The Christian’s rest. We are to enter into it through Jesus Christ.
That they must feare to be excluded out of the foresaid rest (vvhich he proueth out of the psalme) 12 considering that Christ seeth their most invvard secretes. 14 And that he (as their Priest vvho also him self suffered) is able and ready to strengthen them in confession of their faith.
1Let us fear therefore lest, the promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should be thought to be wanting.Temiamo adunque, che per disgrazia abbandonata la promessa di entrare nella requie di lui, si trovi alcuno di voi restar indietro.LET vs feare therfore lest perhaps forsaking the promis of entring into his rest, some of you be thought to be vvanting.Timeamus ergo ne forte relicta pollicitatione introëundi in requiem ejus, existimetur aliquis ex vobis deesse. 2For unto us also it hath been declared in like manner as unto them. But the word of hearing did not profit them, not being mixed with faith of those things they heard.Imperocché noi pure abbiam ricevuto la buona novella, come anche quelli. Ma non giovò loro la parola udita, non contemperata con la fede delle cose udite.For to vs also it hath been denounced, as also to them but the vvord of hearing did not profit them, not mixt vvith faith of those things vvhich they heard.Etenim et nobis nuntiatum est, quemadmodum et illis: sed non profuit illis sermo auditus, non admistus fidei ex iis quæ audierunt. 3For we, who have believed, shall enter into rest; as he said: As I have sworn in my wrath: If they shall enter into my rest; and this indeed when the works from the foundation of the world were finished.Imperocché entreremo nella requie noi, che abbiamo creduto; conforme disse: come giurai nel mio sdegno: non entreranno nella mia requie e certamente compiute le opere dopo la fondazione del mondo.For vve that haue beleeued, shal enter into the rest: as he said, As I svvare in my vvrath, if they shal enter into my rest: and truely the vvorkes from the foundation of the vvorld being perfited.Ingrediemur enim in requiem, qui credidimus: quemadmodum dixit: Sicut juravi in ira mea: Si introibunt in requiem meam: et quidem operibus ab institutione mundi perfectis. 4For in a certain place he spoke of the seventh day thus: And God rested the seventh day from all his works.Imperocché parlò egli del settimo giorno in un luogo in tal guisa: e si riposò Iddio il settimo giorno da tutte le opere sue.For he said in a certaine place of the seuenth day, thus: And God rested the seuenth day from al his vvorkes.Dixit enim in quodam loco de die septima sic: Et requievit Deus die septima ab omnibus operibus suis. 5And in this place again: If they shall enter into my rest.E qui pure: non entreranno nella mia requie.And againe in this, If they shal enter into my rest.Et in isto rursum: Si introibunt in requiem meam.
6Seeing then it remaineth that some are to enter into it, and they to whom it was first preached did not enter because of unbelief:Dacché adunque vi resta, che alcuni entrino in essa, e quegli, a' quali fu da prima annunziata la buona novella, a motivo della incredulità non vi entrarono:Because then it remaineth that certaine enter into it, and they to vvhom first it vvas preached, did not enter because of incredulitie:Quoniam ergo superest introire quosdam in illam, et ii, quibus prioribus annuntiatum est, non introierunt propter incredulitatem: 7Again he limiteth a certain day, saying in David; To day, after so long a time as it is above said: To day if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts.Stabilisce di nuovo un dato giorno, oggi, dicendo presso Davidde, tanto tempo dopo, conforme è stato detto di sopra: oggi se la voce di lui udirete, non vogliate indurare i vostri cuori.againe he limiteth a certaine day: To day, in Dauid saying, after so long time, as is aboue said, To day if you shal heare his voice: doe not obdurate your hartes.iterum terminat diem quemdam, Hodie, in David dicendo, post tantum temporis, sicut supra dictum est: Hodie si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra. 8For if Jesus had given them rest he would never have afterwards spoken of another day.Imperocché se Gesù avesse dato loro la requie, non avrebbe mai parlato in appresso di un altro giorno.For if Iesus had giuen them rest: he vvould neuer speake of an other day aftervvard.Nam si eis Jesus requiem præstitisset, numquam de alia loqueretur, posthac, die. 9There remaineth therefore a day of rest for the people of God.Rimanvi pertanto un sabatismo pel popolo di Dio.Therfore there is left a sabbatisme for the people of God.Itaque relinquitur sabbatismus populo Dei. 10For he that is entered into his rest, the same also hath rested from his works, as God did from his.Imperocché chi è entrato nel riposo di lui, si è egli pare preso riposo dalle opere sue, come Dio dalle proprie.For he that is entred into his rest, the same also hath rested frō his vvorkes, as God from his.Qui enim ingressus est in requiem ejus, etiam ipse requievit ab operibus suis, sicut a suis Deus. 11Let us hasten therefore to enter into that rest: lest any man fall into the same example of unbelief.Affrettiamci adunque di entrare in quella requie: affinchè alcuno non cada in simile esempio di incredulità.Let vs hasten therfore to enter into that rest: that no man fal into the same example of incredulitie.Festinemus ergo ingredi in illam requiem: ut ne in idipsum quis incidat incredulitatis exemplum. 12For the word of God is living and effectual and more piercing than any two edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow: and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.Imperocché viva è la parola di Dio, ed attiva, e più affilata di qualunque spada a due tagli; e che s'interna sino alla divisione dell'anima, e dello spirito, delle giunture eziandio, e delle midolle, e che discente ancora i pensieri, e le intenzioni del cuore.For the vvord of God is liuely and forcible, and more persing then any tvvo edged svvord: and reaching vnto the diuision of the soule and the spirit, of the ioyntes also and the marowes, and a discerner of the cogitations and intentes of the hart.Vivus est enim sermo Dei, et efficax et penetrabilior omni gladio ancipiti: et pertingens usque ad divisionem animæ ac spiritus: compagum quoque ac medullarum, et discretor cogitationum et intentionum cordis.
13Neither is there any creature invisible in his sight: but all things are naked and open to his eyes, to whom our speech is.E non havvi cosa creata invisibile nel cospetto di lui; e le cose tutte nude sono, e svelate agli occhi di colui, del quale parliamo.And there is no creature inuisible in his sight but al things are naked and open to his eies, to vvhom our speache is.Et non est ulla creatura invisibilis in conspectu ejus: omnia autem nuda et aperta sunt oculis ejus, ad quem nobis sermo. 14Having therefore a great high priest that hath passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God: let us hold fast our confession.Avendo adunque un pontefice grande, il quale penetrò ne' cieli, Gesù, Figliuolo di Dio, ritenghiamo la nostra confessione.Hauing therfore a great high Priest that hath entred the heauens, IESVS the sonne of God, let vs hold the confession.Habentes ergo pontificem magnum qui penetravit cælos, Jesum Filium Dei, teneamus confessionem. 15For we have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin.Imperocché non abbiam noi mi pontefice, il quale non possa aver compassione delle nostre infermità: ma similmente tentato in tutto, tolto il peccato.For vve haue not a high priest that can not haue compassion on our infirmities: but tempted in al things by similitude, except sinne.Non enim habemus pontificem qui non possit compati infirmitatibus nostris: tentatum autem per omnia pro similitudine absque peccato. 16Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid.Accostiamoci adunque con fiducia al trono di grazia: affin di ottenere misericordia, e grazia trovare per opportuno sovvenimento.Let vs goe therfore vvith confidence to the throne of grace: that vve may obteine mercie, and finde grace in seasonable aide.Adeamus ergo cum fiducia ad thronum gratiæ: ut misericordiam consequamur, et gratiam inveniamus in auxilio opportuno.
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Witham
To us....hath been declared, as well as to them. That is, as the riches of the country of Chanaan[Canaan], was told by Josue[Joshua] and Caleb to the people, but they would not believe them; so the happiness of the kingdom of heaven has been preached by us to you: but the word they heard (literally, the word of hearing ) did not profit them, not being mixed, or received with faith: let not this be your case. (Witham)
As the want of a firm faith was the cause of the punishment of the Israelites, of their privation of a promised inheritance, so Christians will be eternally excluded from the kingdom promised them, unless they steadily believe and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. The reason why so few profit of the word, is because few take care to meditate on it, to digest it, and as it were, incorporate it with themselves by proper considerations.
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etc. It is faith that opens heaven; but faith animated by charity, nourished by good works, and perfected by mortification of the senses. God only enters into his rest after the accomplishment of his works, and shall we expect to enter before we accomplish what he has given us to do? Let us fear, but in hoping; let us hope, but in labouring.
The works....were finished.[Ver. 3. Operibus ab institutione mundi perfectis, kai toi ton ergon apo kataboles kosmou genethenton.] This place is the same, and equally obscure in the Greek as in the Latin text. The apostle here examines what David, as a prophet, could mean, when he said of some: they shall not enter, or, if they shall enter into my rest. His argument is this: David could not prophesy of that rest, by which God, after he had created all things, (Genesis 2:2.) is said to have rested the seventh day, when he had finished the works of the creation. Nor could David speak of that other time of resting, which was promised and given to the Israelites, when, having conquered all their enemies, they were introduced by Jesus, or Josue[Joshua], into the promised land of Chanaan[Canaan]; for these two rests were passed long before his prophecy: therefore David must speak of some rest that was to come afterwards, when he said: To-day, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, etc. Therefore it must needs follow that some day of rest, some sabbatism, as he calls it, after his time, must remain for the people of God, that should not harden their hearts: and from hence he concludes that David had in view that eternal rest of happiness which the Messias was to obtain for us, a rest without end in the kingdom of heaven.
Witham
Let us hasten, therefore, or as it is in the Greek, let us make it our endeavour, to gain that place of rest, by our persevering in faith and good works, and take heed not to be excluded with the unbelievers. (Witham)
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Witham
For the word of God is living, etc. Some understand by the word of God, the eternal word, or Son of God: (to whom may apply all in the 12th and 13th verses) but others rather expound it of the words, promises, and menaces of God, either foretold by the prophets, or preached by the apostles. (Witham)
All this language is metaphorical, but perfectly well understood by the Jews. In their sacrifices, the Levites made use of a two-edged knife to separate from the victim what was for God, what was for the priests, and what was for the people. Thus in sacrificing sinners to the justice of God, Jesus Christ, like a two-edged knife, will separate what is for God, and what is for man; that is whatever is good or evil in the whole of man's conduct.
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Witham
In his sight, or to the eyes, must signify in the sight of God. (Witham)
If the word of God in Jesus Christ be so terrible, what will Jesus Christ be himself, when he comes to judge us according to the severity of his justice?
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Witham
Having, therefore, as I told you before, a great high priest, Christ, who ascended into heaven, who can compassionate our infirmities, let us with a firm confidence approach the throne of grace, by faith, hope, charity, and good works. (Witham)
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Bristow
Let us often contemplate Jesus Christ on his two thrones, that of his mercy, and that of his justice; of his mercy, where at present he is seated as our compassionate high priest, to bestow on us the riches of his grace; of his justice, where he will one day sit as judge, to examine most rigorously both our faith and our practice. Our separated brethren pretend to prove from this text that we need no help of saints to obtain any favour. But by this argument they may as well take away the helps and prayers of the living for one another. For we do not require the help of either the saints in heaven, or of our brethren on earth, through any mistrust of God's mercy, but on account of our own unworthiness, convinced that the prayer of a just man availeth more with Him, than the desire of a grievous sinner; and of a number making intercession together, rather than of one alone. This they cannot deny, except they deny the holy Scriptures. Neither do we come less to Him, or with less confidence, when we come accompanied with the prayers of Angels, saints, priests, or just men, with us, as they fondly imagine and pretend; but with much more confidence in his grace, mercy, and merits, than if we prayed ourselves alone. (Bristow)
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Jesus.... Josue, who in Greek is called Jesus.
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Concordance Ps. 94, 11
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If the Apostle had not euidētly here shewed that the Sabboths rest was a figure of the eternal repose in heauen, who durst to haue applied that Scripture of Gods rest the seuenth day, to that purpose? Or hovv can our Aduersaries now reprehend the like applicatiō manifoldly vsed in al holy auncient writers to the like end?
Concordance Gen. 2, 2.
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Concordance Heb. 3, 7.
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So Iosue is called in Greeke.
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Whatsoeuer God threateneth by his vvord concerning the punishment of sinne and incredulitie, shal be executed, be the offense neuer so secrete, deepe, or hidden in our harts. because Gods speach passeth easily and searcheth throughly euery part, power, and facultie of mans soul.
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In the liturgy The Epistle in a Masse for the election of the Pope.
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16. Let vs go vvith confidence.] The Aduersaries go about to proue by these vvordes that vve neede no helpe of Saincts to obtaine any thing, Christ him self being so readie, and vve being admonished to come to him vvith confidence as to a most merciful Mediator and Bishop. Scripture abused against inuocation of Saincts. But by that argument they may as vvel take avvay the helpes and praiers of the liuing one for an other. And vve do not require the helpe either of the Saincts in heauen, or of our brethren in earth, for any mistrust of Gods mercie, but for our ovvne vnvvorthines: being assured that the praier of a iust man auaileth more vvith him, then the desire of a greuous sinner: and of a number making intercession together, rather then of a man alone. vvhich the Heretikes can not deny except they reproue the plaine Scriptures Neither do vve come lesse to him, or vvith lesse confidence, vvhen vve come accompanied vvith the praiers of Angels, Saincts, Priests, or iust men ioyning vvith vs, as they fondly imagine and pretend: but vvith much more affiance in his grace, mercie, and merites, then if vve praied our selues alone.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
( Ch. iv. 1, 2 .) “Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it; for to us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them when it is said, To-day if ye hear His voice” (for “To-day” is “at every time” ).
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… For because he means this, he says ( ver. 4, 5 ), “For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest.” Thou seest how that doth not hinder this from being a rest?
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… What then? Thus far he aims to show that as that rest does not hinder the speaking of another rest, so neither does this [exclude] that of Heaven. Up to this point then, he wishes to show that they [the Israelites] did not attain to the rest. For because he means this, he says (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… Because after so many years (he says) David again says: “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” ( ver. 8 ), “For if Joshua had given them rest he would not afterward have spoken of another day.” It is evident, that he says these things, as of persons who are to attain some recompense.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 38
… the one quickly casting a man down from the very arch of the heavens; the other not suffering the fallen to rise again. Wherefore with respect to the one, Paul said, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall:” ( 1 Cor. x. 12 .) but unto the other, “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts: (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
Ver. 6, 7 . “Seeing therefore it remaineth” (he says) “that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: again he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a time; as it has been said before.”
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 61
“I shall give you another testimony, my friends,” said I, “from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning,
St Ephrem the Syrian † AD 373 Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 1
Caleb the spy bore the cluster on the staff, and came and longed to see the Cluster, Whose wine should comfort the world. Him did Jesus son of Nun long for, that he might conceive the force of his own surname: for if by His name he waxed so mighty,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… “Seeing then” (he means) that “some must” certainly “enter in,” and “they did not enter in.” And that an entrance is proclaimed, and that “some must enter in,” let us hear from what this is clear. Because after so many years (he says) David again says: “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 27
Why was this? The name of Joshua [ Jesus ],
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed 5
… Because, as light is born of light, and truth of truth, so Almighty is born of Almighty. As it is written of the Seraphim in the Revelation of John, “And they have no rest day and night, crying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, which was and which is and which is to come, the Almighty.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… Neither would they have been exhorted not to do the same things [with the Jews] lest they should suffer the same things, unless they were about to suffer the same. But how were they who were in possession of Palestine about to suffer the same things [i.e. exclusion from the rest] unless there were some other rest?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 38.27
… For that is the “Sabbath” which we “call to remembrance;” in the recollection of which, so great things have been said already; and so great things ought to be said by us also, and ought never to cease being said by us, not with our lips indeed, but in our heart: for therefore do our lips cease to speak, that we may cry out with our hearts.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 23
… We however have no warfare after we have entered into the land of promise, that is, into Heaven, but only so long as we are in the wilderness, that is, in the present life. “For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works as God did from His.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 36
… For it is possible to work and not to be wearied, as do the angels. To prove that they work, hear what David saith; “Ye that excel in strength, ye that do His word.” ( Ps. ciii. 20 , LXX.) Want of strength causeth much labor now, but then it was not so. For “he that hath entered into His rest, hath ceased,” saith one, “from his works, as God from His” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
… For as, on the Sabbath He commands to abstain from all evil things; and that those things only which relate to the Service of God should be done, which things the Priests were wont to accomplish, and whatsoever profits the soul, and nothing else; so also [will it be] then. However it is not he who spoke thus, but what? (
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 6.1
… Whosoever sets his building on the rock, let him make its foundations deep, that it may not be cast down by the billows. Whosoever wishes to fly from the darkness, let him walk while he has light. Whosoever fears to fly in winter, let him prepare himself from the summer-time. Whosoever looks forward to enter into rest,
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Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 9
… that is, guile, and asperity, and injustice, proper (of course) to the business of battles? See we, then, whether that which has another action be not another sword,—that is, the Divine word of God, doubly sharpened
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 1.2.3
… and on this account she is called the Word, because she is, as it were, the interpreter of the secrets of the mind. And therefore that language which is found in the Acts of Paul ,
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.36
… Isaiah, however, He said that His mouth had been set by His Father as a sharp sword, and that He was hidden under the shadow of His hand, made like to a chosen shaft and kept close in the Father’s quiver, called His servant by the God of all things, and Israel, and Light of the Gentiles. The mouth of the Son of God is a sharp sword, for
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Incarnation of the Word 30
… Whom is one to pronounce dead? Christ, that is doing so many works? But to work is not proper to one dead. Or him that exerts no power at all, but lies as it were without life? which is essentially proper to the idols and spirits, dead as they are. 3. For the Son of God is
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Expositio Fidei. (Statement of Faith.) 1
… And in one Only-begotten Word, Wisdom, Son, begotten of the Father without beginning and eternally; word not pronounced nor mental, nor an effluence of the Perfect, nor a dividing of the impassible Essence, nor an issue ; but absolutely perfect Son, living and powerful (
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.18
… Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.21
… writing to the Hebrews, ‘The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, reaching even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, neither is there any creature hidden before Him, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom is our account
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
This is the fruit of wickedness, these rewards are given to its familiars, for perverseness does not deliver its own. But in truth, against them it sets itself, and it tears them first, and on them especially it summons ruin. Woe to them against whom these are brought; for ‘it is sharper than a two-edged sword
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 260.9
9. By a sword is meant the word which tries and judges our thoughts, which pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of our thoughts.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
… And what is the “Fan?” The Purification. And what is the “Fire?” The consuming of the chaff, and the heat of the Spirit. And what the “Axe?” The excision of the soul which is incurable even after the dung. And what the Sword? The cutting of the Word, which separates the worse from the better,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.11
128. But if this moves you that He said “searcheth,” learn that this is also said of God, inasmuch as He is the searcher of hearts and reins. For Himself said: “I am He that searcheth the heart and reins.” And of the Son of God you have also in the Epistle to the Hebrews: “Who is the Searcher of the mind and thoughts.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 4.7
74. Wouldst thou know what is the nature of the Word—hear the Scriptures. “For the Word of God is living and mighty, yea, working effectually, sharp and keener than any the sharpest sword, piercing even to the sundering of soul and spirit, of limbs and marrow.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… of this office well, though thou wert to say ten thousand times over that they had been driven to undertake it, and that, therefore, their errors therein are sins of ignorance)—for the sake, I say, of such that they might succeed in escaping that unquenchable fire, and the outer darkness and the worm that dieth not and the punishment of being cut asunder,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 2.2
… Terrible, O beloved Theodore, is that tribunal, one which needs no accusers and waits for no witnesses; for “all things are naked and laid open to Him” who judges us, and we must submit to give an account not of deeds only but also of thoughts; for that judge is quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 3.6
… He is also himself a ruler and a ruler of more dignity than the other. For the sacred laws take and place under his hands even the royal head. And when there is need of any good thing from above, the Emperor is accustomed to fly to the priest: but not the priest to the Emperor. He too hath his breast-plate, that of right eousness.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 11
… For unless the ruling principle be first darkened, the entrance of sin without fear is a thing impossible. Say not then, who seeth me? For there is that (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 24
As the word of God has power to do all things, so also has he who has the spiritual gift. “For the word of God,” saith he, “is living, and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 6
… ii. 5–7 .) Attend, I entreat you, and rouse yourselves. For as a sharp two-edged sword, wheresoever it falls, though it be among ten thousand phalanxes, easily cuts through and destroys, because it is sharp on every side, and nought can bear its edge; so are the words of the Spirit. (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 8
And how may this fear be produced? If we but consider that God is everywhere present, heareth all things, seeth all things, not only whatsoever is done and said, but also all that is in the heart, and in the depth of the soul, for He is “quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 2
Why then deceive we ourselves? See, thou sayest these things to me. What wilt thou say to God, “that fashioned our hearts one by one” ( Ps. xxxiii. 15 .); that knoweth everything that is in the mind; “that is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword”? (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 6
Then, lest any think that they will simply be deprived of rest only, he adds also the punishment, saying (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.21
… It is possible, indeed, to understand fire, sword, and wound in a good sense. For the Lord said that He wished to send fire on the earth. And the cloven tongues appeared to them as fire when the Holy Spirit came. And our Lord says, “I am not come to send peace on earth, but a sword.” And Scripture says that the word of God is a doubly sharp sword,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 149.8
8. “And swords sharpened on both sides in their hands.” This sort of weapon contains a great mystical meaning, in that it is sharp on both sides. By “swords sharpened on both sides,” we understand the Word of the Lord:
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 2.4
… is shown to be useful and necessary for us, only in so far as it is in accordance with the word of God and its powers, as is said “For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and reaching even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart:”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 7.5
… but even a short time of living is extended to no one without a head. “And the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” For it is “sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart:”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 7.13
… “For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; and there is no creature invisible in His sight, but all things are naked and open to His eyes.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 3
… For if while on the cross He raised corpses of the saints that had previously undergone dissolution, much more can God the everliving Word raise the body, which He wore, as says Paul, ‘For the word of God is quick and powerful.’”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.13
If then the Word of God is quick and energising
4:13
St Melito of Sardis † AD 180 Melito, the Philosopher 9
The eyes of the Lord —the Divine inspection: because He sees all things. Like that in the apostle: For all things are naked and open in His eyes.”
