De Veteri Et Novo Testamento Quaestiones

Questions of Saint Isidore, Bishop of Seville, on the Old and New Testament. Question One. Tell me, what is the difference between the New and the Old Testament? He answers: The Old is the sin of Adam; whence the Apostle says: Death reigned from Adam to Moses (Rom. 5:14), and so forth. The New is Christ born of the Virgin. Whence the Prophet says: Sing to the Lord a new song: because a new man has come; he brought new precepts, that is, the New Testament. Question II. Tell me, how many books are understood in the New Testament? He answers: Twenty-seven, and in the Old Testament there are forty-five books of the law of Moses; according to the seventy-two languages, seventy-two books are understood. The Old is when a man takes away the property of others; the New, when he bestows his own. The Old is when evil is returned for evil, whence it is said: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and other things which pertain to vengeance. The New is to love one’s enemies. The Lord said in the Gospel: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you (Matt. 5:44).

The Old is that sinners descend into hell; the New is that the converted enter into the kingdom of the Lord. And the Old will be that all sinners and impious ones descend into hell on the day of judgment, where they will remain forever. The New is that all the just enter into the kingdom of the Lord; whence Saint Peter says: “A new heaven and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13); and the former things will be new in memory. And the Old will be to be purged in purgatorial fire for minor sins; the New, when one has been purged from there, to enter into the kingdom of the Lord. Question Three. Tell me, in how many ways is “book” said? He answers: Four: books are said for reading, or for freeing. “Codex” is said for storing. “Volume” is said for rolling. Question Four. Tell me, the first letter “a” from what did it take its name “a”? From angels, from before the ages, from Adam, from soul. Question Five. Tell me, by what names is “a” said? He answers: Three, that is, “aleph” in Hebrew, “alpha” in Greek, “a” in Latin.

QUESTION VI. Tell me, in what language is "Evangelium" said? In Greek; and in Latin, that is, good announcement. QUESTION VII. Tell me, why did the Lord say to Abraham: Leave your land, and your kindred, and your father's house (Gen. 12:1)? Abraham bore the person of Christ. Just as Abraham left his land, and kindred, and his father's house, and came into a land which he did not know, so also Christ left his own people, that is, the Jews. Thus we leave our own land when we despise the riches of this world and its resources, and our kindred, that is, vices, and our father's house, that is, the memory of this world. QUESTION VIII. Tell me, the name "apostles" is said in what language? He answered: In Greek; in Latin they are interpreted as "sent." QUESTION IX. Tell me, "episcopus" is said in what language? He answered: In Greek; in Latin, "overseers." But "episcopus" is a name of work, not of honor. Let him know that he is not a bishop who desires to be over others, not to be of benefit.

QUESTION X. Tell me, in what language is "clerus" said? It answers: In Greek; in Latin it is interpreted as "the Lord's lot." QUESTION XI. Tell me, in what language is "abba" said? In Hebrew, in Greek "father," in Latin "genitor." QUESTION XII. Tell me, who was the first cleric? It answers: Saint Peter. QUESTION XIII. Tell me, how many things did almighty God create from nothing? It answers: Four, that is, angel, and soul, heaven, and earth. The remaining creatures proceed from these. QUESTION XIV. Tell me, what is understood by heaven? It answers: Angel, and earth, that is, holy Church. And heaven is just souls, and earth is sinners. QUESTION XV. Tell me, in how many ways is God believed? It answers: In three or four, that is, God must be believed to be good, perfect, omnipotent, everlasting, because without these he cannot be called God. QUESTION XVI. Tell me, in how many ways is God worshipped? It answers: In three: he who is worshipped does not worship; he who is creator and not a creature; he who is without sin and forgives sins.

QUESTION XVII. Tell me, in how many ways does God work justice with his saints? It answers: In three: he shows, so that they may know; he persuades, so that they may love; he helps, so that they may accomplish. QUESTION XVIII. Tell me, why did Adam receive the commandment? It answers: Lest he think himself God, but subject. QUESTION XIX. Tell me, why was the face of Moses terrible to the people? It answers: Because he was giving the law to sinners. QUESTION XX. Tell me, in the Apocalypse, for what reason does it say: Take the book and eat it; and it will be in my mouth sweet as honey, and bitter in the belly (Apoc. 10:9-10)? It answers: The Scripture is honeyed in the mouth of the Church, which are the wise and faithful; it is bitter in raging heretics. QUESTION XXI. Tell me, why was the Lord circumcised, and why should men not circumcise? It answers: Because he performed circumcision to end the Old Testament, but baptism to begin the New.

QUESTION XXII. Tell me, why did the Savior hunger? So that he might mock Satan. QUESTION XXIII. Tell me, why did Christ fast for no more than forty days? He answers: So that he might agree with Moses and Elijah. QUESTION XXIV. Tell me, how was the father of the Jews a liar? That is: Cain was called the father of the Jews, who said to the Lord: I do not know where my brother is, whom he had killed. And the father of Cain, that is, the devil, who lied to Adam: That you will not die by death if you have transgressed the Lord's commandment. QUESTION XXV. Tell me, why was it said: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and the rest that pertain to vengeance? He answers: So that there might be fear among the people, lest anything be permitted that one did not wish for oneself. QUESTION XXVI. Tell me, in how many or in how many ways is justice spoken of? He answers: Five. The justice of the Old Testament, the justice of the New Testament, justice for judging, justice for mercy, justice which is seen to be from men.

