Augustine, Sermones 244-252 (Classis II, de Tempore)

You shall not commit murder: you have the sixth. You shall not commit theft: you have the seventh. You shall not speak false witness: you have the eighth. You shall not covet your neighbour's property: you have the ninth. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife (Exod. 20:1–17): you have the tenth. He who says, You shall not covet, knocks at what is within, strikes at the inner parts. Concupiscence does its business. See, this Law is in ten: what does it profit when you have learned it and not done it? You will be a transgressor. But in order that you may do it, help is necessary. Whence the help? From the Spirit. Therefore The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6). To ten let seven be added: they make ten and seven. In this number is the whole multitude of the perfect; but how they arrive at a hundred and fifty-three, I am accustomed to tell you, and many anticipate me: nevertheless the customary discourse must be delivered. Many have forgotten, some have not even heard: but let those who have not forgotten and have heard bear it patiently, so that others may be reminded and instructed. When two walk on a road, one quicker and the other slower, it is in the power of the quicker that his companion not be deserted. He loses nothing who hears what he knew; and in that he loses nothing he ought even to rejoice, because he who did not know is being instructed. Count ten and seven, from one up to ten and seven, in such a way that you add them all, and you will arrive at a hundred and fifty-three. What do you expect from me? Count for yourselves.

Sermon 251. On the Days of Easter, 22. On the same reading and on the two catches of fish.

Chapter I. — 1. Two catches of fish made at the Lord's command. In the first catch three things were signified: the mixture of the good and the bad, the pressure of the crowds, the separations of the heretics. The fishing of our Liberator is our liberation. Now we notice in the holy Gospel two catches of fish by the Lord, that is, when at His word the nets were cast: one earlier, when He chose the disciples; and this other, when He rose from the dead. That catch signified the Church such as it is now; but this one, after the Lord's resurrection, signified the Church such as it will be at the end of the age. Accordingly, in that earlier catch, He ordered the nets to be cast, and did not say on which side; but only commanded that they be cast. The disciples cast them: it was not said, To the right; it was not said, To the left. For the fish signified men: if then it had been said, To the right, there would have been only good ones; if it had been said, To the left, only bad. But because both good and bad were to be mixed together in the Church, the nets were cast without distinction, so that fish might be caught signifying the mixture of the good and the bad. Then this too is written there, that they caught so many fish that the two little boats, being filled, were sinking, that is, to

submersion they were weighed down (Luke 5:1–7). For those two boats were not submerged, but endangered. Endangered by what? By the multitude of fish. From this it was signified that, through the multitude which the Church was going to gather, discipline was going to be endangered. And this too was added in that catch, and is narrated: that the nets also were burst because of the multitude of fish. What did the burst nets signify, if not future schisms? These three things, then, were signified in that catch: the mixture of good and bad, the pressure of crowds, the separations of heretics. The mixture of good and bad, because the nets were cast neither to the right nor to the left; the pressure of crowds, because so much was caught that the little boats were weighed down; the separations of heretics, because so great had the multitude been that the nets were breaking.

Chapter II. — 2. By the other catch the number of the elect is signified. The net is cast to the right, because only the good are to be gathered. The number refers to the elect; "above the number", to the reprobate. Look now at this catch which was read today. For it took place after the resurrection of the Lord, so as to signify that such will be the Church after our resurrection. "Cast," He says, "the net on the right side." Distinguished, therefore, is the number of those who will stand at the right. For you remember that the Lord said that He would come with His angels, and that all nations will be gathered before Him; and He will divide them, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats: He will place the sheep at the right, the goats at the left. To the sheep He will say, Come, receive the kingdom; to the goats He will say, Go into the eternal fire (Matt. 25:31–41). Cast to the right. As if He were saying: I have now risen; I wish to signify the Church which will exist in the resurrection of the dead. Cast to the right. The nets were cast to the right; and they could not lift them because of the multitude of fish. There too a multitude was spoken of; but here a definite number, and a multitude, and size; there, however, no number was spoken of. For now, before the resurrection comes and the good are separated from the bad, that is being fulfilled which the prophet says: I have announced, and I have spoken. What is, I have announced, and I have spoken? I have cast nets. And what then? They are multiplied above number (Ps. 39:6). There is a number; there are those above the number. The number pertains to the saints, who are to reign with Christ. Those above the number can now enter into the Church; into the kingdom of heaven they cannot.

Chapter III. — Therefore I admonish you to rescue yourselves from the present evil age. Therefore I admonish you who wish to live not to imitate bad Christians. Do not say: Why? Is that man not a believer, and yet he gets drunk? Why? Is that man not a believer, and yet he keeps concubines? Why? Is that man not a believer, and yet he commits frauds daily? Why? Is that man not a believer, and yet he consults astrologers? For those of you who now wish to be grain will then be found in the mass. But those of you who wish to be chaff will be found in a great heap, but one to be burned with a great fire.