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 9
… “The greatness of thy right hand,” he says, “shall conduct thee” —the virtue to wit, of the spiritual grace from which the recognition of Christ is deduced. “Thine arrows,” he says, “are sharp,” —God’s everywhere-flying precepts (arrows) threatening the exposure
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.2
2. The Christian ought never to murmur either in scarcity of necessities, or in toil or labour, for the responsibility in these matters lies with such as have authority in them. There never ought to be any clamour, or any behaviour or agitation by which anger is expressed, or diversion of mind from the full assurance of the presence of God.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 2.2
… But it did not help Adam in his defence to screen himself behind his wife, and say “the woman whom thou gavest me, she deceived me;” even as the serpent was no excuse for the woman. Terrible, O beloved Theodore, is that tribunal, one which needs no accusers and waits for no witnesses; for “all things are naked and laid open to Him”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 20
… However, when the audience is broken up, he is more clearly discovered to all. Now this, you see, the vainglorious must in all necessity undergo. For even here they are manifest to the majority, as not being that which they appear to be, but as wearing a mask only; but much more will they be detected hereafter, when all things appear “naked and open.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 54
The righteous therefore will shine as the sun, and more than the sun in that time; but the sinners shall suffer all extremities. Then will there be no need of records, proofs, witnesses. For He who judges is Himself all, both witness, and proof, and judge. For He knows all things exactly; “For all things are naked and opened unto His eyes.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 15
… And the one indeed sitteth as judge of things that are open; yea, rather, not of all these even, but of such as can be fully proved; and ofttimes moreover, even in these dealeth treacherously , but this court instructeth those that enter it that He that judgeth in our case, will bring forward “all things naked and laid open,” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 10.2
2. And from Thee, O Lord, unto whose eyes the depths of man’s conscience are naked,
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 90
… This favour I beg through your excellency’s assistance. If any men wish to condemn me unheard, I accept with willingness even their unjust sentence. For I wait for the judgment of the Master, where we need neither witnesses nor accusers. Before Him, as says the divine Apostle, “all things are naked and opened.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 8.34
… to Him who said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth.” And to Him to whom we offer first-fruits we also send up our prayers, “having a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,” and “we hold fast this profession”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.3
… And those who fulfil a more distinguished office than their kinsmen will perhaps be high-priests, according to the order of Aaron, not that of Melchisedek. Here some one may object that it is somewhat too bold to apply the name of high-priests to men, when Jesus Himself is spoken of in many a prophetic passage as the one great priest, as
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.23
… “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” It is added that He is also sanctification and redemption: “He was made to us of God,” he says, “wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” But he also teaches us, writing to the Hebrews, that Christ is a High-Priest:
St Methodius † AD 311 The Banquet of the Ten Virgins; or Concerning Chastity 9.5
… Then again from thence I, a follower of Jesus, “who hath entered into the heavens,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… For He saith, ‘Go far from them: depart from the midst of them, and touch not the unclean things .’ For a man will not otherwise depart from sin, and lay hold on virtuous deeds, than by meditation on his acts; and when he has been practised by exercise in godliness, he will lay hold on the confession of faith
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 21.10
10. But why should I paint for you the portrait of the man? St. Paul has sketched him by anticipation. This he does, when he sings the praises of the great High-priest, who hath passed through the heavens
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 4.2
18. Perchance, indeed, the prophet hath spoken of His entering in not only with regard to the gates of the universal heaven; for there be other heavens also whereinto the Word of God passeth, whereof it is said: “We have a great Priest, a High Priest, Who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 7
He had said above “There is no creature that is not manifest in His sight,” intimating His Godhead; then, since he had touched on the flesh, he again discourses more condescendingly, saying (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 8
[5.] At all events observe him continually travailing to introduce the discourse concerning the High Priest, and still putting it off. For hear how he began: “Having a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.50
… “Let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 147
… And again “seeing then that we have a great High Priest that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 3
… Saul, who was good beyond all others, is afterwards subverted by envy. David, a good man “after the Lord’s own heart,” is guilty afterwards of murder and adultery. Solomon, endowed by the Lord with all grace and wisdom, is led into idolatry, by women. For to the Son of God alone was it reserved to persevere to the last without sin.
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.6.4
… the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Finally, on this account he has not only said, “Thou hast loved righteousness;” but he adds, “and Thou hast hated wickedness.” For to have hated wickedness is what the Scripture says of Him, that “He did no sin, neither was any guile found in His mouth,” and that “He was tempted in all things like as we are, without sin.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 45
… And Immaculate and guileless, as being the Healer of faults, and of the defects and taints that come from sin. For though He both took on Him our sins and bare our diseases, yet He did not Himself suffer aught that needed healing. For He was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Letters on the Apollinarian Controversy 102
… and so he says “As we have borne the image of the earth we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” And so they declare that the Perfect Man is not He who was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin;
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 3.4
… Now if, in becoming Son of Man, he were without participation in human nature, it would be logical to say that neither does He share in the Divine essence, though He is Son of God. But if the whole compound nature of man was in Him (for He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 6.3
… This then is rather a work than a passion of the nature . For we give the name of “passion” only to that which is opposed to the virtuous unimpassioned state and of this we believe that He Who granted us salvation was at all times devoid, Who “was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 7
… For in the case of men it is impossible that one should know the affliction of the afflicted who has not had experience, and gone through the actual sensations. Our High Priest endured all things. Therefore He endured first and then ascended, that He might be able to sympathize with us.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 13
… (But when I say ‘the manhood,’ I mean [the manhood] having Godhead; not dividing [one from the other], but leaving [you] to suppose what is suitable.) Didst thou mark the difference of the High Priest? He has summed up what was said before, “in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 15
… “He was in all points tempted like as we are, only without sin,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.40
… Now the blessed Ambrose, bishop of Milan, by whose priestly office I received the washing of regeneration, briefly spoke on this matter, when, expounding the prophet Isaiah, he gathered from him the nativity of Christ in the flesh: “Thus,” says the bishop, “He was both tempted in all points as a man,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 41.9
… It could be said only of Him, for He also “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 5.5
And so our Lord Jesus Christ, though declared by the Apostle’s word to have been tempted in all points like as we are, is yet said to have been “without sin,”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Counter-statements of Theodoret 1
… Wherefore also, a little before, the blessed Paul said, “We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 4.2.5
… The Master Christ then had a body which before the resurrection was affected according to its nature. And to this the divine Apostle bears testimony when he says “For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.”
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St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 6.21
21. Now, lest I seem to accuse him without reason, let me make a digression to tell who this Manes is, and in part what he teaches: for all time would fail to describe adequately the whole of his foul teaching. But for help in time of need
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 7
[6.] Ver. 16 . “Let us come then boldly [with confidence] unto the throne of His grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
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The Apostle admonishes Christians, lest they be excluded from the rest of heaven, as the Jews were excluded from the rest of Chanaan. 1. Let us therefore fear lest perhaps, the promise being left of entering into his rest, it should be thought that some of you are wanting. — There is a metalepsis in the word "fear," as if to say: Let us fear, and by fearing let us beware of sloth and inconstancy, lest either by fear of evils, or by love of temporal goods, by falling away to Judaism, we abandon the faith and hope of rest and eternal glory promised by Christ to his faithful; so that "it should be thought that some of you are wanting," that is, so that it should appear that someone has already failed from that journey and entrance into that rest, namely into heaven, and has turned his mind and course elsewhere, and therefore is deprived and excluded from that rest. Just as in the type of this matter many Jews, excluded from the rest of Chanaan and the promised land flowing with milk and honey, while they murmur and wish to return to Egypt, died in the desert. Note: The Greek "hysterekenai," which our Interpreter renders "are wanting," signifies both "to fail and to fall away," as the Syriac renders it, and "to be deprived." Note secondly: He says "should be thought," softening the expression, for "should be found," or "should be." Thus Theophylactus. In Greek "dokē," that is, "should appear," that is, "should be able to appear": for it is taken potentially. Maldonatus in his manuscript Notes renders it, "lest it happen that someone fails." Note thirdly: The Apostle rises from the type to the antitype, that is, from the Jews excluded from the rest of Chanaan, of whom he treated in the preceding chapter, to Christians excluded, or rather to be excluded, from the rest of heaven on account of apostasy.
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2. For indeed to us also has the gospel been preached, as well as unto them. — In Greek "kai gar esmen euengelismenoi," that is, "for we have been evangelized," that is, We have received the Gospel, or the glad tidings, equally as they did, namely the Hebrews. For the Hebrews received the Gospel concerning the possession of the land of Chanaan; but we Christians have received the Gospel concerning the possession of the kingdom of heaven. What therefore David in Psalm xciv calls the voice of God, saying: "Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts" (for the Apostle cited this in the preceding chapter, verse 7, and presses it here), Paul here explains and calls the Gospel; from which again it is clear that the Gospel comprises not only glad promises, as its etymology sounds, but also threats and punishments. For such is that which follows, verse 3: "As I swore," to the unbelieving and disobedient, "in my wrath: If they shall enter into my rest." For which reason Our [translator] did not render it "was evangelized," but "was preached," which comprehends both sad and glad things, both punishments and rewards. But the word heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith (that is, not received by faith, nor believed by the Jews) in them (that is, according to those things) which they heard, — as if to say: This gospel of theirs, this glad tidings of theirs, did not profit the Hebrews, because those things which they heard from God through Moses, namely that by God's aid they would overcome the Chanaanites, and would enter quietly into their land so fertile, they did not believe; whence despairing they wished to return into Egypt. The Apostle urges not impious morals, but the infidelity of the Jews; because this alone served his purpose, namely that from it, and its punishment, he might deter Hebrew Christians from apostasy, and confirm them in the faith of Christ, lest on account of persecutions they fall away from it. Note: For "mixed" in Greek it is "synkekramenos," which signifies wine, or some other drink, mixed with water or some other liquid, diluted and tempered, as if to say: This word, or Gospel, and the promise of God, concerning an object of so arduous and difficult a matter, namely the subjugation of the Chanaanites so very mighty, was to the Hebrews like pure and potent wine, because it surpassed their opinion and estimation, and seemed to them incredible because they drank it as it were pure, that is, they received it as a matter too arduous, too potent, impossible, and did not mix and temper it with the water of faith, as St. Augustine reads in Psalm LXXVII. For if they had believed God to be as faithful as he is mighty, they would surely have believed that God would stand by his promises, and would lead them into Chanaan, and thus following God as their leader, and trusting and confiding in him, they would have penetrated into Chanaan: but because, measuring such great things by their own strength, they did not believe, hence distrusting and wishing to return, they fell away from this promise, and did not enter Chanaan, and thus this whole Gospel profited them not. Note secondly: There is a variety of readings of this passage, and emendations of the text. For "synkekramenos" the Greeks now read in the accusative, "mē synkekramenous tē pistei tois akousasin," that is "the word heard did not profit, not being mixed or mingled with faith those who heard"; for the verb "ōphelein" requires the accusative among the Greeks, as "profited" requires the dative with us, as if to say: This word, by which God promised to the Hebrews the land of Chanaan, did not profit the Hebrews who by faith are not mingled with Joshua and Caleb, who two alone heard, that is believed. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus. Whence some with Cajetan here read, "the word did not profit those not mixed with faith who heard," that is, the word heard did not profit the hearers, because they were not mixed with faith, that is because they did not believe. But truly, as Ribera rightly observes, the true reading of this passage seems to be this: "But the word heard did not profit them, not mixed with faith, in them (that is, in those) who heard." For thus the Greek texts, the Greeks and the Syriac have it, as if to say: This word did not profit, this Gospel, or glad tidings concerning the rest and possession of Chanaan to the Hebrews, who heard it from God through Moses: because although at first, with this hope they went forth from Egypt, they believed God promising it, yet afterwards, hearing the spies saying that the Chanaanites were men most mighty, and had impregnable cities, they fell away from this faith: so likewise to you Christians, O Hebrews, this Gospel of Christ, by which he promises the kingdom of heaven, will not profit you to have heard and believed it, if through fear of persecutions you fall away from the faith of Christ; wherefore persist in the faith of Christ, that the Gospel may profit you, and that you may truly see and attain the promised inheritance of the heavenly kingdom in it.
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3. For we shall enter into rest, we who have believed: as He said: As I swore in My wrath: If they shall enter into My rest: and indeed the works being perfected from the institution of the world. — In Greek "eiserchometha," "we enter," that is, we begin to enter and proceed, and we tend so that we may enter into it in reality: for the act of entering is signified not as completed, but as begun and continued, according to Can. 32. Note: The word "for" gives the reason why in verse 1 He said: "Let us fear lest perhaps, the promise being left, it should be thought that some one of you is wanting," as if to say: You ought to fear lest you frustrate the heavenly hope, if you abandon the faith of Christ, in which God promised it to you: for if you retain this faith constantly, there is nothing for you to fear; for certainly you shall enter into that rest. This is proved from the cited verse of Psalm xciv: "As I swore in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest." And it is an argument from the contrary, as if to say: Only the unbelieving Hebrews did not enter the land of Chanaan; but all who believed entered it: therefore just as unbelief alone excluded them from it, so faith brought these into it. But the Hebrews believing and unbelieving in Moses signified allegorically men believing and unbelieving in Christ; again the rest of Chanaan signified the rest of heaven. Therefore likewise only those shall be excluded from the rest of heaven who were unwilling to believe and obey Christ: but all who believe and obey Christ, and persevere in Him, shall enter into this rest of heaven. Note secondly: For "as," the Interpreter reads in Greek "hōs," whereas above in verse 11, cap. III, he read "hōs," that is "to whom," as I said there. This verse gives to the Hebrews a sharp spur, by which likewise St. Cyprian, in the tract On the Praise of Martyrdom, spurs on Christians in the persecution of Decius to martyrdom: "You ought to remember," he says, "as if bound by a certain covenant pact, from which there is either a just condition of obtaining salvation, or a fear of merited punishment. You stand amid adversities equally as amid prosperity, amid arms and weapons, and from this side worldly ambition admonishes you, from that side heavenly greatness. Before your eyes, I beseech you, let both the offered rewards and the prepared trials run together. In heaven Martyrs rejoice, eternal fire consumes the enemies of truth. The Paradise of God flourishes with witnesses, those who deny are embraced by hell and eternal fire burns fiercely." "Burns fiercely," that is "consumes," namely hell itself, which is nothing other than eternal fire; for it is an apposition. Thus Virgil, Georg. IV, says: "Sirius burned the Indians." And indeed the works being perfected from the institution of the world. — It is a digression, by which the Apostle ascends to explain the anagogy of the Sabbath, so that from it, and from the rest in Chanaan, he may prove by the words cited from Psalm xciv: "Today if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as your fathers hardened them in the desert; to whom I swore in My wrath: If they shall enter into My rest:" hence, I say, he may prove that a third rest remains for Christians in heaven, as if to say: A twofold rest was once promised by God to our fathers. The first rest was that of the Sabbath, by which God in Genesis II, 3, in honor and memory of His creation and rest commanded men to rest from works on the seventh day. The second rest was in Chanaan: but David, when he speaks in Psalm xciv of rest, and tacitly promises it to believers, does not speak of the rest of the seventh day or of the Sabbath, because men had long before been brought into it, namely from the beginning of the world, when God, His works of creation being perfected, sanctified the day of the Sabbath, and commanded men on that day to rest and imitate His rest. David also does not speak of the rest in Chanaan, as will be evident from verses 6 and 7. Therefore it must be admitted that David speaks of a third rest in heaven, and promises it to the faithful and Christians, if they persevere in the faith of Christ. All these things will be more evident in verse 7. Hence it is sufficiently clearly drawn out and proved that the worship of the Sabbath and rest were in use among men before the law of Moses from the origin of the world (although Abulensis denies this in cap. xxiii of Leviticus, Question III), so that namely men would observe the seventh day, and rest from labors on it in memory and thanksgiving for the creation both of themselves and of the whole world, which God completed on the seventh day: otherwise indeed the discourse and argument of Paul would have no force, as is evident from what has been said, and from what will be said shortly will be more evident. Again, Paul here does not speak of the rest of God on the seventh day, but of its effect and image, namely the rest of men on the Sabbath, into which he says we enter, or rather have entered from the institution of the world: therefore from that time men began to observe the Sabbath. Thirdly, the same thing is signified in Genesis II, 3, where it is said that God had already then sanctified, that is, decreed and ordained as a feast and holy the seventh day, so that namely men would perpetually recall this fresh benefit of creation on this solemn day, and give thanks to God.
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4. For He said in a certain place (Genesis II, as you Hebrews know) concerning the seventh day thus: And God rested on the seventh day from all His works. 5. And in this (Psalm xciv, already cited) again: If they shall enter into My rest. — Behold here a twofold rest of God: the former on the sabbath and sabbatism, the second in Chanaan, as I have already said. Note: God rested on the seventh day from the creation of new things and species, but not from the production and propagation of new individuals in each species. Note secondly: The rest of the sabbath is said to be God's, both formally, because on the seventh day God rested from creation; and exemplarily and efficiently, because the rest of men on the sabbath, and the observance of the sabbath instituted by God, was to the example of God's rest on the sabbath: for this reason God commanded men to rest on the sabbath, because He Himself rested on that same day from His works. Note thirdly: "again," that is to say, Besides the rest of the sabbath, God has another rest, which He prepared for men, and from which He excluded the unbelievers, saying: "If they shall enter into My rest," concerning which He immediately subjoins:
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6. Since therefore it remaineth that some should enter into that rest, and they to whom it was first preached (in Greek "euangelisthentes," that is, "to whom the gospel was preached," of which I spoke in verse 2) entered not in because of unbelief: 7. again He limiteth a certain day, To-day, saying in David. — This is the discourse of the Apostle: God promised and prepared His rest for certain men, and invited the Jews to it, namely that they should first rest under God in this life, and live in quiet in Chanaan, and then in the other life live in quiet and most happily in heaven. But many were unbelieving toward God, and therefore were excluded from this rest of God, that is, both from the land of Chanaan and from heaven. Hence therefore God, lest His rest remain empty, thirdly through David invites the faithful and Christians to His rest, saying: "To-day if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Someone might object that Josue and Caleb with the sons of the unbelievers entered into the rest of Chanaan, and therefore it was not empty, but full. But this objection will be excluded below in verse 8. 7. Again He limiteth a certain day, To-day, saying in David, after so great a time, as was said above: To-day if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts. — For "limiteth" in Greek is "horizei," that is, "prefixeth and determineth," that is, marketh out a certain space of time, namely to-day, namely the time of our life, in which we can enter into this rest of God, after which there is no faculty of entering, that is to say, David implicitly insinuateth to us a certain rest of God, when he exhorteth us in Psalm xciv not to harden our heart against the voice of God, as the fathers did, when God calling them out of Egypt wished to lead them into Chanaan: whom therefore God excluded from His rest; but rather that we should hearken to God leading us into His rest. But David does not speak of the rest of the sabbath: for this was made and completed in the genesis and creation of the world. Nor secondly does he speak of the rest which God gave to the Hebrews in the promised land through Jesus, or Josue, inasmuch as it had already passed so long a time, and which they already possessed when David said: "To-day if you shall hear His voice," etc. Therefore it is necessary to say that David understood another and a third rest, namely in heaven eternal, which is proposed to us faithful and Christians at any age by this "to-day"; a third rest, I say, which through the two preceding, namely through the rest of the sabbath and the rest in Chanaan, was anagogically signified, which Jesus Christ bestoweth upon us, prefigured through Josue.
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8. For if Jesus (Joshua) had given them rest, He would never speak afterwards of another day. — It is a matter of occupation. The Hebrews could object to Paul's reasoning: You, Paul, say that our fathers were excluded from God's rest in Chanaan on account of unbelief, and therefore others, namely Christians, ought to be admitted to God's rest: we except this, and say that the sons of our fathers, believing in God, entered with Joshua into the rest of Chanaan, and consequently there is no need to seek others who should enter into God's rest. Paul here refutes these objections by the words of David saying "today." For by "today" he insinuates that rest still remains into which we should enter, and consequently it follows that it was not granted through Joshua, who died long ago. Thus Paul signifies by David's words: "If they shall enter into my rest," that by "rest" David understood indeed literally the rest in Chanaan; but allegorically, and much more significantly, he meant the rest in heaven promised to Christians, figured by Chanaan: for to this David still invites everyone, saying: "Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts." David therefore hints that God, calling and promising the Hebrews rest in Chanaan, by this very fact tacitly and allegorically called them also, and promised them rest in heaven, and that from both this and that the Hebrews were excluded on account of unbelief. Whence Paul concludes: it remains therefore that Christians occupy this rest of God in heaven, to which God had especially called the Hebrews: this is indeed what he adds, saying:
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9. Therefore there remaineth a sabbatism for the people of God. — That is, from what has been said it follows that another sabbath, that is, another rest, remaineth and is reserved for the faithful and Christian people, namely rest, joy and heavenly solemnity, figured by the quiet and feast of the old and Jewish sabbath. For "shabat" in Hebrew signifies "to rest," whence "shabbat," or "sabbath," is called "rest": whence the seventh day, on which rest was commanded to all, is called "sabbath"; sabbatism therefore is the same as rest.
