113. Dicit ergo delens, et cetera. Quod decretum dupliciter potest intelligi. Uno modo lex vetus. Eph. II, 15: legem mandatorum decretis evacuans, et cetera. Et sic loquitur hic ad Iudaeos; quasi dicat: et vos convivificavit. Chirographum est Scriptura manualis, et proprie fit pro cautione contractuum. Quicumque frangit decretum Dei, efficitur reus culpae. Et hic reatus consistit et in memoria hominis inde perturbata et maculata, et in memoria Dei iudicaturi, et daemonum qui cruciaturi sunt. Hoc ergo remanens in memoria, vocatur chirographum: Christus ergo est qui condonavit omnia, et hoc delens chirographum, id est memoriam transgressionis, quod, chirographum vel decretum, erat adversus nos, quia utrumque erat contra nos. Lex quidem, quia faciebat cognitionem peccati, et non iuvabat; chirographum autem, quia memoria transgressionis ad puniendum erat.
113. He says, blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us. This bond or written decree can be understood in two ways. In one way it is the old law: by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two (Eph 2:15). This is its meaning when he is here speaking in reference to the Jews, as if to say: and you he made alive. Again, a written bond is a warranty usually employed in contracts. And whoever violates God’s bond is subject to a debt of punishment. This violation is retained in the person’s memory, which it disturbs and stains; it is retained in God’s memory, who is to judge such matters; and in the memory of the devils, who will torment them. Now the memory of this violation is called a bond. And it is Christ who has forgiven all by blotting out the handwriting, that is, the memory of the transgression, that was against us. The bond, in both its meanings, was against us: the law, because it gave mankind a knowledge of sin, but did not help, and the memory of our transgressions, for which we deserved to be punished.
Et dicit decreti, quia non remittit sic ut faciat quod non peccaveris, sed quia non est in memoria Dei ad puniendum, nec in daemonis memoria ad accusandum, nec in te ad contristandum. Ps. XXXI, 1: beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata, et cetera.
The term decree is used because its violation is not forgiven in such a way as to bring it about that there was never any sin. Rather, such sin is not remembered by God as something to be punished; it is not remembered by the devils as something to accuse us of; and we do not remember our sins as reasons for sorrow: blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Ps 32:1).
114. Vel communiter loquitur non solum ad Iudaeos, sed ad omnes. Unum decretum factum est primo homini, Gen. II, 16: ex omni ligno Paradisi comede, de ligno autem scientiae boni et mali ne comedas. In quacumque die comederis, morte morieris. Sed huiusmodi decretum est homo transgressus, et propter hoc in memoria est chirographum contrarium nobis, quod Christus delevit.
114. Another interpretation of this passage would be that Paul is here speaking in general, to all, not just about the Jews. And then we can say that a command was given to the first man: you may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die (Gen 2:16). But man violated this law, and the memory of this violation became a bond which stood against us. And Christ canceled this.
115. Et quomodo? In cruce, quando tulit ipsum de medio, et cetera. Consuetudo enim erat quod solvens omnia ad quae quis tenebatur, scindebatur chirographum. Homo autem erat in peccato, sed Christus solvit pro bonis patiendo. Ps. LXVIII, 5: quae non rapui, tunc exolvebam. Et ideo simul cum morte Christi, hoc chirographum est destructum, et ideo dicit tulit de medio, id est sustulit de rerum natura, et hoc affigens illud cruci, per quam satisfaciens Deo tulit peccatum nostrum.
115. How did Christ cancel this bond? On the cross, for and he has taken the same out of the way. It was the custom for a bond to be torn up once a person had fulfilled all his obligations. Now man was in sin and Christ paid for this by his suffering: what I did not steal must I now restore? (Ps 69:4). And therefore, at the moment of Christ’s death this bond was canceled and destroyed. And so he says, and he has taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross, by which he took away our sin by making satisfaction to God.
