登陆注册
5155200000012

第12章

(62)Now as such teaching was only set forth by the prophets in times of oppression, and was even then never laid down as a law; and as, on the other hand, Moses (who did not write in times of oppression, but - mark this - strove to found a well-ordered commonwealth), while condemning envy and hatred of one's neighbour, yet ordained that an eye should be given for an eye, it follows most clearly from these purely Scriptural grounds that this precept of Christ and Jeremiah concerning submission to injuries was only valid in places where justice is neglected, and in a time of oppression, but does not hold good in a well-ordered state.

(63)In a well-ordered state where justice is administered every one is bound, if he would be accounted just, to demand penalties before the judge (see Lev:1), not for the sake of vengeance (Lev. xix:17, 18), but in order to defend justice and his country's laws, and to prevent the wicked rejoicing in their wickedness. (64) All this is plainly in accordance with reason. (65) I might cite many other examples in the same manner, but I think the foregoing are sufficient to explain my meaning and the utility of this method, and this is all my present purpose. (66) Hitherto we have only shown how to investigate those passages of Scripture which treat of practical conduct, and which, therefore, are more easily examined, for onsuch subjects there was never really any controversy among the writers of the Bible.

(67)The purely speculative passages cannot be so easily, traced to their real meaning: the way becomes narrower, for as the prophets differed in matters speculative among themselves, and the narratives are in great measure adapted to the prejudices of each age, we must not, on any, account infer the intention of one prophet from clearer passages in the writings of another; nor must we so explain his meaning, unless it is perfectly plain that the two prophets were at one in the matter.

(68)How we are to arrive at the intention of the prophets in such cases I will briefly explain. (69) Here, too, we must begin from the most universal proposition, inquiring first from the most clear Scriptural statements what is the nature of prophecy or revelation, and wherein does it consist; then we must proceed to miracles, and so on to whatever is most general till we come to the opinions of a particular prophet, and, at last, to the meaning of a particular revelation, prophecy, history, or miracle. (70) We have already pointed out that great caution is necessary not to confound the mind of a prophet or historian with the mind of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the matter; therefore I need not dwell further on the subject. (71) I would, however, here remark concerning the meaning of revelation, that the present method only teaches us what the prophets really saw or heard, not what they desired to signify or represent by symbols. (72) The latter may be guessed at but cannot be inferred with certainty from Scriptural premises.

(73) We have thus shown the plan for interpreting Scripture, and have, at the same time, demonstrated that it is the one and surest way of investigating its true meaning. (74) I am willing indeed to admit that those persons (if any such there be) would be more absolutely certainly right, who have received either a trustworthy tradition or an assurance from the prophets themselves, such as is claimed by the Pharisees; or who have a pontiff gifted with infallibility in the interpretation of Scripture, such as the Roman Catholics boast. (75) But as we can never be perfectly sure, either of such a tradition or of the authority of the pontiff, we cannot found any certain conclusion on either: the one is denied by the oldest sect ofChristians, the other by the oldest sect of Jews. (76) Indeed, if we consider the series of years (to mention no other point) accepted by the Pharisees from their Rabbis, during which time they say they have handed down the tradition from Moses, we shall find that it is not correct, as I show elsewhere. (77) Therefore such a tradition should be received with extreme suspicion; and although, according to our method, we are bound to consider as uncorrupted the tradition of the Jews, namely, the meaning of the Hebrew words which we received from them, we may accept the latter while retaining our doubts about the former.

(78) No one has ever been able to change the meaning of a word in ordinary use, though many have changed the meaning of a particular sentence. (79) Such a proceeding would be most difficult; for whoever attempted to change the meaning of a word, would be compelled, at the same time, to explain all the authors who employed it, each according to his temperament and intention, or else, with consummate cunning, to falsify them.

(80)Further, the masses and the learned alike preserve language, but it is only the learned who preserve the meaning of particular sentences and books: thus, we may easily imagine that the learned having a very rare book in their power, might change or corrupt the meaning of a sentence in it, but they could not alter the signification of the words; moreover, if anyone wanted to change the meaning of a common word he would not be able to keep up the change among posterity, or in common parlance or writing.

(81)For these and such-like reasons we may readily conclude that it would never enter into the mind of anyone to corrupt a language, though the intention of a writer may often have been falsified by changing his phrases or interpreting them amiss. (82) As then our method (based on the principle that the knowledge of Scripture must be sought from itself alone) is the sole true one, we must evidently renounce any knowledge which it cannot furnish for the complete understanding of Scripture. (83) I will now point out its difficulties and shortcomings, which prevent our gaining a complete and assured knowledge of the Sacred Text.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 象棋入门与实战

    象棋入门与实战

    象棋是中国的国粹,有着悠久的历史,但象棋又不仅仅是中国所有,它是全人类共同的文化遗产。如今,象棋已经冲出国门,走向世界,不只是在华人居住的国度和地区才有,洋人也开始迷上了中国象棋。象棋作为开发智力、健康有益的活动,深得广大青少年儿童喜爱,他们已成长为繁荣棋坛的一支浩浩荡荡的生力军。放眼神州大地,不少大中城市已纷纷开设棋校,有的地方还将棋类列入中小学的教学计划和课程之中,呈现出一种生机勃发的喜人景象。
  • 最强恶魔妖孽系统

    最强恶魔妖孽系统

    小兜最新力作【我体内有个无敌恶魔系统】,请移步收藏阅读支持!【找不到书或有问题的加群:192925455】一朝穿越,众神膜拜!少年得恶魔妖孽系统,穿越诸天万界,励志成为最强主宰。“叮,恭喜宿主,收集七颗龙珠完毕,神龙召唤成功,请说出你的愿望!”“叮,恭喜宿主,成功修习通灵术,可通灵蛤蟆、万蛇、罗生门!”“叮,恭喜宿主,获得恶魔果树一颗,里面包含震震果实、闪闪果实、轰雷果实、暗暗果实!”
  • 日本人与日本论

    日本人与日本论

    从日本的自然条件、历史渊源说起,通过分析近现代日本国家政治、经济等,指出了日本民族精神上的空虚与矛盾;对日本社会文化的方方面面做了分析。被学界视为研究日本的一本标杆性的著作,堪称中国的《菊与刀》。《日本人与日本论》 中国版的菊与刀,了解日本文化的必读之作。
  • 我的弟子是孙悟空

    我的弟子是孙悟空

    【新书:天王巨星从签到开始】他见过盘古开天的震撼,他望过女娲补天的瑰丽,他从远古走来。从黑暗穿越黎明,从寒冬行向盛夏,以三千年为春,以三千年为秋,悠悠万载,不过弹指一春秋。他从慌乱到勇敢,从渺小到伟大,时光追不上脚步,终于,他回眸一望,你已为尘埃。他是天,是地,是通天大道,是永生不死,岁月长河,光阴斗转,他始终站在那里,不曾离去。【书友群639319367】
  • 最受你喜爱的成长故事(智慧背囊16本)

    最受你喜爱的成长故事(智慧背囊16本)

    成长,是首特别的歌,从懵懂无知到情窦初开,从青涩少年到学有所成,一路走来,成长,带给我们多少感动与回忆,激情与梦想,灿烂与辉煌……当岁月流沙般泻过,当昨天已成为过去,多少如歌的感动在我们的心底徘徊,让我们的心久久不能平静……本书汇集了几百个最受读者喜爱的成长故事,以成长感悟来进行引导,使广大读者在读过故事后有所回味,有所感动……
  • 无法碰触的

    无法碰触的

    梦中我俩分别是被囚禁在耸入云端山巅的两只兽,我们被分别捆绑在两个石匣子里,不知道经历了多长时间的风吹日晒寒暑秋冬,终于有一天,电闪雷鸣不断,千斤锁链突然被炸开,我们便幻化成两个小童,我们不甘心被困在山顶,决定跳下山崖,以谋出路,女童退缩了,男童却义无反顾的跳了下去,女童想上前追赶,无奈,却无法抓住那男童的手……女孩被罚入人间,每次心动必然无疾而终,郁郁寡欢……
  • 同桌福尔摩斯(同桌好好玩)

    同桌福尔摩斯(同桌好好玩)

    《同桌好好玩》从同桌到邻桌,从校园到家庭和社会,形成环环相扣的教育链条。主要人物有“福尔摩斯”巴奇,调皮鬼周大齐,爽歪歪李晓果,见义勇为的侯洋,学习好的小美女纪阳,等等。别小瞧这些爱玩的孩子,他们的本事可不小,他们在玩侦探中竟能让一个快破裂的家庭获得重生,他们通过卖花给贫困的小伙伴温暖;他们在集体的力量中让顽劣的小混混尝尝拳头,也让他们自己从恶作剧中醒悟。
  • 风华双娇:相公放肆宠

    风华双娇:相公放肆宠

    (暂停更新)虽然不能同年同月同日生,但夏叶林清怎么也没想到,上天看在她们姐妹情深,让她们同年同月同日死。一朝穿越,父亲亡故,善良柔弱的娘亲含辛茹苦地拉扯她和弟弟妹妹长大。看着各自简陋摇摇欲坠的泥土屋,瘦弱的弟弟妹妹,夏叶林清强强联手,一个会管理,一个会美食,日子过得越来越红火。某日,两位容颜绝世帅得人神共愤的世子爷找到翘家出走的小娇妻。抱歉,我们姐妹俩要去观赏美丽的大好山河!两位世子爷一脸宠溺地将各自的娇妻圈入怀中,淡淡吩咐身后的人:“马上准备好一切所需的物品,本世子要带世子妃出门游历!”
  • 觉醒日合集

    觉醒日合集

    4600年前的涿鹿之战,究竟是谁和谁的战争?长春真人西行途中,在撒马尔罕城发现了什么让他畏惧不已的事物?欧洲中世纪的女巫迫害,到底是为了何种原因?龙虎山天师张彦頨的寻宝活动,寻找到了怎样的恐怖存在?明末起义领袖张献忠,为什么成为了杀人魔王、又在帮谁隐藏着什么?炼金术士尼古拉勒梅的神秘人生,竟然是从一幅与西藏有关的凶画开始的?一系列的历史谜团,整个人类的生存进化之路,似乎都和一股来自远古的神秘力量息息相关……
  • 天皇归来

    天皇归来

    父王的离弃,神族的无情,他从一个宫门弃子繁衍至天玄大陆的巅峰!