Lectio 2
Lecture 2
Modestas feminarum
Women’s modesty
2:6 Qui dedit redemptionem semetipsum pro omnibus, testimonium temporibus suis: [n. 65]
2:6 Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times. [n. 65]
2:7 in quo positus sum ego praedicator, et apostolus (veritatem dico, non mentior) doctor gentium in fide, et veritate. [n. 67]
2:7 To which I am appointed a preacher and an apostle (I say the truth, I do not lie), a doctor of the gentiles in faith and truth. [n. 67]
2:8 Volo ergo viros orare in omni loco, levantes puras manus sine ira et disceptatione. [n. 70]
2:8 I will, therefore, that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, without anger and contention. [n. 70]
2:9 Similiter et mulieres in habitu ornato, cum verecundia et sobrietate ornantes se, et non in tortis crinibus, aut auro, aut margaritas, vel veste pretiosa: [n. 74]
2:9 In like manner, women also in decent apparel: adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire: [n. 74]
2:10 sed quod decet mulieres, promittentes pietatem per opera bona. [n. 77]
2:10 But, as it becomes women professing godliness, with good works. [n. 77]
65. Supra dixit quod Deus vult omnes salvos fieri, et probavit hoc ex parte Dei, qui est unus omnium, et ex parte Christi, qui est unus mediator omnium; hic probat idem ex parte testimonii. Et
65. Above, he said that God wills that all men be saved, and he proved this on the side of God, who is one for all men; and on the part of Christ, who is the one mediator. Now he proves it from testimony:
primo inducit alios testes;
first, of other witnesses;
secundo suum testimonium, ibi in quo positus sum.
second, of himself, at to which I am appointed.
66. Dicit ergo: dedit se pro omnibus. Sed numquid subito Deo in mentem venit, ut qui elegerat salvare Iudaeos solum, vellet salvare totum mundum? Hoc excludens dicit cuius testimonium temporibus suis; quasi dicat: haec lex non est subita, sed antiquitus attestata per legem, et per prophetas. Is. XLIV, 8: vos estis testes mei. Act. X, 43: huic omnes prophetae testimonium perhibent, et cetera. Confirmatum est, scilicet impletione et ostensione signorum, et praedicatione apostolorum. Temporibus suis, scilicet quibus praedeterminatum erat fieri. Eccle. III, 1: omnia tempus habent. Vel testimonium apostolorum confirmatum est temporibus determinatis. Act. I, 8: eritis mihi testes in Ierusalem, et in omni Iudaea, et Samaria, et usque ad ultimum terrae, et cetera.
66. He says, therefore: who gave himself a redemption for all. But did it suddenly come to God’s mind, who had chosen to save the Jews alone, also to save the whole world? He rejects this when he says that his testimony is in due times. As if to say: this law is not something sudden, but something attested to from of old by the law and by the prophets: you are my witnesses (Isa 44:8); to whom all the prophets give testimony (Acts 10:43). It has been confirmed, namely, by its fulfillment through the showing forth of signs and the preaching of the apostles in due times, i.e., when these things were predetermined to occur: all things have their season (Eccl 3:1). Or the testimony of the apostles has been confirmed at the appointed time: you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).
67. Deinde cum dicit in quo positus sum, ponit testimonium suum. Et
67. Then when he says, to which I am appointed, he gives his own testimony:
primo ostendit suum officium;
first, he shows what his office is;
secundo officii sui usum, ibi veritatem.
second, how he uses it, at I say the truth.
68. Dicit ergo in quo, scilicet officio testandi, positus sum, scilicet a Deo. Io. XV, v. 16: posui vos ut eatis et fructum afferatis, et fructus vester maneat. Ego praedicator, quia ad hoc me posuit, ut praedicarem. Mc. ult.: euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. Sed in quolibet artificio sunt duo: quidam ministerialiter operantes, quidam qui disponunt de aliis, scilicet architectores; sed in officio Ecclesiae disponentes sunt apostoli; et ideo dicit apostolus, quasi cum auctoritate. I Cor. IX, 2: signaculum apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino.
68. He says, therefore: to which, i.e., unto the office of testifying, I am appointed, namely, by God: I have appointed you that you should go and bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain (John 15:16). A preacher, because he appointed me to preach: go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). But in every artifact there are two factors: those who act as ministers, and those who dispose of the ministers, namely, the architects. But in the work of the Church the ones who dispose are the apostles; hence he says, and an apostle, as though citing his authority: you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord (1 Cor 9:2).
69. Usus autem officii est praedicare veritatem, et hoc est officium praedicatorum, ut veritatem dicant. Prov. VIII, 7: veritatem meditabitur guttur meum. Eph. IV, 25: loquimini veritatem. Sed non est aliqua doctrina, quae non habeat aliquam veritatem; sed in hoc damnatur aliqua doctrina, quia miscet veritati falsitatem. Et ideo dicit veritatem dico, non mentior. Prov. VIII, 8: recti sunt omnes sermones mei. Iob VI, 30: non invenietis in lingua mea iniquitatem. Et hic est usus officii, scilicet veritatem sine mendacio praedicare, qui competit meo officio, qui sum doctor gentium. Doctor autem generat scientiam in anima discipuli. Scientia autem non est de falso; unde docens falsum non est doctor.
69. The work of this office is to preach the truth; for this is the duty of preachers, namely, to preach the truth: my mouth shall meditate the truth (Prov 8:7); speak the truth (Eph 4:25). But there is no doctrine which does not have some truth; and the reason why some doctrines are condemned is that they mix falsity with truth. Hence he says, I speak the truth, I do not lie: all my words are true (Prov 8:8); you shall not find iniquity in my tongue (Job 6:30). And this is the duty of his office, namely, to preach the truth without lying. This is my work, who am a doctor of the gentiles. Now a doctor produces knowledge in the soul of his disciple; but knowledge is not concerned with what is false; hence anyone who teaches what is false is not a doctor.
Sed contra, Matth. XXIII, 8: nolite vocari Rabbi.
But Matthew tells us: do not be called Rabbi (Matt 23:8).
Respondeo. Non prohibet ministerium doctrinae, sed ambitionem officii. Act. IX, 15: vas electionis est mihi iste, ut portet nomen meum, et cetera. Is. XLIX, 6: dedi te in lucem gentium, et cetera.
I answer that he is not forbidding one to be a teacher of doctrine, but to avoid ambition: this man is to me a vessel of election; to carry my name before the gentiles and kings and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15); I have given you to be a light of the gentiles that you may be my salvation even to the farthest parts of the earth (Isa 49:6).
Et debeo eas docere in fide et veritate, quia debet docere fidem et bonos mores. Et dicit in fide, id est, de his quae pertinent ad statum praesentem, in quo secundum fidem vivimus, et in veritate quantum ad statum gloriae.
And I am obliged to teach them in faith and truth, because I must teach the faith and good morals. He says, in faith, i.e., in those matters which pertain to the present state, in which we live according to the faith, and truth, as to the state of glory.
70. Deinde cum dicit volo, descendit ad speciales gradus hominum. Et
70. Then when he says, I will, therefore, he comes down to the specific types of men.
circa hoc duo facit, quia
In regard to this he does two things:
primo monet viros de oratione,
first, he instructs the men about prayer;
secundo mulieres, ibi similiter et mulieres.
second, the women, at in like manner, women also.
71. Dicit ergo volo, et cetera. Tria exigit a viris in orando: primo quod oratio sit assidua; secundo pura; tertio quieta.
71. He says, I will, therefore, that men pray. And he requires three things of men in prayer: that it be assiduous, pure and quiet:
Assidua, ut in omni tempore et in omni loco. Et dicit volo, quia bonum est quod homo oret, et ego doctor volo viros orare in omni loco, non in Ierusalem tantum, ut Iudaei, nec in monte Garizim, ut Samaritani Io. IV, 21. In omni loco potest homo spiritualiter et mentaliter orare. Soph. II, 11: adorabunt eum viri de loco suo; omnes insulae gentium, et cetera.
assiduous, because it should take place at all times and in every place. And he says, I will, because it is good for a man to pray; and I, your teacher, will that men pray in every place and not only at Jerusalem, as the Jews, or not only on Mount Garizim, as the Samaritans (John 4:20–21). For a man can pray spiritually and mentally everywhere: they shall adore him, every man from his own place, all the islands of the gentiles (Zeph 1:11).
Sed quomodo Dominus reprehendit Pharisaeos stantes in angulis, Matth. VI, 5? Respondeo. Oratio mentalis ubique potest fieri, sed signa orationis exterius non debent fieri in omni loco, quia homo non debet singularis apparere in exterioribus, quia propter hoc posset haberi inanis gloria.
But why does the Lord rebuke the Pharisees for praying as they stood on the street corners? (Matt 6:5). The answer is that mental prayer can be performed anywhere; but the external signs of prayer should not be performed everywhere, because a man should not appear singular in his outward actions because of the danger of doing them out of vain glory.
Sed quare nunc sunt factae ecclesiae? Respondeo. Non quod locus sit de necessitate orationi, sed ad bene esse ei; quia oratio requirit solitudinem et quietem.
But why do people build churches? I answer that it is not because the place is necessary for prayer, but for the convenience of the one who prays, i.e., to have solitude and quiet.
72. Item pura. Ideo dicit levantes puras manus. Augustinus: quod exterius orando agimus, facimus ut affectus noster interius excitetur. Genuflexiones enim et huiusmodi non sunt per se acceptae Deo, sed quia per haec tamquam per humilitatis signa homo interius humiliatur, sicut elevatio manus significat elevationem cordis. Thren. III, v. 41: levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelo. Levantes, etc., id est, orantes cum devotione cordis. Iob VIII, v. 5 s.: si diluculo consurrexeris ad Deum, et Omnipotentem fueris deprecatus, si mundus et rectus incesseris, statim evigilabit ad te, et pacatum reddet habitaculum iustitiae tuae.
72. Prayer should be pure; hence he says, lifting up pure hands. As Augustine says: whatever we do externally when we pray is done for the sake of stirring up our affections. For genuflections and the like are not of themselves pleasing to God, but only because by them, as by signs of humility, a man is internally humble; just as lifting the hands indicates that the heart has been lifted up: let us lift up our heart with our hands to the Lord in the heavens (Lam 3:41). Lifting up pure hands, i.e., praying with a devout heart: yet if you will arrive early to God and will beseech the Almighty; if you will walk clean and upright, he will presently wake unto you and will make the dwelling of your justice peaceable (Job 8:5).
73. Item quieta. Ideo dicit sine ira et disceptatione.
73. Prayer should be quiet, i.e., without anger and contention.
Et ponit duo. Primo, ut scilicet mens sit sine ira, quae animum inquietat ad inferendum nocumentum proximo, a qua oportet liberum esse animum orantis. Eccli. XXVIII, 3: homo homini servat iram, et a Deo quaerit medelam.
And he mentions these two things: first, that the mind be without anger which disquiets the soul to inflict harm upon one’s neighbor, whereas the mind of the one praying should be free of this: man to man reserves anger, and does he seek remedy of God? (Sir 28:3).
Item liber debet esse homo a disceptatione, quod potest intelligi dupliciter. Uno modo, secundum Glossam, ut non disceptemus contra Deum increduli verbis eius, et murmurando contra eius ordinationem. Rom. IX, v. 20: O homo, tu quis es qui respondeas Deo, et cetera. Item contra proximum, ut non rumpamus pacem cum eo, quod fit per disceptationem. Pax enim est necessaria oranti. Matth. XVIII, 19: si duo ex vobis consenserint super terram, de omni re quam petierint, fiet illis a Patre meo.
Prayer should be free of contention which can mean two things: first, according to a Gloss, that we not contend against God, disbelieving his words and murmuring against his commandments: O man, who are you who replies against God (Rom 9:20). Second, that we not contend against our neighbor, or break the peace with him through contention; for peace is necessary to the man who prays: if two of you shall consent upon earth concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father (Matt 18:19).
74. Deinde cum dicit similiter et mulieres, ordinat mulieres, et
74. Then when he says, in like manner, women also, he instructs the women:
primo quantum ad orationem,
first, in regard to prayer;
secundo quantum ad doctrinam, ibi mulieres in silentio.
second, as to doctrine, at let the women learn in silence.
Item primo ostendit quid requiratur a muliere orante;
In regard to the first he does two things: first, he shows what is required of a woman praying;
secundo exponit quae dixerat, ibi non in tortis.
second, he explains what he had said, at not with plaited hair.