He puts Timothy in mind of his charge and blesses God for the mercy he himself had received.
He recommendeth vnto him, to inhibite certaine Ievves vvho iangled of the Lavv as though it vvere contrarie to his preaching. 11 Against vvhom he auoucheth his ministerie, though he acknovvledge his vnvvorthines.
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the commandment of God our Saviour and Christ Jesus our hope:Paolo Apostolo di Gesù Cristo secondo l'ordinazione di Dio Salvatore nostro, e di Gesù Cristo nostra speranza:PAVL an Apostle of IESVS Christ according to the commaundement of God our sauiour, and of Christ IESVS our hope:Paulus Apostolus Jesu Christi secundum imperium Dei Salvatoris nostri, et Christi Jesu spei nostræ, 2To Timothy, his beloved son in faith. Grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.A Timoteo per la fede figliuolo diletto: grazia, misericordia, e pace da Dio Padre, e da Gesù Cristo Signor nostro.to Timothee his beloued sonne in the faith. Grace, mercie, and peace from God the father, and from Christ IESVS our Lord.Timotheo dilecto filio in fide. Gratia, misericordia, et pax a Deo Patre, et Christo Jesu Domino nostro. 3As I desired thee to remain at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some not to teach otherwise:Siccome ti pregai, che rimanessi in Efeso, mentr'io andava nella Macedonia, perché facessi intendere a certuni, che non tenessero diversa dottrina,As I desired thee to remaine at Ephesus vvhen I vvent into Macedonia, that thou shouldest denounce to certaine not to teache othervvise,Sicut rogavi te ut remaneres Ephesi cum irem in Macedoniam, ut denuntiares quibusdam ne aliter docerent, 4Not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which furnish questions rather than the edification of God which is in faith.Né andasser dietro alle favole, e alle genealogie, che non hanno fine: le quali partoriscon piuttosto delle dispute, che quell'edificazione di Dio, che si ha per la fede.nor to attend to fables and genealogies hauing no ende: vvhich minister questions rather then the edifying of God vvhich is in faith.neque intenderent fabulis, et genealogiis interminatis: quæ quæstiones præstant magis quam ædificationem Dei, quæ est in fide. 5Now the end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith.Or il fine del precetto è la carità di puro cuore, e di buona coscienza, e di fede non simulata.But the ende of the precept is charitie from a pure hart, and a good conscience, and a faith not feined.Finis autem præcepti est caritas de corde puro, et conscientia bona, et fide non ficta. 6From which things some, going astray, are turned aside unto vain babbling:Dalle quali cose alcuni avendo deviato, hanno dato nei vani cicalecci,From the vvhich things certaine straying, are turned into vaine talke,A quibus quidam aberrantes, conversi sunt in vaniloquium,
7Desiring to be teachers of the law: understanding neither the things they say, nor whereof they affirm.Volendo farla da dottori della legge, senza intendere né le cose, che dicono, né quelle, che danno per certe.desirous to be doctors of the Lavv, not vnderstanding neither vvhat things they speake, nor of vvhat they affirme.volentes esse legis doctores, non intelligentes neque quæ loquuntur, neque de quibus affirmant. 8But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.Or sappiamo, che buona è la legge, se uno se ne serve legittimamente:But vve know that the Lavv is good, if a man vse it lavvfully:Scimus autem quia bona est lex si quis ex legitime utatur: 9Knowing this: That the law is not made for the just man but for the unjust and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the wicked and defiled, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,Non ignorando, come la legge non è fatta pel giusto, ma per gli ingiusti, e disubbidienti, per gli empi, e peccatori, per gli scellerati, e profani, pei parricidi, e matricidi, e omicidi,knovving this that the Lavv is not made to the iust man, but to the vniust, and disobedient, to the impious and sinners, to the vvicked and contaminate, to killers of fathers and killers of mothers, to murderers,sciens hoc quia lex justo non est posita, sed injustis, et non subditis, impiis, et peccatoribus, sceleratis, et contaminatis, parricidis, et matricidis, homicidis, 10For fornicators, for them who defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and whatever other thing is contrary to sound doctrine:Pei fornicatori, pei rei di delitto infame, per coloro, che ruban gli schiavi, pe' bugiardi, e spergiuri, e s'altro v'ha, che alla sana dottrina s'opponga,to fornicatours, to lyers vvith mā kinde, to man-stealers, to liers, to periured persons, and vvhat other thing soeuer is contrarie to sound doctrine,fornicariis, masculorum concubitoribus, plagiariis, mendacibus, et perjuris, et si quid aliud sanæ doctrinæ adversatur, 11Which is according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God which hath been committed to my trust.La quale è secondo il glorioso vangelo del beato Iddio, il quale è stato a me affidato.vvhich is according to the Gospel of the glorie of the blessed God, vvhich is committed to me.quæ est secundum Evangelium gloriæ beati Dei, quod creditum est mihi.
12I give him thanks who hath strengthened me, even to Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he hath counted me faithful, putting me in the ministry:Rendo grazie a colui, che mi ha fatto forte, a Gesù Cristo Signor nostro, perché mi ha giudicato fedele, ponendomi nel ministero:I giue him thankes vvhich hath strengthened me, Christ IESVS our Lord, because he hath esteemed me faithful, putting me in the ministerie.Gratias ago ei, qui me confortavit, Christo Jesu Domino nostro, quia fidelem me existimavit, ponens in ministerio: 13Who before was a blasphemer and a persecutor and contumelious. But I obtained the mercy of God, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.Me, che prima fui bestemmiatore e persecutore, e oppressore, ma conseguii misericordia da Dio, perché per ignoranza lo feci, essendo incredulo.vvho before vvas blasphemous and a persecutor & contumelious. but I obteined the mercie of God, because I did it being ignorant in incredulitie.qui prius blasphemus fui, et persecutor, et contumeliosus: sed misericordiam Dei consecutus sum, quia ignorans feci in incredulitate. 14Now the grace of our Lord hath abounded exceedingly with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.Ma soprabbondò la grazia del Signor nostro colla fede, e colla carità, ch'è in Cristo Gesù.And the grace of our Lord ouer-abounded vvith faith and loue, vvhich is in Christ IESVS.Superabundavit autem gratia Domini nostri cum fide, et dilectione, quæ est in Christo Jesu. 15A faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief.Parola fedele, e degna di ogni accettazione, che Gesù Cristo venne in questo mondo a salvare i peccatori, de' quali il primo son io.A faithful saying, & vvorthie of al acceptatiō, that Christ IESVS came into this vvorld to saue sinners, of vvhom I am the cheefe.Fidelis sermo, et omni acceptione dignus: quod Christus Jesus venit in hunc mundum peccatores salvos facere, quorum primus ego sum. 16But for this cause have I obtained mercy: that in me first Christ Jesus might shew forth all patience, for the information of them that shall believe in him unto life everlasting.Ma per questo trovai misericordia affinchè in me prima io facesse vedere Cristo Gesù tutta la pazienza per modello a coloro, i quali sono per credere a lui, per la vita eterna.But therfore haue I obtained mercie: that in me first of al Christ IESVS might shevv al patience, to the information of them that shal beleeue on him vnto life euerlasting.Sed ideo misericordiam consecutus sum: ut in me primo ostenderet Christus Jesus omnem patientiam ad informationem eorum, qui credituri sunt illi, in vitam æternam.
17Now to the king of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.Al Re de' secoli immortale, invisibile, al solo Dio, onore, e gloria pe' secoli de' secoli. Così sia.And to the king of the vvorldes, immortal, inuisible, onely God, honour & glorie for euer and euer. Amen.Regi autem sæculorum immortali, invisibili, soli Deo honor et gloria in sæcula sæculorum. Amen. 18This precept, I commend to thee, O son Timothy: according to the prophecies going before on thee, that thou war in them a good warfare,Questo avvertimento ti raccomando, o figliuolo Timoteo, che seconda le profezie, che di te precedettero, secondo queste militi nella buona milizia,This precept I commend to thee ô Timothee: according to the prophecies going before on thee, that thou warre in them a good vvarfare,Hoc præceptum commendo tibi, fili Timothee, secundum præcedentes in te prophetias, ut milites in illis bonam militiam, 19Having faith and a good conscience, which some rejecting have made shipwreck concerning the faith.Tenendo la fede, e la buona coscienza, rigettata la quale taluni han fatto naufragio intorno alla fede:hauing faith and a good conscience, vvhich certaine repelling, haue made shipvvracke about the faith.habens fidem, et bonam conscientiam, quam quidam repellentes, circa fidem naufragaverunt: 20Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered up to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.Del numero de' quali è Hymeneo, e Alessandro: i quali io ho consegnati a Satana, perché imparino a non bestemmiare.Of vvhom is Hymenaeus & Alexander: vvhom I haue deliuered to Satan, that they may learne not to blaspheme.ex quibus est Hymenæus, et Alexander: quos tradidi Satanæ, ut discant non blasphemare.
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Witham
Of God, our Saviour. God the Father is here called our Saviour, as also to Titus 3:4., being author of our salvation, as are all the three divine persons. (Witham)
Calmet
As this letter was to be read to the faithful, it was proper that St. Paul should speak with dignity and authority; and, as in the course of it he reproves false apostles who taught from themselves, he reminds them at the beginning of his letter, that he himself had entered the sacred ministry, and was an apostle by the command of God. (Calmet)
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Witham
To Timothy, beloved son[Ver. 2. Dilecto, gnesio tekno. Some manuscripts, agapeto.] in faith: not that St. Paul first converted him, but that by his instructions he was settled in the principles of faith and of the Christian religion. (Witham)
1:3
Witham
Not to teach otherwise;[Ver. 3. Ne aliter docerent, me eterodidaskalein, aliud docere.] that is than what I taught them. (Witham)
The distinctive mark of a heretic, is the teaching differently from that which they found generally taught and believed in the unity of the Catholic Church before their time. The Greek word admirably expresses this; eterodidaskalein. Had Luther and the other original reformers attended to this, the peace of the Church would not have been so disturbed.
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Witham
Nor to give heed to fables and endless genealogies,[Ver. 4. Interminatis, aperantois, infinitis, sine fine.] or disputes about pedigrees from Abraham and David, which furnish questions rather than the edification of God, or godly edification.[Ver. 4. Aedificationem Dei, oikodouian Theou; which, I think, might as well be translated, godly edification. Some few manuscripts, oikonomian.] In some Greek manuscripts is read, dispensation, or economy; and so the sense may be, which contribute nothing to the explaining the dispensation of grace in the mystery of Christ's incarnation. The construction of this and the former verse is imperfect, when it is said, as I desired thee, nothing being expressed corresponding to the word as. Some understand it, As I desired before, so now in this epistle I desire it of thee again. The same difficulty occurs in the Greek as in the Latin text. (Witham)
St. Ambrose
The Jews were accustomed to dispute and make endless questions concerning their origin from Abraham, Isaac, and other patriarchs, and concerning their different tribes, which their captivity had confounded together. Hence there was no end of their questions, how, when, why? which gave rise to many fables, to the great disturbance of the faithful. Whereas, they ought to have taken the shortest way to edification, which was to confine themselves to what was of faith. (St. Ambrose)
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Witham
The end of the commandment. By the precept many understand, as it were by way of a parenthesis, all that is here contained from the 3rd to the 18th verse, where precept is again repeated. We may understand by the commandment, the law of Moses in general, comprehending both the ceremonial part and the moral precepts, which are also the law of nature. The ceremonial part was designed to bring us to Christ by types and figures; and the moral precepts, which were also of the law of nature, or natural reason, were to bring men to observe them by punishments, and so were delivered against wicked criminals, ungodly, who worshipped[Ver. 5. Impiis, asebesi, indevotis, non colentibus Deum.] not God; against the unjust,[Ver. 5. Injustis, anomois, sine lege.] (in the Greek, lawless men) Sodomites, etc. (Witham)
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Theodoret
The law is good. Do not think I condemn the law of Moses, or those who observe it; it is good, if properly understood and rightly practised. I only blame those who make the law an occasion of disturbance; who, without understanding, pretend to be masters, and teach idle curiosities. (Theodoret)
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Challoner
The law is not, etc. He means that the just man doth good, and avoideth evil, not as compelled by the law, and merely for fear of the punishment appointed for transgressors, but voluntarily, and for the love of God and virtue; and would do so, though there were no law. (Challoner)
Calmet
If all men were just, the law would be unnecessary, as law are made against transgressors. (Calmet)
St. Augustine
It is not the just, but the unjust, that the law threatens, binds, and chastises. The just man obeys it without violence or constraint; he fulfils it with pleasure. (St. Augustine, lib. de Spiritu. etc.)
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Witham
Because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, or in incredulity. Not that we can think it an invincible and altogether an inculpable ignorance, such as would have made St. Paul blameless in the sight of God. It was through his pure mercy that he called St. Paul, when his great sins and false zeal made him a greater object of the divine mercy: and God in him was pleased to make known to all men his wonderful patience, that no sinner might despair. The grace of God was superabounding, or exceedingly abundant in him. (Witham)
1:15
Witham
Christ Jesus, the true son of God, came into the world to save sinners, of whom (says St. Paul) I am the chief, the first, the greatest. (Witham)
1:18
This precept I commend to thee. Some understand it a precept of what follows, that he should wage a good warfare against the enemies of God and of his salvation. Others refer it to the precept mentioned before, ver. 5, to wit, that Timothy should charge all the new converts not to give ear to new teachers.
Witham
Prophecies. He seems to mean some particular predictions made by some who had the gift of prophecies, and who foretold that he should be a great minister of God. (Witham)
St. Chrysostom
The apostle reminds his disciple that he did receive him in the number of his disciples, and ordained him a ruler of the Church, in consequence of a prophecy; that is, a particular inspiration and revelation of the divine will. (St. Chrysostom)
1:19
An evil life is not unfrequently the leading principle of defection from the faith. The heart, not the mind, is generally the first corrupted.
1:20
Theophylactus
I have delivered to Satan; whom I have excommunicated, that they may learn not to blaspheme, or speak against the truth of the faith. (Theophylactus)
St. Chrysostom
The devil frequently, at that time, took possession of, or afflicted the excommunicated with diseases and other temporal evils. (St. Chrysostom)
1:9
The law is not.... He means, that the just man doth good, and avoideth evil, not as compelled by the law, and merely for fear of the punishment appointed for transgressors; but voluntarily, and out of the love of God and virtue; and would do so, though there were no law.
1:3
3. Not to teach othervvise.] Teaching othervvise then the doctrine receiued, is a special marke of Heretikes. The proper marke of Heretikes & false preachers, is, to teach othervvise or contrarie to that vvhich they found taught and beleeued generally in the vnitie of the Catholike Church before their time: al doctrine that is odde, singular, new, differing from that vvhich vvas first planted by the Apostles, and descēded downe from them to al nations and ages folowing vvithout contradiction, being assuredly erroneous. 〈Greek〉. The Greeke vvord vvhich the Apostle here vseth, expresseth this point so effectually, that in one compound terme he giueth vs to vvit, that an Heretike is nothing els but an after-teacher, or teacher-otherwise. vvhich euen it self alone is the easiest rule euen for the simple to discerne a false Prophet or preacher by, specially vvhen an heresie first beginneth. Luthers teaching othervvise. Luther found al Nations Christian at rest and peace in one vniforme faith, and al preachers of one voice and doctrine touching the B. Sacrament and other Articles: so that vvhat so euer he taught against that vvhich he found preached and beleeued, must needes be an other doctrine, a later doctrine, an after-teaching or teaching -othervvise, and therfore consequently must needes be false. And by this admonitiō of S. Paul, al Bishops are vvarned to take heede of such, and specially to prouide that no such odde teachers arise in their dioceses.
1:4
4. To fables.] He speaketh specially of the Iewes after-doctrines and humane constitutions repugnant to the lawes of God, vvhereof Christ giueth warning Mt. 23 and in other places, vvhich are conteined in their Cabala and Talmud: Al heretical doctrine is fables. generally of al heretical doctrines, vvhich in deede, how so euer the simple people be beguiled by thē, are nothing but fabulous inuentions, as vve may see in the Valentinians, Manichees, and others of old: by the brethren of loue, Puritans, Anabaptistes, and Caluinistes of our time. For which cause Theodorete entitleth his booke against Heretikes, Hereticarum fabularum, Of Heretical fables.
4. Questions.] Curious questioning in religion. Let our louing brethren consider vvhether these contentious and curious questionings and disputes in religion, vvhich these vnhappie heresies haue in gendered, haue brought forth any increase of good life, any deuotion, or edification of faith and religion in our daies. and then shal they easily iudge of the truth of these new opinions, and the end that wil folovv of these innouations. In truth al the world now seeth they edifie to Atheisme and no othervvise.
1:5
5. The end Charitie.] Here againe it appeareth, that Charitie is the cheese of al vertues, and the end, Charitie the very formal cause of our iustification. consummation, and perfection of al the law and precepts. and yet the Aduersaries are so fond as to preferre faith before it, yea to exclude it from our iustification. Such obstinacie there is in them that haue once in pride & stubbernes forsaken the euident truth. Charitie doubtles which is here commended, is iustice it self, and the very formal cause of our iustification, as the vvorkes proceding thereof, be the vvorkes of iustice. Charitas incheata (saith S. Augustine) inchoata iustitia: Charitas prouecta, prouecta iustitia: Charitas magna, magna iustitia: Charitas perfecta, perfecta iustitia est. Charitie novv beginning, is iustice beginning: Charitie grovven or increased, is iustice grovven or increased: great Charitis, is great iustice: perfect Charitie, is perfect iustice. Li. de nat. & grat. c. 70.
S. Augustine saith, He that list to haue the hope of heauē let him looke that he haue a good cōsciēce. to haue a good conscience, let him beleeue & vvorke vvel.for that he beleueth she hath of faith: that he vvorketh, he hath of charitie. Praefat. in Psa. 31.
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〈Greek〉.
1:7
7. Desirous to be Doctors.] It is the proper vice both of Iudaical and of Heretical false teachers, Heretikes great boasters, but vnlearned. to professe knowledge and great skill in the Lavv and Scriptures, being in deede in the sight of the learned most ignorant of the vvord of God, not knowing the very principles of diuinitie, euen to the admiration truely of the learned that reade their bookes or heare them preach.
1:8
Concordance Ro. 7, 13.
1:9
9. The lavv not made to the iust.] By this place and the like, the Libertines of our daies vvould discharge them selues (vvhom they count iust) from the obedience of lawes. Libertines alleage scripture. But the Apostles meaning is that the iust man doth vvel, not as compelled by lavv or for feare of punishment due to the transgressors thereof, but of grace & mere loue tovvard God & al goodnes, most vvillingly, though there were no law to commaund him.
1:15
Concordance Mt. 9, 13.
Concordance Mr. 2, 17.
1:16
〈Greek〉
1:18
〈Greek〉.
1:19
Euil life and no good conscience is often the cause that men fall to Heresie from the faith of the Catholike Church. Againe, this plainely reproueth the heretikes false doctrine, saying, that no man can fall from the faith that he once truely had.
1:21
21. Deliuered to Satan.] Excommunication of Heretikes, and the effect thereof. Hymenaeus and Alexander are here excōmunicated for falling from their faith & teaching heresie: an example vnto Bishops to vse their spiritual power vpon such. In the primitiue Church, corporal affliction through the ministerie of Satan vvas ioyned to excommunication. Vvhere we see also the diuels readines to inuade them that are cast out by excommunication, from the fellowship of the faithful, and the supereminent povver of Bishops in that case. Vvhereof S. Hierom (ep. 1. ad Heliod. c. 7) hath these memorable vvordes: God forbid (saith he) I should speake sinistreusly of them, vvho succeding the Apostles in degree, make Christes body vvith their holy mouth, by vvhom vve are made Christians: vvho hauing the k••is of heauen, The Priests high authoritie of Excommunication. do after a sort iudge before the day of iudgement: vvho in sobrietie and Chastitie haue the keeping of the spouse of Christ. And a litle after, They may deliuer me vp to Satan, to the destruction of my flesh, that the spirit may be saued in the day of our Lord Iesus. And in the old Lavv vvhosoeuer vvas disobedient to the Priests, was either cast out of the campe and so stoned of the people, or laying dovvne his necke to the svvord, expiated his offense by his bloud: but novv the disobedient is cut of vvith the spiritual svvord, The terrible effect thereof. or being cast out of the Church, is torne by the furious mouth of Diuels. So saith he. Vvhich vvordes vvould God euery Christiā man vvould vveigh.
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 11
… but, as less than any of you, I desire to guard you beforehand, that ye fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that ye attain to full assurance in regard to the birth, and passion, and resurrection which took place in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate, being truly and certainly accomplished by Jesus Christ, who is our hope,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.12
101. See now yet another proof that the kingdom, the government, of the Father and the Son is one. It is written in the Epistle to Timothy: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the government of God, our Saviour, and Christ Jesus, our Hope.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.9
… But in order to intimate the Trinity, some things are separately affirmed, the Persons being also each severally named; and yet are not to be understood as though the other Persons were excluded, on account of the unity of the same Trinity and the One substance and Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 3.22
… in the sense of receiving some addition to these attributes, do not say that the union took place at the first origin of the flesh, nor yet do they give precedence to the union in subsistence, but giving heed to the foolish Nestorius they imagine some strange relative union and mere indwelling, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm
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St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 11.23
… The exhortation to understand is prompted by the difficulty of understanding. But God’s gift of understanding is the reward of faith, for through faith the infirmity of sense is recompensed with the gift of revelation. Timothy, that ‘man of God’ as the Apostle witnesses of him , Paul’s true child in the faith
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 19
… In this way Christ giveth men the name of children of God, and so on the other hand children of the devil, and so too children of disobedience, of hell, and of perdition likewise. So Timothy was Paul’s son from goodness and was called “mine own son” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 1
Ver. 2 . “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 16
… he was writing to Titus, saying, “Zenas the lawyer and Apollos do thou diligently send forward, that nothing may be wanting to them;” that he might show from what quarter nothing ought to be wanting to them, he straightway subjoined, “But let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary use, that they be not unfruitful.” In the case of Timothy also,
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to Polycarp: Shorter and Longer Versions 3
Let not those who seem worthy of credit, but teach strange doctrines,
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Advantage of Patience 8
… What can be said more patient, what more merciful? Even he is made alive by Christ’s blood who has shed Christ’s blood. Such and so great is the patience of Christ; and had it not been such and so great, the Church would never have possessed Paul as an apostle.
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.53
… to the faith, who had received the Holy Scripture from his childhood, As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, the which minister questionings, rather than the edification of God which is in faith
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 250
… If such things seem grievous to you, charge the separation on those who are responsible for it. If you judge them to be of no importance, forgive me for declining to be of the leaven of the teachers of wrong doctrine.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians the-argument
The blessed John the Evangelist spent the chief part of his time there: he was there when he was banished, and there he died. It was there too that Paul left Timothy, as he says in writing to him, “As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 1
Ver. 3 . “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 18
Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. “Where is the wise man? where the disputer?” Where is the boasting of those who are styled prudent? For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 8
Be not deceived with strange doctrines, “nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies,”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.pref.1
1. Inasmuch as certain men have set the truth aside, and bring in lying words and vain genealogies, which, as the apostle says,
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, XXXVI 1
… For it renders us like to Christ, if we experience “the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.” For this is the affinity of the apostolical teaching and the most holy “faith delivered unto us,” which the unlearned receive, and those of slender knowledge have taught, not “giving heed to endless genealogies,”
Tertullian † AD 220 A Treatise on the Soul 2
… To the Christian, however, but few words are necessary for the clear understanding of the whole subject. But in the few words there always arises certainty to him; nor is he permitted to give his inquiries a wider range than is compatible with their solution; for “endless questions” the apostle forbids.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 7
… who invented for these men dialectics, the art of building up and pulling down; an art so evasive in its propositions, so far-fetched in its conjectures, so harsh, in its arguments, so productive of contentions—embarrassing even to itself, retracting everything, and really treating of nothing! Whence spring those “fables and endless genealogies,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 33
… Such also as “forbid to marry” he reproaches in his instructions to Timothy. Now, this is the teaching of Marcion and his follower Apelles. (The apostle) directs a similar blow against those who said that “the resurrection was past already.” Such an opinion did the Valentinians assert of themselves. When again he mentions “endless genealogies,”
Tertullian † AD 220 Against the Valentinians 3
… a knowledge of the faith which he has otherwise learned, as soon as he finds so many names of Æons, so many marriages, so many offsprings, so many exits, so many issues, felicities and infelicities of a dispersed and mutilated Deity, will that man hesitate at once to pronounce that these are “the fables and endless genealogies” which the inspired apostle
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Persecution in Egypt 1
… For these support their madness by persuasive arguments calculated to deceive the simple; the Greeks, as the Apostle has said, make their attack with excellency and persuasiveness of speech, and with plausible fallacies; the Jews, leaving the divine Scriptures, now, as the Apostle again has said, contend about ‘fables and endless genealogies
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.15
… But the aim of the charge is love from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, whence some have erred and betaken themselves to empty babbling, desirous of being teachers of the law, without understanding the words they say, nor the things whereof they speak with assurance.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 4.5
… I will take the fool’s line, and propound some examples drawn from things of a lower world. “I am become a fool; ye have compelled me.” What indeed is more foolish than to debate over the majesty of God, which rather occasions questionings, than godly instruction which is in faith.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 1
Ver. 4 . “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Titus 6
… For this is to maintain good works. For these things, he says, are good and profitable unto men. “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain.” What do these “genealogies” mean? For in his Epistle to Timothy he mentions “fables and endless genealogies.” (
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret 2.6
From this letter may be learnt the duplicity of the calumniators, and the injustice of the former judges, as well as the soundness of the decrees. These holy fathers have taught us not only truths respecting the Divine nature, but also the doctrine of the Incarnation
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 14
None of these things is hid from you, if ye perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ Jesus which are the beginning and the end of life. For the beginning is faith, and the end is love.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 27
… Even as when He eats and drinks, when He seems to be acting in an opposite way to John, this too He doeth for the sake of the Jews’ salvation, or rather for that of the whole world, at once both stopping the mouths of the heretics,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 9.12
… For we did not consider it fitting to celebrate that funeral with tearful plaints and groanings; for on such wise are they who die unhappy, or are altogether dead, wont to be mourned. But she neither died unhappy, nor did she altogether die. For of this were we assured by the witness of her good conversation, her “faith unfeigned,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 12.18
27. All which things having been heard and considered, I am unwilling to contend about words, for that is profitable to nothing but to the subverting of the hearers. But the law is good to edify, if a man use it lawfully; for the end of it “is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.38
… For there is no holy mystery, and no difficult passage of the word of God, in which, when it is opened up to me, I do not find these same commandments: for “the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 82.27
… but that, in becoming as a Jew to the Jews, he shuts up one thing in his heart, and declares something wholly different in his words, deeds, and writings? But far be it from us to entertain such thoughts of him. To both Jews and Gentiles he owed “charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 130.24
… It has been briefly and truly stated in the divine Scriptures, “Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.” That we may be numbered among this people, and that we may attain to beholding Him and dwelling for ever with Him, “the end of the commandment is, charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 167.11
… And what is the fear of the Lord but His worship? and whence is He truly worshipped except from love? Love, then, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, is the great and true virtue, because it is “the end of the commandment.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 14.26
… As in Paradise there was no excessive heat or cold, so its inhabitants were exempt from the vicissitudes of fear and desire. No sadness of any kind was there, nor any foolish joy; true gladness ceaselessly flowed from the presence of God, who was loved “out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 1.40
44. And, therefore, if a man fully understands that “the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 4.28
… The man who does not strive about words, whether he speak quietly, temperately, or vehemently, uses words with no other purpose than to make the truth plain, pleasing, and effective; for not even love itself, which is the end of the commandment and the fulfilling of the law,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 8.4
… But indisputably we must take care, lest the mind believing that which it does not see, feign to itself something which is not, and hope for and love that which is false. For in that case, it will not be charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned, which is the end of the commandment, as the same apostle says.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.24
… an image. And if they knew this, perhaps they would feel that He too whose glass this is, should by it be sought, and somehow provisionally be seen, an unfeigned faith purging their hearts,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 121
All the commandments of God, then, are embraced in love, of which the apostle says: “Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 3
6. In all things, indeed, not only ought our own eye to be kept fixed upon the end of the commandment, which is “charity, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 4
7. Moreover, what greater reason is apparent for the advent of the Lord than that God might show His love in us, commending it powerfully, inasmuch as “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”? And furthermore, this is with the intent that, inasmuch as charity is “the end of the commandment,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Good of Marriage 10
10. But I am aware of some that murmur: What, say they, if all men should abstain from all sexual intercourse, whence will the human race exist? Would that all would this, only in “charity out of a pure heart, and good conscience, and faith unfeigned;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 6
… but in the flesh not altogether, but in certain a virgin of Christ, in certain a mother, but not of Christ. Forsooth both faithful women who are married, and virgins dedicated to God, by holy manners, and charity out of a pure heart,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 5.5
… but this is not the charity commended by the apostle. In another passage he distinguishes true charity from all base and vicious affections, by saying, "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 19.12
… Such are they of whom the apostle says that "they have the form of godliness, but deny the power of it." The power of godliness is the end of the commandment, that is, love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 3.16
… and the operation of the Spirit is another thing, which is even often found in wicked men, as Saul had the gift of prophecy; and that operation of the same Spirit is a third thing, which only the good can have, as "the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 5.8
… "Now, the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 6.1
2. For as the spiritual man, keeping "the end of the commandment," that is, "charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 7.45
… and therefore what previously they lacked belonging to it is given to them, that is to say, peace and charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 36
What then is God’s law written by God Himself in the hearts of men, but the very presence of the Holy Spirit, who is “the finger of God,” and by whose presence is shed abroad in our hearts the love which is the fulfilling of the law, and the end of the commandment?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 49
… for all were to know Him, from the least to the greatest of them. This is the gift of the Holy Ghost, by which love is shed abroad in our hearts, —not, indeed, any kind of love, but the love of God, “out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 84
Inchoate love, therefore, is inchoate holiness; advanced love is advanced holiness; great love is great holiness; “perfect love is perfect holiness,”—but this “love is out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 34
… another hath fulfilled the law.” In like manner he says to the Colossians, “And above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.” And to Timothy he writes, “Now the end of the commandment is love;” and he goes on to describe the quality of this grace, saying, “Out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.12
… But we ought to do them good for their eternal salvation, not for our own temporal advantage. May God, therefore, incline our heart to His testimonies, and not to covetousness. For “the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 40.6
6. What is that “wedding garment” then? This is the wedding garment: “Now the end of the commandment,” says the Apostle, “is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 87.1
… and appointing us that we should bring forth fruit,—that is, that we should love one another,—a fruit that we cannot have apart from Him, just as the branches can do nothing apart from the vine. Our fruit, therefore, is charity, which the apostle explains to be, “Out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 10.5
… Go not far: lo, I say to thee, it is here; ascend the mountain, and see the end. Christ is the Mountain; come to Christ: thou seest thence the end of all perfection. What is this end? Ask Paul: “But the end of the commandment is charity, from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 90.17
… For then are works righteous, when they are directed to this one end: “for the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.6
… But he loved, both in thought and in acts. With a view to thought, he saith, “And I meditated:” as to action, “My hands also have I lifted up.” But to both sentences, he hath annexed the words, “which I have loved:” for “the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
Ver. 6 . “From which some having swerved have turned aside to vain jangling.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.41
… But some one, with reference to what we have alleged about the trance and the working of an evil spirit in Peter, concerning the words, “not knowing what he said,” not accepting that interpretation of ours, may say that there were certain mentioned by Paul “desiring to be teachers of the law,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.9
… they may be convicted on this score, that, while blaming the Nicene Bishops for their use of phrases not in Scripture, though these not injurious, but subversive of their irreligion, they themselves went off upon the same fault, that is, using words not in Scripture , and those in contumely of the Lord, knowing ‘neither what they say nor whereof they affirm
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 , as being puffed up with persuasive words of wisdom, and thinking thereby to succeed in deceiving, not understanding himself what he says nor whereof he affirms
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Symbols 'Of the Essence' And 'Coessential.' 1
… but only pretending to the name to suit the times, and thinking ‘religion to be a’ means of ‘gain’ ( 1 Tim. vi. 5 ). And therefore there is no reason to complain of his making mistakes about the faith, considering he knows neither what he says, nor whereof he affirms; but, according to the text, ‘goeth after all, as a bird’ (
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 61
Having read the letter now come from you, I approve your piety: but, marvelling at the rashness of those ‘who understand neither what they say nor whereof they confidently affirm
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.7
… Mark the folly of him who “understands neither what he says nor whereof he affirms
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.9
What is this vain juggling with words? Is he aware that it is God of Whom he speaks, Who was in the beginning and is in the Father, nor was there any time when He was not? He knows not what he says nor whereof he affirms
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 7.5
… so that any one who says that diversities of nature are signified by the names rehearsed by Paul deceives himself, “understanding,” as the Apostle says, “neither what he says, nor whereof he affirms
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 10.3
… But all such absurdities have been emitted by our author without reflection, so that, as regards them, the man who so blunders is not even worth much refutation, as he knows, to borrow the Apostle’s words, “neither what he says, nor whereof he affirms
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Answer to Eunomius' Second Book 1
… and while they pretend to follow the teaching of the sacred writers, they are not afraid of raising themselves above them. For what cannot be shown to have been said by any of those blessed ones, any words of whose are recorded in the sacred books, these things, as saith the Apostle, “understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
Ver. 7 . “Desiring to be teachers of the law.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.22
… And if you venture to say this with your eyes closed against the truth, what can we do save exclaim the more, See how blindness comes in punishment of the madness of those who wish to be, as the apostle says, "teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm?"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 49.9
9. They answer, “knowing not,” as the Apostle says, “either what they speak, or whereof they affirm:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 123.5
… to make lawsuits their practice, as “implacable;” to know nothing of loving service, as those who are “without kindness;” to make known to the enemies of the godly what they are well aware ought to be kept secret, as “traitors;” to disturb human modesty by shameless discussions, as “heady;” to understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm,
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 5.14
… And if they were only to see the same thing in Jesus Christ, which they themselves possessed, why should they not much rather prefer to have this in themselves than to see it in another? But you are wrong, you wretched madman, “not understanding,” as the Apostle says, “what you say and whereof you affirm”:
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 4.3
… I, however, do not recollect any mention between us of the three Chapters either in word or in writing. But as for them, if they soon return from their error, they should be spared, because, according to the saying of the Apostle Paul, They understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm (
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Symbols 'Of the Essence' And 'Coessential.' 1
… vii. 14, 12 ); and soon after, ‘What the Law could not do, in that it was weak’ ( ib. viii. 3 ), but wrote to the Hebrews, ‘The Law has made no one perfect’ ( Heb. vii. 19 ); and to the Galatians, ‘By the Law no one is justified’ ( Gal. iii. 11 ), but to Timothy, ‘The Law is good, if a man use it lawfully’ (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
Ver. 8, 9 . “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 12.18
27. All which things having been heard and considered, I am unwilling to contend about words, for that is profitable to nothing but to the subverting of the hearers. But the law is good to edify, if a man use it lawfully;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 12.25
35. Hearken, O God, Thou best Judge! Truth itself, hearken to what I shall say to this gainsayer; hearken, for before Thee I say it, and before my brethren who use Thy law lawfully, to the end of charity;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 12.30
41. In this diversity of true opinions let Truth itself beget concord; and may our God have mercy upon us, that we may use the law lawfully,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 145.3
… But by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, so that the words of the same apostle, “Love is the fulfilling of the law,” are realized. So the law is good to the man who uses it lawfully;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.41
… For here Lot seems to prefigure the future law; for those who spring from the law, and are placed under the law, by misunderstanding it, stupefy it, as it were, and bring forth the works of unbelief by an unlawful use of the law. "The law is good" says the apostle, "if a man use it lawfully."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 5.8
Chapter 8.—9. Wherefore, as the apostle said of the law, "The law is good, if a man use it lawfully,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.56
Chapter 56.— 127. Petilianus said: "But even if, as you yourselves suppose, you are following the law of the Lord in purity, let us nevertheless consider the question of the most holy law itself in a legal form. The Apostle Paul says, ‘The law is good, if a man use it lawfully.’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 16
Because “for a righteous man the law was not made;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 83
But “the precepts of the law are very good,” if we use them lawfully.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 21
He next quotes passages to show that God’s commandments are not grievous. But who can be ignorant of the fact that, since the generic commandment is love (for “the end of the commandment is love,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 60.10
… in Greek of the masculine gender it is: but whether it be of the feminine gender in speaking, or of the masculine, the expression maketh no difference to the truth. For law hath rather a masculine force, because it ruleth, is not ruled. But moreover, the Apostle Paul saith what? “Good is the law, if any one use it lawfully.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.6
… but a law so far forth as it doth command; though it is one and the same thing. Wherefore just as Christ is a stone, but to believers for the Head of the corner, while to unbelievers a stone of offence and a rock of scandal; so the testimony of the Law to them that use not the Law lawfully,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 83.5
… “Moab,” “from the father;” which in a bad sense has no better explanation, than by considering it so connected with the actual history, that Lot, a father, by the illicit intercourse procured by his daughter, begat him; since it was from that very circumstance he was so named. Good, however, was his father, but as “the Law is good if one use it lawfully,”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.16.3
3. Why, then, did the Lord not form the covenant for the fathers? Because “the law was not established for righteous men.”