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10. For he that is entered into his rest, he also himself hath rested from his works, as God from his. — The word "for" gives the reason why he called this rest of Christians "sabbatism." The reason is the analogy and allegory of sabbatism: for the old sabbatism was nothing else than rest from works on the seventh day, so that by this rest men might recall and represent God's rest, on which day He rested from the works of creation. But all these things allegorically, or rather anagogically, signified that the faithful and Christians would rest in that eternal rest of God in heaven in like manner, and much more happily, from all the troublesome and difficult works of virtues, from all labor and struggle against vices and temptations, from all active and passive mortification, by which they labored and were afflicted in this life. He therefore signifies the Saints in the Church, not militant, as Beza wishes, but triumphant, ceasing from all the labor of this wretched life, which consists entirely in business. For he wishes to prove that that true rest was not only not in the land of Chanaan, but could not even be in this life, which, as Job teaches, chapter vii, verse 1, is nothing else than warfare and a theater of all labors and miseries. How sweet this rest of the Blessed in heaven is, St. Chrysostom beautifully teaches in the moral homily 6: "Truly," he says, "that is rest, where pain flees, sadness, groaning, and where there are neither anxieties, nor labors, nor struggles; there is not there: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread; there is not there: In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; but all is peace, joy, pleasantness, delight, goodness, gentleness; there is no envy, nor zeal, nor sickness, nor death; there are no shadows, nor night, always the brightness of day; there is no weariness, no disgust is received, we shall always persevere in the desire of good things." And what follows.
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11. Let us hasten therefore to enter into that rest. — That is to say, While in the desert of this life, like the Hebrews, we sojourn and tend toward rest and the promised land in the heavens, let us not stand still, let us not look back, let us not grow weary, let us not lose heart on account of labors and the incursions of enemies and persecutions, but with a strong and steadfast mind let us proceed, indeed let us hasten to enter into that rest. "There is need," says St. Chrysostom here in his moral homily 7, "of running, and of vehement running: he who runs does not attend to the adjacent meadows, not to friends, not to spectators, but to the prize; he does not stand still; when near the goal he does not grow faint, but intensifies his running: thus the older we are and the nearer to heaven, the more and the more swiftly ought we to run." "We must hasten," says St. Thomas, "in this pilgrimage, because the way is long, life is short, God's calling urges us, and in delay there is danger." That no one may fall into the same example of unbelief. — That is, that no one may become like the example of unbelief, namely such as the Hebrews were; so that, just as the Hebrews on account of unbelief were excluded from Canaan, so we, on account of the same, may be excluded from heaven. Vatablus and Erasmus translate, "that no one may fall into the same example of unbelief"; or, "that no one on account of unbelief may fall," as they fell and were laid low in the desert. Note: The Hebrews, having completed the greater part of the journey from Egypt to Canaan, when they were already near to Canaan, on account of the sad and fearful reports of the spies, began to distrust God and wished to return to Egypt; wherefore God, being angry, led them about for forty years in the desert, that He might consume all of them by death. The same thing the Apostle here threatens and holds over the Hebrews, now converted to Christ; namely, that they, unless they persist in faith in Christ and overcome all temptations, terrors and persecutions, are to be excluded from heaven, if namely through fear of persecutions they fall away from Christ to Judaism. Morally, let each one of those apply the same example to himself, who resist God's calling to faith and penance, or even to virginity, the Religious life and perfection, and neglect and spurn it, against whom the Lord thunders in Prov. I, 24.
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12. For the word of God is living and effectual. — The word "for" gives the reason why the Hebrews ought to fear, if they should fall away from faith in Christ, lest they fall into the same example of incredulity as the ancient Jews. This reason is, because the word of God is living and effectual, which wishes to and is able to establish this example concerning them. You will ask, what is this "word." Some understand the miracles and threats of God, which He made against the unbelievers. But far more aptly and better do others everywhere understand the Son of God: for He is called here, as in John I, 1, equally "logos," that is, "word" or "discourse," namely of the Father's mind and conception. The same is evident from what follows. For to no word or discourse except to the Son does that which follows pertain, namely that He is the discerner of thoughts, and that all things are naked and open to His eyes. You will say: Why then does Paul not clearly name the Son, but calls Him "logon," that is, discourse or word? It is answered first, because the proper name of the Son is "logos": for just as we, by thinking or understanding, form for ourselves a conception of the thing thought or understood, which is called the word or discourse of the mind: so the eternal Father, by understanding and comprehending His own essence, and all things that are in it, formed and produced this eternal Word: yet with this distinction, that our word, being imperfect, is not adequate to our mind, but is an accident and vital act of the intellect, by which we conceive and understand a thing; but God's Word, being most perfect and adequate to God, is a subsisting and produced person (namely the Son of God), by which and through which the Father spoke, and all things were made, John I, 3; whence St. John I, describing and defining the proper nature and essence of the Son of God: "In the beginning, he says, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word." Which Nonnus beautifully translated in his verse, when he thus sings: "Achronos en, dieikytos en arrhēto Logos archē, Isophyēs, genetēr, homēlikos, hyios amētor." That is: Without time was, incomprehensible in the ineffable Word beginning, Equal in nature, Coeval with the Father, Son without mother. The second reason why Paul calls the Son of God "discourse" rather than "son" is, because he alludes to the discourse of faith, of which I spoke at verse 2; for this mental Word was made vocal in time from eternity, when it was spoken through the mouth of Moses and the Prophets, and especially when the Word itself put on flesh, the mouth and voice of man, and declared and evangelized to us the faith and will of God the Father by His discourse. The third reason is, because the Son of God by His discourse, that is by His sentence, decree and command, will punish those who, being unbelieving, have rejected His discourse of faith; but He will reward the believers and those obedient to His word. For this is what the Apostle properly intends here. The sense therefore is, as if to say: Whatever the Son of God promised and threatened to the unbelievers through the mouth and discourse of David, the Prophets and the Apostles, He will certainly and effectually accomplish by His discourse, decree and command. For He Himself is the almighty discourse, living and effectual, so as to kill the unbelievers and rebels, condemn them and torment them with living punishment in eternity; but He will reward the faithful and save them, so that they may reign and live in eternity. Thus Theodoret, Oecumenius, St. Thomas, Lyra, Cajetan and others. Note: "logos" signifies both "discourse" and "word"; whence just as that passage in John I, 1: "In the beginning was the Word," can be translated, "in the beginning was the discourse," hence Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambrose, Jerome and other ancients often call the Son the Discourse: so here in turn it can be translated, "for the word of God is living and effectual," and thus St. Ambrose reads it, lib. IV On Faith, cap. III. For just as "Word," being one and simple, signifies simplicity: so "discourse" signifies the integrity and perfection of the Son of God. For discourse, consisting of many words, brings forth and enunciates a complete and perfect sentence, not one only, but often several. For one discourse of God often coalesces and is compounded of many propositions and sentences, which suits this passage. For Paul here introduces Christ as it were a manifold discourse, which namely examines and discerns the thoughts of individuals; and punishes these, rewards those. And more piercing than any two-edged sword. — For "more piercing" the Greek is "tomōteros," that is, sharper, more cutting; for "temnō" means the same as "to cut, to divide." Secondly, for "two-edged" the Greek is "distomos," that is, having two edges, that is, two sharp sides, namely sharp and cutting on both sides. For just as the Hebrews, so also the Greeks, call the edge of a sword "mouth," because it bites and devours like the mouth of a man. Whence that common phrase in Scripture: "He smote them with the mouth of the sword," that is "with the edge," or "by the edge" of the sword. Now the sense of this passage is, as it were: The Word of God penetrates all things, and is like a two-edged sword having a double edge, namely the edge of the two testaments, the new and the old, as St. Augustine says, book XX of the City of God, chapter XII. But this is mystical. Secondly, St. Thomas: The Word of God, he says, is two-edged, because it is prepared and ready both for knowing and for acting; both for promoting good things and for turning away evil things. But this is mystical and tropological. I say therefore thirdly and properly: "The Word of God," that is the Son of God, is "more piercing than a two-edged sword," that is, it is most sharp, penetrates most deeply and on all sides, just as a two-edged sword, which cuts on both sides, most greatly cuts and penetrates. Moreover, this power of penetrating of the word, that is of the Son of God, consists partly in knowledge, partly in activity. For just as a two-edged sword, cutting and penetrating a man, is not only most active and shows the greatest power of cutting, but also by this very fact that it cuts and penetrates the man, it lays bare the man's innermost parts, and sets them forth for all to know and behold: so also the Son first penetrates and sees through all hearts and thoughts, so that no unbelief or iniquity, however hidden in the heart, can be concealed from him; whence the Apostle, explaining this very thing, adds: "A discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; and all things are naked and open to his eyes." Secondly, the same Son by his presence and activity penetrates all things, so that he can punish, condemn, kill and dissect any sinners whatsoever, and any sins however hidden: for just as he has eyes, so also he has most sharp hands, and most effective and penetrating. Morally, Hugh of St. Victor in Joel chapter III: "Living," he says, "is the word of God, that you may believe; efficacious, that you may hope; penetrating, that you may fear. It is living in precepts and prohibitions; efficacious in promises and threats; penetrating in judgments and condemnations. Because therefore the word of God is living, it must be believed that it truly promises; because it is efficacious, it must be believed that it fulfills its promises; because it is penetrating and cannot be deceived, it must be lamented that you have offended it, and henceforth it must be taken care not to offend it." And reaching unto the division of soul and spirit, of the joints also and the marrow. — "Soul" is the lower part of man, in which reside desires and affections partly of nature, partly of concupiscence, from which men are called "Animal." "Spirit" truly is the higher part of man, illuminated by faith and the grace of God, from which men are called "Spiritual," as it were: This Word, or the word of God, namely the Son, examines and discerns both animal and spiritual movements and thoughts, "the joints also and the marrow," that is the innermost parts of man: for joints are the cartilages, muscles and nerves, by which in man one bone is bound to another; marrow truly is the juice and fat enclosed in the bones. The Son discerns, I say, these things, namely so that he perceives which movements come from the soul, which from the spirit, whether namely this or that thought, affection and desire proceeds from nature or concupiscence, or truly from the grace of God, as it were: Altogether all things, even the most hidden and intimate, Christ the Son of God sees, penetrates, examines, judges and avenges; there is nothing so hidden that the eyes and hands of Christ do not penetrate it. St. Gregory, homily 11 on Ezekiel, by "joints" understands thoughts connected to each other like joints; by "marrow" truly he understands intentions, as the Apostle himself, explaining it, adds. A discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. — For "discerner" the Greek is "kritikos," that is, "critic" — Christ is the judge and censor of the thoughts and intentions of the heart; He knows and perceives what each person thinks and wills, and to what end; He sees into the depths of our soul, just as we see pebbles lying at the bottom of the clearest water: He perceives, I say, the innermost desires of Christ, to this end that He may judge and reward them, or punish and avenge them, for example, that you, O Hebrews, if you persist in your faith, He may glorify; but if you fall away from it through fear of persecutions, even through hidden or merely secret distrust, apostasy, or unbelief, He may condemn and reject. Morally note this passage for the presence and omniscience of God, which ought to be a great incentive to each person to restrain himself from hidden and mental sins and wicked desires, and to always apply himself to good and holy thoughts and pursuits. "Before the eyes of God seeing all things at once," says St. Augustine, Sermon 2 On the Seasons, "the hidden places of locations, the barriers of walls do not exclude; nor only are deeds and thoughts known to Him, but also things to be done and to be thought are known. This true knowledge of the supreme judge, this is the terrible aspect, to which all solid things are open, and all secrets are revealed, to which dark things are clear, mute things respond, silence confesses, and without voice the mind speaks." The author of the Soliloquies treats this same matter beautifully and affectionately, chapter xiv, which is found in volume IX of the works of St. Augustine. The Gentiles acknowledged this same thing. Thus Thales, the wisest of the seven wise men of Greece, used to say, "men ought to persuade themselves that the gods see all things, and that all things are full of gods, so that they might live chastely and holily before them." When asked whether wicked deeds escape the gods, he replied: "Not even thoughts: for the heavenly divinity is present and attends to secret agitations." Homer defines what God is thus: "Hē hēlios hos pant' ephora, kai pant' epakouei." It is the sun which sees all things, and hears all things. Indeed, as the Wise Man says, "In every place the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the evil," Proverbs xv, verse 3; and chapter xvi, 2: "All the ways of a man are open to His eyes; the Lord is a weigher of spirits." Hence the Egyptians depicted God as it were an eye leaning on a staff, to signify the omniscience and providence of God, and His watchful, as it were pastoral, care. Thus they depicted Osiris their god as it were holding a scepter with an eye carved into it, says Macrobius, book I, chapter xxi. The scepter signifies dominion and royal power, the eye omniscience. Whence also the Greeks name God "Theon apo tou theasthai," that is from seeing. Hence also Jeremiah, chapter 1, saw God as it were a watching rod.
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13. And there is no creature invisible in His sight. — For "invisible," the Greek is "aphanēs," that is, not appearing, hidden, and consequently invisible. But all things are naked and opened to His eyes. — For "opened" the Greek is "tetrachēlismena," which is derived from "trachēlos," that is from "neck," and can first be translated with Theophylactus as "slaughtered" or "beheaded," and with Chrysostom as "flayed," so that it is a metaphor from sheep slaughtered and flayed, as if to say: Just as sheep stripped of their skin from neck to tail are naked, and all their outer and inner parts are revealed: so to Christ the Son of God all things are naked and opened. Second, Gagneius says, "trachēlizein," he says, "is to cut through the middle from neck to tail, or to split through the middle of the back, so that the intestines of the split animal are laid bare and open to the observer"; thus all things are open to Christ, just as if they were split. Third, Erasmus, Ribera and Scapula in the Lexicon say, "trachēlizō" is "to recline and lay back a man or animal by the neck or cervix, so that the reclined face is laid open and visible to all." In which sense the poet says: "He lays open the hall of his friend": "lays open," that is opens, makes patent and visible, so that he may search it out; thus Christ sees all things as it were laid back on their face, naked and clearly. All these etymologies are very suitable to this passage: the second of Gagneius, however, is more forceful and significant. To whom our discourse is. — That is, of whom our discourse is, of whom I speak. It is a Hebraism, and is put for "tō hō," "pros hon" for "peri hou," that is, "to whom," for "of whom." Otherwise Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius and Adam, as if to say: With whom we have account, cause, business, to whom we shall give an account of all our deeds. For the Greek "logos" signifies not only "discourse," but also "account."
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14. Having therefore a great high priest, who hath penetrated the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. — From verse 11 hitherto he has acted against the unbelievers, and has deterred the Hebrews from unbelief by fear of vengeance to be exercised through the Word and the Son of God; now he addresses the believers, and gently exhorts them to persist in the faith of Christ, and thus to enter into the rest of heaven to which in verse 11 and the preceding verses he has exhorted them, as if to say: Act, O Hebrews, persist in the faith of Christ, hasten to rest in the heavens: granted that the heavens are far removed from us, we shall easily ascend them and penetrate them, under the guidance of Christ who has penetrated them and made them passable for us, provided that we steadfastly retain our confession, namely of our faith and hope (as some Latin Bibles add and express, although in the Greek and Roman texts nothing of the sort is found). See the remarks on chapter III, verse 1. Note that up to this point in chapter III the Apostle has opposed Christ to Moses, as a new Apostle to an old Apostle: now and henceforth he opposes and prefers Christ to Aaron, as a new high priest to an old high priest: who has penetrated not the holy of holies like Aaron, but the heavens themselves, so as to stand before God, as a high priest interceding for us, and expiring our sins, and opening the heavens to us:
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15. For we have not a high priest, who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, but one tempted in all things according to likeness, without sin. — This is a difficulty. For the Hebrews might have said: You, Paul, rightly say that Christ has penetrated the heavens, and is there our high priest; but this is small consolation to us: for Christ in the heavens, blessed and glorious, does not feel, does not experience, and consequently does not greatly sympathize with and esteem, nor does he greatly strive to help and remove our infirmities, that is, persecutions and afflictions so many and so great, that they seem almost intolerable, which here extremely afflict us, and render us weak and infirm and almost despairing: for he who feels and experiences the sufferings of another, far more easily sympathizes with them and comes to their aid. "Not ignorant of ill, I learn to succor the wretched," said Dido. To this objection the Apostle here responds, by denying that assumption: for Christ has experienced all our infirmities, and has been tempted and afflicted in all things "according to likeness," that is, altogether similarly as we are, and therefore having experienced all things, he knows and is able, that is, he is inclined and prone, to sympathize and come to the aid of all temptations, afflictions and infirmities of ours. Note: "Infirmities" by a Hebrew metonymy and metalepsis he calls sufferings: for sufferings are the cause of infirmity and weakness both of body and of mind. See what is said in I Corinthians XII, verses 5 and 10. Secondly, for "to have compassion" in Greek it is "sympathēsai," that is, to be touched and affected by the sense of another's suffering, to suffer with the one who suffers. Thirdly, for "likeness" in Greek it is "kath' homoiotēta," that is, "homoiōs," that is, similarly, supply "us," or "our infirmities." For the "hēmōn," that is, "ours," which preceded, is here understood and to be repeated; which the Hebrews say "kidmutenu," that is, according to our likeness, that is, altogether similarly as we are: for the Hebrews, when they wish to signify perfect and complete likeness, are accustomed to double the marks of likeness, as "k" and "demut," which the Greeks imitate, saying "hōs kath' homoiotēta," or "mala homoiōs," as the Apostle said, chapter II, verse 14. Fourthly, for "tempted moreover," Vatablus and others translate more clearly, "but tempted." For it is an antithesis of what preceded, "who cannot have compassion," because namely he was not tempted, he did not experience our temptations. Again, "in all things," that is, in all our infirmities. Fifthly, "without sin," that is, except sin, in Greek "chōris hamartias," that is, outside sin, as if to say: Christ, although tempted in all things, nevertheless kept himself immune and removed from sin; so also you, O Hebrews, although tempted, nevertheless do not yield to temptation, nor consent to sin: for this is in your hand and power, as it was in the power of Christ. It is asked here, whether Christ was properly tempted, and in every way and every infirmity by which we are tempted? I answer: Properly Christ was tempted only outwardly by the devil; inwardly, however, he could not be tempted by the flesh, phantasy or concupiscence: the reason for which is, that internal temptation is an inordinate pleasure of the lower part, or is the very motion of concupiscence preceding reason and alluring to sin. Just as therefore Christ, inasmuch as he was to expiate and abolish sin, was wholly free from sin, so also was he free from concupiscence and internal temptation: for concupiscence, born from sin, is the beginning and inception of sin, and therefore cannot exist except in a nature wounded and injured by sin, which could not be in Christ. Hence it follows, although passions were in Christ, they were not, however, pre-passions; I explain: there was in Christ anger, boldness, fear, but so that they could not precede the reason and will of Christ, nor arise, be stirred up and spring forth against his will or without his knowledge; for this is the nature of pre-passions: for every motion of anger, boldness, sadness in Christ was freely assumed by him, and drawn forth and commanded by the reason and will of Christ, so that Christ could not be angry or sad, unless he wished and chose to be angry or sad. For all passions were in Christ, inasmuch as he was constituted in a whole and perfect nature (such as it was in Adam before sin), altogether subject and subjected: for such a nature befitted the Savior and the Son of God. But concerning this kind of temptation, by which the devil solicits Christ, or concupiscence solicits us to sin, the Apostle does not properly speak here, as will presently appear. Secondly, when the Apostle says that Christ was tempted in all things, that is, in all our infirmities, he does not mean, nor does he embrace, ignorance and the defect of knowledge or grace: for these are not infirmities, that is, pains and afflictions; nor was it fitting that these should be in Christ, inasmuch as he came into the world for this purpose, that he might heal men from these defects, that he might teach the ignorant, instruct them with grace, and render them grateful to God. Therefore, Luther, Bucer, and Calvin wrongly infer from this sentiment of the Apostle: Therefore there was ignorance in Christ: thus they make Christ an Agnoete from this passage. I answer, I deny the consequence. For ignorance is the daughter and necessary appendage of sin, equally as concupiscence. For in the same manner it would be permissible to infer: Therefore concupiscence was in Christ. And so, just as there was no sin in Christ, so neither was there concupiscence or ignorance: for these are the proper and inseparable companions of sin, and are reckoned to be of the same nature, order, and unfittingness as sin itself. Wherefore these in Christ would not have been instruments (as torture and punishment were), but impediments to our satisfaction and redemption: therefore they could not have been in him. See Bellarmine, book IV, On Christ, chapter 1. Thirdly, by "infirmities" the Apostle does not mean diseases and sicknesses: for these are not natural, that is, common to all men, but are particular to certain persons, arising from the particular intemperance of their parents, or of the sick persons themselves, or from some other excess, defect, or vice: but Christ assumed only natural and harmless passions, common to the whole human race, not those peculiar to certain persons, such as these or those diseases: for this was fitting for Christ, namely, that he should be wholly sound, he who came to heal our nature completely. On which I have said more in chapter II, verse 17. Wherefore, although Christ admitted and endured stripes and pains, yet he did not allow them so to disturb the temperament of his body as to fall into disease; but only by their force and severity to exclude the soul from the body, and to bring upon himself that violent death by which he might redeem us. You will ask: What then are these "infirmities of ours" which Christ took upon himself, and with which he sympathizes? I answer, first, it is the frailty of flesh and soul; secondly, thirst, hunger, weariness, and similar afflictions of men; thirdly, the natural horror of death, ignominy, stripes, and spoliation; fourthly, death itself, stripes, mockeries, insults, and spoliation of all goods. These last two the Apostle properly understands here by the name of "infirmities": for these were the infirmities of the Hebrews, namely, persecutions, spoliations, and other punishments inflicted upon them by the Jewish magistrates on account of their faith in Christ. Whence, to bear these strongly by the example of Christ, and by the hope and promise of his grace and aid, the Apostle exhorts them here and often elsewhere in this epistle: for by these "tempted," that is, afflicted, or "tempted," that is, tried and tested, was Christ; and his faith and constancy, and Christ overcoming and conquering these, merited to overcome and conquer both these and any other temptations whatsoever, even those excited in us by the demon and concupiscence, through his grace.
