Josephusarguedthat，sincethereweretwenty-twolettersintheHebrewalphabet，theremustbetwenty-twosacredbooksintheOldTestament；otherJewishauthoritiesthoughtthatthereshouldbetwenty-fourbooks，onaccountofthetwenty-fourwatchesinthetemple。St。Jeromewaveredbetweentheargumentbaseduponthetwenty-twolettersintheHebrewalphabetandthatsuggestedbythetwenty-foureldersintheApocalypse。HilaryofPoitiersarguedthattheremustbetwenty-fourbooks，onaccountofthetwenty-fourlettersintheGreekalphabet。Origenfoundanargumentfortheexistenceofexactlyfourgospelsintheexistenceofjustfourelements。Irenaeusinsistedthattherecouldbeneithermorenorfewerthanfourgospels，sincetheearthhasfourquarters，theairfourwinds，andthecherubimfourfaces；andhedenouncedthosewhodeclinedtoacceptthisreasoningas“vain，ignorant，andaudacious。”[465]
　　[465]ForJeromeandOrigen，seenotesonpagesfollowing。ForIrenaeus，seeIrenaeus，AdversusHoeres。，lib。iii，cap。xi，S8。
　　Forthegeneralsubject，seeSanday，Inspiration，p。115；alsoFarrarandH。P。Smithasabove。ForarecentveryfullandverycuriousstatementfromaRomanCatholicauthorityregardingviewscherishedintheolderChurchastothesymbolismofnumbers，seeDetzel，ChristlicheIconographie，FreiburginBresigau，Bandi，Einleitung，p。4。
　　Butduringthefirsthalfofthethirdcenturycameonewhoexercisedastillstrongerinfluenceinthisdirection——agreatmanwho，whilerenderingpreciousservices，didmorethananyothertofastenupontheChurchasystemwhichhasbeenoneofitsheaviestburdensformorethansixteenhundredyears：thiswasOrigen。Yethispurposewasnobleandhisworkbasedonprofoundthought。Hehadtomeettheleadingphilosophersofthepaganworld，toreplytotheirargumentsagainsttheOldTestament，andespeciallytobreaktheforceoftheirtauntsagainstitsimputationofhumanform，limitations，passions，weaknesses，andevenimmoralitiestotheAlmighty。
　　StartingwithamistakentranslationofaverseinthebookofProverbs，OrigenpresentedasabasisforhismainstructuretheideaofathreefoldsenseofScripture：theliteral，themoral，andthemystic——correspondingtothePlatonicconceptionofthethreefoldnatureofman。Asresultsofthiswehavesuchmasterpiecesashisproof，fromthefifthverseofchapterxxvofJob，thatthestarsarelivingbeings，andfromthewell-knownpassageinthenineteenthchapterofSt。Matthewhiswarrantforself-mutilation。Buthisgreattriumphswereintheallegoricalmethod。ByitsusetheBiblewasspeedilymadeanoracleindeed，or，rather，abookofriddles。AlistofkingsintheOldTestamentthusbecomesanenumerationofsins；thewaterpotsofstone，“containingtwoorthreefirkinsapiece。”atthemarriageofCana，signifytheliteral，moral，andspiritualsenseofScripture；theassuponwhichtheSaviourrodeonhistriumphalentryintoJerusalembecomestheOldTestament，thefoaltheNewTestament，andthetwoapostleswhowenttoloosethemthemoralandmysticalsenses；blindBartimeusthrowingoffhiscoatwhilehasteningtoJesus，opensawholetreasuryoforacularmeanings。
　　ThegeniusandpowerofOrigenmadeagreatimpressiononthestrongthinkerswhofollowedhim。St。Jeromecalledhim“thegreatestmasterintheChurchsincetheapostles。”andAthanasiuswashardlylessemphatic。
　　Thestructurethusbegunwascontinuedbyleadingtheologiansduringthecenturiesfollowing：St。HilaryofPoitiers——“theAthanasiusofGaul“——producedsomewonderfulresultsofthismethod；butSt。Jerome，inspiredbytheexampleofthemanwhomhesogreatlyadmired，wentbeyondhim。AtriumphofhisexegesisisseeninhisstatementthattheShunamitedamselwhowasselectedtocherishDavidinhisoldagesignifiedheavenlywisdom。
　　ThegreatmindofSt。Augustinewasdrawnlargelyintothiskindofcreation，andnothingmarksmoreclearlythevastchangewhichhadcomeovertheworldthanthefactthatthisgreatestoftheearlyChristianthinkersturnedfromthebroaderpathsopenedbyPlatoandAristotleintothatopenedbyClementofAlexandria。
　　InthemysticpowerofnumberstorevealthesenseofScriptureAugustinefoundespecialdelight。Hetellsusthatthereisdeepmeaninginsundryscripturalusesofthenumberforty，andespeciallyasthenumberofdaysrequiredforfasting。Forty，heremindsus，isfourtimesten。Now，four，hesays，isthenumberespeciallyrepresentingtime，thedayandtheyearbeingeachdividedintofourparts；whileten，beingmadeupofthreeandseven，representsknowledgeoftheCreatorandcreature，threereferringtothethreepersonsinthetriuneCreator，andsevenreferringtothethreeelements，heart，soul，andmind，takeninconnectionwiththefourelements，fire，air，earth，andwater，whichgotomakeupthecreature。Thereforethisnumberten，representingknowledge，beingmultipliedbyfour，representingtime，admonishesustoliveduringtimeaccordingtoknowledge——thatis，tofastforfortydays。Referringtosuchmistymethodsasthese，whichleadthereadertoaskhimselfwhetherheissleepingorwaking，St。Augustineremarksthat“ignoranceofnumberspreventsusfromunderstandingsuchthingsinScripture。”Butperhapsthemostamazingexampleistobeseeninhisnotesonthehundredandfiftyandthreefisheswhich，accordingtoSt。John’sGospel，werecaughtbySt。
　　Peterandtheotherapostles。Somepointsinhislongdevelopmentofthissubjectmaybeselectedtoshowwhattheoldertheologicalmethodcouldbemadetodoforagreatmind。
　　Hetellsusthatthehundredandfiftyandthreefishesembodyamystery；thatthenumberten，evidentlyasthenumberofthecommandments，indicatesthelaw；but，asthelawwithoutthespiritonlykills，wemustaddthesevengiftsofthespirit，andwethushavethenumberseventeen，whichsignifiestheoldandnewdispensations；then，ifweaddtogethereveryseveralnumberwhichseventeencontainsfromonetoseventeeninclusive，theresultisahundredandfiftyandthree——thenumberofthefishes。WiththissortofreasoninghefindsprofoundmeaningsinthenumberoffurlongsmentionedinhesixthchapterofSt。
　　John。Referringtothefactthatthediscipleshadrowedabout“twenty-fiveorthirtyfurlongs。”hedeclaresthat“twenty-fivetypifiesthelaw，becauseitisfivetimesfive，butthelawwasimperfectbeforethegospelcame；nowperfectioniscomprisedinsix，sinceGodinsixdaysperfectedtheworld，hencefiveismultipliedbysixthatthelawmaybeperfectedbythegospel，andsixtimesfiveisthirty。”
　　ButAugustine’sexploitsinexegesiswerenotallbasedonnumerals；heissometimesequallyprofoundinothermodes。Thushetellsusthatthecondemnationoftheserpenttoeatdusttypifiesthesinofcuriosity，sinceineatingdusthe“penetratestheobscureandshadowy“；andthatNoah’sarkwas“pitchedwithinandwithoutwithpitch“toshowthesafetyoftheChurchfromtheleakinginofheresy。
　　Stillanotherexploit——oneatwhichtheChurchmightwellhavestoodaghast——washisstatementthatthedrunkennessofNoahprefiguredthesufferinganddeathofChrist。Itisbutjusttosaythathewasnottheoriginalauthorofthisinterpretation：
　　ithadbeenpresentedlongbeforebySt。Cyprian。ButthiswasfarfromAugustine’sworst。PerhapsnointerpretationofScripturehaseverledtomorecruelandpersistentoppression，torture，andbloodshedthanhisreadingintooneofthemostbeautifulparablesofJesusofNazareth——intothewords“Compelthemtocomein“——awarrantforreligiouspersecution：ofallunintendedblasphemiessincetheworldbegan，possiblythemostappalling。AnotherstrongmanfollowstofastenthesemethodsontheChurch：St。GregorytheGreat。InhisrenownedworkonthebookofJob，theMagnaMoralia，giventotheworldattheendofthesixthcentury，helaysgreatstressonthedeepmysticalmeaningsofthestatementthatJobhadsevensons。Hethinksthesevensonstypifythetwelveapostles，for“theapostleswereselectedthroughthesevenfoldgraceoftheSpirit；moreover，twelveisproducedfromseven——thatis，thetwopartsofseven，fourandthree，whenmultipliedtogethergivetwelve。”Healsofindsdeepsignificanceinthenumberoftheapostles；thisnumberbeingevidentlydeterminedbyamultiplicationofthenumberofpersonsintheTrinitybythenumberofquartersoftheglobe。Still，todohimjustice，itmustbesaidthatinsomepartsofhisexegesisthestrongsensewhichwasoneofhismoststrikingcharacteristicscropsoutinawayveryrefreshing。
　　Thus，referringtoapassageinthefirstchapterofJob，regardingtheoxenwhichwereploughingandtheasseswhichwerefeedingbesidethem，hetellsuspithilythatthesetypifytwoclassesofChristians：theoxen，theenergeticChristianswhodotheworkoftheChurch；theasses，thelazyChristianswhomerelyfeed。[466]
