Letter 198: Hesychius tells Augustine that Christians cannot compute the day of the end, but should read the signs and love Christ's coming.

To Augustine, most blessed brother and fellow bishop, to be revered with the sincerest love: Hesychius sends greetings in the Lord. The holy fellow presbyter Cornutus brought me the letter Your Blessedness sent, while I was longing for it and waiting for it. It made me glad because you deigned to keep a good memory of us. In a few words, in the speech proper to your holy mind, you had also briefly indicated to me what you thought about the matters I had asked. You added some passages from the works of our holy fellow presbyter Jerome, so that by reading his work I might satisfy my question from the holy Scriptures. And because you were kind enough to ask me to tell your most sincere Charity by letter what I thought about those questions, I have written below what my small understanding, in its mediocrity, was able to feel or grasp from the writings I read. Since all things, whether already done or still to come, are governed by the judgment and power of almighty God, the maker of the whole creation, they are made known by the voices of the holy prophets. Before the future things happened, the prophets spoke of them to human beings by the divine will. It is therefore very astonishing if God decided that the things he willed to be foretold could not reach human understanding at all, especially with regard to the passage where the Lord said to the blessed apostles, "No one can know the times that the Father has placed in his own power." First, in the oldest books of the churches it is not written, "No one can"; rather it is written, "It is not for you to know the times or moments that the Father has placed in his own power." That way of speaking is rightly completed by the following words, when he says, "But you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Therefore he wanted them to be understood not as witnesses of the end of the world, but as witnesses of his name and resurrection. The Lord himself warns us about knowing times: "Who then is the faithful and prudent servant whom his lord set over his household, to give them food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, finds doing so." Christ's household is fed by the word of preaching, and the faithful servant is found to be the one who gives necessary food to believers at the proper time as they await the Lord. The bad servant, however, is rebuked in this way: "If that bad servant says, 'My lord is delaying his coming,' his lord will come on a day he does not know and an hour he does not expect," and the rest. Again, the Lord reproves people for not recognizing the time when he says, "Hypocrites, you know how to read the face of the sky; why do you not recognize this time?" The apostle says, "In the last days dangerous times will press in," and the rest. Again the apostle says, "About times and moments we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves know carefully that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, 'Peace and security,' then sudden destruction will appear to them, like labor pains for a woman giving birth, and they will not escape." Again the apostle says, "Do you not remember that when I was with you I said these things? And now you know what holds him back, so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only let the one who now holds it hold until he is removed, and then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth." Again the Lord in the Gospel rebukes the Jews: "If you had known the time of your visitation, perhaps you would have remained; but now these things are hidden from your eyes." And the Lord preached this to the Jews: "Do penance; the times are fulfilled; believe the Gospel." He rightly said to the Jews that their times were fulfilled, because after his preaching their times ended after thirty-five or forty years. Daniel also says, "Until the beast was killed and perished and its body was given to be burned; and the kingdom of the other beasts was transferred, and length of life was given to them for a time and a time," which in Greek is called this and that. He continues, "And behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man was coming." The mystery of the beast is clear to those who understand Scripture from the transfer of the other beasts. The Lord's coming should be loved and awaited. There is great blessedness for those who love his coming, as the blessed apostle Paul bears witness: "From now on there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to those who love the Lord's coming." The Lord says in the Gospel, "Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." The prophet says, "Behold, darkness and gloom will cover the earth over the nations; but the Lord will appear over you, and his majesty will be seen in you." Again the prophet says, "Those