334. Then when he says, blessed are they, he presents David’s words containing the previous judgment and says that those whose sins are forgiven are blessed; consequently, they did not previously have good works, from which they obtained justice or happiness.
334. Deinde cum dicit beati quorum, etc., ponit verba David praedictam sententiam continentia, et dicit eos esse beatos quorum remittuntur peccata. Et sic patet quod non habuerunt prius bona opera ex quibus iustitiam seu beatitudinem consequerentur.
335. But sin is divided into three classes: original, actual mortal, and actual venial.
335. Est autem triplex peccatum, scilicet originale, actuale mortale et actuale veniale.
First, in regard to original sin he says: blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.
Primo ergo quantum ad originale dicit beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates.
Here it should be noted that original sin is called iniquity, because it is the lack of that original justice, by which in equity man’s reason was subject to God, the lower powers to reason, and the body to the soul. This equity is removed by original sin, because after reason ceased to be subject to God, the lower powers rebel against reason and the body is withdrawn from obedience to the soul and subjected to decay and death. Hence: I was brought forth in iniquities (Ps 51:5).
Ubi considerandum est quod peccatum originale iniquitas dicitur, quia est carentia originalis iustitiae, per quam secundum aequitatem ratio hominis subiiciebatur Deo, inferiores vires rationi, et corpus animae; sed per peccatum originale haec aequitas tollitur, quia postquam ratio desiit esse subiecta Deo, inferiores vires rationi rebellant et corpus ab obedientia animae subducitur per corruptionem et mortem. Unde in Ps. l, 7: ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum.
In both texts original sin is presented in the plural, either because of the multitude of men in whom original sin is multiplied or better because it virtually contains within itself all sins in some way.
Utrobique autem peccatum originale pluraliter significatur. Vel propter plures homines, in quibus multiplicatur originale peccatum, vel potius quia virtute continet in se quodammodo omnia peccata.
Such original sin is said to be forgiven, because the state of guilt passes with the coming of grace, but the effect remains in the form of fomes, or concupiscence, which is not entirely taken away in this life, but is remitted or mitigated.
Huiusmodi autem peccatum originale remitti dicitur, quia transit reatus superveniente gratia, sed remanet actu, remanente fomite sive concupiscentia, quae non tollitur totaliter in hac vita, sed remittitur, sive mitigatur.
336. Second, in regard to actual mortal sin he says, and whose sins are covered.
336. Secundo, quantum ad actuale mortale, dicit et quorum tecta sunt peccata.
For sins are said to be covered from the divine gaze, inasmuch as he does not look upon them to be punished: you covered all their sin (Ps 84:3).
Dicuntur autem peccata tegi divino conspectui, inquantum non inspicit ad ea punienda. Ps. LXXXIV, 3: operuisti omnia peccata eorum.
337. Third, in regard to venial sin he says, blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, where sin refers to venial sins which, although light, if they be many, man is separated and distant from God: the good Lord will pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness (2 Chr 30:18).
337. Tertio, quantum ad veniale, dicit beatus vir cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum, ut scilicet per peccatum intelligantur peccata venialia, quae, licet levia sint, tamen per multa homo separatur et elongatur a Deo. II Paral. XXX, 18 s.: Dominus bonus propitiabitur cunctis, qui in toto corde requirunt illum, et non imputabitur illis quod minus sancti sunt.
338. These three can be distinguished in another way.
338. Possunt autem et haec tria aliter distingui.
For in sin are three things, one of which is offense against God. In regard to this he says, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, the way man is said to remit an offense committed against him: her iniquity is pardoned (Isa 40:2).
Sunt enim in peccato tria, quorum unum est offensa Dei, et quantum ad hoc dicit beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates, secundum quod homo dicitur remittere offensam sibi factam. Is. XL, 2: dimissa est iniquitas illius.
The second thing is the fact that the disordered deed has been done and cannot be said not to have occurred, once it has been perpetrated; but it is covered over by the hand of God’s mercy and is held as if not committed.