　　[466]ForOrigen，seetheDePrincipiis，bookiv，chaps。i-viietseq。，Crombie’stranslation；alsotheContraCelsum，vol。vi，p。
　　70；vol。vii，p。20，etc。；alsovariouscitationsinFarrar。ForHilary，seehisTractatussuperPsalmos，cap。ix，li，etc。inMigne，vol。ix，andDeTrinitate，lib。ii，cap。ii。ForJerome’sinterpretationofthetextrelatingtotheShunamitewoman，seeEpist。lii，inMigne，vol。xxii，pp。527，528。ForAugustine’suseofnumbers，seetheDeDoctrinaChristiana，lib。ii，cap。
　　xvi；andfortheexplanationofthedraughtoffishes，seeAugustinein，InJohan。Evangel。，tractat。cxxii；andonthetwenty-fivetothirtyfurlongs，ibid。，tract。xxv，cap。6；andforthesignificanceoftheserpenteatingdust，DeGen。，lib。
　　ii，c。18。ortheviewthatthedrunkennessofNoahprefiguredthesufferingofChrist，asheldbySS。CyprianandAugustine，seeFarrar，asabove，pp。181，238。ForSt。Gregory，seetheMagnaMoralia，lib。i，cap。xiv。
　　ThusbeganthevasttheologicalstructureoforacularinterpretationappliedtotheBible。Aswehaveseen，themenwhopreparedthegroundforitweretherabbisofPalestineandtheHellenizedJewsofAlexandria；andthefourgreatmenwholaiditsfoundationcourseswereOrigen，St。Augustine，St。
　　Jerome，andSt。Gregory。
　　DuringthetencenturiesfollowingthelastofthesementhisstructurecontinuedtorisesteadilyabovetheplainmeaningsofScripture。TheChristianworldrejoicedinit，andthefewgreatthinkerswhodaredbringthetruthtobearuponitwererejected。ItdidindeedseematoneperiodintheearlyChurchthatabettersystemmightbedeveloped。TheSchoolofAntioch，especiallyasrepresentedbyChrysostom，appearedlikelytoleadinthisbetterway，butthedominantforcesweretoostrong；thepassionformythandmarvelprevailedovertheloveofrealknowledge，andthereasoningsofChrysostomandhiscompeerswereneglected。[467]
　　[467]FortheworkoftheSchoolofAntioch，andespeciallyofChrysostom，seetheeloquenttributetoitbyFarrar，asabove。
　　Intheninthcenturycameanotherefforttopresenttheclaimsofrightreason。ThefirstmanprominentinthiswasSt。Agobard，BishopofLyons，whomaneminenthistorianhaswellcalledtheclearestheadofhistime。Withthesameinsightwhichpenetratedthefallaciesandfolliesofimageworship，beliefinwitchcraftpersecution，theordeal，andthejudicialduel，hesawthefutilityofthisvastfabricofinterpretation，protestedagainsttheideathattheDivineSpiritextendeditsinspirationtothemerewordsofScripture，andaskedaquestionwhichhasresoundedthrougheverygenerationsince：“Ifyouoncebeginsuchasystem，whocanmeasuretheabsurditywhichwillfollow？”
　　Duringthesamecenturyanotheropponentofthisdominantsystemappeared：JohnScotusErigena。Hecontendedthat“reasonandauthoritycomealikefromtheonesourceofDivineWisdom“；thatthefathers，greatastheirauthorityis，oftencontradicteachother；andthat，inlastresort，reasonmustbecalledintodecidebetweenthem。
　　Buttheevolutionofunreasoncontinued：Agobardwasunheeded，andErigenaplacedunderthebanbytwocouncils——hisworkbeingcondemnedbyasynodasa“CommentumDiaboli。”FourcenturieslaterHonoriusIIIorderedittobeburned，as“teemingwiththevenomofhereditarydepravity“；andfinally，aftereightcenturies，PopeGregoryXIIIplaceditontheIndex，where，withsomanyotherworkswhichhavedonegoodservicetohumanity，itremainstothisday。NordidAbelard，who，threecenturiesafterAgobardandErigena，madeanattemptinsomerespectsliketheirs，haveanybettersuccess：hisfateatthehandsofSt。
　　BernardandtheCouncilofSenstheworldknowsbyheart。FarmoreconsonantwiththespiritoftheuniversalChurchwastheteachinginthetwelfthcenturyofthegreatHugoofSt。
　　Victor，conveyedintheseominouswords，“Learnfirstwhatistobebelieved“Disceprimoquodcredendumest，meaningtherebythatoneshouldfirstacceptdoctrines，andthenfindtextstoconfirmthem。
　　Theseprinciplesbeingdominant，theaccretionstotheenormousfabricofinterpretationwentsteadilyon。TypicalisthefactthattheVenerableBedecontributedtoitthedoctrinethat，inthetextmentioningElkanahandhistwowives，ElkanahmeansChristandthetwowivestheSynagogueandtheChurch。EvensuchmenasAlfredtheGreatandSt。ThomasAquinaswereaddedtotheforcesatworkinbuildingabovethesacredbooksthisprodigiousstructureofsophistry。