who wait for the Lord will exult in strength; they will put forth wings like eagles; they will run and not grow tired, they will walk and not hunger." Many more passages of this kind are found, passages that belong to the blessedness of those who love the Lord's coming. That no one can gather up measurements of the times is clear. The Gospel does say, "Of that day and hour no one knows." For my part, given the impossibility of my understanding, I say that neither the day, nor the month, nor the year of that coming can be known. But when I see and believe the signs of his coming, it is fitting that I both wait for him and give this food back to believers, so that those who are waiting may love the coming of the one who said, "When you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors." Therefore the evangelical and prophetic signs that have been fulfilled among us reveal the Lord's coming. People ask in vain, or raise accusations in vain, when they try to grasp days and years by calculation, since it is written, "Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened." A time that is to be shortened by the Lord, who established the times, is certainly beyond calculation. But his coming has drawn near, because we see that some of the signs of his coming have already been fulfilled. He also says, "When these things begin to happen, breathe again and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." The signs he said would be seen are clear in the Gospel of holy Luke: "Jerusalem will be trampled by the nations until the times of the nations are fulfilled." This has happened and is happening; no one doubts it. He continues, "There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on earth distress of nations." The things we suffer force confession from us, even if our will perhaps does not care to confess: in one and the same time signs in heaven and distress among nations on earth are plainly being seen and endured by human beings. He continues, "People drying up from fear and expectation of what is coming upon the whole world." In our times it is certain that no country, no place, is not afflicted or humbled, just as it was said, "from fear and expectation of what is coming upon the whole world." Nearly all the signs that the Gospel makes clear to its readers have been fulfilled for the most part. As for the words, "This Gospel will be preached in the whole world, and then the end will come," first, the Lord's own promise was that the apostles themselves would be witnesses of his name and resurrection in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. The apostle teaches by this authority: "But I say, have they not heard? Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." Again: "Because of the hope laid up for you, which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel, which has come to you, just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing." The faith announced by the apostles among the nations had many persecutors, so that, though delayed by resistance, it grew stronger. Thus was fulfilled what had been written: "Before all these things, first they will lay hands on you and persecute you and hand you over to synagogues and prisons, leading you before kings and governors because of my name." Thus too was fulfilled the saying, "You will be rebuilt quickly by those who destroyed you." For since the most merciful emperors began, by God's will, to be Christian, although the faith had gradually grown in the age because of persecution, once the kings became Christian, Christ's Gospel penetrated everywhere in a short time. As for the blessed Daniel's explanation of the weeks, although our holy fellow presbyter Jerome explained how teachers of the churches had handed it down, he leaves the reader suspended. If that most learned man himself says it is dangerous to judge among the opinions of the teachers of the churches and to prefer one to another, how much more can the reader not do what the teacher hesitated to do? But we believe what the Lord said: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one jot or one stroke will pass from the Law until all things happen." I therefore wonder how the mystery of the weeks has been fulfilled up to the birth and passion of Christ, since the prophet spoke of it in the middle of the week, saying, "In the middle of the week my sacrifice and supplication will be taken away, and the abomination of desolations will be at the sacrifice." If this abomination had already been completed, how does the Lord warn us and say, "When you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let the reader understand"? I have written these things to your Charity as I understood them, lest I seem to despise Your Blessedness's request. But deign to teach and gladden us more fully by writing back with the word of your grace.

