Letter 13

From: Avitus, bishop of Vienne To: King Gundobad of the Burgundians Date: ~504 AD Context: Avitus responds to a theological question from the Arian king about a prophecy of Isaiah, carefully arguing that it was fulfilled in Christ's incarnation. Bishop Avitus, bishop of Vienne, to the lord King Gundobad. Although you ought to have consulted more learned bishops about this prophetic reading — among whom I dare not count myself — I still wish to satisfy your command at least with obedience, even if I cannot match it with learning. What you ask me to explain is, even in its bare text — let alone its exposition — quite lengthy and demands more time for discussion than the brief compass of a letter allows. I will therefore answer as briefly as I can. The passage from the prophet Isaiah that you appended to the letter you sent me was fulfilled long ago — that is, at the time of the Lord's incarnation. The prophecy speaks of a peace that has already come in Christ, not one still awaited. The swords beaten into plowshares and the spears into pruning hooks describe the transformation that faith works in human hearts: turning the weapons of division into the tools of cultivation, making those who were enemies into brothers in one Lord.

Avitus Viennensis episcopus domno Gundobado regi. Licet de lectione prophetica scitos magis, inter quos ipse profiteri non audeo, debueritis consulere sacerdotes, opto tamen iussioni vestrae satisfacere vel oboedientia, etsi nequeo respondere doctrina. Ita, quod indicari vobis iubetis, etiam textu, ne dicam expositione, prolixum est et maiorem disputationis vacationem postulat, quam succincta celeritas rescripti epistularis admittat. Et idcirco quanta possum brevitate respondeo, quod ex propheta Isaia directae ad me termino paginae subdidistis, iam dudum, id est tempore dominicae incarnationis, impletum. Nam cum dicat: Ex Sion egredie- tur lex et verbum domini ex Hierusalem, tractate diligentius, an, quae adhuc expectari debeat, promulgandae legis restet auctoritas. Certe post verbum dei, quod caro factum est, ut per nativitatem corporis habitaret in nobis, si adhuc ex Hierusalem aliud verbum sperandum est, istud, quod supra diximus, unicum non est, Vnde incunctanter in eo, quem proposuistis, loco sermo patris Christus et lex Christiana praedicata est. Quia cum duae leges sint, id est Iudaica, quae praecessit, et nostra, quae sequitur, et illa vetusta iam etiam prophetarum temporibus diceretur, videtis ab Isaia istam tantummodo nuntiari, quae vocatione gentium magisterio Christi docentis exorta est. Vnde sequitur: et iudicabit inter medium gentium et increpa- bit populos multos. Quos ex cunctis cognationibus terrae intra unam ecclesiam dominus noster iudicando instituit et arguendo convertit. Quod vero ait: concident gladios suos in aratra et lanceas suas in falces, licet possit de corporea aetate domini, in qua per orbem quietum inconcussa pax floruit, aliquantisper intellegi: evidentius hoc tamen Christianis fidelibus coaptatur, quorum cum maiori numero desit ac defuerit ferri usus, quem in perniciem hominis malitia primae nativitatis armaverat, ad usus salutis vitalemque culturam nativitas secunda convertat. Nam cum in evangelio de fine saeculi praedicetur: Exurgent gens contra gentem et regnum contra regnum, et ex ipsis malorum indiciis imminere iam paene mundi terminum colli- gamus, nisi quod supra dixi de catholicis figuraliter accipiatur, nescio, ut quid post saeculi finem obtunsa telorum acies in ligones et vomeres commutetur. Illud vero, quod imo lectionis iussistis adiungi, id est: requiescet unus quisque sub vite sua et sub ficu, nec esse in eadem lectione nec ad causam de qua consuluistis suggero pertinere. Quod tamen temporibus priscis Iudaeorum populo, meriti alternante distantia, frequenter aut pro peccati emendatione concessum, aut rursum pro succeden- tium culparum castigatione sublatum est.