Lectio 4
Lecture 4
Signa apostolatus
Signs of apostleship
12:11 Factus sum insipiens, vos me coëgistis. Ego enim a vobis debui commendari: [n. 484] nihil enim minus fui ab iis, qui sunt supra modum apostoli: tametsi nihil sum: [n. 488]
12:11 I have become foolish. You have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you. [n. 484] For I have in no way come short of those who are apostles above measure, although I am nothing. [n. 488]
12:12 signa tamen apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia, in signis, et prodigiis, et virtutibus. [n. 490]
12:12 Yet the signs of my apostleship have been wrought on you, in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. [n. 490]
12:13 Quid est enim, quod minus habuistis prae ceteris ecclesiis, nisi quod ego ipse non gravavi vos? Donate mihi hanc injuriam. [n. 492]
12:13 For what is there that you have had less of than the other churches except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Pardon me this injury. [n. 492]
484. Posita commendatione sua consequenter Apostolus excusat se de his quae dixit, ostendens se coactum hoc dixisse, quae ad gloriam suam pertinent. Et
484. Having commended himself, the Apostle now asks pardon for what he has said, showing that he was compelled to say these things which pertain to his glory.
circa hoc duo facit.
Concerning this he does two things.
Primo imponit Corinthiis causam eiusmodi gloriationis;
First, he lays the blame for his glorying on the Corinthians;
secundo exponit et manifestat hanc causam, ibi ego enim debui, et cetera.
second, he explains and clarifies this, at for I ought to have been.
485. Dicit ergo: confiteor quod in his omnibus commendationibus meis factus sum insipiens, id est videtur vobis, quod opus insipientis fecerim, sed hoc non ex me, nec sponte, immo coactus feci, et vestra culpa fuit, quia vos me coegistis, id est dedistis mihi occasionem.
485. He says, therefore: I confess that in all these commendations I have become foolish, i.e., it seems to you that I have performed the work of a fool. But this was not done of myself or willingly; rather, I was compelled, and it was your fault, because you have compelled me, i.e., gave me the occasion.
Frequenter enim subditi cogunt praelatos aliqua facere, quae insipienter facta esse iudicari possunt, sed tamen pro loco et tempore sapienter facta sunt.
For subjects frequently compel their prelates to do things which seem unwise to do, although considering the time and place, they were done wisely.
486. Hoc autem quod dixerat in communi, scilicet quod ipsi fuerant causa suae commendationis, exponit consequenter, cum dicit ego enim debui, etc.; ubi dicit quod ipsi fuerunt causa suae commendationis,
486. Then he explains what he had said in a general way, namely, that they were the cause of his commending himself, when he says: for I ought to have been commended by you. Here he says that they were the cause of his commending himself:
primo omittendo bona quae facere debuissent, in quo exaggerat eorum ingratitudinem;
first, by neglecting the good they should have done, in which he enlarges upon their ingratitude;
secundo committendo mala, in quo detestatur eorum malitiam, ibi timeo enim ne forte, et cetera.
second, by committing evil, in which he execrates their malice, at for I fear lest perhaps.
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things.
Primo commemorat quid facere debuissent, ostendens causam, ibi nihil enim minus, etc.;
First, he reminds them what they ought to have done by showing the cause, at for I have in no way;
secundo removet ipsorum excusationem, ibi quid est enim quod minus, et cetera.
second, he rejects their excuse, for what is there.
487. Dicit ergo: vere vos me coegistis, quia vos debuissetis facere illud quod ego feci. Unde dicit ego debui commendari a vobis, quod non fecistis quando necesse erat, scilicet quando pseudo vilipendendo me, et praeferendo se reddebant vilem doctrinam et Evangelium Christi a me praedicatum. Unde quia vos non commendastis me, ne deperiret fides Christi in vobis, prorupi in commendationem propriam.
487. He says, therefore: yes, you compelled me, because you should have done what I have done; hence he says: for I ought to have been commended by you, which you have not done when in was necessary, that is, when the false apostles by belittling me and preferring themselves rendered vile the doctrine and Gospel of Christ delivered by me. Hence, because you did not commend me, then in order that the faith of Christ not die among you, I undertook to commend myself.
Sed contra supra III, 1 dicit: numquid egemus commendatitiis epistolis, et cetera. Quare ergo voluit commendari ab istis?
But this is in conflict with his earlier statement: do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you? (2 Cor 3:1). So why would he wish to be commended by them?
Respondeo. Dicendum est quod Apostolus propter se non egebat commendationibus sed propter alios, ut scilicet dum commendaretur, doctrina sua esset in maiori auctoritate, et pseudo confutarentur.
I answer that the Apostle did not need commendations for himself, but for others, namely, that in commending himself his doctrine would be held in greater authority and the false apostles refuted.
488. Sed quia possent isti dicere: ideo non commendavimus te, quia non est in te aliquid commendatione dignum, propter hoc Apostolus probat eis, quod bene poterant eum commendare, cum dicit nihil enim, etc., ostendens esse in se multa commendatione digna. Et
488. But because they could say: we did not commend you, because there is nothing commendable about you, the Apostle proves to them that they had good cause to commend him, when he says: for I have in no way come short of those who are apostles above measure, thus showing that there was much in him commendable.
primo quantum ad praeterita bona, quae fecit;
First, as to the past good things he did;
secundo quantum ad futura, quae facere intendit, ibi ecce tertio hoc paratus, et cetera.
second, as to the good things he intends to do in the future, at behold, now for the third time.
Ostendit autem praeterita commendabilia, quae fecit primo in generali, quantum ad omnes ecclesias;
And he shows his past deeds to be commendable first in general as to all the churches;
secundo in speciali, quantum ad ea, quae egit apud eos, ibi tametsi nihil, etc.;
second, in particular as to what he did among them, at although I am nothing;
tertio excludit obiectionem, ibi quid est enim, et cetera.
third he excludes an objection, at for what is there.
489. Dicit ergo: merito debui commendari a vobis, quia multa sunt in me commendatione digna. Nam nihil minus feci ab eis, scilicet Petro et Iacobo et Ioanne, qui sunt supra modum apostoli, id est qui videntur a quibusdam digniores apostoli, quam ego sum. Pseudo enim dicebant, quod erant docti a Petro et Ioanne, qui fuerunt docti a Christo, et quod Petrus et Ioannes servabant legalia, unde et ipsi debebant servare. Sed quia nihil minus feci ab eis, nec quantum ad praedicationem, nec quantum ad conversionem fidelium, ostensiones miraculorum, et perpessionem laborum, immo plus, quia ut supra plus omnibus laboravi, I Cor. c. XV, 10: abundantius omnibus, etc.; ideo magis sum commendandus.
489. He says, therefore: I deserved to be commended by you, because there are many things in me worthy of commendation, for I have in no way come short of those, namely, Peter and James and John, who are apostles above measure, i.e., who seem to some to be worthier apostles than I. For the false apostles said that they had been taught by Peter and John, who had been taught by Christ, and that Peter and John observed the ceremonies of the law; hence, that they too should observe them. But because I have done nothing else among you, either as to preaching or to converting believers or performing miracles and undertaking labors, but rather have done more, because I worked harder than any of them (1 Cor 15:10), for that reason I am more to be commended.
Vel dicuntur supra modum apostoli, scilicet Petrus, Ioannes et Iacobus, quia fuerunt primo conversi ad Christum. I Cor. XV, 8: novissime autem visus est et mihi, et cetera. Si secundum hoc accipiatur, nihil tamen minus fecit eis, quia in modico tempore, et postquam conversus fuit, plus laboravit.
Or they were called apostles above measure, that is, Peter, James, and John, because they were the first ones converted to Christ: last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Cor 15:8). If it is taken in this sense, even then I have done nothing less than they, because in the short time after I was converted, I labored more.
490. Sed esto quod nihil fecerim quantum ad Ecclesias, per quod possem commendari, multa tamen specialia egi apud vos, de quibus potuissetis me commendare.
490. But granting that I did nothing in regard to the other churches for which I might be commended, nevertheless I have done many special things among you, and for these you could have commended me;
Et ideo dicit tametsi nihil, id est, dato, quod nihil fecerim in comparatione ad eos, tamen effectus meae virtutis manifeste apparent in vobis, et, primo, quantum ad praedicationem nostram, qua conversi estis ad fidem. Et sum apostolus vester. Et ideo dicit signa apostolatus mei, id est meae praedicationis, facta sunt supra vos, a Deo, inquantum credentes conversi estis. I Cor. IX, v. 2: signaculum apostolatus mei vos estis. I Cor. IV, 15: in Christo Iesu per Evangelium ego vos genui.
hence he says, although I am nothing, i.e., granting that I did nothing in comparison to them, nevertheless, the effect of my power is present among you. First, as to our preaching, by which you were converted to the faith, and I am your apostle. Yet the signs of my apostleship, i.e., of my preaching, have been wrought on you by God, inasmuch as believing, you were converted. You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord (1 Cor 9:2); for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel (1 Cor 4:15).
Secundo per conversationem, per quam confirmatur fides, quia quando vita concordat doctrinae, maioris auctoritatis est doctrina. Et virtus praedicatoris magis apparet per patientiam. Prov. XIX, 11: doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur. Et ideo dicit in omni patientia.
Second, by the manner of life through which faith is strengthened, because when one’s life agrees with his doctrine, the doctrine has greater authority, and the virtue of the preacher is more apparent through patience: the learning of a man is known by patience (Prov 19:11); therefore he says, in all patience.
Tertio quantum ad operationem miraculorum. Et ideo dicit in signis, et cetera. Mc. ult. illi autem profecti, et cetera.
Third, as to working miracles; hence he says, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds: and they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it (Mark 16:20).
491. Et haec tria distinguuntur, quia virtus est commune ad omnia miracula. Nam virtus est ultimum de potentia. Et ideo aliquid dicitur virtuosum, quia ex magna virtute. Quia ergo miracula fiunt ex magna virtute, scilicet divina, ideo dicuntur virtutes. Signum vero refertur ad minus miraculum. Prodigium autem ad maximum.
491. These three things are distinct, because mighty deeds is common to all miracles, for a mighty deed is the full extent of a power. Therefore, something is called mighty because it proceeds from great power. Therefore, because miracles come from great power, namely the divine, they are therefore called mighty deeds. But a sign refers to a lesser miracle, and a wonder to a greater one.
Vel dicit signa quantum ad miracula facta de praesenti, prodigia quantum ad miracula de futuris.
Or he says signs as to miracles performed in regard to the present and wonders in regard to miracles concerning the future.
Vel signa et prodigia dicit miracula quae fiunt contra naturam, sicut illuminatio caeci, suscitatio mortui, et cetera. Virtutes vero dicit, quae sunt secundum naturam, sed non eo modo quo natura facit, sicut quod ad impositionem manus statim sanentur infirmi, quod etiam natura facit, sed successive.
Or signs and wonders refer to miracles done contrary to nature; for example, giving sight to the blind, raising from the dead, and so on. But mighty deeds are things according to nature, not performed in the way nature does, as for a sick man to be healed immediately, when one’s hands are placed on him; for nature produces the same effect step by step.
Vel virtutes dicit virtutes mentis, sicut est castitas et huiusmodi.
Or mighty deeds mean the virtues of the mind, such as chastity and so on.