He exhorts them to put off the old man, and to put on the new. The duties of wives and husbands, children and servants.
He exhorteth to mortifie and put of al corrupt maners of the old man, and to put on such vertues as are for the nevv man. 18 In particular also, vviues and husbands, children and parents; seruants and maisters, ech sort to do their duetie.
1Therefore if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.Se adunque siete risuscitati con Cristo, cercate le cose di lassù, dove è Cristo sedente alla destra di Dio:THERFORE if you be risen vvith Christ, seeke the things that are aboue: vvhere Christ is sitting on the right hand of God.Igitur, si consurrexistis cum Christo: quæ sursum sunt quærite, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens: 2Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.Abbiate pensiero delle cose di lassù, non di quelle della terra.Minde the things that are aboue, not the things that are vpon the earth.quæ sursum sunt sapite, non quæ super terram. 3For you are dead: and your life is hid with Christ in God.Imperocché siete morti, e la vostra vita è ascosa con Cristo in Dio.For you are dead: and your life is hidde vvith Christ in God.Mortui enim estis, et vita vestra est abscondita cum Christo in Deo. 4When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory.Quando Cristo, vostra vita, comparirà; allora anche voi comparirete con lui nella gloria.Vvhen Christ shal appeare, your life: then you also shal appeare vvith him in glorie.Cum Christus apparuerit, vita vestra: tunc et vos apparebitis cum ipso in gloria. 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which is the service of idols.Mortificate adunque le vostre membra terrene: la fornicazione, l'immondezza, la libidine, la prava concupiscenza, e l'avarizia, che o una idolatria:Mortifie therfore your members that are vpon the earth, fornication, vncleannesse, lust, euil concupiscence, and • auarice, vvhich is the seruice of Idols.Mortificate ergo membra vestra, quæ sunt super terram: fornicationem, immunditiam, libidinem, concupiscentiam malam, et avaritiam, quæ est simulacrorum servitus: 6For which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief.Per le quali cose cade l'ira di Dio sopra gl'increduli:for vvhich things the vvrath of God commeth vpon the children of incredulitie.propter quæ venit ira Dei super filios incredulitatis: 7In which you also walked some time, when you lived in them.Tralle quali cose camminaste anche una volta, mentre in esse impiegaste la vostra vita.in vvhich you also vvalked sometime, vvhen you liued in them.in quibus et vos ambulastis aliquando, cum viveritis in illis. 8But now put you also all away: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, filthy speech out of your mouth.Ora poi rigettate anche voi tutto questo: l'ira, l'amarezza, la malizia, la maldicenza, gli osceni discorsi dalla vostra bocca.But novv lay you also al avvay: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemie, filthie talke out of your mouth.Nunc autem deponite et vos omnia: iram, indignationem, malitiam, blasphemiam, turpem sermonem de ore vestro.
9Lie not one to another: stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds,Non usate bugia l'uno verso dell'altro, essendovi spogliati dell'uomo vecchio, e di tutte le opere di lui,Lie not one to an other: spoiling your selues of the old man vvith his actes,Nolite mentiri invicem, expoliantes vos veterem hominem cum actibus suis, 10And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him.Ed essendovi rivestiti del nuovo, di quello, il quale si rinnovella a conoscimento, secondo l'immagine di colui, che lo creò:and • doing on the nevv, him that is renevved vnto knovvledge, according to the image of him that created him.et induentes novum eum, qui renovatur in agnitionem secundum imaginem ejus qui creavit illum: 11Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all and in all.Dove non è Greco, e Giudeo, circonciso, e incirconciso. Barbaro, e Scita, servo, e libero: ma Cristo (è) ogni cosa, ed è in tutti.vvhere there is not, Gentile and Ievve, circumcision and prepuce, Barbarous and Scythian. bonde and free: but al, and in al Christ.ubi non est gentilis et Judæus, circumcisio et præputium, Barbarus et Scytha, servus et liber: sed omnia, et in omnibus Christus. 12Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:Rivestitevi adunque, come eletti di Dio, santi, ed amati, di viscere di misericordia, di benignità, di umiltà, di modestia, di pazienza:Put ye on therfore as the elect of God, holy, and beloued, the bovvels of mercie, benignitie, humilitie, modestie, patience,Induite vos ergo, sicut electi Dei, sancti, et dilecti, viscera misericordiæ, benignitatem, humilitatem, modestiam, patientiam: 13Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.Sopportandovi, gli uni gli altri, e perdonandovi scambievolmente, ove alcuno abbia da dolersi d'un altro: conforme anche il Signore a voi perdonò, così anche voi.supporting one an other: and pardoning one an other, if any haue a quarel against any man. as also our Lord hath pardoned vs: so you also.supportantes invicem, et donantes vobismetipsis si quis adversus aliquem habet querelam: sicut et Dominus donavit vobis, ita et vos. 14But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection.E sopra tutte queste cose conservate la carità, la quale è il vincolo della perfezione.But aboue al these things haue charitie, vvhich is the band of perfectiō:Super omnia autem hæc, caritatem habete, quod est vinculum perfectionis:
15And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful.E la pace di Dio trionfi ne' vostri cuori, alla quale siete anche stati chiamati per (fare) un sol corpo: e siate riconoscenti.& let the peace of Christ exult in your hartes, vvherein also you are called in one body: and be thankeful.et pax Christi exsultet in cordibus vestris, in qua et vocati estis in uno corpore: et grati estote. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly: in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.La parola di Cristo abiti in voi con pienezza, in ogni sapienza, istruendovi tra di voi e ammonendovi per mezzo di salmi, d'inni, e di canzoni spirituali, cantando per gratitudine a Dio ne' vostri cuori.Let the vvord of Christ dvvel in you aboundantly, in al vvisedom: teaching and admonishing your ovvne selues, vvith psalmes, hymnes, and spiritual cāticles, in grace singing in your hartes to God.Verbum Christi habitet in vobis abundanter, in omni sapientia, docentes, et commonentes vosmetipsos, psalmis, hymnis, et canticis spiritualibus, in gratia cantantes in cordibus vestris Deo. 17All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.Qualunque cosa o diciate, o facciate, tutto nel nome del Signor Gesù, Cristo, rendendo per lui grazie a Dio e Padre.Al vvhatsoeuer you doe in vvord or in vvorke, al things in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ, giuing thankes to God and the Father by him.Omne, quodcumque facitis in verbo aut in opere, omnia in nomine Domini Jesu Christi, gratias agentes Deo et Patri per ipsum. 18Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it behoveth in the Lord.Donne, siate soggette ai mariti come si conviene, nel Signore.Vvomen be subiect to your husbands, as it behoueth in our Lord.Mulieres, subditæ estote viris, sicut oportet, in Domino. 19Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter towards them.Mariti, amate le vostre mogli, e non usate acerbezza verso di esse.Men, loue your vviues: and be not bitter tovvard them.Viri, diligite uxores vestras, et nolite amari esse ad illas. 20Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord.Figliuoli, siate ubbidienti in tutto ai genitori: imperocché così piace al Signore.Children obey your parents in al things: for that is vvel pleasing to our Lord.Filii, obedite parentibus per omnia: hoc enim placitum est in Domino. 21Fathers, provoke not your children to indignation, lest they be discouraged.Genitori, non provocate ad ira i vostri figliuoli, perché non si perdano d'animo.Fathers, prouoke not your children to indignation: that they become not discouraged.Patres, nolite ad indignationem provocare filios vestros, ut non pusillo animo fiant.
22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh: not serving to the eye, as pleasing men: but in simplicity of heart, fearing God.Servi, ubbidite in tutto ai padroni carnali, non servendo all'occhio, come per piacere agli uomini, ma cui semplicità di cuore, per timore di Dio.Seruants, obey in al things, your maisters according to the flesh, not seruing to the eie, as pleasing men, but in simplicitie of hart, fearing God.Servi, obedite per omnia dominis carnalibus, non ad oculum servientes, quasi hominibus placentes, sed in simplicitate cordis, timentes Deum. 23Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men:Qualunque cosa facciate, fatela di cuore come pel Signore, e non per gli uomini:Vvhatsoeuer you doe, vvorke it from the hart as to our Lord, and not to men:Quodcumque facitis, ex animo operamini sicut Domino, et non hominibus: 24Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.Sapendo, che dal Signore avrete la mercede della eredità: servite a Cristo Signore:knovving that you shal receiue of our Lord the retribution of inheritance. Serue our Lord Christ.scientes quod a Domino accipietis retributionem hæreditatis. Domino Christo servite. 25For he that doth wrong shall receive for that which he hath done wrongfully. And there is no respect of persons with God.Chi poi farà ingiustizia, riceverà, quello, che ha fatto di male: e non vi ha dinanzi a Dio accettazione di persone.For he that doeth iniurie, shal receiue that vvhich he hath done vniustly: and there is not acceptiō of persons vvith God.Qui enim injuriam facit, recipiet id quod inique gessit: et non est personarum acceptio apud Deum.
3:1
Here begins the second or the moral part of this epistle.
Witham
If you be risen, etc. The remaining part of this epistle has no great difficulties, but excellent instructions, as that to the Ephesians. (Witham)
3:5
Witham
Your members,...fornication, uncleanness, etc. He considers man's body as made up of sins and sinful inclinations. (Witham)
Haydock
It is not to bring back Judaism we practise abstinences and fasts, nor with the same motive as the Jews, but to accomplish the precepts of mortifying the irregular desires of the flesh among which gluttony must find a place. In a mortified body sensuality is more easily subdued. (Haydock)
3:6
Calmet
The children of unbelief are either those who perished in Noe's[Noah's] flood, for St. Peter in his epistle give them this title, or they are the inhabitants of Chanaan[Canaan], whom Josue[Joshua] exterminated; for these also are called children of unbelief, in the epistle to the Hebrews, and their crimes were the same as those mentioned here. (Calmet)
3:8
Witham
Blasphemy.[Ver. 8. Blasphemiam. St. Chrysostom, p. 133. blasthemias, tas loidoriai.] It may here signify either the sin of blasphemy against God, or speaking ill of our neighbour by detraction, calumnies, affronts, etc. See St. Chrysostom. (Witham)
Now that you live in God, with Jesus Christ, quit not only the above shameful crimes, but also these sins, which, although they excite less horror, will separate you no less from the Author of all sanctity.
3:10
Witham
According to the image of him who created him. We are created to the image of God, inasmuch as our souls are spiritual and immortal, but here we are put in mind to imitate God by sanctity and justice, as God is holy and the fountain of justice. (Witham)
Bible de Vence
The image or resemblance of our Creator was effaced by sin, but is retraced by Jesus Christ, who forms in us this new man. (Bible de Vence)
3:11
Witham
Where, or in which state, when we put on the new man by sanctity and grace, God makes no distinction betwixt Jew and Gentile, etc. (Witham)
Calmet
In the Church of Christ God makes no exception of persons; all are called to the marriage feast, whether Jews (formerly the most favoured people of God) or Greeks, (who were reckoned the most polite, or learned) or Barbarians, or Scythians: (who are esteemed the most cruel and ferocious of men) still these are called; Christ died for all. (Calmet)
Bible de Vence
In St. Paul's epistles, by the Greeks are usually designated the Gentiles. (Bible de Vence)
3:14
Witham
Above all these things have charity, the love of God, and of your neighbour, which is the bond of perfection, the end of all virtues, which unites the hearts of all to God. (Witham)
3:15
Witham
The peace of Christ rejoice:[Ver. 15. Exultet, brabeueto, palmam referat.] reign, conquer, bear away the prize. (Witham)
3:16
Employ yourselves in studying and reading the Scriptures; meditate on what our Saviour has done and suffered for you. It is a calumny of our enemies, that we forbid the reading of the Testament. But the Church, fearing lest the faithful should read to their own destruction what was ordained for their salvation, wisely ordains that they should have recourse to their pastors, and receive from them those versions which she approves as most conformable to the Latin Vulgate, which has received the sanction of the holy Catholic Church, and at the same time forbids them those which might corrupt their faith. In this she acts the part of a good and provident mother, conducting her children to the rich and salutary pastures of peace and plenty, and carefully guarding then from others where tempting but noxious weeds luxuriantly grow up, watered with the baneful streams of polluted and poisoned sources. If pure be the steams from the fountain, As purely the river will flow; If noxious the stream from the mountain, It poisons the valley below.
3:17
Witham
Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let all be done for his honour and glory. See 1 Corinthians 10:31. (Witham)
3:1
In the liturgy The Epistle vpon Easter •ue.
3:5
5. Auarice, Heretical and foolish translation. vvhich is the seruice of idols.] Here is a maruelous impudent and folish corruption in the vúlgar English Bible printed the yere 1577 and (as it seemeth) most authorised. Vvhere for their errour against the Images of Christ and his Saincts, and to make image and idol, al one: the translator, for that vvhich the Apostle saith in Greeke, Couetousnes is idolatrie, maketh him to say in English, Couetousnes is vvorshipping of images: as also Eph. 5, • he translateth thus, The couetous person is a vvorshipper of images: for that vvhich the Apostle saith, The couetous man is an idolater, meaning spiritual idolatrie, because he maketh money his God. In vvhich sense to call this spiritual idolatrie, vvorshipping of images, is to ridiculous, and must needes procede of blinde heresie.
Concordance Eph. 5, 3.
〈Greek〉.
3:9
9. Doing on the nevv.] By this and the vvhole discourse of this chapter conteining an exhortation to good life, Iustice an inherent qualitie in vs. and to put on the habite of the nevv man vvith al vertues: vve may see, our iustice in Christ to be a very qualitie and forme inherent in our soul, adorning the same, and not an imputation onely of Christes righteousnes, or a hiding onely of our sinnes and vvickednes, vvhich the Heretikes falsely affirme to remaine in vs after baptisme and alvvaies during life. See S. Augustine de pec. mer. & remis. li. 2 c. 7. & cont. Iulian. li. 6 c. 7.
Concordance Eph. 4, 22.
3:10
Concordance Gen. 1, 26.
3:12
In the liturgy The Epistle vpon the 5 Sunday after the Epiphanie.
Concordance Eph. 4, 32.
3:15
〈Greek〉, triumph and haue the victorie
3:18
Concordance Eph. 5, 22.
3:19
Concordance 1. Pet. 3, 7.
3:21
Concordance Eph. 6, 1.
Concordance Eph. 6, 5
3:22
Concordance Tit. 2. 9.
Concordance 1. Pet. 2, 18.
3:24
Retribution or revvard for good vvorkes: 〈Greek〉, vvhich signifieth rendering one for an other.
3:25
Concordance Deu. 10, 17. Ro. 2, 11.
Concordance Gal. 2, 6.
3:1
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 23
… In so many words he says: “Since ye are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On Jealousy and Envy 14
… “If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; occupy your minds with things that are above, not with things which are upon the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. But when Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.12
… “If ye have risen together with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God. Give heed to the things that are above, not to those things which are on the earth; for ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ your life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 6.1
Let us diligently ask for mercy, that we may receive whatsoever is necessary for us. Let us seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, that we may receive increase in the land. Let us think upon the things which are above,
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Hexæmeron 9.2
… Thy head, O man! is turned towards heaven; thy eyes look up. When therefore thou degradest thyself by the passions of the flesh, slave of thy belly, and thy lowest parts, thou approachest animals without reason and becomest like one of them. Thou art called to more noble cares; “seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 14
… And charging the Ephesians, he thus speaks, According to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand ; and the rest. And the Colossians he taught thus, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.6
But to say that the Son has no part in His Father’s royal throne argues an extraordinary amount of research into the oracles of God on the part of Eunomius, who, after his extreme devotion to the inspired Scriptures, has not yet heard, “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.36
… “If, then, ye be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do ye act as though living in the world? Touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using.” And further: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, not those things which are on the earth.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 11.10
… But if thou wouldest see my pinion too, I have one much lighter than he; one which can soar, not merely ten or twenty stadia, or even as high as heaven, but above heaven itself, and above the heaven of heavens; even to “where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God!”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 3
… Alas! how many ways to salvation are open to us! He hath made us His own body, He hath imparted to us His own body, and yet not one of these things turns us away from what is evil. Oh the darkness, the depth of the abyss, the apathy! “Set your mind,” saith he, “on the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 7
Chap. iii. ver. 1 . “If then ye were raised together with Christ.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.3
… “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 17.4
… Although it may be more suitably understood that He has made those same alive whom He has killed. For she, as it were, repeats that by adding, “He bringeth down to hell, and bringeth up.” To whom truly the apostle says, “If ye be dead with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.28
… according to the flesh.” This prophet has also foretold the resurrection of Christ on the third day, as it behoved to be foretold, with prophetic loftiness, when he says, “He will heal us after two days, and in the third day we shall rise again.” In agreement with this the apostle says to us, “If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.9
… and yet, though the tares grow in the Church along with the wheat, they do not reign with Him. For they reign with Him who do what the apostle says, “If ye be risen with Christ, mind the things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above, not the things which are on the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.10
… Now, bodies fall in death. There cannot, therefore, be a resurrection of souls, but of bodies. But what do they say to the apostle who speaks of a resurrection of souls? For certainly it was in the inner and not the outer man that those had risen again to whom he says, “If ye have risen with Christ, mind the things that are above.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 4.3
… mystery of our own inner resurrection, where, after He had risen, He says to the woman, “Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father;” with which mystery the apostle’s words agree, where he says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; set your thoughts on things above.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 53
… “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Continence 29
… and, when any evil motion after man arises, unto which he, who with the mind serves the Law of God, consents not, let him say that also, “Now it is not I that do this.” To such forsooth are said those words, which we, as partners and sharers with them, ought to listen to.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 11.7
… So he says elsewhere: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections upon things above, and not on things on the earth."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 2.33
… for which gift they to whom this is said are admonished by the priest after this word to give thanks to our Lord God Himself; and they answer that it is “meet and right so to do.” For, since our heart is not in our own power, but is lifted up by the divine help, so that it ascends and takes cognizance of those things which are above,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 3.14
… For it is not in vain that they are reminded to “lift up their hearts,” and when they are so reminded, they answer, “that they lift them up:” nor in vain is it said, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 66.2
… Seek those things which are above, not the things which are upon the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ your life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 94.5
… Because he also says, “If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Mind the things which are above, not those which are upon the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 30.5
… Hear of those that were circumcised with the real stone, while the apostle admonishes them: “If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of God; set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 56.5
… Is not Christ above? hath He not ascended into heaven, and sitteth He not at the Father’s right hand? Does not the apostle expressly declare, “If ye, then, be risen with Christ, set your thoughts on those things which are above, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God. Seek the things which are above, not things which are on earth?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 57.1
… I put off your expectations till now for this reason, that I might explain as I could how it is we come to Christ along the ground, when we are commanded rather to seek the things which are above, not the things which are upon the earth.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 111.4
… because it is with Christ in God. That, you see, is as if already accomplished for which He prayed, when He said, “I will that they also be with me where I am;” but now only by faith. And when will it be accomplished by actual sight? “When Christ,” he says, “[who is] your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.27
… Therefore He ascended first, and we in Him: because that flesh is of the human race.…Behold one “again.” Hear of its being fulfilled from the Apostle: “If then ye have risen with Christ, the things which are above seek ye, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God; the things which are above mind ye, not the things which are upon the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.7
… “Sons who shall be born and shall arise.” For they that have been born have not arisen: because they had not their heart above, but rather on the earth. For the arising is with Christ: whence hath been said, “If ye have arisen with Christ, savour ye the things which are above.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 97.8
… Dost thou wish to be so? Purge from thy heart the earth. If thou hast not earthly lusts, and hast not in vain uttered the response, that thou hast “lifted up thy heart,” thou shalt be a heaven. “If ye be risen with Christ,” saith the Apostle to believers, “set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 46
… “if ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God . Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God . For when Christ, our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 72
… Hence the Apostle says, “If ye have risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting on God’s right hand: set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God . For when Christ, your life, shall have appeared, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 74
And so, dearly-beloved, let us rejoice with spiritual joy, and let us with gladness pay God worthy thanks and raise our hearts’ eyes unimpeded to those heights where Christ is. Minds that have heard the call to be uplifted must not be pressed down by earthly affections
3:2
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 11.13
… Father who were offended at the words of Jesus, words which turn men away from the precept, “Handle not, nor taste, nor touch,—all which things were to perish in the using—after the precepts and doctrines of men,” but induce the intelligent hearer of them to seek in regard to them the things which are above and not the things upon the earth as the Jews do?
Constantine the Great † AD 337 The Oration of Constantine 14
… for from such endeavors, it is said, a victory accrues to us more valuable than many blessings.
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On the Making of Man 18.5
… high spirit in our character raises our thought above the passions, and keeps it from bondage to what is base; yea, the great Apostle, even, praises such a form of mental elevation when he bids us constantly to “think those things that are above
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.12
… For it is written for you: “Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God; savour the things that are above.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 15.4
… According to Paul all the glories of the present life appeared trifling, and more unprofitable than dead things. Hence his exclamation, “The world is crucified unto me.” Hence also his admonition, “Set your affections on things above.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 7
Ver. 2, 3, 4 . “Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life shall be manifested, then shall ye also with Him be manifested in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 104.39
… be not dust. How, thou repliest, shall I not be dust? If thou hast not a taste for earthly things. Hear the Apostle, that thou mayest not be dust. For the body which thou wearest is earth: but do thou refuse to be earth. What meaneth this? “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 31
… Follow after humility which the Son of God deigned to teach His disciples. Put on the power of patience, in which ye may be able to gain your souls; seeing that He who is the Redemption of all, is also the Strength of all. “Set your minds on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 33
… And surely their worship of Him exhorts us to imitation; that, as far as we can, we should serve our gracious God who invites us all to Christ. For whosoever lives religiously and chastely in the Church and “sets his mind on the things which are above, not on the things that are upon the earth
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) Of the engagement made in baptism, and of those who have given themselves to the life in common 1
… For to this end have we received a reasonable mind by the gift of nature, and the renewal also of the second birth, that, according to the apostle, we may discern ( sapiamus ) rather things above, and not things on the earth;
3:3
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.18
… (“what is the fellowship of the mystery) which hath for ages been hidden from the God who created all things.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 23
… These we should not “seek,” nor “set our affection on,” if we had them already in our possession. He also adds: “For ye are dead”—to your sins, he means, not to yourselves—“and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.6.7
… For in the mystery of this assumption the nations live, who, imitating it through faith, come to salvation. David also, when saying, “Be mindful of my reproach, O Lord, with which they reproached me in exchange for Thy Christ,” seems to me to indicate the same. And what else does Paul mean when he says, “Your life is hid with Christ in God;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis iv.section24
… Of which soul, seeing it had received into itself the whole wisdom of God, and the truth, and the life, I think that the apostle also said this: “Our life is hidden with Christ in God; but when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.30
… For if the light of men shines in darkness, and there is no active power in darkness to attain to it, then we must partake of other aspects of Christ; at present we have no real share of Him at all. For what share have we of life, we who are still in the body of death, and whose life is hid with Christ in God?
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.33
But we must seek to understand what is meant by “tasting of death.” And He is life who says, “I am the life,” and this life assuredly has been hidden with Christ in God; and. “when Christ our life shall be manifested, then along with Him”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 28
… The life of them that have trusted in the Lord “is hidden,” it would seem, “with Christ in God, and when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall” they themselves also “appear with Him in glory;”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 16.9
… or rather more fearful because it is also just; when the thrones are set and the Ancient of days takes His seat, and the books are opened, and the fiery stream comes forth, and the light before Him, and the darkness prepared; and they that have done good shall go into the resurrection of life, now hid in Christ
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.5
36. But although that fable has not the force of truth, yet it has this much to go upon, that if an upright man could hide himself, yet he would avoid sin just as though he could not conceal himself; and that he would not hide his person by putting on a ring, but his life by putting on Christ. As the Apostle says: “Our life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.8
… “Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;” and in the Gospel: “I in the Father and the Father in Me,” and “the Father that dwelleth in Me.” It is also written: “He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord;” and in another place: “Our life is hid with Christ in God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14
… but that where glory is there is rest, does follow: then as he had said that it is to come, he shows that it already is. For he does not say, that which is to be, but “which shall be revealed in us,” as if already existing but unrevealed. As also in another place he said in clearer words, “Our life is hid with Christ in God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 23
… But if you mean to say, that you are entrusted with greater privileges, be informed that this is not thy time. For thou art a stranger and a sojourner. A time will be when thou shalt appear brighter than all. Now thy “life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 15
… next, when committed, not how it may remove the deceased [member], but how they may be blotted out. And of the things of this life indeed it maketh not much account, but all its transactions are about the things in heaven. “For our citizenship is in heaven.” ( Philip. iii. 20 .) And our life is here. “For our life,” saith he, “is hid with Christ in God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 1
… v. 11, 12 .) Observe, how every where He speaketh of Heaven, no where of earth, or of the things on the earth. And again, “Our citizenship is in Heaven, from whence also we wait for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.” ( Philip. iii. 20 .) And again, “Not setting your mind on the things that are on the earth, but on the things which are above.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 6
… ii. 14 .) “For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judæa.” And again in writing to the Hebrews ( Heb. x. 34 .) he said, “And ye took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions.” And to the Colossians (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 11
… v. 12 .) “Walk in wisdom,” he saith, “toward them that are without.” For “without,” they are, even though they live in the same world with us, seeing they are without the kingdom, and the paternal mansion. And he comforts them withal, by calling the others “without,” as he said above, “Your life is hid with Christ in God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 4
… What honor then will he not obtain, when the Distributor of the prizes shall come! He was among foreigners, “a stranger and a sojourner” ( Heb. xi. 13 .), and thus is he admired: what good will he not enjoy, when he is amongst his own? Now “our life is hid with Christ in God” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.3
… “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” In the next words, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God; when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 102.29
… “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens;” —“Who hath gathered the winds in His fists?” i.e. the souls of believers in a hidden and secret place, to whom, accordingly, it is said, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 130.5
… wherefore he adds, “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living,” where we shall then be—not in the wilderness of the dead, where we now are: “For ye are dead,” says the apostle, “and your life is hid with Christ in God; when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.15
… But some very sensibly suppose that in this place the sea is put for this world. When John then wished to signify that those whom Christ should find still alive in the body were to be judged along with those who should rise again, he called them dead, both the good to whom it is said, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.8
… since “your life is hid with Christ in God; when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.19
… For then the knowledge of Christ will be eminent, when He shall be so revealed that what is believed is seen. Whence, in another place, he thus says, “For ye have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 28.7
… And when the lovers of this world revile us, let us say to them, “Your time is always ready; our time is not yet come.” For the apostle has said to us, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” When will our time come? “When Christ,” saith he, “your life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 28.11
… but others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.” We must understand this of all His servants: this is said now of them. For whoever becomes eminent in some spiritual grace, of him some will assuredly say, “He is a good man;” others, “Nay; but he deceiveth the people.” Whence is this? “Because our life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 65.1
… but the death of the elect, through which, even while still remaining in this mortal flesh, the heart is set on the things which are above. Of such a death it is that the apostle said, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 37.1.3
… For now it is the season of winter. Thy glory doth not as yet appear. But if thy love hath but a deep root, like that of many trees during winter, the frost passes away, the summer (that is, the Day of Judgment) will come; then will the greenness of the grass wither away. Then will the glory of the trees appear. “For ye” (saith the Apostle) “are dead,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 54.2
… We may find them in mankind, if we are willing to under stand the Psalm. Let us find here at first David hiding, and we shall find his adversaries flourishing. Observe David hiding: “For ye are dead,” saith the Apostle to the members of Christ, “and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.29
… whence saith the Apostle, “Your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 122.12
… love createth a sort of death in us. This death he had died who said, “The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world:” this death they had died unto whom he said, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 123.5
… If therefore thou hast a mere passing stay in thy house, it is an inn for passing guests, not an habitation for permanent abode. Yet since we hope for those things which are to come, and sigh for future happiness, and since it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, although we are already “sons of God;” for “our life is hidden with Christ in God:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 124.3
… what could they do? “Perchance they had swallowed us up quick” ( ver. 3 ). “Swallowed us up:” they would not first have slain us, and so have swallowed us up. O inhuman, O cruel men! The Church swalloweth not thus. To Peter it was said, “ Kill and eat:” not, Swallow quick. Because no man entereth into the body of the Church, save he be slain first.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 140.15
… “And the cause of the poor.” These then are they whose cause the Lord will not neglect; although now they suffer hardships, their glory shall appear, when their Head appeareth. For to such while placed here it is said, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 27
… Let us hear the Apostle, saying: “for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God . But when Christ , who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 51
… “for I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us :” and again, “for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God . For when Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 63
… For when Christ, your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory
3:4
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 11
… and in those nations ye shall not be able to rest: and there shall be instability of the print of thy foot: and God shall give thee a wearying heart, and a pining soul, and failing eyes, that they see not: and thy life shall hang on the tree
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.3
… Consider if the other things which Christ is said to be in a unity admit of being multiplied in the same way and spoken of in the plural. For example, Christ is our life as the Saviour Himself says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” The Apostle, too, says,
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 9.59
… did He not, then, know it, when its time was in His hands, and fixed by His mystery, for it is the day of His coming, of which the Apostle wrote, When Christ, Who is your life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with Him be manifested in glory
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 7
… ‘for many are called, but few chosen .’ Judas to wit, though he came to the supper, because he despised it went out from the presence of the Lord, and having abandoned his Life
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.5
… He came to lie hid from this world. Let us therefore likewise hide our life after the example of Christ, let us shun boastfulness, let us not desire to be made known. It is better to live here in humility, and there in glory. “When Christ,” it says, “shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14
… but that where glory is there is rest, does follow: then as he had said that it is to come, he shows that it already is. For he does not say, that which is to be, but “which shall be revealed in us,” as if already existing but unrevealed. As also in another place he said in clearer words, “Our life is hid with Christ in God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 7
But you, too, saith one, gave promises pertaining to this life. What then have we promised in this life? The forgiveness of sins and the laver of regeneration. Now in the first place, baptism itself hath its chief part in things to come; and Paul exclaims, saying, (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.10
… e.g. , “They have made ready their arrows in the quiver, that they may, while the moon is obscured, wound those who are upright in heart.” For before that comes to pass of which the apostle says, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 54
… for it forms no part of what He did upon earth, but is part of what He shall do at the end of the world. And it is to this that the apostle refers in what immediately follows the passage quoted above: “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 35
… the ungodly, that we ought to say that it is glorious, because kings serve it,—a fact which only produces a more perilous and a sorer temptation;—but then shall it rather be glorious, when that event shall come to pass of which the apostle also speaks in the words, “When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace 23
… because both all are already foreknown and predestinated, and many are already called and justified; but that which he placed at the end, “them He also glorified” (if, indeed, that glory is here to be understood of which the same apostle says, “When Christ your life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 4.10
… Consequently, it will tarry thus until He comes. At present it will tarry in the faith of believers, but hereafter it will be possible to contemplate it face to face, when He, our Life, shall appear, and when we shall appear with Him in glory.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 44.4
… “When Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 52.9
… But when shall have come our day, that is, the manifestation of Christ, whereof the same Apostle saith, “When Christ shall have appeared, your life, then ye also shall appear with Himself in glory,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 54.2
… Observe David hiding: “For ye are dead,” saith the Apostle to the members of Christ, “and your life is hid with Christ in God.” These men, therefore, that are hiding, when shall they be flourishing? “When Christ,” he saith, “your life, shall have appeared, then ye also with Him shall appear in glory.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.21
… This prophecy may suit also the Saints of the period since the revelation of grace, and the preaching of the Gospel, for they that love God’s commandments look for Christ, that “when Christ, our life, shall appear, we” may then “appear with Him in glory.”
