Difference between revisions of "Augustine's error - 001"

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(His first mistake)
 
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==Underestimating the wisdom of God==
 
Possessing a classical education which included philosophy, rhetoric and grammar as well as a sophisticated  and technical understanding of the nature and functioning of language, Augustine desired to convince his educated peers that the Bible was to be respected as fine literature. This was his first mistake.
 
 
:[[1Co 1:20]] Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
 
  
The Bible is not merely fine literature. It is the infinitely sublime wisdom of God which is considered foolishness to the world and which makes the wisdom of the world to be foolishness. By attempting to make it conform to the standards of fine writing, he reduced it and limited discovery to those things which merely human methods could discover.
 
  
==Philosophical arrogance==
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==Straw man argument==
His fundamental error was the proposition that God spoke to man in stories in order that the most simple among fallen men could understand what he wished to communicate.  This is contrary to what Jesus said:
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On Christian Doctrine, in Four Books Preface 2-9
  
:[[Lu 8:10]] And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
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Augustine supposes to put down all objections to his rules before he states them:  
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:1. "There are some, then, likely to object to this work of mine, because they have failed to understand the rules here laid down."
  
God hid the true meaning from them.
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:2. "Others, again, will think that I have spent my labour to no purpose, because, though they understand the rules, yet in their attempts to apply them and to interpret Scripture by them, they have failed to clear up the point they wish cleared up; and these, because they have received no assistance from this work themselves, will give it as their opinion that it can be of no use to anybody."
  
:[[1Co 2:7]] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
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:3. "There is a third class of objectors who either really do understand Scripture well, or think they do, and who, because they know (or imagine) that they have attained a certain power of interpreting the sacred books without reading any directions of the kind that I propose to lay down here, will cry out that such rules are not necessary for any one, but that everything rightly done towards clearing up the obscurities of Scripture could be better done by the unassisted grace of God."
  
Although the message of the Gospel is simple, and can be understood from the literal message of the Bible, God has hidden the message of the Gospel in the scriptures from the beginning.
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Having first seen Christ revealed in the scriptures, then and only then evaluating Augustine's works, can I say that he is in error because his rules obfuscate Christ and prevent the sincere reader from discovering him in much of the sacred text.
  
:[[Eph 3:9]] And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
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There are indeed [[What are the strict set of rules followed by sensus plenior?| rules]], and helps and hints. These are taught by none less than the prophets and the apostles. Their instruction will be shown in future articles.
  
==An improper beginning==
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-->[[Augustine's error - 002]]
"We have wandered far from God, and if we wish to return..." hold that thought Augustine.
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[[Category: Augustine's error]]
 
 
:Ps 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
 
 
 
We did not merely wander from God. We were born sinful with carnal minds at war with God. ([[Ro 8.7]])
 
 
 
==
 

Latest revision as of 11:08, 27 November 2014


Straw man argument

On Christian Doctrine, in Four Books Preface 2-9

Augustine supposes to put down all objections to his rules before he states them:

1. "There are some, then, likely to object to this work of mine, because they have failed to understand the rules here laid down."
2. "Others, again, will think that I have spent my labour to no purpose, because, though they understand the rules, yet in their attempts to apply them and to interpret Scripture by them, they have failed to clear up the point they wish cleared up; and these, because they have received no assistance from this work themselves, will give it as their opinion that it can be of no use to anybody."
3. "There is a third class of objectors who either really do understand Scripture well, or think they do, and who, because they know (or imagine) that they have attained a certain power of interpreting the sacred books without reading any directions of the kind that I propose to lay down here, will cry out that such rules are not necessary for any one, but that everything rightly done towards clearing up the obscurities of Scripture could be better done by the unassisted grace of God."

Having first seen Christ revealed in the scriptures, then and only then evaluating Augustine's works, can I say that he is in error because his rules obfuscate Christ and prevent the sincere reader from discovering him in much of the sacred text.

There are indeed rules, and helps and hints. These are taught by none less than the prophets and the apostles. Their instruction will be shown in future articles.

-->Augustine's error - 002