Tyrannius Rufinus — Commentary on Scripture

John 20:13

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

This was foretold in the Song of Songs: “On my bed I sought the one my soul loves. I sought him in the night and did not find him.” Of those also who found him and held him by the feet, it is foretold, in the same book, “I will hold the one my soul loves and will not let him go.”

Jonah 4:6-11

And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

This has been the present which you have made us with your excess of wisdom, that we are all judged even by the heathen as lacking in wisdom... The ears of simple men among the Latins ought not after four hundred years to be molested by the sound of new doctrines... Now you are yourself saying... When the world has grown old and all things are hastening to their end, let us change the inscriptions upon the tombs of the ancients, so that it may be known by those who had read the story otherwise, that it was not a gourd but an ivy plant under whose shade Jonah rested; and that, when our legislator pleases, it will no longer be the shade of ivy but of some other plant.

Jude 1:9

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

You can search them out for yourself from sacred Scripture without my help. And it will become clearly evident to you that this likely is the age of which it was said, “Believe not in friends and trust not in princes,” and that the prophecy is now being fulfilled: “The leaders of my people have not known me; they are foolish and senseless children. They are wise to do evils, but to do good they have no knowledge.” We should rather pity such people than hate them and should rather pray for them than revile them. For we were created to bless and not to revile. Thus also Michael, when he was arguing with the devil over the body of Moses, did not dare to bring an accusation of blasphemy against him even for such a serious offense but said, “May the Lord rebuke you.” Even in Zechariah, we read something similar to this. “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan, and the Lord that chose Jerusalem rebuke you.” And so we also pray that those who refuse to be rebuked by their friends with humility may be rebuked by the Lord.

Lamentations 4:20

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

Those who boast about their knowledge of the law will, perhaps, say to us, “You blaspheme in saying that the Lord was subjected to the corruption of death and to the suffering of the cross.” Read, therefore, what you find written in the Lamentations of Jeremiah: “The Spirit of our countenance, Christ the Lord, was taken in our corruptions, of whom we said, we shall live under his shadow among the nations.” You hear how the prophet says that Christ the Lord was taken, and for us, that is, for our sins, delivered to corruption. Under whose shadow, since the people of the Jews have continued in unbelief, he says the Gentiles lie, because we live not in Israel but among the Gentiles.

Matthew 16:17-29

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Peter was for twenty-four years Bishop of the Church of Rome. We cannot doubt that, amongst other things necessary for the instruction of the church, he himself delivered to them the treasury of the sacred books, which, no doubt, had even then begun to be read under his presidency and teaching.

Philemon 1:23

There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;

And in the Commentary on Paul’s Epistle to Philemon, at the place where Jerome says “Epaphras my fellow-prisoner greeteth you,” some way down he says: “Possibly, however, as some think, a more recondite and mysterious view is set before us, namely, that the two companions had been captured and bound and brought down into this vale of tears.”

Psalms 55:19-23

God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

If it does not make you weary, let me point out, as briefly as possible, specific references to prophecy in the Gospels, so that those who are being instructed in the basic elements of the faith may have these testimonies written on their hearts, lest they should be surprised by any doubt they may entertain concerning the things that they believe. We are told in the Gospel that Judas, one of Christ’s friends and associates at their last meal together, betrayed him. Let me show you how this is foretold in the Psalms: “He who has eaten my bread has lifted up his heel against me”; and in another place, “My friends and my neighbors drew near and set themselves against me"; and again, “His words were smoother than oil, and yet they are real darts.” What then is meant when it says that his words were smooth? “Judas came to Jesus and said to him, Hail, Master, and kissed him.” Thus through the soft blandishment of a kiss he implanted the execrable dart of betrayal. In response the Lord said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” You observe that he was appraised by the t…

If it does not make you weary, let me point out, as briefly as possible, specific references to prophecy in the Gospels, so that those who are being instructed in the basic elements of the faith may have these testimonies written on their hearts, lest they should be surprised by any doubt they may entertain concerning the things that they believe. We are told in the Gospel that Judas, one of Christ’s friends and associates at their last meal together, betrayed him. Let me show you how this is foretold in the Psalms: “He who has eaten my bread has lifted up his heel against me”; and in another place, “My friends and my neighbors drew near and set themselves against me"; and again, “His words were smoother than oil, and yet they are real darts.” What then is meant when it says that his words were smooth? “Judas came to Jesus and said to him, Hail, Master, and kissed him.” Thus through the soft blandishment of a kiss he implanted the execrable dart of betrayal. In response the Lord said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” You observe that he was appraised by the traitor’s covetousness at thirty pieces of silver.

Psalms 57:1-4

To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

I have read the document sent from the East by our friend and good brother to a distinguished member of the Senate, Pammachius, which you have copied and forwarded to me. It brought to my mind the words of the prophet: “The sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.” But for these wounds that people inflict on one another with the tongue we can hardly find a physician; so I have turned to Jesus, the heavenly physician, and he has brought out for me from the medicine chest of the gospel an antidote of sovereign power; he has assuaged the violence of my grief with the assurance of the righteous judgment that I shall have at his hands. The potion that our Lord dispensed to me was nothing else than these words: “Blessed are you when people persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.” With this medicine I was content, and, as far as the matter concerned me, I had determined for the future to keep silence; for I said to…

I have read the document sent from the East by our friend and good brother to a distinguished member of the Senate, Pammachius, which you have copied and forwarded to me. It brought to my mind the words of the prophet: “The sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.” But for these wounds that people inflict on one another with the tongue we can hardly find a physician; so I have turned to Jesus, the heavenly physician, and he has brought out for me from the medicine chest of the gospel an antidote of sovereign power; he has assuaged the violence of my grief with the assurance of the righteous judgment that I shall have at his hands. The potion that our Lord dispensed to me was nothing else than these words: “Blessed are you when people persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.” With this medicine I was content, and, as far as the matter concerned me, I had determined for the future to keep silence; for I said to myself, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household?” (that is, you and me, unworthy though we are). And, if it was said of him, “He is a deceiver, he deceives the people,” I must not be indignant if I hear that I am called a heretic and that the name of mole is applied to me because of the slowness of my mind or indeed my blindness. Christ who is my Lord, yes, and who is God over all, was called “a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners.” How can I, then, be angry when I am called a carnal man who lives in luxury?

