Lecture 3
Lectio 3
Abraham’s faith in the promise
Fides Abrahae in promissio
4:16 Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, [n. 359]
4:16 Ideo ex fide, ut secundum gratiam firma sit promissio omni semini, non ei qui ex lege est solum, sed et ei qui ex fide est Abrahae, qui pater est omnium nostrum [n. 359]
4:17 (As it is written: I have made you a father of many nations), before God, whom he believed: who quickens the dead and calls those things that are not, as those that are.
4:17 (sicut scriptum est: Quia patrem multarum gentium posui te) ante Deum, cui credidit, qui vivificat mortuos, et vocat ea quae non sunt, tamquam ea quae sunt:
4:18 Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: so shall your seed be. [n. 367]
4:18 qui contra spem in spem credidit, ut fieret pater multarum gentium secundum quod dictum est ei: Sic erit semen tuum. [n. 367]
4:19 And he was not weak in faith. Neither did he consider his own body, now dead (whereas he was almost an hundred years old), nor the dead womb of Sarah.
4:19 Et non infirmatus est fide, nec consideravit corpus suum emortuum, cum jam fere centum esset annorum, et emortuam vulvam Sarae.
4:20 In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust: but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God: [n. 374]
4:20 In repromissione etiam Dei non haesitavit diffidentia, sed confortatus est fide, dans gloriam Deo: [n. 374]
4:21 Most fully knowing that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform.
4:21 plenissime sciens, quia quaecumque promisit, potens est et facere.
4:22 And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice. [n. 377]
4:22 Ideo et reputatum est illi ad justitiam. [n. 377]
4:23 Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice,
4:23 Non est autem scriptum tantum propter ipsum quia reputatum est illi ad justitiam:
4:24 But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead,
4:24 sed et propter nos, quibus reputabitur credentibus in eum, qui suscitavit Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum a mortuis,
4:25 Who was delivered up for our sins and rose again for our justification.
4:25 qui traditus est propter delicta nostra, et resurrexit propter justificationem nostram.
359. After showing that the promise made to Abraham and his seed was not to be fulfilled through the law, the Apostle now shows that it is to be fulfilled through faith.
359. Ostenso quod promissio facta Abrahae et semini eius non sit implenda per legem, hic ostendit quod sit implenda per fidem.
In regard to this he does three things:
Et circa hoc tria facit.
first, he shows through what such a promise is to be fulfilled;
Primo ostendit per quid sit huiusmodi promissio adimplenda;
second, in whom it is to be fulfilled, at to all the seed;
secundo ostendit in quibus sit adimplenda, ibi omni semini, etc.;
third, by whom it is to be fulfilled, at who quickens the dead.
tertio a quo sit implenda, ibi qui vivificat mortuos, etc.
360. First, therefore, he concludes to his proposition, as it were by division.
360. Primo ergo concludit propositum quasi ex divisione.
For it seems necessary that the promise be fulfilled either by faith or by the law; but not by the law, because the promise would be abolished. Hence, he concludes, therefore it is of faith, if we are to attain the promise of being heirs of the world: this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith (1 John 5:4).
Videtur enim necessarium esse quod promissio adimpleatur vel per fidem, vel per legem: non autem per legem, quia promissio aboleretur, unde concludit ideo ex fide, scilicet consequimur promissionem, ut haeredes simus mundi. Io. V, 4: haec est victoria quae vincit mundum, et cetera.
Then he confirms this with a middle term contrary to the one he used above. For it was stated that if justice were from the law, the promise would be abolished; but if it be from faith, the promise remains solid in virtue of the power of divine grace justifying man through faith. And that is what he says, that the promise of God might be firm not on actions, which can fall short, but according to grace, which is infallible: my grace is sufficient for you (2 Cor 12:9); for all the promises of God are in him, namely, Christ, i.e., they are true (2 Cor 1:20).
Et hoc confirmat per contrarium medium ei quod supra assumpserat. Dictum est enim quod si iustitia ex lege esset, promissio aboleretur; sed si sit ex fide, remanet firma promissio propter virtutem divinae gratiae iustificantis hominem per fidem. Et hoc est quod dicit ut promissio Dei sit firma, non quidem per operationes hominum quae possunt deficere, sed secundum gratiam quae infallibilis est. II Cor. XII, 9: sufficit tibi gratia mea, et cetera. II Cor. I, 20: quotquot sunt promissiones, in illo, scilicet Christo, sunt, id est, veritatem habent.
