♦1. YOUR question, my brother, as to the meaning of that shekel, half
of which the Hebrew is commanded to offer for the redemption of the
soul, is an excellent admonition to us to direct our intercourse by
letter and our converse while at a distance to the interpretation
of the heavenly oracles. For what can more unite us than to converse
concerning the things of God?
Sidenote: S. Luke xv. 8, 9.
Sidenote: S. Matt. vi. 22.
2. Now the half of the shekel is a _piece of silver_, and the
redemption of the soul is faith; faith therefore is that _piece of
silver_ which the _woman_ in the Gospel, as we read, having _lost,
diligently seeks for, lighting a candle and sweeping the house; and
when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbours_,
bidding them _rejoice with her for that she has found the piece of
silver which she had lost_. For great is the loss of the soul, if a man
lose his faith, or that grace which by means of faith he had obtained
to himself. Do thou therefore _light thy candle. Thy light is thine
eye_; that is, the inward eye of the mind. Do thou light this candle,
which is fed by spiritual oil, and _gives light to thy whole house_.
Seek that _piece of silver_, the redemption of thy soul, which he that
loses is troubled, he that finds rejoices.
Sidenote: Prov. xiii. 8.
Sidenote: Exod. xxx. 12–15.
3. Mercy too is the redemption of the soul; for the redemption of
a man’s soul are his riches, by which he shews mercy, and expending
them, relieves the poor. Wherefore faith, grace, and mercy, are the
redemption of the soul, which is purchased by a piece of silver, that
is, by the full price of a larger sum. For thus it is written in the
words of the Lord to Moses: _When thou takest the sum of the children
of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom
for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no
plague among them when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every
one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the
shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel
shall be the offering of the Lord. Every one that passeth among them
that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an
offering unto the Lord. The rich shall not give more, and the poor
shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering
unto the Lord to make an atonement for your souls. And thou shalt take
the atonement money of the children of Israel and thou shalt appoint
it for the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation, that it may
be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an
atonement for your souls._
4. Did then both the rich man who offered more, and the poor who had
less, fail so much, if this half shekel consisted in money and had not
hidden excellencies? Whence we are to understand that this half shekel
is not material but spiritual, having to be paid by all and rated
equally.
Sidenote: Ib. xvi. 17, 18.
5. Again as to heavenly food (for the food and delight of heavenly
nutriment is wisdom, whereon they feed in Paradise, the unfailing food
of the soul, called in the Divine Word manna) the distribution of this
was, we read, so made to each soul as to be equally divided. For they
who gathered most and they who gathered least, all gathered according
to the direction of Moses; and they made an omer the measure, and
it did not exceed to him who gathered much nor fall short to him who
gathered little. For each man, according to the number of souls who
were with him in the tent, gathered for each an omer, that is, being
interpreted, a measure of wine.
Sidenote: Eccles. vii. 16.
Sidenote: 1 Cor. xii. 7–9.
6. Now this is the measure of wisdom, which if it be above measure is
hurtful, as it is written, _Make not thyself over-wise_. And Paul has
taught that the division of grace is according to measure, saying, _The
manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal,
to one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge_,
[to another the faith of wisdom by the spirit of knowledge][13] _by the
same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit_, and that this grace
is given according to the will of the Spirit. In that He divides, He
shews His equity, in that He divides as He will, His power. Or He may
will to bestow that upon each which He knows will be profitable.
Sidenote: Ps. civ. 15.
Sidenote: Prov. ix. 2.
7. An omer then is a measure, and a measure of wine, _which maketh glad
the heart of man_. For what is the joy of the heart but the draughts
of wisdom? This is that _wine_ which _Wisdom_ hath _mingled_ in a cup,
and given us to drink, that we may receive to ourselves temperance and
prudence, that wine which should be so equally transfused through all
the senses and thoughts and all the emotions which are within this our
house, that we may know how to abound to all and to be wanting to none.
8. More fully also it may be understood of the Blood of Christ, to
Whose grace nothing can be added nor taken away. Whether you take
little or drink much, to all the measure of Redemption is perfect.
Sidenote: Exod. xii. 4.
Sidenote: S. Matt. x. 30.
9. The Passover too of the Lord, that is, the lamb, the fathers are
ordered so to eat, that it might be according to the number of their
souls, neither more nor less; that more should not be given to some,
and less to others, but that it should be according to the number of
their souls, lest the stronger should take more and the weaker less.
For the grace, the gift, the redemption is distributed equally to all.
And there ought not to be too many, lest any go away defrauded of his
hope and redemption. Now there are too many, when any are beyond the
number, for the saints are all _numbered, and the hairs of their heads_;
for _the Lord knoweth them that are His_. Neither can there be too few,
lest any be too weak to receive the greatness of the grace.
Sidenote: 2 Cor. vi. 16.
10. Wherefore He hath commanded all to bring an equal faith and
devotion to the Pasch of the Lord, that is, to the Passover. For it
is the Pasch, when the mind lays down its senseless passion, and puts
on good compassion, that it may suffer together with Christ, and take
His Passover into itself, so as that He may _dwell in_ it, _and walk
in_ it, _and may_ become _its God_. Thus grace is equal in all, but
virtue is diverse in each. Let each then take that portion which fits
his strength, that neither the stronger may lack nor the weaker be
burthened.
Sidenote: S. Matt. xx. 10.
Sidenote: 2 Tim. iv. 8.
11. This you have in the Gospel; for the same wages are paid to all the
labourers in the vineyard; but few attain to the prize, to the reward;
few say, _There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness_. For the
gift of bounty and of grace is one thing; another the wages of virtue,
the recompense of labour.
Sidenote: S. Matt. xvii. 27.
Sidenote: S. John i. 29.
Sidenote: Phil. ii. 7.
12. Therefore a shekel is our ransom, nay half a shekel. He has
redeemed us from death, redeemed from slavery, that we may not be
subject to the world, which we have renounced. Whence in the Gospel our
Lord bids Peter _go to the sea, and cast an hook_, and _take the stater
which he will find in the fish’s mouth_, and _give it to them_ who
required of the Lord and of himself a shekel. This then is that shekel
which was exacted by the Law, nevertheless it was not due from the
King’s Son, but from strangers. For why should Christ ransom Himself
from this world, when He came _to take away the sin of the world_? Why
should He redeem Himself from sin, Who came down that He might remit
to all their sins? Why should He redeem Himself from servitude, Who
_emptied Himself_ that He might give liberty to all? Why should He
redeem Himself from death, Who took flesh, that by His Death He might
obtain for all a resurrection?
Sidenote: S. Matt. iii. 15.
Sidenote: Rom. x. 4.
Sidenote: Ps. xii. 6.
13. Truly the Redeemer of all had no need of a redemption; but as He
received circumcision that He might fulfil the Law, and came to be
baptized that He _might fulfil righteousness_, so also did He not
refuse to pay those who required of Him the shekel, but straightway
commanded the stater to be given as the tribute for Himself and Peter.
For He chose rather to give beyond the Law than to deny the Law’s due.
At the same time He shews that the Jews acted contrary to the Law, in
exacting a shekel from one person, whereas Moses had ordained that half
a shekel should be required. On this account He commanded as it were
single pieces to be paid both for Himself and for Peter in the stater.
Good is the tribute of Christ, which is paid by the _stater_, for
justice is the _balance_[14], and justice is above the Law. Again,
_Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
believeth_. This stater is found in the fish’s mouth, of that fish
which the fishers of men take, of that fish who weighs his words that
they may be tried by the fire before they are uttered.
Sidenote: Exod. xxi. 5.
14. This stater the Jews knew not, giving Him up to the betrayer. But
the Law exacts half a shekel for the redemption of a soul, and devotes
it to God, for she cannot claim the whole. For in the Jew scarcely a
portion of devotion could be found. But he who is _free indeed_, a true
Hebrew, belongs wholly to God, all that he has savours of liberty. He
has nothing in common with him who refuses liberty, saying, _I love my
master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free!_ Which refers
not only to his lord, but to the weakness of that man who shall have
subjected himself to the world, in that he loves the world as his own
soul, that is, his intelligence, the author of his will. Nor does it
refer only to _his wife_, but also to that delight which cares for
household not eternal things. This man’s ear therefore his lord nails
to his door or threshold, that he may remember these words whereby he
chose servitude.
Sidenote: S. Matt. xix. 21.
15. This man therefore, O Christian, imitate not; for thou art not
commanded to offer half a shekel, but, _if thou wouldest be perfect_,
to _sell all thou hast, and give to the poor_. Thou art not to reserve
a part of thy service for the world, but to deny thyself altogether,
and to _take up thy_ Lord’s _cross and follow Him_.
Sidenote: S. Matt. xxii. 18, 19.
16. Now we have learned that the half-shekel was required by the Law,
because the other half was reserved for the generation of this world,
that is, for secular life, and domestic use, and for posterity, to whom
it was necessary that a portion out of the original inheritance should
be transmitted. Wherefore our Lord answered the Pharisees, when they
tempted Him by the crafty question whether He would advise that tribute
should be paid to Cæsar, _Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites, shew Me the
tribute money_. And they brought Him a penny on which was Cæsar’s image.
He saith to them, _Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s,
and unto God the things that are God’s_; shewing that they who thought
themselves perfect were imperfect in that they paid to Cæsar before
God. They with whom the world was their first care would first pay that
which appertained to the world; wherefore He says _Render_, that is,
render ye, _the things which are Cæsar’s_――ye, among whom the image and
likeness of Cæsar is found.