Aliud autem est ipse actus inordinatus culpae, qui non potest non fuisse factus ex quo semel perpetratus est, sed tegitur manu misericordiae divinae, ut quasi pro non facto habeatur.
The third is the debt of punishment, in regard to which he says, blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, i.e., unto punishment.
Tertio vero est reatus poenae et quantum ad hoc dicit beatus vir cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum, scilicet ad poenam.
339. Then when he says, this blessedness then, he excludes a false interpretation of the text.
339. Deinde cum dicit beatitudo ergo etc., excludit falsum intellectum auctoritatis praedictae.
For a Jew could interpret it as meaning that the grace of forgiveness of sins is conferred only on the circumcised.
Posset enim Iudaeus sic intelligere quod praedicta gratia remissionis peccatorum non fieret nisi circumcisis.
Therefore, to exclude this the Apostle first raises the question, this blessedness then, by which God confers justice without works, does it remain in the circumcised only, i.e., does it affect only the circumcised, or in the uncircumcision also, i.e., on the gentiles? Plainly it is for both, according to what he says below: the same Lord is riches unto all that call upon him (Rom 10:12).
Ad hoc ergo excludendum, primo Apostolus quaestionem movet dicens beatitudo haec, qua scilicet Deus dat iustitiam sine operibus, manet tantum in circumcisione, id est habet locum solum in circumcisis, an etiam in praeputio, id est in gentibus? Manifestum est quod in utrisque, secundum illud quod dicit infra X, 10: idem Dominus dives in omnes, etc.
Second, at for we say, to show this he appeals to the authority of Scripture (Gen 15:6), as if to say: I ask this, for we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.
Secundo, ibi dicimus enim, ad hoc ostendendum assumit auctoritatem Scripturae, quasi dicat, hoc ideo quaero: dicimus enim, etc., quod reputatur fides Abrahae ad iustitiam, Gen. XV, 6.
Third, from this text he concludes to the answer, although he states it in the form of a question: how then was it reputed to him, namely, Abraham’s faith as justice; that is, when he was in circumcision, i.e., when he was circumcised, or in uncircumcision, i.e., when still uncircumcised?
Tertio ex hac auctoritate concludit solutionem praemissae quaestionis, sub interrogatione tamen, dicens quomodo ergo reputata est? Scilicet fides Abrahae ad iustitiam, in circumcisione, id est, quando erat circumcisus, an in praeputio, id est quando erat incircumcisus?
340. He answers: not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. This is obvious from the reported sequence of events. For Genesis reports that faith was reckoned to Abraham as justice (Gen 15:6), but the fact of receiving circumcision is not recorded until Genesis (17:23 et seq.). Therefore, if Abraham, still uncircumcised, was justified by faith, it is plain that the justice of faith, through which sins are forgiven gratis, occurs not only in circumcision but also in uncircumcision, i.e., in gentiles.
340. Et respondet non in circumcisione, sed in praeputio. Et hoc manifestum est ex serie narrationis Scripturae. Nam Gen. c. XV, 6 legitur, quod fides reputata est Abrahae ad iustitiam, circumcisionem autem accepisse legitur Gen. XVII, 23 s. Si igitur Abraham, adhuc incircumcisus existens iustificatus est per fidem, manifestum est quod iustitia fidei, per quam gratis remittuntur peccata, non est solum in circumcisione, sed etiam in praeputio, id est, in gentilitate.
Lecture 2
Lectio 2
Circumcision the seal of faith’s justice
Circumcisionis signaculum justitiae fidei
4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith which is in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all those who believe, being uncircumcised: that unto them also it may be reputed to justice: [n. 341]
4:11 Et signum accepit circumcisionis, signaculum justitiae fidei, quae est in praeputio: ut sit pater omnium credentium per praeputium, ut reputetur et illis ad justitiam: [n. 341]
4:12 And he might be the father of circumcision; not to those only who are of the circumcision, but to those also who follow the steps of the faith that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.