3:5
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.12.3
… as the apostle says in the Epistle to the Colossians: “Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth.” And what these are he himself explains: “Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence; and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
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.” Albeit covetousness is by the same apostle called idolatry .
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 17
… “And be not inebriated with wine, in which is voluptuousness.” He demonstrates, too, to the Colossians what “members” they are to “mortify” upon earth: “fornication, impurity, lust, evil concupiscence,” and “base talk.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.49
We, however, when we do abstain, do so because “we keep under our body, and bring it into subjection,” and desire “to mortify our members that are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 7.38
… It is certain also that a Christian will not make use of “the language of the flesh,” having learnt as he has “to mortify the deeds of the body” by the spirit, and “to bear about in his body the dying of Jesus;” and “mortify your members which are on the earth,”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 51.27
… “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; putting off fornication, uncleanness, and evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which are the service of idols: for which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 7
… we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter .’ Now this is becoming in us, especially in the days of the feast, when a commemoration of the death of our Saviour is held. For he who is made like Him in His death, is also diligent in virtuous practices, having mortified his members which are upon the earth
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 14
… and in baptism too dies our enmity towards God. From the sea the people came out unharmed: we too, as it were, alive from the dead, step up from the water “saved” by the “grace” of Him who called us. And the cloud is a shadow of the gift of the Spirit, who cools the flame of our passions by the “mortification” of our “members.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.3
… He ought not to be beguiled by over eating, whence come dreams in the night. He ought not to be distracted by immoderate toil, nor overstep the bounds of sufficiency, as the apostle says, “Having food and raiment let us be therewith content;” unnecessary abundance gives appearance of covetousness, and covetousness is condemned as idolatry.
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 53
… If, after this letter of mine, any one do anything of the kind, he will depart from the altars here and will seek a place where he is able to buy and to sell God’s gift. We and the Churches of God have no such custom. One word more, and I have done. These things come of covetousness. Now covetousness is the root of all evil and is called idolatry.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 7.23
23. Would that I might mortify my members that are upon the earth,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
… “I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof.” But when he shall have looked upon Jesus, though he be little of stature like Zaccheus of old, and climb up on the top of the sycamore tree by mortifying his members which are upon the earth,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… Do not be surprised at my giving a more abundant honour to our uncomely parts, mortifying them and making them chaste by my speech, and standing up against the flesh. Let us give to God all our members which are upon the earth;
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 45
… But let that part of your being which is the seat of passion, and which neighs, as Holy Scripture calls it, when sweeping away this shameful passion, be restrained by a girdle of continence, so that you may eat the Passover purely, having mortified your members which are upon the earth,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.36
… Touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using.” And further: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, not those things which are on the earth.” And again: “Mortify, therefore, your members which are on the earth.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 11
… xxii. 32 .) Another is of the soul which Christ alludes to when He says, “Let the dead bury their dead.” ( ib. viii. 22 .) Another, which is even the subject of praise, which is brought about by religion ( φιλοσοφίας ), of which Paul saith, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 2
… for as by death he signifies not what is commonly understood, but a death to sin; so by life, he signifies a delivery from sin. For a man cannot live to God, otherwise than by dying to sin; and as Christ suffered bodily death, so does Paul a death to sin. “Mortify,” says he, “your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion;” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
But why did he begin his list with fornication? For having said, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 10
… x. 38 .) But “not given to wine,” he says; a good prospect indeed, if such are the things of which a Bishop is to be admonished! Why has he not said that he ought to be already raised above the world? But dost thou demand less of the Bishop, than even of those in the world? For to these he saith, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 65
… this corrupted the rulers of the Jews, who received gifts, and became the partners of thieves. This hath brought in ten thousand wars, filling the ways with blood, the cities with wailings and lamentations. This hath made meals to become impure, and tables accursed, and hath filled food with transgression; therefore hath Paul called it “idolatry”: (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 74
[3.] Let us then follow Him, and take up the Cross. For though persecution be not present, yet the season for another kind of death is with us. “Mortify,” it saith, “your members which are upon earth.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 20
Tell me: did not Paul with reason call covetousness “idolatry”? (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 14.5
… Yet Paul elsewhere lays down the law in express and unmistakable terms, saying: “Mortify your members, which are upon the earth, laying aside fornication, uncleanness, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which are idolatry, for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.17
… The love of the flesh is overcome by the love of the spirit. Desire is quenched by desire. What is taken from the one increases the other. Therefore, as you lie on your couch, say again and again: “By night have I sought Him whom my soul loveth.” “Mortify, therefore,” says the apostle, “your members which are upon the earth.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.32
“The love of money is the root of all evil,” and the apostle speaks of covetousness as being idolatry.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 8.11
… cast thyself upon Him without fear, He will receive thee, and heal thee.” And I blushed beyond measure, for I still heard the muttering of those toys, and hung in suspense. And she again seemed to say, “Shut up thine ears against those unclean members of thine upon the earth, that they may be mortified.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.15
… as also our Lord bore with guilty Judas, even until he met the end which he deserved, and permitted him to take part in the sacred supper along with the innocent disciples; as the apostles bore with those who preached Christ through envy,—a sin peculiarly satanic; as Cyprian bore with colleagues guilty of avarice, which, after the example of the apostle,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Continence 29
… For this follows, “Mortify, therefore, your members, which are upon the earth.” And, lest any through excess of dullness should think that such are to mortify the members of the body that are seen, straightway opening what it is he saith, “Fornication,” saith he, “uncleanness, passion, evil lust, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.92
… Against such evil we are commanded to wage war in the words of the psalm, "Be ye angry and sin not." And a similar command is given by the apostle, when he says, "Mortify your members which are on earth fornication, uncleanness, luxury, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4.5
… ‘for know this, and understand, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God;’ and again, ‘Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.’"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.6
One wonders that anything is required clearer than the proof we have given. But we must perhaps be content to hear this clear illustration gainsaid by the contention, that we must understand “the dead body” here in the sense of the passage where it is said, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.12
36. And therefore, under the category of the adultery mentioned in this section, we must understand all fleshly and sensual lust. For when Scripture so constantly speaks of idolatry as fornication, and the Apostle Paul calls avarice by the name of idolatry,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.13
… And all those works He has called the whole body; for the apostle also speaks of certain works of which he disapproves as our members, and teaches that they are to be mortified, saying, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, covetousness,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 9.2
… by fearing let him correct himself, let him watch against his enemies, i.e. his sins; let him begin to come to life again inwardly, and to mortify his members which are upon the earth, as the apostle saith, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 40.8
… That they may lead astray the foolish ones; that by loving the semblance of truth there, they may fall into the snare of falsehood: let them be left behind, let them be “given over,” let them be “cut off.” If they were members of us, they must be mortified. “Mortify,” he says, “your members which are upon the earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 60.2
… For why should one live earthly, that ought to live heavenly? There hath been slain therefore life earthly, let there live life heavenly. “For as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of Him that is from Heaven.” See it slain: “Mortify your members which are upon earth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 80.11
… 17 ). “And we depart not from Thee.…Thou wilt quicken us, and Thy Name we will invoke” ( ver. 18 ). Thou shalt be sweet to us, “Thou wilt quicken us.” For aforetime we did love earth, not Thee: but Thou hast mortified our members which are upon the earth.
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 1.4
… “Mortify your members which are upon the earth;” their very dress also declaring this: “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God;” and again: “And I live, yet now not I but Christ liveth in me. To me indeed the world is crucified, and I to the world.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 1.11
… to wit, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 7.7
… Wherefore the blessed Apostle, looking out on the deadly poison of this pest, not only says that it is a root of all kinds of evil, but also calls it the worship of idols, saying “And covetousness (which in Greek is called φιλαργυρία ) which is the worship of idols.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 12.27
… and while it takes delight in its former desires, and is overcome, as the apostle says, by impious avarice (as he says of it “and covetousness, which is idolatry, or the worship of idols,” and again “the love of money,” says he, “is the root of all evils”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 5.11
… “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.” And these three kinds the blessed Apostle tells us must be stamped out in one and the same way. “Mortify,” says he, “your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, lust, etc.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 2.10
… Whence also it is well added, And all the idols of the house of Israel were pourtrayed upon the wall ( Ezek. viii. 10 ), inasmuch as it is written, And covetousness, which is idolatry (
Pseudo-Clement The First Epistle of the Blessed Clement, the Disciple of Peter the Apostle 8
… perversions of the right, laxness in judgment ; haughtiness, arrogance, ostentation, pompousness, boasting of family, of beauty, of position, of wealth, of an arm of flesh; quarrelsomeness, injustice, eagerness for victory; hatred, anger, envy, perfidy, retaliation; debauchery, gluttony, “overreaching (which is idolatry),”
3:6
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 18
Because of “fornication,” he means, because of “covetousness,” because of “uncleanness,” or both because of these things, and because of the “deceit,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 9
… Just as it is said, “sons of destruction” and “sons of hell.” Wherefore Christ also said to the Pharisees, “Woe unto you—for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is become so, ye make him a son of hell.” ( Matt. xxiii. 15 .) And again Paul said, “For which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Continence 30
30. But, after that he had made mention of these evils, he added and said, “On account of which cometh the wrath of God on the sons of unbelief.”
3:7
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Continence 30
… But when he saith, “Wherein ye also walked sometime, when ye were living therein;”
3:8
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 4.72
… Besides, the Scripture, which tells us not to be angry at all, and which says in the thirty-seventh Psalm , “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath,” and which commands us by the mouth of Paul to “put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication,”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.5
… “Take heed that no man make spoil of you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, and after the rudiments of this world, not according to Christ; for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of Godhead in bodily shape.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.14
… Thus, according to the Apostle: “As we have borne the image of the earthly, so also shall we bear the image of the heavenly.” This thing certainly cannot come to pass except in the inner man. Therefore, “laying aside all these,” that is those things which we read of: “anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
Ver. 8 . “But now put ye also away all these.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Continence 31
31. “But now do ye also,” saith he, “put down all;”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 5.11
… (3) that which leads a man to covet and procure what he never previously possessed. Of anger there are three kinds: one which rages within, which is called in Greek θυμός ; another which breaks out in word and deed and action, which they term ὀργή : of which the Apostle speaks, saying “But now do ye lay aside all anger and indignation;”
3:9
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.12.3
… For their soul, tending towards what is worse, and descending to earthly lusts, has become a partaker in the same designation which belongs to these [lusts, viz., “earthly”], which, when the apostle commands us to lay aside, he says in the same Epistle, “Cast ye off the old man with his deeds.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 11.49
… We shall be promoted to a glory conformable to that of Him Who became Man for us, being renewed unto the knowledge of God, and created again in the image of the Creator, as the Apostle says, Having put off the old man with his doings, and put on the new man, which is being renewed unto the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created him
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 14
… What dying of sins is there? Those men did not die with Christ; wherefore they were not raised with Him. They did not “bear the image of the heavenly;” they did “bear about in the body the dying of Jesus;” they did not “put off the old man;” they did not “put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him which created him.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 3.7
… For every serpent creeps into a hole and casts its old slough, and having rubbed off the old skin, grows young again in body. In like manner enter thou also through the strait and narrow gate : rub off thy former self by fasting, and drive out that which is destroying thee. Put off the old man with his doings
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 20.2
2. As soon, then, as ye entered, ye put off your tunic; and this was an image of putting off the old man with his deeds
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 4.3
… the first creation had waxed old and vanished away, it was needful that there should be a new creation in Christ, (as the Apostle says, who asserts that we should no longer see in the second creation any trace of that which has waxed old, saying, “Having put off the old man with his deeds and his lusts, put on the new man which is created according to God
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On the Making of Man 30.33
… Thus Paul, advising those who were able to hear him to lay hold on perfection, indicates also the mode in which they may attain that object, telling them that they must “put off the old man,” and put on the man “which is renewed after the image of Him that created him
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.16
131. For those are serpents, such as the Gospel intends, who put off old habits, in order to put on new manners: “Putting off the old man, together with his acts, and putting on the new man, made in the image of Him Who created him.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.14
… Therefore, “laying aside all these,” that is those things which we read of: “anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication;” as he also says below: “Let us, having put off the old man with his deeds, put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
Ver. 9, 10 . “Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of Him that created him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.5
… of our life is a kind of transition from death to life which is made first by faith, so that we rejoice in hope and are patient in tribulation, while still “our outward man perisheth, but the inward man is renewed day by day.” It is because of this beginning of a new life, because of the new man which we are commanded to put on, putting off the old man,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 12.7
… But further, does not the same blessed apostle say, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which is created after God;” and in another place more clearly, “Putting off the old man,” he says, “with his deeds; put on the new man, which is renewed to the knowledge of God after the image of Him that created him?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 14.16
… In like manner, therefore, by the spirit of the mind, that spirit which is mind. Elsewhere, too, he has even more plainly called it an image, while enforcing the same thing in other words. “Do you,” he says, “putting off the old man with his deeds, put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge of God after the image of Him that created him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 40
… “A man indeed,” it saith, “ought not to veil his head, forsomuch as he is the image and glory of God.” For where this image is, he doth himself declare, where he saith, “Lie not one to another; but stripping off the old man with his deeds, put ye on the new, which is renewed to the acknowledging of God, according to the image of Him who created him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Morals of the Catholic Church 19
36. Paul then says that covetousness is the root of all evils; and by covetousness the old law also intimates that the first man fell. Paul tells us to put off the old man and put on the new.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 24
… Then he adds, according to the image of Him who created him, to make it clear that the old man is not the image of God, nor formed by God. Moreover, the following words, "Where there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek, Barbarian nor Scythian,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 14.3
… Imitate him in this, thou Christian, who dost hear Christ saying, “Enter ye in at the strait gate.” And the Apostle Paul saith to thee, “Put ye off the old man with his deeds, and put ye on the new man.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 1.10
… i.e. , because ye knew it already. But why new? “Because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.” Lo, whence it is new: because the darkness pertains to the old man, but the light to the new man. What saith the Apostle Paul? “Put ye off the old man, and put ye on the new.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 6.9
9. “I have grown old in all mine enemies.” He had only spoken of anger (if it were yet of his own anger that he spoke): but thinking on his other vices, he found that he was entrenched by them all. Which vices, as they belong to the old life and the old man, which we must put off, that we may put on the new man,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 62.4
… and each one of us of Adam was born. Let him pass over to Jerusalem, he shall be thrown down old, and shall be builded new. As though to conquered Jebusites, in order that there may be builded up Jerusalem, is said, “Put ye off the old man, and put on the new.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 84.1
… He hath the coverings of carnal desires stripped off from him, like grape-skins: for this hath taken place in him in carnal desires, of which the Apostle speaks, “Put ye off the old man, and put on the new man.”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.12.4
… For what other visible fruit is there of the invisible Spirit, than the rendering of the flesh mature and capable of incorruption? If then [he says], “To live in the flesh, this is the result of labour to me,” he did not surely contemn the substance of flesh in that passage where he said, “Put ye off the old man with his works;”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 7.23
… I almost own myself indebted to the disaster which has inspired me with such thoughts, and made me more enamoured of my departure hence. This is the purpose of the great mystery for us. This is the purpose for us of God, Who for us was made man and became poor, to raise our flesh, and recover His image, and remodel man,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.1
… to His Disciples, when He said, “Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost .” This is the word of the mystery whereby through the new birth from above our nature is transformed from the corruptible to the incorruptible, being renewed from “the old man,” “according to the image of Him who created
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 9
Let us then become men at last, and let us look up unto heaven; and that which is according to His image, (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 6.3
… and I heard him, indeed, every Lord’s day, “rightly dividing the word of truth” among the people; and I was all the more convinced that all those knots of crafty calumnies, which those deceivers of ours had knit against the divine books, could be unravelled. But so soon as I understood, withal, that man made “after the image of Him that created him”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.22
… And therefore this being said in the plural, “Let us make man,” it is yet subjoined in the singular, “and God made man;” and this being said in the plural, “after our likeness,” is subjoined in the singular, “after the image of God.” Thus is man renewed in the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created him;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 92.3
… We shall therefore see Him by means of that in which we shall be like Him. But who would be so infatuated as to assert that we either are or shall be in our bodies like unto God? The likeness spoken of is therefore in the inner man, “which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 7.6
… For it is also said, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind;” to whom he likewise says, “Be ye therefore imitators of God as dear children.” For it is said to the new man, “which is renewed to the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 11.1
… Let us try, then, if we can, to discover in this outer man also, some trace, however slight, of the Trinity, not that itself also is in the same manner the image of God. For the opinion of the apostle is evident, which declares the inner man to be renewed in the knowledge of God after the image of Him that created him:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.3
… that which is granted him by God’s gift in the partaking of that very God Himself, which is distinct from knowledge; and the discussion reached this point, that a trinity is discovered in the image of God, which is man in respect to his mind, which mind is “renewed in the knowledge” of God, “after the image of Him that created” man;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 12.8
… where there is no evening, because there is no decay. On the sixth day, in Genesis, man is formed after the image of God; in the sixth period of the world there is the clear discovery of our transformation in the renewing of our mind, according to the image of Him who created us, as the apostle says.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.9
… For they fail to observe that men severally become sons of God when they begin to live in newness of spirit, and to be renewed as to the inner man after the image of Him that created them.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 37
… “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” This likeness begins even now to be reformed in us, while the inward man is being renewed from day to day, according to the image of Him that created him.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin 4.20
… and thus the whole man consists of three, the outer, the inner, and the inmost. Now, do you not yet perceive what great absurdities follow in your wake, when you attempt the asseveration that the soul is corporeal? Tell me, I pray you, which of the two is it that is to be renewed in the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created him?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 5
… Give heed, each one of you, my brethren, to what the Christian possesses. His humanity he has in common with many, his Christianity distinguishes him from many, and his Christianity belongs to him more strictly than his humanity. For, as a Christian, he is renewed after the image of God, by whom man was made after the image of God;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 8.2
… But the human soul has this quality in common with the soul of the brute; those qualities rather are to be admired which I have stated, such as belong to the mind and intellect, wherein also it is renewed after the image of its Creator, after whose image man was formed.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 9.6
… the fifth, from the carrying away into Babylon to John the Baptist; the sixth, from John the Baptist to the end of the world. Moreover, God made man after His own image on the sixth day , because in this sixth age is manifested the renewing of our mind through the gospel, after the image of Him who created us;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 6.2
… But from the coming of the Lord, from whom there was a transition from the circumcision of the flesh to the circumcision of the heart, the call was made, that man should live according to the soul, that is, according to the inner man, who is also called the “new man”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.3.4
… “Every male that openeth the womb.” For He, being everything, opened the womb of the enthymesis of the suffering Æon, when it had been expelled from the Pleroma. This they also style the second Ogdoad, of which we shall speak presently. And they state that it was clearly on this account that Paul said, “And He Himself is all things;”
St Peter of Alexandria † AD 311 The Canonical Epistle, with the Commentaries of Theodore Balsamon and John Zonaras 7
… knowing, says he, that our and their Master is in heaven; and that there is no respect of persons with Him. Now, if we all have one Master, with whom is no respect of persons, since Christ is all and in all, in barbarian, Scythian, bond or free,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 7.23
… This is the purpose for us of God, Who for us was made man and became poor, to raise our flesh, and recover His image, and remodel man, that we might all be made one in Christ, who was perfectly made in all of us all that He Himself is, that we might no longer be male and female, barbarian, Scythian, bond or free
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 20
… It is plain moreover that the argument applies equally to men and women, to move them towards such a marriage. “There is neither male nor female ,” the Apostle says; “Christ is all, and in all
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.14
176. And that thou mightest know that when he says: “That God may be all in all,” he does not separate Christ from God the Father, he also says to the Colossians: “Where there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.24
… Or what is to live righteously but to live with tranquility? Such as is the pattern of the master, such is the condition of the whole house. But if these things are requisite in a house, how much more in the Church, “where we, both rich and poor, bond and free, Greek and Scythian, noble and common, are all one in Christ Jesus.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
Ver. 11 . “Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 9.17
… How are there “two metretæ apiece”? Circumcision and uncircumcision. Scripture mentions these two classes of people, and leaves out no kind of men, when it says, “Circumcision and uncircumcision;”
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 263.1
… we have put our trust, give to each of you grace sufficient to enable you to realize your hope, in proportion to the joy wherewith you have filled my heart, both by the letter which you have sent me by the hands of the well-beloved fellow-presbyters, and by the sympathy which you have felt for me in my distress, like men who have put on bowels of mercy,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14
… vi. 11 .) For full of affectionateness is the whole race of the saints. Wherefore also St. Paul saith, “Put on therefore, as the elect saints of God, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
Ver. 12 . “Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved.”
Sulpicius Severus † AD 420 The Doubtful Letters of Sulpitius Severus 2.13
… Let nothing unbecoming, nothing repulsive, be seen in it. Let it shine with the gold of righteousness, and gleam with the gems of holiness, and glitter with the most precious pearl of purity; instead of fine linen and silk, let it be arrayed in the robe of mercifulness and piety, according to what is written, “Put ye
3:13
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 39
… thou proposest the law concerning remission and punishment, thou declarest thy decision on these matters, and therefore whether God shall or shall not remember, rests with thee. For which cause Paul biddeth us “forgive, if any One hath cause of complaint against any” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 148.5
… He will, I hope, do what he knows to be enjoined on him by Him who, speaking through the apostle, says: “Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as God in Christ has forgiven you;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 33.3
… shall I presume to overleap this limit? It is not so, I have not presumed to go at all beyond. I have heard the Lord Himself speaking in His Apostle where there is no measure or number fixed. For He says, “Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, as God in Christ hath forgiven you.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 64.3
… Why? Because we were sinners. Death was not due to Him, nor life to us; He received what was not due to Him, He gave what was not due to us. But since we are speaking of the remission of sins, lest ye should think it too high a thing to imitate Christ, hear the Apostle saying, “Forgiving one another, even as God in Christ hath forgiven you.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 58.5
… For what else does the Lord apparently intimate in the profound significance of this sacramental sign, when He says, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you;” but what the apostle declares in the plainest terms, “Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”?
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
Ver. 14 . “And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 82.11
… charity envieth not;…is not puffed up…beareth all things, believeth all things.” Charity is the mother of all virtues, and the apostle’s words about faith, hope and charity are like that threefold cord which is not quickly broken. We believe, we hope, and through our faith and hope we are joined together in the bond of charity.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 34
… For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” This is the same in effect as what he writes to the Romans: “He that loveth 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.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.23
… to love his enemies, to do good to those who hate him, to pray for those who persecute him;—who, I say, does these things, but the man who is fully and perfectly merciful?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 118.4
… And when the apostle is about to speak of charity, he says, “I show you a more excellent way;” and in another place, “To know also the love of Christ, which far excelleth knowledge;” and still further elsewhere, “And above all these things charity which is the bond of perfectness.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 8.33
… Hence also it is said by the excellent preacher in praise of this same charity, Which is the bond of perfectness (
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 29
… After shewing neither reverence for the Lord’s honour nor fear of His threats, what kind of defence will they have for their blasphemy? It is for them to make up their mind about their own action or even now to change it. For my own part I would pray most earnestly that the good God will make His peace rule in the hearts of all,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 25
For this cause Paul also said, “Be ye thankful.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 8
Ver. 15 . “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.2
… And this is the peace which is given on earth to men of goodwill; this the life of the fully developed and perfect wise man. From a kingdom of this sort brought to a condition of thorough peace and order, the prince of this world is cast out, who rules where there is perversity and disorder.
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Tertullian † AD 220 To His Wife 2.8
… Both (are) brethren, both fellow servants, no difference of spirit or of flesh; nay, (they are) truly “two in one flesh.” Where the flesh is one, one is the spirit too. Together they pray, together prostrate themselves, together perform their fasts; mutually teaching, mutually exhorting,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
4. Wherefore it should be our ambition that the Word of Christ dwell in us richly.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 17
… For what purpose have we been brought forward? Dost thou not hear the Apostle say, “Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you”? ( 1 Pet. iii. 15 .) And Paul exhorts in like manner, saying, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 8
… x. 11 .) And again Christ said, “Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures” ( Matt. xxii. 29 ): and again Paul said, “That through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may have hope.” ( Rom. xv. 4 .) And again, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.” ( 2 Tim. iii. 16 .) And “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (
Pseudo-Cyprian On the Public Shows 10
10. Let the faithful Christian, I say, devote himself to the sacred Scriptures,
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 8.32
… demons, but rather do they feast with divine angels, who are appointed for this purpose, and who are as it were invited to the table of the pious man, who hearkens to the precept of the word, which says, “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” And again, in another place it is written, “Do all things in the name of God.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.25
… but, as it is, such a mode of giving shews the oneness of the Father and the Son. No one, for instance, would pray to receive from God and the Angels
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Virgins 3.5
24. But let him who desires to solve the whole difficulty of this question have recourse to the same Apostle. “Whatsoever ye do,” says he, “in word or deed, do all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father by Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 53
“Blessed God.” For the apostolic law they straightway fulfill, that commands, “Whatsoever we do in word or in deed, that we do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 9
Ver. 17 . “And whatsoever ye do,” he saith, “in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.5
… And it is enough to secure that the holy angels of God be pro pitious to us,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 18 . “Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.10
… Nor can it be doubted, that it is more consonant with the order of nature that men should bear rule over women, than women over men. It is with this principle in view that the apostle says, “The head of the woman is the man;” and, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 19 . “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.20
… for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Not, therefore, by that which we are waiting for, but by that which we are now enduring, are the children of our flesh born. God forbid that a man who possesses faith should, when he hears the apostle bid men “love their wives,”
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St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 7.15
… And let this commandment be especially observed by those here present who have fathers and mothers. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 20 . “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.4
… the former that they submit humbly, the latter that they preside temperately. For this, which may be understood also figuratively, is said to the former, Children, obey your parents in the Lord : but to the latter it is enjoined, And ye, fathers, provoke not your children to wrath (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 21 . “Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.”
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 The Apology of Rufinus. Addressed to Apronianus, in Reply to Jerome's Letter to Pammachius 1.40
“Another contends that he speaks thus because of the
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Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.5
… The former are to be admonished to know themselves to be servants of masters; the latter are to be admonished to acknowledge themselves to be fellow-servants of servants. For to those it is said, Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 23 . “Whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.”
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St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.4
… but if it be true that he who is not by nature God is not God at all, let them learn from the great Paul that they who serve those who are not Gods do not serve God .” But we “serve the living and true God,” as the Apostle says : and He Whom we serve is Jesus the Christ
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 24 . “Knowing,” he saith, “that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of your inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 10
Ver. 25 . “For he that doeth wrong,” he saith, “shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manichæans 40
… "For he that doeth hurt shall receive," says the apostle, "according to the hurt that he has done; and there is no accepting of persons with God."