EPISTOLA 198 Scripta paulo post superiorem. Hesychius Augustino significans, consideratis divinis testimoniis, de saeculi fine sibi videri diem quidem horamque frustra inquiri, ex signis tamen cognosci posse num instet adventus Domini qui ut cito venturus, pie est expectandus (nn. 1-5), a se autem non probari Hieronymi de illis Danielis hebdomadis explicationem (nn. 6-7). DOMINO BEATISSIMO, ET CARITATE SINCERISSIMA VENERANDO FRATRI ET COEPISCOPO AUGUSTINO, HESYCHIUS, IN DOMINO SALUTEM. Gratias agit Augustino. 1. Desideranti et exspectanti mihi sanctus compresbyter noster Cornutus litteras pertulit Beatitudinis tuae quae misisti, quae me laetificarunt, quia memoriam nostri bonam habere dignatus es, qui et mihi paucis, sermone proprio sanctae mentis tuae, de his quae petieram, in transitu significasti. Aliquanta autem de opusculis sancti compresbyteri Hieronymi adiunxisti, ut meam quaestionem lectione eius operis de sanctis Scripturis explere possem. Et quia dignatus es id petere a nobis, ut quid senserimus de ipsis quaestionibus, per litteras tuae sincerissimae caritati insinuaremus; ad ea de quibus scripta legi, prout intellectus exiguus meae mediocritatis sentire potuit aut intellegere, infra scripsi. Mirum si Prophetae praedicaverunt quae homines laterent. 2. Cum Dei omnipotentis conditoris totius creaturae arbitrio et potestate cuncta gerantur; vel quae facta sunt, vel quae etiam futura sunt, sanctorum Prophetarum vocibus cognoscuntur, qui priusquam fierent ea quae futura erant, voluntate divina hominibus sunt locuti. Unde satis admiratione plenum est si ea Deus quae praedici voluit, ad hominum sensus penitus non posse pervenire constituit, secundum hoc capitulum quod Dominus beatis Apostolis locutus est, dicens: Nemo potest cognoscere tempora, quae Pater posuit in sua potestate. Primum quia in antiquissimis libris Ecclesiarum non ita scriptum est: Nemo potest; sed scriptum est: Non est vestrum nosse tempora vel momenta, quae Pater posuit in sua potestate: quae ratio sermonis sequenti verbo recte completur, cum dicit: Sed eritis mihi testes in Ierusalem, et in Iudaea, et in Samaria, et usque ad ultimum terrae 1. Non ergo Apostolos testes consummationis mundi, sed nominis et resurrectionis suae voluit intellegi. Quae futura praedicta sint cognosci posse. 3. Nam de temporibus cognoscendis ipse Dominus monet: Quisnam est fidelis servus et prudens, quem constituit Dominus super familiam suam, ut det illis cibum in tempore? Beatus ille servus quem veniens Dominus eius invenerit sic facientem 2. Familia Christi verbo praedicationis pascitur, et fidelis famulus invenitur, qui in tempore exspectantibus Dominum, necessariam escam credentibus praestat. Malus enim servus sic reprehenditur: Quod si dixerit malus servus, Moram facit dominus meus venire; veniet dominus eius in die qua nescit, et hora qua ignorat 3; et reliqua. Item arguit quare tempus non agnoscatur, dicendo: Hypocritae, faciem coeli nostis probare, tempus hoc quare non agnoscitis 4? Item Apostolus: In novissimis diebus instabunt tempora periculosa 5: et reliqua. Item Apostolus: De temporibus autem et momentis non necesse habemus vobis scribere: vos enim ipsi diligenter scitis quia dies Domini, sicut fur in nocte, ita veniet. Cum enim dixerint, Pax et securitas; tunc subitaneus illis apparebit interitus, quomodo dolores parturientis, et non effugient 6. Item Apostolus: Non retinetis memoria quia cum essem apud vos, haec dicebam vobis? Et nunc quid detineat, scitis, ut reveletur in suo tempore. Nam mysterium iniquitatis iam operatur; tantum qui tenet, modo teneat, donec de medio fiat: et tunc revelabitur ille iniquus, quem Dominus Iesus interficiet spiritu oris sui 7. Item Dominus in Evangelio increpat Iudaeos: Et tu, si cognovisses tempus visitationis tuae, forsitan permansisses; nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis 8. Et Dominus sic praedicat ad Iudaeos: Poenitentiam agite; completa sunt tempora, credite Evangelio 9. Et ad Iudaeos quidem recte completa dicebat, quia eorum tempora post eius praedicationem et triginta et quinque, vel quadraginta annos finita sunt. Et in Daniele: Quoadusque interfecta est bestia, et periit, et corpus eius datum est ut comburatur; et reliquarum bestiarum regnum translatum est, et magnitudo vitae data est eis usque ad tempus et tempus; quod graece dicitur, . Et insequitur: Et ecce cum nubibus coeli quasi Filius hominis veniens 10. Mysterium bestiae e reliquarum bestiarum translatione intellegentibus Scripturam manifestum est. Quam beati expectantes Domini adventum. 4. Adventus Domini diligendus est et exspectandus. Est enim magna beatitudo diligentibus eius adventum, sicut testimonium perhibet beatus apostolus Paulus: De coetero, inquit, reposita est mihi corona iustitiae, quam reddet mihi Dominus iustus iudex in illa die: non autem mihi solum, sed et iis qui diligunt adventum Domini 11. Et Dominus in Evangelio: Tunc iusti fulgebunt sicut sol in regno patris sui 12. Item propheta: Ecce enim tenebrae et caligo operient terram super gentes; in te vero apparebit Dominus, et maiestas eius in te videbitur 13. Item propheta: Qui vero exspectant Dominum, exsultabunt cum virtute; producent pennas sicut aquilae, current et non laborabunt, ambulabunt et non esurient 14. Et plurima talia, quae ad beatitudinem eorum pertinent, qui diligunt adventum Domini, inveniuntur. Signa testantia proximum Domini adventum. 