Lectio 5
Lecture 5
Exempla plura fidei patrium
More examples of the patriarchs’ faith
11:20 Fide et de futuris benedixit Isaac Jacob et Esau. [n. 607]
11:20 By faith also of things to come Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau. [n. 607]
11:21 Fide Jacob, moriens, singulos filiorum Joseph benedixit: et adoravit fastigium virgae ejus. [n. 608]
11:21 By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and adored the top of his rod. [n. 608]
11:22 Fide Joseph, moriens, de profectione filiorum Israël memoratus est, et de ossibus suis mandavit. [n. 609]
11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going out of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones. [n. 609]
11:23 Fide Moyses, natus, occultatus est mensibus tribus a parentibus suis, eo quod vidissent elegantem infantem, et non timuerunt regis edictum. [n. 611]
11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents: because they saw he was a comely babe, and they feared not the king’s edict. [n. 611]
11:24 Fide Moyses grandis factus negavit se esse filium filiae Pharaonis, [n. 614]
11:24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter: [n. 614]
11:25 magis eligens affligi cum populo Dei, quam temporalis peccati habere jucunditatem,
11:25 Rather choosing to be afflicted with the people of God than to have the pleasure of sin for a time:
11:26 majores divitias aestimans thesauro Aegyptiorum, improperium Christi: aspiciebat enim in remunerationem.
11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of the Egyptians. For he looked unto the reward.
607. Supra posuit Apostolus exemplum de fide Abrahae, hic ponit exemplum de fide Isaac, Iacob et Ioseph.
607. Above, the Apostle gave an example of Abraham’s faith; here he gives the example of the faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
Et primo de fide Isaac. Dicit ergo, quod Isaac fide de futuris, id est quae se extendebat ad futura, benedixit Iacob et Esau. Vel benedixit de futuris, id est, pro futuris, vel benedictione, quae se extendebat ad futura. Verba enim sua non habebant efficaciam nisi ex virtute Dei, per quam quidem benedictionem minor praelatus fuit maiori. Quod non fuit quantum ad personas eorum, sed quantum ad duos populos, qui ex ipsi exierunt. Ps. CVII, 10: in Idumaeam extendam calceamentum meum. Fuerunt enim Idumaei, qui egressi sunt de Esau subiecti filiis Israel. In quo significabatur, quod minor populus, scilicet gentium, per fidem debebat praevenire populum maiorem, scilicet Iudaeorum. Matth. VIII, 11 s.: multi ab oriente et occidente venient et recumbent cum Abraham, Isaac et Iacob in regno caelorum, filii autem regni eiicientur in tenebras exteriores.
And first, of Isaac’s faith. He says, therefore, that by faith also of things to come, i.e., of things that extended into the future, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau. Or, he blessed them for things to come; or, with a blessing which extended to the future. For his words had efficacy from God’s power alone. Through this blessing the younger ruled the older. But this did not pertain to their persons, but to the two peoples that sprang from them: over Edom I will stretch out my shoe (Ps 108:10). For the Edomites who sprang from Esau were subject to the people of Israel. This signified that the younger people, i.e., the gentiles, by faith were to supplant the older people, namely, the Jews: many shall come from the east and the west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 8:11).
Ista vero benedictio, quae erat de fide gentium futura, per fidem facta fuit, qua respicit aliquid futurum.
But that blessing which concerned the coming faith of the gentiles was made by faith because it looked to something in the future.
608. Deinde cum dicit fide Iacob moriens singulos filiorum benedixit, prosequitur de fide Iacob, et ponit illud quod ipse fecit in benedicendo duobus filiis Ioseph, sicut habetur Gen. XLVIII, 16–20, ubi dicitur, quod cum nuntiatum fuisset Ioseph, quod pater eius aegrotaret, adduxit duos filios suos, quibus Iacob benedixit cancellatis manibus, in hoc praeferens Ephraim Manasse quantum ad dignitatem, quia de Ephraim fuit dignitas regalis, scilicet Ieroboam. Haec autem benedictio fuit per fidem, quia revelatum ei fuit, quod ita futurum erat. Quae quidem benedictio referebatur ad populum, qui egressus est ab ipsis, non ad personas ipsorum.
608. Then when he says, by faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, he continues with Jacob’s faith and mentions what he did in blessing the two sons of Joseph, as is recorded in Genesis, where it is stated that when Joseph was informed of his father’s illness, he called his two sons whom Jacob blessed, crossing his hands (Gen 48:16–20). With this gesture he chose Ephraim over Manasseh as to dignity, because the royal dignity came from Ephraim, namely, Jeroboam. But this blessing was by faith because it was revealed to him that it would be thus in the future. This blessing referred to the people who came out of them and not to their persons.