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1. THEREFORE, IF YOU BE RISEN WITH CHRIST, SEEK THE THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST IS SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. — This is the second, ethical part of the epistle, wherein he passes from dogmatic matters to morals, and urges Christians to live a life worthy of Christ, pure from vices, holy and heavenly. Note: The word "therefore" is an inference from what was said in the preceding chapter; for there he taught us that in baptism we have risen with Christ; hence he here concludes: therefore we must live a heavenly life. Secondly, the word "if" is not one of doubt, but rather of assertion, and is equivalent to "since" or "inasmuch as." Thirdly, baptism is a type of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, as I have shown from the Apostle in Romans vi, 3; for the very immersion of man in water signifies the immersion of Christ into death and the sepulchre: and the very emergence of the baptized man from the water signifies the emergence of Christ from death and the sepulchre, that is, his resurrection, as if to say: Since, O Christians of Colossae, with Christ your head rising from the dead, you in baptism, which is a type of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, have emerged from infidelity, superstition, sins and vices to begin a new, Christian and blessed life; "seek" with your mind and study, with all care, solicitude and effort, not earthly goods, which are below, but those things "which are above," that is, eternal goods, namely heavenly glory (in which Christ is, and prepares a place for you) as your end; and heavenly morals, virtues and life, as the fitting means ordained by God to attain that end; and "be wise" concerning them through wisdom, knowledge, affection, taste, desire, thought and meditation on spiritual, heavenly and divine things: for this is what the Greek word phroneite means. Let heavenly things therefore be wise to the Christian, let earthly things be foolish; just as bitter pills and medicines are foolish to a man; hence that he may not feel or taste them, he straightway swallows them whole if he can: so plainly let all earthly delights and pomp be insipid to the faithful, because the taste of heavenly things is so great that all else appears insipid and bitter: yet other foods and things must be used, but as medicines, according to that saying of St. Augustine, book X of the Confessions, chapter xxxi: "You have taught me this, that I should approach food and nourishment as I would medicines." Hence St. Bernard, sermon 6 On the Ascension, says: "If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, etc. As if he said more plainly: If you be risen, ascend also; if you live together, reign together. Let us follow, brethren, let us follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth: let us follow him ascending with much greater willingness. Let our old man be crucified together with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed," etc. The same, sermon 1 on Easter: "Whosoever," he says, "after the laments of penance does not return to carnal consolations, but rises up in confidence in divine mercy, enters into a certain new devotion, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and is not so much moved by the remembrance of past sins as delighted by the memory and inflamed with desire of eternal rewards: he truly is the one who rises with Christ, who celebrates the Passover, who hastens into Galilee. You therefore, dearest, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, etc., that from worldly joy and the consolation of the world through compunction and that sadness which is according to God, you may rejoice to pass over to holy devotion and spiritual exultation: he himself granting this who passed from this world to the Father, and deigns to draw us also after him, and to call us into Galilee, that he may show himself to us, who is God blessed above all things for ever, Amen." So also Plato in the Cratylus: Man, he says, anthropos as it were anathron a opope, that is, because looking upward he ought to contemplate and carefully consider the things which he has seen; or as tou bepon, that is, tending upward, because he ought to tend toward heavenly things. So Lactantius, book II of the Divine Institutes, chapter 1. Note here: The sign and effect of spiritual resurrection (namely that we have risen from sins with Christ rising from the dead) is clear and evident, which the Apostle here gives; namely, if we seek and are wise concerning heavenly things. For just as the unfaithful, atheists and sinners like moles of the earth gape after earthly things, and are blind to heavenly things: so on the contrary the faithful and holy, who have faith and hope of blessed eternity, lift their eyes, mind and soul to heaven, fix them in heaven, trample upon and despise the earth and earthly things as small, vile and perishable, and say with St. Jerome that Socratic saying, aerobato kai periphrono ton helion, ascending to heaven, I despise the sun alone. And this is what Paul, as it were with the trumpet of the Gospel, repeatedly cries out to us, and what preachers, whom God has placed in the world as, so to speak, sowers of eternity, as St. Hilary says, ought frequently to cry out to their people: O Christians, lift up your hearts, seek the things that are above, let your conversation be in heaven; let your desire be above, your intention above, your cry above, your expectation above; to heaven, to heaven, to eternal life you are called. Why do you creep here on the ground? Why do you gape after the earth like moles? Why do you seek to establish houses, offspring, families? Death takes away all these things, and will soon take them away, and the vicissitude of times and things. You do not have here a permanent city, but you seek one that is to come. You are here guests and pilgrims: you are merely wayfarers. Do not cling to your lodging: go on to the goal, to the heavenly homeland: this is rest and the end of labors. You have been enrolled by God from all eternity as citizens of heaven, members of God's household and heirs of God. Why do you not go there? Why do you not hasten there with all your might and effort? The Saints await you, secure in their happiness, yet solicitous for yours; Christ awaits you, preparing a place and throne for you. Why do you delay? Leave this point of time, which is divided among foolish mortals, among ants, by iron and fire; go to those vast, most opulent and most august palaces of the Saints. O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how immense is the place of His possession! Hear St. Augustine, in the book On the Conflict of Vices: "The love of the present age says, etc.: O how delightful is the earth in the flowers of groves, in the sweetness of fruits, in the pleasantness of meadows and streams, in the luxuriant stalks of grain, in the leaves of vineyards and branches full of clusters; in the running of horses and dogs, and the running of deer and roes, in the flight of hawks, in the feathers and shining necks of peacocks, doves and turtledoves, in the painted walls and coffered ceilings of houses, in the tinkling songs of organs and all musical instruments, in the lovely appearance of women, and outwardly in precious garments applied, adorned with gold and gems, etc. The love of the heavenly homeland responds: If these things that are under heaven delight you, why not rather those things that are above the heavens? If a prison is so beautiful, what is the homeland, the city and the house? If such are the things that pilgrims dwell in here, what are the things that sons possess there?" And a little later: "Where no necessity troubles, no adversity distresses, no annoyance disturbs, but perpetual joy reigns. If you ask what is there, where such and so great beatitude persists? It cannot be said otherwise than that whatever good is, is there; and whatever evil is, is nowhere there." Moreally St. Bernard treats this sentence most excellently in many ways, throughout sermon 6 On the Ascension: where from this passage of St. Paul he teaches that there is a twofold ascension, by which the soul ought to ascend upward with Christ: first, that it may seek by the intellect; second, that it may taste heavenly things by the will and affection: for this is the peace of the mind, if the will consents to the intellect: for if it dissents, it distorts and torments the soul, just as the body is tormented if its members are torn from one another. Then in particular, what heavenly things are, which ought to be sought and tasted, he thus explains: "Whatever things are true, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are just, whatever things are lovable. Surely you can observe in almost all religious communities men filled with consolation, always joyful and cheerful, fervent in spirit, frequently looking up to heaven, careful observers of conscience," etc. And soon the same one teaches from the contrary, showing what it is to taste the things that are below, thus saying: "On the other hand, surely one finds men of little spirit and remiss, whose compunction is brief and rare, whose thought is carnal, whose conversation is lukewarm, whose obedience is without devotion, etc. Does not the life of these men seem to you to approach hell?" And finally, whence this diversity of men and souls arises, he explains by adding: "Namely, a mind preoccupied with worldly desires is turned away by holy delight, nor can true things be mixed with vain things, eternal with perishable, spiritual with bodily, highest with lowest, so that you might likewise taste both the things that are above and the things that are on earth. Blessed are those who live for God alone, who are occupied solely in understanding, loving, and enjoying Him." WHERE CHRIST SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. — You will ask, how is Christ said here and elsewhere in Scripture and in the Creed to sit at the right hand of God? I presume that sitting here is not taken in the proper sense: for this would be a meager dignity for Christ; indeed, Christ appears rather to stand in heaven than to sit; for he was seen standing by Stephen, Acts VII, verse 55, and this posture is more natural to man and teaches strength and blessedness; but sitting befits man on account of fatigue. Thus Maldonatus, Suarez and others. Setting aside therefore the heresy of the Anthropomorphites, who said God is corporeal and Christ sits corporally at his right hand; first, Augustine answers, in De Fide et Symbolo, chapter VII, and Chrysostom, homily 1 on the Creed, that to sit at the right hand of God is the same as to dwell in heavenly glory, just as all the Blessed sit at the right hand of God; but this is not sufficient: for here something proper to Christ is attributed beyond other Saints. Second therefore, Athanasius and others throughout, against the Arians, think that sitting here signifies the equal majesty of the Son with the Father, namely the divine majesty, which he possesses quietly and peacefully with the Father, and reigns with him as the supreme king and lord of all: in a similar way the majesty of God is described elsewhere, when it is said to sit upon the Cherubim. This is not false, but not adequate, nor is it chiefly intended in Scripture. For it is evident that both Scripture and the Apostolic Creed attribute this session to Christ as man, after he rose and ascended into heaven. Third therefore, Christ as man sits at the right hand of God metaphorically, first, through the communication of idioms, by which on account of the hypostatic union all attributes, all honor and predication, which is attributed to the Word, is also attributed to Christ as man: therefore Christ as man sits at the right hand of God, that is, he presides over all as the supreme King and Judge, who excels with such dignity that he is in the same throne with God and is worshipped with the same adoration as him. Thus the Fathers throughout. And so Christ as man sat at the right hand of God in the first instant of his incarnation: but after the ascension especially, because then this dignity and divinity of Christ began to be celebrated and to shine forth. Second and most properly, the very humanity of Christ sits at the right hand of God by itself: for this is said here and elsewhere to be assumed and established at the right hand of God, because namely the humanity of Christ after death, victory and ascension into heaven triumphs victoriously and peacefully dominates in the supreme glory of the Father. This session therefore signifies the humanity of Christ's nature, first, its excellence above all created excellence; second, its supreme and singular blessedness and glory, both intensively, extensively, and in the manner of obtaining it, as connatural to Christ and from the force of the hypostatic union, and consequently from the force of its own dignity and majesty owed to it. Whence, third, follows a like and supreme dominion and power, both for operating and for commanding all creatures, and for judging all men. Note here: The right hand is to the Hebrews a symbol, first, of virtue and power; second, of firmness and constancy. Whence we take and grasp by the right hand things proposed and offered to us. Third, of truth and faith: for to this the right hand is as it were consecrated. Whence the ancients think that in Hebrew it is said ימין iamin, from the root אמן aman, that is, to make firm, to establish, to be faithful. Whence in Isaiah XXX, 21, tamin, in place of tod, receives aleph as its concept. Thus Francis Suarez, III part., disp. v, sect. 3. So in III Kings II, 49, it is said that the mother of Solomon came to him sitting on the royal throne and sat at his right hand, that is, near the king her son, so that the king as it were shared the place and honor of the kingdom with her: for the right hand is not opposed here to the left, because the king alone sat with his mother; hence he had no one sitting at his left. So in Psalm XLIV, 10, it is said of the Church, which is the queen and bride of Christ: "The queen stood at thy right hand," namely so that she might be a partner of the chamber and kingdom of King Christ, not in such a way as, but at the right hand, that is, near and most honorably. From which passages it is evident that the royal throne, that is, the most honorable place, is the king's, but a seat at the right hand of the king is placed for the mother or bride of the king, as if that place were the most honorable, not absolutely, but after the place and throne of the king. So again it is said in Ecclesiasticus XXII, 12: "Set him not at thy right hand, lest he rise up in thy place and seek thy seat," namely so that he might thrust you from your seat, place and rank, and from your right hand leap into your seat; therefore the seat was more honorable than the right hand. Thus also the matter stands here. You will say: Christ had these things before His ascension, namely in the incarnation. I answer: He did not have the glory of the body, but the other things He had in the first act, not however in the second act, except after the ascension, when through entrance into heaven, as it were into His own place of His royal court destined by God, unto triumph, unto glory, unto ruling and commanding, He ascended as victor. You will say secondly: If Christ is at the right hand of the Father, therefore the Father is at the left hand of the Son, therefore the Son is more honored than the Father. Anthony of Nebrija answers in the Quinquagena, cap. XXXIII, Baronius and Goropius Becanus, whom Ribera follows on Hebrews 1, that formerly the left place was more honorable, not the right, because the right hand as it were defended and guarded the left as an armor-bearer, and hence the left is called by Ovid and others the inner, as it were the more honorable, when he says: "He went and inner," that is to the left. But this is doubtful, indeed experts in antiquity deny it, and Adrian Turnebus refutes it, lib. IV Advers., cap. XXIV, and in Scripture it is clear throughout that the right hand is more honorable. Secondly, more acutely others, such as Maldonatus, concede that the Son displays greater dignity before himself than the Father, although in truth he is equal to him, because namely not the Father, but the Son will visibly exercise judgment. Thirdly, more plainly others answer that the middle place is the most honorable of the Father, and the right hand of the Son is not opposed to the middle place of the Father, but to the left: for at the left is the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Son, which understand of the order not of dignity, but of procession, which alone is in divine things: or rather at the left are other lesser Saints. Fourthly, best and most simply, this session of the Son is so conceived that there is no such opposition here, but the Father is said to sit in his highest and most noble throne, on account of his first and supreme majesty; the Son truly is at his right hand, so that God may be signified to be equal to him in majesty, by which man has obtained the nearest glory and excellence after God; and to be at the right hand of God, that is in the most powerful goods of honor, grace and glory (for these the right hand is the symbol) which God communicated to him, above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age, but also in that which is to come, as the Apostle says here, as if he transcends all these things sitting most high at the right hand of God. For in no other phrase could this be better signified than in this; nor do we otherwise imagine men, if they imagine this excellence of Christ, or the equality of Father and Son. For Scripture is accustomed to speak in human manner and to descend to our concepts.
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3. FOR YOU ARE DEAD. — That is to say, through baptism, conversion of morals, and change of life, you are dead to the world, to the flesh, to sins and to worldly and carnal conversation; indeed you are dead to yourselves, because you are not what you were before. For this is a kind of death; for example, Peter the drunkard is dead, because he has risen sober; for drunkenness in Peter is dead and sobriety has risen, as Anselm says. Again, a Christian ought to be as it were a dead man, who (as one of the Saints says) detracts from no one, is violent to no one, slanders no one, oppresses no one, does not envy the good, does not insult the wicked, does not serve the luxury of the flesh, is not inflamed with the flame of hatreds, does not flatter the powerful or the rich of this age, as many in our times do, is not carried away by restless curiosity, does not seek the applause of the greatest crowd standing by him, is not puffed up surrounded by gold or silver or precious clothing, does not delight in the greetings of the powerful, does not weary himself with injuries; pride does not inflate him, ambition of this age does not kill him, vain glory does not shamefully boast in him, the false riches of this life do not exalt him, the rage of insane fury does not agitate him, the most beautiful appearance of women does not make him greedy, the contentions of this world do not disturb him: such precisely ought a Christian to be, if he wishes to be perfect and dead to the world with Christ. Of such, says St. Augustine, in the book On Continence, chapter X, volume IV, of such, I say, dead men the voice is: "I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me." Those therefore whose life is hidden in God are admonished and exhorted to mortify their members which are upon the earth, through continence, namely by not consenting to the motions of concupiscence; so that although our very thought is touched by some suggestion of them and as it were a whisper, nevertheless it may be turned away from them, lest it be delighted. And St. Gregory, book VIII of the Morals, chapter X: "There are," he says, "certain of the just who, girded to attain the summit of perfection, while they desire higher things inwardly, abandon all things outwardly; who strip themselves of possessions, despoil themselves of the glory of honor, who by the desire of internal things through assiduity afflict themselves with the companionship of sorrow, do not wish to have consolation from external things; who while they approach internal joys in mind, utterly kill in themselves the life of bodily pleasure. To such indeed through Paul it is said: For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. The Psalmist had expressed the voice of these, when he said: My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. For they long but do not faint, who indeed already desire heavenly things, but are still not at all wearied from the delights of earthly things. My soul longeth and fainteth in the courts of God, who, while he desires eternal things, does not persist in the love of temporal things." YOUR LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD. — That is to say, the world does not see your divine life of grace, which you have; and of glory, which you await: just as it does not see the glorious life, to which it has risen, and by which Christ now lives in God, that is with God. The life of the Saints is therefore said to be "hidden," first, because the world is ignorant of this new way of living piously, holily and internally, avoids it and esteems it as death. Second, because it is covered by their humility (for the Saints desire to be hidden and love hiding places, as St. Alexius loved them), by mortification and the hardships of the body. Epicurus rightly advised, lathe biosas, that is, live in hiding. And Ovid: Believe me, he who has hidden himself well, has lived well: and within his own fortune each one ought to remain. Third, because grace and virtues, which are as it were the soul of this new spiritual life, are hidden within in the mind. Fourth, because the Saints withdraw and hide themselves from the desires of the world and from worldly conversation. Thus Anselm. Excellently St. Augustine in the Sentences, number 201: "The good," he says, "are hidden, because their good is in secret, and what they love is neither visible nor corporeal; and their merits are as much constituted in hiding as their rewards." Fifth, because they hide themselves in the love and internal contemplation of God. For, as St. Gregory says, book V of the Morals, chapter III: "He who desires to mortify himself is greatly gladdened at the found rest of contemplation, so that, dead to the world, he may be hidden, and from all the disturbances of external things may hide himself within the bosom of intimate love." Sixth and especially, because the life of glory, which the Saints await, is already hidden, as if to say: Your life is like winter, in which the sun, that is Christ, is concealed; you are like trees outwardly dry, without foliage, that is without beauty, appearance and splendor; but inwardly you have a living root, namely charity in God, as if fixed in vital earth and living. Summer will come, namely the revelation of Christ in glory, when you will grow green again by rising, and you will have vital leaves and fruits, namely the gifts of blessedness, both in soul and in body. Thus Anselm. Elegantly St. Augustine, sermon 112 On the Seasons: "In the time of winter," he says, "even a green tree appears like a dry one. Summer comes, and the living root produces leaves and is filled with fruits. Thus our winter is the concealment of Christ; our summer is the revelation of Christ. For you are dead, says the Apostle, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Certainly dead, but dead in appearance, alive in root. But attend to the coming time of summer how it follows and says: When Christ shall appear, your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory. Come then, sweetest God, this shall be my covenant with you: I will truly die to myself, so that you alone may live in me; I will be wholly silent within me, so that you may speak in me; I will rest wholly, so that you alone may work in me." Thus St. Elzearius, count of Ariano, when he remained on Mount Pessalano, his wife Delphina, but a virgin (for they lived celibately), sent letters to him by a servant, desiring to know why he was staying there. To her he thus replied: "I am sound in body and safe. But if you desire to see me, seek me in the wound of Christ's side. For there I dwell, and there you will be able to find me, seeking in vain elsewhere." Thus his Life has it, chapter XXX. And so just as the earth covers veins of gold, the sea pearls, the earth roots and the sap of trees; so the virtue of the humble and the saints is both by themselves and by God hidden and concealed in this world. Thus the life of St. Paul the first hermit was hidden, of St. Hilarion, St. Anthony, St. Macarius and so many hundreds of thousands of Anchorites and Monks, whom Theodoret, Palladius, Sophronius, Rufinus and others commemorate, who fleeing the allurements of the world, that they might enjoy Christ, said: "I have gone far off flying away and remained in solitude." Thus the life of St. Mary Magdalene was hidden in the Cave for 30 years, of St. Mary of Egypt, who for 45 years in the desert saw no mortal, nor was seen by any, of St. Pelagia the penitent; of SS. Cecilia, Agnes, Lucy and so many thousands of virgins, who either at home in their chambers, or in monasteries and cloisters unknown to the world, strove and still strive to live and please their one spouse Christ. Thus the life of St. Jerome was hidden, lurking in Bethlehem at Christ's manger, of St. John Calybites, St. Simeon Stylites, St. Francis, St. Bernard and today so many holy Religious equally as learned men, who fleeing the light of men hide themselves, so that on the day of eternity they may appear with Christ in glory. Thus the life of SS. Peter, Paul and all the Apostles was hidden, who seemed to be the refuse and filth of the world. Thus the life of the first Christians and Martyrs was hidden here in Rome, who for three hundred years lay hidden in crypts and caves, of which more in Hebrews XI, 38.
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4. WHEN CHRIST SHALL APPEAR YOUR LIFE, THEN YOU ALSO SHALL APPEAR WITH HIM IN GLORY. — Note: Christ is called "your life" metonymically, because he is the cause of our life, both of grace and of glory: the cause, I say, both efficient, exemplary and objective. Second, Theophylactus notes that the present natural life is more death than life, because it consists in corruption, flux and reflux. Third, he notes that the life of grace and spirit in this age lies hidden, but at the end of the world, when Christ shall appear as a glorious judge to all the world, then likewise this life of ours is to be made manifest to all the world: "The pearl," says Theophylactus from Chrysostom, "lies hidden so long as it is in the shell, but as soon as that is broken, then it shines forth in glory: so also we in this body ought to live as if hidden from all desire of glory; but when this corruptible body is dissolved, then our glory shall shine forth."
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5. MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPON THE EARTH. — You will say: in verse 3 it said: "You are dead;" how therefore does it say here: "Mortify?" Vatablus responds: "You are dead," that is, you have begun to die to sins; but here it says: "Mortify," that is, continue to mortify them; so that there an action begun is signified, here a continued action, according to Canon 32. Secondly and better, Chrysostom and Theophylactus respond that there is a twofold death and mortification: the former, by which past sins are blotted out and mortified. This was accomplished in baptism: concerning this the Apostle said: "You are dead." The latter, by which the motions daily springing up again after baptism are to be assiduously mortified by the justified. Whence the Apostle says: "Mortify," as if to say, You are dead to sins, you have renounced them, you have professed yourselves dead to them in baptism, it remains therefore that you mortify the motions of concupiscence daily springing up again, lest they draw you back into your former sins through consent. Morally, St. Gregory, explaining that passage from 1 Kings II, "The Lord killeth and maketh alive," thus speaks: "In these words the order also is to be noted; for first it is said to kill, then to make alive, because unless we die to this world, we cannot live to God through love. Whence he who remembered himself to be both mortified and made alive, spoke saying: The world is crucified to me, and I to the world. He lived, but not the life of the world, he who said: I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me. To be mortified and made alive, therefore, is to desire nothing of the present, and to long for the eternal." A remarkable manner and incentive of this mortification the abbot Moses suggests to Religious in the Lives of the Fathers, book VII, chapter XXVI. For when a certain brother asked him: "How can a man mortify himself?" he answered: "Unless one has thought himself to have been in the sepulchre for three years already, he cannot come to this discourse." Abbot Pimenius: "That," he says, "monk can be as dead to this world, who has abhorred two things, that is, the rest of his flesh and vain glory." Ibid. St. Antony admonishes his disciple, saying: "Abhor your belly, and the necessity of this world, and evil concupiscence, and honor, as one absent from this world, and you shall possess rest." Ibid. Furthermore, these vices are not to be cut away by one blow, but gradually by long constancy. A beautiful parable teaches this, that abbot in the Lives of the Fathers, book V, chapter VII, On Patience, number 40: "A certain man," he says, "had a possession, and through his negligence it was turned into thorns, and was filled with thistles and thorns. But it seemed good to him afterwards to cultivate it; and he said to his son: Go and cleanse the field of my possession. And his son came to cleanse it: and when he looked, he saw a multitude of thistles and thorns had grown upon it; and losing heart, he said to himself: When shall I have all these to root out and cleanse? And casting himself upon the ground he began to sleep, and he did this for many days. After this his father came to see what he had done, and found him having done nothing, and said to him: Why have you done nothing until now? and that young man said to his father: As soon as I came to work, father, when I saw this multitude of thistles and thorns, I was turned back from undertaking the labor, and on account of the trouble I cast myself upon the ground and slept. Then his father said to him: My son, to the measure of the breadth which you occupy lying on the ground, work by single days, and thus gradually your work will advance, and you will not become faint-hearted. When the young man heard this, he did so, and in a short time the possession was cleansed and cultivated. And you likewise, brother, work gradually, and you will not fail, and God through His grace will restore you again to your former order. Having heard this, that brother departed, and sitting with all patience did as he had been taught by the old man: and thus he found rest, and was advanced by the Lord Christ." YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPON THE EARTH, FORNICATION. — As if to say, Mortify your members, by mortifying, namely, fornication, lust, concupiscence, which resides in your members. Secondly, and more genuinely according to the phrase of the Apostle, he calls here "earthly members" the depraved affections and motions of concupiscence; for these are as it were members of the old man, the earthly Adam and of the whole body of concupiscence: for all sins are as it were one body and one kingdom of concupiscence, concerning which I have spoken in Romans VII, 22. Thus Chrysostom, Ambrose, Anselm. Whence, explaining the members of this old man, he adds: "Fornication, lust," namely, perverse, as Vatablus says, for in Greek it is πάθος, that is, succubus lust: whence pathici are called male harlots: although Theophylactus by πάθος, that is passion, understands every kind of shameful mixtures. How the Apostle calls avarice "the service of idols," I have said in Ephesians, verse 5.
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6. FOR WHICH CAUSE THE WRATH OF GOD COMETH UPON THE CHILDREN OF UNBELIEF. — ἀπειθείας, that is disobedience, as if to say, Upon the children disobedient, unbelieving, rebellious to God and the Gospel. 7. IN WHICH (that is among whom, says the Syrian and Vatablus; or rather "in which," namely in the lusts and sins already enumerated) YOU ALSO WALKED. 8. BUT NOW DO YOU ALSO PUT OFF ALL THINGS. — understand, as we also have put off. Or, as those unbelievers did not put off. Or more plainly, as you also walked in all those things.
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9 and 10. PUTTING OFF THE OLD MAN WITH HIS DEEDS, AND PUTTING ON THE NEW. — For putting off, in Greek it is the past tense, ἀπεκδυσάμενοι, that is after you have stripped off the old man; so for putting on, in Greek it is ἐνδυσάμενοι, that is after you have put on the new. But it seems more true that the Apostle here takes the past tense, after the Hebrew manner, for the present; again, takes the present for the imperative. Whence the Syrian translates, put off the old man and put on the new; for this is what the Apostle intends and urges, as also in Ephesians IV, 23, to which this passage plainly corresponds. Note: "The old man" is man corrupted, namely insofar as he is infected with the concupiscence of Adam; the motions of this are the deeds of concupiscence, such as the motions of anger, gluttony, pride, etc. "The new man" is the same man, insofar as he has been renewed by the spirit and grace of Christ. Beautifully does Bernard describe the old man, sermon 30 among the lesser ones, where he thus says: "There are two men, the old and the new, old Adam and new Christ, that one earthly, this one heavenly; the image of that one is oldness, the image of this one is newness. But there is a threefold oldness, and on the contrary a threefold newness: for there is oldness in the heart, in the mouth, in the body. In which three ways we sin, by thought, by speech and by deed. In the heart are carnal desires and worldly, that is love of the flesh and love of the world. Similarly in the mouth there is a twofold oldness, arrogance and detraction. Likewise twofold in the body, shameful deeds and crimes. All these are the image of the old man, and all these must be renewed in us. Let the heart be renewed from carnal desires and worldly, so that with those excluded there may be introduced the love of God and love of the heavenly fatherland. Let arrogance and detraction depart from the mouth, and in their place let there succeed true confession of sins and good esteem of neighbours, and for the shameful deeds and crimes, which are the oldness of the body, let continence and innocence be assumed, so that namely by contrary virtues contrary vices may be driven out." See also the sayings at Romans XII, 2, and Ephesians V, 4. 10. WHICH (the new man just mentioned) IS RENEWED (must be renewed day by day more and more continually) UNTO KNOWLEDGE. — Some add, of God; but wrongly: for neither the Greek, nor the Syrian, nor the more correct Latin texts have the word God. It is referred therefore τὸ unto knowledge to the genitive that follows, "of him who created it," that is God. This renewal therefore consists in this, that putting aside vices and striving after virtues, we know God and God's will more clearly day by day, not speculatively, but practically; which practical knowledge is situated in the study of fulfilling the holy will of God. Whence explaining it he adds: "According to the image of him who created it." "In this," says St. John, epistle I, chapter II, verses 3 and 4, "we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments; he that saith he knoweth him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." ACCORDING TO THE IMAGE OF HIM WHO CREATED IT. — Note, here and in Genesis II, where it is said: "Let us make man to our image and likeness," to which the Apostle here alludes, "image" is taken for exemplar, as if to say, Let us be renewed in mind and spirit, so that we may become like the exemplar, that is God our creator, and, as Theophylactus says, Christ our redeemer and recreator. For as God in Genesis created man to his image, so Christ the fallen and lost man by his death in baptism reformed and as it were created anew to the image of God and his own. Yet image can be taken properly, so that it be a Hebraism, as if to say, "According to the image," that is so that we may be images of our exemplar God. Note secondly: This "image" in man is both natural, situated in intellect, will and memory; the Apostle wishes this to be renewed, so that by these powers we may wish nothing, remember nothing, think nothing, except what is to the honour and service of God: and it is also supernatural, which is situated in grace, faith, hope and charity, wisdom and divine purity, which the Apostle wishes to be renewed and increased day by day. See the sayings at Ephesians chapter IV, verses 22 and seq.
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11. WHERE THERE IS NOT GENTILE AND JEW, CIRCUMCISION AND UNCIRCUMCISION (that is, circumcised and uncircumcised, according to Can. 21), BARBARIAN AND SCYTHIAN, SLAVE AND FREE, (as if to say, In this Christian renewal it matters not whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, a Barbarian or a slave, etc., because) IN ALL (thus renewed, who have put on the new man, namely Christ, he himself) IS CHRIST (is) ALL THINGS. — that is, all holiness, justice, religion and all good, because Christ communicates to them his holiness, justice, religion and all good; and in them there is nothing except Christian holiness, virtue and perfection; and therefore all, whether Scythians, whether Jews, whether Barbarians, are one in Christ and in this new Christian man. Secondly, "Christ is to us" "all things:" because to us he is savior, lord, guide, mover, God, head, pontiff, victim, father, spouse, charioteer, worker and all things. Whence thirdly, "Christ" is "all things," that is, he works all things in all, so that it is a metonymy. Note: The Scythian is opposed to the Barbarian, just as the Gentile to the Jew, not because Scythians are not Barbarians, but because they are especially Barbarians, so that other Barbarians compared to them do not seem to be Barbarians, but to be opposed to them; just as the Gentiles are opposed to the Jews, as if to say, All nations, even if naturally averse to each other, are one in Christ: therefore in Christianity they ought to lay aside this natural hatred of a hostile nation, and not turn away from those who are of another nation or condition, but embrace all as brothers in Christ. Whence it follows:
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12. PUT ON YOURSELVES THEREFORE AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY, AND BELOVED (as befits those who are Holy, beloved and chosen by God for grace and glory), THE BOWELS OF MERCY. — In Greek it is οἰκτιρμῶν, that is, of mercies, namely visceral mercy and commiseration. KINDNESS. — courtesy, so that you may be courteous, gentle, not rustic and austere. MODESTY. — In Greek πραότητα, that is, meekness, gentleness. PATIENCE. — In Greek μακροθυμίαν, that is, longsuffering. Rightly Cassian, Collation XII, chapter VI: "As much," he says, "as anyone advances in gentleness and patience of heart, so much will he advance in purity of heart. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land. For the heat in the body will not decline unless one has first restrained the movements of the soul." Again, as another of the Saints says: "An angry mind is always troubled by distress, and the body is vexed by disease. The kind enjoy health in both body and soul, and the mind perpetually: it rejoices in insult, praises God in calamity, softens the angry, triumphs under the yoke of humility."
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14. HAVE CHARITY, WHICH IS THE BOND OF PERFECTION. — that is, a perfect bond, says Vatablus, which namely perfectly unites and connects both virtues and men. For thus the Hebrews speak: "men of mercy," that is, merciful; "the chalice of blessing," that is, blessed; "children of obedience," that is, obedient. Secondly and better, "the bond of perfection," or of integrity (for the Greek τελειότητος signifies both), that is, a bond connecting, integrating, perfecting benignity, mercy, humility, patience already mentioned, and all other virtues; or most simply, charity is the bond of "perfection," that is, of the virtues already mentioned and all others, in which Christian perfection and integrity consist, as if to say: All the virtues already mentioned and other true and Christian virtues and commandments are gathered together and united in charity, as in a center, and unless it be present, they are immediately dissolved. Just as therefore the soul unites all the members and integrates and perfects the whole body, so that if the soul be taken from the body, all the members are dissolved, and the whole body falls apart, collapses and perishes; and just as a house is connected and stands firm through its fastenings and bonds, and these being removed it is dissolved and collapses: so charity, says Theophylactus, unites all virtues and completes the whole body of Christian perfection, which consists in the aggregation of Christian virtues; so that if you remove charity, the virtues flow away, and the whole perfection and body of virtues perishes. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Anselm. Note: The Apostle speaks chiefly of charity toward one's neighbor; for this is the bond of patience, mercy, benignity. Charity toward one's neighbor, however, rests upon charity toward God, as upon its cause and formal object: for we love our neighbor on account of God. Hence secondly, the reason and cause why charity is the bond and union both of virtues and of souls, is that which St. Augustine gives, tract. 105 in John: "Charity," he says, "is the seamless tunic of Christ, which reaches to one, namely God, and gathers all into one." See St. Thomas, II II, Question CLXXXIV, art. 1 in the body. Hence thirdly, it is clear that no virtue without charity is perfect, indeed without charity any virtue gradually perishes and dies; for no virtue can stand alone by itself, but needs the aid of others; for example, modesty needs patience, so that in bearing injuries and insults it may conduct itself modestly; patience needs humility, for unless one be humble, one will not bear those who insult one proudly; and so consequently. Since therefore charity is the bond of all virtues, it follows that neither can they exist together, nor can any one of them separately endure long without charity.
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15. MAY THE PEACE OF CHRIST EXULT IN YOUR HEARTS, IN WHICH YOU ARE ALSO CALLED IN ONE BODY. — That is to say, as Anselm says: "Rejoice and exult" on account of peace of mind. But note: For "exult," in Greek it is βραβευέτω, which Erasmus and Vatablus translate as, let peace bear the prize and the palm, so that whatever diversity or adversity of opinions, things, or deeds may happen, peace may be preserved; let the first concern be peace, let all things everywhere yield to peace first, so that you would rather abandon your own opinion, indeed rather lose your own goods, than lose peace; and therefore let peace, victorious like a triumphant conqueror, exult in your hearts, and let him think himself victorious in any dispute or argument who has preserved peace at the cost of other things. This is what the most illustrious Cardinal Bellarmine wisely said, and more wisely carried out: "An ounce of charity and peace is better than a pound of victory." A worthy saying for a Cardinal, a worthier deed. Indeed, St. Augustine, in sermon 12 On the Words of the Apostle, says: "I do not wish," he says, "to have one with whom I might litigate. It is far more desirable to me not to have an enemy than to conquer." Secondly, better, "the peace of Christ" βραβευέτω, that is, as it were let the umpire command and rule the movements of your mind, and, as the Syrian translator renders it, let the peace of the Messiah govern your hearts: for the Greek βραβεύειν means to preside, to rule, to moderate, and as it were to give the palm and prize to the victor in a contest as the umpire. For it alludes to contests and competitions, in which the umpire, as judge, arbiter, and moderator, presided and gave the palm and prize to the victor; such an umpire as Aeneas was for Dares and Entellus contending with boxing gloves in Virgil's Aeneid V: Then father Aeneas did not allow the anger to proceed further, and did not permit Entellus to rage with bitter spirit; but he put an end to the fight. Thus peace, as it were the umpire, puts an end to all fighting and dispute, for example, as Theophylactus says, when we are affected by injury, two thoughts contend in us, one inciting us to vengeance, the other to patience: then let peace come as the umpire, and grant the palm to patience as it were the victor and the author of peace. Hence the umpires of old carried a rod or scepter as presidents and judges, as is gathered from Plutarch in his Life of Antony; indeed, Greek grammarians derive the Greek βραβευτής or βραβεύς from ῥάβδῳ, that is, the rod, which they carried, by metathesis. Whence Plato in the Protagoras uses βραβευτὴν and ῥαβδοῦχον for the same thing, as Budaeus testifies, as if Paul were to say: In your minds let there sit as umpire and master of games, ruling and moderating all things, not anger, not pride, not desire, not any other passion, but peace, which as it were a queen keeps all the affections of the soul in their duty and represses the wars of the passions, so that we may enjoy perpetual peace and concord both with ourselves and with our neighbors, and serve Christ with one mind. Thus Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Oecumenius. Hence it follows that this peace is prepared by war, indeed it includes continual war with desires and passions. Meneclides once, envying the glory of Epaminondas, persuaded the people to prefer peace to war. To whom Epaminondas said: You deceive your citizens, who under the name of leisure you call them to servitude. For peace is prepared by war; nor is it permitted to protect it unless citizens are instructed for war. Let each Christian say the same to himself, and let him hear the voice of St. Augustine, sermon 57 On the Words of the Lord: "Peace," he says, "is the serenity of the mind, the tranquility of the soul, the simplicity of the heart, the bond of love, the fellowship of charity. This is what removes enmities, restrains wars, suppresses angers, tramples the proud, loves the humble, settles the discordant, reconciles enemies, is peaceful to all: it does not seek what belongs to another, counts nothing as its own, teaches to love what it has never known how to hate, does not know how to be exalted, does not know how to be puffed up. Therefore, he who has received this, let him keep it; he who has lost it, let him recover it; he who has missed it, let him seek it: because whoever is not found in it, is disowned by the Father, disinherited by the Son, and is made an alien by the Holy Spirit." Note: This "peace" is said to be "of Christ," because Christ brought this peace from heaven to earth; whence the angels sang at Christ's birth: "Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace," etc., and He sanctioned it and commanded it, saying: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you;" and He willed that the Gospel and Christianity should be the law, school and profession of peace and charity. Whence it follows: "In which (that is, to which) you are called in one body," that is, into one body, namely into one Church. Most excellently St. Augustine, sentence 369: "The peace of Christ," he says, "has no end of time, and it itself is the perfection of all intention and action. For this we are imbued with His Sacraments; for this we are instructed by His wonderful works and words; for this we have received the pledge of the Holy Spirit; for this we believe in Him and hope, and are kindled with love of Him as much as He grants; for this finally we bear every tribulation bravely, that in it we may reign happily without tribulation. For true peace makes unity; because he who cleaves to God is one spirit." The Gentiles loved and sought this peace. That one said: No safety in war, we all beseech you for peace. Pomponius Atticus at the funeral of his mother, whom he carried out at ninety years of age, he himself being sixty-seven years old, boasted that he had never been reconciled with his mother, because he had never offended her, that he had never been in enmity with his sister, nearly his contemporary. Cornelius Nepos wrote that he heard this statement from him himself. But truly, he who preserves perpetual peace with all, even with outsiders and enemies, must have, not the peace and spirit of nature, but of grace, not of the Gentiles, but of Christ. AND BE GRATEFUL. — In Greek εὐχάριστοι, that is, gracious, amiable, be ye, as Jerome translated it, which Vatablus and Erasmus followed; for those who are such are wont to be kind, merciful, compassionate to their neighbors, and to cultivate peace with themselves and with others, and not only to cultivate it but also to bring it about: for all these things aim at fostering concord and charity with neighbors; εὐχάριστοι therefore here is the same as εὐχαρις. Secondly, Theophylactus translates the Greek εὐχάριστοι as, be grateful, and, as the Syrian translated it, give thanks to Christ for the benefits received from Him, acknowledge the grace made to you through Christ, and that you may give Him thanks, show yourselves to your neighbors such as Christ showed Himself to you: for this is what gratitude and the Graces themselves demand. Hence of the three Graces, which the Greeks imagined, two looked at one another, the third had her face turned away, so that those who receive benefits might be taught that they ought to regard them with eternal memory; but those who give, should never recall them to mind again. But the former sense is more apt and genuine.
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16. LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU ABUNDANTLY (in Greek πλουσίως, that is, richly, copiously) IN ALL WISDOM, TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER. — As if to say: Let the doctrine and Gospel of Christ fully and copiously imbue and fill your mind, and dwell therein as it were and abide, so that being full of Christian wisdom you may pour it forth from it and teach one another, admonish, exhort. Thus St. Cecilia always carried the Gospel of Christ in her breast, and neither by day nor by night ceased from divine conversations and prayer; and from this she poured forth the Gospel in her breast so that she converted her spouse Valerianus and his brother Tiburtius. Would that Christians were as zealous for the Gospel and Christian doctrine as their profession and the dignity of the Gospel and Christianity require. SINGING IN GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO GOD. — "In grace," that is, with thanksgiving. For it is the same as what he said in Ephesians V, 19: "Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things." For he wishes Christians, mindful of such great benefits as they have received through Christ in Christianity, to live always joyful and exulting, and to sing praises and hymns to God in thanksgiving. Thus Anselmus. But because in the following verse Paul inculcates this thanksgiving, Hence secondly, better Theophylactus: "In grace," he says, that is, with grace and charm, so that you sing so piously, sweetly, reverently, that you bring not carnal but spiritual pleasure to yourselves and your neighbors and to God himself. Whence he wishes this singing to be done in hearts and minds, so that from there it may burst forth into the sweetest and most pious voice, by which we teach and exhort others. Thirdly, not badly Chrysostom: "In grace," he says, that is, from grace and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Note: Paul here and in Ephesians V, 19, earnestly commends to Christians psalmody and hymnody. "For a psalm," says St. Basil, in the proem to the Psalms, "is the tranquility of souls, the arbiter of peace, a storehouse of the best disciplines and teachings: a psalm restrains the crowds and waves of thoughts, softens anger, puts demons to flight, calls upon angels: a psalm in terrors of the night is security, in labors of the day is rest: a psalm is an element for beginners, growth for those making progress, confirmation for the perfect: a psalm is the voice of the Church, the work of angels, the spiritual fragrance of the heavenly commonwealth." And St. Augustine, at the beginning of the Psalms: "The Psalter," he says, "is a certain common treasury of divine doctrine, and comes to the aid of all the passions of the soul, which trouble human souls in various ways: a psalm is the standard-bearer of peace, a spiritual incense, an exercise of heavenly things: it restrains luxury, suggests sobriety, moves tears."
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17. WHATSOEVER YOU DO IN WORD OR IN WORK, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (supply, do), GIVING THANKS TO GOD AND THE FATHER BY HIM. — As if to say: Not for Simon, not for Moses, not for the angels of the Novatians, but for Christ and his glory do all things whatsoever you do; and thus this is a precept, but a negative one. Thus Theodoretus and Theophylactus. Secondly, this can also be an affirmative precept, if with Ambrose and St. Thomas you expound it thus, as if to say: Let all your works be such as can redound to the glory of Christ, and let Christ be the ultimate end of your life and actions. And this properly seems to be what the Apostle wishes here, namely that we set Christ, not angels, as the end of all our actions in general, so that Christ may be praised in them all. Wherefore Maldonatus aptly: "in grace," in Greek ἐν χάριτι, that is, he says, in joy. For thus χάρις is taken for χαρά, that is, joy, in II Thessalonians II, 13; to Philemon verse 7, and II Corinthians I, 13. Thirdly, it is a counsel, if you wish each work to be referred actually or virtually to the glory of Christ. For this is a counsel, not a precept: for we can perform morally good acts without an actual, indeed even without a virtual relation to Christ. And certainly this practice is to be followed, so that by frequently repeated actions we may accustom ourselves to refer our works, especially at their beginning, to the glory of Christ; thus it will come about that from habit we acquire a disposition by which we refer all those things either actually or virtually to the glory of Christ: from this it will follow that all our works, even indifferent ones, take on the character of virtue and merit. In this matter many simple craftsmen, farmers and very many others fall short, and do great labors, but without merit, because they labor only from a natural motive and end, namely to provide for themselves and theirs the necessities of life: who if they were taught moreover to refer these same things to the praise and service of God, would be defrauded of no earthly gain; but beyond that, they would acquire an immense gain of merits and divine blessing with God. So that he might stir himself and his own to this, and renew the memory of God and of pious intention toward God, our Holy Father Ignatius had this motto perpetually on his lips: "For the greater glory of God." In a similar way the Apostle, I Corinthians X, 31, said: "Do all things to the glory of God," as I said there.
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18. WOMEN, BE SUBJECT TO YOUR HUSBANDS, AS IS FITTING, IN THE LORD. — that is, as is fitting, according to the law, will, and Gospel of Christ the Lord. As if to say: Women should be subject to their husbands, as it is fitting for those who are subject, who, joined to Christ, profess that they follow the modesty, humility, and obedience of Christ, which they have learned in Christianity. Thus Anselm. See the remarks on Ephesians VI, 1. Is it any wonder if Paul prescribes this to Christian matrons, when Aristotle himself prescribes the same thing to the Gentiles, in book I of the Economics, chapters 1 and 2: "A well-ordered woman," he says, "ought to consider the character of her husband to be the law of her life, imposed upon her by God through the bond of matrimony. Whoever therefore neglects this seems to neglect the gods themselves, in whose presence she made sacred vows and entered into matrimony." And Cato in Livy, book XXXIV: "Our ancestors," he says, "did not wish women to conduct even a private matter without an authority; but they were to be in the power of men." Wherefore the same Cato, gravely accusing the insolence and pride of Roman women, in Livy, decade IV, book IV, sets forth this as if it were a monstrosity: "All men," he says, "rule over their wives, we rule over all men, but our wives rule over us." Far better and more holy was the counsel that prudent man gave to a matron: "If you wish," he said, "to rule over your husband, obey him: for a good woman, by obeying her husband, rules." Thus Livia, the wife of Augustus Caesar, when asked "by what means she had made Augustus subject to herself?" answered: "By much modesty;" in that she willingly did those things which pleased Augustus; and in that she pretended not to know what loves he enjoyed at home. Dio is witness in his account of Tiberius.
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20. FOR THIS IS PLEASING IN THE LORD. — Ambrose reads, in the Lord; but the Roman and Greek texts read, in the Lord, that is, with the Lord, and, as the Syriac has it, before the Lord.
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21. FATHERS, DO NOT PROVOKE YOUR CHILDREN TO ANGER, THAT THEY MAY NOT BECOME DISCOURAGED. — In Greek, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν, that is, that they may not lose heart, namely if they see parents continually so harsh, rough, and quarrelsome toward them: for from this children are accustomed to lose heart, to become sluggish in their works, when they see that their works do not please their parents, to obey their parents sluggishly, indeed to languish in piety, the fear of God, and the worship of God, and finally to despair, to flee, and to cast off every yoke both of God and of their parents.
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22. SERVANTS, OBEY IN ALL THINGS YOUR EARTHLY MASTERS (temporal, even pagan), NOT SERVING TO THE EYE, AS IF PLEASING MEN, BUT IN SIMPLICITY OF HEART, FEARING GOD. — As if to say: Servants, obey your masters, not falsely to the eye, so that you may win their favor, but with a simple and sincere heart, and with zeal to please God, who commands this obedience to servants, and who willed that you be servants and serve, not masters and command. Let servants therefore fear God, and let them obey their masters not from fear of the masters, but from fear of God. See the remarks on Ephesians VI, 5.
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23. WHATEVER YOU DO, WORK AT IT WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, AS FOR THE LORD, AND NOT FOR MEN. — As if to say: Do not, O servants, obey your masters to the eye, but with your whole heart, as if you were serving God the Lord himself, as you truly are; because it is the will of God, who made you servants, that you obey your masters with your whole heart. If therefore you obey your masters in this way, you will obey God himself, who promised to servants thus obedient the "recompense" of eternal "inheritance" in heaven, and will truly bestow it in return for this service of theirs. Act therefore, servants, be lovers of your masters, that is, loving your masters, and in your master and at the command of your master love God, and regard and receive the command of God.
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24. RECOMPENSE. — In Greek it is ἀνταπόδοσιν, which word signifies a reward that is given according to merit of works. Since therefore Paul attributes it to God, it is certain that servants merit it from God by their obedience. Note this concerning the merits of good works, against the Novatians. SERVE THE LORD CHRIST. — The Greek δουλεύετε is both indicative and imperative mood. Whence it can be translated with Vatablus, that you serve Christ the Lord, as if to say: And therefore that Lord, being most faithful and most generous, will repay your service most abundantly in the future heavenly inheritance.
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25. FOR HE WHO DOES WRONG WILL RECEIVE BACK WHAT HE HAS WRONGFULLY DONE: AND THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD. — He proves that servants who are just and obedient to their masters will receive the recompense of the inheritance already mentioned, by an argument from the contrary: for those who are unjust, whether they be masters or servants, will receive from God the recompense of damnation. He tacitly censures and restrains the pride and dominion of masters, who treat their servants unjustly and tyrannically, as if to say: Let these know that they are to be judged by God, and punished for the injury inflicted upon their servants; conversely, servants who are unjustly vexed by their masters are comforted in that God will avenge their injuries, and will reward their patience and obedience.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Supra apostolus monuit fideles contra seducentes, hic instruit eos contra perversitatem morum. Et primo proponit generalem doctrinam; secundo specialem, ibi mulieres subditae. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo instruit eos de habenda recta intentione finis; secundo de rectitudine humanae actionis, ibi mortificate. Iterum prima dividitur in duas partes, quia primo ponit modum instructionis; secundo assignat rationem, ibi mortui enim. Circa primum, primo ponit susceptum beneficium; secundo ex hoc concludit instructionis documentum, ibi quae sursum. Beneficium est, quod surreximus cum Christo resurgentes, sed hoc dupliciter: uno modo per spem corporalis resurrectionis. I Cor. XV, 12: si autem Christus praedicatur quod resurrexit a mortuis, quomodo quidam dicunt in vobis quoniam resurrectio mortuorum non est? Item cum eo resurgente reparamur ad vitam iustitiae. Rom. IV, 25: traditus est propter delicta nostra, et resurrexit propter iustificationem nostram. Quasi dicat: si Christo resurgente et vos resurrexistis. II Cor. IV, 14: qui suscitavit dominum Iesum, et nos cum Iesu suscitabit. Deinde cum dicit quae sursum, etc., concludit documentum debitum fini. Et primo per comparationem ad finem, et ut finem principaliter aliquis intendat; secundo ut secundum finem de aliis iudicet. Dicit ergo si consurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt quaerite. Matth. c. VI, 33: primum quaerite regnum Dei et iustitiam eius, et cetera. Hic enim est finis. Ps. XXVI, 4: unam petii a domino, et cetera. Et ideo hoc quaerite, ubi Christus sedet in dextera. Mc. ult.: dominus quidem Iesus postquam locutus est eis, assumptus est in caelum, et sedet a dextris Dei. Ps. CIX, 1: sede a dextris meis. Et intelligenda est dextra, non pars aliqua corporalis, sed similitudinaria. Dextra enim est potior pars hominis. Christus ergo sedet ad dextram, quia secundum quod homo, in potioribus bonis patris est, sed secundum quod Deus, in aequalitate eius est. Et sic sit ordo in vobis, ut quia Christus est mortuus, et surrexit, et sic est assumptus a dextris Dei, ita et vos moriamini peccato, ut postea vivatis vita iustitiae, et sic assumamini ad gloriam. Vel nos resurreximus per Christum; ipse autem ibi sedet, ergo desiderium nostrum debet esse ad ipsum. Matth. XXIV, 28: ubi fuerit corpus, illuc congregabuntur et aquilae, et cetera. Matth. VI, 21: ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est et cor tuum. Item debemus iudicare de aliis secundum ipsum.
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Et ideo dicit quae sursum sunt sapite, et cetera. Astruit unum, et aliud negat. Sapit autem quae sursum sunt, qui secundum supernas rationes ordinat vitam suam, et de omnibus iudicat secundum eam. Iac. III, 15: haec est sapientia de sursum descendens. Sapit autem quae sunt super terram, qui secundum terrena bona omnia ordinat et iudicat, iudicans ea summa bona. Phil. III, 19: et gloria in confusione eorum, qui terrena sapiunt. Deinde cum dicit mortui enim, etc., ponit rationem monitionis. Et primo commemorat quandam mortem; secundo innuit occultationem cuiusdam vitae, ibi et vita; tertio docet huius vitae manifestationem, ibi cum autem Christus. Prius enim unum prohibuit, et aliud astruxit, et nunc ad haec duo redit. Primo sic: non sapite quae sunt terrena, quia mortui estis terrenae conversationi. Mortuus enim huic vitae non sapit ea quae sunt huius mundi, ita et vos, si mortui estis cum Christo, ab elementis huius mundi. Rom. VI, v. 11: existimate vos mortuos quidem esse peccato, viventes autem Deo. Is. XXVI, 14: morientes non vivant, gigantes non resurgant, et cetera. Cum autem dixit existimate, etc., subdit: viventes.
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Et ideo alia vita est occulta, unde etiam hic dicit et vita vestra, et cetera. Et hanc vitam acquirimus nobis per Christum. I Petr. c. III, 18: Christus pro peccatis nostris mortuus est, iustus pro iniustis, et cetera. Quia vero haec vita est per Christum, Christus autem est occultus a nobis, quia est in gloria Dei patris. Et similiter vita, quae per eum nobis datur, est in occulto, ubi scilicet Christus est in gloria Dei patris. Prov. III, 16: longitudo dierum in dextra eius, et in sinistra eius divitiae et gloria. Ps. XXX, 20: quam magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae, quam abscondisti timentibus te, et cetera. Apoc. II, 17: vincenti dabo manna absconditum, et cetera. Ideo cum dicit cum autem Christus, etc., ostendit quomodo manifestatur, scilicet sicut et Christus, quia dicitur in Ps. XLIX, 3: Deus manifeste veniet.
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Et ideo dicit cum autem apparuerit Christus, vita vestra, quia ipse est auctor vitae vestrae, et quia in amore eius et cognitione consistit vita vestra. Gal. II, 20: vivo ego iam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus. Tunc et vos apparebitis. I Io. III, 2: cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus, scilicet in gloria. Abac. III, 3: ab Austro veniet et sanctus de monte Pharan, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit mortificate ergo, ordinat humanam actionem. Primo per cohibitionem peccatorum; secundo per instructionem bonorum morum, ibi induite vos. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo praemittit monitionem; secundo eius rationem exponit, ibi expoliantes vos. Iterum prima in duas, quia primo prohibet vitia carnalia, secundo rationem assignat, ibi propter quae. Circa primum duo facit; quia primo ponit generalem prohibitionem; secundo explicat in speciali, ibi quae sunt. Dicit ergo. Non debetis sapere quae sunt super terram, sed mortificate quicquid terrenum et specialiter membra quae sunt, et cetera. Quod potest exponi similitudinarie, quia conversatio nostra est continens multos actus, sicut corpus multa membra, et in conversatione bona, prudentia est sicut oculus dirigens, fortitudo autem sicut pes portans. In mala vero, astutia sicut oculus, pertinacia vero sicut pes. Haec ergo membra sunt mortificanda. Vel aliter. De membris corporis carnalibus dixit: mortui estis, etc., scilicet terrenae conversationi. Quomodo? Et respondens dicit mortificate, et cetera. In tantum ergo morimur culpae, inquantum vivificamur per gratiam. Vita enim gratiae reparat nos quantum ad mentem, non totaliter quantum ad corpus propter fomitem. Rom. VII, 25: ego ipse mente servio legi Dei; carne autem, legi peccati. Et paulo ante: video aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae, et cetera. Qui ergo mortui estis quantum ad mentem, mortificate concupiscentiam in membris, quae sunt super terram, inquantum sunt super terram, et terrena corpora. I Cor. VI: castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo, etc., id est, non permittendo ei se pertrahi ad carnalia. Et ideo ponit peccata in speciali. Et primo pure carnalia; secundo media, ibi et avaritiam. Inter carnalia maxime concupiscentia inclinat ad luxuriam, ubi est actus turpis. Et hoc vel secundum naturam animalis, non dicam rationis, quia omne peccatum est contrarium rationi. Et ideo dicit fornicationem. Tob. IV, v. 13: attende tibi ab omni fornicatione, et cetera. Vel contra naturam, et sic dicit immunditiam. Item delectatio est immunda, unde dicit libidinem.
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Item concupiscentia prava, unde dicit concupiscentiam malam. Secundo ponit peccata media; et primo avaritiam, cuius obiectum est corporale, scilicet pecunia, et completur in delectatione spirituali, scilicet dominio talium. Et ideo communicat cum carnalibus peccatis. Et subdit quae est idolorum servitus. Eph. V, 5: aut avarus, quod est idolorum servitus. Sed numquid avaritia ex suo genere est species idololatriae, et avarus peccat tamquam idololatra? Respondeo. Dicendum est non secundum speciem, sed secundum similitudinem, quia avarus ponit vitam suam in pecunia. Idololatra est quando quis exhibet alicui imagini honorem debitum Deo. Avarus autem honorem debitum Deo exhibet pecuniae, quia tota sua vita circa hoc est. Quia vero avarus non intendit circa pecuniam se habere ut ad Deum, sicut idololatra, ideo est minus peccatum.
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Deinde cum dicit propter quae venit ira Dei, ostendit rationem quare vitanda sunt haec peccata, et est duplex. Una quae movet omnes, et alia quae specialiter istos. Prima est vindicta Dei, quia propter carnalia venit ira, id est vindicta Dei, in filios diffidentiae, id est peccatores qui diffidunt de Deo, quia luxuria est filia desperationis, quia multi ex desperatione spiritualium dant se totaliter carnalibus. Vel diffidentiae, quia quantum est de se, non est confidendum ut corrigantur, et ideo venit ira Dei, sicut in Gen. VI, 17 et VII in diluvio, et XVIII, v. 26 et XIX, 24 de Sodomitis. Alia ratio est, quia illi aliquando fuerunt tales.
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Unde dicit in quibus et vos ambulastis aliquando, scilicet de malo in peius. Et ponit hanc rationem propter duo, scilicet et propter id quod Petrus dicit I Petr. IV, 3: sufficit praeteritum tempus ad voluntatem gentium consummandam, qui ambulaverunt in luxuriis, etc.; et quia experti estis quod in eis non est utilitas, sed confusio. Rom. VI, v. 21: quem ergo fructum habuistis tunc in illis, in quibus nunc erubescitis?
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Supra apostolus monuit fideles contra vitia carnalia, hic monet eos contra vitia spiritualia. Et primo ponit universalem admonitionem; secundo per partes distinguit. Dicit ergo: aliquando ambulastis in illis, sed nunc deponite et vos omnia, non solum carnalia, sed omnia. I Petr. II, 1: deponentes omnem malitiam, et omnem dolum, et simulationes, et invidias, et detractiones, et cetera. Distinguit autem vitia spiritualia in duo. Primo in peccatum cordis; secundo oris, ibi blasphemiam, et cetera. Et primo ponit iram. Ira enim viri iustitiam Dei non operatur Iac. I, 20, et haec est deponenda. Secundo indignationem, quae oritur ex ira, quae est quando quis reputat aliquem indignum eorum quae habet, vel ut comparetur alii. Is. XXVII, 4: indignatio non est mihi. Malitiam, quae consequitur ad haec duo, scilicet quando quis molitur malum proximo inferre. Iac. I, 21: abiicientes omnem immunditiam, et abundantiam malitiae, in mansuetudine, et cetera. Deinde ponit peccata pertinentia ad peccatum oris: et sunt tria genera peccatorum oris. Per hoc enim peccatum designatur inordinatio mentis, et primo in comparatione ad Deum, et haec est blasphemia. Lev. XXIV, 14: educ blasphemum extra castra, et ponant omnes qui audierunt, manus suas super caput eius, et lapidet eum populus universus. Et sic quaecumque blasphemia est peccatum mortale. Sed quid si sit subito? Respondeo. Dicendum est quod si sit subito, ita quod non percipit se blasphemare, non peccat mortaliter. Sed credo quod, quantumcumque subito, si tamen percipit quod dicit verba blasphemiae, peccat mortaliter. Secundo designat inordinationem circa concupiscentiam, dicens turpem sermonem de ore vestro. Eph. IV, 29: omnis sermo malus ex ore vestro non procedat, et cetera. Tertio inordinationem contra proximum, et hoc est mendacium. Prov. XIX, 5: qui loquitur mendacium, non effugiet. Deinde cum dicit expoliantes, etc., ostendit rationem quare sunt vitanda praedicta vitia, quia scilicet deposita vetustate, debet indui novitas. Matth. IX, 16: nemo mittit commissuram panni rudis in vestimentum vetus, et cetera. Et primo ponit depositionem vetustatis; secundo assumptionem novitatis, ibi et induentes. Dicit ergo: deponite, hoc expoliantes, et cetera. Nam hoc inveteratur per peccatum. Hebr. VIII, 13: quod autem antiquatur et senescit, prope interitum est. Haec vetustas propinquat corruptioni, quia peccatum est via ad corruptionem. Item per peccatum perditur virtus et decor spiritualis, quae quidem vetustas est introducta per peccatum primi parentis. Rom. V, 12: sicut enim per unum hominem peccatum in hunc mundum intravit, et per peccatum mors, ita et in omnes homines mors pertransiit, in quo omnes peccaverunt. Hunc ergo veterem hominem, id est vetustatem peccati. Rom. VI, 6: vetus homo noster simul crucifixus est, ut destruatur corpus peccati, ut ultra non serviamus peccato, et cetera.
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Exuite cum actibus suis. Eph. IV, 22: deponite vos secundum pristinam conversationem veterem hominem, qui corrumpitur secundum desideria erroris, et cetera. Novus homo est animus interius renovatus, quia homo, ante gratiam, habet mentem interiorem peccato subiectam, et quando reparatur per gratiam, habet novitatem. Ps. CII, 5: renovabitur ut aquilae iuventus tua. Gal. ult. 15: in Christo Iesu neque circumcisio, neque praeputium aliquid valet, sed nova creatura. Nova creatura est gratia innovans, sed adhuc vetustas remanet in carne. Sed si sequaris iudicium novi hominis, tunc induis novum hominem; si vero concupiscis secundum desideria carnis, induis vetustatem. Eph. IV, v. 24: induite novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in iustitia, et sanctitate veritatis. Deinde cum dicit et induentes, etc., describit novum hominem. Et primo ostendit renovationis modum, secundo ubi renovetur, tertio secundum quid renovatur. Ostendit ergo quod interior homo vetus per ignorantiam Dei, renovatur per fidem et agnitionem Dei. II Cor. III, 18: in eamdem imaginem transformamur a claritate in claritatem, tamquam a domini spiritu. Sed ubi est haec renovatio? Ibi, scilicet ubi est imago Dei, quae non est in potentiis sensitivae partis, sed in mente.
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Unde dicit secundum imaginem, id est, ipsa Dei imago, quae est in nobis renovata, et hoc secundum imaginem eius, scilicet Dei, qui creavit eum. Dicitur autem novus creatus, quia anima rationalis non est ex traduce, sed a Deo creata. Deinde cum dicit ubi non est, etc., ostendit hanc innovationem esse omnibus communem, alias non pertineret ad hominem inquantum homo. Et hoc quia facta est secundum aliquid quod convenit omnibus. Quintuplex autem hic cadit distinctio inter homines: una secundum sexum corporeum, et hanc excludit, dicens ubi non est masculus et foemina, quia non differunt mente, sed secundum sexum corporeum. Secunda per nationes, et hanc excludit, ibi gentilis et Iudaeus. Isti enim ex fidelibus, illi ex infidelibus, et tamen utrique mente rationales. Rom. III, 29: an Iudaeorum Deus tantum? Nonne et gentium? Tertia secundum ritum certum et proprium, quia quidam legis professionem, et quidam ritum eumdem non habebant. Rom. X, 12: idem dominus omnium, et cetera. Alia secundum linguam, ibi barbarus et Scytha. Scytha est versus Septentrionem, barbarietas autem extraneitatem dicit; unde barbari quasi extranei. Et simpliciter est barbarus qui extraneus est ab homine inquantum homo, et hoc est inquantum rationalis. Et ideo illi barbari sunt, qui non reguntur ratione et legibus, et ideo barbari naturaliter sunt servi, et in Christo non differunt, quia et si ius civile non habent, tamen legem habent Christi. Alia secundum conditiones, quia quidam servi, quidam liberi: in Christo autem sunt omnes similes. Iob III, 19: parvus et magnus ibi sunt, et cetera.
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Ergo non sunt hae differentiae in Christo, sed est omnia et in omnibus Christus. Non enim est circumcisio nisi per Christum, et libertas per Christum; si non es liber, libertas tua est Christus. Si non es circumcisus, circumcisio tua est Christus, et sic de aliis. Et in omnibus, quia omnibus beneficia sua dat.
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Supra apostolus induxit fideles ad vitandum mala, hic inducit eos ad operandum bona, et primo ad opera particularium virtutum; secundo ad opera virtutum principalium perficientium animas, ibi super omnia. Et primo commemorat eorum conditionem; secundo subdit virtutum connumerationem, ibi viscera misericordiae. Dicit ergo: si induistis novum hominem, debetis induere novi hominis partes, scilicet virtutes. Rom. XIII, 12: abiiciamus ergo opera tenebrarum, et induamur arma lucis, quibus induimur, quando quicquid exterius apparet, est virtutibus ornatum. Sed quibus virtutibus? Aliter induuntur milites, aliter sacerdotes. Ergo induite vobis convenientia vestimenta, sicut electi Dei sancti. Et quod dicit electi, pertinet ad remotionem a malo; quod dicit sancti, ad donum gratiae. I Cor. VI, 11: abluti estis, sed sanctificati estis. Lev. XI, 44 et XIX, 2: sancti estote, quia ego sanctus sum dominus Deus vester. Quod dicit dilecti, pertinet ad praeparationem futurae gloriae. Io. XIII, 1: in finem dilexit eos, scilicet vitae aeternae. Et describit hic vestimenta quae protegunt nos in adversis et prosperis, II Cor. c. VI, 7: per arma iustitiae a dextris et a sinistris. Et primo quae habenda in prosperis; secundo quae in adversis, ibi patientiam. In prosperis aliquid debemus, et, primo, proximo misericordiam. Et ideo dicit viscera misericordiae. Lc. I, 78: per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri, et cetera. Phil. II, v. 1: si qua viscera miserationis, etc., id est, misericordiam ex affectu procedentem. Ad omnes vero consequenter est habenda benignitas, quae est quasi bona igneitas. Ignis enim liquefacit et effluere facit humida. Si in te est bonus ignis, liquefacit quicquid humiditatis habes, et dissolvet. Hanc facit spiritus sanctus. Sap. I, 6: benignus est spiritus sapientiae. Eph. IV, 32: estote autem invicem benigni, misericordes et cetera. In corde debes habere humilitatem. Eccli. c. III, 20: quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et cetera. In exterioribus debes modestiam, quae ponit modum ne in prosperis excedas. Phil. III: gaudete in domino semper, iterum dico, gaudete; modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus. In adversis tria sunt arma habenda, scilicet patientia, quae facit quod animus propter adversa non amoveatur ab amore Dei et rectitudine iustitiae. Lc. XXI, 19: in patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras. Sed quia quandoque contingit quod aliquis a iustitia non declinat quantum est de se, tamen aliorum mores sunt ei importabiles, ideo dicit supportantes invicem. II Petr. II, 8: habitans apud eos qui de die in diem iustam animam iniquis operibus cruciabant. Rom. XV, v. 1: debemus nos firmiores imbecillitates infirmorum sustinere. Tertio condonationem, ibi et donantes, etc., id est parcentes. II Cor. II, 10: nam et ego quod donavi, si quid donavi, propter vos in persona Christi. Condonat autem quis iniuriam, quando non habet rancorem ad eum, nec malum contra ipsum procurat. Sed quando necessitas puniendi est, tunc puniendus est.
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Et addit rationem sicut et dominus donavit vobis. Eccli. XXVIII, 3: homo homini servat iram, et a Deo quaerit medelam, et cetera. Matth. XVIII, 32: omne debitum dimisi tibi, etc.; et post: nonne ergo oportuit et te misereri conservi tui, sicut, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit super omnia, etc., inducit ad principales virtutes perficientes alias. Et principalior est charitas inter virtutes, sapientia vero inter dona. Charitas quidem informat omnes virtutes, sapientia vero dirigit. Primo igitur inducit ad primum; secundo ad secundum, ibi verbum Christi. Primo inducit ad charitatem habendam, secundo ad charitatis effectus, ibi et pax. Dicit ergo: super omnia induatis charitatem, quae omnibus praedictis maior est, ut dicitur I Cor. XIII, 13. Super omnia, id est, magis quam omnia, quia est finis omnium virtutum. I Tim. I, 5: finis autem praecepti est charitas, et cetera. Vel super omnia debemus habere charitatem, quia est super omnia alia. I Cor. XI: adhuc excellentiorem viam vobis demonstro, et cetera. Et hoc quia sine ipsa nihil valent alia. Et haec charitas figuratur per tunicam inconsutilem Io. c. XIX, 23. Et ratio huius quare est habenda, subditur, scilicet quia est vinculum. Secundum Glossam per omnes virtutes homo perficitur, sed charitas connectit eas ad invicem, et facit eas perseverantes, et ideo dicitur vinculum. Vel ex natura sua est vinculum, quia est amor, qui est uniens amatum amanti. Os. c. XI, 4: in funiculis Adam traham eos, in vinculis charitatis, et cetera. Sed addit perfectionis, quia est unumquodque perfectum, quando adhaeret fini ultimo, scilicet Deo, quod facit charitas. Deinde cum dicit et pax, etc., monet ad actus charitatis. Et ponit duos actus, scilicet pacem et gratitudinem, et tertium innuit, scilicet gaudium.
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Dicit ergo et pax Christi, et cetera. Ex charitate mox oritur pax quae est, secundum Augustinum, tranquillitas ordinis, sibi a Deo instituti, quod facit charitas. Qui enim aliquem diligit, concordat cum eo in voluntate. Ps. CXVIII, 165: pax multa diligentibus legem tuam. Exultet, quia charitatis effectus est gaudium, quod sequitur ex pace. Prov. XII, 20: qui pacis ineunt consilia, sequitur eos gaudium. Sed non dicit simpliciter pax, quia est pax mundi, quam Deus non venit facere, sed Christi, quam fecit inter Deum et hominem. Mc. IX, 49: pacem habete inter vos; quam annuntiavit Lc. ult. stetit Iesus in medio eorum, et dixit eis: pax vobis. Et debetis habere, quia in ista vocati estis. I Cor. VIII: in pace vocavit nos Deus. Et hoc est quod subdit in uno corpore, id est, ut sitis in uno corpore. Effectus alius est ut sitis grati; ideo sequitur et grati estote. Sap. XVI, 29: ingrati spes tamquam hybernalis glacies tabescet, et disperiet tamquam aqua supervacua. Deinde cum dicit verbum Christi monet ad sapientiam, et primo docet sapientiae originem; secundo sapientiae usum, ibi docentes. Ad hoc etiam quod quis habeat sapientiam veram, oportet considerare unde oriatur. Ideo dicit verbum Christi. Eccli. I, 5: fons sapientiae verbum Dei in excelsis. Ergo ex verbo Christi hauriatis eam. Deut. IV, 6: haec est sapientia vestra et intellectus coram populis, et cetera. I Cor. I, 30: qui factus est nobis sapientia a Deo, et cetera. Sed aliqui non habent verbum, ideo nec sapientiam. Et ideo dicit habitet. Prov. III, v. 3: circumda eas gutturi tuo, et describe in tabulis cordis tui, et cetera. Aliquibus sufficit modicum quid de verbo Christi, sed apostolus vult quod habeamus multum. Et ideo dicit abundanter. II Cor. c. IX, 8: potens est Deus omnem gratiam abundare facere in vobis, ut in omnibus semper omnem sufficientiam habentes, abundetis in omne opus bonum. Prov. II, 4: sicut thesauros effoderis eam, et cetera.
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Et addit in omni sapientia, id est, in omnibus pertinentibus ad sapientiam Christi debetis studere scire. Act. XX, 27: non subterfugi, quo minus annuntiarem vobis omne consilium Dei. Eccli. XXI, 17: cor fatui quasi vas confractum, et omnem sapientiam non tenebit, et cetera. Triplex autem est usus huius sapientiae, scilicet instructionis, devotionis et directionis. Instructio duplex, scilicet ad cognoscendum vera. Unde dicit docentes, quasi dicat: habitet ita abundanter in vobis, ut de omnibus sitis instructi per ipsum. II Tim. III, 16: omnis Scriptura divinitus inspirata utilis est ad docendum, ad arguendum, et cetera. Item ad cognoscendum bona; ideo dicit et commonentes vosmetipsos, id est, exhortantes vos ad bona opera. II Petr. I, 13: suscitare vos in commonitione, et cetera. Secundo ponit usum devotionis. Unde dicit in Psalmis et hymnis. In Psalmis, qui designant iucunditatem bonae operationis. Ps. CXLVIII: laudate eum in voce exultationis, et cetera. Hymnus est laus cum cantico. Ps. CXLVIII, 14: hymnus omnibus sanctis eius, et cetera. Et canticis spiritualibus, etc., quia quicquid nos facimus, debemus referre ad bona spiritualia, ad promissa aeterna, et ad reverentiam Dei. Et ideo dicit in cordibus, et non in labiis tantum. I Cor. XIV, 15: psallam spiritu, psallam et mente. Is. XXIII, 13: populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum longe est a me. Et addit in gratia, scilicet recognoscentes gratiam Christi et beneficia Dei. Sunt autem cantica Ecclesiae cordis principaliter; sed oris sunt ut excitetur canticum cordis et pro simplicibus et rudibus.
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Tertio ponit usum directionis in opere, dicens omne quodcumque facitis, etc., quia etiam locutio opus quoddam est. I Cor. c. X, 31: sive manducatis, sive bibitis, vel aliud quid facitis, omnia in gloriam Dei facite, et cetera. Sed contra: aut hoc est praeceptum, aut consilium: si praeceptum, peccat quicumque hoc non facit; sed peccat venialiter, quando quis hoc non facit; ergo quicumque peccat venialiter, peccat mortaliter. Respondeo. Quidam dicunt quod hoc est consilium, sed hoc non est verum. Sed dicendum est quod non est necessarium quod omnia in Deum referantur actu, sed habitu; qui enim facit contra gloriam Dei et praecepta eius, facit contra hoc praeceptum. Venialiter autem peccans, non facit contra hoc praeceptum simpliciter, quia licet non actualiter, tamen habitualiter refert omnia in Deum.
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Posita generali instructione ad omnes, hic incipit ponere specialem. Primo dat quaedam specialia documenta pertinentia ad singulos status in Ecclesia; secundo quaedam communia omnibus statibus respectu certarum conditionum, in IV cap. ibi orationi instate. Prima in tres secundum tres connexiones ex quibus domus constituitur, secundum philosophum: quarum una est viri et uxoris; secunda patris et filii; alia domini et servi. Secunda, ibi filii. Tertia, ibi servi. Unaquaeque earum dividitur in duo secundum quod monet subditos ut obediant, superiores ut moderate imperent. Dicit ergo mulieres, etc., et dicit sicut oportet, quia haec subiectio est ex lege divina ordinata. Gen. III, 16: sub viri potestate eris, et ipse dominabitur tui. I Cor. c. XIV, 34: mulieres in Ecclesiis taceant, non enim permittitur eis loqui, sed subditas esse, sicut et lex dicit. Et ratio huius est quia regere est rationis; viri autem magis vigent ratione, et ideo praesidere debent. Item addit in domino, quia omnia ordinata ad aliquos fines sunt referenda finaliter in Deum. Deinde monet viros ut diligant eas, dicens viri, diligite uxores, hoc enim est naturale: quia vir et uxor quodammodo sunt unum. Eph. V, 25: viri, diligite uxores vestras, et cetera. Et prohibet ne eis sint amari. Mich. I, 12: infirmata est in bonum, quae habitat in amaritudinibus. Eph. IV, 31: omnis amaritudo, et ira, et indignatio, et clamor, et blasphemia tollatur a vobis, cum omni malitia.
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Deinde cum dicit filii, etc., agit de secundo, et dicit filii, obedite per omnia, scilicet quae non sunt contra Deum. Hebr. c. XII, 9: parentes quidem carnis nostrae habuimus eruditores, et reverebamur eos, et cetera. Si vero praecipiant in his quae sunt contra Deum, sic intelligitur illud quod dicitur Lc. c. XIV, 26: si quis venit ad me, et non odit patrem suum et matrem, et cetera. Et hoc quia hoc est placitum domino, id est, in lege domini, quia lex charitatis non removet legem naturae, sed perficit. Est autem lex naturalis, quod filius subdatur curae patris. Ex. XX, 12: honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, et cetera.
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Deinde cum dicit patres, nolite, etc., instruit parentes. Eph. VI, 4: et vos, patres, nolite ad iracundiam provocare filios, et cetera. Et hoc, ut non pusillo animo fiant, id est, ut non pusillanimes fiant. Et huius ratio est, quia homines retinent impressionem quam a pueritia habuerunt. Naturale autem est quod qui in servitute nutriuntur, semper sint pusillanimes. Unde ratio est cuiusdam, quare filii Israel non statim in terram promissionis sunt perducti: quia fuerant nutriti in servitute, et non habuissent audaciam contra inimicos pugnandi. Is. XXXV, 4: dicite pusillanimis, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit servi, obedite, agit de tertio; et primo de servis ponit monitionem; secundo ostendit rationem, ibi scientes; tertio excludit dubitationem, ibi qui enim. Circa primum duo facit: quia primo monet eos ad obedientiam; secundo determinat obediendi modum, ibi non ad oculum. Dicit ergo servi, secundum carnalem conditionem, obedite per omnia, quae scilicet non sunt contra Deum. I Petr. II, v. 18: non tantum bonis et modestis, sed etiam dyscolis, et cetera. I Tim. ult.: quicumque sunt sub iugo servi, dominos suos omni honore dignos arbitrentur. Deinde cum dicit non ad oculum, docet modum obediendi. Et ostendit duos modos obediendi: primo quod simpliciter et sine dolo; secundo ostendit quod voluntarie. Dicit ergo non ad oculum, scilicet quantum potest videri a domino. Eph. VI, 6 simile. Et dicit quasi hominibus placentes, quia non serviunt hoc modo, nisi ut placeant hominibus. Gal. I, 10: si adhuc hominibus placerem, servus Christi non essem.
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Ideo addit sed in simplicitate cordis, etc., id est, absque dolo, timentes dominum, sicut Iob I, v. 1: erat vir ille simplex et rectus ac timens Deum. Prov. XI, 3: simplicitas iustorum diriget eos, et cetera.
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Item voluntarie; unde dicit quodcumque facitis, ex animo, id est, prompte, operamini. Et hoc sicut domino, quia qui servit alicui propter ordinem iustitiae, facit hoc propter Deum, a quo est hic ordo. Rom. c. XIII, 2: qui potestati resistit, Dei ordinationi resistit. Eph. VI, 6: facientes voluntatem Dei ex animo, cum bona voluntate servientes, sicut, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit scientes, ostendit duplicem rationem huius, et una est ex parte remunerationis, alia ex parte devotionis ad Deum.
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Dicit ergo: serviatis prompte, quia a domino accipietis retributionem haereditatis aeternae. Ps. XV, 6: funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris, etenim haereditas mea praeclara est mihi. Eph. VI, 8: scientes quoniam unusquisque quodcumque fecerit bonum, hoc recipiet a domino, sive servus, sive liber. Quorumdam enim fuit opinio quod actus iustitiae non est meritorius, quia hoc videbatur esse debitum, et hoc non est meritorium alicui dare quod suum est. Sed sciendum est quod ex hoc quod voluntarie facis, ex hoc ponis aliquid de tuo, quia de potestate tua est velle et non velle, et sic est meritorium. Servi autem ex debito serviunt domino, et ideo ut habeant mercedem hoc faciunt voluntarie. Sed sic servite eis quod a Deo non recedatis. Item alia ratio est, quia sic servitis domino Christo. Rom. XII, 11: spiritu ferventes, domino, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit qui enim, removet dubitationem. Posset enim dicere servus: quomodo serviam ei qui facit mihi iniuriam? Et ideo dicit: non est tuum ut vindices te, subtrahendo ei quod suum est, sed expecta ab eo, qui potest, quia qui iniuriam facit, et cetera. II Cor. V, 10: omnes enim nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal Christi, ut referat unusquisque propria corporis prout gessit, sive bonum, sive malum. Eph.
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VI, 9: et personarum acceptio non est apud Deum. Act. X, 34: non est personarum acceptor Deus. Deinde cum dicit domini, ostendit qualiter domini se habeant ad servos. Et circa hoc duo facit: primo dat doctrinam; secundo reddit rationem eorum, ibi scientes. Dupliciter autem potest dominus gravare servos, scilicet faciendo contra eos quod iustitia legis prohibet, quia secundum leges non licet domino saevire in servum. Ideo dicit quod iustum est. Item si exigeret totum debitum, quod mansuetudo Christiana mitigat. Ideo dicit et aequum. Iob XXXI, 13: si contempsi subire, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit scientes, etc., ponitur ratio, quia sicut tu te habes ad eos, ita dominus ad te. Eph. VI, 8: scientes, et cetera.
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1. igitur si consurrexistis cum Christo, guae sursum sunt quaerite. Constituto fundamento doctrinae fidei contra nssudologos; nunc more suo Christianae vitae praecepta superstruit. Tametsi capitis hujus initium potest generaliter accipi velut transitus quidam ab iis, quae dicta sunt ad ea, quae dicere instituit. Ubi et aliam latentiorem connexionem sermonis apostolici licet observare. Dixerat enim, Colossenses simul cum Christo per baptismum sepultos esse et resurrexisse; dixerat, eos mortuos prius delictis, convivificatos deinde cum Christo: deinde ex utroque membro sumit exhortationis aut doctrinae materiam, ex priori quidem, quando dixit: Si ergo mortui estis cum Christi etc. Hic autem ex posteriori, cum ait: Igitur si consurrexistis etc. Itaque sensus est: Quoniam per baptismum non solum commortui estis Christo, verum etiam una cum eo resurrexistis in novam vitam: facite ea, quae novae vitae, per Christi resurrectionem adumbratae, conveniunt; quaerite, quae sursum sunt, id est, cogitationes ac studia vestra conferte ad res supernas, coelestes ac divinas. Id enim est quaerere, phrasi scripturae; velut ibi: Quaerite priniujn regnum Dei et justitiam ejus Matthaei 6.
Ubi Christus est in dextra Dei sedens. JJbij scilicet in supernis et coelestibus; quasi dicat: Sicut Christus ad novam vitam resuscitatus, residet in coelis ad dexteram Dei patris; ita °it vos per Christum ad novam vitam resuscitati, dobetis ei ut capiti vestro conformari, coelestibus ac divinis rebus studendo. Quo sensu Christus ad dexteram Dei sedere dicatur, et secundum quam naturam hoc ei competat; explicatum a nobis est in comment. Rom. 8. et Ephes. 1.
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2. Quae sursum sunt sapite, vel curate, ut verterunt Erasmus et Hentenius. Nam Grr.ece est cppovsTTS, quod utroque modo verti potest. Est autem ejusdem praecepti inculcatio: nam coelestia sapere aut curare, non aliud est, quam coelestia quaerere, juxta datam expositionem.
Non quae super terram. Partem hanc arripiunt Sacramentarii ad oppugnandam realem praesentiam corporis Christi in Eucharistiae sacramento. Nam, inquiunt, si quaerere jubemur, quae sursum sunt, non quae super terram; ergo et Christus in coelo nobis quaerendus est et adorandus, non super altare. Quibus facile ex hoc eodem loco respondetur et quam futile sit hoc argumentum ostenditur. Nam quae super terram esse dicantur, ipse Apostolus paulo post exponit dicens: Mortificate ergo membra vestra, quae sunt super terram, fornicationem, immunditiam etc. Deinde, ex opposito colligi id potest. Si enim ea, quae sursum sunt qr.aerere et sapere Apostolo dicuntur, non qui coelestium corporum naturas, motus, affectiones scrutantur, quod faciunt astronomi; sed qui, ut dictum est, rebus coelestibus, hoc est, divinis intenti sunt: igitur, ea quae super terram, sive ut alii interpretati sunt, terrestria, quaerunt, non qui quaerunt aut colunt aliquid in terris existens; sed quorum animus rerum terrenarum cura et cogitatione tenetur, sive res illae sint elementa mundi, de quibus supra (nam ad ea Apostolum adhuc respicere, Graeci non improbabiliter existimant), sive terrena vitia, quae inferius enumerantur; seu potius utraque simul, sub generali notione, qua terrenum intelligitur, quod crassum, carnale, vitiosum est. Certe quando Christus in terris agebat, quaerendus et adorandus erat; quod et mater ejus, et magi et discipuli ejus, et multi alii fecerunt. Quis vero tam insanus, qui dicat, illosid faciendo non quae sursum sunt, sed quae super terram, contra Apostoli praeceptum, quaesivisse aut sapuisse? Sed dices: Addit Apostolus: Ubi Christus est in dextra Dei sedens; ergo locum ipsum coelestem vult intelligi. Respondeo, per se loqui Apostolum de cogitatione ac studio rerum, quibus hcmo evehitur ad supernam gloriam: per accidens autem, quia Christus Dominus secundum humanitatem in coelis est, ad dextram Dei sedens, etiam ad locum respexisse. Verum non inde efficiunt adversarii, Christum in altari et in terra non esse quaerendum aut adorandum; nisi Dei potentiam coarctent, ut non possit in pluribus locis idem corpus statuere. Si~ milis est Apostoli sermo Philip. 3., ubi cum de quibusdam dixisset, qui terrena sapiunt; subjungit: Nostra autem conversatio in coelis est: unde et Salvatorem expectamus Dominum nostrum Jesum Chiistum.
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3. Mortui enim estis. Referendum hoc ad partem proximam, non quae super terram, quasi dicat: merito vos adbortor non sapere terrena; quia illis jam mortui estis per baptismum, sicut Christus in cruce mortuus est vitae huic terrenae ac mortali.
Et vita vestra est abscondita cum Christo in Deo. Sensus: Non solum mortui estis cum Christo; sed et vivitis cum eo, nimirum vita spirituali ac coelesti, ad quam a morte resurrexistis: licet haec vita vestra adhuc abscondita sit ab oculis et sensu hujus mundi; sicut et vita Christi, qua vivit et regnat in coelis; utraque inquam, abscondita in Deo, id est, apud Deum.
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4. Cum Christus apparuerit, vita vestra, tunc et vos apparebitis cum ipso in gloria. Multi codices habent: Cum enim Christus: sed Graeca nobiscum faciunt, ut et biblia Clementina. Nec vere satis hic quadrat rationalis conjunctio, cum potius sit adversativus sermo. Nunc quidem, ait, vita vestra cum Christo abscondita est; sed quando ille toti mundo manifestabitur, veniens gloriosus ad judicium, ille, inquam, qui est vita vestra, vel, ut est in pleri3que Graecis codd., Suil. Eitll Comm. Tom. II. vitanostra, id est, vitae vestrae, seu nostrae cauea, non solum meritoria, sed etiam exemplaris; tunc et vos, perfectam et immortalem vitam assecuti, simul cum eo mauifestabimini, magna cum gloria. Tunc enim etiam impii, quibus in hoc saeculo fueritis despectui, cogentur agnosceie ct praedicare felicitatem vestram, vel inviti dicentes: Hi sunt, quos habuimus aliquando in derisum, et caetera, quae ex impiorum persona leguntur Sap. 5. Haec dicit Apostolus animans Colossenses et viam sternens ad exhortationem moraleai, quao seq uitur.
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5. Mortijicate ergo membra vestra, quae sunt super terram. Hoc est, membra vestra terrena. Membra intelligit ejus corporis, quod superiori capite appellavit corpus peccatorum carnis, et Rom. 6. corpus peccati; quodque ibiciem, et alibi passim vocat veterem hominem, de quo et hic paulo infra dicit, exspoliantes vos veterem hominem cum actibus suis. Sicut enim homo sive corpus hominis variis constat membris, ita vetus homo, seu corpus peccati, coagmentatur ex variis peccatorum generibus, velut membris et partibus diversis, cujusmodi mox enumerantur. Terrena autem vocantur haec membra, quia velut in terram deprimunt hominem et a Deo elongant. Caeterum exhortatio Apostoli talis est. Quoniam, inquit, cum Christo mortui estis veteri vitae, et in novam resurrexistis, cum spe vitae et gloriae coelestis; sumrcopere curandum vobis est, ne vetus ac terrenus homo reviviscat. Sed etsi in quibusdam membris suis reviviscere incipiat, confestim ea mortificate, non solum ea non amplius perpetrando, verum etiam exurgentes eorum motus ac desideria, velut parvulos Babylonis, ipso statim in limine elidendo atque necando. Non enim pertecte et quantum exigit lex Dei, mortificantur membra neccati, si non ipsa etian» peccatorum desideria, licet invohmtaria, quantum in nobis est, extinguamus. Nam Apostolum non sentire, quod ipsis peccatis, quae hic recensentur, adhuc involuti essent Colossenses; liquet ex sequentibus, ubi dicit: In quibus et vos ambulastis aliquando, cum viveretis in illis.
Fornicationem, immunditiam, libidinem. Tuter haec tria discrimen est, secundum Graecaium vocum significationem, quod fornicatio comprehendat omnem concubitum maris et feminae non conjugalem; immunditia pertineat ad peccata carnis, quae sunt contra naturam; libido, Graece ndftoq, quam alii mollitiem, alii morbum transferunt. eam denotet obscoenitatem, a qua dicebantur ftafhxoi, qui turpia patiebantur. Qui verterunt passionem, ut Theophylacti interpres; aut perturbationem, ut legit Augustinus lib. de continentia cap. 13., mentem Apostoli non satis expresserunt.
Concupiscentiam malam. Videtur ea significari concupiscentia, quae specialiter penultimo decalogi praecepto prohibetur, id est, concupiscentia rei venereae. Haec enim apte jungitur superioribus. Ab ea vero diversa est de qua dicit 1 (orinth. 10. Ut non simus concupiscentes malorum, sicut et illi concupierunt. Pcrro dum addit malam, vult intelligi quandam esse bonam concupiscentiam, qualis utique est, qua spiritus concupiscit adversus carnem Galat. 5., tametsi concupiscentiae nomen nude positum plerumque male sonet in scripturis.
Et avaritiam, quae est simulacrorum servitus. Avaritiam fere omnes intelligunt secundum vulgarem illius vocis acceptionem. Quae avaritia, quo sensu vocetur idololatria, id est. idolorum cultus, exposuiinus ad illud Ephes. 5. Aut avarus, quod est idolorum servitus. Verum, si recte Hieronymus in ejus loci commentario contendit, rcXeove$iftv, id est. avaritiam, illic ab ApostoJo transferri ad significandum insatiabilem cupiditatem turpium voluptatum, quemadmodum eo loco declaratum est; sane etiam hic ejusmodi avaritiam intelligi oportebit: est enim, ut saepe monuimus, hujus epistolae ferme idem argumentum; et in utraque eententiaruin magna similitudo. Quibus adde, quod etiam hic avaritia, perinde ut illic, annumeratur peccatis impudicitiae. Quare quo sensu sic accepta avaritia in Epist. ad Eph. appellata est idolorum cultus, itidem, cum SasboMo, fatebimur etiam hoc loco sic eam appellari; nimirum ut ibi diximus, ob eam causam, quod Simoniani, contra quos utraque scribitur epistola, nefarias suas libidines exercerent velut cultum quendam, ut ipsi impie docebant, Deo gratissimum.
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6. Propter quae venit ira Dei super filios incredulitatis. Haec quoque verba eadem habentur Ephes. 5. Rectius interpres hoc loco dixit, filios incredulitatis, quam illic, filios diffidentiae; quamvis Graeca vox, quae utroque loco est, proprie significet, insuasibilitatem, ut legit Hieronymus, id est, vitium animi contumaciter respuentis rationabilem suasionem veritatis. Reliqua ad explicationem hujus sententiae pertinentia petantur ex commentario epistolae ad Eph. Sensus autem est: Propter quae peccata hominibus Evangelicae praedicationi non acquiescentibus imminet ac superventura est gravis a Deo vindicta; scilicet iii die judicii. Docet apertissime hic locus, non ob solam infidelitatem, ut quidam volunt haeretici, sed etiam propter alia peccata reddi homines obnoxios aeternae damnationi.
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7. In quibus et vos ambulastis aliquando, cum viveretis in illis. In quibus, ad personas refert Erasmus. Vertit enim, inter quos, nempe filios incredulos. In illis, ad actiones, id est, ad vitia superius enumerata. At in Graeco eadem ubique praepositio est. Proinde rectius ad actiones utrumque retuJeris, juxta morem scriptuiae sacrae, in qua assidue legimus, ambularem via, lege, praeceptis Domrni; in innocentia, in veritate, in Jumine, in tenebris, in carne, in pravitate cordis sui etc. Atque evidentius id ostenditur ex epiotola ad Ephes., in qua rursus eadem haec verba habes, capite 2. Et vos, inquit, cum essetis mortui delictis et peccatis vestris, in quibus aliquando ambulaUis. Jam nec patitur res ipsa particulam, in quibus, ad filios incredulitatis referri, id est, ad eos, qui contumaciter Evangelio resistebant. Nam in horum numero Colossenses non fuerant, ut qui audito Evangelio statim acquieverant; sicut de iis Apostolus testatur cap. 1. Denique quid velit Paulus dicens: In quibus et vos ambulastis, plane significat Petrus simili sententia 1. epistolae 4. His, qui ambulaverunt in luxuriis. desideriis, vinolentiis, comessationibus etc. Neque tamen idcirco dum addit Apostolus, cum viveretis in illis, idem prorsus repetit. Non enim idem omnino est vivere, quod ambulare, sed differunt velut habitus et actus. Unde et dicit ad Gal. 5. Si vivimus spiritu, spiritu et ambulemus. Igitur vivere in peccatis, est peccatorem esse; ambulare in peccatis, est actus peccatorum exercere.
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8. Nunc autem deponite et vos omnia. Non solum, inquit, volo vos mortificare illa graviora peccata, quae commemoravi, et iu quibus amplius nec vivitis, nec ambulatis; vertiin etianv nunc deponere et abjicere a vobis omnia reliqua, scilicet minora, quae forte adhuc inter vos vigent, cujusmodi sunt, quae sequuntur.
Iram, indignationem, malitiam, blasphemiam. Eadem haec omnia leguntur Ephes. 4. sub finem, ubi et singula sunt a nobis exposita. Sed notandum, illic contrario ordine iram et indignationem poni secundum Graecos codices; ut proinde ex ordine collocationis judicari non possit, utrum vitium sit altero gravius: tametsi iram esse graviurem eo loco ex Hieronymi testimonio comprobavimus. Blasphemia maledicentiam significat, magisf|ue ad eam respicit Apo?tolus, quae fit in homines, quam quae in Deum. Nam Dei blasphemia gravissimis pecca- tis annumeranda est.
Turpem sermonem. Graece composita dictione, turpiloquium, id est, veiborum obscoenitatem. Simile Eph. 5., sub ini- tium.
De ore vestro. IIoc non ad omnia praecedentia referendum, sed ad duo proxima, blasphemiam et turpiloquium, quae sunt oris peccata; quale et id, de quo sequitur.
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9. Nolite mentiri invicem. Id est, alius ad alium, ut Graeca sonant; vel alius adversus alium, ut vertit Erasmus; tametsi simplicius ita vertas: Ne mentiamini alii aliis. Hoe autem Apo^tolus ad Ephes. 4. pluribus ita extulit: Deponentes mendacium, loquimini veritatem unusquisque cam proximo suo, quoniam sumus invicem membra. Generaliter autem sub nomine mendacii prohibetur omnis fraus et deceptio.
Exspolitantes vos veterem hominem cum actibus suis, et induentes novum. Pro, exspoliantes vos, Graece est exuti, et pro induentes, induti; videlicet participia praeteritum tempus significantia, quae sic reddit Erasmus: Postquam exuistis et induistis. Hentenius, qui exuistis et Induistis. Refertur autem haec pars ad totam admonitionem praecedentem, ab eo loco: Nunc autem deponite etc., ut hujusmodi sit sensus: Ad haec omnia deponenda vos exhortor, utpote qui per baptismum jam dudr.m cxueritis veterem hominem et indueritis novum: unde si quid in vobis restat veteris hominis, id adhuc curate abjicere. Quanquam potest hic esse nova periodus, quae sit velut collectio praecedentium in unam generalem exhortationem; ut participia pro verbis posita intelligantur, aut subaudiendum sit verbum substantivum modi praeceptivi: estote, aut sitis exuti, induti. Sic enim alibi participiis utitur Apostolus Roman. 12. Odientes malum, adhaerentes bono; et multa, quae sequuntur. Atque in eum sensum accepit auctor translationis, quae apud Ambrosianum est; vertit enim participia per verba, exuite et induite. Ita sensus Apostoli erit: Et in univeisum moneo, ut sitis exuti veterem hominem cum actibus suis, et induti novum hominem, similiter cum actibus suis; hoc enim supplendum relinquitur ex priori membro. Conferendus arti-m hic locus cum eo, qui est Ephes. 4. Nam et illos monet | Apostolus, quemadmodum edocti sint, deponere secundum pristinam conversationem veterem hominem et induere novum, qui secundum Deum creatus sit etc. Ubi diximus, veterem hominem ab Apostolo vocaii corruptionem peccati ex veteri Adam contracti; aut certe ipsum hominem, quatenus hujusmodi corruptionem ac vetustatem in se habet; novum autem hominem, aut novitatem vitae, aut po tius hominem quatenus per gratiam reno vatus est. Actus veteris hominis sunt peccata: novi, bona opera. Porro vetus homo cum actibus sais exuitur, ac novus induitur; primum quidem in baptismo, quod est lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus sancti Tit. 3. Deinde quotidiano profectu novitatis. Nam veterem hominem exuere totum, ut nihil restet vetustatis, non est hujus vitae. Paulatim ergo vetus homo exuitur, novo profieiente. Habet enim novus homo gradus quosdam suos, et, ut Augustinus loquitur, quasdam non annis sed profectibus distmctas spirituales aetates. Quas quidem ille septem numero vecenset in libro de vera religione cap. 26. Ad quem locum, ne in iis refereudis prolixior sim, lectorem studiosum remitto. Disserit idem Doctor de vetere et novo homme lib. 4. de Trinitate cap. 3. et lib. 24. contra Faustum Manich. cap. 1. et 2., ubi etiam h&bes, quomodo Manichaeus ille veterem et novum homi- nem perverse secundum suam haeresim intellexerit. Dixi, potius hominem ipsum ea phrasi Apostolica siguifieari; quia quae Apostolus tam ad Ephes. quam hoc loco tribuit novo ac veteri homini, magis in personam competunt quam in qualita- tem; cujusmodi maxime est, quod hic sequitur.
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10. Eum qui renovatur in agnitio- nem, secundum imaginem ejus, qui
creavxt illum. Expositio est novi homi- nis; ut sensus sit: Eum dico hominem, qji renovatur ad agnitionem, id est, ad cognoscendum mysteria revelata, et sa- piendum ea quae Dei sunt; renovatur, inquam, secundum imaginem Dei creatoris sui; ut sicut in creatione sua factus est ad imaginem et similitudinem Dei per naturam suam rationalem; ita nunc ad Dei imaginem reformetur pei gratiam. Est enim homo dupliciter imago Dei; per naturam, et per gratiam. Imago naturae consistit in intellectu et voluntate: imago gratiae in sanctitate et justitia, sicut exponit Apostolus Ephes. 4. dicens: Induite novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in justitia et sanctitate veritatis. Observanda phrasis scripturae, qua dicitur homo crer.tus aut renovatus, ut ipse sit imago Dei; sic enim scripturam Genes. 1. interpretatur Apostolus 1 Corkith. 11., quando virum vocat imaginem Dei.
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11. Vbi non est gentilis tt Judaeus, circwncisio et praeputium. Id est, in quo venovationis negotio, nullam est discrimen gentilis et Judaei, circumcisi et praeputiati; quasi dicat, non refert, ex qua natione, et ex qua religione quis veniat, per Christi gratiam renovandus. Nam in Graeco, nec mm apud Ambrosianum, pro gentili legitur Graecus; sub quo tamen et aliarum nationum homines a Judaeis divt-rsos intelligi convenit, praecipue Romanos; quos utique comprehendit Rom. 1. et 2., dicens Judaeum primum et Graecum. Religionis vero riturmque diversitatem significant circumcisio et praepulium. Nec temere est, quod Apostolus transponit ordinem, ut Judaeum gentili sub diversis vocabuli3 modo post- ponat, modo praeponat: id enim fecisse videtur, ad indifferentiam, de qua loqui- tur, insinuandam. Locus est similis ad Galat. 3.
Barbarus et Scytha. servus et liber. Haec iu Graeco sine conjunctione legun- tur: Barbarus, Scytha, servus, liber. Quia dixerat: Graecus ei Judaeus, ne videretur aliquam nationem praotermi- sisse, suljunxit Barbarus et Scytha. Barbaros enim sui nominis commun.one Graeci non dignabantur. Unde et Apo- stolus Rom. 1. distinguens dicit: Graecis ac Barbaris debitor sum. (Jui et unde dicti Barbari, exposuimus ad 1 Corinth. 14. vers. 11. Inter Barbaros autem eminebant Scythae, populi Septemtrionales; ut prae illis caeteri non -viderentur Barbari. Sentit ergo Apostolus, etsi quam maxime Barbarus quis sit,'quales erant ScytLae; non ideo minus eura renovationis capacem esse. Denique nec conditionis haberi rationem; propter quod et servum priori loco nominat.
Sed omnia et in omnibus Christus. Omnia, intellige qi.ae sunt novi hominis; ut justitia sanctitas et caetera, quae mox enumerantur. Haec omnia, inquit, Christus est; ei quidem ia omnibus: id est, in omni hominum genere sine discrimine. Dicitur Christus ea omnia esse, causaliter et per meritum suae passionis. Quo sensu 1 Corinth. 1. de eo dicitur: Qui factus est nobis sapientia a Deo, et justitia et sanctificatio et redemptio.
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12. Induite vos ergo sicut electi Dei, sancti et dilecti, visctra misericordiae. Superius recensuit actus seu membra veteris hominis, admonens, ea mortificanda ac deponenda esse; nunc actus seu membra novi hominis, quibus indui vult Colossenses, enumerare aggreoitur. Hoc enim, post generalem de induendo novo homine praeceptionem, desiderabatar. Sensus est: Igitur sicut decet homines^a Deo electos, et sanctos, et eos, quos ab aeterno Deus dilexit (usus est enim Paulus participio praeteriti temporis), induti sitis viscera misericurdiae seu miserationum, ut est in Graeco; id est, assumite mijericordiae affectum erga proximos, opera misericordiae ex animo exercete. Nam viscera purasi Hebraea significant intimos affectus.
Benignitatem, humilitatem, modestiam, patientiam. Pio benignitate alii comitatem reddunt; cum benignitas si proprie sumatur, ad liberalitatem potiua perKneat, quam non significat vox Graeca, sed comitatem et humanitatem, quae m)rura asperitati opponitrr. Tale quid etiam raonuiraus ad illud Ephos. 4. in fine. Estote invicem benigni. Pro humilitate quoque Erasmus mavult modestiam, sed vim Graeci vocabuli. quam habet in sacris literis et ex usu Christianorum, Latina vox modestia non assequitur. Proinde retinendum omnino est vocabulum Christia^is usitatiesimum, humilitas; sed multo studiosius retinenda est res eo vocabulo significata. Pro modestia et patientia Graece est mansuefudu et longanimitas seu lenitas; quemadmudum et Ambrosianus iegit.
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13. Supportantes invicem. Id est, alii aliorum infirmitates sufferentes, juxta illud: Alter alterius onera portate. Gal. 6. Hoc enim officium esse mansueti et lenis animi. Et donantes vobismetipsis, si quis adversiii- aliquem habei querelam. Rectus ad Ephes. 4. vertit: donantes invicem, cum in Graeco prorsus idem legatur. Rectissime veru Ambrosianus hoc quidem loco, condonantes alius alii. Nam sensus est: Si quis ab aliquo laesus est, ut justam adversus eum habeat causam querebie: condonet otfensam, remittat injuriam.
Sicut et Dominus donavit vobis, ita et vos. Giaece: Sicut et Christus condonavit etc., pro quo ad Ephes. 4. sic habetur: Sicut et Deus in Christo donavit vobis. Inde repete partis hujus explicationem. Insinuatur autem Christum, esse Deum, cum in eadem re Apostolus modo Deum, modo Christum nominet.
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14. Super omnia autem haec, charitatem habete. Graeca et Syra, quibus et Ambrosianus suffragatur, non aoVlunt, habete; ut neque Augustinus de gratia et lib. arbitr. cap. 17. Regitur enim accusativus charitatem, perinde ut superiores quinque, viscera misericordiae, benignitatem etc., a verbo, induite. Quam constructionem etiam apud S. Thomam videre est, ut sensus sit: induite charitatem, qua invicem diligatis, tanquam vosipsos. Nam de charitate pioximoriim loqui Apostolum, satis ex eadem ad Ephes. Epistola colligitur, ubi sub initium capitis 5. sic dicit: Et ambulate in dilectione, sicut et Christus diUxit n<>s et tradidit semetipsum pro nobis. Dicit autem, super otnnia, vel quia charitas omnium virtutum finis est: nam finis praecepti charitas 1. Timoth. 1., vel quia virtutum omnium forma et perfectio, ut sine qua caeterae nihil prosunt, imo quae caeteras omnes secum trahat; quemadmodum luculente docet Apostolus 1 Cor., vel denique, quia per eam continetur unitas totius corporis ecclesiae. Quam postremam rationem comprobare videtur id quod sequitur.
Quod est vinculum perfectionis. Charitatem vocat vinculum perfectionis Hebraea phnsi; vel quia vinculum est perfectum, quo homines inter se colligantur; cum alia vincula societatum humanarum aut imperfecta sint, aut etiam noxia: vel, ut aliis placet, quia vinculum est perficiens, id est, perfecte uniens fideles inter se; facit enim charitas, ut omnes unanimiter studeant mutuis commodis, bonoque publico. Qua in re consistit corporis integritas et perfectio, dum scilicet in idipsum pro invicem solicita sunt membra, 1 Cor. 12.
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15. Et pax Christi exultet in cordibus vestris. Christi, Graece Dei, consentiente Ambrosiano. Porro Graecum verbum, pro quo noster interpres vertit, exultet, a bravio seu praemio derivatum est. Significat autem haec duo, praemium obtinere, et: praemium adjudicare seu distribu°ire, unde duplex secundum Graecam lectionem oritur sensus hujus loci. Prior: Si quid inter vos incidat dissensionis aut controversiae, non affectus animis vestris dominetur, velut avaritia, ambitio, vindicandi cupiditas, sed pax Christi seu Dei, id est, vera et Christiana pax, quae Deum habet auctorem, obtineat palmam atque praevaleat in cordibus vestris, quasi dicat: ante omnia studete paci conservandae; potius cedite juri vestro, quam ut Christianae pacis aliqucd detrimentum patiamini. Posterior sensus: Si qua lis inciderit, eam arbitretur ac dijadicet, praemiumque decernat, non ira, non superbia, non alius affectus malus: sed amor et studium oacis Christianae. Sensum hunc Graeci tradunt; et ad eum modum Graeca vox accipi videtur Sapient. 10., ubi nos legimus: Et certamen forte dedit illi, ut vinceret, id est, victoriam certaminis ei adjudicavit. Verumtamen prior sensus magis congruit cum eo, quod praecessit: Super omnia charitatem. Eidemque sensui coaptari potest verbum nostrae versionis. exultet. Nam exultare victoris est.
In qua et vocati estis in uno corpore. Graece, in quam, vel ad quam. Et sensus est: Ad quam pacem Christianam etiam vocati estis, utpote facti membra unius corporis, quod est ecclesia: ut proinde quam maximepacem colere debeatis; aequum est enim, ut vocationi suae quisquerespondeat. Simile illud 1 Corinth. 7. In pace vocavit nos Deus.
Et grati estote. Erasmus in annotationibus vult hunc esse sensum: Estote comes et "oenigni erga omnes, propensi ad bene merendum de omnibus; ea ratione fiet, ut pax inter vos consistat. At quamvis ea quoque Graeci vocabuli sigaificatio sit; altera tamen usitatior, quam noster interpres attendit, ut sensus sit: Magni beneficii mentionem feci, quando dixi: In quam et vocati estis in uno corpore. Illius beneficii vobis praestiti volo vos perpetuo memores esse cum gratiarum actione; cujus quidem gratitudinis magna pars erit, si pacem, ad quam vocati estis, inter vos studiose conservaveritis. Hic sensus omnium fere est interpretum, ipsiusque Erasmi in paraphrasi. Et confirmatur ex Epistola ad Ephesios, quos similiter ac pluribus verbis ad gratiarum actionem exkortatur, cap. 5. Quanqram illi simile hic reddit Apost. vers. 17.
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16. Verbum Christi habitet in vobis abundantei, in omni sapientia. Ilabitet, Graece est inhabitet. Abundanter, Graece TzXoooiuxz, id est, opulente, vocabulum Apostolo frequentatum. Proinde sensus est: Fides seu doctrina Christi fixam in vobis sedem habeat, vosque faciat locupletes et abundantes omni sapientia; hoc est, perfecta rerum divinarum cognitione, quanta nimirum in hac vita sperari potest. Addit autem, in omni sapientia; propter falsos doctores, tradentes ea, quae dumtaxat rationem quandam habebant sapientiae, non veritatem, de quibus capite superiori. Caeterum pro hac parte in Epistol. ad Ephes. 5. dixit, implemini spiritu; quemadmodum etpro eo, quod illic sequitur: Loquentes vobismetipsis in psalmis, et hymnis, et canticis spiritualibus etc., hic dicit ea, quae sequuntur.
Docentes et commonentes vosmetipsos psalmis, hymnis etcanticis spiritualibus. More suo negligit Apostolus syntaxin Grammaticam, nisi haec enuntientur per subauditionem verbi substantivi, cum alioqui pronomen vobis, quod praecessit, exigat eagus respondentes docentibus et commonentibus. Est enim sensus: Et ita quidem, ut vos invicem, id est alii alios, doceatis et commoneatis sive exhorteraini, canendo psalmos, hymnos et cantica spiritualia. Significationem et differentiam horum tiium exposuimus in comment. Epist. ad Ephes. cap. 5. v. 1C.
In gratia cantantes iu cordibus vestris Deo. Graece, in corde vestro Domino; quemadmodum et ad Ephes. Quo etiam loco pars ista satis a nobis explicata est: excepto eo, quod hicaddit, in gratia. Quod videri potest idem esse cum eo, quod illic subnectebat: Gratias agentes semper pro omnibus vobis etc, ut sit Hebraismus, ita interpretandus, cum gratiarum actione: tanquam velit Apostolus, cantica spiritualia semper cum gratiarum actione debere esse conjuncta. Verum quia paulo inferius subjungitur peculiare praeceptum gratias agejdi Deo, simile illi, quod est ad Ephes., ideo forte satius erit cum Chrysostomo et aliis partem iianc in gratia sic exponere, per gratiam a Spiritu sancto donatam; ut ostendatur, inquit Oecumenius, haec quae praecipit sine gratia Dei impleri non posse. Nec refert, utrum praecedentibus an sequentibus haec particula jungatur, id quod Chrysostomus ambigit: nam utrovis modo sententia constabit. Porro Theophylactus et alium adfert sensum minime rejiciendum: In gratia, hoc est, cum gratia et voluptate spirituali, scilicet eorum, qui audiunt. Ut enim profana cantica carnalem excitant oblectationem, ita sane convenit, ut spirituales et sacrae cantilenae gratiam habeant, id est, oblectationeiu pariant spiritualem. Congruit cum hoc sensu id, quod sequenti capite dicitur: Sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus.
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17. Omne quodcunque faciiis in verbo aut in opere, omnia in nomine Domini Jesu Christi. Multi codices addunt, facite: sed in Graeco non habetur, nt nec in emeudatioribus Latinis, ac nominatim iis, quae sunt Romanae correctionis. Supplendum tamen relinquitur ex praecedenti verbo facitis. Praeceptum hoc Apostoli generale est; sed cujus intellectus non modicum habet difficultatis, de qua diximus in explanatione duorum locorum similium, quorum alter est 1 Cor. 10. Sive manducatis, inquit, sive bibitis, sive aliud quid facitis, omnia in gloriam Dei facite. Alter ejusdem Epistolae capite ultimo: Omnia vestra in charitate fiant. Imprimis quod illis locis adraonuimus, hic repetendum nobis est, eos non parum aberrare a mente Apostoli, qui sententias hujusmodi non praecepti, sed consilii tantummodo vim habere existimant. Quibus rursus assenticur Cajetanus hoc loco, dum dicit, non semper intervenire peccatum, si secus fiat, sed sclum meriti perditionem. At hujusmodi intellectum etiam S. Thomas aperte rejicit in commentario. Sed dices, si praeceptum est, cur non ex eo sequitur, infideles in omni opere peccare, utpote non facientes, quod hic de omni opere praecipitur, ut fiat in nomine Domini Jesu? Neque enim dici potest, homines Christum prorsus ignorantes aliquid in ejus nomine facere, ne quidem implicite. Sic enim omnes infideles implicitam haberent fidem Christi, quod absurdissime dicitur. Ad hanc objectionem, quae Cajetanum etiam movit in diversam partem, clara responsio est: infideles, quibus de Christo nihil fuit annuntiatum, hoc praocepto non includi aut teneri; quemadmodum nec ullo praecepto tenentur ad fidem Christi mediatoris, priusquam eis annuntietur. Verum de fidelibus restat quaestio, cur stante hoc praecepto non peccent in omni opere, quod non faciunt in nomine Christi, etiamsi caetera omnia adsint ad operis moralis honitatom necessaria. Brevitor respondetur cum S. Thoma, non esse necessarium neque ab Apostolo praeceptum, nt omnia fidelium opera actu fiant in gloriam Dei atque in nomine Clnisti, sed sufficere, ut saltem habitu sic fiant. Habitu inquam, id est, virtute seu virtuali intentione, quomodo vocabulum habitu jfcxta mentem S. Thomae exposuimus in comment. 1 Cor. 10. Quod si nec habituali, id est viituali, intentione fiant in nomine Christi, certe quantumvis speciosa sint opera, non videntur effugere pcsse reprehensionem ex eo, quod contra p-acceptum hoc Apostolicum, imo divinum fiant. Nequw enim hic aliud praecipit Apostolus,quam qnoddivinijuris est, imo et naturali.i; vide praesupposita. Nam sensus Apostoli est: Christianum omnia Christiane agere debere, hoc est, in omnibus actionibus suis saltem habitualiter, uti dictum est, tendere in Deum creditum et speratum, idque per meritum Christi fide apprehensum. Hoc enim est, quod ait: omnia in nomine Domini Jesu Christi. Ratio autem sententiae est, quia cum finis ille supernaturalis per ejusmodi medium sit homini Christiano propositus, debent omnes ejus actiones intentione saltem virtuali illuc, per idem medium dirigi. Hoc autem loco peculiariter expressit Apostolus ipsum medium dicens: in nomine Christi, quod in hac Epistola contra eos ageret, sicut annotavit Chry- 8ostomus e<" Theophylactus, qui pro Christo angelos, servatores ac mediatores introducebant. A sensu jam dato non arbitror esse diversum, quem Apostoli verbis subjicit S. Ambrosius lib. 3. de virginibus ita scribens: Omnia ergo dicta nostra factaque referimus ad Christum, qui vitam fecit ex morte, lucem creavit ex tenebris. Sic ille. Nam et Augustinus ad hunc modum loqu;tur, enarrans Psalm. 54. Intentio dirigatur in finem, dirigatur in Christum. Quare finis dicitur? quia quicquid agimus, ad illum referimus. Viie nostra in 2. d. 26. de dilectione Dei super omnia, et de implendis Dei mandatis modo supernaturali.
Gratias agentes Deo et Patri per ij)su?n. Plenius haec pars posita est in Epistola ad Eph. 5., sic enim ibi legitur: Gratias agentes semper pro omnibus in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi Deo et Patri. Igitur quod hic dicit: gratias agentes, intelligitur non quomodocunque, sed semper pro omnibus, et quod hic dicit per ipsum, exponitur per illud: in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Natio perspicua est, quia per Christi meritum omnia nebis dona salutaria a Deo Patre pvoveniunt.
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18. Mulieres subditae estcte viris, sUnt oportet, in Domino. Quemadmodum in Epistola ad Ephesios ita et hic, atque eodem ordine, a generalibus praocepfcis adspeciab*a descendit; ea nimirum, quae ad familiam recte constituendam spectant. Graeca sic exactius alii verterunt: uxores subditae estote propriis viris, sicut convenit in Domino. Nec temere propriis, additum est, sicut et ad Ephesios. Per hoc enim avocare voluit mulierum cogitationem a viris alienis. Parriculam in Domino, multi construunt cum proximo verbo oportet aut convenit; ut sensus sit: sicut postulat CLristi doctrina, aut sicut decet Christianas mulieres. At rectius Graeci referunt ad illud remotius subditae estote, ut sensus sit: Uxores viris vestris subditae sitis in Domino, id est, juxta Christi legem et doctrinam, et quatenus ea permittit. Nam hujusmodi subjoctio convenit, decet, ornat ipsas mulieres. Constructionem hanc et expo sitionem col;firmat alterum Apostoli praeceptum Eph. 6. Filii obedite parentibus vestris in Domino.
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19. Viri diligite uxores. Nonnulli codices addunt vestras, quod in Graeco non habetur. Nam ex praecepto praecedenti supplendum relinquitur proprias. Viris dilectionem praecipit erga uxores, ut noverint iis praeesse, easque regere, non imperiose, sed cum dulcedine charitatis, qua tempevetur ac levius illis reddatur onus potestatis virilis. Et nolite amari esse ad ilhis. Id est, ne sitis amarulenti, morosi, difficiles adversus eas, sed commodos ac faciles vos eis praebete. Notant Graeci, amarulentiam oriri solere inter personas amatas, cum dissidere coeperint. Praecepta haec mutui officii conjugum multo fusius in Epist. ad Ephes. tradit et commendat Apostolus ex analogia Christi et Ecclesiae.
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20. Filii obedite parentibus per omnia. Graece secundum omnia, id est, iu omnibus, videlicet iis, ad quae praecipienda parentum potestas se extendit; qualia sunt, quae ad dis.ciplinam morum, curamque domesticam spectant; ut exponit S. Thomas 2. sec. q. 104. art. 5. ad 1. Neque enim praecipere potest pater filio, ut uxorem ducat aut non ducat, ut monasticen profiteatur, et quicquid his simile ad totius vitae statum pertinens. Haec enim sunt extra terminos juris paterni. Quare commentarius ejusdem doctoris in hunc locum, exponentis omnia, scilicet, quae non sunt contra Deum; quod alii dicunr. licita et honesta, non est sufficiens.
Hoc enim placitum est in Domino. In multis libris Graecis sine praepositione: Hoc enim est beneplacitum Domino. Ambrosianus: Hoc etiim placet Deo. Sed et codices quidam L itini MSS. praepositionem omittunt: atque eo modo planto** est sermo, quo praeceptum smnn commendat Apostolus, quia praeceptum Domini est, et si fiat, Domino placitum, acceptum est. Caeterum ejus loco ad Ephes. dixit: Hoc enim jtistum est.
3:21
21. Patres nolite ad indignationem provocare filios vestros. Ad indignctionem, vel nt Ambrosianus legit: ad iram, interpretis additio est, cum Graeca vox in genere significet provocare. Sed tamen provocationem ad iram intelligi, docet sententia prorsus similis Eph. 6., ubi loco hujus verbi aliud est, quod significat irritare, id est, ad iram provocare. Prohibetur autem nimia parentum severitas, quae filios exasperet et ad desperationem adigat. Unde sequitur: Ut non pusiUo animo fiant. Id est, ne animum despondeant, ne nnimo dejiciantur atque resiliant ab officio, vel etiam a ride ChrUti suscepta.
3:22
2'2. Servi obedite per omnia dominis carnalibus. Oraece: iis, qui secundum camem domini sunt, id est, secundum corpus, quasi dicat: non secundum spiritum. Hac e.rim ratione vos simul et jlli communem habetis Dominum, Christum. Idem praece^tum est Ephes. 6., nisi quod hic additur per omnia. Quod quo modo sit accipiendum, paulo ante diximus. Intelliguntur enim omnia, quae pertinent, ut ait S. Thomas loco supra citato, ad jus dominativae potestatis, id est, ad quaecunque jus domini, quod in servum habet, extenditur.
Non ad oculum servientes, quasi hominibus placentes. Haec totidem verbis scripta sunt ad Ephes., ut non sit opus sensum hic repetere. Tantum moneo, Graeca hujus loci Latine aic propius exprimi posse: Kon ad oculum obsequiis exhibitis, velut qui hominibus placere studeatis. Sed in simplicitate cordis. Id est, recto et simplici corde sine simulatione. Duplicat enim cor hypocrita, d;im alius vult videri quam esse: quod utique facit, qui ad oculum servit. Referenda est haec pars ad praecedens verbum obedite, sicut et iu Epist. ad Eph.. non autem ad id, quod sequitur:
Timentes Deum. Hoc licet ad superiorem doctrinam pertineat, seorsim tamen pronuntiandum est, 'juasi dicat Apostolus: haec inquam facite, Dei timorem, qui videt abscondita cordis, ante oculos habentes. Sodem pertinent sequentia:
3:23
23. Quodcunque facitis, ex animo operamini, sicut Domino et non hominibus. Id est, omne rainisteriiHn et obsequium, quod impenditis d uninis vestris, facite non ad oculum aut coacte, sed libenter promptoque ac liberali animo; perinde atque si Christo Domino, et non hominibus ministraretis.
3:24
24. Scientes, quod a Domino accipietis retributionem haereditatis. Dixi, inquit, sicut Domino et non hominibus, quia tametsi forte nulla aut exigua mercos ab hominibus, quibus servitis, exspectanda vobis sit, multo minus haereditas, quam homines non dant nisi filiis: certi tamen esse debetis, quod a Christo Domino mercedem eximiam sitis recepturi, ipsam scilicetbaereditatemfiliorum; quasi dicat: IJle vos pro servitute, quam reputabit sibi impensam, ex servis filios Dei faciet, et ad communionem haereditatis filiorum admittet. Pro rUributione, Graece est avTa7to<5oai<;. Quae vox manifeste facit pro meritis operum, significat enim redditionem seu compensationem ejus, quod datum esc. Ubi tamen semper meminisse opjrtet, Deum, bona opera remunerantem, nihil aliud quam sua dona coronare. Porro sententia haec ad Ephesios ita legitur: Scientes quoniam unusquisque, quodcunque fecerit bonum, hoc recipiet a Domino, sive servus, sive liber.
