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114 ST. AUGUSTINE everything mortal in her, she enjoys an immortal union. "I have betrothed you," it is said, "to one husband in order to present you to Christ as a chaste virgin."!7 In saying "you" and "virgin," the Scripture moves from the plural to the singular. Therefore the words virgins and virgin can be used interchangeably. Moreover, it has been explained, I believe, why there are said to be five virgins. However, now we see obscurely, but then face to face; now we see partially, but then completely.!8 But the present ability to see in the Scriptures obscurely and partially something which, nonetheless, is in accord with Catholic faith is the work of the pledge which was received at her bridegroom's lowly coming by the virgin Church, who will be wed at his final coming when he will come in glory, and when she will then behold face to face; for he has given to us a pledge which is the Holy Spirit, as the Apostle says.!9 And therefore this explanation views nothing as certain except that it is in accord with faith, nor does it pass judgment on other explanations which are possibly no less in accord with faith. 20 60. "CONCERNING THA T DAY AND HOUR NO ONE KNOWS, NEITHER THE ANGELS IN HEA VEN NOR THE SON OF MAN-NO ONE EXCEPT THE FATHER"! God is said to know even when he causes someone to know, as it has been written: "The Lord your God puts you to the test that he might know if you love him."2 Now this manner of speaking does not mean that God does not know; 17 2 Cor 11.2. 18 1 Cor 13.12. 19 2 Cor 5.5. 20 Cf. E 14031.74-37.84 (PL 33.571-77) and S 93 (PL 38.573-80) for other studies of the parable of the ten virgins. 1 Mt 24.36. 2 Dt 13.3. QUESTIONS 60-61 115 rather, [it was said] in order that men might know how far they have progressed in the love of God-a thing which is not fully recognized by them except by way of the testings which come about. As for the expression he puts to the test, it means that God permits testing. Therefore, when it is also said that God does not know, this means either that he does not approve, i.e., does not recognize [as conformable to] his discipline and teaching, as it has been said: "I do not know you,"3 or that he causes men not to know for their own good, because it serves no useful purpose for them to know. Accordingly the text "the Father alone knows" is correctly grasped if understood to say that he causes the Son to know, and the text "the Son does not know," if understood to say that the Son causes men not to know, i.e., does not disclose to them what would serve no useful purpose for them to know. 61. ON THE GOSPEL STORY THAT THE LORD FED THE MULTITUDE ON THE MOUNTAIN WITH FIVE LOA VES OF BREAD (1) The five barley loaves with which the Lord fed the multitude on the mountain signify the Old Law, either because that Law was given to those not yet spiritual but still carnal, i.e., to those given over to the five bodily senses, for the multitude itself numbered five thousand men,1 or because the Old Law was given through Moses, for Moses wrote five books.2 The fact that the loaves were of barley aptly signifies either: (1) the Law itself, which was so given that its life-sustaining nourishment of the soul was covered over by mysteries of a physical character, for the barley 3 Mt 25.12. 1 For the story ofthe feeding of the five thousand, see Mt. 14.13-21, Mk 6.30-44, Lk 9.10-17, andJn 6.1-14. 2 Cf. IE 24.5-6 and 25.6 (PL 35.1594-95 and 1599) for other explanations of the five loaves. ...

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