Psalms 93:2

Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

To sit at the right hand of the Father is a mystery belonging to the incarnation. For it does not befit that incorporeal nature without the assumption of flesh; neither is the excellency of a heavenly seat sought for the divine nature but for the human. Thus it is said of him, “Your seat, O God, is prepared from thence forward; you are from everlasting.” The seat, then, on which the Lord Jesus was to sit, was prepared from everlasting, “in whose name every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess to him that Jesus is Lord in the glory of God the Father;” of whom also David says, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” Referring to these words the Lord in the Gospel said to the Pharisees, “If therefore David in spirit calls him Lord, how is he his Son?” By which [Jesus Christ] showed that according to the Spirit he was the Lord, according to the flesh he was the Son of David. Also the Lord says in another place, “Truly I say to you, henceforth you shall see the…

To sit at the right hand of the Father is a mystery belonging to the incarnation. For it does not befit that incorporeal nature without the assumption of flesh; neither is the excellency of a heavenly seat sought for the divine nature but for the human. Thus it is said of him, “Your seat, O God, is prepared from thence forward; you are from everlasting.” The seat, then, on which the Lord Jesus was to sit, was prepared from everlasting, “in whose name every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess to him that Jesus is Lord in the glory of God the Father;” of whom also David says, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” Referring to these words the Lord in the Gospel said to the Pharisees, “If therefore David in spirit calls him Lord, how is he his Son?” By which [Jesus Christ] showed that according to the Spirit he was the Lord, according to the flesh he was the Son of David. Also the Lord says in another place, “Truly I say to you, henceforth you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God.” And the apostle Peter says of Christ, “Who is on the right hand of God, seated in the heavens.” And Paul also, writing to the Ephesians, “According to the working of the might of his power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and seated him on his right hand.”

Revelation 4:8

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

“Almighty” is applied to him on account of the dominion he has over the universe. But the Father governs the universe through the Son, as the apostle himself states: “For through him were all things created, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.” Again, writing to the Hebrews, he states, “Because through him he made the world and appointed him heir of all things.” By “appointed” we are to take him as meaning “generated.” But if the Father made the world through him, and if through him all things were created and he is the heir of all things, it must be through him that he wields his sway over the universe. Just as light is generated from light and truth from truth, so Almighty is generated from Almighty. So we read in John’s Apocalypse about the seraphim: “And they rested not day and night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of armies, who was, and who is, and is to come, the Almighty.’ ” He then who is to come is called Almighty. Who else is to come save Christ, the Son of God?

Revelation 5:5

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

behold the lion. the death of Christ marked the defeat and the triumph over the demons. In fact, our Lion had captured all the prey that the hostile lion had conquered after destroying and crushing the man. Then, by coming back from the underworld and ascending on high, he made slavery his captive. Therefore in his sleep the Lion won and defeated every evil and destroyed the one who had the power of death. (Blessing of the Patriarchs 1.6)

Song of Solomon 3:10-11

He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

It is written that there was put on him a crown of thorns. Of this hear in the Canticles the voice of God the Father marveling at the iniquity of Jerusalem in the insult done to his Son: “Go forth and see, you daughters of Jerusalem, the crown with which his mother has crowned him.”

Song of Solomon 6:9

My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

Of this church which keeps the faith of Christ entire, hear what the Holy Spirit says in the Canticles, “My dove is one; the perfect one of her mother is one.” He then who receives this faith in the church let him not turn aside in the council of vanity, and let him not enter in with those who practice iniquity.

Zechariah 3:2

And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

You can search them out for yourself from sacred Scripture without my help. And it will become clearly evident to you that this likely is the age of which it was said, “Believe not in friends and trust not in princes,” and that the prophecy is now being fulfilled: “The leaders of my people have not known me; they are foolish and senseless children. They are wise to do evils, but to do good they have no knowledge.” We should rather pity such people than hate them and should rather pray for them than revile them. For we were created to bless and not to revile. Thus also Michael, when he was arguing with the devil over the body of Moses, did not dare to bring an accusation of blasphemy against him even for such a serious offense but said, “May the Lord rebuke you.” Even in Zechariah, we read something similar to this. “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan, and the Lord that chose Jerusalem rebuke you.” And so we also pray that those who refuse to be rebuked by their friends with humility may be rebuked by the Lord.

Zechariah 11:12

And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

You observe that he was appraised by the traitor’s covetousness at thirty pieces of silver. Of this also the prophet speaks, “And I said to them, If you think good, give me my price, or if not, forbear”; and “presently, I received from them,” he says, “thirty pieces of silver, and I cast them into the house of the Lord, into the foundry.” Is not this what is written in the Gospels, that Judas, “repenting of what he had done, brought back the money, and threw it down in the temple and departed”? Well did he call it his price, as though blaming and upbraiding. For he had done so many good works among them, he had given sight to the blind, feet to the lame, the power of walking to the palsied, life also to the dead; for all these good works they paid him death as his price, appraised at thirty pieces of silver. It is related also in the Gospels that he was bound. This also the word of prophecy had foretold by Isaiah, saying, “Woe to their soul, who have devised a most evil device against themselves, saying, ‘Let us bind the just one, seeing that he is unprofitable to us.’ ”