His preaching was not in loftiness of words, but in spirit and power. And the wisdom he taught was not to be understood by the worldly wise or sensual man, but only by the spiritual man.
That his ovvne preaching among them, vvas in humble maner in the sight of man. 3 Hovvbeit it is most profound vvisedom (as they should and vvould perceiue, if they vvere not carnal) vvhich is taught in the Church of Christ.
1And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ.Io poi quando venni a voi, o fratelli, ad annunziarvi la testimonianza di Cristo, venni non con sublimità di ragionamento, o di sapienza.AND I (brethren) vvhen I came to you, I came not in loftinesse of speache or of vvisedom, preaching to you the testimonie of Christ.Et ego, cum venissem ad vos, fratres, veni non in sublimitate sermonis, aut sapientiæ, annuntians vobis testimonium Christi. 2For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ: and him crucified.Imperocché non mi credetti di sapere altra cosa tra di voi, se non Gesù Cristo, e questo crocifisso.For I iudged not my self to knovv any thing among you but IESVS Christ, and him crucified.Non enim judicavi me scire aliquid inter vos, nisi Jesum Christum, et hunc crucifixum. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.Ed io fui tra di voi con molto abbattimento, e timore, e tremore.And I vvas vvith you in infirmitie, and feare and much trembling:Et ego in infirmitate, et timore, et tremore multo fui apud vos: 4And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power:E il mio parlare, e la mia predicazione fu non nelle persuasive della umana sapienza, ma nella manifestazione di spirito e di virtù:and my speache and my preaching vvas not in the persuasible vvordes of humane vvisedom, but in shevving of spirit and povver:et sermo meus, et prædicatio mea non in persuasibilibus humanæ sapientiæ verbis, sed in ostensione spiritus et virtutis: 5That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.Affinchè la vostra fede non posi sopra l'umana sapienza, ma sopra la potenza di Dio.that your faith might not be in the vvisedom of men, but in the povver of God. But vve speake vvisedom among the perfect.ut fides vestra non sit in sapientia hominum, sed in virtute Dei. 6Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world that come to nought.Tra i perfetti poi noi parliamo sapienza: ma sapienza non di questo secolo, né de' principi di questo secolo, i quali sono annichilati:but the vvisedom not of this vvorld, neither of the princes of this vvorld, that come to naught:Sapientiam autem loquimur inter perfectos: sapientiam vero non hujus sæculi, neque principum hujus sæculi, qui destruuntur: 7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory:Ma parliamo della sapienza di Dio in mistero, di quella occulta, di quella preordinata da Dio prima de' secoli per nostra gloria.but vve speake the vvisedom of God in a mysterie, which is hid, vvhich God did predestinate before the worlds, vnto our glorie:sed loquimur Dei sapientiam in mysterio, quæ abscondita est, quam prædestinavit Deus ante sæcula in gloriam nostram,
8Which none of the princes of this world knew. For if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.La quale da niuno de'principi di questo secolo fu conosciuta: imperocché se l'avesser conosciuta, non avrebber giammai crocifisso il Signor della gloria.which none of the princes of this vvo•ld did knovv: for if they had knovven, they vvould neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie.quam nemo principum hujus sæculi cognovit: si enim cognovissent, numquam Dominum gloriæ crucifixissent. 9But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard: neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.Ma come sta scritto: né occhio vide, né orecchio udì, né entrò in cuor dell'uomo, quali cose ha Dio preparate per coloro, che lo amano:But as it is vvritten, That vvhich eie hath not seen, nor eare hath heard, neither hath it ascended into the hart of mā, vvhat things God hath prepared for them that loue him.Sed sicut scriptum est: Quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit, quæ præparavit Deus iis qui diligunt illum: 10But to us God hath revealed them by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.A noi però le ha rilevate Dio per mezzo del suo Spirito: imperocché lo Spirito penetra tutte le cose, anche la profondità di Dio.but to vs God hath reuealed by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth al things, yea the profoundities of God.nobis autem revelavit Deus per Spiritum suum: Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur, etiam profunda Dei. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God, no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God.Imperocché chi tra gli uomini, conosce le cose dell'uomo, fuorichè lo spirito dell'uomo, che sta in lui? Così pure le cose di Dio niuno le conosce, fuorichè lo spirito di Dio.For vvhat man knovveth the things of a man, but • the spirit of a man that is in him? so the things also that are of God no man knovveth, but the spirit of God.Quis enim hominum scit quæ sunt hominis, nisi spiritus hominis, qui in ipso est ? ita et quæ Dei sunt, nemo cognovit, nisi Spiritus Dei. 12Now, we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God: that we may know the things that are given us from God.Noi però abbiam ricevuto non lo spirito di questo mondo, ma lo spirito, che è da Dio; affinchè conosciamo le cose, che sono state da Dio donate a noi:And vve haue receiued not the spirit of this vvorld, but the spirit that is of God: • that vve may knovv the things that of God are giuen to vs.Nos autem non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus, sed Spiritum qui ex Deo est, ut sciamus quæ a Deo donata sunt nobis:
13Which things also we speak: not in the learned words of human wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.Delle quali pur discorriamo non coi dotti sermoni dell'umana sapienza, ma colla dottrina dello Spirito, adattando cose spirituali a cose spirituali.vvhich also vve speake not in learned vvordes of humane vvisedom: but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things to the spiritual.quæ et loquimur non in doctis humanæ sapientiæ verbis, sed in doctrina Spiritus, spiritualibus spiritualia comparantes. 14But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God. For it is foolishness to him: and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined.Ma l'uomo animale non capisce le cose dello Spirito di Dio: conciossiachè per lui sono stoltezza, nè può intenderle: perché spiritualmente discernonsi.But • the sensual man perceiueth not those things that are of the spirit of God. for it is folishnes to him, and he can not vnderstand: because he is spiritually examined.Animalis autem homo non percipit ea quæ sunt Spiritus Dei: stultitia enim est illi, et non potest intelligere: quia spiritualiter examinatur. 15But the spiritual man judgeth all things: and he himself is judged of no man.Ma lo spirituale giudica di tutte le cose: ed ei non è giudicato da alcuno.But the spiritual man iudgeth al things: and him self is iudged of no man.Spiritualis autem judicat omnia: et ipse a nemine judicatur. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.Imperocché chi ha conosciuta la mente del Signore, onde lo ammaestri? Noi però abbiamo il senso di Cristo.For vvho hath knovven the sense of our Lord that may instructe him? But vve haue the sense of Christ.Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini, qui instruat eum ? nos autem sensum Christi habemus.
2:3
Witham
In weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. We must not think, says St. Chrysostom, that this made the virtue of St. Paul less commendable. It is natural to every man to fear persecutions and torments. We admire the apostle, who amidst these fears, was always ready to expose himself, was always fighting, and always victorious. (Witham)
Theophylactus
During the stay I made with you at Corinth, I saw myself daily exposed to injuries, affronts, and persecutions. I had then the opportunity of practising the lessons which our expiring Redeemer delivered to us from the wood on which he died, and the daily contradictions I met with obliged me to think of other things than fine discourses, and elegant harangues. (Theophylactus)
2:4
Witham
In the shewing of the spirit and power, etc. The gifts of the Holy Ghost bestowed on those that believed, and the miracles which God wrought by his apostles, were the means God made use of to convert the world, which were of much greater force than human eloquence. (Witham)
2:5
Theod
That your faith, etc. Had we employed the subtleties, the reasonings, and eloquence of men, some might perhaps be induced to believe that you had been seduced by artifice. But none can reasonably say so; your faith is founded on the force and evidence of truth, and upon the virtue and power of the Holy Ghost, who has bestowed upon you both the light of knowledge, and the fire of love. (Theod.)
2:6
St. Chrysostom
etc. Wisdom among the perfect. That is, when we first came amongst you, you were incapable of understanding the great mysteries of our religion: we therefore preached to you Christ crucified; (Calmet) but to the true perfect disciples of Christ we reveal the most sacred mysteries. (St. Chrysostom)
By wisdom, here seems to be understood a more sublime doctrine concerning the most abstruse mysteries of faith, which the ignorant could not understand. To the same purpose he tells them in the next chapter and in the 5th chapter to the Hebrews, that milk is the proper food of little children, not solid meat, which is proper for those that are perfect.
Yet we speak not the wisdom of this world, nor of the great men, and princes of this world, because the doctrine of the Christian faith, which we preached, is not esteemed wisdom, but folly by them, who pretend to worldly wisdom.
Witham
We speak then in a mystery, or after a mysterious manner, according to the capacity of those that hear us, the great wisdom of God, which hidden, and not understood by the wise men of this world, God hath manifested by the incarnation of his Son, and by our redemption; which mystery, and which wisdom, none of the princes of this world knew, that is, the devils, according to the common interpretation; or Pilate, Herod, Caiphas, etc. according to St. Chrysostom, or they would never have crucified, nor have permitted others to crucify, the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, who by his divine person is truly the Lord of glory. See St. Augustine, lib. 1:de Trin. 1 Corinthians 12. etc. He may also be called the Lord of glory, because of that glory, which from eternity he predestinated, and decreed to give his elect; and of which it is written, that the eye hath not seen, etc. (Witham)
2:8
Bible de Vence
It appears from the gospel, that they suspected Jesus might be the Son of God; but the major part of interpreters judge from this text, that they had not a certain knowledge. (Bible de Vence)
2:10
But to us God hath revealed them by his Spirit; these mysteries, and secrets of the divine wisdom.
Witham
For the Spirit searcheth all things: the divine Spirit, the Holy Ghost, searcheth all things, and none but this Spirit of God, that is, this Spirit, which is God, knoweth the things that are of God, as none but the spirit that is in man, knoweth the things of man, knoweth his thoughts and interior affections. But by the Spirit of God, we may understand the spirit of grace, of knowledge, of prophecy, which God hath given to his faithful, and particularly to his apostles, to raise them to a higher knowledge of the divine mysteries. (Witham)
2:11
Theophylactus
For what man? As the secrets of man's heart are known only to himself, so the mysteries of the divinity are known only to the Spirit, who is God, and who proceedeth from the Father and the Son. (Theophylactus)
2:13
Which mysteries and divine truths, we apostles (even when we speak to the more perfect sort of men) deliver not in the learned words of human wisdom, not in the fine language, studied periods and sentences arranged by the art of rhetoric, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, that is, as the Spirit of God within us teacheth us for the good of those that hear us.
Witham
Comparing spiritual things with spiritual, that is, treating of spiritual things with persons that are more spiritual and more perfect, adapting our discourses to the capacity of those we speak to. Others will have the sense to be: we compare spiritual things with spiritual things, that is, we treat of such matters after a spiritual manner, with proofs and examples out of the revealed Scriptures, etc. (Witham)
Calmet
St. Paul seems in this place to answer an objection that might be brought against him. If, as you say, you are gifted with a knowledge of mysteries, who do you not reveal those mysteries to us? To this he seems to answer, because to spiritual persons, we impart spiritual knowledge. (Calmet)
2:14
But the sensual man, etc. They who are led away by sensual pleasures, do not even perceive or understand spiritual things; they seem foolish to them, and a folly to seek after them; because such things must be spiritually examined, that is, examined by the Spirit of God, which they have not.
But the spiritual man judgeth all things, passeth a right judgment, not only of the things of this life, as carnal men can do, but even of spiritual things, which concern his eternal salvation.
Witham
And he himself is judged by no one, that is, by no one, who is not spiritual, or who is not taught by the Spirit of God, to pass a right judgment: the sense also may be, that he cannot be justly blamed or condemned by any worldly man, who knows not how to judge of such spiritual things. (Witham)
Challoner
The sensual man is either he who is taken up with sensual pleasures, with carnal and worldly affections: or he who measureth divine mysteries by natural reason, sense, and human wisdom only. Now such a man has little or no notion of the things of God. Whereas the spiritual man, in the mysteries of religion, takes not human sense for his guide; but submits his judgment to the decisions of the Church, which he is commanded to hear and obey. For Christ hath promised to remain to the end of the world with his Church, and to direct her in all things by the Spirit of truth. (Challoner)
2:16
For who among the sensual men of the world, hath known the mind of the Lord, so as to be able to instruct him, or them, whom he guides by his spirit.
Witham
But we, whom he has chosen to be his apostles, have the mind of Christ; having been taught and instructed by the Spirit of Christ. Some enthusiasts and fanatics pretend from this passage of St. Paul, that they being led and inspired by the spirit, can be judged by no one in matters of faith and religion. They pervert and wrest the words of St. Paul, as they do also other Scriptures, to their own perdition. (2 Peter 3:16.) First, because no one knows by his pretended private spirit, that he is truly such a spiritual man, who has the Spirit of God in him: and many have too much reason to know by their sensual carnal lives, that they have it not. Secondly, St. Paul here speaks only of spiritual men in opposition to sensual men, and only says that they who are spiritual, have the spirit of discretion to judge what things are spiritual, and what are not; and that none can judge rightly of these matters, but they who are spiritual, guided by the Spirit. Thirdly, as to controversies about religion, the proper spiritual judges appointed by our Saviour, Christ, are the bishops, whom he has appointed to govern his Church, with an entire submission of every man's private judgment, and private spirit, to the judgment of the Catholic Church, which he has commanded us to hear and obey, with which he has promised to remain to the end of the world, and to direct her in all things by the spirit of truth. (Witham)
2:14
The sensual man—the spiritual man.... The sensual man is either he who is taken up with sensual pleasures, with carnal and worldly affections; or he who measureth divine mysteries by natural reason, sense, and human wisdom only. Now such a man has little or no notion of the things of God. Whereas the spiritual man is he who, in the mysteries of religion, takes not human sense for his guide: but submits his judgment to the decisions of the church, which he is commanded to hear and obey. For Christ hath promised to remain to the end of the world with his church, and to direct her in all things by the Spirit of truth.
2:3
Concordance Act. 18, 1.
2:9
Concordance Es. 6 4, 4.
2:11
11. But the spirit of man.] Hovv Angels and Saincts & mortal men knovv our cogitations. One man can not knovv an others cogitations naturally: but God giueth to Prophets and other, euen in this vvorld oftentimes, by extraordinary grace to knovv mens secretes. Act. 5. 4. reg. • & 6. As he did to S. Peter, to knovv the fraude of Ananias and Sapphira: and to Eliseus, his seruants bribery in his absence, and vvhat vvas done in the king of Syria his chamber. and as he giueth to al Luc. 15, 7. Angels and Saincts (so far as is conuenient to our necessities and their heauenly glorie) to vnderstand not onely our vocal praiers, but our invvard repentance and desires.
2:12
12. That vve may knovv.] The Heretikes allegatiō for their vaine securitie, ansvvered. The Protestants that chalenge a particular spirit reuealing to eche one his ovvne predestination, iustification, and saluation, vvould dravv this text to that purpose. Vvhich importeth nothing els (as is plaine by the Apostles discourse) but that the holy Ghost hath giuen to the Apostles, & by them to other Christian men, to knovv Gods ineffable gifts bestovved vpon the beleeuers in this time of grace: that is, Christes Incarnation, Passion, presence in the Sacrament, & the incomprehensible ioyes of heauen, vvhich Pagans, Ievves, and Heretikes deride.
2:14
14. The sensual man.] The sensual man. The sensual man is he specially, that measureth these heauenly mysteries by natural reason, humane prudence, external sense, and vvorldly affection, as the Ievv, Pagane, and Heretike doe: and sometime both here and els vvhere, the more infirme and ignorant sort of Christian men be called sensual or carnal also, vvho being occupied in secular affaires, and giuen to sensual ioy and vvorldlines, haue no such sense nor feeling of these great gifts of God, as the perfecter sort of the faithful haue. Vvho trying these high pointes of religion, not by reason and sense, but by grace, faith, and Spirit, be therfore called spiritual. The spiritual man. The spiritual then is he, that iudgeth and discerneth the truth of such things as the carnal can not attaine vnto: that doth by the spirit of the Church, vvhereof he is partaker in the vnitie of the same, not onely see the errours of the carnal, but condemneth them and iudgeth euery povver resisting Gods spirit and vvord: the carnal Ievv, Heathen, Hovv the spiritual man ⸢i⸣udgeth al, & is iudged of none. or Heretike, hauing no meanes nor right to iudge of the said spiritual man. For vvhen the spiritual is said to be iudged of none, the meaning is not that he should not be subiect or obedient to his Pastors and spiritual Povvers and to the vvhole Church, specially for the trial or examination of al his life, doctrine, and faith: but that a Catholike man and namely a teacher of Catholike doctrine in the Church, should not be any vvhit subiect to the iudgement of the Heathen or the Heretike, nor care vvhat of ignorance or infidelitie they say against him: for such carnal men haue no iudgement in such things, nor can attaine to the Churches vvisedom in any ceremonie, mysterie, or matter vvhich they condemne.
Therfore S. Irenaeus excellently declaring that the Church and query spiritual childe thereof, iudgeth and condemneth al false Prophets and Heretikes of vvhat sort so euer, at length he concludeth vvith these notable vvordes: The spiritual shal iudge also all that make schismes, Iren. li. 4. •. 6•. vvhich be cruel, The Church is vnder no mans iudgement. not hauing the loue of God, and respecting their ovvne priuate, more then the vnitie of the Church: mangle, deuide, and (as much as in them lieth) kill for smal causes the great and glorious body of Christ, speaking peace, and seeking battaile. He shal iudge also them that be out of the truth, that is to say, out of the Church: vvhich Church shal be vnder no mans iudgement. for to the Church are al things knovven, in vvhich is perfect faith of the Father, and of al the dispensation of Christ, and firme knovvledge of the Holy Ghost that teacheth all truth.
2:15
Concordance Esa. 40, 13.
2:1
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 1-2.4
In these and such like antics I allow him to have the advantage; and to his heart’s content he may revel in his victory there. Most willingly I forego such a competition, which can attract those only who seek renown; if indeed any renown comes from indulging in such methods of argumentation, considering that Paul
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 23
… but he overthrows the thing itself, the wisdom from without. And indeed in his former Epistle he contends even vehemently about this thing, saying that it not only contributes nothing to the Preaching, but it even throws a shadow on the glory of the Cross; (
2:2
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Flesh of Christ 5
… But answer me at once, you that murder truth: Was not God really crucified? And, having been really crucified, did He not really die? And, having indeed really died, did He not really rise again? Falsely did Paul “determine to know nothing amongst us but Jesus and Him crucified;”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 14
… And what kind of invidiousness is the pungency of humility? “To God I give thanks that I have baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius, lest any say that I have baptized in mine own name.” “For neither did I judge to know anything among you but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.section24
… are said to be either wise or rational (beings), becomes “all things to all men, that it may gain all;” and because it is made weak, it is therefore said of it, “Though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God.” Finally, to the Corinthians who were weak, Paul declares that he “knew nothing, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 2.66
And be not surprised if all the multitudes who have believed on Jesus do not behold His resurrection, when Paul, writing to the Corinthians, can say to them, as being incapable of receiving greater matters, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.18
… to their hearers that He was the Christ, will say that He wished the conception of the Christ which was involved in the name of Jesus to be reserved for that preaching which was more perfect, and which brought salvation, such as Paul knew of when he said to the Corinthians, “I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.64
… Does not the Apostle know that this wisdom of God is hidden in a mystery, and cannot be known of the rulers of this world? Does he divide Christ into a Lord of Glory and a crucified Jesus? Nay, rather, he contradicts this most foolish and impious idea with the words, For I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.1.3
… For he says, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.12
… For He says to the disciples themselves, “I have yet many things to say unto you; but ye cannot bear them now.” Among which is to be understood also, “Of the day and hour.” For the apostle also says, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 51
… whether there have been or now are any men in this life without sin, but whether they had or have the ability to be such persons;” so, were I even to allow that there have been or are any such, I should not by any means therefore affirm that they had or have the ability, unless justified by the grace of God through our Lord “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 98.3
… and let us regard it as needful to act thus, just because of the words of the apostle, “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal.” For even this very statement of his, that he knew nothing among them but Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 54.4
… fulfilled with Thy love, the praise of that very humility of Thine throughout the world and nations they have preached: Thy name I see to excel among mankind, but nevertheless as weak to us hast Thou been preached. For not even did that Teacher of the Gentiles say, that among us he knew anything, “Save Christ Jesus, and Him crucified;”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 147
… The divine writer recognises Christ as the foundation, and glories in this title, as when he says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me.” And again “To me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” and again “For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
2:3
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 3.7
… “I fear,” he says, “lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ.” And again, “I was with you in fear and in much trembling;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 6
[2.] Ver. 3 . “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 24
Thus , because he terrified them greatly, relating the ancient examples, and threw them into an agony, saying, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall; “though they had borne many temptations, and had exercised themselves many times therein; for “I was with you,” saith he, “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling:” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 2
… yourselves also know, how great was the danger, with how much contention we were among you. Which also he says in his Epistle to the Corinthians; “And I was with you in weakness,” and in labor, “and in fear, and in much trembling.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 39
… For Paul also himself, who saith, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;” yet, fear being a companion of charity, saith, “With fear and much trembling was I towards you:”
2:4
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1-2.7
… then our faith would rightly have been supposed to rest on the wisdom of men, and not on the power of God; but now it is manifest to everyone who lifts up his eyes, that the word and preaching have not prevailed among the multitude “by persuasive words of wisdom, but by demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus i.62
… And to this also, Paul, referring in terms of commendation, as we have stated a little above, says: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 6.2
… Now we make these remarks, not to disparage Plato (for the great world of men has found even him useful), but to point out the aim of those who said: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.10
… Hence also Paul says: “I will know not the word that is puffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” And in another passage:
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.14
… of every soul which the Father draws to the Son, according to what is said by the Saviour, “No one comes to Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him.” Wherefore also “the word” of those who by the grace of God are ambassadors of the gospel, “and their preaching, is not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit of power,”
St Gregory Thaumaturgus † AD 270 A Sectional Confession of Faith 12
Again, in the Epistle to the Corinthians he says: “For my speech and my preaching was not in the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 80
80. ‘And these signs are sufficient to prove that the faith of Christ alone is the true religion. But see! you still do not believe and are seeking for arguments. We however make our proof “not in the persuasive words of Greek wisdom
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.23.2
… but when one who bears the title of Sophist, and professes universal knowledge , is the writer, what a serious condemnation does he deserve! And does he not shew himself a stranger to the Apostle
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Hexæmeron 1.1
… Let us listen then to these words of truth written without the help of the “enticing words of man’s wisdom”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.8
… Thou hast heard that He was buried; oughtest thou not to see whether the circumstances of His burial are anywhere accurately written? Thou hast heard that He rose again; oughtest thou not to see whether we mock thee in teaching these things? For our speech and our preaching is not in persuasive words of man’s wisdom
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.32
32. And that Paul was full of the Holy Ghost, and all his fellow Apostles, and they who after them believed in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, hear from himself as he writes plainly in his Epistles; And my speech , he says, and my preaching was not in persuasive words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 11
… “And with great power gave the Apostles witness,” etc. ( v. 33 .) Not in word, but with power the Apostles exhibited their testimony of the Resurrection: just as Paul saith, “And my preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with manifestation of the Spirit and of power.” And it is not merely, With power, but, “With great power.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 6
… tell me, how did they overcome without Divine power? And this is why, having said, “My speech and my preaching was not in persuasive words of wisdom,” he added, “but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 1.17
… He had been trained in Hebrew learning and brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, whom, though he had attained apostolic rank, he was not ashamed to call his master; and he thought Greek eloquence of no account, or at all events, in his humility, he would not parade his knowledge of it. So that
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
“Let then vain questions about words be silent, as it is written, the kingdom of God is not in ‘enticing words’ but in ‘demonstration of the spirit.’
2:5
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 6
Ver. 5 . “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 3
… and at the same time quietly though gently hitting at the false Apostles. And as in the former Epistle he saith, “Christ sent me to preach the Gospel, not in wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect:” ( 1 Cor. i. 17 .) and, “that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God;” (
2:6
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.8.4
… Her name, too, was indicated by the Saviour, when He said, “Yet wisdom is justified by her children.” This, too, was done by Paul in these words, “But we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.2.1
… For [they allege] that the truth was not delivered by means of written documents, but vivâ voce: wherefore also Paul declared, “But we speak wisdom among those that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.6
… for the perfect man consists in the commingling and the union of the soul receiving the spirit of the Father, and the admixture of that fleshly nature which was moulded after the image of God. For this reason does the apostle declare, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.6
By all these statements, therefore, does he show us what God he means, when he says, “We speak the wisdom of God among them that are perfect.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Pallium 4
… When this Mantle itself, arranged with more rigorous care, and sandals after the Greek model, serve to flatter Æsculapius, how much more should you then accuse and assail it with your eyes, as being guilty of superstition—albeit superstition simple and unaffected? Certainly, when first it clothes this wisdom
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 8
… but he has likewise had every more savoury morsel torn from his throat, not to say the very land of paternal promise. And accordingly the Jew at the present day, no less than the younger son, having squandered God’s substance, is a beggar in alien territory, serving even until now its princes, that is, the princes of this world.
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.2.1
… to resist the wiles of the devil:” pointing out that the saints have to “ wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Nay, he says that the Saviour even was crucified by the princes of this world, who shall come to nought,
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.3.1
… yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of the world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of the world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.3.2
… for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1.7
… For such is the promise of him to whom was entrusted the preaching of this wisdom, in the words: “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, who will be brought to nought;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1.11
… Those, again, who are perfect, and who resemble those of whom the apostle says, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, who will be brought to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, which God hath decreed before the ages unto our glory;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1-2.11
… The perfect man, again, and he who resembles those spoken of by the apostle, when he says, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of the world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God hath ordained before the ages, unto our glory,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1-2.13
… And, generally, we must investigate, according to the apostolic promise, “the wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world for the glory” of the just, which “none of the princes of this world knew.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 2.24
… But these matters, which afford great room for explanation from the wisdom of God, and which may reasonably be pondered over by those whom Paul calls “perfect” when he said, “We speak wisdom among them who are perfect,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 3.19
… ‘We speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, who come to nought, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew.’”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 3.59
… And when those who have been turned towards virtue have made progress, and have shown that they have been purified by the word, and have led as far as they can a better life, then and not before do we invite them to participation in our mysteries. “For we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.32
… of these and to state in its relation to them that sacrifice of the spiritual law which took place in Jesus Christ (a truth greater than human nature can comprehend)—to do this belongs to no other than the perfect man, who, by reason of use, has his senses exercised to discern good and evil, and who is able to say, from a truth-loving disposition,
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 223.2
… Then once upon a time, like a man roused from deep sleep, I turned my eyes to the marvellous light of the truth of the Gospel, and I perceived the uselessness of “the wisdom of the princes of this world, that come to naught.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.45
… nay, if it were presented to them beyond their strength, they would probably be overwhelmed and oppressed, owing to the inability of their mind, as is the case with our material bodies, to digest and appropriate what is offered to it, and so would lose even their original power. Others require the wisdom which is spoken among the perfect,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 16.2
… This is the wisdom which I praise, which I welcome. By this the ignoble have won renown, and the despised have attained the highest honours. By this a crew of fishermen have taken the whole world in the meshes of the Gospel-net, and overcome by a word finished and cut short the wisdom that comes to naught.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.5
… “But we preach the Wisdom of God in doctrine of mystery, which Wisdom is hidden, foreordained by God before the existence of the world for our glory, and which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 3
Nay, be not troubled at the strangeness of the saying. For it is no statement of mine, but of our fathers, wonderful and illustrious men.
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 The Apology of Rufinus. Addressed to Apronianus, in Reply to Jerome's Letter to Pammachius 2.2
“Hence Paul himself, who was one of the perfect, says in another Epistle “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.4
… true wisdom must destroy the false, and, although the foolishness of preaching is inseparable from the Cross, Paul speaks “wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world that come to nought,” but he speaks “the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.18
… For they are necessary to such as he Thy most prudent servant could not speak unto as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal —even he who speaketh wisdom among those that are perfect.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.12
… And that only he said that he knew, which it was fitting that they should know from him. In short, he knew among the perfect what he knew not among babes; for he there says: “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.93
… yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which was hidden, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 97.5
… for hitherto ye were not able; neither yet now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal;” and with these, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect;” and with these also, “Comparing spiritual things with spiritual: but the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 98.4
… for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect, even those who by habit have their senses exercised to distinguish good from evil.” For here we see, as if clearly defined, what he calls the strong meat of the perfect; and which is the same as that which he writes to the Corinthans, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 102.4
4. It remains, therefore, for us, so far as my capacity to apprehend it goes, to understand Jesus as having promised that He would cause His disciples, from being carnal and natural, to become spiritual, although not yet such as we shall be, when a spiritual body shall also be ours; but such as was he who said, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 8.5
… whom the same Apostle points out, saying, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 8.6
6. “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast made perfect praise, because of Thine enemies.” By enemies to this dispensation, which has been wrought through Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we ought generally to understand all who forbid belief in things unknown,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 65.14
… the Apostle saith, “To you I could not speak as if to spiritual, but as if to carnal, as if to babes in Christ.” When he saith, “to babes in Christ,” he speaketh of them as already risen up, but not yet meet to receive that plenteous wisdom, whereof he saith, “Wisdom we speak among perfect men.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 7.7
… and why did you not at once add this: “Paul, an Apostle not of men neither by man, but by Jesus Christ:” or this: “We speak wisdom among the perfect:” and presently: “Whom none,” says he, “of the princes of this world knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
2:7
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.6
… These, we know, were publicly instituted in Israel; but they lay overshadowed with latent meanings, in which the wisdom of God was concealed, to be brought to light by and by amongst “the perfect,” when the time should come, but “pre-ordained in the counsels of God before the ages.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.3.1
… And again, when he says, “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1.13
… or when it is a subject of inquiry, what is that wisdom hidden in a mystery which “God ordained before the world for our glory, which none of the princes of this world knew;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 3.61
Not to participation in mysteries , then, and to fellowship in the wisdom hidden in a mystery , which God ordained before the world to the glory of His saints,
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.38
… for such is the force of the words “talking with Him;” but, according to Luke, “Moses and Elijah appeared in glory,” down to the words, “in Jerusalem.” But if any one sees the glory of Moses, having understood the spiritual law as a discourse in harmony with Jesus, and the wisdom in the prophets which is hidden in a mystery,
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 13.3
… And along with these you will investigate when the Saviour heals of Himself and unasked by any one, as for example, the paralytic; for these cures, when compared with one another for this very purpose, and examined together, will exhibit to him who is able to hear “the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 13.8
… For understand that the Father in His love of men delivered Him up for us all; but the opposing powers, when they delivered up the Saviour into the hands of men, did not intend to deliver Him up for the salvation of some, but, as far as in them lay, since none of them knew “the wisdom of God which was hidden in a mystery,”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.64
… Hear the same blessed Apostle when he declares that it has not been understood, We speak the wisdom of God, which hath been hidden in a mystery, which God foreordained before the world for our glory: which none of the rulers of this world has known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 14
… Just so the Law, having a shadow of things to come, and the typical teaching of the prophets, which is a dark utterance of the truth, have been devised means to train the eyes of the heart, in that hence the transition to the wisdom hidden in mystery
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.54
… Some he names his joy and crown, others he charges with folly. Some who hold a straight course he accompanies, sharing in their zeal; others he checks, who are going wrong. At one time he excommunicates, at another he confirms his love; at one time he grieves, at another rejoices; at one time he feeds with milk, at another he handles mysteries;
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… hearken what the Lord God will speak, and that He may cause us to hear His lovingkindness in the morning, and that we may be made to hear of joy and gladness, spoken into godly ears, that we may not be a sharp sword, nor a whetted razor, nor turn under our tongue labour and toil, but that we may speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden Wisdom,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
… What, then, is the Spirit, Who knows the deep things of God, and through Whom Almighty God is revealed? Is He inferior in the fulness of the Godhead Who is proved even by this instance to be of one substance with the Father? Or is He ignorant of anything Who knows the counsels of God, and His mysteries which have been hidden
Socrates Scholasticus † AD 440 The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus 5.17
… Such are the reports I have heard respecting the discovery of this symbol in form of a cross. But I cannot imagine that the Egyptian priests foreknew the things concerning Christ, when they engraved the figure of a cross. For if ‘the advent’ of our Saviour into the world ‘was a mystery hid from ages and from generations,’
2:8
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Trallians: Shorter and Longer Versions 11
… These men are not the planting of the Father, but are an accursed brood. And says the Lord, “Let every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted be rooted up.” For if they had been branches of the Father, they would not have been “enemies of the cross of Christ,” but rather of those who “killed the Lord of glory.”
