The end of the law is faith in Christ, which the Jews refusing to submit to, cannot be justified.
The Lavv vvar not (as the Ievves ignorant zeale supposed) for them to iustifie them selues by it (considering that they could not fulfil it •) but to bring them to Christ, to beleeue in him, and so for his sake to be iustified by the grace of God: 5 according to Moyses saying, and the Apostles preaching: 11 that so the Gentils also (according to the Prophets) hearing and beleeuing might come to iustice: the Ievves in the meane time (though inexcusably) remaining incredulous.
1Brethren, the will of my heart, indeed and my prayer to God is for them unto salvation.Fratelli, il desiderio del mio cuore, e l'orazione, che io fo a Dio, è per la loro salvezza.BRETHREN, the vvil of my hart surely and praier to God, is for them vnto saluation.Fratres, voluntas quidem cordis mei, et obsecratio ad Deum, fit pro illis in salutem. 2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.Imperocché io fo loro fede, che hanno zelo di Dio, ma non secondo la scienza.For I giue them testimonie that they haue zeale of God, but not according to knovvledge.Testimonium enim perhibeo illis quod æmulationem Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam. 3For they, not knowing the justice of God and seeking to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the justice of God.Imperocché non conoscendo la giustizia di Dio, e cercando di stabilire la propria, non si sono soggettati alla giustizia di Dio.For, not knovving the iustice of God, & seeking to establish their ovvne, they haue not been subiect to the iustice of God.Ignorantes enim justitiam Dei, et suam quærentes statuere, justitiæ Dei non sunt subjecti. 4For the end of the law is Christ: unto justice to everyone that believeth.Imperocché il termine della legge è Cristo per dar la giustizia a tutti coloro, che credono.For, the end of the Law is Christ: vnto iustice to euery one that beleeueth.Finis enim legis, Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti. 5For Moses wrote that the justice which is of the law: The man that shall do it shall live by it.Imperocché Mosè scrisse, che l'uomo, il quale avrà adempiuta la giustizia, che vien dalla legge, per essa viverà.for Moyses vvrote, that, the iustice vvhich is of the Lavv, the man that hath done it, shal liue in it.Moyses enim scripsit, quoniam justitiam, quæ ex lege est, qui fecerit homo, vivet in ea. 6But the justice which is of faith, speaketh thus: Say not in thy heart: Who shall ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ down;Ma la giustizia, che vien dalla fede, dice così: Non istare a dire in cuor tuo: chi salirà in cielo? Viene a dire per farne scendere il Cristo:But the iustice vvhich is of faith, saith thus, Say not in thy hart, Vvho shal ascend into heauen? that is to bring Christ dovvne.Quæ autem ex fide est justitia, sic dicit: Ne dixeris in corde tuo: Qui ascendet in cælum ? id est, Christum deducere: 7Or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.O chi scenderà nell'abisso? Viene a dire per risuscitare il Cristo da morte.Or vvho descendeth into the depth? that is to call Christ againe from the dead.aut, Quis descendet in abyssum ? hoc est, Christum a mortuis revocare.
8But what saith the scripture? The word is nigh thee; even in thy mouth and in thy heart. This is the word of faith, which we preach.Ma che dice la scrittura? Tu hai presso di te la parola nella tua bocca, e nel cuor tuo: questa è la parola della fede, che noi predichiamo.But vvhat saith the Scripture? The vvord is nigh, in thy mouth, and in thy hart. this is the vvord of faith vvhich vve preach.Sed quid dicit Scriptura ? Prope est verbum in ore tuo, et in corde tuo: hoc est verbum fidei, quod prædicamus. 9For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved.Perché se con la tua bocca confesserai il Signore Gesù, e crederai in cuor tuo, che Dio lo ha risuscitato da morte, e sarai salvo.For if thou confesse vvith thy mouth our Lord IESVS, and in thy hart beleeue that God hath raised him vp from the dead, thou shalt be saued.Quia si confitearis in ore tuo Dominum Jesum, et in corde tuo credideris quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus eris. 10For, with the heart, we believe unto justice: but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.Imperocché col cuore si crede a giustizia: e con la bocca si fa confessione a salute.For vvith the hart vve beleeue vnto iustice: but vvith the mouth confession is made to saluation.Corde enim creditur ad justitiam: ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. 11For the scripture saith: Whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded.Imperocché dice la scrittura: Chiunque in lui crede, non sarà confuso.For the Scripture saith: Vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him, shal not be confounded.Dicit enim Scriptura: Omnis qui credit in illum, non confundetur. 12For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him.Imperocché non vi ha distinzione di Giudeo, o di Greco: Conciossiachè lo stesso è il Signore di tutti, ricco per tutti coloro, che lo invocano.For there is no distinction of the Iew and the Greeke: for one is Lord of al, riche tovvard al that inuocate him,Non enim est distinctio Judæi et Græci: nam idem Dominus omnium, dives in omnes qui invocant illum. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.Conciossiachè chiunque invocherà il nome del Signore, sarà salvo.For euery one vvhosoeuer shal innocate the name of our Lord, shal be saued.Omnis enim quicumque invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?Ma come invocheranno uno, in cui non hanno creduto? E come crederanno in uno, di cui non hanno sentito parlare? Come poi ne sentiranno parlare senza chi predichi?Hovv then shal they inuocate in vvhom they haue not beleeued? Or hovv shal they beleeue him vvhom they haue not heard? And hovv shal they heare without a preacher?Quomodo ergo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt ? aut quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt ? quomodo autem audient sine prædicante ?
15And how shall they preach unless they be sent, as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of them that bring glad tidings of good things?Come poi predicheranno, se non sono mandati? Come sta scritto: Quanto sono belli i piedi di coloro, che evangelizzano novella della pace, che evangelizzano novella di felicità!But hovv shal they preach vnles they be senti? as it is vvritten: Hovv beautiful are the feete of them that euangelize peace, of them that euangelize good things?quomodo vero prædicabunt nisi mittantur ? sicut scriptum est: Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona ! 16But all do not obey the gospel. For Isaias saith: Lord, who hath believed our report?Ma non tutti ubbidiscono all'Evangelio. Mentre Isaia dice: Signore, chi ha creduto quello, che ha sentito da noi?But al do not obey the Gospel. For Esay saith, Lord, vvho hath beleeued the hearing of vs?Sed non omnes obediunt Evangelio. Isaias enim dicit: Domine, quis credidit auditui nostro ? 17Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ.La fede adunque dall'udito, l'udito poi per la parola di Cristo.Faith then, is by hearing: and hearing is by the vvord of Christ.Ergo fides ex auditu, auditus autem per verbum Christi. 18But I say: Have they not heard? Yes, verily: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the whole world.Ma, dico io: forse che non hanno sentito? Anzi per tutta la terra si è sparso il suono di essi, e le loro parole fino alle estremità della terra.But I say, haue they not heard? And certes into al the earth hath the sound of them gone forth: and vnto the endes of the vvhole vvorld the vvordes of them.Sed dico: Numquid non audierunt ? Et quidem in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terræ verba eorum. 19But I say: Hath not Israel known? First, Moses saith: I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation: by a foolish nation I will anger you.Ma, dico io: forse Israele non ne seppe nulla? Mosè è il primo a dire: Vi metterò a picca con una nazione che non è nazione: con una nazione stolta vi muoverò a sdegno.But I say, hath not Israel knovven? Moyses first saith, I vvil bring you to emulation in that vvhich is not a nation: in a folish nation, I vvil driue you into anger.Sed dico: Numquid Israël non cognovit ? Primus Moyses dicit: Ego ad æmulationem vos adducam in non gentem: in gentem insipientem, in iram vos mittam. 20But Isaias is bold, and saith: I was found by them that did not seek me. I appeared openly to them that asked not after me.Isaia poi più francamente dice: Mi hanno trovato coloro, che non mi cercavano: mi sono fatto pubblicamente vedere a coloro, che non domandavano di me.But Esay is bold, and saith, I vvas found of them that did not seeke me: openly I appeared to them that asked not of me.Isaias autem audet, et dicit: Inventus sum a non quærentibus me: palam apparui iis qui me non interrogabant.
21But to Israel he saith: All the day long have I spread my hands to a people that believeth not and contradicteth me.Ad Israele poi dice: Tutto il dì stesi le mani mie al popolo incredulo, e contraddittore.But to Israel he saith, Al the day haue I spred my handes to a people that beleeueth not, and contradicteth me.Ad Israël autem dicit: Tota die expandi manus meas ad populum non credentem, et contradicentem.
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Witham
Is for them. That is, for Israel, or the Israelites, named before. (Witham)
Calmet
After having said that the greatest part of Israel was cast off by the Almighty, the apostle, to shew that he meant not to insult or provoke them, here testifies that he sympathizes in their misery, and with groans prays in their behalf to the Lord, that he would vouchsafe to grant them understanding, and open their eyes to the truth. Thus, though tenderly affected towards his countrymen, still he could not dissemble the truth, or flatter them in their incredulity, and hardness of heart. (Calmet)
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Calmet
According to knowledge, etc. The Jews ran with ardour in the paths of the law, but saw not whither they were going; they followed the law, but did not know whither it conducted them. (Calmet)
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Challoner
The justice of God. That is, the justice which God giveth us through Christ; as, on the other hand, the Jews' own justice is that which they pretended to by their own strength, or by the observance of the law, without faith in Christ. (Challoner)
Witham
Seeking to establish their own. That is, for justice, or to be justified by their works, or the works of their written law. (Witham)
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Moses (Leviticus 18:12.[5.?]) wrote that the justice which is of the law....shall live by it. That is, shall have the recompense of a long temporal life, or even an everlasting life, by joining a faith in Christ their Redeemer, that was to come. But the justice which is of faith, speaketh thus, that is, Moses speaketh thus of it, (Deuteronomy xxx.) say not in thy heart, who shall ascend into heaven? etc. the apostle gives us the spiritual sense of the words, by adding, to bring Christ down, etc. The sense is, that it is now fulfilled in the new law, when Christ is come from heaven by his incarnation, and is also again risen from the abyss by his resurrection: and therefore,
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Witham
The word is near thee, is near to every one, who to be justified and saved, need but believe, and comply with the doctrine of the gospel which we preach, and make a confession or profession of it with his mouth; and then whether he hath been Jew or Gentile, he shall not be confounded. (Witham)
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Challoner
Thou shalt be saved. To confess the Lord Jesus, and to call upon the name of the Lord, (ver. 13.) is not barely the professing of a belief in the person of Christ: but moreover implies a belief of his whole doctrine, and an obedience to his law; without which the calling of him Lord will save no man. (St. Matthew 7:21.) (Challoner)
Estius
This passage must be understood like many others of this apostle, of a faith accompanied by a good-will ready to perform what faith says must be practised; as it is required in this very place, that what we believe in the heart, we should confess with our mouth. (Estius)
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etc. Or how shall they believe, etc. He shews the necessity of preachers, and that all true preachers must be sent, and have their mission from God.
Witham
Who hath believed our report? [Ver. 16. Quis credidit auditui nostro? te akoe emon?] Literally, our hearing? Some expound it thus: who hath believed the things we have heard from God, and which we have preached? The common interpretation is, who hath believed what he hath heard from us? (Witham)
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Challoner
Unless they be sent. Here is an evident proof against all new teachers, who have all usurped to themselves the ministry, without any lawful mission, derived by succession from the apostles, to whom Christ said, (John 20:21.) As my Father hath sent me, I also send you. (Challoner)
Estius
The Almighty sends people to preach two different ways. The one is extraordinary by internal inspiration, as was that of John the Baptist, and all the other prophets; in which case, however, extraordinary proofs must be given that they are sent by God; and the other is ordinary, which is derived from Christ, and from the apostles and their successors, whom he has appointed to be his vicegerents on earth. (Estius)
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Witham
But I say, have they not heard? He puts an objection, and by his answer shews the Jews are inexcusable in not believing, since the gospel has been preached all the world over, and in places where the Jews were, as it was foretold: and also because the Gentiles every where have believed; which even excites you Jews to jealousy against them, as Moses foretold: (Deuteronomy 32:21.) that is, when you now see, that the Gentiles, whom you despised so much, by believing in Christ, have received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of working miracles, of speaking tongues, of prophecy, etc. (Witham)
10:19
Calmet
A people whom you have always despised, as not being worthy to be numbered amongst mankind, I will make my beloved people. I will enrich with my graces those whom you have contemned; I will give them the grace of adoption, thus to stir you up to jealousy and rage. And in effect, what greater rage ever was there, than that of the Jews against the converted Gentiles? In persecution, the Jews were always most busy. Thus were the Jews plainly informed of the truth of the gospel, by the Gentiles converted before their face. (Calmet)
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Estius
After the preaching of Christ, and his apostles, after so many wonders wrought by our Saviour, he at last offers himself to the Jewish people, with stretched-out hands, and yet they cannot be induced to believe in him. They resist him as much as they can, thus verifying the prophecy of holy Simeon, that he should be set up as a sign to be contradicted. (Luke ii.) (Estius)
10:3
The justice of God.... That is, the justice which God giveth us through Christ; as on the other hand, the Jews’ own justice is, that which they pretended to by their own strength, or by the observance of the law, without faith in Christ.
10:9
Thou shalt be saved.... To confess the Lord Jesus, and to call upon the name of the Lord (ver. 13) is not barely the professing a belief in the person of Christ; but moreover, implies a belief of his whole doctrine, and an obedience to his law; without which, the calling him Lord will save no man. St. Matt. 7.21.
10:15
Unless they be sent.... Here is an evident proof against all new teachers, who have all usurped to themselves the ministry without any lawful mission, derived by succession from the apostles, to whom Christ said, John 20.21, As my Father hath sent me, I also send you.
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•. The iustice of God.] Gods iustice, & the Ievves ovvne iustice. The iustice of God, is that vvhich God giueth vs through Christ the Ievves ovvne or proper iustice, is that vvhich they had or chalenged to haue of them selues and by their ovvne strength, holpen onely by the knovvledge of the Lavv vvithout the helpe or grace of Christ.
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The Lavv vvas not giuē to make a mā iust or perfect by it self, but to brīg vs to Christ to be iustified by him.
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The iustice of the Law of Moyses went no further of it self, but to saue a man from the temporal death and punishmēt prescribed to the trāsgressors of the same.
Concordance Leu. 18, 5.
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6. The iustice of faith] The iustice vvhich is of faith, reacheth to the life to come, making man assured of the truth of such Articles as concerne the same. as, of Christs Ascension to heauen, Iustice of faith. of his Descending to Hel, of his comming dovvne to be Incarnate, and his Resurrection and returne againe to be glorified: by vvhich his actions vve be pardoned, iustified, and saued, as by the Lavv vve could neuer be.
Concordance Deu. 30, 12.
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8. The vvord of faith.] The vvord of faith is the vvhole Lavv of Christ, concerning both life and doctrine, Open cōfession & protestation of our faith is sometime necessarie. grounded vpon this, that Christ is our Sauiour, & that he is risen againe. Vvhich point (as al other) must both be beleeued in hart, and also be confessed by mouth. for though a man be iustified invvardly vvhen he hath the vertues of faith, hope, and charitie from God: yet if occasion be giuen, he is also bound to confesse vvith his mouth, and by al his external actions, vvithout shame or feare of the vvorld, that vvhich he invvardly beleeueth: Euseb. li. 6 c. 31 histor. Eccles. or els he can not be saued. Vvhich is against certaine old Heretikes that taught, a man might say or doe vvhat he vvould, for feare or danger, so that he kept his faith in hart.
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In the liturgy The Epistle vpō S. Andrevves day, Nouemb. 30.
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Concordance Es. 28. 16
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Concordance Ioel. 2, 22.
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To beleeue in him & to inuocate him, is to serue him with al loue and sincere affectiō. Al that so doe, shal doubtlesse be saued & shal neuer be confounded.
10:14
14. Hovv shal they inuocat?] This maketh not (as Heretikes pretend) against inuocatiō of Saincts: The place alleaged against inuocatiō of Sainctes, ansvvered. the Apostle saying nothing els, but that they can not inuocate Christ as their Lord and Maister, in vvhom they do not beleeue, and vvhom they neuer heard of. For he speaketh of Gentils or Pagans, vvho could not inuocate him, vnlesse they did first beleeue in him. To the due inuocation of Christ, vve must knovv him and our duties to him. And so is it true also that vve can not pray to our B. Ladie nor any Sainct in heauen, til vve beleeue and knovv their persons, dignitie, and grace, and trust that they can help vs. But if our aduersaries thinke that vve can not inuocate them, because vve can not beleeue in them: let them vnderstand that the Scripture vseth also this speach, to beleeue in men: and it is the very Hebrew phrase, vvhich they should not be ignorant of that bragge thereof so much. Exod. 14, 31. They beleeued in God and in Moyses. and • Paral. 20, 20. in the Hebrevv. Ep. ad Thilem. v. 5. And the ancient fathers' did read in the Crede indifferently, I beleeue in the Catholike Church. and, I beleeue the Catholike Church, Conc. Nicen. apud Epiphan, in fine Ancorat, Hieron. contr. Lucif. Cyril. Hieros. Cathec. 〈◊〉.
Concordance Es. 52, 7.
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15. vnlesse they be sent.) Preachers not lavvfully called not sent. This place of the Apostle inuincibly condemneth al the preachings, vvritings, ordinances, innouations and vsurpations of Church; pulpit, & vvhatsoeuer our nevv Euangelists haue intruded them selues and entered into by the vvindovv: shevving that they be euery one from the highest to the lovvest, false prophets, running and vsurping, being neuer lavvfully called. Vvhich is so euident in the Heretikes of our daies that the Caluinists confesse it in them selues, Confes. des Egli. de France. and say that there is an exception to be made in them, because they found the state of the Church interrupted.
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We see then that it is in a mans free wil to beleeue or not to beleeve, to obey or disobey the Gospel or truth preached.
Concordance Es. 53, 1.
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Concordance Ps. 18. 5.
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Concordance Deu. 32, 21.
Concordance Es. 65, 1.
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20. That asked not.] The first iustification of mere grace. That Christ vvas found of those that neuer asked after him, it proueth that the first grace and our first iustification is vvithout merites. That God called so continually and earnestly by his Prophets and by other his signes and vvonders, vpon the Ievves, Free vvil. and they vvithstood it: free vvil is proued, and that God vvould haue men saued, and that they be the cause of their ovvne damnation them selues.
Concordance Es. 63, 2.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 37
… “And Paul, as his manner was, went into the synagogue of the Jews.” Although he had said, “We turn to the Gentiles” ( ch. xiii. 46 ), he did not leave these alone: such was the longing affection he had towards them. For hear him saying, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 16
… And he does not direct his aim at them, without first divesting them of a suspicion they had. Lest then he should seem to be addressing them as enemies, further on he says “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 33
… Did Paul then hate them, he who of all men most loved Christ? In no wise, but he both loved them, and did everything for their sakes: and at one time he saith, “My heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them that they may be saved:” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 7
Thus is it we ought to love our enemies, thus to imitate Christ. Thus did Paul. Stoned, suffering unnumbered cruelties, yet did he all things for their good. Hear his own words. “My heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them that they may be saved.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.15
… What, then, do we pray for on behalf of those who are unwilling to believe, except that God would work in them to will also? Certainly the apostle says, “Brethren, my heart’s good will, indeed, and my prayer to God for them, is for their salvation.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.14
… For,” says he, “being ignorant of (the righteousness of) God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God; for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius martyrs-of-palestine.10
… A certain Asclepius, supposed to be a bishop of the sect of Marcion, possessed as he thought with zeal for religion, but “not according to knowledge,”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.40
… I am now referring to those who are moderate and not utterly depraved in disposition, who, if they have erred in regard to the truth, have erred from piety, who have zeal, though not according to knowledge,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 21.21
… He seized upon the East also as far as he could, ever attracting the weak, as torrents roll down objects in their course, and assailing the unstable or faint-hearted. He won over also the simplicity of the Emperor, for thus I must term his instability, though I respect his pious motives. For, to say the truth, he had zeal, but not according to knowledge.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.27
27. Farewell, mighty Christ-loving city. I will testify to the truth, though thy zeal be not according to knowledge.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 40.5
5. I know that you are Godfearing, merciful, gentle, and calm, having the faith and fear of God at heart, but often some things escape our notice. “Some have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 20
… ( Phil. i. 23, 24 ). Such ought to be the soul of a Christian. From his first appearance from the very outset, the character of Paul declared itself: nay even before this, even in the things which he did “not according to knowledge” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
Ver. 2 . “For I bear them record,” says he, “that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 1
To obviate the notion that his persecution arose from passion, vain-glory, or enmity, he shows that he was actuated by zeal, not indeed “according to knowledge,” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 3
… Then observe how he magnifies the mercy and loving-kindness of God, in describing his former life, “who was formerly,” he says, “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.” And when he speaks of the still unbelieving Jews, he rather extenuates their guilt. “For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 54.6
… While I allow that this latter feels love toward you, I cannot admit that it is love according to knowledge. I must say with the apostle: “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 84.8
8. Does any one wish to praise Origen? Let him praise him as I do. From his childhood he was a great man, and truly a martyr’s son. At Alexandria he presided over the school of the church, succeeding a man of great learning the presbyter Clement. So greatly did he abhor sensuality that, out of a zeal for God but yet one not according to knowledge,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 124.1
… When I did as he wished and sent him the book, he was shocked to read it and locked it up in his desk lest being circulated it might wound the souls of many. However, a certain brother, who had “a zeal for God but not according to knowledge,”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Vigilantius 7
… And if some persons, being ignorant and simple minded laymen, or, at all events, religious women—of whom we can truly say,
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
x. 2 . Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.10
… For perhaps what the apostle said of the Jews may be said of you: “bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge: for, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 1
… I fear, however, that he will chiefly help those “who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge,” who, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 36
… because it is by Himself that the favour is bestowed on such as believe in Him and hope in Him that we will do it. For there is a way of righteousness of which they are ignorant “who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 79.2
… “Seeking glory one of another, looking for glory one from another, and not seeking the glory which is of God only.” Of these the Apostle Paul thus speaks; “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 79.6
… “How can ye believe me, who look for glory one from another, and seek not the glory which is of God only? For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, ye have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish your own, ye have not submitted yourselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 81.10
10. What then was said of the Jews, the same altogether do we see in these men now. “They have a zeal of God: I hear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 53.11
… what they do.” And it is of that ignorance of theirs also that the apostle says, “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge:” for he then goes on also to add, “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 93.2
… and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted: for Thou art the glory of their strength.” Rightly enough is it said to such, “They shall cast you out of the synagogues;” that is, they who “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge;” because, “ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 93.4
… actually, in thus shedding your blood, full of the notion that they are doing God service. An illustration surely of the apostle’s words, “They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 89.16
… lest they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For some are noted by the Apostle, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own,” and not rejoicing in Thy light, and thus “not submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.13
98. And he then addeth: “Thou hast made me to understand Thy commandment above mine enemies; for it is ever with me” ( ver. 98 ). For “they have indeed a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,” etc.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 143.2
… For this is the righteousness of God, which God hath given thee to possess. For what saith the Apostle of them, who would boast of their own righteousness? Speaking of the Jews, he saith, “they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 143.12
… “Thou art my God,” my Creator, who hast created me by Thy Word, and re-created me by Thy Word. “Teach Thou me:” for it cannot be that Thou art my God, and yet I am to be mine own master. See how grace is commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out of your hearts, lest ye have “a zeal, of God, but not according to knowledge.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 2.2
For we have found that many in different countries, according to the fancy of their mind (having, indeed, as the Apostle says, “a zeal, for God but not according to knowledge”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 8.3
… as with this passage: “But let your loins be girded up and your lights burning;” and: “whosoever has no sword, let him sell his coat and buy himself a sword;” and: “whosoever taketh not up his cross and followeth after Me is not worthy of Me;” a passage which some most earnest monks, having “indeed a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 11.45
… For indeed they are like unto those of whom it is written, I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge (
10:3
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.12.4
… For this is what Paul says concerning these men: “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 10
… and this more than anything caused their destruction, and led them away from the faith. This, for example, Paul himself was laying to their charge, when he said, that “they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own, had not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 38
And wherefore was it hidden from them? Hear Paul, saying, that “Seeking to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 7
… For since it was the principal bane of the Jews that they were so conceited with themselves (which thing he mentioned as he went on, “how that being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God”) (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 16
… It is that they are of faith, ye of the works of the Law. And it is owing to this obstinacy of yours that ye have in every way (Mar. and several mss. all) been given up. For, “they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 3
… And this especially made them more zealous to seek the Son, for those who disbelieved, disbelieved from having no sense of their own sins, as Paul shows; “For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 9
… Hear him who was entrusted with this stewardship declare. What then does he say in resolving this doubt of the many? ( 1 Cor. ix. 17 .) “For they,” says he, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 40.6
6. Paul had forsaken everything peculiar to the Jews that was evil, especially this: “That, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they had not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 75.15
… “Paul had forsaken everything peculiar to the Jews that was evil, especially this, that ‘being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they had not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 145.3
… Whoever unthankfully despises this grace, by which the ungodly are justified, and trusts in his own strength, as if he thereby could fulfil the law, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish his own righteousness, is not submitting himself to the righteousness of God;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 14.9
… having great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart for the Israelites, because they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 17.4
… of whom are also the carnal Israelites, the earth-born inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem, who, as saith the apostle, “being ignorant of the righteousness of God,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.32
… And because that nation was to suffer such wrath of God, because, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, it wished to establish its own,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 21.24
… as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” This righteousness of God, which is the gift of grace without merits, is not known by those who go about to establish their own righteousness, and are therefore not subject to the righteousness of God, which is Christ.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 14.12
… of God, not only when we speak of that by which He Himself is righteous, but also of that which He gives to man when He justifies the ungodly, which latter righteousness the apostle commending, says of some, that “not knowing the righteousness of God and going about to establish their own righteousness, they are not subject to the righteousness of God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 3
… For through five epochs of times there was no cessation in the foretelling and prophesying of His own destined coming; and in a manner consonant with this, he through whom the law was given wrote five books; and proud men, who were carnally minded, and sought to “establish their own righteousness,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Continence 7
… whence the Apostle saith, “The Law is the strength of sin.” Nor is it to be wondered at, that man’s weakness even from the good Law added strength to evil, whilst it trusts to fulfill the Law itself of its own strength. Forsooth being ignorant of the righteousness of God,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 41
… Or indeed that Pharisee, who therefore loved little, because he thought that little was forgiven him, was it for any other reason that he was blinded by this error, than because being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish his own, he had not been made subject unto the righteousness of God?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Correction of the Donatists 9
… For there is none that is just and able to justify, save God alone. But the same might be said of them that the apostle says of the Jews, that "being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.43
… And quotations from him may of course be made more abundantly, because he wrote more epistles, and because it fell to him to recommend the grace of God with especial earnestness, in opposition to those who gloried in their works, and who, ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own, submitted not to the righteousness of God.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 15
… “But now the righteousness of God,” says he, “without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.” Does this then sound a light thing in deaf ears? He says, “The righteousness of God is manifested.” Now this righteousness they are ignorant of, who wish to establish one of their own; they will not submit themselves to it.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 20
… “though they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, nor gave Him thanks, although professing themselves to be wise;” —so also they who know from the law how man ought to live, are not made righteous by their knowledge, because, “going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 22
… By it their foolish heart is darkened, who, although knowing God, glorified Him not as God, by giving Him thanks. Moreover, it is really by this same spirit that they too are deceived, who, while ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to God’s righteousness.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 50
… “They, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 59
… If, however, he that has seen the Son has also seen the Father, then assuredly he who sees the Father and the Son sees also the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son. So we do not take away free will, whilst our soul blesses the Lord and forgets not all His recompenses; nor does it, in ignorance of God’s righteousness, wish to set up one of its own;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 36
… because it is by Himself that the favour is bestowed on such as believe in Him and hope in Him that we will do it. For there is a way of righteousness of which they are ignorant “who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge,” and who, wishing to frame a righteousness of their own, “have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 47
… ye are fallen from grace;” for, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish your own righteousness, you have not submitted yourselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 22
… and His commandments are not grievous.’” On hearing these testimonies out of the law, and the gospel, and the epistles, let us be built up unto that grace which those persons do not understand, who, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.46
Such are the particulars which, to the best of my ability, I have succeeded in obtaining from the writings of Pelagius, whenever he makes mention of grace. You perceive, however, that men who entertain such opinions as we have reviewed are “ignorant of God’s righteousness, and desire to establish their own,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.2
… fulfilled by the flesh, that is, by carnal presumption, in which the proud, who are ignorant of the righteousness of God,—that is, which is of God to man, that he may be righteous,—and desirous of establishing their own righteousness,—as if by their own will, unassisted from above, the law could be fulfilled,—are not subjected to the righteousness of God.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.20
… “his own” righteousness “which is of the law;” and this righteousness of his own he would not have, but cast it forth as “dung.” Why so, except because it is this which I have above demonstrated, that those are under the law who, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own, are not subject to the righteousness of God?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 24
… Such are they of whom the same apostle speaks as “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own righteousness, who have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 4.4
… is of the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith;” and in another place, “That we may be the righteousness of God in Him.” Whence also he finds fault with the Jews in these words, “Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 79.2
… He went on and subjoined and developed what he had set forth closed. What is, “They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge? For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own, have not submitted themselves into the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 81.10
… “They have a zeal of God: I hear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” What is, “not according to knowledge”? “For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 26.1
… For if man were not making a righteousness for himself, the same apostle would not have said of the Jews: “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own righteousness, they are not subject to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 53.9
9. It is no wonder, then, that they could not believe, when such was their pride of will, that, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, they wished to establish their own: as the apostle says of them, “They have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 81.2
… no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” A great encomium on grace, my brethren,—one that will instruct the souls of the humble, and stop the mouths of the proud. Let those now answer it, if they dare, who, ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 93.2
… honor that cometh from God only?” It is, therefore, with those disciples who so believe in Him, that, filled with the Holy Spirit, or, in other words, with the gift of divine grace, they no longer belong to those who, “ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 18.28
28. “For Thou wilt make whole the humble people” ( ver. 27 ). Now this seems froward to the froward, that Thou wilt make them whole that confess their sins. “And Thou wilt humble the eyes of the proud.” But them that are “ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seek to establish their own,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 28.8
8. “The Lord is the strength of His people” ( ver. 8 ). Not that people “ignorant of the righteousness of God, and willing to establish their own.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 29.6
… “For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ.” “And the Beloved is as the young of the unicorns.” For even He the Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, “emptied Himself” of His glory; and was made man, like a child of the Jews, that were “ignorant of God’s righteousness,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 39.18
… Because they would not be strong. What is meant by “would not be strong”? They were afraid to presume of their own merits. They did not “go about to establish their own righteousness,” that they might “submit themselves to the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 47.5
… but the younger is in good Christians, elect, godly, faithful; the elder in the proud, unworthy, sinful, stubborn, defending rather than confessing their sins: as was also the very people of the Jews, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.4
4. “In Thine own righteousness deliver me, and save me” ( ver. 2 ). Not in mine own, but in Thine own: for if in mine own, I shall be one of those whereof he saith, “Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and their own righteousness willing to establish, to the righteousness of God they were not made subject.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 71.17
… there we shall find what hath been said: just as when we were inquiring about traders, on the score of actions and works, we found that to be called detestable trading, which the Apostle hath branded, saying, “For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and willing to establish their own, to the righteousness of God they were not made subject.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.15
… Strong they willed to be, who thought that they would be Gods by means of the forbidden food. Adam became strong, over whom was reproachfully said, “Behold, Adam hath become like one of us.” …As though they were strong, “to the righteousness of God they have not been made subject.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 107.5
… 10 ). Whence this, but that thou wast attributing things to thyself? that thou wast not owning the grace of God? that thou wast rejecting the counsel of God concerning thee? For see what He addeth: “Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord through pride” ( ver. 11 ), not knowing the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.4
… By what law? Of works. Nay: but by the law of faith.” This is the law of faith, whereby we believe and pray that it may be granted us through grace; that we may effect that which we cannot fulfil through ourselves; that we may not, ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to stablish our own, fail to submit ourselves unto the righteousness of God.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.7
… 56 ). “Thy” righteousnesses, whereby Thou dost justify the ungodly; not mine, which never make me godly, but proud. For this man was not one of those who, “ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.18
140. It is no wonder that they have forgotten the words of God, who have chosen to set up their own righteousness, ignorant of the righteousness of God;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 125.6
… “Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
10:4
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Discourse on the Holy Theophany 5
… am I come to a prince, and not to a friend? “Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness:” I am the Fulfiller of the law; I seek to leave nothing wanting to its whole fulfilment, that so after me Paul may exclaim, “Christ is the fulfilling of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 9.16
… If Christ then did not chide because He was called good, it must have been because He was called “good Master.” Further the manner of His reproof shews that it was the disbelief of the questioner, rather than the name of master, or of good, which He resented. A youth, who provides himself upon the observance of the law, but did not know the end of the law
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 11.28
… What punishment would it be for the wicked to be beyond the feeling of avenging torments, because the capability of suffering has been removed by dissolution? The end is, therefore, a culminating and irrevocable condition which awaits us, reserved for the blessed and prepared for the wicked.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 14
… ‘For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth in righteousness;’ as the blessed Paul saith, ‘Do we make void the law by faith? far from it: we rather establish the law
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 16
This then was one sense in which He fulfilled it. Another, that He did the same through us also; for this is the marvel, that He not only Himself fulfilled it, but He granted this to us likewise. Which thing Paul also declaring said, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
Ver. 4 . “For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 2
… On this account Paul having said, “that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,” now shows that the manner in which this may be effected is by charity. As therefore when he says, “Christ is the end of the Law” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 75.14
… and that whoever observes them, whether he be Jew or Gentile originally, is cast into the pit of perdition. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Patience 17
… And again, if the reason why they were elected was, that they were already just, they had already first chosen the Lord. For who can be righteous but by choosing righteousness? “But the end of the law is Christ, for righteousness is to every one that believeth.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 5.9
… For if Christ’s humility were not to be commended to our notice, neither would there be any need of the baptism of John; again, if the end were in John, after his baptism there would be no need of the baptism of Christ. But because "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 50
… This then is the sole distinction, that the very precept, “Thou shalt not covet,” and God’s other good and holy commandments, they attributed to themselves; whereas, that man may keep them, God must work in him through faith in Jesus Christ, who is “the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 1
… “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 36
… For there is a way of righteousness of which they are ignorant “who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge,” and who, wishing to frame a righteousness of their own, “have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.” “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 47
… ye are fallen from grace;” for, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish your own righteousness, you have not submitted yourselves to the righteousness of God.” For even as “Christ is the end of the law,” so likewise is He the Saviour of man’s corrupted nature, “for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 25.12
… but they are not good, because they are not referred to that end in which works are good; “for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 28.9
… Things which find their fulfillment in Christ. Whence the apostle says, “For all the promises of God are in Him yea;” that is, they are fulfilled in Him. Again he says in another place, “All happened to them in a figure; but they were written for our sakes, upon whom the end of the ages is come.” And he said elsewhere, “For Christ is the end of the law;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 51.12
… and will have it rightly said to him, “Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of those who are mine, ye did it unto me.” And thus doing not only those acts of mercy that pertain to the body, but every good work, for the sake of Christ (for then will all be good, because “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 55.2
… For what mean these words, “to the end,” but just to Christ? “For Christ is the end of the law,” says the apostle, “for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 4.1
1. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 13.1
1. “For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 14.1
1. What “to the end” means, must not be too often repeated. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 39.14
… but, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us.” I have “over-leaped” a great deal: but still do I “beat my breast,” and say, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Thou therefore art “my expectation!” my “End.” For “Christ is the end of the Law unto righteousness, unto every man that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 46.1
… Furthermore since the Cross of our Lord was a key, whereby things closed might be opened; let us trust that He will be with us, that these secrets may be revealed. What is said, “To the end,” always ought to be understood of Christ. For “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 55.1
1. Of this Psalm the title is: “At the end, in hymns, understanding to David himself.” What the “end” is, we will briefly call to your recollection, because ye have known it. “For the end of the Law is Christ, for righteousness unto every man believing.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 56.1
… For this doth belong to that David whom now ye know how to understand spiritually. For there is here commended to our notice no other than He of whom hath been said, “The end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to every man believing.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 57.2
2. Because then this Psalm is singing of the Passion of the Lord, see what is the title that it hath: “at the end.” The end is Christ.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 60.2
2. What is “to the end” ye know. For “the end of the law is Christ.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 66.1
1. This Psalm hath on the title the inscription, “For the end, a song of a Psalm of Resurrection.” When ye hear “for the end,” whenever the Psalms are repeated, understand it “for Christ:” the Apostle saying, “For the end of the law is Christ, for righteousness to every one believing.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.1
1. Of this Psalm, the title seemeth not to need operose discussion: for simple and easy it appeareth. For thus it standeth: “For the end, for David himself a Psalm of a Song.” But in many Psalms already we have reminded you what is “at the end: for the end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to every man believing:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.3
… “Wherefore hast Thou repelled us, O God, unto the end?” He censureth not, but inquireth “wherefore,” for what purpose, because of what hast Thou done this? What hast Thou done? “Thou hast repelled us unto the end.” What is, “unto the end”? Perchance even unto the end of the world. Hast Thou repelled us unto Christ, who is the End to every one believing?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.5
… Of those by whom Jerusalem was overthrown. But by whom was it, but by the kings of the Gentiles? Well was the hand of Him lifted up upon the pride of them at the end: for they too have now known Christ. “For the end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to every one believing.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.6
… 5 ). This is the beginning whereof hath been spoken above, “I will declare propositions from the beginning.” So then the beginning is the Old Testament, the end is the New. For fear doth prevail in the law. “But the end of the law is Christ for righteousness to every one believing;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 80.1
… But the singer of the song is that Asaph, as far as doth appear, enlightened and converted, by whose name ye know the synagogue to be signified. Lastly, the title of the Psalm is: “For the end in behalf of them that shall be changed;” that is, for the better. For Christ, the end of the Law,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 85.1
1. …Its title is, “A Psalm for the end, to the sons of Core.” Let us understand no other end than that of which the Apostle speaks: for, “Christ is the end of the law.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 97.1
… when Christ hath been revealed to him in the words, let him then be assured that he hath understood; but before he arriveth at the understanding of Christ, let him not presume that he hath understood. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.13
… For “Christ is the end of the law,” etc.,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 140.3
3. “To the end, a Psalm to David himself.” No other end mayest thou look to, than is laid down for thee by the Apostle himself. For “Christ is the end.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 16
… that He, who had been “made of a woman ,” as the Apostle says, might become also “under the law” which He had come, “not to destroy but to fulfil ,” and by fulfilling to end, as the blessed Apostle proclaims, saying: “but Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 63
… John says, “Because the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ .” For all things that, according to the Law, went before, whether in the circumcision of the flesh, or in the multitude of victims, or in the keeping of the Sabbath, testified of Christ, and foretold the grace of Christ. And He is “the end of the Law
10:5
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Titus 1
… For that was an “acknowledging” and a “godliness,” yet not of the Truth, yet neither was it falsehood, it was godliness, but it was in type and figure. And he has well said, “In hope of eternal life.” For the former was in hope of the present life. For it is said, “he that doeth these things shall live in them.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 17.16
… A people whom I have not known hath served me: in the hearing of the ear it hath obeyed me.” Therefore this people of the nations, which Christ did not know in His bodily presence, yet has believed in that Christ as announced to it; so that it might be said of it with good reason, “In the hearing of the ear it hath obeyed me,” for “faith is by hearing.”
