Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Christus maior quam Moyses est Christ greater than Moses 3:1 Unde, fratres sancti, vocationis caelestis participes, considerate Apostolum, et pontificem confessionis nostrae Jesum: [n. 155] 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly vocation, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus: [n. 155] 3:2 qui fidelis est ei, qui fecit illum, sicut et Moyses in omni domo ejus. [n. 158] 3:2 Who is faithful to him that made him, as was also Moses in all his house. [n. 158] 3:3 Amplioris enim gloriae iste prae Moyse dignus est habitus, quanto ampliorem honorem habet domus, qui fabricavit illam. [n. 160] 3:3 For this man was counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, by so much as he that has built the house has greater honor than the house. [n. 160] 3:4 Omnis namque domus fabricatur ab aliquo: qui autem omnia creavit, Deus est. [n. 162] 3:4 For every house is built by some man: but he that created all things is God. [n. 162] 3:5 Et Moyses quidem fidelis erat in tota domo ejus tamquam famulus, in testimonium eorum, quae dicenda erant: [n. 165] 3:5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be said: [n. 165] 3:6 Christus vero tamquam filius in domo sua: quae domus sumus nos, si fiduciam, et gloriam spei usque ad finem, firmam retineamus. [n. 168] 3:6 But Christ, as the Son in his own house: which house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and glory of hope unto the end. [n. 168] 155. Sicut supra dictum fuit, lex vetus ex tribus habuit auctoritatem, scilicet ex angelo, ex Moyse, et ex Aaron pontifice. Apostolus autem supra praetulit Christum auctorem Novi Testamenti angelis, per quos lex data fuit, hic intendit ipsum praeferre Moysi, qui fuit promulgator, et quasi legislator Veteris Testamenti. 155. As was said above, the old law derived its authority from three sources, namely, from angels, from Moses, and from Aaron, the high priest. But the Apostle preferred Christ, the author of the New Testament, to the angels through whom the law was given. Here he intends to prefer him to Moses, who was the promulgator and, as it were, the lawgiver of the Old Testament. Et circa hoc facit duo. In regard to this, he does two things. Primo enim praefert Christum Moysi; First, he prefers Christ to Moses; secundo concludit ex hoc, quod sit efficacissime obediendum Christo, ibi quapropter sicut. second, he concludes from this that Christ is most deserving of obedience, at wherefore, as (Heb 3:7). Circa primum duo facit. In regard to the first he does two things: Primo praemittit dignitatem Christi; first, he mentions Christ’s dignity; secundo ostendit quid sit commune Christo et Moysi, ibi amplioris. second, he shows what is common to Christ and Moses, at for this man. Circa primum duo facit, quia In regard to the first he does two things: primo ponit conditionem eorum ad quos loquitur; first, he describes the condition of those to whom he speaks; secundo ponit conditionem eius de quo loquitur, ibi considerate. second, of the one of whom he speaks, at consider the apostle. 156. Illos autem ad quos loquitur describit tripliciter. 156. He describes those to whom he speaks in three ways. Primo ex caritate. Unde dicit fratres, quasi diceret: quia ex semine Abrahae fratres estis et Christi, et inter vos ad invicem. Matth. XXIII, 8: omnes vos fratres estis, et cetera. Item fratres Christi. Supra II, 11: non confunditur eos vocare fratres. Hanc autem fraternitatem facit caritas. Ps. CXXXII, 1: ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum, et cetera. First, from their charity; hence, he says, brethren, as if to say: Because you are brothers of Christ and of one another: all you are brothers (Matt 23:8); he is not ashamed to call them brethren (Heb 2:11). But charity causes this brotherhood: behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Ps 133:1). Secundo etiam describit eos ex sanctitate, cum dicit sancti. Et hoc propter sacramentorum perceptionem, qua sanctificamur a Christo. I Cor. VI, 11: sed abluti estis, sed sanctificati estis, et cetera. Second, he describes them from their sanctity when he says, holy; and this because they receive the sacraments by which we are made holy: but you are washed, but you are sanctified (1 Cor 6:11). Tertio describit eos ex vocatione, cum dicit vocationis caelestis participes. Ista autem vocatio dupliciter potest intelligi caelestis esse. Vel ratione finis, vel ratione principii. Third, he describes them from their vocation when he says, partakers of the heavenly vocation. Now this call can be understood to be heavenly in two ways: by reason of its end or by reason of its source. Ratione quidem finis, quia vocati sunt non ad terrena, sicut in Veteri Testamento, sed vocati sunt ad caelestia regna. I Thess. II, v. 12: vocavit nos ad suum regnum et gloriam. I Petr. II, 9: qui de tenebris vocavit in admirabile lumen suum. By reason of the end, because they are not called to an earthly reward as in the Old Testament, but to a heavenly kingdom: he has called you to his kingdom and glory (1 Thess 2:12). Who called us from darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9). Ratione vero principii, quia non est ex meritis nostris, nec ex humana adinventione, sed sola caelesti gratia. Gal. I, 6: vocavit per gratiam suam. Rom. VIII, 30: quos autem praedestinavit, hos et vocavit. Is. XLI, 2: qui suscitavit ab oriente iustum, vocavit eum, ut sequeretur se. By reason of its source, because it is not due to our merits but to grace: he called us by his grace (Gal 1:15). And whom he predestined, them he also called (Rom 8:30). Who has raised up the just one from the east, has called him to follow him (Isa 41:2). Dicit autem participes, quia non solum Iudaei vocati sunt ad gratiam fidei et Novi Testamenti, sed etiam gentes. Col. I, 12: dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctorum in lumine. Quia ergo estis in caritate, et sancti, et vocati ad caelestia, debetis libenter audire loqui de eo, per quem ista vobis proveniunt. But he says, partakers, because not only the Jews have been called to the faith and the New Testament, but also the gentiles: who has made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light (Col 1:12). Therefore, because you have charity and are saints and called to heavenly things, you should gladly hear one speak of him through whom those things come to you. 157. Consequenter describit illum de quo loquitur, cum dicit considerate. Infra c. XII, 2: aspicientes in auctorem fidei et consummatorem Iesum, et cetera. Sed quem? Apostolum, inquit, et pontificem confessionis nostrae Iesum. 157. Then he describes him of whom he speaks when he says, consider: look on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith (Heb 12:2). But whom? The apostle, he says, and high priest of our confession, Jesus. Apostolus enim in sequentibus praefert Christum Moysi et Aaron, et ideo adscribit ei utriusque dignitatem; Moysi, scilicet quia missus fuit a Deo. Ps.: misit Moysen servum suum. Aaron vero, qui pontifex fuit. Ex. XXVIII, 1: applica quoque ad te Aaron, et cetera. Christus autem excellentius missus fuit Apostolus, quam Moyses. Ex. IV, 13: obsecro, Domine, mitte quem missurus es, quasi dicat: alium digniorem missurus es. Item ipse est pontifex et sacerdos. Ps. CIX, 5: tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. For the Apostle prefers Christ to Moses and Aaron, and, therefore, ascribes to him the dignity of both: of Moses, because he was sent by God: he sent Moses, his servant (Ps 105:26); of Aaron, because he was a high priest: take unto you also Aaron, your brother with his sons from among the children of Israel, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office (Exod 28:1). But Christ was sent in a more excellent manner than Moses: I beseech the Lord, send whom you will send (Exod 4:13). As if to say: you will send one more worthy. He will be a high priest and a prophet: you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech (Ps 110:4). Quasi ergo praemittit hic conditionem suam principalem, dicens unde, id est, ergo, fratres, considerate apostolum, quasi dicat: praetermittatis considerare illum apostolum, id est, missum Moysen et pontificem Aaron, et considerate apostolum et pontificem confessionis nostrae, id est, illum quem nos confitemur. Hoc est enim necessarium ad salutem, ut confiteamur eum. Rom. X, 10: corde creditur ad iustitiam, ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. Therefore, as if putting forth his principal proposal here, he says wherefore, that is, thus, consider the apostle, as if to say: no need to consider that apostle, i.e., Moses, and the high priest Aaron; but consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, i.e., him whom we confess. For it is necessary to salvation to confess him: with the heart we believe unto justice; but with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation (Rom 10:10). Vel confessionis, id est, sacrificii spiritualis. Omnis enim sacerdos ordinatur ad sacrificia offerenda. Duplex autem est sacrificium, scilicet corporale vel temporale. Et ad hoc institutus fuit Aaron. Aliud autem est sacrificium spirituale, quod est in fidei confessione. Ps. XLIX, 23: sacrificium laudis honorificabit me. Et ad istud sacrificium institutus est Christus, non ad tauros. Is. I, 11: holocausta arietum et adipem pinguium, et sanguinem vitulorum, et agnorum, et hircorum nolui. Et paulo post, sequitur: ne offeratis ultra sacrificium frustra. Or of our confession, i.e., of the spiritual sacrifice. For every priest is ordained to offer sacrifice. But there are two kinds of sacrifice, namely, the corporal or temporal, for which Aaron was appointed; the other is spiritual, which consists in the confession of faith: a sacrifice of praise will honor me (Ps 50:23). For this sacrifice Christ was appointed: I desire not holocausts of rams and fat of fatlings and blood of calves and lambs and buck goats (Isa 1:11). Then he continues: offer sacrifice no more in vain. 158. Deinde cum dicit qui fidelis, etc., comparat Christum Moysi. De Aaron infra facit mentionem specialem. 158. Then when he says who is faithful, he compares Christ to Moses. Of Aaron he makes special mention below. Et ponit primo hic, ut dictum est, illud in quo conveniunt; First, he mentions that in which they agree; secundo, in quo Christus superat Moysen, ibi amplioris enim gloriae. second, that in which Christ excels Moses, at for this man was counted worthy. 159. Commune Christo et Moysi est fidelitas ad Deum; et ideo dicit qui fidelis est. Ubi sciendum est, quod totum hoc, quod hic dicitur de Moyse, fundatur super illud quod habetur Num. XII, 7, ubi Dominus ostendit excellentiam Moysi, postquam iurgati sunt contra ipsum Aaron et Maria, ubi ponuntur haec verba, quae Apostolus hic allegat. Ibi enim dicitur sic: at non talis servus meus Moyses, qui in omni domo mea fidelissimus est. 159. What is common to Christ and Moses is fidelity to God; hence he says, who is faithful to him that made him. Here it should be noted that everything said here of Moses is based on the statement found in Numbers, where the Lord shows the excellence of Moses, after Aaron and Miriam spoke against him (Num 12:7). We find these words, which the Apostle cites here: but it is not so with my servant Moses, who is most faithful in all my house (Num 12:7). Ubi, si bene attendimus, magis commendatur Moyses, quam in aliquo loco Bibliae. Et ideo Apostolus tamquam excellentissimum ad commendationem Moysi hoc accipit. Here we find Moses commended more highly than in any other place in the Bible. Therefore, the Apostle accepts this as the highest commendation of Moses. Hoc autem potest convenire et Christo et Moysi. De Moyse enim patet ex ipsa historia allegata. De Christo etiam intelligitur, quia ipse secundum quod homo, fidelis est ei qui fecit eum, scilicet Deo Patri, But this can apply to Christ and to Moses; that it is true of Moses is clear from history. But it is true of Christ, because as man he is faithful to him that made him, namely, to God the Father, qui fecit eum, scilicet apostolum et pontificem, non secundum divinam naturam, quia sic non est factus, nec creatus, sed genitus, sed secundum humanam. Rom. I, 3: qui factus est ei ex semine David secundum carnem. who made him an apostle and high priest, not, of course, according to his divine nature, because in that way he was not made or created, but begotten; but according to the human: who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom 1:3).