tertio militiae stipendia laborantem.
third, the wages of warfare: the husbandman.
Item, primo hortatur ad legitimum laborem;
In regard to the first he does two things: first, he urges him to labor lawfully;
secundo exponit quis labor sit legitimus, ibi nemo.
second, he explains which labor is lawful, at no man.
39. Dicit ergo labora sicut bonus miles Christi. Est autem tripliciter aliquis miles Christi. Primo inquantum pugnat contra peccata. Iob VII, 1: militia est vita hominis super terram; et XIV, 14: cunctis diebus quibus nunc milito, expecto, et cetera. Et haec pugna est contra carnem, mundum et diabolum. Eph. ult.: non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, et cetera.
39. He says, therefore, labor as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. But there are three ways of being a soldier of Christ: first, inasmuch as he fights against sin: the life of man upon earth is a warfare (Job 7:1); all the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come (Job 14:14). And this warfare is against the flesh, the world, and the devil: our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Eph 6:12).
Secundo est aliquis miles Christi pugnando contra errores. II Cor. X, 4: arma militiae nostrae non sunt carnalia, sed potentia Deo, ad destructionem munitionum consilia destruentes, et cetera.
Second, one is a soldier of Christ by fighting against errors: for the weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels (2 Cor 10:4).
Tertio est militia martyrum contra tyrannos. Et haec est laboriosior. Iob XXV, 3: numquid est numerus militum eius? Et non debet quiescere miles, quia dicitur a militia sustinenda.
Third, he forms part of the militia against tyrants; and this is more laborious: is there any numbering of his soldiers? (Job 25:3). And a soldier should not rest, because his name suggests constant warfare.
40. Deinde cum dicit nemo, exponit quid sit legitimus labor. Et
40. Then when he says, no man, he shows what type of warfare is legitimate:
primo inducit eum ad laborem;
first, he exhorts him to labor;
secundo ostendit qualis debet esse bonus miles, ibi ut ei placeat.
second, he describes a good soldier, at that he may please him.
Primo, circa primum duo facit, quia exemplum ponit;
In regard to the first he does two things: first, he gives an example;
secundo manifestat.
second, he clarifies it.
41. Dicit ergo nemo militans Deo, et cetera. Circa primum sciendum est, quod alius est finis militiae spiritualis, et alius est finis militiae corporalis; quia finis militiae corporalis est, ut obtineat victoriam contra hostes patriae, et ideo milites debent abstinere ab his, quae abstrahunt a pugna, puta a negotiis et delitiis. I Cor. IX, 25: qui in agone contendit, ab omnibus se abstinet. Sed militiae spiritualis finis est, ut victoriam habeant ab hominibus, qui sunt contra Deum; et ideo oportet, quod abstineant ab omnibus, quae distrahunt a Deo. Haec autem sunt negotia saecularia, quia sollicitudo huius saeculi suffocat verbum. Et ideo dicit implicat se.
41. He says, therefore, no man, being a soldier to God, entangles himself with secular businesses. In regard to the first it should be noted that the end of spiritual warfare is one thing, and the end of carnal another: for the end of carnal warfare is to obtain victory against the enemies of one’s fatherland; therefore, the soldiers should not entangle themselves with things that keep them from battle, namely, business and pleasure: everyone that strives for the mastery, refrains himself from all things (1 Cor 9:25). But the end of spiritual warfare is to obtain the victory over men who are against God; consequently, they must refrain from all that distracts them from God. These are secular businesses, because the cares of this world choke the word. That is why he says, entangles himself.
42. Sed contra: negotia saecularia sunt temporalia, hoc autem Apostolus fecit, quando vixit labore manuum suarum.
42. But on the other hand, even though secular businesses are temporal, the Apostle engaged in them when he lived off the labor of his hands.
Respondeo. Dicendum est quod Apostolus dicit, implicat, et non dicit, exercet. Ille autem eis implicatur, cuius cura et sollicitudo iungitur circa ipsa. Et tunc proprie ipsa haec interdicuntur militibus Christi, in quibus ostenditur non esse necesse implicari animum. Item non dicit simpliciter implicatur, sed dicit implicat se, quia quandoque implicatur, et non se implicat. Implicat enim se quando sine pietate et necessitate assumit negotia; sed quando necessitas officii pietatis et auctoritatis exercetur, tunc non implicat se, sed implicatur huiusmodi necessitate. Rom. XVI, 2: assistatis ei in quocumque negotio vestri indiguerit.