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Philippians 5
… Why dost thou call the passion a mere appearance, as if it were any strange thing happening to a [mere] man? And why dost thou reckon the death of a mortal to be simply an imaginary death? But if, [on the other hand,] He is both God and man, then why dost thou call it unlawful to style Him “the Lord of glory,”
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Philippians 9
… For if thou hadst possessed real knowledge, thou wouldst have understood that the Creator can with equal ease both create what does not exist, and change that which already has a being. And thou temptedst by means of hunger Him who nourisheth all that require food. And thou temptedst the very “Lord of glory,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.6
… But because (the apostle) subjoins, on the subject of our glory, that “none of the princes of this world knew it, for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 9
… if, stripped of his mental “goods,” he has even handed his service over to the prince of the world
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Incarnation of the Word 38
… 4. For their case is as though a man, from the works of creation, failed to know God their Artificer. For if they knew His Godhead from His power over the universe, they would have known that the bodily works of Christ also are not human, but are the works of the Saviour of all, the Word of God. And did they thus know, “they would not,” as Paul said
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.13
… and thus they deceive the thoughtless, making the language of Scripture their pretence, but instead of the true sense sowing upon it the poison of their own heresy. For had they known, they would not have been irreligious against ‘the Lord of glory
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.27
… but even before that He had said, ‘All things were delivered unto Me,’ He was Lord of all, for ‘all things were made by Him;’ and ‘there is One Lord by whom are all things .’ And when He asked glory, He was as He is, the Lord of glory; as Paul says, ‘If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… The Lord is known when executing judgments: by the works of his hands is the sinner taken .’ Let them observe this, and how that ‘the snare they know not shall come upon them, and the net they hid take them .’ But they understood not these things, for had they done so, ‘they would not have crucified the Lord of glory
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 19
… But this wearied them, for they were not anxious to understand, ‘for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 59
… Amen ?’ Let them therefore confess, even they who previously denied that the Crucified was God, that they have erred; for the divine Scriptures bid them, and especially Thomas, who, after seeing upon Him the print of the nails, cried out ‘My Lord and my God !’ For the Son, being God, and Lord of glory
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 12.15
… that sinful humanity might become partaker of God. For where sin abounded, grace did much more abound . It behoved the Lord to suffer for us; but if the Devil had known Him, he would not have dared to approach Him. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 5.2
… and again in another passage calls Him Who was crucified ‘the Lord of Glory’: ‘for had they known it,’ he says, ‘they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 5.5
… for this is why the Cross is said to be the Cross of the Lord of glory
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 6.2
… And thus the experience of death is not referred to Him Who had communion in our passible nature by reason of the union with Him of the Man, while at the same time the exalted and Divine names descend to the Man, so that He Who was manifested upon the Cross is called even “the Lord of glory
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.7
58. When we read, then, that the Lord of glory was crucified, let us not suppose that He was crucified as in His glory.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.4
33. Let us not, then, be troubled if we find the Son of Man entitled “mighty” in one place, and yet in another, that the Lord of glory was crucified.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.11
… How else can we understand the unity of majesty than by the knowledge that the same deference is paid to the Father and the Son? For what can be better put than the Apostle’s saying that the Lord of glory was crucified?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 7
[5.] Ver. 8 . “Which none of the rulers of this world knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John pref
They do not give their own date, but are referred to by the Author, while still at Antioch, as already published, in Hom. VII. on
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 57.9
… Let us pass on now to the apostle Paul who writes thus to the Corinthians: “For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 169.8
… in like manner the name of God, or Son of God, or Lord of Glory, or any other such name, is given to Christ as the Word, and it is, nevertheless, correct to say that God was crucified, seeing that there is no question that He suffered this death in his human nature, not in that in which He is the Lord of Glory.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.12
… but according to the form of a servant, “He is a bridegroom coming out of His chamber.” According to the form of God, “He is the first-born of every creature, and He is before all things and by him all things consist;” according to the form of a servant, “He is the head of the body, the Church.” According to the form of God, “He is the Lord of glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.13
28. Yet unless the very same were the Son of man on account of the form of a servant which He took, who is the Son of God on account of the form of God in which He is; Paul the apostle would not say of the princes of this world, “For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 13.11
… For, to revert to the words of Jeremiah, "He is man, and who shall know Him?" lest it should be an excuse for the Jews that they did not know,—for if they had known, as the apostle says, "they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 37.9
… He was in a manner the object of derision and contempt among the Jews, He appeared in low estate and was despised. For He hid His Majesty, and manifested His infirmity. That in Him which was manifested was despised, and that which was hidden was not known. “For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 41.1
… Hence it was, that they believed that He could be overcome, and that they derided Him as He hung upon the Tree, saying, “If He be the Son of God, let Him come down from the Cross, and we will believe on Him.” They saw one part of what He was, they knew not the other, “For had they known Him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 88.6
… For “blindness hath happened in part to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles enter in,” until the other sheep come. Because then blindness hath happened, therefore did ye see the Comely One without comeliness. “For had ye known Him, ye would never have crucified the Lord of Glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 17.3
… What, then, is meant by this, unless it be that there came one, even Christ, to the Jewish people; and by doing great things, by teaching profitable things, troubled sinners, troubled the water by His presence, and roused it towards His own death? But He was hidden that troubled. For had they known Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 45.3
3. For it goes on, “For the things that shall be changed, to the sons of Korah for understanding; a song for the beloved.” For that “beloved” One was seen by His persecutors, but yet not for “understanding.” For “had they known Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.5
… and though He was strong in Himself, He appeared in the flesh weak. For He must needs appear in order that He might not be perceived; be despised, in order that He might be slain. There was semblance of glory in divinity, but it lay concealed in flesh. “For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 56.5
… Therefore they that crucified Him, as if man, in the day have erred. But why have they suffered darkness, so that they should be put afar off from holy men? Because on high the day was shining, Him in the height hidden they knew not. “For if they had known, never the Lord of Glory would they have crucified.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 57.4
… To be hidden in earth. For he that fleeth into a cavern, with earth is covered so that he may not be seen. But Jesus did carry earth, flesh which He had received from earth: and in it He concealed Himself, in order that by Jews He might not be discovered as God. “For if they had known, never the Lord of glory would they have crucified.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 66.4
… The Lord rose again, and many believed: they perceived not when they crucified, nevertheless afterwards they believed in Him, and there was forgiven them so great a transgression. The shedding of the Lord’s blood was forgiven the manslayers, not to say, God-slayers: “for if they had known, the Lord of glory they never would have crucified.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.4
… “For The Lord is His name.” Which if they had known, the Lord of glory they never would have crucified.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 69.28
… How must we understand this? May the Lord be with us, that we may speak, and because of your weariness may be able to speak briefly. Their iniquity was that they killed a just Man: there was added another, that they crucified the Son of God. Their raging was as though against a man: but “if they had known, the Lord of Glory they had never crucified.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.11
… and of that same our old man He had taken a Body, because Mary was of Adam. Therefore the very thing which they thought, from the Cross He said, “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Why do these men think Me left alone to their evil? What is, think Me forsaken in their evil? “For if they had known, the Lord of glory they had never crucified.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 82.4
4. To all of them, verily, what follows is most fitly suited: “They did not know nor understand, they walk on in darkness” ( ver. 5 ). “For if even they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 88.5
… Whence in another Psalm it is said, “Thou broughtest me out also of the pit of misery.” “In a place of darkness, and in the shadow of death,” whiles they knew not what they did, they laid Him there, thus deeming of Him; they knew not Him “whom none of the princes of this world knew.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 88.6
… But I shall not discuss this matter further: only if I also were to suggest another term, I should think “indignation” more tolerable than “fury,” this word in Latin not being applied to persons in their senses. What then does this mean, “Thy indignation lieth hard upon Me,” except the belief of those, who knew not the Lord of Glory?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.6
… let us nevertheless make answer of the Word, and let us not be terrified or confounded by their reproaches. For “if they had known” the Word, “they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 6.22
… And the Apostle also, when considering what happened in time, says that all things were made by Christ. For he says, “There is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things.” But when speaking of His Passion, he shows that the Lord of glory was crucified. “For if,” he says, “they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.”
St Vincent of Lérins † AD 445 The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 15
… In consequence of which unity of Person, both those attributes which are proper to God are ascribed to man, and those which are proper to the flesh to God, indifferently and promiscuously. For hence it is written by divine guidance, on the one hand, that the Son of man came down from heaven; and on the other, that the Lord of glory was crucified on earth.
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
“As to the passage where we read that the Lord of glory was crucified,
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 3
Eran. —What do you say to those words of the Apostle “Had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory”?
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 28
… And so it is that in the Creed also we all confess that the Only-begotten Son of God was crucified and buried, according to that saying of the Apostle: “for if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 3.3
… Hence it is that the Lord of Glory is said to have been crucified
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 3.4
… and when He is named Son of God and God, in reference to only one of His natures, He still keeps the properties of the co-existing nature, that is, the flesh, being spoken of as God who suffers, and as the Lord of Glory crucified
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.18
The third mode is one which declares the one subsistence and brings out the dual nature: for instance, And I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me . And this: I go to My Father and ye see Me no more . And this: They would not have crucified the Lord of Glory
2:9
Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 34
… For [the Scripture] saith, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which He hath prepared for them that wait for Him.”
Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The Second Epistle of Clement 11
… For He is faithful who has promised that He will bestow on every one a reward according to his works. If, therefore, we shall do righteousness in the sight of God, we shall enter into His kingdom, and shall receive the promises, which “ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man.”
Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The Second Epistle of Clement 14
… Such an one, therefore, will not partake of the spirit, which is Christ. Such is the life and immortality, which this flesh may afterwards receive, the Holy Spirit cleaving to it; and no one can either express or utter what things the Lord hath prepared for His elect.
St Polycarp † AD 155 The Martyrdom of Polycarp 2
… For they kept before their view escape from that fire which is eternal and never shall be quenched, and looked forward with the eyes of their heart to those good things which are laid up for such as endure; things “which ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man,”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.36.3
… subsequently bestowing in a paternal manner those things which neither the eye has seen, nor the ear has heard, nor has [thought concerning them] arisen within the heart of man,
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 26
… So again in Isaiah, “Ye shall eat the good of the land,” the expression means the blessings which await the flesh when in the kingdom of God it shall be renewed, and made like the angels, and waiting to obtain the things “which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man.”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 5.22
… “I swear by that Good One who is above all, to guard these mysteries, and to divulge them to no one, and not to relapse from the Good One to the creature.” And when he has sworn this oath, he goes on to the Good One, and beholds “whatever things eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man;”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 Against Plato, on the Cause of the Universe 3
… Ye who believe these words, O men, will be partakers with the righteous, and will have part in these future blessings, which “eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.6.4
… From which comparison it may be conceived how great are the comeliness, and splendour, and brilliancy of a spiritual body; and how true it is, that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 7
… For that which is , according to what it is, can neither be declared by human discourse, nor received by human ears, nor gathered by human perceptions. For if “the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him, neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor the heart of man, nor even his mind has perceived;”
St Gregory Thaumaturgus † AD 270 A Sectional Confession of Faith 12
… But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
St Alexander of Alexandria † AD 326 Epistles on the Arian Heresy and the Deposition of Arius 1.5
… hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength.” For if the knowledge of many other things that are incomparably inferior to this, are hidden from human comprehension, such as in the apostle Paul, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 10.4.70
… ‘For eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of men those things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 22.13
… There is not in that place any want at all; but it is full of light, and life, and grace, and fulness, and satisfaction and renewal, and love, and all the good promises that are written but not yet sealed . For there is there that which eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard, and which hath not come up into the heart of man ,
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Incarnation of the Word 42
… so that, associated with them in the conduct of a common life, he may understand also what has been revealed to them by God, and thenceforth, as closely knit to them, may escape the peril of the sinners and their fire at the day of judgment, and receive what is laid up for the saints in the kingdom of heaven, which “Eye hath not seen
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence Against the Arians (Apologia Contra Arianos) 4
… a reward for the admirable faith which you displayed in your noble confession in behalf of your Bishop, that He may impart unto you and unto them that are with you, both here and hereafter, those better things, which ‘the eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 1
11. Let us remember the poor, and not forget kindness to strangers; above all, let us love God with all our soul, and might, and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves. So may we receive those things which the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, which God hath prepared for those that love Him
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 6.9
… saith Job, or hast thou attained unto the least things which the Almighty hath made ? If the least of His works are incomprehensible, shall He be comprehended who made them all? Eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 7.24
24. Yea, would that what we hope for might be, according to the great kindness of our bountiful God, Who asks for little and bestows great things, both in the present and in the future, upon those who truly love Him;
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 3.5
… of human perception, that he calls even the judgments of God “unsearchable,” and His ways “past finding out ,” and affirms that the things promised to them that love Him, for their good deeds done in this life, are above comprehension so that it is not possible to behold them with the eye, nor to receive them by hearing, nor to contain them in the heart
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 The Great Catechism 40
It will be necessary to add to what has been said this remaining statement also; viz. that those good things which are held out in the Gospels to those who have led a godly life, are not such as can be precisely described. For how is that possible with things which “eye hath not seen, neither ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
… Paul, in fine, was therefore chosen because he so believed and so taught, since, as it is written, God “hath revealed to us by His Spirit that which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.2
… Ungrateful wretch what doest thou? Dost thou deny His goodness, in Whom is thy hope of good things—if, indeed, thou believest this? Dost thou deny His goodness, Who hath given us what “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard?”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Mysteries 4
19. The reason why you were told before not to believe only what you saw was that you might not say perchance, This is that great mystery “which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Mysteries 8
… “That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Instructions to Catechumens 1.1
… for I have not come to interpret dreams for you, but to discourse of matters celestial, and to convey to you glad tidings of such good things as “eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard and which have entered not into the heart of man, such are the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Two Homilies on Eutropius 2.12
… Since then Christ made a covenant with us (for He was about to take me as a bride) he also assigned a dowry to me not of money, but of blood. But this dowry which He assigns is the bestowal of good things “such as eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 2.13
… such as was that Lazarus, poor as to the present life, but rich as to the future; not in gold and silver, and such like perishable and transitory store of wealth; but in those unutterable good things “which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 5.5
5. I speak thus, not anticipating any dread or melancholy event: God forbid! But because I am ashamed for those who are afraid of death. Tell me, whilst expecting such good things as “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered the heart of man,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 11
… for in truth this is the earnest of them all. So that in mentioning this, he hath mentioned also the resurrection of our bodies, and the manifestation of His miracles here, and our partaking of His kingdom, and the good things, which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 52
… where is life eternal, and unspeakable glory, and inexpressible beauty; where are eternal tabernacles, and the untold glory of the King, and those good things, “which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 7
[6.] Ver. 9 . “But as it is written, Things which eye saw not and ear heard not, and which entered not into the heart of man, whatsoever things God prepared for them that love Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 1
… For, say, what is equal to being scourged for Christ’s sake and holding converse with God; and being more than match for all things, and gaining the better of those who cast us out, and being unconquered by the whole world, and expecting hence such good things “as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man!” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 2
… Next, he suggesteth also the manner of the prayer. And what is this? “That He would open the ears of their hearts;” for they are as yet shut and stopped up. “Ears,” he saith, not these which be outward, but those of the understanding, “so as to hear ‘the things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man.’” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 3
… But we have now not one of these dignities, but all three preeminently. For we are both to enjoy a kingdom and are made priests by offering our bodies for a sacrifice, (for, saith he, “present your members a living sacrifice unto God;) and withal we are constituted prophets too: for what things “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
… when “His enemies shall be put under His feet” ( 1 Cor. xv. 25 .), when there shall be nothing opposed, when the just shall behold all those blessed things, which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which hath not entered into the heart of man.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 15
… For what is comparable to seeing Christ? Surely nothing! What to the enjoyment of those good things? Surely nothing! Well may there be nothing; for “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 2
… For not even the understanding which far excels these, will be able to comprehend anything accurately, when we desire to utter aught concerning God. For if “the peace of God surpasseth all understanding” ( Philip. iv. 7 ), and “the things which are prepared for them that love Him have not entered into the heart of man” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
But how far shall I go in pursuing what cannot be overtaken? “For eye hath not seen,” it is said, “nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 23
… For what language, what intellect, can represent that blessedness and virtue, that pleasure, that glory, that happiness, that splendor? “What eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and what hath not entered into the heart of man” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 28
But what about the good things? There, the superiority is still greater. “Eye hath not seen,” (it is said,) “ear hath not heard, neither have, entered into the heart of man” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 2.25
… ii. 15 ): ‘For he shall be called a Nazarene’ ( Ibid. 23): and ‘They shall look on him whom they pierced’ ( John xix. 37 ): and ‘Rivers of living water shall flow out of his belly’ ( John vii. 38 ): and ‘Things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, which God hath prepared for them that love him’ (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 3.1
1. That God gives more than we ask Him for, and that He often grants us things which “eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man,”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.41
41. Emerge, I pray you, for a while from your prison-house, and paint before your eyes the reward of your present toil, a reward which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 59
(1) What are the things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.31
… None of them has given more to the poor than Paula, for Paula has kept nothing for herself. But now she enjoys the true riches and those good things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man.
St Jerome † AD 420 To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem 34
… For no one proves what is true by means of what is false. You will say, are we then going to eat after our resurrection? I know not. Scripture does not tell us; and yet, if the question be asked, I do not think we shall eat. For I have read that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, while it promises
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 9.10
… and, “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,” we were seeking between ourselves in the presence of the Truth, which Thou art, of what nature the eternal life of the saints would be, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 130.17
… which “eye hath not seen,” for it is not colour; which “the ear hath not heard,” for it is not sound; and which hath not ascended into the heart of man, for the heart of man must ascend to it.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 2
… But inasmuch as day by day the good are making advances towards the vision of that day, in dependent of the rolling sky, and without the invasion of the night, “which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 17
… in whom alone also there is the rest which eye hath not seen, neither hath ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man (to conceive),—the rest which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 77.0
On the words of the Gospel, John v. 25 ,“Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God; and they that hear shall live,”etc.; and on the words of the apostle, “things which eye saw not,” etc.,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 77.1
… For of this good it is said, “That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 77.11
… All this, what is it to that happiness, whereby we shall see God? Because then God cannot be now manifested as He is, whom nevertheless we shall see; therefore, “what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 1.4
4. But those who received peace to proclaim it to the people have made Wisdom herself an object of contemplation, so far as human hearts could lay hold on that which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has ascended into the heart of man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 34.7
… From whom, then, dost thou seek God, as thou seekest bread, water, gold, silver, corn? From whom dost thou seek God, except from God? He is sought from Himself who has promised Himself. Let the soul extend her desire, and with more capacious bosom seek to comprehend that which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 97.1
… so that those very things which he has some notion of at present, he may know that he is still ignorant of, as they are yet to be known in that life which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man hath perceived.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.5
… Why? because they were ungodly; and the Lord Himself saith, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Therefore, we are to see a certain vision, my brethren, “which neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.6
… the things that are behind, reaching forth to the things that are before, upon the strain I follow on unto the prize of the high calling.” He says he reaches forth, or stretches himself, and says that he follows “upon the strain.” He felt himself too little to take in that “which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 7.1
… They were retarded because they were in training, not because they were forsaken. That therefore which God promiseth us is ineffable sweetness and a good, as the Scripture saith, and as ye have often heard by us rehearsed, which “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 73.23
… 25 ). By your voice I see that ye have understood. He compared with his earthly will the heavenly reward which he is to receive; he saw what was there being reserved for him; and while thinking and burning at the thought of some ineffable thing, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor into the heart of man hath ascended,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 76.6
… When the Gospel is preached. And what is life eternal? And who is He that hath risen from the dead? The Athenians wondered, when the Apostle Paul spake of the resurrection of the dead, and thought that he spake but fables. But because he said that there was another life which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it gone up into the heart of man,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 86.11
… this is not God: the heaven itself; this is not God: think of the Angels, Virtues, Powers, Archangels, Thrones, Seats, Principalities; this is not God. What is He then? I could only tell thee, what He is not. Askest thou what He is? What “the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath risen up into the heart of man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 87.8
… For men are elated by these things, and mad with a kind of joy: but “there is no joy, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.” There is a sort of joyfulness which the ear of man hath not heard, nor his eye seen, nor hath it entered into his heart to conceive.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 112.6
6. But it is a great thing to have the heart established, and not to be moved, while they rejoice who love what they see, and mock at him who hopeth for what he seeth not; “what the Lord hath prepared for them that love Him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 128.8
8. For, “if in this life only,” saith the Apostle, “we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” For what reason were the Martyrs condemned to beasts? What is that good? Can it be declared? by what means, or what tongue can tell it? or what ears can hear it? That indeed, “Neither ear hath heard, nor hath it entered into man’s heart:”
Socrates Scholasticus † AD 440 The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus 2.23
… that the things most excellent which ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man; even the things which God has prepared for them that love him,’
St Vincent of Lérins † AD 445 The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 20
… that of all, or contrary to that of all the saints, this, he will understand, does not pertain to religion, but is permitted as a trial, being instructed especially by the words of the blessed Apostle Paul, who writes thus in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, “There must needs be heresies, that they who are approved may be made manifest among you:”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 14
But what excuse for despondency will be left us if we take to heart God’s own promises and the hopes of Christians; the resurrection, I mean, eternal life, continuance in the kingdom, and all that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”?
Pseudo-Clement The First Epistle of the Blessed Clement, the Disciple of Peter the Apostle 9
… of things which do not decay, nor wither; of “that which eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and which hath not come up into the heart of man; of that which God hath prepared for those who love Him and keep His commandments.”
2:10
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 2.28.7
… For although the Spirit of the Saviour that is in Him “searcheth all things, even the deep things of God,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 1.3.4
… For as it is said of the Son, that “no one knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him,” the same also is said by the apostle of the Holy Spirit, when He declares, “God hath revealed them to us by His Holy Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.11
… But as we have not yet received the competent mind which is able to be blended with the mind of Christ, and which is capable of attaining to things so great, and which is able with the Spirit to “search all things, even the deep things of God,”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 9.69
… for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, which are in him, save the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the things which are in God, none knoweth, save the Spirit of God
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Expositio Fidei. (Statement of Faith.) 1
… 43 ), into which Paul also once entered. [He shewed us] also a way up to the heavens, whither the humanity of the Lord , in which He will judge the quick and the dead, entered as precursor for us. We believe, likewise, also in the Holy Spirit that searcheth all things, even the deep things of God (
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 5
… “God hath revealed him to us,” it is said, “by ( διά ) the spirit;”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 16
… And whence did he who was ordained to announce the mysteries of the vision to the Man of Desires derive the wisdom whereby he was enabled to teach hidden things, if not from the Holy Spirit? The revelation of mysteries is indeed the peculiar function of the Spirit, as it is written, “God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 24
56. Let us then examine the points one by one. He is good by nature, in the same way as the Father is good, and the Son is good; the creature on the other hand shares in goodness by choosing the good. He knows “The deep things of God;”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 4.16
… But learn thou that this Holy Spirit is One, indivisible, of manifold power; having many operations, yet not Himself divided; Who knoweth the mysteries, Who searcheth all things, even the deep things of God
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 6.6
… The Angels therefore behold as much as they can bear, and Archangels as much as they are able; and Thrones and Dominions more than the former, but yet less than His worthiness: for with the Son the Holy Ghost alone can rightly behold Him: for He searcheth all things, and knoweth even the deep things of God
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 11.12
… Tell me what is a Principality, and what a Power, and what a Virtue, and what an Angel: and then search out their Creator, for all things were made by Him . But thou wilt not, or thou canst not ask Thrones or Dominions. What else is there that knoweth the deep things of God
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.23
… And they indeed are sent forth to minister , but He searches even the deep things of God, according as the Apostle says, For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the thing of a man, save the spirit of the man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.79
79. Would that it were merely empty! And now may their blasphemy fall upon the head of the ungodly! All fear has been banished from souls, shamelessness has taken its place, and knowledge and the deep things of the Spirit
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 28
… But if any one has got even to some extent a comprehension of this, how is God’s Being to be demonstrated? Who ever reached this extremity of wisdom? Who was ever deemed worthy of so great a gift? Who has opened the mouth of his mind and drawn in the Spirit, so as by Him that searcheth all things, yea the deep thing of God,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 43.65
… In both respects he won a like distinction, and showed himself to be his own equal, and absolutely perfect. To search all things, yea, the deep things of God
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Answer to Eunomius' Second Book 1
But it may be said that the voice of the Father was addressed to the Holy Spirit. But neither does the Holy Spirit require instruction by speech, for being God, as saith the Apostle, He “searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 1.1
23. For if we say that the Holy Spirit is included amongst all things, certainly when we read that the Spirit searches the deep things of God,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.9
99. But in like manner we also read of many things done through the Spirit, as you find: “But God hath revealed them to us through His Spirit;”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
… Or is He ignorant of anything Who knows the counsels of God, and His mysteries which have been hidden from the beginning? What is there that He knows not Who knows all things that are of God? For “the Spirit searcheth even the deep things of God.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.16
… For no thing is written of Him in this place. You deny it entirely. But what if I show you He knew it? For it is written: “But God hath revealed them to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 74
… Since if it be not this, but He is ignorant of it, when will He know it? Will it be together with us? But who would say this? And the Father He knoweth clearly, even as clearly as He knoweth the Son; and of the day is He ignorant? Moreover, “the Spirit indeed searcheth even the deep things of God,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 2
… “Which the Father,” He says, “hath put in his own power.” What? Thou not know the things of the Father! Thou knowest Him, and not what belongs to Him! And yet Thou hast said, “None knoweth the Father but the Son” ( Luke x. 25 ); and, “The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 7
[7.] Then to show its greatness, he saith, If the Spirit which knoweth the secret things of God had not revealed them, we should not have learned them. Such an object of care was this whole subject to God, as to be among His secrets. Wherefore we needed also that Teacher who knoweth these things perfectly; for “the Spirit,” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 1
[3.] Seeing then it is no longer the fisherman the son of Zebedee, but He who knoweth “the deep things of God” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 2
… Observe the subtlety of his expressions. He hath taken one essence and subsistence to indicate two subsistences. Which he also doth in regard to the knowledge of the Spirit ; for as he saith that the knowledge of the Father is one with that of the Spirit, as being indeed one, and in nought varying from itself (
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 The Apology of Rufinus. Addressed to Apronianus, in Reply to Jerome's Letter to Pammachius 1.4
… a Trinity coeternal, inseparable, incorporeal, invisible, incomprehensible, known to itself alone as it truly is in its perfection: For “No man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son”: and the Holy Spirit is he who “searcheth
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 38.10
… For it was not Himself that Christ showed forth on earth; but it was His Flesh that He showed. For had He showed Himself, the Jews would have seen and known Him; but had they “known Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 53.4
… who is he that travaileth amid bad men? The former question then is solved as followeth: ofttimes the Scripture speaketh in such manner, that what by the gift of God a creature doth, God is said to do.…For hence has been said the following also, “For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the depth of God;”
2:11
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 2.2
… and “His ways past finding out,” as comprising an understanding and knowledge which no man has ever shown to Him, except it may be those critics of the Divine Being, who say, God ought not to have been this, and He ought rather to have been that; as if any one knew what is in God, except the Spirit of God.
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Hermogenes 18
… This alone, indeed, knew the mind of the Lord. For “who knoweth the things of God, and the things in God, but the Spirit, which is in Him?”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 8
… and what He has been commanded by the Father, that also does He speak. And it is not His own will, but the Father’s, which He has accomplished, which He had known most intimately, even from the beginning. “For what man knoweth the things which be in God, but the Spirit which is in Him?”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 19
… “Except Wisdom,” however, is a phrase of the same sense exactly as “except the Son,” who is Christ, “the Wisdom and Power of God,” according to the apostle, who only knows the mind of the Father. “For who knoweth the things that be in God, except the Spirit which is in Him?”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 4.30
… “For no man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him: even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 13.2
… even so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.6
… for as “no one among men knows the things of the man, save the spirit which is in him,” and “no one knows the things of God, save the Spirit of God,”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 16
… But the greatest proof of the conjunction of the Spirit with the Father and the Son is that He is said to have the same relation to God which the spirit in us has to each of us. “For what man” it is said, “knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 19
… Do you call the Spirit a servant? But, it is said, “the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth,” and yet the Spirit knoweth the things of God, as “the spirit of man that is in him.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 29
… more primitive fashion, writes, “God lives, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.” And now let us hear how Irenæus, who lived near the times of the Apostles, mentions the Spirit in his work “Against the Heresies.” “The Apostle rightly calls carnal them that are unbridled and carried away to their own desires, having no desire for the Holy Spirit,”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 11.13
13. Be not ashamed to confess thine ignorance, since thou sharest ignorance with Angels. Only He who begat knoweth Him who was begotten, and He who is begotten of Him knoweth Him who begat. He who begat knoweth what He begat: and the Scriptures also testify that He who was begotten is God
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 30
… And yet how can Wisdom be ignorant of anything—that is, Wisdom Who made the worlds, Who perfects them, Who remodels them, Who is the Limit of all things that were made, Who knoweth the things of God as the spirit of a man knows the things that are in him?
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 7.1
… he is prepared to say again that the word “Spirit” stands in Scripture for “essence.” Let us consider, then, whether the Apostle anywhere, in his use of the term “Spirit,” employs that word to indicate “essence.” He says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit ,” and “no one knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
124. Learn now that the Spirit too knows God the Father, for it is written that, “As no one knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit which is in him, so too the things of God no one knoweth save the Spirit of God.” “No one,” he says, “knoweth save the Spirit of God.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.16
… For He knows all that God knows, as also the Apostle states, saying: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him, even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 2.3
3. But in the case of human infirmities, it is not easy in the first place for a man to discern them, for no man “knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 3.14
… If God certified this to you, show me the oracle, and I obey; but if you cannot, and form your judgment from human opinion only, please to set yourself free from this delusion. For in what concerns my own affairs it is fairer to trust me than others; inasmuch as “no man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 40
… that thou mightest learn, how they spake all by the Spirit. For if the secrets of men cannot by any art be known, much more were it impossible to learn Christ’s purpose, except the Spirit revealed it.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 29
… “For who knoweth,” says he, “the things of a man, but the spirit of the man? even so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 34
… How sees he “in a mirror?” How “darkly,” if he hath the sum of knowledge? And why doth he refer to it as something peculiar to the Spirit, and to no other power in the creation, saying, “For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 23
… Were the wounds sensible, or did the body receive the blows, there would be no difficulty in discerning his plots; but since the soul is invisible, and since that it is which receives the wounds, we need great watchfulness that each may prove himself; for none knoweth the things of a man as the spirit of a man that is in him. (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 78
… of Mine,” He saith, “that I told you not what I should have told you, but from the infirmity of the hearers.” On this account having said, “He shall lead you into all truth,” He added, “He shall not speak of Himself.” For to show that the Spirit needeth not teaching, hear Paul saying, “So also the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 17
… For it is not possible that a man should know the things of his neighbor, (for “what man,” he says, “knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?”—
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 7.17
… And thus, by degrees, I passed from bodies to the soul, which makes use of the senses of the body to perceive; and thence to its inward faculty, to which the bodily senses represent outward things, and up to which reach the capabilities of beasts; and thence, again, I passed on to the reasoning faculty,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 10.3
… A people curious to know the lives of others, but slow to correct their own. Why do they desire to hear from me what I am, who are unwilling to hear from Thee what they are? And how can they tell, when they hear from me of myself, whether I speak the truth, seeing that no man knoweth what is in man, “save the spirit of man which is in him “?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 10.5
7. For it is Thou, Lord, that judgest me; for although no “man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 92.2
… And how could this be, when you saw his face, which he himself did not see, if it were not that the inner knowledge which we have of ourselves is more certain, since no man “knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in man”?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 130.8
… If you are hindered from doing this by some consideration of duty to your family, you know yourself what account you can give to God of your use of riches. For no one knoweth what passeth within a man, “but the spirit of the man which is in him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 1.26
… Only let him be very sure that the divine command has been signified. As for us, we can become privy to the secrets of conscience only in so far as these are disclosed to us, and so far only do we judge: “No one knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 13.24
… Πνεῦμα , on the other hand, is uniformly rendered “spirit,” whether of man, of whom the apostle says, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 14.4
… that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the animal man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.8
… In that case the apostle has excluded the Son from knowing those things which are of God, where he says, “Even so the things of God knoweth no one, but the Spirit of God:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 78.9
… but if through the Spirit ye do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.” Explain to us, Apostle, through what spirit? For man also hath a spirit appertaining to his proper nature, whereby he is man. For man consists of body and spirit. And of this spirit of man it is said, “No man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 32.5
… For every man’s mind is his own spirit: of which the Apostle Paul says, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of the man which is in himself?” And then he added, “So also the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 1.1
No one hath seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him . The Deity, therefore, is ineffable and incomprehensible. For no one knoweth the Father, save the Son, nor the Son, save the Father . And the Holy Spirit, too, so knows the things of God as the spirit of the man knows the things that are in him
2:12
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1-2.10
… And if we come to the Gospels, the exact understanding of these also, as being the mind of Christ, requires the grace that was given to him who said, “But we have the mind of Christ, that we might know the things freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.6
… What shall we say of this work? He who is accurately to apprehend what it contains should be able to say with truth,
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 29
… Of this says the same apostle: “We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 2.29
… has read the words of the Apostle, Because ye are sons of God, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father , and Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom ye have been sealed , and again, But we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are given unto us by God
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 2.35
35. Let us therefore make use of this great benefit, and seek for personal experience of this most needful Gift. For the Apostle says, in words I have already cited, But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are given unto us by God
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 24
… Did not God also bestow His Son as a free gift to mankind? “He that spared not His own Son,” it is said, “but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” And in another place, “that we might truly know the things that are freely given us of God,”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 52.4
… Holy Ghost.” He who, on the contrary, places the Spirit before the Son, or alleges Him to be older than the Father, resists the ordinance of God, and is a stranger to the sound faith, since he fails to preserve the form of doxology which he has received, but adopts some new fangled device in order to be pleasing to men. It is written “The Spirit is of God,”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
… And he adds: “But we received, not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are given to us by God, which we also speak, not in persuasive words of man’s wisdom, but in manifestation of the Spirit and in the power of God.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.1.6
… for, as the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father, so the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ is both in the Father and in the Son, for He is the Spirit of His mouth. For He Who is of God abides in God, as it is written: “But we received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.31
… “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we,” saith he, “have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Good of Widowhood 20
… yea, rather, you are not so otherwise than as you know from Whom you have what you have. For listen to what the Apostle said on this matter, “But we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit Which is of God, that we may know what things have been given to us by God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 22
… but if he has at once the ability, and complies with the command, he ought also to be aware from whose gift the ability comes. “For we have received not the spirit of this world,” says again that most constant preacher of grace, “but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 40
… even as the apostle knew when he said, “But we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 74.2
… for this present possession had also a bearing on that fuller gift of the Holy Spirit, that they might come to a conscious knowledge of what they had. It is in speaking of this gift that the apostle says: “Now we have received, not the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 85.3
… For it is He who makes us not only men, but also righteous, and not we ourselves. And who but He is the doer, in leading us to such a knowledge? For “we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Counter-statements of Theodoret 1
… But if he speaks of the Spirit as being of the Son, or as having its origin through the Son we shall reject this statement as blasphemous and impious. For we believe the Lord when He says, “The spirit which proceedeth from the Father;” and likewise the very divine Paul saying, “We have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 26
… And hence the very greatness of the boon conferred demands of us reverence worthy of its splendour. For, as the blessed Apostle teaches, “we have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God , that we may know the things which are given us by God
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.35
… viii. 9 ); and again, And by thy conscience shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died. But when ye so sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ (
2:13
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 5.3
These are, he says, what are by all called the secret mysteries, “which (also we speak), not in words taught of human wisdom, but in those taught of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him.”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 7.14
… This is the wisdom spoken in a mystery, concerning which, says (Basilides), Scripture uses the following expressions: “Not in words taught of human wisdom, but in (those) taught of the Spirit.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.14
… for careful observation would suggest very weighty thoughts to those who know how “to compare spiritual things with spiritual,” and on this account “speak not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.1
… but merely call to mind what comes from the divine Scriptures; for this is the safest course, according to the blessed Apostle Paul, who says, Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.96
… who has not, by a triple inscription of them upon the breadth of his heart, attained the mind of Christ; nor been admitted to the treasures which to most men remain hidden, secret, and dark, to gaze upon the riches therein? and become able to enrich others, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.3
… but that the natural man receiveth not the things which pertain to the Spirit of God.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 52.10
… Let us be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, but let us slay no lamb and celebrate no mystic passover, for where there is no temple, the law forbids these acts. Let us pitch tents in the seventh month and noise abroad a solemn fast with the sound of a horn. But if we compare all these things as spiritual with things which are spiritual;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 32.10
… Moreover, the apostle fulfills this requirement not now in the typical observance, but in the spiritual reality, when he reproves those of whom he says that he had begotten them in Christ Jesus by the gospel, and points out to them their error in wishing to be of Paul. "Was Paul," he says, "crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"
2:14
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.8.3
… while the leaven denoted the Saviour Himself. Paul, too, very plainly set forth the material, animal, and spiritual, saying in one place, “As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy;” and in another place, “But the animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit;”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.8.4
… but, as I have already observed, they have adopted the lives of swine and of dogs, giving themselves over to filthiness, to gluttony, and recklessness of all sorts. Justly, therefore, did the apostle call all such “carnal” and “animal,”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, XXXVI 1
True knowledge, then, consists in the understanding of Christ, which Paul terms the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery, which “the natural man receiveth not,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 2.2
… then especially good, when not good in man’s judgment; then especially unique, when He seems to man to be two or more. Now, if from the very first “the natural man, not receiving the things of the Spirit of God,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.22
… For when a man is rapt in the Spirit, especially when he beholds the glory of God, or when God speaks through him, he necessarily loses his sensation, because he is overshadowed with the power of God,—a point concerning which there is a question between us and the carnally-minded.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Fasting 3
… However, even (Adam) himself at that time, reverting to the condition of a Psychic after the spiritual ecstasy in which he had prophetically interpreted that “great sacrament” with reference to Christ and the Church, and no longer being “capable of the things which were the Spirit’s,”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 6.29
… Wherefore, he says, “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 6.71
Celsus accordingly, as not understanding the doctrine relating to the Spirit of God (“for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.3
But what is the bearing of all this for us? So you will ask when you read these words, Ambrosius, thou who art truly a man of God, a man in Christ, and who seekest to be not a man only, but a spiritual man.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.15
… and then he proceeds to give, as it were, an account of the origin of the matter and says, “He (the Logos) provided them with their first form at their birth, carrying further and making manifest what had been sown by another, into form and into illumination and into an outline of its own.” He did not observe how Paul speaks of the spiritual,
St Gregory Thaumaturgus † AD 270 A Sectional Confession of Faith 12
… But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” And again he says: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On the Making of Man 8.6
… while elsewhere, making a comparison of the middle kind with the perfect, he says, “but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit: for they are foolishness unto him: but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 23
“Yet surely further on,” it will be said, “He commanded, “What ye have heard in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.” But this is in no wise contrary to the former. For neither in that place did He simply command to tell all men, but to whom it should be spoken, to them He bade speak with freedom.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 52
… Thank the Lord, that He hath bestowed on us such benefits, as one cannot so much as learn without His revelation from above. Why, this is the very reason of his laughing, that “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 38
… ( e ) “And certain philosophers,” etc. ( v. 18 .) How came they to be willing to confer with him? (They did it) when they saw others reasoning, and the man having repute (in the encounter). And observe straightway with overbearing insolence, “some said, What would this babbler say? For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 39
(Recapitulation.) “And when they heard,” ( ch. xvii. 32 ) what great and lofty doctrines, they did not even attend, but jeered at the Resurrection! “For the natural man,” it saith, “receiveth not the things of the Spirit.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 13
… 19 . ib. vii. 7 .) And the soul too Paul must afterwards be calling estranged from God, since to those that live in error, he gives the name of men of the soul (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 7
[9.] Ver. 14 . “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 29
… 18 .) And again; “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” ( Ib. 23, 24 .) And again; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishness unto him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 5
… Now if you are able to prove to me that evil originates from the body, you are at liberty to accuse it; but if your endeavor is to turn its name into a charge against it, you ought to accuse the soul likewise. For he that is deprived of the truth is called “the natural man.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 3
That is, may raise and wing your understanding, for it is not possible otherwise to understand these things. “For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 5
… no fresh remission, but searching trial. The mind of the flesh is luxury and indolence, the “mind of the flesh” is covetousness and all kinds of sin. Why is it said the mind of the flesh? While yet the flesh could do nothing without the soul. He does not say this to the disparagement of the flesh, any more than when he says the “natural man,” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 24
… Nicodemus heard of the spiritual Birth, yet perceived it not as spiritual, but dragged down the words to the lowness of the flesh, and made a doctrine so great and high depend upon physical consequence. And so he invents frivolities, and ridiculous difficulties. Wherefore Paul said, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 34
Let our sails then be in good order, not grown old (for everything “that is decayed and waxen old is nigh to vanishing away” ) ( c. viii. 13 ), not worn into holes, that so they may bear the energy of the Spirit . “For the natural man,” it is said, “receiveth not the things of the Spirit.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem 19
… and that they change their bodies as often as they change their resting-places in going from heaven to earth. These are the tricks and artifices by which you make us out to be “Pelusiots” and “beasts of burden” and “animal men” who do “not receive the things pertaining to the Spirit.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.23
33. But that he judgeth all things answers to his having dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over all cattle and wild beasts, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For this he doth by the discernment of his mind, whereby he perceiveth the things “of the Spirit of God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 92.3
… And if a space intervene, this presupposes a limitation and a definite conformation of members and other things, absurd to utter, and impious even to think of, by which most empty delusions the natural man, which “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.32
… that in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift,” we would think that all the Corinthians had been carnal and natural, not perceiving the things of the spirit of God,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.8
… For what does He mean by saying, “If ye love me, keep my commandments; and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,” that is, the lovers of the world? For “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 3.pref.1
… not believe this, but are both able and willing to make the trial, grant me whatever answers may be gathered from reading, either to my own inquiries, or to those interrogations of others, which for the character I bear in the service of Christ, and for the zeal with which I burn that our faith may be fortified against the error of carnal and natural men,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Faith and the Creed 10
… The nature of the soul, however, is perfect when it is made subject to its own spirit, and when it follows that spirit as the same follows God. Therefore “the animal man receiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 32.18
… Again, the words, "The world cannot receive Him," plainly point to those who are usually called the world in Scripture—the lovers of the world, the wicked, or carnal; of whom the apostle says: "The natural man perceiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 1.15
… but because, in the actual lot of our mortality, in which we are born of the seed of Adam, "that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual." But from mere animal sensation, because "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 3.14
… Most truly, indeed, speaks the apostle, filled with the light of truth: "The natural man," says he, "receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4.15
… For many carnal and natural men are baptized even within the Church, as the apostle expressly says: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.13
… because the mind, too, was, in comparison of that last stage of complete perfection, weak, and to it also was assigned, in order to check its elation, that messenger of Satan, the thorn in the flesh; although it was very strong, in contrast with the carnal or animal faculties, which as yet understand not the things of the Spirit of God.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 21.30
… Whence the Apostle Paul reproving those even in the Church itself, who by the names of men, though having a place in her unity, were raising a kind of schism, says amongst other things, “But the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 1.1
1. When I give heed to what we have just read from the apostolic lesson, that “the natural man perceiveth not the things which are of the Spirit of God,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 98.3
… For “the natural man”—that is, the man whose wisdom is of a mere human kind, and is called natural [literally, soulish] from the soul, and carnal from the flesh, because the complete man consists of soul and flesh—“perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.27
… “For the spiritual man judgeth all things,” but “the animal man perceiveth not those things which are of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 4.19
… “For whereas there is among you envying and contention, are you not carnal?” Concerning the natural he also speaks as follows: “But the natural man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him.” But concerning the spiritual: “But the spiritual man judgeth all things: and he himself is judged by no man.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.11
The word ‘ Cross ’ is foolishness to those that perish, but to us who are saved it is the power of God . For he that is spiritual judgeth all things, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) Of the imposition of the bishop's hand 1
… because when the Holy Spirit is shed upon them, the believing heart is enlarged for prudence and stedfastness. We receive of the Holy Spirit in order that we may be made spiritual; for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.8.3
… while the leaven denoted the Saviour Himself. Paul, too, very plainly set forth the material, animal, and spiritual, saying in one place, “As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy;” and in another place, “But the animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit;” and again: “He that is spiritual judgeth all things.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.33.1
1. A spiritual disciple of this sort truly receiving the Spirit of God, who was from the beginning, in all the dispensations of God, present with mankind, and announced things future, revealed things present, and narrated things past—[such a man] does indeed “judge all men, but is himself judged by no man.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.33.15
… Those, on the other hand, who depart from Him, and despise His precepts, and by their deeds bring dishonour on Him who made them, and by their opinions blaspheme Him who nourishes them, heap up against themselves most righteous judgment. He therefore (i.e., the spiritual man) sifts and tries them all, but he himself is tried by no man:
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 8.5
5. But hear, my beloved, another word like this, which the Apostle has spoken. For he said:— The spiritual man judgeth everything, and he is judged by no one .
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Infants' Early Deaths 1
… “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord ?” But seeing on the other hand that that Apostle declares it to be a peculiarity of him that is spiritual to “judge all things
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On the Making of Man 20.1
… but I find a certain distinction, according to Scriptural use, between “knowledge” and “discernment”: for to “dis cern” skilfully the good from the evil, the Apostle says is a mark of a more perfect condition and of “exercised senses ,” for which reason also he bids us “prove all things ,” and says that “discernment” belongs to the spiritual man
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 The Great Catechism 7
… but that, by withdrawing the mind from bodily phenomena, we must decide by itself and from itself the true nature of moral excellence and of its opposite. “The spiritual man,” he says, “judgeth all things
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.6
… But that she who feigned the feelings of a mother, blinded by the desire of gaining her end, would think little of the destruction of him in regard to whom she felt no outgoing of tenderness. And so that spiritual man, that he might judge all things (for he that is spiritual judgeth all things),
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 10.4
… viz. of what is warm, that is, of blood; of what is dry, that is, of yellow bile; of what is moist, that is, of phlegm; of what is cold, that is, of black bile. And let no one think this subject foreign to that which we have in hand. “For He that is spiritual judgeth all things; yet He Himself is judged of no man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.22
… and being made spiritual, he judgeth all things,—all things that are to be judged,—“yet he himself is judged of no man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 169.2
… himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him know,” he says, “the things which I write to you, for they are the commands of the Lord.” If any man thinks himself to be, and in reality is not, a prophet, for he who is a prophet undoubtedly knows and does not need admonition and exhortation, because “he judgeth all things, and is himself judged of no man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Two Souls, Against the Manichæans 7
… "All things are of God," and elsewhere: "Ye are not of God," since it is wrong rashly to condemn books of Scripture, who would not have seen that a skilled teacher should be found who would know a solution of this problem, from whom assuredly if endowed with good intellectual powers, and a "spiritual man," as is said by divine inspiration
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 3.18
… they represented the Church, and this was said to them as to the Church herself, it follows that the peace of the Church looses sins, and estrangement from the Church retains them, not according to the will of men, but according to the will of God and the prayers of the saints who are spiritual, who "judge all things, but themselves are judged of no man."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.17
… But spiritually the expression heaven means holy souls, and earth sinful ones: and since the spiritual man judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.27
… He is borne as yet in the bosom of his mother the Church, he is not strong enough to draw near to the solid food of his Father’s table, but from the mother’s breast he draweth sustenance, unskilled in judging, inasmuch as yet he is animal and carnal. “For the spiritual man judgeth all things,”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.1.10
… Is there not hidden there also an inner, namely a divine sense, which is revealed by that grace alone which he had received who said, “But we have the mind of Christ, that we might know the things freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit teacheth?”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.18
Now to see into the real truth of these matters is the part of that true intelligence which is given to those who can say,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.96
96. Who is the man, whose heart has never been made to burn, as the Scriptures have been opened to him, with the pure words of God which have been tried in a furnace; who has not, by a triple inscription of them upon the breadth of his heart, attained the mind of Christ;
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Letters on the Apollinarian Controversy 102
Thus, then, they interpret wrongly the words, But we have the Mind of Christ,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On the Making of Man 5
2. And if you were to examine the other points also by which the Divine beauty is expressed, you will find that to them too the likeness in the image which we present is perfectly preserved. The Godhead is mind and word: for “in the beginning was the Word ” and the followers of Paul “have the mind of Christ” which “speaks” in them
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.3
… “for they are foolishness,” he says, “unto him.” And so, because he knew that these questions would arise amongst natural men, foreseeing the future he says: “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 15
Grieve not now, I pray thee, neither despond; since the very apostles were to some a “savor of death;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 7
… 4 . Sept.) “He hath added unto me an ear to hear,” meaning by “addition” that which was from the Spirit. From whence it was plain that before hearing it had not entered into the heart of man. For after the gift of the Spirit the heart of the Prophets was not the heart of man, but a spiritual heart; as also he saith himself, “We have the mind of Christ” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius 6
… I called, and the Spirit of Wisdom came into me.” Now is it not clearer than light itself, how that this man, on duly considering the wretchedness of human frailty, did not dare to commit himself to his own direction, but prayed, and understanding was given to him, concerning which the apostle says: “But we have the understanding of the Lord;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 28.9
… but they were written for our sakes, upon whom the end of the ages is come.” And he said elsewhere, “For Christ is the end of the law;” likewise in another place, “Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of a new moon, or of Sabbath-days, which is a shadow of things to come.”
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Yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world. Anselm, Ambrose, Cajetan, and others understand the devils by the princes of this world, inasmuch as they have their power over the air, the ungodly, and the children of this world. And they prove from here that the devil, before the Passion of Christ, although he knew that Christ was God, yet did not know that by His death his own empire was to be destroyed, and men redeemed (ver. 8). This is true, but it is truer still when understood of men. Secondly, S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Anselm, Tertullian (contra Marcion, lib. iii. c. 6), Origen (Song Nom. 2) understand by the princes of this world the leaders who excel their fellows in wisdom, wealth, or power. And therefore S. Paul adds, that come to nought, i.e., are done away with, pass by, disappear. These, too, crucified Christ (ver. 8). Such were Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, and other princes of the Jews and Gentiles. Ver. 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. (1.) This is a Hebraism for "the wisdom of the mystery." that great secret of the Divine counsel, about the Incarnation of the Word, and the redemption of man by Christ, which cannot be attained to by man by any effort of reason no, nor yet by the angels, as is clear from Eph. v. 4, 5. Hence, in 1 Tim. iii. 16, this wisdom of the mystery is called the great mystery of godliness. So Theophylact, Ambrose, Œcumenius, commenting on this verse, and Jerome and Leo Castrius on Isa. lxiv; also S. Leo. (2.) We may understand this wisdom to be concerned with the greatness of the glory of the Blessed, for this was the end of the Incarnation and suffering of the Word. Secondly, it is simpler to connect the words "in a mystery" with "we speak" rather than with "wisdom." Then the meaning is, we speak secretly and to a few, viz., those who are perfect, the spiritual, of this deeper and more hidden wisdom. Hence Ephrem and Tertullian render the passage: "We speak of the wisdom of God in secret." Hence also S. Dionysius and others have written books on mystic theology. Ver. 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew. The pronoun is better referred to glory than to wisdom, and the sense is: if this wisdom, or rather this glory and its being predestined in Christ, had been known by Pilate, Annas, Caiaphas, and the other princes of the world, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory, viz., Christ, by whose merits this eternal glory was predestined and prepared for us from eternity. Gabriel Vasquez comments well on this passage (lib. i. disp. 2, c. 3). The Apostle tacitly implies that none other of the princes of this world knew this glory and wisdom of Christ. For, à fortiori, the Jews were wiser than the Gentiles, especially in Divine things; if, therefore, they did not know it, much more were the others ignorant of it. Ver. 9. But, as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. After "but" there is an ecthlipsis, and we must supply, "this wisdom and the glory which was its end were hidden from them," as it is written, &c. He then quotes Isa 64:4. 1. Isaiah, in the passage quoted, is speaking of the Incarnation of Christ and of this present life. And hence Chrysostom, Ambrose, Theophylact, Œcumenius take this verse of the miracles of Christ, and of the wisdom, virtues, and grace which Christ by living here on earth has imparted to us. 2. It is more agreeable to the context to say that Isaiah seems to fly away in admiration from the Incarnation and manhood of Christ to the celestial glory, which is the fruit and end of the Incarnation of Christ; for such flights and sudden changes are common with the Prophets, because of the sublime and ample light if prophecy which they enjoyed. This appears from the words used; as, e.g., " Him that waiteth for him," and " Thou meetest him that worketh righteousness." He is speaking then of the fruit of the works of the just, viz., the eternal life which we wait for; for the fruit of the Incarnation and faith does not meet them that work righteousness, but those that are sitting in darkness and sin. So says S. Jerome (in Isa. lxiv.), S. Dionysius (De Cælest. Hierarch. 12), and Vasquez, in the passage above quoted. Hence S. Bernard (Serm. 4 on the Vigil of the Nativity) says: " Eye hath not seen that unapproachable light, ear hath not heard that incomprehensible peace... And why is it that it has not ascended into the heart of man? Surely because it is a spring and cannot ascend. For we know that the nature of springs is to seek the rivers in the valleys, and to shun the tops of the mountains; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." S. Augustine, in his "Meditations," ch. 22 et seqq., and "Soliloquies," ch. 35 and 36, discourses most beautifully about the greatness of this bliss. The author too of the book on "The Spirit and the Soul" (which is found in vol. iii. ch. 36 of S. Augustine's works), very appropriately says on this passage of the Apostle: " As the outward man is affected by temporal things through his five senses, so the inward man, in the life of bliss, is affected by the five ineffable attributes of God through his ineffable love for Him. For when he shall love his God, He will know him as a certain light, a voice, a sweet odour, a food, and an inward embrace. For there shines the light which no place can contain; there sounds the music which no time steals away; there is the sweet odour which no wind can scatter; there is the food which is eaten and yet undiminished; there clings to us the good which knows no satiety; there is God seen without intermission, known without error, loved without disgust, and praised without wearying." These words of the Apostle were once the occasion of the conversion of S. Adrian, and made him a martyr. He was a soldier and in the flower of his age, viz., twenty eight yeas old, and when he beheld the constancy of the Christian martyrs in the tortures they had to endure for the faith of Christ, he asked them what they expected in return for such sufferings, what enabled them to overcome such tortures. They replied, "We hope for those good things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, which God hath prepared for them that love Him." By these words Adrian was touched and converted, and he hastened to get himself enrolled in the list of martyrs, and eagerly bore a cruel death at Nicomedia, with his wife Natalia looking on and encouraging him. This was A.D. 306, under Diocletian. 3. The meaning of this passage will be complete if you combine the two interpretations given above thus: Those good things which Thou, God, through Christ, hast prepared for them that wait for Thee, surpass all our senses, experience, natural understanding, and all human desire, not only in this life in the case of those who have already caught some sounds of Thee, but also chiefly and most properly in the future glory. There will God, who is Himself all that good is, give Himself to the blessed, and will be as all in all, as Anselm says. For by these words of Isaiah, the Apostle proves what he has said, viz., that the wisdom as well as the glory of Christ was secret and hidden, as we saw above.
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Neither have entered into the heart of man. Has not come into the mind of man: no man can by nature think of or understand them. The heart with the Hebrews stands for the mind. For what the heart is to the body its chief and noblest part, the source and principle of life that is the mind to the soul. Moreover, the heart supplies the brain with its vigour, and so is a kind of handmaid to the imagination and consequently the understanding. Hence Aristotle, though against Galen and all other physicians, placed the apprehension of external objects not in the brain but in the heart. He distinguished the vital organs of man by their functions on these verses:"The heart gives wisdom, the lung speech, and anger comes from the bile, The spleen is the cause of laughter, and live comes from the liver." Where Isaiah has "them that wait for Thee," S. Paul has "them that love Thee." The sense is the same, for love is one cause of expectation. Ver. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. S. Paul here anticipates an objection. It might be said, "If eye hath not seen, neither have entered into the heart of man, the wisdom and the glory that Christ has prepared for His friends, how is it that you boast yourself of its possession?" Paul replies that he knows them not by sight, sensation, or by the understanding, but by the inspiration and revelation of God. Hence, Clement of Alexandria (Pædag. lib. i. c. 6) interprets the phrase, "ear hath not heard," by adding, "except that ear which was taken up into the third heaven," viz., Paul's, who heard with the ear in Paradise mystic words which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Paul means, then, that God has revealed these things to us His Apostles and Prophets filled with His Spirit, in order that we may teach you and others. It appears from this that not only is our longing for bliss and glory supernatural, but that our knowledge of them is also, whether that knowledge be of them in their essence, or merely the obscure and fragmentary knowledge of the Apostles and of all others who are still "in the way." Consequently there is not naturally in man any perfect and effectual desire, or appetite, for this bliss.
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The Spirit searcheth all things, the deep things of God. That is, penetrates into and perceives everything. For when men want to learn something of which they are ignorant, they are wont to search and inquire about it. But God, without any such searching, knows everything at a glance, and as it were by a single application of His mind. (S. Thomas, Theodoret, Theophylact.) The deep things of God are all the most secret and inward counsels of God. Amongst them the chiefest is this mystery of man's glory and redemption by Christ. All these the Holy Spirit penetrates into and clearly views, because He is of one essence and knowledge with God, and therefore He so "searches the deep things of God," that nothing in God remains unknown t Him. His knowledge and sight equal their object, and He knows God as he can be known; i.e., the Holy Spirit, because He is God, comprehends God and His Divinity as completely as He comprehends Himself. (Molina part i. qu. 14, a. 3, Theodoret, S. Thomas.) From this passage Ambrose and other Fathers prove the Godhead of the Holy Ghost against the Macedonians. To sum up S. Paul's meaning: The Holy Spirit has revealed to us these mysteries and secrets of God: He knows all the secrets of God, and therefore He searches and clearly views the deep things of God. Ver. 11. What man knoweth the things of a man? Those in the inner recesses if his being, which are buried in his heart and mind, as, e.g., his thoughts, resolutions, and intentions, and the foundation of the character itself.
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Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit knows them as well as Himself. For the Holy Spirit is internal to God, just as the spirit of a man is internal to him; and as the spirit of a man is a sharer of his humanity, so the Spirit of God is a partaker of Godhead, and of the Divine omni-science and power. "The things of God" are those which are hidden in the mind of God the thoughts, counsels and determinations of the Divine Will. After "knoweth no man, but the Spirit" must be understood, "and He to whom the Spirit has willed to reveal them, as to me and the other Apostles," as was said in ver. 10. "No man, but the Spirit" foes not exclude the Son. For since He is he Word, he knows the deep things of God. For in Divine things, when as exclusive or exceptive word is applied to one Person in respect of the Divine attributes, it does not exclude the other Divine Persons, but only all other essences from the Divine, i.e., it only excludes those whose nature differs from that of God. The meaning then is: No one knows the secret things of God, save the Spirit of God, and they who have the dame nature with the Spirit, the same intellectual and cognitive powers, viz., the Father and the Son. These alone know the deep things of God.
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Ver. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God. He contrasts the spirit of the world with the Spirit which is of God, claims the latter for himself and the Apostles, and assigns the other to the wise men of this world. The spirit of the world, therefore, is that which id infused by the world, by worldly and carnal wisdom, which aspires after worldly, earthly, and carnal goods, and makes men worldly and carnal. In the other hand the Spirit of God is that which is infused by God and Divine Wisdom, which makes us pursue heavenly and Divine goods, and makes men spiritual and heavenly. Therefore the Apostle adds
That we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. On this passage the heretics found their peculiar belief that each Christian knows for a certainty that he ought by heavenly faith to believe that he has through Christ had given to him by God the forgiveness of his sins, with grace and righteousness, and as Calvin says, that he has been chosen to eternal glory. But this is not faith, but a foolish and false presumption, not to say blindness; because we do not certainly know that we have been duly disposed for righteousness, and whether we surely believe, and as we ought; nor is it anywhere said or revealed in Holy Scripture that I believe as I ought to do, or that I am righteous or one of the elect. The best answer to them is the sense of the passage, which is this: The Holy Spirit shows and reveals to us what and how great are the gifts given to us, the Apostles, by God, and to others who love God so great indeed that eye has not seen them, nor have they entered into the heart of man; for the Apostle looks back to ver. 9. I say, then, that the Apostle is speaking in general terms of the gifts which were given to the Apostles and the Church, and of those gifts alone. He says in effect: "We received this Spirit that we, i.e., the Apostles, might know with what gifts and good things in general Christ has enriched us, i.e., His Church, viz., with what grace of the Spirit, what redemption, what virtues, and especially with how great glory;" for these were the things alluded to in ver. 9; and these things are, as he says in ver. 11, in God, i.e., by the free-will and predestination of God. "We know, too, through the Holy Spirit the Revelation, that these things have been given by God to the Church; for we speak of and teach these things as part of the faith. But that I am possessed of them, or a sharer in them, is not a matter of faith, but of conjecture: it is not to be publicly preached, but secretly hoped for." Again, the word know may be taken in a twofold sense: (1.) Objectively; (2.) Subjectively. 1. Objectively, the Apostle knew, and all the faithful knew, from the prophecies, miracles, and from other signs from God, that He had promised to His congregation (i.e., His Church, which had been called together by the Apostles, and was afterwards to be called together), and that, according to His promises, He had given His grace, and lastly a sure hope of eternal life. But all this was to His Church in common, not to this or that individual in it; for we cannot know in a particular case whether this one or that us faithful. In this sense the word know is the same as believe. For we believe that the Catholic Church is holy, and that in her there is forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. God, therefore, has only revealed that His Church is holy, but not that I am holy. For although he has revealed and has promised to all in the Church, who rightly believe and repent, forgiveness of sins and righteousness, yet He has not revealed that I believe truly repent; and therefore He has not revealed that my sins are forgiven, and that I am justified. 2. The word know may be taken subjectively: we Apostles know by experience what wisdom and grace God has given us; and in this way the word know is the same as experience. For no one of the Apostles believed by faith from above that he had wisdom and grace; but he experienced the acts and effects of grace in himself so vehemently frequently, clearly, and surely, that he felt morally certain that he had true wisdom, and it behoved them to teach others the same, and wholly to long to bring the world to Christ. Although, then, the Apostles knew by experience that they had been justified and sanctified, still the rest of the faithful did not know it, nor do they know it now. They can only hope so, and conjecture it from the signs of an upright and good life. Yet neither the Apostles, nor they, believe it on the testimony of infused faith; for experience of every kind merely generates human faith, not Divine: that springs from and depends on the revelation of God alone. Ver. 13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. I.e., not in words taught by Cicero, Demosthenes, or Aristotle, such as human wisdom teaches, but in words inspired by the Holy Ghost.