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 31
… But, again, why the law is called the “strength of sin,” we shall at once explain in brief to the best of our ability. Now it is written that “the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.5
31. Give, says Plato, this ring to a wise man, that when he commits a fault he may by its help remain unnoticed; yet he will be none the more free from the stain of sin than if he could not be hid. The hiding-place of the wise lies not in the hope of impunity but in his own innocency. Lastly, the law is not laid down for the just but for the unjust.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 6.2
… the rich man, the poorer; the stronger man, the weaker; and the bolder man, him who is more gentle. But now by the grace of God none of these things happen. For they who live in a state of piety, require no correction on the part of the magistrates; for “the law is not made for a righteous man,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 7.4
… but God being free from passion, whether He exercise kindness, or whether He punish, He is alike good. Nor less does the threat of hell serve to show His goodness, than the promise of the kingdom. But how? I answer. If He had not threatened hell, if He had not prepared punishment, there are not many who would have attained the kingdom.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 11
And full well did he likewise call them, “generation of vipers.” For that animal too is said to destroy the mother that is in travail with her, and eating through her belly, thus to come forth unto light; which kind of thing these men also did being “murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 16
Here by righteousness He means the whole of virtue; even as also discoursing of Job, He said, “He was a blameless man, righteous.” According to the same signification of the word, Paul also called that man “righteous” for whom, as he said, no law is even set. “For,” saith he, “a law is not made for a righteous man.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 16
… but that many of those who have bid farewell to the world should do the very same, this is a thing from which all pardon is cut off. For if you choose to see how far you should keep from this sort of need, I mean that of the tribunals, by rule of the Scripture, and to learn for whom the laws are appointed, hear what Paul saith; (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 16
Because “for a righteous man the law was not made;” and yet “the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 49.22
… For you know that the law, which was given to the Jews, was inscribed on stone. And all the guilty are under the law: the right-living are in harmony with the law. The law is not laid on a righteous man.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 1.2
2. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate by day and by night ( ver. 2 ). The law is not made for a righteous man,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.6
… “But sin, that it might appear sin, through a good thing hath wrought in me death.” But “He hath set a law,” hath been said, as though it were a yoke upon sinners, whence hath been said, “For upon a just man law hath not been imposed.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 8.24
… “I have learnt that all the words which God hath made from the beginning shall continue forever: nothing can be added to them, and nothing can be taken away from them,” and therefore “the law is not made for the righteous, but for the unrighteous, and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the wicked and profane.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 21.29
… “Knowing that the law is not appointed for the righteous but for the unrighteous and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the wicked and defiled, etc.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.23
… For the law is not made for a righteous man but for the unrighteous
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence Against the Arians (Apologia Contra Arianos) 2
… as indeed our Presbyters , who were at a former date present at the Council of Nicæa, testified to his orthodoxy; for he maintained then, as he has done now, his opposition to Arianism (on which points it is right to admonish you, lest any of you admit such heresy, instead of abominating it as alien from sound doctrine
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 10
… It is against us, they say, that they are preparing their engines and their snares; against us that they are shouting to one another, according to each one’s strength or cunning, to come on. But the object of attack is faith. The one aim of the whole band of opponents and enemies of “sound doctrine”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 11
… But the being delivered, hints the assistance from God. But what is the form of doctrine?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 2
… Why do we rule, and are they ruled? See how the devil is on every side urgent to persuade us to be ignorant of the Gift of God. He mixes together the slaves with their masters, like some man-stealer
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.3
… His Blessedness cannot be denied, Who bestows blessings, for “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.” He cannot but be called “Blessed,” Who hath given us wholesome teaching, even as it is written: “Which is according to the Gospel of the beauty of the Blessed God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 1
But Paul never calls himself the Apostle of the Father, but always of Christ. Because he makes everything common to both. The Gospel itself he calls “the Gospel of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
Ver. 11 . “According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 12.2
2. Thus also Paul did; for having said, “He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,” he goes on to add, “who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 38
… but he that also sets down the reasons utters all from a contrite mind. Wherefore also he elsewhere makes mention of these same things, saying, “And I thank him that enabled me; even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that He counted me faithful, appointing the to his service, though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.” (
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 18
… For this (rule), even in his own person, the apostle has laid down. For, when affirming that Christ came for this end, that He might save sinners, of whom himself had been the “first,” what does he add? “And I obtained mercy, because I did (so) ignorantly in unbelief.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 72.13
… or as if that were not to be sought after in spiritual matters which has been revealed as the better by the Holy Spirit. For one who errs by simplicity may be pardoned, as the blessed Apostle Paul says of himself, “I who at first was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; yet obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.18
… Did he not come hither, that he might lead us away bound to Jerusalem? Be not amazed, said Paul, I know that it is hard for me to kick against the pricks: I know that I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God ; but I did it in ignorance
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 14
… Seeing then that such a Bishop originally saw Christ Jesus when risen, do not thou, his disciple, disbelieve him. But thou sayest that His brother James was a partial witness; afterwards He was seen also of me Paul, His enemy; and what testimony is doubted, when an enemy proclaims it? “I, who was before a persecutor
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons 1
… when I brought forward the Saints as accusing themselves indeed, but sparing others: Paul saying I am the chief of sinners, and that God had compassion on him who was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 5.6
… For this man was one who exercised a manual art, and supported himself too by his daily labours. And thou, indeed, from the first hast inherited true religion from thy fathers; and from thy earliest age hast been nourished in the study of the sacred writings; but he was “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 31
… For after glory such as his in kind and degree, he sets others before himself, and does not hide from us the fact of his having come after them, nor is ashamed of confessing this. And why art thou surprised at his not being ashamed of this, when he shunneth not even to parade before men his former life, calling himself “a blasphemer, and a persecutor?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 22
… For he that thinketh nothing of hell nor of heaven nor of ten thousand worlds in regard of his longing after Christ, how should he hunt after the glory which cometh from the many? By no means; but he is even very lowly when he may be so, and brands his former life with infamy when he calls himself, “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 7
… of the vastness of the grace of God, hear what he saith, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given.” Lowliness indeed it was even to bewail his former sins, although blotted out, and to make mention of them, and to hold himself within his true measure as where he calls himself “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious;” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 4
… xviii. 13 .) How “upon all flesh”? Whether you mean sinners, or just men, we all need the mercy of God; we all enjoy it, be it Paul, be it Peter, or be it John. And listen to their own words; there is no need of mine. For what says this blessed one? “But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 3
Ver. 13 . “Putting me into his service, who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 1
… and how? “With a pure conscience,” for he had not violated his conscience. And here he speaks of his blameless life, for he everywhere calls his life his conscience. Or because I never gave up any good that I purposed, for any human cause, not even when I was a persecutor. Wherefore he says, “I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 10
… the Cross persecuted Christ, and had stoned His martyr Stephen by those many hands, repented, and condemned his former sins, and ran to Him whom he had persecuted, He immediately enrolled him among His friends, and the chiefest of them, having appointed him a herald and teacher of all the world, who had been “a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 37
… for Thy Name it hath loosed its tongue to speak, Thy Name, as through the milk of its infancy, it hath had poured in and hath sucked, no one of this number can say, “I, who before was a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, in that I did in being ignorant, in unbelief.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 9
… and when they do not so, but utter their own sentiments, they know not that they blaspheme. So that if they be converted to the catholic faith, they console themselves, because they can say what the Apostle said: who when among other things he had said, “I was before a blasphemer; but,” saith he, “I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 39
… for who can be by truth a perjurer? So also by truth can no man be a blasphemer. Doubtless it is a milder kind of false swearing, when a person does not know that thing to be false and believes it to be true, which he swears: like as also Saul blasphemed more excusably, because he did it ignorantly.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4.5
… But when truth supports custom, nothing should be more strongly maintained. Then he proceeds as follows: "For one may pardon a man who merely errs, as the Apostle Paul says of himself, ‘Who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly;’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 6.3
… Although it may be thou takest upon thyself to judge of another’s heart what thou dost not know; but as for thine own self thou knowest that thou art wicked. Hearest thou not the Apostle saying, “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 3
10. Listen to the Apostle Paul acknowledging grace, and afterwards desiring the payment of a debt. What acknowledgment of grace is there in Paul? “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained,” saith he, “mercy.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 40.3
… “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.” What then has been done for thee, if thou hast not apprehended? On what account dost thou return thanks, saying, “But I have obtained mercy”?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 51.6
… and of Thy great mercy, many are Thy pitying. Thou dost regard mockers to amend them, dost regard ignorant men to teach them, dost regard men confessing to pardon. Did he this in ignorance? A certain man had done some, aye many evil things he had done; “Mercy,” he saith, “I obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 52.12
… “And I will confess to Thee because Thou hast done,” that is, because Thou hast done not according to my merits, but according to Thy mercy. But I have done what? If thou recollectest, “Before, I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.” But thou, what hast thou done? “But mercy I have obtained, because ignorant I did it.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 56.13
… And what doth it profit God? To the advantage of God it doth profit. I have told out to God my life, because that life hath been God’s doing. In like manner as his life Paul the Apostle did tell out, saying, “I that before was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious,” he shall tell out his life. “But mercy I have obtained.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 59.1.11
… blinded, lightened; slain, made alive; destroyed, restored? In return for what merit? Let us say nothing; himself rather let us hear: “I that before have been,” he saith, “a blasphemer, and persecutor; and injurious, but mercy I have obtained.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.1
… This then commending in the lesson which hath been read, he saith thus: “For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.” “But therefore mercy,” he saith, “I obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 73.22
… “In Thy will Thou hast conducted me.” What is, “in thy will”? Not in my merits. What is, “in Thy will”? Hear the apostle, who was at first a beast longing for things earthly, and living after the Old Testament. He saith what? “I that at first was a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious: but mercy I obtained.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 84.16
… He needed mercy, and he has said that it was shown towards him: “I who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, that in me Christ Jesus might show forth all longsuffering towards those who shall believe in Him unto life eternal.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 101.2
… “I who was before,” he saith, “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy.” But perhaps he only hath obtained mercy? Hear how he cheereth us: “That in me,” he saith, “first, Christ Jesus might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 103.2
… Whence also these words: “What,” he asketh, “shall I reward the Lord for all His rewards unto me?” Thou hast rewarded good with evil; He rewardeth evil with good. How hast thou, O man, rewarded thy God with evil for good? Thou who hast once been a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 147.27
… Understand not “melt” in an ill sense: it meaneth, He shall liquefy, He shall thaw them. For they are hard through pride. Rightly is pride called also dulness: for whatever is dull, is also cold.…Despair not even of the crystal. Hear a saying of the crystal. “Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 14
None of these things is hid from you, if ye perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ Jesus
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.18
… I know that I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God ; but I did it in ignorance : for I thought that the preaching of Christ was destruction of the Law, and knew not that He came Himself to fulfil the Law and not to destroy it . But the grace of God was exceeding abundant in me
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 3
Ver. 14 . “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 18
… For this (rule), even in his own person, the apostle has laid down. For, when affirming that Christ came for this end, that He might save sinners,
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus i.63
… of sin than all other evildoers.” And in the Gospel according to Luke, Peter says to Jesus, “Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Moreover, Paul, who himself also at a later time became an apostle of Jesus, says in his Epistle to Timothy, “This is a faithful saying, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 2
… Of these the (divine) word would have us disciples, and these should of right be our teachers, and to them only is it necessary to give heed, for of them only is ‘the word faithful and worthy of all acceptation
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 230
… I trust that it may be permitted me one day to visit and inspect a Church which is the nursing mother of true religion, honoured by me as a metropolis of orthodoxy, because it has from of old been under the government of men right honourable and the elect of God, who have held fast to “the faithful word as we have been taught.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 1-2.19
… but in the characteristics of their respective personalities, they were not alike. If, then, he were only proving that it is not right to confound the Persons, and to fit all the three names on to one Subject, his ‘saying’ would be, to use the Apostle’s words, ‘faithful, and worthy of all acceptation
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 10
… Wherefore continually he treats of his persecution, his plottings, his wars against the Church, at one time saying, “I am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God” ( 1 Cor. xv. 9 ); at another, “Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 27.3
… Them that sin rebuke before all.” They may choose to read, “It is a man’s saying, and worthy of all acceptation;” we are content to err with the Greeks, that is to say with the apostle himself, who spoke Greek. Our version, therefore, is, it is “a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 4.12
… And He departed from our sight, that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here. He would not be long with us, yet left us not; for He departed thither, whence He never departed, because “the world was made by Him.” And in this world He was, and into this world He came to save sinners,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 7.3
… so, in order that He might also give Himself as an example of returning to fallen man who on account of the uncleanness of sins and the punishment of mortality cannot see God, “He emptied Himself;” not by changing His own divinity, but by assuming our changeableness: and “taking upon Him the form of a servant” He came to us into this world,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 16.16
16. You ought not to say, in disparagement of Moses, that he was a sinner, and that he was put to death on a mountain because his God was angry with him. For Moses could glory in the Lord as his Saviour, who is also the Saviour of him who says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.48
And then to Timothy he says: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 23
… “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick; I am come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Accordingly, His apostle also says: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.2
You informed me in your letter, that you had entreated Pelagius to express in writing his condemnation of all that had been alleged against him; and that he had said, in the audience of you all: “I anathematize the man who either thinks or says that the grace of God, whereby ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.56
… He must have something in them to heal, who (as Himself affirms) is not needed as a Physician by the whole, but by the sick; He must have a reason for saving them, seeing that He came into the world, as the Apostle Paul says, “to save sinners;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.31
… and because they praise not themselves, but blame themselves,—“So that he that glorieth, not in himself but in the Lord may glory,” —they acknowledge the cause of the coming of Christ, because for this end He came, that He might save sinners: for “Jesus Christ came,” he saith, “into this world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.1
… am the least of the Apostles, that am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.” “But therefore mercy,” he saith, “I obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief.” Then a little afterwards, “Faithful the saying is, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 4.7
… The Saviour then in the gospel says that “the Son of man is come to save what was lost.” And the Apostle says: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation; that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 59
Let us, then, dearly-beloved, confess what the blessed teacher of the nations, the Apostle Paul, confessed, saying, “Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Repentance 4
… pardon by means of repentance, saying to the people, “Repent thee, and I will save thee;” and again, “I live, saith the Lord, and I will (have) repentance rather than death.” Repentance, then, is “life,” since it is preferred to “death.” That repentance, O sinner, like myself (nay, rather, less than myself, for pre-eminence in sins I acknowledge to be mine
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 1
… But he himself everywhere ascribes it to grace, and to God’s inexpressible mercy, as in the words, “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,” not that I was sufficient or even serviceable, but “that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all His long-suffering, for an ensample of them which should hereafter believe on Him unto eternal life.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 4
Ver. 16 . “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 10
… and with this he holds forth good hopes to those who despaired of their condition. For he says, that Christ accepted him, in order that in him first He “might show forth all longsuffering” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 16
10. Hence also by consequence we understand, that what the apostle Paul saith, “Who only hath immortality,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 147.27
… “Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.” But wherefore doth God melt the crystal? That the snow despair not of itself. For he saith, “For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe on Him unto eternal life.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 Against Praxeas 15
… “Whom none among men hath seen, nor indeed can see;” and he accumulates the description in still ampler terms: “Who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto.” It was of Him, too, that he had said in a previous passage: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to the only God;”
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 3
… Of whom the same apostle, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory.”
St Methodius † AD 311 Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna On the Day that They Met in the Temple 1
… Fitly did that temporal king and Thy servant once sing of Thee as the King Eternal, saying, Thou art fairer than the children of men, who amongst men art very God and man.
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Oration of Eusebius 6.4
4. But it does not refuse to acknowledge its own Sovereign and Lord,
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 De Decretis. (Defence of the Nicene Definition.) 5
… For the blessed Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews says, ‘By faith we understand that the ages were framed by the Word of God, so that that which is seen was not made of things which do appear .’ But nothing is common to the Word with the ages
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 30
… The eighth passage is, That they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent; and There is none good save one, that is, God. The solution of this appears to me very easy. For if you attribute this only to the Father, where will you place the Very Truth? For if you conceive in this manner of the meaning of To the only wise God,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.11
… We know that of all the names by which Deity is indicated some are expressive of the Divine majesty, employed and understood absolutely, and some are assigned with reference to the operations over us and all creation. For when the Apostle says “Now to the immortal, invisible, only wise God
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 5
… But one that begins when younger to wax wanton, and to have experience of the ways of harlots, for the first and second evening will praise his own wife; but after that he will soon fall back into that wantonness, seeking that dissolute and disorderly laughter, the words that are full of base import, the dissolute deportment,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 4
Ver. 17 . “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed 6
… Neither does an incorporeal generation degenerate into the plural number, or suffer division, where He Who is born is in no wise separated from Him Who begets. He is “only” (unique), as thought is to the mind, as wisdom is to the wise, as a word is to the understanding, as valour is to the brave. For as the Father is said by the Apostle to be “alone wise,”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 3.6
… And because he said that he had seen God, the Lord told him, “Thou canst not see My face. For man shall not see My face, and live.” Wherefore also the Apostle
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 148.11
… The apostle assuredly declared the excellence of the divine nature when he placed these two together, saying, “Now, unto the King of ages, invisible, incorruptible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.8
… and take that, which is said of the one only God, in whom the Trinity itself is understood, to be said only of the Father, and neither of the Son nor of the Holy Spirit: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.11
20. That place of Scripture demands neither a slight nor a passing consideration. For if one man had appeared, what else would those at once cry out, who say that the Son was visible also in His own substance before He was born of the Virgin, but that it was Himself? since it is said, they say, of the Father, “To the only invisible God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.17
… For they gave birth to this opinion who were not able to understand in respect to the unity of the Trinity such texts as, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 11.3
… "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Faustus denies this; and the God whom Paul declares to be "immortal, incorruptible, to whom alone is glory and honor,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 21.14
… Your god must either have had it in his power not to be injured and sullied by the race of darkness, in which case his own folly must have brought him into trouble; or if his substance was liable to corruption, the object of your worship is not the incorruptible God of whom the apostle speaks.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manichæans 24
… Accordingly, that God is unchangeable is written in the Psalms: "Thou shalt change them and they shall be changed; but Thou thyself art the same." And in the book of Wisdom, concerning wisdom: "Remaining in herself, she renews all things." Whence also the Apostle Paul: "To the invisible, incorruptible, only God."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.12
… Beloved Son, to whom the Beloved Himself saith, “All Mine are Thine, and Thine Mine.” But if perchance it is asked, whether God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ can be called King also, I know not whether any one would dare to withhold this name from Him in the passage where the Apostle saith, “But to the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 110.5
… for when doth not God the Word reign, who is in the beginning with God? For it is said, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
Orth. —What then is the good of reasoning? Do we say that the Divine nature is invisible? or do we dissent from the Apostle when he says
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 25
… “O Timothy, guard that which is entrusted to thee;” and again: “That good thing which was committed unto thee keep.” What is this deposit? Is it so secret as to be supposed to characterize a new doctrine? or is it a part of that charge of which he says, “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy?”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Idolatry 11
If we think over the rest of faults, tracing them from their generations, let us begin with covetousness, “a root of all evils,” wherewith, indeed, some having been ensnared, “have suffered shipwreck about faith.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 13
… whence, too, he pronounced them “shipwrecked with regard to faith,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Heathen (Contra Gentes) 6
… 2. But this must appear paradoxical and impossible. For evil does not come from good, nor is it in, or the result of, good, since in that case it would not be good, being mixed in its nature or a cause of evil. 3. But the sectaries, who have fallen away from the teaching of the Church, and made shipwreck concerning the Faith
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 To the Bishops of Egypt 2
… Thus Judas was degraded from the Apostolical office, not because he sacrificed to idols, but because he proved a traitor; and Hymenæus and Alexander fell away not by betaking themselves to the service of idols, but because they ‘made shipwreck concerning the faith
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 2
… men who used his words, but chose to hear them as suited their lusts, and dared to pervert them, as the followers of Hymenæus and Alexander, and before them the Sadducees, who as he said, ‘having made shipwreck of faith,’ scoffed at the mystery of the resurrection, he immediately proceeded to say, ‘And as I have delivered to you traditions, hold them fast
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.6
… and monstrous Scylla, divided into many shapes of unbelief, she displays, as a mask to her guile, the pretence of being a Christian sect, but those wretched men whom she finds tossed to and fro in the waves of her unhallowed strait, amid the wreckage of their faith, she, girt with beastly monsters, rends with the cruel fang of her blasphemous doctrine.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 53
… vi. 9 .) Let us therefore obey him; else, see what they suffered, because they did not take his counsel. And again he tells in another place what causes shipwrecks: “Who,” he says, “have made shipwreck concerning the faith. But do thou continue in the things which thou hast learned and wast assured of.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 5
Ver. 19 . “Holding faith, and a good conscience.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 33
… in like manner they who use their own reasonings, before they have learnt anything, suffer shipwreck; as also Paul saith, “Who concerning faith have made shipwreck.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.38
38. Look to yourself and glory in your own success and not in others’ failure. Some women care for the flesh and reckon up their income and daily expenditure: such are no fit models for you. Judas was a traitor, but the eleven apostles did not waver. Phygellus and Alexander made shipwreck; but the rest continued to run the race of faith.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 91
… I fancy that by this time you also have published something and that, as I suggested in my former letter to you on this subject, you have elaborated a treatise for readers of your own language. For I hear that certain of those who have made shipwreck
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 7
… nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, destitute of the truth, supposing that godliness is gain,” “withal learning to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not,” “who having put away a good conscience have made shipwreck concerning the faith;”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On the Flesh of Christ 16
… As earth was converted into this flesh of ours without the seed of a human father, so also was it quite possible for the Son of God to take to Himself the substance of the selfsame flesh, without a human father’s agency.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 13
… Plainly, the selfsame apostle delivered to Satan Hymenæus and Alexander, “that they might be emended into not blaspheming,”
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 13
… Therefore receive ye this third testimony, that I am an elect apostle of Christ; and if ye choose to accept my words, ye will find salvation; but if ye refuse them, eternal fire will have you to consume you. For as Hymenæus and Alexander were “delivered unto Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.13
… as, for instance, when they had learned, they set right the Thessalonians , who were going wrong. When then one knows properly these points, his understanding of the faith is right and healthy; but if he mistakes any such points, forthwith he falls into heresy. Thus Hymenæus and Alexander and their fellows
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 188
… In this case there is ground for forgiveness in ignorance, in the spontaneity of confession, and the long extent of time. Perhaps they have been delivered to Satan for a whole age of man that they may learn not to behave unseemly;
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 288
Further, let proclamation be made throughout the district, that he be excluded from participation in any of the ordinary relations of life; so that by our withholding ourselves from all intercourse with him he may become altogether food for the devil.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 28
… But when after hearing it even, we continue the same as we were, this is the very thing to rid him of his fear. Let us sing then the Psalm of good deeds, that we may cast out the sin that is worse than the demon. For a demon certainly will not deprive us of heaven, but doth in some cases
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… And so did he deliver over to him the fornicator, though at a distance, and again snatched him out of his hands ( 1 Cor. v. 5; 2 Cor. ii. 7, 11 ); and so others also, that they might be taught “not to blaspheme.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 7
… has he not the earth as his place? is he not condemned and accused by all? Paul was a man, and humbled himself. What then? is he not admired? is he not praised? is he not lauded? is he not the friend of Christ? Wrought he not greater things than Christ? did he not ofttimes command the devil as a captive slave? did he not carry him about as an executioner?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 5
Ver. 20 . “Of whom are Hymenæus and Alexander.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 2.7
… “After the sop Satan entered into him,” that is, because he had before the sop sinned voluntarily, and had not been brought to repentance either by humbling himself or by the forbearance of the Saviour. So also the Apostle says;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.7
… and let us not, shutting our eyes, deal in groundless reproaches, and accuse those who seek men’s welfare as if they did them wrong. In like manner, when the same apostle says that he had delivered certain persons unto Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 8
… These be the benefits we confer on them whom, by blaspheming not ignorantly but with knowledge, we deliver from heretics! And whereas the Apostle delivered men to Satan himself that they might learn not to blaspheme,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.20
… This is impossible. Therefore He who gave up this righteous man to be buffeted by the messenger of Satan, is the same as He who, through Paul, gave up to Satan himself the wicked persons of whom Paul says: "I have delivered them to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.79
… We see the same in the apostle, who, not in cruelty, but in love, delivered a man up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Others, too, he delivered up, that they might learn not to blaspheme.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.10
… I might indeed say that Satan himself was worse than all wicked men; and yet the apostle delivered a man over to him for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. And in the same way he delivered over others, of whom he says, "Whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 32
… For what believer is there who is ignorant that the first incentive to sin came from Satan, and that he is the first author of all sins? And yet, for all that, some are “delivered over unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”
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1. PAUL AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR, AND OF CHRIST JESUS OUR HOPE. — Note: For "according to the commandment," in Greek it is κατ' ἐπιταγήν, that is, as Vatable and Erasmus say, according to delegation, injunction, commission (it alludes to the Hebrew מלאכות, of which in Haggai I, 13); for ἐπιτάσσειν means to enjoin and commit something, as if to say, I did not arrogate to myself the apostolate, did not seize it, but Christ committed it to me, I received the apostolate by the command of God. It is more, says Chrysostom, to be an Apostle by delegation and command, than by calling, as he says to the Romans and elsewhere that he was called an Apostle: just as it is more to be a Legate a latere than a Nuncio of the Pontiff. You will ask: Where did God the Father commit the apostolate to Paul? Theophylactus answers, since the works of the Holy Trinity are indivisible, that if the Son commanded or the Holy Spirit commanded, the Father also commanded; but the Holy Spirit, Acts XIII, 2: "Separate," he says, "to me Saul and Barnabas for the work (of the apostolate among the Gentiles) to which I have taken them." Again Christ to Paul, Acts XXII, thus says: "I will send thee far off to the nations;" and Acts XXIII: "Thou must bear witness at Rome also." Therefore there God the Father, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, committed the apostolate to Paul. Secondly, God the Father is called here "Saviour," because He calls us through Christ to salvation, and procures and promotes it. Thirdly, Christ is called "our hope," that is the cause of our hope; both objective and material: for we hope to be blessed by the vision and enjoyment of Christ; both effective and meritorious: for we hope not through Moses and the ceremonies of the law, but through Christ and His grace, victory over temptations, endurance or deliverance from dangers and all evils, and finally eternal salvation and blessedness; and this is what the Apostle properly intends here: thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Anselm; also final, because Christ is the end of our hope and patience and all virtue. Note that Christ by Himself and immediately is our hope, because we hope for the aforesaid goods from Him; but the Saints and the Blessed Virgin are called our hope mediately, namely through Christ: because we hope through their prayers before Christ to obtain the goods which we ask; for if the Apostle to the Thessalonians, epistle I, chapter II, verse 19, without injury to Christ, as I said there, calls not only his hope but also the crown of glory, why should we not be able thus to call the Saints and the Mother of God?
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2. TO TIMOTHY, MY BELOVED SON IN FAITH. — For "beloved," in Greek it is γνησίῳ, that is, genuine, as Ambrose and the Greeks translate it, that is, as the Syrian [version], ingenuous, true, not spurious, not degenerate, who in all things reflects his spiritual father, namely Paul, in faith and morals: which is the mark of true sons. Our [translator], however, understands "beloved" from "genuine" by metonymy; for genuine and ingenuous sons are loved above all others: thus to Titus I, 4, where the Apostle calls Titus a beloved son, Chrysostom interprets [it as] a genuine son. Note secondly: "In faith" can be referred both to γνησίῳ, that is, genuine, with Oecumenius, and to son, with Ambrose and Chrysostom, as if to say: Timothy is to me a son, whom I converted through my preaching, and begot according to faith, in which faith he himself is to me a sincere, true and genuine son, and an emulator of paternal doctrine and virtue. "Nowhere," says Theophylactus from Chrysostom, "did the Apostle place mercy in the salutation of other epistles (but only peace and grace) except in this one alone; and he does this from great and paternal affection, desiring greater things for his son, as if fearing for him, and trembling on his account, or from a matter of prudence he was commanding, at the same time because teachers have need of greater mercy." Ruperus adds a second reason in Apocalypse I, namely that Paul wishes mercy for Timothy, because in rebuking and punishing crimes, he would be rather too severe: for young and inexperienced Prelates are accustomed to be carried away by the fervor of nature, so that immediately in a moment they wish to reform everything severely and to recall [all] to rigid discipline; and by this they offend many, especially the elderly, who do not bear such rigid and severe authority in the younger. "Because," says Ruperus in I Apocalypse, "Paul was instructing all Bishops in Timothy, whose office's supreme and necessary ornament is mercy, and he (Timothy), as is reported, was of more fervent zeal, therefore rightly and opportunely he wishes for him the bowels of mercy, that he might have [them]. Hence also he adds: Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father. Hence again he commends to him the works of mercy, and hospitality, which Bishops should observe, who are appointed as guardians of souls, much more so both for them and for their subjects is it necessary." And they wish this to be the venial fault of the angel of Ephesus, that is, of Timothy, which Christ reproves in Apocalypse II, namely that he left the first fervor of charity: for since, as Cardinal Hugo notes, he was more severe, and saw that he was making little progress in preaching on account of the corrupt morals of the wicked, and the Judaizers were greatly opposing him, he decided to cease from preaching (which is chiefly the duty of a Bishop): thus indeed youthful severity and fervor, being blunted, passes into lukewarmness; and foreseeing this, Paul exhorts him here, saying: "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season," etc. "For just as," says Chrysostom, homily On Lazarus and the Rich Man, "the veins of water, even if no one comes to draw water, still flow; and fountains, although no one draws from them, still send forth streams: so a Bishop and preacher ought to preach the word of God, even if few hear it and are converted." Thus Jeremiah, when he wished to cease from preaching because the Jews were clamoring against him, was commanded by God to continue.
