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Library / Commentaries and Disputations on Genesis, Volume I

Book Two — the heavens and the stars

QUESTION II. In what manner the world, which according to substance shall never be corrupted, is to be changed and renewed after the day of judgment

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QUESTION II. In what manner the world, which according to substance shall never be corrupted, is to be changed and renewed after the day of judgment.1

QUAESTIO II. Quomodo mundus qui secundum substantiam nunquam corrumpetur, post diem iudicii sit immutandus atque renovandus.

VERUMTAMEN, licet nec caelum nec elementa secundum substantiam interitura sint post diem iudicii, aliter tamen se habebunt quam nunc sunt. Retinebunt quidem elementa raritatem et densitatem, gravitatem et levitatem (nam propter has qualitates certum habent ordinem certaque loca in universo); servabunt etiam qualitates activas, velut calorem et frigus, humoremque atque siccitatem (sine his enim nec nisi miraculose, nec nisi imperfecte et quodammodo aequivoce constare possunt): non tamen hae qualitates tunc exercebunt vires et facultates suas, quia tunc nulla futura est generatio et corruptio; haec enim renovationi et perfectioni illius status repugnant. Cessabit autem illarum qualitatum actio, Deo suspendente earum usum et cohibente concursum suum cum illis qualitatibus ad agendum: hoc autem non videbitur incredibile consideranti prorsus idem eventurum qualitatibus activis quae erunt in corporibus hominum post resurrectionem iam glorificatis, et incorruptione atque impassibilitate donatis. Simile quiddam etiam de caelis et astris sentire convenit: servabunt enim lucem et splendorem ad illuminandum, sed non ad calefaciendum vel quippiam producendum, sed ut a motu, sic ab hac quoque actione vacabunt. Quod ut crederemus aliquando futurum, praemisit Deus aliqua harum rerum exempla, veluti cum tempore Iosue solis et lunae motus cohibitus est, et ignis in fornace Babylonica vim urendi aut etiam calefaciendi non exeruit. Moses item bis quadraginta dies atque noctes sine ullo cibo potuque, inoffenso corpore, perduravit. Non agere autem inter se qualitates ele[mentorum]...
NEVERTHELESS, although neither the heaven nor the elements shall perish in substance after the day of judgment, they will yet be otherwise than they now are. The elements will indeed retain rarity and density, gravity and levity (for on account of these qualities they have a fixed order and fixed places in the universe); they will keep also the active qualities, such as heat and cold, moisture and dryness (for without these they cannot subsist except miraculously, and except imperfectly and in a manner equivocally): yet these qualities will not then exercise their forces and faculties, because then there will be no generation and corruption; for these are repugnant to the renovation and perfection of that state. The action of those qualities will cease, God suspending their use and withholding His concurrence with those qualities for acting: and this will not seem incredible to one who considers that the very same will befall the active qualities which will be in the bodies of men after the resurrection, now glorified, and endowed with incorruption and impassibility. Something similar it is fitting to hold also of the heavens and the stars: for they will keep their light and splendor for illuminating, but not for heating or producing anything; rather, as from motion, so from this action also they will rest. And that we might believe this would one day come to pass, God set forth beforehand some examples of these things, as when in the time of Joshua the motion of the sun and moon was checked, and the fire in the Babylonian furnace put forth no power of burning, or even of heating. Moses likewise endured twice forty days and nights without any food or drink, his body unharmed. And that the qualities of the elements do not act upon one another...2
...[ele]mentorum, nec lucem syderum calefacere, quamvis nunc ingens esset miraculum, tunc tamen, posita semel totius mundi renovatione, non erunt miracula, sed quodammodo naturaliter et necessario erunt illi statui consequentia, maximeque congruentia, et ad ordinariam Dei providentiam circa illum statum pertinebunt. Cessaturum autem esse motum caeli post diem iudicii, nec eam tamen vacationem a motu fore caelo violentam, infra docebimus, ubi disputabitur an caeli moveantur ab Angelis.
...of the elements, nor the light of the heavenly bodies to give heat—although now it would be a vast miracle—nevertheless then, the renovation of the whole world being once supposed, these will not be miracles, but will in a manner be naturally and necessarily consequent upon that state, most congruous with it, and will belong to the ordinary providence of God concerning that state. That the motion of the heaven will cease after the day of judgment, and yet that this rest from motion will not be violent to the heaven, we shall teach below, where it will be disputed whether the heavens are moved by Angels.3
PORRO, etsi nec caeli nec elementa post diem iudicii secundum substantiam interibunt, attamen omnia ex elementis mixta et composita corpora, tam inanima quam animata, praeter unum hominem, post diem iudicii omnino interibunt, sic ut nulla post id temporis sint futura. Etenim hoc manifeste docet B. Petrus cap. 3 posterioris epistolae suae, Terra, inquit, et quae ipsa sunt opera exurentur. Quod profecto ita fieri debere suadet ratio. Plantae enim et animalia propter hominem facta sunt, eius obsequio usui commoditatique addicta: Omnia, inquit David, subiecisti sub pedibus eius; et in lib. Geneseos cap. 9 Deus dixit Noë, Quasi olera virentia tradidi vobis omnia. Post diem autem iudicii, homine ad statum immortalitatis translato, nec istiusmodi rerum usu indigente, si ea manerent, frustra essent ac supervacua. Adiice quod post diem iudicii omnino cessabit motus caeli, ut infra dicemus, quo sublato generatio et corruptio istarum rerum constare non potest. Conservare autem omnium specierum individua, inrupta et impassibilia, similiter ut hominem, non videtur esse conveniens Dei sapientiae.
FURTHERMORE, although neither the heavens nor the elements will perish in substance after the day of judgment, yet all bodies mixed and composed of the elements, both inanimate and animate, save man alone, will after the day of judgment utterly perish, so that none will exist after that time. For this the blessed Peter teaches plainly in chapter 3 of his second epistle, The earth, he says, and the works that are in it shall be burned up. And that it ought indeed to be so, reason persuades. For plants and animals were made for the sake of man, assigned to his service, use, and convenience: All things, says David, thou hast put under his feet; and in the book of Genesis, chapter 9, God said to Noah, As the green herbs I have delivered all things to you. But after the day of judgment, when man is translated to the state of immortality and no longer needs the use of such things, if they remained they would be in vain and superfluous. Add that after the day of judgment the motion of the heaven will wholly cease, as we shall say below, and this being taken away, the generation and corruption of these things cannot stand. And to preserve the individuals of all species, unbroken and impassible, as man is preserved, does not seem to befit the wisdom of God.4
Cumque tunc futurus sit mundus incorruptibilis, ea tantum videntur esse remansura quae rationem aliquam habent incorruptibilitatis: haec autem triplex est. Quaedam enim et tota et secundum omnes partes sunt incorruptibilia, ut caeli; alia, si non tota, certe principem sui partem incorruptibilem habent, ut homo; sunt etiam quae, licet particulatim paulatimque intereant, attamen simul totae interire nequeunt, sed summa eorum semper manet integra: huiusmodi sunt elementa. Cetera vero ex elementis coagmentata corpora nullam habent in se rationem incorruptibilitatis, nisi secundum speciem, quae nihil ad rem praesentem facit: ut omittam Elementa non habere intra se causam aliquam efficientem sui interitus, et partes esse principales mundi, quibus eius integritas continetur.
And since the world will then be incorruptible, those things only seem destined to remain which have some ground of incorruptibility; and this is threefold. For some things are incorruptible both as a whole and in all their parts, as the heavens; others, if not as a whole, at least have their chief part incorruptible, as man; there are also those which, though they perish part by part and little by little, yet cannot all perish at once, but the sum of them ever remains entire: of this kind are the elements. But the rest of the bodies compacted of the elements have in themselves no ground of incorruptibility, except according to their species, which is nothing to the present purpose—to say nothing of the fact that the Elements have within themselves no efficient cause of their own perishing, and are the principal parts of the world, in which its integrity is contained.5
VERUM obiiciet nobis aliquis tot species lapidum, metallorum et animantium ad mundi decorem, ornatum atque perfectionem adeo pertinere, ut sine illis mundus non possit esse perfectus. Sed hoc solvitur: nam eiusmodi rerum species, licet pertineant ad perfectionem mundi prout is versatur in praesenti statu generationis et corruptionis, non tamen ea ratione ut mundus post diem iudicii ad alterum statum incorruptionis, a qua longe absunt istiusmodi res, traducetur. Ac licet stirpes et animantes per se dignitate naturae praestent elementis, tamen, si aestimetur ratio incorruptibilitatis, aliquo modo invenitur in elemen[tis]...
BUT someone will object to us that so many species of stones, metals, and living things pertain to the beauty, adornment, and perfection of the world, that without them the world could not be perfect. But this is solved: for the species of such things, though they pertain to the perfection of the world inasmuch as it is engaged in the present state of generation and corruption, do not pertain to it in such a way that the world will after the day of judgment be brought over into another, incorruptible state—from which such things are far removed. And although plants and living things are in themselves superior to the elements in dignity of nature, yet, if the ground of incorruptibility be weighed, it is in some manner found in the elemen[ts]...6
...[elemen]tis, et prout sine illis corporei huius mundi integritas constare nequit, non est negandum hoc nomine etiam animalia inferiora esse elementis. Sed qua ratione mundus post diem iudicii tot tamque eximiis rerum generibus carens, nomen et rationem universi iure obtinebit? An universum simpliciter et absolute appellari vere non poterit, nisi ea tantum ratione quod omnia contineat quaecumque secundum naturam suam sunt aliquo modo incorruptionis capacia (status enim ille mundi incorruptibilis non alias res complecti debet); an omnia istiusmodi rerum genera etiam in illo mundi statu quodammodo invenientur? videlicet in homine, in quo secundum generales gradus omnia genera mistorum eminenter continentur.
...the elements, and inasmuch as without them the integrity of this corporeal world cannot stand, it is not to be denied that in this respect the lower animals are inferior to the elements. But by what reasoning will the world, after the day of judgment, lacking so many and so excellent kinds of things, rightly obtain the name and character of a universe? Or will it not truly be able to be called a universe simply and absolutely, except on this ground alone, that it contains all things which by their own nature are in some manner capable of incorruption (for that incorruptible state of the world ought not to embrace other things)? Or will all such kinds of things in some manner be found even in that state of the world? namely, in man, in whom, according to their general grades, all the kinds of mixed things are eminently contained.7
Atque hoc habui dicere de proposita quaestione: non quin plura, siquidem et ingenio et materiae indulsissem, dicere potuerim, sed quod ad indicandam sententiam nostram et praecipuas difficultates enodandas, quae nunc dicta sunt, cuivis non indocto nec imperito sacrarum litterarum satis esse possent.
And this is what I had to say on the question proposed: not but that I could have said more, had I indulged both my wit and the material, but because, for indicating our opinion and untangling the chief difficulties, what has now been said could suffice for anyone not unlearned nor unskilled in the sacred writings.8
NEC SANE eorum quae de futuro post diem iudicii statu modo docuimus, hoc est de incorruptione caelorum et stirpium atque animalium interitu, valde aliena videntur quae in Collectaneis suis super 3 caput posterioris epistolae B. Petri annotavit Oecumenius, haud dubie ex antiquioribus Graecis scriptoribus, ut solet pleraque, mutuatus. Ad hunc enim modum scribit:
AND indeed, not far removed from those things which we have just taught about the future state after the day of judgment—that is, about the incorruption of the heavens and the perishing of plants and animals—are the things which Oecumenius noted in his Collections on chapter 3 of the second epistle of the blessed Peter, borrowed without doubt, as he is wont to borrow most things, from the older Greek writers. For he writes in this manner:9

Since there are two elements which most of all hold together this fabric of the universe and keep it cohering—water and fire—out of which the other two also come to be (for air consists of the exhalation of the waters, earth of their concretion; and both of these, that is the exhalation and the concretion out of water, the force of fire, naturally implanted in it by God, brings about): since, then, these two are the principal elements, and by water in the time of Noah the crimes of the impious were formerly blotted out, it is necessary that again the punishment of the impious be made by fire. And of this perishing of the world not the Christians only, but also the wise men of the Greeks, as Heraclitus of Ephesus and Empedocles of Etna, have taught. But someone will say: what reason is there why the world was founded, if it must perish again? To whom it is to be answered thus: that the world will then not utterly pass away to destruction, but will pass over into renovation. Whence also David says, Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. And if we are accustomed to refine metals by fire, we do not utterly destroy them so that they are not, but render them purer and more pure: so it is not to be believed that God, since He has promised the consummation of the world by fire, will either not do it, or, if He do it, will do it to the destruction and ruin of the world. For if some things shall be lost and consumed, what shall those be? These superfluous things, no doubt, suited to the present life—such as beasts of burden, grasses, and plants, some of which produce material for building tents and houses, others fruits for feeding men. But nourishment and feeding is a proof of corruption; and want and replenishing, and need of food—what else do they argue and foretell than corruption? These things, therefore, which are vain and superfluous, and do not pertain to that life which after the day of judgment shall be lived without corruption, shall all be corrupted. But new heavens and a new...10

Cum duo sint elementa quae hanc universi machinam maxime continent et cohaerentem conservant, aqua et ignis, ex quibus reliqua duo etiam existunt (nam aër ex aquarum exhalatione, terra ex earundem concretione constat: quae utraque, id est exhalationem et concretionem ex aqua, exprimit vis ignis naturaliter ei a Deo insita): cum igitur duo haec praecipua sint elementa, et per aquam prius tempore Noë impiorum scelera fuerint deleta, necesse est ut rursus impiorum punitio per ignem fiat. Ac de hoc quidem mundi interitu non Christiani solum, verum etiam Graecorum sapientes, ut Heraclitus Ephesius et Empedocles Aetnaeus, tradiderunt. Sed dicet quispiam, quae ratio est cur conditus fuerit mundus, si interire rursus debet? Cui ita respondendum est: Mundum tunc non in perniciem prorsus interiturum, sed in renovationem abiturum. Unde etiam David inquit, Renovabis faciem terrae. Quod si nos materias constare per ignes consueverimus, non penitus eas destruamus ne sint, sed ut purgatiores eas ac sinceriores reddamus: credendum non est Deum, cum per ignem consummationem mundi promiserit, vel id non facturum, vel si faciat, in perniciem et interitum mundi id esse facturum. Nam si perdentur et consumentur aliqua, quaenam illa erunt? Supervacua nimirum haec et praesenti vitae convenientia, cuiusmodi sunt iumenta, herbae et plantae, quae aliae materiam ad tabernacula et domos extruendas, aliae fructus ad alendos homines producunt. Alimentum autem et nutritio corruptionis argumentum est: defectus autem et repletio cibique indigentia quid aliud arguit et praenunciat quam corruptionem? Haec igitur, quae vana sunt et supervacua, nec ad vitam illam quae post diem iudicii sine corruptione agetur pertinentia, corrumpentur omnia. Novi vero caeli et nova...

...earth shall be put in their place, which yet will by no means be diverse in respect of matter: for, just as one who builds a new house does not make it out of no underlying matter, so God, since He once produced and formed matter at the beginning, will take away and destroy all that is necessary for the use of this life, but useless and superfluous for that other incorruptible life; whereas whatever shall be conducive to it, formed with an incorruptible and admirable beauty, He will leave for the adorning of the second and incorruptible world.11

...terra substituentur, quae tamen secundum materiam diversa minime erunt: quippe cum neque qui novam domum extruit eam ex nulla subiecta materia faciat, sic Deus, cum semel materiam a principio produxerit et formarit, omne id quod ad usum vitae huius necessarium, sed ad alteram tamen incorruptibilem vitam inutile ac supervacaneum est, tollet ac perdet; quidquid vero ad eam conducet, id incorruptibili et admirabili pulchritudine formatum, ad secundum et incorruptibilem mundum ornandum relinquet.

Hactenus commemorata sunt quae in Commentariis suis non incongrua nostrae opinioni prodidit Oecumenius. Simillima horum tradit Iustinus martyr, respondens ad quaestionem orthodoxorum 95. Sed persequamur deinceps alias quaestiones initio huius libri propositas, quarum quae est de Figura caeli eam primo loco excutiamus.
Thus far have been recounted the things which Oecumenius set forth in his Commentaries, not incongruous with our opinion. Justin Martyr delivers things very like these, answering the 95th question of the orthodox. But let us next pursue the other questions proposed at the beginning of this book, of which the one concerning the Figure of the heaven let us examine in the first place.12

Translator’s notes

  1. The second question of Book II (the printed numeral 'II' was rendered '17' by the OCR). ↩
  2. Marginal glosses: "Iosue 10" and "Danielis 3." After the judgment the elements keep their qualities but their action ceases, God suspending their use—as with the glorified risen bodies. Examples: the sun and moon checked at Joshua's word (Joshua 10:12–13); the Babylonian furnace not burning (Daniel 3); Moses's two forty-day fasts unharmed (Exodus 24:18; 34:28). Continues onto the next page (catchword ‘mento’). ↩
  3. Continues Quaestio II (sentence broken at the previous page's catchword ‘mento’). The cessation of the heaven's motion is treated below, in the question whether the heavens are moved by Angels. ↩
  4. Marginal gloss: "Praeter caelos et quatuor elementa, cetera omnia secundum substantiam peribunt, ac nullum corpus mistum post diem iudicii superfuturum sit." 2 Peter 3:10; Psalm 8:8; Genesis 9:3 (‘as the green herbs I have given you all things’). Plants and animals, made for man, become superfluous after the Judgment. ↩
  5. The threefold ground of incorruptibility: wholly incorruptible (the heavens); incorruptible in their chief part (man); unable to perish all at once (the elements). Composite bodies have no such ground except in their species. ↩
  6. Marginal gloss: "Quomodo mundus post diem iudicii, omnibus mistorum generibus et speciebus carens, dici poterit plenus ac perfectus, aut etiam universum." Objection: the many species of stones, metals, and animals belong to the world's perfection. Sentence continues onto the next page (catchword ‘tis’). ↩
  7. Whether the renewed world can be called a ‘universe’: either because it contains all that is by nature capable of incorruption, or because all the kinds of mixed things are eminently contained in man. ↩
  8. Pererius closes Quaestio II. ↩
  9. Oecumenius's catena on 2 Peter 3, drawn (as usual) from older Greek writers, agrees with Pererius's view. ↩
  10. Oecumenius, Commentaria on 2 Peter 3 (a catena of Greek writers); block quote spanning printed pp. 211–212. Embedded: Psalm 103[104]:30 (‘Thou shalt renew the face of the earth’, marginal citation ‘Psalm. 103’); the two principal elements (water and fire); Heraclitus of Ephesus and Empedocles of Etna. ↩
  11. Conclusion of the Oecumenius block quote (begun on the previous page). ↩
  12. Justin Martyr (Quaestiones ad orthodoxos 95) teaches the like. Transition to the next question. ↩