Nicene/Post-Nicene, Series I, Volume 18

Augustine, A.D. 354 - 430

... the Lord Himself called a mountain by the Prophet, as it is written, "The stone that was cut out without hands grew to the size of a mountain."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms,Psalm III, § 4

... as a stone into a building ... . "for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are"? Of which building He is the cornerstone ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms,Psalm V, § 8

9. ... rushing violently on the stone of offence and rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XX, § 9

... Did not Peter draw near, when he said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God"? And yet the same man became afar off by saying, "Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." Lastly, what said He, his Neighbour, as it were, to him drawing near? "Blessed art thou, Simon, Barjona." To him afar off, as it were, and unlike, what said He? "Get thee behind Me, Satan." To him drawing near, "Flesh and blood," saith He, "hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, which is in Heaven." ...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XXXV, § 17

3. ... "He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock ... . my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Now "that Rock was Christ." Supposing that we are "upon the rock," and that our "goings are ordered," ... . what did the Apostle Paul say when now upon the Rock, when his "goings had now been established"? "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended."... Because his goings are now established, because he now walks on the Rock?... he was saying, "I press forward toward the prize of my high calling," because "his feet were now set on the Rock," ... .
5. ... might henceforth have our feet upon the rock, and might walk in Christ....
9. ... in that thou now walkest "on the Rock," thou fearest not even on the sea! If thou art without "the Rock," thou must sink in the sea; for the Rock on which thou must walk is such an one as is not sunk in the sea,
24. ... and Peter says, "Be it far from Thee, God forbid it!" "This shall not be!" He would fain have gone before his Lord ... . the Lord, that He might make him not go before Him, but follow after Him, says, "Get thee behind, Satan !" It is for this reason He said "Satan," because thou art seeking to go before Him, whom thou oughest to follow; but if thou art behind, if thou follow Him, thou wilt henceforth not be "Satan." What then? "Upon this Rock I will build My Church."
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XL, §§ 3, 5, 9, 24

... "His holy Hill" is His holy Church. It is that mountain which, according to Daniel's vision, grew from a very small "stone," till it crushed the kingdoms of the earth ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XLIII, § 4

6. What resemblance has "the rock" to Christ? What likeness does the "lamb" bear to our Saviour, or what "the lion" to the strength of the Only-Begotten? Yet such comparisons have been made ... .
18. This was figured in Jacob's placing a stone at his head, and so sleeping. The patriarch Jacob had placed a stone at his head: sleeping with that stone at his head, he saw heaven opened, and a ladder from heaven to earth, and Angels ascending and descending; after this vision he awaked, anointed the stone, and departed. In that "stone" he understood Christ; for that reason he anointed it.... notice the meaning of "the stone." "The Stone which the builders refused, this is become the head of the corner." ... The "Stone" is Christ. Peter calls Him "a living Stone ... . And the stone is set at "the head," because "Christ is the Head of the man." And "the stone" was anointed, because "Christ" was so called from His being anointed....
21. ... Show me at Rome a temple of Romulus held in so great honour as I can show you the Monument of Peter. In Peter, who is honoured but He who died for us? For we are followers of Christ, not followers of Peter....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XLV, §§ 6, 17, 18, 21

6. ... their voices against Christians ... . But against whom this? Against the City founded upon a rock.... the City of God?...
11. ... out of a small stone He hath grown, and become a great mountain, so that He hath filled all the face of the earth.... a great thing for the Jews to see the stone. For the stone was yet small: and small they deservedly despised it, and despising they stumbled, and stumbling they were broken; remains that they be ground to powder. For so was it said of the stone, "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."... shall He come in His Judgment ... not weak to be judged, but strong to judge, and grind to powder those who were broken stumbling at Him. For "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence," is He to them that believe not.... the Jews acknowledged not Him, whom as a small stone lying before their feet they despised.... even now so great a mountain will not acknowledge. The Jews at a small stone by not seeing stumbled; the heretics stumble at a mountain. For now that stone hath grown ... is fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel, "The stone that was small became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."...
12. ... And what to God can ungodliness do? Nothing. What doth an earthen vessel dashed against the rock, however vehemently dashed?...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XLVI, §§ 6, 11, 12

2. ... a certain corner-stone contemptible ... cut out of a certain mountain without hands ... without hands, because human operation went not with Mary of whom was born Christ. But if that stone, when the Jews stumbled thereat, had remained there, thou hadst not had whither to ascend. But what was done? What saith the prophecy of Daniel? What but that the stone grew, and became a great mountain?... it filled the whole face of the earth....
3. ... so as to meet together on the Corner Stone, and become two walls ... one of the circumcision, the other of the uncircumcision ... . The same Corner Stone "which the builders rejected, is become the Head Stone of the corner."... one house there is, and two houses; two, because coming from different sides; one, because of the Corner Stone, wherein both are joined together....
5. ... "And have come together in one." In what one, but that "corner-stone"?...
14. ... as He was despised, as He lay a stone before the feet of the stumbling, that He might humble the hearts of the confessing ...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XLVIII, §§ 2, 3, 5, 14

