Lectio 3 Lecture 3 Fides Abrahrae Saraeque Faith of Abraham and Sarah 11:8 Fide qui vocatur Abraham obedivit in locum exire, quem accepturus erat in haereditatem: et exiit, nesciens quo iret. [n. 580] 11:8 By faith he that is called Abraham obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing whither he went. [n. 580] 11:9 Fide demoratus est in terra repromissionis, tamquam in aliena, in casulis habitando cum Isaac et Jacob cohaeredibus repromissionis ejusdem. [n. 583] 11:9 By faith he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise. [n. 583] 11:10 Exspectabat enim fundamenta habentem civitatem: cujus artifex et conditor Deus. [n. 585] 11:10 For he looked for a city that has foundations: whose builder and maker is God. [n. 585] 11:11 Fide et ipsa Sara sterilis virtutem in conceptionem seminis accepit, etiam praeter tempus aetatis: quoniam fidelem credidit esse eum qui repromiserat. [n. 588] 11:11 By faith also Sarah herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age: because she believed that he was faithful who had promised, [n. 588] 11:12 Propter quod et ab uno orti sunt (et hoc emortuo) tamquam sidera caeli in multitudinem, et sicut arena, quae est ad oram maris, innumerabilis. [n. 592] 11:12 For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. [n. 592] 580. Supra posuit Apostolus exemplum fidei in patribus, qui fuerunt ante diluvium, qui fuerunt communiter patres tam gentilium, quam Iudaeorum, hic specialiter descendit ad patres, qui fuerunt post diluvium, qui specialiter fuerunt patres Iudaeorum. 580. Having given an example of faith from the fathers who existed before the deluge, i.e., those who were the fathers of both the gentiles and the Jews, the Apostle now treats specifically of the fathers who existed after the deluge, namely, the fathers of the Jews. Et primo ponit exemplum fidei Abrahae, qui fuit pater credentium. Unde et primus accepit signaculum fidei ante legem. Et primo ostendit quid fecerit Abraham; secundo quid fecerit Isaac; tertio quid fecerit Iacob; quarto quid fecerit Ioseph. First of all, he gives the example of the faith of Abraham, who was the father of believers; hence, he was the first to receive the seal of faith before the law. First, he shows what Abraham did; second, what Isaac did; third, what Jacob did; fourth, what Joseph did. Secundum, ibi fide de futuris; tertium, ibi fide Iacob; quartum, ibi fide Ioseph. The second, at by faith also of things to come (Heb 11:20); the third, at by faith Jacob (Heb 11:21); the fourth, at by faith Joseph (Heb 11:22). Iterum prima in duas. The first is divided into two parts. Primo enim ponit quid fecerit quantum ad exteriorem et humanam cognitionem; In the first, he shows what he did in regard to external and human knowledge; secundo quid fecerit quantum ad Deum, ibi fide obtulit. second, what he did in regard to God, at by faith Abraham (Heb 11:17). Circa primum tria facit. In regard to the first, he does three things. Primo enim ostendit quid fecerit quantum ad habitationem; First, he shows what he did in regard to his dwelling place; secundo quid fecerit quantum ad generationem, ibi fide et ipsa Sara; second, what he did in regard to generation, at by faith also Sarah; tertio quid fecerit quantum ad suam conversationem, ibi iuxta fidem. third, what he did in regard to his own conversion, at all these died (Heb 11:13). Item quantum ad habitationem duo ostendit In regard to the dwelling place, he does two things: primo quid fecerit quantum ad primam loci mutationem; first, what he did in regard to his first change of location; secundo quantum ad alterius inhabitationem, ibi fide moratus. second, in regard to his other change, at by faith he abode. 581. Ut autem ostendat exemplum suum de Abraham magnae auctoritatis esse, primo ponit celebritatem nominis eius, dicens: ille qui vocatur, scilicet a Deo. Gen. XVII, 5: vocaberis Abraham. Item vocatur ab hominibus. Eccli. XLIV, 20: Abraham magnus pater multitudinis gentium. Talis ergo a Deo vocatus et ab hominibus praedicatus, dignus est exemplo. 581. In order to show how great is the authority of his example of Abraham, he mentions the renown of his name, saying, he that is called Abraham, by God: you shall be called Abraham (Gen 17:5). He is likewise called by men: Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations (Sir 44:20). Therefore, such a one called by God and preached by men is a worthy example. Secundo ponit exemplum eius, dicens quia fide obedivit. Per fidem enim informamur ad obediendum Deo de invisibilibus. Rom. I, 5: ad obediendum fidei, et cetera. Exire in locum quem accepturus erat in haereditatem, de quo Gen. XII, 1: egredere de terra tua, et de cognatione tua, et de domo patris tui, et veni in terram, quam monstravero tibi. Dominus autem terram illam debebat sibi dare in haereditatem. Gen. XIII, 15: omnem terram quam conspicis tibi dabo. Second, he gives the example, saying, by faith he that is called Abraham obeyed. For by faith we are enabled to believe God concerning invisible things: for obedience to the faith (Rom 1:5). He obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance: go forth out of your country and from your kindred, and out of your father’s house, into the land which I shall show you (Gen 12:1). But the Lord was to give him that land for an inheritance: all the land which you see, I will give to you (Gen 13:15). 582. Sed numquid non ipse cum patre suo Thare exierat de terra sua? Ergo non exivit ex praecepto domini, sed per patrem. 582. But did he not leave his own land along with his father, Thares? Therefore, he did not leave because of God’s command, but his father’s. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod cum patre exiverat reversurus iterum, sed ex praecepto Domini exiverat in Mesopotamiam Syriae, ubi mortuo patre intendebat remanere, sed ex mandato Domini venit in terram Chanaan. I answer that he left with his father with the intention of returning again, but in response to the Lord’s command he went into Mesopotamia to Syria where he intended to remain after his father’s death; but in response to the Lord’s command he went into the land of Canaan. Et numquid erat hoc mirabile, ut sic de hoc oporteret habere fidem, et credere Deo? Sic, quia exivit nesciens quo iret, id est, ut iret ad rem ignotam. Quod autem est ignotum, est invisibile. But was this so wonderful that he had to have faith about it and believe God? Yes, because he went out, not knowing whither he went, that is, as if he were going to an unknown thing. But what is unknown is invisible. Per illam obedientiam Abrahae nobis designatur, quod debemus ab omni affectione carnali exire, si volumus haereditatem nostram habere. Ps. XLIV, 11: obliviscere populum tuum et domum patris tui. Is. LXIV, v. 4: oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te quae praeparasti expectantibus te. Unde haereditas ista est nobis ignota. By Abraham’s obedience we are instructed to go out from all carnal affection if we would obtain our inheritance: forget your people and your father’s house (Ps 45:11); the eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what things you have prepared for those who wait for you (Isa 64:4). Hence, that inheritance is unknown to us. 583. Deinde cum dicit fide demoratus est, etc., ostendit quid per fidem fecerit quantum ad inhabitationem. Et 583. Then when he says by faith he abode, he shows what he did by faith in regard to his dwelling place: primo quid fecerit, ostendit; first, what he did; secundo subdit causam quare, ibi expectabat enim. second, the reason why, at for he looked. 584. Videmus enim, quod aliquando aliquis exiit de terra nativitatis suae, et vadit alibi, ut faciat mansionem suam perpetuam. Sic non fecit Abraham; sed sicut advena fuit in terra Chanaan, et sicut advena mortuus est in ipsa, quod patet quia non fecit ibi domum nec firmam mansionem, sed habitavit in casulis et tabernaculis, quae sunt habitacula mobilia. Unde semper fit mentio de tabernaculis quando loquitur de Abraham. Unde ex praecepto Domini habitavit ibi ut advena. Act. VII, 5: non dedit illi in ea haereditatem nec passum pedis. Gen. XXI, 34: fuit colonus terrae Philisthinorum diebus multis. Quod quidem verum est quantum ad id quod Dominus ei gratis donaturus esset, non quantum ad id quod emit. 584. For we sometimes notice a person leaving his native land and going elsewhere to make a lasting home. Not so Abraham, for he lived as a stranger in the land of Canaan and dwelt there as a stranger. This is obvious from the fact that he did not build a house there, but lived in huts and tents, which are transportable dwellings; hence, mention is always made of tents, when he speaks of Abraham. Therefore, he lived there as a stranger because of the Lord’s command: and he gave him no inheritance in it; no, not the pace of a foot (Acts 7:5); he was a sojourner in the land of the Philistines many days (Gen 21:34). This is true as to what the Lord was to give him gratis, but not as to what he bought. Unde dicit, quod fide demoratus est in terra repromissionis, quia fuit ei frequenter promissa, sicut patet Gen. XII usque ad XXI cap., tamquam in aliena, quod patet, quia habitando in casulis, quae dicuntur a cadendo, et in tentoriis mobilibus, et quia animo non redeundi in patriam suam, etiam si plus vixisset, patet, quia cum Isaac et Iacob habitavit non quidem simul, sed successive, qui erant filii promissionis, quia ipsis facta est promissio, Gen. XVII, 2 et XXVIII, 3. Hence, he says, by faith he abode in the land of promise, as is clear from Genesis (Gen 12–21), as in a strange country; which is obvious from his dwelling in cottages. That he had no intention of returning to his native land, even if he had lived longer, is shown by the fact that he lived with Isaac and Jacob, not at the same time, but successively. These were the children of the promise because the promise was made to them (Gen 17 and 28). Et dicit cohaeredibus repromissionis, in quo datur nobis intelligi, quod in mundo isto debemus conversari sicut alieni et advenae. I Cor. VII, 31: qui utuntur hoc mundo tamquam non utantur. Infra ult.: non enim habemus hic manentem civitatem, sed futuram inquirimus. He says, co-heirs of the same promise, in which we are given to understand that we should live in the world as foreigners and strangers: and they who use this world, as though they used it not (1 Cor 7:31); for, we have not here a lasting city: but we seek one that is to come (Heb 13:14). 585. Deinde cum dicit expectabat enim, ostendit quare morabantur sicut advenae, quia scilicet non reputabant se aliquid habere super terram, sed quaerebant haereditatem, caelestem civitatem. Ps. CXXI, 2 s.: stantes erant pedes nostri in atriis tuis, Ierusalem: Ierusalem quae aedificatur ut civitas. Is. XXXIII, v. 20: oculi tui videbunt Ierusalem habitationem opulentam, tabernaculum, quod nequaquam ultra transferri poterit. Non tabernaculum mobile. 585. Then when he says, he looked for a city that has foundations, he shows why he lingered there as a stranger, namely, because he did not consider himself as having anything on earth but was seeking a heavenly city as his inheritance: our feet were standing on your courts, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem, which is built as a city (Ps 122:2–3); your eyes which see Jerusalem, a rich habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be removed (Isa 33:20). Et dicitur civitas primo propter civium unitatem, quae unitas est per pacem. Ps. CXLVII, v. 1: lauda, Ierusalem, Dominum, etc., et sequitur: qui posuit fines tuos pacem. Is. c. XXXII, 18: sedebit populus meus in pulchritudine pacis, et in tabernaculis fiduciae, et in requie opulenta. Io. XVII, 22: ut sint unum sicut et nos unum sumus. Secundo est ordinata, quod fit maxime propter iustitiam, et non ad malum faciendum. Ibi autem est perpetua iustitia. Ez. XLVIII, 35: nomen civitatis ex illa die: Dominus ibidem. Tertio per se sufficiens ad omnia quae sunt necessaria. Quodcumque enim necessarium perfectissime ibi erit, quia ibi est status bonorum omnium aggregatione perfectus. Ps. CXXI, 3: Ierusalem, quae aedificatur ut civitas, cuius participatio eius in idipsum. It is called a city, first of all, because of the unity of the citizens, which unity is true peace: praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise your God, O Zion (Ps 147:12), and it follows, who puts peace in your borders (Ps 147:14); your people shall sit in the beauty of peace, and in the tabernacle of confidence, and in wealthy rest (Isa 23:18); that they may be one, as we also are one (John 17:22). Second, it is ordered, because it exists for justice and not for doing evil. But perpetual justice is there: and the name of the city from that day is, the Lord is here (Ezek 48:35). Third, it is sufficient unto itself in all things that are necessary, for whatever is necessary will be there most perfectly, because it is a state made perfect by the assemblage of all good things: Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together (Ps 122:3). 586. Ista civitas habet fundamenta, in quo significat eius stabilitatem. Is. XXXIII, 20: tabernaculum quod nequaquam ultra transferri poterit. Sunt autem fundamenta prima pars aedificii. Unde angeli sunt eius civitatis fundamenta. Ps. LXXXVI, 1: fundamenta eius in montibus sanctis. Homines enim assumentur ad ordines angelorum. Ecclesiae vero fundamenta sunt apostoli, Apoc. XXI, 14. 586. This city has foundations, in which stability is signified: a tabernacle that cannot be removed (Isa 33:20). But the foundations are the first part of a building; hence, the angels are the foundations of a city: the foundations therefore are in the holy mountains (Ps 87:1); for men will be raised to the orders of angels. Truly, the foundations of the Church are the apostles (Rev 21:14). 587. Auctor autem huius civitatis est ipse Deus, non humanae artis sapientia. II Cor. V, 1: scimus quoniam si terrestris domus nostra huius habitationis dissolvatur, quod aedificationem a Deo habemus domum non manufactam, sed aeternam in caelis. 587. The founder of this city is God, not the wisdom of human art: we know, if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolved, that we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven (2 Cor 5:1).