Lectio 4 Lecture 4 Paulus insipiens Paul’s foolishness 11:16 Iterum dico (ne quis me putet insipientem esse, alioquin velut insipientem accipite me, ut et ego modicum quid glorier), [n. 409] 11:16 I say again (let no man think me to be foolish: otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little): [n. 409] 11:17 quod loquor, non loquor secundum Deum, sed quasi in insipientia, in hac substantia gloriae. [n. 411] 11:17 That which I speak, I do not speak according to God: but, as it were, in foolishness, in this matter of glorying. [n. 411] 11:18 Quoniam multi gloriantur secundum carnem: et ego gloriabor. [n. 413] 11:18 Since many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also. [n. 413] 11:19 Libenter enim suffertis insipientes, cum sitis ipsi sapientes. [n. 415] 11:19 For you gladly suffer the foolish: whereas you yourselves are wise. [n. 415] 11:20 Sustinetis enim si quis vos in servitutem redigit, si quis devorat, si quis accipit, si quis extollitur, si quis in faciem vos caedit. [n. 416] 11:20 For you bear it if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man is lifted up, if a man strikes you on the face. [n. 416] 11:21 Secundum ignobilitatem dico, quasi nos infirmi fuerimus in hac parte. In quo quis audet (in insipientia dico) audeo et ego: 11:21 I speak according to dishonor, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dares (I speak foolishly), I dare also. 409. Supra Apostolus induxit Corinthios, ut patienter sustinerent suam commendationem, ostendens, quod hoc faciebat ex zelo quem habebat ad eos, et quia zelus ille erat rationabilis et ordinatus, hic autem consequenter ponit aliam rationem, per quam ostendit, quod dato, quod insipienter ageret, nihilominus tamen deberent eum supportare. Unde in ista ratione procedit ex suppositione stultitiae. In hac autem parte duo facit. 409. Having asked the Corinthians to bear patiently with his commendation, and shown that he did this out of the zeal he had for them because that zeal was reasonable and ordinate, the Apostle now presents another reason through which he shows that, given he is acting foolishly, they should nevertheless put up with him. Hence, in this reason he proceeds on the supposition that he is foolish. In this part he does two things. Primo enim proponit suam petitionem; First he makes his request; secundo rationem dictorum assignat, ibi quod loquor, et cetera. second, he gives the reason for what he said, at that which I speak. 410. In petitione sua duo facit. Primo enim petit, quod non reputent eum insipientem, quod pertinet ad praemissam rationem. Et ideo dicit iterum dico, quod ex quo zelus meus est rationabilis, et ego rationabiliter commendo me, ne quis, scilicet vestrum, me reputet insipientem. 410. In his request he does two things. First, he asks that they not consider him foolish, which pertains to the previous reason; hence he says, I say again, since my zeal is reasonable and I am acting reasonably in commending myself, let no man think me to be foolish. Secundo petit, quod dato, quod insipienter agat, tamen supportent eum, et hoc pertinet ad rationem hanc. Et ideo dicit alioquin, id est si non rationabiliter commendo me, et penitus velitis me ex hoc insipientem reputare, tamen accipite, id est supportate, me velut insipientem. Et dicit, velut, quia licet ipsi reputent eum insipientem in hoc, tamen in rei veritate non est insipiens. Accipite me, inquam, velut insipientem, ut et ego modicum quid glorier. Et dicit modicum, quia infra commendabit se de gloria, quae est secundum carnem, quae valde modica est. Iob XXV, 6: homo putredo et filius hominis vermis. Eccli. X, 9: quid superbis, terra et cinis? Second, he asks that, granted that he is acting foolishly, they should nevertheless put up with him, which pertains to the present reason. Therefore he says, otherwise, i.e., if I am not reasonable in commending myself and on that account you want to regard me as foolish, nevertheless, take me, i.e., bear with me, as one foolish. He says, as, because although they may regard him as foolish, in this matter he is not really foolish. Take me, I say, as one foolish, that I also may glory a little. He says, a little, because further on he will commend himself on the glory which is according to the flesh, which is very little. Man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm! (Job 25:6) How can he who is dust and ashes be proud? (Sir 10:9). 411. Rationem autem dictorum assignat, dicens quod loquor, et cetera. Dixerat autem tria. Primo quia supponit insipienter commendasse se ipsum; secundo quod vult gloriari; tertio quod sustineant eum. Et horum trium rationem assignat. Et 411. Then when he says, that which I speak, he assigns the reason for what he had said. But he had said three things: first that he began to commend himself foolishly; second, that he wished to glory; third, that they should bear with him. And give a reason for these three things. primo de hoc, quod supposuit insipienter commendare se; First, for the fact that he supposed it was foolish to commend himself; secundo quare vult gloriari, ibi quoniam multi gloriantur, etc.; second, why he wishes to glory, at since many glory; tertio quod debeant eum supportare, ibi libenter enim suffertis, et cetera. third, that they should bear with him, at for you gladly suffer. 412. Dicit ergo primo: ratio quare debetis insipientem accipere me est, quia illud quod loquor in hac substantia gloriae, id est commendatione carnis, quae a quibusdam appetitur, ac si per eam debeant subsistere, non loquor secundum Deum, sed quasi in insipientia. 412. He says, therefore: the reason why you should take me who am foolish is because that which I speak, in this matter of glorying, i.e., in this commendation according to the flesh, which is desired by some, as if they ought to subsist by it, I do not speak according to God: but, as it were, in foolishness. Et dicit ex hypothesi, sicut illud quod supra dixit: velut insipientem. Unde ibi posuit velut, hic ponit quasi. Ac si diceret: si non rationabiliter commendarem me, tunc illud quod loquor, in commendatione mea, non est secundum Deum, id est, secundum rationem divinae sapientiae. Et tunc merito acciperetis me non secundum Deum loqui, sed insipienter. Supra X, 18: non enim, qui seipsum commendat, ille probatus est, et cetera. Prov. XXVII, 2: laudet te alienus, et cetera. He speaks hypothetically, as when he said above: as one foolish. And where there he said as, here he says as it were, as if to say: if I were not reasonable in commending myself, then what I am saying for my commendation would not be with the Lord’s authority, i.e., according to the notion of divine wisdom; and then you would be right in not taking me as speaking according to God, but foolishly. For it is not he who commends himself who is approved: but he whom God commends (2 Cor 10:18); let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips (Prov 27:2). 413. Rationem autem suae commendationis et gloriae ostendit, subdens quoniam multi gloriantur, et cetera. 413. He indicates the reason why he commends himself and glories, when he says, since many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also. Ubi sciendum est, quod pseudo, quia ex Iudaeis erant, gloriabantur secundum carnem, dicentes se esse filios Abrahae et ex hoc volebant haberi in reverentia a Corinthiis et auctoritate. Dicit ergo Apostolus: dato, quod sit insipientia, quod glorier secundum carnem, tamen quoniam multi, scilicet pseudo, gloriantur secundum carnem, et ego etiam gloriabor secundum carnem, Prov. XXVI, 5: responde stulto secundum stultitiam suam, ne sibi sapiens videatur. Here it should be noted that the false apostles, because they were Jews, gloried according to the flesh, saying that they were sons of Abraham. They hoped thereby to be held in reverence and authority by the Corinthians. Therefore, the Apostle says: granted that it is foolish for me to glory according to the flesh, yet since many, namely the false apostles, glory according to the flesh, even I will glory also according to the flesh: answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes (Prov 26:5). 414. Sed contra est quia Seneca dicit summa malorum est, quod ad exemplum vivitur malorum. Et Ex. XXIII, 2: non sequaris turbam ad faciendum malum. Non ergo Apostolus debet gloriari secundum carnem, eo quod pseudo gloriantur. 414. But on the other hand, Seneca says: the greatest of evils is to live by the example of evil men; you shall not follow a multitude to do evil (Exod 23:2). Therefore, the Apostle should not glory according to the flesh on the ground that the false apostles glory. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod licet sit eadem materia gloriationis, non tamen est eadem intentio et idem finis, quia pseudo commendabant se propter gloriam propriam, et ut ipsi haberentur in auctoritate, et possent lucrari; Apostolus autem gloriabatur, ut verbum Dei, per eum praedicatum, esset maioris auctoritatis et ponderis, et fructum faceret Christo. I answer that although both are glorying about the same thing, the intention and end are not the same, because the false apostles commended themselves for their own glory and to acquire authority and gain; but the Apostle glories in order that the word of God preached by him might have greater authority and weight and bear fruit for Christ. 415. Rationem autem quare debeant eum supportare, subdit, dicens libenter enim suffertis, etc., et primo ponit rationem hanc, quod scilicet debeant eum supportare. 415. Then he tells why they should bear with him, saying: for you gladly suffer the foolish: whereas you yourselves are wise. First, he gives this reason, namely, that they should bear with him. Possent enim dicere: quare debemus te supportare, si es insipiens? Et dicit Apostolus, quod ideo, quia cum vos ipsi sitis sapientes in oculis vestris et in vestra reputatione, libenter suffertis, id est estis consueti supportare, insipientes, pseudo scilicet. For they could say: why should we bear with you, if you are foolish? And the Apostle says that the reason is this: since you yourselves are wise in your own eyes and in your reputation, you gladly suffer, i.e., are wont to bear with, the foolish, namely, the false apostles. 416. Secundo ostendit in quo supportent insipientes. Et ponit quinque gravia quae sustinebant a pseudo: 416. Second, he shows wherein they bear with the foolish and points out five cases of oppression imposed by the false apostles. primum est iugum servitutis. Et quantum ad hoc dicit sustinetis enim si quis, id est aliquis pseudo, redigit vos in servitutem, quasi dicat: per Christum liberati fuistis a servitute legis, quae est in timore, et reducti estis in libertatem filiorum Dei, quae est in caritate. Gal. IV, 31: non sumus ancillae filii, sed liberae. Et tamen vos sustinetis pseudo, qui ex huiusmodi libertate redigunt vos in servitutem legis, quia cogunt vos servare legalia. Gal. V, 1: nolite iugo servitutis, et cetera. Multo ergo magis debetis sustinere me, qui volo vos praeservare in libertate Christi, quam pseudo, qui volunt vos reducere in servitutem legis. The first is the yoke of slavery; as to this he says, for you bear it if a man, i.e., one of the false apostles, brings you into bondage. As if to say: through Christ you were freed from the bondage of the law, which is in fear, and were raised to the freedom of the sons of God, which is charity: so, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman (Gal 4:31). And yet you bear with the false apostles, who take such liberty from you and reduce you to the slavery of the law, because they compel you to observe the ceremonies of the law: do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1). With greater reason, then, should you bear with me, who want to preserve you in the freedom of Christ, than with the false apostles, who wish to reduce you to the slavery of the law. Secundum est grave valde, scilicet quod pseudo vivunt de bonis vestris laute, nos vero non. Supra VIII, 13: non ut aliis sit remissio, et cetera. Et ideo dicit si quis devorat, Matth. c. XXIII, 14: vae qui comeditis domos viduarum, et cetera. The second is a very heavy burden, because the false apostles live sumptuously on your goods, but we do not: I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but by an equality (2 Cor 8:13). Therefore he says: if a man devours you: woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment (Matt 23:14). Tertium grave est depraedatio et expoliatio, quia isti ad litteram blandis verbis et praetextu pietatis accipiebant eis omnia, et quantum ad hoc dicit si quis accipit, id est blande decipit, subtrahendo vestra. Rom. c. XVI, 18: per blandos sermones seducunt corda insipientium. The third oppression is depredation and despoilation, because they literally took everything from them with soft words and under the pretext of piety; as to this he says, if a man takes from you, i.e., smoothly deceives you by taking your property: by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded (Rom 16:18). Quartum grave est nimia iactantia super eos cum Corinthiorum contemptu. Ideo dicit si quis extollitur, iactando se importune. Eccli. c. VI, 2: non te extollas in cogitatione, et cetera. The fourth oppression is their excessive vaunting of themselves over them along with contempt for the Corinthians; therefore he says: if a man is lifted up: do not exalt yourself through your soul’s counsel, lest your soul be torn in pieces like a bull (Sir 6:2). Quintum grave est illatio opprobriorum. Nam pseudo non solum tam gravia eis inferebant, sed super hoc addebant improperia, dicentes eis iniurias, et maxime de ignobilitate. Nam quia ipsi erant Iudaei, et cultores unius Dei, dicebant se nobiles esse, et Corinthios ignobiles, quia non erant de semine Abrahae, nec circumcisi, et quod de idololatris. Et quantum ad hoc dicit si quis in faciem vos caedit, id est coram vobis infert contumelias et dicit iniurias. The fifth oppression is verbal abuse; for the false apostles not only oppressed them in these ways but added reproaches by saying insulting things to them and especially about their low estate. For because they were Jews and worshippers of the one true God, they called themselves noble and the Corinthians ignoble, because they were not of the seed of Abraham or circumcised, but descended from idolaters; as to this he says, if a man strikes you on the face, i.e., insults you publicly and says harmful things. Et huiusmodi iniuriae sunt secundum ignobilitatem, quam vobis obiiciunt, vel ignominiam quam inferunt. Et tamen illos sustinetis, et nos non, quasi nos fuerimus infirmi in hac parte gloriae, quam attribuistis eis, praeferendo eos nobis, praesertim cum pseudo dicant, quod ideo nos non dicimus nec facimus vobis ista, quia nos sumus infirmi in hac parte, id est quia sumus ignobiles. I Cor. c. IV, 10: nos infirmi, vos fortes; vos nobiles, nos autem ignobiles. These sorts of injuries are according to dishonor, which they cast on you, or the ignominy they inflict. And yet you bear with them and not with us, as if we had been weak in this part and for the glory you have attributed to them by preferring them to us, especially since the false apostles say that the reason we do not say or do such things to you is that we are weak in this part, i.e., because we are lowly: we are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute (1 Cor 4:10). Lectio 5 Lecture 5 Excellentia Pauli apostolis falsis Paul’s superiority to false apostles 11:21 Secundum ignobilitatem dico, quasi nos infirmi fuerimus in hac parte. In quo quis audet (in insipientia dico) audeo et ego: [n. 417] 11:21 I speak according to dishonor, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also. [n. 417] 11:22 Hebraei sunt, et ego: Israëlitae sunt, et ego: semen Abrahae sunt, et ego. 11:22 They are Hebrews: so am I. They are Israelites: so am I. They are the seed of Abraham: so am I.