Lecture 4
Lectio 4
Christ lays down his life
Christus animam suam ponit
10:14 I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me. [n. 1410]
10:14 Ego sum pastor bonus. Et cognosco oves meas, et cognoscunt me meae. [n. 1410]
10:15 As the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep. [n. 1414]
10:15 Sicut novit me Pater, et ego agnosco Patrem, et animam meam pono pro ovibus meis. [n. 1414]
10:16 And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: those also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one fold and one shepherd. [n. 1416]
10:16 Et alias oves habeo, quae non sunt ex hoc ovili, et illas oportet me adducere, et vocem meam audient, et fiet unum ovile et unus pastor. [n. 1416]
10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. [n. 1421]
10:17 Propterea me diligit Pater, quia ego pono animam meam, ut iterum sumam eam. [n. 1421]
10:18 No man takes it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This commandment I have received from my Father. [n. 1424]
10:18 Nemo tollit eam a me, sed ego pono eam a meipso. Potestatem habeo ponendi eam, et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam. Hoc mandatum accepi a Patre meo. [n. 1424]
1409. Here our Lord proves his explanation.
1409. Hic Dominus probat suam expositionem, et
First, he restates what he intends to prove;
primo resumit quod probare intendit;
second, he gives the proof, at I know mine;
secundo probationem inducit, ibi et cognosco oves meas;
and third, he amplifies on it, at for this reason the Father loves me.
tertio eam manifestat, ibi propterea me pater diligit.
1410. He says, I am the good shepherd, which has been explained above: as a shepherd seeks out his flock . . . so will I seek out my sheep (Ezek 34:11–12).
1410. Dicit ergo primo: ego sum pastor bonus. Hoc expositum est supra. Ez. XXXIV, 11: requiram oves meas in die illa, sicut visitat pastor gregem suum.
1411. Then at, I know mine, he proves what he says. Now he says two things about himself, that he is a shepherd, and that he is good.
1411. Consequenter cum dicit et cognosco oves meas, probat quod dicit. Duo autem dicit de se; scilicet quod est pastor, et quod est bonus.
First, he proves that he is a shepherd;
Primo ergo probat quod sit pastor;
second, that he is a good shepherd.
secundo quod pastor bonus.
1412. He proves he is a shepherd by the two signs of a shepherd already mentioned. The first of these is that he calls his own sheep by name. Concerning this he says, I know mine: the Lord knows those who are his (2 Tim 2:19). I know, I say, not just with mere knowledge only, but with a knowledge joined with approval and love: to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins (Rev 1:5).
1412. Pastorem autem se esse probat per duo signa posita superius de pastore: quorum primum est quod oves proprias vocat nominatim. Et quantum ad hoc dicit et cognosco oves meas; II Tim. II, 19: novit Dominus qui sunt eius. Cognosco, inquam, notitia non solum simplici, sed etiam probationis et dilectionis; Apoc. I, 5: dilexit nos, et lavit nos a peccatis nostris.
The second sign is that the sheep hear his voice and know him. And concerning this he says, and mine know me. Mine, I say, by predestination, by vocation and by grace. This is like saying: they love me and obey me. Thus, we must understand that they have a loving knowledge about which we read: they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest (Jer 31:34).
Secundum signum est quod oves vocem eius audiunt, et sciunt eum. Et quantum ad hoc dicit et cognoscunt me meae, meae, inquam, praedestinatione, vocatione et gratia; quasi dicat: ipsae me diligentes obsequuntur. Unde hoc intelligitur de notitia dilectionis, de qua dicitur Ier. XXXI, 34: omnes cognoscent me a minimo usque ad maiorem etc.
1413. He shows that he is a good shepherd by mentioning that he has the office of a good shepherd, which is to lay down his life for his sheep.
1413. Bonum autem pastorem se ostendit, ostendens se habere officium boni pastoris, quod est ut animam suam ponat pro ovibus suis, et
First, he shows the reason for this;
primo ponit causam huius;
second, he gives a sign of it;
secundo ipsum inducit;
and third, he shows the fruit of his sign.
tertio subdit fructum signi.
1414. The reason for this sign, that is, of his laying down his life for his sheep, is the knowledge he has of the Father. Concerning this he says, as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. This statement can be explained in two ways. In one way, so that ‘as’ indicates just a similarity in knowledge; and taken this way, such knowledge can be given to a creature: I will know even as I am known (1 Cor 13:12), i.e., as I am known without obscurity, so I will know without obscurity.
