Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Dans hilariter et abundanter Cheerful and abundant giving 9:1 Nam de ministerio, quod fit in sanctos ex abundanti est mihi scribere vobis. [n. 320] 9:1 For concerning the ministry that is done towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. [n. 320] 9:2 Scio enim promptum animum vestrum: pro quo de vobis glorior apud Macedones. Quoniam et Achaia parata est ab anno praeterito, et vestra aemulatio provocavit plurimos. [n. 322] 9:2 For I know your ready mind: for which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia also is ready from the year past. And your emulation has provoked very many. [n. 322] 9:3 Misi autem fratres: ut ne quod gloriamur de vobis, evacuetur in hac parte, [n. 323] ut (quemadmodum dixi) parati sitis: [n. 325] 9:3 Now I have sent the brethren, that the thing which we boast of concerning you may not be made void in this behalf, [n. 323] that (as I have said) you may be ready: [n. 325] 9:4 ne cum venerint Macedones mecum, et invenerint vos imparatos, erubescamus nos (ut non dicamus vos) in hac substantia. 9:4 Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to say you) should be ashamed in this matter. 9:5 Necessarium ergo existimavi rogare fratres, ut praeveniant ad vos, et praeparent repromissam benedictionem hanc paratam esse sic, quasi benedictionem, non tamquam avaritiam. [n. 327] 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to ask the brethren to go to you before and prepare this blessing before promised, to be ready, so as a blessing, not as covetousness. [n. 327] 9:6 Hoc autem dico: qui parce seminat, parce et metet: et qui seminat in benedictionibus, de benedictionibus et metet. [n. 329] 9:6 Now this I say: he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly: and he who sows in blessings shall also reap blessings. [n. 329] 9:7 Unusquisque, prout destinavit in corde suo, non ex tristitia, aut ex necessitate: hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus. [n. 330] 9:7 Every one as he has determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. [n. 330] 320. Supra Apostolus induxit Corinthios ad dandum eleemosynas sanctis qui sunt in Ierusalem, hic vero inducit eos quantum ad modum dandi, ut scilicet hilariter et abundanter dent. Unde ad hoc quod bene darent, misit tam solemnes nuntios. 320. Having exhorted the Corinthians to give alms to the saints in Jerusalem, the Apostle now admonishes them how to give, namely, cheerfully and abundantly. Hence, in order that they might give properly, he has sent them important messengers. Circa hoc autem duo facit. In regard to this he does two things. Primo excludit opinatam causam de missione nuntiorum; First, he excludes the supposed cause for sending the messengers; secundo vero astruit veram, ibi misimus autem fratres, et cetera. second, he gives the true one, at now I have sent the brethren. Circa primum tria facit. In regard to the first he does three things. Primo excludit suspicionem; First, he excludes a suspicion; secundo ad hoc causam assignat, ibi scio enim promptum, etc.; second, he assigns the cause for this, at for I know your willing mind; tertio causam probat, ibi pro quo de vobis, et cetera. third, he proves the cause, at for which I boast of you. 321. Quantum ad primum, quia posset aliquis dicere Apostolo: tu mones nos quod bene recipiamus nuntios quos mittis, sed quare non potius mones quod bene largiamur eleemosynas? Et ideo hoc removens dicit: non est necessarium quod hoc moneam, nam, id est quia, de ministerio quod fit in sanctos ex abundanti est, id est superfluum est, mihi scribere vobis. 321. As to the first, because someone could say to the Apostle: you urge us to receive your messengers cordially, but why do you not rather urge us to give alms properly? Therefore, rejecting this, he says: it is not necessary for me to urge this now, i.e., because, concerning the ministry that is done towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 322. Et huius causa est, quia scio promptum animum vestrum, ad subveniendum eis. Ps. CVII, 2: paratum cor meum, Deus, et cetera. 322. And the reason for this is because I know your ready mind to help them: my heart is steadfast, O God (Ps 108:1). Quod autem sit promptus animus vester, probo ex duobus. Primo ex gloriatione nostra de vobis. Nam nisi scirem vos esse promptos ad hoc, non fuissem gloriatus de vobis apud alios. Et ideo dicit pro quo, scilicet promptitudine animi vestri. Supra I, 12: gloria nostra, et cetera. Et supra VII, 4: multa mihi fiducia, et cetera. Glorior apud Macedones, de hoc scilicet quoniam et Achaia, in qua Corinthus metropolis est, parata est ab anno praeterito, ad largiendum. That your mind is ready I prove by two things. First, from our boasting of you, for unless I knew that you were ready for this, I would not have boasted to them about you. Therefore he says, for which, namely, the promptitude of your mind: for