I answer that the Apostle says entangles and not engages. When one is entangled in them, his care and anxiety are focused upon them; in such a case it is reasonable to forbid them to Christ’s soldiers, for whom it is not necessary to entangle themselves in secular businesses. Furthermore, he does not say be entangled but entangles himself, because sometimes a person can be entangled without entangling himself. For he entangles himself when he undertakes a business without godliness and necessity calling for it; but when the requirements of godliness and of authority demand it, he does not entangle himself, but is entangled by such requirements: assist her in whatsoever business she shall have need of you (Rom 16:2).
43. Causa autem quare non debent se implicare est ut ei placeat cui se probavit. I Io. II, 15: si quis diligit mundum, non est caritas Patris in eo. Qui enim est miles Christi, devovit se ad militandum Deo; et ideo debet conari, ut ei placeat cui se devovit.
43. But the reason why he ought not entangle himself is that he may please him to whom he has engaged himself: if any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). For a soldier of Christ has vowed himself to do battle for God; consequently, he must strive to please him to whom he has dedicated himself.
44. Deinde cum dicit nam et qui, ponit laboris praemium. Et quia diceret aliquis: O Paule, magna imponis, sed quis est eorum fructus? Respondet: assumatis exemplum in pugnis saecularibus, ubi non omnes, sed legitime pugnantes accipiunt coronam. Sic ergo erit et in spiritualibus, quod nullus coronabitur, nisi servet debitas leges pugnae. I Cor. c. IX, 25: illi quidem ut corruptibilem coronam accipiant, nos autem incorruptam. Sap. c. IV, 2: in perpetuum coronata triumphat.
44. Then when he says, for he also who strives for the mastery is not crowned, except he strive lawfully, he mentions the reward of labor. But because someone might say: you put heavy burdens on us, Paul; but what fruit do they bring? He answers: take as your example the battles of this world, where not all but only those who fight lawfully receive the crown. So, too, will it be in spiritual battles, where no one is crowned, unless he obeys the rules of warfare: they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one (1 Cor 9:25); and it triumphs, crowned forever (Wis 4:2).
45. Deinde cum dicit laborantem, ostendit stipendia, interdicitque ei negotia saecularia. Et
45. Then when he says, the husbandman, he shows the wages and forbids him to engage in worldly businesses:
primo proponit stipendia sub metaphora;
first, he describes the wages under a metaphor;
secundo exponit, ibi intellige.
second, he clarifies it, at understand what I say.
46. Officium enim praedicatorum et doctorum est officium militum, inquantum insurgunt contra hostes et vitia; item agricolae, inquantum fructum faciunt promovendo ad bona. Huius ager est Ecclesia, et principalis agricola est Deus, interius et exterius operans. Io. XV, 1: ego sum vitis vera, et Pater meus agricola est. Homines autem exterius adhibent ministerium. I Cor. III, 6: ego plantavi, Apollo rigavit, Deus autem incrementum dedit. Isti sunt exteriores agricolae. Iob c. XXXI, 39: si animam agricolarum eius afflixi.
46. For the office of preachers and teachers is a military office, inasmuch as they do battle against enemies and vices; it is also a farmer’s office, inasmuch as they bear fruit by exhorting men to do good. The field is the Church, and the chief husbandman is God working from without and from within: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (John 15:1). But men work from the outside by offering their service: I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase (1 Cor 3:6). These are the visible husbandmen: if I have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof (Job 31:39).
Istum ergo agricolam oportet fructum accipere; huius fructus sunt opera virtutum. Eccli. XXIV, 23: flores mei fructus honoris et honestatis. Gal. V, 22: fructus autem Spiritus est caritas, gaudium, pax, patientia. Inter hos fructus sunt et fructus eleemosynarum. Act. IX, 36: haec erat plena fructibus bonis et eleemosynis quas faciebat. Isti ergo debent principaliter fructum percipere, ut ipsi gaudeant. Primo de subditorum fructibus. Phil. IV, 1: itaque, fratres mei charissimi et desideratissimi, gaudium meum et corona mea. Secundo de subsidiis temporalibus, non pro praemio principali, sed stipendio. Gal. VI, 6: communicet autem is qui catechizatur verbo, ei qui se catechizat in omnibus bonis. Matth. c. X, 10: dignus est operarius cibo suo.
Therefore, they should partake of the fruit; but the fruit is the works of the virtues: my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches (Sir 24:23); the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience (Gal 5:22). Among these fruits are the fruits of almsgiving: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did (Acts 9:36). Therefore, they should be the first to taste the fruit, that their joy may be filled; and they should first enjoy the fruit of their subjects: therefore, my dearly beloved brethren and most desired, my joy and my crown (Phil 4:1); second, of temporal subsidies, not as their main reward, but as a stipend: let him that is instructed in the word communicate to him that instructs him, in all good things (Gal 6:6); the laborer is worthy of his food (Matt 10:10).
47. Deinde cum dicit intellige, exponit quae dixerat sequens modum Christi post parabolas. Matth. XIII, 9: qui habet aures audiendi audiat. Quasi dicat: reduc haec ad intellectum spiritualem. Dan. X, 1: intelligentia opus est in visione.
47. Then when he says, understand what I say, he explains what he had said, following Christ’s method of explaining his parable: he that has ears to hear let him hear (Matt 13:9). As if to say: reduce these to a spiritual meaning: for there is a need of understanding in a vision (Dan 10:1).
Quasi diceret aliquis: tu dicis: accipe stipendium, o Timothee; sed tu non facis, quia de labore manuum vis vivere. Unde intellige quae dico, quia est necessaria discretio, quia ibi non sunt accipienda ubi est occasio avaritiae contra Evangelium, vel propter cupiditatem, vel propter otium. Et hoc poteris intelligere, quia dabit, et cetera. I Io. II, 27: unctio docebit vos de omnibus.
As if someone were to say: you say: take a stipend, Timothy; but you do not do so, because you wish to live by the labor of your own hands. Hence, understand what I say, because discretion is necessary: for you must not take from those sources which can be an occasion of charging the Gospel with avarice either because of covetousness or laziness. But you will be able to understand this, for the Lord will give you in all things understanding: let his unction teach you of all things (1 John 2:27).
Lectio 2
Lecture 2
Morire et Resurgite cum Christo
Die and rise with Christ
2:8 Memor esto Dominum Jesum Christum resurrexisse a mortuis ex semine David, secundum Evangelium meum, [n. 48]
2:8 Be mindful that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel: [n. 48]
2:9 in quo laboro usque ad vincula, quasi male operans: sed verbum Dei non est alligatum. [n. 50]
2:9 Wherein I labor even unto bands, as an evildoer. But the word of God is not bound. [n. 50]
2:10 Ideo omnia sustineo propter electos, ut et ipsi salutem consequantur, quae est in Christo Jesu, cum gloria caelesti. [n. 52]
2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with heavenly glory. [n. 52]
2:11 Fidelis sermo: nam si commortui sumus, et convivemus: [n. 53]
2:11 A faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall live also with him. [n. 53]
2:12 si sustinebimus, et conregnabimus: si negaverimus, et ille negabit nos:
2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us.
2:13 si non credimus, ille fidelis permanet, negare seipsum non potest.
2:13 If we believe not, he continues faithful, he cannot deny himself.
2:14 Haec commone, testificans coram Domino. [n. 58] Noli contendere verbis: ad nihil enim utile est, nisi ad subversionem audientium. [n. 59]
2:14 Of these things put them in mind, charging them before the Lord. [n. 58] Contend not in words: for it is to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. [n. 59]
2:15 Sollicite cura teipsum probabilem exhibere Deo, operarium inconfusibilem, recte tractantem verbum veritatis. [n. 60]
2:15 Carefully study to present yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. [n. 60]
48. Supra ponitur praeparatio ad martyrium, hic ponitur exhortatio ad ipsum, et
48. Above, the Apostle prepared Timothy for martyrdom; here he exhorts him to it.
primo praemittit exemplum praemii;
First, he gives him a sample of the reward;
secundo exemplum martyrii, ibi in quo laboro;
second, an example of martyrdom, at wherein I labor;