The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 4: The Unfolding of Time, Part 1 • 139

Augustine spoke next. “I agree” he began, “that things which appear to happen by chance in nature really declare the praises of their Creator and point to divine providence. But what do you make of this: the Egyptians were struck with ten plagues and the people of God were given Ten Commandments”? 39 Having piqued our curiosity, Augustine began comparing the plagues with the commandments. “The first commandment was to worship God alone, as it says, “For you, there shall be no other gods than me” (Ex.20:3). The first Egyptian plague was water changed to blood (Ex. 7:20). If you compare the first commandment with the first plague you will see that the water is like God, from whom all things derive, 40 and that the blood represents humanity. Now, water turned to blood is corrupted water, that is, water emptied of its divine nature. And isn’t this what the Egyptians had done? As Paul explained to the Romans, they “changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of corruptible man and birds and beasts and serpents.” 41 They did this only in their minds, of course, for God himself is unchangeable.” 42

39 Augustine, Sermon 8, chapter 2 (not in NPNF) but see Edmund Hill and John Rotelle, The Works of Saint Augustine A Translation for the Twentieth First Century (Brooklyn: New City Press), 240ff. My translation is based on the text in Patrologia Latina , volume 38, column 67.

40 God made the water before vegetation, beasts, and man; in that sense they are all derived from water. See Gen. 1:9-26.

41 Rom. 1:23.

42 Paraphrase based on Augustine, Sermon 8 , chapter 2, Patrologia Latina , 38, columns 67-74.