Item, per fidem adoravit fastigium virgae eius; hoc habetur Gen. XLVII, 31, ubi dicitur, quod fecit Ioseph iurare, quod sepeliret eum in sepulchro patrum suorum, et post iuramentum, tamquam securus de promisso, adoravit ad caput lectuli, ut dicit littera nostra; vel fastigium virgae eius, ut dicunt Septuaginta; vel super fastigium, ut habetur in Graeco.
Likewise, by faith he adored the top of his rod. This is recorded in Genesis, where it is stated that he made Joseph swear that he would bury him in the tomb of his fathers; and after the oath, he adored at the top of the coffin, as our version has, or at the top of his rod, as the Septuagint says, or at the top, as is had in the Greek (Gen 47:31).
Et totum hoc potest stare, quia ipse erat senex, et ideo portabat virgam, vel recepit sceptrum Ioseph donec iurasset, et antequam redderet ei adoravit, non ipsam virgam, nec Ioseph, ut quidam male putaverunt, sed ipsum Deum innixum ad cacumen, vel super fastigium virgae eius. Ad quod motus fuit ex consideratione potestatis Christi, quam potestas Ioseph praefigurabat. Ipse enim tamquam praefectus Aegypto portabat sceptrum, in signum potestatis Christi. Ps. II, 9: reges eos in virga ferrea.
And all this can stand, because he was old and carried a rod; or he took Joseph’s scepter until he vowed, and after returning it he adored not the rod nor Joseph, as some wickedly thought, but God himself. This he did, leaning on the top of his rod. He did this, moved by the consideration of Christ’s power, which Joseph’s power prefigured. For being the prefect in Egypt, he carried a scepter as a sign of his power: you that rule them with a rod of iron (Ps 2:9).
Vel si adoravit fastigium, idem est sensus, quia adoravit Christum significatum per virgam illam, sicut et nos adoramus crucifixum et crucem, ratione Christi passi in ipsa. Unde proprie non adoramus crucem, sed Christum crucifixum in ipsa.
Or if he adored the top, the sense is the same, because he adored Christ signified by that rod, just as we adore the crucifix and the cross by reason of Christ, who suffered on it. Hence, properly speaking, we do not adore the cross, but Christ crucified on it.
609. Deinde cum dicit fide Ioseph, prosequitur exemplum de fide Ioseph, ubi ponit duo, quae habentur Gen. ult. ubi dixit fratribus suis: visitabit vos dominus, et mandavit ossa sua inde portari. Unde fides eius fuit quantum ad duo, primo quia credidit promissionem factam debere impleri per reditum filiorum Israel in terram promissionis; secundo, quia in ipsa credebat Christum esse nasciturum et resurrecturum et multos cum ipso, unde desiderabat habere partem in illa resurrectione. Et hoc est quod dicit, quod Ioseph moriens fide, id est, per fidem, memoratus est de profectione filiorum Israel, et hoc quantum ad primum; et de ossibus suis mandavit, quantum ad secundum.
609. Then when he says by faith Joseph, he continues with the example of Joseph’s faith and mentions two things which are stated in the last chapter of Genesis, where he said to his brothers: God will visit you (Gen 50:24), and commanded them to carry his bones out of that place. Hence, his faith bore on two things: first, because he believed that the promise he made would be fulfilled by the return of the children of Israel to the promised land; second, because he believed that Christ would be born and would rise from the dead in it, and many with him. Hence, he desired to have a part in that resurrection. He says, therefore, by faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going out of the children of Israel, and this in regard to the first; and gave commandment concerning his bones, as to the second.
610. Sed quare non fecit se statim portari sicut pater suus?
610. But why did he not cause himself to be carried at once like his father?
Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod hoc non potuit, quia non habebat tunc tantam potestatem sicut habebat in morte patris. Et ideo tunc poterat hoc facere, quod tamen circa mortem suam non potuit.
I answer that he was not able because he did not then have the power he had at his father’s death.
Secundo, quia sciebat, quod multas afflictiones debebant sustinere filii Israel post mortem eius. Ut ergo haberent certam spem de liberatione sua, et reditu ad terram promissionis, voluit ad solatium corpus suum remanere cum ipsis. Unde et Moyses tulit illud secum, sicut et quaelibet tribus corpus patris sui, ut dicit Hieronymus.
