And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.
Read Chapter 7
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
So, then, in some points that bear on the doctrine of salvation, which we are not yet able to grasp by reason—but we shall be able to sometime—let faith precede reason, and let the heart be cleansed by faith so as to receive and bear the great light of reason; this is indeed reasonable. Therefore the prophet said with reason: “If you will not believe, you will not understand”; thereby he undoubtedly made a distinction between these two things and advised us to believe first so as to be able to understand whatever we believe. It is, then, a reasonable requirement that faith precede reason, for, if this requirement is not reasonable, then it is contrary to reason, which God forbid. But, if it is reasonable that faith precede a certain great reason that cannot yet be grasped, there is no doubt that, however slight the reason which proves this, it does precede faith. - "Letter 120"
The mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God first seek for believing people, that they may make them understanding. For faith is understanding’s step, and understanding faith’s attainment. This the prophet expressly says to all who prematurely and in undue order look for understanding and neglect faith. - "Sermon 76.1"
If you are not able to understand, believe, that you may understand. Faith goes before; understanding follows after; since the prophet says, “Unless you believe, you shall not understand. - "Sermon 68 (118).1"
“Unless you believe, you shall not understand,” showing that as righteousness is by faith, understanding comes by wisdom. Accordingly, in the case of those who eagerly demand evident truth, we must not condemn the desire but regulate it, so that beginning with faith it may proceed to the desired end through good works. - "Reply to Faustus the Manichaean 22.53"
According to the teaching of the Catholic church, the Christian mind must first be nourished in simple faith, in order that it may become capable of understanding things heavenly and eternal. Thus it is said by the prophet: “Unless you believe, you shall not understand.” Simple faith is that by which, before we attain to the height of the knowledge of the love of Christ so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God, we believe that the dispensation of Christ’s humiliation was not without reason, in which he was born and suffered as man, foretold so long before by the prophets through a prophetic race, a prophetic people, a prophetic kingdom. - "Reply to Faustus the Manichaean 12.46"
Certainly one must have faith in the Scriptures as containing the divine mind, and thus one must proceed to the understanding of what is written in them. For one must go beyond the types and thus apprehend the truth of what has been shown to us. First one must believe in the Scriptures with the simple faith that they are “inspired by God and useful” and then go on to examine subtly and enquiringly the meaning contained in them. - "Commentary on Isaiah 7.197"
It is essential to notice that the statement means that those who read it do not only need understanding but also faith; and not only faith but also understanding. Those of the circumcision who do not believe in the Christ of God, though even now they hear these words, do not have understanding of the subject of this prophecy because they do not hear with the mind. The only reason for their lack of understanding is their lack of faith, as the prophecy clearly reveals both about them and to them. - "Proof of the Gospel 7.1"
Continue. Septuagint, "and will not understand, even the Lord "(Haydock)
Hebrew, "and since you do not believe "(Calmet) or "because you are not confirmed "by a miracle. (Grotius)
“And Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask and I will not tempt the Lord.’ ” It is not from humility but from pride that he does not wish to ask for a sign from the Lord. For although it is written in Deuteronomy, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God,” and the Savior would use this as testimony against the devil, when Ahaz was told to ask for a sign he should have fulfilled the commandment in obedience, especially since both Gideon and Manoah sought and received signs. Although it was according to the ambiguity of the Hebrew expression ulo enasse adonai that everyone translated this as “I will not tempt the Lord,” it can also be read as “I will not exalt the Lord.” For the impious king knew that if he had asked for a sign, he would have received one, and the Lord would have been glorified. Like a worshiper of idols, therefore, who sets up altars on all the street corners and on mountains and in forests, he also was a fanatic for capriciousness. He did not want to ask for a sign because he was c...
That the way to understand, therefore, may be open to you, you do rightly first of all, in professing that you believe; for no one embarks upon the sea and trusts himself to the deep and liquid element unless he first believes it possible that he will have a safe voyage. Neither does the husbandman commit his seed to the furrows and scatter his grain on the earth, but in the belief that the showers will come, together with the sun’s warmth, through whose fostering influence, aided by favoring winds, the earth will produce and multiply and ripen its fruits. Nothing in life can be transacted if there be not first a readiness to believe. What wonder then, if, coming to God, we first of all profess that we believe, seeing that, without this, not even common life can be lived. - "Commentary of the Apostles’ Creed 3"
