27. What is it that up to this point it was said of Saul alone: "What has happened to the son of Kish?" And now, as if concerning many, the answer is given: "And who is their father?" But if this is understood according to history, it can in no way stand. It remains therefore that the meaning which is taken from the letter must be sought in spiritual signification. When therefore it is said: "Who is their father?" not only Saul prophesying is considered, but that entire company of prophets. For indeed all those prophets, because they were greatly spiritual, were reckoned not from carnal descent but from heavenly origin. The Father of the prophets is He who inquires through Malachi, saying: "If I am the Lord, where is my fear? And if I am a father, where is my love?" (Mal. 1:6). For because they are joined to almighty God in great love, they are called sons of Him whom they love as a father. This applies all the more fittingly to the preachers of the new Church, inasmuch as He raised them higher into heavenly nobility, who revealed to them the glory of so great a lineage in the form of a prayer. "Thus," He says, "you shall pray: Our Father, who art in heaven" (Matt. 6:9). Which is as if to say: The holy preachers would be worthy of admiration if the wonders they perform they accomplished by their own power; but now what is seen is not a wonder, because He works this through them for whom nothing seems difficult. Let one therefore say to another: "And who is their father?" As if to say: What wonder is it if they teach marvelously, since it is not they themselves who speak, but the Spirit of their Father who speaks in them? Therefore it is not said: "Who is his father?" (John 6:42), lest what belongs to many sons be attributed to one alone. For only He who is Son by nature dares to say: "My Father works until now" (John 5:17). And likewise: "The Lord said to me: You are my Son, today I have begotten you" (Ps. 2:7). For in order to bring forth the difference between each dignity, He speaks to Mary Magdalene, saying: "I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (John 20:17). As often therefore as one preacher is seen to be distinguished by a wondrous life or preaching, in his heavenly generation he is seen not alone but with innumerable others; because almighty God, who is shown to be wonderful in one, produces far greater admiration among people when innumerable others are considered who possessed that which they marvel at in one. This, however, can fittingly be referred to the detraction of carnal people: for when they try to diminish the reputation of spiritual men, they search out their carnal circumstances which they may bring forward for disparagement. And very often in holy Church those have a wondrous reputation for holiness who have no worldly eminence at all. When therefore carnal people find fault with either the fleshly origin or the poverty in those who by divine generation are already great and rich, they inquire about the father of the prophets as if in mockery. And because they consider it a very strange thing that lowly men of the world can appear so great, there is added: "Therefore it was turned into a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?"
28. Which indeed, if they were to examine with the eyes of the heart, they would not regard as a new thing. For the Holy Spirit acts according to His own custom when He raises the poor, the humble, and the simple to the summit of virtues. For of Him it is written: "Who sets the humble on high, and lifts up the mourning to safety" (Job 5:11). Hence the almighty Father says of His same almighty Spirit through the prophet: "Upon whom does my spirit rest, if not upon the humble, and the quiet, and the one who trembles at my words?" (Isaiah 66:2). Hence Paul says: "Not many wise according to the flesh, not many noble, but God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the strong; and God chose the ignoble things of the world, to destroy the things that are; so that no flesh should glory in His sight" (1 Corinthians 1:26, etc.). Which proverb can certainly be ascribed to the elect as well. For no less amazement was held concerning the blessed apostle Paul, when it was heard by the Church that he who used to assault the Church by threatening and slaughtering was now evangelizing and defending it by preaching. Then indeed those who heard could say: "Is Saul among the apostles? Does he who used to persecute Jesus now preach Jesus?" But this has now been turned into a proverb of the elect. A proverb indeed is when in what is said, something else is concealed. But the conversion of the blessed apostle Paul has become a proverb for the sinner. Let every sinner therefore hear of the conversion of blessed Paul, and not despair on account of the multitude of his crimes. For Saul, breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, was afflicting the elect everywhere; he was guarding the garments of those who stoned the protomartyr Stephen, and was as it were stoning with the hands of all, since he made them all free to stone (Acts 9:1 ff.). But he who was such while persecuting Christ, upon being converted to Christ, was made the head of the nations, because he obtained the leadership of the whole Church. While we behold so great a sinner converted and honored by the Lord with so sublime a dignity, let us presume that we too can find forgiveness for our sins. Our proverb therefore is this: that a persecutor is taken up for evangelizing, which contains this mystery—that the converted sinner may not only hope for pardon from the Lord, but that by fighting manfully he may be able to attain to the crown. But this is the usual difference between carnal and spiritual preachers: that carnal preachers, after the lofty words of preaching, descend to the depths of wicked works, while spiritual preachers, after the sublime things they speak, raise themselves up to even higher desires for the heavenly homeland.
28. Which indeed, if they were to examine with the eyes of the heart, they would not regard as a new thing. For the Holy Spirit acts according to His own custom when He raises the poor, the humble, and the simple to the summit of virtues. For of Him it is written: "Who sets the humble on high, and lifts up the mourning to safety" (Job 5:11). Hence the almighty Father says of His same almighty Spirit through the prophet: "Upon whom does my spirit rest, if not upon the humble, and the quiet, and the one who trembles at my words?" (Isaiah 66:2). Hence Paul says: "Not many wise according to the flesh, not many noble, but God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the strong; and God chose the ignoble things of the world, to destroy the things that are; so that no flesh should glory in His sight" (1 Corinthians 1:26, etc.). Which proverb can certainly be ascribed to the elect as well. For no less amazement was held concerning the blessed apostle Paul, when it was heard by the Church that he who used to assault the Church by threatening and slaughtering was now evangelizing and defending it by preaching. Then indeed those who heard could say: "Is Saul among the apostles? Does he who used to persecute Jesus now preach Jesus?" But this has now been turned into a proverb of the elect. A proverb indeed is when in what is said, something else is concealed. But the conversion of the blessed apostle Paul has become a proverb for the sinner. Let every sinner therefore hear of the conversion of blessed Paul, and not despair on account of the multitude of his crimes. For Saul, breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, was afflicting the elect everywhere; he was guarding the garments of those who stoned the protomartyr Stephen, and was as it were stoning with the hands of all, since he made them all free to stone (Acts 9:1 ff.). But he who was such while persecuting Christ, upon being converted to Christ, was made the head of the nations, because he obtained the leadership of the whole Church. While we behold so great a sinner converted and honored by the Lord with so sublime a dignity, let us presume that we too can find forgiveness for our sins. Our proverb therefore is this: that a persecutor is taken up for evangelizing, which contains this mystery—that the converted sinner may not only hope for pardon from the Lord, but that by fighting manfully he may be able to attain to the crown. But this is the usual difference between carnal and spiritual preachers: that carnal preachers, after the lofty words of preaching, descend to the depths of wicked works, while spiritual preachers, after the sublime things they speak, raise themselves up to even higher desires for the heavenly homeland.