3. The shore, the end of the age. The net not torn, because there are no heresies. Who is great, and who least, in the kingdom of heaven. What then? "They brought," it says, "the nets to the shore." Peter drew the nets to the shore: now when the Gospel

was being read, you heard. Where you hear "shore", understand the end of the sea: where you hear the end of the sea, understand the end of the world. In that [earlier] catch the nets were not drawn to the shore: but the very fish that were caught were poured into the boats. Here, however, they drew [them] to the shore. Hope for the end of the world. The end is coming; for the good [it is the end] of those on the right, for the bad, of those on the left. And how many fish? They drew in, it says, nets holding a hundred and fifty-three fish. And the Evangelist added a necessary thing: And although they were so many, that is, so large, the net was not torn. They will be great, but they will not be heresies: and all the more will they not be heresies, because they will be great. Who are the great? Read the words of the Lord Himself in the Gospel, and you will find the great. For He says in a certain place: I have not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil [them].

Chapter IV. — For amen I say to you, that whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and teaches: breaks and teaches so; breaks [it] by living badly, and teaches by teaching good things: he will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:17–19). But in what kingdom of heaven? In the Church which now is; for it too is called the kingdom of heaven. For if this Church too, which gathers the good and the bad, were not called the kingdom of heaven, the Lord Himself would not say, speaking in a parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, which gathers every kind of fish. But see, what follows? The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea. Dragnets are nets: it gathers every kind of fish. But what then? They draw them to the shore. This the Lord says in the parable. And when they have drawn [them] to the shore, they sit down, and gather the good and put them into vessels, but the bad they throw away. And He explained what He had set forth. For what does He say? So will it be at the consummation of the world. Have you understood the shore? The angels come, He says, and gather the bad from the midst of the just, and put them into the furnace of burning fire: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:47–50). Nevertheless the Church has been called the kingdom of heaven. And since the sea holds fish swimming together, both good and bad, in this kingdom of heaven, that is, in the Church of this time, he who teaches good things and does bad things is called least: because he too is there. For it is not that he is not there: he is there in the kingdom of heaven, that is, in the Church, such as it is at this time. He teaches good things, he does bad things: he is necessary, he is a hireling. Amen I say to you, He says, they have received their reward (ibid. 6:2). He is of some profit. For if those who teach good things and live badly were of no profit, the Lord Himself would not say to His people: The scribes and Pharisees sit on the chair of Moses: what they say, do; but what they do, do not do. Why? For they say, and do not do (ibid. 23:2–3).

Chapter V. — 4. Great in the kingdom of heaven. Let your Charity therefore pay attention: for I wish to explain who the great fish are. Whoever breaks, He says, one of these least commandments, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. He will be there, but least. But whoever does and teaches so, will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. See, those are the great fish, caught on the right side. Whoever does and teaches so: has done good things, has taught good things; has not contradicted himself as he speaks by living badly, when of a bad life

he has a good tongue as witness. "Whoever" therefore "does them, and teaches so, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." And there follows: "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness abounds above that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). Now, how do you understand the kingdom of heaven? That of which it is said to those on the right, Come, blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom (Matt. 25:34). Unless your righteousness abounds more than that of the scribes and Pharisees. What is "more than that of the scribes and Pharisees"? Look at those scribes and Pharisees who sit on the chair of Moses, of whom it was said, What they say, do; what they do, do not do: for they say, and do not do. Therefore the righteousness of the Pharisees is to say and not to do. Let your righteousness abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, so that you both say good things and live well.

Chapter VI. — 5. What the number of a hundred and fifty-three fishes signifies. The Holy Spirit commended by the number seven. Our full sanctification. Now then, concerning the number of a hundred and fifty-three fishes, what need is there to weave the same things over again? You know them. From ten and seven grows the increasing number. Begin from one, go on to ten and seven, so that you add them all: that is, add one to two, and they make three; add three, and they make six; add four, and they make ten. So add all of them up to ten and seven, and you reach a hundred and fifty-three. Our whole attention, therefore, ought to be on nothing but what ten and seven mean: for there is the foundation of a hundred and fifty-three. What do ten and seven mean? In the law recognize ten. Ten commandments were given first: the Decalogue is said to have been written on tablets by the finger of God. In ten recognize the Law, in seven recognize the Holy Spirit. For by the number seven the Holy Spirit is commended. That is why sanctification is not named in the Law except on the seventh day. God made light: it is not said, He sanctified it. He made the firmament: it is not said, He sanctified the firmament. He separated the sea from the land, He commanded the earth to bring forth: it is not said, He sanctified. He made the moon and the stars: it is not said, He sanctified. He commanded living things to come forth from the waters, swimming and flying: it is not said, He sanctified. He commanded four-footed animals and all creeping things to come out of the earth: it is not said, He sanctified. He made man himself: it is not said, He sanctified.

Chapter VII. — We have come to the seventh day, on which He rested; and that day He sanctified (Gen. 2:3). Through His own rest God sanctified our rest. There, therefore, will our sanctification be full, where we shall rest with Him without end. For why should God rest? For He was not wearied by working. If you do something by a word, you are not wearied: if you command, and it is done at once, you stand, you remain unimpaired. He spoke a few words, by which He made everything, and was He suddenly tired out?

6. The law is not fulfilled without God's help. The law is fulfilled not by fear of punishment, but by love of righteousness. Recognize, therefore, the law in ten; recognize the Holy Spirit in seven. Let the Spirit be joined to the Law. For if you receive the Law,