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3. THAT THEY TEACH NO OTHERWISE. — In Greek, μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, which signifies both to teach otherwise, as Our [translator] and the Syrian [version] render it, and to use other teachers (for from ἕτερος, that is, other, and διδάσκαλος, that is, master, teacher, is composed ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, as if to say, to use another teacher); and consequently it pertains both to teachers and to disciples, namely that others should not approach, nor hear new teachers teaching things other than the transmitted and received faith. Whence Vatablus, embracing both senses, translates [it as], that they follow not a different doctrine; yet it seems the Apostle looked to teachers: for he attacks heretics and Novationists, as is evident from what follows, and commands that those bringing new questions and curious and fabulous dogmas be severely repressed and beaten back by Bishop Timothy. And thus Paul explains himself, cap. VI, 3, when he says: "If any man teach otherwise (in Greek εἴ τις ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ) and consent not to wholesome words," etc. It seems therefore that here the Apostle formed the verb διδασκαλεῖν from διδάσκαλος, that is, from the noun teacher formed the verb to teach. See Cap. 39. And this is what he said in other words, Galatians I, 8: "If any one preach to you a gospel besides that which you have received, let him be anathema."
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4. NEITHER GIVE HEED TO FABLES AND ENDLESS GENEALOGIES (in Greek ἀπεράντοις, which have no end): WHICH FURNISH QUESTIONS RATHER THAN GODLY EDIFICATION, WHICH IS IN FAITH. — The question is raised here, what fables and genealogies, and of whom, whether of the Jews or of the Gentiles, does the Apostle here touch upon? Chrysostom, Theophylactus and Oecumenius refer these to the fables and theogonies of Hesiod and of the Gentiles, of which the Emperor Tiberius was a student, concerning whom Suetonius, cap. VII, in his Life says: "Most of all," he says, "he took care to know the knowledge of fabulous history, even to absurdities and ridicule: for he also exercised grammarians in such questions almost: What was the mother of Hecuba? What name would Achilles have had among maidens? What were the Sirens accustomed to sing," etc. Hear also Seneca on these matters, epist. 89: "Didymus the Grammarian wrote four thousand books; he would have been wretched if he had read so many useless things. In these books the native country of Homer is inquired into; in these the true mother of Aeneas; in these whether Anacreon was more lustful or more drunken in his life; in these whether Sappho was a public woman; and other things which would have been better unlearned, if you knew them. Measure your lifetime; it does not hold so many things." But more correctly the same Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Theodoret, Ambrose and others judge that Paul speaks of the fables and genealogies of the Jews, such as now exist in the Talmud and among the Cabalists: and so the Jewish Rabbis after Christ have contaminated the whole sacred Scripture with fables fabricated by themselves, which they themselves call δευτερώσεις, that is, traditions of the fathers; for it is clear that the matter concerns Jews from verse 7, where he calls them "doctors of the law," and verse 8, where he opposes the law (certainly of Moses) to these fables. Whence St. Ignatius, in his epistle to the Magnesians: "Give not heed," he says, "to fables or endless genealogies, and Jewish inflations:" because namely in these the Jews are puffed up and grow proud. Such a fable is, according to St. Augustine as Bede says here, that they teach that God created two women for Adam, from whom they weave endless genealogies. Such is what they fable concerning the ox and the whale created at the beginning of the world, which are nourished for the Jews until the time of the Messiah, so that they may feast with him; and this ox to be so large that it grazes a thousand mountains daily. That in the time of the Messiah Judaea will produce for the Jews breads baked, and silken garments fitted for each Jew. That God daily sheds a tear, because He has permitted His people, namely the Jews, to be laid waste and destroyed; and such infinite things, partly senile, partly blasphemous, some of which Sixtus Senensis has collected. In like manner he calls "endless genealogies," that is very long, and as it were infinite, the series of generations, of grandfathers, great-grandfathers, which the Jews are accustomed to weave together, indeed to trace contentiously even to Abraham, so that they might display their lineage and nobility. Note, before Christ the genealogies of the Jews were carefully woven through in Genesis, in the books of Paralipomenon, Esdras, Joshua and others; and this usefully, so that namely each one might know his own tribe, and the portion of land assigned to his tribe, and so that it might be established who were from the tribe of Levi, and consequently would be future Levites and priests, and would minister to God. Third and especially, so that it might be established that Christ the Messiah was born from the tribe of Judah, according to the prophecy of Jacob, Genesis XLIX, 10, as is evident from Matthew I, Luke III. For these reasons there was such care among the Jews for genealogies, that Josephus, lib. I Against Apion, testifies that the priests wove through their genealogies for two thousand years. And Eusebius, lib. I Hist., XVII, teaches that Herod burned the books of Jewish genealogies, but they were carefully restored by many. After Christ, however, with the Jews and Judaism overthrown, this scrutiny and knowledge of genealogies is useless and futile; whence the Apostle here censures it. Secondly, this passage can be applied in like manner to the fables of Simon and the Simonians, and to the genealogies of Valentinus, concerning which Tertullian explains this passage of Paul, lib. Against the Valentinians, cap. III: "If anyone," he says, "should come from another conscience of faith, if he immediately found so many names, so many conjugal pairs, so many generations, so many positions, so many events, so many felicities and infelicities of a scattered and divided divinity; would he not doubt that these are the fables and genealogies which the Apostle Paul condemned beforehand?" The same, in the book On Prescription, chapter XXXIII, speaks thus: "But also when he names endless genealogies (Paul), Valentinus is recognized, among whom that aeon I know not which new one and not of a single name generates from his charity sense and truth, and these equally beget two, word and life: then these also generate man and Church, from which the first ogdoad of aeons, thence ten others, from the remaining twelve other aeons arise with wonderful names into a mere fable of thirty aeons." Whence thirdly, with Vatablus and others, by παραγγελία the Apostle understands the Evangelical law, and its denunciation and preaching: for this is παραγγελία; he understands the same in verse 3, when he says: "That thou shouldest charge," in Greek ἵνα παραγγείλῃς, "some that they teach no otherwise." Under this he understands by contrast, that he should denunciate and preach both himself and all other teachers the same things with him, or those things which Paul himself had taught; for this is chiefly the duty of a Bishop, namely to preach the Gospel, as the Council of Trent teaches, session V, chapter II. The end of the Gospel and of the Evangelical law, and consequently the end of the preaching of the Gospel, and thus the end of the law of Moses (for this is ordained and directs men to the law and Gospel of Christ) is to lead men to charity, namely that by exercising and practicing the Evangelical law, we may acquire, or, if it be already acquired, may increase in ourselves sincere charity, which flows from a pure heart (the Syriac, "sincere") and a good conscience, and faith not feigned, in Greek ἀνυποκρίτου, that is not simulated, or which is without hypocrisy, as if to say: The end of the law is faith and a good conscience (or hope, which a good conscience begets) and charity, not however fables and endless genealogies, which beget not faith and charity, but quarrels and disputes.
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5. BUT THE END OF THE COMMANDMENT IS CHARITY FROM A PURE HEART, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE, AND FAITH UNFEIGNED. — The Apostle proves that heterodoxy, that is, other doctrines of the Novatians, fables and genealogies, are not consonant with the law and the Gospel. But he proves it thus: The end of the law is to beget and nourish faith, hope and charity; but these fables do not produce edification in faith, and consequently neither charity, but questions and disputes: therefore these fables are not according to the law and the Gospel. Many, with Ambrose, understand by "commandment" the law of Moses, as if to say: "The end," that is, the perfection and consummation of all the precepts which the law of Moses contains, is charity. Or, as St. Augustine in the Enchiridion, the final chapter, "the end," that is, the aim of the precepts of Moses is to lead men to charity: just as the end of medicine is to heal a man. Secondly, Chrysostom and Theophylact understand the commandment of Paul given here to Timothy, verse 5, namely that he should charge certain ones not to teach otherwise than Paul had taught: for in Greek instead of "commandment" there is παραγγελία, the same namely which he used in verse 3, when he says: "That thou shouldest charge," in Greek ἵνα παραγγείλῃς, as if to say, Theophylact says: "If thou charge and command them not to teach otherwise, by this charge and thy commandment thou shalt accomplish charity; for if thou instill charity, every wicked doctrine will depart; for before, when there was no love, there was envy: from this followed the desire to dominate, from this moreover the ambition of teaching was born, and from this heresies arose; but now it is not so." Yet these men constrain and restrict the general word "commandment" too narrowly to this one commandment of Paul. WHICH QUESTIONS PROFIT MORE THAN THE EDIFICATION OF GOD, WHICH IS IN FAITH. — That is, which namely fables and genealogies produce more altercations and quarrels than progress in the knowledge and worship of God, which consists in faith and piety. Note: For "edification," in the Greek our text, the Syriac, Vatable and others read οἰκοδομίαν: Chrysostom however, Theophylact and others read οἰκονομίαν, that is, the dispensation and ordering of God, which is of faith, namely that through faith in Christ all may be instructed unto grace, piety and salvation. But the former reading is clearer and more ancient, and therefore truer. Such fables are those which some have fabricated concerning the deeds and lives of the Saints, such as the book On the Infancy of the Saviour contains. To fabricate these is great rashness and a crime; because, as Tertullian says at the end of the Apology, "By the envy of the devil it comes to pass that fables are mixed with saving doctrine, so that thus the truth of faith and religion is obscured and weakened." But such fables are not the subtle questions which the Scholastics raise, because they are not fables, but they illustrate and confirm faith and truth; yet let some beware lest they multiply these questions too much, and invent, raise and treat many new ones too subtle and curious, and of little use; for one ought to be wise unto sobriety and unto edification. Note here first, three epithets and three causes of the three theological virtues: for charity is said to flow "from a pure heart," that is, to be pure, and conversely in that purity begets charity; hope ought to have a good conscience with itself, and conversely a good conscience begets hope; faith ought to be sincere, and conversely sincere love of truth begets faith. Again from all these arises charity, as it were the end of the Evangelical law, the summit and apex of perfection: for sincere faith begets a good conscience and hope, these beget a pure heart, and all these finally beget charity. Whence here there are three circumstances and conditions, and as it were roots of charity: first, that it be from "a pure heart;" secondly, that it be "from a good conscience;" thirdly, that it be "from faith unfeigned," but sincere. Note secondly: He opposes charity here to worldly and carnal love; by which also one robber loves his fellow robber, says Theophylact, but not from a pure heart: because he loves him only to this end, that he may help him in robbing; but charity is from a pure heart. "A pure heart," says St. Augustine, book I On Christian Doctrine, chapter V and following, "is empty of cupidity and self-love, and loves nothing else than what ought to be loved," namely God in himself, and one's neighbor and all other things for the sake of God. Note thirdly: "A good conscience" is the same as a pure heart. Whence St. Ambrose interprets "a good conscience" as a good life: for this is materially a good conscience; or, if we wish to speak altogether precisely and formally, a good conscience results from a pure heart; for just as knowledge arises from the thing known as from its object, so a good conscience arises from a pure heart as from its object; for conscience is nothing other than knowledge and the testimony of the soul, by which the soul is well aware of itself, and attests to itself that it lives purely and holily according to God's law. St. Augustine, however, in Psalm XXXI, by "good conscience" understands the hope which a good conscience produces, just as a bad conscience generates despair. Whence St. Hilarion in St. Jerome: "When about to die, he said to himself: Depart, my soul, why dost thou fear? For nearly seventy years thou hast served Christ, and dost thou fear to die?" Thus also Paul, II Timothy, chapter IV, 7, says: "I have fought a good fight, etc., for the rest there is laid up for me a crown of justice," etc., that is to say, here Paul: The end of the Gospel is faith, hope, charity, or charity which arises from faith and hope. "A man," says St. Augustine, book I of On Christian Doctrine, chapter XXXIX, "supported by faith, hope and charity, and holding these unshaken, has no need of the Scriptures except to instruct others; and many through these three things live even in solitude without books." The same, in a sermon On the Praises of Charity: "He holds both what is hidden and what is manifest in divine utterances, whoever holds charity in his conduct." Note fourthly: The strength of charity arises from a good conscience: for this fears nothing, through this the Martyrs freely professed the faith before tyrants, and bravely endured all torments. Bias, when asked what in life he was free from fear of, answered: A good conscience. Tiburtius to the tyrant: "All," he said, "punishment is vile to us, where conscience is a secure companion." Tertullian, in the book to Scapula, the Prefect of Carthage who raged against Christians, chapter I: "With all," he says, "your cruelty we contend, even rushing forth willingly, and we rejoice more when condemned than when acquitted." The same, Apology, chapter L: "Although," he says, "you now call us bundle-wood and half-axle men, because we are burned bound to a stake with a circle of brushwood; this is the garb of our victory, this is your palm-bearing garment, in such a chariot we triumph." And Justin, Apology I: "The more we are raged against, the more we profess piety, just as if someone were to prune a vine to provoke it to fruitfulness." Morally, St. Bernard aptly accommodates these three epithets of charity to three sides in a sermon On the Three Orders of the Church, to the Fathers in Chapter: "Necessary," he says, "and altogether necessary is this pyramid, compacted of three sides, so that there be charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. Let the Prelate have purity of heart in this, that he desire to profit, not to preside, that he seek not his own advantage, and honor of the world, and anything else of his own in his office, except only the good pleasure of God and the salvation of souls. But with pure intention, an irreproachable conversation also is necessary, so that becoming the form of the flock he may begin to do and teach, lest teaching he hear from a brother: Physician, heal thyself. For such an occasion is the great damnation of the Prelate, the great perdition of the subjects: for he who presides must be irreproachable, because the things which he reproves in disciples, the master must especially avoid. And faith unfeigned: because such as he is in conduct, such he must necessarily be also in secret thought, lest he appear humble outwardly, and be lifted up within." Where St. Bernard interprets "a good conscience" as irreproachable conduct: for this flows from it, and is necessarily joined to it, as I have said.
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6. FROM WHICH CERTAIN ONES ERRING HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO VAIN TALK. — For "erring," in Greek it is ἀστοχήσαντες, which word is taken from archers, and is said of those who, lacking the art of shooting and aiming at the target, miss it and cast their missiles into the air or elsewhere. Thus here the target of the Evangelical law and truth is sincere faith, hope and charity already mentioned: from which teachers who have erred have missed the target and have been turned into vain talk (in Greek ἐξετράπησαν, that is they turned themselves and willingly went astray), and instead of true theology of Christ, they have pursued and introduced ματαιολογίαν and vain talk. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Œcumenius. Aristotle beautifully teaches, II Ethics, chapter VI, that virtue (and consequently truth) consists in the mean, and is as it were the center in a circle. Hence "to sin," he says, "happens in many ways, but to act rightly in one way only." And chapter IX: "It is difficult," he says, "in each thing to hit the mean, just as it is also difficult to find the mean in a circle, or the center;" thus it is difficult for one acting to attain the mean in which virtue consists, and not to fall from it or deflect to extremes; just as it is difficult for an archer to hit his target with his arrow, since he can miss it in many ways, but can touch it in only one way.
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7. DESIRING TO BE TEACHERS OF THE LAW, NOT UNDERSTANDING NEITHER THE THINGS THEY SAY, NOR WHEREOF THEY AFFIRM. — Hence it is clear concerning what the Apostle speaks, and what was the cause of their error: namely, that he speaks of Jews converted to Christ, who were ambitious and desired to be held as experts and teachers of the Law of Moses: hence they asserted their δευτερώσεις and fables, and false dogmas, and especially this, that the Law of Moses was to be observed together with the Gospel, and that we are justified by the works of the law. Whence he adds: "Not understanding neither the things they say, nor whereof they affirm," that is to say, Neither the principles nor the conclusions of their doctrine do they understand; neither the law and Scripture of Moses, nor its explanation do they grasp; because they do not understand that the end and aim of the law is Christ and his faith, hope and charity. Hence truly St. Augustine, in book VIII of Genesis according to the letter, chapter XXV, says: "The mother," he says, "of all heresies is pride, and the desire of glory, and the study of knowledge. Whence concerning the Scribes and Pharisees, Matthew XXIII, it was said by Christ the Lord: They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge their fringes."
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8. NOW WE KNOW THAT THE LAW IS GOOD, IF A MAN USE IT LAWFULLY. — This is a digression, for since in the preceding verse he censured vain teachers of the law, it could seem to the Jews that he had censured the law: for indeed the Jews everywhere objected to Paul that he was an enemy and destroyer of the Law of Moses. This invidious calumny the Apostle removes from himself here, that is to say, While I censured the teachers of the law, but vain ones, I do not censure the law: for I know and profess that the law is good; if however one uses the law "lawfully," ἐάν τις νομίμως, that is, if you use the law according to the law itself and the mind of the law: but the mind and end of the law is to lead men to Christ. Whoever therefore uses the law lawfully, that is, in the manner the law itself commands, he prefers Christ to the law, as Chrysostom and Theophylactus say, and does not expect justice from the law, but from Christ: indeed, as follows, he knows that the law is not laid down for Christians who are just and holy, but for the unjust and wicked. Secondly, whoever teaches and at the same time does those things which the law commands, he uses the law lawfully; but whoever teaches and does not do, uses the law unlawfully, as Theophylactus says. But especially does one use the law lawfully, who so applies himself to the law and does and fulfills it, that he always has the end of the law before his eyes, namely, that through the law he may kindle in himself and in others charity from a pure heart, as I said in verse 5.
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9. KNOWING THIS, THAT THE LAW IS NOT MADE FOR THE JUST. — This is one thing which the Apostle requires among others for this, that someone may use the law legitimately, namely that he know it is not made for the just, but for the unjust, and that those abuse the law who through it terrify the just and wish the threats and severity of the law to pertain to the just. By which sentiment the Apostle turns back the objection of the Jews upon the Jews themselves: You, he says, object to me that I abolish and censure the law; I deny this, but I say the law is good, provided only that someone use it well: to which among other things it is required that he know the law is not made for the just, but for the unjust. But you, O Jews, wish the law of Moses to be made for the just, namely for Christian faithful sanctified and justified through Christ in baptism, and you terrify them with the threats of the law, alleging that from Deuteronomy, chapter XXVII, verse 26: "Cursed is he that continueth not in the words of the law, and fulfilleth them not in deed:" therefore you, O Jews, do not use the law legitimately; nor is the law good for you, because on account of it you make yourselves lawless to Christ and to justice. Hence the Apostle so often says in the Epistle to the Romans and to the Galatians that he and Christians are loosed from the law, and that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, and, if we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law. For the Jews preached nothing but the law, and through the law excluded the Gospel. To these the Apostle rightly opposes, saying the law is not made for the just, but for the unjust, as if to say: The law is not made for Christians, the just and holy; but for Jews, who, as hard and rebellious servants, were to be compelled to keep the law by fear of the penalties of the law: but for Christians in place of the law the Gospel has been given, and the Spirit of grace and love, that they might of their own accord do what the law of God commands. Note first: The Apostle speaks chiefly of the Decalogue of the law; for this is set down for murderers, fornicators, perjurers, of whom he speaks next. Note secondly: "The law is not made for the just," that is, it was not enacted to restrain the just; for the just of their own accord conform themselves to the law, from love of justice and obedience, not from fear of the penalty which the law threatens to transgressors; but it was enacted that by its threats and penalties it might restrain the impious. This sense is clear from what follows, as if to say: Just as a pedagogue is not needed for a young man who is already sufficiently instructed, nor are threats and scourges needed for a servant who of his own accord does what is commanded: so a threatening law and one holding forth penalties is not needed for the just, who of their own accord do the good and honest thing which the law commands. Hence thirdly, the Libertines wrongly infer that the just are not bound by the law even of the Decalogue: for in the law there are three things, namely to bind, to direct and to restrain, or to punish. The first two the law exercises upon all, even the just, the third only upon the unjust. Whence St. Chrysostom beautifully and morally says: "The just," he says, "is not under the law, but above the law." And Augustine in Psalm I: "The just," he says, "is not under the law, because his will is in the law of the Lord; for he who is in the law acts according to the law; he who is under the law is acted upon according to the law: therefore the former is free, the latter is a servant." See the same in On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter X. THE LAW IS NOT MADE FOR THE JUST, BUT FOR THE UNJUST AND DISOBEDIENT, THE IMPIOUS AND SINNERS, THE WICKED AND DEFILED, FOR MURDERERS OF FATHERS AND MURDERERS OF MOTHERS, FOR MURDERERS, 10. FOR FORNICATORS, FOR THEM WHO DEFILE THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND, FOR MAN-STEALERS, FOR LIARS AND FOR PERJURED PERSONS, AND IF THERE BE ANY OTHER THING THAT IS CONTRARY TO SOUND DOCTRINE. 11. WHICH IS ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF THE BLESSED GOD, WHICH WAS COMMITTED TO ME. — Note first: For "unjust," in Greek it is ἀνόμοις, that is, lawless. For "disobedient," in Greek it is ἀνυποτάκτοις, that is, inobsequent, as St. Ambrose translates it, namely those who are unwilling to be subject and obedient, but are disobedient, refractory and rebellious, as the Syriac translates it, of whom it is said in Jeremiah II, 20: "From of old thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bonds (the precepts by which I bound thee with my law), and thou saidst: I will not serve." Note secondly: For "wicked," in Greek it is ἀνοσίοις, which Vatablus and Erasmus translate as irreverent, namely those who reverence neither God nor men. Again for "defiled," in Greek it is βεβήλοις, that is, profane and to be excluded from sacred things. But those defiled by some impiety are to be excluded, especially by such as violates and profanes sacred things. Thus Esau, Hebrews III, 16, is called profane, because for the sake of food he sold his birthright; for the right of the firstborn, on account of the dignity of the priesthood annexed to it at that time, was sacred. Note thirdly: "plagiarists" are called here, not, as Lyra and Hugo say, those who inflict wounds and blows on others; but those who seize the slaves of others and claim them for themselves, or who snatch free men into servitude, and sell or buy them as slaves; for this is what the Greek word ἀνδραποδισταῖς signifies; for ἀνδράποδον is a slave, whence ἀνδραποδιστής is called, that is, a plagiarist; for just as, says Erasmus, those who steal sacred things are called sacrilegists; those who steal from the public treasury or the prince's fisc, embezzlers; those who seize the beasts of others, cattle-thieves: so those who abduct and steal free men or the slaves of others are called plagiarists by the Jurists; and the theft itself is called plagium, which the Lord commands to be punished by the penalty of death, Deut. XXIV, 7. Note fourthly: The Apostle says "sound doctrine" is that which is according to the Gospel, because namely the Gospel is nothing other than the norm of sound doctrine; and therefore evangelical doctrine is itself sound doctrine, so that whatever is contrary to or in accord with sound doctrine is contrary to or in accord with the Gospel; and every sin which is opposed to sound doctrine is also opposed to the Gospel. Again, by these words, says Theodoret, the Apostle shows that those things which are necessary to be observed from the law of Moses are in accord with the Gospel, and are prescribed by it, as the precepts of the Decalogue: but the other ceremonial and judicial precepts of the law of Moses are now superfluous. And by this very thing he tacitly refutes the dogma of the Judaizers, who wish to mix legal observances with the Gospel. Against whom the Apostle here teaches that the Gospel suffices, as containing all sound doctrine concerning faith and morals, and therefore is itself sound doctrine.
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11. WHICH IS ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF THE BLESSED GOD, WHICH WAS COMMITTED TO ME. — Note fifthly: He calls it the "Gospel of glory," that is, glorious. For thus in II Cor. III, he opposes the Gospel to the law of Moses, because that was more glorious than this, because the law was as it were a shadow, the Gospel is as it were light, splendor and clarity. Secondly, "Gospel of glory," that is, by which the blessed God and beatifier is glorified, says Vatable; thus in II Cor. IV, 4, he calls it the "Gospel of the glory of Christ," because in the Gospel Christ is glorified, Christ's redemption, grace, resurrection and divinity. Thirdly, he calls it the "Gospel of glory," because it promises and leads us to eternal glory. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus. Fourthly, he calls it the "Gospel of glory," because on account of the Gospel to suffer for Christ is not ignominious or foolish, but glorious. And for this reason he adds μακάριον, that in these evils there is true blessedness. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus. Fifthly, "Gospel of glory," that is, of grace, as if to say, the Gospel announces and brings to us the glorious grace of God. Thus it is said in Rom. III, 23: "All have sinned, and are in need of the glory of God," that is, the glorious grace of God. By metonymy this sense coheres with the first, and is the simplest and plainest; for it is called the "Gospel of the glory of God," because in it God shows and manifests His glory and magnificence, both in the manifold grace of this life and in the heavenly glory in the heavens. Note sixthly: Aptly here he calls God blessed, so as to note the source of the glory of the Gospel already mentioned; for from the immense goodness and happiness of God it comes to pass that He has deigned to repair lost man, and through this the Gospel of glory, to communicate to man His own glory and blessedness. For just as in the poor and envious man indigence and misery is the cause of envy, so happiness in the blessed is the cause of mercy; for good overflowing in itself pours itself out to others. For this reason God in Hebrew is called שדי saddai, that is, sufficient, abundant and the cornucopia of all goods, as I said in Philip. IV, 11.
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12. I GIVE THANKS TO HIM (God) WHO HAS STRENGTHENED ME, CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. — Thus the Roman, Greek and Greek, and Syriac texts. The preposition in is therefore to be deleted, with which some read thus, in Christ Jesus. The sense is: I give thanks to my God, who strengthens me for the glory of Christ, who namely supplies me with strength and courage, so that I might announce Christ powerfully and fearlessly. The Apostle had said, verse 11, that the Gospel was entrusted to him by God, hence he now gives thanks to God. Secondly, τὸ Christ can be explained, through Christ, and God strengthens me through Christ's grace. "Because," says Theophylactus, "he had said: That which was entrusted to me, lest it seem that he glories on that account, he refers this to God: To Him, he says, thanks are owed, who gave me strength, so that I might be able to receive such a burden; for to withstand daily deaths was not within human power. This truly is humility and a spirit not at all aspiring to high things, nor puffed up. But our humility is not ταπεινοφροσύνη, that is, an affection for humble things, but is ταπεινορρημοσύνη, that is, consisting only in words and humility of tongue." BECAUSE HE ESTEEMED ME FAITHFUL, PLACING ME IN THE MINISTRY — of apostleship and the preaching of the Gospel. Refer these words to I give thanks, as if to say: I give thanks to God for this reason, that he esteemed me faithful, that is, by esteming me faithful, he entrusted the Gospel to me, as I said in the preceding verse, and placed me in its ministry; it is therefore a metalepsis of such a kind as we commonly say: My Lord esteemed me faithful, or sufficient and judged me for the stewardship of his house, that is, he entrusted me with the stewardship of his house. Hence it is clear that "faithful" here does not signify believing, or Christian, as Ambrose and others wish, but one who is trustworthy and who administers in good faith the matters entrusted to him. Secondly, Hesselius and others explain: "he esteemed me faithful," that is, he made me so. Thus in Philip. II Christ is said not to have regarded robbery, that is, not to have committed robbery, according to some; for the mental words of the Hebrews are sometimes taken for real ones, and conversely, as I said in Canon 36. But this sense seems to be harsher and contrary to the mind of the Apostle: even if it be true on the part of the thing that God made Paul faithful before he esteemed him to be faithful. But the Apostle does not intend this here; for he gives thanks to God only for the apostleship and the Gospel entrusted to him. Thirdly, Theophylactus, taking the word esteemed properly, explains it thus, saying that Paul was chosen before Judas rejected for apostleship and the preaching of the Gospel, from the fact that God had foreseen and foreknown a better and more faithful disposition in Paul, and had judged him to be such; and that Paul gives thanks to God for this judgment of God, just as stewards give thanks to masters, because they judge them faithful and industrious, and fit for stewardship by this very fact, that they entrust and commit it to them. After this foreknowledge, judgment and election of God, says Theophylactus, God added strength to Paul, so that he might faithfully complete and perfect the work entrusted to him, namely so that he might evangelize fearlessly and effectively. But this sense smacks somewhat of Pelagianism; for, as Augustine teaches in De Praedest. Sanct., II, III, XX, God did not choose Paul and any other for grace, and consequently neither for apostleship (for it seems that when God called Paul to faith and grace, by this very fact he simultaneously destined him and called him to apostleship, as is gathered from Acts IX, 15), because he was worthy and faithful; but rather by calling and choosing him he made him worthy and faithful. I confess, however, that God could secondarily have regard to the natural gifts of Paul, and on account of them rather choose him than others lacking them for apostleship, for example, because Paul was learned in the law, because he was of keen intellect, of fervent nature, of generous disposition: for Augustine seems to indicate this, lib. XXII Contra Faust., LXX. That Christ had regard to similar gifts of action and governance in St. Peter, when he set him over the whole Church, teaches St. Thomas, II II, Quaest. CLXXXV, art. 3, ad 1; and in the body he asserts that regard should be had to them in choosing any Bishop. He has similar things in Quaest. LXIII, art. 1 and 2, where he also assigns the cause. But the first and principal cause, why he chose Paul before others, not only for grace, but also for apostleship, was the liberal will of God and special mercy toward Paul, not toward others. Whence Paul refers his apostleship to him, and gives thanks here.
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13. WHO WAS BEFORE A BLASPHEMER, AND A PERSECUTOR, AND CONTUMELIOUS. — For "contumelious" the Greek is ὑβριστής, which, as Vatablus translated it, signifies "violent," one who brings force and oppresses another; St. Augustine, homily 25 among 50, translates it "injurious"; namely, this is what Luke says in the Acts, chapter IX: "Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter." For Paul here by a gradation exaggerates his sin. The first degree is that he blasphemed Christ and cursed Him with words. The second is that he persecuted by deeds and in fact. The third is that he brought violence and struck the faithful of Christ, and endeavored to abolish the Christian name. BUT I OBTAINED MERCY OF GOD, BECAUSE I DID IT IGNORANTLY IN UNBELIEF. — In Greek ἀλλὰ καί, that is, "but also" mercy, etc., as if to say, Not only did I obtain pardon, but also mercy, so that I became an Apostle, because I sinned through ignorance arising from unbelief: for I knew not that I was persecuting the Messiah; I was moved by zeal for the law, and fought for the law of Moses, as if for the law of God. You will say: The Apostle says he obtained mercy because he sinned from ignorance; therefore this very fact that he sinned from ignorance was the cause (for thus the causal conjunction "because" signifies) why God had mercy on Paul and called him to faith and grace: therefore the beginning of the first calling and the first grace, and consequently of predestination itself, can have its beginning from the part of man, indeed even its cause: which however the Council of Orange condemns, Canons 5, 6 and 7. For the response, note with Ludwig Molina, 1st part, Question XXIII, article 4, disputation 1, member 12, that although no reason, disposition, or merit is given for predestination and consequently for the first calling and grace from the part of man, since it comes to man from the mere will and mercy of God; yet God in His eternal predestination does not on that account fail to attend to the circumstances and the use of free will foreseen; for example, here in Paul, He regarded the quality of ignorance, which excused the bad use of free will, as a condition, not on account of which as a congruous cause He would predestine Paul, or call and exalt him to such great things (for thus the beginning of grace and salvation would be from the good use of free will, which the Council of Orange and the Church condemn); but God attended to and regarded this ignorance of Paul as a condition without which He would not have determined to predestine him thus and call him so magnificently, namely if Paul had sinned from obstinate malice. To the argument therefore I respond by denying the first consequence, and consequently the others which are deduced from it. To the proof of the consequence I respond that the conjunction "because" signifies not a direct and proper cause, but an indirect one, and only one removing impediments: for ignorance purged and removed a certain and destined malice, which is an impediment to divine calling and grace: for Paul sinning from ignorance was not indeed more worthy, but was less unworthy of pardon, and less impeded God's calling, than if he had sinned from malice, as the Scribes and other Jews did, as Theophylactus says. Some add with Gabriel Vasquez that this removal of impediment proceeds from the grace of Christ, or that the grace of Christ preserved Paul lest he sin from malice, and thus impede God's calling: for they think that every beginning of calling whatsoever, even if merely negative, flows from the grace of Christ; but there is nothing that compels us to extend the grace of Christ so far; for the Councils and Fathers, when they deny that the beginning of faith and salvation is from us, speak of the beginning properly so called, which positively and properly originates and begins the way to justice and salvation, and disposes and leads man to it; otherwise indeed we would be compelled in like manner to confess that all morally good works which infidels do before they receive the faith of Christ are from the grace of Christ, and consequently are works of grace, not of nature; whereas the Apostle to the Romans II, and from him all Doctors teach that the Gentiles naturally, that is by the powers of nature alone, do many good things which the law prescribes, such as honoring parents, cultivating justice, avoiding homicide, theft, etc. From this you will morally deduce sound counsel to be given even to obstinate sinners, namely, that if they are altogether unwilling to avoid sins, or can do so with difficulty, they should at least avoid the greater ones and sin less: for the more often and more easily will they be illuminated by God, the less obstacle they place. This is easy to confirm by many examples drawn from the Lives of the Fathers.
