THE CLEAR DISCERNIBILITY OF PROPHECY

Rationalists and Liberal Protestants claim that even if supernatural prophecy were possible, it could not be distinguished from conjec­ture.

The First Vatican Council on the contrary teaches that: “prophecies are Divine facts, which, since they clearly show the infinite knowledge of God, are most certain signs of Divine Reve­lation and accommodated to the intelligence of all.” [Denz. 1790]

§ I .— The prediction of a future contingent event and its subsequent fulfilment are facts which the power of the human mind can verify.

Thus, prophecy naturally known by its fulfilment shows the infinite Science of God, for only God can predict with certitude the free and contingent future. They show also His Intelligence and Providence.

The prophecies predicted (and accomplished) with minute details and circumstances have the most probative (absolute) certainty, whereas those announcing only confuse circumstances have only moral certainty.

§ II.— Many prophecies may with certainty be differentiated from human conjecture and from divination of spirits.

1 Proof from common sense (a posteriori).

In cases where:

(1) Minute or detailed circumstances regarding future contingent events are clearly announced;

(2) The events being remote in time;

(3) Many and complex future events;

(4) Dependent on the free-will of several persons, who in addition have not intention of fulfilling the prohecy, e.g. the persons involved in the Passion of Christ;

(5) When the announced miracle depends only on Divine free-will, cannot be known unless by divine revelation, and cannot be produced naturally or by chance, e.g. the Resurrection of Christ.

Pro­phecies with these characteristics can be discriminated with certainty from human conjecture or from spirits.

The theory of probability shows that in regard to a number of circumstances, the probability of the fulfilment of each being ten to one, the probability of the fulfilment of two is a hundred to one, of three a thousand to one, and so on. The possibility of fortuitous occurrence is soon practically eliminated.

2 Proof from philosophic Reason (a priori).

Major: It is impossible to predict with certitude, long before the event, with minute circumstances, many future contingent events, when most of them depend on human freedom, and others from Divine freedom, and when they are above natur­al or fortuitous expectation.

Minor: But many predictions are of such a nature were predicted with firm certainty at least five or four ceturies before the events, viz. with the Messianic prophecies, which were accomplished by Christ. E.g., propagation of Monotheism or the Kingdom of God [Isa. 2:2-4;; 18:7; 19:23-25; 23:15-18; 42:6-7], Davidic origin of the Mes­siah [Amos 9:11-12; Osee 3:3-5; Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:14-18; Ezech. 34:23-24], personal characteristics of the Messiah [“Son of God” Ps. 2:7; “Powerful God” and “Prince of Peace” Isa. 9:5-7; “Judge of all” 11:3-5], passion and death of the Messiah [Isa. 42:1-4; 53], conversion of Gentile nations [Isa. 53:10-11], etc.

Conclusion: Therefore these predictions are beyond human power and postulate the infinite prescience of God by their object, end, circumstances and fruits.

In order to show more clearly the force of this proof, we will show how prophecy differs from chance and from natural necessity (conjecture).

(A) How prophecy differs from chance occurrence.

Chance is “the accidental meeting of causes, which seldom or rarely happen (happily or not) beyond any intention.” [St Thomas in Phys. Arist. II, lect. 8].

E.g., a man digs a grave and unexpectedly finds a treasure. The digging of the grave is intentional. The hiding of the treasure was intentional. But the accidental meeting of the causes (hiding and digging) constitutes chance (non intentional).

In the following five cases, the possibility of chance is eliminated.

(1) Many things cannot by chance concur to the forma­tion of one perfect result. Otherwise the perfect result (e.g., faculty of vision by nerves, tissues, light, etc) would be without a reason of being.

(2) From one principle, many parts (connected among themselves), cannot come by chance, e.g., from an acorn, the different parts of an oak.

(3) From one principle per se there cannot come one definite effect by chance, e.g., an act of intelligence from the intellectual faculty, or an act of vision from the sensitive faculty. Chance, i.e., the accidental conjunction of causes, is eliminated by the simplicity of both terminus a quo and terminus ad quem.

(4) Things which happen invariably or frequently are not caused by chance, otherwise the constancy would be without a reason of being.

(5) Chance cannot be the first cause of the disposition of things, inasmuch as a cause per accidens presupposes a cause per se to which it is an accident. Otherwise, the order of things would come from the absence of order.

We can apply now these principles to illustrate the differences between the fulfilment of a true prophecy, and a fortuitous occurrence based on natural conjecture.

(a) In the fulfilment of many prophecies, various elements concur to the realisation of one contingent effect clearly predicted. E.g. Christ announced his Passion and Resurrection with minute circumstances: “And taking again the twelve, he began to tell them the things that should befall him. Saying: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and ancients. And they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles. And they shall mock him and spit on him and scourge him and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.” [Mark 10:32-34]

Also the prediction of the denial of St Peter, the indefectibility of the Church, the destruction of Jerusalem, the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, etc.

 (b) From the primitive and simple promise of a Redeemer came many results admirably connected inter se. E.g. different messianic prophecies converging in the unique person of Christ.

(c) From one principle there cannot come by chance the unity of the consummation and perfection of innumerable souls. From the promise of a Redeemer comes the con­summation of the Judaic-Christian Religion which has brought and brings to unity in Christ countless souls of good-will.

(d) Similar things which happen frequently or invariably cannot proceed from chance. In various prophecies of the Old Testament, similar events are foretold, especially the Messiah and His works.

