Letter 36: Jerome's reply to the foregoing. For the second and fourth questions he refers Damasus to the writings of Tertullian, Novatian, and Origen. The remaining three he deals with in detail.
Letter 36: To Pope Damasus (384 AD, Rome)
[Jerome's reply to the five questions above. For questions 2 and 4, he refers Damasus to existing treatments by Tertullian, Novatian, and Origen. The remaining three he tackles in detail. This is Jerome at his scholarly best — and most confident — advising the bishop of Rome on the finer points of Hebrew exegesis.]
On Genesis 4:15, Jerome explains that the verse means the slayer of Cain shall complete the sevenfold vengeance destined for him.
On Exodus 13:18 versus Genesis 15:16, he proposes reconciling them by supposing that one passage refers to the tribe of Levi and the other to the tribe of Judah. He also suggests that the words the Septuagint renders as 'in the fifth generation' more likely mean 'armed' or 'laden' [the Hebrew word 'chamushim' is genuinely ambiguous].
On the question about Isaac being deceived, Jerome makes the striking concession: 'No human being — except the One who for our salvation put on flesh — has complete knowledge or a full grasp of truth. Paul, Samuel, David, Elisha — all make mistakes. Holy men know only what God chooses to reveal to them.' He then offers a mystical interpretation of the passage drawn from the writings of the martyr Hippolytus [of Rome, c. 170-235 AD, an important early Christian theologian].
Written the day after receiving Damasus's letter — Jerome didn't waste time when the Pope asked questions.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
Related Letters
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