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14. THE GRACE OF OUR LORD HATH ABOUNDED EXCEEDINGLY WITH FAITH AND LOVE, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS. — For "hath abounded exceedingly," in Greek it is ὑπερεπλεόνασε, that is, it hath been supermultiplied, hath superabounded, hath exuberantly overflowed, hath abounded exceedingly. Here note first, that τὸ ὑπέρ, that is "super", signifies a comparison and excellence of grace before the unbelief, blasphemies and persecutions of Paul, as if to say: I was a great persecutor and enemy of Christ and the Church, a great sinner and blasphemer; but far greater was the grace of God, which made me from a wolf a sheep, from Saul Paul, from a persecutor a preacher, from a blasphemer an Apostle. Others add: "hath abounded exceedingly," that is, the Lord hath pursued me with many other benefits after the Gospel was committed to me, namely in that He gave me the gift of tongues, of prophecy, of healings, and other graces. But that Paul here had regard not so much to these graces as to the grace of justification and reconciliation with God, is evident from the following and preceding verse. For he is wholly carried away in God's clemency, by which He received so great a sinner into favour. Therefore the former sense is the genuine one. Note secondly: Paul signifies the effects of grace, when he adds, "with faith and love," where he opposes faith to his former unbelief, love to his persecution and cruelty. Whence Vatablus translates, God hath given me abundantly His grace, and faith in Christ, and love toward the saints, the Christians namely, whom before I pursued and persecuted with stubborn and deadly hatred. Hence also the Syriac translates, the grace of our Lord hath been multiplied in me, and faith, and love, which is in Jesus the Messiah. Otherwise Chrysostom expounds τὸ μετά, that is "with faith and love," as if the particle with signified the reason of a means, or instrument, so that the sense is: I have obtained this grace and these gifts through faith and love. The former sense is plainer and simpler. Note thirdly: The verb hath abounded exceedingly is to be referred not only to grace, but also to faith and love, as if to say: With grace abundantly poured forth in me, the effects of grace have likewise superabounded in me, namely faith and love: for there was breathed into Paul a most robust faith and a most ardent love, by which, as it were a fire, he traversed the whole world and inflamed and kindled all. Note fourthly: He calls "faith and love, which is in Christ," as if to say: Which I have through the grace and merits of Christ. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Primasius. Secondly, Vatablus, "in Christ," that is toward Christ and the Christians. Thirdly, and more genuinely according to the mind and phrase of the Apostle, faith and love in Christ, is Christian faith and love, or that which is proper to Christians, the sons of Christ, which is divine, supernatural, heavenly and spiritual love: for he opposes this to the natural love of the unbelievers, which is produced and brought forth by community of nature, or of blood, or of benefits, or of studies and offices.
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15. A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION: THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THIS WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM THE FIRST. — The Apostle had said that the grace of God had abounded in himself; now in fitting order he subjoins that the same grace extends to and is prepared for all sinners, so that he may thus console the faithful, to whom a like grace has fallen, and may stir up the unfaithful to embrace the same grace. Whence he proposes a general statement, as it were an axiom and basis of his preaching and the Gospel, which he opposes to Jewish fables about acquiring justice through works of the law, saying: "A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners," that is to say, Christ alone is the justifier and saviour, not Moses, not the law, not works of the law or of nature; that is to say, the Jews boast of their ἀποδοχή, that is, their tradition and Cabala, but a frivolous and fabulous one: I deliver to you the true and certain ἀποδοχή, that is, tradition and Cabala received from Christ himself, namely that Christ alone is he who both expiates and saves sinners. If therefore anyone desires the Cabala, let him accept this as indubitable. For the ancient Cabala was the tradition of the fathers, by which in former times the sacred mysteries, especially those concerning the kingdom of Christ, were handed down by the fathers from mouth to mouth in succession; which one received from another. Whence Cabala in Hebrew is the same as "acceptation," that is, accepted doctrine and tradition, from the root קבל kibbel, that is, "he received." The ancient Cabala therefore was certain and indubitable, which Esdras returning from Babylon and other fathers handed down; but the Cabala of the more recent Jews is fictitious and Pharisaic. Note first: For "faithful" the Greek is πιστός. Some, as Jerome testifies to Marcella, read χρηστός, that is, humane. Thus Ambrose read it and interprets it thus: "humane," that is, pleasant, agreeable; and this agrees with what follows, "and worthy of all acceptation." St. Augustine also read "humane," but explains it differently: for he says that this saying is thus both human and divine, just as Christ is God and man; but he preferred the Apostle to call it human rather than divine, because he was speaking of the coming of Christ in the flesh. "If," he says, "that man is called humane who receives a man in his house, how humane is God, who receives man in himself?" Augustine followed the signification of the Latin word humanus: for the Greek χρηστός signifies nothing of the sort. But commonly the Syriac, Greek, Latin and Greek read πιστός, that is, faithful, that is, trustworthy, certain, indubitable, truthful, worthy of faith, not fabulous, not a teller of idle tales, like that of the Jews, verses 4 and 7. Thus in the Apocalypse, chapter XXI, verse 5, St. John says: "And he that sat upon the throne said, etc. These words are most faithful," that is, most certain and most true. On the contrary, in Jeremiah XV, 18, "unfaithful waters" are called, that is, unstable and deceitful, which from their source appear to flow perpetually, and yet in summer they fail, when men have the greatest need of them. Thus in Acts XIII, 34, it is said: "I will give you the holy things of David" (that is, the holy and munificent promises of God made to David: whence our Interpreter of Isaiah LV, 3, translates, "the mercies of David," that is, promised to David) "faithful," that is, firm and stable; for it corresponds to the Hebrew אמן neeman, or rather נאם neum. For thus the Prophets, when they utter a certain oracle, in order to gain faith and attention from their hearers, are accustomed to prefix or append: Neum Adonai, that is, "saith the Lord," or rather, "the saying of the Lord." For neum is not a past tense verb: for thus it would be said naam; but it is a participle, or rather a noun. Again, neum does not signify a simple or any saying, but a certain and indubitable one, to be believed with sure faith, so that it is the same as an oracle. Hence the Apostle aptly translates the Hebrew neum, πιστός ὁ λόγος, that is, a trustworthy and certain saying. Whence just as the Prophets, so also Paul, when he is about to say something certain and indubitable, is accustomed to prefix or append these words, as if confirming by asseveration what he has said or is about to say; thus to Titus III, 7 and 8. Hence Forerius and others aptly translate that passage of Isaiah I, 24, "Therefore, saith the Lord God of hosts" (where for saith, in Hebrew it is neum), "therefore the saying of Jehovah Sabaoth is faithful." Note secondly: "Worthy of all acceptance," that is, to be accepted with all study and thanksgiving; worthy whom we should accept and embrace in all ways. For the Greek ἀποδοχή signifies not only acceptance or approbation, but also approval. Whence it can be translated here, "a faithful saying, and worthy of all approbation." Observe here, this epithet aptly corresponds to the former; for from the fact that the saying is certain, true, and thus an oracle, it follows that it is to be accepted and embraced in every way. The Apostle alludes to the Hebrew words נאם neum, and אמון heemin, which, just as they have the same letters but transposed (for from naam comes aman, if you transpose the letter n: heemin, and aman is the root of the verb heemin), so they correspond to each other in meaning: for just as the word neum signifies to speak certainly and without doubt, to speak truth itself certainly and infallibly, so what belongs to God alone speaking, likewise to the Prophets and Apostles certainly uttering the word of God, and who, called immediately by God, have testimony that they cannot err; and thus just as neum properly signifies the very word of God, and the oracle of first truth, so again the word heemin signifies to give faith certainly to that word of God as to an oracle, and to believe it and acquiesce in it with a certain firmness and divine and supernatural certainty, which far surpasses all certainty of human opinion, knowledge, authority and sensation. These two Hebrew words neum and heemin are therefore correlative and mutually correspond to each other; and just as neum is the word of one speaking truly certainly and infallibly, so heemin is of one believing certainly and with undoubted faith (which is therefore called אמונה emuna) apprehending and embracing by force neum, that is, the oracle. In the same way these two correspond to each other here: "A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance," as if to say, It is neum, to which one ought to give heemin, that is, to believe; or it is neum, worthy or emuna, that is, a faithful oracle, worthy of all faith and the embrace of faith. For from the fact that the saying is faithful and infallible, it follows that it is to be embraced with all acceptance, both with the arms of faith, and consequently with the arms of hope, invocation, love and thanksgiving, so that namely we may become partakers of it, and having become partakers, we may give thanks to God for so great a gift as is fitting. Note thirdly: "A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance," is that which follows, namely, "that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners." Where first, against the Jews it signifies that the law, and the ceremonies of the law are inefficacious for salvation; for Christ brought that: indeed on account of bringing it, he descended to us from heaven. Secondly, it signifies that the end of the incarnation and of the whole economy of Christ in the flesh was, that he might abolish sin, and save sinners. "I came not," he says, Matt. cap. IX, "to call the just, but sinners to penance; and they that are in health need not the physician, but they that are ill." Take away diseases, take away wounds, and there will be no need of a physician: take away likewise sins, there will be no need of Christ. Hence thirdly, we learn the enormity of sin ("great," says Augustine, serm. 9 On the Words of the Apostle, "the physician came from heaven, because great throughout the whole earth lay the sick one"); and consequently that we must strive with all effort, that we may emerge from sin, which is so great an evil, lest Christ appear to have come to us in vain. "When you hear," says Augustine above, "that Christ came into this world to save sinners, do not sleep in the sweet bed of sin, but hear Paul saying: Rise, thou that sleepest, and Christ shall enlighten thee." Fourthly, we learn the immense clemency and charity of Christ, by which he pursues, converts and saves even sinners persecuting themselves (such as Paul was). Hear St. Augustine in the place cited: "Men were desperately ill, and by the very illness by which they had lost their minds, they even beat the physician, indeed they killed him. But he, even when being killed, was a physician, he was beaten and healed; he endured the frenzied one, and did not abandon the sick; he was held, bound, struck, mocked, hanged, and he was a physician. Do you recognize the frenzied ones, recognize also the physician: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. They, with lost mind, raged, and the physician's blood they shed by raging; but he, even from his own blood, made medicines for the sick." OF WHOM I AM THE FIRST. — Certain heretics have fabled, according to the testimony of St. Thomas here, that the soul of Adam, the first man and sinner, was transfused into Paul, and therefore Paul said he was the first of sinners: but this is Pythagorean delirium. He says he is first, therefore, not in time, but in the magnitude of sins, because he had been the chief of the persecutors of Christ, as Anselm says; therefore "first," that is, greatest and worst. Thus Augustine, sermon 9 On the Words of the Apostle: "For no one," he says, "was more fierce than Paul among persecutors, no one therefore prior among sinners." The same in Psalm LXX: "What therefore," he says, "is first? preceding all not in time, but in magnitude." See how Paul humbles himself. First, he says, I am, that is, as Theophylactus and Oecumenius explain, I have sinned immensely, and have reached every kind of wickedness, hence I was unworthy of all God's mercy and all his clemency, not in part only, as those who sinned only in part. "This humility," says Ambrose, "does not contribute to his diminishment, but to his glory; and this accusation of his is praise indeed of the Saviour." You will ask: How could the Apostle truly feel and say that he was the first of sinners, that is, the greatest, when he knew that Judas, Caiaphas, Herod and many others had sinned far more gravely? St. Thomas responds and Ambrose insinuates, that the Apostle did not wish to say he was the first of all sinners whatsoever; but only with respect to those Jews who demanded of Pilate that Christ be crucified, and who afterwards were converted by Peter and the Apostles, and repenting obtained grace and salvation. But these restrict the words of the Apostle too much, since the Apostle does not restrict them, but speaks generally of all sinners, whom, as he has premised, Christ came to save; but Christ came to save not only those Jews, but all men whatsoever and all sinners: therefore the Apostle says he is the first of all sinners whatsoever. I respond therefore that the Apostle, well illuminated by the Holy Spirit, knew the gravity of his own sins, and turned all the eyes of his mind upon them from true humility; but he did not so consider and inspect the sins of others, but rather presumed better things of any one, or that he had more causes excusing him and diminishing the gravity of his sin: just as one who labors under a grave pain of teeth, head, or eyes, says there is no pain greater than this, but his is the greatest of all, because namely he feels his own by experience, but considers the pains of others only by speculation, and so his pain appears to him, and is truly in his sense the greatest: thus Paul's sin appeared to him in his sense to be the greatest. So also St. Francis was wont to say he was the greatest of sinners; and when asked how he could truly say this, he answered: If God had bestowed upon the greatest robber that grace which he bestowed upon me, he would have used it much better, and would have become holier than I, that is to say, If, setting aside grace, I consider myself, I see in myself such weakness and proneness to evil as I see in no other, and therefore I think I would have been, and would be, the greatest sinner, had not God strengthened my weakness with his grace, and strengthens it daily. You will say: Ignorance excused Paul. I answer: He did not excuse himself, but only diminished the sin; for it was vincible, and consequently culpable: for the Apostle could and ought, from the Scriptures, of which he was skilled, from so many miracles of Christ, from such a holy life and doctrine of so many Christians and priests believing in Christ, to recognize Christ to be the Messiah, the redeemer of the world. But the sin of Paul in itself was very great, namely to persecute Christ God and man; Paul therefore considered his obstinacy, by which fighting for Judaism, he had attacked Christ God and man, and His Church so pertinaciously, that, if he could have, he would have wished to overturn and destroy it utterly, and he had made himself a leader to others for this thing; and this sin of his appeared to him so grave, that the other sins, to which he attended only lightly and in general, seemed to him to be lighter. For he considered his sin in itself, but did not consider his ignorance and other circumstances diminishing the sin. See what is said Philippians II, 3. Thus Solomon, Proverbs XXX, 2: "I am the most foolish," he says, "of men," that is, I seem to myself to be: namely when I, and what I have from myself, excluding God's illumination, regard myself, when I intimately penetrate and understand the smallness of my wisdom, and compare it both with my ignorance and with divine wisdom; I seem to myself to be most ignorant, and so to be an abyss of ignorance and foolishness, and that others, whose ignorance is not thus known to me, are far wiser than me, especially in practical wisdom, and in the knowledge of self and God. Whence the Hebrews think that Solomon, conscious of his idolatry and sins, repentant, said these things, although the mouth of Lyra refutes this, who with Abulensis holds that Solomon remained impenitent, and was damned; concerning which elsewhere. In sum, by these words Solomon wishes to teach us, that true wisdom is situated especially in the knowledge of self, and of one's own misery and foolishness, and in a humble sense and estimation of oneself. Thus Socrates, when asked what he knew, answered: "This one thing I know, that I know nothing." Nay, another, when asked the same, answered the same, and adds that he does not even know this (namely that he knew nothing). You ask secondly, how Paul says: "Of whom I am the first;" for he knew that this sin had already been forgiven him. I answer, "am," that is, "was." Secondly and more simply, Paul here considers himself as if constituted in pure nature, excluding grace: for thus he was a sinner, and would have remained in sin, and in no way to be changed, nay far more gravely to sin still: for it is humble to consider and despise oneself on account of those things which one has from oneself: for those things which one has from God are not one's own, but God's, and to God is due the praise and glory of them. Thus St. Augustine, book II of the Confessions VII: "Lord," he says, "I attribute to your grace, whatever evils I have not done." And below: "I confess that all things have been forgiven me, both the evils which I have done of my own accord, and those which I have not done under your guidance." Expressly indeed in the prologue on the Christian life: "That I," he says, "the first and last sinner, more foolish than others, and more unskilled than all, you who are proceeding in the way of holiness and justice, I dare to admonish with more frequent letters, not by confidence in my own justice, not by skill in wisdom, not by glory of knowledge, but by the charity alone which according to God I have conceived in mind and spirit, your charity compels me." Thus Socrates, noted by a certain Physiognomist from natural complexion, that he was incontinent and a thief; when those standing by, who knew the probity of Socrates, laughed at the judgment of the Physiognomist, Socrates answered: He did not lie; for I am such by nature, but I restrain myself. Morally, let each one consider himself and his own sins, not those of others, and let him say: I am the first of sinners; let him acknowledge and proclaim God's clemency toward himself; let him humble himself, yet in such a way that he does not torment himself with anxiety. Whence St. Bernard, sermon 3 on the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul: "In Paul," he says, "saying, Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first; receive this for consolation and confidence, brethren, so that for you already converted to the Lord, the consciousness of past sins may not torment you excessively, but only humble you, as it did him also. I am, he says, the least of the Apostles, who am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. Peter also obtained mercy, who sinned not in ignorance, but with open eyes." And further on: "What then? Did you sin in the world? Was it more than Paul? But if in Religion itself, was it more than Peter? Yet those, doing penance with their whole heart, obtained not only salvation, but also sanctity. And do you therefore do likewise, because for your sake Scripture calls them men of mercy, namely on account of the great mercy which they merited to obtain."
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16. THAT IN ME FIRST CHRIST JESUS MIGHT SHOW ALL PATIENCE, FOR AN EXAMPLE TO THEM THAT SHOULD BELIEVE ON HIM UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. — Note: τὸ primo is a noun, not an adverb; for in Greek it is πρώτῳ, that is, first and principal, namely in a sinner. Beautifully Theodoret: "Just as," he says, "when a physician enters a house where many are sick at once, and all despair of health, if he takes one who is most grievously afflicted and by giving him medicines brings him to perfect health, he causes all the others to be of good cheer and to conceive confidence: so the Lord Christ, the physician of souls, when he became man for the salvation of sinners, me who was most wicked and the most criminal of all, not only freed from my former stains, but overwhelmed with the greatest gifts, showing to all men through me his patience and clemency, so that no one of those who have committed the greatest crimes, looking upon me, might despair of salvation." Note secondly: For "all patience," in Greek it is πᾶσαν μακροθυμίαν, that is, all longsuffering; "all," that is, the whole and perfect: for a collective universal noun is set for the whole amount; for perfect and illustrious was God's longsuffering, by which he sustained Paul raging against him for so long, whom he could have destroyed with a single glance of his eye and struck with lightning. Ambrose for this one word set two, "magnanimity and patience." For it is the part of the magnanimous to be longsuffering, patient and meek: just as conversely it is the part of the small-minded to be moved by injuries, to be disturbed, and to wish to avenge themselves. Hence beautifully St. Gregory, XXXI Morals, cap. 1, explaining those words of Job: "Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve thee?" and applying them mystically to St. Paul: "The rhinoceros," he says, "which is also called the monoceros, is of such strength and ferocity that it cannot be captured by any art of hunters. But, as the Naturalists assert (among whom is Isidore, lib. XII Etymologies, cap. 11, and Pierius in the hieroglyphic of the Rhinoceros, whom he calls Halicornus), a virgin maiden is set before it, who opens her bosom to the one coming, into which he, laying aside all ferocity, lays his head, and thus lulled to sleep as if unarmed, is captured. In like manner, that virgin flesh of Christ was able to tame Paul breathing threats and slaughter, to placate him, to capture him, and to bind him wholly to himself, while he expanded to him the whole bosom of his mercy." Note thirdly: For "for an example," Ambrose reads "for a pattern"; for in Greek it is ὑποτύπωσις, which signifies a living exemplar and image, by which a thing fully expressed is set before the eyes, as if to say: God had mercy on me, so that in me as in the first and greatest sinner, he might give a living exemplar and hypotyposis of his divine clemency and longsuffering; so that in me most manifestly men might perceive that God wills all sinners to be saved, and calls them to himself, and almost compels them, and most easily forgives them their offenses, however grave. And so by my example he formed and stirred up all those who in future ages should believe in Christ, to obtain eternal life; so that through penance each of them might dare to hope for pardon from Christ, and humbly flee to him for it. For indeed the examples of the Saints stir men wonderfully. "Thou hadst shot," says Augustine, lib. IX Confessions, cap. 2, "O Lord, my heart with thy charity, and I bore thy words transfixed in my bowels, and the examples of thy servants, whom thou hadst made bright from darkness, and living from the dead, heaped in the bosom of my thought burned and consumed my sluggishness." Morally Chrysostom, hom. 2 on Psalm v: "If thou art impious," he says, "think of the publican; if thou art unclean, attend to the harlot; if thou art a murderer, look upon the thief; if thou art wicked, think of the blasphemer, consider Paul first a persecutor, afterwards a preacher. I do not wish thee to say to me: I am a blasphemer. I do not wish thee to say: I am a persecutor, I am unclean. Thou hast the examples of all; into whatever harbor thou wishest, flee: dost thou wish a new one? dost thou wish an old one? In the old David, in the new Paul." And below: "What is sin compared to the Lord's mercy? The web of a spider, which when the wind blows is nowhere to be found." And from St. Augustine, serm. 9 On the Words of the Apostle, Anselm here: "If Saul was healed, why do I despair? If by so great a physician so desperate a patient was healed, shall I not apply those hands to my wounds? shall I not hasten to those hands? That men might say this, therefore Saul was made an Apostle from a persecutor: because when the physician came wishing to gain himself a reputation, he seeks some desperate patient, and heals him; and if he finds one very poor, he does not seek payment there, but commends his art: so also Christ showed the power of his special spiritual medicine in Saul, so that all thereafter might know that he could heal all the infirmities of all those fleeing to him."
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17. TO THE KING OF THE AGES, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, TO GOD ALONE, BE HONOR AND GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN. — The Apostle here, in his customary manner, after recalling the benefit of the remission of sins and the redemption of Christ, rises from Christ the man and breaks forth into praise and doxology of God the Father, as Ambrose wishes; or rather, as Theodoret and Anselm hold, of the whole Most Holy Trinity, which through Christ conferred this gift of remission upon men, and bestows and will bestow it upon all ages. Note: "King of the ages" is a proper attribute of God, signifying that God is the first and eternal being, and consequently the king, author, ordainer, distributor, moderator and lord of all ages, that is, both of His own eternity and of the aevum, or aeviternate life of angels and of our times: for all these things flow from God's eternity. Whence most beautifully and divinely St. Dionysius, in his work On Divine Names, chapter v, vii and x, explaining this passage, says: "From the fact that He is (God, the eternal King of the ages), age is, essence, and being, and time, and generation, and that which is generated, and that which in any way subsists." For all temporal being flows from eternal and perpetual being, which is in God the King of the ages. "And therefore," says Dionysius, "God is called King of the ages, inasmuch as in Him and around Him all being and essence subsisting is turned." Whence for "ages," in Greek it is αἰώνων: and αἰών signifies first, the eternity of God; second, the aevum of angels; third, the aevum and duration of men. For eternity, which is duration having neither end nor beginning, belongs to God alone: but aeviternate, which has a beginning, and thus agrees with our time, but lacks an end, and thus participates in something of divine eternity, is granted to angels and to the rational soul. Hence, as Aristotle says, in book I of On the Heavens, chapter IX, it is called αἰών ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀεὶ εἶναι, that is, from the fact that it always is. Perhaps the Apostle wished to strike at the false aeons of Valentinus, and to oppose to them the true God, Lord of all aeons. Note secondly: For "immortal," in Greek it is ἀφθάρτῳ, that is, "incorruptible," as the Syriac and Augustine have it, in book II of his work Against Felix the Manichaean, chapter vii. Moreover "immortal" or "incorruptible" is the same as "immutable," as if to say: Corruption, death, or destruction does not befall God, and consequently no change whatsoever: for all change, as Anselm says, is a kind of death of the thing which is changed and ceases to be what it was. But rather God is immortal, incorruptible, immutable, and consequently eternal: for incorruptibility and immortality is the reason and as it were the cause of eternity. Note thirdly: He adds "invisible," because naturally God cannot be seen either by the eyes of the body or of the mind, nor by any natural powers: but in order that anyone may see God, the supernatural light of glory is necessary, as is evident in the Blessed. Note fourthly: He says "to God alone," that is, who alone is God: for God is one, and consequently He alone is God. St. Ambrose, who refers this to the Father, teaches that the Father is called God alone, not because the Son and the Holy Spirit are not God, but because the Father is the source and principle of divinity, namely of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Add, as St. Thomas and the theologians teach, that exclusive words added to names essential to God and His attributes, when they are attributed to one person, do not exclude the other divine persons, but only other things, which do not have the divine essence, but have another essence diverse from it and created. But truly, as I have said, with Theodoret you would better attribute these things not to the Father alone, but to the whole Most Holy Trinity. The Greek texts add μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ, that is "to God alone wise": and thus read Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius and other Greek Fathers besides Theodoret. God is called alone wise through Himself and through His own essence, inasmuch as He derives His wisdom into all angels and men, as from a source; for all men and angels do not have His wisdom from themselves, but from God. Thus God alone is called good, supply through essence, Luke XVIII, 19. Note fifthly: "To God alone be honor and glory," namely divine and of latria, which is owed to the true God, as if to say: Not to angels, not to idols, not to the gods of the gentiles, but to God alone true be given honor and glory of divinity, so that all angels and men, and especially I Paul, on account of such clemency of God toward sinners, and toward me first and the greatest sinner, by which He caused me to be born in this age of Christ and grace, drew me the rebel to Himself, and almost compelled me, forgave my sins, justified me, nay made me an Apostle, may always celebrate Him, adore Him, glorify Him both in mind and voice, and also in holy conversation and life. Concerning which matter see here Chrysostom in his moral homily 4. Piously St. Bernard, sermon 83 on the Canticle, teaches that this honor of God ought to be seasoned with the honey of love, and from this it arises that it pleases God greatly. "God," he says, "demands to be feared as master, honored as father, to be loved as spouse. What excels in these, what stands out? namely love. Without this, fear has punishment, and honor does not have grace. For servile fear, so long as it is not freed by love. And honor which does not come from love is not honor, but flattery. And indeed to God alone belong honor and glory. But God will accept neither of these if they have not been seasoned with the honey of love. He is sufficient in himself, pleases himself, and for his own sake. Love itself is merit, itself reward to him; beyond itself it requires no cause, no fruit. Its fruit is its use. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing, if indeed it returns to its own principle, if restored to its origin, if poured back into its own fountain, always drawing from it whence it may flow. Love alone is among all the motions of the soul, senses and affections, in which a creature, even if not equally, can respond to the author, or repay a like exchange in return."
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18. THIS PRECEPT I COMMEND TO THEE, SON TIMOTHY, ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECIES WHICH WENT BEFORE ON THEE, THAT THOU MAYEST WAR A GOOD WARFARE IN THEM. — Chrysostom, Ambrose, Theophylactus refer "this precept" to what follows, as if to say: I command thee, O Timothy, that namely according to the prophecies made concerning thee thou mayest war a good warfare. But truly, for "that," in Greek it is not ὅπως, but ἵνα, which signifies a final cause rather than an object; although the Apostle often confuses these and similar particles, and takes them for the same. Secondly, others refer it to the immediately preceding matter, as if to say: I command thee that thou mayest preach that Christ came to save sinners. Thirdly, others refer it to all the preceding matter, as if to say: "This precept," that is, this doctrine which I have delivered to thee from the beginning of the chapter hitherto, I commend to thee. Fourthly and best, Theodoret thinks the Apostle, after a digression in which he gave thanks for his calling and the grace of God, returns to those things which he commended to Timothy at the beginning of the chapter, namely that he should charge certain ones not to teach otherwise. Whence for "thou shouldest charge," in Greek it is the same verb παραγγέλλειν, from which he calls the precept in this place παραγγελίαν. For this is the first duty of a Bishop, namely to resist false apostles, and to guard and preach the sound faith. Whence these words are almost the same as those which at the beginning of the chapter after the charge already mentioned he subjoins; for there he says: "Now the end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned." For which here with almost the same words he says: "This precept I commend to thee, that thou mayest war a good warfare, having faith and a good conscience." ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECIES WHICH WENT BEFORE ON THEE (that is, as the Syrian, "upon thee, concerning thee": for in Greek it is ἐπί σε, which corresponds to the Hebrew עליך alecha) — Vatable understands by "prophecies" the doctrine, or the office of teaching committed to Timothy, as if to say: See, O Timothy, that in this office which thou hast received from God, thou mayest conduct thyself strongly and vigorously like a soldier. Secondly, others by "prophecies" understand the various charisms of the Holy Spirit which were in Timothy, among which was also prophecy properly so called, as if to say: Paul commands thee that thou mayest thus war as the gifts of the Holy Spirit granted to thee require. Thirdly and better, Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Theodoret, Oecumenius and others properly by "prophecies" understand revelations, as if to say: This precept already explained to thee, O Timothy, I commend, that, as by the revelation of God and the spirit of prophecy I ordained thee Bishop of Ephesus, so according to the same prophecy now mayest thou war, and mayest thou answer to it, and mayest thou show that the prophecy made concerning thee was true. Whence Chrysostom and Theophylactus note that in the primitive Church Bishops and Apostles were wont to be chosen and ordained through prophecy, revelation and designation of God. Thus Acts xiii, 2, the Holy Spirit said: "Separate me Saul and Barnabas." Thus Eusebius, lib. VI of his History, cap. xxv, relates that in the election of Fabian the Pontiff a dove fell from heaven upon him. Thus St. Gregory was discovered and designated Pontiff by the indication of a column of fire resting upon him. Thus that great Athanasius was divinely declared to the Blessed Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, when dying, that he would be his successor in the episcopate. Whence when Athanasius, fearing and fleeing the episcopate, had withdrawn from Alexandria, Alexander on his deathbed repeatedly called out to Athanasius, and at length broke forth into these words: "Athanasius," said he, "thinkest thou that thou canst escape? Yet thou shalt not escape." Apollinarius is witness to this in Sozomen, lib. II, cap. xvi. Thus St. Nicholas, Ambrose, Alexander Carbonarius were called and ordained Bishops by divine indication. Paul asserts the same concerning Timothy here. Fourthly, Magallianus adds that by "prophecies" may be understood predictions, conjectures and good omens by which all Christians, when Timothy was ordained Bishop, from the sanctity of his former life, were wont to augur the best things concerning him, predicting and not doubting that he would faithfully, constantly and excellently discharge the episcopal office. Thus St. Ambrose, acclaimed Bishop by the voice of the boy, then of the whole people, was made Bishop through prophecy; for the voice of the people is the voice of God. THAT THOU MAYEST WAR A GOOD WARFARE IN THEM. — "In them," that is, through those prophecies, that is, through the Spirit the giver of prophecy. Secondly and better, Oecumenius and others, "in them," that is, according to them, so that namely thou mayest answer to those prophecies made concerning thee. Note that a Christian is a soldier of Christ as of his leader and captain, because his whole life ought to be spent fighting under the standard of the cross against vices and concupiscences and demons, Romans vii, 23; Galatians v, 17; Job vii, 1; and Christ, Matthew xi, 12: "The kingdom," He says, "of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." St. Augustine beautifully describes this warfare, XXII On the City of God, chapter xxiii. The Apostle describes the arms and panoply of this military service, Ephesians vi, 13, and its stipend is eternal life, Romans vi, 23. Seneca, epistle 37 to Lucilius, exhorts him to virtue, using words taken from military matters: "Thou hast promised," he says, "a good man (ἀνδράγαθον, that is a strong and warlike man), thou art bound by oath." For soldiers used to promise this to their commander when they enlisted. But if, forgetting their pledge, they conducted themselves cowardly, they were called not men but women as a reproach, as Boadicea, queen of the Britons, in Dio, book LXII, calls Nero effeminate "Neronis". Let the Christian say the same to himself: in baptism thou didst enlist as a soldier of Christ, thou didst pledge thyself to be a man, therefore show thyself a man, as a soldier manfully contending against the flesh and the world. But Bishops, Pastors and Doctors, as the Apostle here teaches, are peculiarly and are called soldiers of Christ. For which note: "Militia" by catachresis among the Hebrews signifies all service. Hence angels, the heavens, the stars, and all creatures are called soldiers of God, and from this God is called Sabaoth, that is of hosts; and Sabaoth is one of the ten names of God, as St. Jerome testifies to Marcella. More properly, however, the Levites and priests were called soldiers of God. Whence Numbers iv, 30, the Levites are said to go forth into the military service of the tabernacle, because in the tabernacle just as soldiers in camps they kept watch in their order and stations, and served God as their leader. Hence women dwelling in the tabernacle and devoted to its ministry are called soldiers of the temple, Exodus xxxviii, 8, where it is said: "He made also a brazen laver with its foot of the mirrors of the women that watched at the door of the tabernacle:" where for "watched," in Hebrew it is צבאות אשר צבאו tsobeot ascer tsabeu, that is "of women serving in war," who served in war at the door of the tabernacle. In the same way they are called I Kings ii, 22. Alluding therefore to these Levites and priests, soldiers of the temple, Paul calls Timothy and other Bishops and Pastors soldiers of the Church: for these not only like the ancient Levites keep watch in the temple and serve God, but also as leaders go forth to war against heretics, vices and demons, and incite, lead and defend other faithful ones, and therefore sustain the greatest assault of enemies. And in the primitive Church this was especially true and clear, when Jews, Gentiles, Emperors and heretics rose up against the Church with all their strength and arms to oppress it; and the Apostles and other preachers, to defend it, fought against them even unto death and martyrdom. Thus afterwards the immortal Athanasius almost alone heroically fought and triumphed against almost the whole Arian world for 46 years. Whence morally Chrysostom: "Fight," he says, "a good warfare; for there is also an evil warfare, of which in another place he says: For as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness. They serve under a tyrant, we serve an eternal King. But why does he call it a military service? He certainly indicates that a fierce and terrible war has been stirred up, with others, and especially with him who performs the office of a teacher. In which we have need of strong arms, namely sobriety, temperance, prayers and perpetual watchings, that in them thou mayest have soldiers having faith and a good conscience: for the teacher must first teach himself; for as a commander, unless he has first been an excellent soldier, can never be a commander, so also a teacher." Indeed most excellently St. Basil, in the preface to his ascetical works, instructing the spiritual soldier of Christ, thus speaks: "Where therefore is Christ the King? in heaven. Thither thy course, O soldier of Christ, must be directed by thee. Forget whatever is here on earth. A soldier does not build houses, does not acquire fields, does not strive for merchandise and gain. A soldier has his food from the king, he pitches his tent in the streets. Food is measured by necessity alone, drink is water, sleep as much as nature requires, frequent journeys, and likewise vigils, keen endurance against cold and heat, frequent undertaking of dangerous contests with adversaries, and in these often death, yet glorious and which is adorned with royal honors and rewards." Applying all these things to the soldier of Christ, he thus concludes: "Come therefore, soldier of Christ, let the thought of eternal goods enter thy mind. Let the manner of life proposed to thee be to lack a home, a city and the possession of all things. Be free and unbound from all the cares of this life. Let not the desire of a wife bind thee, let not the care of children: imitate the heavenly Bridegroom; the invisible enemies rising up against thee frequently put to flight, and expel them from thy soul first, nor let them have any place in thee at all, blot out counsels plotting defection against the faith of Christ," etc.
