923. Sed quia posset adhuc dicere: non curo de peccatis, non curo de mortuis, dummodo habeam in vita ista quietem et tranquillitatem, ideo addit tertium inconveniens cum dicit si in hac tantum vita, et cetera.
923. But because someone could still say: I do not care about sins, I do not care about the dead, as long as in this life I have peace and quiet. Therefore, he adds a third incongruity, when he says: if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Et innititur tali argumento: si resurrectio mortuorum non est, sequitur quod nihil boni habeatur ab hominibus, nisi solum in vita ista; et si hoc est, tunc illi sunt miserabiliores, qui in vita ista multa mala et tribulationes patiuntur. Cum ergo plures tribulationes apostoli et Christiani patiantur, sequitur quod sint miserabiliores caeteris hominibus, qui ad minus perfruuntur huius mundi bonis.
And he rests on this argument: if there is no resurrection of the dead, it follows that nothing good is possessed by men except in this life alone; and if this is so, then those who suffer many evils and tribulations in this life are more miserable. Therefore, since the apostles and Christians suffer many tribulations, it follows that they are more miserable than other men, who at least enjoy the good things of this world.
924. Sed circa hanc rationem videntur duo dubitanda.
924. But there seem to be two doubts about this reasoning:
Unum quia non videtur quod sit verum universaliter quod Apostolus dicit, scilicet quod Christiani sunt confidentes in hac vita tantum, quia possent dicere illi, quod licet corpora non habeant bona nisi in vita ista, quae est mortalis, tamen secundum animam habent multa bona in alia vita.
one is that what the Apostle says does not seem to be universally true, namely, that Christians are confident in this life only, because they could say that, although our bodies do not possess any good things except in this life, which is mortal, yet according to the soul they have many good things in the other life.
Ad hoc obviatur dupliciter. Uno modo, quia si negetur resurrectio corporis, non de facili, imo difficile est sustinere immortalitatem animae. Constat enim quod anima naturaliter unitur corpori, separatur autem ab eo contra suam naturam, et per accidens. Unde anima exuta a corpore, quamdiu est sine corpore, est imperfecta. Impossibile autem est quod illud quod est naturale et per se, sit finitum et quasi nihil; et illud quod est contra naturam et per accidens, sit infinitum, si anima semper duret sine corpore. Et ideo Platonici ponentes immortalitatem, posuerunt reincorporationem, licet hoc sit haereticum: et ideo si mortui non resurgunt, solum in hac vita confidentes erimus.
This can be turned aside in two ways: in one way, because if the resurrection of the body is denied, it is not easy, rather, it is difficult, to sustain the immortality of the soul. For it is clear that the soul is naturally united to the body and is departed from it, contrary to its nature and per accidens. Hence the soul devoid of its body is imperfect, as long as it is without the body. But it is impossible that what is natural and per se be finite and, as it were, nothing; and that which is against nature and per accidens be infinite, if the soul endures without the body. And so, the Platonists positing immortality, posited re-incorporation, although this is heretical. Therefore, if the dead do not rise, we will be confident only in this life.
Alio modo quia constat quod homo naturaliter desiderat salutem sui ipsius, anima autem cum sit pars corporis hominis, non est totus homo, et anima mea non est ego; unde licet anima consequatur salutem in alia vita, non tamen ego vel quilibet homo. Et praeterea cum homo naturaliter desideret salutem, etiam corporis, frustraretur naturale desiderium.
In another way, because it is clear that man naturally desires his own salvation; but the soul, since it is part of man’s body, is not an entire man, and my soul is not I; hence, although the soul obtains salvation in another life, nevertheless, not I or any man. Furthermore, since man naturally desires salvation even of the body, a natural desire would be frustrated.
925. Secundum dubium est quia videtur quod, dato quod corpora non resurgant, non essemus nos Christiani miserabiliores caeteris hominibus, quia illi qui sunt in peccatis, sustinent maximos labores. Ier. IX, 5: ut inique agerent, laboraverunt, et Sap. V, v. 7: dicunt impii: ambulavimus vias difficiles. At vero de bonis et iustis dicitur Gal. c. V, 22: fructus autem Spiritus est caritas, gaudium, pax, et cetera.
925. The second doubt is that it seems that if bodies do not rise, we Christians would be not more miserable than other men, because those who are in sins undergo greater labors: they have labored to commit iniquity (Jer 4:5); the impious say: we have walked difficult paths (Wis 5:7). But of the good and just it is said: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal 5:22).
Ad hoc dicendum quod mala quae sunt in hoc mundo, non sunt secundum se appetenda, sed secundum quod ordinantur ad aliquod bonum. Apostoli autem et Christiani multa mala passi sunt in hoc mundo. Nisi ergo ordinarentur ad aliquod bonum, essent miserabiliores caeteris hominibus. Aut ergo ordinantur ad bonum futurum, aut ad bonum praesens; sed ad bonum futurum non ordinantur, si non est resurrectio mortuorum.
The answer to this is that evils in this world are not to be sought as such, but inasmuch as they are directed to some good. But the apostles and Christians have suffered many evils in the world. Therefore, unless they were directed to some good, they would be more miserable than other men. Either they are directed to a future good or to a present good; but they are not ordained to a future good, if there is no resurrection of the dead.
Si autem ordinantur ad bonum praesens, hoc vel est bonum intellectus, sicut philosophi naturales paupertates et alia multa mala passi sunt, ut pervenirent ad veram veritatem. Sed ad hoc non possunt ordinari, si non est resurrectio mortuorum: quia sic fides eorum esset falsa, quia ipsi praedicaverunt resurrectionem futuram; falsitas autem non est bonum intellectus. Vel est bonum moris, sicut morales philosophi multa mala passi sunt, ut pervenirent ad virtutes et famam. Sed nec ad hoc ordinari possunt, quia si resurrectio mortuorum non sit, non reputatur virtus et gloria velle omnia delectabilia dimittere, et sustinere poenas mortis et contemptus, sed potius reputatur stultitia. Et sic patet quod miserabiliores essent caeteris hominibus.
But if they are ordained to a present good, this is either the good of the intellect, as philosophers of nature suffered poverty and many other evils, in order to know the truth. But it cannot be directed to this, if there is no resurrection of the dead, because then their faith would be false, because they preached a future resurrection. But falsity is not a good of the intellect. Or it is a good of morals, as moral philosophers suffered many evils to acquire virtues and fame. But neither can they be directed to this, because if there is no resurrection of the dead, it is not regarded as virtuous and glorious to wish to renounce all pleasant things and undergo the punishments of death and contempt; rather it is considered folly. And so it is clear that they would more miserable than other men.
Lectio 3
Lecture 3
Christus mortem destruxit
Christ’s destruction of death
15:20 Nunc autem Christus resurrexit a mortuis primitiae dormientium, [n. 926]
15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of those who sleep: [n. 926]
15:21 quoniam quidem per hominem mors, et per hominem resurrectio mortuorum. [n. 930]
15:21 For by a man came death: and by a man the resurrection of the dead. [n. 930]
15:22 Et sicut in Adam omnes moriuntur, ita et in Christo omnes vivificabuntur. [n. 932]
15:22 And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. [n. 932]
15:23 Unusquisque autem in suo ordine, primitiae Christus: deinde ii qui sunt Christi, qui in adventu ejus crediderunt. [n. 933]
15:23 But every one in his own order: the firstfruits, Christ: then they who are of Christ, who have believed in his coming. [n. 933]
15:24 Deinde finis: cum tradiderit regnum Deo et Patri, cum evacuaverit omnem principatum, et potestatem, et virtutem. [n. 936]
15:24 Afterwards the end: when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father: when he shall have brought to naught all principality and power and virtue. [n. 936]
15:25 Oportet autem illum regnare donec ponat omnes inimicos sub pedibus ejus. [n. 940]
15:25 For he must reign, until he has put all his enemies under his feet. [n. 940]
15:26 Novissima autem inimica destruetur mors: [n. 944]
15:26 And the enemy, death, shall be destroyed last: [n. 944]
15:27 omnia enim subjecit pedibus ejus. Cum autem dicat: Omnia subjecta sunt ei, sine dubio praeter eum qui subjecit ei omnia. [n. 949]
15:27 For he has put all things under his feet. And whereas he says: all things are put under him; undoubtedly, he is excepted, who put all things under him. [n. 949]
15:28 Cum autem subjecta fuerint illi omnia: tunc et ipse Filius subjectus erit ei, qui subjecit sibi omnia, ut sit Deus omnia in omnibus. [n. 950]
15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. [n. 950]
926. Hic probat positam superiusconditionalem esse veram, scilicet si Christus resurrexit, mortui resurgunt.
926. Here he proves that the conditional statement above set forth is true, namely, if Christ arose, the dead will rise.
Et circa hoc tria facit.
In regard to this he does three things:
Primo ostendit quomodo se habeat resurrectio Christi ad resurrectionem aliorum;
first, he shows how Christ’s resurrection is related to that of others;
secundo ostendit ordinem resurrectionis, ibi unusquisque autem in suo ordine, etc.;
second, he shows the order of the resurrection, at but every one in his own order;
tertio ostendit finem resurrectionis, ibi deinde finis, et cetera.
third, he shows the end of the resurrection, at afterwards the end.
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things:
Primo ostendit habitudinem resurrectionis Christi ad resurrectionem aliorum, per conditionalem praedictam, probans hoc;
first, he shows the relationship of Christ’s resurrection to that of others;
secundo probat ipsam habitudinem, ibi quoniam quidem, et cetera.
second, he proves this relationship, at for by a man.
927. Dicit ergo nunc, id est ex quo dicta inconvenientia sequuntur si Christus non resurrexit, ideo ad ipsa vitanda dicamus, quod Christus resurrexit. Hoc autem verum est, secundum quod Matth. ult. dicitur, et aliis locis Evangeliorum.
927. He says, therefore: now, i.e., inasmuch as the aforesaid incongruities follow, if Christ has not risen, then to avoid them, let us say: Christ is risen. This is true according to what is stated in the last chapter of Matthew and in other texts of the Gospels.
Sed resurrectionis Christi habitudo ita se habet ad resurrectionem aliorum, sicut primitiae fructuum ad sequentes fructus, quae excedunt alios fructus tempore et melioritate, seu dignitate; et ideo dicit quod resurrexit, non sicut alii, sed primitiae, id est primo tempore et dignitate. Apoc. I, 5: primogenitus mortuorum. Primitiae, dico, dormientium, id est, mortuorum qui in spe resurrectionis quiescunt.
But Christ’s resurrection is related to that of others as the first fruits to those that follow, for they exceed the latter in time and superiority or worth; therefore, he says: he is risen, not as the others, but as the firstfruits, i.e., first in time and dignity: the first born of the dead (Rev 1:5). The firstfruits, I say, of those who sleep, i.e., of the dead who rest in hope of the resurrection.
Ex hoc potest inferri conditionalis posita, quia, sicut dicimus et verum est, si Christus, qui est primitiae dormientium, resurrexit, ergo et alii dormientes.
From this can be inferred the conditional statement previously made, because we say and it is true, if Christ who is the firstfruits of those that sleep, arose, then also all others asleep.
928. Sed contrarium videtur, scilicet quod Christus non resurrexit primitiae dormientium, quia Lazarus fuit resuscitatus a Christo nondum passo, et aliqui prophetae suscitaverunt alios a mortuis, ut habetur in Veteri Testamento.
928. But something seems contrary to this, namely, that Christ did not arise the first fruits of those who sleep, because Lazarus had been raised by Christ not yet suffering, and some raised others from the dead, as it says in the Old Testament.
Ad hoc dicendum quod duplex est resurrectio. Una est ad vitam mortalem, et ad istam Lazarus et alii, qui suscitati fuerunt, resurrexerunt ante Christum. Alia ad vitam immortalem, et de hac loquitur hic Apostolus.
The answer is that resurrection is twofold: one is to mortal life, to which Lazarus and the others had been raised. The other is to immortal life, and it is about this that the Apostle speaks.
929. Sed contra Matth. XXVII, 52 dicitur, quod multa corpora sanctorum surrexerunt. Cum ergo hoc legatur ante Christi resurrectionem, et constet quod non resurrexerunt ad vitam immortalem, videtur quod adhuc restet quaestio prima.
929. But on the other hand it is said: many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised (Matt 27:52). Therefore, since this happened before the resurrection of Christ and it is obvious that they did not rise to an immortal life, it seems that the first question still remains.
Responsio. Dicendum est, quod hoc quod Matthaeus dicit de resurrectione illorum, dicit per anticipationem, quia licet dicatur in tractatu de passione, non tunc resurrexerunt, sed postquam Christus resurrexit.
I answer that what Matthew says about the resurrection of those souls, he says by anticipation, because although it is written in the tract on the passion, they did not rise then, but after Christ arose.
930. Quoniam quidem, et cetera. Hic probat habitudinem positam, scilicet quod Christus sit primitiae dormientium. Et
930. For by a man came death: and by a man the resurrection of the dead. Here he proves the relationship posited, namely, that Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep.