Lectio 1
Lecture 1
Homines in novissimis diebus
Men in the last days
3:1 Hoc autem scito, quod in novissimis diebus instabunt tempora periculosa: [n. 89]
3:1 Know also this, that in the last days shall come dangerous times. [n. 89]
3:2 erunt homines seipsos amantes, cupidi, elati, superbi, blasphemi, parentibus non obedientes, ingrati, scelesti, [n. 91]
3:2 Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked, [n. 91]
3:3 sine affectione, sine pace, criminatores, incontinentes, immites, sine benignitate, [n. 98]
3:3 Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, [n. 98]
3:4 proditores, protervi, tumidi, et voluptatum amatores magis quam Dei: [n. 101]
3:4 Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasure more than of God: [n. 101]
3:5 habentes speciem quidem pietatis, virtutem autem ejus abnegantes. Et hos devita:
3:5 Having an appearance indeed of godliness but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.
89. Supra instruxit eum quomodo resistat tribulationibus et periculis praesentibus, hic ostendit quomodo stet contra futura. Et
89. Above, he instructed him how to handle present tribulations and dangers; here he shows him how to stand against future ones:
primo praenuntiat futura pericula;
first, he predicts some dangers that are to come;
secundo ostendit idoneitatem suam ad resistendum, ibi tu autem assecutus;
second, he shows his fitness to resist them, at but you have fully known my doctrine (2 Tim 3:10);
tertio ostendit qualiter resistat, ibi testificor.
third, how to resist, at I charge you before God (2 Tim 4:1).
Circa primum duo facit, quia
In regard to the first he does two things:
primo praenuntiat pericula novissimorum temporum;
first, he foretells the dangers that will come in the last days;
secundo ostendit quomodo eorum vitia sunt etiam modo vitanda, ibi et hos devita.
second, he shows that their vices are even now to be avoided, at now these avoid.
Item prima in duas, quia
In regard to the first he does two things:
primo praenuntiat esse futura pericula in novissimis temporibus;
first, he states that there will be dangers in the last times;
secundo causam periculorum, ibi et erunt homines.
second, the cause of these dangers, at men shall be lovers of themselves.
90. Dicit ergo: dixi, devita profana, etc., non solum autem sunt haec modo vitanda, sed in futuro restant etiam quaedam alia vitanda. Et dicuntur novissimi dies, quia sunt propinqui novissimo diei. Io. V, 55: ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die. Gen. c. XLIX, 1: congregamini ut annuntiem quae ventura sunt vobis diebus novissimis. Et addit instabunt tempora periculosa, et cetera. Matth. c. XXIV, 9: eritis odio omnibus gentibus propter nomen meum.
90. He says, therefore: I have said, shun profane and vain babblings (2 Tim 2:16). Not only must you shun them now, but in the future there will be other dangers to avoid. The future is referred to as the last days, because they are closest to the last day: I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:55); gather yourselves together, that I am to tell you the things that shall befall you in the last days (Gen 49:1). And he adds, shall come dangerous times: you shall be hated by all nations for my name’s sake (Matt 24:9);
91. Causa horum est iniquitatis abundantia, Matth. XXIV, 12: quoniam abundavit iniquitas, refrigescet caritas multorum, quia fides et caritas vel annullabitur vel totaliter peribit; quia quanto magis aliquid elongatur a suo principio, tanto plus deficit. Et ideo in tempore illo magis deficient fides et caritas, quia plus elongantur a Christo. Lc. XVIII, 8: Filius hominis veniens, putas, inveniet fidem in terra?
91. The cause of this is the abundance of iniquity, and because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold (Matt 24:12), because faith and charity will be annihilated and perish utterly: for the further away a thing is from its beginning, the weaker it gets. As a result faith and charity will fall away in those days, because men will be further from Christ: but yet the Son of man, when he comes, shall he find, think you, faith on earth? (Luke 18:8).
Et circa hoc
In regard to this
primo ponit iniquitatis radicem;
he first discloses the root of iniquity;
secundo diversas eius species.
second, its various forms.
92. Radix autem totius iniquitatis est amor sui ipsius. Duplex autem amor duplicem civitatem facit.
92. Now the root of iniquity is love of self, for two loves built two cities.
Sed contra: quilibet naturaliter diligit se.
But one might object: it is natural to love oneself.
Respondeo. Dicendum est quod in homine duo sunt, scilicet natura rationalis et corporalis.
I answer that in man there are two things, namely, the rational nature and the bodily nature.
Quantum ad intellectualem seu rationalem, quae interior homo appellatur, ut dicitur II Cor. IV, 16, homo debet plus se diligere quam omnes alios, quia stultus esset qui vellet peccare ut alios a peccatis retrahat; sed quantum ad exteriorem hominem, laudabile est ut alios plus diligat quam se. Unde illi qui se sic tantum amant, sunt vituperabiles. Phil. II, 21: omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt, non quae Iesu Christi.
In regard to the intellectual or rational nature, which is called the inner man (2 Cor 4:16), a man should love himself more than he loves others: because he would be foolish, who chose to sin in order to withdraw others from sin. But in regard to the outward man it is praiseworthy to love others more than oneself. Hence those who love only themselves are blameworthy: all seek the things that are their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ’s (Phil 2:21).
93. Ex hac radice diversae sunt species iniquitatis. Unde dicit cupidi, elati, et cetera. Et
93. From this root spring various forms of sin; hence he says, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers.
circa hoc tria facit, quia
In regard to these he does three things:
primo ponit peccata, quae sunt in abusu rerum exteriorum;
first, he lists the sins which consist in abusing external things;
secundo, quae pertinent ad inordinationem hominis ad alios, ibi blasphemi;
second, those which consist in a man’s being improperly related to others, at blasphemers, disobedient to parents;
tertio, quae ad seipsum, ibi incontinentes.
third, in regard to the self, at incontinent.
94. Duo autem sunt in rebus exterioribus, scilicet abundantia divitiarum, et excellentia bonorum.
94. In external things we discover two features: abundance of riches and the excellence of good things.
Quantum ad primum dicit cupidi. Et cupiditas primo ponitur, quia est radix omnium malorum. Vel est propinqua amori sui ipsius, quae est ad bona exteriora.
In regard to the first he says, covetous, which is placed first because it is the root of all evils and because it is closest to love of self, which satisfies itself with external goods.
Quantum ad secundum dicit elati. Elatio est species superbiae, quae sunt quatuor: una quando aliquis attribuit sibi quo caret. Secunda quando quod ab alio habet attribuit sibi, ac si haberet a se. I Cor. IV, 7: quid habes quod non accepisti, et cetera. Tertia quando attribuit sibi quod habet ab alio, sed meritis propriis. Lc. XVIII, 12: ieiuno bis in sabbato, et cetera. Quarta quando singulariter vult videri supra omnes, et haec est elatio. Ps. CXXX, 1: Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, et cetera.
In regard to the second he says, haughty, which is a form of pride, of which there are four species: one, when a person attributes to himself something he lacks; another is when he attributes to himself what he has from another, as though he had it from himself: what have you that you have not received? (1 Cor 4:7). A third form is when one attributes to himself what he has received from another, but considers that he earned it: I fast twice in a week, I give tithes of all that I possess (Luke 18:12). The fourth form is when a person desires singular attention above others; and this is elation: Lord, my heart is not exalted (Ps 130:1).
Quod dicit superbi, reducitur ad alias species superbiae. Iac. IV, 6: Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam.
Therefore, when he says, proud, he includes all forms of pride: God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6).
95. Consequenter ponit vitia quantum ad alios. Et
95. Then he lists the vices which relate us to others: