The City of God, Volume IIAugustine, of Hippo, Saint
ReligionChristian
The City of God, Volume II
Augustine, of Hippo, Saint
Apologetics -- Early works to 1800; Kingdom of God -- Early works to 1800
29. _What things are predicted by Isaiah concerning Christ and
the Church._
The prophecy of Isaiah is not in the book of the twelve prophets, who
are called the minor from the brevity of their writings, as compared
with those who are called the greater prophets because they published
larger volumes. Isaiah belongs to the latter, yet I connect him
with the two above named, because he prophesied at the same time.
Isaiah, then, together with his rebukes of wickedness, precepts of
righteousness, and predictions of evil, also prophesied much more
than the rest about Christ and the Church, that is, about the King
and that city which he founded; so that some say he should be called
an evangelist rather than a prophet. But, in order to finish this
work, I quote only one out of many in this place. Speaking in the
person of the Father, he says, "Behold, my servant shall understand,
and shall be exalted and glorified very much. As many shall be
astonished at Thee."[524] This is about Christ.
But let us now hear what follows about the Church. He says, "Rejoice,
O barren, thou that barest not; break forth and cry, thou that
didst not travail with child: for many more are the children of
the desolate than of her that has an husband."[525] But these must
suffice; and some things in them ought to be expounded; yet I think
those parts sufficient which are so plain that even enemies must be
compelled against their will to understand them.
30. _What Micah, Jonah, and Joel prophesied in accordance with the
New Testament._
The prophet Micah, representing Christ under the figure of a great
mountain, speaks thus: "It shall come to pass in the last days, that
the manifested mountain of the Lord shall be prepared on the tops of
the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people
shall hasten unto it. Many nations shall go, and shall say, Come, let
us go up into the mountain of the Lord, and into the house of the God
of Jacob; and He will show us His way, and we will go in His paths:
for out of Zion shall proceed the law, and the word of the Lord
out of Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke
strong nations afar off."[526] This prophet predicts the very place
in which Christ was born, saying, "And thou, Bethlehem, of the house
of Ephratah, art the least that can be reckoned among the thousands
of Judah; out of thee shall come forth unto me a leader, to be the
prince in Israel; and His going forth is from the beginning, even
from the days of eternity. Therefore will He give them [up] even
until the time when she that travaileth shall bring forth; and the
remnant of His brethren shall be converted to the sons of Israel. And
He shall stand, and see, and feed His flock in the strength of the
Lord, and in the dignity of the name of the Lord His God: for now
shall He be magnified even to the utmost of the earth."[527]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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