Given the common mantra we hear today about the need to consult the ancient Church fathers in order to understand the Scriptures properly, I thought that the following warnings and/or reservations, as expressed by Jerome (regarding himself and others), might be helpful for us to consider. Jerome was virtually the only Church father in his day who possessed a mastery of both Hebrew and Greek, and therefore I thought that his perception of the need for caution in reading the ancient fathers is noteworthy.
Jerome (347-420) states in the preface of his commentary on Ephesians: If there is anything, O Paula and Eustochium, which might be wise in this human life and persuade one to continue with tranquil soul amid the pressures and tumults of the world it is, above all else, in my opinion, the meditation on and knowledge of the Scriptures. For because we differ from other living beings, especially in the fact that we are rational and can speak, and all reason and speech is contained in the divine books through which we learn about God and are made aware of why we have been created, I am amazed that there are some people who either, because they are lazy, do not wish to learn those things which are noble or who think others who cherish that study should be censured. Ronald E. Heine, The Commentaries of Origen and Jerome on St Paul´s Epistle to the Ephesians (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002), p. 75.
Jerome (347-420): What is the function of commentators? They expound the statements of someone else; they express in simple language views that have been expressed in an obscure manner; they quote the opinions of many individuals and they say: "˜Some interpret this passage in this sense, others, in another sense´; they attempt to support their own understanding and interpretation with these testimonies in this fashion, so that the prudent reader, after reading the different interpretations and studying which of these many views are to be accepted and which rejected, will judge for himself which is the more correct; and, like the expert banker, will reject the falsely minted coin. FC, Vol. 53, St. Jerome - Dogmatic and Polemical Works, The Apology Against the Books of Rufinus, Book I, §16 (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1965), p. 79.
Jerome (347-420) says toward the end of his commentary on Habbakkuk: And thus have I briefly delivered to you my opinion; but if any one produce that which is more exact and true, take his exposition rather than mine. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 229.
Latin text: Haec a me breviter dicta sunt. Si quis autem his sagaciora et veriora repererit, illius magis explanationi praebete consensum. Commentaria in Abacuc, Liber Secundus, PL 25:1332.
Jerome (347-420) says at the close of his commentary on the 2nd chapter of Zephaniah: We have now done our utmost endeavour, in giving an allegorical exposition of the text; but if any other can bring that which is more probable and agreeable to reason than that which we have delivered, let the reader be guided by his authority rather than by ours. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), pp. 229-230.
Latin text: Haec diximus, ut potuimus interpretationi allegoricae servientes. Si quis autem magis verisimilia, et habentia rationem quam a nobis sunt disserta repererit, illius magis lector auctoritate ducatur. Commentariorum In Sophoniam Prophetam, PL 25:1372.
Jerome (347-420) says again elsewhere: This we have written according to the utmost of our poor ability, and have given a short sketch of the divers opinions, both of our own men and of the Jews; yet if any man can give me a better and truer account of these things, I shall be very ready to embrace them. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 230.
Latin text: Haec ut quivimus, et ut vires ingenioli nostri ferre potuerunt, locuti sumus, et Hebraeorum et nostrorum varias opiniones breviter perstringentes, si quis melius immo verius dixerit, et nos libenter melioribus acquiescimus. Commentariorum In Zachariam Prophetam, PL 25:1446-1447.
Jerome (347-420) says of authors in the Church who have died: Then we judge of their worth and parts only, not considering at all the dignity of their name: and the reader has regard only to what he reads, and not to the author of the work. So that whether he were a bishop or a layman, a general and a lord, or a common soldier and a servant; whether he lie in purple and silk, or in the vilest and coarsest rags, he shall be judged, not according to his degree of honour, but according to the merit and worth of his works. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 221.
Latin text: tunc sine nominum dignitate, sola judicantur ingenia: nec considerat qui lecturus est, cujus; sed quale sit quod lecturus est: sive ille episcopus, sive sit laicus, imperator et dominus, miles et servus; aut purpura et sericio, aut vilissimo panno jaceat: non bonorum diversitate, sed operum merito judicabitur. Commentaria in Osee, Liber Secundus, PL 25:861.
Jerome (347-420) speaking of Church fathers who have preceded him: It may be that they have erred out of mere ignorance, or else that they wrote in some other sense than we understand them; or that their writings have been gradually corrupted, through the ignorance of the transcribers; or else before the appearing of that southern devil Arius, in Alexandria, they let some things fall from them innocently, and not so warily as they might have done; and such as can hardly escape the cavils of wrangling spirits. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 223.