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19. HAVING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE. — These are the arms of Christian warfare, nay of the Church, as if to say: You shall wage a good warfare, O Timothy, if you follow and preserve right faith concerning true and orthodox dogmas and a good conscience, that is, a holy life and morals, so that you may be able to teach others right faith and shine forth to your subjects by the example of a good life; for these two are the principal duties of a Bishop and Pastor. For neither can one who wavers in faith confirm others, nor can the ignorant teach, nor the disorderly set in order, nor the disordered arrange in order. WHICH (good conscience) SOME HAVING REJECTED (Greek ἀπωσάμενοι, that is, after they have rejected: whence Vatablus translates, "which being rejected") CONCERNING FAITH HAVE MADE SHIPWRECK, — that is, they have made shipwreck of faith and suffered loss, and have become apostates, schismatics, heretics. Note from Chrysostom: A beautiful metaphor compares faith to a ship, in which an anchor, which strengthens this ship so that it perseveres in tribulation, is a good conscience and the hope of eternal life flowing from it: for just as a ship in a stormy sea offers hope of harbor to men and leads to harbor, so faith leads to eternal life; and just as a man outside a ship in the sea is without hope of salvation, so also is a man without faith: but as long as he remains in the ship, that is in faith, even if he sins, he can be restored, he has hope of salvation. Hence the Church, which is the teacher of faith and the congregation of the faithful, is compared to the Ark of Noah, outside which no one is saved from the flood; and to the evangelical boats, in which Christ preached the kingdom of God, calmed tempests and caused fish to be caught.
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20. OF WHOM (from their number) IS HYMENAEUS AND ALEXANDER. — This is that same one, concerning whom in II Timothy iv, 14: "Alexander the coppersmith hath done me much evil; the Lord will render to him according to his works: whom thou also avoid, for he hath greatly resisted our words." Baronius and others suspect this to be that same Alexander, who at first was faithful and pleaded the cause for Paul, but becoming deficient was made an apostate and enemy of Paul and of all Christians. WHOM I HAVE DELIVERED TO SATAN. — That is, whom I have excommunicated. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius. And from this it appears that phrase has flowed forth, by which the excommunicated are said to be possessed by the devil, as is found in the chapter Audi, and the chapter Omnis, 11, Question III. Again "I have delivered to Satan" signifies that they are delivered to Satan as it were to an executioner to be tormented. Thus Chrysostom, Oecumenius and others teach, and especially Theodoret: "Those indeed," he says, "he delivers to the devil, not as to a good teacher, but as to a servant executioner; and therefore he did not say, that he might teach them, but, that they might learn not to blaspheme. For separated from the ecclesiastical body, stripped of divine grace, they were cruelly scourged by the adversary, falling into diseases and difficult afflictions and other calamities: for these things he is accustomed to bring upon men, since he is both enemy and avenger, as the Prophet says in Psalm viii. And it was fitting that those chastised should change their mind," etc. And Chrysostom speaking of the excommunicated: "He was cast down," he says, "from the common assembly of the faithful, cut off from the flock, he became naked, and thus destitute was exposed to and betrayed to the encounters of wolves: for just as formerly the cloud covered the camps of the Hebrews, so also the Church was protected by the grace of the Holy Spirit." THAT THEY MAY LEARN NOT TO BLASPHEME. — Ambrose, "that they may be amended and come to their senses from their blasphemy and heresy:" for excommunication ought to be brought to bear not for the perdition, but for the correction of the sinner, as Chrysostom notes, namely that sufferings are teachings, and affliction gives understanding. Hence it is clear that all heresy is blasphemy against God, who is the first truth, for every heresy and heretic, in order that he might establish his dogmas contrary to the faith, says and teaches that the true faith, and consequently God the author of the true faith, is false and a liar. What sort of blasphemy and heresy theirs was, Paul does not explain. Morally, note here that the source of heresy is an evil conscience and life. For heresy is never the first sin, but arises either from ambition, or from avarice, or from lust; and consequently, as wise men have judged, against heretics one ought not so much to contend with arguments, as with purity of life: so that they might be led to purity of life, honesty of morals, chastity, humility and contempt of riches. For when the root of heresy is removed, heresy itself will be removed. Again from this it follows that an evil life tends toward and ends in heresy. The morals therefore of a corrupt life are the rocks, upon which faith, as a ship, is dashed repeatedly and broken. The reason for which is first, the natural antipathy and contrariety which exists between faith and an evil life: for faith always censures and reproves it. Second, natural decline and ruin. For he who from one vice to another and another, finally falls most deeply into heresy and collapses. For these are ditches of vices subordinated to one another, so that gradually from one to another and another, and finally into the abyss, that is into heresy, you descend and fall. Third, it is divine punishment: for God punishes a lost life through the subtraction of his light, truth and faith, and delivers lost men over to a reprobate sense, as the Apostle teaches in Romans i, 21 and 24. Fourth, because, as Chrysostom about to be cited teaches, these corrupt men, in order that they might freely indulge their vices and pleasures, deny future goods and evils, and other dogmas of the faith, which could instill in them the fear of God and horror of sin. And first, that ambition and pride are the source of heresy, is evident from the fact that heretics wish to measure and conclude all things by human reasoning, that is they wish to see the matter, not to believe. Thus ambition first made Simon Magus the heresiarch a heretic; for he wished to buy the Holy Spirit with money, so that he could distribute it to whomever he wished, and thus be worshipped as the giver of the Holy Spirit. What made Tertullian a Montanist, except that, as Baronius, Pamelius and others note, when Bishop Agrippinus died, ambitious for the bishopric of Carthage, he fell short of it? Thus Aerius, Augustine says, in the book On Heresies, because he was deprived of the episcopate, began to assert that priests are equal to Bishops. Thus in this age Luther, Ochinus, Dudecius and others, seeking the first chairs, or the purple, or the pallium, and having suffered rejection, apostatized, and sought primacy among the Novatians. Secondly, that lust and the vice of the flesh is the source of heresy, Chrysostom teaches here: "Those living badly," he says, "lest they be tormented by fear and expectation of future things, strive with all effort to persuade themselves that all things which our religion contains are false, namely concerning sins, resurrection, future judgment, and similar matters." Thus Nicholas the Deacon, when following the example of the Apostles he had abstained from his own wife, afterwards falling away from his purpose, and fearing to be reproved, denied that anyone could be saved unless he exercised sexual relations every day. Marcion, when he was sharply rebuked on account of a corrupted virgin, devised three baptisms for the remission of sins. What kind of life Montanus with his prophetesses had, and Novatus, can be seen in Eusebius, book V, chapter xviii and book VI, chapter xxxiii. But why do we repeat ancient histories, when today, for example, heretics teach that vows are impious, lest they be forced to blush at their own lust? For what are Luther, Calvin, Menno, Beza, Bucer, Martyr, except apostate and vow-breaking monks or priests, who in the Catholic Church made a vow of continence to God, and afterwards violated it? Daily experience clearly shows that among them heresy prevails where the study of a good life is neglected.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Dividitur haec epistola in salutationem et epistolarem narrationem, ibi sicut rogavi. Circa primum tria facit, quia primo ponitur persona salutans, secundo persona salutata; tertio bona optata. Describit autem personam salutantem, primo ex nomine Paulus, quod convenit auctoritati propter duo. In apostolatu enim duo sunt, scilicet altitudo potestatis, ad quam exaltantur humiles. I Reg. XV, 17: cum esses parvulus in oculis tuis, caput in tribubus Israel factus es. Et Paulus dicitur modicus. Item claritas sapientiae, et hanc dominus praebet parvulis. Matth. XI, 25: revelasti ea parvulis, et cetera. Secundo ex auctoritate, quia apostolus, id est, missus. Io. XX, 21: sicut misit me pater. I Cor. IX, 2: signaculum apostolatus mei vos estis in domino. Tertio ex origine huius auctoritatis, unde dicit Iesu Christi secundum imperium Dei, et cetera. Act. XIII, 2: segregate mihi Barnabam et Saulum in opus ad quod assumpsi eos. I Reg. XIII, 14: quaesivit sibi dominus virum iuxta cor suum, et cetera. Ex quo patet quod praelati ex necessitate praecepti tenentur ad ea quae sunt proprii officii. I Cor. c. IX, 16: vae mihi enim est, si non evangelizavero. Et Christi Iesu spei nostrae, qui est spes nostra, ut ad eum veniamus. Phil. I, 23: desiderium habens dissolvi, et esse cum Christo, et cetera. Vel spei nostrae, quia per ipsum speramus adipisci bona aeterna. I Petr. I, 3: regeneravit nos in spem vivam, et cetera. Rom. XV, 4: per consolationem Scripturarum spem habeamus. Personam salutatam describit tripliciter. Primo ex nomine, cum dicit Timotheo, de quo Act. XVI. Item ex affectione, dicens dilecto. Phil. II, 20: neminem habeo tam unanimem, et cetera.
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Item ex filiatione, dicens filio in fide, scilicet a se converso. I Cor. c. IV, 17: misi ad vos Timotheum filium meum charissimum, et fidelem in domino, et cetera. Tunc autem primo ponit bona optata, et deinde ostendit a quo sunt. Sciendum est autem quod in aliis epistolis duo ponuntur, hic tria, quia praelati pluribus indigent. Et ideo dicit gratia et misericordia, primo sibi, et deinde aliis. Et sumitur hic misericordia pro remissione peccatorum, quia haec est ex Dei misericordia: gratia vero pro munere gratiarum, quo indigent praelati. Vel gratia, sicut in aliis, pro gratia iustificante, sed misericordia pro munere divino in spiritualibus charismatibus exaltante. Sap. IV, 15: gratia Dei et misericordia in sanctos eius, et respectus in electos illius. Et pax, scilicet tecum, et per te aliis. Ps. LXXI, 3: suscipiant montes pacem. Sed unde? A Deo, ut dent populo. Iac. c. I, 17: omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a patre luminum. Et Christo Iesu domino nostro, scilicet per quem maxima nobis et pretiosa promissa donavit, II Petr. I, 2.
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Hic incipit epistolaris narratio. Et est haec epistola quasi pastoralis regula, quam apostolus tradit Timotheo, instruens de omnibus, quae spectant ad regimen praelatorum, et eo ordine quo debet esse intentio. Primo ergo instruit eum de spiritualibus ministrandis, secundo de temporalibus, in IV cap., ibi spiritus autem. Item ad praelatum pertinet primo quod doceat de forma fidei, ne fides subditorum corrumpatur. Lc. XXII, 32: ego rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua, et tu aliquando conversus confirma fratres tuos. Secundo ut instruat eos de pertinentibus ad cultum Dei, quod non potest esse, nisi fides sit recta. Ideo primo instruit de fide; secundo de cultu Dei, II cap., ibi obsecro igitur; tertio agit de institutione officiorum, in III cap., ibi fidelis sermo. Sciendum est autem quod in primitiva Ecclesia error fuit periculosus quorumdam dicentium, legalia debere servari simul cum Evangelio, quod apostolus excludit primo ostendens legis conditionem; secundo probat per experimentum in seipso, ibi gratias ago. Circa primum tria facit, quia primo ostendit quid de lege sit repudiandum; secundo quid in ea acceptandum, ibi finis autem praecepti; tertio concludit legis conditionem, ibi scimus autem quia. Repudiandum est autem in lege quod alii male addiderunt, non quod a Deo est datum, nisi iam secundum carnalem intellectum, et primo docet falsas fabulas et traditiones esse repudiandas; secundo rationem assignat, ibi quae quaestiones. Dicit ergo: dico quod debes facere sicut rogavi te, cum tamen possem imperare. Eccli. XXXII, 1: rectorem te posuerunt? Noli extolli, esto in illis quasi unus ex illis. Ut denuntiares quibusdam. Vel aliter: duo pertinent ad praelatum, ut cohibeat docentes falsa. Et ideo dicit ne aliter docerent. Gal. I, 9: si quis vobis evangelizaverit praeter id quod accepistis, anathema sit. Deut. IV, 2: non addetis ad verbum quod ego loquor vobis, neque auferetis ex eo.
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Secundo, ut si contingat quod aliqui falsa docerent, prohibeat populum ne eis intendant; unde dicit neque intenderent fabulis et genealogiis interminatis. Fuerunt autem quidam haeretici, qui detestantes vetus testamentum, exponebant quod apostolus ipsum repudiabat, deridendo historias eius, dicens fabulis et genealogiis interminatis, et cetera. Contra quod dicit Augustinus quod apostolus utitur historiis et genealogiis veteris testamenti. Gal. IV, 22: Abraham duos filios habuit, et cetera. Si ergo reprobaret, non eis uteretur. Dicit ergo fabulas, non datam legem in scriptis, sed in ore, scilicet Thalmuth: non quae Moyses ore tradidit, sed quae alii addiderunt, ut sunt stultae fabulae, scilicet quod Adam habuit aliam uxorem, ex qua dicunt natos Daemones. Matth. XV, 6: irritum fecistis mandatum Dei propter traditionem vestram. II Tim. IV, 4: ad fabulas autem convertentur. Ratio huius est, quia praestant quaestiones, id est, contentiones. II Tim. II, v. 14: noli verbis contendere. Prov. XX, 3: honor est homini qui se separat a contentionibus. Magis quam aedificationem Dei, quae est in fide, quando scilicet aliquis est confirmatus in veritate fidei, ad quod debet omnis doctrina tendere. Deinde cum dicit finis autem, ostendit quid de lege sit tenendum. Et circa hoc duo facit, quia primo ostendit hoc; secundo quod periculum est his qui hoc non tenent, ibi a quibusdam, et cetera. Circa primum sciendum est quod lex vetus dicitur lex mandatorum, quia mandatis et praeceptis continetur. Eph. II, 15: legem mandatorum, decretis evacuans. Illud ergo ad quod ordinantur omnia mandata legis est praecipue tenendum; hoc autem est charitas. Matth. XXII, 37: diliges Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et cetera. Et paulo post: in his duobus mandatis universa lex pendet et prophetae. Sed quomodo charitas est finis praecepti? Ad hoc sciendum, duo sunt consideranda: primo quod omnia praecepta legis sunt de actibus virtutum, et quod per omnes actus virtutum ordinatur homo unus ad alium. Secundo quod obiectum unius virtutis est finis alterius, quia quandocumque una potentia est circa aliquem finem, ad illam ordinantur omnia quae sunt eiusdem, sicut ad finem; sicut fraenifactiva est ad equestrem, quia officium equestris est eius finis, haec autem ad ducem. Virtutes autem theologicae ultimum finem habent pro obiecto. Aliae autem sunt circa ea quae sunt ad finem. Virtutes ergo omnes respiciunt theologicas sicut finem. Inter theologicas vero illa plus habet de ratione finis, quae propinquius se habet ad ultimum finem. Fides autem ostendit eum, spes facit tendere in eum, charitas unit. Ergo omnes ordinantur ad charitatem, et sic dicitur charitas finis praeceptorum. Sed cum ea quae sunt ad finem, disponunt ad finem, praecepta autem sunt ad charitatem, ideo disponunt ad eam.
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Ideo dicit de corde puro. Ad hoc enim quod cor sit purum, dantur praecepta virtutum, quarum quaedam ordinantur ad modum rectificandi passiones, quarum, scilicet virtutum, materiae sunt passiones, sicut temperantia quae ordinat concupiscentiam, mansuetudo iras, fortitudo timores et audacias. Per has autem passiones turbatur puritas cordis. Et ideo istae virtutes faciunt cor purum. Sed numquid hoc requiritur ad charitatem? Respondeo. Dicendum est quod sic, quia impossibile est quod cor impurum sit promptum ad charitatem, quia unicuique est diligibile quod sibi est conforme. Cor impurum diligit illud, quod competit ei secundum passionem; ergo necesse est quod sit expeditum a passionibus. Cant. I, 3: recti diligunt te. Aliae virtutes sunt quae rectificant hominem ad proximum, et ex hoc sequitur quod habeat conscientiam bonam, quia non facit alteri quod sibi non vult fieri. Matth. c. VII, 12: omnia ergo quaecumque vultis ut faciant vobis homines, et vos facite illis. Et ideo quae contra proximum sunt, sunt contra conscientiam. Unde dicit et conscientia bona. Qui ergo non habuerit conscientiam bonam, non potest Deum pure diligere, quia qui non habet conscientiam bonam, timet poenam. Timor autem non est in charitate, sed fugit Deum, et non unitur ei. Et ideo praecepta, quae conscientiam rectificant, bene disponunt ad charitatem. Aliae sunt virtutes ad habendam veram fidem, scilicet virtutes quibus Deum colimus, scilicet latriae et huiusmodi, quae sunt ordinata ad removendum errores, et ad confirmandum in cordibus fidei firmitatem de Deo. Qui enim non habent veram fidem, non possunt Deum diligere; quia qui falso credit de Deo, iam non diligit Deum. Non enim diligit qui non credit, quia non figitur affectus, nisi in illo quod ostendit intellectus. Et ideo quae faciunt fidem veram, ordinantur ad charitatem. Et ideo dicit de corde puro, quia faciunt hoc. Matth. V, 8: beati mundo corde, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt. Et conscientia bona. II Cor. I, 12: gloria nostra haec est, testimonium conscientiae nostrae. Et fide non ficta, id est, vera. Et ideo virtutes et praecepta ordinantur ad finem qui est charitas, quae sumitur secundum ista tria, et cetera.
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Supra ostendit virtutum dignitatem et utilitatem, hic declarat harum necessitatem, quia quicumque ab his discedit, in periculum falsae doctrinae cadit. Et circa hoc duo facit, quia primo ponitur falsitas doctrinae in quam incidunt; secundo conditio falsa docentium, ibi volentes esse. Dicit ergo: finis praecepti, etc. et haec sunt principalia legis, a quibus quidam discedunt. Ps. XI, 2: vana locuti sunt, et cetera. Et nota quod recessus a charitate causa est falsae doctrinae, quia qui non amant charitatem, cadunt in mendacium. II Thess. II, v. 11: qui non crediderunt veritati, sed consenserunt iniquitati. Similiter qui dimittunt cordis puritatem. Habentes enim cor infectum passionibus, iudicant secundum affectum earum, et non secundum Deum. I Cor. c. II, 14: animalis homo non percipit quae Dei sunt, et cetera. Similiter habentes conscientiam malam, quia non possunt quiescere in veritate. Et inde est quod quaerunt falsa, ut in eis quiescant. Infra eodem: habens fidem et conscientiam bonam. Similiter qui habet fiduciam fictam. Is. XXI, 2: qui incredulus est, infideliter agit. Deinde cum dicit volentes, etc., ponitur conditio falsa docentium, et primo inordinata ambitio; secundo defectus eorum. Quantum ad primum dicit volentes esse, et cetera. Matth. XXIII, 6: amant primos recubitus in coenis, et vocari ab hominibus, Rabbi, et cetera. Iac. III, 1: nolite plures magistri fieri, et cetera. Quantum ad secundum dicit non intelligentes. Ps. LXXXI, 5: nescierunt, neque intellexerunt, in tenebris ambulant. Sap. V, 6: sol intelligentiae non est ortus nobis.
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Neque quae loquuntur per auctoritates, quas non intelligunt, neque de quibus affirmant, scilicet concludendo. Deinde cum dicit scimus autem, etc., ponit legis conditionem quantum ad duo. Primo quantum ad bonitatem legis; secundo quantum ad finem et intentionem legislatoris, ibi scientes. Dicit ergo scimus, scilicet per certitudinem, quod lex bona est, non mala, ut haeretici dicunt. Ps. XVIII, 7: lex domini immaculata, et cetera. Rom. VII, 12: lex quidem sancta est, et mandatum sanctum, et iustum, et bonum. Sed contingit, quod aliquis bono utatur male. Cum ergo lex sit bona, requiritur quod homo ea bene utatur. Et ideo dicit si quis recte ea utatur. Alias fit ei mors, ut dicitur Rom. VIII. In lege enim sunt quaedam moralia, et quaedam caeremonialia. Caeremonialia quidem in figura Christi et Ecclesiae sunt data, sed indigent, ut intelligantur non solum carnaliter, sed etiam spiritualiter; et in figura futurorum, et ut scias quod non sunt perpetuo servanda, sed cessant veritate veniente. Ier. XXXI, 31: et feriam domui Israel et domui Iuda foedus novum, non secundum pactum quod pepigi cum patribus vestris, et cetera. Et sic exponit Glossa. Sed apostolus videtur loqui de moralibus, quia subdit quod lex posita est propter peccata, et haec sunt praecepta moralia. Horum legitimus usus est, ut homo non attribuat eis plus quam quod in eis continetur. Data est lex ut cognoscatur peccatum. Rom. VII, 7: quia nisi lex diceret: non concupisces, concupiscentiam nesciebam, etc.; quod dicitur in Decalogo. Non est ergo in eis spes iustificationis, sed in sola fide. Rom. III, 28: arbitramur iustificari hominem per fidem sine operibus legis. Deinde cum dicit scientes, ostendit conditionem legis quantum ad legislatoris intentionem; et primo ponit existimatam; secundo ponit veram intentionem, ibi sed iniustis. Existimata intentio excluditur, cum dicit iusto, et cetera. Ubi posset esse duplex falsus intellectus. Unus quod iustus legem non servat, quod falsum est, quia nisi servaret eam quantum ad moralia, iustus non esset. Unde et Christus factus est sub lege. Alius quod iustus non obligatur ad praecepta legis, et non peccaret si faceret contra ea. Sed verus est sequens sensus, supponendo, quia quod imponitur alicui, imponitur sicut onus; lex enim iustis non imponitur sicut onus, quia habitus eorum interior inclinat eos ad hoc, ad quod lex, et ideo non est onus eis. Rom. II, 14: ipsi sibi sunt lex. Vel aliter: lex non est posita pro iustis, sed pro iniustis; quasi dicat: si omnes essent iusti, nulla necessitas esset dandi legem, quia omnes essent sibi lex. Intentio bonorum debet esse, ut alios inducant ad virtutes. Quidam autem per se sunt bene dispositi ad virtutes; alii habent mentem bene dispositam, sed per alium, et de istis sufficit paterna monitio, non coactiva; alii autem nec per se, nec per alium bene disponuntur; ideo eis omnino est necessaria lex, ut patet in Ethicis. Deinde cum dicit sed iniustis, etc., ponit veram intentionem; et primo describit eos in generali, quibus necessaria est lex; secundo in speciali, ibi patricidis. Sciendum est autem, quod, sicut I Io. III, 4 dicitur omne peccatum est iniquitas, et ideo repugnat alicui iuri. Cum autem sit duplex ius, scilicet naturale et positivum, naturali repugnat quod secundum se est malum, positivo autem repugnat quod est malum quia prohibitum. Quantum ad primum dicit sed iniustis, qui scilicet agunt contra ius naturale. Is. c. XXIV, 5: transgressi sunt leges, mutaverunt ius, dissipaverunt foedus sempiternum, et cetera. Quantum ad secundum dicit non subditis, scilicet praecepto humano. Rom. I, 30: parentibus non obedientes. Et haec duo respiciunt rationem peccati. Ponit autem alia, quae sumuntur per comparationem ad illud, et hoc est vel contra Deum, vel contra proximum, vel in seipsum. In Deum dicitur impietas, quia pietas importat cultum Dei; ideo dicit impiis. In proximum, sic dicit peccatoribus. Ps. I, 5: non resurgent impii in iudicio, et cetera. Gal. II, 15: nos enim natura Iudaei, et non ex gentibus peccatores. Sed secundum Augustinum, de Doctr. Christ. peccata distinguuntur in duo, scilicet in spiritualia, quae dicuntur facinora, et in carnalia, et haec dicuntur flagitia; et ideo dicit sceleratis, quantum ad spiritualia. Prov. c. XVII, 9: qui abscondit scelera, et cetera. Quantum ad carnalia dicit contaminatis. Mal. II, v. 11: contaminavit Iudas sanctificationem domini, et cetera. Deinde connumerat peccata in speciali. Et primo nominat quaedam in speciali; secundo colligit alia in generali, ibi et si quid aliud, et cetera. Primo ponit peccata operis; secundo peccata oris, ibi mendacibus, et cetera. Circa primum primo ponit quantum ad facinora; secundo quantum ad flagitia. Facinora dicuntur quae sunt in nocumentum proximi. Et quanto est proximus coniunctior, tanto est eorum peccatum gravius, quia plus eis tenemur. Et ideo primo dicit de patre, secundo de matre. Ex. XX, 12: honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, etc., et postea XXI, 15: qui percusserit patrem suum aut matrem, morte moriatur; deinde prosequitur de aliis proximorum homicidiis, dicens; Ex. XXI, 14: si quis per industriam occiderit proximum suum, et cetera. Deinde ponit flagitia, et primo quae secundum naturam sunt, cum dicit fornicariis. Hebr. ult.: fornicatores et adulteros iudicabit Deus. Secundo contra naturam, dicens masculorum concubitoribus. I Cor. VI, 10: neque masculorum concubitores regnum Dei possidebunt. Deinde ponit nocumenta oris, et primo quantum ad simplex mendacium, dicens mendacibus. Eph. IV, 25: deponentes mendacium, loquimini veritatem, et cetera. Secundo quantum ad iuramentum, dicens periuris.
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Et tunc colligit alia in generali, dicens et si quid aliud sanae doctrinae, et cetera. Iob VI, 30: non invenietis in lingua mea iniquitatem, nec in faucibus meis stultitia personabit, et cetera. Tit. II, 1: loquere quae decent sanam doctrinam.
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Deinde cum dicit quae est secundum Evangelium, ostendit quod Evangelium communicat sanam doctrinam, quod tripliciter describit. Et primo a fine, cum dicit gloriae, scilicet quam annuntiat, Ps. XCV, 3: annuntiate inter gentes gloriam eius. Secundo ab auctore gloriae, cum dicit beati Dei. Infra ult.: quem suis temporibus ostendet beatus, et solus potens rex regum, et cetera. Tertio a ministro, cum dicit quod creditum est mihi. Gal. II, 7: cum vidissent quod creditum est mihi Evangelium praeputii, et cetera.
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Deinde cum dicit gratias ago, probat per experimentum in seipso, quid fuerit ipse tempore legis et quid consecutus sit tempore gratiae. Et primo ostendit, quid circa se utroque tempore sit actum; secundo inducit Timotheum ad imitandum se, ibi hoc praeceptum. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo ostendit quid sibi datum fuit in lege, et quid sibi sit datum in Evangelio; secundo rationem assignat, ibi fidelis sermo. Item prima pars dividitur in tres particulas, quia primo ponit dignitatem, quam consecutus est in Evangelio; secundo peccata quibus subiacuit in statu legis, ibi qui prius fui; tertio quomodo liberatus fuit, ibi sed misericordiam, et cetera. Sed ad hoc quod aliquis sit minister Evangelii, tria requiruntur. Primo quod sibi committatur. Rom. X, 15: quomodo praedicabunt, nisi mittantur, et cetera. Secundo idoneitas, id est, ut sit fidelis. I Cor. IV, 2: hic iam quaeritur inter dispensatores, ut fidelis quis inveniatur. Item ut sit fortis ad prosequendum. Et haec tria ponit ordine retrogrado, et primo tertium, dicens qui me confortavit, etc., scilicet ad prosequendum officium iniunctum. Ez. III, 14: manus domini erat mecum confortans me. Secundum ponit ibi quia fidelem me, et cetera. Matth. XXIV, 45: fidelis servus et prudens, quem constituit dominus super familiam suam. Et hoc quia quaerebat solum quae Dei erant. Primum vero ostendit, cum dicit in ministerio, id est, committens mihi ministerium hoc. Act. XIII, 2: segregate mihi Barnabam et Saulum in opus ad quod assumpsi eos. II Cor. XI, 23: ministri Christi sunt? Et ego. Sed qualis erat in statu legis? Peccator. Et primo in Deum, cum dicit qui prius fui blasphemus, scilicet nominis Christi. Lev. XXIV, 14: educ blasphemum extra castra, et ponant omnes qui audierunt manus suas super caput eius, et lapidet eum populus universus. Unde sibi illud competebat. Item in proximum, cum dicit et persecutor. I Cor. XV, 9: non sum dignus vocari apostolus, quoniam persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei. Item et contumeliosus, verbis et factis. Ier. XX, 10: audivi contumelias multorum, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit sed misericordiam Dei, ostendit quomodo fuit liberatus per Christum. Et circa hoc duo facit, quia primo ponit misericordiam liberantem; secundo ostendit quod superabundanter in bonis repletur, ibi superabundavit autem.
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Quantum ad primum dicit sed misericordiam Dei consecutus sum. Thren. III, v. 22: misericordiae domini quod non sumus consumpti. Rom. IX, 18: cuius vult miseretur, et quem vult indurat. Sed ex parte mea aliqua est excusatio peccati, quia ignorans feci. Minus dicit, plus significat, quia aliud est ignoranter agere, aliud per ignorantiam; quia ignoranter facit aliquid qui nescit quod facit, tamen si sciret, etiam faceret illud, sicut credens se interficere feram, occidit inimicum suum, quem tamen occidisset etiam libentius, si novisset eum. Sed per ignorantiam facit, qui facit aliquid quod non faceret, si nosset, sicut occidens patrem, quem si sciret, non occideret eum, quem tamen occidit, quia eum credit inimicum. Sed Paulus fecit per ignorantiam, quia si scivisset quod Christus esset filius Dei, hoc non fecisset. Sed Iudaei per ignorantiam non occiderunt Christum, sed ignoranter, quia si scivissent ipsum esse Christum, libentius occidissent eum. Lc. XII, 47: servus qui cognovit voluntatem domini sui, et non se praeparavit, nec fecit secundum voluntatem eius, vapulabit multis, et cetera. Quantum vero ad secundum dicit superabundavit, et cetera. Rom. V, 20: ubi abundavit delictum, superabundavit et gratia.
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Cum fide et dilectione. Nam fecit ibi effectum fidei per dilectionem operantem, quae est in Christo Iesu. Gal. III, 14: in Christo Iesu, ut pollicitationem spiritus accipiamus per fidem.
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Supra ostendit conditionem suam, et quantum ad peccata sub lege, et quantum ad bona tempore gratiae, hic ostendit rationem horum beneficiorum, quae sumitur ex divina miseratione. Et primo proponit divinam miserationem in communi; secundo aptat ad se, ibi quorum primus; tertio ponit gratiarum actionem, ibi regi autem saeculorum. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo commendat veritatem proponendam; secundo proponit divinam miserationem, ibi quia Christus Iesus. Quantum ad primum dicit fidelis sermo, et cetera. Duo autem sunt in sermone commendanda, scilicet quod sit verus et quod sit acceptabilis. Aliquando enim sermo verus est durus, et odia concitans. Gal. IV, v. 16: inimicus factus sum vobis, verum dicens vobis. Sed hic sermo primo quidem habet veritatem; unde dicit fidelis sermo. Apoc. c. ult.: haec verba fidelissima et vera sunt. Item acceptabilis est, quia de salute nostra; ideo dicit et omni acceptione dignus. Zac. I, 13: et respondit dominus Angelo qui loquebatur, et cetera. Alia littera habet: humanus sermo, quia de susceptione hominum. Tit. III, 4: apparuit benignitas et humanitas salvatoris nostri, et cetera. Et hic sermo est talis, quia Christus venit, et cetera. Quod in mundum venit, exprimit duplicem naturam, scilicet divinitatis, in qua erat antequam in mundo appareret. Io. XVI, 28: exivi a patre, et veni in mundum, et cetera. Et humanitatis, in qua apparuit. Et quia Deus est, caelum et terram implet, Ier. XXIII, 24, ideo non competit ei secundum divinam naturam in aliquo loco esse, sed competit ei secundum humanam naturam. Io. I, 10: in mundo erat, et mundus et cetera. In propria venit, et cetera. Sed ad quid venit? Peccatores salvos facere, id est, propter salutem populorum. Io. c. III, 17: non enim misit Deus filium in mundum, ut iudicet mundum, sed ut mundus salvetur per ipsum. Io. XII, 47: non enim veni ut iudicem mundum. Sed si nullus fuisset peccator, numquid incarnatus non fuisset? Videtur quod non, quia venit peccatores salvos facere. Non ergo fuisset necessaria incarnatio. Item Glossa: tolle morbum, et medicinae non opus erit. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod ex verbis sanctorum satis hoc patet. Sed haec quaestio non est magnae auctoritatis, quia Deus ordinavit fienda secundum quod res fiendae erant. Et nescimus quid ordinasset, si non praescivisset peccatum; nihilominus tamen auctoritates videntur expresse sonare quod non fuisset incarnatus, si non peccasset homo, in quam partem ego magis declino. Deinde cum dicit quorum primus, adaptat hoc ad se. Primo confitens se peccatorem; secundo dicit se salvatum, ibi sed misericordiam. Dicit ergo quorum primus ego sum. Hic dicit haereticus, quod anima Adae fuit in Paulo, et transivit de corpore in corpus. Quasi dicat: ego primus peccator, quia anima Adae est anima mea; sed hoc est contra apostolum, Rom. IX, 11: cum nondum nati essent, et cetera. Ergo anima non est ante corpus. Primus ergo, non tempore sed peccatorum magnitudine. Et hoc dicit ex humilitate. Prov. XVIII, 17: iustus prior est accusator sui. Prov. XXX, 2: stultissimus sum virorum, et cetera. Sed numquid fuit apostolus maximus peccator? Et videtur quod Iudas fuit maior. Sed quidam dicunt quod peccatum Pauli generalius fuit, quia contra totam Ecclesiam. Sed hoc nihil est, quia Paulus in incredulitate, et multi Iudaei persequebantur ex malitia. Dicendum est ergo quod est primus, non quod inter peccatores maximus qui tunc erant, sed maximus inter peccatores salvatos; quasi dicat: venit peccatores salvos facere, quorum, scilicet peccatorum salvatorum, ego sum primus; quod est de illis intelligendum qui praecesserant apostolum, quia prius etiam multi alii sunt Ecclesiam persecuti. Et hoc dicit ut ostenderet quod omnia quae Deus facit, facit ad ostensionem bonitatis suae. Prov. XVI, 4: universa propter semetipsum operatus est dominus. Eccli.: gloria domini plenum est opus eius. Item propter utilitatem; et ideo dicit ideo salvavit me. Primo propter gloriam suam. Unde exponitur primum tempore, vel primum, id est, potissime.
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Omnem patientiam, id est, perfectam, quia provocatus non punivit, sed potius adversarium exaltavit, et hoc ad utilitatem nostram; unde dicit ad exemplum, id est, informationem et eruditionem; quasi dicat: ut non diffidant peccantes ad eum accedere. I Petr. c. ult.: forma facti gregis. Deinde cum dicit regi, etc., ponit gratiarum actionem, et circa hoc duo facit, quia primo commendat eum cui gratias agit; secundo gratias refert, ibi honor. Commendat autem eum primo ex potestate; secundo ex naturae proprietate. Quantum ad primum dicit regi. Dominium suum est maximum, quia solus dominatur, et habet liberam potestatem, non secundum statuta, ut politicus. Deus autem unus est dominus omnium. Et ideo dicit Deo. Apoc. XIX, 16: rex regum et dominus dominantium. Ps. XLVI, 7: quoniam rex omnis terrae Deus. Item alicuius regis potestas, ut plurimum, non ultra quam quinquaginta annis durat, sed iste est omnium saeculorum. Ps. CXLIV, 13: regnum tuum omnium saeculorum, et cetera. Eccli. X, 4: in manu Dei potestas terrae. Cui etiam convenit proprietas naturae Dei. Circa quod sciendum est quod in rebus prima differentia rerum naturalium est corruptibile, et incorruptibile. Et incorruptibilium quaedam visibilia et corporalia, ut corpora terrestria; quaedam autem invisibilia et spiritualia, ut Angeli. Et haec dividuntur secundum Platonicos in deos, qui per naturam supremi sunt, et in intellectus qui non sunt dii, sed divini, et in animas; sed apud nos est unus solus Deus. Deut. VI, 4: audi, Israel, dominus Deus tuus. Dicit ergo primo immortali, ut distinguat a corruptibilibus, invisibili, ut ad invisibilem ostendat pertinere, et ut distinguat ab aliis visibilibus. Dicit soli Deo, et non soli immortali, vel invisibili, quia solus est Deus per naturam, licet posset dici solus immortalis, et solus invisibilis, id est, specialis prae aliis. Infra ult.: qui solus habet immortalitatem.
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Deinde cum dicit honor et gloria, agit gratias; quasi dicat: exhibendus est ei honor ex subiectione totius creaturae, et in manifestationem excellentissimae ipsius bonitatis, claritatis et gloriae. Apoc. VII, 12: benedictio, et claritas, et sapientia, et gratiarum actio, honor, virtus et fortitudo Deo nostro. In saecula saeculorum, quia saeculum aliorum est modico tempore. Is. XL, v. 6: omnis caro foenum, et omnis gloria eius ut flos foeni. Deinde cum dicit hoc praeceptum, etc., instruit Timotheum permanere in his quae dicuntur. Primo commemorat quid sit ei commissum; secundo monet ad debitum usum; et tertio docet utendi modum. Dicit ergo hoc praeceptum, ut scilicet tu custodias finem legis, id est, charitatem conserves semper, non autem fabulas Iudaeorum, commendo tibi, sicut fidele depositum, quia tibi ideo est commissum. Et quomodo?
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Secundum praecedentes, etc., id est, quia hoc Evangelium non discordat a prophetiis quas ante didicerat, quia fuit filius mulieris Iudaeae. II Petr. I, v. 19: habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem, cui benefacitis attendentes, quasi lucernae ardenti in caliginoso loco, et cetera. I Thessal. ult.: prophetias nolite spernere, et cetera. Vel secundum praecedentes, id est, secundum quod ego et alii sancti de te per spiritum prophetiae cognoverunt tradendum esse tibi. Ut in illis milites, scilicet prophetiis, bonam militiam. Militia est duplex, quaedam spiritualis, quaedam carnalis. II Cor. X, 4: arma militiae nostrae non sunt carnalia, sed potentia Deo, et cetera. In bona militia requiruntur duo ex parte militis, scilicet ut nihil agat contrarium disciplinae militari, ut non marcescat otio. I Cor. IX, 25: omnis qui in agone contendit, ab omnibus se abstinet, et cetera. Item ex parte militiae duo requiruntur, scilicet ut expugnet contrarios reipublicae, et ut subiiciat eos qui debent esse subiecti. Sic et in militia spirituali est, quia ordinatur ad destruendum omnes extollentes se, et ad subiiciendum omnem intellectum in obsequium Christi, ut dicitur II Cor. X. Et haec vera militia, de qua dicit milites, et cetera. Ubi etiam primo modus utendi ponitur, et secundo eius necessitas, ibi quam quidam. Dicit ergo milites, etc., quasi dicat: potes quidem facere bonam militiam, primo per fidem bonam quam habes. I Io. ult.: haec est victoria, quae vincit mundum, fides, et cetera. Item per conscientiam bonam, quia de facili homo recedit ab eo quod mordet eum; unde remorsus conscientiae est sicut quidam stimulus, qui habentem malam conscientiam pungit, et ideo cito a peccatis per bonam conscientiam et rectam fidem recedit. Act. c. XXIII, 1: ego omni conscientia bona conversatus sum ante Deum usque in hodiernam diem. II Cor. I, 12: gloria nostra haec est, testimonium conscientiae nostrae.
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Necessitas bonae conscientiae consequenter ostenditur, cum dicit quam quidam, etc.; ubi primo ponit culpam; secundo poenam; tertio fructum poenae. Culpam, ibi quam, scilicet conscientiam bonam, quidam repellentes, circa fidem naufragaverunt. Qui enim contra fidem errat, perdit omnia quae habet. Hebr. XI, 6: sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. Item moritur, quia iustus meus ex fide vivit, Abac. II, v. 4 et Rom. XI, 17: ex quibus est Alexander et Hymenaeus. II Tim. IV, 14: Alexander aerarius multa mala mihi ostendit, et cetera.
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Deinde ponitur eorum poena, cum dicit quos tradidi, etc., quia excommunicavit eos, ut fideles vitent eos ne coinquinent ipsos. Fuit autem excommunicatio apostoli tantae virtutis quod excommunicati mox corripiebantur a Diabolo, et corporaliter vexabantur. I Cor. V, 4 s.: congregatis vobis et meo spiritu in virtute domini Iesu, tradere huiusmodi hominem Satanae in interitum carnis, ut spiritus salvus fiat. Tamen etiam modo traduntur ad vexandum spiritualiter, quia amittunt suffragia Ecclesiae, quae multum iuvant contra Diabolum. Et tradidi sicut Deus tradidit in reprobum sensum Rom. I, 28, quasi subtrahendo suum auxilium, et communionem Ecclesiae, et suffragia. Et hoc non ex odio, sed ex charitate ad profectum eorum. I Cor. V, 5: ut spiritus salvus fiat. Unde dicit ut discant, saltem per poenam, non blasphemare. Discit autem quis recedere a peccato tripliciter, quandoque scilicet ex poena, quando corporaliter vexatur; item ex confusione excommunicationis; item ex hoc quod cum Ecclesia tradit aliquem Satanae, ruit in peccata manifesta, unde confusus humiliatur, et abstinet etiam ab occultis, quae prius non cognoscebat se habere.
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1. Paulus Apostolus Jesu Christi. Dignitatis et officii sui nomen adscribit in epistolis ad Timotheum et Titum datis, non propter ipsos, quibus scribebat, ut quibus nihil opus erat auctoritate nominis urgeri, cum essent Paulo absequentissimi; sed propter eos, quibus illi praeerant, ne videlicet episcoporum suorum praecepta et monita vilipenderent, quae viderent Apostoli Pauli nomine commendata et auctoritate suffulta.
Secundum imperium Dei Salvatoris nostri. Quod in aliis epistolis dicit, secundum voluntatem Dei, hic ait, secundum imperium} sive ut alii vertunt ex Graeco, secundum delegationem, mandatum, praeceptum Dei, nam Graeca vox a verbo deducitur, quod significat injungere et mandare quippiam, sive officii aliquid delegare. Vocat ergo se Apostolum Jesu Christi, eoque munere fungentem ex delegatione Dei Patris, qui est Salvator noster, id est, auctor salutis nostrae per filium suum. Etiam alibi Deus Pater dicitur noster Salvator: ut Tit. 3. vers. 4., ne quis hic mendum aliquod esse putet in nostris ac plerisque Graecis codicibus, meliusque in Complutensibus sic legi, secundum ordinationem Dei Patris et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi.
Et Christi Jesu spei nostrae. Apostolatum, quem a Deo Patre, imo a tota Trinitate Paulus accepit, etiam Christus ei demandavit, ut homo; quando suum Evangelium in gentibus praedicandum per revolationem ei inspiravit; ut ipse refert ad Gal. 1. Quod autem per appositionem addit, spei nostrae; contra Judaizantes facit, qui in lege et ceremoniis spem salutis suae collocabant; cum spes nostra sit Christus: quia per ejus passionem et merita, non autem aliunde veniam peccatorum, veram legis obedientiam et vitam aeternam speramus. Cui tamen doctrinae nequaquam est contrarium, ut calumniantur haeretici, quod Christiani sanctos cum Christo regnantes, quorum precibus et meritis adjuvari se confidunt, interdum spem suam vocent: nam omne auxilium, quod ab illis sperant, qualecunque illud est, non nisi per Christi meritum exspectant. Sic enim et ipse Paulus passim eorum, ad quos scribit, orationibus adjuvari petit; quod utique sine spe et fiducia, quam in illis habebat, facere non potuit; ut illud omittam, quod Thessalonicenses spem suam appellet 1 Thess. 2.
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2. Timotheo dilecto filio in fide. Dilecto, Graece pTjaui), id est germano, quemadmodum et Ambrosianus legit. Idem observandum in salutatione ad Ti tum: nam alibi, ut in 2. ad Timotheum et in epist. ad Phil., Graece est ayaTCTjTWj id est dilecto. Rursus autem de eodem Timotheo scribens ad Philipp. 2. germanitatem ejus laudat, dicens se neminem habere, qui, sicut in Graeco legitur, tam germane pro illis solicitus sit. Timotheum itaque germanum filium in fide vocat Apostolus. Filium quidem in iide, non ut quidam putant, quod eum ad fidem convertisset, Christoque genuisset, qua ratione Corinthios filios suos appellat: nam in Christo Jesu, inquit, per Evangelium ego vos genui 1 Corinth. 4., quomodo et Onesimum, quem in vinculis Christo genuerat, filium suum vocat in epist. ad Philemonem. Non enim Timotheus a Paulo fuit conversus ad fidem, sed cum jam esset discipulus, id est Christianus, et bonum ei redderetur testimonium a fratribus, usque adeo Paulo placuit, ut eum peregrinationis suae comitem et praedicationis socium assumeret; uti refert B. Lucas Act. 16. Nam et in 2. ad Tim. cap. 1. non obscure signincat, eum fide Christiana a matre et avia fuisse imbutum adhuc puerum. Quem et ab infantia sacras literas didicisse, testatur ejusdem epist. cap. 3. Ergo filium in fide vel ideo nominat, quod eum in his, quae fidei sunt, plenius et accuratius instituisset; vel potius, quod ipsi Paulo seni Timotheus adolescens, tanquam filius patri, in Evangelio subserviret. Ita namque de eo scribit loco jam citato ad Phil. Experimentum ejus cognoscite: quia sicut patri filius mecum servivit in Evangelio. Porro dilectum, seu germanum filium vocat, non solum quia doctrinam Evangelii retinebat integram et incorruptam; sed eo maxime, quod ad imitationem Pauli, velut parentis sui, negotium Evangelii sincerissime ageret, non quaerens quae sua sunt, sed quae Jesu Christi. Nam talem eum ibidem ad Philippenses praedicat.
Gratia, misericordia et pax. In Graecis atque etiam Latinis quibusdam manuscriptk asyntheton est: Gratia, misericordia, pax, astipulante etiam textu commentatoris Ambrosiastri. De gratia et pace in aliis Epistolis satis dictum. Hoc autem loco misericordiam interponit, ex quodam singulari erga Timotheumaffectu, coacervans vocabula beneficentiae divinae; tum etiam ut fontem gratiae et pacis, omniumque Dei beneficiorum, quibus salvamur, apertius monstraret. Omnia enim promanant ex Dei misericordia, secundum id quod ait ad Tit. 3. Non ex operibus justitiae, quae fecimus nos, sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit. Adnotavit id de hoc loco Augustinus in inchoata expositione epist. ad Rom.
A Deo patre. Graeci et Syri codices Ambrosiano suffragante addunt nostro. Et Christo Jesu Domino nostro. Graeca variant: nam exemplaria Roberti omnia nobiscum faciunt, ut et Oecumenius cum aliis nonnullis. Atque ea Latinorum omnium lectio est; quam et Syriacus textus exhibet. At alia quaedam Graeca Domini cognomen iterant. Quomodo autem tota haec sententia supplenda sit et interpretanda; facile est ex iis, quae alibi saepiusque dicta sunt, intelligere.
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3. Sicut rogavi te, ut remaneres Ephesi, cum irem in Macedoniam. Facit exordium a repetitione mandati, quod Timotheo dederat, Epheso discedens in Macedoniam. Erasmus vertere maluit: Sicut adhortatus sum te: nam Graeca vox TtocpsxaXeaoc anceps est ad hortari et rogare: et personae Pauli magis congruere videbatur, ut Timotheum, quem filium suum vocat, hortaretur, quam ut rogaret. Verum Chrysostomus caeterique Graeci in suis commentariis eundem sensum reddiderunt, quem noster interpres expressit. Commendant enim modestiam Pauli, qui cum praecipere posset, ut patet filio, ac praeceptor discipulo; rogaro tamen et obsecrare maluerit. Nec secus exponit Ambrosianus. Consonat et Syriaca translatio: denique Erasmus ipseinparaphrasi, id quod verterat dissimulans, communem hanc omnium interpretationem sequitur. Discessum Pauli ab Epheso in Macedoniam brevissime narrat Lucas Act. 20. Postquam, inquit, cessavit tumultus, vocatis Paulus discipulis et exhortatus eos, valedixit, et profectus est, ut iret in Macedoniam. Sed in eo, quod vocasse dicitur discipulot;, quorum utiqae praecipuus erat Timotheus, intelligendum est ab ipso ea facta, quorum in hac Epistola memoriam refricat; scilicet Timotheum cimi impositione manuum presbyterii creatum fuisse episcopum, ut dicitur cap. 4., eundemque Ephesi relictum cum mandatis, ut compesceret falscs ac futiles magistros, sinceram Evangelii doctrinam vitiantes; quod dicitur hoc loco. Quaeret aliquis, quomodo cum his non pugnet, quod in Actis paulo post verba modo citata Timotheus recensetur inter eos, qui Paulum iter facientem leguntur comitati. Respondeo nullam esse repugnantiam; quia Timotheum quidem Ephesi reliquit Apostolus, ut hic dicitur. Deinde ex Macedonia ad eum hanc Epistolam scripsit: sed postquam Paulus Ephesum redire non potuit tam cito quam speraverat, ut legitur hujus epist. cap. 3, 14., ivit ad eum adhuc in Macedonia haerentem, idque volentem, Timotheus, ac deinde aliquamdiu cum eo fuit. Quod autem ad Apostolum ivit adhuc in Macedonia haerentem, doceii potest ex initio posterioris ad Corinth, ubi Paulus Timotheum sibi adjungit; eam autem fuisse scriptam ex Macedonia, suo loco docuimus ex sententia Graecorum. Quod si scripta fuit ex Nicopoli, ut Baronio magis placet: illuc Timotheum ivisse ad Apostolum licebit dicere, propter illa prima verba ejus Epi3tolae.
Ut denuntiares quibusdam. Denuntiandi, seu praecipiendi vocabulum potestatem significat: ex quo primum intelligitur, Timotheum cum pctestate relictum ab Apostolo fuisse apud Ephesios: quae quidem potestas non alia fuit, quam ecclesiastica et episcopalis; deinde, eos, de quibus sermo est, in Ecclesia fuisse: nam alioqui praecipere eis non poterat. Quid enim, inquit, mihi de iis, qui foris sunt judicare? Nonne de iis, qui intus sunt, vos judicatis? 1 Cor. 5. De iis ergo loquitur Apostolus, qui Christo nomen dederant, sed sub hoc nomine falsa, noxia etinutilia quaedam docebant; quales maxime erant Judaizantes et Simoniani.
Ne aliter docerent. Prima cura Apostolo est de integritate doctrinae conservanda; haec enim totius religionis fundamentum est. Adverbium aliter non modi, sed rei diversitatem significat; unde verti poterat: Ne alia, aut: ne diversa docerent, scilicet ab iis, quae tradita illis erant. In Graeco verbum est compositum, ixspodidoiGxaXelv, quod Erasmus interpretatur, diversam sequi doctrinam; id quod auditoribus magis, quam doctoribus convenit. At vero si hoc vellet Apostolus, non dixisset: Vt denuntiares quibusdam, sed ut fidelibus in universum. Omnes enim fideles monendi sunt, ne diversam sequantur doctrinam; sed non omnes, ne doceant: cum pauci sint ad docendum apti. Utitur eodem vocabulo cap. 6., ubi rursus habemus: Si quis aliter etc. Nam et ibi de docentibus sermonem esse, contextus ostendit et infra hoc cap. volentes esse legis doctores. Et ouidem de his utrumque locum exponunt tam Graeci, quam Latini interpretes. Caeterum aliter docere, seu diversam adferre doctrinam idem est cun» eo, quod Gal. 1. vocat: evangelizare praeter id quod evangelizatum est, et praeter id quod acceperant fideles: ubi praeter idem esse quod contra, suo loco monstravimus. Aliam ergo seu diversam doctrinam intellige, quae priorem excludat; juxta illud 2 Joan. Si quis hanc doctrinam non adfert etc. Quocirca non ille aliter, aut aliud docet, qui profert aliquid qnueunque modo diversum; quandoquidem et ipsi Apostoli non statim omnia religionis mysteria fidelibus recenter conversis tradebant; quaedam enim reservabant opportuno tempore supplenda: sed qui docet ea, quae dissentanea svmt et contraria doctrinae prius acceptae. Igitur improbe et imperite locum hunc detorquent haeretici contra traditiones Ecclesiae non scriptas; praesertim cum hic doctrinae scritpo traditae nulla fiat mentio.
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4. Neque intenderent fabulis. Praeceptum hoc a praecedenti diversum est, et ampHus aliquid requirit. Nam fieri potest, et saepe fit, ut quis non doceat pugnantia cum iis, quae tradita sunt; sed talia tamen, quae nihil ad pietatemfaciunt, utpote fabulosa, vana, inutilia. Quo docendi vitio utinam nulli doctores et concionatores Christiani laborarent! Quanquam etiam ad audientes potest haec pars referri; uti referunt Ambrosianus et B. Thomas. Notat autem Apostolus Judaizantes; qui quo apud gentiles Christianos in pretio essent et quaestum facerent, fabulas quasdam a majoribus confictas et traditas pro vera et sacra historia ingerebant. Unde eas ad Tit. 1. Judaicas fabulas appellat. Cujusmodi plurimas observare est in commentariis Rabbinorum, quos etiam nostri interdum citant. Sunt qui significari putent Deuteroses Judaeorum; quas post Jesaiam prophetam Christus in Evangelio et Paulus Col. 2. et Tit. 1. vocant doctrinas et praecepta hominum, atque eo nomine reprehendunt. Quod genus erant, quae Marcus enumerat cap. 7. et Hieronymus in epist. ad Algas., quorum denique magnam farraginem continent Judaeorum libri Thalmud et Cabala. Verum si proprie loquamui\ aliud est fabula, aliud praeceptum. Fabula enim narratur, ut oblectet; praeceptum homini datur, ut observet. Hinc et Apostolus ea distinxisse videtur ad Tit. 1. dicens: Non intendentes Judaicis fabulis et mandatis hominum. Torro fabulis intendere, sive attendere, dicuntur ii, qui eas studiose et serio vel narrant vel audiunt, velut rem alicujus momenti, et quae ad pietatem faciat. Non quidem ad rationem fabulae pertinet, quod falsa sit et commentitia, a fando enim dicta est: sed sive verae sint fabulae sive falsae, cum sint inutiles et animos hominum occupent vana delectatione, merito prohibet Apostolus, ne quis iis attendat.
Et genealogiis interminatis, id est infinitis, ut legit Arcbrosianus; Graece a7i£pavT0i<;. Hac etiam parte Judaei notantur; qui partim, ut legis et rerum Judaicarum periti haberentur, partim vero ut suam ostentarent nobilitatem, origines suas altissime repetebant, ut eas referrent ad reges, prophetas, patriarchas. Id quod usque hodie Judaei factitant. Interminatas vero, sive infinitas, Ambrosianus interpretatur genealogias, quod sint infinitae per traducem, ut loquitur; id est longissima parentum serie protensae, ut vlx ad finem earum perveniri possit. Est qui putet eas infinitas dici, id est fine carentes, quia non perveniunt ad aliquem finem utilem auditoribus. Atqui rectius alii rationem hanc adfemnt, quod res sit infiniti negotii quaestiones et difficultates omnes explicare, quae in exquirendis et constituendis genealogiis accurrere solent. Nec tamen haec Apostoli reprehensio ad Evangelistas pertinet texentes Christi Domini genealogiam; ut nec ad auctorem libri Paralipomenon, in cujus initio multae recensentur genealogiae: nam ea suam habent justam utilitatem; sed privatis suis ac suorum genealogiis intendere, quod Judaei faciebant, cum sit res non solum perplexa, verum etiam inutilis, merito reprehenditur.
Quae quaestiones praestant magis quam aedificationem Dei, quae est in fide. Comparatio impropria est, qua nimirum alterum affirmatur, alterum negatur; ut patet in Syriaca veisione, quasi dicat: Quae quaestiones praestant, et non aedificationem Dei. Cujusmodi est illa comparatio Eccles. 7. Melior est patiens arrogante. Priori parte explicat, quod dixerat interminatas: posteriori, mutiles esse ostendit. Sensus igitur est: quae genealogiae materiam praebent innumerabilium quaestionum; ad pietatem vero, quae homines in Deum promovet et ad Deum adducit, quod quidem fit per fidem, nihil plane confeunt. Quum dicit aedificationem Dei per fidem esse, non nudam intelligit fidem, sed charitate vestitam atque oraatam, id est eam, quae per charitatem operatur. Nam charitas aedificat 1 Cor. 8. et proinde fides non aedificat nisi per charitatem. Pro aedificatione, quae Graece est oixo*5ouia, Chrysostomus, Theodoretus et caeteri Graeci commentatores, una litera variata, legunt, oixovouiav, id est dispensationem: interpretantur autem dispensationem Del, qua disposuit et ordinavit, ut mysteria religionis fide suscipiantur, cum sint incomprehensibilia. Cui ordinationi resistunt, qui quaestiones de illis movent, tanquam ratione comprehendi possint. Eam lectionem sequuntur etiam Cajetanus et Hesselius. Verum et hodie exstant exemplaria Graeca, quae legant id, quod noster interpres reddidit, oixo^o/juav. Nec dubium est quin ea lectio vetusta sil: quandoquidem illi veterum Latinorum interpretatio respondeat: quae et sensum exhibet commodiorem, scilicet eum, quem jam dedimus. Porro quamvis proprie contra Judaeos agat Apostolus, potest tamen accommodari hic locus ad eos, qui quaestiones in disciplinis, ac praesertim in sacra Theologia, sine fructu multiplicant; ingenii, ut ajunt, exercendi, seu verius, ostentandi gratia. Quo pertinet querela S. Thomae in principio summae Theologicae, dum ait, ejus doctrinae novitios a profectu plurimum impediri propter multiplicationem inutilium quaestionum, articulorum et argumentorum. Non tamen existimandum est, quod calumniantur adversarii, plerasque quaestiones a Scholasticis Theologis tractatas esse ejusmodi: sunt enim multae, quarum usus et necessitas etsi prima fronte non appareat, intelligitur tamen ab iis, qui rem propius considerant: quemadmodum bene ostendit Melchior Canus lib. 12. Locorum Theolog. cap. 5. Ut autem ad contextum Apostoli redeamus, oratio ibi inchoata: Sicut rogavi te, hucusque pendet inabsoluta: supplet autem eam auctor textus Ambrosiani huc adjiciendo, ita facito; quod et Erasmus in sua versione superius inseruit, post illa verba: Cum proficiscerer in Macedoniam. Alii subaudiunt: Ita et nunc rogo. Cajetanus vero putat, Apostolum suam orationem, quam hic suspensam relinquit, demum complere sub finem hujus capitis, ubi dicit: hoc praeceptum commendo tibi fili Timothee; ut sit sensus: Sicut dudum rogavi te etc, ita nunc idem hoc praeceptum repetens, tibi commendo. Quae Cajetani speculatio non est improbabilis.
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5. Finis autem praecepti est charitas. Praecepti nomine legem intelligit, in qua Judaei gloriabantur, et cujus peritiam jactabant. Eam enim intelligi liquet ex sequentibus. Est autem lex multorum praeceptorum complexio, sed quo sensu charitatem dicat esse praecepti finem, non convenit inter omnes. Quidam enim de causa finali exponunt, hoc modo: Charitas est id, ad quod omnia legis praecepta referuntur. Ita sentit Augustinus Ench. cap. penult. et lib. 1. de doct. Christ. cap. 35. et sequentibus et alibi. Item B. Thomas in comment., ubi prolixe et docte sensum hunc explicat. Nec ab eo recedit Cajetanus. Sed sciendum, Apostolo Graecum tsXoc alibi significare perfectionem, consummationem, complementum, ut Rom. 10. Finis legis Christus, id est per Christum lex impletur et perficitur. Quae significatio etiam huic loco optime quadrat, ut charitas dicatur finis, id est consummatio et impletio praecepti; quia lex per charitatem impletur, et sine ea impleri non potest. Id puod planius significat illa ejusdem Apostoli sententia Rom. 13. Plenitudo legis est dilectio, quemadmodum in ejus loci commentario declaratum est. Ita locum hunc exponit Ambrosianus et Hesselius: favent et Graecorum commentarii. Quin etiam Augustinus praefat. in Psalm. 31. finem praecepti exponit, quo perficiuntur et consummantur praecepta. Atque hoc est, quod de praeceptis diligendi Dei et proximi Dominus ait in Evangelio: In his duobus praeceptis universa lex pendet et Prophetae Matth. 22., quasi diceret: Si dilectionem habeas, quam exigunt haec duo praecepta, lotam legem et quidquid Prophetae praecipiunt, impleveris. Cui pulcre consonat illud Augustini in serm. de laudibus charitatis: ille tenet, et quod patet et quod latet in divinis sermonibus, qui charitatem tenet in moribus. Quod igitur Apostolus dicit, tale est: Judaei fabulis et genealogiis attendunt, velut adminiculis ad legem observandam. At illa quaestiones et contentiones magis pariunt, quam fructum pietatis et observantiam legis. Nam lex charitate impletur, non quaestionum contentiosarum ventilatione.
De corde puro, et conscientia bona, et fide non ficta. Charitatem seu dilectionem, quam dixit esse finem praecepti, certis notis commonstrat et ab ea distinguit, qua non Deus et proximus sicut oportet diliguntur; sed qua diligitur mundus, et quae in eo sunt, de qua in 2 Tim. 3. Erunt homines seipsos amantes; et cap. 4. Demas me reliquit, diligens hoc saeculum; et 1 Joan. 2. Nolite diligere mundum neque ea, quae in mundo sunt. Si quis diligit mundum, non est charitas Patris in eo. Charitas igitur, quam commendat Apostolus, primum est ex corde puro, id est procedens a voluntate vacua pravis cupiditatibus, ita ut nihil aliud, quam quod diligendum est, diligatur, inquit Augustinus lib. 1. de doct. Christ. cap. ult. Quod sequitur: de conscientia bona, Augustinus ibidem putat esse dictum propter spem, quae effectus est bonae conscientiae. Hle enim, inquit, ad id, quod credit ct diligit, perventurum se esse desperat, cui malae conscientiae stimulus inest. Id ipsum pluribus explicat praefat. in Psalm. 31. Alii aotam hanc ita referunt ad praecedentem, ut sit illius effectus. Cor enim purum fons est bonae conscientiae, qua nimirum quispiam sibi bonae voluntatis ac bonorum operum conscius est. Sic accipitur infra hoc oodem capite, ubi dicit, quosdam bonam conscientiam repellentes, circa fiderh naufragasse. Procedit autem et pendet ex bona conscientia charitas, quia ut ait S. Thomas: Qui non habet conscientiam bonam, non potest Deum pure diligere; timet enim poenam, timor autem non est in charitate 1 Joan. 4. Denique charitatem Apostolus exigit procedentem ex fide non ficta, sive ut Ambrosiauus legit: nonsimulata, Graece dvuTtoxptTOu, id est qua ex animo et sine hypocrisi creditur in Christum, quia charitatis fundamen^um fides est: ac proinde ex fide ficta surgere non potest vera et sincera charitas. Porro nonnulli arbitrantur, illud: De corde puro et conscientia bona, additum esse ab Apostolo, ut charitatem hanc, de qua loquitur, discerneret ab ea, quae est in homine poenitente ante remissionem peccatorum; quod ille etsi Deum sic diligat, ut eum rebus omnibus anteponat, nondum tamen habeat cor purum, nec conscientiam bonam, scilicet propter praecedentia peccata, a quibus, quantum ad labem et reatum attinet, nondum purgatus est, et quorum adhuc conscientia gravatur. Nam et ipsa remissio peccatorum purgatio vocatur Hebr. 1., et malam conscientiam dicimus hominis, qui sibi conscius est alicujus criminis necdum remissi, licet eum facti jam poeniteat. Videtur tamen charitas posse accipi hoc loco generaliter, sicut et alibi accipitur in Scripturis, ac nominatim 1 Cor. 13. et 16., videlicet pro sincero Dei amore, quo super omnia diligitur. Adduntur autem ab Apostolo illae determinationes: de corde puro etc., ut quemadmodum superius dixi, vera Dei dilectio suis notis agnoscatur, utque distinguatur ab amore impuro, carnali ac mundano. Nam et poenitens, etsi nondum reconciliatus, hactenus saltem Deum diligit ex corde puro et conscientia bona, quatenus animum gerit ab affectu peccati repurgatum, et sibi conscius est bonae voluntatis, qua peccata commissa detestatur. Pro hujus loci intellectu conferri possunt alia Apostoli loca, ut Rom. 12. Dilectio sine simulatione. 2 Cor. 6. In charitate non ficta. 2 Tim. 1., ubi fit mentio conscientiae purae et fidei non fictae.
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6. A quibus quidam aberrantes, conversi sunt in vaniloquium. Auerrantes, in Graeco praeteriti temporis est participium. Unde recte vertunt alii: A quibus postquam aberrarunt quidam etc. Significat autem vox Graeca eos, qal a scopo aberrant, quod et Theophylactus annotavit. Sensus est: A quibus jam enumeratis, scilicet corde puro, conscientia bona et fide non ficta, posteaquam aberrarunt quidam, sive ab iis deficientes, sive ea repellentes, nam et infra notat quosdam bonam conscientiam repellentes, conversi sunt ad vaniloquium, id est deflexerunt ad studia, doctrinas, disputationes inanes et infructuosas. Hoc rursus dicit propter fabulas et genealogias, ac caeteras ineptias Judaicarum quaestionum. Male vero ab Erasmo in annot. transfertur ad Scholasticas Theologorum quaestiones, non quud in his non peccetur interdum a nonnullis vel curiositate nimia vel superfluitate, sed quia vitium hoc qualecunque non est conferendum cum vaniloquio Judaeorum, qviod hic ab Apostolo taxatur, et de quo dictum a nobis in superioribus. Nam de Judaeis Apostolum loqui, planum est ex eo, quod sequitur:
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7. Volentes esse legis doctores. Id est, affectantes honorem ac titulum magisterii, quo vocentur nomodidascaii, id est legis doctores, et ut ait Christus in Evangelio: Amantes vocari ab hominibus Rabbi, id est magistri, Matth. 23. Notatur eorum ambitio, quae causa erat, ut deflecterent ad vaniloquium, cum enim legis periti haberi vellent, nec tamen scopum legis attingerent, pro vera et solyla doctrina fabulas et fumos inanes auditoribus venditabant, ut qui non solum legem ceremonialem adhuc servandam esse dicerent, verum etiam humanas traditiunculas partim vanas, partim impias, legi divinae miscerent.
Non intelligentes, neque quae loquuntur, neque de quibus affirmant. Hoc est, nec ea, quae dicunt intelligentes, nec ea, quae dictis suis astruere volunt; vel secundum alios: nec principia doctrinae suae, nec conclusiones, quas ex illis colligunt. Neque tamen haec eos ignorantia excusabat, quoniam ut ait Theophylactus per ambitionem ipsi sibi ignorantiae istius et erroris erant auctores. Quanquam nec potest a peccato excusari, qui docere praesumit ea, quae ignorat. Quam vere autem, quamque significanter pseudologos illos Judaeos ac Pharisaeorum discipulos notet Apostolus impuri cordis et conscientiae malae et fidei fictae; tum ex aliis ejusdem Apostoli scriptis, tum ex variis Evangeliorum locis, quibus Pharisaeorum mores depinguntur, facile potest intelligi, quemadmodum erudite et copiose in suo commentario declarat Hesselius. Sane eadem vitia nostrae aetatis haeresiarchis communia sunt, eosque similiter in errores impulerunt. Et omnino quisquis impuro et ambitioso corde ad studium divinae legis accedit, volens haberi doctus et magnus, facillime declinat ad haereses et vaniloquia.
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8. Scimus autem, quia bona est lex. Haec, inquit, non dico, quod legem reprehendam, cujus illi se profitentur doctores. Scimus enim nos Christi fideles, legem esse bonam, utpote a bono Deo profectam et nihil praecipientem, nisi quod bonum est. Denique bonam, quia servata vitam praestat. Sic Rom. 7. Lex quidem sancta, et mandatum sanctum, et justum et bonum. Loquitur autem praecipue de lege morali, quae continetur decalogo, ut patet ex peccatis ei contrariis, quae mox enumerat.
Si quis ea legitime utatur. Allusio est in vocabulis lex, legitvne^ vouoc, vojjuuojq. Addit hanc partem Apostolus, non quod lex absolute non sit bcua, sed quod bona non sit male utentibus, quasi dicat: Lex ipsa quidem per se bona est, sed tibi bona non erit, si non ea legitime utaris. Utitur autem legitime, qui utitur ad eum finem, ad quem a Deo data est. Quod facit imprimis, qui eam observat et per ejus observationem justus est, secundum illud Rom. 2. Factores legis justificabuntur. Sed quia propriis viribus observare legem nemo potest, utitur et ille ea legitime, qui agnoscens infirmitatem suam ad observanda legis praecepta, utitur ea ut paedagogo ducente ad Christum, sicut eam appellat Apostolus Gal. 3. Lex enim cum per seipsam nus justificare non possit: ad Christum veluti nos mittit, ut per ejus gratiam justificatio legis impleatur in nobis Rom. 8. Hunc sensum clare exprimunt Chrysostomus et ejus sequaces. Mittit autem lex ad Christum, dupliciter: Uno quidem modo, quia Christum promittit ut auctorem justitiae et salutis nostrae; nam apud Mosem exstant hujusmodi promissiones. Altero modo, quia dum praecipit et minatur, et non justificat, tacite hominem admonet, quo confugere debeat, nt ipsius minas evadat; scilicet ad medicum, et redemptorem et Salvatorem Christum in lege promissum. IIoc modo legem nos adChristum mittere, et hunc esse legis usum legitimum, multis locis docet Augustinus, ut lib. de Spirit. et lit. cap. 9. et 10. Epist. 144. et 157., lib. 4. contra 2. Epist. Pelag. cap. 2. et 3., serm. 13. de verbis Apost. et alibi. Significat autem Apostolus, Judaeos, contra quos agit, neque legitime usos fuisse lege, quam profitebantur, neque legitimum ejus usum aliis ostendisse: quandoquidem justitiam non ex Christo, sed ex lege et ipsi exspectabant et aliis promittebant.
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9. Sciens hoc, quia lex justo non est posita, sed injustis. Quidam sunt, qui putent, Apostolum subito mutare numerum, cum paulo ante dixerit: Scimus. Quale exemplum est Gal. 6. Vos, qui spirituales estis etc. Volunt enim et hic utrumque eodem referri: Scimus et sciens. Verum id non oportet: nam participium sciens cum proxima parte cohaeret: Si quis ea legitime utatur, sciens etc. Sentit enim Apostolus, ad legitimum usum legis pertinere, quod sciatur ipsam non esse justo positam, quia paedagogo seu ductore puer opus non habet, postquam magistro traditus est; et vehiculo non indiget, qui jam pervenit illuc, quo tendebat, fluil. Eitii Comm. Tom. II. quemadmodum Augustinus docet cap. 9. lib. de Spiritu et litera. Locum hunc torquent haeretici, ut doceant, Christianos absolutos esse ab obligatione decalogi, absurdissime quidem, cum Christus in Evangelio toties doceat mand&ta legis servanda ei, qui velit ad vitam ingredi, et ipse Paulus non uno loco praecepta decalogi Christianis observanda proponat. Imo novi testamenti haec promissio est: Dabo leges meas in cordibus eorum etc. Quidam ut haereticis respondeant, dicunt, Apostolum hic loqui de ea lege, quam passim docet abrogatam esse per Christum, id est de lege ceremoniarum, quibus ventura gratia Evangelii praenuntiabatur. At hunc sensum respuunt verba sequentia: Sed injustis et non subditis etc. Nam et istos, post Evangelium promulgatum, constat lege ceremoniali non teneri, utpote in universum abolita. Nonnulli sic exponunt, leges non sunt positae propter justos, sed propter injustos; id est propter injustitias et scelera hominum, qui debebant legibus coerceri. Nam ut dici solet: Ex malis moribus natae sunt bonae leges. Justi vero, quoniam per se ea, quae legis sunt, faciunt, lege non indigent, ostendunt enim opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis. Ita fere Graeci. Contra hunc commentarium objici potest, etiam justos opus habere lege ut regula suarum actionum, quam teneant et a qua non deflectant. Unde David dicebat: Legem pone mihi Domine viam justificationum tuarum, Psalm. 118. Et Augustinus lib. 3. contra 2. Epist. Pelag. cap. 4. in universum affirmat, etiam justis legem decalogi nunc esse necessariam. Quin et primo parenti, quando rectus erat et integer, nec peccatum adhuc intraverat in mundum, lex data fuit a Deo, ne comederet de ligno scientiae boni et mali. Rectius igitur alii verum hujus loci intellectum ex aliis ejusdem Apostoli sententiis petendum esse docent, cujusmodi sunt Rom. 6. Non enim sub lege estis, sed sub gratia. Et cap. 7. Mortificati estis legi per corpus Christi. St iterum: Nmic autem soluti sumus a lege mortis, in qua detinebamur. Item Gal. 3. Christus nos redemit de maledicto legis, et cap. 5. Quod si spiritu ducimini, non estis sub lege; et infra cum post enumeratos fructus spiritus subjungit: Adversub hujusmodi non est lex. Quo pertinet etiam quod de principe, seu potestate, qu?.e lex quaedam animata est dicit Roman. 13. Principes non sunt timori boni operis, sed mali. Vis autem non timere potestatem? Bonum fac. Et rursus: Si autem malum feceris, time. Non enim sine causa gladium poriat, vindex in iram ei, qui malum agit. Ex quibus omnibus satis intelligi potest, quo sensu hic ab eodem Apostolo dicatur, legem justo non esse positam. Sicut enim in sententiis jam citatis, ita et hoc loco legem considerat Apostolus non secundum omnia ejus officia, sed secundum ea tantum, quae ei competunt, ut soia est, utque contra fidem et gratiam mediatoris distinguitur; sicut eam passim Apostolus distinguit. Hujusmodi legis officia sunt minari, terrere, reum facere, poenas infligere. Nam alia ejus officia, quae sunt praecipere; prohibere, dirigere, promittere, praemiare; gratiam aut non excludunt, aut etiam praesupponunt. Igitur secundum Apostolum: Lex justo non est posita, sed injustis; quia justos non terret, neque punit, sed injustos, qui tamen si lege legitime utantur, id est si legis terroribus admoniti, viiium suarum:mbecillitatem ad legem implendam agnoscant, atque ad Christi redemptoris gratiam confugiant: justificari poterunt et sic inter eos numerari, quibus lex non est posita. Ab hoc sensu verbis tantum diversa est expositio B. Thomae in commentario, hujusmodi: Lex justo non est posita, id est imposita, tanquam onus, quod eum premat metu ac terrore supplioii. Item, lex justis non adversatur, sed peccatoribus. Unde et per adversarium, qui hominem tradit judici puniendum, lex in Evangelio significatur Matth. 5. Pro hoc intellectu vide Augustinum loco superius citato de spiritu et litera, et praeterea lib. 15. contra Faustum cap. 8., Tract. 3. in Joan. Epist. 19. ad Hieronymum, lib. de natura et gratia cap. 57.. de gratia et lib. arbit. cap. 12. et conc. 11. in Psalm 118., ubi juxta sensum, quem dedimus, conciliat fcaec duo, justo non est lex posita, et: Legem pone mihi Domine. Augustini sententiam sequuntur, ac verbatim etiam referum Beda, Hervaeus, Hesselius. Pro vccabulo injustis Graece est avofxotg, quasi dicas, exlegibus, id est iis, qui legis sunt transgressores; hos enim lex minis ac terroribus suis percellit. Eadem ratio de eo, quod sequitur:
Et non subditis. In Graeco una composita dictio est, avu7t0TaxT0tg, pro qaa legit Ambrosianus inobsequentibus; quomodo et Erasmus veitit. Significantur ii, qui subjici nolunt, nec imperium ferunt; homines rebelles, inobedientes.
Impiis et peccatoribus. Impii, Graece aasftelc;, dicuntur, qui Deo cultum ac reverentiam debitam non praestant. Peccatores, qui grandibus peccatis obnoxii, propter quae etiam scriptura quosdam singulariter peccatores appel]are solet, ut Sodomitas, Amalecitas, Publicanos et Meretrices. Latine dici possunt, scelesti, ftagitiosi.
Sceleratis et contaminatis. Alii prop:us ex Graeco vertunt, nefariis et profanis. Quod posterius etiam apud Ambrosianum est. Prior vox significat eos, qui nulla religione a sceleribus revocantur: posterior homines impuros, piaculis contaminatos, atque ob id a aacris arcendos. Unde illud poetae: Procul este profani. Patricidis tt matricidis, homicidis* Duo priora, secundum Graecam significationem, extendi possunt ad eos etiam, qui citra necem parentes percusserunt: contra quos est illud legis Mosaicae: Qui percusserit patrem suum aut matrem, morte moriatur. Exod. 21. Tertium occisionem viri, id est hominis significat, quinto decalogi praecepto prohibitam. Nam viri nomine, phrasi praesertim Hebraea, saepe etiam femina comprehenditur.
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10. Fornicariis, masculorum concubiioribus. Ex eo, quod fornicarios c >nnumerat aliis magnis peccatoribus. quibus lex posita est, et justo, cui lex posita non est, opponit; aperte colligitur, fornicationom mortale peccatum esse. Comprehendit autem Apostolus nomine fornicationis, tam hic quam alibi, omnem viri et feminae ccmmixtionem extra matrimonium. Ex iis autem impudicitiae peccatis, quae contra naturam committuntur, contentus est unum praecipuum nominasse.
Plagiariis. Graece avSpaTCO&axalg, quasi dicat mancipiariis, hoc est iis, qui aliena mancipia furantur et vendunt. Quod genus furti plagium Latine vocatur, eo quod hujus criminis convicti iege Flavia plagis damnarentur. Tametsi generalior est Latina significatio: nam ylagiarii jureconsultis in universum dicuntur hominum fures, id est qui homines, sivs servos, sive liberos abducunt, retinent, vendunt; imo et qui emunt in servitutem eos, quos liberos esse noverunt. Fuit olim hoc peccatum frequens apud eos, quibus hominum servitus in usu erat.
Mendacibus, perjuris. Perjurium esse mortale peccatum secundo decalogi mandato prohibitum, nulla dubitatio est: mendacia vero constat non omnia mortifera esse. Sunt enim quaedam jocosa et ofiiciosa, quae culpam venialem non excedunt. Verum Apostolus mendaces hic appellat, non a qualicunque mendacio, sed ab eo, quod fit studio nocendi, id est per quod notabile nocumentum (quale praecipue est in religionis doctrina) proximis infertur; quod Theologi pernitiosum mendacium vocant; de quo Joannes loquitur in Apoc. 21. et 22., dum omnibus mendacibus (quos interpretatur eos, qui amant et faciunt mendacium) partem fore dicit in stagno ardenti igne et sulfure, quod est mors eecunda. Ut mendaces his locis dicantur fallaces illi, qui in re gravi student alium fallere. Huc usque Apostolus enumeravit eos, quibus lex posita est: exquo consequitur, omnia haec peccatorum genera mortalia esse, per quae nimirum fiat, ut homo justus non sit, sed injustus; et per hoc legis onere pressus. Unde praeterea consequens est, et contra nostrae tempestatis haereticos observandum, esse quaedam peccata, quae non impediant, quo minus quis vere dicatur et sit justus; et proinde legem vere servet atque impleat, et non tantum imputative, ut illi dicunt. Ea peccata sunt, quae Catholici venialia vocant, sine quibus impossibile est etiam justos ducere hanc vitam. Non igitur cmnia peccata, ut sectarii isti volunt, mortalia sunt et gehennae, quam lex minatur, obroxium faciunt; sed necessario agnoscendum est mortalium et venialium discrimen, quod illi negant.
Et si quid aliud sanae doctrinae adversatur. Quia longum erat, omnia peccatorum genera, quibus lex posita est, singillatim recensere; generali clausula quicquid reliquum est complectitur. Nec moveat, quod utitur conjunctione si, quae dubitantis esse solet: saepe enim, more scripturae, non dubitat, sed supponit, qui sic loquitur, quasi dicat: Et quicquid est aliud etc. Sic idem Apostolus Rom. 13. Et si qaod cit aliud mandatum. Poiro, sanam doctrinam, vocat integram et inccrruptam. Hujus frequenter meminit in epist. ad Tim. et Titum; quo ad episcopos scriberet, quib^s ante omnia curae esse debet, ut Christiana et apostolica doctrina pura?.b omni corruptione conservetur. Dicuntur autem adversari sanae doctrinae non quaecunque peccata, sed ea solum, quae hominem simpliciter injustum ac legis transgressorem constituunt; qualia sunt de quibus hic agitur. Non quasi peccatum aliquod n<-n sit contra ullam Dei legem; sed quia venialia, sicut imperfectam habent peccati rationem, ita et legi Dei imperfecte repugnant, quatenus non extinguunt dilectionem Dei ex toto corde. Unde nec simpliciter ab illis 41 * quisquam legis transgressor vocatur. Secus de mortalibus, etiam singulis; ut patet Jac. 2.
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11. Quae est secundum Evangelium gloriae beati Dei. Particula: Quae est, in Graeco quidem non habetur, sed supplendam esse recte admonet Theophylactus. Est enim haec pars explicatio ejus, quod praecedit, sanae doctrinae. Quae est, inquit, secundum Evangelium, id est Evangelio consentanea. Vocat autem Evangelium gloriae beati Dei, quia per ipsum Deus, qui per naturam beatus est, et laude nostra non eget, glorificatur. Nam finis Evangelii gloria Dei est. Unde ait infra: Regi saeculorum honor et gloria.
Quod creditum est mihi. Id est, concreditum, commissum; cujus praedicatio mihi delegata est a Deo. Hoc quoque pertinet ad commonstrandam sanam doctrinam, quasi dicat: Evangelium a me Christi Apostolo praedicatum ne dubita sanam esse doctrinam. Sic in 2 Tim. 3. scienSj a quo didiceris; etenim Paulo solemne erat, Evangelio suo fidem conciliare ex auctoritate suae personae, tanquam ad Evangelium praedicandum divinitus missae. Hinc toties se Christi Apostolum vocat; atque eum titulum adversus aemulos constantisshne tuetur.
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12. Gratias ago ei, qui me confortavit Christo Jesu Domino nostro. Non, in Christo, ut quidam legunt -contra fidem Graecorum codicum, quibus et Latini MSS. et post Ambrosianum editio Clementina suffragatur. Graeca sic habent: Et gratiam habeo ei, qui me roboravit, sive potentem reddidit, Christo Jesu etc. Quoniam dixerat, quod creditum est mihi; ne suis meritis id adscribere videatur, gratias agit Christo, ncn solum de munere praedicandi Evangelii sibi concredito, verum etiam de eo feliciter et fortiter inter tot persecutiones et pressuras a se administrato; nam ad id praestandum magna utique fortitudine et constantia opus erat.
Quia fidelem me existimavit. Graece, duxit, judicavit, aestimavit, ut legit Ambrosianus. Ponens in ministerio. Graece, in ministerium; Ambrosiano idem adstipulante. Sensus hujus loci est: Christo Domino gratiam habeo, quod me fidelem et proinde idoneum judicaverit, quem adhiberet ad ministerium Evangelii. Fidelem dicit, non a fide, quae omnibus Christianis communis est, ut nonnulli minus germane interpretantur; sed a fide, quae exigitur in rebus commissis, ut liquet ex contextu verborum. Sic ait 1 Corinth. 4. Quaeritur inter dispensatores, ut fidelis quis inveniatur et cap. 7. de seipso: Tanquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino, ut sim fidelis. Qui locus huic similis est, et cum eo conferendus. Jan? quod dicit, quia fidelem me existimavit, non sic accipiendum, quasi Deus Paulum fidelem invenerit, non autem fecerit (quod lectori parum attento Chrysostomus ejusque sequaces videri possunt sensisse), sed minus dicendo plus voluit intelligi. Nam homines quidem iis credunt rerum suarum dispensationem, quos fideles existimant, etsi non faciunt: Deus autem neminem judicat fidelem, quem non faciat. Idque significare voluisse Apostolum probat ipsa gratiarum actio; nulla enim gratia Deo debetur, quod hominem, qui fidelis est, talem judicet (est enim hoc judicium in Deo necessarium): sed quod talem faciat; quod et locus ad Cor. jam citatus haud obscure significat. Aut certe, quia de Christo loquitur, etiam sic potest intelligi: Fidelem mejndicavit, uthomo; quem talem, ut Deus, fecit.
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13. Qui prius blasphemus fui et persecutor et contumeliosus. Graece, eum qui prius etc. Amplificat divinae erga se gratiae magnitudinem, ostendens quam eo beneficio indignus fuerit; ut qui non solum nihil boni meriti ad illud attulerit, verum etiam in benefactorem multis modis fuerit injuriosus. Qui prius, inquit, blasphemus eram, id est maledicus, Christum vocans seductorem; et persecutor ecclesiae ejus, atque in ea ipsius Christi: utpote de coelo ad me clamantis, quid me persequeris? Denique contumeliosus, Graece uppiox^c, quod et conviciatorem significat et violentum oppressorem. Posterior significatio magis quadrat; quia conviciatorem seu blasphemum jam ante dixerat. Augustinus lib. 4. contra Donatist. cap. 5. ex Cypriano injuriosum legit; quod ad utrumque patet. Videtur autem Apostolus peccatum suum gradibus quibusdam augere, ut primus gradus sit maledicere, secundus persequi, tertius per vim opprimere ct, ut ipse vocat Gal. 1., expugnare.
Sed misericordiam Dei consecutus sum, vel, ut sim fidelis, ut dicitur 1 Cor. 7., siquidem et hic de fidelitate sua gratias egit Christo: vel in genere misericordiam a Deo consecutus, id est gratiam, qua et peccata remitteret, et immensis beneficiis me cumularet. Graece quidem legitur addita conjunctione: Sed et misericordiam consecutus sum: sed pleonasmus est, Apostolo non infrequens, quod et alias annotavimus.
Quia ignorans feci in incredulitate. Nonnulli arbitrantur, Apostolum hac aetiologia peccatum suum exaggerare, atque ex magnitudine peccati rationem reddere, cur misericordiam consecutus sit; quasi dicat: Quia Deus vidit me per infidelitatem adeo excaecatum, ut oura tanta mala facerem, tamen ea non viderem, sed optime facere me putarem et per hoc penitus essem desperatus, more phrenetici, qui morbum suum non agnoscit: ideo ex mera sua misericordia me praevenit atque sanavit. Ita Joannes Hesselius, sensum hunc colligens ex Augustino sermone 8. 9. et 10. de verbis Apost. Juxta quam expositionem causa acceptae misericordiae redditur, non ex parte peccati, sed bonitatis divinae, quae tanta est, ut potentiam suam declarare velit in remissione gravissimorum peccatorum, tanauam in curatione morbi desperati. Quidam nullam putant hic reddi rationem, sed tantummodo significari, cujus et quanti peccati veniam Apostolus sit consecutus. Sic Petrus Lombardus in commentario, glossam ordinariam secutus; nt sensus sit: veniam consecutus sum de eo, quod ignorans feci per incredulitatem; veniam obtinui totius erroris et infidelitatis meae. Sed hic sensus, etsi verus, non tamen explet Apostoli sententiam, ut qu.ie non minus causalis sit, quam illa Christi oratio: Pater dimitte illis, non enim sciunt, quid faciunt. Luc. 23. Quin potius mutua collatione hae duae sententiae explicandae sunt, et si quae sunt similes, ut est illa Petri allocutio ad Judaeos Actor. 3. Et nunc fratres scio, quia per ignorantiam fecistis, sicut et principes vestri. Plerisque igitur tam Graecis, quam Latinis videtur, Christum et utrumque Apostolum per hujusmodi verba extenuare velle peccatum eorum, de quibus loquuntur; ut circumstantia extenuans sit ignorantia, per quam peccaverunt. In eundem sensum Apostoli verba accepit interdum Augustinus, ut in expositione Psalm. 50. et lib. 4. contra Donatist. cap. 5. et homil. 21. inter 50. Similiter et Cyprianus in epistola ad Jubajanum, Tertullianus lib. de pudicitia, Gregorius vel quisquis auctor in Psalm. 3. poenitentialem, et Bernardus serm. 1. de conversione sancti Pauli. Scholastici quoque Doctores ex ejusmodi Scripturis probare solent, peccata quaedam per ignorantiam excusari, sicut alia per infirmitatem. Sed contra hunc commentarium facit, primum quod Christus non solum pro iis oravit, qui peccarunt ex ignorantia peccatum extenuante, verum etiam pro iis, qui ex odio, invidia, malitia, crucifixionis ejus erant auctores; quemadmodum docent Augustinus serm. 8. de verbis Apostoli, et Leo serm. 15. de passione Domini. Quod et ipsa ratio confirmat, nam alioqui non dedisset nobis Dominus perfectum exemplum orandi pro persecatoribus; ut quos persaepe malitia ad bonos persequendos incitat. Facit eodem, quod Petrus addit, sicut et principes vestri. Nam principes Judaeorum partim ex odio, partim ex ambitione, Christum voluerunt e medio sublatum; uti probant hae Scripturae, Sapient. 2. Circumveniamus justum, quoniam inutilis est nobis, et contrarius operibus nostris, ct improperat nobis pcccaia legis etc. Luc. 20. Hic est haeres, occidamus eum, ui nostra fiat haereditas. Joan. 5. Quomodo vos potestis credere, qui gloriam ab invicem accipitis et gtoriam, quae a solo Deo est, non quaeritis? Deniqvse facit, quod Paulus addit, in incredulitate. Nam Scriptura nr.squam, ut arbitror, infidelitatem ponit, ut circumstantiam peccati extenuantem; sed ea magis in contrarium uti solet, nt Psalm. 68. Ephes. 4. et 2 Thess. 1. et alibi. Videtur itaque dicendum, quod fecisse per ignorantiam, respectu misericordiae ac veniae a Deo impetrandae, in praedictis sententiis neque allegatur proprie ad exaggerationem peccati, neque ad ejus extenuationem; praesertim cum omnibus peccatis aliquo modo commune sit, quod ex ignorantia fiant; quemadmodum docetur in 2. sent. d. 22., sed adfertur, ut ratio objecti maxime convenientis, circa quod Deus misericordiam suam exerceat. Nam objectum seu materia misericordiae miseria est: unde quanto miseria major, tanto magis nata est misericordiam commovere. Hinc orat Psalmista: Cito anticipent nos misericordiae tuae; quia pauperes facti sumus nimis. Psalm. 78. Quamvis autem omne peccatum miseria quaedam sit, magis tamen ignorantiae quam peccati nomine miseria significatur. Nam miseria, ut talis involuntaria est, sicut et ignorantia, atque hac ratione misericordiam commovet; peccatum autem omne voluntarium est, ideoque, ut tale, non misericordiam provocat, sed iram, tanto graviorem, quanto gravius est ipsum peccatum. Quod igitur Apostolus dicit, rale est: Ideo misericordiam consecutus sum, quia magna erat miseria mea; haec nimirum, quod tanta mala facerem per ignorantiam et incredulitatem, instar aegroti, qui per insaniam medicum caedit, quemadmodum pulchre explicat Augustinus serm. jam citato. Ad eundem modum et Christi oratio videtur intelligenda; tanquam si diceret: Pater ignosce illis et da veniam; quia per ignorantiam, qua peccant nescientes quae faciunt, valde miseri sunt. Huc faciunt etiam aliae Scripturae non dissimiles, ut Gen. 8. Nequaquam ultra maledicam terrae propter homines: sensus enim et cogitatio humani cordis in malum prona sunt ab adolescentia sua, et Psalm. 50. Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis concepit me mater mea, et Psalm. 77. Non accendit omnem iram suam: et recordatus est, quia caro sunt, spiritus vadens et non rediens. In quibus Scripturis observa pro ratione misericordiae divinae allegari peccatum originale; quod ad maximam pertinet humani generis miseriam, et de voluntario minimum habet inter peccata. Quanquam alias etiam actualia peccata significantur, ut Psalm. 24. Propter nomen tuum propitiaberis peccato meo, muUum est enim, et Psalm. 40. Sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi. Tale est et illud Apostoli Rom. 5. Ubi abundavit peccatum, superabundavit gratia. Nam et hic continuo subjungit idem Apostolus, superabundasse in se gratiam Christi. Ex his omnibus id etiam manifestum est, illis verbis, quia ignorans feci, nullam significari rationem meriti in Paulo, ne quidem ex congruo, quod Deum provocaret ad gratiam et misericordiam ei praestandam; nihilo magis, quam in aliis Scripturis modo recitatis. Tantum enim, uti dictum est, magnitudo mis^nae significatur, velut objecti misericordiae divinae; quae miseria, quia peccati erat, non poterat secundum rationem meriti misericordiam provocare, sed iram. Unde adhuc liberum est quaerere, utrum per ignorantiam tanquam circumstantiam extenuantem peccaverit Paulus Christum blasphemans, et Ecclesiam ejus persequens; an vero per malitiam. Tametsi communior et verior est responsio, per ignorantiam magis quam per malitiam haec eum fecisse; ut qui esset ex eorum numero, qui arbitrabantur, persequendo Christianos obsequium se praestare Deo Joan. 16., quique zelum Dei habebant, sed non secundum scientiam, Rom. 10. Sic enim de se loquitur Phil. 3., secundum aemulationem persequens Ecclesiam Dei; secundum justitiam, quae in lege est, conversatus sine querela. Non igitur fuit illis annumerandus, qui rebelles sunt lumini, qui obsLruunt oculos ne videant, qui vident aliqua argumenta verae fidei, sed malitia et pravis affectibus excaecati ea rejiciunt et doceri nolunt, dicentes Deo: Recede a nobis, scientiam viarum tuarum nolumus: quorum denique vox est iu libro Sapientiae 2. Circumveniamus justum etc., quanquam et hi secundum sensum orationis Christi nesciunt, quid faciant.
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14. Superabundavit autem gratia Domini nostri, scilicet erga me. Dicit autem superabundasse, id est supra modum exuberasse erga se gratiam et misericordiam Christi Domini; vel quia beneficium, quod ei Deus per gratiam suam contulit, valde fuit gratuitum, utpote valde indigno collatum; vel, quia magnum erat et copiosum. Non solum enim peccata delevit, sed et adoptionem filiorum ccntulit, et Apostolici muneris dignitatem adjecit; ut ubi abundavit delictum, superabundaret gratia, Rom. 5.
Cum fide et dilectione, quae est in Christo Jesu. Adjungit divinae gratiae suos effectus praecipuos, fidem et dileclionem christianam, quas in se per gratiam superabnndasse dicit; fidem opponens incredulitati; dilectionem saevitiae, quam exercuerat adversus fideles. Recte Graeci admonent, Apostolum fidei conjungere dilectionem, eo quod sine dilectione fides ad salutem non sufficiat. Est autem eadem dilectio, quae charitas, Graece ayaTnj.
