Lectio 2 Lecture 2 Fidelitas verae doctrinae Fidelity to true doctrine ^13:9 Doctrinis variis et peregrinis nolite abduci. Optimum est enim gratia stabilire cor, non escis: quae non profuerunt ambulantibus in eis. [n. 740] ^13:9 Be not led away with various and strange doctrines. For it is best that the heart be established with grace, not with meats: which have not profited those that walk in them. [n. 740] ^13:10 Habemus altare, de quo edere non habent potestatem, qui tabernaculo deserviunt. [n. 743] ^13:10 We have an altar whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle. [n. 743] ^13:11 Quorum enim animalium infertur sanguis pro peccato in sancta per pontificem, horum corpora cremantur extra castra. [n. 745] ^13:11 For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holies by the high priest for sin are burned without the camp. [n. 745] ^13:12 Propter quod et Jesus, ut sanctificaret per suum sanguinem populum, extra portam passus est. [n. 747] ^13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate. [n. 747] ^13:13 Exeamus igitur ad eum extra castra, improperium ejus portantes. [n. 748] ^13:13 Let us go forth therefore to him without the camp, bearing his reproach. [n. 748] ^13:14 Non enim habemus hic manentem civitatem, sed futuram inquirimus. ^13:14 For, we have not here a lasting city: but we seek one that is to come. ^13:15 Per ipsum ergo offeramus hostiam laudis semper Deo, id est, fructum labiorum confitentium nomini ejus. [n. 751] ^13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the fruit of lips confessing to his name. [n. 751] ^13:16 Beneficentiae autem et communionis nolite oblivisci: talibus enim hostiis promeretur Deus. [n. 753] ^13:16 And do not forget to do good and to impart: for by such sacrifices God’s favour is obtained. [n. 753] 740. Supra monuit Apostolus ad imitandum exempla et conversationem eorum, qui decesserunt, hic monet ad insistendum doctrinae eorum. 740. After exhorting them to follow the example and manner of life of those who have departed, the Apostle now warns them to continue in their teaching. Et circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim ponit monitionem suam; First, he gives the warning; secundo assignat rationem, ibi habemus altare. second, the reason, at we have an altar. Iterum prima in duas. In regard to the first he does two things. Primo enim ponit monitionem suam in generali; First, he warns them in general; secundo explicat ipsam, ibi optimum enim est gratia. second, he explains the warning, at for it is best. 741. Dicit ergo nolite abduci variis et peregrinis doctrinis, quasi dicat: ita dixi quod debetis imitari fidem apostolorum. Ergo a doctrina ipsorum per quamcumque aliam doctrinam nolite abduci, id est removeri. 741. He says, therefore: be not be led away with various and strange doctrines. As if to say: thus we have said that you should imitate the faith of the apostles. Therefore, be not be led away from their teaching to any other doctrine. Ubi sciendum est, quod cum veritas consistat in medio, cuius est unitas, et ideo uni vero multa falsa opponi possunt, sicut uni medio multa extrema. Doctrina ergo fidei una est, quia a puncto in punctum non convenit ducere nisi unam rectam lineam. Omnes aliae doctrinae multae sunt, quia a recto multis modis contingit deviare. Et ideo dicit doctrinis variis, id est divisis. Os. X, 2: divisum est cor eorum, nunc interibunt. Hae sunt illae doctrinae, de quibus I Tim. IV, v. 1 s.: doctrinis Daemoniorum in hypocrisi loquentium mendacium. Item sunt peregrinae, scilicet a fide Catholica; a nobis autem tales doctrinae non sunt sustinendae, quia non sumus hospites et advenae, sed sumus cives sanctorum et domestici Dei, Eph. II, 19. Here it should be noted that since truth consists in the mean, which is one, many false statements can be opposed to one truth, just as there are many extremes to one middle. Therefore, the doctrine of faith is one, because only one line can be drawn between two points. But all other doctrines are manifold, because there are many deviations from what is straight. Hence, he says, with various . . . doctrines, i.e., divided: their heart is divided: now they shall perish (Hos 10:2). These are the doctrines about which he said: doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy (1 Tim 4:1). Furthermore, they are strange, i.e., straying from the Catholic faith. But such doctrines must not be supported by us, because we are not strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints, and the domestics of God (Eph 2:19). 742. Deinde cum dicit optimum est enim gratia, explicat in speciali, quae sunt variae et peregrinae doctrinae. 742. Then when he says, for it is best, he explains in detail which are various and strange doctrines. Unde sciendum est, quod in primitiva Ecclesia fuit unus error, quod ad salutem necessaria erat observantia legalium, quae praecipue consistebat in quibusdam cibis sumendis, puta agni paschalis, Ex. XII, 3 ss., et in abstinendo a quibusdam cibis, sicut patet Lev. XI, et in aliis multis locis. Alius error fuit, quod passim licebat uti delectationibus corporalibus. Et iste fuit error Nicolaitarum. Et de utroque possunt haec verba exponi, sed magis proprie de primo. Here it should be noted that in the early Church there was one error rampant, namely, that it was necessary for salvation to observe the ceremonies of the law, which consisted especially in partaking of certain foods, such as the paschal lamb (Exod 12) and in abstaining from certain foods, as is clear from Leviticus (Lev 12) and from other passages. Another error was that of the Nicolaitans, that it was lawful to use bodily pleasures indiscriminately. These words can be applied to both these errors, but more properly to the first. Dixit ergo supra: nolite abduci a veritate fidei, per varias et peregrinas doctrinas. II Thess. II, 2: non cito moveamini a sensu vestro. Gal. I, 6: miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo qui vos vocavit in gratiam Christi in aliud Evangelium. Deus enim a nobis requirit cor. Prov. XXIII, 26: praebe, fili mi, cor tuum mihi. Et ideo optimum est gratia stabilire, nam debet esse firmum et stabile. Contra quod dicitur Ps. XXXIX, 13: cor meum dereliquit me. Hoc autem non stabilitur escis corporalibus, sed per gratiam iustificantem. Rom. III, 24: iustificati gratis per gratiam ipsius et per redemptionem, quae est in Christo Iesu. Et ideo dicit non escis, quae non profuerunt. Rom. XIV, 17: non est regnum Dei esca et potus, sed iustitia et pax, et cetera. Non est ergo stabilimentum cordis in moderata vel superflua sumptione cibi, sed magis in gratia Dei. Ps. CXI, 7 s.: paratum cor eius sperare in Domino, confirmatum est cor eius, non commovebitur, donec, et cetera. Spes autem est quasi anchora stabiliens corda. Supra VI, 18 s.: confugimus ad tenendam propositam nobis spem, quam sicut anchoram habemus animae tutam et firmam. He says, therefore, be not led away from the truth by diverse and strange doctrines: be not easily moved from your sense (2 Thess 2:2); I wonder that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel (Gal 1:6). For God requires our heart of us: my son, give me your heart (Prov 23:26); therefore, it is best that the heart be established with grace. For it should be firm and stable; against which a Psalm says: my heart has forsaken me (Ps 40:13). But it is not strengthened with bodily foods, but with sanctifying grace: justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (Rom 3:24). Therefore, he says, not with meats: which have not profited: the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). Therefore, the heart is not established with moderate or superfluous use of food, but rather with God’s grace: his heart is ready to hope in the Lord, his heart is strengthened he shall not be moved until he look over his enemies (Ps 112:7–8). But hope is an anchor stabilizing the heart: we who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us. Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm (Heb 6:18–19). Et dicit, quod non profuerunt ambulantibus in eis, id est sperantibus in eis, quia illis qui eis utuntur ad necessitatem prosunt ad salutem corporis; sed qui totum studium ponunt in eis, ambulant in ipsis, et talibus nec proficiunt ad salutem animae nec corporis. Ier. XI, 15: numquid carnes sanctae auferent a te malitias tuas, in quibus gloriata es? And he says, which have not benefited those that walk in them, i.e., hope in them, because those who use them for bodily needs profit with bodily health, but those who put their entire interest in them, walk in them. These are the ones whom they do not profit unto the salvation either of soul or body: shall the holy flesh take away from you your crimes, in which you have boasted? (Jer 11:15). 743. Deinde cum dicit habemus altare, assignat rationem, et est valde subtilis. 743. Then when he says, we have an altar, he gives the reason, and it is quite subtle. Sicut enim legitur Lev. XVI, 29 s., decima die septimi mensis, summus sacerdos sanguinem vituli et hirci inferebat intra sancta, pro sua ignorantia, et illorum corpora cremabantur extra castra. Et quia erat oblatio sacerdotum, non comedebantur carnes eorum. Quod enim offerebant pro peccato sacerdotum non comedebant, sed extra castra comburebant. Ex ista ergo figura trahit Apostolus mysterium. For, as it is stated in Leviticus (Lev 16:29ff), on the tenth day of the seventh month the high priest entered with the blood of a heifer and a goat into the holies because of his own ignorance, and burned their bodies outside the camp. And because it was the priest’s offering, the flesh was not eaten. For whatever they offered for the sin of the priests they did not eat, but burned outside the camp. From that figure the Apostle draws a mystery. Per sanguinem enim illum figurabatur sanguis Christi, ut supra dictum est, cap. IX. Vitulus enim et hircus Christum figurabant, quia vitulus erat hostia sacerdotalis, et