2:13
Comparing spiritual things with spiritual. In other words, we teach this spiritual wisdom from the Scriptures and other spiritual writings, and do not base it on philosophical, rhetorical, or earthly reasons, ideas, or speeches, as S. Chrysostom says. Œcumenius says: " If we are asked whether Christ rose on the third day, we bring forward testimony and proofs from Jonah. If we are asked whether the Lord was born of a Virgin, we compare His mother in her virginity to Anna and Elizabeth in their sterility, and thence rove it." The Apostle here gives à priori the cause and reason why, at God's command, he refrained from using eloquence and human wisdom in his preaching. The reason is that Divine and human wisdom so widely differ. Since, then, speech should be fitted to the subject matter, it was evidently right that that speech, by which Divine wisdom was published, should be adapted to it, and should differ from the words of human wisdom that is to say, that it should be simple, grave, efficacious, and Divine, as proceeding from the Holy Spirit, who would reject all rhetorical ornamentation. In this matter we are bidden to learn, forbidden to use ornament. For as words of human wisdom carry with them the wisdom and the spirit of the speaker, so do the words of the Holy Spirit bring into the soul the wisdom of God, and of his Spirit speaking by the Apostles. Ver. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. Natural or animal is here applied to one who is concerned with this life only, and thinks after the way of this life, who follows the objects of his sensations and the thoughts of his heart. Such were the Apostles before they received the Holy Spirit, and such were the Corinthians at this time, as they sought after eloquence. Now, too, there are many of the faithful, not bad men, who do not seek after higher things. The word animal here comes from "anima," and has a threefold application. (1.) It is applied to one who grows, takes nourishment, and needs food, as all animals do. So Adam, though created in grace, is called animal [natural] (1Co 15:45-46). (2.) Secondly, to one who follows his nature, i.e., his lusts and desires. So the Jews are called animal or natural, as not having the Spirit. (3.) To one who follows after knowledge that is not spiritual and sublime, but open and easy to the mind and senses. This is the meaning here. Bernard, or whoever is the author of the treatise on the solitary life, says, a little after the beginning of it: " The natural state is a mode of life subservient to the senses of the body, viz., when the soul, as though going outside herself, pursues, by means of the bodily senses, the pleasure she finds in the bodies she loves, feeds on the enjoyment they give, and nourishes her own sensual disposition; or when, as though returning to herself, on finding that she is unable to bring to the place where her incorporeal nature is the bodies to which she has joined herself by the powerful bonds of love and habit, she brings with her images of them, and holds friendly conversation with them. And when she has accustomed herself to them, she thinks that there is nothing save what she left behind her without, or herself brought within. Thenceforward, as long as she remains here, she finds her pleasure in living according to the pleasures of the body; but when she is prevented from enjoying them, she has no thought but such as are images of bodily things." So he is called spiritual who lives in the Spirit: 1. As a spirit not needing food, so Christ lived after His resurrection (1Co 15:45). 2. As following the inspiration, direction, and movements of the Spirit. 3. As drinking in the heavenly teaching of the Spirit. Such a one is called spiritual by S. Chrysostom, S. Thomas, and others. S. Bernard, in the place just quoted, writes: " The state of beginners may be called natural, of those who are advancing rational, of those who are perfect spiritual. For they are natural who by themselves are neither led by reason nor drawn by affection, and yet are influenced by authority, or touched by doctrine, or provoked by example to approve, and strive to imitate the good. They are rational who through the judgment of reason have some knowledge and desire of good, but have not yet any love of it. They are perfect who are led by the Spirit, who are illuminated by the Holy Spirit more fully, and derive their name of 'the spiritual' from this. And since they know the taste of the good, and are led by their love for it, they are called the wise, or those who know. " Then in comparing these three, and forming of them steps, and a ladder of virtues, he goes on to say: " The first state has to do with the body, the second with the soul, the third finds no rest but in God. The beginning of good in conversion is perfect obedience, its advancement is the subjection of the body, its perfection is to have turned through continued good actions custom into love. The beginning of the rational is to understand those things which are put before it in the teaching of faith, its advancement is marked by the providing of those things which are enjoined, its perfection is seen in the judgment of the reason becoming the live of the heart. The perfection of the rational is the beginning of the spiritual; its advancement consists in seeing the glory of God with unveiled face; its perfection is to be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord." Because they are spiritually discerned, i.e., according to the rules given by the Holy Spirit and the canons of faith. Some read, he is spiritually discerned, which would mean that he is invited, by being examined, to spiritual and heavenly wisdom. When he is being instructed in spiritual matters, or when spiritual things are put before the natural man, and when the natural man is questioned about spiritual things, he cannot understand them. Ver. 15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things. He is called spiritual, as we have seen, who follows faith and wisdom and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, who has the Holy Spirit as the ruler of his soul. So Chrysostom, Anselm, S. Thomas.
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Judgeth all things. 1. Hence Calvin and the Anabaptists make the private and fanatical spirit of each spiritual man, i.e., each one of the faithful, the arbiter of controversies of faith, and the interpreter of Scripture; but wrongly, for all Christians are not spiritual, but only the perfect, as was said at ver. 14. 2. Others cannot know whether a man has this spirit, whether he is spiritual, nay, whether he is even faithful. Therefore this private and secret spirit cannot be the public judge of all things; but this is the province of Councils and the Pope. For it is known that these are spiritual, that they are governed by the Holy See, who appointed them teachers, and by them governs and teaches the Church. 3. The Fathers were spiritual to a high degree, and yet they sometimes erred. 4. It is evident that the simple need the pastors and teachers whom God has placed in the Church to teach others (Eph 4:11). I answer, then, that this passage means that the spiritual man judges things in general, spiritual things, Divine and heavenly things, natural, earthly, and easy things; while the natural man judges natural things only. This is that there may be a distribution proportioned to classes of individuals, and not to individuals of different classes. So we say, "I live on every kind of food," i.e., on any kind. In the second place, to "judge all things" is to examine, confute, and sift questions, according to the rules of the faith, and of the Divine wisdom which the spiritual man has. Of course this is in questions in which he has been sufficiently instructed from above, as, e.g., in clear and ascertained matters of faith he judges everything according to the articles of the faith. But if any new question in faith or morals should arise, and it is obscure or doubtful, wisdom itself dictated to the spiritual man, who in this question is not yet spiritual, or sufficiently taught by the Spirit, to have recourse to his superiors, as the same Spirit teaches him, to the doctors, to his mother, the Roman Church, that she may decide and define this question for him. For she, according to the teaching of the Apostle, is plainly spiritual, and judges all things by the direction and assistance of the Spirit. For Christ promised this to Peter, and in him to his successors (S. Matt. xviii. 18; S. Luke xxii. 32). They, then, are highly spiritual, and they judge all things, It is different with those beneath them, who, though they be spiritual, yet should often seek the judgment of their superiors. Otherwise he who is spiritual would never have to obey the decision of his father, or his teacher or his bishop. In so far, then, as the spiritual man follows the leading of the Spirit, either teaching him directly, or sending him to the doctors of the Church, he cannot err. In the same way S. John says that he that is born of God cannot sin (1Jo 3:9); i.e., so far as he that is born of God abides in Him. So S. Thomas, Ambrose, Anselm, Theophylact, Chrysostom. S. Paul's meaning, then, is that the spiritual man judges well about the hidden mysteries of the faith, and about things in general, and if he doubts, he knows what to do, whom he ought to consult, so as to receive instruction. So Aristotle (Ethics iii. 4) says. " A good man rightly judges in all cases, and the virtuous man is the rule and measure of all human things, " i.e., says S. Thomas, because he has a will ordered judgment and good desires, obedient to law and reason, Still, in difficult cases he ought to consult those who are wiser and more skilled in the law.
Yet he himself is judged of no man, i.e., is confuted or condemned by to one, in so far as he judges spiritually, as S. Chrysostom says. For if otherwise, he is reproved as S. Peter was by S. Paul (Gal 2:11). On the other hand the natural man is spiritually examined and judged by the spiritual, even though he does not know it or understand it. For in this passage the whole endeavour of the Apostle is to exclude human and worldly wisdom by spiritual, and to contrast the spiritual with the natural, and to put it first, since the Corinthians did the opposite and therefore put Apollos before Paul. He implies, therefore, that the Corinthians are natural, because they sought after "enticing words of man's wisdom," such as they admired in the eloquence of Apollos; and he says that they cannot judge about spiritual things, and the spiritual wisdom of Paul, but that he and men like him ought to judge both spiritual and natural wisdom. This and nothing else is what the Apostle is aiming at. Ver. 16. Who hath known the mind of the Lord? Since the spiritual man has been taught by God and follows His rules, so far as he is such, he can be judged by no one; for one who should judge him ought to be wiser or greater than the Spirit of God, so as to be able to penetrate and measure that Spirit. But who can do this? So Chrysostom. Nevertheless, the spiritual man often can be and ought to be judged, because he is not known to be spiritual in a given matter. Hence, in cxiv. 29, he says, "Let the others speak two or three, and let the others judge." Moreover, many boast themselves to be spiritual who are merely natural, as, e.g., the Anabaptists. But S. Paul was confessedly spiritual, hence he adds, We have the mind of Christ the wisdom of Christ which is spiritual and Divine, not natural and human. Our wisdom is not that of Plato or Pythagoras, but of Christ, who has infused His truths into our minds. So Chrysostom.
2:1
Postquam apostolus ostendit quis sit conveniens modus doctrinae Christianae, hic ostendit se illum modum observasse. Et circa hoc tria facit: primo ostendit se non fuisse usum apud eos aliqua excellentia saeculari; secundo ostendit apud quos excellentia spirituali utatur, ibi sapientiam autem loquimur inter perfectos, etc., tertio rationem assignat, ibi quae etiam loquimur, et cetera. Circa primum tria facit. Primo dicit quod non ostendit apud eos excellentiam saecularis sapientiae; secundo quod non praetendit excellentiam potentiae saecularis, ibi et ego in infirmitate; tertio non praetendit excellentiam eloquentiae, ibi et sermo meus. Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit quod intendit; secundo rationem assignat, ibi non enim iudicavi. Dicit ergo primo: quia dictum est quod Christus misit me evangelizare non in sapientia verbi, et quod non sunt multi sapientes, et ego, fratres, quamvis sapientiam saecularem habeam, secundum illud II Cor. XI, 6: et si imperitus sermone, sed non scientia, cum venissem ad vos, convertendos ad Christum, ut habetur Act. XVIII, 1, veni annuntians vobis testimonium Christi, secundum illud Act. IV, 33: virtute magna reddebant apostoli testimonium resurrectionis domini nostri Iesu Christi, et hoc non in sublimitate sermonis aut sapientiae. Attenditur autem sublimitas sapientiae in consideratione aliquorum sublimium et elevatorum supra rationem et sensum hominum. Eccli. XXIV, 7: ego in altissimis habitavi. Sublimitas autem sermonis potest referri vel ad verba significantia sapientiae conceptiones, secundum illud Eccle. ult.: verba sapientium quasi stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, vel ad modum ratiocinandi per aliquas subtiles vias. Nam in Graeco habetur logos, quod et verbum et rationem significat, ut Hieronymus dicit. Hoc autem dicit apostolus, quia fidem Christi per huiusmodi sublimitates sermonis aut sapientiae confirmare nolebat. I Reg. II, 3: nolite multiplicare sublimia.
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Deinde huius rationem assignat, dicens non enim iudicavi me scire aliquid, nisi Christum Iesum. Non enim ad hoc opus erat ut sapientiam ostentaret sed ut demonstraret virtutem, secundum illud II Cor. IV, 5: non enim praedicamus nosmetipsos, sed Iesum Christum. Et ideo solum utebatur his quae ad demonstrandam virtutem Christi pertinebant, existimans se ac si nihil sciret quam Iesum Christum. Ier. IX, 24: in hoc glorietur qui gloriatur, scire et nosse me. In Christo autem Iesu, ut dicitur Col. II, 3, sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae et scientiae Dei absconditi, et quantum ad plenitudinem deitatis et quantum ad plenitudinem sapientiae et gratiae, et etiam quantum ad profundas incarnationis rationes, quae tamen apostolus eis non annuntiavit sed solum ea quae erant manifestiora et inferiora in Christo Iesu. Et ideo subdit et hunc crucifixum, quasi dicat: sic vobis me exhibui ac si nihil aliud scirem quam crucem Christi. Unde Gal. ult. dicit: mihi absit gloriari, nisi in cruce domini nostri Iesu Christi. Quia igitur per sapientiam verbi evacuatur crux Christi, ut dictum est ideo ipse apostolus non venerat in sublimitate sermonis aut sapientiae. Deinde cum dicit et ego in infirmitate, etc., ostendit quod non praetenderit apud eos potentiam, sed potius contrarium et foris et intus.
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Unde quantum ad id quod foris est dicit et ego fui apud vos in infirmitate, id est tribulationes apud vos patiens. Gal. IV, 11: scitis quia per infirmitatem carnis evangelizavi vobis iampridem. Ps. XV, 4: multiplicatae sunt infirmitates eorum. Quantum vero ad id quod intus est, dicit et timore, scilicet de malis imminentibus, et tremore, inquantum scilicet timor interior redundat ad corpus. II Cor. VII, 5: foris pugnae, intus timores. Deinde cum dicit et sermo meus, ostendit quod non praetenderit apud eos excellentiam eloquentiae: et circa hoc tria facit. Primo excludit indebitum modum praedicandi, dicens et sermo meus, quo scilicet privatim et singulariter aliquos instruebam, Eph. IV, v. 29: omnis sermo malus ex ore vestro non procedat, sed si quis bonus est ad aedificationem fidei; et praedicatio mea, qua scilicet publice docebam, non fuit in verbis persuasibilibus humanae sapientiae, id est per rhetoricam, quae componit ad persuadendum. Ut scilicet supra dixit quod non fuit intentionis quod sua praedicatio niteretur philosophicis rationibus, ita nunc dicit non fuisse suae intentionis niti rhetoricis persuasionibus. Is. c. XXXIII, 19: populum impudentem non videbis, populum alti sermonis, ita ut non possis intelligere disertitudinem linguae eius, in quo nulla est sapientia.
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Secundo ostendit debitum modum quo usus fuit in praedicando, dicens: sermo meus fuit in ostensione spiritus et virtutis, quod quidem potest intelligi dupliciter. Uno modo quantum ad hoc quod credentibus praedicationi eius dabatur spiritus sanctus, secundum illud Act. X, 44: adhuc loquente Petro verba haec, cecidit spiritus sanctus super omnes qui audiebant verbum. Similiter etiam suam praedicationem confirmabat, faciendo virtutes, id est miracula, secundum illud Marc. c. ultimo: sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis. Unde Gal. III, 5: qui tribuit vobis spiritum, et operatur in vobis. Alio modo potest intelligi quantum ad hoc quod ipse per spiritum loquebatur, quod sublimitas et affluentia doctrinae ostendit. II Reg. c. XXIII, 2: spiritus domini locutus est per me. Et II Cor. IV, 13: habentes eumdem spiritum fidei credimus, propter quod et loquimur. Confirmat etiam suam praedicationem, ostendendo in sua conversatione multa opera virtuosa. I Thess. II, 10: vos enim testes estis, et Deus, quam sancte et iuste sine querela vobis qui credidistis, affuimus.
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Tertio assignat rationem dictorum, dicens ut fides vestra non sit in sapientia hominum, id est non innitatur sapientiae humanae, quae plerumque decipit homines, secundum illud Is. XLVII, 10: sapientia tua et scientia tua haec decepit te. Sed in virtute Dei, ut scilicet virtuti divinae fides innitatur, et sic non possit deficere. Rom. I, 16: non erubesco Evangelium, virtus enim Dei est in salutem omni credenti. Deinde cum dicit sapientiam loquimur, etc., ostendit apud quos excellentia spiritualis sapientiae utatur. Et primo proponit quod intendit; secundo manifestat propositum, ibi sapientiam vero. Dicit ergo: apud vos solum Christum crucifixum praedicavi, sapientiam autem, id est profundam doctrinam, loquimur inter perfectos. Dicuntur autem aliqui perfecti dupliciter: uno modo, secundum intellectum; alio modo secundum voluntatem. Haec enim inter potentias animae sunt propria hominis, et ideo secundum eas oportet hominis perfectionem considerari. Dicuntur autem perfecti intellectu illi, quorum mens elevata est super omnia carnalia et sensibilia, qui spiritualia et intelligibilia capere possunt, de quibus dicitur Hebr. c. V, 14: perfectorum est solidus cibus, eorum qui per consuetudinem exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem mali et boni. Perfecti autem secundum voluntatem sunt, quorum voluntas super omnia temporalia elevata soli Deo inhaeret et eius praeceptis. Unde Matth. V, 48, praepositis dilectionis mandatis, subditur: estote perfecti sicut et pater vester caelestis perfectus est. Quia igitur doctrina fidei ad hoc ordinatur, ut fides per dilectionem operetur, ut habetur Gal. V, 6, necesse est eum qui in doctrina fidei instruitur, non solum secundum intellectum bene disponi ad capiendum et credendum sed etiam secundum voluntatem et affectum bene disponi ad diligendum et operandum.
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Deinde cum dicit sapientiam vero, etc., exponit qualis sit sapientia de qua mentionem fecit. Et primo ponit expositionem; secundo rationem expositionis confirmat, ibi quam nemo principum, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo exponit qualis sit ista sapientia per comparationem ad infideles; secundo, per comparationem ad fideles, ibi sed loquimur Dei sapientiam, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos. Sapientiam vero dico, non huius saeculi, id est de rebus saecularibus, vel quae est per rationes humanas; neque eam principum huius saeculi. Et sic separat eam a sapientia mundana, et quantum ad modum et materiam inquirendi, et quantum ad auctores, qui sunt principes huius saeculi; quod potest intelligi de triplici genere principum, secundum triplicem sapientiam humanam. Primo possunt dici principes huius saeculi reges et potentes saeculares, secundum illud Ps. II, 2: principes convenerunt in unum adversus dominum et adversus Christum eius. A quibus principibus venit sapientia humanarum legum, per quas res huius mundi in vita humana dispensantur. Secundo possunt dici principes Daemones. Io. XIV, 30: venit princeps mundi huius, et in me non habet quicquam, et cetera. Et ab his principibus venit sapientia culturae Daemonum, scilicet necromantia, et magicae artes, et huiusmodi. Tertio possunt intelligi principes huius saeculi philosophi, qui quasi principes se exhibuerunt hominibus in docendo, de quibus dicitur Is. XIX, v. 11: stulti principes Thaneos, sapientes consiliarii Pharaonis. Et ab his principibus processit tota humana philosophia. Horum autem principum homines destruuntur per mortem et per amissionem potestatis et auctoritatis: Daemones vero non per mortem, sed per amissionem potestatis et auctoritatis, secundum illud Io. XII, 31: nunc princeps huius mundi eicietur foras; de hominibus autem dicitur Bar. III, 16: ubi sunt principes gentium? Et postea subdit: exterminati sunt et ad Inferos descenderunt. Sicut ipsi non sunt stabiles, ita et eorum sapientia non potest esse firma: et ideo non ei innitendum est. Deinde cum dicit sed loquimur, etc., exponit qualis sit sapientia per comparationem ad fideles. Et primo describit eam quantum ad materiam vel auctoritatem, cum dicit sed loquimur Dei sapientiam, id est quae est Deus et a Deo. Quamvis enim omnis sapientia a Deo sit, ut dicitur Eccli. I, 1, tamen speciali quodam modo haec sapientia, quae est de Deo, est etiam a Deo per revelationem, secundum illud Sap. IX, 17: sensum autem tuum quis sciet, nisi tu dederis sapientiam et miseris spiritum tuum de altissimis?
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Secundo ostendit qualitatem eius, dicens in mysterio, quae abscondita est; haec enim sapientia abscondita est ab hominibus, inquantum hominis intellectum excedit, secundum illud Eccli. III, 25: plurima supra sensum hominis ostensa sunt tibi. Unde dicitur Iob c. XXVIII, 21: abscondita est ab oculis omnium viventium. Et quia modus docendi et doctrinae debet esse conveniens, ideo dicitur quod loquitur eam in mysterio, id est in aliquo occulto, vel verbo vel signo. Infra XIV, 2: spiritus loquitur mysteria. Tertio ostendit fructum huius sapientiae, dicens quam Deus praedestinavit, id est praeparavit, in gloriam nostram, id est praedicatorum fidei, quibus ex praedicatione tam altae sapientiae gloria magna debetur, et apud Deum, et apud homines. Prov. III, 35: gloriam sapientes possidebunt. Et quod dicit in gloriam nostram, exponendum est omnium fidelium, quorum gloria haec est ut in plena luce cognoscant ea quae nunc in mysterio praedicantur, secundum illud Io. c. XVII, 3: haec est vita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum Deum verum, et quem misisti Iesum Christum.
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Posita expositione de sapientia quam apostolus loquitur inter perfectos, hic rationem assignat expositionis praedictae, et primo quantum ad hoc, quod eam descripserat per comparationem ad infideles; secundo, quantum ad hoc quod eam descripserat per comparationem ad fideles, ibi nobis autem revelavit Deus. Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit quod intendit; secundo probat propositum, ibi si enim cognovissent. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod sapientia quam loquimur non est principum huius saeculi, haec enim sapientia est, quam nemo principum huius saeculi cognovit, quod verum est, de quibuscumque principibus intelligatur. Saeculares enim principes hanc sapientiam non cognoverunt, quia excedit rationem humani regiminis. Iob XII, 24: qui immutat cor principum populi terrae, et decipit eos, ut frustra incedant per invium. Philosophi etiam eam non cognoverunt, quia excedit rationem humanam. Unde dicitur Bar. c. III, 23: exquisitores prudentiae et scientiae viam sapientiae nescierunt. Daemones etiam eam non cognoscunt, quia excedit omnem creatam sapientiam. Unde dicitur Iob XXVIII, 21: volucres caeli quoque latent. Perditio et mors dixerunt: auribus nostris audivimus famam eius. Deinde cum dicit si enim cognovissent, etc., probat quod dixerat, et primo quidem probat per signum quod non cognoverunt principes Dei sapientiam, secundum quod est in se abscondita. Secundo probat per auctoritatem, quod non cognoverunt eam, secundum quod praeparata est in gloriam nostram, ibi sicut scriptum est. Dicit ergo primo: recte dico, quod principes huius saeculi Dei sapientiam non cognoverunt, si enim cognovissent Dei sapientiam, cognovissent utique Christum esse Deum, qui in hac sapientia continetur, quo cognito, numquam crucifixissent Deum gloriae, id est, ipsum Christum dominum dantem gloriam suis, secundum illud Ps. XXIII, v. 10: dominus virtutum ipse est rex gloriae; et Hebr. II, 10: qui multos filios in gloriam adduxerat. Cum enim creaturae rationali sit naturaliter appetibilis gloria, non potest in voluntatem humanam cadere, quod auctorem gloriae interimat. Quod autem principes crucifixerunt Iesum Christum, certum est, si intelligatur de principibus qui potestatem habent inter homines. Dicitur enim in Ps. II, 2: astiterunt reges terrae, et principes convenerunt in unum adversus dominum, et adversus Christum eius, quod Act. IV, 27 exponitur de Herode et Pilato, et principibus Iudaeorum qui consenserunt in mortem Christi. Sed etiam Daemones operati sunt in mortem Christi, persuadendo, secundum illud Io. XIII, 2: cum Diabolus iam misisset in cor ut eum traderet, et cetera. Sed et Pharisaei, et Scribae in lege periti, qui studium sapientiae dabant, operati sunt ad mortem Christi instigando et approbando. Sed circa hoc duplex oritur dubitatio, quarum prima est de hoc quod dicit Deum gloriae crucifixum. Non enim divinitas Christi aliquid pati potuit, secundum quam dicitur Christus dominus gloriae. Sed dicendum quod Christus est una persona et hypostasis in utraque natura consistens, divina scilicet et humana. Unde potest utriusque naturae nomine designari, et quocumque nomine significetur, potest praedicari de eo id quod est utriusque naturae, quia utrique non supponitur nisi una hypostasis. Et per hunc modum possumus dicere quod homo creavit stellas, et quod dominus gloriae est crucifixus, et tamen non creavit stellas secundum quod homo, sed secundum quod Deus, nec est crucifixus secundum quod est Deus, sed inquantum homo. Unde ex hoc verbo destruitur error Nestorii, qui dixerat unam naturam esse in Christo, Dei et hominis, quia secundum hoc nullo modo posset verificari quod dominus gloriae sit crucifixus. Secunda dubitatio est de hoc quod videtur supponere, quod principes Iudaeorum vel Daemones non cognoverunt Christum esse Deum. Et quidem, quantum ad principes Iudaeorum, videtur hoc astrui per hoc quod dicit Petrus, Act. III, 17: scio quia per ignorantiam hoc feceritis, sicut et principes vestri. Videtur autem esse contrarium quod dicitur Matth. XXI, 38: agricolae videntes filium, dixerunt intra se: hic est haeres, venite, occidamus eum; quod exponens Chrysostomus dicit: manifeste dominus probat his verbis Iudaeorum principes non per ignorantiam, sed per invidiam Dei filium crucifixisse. Solvitur in Glossa quod sciebant, principes Iudaeorum, eum esse qui promissus erat in lege, non tamen mysterium eius quod filius Dei erat, neque sciebant sacramentum incarnationis et redemptionis. Sed contra hoc esse videtur quod Chrysostomus dicit quod cognoverunt eum esse filium Dei. Dicendum est ergo quod principes Iudaeorum pro certo sciebant eum esse Christum promissum in lege, quod populus ignorabat. Ipsum autem esse verum filium Dei non pro certo sciebant, sed aliqualiter coniecturabant; sed haec coniecturalis cognitio obscurabatur in eis ex invidia et ex cupiditate propriae gloriae, quam per excellentiam Christi minui videbant. Similiter etiam videtur esse de Daemonibus dubitatio. Dicitur enim Mc. I, 23 ss. et Lc. IV, 34, quod Daemonium clamavit, dicens: scio quod sis sanctus Dei. Et ne hoc praesumptioni Daemonum ascribatur, qui se iactabant scire quod nesciebant, eorum notitia quam habebant de Christo per ipsos Evangelistas asseritur. In Marco quidem sic scribitur: non sinebat ea loqui, scilicet Daemonia, quoniam sciebant eum Christum esse. Et Lucas dicit: increpans non sinebat ea loqui quia sciebant eum esse Christum. Et ad hoc respondetur in libro de quaestionibus novi et veteris testamenti, quod Daemonia sciebant ipsum esse, qui per legem fuit repromissus, quia omnia signa videbant in eo quae dixerunt prophetae, mysterium autem divinitatis eius ignorabant. Sed contra hoc videtur esse quod Athanasius dicit, quod Daemonia dicebant Christum esse sanctum Dei, quasi singulariter sanctum: ipse enim naturaliter est sanctus cuius participatione omnes alii sancti vocantur. Dicendum est autem quod, sicut Chrysostomus dicit, non habebant adventus Dei firmam et certam notitiam, sed quasdam coniecturas. Unde Augustinus dicit in IX de civitate Dei quod innotuit Daemonibus, non per id quod est vita aeterna, sed per quaedam temporalia sua virtute effecta. Deinde cum dicit sed sicut scriptum est, probat per auctoritatem quod principes huius saeculi Dei sapientiam non cognoverunt, quantum ad hoc quod praedestinata est in gloriam fidelium, dicens: sed sicut scriptum est Is. LXIV, 4, ubi littera nostra habet: oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te, quae praeparasti his qui diligunt te. Ostenditur autem illa gloria visionis aperte ab hominibus ignorari dupliciter. Primo quidem quod non subiacet humanis sensibus, a quibus omnis humana cognitio initium sumit. Et ponit duos sensus. Primo visionis quae deservit inventioni, cum dicit quod oculus non vidit, Iob XXVIII, 7: semitam eius ignoravit avis, nec intuitus est eam oculus vulturis. Et hoc ideo, quia non est aliquid coloratum et visibile. Secundo ponit sensum auditus, qui deservit disciplinae, dicens nec auris audivit, scilicet ipsam gloriam, quia non est sonus aut vox sensibilis. Io. V, v. 37: neque speciem eius vidistis, neque vocem eius audistis. Deinde excludit notitiam eius intellectualem, cum dicit neque in cor hominis ascendit. Quod quidem potest intelligi: uno modo ut ascendere in cor hominis dicatur quidquid quocumque modo cognoscitur ab homine, secundum illud Ier. II, v. 50: Ierusalem ascendat super cor vestrum: et sic oporteat, quod cor hominis accipiatur pro corde hominis carnalis, secundum illud quod dicitur infra III, 3: cum sint inter vos zelus et contentio, nonne carnales estis, et secundum hominem ambulatis? Est ergo sensus quod illa gloria non solum sensu non percipitur, sed nec corde hominis carnalis, secundum illud Io. XIV, 17: quem mundus non potest accipere, quia non videt eum, nec scit eum. Alio modo potest exponi secundum quod proprie dicitur in cor hominis ascendere id quod ab inferiori pervenit ad hominis intellectum, puta a sensibilibus, de quibus prius fecerat mentionem. Res enim sunt in intellectu secundum modum eius; res igitur inferiores sunt in intellectu altiori modo quam in seipsis. Et ideo quando ab intellectu capiuntur, quodammodo in cor ascendunt. Unde dicitur Is. LXV, 17: non erunt in memoria priora, nec ascendent super cor. Illa vero quae sunt in intellectu superiora, altiori modo sunt in seipsis quam in intellectu. Et ideo quando ab intellectu capiuntur, quodammodo descendunt. Iac. I, v. 17: omne donum perfectum desursum est descendens a patre luminum.
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Quia igitur illius gloriae notitia non accipitur a sensibilibus, sed ex revelatione divina, ideo signanter dicit nec in cor hominis ascendit, sed descendit, id scilicet quod praeparavit Deus, id est, praedestinavit, diligentibus se, quia essentiale praemium aeternae gloriae charitati debetur, secundum illud Io. c. XIV, 21: si quis diligit me diligetur a patre meo, et ego diligam eum et manifestabo ei meipsum, in quo perfectio aeternae gloriae consistit; et Iob XXXVI, 33: annuntiat de ea, id est de luce gloriae, amico suo quod possessio eius sit. Caeterae autem virtutes accipiunt efficaciam merendi vitam aeternam, inquantum informantur charitate. Deinde cum dicit nobis autem, etc., probat praedictam expositionem de sapientia divina per comparationem ad fideles. Et primo proponit quod intendit; secundo probat propositum, ibi spiritus enim.
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Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod sapientiam Dei nemo principum huius saeculi cognovit, nobis autem Deus revelavit per spiritum suum, quem scilicet nobis misit, secundum illud Io. XIV, 26: Paracletus autem spiritus sanctus, quem mittet pater in nomine meo, ille vos docebit omnia, Iob c. XXXII, 8: inspiratio omnipotentis dat intelligentiam. Quia enim spiritus sanctus est spiritus veritatis, utpote a filio procedens, qui est veritas patris, his quibus mittitur inspirat veritatem, sicut et filius a patre missus notificat patrem, secundum illud Matth. XI, 27: nemo novit patrem nisi filius, et cui voluerit filius revelare. Deinde cum dicit spiritus enim, probat quod dixerat, scilicet quod per spiritum sanctum sit sapientia fidelibus revelata. Et primo ostendit quod spiritus sanctus ad hoc sit efficax; secundo probat quod hoc in discipulis Christi fecerat, ibi nos autem. Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit quod intendit; secundo manifestat propositum, ibi quis enim scit hominum, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod per spiritum sanctum revelavit nobis Deus suam sapientiam, et hoc fieri potuit: spiritus enim sanctus omnia scrutatur. Quod non est sic intelligendum, quasi inquirendo quomodo fiant, sed quia perfecte et etiam intima quarumlibet rerum novit, sicut homo quod aliquando diligenter scrutatur. Unde dicitur Sap. VII, 22 s. quod spiritus intelligentiae sanctus est, omnia prospiciens, et qui capiat omnes spiritus intelligibiles, mundos, subtiles, et non solum res creatas, sed etiam profunda Dei perfecte cognoscit. Dicuntur autem profunda ea quae in ipso latent, et non ea quae de ipso per creaturas cognoscuntur, quae quasi superficie tenus videntur esse, secundum illud Sap. XIII, 5: a magnitudine speciei et creaturae cognoscibiliter poterit creator eorum videri.