our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience (2 Cor 1:12); great is my confidence for you (2 Cor 7:4). I boast of you to the Macedonians, saying that Achaia, in which Corinth is the metropolis, also is ready from the year past. Secundo ex effectu, quia vos provocastis exemplo vestro multos ad hoc. Et ideo dicit et vestra aemulatio, id est amor et studium imitandi vos, provocavit plurimos, quia enim audierunt vos bene correctos proficere, provocantur plurimi, scilicet ad proficiendum. Prov. XXVII, 17: ferrum ferro acuitur, et cetera. Gal. IV, 18: bonum autem aemulamini, et cetera. I Cor. XII, 31: aemulamini charismata, et cetera. Second, from the effect, because you have provoked many to do this by your example. Hence he says, and your emulation, i.e., the desire to imitate you, has provoked very many, for since they heard of your progress after your amendment, many were provoked to make progress. Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (Prov 27:17); for a good purpose it is always good to be made much of (Gal 4:18); but earnestly desire the higher gifts (1 Cor 12:31). 323. Consequenter cum dicit misimus autem fratres, etc., ponit veram causam quare miserit tam solemnes nuntios. Et 323. Then when he says, now I have sent the brethren, he establishes the true cause for why he was sending such solemn messengers. primo ponit in generali; First, he lays down the general reason; secundo in speciali, ibi ut quemadmodum dixi, et cetera. second, the special reason, at as I have said. 324. Circa primum duo facit. Primo assignat veram causam, dicens: causa autem quare istos misi, est non quod credam vos nolle subvenire pauperibus, sed ut ne quod gloriamur de vobis, id est ne gloria nostra, quam habemus de vobis, evacuetur, si scilicet deficeretis. I Cor. IX, 15: bonum est mihi mori, et cetera. Evacuetur, inquam, in hac parte, quia bene constat mihi quod in aliis virtutibus et bonis non evacuabitis gloriam meam. 324. Concerning the first he does two things. First, he assigns the true cause, saying: the reason why I have sent them is not that I believe you are not willing to help the poor, but that the thing which we boast of, that is, our glory, concerning you may not be made void if you should fail: for I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting (1 Cor 9:15). That it may not be made void, I say, in this behalf, because it is evident to me that in the other virtues and good deeds you will not make void my glory. 325. Secundo cum dicit ut quemadmodum, etc., hortatur eos ad debitum modum dandi. Et 325. Second, when he says, that (as I have said), as I said you would be, he urges them to give in the proper way. primo hortatur, ut dent prompte; First, he urges them to give readily; secundo ut dent abundanter, ibi necessarium ergo, etc.; second, that they may give abundantly, at therefore I thought it necessary; tertio ut dent hilariter ibi unusquisque prout destinavit, et cetera. third, that they may give cheerfully, at every one as he has determined. 326. Circa primum duo facit. Primo ponit modum dandi; secundo rationem assignat, ibi ne cum venero, et cetera. 326. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he mentions how to give; second, he assigns the reason, at lest, when the Macedonians shall come. Modus dandi est ut scilicet prompte detur. Et ideo dicit: ideo misi ministros, ut sitis parati ad dandum, quemadmodum dixi, scilicet exemplo Macedonum. Matth. XXV, 10: quae paratae erant, et cetera. Prov. III, 28: ne dicas amico tuo: vade, et revertere, et cras dabo tibi, et cetera. The way to give is promptly; hence he says, I sent the ministers that (as I have said) you may be ready, namely, after the example of the Macedonians. And those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast (Matt 25:10); do not say to your neighbor: go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it—when you have it with you (Prov 3:28). Ratio autem huius est ne cum venerint mecum, scilicet ad vos, Macedones, et invenerint vos imparatos, erubescamus nos, quasi dicat: vobis erit confusio si promisistis, et non solvistis. Sed esto quod sustineatis, et non curetis de confusione vestra, ad minus caveatis erubescentiae nostrae, qui dicimus vos esse paratos. The reason for this is lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to say you) should be ashamed. As if to say: it will be to your shame if you have promised and not paid. But even if you can stand it and you do not care about your shame, at least think of our embarrassment, who say that you are prepared. 327. Consequenter cum dicit necessarium ergo, etc., hortatur eos quod dent abundanter. Et 327. Then when he says, therefore I thought it necessary, he urges them to give abundantly. circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things. Primo ponit admonitionem; First, he gives the admonition; secundo admonitionis rationem assignat, ibi hoc autem dico, et cetera. second, he gives the reason for it, at now this I say.