Exegetical Fragments

• Exegetical Fragments §1 — On the Hexaëmeron, Or Six Days' Work. The Extant Works and Fragments of Part I.—Exegetical. Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture. On the Hexaëmeron, Or Six Days’ Work. Now these things we are…vatican.va

On Genesis

• Exegetical Fragments §2 — On Genesis. Gen. i. 5 And it was evening, and it was morning, one day. Hippolytus. He did not say “night and day,” but “one day,” with reference to the name of the light. He did not say the “first day;” for if he had…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §3 — From the Commentary of the Holy Hippolytus of Rome Upon Genesis. II. Gen. ii. 7 “And God formed man of the dust of the ground.” And what does this import? Are we to say, according to the opinion of some, that there…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §4 — Quoted in Jerome, Epist. 36, ad Damasum, Num. xviii. (from Galland). III. Isaac conveys a figure of God the Father; Rebecca of the Holy Spirit; Esau of the first people and the devil; Jacob of the Church, or of…vatican.va

• Exegetical Fragments §5 — On Numbers. Now, in order that He might be shown to have together in Himself at once the nature of God and that of man,—as the apostle, too, says: “Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Now a mediator…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §6 — On Kings. The question is raised, whether Samuel rose by the hand of the sorceress or not. And if, indeed, we were to allow that he did rise, we should be propounding what is false. For how could a demon call back…vatican.va

On the Psalms

• Exegetical Fragments §7 — The Argument Prefixed by Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, to His Exposition of the Psalms. On the Psalms. The Argument Prefixed by Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, to His Exposition of the Psalms. The book of Psalms contains…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §8 — On Psalm II. From the Exposition of the Second Psalm, by the Holy Bishop Hippolytus. When he came into the world, He was manifested as God and man. And it is easy to perceive the man in Him, when He hungers and shows…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §9 — On Psalm XXII. Or XXIII. From the Commentary by the Holy Bishop and Martyr Hippolytus, on “The Lord is My Shepherd.”. On Psalm XXII. Or XXIII. From the Commentary by the Holy Bishop and Martyr Hippolytus, on “The…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §10 — On Psalm XXIII. Or XXIV. From the Commentary by the Same, on Ps. xxiii. He comes to the heavenly gates: angels accompany Him: and the gates of heaven were closed. For He has not yet ascended into heaven. Now first…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §11 — On Psalm CIX. Or CX. From the Commentary by the Same on the Great Song. 1. He who delivered from the lowest hell the man first made of earth, when lost and bound by the chains of death; He who came down from above,…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §12 — On Psalm LXXVII. Or LXXVIII. 45. He sent the dog-fly among them, and consumed them; and the frog, and destroyed them. 46. He gave also their fruits to the mildew, and their labours to the locust. 47. He destroyed…vatican.va

On Proverbs

• Exegetical Fragments §13 — From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs. Proverbs, therefore, are words of exhortation serviceable for the whole path of life; for to those who seek their way to God, these serve as guides and signs to…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §14 — Another Fragment. St. Hippolytus on Prov. ix. 1, “Wisdom Hath Builded Her House.”. Christ, he means, the wisdom and power of God the Father, hath builded His house, i.e., His nature in the flesh derived from the…vatican.va

• Exegetical Fragments §15 — On the Song of Songs. 1. Arise, O north wind, and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out (Canticles iv. 16). As Joseph was delighted with these spices, he is designated the King’s…vatican.va

On Isaiah

• Exegetical Fragments §16 — Hippolytus, (Bishop) of Rome on Hezekiah. On the Prophet Isaiah. I. When Hezekiah, king of Judah, was still sick and weeping, there came an angel, and said to him: “I have seen thy tears, and I have heard thy voice.…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §17 — From the Discourse of St. Hippolytus on the beginning of Isaiah. II. Under Egypt he meant the world, and under things made with hands its idolatry, and under the shaking its subversion and dissolution. And the Lord,…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §18 — III. We find in the commentaries, written by our predecessors, that day had thirty-two hours. For when the sun had run its course, and reached the tenth hour, and the shadow had gone down by the ten degrees in the…vatican.va

• Exegetical Fragments §19 — On Jeremiah and Ezekiel. What were the dimensions, then, of the temple of Solomon? Its length was sixty cubits, and its breadth twenty. And it was not turned to the east, that the worshippers might not worship the…vatican.va

On Daniel

• Exegetical Fragments §20 — The interpretation by Hippolytus, (bishop) of Rome, of the visions of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar, taken in conjunction. II. The interpretation by Hippolytus, (bishop) of Rome, of the visions of Daniel and…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §21 — Scholia on Daniel. III. Chap. i. 1 “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim.” The Scripture narrates these things, with the purpose of intimating the second captivity of the people, when Jehoiakim and the three…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §22 — Other Fragments on Daniel. IV. For when the iron legs that now hold the sovereignty have given place to the feet and the toes, in accordance with the representation of the terrible beast, as has also been signified…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §23 — On the Song of the Three Children. V. “O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord; O ye apostles, prophets, and martyrs of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise Him, and exalt Him above all, for ever.” We may…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §24 — On Susannah. VI. What is narrated here, happened at a later time, although it is placed before the first book (at the beginning of the book). For it was a custom with the writers to narrate many things in an inverted…vatican.va

• Exegetical Fragments §25 — On Matthew. Matt. vi. 11. For this reason we are enjoined to ask what is sufficient for the preservation of the substance of the body: not luxury, but food, which restores what the body loses, and prevents death by…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §26 — On Luke. Chap. ii. 7 And if you please, we say that the Word was the first-born of God, who came down from heaven to the blessed Mary, and was made a first-born man in her womb, in order that the first-born of God…vatican.va

Doubtful Fragments on the Pentateuch

• Exegetical Fragments §27 — The Law. In the name of God eternal, everlasting, most mighty, merciful, compassionate. By the help of God we begin to describe the book of the law, and its interpretation, as the holy, learned, and most excellent…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §28 — Of the Creation of Heaven and Earth. “In the Beginning God Created,” Etc. Section I. An exposition of that which God said. And the blessed prophet, indeed, the great Moses, wrote this book, and designated and marked…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §29 — And the Lord Said: “And I Will Bring the Waters of the Flood Upon the Earth to Destroy All Flesh,” Etc. Sections II., III. And the Lord Said: “And I Will Bring the Waters of the Flood Upon the Earth to Destroy All…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §30 — On Gen. vii. 6. Section IV. Hippolytus, the Syrian expositor of the Targum, has said: We find in an ancient Hebrew copy that God commanded Noah to range the wild beasts in order in the lower floor or storey, and to…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §31 — On Gen. viii. 1. Section V. Hippolytus, the expositor of the Targum, and my master, Jacobus Rohaviensis, have said: On the twenty-seventh day of the month Jiar, which is the second Hebrew month, the ark rose from the…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §32 — On Deut. xxxiii. 2. Section X. Hippolytus, the expositor of the Targum, has said that Moses, when he had finished this prophecy, also pronounced a blessing upon all the children of Israel, by their several tribes,…vatican.va

On the Psalms

• Exegetical Fragments §33 — The Argument of the Exposition of the Psalms by Hippolytus, (Bishop) of Rome. I. 1. The book of Psalms contains new doctrine after the law which was given by Moses; and thus it is the second book of doctrine after…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §34 — On Psalm xxxi. 22. Of the Triumph of the Christian Faith. II. The mercy of God is not so “marvellous” when it is shown in humbler cities as when it is shown in “a strong city,” and for this reason “God is to be blessed.”vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §35 — On Psalm lv. 15. III. One of old used to say that those only descend alive into Hades who are instructed in the knowledge of things divine; for he who has not tasted of the words of life is dead.vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §36 — On Psalm lviii. 11. IV. But since there is a time when the righteous shall rejoice, and sinners shall meet the end foretold for them, we must with all reason fully acknowledge and declare that God is inspector and…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §37 — On Psalm lix. 11. Concerning the Jews. V. For this reason, even up to our day, though they see the boundaries (of their country), and go round about them, they stand afar off. And therefore have they no longer king…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §38 — On Psalm lxii. 6. VI. Aliens (μετανάσται) properly so called are those who have been despoiled by some enemies or adversaries, and have then become wanderers; a thing which we indeed also endured formerly at the hand…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §39 — On Psalm lxviii. 18. Of the Enlargement of the Church. VII. And the unbelieving, too, He sometimes draws by means of sickness and outward circumstances; yea, many also by means of visions have come to make their…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §40 — On Psalm lxxxix. 4. Of the Gentiles. VIII. And around us are the wise men of the Greeks mocking and jeering us, as those who believe without inquiry, and foolishly.vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §41 — On the Words in Psalm xcvi. 11: “Let the Sea Roar (Be Moved), and the Fulness Thereof.”. IX. By these words it is signified that the preaching of the Gospel will be spread abroad over the seas and the islands in the…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §42 — On Psalm cxix. 30-32. X. He who loves truth, and never utters a false word with his mouth, may say, “I have chosen the way of truth.” Moreover, he who always sets the judgments of God before his eyes, and remembers…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §43 — On the Words in Psalm cxxvii. 7: ”On the Wrath of Mine Enemies.” Etc. XI. Hast thou seen that the power (of God) is most mighty on every side? For (says he) Thou wilt be able to save me when in the midst of troubles,…vatican.va
• Exegetical Fragments §44 — On the Words in Psalm cxxxix. 15: “My Substance or (Bones) Was Not Hid from Thee, Which Thou Madest in Secret.”. XII. On the Words in Psalm cxxxix. 15: “My Substance or (Bones) Was Not Hid from Thee, Which Thou…vatican.va