Two Peoples

In eo quod Dominus respondit Rebeccae: Duae gentes in utero tuo sunt, et duo populi de ventre tuo separabuntur, et populus populum superabit, et major serviet minori, spirituali intelligentia carnales in populo Dei significantur per majorem filium, et spirituales per minorem: quia sicut dicit Apostolus, Non prius quod spirituale, sed quod animale; postea, spirituale. Solet et sic intelligi hoc quod dictum est, ut in Esau figuratus sit major populus Dei, hoc est Israeliticus secundum carnem: per Jacob autem figuratus sit ipse Jacob secundum spiritualem progeniem. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Quaestionum In Heptateuchum, Liber Primus Source: Migne PL 34.567

When the Lord gave answer to Rebecca: 'Two nations are in your womb, and two people will come out from it, and a people shall overcome a people, and the elder will serve the younger,' 1 in the spiritual understanding the carnal folk among the people of God are signified by the elder son, and the spirtual by the younger, as the Apostle says: 'The spiritual was not first, but the animal, after came the spiritual. ' 2 It is customary to understand what was said, that in Esau is the figure of the elder people of God, that is, Israel according to the flesh, and in Jacob is the figure of the spiritual offspring. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Questions on The Heptateuch, Book 1 1 Gen 25.23 2 1 Cor 15.46

Jacob And Esau

Isaac autem genuit Esau et Jacob, in figura duorum saeculorum. Esau a capite usque ad pedes totus pilosus, saeculum primum hoc significat, quod ab initio usque ad finem totum quasi asperrimis pilis iniquitatum repletum est. Jacob autem totus speciosus et nitidus, futurum saeculum significat, quod totum pietatis decore fulgebit, et non invenietur in illo aliqua asperitas aut nigredo peccati. Et quemadmodum cum de utero matris suae exiret Esau, tenuit plantam ejus Jacob: unde Hebraice Jacob appelatus est, id est, supplantator: mox enim ut illius pedes egressi sunt, istius caput apparuit: sic et in fine saeculi istius statim illius saeculi principium apparebit. Et quemadmodum Esau persequebatur Jacob, sic filii saeculi hujus persequuntur filios saeculi illius: et sicut ipse, ita et filii ejus non resistendo sed fugiendo superant malos. Nam quamadmodum mater adivit Jacob, dicens ei: Fili, audi me et fuge in Mesopotamiam, donec quiescat ira fratris tui: sic et Ecclesia filios suos quotidie docet, cum persequutionem patiuntur, dicens: Si vos persequuti fuerint in civitate ista, fugite, in alteram; et Date locum irae. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia Prima Migne PG 56.614

Isaac fathered Esau and Jacob, which is a figure of the two ages. Esau being covered in hair from his head to his feet signifies the first age, which from its beginning to its end is full of the most unsightly hairs of iniquity; Jacob all fair and shining signifies the future age, which shall shine with all the beauty of piety, and in it shall not be found any roughness or darkness of sin. And as when Esau came from the womb of his mother Jacob held his heel, from which he is named in Hebrew 'Jacob' that is 'supplanter', for as soon as the feet of the first came out, the head of the other appeared, so with the end of this age instantly will appear the beginning of the greater one. And as Esau persecuted Jacob, so the sons of this age persecute the sons of the next, and like Jacob, so even its sons do not resist but flee that they surpass evil men. For as the mother of Jacob said to him, 'Son, listen to me, fly into Mesopotamia, until the anger of your brother subsides,' 1 so even the Church teaches her sons, when they suffer persecution, saying, 'If they persecute you in one city, flee into another,' 2 and 'Give a space to anger.' 3 Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from The First Homily 1 Gen 27. 43-44 2 Mt 10.23 3 Rom 12.19