1414. Causam autem huius signi, scilicet quod animam suam ponit pro ovibus suis, est notitia quam habet de Patre: et quantum ad hoc dicit sicut novit me Pater, ego agnosco Patrem, et animam meam pono pro ovibus meis. Et hoc quidem verbum dupliciter potest exponi. Uno modo, ut ly ‘sicut’ significet similitudinem; et hoc modo notitia huius potest communicari creaturae alicui; I Cor. XIII, 12: cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum, idest, sicut cognitus sum sine velamine, ita sine velamine cognoscam.
In another way, the ‘as’ implies an equality. And then to know the Father as he is known by him is proper to the Son alone, because only the Son knows the Father comprehensively, just as the Father knows the Son comprehensively: no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son (Matt 11:27), that is, with a comprehensive knowledge. Our Lord says this because in knowing the Father, he knows the will of the Father that the Son should die for the salvation of the human race. He is also saying here that he is the mediator between God and man. For as he is related to the sheep as known by them and as knowing them, so also he is related to the Father, because as the Father knows him, so he knows the Father.
Alio modo ut ly ‘sicut’ importet aequalitatem; et tunc cognoscere Patrem sicut cognitus est ab eo, est proprium solius Filii, quia solus Filius cognoscit Patrem comprehendendo, sicut Pater comprehendendo cognoscit Filium; Matth. XI, 27: nemo novit Filium nisi Pater, neque Patrem quis novit nisi Filius, notitia scilicet comprehensionis. Ideo autem Dominus hoc dicit, quia in hoc ipso quod cognoscit Patrem, cognoscit eius voluntatem, in qua erat ut Filius pro salute humani generis moreretur: in quo etiam dicit se mediatorem Dei et hominis. Nam sicut ad oves se habet ut cognitus et cognoscens, ita et ad Patrem: quia sicut Pater eum novit, ita ipse Patrem cognoscit.
1415. Then when he says, and I lay down my life for the sheep, he gives the sign: by this we know love, that he laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16).
1415. Consequenter cum dicit et animam meam pono pro ovibus meis, ponit ipsum signum; I Io. III, 16: in hoc cognovimus caritatem Dei, quoniam ille pro nobis animam suam posuit etc.
But since there are three substances in Christ, namely the substance of the Word, of the soul, and of the body, one might ask who is speaking when he says, I lay down my life. If you say that the Word is speaking here, it is not true, because the Word never laid down his soul, since he was never separated from his soul. If you say that the soul is speaking, this too seems impossible, because nothing is separated from itself. And if you say that Christ says this referring to his body, it does not seem to be so, because his body does not have the power to take up its soul.
Sed cum in Christo sint tres substantiae, scilicet substantia Verbi, animae et corporis, quaeritur quis loquatur cum dicit animam meam pono. Si dicas, quod Verbum hic loquitur, non est verum: nam Verbum numquam animam posuit, cum numquam fuerit ab anima separatum. Si autem dicas quod anima loquitur; hoc etiam impossibile videtur, quia nihil separatur a seipso. Si vero dicas, quod quantum ad corpus Christus hoc dicit, nec hoc videtur, quia corpus non habet potestatem iterum sumendi eam.
Therefore, one must say that when Christ died, his soul was separated from his flesh, otherwise Christ would not have been truly dead. But in Christ, his divinity was never separated from his soul or his flesh; but was united to his soul, as it descended to the lower world, and to his body, as it lay in the tomb. And therefore, his body, by the power of his divinity, laid down his soul by the power of his divinity, and took it up again.
Dicendum ergo ad hoc, quod in morte Christi, anima fuit separata a carne; alias non fuisset vere mortuus; sed divinitas numquam separata fuit in Christo ab ipsa anima et carne, sed unita fuit animae descendenti ad inferos et corpori existenti in sepulcro: et ideo corpus virtute divinitatis animam posuit, et iterum resumpsit eam.
1416. Then when he says, and other sheep I have, he sets down the fruit of Christ’s death, which is the salvation not only of the Jews but of the gentiles as well. For since he had said, I lay down my life my sheep, the Jews, who regarded themselves as God’s sheep, we your people, the flock of your pasture (Ps 79:13), could have said that he laid down his life for them alone. But our Lord adds that it is not only for them, but for others too: and this he did not speak from himself, but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation. And not only for the nation, but for the sons of God, who were dispersed, that they be gathered together into one. (John 11:51–52).
1416. Consequenter cum dicit et alias oves habeo etc., ponit fructum mortis Christi, qui est salus non solum Iudaeorum, sed etiam gentium. Quia enim dixerat animam meam pono pro ovibus meis, Iudaei reputantes se oves Dei, secundum illud Ps. LXXVIII, 13: nos autem populus eius, et oves pascuae eius, possent dicere quod pro eis tantum animam poneret. Sed Dominus addit dicens, quod non tantum pro eis, sed etiam pro aliis; infra XI, 51: hoc a semetipso non dixit; sed cum esset pontifex anni illius, prophetavit, quia Christus moriturus erat pro gente, et non tantum pro gente, sed ut filios Dei, qui erant dispersi, congregaret in unum.
1417. In regard to this fruit our Lord does three things. First, he mentions the predestination of the gentiles; second, their vocation through grace; and third their justification.
1417. In isto autem fructu Dominus tria facit. Primo ponit gentium praedestinationem; secundo earum per gratiam vocationem; tertio ipsarum iustificationem.
As to the first he says, and other sheep I have, that is, the gentiles, that are not of this fold, i.e., of the family of the flesh of Israel, which was in a way a flock: I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob (Mic 2:12). For as sheep are enclosed in a fold, so the Jews were kept enclosed within the precepts of the law (Gal 3). These other sheep, I say, that is, the gentiles, I have from my Father through an eternal predestination: ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage (Ps 2:8); it is a small thing that you should be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth (Isa 49:6).
Quantum ad primum dicit alias oves habeo, scilicet gentes, quae non sunt ex hoc ovili, scilicet de genere carnis Israel, quod erat quasi ovile; Mich. II, 12: congregabo Iacob totum te. Nam sicut oves in ovili concluduntur, sic isti in praeceptis legalibus conclusi custodiebantur, ut habetur Gal. III. Istas, inquam, oves, scilicet gentiles, habeo a Patre per aeternam praedestinationem; Ps. II, v. 8: postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam; Is. XLIX, 6: parum est ut sis mihi servus ad suscitandas tribus Iacob, et faeces Israel convertendas: dedi te in lucem gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terrae.
1418. As to the second he says, those also I must bring, i.e., according to the plans of divine predestination it is time to call them to grace.
1418. Quantum ad secundum dicit et illas oportet me adducere idest, opportunum est secundum ordinem divinae praedestinationis ad gratiam vocare.
This seems to conflict with what our Lord says: I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 15:24).
Sed contra. Matth. XV, 24, dicit Dominus: non sum missus nisi ad oves quae perierunt domus Israel.
I answer that Jesus was sent only to the sheep of the house of Israel in the sense of preaching to them personally, as we read: Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs (Rom 15:8). It was through the apostles that he brought in the gentiles: from them I will send survivors to the nations (Isa 66:19).
Responsio. Dicendum, quod ad oves domus Israel tantum missus est Iesus, ut eis corporaliter praedicaret, secundum illud Roman. XV, 8: dico autem Christum Iesum ministrum fuisse circumcisionis propter veritatem Dei, ad confirmandas promissiones patrum. Gentes autem adduxit per apostolos suos; Is. ult., 19: mittam ex eis, qui reliqui fuerint, ad gentes.
1419. In regard to the third he says, and they will hear my voice. Here he mentions three things necessary for righteousness in the Christian religion. The first is obedience to the commandments of God. Concerning this he says, and they will hear my voice, i.e., they will observe my commandments: teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Matt 28:20); people whom I had not known, i.e., whom I did not approve, served me. As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me (Ps 18:43).
1419. Quantum ad tertium dicit et vocem meam audient. Ubi tria ponuntur necessaria ad iustitiam Christianae religionis. Primum est obedientia mandatorum Dei. Et quantum ad hoc dicit et vocem meam audient, idest, servabunt mandata mea; Matth. c. ult. 20: docentes eos servare omnia quaecumque mandavi vobis; Ps. XVII, 45: populus quem non cognovi, idest, quem non approbavi, auditu auris obedivit mihi.
The second is the unity of charity, and concerning this he says, and there will be one fold, i.e., one Church of the faithful from the two peoples, the Jews and the gentiles: one faith (Eph 4:5); for he is our peace, who has made us both one (Eph 2:14).
Secundum est unitas caritatis; et quantum ad hoc dicit et fiet unum ovile; idest, ex duabus gentibus, Iudaico et gentili populo, una Ecclesia fidelium; Eph. IV, 5: una fides; et phil. II, 14: ipse est pax nostra qui facit utraque unum.
The third is the unity of faith, and in regard to this he says, and one shepherd: they will all have one shepherd, that is, the Jews and the gentiles (Ezek 37:24).
Tertium est unitas fidei: et quantum ad hoc dicit et unus pastor; Ez. XXXVII, 24: et pastor unus erit ovium eorum, scilicet Iudaeorum et gentilium.
1420. Now our Lord explains his proof:
1420. Hic Dominus manifestat suam probationem, et