10:6
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.18.2
… that is, to bring down Christ; or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to liberate Christ again from the dead.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 1.3.6
… The Apostle Paul also shows truly that all have a share in Christ, when he says, “Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (i.e., to bring Christ down from above;) or who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith the Scripture? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.42
… Consider, however, whether all men have in some way part in Him in His character as Logos. On this point the Apostle teaches us that He is to be sought not outside the seeker, and that those find Him in themselves who set their heart on doing so; “Say not
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.9
… The question arises whether the Logos in us is to be pronounced the same being as that which was in the beginning and was with God, God the Word. The Apostle, certainly, does not appear to make the Logos in us a different being from the Logos who was in the beginning with God. “Say not in thine heart,” he says,
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.68
… that is, to bring Christ up from the dead? But what saith the Scripture? Thy word is nigh, in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith which we preach: because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart, that God hath raised Him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 14
… and again, By the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead . And again he aims at them, and speaks thus, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven; or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ from the dead
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
… (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 5
… v. 22 .) That is to say, “If thou shalt believe that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 47
… Things spiritual are not of this nature, nor endure to submit to the laws of earth.” This also Paul declareth, saying, “Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down;) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.”) (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 51
… (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is (says he), the word of faith which we preach: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 66
… Still, for all that, it must not by any means be said that the possibility is lacking to God whereby the will of man can be so assisted, that there can be accomplished in every respect even now in a man, not that righteousness only which is of faith,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 93.3
… that is, to bring back Christ from the dead.” “But,” saith he, “the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, that Jesus is the Lord; and if thou shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
10:8
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, XXXVI 1
… of which if any man “taste,” he will not accede to the disputations and quibbles of proud and puffed-up men, who go into matters of which they have no perception. For the truth is unsophisticated ( ἀσχημάτιστος ); and “the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart,”
St Peter of Alexandria † AD 311 The Canonical Epistle, with the Commentaries of Theodore Balsamon and John Zonaras 5
… which they, being put in remembrance of, will learn to confess with their mouths that Jesus is the Christ; believing in their heart that God hath raised him from the dead, and being as those who hear, that “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 23
… Yet there is a plainer guide to be found than verbal instruction; and that is practice: and there is nothing vexatious in the maxim that when we are undertaking a long journey or voyage we should get an instructor. “But,” says the Apostle
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 83
… is said to Israel in Deuteronomy, if understood in a godly, sacred, and spiritual sense, since the apostle, after quoting the passage, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart” ( and , as the verse also has it, in thine hands , for in man’s heart are his spiritual hands), adds in explanation, “This is the word of faith which we preach.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 109.5
… word of the resurrection of Christ, it is said by the same apostle, “Whether it were I, or they, so we preach, and so ye believed;” and again, “This is the word of faith,” he says, “which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
10:9
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.18.2
… that is, to bring down Christ; or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to liberate Christ again from the dead.” Then he continues, “If thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 16
… There is no need of fetching a circuit, and of trouble, and the vexation of the works of the Law, for the salvation is by a very short way. For such is faith, it holds salvation in a few short words. “For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
… Grace yieldeth the righteousness resulting from itself, and that from the Law likewise. What plea then is to rescue them, since they are disposed to be contentious against this, but cling to that to no purpose whatever? Then, since he had made a strong assertion, he again confirms it from the Scripture.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.17
29. But in the flesh itself, the faith in His resurrection saves and justifies us. For, “If thou shalt believe,” he says, “in thine heart, that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 16.29
… Even Pagans believe that Christ died. But only Christians believe that Christ rose again. "If thou con fess with thy mouth," says the apostle, "that Jesus is the Lord, and believest in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 102.24
… What then is thy praise? It is that thou believest that Christ arose from the dead, and that thou dost hope that thou shalt rise from the dead through Christ: this is the praise of faith. “For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
10:10
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 15
It is better for a man to be silent and be [a Christian], than to talk and not to be one. “The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” Men “believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth,” the one “unto righteousness,” the other “unto salvation.”
Tertullian † AD 220 A Treatise on the Soul 15
… when God Himself anticipates in His people the thoughts of their heart, “Why think ye evil in your hearts?” when David prays “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” and Paul declares, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness,”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Fasting 2
… prone to appetite finds it possible to regard as superfluous, and not so very necessary, the duties of abstinence from, or diminution or delay of, food, since “God,” forsooth, “prefers the works of justice and of innocence.” And we know the quality of the hortatory addresses of carnal conveniences, how easy it is to say, “I must believe with my whole heart;
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.24
… But, if Christ is righteousness, he who has received righteousness confesses not himself but Christ; so also he who has found wisdom, by the very possession of wisdom, confesses Christ. And such a one indeed as, “with the heart believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth maketh confession unto salvation,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.3
… “He shall quicken also your mortal bodies because of His Spirit that dwelleth in you;” and there arises a concord of the two, body and spirit, on the earth, on the successful accomplishment of which there is sent up a harmonious prayer also of him who “with the heart believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth maketh confession unto salvation,”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 4.7
… But since we are bidden not to honour God with our lips , and piety is not tested by the sound of a word, but the Son must first be the object of belief in the heart unto righteousness, and then be confessed with the mouth unto salvation
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.112
112. And these are salutary trumpets also, if one believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth; “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 2.7
… He has compassion with His beloved, and says to him that is dead, “Come forth,” that is, Thou who liest in darkness of conscience, and in the squalor of thy sins, as in the prison-house of the guilty, come forth, declare thy sins that thou mayest be justified. “For with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 41.15
15. And the same Scripture teaches you concerning the infusion of special grace, that he kisses Christ who receives the Spirit, where the holy prophet says: “I opened my mouth and drew in the Spirit.” He, then, kisses Christ who confesses Him: “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
… Grace yieldeth the righteousness resulting from itself, and that from the Law likewise. What plea then is to rescue them, since they are disposed to be contentious against this, but cling to that to no purpose whatever? Then, since he had made a strong assertion, he again confirms it from the Scripture.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 26
… And what he says is this, Dost thou wish to show me that thou art perfect, and fully furnished? Do not show it to me, but let thy conscience suffice. And by faith, he here means that concerned not with doctrines, but with the subject in hand. For of the former it says, “With the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 Translation of Pamphilus' Defence of Origen 1
… and therefore let them not lend their ears to the accusers, nor seek an account of another man’s faith from a third party, especially when an opportunity is given them for gaining personal and direct knowledge, and the substance and quality of each man’s faith is to be known by his own confession. For so the Scripture says:
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 39.2
The daughters of Judah, we are told, rejoiced, because of all the judgments of the Lord. Therefore, since Judah means confession, and since every believing soul confesses its faith,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Faith and the Creed 1
1. Inasmuch as it is a position, written and established on the most solid foundation of apostolic teaching, “that the just lives of faith;” and inasmuch also as this faith demands of us the duty at once of heart and tongue,—for an apostle says, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Creed 1
… what ye are about to hear, that are ye to believe; and what ye shall have believed, that are about to give back with your tongue. For the Apostle says, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 3
… But not so have the Martyrs understood the Apostle, the true, the holy Martyrs. They saw and held that which is written, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 13
… As if truly (which I also said a little above) when it was said, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness,” it was added to no purpose, “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 4.22
… nor did he suffer because he believed, but he believed while suffering. It was shown, therefore, in the case of that thief, how great is the power, even without the visible sacrament of baptism, of what the apostle says, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.38
… that this takes place in the case of infants, through the sacrament of baptism, is not doubted by mother Church, which uses for them the heart and mouth of a mother, that they may be imbued with the sacred mysteries, seeing that they cannot as yet with their own heart “believe unto righteousness,” nor with their own mouth make “confession unto salvation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 22
… “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” For, if they understand not the passage of Deuteronomy in the sense that the Apostle Paul quoted it,—that “with the heart men believe unto righteousness, and with their mouth make confession unto salvation;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 17.6
Hear also the apostle when he says, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 26.2
… but he cannot believe unless he is willing. If we believed with the body, men might be made to believe against their will. But believing is not a thing done with the body. Hear the apostle: “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” And what follows? “And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 36.4
… Is He not the same of whom we confess that He rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven, there sits at the right hand of the Father, and thence shall come to judge the quick and the dead? Is not this our faith of which the apostle says, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 69.3
… And so the person of the Word is not different from that of the man, seeing that Christ is both in one person; and in this way, just as when His flesh died. Christ died, and when His flesh was buried, Christ was buried (for thus with the heart we believe unto righteousness, and thus with the mouth do we make confession unto salvation
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 80.3
… “This is the word of faith which we preach,” says the apostle, “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 32.3
3. “Because I kept silence, my bones waxed old:” because I made not with my mouth “confession unto salvation,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 35.11
… not one of them shall be broken.” Of how many righteous have the bones under persecution been broken? Finally, “The just shall live by faith,” and “Christ justifieth the ungodly.” But how justi fieth He any except believing and confessing? “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 40.15
… draw nigh with thine heart also. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.33
… It may also thus be understood; that whereas the Apostle chiefly commendeth these three things, faith, hope, love; confession is in faith, strength in hope, breadth in love. For of faith the substance is, that with the heart men believe unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession be made unto salvation.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 110.2
… they found no further reply: yet they did not seek Him as the Lord, for they did not acknowledge Him to be Himself that Son of David. But let us, brethren, both believe and declare: for, “with the heart we believe unto righteousness: but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation;”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 6.16
… When certain men scorn the confession of faith of such persons they are shewn to contradict the true faith. For, since the Apostle declares that confession of the mouth is made unto salvation, he who will not consent to believe a right profession accuses himself in rejecting others (
10:11
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
10:12
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 22
… and the more thou receivest, so much the more doth He rejoice; and in this way is stirred up again to give us more. For indeed He accounts it as His own wealth, that we should be saved, and that He should give largely to them that ask. And this, it may seem, Paul was declaring when He said, that He is “rich unto all and over all that call upon Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Thou seest then that good things are multiplied on being possessed by many, but earthly goods are rather diminished by seizing. Let us not therefore sit down content with poverty, but let us choose riches. God is then rich, when those who enjoy His kingdom are many. “For He is rich,” it is said, “unto all that call upon Him.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 9
… And Paul declaring this says, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: being justified freely by His grace.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 11.2
… and Thou seest into my heart, that so it is. I would sacrifice to Thee the service of my thought and tongue; and do Thou give what I may offer unto Thee. For “I am poor and needy,” Thou rich unto all that call upon Thee,
10:13
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 5.32
… First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy against them that are no people, and against a foolish nation I will anger you. Moreover Esaias is bold, and saith, I appeared unto them that seek Me not, I was found by them that asked not after Me. But to Israel what saith He? All day long I have stretched forth My hands to a people that hearken not
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 5
… For if these things are the prelude of that day, it follows that the extreme of danger is impending. But what next? He again lets them take breath, adding, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 1
… Jas. iv. 6 .) “resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble; and, ( Ps. li. 17 . τεταπεινωμένην .) the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit, and a heart that is brought low God will not despise.” For if with men humility is so lovely, much more with God. Thus both they of the Gentiles found grace and the Jews no other way fell from grace; (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 15.18
… It is this which has been said by another prophet, and which the apostle interprets of the people who belong to the grace of God: “And it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 51
… “for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 6.1
… because against these the Apostle Paul alleged this testimony, “And it shall be, that whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 65.1
… For who prays for that which he does not believe? Whence also the blessed Apostle, when he exhorted to prayer, said, “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.”
10:14
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 5.16
… for in their case the proclamation of the sentence causes it to become valid, is fully to ratify it; but on the contrary, with God, the publication of the sentence, caused it to be cancelled. For if it had not been published, the offenders would not have heard; and if they had not heard, they would not have repented, and if they had not repented,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 44
In fact, His reason for putting this before the other, is because the one is first required (for “How shall they believe except they hear?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 18
… then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God’s part had been fulfilled completely.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 4
Neither is faith, he means, “of ourselves.” Because had He not come, had He not called us, how had we been able to believe? for “how,” saith he, “shall they believe, unless they hear?” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 145.3
… For this reason the law is called a “schoolmaster,” under whose threatenings and severity “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” But how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 7
… “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” Hence the Lord’s Prayer. But the apostle, when, for the purpose of commending this very grace, he had quoted this prophetic testimony, immediately added: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 12.45
… "How shall they call on Him on whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them who publish peace, who bring good tidings!"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.31
… or how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 39
… For on what ground does the apostle call himself “a teacher of the Gentiles,” if it be not that what he himself implies in the following passage becomes realized: “How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 2
… For God is not so unjust as to defraud righteous persons of the reward of righteousness, because there has not been announced to them the mystery of Christ’s divinity and humanity, which was manifested in the flesh. For how could they believe what they had not heard of; or how could they hear without a preacher?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 28
… ” and he expressed himself thus in order that we might understand how that faith is given to us, even when it is not sought, so that other blessings may be granted to it at its request. For “how,” says he, “shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 7.1
… “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.” And he added, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? Or how shall they hear without a preacher? Or how shall they preach except they be sent?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 8.1
1. You have just repeated the Creed, where in brief summary is contained the Faith. I have already before now told you what the Apostle Paul says, “How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 9.1
1. You have rehearsed what you believe, hear now what you are to pray for. Forasmuch as you would not be able to call on Him, in whom you should not first have believed; as saith the Apostle, “How shall they call on Him, in whom they have not believed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 65.1
… For who prays for that which he does not believe? Whence also the blessed Apostle, when he exhorted to prayer, said, “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved.” And in order to show that faith is the fountain of prayer, he went on and said, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 57.4
… For how shall I get in to those who have shut their door against me, without some one to open? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.13.1
… For our Lord never came to save Paul alone, nor is God so limited in means, that He should have but one apostle who knew the dispensation of His Son. And again, when Paul says, “How beautiful are the feet of those bringing glad tidings of good things, and preaching the Gospel of peace,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 1
For the Lord, saith he, “shall give the word to them that proclaim glad tidings with great power” ( Ps. lxviii. 12 , Sept.); and again, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace.” ( Is. lii. 7 ;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 5
… i. 20 .) how could we see them without eyes? and if “faith cometh of hearing,” ( Rom. x. 17 .) how shall we hear without ears? and preaching depends on making circuits wherein the tongue and feet are employed. “For how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 60.11
… “How beautiful the feet of them that tell of peace, that tell of good things,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.30
… Whence hath been said, “How beautiful are the feet of them that proclaim peace, that proclaim good things!”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
He is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 18
… then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God’s part had been fulfilled completely.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 19
… “When the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.” He did not say, “All the dead shall hear, and they that hear shall live;” for He meant the unrighteous to be understood. And is it so, that all the unrighteous obey the gospel? The apostle says openly, “But not all obey the gospel.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.14
… “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God; how unsearchable also are His ways!” Whence this outburst of feeling? Surely from the recollection of the Scriptures, which he had been previously turning over, as well as from his contemplation of the mysteries which he had been setting forth above, in relation to the faith of Christ coming from the law.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 5
… For if the power of God is since “the creation of the world clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made,” ( Rom. i. 20 .) how could we see them without eyes? and if “faith cometh of hearing,” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 4
… to “faithful” men, not to questioners nor to reasoners, to “faithful.” How faithful? Such as betray not the Gospel they should preach. “The things which thou hast heard,” not which thou hast searched out. For “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 29
… He transfers the expression from the parable to the subject in hand; for after mentioning the bridegroom and the bride, he shows how the bride is brought home, that is, by a “Voice” and teaching. For thus the Church is wedded to God; and therefore Paul saith, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.11
… Not that word which was spoken to this or that prophet, and of which it is said, “Now the word of God grew and multiplied;” and again, “Faith then cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 2
… For how could they believe what they had not heard of; or how could they hear without a preacher? For “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” But I say (adds he): Have they not heard? “Yea, verily; their sound went out into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace 11
… For if, according to the word of truth, no one is delivered from the condemnation which was incurred through Adam except through the faith of Jesus Christ, and yet from this condemnation they shall not deliver themselves who shall be able to say that they have not heard the gospel of Christ, on the ground that “faith cometh by hearing,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 72.3
… by the hearing of the ear it hath obeyed Me.” I was not there, and I was heard; here I was, and I was killed. “A people whom I have not known, hath served Me; by the hearing of the ear it hath obeyed Me.” Therefore, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.14
… what is this word, which is thus called a light and a lantern at the same time, save we understand the word which was sent unto the Prophets, or which was preached through the Apostles; not Christ the Word, but the word of Christ, of which it is written, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 119.22
… “Yea, my tongue shall declare Thy word: for all Thy commandments are righteousness” ( ver. 172 ). When he saith that he will declare these things, he becometh a minister of the word. For though God teach within, nevertheless “faith cometh from hearing: and how do they hear without a preacher?”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.10
Moreover, faith is twofold. For faith cometh by hearing .
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St Melito of Sardis † AD 180 Melito, the Philosopher part1
… For, in the same manner as the blind, so men also, when they were seeking after God, stumbled upon stones and blocks of wood; and such of them as were rich stumbled upon gold and silver, and were prevented by their stumblings from finding that which they were seeking after. But, now that a voice has been heard through all the earth,
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 5
… for from the rising sun unto the setting my Name hath been made famous among all the nations, saith the Lord Almighty: and in every place they offer clean sacrifices to my Name.” Again, in the Psalms, David says: “Bring to God, ye countries of the nations”—undoubtedly because “unto every land” the preaching of the apostles had to “go out”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 5.2
This is the Christ who, he says, in all that have been generated, is the portrayed Son of Man from the unportrayable Logos. This, he says, is the great and unspeakable mystery of the Eleusinian rites, Hye, Cye. And he affirms that all things have been subjected unto him, and this is that which has been spoken, “Their sound is gone forth unto all the earth,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 De Sententia Dionysii. (Defence of Dionysius.) 11
… i. 17 ), and the gift of the Spirit. And whereas in those days the law was preached from Dan to Beersheba, now ‘their sound is gone out into all lands’ (
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 43.66
… Basil’s beauty was virtue, his greatness theology, his course the perpetual motion reaching even to God by its ascents, and his power the sowing and distribution of the Word. So that I will not hesitate to say even this, his utterance went out into all lands, and the power of his words to the ends of the world: as S. Paul says of the Apostles,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 72
For in proof that He meant this, and that before the taking of Jerusalem the gospel was preached, hear what Paul saith, “Their sound went into all the earth;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 5
… but if there be, it is no longer possible. Thus see how, speaking of Jews, the Lord deprives them of all excuse; “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin:” ( John xv. 22 ): and Paul again, “But I say, have they not heard? Nay, but into all the earth went forth their sound.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 18
… then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God’s part had been fulfilled completely.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.20
… and the voices of Thy messengers flying above the earth, near to the firmament of Thy Book; that being set over them as an authority, under which they were to fly whithersoever they were to go. For “there is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not heard;” seeing their sound
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.21
… persons, and went forth thence into Judæa and Samaria, and to all nations, as He had said unto them when He was about to ascend into heaven, “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth;” for “their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 19.5
5. “Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 18
… then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God’s part had been fulfilled completely.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 18
Ver. 20 . “But Esaias is very bold, and saith.”
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 97
… ‘With my voice I cried to the Lord, and He heard me out of His holy hill. I laid me down, and slept; I awaked, for the Lord sustained me.’ And Isaiah likewise mentions concerning Him the manner in which He would die, thus: ‘I have spread out My hands unto a people disobedient, and gainsaying, that walk in a way which is not good.’
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 18
Ver. 21 . “But unto Israel He saith, All the day long have I stretched forth My hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” ( Is. lxv. 2 .)
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 2.47
… For he was speaking of the remnant of the Jews which were saved, while the rest perished. For above he had said that the prophet had declared to Israel, “All day long I have stretched forth my hands to an unbelieving and a gainsaying people.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 13.12
… “And in the morning my prayer shall prevent Thee;” and again: “I prevented the dawning of the day and cried;” and: “Mine eyes have prevented the morning.” For He calls and invites us, when He says: “All the day long I stretched forth My hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people;”
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1. BRETHREN, THE WILL INDEED OF MY HEART, AND MY SUPPLICATION TO GOD, IS MADE FOR THEM (the Jews) UNTO SALVATION. — For "will" in Greek is εὐδοκία (eudokia), that is, a propensity of the mind and a vehement desire which I have toward the Jews, that they may be saved. Whence I pray and beseech for them, and this, lest they themselves think that I have said these sad things about their rejection and repulsion from Christ out of hatred, but rather out of compassion. Thus St. Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius.
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2. FOR I BEAR THEM WITNESS THAT THEY HAVE A ZEAL OF GOD, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE, — but rather according to error, that is to say, the Jews have an erring zeal for defending the Mosaic law, and they think themselves to be acting with the zeal of God, but they are mistaken; because they truly act against the honor and truth of God, when they oppose the faith and law of Christ, which is the true law of God.
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3. FOR THEY, BEING IGNORANT OF THE JUSTICE OF GOD, AND SEEKING TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN, ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE JUSTICE OF GOD. — By "the justice of God" Paul understands that which makes us just, not before men, but before God; which consists in the reconciliation of man with God, through faith in Christ, just as the justice of the Jews consisted in the fulfillment of the law before men. Whence Paul calls it "their own justice," that is, obtained from their own and the powers of nature and the works of the law: to this is opposed "the justice of God," that is, proceeding from God and God's grace. For "are not subject," the Greek more clearly has, οὐχ ὑπετάγησαν, they did not submit themselves to it, they did not obey, that is to say, because the Jews sought their own justice from the law, hence they were unwilling to submit themselves to the faith of Christ, and consequently neither to the true justice of God. For God has established this in the faith and obedience of Christ. Whence it follows:
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4. FOR THE END OF THE LAW (is) CHRIST, UNTO JUSTICE TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH. — You will ask, how is Christ the end of the law? St. Augustine answers first, because Christ, fulfilling the shadows of the law, ended it and caused it to cease. Thus he himself in book II Against the Adversaries of the Law and the Prophets, chapter VII, and St. Gregory, homily 16 on Ezekiel. Secondly, Chrysostom and Photius: "The end," they say, that is, the perfection and consummation of the law is Christ, because what the law could not do, namely, to make man just, this Christ did. For the Hebrew כלה cala, just like the Greek τέλος (that is, end) signifies both consummation and completion. Thirdly, Anselm: "The end," he says, that is, the perfection of the law is Christ, because namely without faith in Christ, the law could not be perfected and fulfilled, nor can it be. Fourthly and most aptly, Theodoret: "The end," that is, as the Syriac translates it, nob sache, that is, the scope of the law is Christ, because the whole law is referred to Christ, as to its end, term and scope, tends toward it, leads to it and calls to it. Here Paul alludes elegantly and ingeniously to the Hebrew word תורה tora, that is, law, to the root ירה iara, that is, to cast, to shoot, as if the law were an arrow, which aims at Christ, as at its scope, and this "unto justice to every one that believeth," so that namely through faith in Christ all believers in him may attain justice. Understand faith here not as bare and alone, but as that which extends itself in the offspring of hope, penance and good works, as a fruitful mother, see Canon 3. Morally St. Augustine, in Sentences, number 106: "The end," he says, "of the faithful is Christ, to whom when the intention of the runner has arrived, it has nothing more that it can find, but it has that in which it ought to remain."
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5. FOR MOSES WROTE (Levit. XVIII, 5), THAT THE JUSTICE WHICH IS OF THE LAW, WHICH IF A MAN SHALL DO, HE SHALL LIVE IN IT. — The Apostle here proves what he said in verse 3, namely that the Jews, because they wish to establish their own justice from the law, are not subject to the justice of God, which alone is true justice. He proves this from the fact that justice from the law is plainly different, indeed adverse and opposed to the justice of God: both because God established this justice of His not in the law, but in faith in Christ; and (which the Apostle properly urges here) because Moses promised to those who are just according to the law and who practice legal justice only temporal life: but God promises to those who are just in faith, or to His faithful who are just, salvation and eternal life. Note: "To do the justice which is of the law," or to do legal justice, is to do and fulfill the precepts of the law. For these precepts are the objective matter of legal justice, that is, they are the very legal justice itself, or the just and equitable thing which the law prescribes, and which makes one just who observes it legally and civilly, from the fact that he conforms himself to his law and rule. Therefore, this legal "justice" "which if a man shall do, he shall live in it:" namely with spiritual life, through justification, says St. Augustine, as if Paul were saying: But the law cannot be fulfilled without faith in Christ; therefore the law itself tacitly admonishes and indicates that we should seek the grace of Christ: St. Augustine holds that the Apostle leaves this subsumption to be understood and supplied here, in his book On the Spirit and the Letter, chapter XXIX. Thus also St. Chrysostom and Oecumenius explain it in nearly the same way. But more aptly Theodoret, Ambrose, and Anselm explain it thus, as if Paul were saying: He who shall do the justice of the law, namely the just thing prescribed by the law, he shall live in it; that is, he shall not be punished with death, which the law often threatens to transgressors; and he shall live with the temporal prosperous life which the law promises to those who keep it, Ezech. XX, Levit. XVIII. Supply here the other part of the antithesis, as if: On the contrary, he who has embraced faith in Christ, he shall live the life of justice in this world, and in the future he shall live the life of salvation, glory and eternal happiness. For Paul tacitly signifies this antithesis here and in verse 9.
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6 and 7. SAY NOT IN THY HEART: WHO SHALL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN? THAT IS, TO BRING DOWN CHRIST: OR WHO SHALL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS? THAT IS, TO BRING UP CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. — Note: The phrase "that is," or as it is in Greek, τουτ' εστι, that is, this means, explains the words of Deuter. XXX, 14, through allegorical signification, as I shall explain presently, as if Moses said: "Who shall ascend into heaven?" which allegorically means: Who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Christ? that is, so that he might bring Christ down from heaven? "Who shall descend into the abyss?" which allegorically means: Who shall descend into the abyss to bring up Christ from the dead? that is, so that he might bring Christ up from the dead? For Paul understands (in his allegorical explanation of Moses, which he adds after, that is, and leaves for the reader to repeat) the phrase "who shall descend, and who shall ascend?" Thus indeed his meaning is to be explained: Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Christ? Who shall descend into the abyss? that is, who shall descend into the abyss to bring up Christ from the dead? Whence the Syriac version clearly translates: Who climbs the heavens, and brought down the Messiah, that is Christ? Who descended into the abyss of hell, and brought up the Messiah from the dead? Where note, the Syriac version rightly and clearly translates the infinitives of the Apostle by past tenses, because the Hebrew infinitive is used in place of all tenses. The meaning therefore is: Do not say, that for the certainty of faith and for justification Christ present is needed, so that we might see him, and be healed and justified by his sight and presence; therefore he himself must be recalled either from heaven or from hell. Do not think this is required of you: for an easy and near mode of justification already exists, if you believe in Christ dead and risen, although absent; and profess this with heart and mouth, as if: Do not say, O Jew accustomed to the law: the law of Moses is near to us, and plain: faith and justice in Christ indeed promise salvation, but it is obscure and remote; for you are mistaken and deceived, for the matter is not so, because, as follows:
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8. THE WORD (of justice and salvation) IS NIGH THEE, IN THY MOUTH, AND IN THY HEART: THIS IS THE WORD OF FAITH, WHICH WE PREACH,—and Paul explains this more clearly in the words immediately following. That this is the genuine sense of this passage is evident both from what precedes and follows, and from the very words of Moses, Deuteronomy XXX, 12, which Paul cites here, and which I shall transcribe shortly below. Note: The Apostle, seized as it were by an abundance and vehemence of wisdom and spirit, and turning himself in all directions, so that he might persuade the Jews of faith in Christ, and might discuss and dispel their objections and difficulties, inserts this parenthesis in his manner, as I said at Canon 38; for he places and completes the antithesis of the preceding verse concerning the justice of God opposed to the justice of the law only below at verse 9. Chrysostom explains this otherwise, as if to say, "Do not say," that is, do not let the incarnation and resurrection of Christ seem incredible to you, and, as Theodoret says, do not be too curious in investigating these things. Whence Anselm also explains it thus: Do not say: No one ascended into heaven, because this is to deny that Christ ascended. Nor do you say that no one descended into hell, because this is to deny that Christ was recalled from hell, that is, to deny that he suffered and descended into hell. Thus also nearly Vatablus: Do not say, he says, O unbelieving Jew: Who shall ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from on high? as if to say, To say, Who shall ascend into heaven? is to wish to call Christ from heaven to earth, and to affirm that he has not yet descended to us. Who shall descend into the abyss, so as to bring the Gospel to us from there? that is, Christ, is to recall him from the dead, as if to say, To say, Who shall descend into the abyss? is to affirm that Christ from death and hell, into which he descended dying, has not yet risen. But all these are more forced and more complicated. Beza and Calvin torture these things far more forcedly, when they explain thus: Do not say: How shall I be justified, so that I may ascend into heaven, escape hell? because Christ ascended into heaven, so that he might pave the way for you to ascend there; and he descended into hell, so that he might free you from there. For this sense perverts the words of the Apostle and Moses. For that, "who shall descend," to pass over other things, is of one wishing and seeking, not fleeing, just as "who shall ascend." Therefore the first sense is plainest and most fitting. Paul cites here Deuteronomy XXX, 13. Where note: For "who shall descend into the abyss?" Moses has, "who shall cross over the sea?" because Paul does not so much cite the letter and words of Moses, as he only alludes allegorically to the sayings of Moses: whence he does not render word for word in all respects. Hence note secondly: Although Cajetan, Adam, Pererius, Toletus think that Moses speaks literally of Christ and Christ's justice; for they refer these words of his to penance, of which Moses had treated in the same chapter, verse 1: for penance indeed and the love of God, and consequently the forgiveness of sins, and justice itself cannot be had without faith in Christ; yet it is far plainer that the Apostle alludes to Moses not literally, but allegorically only. For Moses in the literal sense, or in the literal meaning, speaks not of Christ and his Gospel, but of the law given to the Jews, as is evident to anyone observing him. Thus Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Abulensis, Soto. And this again is evident from the fact that Moses adds there: "Consider that I have set before thee this day life and good, and on the other hand death and evil; that thou mayest love the Lord, etc., and he may bless thee in the land, which thou shalt go in to possess;" which words make it most clear that Moses is speaking to his own Jews. What therefore Moses premises to these words, saying: "This commandment, which I command thee this day, is not above thee, nor far off; nor is it in heaven, that thou mayest say: Who of us can ascend to heaven, to bring it to us, that we may hear and fulfill it in deed? nor beyond the sea, that thou mayest excuse thyself, and say: Who of us can cross the sea, and bring it to us, that we may hear and do what is commanded? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart," that is, thou hast the law at hand, so that in thy heart, that is in memory and mind, thou mayest ponder it and speak it with thy mouth: these things, I say, suit the faithful most excellently. For equally, nay more, the Gospel and faith in Christ is now at hand to all, than the law of Moses was formerly: so that all may most easily embrace this faith in their heart, that is in their mind, and speak it with their mouth, and thus be justified and saved. Whence it follows:
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9. IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THY HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM UP FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED: — "Thou shalt be saved," namely from sin, and consequently from death and damnation, through the blessed and glorious resurrection with Christ. Or, "thou shalt be saved" here in part through justification, but completely thou shalt be saved in heaven through glorification. For this is the twofold salvation which Christ has brought to us. Hence it is clear that justifying faith is not a special faith, by which I believe that my sins in particular have been remitted to me through Christ. For the Apostle does not teach that this is the object of faith, and that it is to be believed, but rather this, namely that Christ rose from the dead. Note: In order that anyone be justified, he must believe not only in the resurrection of Christ, but also many other things concerning the Father, concerning the Holy Spirit and concerning Christ himself, namely that he himself became man for us, that he was crucified, that he descended into hell, that he is the Son of God, the redeemer, etc. The Apostle, however, sets forth only the article of Christ's resurrection here, because that article as it were presupposes and embraces the others as its terminus, and was believed with the greatest difficulty by the Jews, who had killed Christ; if they believed in it, they would retract their deed, repent, and believe all things that are to be believed concerning Christ. You see, therefore, that the Apostle, when he attributes our salvation to one thing, does not exclude other things equally necessary for justice and salvation: thus, namely, when he himself attributes justice to faith, he does not exclude hope, fear, repentance, charity. See Can. 3.
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10. WITH THE HEART ONE BELIEVES UNTO JUSTICE, BUT WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION. — That is to say, Faith of the heart is efficacious and necessary for acquiring justice; but the profession of faith, which is made with the mouth, is efficacious and necessary for preserving and increasing this justice, and consequently for meriting and obtaining eternal salvation. Note: "In the heart," that is, in the mind and will: for although faith is an act of the intellect, yet on account of its lack of evidence and the difficulty of the act, the concurrence and command of a pious will is necessary, which commands the intellect to believe things so obscure and difficult; and thus this act becomes free and meritorious. Therefore the heart here signifies both the will and the intellect. Thus the heart is taken for the mind and intellect in Ecclesiastes, chapter XXI, verse 29: "In the mouth of fools is their heart; and in the heart of the wise is their mouth." And in Hosea VII, 11: "Ephraim is become like a dove that is deluded, having no heart." Thus it is said: The heart is wise, and the lung speaks, the gall stirs up anger, the spleen causes laughter, the liver compels to love. For the ancients believed that the seat of the mind and wisdom, or at least the source thereof, was in the heart; just as anger is in the gall, and love in the liver. From this the necessity of good works is evident. For the Apostle requires not only faith, but also the profession of faith (which is certainly a heroic work of fortitude and piety) as it were necessary unto salvation in this place. To avoid this weapon and argument, a certain Illyrian in the Colloquy of Altenburg translated this sentence of the Apostle thus: "With the mouth confession is made concerning salvation;" but imprudently and ineptly. For just as with the heart one believes not concerning justice, but unto justice: so also with the mouth confession is made not concerning salvation, but unto salvation; for this is what the Apostle's antithesis requires, and this is what the Greek εις signifies, namely, unto or to, not however, concerning. Secondly, that this translation is contrary to the Apostle is evident from the word "for," which gives the reason for the preceding, namely, why he said: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thy heart, thou shalt be saved." For the Apostle immediately subjoins the reason and cause of this his statement, saying: "For with the heart one believes unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." From this proposition it rightly follows: therefore "if thou believest with thy heart and confessest with thy mouth, thou shalt be saved." Who does not see here that in both the antecedent and the consequent, salvation is attributed not to faith alone, but also to the profession of faith, and that it saves equally as faith does, and makes us saved. Note secondly: This proposition of the Apostle may be inverted and transposed in this manner: "With the heart also one believes unto salvation, and with the mouth also confession is made unto justice;" for before anyone who is an adult is baptized and justified, he must profess the faith of Christ with his mouth. Yet more aptly the Apostle attributed justice to faith of the heart, but salvation to the profession of the mouth: because to faith and penance properly corresponds justification, but to profession corresponds salvation, as is evident in the Martyrs, who through the profession of faith obtained eternal salvation and glory. Add that the Apostle takes justice and salvation almost for the same thing. For justice is salvation begun, and salvation is justice completed; and these two are connected: for justice leads the just to salvation. Therefore the Apostle understands one under the other, as is evident from what follows. Thus in the following chapter, verse 5, he says that the remnants of Israel were made safe, that is, justified. Finally, from this St. Augustine, in book I of "On Faith and the Creed," teaches that faith requires the duty not only of the heart, but also of the tongue, namely, the profession of faith. Thus St. Gordius the martyr, when he had been condemned to the pyre on account of the faith of Christ, and many who pitied him wept, said: "Do not weep over me, but over the enemies of God, who prepare fire for us, but for themselves treasure up the fires of hell. I am prepared, if it be necessary, to go to a thousand deaths for the name of the Lord." And when others urged him to deny Christ at least with his mouth, to retain him in his heart: "The tongue," he said, "which I retain by the benefit of Christ, cannot be brought to deny its author. With the heart we believe unto justice, with the mouth we confess unto salvation." Therefore with a cheerful countenance he willingly threw himself into the torment of fire. St. Basil is witness, in his sermon "On Gordius the Martyr." Thus Eleazar under Antiochus, ordered to eat pork contrary to the law, when friends brought him other meat, that he might pretend it was pork and by eating it escape death: "It is not," he said, "fitting for our age to feign, lest many young people, on account of my dissimulation, be deceived. For although at the present time I should escape the torments of men, yet I shall not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither living nor dead. Wherefore, by departing from life with fortitude, I shall appear worthy of my old age; and I shall leave to young people a noble example, if with a ready and stout heart I meet an honorable death for the most grave and holy laws," II Maccabees VI, 24.
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11. SCRIPTURE SAYS (Isaiah XXVIII, 16): WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL NOT BE CONFOUNDED,—shall not be ashamed, shall not be frustrated in his faith and hope, but shall altogether obtain the justice and salvation he hopes for. The Hebrew is לא יחיש lo iachis, that is, shall not hasten, that is, shall not be confounded: for the ashamed, when they are confounded, hasten to depart and hide themselves for shame. Perhaps for lo iachis, the Septuagint read לא יבוש lo iabos, that is, shall not be confounded. Here it is clear that under faith, the profession of faith also, and consequently good works, are to be understood. For the Apostle wishes to prove what he said, namely: "With the heart man believeth unto justice; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." He proves this from Isaiah, who says: "Whosoever believeth in him (Christ) shall not be confounded." Therefore when he says: "Whosoever believeth," understand also, and whosoever professes with his mouth, and whosoever obeys Christ, he shall not be confounded, but shall be saved. For the Apostle must prove here both the profession of faith and faith itself to be required for justice and salvation. Thus we commonly say, if you believe this advocate, you will win your case: if you believe, that is, if you obey him, if you have followed and executed his counsel. See Can. 3 and 4.
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12. THERE IS NO DISTINCTION OF THE JEW AND THE GREEK.—The Apostle presses in the words of Isaiah the word all, as if to say: All, whether Jew or Greek, whosoever believeth in Christ, he shall be saved. For God in the matter of justice and salvation makes no distinction, cares not whether you be a Jew or a Greek, that is, a Gentile. He says this against the Jews, who arrogated to themselves alone the justice, care and friendship of God. The Apostle therefore passes here from the former part of the chapter (in which he has hitherto proved that true justice consists in faith and obedience to Christ, and therefore the Jews unbelieving in Christ have fallen away from justice) to the other part, in which he proves the calling of the Gentiles. For God has sanctioned and decreed that the faithful Gentiles, the unbelieving Jews being excluded, should succeed to the Church of God, to justice and salvation.
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13. THE SAME LORD OF ALL, RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM.—"Rich," that is, abounding, liberal, munificent, and bestowing his graces and gifts copiously. It is a metalepsis. WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, SHALL BE SAVED.—You see that salvation, which verse 11 attributes to faith, is here attributed to the invocation of God. Whosoever therefore shall call upon God as he ought, namely with due faith, hope, contrition and charity, he shall be saved. Otherwise indeed it is certain that Turks, heretics and wicked Christians, even if they call upon God, are not to be saved, but damned. Moreover, the Apostle cites this sentence from Joel, II, 32. Note: The Apostle here opposes the invocation of God to internal faith. Whence under invocation he understands profession, thanksgiving, praise, vow, sacrifice, oath and every external worship of God: just as he understands the same by the name of oath, Psalm LXII, 12 and elsewhere. It is a synecdoche.
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14. HOW THEN SHALL THEY CALL UPON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED? — The Novatians twist these words against the invocation of the Saints: If, they say, we do not believe in the Saints, but in God, how shall we call upon them? I answer: The word therefore signifies that this sentence is to be referred and drawn from the preceding discourse of Joel, which has: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." Here therefore the name of the Lord is to be repeated, in this manner: "How shall they call upon the name of the Lord, in whom they have not believed?" that is to say, How shall they call upon God, as Lord and author of salvation and of all good, in whom they do not believe? For thus God alone is called upon by the faithful in the Church, namely as Lord and author of their salvation. For otherwise the word to call upon is also attributed to men, when we implore their aid, as is evident from Isaiah XXXIV, 12; Hosea VII, 11. And thus we call upon the Saints, not as authors, but as helpers and intercessors for us with God. HOW THEN? — that is to say, If not to the Jews alone, but to all the Gentiles without distinction calling upon God, the promise of justice and salvation has been made by God: therefore faith is necessary for all, and the preaching of faith. For no one can call upon God and Christ, in whom he does not believe. But no one can believe unless it be announced and preached to him what he ought to believe, and what God wills and commands to be believed. For gradually and step by step the Apostle tends to this, that he may show that the Gospel is to be preached not to the Jews alone, but to any Gentiles whatsoever (God so ordaining), so that the Jews may not wonder if Paul himself is an Apostle, preacher and teacher not of the Jews, but of the Gentiles. Note secondly: Here Paul beautifully describes the order of justification, or the order of things by which one arrives at justice and salvation. For in this order, first, is the sending of preachers; secondly, the preaching of the Gospel itself; thirdly, the faith of those who hear; fourthly, their invocation and worship of God; fifthly, salvation, both present, namely justification from the disease of sin, and future, namely liberation from death and corruption through heavenly glory. Note: The Apostle draws this question as a consequence from the preceding verse. For there he said: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved;" from that proposition he here infers: "How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed?" that is to say, If, in order that men may be saved, they ought to call upon God the Saviour, therefore they must first believe in him and acknowledge him as their saviour. For no one calls upon him in whom he does not believe, whom he does not acknowledge, inasmuch as he hopes for no aid or help from him. This question therefore: "How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed?" is to be resolved into a negation in this manner, that is to say, Therefore it is necessary to believe in God, in order that they may call upon him, because no one can call upon God in whom he does not believe. If therefore this invocation of God is general and common to all the Gentiles, faith and the preaching of faith will likewise be common to them. Here Paul destroys the error of the Jews, who, as they arrogated to themselves alone justice, so also arrogated faith and the preaching of the Gospel. For the contrary he himself teaches here, namely that the Gospel is to be preached to all the Gentiles, that they may believe and be justified and saved; "because God is rich unto all that call upon him:" if unto all, therefore both unto Gentiles and unto Jews.
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15. HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH UNLESS THEY BE SENT? — This is a climax, or an elegant and forceful gradation, by which the Apostle, from the fact that God through Joel promised salvation to all who call upon Him, concludes that the Gospel must be preached to all the Gentiles. He proves it thus: God is rich unto all and wishes all to be saved; but they cannot be saved unless they call upon God, they cannot call upon Him unless they believe in Him, they cannot believe unless they hear His preachers, they cannot hear unless the preachers preach, these cannot preach unless they be sent; therefore from the first to the last it must be concluded that God, who wills the salvation of all the Gentiles, has also willed and decreed to send His preachers, namely the Apostles, to all the Gentiles, that they might preach the Gospel to them, by which they themselves might believe, be justified and be saved. Note on how shall they preach unless they be sent? — certainly not by a king or civil magistrate, but by God, who sends His ministers to call men to faith, justice and His kingdom; for this is God's alone. Hence it is clear that no one should be heard unless he be legitimately sent to preach by God, as is sufficiently evident from Isaiah, whom the Apostle cites here. By God, I say, either immediately and directly, and then there is need of miracles or supernatural signs, by which he who is sent proves to men that he is sent by God; or mediately, namely that he be sent by the vicars and successors of Christ, namely the Pontiffs and Bishops, as ordinarily happens by the institution of Christ. See what is said at chapter 1, verse 1. The Apostle adds: AS IT IS WRITTEN (Isaiah LII, 7): HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, OF THEM THAT BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS! — The sense is: how beautiful, sweet and pleasing will be the coming and course of those announcing the Gospel and its good and joyful tidings, namely peace with God, grace, justice and salvation! or: how grateful and acceptable will the Apostles be to their hearers, announcing and evangelizing these good things to men throughout the whole world! It is a synecdoche; for the foot is put for the man: therefore the feet of those evangelizing are men, namely the Apostles running about and evangelizing throughout the whole world. Toletus beautifully notes that the feet of the Apostles could be praised, first, for their speed, with which they ran most swiftly throughout the whole world; second, for their strength; third, for their cleanness; but fourth and especially for their beauty; because not with arms, not with threats, but with beauty and comeliness, that is with the sweetness of their most holy life and doctrine, they effectively drew the minds of men to faith, and moreover converted kings, philosophers and barbarians, and the most wicked men, and this throughout the whole world and in the shortest time, which is like a great miracle. This beauty of the feet therefore signifies the splendor of the wisdom, doctrine, virtue and piety of the Apostles. And Origen teaches that as a symbol of this matter Christ washed the feet of the Apostles at the last supper, and then this prophecy of Isaiah began to be fulfilled. Note: In Isaiah for how beautiful, in Hebrew it is נאוו ma navu: which Toletus and some others translate, how desirable and coveted are the feet of those evangelizing! so that navu would be niphal from the root אוה ava, that is, he desired, he coveted. But the more learned Hebrews think that נאוו navu is not niphal, but qal; and this is evident from the fact that the letter nun in navu has camets, as verbs in qal have. For if it were niphal, it ought to have chiric or patach. Again this is evident from the Septuagint, St. Jerome, Pagnino, Arias and others everywhere, who translate, how beautiful and comely are the feet! The root therefore of נאוו navu is נוה nava, which is both in letters and in meaning akin, and alludes to the root אוה ava. For just as ava signifies to desire and covet, so nava signifies to be pleasant, delightful, becoming, beautiful, fair, delightful, that which invites and caresses, allures and incites to coveting; and therefore nava often receives the letter aleph, so that this relation and mutual benevolence might be signified, by which a beautiful and pleasant thing excites desire and longing for itself, and conversely desire and longing is borne and carried away toward a beautiful and pleasant thing. Such therefore were the feet of the Apostles, and the Apostles themselves, who by their grace, beauty and comeliness of speech and manners were pleasing, acceptable, coveted and desired by the world, and drew all into love and reverence of themselves and of Christ. The Septuagint, for which speciosi, translate ως ωρα, that is, as an hour upon the mountains, the feet of him announcing the hearing. By the word ωρα, says St. Jerome, is signified time, beauty, care, solicitude of those evangelizing. Whence Tertullian, lib. IV Against Marcion, cap. xiii, reads: "I am present when the hour is, in the mountains, so that evangelizing the hearing of peace." The same indeed, lib. V Against Marcion, cap. ii, reads, "how timely the feet of those evangelizing peace!" St. Cyril takes ωραια for spring, that is to say, as spring, which after winter shines with pure light upon the mountains, gladdens men, fills all fields and mountains with variegated flowers, and makes all things flourish with wonderful pleasantness; so the advent of Christ and the Apostles made all things flourish and flower with heavenly virtues and ornaments. Thus Cyril. Whence St. Ambrose, epist. 11 to Irenaeus, according to the Septuagint reads, as ripeness in the mountains, and thus explains: "Christ came to us, he says, as ripeness, so that nothing sour, nothing unripe in our counsels, nothing harsh, nothing rough in our works and manners." And Tertullian, lib. V Against Marcion, cap. v, reads, "how mature the feet of those evangelizing good things!" But it seems to me altogether probable that the codices of the Septuagint have long been corrupted; for they appear to have translated ως ωρα, which we have read corruptly, as ως ωραιοι, how speciosi. For thus the Hebrew have it, and St. Paul here, who is accustomed to follow the Septuagint. An indication of this matter also is that Tertullian reads at one time, when the hour is; at another time, how timely, or, how mature the feet. Where he sufficiently insinuates that he read certain Greek exemplars as ως ωραια, certain ones as ως ωρα, and from this he himself was deceived, thinking ωραια to be derived from ωρα and corrupted, and to signify timely or mature, when it signifies speciosi and beautiful, as is evident from the Hebrew.
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16. BUT NOT ALL OBEY THE GOSPEL. — Paul meets an objection. For a certain Jew will say: If the feet and voices of the Apostles are so speciosi, why do so many not believe them, why do most Jews reject them? Paul answers that the cause is that many, bound by their vices or their Judaism, are unwilling to believe and obey the Gospel, and therefore turn away their eyes, ears and mind from this beauty and comeliness of the Gospel and those evangelizing. FOR ISAIAS SAITH. — Paul here proves that not all believe the Gospel, from Isaiah, who in cap. LIII, vers. 1, says: "Lord, who hath believed our report?" that is to say, Lord, how few have believed our preaching! Note: το here signifies the cause not of the thing, but of the statement, or proposition. For it gives the cause not of the unbelief and disobedience of the Jews, but of the truth and certainty of the proposition, or why this proposition and assertion of Paul, "not all obey the Gospel," is true, certain and infallible. For the prediction of Isaiah, by which he predicted the disobedience and unbelief of the Jews, was not the cause of this disobedience and unbelief; but it was the cause why this proposition can be truly and certainly asserted, namely that the Jews are unbelieving and disobedient. For Isaiah predicted this, or rather the Holy Spirit, who cannot be deceived or deceive. It is similar if I say: This man is a murderer, for Peter and Paul themselves testify to this; for this testimony is not the cause why this man is, but why he can be truly asserted and called a murderer. LORD, WHO HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT? — that is, our word, which namely we Apostles have heard from God and Christ: thus Ambrose; or rather, as Chrysostom, which they themselves have heard from us evangelizing: for it follows, "therefore faith is by hearing." Isaiah speaks in the person of the Apostles, that is to say, Very few of the Jews have believed our word and our evangelization. It is a Hebraism; for שמעה schemua, that is, hearing, is put for preaching, which is heard, as the act for its object. See Can. 30.
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17. THEREFORE FAITH IS BY HEARING: AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF CHRIST. — Paul infers from the words of Isaiah cited his proposition, which he proposed in vers. 14, namely that no one can believe by faith unless first that which is to be believed is proposed and preached to him by hearing. He proves this from Isaiah, who says: "Lord, who hath believed our report?" From this it follows that the faith by which we believe in Christ and the Gospel is by hearing: and hearing is "by the word of Christ," namely by the preaching of the Apostles, who, as it were legates sent by Christ, preach his word. Some explain it less correctly thus: "By the word of Christ," that is, they say, by the command of Christ, who sends the Apostles to preach, and thus the Gentiles hear the Gospel.
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18. BUT I SAY, DID THEY NOT HEAR? — To sed is equivalent to jam vero, or quin vero. For the Apostle presses and urges what he said, namely that faith is from hearing, and hearing is through the word of Christ; as if to say: I said that faith ought to be born from hearing, and hearing ought to be born from the preaching of the word of God and Christ: now indeed, or rather, I say and ask: Did they not in fact have this hearing, did not all nations hear the Gospel? as if to say: They altogether heard, for "their sound went forth into all the earth." By these things the Apostle proves against the opinion of the Jews that the Gospel ought to be preached to the Gentiles. Note first: το audierunt, that is, they heard in part, in part they will hear, as I shall show more clearly presently. Again, "they heard," supply, not the Jews, as some wish, but the Gentiles; for concerning these it follows: "their sound went forth into all the earth." For concerning the Jews he adds in verse 19: "Did not Israel know?" Note second: This opinion, that the Gospel of salvation ought to be preached to the Jews alone, and that they alone were to be called by the Messiah to his kingdom and Church, but not the Gentiles, so took hold of the minds of the Jews, that even St. Peter and the Apostles sometimes doubted, as appears in Acts X, whether it was lawful to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles; and this first, because the Messiah was promised to Abraham and his seed, not to outsiders; second, because hitherto the Jews alone had possessed the Church of God: whence it seemed incredible that it should be transferred to the Gentiles; third, because the Jews hated the Gentiles as idolaters and uncircumcised, and deemed them altogether unworthy of this grace. AND INDEED (in Greek μενουνγε, that is, nay rather, as Vatablus and Erasmus translated it. We saw something similar in chapter IX, verse 20), as if to say: Nay rather, David, though a Jew, testifies that all nations heard the preaching of the Gospel, when in Psalm xviii, he says: THEIR SOUND WENT FORTH INTO ALL THE EARTH. You will ask, what is the literal sense of this verse of David; and whether in fact at the time when Paul wrote this, the voice and preaching of the Apostles went forth into all the earth, and to all nations? First, St. Chrysostom and Theophylactus think that the preaching of the Gospel was made among all nations before the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. This opinion is favored by what the ancients write concerning St. Thomas the Apostle (as testified by St. Stapleton in his Life), that he evangelized very many and most remote peoples, even of India. Whence also Emmanuel Nobrega, Provincial of our Society in Brazil, writes that in Brazil there exist on the bank of a river the footprints of a holy man, who, fleeing from infidels pursuing him, walked upon the river and crossed over, and whom the inhabitants call Zome, who does not appear to be other than St. Thomas. Again, it is clearer what Father Nicholas Trigautius writes in the Expedition to China, book I, at the end, that St. Thomas converted the Chinese, and this is established from the Chaldean Breviary of the Malabar Church of St. Thomas, which thus reads: "Through St. Thomas the Chinese and Ethiopians were converted to the truth." Whence also the Bishop of the Malabar Church is accustomed to call himself "metropolitan of India and China." Finally, Joseph Acosta, On the New World, book I, chapter XI, teaches that the Indies were known to the ancients. For Christ sent his Apostles throughout the whole world, Matthew xxviii, 19: "Go," he says, "teach all nations;"; obeying which precept, they, after Christ's ascension, divided the world among themselves, and each went to and converted the provinces and nations assigned to him. This is true of very many and the principal provinces at that time, but not however universally of all absolutely. Wherefore: Second, St. Chrysostom's statement is denied by Augustine (Epistle 80 to Hesychius), Anselm, Origen and others. And this is rightly denied, as is evident from the regions and peoples of the West Indies, and from the daily navigations of the Spanish in it, by which in this century very many and very great new nations, hitherto unknown, have been discovered, which have heard nothing of Christ and the Gospel. Third, Ambrose and St. Thomas say that the fame of the Gospel once reached all nations, although not the preaching, nor the founding of Churches. But this does not satisfy, nor does it appear true, as the experience of the navigations, of which I have already spoken, makes clear. Others explain it thus: "Into all the earth," namely that subject to the Romans, and known to us and our world, the sound and preaching of the Gospel went forth. But I answer and say that the Psalmist, Psalm xviii (as is evident from his own plain and open words), speaks literally of the material heavens, which throughout the whole world by their beauty, motion, magnitude, variety of stars, splendor, and influences declare and will always declare the glory of God: in the allegorical sense, however, which the Holy Spirit chiefly intends here, the Psalmist speaks of the Apostles and their preaching. The heavens, therefore, which declare the glory of God, not literally, as Toledo and others wish, but allegorically or symbolically, are the Apostles and other preachers of the Gospel: their sound has gone forth in part, and in part will go forth into all the earth. For this has been gradually fulfilled, and is still being fulfilled, this prophecy of David. Therefore the past is here put for the future, in prophetic manner, on account of the certainty of the future thing: for what the Prophets predict as future will come to pass as certainly as if it had already been done. By all these things, therefore, the Apostle proves, as I have said, that the Gospel has been or will sometime be preached not only to the Jews alone, but to all the Gentiles.
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19. BUT I SAY (as if to say, But indeed, see the words of verse 18): DID NOT ISRAEL KNOW? — namely, that the Gospel was also to be preached to the Gentiles. For although Israel does not wish to know this and envies it, yet it ought to have known and could have known from Moses and Isaiah, who predicted this, as is evident from their words, which I here briefly set forth. Thus Origen, as if to say, So true is it that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, that the Prophets themselves predicted this very thing to the Jews, and therefore the Jews knew or ought to have known this very thing. St. Chrysostom expounds this differently, namely thus, as if Paul says: Did not Israel hear the doctrine of the Gospel? did it not know its power and efficacy? as if to say, It certainly heard, it certainly knew, but by its stubbornness and obstinacy it will not believe in it and obey it. But that the former sense is the genuine one is evident from the following words of Moses and Isaiah, by which they signify that the Jews were to be stirred to envy by the calling of the Gentiles. FIRST MOSES SAYS (Deuteronomy xxxii, 21): I WILL PROVOKE YOU TO JEALOUSY (that is, I God will stir you, O Jews, who reject the Gospel, to anger and envy) BY (that is, through) THEM THAT ARE NO PEOPLE (by those very Gentiles, who were accustomed to seek, consult, and worship not me, but their idols. Through the preaching of the Apostles, therefore) BY (that is, through) A FOOLISH NATION (namely, through the Gentiles, who have hitherto lived foolishly, and stupidly worshipped idols), I WILL ANGER YOU, — I will stir up in you the bile and envy already mentioned, as if to say, I God through Christ and the Apostles will call to salvation vile men, namely Gentiles, Pagans, and Barbarians, whom you, O Jews, do not even deign to call by the name of a people, but are accustomed to call beasts rather, or dogs. Whence you should be ashamed and provoked to imitation of them, if you are sound and wise; if not, you should be stirred to emulation and indignation, as I foresee and predict will truly come to pass. Thus St. Jerome to Fabiola, in the tract on the 42 mansions of the Hebrews in the desert, the last mansion.
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20. BUT ISAIAH DARES, — speaks boldly and freely, not fearing the offense of his own people. For on account of these and similar things freely and courageously spoken and prophesied by him, Isaiah was sawed asunder by Manasseh and the Jews, as the most certain tradition of the Hebrews has it, as St. Jerome says (in Isaiah, book xv, at the end). The same thing is related and sung by Tertullian (Against Marcion, book iii), saying: "Whom (Isaiah) the people, sawed with wood, found without blemish, undeserving, the mad people destroyed with cruel death." From the fact that Tertullian says sawed with wood, you may gather that Isaiah was sawed asunder with a wooden saw, and thus he prefigured the type of the wooden cross of Christ. I WAS FOUND (that is, I shall be found: for the past is prophetically put for the future, through knowledge, faith, love, following, and worship) BY THOSE WHO SOUGHT ME NOT (namely, by the Gentiles, who before were accustomed to seek, consult, and worship not me, but their idols. Through the preaching of the Apostles, therefore) I WAS MADE MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO ASKED NOT AFTER ME, — namely, to those very Gentiles, who consulted and asked not me, but their Jupiter, Mars, Venus.
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21. TO ISRAEL THEN HE SAITH. — Note: Erasmus translated ad to Israel as "against Israel"; but others translate it better as "of Israel then he saith": for the Hebrew אל el, to which the Greek and Latin ad corresponds, often signifies this. Thus in Hebrews chapter 1, verse 7, it is said, "To the angels (that is, of the angels) he saith;"; indeed אל el can be taken for the dative lamed. Whence the Syriac translator rendered it לאיסראל lisrael, that is, "to Israel then he saith." ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED FORTH MY HANDS TO A PEOPLE NOT BELIEVING, AND CONTRADICTING. — That is to say, All the time in which I Christ have conversed with the Jews, but especially on the cross, says Theodoret in Isaiah LXV, I have stretched forth and daily stretch forth my hands, as it were pouring out upon them my gifts, that I might draw them to me, and receive them into the bosom of my faith and grace; for among the Jews Christ spent his whole life teaching, and performed many miracles himself and the Apostles; to say nothing of the oracles of Scripture by which God continually called them to Christ and calls them, and showed them Christ and shows them. But in vain: for the Jews, trusting in their Moses and clinging to their Judaism, were unwilling to acknowledge Christ, says St. Chrysostom, Ambrose, Origen and others.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Postquam apostolus ostendit quomodo per electionem gratiae Dei gentiles sunt ad fidem vocati et etiam aliqui ex Iudaeis de maiori parte populi Iudaici offendentibus et scandalizatis, hic agit specialiter de casu Iudaeorum. Et circa hoc tria facit. Primo manifestat causam casus eorum quem supra tetigerat; ex qua ostenditur casus eorum esse miserandus; secundo, ostendit casum eorum non esse universalem, ibi cap. XI dico ergo: numquid, etc.; tertio ostendit casum eorum non esse inutilem neque irreparabilem, ibi dico ergo: numquid, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ostendit casum eorum esse miserandum ex sua causa; secundo ostendit quod non est totaliter excusabilis, ibi sed dico: numquid non audierunt, et cetera. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ostendit se ad Iudaeos habere miserationis affectum; secundo ostendit causam miserationis, ibi testimonium enim illis, perhibeo, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod Iudaei in legem iustitiae non pervenerunt propter hoc quod offenderunt in lapidem offensionis, nec tamen contra eos indignor sed eorum misereor. Et ideo dico vobis, o fratres, qui conversi estis tam ex gentibus quam ex Iudaeis. Matth. XXIII, 8: omnes vos fratres estis, voluntas quidem cordis mei, id est ex intimo cordis affectu procedens est ad salutem eorum, ut scilicet ipsi salventur sicut et ego salvatus sum. I Cor. VII, 7: volo omnes homines esse sicut meipsum. Act. XXVI, 29: opto apud Deum omnes qui audiunt tales fieri, qualis et ego sum. Et in hoc Deo conformabatur, qui, ut dicitur I Tim. II, 4, vult omnes homines salvos fieri. Nec sola voluntas est in salutem eorum, sed etiam voluntatis effectus; unde subdit et obsecratio, scilicet mea, fit ad Deum pro illis in salutem. I Reg. XII, 23: absit a me hoc peccatum in domino, ut cessem orare pro vobis. Iac. ult.: orate pro invicem ut salvemini. Et ex hoc patet, quod orandum est pro infidelibus ut salventur, quia et ipsa fides est donum Dei. Eph. II, 8: gratia salvati estis per fidem, et non ex vobis, Dei enim donum est. Deinde, cum dicit testimonium, etc., assignat causam suae miserationis, quia scilicet non ex certa malitia, sed ex ignorantia peccabant. Et circa hoc tria facit. Primo enim proponit eorum ignorantiam; secundo ostendit quid ignorabant, ibi ignorantes enim Dei, etc.; tertio ostendit veritatem eorum quae ignorabant, ibi Moyses enim dicit, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: ideo salutem eorum volo, et propter hoc oro, misertus eorum, quia testimonium perhibeo de illis quod aemulationem quidem Dei habent, scilicet quia zelo Dei Christum et eius membra persequuntur. Io. XVI, 2: veniet hora, in qua omnis qui interficit vos, arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo. Et huius rei testis esse poterat, quia et ipse aliquando fuerat in simili causa. Phil. III, 6: secundum aemulationem persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei.
10:2
Sed non secundum scientiam, quia scilicet eorum zelus per rectam scientiam non ordinatur dum ignorant veritatem. Is. V, 13: propterea captivus ductus est populus meus, quia non habuit scientiam. I Cor. XIV, 38: si quis autem ignorat, ignorabitur. Deinde, cum dicit ignorantes enim, etc., ostendit cuius rei scientiam non haberent. Et primo proponit quod intendit; secundo manifestat propositum, ibi finis enim legis Christus, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: recte dico quod non secundum scientiam, ignorantes enim Dei iustitiam, scilicet qua Deus per fidem iustificat, supra III, 22: iustitia autem Dei per fidem Iesu Christi et quaerentes statuere, id est, firmare, suam, scilicet iustitiam, quae consistit in operibus legis, quae secundum eorum opinionem non expectabat aliquid a Deo, sed solum ex arbitrio operantium erat. Et ideo dicit eorum esse iustitiam, quasi humanam et non divinam, secundum illud supra IV, 2: si Abraham ex operibus legis iustificatus est, habet gloriam, scilicet apud homines, sed non apud Deum.
10:3
Iustitiae enim Dei non sunt subiecti, id est, nolunt subiici Christo, per cuius fidem iustificantur homines a Deo. Ps. LXI, 1: nonne Deo subiecta erit anima mea? Supra c. III, 19: ut subditus fiat omnis mundus Deo. Ex. X, 3: usquequo non vis subiici mihi?
10:4
Deinde cum dicit finis legis Christus, etc., manifestat quod dixerat, scilicet eos Dei iustitiam ignorare et quod ei subiici nolunt, cum tamen iustitiam legalem statuere velint. Circa quod considerandum est, quod sicut etiam philosophi dicunt, intentio cuiuslibet legislatoris est facere homines iustos: unde multo magis lex vetus hominibus divinitus data ordinabatur ad faciendum homines iustos. Hanc tamen iustitiam lex per semetipsam facere non poterat, quia neminem ad perfectum adduxit lex, ut dicitur Hebr. VII, 19, sed ordinat homines in Christum quem promittebat, et praefigurabat. Gal. III, 24: lex paedagogus noster fuit in Christo, ut ex fide iustificemur. Et hoc est quod dicit Christus enim est finis legis, ad quem scilicet tota lex ordinatur. Ps. CXVIII, 96: omnis consummationis vidi finem. Finis, inquam, ad iustitiam, ut scilicet homines per Christum iustitiam consequantur, quam lex intendebat. Supra c. VIII, 3: quod impossibile erat legi, mittens Deus filium suum, damnavit peccatum in carne, ut iustificatio legis impleretur in nobis. Et hoc dico omni credenti, quia per fidem suos iustificat. Io. I, 12: dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri his qui credunt in nomine eius. Deinde, cum dicit Moyses enim, etc., probat veritatem eorum quae Iudaei ignorabant, scilicet quod iustitia Dei sit perfectior quam iustitia legalis et hoc auctoritate ipsius Moysi veteris legislatoris. Primo ergo per eius verba ostendit conditionem iustitiae legalis; secundo, conditionem iustitiae fidei, ibi quae autem ex fide est, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: recte distinxi iustitiam humanam a iustitia Dei, Moyses enim scripsit, Lev.
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XVIII, 5: quoniam homo qui fecerit iustitiam quae ex lege est, vivet in ea. Ubi sic littera nostra habet: custodite leges meas atque iudicia, quae faciens homo, vivet in eis. Et Ez. XX, 13: iudicia mea proiecerunt, quae faciens homo, vivet in eis, quia scilicet hoc commoditatis consequebatur homo per legis observantiam, ne occideretur tamquam legis transgressor. Hebr. X, v. 28: irritam quis faciens legem Moysi, absque ulla misericordia moritur. Lev. XX, 9: qui maledixerit patri vel matri, morte moriatur, et sic de aliis. Possumus ulterius dicere quod per legis observationem homo ordinatur in vita praesenti: promittebat enim lex temporalia bona, et quaedam mandabat, quae ad ordinationem carnalis vitae pertinebant, Hebr. c. IX, 10: iustitiis carnis usque ad tempus correctionis impositis. Sed contra videtur esse quod dominus dicit, Matth. XIX, 16 ss., quaerenti: quid boni faciam ut habeam vitam aeternam? Respondit: si vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata. Unde et supra V, 20 super illud: lex autem subintravit, dicit quaedam Glossa: iustitia legis suo tempore custodita, non solum bona temporalia, sed et vitam conferebat aeternam. Sed haec intelligenda sunt secundum spiritualem sensum legis, qui pertinet ad fidem Christi. Sed quod hic dicitur, refertur ad interiorem legis sensum, secundum quem lex de vita aeterna mentionem non faciebat.
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Deinde cum dicit quae autem ex fide est iustitia, etc., inducit auctoritatem Moysi de iustitia fidei. Et primo Moyses ostendit certitudinem fidei, quae debet esse in corde hominis; secundo fidei effectum, ibi sed quid dicit Scriptura, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: non solum loquitur Moyses de iustitia legis, sed etiam ipse sic dicit de iustitia quae est ex fide. Quae autem est ex fide iustitia, sic dicit, id est sic loquitur in corde hominis: ne dixeris in corde tuo, scilicet dubitando, quis ascendit in caelum? Quasi hoc impossibile reputans, sicut et Prov. XXX, 4 quaeritur: quis ascendit in caelum atque descendit? Quia scilicet hoc tenere quasi impossibile, est deducere Christum a caelo, id est, asserere quod Christus non sit in caelo, contra id quod dicitur Io. III, 13: nemo ascendit in caelum, nisi qui descendit de caelo, filius hominis qui est in caelo. Eph. IV, 9: qui descendit, ipse est qui et ascendit super omnes caelos. Aut etiam ne dixeris: quis descendit in abyssum, id est, in Infernum, quasi reputans hoc esse impossibile; hoc enim negare, est revocare Christum ex mortuis, scilicet negare eum non esse mortuum. Ipse enim moriens in abyssum descendit. Eccli. XXIV, 45: penetrabo inferiores partes terrae. Et secundum hoc prohibet dubitari de duobus articulis fidei Christi, scilicet de eius ascensione, et de eius morte et descensu ad Inferos, quorum primum pertinet ad maximam Christi exaltationem; secundum ad maximam eius humiliationem. Potest autem et aliter exponi, ut dicatur nobis certitudo duorum articulorum; primo quidem incarnationis, qua de caelis ad terram descendit; ut sit sensus ne dixeris in corde tuo, quis ascendit in caelum? Et exponitur supplendo, id est, Christum deducere; quasi dicat: quis ascendit in caelum ad deducendum Christum ad nos? Quod quidem non fuit necessarium, quia ipse propria virtute descendit. Secundo autem, resurrectionis, cum subdit aut etiam ne dixeris quis descendet in abyssum?
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Et supplendo additur hoc est Christum a mortuis revocare, quasi dicat: illuc descendit, ut inde posset Christum revocare, sicut ex persona insipientium dicitur Sap. II, v. 1: non est qui agnitus sit reversus ab Inferis. Et hic sensus congruit verbis Moysi; dicitur enim Deut. XXX, 11 s. secundum litteram nostram: mandatum quod ego praecipio tibi hodie, non supra te est, neque procul positum, neque in caelo situm, ut possitis dicere: quis nostrum valet ad caelum conscendere, ut deferat illud ad nos? Nec est inconveniens si quod Moyses dixit de mandato legis, hoc apostolus attribuit Christo: quia Christus est verbum Dei, in quo sunt omnia Dei mandata. Sic ergo intelligendum est quod dixit: quis ascendit in caelum, id est, Christum deducere? Ac si dicat: quis potest in caelum conscendere, ut verbum Dei inde deferat ad nos? Et idem est dicendum in alio quod sequitur. Deinde cum dicit sed quid dicit Scriptura, etc., ostendit fructum fidei per eiusdem auctoritatem. Et primo proponit auctoritatem; secundo exponit eam, ibi hoc est verbum fidei, etc.; tertio probat expositionem esse convenientem, ibi corde enim creditur, et cetera. Dicit ergo primo: sed quid dicit Scriptura? Hoc, inquam, prope est verbum in ore tuo et in corde tuo. Sic enim post praemissa verba Deut. sequitur: iuxta te est sermo valde in ore tuo et in corde tuo. Quasi dicat: non solliciteris quod tibi desit verbum fidei iustificantis, propter hoc quod Christus est in caelo secundum naturam divinam, aut quod descendit in Infernum propter mortem humanitatis, quia ipse descendens de caelo et resurgens ab Inferis, impressit verbum fidei in ore tuo et in corde tuo. Unde quod dicit prope est, potest referri ad hoc quod verbum Dei sumus adepti per Christum incarnatum et resurgentem. Hebr. II, 3: quae cum initium accepisset enarrari per dominum. Ier. I, 9: ecce dedi verba mea in ore tuo. Vel, secundum Glossam, quod dicit, prope, referendum est ad utilitatem, secundum quod dicimus, prope apud nos esse quod nobis est commodum et utile. Verbo enim Dei cor nostrum mundatur. Io. XV, 3: iam vos mundi estis propter sermonem quem locutus sum vobis. Vel potest referri ad hoc quod verba fidei etsi sint supra rationem, Eccli. III, 25: plurima supra sensum hominis monstrata sunt tibi, non tamen sunt contra rationem, quia veritas non potest esse veritati contraria. Ps. XCII, 7: testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis. Deinde cum dicit hoc est verbum, etc., exponit auctoritatem praedictam.
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Et primo ostendit quid sit illud verbum de quo Moyses loquitur, dicens hoc est verbum fidei quod praedicamus. II Tim. IV, v. 2: praedica verbum. Ier. XXIII, 28: qui habet sermonem meum, loquatur sermonem vere. Secundo exponit quomodo hoc verbum est in ore per confessionem, et in corde per fidem.
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Et hoc est quod subdit quia si confitearis in ore tuo dominum Iesum Christum scilicet recognoscens eum dominum, subiiciendo sibi tuum affectum, secundum quod dicitur I Cor. XII, 3: nemo potest dicere, dominus Iesus, nisi in spiritu sancto; et iterum si credideris in corde tuo, scilicet fide formata, quae per dilectionem operatur, ut dicitur Gal. V, 6, quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, Ps. XL, 10: tu autem, domine, miserere mei, et resuscita me, quia, ut dicitur II Cor. ult.: resurrexit ex virtute Dei, quae est communis sibi et patri; salvus eris, scilicet salute aeterna, de qua dicitur Is. XLV, 17: salvatus est Israel in domino salute aeterna. Quod autem dicit dominum Iesum, ad mysterium incarnationis refertur. Quod autem sequitur Christum, manifeste ad resurrectionem refertur. De quibus duobus articulis supra fecerat mentionem.
10:10
Postquam praemiserat apostolus exponendo verbum Moysi, quod confessio oris et fides cordis operantur salutem, proponens hoc causa exempli in duobus articulis, de quibus videbatur Moyses fecisse mentionem, hic probat quod dixerat in universali. Et circa hoc tria facit. Primo ostendit quod per fidem et confessionem homo consequitur salutem; secundo ponit salutis ordinem, ibi quomodo ergo invocabunt, etc.; tertio infert quamdam conclusionem ex dictis, ibi ergo fides ex auditu, et cetera. Circa primum tria facit. Primo proponit quod intendit, dicens: recte dico, quod si confitearis ore et credas corde, salvus eris; corde enim creditur, ab homine, ad iustitiam, id est ad hoc ut iustitiam per fidem consequatur. Supra V, 1: iustificati igitur ex fide. Signanter autem dicit corde creditur, id est voluntate. Nam caetera, quae ad exteriorem Dei cultum pertinent, potest homo nolens sed credere non potest nisi volens. Intellectus enim credentis non determinatur ad assentiendum veritati ex necessitate rationis, sicut intellectus scientis, sed ex voluntate: et ideo scire non pertinet ad iustitiam hominis, quae est in voluntate, sed credere. Gen. XV, v. 6: credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad iustitiam. Postquam autem homo est iustificatus per fidem, oportet quod eius fides per dilectionem operetur ad consequendam salutem. Unde subdit ore autem confessio fit ad salutem, scilicet aeternam consequendam. Is. LI, 8: salus autem mea in sempiternum erit. Est autem triplex confessio necessaria ad salutem. Primo quidem confessio propriae iniquitatis, secundum illud Ps. XXXI, 5: dixi: confitebor adversum me iniustitiam meam domino, quae est confessio poenitentis. Secunda confessio est per quam homo confitetur Dei bonitatem misericorditer beneficia praestantis Ps. CXVII, 1: confitemini domino quoniam bonus, et haec est confessio gratias agentis. Tertia est confessio divinae veritatis Matth. X, 32: omnis qui confitebitur me coram hominibus, confitebor et ego eum coram patre meo; et haec confessio est credentis, de qua nunc apostolus loquitur. Haec autem est necessaria ad salutem pro loco et tempore, quando scilicet exposcitur fides alicuius, scilicet a persecutore fidei, vel quando periclitatur fides aliena: sicut praecipue praelati debent praedicare fidem subditis suis. Et ideo baptizati liniuntur chrismate in fronte signo crucis, ut ipsum crucifixum confiteri non erubescant. Supra I, 16: non enim erubesco Evangelium. Ita est autem et de omnibus virtutum actibus, qui pro loco et tempore sunt necessarii ad salutem. Nam praecepta affirmativa quae de his dantur, obligant semper, sed non ad semper. Secundo, ibi: dicit enim Scriptura, etc., probat per auctoritatem, dicens: dicit enim Scriptura, scilicet Is. XXVIII, 16, omnis qui credit in illum, fide scilicet formata, non confundetur, scilicet quasi deficiens a salute. Eccli. II 8: qui timetis dominum, credite illi, et non evacuabitur merces vestra. Littera vero nostra habet: qui crediderit, non festinet, ut supra dictum est. Tertio, ibi non enim est distinctio, etc., probat hoc esse universaliter intelligendum, cum Isaias indefinite hoc proponat.
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Et, primo, proponit quod intendit, dicens: ideo dictum est omnis qui credit, etc., non enim est distinctio quantum ad hoc Iudaei et Graeci. Col. III, 11: ubi non est gentilis et Iudaeus, circumcisio et praeputium, et cetera. Secundo probat per rationem quae duplici modo innititur, quorum primum tangit, dicens nam idem dominus omnium. Supra III, v. 29: an Iudaeorum Deus tantum? Nonne et gentium? Ps. XLVI, 7: rex omnis terrae Deus. Et ideo ad ipsum pertinet providere omnium saluti.
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Secundum medium tangit, dicens dives est in omnes qui invocant illum. Si enim non esset tantae bonitatis quod sufficeret ad satisfactionem utriusque, posset putari quod non omnibus credentibus provideret, sed divitiae bonitatis eius et misericordiae indeficientes sunt. Supra II, 4: an divitias bonitatis eius contemnis? Eph. II, 4: Deus autem qui dives est in misericordia, et cetera. Tertio probat idem per auctoritatem quae habetur Ioel.
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II, 32: omnis quicumque invocaverit nomen domini, salvus erit. Est autem invocare, in se vocare per affectum et devotum cultum. Ps. XC, 15: invocabit me, et ego exaudiam eum. Deinde cum dicit quomodo ergo invocabunt, etc. ponit ordinem quo quis vocatur in salutem, quae est ex fide. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo ostendit quod ea quae sunt posteriora in hoc ordine, sine prioribus esse non possunt; secundo ostendit quod, positis prioribus, non est necessarium posteriora poni, ibi sed non omnes obediunt Evangelio. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ponit ordinem eorum quae requiruntur ad salutem; secundo confirmat quod supposuerat per auctoritatem, ibi sicut scriptum est. Ponit autem primo quinque per ordinem, incipiens ab invocatione ad quam, secundum auctoritatem prophetae, sequitur salus.
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Dicit ergo quomodo ergo invocabunt in quem non crediderunt? Quasi dicat: sine dubio invocatio salutem facere non potest, nisi fide praecedente. Pertinet autem invocatio ad confessionem oris quae ex fide cordis procedit. Ps. CXV, 10: credidi, propter quod locutus sum. II Cor. IV, 13: nos credidimus, propter quod et loquimur. Secundo a fide ascendit vel procedit ad auditum, dicens aut quomodo credent ei quem non audierunt? Illa enim homo credere dicitur quae sibi ab aliis dicuntur quae ipse non videt. Io. IV, 42: iam non propter tuam loquelam credimus; ipsi enim audivimus et scimus quia hic est vere salvator mundi, et cetera. Est autem duplex auditus: unus quidem interior, quo quis audit a Deo revelante, Ps. LXXXIV, 8: audiam quid loquatur in me dominus Deus; alius autem auditus est, quo aliquis audit ab homine exterius loquente. Act. c. X, 44: adhuc loquente Petro verba haec, cecidit spiritus sanctus super omnes qui audiebant verbum. Primus autem auditus non communiter pertinet ad omnes, sed proprie pertinet ad gratiam prophetiae, quae est gratia gratis data distincte aliquibus, sed non omnibus, secundum illud I Cor. XII, 4: divisiones gratiarum sunt. Sed quia nunc loquitur de eo quod indistincte ad omnes pertinere potest, secundum illud quod supra dixit non enim est distinctio, ideo relinquitur quod hoc sit intelligendum de secundo auditu. Et ideo subdit: quomodo ergo audient sine praedicante? Auditus enim exterior est passio quaedam audientis, quae absque actione loquentis esse non potest. Unde et dominus mandavit discipulis, Matth. ult.: euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. Ea vero quae fidei sunt, praedicatores a semetipsis non habent, sed a Deo. Is. XXI, v. 10: quae audivi a domino Deo exercituum annuntiavi vobis. I Cor. XI, 23: ego enim accepi a domino quod et tradidi vobis.
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Et ideo apostolus quarto subdit quomodo vero praedicabunt, nisi mittantur? Quasi dicat, non digne. Ier. XXIII, 21: non mittebam eos, et ipsi currebant. Mittuntur autem aliqui a domino dupliciter. Uno modo immediate ab ipso Deo per inspirationem internam. Is. XLVIII, 16: et nunc dominus Deus misit me, et spiritus eius. Huius autem missionis signum quandoque quidem est sacrae Scripturae auctoritas, unde Ioannes Baptista cum quaereretur ab eo quis esset, auctoritatem prophetae induxit, dicens: ego vox clamantis in deserto, dirigite viam domini, sicut dixit Isaias propheta, ut legitur Io. I, 23. Quandoque autem signum huius missionis est veritas eorum quae annuntiantur. Unde per contrarium dicitur Deut. XVIII, 22, quod hoc habebit signum: quod in nomine domini propheta praedixerit et non evenerit, hoc dominus non est locutus. Quandoque vero signum huius missionis est operatio miraculi. Unde dicitur Ex. IV, 1, quod cum dixisset Moyses domino: non credent mihi, nec audient vocem, scilicet illi ad quos mittor, dominus dedit ei potestatem signa faciendi. Nec tamen ista duo ultima sufficienter demonstrant Dei missionem, praesertim cum aliquis annuntiat aliquid contra fidem. Dicitur enim Deut. XIII, 1 s.: si surrexerit in medio tui propheta, et praedixerit signum atque portentum, et evenerit quod locutus est, et dixerit tibi, eamus et sequamur deos alienos, non audies verba illius. Alio modo mittuntur aliqui a Deo mediante auctoritate praelatorum, qui gerunt vicem Dei. II Cor. VIII, 18: misimus cum illo fratrem nostrum, cuius laus est in Evangelio per omnes Ecclesias. Deinde, cum dicit sicut scriptum est, inducit auctoritatem ad probandum hoc ultimum, quod dixerat de missione praedicatorum, dicens sicut scriptum est, scilicet Is. c. LII, 7: quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona ubi littera nostra sic habet: quam pulchri supra montes pedes praedicantis et annuntiantis pacem, annuntiantis bonum. Et similiter habetur Nahum I, 15: ecce super montes pedes evangelizantis et annuntiantis pacem. In his autem verbis, primo, commendatur processus praedicatorum, cum dicit quam speciosi pedes, quod dupliciter potest intelligi. Uno modo ut per pedes intelligantur eorum processus, quia scilicet ordinate procedunt, non usurpantes sibi praedicationis officium. Cant. VII, 1: quam pulchri sunt gressus tui in calceamentis, filia principis. Alio modo possunt intelligi per pedes affectus qui rectitudinem habent, dum non intentione laudis aut lucri verbum Dei annuntiant, sed propter hominum salutem et Dei gloriam. Ez. I, 7: pedes eorum, pedes recti. Secundo tangit praedicationis materiam, quae quidem est duplex. Praedicant enim ea quae sunt utilia ad vitam praesentem, quod designat cum dicit: evangelizantium pacem, scilicet triplicem. Primo quidem annuntiant pacem quam Christus fecit inter homines et Deum. II Cor. V, v. 19: Deus erat in Christo mundum reconcilians sibi. Et posuit in nobis verbum reconciliationis. Supra V, 1: pacem habeamus per Iesum Christum ad dominum. Secundo annuntiant pacem habendam cum omnibus hominibus. Infra XII, 18: si fieri potest quod ex vobis est, cum omnibus hominibus pacem habentes. Tertio annuntiant ea per quae homo potest habere pacem in semetipso. Ps. CXVIII, v. 165: pax multa diligentibus legem tuam, domine. Et sub his tribus continentur omnia quae in hac vita sunt utilia ad salutem, vel quantum ad Deum, vel quantum ad proximum, vel quantum ad semetipsum. Praedicant etiam ea quae speramus habere in alia vita. Et quantum ad hoc dicit evangelizantium bona. Lc. XII, 44: super omnia bona sua constituet eum. Deinde, cum dicit sed non omnes obediunt Evangelio, etc., ostendit ex prioribus non semper sequi posteriora. Licet namque non possit esse quod quis credat nisi audiat a praedicante, non tamen quicumque audit a praedicante credit, et hoc est quod subdit sed non omnes obediunt Evangelio. II Thes. III, 2: non enim omnium est fides. Hoc autem dicit ideo ut ostendatur quod verbum exterius loquentis non est causa sufficiens fidei, nisi cor hominis attrahatur interius virtute Dei loquentis, Io. VI, 45: omnis qui audivit a patre meo et didicit, venit ad me. Et sic quod homines credunt, non est attribuendum praedicatoris industriae. Per hoc etiam ostenditur quod omnes increduli non excusantur a peccato sed illi qui non audiunt et non credunt. Io. XV, 22: si non venissem et locutus eis non fuissem, peccatum non haberent; nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo. Et hoc etiam magis consonat his quae apostolus posterius dicet.