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Deinde, cum dicit quis enim scit hominum, probat quod dixerat de spiritu Dei per similitudinem humani spiritus, dicens quis enim scit hominum ea quae sunt hominis, id est, ea quae latent in corde, nisi spiritus hominis, qui in eo est, id est, intellectus? Et ideo quae interius latent, videri non possunt. Signanter autem dicit quis hominum, ne ab horum cognitione etiam Deus videatur excludi; dicitur enim Ier. XVII, 9: pravum est cor hominis, et quis cognoscet illud? Ego Deus probans corda et scrutans renes, quia scilicet secretorum cordis solus Deus est cognitor. Manifesta autem est ratio quare homo ea quae in corde alterius latent scire non potest, quia cognitio hominis a sensu accipitur, et ideo ea quae sunt in corde alterius, homo cognoscere non potest, nisi quatenus per signa sensibilia manifestantur, secundum illud I Reg. XVI, 7: homo videt quae foris patent, Deus autem intuetur cor. Sed nec Angelus bonus, nec malus ea quae in corde hominis latent scire potest, nisi inquantum per aliquos effectus manifestantur, cuius ratio accipi potest ex ipso verbo apostoli, qui dicit ea ratione spiritum hominis cognoscere quae in corde hominis latent quia in ipso homine est; Angelus autem, neque bonus neque malus, illabitur menti humanae, ut in ipso corde hominis sit et intrinsecus operetur, sed hoc solius Dei proprium est. Unde solus Deus est conscius secretorum cordis hominis, secundum illud Iob XVI, 20: ecce in caelo testis meus, et in excelsis conscius meus. Secundo similitudinem adaptat ad spiritum Dei, dicens ita et quae Dei sunt, id est, quae in ipso Deo latent, nemo cognoscit, nisi spiritus Dei, secundum illud Iob c. XXXVI, 26: ecce Deus magnus vincens scientiam nostram. Sed sicut ea quae sunt in corde unius hominis alteri manifestantur per sensibilia signa, ita ea quae sunt Dei possunt esse nota homini per sensibiles effectus, secundum illud Sap. XIII, 5: a magnitudine speciei et creaturae, et cetera. Sed spiritus sanctus, qui est in ipso Deo, utpote patri et filio consubstantialis, secreta divinitatis per seipsum videt, secundum illud Sap. VII, 22: est enim in illa, scilicet Dei sapientia, et spiritus intelligentiae sanctus, omnem habens virtutem, omnia prospiciens. Deinde, cum dicit nos autem, etc., ostendit quomodo cognitio spiritus sancti percipiatur, dicens: licet nullus hominum per se possit scire quae sunt Dei, nos autem, spiritu sancto scilicet repleti, non accepimus spiritum huius mundi, sed spiritum qui a Deo est. Nomine autem spiritus vis quaedam vitalis et cognitiva et motiva intelligitur. Spiritus ergo huius mundi potest dici sapientia huius mundi, et amor mundi, quo impellitur homo ad agendum ea quae mundi sunt; hunc autem spiritum sancti apostoli non receperunt, mundum abiicientes et contemnentes, sed receperunt spiritum sanctum, quo corda eorum illuminata sunt et inflammata ad amorem Dei, secundum illud Io. XIV, 26: Paracletus autem spiritus sanctus, quem mittet pater in nomine meo, etc., et Num. XIV, 24: servum meum Caleb, qui plenus est alio spiritu, et secutus est me, introducam in terram hanc. Spiritus autem huius mundi errare facit, secundum illud Is. XIX, 3: dirumpetur spiritus Aegypti in visceribus eius, et consilium eius praecipitabo. Ex divino autem spiritu eius consecuti sumus, ut sciamus quae a Deo data sunt nobis, ut sciamus de rebus divinis quantum unicuique Deus donavit: quia, sicut dicitur Eph. IV, 7, unicuique data est gratia secundum mensuram donationis Christi. Vel potest intelligi spiritum Dei donatum sanctis, ut dona spiritualia cognoscant, quae, non habentes, eumdem spiritum ignorant, secundum illud Apoc. II, 17: vincenti dabo manna absconditum, quod nemo scit, nisi qui accipit. Ex hoc autem accipi potest, quod sicut nemo novit patrem nisi filius, et cui voluerit filius revelare, ut dicitur Matth. XI, 27: ita nemo novit quae sunt Dei patris et filii, nisi spiritus sanctus et qui ipsum acceperunt: et hoc ideo, quia sicut filius consubstantialis est patri, ita spiritus sanctus patri et filio.
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Dixerat supra apostolus sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos. Postquam ergo manifestavit qualis sit haec sapientia, quia mundanis hominibus incognita, cognita autem sanctis, hic manifestat qua ratione hanc sapientiam sancti inter perfectos loquuntur. Et primo proponit quod intendit; secundo assignat rationem, ibi animalis autem homo, et cetera. Circa primum, primo proponit revelatorum manifestationem, dicens: dictum est quod spiritum Dei accepimus, ut sciamus quae a Deo donata sunt nobis, quae scilicet nobis per spiritum revelata sunt, loquimur. Sunt enim eis revelata ad utilitatem. Unde et Act. II, 4: repleti sunt omnes spiritu sancto, et coeperunt loqui.
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Secundo tangit modum enarrandi, excludens modum inconvenientem, dicens non in doctis humanae sapientiae verbis, id est, non nitimur ad probandam nostram doctrinam per verba composita ex humana sapientia, sive quantum ad ornatum verborum, sive quantum ad subtilitatem rationum. Is. XXXIII, v. 19: populum alti sermonis non videbis. Astruit enim modum convenientem, cum dicit sed in doctrina spiritus, id est, prout spiritus sanctus nos loquentes interius docet, et auditorum corda ad capiendum illustrat. Io. XVI, 13: cum venerit ille spiritus veritatis, docebit vos omnem veritatem. Tertio determinat auditores, dicens spiritualibus spiritualia comparantes, quasi dicat: recta comparatione spiritualia documenta tradimus spiritualibus viris, quibus sunt convenientia. II Tim. II, 2: haec commenda fidelibus viris, qui idonei erunt et alios docere. Eosdem autem hic nominat spirituales, quos supra perfectos, quia per spiritum sanctum homines perficiuntur in virtute, secundum illud Ps. XXXII, 6: spiritu oris eius omnis virtus eorum. Deinde, cum dicit animalis, etc., assignat rationem dictorum, et primo ostendit quare spiritualia non sunt tradenda animalibus hominibus; secundo quare sunt tradenda spiritualibus, ibi spiritualis, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ponit rationem; secundo manifestat eam, ibi stultitia enim, et cetera. Ratio ergo talis est: nulli sunt tradenda documenta quae capere non potest, sed homines animales non possunt capere spiritualia documenta; ergo non sunt eis tradenda. Hoc est ergo quod dicit animalis homo, et cetera. Et ideo recta ratione non possunt tradi eis. Ubi primo considerandum est quis homo dicatur animalis. Est ergo considerandum quod anima est forma corporis. Unde propriae animae intelliguntur illae vires quae sunt actus corporalium organorum, scilicet vires sensitivae. Dicuntur ergo homines animales qui huiusmodi vires sequuntur, inter quas est vis apprehensiva, et appetitiva, et ideo potest dici homo dupliciter animalis. Uno modo quantum ad vim apprehensivam, et hic dicitur animalis sensu, qui, sicut dicitur in Glossa, de Deo iuxta corporum phantasiam vel legis litteram, vel rationem philosophicam iudicat, quae secundum vires sensitivas accipiuntur. Alio modo dicitur quis animalis quantum ad vim appetitivam, qui scilicet afficitur solum ad ea quae sunt secundum appetitum sensitivum, et talis dicitur animalis vita, qui, sicut dicitur in Glossa, sequitur dissolutam lasciviam animae suae, quam intra naturalis ordinis metas spiritus rector non continet. Unde dicitur in canonica Iudae v. 19: hi sunt qui segregant semetipsos, animales spiritum non habentes. Secundo autem videndum quare tales non possunt percipere ea quae sunt spiritus Dei: quod quidem manifestum est, et quantum ad animalem sensum, et quantum ad animalem vitam. Ea enim de quibus spiritus sanctus illustrat mentem, sunt supra sensum et rationem humanam, secundum illud Eccli. III, 25: plura supra sensum hominis ostensa sunt tibi, et ideo ab eo capi non possunt, qui soli cognitioni sensitivae innititur. Spiritus etiam sanctus accendit affectum ad diligendum spiritualia bona, sensibilibus bonis contemptis, et ideo ille qui est animalis vitae, non potest capere huiusmodi spiritualia bona, quia philosophus dicit in IV Ethic. quod qualis unusquisque est, talis finis videtur ei. Prov. XVIII, 2: non recipit stultus verba prudentiae, nisi ei dixeris quae versantur in corde eius. Eccli. XXII, 9: cum dormiente loquitur, qui narrat sapientiam stulto. Deinde, cum dicit stultitia enim, etc., manifestat quod dixerat per signum; cum enim aliquis aliqua sapienter dicta reprobat quasi stulta, signum est quod ea non capiat. Quia igitur animalis homo ea quae sunt spiritus Dei reputat stulta, ex hoc manifestatur quod ea non capit. Et hoc est quod dicit stultitia enim est illi, scilicet animali. Iudicat enim esse stulta quae secundum spiritum Dei aguntur. Eccle. X, 3: in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse sit insipiens, omnes stultos aestimat. Quod autem homini animali quae secundum spiritum sunt videantur stulta, non procedit ex rectitudine sensus: sicut sapientes aliqua iudicant esse stulta quae stultis videntur sapientia propter defectum intellectus; quia homo sensui deditus non potest intelligere ea quae supra sensum sunt, et homo carnalibus affectus non intelligit esse bonum, nisi quod est delectabile secundum carnem.
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Et hoc est quod sequitur et non potest intelligere, Ps. LXXXI, 5: nescierunt neque intellexerunt, in tenebris ambulant. Quare autem non possit intelligere, ostendit subdens quia spiritualiter examinatur, id est, spiritualium examinatio fit spiritualiter. Numquam enim inferior potest examinare et iudicare ea quae sunt superioris, sicut sensus non potest examinare ea quae sunt intellectus. Et similiter, neque sensus, neque ratio humana potest iudicare ea quae sunt spiritus Dei. Et ita relinquitur quod huiusmodi solo spiritu sancto examinantur, secundum illud Ps. XVII, 31: eloquia domini igne examinata, probata scilicet a spiritu sancto. Quia ergo animalis homo caret spiritu sancto, non potest spiritualia examinare, et per consequens nec ea intelligere. Deinde, cum dicit spiritualis autem iudicat omnia, etc., assignat rationem quare spiritualibus spiritualia tradantur, et primo ponit rationem; secundo manifestat causam, ibi quis enim novit. Assignat autem talem rationem: illi tradenda sunt spiritualia qui potest iudicare, secundum illud Iob XII, 11: auris verba diiudicat; sed spiritualis est huiusmodi, ergo ei spiritualia sunt tradenda.
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Et hoc est quod dicit spiritualis autem diiudicat omnia, et ipse a nemine iudicatur. Ubi primo videndum est quis homo dicatur spiritualis. Est autem notandum quod spiritus nominare consuevimus substantias incorporeas; quia igitur aliqua pars animae est quae non est alicuius organi corporei actus, scilicet pars intellectiva comprehendens intellectum et voluntatem, huiusmodi pars animae spiritus hominis dicitur, quae tamen a spiritu Dei et illuminatur secundum intellectum, et inflammatur secundum affectum et voluntatem. Dupliciter ergo dicitur homo spiritualis. Uno modo ex parte intellectus, spiritu Dei illustrante. Et secundum hoc in Glossa dicitur quod homo spiritualis est, qui, spiritui Dei subiectus, certissime ac fideliter spiritualia cognoscit. Alio modo ex parte voluntatis, spiritu Dei inflammante: et hoc modo dicitur in Glossa quod spiritualis vita est, qua spiritum Dei habens rectorem animam regit, id est animales vires. Gal. ult.: vos qui spirituales estis, instruite huiusmodi, et cetera. Secundo considerandum est quare spiritualis diiudicat omnia, et ipse a nemine iudicatur. Ubi notandum est quod in omnibus ille qui recte se habet, rectum iudicium habet circa singula. Ille autem qui in se rectitudinis defectum patitur, deficit etiam in iudicando: vigilans enim recte iudicat et se vigilare et alium dormire; sed dormiens non habet rectum iudicium de se, nec de vigilante. Unde non sunt res tales quales videntur dormienti, sed quales videntur vigilanti. Et eadem ratio est de sano et infirmo circa iudicium saporum, et de debili et forti circa iudicium ponderum, et virtuoso et vitioso circa agibilia. Unde et philosophus dicit in V Ethicorum quod virtuosus est regula et mensura omnium humanorum, quia scilicet in rebus humanis talia sunt singularia, qualia virtuosus iudicat ea esse. Et secundum hunc modum apostolus hic dicit quod spiritualis iudicat omnia, quia scilicet homo habens intellectum illustratum et affectum ordinatum per spiritum sanctum, de singulis quae pertinent ad salutem, rectum iudicium habet. Ille autem qui non est spiritualis habet etiam intellectum obscuratum et affectum inordinatum circa spiritualia bona, et ideo ab homine non spirituali, spiritualis homo iudicari non potest, sicut nec vigilans a dormiente. Quantum ergo ad primum horum dicitur Sap. III, 8 quod iudicabunt iusti nationes. Quantum ad secundum dicitur infra IV, 3: mihi pro minimo est, ut a vobis iudicer, aut ab humano die. Deinde cum dicit quis enim novit, etc., manifestat rationem inductam. Et primo inducit auctoritatem; secundo adaptat ad propositum, ibi nos autem, et cetera. Est autem considerandum quod ad hoc quod aliquis possit de aliquo homine iudicare, duo requiruntur. Primo ut iudicans cognoscat ea quae sunt iudicati, quia, ut dicitur I Ethic.: unusquisque bene iudicat quae cognoscit, et horum est optimus iudex. Ex quo patet quod sensum, id est sapientiam Dei omnia iudicantem, nullus possit diiudicare.
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Ideo dicit quis enim novit sensum domini? Quasi dicat: nullus: quia sapientia Dei excedit omnem cupiditatem hominis. Eccli. I, 3: sapientiam Dei praecedentem omnia quis investigavit? Sap. IX, 17: sensum autem tuum quis scire poterit, nisi tu dederis sapientiam? Secundo requiritur quod iudicans sit superior iudicato. Unde dominus habet iudicium de servo, magister de discipulo. Ex quo etiam patet quod nullus potest sensum Dei iudicare. Propter quod sequitur aut quis instruxit eum? Quasi dicat: nullus. Non enim habet scientiam ab aliquo acceptam, sed potius fontem omnis scientiae. Iob XXVI, 3: cui dedisti consilium? Forsitan ei qui non habet sapientiam? Videntur autem verba haec assumpta ex eo quod dicitur Is. XL, 13: quis adiuvit spiritum domini, aut quis consiliarius eius fuit et ostendit illi? Cum quo iniit consilium et instruxit eum? Deinde adaptat quod dixerat ad propositum, dicens nos autem, scilicet spirituales viri, sensum Christi habemus, idest, recipimus in nobis sapientiam Christi ad iudicandum. Eccli. XVII, 6: creavit illis scientiam spiritus, sensu adimplevit corda illorum. Lc. ult. dicitur quod aperuit illis sensum, ut intelligerent Scripturas, et ita, quia sensus Christi diiudicari non potest, conveniens est quod spiritualis, qui sensum Christi habet, a nemine iudicetur.
2:1
1. Et ego, cum venissem ad vos, fratres. Supra dixerat se missum ad evangelizandum, non in sapientia verbi, ne crux Christi evacuetur. Id nunc docet apud Corinthios se praestitisse, simulque a seipso quodammodo probat, quod dixerat, Deum quae stulta sunt mundi et quae infirma elegisse, etiam quoad officium praedicationis evangelicae, per haec tacite perstringens quosdam Corinthiorum Doctores, qui in Evangelio praedicando suam ostentabant eloquentiam una cum sapientia saeculari. Caeterum et per itaque recte exponunt quidam.
Veni non in sublimitate sermonis aut sapientiae. In sublimitate graece xa&' UTispojcrjv^ id est, secundum vel per sublimitatem, quod et in nonnullis invenitur Latinis vetustioribus. Commentator Ambros. legit cum eminentia, quod secutus est Erasmus.
Annuntians vobis testijnonium Christi. Graece, testimonium Dei, at in nonnullis mysterium Dei. Quod quidem etiam legit et interpretantur commentator Ambros. Unde apparet, olim quoque in Graecis quibusdam scriptum fuisse jixuo- TT^ptov, tametsi ixapxupiov puto sincerius. ut sensus sit: Igitur quando veni ad vo9 testis Christi, videlicet annuntiaturus vobis Evangelium, quod est testimonium Christi, id est, de Christo, idque juxta legationem mihi injunctam, nullam ostendi in praedicatione mea vel eloquentiae vel sapientiae saecularis eminentiam, sed simpbci sermone usus, ac nulla adjutus adminiculo philosophiae humanae, Christum vobis praedicavi. Quaeritur an potuisset Paulus, si voluisset, praedicare cura sublimitate sermonis et sapientiae saecularis? Negant Chrysost. et eum secuti Theophylact. et Oecumen., quod revera, ut ajunt, sermone esset imperitus et externae sapientiae penitus expers. At sane quamvis aliquo sensu sermone imperitum fuisse Paulum ipsius constet testimonio, 2 Cor. 11., ubi id de se fatetur (quod quidem quo sensu dixerit, ilHc a nobis expHcatur), attamen ut Graecos legit Poetas, sic et Oratores et Philosophos eum legisse, et proinde sapientiae saecularis haud prorsus expertem fuisse, satis est verosimile. Verum ejusmodi sapientiam apud Corinthios non ostendit, nec omnino, quod tale quidquam sciret, prae se tuHt, videlicet contentus Evangelicae praedicationis negotium simpliciter agere, more aliorum Ohristi Apostolorum, quod id magis tunc expediret ad promovendam Dei gloriam. Responsionem iianc confirmat, quod proxime sequitur, ubi non dicit: Non enim scivi aliquid, sed:
2:2
2. Non enim judicavi, me scire aliquid inter vos. Me in Graeco non additur, sed intelligitur. Sine eo citat Tertull. lib. de pudicit. cap. 14., et Hilarius lib. 10. de Trinitate. Quidam sic vertit: Non enim quidquam ad cognoscendum delegi inter vos. Hic interpres rationem habuit articuli Tou praepositi verbo infinito eidevat, licet Graeci cxpositores ejus articuli vim dissimulasse videantur. Nam et codices quidam articulum non agnoscunt. Nec additus aut demptus sensum variat. Qui hujusmodi est: Etenim statueram ita me gerere apud vos, ut nihil aliud scire viderer. Aut secundum alios, non judicavi, id est, dissimulavi apud vos, me quidquam scire, non declaravi me aliud scire. Sequitur:
Nisi Jesum Christum, et hunc crucifixum. Non significat, se nihil aliud apud Corinthios docuisse, quam Christum crucifixum, id est, articulum crucilixionis Christi. Nam et alios fidei articulos docuit, et doctrinam ad mores vitae Christianae pertinentem diligenter inculcavit; quemadmodum id bene ostendit Augustinus lib. de fide et operibus cap. 10. Sed a sua praedicatione, qua apud illos usus est, primum removet sermonis ornatum cum admixta sapientia saeculari, deinde etiam sublimiorem et secretiorem Christianae religionis doctrinam, quam infra nuncupat sapientiam, quod ejus nondum essent capaces Corinthii: quibus proinde rudimenta fidei tantum erant initio tradenda. Quae rudimenta vocat Jesum Christum et hunc crucifixum. Pulchre sensum hunc insinuavit Franco Abbas tom. 12. de gratia Dei. Paulus, inquit, parvulos in Christo lacte potat, adultos in fide solido cibo roborat. Inter illos nihil nisi Christum, et hunc crucifixum se scire judicat, inter istos de secretis coelestibus et mysteriis a saeculo absconditis disputat. Similiter intellexit Bernardus serm. ad milites templi cap. 6., et Hugo Victorinus in quaest. hujus loci. Sensus igitur est: Nude, simpliciter ac sine pompa sermonis et ostentatione sapientiae saecularis, quasi nihil aliud scirem, tradidi vobis rudem de Christo doctrinam, diligenter inculcans hoc fundamentum, Jesum Christum pro nobis crucifixum et mortuum esse, et hac fide, nec aliter sahitem haberi posse, secretiorum et profundiorum fidei mysteriorum expositione in aliud tempus reservata. Congruunt huic sensui sequentia ab eo loco, sapientiam autem loquimur inter perfectos, maxime quae dicuntur sub finem hujus capitis et initium sequentis. Jam ex his etiam patet, non illum praedicare Christum crucifixum, qui tantum proponit ac docet crucem esse imitandam, sed qui docet non in alio, quam in cruce Christi gloriandum, ipsius nimirum Pauli exemplo dicentis Gal. 6.: Mihi absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi..
2:3
3. Et ego in infirmitate, et timore, et tremore multo fui apud vos. Praepositio in ev secundo et tertio loco repetitur in Graeco. Timor et tremor difFerunt, quod timor.sit animi, tremor corporis, atque hic illius eflPectus. Verum quoties conjunguntur in Scripturis, fere significant soUcitudinem operis cum metu offendendi, ut Psalm. 2.: Servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore, et PhiL 2.: Cum metu et tremore vestram salutem operamini. De varia acceptione infirmitatis in Scripturis, egimus iu comment. Epist. ad Rom. 5. v. 6. Hoc quidem loco sunt, qui corporis infirmitatem sanitati oppositam intelligant. Sed rectius alii infirmitatem interpretantur, quae potentiae opponitur, licet et hi varient. Nam Chrysost. aliique Graeci putant, Apostohim loqui de persecutionibus et periculis, quae Corinthi passus fuerat. Haec enim infirmitatum nomine significari patet ex iis, quae scribuntur 2 Cor. 11. et 12. Aliis placet (quod et ego magis probo), infirmitatem hic accipi pro humilitate conversationis, de qua dicit 2 Cor. 10.; Qui in facie quidem humilis sum inter vos; et propter quam de eo dicebatur, ut ipse refert eodem loco: praesentia corporis infirma. De qua rursus ait ejusdemEpist. cap. 13.: Gaudemus enim, quoniam. nos infirmi sumus. Nam et ea infirmitatis acceptio respondet superioribus, ubi dictum est: Infirma mundi elegit Deus, ut confundat fortia. Denique eandem significasse videtur Galat. 4. dicens: quia per infirmitatem carnis evangelizavi vobis jam pridem. Itaque sensus est: Quando praedicavi vobis Evangelium, non solum usus sum humili sermone, nihil admiscens sapientiae saecularis: verum etiam humiliter admodum ipse me gessi, manibus laborans, nec utens potestate, quam Dominus mihi dedit, et inter haec solicitus, ne quid committerem verbo aut facto, quo vos offensi resiliretis a fide suscepta. Summa est, ut doceat, se versatum fuisse apud Corinthios, non ut sermone tantum, sed et persona humilem.
2:4
4. Et sermo meus et praedicatio mea. Id est, oratio mea, qua usus sum in Evangelio praedicando. Nam et sumitur expositive. lion in persuasibilibus humanae sapientiae verbis. Persuasibilibus, Graece Tiei^^olc;, id est, suasoriis, siv e persuasoriis, aptis et comparatis ad persuadendum, cum persuasibile proprie dicatur id, quod persuaderi potest. Quamvis autem in Graeco sit idem vocabulum sermo, Aoyog^ et verbis Aoyotg; consulto tamen Latinus interpres mutavit, videns non posse utrumque prorsus similiter accipi. Quod et Erasmus imitatus est, frustra reclamante Valla. Nam sensus est: Sermo meus, quo Christum apud vos praedicavi, non fuit compositus ex verbis et sententiis ad persuadendum accommodatis ob admixtam humanae sapientiae doctrinam. Quidam sic exponunt: Praedicans vobis Christum non adhibui verborum ornamenta, quibus humana sapientia sese venditat. Sed prior sensus melior. Vult enim non solum sermonis ornatum rhetoricum, verum etiam ipsam sapientiam saecularem a suapraedicatione removere. Hoc autem de neglectu sapientiae saecularis repetit, ut addat quod sequitur: Sed in osten&ione Spiritus et virtutis. Tropus est, quam hendiadem vocant, spiritus et virtutis, id est, virtutis Spiritus sancti, quam videlicet Spiritus sauctus suppeditat. Sensus: Praedicatio mea quamvis humana arte persuadendi destituta, tamen efficax fuit, quod eam comitaretur virtus Spiritus sancti, declarata per miracula, velut certa testimonia veritatis eorum, quae praedico. Quaeres: si recte neglexit Apostolus verba suasoria, cur non illum in eo imitantur omnes verbi Dei praedicatores, quibus studium esse videmus imitandi potius Esther reginam, quae Deum precabatur, ut tribueret sermonem compositum in ore suo, ad flectendum regis animum, Esther 14. Respondetur, ordinariam hanc esse viam ad suadendum et movendos auditorum animos, uti verbis ad eum finem studio compositis; quae proinde negligi non debeat, nisi constet, alia ratione Deum velle moveri homines ad id, quod eis est salutare, quemadmodum ei placuit principio, per Apostolos simplici et incomposito sermone Evangelium praedicari et gentes converti; idque ob causam superiori capite expressam, et verbis hic sequentibus repetitam.
2:5
5. Ut fides vestra non sit in sapientia hominum, sed in virtute Dei. Id est, ut fides vestra uou adscribatur humanae sapientiae (eadem ratio de eloquentia), sed omnes agnoscant, solius divinae virtutis esse illud opus. At vero fide semel fundata, redeundum fuit ad ordinariam et consuetam p ersuadendi viam; ac nihilominus credendum, quod, ut sequenti capite dicitur, neque qui plantat est aliquid, neque qui rigat, sed qui incrementum dat Deus.
2:6
6. Sapientiam autem loquimur inter perfectos. Hactenus dixit, se nude et simpliciter praedicasse Corinthiis Christum, et eum crucifixum, sine cultu sermonis aut sapientiae humanae. Nec addidit, se protulisse apud suos auditores recondita sapientiae divinae, quod tamen oportuit, post humanam sapientiam repudiatam. Hanc igitur rem nunc explicat, ac duo docet usque ad finem capitis; quorum prius est, reconditorum sapientiae divinae notitiam sibi non deesse; alterum, se eam sapientiam non promiscue proferre apud quoslibet, sed solum apud perfectos et spirituales. Utrumque complexus est hac sententia: Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos, ac si dicat: Quamvis nos Apostoli, qui Christum praedicamus, humanae sapientiae praesidia non requiramus, non tamen expers est sapientiae praedicatio no&tra. Loquimur enim et docemus veram et (ut infra) Dei sapientiam, inter perfectos. Graeci quidem commentatores sapientiam hoc loco generaliter intelligunt praedicationem Christi crucifixi, et perfectos in genere fideles. Sed rectius alii perfectos eosdem accipiunt, quos infra vocat spirituales, quosque carnalibus et animalibus opponit, et quos rursus perfectos appellat Hebr. 5. dicens: Perfectorum est solidus cibus, eorum qui pro consuetudine exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem boni ac mali. Quae verba sunt pro commentario loci praesentis. Inde enim etiam discimus, sapientiam, quam inter perfectos loquitur Apostolus, intelligi non quamcunque doctinam de Deo et Christo, sed eam, quae continet secretiora et altiora nostrae religionis mysteria, cujusmodi sunt, quae Paulus tradit in Epistolis ad Romanos, Ephesios et Colossenses, de electione et reprobatione divina, deque vocatione gentium et abjectione Judaeorum; quae ad Thessalonicenses de Antichristo; quae ad Hebraeos de sacerdotio Christi, et quae in hac ipsa Epistola de statu ac modo resurrectionis mortuorum. Haec enim vel non statim tradebantur rudibus, vel summarie tantum; reservabantur autem tradenda, vel plenius ac profundius explicanda iis, qui jam essent in Christo provectiores. Huc etiam referri possunt quorundam articulorum fidei tropologicae significationes, ut passionis, crucifixionis, mortis, sepulturae, resurrectionis et ascensionis Dominicae, quas Petrus et Paulus in suis Epistolis, ad exhortationem vitae Christianae, opportunis locis admiscent. Huc igitur etiam pertinet arcanum Dei consilium, quo voluit per opprobrium crucis et humilitatem pradicationis confundere sapientiam humanam, etdestruere tyrannidem diaboli. Quam Dei sapientiam hic potissimum a Paulo considerari, indicant ea quae sequuntur. Et haec est sapientia, quam necdum habebat Petrus, quando Christo passionem suam praedicenti dixit: Absit a te Domine, non erit tibi hoc. Quare et ab eo audivit: Non sapis ea, quae Dei sunt, sed ea quae hominum, Matth. 16. Peculiariter autem hanc Apostolus sapientiam vocat, quod sapientia proprie sit de rebus altioribus et a communi notitiahominum alienis. Haec expositio Latinorum est, ac nominatun S. Thomae tam in comment., quam in 2. 2. quaest. 45. art. 1. ad 1., ubi et probat eam ex sequentibus Apostoli verbis: Loquimur Dei sapientiam in mysterio, quae abscondita est. Porro simile est huic loco, quod Dominus suis discipulis dixit Joan. 16. Adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere, sed non potestis portare modo. Quam sententiam edisseproponit ac versat et aliarum Scripturarum collatione explicat hujusmodi quaestionem: Utrum spirituales homines habeant aliquid in doctrina, quod carnalibus taceant, et spiritualibus dicant. Est autem responsionis ejus haec summa: Quamvis Apostoli non omnia ad doctrinam religionis Christianae pertinentia statim initio tradiderint iis, quibus Evangelium pruedicabant: non tamen vel ipsos, vel aHos spirituales homines ab Apostolis institutos, habuisse aliquid in doctrina, quod non opportuno tempore depromerent, ac palam apud multitudinem profen-ent: sic ut eadem traderent majoribus et parvulis, id est, perfectis et imperfectis, sed ea cura adhibita, ut pro sua quibusque capacitate ea proponerent, parvulis quidem ut potum lactis, quem libenter et facile sugant; majoribus autem ut solidum cibum, explicando rationes, ordinem, modum, aliasque circumstantias eorum, quae credenda sunt, quod est sapientiam loqui inter perfectos. Sic et Hugo Victorinus hanc rem explicat, quaest. 16. Quanquam et hoc ipsum quodammodo est alia quaedam tradere perfectis, videlicet eorum, quae a parvulis simpliciter creduntur, rationes et circumstantias quasdam secretas et profundas, quarum parvuli nonduvn sint capaces. Exempli gratia: Credendum omnibus proponitur, Christum mortuum esse, ut nos e potestate diaboli eriperet. Perfectis autem dicitur, quo jure totum genus humanum in diaboli potestatem fuerit redactum, ac rursus, quo jure et aequitate per Christi mortem fuerit inde ereptum. Quod a S. Leone et aliis Patribus subtiliter ac distincte exponitur, nec tamen a parvulis capitur, sed perfectis. Quanto autem quisque sapientior est, tanto plura novit horum mysteriorum, et quanto quisque perfectior, tanto magis hoi-um intelligendorum est capax. Eorum autem explicatio ad sermonem sapientiae pertinet, quod primum inter charismata, quae ad aliorum dantur utilitatem, ponitur infra, cap. 12.