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16. Let us approach therefore with confidence to the throne of grace. — That is to say, Since we have Christ as a high priest, who thus sympathizes and shares in all our infirmities, not timidly, not distrustfully, but boldly and confidently, let us approach and invoke him sitting on the heavenly throne at the right hand of the Father, and reigning, in every temptation, tribulation, and persecution: for now he sits placably on the throne of grace, hereafter he shall sit terribly on the throne of judgment, as Theophylactus says. Note: For "confidence," the Greek is παρρησία, which (as it were παν-ρησία) is freedom and liberty of speech, by which all things are spoken: or free speech concealing nothing; hence by catachresis παρρησία signifies confidence or trust, from which this freedom of speech arises, and thus Paul often takes this word. Now confidence, or trust, as Cicero says, is that by which the mind itself places much trust in itself in great and honorable matters with certain hope, namely if the confidence be human: for if it be divine, as it is here, it places its hope not in itself, but in God. That we may obtain mercy, and find grace in timely aid. — That is to say, That, if we have fallen into sin, we may obtain pardon of it mercifully from Christ. Again, that we may find grace, that is, that we may gain for ourselves the grace, favor, and benevolence of Christ, "in timely aid"; in Greek εἰς εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν, that is, in timely aid, so that namely at a timely moment, for instance at the time of temptation and persecution, when we shall need the aid of Christ, he himself may bestow it upon us to overcome all difficulties manfully.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Praemisit supra apostolus auctoritatem David et exposuit, nunc autem arguit ex ipsa. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim inducit sollicitudinem introeundi; secundo monet quod properemus ingredi; ibi festinemus ergo. Circa primum duo facit. Primo enim incutit sollicitudinem timoris; secundo ostendit quod de hoc debet sollicitudo imminere, ibi etenim et nobis. Dicit ergo: dictum est quod infensus est illis, qui non crediderunt, ita quod iuravit quod non introibunt in requiem eius, ergo et nos timeamus, scilicet timore casto et sollicitudinis. Prov. XXVIII, 14: beatus homo qui semper est pavidus. I Cor. X, 12: qui se existimat stare, videat ne cadat. Timor enim huiusmodi est utilis admonitio ad bonum, et est comes trium spiritualium virtutum, scilicet spei, fidei, et charitatis. Eccli. XXIV, 24: ego mater pulchrae dilectionis, et timoris, et agnitionis et sanctae spei. Sed quid timere debemus? Ne forte relicta pollicitatione, et cetera. Beatitudo enim, sive felicitas, in hoc consistit, ut homo ingrediatur illam. Tob. XIII, 20: beatus ero, si fuerint reliquiae seminis mei ad videndum claritatem Ierusalem. Infra XII, 15: contemplantes ne forte quis desit gratiae Dei. Quia, ut dicit Chrysostomus, maior est poena damnatis de hoc quod sunt exclusi a visione Dei, quam aliae poenae quas habent. Et dicit existimetur, scilicet divino iudicio. Matth. XXV, 41: ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum. Vel existimetur secundum humanam opinionem. Eph. V, 5: hoc scitote intelligentes quod omnis fornicator, aut immundus, aut avarus, quod est idolorum servitus, non habet haereditatem in regno Christi et Dei. Timendum est ergo ne aliquis ex vobis existimetur deesse, quia vobis facta est promissio intrandi. Is. XXXII, 18: sedebit populus meus in pulchritudine pacis, in tabernaculis fiduciae, in requie opulenta. Apoc. XIV, 13: amodo iam dicit spiritus, ut requiescant a laboribus suis. Timendum est ergo ne propter culpam nostram non ingrediamur relicta pollicitatione, id est, promissione, quam relinquimus deserendo spem, fidem et charitatem, per quam possumus introire. Et hoc fit per peccatum mortale. Consequenter cum dicit etenim nobis, ostendit quod nobis imminet ista sollicitudo. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim proponit intentionem suam; secundo probat eam, ibi ingrediemur. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo ostendit quod nobis facta est ista promissio; secundo quod ista promissio non sufficit, ibi sed non profuit.
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Dicit ergo etenim nobis nuntiatum, id est, nobis promissum est. Unde sciendum est quod illa quae in veteri testamento promissa sunt temporaliter, intelligenda sunt spiritualiter. Omnia enim in figura contingebant illis, I Cor. X, 11, et Rom. XV, 4: quaecumque scripta sunt, ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Deinde cum dicit sed non profuit, etc., ostendit quod non sufficit promissio, quin nihilominus debeamus esse solliciti. Unde dicit quod sermo auditus et non creditus in nullo eis profuit. Non enim auditores legis iustificabuntur, sed factores, Rom. II, 13. Et dicit non admixtus fidei, quia sicut ex intellectu et intellecto fit unum, ita ex corde credentis et ipsa fide formata fit unum. I Cor. c. VI, 17: qui adhaeret Deo unus spiritus est. Illud autem quod dicit ex his quae audierunt, potest esse ratio quare sermo non est admixtus fidei. Hoc enim fuit ex his, quae audierunt ab exploratoribus, quibus fuerunt increduli. Vel potest esse determinatio fidei, quae debet esse ex his quae audierunt. Fides enim ex auditu, Rom. X, 17. Verba enim Dei sic sunt efficacia, quod statim audita debent esse credita. Ps. XCII, 7: testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis. Deinde cum dicit ingrediemur enim, etc., probat propositum, et circa hoc facit tria. Primo enim ostendit, quod nobis est necessarium credere sicut illis; secundo adducit duas auctoritates ad probandum intentum suum, ibi et quidem operibus; tertio ex illis arguit, ibi quoniam ergo superest. Dicit ergo: nobis factus est sermo sicut et illis, quia ingrediemur in requiem. Ps. IV, 8: in pace in idipsum dormiam et requiescam. Iob XI, 19: requiescet, et non erit qui te excitabit. Est autem duplex requies. Una in bonis exterioribus, et ad istam egreditur homo a requie mentis; alia est in bonis spiritualibus, quae est intima, et ad istam ingreditur. Matth. XXV, 21: intra in gaudium domini tui. Cant. I, 3: introduxit me rex in cellaria sua. Deinde ponit auctoritatem sicut iuravi, etc., et hoc expositum est.
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Deinde cum dicit et quidem operibus, etc., ponit duas auctoritates. Unam legis, quae habetur Gen. II, 2; aliam quae frequenter posita est, quae habetur in Ps. XCIV, 8. Dicit ergo quantum ad primum et quidem operibus ab institutione mundi perfectis; dixit, et cetera. Hoc potest legi dupliciter: uno modo quod non sit ibi, enim, sed dixit, in quodam loco, et cetera. Et est planior littera, ut sit sensus: dico quod ingrediemur in requiem, quae praefigurata est ab institutione mundi, de qua requie praefigurata per diem septimam dixit, scilicet spiritus sanctus qui loquitur in Scriptura quia spiritu sancto inspirati locuti sunt sancti Dei homines, II Pet. I, 21 in quodam loco, famoso, scilicet Gen. II, 2, de die septima: et sic requievit Deus ab operibus suis. Operibus, inquam, ab institutione mundi perfectis.
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Vel dixit spiritus sanctus in quodam loco de die septima: et hoc dixit postquam narraverat opera sex dierum ipsis perfectis ab institutione mundi. Si vero sit ibi dicit enim, sic est defectiva constructio, et est sensus: nuntiatum est nobis quod ingrediemur, et hoc operibus ab institutione mundi perfectis, sed quando et quomodo nuntiatum est, quia dixit, in quodam loco, et cetera. Dicit autem operibus perfectis, ad denotandum opera sex dierum, quae fuerunt perfecta. Dicit vero ab institutione mundi, quia primo constitutus est mundus, et post sex dies distincte perfectus est in singulis partibus suis. De distinctione autem istorum dierum diversimode loquuntur sancti. Aliter enim accepit Augustinus ab aliis sanctis, sicut patet prima parte summae, quaest. LXXIV, art. 2 et 3. Tamen quomodocumque dicatur, manifestum est quod opera illa perfecta fuerunt. Est enim in ipsis duplex perfectio. Una secundum partes mundi, quae sunt caelum, et quatuor elementa. Et haec attenditur penes earum essentias, sicut habetur in prima parte summae, quasi ubi supra. Et hoc fuit per opus creationis, quod fuit prima die; et per opus distinctionis, quod fuit secunda et tertia die. Et in hoc concordat Augustinus cum aliis. Alia perfectio est secundum singulas partes. Et haec perfectio pertinet ad opus ornatus. Et iste ornatus quantum ad superiora fuit quarta die; quantum ad mediam, scilicet aerem et aquam, quinta die; quantum vero ad terram, quae est infimum elementum, fuit sexta die. Ista vero perfectio convenit numero senario, qui consurgit ex suis partibus aliquotis simul sumptis, quae sunt unum, duo, et tria; quia sexies unum sunt sex, similiter ter bis, et bis ter, et unum, duo, tria, sunt sex; quia ergo senarius est primus numerus perfectus, quia licet ternarius conveniat aliqualiter his quae dicta sunt, quia ter unum, tria sunt, et unum et duo, tria sunt; tamen bis unum non faciunt tria, similiter semel duo non faciunt tria, sed tantum duo. Ideo per ipsum senarium designatur perfectio rerum. Post perfectionem vero promittitur quies, quae nulli datur nisi operanti. Et sic in septima die qua mutatus est status mundi, sicut in qualibet alia erat quaedam variatio. Unde in ipsa incepit status propagationis, propter quod et connumeratur aliis, ideo in septima mundi aetate est status quiescentium. Secundum Augustinum tamen ista septima dies nihil aliud est quam cognitio angelica relata ad quietem Dei ab operibus. Sed contra: si quievit die septima, quis ergo fecit eam, si non est opus Dei? Praeterea Io. V, 17: pater meus usque modo operatur, et ego operor. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod accipitur ibi quies non secundum quod opponitur labori, sed secundum quod opponitur motui. Deus enim etsi producendo non moveatur, tamen quia de ipso non loquimur nisi per sensibilia, in quibus non est operatio sine motu, ideo omnis operatio, large loquendo, dicitur motus, et sic dicitur quievisse, quia cessavit novas species producere: quia illa, quae postea facta sunt, fuerunt in illis rebus tunc productis: vel secundum virtutem activam, sicut in animalibus perfectis, vel secundum rationes seminales, vel secundum materiam, sicut mineralia. Ideo tunc non fuit mortuus suscitatus, sed fuit factum corpus, quod posset suscitari. Quaedam autem fuerunt tunc secundum similitudinem, ut animae rationales, quae tantum fiunt a Deo. Sic ergo requievit Deus ab operibus producendis, quia omnia aliquo modo praecesserunt, ut dictum est, tamen usque modo operatur, conservando et gubernando quae condidit. Et sic septimam diem Deus fecit sicut quamlibet aliam, quia tunc fuit aliquid additum, quia tunc incepit status propagationis. Quaelibet autem additio variabat statum mundi, ut dictum est, et faciebat unum diem. Vel secundum Augustinum non dicit simpliciter requievit, sed requievit ab operibus suis. Ab aeterno enim requievit in seipso, sed tunc etiam requievit non in operibus, sed ab operibus. Aliter enim operatur Deus, et quilibet alius artifex. Artifex enim agit propter indigentiam suam, sicut domificator facit domum, ut in ipsa quiescat. Similiter faber facit cultellum propter lucrum. Unde desiderium cuiuslibet artificis quietatur in opere suo. Sed non sic est de Deo, quia non agit propter indigentiam suam, sed propter bonitatem communicandam. Unde non quiescit in opere, sed ab opere producendo, et quiescit tantum in sua bonitate. Consequenter autem ponit auctoritatem David, quae iam exposita est. Consequenter cum dicit quoniam ergo superest, etc., arguit ex praemissis. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim accipit sensum secundae auctoritatis illius si vocem eius audieritis, etc.; secundo arguit ex primo, ibi itaque relinquitur, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo trahit duo a secunda auctoritate; secundo ostendit quod haec duo intelliguntur in ipsa, ibi nam si eis Iesus. Accipit ergo duo quae intelliguntur in ipsa, ibi nam iustum est, scilicet quod antiqui patres non introierunt. Aliud est, quod tempore David adhuc restabat alia quies praestanda.
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Licet enim ipsi fuisset promissa requies praestanda in terra promissionis, tamen per hoc quod post longum tempus dicit: hodie si vocem, etc., ostendit quod alia requies restat. Aliter enim non faceret mentionem de requie, dicens hodie, et cetera. Est ergo quaedam requies in quam nobis intrandum est, in quam illi non intraverunt propter incredulitatem. Et ideo, quoniam illi non intraverunt, restat ergo quosdam intrare, quibus promissio facta est, quia hi quibus prius nuntiatum est non introierunt, id est, Iudaei quibus promissio facta est. Restat ergo quosdam intrare, cuius ratio est, quia si Deus creavit hominem ad aeternam beatitudinem, quia ad imaginem et similitudinem suam creavit illum, ideo praeparavit ei requiem. Licet ergo aliquis ex merito culpae suae excludatur, non tamen vult Deus quod illa praeparatio sit frustra. Et ideo superest ut quidam intrent, ut patet de vocatis ad nuptias. Matth. XXII, 8: nuptiae quidem paratae sunt, sed qui invitati fuerant, non fuerunt digni, et cetera. Et ideo terminat, id est, determinat nobis, diem septimam, id est, diem gratiae, dicendo in David: hodie si vocem, et cetera. Et repetit auctoritatem, quae exposita est. Sciendum est autem, quod Deus homini praeparavit beatitudinem pro requie, nec vult istam praeparationem esse frustra; sed si unus non intrabit, alius intrabit, sicut ostenditur in illa parabola de nuptiis. Matth. XXII, v. 2 ss.: tene quod habes, ut nemo accipiat coronam tuam; quasi dicat: si tu non accipias, alius habebit. Iob XXXIV, 24: conteret multos, et innumerabiles, et stare faciet alios pro eis.
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Deinde cum dicit nam si eis Iesus, etc., probat quod supersit alios intrare, quia si Iesus Nave, id est Iosue, filiis Israel, finalem requiem praestitisset, numquam de alia, etc., id est, non immineret nobis alia requies, nec de alia aliqua propheta David loqueretur post illam diem. Unde manifestum est, quod illa requies fuit signum requiei spiritualis.
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Supra apostolus duas auctoritates assumpsit, unam de Gen. II, 2, aliam vero de Ps. XCIV, 8, et conclusit intentionem suam ex secunda auctoritate, scilicet Psalmi. Hic concludit idem ex prima. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim ponit conclusionem; secundo ponit rationem consequentiae, ibi qui enim ingressus. Circa primum sciendum est quod apostolus in serie omnium istorum verborum facit mentionem de triplici requie. Prima est requies Dei ab operibus suis; secunda est requies temporalis, quam habuerunt filii Israel in terra promissionis; tertia est requies aeterna, quae per istas duas designatur. Sed apostolus hic, antequam faciat mentionem de requie aeterna, dicit quod post terrenam adhuc relinquitur, idest remanet, sabbatismus populo Dei, qui in veteri lege per sabbatum repraesentabatur, scilicet requies aeterna. Is. LVIII, 13: vocaberis sabbatum delicatum et sanctum domini. Is. LXVI, 23: erit mensis ex mense et sabbatum ex sabbato, idest requies perpetua. Et dicit sabbatismus, quia sicut in veteri lege sabbatum repraesentabat requiem Dei ab operibus suis, de qua dicitur Gen. II, 2, ita illa requies erit sanctorum ab operibus suis. Apoc. XIV, 13: amodo iam dicit spiritus, ut requiescant a laboribus suis.
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Unde subdit qui enim ingressus est in requiem eius, quia sicut Deus sex diebus operatus est, et septima requievit, ita per sex dies praesens tempus propter perfectum numerum significatur. Qui ergo perfecte operatur, in septima requiescit ab operibus suis, sicut et a suis Deus, non autem a quibuscumque operibus, quia sunt ibi quaedam opera perpetua, videre scilicet, amare, et laudare: Apoc. IV, 8: non habebant requiem nocte ac die, dicentia: sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, etc. sed ab operibus laboriosis. Is. XL, 31: qui sperant in domino, habebunt fortitudinem, assument pennas ut aquilae, current et non laborabunt, ambulabunt et non deficient. Deinde cum dicit festinemus, inducit ad festinationem. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim ponit monitionem; secundo subdit rationem de introitu illius requiei, ibi vivus est. Item circa primum duo facit. Primo enim monet ad festinandum; secundo ostendit tardantis periculum, ibi ut ne in idipsum. Dicit ergo: quia igitur relinquitur sabbatismus, etc., festinemus ergo ingredi in illam requiem. Et signanter dicit ingredi, quia non est in bonis exterioribus ad quae est egressus, sed est in bonis interioribus. Ex. XV, 17: introduces eos, et plantabis, et cetera. Matth. XXV, v. 21: intra in gaudium domini tui. Est ergo multiplex ratio, quare festinandum est intrare. Una est, quia longinqua est via. Prov. VII, 19: abiit via longissima. Lc. XIX, v. 12: homo quidam nobilis abiit in regionem longinquam. Dicitur autem longinqua propter distantiam status, quia ibidem plenitudo omnis boni, et immunitas ab omni malo; est etiam desideranti perfecta visio et tentio, hic autem sunt omnia contraria istis. Item festinandum est, quia tempus est valde breve. Iob XIV, 5: breves dies hominis sunt. Item, quia istud tempus cum hoc, quod est breve et modicum, est etiam incertum. Eccle. c. IX, 12: nescit homo finem suum. Item, propter urgentem vocationem. Interior enim vocatio urget nos per stimulum charitatis. Is. c. LIX, 19: cum venerit quasi fluvius violentus, quem spiritus domini cogit, et cetera. II Cor. c. V, 14: charitas Christi urget nos. Ps. CXVIII, 32: viam mandatorum tuorum cucurri. Item, propter periculum tardantis, sicut patet de fatuis virginibus, Matth. XXV, 1 ss., quae tarde venientes intrare non potuerunt.
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Et ideo dicit ut ne in idipsum quis incidat incredulitatis exemplum. Quasi dicat: antiqui non potuerunt ingredi propter incredulitatem. Unde caveamus, alienae culpae exemplo, ne simus increduli, et exemplo poenae, ut scilicet non excludamur sicut ipsi. Lc. c. I, 39: abiit in montana cum festinatione. Ad hoc enim ostenduntur nobis praeteritae poenae aliorum, ut caveamus. Prov. XIX, 25: pestilente flagellato, stultus sapientior erit. Glossa: peius est, nisi caveatis. Ex hoc videtur quod ille qui non corrigitur punitione alterius, gravius punietur. Sed contra, quia iam peccatum Adae, quia non peccavit exemplo alterius, esset minus grave. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod semper istae locutiones intelligendae sunt caeteris paribus. Contingit enim duo peccata in se considerata, non esse unum gravius altero, tamen propter aliquam circumstantiam advenientem, aggravatur unum et non aliud: sicut duo adulteria de se aequalia sunt, tamen illud quod est ex certa malitia gravius est, quam illud quod est ex passione vel infirmitate. Et similiter verbum otiosum gravius est, quando fit ex certa malitia. Quomodo autem festinandum sit, docet apostolus I Cor. IX, 25, quia qui currit, et qui certat ab omnibus se abstinet. Festinandum est ergo, deponendo impedimenta, non solum ut abstineamus a peccatis, sed etiam ut occasiones peccatorum vitemus. Prov. IV, 11: ducam te per semitas, et cetera. Sed contra Prov. XIX, 2: qui festinus est pedibus offendet. Respondeo. Duplex est festinantia, scilicet praecipitationis: et haec est reprehensibilis; alia tenuitatis et celeritatis; et haec est laudabilis. Nam, sicut dicit philosophus, omnes homines oportet consiliari diu, operari autem consiliata festinanter; quando ergo festinantia tollit consilium, tunc praecipitat, et est vitiosa, et secundum hanc verificatur obiectio, sed festinantia, quae est in executione consiliatorum, est virtuosa, et laudatur, et ad hanc hortatur hic apostolus.
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Deinde cum dicit vivus est enim sermo Dei, etc., ponit rationem praedictae monitionis, et praecipue quantum ad periculum. Haec autem ratio sumitur ex parte Christi. In ipso autem est duplex natura: una, scilicet divina, secundum quam est verbum patris; alia est humana, secundum quam est pontifex offerens se in cruce. Primo ergo ponit rationem sumptam ex parte divinitatis; secundo rationem sumptam ex parte humanitatis, ibi habentes igitur. De filio autem Dei dicit tria. Primo enim assignat eius virtutem, quia vivus est sermo Dei; secundo eius cognitionem, ibi et discretor; tertio eius auctoritatem, ibi ad quem nobis sermo. Virtutem eius ostendit tripliciter. Primo quantum ad naturam; secundo quantum ad potestatem, ibi et efficax; tertio quantum ad operationem, ibi et penetrabilior. Dicit ergo vivus est sermo Dei. Ista littera de se videtur habere difficultatem, tamen considerando aliam translationem, planior est. Ubi enim nos habemus sermo, in Graeco habetur logos, quod est idem quod verbum. Unde sermo, id est, verbum. Et sic etiam exponit Augustinus illud Io. XII: sermo quem locutus sum, id est, ego ipse qui sum verbum. Sap. XVIII, 15: omnipotens sermo tuus, domine, exiliens de caelo a regalibus sedibus venit. Et similiter hic sermo Dei est vivus, id est, verbum Dei vivum. Verbum enim Dei ab aeterno conceptum, in paterno intellectu est verbum primordiale, de quo Eccli. I, 5 dicitur: fons sapientiae verbum Dei in excelsis. Et quia est primordiale, ideo ab ipso derivantur omnia alia verba, quae nihil aliud sunt quam quaedam conceptiones expressae in mente Angeli, vel nostra. Unde illud verbum est expressio omnium verborum, quasi fons quidam. Et illa, quae dicuntur de illo verbo, quodammodo aptantur ad alia verba, secundum suum modum. De illo autem dicitur, quod est vivus. Dicitur autem res viva, quamdiu habet motum et operationem suam. Sicut enim fons scaturiens dicitur vivus, sic et verbum illud quod habet perpetuum vigorem. Ps. CXVIII, 89: in aeternum, domine, verbum tuum permanet in caelo. Io. V, 26: sicut enim pater habet vitam in semetipso, sic dedit et filio vitam habere in semetipso. Vel potest referri ad humanam naturam. Est enim vivus, licet ab aliis reputetur mortuus, quia cum resurrexit, iam non moritur. Apoc. I, 18: fui mortuus, et ecce sum vivens in saecula saeculorum. Similiter etiam sermo Scripturae est vivus et indeficiens. Rom. c. IX, 6: non autem quod exciderit verbum Dei. Consequenter cum dicit et efficax, ostendit eius potestatem. Dicitur autem verbum efficax propter maximam virtutem et infinitam vim effectivam quam habet. Per ipsum enim facta sunt omnia Io. I, 3, et Ps. XXXII, 6: verbo domini caeli firmati sunt. Item est efficax quia ex ipso omnia verba prolata a Deo, mediante Angelo vel homine, efficaciam habent. Eccle. c. VIII, 4: sermo illius potestate plenus est. Is. LV, 11: verbum quod egredietur de ore meo, non revertetur ad me vacuum, sed faciet quodcumque volui, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit et penetrabilior, ostendit eius operationem. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo ponit eius operationem; secundo exponit, ibi et pertingens. Dicit ergo et penetrabilior. Illud proprie dicitur penetrare, quod ingreditur profunda rei. Hoc autem potest esse dupliciter. Uno modo, quia operatur in intimis rei. Is. XXVI, v. 12: omnia enim opera nostra operatus es in nobis. Alio modo, quia cognoscit intima rei. Io. II, 25: opus ei non erat, ut quis testimonium perhiberet de homine, ipse enim sciebat quid esset in homine. Eccli. XXIV, 45: penetrabo inferiores partes terrae. Operatio enim Dei et cognitio pertingit et penetrat intima rei. Unde dicit omni gladio ancipiti. Inter omnia enim gladius est penetrabilior propter acumen, et maxime gladius anceps, qui scilicet est acutus ex duabus eius partibus. Et ideo, quia verbum Dei acutum est, et ad operandum et ad cognoscendum, ideo comparatur gladio ancipiti. Eph. VI, 17: et gladium spiritus, quod est verbum Dei. Is. c. XXVII, 1: in illa die visitabit dominus in gladio suo duro, et grandi, et forti, et cetera. Vel dicitur anceps quantum ad operationem, quia habet aciem ad bona promovenda, et mala destruenda. Apoc. I, 16: ex ore ipsius procedebat gladius ex utraque parte acutus. Vel quantum ad cognitionem; et dicitur omni gladio ancipiti, id est, omni humano intellectu, qui dicitur anceps, quia habet viam ad utramque partem conclusionis, quousque veniat ad finem perscrutationis, et ibi figit acumen suum, scilicet in veritate. In ordine enim causarum videmus quod semper causa prior intimius operatur quam causa posterior. Unde illud quod natura producit est intimius, quam illud quod producitur per artem. Quia ergo Deus est prima causa simpliciter, ideo eius operatione producitur illud quod est intimius ipsi rei, scilicet esse eius. Consequenter cum dicit et pertingens, etc., manifestat quod dixerat de operatione. Et circa hoc facit duo, quia primo ostendit hoc quantum ad spiritualia, secundo quantum ad corporalia, ibi compagum quoque et medullarum. Secundum enim apostolum tria sunt in homine, scilicet corpus, anima et spiritus. I Thess. V, 23: integer spiritus vester, anima et corpus, et cetera. Quid enim sit corpus notum est. Anima autem est, quae dat corpori vitam; spiritus vero in rebus corporalibus dicitur quid subtile, et ideo significat substantias immateriales. Is. XXXI, 3: Aegyptus homo et non Deus, et equi eorum caro et non spiritus. Spiritus ergo in nobis dicitur illud, per quod communicamus cum substantiis spiritualibus. Anima vero illud per quod communicamus cum brutis. Et sic spiritus est mens humana, scilicet intellectus et voluntas. Ex hoc autem dicunt aliqui, quod in nobis sunt diversae animae. Una scilicet quae perficit et vivificat corpus, et ista dicitur anima proprie; alia vero est spiritus habens intellectum quo intelligimus, et voluntatem qua volumus. Et ideo ista duo magis dicuntur substantiae, quam animae. Hoc autem damnatum est in libro de ecclesiasticis dogmatibus. Et ideo dicendum est, quod una et eadem est essentia animae, quae per essentiam suam vivificat corpus, et per potentiam suam, quae dicitur intellectus, est principium intelligendi. Et per istam intelligit aeterna. Quod quomodo sit, sic patet. Videmus enim quod quanto forma est perfectior, tanto operatio eius minus subditur materiae; sicut patet quod formae elementorum, quia sunt imperfectissimae, non extenduntur ultra materiam. Cum ergo anima inter omnes formas sit nobilissima, oportet quod habeat aliquam operationem, et praecipue anima rationalis, quae omnino excedit potentiam materiae. Et istam operationem vocamus intelligere, ad quam sequitur sua inclinatio, scilicet velle. Est autem triplex differentia inter operationes animae, ita quod anima dicatur ad quam pertinent potentiae, quibus anima operatur cum corpore; ad spiritum vero illae, quibus operatur sine corpore. Prima autem differentia inter istas potentias et operationes ab ipsis procedentes est ipsius rationis ad sensualitatem, quae est potentia, per quam anima operatur cum corpore, quia ratio apprehendit immaterialia, sensualitas vero materialia et sensibilia. Secunda differentia est partium sensualitatis, quia alium statum et ordinem habet sensualitas, secundum quod tendit in proprium obiectum ex natura sua, et alium secundum quod regulatur a ratione. Ipsa enim concupiscibilis aliter consideratur ut est vis quaedam in ordine ad obiectum suum, et aliter ut participat ratione. Tertia differentia est partium ipsius rationis, secundum diversa obiecta ipsius, quia vel tendit in Deum, et hoc est supremum in ipsa; vel in effectus spirituales, vel in effectus temporales. Omnes autem istas divisiones et differentias operatur et discernit verbum Dei, scilicet quomodo sensualitas distinguatur a ratione, differentiam etiam ipsius sensualitatis in se, differentiam etiam partium rationis, et quid proveniat in anima ex consideratione spiritualium et terrenorum. Alio modo potest exponi secundum Glossam, dupliciter, ut per animam intelligantur peccata carnalia, quae fiunt actu et delectatione corporis, ut luxuria, gula et huiusmodi; per spiritum vero peccata spiritualia, quae fiunt actu mentis, ut superbia, inanis gloria, et huiusmodi. Vel per animam intelligantur malae cogitationes, per spiritum vero bonae. Et sic est sensus: pertingens, id est discernens, usque ad divisionem animae et spiritus, id est inter carnalia et spiritualia peccata, vel inter bonas et malas cogitationes. Consequenter cum dicit compagum quoque et medullarum, declarat illud quod dixerat de operatione Dei, quantum ad temporalia. Sciendum est autem quod aliquid non potest penetrando pertingere ad aliquid propter duo: unum est propter colligationem, aliud autem est propter inclusionem. Neutrum istorum potest impedire verbum Dei. In nobis quidem sunt quaedam colligationes, scilicet nervorum et arteriarum. Quaedam etiam sunt valde inclusa et occulta, sicut medullae quae in ossibus includuntur; omnia autem ista divino prospectui manifesta sunt et subdita. Et ideo nihil est ei difficile ad penetrandum. Vel per compages potest intelligi coniunctio, quae est inter partes animae ad invicem, ut inter animam et spiritum; quasi dicat: non solum pertingit ad cognoscendum differentiam et divisionem animae et spiritus; sed etiam ad cognoscendum quomodo coniunguntur. Cognoscit enim quomodo sensualitas regitur ratione. Medulla autem potest intelligi illud, quod latet in ratione et sensualitate. Matth. X, 28: timete eum qui potest et animam et corpus mittere in Gehennam. Deinde cum dicit et discretor cogitationum, agit de cognitione verbi. Et circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim ostendit quod omnia subduntur cognitioni eius; secundo ostendit quomodo cognoscit, ibi omnia autem nuda. Ex duobus autem contingit, quod aliquid non cognoscatur, scilicet aut quia est intra aliquod occultatum. Et sic maxime sunt occulta, quae latent in corde, quia ipsum est valde profundum et inscrutabile. Ier. XVII, 9: pravum est cor hominis et inscrutabile; secundum vero Septuaginta interpretes habetur sic: profundum est cor hominis, et cetera. In corde vero latent cogitationes. Istas autem cognoscit verbum Dei. Is. I, 16: auferte malum cogitationum vestrarum ab oculis meis, et ideo quantum ad hoc dicit discretor cogitationum. Alio modo non cognoscitur aliquid, quia est omnino ignotum et invisibile, et sic ea quae sunt in voluntate, sunt ignota. In voluntate autem est ipsa intentio finis, quae de natura sua est invisibilis. Quid enim homo facit vel cogitat manifestatur per opus, sed qua intentione hoc faciat, penitus est incertum. Ista autem non sunt occulta Deo. Ideo adiungit et intentionum cordis. Ps. VII, v. 9: scrutans corda et renes, id est cogitationes et intentiones. Sciendum est autem, quod illud quod dicit penetrans, referri potest ad operationem, ut dictum est. Et sic differunt penetrans et discretor. Si autem referatur ad cogitationem, tunc quod hic dicit et discretor est expositio illius, quasi dicat: tu dicis quod est penetrabilior, etc.; verum est, quia est etiam discretor compagum et medullarum, id est cogitationum et intentionum. Compages enim dicuntur quaedam colligationes; et sic cogitatio, in qua est quasi quaedam colligatio terminorum, potest dici compago, dum de uno tendit in aliud. Is. LVIII, 6: dissolve colligationes impietatis. Item Is. V, 18: vae qui trahitis iniquitates in funiculis vanitatis. Item medulla est intima latens in ossibus. Iob XXI, v. 24: medullis ossa illius irrigantur.
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Deinde cum dicit et non est ulla creatura invisibilis in conspectu eius, ostendit quod illud quod secundum naturam est invisibile, non est occultum Deo. Quod enim aliquid non videatur a nobis, hoc est quia simplicius et subtilius est oculo nostro, sive corporali sive intellectuali: sicut sunt substantiae separatae, quas in vita ista videre non possumus. Divino autem intellectu nihil est simplicius vel subtilius, ergo nulla creatura est invisibilis in conspectu eius. Sed numquid cognoscit in universali tantum, sicut quidam voluerunt? Non, sed omnia nuda et aperta sunt oculis eius. Per oculum autem intelligitur vis cognitiva. Intelliguntur enim spiritualia per sensibilia. Signanter autem dicit in plurali oculos, propter diversitatem intellectorum, quia non cognoscit unum tantum, sed etiam multitudinem rerum. Dicit etiam nuda et aperta. Dupliciter enim cognoscitur aliquid. Uno modo in superficie; alio modo in profundo, sicut homo nudus videtur in superficie, non autem vestitus; sed omnia Deo manifesta sunt, quae videntur in superficie. Nihil enim est extra, quod impediat cognitionem Dei, sicut vestis impedit ne videatur homo. Et ideo dicit nuda. Iob XXVI, 6: nudus est Infernus coram illo. Dicit etiam aperta, quia nihil est ita occultum in re, quod Dei cognitionem effugiat. Sed contra Hab. I, 13: mundi sunt oculi tui, ne videas malum, et aspicere ad iniquitatem non poteris; non ergo omnia nuda sunt. Respondeo. Dicendum quod in Deo est scientia simplicis intelligentiae, et scientia approbationis. Primo modo cognoscit omnia, etiam mala, et ea quae non sunt; secundo cognoscit bona, quantum ad ea quae sunt. Consequenter ostendit perfectionem auctoritatis ipsius, cum dicit ad quem nobis sermo. Ista vero auctoritas est auctoritas iudicandi. Act. X, 42: ipse est, qui constitutus est a Deo iudex vivorum ac mortuorum. Ad istum ergo est nobis sermo, ut scilicet reddamus rationem de operibus nostris. II Cor. V, 10: omnes nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal Christi, ut referat unusquisque propria corporis prout gessit, sive bonum, sive malum sit. Et ideo, quia sic est potens, sic sciens, et sic magnus, festinemus ergo ingredi, et cetera. Ad iudicium enim faciendum tria requiruntur: primo quidem potestas subditos coercendi. Eccle. VII, 6: noli fieri iudex, nisi valeas virtute irrumpere iniquitates. Et haec convenit Christo, secundum illud Matth. ult.: data est mihi omnis potestas, et cetera. Secundo requiritur rectitudinis zelus, ut scilicet aliquis non ex odio vel livore, sed ex amore iustitiae, iudicium proferat. Prov. c. III, 12: quem diligit dominus, corripit, et quasi patri, et cetera. Et hic amor iustitiae potissimum est in Christo. Is. XI, 5: et erit iustitia cingulum lumborum eius, et cetera. Tertio requiritur sapientia, secundum quam formatur iudicium. Eccli. X, 1: iudex sapiens iudicabit populum suum, et cetera. Christus autem est Dei virtus, et Dei sapientia, I Cor. I, 24. Haec autem iudiciaria potestas convenit Christo, secundum quod est homo, Io. V, 27: potestatem dedit ei iudicium facere, quia filius hominis est, non quidem propter conditionem naturae, secundum Augustinum, quia sic omnes homines huiusmodi potestatem haberent, sed propter gratiam capitis, quam Christus in humana natura accepit. Competit autem Christo hoc modo iudiciaria potestas secundum humanam naturam, propter tria: primo propter convenientiam et affinitatem ipsius ad homines. Sicut enim Deus per causas medias, tamquam propinquiores effectibus, operatur, ita iudicat per hominem Christum, homines, ut sit suavius iudicium. Non enim habemus pontificem, qui non possit compati, etc., ut dictum est. Secundo quia in finali iudicio, ut Augustinus dicit super Ioan., erit resurrectio corporum mortuorum, quae suscitat Deus per filium hominis, sicut per eumdem Christum suscitat animas, inquantum est filius Dei. Tertio quia, ut Augustinus dicit in libro de verbis domini, rectum erat, ut iudicandi viderent iudicem. Iudicandi autem sunt boni et mali; restat ergo, ut in iudicio forma hominis bonis et malis ostenderetur, et forma Dei solis bonis servaretur. Haec autem potestas primo homini competit, et propter divinam personam et propter capitis dignitatem et propter plenitudinem gratiae habitualis, et etiam ista ex meritis adeptus est. Quod quidem congrue factum est, ut secundum Dei iustitiam iudex esset, qui pro Dei iustitia pugnavit et vicit, et iustitia reos damnaret qui iniuste iudicatus est. Apoc. III, 21: vici, et sedi in throno patris, per quem intelligitur iudiciaria potestas. Ps. IX, 4: sedens super thronum, qui iudicas iustitiam. Augustinus, de verbis domini: sedebit iudex, qui stetit sub iudice, damnabitque reos, qui falso reus factus est.
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Supra apostolus monuit ad festinandum ingredi in requiem Dei, et ad hoc inducendum posuit magnitudinem Christi quantum ad divinam naturam, hic ostendit idem quantum ad humanam naturam, et circa hoc tria facit. Primo enim ponit eius dignitatem; secundo ostendit eius pietatem, ibi non enim habemus; tertio inducit ad habendum de eo fiduciam, ibi adeamus. Dicit ergo: ita dictum est, quod nobis est sermo ad eum, qui est vivus sermo, verus iudex et pontifex, ergo habentes pontificem magnum. Ps. CIX, 5: tu es sacerdos in aeternum, et cetera. Nec tantum pontifex, sed etiam magnus. Zach. III, 1: et ostendit mihi dominus Iesum sacerdotem magnum, stantem coram Angelo, et cetera. Hic autem dicitur magnus, quia non est pontifex tantum bonorum temporalium, sed et futurorum. Infra IX, 11: Christus assistens pontifex futurorum bonorum, et cetera. Duo autem pertinebant ad magnum pontificem: unum quo ad officium, scilicet semel in anno cum sanguine intrare in sancta sanctorum, sicut habetur infra IX, 7, et Lev. XVI, v. 2 s. Hoc autem praecipue convenit Christo. Ille enim intrat cum sanguine in sancta figuralia; sed Christus per proprium sanguinem intravit in sancta, id est, sacra caelestia. Et ideo dicit qui penetravit caelos, id est, propria virtute penitus intravit. Secundum est quod debebat esse ex certa tribu, scilicet de stirpe Aaron, sicut dicitur Ex. XXIX, et Num. XVI et XVII. Hoc autem competit Christo, qui est nobilioris originis: unde dicitur filius Dei. Matth. III, 17: hic est filius meus dilectus. Ps. II, 7: filius meus es tu, et cetera. Quia ergo habemus hunc pontificem, teneamus confessionem, id est, inhaereamus corde, quia, ut dicitur Rom. X, 10: corde creditur ad iustitiam, ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. Hanc autem confessionem requirit a nobis Christus pontifex maximus. Matth. X, 32: qui me confessus fuerit coram hominibus, et cetera. Sed dicit spei nostrae, quod dupliciter potest intelligi: uno modo, quod confessio prout hic sumitur, sit confessio fidei. Fides autem est principium spei, sicut habetur ex Glossa. Matth. I, 2: Abraham autem genuit Isaac, id est, fides genuit spem, non quidem quantum ad habitum, sed quantum ad ordinem actus. Nullus enim potest sperare, nec debet, nisi quod potest consequi. Quod autem possimus consequi aeterna, habemus per fidem. Vel confessionem spei, id est, eius de quo speramus, scilicet videre primam veritatem. Deinde cum dicit non enim habemus pontificem, ne forte credatur, quod non possit aliquid agere praeter id quod exigit eius iustitia, ostendit in ipso etiam esse misericordiam et pietatem, et ista respiciunt miseriam, et hoc praecipue convenit Christo.
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Unde dicit qui non possit compati infirmitatibus nostris. Sciendum est autem, quod ly posse aliquando importat non nudam potentiam, sed promptitudinem et aptitudinem Christi ad subveniendum, et hoc quia scit, per experientiam, miseriam nostram, quam, ut Deus, ab aeterno scivit per simplicem notitiam. Ps. CII, 14: misericors est Deus timentibus se, quoniam ipse cognovit figmentum nostrum. Unde subdit pro similitudine, scilicet nostri, tentatum. Est autem triplex tentatio. Una quae est a carne, quando scilicet caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, ut dicitur Gal. V, 17. Et ista non est sine peccato, quia, ut dicit Augustinus, nonnullum peccatum est, cum caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, quia hoc est carnem concupiscere. Sed hoc non fuit in Christo. Et ideo dicit absque peccato, id est, absque minimo motu peccati. I Pet. II, 22: qui peccatum non fecit, nec inventus est dolus in ore eius. Et ideo dicitur agnus Dei, Io. I, 29. Alia est tentatio ab hoste et a mundo, et hoc dupliciter: vel alliciendo per prospera, vel terrendo per adversa. Et his duobus modis fuit tentatus Christus. Prosperis. Quicquid enim pertinet ad prosperitatem huius vitae, vel pertinet ad concupiscentiam carnis, vel ad concupiscentiam oculorum, vel ad superbiam vitae. De primo enim tentavit eum Diabolus, quando tentavit eum de gula, quae est mater luxuriae. Matth. c. IV, 3: si filius Dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. Item de inani gloria, cum dicit: mitte te deorsum. Item de concupiscentia oculorum, dicens: haec omnia tibi dabo, et cetera. Lc. IV, 13: consummata omni tentatione, Diabolus recessit ab illo usque ad tempus. Item fuit tentatus per adversa et insidias a Pharisaeis, quia volebant eum capere in sermone, Matth. XXII, 15, item per contumelias, Matth. XXVII, 40: vah, qui destruis templum Dei, etc., item per flagella et tormenta. Excepta ergo tentatione, quae est cum peccato, per omnia similis nobis tentatus est. Dicit autem secundum similitudinem, quod potest dupliciter exponi. Uno modo, quod ly secundum denotet causam finalem, quasi dicat: ideo tentatus est, ut daret nobis exemplum, ut secundum similitudinem eius, tentationem sustineremus et omnia conaremur vincere. I Pet. II, 21: Christus passus est pro nobis, vobis relinquens exemplum, et cetera. Vel potest denotare consequentiam, quasi dicat: ideo tentatus est, ut per omnia tam in temporalibus quam in omnibus aliis, nisi in solo peccato, similis esset nobis. Si enim fuisset sine tentationibus, non fuisset eas expertus, et sic non compateretur. Si vero habuisset peccatum, non potuisset nos iuvare, sed magis indiguisset adiutorio.
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Deinde cum dicit adeamus ergo cum fiducia, etc., inducit ad habendam fiduciam de ipso, quasi dicat: ex quo sic potest compati, adeamus cum fiducia. Is. XII, v. 2: ecce Deus salvator meus, fiducialiter agam, et cetera. Adeamus dico ad thronum. Thronus dicitur sedes regis: Christus autem rex est. Ier. c. XXIII, 5: regnabit rex et sapiens erit, et cetera. Hic autem thronus duplicem habet statum. Unum iustitiae in futuro. Ps. IX, 4: sedisti super thronum, qui iudicas iustitiam. Hoc erit in futuro. Ps. LXXIV, 2: cum accepero tempus, ego iustitias iudicabo. Est alius thronus gratiae, de quo hic. Ideo additur gratiae eius, scilicet in praesenti, quando est tempus miserendi. Zach. IV, 7: exaequabit gratiam gratiae. Per gratiam autem Christi liberamur ab omni miseria, quia liberamur a peccato, quod facit miseros populos, Prov. XIV, 34, et ideo dicit ut misericordiam consequamur. Item per gratiam Christi iuvamur ad bona operanda. Et ideo dicit et gratiam inveniamus. Lc. I, 30: invenisti gratiam apud dominum. Et hoc in auxilio opportuno, quo adiuvemur ad bene operandum. Ps. CXX, 2: auxilium meum a domino, istud autem auxilium est per gratiam. I Cor. XV, 10: abundantius illis laboravi, non autem ego, sed gratia Dei mecum. Hoc autem oportet esse congruo tempore, ideo dicit auxilio opportuno. Omni enim negotio tempus et opportunitas. Eccle. c. VIII, 6. Hoc est tempus praesens, quod est tempus miserendi.
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Existimetur aliquis ex vobis deesse. Existimetur, Graece <5ox^, videatur. Et pro verbo deesse vertunt alii: frustratus esse f id est exclusus, non assecutus. Plenius exprimetur Graeci verbi significatum, si jungas utrumque: Frustratus seu non assecutus eo, quod ipse desit per ignaviam. Pro vobis Graeci quidam codices nobis habent, teste Cajetano et eum ingrediamur in aeternam requiem. ante eum Fabro Stapulense, qui etiam arbitratur a Latino interprete ita scriptum fuisse, et nos sic vidimus in MS. Laudensi. Hanc etiam lectionem flagitat orationis contextus, in quo praecessit verbum primae personae: timeamus, et mox sequitur ejusdem personae pronomen: etenim et nobis. Quamquam alioqui sensus eodem recidit. Quum, inquit, videamus, ex veteri populo tam multos a requie promissa fuisse repulsos propter incredulitatem: nobis quoque metuendum est atque cavendum, ne quando, derelicta seu neglecta per infidelitatem ac diffidentiam pollicitatione divina, qua promisit nobia ingressum in requiem suam, aliquis nostrum ab ea requie videatur, id est inveniatur exclusus. Hic per requiem promissam non intelligit terram Chanaan, de qua secundum literam Psalmus locutus est, sed patriam coelestem, quam illa terrena requies mjstice significavit. Hanc enim Dciis nobis promisit in Christum vere credentibus atque in ea fide perseverantibus. De qua promissione seqitur:
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2. Etenim ct nobis nuntiatum est, quemadmodum et iUis. Explicat pollicitationem, quam dixerat. In Graeco sic ad verbium: Etenim sumus evangeli- %ati, sicut et illi, hoc est: Nam et nobis allatum est Evangelium, nobis qucque bona et laeta nuntiata sunt, quemadmodum illis, scilicet patribus nostris, de quibus in fine cap. praecedentis. Similitudo consistit in genere boni nuntii. Nam in specie magna differentia est: illis enim nuntiata fuit ac promissa requies quaedam hujus saeculi: nobis autem requies multo felicior posthoc saeculum, ideoque multo minus negligenda. Phrasis ista, qua eia?\geUzari dicuntur; quibus laetum aliquid annuntiatur, alibi quoque reperitur in sacris literis, ut Matth. 11. et Luc. 7.: Pauperes evajigelizantur, et 2. Reg. 18. secundum LXX.: EvangeJizetur Dominus meus rex, id est, bonum nuntium accipiat.
Sed non profuit ilJis sermo auditus. Auditus non participium est praeteriti temporis, quod primo fronte videtur, sed nomen genitivi casus, Graece OLy.or^z, id est auditinnis. Quae vox apud LXX. Scripturae interpretes fere per nietcnjmiam usurpatur pro re audita, id est pro sermone, fan^a. narratione; ut Jes. 53. et Rom. 10.: Quis credidit auditui nostro? Psalm. 111.: Ah auditione mala non timebit; Heb. 3.: Domine, audivi auditionem tuam, et timui. Veruntamen interdum proprie accipitur, ut Psalm. 17.: In auditu auris obediunt mihi, et Rom. 10.: Fides ex auditu: auditus autem per verbum Christi. Priori modo sermo auditionis idem est, quod sermo narrationis, id est, exploratorum narratione ad populum relatus, duorum praecipue. Caleb et Josue. Cum enim, ut habetur Num. 13. et 14., communis esset exploratorum relatio, terram a Deo promissam, quam histraverant, revera lacte et melle fluere, Caleb et Josue prae caeteris addebant, facile eam terram, adjutore et propitio Deo, obtineri posse. Cui sermoni popalus adeo fidem non habuit, ut etiam lapidibus opprimere vellent eos, a quibus haec audiebant. Hic sensus coactior esse videtur, eo quod exploratorum maxima pars legatur terrae, quam a fertilitate laudaverant, mox detraxisse, dicendo: Terra, quam lustravimus, devorat habitatores suos etc., ut proinde eorum sermo dici non possit Evangelium fuisse juxta sententiam praecedentem. Rectius ergo cum plerisque, Syro etiam adstipulante, per sermonem auditionis intelligemus sermonem auditum, quem videlicet audierant, Deo per Mosen promittente, se introducturum eos in terram Chanaan et requiem in ea daturum. Culpantur enim, quod promissioni divinae fuerint increduli, quae promissio non per exploratores, sed per Mosen, divinae voluntatis interpretem, illis facta fuerat.
Non admistus fidei ex iis, quae audierunt. Graece et Syriace: Non commixtus fidei iiSf qui audierunt. Nec ullo modo Graeca verti possunt: ex iis, quae oudierunt. Unde non immerito suspicatur Ribera, depravatam esse scribarum inscitia nostram versionem, quacumque ratione id acciderit. Huc etiam facit vetus lectio, quae est apud Augustinum in exposit. Psalm. 77.: Non contemperatus fidei eorum^ qui obedierunt. Est tamen in Graeco nonnulla varietas quoad priorem partem. Nam Chrysostomus ac caeteriGraecicommentatores legunt: non commixtis, ut eodem casu, qui in Graeco accusativus est. jungatur cum pronomine illis, et pariter regatur a verbo profuit. Eadem lectio, reperta in compluribus Graecib codicibus Roberti, hodie est in bibliis regiis: item apud Fabrum et Cajetanum. Quam Chrysostomus quidem ita exponit, ut non commistos fidei iis, qui audierant, dicat intelligi Caleb et Josue, quod non sese miscuerint cum tumultuantibus, nec eandem cum multitudine sententiam habuerint, sed extra seditionem permanserint. Verum hiuic expositioni contextus omnino repugnat. Non enim patitur, illud plurale: Non commistos fidei etc., ad alios referri, quam ad malos et infideles, quibus dicit Apostolus non profuisse sermonem auditus. Unde Theophylactus ingenue fatetur, non se intelligere, quid Chrysostomus cibi velit. Ipse vero et Oecumenius ad hunc modum interpretantur: Sermo auditus non profuit illis, utpote qui per fidem non fuerint commixti seu conjuncti iis, qui audierunt, id est obedierunt, crediderunt, videlicet Caleb et Josue. Sed incommodum habet etiam haec interpretatio propter mutatam repente in eadem sententia significationem auditus; maxime cum et sub finem cap. 2. audivisse tribuatar etiam incredulis. Itaque nobis ea lectio magis probatur, quam complures habent Graeci codices, cui et Sjriaca versio et nostra vulgata consonat: Non commistus fidei aut fide; nam utroque modo verti potest, ut referatur ad sermonem auditus; idque hoc sensu: Promissionis sermo, quem audierant, nihil eis profuit; imo magis obfuit, propterea quod ipsis, qui audierant, non esset fide contemperatus, sine qua mixtura verbum, tamquam pharmacum, non prodest, sed nocet. Contemperatur autem fide, quando, qui audit, fide recipit. Est igitur in hac phrasi quaedam allusio ad ea, quae hausta nocent, nisi convenienter fuerint temperata. Videri cuipiam posset, hanc partem: iis, qui audierunt, regi a verbo profuit^ hoc modo: Non profuit illis sermo auditus, illis, inquam, qui audierunt; eo quod non esset admixtus fidei. Sed hanc syntaxira Graeca non admittunt; nam casus diversi sunt sxcivouc et ToTc; dxouaaatv. Nec fere nisi cum accusativo jungitur Graecum verbum (IxpeXeTv. Additio Censoris. Lectio Chrysostomi, Theophylacti et Oecumenii, quae eadem est eorum codicum, quos supra indicavit auctor, videtur sane expedita, sicut et ejusdem explicatio, quam dant Theophylactus et Oecumenius. Nec obest id, quod adversus eam auctor objicit, quoniam ejusdem vocis alia atque alia acceptio, quando ex adjunctis facile intelligitur ea diversitas, non modo nil habet incommodi, sed etiam schema facit orationi. Alteram Graecanicam lectionem satis commode auctor exponit, et ad sensum illius revocabitur, quod est in nostra vulgata, hoc modo: Sermo divinae promissionis, quem audierant, nihil ipsis profuit, propterea quod non esset contemperatus fidei conceptae ex iis, quae audierant. Non enim ex iis fidem conceperunt; sed audita respuerunt per infidelitatem.
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3. Ingrediemur enim in requiem, qui credidimus. Alii verbum reddunt praesentis temporis, ingredimury introi' mus. Est enim Graece eigsp^^ojis^a. Sed tamen noveris, verbum ep);o/jiai frequenter in Scripturis sic usurpari, ut futuri quandam significationem habeat. Unde est apud Evangelistas: 6 ep)(6/jievog, qui venturus est, Matth. 11., Luc. 7., Joan. 6. Imo et in hac Epistola cap. 10.: Qui venturus est, veniet. Quod si ita bene vertitur, ut sane omnes consentiunt, bene etiam hoc loco futurum reddidit interpres: ingrediemur; tametsi non negamus, sicut ibi adventum, ita hic introitum significari jam praeparatum et quadantenus inchoatum. Quae praeparatio et inchoatio fit per fidem. Explicat autem Apostolus illud, quod dixerat: Etenim et nobis nuntiatum est. Hoc est enim Svangelium, quod nuntiatum est nobis, introituros nos in requiem, quotquot crediderimus divinae promissioni, factae nobis in Christo. Sed fidem intellige, quam Scriptura praedicat, eara scilicet, quae conjunctam habet obedientiam ad praestandum omnia, quae fides ipsa monstrat agenda. Quam quicumque tenuerit usque in finem, is procul dubio promissam requiem apprehendet, hoc est, vitam aeternam.
Quemadmodum dixit: Sicut juravi in ira meai Si introibunt in requiem meam. Ex verbis Psalmi docet, ingres- Buros in requiem eos, qui crediderint. Est autem collectio a contrariis, quasi dicat: Antiquus ille populus propter incredulitatem exclusus est a requie sibi promissa, quemadmodum Deus ipse testatur, in Psalmo dicens: Sicut juravi etc. Nos igitur in requiem nobis promissam ingrediemur, si crediderimus. Nam si infidelitas excludit, ergo iides introducit. Simul autem inest argumentum a figura ad rem figuratam, scilicet a requie terrena ad requiem coelestem.
Et quidem operibus ah institutione mundi perfectis. Graece et Syriace: fa~ ctis, quod et in Latinis quibusdam legitur. Qui scripsit: perfectis, respexit ad verba Mosi Gen. 2.: Perfecti sunt coeli et terra et omnis ornatus eorum. Complevitgue Deus die septimo opus suum, quod fecerat. Et quidem, Graece xatxoi, quod alii vertunt: licet, etsi. Utrique recte. Pro inetitutione Graece est xaxa- ^OAT)(^, quam alibi fere semper vertit: consfitutionem, idque rectius. Significatur enim Graeca voce collocatio, sive in imum depressio fundamentorum. Unde Erasmus vertit: a jactis fundamentis mundi, per quod metaphorice creatio mundi significatur. De qua phrasi Scripturae nonnihil annotavimus ad illud Ephes. 1.: Elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem. Sensus horum verborum est, Deum in memorato versu Psalmi meminisse cujusdam quietis, etiam post illam requiem, qua ipse requievit ab opere creationis mundi sex diebue absoluto. Ut autem iutoIJigatur, quorsum id dicat Apostolus, et quo spectet hujus loci disputatio, in qua explicanda a multis laboratur, sciendum est, Apostolum hic versari in tractatione illorum verborum Dei ipsius a Davide scriptorum: Si introibunt in requiem meam, atque ex illis ostendere velle, quod nobis adhuc restet quaedam requies a Deo promissa et per fidem exspectanda. Quod ut doceat, adfert in medium duas aut tres alias mysticas quietes, quarum in Scriptura fit mentio. Prima est, qua Deus ab opere creationis mundi requievit die septimo. Secunda requies Sabbati, ad recolendam primam illam quietem in populo Dei instituta. Haec insinuatur in vocabulo sabbatismi, quod infra habetur. Tertia requies seu quieta possessio terrae Chanaan, Israelitico populo promissa. Harum quietum prima, qua Deus ipse requievisse dicitur, et adhuc requiescit, non quidem est tyjuis nostrae alicujus quietis, sed magis exemplum, ut infra dicetur; mjstica tamen est, utpote significans illam Dei requiem, qua requiescit atque in aeternum requiescet ac delectabitur in beatis, tamquam in opere suo perfectissimo. Secunda vero requies et tertia figurae quaedam fuerunt ejus quietis, quae nobis in Christum credentibus est promissa, quae nimirum est pacata possessio bonorum coelestium. Docet ergo Paulus, quod per Davidem Deus in sua exhortatione nobis insinuat requiem quandam a tribus primis diver- - sam, ad quam fide tendere nos oporteat. Non enim de prima quiete illic loqui, non solum quod ea sit requies Dei, non nostra, sed quod illa jam olim praecesserit, videlicet operibus a constitutione mundi perfectis, licet in ejus memoriam Judaei sabbatismum adhuc celebrarent. Simili ratione nec de secunda loquitur. Nam institutio et observatio Sabbati jam antiqua erat in illo populo, quando hic Psal-, mus fuit compositus. Porro de tertia requie secundum literam quidem accipiendum est illud: Si in~ troibunt in reguiem meam; sed ita tamen, ut adhuc alia requies intelligatur exspectanda, quae per ilJam praefigurata est. Hortatur enim David sui temporis homines ad obediendum voci Dei, ne contingat illis, quod patribus eorum, id est, ne excidant a requie promissa, sicut illi exciderunt. Ex quo plane consequens est, aliam adhuc requiem ab illa priore, patribus eorum promissa, restare exspectandam iis, ad quos exhortatio Davidica dirigitur, eandemque requiem non aliam esse, quam coelestem; cum non sit dubium, quin prior illa requies typum gesserit aeternae quietis ac felicitatis, quae nobis reposita est in coelis.
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4. Dixit enim quodam loco de die septima sic. Dixit, subandi, Scriptura, cujus testimonio probat mentionem primae quietis. Locum autem Scripturae, qui est Gen. 2., non citat, quia scribit Hebraeis literarum peritis.
Et requievib Deus die sepsima ah omnibus operibus suis. Quod supra dixit:Et quidem operibus ah institutione mundi perfectis, ad eundem diem septimum referendum est, ut patet ex loco Scripturae; sed ita, ut alterum sit alterius explicatio. Dicitur enim Deus die septimo complevisse opus, quod fecerat, quia completo opere tunc quievit, nec aliud super addidit. Quod sic intellige, quia deinceps nullum aliud opus fecit, qucd non in primis illis operibus initio factis, aut secundum speciem, aut saltem secundum causalem ac seminalem rationem, contineretur. Nam animae rationales, quas creat quotidie, sunt in illis secundum speciem; mixta vero corpora, quaecumque ab illis diversa postmodum exorta sunt, secundum rationes seminales in illis latuerunt. Opus autem conservationis reium, a quo Deus numquam cessat, non est opus novum, Bed continuatio prioris. Quidam ex hoc loco colligit, sabbatum fuisse institutum ab initio mundi, atque ejus observationem apud primos homines in usu fuisse, eo quod hic significatum existimet, homines jam inde ab initio in requiem sabbati fuisse introductos. Verum Apostolus nihil tale signiiicat, sed id tantum, quod cujusdam quietis, qua Deus requievit, in eo loco Scripturae facta sit mentio; sicut supra a nobis declaratum est. Quando autem institutum fuerit sabbatum, et quomodo sit intelligenda sanctificatio septimi diei, de qua Gen. 2., explicatum est a nobis ad dist. 15. lib. 2. Sent.
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5. Et in isto rursum: Si introibunt in requiem meam. Ac rursum, inquit, in hoc Psalmi loco, quem tractamus, idque post tot saecula ab orbe condito, dicit Scriptura ex Dei persona: Si introibunt iti requiem meam, videlicet ea comminatione significans, quandam adhuc quietem restare sperandam iis, in quos comminatio non cadit. Unde sequitur:
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6. Quoniam ergb superest introire quosdam in illam. Superest, Graece aTzoXeiTzeTaiy relinquitur. Sic enim infra vertit ipse interpres: Itaque relinquitur sahhatismus. Erasmus sententiam ita reddit: Posteaquam igitur illud reliquum esty aliquos introire in eam. Reliquum intellige per bonam consecutionem, quae jam ante satis explicata est, ubi ostendimus, quemadmodum id sequatur ex verbis Davidicis.
Et ii, quibus prioribus annuntiatum est, non introierunt propter incredulitatem. Graece: Et qui prius evangelizati fuerant, quasi dicat: Quibus olim annuntiatum fuit Evangelium, quo promittebatur ipsis requies iu terra Chanaan, quoniam ii non introierunt in eam propter suam incredulitatem.
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7. Iterum terminat diem quendam: Hodie, in David dicendo, post tantum temporis. Terminat, Graece optCet, definit, aut praefinit, ut apud Ambrosianum legitur. Itaque sensus est, Deum aut Scripturam sanctam, post tantum temporis, quantum fluxit a Mose usque ad Davidem, hoc est, post annos amplius quadringentos, iterum statuere ac designare diem quendam promerendae requiei, quum in Davide, id est per Davidem, aut in Psalmo Davidis, dicit: Hodie.
Sicut supra dictum est: Hodie si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra. Repetit verba Psalmi supra citata, quibus iterum dies quidam terminatur, dicendo; Hodie. Sed quaeritur, quem diem aut quod tempus eo vocabulo significatum voluerit Psalmista. Respondeo, sicut diximus in exposit. cap. praeced., literali quidem sensu tempus illud intelligi, quo David hunc Psalmum a se compositum in coetu publico ad exhortationem Israelitici populi decantari voluit; caeterum a Spiritu sancto verba Psalmi sic temperata esse, ut, sive per allegoriam, sive per extensionemj ad omnos fideles et ad omne tempus hujus vitae possint adaptari, maxime quia in iis tacite continetur promissio cujusdam requiei ab iis exspectandae, qui audita voce Domini corda sua non obduraverint. Quae promissio communis est omnium fidelium, qui, sicut iu eodem Psalmo dicitur, sint populus Dei et oves pascuae ejus. Quare per: Hodie, id est hodiernum diem, ex mente Pauli totum intelligitur hujus vitae spatium, de quo et cap. praeced. dixit: Donechodie cognominatur. Totum enim hoc tempus ideo dies est, quia tempus operi deputatum, per quod ad requiem perveniatur. Id opus est fides et obedientia, quod indicant ea verba: Si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra.
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8. Nam si eis Jesus requiem prae^ stitissetf numquam de alia loqueretur posthac die. Non est legendum: post hanc, sed: posthac, adverbi^liter; aut, ut in Graeco est, post haec, /icta zcL^-za.. Removet objectionem Apostolus, qua ad superiorem ipsius ratiocinationem respondere quis posset. Etsi populus ille, cui primo annuntiatum est, ob incredulitatem non introierit in requiem promissam, alii tamen, qui, quod aetate minores essent, in censu populi non fuerunt comprehensi, quando educti sunt ex Aegypto, nec patrum suorum incredulitatem sunt imitati, post annos quadraginta, ductore Josue, quem septuaginta interpretes in typum veri Salvatoris Jesum appellant, in eam requiem ingressi sunt. Non ergo consequens erat, si priures illi propter incredulitatem non introierunt, post tantum temporis alium diem statui, quo, qui crederent et obedirent, in requiem promissam inducerentur; utpote promissione jam olim completa in filiis eorum, qui non crediderant. Responsio est: Si Josue, quando populum introduxit in terram Chanaan, requiem ei praestitisset, ita nimirum, ut non esset alia post eam requies populo Dei exspectanda, numquam profecto David, aut per Davidem Spiritus eanctus aliam requiem post illud tempus promitteret; siquidem populus requiem promissam jam possidebat, eo potissimum tempore, quo haec a Davide dicebantur. Ssntit igitur Apostolug, Davidem in illa priori requie alium multo meliorem intellexisse, tamquam rem figuratam in sua figura; videlicet patriam coelestem, adhuc quaerendam et exspectandam, etiam iis, qui requie terrena, ductore Josue, jam dudum essent potiti. Quin vero significat, priorem illam non fuisse veram requiem, quum absolute negat, Josue requiem populo praestitisse.
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9. Itaque relinquitur sahhatismus pO' pulo Dei. Quoniam, inquit, vera requies nondum est praestita, quam tamen esse in promissione, docet nos Psalmus Davidicus, adhuc reliquum est, ut ea a populo Dei exspectetur; hoc est, ab iis, qui vere sunt populus Dei, utpote fidem habentes ejus promissis, et obedientes praecoptis. Nam vetus ille populus magis in figura, quam in veritate populus Dei dictus est. Porro requiem coelestem vocat sabbatis' mum, id est. sabbati celebrationem, nomine figurae translato ad rem significatam. Sabbatum enim Mosaicum tjpus erat quietis, quam post hanc vitam exspectant fideles. Nam sicut post laborem sex dierum septimo die feriabantur Judaei, ita nos, confectis hujus vitae laboribus, post mortem feriabimur, ac sabbatum agemus festivum et solemne. Maluit ergo Paulus sabbatismum dicere, quam requiem, quia scribebat Hebraeis, quos eo vocabulo voluit admonere mysterii, quod sabbatum eorum significabat, simulque eorum animos excitare ad desiderium et exspectationem illius quietis, quam post hujus saeculi labores exspectandam, eadem ipsa sabbati celebratione profitebantur. Specialiter autem sabbatismus significare nobis videtur eam faturi saeculi requiem, quam habent piorum animae corporibus exutae usque ad diem resurrectionis, quando sua corpora sunt recepturae. Tunc enim inchoabitur interminabilis solemnitas octavae diei, quae in primam recurrens, mysterium continet aeternae felicitatis, utique propter resurrectionem Dominicam, quae post quietem sabbati facta est octava die, quae eadem secundum Evangelium, erat prima sabbati. De hoc sabbatismo, id est, beatarum animarum requie, scriptum est Apoc. 14.: Beati mortui, qui in Domino moriuntur. Amodo jam dicit sjpiritus, ut requiescant a laboribus suis. Huic intellectui congruunt et ea, quae hic sequuntur:
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10. Qui enim ingressus est in requiem ejus, etiam ipse requievit ab operibus suis, sicut a suis Deus. Expositio est Babbatismi, quem dixit reliquum esse populo Dei. Sabbatum enim institutum fuit in memoriam quietis, qua Deus requievit die septimo ab omni opere, quod fecerat. Ad eundem modum, inquit, quisquis ingressus fuerit in requiem Dei, id est, a Deo paratam populo suo, etiam ipse requiescet a suis operibus, id est, laboriosis actionibus hujus vitae, secundum illud modo citatum ex Apoc.: Ut requiescant a laboribus suis. Hic observa, requiem Dei, qua requievisse dicitur die septimo, tametsi non sit typus nostrae futurae quietis, uti supra dictum est, esse tamen ejus causam quandam exemplarem. Notandum quoque, praeteriti temporis verba: ingressus est et requievit, absolvi a tempore, propterea quod illa ingressio et requies non sit unius determinati temporis. Multi enim, quo tempore Apostolus haec scribebat, jam ingressi erant in illam requiem; sed multo plures adhuc post id tempus ingressuri. Sunt, qui locum hunc interpretentur de Christo, capite nostro, quem dicunt ingressum in requiem Dei per resurrectianem suam et ascensionem in coelum, atque ejus exemplo nos etiam ingressuros. Atqui Scripturae consuetudo non habet, ut Christum, postquam in coelos ascendit, dicat esse in requie, sed in gloria, quemadmodum et omnes ejus Sancti erunt post resurrectionem generalem. Ita legimus in hac Epist. cap. 2., Jesum jam nunc gloria et honore coronatum esse. Porro sectarii, nominatim Calvinus, alium quendam hic sensum comminiscuntur. Dicunt enim, his verbis commendari nobis ac praecipi conformitatem cum Deo, ut, sicut Deus oHm requievit a suis operibus, ita et nos a nostris operibus quiescamus ac feriemur, Deumque sinamus agore in nobis otiosis ac nihil omnino cooperantibus. Quae quidem ab illis partim contra libertatem humani arbitrii, partim contra bonorum operum merita dicuntur, non minus impie, quam imperite; quasi non eadem possint esse opera Dei et nostra, Deo nimirum faciente, ut faciamus, juxta promissionem propheticam: Faciam, ut in praeceptis meis ambuletiSj et judicia mea custodiatis et operemini, Ezech. 36. Refellitur autem hujusmodi commentarius duplici ratione: tum quia non hic agit Apostolus de requie praesentis vitae, sed futurae, quae in Psalmo promittitur, et per requiem antiquis promissam significatur, de qua et continuo subjungit exhortationem: ut festinemus ingredi in illam requiem. Deinde, quia nimis ine-^ ptura est hanc a Deo sumere comparationem, ut, sicut ille requievit a suis operibus, ita nes quiescamus a nostris. Non enim nisi perabsurde fingi potest, Dei quietem ab operibus suis, iisque, teste Scriptura, valde bonis, tjpum aliquem aut exemplum praetulisse quietis hominum ab operibus suis, iisdemque proprio sectariorum judicio valde malis.
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11. Festinemus ergo ingredi in illam requiem. Festinemus, Graece et Syriace: Studeamus, operam demus, contenda^ mus. Hortatur, ut omnem adhibeant operam et conatum, quo in illam requiem, de qua hactenus egit, ingrediantur. Ad id autem inprimis necessarium est, ut fidem promissorum Dei mordicus teneant, et ad ea capessenda spem atque fiduciam suam indesinenter extendant. Ideo subjungit:
Ut ne in id ipsum quis incidat in^ credulitatis exemplum. Graece: Ut ne in eodem quis exemplo cadat incredulitatis. Casum opponit recto cursui, quo signincavit tendendum esse ad illam requiem. Simul autem ad historiam alludit eorum, qui ceciderunt in deserto, sicut legitur Num. 14. et Dent. 2. Sensus est: Ne quis nostrum, abjecta fiducia, cadat et pereat, exemplo punitae incredulitatis simili cum Israelitis, quoium corpora prostrata jacuerunt in deserto.
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12. Vivus est enim sermo Dei et efficax. In hujus loci explanatione variant interpretes. Quidam per sermonem Dei intelligunt verbum seu doctrinam evangelicam. Addit Calvinus: A quocumque etiam ministro proJatam et quibuscumque hominibus annuntiatam; valt enim Evangelii doctrinam, id est, verbum praedicationis semper esse efficax in animis auditorum; non quidem ut ab omnibus credatur, sed ut in omnibus, etiam reprobis, aliquem operetur effectum aut fidei, aut terroris saltem alicujus ac tormenti conscientiae. Verum hic sensus alienus est a Scriptura sacra, quae docet, multos esse, qui verbum Dei contemnant natque irrideant, tamquam falsum, fabulosum, incredibile. Non potest autem terrere conscientiam, quod nullo modo creditur; nihilo magis, quam urere potest ignis pictus. Jam vero etiam difficile est, verbo praedicationis ea omnia accommodare, quae hic ab Apostolo sermoni Dei tribuuntur, illud maxime, quod dicit, nulla?n creaturam in ejus conspectu esse invisibilem, sed omnia oculis ejus esse nuda et aperta. Hoc enim constat Deo proprium esse. Quam ob rationem alii censent, hunc locum necessario exponendum de Filio Dei, qui est Verbum Patris, de quo Joannes Evangelii sui iaitio: In principio erat Verbum, et 1. Episf. 5.: Pater, Verbum et Spiritus sanctus, et Apoc. 19.: Nomen ejus Verbum Dei. Siquidem et hoc loco verti potuit: Vivum est enim Verbum Dei, quomodo legit Ambrosius lib. 4. de fide, cap. 3. et lib. 2. in Lucam ad illud cap. 2.: Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius, necnon lib. 1. de Abel et Cain, cap. 8. Est enim in omnibus his Scripturae locis Graece 6 X6yo<Zf quod indifferenter etiam vulgatus interpres modo verbum, modo sermonem transtulit. Non dubium autem, quin haec omnia, quae de sermone Dei dicit hic ApostoluR, in Filium Dei competant. Huc etiam invitat illa particula, qua tota sententia clauditur: ad quem nobis sermo. Quod de Christo, Dei Filio, quam aptissime videtur intelligi; nam de ejus dignitate et sacerdotio tota fere disputatio hujus Epistolae contexitur. Sane probabilis est hic commeDtarius. Atque eum tradiderunt Oecumenius, Aquinas, Lirauus, Cajetanus, utraque glossa, aliique Latinorum. De eodem intellexit Ambrosius locis memoratis et Cyrillus lib. 2. in Joan. cap. 37. Sed huic interpretationi nonnihil obstat, quod abrupte post superiora mentio videatur ingeri de Filio Dei, praesertim sub nomine Verbi, de quo nihil praecossit. Nec vero ad hunc intellectum cogit nomen Verbi Dei, quasi lilio proprium. Nam frequenter etiam in apostolicis Scripturis accipitur pro verbo creato, sive id a Deo, sive ab ejus ministris prolatum fuerit. Nobis certe eorum sententia magis probatur, qui sermonem Dei interpretantur, quem Deus ad homines loquitur, sive promittendo, sive exhortando, sive comminando. Agit enim Apostolus de fide habenda verbo promissionis etcomminationis divinae, docetque, si Dei promissiones fide amplectamur, in requiem ejus ingressuros; sin minus, maleperituros, idqueeorum exemplo, ad quos olim sermo Dei factus est. Unde ait supra: Sed non profuit illis sermo audituSj et cap. 2.: Si enimj qui per angelos dictus est sermo, factus est firmus etc, et cap. 1.: Olim Deus lo~ quens patribus in Prophetis, novissime locutus est nobis in Filio. Nam sive per se aut per Filium suum Deus loquatur, pive per angelos, sive per homines, idem est Deus, qui loquitur, et quod ad loquentem attinet, idem sermo. Qui proinde semper ut ejusdem est veritaris, sic et ejusdem virtutis et efficaciae, tam ad praestanda promissa credentibus, quam ad inferenda supplicia contumacibus. Cum ergo sermo Dei sit, ipse Deus loquens, promittens, minas intentans: non mirum, si Apostolus ea omnia, quae hic dicuntur et Deo propria videntur, adscribat sermoni Dei. Tale igitur est, quod dicit: Studeamus ingredi in illam requiem; credamus verbo Dei nobis annuntiato, ne pereamus cum incredulis. Non enim verbum Dei nunc minoris est virtutis, quam fuit olim, sed sicut tunc omnis praevaricatio et inobedientia justam accepit retributionem, ita et nunc nobis accidet, si tantam neglexerimus salutem, sicut dictum est supra cap. 2. Ita tere locum hunc edisserunt post Chrysostomum Theodoretus et Theophylactus, et inter recentiores Hesselius, Adamus et noster Galenus. Cui quidem commentario multum probabilitatis accedit ex aliis Scripturae locis, ubi similiter verbo Dei tribuuntur ea, quae Deo sunt propria, velut Jes. 55.: Verbum meum y ait Dominus, non revertetur ad me vacuum, sed faciet, guaecumque volui; Eccles. 8.: Omne, quod voluerit, faciet, et sermo illius potestate plenus est; Sap. 18.: Omnipotens sermo tuus exsiliens de coelo etc. Quale est et illud, quod ejusdem lib. cap. 16. dicitur sermo Dei sanare omnia. Cujas sequitur explicatio: Tu es enim, Domine, qui vitae et mortis habes potestatem. Ejusdem rationis sunt ista Psalm. 32.: Verbo Domini coeli firmati sunt, et in hac ipsa Epistola, cap. 1.: Portans omnia verbo virtutis suae, et cap. 11.: Aptata saecula verbo Dei. Quae omnia metonymice significant ipsius Dei loquentis ac jubentis omnipotentiam. Juxta quam rationem eidem verbo Dei promittentis ac minantis omnium occultorum scientia convenienter attribuitur. Hic ergo Dei sermo vivus est, et efficax, id est, non est otiosus aut actionis expers, ut ea, quae mortua sunt; non est irritus, non frustratur eflFectu suo, quemadmodum nostris verbis saepe contingit; sed vivit, ac vim suam exercet in reddendis tam praemiis, quam suppliciis comminatis. Est igitur posterius epithetum expositio prioris. Vitam enim arguit operatio vitalis.
Et penetrabilior omni gladio ancipiti. Petietrabile pro penetrativo posuit interpres, passivum pro activo, ut et Latini scriptores interdum. Graece to|ji(ji)- Tspog, id est penetrantior, magis incidens. Gladius anceps, Graece diaTOiioq, tamquam habens duo ora. Componitur enim ea vox OLTzb zou OTOp-aTOc;, non oltzq voo Te]j,V£tv, id est ab ore, non a secando, quemadmodum Nilus iTTTaaTO/log dictus est, quod septem habeat ostia, velat ora, quibus aquas suas evomat in mare. Vocem hanc (5taTO/jiov usurparunt LXX. interpretes Jud. 3., Psalm. 149. et Prov. 5. pro voce Hebraea, quae id, quod dixi, significat. Unde est et illa phrasis Hebraea frequens in Scripturis: Percutere in ore gladii. luterpres vulgatus modo vertit ancipitem, modo bicipitem, modo utraque parte acutum. Cum autem hujusmodi gladius ad dividendum ac penetrandum aptissimus sit, merito comparatio ab eo transfertur ad sermonem Dei, ut penetrabilior omni gladio ancipiti dicatur. Sed hoc epithetum utrum ad notitiam Dei referendum sit, an vero ad vim puniendi, non satis inter expositores convenit. Sane quidem negari non potest, quin ad notitiam pertineat tam pars ista, quam sequentes. Id enim nobis declarat illa pars extrema, qua praecedentium obscuritas explicatur: Et non est ulla creatura invisibilis in conspectu ejus etc. Sed tamen etiam punitionem et vindictam significari, satis innuit comparatio gladii, cui tribuitur esse ancipitem. Unde est illud in Psalmis: Gladii ancipites in manibus eorum, ad faciendam vindictam in nationibus. Est igitur sermo Dei quovis ancipiti gladio penetrantior; primum quia Deus, qui nobis loquitur, oculis suae cognitionis omnia penetrat, et ad intima quaeque pervadit multo magis, quam gladius anceps acie sua penetrare queat usque ad abstrusa viscera; tum vero ob id etiam, quiatransgressiones, quantumvis occaltas, acerrime puniet. In hac ergo similitudine dao quaedam attenduntur. Ut enim gladius penetrat et laedit, ita sermo Dei iuluetur et punit. Itaque significatur cognitio non nuda, sed qualis est judicis examinantis et cognoscentis, ut puniat.
Et pertingens usque ad divisionem animae ac spiritus. Anima et spiritus accipiuntur, ut alibi in Scriptura; nominatim in illis verbis 1 Thess. 5.: Ut integer spiritus vester et anima etc. Quo loco diximus, eam inter haec duo distinctionem nobis maxime probari, qua per animam intelligitur pars animae sensitiva, quam cum bestiis habemus communem; per spiritum vero pars intellectiva, qua communicamus cum substantiis spiritualibus; quemadmodum et sanctus Thomas utroque loco bene explicat. Porro divisionem animae ac spiritus interpretantur nonnulli separationem animae a spiritu, qua nimirum inter animam et spiritum atque eorum operationes Dei verbum exacta cognitione distinguat. Sed rectius alii nomine divisionis significatam intelligunt penetrationem, de qua in parte praecedente. Quod enim dividitur, id quasi penetratur, ut interiora appareant; haeret autem adhuc Apostolus in metaphora gladii secantis. Est igitur sensus: Sermonem Dei pertingere usque ad intima hominis penetranda, etiam animam, etiam spiritum, quae sunt partes hominis abditissimae. Pertingit autem ad ea et penetrat perfecta cognitione, qua novit, quidquid affectionis et cogitationis in illis latet; graviter etiam ulturus, si quam illic hypocrisim, si quam radicem amaritudinis aut infidelitatis germinantem invenerit, ut dicitur infra cap. 12. Hanc expositionem postulat Graeca lectio, quae duplicat conjunctionem, ^'^X^^ '^^ ^^'' Tivsu/Jia- T0(;. Unde Erasmus et alii vertunt: Usque ad, divisionem animae simul ac spiritus; ac si dicas: tam animae, quam spiritus. Eundem sensum voluit Ambrosius, dum aliquoties, ad hunc locum respiciens, dixit, Verbum Dei usque ad divisionem animae penetrare, non adjecto vocabulo spiritus. Loca sunt lib. de paradiso, cap. 14., et lib. 2. de Abraham, cap. 1., et in Epistola secunda, quae est ad Simplicianum. Td ipsum liquet ex intellectu partis sequentis.
Compagum guoque ac medullarum. Apud Ambrosium locis dudum citatis pro: compagum, legitur: artuum. Sed Graecum dppiol compages artuum potius significat, quam artus ipsos. Nominat Apostolus ea, quae in nostris corporibus intima sunt, compages et medullas, ut hac velut metaphora doceat, nihil esse tam in animis nostris occultum et abditum, quod non scrutetur ac penetret Dei sermo. Compages sunt nervi ac commissurae, quibus inter se conjunguntur artus, ac praecipue ossa; medullae in ipsis ossibus includuntur. Pertingit ergo Dei sermo usque ad divisionem compagum si^ mul et medullarum, non quod compages a medullis dividat; sed quoniam et compages penetrat, et medullas. Compages quidem, id est cogitationes; medullas autem, hoc est, intentiones. Sic enim ex parte sequenti quidam non aliene interpretantur.
Et discretor cogitationum et intentionum cordis. Non solum, inquit, quid quisque cogitet in corde suo, verum etiam qua intentione cogitet ac velit, exactissime novit, discernit ac judicat sermo divinus. Nam discretor in Graeco est xpi- Tixoc. Dicebantur autem Critici, nomine etiam a Latinis usurpato, homines acris judicii, qui de libris, aut versibus, aut aliis aliorum operibus censere poterant, ac discernere, quid probum, quid reprobum, item quid gonuinum, quid vero spurium ac suppositicium. Quales in censendis Homeri versibus Aristarchus et Aristophanes grammatici memorantur.
4:13
13. Et non est ulla creatura in^isihilis in conspectu ejus. Ulla additum ab interprete lucis causa. Invisibilis, Graece dcpavTjg, quasi dicas, inapparens, id est, quae non sit manifesta et conspicua. Hinc intelligi vult, hjpocrisim et infidelitatem, etiam in animo latentem, a Deo ignorari non posse; non quod hae sint creaturae, sed quia, qui creaturam omnem perfecte novit, etiam defectus ejus ac vitia non novisse non potest.