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Secundo, ad hoc inducit auctoritatem, cum subdit Isaias enim dicit: domine, quis credidit auditui nostro? Quasi diceret: rarus. Ez. II, 6: increduli et subversores sunt tecum. Mich. VII, 1: factus sum sicut qui colligit in autumno racemos vindemiae. Quod quidem Isaias dixit praevidens Iudaeorum infidelitatem futuram. Eccli. c. XLVIII, 27: spiritu magno vidit ultima, et cetera. Dicit autem auditui nostro, vel propter id quod a Deo audierunt; sicut dicitur in Abdia v. 1: auditum audivimus a domino, et legatos ad gentes misit; vel propter id quod homines ab apostolis audiebant. Ez. XXXIII, v. 32: audiunt verba tua, et non faciunt ea.
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Deinde, cum dicit ergo fides ex auditu, etc., infert conclusionem ex dictis, dicens: ergo ex quo aliqui non credunt nisi audierint, fides est ex auditu. Ps. XVII, 45: in auditu auris obedivit mihi. Sed contra videtur esse quod fides est virtus infusa divinitus. Phil. I, 29: vobis datum est, ut in ipsum credatis. Dicendum est ergo, quod ad fidem duo requiruntur: quorum unum est cordis inclinatio ad credendum et hoc non est ex auditu, sed ex dono gratiae; aliud autem est determinatio de credibili et istud est ex auditu. Et ideo Cornelius qui habebat cor inclinatum ad credendum, necesse habuit ut ad eum mitteretur Petrus, qui sibi determinaret quid esset credendum. Ex eo vero quod dixerat: quomodo audient sine praedicante? Et quomodo praedicabunt, nisi mittantur? Concludit auditus autem, scilicet credentium, est per verbum praedicatorum quod est verbum Christi, vel quia est de Christo, I Cor. I, 23: nos praedicamus Christum Iesum, vel quia a Christo habent quod mittantur I Cor. XI, 23: ego enim accepi a domino quod et tradidi vobis.
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Postquam apostolus ostendit casum Iudaeorum esse miserandum, quia ex ignorantia peccaverunt, hic ostendit quod eorum talis casus non est excusabilis ex toto, quia eorum ignorantia non fuit invincibilis vel ex necessitate existens, sed quodammodo voluntaria. Et hoc quidem ostendit dupliciter. Primo quidem per hoc quod audierunt ex doctrina apostolorum; secundo, per hoc quod cognoverunt ex doctrina legis et prophetarum, ibi sed dico, numquid Israel non cognovit? Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit quaestionem, dicens: dictum est quod fides est ex auditu et non possunt homines credere ei quem non audierunt, dico ergo numquid non audierunt? Ut scilicet per hoc possint excusari totaliter ab incredulitate, secundum illud Io. XV, 22: si non venissem, et locutus eis non fuissem, peccatum non haberent. Secundo ad quaestionem respondet interveniendo per auctoritatem Ps. XVIII, v. 5 dicentis in omnes terram exivit sonus eorum, scilicet apostolorum, id est fama eorum exivit in omnem terram, non solum Iudaeorum sed etiam omnium gentium. Iob c. XXVIII, 22: perditio et mors dixerunt: auribus nostris audivimus famam eius, scilicet sapientiam per apostolos praedicatam. Et dominus eis praeceperat Matth. ult. XXVIII, v. 19: euntes in universum mundum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. Et verba eorum, scilicet distincta eorum doctrina, exierunt in fines orbis terrae. Ad litteram: usque ad fines mundi. Is. XXIV, 16: a finibus terrae laudes audivimus gloriam iusti. Et XLIX, 6: dedi te in lucem gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terrae. Et est notandum quod secundum Augustinum haec verba nondum erant completa, quando apostolus talia loquebatur sed praevidebat ea esse complenda. Et ideo utitur praeterito pro futuro, propter certitudinem divinae praeordinationis: sicut etiam David, cuius verba assumit apostolus, manifeste utebatur praeterito pro futuro. Et ideo hoc dicit Augustinus, quia adhuc tempore suo dicit fuisse quasdam gentes in Africae partibus, quibus non erat fides Christi praedicata. Chrysostomus autem super Matth. e contrario dicit hoc quod hic dicitur, completum fuisse tempore apostolorum, exponens sic quod habetur Matth. XXIV, 14: et oportet hoc Evangelium praedicari in universo orbe et tunc veniet consummatio, idest, destructio Ierusalem. Utrumque autem est aliqualiter verum. Tempore enim apostolorum, ad omnes gentes etiam usque ad fines mundi pervenit aliqua fama de praedicatione apostolorum per ipsos apostolos vel discipulos eorum. Matthaeus namque praedicavit in Aethiopia, Thomas in India, Petrus et Paulus in occidente. Et hoc est quod Chrysostomus dicere intendit. Non tamen sic fuit impletum tempore apostolorum, quod in omnibus gentibus Ecclesia aedificaretur, quod tamen est implendum ante finem mundi, ut dicit Augustinus in epistola ad Hesychium. Magis tamen praesenti intentioni apostoli congruit expositio Chrysostomi quam Augustini. Nulla enim ratio esset auferendi excusationem infidelibus per hoc quod in futurum erant audituri. Per hoc tamen non habetur quod ad singulos homines fama praedicationis apostolicae pervenerit, licet pervenerit ad omnes gentes. Numquid ergo illi ad quos non pervenit, utpote si fuerunt nutriti in sylvis, excusationem habent de peccato infidelitatis? Ad hoc dicendum est quod, secundum sententiam domini, quae habetur Io. XV, 22, illi qui loquentem dominum per se vel per eius discipulos non audierunt, excusationem habent de peccato infidelitatis, non tamen beneficium Dei consequentur, ut scilicet iustificentur ab aliis peccatis, vel quae nascendo contraxerunt, vel male vivendo addiderunt, et pro his merito damnantur. Si qui tamen eorum fecissent quod in se est, dominus eis secundum suam misericordiam providisset, mittendo eis praedicatorem fidei, sicut Petrum Cornelio, Act. X, 5 s., et Paulum Macedonibus, ut habetur Act. XVI, 9 s. Sed tamen hoc ipsum quod aliqui faciunt quod in se est, convertendo se scilicet ad Deum, ex Deo est movente corda ipsorum ad bonum. Thr. V, v. 21: converte nos, domine, ad te, et convertemur. Deinde, cum dicit sed dico: numquid Israel, etc., ostendit eos esse inexcusabiles propter notitiam, quam habuerunt ex lege et prophetis. Et primo movet quaestionem, dicens sed dico, adhuc inquirendo, numquid Israel, id est populus Iudaeorum, non cognovit ea quae pertinent ad mysterium Christi, et ad vocationem gentium, et casum Iudaeorum? Plane cognovit. Infra II, 18: instructus per legem; Ps. CXLVII, 20: non fecit taliter omni nationi; Bar. IV, 4: beati sumus, o Israel, quoniam quae placita sunt Deo, manifesta sunt nobis.
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Secundo, cum dicit, ibi primus Moyses, solvit quaestionem et ostendit eos cognovisse, primo quidem, per doctrinam legis, dicens primus Moyses, qui est legislator. Quod non est sic intelligendum per hoc quod inducit primus, quasi fuerint duo Moyses, quorum primus hoc dixit; sed quia Moyses fuit primus, id est, praecipuus inter doctores Iudaeorum; Deut. ult.: non surrexit ultra propheta in Israel sicut Moyses; vel primus fuit in ordine talia dicendi, quia ipse primus inter alios hoc dixit. Ego ad aemulationem vos adducam in non gentem, in gentem insipientem, in iram vos mittam. Ubi littera nostra sic habet: ego provocabo eos in eo qui non est populus et in gente stulta irritabo eos. Ubi duplex est distinctio attendenda. Prima quidem ex parte gentilitatis, quam vocat non gentem, quasi non dignam vocari gentem, eo quod non erat adunata in cultu unius Dei. Eccli. l, 27: secunda non est gens quam oderim. Eamdem autem gentem vocat gentem insipientem, et si aliqualiter gens dici posset secundum quod adunatur et gubernatur lege humana, dicitur tamen insipiens, quasi privata vera sapientia, quae in cognitione et cultu Dei consistit. Eph. IV, 17 s.: sicut et gentes ambulant in vanitate sensus sui, tenebris obscuratum habentes intellectum, alienati a via Dei. Et sic refertur ad gentilitatem, secundum statum ante conversionem. Possunt etiam haec duo attribui gentilitati post conversionem, quae dicitur non gens, id est non gentiliter vivens, sicut apostolus dicit ibidem: iam non amplius ambuletis sicut et gentes. Dicitur etiam gentilitas conversa gens insipiens, secundum opinionem infidelium. I Cor. III, 18: si quis inter vos sapiens videtur esse in hoc saeculo, stultus fiat ut sit sapiens. Secunda differentia attenditur quantum ad hoc quod, primo, ponit aemulationem, scilicet invidiae, qua Iudaei invidebant gentilibus conversis, Gal. IV, 17: aemulantur vos non bene. Secundo ponit iram, qua contra eos irascuntur. Ps. XXXVI, v. 12: observabit peccator iustum, et stridebit, et cetera. Et haec duo congrue coniunguntur, quia ex invidia causatur ira. Unde Iob V, 2 dicitur: virum stultum interficit iracundia, et parvulum occidit invidia. Dicitur autem Deus in aemulationem inducere et in iram mittere, non quidem in eis causando malitiam sed subtrahendo gratiam, vel potius faciendo conversionem gentium, unde Iudaei occasionem irae et invidiae sumunt.
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Secundo ostendit eos cognovisse per doctrinam prophetarum, et inducit Isaiam, primo quidem praenuntiantem conversionem gentium, dicens Isaias autem audet et dicit, id est audacter Iudaeis annuntiat veritatem, quamvis ei periculum mortis immineret, Iob XXXIX, 12: audacter in occursum pergit armatis; et dicit, Is. LXIV, 1: inventus sum a gentibus non quaerentibus me, palam apparui his qui me non interrogabant, ubi littera nostra sic habet: quaesierunt me qui ante non interrogabant, invenerunt qui non inquisierunt me. In his autem verbis primo designat conversionem gentium, dicens inventus sum a gentibus non quaerentibus me. Et ideo praeter merita et intentionem gentilium ostenditur fuisse eorum conversio. Infra XV, v. 9: gentes autem super misericordia honorare Deum. De hac autem inventione dicitur Matth. XIII, 44: simile est regnum caelorum thesauro abscondito in agro, quem qui invenit homo abscondit, et cetera. Secundo ostendit causam et modum conversionis eorum. Causam quidem, quia non casu factum est ut invenirent quod non quaerebant sed ex gratia eius qui eis voluit apparere; quod designatur in hoc quod dicit apparui. Tit. II, v. 11: apparuit gratia salvatoris nostri Dei omnibus hominibus. Modum autem, quia non apparuit Christus gentilibus in aenigmatibus et figuris legis sed in manifesta veritate. Unde dicit palam. Io. c. XVI, 29: ecce palam loqueris, et proverbium nullum dicis. Palam, inquit, apparui eis, scilicet gentilibus, qui me non interrogabant, id est qui meam doctrinam non quaerebant. Is. XLV, 20: rogant Deum non salvantem. Secundo ostendit quod Isaias praenuntiavit incredulitatem Iudaeorum, dicens ad Israel autem, id est contra Israel, dicit, Is. LXV, 2: tota die expandi manus meas ad populum non credentem, sed contradicentem mihi. Ubi nostra littera sic habet: expandi manus meas tota die ad populum incredulum, qui graditur in via non bona post cogitationes suas, populus qui ad iracundiam provocat me. Quod autem dicit expandi manus meas, potest uno modo intelligi de expansione manuum Christi in cruce, quae quidem dicitur fuisse in cruce tota die, id est principali parte totius diei, scilicet ab hora sexta usque ad vesperas, Matth. XXVII, 45. Et quamvis eo expandente manus in cruce, sol sit obscuratus, petrae scissae, monumenta aperta, Iudaei tamen in sua incredulitate permanserunt, eum blasphemantes, ut dicitur Matth. XXVIII, 39 s.
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Unde subdit ad populum non credentem, sed contradicentem mihi. Hebr. XII, 3: recogitate eum qui talem sustinuit a peccatoribus adversus semetipsum contradictionem. Alio modo potest referri ad extensionem manus Dei in miraculis faciendis, Act. IV, 30: in eo quod manum tuam extendis ad sanitates, et signa et prodigia fieri per nomen sanctum filii tui Iesu; ut sit sensus: tota die, id est toto tempore praedicationis meae, expandi manus meas, miracula faciendo, ad populum non credentem, etiam miraculis visis, Io. XV, 24: si opera non fecissem, quae nemo alius fecit, peccatum non haberent, sed contradicentem mihi, id est meis miraculis detrahentem, secundum illud Matth. XII, 24: in Beelzebub, principe Daemoniorum, eiicit Daemonia. Osee IV, 4: populus tuus sicut hi qui contradicunt sacerdoti. Tertio potest intelligi de extensione manus Dei ad beneficia illi populo exhibita, secundum illud Prov. I, 24: extendi manum meam, et non fuit qui aspiceret; ut sit sensus tota die, id est toto tempore legis et prophetarum, expandi manus meas ad dandum beneficia ad populum non credentem, sed contradicentem mihi. Deut. XXXI, 27: semper contentiose egistis contra dominum.
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Fratres, voluntas quidem cordis mei, ubi de reprobatione Judaeorum verba facet obsecratio ad Deum, fit pro illis in turus erat Apostolus, praefatione usus est, salutem. Sicut initio capitis superioris, qua suspicionem animi male aflfecti in gentem suam, a se removeret, ita ntinc quot[ue, postquam de eorum reprobatione, quae dicenda fuerant, exposuit et scripturae sacrae testimoniis confirmavit, subjicit ac renovat suae erga eos benevolentiae declarationem, affirmans, se illis ex animo bene cupere, ut pro quorum salute Deum instanter oret.
Voluntas, Graece £u5oxta_, Augustino bona voluntas, quomodo vocem hanc etiam vulgatus interpres transtulit Lucae 2., et alibi saepe. Erasmus hoc loco propensam voluntatem vertit. Nos uno vo cabulo benevolentiam dicere possumus. Obsecratio, Seirjatg^ id est, deprecatio. Ad Deum fit, Graece: r^ Tipoc xov Osov, quae ad Deum, subaudi est aut fit. Quod sequitur, pro illis, Graece est: uTisp tou lopuriX, pro Israel vel super Israel, id est, causa Israelis; quamquam in nonnullis codicibus legitur, uTisp auzG))), pro illis. Tum sequitur: est in salutem. Itaque particula pro Israel, vel pro illis, tam parti praecedenti, quam sequenti connecti potest; tametsi melius praecedenti, ut sensus sit: Propensa animi mei voluntas et affectio, quam in me sentio erga gentem meam, et deprecatio, qua Deum assidue pro illis oro, spectant ad eorum salutem; quod certum est argumentum, me eis quam optime velle.
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Quaeres, quomodo pro illis orare se dicat, quos sciebat a Deo reprobatos. Respondeo: orabat, non ut omnes salvi fierent, sed ut aliqui ex illis, scilicet ii, quos Deus praeordinaverat per orationes sanctorum esse salvandos. Neque enim omnes Judaei reprobi erant. Ita capite sequente: Si quo modo, inquit, ad aemulationem provocem carnem meam, et salvos faciam aliquos ex illis. 2. Testimonium enim perhibeo illis, quod aemulationem Deihahent, sednoti secundum scientiam. Cum dixit: in salutem, significavit eos a salute aberrare, quantumvis zelum Dei habeant. Id hac parte nunc probat. Aemulationem, Graece (^rj/.ov, quo significatur studium vehemens ad rem aliquam. Sensus est: Testimonium illis perhibeo, plane affirmo, quod magno zelo ac studio ferantur erga Deum et legem ejus, voluntatem habentes Deo serviendi juxta legis ejus praescriptum, et, sicuti paulo ante dictum est, legem justitiae sectantes. Quod eorum studium sic in genere cousideratum, laudabile est. Sed id faciunt non secundum scientiam, Graece, xax' eTiiyvcoaiv^ secundum cognitionem. Hoc est: Zelus ille seu studium non est regulatum, ut loquitur Cajetanus, necessaria cognitione. Nesciunt enim, quemadmodum Deo serviendum sit; id est, qua via ac ratione quaerenda justitia, qua Deo placetur. Quo fit, ut zelum illum, genere suo laudabilem, vitient, dum in particulari errantes, perversa via procedunt ad justitiam comparandam, Deoque placendum; velut si quis furetur, ut faciat eleemosynas, existimans, id Deo gratum esse. De hoc zelo Judaeorum etiam Christus ad discipulos loquiturdicens: Venit hora, ut omnis, qui interficit vos, arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo, causamque subjungens ignorantiam: quia non noverunt patrem, neque me. Joan. 16. Unde et hic Apostolus, probans illud, quod dixerat, non secundum scientiam, subjungit:
3. Ignorantes enim justitiam Dei, et suam quaerentes statuere, justitiae Dei non sunt subjecti. Suam, Graece: ttjv Idiciv StxaioouvTjv, propriam justitiam. Nam et Sjrus justitiam hic repetit. Dei justitiam hoc loco vocat Apostolus, vel quam Deus in nobis efficit, ut passim exponit Augustinus, vel qua quis vere coram Deo justus est; quibus modis expositum est supra, cap. 1. et 3. Non autem, ut sectarii quidam volunt, qua Deus ipse justus est, quasi de externa et imputativa justitia loquatur Apostolus. Quem intellectum diserte excludit idem August. compluribus locis, ac nominatim in lib. 3. contra duas epist. Pelagian. cap. 7., et b*b. de grat. et lib. arb. cap. 12., et tract. 26. super Joan. Quo loco sic ait, haec ipsa Pauli verba referens et exponens: Justitia Dei hic dicitur, non qua justus eC Deus, sed quam dat homini Deus, ut justus sit homo per Deum. Sensus igitur est: Ignorantes justitiam illam, quae hominem vere et coram Deo justum reddit, quae profecto non alia est, quam cujus Deus in nobis autor est, et propriam justitiam, id est, eam, quae habetur propriis viribus, sola legis notitia adjutis, statuere ac tueri conantes, non fuere subditi justitiae Dei, nec ejus participes facti, quae quidem sola vera justitia est. Dicit autem subditi, quia hujus justitiae nemo fit particeps, nisi per humilitatem fidei se Deo, ut auton justitiae, subjiciat. Porro nunc aliis verbis id repetit Paulus, quod supra dixerat, Israelem, dum sectatur legem justitiae, in legem justitiae non perveidsse, quia non exfide, sed quasi ex operibus ad eam contendebat. Estque notanda antithesis hoc loco inter justitiam Dei, quam alibi ju^titiam fidei vocat, et justitiam propriam, quam alibi justitiam legis. Sic enim de se ipso Paulus ad Phil. 3.: Et inveniar in illo non habens meam justitiam, quae ex lege est, sed illam, quae ex fide est Christi, quae ex Deo est justitia in fide. Illud etiam observa; non dixisse Paulum: et propriam justitiam statuentes, sed statuere quaerentes, quemadmodum et Buperius dixerat: quasi ex operibus, quia scilicet haec propria justitia non est vera justitia, quae statui possit. Locus hic bene notandus contra Pelagianos, quorum hac in parte fuit idem error cum Judaeis, suam justitiam statuere conantibus, imo deterior. Constat enim, eos aliquando tribuisse soli naturae, quod Judaei naturae non trilniebant, nisi cum auxilio legis a Deo datae.
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4. Finis enim legis, Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti. Finem Latini fere intelligunt causam finalem, ut Christus dicatur finis legis Mosaicae, quia tam lex caerimonialis significando et praenuntiando, quam lex moralis infirmitatem hominis arguendo, Christum salvatorem nt finem et scopum spectabant. Sic etiam Theodoritus Graecus. At vero caeteri Graeci, et inter Latinos Hugo Victorinus atque Hervaeus finem interpretantur impletionem, consummationem, perfectionem utvertitErasmus, et quod Apostolus infra cap. 13. vocat plenitudinem, cum ait: Plenitudo legis est dilectio. Quam interpretationemGraeca vox xeXoc: magis recipit, quam Latina finis, quemadmodum e diverso finis apud Latinos magis, quam xaXoc apud Graecos, significationem habet ejus causae, cujus gratia quidpiam fit. Hoc igitur modo sensus est, Christum esse, per quem lex impletur, et vera justitia acquiritur, quatenus quisque in eum credit ut propitiatorem, per quem Deus et peccata remittat, et gratiam bene vivendi praestet. Hunc sensum plane exigunt superiora. Reddit enim Apostolus rationem ejus, quod dixerat: ignorantes justitiam Dei, Docetque hujus ignorantiae causam esse, quia Christum, per quem solum lex impletur ad justitiam, non agnoverunt, sed in eum ut lapidem off^ensionis impegerunt. Similis sermo est Apostoli 1 Tim. 1.: Finis praecepti caritas de corde puro etc, quo nimirum significat caritate legem impleri. Vide ejus loci commentarium. Porro nihil hic locus facit pro sectariis docentibus, solam fidem sufficere ad justitiam, eo quod dicatur: ad Justitiam omni credenti. Nam Apostolus, dumfidem nominat, etiam caetera vult intelligi, quae fides monstrat agenda, vel, quod eodem recidit, fidem intelligit bona vohxntate formatam.
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5. Moses enim scripsit, quoniam justitiam, quae ex lege est, qui fecerit homo, vivet in ea. Scriptura Mosi, ad quam respicit, habetur Levit. 18. Graeca et Sjriaca hujus loci, sic habent: Moses enim scribit justitiam, quae ex lege, quia, qui fecerit ea homo, vivet in eis. Ita legit Chrysost. ct caeteri post eum Graeci commentatores, quibus etiam commentator Ambr. accedit. Sed et Haimo Latinus testatur in quibusdam codicibus haberi: vivet in eis. Qund uti(|ue favet Graecorum lectioni. Atque hoc modo verba Mosi rursum Apostolus citat Gal. 3. Causa mutatae lectionis hoe loco fuisse videtur, quod illa pluralia ea et eis non haberent, quo referrentur, cum nomen plurale non praecesserit. Verum Apostolus, ipsa Mosi verba secundum LXX. recitans, ut in Levitico habentur, plurale nomen Trpay/jiaTa^ mandata, ex eodem loco subintelligendum reliquit, sicut et in epist. ad Gal. Quamquam, utrovis modo legatur, ad sensum non adeo multum interest. Quidam ex Graeco sententiam ita reddunt: Moses enim describit justitiam, quae est ex lege, his verbis: quod, qui fecerit ea homo, vivet per illa. Erasmus et alii sic ordinant: Moses enim scribit de justitia, quae ex lege est, quod homo, qui fecerit ea, scilicet mandata legis, vivet in eis, vel per ea. Quae structura magis placet; sequitur enim consimili sermone:
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6. Quae autem ex fide est justitia, sic dicit. Subaudi, de ea. Quae autem, inquit, ex fide justitia est, de ea sic loquitur idem Moses Deut. 30.: Ne dixeris in corde tuo. etc. Porro de sensu totius sententiae major est difficultas. Plerique justitiam, quae ex lege est, intelligunt eam, quae habetur ex sola legis cognitione, non ex fide etgratia Christi, consistitautem inexterna qualicumque observatione praeceptorum legis. Eam vero justitiam qui fecerit homo, vivet in ea, ut ajunt, vita temporali; quia lex Mosi non minatur ei mortem, sed magis promittit bona temporalia, etiamsi legem servet solo timore poenae, sicut eam servabant carnales Judaei. Quem intellectum confirmare videtur antithesis, quam hic facit Apostolus inter justitiam, quae ex lege est, et eam, quae ex fide. Nam et eandem antithesin observare est in ejusdem Apostoli verbis, quae supra adduximus ex epist. ad Phil..3. Hoc etiam sensu videntur accipi posse loca scripturae Levit 18. et Ezech. 20., in qui1)us dicitur, et subinde repetitur de legibus, praeceptis atque judiciis Dei, quod ea faciens homo vivet in eis. Rursus hunc sensum exposcere videtur alter Apostoli locus, qui est ad Gal. 3., ubi similiter ad scripturam Levitici respicere videtur: Lex, inquit, non est ex fide, sed qui fecerit ea, vivet in illis. Legitur hic sensus apud Augustinum libro 4. contra duas epistolas Pelagianorum cap. 5. Verumtamen alii de vera legis observatione, et consequenter de vita aetema locum hunc accipiunt, ut sensus sit: Moses scripsit de justitia, quae est ex lege observata, eum victurum vera et aeterna vita apud Deum, qui fecerit ea, quae lex praecipit. Sed eam justitiam, qua legem observet, nemo consequi poterit, nisi per fidem in Christum. Hic sensus optime respondet ei, quod praecedit: Finis enim legis, Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti. Qua sententia significatum est, legem, quae justitiam exigit, non nisi per Christum, si in eum credas, impleri seu consummari. Sensum hunc tradunt Chrysost., et eum secuti Theophyl. et Oecumen. Quin et August. eodem loco citato, post priorem sensum, etiam hunc adducit, ita scribens: Aut si altius intelligendum est, propter vitam aeternam scriptum esse, qui fecerit ea, vivet in {llis, etc. Et infra: Verum ergo dicit lex: Qui fecerit ea, vivet in iUis. Sed ut faciat ea, et vivat in eis, non lex, quae hoc imperat, sed fides est necessaria, quae hoc impetrat. Idem vero Augustinus in libro de spiritu et litera cap. 29. solum hunc posteriorem sensum agnoscit et explicat, his post alia verbis: Opus enim, quod qui fecerit, vivet in eo, non fit, nisi a justificato. Justificatio autem ex fide impetratur, de qua scriptum est: Ne dixeri» in corde tuo, etc. Adde, quod hunc intellectum plane videtur exigere locus Deut. 30., ubi post expressum praeceptum dilectionis Dei ex toto corde et ex tota anima, subditur: ut possis vivere, ac deinde sequitur illud, quod hoc loco Paulus commemorat pro justitia fidei: Mandatum, quod ego praecipio tibi, non supra te est, etc. Post quae, paucis interpositis, iterum dicit: Ut diligas Dominum Dexim tuum, et am^ hules in viis ejus, et custodias mandata illius, et vivas. Cum igitur Deum ex toto corde diligere vera justitia sit, manifestum est, de vera justitia Mosen loqui; et consequenter de vita, sive aeterna, sive temporali, ut praemio verae justitiae. Siquidem etiam temporalis vita seu longaevitas (quum ita Deo visum fuerit) illius praemii portio quaedam est. Unde praeceptum illud legis: Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut sis longaevus super terram, Exod. 20., repetit cum sua promissione Paulus in novo testamento, Eph. 6. Atque in universum pietas, eodem Apostolo teste, ad omnia utilis est, promissionem habens vitae, quae nunc est, et futurae, 1 Tim. 4. His accedunt et aliae scripturae: Si vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata. Matth. 19. Hoc fac et vives, Luc. 10. Beati mites, quoniatn ipsi possidebunt terram, Matth. 5. Qui vult vitam diligere et dies videre bonos, coerceat linguam suam a malo, et labia sua ne loquantur dolum, etc. Peti'. 3. Nec quidquam sane vetal^ etiam in Levitico et apud Ezechielem hoc modo justitiam seu legis observationem et vitam accipi. Imo valde probabile nobis est, ita accipi oportere. An vero sensura hunc etiam admittat id, quod adfertur ex epist. ad Gal., discutiendum erit eo loco. Denique veroconfirmaturhaecexpositio quia justitiam, quae ex sola legis est cognitione, cum sit falsa justitia, nunquam sacri scriptores commendant, sed passim rejiciunt et vituperant, ut Jesaias cap. 64., et Paulus tam hoc loco, quam ad Phil. cap. 3. Ubi notandum obiter, non eum absolute vituperare justitiam ex lege, sed suam justitiam ex lege: meam justitiam, quae ex lege est; quemadmodum et hic dicit: suam quaerentes statuere, quae sunt veluti determinationes alienantes. Contra vero Moses et Ezechiel commendant et hortantur ad eam justitiam, quam Apostolus hoc loco vocat justitiam ex lege; non ergo per hanc justitiam intelligiteam, quampraestat sola legis cognitio. Diffemnt tamen justitia ex lege et justitia fidei, non ut oppositae justitiae, sicut paulo ante, justitia sua et justitia Dei, sed ut una justitia diversimode considerata. Vocatur enim justitia fidei, ratione causae impetrantis, quia non habetur, nisi per fidem Christi. Vocatur autem justitia ex lege, ratione objecti, quia factores legis justificabuntur, supra cap. 2. Quod discrimen colligi potest ex illis verbis capitis superioris: Israel in legem justitiae non pervenit, gula non ex fide. Nam inde sequitur, ex fide perveniendum esse in legem justitiae. Aut certe difi^erunt, secundum alios, ut justitia inchoata et continuata, quia justitia vera sumit initium a fide, quam nulla praecedunt opera, continuatur autem et augetur ex eadem fide per opera bona, lege praecepta.
Ne dixeris in corde tuo: Quis adsccndet in coelum? id est, Christum deducere.
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7. Aut quis descendet in abyssum? hoc est, Christum a mortuis revocare. Graece: e mortuis reducere. Annotant commentatores Theophyl., Oecum. et alii, Pauhim accommodatione quadam sapienter transferre ad Christum, et ad commendandam fidei justitiam ea, quae Moses ad literam dixit mandato legis non longe, id est, exremotis et inaccessis locis, ut de coelo vel ultra mare, petendo, sed in promptu posito, propterea quod ipse illud planis ac disertis verbis coram populo exposuisset. Nec enim est inconveniens, ait B. Thomas, si, quod Moses dixit de mandato legis, hoc Apostolus attribuat Christo; quia Christus est verbum Dei, in quo sunt omnia Dei mandata. Certe etiam alibi nonnumquam sensum accommodatum agnoscere necesse est in Scripturis ab Apostolo citatis, quemadmodum suis locis ostendemus. Itaque non est necessarium hoc loco, quod quidam operose faciunt, sensum Apostoli quaerere in verbis Mosi, ut ab eo secundum literam prolata sunt. Est autem hic Apostoli sensus: Moses de justitia fidei, id est, de justitia per fidem habenda, sic loquitur: Ne dicas apud temet ipsum: Quis adscendet in coelum? scilicet ad deducendum inde Christum. Hoc enim dicere, est impossibile reputare, quod Christus descenderit de coelo, ut carnem assumeret pro nostra salute; quomodo naturaliter impossibile est homini adscendere in coelum, atque inde aliquid hac adducere. Neque dicas: Quis descendet in profundum? videlicet ad reducendum Christum a mortuis atque ab inferis ad vitam. Nam hoc dicere, est impossibile reputare, quod Christus reversus sil ab inferis, atque a mortuis resurrexerit; quomodo naturaliter impossibile est, ut quis descendat ad inferos, et inde aliquid huc reducat. Coeli nomen usu Scripturae sacrae non solos comprehendit orbes coelestes, ut apud philosophos naturales, verum etiam elementa inter nos et orbes illos media, quatenus ita sublimia sunt et supra nos posita, ut ad ea naturaliter homines adscendere nequeant. Unde passim legimus nubes coeli, volucres coeli, pluviam coeli. Sic accipitur in verbis Mosi hic citatis; nec aliter hoc loco, licet verificatio fiat pro coelo beatorum, in quo peculiari ratione Deus esse et habitare dicitur. Sciendum quoque, in Mosi verbis, ad quae Paulus respicit, non haberi vocabulum abyssi, nequidem apud interpretes LXX., sed hoc modo legi: Qvis e nobis poterit transfretare mare? Recte tamen Apostolus pro eo dixit: Quis descetidet in abyssum? quia, qui ad mare transfretandum naves intrant, Hebraea phrasi descendere in mare dicuntur. Unde David Psalm. 106.: Qui descendunt in mare in navibus. Et quia maris aquae profundissimae sunt, etiam abjssus in Scripturis vocantur, velut fando carentes, ut Exod. 15.: Abyssi operuerunt eos, quod paulo post repetit dicens: Operuit eos mare. Sed quia nomen abyssi commune est etiam profunditati terrae, ut Psalm. 70.: De abyssis terrae iterum reduxisti me, idcirco Paulus de reditu ab inferis loquens, abyssum nominavit. Nam et Jonae prophetae projectio in mare, non solum mortem et sepulturam Christi, sed et ejus ad abyssum terrae, id est, ad inferos descensum praefiguravit. Porro sensus, quem dedimus secuti Chrysostomum, cui Theophylactus et Oecumenius accedunt, praeterquam quod expeditus est, etiam ex sequentibus accipit probabilitatem, ubi dicitur: Quia si confitearis in ore tuo, etc, uti patebit ex commentario. Hic igitur Pauli locus, unus ex iis est, quibus illa pars symboli Apostolici: descendit ad inferos, a quibusdam haereticis rejecta, ab aliis perperam exposita, stabilitir juxta sensum obvium ac germanum, et in ecclesia semper agnitum et probatum; quo significatum sit, Christum in cruce mortuum, et corpore positum in sepulchro, secundum animam ad inferos, hoc est, ad infera terrae loca, quibus animae mortuorum inclusae tenebantur, descendisse, quasdam earum inde liberaturum. Sunt, qui Pauli verba sic exponant: Ne dicas: Quis adscendet in coelum? id est: Nemo adscendet. Hoc enim esset Christum ex alto deducere; id est, negare adscensionem ejus in coelum, et sessionem ad dexteram Patris. Neque dicas: Quis descendet in profundum? id est: Nemo descendet. Hoc enim esset Christum a mortuis et ab inferis reducere; id est, negare ejus mortem et ad inferos descensum, et consequenter resurrectionem ejus a mortuis. Verum haec expositio, quamvis nihilo minus quam superior, Christi ad inferos descensum adstruat, nobis tamen coactior videtur. Nam particula tout' %ox\, id est, sive, hoc est, non redditioni causae, sed expositioni servit, ut in priori sensu factum vides. Deinde minus quoque respondent huic sensui, quae statim sequuntur. Unde et merito priorem sensum, secundo loco a se allatum, Aquinas praetulit. Observabis autem Apostolum volentem commendare justitiam fidei, primum removere infidelitatem ei contrariam, qua scilicet dubitaret quispiam de Christi incarnatione aut resurrectione; sub quibus caetera de Christo mysteria comprehensa intelHge. Deinde vero fidem ipsam exigit dicens:
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8. Sed quid dicit Scriptura? Graece et Syriace tantum legitur: Sed quid dicit? ut suppleatur Moses ex superioribus. Sic etiam Latina quaedam mss. Et ita citat August. lib. de spir. et lit. cap. 29.
Prope est verbum in ore tuo, et in corde tuo. Graece eyyug oou^ quemadmodum et in Deuteronomio legitur. Dixit hoc Moses de mandato legis, qua vera justitia praecipitur; nimirum significans, legem, seu mandatum, per diligentem ipsius expositionem satis inculcatam esse populo, ut jam illud et ore recitare, et memoria retinere facile possint. Tantum opus esse bona et prompta voluntate ad illud opere implendum. Paulus vero transfert hoc ipsum ad fidem, seu verbum fidei, qua justificamur. Sequitur enim:
Hoc est verbum fidei, quod praedicamus. Hoc est, tale est, ejusmodi est. Porro verbum fidei dicit, vel Evangelium, quo fides in Christum annuntiatur^ vel fidem ipsam, ac si diceret: Fides, quam praedicamus ut necessariam ad justitiam consequendam, revera est ejusmodi, videlicet prope te, in ore et corde. Quod jam declarat verbis sequentibus:
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9. Quia si confitearis in ore tuo Dominum Jesum. Confitearis Graece ojjioko^rjaiQ(^, confessus fueris, sicut in parte sequenti credideris. Nam inquit, si ore confessus fueris, Dominum Jesum descendisse de coelis et hominem factum. Haec pars opponitur illi dubitationi: Quis adscendet in coelum, ut Christum deducat? Quamquam absolute potest accipi ista pars, et quidem melius, ni fallor, hoc modo: Siconfitearis ore tuo, Jesum esse Dominum. Quomodo dicit 1 Cor. 12.: Nemo potest dicere Dominum Jesum, nisi in Spiritu Sancto. Hunc enim sensum expressit ea lectio, quam recitant Hilarius lib. 10. de Trinitate, et Augustinus in expositione hujus loci: quia, si confessus fueris in ore tuo, quia Dominus est Jesus. Et utique, si Dominus est, qualem confiteri oportet; igitur de coelo descendit. Ad hoc enim descendit, ut hominem redimeret, et ipso redemptionis jure Dominus ejus esset.
Et in corde tuo credideris, quod Deus Illum suscitavit a mortuis. Opponitur haec pars alteri dubitationi: Quis descendet in abyssum, ut Christum a mortuis revocet?
Salvus eris. Graece oojO^t^oij, salvaberis, id est, sahitem consequeris, velut jam ex fide et confessione fidei justitiam adeptus, quae perducit ad salutem. Verum uti superius, ita et hic sab articulis incarnationis et resurrectionis Christi reliqua fidei mysteria subintelligenda sunt, et illud imprimis, hominem justificari per redemptionem, quae est in Christo Jesu. Deinde debet haec Apostoli sententia accipi sicut aliae similes, quibus docet, hominem justificari per fidem, nempe de fide comitata bona vohmtate, qua paratus fit homo facere, quae per fidem facienda cognoverit; quale est, quod hoc ipso loco requirit, ea, quae corde credimus, etiam ore confitenda esse. Unde adhuc sequitur:
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10. Corde enim creditur ad justitiam; ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. Ad justitiam, id est, ut quis justus sit, ad salutem, id est, ut quis salvus sit. Porro confessionem dicit ejus, quod creditur, de qua dixerat: quia si confitearis, etc. Nam confessio peccatorum, quao et ipsa proficit ad salutem, non est hujus loci. Posset quidem fortassis in hac bimembri sententia repetitio ejusdem intelligi, diversis verbis facta more Hebraeo, qui in proverbiis et in Psalmis maxime conspicitur; quandoquidem et oris confessio actus est fidei, et justitiam salus consequitur, acproinde etiam dici posset: corde creditur ad salutem, sicut infra dicitur: Omnis, qui invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. Nam et in eo, quod proxime praecessit, confessio oris cum fide cordis ita conjungitur, ut utrique salutis effectus attribuatur. Recte tamen in utroque membro peculiare aliquid ab Apostolo significatum intelligimus, dum fidei justitiam adscribit, confessioni salutem; istuc nimirum, quod fides ad justitiam consequendam prursus est necessaria; sed famen homo per fidem justificatus, ad salutem vitae aeternae non perveniet, imo nec ipsam salutem inchoatam, quae in justitia consistit, tueri poterit ac retinere, nisi, quum res postulaverit, fidem, quam animo tenet, ore confiteatur. Quod quidem imprimis in baptismo faciendum erat, quod fidei est sacramentum.