In Defence of Women

Scio me, Principia,in Christo filia, a plerisque reprehendi, quod interdum scribam ad mulieres, et fragiliorem sexum maribus praeferam. Et idcirco debeo primum obtrectatoribus meis respondere, et sic venire ad disputatiunculam, quam rogasti. Si viri de Scripturis quaererent, mulieribus non loquerer. Si Barae ire ad praelium voluisset, Debbora de victis nostibus non triumphasset. Jeremias carcere clauditur, et qui periturus Israel virum non receperat prophetantem, Olda eis mulier suscitatur. Sacerdotes et Pharisaei crucifigunt Filium Dei et Maria Magdalene plorat ad crucem, unguenta parat, quaerit in tumulo, hortulanum interrogat, Dominum recognoscit, pergit ad Apostolos, repertum nuntiat. Illi dubitant, ista confidit. Vere πυργίτης, vere turris candoris et Libani, quae prospicit faciem Damasci, sanguinem videlicit Salvatoris ad sacci poenitentiam provocantem. Defecerant Sarae muliebria, et ideo Abraham ei subjicitur, et dicitur ad eum: Omnia quae dicit tibi Sara, audi vocem ejus. Illi defecerant muliebria, tu numquam habuisti muliebria. Sexus devoratur a virgine, Christum portat in corpore. Jam possidet quod futura est. Rebecca pergit ad interrogandum Deum: et sua responsione condigna audit oracula: 'Duae gentes in utero tuo, et duo populi de vente tuo dividentur.' Illa duos generat dissidentes: tu unum quotidie concipis, paturis, generas, unione fecundum, majestate multiplicem, trinitate concordem. Maria soror Moysi, victorias Domini canit, et Rachel Bethleem nostram atque Ephratham stirpe nominis sui signat in posteros  Filiae Salphaad haereditatem inter fratres merentur accipere. Ruth et Esther et Judith tantae gloriae sunt, ut sacris voluminibus nomina indiderint. Anna prophetissa generat filium Levitam, Prophetam, Judicem, sacro crine venerabilem, et offert cum in tabernaculo Dei. Thecuites mulier, regem David interrogatione concludit, aenigmate docet, exemplo Dei mitigat. Legimus et aliam sapientem feminam, quae cum obsideretur civitas, et propter unum perduellem, dux exercitus Joab muros ariete quateret, locuta est ad populum in sapientia sua, et tantae multitudinis periculum, muliebri auctoritate sedavit. Quid loquar de regina Saba quae venit a finibus terrae audire sapientiam Salomonis, et testimonio Domini condemnatura est omnes viros Jerusalem? Elisabeth utero propheta et voce. Anna filia Phanuelis in templo, templum efficitur Dei, et quotidiano jejunio, coelestem invenit panem. Sequuntur mulieres Salvatorem, et ministrant ei de substania sua. Ille qui de quinque panibus, quinque millia hominum, exceptis mulieribus et parvulis, aluit, escas sanctarum mulierum non recusat accipere. Cum Samaritana loquitur ad puteum, et saturatus conversione credentis, cibos qui coempti fuerunt negligit. Apollo virum Apostilicum et in lege doctissimum, Aquila et Priscilla erudiunt, et instruunt eum de via Domini. Si doceri a femina non fuit turpe Apostolo, mihi quare turpe sit post viros docere et feminas? Sanctus Hieronymus, Epistula LXV, Ad Principiam Virginem

I know I am, Principia, daughter in Christ, reproved by many because I sometimes write to women and choose the weaker sex to husbands. I therefore should first respond to my detractors and then come to the matter about which you asked. If men had studied the Scriptures I would not talk to their wives. If Barac had wished to go to battle, Deborah would not have triumphed over the conquered. Jeremiah was shut up in prison and no man would receive the prophecy of Israel's coming destruction, but the woman Hulda took it to them. The Priests and Pharisees crucified the Son of God and Mary Magdalene wept at the cross, she prepared ointment, she sought the tomb, she questioned the gardener, she recognised the Lord, she went to the Apostles, she announced the discovery. They doubted, she was confident. Truly she was a tower of brightness and of Lebanon which looks down on the face of Damascus, the blood of the Saviour provoking penance in sackcloth. To the womanhood of Sarah they fell, and so Abraham was subject to her and it was said to him, 'Everything which Sarah says to you, listen to her voice.' They failed by womanhood, you never had it. Sex devoured by virginity you carry Christ in your body. Already it possesses what will be. Rebecca went to question God and by way of response she heard a worthy oracle: 'Two nations from your womb, and two peoples from your belly.' She bore two dissentiant, you conceive one every day, you carry, you give birth, fruitful in union,  increase in majesty, in harmony with the Trinity. Mariam sister of Moses sang the victory of God and Rachel our Bethlehem and Ephrata by naming of child signified to posterity. The daughter of Salphaad were worthy to receive the inheritance among brothers. Ruth and Esther and Judith had such glory that sacred volumes were named after them. Hannah the prophetess gave birth to a son, a priest, prophet, and venerable judge with sacred hair and offered when in the tabernacle of God. The woman from Thecua caught king David with a question and taught a mystery and softened him with an example of God. We read of another wise woman who when a city was besieged and on account of one enemy, Joab the leader of the army shook with a ram, she spoke to the people in their wisdom and such a multitude a danger calmed with womanly authority. Why should I speak of the Queen of Sheba who came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and by the testimony of the Lord condemned all the men of Jerusalem. Elizabeth had a prophetic voice in her womb. Anna the daughter of Phanuel dwelling in the temple, going about God's work, fasting daily, discovered the bread of heaven. Women followed the Saviour and ministered to him from their own substance. He who five thousand loaves, five thousand men, excepting woman and children,  fed, the food of the holy woman did not refuse. When he spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well she saturated with his words believed, food which they bought neglected. Apollo was an apostolic man and most learned in the law, Aquila and Priscilla educated and instructed him in the way of the Lord. If to be taught by a woman was not disgraceful for an Apostle, why should it disgrace me that after men I teach women? St Jerome, from Letter 65, To Principia