Latin text: Fieri enim potest, ut vel simpliciter erraverint, vel alio sensu scripserint, vel a librariis imperitis eorum paulatim scripta corrupta sint. Vel certe antequam in Alexandria quasi daemonium meridianum Arius nasceretur, innocenter quaedam, et minus caute locuti sunt, et quae non possint perversorum hominum calumniam declinare. In Libros Contra Rufinum Admonitio, Liber Secundus, PL 23:440.
Jerome (347-420): Tertullian is packed with meaning but his style is rugged and uncouth. The blessed Cyprian like a fountain of pure water flows softly and sweetly but, as he is taken up with exhortations to virtue and with the troubles consequent on persecution, he has nowhere discussed the divine scriptures. Victorinus, although he has the glory of a martyr´s crown, yet cannot express what he knows. Lactantius has a flow of eloquence worthy of Tully: would that he had been as ready to teach our doctrines as he was to pull down those of others! Arnobius is lengthy and unequal, and often confused from not making a proper division of his subject. That reverend man Hilary gains in height from his Gallic buskin; yet, adorned as he is with the flowers of Greek rhetoric, he sometimes entangles himself in long periods and offers by no means easy reading to the less learned brethren. I say nothing of other writers whether dead or living; others will hereafter judge them both for good and for evil. NPNF2: Vol. VI, The Letters of St. Jerome, Letter 58 - To Paulinus, §10.
Jerome (347-420): Heresy is subtle, and therefore the simple-minded are easily deceived. To be deceived is the common lot of both layman and bishop. But you say, a bishop could not have been mistaken. The truth is, men are elected to the episcopate who come from the bosom of Plato and Aristophanes. How many can you find among them who are not fully instructed in these writers? Indeed all, whoever they may be, that are ordained at the present day from among the literate class make it their study not how to seek out the marrow of Scripture, but how to tickle the ears of the people with the flowers of rhetoric. We must further add that the Arian heresy goes hand in hand with the wisdom of the world, and borrows its streams of argument from the fountains of Aristotle. And so we will act like children when they try to outdo one another "” whatever you say I will say: what you assert, I will assert: whatever you deny, I will deny. We allow that an Arian may baptize; then he must be a bishop. If we agree that Arian baptism is invalid, you must reject the layman, and I must not accept the bishop. I will follow you wherever you go; we shall either stick in the mud together, or shall get out together. NPNF2: Vol. VI, The Dialogue Against the Luciferians, §11.
DTK
Jerome (347-420) states in the preface of his commentary on Ephesians: If there is anything, O Paula and Eustochium, which might be wise in this human life and persuade one to continue with tranquil soul amid the pressures and tumults of the world it is, above all else, in my opinion, the meditation on and knowledge of the Scriptures. For because we differ from other living beings, especially in the fact that we are rational and can speak, and all reason and speech is contained in the divine books through which we learn about God and are made aware of why we have been created, I am amazed that there are some people who either, because they are lazy, do not wish to learn those things which are noble or who think others who cherish that study should be censured. Ronald E. Heine, The Commentaries of Origen and Jerome on St Paul´s Epistle to the Ephesians (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002), p. 75.
Jerome (347-420): What is the function of commentators? They expound the statements of someone else; they express in simple language views that have been expressed in an obscure manner; they quote the opinions of many individuals and they say: "˜Some interpret this passage in this sense, others, in another sense´; they attempt to support their own understanding and interpretation with these testimonies in this fashion, so that the prudent reader, after reading the different interpretations and studying which of these many views are to be accepted and which rejected, will judge for himself which is the more correct; and, like the expert banker, will reject the falsely minted coin. FC, Vol. 53, St. Jerome - Dogmatic and Polemical Works, The Apology Against the Books of Rufinus, Book I, §16 (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1965), p. 79.
Jerome (347-420) says toward the end of his commentary on Habbakkuk: And thus have I briefly delivered to you my opinion; but if any one produce that which is more exact and true, take his exposition rather than mine. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 229.
Latin text: Haec a me breviter dicta sunt. Si quis autem his sagaciora et veriora repererit, illius magis explanationi praebete consensum. Commentaria in Abacuc, Liber Secundus, PL 25:1332.
Jerome (347-420) says at the close of his commentary on the 2nd chapter of Zephaniah: We have now done our utmost endeavour, in giving an allegorical exposition of the text; but if any other can bring that which is more probable and agreeable to reason than that which we have delivered, let the reader be guided by his authority rather than by ours. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), pp. 229-230.