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11. Dicit enim Scriptura: Omnis, qui credit in Illum, non confundetur. In Illum, Graece, in Eo, scilicet Deo. Per quod significatur fiducia fidei conjuncta, qua animus in exspectatione salutis nititur veritati ejus, qui promisit. Jam et hic salus attribuitur fidei. Quod enim ait: non confundetur, sive non pudefiet, tale est, ac si diceret: speratam salutem omnino assequetur, exspectatione sua non frustrabitur. CreJentem intelligit obedienter, id est, cum voluntate faciendi ea, quae fides Christi praescribit. Sententia deprompta ex Jesaiae cap. 28., et pluribus exposita in fine cap. sup.
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12. Non enim est distinctio Judaei et Graeci. Graece, 'looSaiou xs xal 'Kk- Xvjvog. Quod recte vertas, ut Erasmus fecit, vel Judaei, vel Graeci, ad indifferentiam significandam. Urget Apostolus non tara universale signum omnis, quod apud Jesaiam non habetur, quam ipsius sententiae propheticae indefinitam generalitatem, qua nemo a salute excluditur, modo credat, sive Judaeus ille sit, sive Graecus, id est, gentilis. Species enim nominatissima pro toto genere ponitur. Probat autem amplius hanc generalitatem verbis subjunctis:
Nam idem Dominus omnium, dives in omnes, qui invocant Illum. Dives, Graece participium 7:Aout(ov^ id est, dives exsistens aut divitiis abundans, easque efitmdens. Active enim accipitur. Sensus: Consentaneum sane est, ut neminem credentem et confidentem in se Deus a salute repellat, cum ipse unus idemque sit omnium Dominus jure creationis, ut proinde aequum sit, eum omnes in se sperantes salvare, nec desit potestas, CBm affluat divitiis bonitatis ac misericordiae, paratus etiam eas efiundere non in Judaeos solum, sed in omnes, quicumque ipsum invocant toto orbe terrarum. Nam quod etiam velit, et ita statuerit, ex ipsius promissione per Prophetam facta Paulus nunc docet.
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13. Omnis enim, quicumque invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. Graece salvabitur. Testimonium sumptum ex Joele cap. 2., in quo etiam expressio est universalis signi. Invocare nomen Domini, est eum, cui Dominus ac Deus nomen est, orare pro salute obtinenda. Sed invocationem intellige tam hic, quam in praecedenti, procedentem ex fide jam toties commendata; ne repugnet illud Proverb. 1.: Tunc invocabunt me, et non exaudiam. Ad hanc igitar invocationem pertinent omnes orationes, quibus a Deo per Christum petuntur salutaria bona, velut remissio peccatorum, gratia, justitia, tentationum victoria, perseverantia, vita aeterna.
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14. Quomodo ergo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt? Ex invocatione colligit fidem, ut sic probet suum institutum, quo docebat, ex fide justitiam esse et salutem. Locum hunc catholicis objectant haeretici, quo tollant invocationem Sanctorum cum Christo regnantium. Nam si in Sanctos non credimus, sed in solum Deum, concludi videtur ex hac Apostolica sententia, Sanctos non esse invocandos. Sed respondetur, in hac repetendum esse ex praecedenti Prophetico testimonio: nomen Domini, ut plena sententia sit: Quomodo invocabunt nomen Domini, in quem non crediderunt? Etenim Dei nomen invocare nemo potest, ut oportet, nisi in eum credat. Aut, quod eodem recidit, exponendus est Apostolus secimdum materiam subjectam, hoc modo: Quomodo invocabunt tanquam autorem salutis eum, in quem non credunt? Quo certe modo solum Deum invocat ecclesia catholica, quod vel ex ipsis ecclesiasticis litaniis perspicue constat. Porro nec vocabulum invocandi semper in Scripturis ad Deum referri, sed interdum etiam ad homines, nimirum generali ratione, qua significat opem et auxilium alicujus implorare, patet ex aliis Scripturae locis, ut lesa. 34.: Regem potius invocabunt. Osee 7.: Aegyptum invocabunt, ad Assyrios abierunt. Nec dubium, quin etiam apud autores profanos ita generaliter usurpetur. Hoc igitur modo nos Christiani etiam Sanctos invocamus, quos et credimus nobis per suas ad Deum preces opitulari posse.
Aut quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt? Graece: Quomodo autem credent, quem non audierunt? Forte vertit interpres: At quomodo credent. Occasione eorum, quae proxime dixerat de salute omnibus credentibus et invocantibus promissa, subjicit et interserit quaedam de generali praedicatione Evangelii per omnes gentes. Si enim beneficium Dei, statuentis hominem justificare et salvum facere per fidem, propositum est omnibus tam gentilibus, quam Judaeis, fidem vero accipere, id est, credere non possunt, nisi audiant, nec audire, si non sit, qui praedicet; consequens est, etiam gentibus praedicandum esse Evangelium, nec oflfendi debere Judaeos, si Paulus ac caeteri Apostoli per suam praedicationem generale Dei beneficium etiam ad gentes propagent. Sensus hujus partis est: Quomodo credent in eum, de quo non audierunt? ac si dicat, id fieri non posse; saltem juxta modum ordinarium acquirendae fidei. Nam Deus sic constituit, ut fidei mysteria discerent homines ab hominibus per auditum corporalem. Unde Saulum a Domino ad Ananiam, et Cornelium ab Angelo ad Petrum missos legimus, de fidei mysteriis insti-uendos, Act. 9. et 10., ne facile suspicaremur, quempiam absque hominum ministerio per solam divinam vel angelicam revelationem edoceri viam salutis. Caeterum sub auditu lectio, quae visu fit, comprehenditur. Sicut enim per auditum plurimi, ita per lectionem multi crediderunt. Nam ad hoc scripta sunt Evangelid, ut legentes credant. Haec scripta sunt, ait Joannes Evangelii sui cap. 20., ut credatis et credentes vitam habeatis. Recte nihilominus ab Augustino, cum de iis loqueretur, qui surdi nascuntur, ut audire nonpossint, dictum estlib. 3. contra Julianum cap. 4.: Quod vitium ipsam impedit fidem. Nam surdus natus literas, quibus lectis fidem concipiat, discere non potest, quia per auditum debet earum significatio dari et accipi. Constat autem, Apostolo sermonem esse de auditione per sensum exteriorem, qua vox percipitur praedicantis. Nam sequitur:
Quomodo autem audient sine praedicante? Id est: Quomodo audient de eo, in quem credituri sint, si nemo sit, qui eis annuntiet? ac si dicat, nec id fieri posse. Satis ostendunt hae duae interrogationes Apostoli, sicut et iis respondentes duae propositiones paulo inferius positae, fides ex auditu, et, auditus autem per verbum Dei, non omnibus hominibus a Deo dari sufficiens auxilium ad salutem, ut quidam putant. Constat enim plurimos esse, atque etiam multo plures olim fuisse, praesertim ante Christi adventum, quibus de fide ad salutem necessaria nihil esset praedicatum. Quos proinde sufficiens auxilium habuisse, quo salvi fierent, dici non potest, quum, teste Apostolo, credere non possint homines, nisi praedicantem ea, quae credenda sunt, audiverint. Hinc August. lib. de correptione et gratia cap. 7.: Quicumque, inquit, ah illa originali damnatione divinae gratiae largitate discreti sunt, non est dubium, quod et procuratur eis audiendum Evangelium. Unde et Gregorius in hom. 17. super Evangelia, allegorice ti-actans illud Luc. 10.: Misit illos in omnem locum, quo erat ipse venturus: Praedicatores suos, inquit, Dominus sequitur, quia praedicatio praevenit, et tunc ad mentis nostrae habitaculum Dominus venit, quando verba exhortationis praecurrunt, atque per hoc veritas in wente suscipitur. Haec ille, significans utique, Dominum, quibus decrevit fidem dare, praedicatores, quos audiendo credant, praemittere. Vide etiam August. lib. 1. de pecc. mer. et remiss. cap. 22., et de dono persev. cap. 19. Quo loco dicit paucissimis esse dojiatum, ut nullo sibi homine praedicante, per ipsum Dominum, vel per angelos coelorum, doctrinam salutis accipiant.
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15. Quomodo vero praedicabunt, nisi mittantur? Graece: nisi missi fuerint? scilicet a Deo, vel Christo. Multi quidem praedicant non missi, de quibus apud Jeremiam Dominus, cap. 29.: Non mittebam eos, et ipsi currebant, et tales habet plurimos saeculum hoc nostrum; sed licite ac legitime nemo praedicat, nisi legitime missus. Est autem missio legitima duplex. Altera quidem extraordinaria, quae fit immediate a Deo per inspirationem internam, quomodo missus fuit Joannes Baptista, et alii Prophetae; cujusmodi tamen missio sine certis argumentis non est agnoscenda. Altera vero ordinaria, quae fit autoritate eorum, qui in terris gerunt vicem Dei. De qua duplici missione consule S. Thomam in commentario hujus loci. Notandum est, in Graeco verbo oltzoo- TaXdioi^ id est, missi fuerint, allusionem esse ad nomen Apostoli, quod primis Evangelii praedicatoribus, a Christo missis, inditum fuit Lucae 6. Significat autem verbum Graecum mitti non quocumque modo, sed quomodo mitti solent principum legati cum mandatis.
Sicut scriptum est: Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem,' evangelizantium bona? Sensus: De quibus ad praedicandum missis scriptum est a Propheta: Quam gratus et jucundus est adventus eorum, qui hominibus haec tam laeta annuntiant, pacem et reconciliationem cum Deo, et bona praeclara atque eximia, scilicet ad aeternam eorum salutempertinentia. Quod significatpars apud Prophetam sequens, et a Paulo omissa: praedicantimn salutem. Cohaeret haec citatio testimonii Prophetici cum erotemate praecedente, quia, nisi mittantur, non erunt veri Evangelistae, de quibus dici queat: Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium, etc. Speciosos seu pulchros habere pedes Hebraeis dicuntur, qui veniunt laeta nuntiantes eo quod eorum adventum (qui pedibus fit) homines libenter videant. Sumpsit hoc testimonium Apostolus ex lesaiae cap. 52., textum Hebraicum propius, quam LXX. interpretum versionem, qualis exstat, secutus. Quod et Hieronymus, eum Prophetae locum enarrans, testatur, et res ipsa loquitur. Nam Hebraea ad verbum Latine reddita sic habent: Quam pulchri super montes pedes evangelizantis, audire facientis pacem, evangelizantis bonum! Graeca vero haec sunt: Oiq, &pa. zni Tuiv opscov/ij; Tco^s; £uayy£AtCojJ.svou axorjv sipVjvTj;, (o? suay- Y£AiC6|ji£vo? ava^a^ nisi quod in nonnullis priori loco legitur £uayY£AtCop.£Viov pluraliter, et posteriori loco, suayY^AiCo- |ji£VOu casu genitivo. Sed et Latina versio apud Hieronymum in commentariis lesaiae sic habet: Sicut hora super montes, sic pedes evangelizantis auditum pacis, evangelizantis bona. Caeterum Leo Castrensis, in ejus loci commentario, textum versionis LXX. virorum truncum et lacerum esse contendit; putatque restituendum ex Paulo et Hebraica lectione ad hunc modum: Sicut hora, vel, sicut ver super montes; quam speciosi super montes pedes evangelizantium auditum pacis, evangelizantium bona. Verum id non est restituere textum, sed diversas lectiones jungere et confundere. Equidem Leoni in hoc assentior, vitium irrepsisse jam olim in hunc locum versionis LXX., ut in multos alios. Arbitror autem (ut meam adferam conjecturam), ab eis scriptum esse, quomodo Paulus citat, cog (opaTot; quam pulchri, speciosi, decori, pro eo, quod nunc legitur, et veteres etiam aliqui cura Hieronymo legerunt, resectis a tergo tribus vocalibus, (og topa. Quod varie exponunt: sicut hora seu tempus, scilicet opportunum, ut est maturitas frugum aut fructuum; aliter, sicut pulchritudo; et si leni spiritu pronunties, sicut cura et soUicitudo, quibus modis Hieronymus. Item, sicut ver seu tempus vernuyn, quod aliis placet. Haec enim omnia Graeca voce significantur. Sed quoniam a fonte recedunt, superfluum existimat Hieronjmus in iis explicandis haerere, qui etiam testatur, omnes alios interpretes similiter ex Hebraeo transtulisse, id est: quam speciosi, quemadmodum et Eusebius legit lib. 3. demonst. evang. cap. 1., non Paulum sed lesaiam testem adducens. Tertull. vero, testimonium Prophetae citans lib. 5. adv. Marc. cap. 2., legit: quam teynpestivi; et cap. 5. referens Y%xha.VsiXi\\: quammaturi pedes,(]\\onmm et haec est significatio Graecae vocis topalot.^ licet Hebraeo non respondeat. Augustinus quoc[ue ex Propheta citat: quam speciosi, lib. 32. contra Faustum cap. 10., utique non alia versione tunc usus, quam LXX. Denique testatur scholiastes Romanus ad textum Latinum editionis LXX., in nonnullis codicibus haberi (yg (upalo'.. His addo, particulam (ug secundo et tertio loco positam in verbis Prophetae, ut leguntur apud LXX., non posse, quantum mihi videtur, Latiae reddi per sic, ut habet Latina versio, quae est in commentariis Hieronymi, et versiones quaedam recentiorum. Non enim cog avxaTioSoTOV est similitudinis, nisi poetis; pro quo LXX. et Apostoli semper dicunt ouTtog. Itaque rectius apud Origenem in hujus loci commentario Ruffinus ita reddit: Tanquam hora in montibus, ut pedes evangelizantium auditum pacis, ut evangelizans bona. Sed quia nihil liis voculis in Hebraeo respondet, et in quibusdam codicibus vel altera, vel utraque non habetur^ adjecti-. cias suspicari licet. Quae si tollantur, habebis LXX. translationem admodum consentientem cum fonte Hebraeo. Porro simile quid etiam apud NahumProphetam cap. 1. legitur: Ecce super montes pedes evangelizantis et annuntiantis pacem. Verum ipsa Apostoli verba non inde, quod sentit Ambrosiaster, sed ex lesaia deprompta sunt. Eorum vero, si quis requirat, haec moralis significatio est: Pedes, id est, affectus eorum, qui Evangelium praedicant, pulchros esse debere, hoc est, purgatos a sordibus terrenarum cupiditatum, ut eorum mores Evangelio respondeant, etvita verbo non contradicat.
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16. Sed non omnes obediunt Evangelio, Graece et Syriace obedierunt. Loquitur enim de Judaeis, ut ex subjunctis liquet, id est, de iis, quibus primum praedicari oportuit Evangelium. Atqui ilh's jam dudum per Christum et Apostolos praedicatum fuerat. Itaque sensus est: At non omnes, imo vero pauci, laeta haec nuntia, quae Evangelii nomine significantur, quamvis audita, fide recipiunt. Quo minus autem mireris, paucos ex illo populo recepisse Evangelium, neve ex eo suspiceris Evangelii veritatem labefactari, docet Paulus subjuuctis verbis, hoc ipsum, quod non essent credituri, ab eorum Prophetis olim praedictum esse.
lesaias enim dicit. Utique de Judaeis, cap. 53. Nam et Joannes Evangelii sui cap. 12. de Judaeis hoc testimonium adducit.
DoDiine, quis credidit auditui nostro? Vel auditioni nostrae? Domine non est in Hebraeo, sed additum ex LXX., quemadmodum et apud Joannem^ ut intelligatur, esse verba Prophetae ad Deum. Sensus: Domine, quis eorum fidem adhibuit sermonibus, quos ex nobis audierunt, quos eis, ut Prophetae tui praenuntiavimus? ac si dicat: Perpauci. Potest etiam intelligi dictum ex persona Apostolorum, qui Judaeis annuntiarunt, quae ab lesaia caeterisque Prophetis fuerant praedicta. Probat hunc sensum Origenes quamvis et priorem non respuat. Auditus pro sermone audito, Hebraismus est, velut Habac. 3.: Domine, audivi auditum tuum, id est, sermonem de te, famam tuam. Et Psal. 111. de justo: ah auditione mala non timebit, id est, malus rumor eum non perterrefaciet, utpote bene sibi conscium. Quocirca minus scite commentator Ambr. auditui nostro, id est, sermonibus, quos ex te audivimus.
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17. Ergo fides ex auditu, auditus autem per verbum Christi. Graece et Syriace: per verbum Dei, nisi quod in nonnullis Graecis habetur, ut in Latinis: per verbum Christi, quae lectio etiam apud Origenem exstat; ut verbum Christi dicatur verbum sive sermo de Christo, id est, quo Christus annuntiatur. Concludit affirraando, quod paulo ante interrogando significarerat. Unde patet, id, quod hic dicitur, cum exclusione intelligendum esse hoc modo: Ergo fides non est, nisi per auditum, saltem ordinarie, ut supra dictum est. Audiri autem, quod credatur, non potest, nisi aliquo verbum Dei credendum annuntiante. Loquitur Apostolus de fide actuali, de qua dixerat; Quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt? Quamquam et fides habitualis ex auditu est in adultis. Nam ut eam acquirant, debent prius actu per auditum credere. Nullus enim adultus recte et utiliter baptizatur, nisi credat, dicente Domino: Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit, salvus erit, Marc. ultimo; et Philippo ad eunuchum cupientem baptizari: Si credis ex toto corde, licet. Actor 8. In parvulis autem baptizatis est quidem fides habitualis sine auditu, non tamen sine ministerio hominis baptizantis. Sed et ea ipsa fides nunquam proficiet in illis ad actum fidei, nisi per auditum. Ut enim postea actu credant, instructione aliorum et catechismo opus habent. Quod si parvuli baptizati, jamque habitu fideles, postquam adoleverint, credere non possunt actu sine auditu, quanto magis de infidelibus nihil tale suspicandum est, quod sine externo praedicatore Deus illis mysteria salutis revelet?
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18. Sed dico: Numquid non audierunt? Clarior erit sermo, si verbum dico parenthesi claudas: Sed (inquam) an non audierunt? Auditionem hanc multi Latinorum referunt adhomines inuniversum, videlicet gentilibus comprehensis. Jam enim late propagato Evangelio, multi etiam gentibus non poterant excusationem praetendere, quod non audivissent. Hanc igitur excusationem dicunt Ajjostolum hac interrogatione velle excludere, non ab omnibus omnino hominibus, sed a multis, etiam gentibus. Et quod ita generaliter loquatur, ostendi putant ex altera interrogatione^ tanquam hujus adversativa, qua paulo postdicit: Sed numquid Israel non cognovit? At sane probabilior est Graecorum commentarius, de Judaeis hoc dici: de quibus et praecedens lesaiae testimonium. allatum fuit. Nam de Judaeorum repro- ■ batione Paulo instituta est disputatio, in qua de gentilium incredulitate nulla mentio. Nec diversum probat interrogatio, quae mox sequitur: Numquid Israel non cognovit? Nam aliud Apostolo est audivisse, ■ aliud cognovisse; quemadmodum ibi de- " clarabitur.
Et quidem in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum. Orbis terrae Graece dicitur olxQoixivri, id est, habitabilis, sive ea, quae habitatur. Sed et Hebraea vox atque Syriaca orbem habitabilem proprie significat. Versus sumptus ex Psalm. 18. juxta versionem LXX.^ qui secundum literam scriptus est de praedicatione coeli et coelestium corporum, Dei potentiam, sapientiam et gloriam nobis sua pulchritudine, motu, ordine, efi"ectis annuntiantium; sed mjstice refertur ad Apostolos in universum mundum missos Evangelii praedicandi causa. Connexio cum superioribus haec est: Ut sit auditus per verbum Dei ad fidem necessarius, jam missi sunt praedicatores in totum mundum ab eo, qui dixit: Euntes docete omnes gentes, Marc. 28., et: Euntes in mundum universumpraedicate Evangelium omni creaturae, Marc. 16. Et: Eritis mihi testes in Jerusalem, et in omni Judaea et Samaria, et usque ad ultimum terrae. Actor. 1. Quod si ita est, quomodo Judaei non audierunt, etiam qui inter gentes commorantur? Non ergo sentit Apostolus, onmes om- □tum saeculorum homines audivisse, quod constat verum non esse; sed si^nificat, tempore praeordinato a Deo praedicatum esse et praedicari Evangelium, ut per totum mundum audiatur. Neque rursum vult, suo, id est Apostolorum tempore permanasse Evangelii praedicationem in omnes populos orbis terrarum, sed id jam tum magna parte coeptum fieri, et paulatim impleri. Nam nec hodie completum id omnino videtur, tametsi paucae nunc restant nationes, ad quas sonus Evangelii non aliquando pervenerit, brevi fortassis etiam ad eas penetraturus. At neque hunc sensum reddere possumus, quem video quibusdam neotericis placere, dicentibus, ideo omnes audivisse, quia in omnem terram exivit praedicatio coeli et astrorum ac totius creaturae, quae omnibus annuntiat creatorem suum, juxta literalem intellectum Psalmi, ex quo verba haec desumpta sunt. Manifestum est enim, non de illa praedicatione loqui Paulum, sed de verbo et Evangelio Christi redemptoris ac mediatoris; quod fuit mysterium absconditum a saeculo, neque ex creaturarum contemplatione disci potuit, sed verbo praedicationis evangelicae debuit annuntiari. De quo sane constat accipi debere locum alterum, huic similem, qui est in Epistola ad Col. 1.: Quod praedicatum est in universa terra, quae sub coelo est. Hoc enim de Evangelio dicit, quod jam in plurimas quaquaversum nationes Apostolorum praedicatione disseminatum erat, ad plures autem ac remotiores rumore perlatum. Atque hoc sensu fatemur, vaticinium Psalmi tempore Pauli impletum fuisse. Videntur quidem veterum nonnulli ita loqui, tanquam Apostolorum praedicatione in omnes sine exceptione gentes Evangelii sermo fuerit perlatus; ut Chrysost., Theophyl. et Euthymius, exponentes illud Matth. 24.: Praedicabitur hoc Evangelium regni in universo orbe, in testimonium omnibus gentibus; et tunc veniet consummatio. Verum Augustini sententia est, ne suo quidem tempore ad omnes gentes Evangelii notitiam pervenisse, tantum abesse, ut Apostolorum tempore ad omnes pervenerit. Ita docet in epist. 80. ad Hesych., necnon lib. de unit. eccl. cap. 15., et lib. de nat. et grat. cap. 2., et ante Augustinum Origenes tract. 28. super Matth. Denioue in hujus loci comm. Hervaeus, Cajetanus, Sotus, Pererius et alii, quibus et nos libenter accedimus historiarum evidentia convicti. Quomodo autem illi sententiae non adversetur hic Pauli locus, jam dictum est.
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19. Sed dico: Numquid Israel non cognovit? Distingue ut supra: Sed (inquam) num Israel non cognovit? Premit hac interrogatione Israelem, ac peccatum ejus exaggerat docens, non ideo tantum inexcusabilem esse, quia audivit, verum multo magis, quia etiam cognovit; ac si dicat: non tantum audivit, quod toti orbi commune est, sed et cognovit, id est, vidit, prope inspexit, contrectavit, quod praedicamus, ita ut nihil excusationis obtendere queat. Viderunt enim Judaei Christum in came docentem, et ea omnia facientem ac patientem, quae de eo praedicta fuerant a Prophetis; nec tamen eum receperunt. Hoc eorum peccatum commemorat ipse Dominus Joan. 15.: Si non venissem et locutus fuissem eis, peccatum non haberent; nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo, et quae sequuntur; ubi et illud addit: Nunc autem et viderunt, et oderunt. Ecce quomodo Israel cognovit. Alii alium huc adferunt sensum. Sed quod dixi, convenit tam cum praecedentibus, quam cum testimoniis subjunctis, maxime cum postremo, quo dicitur: Tota die expandi manus meas ad populum non credentem, etc.
Primus Moses dicit. Primus, id est, prior. Refertur enim ad lesaiam, ut Mose posteriorem, ex quo mox alterum testimonium allaturus est. Alii sic: primus inter caeteros.
Ego ad aemulationem vos adducam in Non-gentem. Graece: aemulari vos faciam in Non-gente, sive per Nongentem. Est autem in Graeco unum verbum Tia.paG.r^kOiQia, id est, aemulari faciam, ad aemulationem provocabo. De quo plura ad illud capitis sequentis: ut tUos aemulentur.
In gentem insipientem, in iram vos mittam. Graece: in gente insipiente, sive, per gentem insipientem irritabo vos. Augustinus quoque legit, irritabo vos. Locus est Deut. 32. in cantico Mosi, ubi versus integer sic habet: Ijjsi me provocaverunt in eo, qui non erat Deus, et irritaverunt in vanitatibus suis; et ego provocabo eos in eo, qui non est populus, et in gente stulta irritabo illos. Ita Hieron. ex Hebraeo. Nec dissonant LXX., nisi quod pro vanitatibus scripserunt idola. Mos enim scripturae est, idola vanitates appellare. Paulus in citando testimonio tertiam personam mutavit in secundam; sed ea mutatio sensui nihil detrahit. Non-gentem, infinito nomine, vocat Moses gentem contemptibilem et gentis nomine indignam; utpote, sicut in altero membro exponit, gentem insipientem, id est, stultam ac stolidam, ut quae pro Deo lapides et ligna coleret. Sic enim et prior pars versus in Hebraeo legitur: Ipsi zelare fecerunt me in Non-deo, id est, colendo id, quod non est Deus. Simili phrasi dixit Ecclesiasticus cap. 50.: Tertia non est gens, scilicet, stultus populus, qui habitat in Sichimis. Sensus hujus loci est: Ego gentilem populum, hactenus ob ignorantiam veri Dei merito contemptibilem, et a vobis contemptum, tantis afficiam beneficiis, ut eorum felicitas ad invidiam et indignationem vos provocet. Ex quo sequitur, quod dixerat, Israelem cognovisse bona per Evangelium annuntiata. Nam invidere ea aliis non poterat, nisi cognosceret. Unde et invidere Latinis dicitur tanquam intus ac prope videre, quod, qui invident, ut ait Cicero lib. 3. Tuscul. quaest., nimis intueantur fortunam alterius. Maxime autem invidere solent illi, qui felicitatem sibi praeparatam et oblatam, atque a se neglectam, transferri vident ad alios. Id quod Judaeis contigit. Caeterum provocare ad invidiam et iram dicitur Deus, non quod horum vitiorum ipse sit autor, ut haeretici sentiunt, sed quia praestat ea beneficia, ex quibus alii capiunt invidendi et irascendi occasionem. Quod si invidia et ira in aemulationem convertantur, ut Judaei, gentilium exemplo et felicitate provocati, in Christum credant (quod intendit Apostolus sequenti capite), is afFectus bonus est et a Deo.
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20. lesaias autem audet, et dicit. Audet, Graece a::0T0Ajijia, pro quo Erasmus reddit, post hunc audet, nempe post Mosen, id est, sumpta a Mose priore fiducia, audet dicere. Nam «7:6 post sig- ^ nificat. Verum rectius interpres noster I et alii verbum compositum pro simplici I accipiunt, ut solet Graecis accipi, saltem " ut «7:6 nihil aliud quam vim addat verbo; quasi dicat Apostolus: lesaias autem nihil veritus ofiensionem sui populi, tota fiducia audet dicere hoc, quod sequitur, fi et apud eum habetur cap. 65. Dicit au- i tem non ex sua, sedDei velChristipersona.
Inventus sum a Non-quaerentibus me. A voculam addidit interpres. Praeteritum pro futuro positum more Prophetico, ob rei certitudinem. Sensus: Invenient me, fide ex auditu concepta, qui me non quaerebant, ac de me nihil cogitabant, occupati in cultu falsorum deorum; scilicet populus gentilis. Usu Scripturae quaerere Deum dicuntur, qui Deum colere volunt et Deo placere, atque in eo bono proficere, quasi nondum assecuti totum, quod cupiunt. Unde beati non quaerunt Deum, sed habent et possident, ita ut amplius habere non possint. Nobis autem dum in hac vita sumus, dicitur: Quaerite Dominum, et confirmamini, quaerite faciem ejussemper. Psalm. 104.
Palam apparui iis, qui me non interrogabant. Graece: manifestus factus sum me non interrogantibus. Sensus: Conspicuum me dedi, cognoscendum me ingessi iis, quibus nec in mentem venit, ut de me interrogarent, velut si quis, carbones fodiendo quaerens, in thesaurum incidat. Apostolus sententiam Prophetae reddidit ordine verborum transposito, tametsi propius accessit ad id, quod est apud LXX. Nam Hebraea sic habent: Quaesitus sum iis, qui non interrogaverant • inventus sum iis, qui non quaesierant me. LXX. vero sic interpretati sunt: Manifestus factus sum me non quaerentibus, inventus sum me non interrogantibus. Ubi scrupulus occurrit, quomodo dicat Deus se quaesitum esse, et tamen inventum a Non-quaerentibus. Antilogiam hanc apparentem tollere voluit Hieroaymus, dum ita vertit: Quaesierunt me, qui ante non interrogabant, ac si sensus esset: Cum ante nulla ipsis esset cura me quaerendi, aut de me interrogandi, postea, audita verbi praedicatione, tracti per gratiam meam, quaerere me coeperunt. Huc spectat etiam illa quorundam versio: Quaerere me feci. Alii loco verbi quaesitus sum, transtulerunt obvius factus sum, ut Pagninus; vel expositus sum, ut Tremellius, adducens similem locum Psalmi 111.: Magna opera domini, quaesita, id est, exposita, omnibus volentibus ea, sic ut ea quaerere jam non sit opus. Quamquam simpliciter intelligi sic potest: quaesitus sum, id est, inventus sum, ut ex priori posterius significetur per metalepsin. Sic enim ipsePropheta se ipsum interpretari videtur membro secundo. Atque hae posteriores expositiones cum eo, quod LXX. verterunt, adeoque cum sensu Paulino magis conveniunt. Ostendit autem hic locus Apostoli, quam verum sit illud a Patribus adversus Pelagianos definitum: Gratiam non dari secundum merita.
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21. Ad Israel autem dicit. Ad Jsrael, Graece npbc, xov lopaifA, quod Erasmus vertendum putavit: adversus Israel. Non enim ad ipsum Israel diriguntur verba sequentia, sed de eo dicuntur, et contra ipsum faciunt. Sed verius est praepositionem Tipog loco Tiepl, de, positam esse; quemadmodum et alibi, ut in epistola ad Heb. 1.: Et ad angelos quidem dicit, cum de angelis loquatur versiculus ibi citatus, et ejusdem epistolae cap. 4.: Ad quem nobis sermo, id est, de quo. Sic et illud accipiendum existimo, quod habetur Marc. 12. et Luc. 20.: Cognoverunt, quoniam ad eos parabolam honc dixerit, id est, de eis; quamvis et illic Erasmus verterit: adversus eos, sive in eos, quod non est necesse; magisque frequentata est in hac significatione praepositio xaxa cum genitivo, quam T^pbfz, ut in hac ipsa epistola cap. 8.: Quis contra nos? Et iterum: Quis accusabit adversus electos Dei? Et cap. 11.: Interpellat Deum adversum Israel, ac rursum: NoU gloriari adversus ramos.
Tota die expandi manus meas ad populum non credentem et contradicentem. Multi codices addunt mihi; sed bene submotum a correctoribus Romanis. Nam nec in Graeco legitur, nec in Syriaco, nec apud commentatores, Ambr., Primasium, Sedulium. Multi quoque mss. codices non agnoscunt. Denique nec LXX. scripserunt. Addidit quispiam, quod putaret ad sensum deesse. Caeterum in Hebraeo nec illud est: et contradicentem. Ex quo patet, etiam hanc partem ab Apostolo citari magis ex interpretatione LXX., quam ex Hebraeo, tametsi in sensu nullum est dissidium. Sunt autem haec verba apud eundem Prophetam statim post superiora, et hunc habent sensum: Per praedicationem Christi et Apostolorum ejus, et per crebra miracula ab eis facta, continue velut expansis ad amplectendum manibus praebui me cognoscendum populo Judaico, qui tamen persuaderi non potuit, ut crederet (id enim significat Graecum vocabulum d7ic'.0ouvTa_, quasi dicas, impersuasum)', sed semper contradixit ac restitit evangelicae praedicationi, ut juxta Simeonis oraculum factus sit illis Christus iu signum, cui contradicatur, Luc. 2. Rursus ex hoc Prophetae testimonio manifeste sequitur, quod Apostolus probandum sumpserat, Israelem cogno\'isse de Christo, quia non solum audivit de eo, sed etiam vidit praedicantem et mira operantem; ut proinde sit inexcusabilis, quod non crediderit, secundum id, quod Christus ipse de eis expostulat, Joan. 15. dicens: Si non venissem et locutus fuissem eis, peccatum non haberent. Nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo, et iterum: Si opera non fecissem in eis, quae nemo alius fecit, peccatum non haberent. Nunc autem et viderunt et oderunt, et me et Patrem meum.
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1. fratres , voluntas quidem (i, piv e22xía) cordis mei et obsecratio (1, 2£«05) ad Deum fit pro illis in salutem. Compellationem fratres ad Iudaeos, id quod aliqui volunt (ScA.), non referri, evidens est, quia in tota hac sectione Paulus a directa eorum allocutione se abstinet et semper tertia persona de eis agit (cfr ózip a5zóv etc.). In primigenio textu antiquiores testes nullum verbum exhibent (cfr VV. LL.); cum iunioribus autem codd. textus receptus verbum isi» immediate ante sig cot píav inserit; sed rectius, ni fallor, Latini iam ante locutionem pro illis verbum quoddam (/i, vel est) supplent, ita ut locutio illa etiam ad praedicatum pertinere appareat. Nimis late vero ab It. et Vulg. prius nomen (rz, :52zzíx) latino voluntas redditur, quum idem potiusquod desiderium seu votum hic valere vidcatur (cfr Chrys. : e33exíav iyca302 zy so2Spxv iziÜvgixv esi» ac similiter TAeod. Dam. Theoph. Oec. Euth., et ex iunioribus modernisque To/. Just. Lap. Pic. Calm. etc., Reith. Mai. Beel. Weinh. Dr. ec. — Rück. de W. Oltr. etc.). Contra eos enim , qui significationem óenevolentiae pracferentes (cfr Cai. Est. Bisp. LR. Sch. etc. — God. Weiss etc.) nostram interpretationem nullo exemplo probari obiiciunt, monemus non tantum Graecos omnes in illa admittenda consentire; sed Paulum quoque verbo s)22xsiv sensum exoptandi ac desiderandi tam saepe attribuere (cfr 2 Cor. 5,8; 1 Thess. 2,8; 3,1), ut mirum non sit, quod nomen derivatum :522zia sensu voti ac desiderii adhibuerit. Apte autem duo nomina (i, e52zxix cA xxpRixs eld, fno; pig c2» Oiiv) connexuit, utinternum suum votum non sterile esse significaret; pro illis enim salutem ita desiderans, ut eam etiam a Deo pro illis expetat, ostendit quantus sit suus erga eos amor. Ánte omnia quippe precandum est pro infidelibus ut salventur, quia fides a qua salus pendet est donum Dei gratuitum, quod nemo sibi mereri potest. Attamen solitaria particula 4£v (quidem), cui in sequentibus nullum 2€ (autem, sed) respondet, se totam suam mentem primis illis verbis non aperuisse declarat; quid vero desit, ex contextu intelligitur. Causam enim addens, cur ludaeis salutem exoptet et a Deo efflagitet, simul indicare iam incipit, illos ipsos in culpa esse, quod vota sua pro eorum salute non impleantur. Solitario igitur suo »£» totam quae sequitur accusationem quasi praeparat , ut hoc fere modo sententia compleri possit : « votum meum quidem et precatio mea tendit ad eorum salutem, sed in ipsis reperitur salutis impedimentum ». , Quodnam illud sit, in fine sententiae innuit, qua ab eorum laudibus ad accusationem transit :
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9. /es?imonium enim perhibeo. illis, quod aemulationem Dei (53.2» 8:23) habent, sed non secundum scientiam (xaz' &xépvosw). Nomine zeli vel aemulationis Dei intelligit studium, quo Iudaei, multis magnisque ethnicorum persecutionibus non obstantibus, Legi suae divinitus acceptae fideliter adhaerebant, eam accurate observare conabantur, secündum eam veri Dei cultum exercebant ac propagabant. Cuius zeli egregius ipse erat testis, quum semet ipsum « aemulatorem Dei » ante conversionem suam fuisse (Act. 22,3!j coaetaneosque suoszelo paternarum traditionum superasse (al. 1,14) asserere posset. At divina gratia illustratus zelum illum, quem omni ex parte laudabilem esse duxerat, ad salutem non conducere in itinere damasceno cognovit ac magno cum dolore postea conquestus est. quod zelo illo ad persequendam Ecclesiam Dei abreptus esset (PA;/. 3,6). Eandem vero causam, qua pristinam suam Ecclesiae persecutionem excusat, quod « ignorans in incredulitate egerit » (1 Zi». 1,13), quamque Petrus quoque ad Iudaeos Christi occisores excusandos attulit (.1c4. 3,1), etiam hic affert ut explicet, cur contribulium suorum aemulatio Dei ad salutem consequendam non sufíiciat. Zelum Dei enim, quem in eis laudat, secundum scientiam esse negat, « quia per rectam scientiam non ordinatur, dum ignorant veritatem » |7/051.); acri quidem studio honorem Dei promovere volunt, sed quid in Dei honorem sit nesciunt. Neque tamen omnem scientiam eis abiudicat, sed plenam illam ac perfectam (23 xxz' ziv: efr ad 1,28, 3,20;, quae requiriiur, ut Iesum esse Messiam sibi promissum cognoscant et in eum credentes veram iustitiae salutisque viam ineant. Quapropter illum dumtaxat zelum, quo homo solam divinam voluntatem in omnibus sequi studet, vere prudentem esse supponens ex eo, quod Iudaeis genuinae, quae coram Deo valet, iustitiae notio desit, eorum zelum secundum perfectam scientiam non esse probat :
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3. /4/»- rantes enim iustitiam Dei et suam (752 ixi propriam quaerentes sta- tuére (oxom) iustitiae Dei non sunt subiecti (melius : se non subiecerunt é)y bxstkynsxv!). luxta ea, quae antea exposuit (cfr 3,21; 5,1 sqq.) dubium quidem non est, quin ludaei ex suis libris sacris genuinam iustificationis rationem cognoscere potuerint (ac debuerint); nihilominus hic suo àyvzcovzsz (/gnorantes) nudum factum asscrit ut. postea (v. 1* sqq.) eos rem non sine culpa ignorasse ostendat. Quid nomina iustitiae Dei et propriae valeant, ex prima epistolae parte constat; iustitiam Dei (hic uti 1,17; 3,21 sq.) illam vocat, quae est er /ide (Btxatesóvrv 13,» ix. xícstoz 9,30 elc.) vel quae per fidem Christi ex Deo est (xtv Bux xíocsog Xptzz9 z*» ix 8:23 Zozsivey Pil. 3,9), gratiam ergo illam habitualem, qua credentes in Christum a Deo ob Christi merita donati renovantur spiritu mentis suae, ut vere iusti sint coram Deo. Cui iustitiae, quae iure dicitur [ei seu divina, quia tota est ex superna gratia neque propriis hominis viribus laboribusque obtineri potest, opponit proprtam (-i» 2x»), quae ex Lege est (75, ijv Zoxaesóvry 7$» &x. vópou. Phil. 3,9) vel ex operibus Legis (9,32; 3,20 etc.), illam ergo quam ludaei propriis suis laboribus, si Legis praecepta suis viribus observarent, sese obtinere opinabantur. Animadvertatur oportet, eum in priore sententiae parte de verae ac fictae iustitiae notione loqui, in altera vero genuinam iustitiam definite sumtam quasi in reginam constituere (cfr v. 6), cui ab omni, qui iustus coram Deo esse vult, obedientia debeatur. Unde sensus sententiae est : Iudaei, quia verae iustitiae, quae credentibus a Deo gratis datur, notionem non habent commentitiaeque, quae propriis operibus acquiratur, notionem s/a/uere quaerunt (25223597:z 275220 1. e. quasi veram asserunt ac defendunt , iustitiae Dei. quae solis credentibus datur ac fidem necessario supponit, per humilitatem fidei sese non subiiciunt, vel iuxta TAon. « nolunt subiici Christo per cuius fidem homines salvantur a Deo ». Zelus erzo eorum prudens non est, quia Dei, auctoris iustitiae, voluntatem non sequuntur. Bene Es/. adnotat, « aliis verbis hic id repeti, quod supra (9,31 sq.) dictum est, Israelem, dum sectatur legem iustitiae, in legem iustitiae non pervenisse, quia non ex fide sed quasi ex operibus ad eam contendebat ». ludaeos porro, quum suam Legis iustitiam statuere quaerant, neque iustitiae Dei obtemperare neque veram scientiam sequi Paulus confirmat addens :
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4. finis enim Legis (-£Xzz yàp v2yov) Christus est ad iustitiam omni credenti. Nomine legis (v25.2»), quamvis articulus desit, mosaicam designari, totus contextus, quo ludaeorum error de Legis suae virtute impugnatur, tam clare docet, ut non intelligatur, cur aliqui moderni (cfr Ag. — Weiss, Oltr. etc.) id in dubium vocaverint; articuli enim omissio profecto non creat difficultatem (cfr ad 2,13). Iamvero Lex ludaeis eo consilio data erat, ut institutis suis, quae omnia figurae erant mysteriorum novae oeconomiae, eorum fidem in venturum Messiam excitaret ac praeceptis suis tamquam paedagogus eos ad Christum adduceret (Ga/. 3,24); adveniente autem Christo, quum figurarum umbris iam succederet rerum veritas atque paedagogi munus superfluum redderetur, Lex cessare debuit. Unde duplici sensu Christus finis Legis (1£Xog v$yc») esse recte dicitur, siquidem non tantum tota Lex ad eum velut ad scopum finemque suum tendebat, sed etiam eius adventu terminum finemque suum invenit et esse desiit (cfr Comment. in 2 Cor. et Gal. p. 98 sq.). Priorem sensum solum multi cum ZAeod. hic admittere volunt (cfr Thom. Lyr. etc., Cai. Tol. Lap. Pic. etc., Klee, Beel. M Ev. etc. — Wetst. Glockn. etc.); alii (uti iam fulian. Apost. cfr S. Cyr Al. c. Iul. IX M. 76,992) solum secundum retinere malunt (cfr Ma. Dr. etc. — Mey. Weiss, Goeb. God. etc.). Rectiustamen cum S. Cyr. Al. (l. c.) et S. Aug. (c. advers. leg. II. 7,26) utrumque coniungemus, ut Christus (iuxta S. Aug. expressionem) Legis finis dicatur non tam interficiens quam perficiens; neque enim advenit, ut Legem solveret destrueretque, sed ut eam impleret et ad perfectionem adduceret (Matth. 5,17). Àc profecto quominus priorem sensum excludamus prohibet nexus cum praecedentibus; namque ex eo, quod Lex ad Christum tendebat et in eo plenam suam veritatem habebat, potissimum elucet Iudaeos, qui neglecta fide praecepta tantum externa respicientes propriam iustitiam statuere volunt, vera Legis, cuius mentem voluntatemque ignorant, scientia carere Deoque inobedientes esse. Nexus vero cum sequentibus, in quibus Legis periodus terminata a perdurante fidei periodo distinguitur (v. 5 sqq.), omnino postulat, ut secundus sensus simul recipiatur. Tam arcte quoquc inter se sunt connexi, ut alter ab altero separari non posse videatur, quin alterutrius notio magis minusve obscuretur et mutetur. Praeeunte Chrys. alii Graeci (cfr Dam. Phot. Theoph. Euth. etc.) nonnullique iuniores ac moderni (cír Iust. Reith. LI. Ag. etc.) nomine z£Xoc scopum quidem designari concedunt, Christum tamen idcirco scopum Legis vocari volunt, quia iustitiam, quam Lex praestare voluerit sed non potuerit, ipse praestiterit credentibus. « Quia Lex, inquit Chrys. (in Matth. hom. 16,2), studebat hominem facere iustum sed infirma erat, Christus veniens et iustificalionis modum, qui est per fidem, introducens voluntatem Legis stabilivit et quod illa per literas non potuerat, ipse per fidem perfecit »; atque in Rom. hom. 17,1 : « Si finis Legis est Christus, is qui Christum non habet, neque habet Legis iustitiam, etiamsi eam habere videatur; qui vero Christum habet, etiamsi Legem secutus non sit, totum accepit... Quid enim voluit Lex ? Iustum facere hominem; sed non potuit, quia nemo eam implevit. Hic igitur eius finis erat; eo omnia tendebant, festa, praecepta, sacrificia, reliqua omnia, ut homo iustus redderetur; sed hunc finem Christus per fidem perfectius assecutus est. Noli ergo timere, ne ad fidem accedens Legem transgrediaris; tunc enim illam transgrederis, si propter illam Christo non credis; quamprimum autem ei credideris, illam quoque implevisti ». Verbis potius quam re haec sententia ab illa, quam primo loco proposuimus, recedit ; prout tamen iacet, paulinis verbis minus videtur consonare, licet eorum sensum universum satis accurate reddat. Inter Latinos aliqui (cfr Abael. Haym. Herv. Lomb. etc., Est. Nat. etc.), qui Rufini interpretationem Orig. sequuntur, finem hic idem quod consummationem et perfectionem seu impletionem valere arbitrantur, ut sensus sit: « Christus est, per quem Lex impletur et vera iustitia acquiritur, quatenus quisque in eum credit ut propitiatorem, per quem Deus et peccata remittit et gratiam bene vivendi praestat » (Est.). Erronee autem Est. asserit, « graecam vocem z£loe; magis quam latinam finis hanc consummationis et impletionis significationem recipere »; neque enim usquam c£Ao; est idem quod tsAzíos:; (consummatio) aut zAXÉceua scu zÀroeou (perfectio, impletio); quare haec quoque explicatio, quamvis Christus consummatio et perfectio Legis recte dicatur, paulinis verbis hic non congruit. Legis autem finem eo quem indicavimus sensu Paulus Christum vocat ad iustitiam omni credenti. Quae quidem ultima verba nonnulli cum tota sententia ita connectunt, ut eius quasi finem vel exitum declarent significentque, Christum ideo (vel tali modo) esse scopum terminumque Legis, ut nunc iam omnesex fide in eum iustitiam consequantur (sig $vxatead my avi 6 muscidzvcid. q. egt yevíoÜai fuatoodvry zavii «Oo zis::32v«). Rectius vero, opinor, alii illa velut appositionem soli subiecto addunt: Xgwze; £ (ov) si; 2uxzz2vz». 7» !, quia revera ad Christum, quatenus omnes in eum credentes iustificat, Lex tendebat illiusque adventu abrogata est. At Iudaci, quum in Christum credere nollent. velamen habent positum super cor suum in lectione Legis suae, ita ut eam non intelligentes non videant finem eius quod evacuatur (2 Cor. 3,13 sqq.). linc exorta est ignorantia eorum, quac quanta sit Apostolus nunc ostendit iustitiae operum, quam ipsi iuxta Legem suam non intellectam statuere quaerant (v. 5), iustitiam fidei opponens omnibus destinatam (v. 6 sqq.). Priore igitur in loco viam describit, qua veteris quidem oeconomiae fideles ad iustitiam salutemque pervenerint, post Christi autem adventum Iudaei increduli ad eam se perventuros esse frustra sperent :
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5. Moyses enim scripsit (vel potius : scribit z222::), quoniam iustitiam, quac ez lege est, qui fecerit homo, vivet. in. ea. Lectio haec, quam cum J/. et Vulg. graeci quoque testes boni tuentur et recentissimi editores critici (Tisch. W'H.) velut probabiliorem in suas editiones iure receperunt (cfr VV. LL.), plana est et clara, dummodo attendatur, coniunctionem quoniam (221) introducendo tantum textui scripturistico inservire atque obiectum (iustitiam quae ez lege est ct» Svuatosovuys vh» ix v5pos) verbo a. quo pendet (qui fecerit £ z2022;) esse praemissum, ut duae iustitiae species (vel viae), de quibus quaeritur, maiore cum vi inter se opponerentur (cfr
10:6
v. 6 quae autem ez fide est iustitia v, 3i dx míc:tug 2taxc22v5). luxta. hanc lectionem utique dictum divinum, quod a Moyse in Levit. 18,5 scriptum est, minus accurate allegatur, quam iuxta graecum textum receptum, qui cum Alexandrinis atque etiam cum Ga/. 3,19 consentiens illud hunc in modum exhibet : : mov,cag aci (scilicel zxvzx 5à mpostiqgx-X poo xi mivlx TX WQlpani Wov) d»Üouzsg Diostxi iv abes; (qui fecerit ea scilicet omnia divina mandata et praecepta, vivet in eis). Verum id difficultatem non crcat, quia Apostolus textibus scripturisticis interpretationem, ne eam addere cogatur, inserere eosque hac ratione argumentationi suae adaptare amat (cfr ad 9,33). Id autem hic quoque iuxta nostram lectionem facit, quia iustitia er Lege ei idem est, quod omnium mandatorum observatio, quam Deus in Levi/. 18,5. velut vitae conditionem postulat. Per se igitur parum interest, utram lectionem sequamur. De sensu autem divini dicti fusius iam egimus ad. G«f. 3,12 (Coinment. in 2 Cor. et Gal. p. 486 sq.), ubi Apostolus illud in simili argumentatione adhibet, quare hic rem paucis absolvere licet. Praeprimis animadvertamus oportet, vitam a [co promitti non tantum tenmporalem, id quod multi arbitrati sunt et arbitrantur (cfr SN. 4uj. in Gal. n. 21, A'*" Haym. Hervc. Thoi. Lyr. etc., Cer. Tol. Lap. ete, Bisp. MEv. Dr. etc.), sed simul, immo maxime vitam aeternam ac gloriosam (cfr Chrys. Theod. Theoph. ec., S. Ang. de spir. et lit. 29,51, Pel. Sed. ec., Est. Nat. etc., Heith. Ll. Ag. Sch. elc.); id enim ex Matth. 19,17 et Luc. 10,28 constare. recte. ^/. iam monuit, Porro vita haec promittitur eis qui vere sint. /ac/ores. Legis (cfr ad. 2,13), i. e. eis qui omnia mandata divina, inter quae primum ae maximum summam Dei dilectionem praecipit (Deut. 6,5 cfr Matth. 92,36 ete), continuo et accurate observaverint in nullo deficientes (Dew. 97,6 cfr Gal. 3,10; lac. 2,10); id quod ob carnis infirmitatem (8,3) et peccatum in ea inhabitaus (7,15 sqq.) neminem absque divinae gratiae auxilio facere potuisse aut posse clarum est. lamvero quamdiu Lex vigebat, ad eam implendam gratia necessaria concedebatur ludaeis , non ipsius quidem Legis praecipientis, quaesuis mandatis dumtaxat accuratiorem peccati cognitionem praebebat (3.20), sed Messiae in illa promissi virtute, quem credentes exspectabant et ad cuius adventum Lege praeparabantur. Hac ratione veteris oeconomiae sancti, quum suam infirmitatem cognoscerent, non per vires suas neque per literam ipsius Legis, id quod fieri non potest, sed per fidem in venturum Messiam sibi conciliantes iustificatorem eo pervenerunt, ut iustificati Legem gratia adiuvante implerent iustitiamque veram, in qua viverent, ex Lege consequerentur (cfr S. 445. de spir. et lit. 29,51). At Iudaei, de quibus Apostolus hic loquitur, ita rem non intellexerunt; naturalibus potius viribus praecepta Legis implere conantes ad propriam iustitiam tendebant, cui vita aeterna tamquam merces deberetur. Ac revera postquam Christo mortuo et resuscitato umbrae successerat veritas ac Lex paedagogus ad Christum esse desierat, ludaeis in eum credere nolentibus nihil nisi nuda Legis litera remanserat, quaeopera praecipit operantique vitam promittit, eratiam vero qua impleatur nullo modo habet annexam. Quapropter hoc sensu dictum divinum, quod continuam accuratamque omnium mandatorum observationem velut aeternae vitae conditionem postulat, Apostolus simili modo, quo G«/. 3,12, contra incredulos Iudaeos iure merito urget, ut eos ex Lege sua ad veram iustitiam , cui vita aeterna erat promissa, pervenire non posse declaret, non tantum quia omnia praecepta suis viribus implere nequcant sed etiam quia haec Legis iustitia non sit nisi commentitia. Neque tamen hunc sensum diserte explanat, sed eum lectori ex sequentibus colligendum relinquit, quibus erroneae viae, qua ludaei increduli iustitiam quaerebant, veram viam, quae ad iustitiam Dei ducit, vel potius fictitiae operum iustitiae, quam illi frustra sectabantur, genuinam ex fide iustitiam opponit, quippe quae facile obtineri possit (6-8), quia fides tantum eiusque professio ad salutem requiratur (9. 10); id quod Scripturae testimoniis constare addit, quae omnibus credentibus fidemque profitentibus sine ulla ludaeorum ac Graecorum distinctione salutem promittant : 11-13). Ut autem ostendat, quam facile fidei iustitia obtincatur, pulcherrima prosopopoeia eam introducit loquentem ac semet ipsam verbis ex Deuteronomio desumtis quasi definientem : 6. quae autem (ec fide est iustitia sic dicit : Ne dixeris in corde tuo : Quis ascendet in coelum? id est Christum deducere (ze fo: Xpwiow xavayayety); "I. aut quis descendet in. abyssum? hoc est Christum a mortuis revocare (xooz Écxww Xpustv. £x. vexpQv. àvarpaqeiv id est Christum ex mortuis reducere);
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8. sed quid dicit (Scriptura)? Prope est verbum in ore tuo et in corde tuo, hoc est (zoo: £xsv)) verbum fidei quod praedicamus. Priusquam haec verba interpretemur, de eorum relatione ad textum mosaicum (Deut. 30,11-15) dicendum videtur. Iuxta antiquam versionem (cfr S. Aug. Quaest. in Heptat. V. 554), quae cum alexandrina ab Apostolo iterum adhibita accuratius consentit, ita se habet : « Mandatum hoc (sc. collectio omnium mandatorum, aut etiam mandatum de Dei dilectione, quae observatione omnium praeceptorum probari debeat, cfr Deut. 30, 10. 16), quod ego mando tibi hodie, non est supra. modum (oy üz£poyxhg écuv Vulg. : non est supra te; 785 &Yi nx553 non est nimis arduum), neque longe abs te est; non est in coelo, dicens (*ONb ut dicas) : Quis ascendet nobis in coelum et accipiet nobis illud et audientes illud faciemus? Neque trans mare est, dicens (1Cw5 ut dicas) : Quis transfretabit nobis trans mare etaccipiet nobis illud et audientes illud faciemus? Prope est hoc verbum valde in ore tuo et in corde tuo etin manibus tuis facere illud » (i. e. « ut facias illud ». — Verba « et in manibus tuis » a textu mass., a Vulg. etc. exsulant). Quibus verbis Moyses, postquam praemiorum, quae Legem observantibus promissa, poenarumque, quae eam transgredientibus destinatae sunt, descriptione Israelitas ad eam observandam exhortatus est, extraordinarium laborem ad eam cognoscendam non requiri docet, ut hac ratione omnem eis excusationem praeripiat. Iamvero praeeunte 5. Aug. (de nat. et grat. 79,83; quaest. in Heptat. V. 54) haud pauci ex antiquioribus Latinis cum nonnullis modernis (cfr Haym. Herv. Thom!. Lyr. Dion. etc., Cai. Salm. Tol. Iust. Nat. etc., M Ev. — Olsch. Lange, Hofm. etc.) textum deuteronomicum pro vero argumento scripturistico a Paulo hic afferri putant, ac si illum aut literali sensu, uti nonnullis placet, aut saltem typico vel prophetico de iustitia fidei intelligi voluerit. Inter acath. autem modernos non desunt, qui Apostolum incusent, quod rabbinico interpretandi genere usus arbitrarium seusum ex verbis mosaicis elicuerit aut ea in alienum sensum detorserit, ut scripturisticum argumentum ex eis colligeret (cfr Fritzsche, Mey. Reuss etc.). Verumtamen consentientibus Graecis (cfr CArys. Theod. Genn. Dam. Theoph. Euth. etc.) nonnullisque antiquioribus iunioribusque Latinis (cfr Pe/. Prim. Thom *. Est. Lap. Pic. Calm. ete.) moderni plerique eum ex isto textu non argumentari, verum verba illa per accommodationem quandam ad iustitiam fidei transferre censent (cfr Reith. Mai. Beel. LR. Dr. Weinh. Ag. etc. — Phil. Weiss etc.) , idque ni fallor rectissime. Ut enim praetermittamus, Paulum aliosque sacros scriptores alibi quoque interdum (cfr 15,21; 9 Cor. 8,15; Hebr. 13,5 etc.) scripturistica testimonia argumentis de quibus agunt accommodare ! , Apostolus hoc in loco praeprimis ne verbulo quidem indicat, se textum deuteronomicum argumentandi vel demonstrandi gratia afferre neque ulla ex consuetis formulis eum introducit. Contra vero quum Scripturae testimonio diserte allegato, quod pro argumento adhibuit (v. 5. Moyses enim scribit), nostra verba velut a iustitia fidei prolata opponat (v. 6 zustitia ez fide autem dicit), haud obscure insinuat, se illa pro argumento scripturistico non usurpare. Utique in Vulg. Clem. v. 8 legitur : sed quid dicit Scriptura? at hanc lectionem erroneam esse scioloque deberi librario, auctoritate testium criticorum satis constat (cfr VV. LL.). Apostolus enim hanc interrogationem inseruit, ut lectorum attentionem ad positivam descriptionis suae partem (v. 8) converteret, ad quam a negativa (vv. 6. 7.) transiturus erat, neque ullum subiectum enuntiavit, quia sua sponte ex v. 6 iustitia fidei velut subiectum suppletur. Deinde ex integro loco deuteronomico pauca tantum verba eaque parum accurate transumsit; quin etiam secundam interrogationem (guis nobis transfretabit trans mare?) plane mutavit vel potius ei diversam substituit (quis descendet in abyssum?), ut eam rei, quam significare voluit (Christi scilicet descensui ad inferos et resurrectioni a mortuis) accommodare posset. Atqui si his verbis in argumentatione vel demonstratione uti voluisset, eiusmodi mutatio illicita fuisset. Demum Moyses suis interrogationibus sine ullo dubio significat, ludaeis Legis cognitionem, quam ex divina revelatione iam possideant, a longinquo laboriose non amplius esse quaerendam; Paulus vero explicationibus suis insertis nomini Legis nomen Cristi substituit, ut novam Christi incarnationem aut resurrectionem ad iustitiam obtinendam non requiri ostendat. lamvero neque iuxta literalis neque iuxta typicae interpretationis regulas sensus paulinus ex mosaicis verbis in suo contextu consideratis legitime potest erui; accommodationem ergo quandam admittere cogimur. Interroganti porro, quodnam sit huius accommodationis fundamentum, TAom. respondet : « Inconveniens non est, si Apostolus hoc, quod Moyses dixit de mandato Legis, Christo attribuit, quia Christus est Dei Verbum, in quo omnia sunt Dei mandata ». Quae ratio iunioribus quidem nonnullis probatur (cfr Esz. Picon. Bisp. Ag. etc.), at neque necessaria videtur neque satis apta. Paulus ad analogiam potius respicit, quae inter Legis cognitionem et iustitiae ex fide acquisitionem eatenus intercedit , quatenus simili cum facilitate, qua Lex per Moysen promulgata cognosci potuit, nunc iustitia fidei ab Apostolis annuntiata obtinetur; atque haec similitudo fundamentum accommodationis nostrae est. Quibus praemissis ad interpretationem ipsam transeamus. S. Paulus igitur fidei iustitiam loquentem sibique verba deuteronomica adaptantem eo fine introducit, ut illam nunc facile obtineri ostendat. Atque primum quidem iustitia eos, qui ipsam obtineri velint, nihil extraordinarii vel potius nihil quod eorum vires superet ab eis postulari monet (rv. 6. 7). Sicut enim olim ludaeis, quibus Lex divinitus iam erat promulgata, non licuit quasi desperabundis interrogare, quis in coelum ascenderet indeque Legem ipsis afferret, ita nobis quoque nunc, postquam Christus advenit suaque morte nobis iustitiam salutemque meruit, non amplius de obtinendae iustitiae difficultate vel impossibilitate conquerendum est, ac si a nobis postuletur, ut ipsi nostris viribus salvatorem, qui nos iustificet, nobis quaeramus. Interrogandum ergo nobis non iam est, quis Christum salvatorem, ut nos redimat, e coelo ad nos deducturus sit. Hune quippe primae interrogationis paulinae (quis «scendet in coelum?) esse sensum explicatio addita docet (id est Christum. deducere «237 Ez). Xpvezzs vazavxj). Aut enim infinitivum zazx;27::» pro finali cum plerisque sumere licet (« quis ascendet in coelum, scilicet |-25:' £c:vj ad Christum inde in terram] deducendum? »), aut idque melius, significatione ordinaria formulae 257 iz-t retenta, locutione secunda (deducere Christum) priorem (ascendere in coelum) explicari accuratiusque definiri dicemus (cfr ad 7,18; Hebr. 2,18; 7,5 etc.), ita ut Paulus suo 282v Este (fioc est) interrogationem quis ascendet in coelum? idem valere significet atque alteram : quis de coelo nobis deducet. Christum? Porro Christus, sicut ad nos redimendos iustitiamque pro nobis merendam iam incarnatus ac mortuus est neque proinde nova incarnatione de coelo. deducendus est, ita ctiam « resurrexit propter nostram. iustificationem », i. e. iam resurrexit, ut iustitia per ipsum acquisita nobis annuntiaretur et applicaretur (cfr ad 5,25j. Quare secundo in loco iustitia prohibet, ne de salute nostra desperaiMes interrogemus : ai quis descendet. in. abyssum (i. e. ad inferos, in mortuorum habitationem), [oc est : quis Christum a mortuis veducet (vel iuxta communiorem constructionem : « quis descendet in abyssum ad Christum a mortuis revocandum »)? Itaque duabus his interrogationibus edocemur, duo mysteria, quibus tota nostra salus innititur quibusque alia redemtionis mysteria quasi comprehenduntur, incarnationem dico (i. e. initium humiliationis) et resurrectionem (i. e. initium exaltationis) Christi, redemtoris nostri, iam esse peracta, neque ullo modo requiri, ut nos ipsi nobis iustitiam mereamus ipsique salutis nostrae fundamenta iaciamus. Haec quippe, quae utique vires nostras superant, facta iam sunt : iustitia nobis per Filium Dei iam est acquisita nobisque annuntiatur, atque ex nostra parte id unum requiritur, ut in Christum incarnatum et a mortuis resuscitatum credamus (cfr v. 8 sq.). De incarnatione ac resurrectione Christi fere omnes inde a Patrum aetate duas interrogationes interpretantur, idque iure merito, quia Apostolus se haec mysteria commemorare voluisse ipse docet (v. 9). Hinc etiam pauci tantum ex antiquioribus Latinis (At'er Haym. Herv. Thom*. etc.), quibus aliqui recentiores acath. adstipulantur (Glock. God. etc.), priorem de ascensione Christi in coelum intelligere malunt; quam explicationem velut minus aptam 7'Àom ?. communiori recte posthabuit. In altera explicanda omnes consentiunt; unde hic locus unus ex efficacissimis est ad dogma de Christi descensu ad inferos, quod protestantes hodie reiiciunt et irrident, eo sensu demonstrandum, quo ab Ecclesia semper traditum est. Evidenter enim a Paulo supponitur, Christum in cruce mortuum secundum corpus quidem in sepulcro esse depositum, secundum animam autem in abyssum, i. e. eum in locum, in quo mortuorum animae inclusae tenebantur, descendisse. Maior autem, quam in singulorum membrorum interpretatione, dissensus est in fine declarando, ob quem haec mysteria commemorentur. Cum Chrys. multi tenent (licet in minoribus inter se dissentiant), interrogationibus illis omnem infidelitatem incredulitatemque removeri ac prohiberi. ne quis de incarnatione (vel ascensione) ac resurrectione dubitet (cfr Dam. l'heoph. Oec. Euth. etc., Haym. Here. Lomb. Thom. Lyr. etc., Cai. Est. Nat. etc. Mai., Beel. M. Ev. Disp. Weinh. etc.). A quibus haud longe dissentientes alii inanem curiositatem, quam Chrys. quoque attingit, removeri arbitrantur, quia prohibeatur, ne quis inquirat, quomodo fieri potuerit, ut Filius Dei carnem assumeret et a mortuis resurgeret (cfr Zeod. etc., A4. elc.). Verum quomodo hae interpretationes cum textu mosaico, quem iustitia sibi accommodat, et cum paulino contextu consonent, nemo facile dixerit. Quamobrem eos sequi maluimus, qui ad deuteronomica verba accuratius attendentes illis quidem demonstrari statuunt, Israelitas sine extraordinario labore ad Legem suam cognoscendam pervenire potuisse, indeque concludunt, nostro in loco ostendi, facilem et in promptu esse iustitiam , quippe quam unius Christi meritis debeamus (cfr 7o. Just. Picon. etc., Iivith. LB. etc. Quamplurimae aliae (praeserlim a modernis acatb.) propo- sitae sunt explicationes, quibus locus potius obscuratur quam illustratur; quare eas recensere operae pretium non est. Quid vero ad salutem assequendam a nobis postulet , fidei iustitia tertiam mosaicam sententiam sibi adaptans docet. Apostolus autem, ut ad positivam hanc conditionem, sine qua salus non obtinetur, attentionem nostram convertat, iustitiae loquentis sermonem interrumpit interrogans : sed quid dicit? Quae interrogatio minus quidem concinna est, quoniam supra (v. 6), negatione transposita, scriptum esse supponit : « Fidei iustitia non sic dicit : Dic in corde tuo : Quis ascendet » etc. Verum haec inconcinnitas tanta non est, ut ad eam evitandam cum Vulg. Clem. etc. (cir VV. LL.) nomen Scripturae velut novum subiectum supplere cogamur. Immo vero illud supplere non licet, non tantum quia iustitiae verbis verba scripturae haud apte opponerentur, sed etiam quia idem textus deuteronomicus continuatur. Quae enim de Legis mandato operibus implendo Moyses dixit, ut illud facile cognosci doceret (prope est verbum (sc. mandatum Legis], in ore tuo et in corde tuo, ut facias illud) , ea Paulus, ultimis tamen verbis (4 facias illud), quae accommodationem impediebant, consulto suppressis, sua explicatione (Aoc est verbum fidei quod praedicamus) ad Evangelium transfert, quod credere debemus, ut salutem consequamur. ac facile credere possumus, quia apostolica praedicatione nobis tam prope est positum, ut iam in nostra quasi potestate, in ore nostro et in corde nostro, sit. Bene Chrys. : «Quid illud prope est verbum significat? Significat illud facile esse, quia in tua mente et in tua lingua nunc salus est sita. Ad salutem inveniendam opus non est, ut longa itinera suscipias, maria traiicias, montes transcendas; etiamsi limen non trausgrediaris, domi sedens illam consequi potes; namque in ore et in corde tuo causa (xecpp.,) salutis est ». Qua ultima sententiola Chrys. ea comprehendit, quae Paulus addit, ut verbum fidei seu Evangelium, quia credentibus salutem afferat, revera illud esse verbum probet, quod iustitia nobis propinquum esse proclamat :
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9. quia si confitearis (melius : sé confessus fueris ixi $azsz- Táonc) tn. ore. t0. Dominum Iesum (Kiguv 'Igzzov vel iuxta alteram lectionem : 2x Rip; 'I5ez2; cum 5S. Hil. Aug. etc. clarius : quod Dominus est Iesus) et in corde tuo credideris (z«:225:), quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus eris (soficv). Particulam quia (:7:) nonnulli hic pro declarativa habent (i. q. quod). qua argumentum verbi fidei al Apostolis praedicati introducatur et exponatur; cum plerisque tamen eam aptius pro causali sumimus, quum Paulus potius probare videatur, se illam explicationem recte addidisse. Suo quippe prope esf rerbum iustitia acquisitionem salutis nobis nunc facilem esse insinuavit, Paulus autem salutem ab iis qui verbum fidei seu Evangelium recipiunt facile obtineri ostendit, quia nihil ab iis requiratur, nisi ut mysteria evangelicae praedicationis ore profiteantur et corde credant. Alibi quidem salutem simpliciter fidei attribuere solet, scilicet uti recte hic adnotat TAom. « fidei formatae quae per dilectionem operatur » &c proinde eius professionem, ubi necessaria est, includit; mosaico autem textu hic adducitur, ut non tantum professionem fidei diserte nominet, sed etiam naturali ordine, quem v. 10 sequitur, inverso fidei internae externam eius professionem praemittat ac praeterea ex duobus mysteriis, quibus argumentum verbi fidei designavit, unum profitendum, alterum credendum dicat. At utroque omnia, quae apostolica praedicatio docet, comprehendi vix opus est adnotare. Eadem enim sunt, quae vv. 6. 7. iam commemoravit eodemque ordine, priore in loco incarnatio, in altero resurrectio, recensentur. Sunt quidem inter modernos acath., qui de incarnatione hic agi negent, quia Iesus non sit factus Dominus nisi resurrectione sua; sed hic error refutatione non indiget. Qui profitetur Jesun esse Dominum (K3gwo» n0), profecto profitetur Filium Dei ad nos redimendos de coelo descendisse et carnem assumsisse. Egregie Cai. « duobus, inquit, nominibus integrum incarnationis mysterium significat; dicendo Dominum divinitatem, dicendo Iesum humanitatem significat ». Professio autem fidei in Iesum Dominum necessario omnia mysteria complectitur inde ab incarnatione, qua Iesus factus est Dominus, usque ad glorificationem, qua Dominum sese manifestavit; similiter fides in resurrectionem Christi fidem in incarnationem, redemtionem etc. supponit et includit. Ceterum attendatur oportet, quam clare et aperte hoc in loco error acatholicorum, quibus fides iustificans nihil est nisi fiducia quaedam, qua homo sibi peccata ob Christi meritum non imputari confidit, aperte reprobetur. Fides enim, qua Apostolus nos salutem consequi dicit, est fides viva in omnia mysteria, quae in apostolica praedicatione continentur (cfr Sa/m. Lap. etc.. Rei'h. etc.Y. Utramque porro, ct oris professionem et fidem cordis, hominem ad aeternam beatitudinem adducere Apostolus iterum asserens naturalem fidei eiusque professionis ordinem restituit cffectumque proprium utriusque accuratius definit :
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10. corde enim: creditur ad iustitin, ore autem confessio fit ad salutein. Pavallelismi tantum studio eum fide ab eius professione ita distinxisse, ut priori iustitiam , alteri aeternam salutem veluti proximum finem propriumque fructum assignaret, nonnulli moderni putant; unde hanc distinctionem urgendam esse negant, siquidem sine ulla sensus varietate etiam scribere potuerit : « corde creditur ad salutem , ore autem confessio fitad iustitiam » (cfr Lap. Mai. Beel. Dr. etc. —— de W. Olitr. etc.). Quae minus recte dici reliqui fere omnes iure tenent (cfr Haym. Herv. Thom. etc. ,. Cai. Tol. Est. Pic. etc., Retth. Bisp. Ag. L R. Sch. etc. — Weiss God. etc.). Ac profecto haud sine ratione Paulus iustitiam, i. e. salutem inchoatam, quam hac in terra iam re obtinemus, a salute consummata, quam hic spe quidem certa tenemus (5,1. 2; 8,24 etc.), re &utem post mortem obtinebimus, tamquam rem minorem a maiore distinguit. Atqui viva cordis fides uti necessaria ita etiam sufficiens conditio est assequendae iustitiae seu salutis inchoatae, eodemque sensu, quo iustitia ex fide esse, hic corde ad iustitiam credi dicitur, ita ut internae fidei quasi fructus quidam proprius respondeat interna gratia sanctificans. Ut autem salutem consummatam consequamur, requiritur ut fide iustificati iustitiam acceptam usque ad vitae finem sollicite et constanter conservemus. Id vero fieri nequit, nisi fidem internam etiam ore profiteamur, idque non tantum in persecutionibus, de quibus antiquiores nonnulli ad Math. 10,32 et 2 Tim. 2,19 respicientes hic potissimum agi arbitrabantur, sed in tota vita nostra quotidiana, quatenus nimirum Dominum Iesum Christum invocare, i. e. christianae religioni per baptismum nomen dare eiusque cultum exercere debemus (cfr 1 Cor. 1,2; 11,26 etc.). Hac autem ratione nostrae fidei ore et opere manifestatae velut (ructus quidam proprius respondebit iustitiae internae externa manifestatio, quae habebitur per aeternam gloriam. Ne vero Iudaei hanc doctrinam, quae iustitiam salutemque, Legis operibus exclusis, unice fidei vivae in Christum fideique huius professioni attribuit, velut novam reiiciant, Apostolus eam veteri revelationi consonare ostendit. Id quidem in prima quoque epistolae parte iam fecerat, hic autem testimonia affert, quae apertius declarant, tempore messiano omnibus omnino hominibus salutem fore ex fide eiusque professione. Priore autem in loco de fide interna illum textum repetit, quem paullo ante (9,33) iam commemoravit :
10:11
11. dicit enim Scriptura: Omnis qui credit in illum non confundetur. Verba haec ex Is. 28,16 iuxta alesandrinam versionem desumta esse iam diximus. Ex prophetae autem contextu elucet, locutionem i» //lum ad lapidem pretiosum in fundamentis Sion positum sive etiam secundum Pauli superiorem interpretationem ad lapidem illum referri, qui Iudaeis incredulis factus est lapis offensionis et petra scandali, i. e. ad Christum, Verbum incarnatum. Qui ergo in Christum Dominum credit, non confundctur, quia hac fide iustificatus et cum Deo reconciliatus certam habet salutis aeternae spem, qua non frustrabitur (cfr ad 5,5). Verum Paulus contra ludaeos, qui Legem suam non intelligentes sibi solis iustitiam eamque ex Legis operibus promissam esse putabant, universalitatem iustitiae salutisque, quae est ex fide, potissimum urgere vult. Quamobrem non tantum in prophetae sententiam, ut eam universalem esse clarius manifestet, vocem «xa; (omnis) inserit, qua alexandrina versio non minus quam textus massorethicus caret (cfr ad 9,33), sed etiam argumento, quo supra (3,29 sq.) iam usus est, repetito salutem omnibus credentibus sine distinctione conferri confirmat :
10:12
12. non enim est distinctio Iudaei et Graeci; uam idem Dominus omntum, dives in omnes qui invocant eum. Aliquantulum tamen superiorem suam argumentationem mutat. Ibi enim omnium, quum ludaeorum tum gentium seu Graecorum, eundem esse Deum monet, qui quum ratione creationis omnium hominum eodem modo teneat dominium , omnium quoque eandem curam habet ideoque iustitiae gratiam et circumcisis et praeputiatis largitur, dummodo credant (3,30). Hic autem nomine Domini non tam Deum creatorem designat, licet multi id arbitrentur (cfr Theod. Haym. Lomb. Thom. etc. , Cai. Tol. Est. Pic. etc. , M Ev. Ag. etc.), quam Christum redemtorem, quem secundum divinam et secundum humanam naturam omnis lingua profiteri debet Dominum omnium (Act. 10,36; PAil. 2,11 etc.). Hanc enim interpretationem, utpote solam contextui conformem, in quo de fide in Christum et de Christi invocatione agitur, cum Graecis fere omnibus (cfr Orig. Chrys. Dam. Theoph. Oec. Eut^.) nonnullisque antiquioribus Latinis (A'er Sed.) recte tenent aliqui iuniores (ust. Nat. etc.) et multi moderni (ReitÀ. Mai. Beel. Bisp. L R. Sch. etc.). Christus enim pro omnibus moriens non tantum parietem intermedium, qui ludaeos et gentiles eousque separaverat, solvit et utrosque pariter sibi subiecit (EpA. 2,13 sqq.), sed ingentem quoque meritorum thesaurum pro omnibus acquisivit; nunc autem omni potestate in coelo et in terra donatus (Mat/A. 28,18) paratus est investigabiles gratiarum suarum divitias (EpA. 3,8) in omnes effundere, quorum Dominus est, dummodo illi sua ex parte conditionem requisitam impleant, i. e. ipsum invocent, corde scilicet in ipsum credant fidemque suam in ipsum ore et opere profiteantur. Quam conditionem requiri et sufficere altero testimonio scripturistico probat, quod omnibus Christum invocantibus simili modo salutem promittit, sicut prius (v. 11) omnibus credentibus in Christum iustitiam promittit :
10:13
13. omnis enim, quicumque invocaverit nomen Domini , salcvus erit. Ultima haec sunt verba illius vaticinii Joelis 2,98-32 (3,1-5), quod totum S. Petrus in prima sua concione iam attulit (Act. 2,17-21); iuxta alexandrinam iterum versionem allegantur, quae primigenium textum hic accurate reddit. Dubium non est, quin vaticinium hoc sit directe messianicum (cfr Kauabenbauer Comm. in proph. min. I. p. 232 sqq.); quare suo iure Paulus nomine Domin (^11), euius invocatio omnibus sine distinetione (omais, quicumque zà; $; à») salutem afferet, Christum Dominum, Verbum incarnatum, designatum videt (cfr 9,33). Itaque Scripturarum testimoniis constat, tempore messiano fidem in Christum vivam eiusque professionem omnibus hominibus esse unicam adipiscendae iustitiae salutisque viam. Suam ergo Legem non intelligebant Iudaei, qui etiam post Christi adventum fictitiam quandam operum iustitiam, quae ipsis solis esset destinata, statuere quaerebant; neque enim videbant Legis suae finem esse Christum, qui omnes in ipsum credentes ipsumque invocantes iustificat et salvat. 3. — Igworaniia Iudaeorum ineredulorum culpabilis est (10,14-21). Iudaeos incredulos ob suam ignorantiam, quia veram salutis viam non cognoscerent, in lapidem offensionis impegisse, Apostolus in praecedente pericope (1,13) explanavit; hanc autem eorum ignorantiam voluntariam et culpabilem esse nunc addit, ut eos exclusionem a salute regni messiani sibi ipsis debere demonstret. Argumentatio eius haec est : Ut aliquis per fidem invocationemque Christi salvari possit, una quidem ex parte annuntiatio Evangelii legitima requiritur (14. 15); quia autem haec annuntiatio neminem ad fidem cogit, altera ex parte obedientia libera praedicationi praestetur oportet (16.17). lam vero legitimam Evangelii annuntiationem Iudaeis non defuisse evidens est (r. 18); neque sese excusare possunt, quod eam non intellexerint, quoniam ipsos ethnicos eam intellecturos esse, a Moyse iam est insinuatum et ab Isaia aperte praedictum (19.20). Unica ergo causa, cur salutis viam non inierint, est eorum inobedientia et contumacia , id quod propheta iam praedixerat (v. 21); Deussua ex parte omnia praestitit, ludaei autem voluntati Dei sese noluerunt subiicere (c. 3). Novam pericopen cum praecedente Paulus pro more arcte connectit ; ex eo enim, quod cum propheta invocationem Christi ad obtinendam salutem necessariam esse dixit (v. 13), occasionem arripit exponendi, quid haec invocatio, u! ad salutem adducat, ex parte Dei (14. 15.) et ex parte hominis (16. 17; postulet. Atque ex Dei quidem parte requiri, ut Evangelium per legatos legitimos, i. e. divina cum auctoritate missos, annuntietur, quatuor vividis interrogationibus ad soritae modum dispositis ex asserta invocationis necessitate derivat ac prophetico testimonio (Is. 52,7) confirmat :
10:14
1&. quomodo igitur (zàs zv scilicet quum a Christi invocatione salus pendeat) znvocabunt, in quem non credi- (erunt (sic & civ. &xíoceucav)? aut quomodo (lege : quomodo autem zàz 8£) credent ei quem non audierunt (vel potius : credent in eum, de quo non audierunt zxo:z5soust c5 ojx. fixoucav)? quomodo autem (zà; 2i) audient sine praedicante (4opig v1p5sscvczo)?
