St. Augustine: The Literal Meaning of Genesis, Volume I

por Augustine of Hippo; John Hammond Taylor

Editorial:

Paulist Press

, 1982

Overview

A thorough and profound commentary on the first three chapters of Genesis. Completed in AD 415, Augustine’s explains, what the author of Genesis intended to say about what God did when he created heaven and earth. Contains Books 1–6.

Contents

Top Highlights

“Thus, we must suppose that before the beginning of days, He wrought the work referred to in the words, In the beginning God created heaven and earth.” (Page 27)

“In matters that are obscure and far beyond our vision, even in such as we may find treated in Holy Scripture, different interpretations are sometimes possible without prejudice to the faith we have received. In such a case, we should not rush in headlong and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search of truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it. That would be to battle not for the teaching of Holy Scripture but for our own, wishing its teaching to conform to ours, whereas we ought to wish ours to conform to that of Sacred Scripture.” (Page 41)

“From this we are to understand that man was made to the image of God in that part of his nature wherein he surpasses the brute beasts. This is, of course, his reason or mind or intelligence, or whatever we wish to call it.” (Page 96)

“There are, it should be noted, two purposes in God’s love of His creation: first, that it may exist, and secondly, that it may abide.” (Page 27)

“If He said it by the Word, who is coeternal with Himself, He certainly did not speak in time” (Page 27)