Lectio 2
Lecture 2
Veritas Evangelii
The truth of the Gospel
1:3 Gratia vobis, et pax a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino Jesu Christo. [n. 7] Gratias agimus Deo, et Patri Domini nostri Jesu Christi semper pro vobis orantes: [n. 8]
1:3 Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [n. 7] We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. [n. 8]
1:4 audientes fidem vestram in Christo Jesu, et dilectionem quam habetis in sanctos omnes [n. 10]
1:4 Hearing your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints. [n. 10]
1:5 propter spem, quae reposita est vobis in caelis: quam audistis in verbo veritatis Evangelii: [n. 12]
1:5 For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard in the word of the truth of the Gospel, [n. 12]
1:6 quod pervenit ad vos, sicut et in universo mundo est, et fructificat, et crescit sicut in vobis, ex ea die, qua audistis, et cognovistis gratiam Dei in veritate, [n. 14]
1:6 Which is come unto you, as also it is in the whole world and brings forth fruit and grows, even as it does in you, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. [n. 14]
1:7 sicut didicistis ab Epaphra carissimo conservo nostro, qui est fidelis pro vobis minister Christi Jesu, [n. 16]
1:7 As you learned from Epaphras, our most beloved fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ Jesus; [n. 16]
1:8 qui etiam manifestavit nobis dilectionem vestram in Spiritu.
1:8 Who also has manifested to us your love in the Spirit.
8. Hic, accedens ad propositum, incipit epistolarem tractatum. Et
8. Here Paul begins his message.
primo commendat Evangelii veritatem;
First, he commends the truth of the Gospel;
secundo contra contrariantia protegit veritatem status huius in II capite, ibi volo enim scire vos.
second, he defends this against those who attack it, at for I would have you know (Col 2:1).
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things.
Primo commendat evangelicae fidei veritatem;
First, he commends the truth of faith in the Gospel;
secundo actorem huius status, ibi qui est imago.
and second, its author, at who is the image (Col 1:15).
Item prima in duas, quia
The first is divided into two parts.
primo agit gratias pro beneficiis specialiter exhibitis Colossensibus;
First, he thanks God for the benefits conferred on the Colossians in particular;
secundo pro exhibitis generaliter Ecclesiae, ibi gratias agentes.
and second, for those benefits granted to the Church in general, at giving thanks (Col 1:12).
Circa primum duo facit, quia
In regard to the first he does two things.
primo commendat gratiarum actionem Deo pro istis;
First, he thanks God;
secundo ostendit orationis materiam, ibi audientes.
and second, he shows why he gives thanks, at hearing your faith (Col 1:4).
Iterum prima in duas, quia
Again the first is divided into two parts.
primo praemittit gratiarum actionem;
First, he gives thanks;
secundo orationem, ibi orantes.
second, he prays, at praying always for you (Col 1:9).
9. Dicit ergo: gratias agimus Deo, actori gratiarum. I Thess. ult.: in omnibus gratias agite. Et hoc semper, pro praeteritis et futuris. Licet enim non continue in actu possimus orare, tamen semper, ex habitu caritatis, debemus orare. I Thess. ult.: sine intermissione orate. Lc. XVIII, 1: oportet semper orare.
9. So he says, we give thanks to God, the author of grace: give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18). And always, for the past and for the future. For although we cannot actually pray every minute, we should always pray by serving God out of love: pray constantly (1 Thess 5:17); we ought always to pray (Luke 18:1).
10. Deinde ponitur materia, et
10. Then he states his reasons for giving thanks.
primo gratiarum actionis,
First, he recalls the blessings they have;
secundo orationis, ibi ideo et nos.
and second, how they were obtained, at therefore we also (Col 1:9).
Circa primum primo commemorat bona eorum,
About the first, first he commemorates their good,
secundo quomodo fuerunt ea adepti, ibi quam audistis.
second, how they were able to obtain these things, at which you have heard.
11. Bonum nostrum principaliter est in fide, spe et caritate: per fidem enim habemus notitiam Dei, per spem elevamur in ipsum, sed caritate unimur ei. I Cor. XIII, v. 13: nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria haec, et cetera. Et ideo de istis tribus gratias agit, primo quod fidem habent. Non enim ipse praedicaverat eis, sed quidam discipulus Epaphras nomine, et postea Archippus. Et ideo dicit audientes fidem, quae est principium spiritualis vitae. Hab. II, 4: iustus meus ex fide vivit. Hebr. XI, 6: accedentem ad Deum oportet credere, et cetera.
11. Our blessings or goods consist especially in faith, hope, and the love of charity: for by faith we have a knowledge of God; by hope we are raised up to him; but by the love of charity we are united to him; so faith, hope, love, abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Cor 13:13). So he gives thanks for these three. First, that they have the faith; although he was not the one who preached to them, but rather a disciple by the name of Epaphras, and later Archippus. Thus he says, hearing your faith, which is the beginning of the spiritual life: the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab 2:4); for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6).
Sed haec fides sine dilectione operante est mortua, ut dicitur Iac. II, 17. Et ideo oportet, quod adsit dilectio operans. Gal. ult.: in Christo Iesu neque circumcisio aliquid valet, neque praeputium, sed nova creatura. Et ideo dixit et dilectionem quam habetis, et cetera.
But this faith is dead without an active love (Jas 2:26), and so an active love must also be present: for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation (Gal 6:15). And so he continues, and the love which you have for all the saints.
Est autem quaedam dilectio caritatis et quaedam mundana, sed mundana non se extendit ad omnes, quia dilectio talis ad illos est cum quibus est communio, quae est causa dilectionis, et haec causa in dilectione mundana non se habet ad omnes, sed tantum est cum consanguineis et mundanis, sed dilectio caritatis se extendit ad omnes. Et ideo dicit in omnes. Nam et si peccatores diligantur per caritatem, hoc est ut sint aliquando sancti. I Io. III, 14: nos scimus quoniam translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres.
There is a love which springs from charity, and another which is worldly. This worldly love does not include everyone, because we love those with whom there is some communication or sharing, which is the cause of love; but in worldly love this cause is not present in everyone, but is only found in one’s relatives or other worldly people. But the love of charity does extend to everyone; and so he says, for all. For even though sinners are loved by the love of charity, it is in order that at some time they become holy: we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren (1 John 3:14).
Item dilectio mundi habet fructum in hoc mundo, sed caritas habet in vita aeterna. Et ideo tertio subdit de spe, dicens propter spem quae reposita est, id est propter gloriam aeternam, quae ideo dicitur spes, quia pro certo custoditur. Iob XIX, 27: reposita est haec spes mea in sinu meo.
Further, the fruit of worldly love is obtained in this world; but the fruit of the love of charity is in eternal life. This leads him to mention hope, saying, for the hope that is laid up for you in heaven, that is, because of your eternal glory, which is called hope because it is considered as certain: this hope has been put in my heart (Job 19:27).
12. Deinde cum dicit quam ante audistis, ostendit quomodo adepti sunt ista. Et
12. Then when he says, which you have heard, he shows how they obtained these things.
primo commendat doctrinam evangelicam,
First, he commends the doctrine of the Gospel;
secundo ministerium, ibi sicut didicistis.
and second, its ministry, at as you learned.