Elements And Learning

Ita et nos, cum essemus parvuli, sub elementia hujus mundi eramus servientes... Elementa mundi, eosdem quos supra tutores et actores dixerat, appellavit, quod sub ipsis primum praesidibus constituti, quia necdum Dei Filii capere ad nos poteramus adventum, erudiebamur in medio. Nonnulli eos esse angelos arbitrantur, qui quantor mundi elementis praesideant: terrae videlicet, aquae, igni, et aeri: et necesse esse, ut priusquam quis credat in Christo, illis arbitris gubernetur. Elementa mundi coelum et terram, et ea quae intra haec sunt, plerique appellata putant, quod videlicet solem, lunam, maria, silvarum, et montium deos, et sapientes Graeciae et Barbarae nationes, Romanique, omnium superstitionum sentina, venerentur: quibus cum Christus venerit, liberamur, intelligentes ea creatures esse, non numina. Alii elementa mundi, Legem interpretantur Moysi et eloquia prophetarum: quod per haec quasi initia et exordia litterarum, Dei timorem, qui sapientiae principium est, suscipiamus. Denique ad eos qui jam deberent esse perfecti, et veritate neglecta, adhuc disciplinarum principiis inhaerebant, scribit in Epistola ad Hebraeos Apostolus: Etenim cum deberetis esse magistri propter tempus, rursum necesse habetis ut doceamini quae sint elementa principii sermonum Dei. Econtrario nobis objici potest, quod ad Colossenses Paulus apostolus scribens, elementa mundi alia nuncuparit: Videte, dicens, ne quis vos depraedetur per philosophiam, et inanem deceptionem, secundum traditionem hominum: secundum elementa mundi, et non secundum Christum. Sed ex eo quod addidit, secundum traditionem hominum, et inanem deceptionem, ostendit non eadem elementa ad Colossenses et ad Galatas nominari. Ab his quippe elementis postquam venerit temporis plenitudo redimimur, et ad majora gradientes adoptionem recipimus filiorum. Ab illis vero nihil tale dicitur quid sequatur: sed simpliciter elementa pro litteris accipiuntur. Potest igitur, ut diximus, Moysi Lex et prophetae pro elementis accipi litterarum, quod per eas syllabae jungantur et nomina, et tam sui, quam alterius rei utilitate discantur: ut possimus orationem legere contextam, in qua sensus magis ordo verborum quam litterarum principia considerantur. Quod autem Legem et prophetas, elementa mundi interpretati sumus, mundus pro his qui in mundo sunt, accipi solet, eodem Paulo dicente: Deus erat in Christo, mundum reconcilians sibi. Et in Evangelio: Et mundus per eum factus est, et mundus eum non recipit. Quidam etiam in illa liberius evagantur: ut quia Lex umbram habet futurorum bonorum, requirant utrum in alio mundo, de quo Salvator ait: Ego non sum de mundo isto, primum parvuli simus, et sub elementis initiorum constituti, paulatim procedamus ad summum, et recipiamus adoptionis locum quem quondam amisimus. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum in Epistolam ad Galatas, Liber II Cap IV Source: Migne PL 26.371a-372a

Thus even we, when we were little, were enslaved beneath the elements of the world...1 He names the elements of the world in the same way as those guardians and trustees he had just spoken of, 2 that being first set beneath their governance, because we were not able yet to grasp for ourselves the coming of the Son of God, we were instructed among them. Some judge them to be angels, who preside over the elements of the world, that is, earth, water, fire and air, and it is necessary that before someone believes in Christ he be guided in their tutelage. The elements of the world are heaven and earth, and those things which are in them, which very many have thought to name gods, that is, the sun and moon and sea and woods and mountains, which even the wise Greeks and the barbarian peoples and the Romans venerated amid the dregs of all their superstitions, from which, when Christ came, we were liberated, understanding these things to be created things, not divinities. Others understand the elements of the world as the Law of Moses and the words of the Prophets, that by these, as a beginning and introduction of letters, we take up the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. 3 Then to those who should already be perfected and have neglected the truth, yet who are still adhering to the beginnings of discipline, the Apostle writes in the letter to the Hebrews: 'Even when you should be teachers on account of your age, again it is necessary that you be taught what are the elements of the beginning of the words of God.' 4 It is possible to object against us that the Apostle Paul, writing to the Colossians, spoke of yet different elements of the world, saying: 'Take care lest you are despoiled by philosophy and vain deception, according to the traditions of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.' 5 But on account of what he adds there, on account of 'the traditions of men', and 'vain deception', he shows that these elements which he speaks of to the Colossians are not the same as those of the Galatians. For from the latter elements, after He came in the fullness of time, we were redeemed, and with greater steps we received the adoption of sons; from the former, however, it is not said that such a thing follows, but simply that they are taken up as elements of letters. It is possible, then, as we have said, that the Law of Moses and the Prophets are received as the elements of letters, which are joined to make syllables and words, and so of itself, rather than any other thing, it is learned for its utility, so that we are able to read full speech, in which is considered the ordering of the sense of the words over the elements of the letters. So, then, we understand the Law and the Prophets as the elements of the world, a world for those who are in the world, with the same Paul saying, 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.' 6 And in the Gospel: 'And through Him the world was made and the world did not receive Him.' 7 And indeed by that they are given more freedom to wander, that because the Law is a shadow of future goods, they should search in another world, according to which the Saviour said: 'I am not of this world.' 8 for first we are little ones, and set beneath the elements of the world, and little by little we proceed to the heights, and we attain the place of adoption which we once lost. Saint Jerome, Commentary on the Letter to the Galatians, Book 2, Chap 4 1 Galat 4.3 2 Galat 4.1-2 3 Prov 9.10 4 Hebr 5.12 5 Colos 2.18 6 2 Cor 5.9 7 Jn 1.10 8 Jn 7.23