hircus immolabatur pro peccato. In quo figurabatur, quod Christus debebat immolari pro peccato, non suo, sed populi. Vitulus ergo et hircus immolatus, est Christus sacerdos seipsum offerens pro peccatis nostris. Sanguis ergo Christi illatus est intra sancta, et caro cremata est extra castra. Ubi duplex est significatum. Unum, quod Christus in civitate immolatus est linguis Iudaeorum. Unde et Marcus dicit ipsum hora tertia crucifixum, licet hora sexta fuerit in cruce levatus. Aliud quod per virtutem passionis suae Christus intra caelestia sancta nos introducit ad patrem. Quod autem corpora illorum cremabantur extra castra, quantum ad Caput nostrum, significat quod Christus passurus erat extra portam: quantum vero ad nos, qui sumus membra, significat quod pro illis, qui sunt extra castra legalium vel exteriorum sensuum, immolatur Christus. Qui enim erant in castris, de carnalibus illis non comedebant. For the blood of Christ was prefigured by the blood, as was explained above (Heb 9). The heifer and the goat prefigured Christ, because the heifer was the priest’s offering and the goat was immolated for sin. This prefigured that Christ would be immolated for sin: not for his own but for the people’s. Therefore, the immolated heifer and goat is Christ, the Priest, offering himself for our sins. Therefore, the blood of Christ was brought into the holies and the flesh burned outside the camp. Two things were thereby signified: one, that Christ was immolated in the city by the tongues of the Jews; hence, Mark says that he was crucified at the third hour, although he was raised on the cross at the sixth hour. The other is that by virtue of his passion Christ brings us within the heavenly holies to the Father. But the fact that the bodies were burned outside the camp, as to our Head, signifies that Christ would suffer outside the gate; but as to us, who are the members, it signifies that Christ is immolated for those who are outside the camp of ceremonies of the law and of the external senses. For those within the camp did not partake of that flesh. Haec est ergo figura, quam proponit Apostolus, cuius This, therefore, is the figure which the Apostle proposes: primo ponit significatum; first, therefore, he shows what is signified; secundo ponit figuram, ibi quorum enim animalium; second, he presents the figure, at for the bodies of those beasts; tertio inducit conclusionem exeamus igitur. third, he draws the conclusion, at let us go forth therefore. 744. Dicit ergo: stabiliamus corda nostra non escis, sed gratia. Aliter enim non possumus, quia habemus altare. Istud altare vel est crux Christi, in qua Christus pro nobis immolatus est; vel ipse Christus, in quo, et per quem preces nostras offerimus. Et hoc est altare aureum, de quo dicitur Apoc. VIII. De isto ergo altari non habent potestatem edere, id est, fructum passionis Christi percipere et ipsi tamquam capiti incorporari, qui tabernaculo legalium deserviunt. Gal. V, 2: si circumcidimini, Christus vobis nihil proderit. 744. He says, therefore: let us strengthen our hearts not with food, but with grace; for we cannot do otherwise, because we have an altar. That altar is the cross of Christ, on which he was immolated; or Christ himself in whom and by whom we offer our prayers. This is the golden altar spoken of in Revelation (Rev 8). Of that altar, therefore, they have no power to eat, i.e., to receive the fruit of Christ’s passion and to be incorporated into him as head, who serve the tabernacle of the ceremonies of the law: if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing (Gal 5:2). Vel tabernaculo corporis deserviunt, qui carnales delectationes sequuntur. Rom. XIII, v. 14: carnis curam ne feceritis in desideriis. Talibus enim nihil prodest. I Cor. XI, v. 29: qui enim manducat et bibit indigne, iudicium sibi manducat et bibit. Dicitur autem corpus tabernaculum, quia in ipso tamquam in bello habitamus contra hostes, et modicum manet. II Petr. I, 14: velox est depositio tabernaculi mei. Et ideo non est ei deserviendum. Or they serve the tabernacle of the body, who pursue carnal pleasures: make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences (Rom 13:14). For such persons received no profit: he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself (1 Cor 11:29). But the body is called a tabernacle, because we dwell in it as in a war against enemies and it remains a short while: the laying away of my tabernacle is at hand (2 Pet 1:14). Therefore, it should not be served. 745. Deinde cum dicit quorum enim animalium, prosequitur figuram ipsam. 745. Then when he says for the bodies of those beasts, he continues the figure. Et primo figuram veteris legis; First, the figure of the Old Testament; secundo figuram Novi Testamenti, ibi propter quod et Iesus. second, the figure of the New Testament, at wherefore Jesus also. 746. Quantum ad primum dicit quorum enim animalium, et cetera. 746. In regard to the first, he says: for the bodies of those beasts.