116. Deinde cum dicit expolians, etc., ostendit quomodo liberavit a servitute peccati. Detur enim quod usurarius propter cautionem teneat hominem captum, non sufficeret destructio cautionis, nisi liberaretur. Sic et Christus. Et ideo dicit expolians, et cetera. Haec expoliatio refertur ad sanctos mortuos ante passionem Christi, et sic Christus eos de Inferno expoliando liberavit. Zach. IX, 11: tu quoque in sanguine testamenti tui emisisti vinctos tuos de lacu, in quo non erat aqua. Is. c. XLIX, 25: equidem et captivitas a forti tolletur, et quod ablatum fuerit a robusto, salvabitur. Si autem intelligatur de vivis, sic expoliavit eos, scilicet daemonibus. Lc. XI, 22: si autem fortior illo superveniens vicerit eum, universa arma eius auferet, in quibus confidebat, et spolia eius distribuet. Io. XII, 31: princeps huius mundi eiicietur foras.
116. Then when he says, and despoiling, he shows how Christ freed us from the slavery of sin. For if a creditor holds a man captive on account of a debt that he owes, it is not enough merely to pay the debt; the person himself must also be freed. This is what Christ did. So Paul says, and despoiling the principalities and powers. This despoiling can refer to those saints who had died before Christ’s passion; in this sense, Christ freed them from the lower world by despoiling the devil: as for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit (Zech 9:11); even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued (Isa 49:25). But if we understand this as referring to the living, then he despoiled them from the devils: but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil (Luke 11:22); now shall the ruler of this world be cast out (John 12:31).
Dicit ergo expolians principatus et potestates id est, ipsos daemones. Eph. ult.: adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, et cetera.
Thus he says, despoiling the principalities and powers, that is, the devils themselves: against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places (Eph 6:12).
Traduxit ipsos sanctos confidenter tamquam auctoritatem habens: in caelum, quantum ad mortuos; et quantum ad vivos, in regnum gloriae vel gratiae suae. Vel traduxit, id est, extra duxit, id est, expulit principatus ex homine. Is. LI, 9: induere fortitudinem brachium Domini, et cetera.
He has exposed them, that is, the saints, as one who had authority in heaven, over the dead and the living, in the kingdom of his glory or of his grace. Or we could say he has exposed them, that is, he drove out the principalities from mankind, awake, and put on strength, O arm of the Lord (Isa 51:9).
Palam, id est evidenti iudicio, quo cognoscatur quod traducti sunt. Olim enim totus mundus servivit idolis, nunc non. Vel palam, id est, coram multitudine angelorum, tum quia descendit ad Infernum sanctorum, tum quia ascendit in caelum. Et hoc triumphans in semetipso, id est, in sua virtute. Phil. III, 21: secundum operationem qua possit etiam subiicere sibi omnia.
In an open show, so it could be known that they were expelled. For at one time the world did serve idols, but not now. Or we could say in an open show, that is, before the multitude of angels, because Christ descended into the lower world of the saints and ascended into heaven. Triumphing over them in himself, that is, in his own power. By the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself (Phil 3:21).
117. Alia littera sic habet: et exuens se carne, principatus et potestates exemplavit fiducialiter triumphans. Et exponitur sic: exuens se carne, id est, mortalitate. I Cor. XV, v. 50: caro et sanguis regnum Dei non possidebunt, id est, mortalitas carnalis corruptionis. Rom. VI, 9: Christus resurgens ex mortuis iam non moritur, mors illi ultra non dominabitur. II Cor. V, 16: et si cognovimus secundum carnem Christum, sed nunc iam non novimus. Exemplavit, id est, in se exemplum praebuit, quomodo sunt vincendi. Reliqua non mutantur.
117. Another version of this passage reads: he put off his flesh, and exemplified the principalities and powers, triumphing confidently. He put off his flesh, that is, his mortality. Flesh and blood, that is, the mortality of bodily corruption, cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50); Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him (Rom 6:9); even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer (2 Cor 5:16). He exemplified, he gave us an example of how the principalities and powers are to be overcome. The meaning of the rest stays the same.