Second, because he knew that the children of Israel were to suffer many afflictions after his death. Therefore, to assure them of their deliverance and return to the promised land, he willed his body to remain with them as a consolation. Hence, Moses took it with him, just as each tribe took the body of its father, as Jerome says.
611. Deinde cum dicit fide Moyses, prosequitur de patribus, qui fuerunt sub lege. Hoc enim tempus incepit a Moyse. Eccli. XXIV, 33: legem mandavit Moyses in praeceptis iustitiarum. Io. I, 17: lex per Moysen data est. Istud autem tempus distinguitur in tria, scilicet ante exitum de Aegypto, in exitu, et post exitum.
611. Then when he says, by faith Moses, he continues with the fathers that were under the law. For this period begins with Moses: Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justice (Sir 24:33); the law was given by Moses (John 1:33). But that period is divided into three parts, namely, before the departure from Egypt, during the departure, and after the departure.
Unde tria facit.
Therefore, he does three things.
Primo enim ostendit quid factum sit ante exitum;
First, he shows what happened before the departure;
secundo quid in exitu, ibi fide reliquit Aegyptum;
second, during the departure, at by faith he left Egypt (Heb 11:27);
tertio quid in terra promissionis, ibi quid adhuc dicam.
third, what happened in the promised land, at and what shall I yet say (Heb 11:32).
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things.
Primo enim ostendit quid sit factum in nativitate Moysi;
First, he shows what occurred at Moses’s birth;
secundo quod ipse fecit, ibi fide Moyses.
second, what he did, at by faith Moses.
612. Ubi tangitur historia, quae ponitur Ex. I, quod Pharao mandavit occidi masculos ne multiplicarentur. Secundo habetur quod parentes Moysi videntes ipsum elegantem, absconderunt eum mensibus tribus, quod attribuit Apostolus fidei ipsorum. Credebant enim aliquem nasciturum, qui liberaret eos ab illa servitute. Unde ex elegantia pueri aestimabant aliquam virtutem Dei esse in illo. Ipsi enim erant rudes et rustici, sudantes in operibus luti et lateris. Eccli. XIX, v. 26: ex visu cognoscitur vir.
612. Here he touches on the history given in Exodus, namely, that the Pharaoh commanded the male children to be killed, lest they be multiplied (Exod 1). Second, it is recorded that Moses’s parents, seeing that he was a comely babe, hid him for three months: which the Apostle attributes to their faith. For they believed that someone would be born to free them from their slavery. Hence, from the child’s comeliness they believed that some power of God was in him. For they were rude country people, who sweated, working with clay and bricks: a man is known by his look (Sir 19:26).
Ex quo habetur, quod licet fides sit de invisibilibus, tamen per aliqua signa visibilia possumus niti ad ipsam. Mc. ult.: sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis.
From this we see that although faith is about invisible things, yet through certain visible signs we can rest in it. Confirming the word with signs that followed (Mark 16:20).
Quod autem ipsi hoc fecerunt ex fide, non ex affectu carnali, patet, quia non timuerunt regis edictum. Unde exponebant se periculo personarum, quod non fecissent nisi credidissent aliquid magnum futurum de puero. Matth. X, 28: nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus, et cetera.
But the fact that they did this from faith and not from carnal affection is evident because they feared not the king’s edict. Hence, they exposed themselves to danger, which they would not have done unless they had believed that something great was in store for the child: do not fear those who kill the body (Matt 10:28).
613. Sed contra, quia ipsi postea exposuerunt ipsum; ergo non propter fidem servabant ipsum.
613. But on the other hand, they later exposed him; therefore, it was not by faith that they preserved him.
Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod exposuerunt ipsum non ad necandum, sed ne surriperetur eis, unde posuerunt eum in fiscella, committentes eum divinae providentiae. Credebant enim probabiliter, quod fuisset interfectus si fuisset apud eos inventus.
I answer that they exposed him not to destroy him but to keep him from being stolen; hence, they placed him in a small basket, committing him to divine providence. For they believed that he would probably be killed if he were found among them.
614. Deinde cum dicit fide grandis effectus, ostendit quid ipse Moyses per fidem fecerit, et
614. Then when he says by faith Moses, when he was grown up, he shows what Moses did by faith:
primo quid fecit;
first, what he did;
secundo ostendit, quod illud factum pertinebat ad fidem, ibi aspiciebat enim.
second, that what he did pertained to faith, at for he looked unto the reward.