... both of them confessing the Majesty of God, both the devils confessed Christ, and the faithful confessed Christ. "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God," said Peter. "We know who Thou art, Thou art the Son of God," said the devils. A like confession I hear, but like love I find not; nay even here love, there fear....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm L, § 2

... Hyssop we know to be a herb humble but healing: to the rock it is said to adhere with roots.... Do thou also take hold, with the root of thy love, on thy Rock ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LI, § 12

... Christ on the sea was walking fearless ... . Peter too would walk. He as Head, Peter as Body: because, "Upon this rock," He saith, "I will build My Church."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LV, § 5

10. ... on the Rock let it find thee, let it strike against, not throw thee down; the house hath been founded upon a Rock....
14. ... the Lord, to him to whom a little before He had said, "Blessed thou art, and upon this Rock I will build my Church," saith, "Go back behind, Satan, an offence thou art to Me." Why therefore "Satan" is he, that a little before was "blessed," and a "Rock"? "For thou savourest not the things which are of God," He saith, "but those things which are of man. A little before he savoured the things which are of God: because "not flesh and blood hath revealed to thee, but My Father which is in the Heavens." When in God he was praising his discourse, not Satan but Peter, from petra ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms,Psalm LVI, §§ 10, 14

... to hear the truth nothing profiteth, if a man upon the rock build not. He that buildeth upon a Rock, is the same that heareth and doeth ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LVIII, § 17

... to this end the Stone ... hath even been made for the Head of the corner ... and in the Corner Stone ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LIX, The Second Part, § 5

3. ... "On the Rock Thou hast exalted me." ... "Upon this Rock I will build My Church." Therefore She crieth from the ends of the earth, whom He hath willed to be builded upon a Rock. But in order that the Church might be builded upon the Rock, who was made the Rock? Hear Paul saying: "But the Rock was Christ." On Him therefore builded we have been. For this reason that Rock whereon we have been builded, first hath been smitten with winds, flood, rain, when Christ of the devil was being tempted.... "On the Rock Thou hast exalted me."....
4. ... the Same that hath exalted me upon the Rock, in order to lead me down even unto Himself ... . For Christ Himself is the tower, Himself for us hath been made a tower ... who is also the Rock whereon hath been builded the Church....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXI, §§ 3, 4

... Our youth shall be renewed as an eagle's, if only our old man we break against the Rock of Christ.... it cannot lie renewed, except thine old man on the Rock shall have been broken off: that is, except by the aid of the Rock, except by the aid of Christ ... . forget things past, unto things before reach thyself out, in order that thine old man on the Rock thou mayest break off....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXVII, § 10

... before he had said, "Far be it from Thee, O Lord, merciful be Thou to Thyself: there shall not come to pass this thing:" at which time he merited to hear, "Satan;" after that he had heard, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXIX, § 23

... Peter willed to go before the Lord. ... A little before, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father which is in Heaven:" now in a moment, "Go back behind Me, Satan." What is, "Go back behind Me"? Follow Me. Thou willest to go before Me, thou willest to give Me counsel, it is better that thou follow My counsel: this is, "go back," go back behind Me. He is silencing one outstripping, in order that he may go backward; and He is calling him Satan, because he willeth to go before the Lord. A little before, "blessed;" now, "Satan." Whence a little before, "blessed"? Because, "to thee," He saith, "flesh and blood hath not revealed it, but My Father which is in Heaven." Whence now, "Satan"? Because "thou savourest not," He saith, "the things which are of God, but the things which are of men."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXX, § 4

... that I may be timid like a "hare," because I am full of thorns like a "hedgehog." And as in another Psalm is said, "The rock is a refuge for the hedgehogs and the hares:" but the Rock was Christ....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXI, § 5

2. ... saith the Apostle, "they did drink of the Spiritual Rock following them, but the Rock was Christ." ... Christ was Himself figured to them in a Rock ... .
6. ... Christ is a stone, but to believers for the Head of the corner, while to unbelievers a stone of offence and a rock of scandal ... .
11. ... He that burst asunder the rock in the desert, and gave them water as in a great deep"; "and brought out water from the rock, and brought down waters like rivers", is surely able upon thirsty faith to pour the gift of the Holy Spirit ... to pour, I say, from the Spiritual Rock that followed, which is Christ ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXVIII, §§ 2, 6, 11

... by means of the Stone which the builders rejected, and which hath become for the Head of the corner ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXIX, § 3

... and from the rock with honey He satisfied them" (ver. 16). In the wilderness from the rock He brought forth water, not honey. "Honey" is wisdom, holding the first place for sweetness among the viands of the heart. How many enemies of the Lord, then, that lie unto the Lord, are fed not only of the fat of wheat, but also from the rock with honey, from the wisdom of Christ?... And this honey is not from any chance person, but "from the rock." But "the Rock was Christ."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXXI, § 21

... we call foundations of heaven those on whom the kingdom of heaven is built up in the persons of saints and faithful; whose first foundation is Christ Himself, born of the Virgin, of whom the Apostle says, "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus;" next the Apostles and Prophets themselves ... that by obeying them we may be builded together with them; whence he says to the Ephesians, "Ye are built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner stone."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXXII, § 4

2. ... "built," he says, "upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets:" and because neither the Apostles nor Prophets, upon whom the foundations of that city rest, could stand by their own power, he adds, "Jesus Christ Himself being the head corner stone."... the structure of so great a city: yet whereon does all that edifice repose, where does it rest, that it may never fall? "Jesus Christ Himself," he saith, "being the head corner stone."
3. ... that ye may know that Christ is at once the earliest and the highest foundation, the Apostle saith, "Other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Christ Jesus." How, then, are the Prophets and Apostles foundations, and yet Christ so, than whom nothing can be higher?... He is ... Foundation of foundations?... Himself then is the foundation, and corner stone ... since our edifice is a heavenly one, to Heaven our Foundation has gone before us: so that our Saviour, the corner stone, the Apostles, and mighty Prophets ... constitute a sort of living structure....
7. ... Was the fisherman, the publican, a prince? They were indeed princes: but because they became such in her. Princes of what kind were they? Princes come from Babylon, believing monarchs of this world, came to the city of Rome, as to the head of Babylon: they went not to the temple of the Emperor, but to the tomb of the Fisherman....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXXVII, §§ 2, 3, 7

... ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." Wherefore as those eyes, that is, the holy Apostles, to whom not flesh and blood, but the Father which is in Heaven had revealed Him, so that Peter said, "Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God," ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXXVIII, § 7

3. ... the truth of God was fulfilled in those Israelites who believed, and one wall from the circumcision is thus brought to meet the corner stone. But this stone would not form a corner, unless it received another wall from the Gentiles ... .
7. ... "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?"... In answer they gave Him the reports of men; "Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets."... Peter replying in behalf of all, one for those who were one, answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God;" ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm LXXXIX, §§ 3, 7

... If Christ were really a Stone, He could not be a Lion; if a Lion, He could not be a Lamb: but He is called both Lion, and Lamb, and Stone, and Calf ... metaphorically, because He is neither Stone, nor Lion, nor Lamb, nor Calf, but Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all of us ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XCI, § 6

... The Lord was seen to walk upon the sea, trampling on the heads of all the proud in this life. In walking upon the foaming waves, He figured His own course when He trampleth on the heads of the proud. The Church too doth trample upon them: for Peter is the Church Herself. Nevertheless, Peter dared not by himself walk upon the waters; but what said he? "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water."...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XCIV, § 17

6. ... we recognise the corner stone: the corner stone is Christ.... He hath become the stone, of which it is written, "The stone which the builders rejected, hath become the head of the corner."
10. ... He speaketh in the corner stone to each wall: that is, prophecy speaketh in Christ, both to the people of the Jews, and the people of the Gentiles....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XCV, § 6

... Where there is this unity of Spirit, there is one stone; but one stone formed out of many ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XCVI, § 2

1. ... Let us refer the whole to Christ ... let us not depart from the corner stone ... .
9. ... let those who worship stones be ashamed. Because those stones were dead, we have found a living Stone ... but our Stone is living, and hath ever lived with the Father ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XCVII, §§ 1, 9

... We read elsewhere concerning this hill, that a stone was cut from the hill without hands, and shattered all the kingdoms of the earth, and the stone itself increased. This is the vision of Daniel ... . This stone which was cut from the hill without hands increased, and "became," he saith, "a great mountain, and filled the whole face of the earth."... the stone, our Lord Jesus Christ....
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm XCIX, § 11

... let the Corner Stone be recognised, let the two who come from different regions, but who no longer differ in belief, meet in close union.
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CII, § 16

8. ... the firmness of the rock rubbeth off thy old age: for that Rock was Christ....
9. ... they who were leading the adulteress came, like raging waves against a rock: but they were dashed to pieces by His answer.... They wished to punish, to judge; they came to the Rock, their judges were overthrown by the Rock. ...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CIII, §§ 8, 9

