Genesis 11:4 (WEB)
They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”
Catechism · 1
“It is intended to limit the pride of fallen humanity united only in its perverse ambition to forge its own unity as at Babel.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Wis 10:5; Gen 11:4-6
Fathers and councils · 10
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus IV.1Book IV
“And we need also thoughts which will pull down all edifices based on false opinions, and especially the edifice raised by Celsus in his work which resembles the building of those who said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower whose top shall reach to heaven.”” — editor's note: Cf. Gen. xi. 4.
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Eusebius of Caesarea
“…giants celebrated by all; now planning to fortify earth against heaven, and in the madness of ungoverned pride to prepare an attack upon the very God of all.” — editor's note: The reference here seems to be to the building of the tower of Babel (Gen. xi. 1–9), although Valesius thinks otherwise. The fact that Eusebius refers to the…
Read the whole comment“…titles corresponding to the contents of each; for instance, Concerning the things which the Sober Mind desires and execrates,On the Confusion of Tongues,On Flight and Discovery,On Assembly for the sake of Instruction,On the question, ‘Who is heir to things divine?’ or On the division of things into equal and…” — editor's note: περὶ συγκύσεως τῶν διαλέκτων. Upon Gen. xi. 1–9. Still extant, and given by Mangey, I. 404–435 (Schürer, p. 844).
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Augustine of Hippo
“Lest we perish in a deluge, let us make a lofty tower.” — editor's note: Gen. xi. 4.
Read the whole comment“Therefore the name of it is called Confusion; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and the Lord God scattered them thence on the face of all the earth.”” — editor's note: Gen. xi. 1–9.
Read the whole comment““God saw their pride, and frustrated their purpose by causing that they should not understand one another’s speech, and thus tongues became diverse through pride.”” — editor's note: Gen. xi. 1–9.
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John Chrysostom
“Thus they who built the tower ( Gen. xi. 4 ), agreed together to their own hurt; and these same again were separated, though unwillingly, yet for their good.” — the author cites it
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Jerome
“The patriarch—the first to receive a promise of Christ—is here told to leave the Chaldees, to leave the city of confusion and its rehobothor broad places; to leave also the plain of Shinar, where the tower of pride had been raised to heaven.” — editor's note: Gen. xi. 2, 4.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“…with noble associations, but with these of deepest disgrace; whether we must call that council, which subverted and disturbed everything, a tower of Chalane, which deservedly confounded the tongues—would that theirs had been confounded for their harmony in evil!—or a Sanhedrim of Caiaphas where Christ was condemned,…” — editor's note: Gen. xi. 4.
Read the whole comment“Whenever I take up his polemical works, I see the fire of Sodom, by which the wicked and rebellious tongues are reduced to ashes, or the tower of Chalane, impiously built, and righteously destroyed.” — editor's note: Gen. xi. 4.
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Cross-references · 6
Cited together in The City of God XVI.4.
Cited together in The City of God XVI.4.
Cited together in Against Celsus IV.1.
Cited together in Against Celsus IV.1.
Cited together in Against Celsus IV.1.
Cited together in Against Celsus IV.1.