361. Then when he says, to all the seed, he shows in whom this promise is fulfilled.
361. Deinde cum dicit omni semini, etc., ostendit in quibus impleatur praedicta promissio.
First, he proposes what he intends and says that this promise, which is to be thus fulfilled through faith, is guaranteed by grace to all the seed, i.e., to every man who would be in any way descended from Abraham: their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children’s children (Sir 44:11).
Et primo proponit quod intendit, et dicit quod praedicta promissio sic implenda per fidem, est firma per gratiam. Omni semini, id est, omni homini qui fuerit qualitercumque semen Abrahae. Eccli. XLIV, 11 s.: cum semine eorum permanent bona, haereditas sancta nepotes eorum.
362. Second, at not to that only, he explains what he meant by all the seed.
362. Secundo, ibi non ei, etc., exponit quod dixerat omni semini.
For there is a bodily descendant: we are the descendants of Abraham (John 8:33), and there is a spiritual descendant: God is able from these stones, i.e., from the gentiles, to raise up children to Abraham (Matt 3:9). Only the bodily descendants of Abraham kept the law, but the spiritual descendants also imitate his faith.
Est enim quoddam semen carnale, secundum illud Io. VIII, 33: semen Abrahae sumus. Est aliud semen spirituale, secundum illud Matth. III, 9: potens est Deus de lapidibus his, id est de gentibus, suscitare filios Abrahae; solum autem semen Abrahae carnale legem servavit, sed fidem eius etiam imitatur semen spirituale.
Thus, if the promise were solely through the law, it would be fulfilled not in all the descendants but only in the bodily ones. But because it is fulfilled through faith, which is common to all, it is plain that it is fulfilled in all his descendants.
Et sic, si per solam legem esset promissio, non impleretur in omni semine sed solum in carnali. Quia vero impletur per fidem quae est omnibus communis, planum est, quod impletur in omni semine.
363. Third, at who is the father, he proves something he had presupposed, namely, that the descendants of Abraham are not only the children of the law but also the children of faith. He proves this with a text from Scripture. First, he gives its sense, saying, who, namely, Abraham, is the father of us all, i.e., of all believers, Jew or gentile: that he might be the father of all them that believe (Rom 4:11); look to Abraham, your father (Isa 51:2).
363. Tertio, ibi qui est pater, etc., probat quod supposuerat, scilicet quod semen Abrahae sit non solum quod est ex lege sed etiam quod est ex fide, per auctoritatem Scripturae, cuius, primo, ponit sensum, dicens, qui, scilicet Abraham, est pater omnium nostrum, id est, omnium credentium, sive Iudaeorum, sive gentilium. Supra, eodem: Ut sit pater omnium credentium. Is. LI, 2: attendite ad Abraham patrem vestrum.
Second, he cites the text, saying, as it is written: I have made you a father of many nations (Gen 17:4). Another version has, I have appointed you. But it does not change the sense. Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations (Sir 44:19).
Secundo inducit auctoritatem, dicens sicut scriptum est, Gen. XVII, 4, quia patrem multarum gentium posui te. Littera alia habet, constitui te, quod sensum non variat. Eccli. XLIV, 20: Abraham magnus pater multitudinis gentium.
Third, at before God, he explains what he had said. For I have made you seems to imply that something destined to be fulfilled in the distant future had already come to pass. However, things that are future in themselves are present in God’s providence: before the universe was created, it was known to him; so it was also after it was finished (Sir 23:20). Accordingly, the Apostle says that the statement, I have made you, should be understood before God, i.e., in his presence, whom he believed. For Abraham had believed God promising things to come as if he saw them present, because, as is stated in Hebrews: faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1).
Tertio, ibi ante Deum, etc., exponit quod dixerat. Sic enim dictum est posui te quasi iam esset impletum quod longe postea erat implendum: sed quae sunt futura in seipsis, in Dei providentia sunt praesentia, secundum illud Eccli. XXIII, 29: Domino Deo nostro, antequam crearentur, omnia sunt agnita, sic et post perfectum respicit omnia. Et ideo Apostolus dicit quod hoc quod dictum est, posui te, intelligendum est ante Deum, id est, in eius praesentia, cui credidisti. Crediderat enim Abraham Deo futura praenuncianti, ac si videret praesentia, quia, ut dicitur Hebr. XI, 1: fides est sperandarum substantia rerum, argumentum non apparentium.
364. Then when he says who quickens the dead he shows by whom this promise is to be fulfilled, saying, who, namely, God, quickens the dead, i.e., the Jews, who were dead in sin for acting against the law; he vivifies with faith and grace to enable them to rea1ize the promise to Abraham: as the Father raises the dead and gives them life so the Son gives life to whom he will (John 5:21).
364. Deinde cum dicit qui vivificat mortuos, etc., ostendit a quo sit implenda huiusmodi promissio, dicens qui, scilicet Deus, vivificat mortuos, id est, Iudaeos, qui erant mortui in peccatis, contra legem agentes, vivificat per fidem et gratiam, ut promissionem Abrahae consequantur. Io. V, 21: sicut Pater suscitat mortuos et vivificat, et cetera.
And calls those things that are not, i.e., he calls the gentiles to grace as those that are, i.e., as the Jews: I will call that which was not my people, my people (Rom 9:25).
Et vocat ea quae non sunt, id est, gentiles vocat, scilicet ad gratiam, tamquam ea quae sunt, id est, tamquam Iudaeos. Infra IX, 25: vocabo non plebem meam, etc.
He refers to the gentiles as those things that are not, because they were completely estranged from God, and it is stated in 1 Corinthians: if I do not have charity, I am nothing (1 Cor 13:2). Consequently, through this call the promise to Abraham is fulfilled even in the gentiles.
Significat autem gentiles per ea quae non sunt, quia erant omnino alienati a Deo. Sicut I Cor. XIII, 2 dicitur: si caritatem non habuero, nihil sum. Et sic per huiusmodi vocationem implebitur promissio Abrahae etiam in gentilibus.
365. Or, and calls those things that are not refers not to one’s temporal calling but to the call of eternal predestination, because even those who are not, are called and chosen as if they were: he chose us in him before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4). Concerning this call it is stated below: not of works but of him who calls, it was said to her: the elder shall serve the younger (Rom 9:12).
365. Vel quod dicit et vocat ea quae non sunt, non intelligitur de vocatione temporali, sed de vocatione praedestinationis aeternae, quia vocantur et eliguntur etiam qui non sunt ac si essent. Eph. I, 4: eligit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem. Et de hac vocatione dicitur infra IX, 12: non ex operibus, sed ex vocante dictum est, quia maior serviet minori.
Or he is calling God’s simple knowledge a call, or the knowledge by which he knows the future as present. This is the way it is taken in the Psalm: he calls the stars by their names (Ps 147:4). According to this sense, what is said here is mentioned on account of an earlier statement: before God, whom he believed.
Vel, vocationem hic dicit simplicem Dei notitiam vel cognitionem, qua cognoscit futura, quae non sunt in actu sicut praesentia. Et hoc modo vocatio in Ps. CXLVII, 4 accipitur, cum dicitur: qui numerat multitudinem stellarum, etc. Et secundum hunc sensum quod hic dicitur, inducitur propter id quod supra dictum est ante Deum cui credidisti.
366. Two things seem to militate against what was said: I have made you a father of many nations. One of these was that Abraham was as good as dead from old age. Against this he says, who quickens the dead. The other is that those many nations did not exist yet. Against this he says: and calls those things that are not, as those that are.
366. Duo enim videbantur obstare ei quod dictum est patrem multarum gentium posui te. Quorum unum erat, quia ipse idem Abraham erat quasi emortuus prae senectute, ut infra dicetur. Et contra hoc dicit qui vivificat mortuos. Aliud autem est, quia illae multae gentes nondum erant. Et contra hoc subdit et vocat ea quae non sunt tamquam ea quae sunt.
367. Then when he says who against hope, he commends Abraham’s faith.
367. Deinde cum dicit qui contra spem, commendat fidem Abrahae.
First, he shows the greatness of his faith;
Et primo ostendit magnitudinem fidei eius;