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Document Details : Title: Sed Spiritu Sancto inspirati locuti sunt Subtitle: 2 Peter 2:20-21 in Augustine Author(s): YATES, Jonathan P. Journal: Augustiniana Volume: 64 Issue: 1-4 Date: 2014 Pages: 59-74 DOI: 10.2143/AUG.64.1.3080607 Abstract : As a theologian, an exegete, a pastor, and a teacher, Augustine had a complex and lifelong relationship to the Christian scriptures. For most of his life – and especially the forty years he spent as a member of the catholic clergy – he held to a 'high' view of those scriptures and believed that they had all been inspired by God. This essay examines Augustine’s use of 2 Peter 1:20-21, one of the two passages in the New Testament that explicitly claim that scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit. This examination is conducted in three steps: a review of Augustine’s teaching regarding the nature of scripture in general; a review of the main exegetical and interpretive issues for understanding 2 Peter 1:20-21; and, finally, a somewhat detailed discussion of the ways in which Augustine employed these two verses. It concludes that, despite making relatively frequent appeal to 2 Peter 1:20-21, Augustine, somewhat paradoxically, never offered a detailed exegesis of them. In other words, despite his 'high' view of scripture, Augustine only rarely supported his view via appeal to verses that offered it explicit support. |
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