page xii

JEROME’S PREFACE.

2 Tim. 3 He writes that Timothy was instructed in the Holy Scriptures from infancy, and he urges him to the study of reading, so that he might not neglect the grace given to him through the laying on of the hands of the priesthood. He instructs Titus Tit. 1 that among the other virtues of a bishop—whom he has described in a short discourse—he should also choose a knowledge of the Scriptures. He says that a bishop should "hold fast to the faithful word which is in accordance with the doctrine, so that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it." IV. For holy simplicity original: sancta rusticitas. Jerome refers to the idea that being "unlearned" but holy is good for the individual, but insufficient for a leader of the Church. benefits only itself; and however much it builds up the Church of Christ by the merit of its life, it does just as much harm if it does not resist those who would destroy it. The prophet Malachi—or rather the Lord through Hag. 2 Haggai—says: "Ask the priests the law." To such an extent is it the duty of the priest to answer when questioned about the Law. And in Deuteronomy we read: Deut. 32 "Ask your father, and he will declare it to you; your elders, and they will tell you." In the hundred and eighteenth Psalm as well: "Your justifications were my songs in the place of my pilgrimage." And in the description of the righteous man, when David compares him to the tree of life which is in paradise, among other virtues he added this: Ps. 1 "His will is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he will meditate day and night." Dan. 12 Daniel, at the end of his most sacred vision, says that the righteous shine like stars, and the "understanding ones"—that is, the learned—as the firmament. Do you see how much distance there is between righteous simplicity and learned righteousness? Some are compared to stars, others to the heavens. Although, according to the Hebrew truth, both can be understood as referring to the learned. For so we read among them: "But those who are learned shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who instruct many unto righteousness, like stars for all eternity." Why is the Apostle Paul called a "vessel of election"? Acts 9 Surely because he was a storehouse of the Law and the Holy Scriptures. The Pharisees are stunned by the doctrine of the Lord; and they marvel at Peter and John, Is. 54 wondering how they know the Law since they John 6 have not learned letters. For whatever practice Luke 2 and daily meditation in the Law usually grants to others, the Holy Spirit suggested to them; and they were, according to what is written, taught by God original: theodidaktoi. The Savior had reached twelve years of age, and by questioning the elders in the temple about matters of the Law, He teaches more by His wise questioning. 2 Cor. 11 Unless, perhaps, we call Peter "simple," or John "simple"—each of whom could say: "Though I be unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge." Is John a simple man, a fisherman, unlearned? Then from where, I ask, comes that John 1 voice: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word"? For Word (logos): In Greek, this term signifies many things—speech, reason, calculation, and the cause of every individual thing through which all things exist. All of these we rightly understand as being in Christ. The learned Plato did not know this; the eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it. V. "I will destroy," He says, "the wisdom of the wise, Obad. 1 and I will reject the prudence of the prudent." Is. 29 True wisdom will destroy false wisdom; and 1 Cor. 1 although there is the "foolishness of preaching" in the cross, yet Paul speaks wisdom among the 2 Cor. 1 perfect: but a wisdom not of this world, nor of the princes of this world, which is being destroyed. Instead, he speaks the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages. The wisdom of God is Christ. For Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This wisdom is hidden in mysteries; concerning which also several

Col. 2 Psalms are inscribed with the title: For the hidden things of the son—in whom are hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. And He who was hidden in a mystery was predestined before the ages; moreover, He was predestined and prefigured in the Law and the Prophets. This is why the Prophets were called Seers, because they saw Him whom others did not see. Abraham saw His day and John 8 was glad. The heavens were opened to Ezekiel, Ezek. 1 which were closed to a sinful people. "Open my eyes," says David, "and I will consider the Ps. 119 wonders of Your law." For the Law is spiritual, and there is need for revelation so that it may be understood, Rom. 7 and so that with an unveiled face we may contemplate 2 Cor. 3 the glory of God. In the Apocalypse, a book is Rev. 5 shown sealed with seven seals; if you give it to Is. 29 a man who knows letters to read, he will answer you: "I cannot, for it is sealed." How many today think they know letters, yet they hold a sealed book and cannot open it, unless He unlocks it who has the key of David; "who opens and no one shuts; shuts and no one opens"? In the Acts of the Apostles, the holy Eunuch—or rather, "man" (for so the Scripture designates him)—when Acts 8 he was reading the prophet Isaiah and was asked by Philip, "Do you think you understand what you are reading?", he replied: "How can I, unless someone teaches me?" To speak of myself for a moment: I am neither holier than this Eunuch, nor more studious; he came from Ethiopia—that is, from the furthest ends of the world—to the temple, and left the royal court. He was such a lover of the divine Law and knowledge that he read the Holy Letters even in his carriage. And yet, while he held the book and conceived the words of the Lord in his thought, turned them with his tongue, and sounded them with his lips, he was ignorant of Him whom he unknowingly venerated in the book. Philip came and showed him Jesus, who lay hidden and enclosed in the letter. Oh, wonderful power of the teacher! In the same hour the Eunuch believes, is baptized, and is made faithful and holy; and as a master instead of a disciple, he found more in a desert fountain of the Church than in the gilded temple of the synagogue. These things have been touched upon by me briefly (for the narrowness of a letter did not allow me to wander further), so that you might understand that you cannot enter into the Holy Scriptures without a guide to show the path. VI. I say nothing of grammarians, rhetoricians, philosophers, geometers, logicians, musicians, astronomers, astrologers, or physicians—whose knowledge is most useful to mortals and is divided into three parts: theory (dogma), method (methodon), and practice (empeirian): The traditional components of ancient Greek science and professional skill. I will turn to the lesser arts, which are administered not so much by the tongue as by the hand. Farmers, masons, smiths who work in metal or wood, wool-workers also, and cloth-menders, and others who manufacture various furniture and cheap works, cannot be what they desire to be without a teacher. "Physicians promise what belongs to physicians; craftsmen handle the tools of their craft." The art of the Scriptures is the only one which everyone everywhere claims for themselves. "The unlearned and the learned alike write poems everywhere." This art the chattering old woman, this the senile old man, this the wordy sophist—this they all presume to master, they tear it apart, and they teach it before they learn it. Others, with a drawn brow, weighing out grand words, philosophize about the Holy Letters among groups of women. Others—oh, the shame!—learn from women what they would teach to men; and as if this were not enough, with a certain facility of words, or rather audacity, they explain to others what they themselves do not understand. I say nothing of those like myself, who if they happen to come to the Scriptures...