De Doctrina Christiana
Augustine's treatise on biblical interpretation and Christian eloquence, containing his influential endorsement of the Italic/Old Latin edition of Scripture as "more tenacious of the words while preserving the clarity of the meaning."
Preliminaries
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PREFACE TO THE READER (1)
— Augustine cited (Book II) as preferring the Italic/Old Latin edition for being "more tenacious of the words while preserving the clarity of the meaning"
"there stands the splendid testimony of St. Augustine in the second book of On Christian Doctrine, where he judged that, among all the Latin editions then circulating in great numbers, the Italic should be preferred"
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
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Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture
— Book II, chapter 31 cited: Sacred Scripture condemns sophistry and employs solid logic
"That Sacred Scripture condemns sophistry, and employs solid argumentation and logic, St. Augustine teaches in Book II of On Christian Doctrine, chapter 31."
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Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture
— Book III, chapter 35 cited: mathematical knowledge drawn from numbers in Scripture
"Concerning the mathematical knowledge drawn from numbers, the same author teaches in Book III of On Christian Doctrine, chapter 35."
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Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture
— End of Book II quoted: all knowledge from Gentile books is less than what Scripture contains
"As much as the quantity of gold, silver, and clothing which the Hebrew people carried with them from Egypt is less than the riches they afterwards obtained in Jerusalem"
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Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture
— Book II, chapter 40 cited: all understanding referred to faith, hope, and charity
"the whole understanding of them is referred to these three, says St. Augustine, Book II of On Christian Doctrine, chapter 40"
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Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers
— Book II, chapters 10, 11, and 13 cited: knowledge of Hebrew and Greek necessary for understanding Scripture
"the knowledge of both languages is necessary, as St. Augustine teaches, book II of On Christian Doctrine, chapter 10"
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Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study
— Book II, chapter 9 cited: first observation is to know the books by reading
"In all these books," he says, "those who fear God and are gentle in piety seek the will of God; the first observation of this work or labor is, as we said, to know these books, and if not yet unto understanding, yet by reading either to commit them to memory, or at least not to have them entirely unknown"
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Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study
— Book II, chapter 41 quoted: student of Scripture should consider the Apostle's saying on knowledge and charity
"Let the student of Scripture consider," he says, "that Apostolic saying: Knowledge puffs up, but charity builds up"
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The Fathers' Defense of the Old Testament
— Book II, chapter 6 cited: divine provision that difficult Scripture recalls man from pride and boredom
"St. Augustine, in book II of On Christian Doctrine, chapter 6, teaches that it was divinely provided that the study of so complex and difficult a Sacred Scripture should recall man both from pride and from boredom."