Jerome on Haggai 1 and Sola Scriptura

In the following, please consider how Jerome contrasts arguments from Scripture with arguments from alleged Apostolic tradition.

Jerome on Haggai, Chapter 1, vss. 11-12: 

(Verse 11.)

And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the wheat, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, and upon whatever the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon beasts, and upon all the labor of hands.

Concerning the drought, the Septuagint translated it as μαχαίραν (machairan), that is, a sword; but also in the Hebrew I found it written with three letters (ח ר ב), HETH, RES, BETH. If we read it as HAREB, it sounds like "sword"; if OREB, it means καύσωμα (kausōma) (or καῦμα (kauma)), which we have translated as "drought," although it might better be translated as "scorching wind."

And truly, since the discourse is about the land and the barrenness of the fields, it seems to me that in the present place a scorching wind ought to be understood rather than a sword — although any plague which is inflicted upon men because of sins can also be understood as a sword.

Therefore, the drought, or the sword, was called upon the land and upon the mountains, so that they might not produce wheat and wine and oil and whatever the ground naturally generates. After the famine comes first, consequently death comes upon men and upon beasts.

And the same sword or scorching wind consumes all that the hands of men have labored for. Therefore, the living word of God is called forth or brought forth, which is living, and effective, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4), so that the negligent soul (which is interpreted as dry land, and which desires rather to dwell in hollow places than to build the house of God) might be struck with its blade and whatever fruits it thinks it possesses might be destroyed.

A sword is also brought upon the mountains that lift themselves up against the knowledge of God, and upon the wheat and the wine and the oil — with which the gatherings of heretics flatter the deceived people, as though with food and drink and refreshment.

One might fittingly say that their bread is the bread of mourning, and that their wine is the fury of dragons and the incurable fury of asps. Also the oil — which is the promise concerning heavenly things, with which they anoint their disciples and promise the rewards of their labors — is detested by the prophet, who says:

"But the oil of a sinner shall not anoint my head" (Psalm 141:5).

And likewise, the other things which they discover and fabricate without the authority and testimonies of the Scriptures, as though by apostolic tradition, are struck down by the sword of God.

But let us take "men and beasts" to mean λογισμοὺς (logismous) and αἰσθήσεις (aisthēseis) — that is, their thoughts and senses — or certainly the rational and irrational in them, that is, both the learned and the unlearned alike.

And "all the labor of their hands" refers to their fastings and various observances and chameunias (chameunias) — that is, sleeping on the ground.

Those who fast during three Lents per year and humble their souls with ξηροφαγίαις (xērophagiais) — that is, eating dry foods — and who especially grow from the root of Tatian, hear concerning such labors:

"You have suffered so many things in vain" (Galatians 3:4).

But all these things that I have said can be understood concerning the rulers of the Church, who, building a carnal house and providing for their children and their possessions, do not care either to build the temple of God within themselves or to restore the Church of the Lord, which is uncovered and ruined.

The life and discordant speech of such men often scandalize many, cast them out of the Church, and lead the house of God into desolation.

But we do not say these things to accuse everyone generally, but because in every office and rank there are some who build and others who destroy the temple of God — and because of their fault, neither the dew of heaven comes down nor does the earth bring forth fruit; the ground dries up, the mountains become barren, the wheat and the oil and all that the earth produces perish, as do men themselves and beasts, and all the labor of hands is cut down and destroyed by the sword and the drought, or by the scorching wind.

(Latin can be found here)