Sidenote: Dan. iii. 18. and i. 8.
Sidenote: S. John xiv. 30.
Sidenote: S.John xvii. 11, 14, 18.
17. Wherefore those Hebrew youths, Ananias, Azarias, Misael, and that
wiser Daniel, who would not worship the image of the king, who received
it not, nor any thing from the king’s table, were not bound to pay
tribute. For they possessed nothing that was under the power of an
earthly king. And so their followers, they whose portion is God, pay
no tribute. And so the Lord says, _Render_, that is, Do ye render, who
have brought forth the image of Cæsar, with whom it is found, but I owe
nothing to Cæsar, because I have nothing in this world. _The prince of
this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me._ Peter owes nothing, nor the
Apostles, because _they are not of this world_ though _they are in this
world. I have sent them into this world_, but now _they are not of this
world_, because with Me they are above the world.
Sidenote: S. Matt. xvii. 27.
Sidenote: Gal. iv. 4.
18. So that which belongs to the Divine Law, not to Cæsar, is that
which is commanded to be paid. Yet even this He that was perfect, that
is, the preacher of the Gospel, no longer owed, for He had preached
more. The Son of God owed it not, nor did Peter who was by grace an
adopted son of the Father. _Notwithstanding_, says He, _lest we should
offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish
that first cometh up, and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt
find a piece of money, that take, and give unto them for Me and thee_.
O great mystery! He gives that half-shekel which the Law commanded,
He refuses not what is of the Law, for He was _made of a woman, made
under the Law_. ‘Made,’ I say, as regards His incarnation; ‘of a woman,’
as regards the sex; woman is the sex, virgin in the species; the sex
relates to her nature, the virgin to her integrity. For wherein He
came _under the Law_, therein He was _made of a woman_, that is, in
the body. On this account He commands a shekel to be paid for Him and
Peter, for both were born _under the Law_. He commands it to be paid
then according to the Law, that _He might redeem those who are under
the Law_.
Sidenote: Deut. xxx. 14.
Sidenote: Rom. x. 10.
19. And yet He commands a stater to be paid that they might have their
mouths closed, and so not commit sin by excess of talking. And He bids
that to be given which was found in the mouth of the fish, that they
might acknowledge the Word. For why was it that they who exacted what
was of the Law, knew not what was the Law? For they ought not to have
been ignorant of the Word of God; for it is written, _The Word is very
nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart_. He therefore paid the
whole shekel to God, who reserved no part for the world. For it is to
God that righteousness, which is the moderation of the mind, is paid;
to God is paid the keeping of the tongue, which is the moderation in
speech. _For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation._
20. The half-shekel may also be understood of the Old Testament, the
whole shekel for the price of both Testaments, for according to the Law
every one was redeemed by the Law, but he who is redeemed according to
the Gospel, pays the half-shekel according to the Law, he is redeemed
by the Blood of Christ according to grace, having a double redemption
both of devotion and of Blood. For not even faith alone is sufficient
for perfection, unless the redeemed also obtain the grace of Baptism,
and receive the Blood of Christ. Good then is that half-shekel which
is paid to God.
Sidenote: Rev. i. 8.
Sidenote: Deut. vi. 4.
21. The half-shekel is not a penny[15], but is different. Again, in
the penny is the image of Cæsar, in the half-shekel the image of God,
for it is of one God, and formed after God Himself. Beginning from One
it is infinitely diffused, and again, from the Infinite all things come
back to one, as their end, for God is both the beginning and the end
of all things. Wherefore arithmeticians have not called ‘one’ a number,
but an element of number. And this we have said because it is written,
_I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending_; and, _Hear, O
Israel: the Lord our God is One Lord_.
22. Be thou then, after the likeness of God, one and the same; not
sober to-day, drunken to-morrow; to-day pacific, to-morrow quarrelsome;
to-day frugal, to-morrow immoderate; for each person is changed by
diversity of manners and becomes another man, in whom that which he
was is not recognized, while he begins to be that which he was not,
degenerate from himself. It is a grievous thing to be changed for the
worse. Be then as the image on the half-shekel, immutable, keeping
daily the same deportment. Seeing the half-shekel, observe the image,
that is, seeing the Law, observe in the Law Christ the Image of God;
for He _is the Image of the invisible_ and incorruptible _God_; let Him
be displayed before thee as in the mirror of the Law. Confess Him in
the Law, that thou mayest know Him again in the Gospel. If thou hast
known Him in His precepts, acknowledge Him in works. Farewell, and if
you do not think that this shekel has been committed to me unprofitably,
doubt not to commit to me a second time whatever you may have to
communicate.
LETTER VIII.
A.D. 381.
S. AMBROSE in this letter answers the objections raised against
the Scriptures, that they were not written according to the
rules of art, and illustrates his argument with various passages.