QUESTION XXVII. Tell me, how much does fire contain in itself? Four things: that is, it burns, illuminates, warms, and sanctifies. However, it does not have sanctification in its own nature, although it holds the figure of the Holy Spirit, who burns vices, warms the cold soul, sanctifies the sinner, illuminates the heart, whence he puts the darkness of ignorance to flight. QUESTION XXVIII. Tell me, what is understood in this which is said: Give seven parts, and also eight. He answers: The Jews did not give eight parts, denying the resurrection of the Lord's day; but they gave seven parts, believing in the Sabbath. You, however, believe in and honor both, that is, the new and the old laws, so that you are neither a Jew nor a Gentile. QUESTION XXIX. Tell me, why is the head named? He answers: Because from it the senses and nerves take their beginning. QUESTION XXX. Tell me, what language is "eleemosyna" said in, or what does it mean? In Greek it is said "eleemosyna," which in Latin is said "my God's reward." "Misericordia" is named from a wretched heart: whence the Lord is called merciful, and because he comes to the aid of a man having a wretched heart.

QUESTION XXXI. Tell me, how many, or what kinds of spirits did almighty God create? He answered: Three: one, which is not covered with flesh, that is, of angels; another, which is covered with flesh, and will not die with the flesh, that is, of men; a third, which is covered with flesh, and will die with the flesh, that is, of beasts and brute animals. Man, therefore, was created as if in the middle, so that he would be inferior to angels, superior to beasts. QUESTION XXXII. Tell me, in how many modes does love or charity consist? In four. That is, first in the fear or love of God. Second, that we love God as ourselves. Third, neighbors. Fourth, also enemies. Therefore we ought to love God more than ourselves; the neighbor, as ourselves; the enemy, as the neighbor. And unless we have first loved God, we will be able to love ourselves least of all. QUESTION XXXIII. Tell me, in how many ways is the kingdom of God understood? He answered: Five: that is, Christ, faith, the Gospel, the present Church, or the kingdom of heaven itself. Penance was not preached before John, because he himself said: "Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near" (Matthew 3:2).

QUESTION XXXIV. Tell me, for what reasons did the Lord wish to be baptized by John? He answered: For four: first, because He was born a man, to fulfill all justice and humility. Second, the baptism, so that John might confirm his own baptism. Third, so that John might sanctify the waters. Fourth, so that no one might disdain being baptized by his own servant, since the Lord Himself was baptized by His own servant. QUESTION XXXV. Tell me, how, or when, did Christ fulfill the seven grades? He answered: The first grade, lector, when He opened the book of the prophet Isaiah and said: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me" (Luke 4:18). The second grade, exorcist, when He cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene. The third grade, subdeacon, when He made wine from water at Cana in Galilee. The fourth grade, deacon, when He washed the feet of His disciples. The fifth grade, presbyter, when He blessed the bread, and broke it, and gave it to His disciples. These five grades Christ fulfilled before the Passion.

The sixth step is the doorkeeper, when he said: "Lift up your gates, O princes, and be raised up, eternal gates" (Psalm 24:7). The seventh step is the bishop, when he raised his hand over the heads of his disciples and blessed them. QUESTION XXXVI. Tell me, what is this that the Lord said in the Gospel: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"? He answered: What does the camel signify but the gentile men, who before Christ came were twisted and humpbacked, worshipping or adoring idols? What is that opening but the incarnation of Christ in the womb of holy Mary described? What is that rich man but the Jews, who prided themselves as rich from the letter of the law? The Lord had three refuges, that is, on the mountain, in the desert, and in the sea. An example for us to ascend to higher righteousness as on a mountain; to pursue the contemplative life as in a desert; to flee as in the sea.

QUESTION 37. Tell me, of what substances does man consist? He replied: Three, that is, soul and body. The soul is one, which, when it contemplates, is spirit; when it senses, is sense; when it knows, is soul; when it understands, is mind; when it discerns, is reason; when it consents, is will; when it remembers, is memory; when it animates the limbs, is soul. QUESTION 38. There are seven modes of preaching, that is, teaching, persuading, rebuking, arguing, terrifying, soothing, and promising: that is, teaching disciples, persuading persons, rebuking the proud, arguing against opponents, terrifying the timid, soothing the wrathful, promising to the wicked and the good, torments to the wicked, eternal life to the good. QUESTION 39. Tell me, who first prophesied? He replied: Adam, when he said: "This now is bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh." QUESTION 40. Tell me, how many virtues does a small infant have? He replied: Four: He does not remember when hurt; he does not persist in anger; he does not delight in a beautiful woman; he does not think one thing and say another.

QUESTION 41. Tell me, why was there a flood upon the earth? He replied: The sons of God took the daughters of men from among all those whom they had chosen for themselves; and sons were born from them. Those were giants, and they did many evil things on the earth, and it did not please the Lord. For that reason the Lord destroyed them by the waters of the flood.