Lectio 4
Lecture 4
Praecepta legalis solvunt
Legal precepts abolished
2:16 Nemo ergo vos judicet in cibo, aut in potu, aut in parte diei festi, aut neomeniae, aut sabbatorum: [n. 118]
2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon or of the sabbaths, [n. 118]
2:17 quae sunt umbra futurorum: corpus autem Christi. [n. 121]
2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ. [n. 121]
2:18 Nemo vos seducat, volens in humilitate, et religione angelorum, quae non vidit ambulans, frustra inflatus sensu carnis suae, [n. 122]
2:18 Let no man seduce you, willing in humility and religion of angels, walking in the things which he has not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh: [n. 122]
2:19 et non tenens caput, ex quo totum corpus per nexus, et conjunctiones subministratum, et constructum crescit in augmentum Dei. [n. 128]
2:19 And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, grows into the increase of God. [n. 128]
2:20 Si ergo mortui estis cum Christo ab elementis hujus mundi: quid adhuc tamquam viventes in mundo decernitis? [n. 130]
2:20 If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world? [n. 130]
2:21 Ne tetigeritis, neque gustaveritis, neque contrectaveritis:
2:21 Touch not: taste not: handle not.
2:22 quae sunt omnia in interitum ipso usu, secundum praecepta et doctrinas hominum: [n. 132]
2:22 Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men. [n. 132]
2:23 quae sunt rationem quidem habentia sapientiae in superstitione, et humilitate, et non ad parcendum corpori, non in honore aliquo ad saturitatem carnis. [n. 134]
2:23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honor to the filling of the flesh. [n. 134]
118. Supra ostendit legalia esse impleta in Christo propter circumcisionem in eo impletam, quae est legalium professio, hic concludit eos non obligari ad legalia praecepta caeremonialia. Caeremonialia vero erant quatuor, scilicet sacrificia, sacra, sacramenta, et observantiae. Sacrificia immolabantur Deo, ut oves, vituli, et huiusmodi. Sacra erant sicut vasa, et solemnia tempora. Sacramenta erant tria, scilicet circumcisio, agnus paschalis, et consecratio sacerdotum. Observantiae autem erant ea, quae pertinebant ad singularem conversationem populi Israel, ut cibi, vestes, et huiusmodi. Quaedam vero praedictorum pertinebant ad quosdam, ut sacrificia, vasa, et alia huiusmodi; quaedam ad omnes.
118. Above, Paul showed that the law was fulfilled in Christ because of the circumcision he received, for this is an acknowledgment of the law. Here, he concludes that they are not obliged to observe the ceremonial commands of the law. There were four kinds of ceremonial matters: sacrifices, sacred things, sacraments, and observances. The sacrifices were those things which were immolated to God, such as sheep, oxen and the like. The sacred things included utensils and religious festivals. There were three sacraments: circumcision, the paschal lamb, and the consecration of priests. The observances were those matters that were related to the unique customs in the life of the people of Israel, things such as food, clothing and the like. Some of the above matters, such as the sacrifices, the utensils and so on, pertained only to some of the people; other matters were connected to all the people.
De primis autem non facit mentionem, sed de tangentibus totum populum, sicut nunc Baptismus.
Paul does not mention those things which pertained just to some, but only those which affected all, just as baptism now affects us all.
119. Facit autem mentionem de observantiis, quia abstinebant a certis cibis, Lev. c. XI, 26, ut de quadrupedibus, ab his quae ungulam non dividunt. In potu etiam, vas quod non haberet operculum, immundum erat, et quicquid in eo erat. Et ideo quantum ad hoc dicit nemo vos iudicet in cibo, id est condemnabiles putet in hoc quod utimini cibis vel potibus prohibitis in lege. Rom. c. XIV, 3: qui non manducat, manducantem non iudicet, et cetera.
