." He that like a lamb before the shearer of Him was without voice, [Isaiah 53:7] "behold shall give His voice," and not the voice of weakness, as though to be judged; but "the voice of power," as though going to judge. For God shall not be hidden, as before, and in the judgment of men not opening His mouth; but "God shall come manifest, our God, and He shall not be silent." Why do ye despair, you unbelieving men? Why do ye mock? What says the evil servant? "My Lord delays to come." [Luke 12:45] "Behold, He shall give His voice, the voice of power."

"Save me, O God, for the waters have entered in even unto my soul" [Psalm 69:1]. That grain is despised now, that seems to give forth humble words. In the garden it is buried, though the world will admire the greatness of the herb, of which herb the seed was despised by the Jews. For in very deed observe ye the seed of the mustard, minute, dull coloured, altogether despicable, in order that therein may be fulfilled that which has been said, We have seen Him, and He had neither form nor comeliness. [Isaiah 53:2] But He says, that waters have come in even unto His soul; because those multitudes, which under the name of waters He has pointed out, were able so far to prevail as to kill Christ....Whence then does He so cry out, as though He were suffering something against His will, except because the Head does prefigure the Members? For He suffered because He willed: but the Martyrs even though they willed not; for to Peter thus He foretold his passion: "When you shall be old," He says, "another shall gird you, and lead you whither you will not." [John 21:18] For though we desire to cleave to Christ, yet we are unwilling to die: and therefore willingly or rather patiently we suffer, because no other passage is given us, through which we may cleave to Christ. For if we could in any other way arrive at Christ, that is, at life everlasting, who would be willing to die? For while explaining our nature, that is, a sort of association of soul and body, and in these two parts a kind of intimacy of gluing and fastening together, the Apostle says, that "we have a House not made with hands, everlasting in the Heavens:" [2 Corinthians 5:1] that is, immortality prepared for us, wherewith we are to be clothed at the end, when we shall have risen from the dead; and he says, "Wherein we are not willing to be stripped, but to be clothed upon, that the mortal may be swallowed up of life." [2 Corinthians 5:4] If it might so be, we should so will, he says, to become immortal, as that now that same immortality might come, and now as we are it should change us, in order that this our mortal body by life should be swallowed up, and the body should not be laid aside through death, so as at the end again to have to be recovered. Although then from evil to good things we pass, nevertheless the very passage is somewhat bitter, and has the gall which the Jews gave to the Lord in the Passion, has something sharp to be endured, whereby they are shown that gave Him vinegar to drink. [Matthew 27:34] ...For here both sweet are temporal pleasures, and bitter are temporal tribulations: but who would not drink the cup of tribulation temporal, fearing the fire of hell; and who would not contemn the sweetness of the world, longing for the sweetness of life eternal? From hence that we may be delivered let us cry: lest perchance amidst oppressions we consent to iniquity, and truly irreparably we be swallowed up.

"Fixed I am in the clay of the deep, and there is no substance" [Psalm 69:2]. What called the clay? Is it those very persons that have persecuted? For out of clay man has been made. [Genesis 2:7] But these men by falling from righteousness have become the clay of the deep, and whosoever shall not have consented to them persecuting and desiring to draw him to iniquity, out of his clay does make gold. For the clay of the same shall merit to be converted into a heavenly form, and to be made associate of those of whom says the Title of the Psalm, "in behalf of them that shall be changed." But at the time when these were the clay of the deep, I stuck in them: that is, they held Me, prevailed against Me, killed Me. "Fixed" then "I am in the clay of the deep, and there is no substance." What is this, "there is no substance"? Can it be that clay itself is not a substance? What is then, "fixed I am"? Can it be that Christ has thus stuck? Or has He stuck, and was not, as has been said in the book of Job, "the earth delivered into the hands of the ungodly man"? [Job 9:24] Was He fixed in body, because it could be held, and suffered even crucifixion? For unless with nails He had been fixed, crucified He had not been. Whence then "there is no substance"? Is that clay not a substance? But we shall understand, if it be possible, what is, "and there is no substance," if first we shall have understood what is a substance. For there is substance spoken of even of riches, as we say, he has substance, and he has lost substance....