Lectio 4
Lecture 4
Omnia propter Evangelium
All for the sake of the Gospel
9:19 Nam cum liber essem ex omnibus, omnium me servum feci, ut plures lucrifacerem. [n. 490]
9:19 For whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all, that I might gain the more. [n. 490]
9:20 Et factus sum Judaeis tamquam Judaeus, ut Judaeos lucrarer: iis qui sub lege sunt, quasi sub lege essem (cum ipse non essem sub lege) ut eos qui sub lege erant, lucrifacerem: [n. 492]
9:20 And I became to the Jews a Jew, that I might gain the Jews: to them that are under the law, as if I were under the law (whereas I myself was not under the law), that I might gain them that were under the law. [n. 492]
9:21 iis qui sine lege erant, tamquam sine lege essem (cum sine lege Dei non essem: sed in lege essem Christi) ut lucrifacerem eos qui sine lege erant. [n. 494]
9:21 To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ), that I might gain them that were without the law. [n. 494]
9:22 Factus sum infirmis infirmus, ut infirmos lucrifacerem. Omnibus omnia factus sum, ut omnes facerem salvos. [n. 496]
9:22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all. [n. 496]
9:23 Omnia autem facio propter Evangelium: ut particeps ejus efficiar. [n. 497]
9:23 And I do all things for the Gospel’s sake, that I may be made a partaker thereof. [n. 497]
490. Superius ostendit, quod non vult sumptus accipere, et hoc propter intentionem praemii, hic ostendit, quod idem fecit propter amorem Evangelii. Ubi primo dicit, quod omnium se servum fecit; secundo quod omnibus se contemperare studuit, ibi et factus sum Iudaeis, etc.; tertio subdit causam quare hoc fecit, ibi omnia autem facio propter Evangelium, et cetera.
490. He shows above that he does not wish to accept living expenses, and this because of his intention of a prize; here he shows that he did the same out of love of the Gospel. For first he says that he has made himself servant of all; second, that he has striven to temper himself to all men, at and I became to the Jews; third, he submits the reason why he did it, at and I do all things for the Gospel’s sake.
491. In prima implicat triplicem conditionem commendabilem in servitio: quae sunt generalitas, liberalitas, utilitas. Servit ergo gratis sive liberaliter, ibi cum essem liber, etc., generaliter, ibi omnium me, etc., utiliter, ibi ut plures lucrifacerem, et cetera.
491. In the first he develops three commendable aspects to slavery: which are commonality, liberality, and usefulness. Therefore, he serves freely or generously, at whereas I was free; to all in common, at I made myself the servant of all; usefully, at that I might gain the more.
Dicit ergo nam cum essem, etc., quasi dicat: sine sumptu ponam Evangelium, nam et maius feci, scilicet quod cum liber essem ex omnibus, etc., id est, nullius meritis obnoxius, omnium me servum feci, omnibus me contemperando per vilitatem, et quasi debitorem constituendo, II Cor. IV, 5: nos autem servos vestros per Iesum. Et hoc ut plures lucrifacerem, id est, lucrum meae praedicationis et servitutis facerem. Quaerebat enim non res, sed animas. II Cor. XII, v. 14: non quaero vestra, sed vos.
Therefore he says, for whereas I was, as though he said: without charge I set forth the Gospel, for I have also done a greater thing, which is that although I was free as to all, that is, deserving of nothing in merits, I made myself the servant of all, bringing myself to the level of all by lowliness, and by establishing myself like a debtor: ourselves your servants through Jesus (2 Cor 4:5). And this so that I might gain the more; that is, I would make my gain of preaching and servitude. For he was not asking for things, but for souls. I do not seek your belongings, but yourselves (2 Cor 12:14).
Si enim commendabile est servire in temporalibus propter lucrum temporale, quanto plus in spiritualibus propter lucrum spirituale?
For if it is commendable to serve in temporal things, for the sake of temporal gain, how much more is it to serve in spiritual things, for the sake of spiritual gain?
492. Deinde, cum dicit et factus sum Iudaeis, etc., hic ostendit, quod omnibus se contemperare studuit. Et
492. Next, when he says and I became to the Jews, here he shows that he strove to make himself of the same stuff as everyone else.
primo dicit quod contemperavit se nondum conversis;
First he says that he mingled himself with those not yet converted;
secundo quod etiam iam conversis, ibi factus sum infirmis, etc.;
second, with those also who had converted, at to the weak I became weak;
tertio quod generaliter universis, ibi omnibus omnia factus sum, etc.
third, commonly to all the world, at I became all things to all men.
in prima
As to the first,
primo dicit, quod contemperavit se Iudaeis;
he says first that he made himself one with Jews;
secundo quod Samaritanis, ibi et his qui sub lege, etc.;
second, with Samaritans, at and to them that are under the law;
tertio quod gentilibus, ibi his qui sine lege erant, et cetera.
third, with the Gentiles, at to them that were without the law.
493. In prima, primo tangit contemperationem; secundo contemperationis rationem, ibi ut Iudaeos, et cetera.
493. In the first, he first deals with the fact of becoming one of them; second, the reason for becoming one of them, at so that I might gain the Jews.
Dicit ergo: et factus sum Iudaeis tamquam Iudaeus, scilicet aliqua legalia servando, sicut in discretione ciborum, in circumcisione Timothei Act. XVI, 3, in purificatione legali Act. XXI, 24.
Therefore he says, and I became to the Jews, a Jew, that is by observing certain legalities, like in the separation of foods, and in the circumcision of Timothy (Acts 16:3), in the purification called for by the law (Acts 21:24).
Potest autem hoc intelligi dupliciter. Uno modo, secundum Hieronymum, factus sum Iudaeis tamquam Iudaeus, per simulationis dispensationem. Simulabat enim se servare legalia aliqua, quae tamen non servabat. Alio modo, secundum Augustinum, factus sum Iudaeus, et cetera. Vere enim condescendebat eis in observatione aliquorum legalium propter piam compassionem; et hoc fecit, ut Iudaeos lucraretur Christo, id est, eos ad fidem Christi converteret.
But this can be understood two ways. In one way, according to Jerome, I became to the Jews a Jew, by the dispensation of pretense. For he was pretending to observe certain legalities, which, however, he was not observing. In another way, according to Augustine, I became a Jew. For he truly condescended to them in his observation of certain legalities because of his faithful compassion; and he did this so that he might gain the Jews for Christ, that is, to convert them to the faith of Christ.
494. Deinde, cum dicit et his qui sub lege sunt, etc., hic dicit quod contemperabat se Samaritanis.
494. Next, when he says, and to them that are under the law, here he says that he made himself one of the Samaritans.
Ubi notantur tria de ipso. Primo eius sagacitas in hoc quod se contemperabat; secundo eius libertas in hoc quod sub lege non erat; tertio eius utilitas in hoc quod lucrifaciebat.
Three things are noted about this. First, his shrewdness in the fact that he made himself one of them; second, his freedom in the fact that he was not under the law; and third, his usefulness in the fact that it was paying off.
Dicit ergo: sum etiam his qui sub lege Moysi sunt, id est Samaritanis, qui non sunt Iudaei sed Assyrii, qui fuerunt adducti ad inhabitandum terram Israel, IV Reg. XVII, v. 24 ss. Isti etiam erant sub lege Moysi, quia tantum quinque libros Moysi recipiebant. His ergo factus sum quasi sub lege essem, approbando scilicet legem, et ex ea docendo Christum, cum tamen ipse sub lege non essem, secundum litteralem observantiam, vel serviliter, quia iusto non est lex posita, I Tim. I, 9. Et hoc ideo feci ut eos, qui sub lege erant, scilicet ipsos Samaritanos, lucrifacerem, eos ad fidem Christi convertendo.
Therefore he says: I am even to them that are under the law of Moses, that is, Samaritans, who are not Jews but Assyrians, who were brought back to inhabit the land of Israel (2 Kgs 17:24). Those people were also under the law of Moses, for they received only the five books of Moses. Therefore to them, I became . . . as if I were under the law, namely by endorsing the law, and from it teaching Christ, whereas I myself was not under the law, according to the observance of the letter, or in a servile way, because the law is not made for the just man (1 Tim 1:9). And therefore I did this so that them that were under the law, namely, those Samaritans, I might gain, by converting them to the faith of Christ.
495. Deinde, cum dicit his qui sine lege erant, etc., hic dicit quod contemperavit se gentilibus.
495. Next, when he says to them that were without the law, here he is saying that he made himself one of the gentiles.
Ubi primo tangit suam conformitatem; secundo suae fidei veritatem, ibi cum tamen sine lege, etc.; tertio suae intentionis rectitudinem, ibi ut lucrifacerem, et cetera.
First he deals with his own conformity; second, the truth of his faith, at whereas I was not without the law; third, the uprightness of his intention, at that I might gain.
Et hoc est: et factus sum his qui sine lege erant, id est gentibus, Rom. II, 14: cum enim gentes, quae legem non habent, tamquam sine lege essem, id est, assentiendo rationibus eorum, et bonis positionibus philosophorum, ut patet Act. XVII; Cum tamen sine lege non essem. Rom. VII, 25: mente servio legi Dei. Sed in lege essem, non Iudaica, sed Christi, qui est Deus, non autem Moyses. De qua Gal. VI, 2: alter alterius onera portate, et sic adimplebitis, et cetera. Et hoc ideo feci ut lucrifacerem eos qui sine lege erant, gentiles ad fidem convertendo. O felix zelator. Gregorius: nullum tale sacrificium quale zelus animarum.
And this is: and I became . . . to them that are without the law, that is, the gentiles: the gentiles who have not the law (Rom 2:14), as if I were without the law, that is, by agreeing with their arguments, and the good positions of their philosophers, as is clear in Acts 17; whereas I was not without the law: I serve the law of God with my mind (Rom 7:25). But I was in the law, not the Jewish one, but the law of Christ, who is God, but not Moses. Concerning this, it is said: carry each other’s burdens, and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). And this therefore I did so that I might gain them who were without the law, by converting gentiles to the faith. O happy zealous lover. Gregory says: there is no sacrifice as great as zeal for souls.
496. Deinde, cum dicit factus sum infirmis, etc., hic ostendit quod se contemperavit iam conversis. Ubi primo ponit modum bonum, secundo finem debitum, ibi ut infirmos.
496. Next, when he says to the weak I became weak, he shows that he made himself one of those already converted. There he sets forth first the good way; second, the due end, at that I might gain the weak.
Dicit ergo factus sum etiam infirmis, in fide, infirmus, a licitis abstinendo. II Cor. c. XI, 29: quis infirmatur, et ego non infirmor? Sic facit bonus medicus, qui comedit cibum infirmi, ut eum provocet ad comedendum, et sic sanet. Et hoc feci ut infirmos lucrifacerem, eos in fide roborando.
Therefore he says to the weak in faith I also became weak by abstaining from things that were allowed. Who is weak and I am not weak? (2 Cor 11:29) In this way works a good doctor, who eats the food of the sick, so that he can provoke them to eat, and so heal them. And I did this so that I might gain the weak, by strengthening them in faith.
Et breviter omnibus omnia factus sum, quasi essem omnium sectarum. Ideo dicitur infra X, 33: sicut et ego per omnia omnibus placeo. Et hoc ut omnes facerem salvos. In vestimento poderis quod habebat Aaron, totus orbis terrarum erat descriptus, Sap. c. XVIII, 24. Et, IV Reg. IV, 34, Eliseus contraxit se ad modum pueri, et sic suscitavit illum.
And in sum, I became all things to all men, as though I were of all groups. Therefore it is said below: as I also in all things please all men (1 Cor 10:33). And this, that I might save all. In the priestly robe that Aaron had, the whole world was pictured (Wis 18:24). And Eliseus shrunk himself down to the size of a child, so that he could bring him back to life (2 Kgs 4:34).
Et quia, secundum Boetium, omnis alteritas discors, similitudo vero appetenda est; ideo viri spirituales, salva vitae et religionis suae observantia, omnibus se debent conformare.
And because, according to Boethius, every difference is discordant, indeed likeness must be sought; therefore, spiritual men, except for those observing a religious rule of life, should conform themselves to all others.
497. Deinde, cum dicit omnia facio propter Evangelium, superius ostendit quod omnibus se contemperare studuit; hic subdit rationem quare hoc facit, et hanc duplicem: unam ex parte Evangelii, scilicet ut cursum liberum habeat; aliam ex parte sui, scilicet ut promissum praemium obtineat, ibi ut particeps, et cetera.
497. Next, when he says I do all things for the Gospel’s sake, he shows that he has striven to make himself one with all men; here he puts forth his reason why he did it, and this is two-fold: one on the part of the Gospel, so that it would have a free course; and the other on his own part, so that he might obtain the promised prize, at that I may be made a partaker.
Et hoc est quod dicit omnia autem facio propter Evangelium, sine impedimento praedicandum, ut particeps eius, id est, promissionum, quae in eo continentur, efficiar. Matth. V, 19: qui fecerit et docuerit, hic magnus vocabitur in regno caelorum.
And this is what he says at I do all things for the Gospel’s sake, without impediment to his preaching, that I may be made a partaker thereof, that is, of the promises that are contained in it: he who shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:19).
Lectio 5
Lecture 5
Currite ut comprehendatis
Run that you may obtain