10:15
15. quomodo vero (aptius : quomodo autem xà; 5€) praedicabunt , nisi mittantur (vel potius : nisi missi sinl &xv ui, àxoozaAGaw)?. sicut scriptum est: Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem , evangelizantium bona! Quae argumentatio, rhetorico ornatu detracto , accuratiore hac soritae forma recte proponi videtur : « Nemo Christum invocare potest, nisi in eum credit; atqui nemo in eum credere potest, nisi de eo audivit; atqui nemo de eo audiri potest, nisi adsit qui eum annuntiet; atqui nemo eum annuntiare potest, nisi legitime est missus; ergo Deum praecones Evangelii mittere oportuit, quemadmodum eum facturum esse per Isaiam iam est annuntiatum ». Primum soritae membrum manifestum est; illa quippe sola oris professio, quae cum cordis fide consonat et ab ea procedit, est ad salutem (v. 9); Christus igitur salutariter ab eis solis invocatur, qui in eum crediderunt creduntque (ixí(ccevsav) tamquam in Filium Dei incarnatum, qui salutem nobis meruit et confert. Subiectum verborum huius membri (iztxax£oovzat, éx(ovsucav!), uti etiam duorum sequentium (z:2::22:»- ew, fx23;av, &xo202v721), neque ad ludaeos (cfr CArys. Theod. etc.) neque ad solos ethnicos (cfr Est. Just. etc.) restringere licet; indeterminatum potius est et ad utrosque eodem modo recte refertur; namque de ludaeis solis Apostolus non nisi v. 16 agere incipit, postquam totius suae argumentationis solidum antea fundamentum posuit. Secundi membri graecus textus anceps est, neque quidquam impedit , quominus eum , si ad sola vocabula attendimus, cum Vw/g. vertamus : « quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt? » Attamen contextus huic interpretationi obstat; etenim ex primo membro (ss £v ox £xíc:susxv 1 queni non crediderunt) de Christo hic non agi elucet, quatenus revelationis cst auctor, cu? fides sit habenda, sed quatenus est revelationis obiectum, quod vel in quod credi oporteat; neque enim sine paralogismo Apostolus ab una notione ad alteram transiisset. Similiter ex tertio membro manifeste apparet, Christum hic non considerari velut praeconem, qui ipse vel cuius praedicatio audiri debeat, sed velut obiectum, de quo aliquid audiri, i. e. qui quis sit ex praedicatione cognosci debeat, ut in eum credi possit! ; incognitum enim credi nequit. Quapropter secundum membrum vertatur necesse est : quomodo autem credent in eum, de quo non audierunt? Cui aptissime nunc tertium subnectitur, quo legitimus praeco, qui Christum annuntiet, requiri asseritur : quomodo autem audient sine praedicante (yopig xnpócsovtoz)? Ad quae duo adnotanda sunt. Ante omnia enim caveatur oportet, ne Apostoli verba nimis urgeamus latiusque quam par est extendamus. De via enim ordinaria loquitur, qua iuxta praesentem providentiae ordinem homines ad fidem veniunt et Evangelium propagari debet; neque vero negat, Deum alia quoque via aliquos ad fidem adducere posse, id quod ipse in itinere damasceno expertus est. Egregie S. Awg. (de dono persev. 19,58) « paucissimis monet donatum esse, ut nullo homine sibi praedicante per ipsum Deum vel per angelos coelorum doctrinam salutis accipiant, multis vero esse donatum, ut Deo per homines credant » (cfr Cai. Tol. Est. Nat. etc.). Deinde animadvertatur, non omnem annuntiationem fidem mereri neque omnem hominem, qui sese nobis revelationem afferre perhibet, esse auscultandum; sunt enim et pseudoprophetae ac pseudapostoli, operarii subdoli, qui docent quae non oportet (2 Cor. 11,13; Ti/. 1,11 etc.). Fides obedientia quaedam est, qua intellectum nostrum divinae revelationi auditae liberi subiicimus (v. 16; cfr ad 1,5 p. 46 sq.); quemadmodum ergo iubenti, de cuius legitima auctoritate nobis non constat, obedientiam praestare non tenemur, ita revelationem quoque auditam recipere non tenemur, nisi per legitimum praeconem nobis est annuntiata. Id Paulus iam insinuat, quum verbo x»?3cost utatur, « quod semper notionem sollemnitatis, gravitatis auctoritatisque, cui attendendum et obsequendum sit, coniunctam habet » (Grimm Lexic. p. 241); unde xzpicssw est 1. q. « publice ac legitime seu cum auctoritate annuntiare » etLasynonymo avy£A^sv eiusque compositis in eo maxime differt, quod semper obedientiam postulet (cfr Cremer Worterb. p. 483 sq.). Clarius autem Apostolus id quarto membro docet, quo quid requiratur describit, ut aliquis Evangelium praedicare possit atque x55 xa: &x$0:2^2s (praedicator et apostolus cfr ATim.2,7; 9 Tim. 1,11) appellari mereatur : quomodo autem praedicabunt (xroósaoosw), nisi missi sint (àx25:2*.02w)? Quae in verba bene Cai. : « Praedicare quae Dei divinique consilii sunt, nullus recte attentat nisi missus a Deo, sicut nullus, nisi missus a rege, absque temeritate consilia regis [pro auctoritate] annuntiare potest ». In. verbo àzcszé^^etv autem, quo Dominus suam ipsius missionem a Patre (Mat/A. 10,50; 15,94; Marc. 9,36; Luc. &,83; 10,16; /oan. 3,17; 5,36. 38; 6,99. 57 etc.) et sacri scriptores haud minus frequenter discipulorum Christi legationem ad Evangelium annuntiandum significant (Matth. 10,5. 16; Marc. 3,185; 6,7; Luc. 9,9; 10,1 etc.), non tantum allusio ad apostolorum nomen munusque habetur, sed etiam indicatio auctoritatis , qua legati divinitus instruuntur. Utrum vero in sententiola nisi missi sunt cum nonnullis suppleamus : a Christo (cfr A'*r Phot. etc.) an cum reliquis: a Deo, nihil plane interest, sicuti nihil interesse monuimus, utrum Paulum « gratiam et apostolatum » per Christum velut mediatorem et causam meritoriam, an per Christum velut auctorem et causam primariam accepisse dicamus (cfr ad 1,5 p. 45 sq.). Utrumque enim recte dicitur atque hoc in loco Paulus id unum intendit docere, doctrinam de Christo, quam credere debemus, ut eum salutariter invocare possimus, non per quemlibet, sed per solos legitimos legatos esse annuntiandam, qui a Deo iussi sunt praedicare populo et testificari, quod Christus est a Patre constitutus iudex vivorum ac mortuorum (Act. 10,42), et qui missionem suam divinam vel immediatam (uti primi Apostoli) aut mediatam (uti eorum successores) probare possunt. Quodsi totam hanc argumentationem pro universali, uti decet, sumimus, iure ex ea derivamus, in Ecclesia semper adfuturum esse magisterium, quod divinitus institutum doctrinam christianam conservet divinaque cum auctoritate hominibus proponat, ut fide eam recipientes ad salutem promissam adducantur (cfr Math. 28,19 etc.). Eiusmodi demum apostolatum, qui legitima Evangelii praedicatione efficiat, ut homines Christum salutariter invocare possint, antiquitus iam esse a Deo promissum, suam igitur argumentationem cum Veteris Test. revelatione consonare (sicut scriptum est), Paulus verbis prophetae (/s. 52,7) declarat, qui divinos legatos quasi iam advenientes spectans exclamavit : quam speciost pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium 6ona! Quoniam Alexandrini hanc sententiam parum recte transtulerunt!, eam ex primigenio textu transumit, satis tamen libere. Hac enim fere ratione hebraicus textus reddendus est : « Quam pulchri sunt in montibus pedes annuntiantis, praedicantis pacem (a5), annuntiantis bonum (212), praedicantissalutem (nz*c*), dicentis ad Sion : Regnat Deus tuus ». Locutionem igitur /a montibus, utpote quae dumtaxat accuratiori descriptioni inserviat, Paulus velut superfluam praetermisit; pro singulari (annwntiantis etc.), qui etiam in prophetae contextu collectivam habet significationem, maioris claritaüs causa pluralem posuit (evangelizanttum); ex quatuor demum membris, quibus annuntiationis argumentum exponitur, duo priora sola retinuit, at hebraicum 310 graeco :x àya0z (cum articulo) reddens omnia bona, quae Christus attulit eiusque legati annuntiant, aptissime complexus est. Propheta quidem proxime legatorum, qui regni babyloniciinteritum Iudaeorumque reditum ex exsilio annuntiaturi accurrunt, pedes pulchros seu speciosos, i. e. eorum adventum laetum iucundumque, esse dicit; Apostolus tamen eius verba ad divinos legatos Evangelium praedicantes transfert, idque iure merito. Neque enim tantum solutio captivitatis babylonicae typus est redemtionis messianae, ita ut prophetae exclamationem typice de evangelicis nuntiis intelligere liceat, sed etiam iuxta ipsum prophetam restitutio Sionis ac reipublicae iudaicae cum salute messiana intime est connexa et regni messianici quasi initium est; unde verbis prophetae etiam literali sensu praedicatio Evangelii describi haud inepte dicitur. Bona enim, quae per legatos illos annuntiatum iri propheta praedicit, ad messianum regnum proprie pertinent neque nisi per Messiam afferenda erant (cfr Anabenbauer Comment. in [saiam Il. p. 282). Quamobrem mirum non est, quod ipsi quoque rabbini iuniores hunc locum isaianum de tempore messiano interpretati sint (cfr Wetstein i. h. 1., qui varia testimonia ex Midraschim collegit). lansenisticis suis praeiudiciis seductus /'s!. ad duas intermedias interrogationes (quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt ? quomodo. aulem audient sine praedicante ?) haec adnotat : « Satis ostendunt hae duae interrogationes, sicut et eis respondentes duae propositiones paullo inferius positae (v.
10:17
17. fides ex auditu, auditus autem per verbum Dei), non omnibus hominibus dari sufficiens auxilium ad salutem, uti quidam putant. Constat enim plurimos esse atque etiam multo plures olim fuisse, praesertim ante adventum Christi, quibus de fide ad salutem necessaria nihil est praedicatum; quos proinde sufficiens auxilium habuisse, quo salvi fierent, dici non potest, quum Apostolo teste credere nequeant homines, nisi praedicantem ea, quae credenda sunt, audierint ». At doctissimus vir notissimam illam distinctionem inter auxilia proxime sufficientia et remote sufficientia ignorasse aut oblivioni dedisse videtur; eam tamen satis clare iam indicavit Thom. (ad v. 18), ubi de iis loquens, quibus Evangelium nondum est praedicatum, addit : « Si qui tamen eorum fecissent quod in se est, Dominus eis secundum suam misericordiam providisset mittendo eis praedicatorem fidei, sicut Petrum Cornelio (Act. 10) et Paulum Macedonibus /.1cl. 16); sed tamen boc ipsum, quod aliqui faciunt quod in se est, convertendo se scilicet ad Deum, ex Deo est movente corda ipsorum ad bonum ». Similiter alibi (de verit. qu. 44. a. 11 ad 1) loquitur : « Si quis nutritus in silvis vel inter bruta animalia ductum rationis sequeretur in appetitu houi et fuga mali, certissime est tenendum, quod ei Deus vel per internam inspirationem [extraordinaria ergo via) revelaret ea quae sunt ad credendum necessaria, vel aliquem fidei praedicatorem ad eum dirigeret ut ordinaria via ad fidem perveniret), sicut misit Petrum ad Cornelium ». Ceterum «e hac quaestione, uti etiam de vi ac sensu axiomatis, quo Zion. nititur (« facienti quod in se est Deus non denegat gratiam » ) cfr theol. dogm. Itaque ut homines Christum salutariter invocare possint, ex parte Dei requiritur, ut legatos mittat, qui Evangelium annuntient, sicut sc id facturum esse per Isaiam praedixit. Verum missio legatorum ac praedicatio sola non sufficit neque iuvat, nisi sua ex parte homines cum gratia cooperantes Evangelium sibi per divinos legatos praedicatum fide recipiant; id Apostolus docet pergens : 16. sed non omnes obediunt (legatur oportet cum Amuat. ctc. : obediverunt yz$s22229) Evangelio; lsatas enini (yap) dicit : Domine, quis eredidit auditi nostro (73 à«234 $aov d. e. praedicationi nostrae)? Cum CArys. laud. pauci alium nexum statuunt atque prius membrum pro obiectione habent. qua ludaei Apostolos, quia plerique praedicationem eorum non receperint, legitimos non esse Dei legatos probare voluerint, quamque Paulus altero' membro refutet prophetae verbis monens, divinos lezatos saepe non invenire fidem (cfr Mopsu. Theod. Phot. Theoph. etc., Tol. Iust. Lap. Nat. Pic. eic., MEv. Ag. etc.). Attamen huic explicationi ipsa duorum membrorum connexio grammatica obstat, quandoquidem obiectionis refutatio per particulam causalem (yip enim) introduci non solet. Neque ulla est ratio, cur argumentationem nova obiectione interrumpi dicamus et a nexu indicato, quem antiquiores Latini(cfr TAom. etc.) et moderni fere omnes (cfr Reit. Mai. Beel. Bisp. LR. Weinh. etc.) sequuntur, recedamus. Aptissime quippe nostrae sententiae prius membrum ultimo praecedentis sententiae per particulam &XA4 opponitur : Isaias Evangelii praecones advenientes iam videral eorumque adventum laetum celebraverat; sperare igitur licuit, omnes praedicationem eorum esse recepturos; sed eheu! non omnes Evangelio obediverunt. Locutione non omnes hic per litoten, uti Graeci recte adnotant, admodum paucos hucusque fuisse significat, qui divinos legatos ad se missos audierint Evangelioque sibi legitime annuntiato libera fide sese subiecerint (de expressione non obedierunt Evangelio cfr ad 1,5 p. 46). Neque tamen universe paucos esse credentes asserit, sed de Iudaeorum solorum credentium paucitate eum loqui ex Isaiae testimonio elucet, quod iterum accurate iuxta alexandrinam versionem (addita quoque compellatione K5g« Domine , qua caret textus primigenius) eo consilio allegat, ut assertum suum non tam probet aut confirmet quam explicet veterique revelationi consonare ostendat (22 explicativ. i. q. videlicet). Dubium enim non est, quin propheta futuram Messiae passionem mortemque annuntiaturus in opposilione ad gentiles regesque, quos versiculo immediate antecedente (52,13) « servum Dei », i. e. Messiam, pro nobis patientem nosque morte sua redimentem venerari dixit, sua conquestione (quis credidit? i. e. nemo, vel potius : vix quisquam credidit cfr 8,33 sqq. ; 9,19 etc.) « raritatem credentium significet ez Judaeis » (cfr S. Hier. Comm. in Is. 53.1 cum plerisque). Praeiudiciis quippe suis occaecati ludaei in Iesu humili ac despecto, quamvis multis signis coram eis missionem divinitatemque suam probasset, Messiam sibi promissum agnoscere noluerunt: lapidem igitur pretiosum eis fore lapidem offensionis ac petram scandali (cfr supra. 9,32 sq.) Isaias praevidit atque verbis a Paulo allegatis praedixit; ea autem in ludaeis adimpleta esse [oan. 12,37. 38 quoque testatur. Porro haud male quidem Orig. adnotat : « Videtur [saias haec ex persona Apostolorum prophetare, quibus creditum. erat. praedicationis officium; et ipsi, quum raritatem credentium praecipue de ludaeis viderunt, dicunt ad Dominum : Quis credidit auditi. nostro? » (cfr etiam S. fust. c. Tryph. 42 etc.). luxta eum igitur aud/tis noster (9, xn25, $20») idem est quod « praedicatio, quae a nobis (Apostolis) habetur ». Verum alii rectius, ni fallor, quia prophetae ipsius contextui congruentius, Isaiam suo ac populi israelitici nomine haec verba proferre censent, ut auditus noster sit « praedicatio quae ad nos (Iudaeos) habetur ». Utraque explicatio per se apta est, atque id unum teneatur oportet, nomen 5, àxo*, (auditus), quum hebraico ny*c9 respondeat, significare id quod auditur; unde apte hic redditur praedicatio, sicuti alibi ru-- mor (Marc. 1,98) aut fama (Matth. 15,1) vel minus clare opinio (Matth. &,2&; 94,6; Marc. 13,7) a Vulgatae interprete vertitur (De isaiano textu cfr Knabenbauer Comm. in Isaiam II. p. 295 sqq.). Iamvero eadem significatio voci xx«* (auditus) attribuenda est etiam in sequente sententia, quum Apostolus ex prophetae effato id colligat, quod interrogationibus suis iam indicavit (v. 1&. 15), fidem oriri ex praedicatione legatorum, qui legitime missi sint : 17. ergo fides ex auditu (5 àx»;; ex praedicatione), auditus autem (s, 5 àxcfj praedicatio autem est) per verbum Christi (àà bíyatos Xowvos) i. e. per mandatum Christi Apostolos suos mittentis. Haud pauci utique cum CArys. in hac sententia auditum idem esse volunt quod auditionem (fides oritur ab audiendo) atque verbum Christi idem quod praedicationem de Christo, ita ut Paulus id repetat, quod supra (v. 14) secunda et tertia interrogationibus suis expressit, neminem credere posse Evangelio, nisi illud audierit, neque quemquam illud posse audire, nisi adsit qui illud praedicet (cfr Cai. Tol. Est. Lap. Pic. etc., Reith. Mai. MEv. Bisp. etc.). Duobus autem incommodis haec explicatio laborat. Imprimis enim voci auditus aliam significationem tribuit, quam apud prophetam habet, quamvis ex eius verbis sententia haec velut conclusio derivetur. Deinde izuz Xp:::5 licet significare possit doctrinam, quae Christum habet auctorem (cfr EpA. 6,17 £z 0:2, 1 Petr. 1,25, Pax Kogío)), nusquam est idem quod x425;;x Xpwzz? praedicatio de Christo (16,95); si autem hunc sensum locutioni attribuere voluisset, Paulus procul dubio non dixisset 4 2: xz; 2ià £4uatog Npwto), sed ix Phpazos Xo., sicut dixit : 5, zie £2 3225;. Omnino igitur 274a hic sensu mandati sumatur oportet (cfr Luc. 3,9; 5,5 etc.; Matth. 5,5 etc.). atque secundo hoc membro addito docetur, fidem non nisi ex legitima Evangelii praedicatione oriri. Si quis vero interrogat, quomodo ex querela prophetae Quis credidit auditui nostro? duplex haec conclusio derivetur, respondemus iuxta illam eos, quibus Evangelium praedicatum est, non tantum credere potuisse, id quod non potuissent, si praedicatio non esset facta (ergo fides er praedicatione), sed etiam credere debuissse, id quod opus non fuisset, si praedicatio non esset facta per legatos legitime missos. Quare alterum quoque membrum (praedieatio autem per mandatum Christi) rite ex Isaiae effato deducitur, neque opus est, ut cum nonnullis dicamus, Apostolum illud ex v. 15 collegisse. Propheticis testimoniis (15. 16) satis clare quidem insinuatum iam est, Deum Iudaeis non defuisse sed praecones Evangelii eis misisse, ut in Christum credere eumque salutariter invocare possent, sua ipsorum ergo culpa eos a regni messiani benedictionibus esse exclusos. Clarius autem in sequentibus omnes eorum excusationes Apostolus pr&eoccupat primo in loco monens annuntiationem Evangelii eis revera factam esse, ita ut illud audire potuerint :
10:18
18. sed dico : Numquid non audierunt? Et quidem (melius : immo vero ysvzov qs) in omnem terram. exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum. Dubitationem, num Evangelium 'ad eos sit perlatum (numquid non audierunt?), quam sibi ipse obiicit (sed dico), magna cum vi repellit (de significatione particulae, u:voov ys: cfr ad 9,20) universalem eius propagationem iisdem verbis asserens, quibus olim Psalmista coelos maiestatem Dei creatoris omni mundo annuntiare dixit (Ps. 18 [19], 5$). Argumentum autem eius est a fortiore, uti recte Chrys. monet : « Quid dicis : non audierunt? Orbis et fines terrae audierunt, et vos, ex quorum medio praecones prodierunt et inter quos tanto tempore commorati sunt, non audistis? Quomodo id fieri potuit? Quodsi termini terrae audierunt, multo magis vos ». Evangelium usque ad terminos orbis terrarum propagatum esse asserens significat, illad tam longe lateque iam ultra Palaestinae fines praedicari inter gentes, ut ludaeorum excusatio, quod illud non audierint, pro absurda non haberi non possit. Sicuti diximus, verba quibus utitur ex Ps. 18,5 desumsit (iuxta textum alexandrinum, qui sensu cum primigenio consonat), in cuius carminis prima parte (v. 1-7) sacer poeta magnifice describit, quomodo coeli factoris sui omnipotentiam per totum orbem annuntient, in secunda (8-192) autem Legis laudibus enumeratis Deum legislatorem celebrat, ac demum in tertia (13-16) omnium delictorum veniam rogat, ut Deum creatorem ac legislatorem digne laudare possit. Quo ex carminis argumento clare apparet, verba ab Apostolo usurpata, quae in prima parte leguntur, literali sensu de Evangelii annuntiatione non esse intelligenda. Nullo autem pacto duplicem primae partis sensum literalem cum 7^. aliisque admittere licet'; neque sufficiens adest ratio, cur cum aliis antiquioribus iunioribusque Davidem typico vel potius uti aiunt « mystico et prophetico » sensu, quem maxime S. Spiritus intendisset, coelorum nomine praecones Evangelii significasse concedamus. S. Paulus ne verbulo quidem indicat, se Scripturae testimonium allegare , neque quidquam obstat, quominus cum cunctis fere modernis statuamus, eum simili modo, quo supra (v. 6 sqq.) verba Moysis, hic verba Davidis ad suum argumentum accommodasse ac psalmistae verbis sua ipsius cogitata expressisse. Haud dissimili deinde argumentationis genere, sed disertis Moysis et Isaiae testimoniis nixus alteram dubitationem reiicit, num forte Iudaei Evangelium, quod audiverunt, non intellexerint. Gentes illud intellexerunt, ergo ludaei a fortiore illud intelligere potuerunt atque immerito intelligentiae defectum velut infidelitatis suae excusationem praetendunt :
10:19
19. sed dico : Numquid. [srael non cognovit? Primus Moyses dicit : Ego ad aemulationem vos adducam (zxpxzr1o5so op3;) in non gentem (melius : i» non gente s. per non gentem éz' cx £vst); in gentem insipientem (iz! ifi x22ví-o in gente insipiente s. per gentem insipientem) zi» tram vos mittam (zxpzgrquo o9àz) ;
10:20
20. [satas autem audet et dicit : Inventus sum ia? non quaerentibus me, palam apparui üs qui me non interrogabant. Quoniam verbi cognocit (ivo) obiectum non est expressum, in eo supplendo totoque hoc loco explicando interpretes inde iam a Patrum aetate duas potissimum vias inierunt; alii enim idem atque in interrogatione praecedente (numquid non audierunt, sc. Evangelium?) ita supplent, ut iaterrogetur, num [Iudaei evangelicam praedicationem non tantum audierint sed eius virtutem quoque ac veritatem Zntellexerint, indirecte autem respondeatur illos id non intelligere non potuisse, quod ipsas gentes intellecturas esse Scripturae testentur (ita, etsi non in omnibus inter se consentientes, CArys. Theod. Theoph. Oec. Euth.; Abael. Herv. Lomb. Thom. Lyr. etc., Cai. Gagn. Est. Nat. etc., Reith. Bisp. LR. Sch. etc. — PAil. Weiss Goeb. etc.). Alii vero ex praecedente responso obiectum desumere malunt, ut interrogetur, num Israel nesciverit praedicationem evangelicam fore universalem atque gentes quoque vocatum iri!, directe autem testimoniis scripturisticis ostendatur, Israelem futuram gentium vocationem ignorare non potuisse (ita, etiam in sat multis inter se dissentientes, Mopsu. Pel. Prim. Sedul. etc., Tol. Salm. Iust. Lap. Picon. etc., Mai Beel. MEv. Weinh. Dr. Ag. etc. — Fritzsche de W. God. etc.). At prior explicatio non tantum velut simpliciorem (sine cogente enim ratione, quae hic deest, ad duas interrogationes arcte connexas diversum obiectum supplere non licet), sed etiam velut contextui conformiorem (vocatio enim gentium supra 9,9& sqq. disertis testimoniis scripturisticis iam probata est atque hic, ubi de Iudaeorum infidelitate eiusque causa agitur, parum apte iterum probaretur) sese commendat, quare eam omnino praeferimus. Itaque ludaeorum ethnicorumque quasi comparationem quandam instituens Paulus iam antiquitus praedictum esse monet, ethnicos salutis messianae, quae non nisi fide evangelica obtinetur, fore participes, eos igitur, licet multo minus quam Iudaei ad Evangelium recipiendum praeparati aptique sint, intelligendae praedicationis apostolicae esse capaces. Unde sua sponte consequitur a. fortiore Iudaeos obscuritatem Evangelii velut infidelitatis suae excusationem non posse proferre. Testem autem uti tempore ita dignitate et auctoritate primum citat ipsum legislatorem Moysen, in cuius carmine (Deut. 32,21) Deus filiis Israel, qui ipsum « in eo qui non est Deus » (in non Deo, i.e. per idoli cultum iz' sj O:ó ^w-N^z) ad aemulationem iramque provocaverant, comminatur, se illos « per eum qui non est populus » (in non populo iz':zj i0vs G77852) ad aemulationem et « per gentem stullam » (iz' iss. àzowizo ^2: "ii2) ad iram provocaturum esse (zaextnkoso, zxgspywo). Comminatio /quae iuxta alexandrinam versionem ita allegatur, ut pronomini tertiae personae a5:23; bis pronomen secundae iyz; substituatur ac Deus filios Israel directe alloquens introducatur) iuxta carminis contextum proxime quidem significat, Deum populo israelitico ob eius idololatriam antepositurum esse gentes finitimas in easque tot beneficia (temporalia) esse collaturum, ut Israel eis invideat. Attamen latius simul patet et iuxta Pauli interpretationem completum suum effectum non habuit, nisi quando Deus Israeli, qui Messiam suum occiderat eiusque Evangelium repellebat, gentes in messianica quoque salute conferenda praetulit; eis enim statim ad Evangelium vocatis Israelem ad invidiam vel potius ad aemulationem provocavit!. Iuxta divinam quippe voluntatem aemulatio haec vel invidia Israelem impellere debuit, ut felicitatem, quam gentes fide sua obtinuisse videbat, ipse quoque evangelica fide sibi acquireret (cfr ad 11, 11. 31 sq.); gentium nimirum matura vocatio Israelitis poena erat ac simul remedium salutare. Ceterum in his verbis consuetam habemus allegoriam, qua foedus inter Deum ac populum electum matrimonio assimilatur; sponsa (natio israelitica), Messia suo reiecto, novum sibi quaesivit sponsum, in cuius adulterii poenam Deus gentibus salutem Israeli promissam conferens alteram sibi eligit sponsam. Vis autem argumenti in eo est, quod gentes, quae evangelicam praedicationem intellecturae esse (indirecte) praedicuntur, a Deo vocantur non populus, i. e. vilis hominum turba, quae populi nomine non sit digna (cfr Chrys.), et gens stulta quae, divinae veritatis intelligendae plane incapax esse videatur (cfr ad 1,21); « quid enim, inquit TAcoph. cum Chrys., gentilibus stultius et DDRPICDUINS, qui ligna lapidesque quasi hiante ore venerantur? » Alterum deinde testem citat Isaiam , quem ob testimonii sui claritatem audere et dicere, i. e. omni timore respectuque humano posthabito rem nude et clare proferre declarat (az2:c^pà xi ^fysc d. q. àzs:o^pv AÉyec audacter dicit), sicut eum antea (9,27) ob valicinii sui gravitatem clamare declaravit (cfr CArys.). Ac profecto divina verba, quae Apostolus, aeque ac praecedens effatum divinum Moysi, Isaiae dicenti attribuit, quia ab eo (Is. 65,1) sunt relata, inanitatem excusationis iudaicae, de qua agitur, aperte ostendunt. Namque si Deus de messiano tempore et de ethnicis loquens sese (a6) iis, qui ipsum non quaerebant , i. e. qui tenebris idololatriae obscuratum habentes intellectum propter caecitatem cordis sui (cfr Eph. &,18) ipsum neque cognoscere neque veneratione propitium sibi reddere studebant, per fidem ex apostolica praedicatione haustam inventum esse , iisque qui ipsum non interrogabant, i. e. ipsius revelationem neque curabant neque expetebant, per eandem praedicationem palam apparuisse seu manifestum factum esse (&pavíg &ysv^pxv) asserit, dubium sane esse nequit, quin Israel, qui de sua veri Dei cognitione ac veneratione et de suo divinae Legis revelationisque studio gloriabatur, Deum igitur quaerebat et interrogabat , Evangelium sibi annuntiatum intelligere potuerit ac debuerit. Iure merito ergo Paulus, excusationibus ludaeorum discussis et refutatis, eos sibi ipsis exclusionem suam a salute messiana, quae ethnicis contigit, debere asserit. Divinum enim effatum continuans (/s. 65,9) veram infidelitatis eorum causam docet esse continuam eorum inobedientiam et contumaciam :
10:21
21. ad Israel autem (x2: 3i «»v 'Iopas) dicit : Tota die expandi manus meas ad populum non credentem et contradicentem (rectius : ad populum inobedientem et adversantem seu contumacem zo; Aabw amsiüoUvta xal àvtüMÉvsvza; textus hebr. unum dumtaxat exhibet epitheton : *3ib ny-ox ad. populum rebellem, quod S. Hier. minus accurate vertit : ad populum incredulum). Moderni plurimi praepositionem 5; priore in loco interpretari malunt re/ate ad seu de (cfr Hebr. 1,7; Luc. 20,19 etc.), quia Deus populum directe non alloquatur (de Israe/ autem dicit); Vulgatae tamen versio retineri potest, quia quaecumque Lex loquitur iis qui in Lege sunt loquitur (3,19). Locutione tota die expandi manus meas Deus significat magnum suum amorem, quo continuo et sine cessatione populum, quem sibi in peculium elegit, prosecutus est, ut eum ad se revocaret eumque arctius sibi coniungeret. Verum fantum abfuit, ut populus invitationem sequeretur, ut continuis suis Legis divinae transgressionibus contra Deum rebellaret. Sicut autem per totam suam historiam contumacem sese exhibuit, ita inobedientiam suam maxime manifestavit , quando Messiam suum reiecit Evangeliumque sibi oblatum respuit. Sua ipsius igitur culpa Israel offendit in lapidem offensionis (9,32) atque eius ignorantia iustitiae Dei (v. 3) excusationem non habet, quia ex perversa eius voluntate oritur. $ 9. — Praesens. Israelis ezclusio a. promissionibus , sapientissimo consilio a Deo statuta, finem habebit. (11,1-36). In superioribus duabus paragraphis Apostolus obiectionem , quae ex Israelis exclusione a salute messiana gentiumque ad eam admissione contra suam doctrinam scaturire videbatur (cfr supra p. 467 etc.) sufficienter iam solvit refutavitque. Etenim una ex parte divinam in gratiis distribuendis libertatem promissionibus olim Israeli datis neque sublatam neque coarctatam esse demonstrans Deum, qui gentibus ad salutem vocatis maiorem Iudaeorum numerum ab ea iuxta prophetarum vaticinia exclusit, ab omnis iniustitiae criminatione liberavit. Altera autem ex parte Israelem, qui Evangelium sibi annuntiatum, cui gentes sese subiecerunt, culpabili ignorantia respuit, inobedientiae contumaciaeque convicit; accusationem ergo, quam increduli Iudaei in Deum confingere conabantur, in ipsos quasi retorsit. In nuda tamen hac obiectionis solutione ac retorsione Paulus consistere noluit, ne fratrum suorum secundum carnem, pro quibus vel anathema a Christo esse voluisset (9,3), animos in iram concitaret longiusque ab Evangelio recipiendo averteret. Ulterius ergo progrediens, ut eos sibi vel potius Deo Evangelioque conciliet, consolationis gratia quis huius exclusionis sit ambitus et quae illius duratio accuratius ita docet, ut simul quid Deus in ea statuenda intenderit exponat. Praeprimis enim eam non ad totum populum sed ad eius dumtaxat partem contumacem sese extendere demonstrat (11,1-10). Deinde ne ipsis quidem illis ludaeis, qui in lapidem otfensionis offenderunt, omnem salutis spem ablatam esse ostendit divino patefacto consilio, quo Deus eorum lapsum permisit (11,11-24). Quin etiam post gentium con versionem universum Israelem, infidelitate sua deposita, messianae salutis participem fore annuntiat (11,25-32). Unde totum tractatum dogmaticum lLerminare potest laude misericordiae ac sapientiae Dei , cuius consilia humano intellectui sunt impervia (11,33-306). Ne igitur contribulium suorum animos penitus frangat, S. Paulus primo in loco ea, quae de eorum exclusione a salute eis promissa disseruerat, quodammodo temperat accuratiusque definit. Antea enim Iudaeos sua ipsorum culpa iustitiam non invenisse sed in lapidem offensionis offendisse demonstrans de Israe/e, nulla exceptione vel limitatione indicata, locutus erat, ac si universum populum designare voluisset (9,31; 10,19. 21), atque similiter Moyses et Isaias in vaticiniis modo allatis (10,19-21) gentes salutem consecuturas Israeli, quasi universus esset contumax , opponere ac praeferre videbantur. lam vero erroneam conclusionem, quae ex his loquendi modis, si urgebantur, haud inepte derivari potuit, tamquam transitum (pro more suo cfr 6,1. 15; 7,7) ad novam pericopen adhibet, qua exclusionis ambitui limites suos assignat. Sibi enim consectarium illud per interrogationis modum obiiciens (v. 17) Israelis exclusionem universalem non esse quum suo ipsius (v. 1") tum aliorum contribulium suorum exemplo probat, qui simili ratione, qua olim Eliae tempore, populo fere toto ad idololatriam deficiente, septem millia virorum a Deo velut fideles sui cultores conservati sint (2-4), nune quoque divina gratia, non vero suis operibus, ad fidem pervenerint (5. 6). Unde concludit, Israelem utique, si universa natio spectatur, iustitiam quam quaerebat non esse consecutum, electam tamen eius partem ad eam pervenisse, reliquos vero in perversa sua via iusto Dei iudicio esse occaecatos et obduratos (v. 7), quemadmodum per Moysen (v. 8) et per Davidem (9. 10) iam crat praedictum.
10:1
Nouvelle assurance de l'intérêt que Paul prend au salut des Juifs. Le ton est plus adouci que 1x, 1-3. Malgré tout, l'incrédulité des Juifs a creusé un fossé entre eux et l’Apôtre. Il dit aux chrétiens « mes frères » et il parle des Juifs comme d'étrangers, à la troisième personne. — ebdoxia n’a pas été trouvé dans la £oënè en dehors du judaïsme. Ce mot signifie ordinairement « bon plaisir » (hébr. {34}, comme εὐδόκησις (Mg. voluntas). Mais Paul n’approuve évidemment pas l'attitude des Juifs. D'autre part ce serait trop s'éloigner du sens que de traduire par « désir, souhait ». Ce doit être « le penchant », « l'inclination »; cf. Phil. τ, 45; Eph. 1, 5. — ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν est lié très étroitement à δέησις, tandis que εἰς σωτηρίαν est prédicat par rapport à εὐδοχία et à δέησις, sous-ent. ἐστί, — μέν n’est pas suivi de δέ. En pareil cas, ou bien l'opposition est dans les choses sans être exprimée par δέ, et alors ici μέν signifierait que Paul, de son côté, fait ce qu'il peut pour la conversion des Juifs, tandis qu'eux ne s’y prêtent pas, v. 8 (Corn., Lips., SH., Zahn); ou bien le μέν est vraiment isolé dans son sens primitif adverbial de confirmation, ici « certes! » (Jül., Kühl), comme ἐγὼ μὲν cdy ὁρῶ (DÉM. III, 8, cité par KünnertT-GErTH, Syntaxe, ὃ 530, 2), ce qui est plus naturel. Dans la Vg. ft pourrait être omis {avec quelques mss. de l'ancienne latine); il est en tout cas mal placé, séparant pro illis d'obsecratio.
10:3
Le ζῆλος τοῦ θεοῦ, le zèle pour la cause de Dieu (gen. objecti}, était le grand ressort religieux des Juifs, surtout depuis la persécution d’Antiochus Épiphane et sous l'impulsion des Pharisiens. Paul connaissait bien ce zèle dont il avait été dévoré (Gal. 1, 14), et qui était presque un trait d'union entre lui et les Juifs : ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τοῦ θεοῦ χαθὼς πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐστε σήμερον (Act. xx1r, 8). Maïs le zèle est parfois aveugle; un partisan fanatique dépasse 4 les intentions de son maître qu'il ne se soucie pas d'approfondir. Les Pha= risiens condamnaient ces excès chez les Zélotes. Paul leur dit à eux-mêmes (et il semble que les reproches commencent ici) que leur zèle n'est pas χατ᾽ ἐπίγνωσιν. Certes ils se préoccupaient de connaître à fond la loi de Dieu; mais étaient-ils aussi soucieux de pénétrer ses desseins? ἐπίγνωσις est une connaissance plus profonde que γνῶσις, surtout des choses divines; Eph. 1, 47; 1, 13, Col. 1, 9. 10; n, 2 ete.; Justin, Dial. in, 5 : érisriun tis éarwv ἢ παρέχουσα αὐτῶν τῶν ἀνθοωπίνων nat τῶν ἠείων γνῶσιν, ἔπειτα τῆς τούτων θειότητος χαὶ δικαιοσύνης ἐπίγνωσιν 8) ἀγνοοῦντες n'est pas une simple ignorance {contre Lips., Weiss, Corn., SIL., Jül.), puisque Paul reprochera aux Juifs (v. 19) d’avoir connu. Ils ont donc méconnu (Zahn, Lietz., Καὶ). Ce qu'est la justice de Dieu, Paul l'a dit plus haut (1, 17; it, 21-30); c’est une justice conférée par grâce à des pécheurs en vue de Jésus-Christ. Pour y recourir, il fallait se reconnaître pécheurs; autant dire s’assimiler à des gentils. Or les Juifs avaient fort à cœur d'établir leur propre justice, persuadés que c'était le meilleur moyen de défendre l'honneur de Dieu (Le Messianisme... 145). Paul ne fait d'ailleurs allusion qu'aux meilleurs d'entre les Juifs, à ceux qui voulaient (vainement, ζητοῦντες) réaliser la justice, mais une justice qui füt le résultat de leurs propres efforts. Dans celte situation d'esprit, il est aisé de comprendre qu'ils ne se soient pas soumis (ὑπετάγησαν au moyen) à la justice de Dieu qu'ils ne pouvaient recevoir sans confesser leur impuissance. De la fin du verset, Tobae, Kühl etc. ont conclu que la justice de Dieu était un attribut divin, c'est à Dieu qu'on se soumet. Mais l'opposition entre la justice propre, qui était certainement, dans la pensée des Juifs, une qualité inhérente à leur personne, d'une part, et, d'autre part, la justice de Dieu, indique que cette dernière est aussi du même ordre, inhérente à l’homme, mais conférée par Dieu. Avant d’être conférée elle était offerte, et c'est dans cet état que les Juifs ne s’y sont pas soumis, en tant qu’elle constituait comme une nouvelle économie du salut. La comparaison avec Phil. nr, 9 est décisive; cf. τ, 17.
10:4
τέλος peut signifier le but, mais le sens ordinaire est « terme, fin ». On peut dire que le Christ est le but de la Loi mosaïque en ce sens qu’elle conduisait au Christ, ou qu'il en est la perfection et l'accomplissement. Mais ce que Paul dit ici, c'est (comme mr, 21; Gal. nr, 25) que la justice de Dieu étant donnée dans le Christ, la Loi n'a plus de raison d'être; τέλος signifie donc terme (ZLips., Lieis., Jül., Kühl etc.), et, comme il n'a pas d'article, il est attribut. Dire avec Corn. et Toussaint que τέλος signifie à la fois ici but et terme, c’est oublier qu'autre chose est la conciliation possible des deux idées et leur expression par le même mot, autre chose le sens d'un mot dans un contexte donné. Car Paul ne reproche pas ici aux Juifs de n'avoir pas compris que la Loi était la figure du Christ (contre Corn.). — νόμου, quoique sans article, ne désigne pas la loi en général (Weiss, SH., Zahn), mais la Loi mosaïque (Lips., Corn., Lietz., Kühl, Jül.), comme dans 1x, 31, et encore plus clairement, car ici il s’agit des Juifs cherchant leur justice propre, évidemment par l’accomplissement de la Loi de Moïse. C'est cette Loi qui est périmée par le nouveau régime, exprimé très brièvement par la fin du verset : de façon que tous ceux qui croient, obtiennent la justice, et par la foi, non par les œuvres de la Loi. Le v. & termine donc très bien x, 1-3, comme le v. 23 termine 1x, 30-32; mais en même temps il sert de transition à ce qui suit.