119. He does mention the observances, because they abstained from certain foods, such as four-legged animals that do not have a divided hoof (Lev 11:26). In regard to drink, a vessel without a cover was unclean, as was anything in it. And so with respect to these matters he says, let no man therefore judge you in meat, that is, let no one condemn you for taking food and drink forbidden in the law: let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him (Rom 14:3).
120. Item facit mentionem de sacris ad temporum solemnitatem pertinentibus.
120. He also mentions sacred matters related to the religious festivals and ceremonies.
In veteri autem lege erat solemnitas iugis, ut sacrificium vespertinum et matutinum; quaedam autem quae certis temporibus fiebant, et horum: quaedam fiebant pluries in anno, quaedam semel tantum, sicut Pascha, Scenopegia, et Pentecostes; sed sabbatum, et neomenia pluries, quia illud qualibet hebdomada, istud semel in mense.
Under the old law there were continuous religious ceremonies, like the morning and evening sacrifices. There were other ceremonies held at certain definite times. Some of these were held several times during the year, as the sabbath every week, and the new moon every month. Others came only once a year, as the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and Pentecost.
Et huius ratio erat, quia omnia festa tendunt ad honorem Dei. Impendimus autem Deo honorem, vel propter aliquod aeternum, et sic est iuge sacrificium; vel propter aliquod temporale, et hoc quantum ad totum hominum statum; et sic sunt duo, scilicet creationis beneficium, et sic est sabbatum. Ex. XX, v. 8: memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices, et ratio ponitur ibi: quia septimo die requievit. Et ratio allegorica est, quia significat quietem Christi in sepulchro; et anagogice, quietem animae in Deo. Aliud est beneficium propagationis et conservationis, quod etiam fit per tempus. Et quia Iudaei observabant tempora a luna, ideo dicit festum neomeniae, id est, novae lunae. Sunt etiam aliae causae, scilicet liberationis specialis, et sic superadditae sunt aliae solemnitates; et ideo dicit aut in parte diei festi, aut neomeniae, quae fit quolibet mense aut sabbatorum, pro qualibet septimana. Et dicit sabbatorum, quia sabbatum est requies, et isti habebant plura sabbata, quia septimum diem et septem septimanas, scilicet Pentecosten, quae in septima septimana est a Pascha, quae est principium anni, et septimum mensem, et septimum annum, in quo fit remissio debitorum. Item septima septimana annorum, id est, in iubilaeo. Et ideo dicit sabbatorum; quasi dicat: nullus vos condemnet, quia haec non observatis.
The reason for all this is that all religious ceremonies are held for the honor of God. Now we give honor to God either because of something which is eternal, and thus we have continuous religious ceremonies; or we honor him because of certain temporal benefits which affect all people. There are two such benefits. First, the gift of creation; and thus we have the religious ceremony of the sabbath: remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exod 20:8). The reason for keeping the sabbath is that God rested on the seventh day. The allegorical reason for the sabbath is that it signifies Christ’s rest in the tomb, and the anagogical reason would be that it signifies the soul’s rest in God. The other gift is that of procreation and preservation, which are also for a time. And since the Jewish people calculated the time by the moon, he says, the new moon. There are also other reasons for honoring God, as a special rescue or deliverance; and so other festivals were added to the above. And so he says, or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon, every month, or of the sabbaths, every seventh period. He says sabbaths because a sabbath is a rest, and they had several sabbaths: the seventh day; and seven weeks, that is Pentecost, which is the end of the seventh week following the Passover, which is the beginning of the year; and the seventh month; and the seventh year, when sins are forgiven; and after seven periods of seven years there was a Jubilee. With this in mind Paul says, or sabbaths, meaning: let no one condemn you for not observing these feasts.
121. Et hoc quia sunt umbrae futurorum, scilicet Christi. Et ideo veniente veritate, debet cessare umbra. Corpus autem Christi, id est, corpus pertinens ad Christum. Quando quis videt umbram, sperat quod corpus sequatur. Legalia autem sunt umbra praecedens Christum, et eum figurabant venturum. Et ideo dicit corpus, id est, veritas rei pertinet ad Christum; sed umbra ad legem.
121. For these are a shadow of things to come, that is, of Christ. And when the truth comes, the shadow should cease, but the body is of Christ. When someone sees a shadow, he expects the body or substantial reality to follow. Now the legal observances of the law were the shadow going before Christ, and they signified his coming; and so Paul says, the body, that is, the truth of the thing, belongs to Christ, but the shadow belongs to the law.
122. Deinde cum dicit nemo vos seducat, etc., loquitur contra seductores et deceptores. Et
122. Then when he says, let no man seduce you, he speaks against those who were trying to seduce and deceive them.
primo monet ut non decipiantur;
First, he warns them not to be misled;
secundo arguit deceptos, ibi si ergo mortui.
second, he argues against those already misled, at if then you be dead.
Item primo reddit cautos a seductione;
As to the first, he cautions them about being misled;
secundo ostendit per quid seducantur, ibi volens in humilitate;
second, he shows how they might be deceived, willing in humility;
tertio in quo deficiat, ibi quae non vidit.
and third, the shortcomings of those who would mislead them, at walking in the things which he has not seen.
123. Dicit ergo nemo vos seducat, scilicet a veritate quam dixi. Eph. V, 6: nemo vos seducat inanibus verbis.
123. He says, let no man seduce you away from the truth that I have told you: let no one deceive you with empty words (Eph 5:6).
124. Seducunt enim in humilitate isti pseudo-apostoli introducentes legalia, quia utebantur simulata sanctitate.
124. For these pseudo-apostles were seducing them by their humility, bringing in observances taken from the law, for they pretended to be holy.
Sanctitas autem in duobus consistit, scilicet in humili conversatione, et cultura Dei. Isti autem ostendebant humilem conversationem, cum apparebat eos non curare de rebus mundi. Et ideo dicit in humilitate. Eccli. XIX, 23: est qui nequiter se humiliat, et interiora eius plena sunt dolo. Item dicebant se praedicare ad reverentiam Dei. Et ideo dicit et religione angelorum. Religio enim est secundum Tullium, quae cuidam naturae, quam divinam vocant, cultum et caeremoniam affert. II Tim. III, 5: habentes quidem speciem pietatis, virtutem autem eius abnegantes.
But holiness consists of two things: a humble manner of life, and the worship of God. Now these people appeared to lead a humble life since they seemed to have no care for the things of the world; and therefore he says, in humility. There is one who is humble in an evil way, and within he is full of deceit (Sir 19:23). Again, they claimed to be preaching out of reverence for God; and so Paul says, and religion of angels, for religion, according to Cicero, consists in ceremonies and worship for a divine nature: holding the form of religion but denying the power of it (2 Tim 3:5).
125. Et secundum Glossam legitur sic: in religione, etc., quia per hoc intendunt, quod videantur esse angeli, id est, nuntii Dei. Matth. VII, 15: attendite a falsis prophetis et cetera. Vel in religione angelorum ad litteram, quia vetus lex est tradita per angelos in manu mediatoris, ut dicitur Gal. III, 19. Hebr. c. II, 2: si enim qui per angelos dictus est sermo, factus est firmus, et cetera. Et isti dicebant cultum legis observandum quia tradita per angelos.
125. The Gloss has this passage as reading, in religion of angels, for in this way these seducers wanted to seem like angels, that is, as messengers, of God: beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing yet inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15). Or, religion of angels, can be understood in a literal sense, because the old law was made known by angels (Gal 3:19). For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Heb 2:2). These people maintained that the worship mandated in the law had to be kept, because it had been given through angels.