Eighty-three Different Questions : a new translation.

82. On the Scripture: "For whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and he scourges every son whom he receives"

QUESTIONS 81-82 215 fifty-three huge fish, [and] the disciples were astonished that, although the fish were so large, the nets did not break. 19 The great size of the fish signifies the greatness of wisdom and righteousness. However, their number [signifies ] the very instruction which, we said, is designated by the number 50 and is brought to perfection both by the divine plan of salvation in time and by rebirth in eternity. For [in eternity], since there will be no need for physical supports, both faith and wisdom will be possessed20 by the mind. Since we have said that the number 3 is assigned to the mind,21 then we take 50 three times and get 150, to which 3, a trinity , is added, because [the number 3], in all its perfection, has been hallowed by the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The result is 153, which is the number of fish found on the right-hand side of the fishermen. 82. ON THE SCRIPTURE: "FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES, HE REBUKES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES"1 (1) Many who murmur under the discipline2of God raise a question when they see the righteous often experiencing serious difficulties in this life. [They murmur] as if no benefit comes to the righteous for serving God, because either they suffer the common hardships-hardships involving indiscriminately [their] bodies and injuries and insults and all other things which mortals consider evil-or they suffer even greater hardships than others on account of the word of God and righteousness. [The latter, being] irksome to sinners, stirs up tumultuous outbreaks or plots or enmities against its proclaimers. 19 In 21.6-11. 20 continebitur. 21 animo (the dative singular form of animus). Earlier (p. 212) it was to the anima that Augustine assigned the number 3. Heb 12.6. Cf. Prv 3.12. 2 Disciplina. This word is the same as the one translated "instruction" in Q. 81 above. 216 ST. AUGUSTINE The answer to this objection is that if this life were all that men had, then it would seem, not altogether absurdly, that the righteous life is of no benefit or that it is positively harmful . However, there has been no lack of those who weighed the sweetness of righteousness and its inner joy against all the physical hardships and troubles which the human race suffers because of this mortal state-even against all those things which, on account of righteousness itself, are most unjustly imagined against those who live righteously. [They have done so, and,] the hope of a future life having been laid aside, they [nonetheless] experienced torment out of a love for truth with more delight and more gladness than banquet the wanton out of a passion for drunkenness. (2) Nonetheless, however, there is a reply to those who think God unjust when they see the righteous in pain and toil. And if they dare not call God unjust, certainly they consider him either to be without concern for the affairs of men, or to have determined once for all the destinies of the fates, 3 to which not even he himself does anything contrary lest he be supposed to distrub through capriciousness the order arranged by himself or they are of some other opinion, that God, because impotent in some respect, cannot prevent these evils from happening to the righteous. To these it mu~t be said that there would have been no possibility for righteousness among men if God had no concern for the affairs of men. For none of this righteousness [realized by] men, righteousness which the human soul can possess by doing good and lose by sinning, would be impressed upon the soul unless there were some immutable righteousness, which would be found undiminished by the righteous when they turned themselves toward it, and would be left undiminished by sinners when they turned themselves from its light. The unchangeable righteousness is obviously of God, nor would he direct it to the illumination of those converted to himself if he had no concern for the affairs of men. However, if he allowed the righteous to endure harsh things for the reason that he did not wish to go against the order of things deter3 necessitates fatarum. QUESTIONS2 217 mined by himself, not even he himself would be just-not because he wishes to preserve...