Omnia autem nuda et aperta sunt oculis ejus. Verti potest adversative: Sed omnia nuda etc. Quod nos habemus aperta, Graece est xsTpaxi^J^tGpisva, verbum deductum a nomine T^dyr^oq,, quod collum sive cervicem significat. Ejus verbi metaphora varie explicatur. Chrysostomus eam sumptam putat ab animalibus occisis, quibus dum a cervice usque ad caudam pellis abstrahitur, interiora, quaeprius latebant, oculis intuentium exponuntur. Eadem est sententia Theophylacti et Oecumenii. Quamquam hi duo etiam aliter explicari posse mefaphoram docent, tamquam desumpta sit ab iis, qui cervice inclinata terram spectant, non audentes aspicere vultum judicis; sic enim hominum facta et cogitata omnia conspectum Dei judicis, cui cuncta patent, quodammodo reformidare. Sed, ut verum fatear, longius petitae mihi videntur hae expositiones. Ac magis sane probarim, quod alii dicunt, xpaxT^^tCstv idem esse, quod in cervicem ac dorsum reflectere, hoc est, resupinare, per ta-anslationem vero scrutari ac patefacere. Nam resupinare scrutantium esfc; imde illud apud Juvenalem: Aulam resupinat amici. Atque hanc significationem secutus Erasmus vertit; resupinata. Verum est et alia Graecae vocis interpretatio, ni fallcr, caeteris anteponenda, quam adfert Gaignaeus. Tpa)(7]Xoc: enim, auctore Favorino, praeter alia significat spinam dorsi, quae procedit a vertice usque ad finem. Inde n:payy]AiQsi.\, id est, animal medium per spinam ita dividere, ut intestina omnia pateant; quemadmodum fieri videmus ab iis, qui pecudes mactant. Hac ergo metaphora perquam apposite Paulus ostendit, etiam intimas animorum cogitationes Deo patere. Hinc etiam apparet, cur post nuda dixerit aperta. Nam plus est aperta, quam nuda. Nudum enim dicitur, quod non est vestitum aut velatum. Apertum vero juxta datam explicationem, cujus etiam interiora conspicua sunt. Ex quo denique intelligitur, quanto ma^is illustret apostolicam sententiam, quod interpres noster transtulit: aperta, quam quod Erasmus: resupinata.
Ad quem nobis sermo. Graeci sic exponunt: Cui sermoni Dei, id est Filio Dei, reddituri sumus rationem omnium actionum et cogitationum nostrarum. Nam Xo^^oc, inter alia significat rationem, qualis est supputantium, ut Rom. 14.: Unusquisque nostrum pro se rationem reddet Deo. Nec dubium, quin pars ista, sic explicata, probe respondeat iis, quae praecedunt de verbo Dei omnipotente et omnia vidente. Porro Galenus hunc sensum mavult: Cujus fidem nos profitemur. Alii vero, quod et nobis placet, ex aliorum locorum coUatione docent, ad pro de positum, ut sensus sit: De quo Dei sermone sermo nobis institutus est. Nam similiter cap. 1. dixit: ad angelos, id est de angelis. Ubi et alia loca similia annotavimus, ut proinde non aliud velit Apostolus, cum dicit: Ad quem nobis sermOy quam cap. sequ. dicens: De quo nobis sermo, et cap. 2.: de quo loquimur. Hic autem respicit juxta diversas sermonis Dei interpretationes superius allatas vel ad Filiam Dei, de quo tota fere disputatio hujus Epistolae suscepta est; vel ad sermonem, quem Deus ad homines loquitur, promittens, comminans, exhortans. Nam de eo sermone Dei hucusque concionatus est ab eo loco capitis praecedentis: Quapropter sicut dicit Spiritus sancius etc.
4:14
14. Habentes ergo Pontificem magnum. Hic jam Apostolus, specie exhortationis, transit ad disaerendum de sacerdotio Christi, ut merito ab his verbis sumi possit novi capitis exordium; siquidem et apud Theodoretum incipit ab hoc loco totius Epistolae tomus secundus; dividit enim eam in tres tomos. Illud observandum, quod, quemadmodum in superioribus Christum, ut Apostolum, cum Mose Paulus contulit, eoque longe majorem esse docuit, ita hic eum, ut Pontificem, tacite confert cum Aarone; nimirum talibus eum encomiis orDans, ex quibus intelligi velit, quanto sit Aarone major. Nam expressius id agit cap. 7. et sequentibus. Dicens ergo: Pontificem magnum, innuit, Aaronem non fuisse magnum pontificem, si cum Christo conferatur. Porro magnitudinem Christi Pontificis probant sequentia:
Qui penetravit coelos. Non, inquit, penetravit in Sancta Sanctorum, ut Aaron et successores ejus, sed in ccelum ipsum, quod per illa Sancta significabatur, idque, ut spem nobis faceret illuc ipsum sequendi. Ad hanc enim spem animare contendit suos Hebraeos. Sunt, qui colligant ex hoc loco, Christum secundum humanam naturam non in coelo esse, sed supra coehim, ut qui coelos ascendendo penetraverit, ideoque in nullo coelorum remanserit. Verum non id voluit Apostolus, sed sicut olim Pontifex ingrediens Sancta Sanctorum usque ad intima penetrabat, ita Christum in coelos ascendentem usque ad intima coelorum pervenisse. Simili locutione quidam dicuntur penetrare domos, id est ingerere sese in domos alienas usque ad interiora et secretiora. Quomodo locutus est noster interpres 2 Tim. 3., licet eo loco diversum verbum sit in Graeco.
Jesum, Filium Dei. Addit epitheton, quod nec in Aaronem, nec in uUum alium competit Pontificem. Per hoc autem mire excitat fiduciam. Quid enim non impetret apud Deum Pontifex, qui idem sit Filius, eoque nomine Deo gratissimus?
Teneamus confessionem. Quod quidam, interpositis duabus voculis, legunt: Teneamus spei nostrae confessionem, non hujus est loci, sed cap. 10., ubi sic habetur: Teneamus spei nostrae confessionem indeclinabilem. Nam hoc quidem loco eam additionem nec Graeci, nec Syri codices agnoscunt, ut nec Latini castigatiores ac nominatim editio Clementina. Sensus est: Ne deseramus fidem, quam professi sumus in baptismo, sed eam firmiter retineamus atque in ea perseveremus. Nam confessio metonymice capitur pro fide confessa, sicut ostendimus supra ad illud cap. 3.: Pontificem confessionis nostrae Jesum.
4:15
15. Non enim habemus Pontificem, qui non possit compati infirmitatibus nostris. Ne majestas tanti Pontificis deterreat, quem Dei Fili^um appellavit, ostendit, quam idem ipse erga nos sit propensus et promptas ad miserendum, utpote malorum expertus. Sed quas Apostolus vocet infirmitates, quaeritur. Ribera multis contendit, intelligi dolores, afflictiones, persecutiones. Has enim more Scripturae dici infirmitates, quod animus hominis hujusmodi malis aifecti languescere soleat. Ita Apostolus 2 Cor. 11. et 12. ea, quae infirmitatis suae sunt, enumerat, et in iis gloriatur. Estque ea phrasis frequens apud Prophetas, quemadmodum exemplis adductis idem Ribera bene probat. Unde et Christum Dominum Jesaias, cap. 53., virum dolorum et scientem infirmatem appellat. Verum sciendum, infirmitatis non unam esse acceptionem in sacris literis, sed multiplicem, sicut ostendi ad illud Rom. 5.: Cum adhuc infirmi essemus. Itaque videndum, quae significatio praesenti loco congruat. Id intelligi posse puto, si locus hic conferatur cum duobus similibus hujus Epistolae, quorum unus est capite proxime sequenti, ubi de pontifice veteris testamenti dicitur: quod et ipse circumdatus sit infirmitate, et propterea debeat, quemadmodum pro populo, sic etiam pro semet ipso offerre pro peccatis. Alter cap. 7., ubi, cum dixisset, sacerdotes Leviticos necessitatem habere pro suis delictis hostias ofiferendi, priusquam ofi^erant pro delictis populi, rationem hanc subjecit: quia lex homines constituit sacerdotes infirmitatem habentes. Unde manifeste liquet, infirmitatem iis locis eam intelligi oportere, quae peccatum respicit, id est peccandi pronitatem, qua fit, ut quis sine quotidianis lapsibus vivere non possit. Hae sunt igitur infirmitates nostrae, de quibus hoc loco, quibus compati potest Pontifex noster Christus, non eas in se habendo, sicut habuerunt Levitici, sed nobis, qui eas habemus, condolendo. Quaeres, quomodo compati possit aut condolere, cum sit beatus et impassibilis? Respondeo, si compati proprie accipitur, Christum non posse compati nostris infirmitatibus, nisi ampliata locutione, quia scilicet aliquando compassus est, nimirum in carne mortali. Nunc enim proprie non compatitur, nec condolet, nec miseretur. Sed tamen etiam haec Christo jam in coelis regnanti tribuuntur interdum per tropum, quatenus ad nostras infirmitates sanandas propensior est ex eo, quod ipse in hac vita mortali per omnia, sicut sequitur, tentatus fuerit. Quem Apostoli sensum esse, liquet ex illis verbis cap. 2.: In eo enim, in quo passus est ipse tentatus, potens est et eis, qui tentantur, auxiliari. Liquet etiam ex verbis hic subjunctis:
Tentatum autem per omnia. Clarior erit sententia, si legas adversative: Sed tentatum per omnia, quomodo vertunt alii. De qua tentatione sit sermo, relinquitur intelligendum ex iis, quae dicta sunt pro explicatione verborum, quae modo citabamus ex cap. 2. Non enim hic tentari est ad peccandum sollicitari, sed afflictari rebus adversis; propterea quod in adversis soleat hominum virtus et constantia probari. Tentatum ergo dicit per omnia, hoc est, omne genus malorum hujus vitae expertum. Ea mala intellige, quae toti generi sunt communia, veluti sunt fames, sitis, lassitudo, mole- Btia ex immoderato calore aut frigore, tristitia de malis, metus mcrtis et mors ipsa. Quare etsi non negamus, ut quidam negant, mortale Christi corpus potuisse morbis affici, sicut potuit senectute dissolvi, non tamen erat conveniens, ut morbos pateretur, quum hoc malum nec omnibus sit commune, nec ordinatum medium ad finem oeconomiae Christi. Multo minus huc pertinent ignorantia et concupiscentia, bonique difficultas. Nam de malis pure poenalibus hic agitur, non de iis, quae bono virtutis ac gratiae quoquo modo repugnant. Unde ex hoc loco non sequitur, Christum fuisse tentatum a carne, quod ne fieri quidem potuisse, recte docent Theologi iu 2. dist. 21. Nam a mundo et diabolo tentatum fuisse, nulla dubitatio est.
Pro similitudine. Graece: Secundum similitudinem. Syriace: Sicut nos. Sensus est: Christum per omnia, similiter ut nos, tentatum esse. Debuit enim per omnia fratribus similari, ut raiscricors fieret Pontifex, sicut dictum est cap. 2.
Absque peccato. Ne quis ex eo, quod dixit, Christum compati infirmitatibus nostris, suspicetur, eum similiter, ut nos, obnoxium infirmitati, et sic intelligat tentatum esse per omnia, ut tentationibus etiam in peccata fuerit inductus: addit Apostolus hanc particulam: absque peccato. Quae quidem duobus modis accipi potest: vel ut sit exceptio ab eo, quod universe dixerat, tentatum per omnia, quomodo plerique partem hanc accipiunt; vel hoc sensu, quem Theophylactus indicat, ita tamen, ut nihil eorum, quae passus est, et quibus tentatus, eum induxerit in peccatum. Quem sensum arbitror magis germanum. Nam praecedens sententia, sic intellecta, quomodo eam exposuimus, non opus habet restrictione seu exceptione, sed absolutam continet veritatem. Distinguit Apostolus hac parte Christum Pontificem nostrum a caeteris hominibus, et proinde etiam a quocumque alio pontifice, de quo sequenti capite testatur, eum debere, quemadmodum pro populo, ita etiam pro semet ipso offerre pro peccatis. Christum autem ideo sine peccato esse oportuit, quia peccatum reddidisset eum ineptum ad interpellandum pro peccatoribus, ac potius ipse nobiscum, si peccator esset, eguisset intercessore ad Deum. Unde cap. 7.: Talis decebat, ut nobis esset Pontifex: sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus. Nec tamen idem erit incommodum, ut haereticus objicit, si Christianorum pontifices sint obnoxii peccatis. Non enim per se ipsos ac suo ipsorum j * merito Deum hominibus placant, sed per meritum Christi, quo et ipsi intercessore indigent.
4:16
16. Adeamus ergo cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae. Quidam codices subjungunt pronomen ejus, quod et apud Bedam legitur, et in textu Syriaco. Sed Graeci non agnoscunt. In nostris etiam additicium esse, probant exemplaria quaeque meliora, tam excusa, quam manuscripta, suffragantibus item Clementinis. Pro fiducia Graece est TZC'.pprpiaj vocabulum frequens in Actis et Epistolis apostolicis, quo sigcificatur ingenua quaedam animi libertas, et audacia ad agendum aut dicendum aliquid, tametsi usitatius intelligatur in verbis. Sed cum absolute dicat Apostolus: ad thronum gratiae, quaeritur, utrum Dei Patris, an Christi Filii. Ad Christum referunt, qui addiderunt ejus; nam de Patre nihil in proxima periodo dictum fuit. Eodem pertinere existimant Graeci interpretes, huc citantes illud ex Psalm. 44.: Thronus tuus Deus in saeculum saeculi. Quod ad Filium dictum esse, testatus est ipse Apostolus supra cap. 1. Veruntamen presoius rem consideranti profecto magis apparet, referendum esse ad Patrem. Nam Christus hoc loco et tota fere Epistola introducitur ut Pontifex et intercessor ad Deum. Unde et infra cap. 7. dicitur, salvare in perpetuum posse accedentes per ipsum ad Deum, quod semper vivat ad interpellandum pro eis. Sed et alibi saepe eo modo Scriptura loquitur. Atqui intercessoris non est sedere in throno, sed ante judicem in throno sedentem stare, ut clientum suorum causam illi suo patrocinio commendet. Quando autem sedere dicitur Christus ad dexteram Patris, pacata regni ejus apud Patrem possessio significatur, ut alibi diximus. Vocatur autem thronus gratiae, in quo Pater sedet, id est sedes gratiosa, quia Deus sic judex noster est, ut tamen ex caritate, qua ffiundum dilexit, Filium suum nobis dederit advocatum ac mediatorem, qui nos ad ipsum adducat, eique reconciliet. ,. ' ^- -^^ 8T. MICHAELI- Itaque significat iste sermo, Deum esse judicem misericordem, et propitium omnibus iis, pro quibus Filius interpellat. Estque hic sensus Apostoli: Talem igitur nacti Pontiticem, qualem praecedentibus verbis descripsi, videlicet Dei Fiiium, eundemque nostras infirmitates expertum, per eum libere et cum fiducia accedamus ad thronum Dei, judicis nostri, quem utique, tali Pontifice et patrono pro nobis loquente, clementem experiemur. Sensum hunc confirmant sequentia:
Ut misericordiam consequamur. Scilicet a Deo per Christum Pontificem et intercessorem no.<*trum. Et gratiam inveniamus in auocilio opportuno. Graece: ad opportunum auxilium, quod Syrus sic expressit: In auxilium in tempore angustiae, scilicet impetrandum. Quod ita sonat, quasi tempus afflictionis duntaxat significetur. Sed rectius oppovtunitas haec extenditur ad totum tempus vitae praesentis: donec hodie cognominatur, ut ait capite praecedenti. Semper enim, dum hic vivimus, egemus auxilio gratiae Dei. Inter misericordiam et gratiam ita distingui potest, ut misericordia ad peccatorum remissionem et miseriarum depulsionem pertineat, gratia vero ad salutarium donorum largitionem. Valet hic locus contra Novatianos, qui relapsos excludebant a spe veniae. Atqui Apostolus hortatur Hebraeos, ut adeant cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae Dei, misericordiam ab eo consecuturi. Quae adhortatio non tam ad justos dirigitur, quam ad peccatores, ut qui maxime indigeant misericordia. An autem Hebraea phrasi dixerit Apostolus: gratiam inveniamus, pro eo, quod est: gratiosi simus apud Deum, id est, peculiari affectu ab eo diligamur, quomodo dixit angelus ad Virginem: Invenisti gratiam apud Deum, Luc. 1., et Deus ad Mosem: Invenisti gratiam co~ ram me, Exod.,S3., non satis apparet, quia non est hic additum: apud Deum, aut quid simile, quod in illa phrasi addi solet, sed magis ita dictum videtur, quemadmodum dixit idem Apostolus de Onesiphoro 2 Tim.: Det illi Dominus invenire misericordiam a Domino, et hujus Epistolae cap. 11.: Ut meliorem invenirent resurrectionem, et cap. 12.: Non enim invenit poenitentiae locum, Sensus igitur est: Et ut ab eo per eundem Pontificem nostrum Christum consequamur gratiam, qua nobis opituletur, dura tempus est, durante videlicet hujus vitae curriculo. Cujus opportunitatem temporis si quis neglexerit, is in futuro saeculo nec misericordiam consequetur, nec gratiae locum inveniet, eed severitatem ac rigorem subire cogetur judicii divini.
4:4
Aaron (Heb. 'Ahărān, of uncertain etymology)
… Reproached by Moses, A. could not justify himself; 3000 men (the Vulgate has 23,000) were executed by the swords of the Levites (Ex. 32:21-28). A. obtained pardon from the Lord through Moses' prayer (Deut. 9:20), being destined for the high priesthood (Heb. 4:4).
Some sins committed after Baptism were considered irremissible, and by them one contracted excommunication and exclusion from the community: to these Heb. 4:4-8 already alludes, as do the Shepherd of Hermas (Mandat. 4, 3), St. Justin, Athenagoras, the Didascalia, etc. It is natural that the catechumens should also be instructed in this matter …
4:5
… In Mal. 3:1, 23 ff. (Heb. 4:5 f.) it is said that E. will come to prepare the ways for the Messiah, preaching penance. …
4:6
… In Isa. 66:19 Yahweh promises that he will bring the Israelites as far as the Greeks and the "islands." Ezek. 27:13, 19 and Joel 3:6 (Heb. 4:6) speak of the slave, vessel and metal trade that the Tyrians carried on with the Greeks. …
4:9
… To designate this activity of salvation, the liturgy employs the verb gubernare, which brings out the royal character, that is, the impulse it gives to souls so that they may reach the supernatural end (cf. Hebr. 9, 24; 7, 25; 4, 9). In her dignity as a new Eve, beside Christ, Mary reigns from on high over the redeemed. …
4:12
… Regum (ibid. 95-114); In Salomonis Ecclesiastes homiliae 19 (ibid. 113-256); Adnotationes elucidatoriae in threnos Jeremiae (ibid. 255-322); Explanatio in Canticum B. Marie V. (ibid. 413-32); Orationis dominicae expositio (ibid. 774-89); a commentary on Heb. 4, 12-15, 2 is found in PL 177, 289-94. In the vast and confused Miscellanea, in 7 books (PL 177, 469-900), further critical investigation will be able to distinguish notable exegetical parts …
… The Fourth Gospel says, for example, that the soul of Jesus Christ is troubled (Io. 12, 27), but that He is troubled in his spirit (13, 21). Thus, far from replacing the soul, the one can be named close to the other (I Thess. 5, 23; Phil. 1, 27; Hebr. 4, 12). Wrongly did the Gnostics and later Apollinaris base on these texts their trichotomic conception of the human composite, undoubtedly widespread in the milieu under the form of νόος, …
4:13
… Omnia enim nuda et aperta sunt oculis eius (Hebr. 4:13), ea etiam quae libera creaturarum actione futura sunt» (Denz-U, 1782, 1784). It is therefore of faith that God is an intelligent, conscious being and thus capable of knowing not only …
4:14
as high priest between God and men (Hebr. 4:14-15, 10), exercised during his earthly life the intercession of impetration (Lc. 22:31 ff.; 23:34; Io. 17:6-26) and of perfect satisfaction for the sins of the whole human race through the …
I. INSTITUTION OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. - Jesus, by right of nature and by divine vocation High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb. 4:14), since he had to withdraw his sensible presence (John 16:6-7) and at the same time render the economy of salvation both perpetual and visible (Luke 24:45-48), from the very beginning …
… Soul of all these marvelous events is Christ, the one and eternal priest who regulates the relations between God and humanity (cf. Hebr. 2, 17; 4, 14; 5, 5 etc.): he is the only mediator (I Tim. 2, 5).
4:15
… (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15).
Holiness of Christ and of Mary
… Jesus firmly asserted that he is without sin (Jn. 8:46; 14:30); an assertion expressed abstractly in II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; I Jn. 3:5 and I Pt. 2:22. He is the one in whom all others are, and are called, holy (I Cor. 1:2; Phil. 1:1).
… perfects, through sufferings, the captain and leader of our salvation (Hebr. 2, 10), that is, he makes him in all things like his brothers, tempted and tried as they are and therefore merciful, able to sympathize with our weaknesses (ibid. 2, 17-18; 4, 15): he learned through his sufferings what obedience is, he offered up in the days of his life prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears, and was heard because of his piety, …
… St. Paul shows the fitness for men of the t. of J. C., who can thus better sympathize with human weaknesses (Hebr. 2:18; 4:15). - See plate CXXXVII.
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.