4:12 et sit pater circumcisionis non iis tantum, qui sunt ex circumcisione, sed et iis qui sectantur vestigia fidei, quae est in praeputio patris nostri Abrahae.
4:13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world: but through the justice of faith. [n. 351]
4:13 Non enim per legem promissio Abrahae, aut semini ejus ut haeres esset mundi: sed per justitiam fidei. [n. 351]
4:14 For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void: the promise is made of no effect. [n. 354]
4:14 Si enim qui ex lege, haeredes sunt: exinanita est fides, abolita est promissio. [n. 354]
4:15 For the law works wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression. [n. 356]
4:15 Lex enim iram operatur. Ubi enim non est lex, nec praevaricatio. [n. 356]
341. Having shown that the blessing of forgiveness of sins is obtained not only in circumcision but also in uncircumcision on the ground that Abraham was justified when he was still uncircumcised, the Apostle now responds to an objection.
341. Ostenso quod beatitudo remissionis peccatorum non solum est in circumcisione, sed etiam in praeputio, exemplo Abrahae qui tempore praeputii est iustificatus, hic respondet cuidam obiectioni.
For someone could say: if Abraham was justified before circumcision, then he was circumcised without reason and for no purpose.
Posset enim aliquis dicere: si Abraham iustificatus est ante circumcisionem, ergo sine causa et frustra circumcisus est.
To exclude this objection,
Ad hanc ergo obiectionem excludendam
he first states that circumcision was not the cause but the sign of justice;
primo proponit, quod circumcisio non erat causa iustitiae, sed signum;
second, he shows what he obtains from this sign, at that he might be the father;
secundo ostendit quid ex hoc signo consequatur, ibi ut sit pater, etc.;
third, how he obtains it, at not to those only.
tertio ostendit modum quo consequatur non his tantum, et cetera.
342. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he states that circumcision is a sign: you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a sign of the covenant between you and me (Gen 17:10).
342. Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit circumcisionem esse signum. Gen. c. XVII, 11: circumcidetis carnem praeputii vestri, ut sit in signum foederis inter me et vos.
Second, he shows what it is a sign of, saying: a seal of the justice of the faith, i.e., the justice that comes through faith, which faith is in uncircumcision, i.e., which Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.
Secundo ostendit cuius rei sit signum, dicens, quod sit signaculum iustitiae fidei, id est quae est per fidem, quae, quidem fides, est in praeputio, id est quam Abraham habuit adhuc incircumcisus existens.
343. Seal is said in two ways. In one way, a seal is a visible sign possessing a likeness to the thing signified, as in Ezekiel: you were the seal of likeness, full of wisdom (Ezek 28:12). Circumcision had this visible likeness to Abraham’s faith. First, in regard to what he believed. For Abraham believed that his seed would be multiplied; hence, it was fitting to receive its sign in the organ of reproduction. Second, in regard to the effect of his faith, namely, the removal of fault, and this is signified by the removal of superfluous skin.
343. Dicitur autem signaculum dupliciter. Uno modo quasi expressum signum habens similitudinem rei signatae, secundum illud Ezech. XXVIII, 12: tu signaculum similitudinis, et cetera. Habet autem circumcisio expressam similitudinem cum fide Abrahae, primo quidem, quantum ad rem creditam. Credidit enim multiplicationem sui seminis, et ideo congruenter accepit signum in membro generationis. Secundo, quantum ad effectum huius fidei, quae est remotio culpae, quae signatur per remotionem superfluae pelliculae.
In another way, seal means a sign hiding something which is to be revealed to friends, as is clear in the case of a sigillo: worthy are you, who were slain, to take the scroll and to open its seals (Rev 6:9). Hence, the secret of the Incarnation of Christ from the seed of Abraham was enclosed under the seal of circumcision.
Alio modo signaculum dicitur signum aliquid occultans quod revelandum est amicis, sicut patet de sigillo; et secundum hoc dicitur Apoc. V, 9: dignus est agnus qui occisus est accipere librum et aperire signacula eius. Claudebatur ergo sub signaculo circumcisionis secretum incarnationis Christi ex semine Abrahae.