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Chapter II. The Blessed Virgin in the Scriptural Exegesis of the Fathers of the First Six Centuries.
We propose in this Chapter to illustrate the teaching of the early Fathers on Our Lady from their Scriptural exegesis. With this object we shall give numerous extracts from their writings, in which they interpret passages of Scripture of the Blessed Virgin, or apply them to her. The field is a large one. We occupy it thus early, both for its own sake, and also that the reader may have at once an ample storehouse containing rich treasures of very varied kind which the Fathers have laid at Mary's feet, but which from their close connection with the Sacred text could hardly bear sorting and rearrangement. This method will, moreover, have the advantage of presenting beforehand, in one general view, the sublime idea that the Fathers had of all those various excellencies and prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin, which in due course we shall treat of more fully in detail.
A sure test of the greater or less importance attached by the Fathers to any particular doctrinal matter would be the place they held it to occupy, and the recognition they claimed for it, in Holy Writ. Christ had Himself proclaimed that the Law of Moses, the Psalms and all the Scriptures spoke of Him.¹ The Apostles testified to the same truth.² To the mind of S. Paul, so much was the Divine Incarnate Word, the one central theme, the sum and substance of all former inspiration, that even the historical facts of the Old Testament seemed to derive for him their chief meaning and value from their being figurative of what was to meet with its fulfilment under the Gospel in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.³
The early Fathers set themselves at once to develop this idea, and to show it forth in detail. Accordingly in their commentaries, and explanations of particular texts, following out this view, they appear to press everything into their service, and to find the Incarnate Word, and what bears upon His person, character, and work, in every page of Scripture, whatever might be the nature of its subject-matter, whether historical, or allegorical, or prophetic, or didactic, or devotional, or moral, or ceremonial, or mystical. For all these, in patristic exegesis, are made to yield figures and types, predictions and allusions, referring directly or indirectly, to the mysteries of Redemption. We may grant that this mystical and figurative method was sometimes carried too far by early writers, that some of their interpretations are forced and strained, and their applications fanciful and arbitrary; we may doubt, moreover, whether in many cases they made them with any more serious end in view than that of pious accommodation, or mere illustration — still this very exaggeration serves to show how strong was their conviction that the doctrinal truths they thus illustrated, were deeply imbedded in the sense of Scripture, and though not apparent in the letter, were contained in its spirit; whilst the intimate association that was conceived of these truths with the Sacred text gives evidence of their importance in the mind of the writers.
As a consequence of dwelling so much on the mystical sense of Scripture, no doubt too little attention was bestowed by the earlier commentators on its literal and more obvious meaning. Hence by degrees a reaction set in, and a new school of interpretation took its rise, especially in the East under S. Chrysostom who brings out into greater prominence the literal sense of the Sacred text.
Whilst, however, the more general rule of these later commentators was to explain with greater fulness the primary and literal meaning of Scripture, they by no means ignored or passed over its mystical sense; for of this frequent applications are to be found in their writings. But besides their more literal method, what perhaps most distinguishes them from earlier Fathers, is their greater tendency to draw from the Sacred text moral lessons and practical conclusions, in place of such as were of a more mystical character. This is particularly noticeable in S. Chrysostom's commentaries, and almost at every turn, as we shall later on have occasion to show.
It is well remarked, as a characteristic note of those ecclesiastical writers who are most in esteem for their sanctity, orthodox teaching, profound science of theology and Scriptural exegesis, that they have been ever forward to encourage the mystical, in addition to the literal, interpretation of the Sacred text; whereas, many authors held in less repute, have been prominent in discountenancing the mystical sense, and those of doubtful orthodoxy for the most part, wholly reject it. We know the mind of the Church on this matter from the frequent application that she makes of Holy Scripture in her Sacred books, and from the general language of her Liturgy.
There are two subjects which — next after Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word, and because they are most intimately connected with Him — come more generally prominent in the commentaries of the Fathers than any others: and these are His Blessed Mother and His holy Church. Other matters, doubtless, occupy more largely the attention of individual writers in their comments. But of patristic exegesis as a whole, these two are habitual themes, and seem to form, in the minds of the early Fathers, part of the very substance of Divine inspiration, or the most precious golden threads woven throughout its web.
Hence, as the Fathers find throughout all Scripture the Incarnate Word, so do they seem to discover everywhere and at every turn allusions to His Mother and His Church: and as they say that all the prophecies and types were fulfilled in Him, so also they speak — of course, with due measure of signification, and because of their intimate relation to Him — regarding Mary and the Church.
Though the Blessed Virgin is the sole theme of this work, we have here made mention of the Church in conjunction with her, because they are continually linked together by the Fathers in their Scriptural comments. Frequently the very same language and applications that they make use of for the one, are elsewhere in their writings referred to the other. From this, so to say, identification of Mary with the Church in the thought of the Fathers, many passages on the Church in their commentaries, may justly, we hold, be applied also to the Blessed Virgin, even though no distinct mention is made in them of her.
In patristic interpretation of Scripture the Church holds a much larger and more prominent part than Our Lady, as being the mystical Body of Christ, which was in a certain sense and in the moral order, the very end of the Incarnation itself; and of which Mary, though the queen and spiritual Mother, is herself but a fellow-member with ourselves. It is in their dogmatic treatises that the Fathers dwell most on the Virgin Mother, and also in many of their writings that are of a more moral and devotional character, as we shall see later on.
We purpose in a future Chapter to dwell more at length on the patristic view of the relation between Mary and the Church.
The comments of the Fathers on passages from the Old Testament are given in their biblical order. With regard to the New Testament, they are, for the most part, grouped together under the several mysteries or events to which they are referable.
Footnotes
1. Luke xxiv. 44-46.
2. 1 Peter i. 10-12.
