899. First, therefore, he says: therefore, O gentile, who boasts against the Jews, you might say: the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in, i.e., God permitted the Jews to fall from faith, so that I might enter into faith.
899. Dicit ergo primo: ergo tu gentilis, qui gloriaris contra Iudaeos, forte dicis: fracti sunt rami ut ego inserar, id est ad hoc Deus permisit Iudaeos a fide excidere, ut ego ad fidem intrarem.
But no one accepts the loss of one thing save for something more precious and more desired, just as a physician allows a foot to remain sore in order to heal the eye. Thus, it would seem that the gentile nations are more valuable and acceptable to God than Judea. Hence it says in Malachi: I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations (Mal 1:10), and in Isaiah: it is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob; I will give you as a light to the nations (Isa 49:6).
Nullus autem sustinet detrimentum unius rei, nisi propter rem pretiosiorem et magis dilectam, sicut medicus permittit infirmitatem esse in pede ut sanet oculum. Sic igitur ex hoc ipso videtur gentilitas esse pretiosior et magis Deo accepta, quam Iudaea. Unde Mal. I, 10 s. dicitur: non est mihi voluntas in vobis, dicit Dominus Deus, et munus non accipiam de manu vestra. Ab ortu autem solis usque ad occasum, magnum est nomen meum in gentibus. Et Is. XLIX, 6: parum est ut sis mihi servus ad suscitandas tribus Iacob. Dedi te in lucem gentium.
900. Then when he says, well, he excludes the objection.
900. Deinde cum dicit bene, etc., excludit obiectionem.
First, he assigns the reason why the Jews fell away and the gentiles were promoted, saying: well, i.e., it is good that God permitted branches to be broken off, so that you might be grafted in, but consider the cause of the breaking off of the branches. It is because of unbelief, i.e., because they refused to believe in Christ, they were broken off: for you are among unbelievers and destroyers (Ezek 2:6); if I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? (John 8:46). But you, O gentile, stand by faith, i.e., by believing in Christ, through whom you have obtained grace: for in faith you stand (2 Cor 1:23); I preached to you the Gospel, in which you stand, by which you are saved (1 Cor 15:1).
Et primo assignat causam defectus Iudaeorum et promotionis gentilium, dicens: bene in hoc dicis quod Deus permisit frangi ramos ut tu inseraris, sed considera causam fractionis ramorum: propter incredulitatem, inquam, fracti sunt, quia scilicet in Christum credere noluerunt. Ez. II, 6: increduli et subversores sunt tecum. Io. VIII, 46: si veritatem dico vobis, quare non creditis mihi? Tu autem, scilicet gentilis, stas in fide, id est credendo in Christum, in quo gratiam consecutus es. II Cor. I, 23: nam fide statis. I Cor. XV, 1: notum facio vobis Evangelium, in quo statis, per quod et salvamini.
901. Second, he gives an admonition, saying: be not highminded, i.e., do not presume on yourself beyond yourself: not minding high things, but consenting to the humble (Rom 12:16); Lord, my heart is not exalted: nor are my eyes lofty (Ps 130:1); but fear, lest you too be broken off because of unbelief: blessed is the man that is always fearful: but he that is hardened in mind, will fall into evil (Prov 28:14); the fear of the Lord drives out sin (Sir 1:27).
901. Secundo inducit admonitionem, dicens noli altum sapere, id est noli de te ultra teipsum praesumere. Infra XII, 16: non alta sapientes, sed humilibus consentientes. Ps. CXXX, 1: Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, neque elati sunt oculi mei. Sed time, ne scilicet etiam tu frangaris per incredulitatem, quod pertinet ad timorem castum. Prov. c. XXVIII, 14: Beatus homo qui semper est pavidus, qui vero mentis est durae, corruet in malum. Eccli. I, 27: timor Domini expellit peccatum.
902. The reason for this admonition is given when he says: for if God has not spared the natural branches, i.e., the Jews, who descended by natural origin from the patriarchs, but allowed them to be broken off, fear lest perhaps also he does not spare you, i.e., lest he permit you to be broken off because of unbelief: the jealously and rage of the husband will not spare on the day of revenge (Prov 6:34); I will not spare and I will not pardon; nor will I have mercy, but to destroy them (Jer 13:14).
902. Tertio assignat rationem suae admonitionis, dicens si enim naturalibus ramis, id est Iudaeis, qui ex naturali origine ex patriarchis descenderunt, non pepercit Deus, quin eos frangi permitteret, time ne forte nec tibi parcat, quin, scilicet te permittat per incredulitatem excidere. Prov. VI, v. 34: zelus et furor viri non parcet in die vindictae. Ier. XIII, 14: non parcam, neque miserebor, ut non dispergam eos.
This, therefore, is the Apostle’s answer; that when someone sees that he has obtained grace and another has fallen, he should not boast against the fallen but rather fear for himself, because pride is the cause of falling headlong and fear is the cause of carefulness and being kept safe.
In hoc ergo consistit solutio Apostoli quod cum aliquis videt se gratiam adeptum, alio cadente, non debet extolli contra cadentem, sed magis timere sibi ipsi, quia ipsa superbia est causa praecipitii et timor est causa custodiae et cautelae.
903. Then when he says, see then the goodness and the severity of God, he invites them to a close scrutiny of divine judgments:
903. Deinde cum dicit vide ergo bonitatem et severitatem, etc., inducit eos in diligentem considerationem divinorum iudiciorum.
first, he invites them to consider;
Et primo inducit eos ad considerandum;
second, he instructs them as though unable to consider by themselves, at for I would not have you ignorant (Rom 11:25);
secundo instruit eos quasi per se considerare non valentes, ibi nolo enim vos ignorare, fratres, etc.;
third, as though he himself were not perfectly capable of this investigation, he exclaims in admiration of God’s wisdom, at O the depth of the riches (Rom 11:33).
tertio quasi nec ipse perfecte sufficeret ad istorum investigationem, exclamat admirando divinam sapientiam ibi O altitudo divitiarum, et cetera.
904. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows what should be considered, saying: see then, i.e., give careful consideration to, the goodness of God, having mercy: how good, O Israel, is God to the upright of heart (Ps 72:1); or do you despise the riches of his goodness? (Rom 2:4). And his severity in punishing: O Lord, you God of vengeance (Ps 94:1); the Lord is a jealous God and avenging (Nah 1:2).
904. Circa primum tria facit. Primo ostendit quid considerari oporteat dicens vide ergo, id est diligenter considera, bonitatem Dei, miserentis; Ps. LXXII, 1: quam bonus Israel Deus, his qui recto sunt corde; supra II, 4: an divitias bonitatis eius contemnis? Et severitatem, ipsius punientis; Ps. XCIII, 1: Deus ultionum Dominus. Nah. c. I, 2: Deus aemulator et ulciscens Dominus.
For the first consideration begets hope; the second begets fear, so that despair and presumption are avoided.
Prima enim consideratio tribuit spem; secunda timorem, ut vitetur desperatio et praesumptio.
905. Second, he indicates the ones affected by each of these two qualities, saying: towards them indeed that are fallen, i.e., the Jews, the severity: the Lord has destroyed without mercy all the habitations of Jacob (Lam 2:2); but towards you, the engrafted gentile, the goodness: you have dealt kindly with your servant, O Lord (Ps 119:65).
905. Secundo ostendit in quibus utrumque dictorum sit considerandum quantum ad praedicta, dicens in eos quidem, scilicet Iudaeos, qui ceciderunt severitatem Thr. II 2, praecipitavit Dominus, nec pepercit, omnia speciosa Iacob destruxit, in te autem, scilicet gentilem qui insertus es, bonitatem. Ps. CXVIII, 65: bonitatem fecisti cum servo tuo, Domine.
906. Third, he shows how the foregoing points should be considered, since the situation is not immutable but could change in the future.
906. Tertio ostendit quo tenore possint in praedictis haec considerari, quia non immobiliter sicut quod potest mutari in futurum.
907. First, he shows this with respect to the gentiles, saying: towards you, I say, goodness, if you abide in goodness: remain in my love (John 15:9). Otherwise, if you do not strive to persevere through fear and humility, you also shall be cut off: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down (Matt 3:10).
907. Et primo ostendit quantum ad gentiles, dicens: in te, dico, vide bonitatem Dei operantem, eo tamen tenore, si permanseris in bonitate. Io. XV, 9: manete in dilectione mea. Alioquin, si tu non dederis operam ad permanendum per timorem et humilitatem, et tu excideris. Matth. III, 10: omnis arbor quae non facit fructum bonum, excidetur.
908. Second, he shows the same with respect to the Jews. First, he states the fact: and they also, namely, the Jews, if they do not abide still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, i.e., restored to their former status: you have prostituted yourself to many lovers. Nevertheless, return to me, says the Lord (Jer 3:1).
908. Secundo ostendit idem quantum ad Iudaeos, et, primo, proponit quod intendit, dicens sed et illi, scilicet Iudaei, si non permanserint in incredulitate, inserentur, id est, in suum statum restituentur. Ier. III, 1: fornicata es cum amatoribus multis, tamen revertere ad me, dicit Dominus.
909. Then he proves what he has said: first, from God’s power, saying: for God is able to graft them in again; therefore, their salvation is not to be despaired of: behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save (Isa 59:1).
909. Secundo probat quod dixerat, et primo, ex divina potentia, dicens potens est enim Dominus Deus iterum inserere illos; et ideo non est de eorum salute desperandum. Is. LIX, 1: ecce non est abbreviata manus Domini, ut salvare non possit.
910. Second, by arguing from the lesser, saying: for if you, O gentile, were cut out of the wild olive tree, i.e., from gentileness, which by nature was not fruit-bearing, not as God made nature, but because it was spoiled by sin: they were a wicked generation, and their malice natural (Wis 12:10); we were by nature children of wrath (Eph 2:3); and were grafted into the good olive tree, i.e., into the faith of the Jews, contrary to nature, i.e., against the common course of nature. For it is not the custom to graft the branch of a bad tree onto a good tree, but vice versa.
910. Secundo probat idem per locum a minori, dicens nam si tu, gentilis, excisus es ex naturali oleastro, id est ex gentilitate quae naturaliter erat infructuosa, non quidem, prout Dominus fecit naturam, sed secundum quod corrupta est per peccatum. Sap. XII, 10: iniqua est natio eorum, et naturalis malitia ipsorum. Eph. II, 3: eramus natura filii irae. Et insertus in bonam olivam id est, in fide Iudaeorum, contra naturam, id est contra communem cursum naturae. Non enim consuevit ramus arboris malae inseri in bonam arborem, sed potius e converso.
But what God does is not against nature; it is natural in the fullest sense. For we call that natural which is caused by an agent to which the patient is naturally subject, even if it is not in keeping with the specific nature of the patient; for just as the ebb and flow of the sea is natural, because it is produced by the motion of the moon, to which the water is naturally subject, although it is not natural to the nature of water: so, too, since every creature is naturally subject to God, whatever God does in creatures is natural in the full sense, although it is not natural to the proper and particular nature of the thing in which it is done, say when a blind man has sight restored or a dead man is revived.
Id autem quod Deus facit, non est contra naturam, sed simpliciter est naturale. Dicimus enim esse naturale, quod fit ab agente, cui naturaliter subditur patiens, quamvis etiam non sit secundum propriam naturam patientis; sicut enim fluxus et refluxus maris est naturalis, propter hoc quod causatur ex motu lunae, cui naturaliter subditur aqua, quamvis non sit naturalis secundum formam aquae. Ita etiam cum omnis creatura sit naturaliter Deo subiecta, quicquid Deus facit in creatura, est simpliciter naturale, licet forte non sit naturale secundum propriam et particularem naturam rei in qua fit, puta cum caecus illuminatur et mortuus resuscitatur.
911. If, I say, this was contrary to nature, how much more shall they that are the natural branches, i.e., which by natural origin pertain to the Jewish nation, be grafted into their own olive tree, i.e., be brought back to the greatness of their nation: he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers (Mal 4:6).
911. Si, inquam, hoc factum est contra naturam, quanto magis hi qui sunt secundum naturam, id est qui naturali origine pertinent ad gentem Iudaeorum, inserentur suae olivae, id est reducentur ad dignitatem gentis suae, Mal. ult.: convertet corda patrum ad filios, et corda filiorum ad patres eorum.
Lecture 4
Lectio 4
Man’s unbelief is for the sake of divine mercy
Incredulitas hominis est causa misericordiae divinae
11:25 For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery (lest you should be wise to you yourselves) that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the gentiles should come in. [n. 912]
11:25 Nolo enim vos ignorare, fratres, mysterium hoc (ut non sitis vobis ipsis sapientes), quia caecitas ex parte contigit in Israël, donec plenitudo gentium intraret, [n. 912]
11:26 And so all Israel should be saved, as it is written: there shall come out of Zion, he who shall deliver and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. [n. 917]
11:26 et sic omnis Israël salvus fieret, sicut scriptum est: veniet ex Sion, qui eripiat, et avertat impietatem a Jacob. [n. 917]
11:27 And this is to them my covenant: when I shall take away their sins. [n. 920]
11:27 Et hoc illis a me testamentum: cum abstulero peccata eorum. [n. 920]
11:28 As concerning the Gospel, indeed, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are most dear for the sake of the fathers. [n. 921]
11:28 Secundum Evangelium quidem, inimici propter vos: secundum electionem autem, carissimi propter patres. [n. 921]
11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. [n. 924]
11:29 Sine poenitentia enim sunt dona et vocatio Dei. [n. 924]
11:30 For as you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy, through their unbelief: [n. 930]
11:30 Sicut enim aliquando et vos non credidistis Deo, nunc autem misericordiam consecuti estis propter incredulitatem illorum: [n. 930]
11:31 So these also now have not believed, for your mercy, that they also may obtain mercy.
11:31 ita et isti nunc non crediderunt in vestram misericordiam: ut et ipsi misericordiam consequantur.
11:32 For God has concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy on all. [n. 932]
11:32 Conclusit enim Deus omnia in incredulitate, ut omnium misereatur. [n. 932]
912. After leading the gentiles to a knowledge of the divine judgments, in which God’s goodness and severity were manifested, the Apostle, acting as though they are still unable to consider these things, explains how they seem to him.
912. Postquam Apostolus induxit gentiles in cognitionem divinorum iudiciorum, in quibus divina bonitas et severitas manifestatur, hic quasi eis adhuc non sufficientibus considerare praedicta, exponit quid sibi circa haec videatur.
First, he presents the fact;
Et primo proponit factum;
second, he proves it, at as it is written;
secundo probat, ibi sicut scriptum est, etc.;
third, he gives the reason, at for as you also.
tertio rationem assignat, ibi sicut enim, et cetera.
913. In regard to the first he does three things.
913. Circa primum tria facit.