Domino Christo servite. Graece et Syriace: Nam Domino Christo servitis. Favet et textus Ambrosianus, ia quo locus iste sic habet: Certi, quod a Domino recipietis retributionem haereditatis Domini Christi, cui servitis. Secundum nostram lectionem sensus est: Cum igitur a Christo siiis recepturi mercedem bonae servitutis, ita servite dominis vestris carnalibus, tanquamChristo Domino. Graeca lectio sensum exhibet planiorem. Ne miremini, inquit, me dicere, quod cum serviatis hominibus, mercedem sitis recepturi a Domino; nam si bene servitis, Christo Domino servitis. Omne enim bonum opus obsequium est et servitus Dei. Hunc sensum etiam S. Thomas adfert, utique ex auctore aliquo Graeco.
3:25
25. Qui enim injuriam facit, recipietid, quod inique gessit. Vocula enim ex praecedenti parte videtur huc translata. Nam Graece est: Qui autem injuste facit etc. Sensus est: Non solum bonae servitutis mercedem a Domino recipietis, verum etiam illatae vobis injuriae ab injustis dominis haud manebunt multae. Quicunque enim injuria quemcunque affecerit, quantumvis magnus et potens ille sit; reteret id, quod injuste egit, id est, poenam recipjet injustitiae suae debitam. Graeci locum hunc ad seivos referunt injuriam facientes dominis suis. Similiter Ambrosianus. Verum nostram expositionem, quae eadem est Anselmi, Aquinatis et Cajetani, veriorem arguit contextus, ac praecipue sententia proxime sequens, quam et in Epist. ad Eph. dominis proponit:
Et non est personarum acceptio apud Deum. In Graeco et Syriaco non additur apud Deum, satis tamen ex aliis locis ac praesertim ad Ephesios 6. intelligitur supplendum esse. Significat Apostolus, Deum judicem, apud quem non est personarum rospectus, sed ponderatio meri torum, non parciturum dominis, si quid injuste egerint adversus servos. Sed quid est, quod Apostolus tani hoc loco quam ad Ephesios prolixius immoratur servis institujndis, cum caeteris tam breviter praecipiat? Ea ratio videtur, quam expressit in 1 Tim. 6., ne nomen Domini et doctrina blasphemetur, scilicet per servorum proterviam et inobedientiam. Erant enim, qui male intelligentes libertatem, quam Christus attulit mundo, dicerent, neminem Christianum cuiquam mortalium servire debere. Quae haeresis jam ante apud Judaeos orta fuerat, quibusdam eorum dicentibus, se esse populum Dei, et proinde a tributo et servitute liberum esse. Igitur adversus hujusmodi pravam opinionem, qua Christi nomen non parum infamabatur, servos Christianos diligenter instruit Apostolus.
3:3
v. 3 mortui enim estis ; cf. 2,20: Rom. 6,3; mortem hanc mysticam subsecuta est nova vita, et vita vestra est abscondita cum Christo in Deo, vitam inierunt spiritualem, complantati cum Christo, quae tamen vita oculis et sensibus per se non apparet, ést abscondita et. manet abscondita (xéxgunvxw), sed vivitur eo modo in Deo, in quo habet uti originem suam (natus ex Deo; ex Deo sumus, 4 loan. 3,9; 4,6), ita vim et vires suas (semen Dei in eo manet 1 Ioan. 3,9), ut scil. totius vitae ratio mente et animo non versetur in mundo (Deo inimico 2,20), sed in omnibus dirigatur secundum normam divinam., Mors haec et vita in v. 3 maximam effért oppositionem ad. doctrinam pseudodoctorum et ad eorum agendi ralionem : non sunt mortui nec morte mystica remoti ab elementis mundi (cf. 2,20.21), iis enim adhuc reguntur, imo et alios regere student; vita eorum non est mente et animo abscondita in Deo; sed in externis observantiis, in exaggerata austeritate, non absconsionem, sed iudicia (2,16.18); doctrinae (2,21), actiones (v. 23). Regio vitae fidelium est in animo coniuncto cum Christo, in interna mentis unione cum Deo. Christi vita gloriosa ad dexteram Patris pariter sensibus est absconutriusque, manifestatio gloriosa
3:4
v. 4 cum Christus apparuerit, vita vestra, tunc et vos apparebitis cum ipso in gloria; fideles, ut nunc in absconsione, tunc ingloria omnibus manifesta portabunt imaginem Christi; Christus, tor. 54x» (uti B. K L, syr), vide Phil. 1,24 two tò €» Xeisvóc, causa; dam communicatio Christi quam in locutione vivere in Christo; cf. Ioan. 14,6 testatur ipse Christus : ego sum via, et veritas el vita; 11,25 ego erigant fideles; appetant illi famam sapientiae (2,98), fideles autem mortui mundo vitam in Deo absconditam degant; conforlati certa spe, fore, ut, sicul nunc cum Christoin absconsione, ita olim in eius glorioso adventu ipsi quoque gloriosi cum eo vivant. Sunt quidem fideles iamopyhy, Dupoy, xaxtav, BAaconp:lav, atoy poroyíav. èx x09 otópatos vuv. Top . xal axpoßuotia, Bápßapos, Xxúðne, 800Aoc, &AedÜepoc, &ÀÀX tà mávtA zat iy /5 7 1 , PA z [4 Y x&oty Xotovoc. 19. ' EvoUcoac0s ouv wç èxhex- M T - of s , Li , à: zol tot (JeoU &ytot zat hyannuévor o Ado va Olxttpp.oU, YPNITOTNTA, TATEYOPPOTÓVNY, " xpaüvqta, uaxpoludíav, 13. àveydpevot &AMAovw xai y«pifóucvot £auroig, èd «xb yaputóuevot tavtois, dv tc 1 JA [4 noos tiva tym popery, xalos xat ó Kúprogs £yaptcaco buiy, -0ÖTws xai perg. 14. nl xüctv 0E coórote THY Gydie nv, 0 toT. advOsopoc tfe teAetórq10;. 15. xal $ elprvm coU Xprotoð [jpafeuéro év. vaio xapB(atg boy, 3 t » 3 eis Ñy xal èzànOrjte èv Evi cópatı xal cyaxeltu È &y apiy : xÀoucioc, by x&cT sopi dddoxovtēç xai Vovletoðyteçs £aucobs pahpois, Xdovteç èy Taig xapòlaç bpa TÖ m 17. xat này Ó n &y nonse èv Xóyo 7 N èv čpyw, návta èv ovópatı xoptou "InooU (Xete- ubi ergo absconsio exclu- COL. 3,5. 348 coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona et glorificent Patrem vestrum (Matth. 5,16), vel ut luceant sicut luminaria in medio nationis pravae (Phil. 2,15). Quae iam in epistola monuit : ut ambulent digne Deo (1,10), ut sint sancti et immaculati (1,22), ut ambulent in Christo (2,6), in sequentibus magis per singula prosequitur apostolus. Et quidem prius ea docet quae pro unoquoque sunt (v. 1-17), quae sint vitanda (1-9), quae observanda (10-17); dein quae spectant ad vitam familiarum (v. 18-4,4). Admonitionem ad antecedentia adneclit inserendo civ, ergo, quod commode refertur ad v. 1.2, quia inde ipsa locutio partim repetitur
3:5
v. 5 mortificate ergo membra (vestra) quae sunt super terram; cur membra nominet, explicant) quia supra de corpore carnis erat sermo (2,11) et corpus nostrum appellatur corpus peccati (Rom. 6,6) vel quia mox sermo fit de vetere homine cum actibus suis; veterem hominem seu corpus peccati coagmentatum esse ex variis peccatorum generibus veluti membris et diversis partibus (Ca. Est. Iust.). Cur addatur attributum «à èn} «3c 7, varie explicare conantur; vocantur terrena, quia velut in lerram deprimunt hominem et a Deo elongant (Est.), quia pertinent ad corpus velut instrumentum sensus carnalis (Abbott); non ut distinguantur ab alio genere membrorum, sed ut efferatur quod membris hominis generatim convenit et hoc loco ab apostolo spectatur, scil. iam non tà ¿nì «7c yrs ocovetv 3,2 ( Hpt.) ; aliter censet Lightf., membra nostra posse esse super si sunt instrumenta Christi — quae opinio de membris nostris iam nunc Meliorem rationem indicavit Ew.; haec expressio enim de membris quae sunt super terram, in omni enans satis mira videtur (nisi cui recursus ad 3,2 sufficere videatur et mera illa repetitio verborum); loquitur apostolus de hominibus quos a vitiis removere et ad optimos mores adducere vult; nunc hos homines vel eorum membra versari super terram, res est sane sole meridiano clarior. Unde à priore constare videtur hanc expressionem de membris apostolum non ex suo depromptum angelorum et suas visiones (2,18) membra « £z! «7i; Y; iactabant essé mortificanda, quia ieiunia, ausleritatem corporis, multiplicem abs- Linentiam commendabant, quibus «X ¿nt «7 ys tollerentur, ut ad sublimia redderentur apta. Contra horum deliramenta nunc docet apostolus, quae nimia austeritate et ieiunationibus sunt mortificanda, neque jen yn vna 4501, wi biyns sunt eiusmodi membra, sed, ait apostolus, membra mortificanda z ¿nì the 17s sunt vitia; haec mortificate, vexpóoaze : imperativo
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v. 6 propter quae venit ira. Dei, editiones criticae hic sistunt; item B cum Cypr. Ambrst, versione sah, aeth; verum sat multi testes addunt idem quod legitur Eph. 5,6super filios ineredulitatis, £x «obe uioù vic éxetüs/zc, homines obstinatos seu pervicaces; anteaipsi quoque Colossense$ eiusmodi peccatis erant obstricli
3:7
v. 7 in quibus et vos ambulastis aliquando, v oi; refertur melius ad illa peccata; per se posset intelligi : inter quos filios incredulitatis vos vitam degistis; verum etiam nunc vivunt inter incredulos; ergo hic non poterit esse sensus, et tum £v oi; signum esse videtur illud ¿m zoXx uio) non pertinuisse ad textum, prout ex Ephraem quoque patet; cum viveretis in illis, additur quasi aliqua ratio, . cur ambulaverint in peccatis, eoscil. tempore quo tota eorum vita £v tovvou in hisce versaretur, ubi ex omni parte nihil aliud cernebant nisi pec- | cata ; peccata eorum praeterita eisin memoriam revocavitiam 4,91 et 2,13. In oppositione ad priorem epocham peccatorum pergit apostolus
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v. 8 nunc autem deponite et vos omnta, xa} busis, sicuti alii fideles ; omnia tà qavta, peccata omnis generis, omnia scil. quae in priore vita erant reprehensione digna; « tam dicta quam dicenda vitia » (Cai.); similiter Est. Nat.; vocem solum ad sequentia referri (Zust.) non probatur; iram, indignationem 9055», distinctio vocum varia affertur: veteres 0vpóv (excandescentiam, Cicero latine verlit) iram subito effervescentem et mox defervescentem dicunt, àcyy indignationem paullatim exortam, séd diutius animo inhaerentem (cf. Isid. pelus. 4,223); recentiores autem 3eráv dicunt iram externe manifeslatam, ðvuóy affectum irae, indignationis in animo residentem ; vide Rom. 2,8; Eph. 4,31; malitiam, xxxíxv, de blasphemiam, convicia, contumelias, quibus alii offenduntur; turpem sermonem de ore vestro, cf. Eph. 5,4 aio;oócn; et Eph. 4,29. omnis sermo malus (sxzcó; putridus) ex ore vestro non procedat. Utrum de ore vestro pertineat solum ad turpem sermonem an etiam ad blasphemiam, parum refert ; addi autem censet Cai. «quia non-erat in potestate eorum tollere turpem sermonem ex alieno ore ». At quis credat Paulum cavisse, ne putareht mandari, uf turpem sermonem apud alios cohiberent? Aliud vitium linguae notatur v./9 nolite mentiri invicem si; dà) ove. alius ad alum, alii aliis; cf. Eph. 4,25 loquimini veritatem unusquisque cum proximo suo. Sensus est, ne alius alium mendacio fallat; eis per se non habet notionem : ne aliuscontra alium mendacia popat calumnias spargat; id iam in blasphemia prohibitum est. Quomodo duo participia exspoliantes, induentes iungenda sint, quaeritur; num ad solam ultimam sententiam : nolite mentiri invicem? at cur hoc monitum solum tanto pondere rationum fulciretur? quare alii participia explicant per modum imperativi: exspoliate vos (1ta Lightf. Hpt.); nam dicunt apud apostolum participia usu liberiore adhiberi pro impéralivis (Blass 79,10) et praeterea has notiones induendi solere alias in perativum. Aliis iste modus explicandi participia per imperativum non placet; cur enim, aiunt, recederetur a forma grammaticali, ubi nulla cernitur necessitas? Unde aliqui haec duo participia et v. 14 considerant tamquam protasin ad v. 42 : exspoliantes, et induentes... induite vos ergo ete. Verum ipsum illud ergo non apodosin, sed sententiam noyam et independentem incipit. Simplicius est haec participia referre ad antecedentia : $z50s50s, p% 'ysóBecOs, ita ut huic enumerationi peccatorum et imperativo : deponite, rationes valentissimae subdantur, cur illa penitus amovenda sint ex vita fidelium. Talem sententiarum ordinationem com- Neque ullo pacto cernitur, cur uh $«ó3:50« impedimento esse credatur, Apostolus iis in mentem revocat conditionem et vitam novam, in quam baptismo accepto ingressi sunt : ewspoliantesvos &mexBuadaevot veterem hominem cwm actibus suis, hunc. exuistis morte illa in baptimo, vide 2,11 in exspoliatione corporis carnis; Rom. 6,6 vetus homo noster concrucifixus: est, ut destruatur corpus peccati et ultra non serviamus peccato;
3:10
v. 10 et induentes xoà èvõvoduevor Induistis novum, vide Eph. 2,10 ipsius enim sumus factura, creati in. Christo Iesu et Eph. 4,24 induite novum hominem qui secundum Deum creatus est; 2 Cor. 5,17 in Christo Iesu nova. créatura (Gal. 6,15). Sensus itaque planus est ex graeco : deponite nunc haec omnia, quia (vel postquam) exuistis veterem hominem, induistis novum. Verum hunc semel induisse non sufficit; vita | consistitin actu; ideo eum qui renovatur «b» àvaxowoópevoy qui novitatem acceptam non solum conservare debet, verum illam iterum iterumque quasi renovare studio suo tenetur, i. e. debet in ista novitate crescere ` in agnitionem secundum imaginem eius qui creavit illum, à& xuabe Tobe TAY Eniyvocty (Thph.) semper viget maxime et adnititur ad cognitionem quae sit secundum imaginem Dei qui creavit eum, scil. novum hominem. Uti homo in ordine naturae creatus est ad imaginem Dei, ita modo excellentiore novus homo creatus est ad imaginem Dei per regenerationem, qua vero aliquo sensu consors fit naturae divinae. In „ordine gratiae haec supernaturalis imago relucet in iusto per gratiam sanctificantem. Hoc itaque est negotium et officium novi hominis, ut hanc Dei imaginem in se magis exprimat et in cognitione et aestimatione talis imaginis: proficiat. Id autem in opus deducetur renovatione illa, cuius auctor et | largitor est Spiritus sanctus abunde in nos effusus (Tit. 3,5), cuius gralia homo noster qui intus est b £so huy renovatur de die in diem (2 Cor. 4,46). Ipsemet Deus est exemplar, secundum quod haec renovatio efficienda est, secundum illud Christi : estote ergo vos perfecti, sicut et Pater vester coelestis perfectus est. Cum omne studium et omnis operalio necessario incipiat ac dependeat a cognitione, non videtur esse ea difficultas in locutione «si; &xfyvostv quam Haupt ibi videt. Nam quo excellentior ac sublimior Dei cognitio in animo fulget, eo maius etiam erit studium. puritatis ac sanctitatis. Quare ad tollendos defectus vitae fidelium merito in auxilium vocatur praestans Dei cognitio. Neque licet verba invertere : qui renovatur secundum imaginem elc &n(yvoaty, 1. e. ita ut renovatione ad imaginem Dei facta exsurgat veluti effectus recta cognitio de officiis vitae üdelun (ita Haupt); at cognitio debet praelucere! S Et ratione habita novi hominis quem creavit Deus, nihil prorsus interest, cuius nationis aut conditionis quis fuerit; v. ubi rov, refer ad COL. 3,11-13. 349 «016v i. €. TOY véoy &vyOponov, non est gentilis "EXXqv et Iudaeus, in hoc negolio renovalionis nihil refert ex qua natione quis veniat, nullum est discrimen Graeci et Iudaei; novus ille homo qui creatur baptismo et nova crealura non alio vel meliore modo tribuitur Iudaeo quam Graeco ; ibi non est, nihil refert circumcisio. et praeputium, regeneratio prorsus independens est a conditione priore; nihil refert, utrum quis sit barbarus et Scytha, homo in scientiis minime eruditus, barbarus, et ipse etiam Scytha, maxime omnium barbarus, eiusdem regenerationis potest fieri prae servo ratione istius renovalionis per Spiritum sanctum ; nulla est differentia nationum, eruditionis etc., sed omnia «à ndyta et in omnibus Christus; pro singulis est Christus «à x&v«x etin omnibus rebus seu conditionibus item Christus, scil. quidquid boni spiritualis in quacumque rerum conditione sperare et exspectare quivis merito polerit, hoc totum inveniet per Christum et in Christo; vide Rom. 8,32 quomodo non etiam cum illo omnia nobis donavit, et 4 Cor. 1,30; Eph. 1,10.23; 2,7. Phil. 3,8. In regno Christi solam valet nova creatura, aliis verbis: quid prodest homini, si totum mundum lucretur, animae vero suae detrimentum faciat? unum est necessarium — vivere et mori in gratia Dei. Induerunt novum hominem, sed eum cuius est continuo renovari, «ov &vxxatvoUuevov, participium praesens induit notionem attributi et adiectivi. Iam exposuit apostolus, quomodo iste novus homo debeat apparere coram hominibus indutus
3:11
E Í aoristo praecipitur quod slatim et fortiter agendum sit; nam de homine regenerato eliam scribit apostolus, spiritu fatta («às modķew) carnis esse mortificanda (Rom. 8,13) et spiritu ambulate et desideria carnis non perficietis; caro enim concupiscit adversus spiritum (Gal. 5,16). Dein haec « membra « recenset per modum appositionis; incipit a peccatis, quibus natura corrupta maxime infestaturet quae apud gentes in immensum grassabantur : fornicationem, ab ea incipit enumerationem operum carnis Gal. 5,17 et Eph. 5,3 et addit in utroque pariter loco, uti hic ipununditiam ; insuper etiam alibi monet fideles, ut fugiant fornicationem, explicite docet. quantum sit peccatum, cum apud gentiles fere non culpae verteretur, imo conqueritur quod fideles quidam nondum egerint poenitentiam super immunditia et fornicatione et impudicitia (cf. 4 Cor. 6,18; 2 Cor. 12,21. 4 Thess. 4,3); libidinem zabos, affectus est. vehementior, cui non resislitur, praesertim in re turpi (Rom. 1,26; 1 Thess. 4,5), unde z0:xoí commemorantur (Est. Lap.); concupiscentiam. lium vitium nominat apostolus ; avaritiam quae est simulacrorum servitus (cs quippe quae est ei2eXoAxtpíz, avarus Eph. 5,5 simpliciter vocatur ciboJoA sens (videl.c.). Uti Eph. 5,3, ita hie quoque zAsovezíov aliqui malunt accipere de insatiabili cupiditate turpium voluptatum (Est. Zust.); at notio propriaretinenda est. Nam, ut monet Dam., adiungit avaritiam, quippe quae sit sequela voluptatum quae pecuniarum suppeditationem requirunt; cf. Eph. 5,3. Ut caveant ab eiusmodi vitiis, addit/comminationem ultionis et poenae divinae,
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v. 42 induite vos ergo, oo» v. 10, &vBusdu.eyo:, nunc ergo exhibete vos indutos, sicut electi Dei, cf. 1,13; Eph. 1,3, tamquam tales quos Deus peculiari vocationé ex omnibus aliis sibi elegit, såncti et dilecti, utpote Deo consecrali et ab ipso singulari ratione dilecti ; tantis a Deo beneficiis cumulati prae multis aliis merito iubengentiles describit apostolus ut áveňsńpovæç (sine misericordia) et stópyovs (sine affectione, Rom, 1,31 et Prov. 12,10 viscera autem impiorum cru- "delia); benignitatem, yprszóvnzx comitatem, affabilitatem, humilitatem, animum modestum, modum agendi ab elatione et iactatione alienum, TATELVOPPOGÚVNY, alia notione quam 2,18; modestiam npaŭrnta mansuetudinem ; patientiam waxpoðvpiav, longanimitatem, lenitatem. Hae igitur sunt novi hominis partes, sc. virtutes (Thom.). Ad exercitium mansuetudinis et lenitatis praesertim spectat supportare defectus, infirmitates, molestias aliorum, v!
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13 supportantes invicem, vide Gal. 6,2 alter alterius onera portale et sic adimplebitis legem Christi ; facile venia concedenda est, si quis laesus est aut iustam causam querelae habet; et donantes vobismetipsis yaoi, óuevot &xuxoic, Eph. 4,32 donantes invicem, « inter vos ipsos condonetis iniuriam » (Ca?.) ; adhibetur enim 330 | . cor. 3,1344 &£xocoi; cum significatione vocis &XiXo:s (1 Thess. 5,13; 1. Petr. 4,8-10) ; si quis adversus aliquem habet querelam ; quod quo facilius praestetur, monet apostolus esse perpendendum, eun nobis a Domino condona- Lum sit: sicut et Dominus donavit vobis, ita et vos, Eph. 4,32 sicut et Deus bita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (seu dimisimus dońxawev, Matth. 6,19 ; nam et nos dimittimus omni debenti nobis, Luc. aliqui Ux de Condonatio benigna hoc loco A i Christo Domino, 2,13 Deo ; cf. Rom. 14,3 et 15,7. Etiam hic schiberr potuit apostolus: et adhuc excellentiorem viam vobis demonstro (1 Cor. 12,31); commendat enim nunc praeprimis caritatem, ex qua una tandem omnia antecedentia recte procedunt, et qua absente illa quoque consistere recte non possunt ;
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v. 14 super omnia autem haec, ¿zi cf. Eph. 6,14 ad omnia haec accedere debere ait caritatem ; caritatem habete,interpres apte supplevit habete, eum solum legatur thy àydnny; alii supplent induite £vBácac0s, addit Thph. veluti pallium (Zust. A bbott, zonam mavult Zpt.), verum nescio an apte : describitur enim caritas vinculum cúvõecp.os perfectionis, ligamen, ligamentum, ad quod eiusmódi suppletio haud congruere videtur ; quare etiam minime placet £x! explicare ac si diceretur: super omnia illa induite caritatem, praeter illas vestes etiam sumite indumentum (paludamentum, Obergewand) caritatis. Per modum exclamationis sententiam concipit, Eo. ad haec omnia autem : caritatem! Latinum super omnia explicant de excellentia caritatis; est enim omnium virtutum finis (finis praecepti caritas 4 Tim. 4,5) vel omnium virtutum forma et perfectio, sine qua ceterae nihil prosint, imo quae ceteras omnes secum trahat (1 Cor. 13) vel denique quia per eam continetur,unitas tolius corporis ecclesiae (Est.). Quae antecedunt, continent iam exercitium et exhibitionem caritatis. Cur ergo nunc peculiaris eius mentio fit? ab actibus progreditur apostolus ad intimum animi affectum qui actibus substare debeat, a fructibus ad arborem frugiferam. Et merito addi potest quod'iam graeci monent, fieri posse ut ea fiant in speciem, ex hypocrisi, vel animo aegro, cum asperitate, cum indignalione ; unde ostendere vult apostolus, quomodo solum haec omnia se recte habeant. Describit autem caritatem : quod est vinculum perfectionis, 8 &ccty id est : ila quaedam quasi definitio caritatis inducitur, uti Eph.3,5 avarus, id est explicatur vinculum perfectum (Thom. Cai. Est. Iust. Lap. Ew.) et uti Thom. dicit, caritas est ex natura sua vinculum, quia est uniens amatum amant, el est vinculum simpliciter perfectum, quo homines inter se col- ligantur, cum alia vincula societatum humanarum aut imperfecta sint aut etiam noxia (Est.). Haec explicatio et verbis plane congruit et sensum effert prorsus ad contextum consentaneum, qui etiam in
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v. 49 in uno corpore denuo apparet. Aliae explicationes variis defectibus onerantur et laborant. Nam perfectionis non poterit esse genitivus obiectivus: vinculum quo perfectio colligetur; quid enim sibi vult vinculum colligans per- ' fectionem? caritas iam pertinet ad perfectionem, nec perfectio notione sua est cumulus quidam rerum, qui ligamine contineri debeat. Saepius pro perfectione substituuntur virtutes, de quibus antea sermo erat; has Unde restat genitivus subiectivus : vinculum quod adest, ubi est perfectio, vel genitivus appositionis: vinculum i. e, perfectio. Sed hisce non explicatur quid sibi velit vinculum, et ad quid vinculum inserviat. Proinde in priore explicatione erit sistendum ; caritas unit animos et quidem modo perfecto, est vinculum perfectum. Reliquae enim virtutes (v. 12.13) unionem inter fideles aliquam et ex parte efformant, caritas autem modo stabili et perfecto. Atque ut vinculum hoc perfectum unionis, caritas in omnibus conservetur, aliud monitum subiungit apostolus v. 15 et pax Christi, cf. Gal. 5,22: fructus spirituscaritas, gaudium, pax; illa pax quam Christus dat ; pacem meam do vobis (loan. 14,97), exsultet in cordibus vestris - Bexfeuézo, cf. Bpgafeiov, bravium Phil. 3,44; 4 Cor. 9,24; BexBeóc moderator sum BoxBeós. Quare graeci explicant: frequenter pugnant in nobis cogitationes, aliae ad vindictam, aliae/ad longanimitatem nos impellentes; inter has sit in cordibus nostris pax óemeg Tis Bpapevths Bixaros Toutéotu xovehs xoà dovoüévrns xxi BO c0 fpxfetov vic! vicis, veluti iudex certaminis statuens normam qua victoria sit reportanda, et praemium victoriae regnet in/cordibus ipsa pax Christi. Ex notione speciali moderatoris certaminis merito colliges notionem generalem moderandi, ordinandi, dominandi. Quare melius ita explanabis: in omnibus rebus ac conditionibus domi. netur et ordinet cuncta in cordibus vestris pax Christi ; haec praevaleatet obtineat palmam prae omni affectu perturbante tranquillum ordinem caritatis et aliarum virtutum in anima (Ca. Est.); aliis verbis: pax imperet; regnet in cordibus vestris (Just. Nat.), et Lap. exinde scribit: pax Et quam necessarium sit, ut pax omnia moderetur, declaratur : in qua cic v ad quam pacem fovendam, habendam et vocati estis in uno corpore, vocati estis ad fruitionem huius pacis Christi veluti in forma unius corporis, ita ut unum corpus constituatis ; cf. Eph. 4,4-6. Habent omnes eundem Deum et Christum, eandem fidem, eadem subsidia salutis, unde unum corpus, unam societatem efformant, cuius singuli sunt membra et participes sunt bonorum totius corporis. Quare alterum adiungitur monitum : et grati estote pro tot beneficiis in hac pace Christi vobis oblatis, yívss0c : hunc animum gratum opere exhibeant neque cessent (efr. Zorell, N. T. lex., yivopa: II, 2 c. nota). Iam notavi, saepe apostolum et ipsum agere gralias et admonere ad gratiarum actionem. Haud immerito notat Cai.: universae virtutes abolerentur, si deesset gratitudo. Vox eùydpratos hoc solum loco legitur in Scriptura; habet notionem duplicem: amabilis. seu gratiosus, et gratus. Hic in notione adhiberi quam vulg. explicat et pariter syrus (sitis gratias agentes), recentiores eliam ex constanti usu ey aptovelv, eoyapiacía inferunt. ; Studium,pacis et animus gratus vehementius promovebuntur, quo magis quis intimis medullis perceperit Christi doctrinam. Quare admonet apostolus
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v. 16 verbum. Christi habitet in vobis abundanter, cL Eph: 3.475 tvoixsízo inhabitet ; plenam sibi acquirant cognitionem eamque doctrinam Christi fixam habeant in mente habeantque eam modo quodam opulento zAovsíos, non contenti qualicumque coguilione, sed uberem appetentes; uli Chrys. monet: dives facile fert damna minora, ita dives in doctrina Christi facile fert et superat adversitates. Hanc sibi comparent in omni sapientia docentes et commonentes vosmetipsos, ut quaecumque sapientia inest in doctrina Christi, hanc percipiatiset hac vos-ipsos doceatis et commonealis, ad omne bonum vos exstimuletis. Participia ex contextu vim ac notionem imperativi accipiunt ; apponuntur absolute, uli saepius fieri solet, ut efferatur, quomodo illud « inhabitet in vobis » - sit exsecutioni mandandum ; celerum cf. 1,9. Aliqui, uti Lightfoot, referunt in omni sapientia ad antecedentia ; verbum Christi habitet in vobis abundanter in omni sapientia. At cum longe plerisque melius refertur ad subsequentia, ut etiam interpunctione vulg. innui videtur. Nam membrum antecedens iam habet determinationem x«2ovcío;, dein in omni sapientia multo melius quadrat ad participia docentes et commonentes, quam ad verbum Zabitet, neque omittendus est locus parallelus 1,28: docentes: omnem hominem in omni sapientia. ' | Et quomodo se ipsos et etiam alios, seu inter se docere et adhortari possint, declaratur psalmis, hymnis, canticis spiritualibus : : &£xuroUc saepe ponitur pro Z)4Xow;, ceteroquin vide locum parallelum Eph. 5,19. Ipse apostolus docet doctrinam. Christi hymnis, canticis esse spargendam et hane poesin omnino utilem esse ad docendum et adhortandum. Eiusmodi psalmos et.cantica in coetibus sacris adhibita esse indicium | habetur i Cor. 14,26. Verum canendum est non ore tantum, sed in cordibus ( Theod.), cum attentione (CArys.) in gratia cantantes in cordibus vestris Deo; fertur leclio èv «3, dort, Ev ydprzi, utra praeferenda sit, ex auctoritate testium (fere aequali pro utraque) diiudicari nequit ; ex internis rationibus generatim praefertur àv «7, 75e:xt; ut excludatur notio: in suavitate, seu in venustate (cf. 4,6). Retento articulo significatio per se offertur duplex : vel in gratia, dono Spiritus sancti (Oec. Lightf.), ubi ¿v instrumentaliter concipi potest, vel in gratia i. e. in ahimo grato (unter Dank), quam notionem plerumque praeferunt ob v. 15 (cf. Thom. : recognoscentes gratiam Christi et beneficia Dei; Cai. in gratiarum actione, Nat. Tust. Hpt. Ew.); ali utramque acceptionem proponunt (Est. Lap.). Adhibetur quidem saepius $ 72e: notione gratiae Dei, 7 ;pw s0 úuõv (4,18 ; Act. 18,27; 2 Cor. 4,15; Gal. 5,4; Eph. 4,7 ; Phil. 1,7), et in hisce locis gratia consideratur ut donum collatum vel conferendum, ergo clarum est per se intelligi gratiam Dei. Verum in nostro loco admonentur, ut aliquid agant in gratia; sed nemo sibi simpliciter dare potest gratiam Dei; potest homo admoneri, ut petat gratiam, at vix apte, ut quid faciat in gralia Dei. Quare alterum retineatur. Deo laudes concinendae sunt in cordibus, cum intimo animi affectu, cum altentione; « hoc est enim Deo canere ; solum ore canere est aéri canere; non ad ostentationem ; nam etsiin foro versaris, potes apud tė ipsum canere nullo audiente » (Chrys. Ihph.). Ceterum, üti de lectione et notione 7&g:co; disceptatur, ita pariter de eius coniunctione. vel cum antecedentibus vel subsequentibus. Iam Chrys. varia praebet: « aut hoc dicit, quod propter gratiam haec, nobis dedit Deus; aut canticis quae sunt in gralia, zai ¿v zz pr 098i; (cum antea scribit 6i yo), aut admonentes éxvxoóc et docentes èv «ert, aut quod èv y«grvc habebant haec dona, aut haec est explicatio : a gralia Spiritus åzò zz; ydptzos toù zxvedpatos. Qui in gratia referunt ad antecedentia, explicant cum TAph., ut psalmi, hymni, cantica canantur cum suavitate ad delectationem spiritualem. At certe apostolus cem, ut hoc fiat in gratia, amabiliter. Sed haec verba longius distant; ceterum ibi supponitur lectio ¿v 74e: ;: neque èv tÅ y4pv apte adiungitur ad antecedentia; nam neque gratia Dei neque animus gratus potest referri aut ad commonitionem aut/ ad cantica spiritualia. Nemo enim potest iuberi docere, canere in gralia Dei ; neque solum animus gratus, verum plurima alia in hymnis, psalmis, canticis exprimuntur. Quare ut ab in omni sapientia membrum prius sententiae, ita ab in gratia alterum membrum aptissime inchoatur. Demum eos monet, ut tota vitae ratio ultimatim fundetur et versetur in Christo