(e) The Jewish religion is a prophecy of the Christian religion. The orderly development and fulfilment of this great historical prophecy cannot be due to chance, other­wise order would come from disorder—organic develop­ment of a unique kind would be due to an accidental cause.

(B) How prophecy is discriminated from conjecture which is fortuitously verified.

The Rationalist Renan wrote that the Messianic hope caused expectation on the part of the Jews, and when Christ appeared His friends gave Him the name and attributed to Him the qualities of the Messiah. Christ at first had no consciousness of being the Messiah, but gradually the conviction came. His disciples tried to show that in Him the Messianic pro­phecies were fulfilled.

CRITIQUE.

(a) Just as the order of the world does not come from blind necessity, so the order of prophecy and its ful­filment do not come from natural necessity without the arrangement of Divine Providence.

(b) Prophetic announcement is concerned not with a future necessary occurrence, but with a future con­tingent event, depending on the free-will of many.

(c) Moreover in some cases the future contingent event is a miracle to be attributed to Divine Free-will, e.g., Incarnation, Resurrection, Mission of the Holy Ghost, propagation of the Church, perpetuity of the Church, etc.

(d)            The Messianic hope did not naturally appear amongst the Jews. The Jews frequently refused to believe the prophets and killed them [Cf. Amos 7; Osee 4:5-14; Isa. 28:7-13; Mich. 3:5-7; Jer. 19:14; 20:6; 26-29]. The Apostles and Evangelists were not alone in showing that Christ fulfilled prophecy. The fulfilment was and is a historic fact.

Moreover, Divine Providence would not allow false pro­phecy in all its minute circumstances to be fulfilled. Other­wise, God would permit men to be invincibly deceived in matters, which concern their salvation.

III.—Some prophecies, taken individually, can be discrimin­ated from human conjecture or divination of spirits only with moral certitude.

This moral certitude is based on the consideration of cir­cumstances (quis, quid, ubi, quibus auxiliis, cur, quomodo, quando).

St Thomas says:

“The prophecy of the demons can be distinguished from Divine prophecy by certain, and even outward, signs. Hence Chrysostom says [Hom. XIX] that "some prophesy by the spirit of the devil, such as diviners, but they may be discerned by the fact that the devil sometimes utters what is false, the Holy Ghost never." Wherefore it is written (Deut. 18:21,22): "If in silent thought thou answer: How shall I know the word that the Lord hath spoken? Thou shalt have this sign: Whatsoever that same prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord, and it come not to pass, that thing the Lord hath not spoken." [II II q. 172 OF THE CAUSE OF PROPHECY, a. 5 Whether any prophecy is from the demons? Ad 3^um]

Do the circumstances point to honesty (honestas), seriousness (gravitas), virtue (religio)?

If the prophet is a man of holy life, one may believe that a prophecy fulfilled has come from God. Thus St Peter warned us about the false prophets:

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be among you lying teachers who shall bring in sects of perdition and deny the Lord who bought them: bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” [2 Pet. 2].

PROBATIVE FORCE OF PROPHECY

I.—Teaching of the Church.

According to the C. Vatican I:

“In order that the ‘obedience’ of our faith should be ‘consonant with reason’ [cf. Rom. 12:1], God has willed that to the internal aids of the Holy Spirit there should be joined external proofs of His revelation, namely: divine facts, especially miracles and prophecies which, because they clearly show forth the omnipotence and infinite knowledge of God, are most certain signs of a divine revelation, and are suited to the intelligence of all [can. 3 and 4]. Wherefore, not only Moses and the prophets, but especially Christ the Lord Himself, produced many genuine miracles and prophecies; and we read concerning the apostles: ‘But they going forth preached everywhere: the Lord working withal and confirming the word with signs that followed’ [Mark 16:20]. And again it is written: ‘And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place’ [2 Pet. 1:19].” [Denz. 1790].

The Apostles and especially St. Mat­thew appeal to the fulfilment of prophecies of the Old Testament:

- “Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matt. 1:22-23);

- “And when evening was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word: and all that were sick he healed: That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet Isaias, saying: He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.” (Mt 8:16-17);

- “[Jesus] healed them all. And he charged them that they should not make him known. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying: Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.” (Mt  12:15-18);

See also: Mt 13:13; 21:4; 26:50; 27:10; 27:35; John 15:26.

II.—The probative force of prophecy is proved by reason.

A Divine sign—the seal of God—most certainly confirms Divine Revelation, and prophecy is undoubtedly a sign which can come from God alone.

A prophecy fulfilled, directly shows the Infinite Knowledge of God, as a miracle shows the Divine omnipotence.

A prophecy fulfilled, indirectly shows the Divine origin of Revelation. E.g. from the destruction of Jerusalem predicted by Christ,  His doctrine and his mission are divinely confirmed.

The connection between the prophecy and the revealed doctrine to be confirmed is declared by the prophet either:

-              Expli­citly: “[Jesus] answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. “[Matt. 12:39]

-              Or implicitly.

Some prophecies are intrinsic to Religion, e.g., those announcing the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, Inde­fectibility of the Church, etc. Similarly some miracles, e.g., Resurrection, Ascension, etc., belong intrinsically to Religion, and not merely extrinsically as the giving of sight to the man born blind.

Objection: if some evil persons can prophesize, as in the case of Balaam (Num 22) and Caiphas (John 11:49), and others quoted by Jesus saying :therefore prophecy could serve to confirm evil things.