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15. Fidelis sermo et omni acceptione dignus. A specie transit ad genus, id est a gratia sibi praestita ad commune beneficium redemptionis et salutis humanae per Christum. Utitur autem magnifica praefatione, quae hunc habet sensum: Id quod volo dicere, quoad veritatem quidem certum ect et indubitatum; quoad utilitatem vero dignum, quod modis omnibus amplectamur. Est enim Evangelium, id est bonum laetumque nuntium. Fidele, pro vero, certo et firmo frequens est in Scripturis, maxime verbis ac pro missis attributum. Porro sciendum est, Ambrosianum legere, humanus sermo, cujus lectionis etiam Hieronymus in Epist. 102. ad Marcellam et B. Thomap in commentario meminerunt. Verisimile est, id quod Erasmus suspicatur, eam Latinam lectionem manasse a Graecis quibusdam codicibus, in quibus pro 7uaT6<; legebatur yprpioc,, id est benignus; tametsi nunc Graeca constanter habent tziztoq fidelis; idque sine dubio melius. Est enim Apostolica phrasis, fidelis sermo, quam et infra cap. 3. et 4. hujus Epist. repetit: ac rursus in 2. ad Tim. 2. et ad Tit. 3. Unde merito diversam lectionem Hieronjmus repudiat in Epist. memcrata.
Quod Christus Jesus venit in hunc mundum peccatores salvos facere. Graece et Syriace, in mundum. Dicitur autem Christus venisse in mundum, quia quamvis jam ante in mundo esset per divinitatem, Joanne testante cap. 1. In mundo erat, et mundus per ipsum factus est: secundum assumptam tamen naturam inter homines, qui mundi nomine significantur, esse coepit postquam incarnatus est: juxta illud ejusdem Evangelistae: Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis. Venit autem, ut peccatores salvos faceret; id est ut peccatoribus salutem adferret. Cujus salutis partes sunt conversio, remissio peccatorum, justificatio et glorificatio. Nam salus peccatoris in hac vita inchoatur, in futura perficitur. Tacite alludit Apostolus ad nomen Jesu, cum dicit Jesum venisse, ut peccatores salvos faceret; nam Jesus salvatorem significat. Unde et angelus apud Matthaeum: Vocabis nomen ejus Jesum; ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum. Ex his autem et similibus Scripturre testimoniis constat finem, principalem adventus Christi fuisse salutem peccatoris, Non veni, inquit, vocare justos, sed peccatores, Matth. 9. Et iterum: Venit filius hominis quaerere, et saloumfacere quod perierat, Luc. 19. Ex qua doctrina recte colligunt Theologi, Christum non fuisse venturum in carne, si homo non peccasset; nam cessante fine principali cessat effectus. Hinc ait Augustinus serm. 9. de verbis Apostc-li: Nulla causa fuit veniendi Christo Domino, nisi peccatores salvos facere. Et serm. 36. de verbis Domini: Si homo non periisset, filius hominis non venisset. Item Leo serm. 3. de Pentecost. Si homo in suae honore naturae mansisset, creator mundi creatura non fieret. Eadem est sententia B. Thomae tam in comm. quam alibi; nec non aliorum praestantium Theologorum ipsiusque Magistri sentent. lib. 3. d. 1. Deinde ex doctrina supradicta sequitur: Omnes, qui per Christum salvantur, peccatores fuisse, nemine excepto. Et quoniam Christus non solum adultorum, verum etiam parvulorum salvator est, ipso dicente: Sinite parvulos ad me venire Matth. 19., consequitur, etiam parvulos recens natos esse peccatores; quemadmodum ex ea doctrina bene contra Pelag. concludit August. serm. 9. et 10. de verb. Apost. et lib. 1. de peccat. meritis cap. 26. et 29.
Quorum primus ego sum. Non primus tempore, sicut hoc intellexerunt quidam haeretici, qui dicebant, ut refert Aquinas, animam Adami, transeundo de corpore in corpus, ad Paulum usque pervenisse, et in eo fuisse; quasi diceret: Ego primus peccator; quia anima Adami, qui primus peccavit, est anima mea. Qui sensus absurdus et haereticus est, ponens animarum transitum seu transmigrationem de corpore in corpus. Sed primum se dicit, peccatorum magnitudine, id est maximum peccatorem: non quod revera nullus eo fuisset major etiam inter eos quos salvos fecit Christus; sed vel hoc sensu, quia unus erat ex praecipuis et insignioribus; magno enim studio et ardore persecutus fuerat Ecclesiam Dei, quae res eum valde insignem inter peccatores faciebat. Vel quia omnium maximus esset peccator, quantum ad suum ipiius judicium; quod de se quidem afiirmativum, de aliis autem negativum habebat, velut si diceret: Scio me fuisse valde magnum peccatorem, et talem me semper in corde gero: nec alium quemquam judico me majorem. II oc enim verae humilitatis est, simul et charitatis, seipsum accusare, et alios non judicare. Sic e contrario se vocat omnium sanctorum minimum, Ephes. 3. Sensus hic et probabilis est, et plurimum aedificat: de quo plura qui volet, Hesselii commentarium legat; ubi inter alia recte docet, quomodo quisque nostrum debeat veraciter judicare, se esse maximum peccatorem; quia nimirum ad eum pertinet sua peccata prae oculis habere ct ponderare; de aliis autem meliora praesumere, et eorum peccata vel extenuare vel non attendere. Videantur et nostra super memoratum locum Epist. ad Ephesios, et super illud Phil. 2. In humilitate superiores sibi invicem arbitrantes. Vide etiamS. Thomam 2. secundae quaest. 161. art. 3. Jam ad humilitatem Apostoli etiam hoc videtur referendum, quod non dicit, quorum primus ego fui, sed sum; tanquam adhuc talis esset. Debet enim unusquisque semper ante oculos habere statum peccati, ex quo per Dei gratiam ereptus est, et in quo adhuc haereret, si sibi relictus esset; idque tum ob custodiam humilitatis, tum ut divini beneficii magnitudo nunquam ei effluat e memoria, sed in continua gratiarum actione persistens dona potiora mereatur. Quanquam quod dicit Apostolus, quorum primus ego sum, secundum expositionem Aquinatis et Cajetani potest sic accipi, ut relativum quorum non referat peccatores absolute, sed peccatores salvatos a Christo, ut nimirum respondeat ei, quod praecedit, peccatores salvos facere. Peccator autem salvatus jam non est peccator, sicut languidus sanatus non est languidus. Itaque proprie dicere potuit, quorum primus ego sum; et huic sensui congruunt sequentia.
1:16
16. Sed ideo misericordiam consecutussum, ut in me primo ostenderet Christus Jesus omnem patientiam. Illud primo, non est adveruium, sed nomen, Graecis dativi, nobis ablativi casus. Rationem misericordiae a Deo sibi impensae superius reddidit ex parte objecti, id est miseriae suae: nunc eam assignat ex parte causae finalis. Cum enim Deus omnia faciat ad ostensionem bonitatis suae; peculiariter tamen et singulari quodam exemplo Paulum, qui tam magnus erat peccator, per gratiam suam Jesus Christus ad se cunvertere, et tam magnum Apostolum facere voluit; ut in eo primo, id est maximo peccatore, ostenderet ac mundo notam faceret omnem, id est perfectam ac singularem patientiam, sive ut expressius ex Graeco legit Augustinus, longanimitatem. Nam Graeca habent uaxpo&ouiav. Erasmus clemtntiam vertit: ego lenitatem malim, qua nimirum Christus tantum Ecclesiae suae persecutorem non solum non punivit pro merilis, verum etiam ad poenitentiam exspectavit; imo poenitentiam ipsam gratuito dedit; eum sanavit, justificavit, et magnum suum Apostolum fecit. Significat, Apostolus, Christum fecisse, quod solent medici; qui ut omnes ad se invitent, artis suae specimen praebent in perfecta curatione infirmi alicujus desperati. Unde sequitur:
Ad informationem eorum, qui credituri sunt illi in vitam aeternam. Informationem, Graece, utiotutccuoiv. Quod nomen hic accipitur pro formae et exemplaris expressione; ut non inepte verterit Erasmus, et eum secutus Hentenius: Ad exprimendum exemplar iis, qui crediluri essent in ipso, in vitam aeternam; hoc est, ut me faceret exemplar omnibus peccatoribus, qui usque ad finem saeculi in ipsum credituri sunt, et per eandem fidem exspectaturi vitam aeternam. Videntes enim peccatores, Paulo, qui tam graviter peccaverat, impensam esse a Christo misericordiam; audent et ipsi veniam et 3alutem ab eo sperare. Non solum igitur Paulus a Christo datus est Ecclesiae, ut eximius praedicator gratiae Dei; sed etiam ab eodem propositus est omnibus, ut ejusdem gratiae exhibitae praecipuum exemplar.
1:17
17. Regi autem saeculorum immortali, invisibili, soli Deo honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Ex consideratione tanti beneficii per Christum sibi atque in universum humano generi exhibiti, erumpit in laudem Dei, praedicans illum aeterno honore et gloria dignum. Non refert autem sive, de Deo Patre, sive de tota Trinitate sententiam exponas, utrumque enim probabile e6t, et suos habet Catholicos auctores. Quomodo autem recte de Patre dictum intelligatur: soli Deo, cum et Filius et Spiritus sanctus sit Deus, paulo post explicabitur. Regem saeculorum, Deum appellat, hoc est, regem totius universi ab initio, quo conditum est usque in aeternum, juxta illud Psalm. 144. Regnum tuum, regnum omnium saeculorum, et dominatio tua in omni generatione et generatione. Intelliguntur ergo saecula creata, quae cum mundo habent initium, de quibus Heb. 1. Per quem fecit et saecula, et cap. 11. Fide intelligimus aptata esse saecula verbo Dei. Quae et 2 Tim. 1. tempora saecularia vocantur. Sub his autem comprehendi vult Apo6tolus quidquid saeculis seu temporibus mensuratur, id est omnem creaturam. Nec vero saecula increata recte possunt intelligi, quia Deus non est eorum rex aut dominus, sed idem cum illis. Nam increata saecula non aliud sunt, quam aeternitas Dei. Pro immortali Graece et Syriace e6t incorruptibili, hoc est, in quem nulla prorsus potest cadere corruptio; quod quidem soli competit Deo, quemadmodum idem Apostolus infra cap. 6. testatur, dicens: Qui solus habet immortalitatem. Ex quo etiam loco petendum, quo sensu Deus dicatur invisibilis. Quem, inquit, nullus hominum vidit, sed nec videre potest. Pro eo, quod seq uitur soli Deo, Graeci codices, qui nunc versantur in manibus, habent soli sapienti Deo, et ita legisse Theophylactum liquet ex ejus comment. Ita quoque Cyrillus legit lib. 12. thesauri cap. 10. At vero pro nostra lectione faciunt omnes codices et commentatores Latini atque insuper Augustinus variis locis hanc Apostoli sententiam citans. Accedit et Syriaca versio. Quin etiam Chrysostomus, Theodoretus et Oecumenius satis produnt non legisse sapienti; quandoquidem in commentario no/i attingunt. Imo Chrysostomus diserte exponit illud soli Deo, ut manifestum sit, mediam dictionem sapienti, ab eo lectam non inisse. Nec improbanda suspicio est, eam ex fine Epistolae ad Rom., ubi tam Latine quam Graece legitur soli sapienti Deo, huc a Graecis quibusdam diverr.a loca confundentibus adscriptam esse, sicut et in Epistola Judae. Quod ergo nos legimus: soli Deo honor et gloria, tribus modis sane potest intelligi. Primo, ut significetur honor ct gloria per excellentiam, ea nimirum, quae tribuitur alicui, ut summe bono atque perfecto, Hlis enim honor et gloria soli Deo debetur non angelo, non homini quantumvis sancto. Altero modo, ut sensus sit: Soli Deo honor et gloria, sic ut omnis honor et gloria, quaecunque aliis competit, solide in Deum referenda sit, secundum illud: Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur, 2 Cor. 10. Nihil enim est honore et gloria dignum in creatura, quod non a Deo procedat auctore. Tertius sensus est: Rex ille saeculorum immortalis et invisibilis, qui solus est Deus, honoretur et glori^cetur in saecula saeculorum, id est in omnem aeternitatem. Secundus sensus multorum est, sed postremus maxime probabilis, quem tradit Augustinus lib. 2. de Trinit. cap. 8. et 17. Nec offendit hic sensus, etiamsi specialiter ad Patrem referatur, ut Graeci faciunt, et inter Latinos Ambrcsianus: dicitur enim Pater solus Deus, non ad exclusionem Filii aut Spiritus sancti, quibus est una cum Patre natura, sed ad excludendum quidquid est ab ipso diversuro, ut est omnis et sola creatura, quemadmodum hujusmodi locutiones accipiendas esse docetur in 1. sent. d. 21. Quo autem sensu secundum Graecam hodiernam lectionem Deus dicatur soJus sapiens, diximus in comment. Epist. ad Rom. Clausulam Amen, id est fiat, adjicit Apostolus tanquam sigillum, quo confirmet et quantum in se est rata faciat ea, quae proxime dixit.
1:18
18. Hoc praeceptum commendo tibi fili Tir.iothee. Non convenit inter expositoras, de quo praecepto loquatur. Ambrosianus et Graeci referunt ad id, quod statim sequitur: ut milites in illis bonam militiam etc. Rectius alii putant, Apostolum respicere ad superiora ac nominatim ad illud, quod dixerat initio: Sicut rogavi te, ut denuntiares quibusdam, ne aliter docerent, et caetera, quae sequuntur de lege et gratia. Nam illud rogare, praecipere erat. Unde et verum apparet, quod sentit Cajetanus, Apostolum suam orationem, quam ibi reliquit imperfectam, hic tandem absolvere, quasi dicat: illud praeceptum, quo te rogavi, ut Ephesi remaneres, et quibusdam, ne aliena et fabulosa dccerent, denuntiares; hoc, inquam, praeceptum tibi commendo, id est custodiendum et servandum moneo; velut depositum quoddam. Addit autem, fili Timothee, ne videatur praecipere ut dominus, sed ut pater. Potest etiam intelligi praeceptum, non quo aliquid Timotheo praecipiatur, sed quo Timotheus praecipere debeat aliis. Sic enim dictum erat illi, ut denuntiares quibusdam, id est praeciperes. Pro quo sensu facit, quod hic loco praecepti non legatur IvtoXtj in Graeco, sicut alibi, sed rcapayysXta, vocabulum derivatum a verbo superius posito, quod interpres vertit denantiare, ut hic conformiter verti potuerit: Hanc denuntiationem commendo tibi, scilicet eam, de qua dixi: ut quibusdam denuntiares.
Secundum praecedentes in te prophetias. In te, Graece Itu oe, id est super te, ut legit Ambrosianus. Alii vertunt de te, quod idem valet. Nam sensus est: Hoc praeceptum tibi commendo servandum, vel exsequendum juxta prophetias, quae de te praecesserunt, id est secundum revelationes divinas de te factas, quibus nimirum significatum fuit te futurum Utilem Ecclesiae Dei ministrum. Etenim in Ecclesia primitiva, quemadmodum Chrysostomus annotat et Dionysius in ecclesiast. bierarcb. meminit, electiones Episcoporum saepe fiebant per revelationem Spiritus sancti. Sic ad opus praedicationis missi fuerunt Barnabas et Saulus Act. 13- Sic etiam multos sanctos Episcopos olim legimus electos. Sic igitur ordinatus fuit Episcopus, postquam non unum Spiritus sancti testimonium, sed plura de eo praecessissent; id enim vult plurale nomen prophetias, tametsi cap. 4. rursus Timotheum hujus rei commonefaciens, prophetiam nominat singulari numero. Noli, inquit, negligere gratiam, quae in te est, quae data est tibi per prophetiam, cum impositione manuum. presbyterii. Quod qi.omodo consistat cum plurali numero hujus loci, illic explicabitur-, erant autem hae prophetiae partim ipsius Pauli ordinantis, partim aliorum fidelium, qui prophetiae donum habebant.
Ut milites in illis bonam militiair.. In illis, scilicet prophetiis, ut patet ex Graeco. Referenda est haec pericope ad illam praecedentem, hoc praeceptum commendo tibi, ut sensus sit: Eo fine commendo tibi praeceptum, secundum prophetias de te factas servandum, ut in illis, id est secundum easdem prophetias, ac velut in virtute caium, milites bonam militiam, hoc est officium tuum episc<>pale strenue et fortiter administres. Libenter Apostolus utitur metaphora militiae, tanquam aptissima non solum ad exprimendam vitam hominis Obristiani, quem alibi ut militem Christi spiritualibus armis instruit, ut Eoh. 6. et 1 Thess. 5., verum etiam ad commonstrandum, quale sit opus Episcopi. Nam sicut in militia, sic e'- in Episcopatu, perpetua est adversus hostes pugna, vigiliae, labores, pericula. Hostes in hoc genere 6unt daemones, haeretici, falsi fratres, hypocritae et quicunque doctrinis aut exemplis malis gregem Dominicum, cui praepositus est Episcopus, quantum in ipsis est, depopulantur ac perdunt. Porro bonam militiam vocat strenuam, fidelem, legitimam, talem denique, quae bonum militem faciat, cujusmodi Timotheum vult esse in 2. Epist. cap. 2. dicens: Labora sicut bonus miles Christi Jesu. Quaeret aliquis: Si de Timotheo jam ante prophetatum erat, qualis futurus esset Episcopus, quid opus erat eum hortari, ut se talem praestaret; cum non possit non impleri, qucd Deus praedixit? Respondetur, id, qood Deus praedixerat, implendum fui?se per media ab ipso Deo ordinata, inter quae, sicut erat bona voluntas Timothei, sic etiam studium et solicitudo Pauli, qua bona Timothe! voluntas subinde excitanda erat et fcvenda. Nam totum hoc ad providentiam Dei, verbum suum implere volentis, pertinebat.
1:19
19. Habens fidem et bonam conscieniiani. Ostendit, quae sint imprimis necessaria bonam militiam quam dixit miliiaturo; fides scilicet et bona conscientia. Fidemintelligit eam, quaChristiani atque Catholici sumus, ut constat ex eo, quod statim sequitur: circa fidem naufragaverunt. Verum in Episcopo haec fides explicata esse debet, ut in pavticulari norit, quae dogmata Christiano tenenda, quae fugienda sint. Igitur universa sana doctrina nomine fidei cor^prehenditur. Huic fundamento necesse est, ut accedat bona conscientia, qua nimirum quis sibi conscius est vitam suam a fide non discordare, praesertim in eo, quod non sua quaerat, sed quae Jesu Christi. Quo nomine Timothei sinceritatem laudavit in Epist. ad Phil. 2. Caeterum Apostolus ex etfectu causam voluit intelligi, nam bonae conscientiae causa est recta conversatio. Jam illud observa, dum praeter fidem exigit bonam conscientiam, satis eum significare, quod fides absque charitate et bona conscientia consistere possit.
Quam quidam repellentes, circa fidem naufragaverunt. Graecum participium praeteriti temporis est, proinde clarius ita vertas: Quam quidam posteaquam repulerunt, circa fidem naufragium passi sunt. Translatio sumpta videtur non a navigantibus, non enim dicit Apostolus ipsos periisse, sed a mercatoribus, quorum merces naufragio pereunt. Ubi tamen dubium esse potest, utrum significet, eis fidem totam naufragio periisse, scilicet per apostasiam, qua fides penitus abjicitur, an vero periisse partem aliquam fidei; quod posterius apparet ex eo, quod non dicit a fide, sed circa fidtm. Id enim Anselmus sic exponit: Naufragium pertulerunt circa fidem, quasi per circuitum veritatis euntes et non ex toto a fide recedentes, nec tamen intra eam manentes. Addit Ituic sensui probabilitatem, quod de haereticis sit sermo, qui non universam abjiciunt Christianae fidei doctrinam, sed ex parte tantum. Nam haereticos hic notari, patebit ex sequentibus. Qui vero metaphoram a navigantibus sumptam intelligunt, varie explicant. Alii fidem portum, bonam conscientiam gubernaculum interpretantur, parum apposite, non enim ad fidem, ut portum navigamus, sed per fidem ad portum aeternae patriae ac beatae visionis tendimus, ut proinde repugnantia sit inter fidem et portum, aptiusque fides intelligatur gubernaculum, quia ad eam pertinet, cursum hujus vitae dirigere. Alii fidem interpretantur navim, cujus ancora sit bona conscientia. Verum non dicit Apostolus, quam quidam amittentes, sed repellentes; a naufragantibus autem non repellitur ancora aut gubernaculum, sed amittitur. Accedit, quod usu Scripturae non fides, sed Ecclesia per navim solet significari, ut constat de arca Noe et naviculis evangelicis. Quocirca prior expositio videtur retinenda. Haec autem de naufragio cum subjunctis exemplis commemorat Apostolus, non tam ut Timotheum terreat, quam ut in iJlo nos doceat et cautos reddat. Nec sentit, amissa bona conscientia continuo fidem amitti, sed plerumque fieri, ut qui accepta fide non secundum eam vivit, hoc enim est bonam conscientiam repellere, contra fidei dictamen agere, etiam fidem ipsam amittat. Fit enim justo Dei judicio, ait S. Prosper, ut amittat inutilem fidem, qui noluit exercere charitatem. Cur autem mala conscientia multis sit causa deserendi fidem Catholicam, ita breviter post Chrysostomum et Theophylactum Oecumenius docet: Siquidem, inquit, ne terrore futurorum crucientur, suo animo persuadere nituntur, mendacia esse quaecunque apud nos de resurrectione ac judicio dicuntur. Optime quadrat haec ratio in haereticos nostri temporis ac praecipue in haeresiarchas, quorum vix ullus est, cui non mala conscientia rectam fidem extorserit. Cur enim vota Deo facta, continentiam perpetuam, pauperitatem evangelicam, ecclesiastica jejunia, bonorum operum dignitatem oppugnant; nisi quia semel libertatem carnis amplexi vident, quam illa omnia suis moribus sint contraria, quae si probarent, seipsos palam damnarent? Competebat eadem ratio in eos, de quibus sequitur.
1:20
20. Ex quibus est Hymenaeus et Alexander. De Hymenaeo habemus in 2. Ep. cap. 2., quod dixerit, resurrectionem jam esse factam. Negabat enim futuram carnis resurrectionem, loco ejas aliam quandam resurrectionem substituens, quam dicebat jam esso completam: carnis autem resurrectione sublata tollebatur et futurum judicium, quale in ecclesia creditur. Huc eum adigebat mala conscientia, sicut jam dictum est. Eadem haeresis putatur fuisse Alexandri; quem B. Thomas non improbabiliter eundem facit cum Alexandro aerario, de quo similiter in 2. ep. fit mentio cap. 4. Baronius suspicatur, eum esse, quem Lucas Actor. 19. refert excitatum Ephesi tumultum ficta et profana sua oratione sedasse. Quod non videtur. Qui enim sedavit sua oratione tumultum illum, fuit scriba civitatis, ut ex eodem cap. liquet: quis autem credat, hominem Judaeum fuisse scribam civitatis Ephesi? Fit illo capite mentio Alexandri Judaei: quem credere possis eundem esse cum isto. Nam et locus convenit; quia Timotheus Ephesi erat episcopus; et haec maxime propter Ephesios scribuntur. Imo nihil vetat tria haec loca de eodem homine intelligi.
Quos tradidi Satanae. Hoc est, diabolo, per excommunicationem, qua eos propter haeresim et blasphemiam ejeci extra ecclesiam. Qui enim extra ecclesiam projicitur, exuitur protectione Dei, qua peculiariter ecclesiam suam protegit: unde consequenter exponitur atque objicitur lupis extra Christi ovile grassantibus. Nam regnum diaboli extra ecclesiam est. Hinc intelligitur, quantum malum sit excommunicari; quemadmodum pulcre declarat in comment. Chrysostomus. An vero illi a Paulo excommunicati etiam corporaliter a Satana vexati fuerint, ut idem Chrysostomus cum multis aliis opinatur, haud plane constat. De qua re tota nos pluribus egimus tractantes illud 1 Cor. 5. Tradere hujusmodi Satanae in interitum carnis. Vide etiam, quae late et docte de eadem re scribit Hesselius in comment.
Ut discant non blasphemare. Id est, non maledicere, non conviciari. Qui enim perversa docent, ecclesiae doctoribus recta docentibus maledicere solent. Et fortassis hi, de quibus loquitur Apostolus, carnis resurrectionem more Paganorum irridebant, sannis et maledictis eam excipientes. Nam infideles resurrectionem mortuorum a Paulo praedicatam irrisisse legimus, Act. 17. Sed quaeritur, quomodo traditi diabolo, qui blasphemiae magister est, discant non blasphemare. Respondeo, sperari hunc excommunicationis effectum, id est correctionem eorum. non a diabolo (neque enim sensus est, ut a diabolo discant non blasphemare; quemadmodum prudenter annotat Theodoretus), sed sperari a Deo, per excommunicationis poenam. Etenim intentio saltem secundaria ecclesiae excommunicantis est, ut ad sanam mentem redeat peccator; atque ita spiritus ejus salvus sit in die judicii. 1 Cor. 5. Dum enim peccator separatus est a societate fidelium, in qua prius vixerat: si non nimium sit induratus, recogitat unde exclusus sit, et quo projectus; simul etiam pudore afficitur, quod ab omnibus vitetur; tum, vexatione dante intellectum, cogitat cur talia patiatur, scilicet propter peccata sua, quae proinde incipit odisse: hinc poenitentiam concipit et reconciliationem quaerit; accedente ad haec omnia pio desiderio ac gemitu Ecclesiae, pro ejus salute Deum orantis. Quod si, juxta Chrysostomi sententiam, corporalis a daemone vexatio conjuncta erat excommunicationi; jam haec etiam causa ad faciliorem correctionem excommunicati accedebat.
1:1
… And just as faith meets us in Christ, so hope culminates in him: he is our hope (1 Tim. 1:1; Col. 1:26-27). In him God has summed up and maintained all his promises, unveiling and carrying out his salvific design. …
1:3
… farewell discourse, he made the apology of his own conduct (Acts 20:17-35) and announced that this would be the last meeting (Acts 20:25, 38). He returned, instead, to Ephesus between the first and second Roman imprisonment, leaving Timothy there as bishop (1 Tim. 1:3). Of Paul's last cares for
… In the New Testament there recurs insistently the warning to be vigilant against the snares set for the faith by the enemies of truth (Rom. 16, 17; II Cor. 11, 3; Eph. 5, 6-11; Col. 2, 6-8; I Tim. 1, 3 ff.; Hebr. 13, 9; II Pt. 3, 17; II Io. 7-11). The Church, in strict adherence to natural law and to the spirit of the apostolic norms, has provided for the protection of the faith with …
… The detail that Timothy knows even better than Paul (βέλτιον, however, may not have the force of a comparative) the work of O. suggests that this was later than the Apostle's departure, when Timothy was governing that community (I Tim. 1:3).
(I Tim. 1:3), at Miletus (II Tim. 4:20), at Crete (Tit.
Paul returned to Philippi for the Passover of 56 or 57 (Acts 20:6); almost certainly on the journey through Macedonia mentioned in Acts 20:2; in all likelihood, after the end of the first Roman imprisonment (1 Tim 1:3). Besides these visits, there were epistolary relations between Paul and Philippi (v. FILIPPESI, EPISTOLA 31) and by means of envoys from both sides (Acts 19:22, 29; Phil 2:19-20).
… received: "Let there be no schisms (σχίσματα) among you" (1 Cor. 1:10-13). "O Timothy, guard the deposit; avoid the impious discussions of the false gnosis, τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως; some, who have adhered to it, have gone far from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20-21; 1:3-4; 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:13-14; 4:2-4). "From anyone who fosters divisions, separate after a first and second warning" (Tit. 3:10-11). "If anyone does not bring you the doctrine of Christ, do …
… It is not known whether he went with Paul to Spain; Heb. 13:23 perhaps alludes to an imprisonment or trial of his; he was, however, again with Paul on his last journey to the East (I Tim. 1:3). It is difficult to determine T.'s age when he was elected bishop of Ephesus; if Paul, an "old man" of about 65 years, calls him "young" (ibid. 4:12), he could have been 35-40 years …
1:5
… There is therefore no limit, because, in conformity with the teaching of St. Paul (I Tim. 1, 5), charity is the aim of the commandment and of all the commandments. …
… Theol., 2ᵃ-2ᵃᵉ, q. 184, a. 1). Such is the teaching of Christ (Mt. 22:35; Mk. 12:31), who said that by supernatural charity his true disciples will be recognized (Jn. 17:21). Charity indeed holds the primacy in the spiritual life (I Cor. 12:31; I Tim. 1:5), is the bond of perfection (Col. 3:14), the fullness of the law (Rom. 13:8-10), and every other virtue, if it is not accompanied by charity, is "nothing" (I Cor. 13:1-13).
… example, ch. 7 De Caritate is composed thus: Rom. 5:5; 8:28, 35-39; 13:8-10; 12:9-11; I Cor. 6:17; 8:3, 11; 10:24; 12:31; 13:1-8, 13; 14:1; 16:14, 20, 22, 24; II Cor. 6:11-13; 8:24; 11:2; Gal. 5:13-14; Eph. 5:1; Col. 3:14; I Thess. 4:9-10; I Tim. 1:5-6; Hebr. 10:24-25; Phil. 2:4).
1:9
Calvin (Calvinus, Cauvin, Chauvin, Calvin Jean)
C. corrupts the sense of the Pauline texts (Eph. 1, 4; Col. 1, 12; I Tim. 1, 9; Rom. 9, 11, and others) in order to uphold his horrible sentence of predestination to damnation, and he will assail the doctrine of Ambrose, Origen, Jerome and of all Catholic tradition, …
… especially in its first part (chaps. 1-6), which under the form of the "two ways" (cf. Mt. 7:13 f.) contains the principal norms of Christian life, with long lists of sins that find a counterpart in the apostolic letters (cf. Rom. 1:29; Gal. 5:19 f.; I Tim. 1:9 ff.; II Tim. 3:2 ff.).
1:13
2. The conversion. - While P. was carrying out this anti-Christian activity with a sure conscience (cf. 1 Tim. 1:13), an unforeseeable event happened to him, which revolutionized his entire life. …
1:15
… In the New Testament the reference to the redemption of man as the end of the Incarnation of the Word is frequent: «Non enim misit Deus filium suum in mundum, ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum» (Io. 3, 17: cf. Lc. 19, 10; Mt. 9, 13; Gal. 4, 4; I Tim. 1, 15). Likewise the Fathers: Irenaeus (Adv. haer., V, 14, 1): «Si enim non haberet caro salvari, neququam Verbum Dei caro factum esset». …
In this letter too (as in I Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9) there is cited perhaps one of the most ancient Christian maxims, introduced with the words "faithful is the saying" (II Tim. 11 ff.). …
1:17
… In Jas. 1, 17 there is talk of God, Father of the stars, in whom "there is no mutation nor shadow of movement", and St. Paul (1 Tim. 1, 17) sings hymns to the "immortal King of the ages, invisible, only God".
1:18
… The Jewish people too had its militias, and Sacred Scripture refers to military service as an image of man's life on earth, in struggle with his own passions and with the seductions of the external world (Job 7:1; 14:17; II Cor. 10:4; I Tim. 1:18; Jas. 4:1; I Pet. 2:11), and compares the heavenly hierarchies to armed hosts (Deut. 17:3; II Par. 33:3; Isa. 24:21; Jer. 8:7; Luke 3:13; Acts 7:42).
1:19
… Cor. 5, 20; I Tim. 3, 14 ff.), every man must fully adhere to it (Mk. 16, 16; Rom. 1, 5; II Cor. 10, 4; I Jn. 2, 24), nor ever give ear to contrary doctrines (Rom. 6, 16; Gal. 1, 8; II Jn. 1, 10) under penalty of shipwreck in the faith (I Tim. 1, 19). In these simple propositions: there are truths revealed by God, of which the sole depositary and infallible interpreter is the Church and to which one must give assent in order to …
… To having deviated from the truth of 2 Tim. 2:18 corresponds in 1 Tim. 1:19 having suffered shipwreck concerning the faith. …
… Now the mission and power of Christ had as their object the preaching of the doctrine received from the Father: cf. Mt. 18:18; 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16, 20; Lk. 10:16; Rom. 1:5; I Cor. 1:17; II Cor. 5:20; 10:4; I Tim. 1:19; I Jn. 2:24; II Jn. 1:10.
1:20
… not a simple analogy with the case of Job; there is the equivalent of an excommunication: the heretic is excluded from the communion of the faithful with a medicinal purpose, strongly emphasized by the words "so that they may learn not to blaspheme" (1 Tim. 1:20).
… That this is the sense in Mt. 16:19 results from the parallel passage (Mt. 18:18) where the excommunication against the impenitent sinner («sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus»: 18:17) is confirmed by the power to «bind» (18:18); as also from the practice of the early Church (I Cor. 5:3-5; 16:22; I Tim. 1:20) and from the interpretation of the ancient Syrian Fathers, who were particularly familiar with Jewish culture, and who understood solvere and ligare in the sense of a judicial power …
In I Cor. 5:4-5 and I Tim. 1:20, the guilty one is handed over to S., who will destroy his flesh, so that the sinner may be converted and his spirit may be saved in the judgment. …
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.