10:5
Le texte (Lev. xvin, 5) auquel Paul fait allusion, ici et Gal. πὶ, 42, après un ordre d'observer les commandements, porte : ἃ ποιήσας ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς. Le texte authentique de Paul est celui qui s’écarte le plus du Τόν. οἱ de Gal., car on sait que les copistes harmonisent plutôt qu'ils ne différencient. C'est donc γράφει ὅτι τὴν δικαιοσύνην τὴν ἐχ τοῦ (Soden; om. Nestle) νόμου ὁ ποιήσας ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ, et non pas γράφει τ. à. τ. €. τ. v., ὅτι ὁ π. αὐτὰ ἄνθρωπος €. e. αὐτοῖς. Paul, pour opposer justice à justice, ἃ mis en avant τὴν διχαιοσύνην comme régime de ποιήσας, Quant au sens du Lév., la vie n'est pas la vie future (contre Corn.), dont le Pentateuque ne parle pas, ni seulement la vie temporelle; c’est la vie en amitié avec Iahvé. Tant qu'on garde les commandements, on conserve cette vie. Paul ne songe pas à annuler toute idée de lois morales, mais il insinue que selon cette économie il fallait donc se faire sa justice (Chrys. ἀπὸ τοῦ πληρωθῆναι τὰς ἐντολάς), ce qui ne devait pas être aisé. Bien plus, il a montré plus haut que la Loi ne donnait pour cela aucun secours (ch. vu), de sorte que si l’on isole cette justice de la grâce, ce qui va de soi quand on la distingue de la justice de la foi, c’est un leurre, c'est une prétendue justice propre à laquelle on ne peut arriver. Comment hésiter, quand le choix s'impose entre une justice d'œuvres et une justice saisie par la foi? Dans la Ve., au lieu de scripsit, lire scribit, d'après le grec. L'ordre des mots est bien celui du texte critique.
10:6
Ce n'est plus Moïse qui parle, ni l'Écriture. Paul donne la parole à la justice de la foi; ces prosopopées ne furent pas rares dans la prédication stoïcienne qui faisait parler un vice ou une vertu (cf. Jusrix, 47 Apot. x11, 7 d'après PLaTon, Clitophron, 407 a ou République, 617 αἰ). Le discours de la justice (de Ja foi) est comme divisé en deux parties par ἀλλὰ τί λέγει; elle dit d’abord ce qui n'est pas nécessaire, οἱ ensuite ce qui se présente en fait; une partie est négative, l'autre positive (au v. 8) et c'est précisément la seconde partie qui explique la première. La justice s'adresse à l'homme et lui représente d'abord qu'il n’a rien de difficile à accomplir: on ne Jui demande, ni de monter au ciel, ni de descendre dans l'abîme. Si ces mots étaient seuls, on pourrait y voir l'expression d’une chose impossible à l'homme. Isaïe avait dit à Achaz (15. vn, 11) : « Demande un signe... du fond du séjour des morts ou des hauteurs du ciel », or, pour un mortel, c'était comme pour nous « prendre la lune avec les dents »; « si quelqu'un disait à une femme : tu seras ma fiancée si tu montes au ciel ou si tu descends dans l’abîme, c'est une condition nulle » (Jalm. bab., Baba mesia, f. 9%, cité par Zietz.). Mais il ne s’agit point ici de ce sens vague. Paul explique que si l'on songeait à monter au ciel, ce serait pour en faire descendre le Christ, et si l'on descendait dans l’abime, ce serait avec la pensée de le ramener d'entre les morts. Dans les deux cas, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν n'empêche pas la liaison de τίς ἀναθήσεται εἷς τὸν οὐρανόν avec Χριστὸν καταγαγεῖν, ni de τίς χαταδήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄθυσσον avec Χριστὸν ἐκ νεχρῶν ἀναγαγεῖν, car τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν sert simplement à expliquer une parole tout à fait énigmatique, isolée comme elle est : un peu comme nous dirions : « Je veux dire ». Cet emploi de τοῦτό ἐστιν est bien connu d'Épictète (I, 1, 25 etc.). Il n'indique donc pas l'exégèse d'une parole scripturaire, d'autant que dans le second cas il n'y a vraiment pas reproduction d'une parole de l'Écriture, ou, s’il y a explication, elle résulte des faits. La justice de la foi montre ainsi clairement qu'on n'a aucune peine à se donner. Mais la preuve qu’elle en fournit n'est pas choisie au hasard. Si on n'a pas à faire descendre le Christ du ciel, ni à le ramener d'entre les morts, cest que cela est déjà fait : le Christ est devenu homme selon la chair, et il est ressuscité des morts. C’est l'œuvre de Dieu, que l'homme n'eût pu faire, mais enfin elle est accomplie. On notera ici l’allusion au passage du Christ aux enfers. Aux vv. 6 et 7 WW. lisent ascendit et descendit; maïs il y a lieu, malgré la tradition des mss. dits hiéronymiens et autres, de conserver le texte de la Vg.-Clém. ascendet, descendet, conforme au grec.
10:8
C'est toujours la justice de la foi qui parle; la leçon latine erronée Scriptura a pu induire en erreur plus d'un commentateur latin. Ce qu'elle dit nest pas en opposition avec ce qui précède, c'est le complément positif de la pensée. Il ne faut pas chercher le salut très loin, mais (ἀλλά) tout près. Il consiste dans une parole qu'il faut accepter par la foi. En eflet Paul explique ce ῥῆμα par un troisième τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν comme le ῥῆμα τῆς πίστεως, non pas la parole de la foi objective annoncée, maïs la parole que nous prêchons pour faire naître la foi. En elfet πίστις dans tout le contexte est la foi qui sert à obtenir la justice; πίστεως n'est donc pas un gen. obiecti, mais une sorte de génitif de possession, comme le νόμος πίστεως opposé au νόμος τῶν ἔργων, ur, 27. À quelles conditions cette parole suffit au salut, c'est ce qui sera expliqué au v. 9. Dans la Vg.-Clém. omettre Scriptura [WW.), avec les meilleurs mss. latins et grecs. Il faudrait ajouter te à Vg. après prope pour la conformer au grec. Il faut maintenant se demander quel rapport il y a dans la pensée de Paul, entre cette doctrine très claire, et le texte du Dt. auquel il fait allusion. On Jit dans Dt. xxx, 1: Ὅτι ἣ ἐντολὴ αὕτη nv ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον οὐχ ὑπέρογκός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ, 2 οὐκ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω ἐστίν, λέγων (66 qui t'amènerait à dire): Τίς ἀναδήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν xai λήμψεται αὐτὴν ἡμῖν, χαὶ ἀχούσαντες αὐτὸ ποιήσομεν; 13 οὐδὲ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης ἐστίν, λέγων᾽ τίς διαπεράσει ἥμῖν εἷς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης... nai ποιήσομεν; 1 ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσίν σου αὐτὸ ποιεῖν, L'idée est très simple. Le commandement que Dieu donne aux Israélites à accomplir leur est notifié avec une parfaite évidence. Ils n'ont pas à monter au ciel ni à franchir la mer pour s'en informer; il est tout près d’eux, près de la bouche, près du cœur, sous la main. De ce texte, Paul ἃ d'abord enlevé toute allusion à un commandement, et toute allusion à des œuvres; le mot faire revient souvent dans le texte de Moïse de façon à caractériser le commandement; il est exclu du texte de Paul comme les mains (Dt. v. 14) qui indiquaient aussi une œuvre. De plus, si l'idée de monter au ciel et d'en descendre convenait à l'incarnation, celle de passer la mer n'offraïit aucun rapprochement avec la résurrection. Elle est donc remplacée par une descente dans l'abîime. Il est vrai que ἄδυσσος ne rend jamais chéol (inw), le séjour des morts, mais dans Ps. Lxx (Lxx1), 20 on lit ἐχ τῶν ἀδύσσων τῆς γῆς πάλιν ἀνήγαγέ ue (quoi qu'il en soit du texte primitif, car Din est corrigé par Duhm). D'après ces faits, deux choses sont certaines : Paul a pensé au texte de Moïse; il s'est servi de quelques-uns de ses termes pour exprimer une idée toute différente. A-t-il cru sérieusement faire de l’exégèse, révéler le sens profond ou typique du texte biblique, se servir par conséquent de l'autorité de Moïse pour glorifier la justice de la foi au moyen de termes dont le sens littéral était l'éloge du précepte et des œuvres (Lips., Kühl, Jül.)? ou bien a-t-il accommodé des termes bibliques à la situation nouvelle, marquant entre les deux Testaments cette analogie « qu’on peut obtenir la jus= tice de la foi, prêchée par les Apôtres, avec la même facilité que la Loi pro= mulguée par Moïse a pu être connue » (Corn.}? Ou est-ce très consciemment que Paul a pris l'antithèse de l'A. T. (Zietz. le suggère, et Toussaint groupe ce motif avec d'autres : « Mais lApôtre se plaît souvent à retourner contre ses adversaires leurs propres arguments »)? Il faut d’abord rejeter sans hésiter la troisième opinion. Paul n'a pas songé à contredire Moïse, pour la raison decisive qu'il respectait son autorité comme l'autorité de l’Écriture, qui avait l’autorité de Dieu. Loin de regarder l'Ancien Testament comme représentant la justice par les œuvres, il a eu soin de montrer qu'i connaissait la justice par la foi (ch. 1v). Cette raison suggère en mème temps que le système de Cornely ne donne pas toute satisfaction à la pensée de l’Apôtre. Il est certainement très séduisant, et peut s'appuyer sur l'usage des anciens. On eomprendrait très bien que, sans vouloir argumenter, Paul ait pris duns sa mémoire des termes qui pouvaient se plier à sa penste et l'exprimer fortement. Moïse avait parlé d'une parole de Dieu, mise à la disposition de tous, et les termes dont il s'était servi pour exclure toute autre recherche suggéraient l'origine mystérieuse du Christ. Le Baruch canonique les avait entendus de la sagesse, sans qu'on songe à lui attribuer une argumentation littérale ou typique : Bar. nr, % τίς ἀνέξη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν za ἔλαβεν αὐτήν (la Sagesse), καὶ κατεδίδασεν αὐτὴν ἐχ τῶν νεφέλων : 39 τίς διέδθη πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ εὔρεν αὐτήν ... Or Paul s'écarte encore davantage du texte du Dt. -- Philon en ἃ fait un usage tout à fait semblable; il s’est servi du texte de Moïse pour confirmer que la vertu ἃ ses racines en nous-mêmes, qu'il n'est pas nécessaire de la chercher bien loin, mais qu'il faut plutôt cultiver ces précieux germes : Καίτοι τίς ἢ μακρᾶς δδοιπορίας ἢ τοῦ θχλαττεύειν ἐστὶ γρείχ πρὸς ἔρευναν «χαὶ ζήτησιν ἀρετῆς, 7 τὰς ῥίζας ὁ ποιῶν, οὐ μαχρὰν ἀλλ᾽ οὑτωσὶ πλησίον ἐφάλλετο: χαθάπερ al ὁ σύφος τῶν Ιουδαίων νομοθέτης φησίν ἐν τῷ στόματί σου, χαὶ ἐν τῇ καρδία σου χαὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσί oov αἰνιττόμενος διὰ συμδόλων λόγους, πράξεις, βουλάς, ἃ δὲ πάντα γεωργικῆς τέχνης δεῖται (Quod omnis probus liber, éd. Mang. IT, 455 s.). C'est la même manière de transporter la notion d'usage facile d'une bonne chose en changeant un peu la nature de cette chose, sans pour cela contredire la première proposition, et sans prétendre que la seconde proposition soit contenue dans la première comme dans sa figure. En effet Philon ne fait intervenir le symbole que pour expliquer la bouche, le cœur, les mains, des discours, des résolutions et des actions. Le cas de Philon met celui de Paul dans la lumière des usages du temps: il a évité comme Philon de comparer les situations il s'est simplement servi de termes qui lui sont venus à la mémoire et qui s’appliquaient encore mieux à une situation nouvelle. Ces raisons sont assez fortes pour que je reconnaisse une sérieuse probabilité au système de Cornely, qu'on nommera si l'on veut le système du sens accommodatice, ce terme étant très vague. Mais je ne puis reconnaitre la valeur du principal argument de Cornely. D'après lui, l’Apôtre ne citant pas ici l’Écriture expressément, il n'argumente donc ni du sens littéral, ni du sens typique, d'autant que parfois il n'argumente pas, même lorsqu'il cite FÉcriture. L'argument n'est pas décisif, parce que les Rabbins ne se croyaient nullement tenus de rappeler à ceux qui l'ignoraient qu'ils se servaient de termes scripturaires. Paul a certainement eu conscience de se servir de l'Écriture : n'était-ce pas à cause de son autorité spéciale? D'autant qu'après le chap. τν il ne pouvait concéder que Moïse était, purement et simplement, l'organe de la justice des œuvres. 1] avait marqué très nettement la nécessité des œuvres. Il le fallait, il était le Législateur. Mais ce qui méritait d'être relevé, c'est que son texte luimême rendait témoignage à la justice de la foi (μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου, im, 21). La justice de la foi pouvait se définir elle-même en se servant des termes de Moïse, expliqués, il est vrai, par la lumière provenant des faits nouveaux. Ce n'est point là, évidemment, une argumentation en forme, mais c'est une suggestion résultant du caractère typique de l'Ecriture. Je crois donc que la première opinion rend mieux compte que la seconde de la pensée de Paul.
10:9
L'ordre naturel est de croire, et ensuite de manifester sa croyance; Paul y reviendra au v. 40; mais ici il suit l’ordre des termes mosaïques qu'il a empruntés ; c'est la raison donnée par tous. De plus il voulait répondre aux deux questions des vv. 6 et 7, dans l’ordre du temps, où l’Incarnation précède la Résurrection. Or la foi en l'Incarnation consistant à croire que Jésus est Seigneur (χύριον prédicat), cette formule appelait l’idée d'une confession extérieure, car c'est par le culte public que s’est établi pour Jésus le titre de Seigneur (cf. avec les réserves nécessaires, Bousser, {yrios Christos, 1913). Il n'est pas question d’une confession de la foi devant des persécuteurs, mais de l'adhésion formulée au christianisme. Le deuxième article est la résurrection du Christ. Moyennant cela le salut est assuré. WW. lisent excitavit au lieu de suscitaeit, sans avantage pour le sens.
10:10
Paul revient ici à l’ordre naturel. La foi est, comme toujours, une démarche qui conduit à la justice, qui obtient la justice, car elle procède du cœur, c'est-à-dire que la foi intellectuelle en Jésus est aussi une disposition de tout l'homme intérieur; εἰς δικαιοσύνην (et non pas εἰς δικαίωσιν) indique qu'on atteint réellement la justice, et non une déclaration de justice, de même que le salut sera possédé réellement. Cette σωτηρία n’est pas identique à la justification et revêt une nuance eschatologique; c’est le dernier terme entrevu lors de la confession de foi; mais ce n’est pas une raison pour supposer que ὁμολογεῖται exprime la persévérance dans la vie chrétienne. Cette condition est évidemment requise, mais elle n’est pas exprimée ici (contre Corn.), non plus que les autres points détaillés de foi et de morale nécessaires au salut. WW. in salutem au lieu de ad salutem, qui est un peu moins littéral.
10:11
Paul reprend le texte d'Isaïe (xxvinr, 16) qu'il a cité plus haut et entendu du Christ, pierre de scandale pour les Juifs; il y ajoute πᾶς, — addition non dissimulée, puisqu'il vient de reproduire le texte sans ce mot, — afin de lui donner une portée plus universelle. Le mot décisif est πιστεύων, le nouveau régime est celui de la foi, ct d'une foi qui confère à tous les mêmes droits au salut.
10:12
En affirmant qu'il n'y a pas de différence entre les Juifs et les Grecs ou les gentils, Paul combat la prétention des Juifs au privilège, quoique moins ouvertement que dans uni, 29. Alors il disait que le même Dieu est le Dieu des gentils aussi bien que des Juifs; maintenant il affirme qu'ils ont le même Seigneur, c’est-à-dire Jésus-Christ; cf. v. 9 (£ips., Corn., SH., Lietz., Jül., Kühl, Zahn, contre d'anciens auteurs cités par Corn. qui entendaient par Seigneur le Dieu créateur). Jésus est χύριος πάντων, comme Act. x, 36; les fidèles l'invoquent (1 Cor. 1, 2), comme les Israélites invoquent Dieu; c’est leur caractéristique, ils sont ci ἐπικαλουμένοι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο (Act. 1x, 14. 21), et lui a des trésors à répandre sur eux; cf. Eph. πι, 8 τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ Χρι-
10:13
Aussi Paul n’hésite-t-il pas à appliquer au culte du Christ ce que Joël avait dit du culte de Iahvé (Joël in, 5), en grec Κύριος sans article, qui devient le nom du Christ. Rien de plus fort pour prouver la divinité de Jésus, l’existence d’un culte nouveau, l'obligation des Juifs de se joindre aux gentils dans l'union d'une même foi et d’un même culte rendu au Seigneur. Si ce Seigneur n'était clairement celui de l'A. T., on pourrait même parler d’une religion absolument nouvelle. Mais c'est bien toujours le Seigneur, que Joël avait dit qu'on invoquerait dans les derniers jours, le Christ descendu du ciel, issu d'Israël selon la chair, et Θεὸς εὐλογητός (1x, 5).
10:15
Suit une citation d'Isaïe Lu, 7, plutôt d'après l'hébreu que d’après les LXX, simple renvoi écourté à un passage bien connu : « Qu'ils sont beaux sur les montagnes les pieds du messager de bonne nouvelle qui proclame la paix, qui annonce la bonne nouvelle, qui proclame le salut! qui dit à Sion Ton Roi règne. » Paul se contente de la bonne nouvelle, et met le messager. au pluriel, parce qu'il pense aux apôtres. Mais dans quel but cette citation Est-ce seulement pour prouver que le régime des messagers du salut était déjà prévu par l'A. T. (plus ou moins Corn., Zahn, Kühl)? ou est-ce pour aflir: mer dans les termes du prophète Isaïe la rtalisation du fait dont la convez nance vient d'être établie (SH., Chrys.\? La seconde opinion est préférée 4) parce que si Paul a mis le pluriel au lieu du singulier, c'est donc qu'il fai- Γ sait allusion à ce qui s'était accompli, plutôt qu'au simple mode par messages 2) parce que sans cela le fait du message ne serait pas mentionné du tout, puisque le v. 16 parle déjà du refus de l'entendre; 3; parce que ce refus d'obéir à l'évangile, τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, se rattache à εὐαγγελιζομένων. Le texte d'Isaïe avait trait au retour de la captivité, ou plutôt à l'arrivée de Dieu à Jérusalem (Is. xz, 9). Paul applique ce texte à la manifestation du Sauveur de la même façon que le Seigneur de Joël (v. 13) est le Christ. Dans la Vg. evangelisantium pacem est à supprimer; c'est un complément d’après Isaïe qui ne se trouve pas dans les meilleurs mss. grecs.
10:16
L’affirmation de 168 est tout à fait générale, mais, d'après l’ensemble, il s'agit des Juifs. Il en coûte tant à Paul de constater leur situation qu'au lieu de dire : « peu ont cru », il dit par une figure qui adoucit la triste vérité : « tous n'ont pas cru Ce fait déplorable est confirmé par l'autorité d'Isaïe (Lin, 1), cité d'après le grec, qui ἃ bien traduit, mais a ajouté χύριε. Le prophète, d’après Zahn parlerait comme représentant des Juifs qui ont méconnu le Messie et se repentent à la fin des temps. En réalité (Duhm etc.), il prend la parole comme organe d'une révélation inouie; il pressent et annonce d’avance que le peuple méconnaïtra le serviteur souffrant de Iahvé. Paul pouvait donc très bien l'entendre d’une plainte sur l'incrédulité des Juifs relativement à son message. Dans Isaïe, ΠΥ ΠΏ, ἀχοή, peut signifier soit l'audition prophétique perçue par le prophète, soit sa prédication. Paul le prend dans ce second sens. La citation était très bien choisie pour prouver qu'un message envoyé par Dieu n'obtient pas toujours la foi, d'autant que ce message avait pour objet le serviteur de Dieu souffrant, objet de scandale pour les Juifs; cf. Jo. x, 37. Dans la Vg. lire oboedierunt avec WW. au lieu de obcdiunt (Fg.-Clém.), conformément au grec.
10:17
Plusieurs rattachent ce verset à ce qui ἃ été dit plus haut (8-14), le mot ἀ᾽ ἀκοή servant seulement d'occasion pour revenir sur la théorie des rapports entre la foi et la parole (Liets., cf. S/.). Mais c’est surtout sur ἀχοή que Paul insiste, et ἄρα se rapporte au texte d’Isaïe. Isaïe, prophète, avait une mission, il a prêché, on eût dû le croire. On peut done conclure de son texte la confirmation de ee qui a été dit plus haut sur la chaîne des actes qui conduisent à la foi : la foi dépend de la prédication, la prédication de la mission, et, en fait, la mission dont il s’agit vient du Christ. Le mot ῥῆμα ἃ été choïsi probablement à cause de l'allusion du v. 8 à la parole rapprochée. Plusieurs {Corn., Liets., Jül.) l'entendent d'un mandat, d'une commission, d'un ordre donné par le Christ, comme Lc. v, 5. Je crois plutôt que c'est la parole révélée par le Christ (οἵ, v. 14). La parole « au sujet du Christ » serait en dehors du contexte.
10:18
Le début n'est pas une objection, mais bien plutôt Paul prévient l’objection. Diront-ils qu’ils n’ont pas entendu? Allons donc! μενοῦνγε, immo vero, cette fois très sérieusement; cf. sur 1x, 20. La preuve est faite dans des termes empruntés au Ps. xvni (xix), 5, d'après le grec qui rend bien l'hébreu. Ces termes signifient que les cieux annoncent partout la gloire de Dieu. Paul le sait sans doute et ne cite pas l'Écriture comme autorité, ni pour le sens littéral, ni dans un sens prophétique typique (Corn., Zahni précis. !l a dû y voir cependant je ne sais quel pressentiment. Cette belle phrase, dont l'expression métaphorique — les paroles des éléments inanimés! — doit s'entendre proprement à propos de prédicateurs, les montrait faisant rayonner la gloire de Dieu jusqu'aux extrémités du monde. L'emprunt d'une phrase toute faite et la transposition du sens primitif suggèrent de ne pas prendre les choses trop à la lettre quant à l'étendue de la prédication. Le christianisme était en train de se répandre partout dans le bassin de la Méditerranée, les Juifs ne pouvaient décemment affecter l'ignorance.
10:19
ἀλλά, coordonné à ἀλλά v. 18, réfute d'avance une autre objection que les Juifs pourraient hasarder. Cette fois Israël est nommé; mais cela ne prouve pas qu'auparavant il n'était pas en scène. 1] s'agissait bien de lui, si son nom paraît enfin, c’est que son attitude contraste avec celle des autres, sur un point où sa supériorité paraissait bien marquée. Dépositaire des desseins de Dieu, comment n'en aurait-il pas compris l'accomplissement? — οὐκ ἔγνω n'a pas de régime exprimé parce qu'on peut le sous-entendre sans obscurité : il s’agit de comprendre ce qu'on avait entendu, c'est-à-dire l'évangile. Nous avons ici la preuve que ἀγνοοῦντες du v. 3 s'entendait d'une ignorance coupable. On peut méconnaître par obstination ce qu'on comprend assez. — πρῶτος est rattaché à ce qui précède par Zahn (après Bentley, Wertstein) : « Est-ce qu'Israël n'a pas connu le premier? » Mais cette pensée est hors de saison. Il s’agit de convaincre Israël de méconnaissance coupable. Pour cela Paul cite d'abord Moïse. πρῶτος n'indique pas la dignité de Moïse, mais que déjà le législateur était obligé de menacer les Juifs qui s'obstinaient à ne pas comprendre. Le texte est le grec de Di. xxxn, 21, bien traduit de l'hébreu; Paul ἃ seulement mis deux fois ὑμᾶς au lieu de αὐτούς, les griefs de Dieu contre son peuple lui vont ainsi plus directement. Dans le cantique de Moïse, Dieu est jaloux des hommages que les Israélites rendent à des idoles qui sont des non-dieux: pour les punir il les rendra jaloux d’un non-peuple, d'un peuple inférieur à Israël en valeur religieuse et morale. Comment s’y prendra-t-il pour exciter cette jalousie? Le texte ne le dit pas. Mais on peut déjà juger par la comparaison que ce n’est pas l'intelligence religieuse qui manque à Israël, et n'est-il pas le premier à la revendiquer? A la lumière de la conversion des gentils, chacun comprend que les paroles de Moïse expriment bien la situation. Dans la Ve., ἐπ iram vos mittam ἃ le sens de ἐπ ram vos inducam (Orig.- int.), de érritabo vos (Aug.), exacerbabo vos (Hil. apud WW.).
10:20
Probablement, dans la pensée de Paul, Isaïe a éclairei ce qu'il y avait d'obseur dans la menace de Moïse. C’est pourquoi il se sert de l'expression ἀποτολμᾷ : « Isaïe ose dire » cette chose étonnante, et souverainement odieuse aux Juifs, que leur Dieu a été trouvé par d'autres ou plutôt s’est manifesté lui-même à ceux qui ne le cherchaient pas. Voilà bien de quoi exciter leur jalousie, en même temps les convaincre de mauvaise volonté, puisque ces autres ont reconnu la manifestation de Dieu alors qu'ils ne le connaissaient pas auparavant. Je joins donc le témoignage d'Isaïe assez étroitement à celui de Moïse. Si l'on en fait deux arguments complètement distincts, il faudra dire avec Jülicher que, d’après [saïe, la bonne volonté antécédente elle-même n’est pas nécessaire; ce qui nous reporterait au sujet du ch. 1x. Mais en liant les deux arguments il n’est pas moins clair que Paul ἃ en vue d’autres que les Juifs, comme l'exige absolument l'opposition du v. 21. Isaïe parlaït-il donc des gentils? Cornely croit nécessaire de l'affirmer, alors que précédemment (x, 6-8. 18) il admettait l'usage accommodatice de l’A. T. Le texte est Is. 1xv, 1, d'après le grec : ἐμφανὴς ἐγενήθην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν, εὑρέθην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, L'hébreu a le même ordre : « J'étais prêt à répondre à qui ne « me consultait » pas, je me laissais trouver par qui ne me cherchait pas » (Trad. Condarmin), indiquant que Dieu s'offrait et se montrait, étendait les mains chaque jour etc. de sorte qu'il est impossible de douter que les deux premiers versets visent les mêmes personnes, qui sont les Juifs comme Paul le dit expressément du v. 2 (v. 21). 5. Thomas l’a reconnu du v. 1 : Aactenus vos Judaei non quaerebatis a me, sed ab idoks. Ex quo quaeritis respondebo. Mystice de conversione gentium, Rom. x, 20 (Commentaire d'Isaïe); cf. Condamin, Toussaint. Si Paul a interverti les deux membres de phrase, c’est sans doute dans un intérêt littéraire logique : qui a apparu n'a pas besoin d’être trouvé, tandis que qui est trouvé peut être plus ou moïns manifesté; de même on cherche avant d'interroger. Dans l'ordre de Paul il y a une gradation satisfaisante. Mais comment a-t-il appliqué aux gentils ce qu'Isaïe avait dit des Juifs? Cela serait choquant s’il prêtait à Isaïe une vraie prophétie sur la conversion des gentils, maïs il lui emprunte seulement des termes qui, dans la traduction grecque reconnue authentique alors par les Juifs, caractérisaient très bien leur situation. Au lieu de marquer une bonne disposition de Dieu, comme l’hébreu, le grec marque que Dieu a déjà été trouvé. Par qui? par un ἔθνος, tandis qu’au v. 3 il appelle en vain le λαός qui est son peuple. Donc Dieu se trouvait par rapport à une certaine nation et par rapport à son peuple dans une situation qui devait couvrir de confusion et remplir de jalousie ce même peuple. Le peuple était donc gravement coupable, lui qui était beaucoup mieux à même de comprendre. Encore faut-il noter que les termes d’Isaïene peuvent s'appliquer simplement aux Juifs, mais à des Juifs qui ont apostasié; M. Duhm dit : les schismatiques de Samarie. Ils sont donc devenus étrangers à Israël véritable, et dans un état religieux analogue à celui des gentils. Si bien que la difficulté n'est pas tant que Paul ait appliqué Is. zxv, 1 aux gentils; c'est plutôt qu'il ait séparé si nettement les deux versets d’Isaïe. Isaïe parlait d'un Israël qui n’était plus Israël. Paul a fait un choix en appliquant le v. 3 aux gentils, le second à Israël. WW. ont supprimé a après inventus sum; il est inutile pour le sens.
10:21
Le coup est direct. Si une nation qui ne connaissait pas Dieu l'a reconnu à ses manifestations, Israël eût dû le connaître (vv. 19. 20). Pourquoi ne l'a-t-il pas reconnu? parce qu'il est incrédule et qu'il résiste aux offres de Dieu. Ce qui se passait au temps d'Isaïe nous donne la clef de la situation. Ainsi, de la part de Dieu, les invitations les plus tendres; le refus vient d'Israël. Paul ne rétracte pas ce qu'il a dit au ch. 1x des desseïns de Dieu. Il envisage ici le problème sous l'aspect de la responsabilité encourue par des volontés humaines sourdes à l'appel de Dieu. Selon nous, tous les emprunts faits à l'Écriture dans ce chapitre l'ont été dans le même esprit, sauf celui du v. 5 qui a toute sa valeur littérale. Dans les autres cas, les paroles de l'A. T. expriment les desseins de Dieu dans le Nouveau. Très évidemment dans trois cas où l'Écriture ancienne n'est pas nommée (vv. 6-8. 13. 18), il n'y ἃ pas d'argumentation proprement dite. Faut-il en juger autrement quand l'Écriture est nommée (vv. 11. 15) ou sans indication de l'auteur sacré, ou en nominant Moïse {v. 19) ou Isaïe (vv. 16. 20. 21)? Cornely qui admet une simple accommodation dans le premier cas, prétend maintenant que Paul a entendu se servir dans les autres cas d'une prophétie littérale. Cette différence de traitement méconnaît les usages de l'exégèse juive. Il ne faut, ni voir dans ces derniers cas une prophétie directe, ni prétendre que dans les premiers cas l’aul emploie des termes de l'Écriture simplement parce qu'ils rendent sa pensée d'une façon expressive et qu'ils frappent davantage étant connus. Bien plutôt, l'Écriture élant supposée connue, elle est citée implicitement mais très volontairement, sans aucune indication, selon la maniëére très courante des docteurs d'Israël, aussi bien que quand elle est alléguée avec le nom de l’auteur. Mais d'autre part, même quand les auteurs sacrés sont cités, c’est moins une exégèse du sens propre et historique de leur oracle qu'un appel à l'autorité de la parole de Dieu qui domine tous les temps. Ce qui a été dit autrefois trouve dans l'Évangile une véritable réalisation, parce que les anciennes paroles comme les anciens faits étaient des figures dont le Christ donnait le sens. Il n’y a pas pure accommodation, ni prophétie exclusivement propre à l'Évangile, mais emploi d'une parole ancienne applicable au temps présent d’après la portée qu'il avait plu à Dieu de lui donner, sans même que l'objet direct de cette parole soit le type précis de l'objet qu’elle atteint; par exemple les cieux ne sont pas le type des Apôtres. Paul admet que l'Écriture était figurative et l’allégue dans ce sens. On peut donc qualifier cette manière de citer : accommodation figurative. Elle n'exclut naturellement pas dans d’autres textes une argumentation plus stricte. Dans la Κρ. ad rend assez bien πρός, Adversus (Érasme) serait trop caractérisé. La nuance exacte serait quoad. Non credentem pour ἀπειθοῦντα serait à remplacer par inobedientem. Le sens de ἀπειθέω est désobéir : Moulton et Milligan donnent de nombreux exemples d'après les papyrus et les inscriptions. Aucun texte ne l'entend comme l’antithèse de πιστεύω. CHAPITRE XI 116 dis donc : Est-ce que Dieu a rejeté son peuple ? Non certes! LA RÉPROBATION D’ISRAEL, PARTIELLE ET TEMPORELLE, SERA SUIVIE DE LA CONVERSION DU PEUPLE. — Le chap. x1 nous fait assister à une touchante péripétie. Jusqu'à présent l'Apôtre, tout entier à son dessein d'établir le principe fondamental de la justice de la foi, n'avait guère rencontré les Juifs incrédules que comme des adversaires. 1] avait, en termes pathétiques, protesté de son affection pour eux, mais il leur avait montré nettement le résultat de leur doctrine, la réprobation. Réprobation dont les chrétiens ne devaient pas s'étonner, comme si les desseins de Dieu avaient été par là déjoués, puisqu'elle rentrait dans le plan divin, d'après une méthode dont les bénéficiaires seuls étaient changés (ch. rx), et dont ils ne devaient pas se scandaliser non plus, comme si Dieu en cela était injuste, puisque les Juifs avaient péché par leur faute en résistant à celui qui ne cessait de leur tendre les bras (ch. x). À ce point Paul se demande si c'est bien là de la part de Dieu réprouver son peuple, et si le geste paternel qui l'appelle tout entier sera toujours frustré? Et alors il découvre à la fois et les intentions secrètes de Dieu et les espérances de son propre cœur demeuré si fidèlement attaché à cet Israël qui ne veut pas le comprendre et qui l’abhorre. Or Dieu n’a pas rejeté tout son peuple, puisqu'un bon nombre s'est converti {xr, 2-7), et, si les autres ont été endurcis (8-10), cet endurcissement n'est pas plus définitif que les châtiments qui autrefois avaient frappé Israël. Son obstination à repousser l'Évangile permet
10:4
… conclusion (21:6 and 22:13) that God's salvific counsel will be fulfilled to the end, when the Almighty (1:8) will vanquish his antagonists in the "judgment" of Jesus Savior and Sovereign, beginning (Ps. 101 [102]:26 and Heb. 1:10; 12:2; Jn. 1:1) and end (Rom. 10:4). "A-Ω" expresses the divine transcendence, in its attributes of infinity, eternity, universal causality (both efficient and final), including within it the economy of the Redemption.
… 9:4), led by it, as by a pedagogue, to Christ (Gal. 3:24); that by observing it one is declared righteous (Rom. 2:13; 10:5; Gal. 3:12); that it was the shadow of the future Christ (Col. 2:16), in whom it has found its own fulfillment (τέλος; Rom. 10:4). On the other hand, the L. is accused of having brought nothing to perfection (Hebr. 7:19); of being the provoker of God's wrath (Rom. 4:15), because it multiplies transgressions …
… ancient Christian expositors see in the Bridegroom an allegory of Christ and in the Bride an allegory of the Church; such an application was fully justified by the Christian Sacred Scriptures themselves, according to which Christ is "the end of the Law" (Rom. 10:4; cf. Mt. 5:17), and therefore to this ultimate end of all revelation was applied whatever the book narrated of the relations between Yahweh and Israel, as to an intermediate stage. …
10:5
… through the angels, with Moses acting as mediator (Gal. 3:19; cf. Hebr. 2:3), whence it is the chief boast of Israel (Rom. 9:4), led by it, as by a pedagogue, to Christ (Gal. 3:24); that by observing it one is declared righteous (Rom. 2:13; 10:5; Gal. 3:12); that it was the shadow of the future Christ (Col. 2:16), in whom it has found its own fulfillment (τέλος; Rom. 10:4). On the other hand, the L. is accused of having …
… To prescriptions of the Pentateuch as of Moses the contemporaries of Christ likewise appeal: the Pharisees (Matt. 19:7; John 8:5; Acts 6:14), the Sadducees (Matt. 22:24), the disciples (John 1:45). The conviction passes to the Apostles (Acts 3:22; Rom. 10:5, 19; 1 Cor. 9:9 etc.) and to the first believers (Acts 7:37; 28:23).
10:6
… In this sense one must understand St. Paul's statement that faith justifies (Rom. 1:12; 5:1; 3:28; 9:30; 10:6; Gal. 2:16; 3:24). It is the obligatory way and the first effective step toward justification: "Iustitia Dei per fidem Jesu Christi" (Rom. 3:22, 30). Not that faith is the essential …
… prophetically of the Resurrection of Christ that he was not abandoned in fē'ōl, nor did his flesh see corruption" (Act. 2, 24-31). In other passages of the New Testament as well there is an allusion to the dwelling of Christ's soul in limbo (Mt. 22, 40; Rom. 10, 6-7; probably in I Pt. 3, 19-20).
10:7
But faith is the first act destined to arouse others; the Council enumerates them clearly, observing that in the process of passive justification it happens "that the soul, stirred and sustained by Grace, hearing the word of God" (Rom. 10:7) conceives faith within itself and thus freely takes the first step toward God, believing to be true what was revealed and promised by Him, and principally that it is true that God …
10:8
… public testimony rendered to the truth by Jesus Christ before the tribunal of Pilate (1 Tim. 6, 12-14), and, expressly distinguishing the internal assent of faith from the external profession, declares both the one and the other necessary for salvation (Rom. 10, 8-10). Aggregation to the Church through Baptism demands and implies an act of profession of faith, and Confirmation, by making the Christian a soldier of Christ, obliges and enables him …
1. In particular the heart (καρδία) is the center of every sensitive, intellectual and moral life: man believes, doubts, speaks, argues with or in the heart (for example Mk. 2, 6-8; 6, 52; 8, 17; Lk. 24, 25; Rom. 10, 8-16).
10:10
II. HOLY FAITH. - To simulate the faith is equivalent to denying it: which is never lawful (Mt. 10:33; Lk. 9:26; Rom. 10:10). There is, however, no denial of faith when one dissembles it (v. FEDE).
10:11
… Whoever believes in him already has eternal life" (John 3:18, 36; Rom. 9:33; 10:11).
10:12
… Jesus is the savior of all, dead for all. The will of God is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). No longer any distinction between the Jew and the pagan; the same Christ is the Lord of all, generous toward all those who call upon him (Rom. 10:12).
… Greco-Roman civilization and power were in fact identified with paganism (1 Cor. 1:22-24). But in Christianity, once every distinction except faith in Christ is removed, there is no longer any distinction between Jews and Greeks (Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28), nor between Greeks and barbarians (Rom. 1:14; Col. 3:11). Greece was the hearth from which civilization spread throughout the ancient world ("oikoumène"). …
Joel (Heb. Yôʾēl "Yahweh Is God")
… To the latter refers the famous oracle (2:28-32; Heb. 3:1-5) fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-21; cf. Rom. 10:12 ff.).
10:14
… others, so that the holiest souls have greater efficacy in their "orazioni" on behalf of their neighbor (Prümmer, Theol. mor., I, n. 340). In order for them to be salutary they require the help of Grace and must proceed from Faith and theological Hope (Rom. 10, 14; Iac. 1, 6). The Holy Spirit helps souls to pray, especially in cases of graces particularly necessary for the fulfillment of God's hidden designs for the government of souls and of …
… Christ left nothing written; the Apostles considered preaching their particular task (cf. Acts 6, 2) as an indispensable means of apostolate: "Fides ex auditu" (Rom. 10, 14 ff.). …
… This incredulity is involuntary and therefore free from all guilt (Rom. 10:14). For this reason Pius V, on 1 October 1567, condemned the following proposition of Baius: "purely negative infidelity is a sin in those to whom Christ has not been preached" (Denz-U, …
10:16
Incredulity must not be regarded as a rare, extraordinary phenomenon, but as a permanent, continuous fact, which has always occurred and is always renewed, every time that God reveals himself to man either directly or indirectly through the mediation of others (Isa. 53:1; Rom. 10:16). Life and history are set upon this great choice: God-not God, faith-incredulity. …
10:17
… And in the writings of the Apostles the fragmentariness and incompleteness are undeniable, by the confession of their own authors (Jn. 20, 30; 21, 25). St. Paul sets forth the nature and the necessity of tradition: "faith (comes) by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10, 17); and more explicitly: "Therefore, brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions (κρατειτε τὰς παραδόσεις) in which you were taught, whether by word or by our letter" (II Thess. …
10:18
… Fathers who came into contact with them, particularly on St. Jerome), Christians already discerned in the inspired authors of the New Testament a tendency toward free interpretations, and even toward mere accommodations (cf. Mt. 2:15; 3:3; 13:14, 15; Rom. 10:18; II Cor. 8:15 etc.). …
10:19
… book must be held by divine faith: thus A. Bea), on the singular importance of Moses' personal work and on the ancient national tradition (cf. II Kings 14:6 = Deut. 24:16; Bar. 2:2 ff. = Deut. 28:53; Mt. 19:8 = Deut. 24:1; Acts 3:22 = Deut. 18:15, 19; Rom. 10:19 = Deut. 32:21, etc.). …
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.