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v. 47 omne quodcumque facitis in verbo aut opere, omnia externa ista comitem habere debent internam quandam animorum dispositionem et indolem qua fiant zn nomine Domini Iesu Christi. Nomen est ipsa persona sicuti omnibus innotescit et sese manifestat, ergo in Iesu quem norunt Dominum redemptorem, caput ecclesiae, quocum in baptismo complantati sunt : ita igitur in omnibus agant, uti decet hanc eorum unionem cum Christo, ut intimus animi affectus fixus sit ac firmus sitin Christo et proinde omnes vitae actiones generali quodam modo quasi comitem habent recordationem Christi. Exornentur dicta et facta recordatione Christi, explicat Theod.; graeci, ut invocato nomine Iesu omnia agamus vel intuentes in Christum, praecipi aiunt, (ThdM.), alii ut credentes et fidentes in eo loquamur. et operemur (Cai.), ut omnia ad eum et eius gloriam referantur (ita saepe), ubi Thom. notat, non esse necessarium, quod omnia in Deum referantur actu, sed habitu. Quomodo fieri possint omnia in Christo, videtur apostolus indicare, cum pergit: gratias agentes Deo (et) Patri per ipsum; vide Eph. 5,20; per meritum Christi enim omnia bona salutaria nobis a Deo Patre proveniunt. Omnes actiones factae in nomine Christi sunt simul actio gratiarum quaedam Deo oblata in eius s gloriam (t Cor. 10,31). -iniuriam facit, recipiet id quod ‘inique | tar 0 Tj0bxroev xod oùx čoTty npoccnoAnudüa, gessit; et non est personarum acceptio | 41. oi xópiot, TÒ 8íxatov xal thv loótnia apud Deum. 4,1. Domini, quod iustum est. | cote 800AX0tc mapéyeo0e, elBoxec OTL xai buic et aequum, servis praestate, scientes quod | Eyexe xóptov èv o9pavà. et vos dominum habetis in coelo. Ostenderat apostolus v. 44 quid regeneratio quoad novum hominem in ordine spirituali efficiat. Verum regeneratione non auferuntur neque destruuntur, quae vel generatione naturali vel certis hominum inter se pactis et conditionibus statuta sunt. Gratia quippe non destruit naturam, sed supponit eam eamque sanctificando. elevat. Verum facile acciderepoterat, ut aequalitas novi hominisannuntiata occasionem praeberethominibus inferioris status adhibendi aliquem conatum ad aequalitatem illam ultra limites extendendam. Iam monuerat apostolus : unusquisque in qua vocatione vocatus est, in ea permaneat (4 Cor. 7,20). Quare post monita omnibus accommodata descendit ad specialia pro familia, et quidem, uli Thom. dicit, secundum tres connexiones ex quibus domus constituitur, viri et uxoris, patris et filii, domini et servi. Cum priore loco inferiores admoneantur, haud temere colligere licebit, apud eos affectationes quasdam maioris libertatis serpsisse. Docet apostolus subiectionem illam auctoritati naturali debitam etiam in Christo, in religione et pietate christiana consistere; usum huius auctoritatis ordinari et regi pariter in explicatius rationibus quoque adiectis et explanalis prostant Eph. 5,22- 6,9 descripta. x i Subiectionem mulierum maritis debitam valere pro fidelibus quoque affirmatur ç &vixsv &v Kopío, sicut convenit, decet in regno Christi, in Domino, unde causa et ratio subiectionis indicatur consistere in Domino, prout etiam modus et ambitus determinatur in Domino, scil. quatenus cum doctrina morum congruit. Referunt graeci ¿v Kvoío ad ónot4oceoðe, unde oritur sententia, quasi apostolus dicat: non enim obedientiam a natura debitam solum exigo a vobis (hoc indicat per sicut oportet), sed potissimum eam quae est propter Deum. At ex v. 20 potius suadetur constructionem ut decet, in Domino retinendam. Cur ex ordine naturae diligite uxores (vestras) : &yxxà» non amorem sensualem dicit, sed dileclionem, aestimationem veram ; vult maritum non herum, sed amicum esse uxoris ; unde uh z:xo2ívec0e, ne sitis asperi, amarulenti, morosi adversus eas. Fieri enim potest, ut vir non eam inveniat in uxore perfectiorum valeat quod v: 12.13 praecipitur de christianorum inter se misericordia, benignitate, humilitate, modestia ac patientia. z Etiam filiis baptismo regeneratis non conceditur maior libertas : obedite per omnia xatà ndyta, Eph. 5,2.3 provocat apostolus ad legem (Ex. 20,42. Deut. 5,16); hoc loco placitum in Domino, imo súdpsotov valde acceptum in regno Christi, utpote praeceptum a Domino. Ut autem obedieñtia filiis fiat facilis, iubet patres non imperiose vel cum contemptu praecipere : nolite ad. indignationem provocare, nimia severitate, verbis durioribus, quibus filii amissa alacritate animum despondeant; tva t Onesimum ; hic fugerat, apostolus quidem eum remiserat ad herum, ita raverat, ut servo fugitivo venia ab hero daretur. Nonne servi fideles, si res innotuit, inde spem concipere poterant fore, ut apostolus polius servis faveret quam heris! Insuper cum servi coetibus sacris una cum heris fidelibus interessent et eorundem cum eis mysteriorum et sacramentorum et doctrinarum fierent participes, facile exoriri poterat desiderium vel opinio, decere ut haec aequalitas in re sacra etiam evaderet aequalitas quaedam in vita familiari. Apostolus contra eiusmodi desideria clare docet praestandam esse a servis obedientiam et quidem x«v& návta,
3:22
v. 22 servi, obedite per omnia, ne putent sibi utpote fidelibus quidquam praesumendum esse, dominis carnalibus «oi; xarà coxa xvpíow, |. e. conditiones illas naturales consuetudine vel lege civitatis introductas, haec xatà cXoxa apostolus mutare et abrogare non vult; sunt heri secundum mundanam rerum conditionem, et hoc ius et hanc auctoritatem agnoscit et iubet agnosci a servis. V Imo quia servi sunt fideles, non qualicumque obedientia est contentus; | debent perfecte obedire etsi herus non invigilet neque ulla poena sit timenda : non ad oculum servientes, Eph. 6,6; sensum bene reddit vulg. ; uh ¿v 0g024.0300A/4. non per modum obsequii ad oculos exhibiti, scil. heris praesentibus et videntibus ; ita agunt &v0pondosoxot, qui nihil aliud spectant quam ut placeant hominibus. Sublimius servitium a servis fidelibus praestandum est: sed in simplicitate cordis, vide Eph. 6,5 et cf. Rom. 12,8; 2 Cor. 9,11; duplicitas cordis habetur, si quis varios fines inter se contrarios prosequitur, uti v. g. hypocrita, homo non sincerus : simplicitas, si unum sincere quod rectum est et debitum ob'oculos habetur, sine simulatione aut lergiversatione, sine affectationé laudis et excellentiae ; aliis verbis est integritas animi. Et hanc simplicitatem acquirent et retinebunt timentes Deum, tòv Kóptov graece secundum plerosque testes. Servi fideles serviunt eum timentes qui est b Kúpros, qui non solum cuncta videt, sed etiam intimos animi recessus perspectos habet et qui servis obedientiam praecipit. Neque sistendum esse in noe. censet apostolus
3:23
v. 23 quodcumque facitis, ex animo operamini, operosum et molestum laborem (&py4t«50«) suscipite ¿x yvy; libenter, non aegre, non cum murmuratlione ; operamini sicut Domino et non hominibus, ita obedientia redditur nobilissima ; omnis servitus el omne obsequium ita hominibus praestatur, ut Deo exhibeatur servitium qui ita sua providentia res disposuit et talenr obedientiam imponit et requirit. Et Dominus etiam servis concedit mercedem ; ab heris servi non postulare possunt proprie mercedem, servire debent sine mercede ; at nunc servi fideles sunt
3:24
v. 24 scientes quod a Domino accipietis retributionem hereditatis zi» &vtanóðosıy plenam compensationem, &v«í pro eo quod ipsi praestiterunt, «7: x)govop/as (genit. appositionis) et haec consistit in hereditate; alias servi et'heredes inter se opponuntur (Rom. 8,15-17; Gal. 4,1.7); at servi fideles habent adoptionem filiorum et participes erunt bonorum aeternorum regni Dei ; vide Eph. 1,144.18; 5,5. Act. 20,32; exsistit ergo Dominus qui servis tribuit mercedem ; huic ergo servitium exhibeant: Domino Christo servite SovAsóece, ita legunt testes praestantiores sine particula; alii legunt ut Theod., Oec. Thph. «à yàp Kvpíw Xetevo, Domino enim servitutem praestatis; a paucis testibus fertur lectio : accipietis r. h. à Domino nostro Iesu Christo, cui servitium exhibetis à 8ovAedece). In-omni lectione declaratur obsequium et servitium homini auctoritatem habenti exhibitum ultimatim esse obedientiam Deo seu Christo praestitam; quia auctoritas illa divinitus sit constituta et rectus ordo naturalis doctrina Christi confirmetur. Pluribus et graviter commendavit apostolus, servis obedientiam v. 22servitiis praestandis damnum inferunt heris et iniustitiae commissae rei sunt et ideo poenae obnoxii
3:25
v. 25 qui enim iniuriam facit, recipiet id quod inique gessit : 6 yp à$wxuiv iniuste faciens xopísevot 9 26cn5ev. reportabit - quod iniuste fecit, punietur secundum mensuram damni, pro ratione damni quod intulit. De servis hoc dici bene explicant Chrys. Oec- Thph. Iust. Hpt. Ew., et congruit ad antecedentia. Nam si Deo seu Christo ultimatim praestatur obsequium, negligentia pariter est iniuria Deo illata, pro qua poenas luere oportet, neque enim personae examinantur et iudi- "cantur, sed res: et non est personarum acceptio (apud Deum) ; recte explicat Thph.: « christianus servus graecum et infidelem herum iniuria (damno) afficiens non arbitretur evásurum se poenam (xatáxpısıv), neque enim personarum acceptor est Christus, ut ipsi ceu christiano remittat quod adversus infidelem herum deliquit » et Oec. item: « quare hoc de 23,3), aut loquitur christianis servis, quibus domini erant graeci (infideles) ». Ergo ne servi sibi blandiantur, fore, ut ob miseram conditionem seu propter fidem susceptam sibi a Domino benigne indulgeatur, si furtis, neglectu laborum etc. heros damno affecerint. .At haec explicatio a multis non acceptatur; explicant enim ô à2:xov de hero qui iniuriam servis infert et cuius iniuriae poenas ipse non effugiet, quamvis herus sit magnus et potens. Et volunt comminationem in herum iniustum addi ad quandam servorum consolationem: iniuriae vobis illatae non manebant inultae, vel ne servi ob iniurias illatas desistant a praedictis officiis; vel: etiamsi a dominis non recipietis iustas retributiones, est iustus iudex, qui servi differentiam et domini non curat, ^viam ei qui mihi facit iniuriam? ei Thom. respondet: « non est tuum, ut vindices te, subtrahendo ei quod suum est, sed exspecta ab eo qui potest (te vindicare) »; ita concipiunt hoc de heris Theod. ThdM. Thom. Cai. Est. Nat. Abbott et alii. At minime placet apostolum, ad consolandos vel erigendos et confortandos servos afferre ultionem et vindictam quam heri experturi sint, quasi dicat : neanimo cadatis ; habébitis ultionem demum aliquando. Haec acceptio inde videtur originem duxisse, quod particula ydo arcte ad solam sententiam ultimam sit adiuncta : nam si quis vos iniuria afficit, punietur. Sed melius consideratur y? rationem afferens cur sit obediendum, et simul absolvitur admonitio servorum ne sua negligentia noceant heris. — Per se posset v. 25 generatim intelligi et de servo et de hero (Lap. Lzghtf.); ai contra est contextus. Demum heris fidelibus praecipit apostolus : 4,4 quod iustum est et aequum, servis praestate, «à 3(xatov quod ex iustitia debetur et sine iniustitia nequit denegari; xai thy isótytæ aequitatem, dicit praeter strictum debitum etiam plus esse tribuendum ratione habita variarum .conditionum, ergo id quod attentis laboribus et molestiis aequum est; nam summum ius Summa iniuria, ut fert proverbium. Non aequalitatem, sed aequitatem postulat apostolus ; bene ait Theod. : ieóctzw où Thy icotiwiav | &xd)ecev, non honoris aequalitatem, sed curam convenientem quam oportet dominos gerere servorum. Proinde praecipit, ut servos benigne et humane tractent, ne omne debitum ad amussim exigant, ne omne delic- |. tum rigide puniant (Es/.). Duas notiones graeci fere ut aequales habent; audi Chrys. : quid est iustum, quid aequum? efficere ut sit eis rerum sufficiens copia, wvrev &v &oðovíų xæðortäv (ea sine invidia, libenter praestare), et non sinere ut aliis egeant, sed pro laboribus eos remunerari (aae fec 1000s «à» nóvov). Nimium videtur, quod aliqui explicant, heris praecipi, ut servos aequales et pares sibi habeant (Gleichstellung . gewähren, Zpt.). Nonne perniciosum potius essel, tale mandatum coram omnibus statuere pro heris? Ac quis herus eliam hodie ministros suos sibi pares habet ! Apostolus neque potest neque vult servitutem subito abolere. At viam parat ad sortem servorum miligandam et ad gravamina auferenda. Quare heros fideles graviter iubet aequum praestare servis et perpendere etiam se habere dominum eumque omnium summum ; scientes quod et vos do- - minum habetis in coelo, qui rationem exiget de observatione praeceptorum ; qua igitur mensura mensi fueritis vestris servis, metietur et vobis Dominus vester ( Thph. cf. Matth. 7,2; Marc. 4,94; Luc. 6,38). Ceterum vide Eph. 6,9, ubi eadem pluribus commendantur heris fidelibus et cf. 1 Cor. 7,22 qui liber vocatus est (ad fidem), servus est Christi. Tamquam rum meorum. Grati vobiscum. Amen. / 4,2. Ti paneo) mpoaxaptepeité, yen- Yogoüvres èv aov E ey agita. 3. Tposcoy duevot &ux xal mepl fuv, tva ô Oi; &voitn uiv Üípav oU Myou, Jaja TO Mas raprov TOŬ X ouod, 8i 0 xal éea, 4. iva gavegeóto dtd, Ús Oei pe Aoi, bt b sogíz mtpumateite zpóc, robe bw, TOV xatpóv | ££ yopat; du evot. 6. 6 Adyos Ov závtote èv yæpıtt, &Xazt Tipropévoc, etdévar x6 Oct pe évl éxáotw &xoxplvecDat, 7. Tà xat’ èyè nayta yywploet buty Tutxos Ó àyanntös adehpos xal nists Owxovoc xai cóvyBouAoc èv Kupío, 8. 0v čreupa Tpos Üç elg a0x0 voüco, iva yvte tX Tepl 148v xal napaxahéon tàs xapõias bp.Gv, 9. aby Ovnolpep 1G ztot xal ayarı 806) gd, Os otw &E Op.v. návta Óv yvwpisovoty cz E. iy «alg mpoccoyaie, iva arabire Tékeiot xal xemnpeopopnpévot èv mavii Belafpacrt toU nóvoy bzio Op xal tõy iv Aqoðxety xal x&g ólaxpog Ó ayants, xal Anu&s. 15.’ As- Nuugäy xal thvxat” olxoy aðtoŭ èxxànolav, 16. xai Gxav avayywshĂ nap’ buv h xta coda, xovjcate iva. xal èv vij Aao8uéy. boost &yoc(ytogOTi, xal vy Ex Aaodixelas tva xat peis àvayvõte. . ecclesiae partes tunc temporis; constabat enim tunc ecclesia tantum ex domibus; pe igitur singulas domus instruxit, instruit modo omnes simul v. 2 orationi instate, xgocxapzeecize, assidue et constanter et perseveranter ;, dirigitur verbum contra periculum flaccescendi, contra socordiam ; vigilantes in ea, « nam quoniam orationi instare saepe facit flaccere, $a0uueiv, ideo dicit : vigilantes, 1. e. sobrii, non vagantes, whbeu Bépevor (Chrys). Verum haec notio : ne deficiant desistentes, iam satis in verbo graeco continetur ; quare in ypnyopčvtes potius aliud spectandum erit, scil. monitum illud Christi saepius repetitum ybnyopeïte, vigilate (Matth. 24,42; 95,13; Marc. 13,35.37 quod vobis dico, omnibus dico : vigilate); haec vigilantia iungenda est cum assidua oratione; sit vigilantia haec comes orationis (cf. ¿v de societate vel comitatu), prout Christus praecipit : vigilate itaque omni tempore orantes (Luc. 21,36); in gratiarum actione, comes orationis sit actio gratiarum; nam « in omnibus gratias agite; haec est enim voluntas Dei in Christo Iesu in omnibus vobis» (4 Thess. 5,18) ; neque enim meretur beneficia nova, qui de acceptis esset ingratus (Thom.). Ceterum vide Eph. 6,18. Uti 2 Thess. 3,1 et Rom. 15,30 et Eph. 6,19, ita hic quoque póstulat preces fidelium, ut sermo Dei currat et clarificetur ;
3:1
… Even the Incarnation was called p. (St. Ignatius, Ad Philad. 9:2: it was the first theme of the εὐαγγέλιον; perhaps II Pt. 1:16). The p. of Christ is the beginning and the epilogue, the inauguration and the conclusion, the faith and the "blessed hope" (Tit. 2:11-13; Col. 3:1-4); it is not limited to the terminal episode of the human drama; therefore "to await the p." (I Cor. 1:7; Phil. 3:20; Rom. 8:19-25) is not equivalent to awaiting the end of the world. …
The initial dialogue between the celebrant and the people contains the three traditional phrases with the corresponding responses of the people: the celebrant's greeting and the two exhortations Sursum corda (Jn 11:41; Col 3:1; Lam 3:41) and Gratias agamus (a similar formula pronounced by the Jews after the meal), already referred to by St. Cyprian and by Hippolytus. …
3:3
… This assertion is confirmed by many other expressions of St. Paul and of the New Testament in general, in which the Christian life is described as beginning and unfolding in union with Jesus (cf. Eph. 2:5-7; Col. 2:20; 3:3; 1 Pt. 3:21; Phil. 3:10, etc.). …
3:4
… Christian education has as its proper and immediate end to cooperate with divine Grace in forming the true and perfect Christian, for whom life is Christ (Col. 3, 4) and all activities are manifestations of Christ in him (II Cor. 4, 11), and therefore it embraces the whole range of human life,
2. The morals of the mystical body: 1) The Apostle's fundamental affirmation on this point is that the life of the Christian is the very life of Jesus: "Christus vita vestra" (Col. 3, 4). It is Jesus who lives in us, who speaks in us, who suffers in us: "With Christ I am nailed to the cross. …
3:5
… virulence of concupiscence (v.), the effort imposed on the Christian to re-establish the disturbed equilibrium, painfully stripping himself of whatever belongs to the "flesh of sin" and putting on the new man modeled on Christ (Rom. 7:14-24; 13:12-14; Col. 3:5-8). Hence the Christian must be ready for the fight like a soldier armed cap-a-pie (Eph. 6:10-18), like the athlete, accustomed to harsh exercises, who strikes the enemy (himself) until …
… The word is of Pauline origin (Col. 3:5; Rom. 8:13).
… nature, of the first Adam, of the old man, as opposed to Jesus, the new Adam, as St. Paul expresses it several times: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds, and putting on the new" (Col. 3, 5, 10; cf. I Cor. 15, 45). 3) Renewed in this way, the Christian will manifest all the virtues that are a consequence of the life of Jesus within him: sincerity, which shrinks from falsehood: …
3:9
… sin. A restoration begun with Baptism, which is rebirth in the risen Christ (Rom. 6, 4-11), a new life nourished by faith and charity (I Cor. 13; Eph. 3, 14-19), whereby a new creation is brought about (II Cor. 5, 17), the new man clothed in Christ (Col. 3, 9; Gal. 3, 27), living of Christ (Gal. 2, 20). The synthesis of St. Paul's thought, which vibrates in all the Epistles (Eph., first chapters) is read in Tit. 3, 5: « Secundum suam misericordiam …
The Christocentric idea of his theology also dominates the ethics of P., who loves to speak of moral "death" and "resurrection" (Rom. 6:4, 6, 11; Col. 2:20-3:8), of the necessity of "putting off" the old personality (= Adam) in order to "put on" the new (= Christ; cf. Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4:20-24; Col. 3:9-11). Just as in Christology P. dwells at length on liberation from the tyranny of the flesh, so in the moral field he insistently demands the renunciation of the flesh in order to follow …
… 5:17). The spirit, which is fundamentally the divine Holy Spirit, in the interior of the regenerated man is the new spirit introduced by God (foretold by Ez. 11:19-20; 36:26-27; cf. Ps. 50:12), which constitutes the new man or new creature (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10; II Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15); it removes "the body of the flesh" or carnal body (Col. 2:11).
Supernatural Gifts and Original Justice
This doctrine is founded upon the great truth that Jesus is the new Adam who repairs what the first had lost (Rom. 5, 9-21; II Cor. 5, 15-21; Eph. 1, 4-12; 4, 22-24; Col. 1, 12-22; 3, 9-10). Since this state of interior justice and holiness consists essentially in sanctifying grace, it follows that it was given to the first man antecedently to sin. The supernatural gifts …
3:10
… Its destruction in 70 A.D. was the most manifest sign that the ancient covenant was by then finished, and that the Messiah had already come (Gen. 49:10). J. had lost its supremacy; henceforth there was no longer Jew nor Gentile, but only those reborn in Christ (Gal. 3:26-29; Col. 3:10 ff.).
… expression does not exclude the reality and interiority of the divine gift of grace, but rather highlights its meritorious and efficient cause and its purpose, which is to make us like Christ and to imprint on us his moral physiognomy (cf. I Cor. 15:49; Col. 3:10; Rom. 8:29). The Council of Trent defines: "Whoever says that grace is only the favor of God, without this favor placing anything in us, let him be anathema" (sess. …
3:11
… Greco-Roman civilization and power were in fact identified with paganism (1 Cor. 1:22-24). But in Christianity, once every distinction except faith in Christ is removed, there is no longer any distinction between Jews and Greeks (Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28), nor between Greeks and barbarians (Rom. 1:14; Col. 3:11). Greece was the hearth from which civilization spread throughout the ancient world ("oikoumène"). …
… all. And finally, all those converging principles of unity culminate in the common end of the eternal kingdom, to which we are predestined by the decree of the heavenly Father, to the glory of his Only-Begotten, who will finally be omnia in omnibus (Col. 3:11). To sum up, there are seven principles of unity in the mystical body: 1st the vital influence of the Head; 2nd the proper action of the Sacraments, and especially of the Eucharist; …
3:12
… 2:17; the Septuagint renders with this word the double divine attribute ḥannûn and raḥûm (Vulg. misericors et miserator) of Ex. 34:6; Ps. 110:4, etc. He who, like God, forgives wrongs received, who imitates Jesus "compassionating" (Hebr. 2:17; Col. 3:12) the wretched by sharing and alleviating their physical and moral sorrows (not only by almsgiving, as St. Gregory of Nazianzus and
… Let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, to which you have been called in [forming] one body, and be thankful" (Col. 3, 12).
… His immeasurable m. shines through, barely covered by a veil, in the parables of the prodigal son, of the lost sheep, of the good Samaritan (cf. also: Mt. 6:12; 25:35 ff.; Mk. 4:24). Behind the teaching of Christ is that of the Apostles (Col. 3:12; Eph. 4:32).
3:14
CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. - In its ideal content it entails the complete realization of the Christian life as opposed to its beginnings, that is, the fullness of goodness in the supernatural moral order (Phil. 3:15; Col. 3:14; I Cor. 2:6; Jas. 1:4). He is called "perfect" who practices in the most excellent degree possible, according to the measure of the grace communicated to him, that complex of virtues …
… wrote on each virtue (for 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).
… The commitment of the Christian is to form "a new creature" perfect and to live "in Christ." This can be realized only with the acquisition of the various moral virtues under the vivifying and unifying action of "charity" (cf. I Cor. 13, 1-13), which is "the bond of perfection" (Col. 3, 14).
3:16
117). The use of psalms, hymns, canticles, and among these there may also be the biblical Psalms, is recommended by St. Paul (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
… Writing to the Ephesians (Eph. 5:19) he says: « Loquentes vobismetipsis in psalmis et hymnis et canticis spiritualibus, cantantes et psallentes in cordibus vestris Domino ». He has a similar expression also in the letter to the Colossians (Col. 3:16). Ecclesiastical tradition has not preserved for us sufficient elements to distinguish with precision these three categories of songs, and especially the canticles in comparison with …
3:18
This duty of obedience is recalled several times by St. Paul, sometimes explicitly (Eph. 5:24; Col. 3:18), sometimes implicitly (1 Cor. 11:3, 9; Eph. 5:22-23; cf. also 1 Pet. 3:1).
3:19
a) the duty of mutual love (cf. Eph. 5, 25, 28; Col. 3, 19; I Tim. 2, 15); a grave duty, which imposes the obligation to love one's spouse more than one's parents and children;
3:21
PUSILLANIMITY. - Etymologically (animus pusillus) it denotes a weak mind, a small spirit; it is used at times in a good moral sense (Is. 35:4; 1 Thess. 5:14); but generally it is used in a pejorative moral sense (Ps. 54:9; Sir. 7:9; Lk. 12:28; Col. 3:21), and it may be defined as: the disposition of spirit of one who withdraws from the duty and the sacrifice of confronting or pursuing something, because he judges it to be beyond the …
3:22
… It exhorted slaves, it is true, to be patient, resigned, obedient, but at the same time it commanded masters to treat them as brothers, as themselves, because before God there is neither slave nor free (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 6:5-9; Col. 3:22-24). Moving is St. Paul's letter to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus, his runaway slave, received, converted and sent back to his master: "receive him no longer as a slave, but as a beloved …
3:23
… justified man. "A man will reap whatever he has sown... from the flesh corruption, from the spirit eternal life" (ibid. 6:8). "Each will receive his wages according to his own labor" (1 Cor. 3:8) and "from the Lord the recompense of the inheritance" (Col. 3:23) "on the day of the Revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to each according to his works" (Rom. 2:6-7). The justified are like athletes competing in a race: "Run …
3:24
… The loving and solicitous appeal to the copious reward of heaven, to the recompense of the inheritance, to the incorruptible crown that awaits the athletes of the spirit, is continuous in the Gospel and in the preaching of the Apostles (cf. Mt. 5:12; Lk. 12:5; I Cor. 9:24; Col. 3:24). Therefore so-called disinterested love, understood as a habitual and exclusive attitude of the spirit, besides being psychologically absurd, is theologically erroneous. …
3:25
… It is therefore defined as: «Iniustitia qua praefertur persona personae propter causam indebitam» (Van Espen, Ius ecclesiasticum, p. 11, th. 31, c. 1, n. 1). The origin of the expression is biblical (Rom. 2:11; Col. 3:25). The Septuagint, translating the Hebrew ndia "intueri faciem," renders it with the Greek word προσωποληψία, "acceptio personae."
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.