52. Cf. Jn 1.14 and 1. 53. Cf. Heb 3.5— 6 and Nm 12.7. (continued)
88 ST. AUGUSTINE
Moses? Because the Lord revealed [himself] to his servant. What Lord? Christ himself, who sent the Law in advance through a servant, that he himself might come with grace and truth. For "no one has at any time seen God." And from where did he appear to that servant, as far as he was able to comprehend him? But, it says, "The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has himself explained in detail."
(2) What is "in the bosom of the Father"? In the secret of the Father. For God does not have a bosom as we do in our clothes; nor must he be thought of as sitting as we do, or as perhaps wearing a belt so as to have a bosom. But because our bosom is within, the secret of the Father is called the bosom of the Father. And he himself, who knew the Father, in the secret of the Father, has explained in detail. For "no one has at any time seen God."
(3) Therefore he himself came and told what he saw. What did Moses see? Moses saw a cloud, he saw an angel, he saw fire. Everyone of those is a created thing, [each] conveyed an image of its Lord but did not exhibit the presence of the Lord himself. For, indeed, you have it clearly in the Law, "And Moses used to speak with the Lord, face to face, as a friend with his friend. "^^ You continue in the same Scripture and you find Moses saying: "If I have found favor in your sight, show yourself openly to me, that I may see you."^^ And it is not enough that he said [this]; he received the answer, "You cannot see my face."^^ (4) Therefore, my brothers, an angel used to speak with Moses, carrying the image of the Lord; and all those things which happened there through the angel promised this future grace and truth. Those who examine the Law well know this. And when there is an occasion for us to say something
54. Augustine encounters a problem in the various connotations of the Latin word sinus which can mean "the bosom" of a person, "the bosom" of a garment, "the fold" of a toga (which created a kind of pocket), or even "the lap."
56. Cf. Ex 33.13. The Latin word for "favor" is gratia. 57. Cf. Ex 33.20.