3. 1 Cor. x. 6-11.
We propose in this Chapter to illustrate the teaching of the early Fathers on Our Lady from their Scriptural exegesis. With this object we shall give numerous extracts from their writings, in which they interpret passages of Scripture of the Blessed Virgin, or apply them to her. The field is a large one. We occupy it thus early, both for its own sake, and also that the reader may have at once an ample storehouse containing rich treasures of very varied kind which the Fathers have laid at Mary's feet, but which from their close connection with the Sacred text could hardly bear sorting and rearrangement. This method will, moreover, have the advantage of presenting beforehand, in one general view, the sublime idea that the Fathers had of all those various excellencies and prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin, which in due course we shall treat of more fully in detail.
A sure test of the greater or less importance attached by the Fathers to any particular doctrinal matter would be the place they held it to occupy, and the recognition they claimed for it, in Holy Writ. Christ had Himself proclaimed that the Law of Moses, the Psalms and all the Scriptures spoke of Him.¹ The Apostles testified to the same truth.² To the mind of S. Paul, so much was the Divine Incarnate Word, the one central theme, the sum and substance of all former inspiration, that even the historical facts of the Old Testament seemed to derive for him their chief meaning and value from their being figurative of what was to meet with its fulfilment under the Gospel in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.³
The early Fathers set themselves at once to develop this idea, and to show it forth in detail. Accordingly in their commentaries, and explanations of particular texts, following out this view, they appear to press everything into their service, and to find the Incarnate Word, and what bears upon His person, character, and work, in every page of Scripture, whatever might be the nature of its subject-matter, whether historical, or allegorical, or prophetic, or didactic, or devotional, or moral, or ceremonial, or mystical. For all these, in patristic exegesis, are made to yield figures and types, predictions and allusions, referring directly or indirectly, to the mysteries of Redemption. We may grant that this mystical and figurative method was sometimes carried too far by early writers, that some of their interpretations are forced and strained, and their applications fanciful and arbitrary; we may doubt, moreover, whether in many cases they made them with any more serious end in view than that of pious accommodation, or mere illustration — still this very exaggeration serves to show how strong was their conviction that the doctrinal truths they thus illustrated, were deeply imbedded in the sense of Scripture, and though not apparent in the letter, were contained in its spirit; whilst the intimate association that was conceived of these truths with the Sacred text gives evidence of their importance in the mind of the writers.
As a consequence of dwelling so much on the mystical sense of Scripture, no doubt too little attention was bestowed by the earlier commentators on its literal and more obvious meaning. Hence by degrees a reaction set in, and a new school of interpretation took its rise, especially in the East under S. Chrysostom who brings out into greater prominence the literal sense of the Sacred text.
Whilst, however, the more general rule of these later commentators was to explain with greater fulness the primary and literal meaning of Scripture, they by no means ignored or passed over its mystical sense; for of this frequent applications are to be found in their writings. But besides their more literal method, what perhaps most distinguishes them from earlier Fathers, is their greater tendency to draw from the Sacred text moral lessons and practical conclusions, in place of such as were of a more mystical character. This is particularly noticeable in S. Chrysostom's commentaries, and almost at every turn, as we shall later on have occasion to show.
It is well remarked, as a characteristic note of those ecclesiastical writers who are most in esteem for their sanctity, orthodox teaching, profound science of theology and Scriptural exegesis, that they have been ever forward to encourage the mystical, in addition to the literal, interpretation of the Sacred text; whereas, many authors held in less repute, have been prominent in discountenancing the mystical sense, and those of doubtful orthodoxy for the most part, wholly reject it. We know the mind of the Church on this matter from the frequent application that she makes of Holy Scripture in her Sacred books, and from the general language of her Liturgy.
There are two subjects which — next after Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word, and because they are most intimately connected with Him — come more generally prominent in the commentaries of the Fathers than any others: and these are His Blessed Mother and His holy Church. Other matters, doubtless, occupy more largely the attention of individual writers in their comments. But of patristic exegesis as a whole, these two are habitual themes, and seem to form, in the minds of the early Fathers, part of the very substance of Divine inspiration, or the most precious golden threads woven throughout its web.
Hence, as the Fathers find throughout all Scripture the Incarnate Word, so do they seem to discover everywhere and at every turn allusions to His Mother and His Church: and as they say that all the prophecies and types were fulfilled in Him, so also they speak — of course, with due measure of signification, and because of their intimate relation to Him — regarding Mary and the Church.
Though the Blessed Virgin is the sole theme of this work, we have here made mention of the Church in conjunction with her, because they are continually linked together by the Fathers in their Scriptural comments. Frequently the very same language and applications that they make use of for the one, are elsewhere in their writings referred to the other. From this, so to say, identification of Mary with the Church in the thought of the Fathers, many passages on the Church in their commentaries, may justly, we hold, be applied also to the Blessed Virgin, even though no distinct mention is made in them of her.
In patristic interpretation of Scripture the Church holds a much larger and more prominent part than Our Lady, as being the mystical Body of Christ, which was in a certain sense and in the moral order, the very end of the Incarnation itself; and of which Mary, though the queen and spiritual Mother, is herself but a fellow-member with ourselves. It is in their dogmatic treatises that the Fathers dwell most on the Virgin Mother, and also in many of their writings that are of a more moral and devotional character, as we shall see later on.
We purpose in a future Chapter to dwell more at length on the patristic view of the relation between Mary and the Church.
The comments of the Fathers on passages from the Old Testament are given in their biblical order. With regard to the New Testament, they are, for the most part, grouped together under the several mysteries or events to which they are referable.
Footnotes
1. Luke xxiv. 44-46.
2. 1 Peter i. 10-12.
3. 1 Cor. x. 6-11.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre