Lectio 2 Lecture 2 Consolatio Pauli in tribulatione Paul’s comfort in tribulation 7:4 Multa mihi fiducia est apud vos, multa mihi gloriatio pro vobis: repletus sum consolatione; superabundo gaudio in omni tribulatione nostra. [n. 251] 7:4 Great is my confidence for you: great is my glorying for you. I am filled with comfort: I exceedingly abound with joy in all our tribulation. [n. 251] 7:5 Nam et cum venissemus in Macedoniam, nullam requiem habuit caro nostra, sed omnem tribulationem passi sumus: foris pugnae, intus timores. [n. 256] 7:5 For also, when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest: but we suffered all tribulation. Combats without: fears within. [n. 256] 7:6 Sed qui consolatur humiles, consolatus est nos Deus in adventu Titi. [n. 259] 7:6 But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus. [n. 259] 7:7 Non solum autem in adventu ejus, sed etiam in consolatione, qua consolatus est in vobis, [n. 261] referens nobis vestrum desiderium, vestrum fletum, vestram aemulationem pro me, ita ut magis gauderem. [n. 263] 7:7 And not by his coming only, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, [n. 261] relating to us your desire, your mourning, your zeal for me: so that I rejoiced the more. [n. 263] 7:8 Quoniam etsi contristavi vos in epistola, non me poenitet: etsi poeniteret, videns quod epistola illa (etsi ad horam) vos contristavit, 7:8 For although I made you sorrowful by my epistle, I do not repent. And if I did repent, seeing that the same epistle (although but for a time) did make you sorrowful, 7:9 nunc gaudeo: non quia contristati estis, sed quia contristati estis ad poenitentiam. Contristati enim estis ad Deum, ut in nullo detrimentum patiamini ex nobis. 7:9 Now I am glad: not because you were made sorrowful, but because you were made sorrowful unto penance. For you were made sorrowful according to God, that you might suffer damage by us in nothing. 251. Apostolus posuit supra admonitionem ex praemissis conclusam, hic subdit suam commendationem. Et 251. Having given an admonition derived from what went before, the Apostle now gives his commendation. circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things: Primo ponit eorum commendationem; first, he commends them; secundo ipsam exponit, ibi nam et cum venissem, et cetera. second, he explains it, at for also, when we had come. 252. Commendationem autem ipsorum ponit ostendendo affectum suum, qui consurgit ex bonis operibus quae Corinthii faciebant. 252. He commends them by showing his love, which springs from the good works the Corinthians did. Consuevit enim quadruplex affectus in cordibus diligentium consurgere ex bonis quae dilecti operantur, et hos quatuor se apostolus concepisse de eis ostendit. Et primo affectum fiduciae. Unde dicit multa mihi fiducia est apud vos, inquantum scilicet confido, quod qui bene coepistis, semper proficietis in melius. Unde ex bonis auditis de vobis, spero maiora in futurum. Phil. I, 6: confido de vobis, quod qui coepit in vobis opus bonum, et cetera. Hebr. VI, 9: confidimus de vobis, charissimi, et cetera. Et haec fiducia bona est et salubris. Hebr. X, 35: nolite amittere fiduciam, et cetera. For in the hearts of those who love there are four feelings that usually arise from the good works, which the lovers accomplish. First, the feeling of confidence. Hence, he says, great is my confidence for you, inasmuch as I am confident that, having begun well, you will always get better. Consequently, from the good things I have heard about you I hope for greater things to come: and I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6); though we speak thus, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things that belong to salvation (Heb 6:9). And this confidence is good and salutary: therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward (Heb 10:35). 253. Secundo ex hoc concipit affectum gloriationis. Ex quo enim quis bona amici sicut sua diligit, consequens est ut de bonis amici, sicut de propriis, glorietur. Et hoc specialiter, quoniam ipse est causa illorum bonorum, sicut magister est causa doctrinae discipuli. Et ideo dicit multa mihi gloriatio pro vobis est, et cetera. Prov. X, 1: gloria patris filius sapiens. 253. Second, from this confidence he conceives a feeling of glory; for as a result of loving a friend’s good as his own, a person glories in that good as he glories in his own. And this is especially true here, because he is the cause of their goods, as a teacher is the cause of his disciple’s doctrine. Hence he says, great is my glorying for you: the glory of a father is a wise son (Prov 10:1). 254. Tertio ex praedictis concipit affectum consolationis, quando is qui laetatur et gloriatur de bonis suis vel amici, habet remedium contra tristitias. 254. Then as a result of these two feelings he conceives a feeling of consolation, when the one who rejoices and glories in his own goods or in those of his friend has a remedy against sadness. Consolatio enim est remedium contra tristitias. Naturale autem est quod semper delectatio et gaudium, tristitiae opponitur. Et, secundum Philosophum, omnis delectatio debilitat, vel totaliter tollit tristitiam. Si delectatio sit contraria tristitiae, totaliter absorbet tristitiam; si autem non sit contraria, debilitat et diminuit eam. Et inde est quod quando quis est in tristitia, quandocumque nuntiantur sibi aliqua laeta, diminuitur tristitia. Et ideo, quia audit laeta de Corinthiis, dicit repletus sum consolatione, audita scilicet correctione vestra. Supra I, 5 s.: sicut abundant Christi passiones, et cetera. Phil. II, 2: si qua consolatio, et cetera. Implete gaudium meum, et cetera. This consolation is a cure for sadness; and according to the Philosopher every delight weakens or entirely destroys sadness. If the delight is contrary to the sadness, it totally swallows up the sadness; but if it is not contrary, it weakens or diminishes it. This is why when a person is sad, his sadness is lessened whenever something joyful is announced to him. Therefore, because he heard joyful things about the Corinthians, he says, I am filled with comfort, having heard of your amendment: for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us: so also by Christ does our comfort abound (2 Cor 1:5); so if there is any encouragement in Christ . . . complete my joy by being of the same mind (Phil 2:1–2). 255. Quarto, consurgit ex praedictis affectus exsuperantis gaudii. 255. Fourth, there finally arises a feeling of exuberant joy, Licet enim ex aliquibus delectationibus diminuatur tristitia, non tamen totaliter tollitur, nisi gaudium sit magnum. Quamvis autem Apostolus multas tribulationes sustineret, quia tamen multum gaudebat de bonis Corinthiorum, ideo non solum non absorbebatur tristitia totaliter, sed etiam superabundabat gaudio. Et ideo dicit superabundo gaudio in omni tribulatione nostra, id est gaudium meum superat omnem tribulationem, quae erat in animo meo. I Thess. II, 19: quae est enim spes nostra, aut gaudium, et cetera. Rom. c. XII, 12: in tribulatione patientes. for although sadness is lessened by certain delights, it is not entirely displaced unless there is great joy. But although the Apostle had endured many tribulations, yet because he found great joy in the good actions of the Corinthians, not only was sadness entirely absorbed, but his joy superabounds. Hence he says, I exceedingly abound with joy in all our tribulation, i.e., my joy overcomes every tribulation that was in my soul: for what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? (1 Thess 2:19); be patient in tribulation (Rom 12:12). 256. Consequenter cum dicit nam cum venissem, etc., exponit suam commendationem. Duo autem dixerat, scilicet se accepisse gaudium, et habuisse tribulationem. 256. Then when he says, for also, when we had come into Macedonia, he explains his commendation. But he said that he experienced two things, namely, joy and tribulation. Primo ergo manifestat suam tribulationem; First, therefore, he makes manifest his tribulation; secundo vero suam consolationem, ibi sed qui consolatur, et cetera. second, his consolation, at but God, who comforts. 257. Tribulationem autem aggravat ex duobus, scilicet ex subtractione remedii, et ex tribulationis multiplicitate. 257. He enlarges upon his tribulations for two reasons, namely, because the cure was removed, and because the tribulations were multiplied. Ex subtractione remedii, cum dicit nam et cum venissem, et cetera. Quasi dicat: vere tribulationem habeo, quia in nullo consolor, nam cum venissem Macedoniam, nullam requiem habuit caro nostra. Hic facit mentionem de persecutione quam passus est in Macedonia, quando liberavit ancillam pythonissam, ut legitur Act. XVI, 18–24. Because of the removal of the cure he says: for also, when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. As if to say: indeed I have tribulation, because I am consoled by no one, for also when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest. Here he is referring to the persecution he suffered in Macedonia, when he freed a certain possessed maidservant, as we read in Acts 16. Dicit autem nullam requiem habuit caro nostra, et non dicit spiritus noster, quia sancti semper habent pacem spiritus, cum etiam in adversis, anima quae in corpore patitur, spe futuri praemii quiescat, quamquam multa sustineat affectui carnis contraria. He says, our flesh had no rest, but not our spirit, because the saints always have peace in spirit. For even in adversity the soul, which suffers in the body, rests in the hope of a reward to come, although it suffers many things contrary to the desires of the flesh. 258. Ex multiplicitate vero tribulationum aggravat, cum dicit omnem tribulationem passi sumus, id est omne genus tribulationis secundum corpus, et secundum animam. Supra IV, 8: in omnibus tribulationem patimur, et cetera. Io. XVI, 33: in mundo pressuram, et cetera. Et quod omnem tribulationem passus fuerit exponit consequenter, cum dicit foris pugnae, intus timores. Foris, id est extra meipsum, pugnae persecutionum, sed tamen intus, id est in corde, est timor de malo, timens persecutionem in futuro. Deut. c. XXXII, 25: foris vastabit eos gladius, et cetera. 258. But he enlarges upon his tribulations by reason of their number when he says, we suffered all tribulation i.e., every type of tribulation in the body and in the soul: in the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33). That he had suffered all tribulations he explains when he says, combats without, fear within, i.e., outside myself, the combats of persecutions, but within, i.e., in the heart, the fear of evil, fearing persecutions in the future: in the open the sword shall bereave (Deut 32:25). Sed contra Prov. XXVIII, 1: iustus quasi leo confidens absque terrore erit. Respondeo. Est sine timore quantum ad spiritum, non tamen quantum ad carnem. But this seems contrary to Proverbs: but the righteous are bold as a lion (Prov 28:1). I answer that he is without dread as to the spirit, but not as to the flesh. Vel foris, id est extra Ecclesiam, pugnae illatae ab infidelibus, sed intus timores, ne scilicet illi qui intra Ecclesiam sunt, excidant a fide propter persecutores. Vel foris, id est in manifesto, pugnae, quibus impugnantur a manifestis inimicis; intus timores, qui iniiciuntur nobis ab illis, qui dicunt se amicos, et non sunt: quia, ut dicit Boetius de Consolatione, nulla pestis efficacior ad nocendum, quam familiaris inimicus. Matth. X, 36: inimici hominis domestici eius. Or without, i.e., outside the Church, combats are started by unbelievers; but fear within, lest those who are in the Church fall away from the faith on account of persecutors. Or without, i.e., in public, fighting, because we are attacked by obvious enemies; fear within, which is produced in us by those who call themselves friends but are not. For as Boethius says in On Consolation: no pest can inflict more harm than a friendly enemy. A man’s foes will be those of his own household (Matt 10:36). 259. Consequenter, cum dicit sed qui consolatur, etc., ponit materiam suae consolationis, quam extollit ex duobus, scilicet grata praesentia Titi, et ex consolatione Titi, ibi non solum autem, et cetera. 259. Then when he says, but God, who comforts, he states the reason for his consolation, which he applauds from two aspects, namely, from the gratifying presence of Titus and from the consolation of Titus, at and not by his coming only. 260. Dicit ergo: licet hic graviter afflicti fuerimus, sed qui, scilicet Deus, consolatur humiles, consolatus est, etc., cuius praesentia, utpote mihi gratissima, est et in adiutorium. Supra: qui consolatur nos in omni tribulatione nostra. 260. He says, therefore: although we were gravely afflicted here, God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus, whose presence was very pleasing and a great help to me: who comforts us in all our tribulation (2 Cor 1:4). Dicit autem, qui consolatur humiles, quia superbos non consolatur, sed eis resistit, ut dicitur Iac. IV, 6 et I Petr. V, 5. Consolatur autem humiles, dando eis gratiam, quae est consolatio Spiritus Sancti. Is. LXI, 2: ut consolarer omnes lugentes, et cetera. He says, who comforts the humble, because he does not comfort the proud but resists them, as it says in James (Jas 4:6) and 1 Peter (1 Pet 5:5). But he comforts the humble by giving grace, which is the consolation of the Holy Spirit: to comfort all who mourn (Isa 61:2). 261. Non solum autem, et cetera. Hic ponitur alia materia consolationis Apostoli, scilicet consolatio Titi. Et materia huius consolationis est duplex. Prima emendatio Corinthiorum, quam habuerunt in praesentia Titi; secunda est devotio Corinthiorum, quam ostenderunt ad Titum, ibi in consolatione autem vestra, et cetera. 261. And not by his coming only, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you. Here he gives another reason for the Apostle’s consolation, namely, the consolation of Titus. The reason for this comfort is twofold: first, the amendment of the Corinthians, which they had in Titus’s presence; second, the devotion they showed to Titus, at but in our consolation. Circa primum duo facit. In regard to the first he does two things. Primo ponit consolationem de poenitentia Corinthiorum; First, he mentions his comfort in the repentance of the Corinthians; secundo exponit quaedam quae dixit, ibi contristati enim estis, et cetera. second, he explains something he has said, at for you were made sorrowful. Circa primum tria facit. In regard to the first he does three things.