Sapientiam vero non fiujus saeculi. Explicat, quam sapientiam dixerit. Non, inquit, Mijus saeculi, quam supra vocavit humanam. Neque principum hujus saeculi, qui destruuntur. Male quidam codices, quae destruitur, quamvis ita legat Hugo et interpretetur. Dubium est, quos hic appellet Apostolus principes hujus saeculi, maxime quia paulo post iterum principes hujus saeculi nominans, dicit, eos Dominum gloriae crucifixisse. Sunt autem tres sententiae, quas de principibus hujus saeculi refert Aquinas in suo comm. juxta triplicem, ut ait, sapientiam hujus saeculi. Nam primMm intelligi posse dicit reges ac principes terrae, a quibus procedit sapientia legum humanarum. Secundo daemones, quorum in hoc mundo magna potestas, a quibus est sapientia superstitiosarum artium. Tertio Philosophos, qui quasi principes se exhibuerunt hominibus in docendo, a quibus processit tota humana philosophia. Huic autem generi adjungit Pharisaeos et scribas in lege peritos, quoniam et illi studium sapientiae dabant. Porro Theophylactus et Oecumenius Chrysostomum secuti, hoc quidem loco principes hujus saeculi intelligunt Philosophos et Oratores. At infra eodem nomine designari putant vel Herodem et Pilatum, vel Pontifices Judaeorum et Pharisaeos, autores crucifixionis Christi. De quibus omnibus Ecclesia fidelium Actor. 4. exponit illum Psalmi versiculum: Astiterup.t reges terrae, et principes convenerunt in unum, adversus Dominum et adversus Christum ejus. Sed hic Graecorum commentarius incommodum habet, quod non uno modo interpretetur principes hujus saeculi, cum certe appareat, Apostolum non alios atque alios, sed eosdem utroque loco significare voluisse. Qua in re deficit etiam expositio Cajetani, qui priori loco Philosophos, posteriori daemones significari putat. Vera ac germana nobis interpretatio videtur eorum, qui principes hujus saeculi utrobique daemones intelligunt: ut commentatoris Ambrosii, Sedulii, Lombardi, Carthusiani, Titelmanni, et ut alios praeteream, utriusque glossae tam interlinealis quam ordinariae; licethorum plerique intexant etiam alias expositiones. Meminerunt item Chrysostomus et Theophylactus, quamvis eam non sequantur. Cur autem ea nobis expositio magis probetur, haec ratio est, quia maxime convenit posteriori loco, quemadmodum illic ostendemus, etiam allatis patrum sententiis, nec est quod cogat, acceptionem variari in eodem contextu sermonis. Proinde sensus hujus loci est: Sapientiam loquimur non hujus saeculi, id est, sapientiam philosophiae saecularis, quae naturali rationis lumine comparari potuit; neque sapientiam principum hujus saeculi, id est, introductam a daemonibus, qualis genethliacorum et superstitiosae philosophiae, qua referta erat doctrina Simonis; qualis item maxime deorum cultus cum caerimoniis: qui principes saeculi, id est, daemones, destruuntur sive abolentur (nam rursus Graece est vocabulum xaTapyslaOat, quod aboleri et obliterare significat): destruuntur, inquam, per Christum, qui in hoc apparuit, ut dissolvat ac destruat opera diaboli, 1 Joan. 3. et ut princeps hujus mundi ejiciatur foras, Joan. 12. Destruuntur ergc, quia potestas eorum destruitur.
2:7
7. Sed loquimur Dei sapientiam in mysterio, quae abscondita est. Stapulensis vertere maluit, sapientiam in mysterio absconditam, nec ei placel, quod vulgatus interpres scripsit, quae abscondita est. Vult enim intelligi sapientiam absconditam in mjsterio. Sed falli eum satis ostendit articulus participio praepositus, TYjv a7C0xsxpufji/ji£V-/)v. Unde et Erasmus transtulit, quae est recondita. Igitur ilhid in mysterio, referendum est ad verbum loquimur. Est enim ordo et sensus: Sapientiam Dei, quae abscondita est, id est, consiUa divinae sapientiae, quae Deus esse voluit abscondita, et ante filii sui passionem paucissimis revelata (quae idem Apostolus Ephes. 3. vocat sacramentum absconditum a saeculis in Deo), loquimur et docemus non propalam et passim apud omnes, quia non omnes ea capiunt; sed in mysterio, id est, secreto et apud pauciores, sciHcet eos, qui spirituales et perfecti sunt. Quidam ita supplent et exponunt: Loquimur Dei sapientiamlatentem in mysterio, id est, absconditam illam, quam praedestinavit Deus, etc.
Quam praedestinavit Deus ante saecula in gloriam nostram. Sensus: Quam sapientiam, id est, quae consilia sapientiae suae Deus ab aeterno praefinivit ac decrevit exsequenda in tempore: quibus nos adduceret ad gloriam adoptionis filiorum.
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8. Quam nemo principum hujus saeculi cognovit. Quam vel gloriam, vel sapientiam. Utroque enim referri potest, tam in Graeco quam in Latino. Tertullianus ad gloriam retulit libr. 5. contra Marc. cap. 6. Quod et aliis nonnullis placet propter id, quod statim sequitur, nunquam Dominmn gloriae crucifixissent. Verum magis ex mente Apostoli est, ut ad sapientiam Dei referatur. Vult enim docere, sapientiam Dei, qua destruuntur principes hujus saeculi, fui.^^se illis ignotam, ut hic sit sensus: Quam Dei sapientiam, id est, quae divinae sapientiae consilia ab aeterno decreta nullus principum hujus saeculi, idest, daemonum, cognovit, antequam ea Deus exequeretur, tunc enim per experientiam illa nosse coeperunt. Alioqui consilium illud sapientiae Dei, quo per mortem filii sui et contumeliam crucis salutem procuravit humani generis, et diaboli regnum evertit, res fuit daemonibus antea prorsus tum incognita, tum inopinata. PoiTO daemones hujus saeculiprincipes appellantur in scripturis, propter potestatem, quam in genus humanum peccato corruptum, atque in haec inferiora, quae humanis usibus subserviunt, justo Dei judicio diabolus cum angelis sibi subjectis accepit. Unde et ipse specialiter princeps hujus mundi vocatur Joan. 12. 14. et 16. et Deus hujus saeculi 2 Cor. 4. et daemones mundi rectores Ephes. 6. Quo loco rationem hujus nominis daemonibus attributi plenius explicaturi sumus. Jam quod sumpsit Apostolus, principes hujus saecuU, id est, daemones, non cognovisse illam Dei sapientiam, probat hoc certissimo argumento:
Si enim cognovissent. Intellige sapientiam Dei, de qua jam fuit locutus. Non enim dicit: Si cognovissent Deum aut Christum. Siquidem hoc non esset certum argumentum ejus qu(^d sequitur.
Nunquam Dominum gloriae crucifixissetit. Nunquam Graece oux av^ non utique. Sensus: Nequaquam Christum, qui est Dominus gloriae, curassent crucifigeadum, nunquam Judaeos ad ejus necem instigassent. Ratio manifesta, quia nunquam id agere voluissent, per quod scirent humani generis salutem provehendam esse, suumque regnum destruendum. Sensum hunc aperte nobis insinuat Leo Pontifex in sermonibus, praesertim iis, quos habuit de passione Domini. Quamvis enim serm. 9. et 15. etiam ad scribas et Pharisaeos et Pontifices hanc partem referat: tamen magis et impensius inhaeret sensui jam dicto de daemonibus, ut videre est in eodem serm. 9. et iterum serm. 11. et 18. De iisdem hunc locum intellexerunt, etsi priorem aliter interpretati, Hanno, Hervaeus et alii. Quibus accedunt Innocentius IH. serm. feriae 5. post Domin. 1. Quad. et S. Thomas 1. p. q. 64. art. 1. ad 4. Caeterum memoratus Leo Papa saepe et diligenter explicat mysterium, id est, arcanum consilium sapientiae Dei in redimendo homine e potestate diaboli. Videtur enim diabolo data seu permissa ab initio potestas in genus humanum, propter primam transgressionem Deo obnoxium, tantisper dum non ultra praesumeret et ab innocente manus abstineret. Verum quia manus misit in Christum innocentem, in quo nihil omnino juris habebat, jus amisit permissae potestatis in peccatores. Dum enim, ut ait Leo serm. 2. de nativit. Domini, vitiatae originis praejudicium generale persequitur, chirographum quo nitebatur excedit, ab illo iniquitatis exigens poenam, in quo nullam reperit culpam. Solvitur itaque letiferae pactionis malesuada conscriptio; et per injustitiam plus petendi, totius debiti summa vacuatur. Vide ejusdem de passione Jam quod daemones eo sensu, quo dixi, Christum crucifixeiint, id est, crucifixionis ac mortis ejus autores fuerint, e scriptura perspicuum est. Dicit enim Dominus ad Judaeos ipsum volentes interficere, Joan. 8. Vos ex patre diabolo estis, et desideria patris vestri vultis facere. Et ad discipulos cap. 14. Vemt enim princeps mundi hujus, scilicet ut mihi mortem inferat; et in me non habet quicquam, nempe suum, quia peccati expers sum. Et rursum ad Judaeos comprehensores suos, Luc. 22. Haec est hora vestra et potestas tenebrarum, id est, daemonum. Sed et de Juda clare testatur Joannes cap. 13., diabolum misisse ei in cor, ut Jesum Judaeis traderet. Nec insolita locutio videatur, daemones crucifixisse Chi-istum, eo quod hominibus suggesserint, ut eum crucifigerent. Nam simili sermone dicitur Apoc. 2. Ecce missurus est diabolus aliquos ex vobis in carcerem, nimirum instinctu et suggestione. Quin et Judaei quoque non aliter Christum crucifixerunt, quam suggerendo, tradenJo, incitando. Et tamen partim in sacris literis, partim in Scriptis patrum et sermone fidelium usitatissimum est dicere, Judaeos Dominum crucifixisse et occidisse. Nunc ex his etiam liquet, somnium illud oblatum uxori Pilati, quo perterrita virum monuit, ne quid committeret in illumjustum, uti narrat Matth. cap. 27., non a diabolo immissum fuisse, tanquam volente impedire mortem Christi, per quam ipse conterendus esset ac potestate privandus, ut sentiunt nonnulli, sed a bono angelo revocante Pilatum per uxorem ipsius ab injusta condemnatione justi hominis. Quae sententia est Hieronymi scribentis in Matthaeum, et Ambrosii in Lucam. Graecorum quoque Origenis, Chrysostomi, Theophylacti, Titi et Euthymii in comment. Non tamen eo fine id factum ab angelo bono, ut Christi mortem impediret, absit enim hoc: sed ut ejus innocentia pluribus undique testimoniis adstrueretur. Bestat exponendum, quo sensu Christum Apostolus Dominum gloriae vocet, et ad utram ejus naturam id pertineat. August. lib. 1. de Trin. cap. 12. ad formam Dei refert, ut Dominus gloriae dicatur, eo quod virtute divinitatis suae potens sit, glorificare sanctos suos, secundum illud Rom. 8. Quos justificavit, tUos et glorificavit. Alii ad eandem naturam respicientes, Dominum gloriae simpliciter intelligunt Dominum, id est, Deum gloriosum; quomodo in Psalmis rex gloriae, et Dominus majestatis appellatur. At Graeci interpretes Dominum gloriae Christum dici volunt, quod per crucem esset ad gloriam evehendus: ut sit tacita antithesis inter verbum crucifixerunt, et nomen gloriae, in eandem vicissim incidens naturam, scilicet humanam, quae prius crucem passa, postea glorificata est. Hic sensus etsi probabilis sit, est tamen alius, meo judicio, probabilior: secundum quem respicit Apostolus ad id, quod paulo ante dixit, in gloriam nostram; ut nimiium Christus dicatur Dominus gloriae nostrae, id est, princeps, autor et consummator glorificationis suorum electorum, idque per crucem et mortem suam. Etenim cum saluti nostrae daemones quam maxime invideant, nunquam profecto Christum crucifigendum procurassent, si per illud ejus supplicium viam nobis parari ad redemptionem, salutem et gloriam (quod erat mysterium abscondimodo Christus, Dominus gloriae secundum eam naturam, in qua passus est, recte intelligitur. Christus enim ut homo nos redemit, pro nobis satisfecit, et gloriam nobis aeternam promeruit, atque ipse ad eam primus pervenit, ut quo caput praecessit, membra sequantur. Porro cum ex supradictis satis jam constet, quo pertineat illud: Si enim cognovissent, huic loco alienum est quaerere, num Judaei aut eorum principes cognoverint, Jesum esse Christum, atque etiam Dei filium, secundum illud, quod sub parabola dixisse eos refert Dominus, Matth. 21. Hic est haeres; venite occidamus eum: an vero idipsum ignoraverint, 60 quod Petrus dicat ad Judaeos Christi interfectores, Act 3. Scio quia per ignorantiam fecistis, sicut et principes vestri. De qua quaestione disputant in commentariis Aquinas et Liranus, et ab utroque dissentiens in sua additione Paulus Burgensis. Alienum quoque, num vel ipsi daemones illud cognoverint. Tantum enim negat Apostolus, eos cognovisse sapientiam Dei, id est, arcanum ejus consilium de destruendo daemonum principatu, et electis suis ad gloriam provehendis per mortem filii sui. Sane Cajetanus existimat, daemones, etiam si cognovissent Jesum esse verum Deum, nihilominus ex odio, quo Deum et divina prosequuntur, persecuturos eum fuisse usque ad mortem et crucis ignominiam. Quae Cajetani sententia, ne cui parum probanda videatur, confirmat eam autoritas S. Gregorii Papae, quitestatur, diabolum et cognovisse, Jesum esse Filium Dei, et tamen autorem mortis ejus fuisse. Sic enim de eo sub nomine Behemoth loquitur lib. 33. Moralium cap. 7. Et quidem Behemoth iste Filium Dei incarnatum noverat, sed redemptionis nostrae ordinem nesciebat. Sciebaf enim, quod pro redemptione nostra incarnatus Dei Filius fuerat, sed omnino quod idem redemptor noster illum moriendo transfigeret, nesciebat. Haec ille, et alia quae sequuntur in eandem sententiam. Quae profecto ad hujus loci intelligentiam cum primis adjuvant. Quanquam idipsum etiam probari potest testimoniis omnium eorum, qui fatentur ac docent, daemones vere cognovisse, Christum esse Dei Filium, quando ab eo jussi obsessorum corpora relinquere, clamabant: Quid nobis et tibi Fili Dei? Item: Scimus qui sis, Filius Dei. Neque enim illi, qu5 hoc docent, negant, Christum a Judaeis impulsu malorum daemonum ad crucem et mortem expetitum fuisse. Utrum autem daemones revera tunc quando sic exclamarunt, Christum esse Dei Filium cognoverint, an vero tantum id dixerint assentando, ne expellerentur, ut quidam volunt; id quaerendum apud interpretes Evangeliorum ad ea loca, quibus daemones sic exclamasse leguntui-. De quo argumento nos etiam tractavimus super sent. lib. 2. dist. 7.
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9. Sed sicut scriptum est. Supplendum ex superioribus, sed loquimur. Repetit enim hoc, ut, quod dixit, amplius expli. cet. Scriptum est autem apud Jesaiam Prophetam cap. 64. Nam quod ex Apocryphis quibusdam vel Eliae vel Jesaiae testimonium hoc depromptum nonnulli putarunt, satis ab Hieronymo in Jesaiae commentariis refellitixr.
Quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit. Ascendere in cor, Hebraismus est in Scripturis fvequens, pro eo quod Latini dicunt, venii'e iu mentem, in cogitationem. Porro Graece plurali numero haec dicuntur: Quae oculus non vidit, et auris non audivit; et in cor hominis non ascenderunt, et ita locum hunc referunt Tertull. lib. de resurr. carnis, cap. 26. et Hieron. iu epist. quam praefixit Pentateuelio a se converso, nec non in epistol. 148. adMarcellam: licet ibidem postea totum repetat singulari numero. Quamvis enim Graecum avlpvj sit numeri singularis, hic tamen pluraliter transferendum fuit juxta proprietatem syntaxeos Graecanicae. Mihi versimile est, interpretem vertisse: Quae oculus non vidit, nam eodem numero sequitur:
Quae praeparavit Deus iis qui diligunt illum. Rectius ipsum, nam reciproce sumitur auxov. Et Hieronymus legit diligentibusse. Prophetae locum sensu magis quam verbis retulit Apostulus. Nam ex Hebraeo quidem Hieronymus ita vertit: A saeculo. non audierunt, neque auribus perceperunt; oculus 7ion vidit Deus absque te, quae praeparasti exspectantibus te. LXX. vero sic reddiderunt: A saeculo non audivimus, neque oculi nostri viderunt Deum praeter te, et opera tua quae facies sustinentibus misericordiam. Ilbi videmus Apostoli citationem propius ad Hebraeum fontem, quam ad LXX. versionem accedere: tametsi potest etiam exHebraeo verti Z)eM?n quarto casu, quod fecerunt Pagninus et Vatabhxs, indignante licet Leone Castrensi. Certe non id adeo multum refert ad locum praesentem, cum Apo.stolus eam partem Deus (seu Deum) absque te praetermiserit; et Hieronymo teste, sicut dictura est, sensum magis quam verba reddere curaverit. Sensus autem hujusmodi est: Sed loquimur ea, quae juxta Prophetam nec oculis hominum visa, nec auribus audita, nec animo cogitata fuerunt, id est, nulli prorsus hominum cognita; nimirum ea, quae praeparavit ac praedestinavit Deus diligentibus et exspectantibus se. Ea sunt sahis et gloria adoptionis atque aeternae felicitatis, tam mirabili ordine sapientiae divinae procuranda. Nam de Christi beneficiis, quorum haec praecipua sunt, agit eo loco Propheta. Suspicatur Erasmus Apostolum in Hebraeo pro ^ legisse 3> ut pro exspectantibus scriberet diligentibus. Quod an ita sit, studiosis expendendum relinquo. Nobis satis sit, alterum per alterum hoc loco bene explicari. Quaeritur autem, an ab hac cognitione mystei'iorum etiam angeli boni excludantur, ita ut praeteritis temporibus ea nesciverint. Apostolus quidem tantum dicit, nec in cor hominis ascenderunt. Sed Propheta dicens: Deus absque te, id est, te solo excepto, videtur eam notitiam ab omnibus ahis removere. Quod et Apostohim apparet sentire. Nam aUoqui hoc Prophetico testimonio non ostenderet, daemones ilhid mysterium ignorasse. iacile autem homine nominato etiam angelus intelh*gitur, cum uterque sit intellectualis creatura, quam ad ea, quae supra naturam sunt, cognoscenda pertingere naturae viribus, impossibile est. Huc taciunt ejusdem Pauli verba Eph. 3. Ut innotescat principatibus et potestatibus, etc. et 1 Tim. 3. Apparuit angelis. Haec enim significant, prius angelos latuisse hujusmodi mysteria. Sed quomodo latuerunt angelos, cum non latuerint Prophetas, quibus ea ministeriis angelorum fuerunt a Deo revelata? Respondeo, sensum Prophetae et Apostoli esse, mysteria illa nec hominum jL cuiquam nec angelorum in cogitationem " venire potuisse, nisi Deo, in quo erant a saeculo abscondita, revelante. Revelavit autem ante adventum Filii sui in carnem, tum angelis, tum paucis hominibus amicis suis, quantum pro tempore judicabat convenire, plus minusve; ita tamen, ut perfectior ac plenior revelatio serv^aretur tempori manifestandae gratiae Salvatoris. Sed hac de re plura, quum ad alia loca Apostoli, quae modo citavi, ventum fuerit. Porro quaeret aliquis, quomodo verba haec Apostoli: quae praeparavit Deus diUgentibus se, non pugnent cum gratuita Dei praedestinatione. Nam si beneficia redemptionis praeparata sunt diligentibus Deum et exspectantibus, id est, sperantibus in eum, igitur meritum aliquod illorum attendit Deus in ea beneficiorumpraeparationeseupraedestinatione. Spes enim et dilectio provocant beneficentiam Dei. Breviter respondeo, partem illam, diligentibus se, non esse referendam ad omnia redemptionis nostrae seu mysteria seu beneficia, sed ad illud beneficium, quod est omnium mysteriorum complementum, id est, ad vitam aeternam, quae in Dei visione consistit, ut sententia sit ad hunc modum explicanda: Quae praeparavit Deus ordinanda ad salutem et vitam aeternam, quam dare constituit iis, qui diligunt ipsum. Innuit hanc solutionem Thomas in comment., docens hoc censu Deum id, quod in cor hominis non ascendit, praeparasse, id est, praedestinasse diligentibus se, quia essentiale praemium aeternae gloriae charitati debetur, secundum illud Joan. 14. Si quis diligit me, diligetur a patre meo, et ego diligam eum, et manifestabo ei meipsum. Quamvis enim praedestinatio ad gloriam gratuita sit, quatenus gloria consideratur ut fiais, qui primus est intentione: fatendvim tamen est, eandem gloriam hominibus a Deo praeparari, tanquam mercedem diligentibus promissam.
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10. Nobis autem revelavit Deus per spiritum suum. Ne quis objiciat, quo igitur pacto vos illa loqui potestis, si nec in mentem cuiquam venire potuerunt? Deus, inquit, nobis per spiritum suum revelavit. Nobis igitur intellige, non omnibus fidelibus, sed ApostoUs, qui eadem mysteria tradamus aliis, et, ut supra dixit, sapientiam loquamur inter perfectos. Hic est Spiritus sanctus, '^nem, ait Dominus ad Apostolos Joan. 14., mittet Pater in nomine meo, ille vos docebit omnia, et cap. 16. docebit vos omnem veritatem.
Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur, etiam profunda Dei. Profunda, Graece, xa ^a&Yj profunditates, sive ut interpres Irenaei lib. 2. cap. 4. reddidit, altitudines. Scrutatur autem spiritus Dei (sicut quidam exponunt) in nobis, id est, scrutari nos facit, quomodo clamat, gemit, postulat in nobis Rom. 8. et Gal. 4. Ita sensus est: Spiritus enim Dei facit nos intellectu penetrare etiam ad occulta et a saeculis abscondita Dei consilia. Nam quod dicit omnia, accommodate capiunt de omnibus mysteriis, quae voluit Deus sciri ab hominibus. Alii simpliciter intelligunt, spiritum Dei omnia scrutari seu penetrare, id est, omnia cognita et perspecta habere, ac proinde sufficientem esse ad revelanda nobis quaecumque voluerit. Proprie quidem scrutari est indagare et quaerere notitiam rerum abditarum, sed hic accipitur pro ipsa talium rerum notitia, scilicet eo sermonis tropo, quo consequens ex eo, quod antecedit, intelligitva-. Qua ratione passim Deo tribuitur scrutari renes et corda, id est, intima hominum nosse, ut Psalm. 7., 1 Paral. 28., Jerem. 17. Quod cum Scripturae Deo proprium esse velint, recte etiam ex hoc loco statuitur, Spiritum sanctum esse Deum. Huic autem expositioni congruunt, quae sequuntur:
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11. Quis enim hominum scit, quae sunt hominis, nisi spiritus hominis, qui in ipso est? Probat, spiritum Dei non tantum nosse, sed etiam solum nosse Dei arcana, ne quis existimet, aliunde quam a Dei spiritu comparari posse notitiam mysteriorum, de quibus hic agitur. Sicut, inquit, arcana cogitata hominis nullus hominum novit, nisi spuitus ipsius hominis, id est, mens ejus sive anima, qua intelligit, ita etc. Dicet aliquis: Ergo caelicolae preces nostras non cognoscunt, si sola mente fiant. Respondeo, sicut hac sententia non excluditur Deus (ait enim, quis hominum scit etc), ita nec amicos ejus excludi, quibus ille secreta, quae vult, pro suo beneplacito revelat et aperit. Hoc enim jam dixit: Nobis revelavit Deus per spiritum suum. Quamvis et sic potest hic locus intelligi: Nullum hominem scire quaecumque sunt hominis, id est, omnia ejus cogitata et consilia, nisi ipsum hominem, qui ea versat in corde suo.
Ita et quae Dei sunt, nemo cognovit nisi Spiritus Dei. Quae Dei sunt, id est, cogitationes et consilia Dei, in quibus sunt, quae prius dixit, profunda Dei. Quod ait, nisi spiritus Dei, subintellige, et cui spiritus Dei revelare voluerit, quomodo dictum est a Christo Matth. 11.: Nemo novit Patrem nisi Filius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare. Nam hujusmodi exceptionem ipse Paulus statim sequentibus verbis indicat. Quod si tamen universe de omnibus, quae Dei sunt, sententiam accipias, vera erit sine exceptione, quemadmodum et sententia praecedens de iis, quae sunt hominis. Illud sciendum, per hoc, quod dicitur solus Dei spiritus nosse, quae Dei sunt, non excludi Filium, sed includi potius, quum ipse dicat: Omnia quaecumque habet Pater, mea sunt, et de Spiritu sancto: Quia de meo accipiet, et annuntiabit vobis, Joan. 16. Etenim, ut tradunt Theologi in 1. sent. dist. 21., dictiones tam exclusivae quam exceptivae nominibus personalibus respectu praedicatorum essentialium adjunctae, solum excludunt ea, quae natura sunt diversa, quemadmodum et in eo, quod paulo ante ex Evangelio citatum est, observare licet. Non enim ibi Spiritus sanctus excbiditur. Unde etiam hic locus aperte Macedonianos redarguit, negantes Spiritum sanctum esse natura Deum. Tertull. lib. adv. Hermogenem cap. 1 8, et adv. Praxeam cap. 8. et 19. hujus sententiae partem extremam citat hoc modo: nisi spiritus, qui in ipso est, videlicet similiter priori membro. Atque inde etiam colligit, Spiritum sanctum esse Deum, quod non sit aliquid extra Deum, sedinipso, quemadmodum spiritus hominis substantialiter in homine est, tametsi idem lib. 2. adv. Marcionem cap. 2. legit, ut nos legimus, nisi Spiritus Dei.
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12. Nos autem non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus, sed spiritum, qui ex Deo est. In Graeco et Syriaco non additur pronomen hujus. Et sine eo citat No- 1 vatianus lib de Trinit. cap. 29. Quidam " etiam vetusti codices latini non habent, ut nec veteres concordantiae. Quanquam addit interdum, ut superiori cap. vers. 20. et cap. seq. vers 19., sic etiam hoc capite bis terve, hujus saeculi. Quod adnotamus, ut intelligatur, sensum non variari, sive additum fuerit sive non. Est autem rursus occupatio. Nam ne quis dicat Apostolo: Si solus Dei Spiritus novit, quae Dei sunt, quomodo vos ea novistis? respondet, et quod jam ante dixerat: Nobis autem revelavit Deus per Spiritum suum, repetit aliis verbis. Nos, inquit, non spiritum mundi accepimus, id est, non sumus instituti sapientia mundana et saeculari (sic enim spiritum mundi Graeci interpretantur), ut sciamus, quae sunt hujus saeculi, sed accepimus spiritum, qui ex Deo est, id est, Spiritum Dei. Loquitur, ut supra, in persona Apostolorum, qui non tueruut imbuti sapientia hujus mundi, sed repleti Spiritu sancto.
Ut sciamus, quae a Deo donata sunt nobis. Hoc est, iit eo spiritu revelante sciamus mysteria divina pertinentia ad redemptionem, justitiam, salutem et gloriam electorum, quae omnia gratis donata sunt electis, ab aeterno per praedestinationem. Videtur enim Apostolus eadem nunc dicere donata nobis a Deo, quae paulo ante dixerat a Deo praeparata iis, qui diligunt ipsum, comprehensa tamen etiam ipsa dilectione. Quanquam et donata intelligi possunt, jam exhibita per Christum. Nam illorum mysteriorum effectus jam late per Ecclesiam agebatur. Ex hac interpretatione verborum Apo- ■ stoli, quae contextui quam maxime congruit, intelligi facile potest, quam imperite et inepte ex iis sectarii colligant, unumquemque fidelium scire et infallibiliter certum esse, se habere dona Dei, justitiam, caritatem, remissionem peccatorum. Nam primum non de omnibus fidelibus loquitur Paulus, sed de Apostolis, deinde nec de omnibus ac singulis Dei donis, quae unicuique insunt, sed de mysteriis, arcano divinae sapientiae consilio praeparatis et exhibitis, atque exhibendis societati electorum in genere. Bene locum hunc intorquet August. hom. 14. inter. 50. adversus Pelagianos, ignorantes ea, quae a Deo donata sunt nobis, ut fidem, spem, caritatem, justitiam, bona opera, dum ea non gratiae Dei, sed sui arbitrii viribus adscribunt. At non minus juste dirigatur adversus ipsos nostrae aetatis haereticos, nescientes, quae a Deo donata sunt nobis. Nam si scirent, non pro vera justitia, quam Deus per Filium suum nobis donavit, imputativam supponerent, nec pro rebus pretiosissimis, quas sub velamine sacramentorum Deus suae donavit Ecclesiae, nuda rerum symbola nobis obtrudere conarentur. Porro sensum, quem initio dixi, magis etiam confirmant sequentia.
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13. Q^nae et loquimur. Id est, quae eadem tradimus aliis. Sed non passim omnibus, ut ante dixit, et paulo post iterum declarat. Non in doctis humanae sapientiae verbis. Doctis, Graece didax- To\q, alias dida.xxixol.r ^ pro quo supra dixit TCSiQ^oTc persuasivis. Sensus: Eloquimur mysteria nobis per Spiritum Dei revelata, non utentes verbis arte compositis, nec ratione per humanam sapientiam instructa.
Sed in doctrina spiritus. Graece, sed in doctis Spiritus sancti. Supple ex membro priori verbis, licet in nonnullis legatur sv bidayq, in doctrina. Augustinus lib. 14. de civit. Dei cap. 4. et epist. 150. legit, sed docti spiritu, nisi forte mendum est, ut legendum sit doctis spiritus, aut doctis spiritu, nempe Graeco conformius. Sensus: sed utentes oratione, qualem docet ac suggerit Spiritus sanctus. Sic Joann. 6.: Et erunt omnes docti seu docibiles Dei. Graece didaxxol Tou 9-sou, id est, docti a Deo.
Spiritualibus spiritualia comparantes. Comparantes, Graece ouyxpivovTSi^, id est, adhibito judicio conferentes sive coaptantes. Spiritualibus accipi potest vel ut neutrum, vel ut masculinum. Priori modo sensus est: quemadmodum, qui docent humanam sapientiam, utuntur sermone secundum artem humanam composito, ita nos, qui tradimus mysteria sapientiae divinae, sermonem nostrum materiae accommodamus; rebus spiritualibus docendis adhibentes eloquentiam item spiritualem, similitudines quoque et exempla proferentes a rebus divinis. Haec Chrysostomi et sequacium ejus expositio est. Verumtamen magis placet, ut spiritualibus masctilinum sit, ac sensus sit hujusmodi: spiritualibus viris spiritualia adaptantes, id est, tanquam illis apta tradentes. Nam spiritualibus utique spiritualia conveniunt. Unde supra dixit: Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos. Hinc etiam sequitur: Animalis autem homo non percipit ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, et post: spiritualis autem judicat omnia. Sensum hunc reddit et docte prosequitur S. Thomas. Estque is sane Paulino textui congruentissimus.
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14. Animalis autem homo non percipit ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei. Non percipit, Graece ou ^ijZTaK, non accipit, recipit. Animalis autem Graece t|>uxtx6(;^ videlicet onib rrjf^ <j^ox^Cj, ab anima. Animalem hominem Graeci interpretantur eum, qui non secundum Deum vivit, sed secundum carnem, quique non plus credit, quam naturali ratione assequatur, ut sunt infideles. Pro quo intellectu facere videtur, quod sequitur: Stultitia enim est illi. Nam capite sup. dixerat Apostolus, verbum crucis pereuntibus esse stultitiam. Verum si alia, tam praecedentia, quam quae subsequuntur hoc et sequenti capite, bene considerentur, facile constabit, aliter accipiendum esse animalem hominem. Sciendum autem, trifariam in Scripturis aliquem vocari animalem. Primum propter animam viventem, qualis erat a sua creatione primus homo, videlicet alimentis indigens ad vitae sustentationem, de quo Paulus in hac epistola cap. 15.: Sed non prius, quod spirituale est, sed quod animale. Altero modo, quia sectatur desideria carnis, quae sunt secundum animam sensitivam. Ita Judas Apostolus iu sua Catholica epistola quosdam vocat animales spiritum non habentes. Quo etiam pertinet, quod Jacobus suae epistolae cap. 3. sapientiam, quae non est desursum, vocat animalem. Eodem sensu TertuUianus in Montanistam male conversus, catholicos appellabat Graeco vocabulo psychicos, id est, animales, tanquam sensibus et carni deditos. Tertio quis dicitur animalis, qui etsi jam credat in Christum et justificatus sit, tamen prae mentis imbecillitate non recipit altiora fidei mysteria, quod aegre supra ea, quae sensibus percipiuntur, assurgat. Et hoc modo loquitur nunc Apostolus de animali homine, quod liquet ex hujus loci collatione cum aliis. Siquidem Paulo sunt iidem animales, carnales, parvuH in Christo, lacte nutriendi, imbecilles ad audiendum; quemadmodum ex adverso iidem sunt spirituales, perfecti, magistri, solidi cibi capaces, sensum exercitatum habentes ad discretionem boni et mali. Et illos quidem animales vocat hoc loco, carnales et parvulos in Christo capite sequenti et Heb. 5., imbecilles ad audiendum rursus ibidem ad Heb. et hoc loco, dum dicit animalem hominem non percipere ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, et non posse intelligere, itemque sequenti capite cum dicit: Nondum enim poteratis, sed nec nunc quidem potestis. Hos vero primum spirituales vocat hoc capite, et rursus cap. 14. dicens: Si quis videtur Propheta esse aut spiritualis, cognoscat, quae dico; et Gal. 6.: Yos, qui spirituales estis, instruite hujusmodi etc. Deinde perfectos, graece xeAstouc:, ut supra, sapientiam, inquit, loquimur inter perfectos, et Heb. 5.: Perfectorum est solidus cibus. Item Phil. 3.: Quicumque ergo perfecti sumus, hoc sapiamus. Nam quod sequitur: Et si quid aliter sapitis, et hoc vobis Deus revelabit, ad eosdem dicitur Philippenses, qua parte adhuc animales erant et parvuH. Magistros et sensum exercitatum habentes ad boni maHque discretionem vocat Heb. 5. SoHdi cibi capaces ibidem, et hic initio capitis sequentis. In horum animaHum numero adhuc erat Petrus, quando dictum est ei a Domino: Non sapis ea, quae Dei sunt, sed ea, quae hominum, Matth. 16. Tales erant et caeteri discipuH Chi-isti ante acceptum Spiritum sanctum. Tales denique inter Corinthios multi, ut ex initio capitis sequentis perspicuum est. Constat igitur, secundum Apostolum non omnes animales impios esse aut injustos, ut nec omnes justos spirituales. Unde et Origenes homil 2. super Levit. hominem animalem inteHigi dicit, qui etiamsi peccatis non urgeatur, nec sit praeceps ad vitia, non tamen habet aliquid in se spirituale. Et Augustinus Hb. 1. de baptismo contra Donatistas cap. 15., quosdam animales dicit ad novum testamentum pertinere, eosdemque, si prius, quam spirituales fiant, ex hac vita rapiantur, in terra viventium computari, idque significari putat illo versu Psalm. 138.: Imperfectum meum viderunt oculi tui, et in libro tuo omnes scribentur. Idem in eandem prorsus sententiam de animaHbus sub nomine carnaHum scribit concione 3. enarrat. in Psalm. 103. SimiHa reperies apud eundem epist. 57. ad Dardanum quaest. 2. et epist. 150. ad Elpidium. Item Hb. de vera reHg. cap. 28. tract. 98. super Joann. Hb. de blasph. Spiritus sancti, qui est sermo 1 1. de verbis Domini cap. 18., Hb. 6. contra JuHan. cap. 16. et 17., ac denique Hb. 2. retract. cap. 27., videHcet corrigens, quod aHcubi diversum dixisse visus fuerat. Nec secus fere loquitur de animaH homine Bernardus in tractatu de vita so- Htaria ad fratres de monte Dei. Dicit enim, tales etiamSpiritum sanctum habere, quia bonam habent vohintatera. Quae omnia consentanea sunt iis, quae tum hoc loco, tam in epist. ad Hebraeos de homine animaH et ad audiendum imbeciHi, dicuntur. IHie enim Hebraeis, hic Corinthiis, utrisque fideHbus et regeneratis, anima litas et infirmitas hujusmodi tribuitur. Quanquam haec animalitas non in solo est intellectu, sed inde etiam in affectum redundat, quemadmodum in Petro et aliis Apostolis ante acceptum Spiritum sauctum patuit. Negat igitur Paulus, animalem hominem percipere ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, non quia Jesum Christum et hunc crucifixum, ac caetera, quae credenda ab ecclesia proponuntur, non recipiat (sic enim infidelis aut haereticus esset), sed quod nondum sit aptus ad capiendum sublimiora divini Spiritus mysteria, quae proinde cum ei traduntur, non accipit, non admittit. Ratio sequitur.
Stultitia enim est illi. Melius ex Graeco, stultitia enim ei sunt. Non enim sensus est, quem nonnulli tradiderunt, ideo hominem animalem non percipere, quae sunt Spiritus Uei, quia inest ei stultitia, sed quia, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, stultitia sunt illi homini, quomodo praeced. cap. dixit, verbum crucis pereuntibus esse stultitiam, et iterum: Christum crucifixum gentibus esse stultitiam. Nec tamen de iisdem nun loquitur, ut vult Graecorum commentarius. Non enim dicit verbum crucis, aut Christum crucifixum animali homini esse stultitiam, sed ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, quae jam interpretati sumus sublimiora divini Spiritus mysteria, nimirum ea, quae Paulus inter perfectos loquitur. Haec animali homini, quamvis jam in Christum crucifixum credenti, stultitia dicuntur esse, quia non potest in illis conspicere ordinem sapientiae divinae, sed magis eaapprehendit ut sensibus et rationi contraria. Velut si cui matheseos imperito dicas solem esse tota terra plus centuplo majorem, aut lunam sole minorem bis millies, ac eo amplius; ridebit te talia dicentem et explodet, tantum aberit, ut fidem dictis accommodet. Igitur apud hominem animalem dura talis est, et donec in spiritualem proficiat, tacenda sunt illa secretiora mysteria, quemadmodum faciendum esse, Christi et Apostolorum ejus exemplis, graviter admonet ac docet Ambrosius, sub finem lib. 6. coraraent. in Lucam. Idque adeo a magnis et spiritualibus viris provideri solere: ne quid populariter agant, quod nondum esse temporis, ut cum populo agatur, intelligunt, Augustinus testatur lib. de vera religione cap. 28. Sapientiam enim, inquit, loquuntur inter perfectos: carnalibus vero et animalibus, quamvis novis hominibus, adhuc tamen parvulis, nonnulla obtegunt, sed nulla mentiuntur. Sequitur explicatio dictae rationis.
Et non potest intelligere. Graece yvuivat^ cognoscere, scilicet ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei. Nondum est, inquit, capax eorum cognoscendorum, nondum aptus ad ea percipienda.
Quia spiritualiter examinatur. Verti etiam ex Graeco potest examinantur numero plurali, ut referatur ad ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei. Sicque legitur in vetustis quibusdam codicibus. Est autem Graece avaxpiVixai, verbum idem cum eo, quod mox semel et iterum interpres vertit judicare, tametsi proprie significat dijudicare, discernere, quod est examinare. Prioris lectionis sensus est: animalem hominem ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, intelligere non posse, eo quod, dum in talibus instruitur, spiritualiter examinatur seu dijudicatur, id est, revocatur ad intellectum spiritualem et sublimem, cum ipse sit animalis, et tanquam parvulus in Christo lacte nutriendus, non solido cibo, sicut infra dicitur. Posterior lectio sensum hunc habet: Animalis homo nonpotest percipere, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, quoniam illa spiritualiter examinantur, id est, spirituali intellectu examinanda, discutienda ac dijudicanda sunt. Ad quam rem animalis horao ob imbecillitatem mentis ad sensibilia de])ressae, non est idoneus. Porro in aliis quibusdam Latinis MSS. sic legitur: Ea, quae spiritualiter examinantur. Quae lectio sensura non facit a secundo diversum. Quem quidem arbitramur esse maxime commodum.
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15. Spiritualis autem judicat omnia. Graece, dijudicat quidem omnia, pro quo interpres Irenaei lib. 1, cap. 1.: examinat omnia, Hieron. ia comment. epist. ad Gal. 4.: dijudicat omnia. Sed et Hugo legit, omnia discarnit. Sensus: Homo spiritualis (quem supra dixit perfectum), qui pro consuetudine mentem habet exercitatam in divinis, utpote jam adultus et provectus in vita spirituali; idoneus est ad bene judicandum, non solum de rebus sensibilibus atque terrenis, quod solum potest animalis, verum etiam de spiritualibus, id est, altioribus ac difficilioribus religionis nostrae mysteriis, quae a Christo coelestia vocantur Joann. 3.: Si, inquit, terrena dixi vobis, et non creditis; quomodo si dixero vobis coelestia, credetis? Ad hunc sensum revocari potest, quod August. lib. 13. confess. cap. 22. spiritualem hominem interpretatur omnia judicare, scilicet ea, quae judicanda sunt, et quaenam ea sint, exponit capite sequenti, quodque lib. de vera religione cap. 31. de spirituali dicit: Omnia judicat, quia super omnia est, quando cum Deo est. Cum illo autem est, quando purissime intelligit, et tota caritate, quod intelligit, diligit. Ex hac Apostoli sententia colligunt haeretici, penes unumquemque fidelem esse potestatem judicandi de controversiis religionis. Sed perperam id colligunt. Primum, quia Paulus de solo spirituali homine loquitur, cum sint inter fideles, etiam bonos, ut ante dictum est, multi animales, ac proinde ad judicandum de spiritualibus inepti. Deinde, quia non est hic sermo de judicio potestatis, sed discretionis. Quae duo nostrae aetatis sectarii fere confundunt. Nam et Graecum ava/ptvsiVj uti superius admonui, discretionem potius quam judicium significat. Postremo, quia non sentit Apostolus, spiritualem judicare omnia absolute, sed omnia sensu jam explicato: quoniam non solum de rebus terrenis bene judicare potest, sed etiam de coelestibus ac sublimibus. Prout autem quisque magis est spiritualis, eo certius ac melius de pluribus poterit judicare. Et hoc sensiz accipienda sunt Augustini verba paulo ante citata. Nam et in moralibus ita rem habere, Philosophus testatur lib. 3. Ethicorum cap. 4.: Vir bonus, inquit, recte de omnibus judicat; et facile quid in re quaque veri sit, perspicit; cum sit quasi regula et mensura rerum. Sic ille. _ Sensum hunc erudite explicat Thomas ia 1 comment. et illustrat exemplis hominis vigilantis et dormientis, sani et infirmi, fortis ac debilis, denique in moralibus virtuosi et vitiosi. An autem spiritualis omnia judicans, sit omnis homo caritatem habens (quod sentire videtur idem doctor tam in commentario quam in summa 2. 2. quaest. 60. art. 1. ad 2.), an potius inter bonos fideles existimandum sit multos esse animales, id puto superius satis a nobis esse discussum. Jam vero quanquam spiritualis homo possit, ut dictum est, de multis ad religionem pertinentibus bene judicare, ac suo judicio alios instituere, non tamen statim habet autoritatem judicandi publicam 5 sicut et legum peritus non statim judex forensis est. Etenim non solum inter eos, qui praesunt, verum etiam inter eos, qui subduntur eis, qui praesunt, inveniri spirituales homines affirmat August. lib. 13. conf. cap. 23. Caeterum in ipsam Christi Ecclesiam perfecte quadrat, quod Apostolus dicit, spiritualem omnia judicare, ut propterea merito ad eam spectet non modo discrelivum judicium, quo possit inter verum et falsum discernere, verum etiam judicium publicae potestatis, quod definitivum vocatur, cui omnes fideles tam spirituales quam animales suum debeant judicium submittere.
Et ipse a nemine judicatur. Graece: Ipse autem a nullo dijudicatur. Sic et Hieronymus loco prius citato. A nemine, id est, a nullo alio, qui videlicet non sit spiritualis. Ita post Chrysost. Theophylactus adducta similitudine de vidente et non vidente. Nam qui videt, et sua videt, et ea, quae sunt non videntis: hic vero nec sua, nec quae illius sunt, videt. Alioqui spiritualem a spirituali judicari, quomodo Petrus a Paulo judicatus fuit Gal. 2., nihil prohibet. Unde nec sequitur, hominem spiritualem non judicari a lege. Nam et lex ipsa spiritualis est Rom. 7. Sed dices: Igitur a suo principe vel praelato, si sit animalis, judicandus non erit is, qui spiritualis est. Verum jam diximus, hic non agi de judicio publicae potestatis, quod est principum et praelatorum. Quanquam sane rectus ordo postulat, ut spirituales potius praesint animalibus, eosque cum potestate judicent, quam ut ab illis judicentur, praesertim in iis, quae religionis sunt. At vero cum ecclesia sit maxime spiritualis, hinc jam rursum aestima, nihil esse convenientius et ordinatius, quam ut apud eam sit suprema potestas judicandi de iis, quae ad fidem et religionem pertinent.
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16. Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini, qui instruat eum? Male quidam codices duas faciunt interrogationes hoc modo: Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini? aut quis instruxit eum? Graeca et MSS. Latina nobiscum faciunt. Tertull. quoque in Scorpiaco cap. 7. legit, qui eum instruat, tametsi in Graeco est ou/iPtpaos'., instruct. Porro relativum qui nec ad Dominum, nec ad sensum Domini referendum est, ut quidam volunt, sed ad eum, de quo dicitur: Quis cognovit. Respicit enim Apostolus ad locum Jes. 40., quo item respexerat Rom. 11, 34. utrobique secutus versionem LXX., apud quos totus locus sic habet: Quis cognovit mentem Dotnini, et quis ejus consiliarius fuit, qui instruct eum? Igitur Paulus hac inteiTCgatione probare intendit, non animales, sed spirituales, cujusmodi imprimis erant Apostoli, nosse ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei, ac de iis posse judicare, eademque aliis tradere. Id enim est, quod sequitur:
Nos autem sensum Christi habemus. Sensum, graece vcitjv mentem, quemadmodum et in parte praecedenti. Potest autem tota sententia sic explicari. Quamvis secundum Prophetam nemo perfecte noverit mentem, consilia et cogitationes Dei, multoque minus quisquam sit, qui possit eum instruere consiliis: nos tamen Apostoli, qui spirituales sumus, mentem Christi Domini ex revelatione Spiritus sancti percepimus, ut de spiritualibus, id est, arcanis religionis mysteriis, judicare possimus, atque illis eatradere, qui eorum discendorum fuerint capaces. Hoc quoque propriissime in ecclesiam competit. Ipsa namqueest, quae qualibet exorta controversia religionis, exempli gratia, qui libri pro sacris habendi, secure dicere potest (utcumque redament Hebraei): Nos sensum Christi habemus, et ejus spiritu docti discernere novimus inter libros sacros etnonsacros. Obiter observa, Paulum hic rursus, sicut in capite praecedenti, Christum Deum dicere, dum pro eo, quod ex Propheta dixerat, setisum Domini, repetit sensum Christi. Nam apud Prophetam nomen illud est ineffabile, Deo maxime proprium.
2:1
1. Εἰ ego (χἀγώ ego quoque, quemadmodum missionis apostolicae ratio id postulavit) cum venissem ad vos, fratres, veni non in sublimitate sermonis aut sapientiae annunttans vobis testimonium Christi. Testimonium Christi (cfr 1,6) aut hoc in loco melius : testimonium Dei seu de Deo, qui in Christo sese revelaverat, vel testimonium, quod Deys per Apostolos de Christo reddebat, intelligitur, ut patet, Evangelium, quod in sapientia verbi annuntiari non debet; annuntiatur autem in sapientia verbi, si χαθ᾽ ὑπεροχὴν λόγου ἢ σοφίας « iuxta eminentiam sermonis aut sapientiae » (4457), i. e. eloquente et docta oratione proponitur. Ideo Corinthum veniens Paulus « nec facundiam ostentare nec extraneis argumentis uti » (CÀrys.) voluit :
2:2
2. Non enim iudicavi me scire aliquid inter vos, nist esum Christum et hunc crucifizum. Utrum negationem cum verbo proximo coniungamus (non iudicavi i. e. dissimulavi quidquam scire), id quod modernis nonnullis praeplacet, an cum altero verbo (decrevi nescire), an etiam cum pronomine (decrevi non aliquid, nihil aliud scire), nullius est momenti, quum idem semper maneat sensus. Quamvis alibi altiores doctrinas altiore modo proposuisset atque Athenis cum Stoicis et Epicuraeis disputasset et coram Areopago se in profana scientia non rudem ostendisset (Act... 18,17 sqq.), Corinthum tamen veniens inter Corinthios (infer vos) noluit ostendere, se aliquid scire praeter Iesum Christum et hunc crucifixum. Quo lato sensu verba haec intelligantur oporteat , docent 11,23 sqq. et 15,3 sqq., quibus in locis nonnulla a se Corinthi tradita fidelibus in mentem revocat ; sed simplices doctrinas proposuit : Iesu vitam narravit, eum Christum esse ostendit (Ac/. 18,5. 5), in eius passione, qua nos redemit, exponenda eiusque resurrectione demonstranda praecipue moratus, « sola ea annuntians, quae erant manifestiora et inferiora in Christo, non profundas incarnationis rationes » (TAom.). Cui simplici doctrinae « sublimilas sermonis aut sapientiae » non respondet, quarc ab 'ea abstinere debuit. At etsi simpliciora tantum profert orator, si fidenter et asseveranter loquitur, fiducia sua vel confidentia debiliores auditores secum abripere potest; Paulus vero ctiam ab hoc docendi modo Corinthi abstinuit :
2:3
3. Et ego in infirnutate et timore et tremore multo fui apud vos. Quis Paulo fuerit animi habitus illo tempore , verbis discimus, quibus Deus eum confortare dehucrit : « Noli timere, sed loquere et ne taceas, propterea quod ego tecum sum et nemo apponetur tibi, ut noceat te, quoniam populus mihi est multus in hac civitate » (Act. 18,9). Antequam Corinthum venerat, Athenis per aliquas hebdomades versatus in synagoga cum ludaeis, cum philosophis in foro disputaverat et in Areopago disseruerat; at tantorum laborum fructus non fuerat magnus (Act. 17,33); quid ergo mirum, quod tristis et afflictus Corinthum advenerit? Ibi autem statim novas invenit difficultates continuasque ludaeorum contradictiones persecutionesque, quas suis solis viribus sese superare non posse optime cognovit. Una igitur ex parte magnum laborem, quem subeundum habuit, altera ex parte debilitatem suam, quam brevi antea expertus erat, considerans infirmum se esse sensit magnoque suo muneri imparem ; unde exorta est timiditas illa, quam hoc versu exprimit. Quid enim nomine infirmitatis intelligat Paulus, clare elucet ex 29 Cor. (10,10; 11,6; 12,10) ; 4zmor et tremor autem animi illam sollicitudinem significat, quam magni laboris impositi aut etiam periculi imminentis aspectus in viro humili vel debili provocat (cfr 2 Cor. 7,15; Eph.6,5; Phil. 2,19). Quare haud immerito plerique interpretes persecutiones, quas Paulus Corinthi sustinuit, in hoc versu explicando afferunt (CÀrys. Theod. ctc.; A'*" Herv. Thom «οἷς; Iust. Lap. etc.; M Ev. Hamb. etc. ; — acath. multi); minus recte vero alii solam Apostoli humilitatem hoc versu exprimi censent!, atque plane erronee pauci acath. haec verba de morbo quodam aut corporis infirmitate exponunt. Hac igitur timiditate affectus Apostolus auditores suos secum abripere non potuit, idque eo minus, quoniam oratoris artibus non est usus : ^4. E4 sermo meus, « quo privatim et singulariter aliquos instruebam », e/ praedicatio mea, « qua publice docebam » (Thom.), non in persuasibilibus humanae sapientiae. verbis, sed ἐπ ostensione spiritus et. virtutis fuit. Persuasibilibus (πειθοῖς) humanae sapientiae verbis, quibus rhetores et sophistae non tam sententias suas demonstrare quam ad eas auditores attrahere student, aut etiam secundum aliam lectionem « persuasioni {πειθοῖ suasioni) humanae sapientiae » (A"") pulchre opponitur ostensio (vel potius : demonstratio) spiritus et virtutis; ἀπόδειξις (&.A.) enim est certa rei demonstratio, quae fit argumentis allatis (cfr ἀποδεικνύναι Act. 95,1: 2,22; 1 Cor. 4,9); demonstratio autem haec pro auctore habet spiritum et virtutem, i. e. virtutem Spiritus S., qui « inexplicabili modo fidem ingerebat auditoribus » (CArys.), qui igitur virtute sua Paulum illustravit, ut ea diceret, quibus auditores suos convinceret, atque simul gratia sua auditorum animos ita disposuit, ut verbis Apostoli fidem haberent. Quod ideo factum est,
2:5
5. τῷ fides vestra non sit (non innitatur) ?n sapzentta. hominum, quae quum falli et fallere possit debile est fundamentum, sed ἐπ virtute Dei , i. e. in gratia divina, quae, quum & virtute Dei procedat, virtus Dei apte appellatur. in urbe, quae uti divitiis ita sapientia sua gloriabatur, clarius οἱ evidentius demonstraretur, Evangclium mediis humanis ad suam propagationem non indigerc. 2.) IN SECUNDA PARTE ARGUMENTI rationem explicat, qua permotus Corinthi αὖ altioribus doctrinis tradendis sese abstinuerit nec quidquam praeler Iesum et hunc crucifixum Corinthiis praedicare voluerit. Quemadmodum supra (ad 1,12) iam innuimus, Apollo non tantum ob doctiorem et eloquentiorem praedicandi modum, sed etiam ob altiores quasdam doctrinas, quas Paulus nondum docuerat, nonnullis neophytis ita videtur placuisse , ut Paulum velut magistrum indoctum despicerent. [taque Paulus, postquam simplicem suam praedicationem Evangelio, quod sapientiae mundanae sit oppositum , plane convenire ostendit, ulterius progrediens docet, in Evangelio tam altam tamen contineri sapientiam, ut humano ingenio impervia a solo Spiritu S. revelari potuerit (2,6-12); at hanc sapientiam Apostolis per Spiritum S. revelatam non omnibus, sed solis perfectis debere annuntiari (2,13- 16), ideoque se eam Corinthiis nondum annuntiasse (3,1-5). a.) In Evangelio alta continetur sapientia , quae humano intellectui timpervia per Spiritum S. revelata est Apostolis (2,6-12). Se inter Corinthios (zer vos) aliquid praeter Christum crucifixum scire voluisse negans Apostolus clare iam innuerat, se alibi ctiam alias easque altiores doctrinas tradere; idque in hac argumenti parte accuratius explicat, cuius nexus cum praecedente est clarus (cfr TÀAom.) : inter vos quidquam praeter Christum crucifixum scire nolui,
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6. sapientiam. autem loquimur tnter perfectos. Qua ex oppositione iam elucet, parum recte Graecos! (CArys. Theod. Dam. Oec. Theoph. ') nomine sapientiae eandem doctrinam, quam Jaulus antea per antiphrasin stultitiam appellavit, et nomine perfectorum omncs fideles intelligere. Cum latinis potius interpretibus (Pe/. Prim. Herv. Thom. etc.) omnino tenendum est , ab Apostolo duas distingui fidelium classes, incipientium rudiumque, quos animales vel carnales (2,115 ; 3,1) parvulosque appellat, qui lacte indigeant (3,9 ; 1166}. 5,19), et perfectorum , quos spirituales appellat, qui cibi solidi sint capaces (2,13; 3,9); itaque duas quoque sapientias christianas distingui , illam sc., quam supra appellavit stultitiam sapientiaeque mundanae opposuit , atque alteram, quam hoc in loco simplici doctrinae christianae opponit ciboque solido comparat, qui non parvulis in Christo sed adultis conveniat. Cum TÀom. igitur aliisque longe plurimis interpretibus sapizentiam hoc in loco intelligamus oportet « profundam doctrinam, quae sese extendit ad occulta mysteria divinorum » (Sum. Il. 9 qu. 45 a. 5 ad 1.), perfectos autem « eos, qui pro consuetudine exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem boni et mali » (Heór. 5,154), quae verba explicans CArys. recte monet, Apostolum non tam loqui de bono et malo morali discernendo, quam « de dogmatis sanis et altis aut corruptis et vilibus diiudicandis »; quapropter TÀom. perfectos recte dicit eos, « quorum mens elevata est super omnia carnalia et sensibilia, ita ut spiritalia et intelligibilia capere possint, et quorum voluntas supra omnia temporalia elevata soli Deo eiusque praeceptis inhaeret ». Etenim voluntatis quoque perfectio requiritur, non tantum , quia eius corruptio rectum intellectus usum impedit, sed etiam quia sapientia, de qua agit Apostolus , ad intimam totius hominis cum Deo coniunctionem dirigitur. « Necesse est, inquit TAom., eum qui in doctrina fidei instruitur, non solum secundum intellectum bene disponi ad capiendum et credendum, sed etiam secundum voluntatem et affectum ad diligendum et operandum ». supranaturalitate demonstrat; huius sc. saeculi non est, sed solius Dei (6. 7), neque principibus huius saeculi erat cognita, sed soli Deo (8. 9), qüi per Spiritum suum eam cum Apostolis communicavit (10-12). Itaque sapientiam quidem Apostoli annuntiant, 6" sapientiam vero non hutus saeculi neque principum huius saeculi, qui destruuntur. Philosophia ethnica atque carnalis Scripturarum expositio Iudaeorum ad hoc saeculum (cf ad 1,20) pertinent, siquidem ab hominibus huius saeculi sunt inventae, de huius saeculi rebus agunt, per rationes mere humanas procedunt; ab iis vero longissime altior Apostolorum doctrina distat, ad quam ne ipsi quidem huius saeculi principes contulerunt, sive hoc nomine philosophi ethnici et scribae Iudaeorum, sive reges ethnici et iudaici sacerdotes, sive daemones designantur. Ab illis huius quidem mundi sapientia dependet; sed quod a re peritura originem trahit et dependet, ipsum quoque pereat necesse est; sicut igitur principes huius mundi destruentur, sapientia huius mundi peribit. At sapientia apostolica, «quae ab iis non dependet, est aeterna, id quod clarius patet, si ad eius indolem et naturam attenditur, quam Apostolus describit :
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7. sed loquimur Dei sapientiam. in. inysterio, quae abscondita. est, quam praedestinavit. Deus. ante saecula in gloriam nostram. In oppositione ad huius saeculi sapientiam sapientia Det ἃ Deo originem suam trahit, de rcbus divinis agit, per rationes divinitus revelatas procedit. In mysterio esse dicitur, quia mysterio constat, i. e. tam occulta est, ut viribus naturalibus non attingatur, sed divina revelatione innotescat. Quod ut clarius manifestet, Apostolus eam vocat τὴν ἀποχεχρυμμένην « absconditam » (guae abscondita esi), 1. e. talem, ut, non tantum antiquis temporibus abscondita fuerit (Bisp.), sed etiam his et futuris temporibus abscondita foret, nisi Deus eam patefaceret; ca enim est vis participii perf. pass., ut actionem quidem praeteritam csse, effectum autem perdurare innuat. Hanc porro absconditam sapientiam Deus ante saecula, i.e. ab aeterno, praedestinavit in gloriam nostram, i. e. omnium fidelium, non solorum Apostolorum, qui eam pracdicaverunt (uti explicant H Car. Thom. etc.). In eo enim est futura gloria, quae nobis praeparata cst, ut non amplius in aenigmate per speculum sed facie ad faciem Deum videntes totam sapientiam, quae abscondita est, possidcamus; atqui gloria haec in hac vita iam est inchoata, siquidem post Christi adventum iam « revelata facie gloriam Dei speculantes in eandem imaginem transformamur a claritate in claritatem tamquam a Domini Spiritu » (2 Cor. ἃ, 18). Unde etiam apparet, apostolicam hanc sapientiam non esse perituram ad instar sapientiae principum huius saeculi, qui destruentur. | humanum ad summam gloriam perducturam. Itaque nihil obstat, quominus nomine principum huius saeculi Apostolus daemones comprehendisse dicatur. Ac profecto si atiendimus, eum sapientiam illam, quam verae sapientiae opponit, a « spiritu (huius) mundi »,i. e. a diabolo, derivare (cfr ad v. 19), fatendum cst, eum daemones revera illo nomine comprehendisse. Quae quum ita sint, illud nomen generali sensu est explicandum, ut omnes designet, qui quocumque modo huius mundi principatum tenentes ad falsam sapientiam promovendam ct Christo mortem inferendam contulerunt. Nullo autem modo cum Cai. paucisque aliis v. 6. de solis philosophis et scribis, v. 8. de solis daemonibus explicare licet ; ut eosdem enim principes utroque in loco intelligamus, contextus postulat. ἃ Deo igitur haec sapientia originem trahit, sed eidem soli eandem - etiam cognitam fuisse, antequam ab eo revelabatur, docet Apostolus pergens:
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8. guamnemo principum huius saeculi cognovit ; si enim cognovissent,numquam Dominum gloriae crucifixissent. Relativum quamad immediate praecedens nomen « gloriam nostram » aliqui referunt (Tert. c. Marc. V. 6.; Lap. Men. Ttr. Gord. Mai. L H.; — pauci acath.), quia etiam v. 9. de hac gloria sit sermo. Quae explicatio, quamvis omni probabilitate non careat, a longe plurimis tamen interpretibus, qui pronomen quam ad « sapientiam Dei » ita referunt, ut haec propositio relativa praecedenti (quam praedestinavit Deus etc.) sit parallela, merito respuitur (CÀrys. etc., A't" etc. , Thom. etc., Est. etc., M Ev. Bisp. etc.; — multi acath.), quia de hac sapientia in toto hoc loco Apostolus agit. Sapientiam ergo ab Apostolis inter perfectos annuntiatam ulli ex principibus huius saeculi cognitam fuisse negat, ut eam plane fuisseincognitam clarius doceat; quod enim illiignorant, qui principatum tenent, id a plebe ignorari supponit. Principum vero ignorantiam crucifixione Dom:znz gioriae demonstrat; neque enim daemones Iudaeos ad Dominum crucifigendum instigassent, si « Christum cruce sua de perversis adversariisque potentiis triumphare, chirographum contra nos scriptum ligno suffigere (Col. 2,14), satanae tyrannidem a nobis depellere , mundi peccatum exstinguere , immundis spiritibus portas inferni reserare, mortis imperium destruere » scivissent (Cyr.); neque iudaici et ethnici principes δα Christum crucifigendum operam suam umquam praestitissent, si hac sapientia instructi illum tamquam Verbum incarnatum , Patris ipsius Sapientiam, ac proin auctorem gloriae per eam communicandae cognovissent; « quum enim creaturae rationali naturaliter appetibilis est gloria, non potest in humanam cadere voluntatem, quod auctorem gloriae interimat » (Thom.). Dominus gloriae demum vocatur Christus, non tam, ut eius gloria ignominiae crucis opponatur (Chrys. ctc.), quam ut gloriam, quae nobis destinata est, ab eo solo dependere cognoscamus (cfr 9 Thess. 3,16 Dominus pacis); ipse enim hanc gloriam non tantum velut sibi propriam ab aeterno possidet (loan. 17,5; Luc. 24,26 in gloriam suam), sed etiam eam nobis largitur (Co/. 3,& ; Hebr. 2,10 etc.). lam principibus huius saeculi hanc sapientiam revera incognitam fuisse, Paulus testimonio scripturistico confirmat, quo omnibus omnino haec sapientia negatur : « Nemo principum huius saeculi eam cognovit, 9. sed ita se res habet, sicut scriptum est : Quod (lege : quae!) oculus non vidit , nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit (ascenderunt, sunt ea) quae praeparavit Deus üis, qui diligunt illum, i. e. nemo principum eam cognovit, sed secundum Scripturae testimonium sapientia, quam in gloriam nostram praedestinavit Deus, a nullo est cognita. Apocalypsi Eliae, Chrys. vcro, Theod. οἷο. ex deperdito libro prophetico ea desumta esse coniecerunt; sed S. Hier. (ad Pamm. ep. 51,9; in Is. 64,3 etc.) reiectis his effugiis Paulum illa ex s. 64,3 desumsisse recte monuit, « non verbum ex verbo reddentein, quod facere omnino contemnat, sed. exprimentem sensuum veritatem, quibus utatur ad id quod voluit roborandum ». Pericope, ad quam versus a S. Paulo allegatus pertinet, est precatio (/s. 63,7-64,12), in qua propheta gratiis actis de praeteritis beneficiis (63,7-14) tristi populi conditione permotus (63,15-18) ardentissime Deum implorat, ut denuo auxilium afferat (64,1-3), « quippe ab antiquissimo tempore non audiit quisquam, non auribus percepit, oculus non vidil, o Deus, praeter te, quid faciat (Deus) ei confidenti » (vel secundum lectionem, quam LXX, Chald., Syr., Vulg. prae oculis habuerunt : « quid facias tibi confidentibus »)'. Pro more suo Apostolus haec verba, sensu accurate retento, libere sed clarius reddidit; tria priora membra prophetae, quum duo sint synonyma, in duo contraxit (oculus non vidit nec auris audivit), tertium adiecit (nec in cor hominis ascendit), quia in verbis ab eo omissis (Deus, praeter te) latuit; si enim nemo practer Deum haec cognovit, ea in nullius hominis cor ascendisse , i. c. nullius mentem subiisse?, manifestum est. Quin eliam verba prophetae aliquid plus dicunt, quod Paulus in sequentibus versibus etiam explicabit, nimirum nullam omnino creaturam haec suis viribus cogitasse aut cognovisse. Ultimis demum prophetae verbis (te exspectantibus vel tibi confidentibus) synonymamn expressionem (izs, qui diligunt ipsum) substituit; de iis cnim, qui Dominum velut salvatorem cum amore exspectant, propheta loquitur. Sunt qui, ut verba « in cor hominis non ascendit » explicent, Paulum Is. 64,4 et 65,17 coniunxisse dicant (Bisp. L R. Dr.; — acaih. multi); at non tantum nulla est ratio, cur haec textuum confusio οἱ commixtio statuatur, sed ad 63,17 Apostolus vel ideo respicere non potuit, quia eo in loco expressio ascendit in cor sensu recordandi usurpalur. Neque demum eum ad 7s. 32,17 respexisse (TAeoph. etc.), luce clarius est. Solum textum 64,4 in mente habuil cinsque sensum libere quidem, sed fideliter reddidit. Quaeritur 3) quaenam sint illa, quae a Deo diligentibus ipsum praeparata nullus homo cognovit. De illis bonis, quibus beati in coclo fruentur, verba haec inde a primis lidei temporibus sunt explicata (οἷν S. Clem. 2. 2b (cor) Hebraeis non tantum est affectuum sedes, sed etiam idem fere, quod cogitandi facultas seu mens; atque eodem modo in Novo Test. adhibetur χαρδία (Marc. 2,6; Luc. 2,19; 3,15 et saepissimc;. ab oy noy (ascendit in cor) aliquoties significat recorda- (us est (Is. 65,17 ; ler. 3,16), saepius latino animum. vel mentem subiit respondel (Ter. 7.31: : Hom. A Cor. 34; 29 Cor. 11 ct 14; Martyr. Polyc. 9 ctc.) et hodie saepe oxplicantur; neque dubium est, quin de his apte intelligantur. Nullo tamen modo de illis solis ea explicare licel, si ad contextum attenditur, in quo apud prophetam et apud Apostolum leguntur. Etenim propheta, quemadmodum cx precationis eius nexu cum praccedente operis messianici descriptione (63,1-6; attende ad v. 4) clare elucet, de salute messianica loquitur, quac beatorum quidem gaudia procul dubio complectitur, sed simul ea comprehendit, quae Dcus, ut ad illa perveniamus, nobis praeparavit; Paulus vero de sapientia loquens, quae in nostram gloriam est praedestinata, eadem ratione totam salutis oeconomiam intelligit, quatenus specialis illius sapientiac, quam inter solos perfectos annuntiat, est argumentum. Recte igitur interpretes tantum non omnes verba haec latiore sensu explicant; pro omnibus audiantur ZÁeoph ., qui Graecorum explicationes paucis complectitur : « Quid praeparavit Dens diligentibus se? Christi cognitionem ac salutem per incarnationem », et ZLyr., qui Latinorum sensum exprimit : « Diligentibus praeparavit Deus Filium suum habendum in via per fidem et caritatem, et in patria per claram visionem et perfectam fruitionem ». Quam sapientiam , etsi principibus huius saeculi et omnibus hominibus plane est incognita , Apostoli tamen annuntiare possunt, quia a Deo per Spiritum eius illis est manifestata :
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10. noó:s autem (eam) revelavit Deus per Spiritum suum. Cum emphasi pronomen noótis in principio phraseos est positum ; neque enim omnibus fidelibus nec ipsis perfectis, sed Apostolis solis, qui eam annuntiare debent, a Deo est manifestata. Quod assertum syllogismo quodam Apostolus demonstrat : Spiritus Dei sapientiam illam possidet (10^. 11), atqui Spiritus Apostolis a Deo ideo est datus, ut dona divina cognoscant (v. 12); ergo. Praeprimis igitur Maiorem argumenti proponit et probat : Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur, etiam profunda Dei. Meritissimo Patres iam monent, verbum scrutatur (ἐρευνᾷ) « non ignorantiam , sed completam scientiam indicare » (CArys.), neque enim Spiritus scrutari dicitur, « tamquam qui curiose indagat, sed sicut ille qui in contemplatione delectatur » (S. Greg. Naz.), neque « ut quod nesciat, inveniat, sed quia nihil relinquit omnino, quod nesciat » (αἰ. ord. ex Aug.); uno verbo omnia eodem modo scrutatur, quo Deus corda scrutari dicitur (Atom. 8,21), « quod si illud est ignorationis, hoc etiam similiter; sin autem hoc perfectae cognitionis, etiam illud itidem » (Theod.). Immerito igitur G/. ord. aliam explicationem simul proponit, quam Est. non improbat, aliqui moderni acath. (de W. etc.) praeferunt, ut « Spiritus Dei in nobis scrutetur, i. c. scrutari nos faciat, quemadmodum in nobis gemere, clamare, postulare dicitur »; a nostro enim contextu plane aliena est haec explanatio. Spiritus Dei ipse scrutatur, i. e. penetrat et intime novit omni« ; quam late autem illud omnia pateat, docent verba addita : etiam profunda Det (τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ « profunditates » vel ut habet S. Iren. tnterpr. c. haer. II. 98,7 : « altitudines Dei »). Non illa tantum, quae quasi in superficie sita « a creatura mundi per ea , quae facta sunt, intellecta conspiciuntur » (Rom. 1.90), scd intima quaeque divinitatis mysteria et consilia, « omnem eius virtutem et praescientiam » (A'*"), Spiritus perspicit. Vere divina igitur scientia Spiritui S. velut personae a Patre distinctae attribuitur; quare iureex his verbis divinitas Spiritus S. demonstratur, idque eo magis, quia Spiritus profunda Dei non velut extrinsecus sibi manifestata sed velut sua propria cognita habet. Id enim docet similitudo ab Apostolo addita : sicut solus hominis spiritus intima hominis sensa (profunda, ut ita licamus, hominis) novit, ita Spiritus Dei solus profunda Dei penetrat :
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11. Quis enzm hominum scit, quae sunt hominis, nisi spiritus hominis , qui in 2pso est? zla et quae Dei sunt , nemo cognovit (cognita habet ἔγνωχε), nzsi Spiritus Dei. Ne ipsum quoque Deum cor hominis nosse neget, Apostolus significanter interrogat : Quis hominum scit? Qua quidem interrogatione angelos quoque et daemones ab hac cognitione non excludi recte monet Just., at non satis attendit, eos ratione illa excludi, qua iuxta Apostolum spiritus hominis ea quae sunt hominis scit; ideo enim haec scit, quia 2n 2pso est; atqui « angelus neque bonus neque malus illabitur ita menti humanae, ut in ipso corde. hominis sit et intrinsecus operetur; sed hoc solius Dei proprium est » (Thom.), qui « homini cst intimior quam spiritus proprius » (Lyr). lam vero non eadem, sed simili , ratione, qua spiritus hominis ad hominem, Spiritus Dei sese habet ad Deum!. Similitudo autem iuxta Apostolum in eo est, quod spiritus hominis, quia homini substantialiter est unitus (vel ut habet Lyr. « ei est consubstantialis »), solus ea quae sunt hominis cognoscit, et quod Spiritus Dei, quia Patri et Filio consubstantialis unus cum eis est Deus, solus profunda Dei cognita habet. Sed soli Spiritui hanc cognitionem attribuens Paulus eandem duabus aliis personis non magis abiudicat, quam Dominus ipse Spiritui cognitionem Patris et Filii negat (Math. 11,27; Luc. 10,22); Patrem enim per Spiritum sapientiam revelare iam dixerat (v. 10), Pairem igitur eandem possidere iam innuerat; unde saüis intelligitur, quomodo verba eius sint intelligenda. Illud tamen procul dubio ex his verbis sequitur, sapientiam, de qua Apostolus loquitur, omnes vires creatas superare. In praecedentibus id semper asseruerat, de facto principes huius saeculi hominesque omnes illam ignorasse; hoc autem loco ignorantiae illius rationem explicat. Etenim docens, solum Spivitum S. sapientiam illam possidere, quia solus utpote Dei Spiritus (« qui in Deo est » legerunt 7ert. c. Prax. 8. 19. eic. aliique antiqui) profunda Dei scrutatur et scrutari potest, omnibus aliis, etiam perfectissimis, creaturis ipsam huius cognitionis possibilitatem negat. De sapientia igitur et de rerum ordine loquitur, cuius cognitio tam alta est, ut nulla omnino creatura nisi per supranaturalem revelationem ad cam pertingat. Argumenti sui Maiore posita et demonstrata Apostolus ad Minorem transit :
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129. nos autem non spiritum. huius mimndi accepimus, sed Spiritum, qui ex Deo est, ut sciamus, quae a Deo donata sunt nobis. Spiritus huius mundi, quocumque sensu intelligitur, mysteria divina ipse, quum sit creatura, non cognoscit; qui igitur hunc acceperunt, illa ignorent necesse est. Nos autem, inquit Paulus, Spiritum, qui ez Deo est, accepimus, illum sc. Spiritum, qui quia ex Patre et Filio procedit et cum eis unus est Deus, ctiam profunda Dei cognita habet. Iterum illud nos cum emphasi in principio posuit ; neque enim eadem ratione, qua fideles omnes, Spiritum receperunt Apostoli, sed singulari quadam ratione, ut sczrent (ἵνα εἰδῶμεν) dona Dei eaque aliis manifestare possent (cfr. Joan. 14,16 sq. 26; 15,26 sq.; 16,13). llla, quae a Deo (gratis) donata sunt nobis » (τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ χαρισθέντα ἡμῖν) non sunt « gratiae gratis datae, uti prophetia et Scripturarum intelligentia etc. » (Lyr.), sed « ea quae ad salutis oeconomiam pertinent : quomodo Christus pro nobis mortem obierit, nos filios Dei fecerit, ἃ dextris Patris nos collocaverit in se ipso » (TAeopA.), cadem nimirum quae nobis a Deo praeparata esse dixit (v. 9.). Omnia haec igitur Apostolis immediate per Spiritum divinum a Deo sunt revelata. si quis « spiritum (huius) mundi » tropice sumere volucrit, etiam « Spiritum, qui ex Deo « est » tropice intclligzat oportebit; in eadem cnini phrasi eidem vocabulo propriam et metaphoricam significationem attribuere non licet, nisi necessitate cogente. Proprio suo sensu illud sumit ZAeod : « creatum. spirituni non accepimus nec per angeluimn roruni divinarum revelationem accepimus » (etiam Nat !.); at de spiritu bono hic non est sermo, itaque cum aliis(A'e" Rhab. Herv. Gl ord. H Car. Dion? Calm. L R. Dr. — nonnulli acath.) intelligendum censemus ipsum diabolum, quatenus auctor est falsae sapientiae humanae, « deum huius saeculi, qui excaecavit mentes infidelium, ut non fulgeat illis illuminatio Evangelii » (2 Cor. 4,4), « spiritum illum, qui nunc operatur in filiis diffidentiac, ut ambulent secundum saeculum mundi huius » (EpA. 9,2), spiritum erroris, qui oppositus est spiritui veritatis (4 Joan. 4,3-6; cfr 5,149), el a quo exoritur « sapientia terrena , animalis , diabolica » (Jac. 8,18)". b.), Sapientiam sibi revelatam. Apostoli solis perfectis annuntiant (2,13-10). Altam illam sapientiam Apostoli per Spiritum S. a Deo eum in finem receperunt, ut eam cum illis fidelibus, qui eam intelligere possent, communicarent ; hinc Paulus adducitur, ut explicet, quomodo (v. 13.) et quibus (14-16) eam tradant.
2:13
13. Quae et loquimur ; ila igitur, quae a Deo donata sunt nobis, i. e. mysteria quae dc oeconomia salutis nobis sunt revelata, haec etiam annuntiamus non tn doctis humanae sapientiae verbis, sed in. doctrina Spiritus, vel potius zn doctis Spiritus verbis!. Docta humanae sapientiae verba intelliguntur illa, quae humana sapientia docet, uti docta Spiritus verba sunt illa, quae a Spiritu docentur. Sicuti Apostoli sapientiam ipsam non a mundo sed a Deo immediate accipiunt, ita etiam modum, quo eam tradunt, non ab humana sapientia mutuantur, sed a Spiritu accipiunt, qui non solas doctrinas eis revelat, sed aptam quoque formam ad illas docendas eis suppeditat. Quum λόγοι non sola verba, sed etiam latiore sensu explicationis et demonstrationis modum designet, omnino cum graeco textu latinus consonat, prout eum explicat Thom. : « non nitimur ad probandam nostram doctrinam per verba composita ex humana sapientia sive quantum ad ornatum verborum, sive quantum ad subtilitatem rationum... sed ita loquimur, prout Spiritus S. nos loquentes interius docet ». Cui explicationi consentiunt verba addita spiritualibus spiritualia comparantes (vveouaτιχοῖς πνευματιχὰ συγχρίνοντες), 1. e. doctrinis a Spiritu traditis verba et argumenta ab eodem Spiritu suggoesta adaptantes. 1. Quum primum vocabulum spiritualibus masculinum aut neutrum esse possit, vario modo phrasis explicatur. Antiquiores Latini (Afer Pelag. Prim. Rhab. Herv. Thom. Lyr. ctc. quibuscum consentiunt £st. M Ev.et aliqui acath.. Heinr. God. cic.) masculinum praetulerunt atque explicarunt : « recta comparatione spiritualia documenta tradimus spiritualibus viris, quibus sunt. convenientia » (TÁAom.). Qui sensus, quamvis per se aptissimus sit, quomodo ex verbis extundatur, non satis apparet, siquidem nec latinum comparare ncc graecum συγχρίνειν significationem tradendi vel docendi admittere videtur. Itaque curn Graecis omnibus et plerisque modernis vocem spiritualibus pro neutro sumimus; συγχρίνειν autem (opp. διακρίνειν) significat componere, et quum compositio aut secundum similitudinem aut secundum rem esse possit, συγχρίνειν est aut idem quod infer se comparare aut id quod coaptare, contungere. Alterum hunc sensum, quem supra supposuimus, praeferunt iuniores plurimi (Cai. Just. Lap. Sa. Men. Tir. Nat. Mai. Bisp. L δὲ Dr. — multi acath.); priorem autem tenent Graeci cum Chrys., cui « spiritualibus spiritualia comparare » est idem, quod « doctrinas in Novo Test. revelatas cum typis figurisque Vet. 'Test. aliisve veritatibus revelatis comparare et iisdem confirmare » '. lam vero σάρξ (caro) Paulo haud raro est corpus vel potius inferior pars hominis , quatenus post peccatum protoparenturn nobis transmissurn , originali amissa iustitia c! integritate, non tantum inclinatione ad bonum caret (Hom. 1,18), sed etiam in se habet peccati fomitem et contra spiritum rebellans legi peccati inservit (Rom. 7,23. 935 otc.)?; quare etiam Exposito modo, quo ab Apostolis altior sapientia docetur, Paulus eos, qui illius recipiendae vel capaces vel incapaces sint, describit. Inter perfectos enim se illam loqui dixerat (v. 6), quinam igitur ad hanc classem pertineant, explicat :
2:14
1&. Anzmalis autem homo, homo naturalis « qui contentus est suis propriis cogitationibus » (TAeod.), non percipit (vectius : non recipit! vel respuit) ea quae sunt Spiritus; stultitia enim est (lege : sunt) εἰ et non potest (ea) zntelligere , quie spiritualiter examinatur (lege : examinantur). Ea quae sunt Spiritus toto contextu definiuntur; altioris, de qua agitur, sapientiae sunt mysteria et argumenta, quae Apostolis per Spiritum a Deo sunt revclata. Haec procul dubio naturalis hominis ratio primo aspectu pro absurdis habet, ideoque sine examine respuit; sed etiamsi ea examinare (ἀναχρίνειν examine instituto diiudicare et iuxta verum earum pretium res aestimare; in sequente versu idem verbum redditur :udicare) vellet, ea non intelligeret, eo «quod ad superioris ordinis veritates intelligendas requiritur eiusdem ordinis superioris facultas : etenim « fide indigent, nec rationibus humanis comprehendi possunt, siquidem eorum magnitudo vilitatem nostrae mentis longe superat » (CÀrys.); « neque umquam inferior potest examinare (ct diiudicare) ea, quae sunt superioris. Sicut sensus non potest examinare ea quae sunt intellectus, ita similiter neque sensus neque ratio potest iudicare ea, quae sunt Spiritus Dei. Quin ergo animalis homo caret Spiritu S., non potest spiritualia examinare nec per consequens intelligere » (TAom.). Quae autem nec recipit nec intelligit homo animalis, quia facultatibus suis mere naturalibus ad ea non pertingit, ea recipit homo spiritualis, « qui habet intellectum illustratum et affectum ordinatum per Spiritum S. » (TÀom.), caque etiam diiudicare potest, quoniam principia supranaturalia possidet, ad quae eorum verum pretium aestimandum est :
2:15
15. Spiriualis autem. iudicat omnia , non tantum ea, quae ad altiorem sapientiam pertinent, sed etiam ea, quae inferioris sunt ordinis; cur enim illud omn:a ad ea, quae sunt Spiritus, restringatur (id quod volunt pauci acath. Ew. Ev. etc.), nulla est ratio. « Nam qui videt (inquit iam CArys., quocum omnes cath. et plerique &cath. consentiunt) omnia quidem videt, etiam ea quae ad caecum pertinent; quae autem videntis sunt, ea nullus caecus videt. Ita etiam nunc nostra quidem et ea quae sunt infidelium, omnia nos scimus, nostra autem infideles non item » etc. Ipse autem (spiritualis) a nemine iudicatur, qui spiritualis non est; quia enim spiritualis omnia diiudicat et iuxta eorum pretium aestimat, etiam alios spirituales diiudicare et aestimare potest. Assertum suum, spiritualem non posse nisi ἃ solo spirituali diiudicari, Apostolus syllogismo demonstrat :
2:16
16. Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini, qui instruat eum? Nos autem sensum Christt habemus. Maiorem argumenti sui ex 15. 40,13 desumit, iuxta alexandrinam versionem libere pro more suo verba allegans. Propheta, ut populum, cui liberationem ex captivitate praedixerat (50,1-11), ad fiduciam adducat, potentiam ac sapientiam divinam celebrat (12-17), atque inter alia interrogat iuxta text. hebr. : « Quis direxit spiritum Domini et (quis) tamquam consiliarius eius eum docuit? » Quae sensu non mutato reddiderunt Alexandrini : Tí; ἔγνω νοῦν Kuptou (quis cognovit sensum i. e. sapientiam Domini, ut eam, si forte deflecteret, dirigere posset?) xai τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβάσει αὐτόν (el quis consiliarius eius fuit, ut eum instrueret?). Sola prima et ultima verba, intermediis omissis, Apostolus assumit, quia completum phraseos sensum exhibent, neque ultimum (qwz ?nstruat eum) otiose adiecit, uti aliqui acath. ( Rück. etc.) putaverunt, « sed respiciens ad id, quod probare vult: spiritualem nemo diiudicat. Si enim nemo potest nosse mentem Domini, multo minus potest illum docere et corrigere; hoc enim sibi vult illud : qui instruat eum » (CAÀrys.), quippe quod praevium iudicium supponat. Tanta igitur, teste Scriptura, sapientia est Domini (νοῦς Κυρίου), ut nemo eam diiudicare possit : haec est Maior argumenti, cui subnectitur Minor : atqui nos (spirituales) sensum Christ (νοῦν Χριστοῦ sapientiam. CÀristi) possidemus; unde conclusio patet, spirituales ἃ nullo, qui spiritualis non sit, diiudicari. At attende, argumentum esse illegitimum, nisi Christi et Spiritus S. divinitas admittatur. Apostolus enim, ut spirituales, i. e. eos qui Spiritum acceperunt, non posse diiudicari demonstret, in Maiore assumit verba Scripturae, in quibus de sapientia Domzni (wv) agitur, in Minore nos sapientiam Christi habere asserit, unde in conclusione, quam non exprimit, eos qui sapienttam. Spiritus habent, non diiudicari posse deducit : ergo una eademque sapientia est Domini (mm), Christi, Spiritus S. Antiqui Protestantes his ultimis versibus abusi sunt, ut Ecclesiae auctoritatem impugnarent et negarent (cfr Bellarm. De verbo Dei III. 3 et 10); at eorum obiectionibus | immorari hodie superfluum est; siquidem inter modernos corum asseclas ne unus quidem, opinor, in- Eadem ratione, qua in priore argumenti parte indole missionis apostolicae proposita methodum suam docendi quodammodo vindicaverat (cfr ad 9,1), Apostolus ab iis, quae de altiore sapientia exposuit, | ad conclusionem practicam nunc veniens argumentum praedicationis suae corinthiae defendit. Sapientiam quidem loquimur, sed inter perfectos; at vos nec perfecti eratis necdum perfecti estis. 3,1 E4 ego, sicut omnis spiritualis, cui de vestra conditione iudicium competit , fratres, non potui vobis loqui quasi (ὡς tamquam) spiritualibus
2:2
… Gospel: « Cristo mi ha mandato non a battezzare, ma ad evangelizzare; e non in sapienza di parole, ma perché non sia resa vana la C. del Cristo » (I Cor. 1, 17); « Non giudicai di sapere tra di voi alcuna cosa, se non Gesù Cristo, e questo crocifisso » (I Cor. 2, 2; cf. Gal. 2, 19; 5, 11; Eph. 2, 16; Col. 1, 20; 2, 14). The Holy Fathers followed the same path.
2:6
… Sin holds them beneath itself as slaves (Rom. 6:17, 20; John 8:34; 2 Pet. 2:19); they are subject to the devil as subjects to their head (John 12:31; 14:30). The devil is the god (θεός) "of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Cor. 2:6; Gal. 2:15).
CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. - In its ideal content it entails the complete realization of the Christian life as opposed to its beginnings, that is, the fullness of goodness in the supernatural moral order (Phil. 3:15; Col. 3:14; I Cor. 2:6; Jas. 1:4). He is called "perfect" who practices in the most excellent degree possible, according to the measure of the grace communicated to him, that complex of virtues which constitute …
… spurious grain, zizania (Mc. 4:15; Mt. 13:19, 39); his intent is to "blind the minds of those who do not believe, so that they cannot be enlightened by the gospel of the glory of Christ" (II Cor. 4:41), by means of the captious "wisdom of this world" (I Cor. 2:6) and the "depths of S." (Apoc. 2:24). "The tempter" (ὁ παρᾶς ἄννε: I Thess. 3:5; I Cor. 7:5; cf. Mt. 4:1-3) induces men to lie to God (Act. 5:3); his method is falsehood (Io. 8:44) …
2:7
… Certain biblical statements clearly contain the concept of a truth hidden in God, naturally unknowable to anyone who is not God, and communicated to men by Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt. 11:25-27; Jn. 1:18; 1 Cor. 2:7-16). Starting from these statements, Christian thought soon distinguished two orders of truth: those that men can know by their own intelligence, and those inaccessible to the human intellect, …
2:8
… Illness or persecution, "a thorn fixed in the flesh," is a "messenger of S." (II Cor. 12:7); S. is also in this an involuntary instrument of divine grace (ibid. 9), as happened in the Crucifixion of Christ (I Cor. 2:8).
2:9
… Now very few give weight to the assertion of Origen (Comm. series 117 in Mt., 27, 9, ed. Klostermann: CB, XI, p. 250) that Paul cited (I Cor. 2, 9) the Apocalypse of Elijah (in secretis Eliae) as an inspired writing and that he drew the detail of Jamne and Mambre (II Tim. 3, 8) from an apocryphon (Liber Jamnes et Mambres). …
… truth defined against the Beguines (Council of Vienne, Denz-U, 475), Baius (ibid., 1002-1007) and Frohschammer (Pius IX, ep. Gravissimas, of 1862 to the Archbishop of Munich), founded on many explicit texts of Scripture (Mt. 11, 27; Jn. 6, 46; 1, 18; I Cor. 2, 9; I Tim. 6, 16).
According to Origen (Comm. in Mf., 27, 9: PG 13, 1769), St. Paul would refer to this apocryphon in I Cor. 2, 9; cf. Ambrosiaster, ibid.; and Pseudo-Euthalius. …
pernatural end, that is, to participate in the goods that completely surpass man's intelligence (it cites 1 Cor. 2:9; Denz-U, no. 1786). The object of revelation is therefore not only religious truths naturally accessible to human intelligence, but also mysteries properly so called (Denz-U, nos. …
2:10
… The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, and whoever does not possess him is not a Christian (Rom. 8:9). The Holy Spirit teaches one to invoke God as Father (Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 4:6), to judge spiritual and supernatural things (1 Cor. 2:10, 16) and, in general, to think and judge as Jesus Christ thought and judged (Phil. 2:5; F. Mura, Le Corps Mystique du Christ, 2nd ed., I, Paris 1936, pp. 198-201; J. Duperray, Il Cristo …
… Excelsior caelo... profundior inferno... longior terra... et altior mari": cf. Ps. 144, 3; Eccli. 43, 32, 35; Jer. 33, 19; Rom. 11, 33, I Cor. 2, 10), the Fathers, especially those who attacked the error of Eunomius (St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Epiphanius; typical is the text of St. Augustine: "attingere aliquantulum mente …
… Son, wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Son is wholly in the Father, wholly in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit is wholly in the Father, wholly in the Son" (Denz-U, 704). This truth, explicitly revealed in Sacred Scripture (Jn. 10, 38; 14, 11; 17, 21; 1 Cor. 2, 10-11) and universally attested by tradition, is based on the numerical unity of the divine essence and presupposes the real distinction of the persons from one another, as well as a certain …
… Spirit is its vivifying soul (cf. I Cor. 6, 19; Rom. 8, 2, 11; II Tim. 1, 14). It is the source of the charisms, which had so much importance in the primitive Church (cf. I Cor. 12, 4). The revelation of the divine mysteries is the work of the Spirit (ibid. 2, 10). The impulses of Grace come from the same Spirit. …
… know him as he truly is in himself only if he manifests himself, that is, reveals himself to them in a supernatural way (Mt. 11:27; 1 Cor. 2:11-14); b) supernatural revelation communicates to men a participation in the knowledge that God has of himself (1 Cor. 2:10-14; indeed the Son and the Holy Spirit, who reveal God, are God); c) this manifestation of God is not something to which God is bound, but a free initiative of love, an act of friendship …
… The spirit is opposed, consequently, to the natural life of the flesh, the ψυχή, and St. Paul contrasts the "animal" man (ψυχικός) with the "spiritual" man (πνευματικός); the first follows "the wisdom of this age," the second "the mysterious wisdom of God" (I Cor. 2:10-3:3).
2:11
… description of the nature of revelation: a) God is by nature "hidden" from men (Jn. 1:18; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 1 Tim. 6:16); they can know him as he truly is in himself only if he manifests himself, that is, reveals himself to them in a supernatural way (Mt. 11:27; 1 Cor. 2:11-14); b) supernatural revelation communicates to men a participation in the knowledge that God has of himself (1 Cor. 2:10-14; indeed the Son and the Holy Spirit, who reveal God, are God); …
The term spirit is used 145 times by St. Paul; although the general sense is undoubted, the precise sense of spirit is debatable in about 70 instances, there being an intimate interpenetration between the thinking principle of man (called spirit in I Cor. 2:11; 5:3; 7:34; etc.) or his way of thinking (ibid. 2:12 "spirit of the world"; etc.), and the activity of the Holy Spirit in man (ibid. 14:12, 32; I Thess. 5:16; II Thess. 2:2: the charisms) …
2:12
… The Holy Spirit is called "Spirit of the Father" (Mt. 10:20); "Spirit of God" (I Cor. 2:12) precisely because he eternally proceeds from the Father, as is expressly read in the discourse of the Last Supper: "Cum autem venerit Paraclitus, quem ego mittam vobis a Patre, Spiritum …
… there are others that rather indicate either its coming to be (the Holy Spirit sent to us: ibid. 14:26; Gal. 4:6; given to us: Io. 7:39; 14:16; Act. 5:32; 8:18; Rom. 5:5; I Thess. 4:8; I Io. 3:24; 4:13; received as a gift: Act. 2:38; I Cor. 2:12), or our transformation, soul and body, into a temple of God (ibid. 3:16 ff.; 6:19; II Cor. 6:16).
… Scripture regards those who receive some R. from God and who speak in God's name as "full of the Holy Spirit," that is, as enlightened by him in a supernatural way. For this reason they can have certainties that are naturally inexplicable to others (cf. 1 Cor. 2:12-16). The question then arises how others, who do not have this immediate experience of theirs, can distinguish men truly enlightened by the Holy Spirit from the deluded or from liars; …
… although the general sense is undoubted, the precise sense of spirit is debatable in about 70 instances, there being an intimate interpenetration between the thinking principle of man (called spirit in I Cor. 2:11; 5:3; 7:34; etc.) or his way of thinking (ibid. 2:12 "spirit of the world"; etc.), and the activity of the Holy Spirit in man (ibid. 14:12, 32; I Thess. 5:16; II Thess. 2:2: the charisms) or man under the influence of the Holy Spirit …
… Oriental mysteries did not have as its cause, at least among certain scholars, their inability to understand or their repugnance to admit the mystery of Calvary, apparently folly, juspila, in reality the work of a transcendent wisdom (1 Cor. 1:18-25; 2:12-16, etc.), considering its capacity to reveal the malice of every revolt against God, the rigor of the punishments it calls down, the Creator's love for his creatures (Rom. 5:8-11; …
2:13
… 7, equating it with Deut. 25:4. Peter places the letters of Paul and the "other Scriptures," that is, those of the Old Testament, on the same level (II Pt. 3:16), and declares that Paul wrote them according to "the wisdom that was given to him" (cf. I Cor. 2:13), that is, by the Holy Spirit. …
2:16
II. THE TRADITION. - The Fathers often commented on the texts of Scripture cited and, from the 3rd century onward, generally teach that the seven gifts are present in all the just, who are the temple of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul affirms (I Cor. 2:16-17; 6:19; II Cor. 6:16; cf. A. Gardell, Dons du St Esprit, in DThC, IV, II, cols. 1728-81).
… the participation in the knowledge that God has of himself, and in general in the mysteries of God, cannot come about through natural intelligence alone, but presupposes an interior influence of God, the communication of a new principle of knowledge (1 Cor. 2:16; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; cf. Mt. 16:17; Eph. 1:17-18; 3:14-19).
2:20
… For example, the most intimate secrets of hearts, which concern the state of conscience, vocations, God's designs upon souls, cannot in many cases be read except in the interior light of the Holy Spirit, who "penetrates everything, even the depths of God" (I Cor. 2, 20).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.