Latin text: Haec diximus, ut potuimus interpretationi allegoricae servientes. Si quis autem magis verisimilia, et habentia rationem quam a nobis sunt disserta repererit, illius magis lector auctoritate ducatur. Commentariorum In Sophoniam Prophetam, PL 25:1372.
Jerome (347-420) says again elsewhere: This we have written according to the utmost of our poor ability, and have given a short sketch of the divers opinions, both of our own men and of the Jews; yet if any man can give me a better and truer account of these things, I shall be very ready to embrace them. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 230.
Latin text: Haec ut quivimus, et ut vires ingenioli nostri ferre potuerunt, locuti sumus, et Hebraeorum et nostrorum varias opiniones breviter perstringentes, si quis melius immo verius dixerit, et nos libenter melioribus acquiescimus. Commentariorum In Zachariam Prophetam, PL 25:1446-1447.
Jerome (347-420) says of authors in the Church who have died: Then we judge of their worth and parts only, not considering at all the dignity of their name: and the reader has regard only to what he reads, and not to the author of the work. So that whether he were a bishop or a layman, a general and a lord, or a common soldier and a servant; whether he lie in purple and silk, or in the vilest and coarsest rags, he shall be judged, not according to his degree of honour, but according to the merit and worth of his works. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 221.
Latin text: tunc sine nominum dignitate, sola judicantur ingenia: nec considerat qui lecturus est, cujus; sed quale sit quod lecturus est: sive ille episcopus, sive sit laicus, imperator et dominus, miles et servus; aut purpura et sericio, aut vilissimo panno jaceat: non bonorum diversitate, sed operum merito judicabitur. Commentaria in Osee, Liber Secundus, PL 25:861.
Jerome (347-420) speaking of Church fathers who have preceded him: It may be that they have erred out of mere ignorance, or else that they wrote in some other sense than we understand them; or that their writings have been gradually corrupted, through the ignorance of the transcribers; or else before the appearing of that southern devil Arius, in Alexandria, they let some things fall from them innocently, and not so warily as they might have done; and such as can hardly escape the cavils of wrangling spirits. John Daillé, A Treatise on the Right Use of the Fathers (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1856), p. 223.
Latin text: Fieri enim potest, ut vel simpliciter erraverint, vel alio sensu scripserint, vel a librariis imperitis eorum paulatim scripta corrupta sint. Vel certe antequam in Alexandria quasi daemonium meridianum Arius nasceretur, innocenter quaedam, et minus caute locuti sunt, et quae non possint perversorum hominum calumniam declinare. In Libros Contra Rufinum Admonitio, Liber Secundus, PL 23:440.
Jerome (347-420): Tertullian is packed with meaning but his style is rugged and uncouth. The blessed Cyprian like a fountain of pure water flows softly and sweetly but, as he is taken up with exhortations to virtue and with the troubles consequent on persecution, he has nowhere discussed the divine scriptures. Victorinus, although he has the glory of a martyr´s crown, yet cannot express what he knows. Lactantius has a flow of eloquence worthy of Tully: would that he had been as ready to teach our doctrines as he was to pull down those of others! Arnobius is lengthy and unequal, and often confused from not making a proper division of his subject. That reverend man Hilary gains in height from his Gallic buskin; yet, adorned as he is with the flowers of Greek rhetoric, he sometimes entangles himself in long periods and offers by no means easy reading to the less learned brethren. I say nothing of other writers whether dead or living; others will hereafter judge them both for good and for evil. NPNF2: Vol. VI, The Letters of St. Jerome, Letter 58 - To Paulinus, §10.
Jerome (347-420): Heresy is subtle, and therefore the simple-minded are easily deceived. To be deceived is the common lot of both layman and bishop. But you say, a bishop could not have been mistaken. The truth is, men are elected to the episcopate who come from the bosom of Plato and Aristophanes. How many can you find among them who are not fully instructed in these writers? Indeed all, whoever they may be, that are ordained at the present day from among the literate class make it their study not how to seek out the marrow of Scripture, but how to tickle the ears of the people with the flowers of rhetoric. We must further add that the Arian heresy goes hand in hand with the wisdom of the world, and borrows its streams of argument from the fountains of Aristotle. And so we will act like children when they try to outdo one another "” whatever you say I will say: what you assert, I will assert: whatever you deny, I will deny. We allow that an Arian may baptize; then he must be a bishop. If we agree that Arian baptism is invalid, you must reject the layman, and I must not accept the bishop. I will follow you wherever you go; we shall either stick in the mud together, or shall get out together. NPNF2: Vol. VI, The Dialogue Against the Luciferians, §11.
DTK