4. ... He hath founded the Church upon the firmness of the Church. What is the firmness of the Church, but the foundation of the Church. What is the foundation of the Church, but that of which the Apostle saith, "Other foundation can no man lay but that is laid, which is Christ Jesus."...
15. ... Let them be heard, who hear from the rock: let them be heard, because also in those many rocks the One Rock is heard: for "the Rock was Christ." Let them therefore be willingly heard, giving their voice from the midst of the rocks....
16. ... we sound froth (sic) the rock, we say, This Peter did, this Paul did: from the midst of the rocks we give our voice. But that rock, Peter himself, that great mountain, when he prayed and saw that vision, was watered from above. ...
24. ... On what sort of rock? One placed in the sea. And if it is beaten by the waves, yet it breaketh the waves, is not broken by them: this is the excellency of the rock in the sea. How great waves beat on our Lord Jesus Christ? ... they hold that rock as their leader, which is beaten by the waves, and yet not broken; for they imitate the sufferings of Christ. ...
25. ... so "is the rock the refuge for the hedgehogs and the hares." For the Lord is a refuge for the poor. Place that rock upon the land, it is a refuge for hedgehogs, and for hares: place it on the sea, it is the home of the coot. Everywhere the rock is useful. ...
27. ... Then worship the rock also, for it also is a type of Christ. ...
28. ... He is the Rock, He the Shepherd, He the Gate. ... ye have read that the Rock signifieth Christ ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CIV, §§ 4, 15, 16, 24, 25, 28

... because one wall indeed coming to the Corner Stone crieth Abba, but the other, from the other side crieth Father; viz., in that Corner Stone ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CVII, § 1

... as some things are said which seem peculiarly to apply to the Apostle Peter, and yet are not clear in their meaning, unless when referred to the Church, whom he is acknowledged to have figuratively represented, on account of the primacy which he bore among the Disciples; as it is written, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven," ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CIX, § 1

12. ... "Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken." Kings therefore fall on this "stone of offence," and are therefore wounded, when they say, Who is Christ?...
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CX, § 12

3. ... Let therefore no Christian consider himself alien to the name of Israel. For we are joined in the corner stone with those among the Jews who believed ... .
4. ... Hear the Apostle the teacher of the Gentiles ... "they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ...."
9. "Who turned the hard rock into standing waters, and the flint stone into springing wells" (ver. 8). For He melted Himself ... that He might in them become "a fountain of water gushing forth unto everlasting life;" ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXIV, §§ 4, 9

... that grace of the water that gushed from the rock ("now that rock was Christ") ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXV, § 1

16. ... who is this whom we speak of? "The Stone which the builders rejected"; for "It hath become the head Stone of the corner"... .
17. ... it is made into the head stone of the corner by the Lord.... in the edifice which the Lord was secretly raising, that was made the head stone of the corner which they rejected....
18. ... He, the Mediator, hath become the head Stone of the corner....
21. ... That Lord ... who became the head Stone of the corner, that "Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ," ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXVIII, §§ 16, 17, 18, 21

44. ... The word of truth, therefore, was not "even exceedingly," or, as some copies have it, even every way, that is not altogether taken from the mouth of Peter, in whom was the type of the Church; because although he denied for the hour, being disturbed with fear, yet by weeping he was restored ... .
98. ... not that the Law which his enemies read is not of God, but because they do not understand it, like him who understandeth it above his enemies, by clinging to the Stone upon which they stumbled. For "Christ is the end of the law," etc ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXIX, §§ 44, 98

... rather set thy feet firm upon the rock ... . Let the Lord be in thee, and He will deliver thee ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXXIV, § 8

12. ... "Dash it against the Rock; and that Rock is Christ."
13. ... Is it a grown-up enemy? let it be slain upon the Rock. Is it a little enemy? let it be dashed against the Rock. Slay the grown-up ones on the Rock, and dash the little ones against the Rock. Let the Rock conquer. Be built upon the Rock ... .
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXXXVII, § 12

8. ... "their judges have been swallowed up beside the Rock". What is, "swallowed up beside the Rock? That Rock was Christ. They have been swallowed up beside the Rock." ... Set him beside the Rock, and he is swallowed up. ... Set them beside the Rock, compare their authority to the authority of the Gospel ... . "their judges have been swallowed up beside" that "Rock." So long do their words seem somewhat, till they are compared with the Rock....
10. ... From the dunghill was Peter lifted up, and Paul; when they were put to death, they were despised: now, the earth having been enriched by them, and the cross of the Church springing up, behold, all that is noble and chief in the world, even the emperor himself, cometh to Rome, and whither does he hasten? to the temple of the emperor, or the memorial of the fisherman?
Saint Augustine on the Psalms, Psalm CXLI, §§ 8, 10

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