5. Quod autem nemo possit mensuras temporum colligere, manifestum est. Evangelium quidem dicit: De die illa et hora nemo scit 15; ego autem pro impossibilitate intellectus mei dico, neque diem, neque mensem, neque annum adventus ipsius sciri posse; sed signa quae sunt adventus videndo et credendo, et exspectare me convenit, et credentibus escam hanc retribuere, ut exspectantes diligant adventum eius, qui dixit: Haec omnia cum videritis, scitote quoniam prope est in ianuis 16. Signa ergo evangelica et prophetica quae in nobis completa sunt, adventum Domini manifestant. Nam frustra aut qui quaerunt, aut qui calumniantur, dies et annos in computo comprehendere quaerunt, cum scriptum sit, quia: Et nisi abbreviati fuissent dies illi, non fieret salva omnis caro: sed propter electos breviabuntur dies illi 17. Certum est tempus carere computo, quod breviandum est a Domino, qui tempora constituit; appropinquasse autem adventum eius, cuius signa adventus aliqua videmus ex iis quae facta sunt, esse completa, et iterum dicit: His autem fieri incipientibus, respirabitis et levabitis capita vestra, quoniam appropinquabit redemptio vestra 18. Quae autem signa dixit videnda, manifestum est in Evangelio sancti Lucae: Et Ierusalem calcabitur a gentibus, donec impleantur tempora gentium 19. Hoc factum est, et fieri nulli dubium est. Et insequitur: Et erunt signa in sole, et luna, et in stellis, et in terra pressura gentium 20. Ea quae patimur confiteri et poena compellit, si forte non curet voluntas: nam in uno tempore et signa in coelo, et pressuram gentium in terris ab hominibus videri et sustineri manifestum est. Et insequitur: Arescentibus hominibus prae timore, et exspectatione quae supervenient universo orbi 21. Nullam patriam, nullum locum nostris temporibus non affligi, aut humiliari certum est, sicut dictum est: Prae timore, et exspectatione quae supervenient universo orbi: et omnia signa, quae superius Evangelium legentibus manifestat, ex maxima parte completa sunt. Quomodo Evangelii praedicatio universo mundo intellegenda. 6. Quod autem dictum est. Et praedicabitur hoc Evangelium in universo mundo, et tunc veniet finis 22; prius... quod ipsius Domini repromissio talis fuit, ut ipsi Apostoli eius nominis et resurrectionis testes fierent in Ierusalem, et in Iudaea, et in Samaria, et usque ad extremum terrae 23, et Apostolus hae auctoritate docet: Sed dico, numquid non audierunt? In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum 24. Item: Propter spem quae reposita est vobis, quam ante audistis in verbo veritatis Evangelii, quod advenit in vos, sicut et in omni mundo est fructificans et crescens 25. Sed ab Apostolis nuntiata fides in gentibus, habuit multos persecutores, ut retenta tardius invalesceret, ut illud impleretur: Ante haec omnia, primum in vos manus immittent suas, et persequentur, et tradent vos in synagogas et in custodias, ducentes ad reges et ad praesides, propter nomen meum 26: ut illud impleretur quod scriptum erat; Et velociter reaedificaberis a quibus destructa es. Nam ex quo clementissimi imperatores christiani Dei voluntate esse coeperunt; quamquam paulatim fides, causa persecutionis, crescebat in saeculo, factis regibus Christianis, ubique in parvo tempore Christi Evangelium penetravit. Hieronymi de Danielis hebdomadis sententiam non probari. 7. Expositio sane beati Danielis de Hebdomadibus 27, quamvis sanctus compresbyter noster Hieronymus exposuit 28, qualiter doctores Ecclesiarum tradidissent, lectorem suspendit. Nam si ipse doctissimus vir compresbyter noster ait periculosum esse de magistrorum Ecclesiarum iudicare sententiis, et alterum praeferre alteri; quanto magis hoc lector facere non potest, quod magister facere dubitavit! Nos autem credimus quod Dominus ait: Quia coelum et terra transient; iota autem unum, vel unus apex non transiet a Lege, donec omnia fiant 29. Quomodo ergo mysterium Hebdomadarum sit impletum usque ad nativitatem et passionem Christi, admiror; cum illud in dimidio hebdomadae Propheta locutus est, dicendo: In dimidio hebdomadae tolletur sacrificium meum, et supplicatio, et abominatio desolationum erit ad sacrificium 30. Haec ergo abominatio si iam completa fuerat, quomodo Dominus monet et dicit: Cum videritis abominationem desolationis, quod dictum est per Danielem prophetam, stantem in loco sancto, qui legit, intellegat 31? Ego autem ne petitionis Beatitudinis tuae contemptor essem, haec quemadmodum sensi, scripsi ad tuam Caritatem. Plenius autem dignare nos verbo gratiae tuae rescribendo instruere et laetificare.