Book Fifteenth
April 4th, 2009I remember arguing with Mr. Yettru in 9th grade English class about whether or not Robert Frost’s poems (such as “Mending Fences” and “The Road not Taken”) could be interpreted figuratively. He wasn’t able to convince me. Now I see that discussion as an example of the immaturity of the adolescent mind, but I’m also fascinated with how words can be used to say something beyond what they literally say.
When John says of Jesus, “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” there is no mention of Passover, yet it seems clear that Passover is referenced.
Augustine spends considerable time discussing Genesis in his quest to trace the origins of the two cities, that of man and that of God. In his discussion of the flood he says of the ark that “this is certainly a figure of the city of God sojourning in the world; that is to say, of the church…” He then makes the argument that the dimensions of the ark are proportional to the dimensions of a man and that the door in the side corresponds to the wound in Jesus’ side (”for by this those who come to Him enter; for thence flowed the sacraments by which those who believe are initiated.”).
My initial reaction was dismissive, until I realized that of course the ark does prefigure Christ- the shelter in the time of storm, the salvation from imminent death. Not that I’m willing to go along with Augustine’s more specific applications, but at least I see where he’s coming from.
And I have been in discussion with those who would say the only truth to the flood account is in its revelation of Christ.
As Augustine says, “Yet no one ought to suppose either that these things were written for no purpose, or that we should study only the historical truth, apart from any allegorical meaning; or, on the contrary, that they are only allegories, and that there were no such facts at all, or that, whether it be so or no, there is here no prophecy of the church.”
He doesn’t delve into that interesting question too much, though, other than meeting contemporary objections to the story (how could the waters be above the highest mountains? Even the clouds cannot rise above Mount Olympus!)