Lectio 3
Lecture 3
Fuga fallaciam peccati
Avoid sin’s deceitfulness
3:12 Videte fratres, ne forte sit in aliquo vestrum cor malum incredulitatis, discedendi a Deo vivo: [n. 185]
3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God. [n. 185]
3:13 sed adhortamini vosmetipsos per singulos dies, donec ‘hodie’ cognominatur, ut non obduretur quis ex vobis fallacia peccati. [n. 187]
3:13 But exhort one another every day, while it is called ‘today,’ that none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [n. 187]
3:14 Participes enim Christi effecti sumus, si tamen initium substantiae ejus usque ad finem firmum retineamus. [n. 188]
3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ: yet so, if we hold the beginning of his substance firm unto the end. [n. 188]
3:15 Dum dicitur: hodie si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra, quemadmodum in illa exacerbatione.
3:15 While it is said: today, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in that provocation.
3:16 Quidam enim audientes exacerbaverunt: sed non universi qui profecti sunt ex Aegypto per Moysen. [n. 191]
3:16 For some who heard did provoke: but not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. [n. 191]
3:17 Quibus autem infensus est quadraginta annis? nonne illis qui peccaverunt, quorum cadavera prostrata sunt in deserto? [n. 192]
3:17 And with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose carcasses were overthrown in the desert? [n. 192]
3:18 Quibus autem juravit non introire in requiem ipsius, nisi illis qui increduli fuerunt? [n. 194]
3:18 And to whom did he swear, that they should not enter into his rest: but to those who were incredulous? [n. 194]
3:19 Et videmus, quia non potuerunt introire propter incredulitatem.
3:19 And we see that they could not enter in, because of unbelief.
185. Supra Apostolus per auctoritatem Psalmistae ostendit, quod firmiter obediendum est Christo. In auctoritate vero posuit tria, monitionem, culpam, et poenam; hic exponit ista tria per ordinem.
185. Above, the Apostle showed on the authority of the Psalmist that Christ must be obeyed strictly. In that authority he found three things, namely, the exhortation, the guilt, and the punishment. These he now explains in that order.
Primum facit hic, videte; secundum, ibi quidam; tertium, ibi quibus autem iuravit.
First, the exhortation, at take heed; second, the guilt, at for some who heard; third, the punishment, at and to whom did he swear.
In admonitione vero sunt duo, scilicet ipsa monitio, et ipsius monitionis conditio. Unde ista duo exponit.
In regard to the first, he does two things: first, he exhorts them to be carefully attentive; second, to mutual exhortation.
Primo primum, hic;
First, the first, here.
secundo secundum, ibi participes enim Christi.
Second, the second, at for we are made partakers.
In prima vero admonitione ad duo hortatur, scilicet ad sollicitam considerationem;
In the first, he exhorts them to two things, namely, to a concerned consideration;
secundo ad mutuam admonitionem, ibi sed adhortamini.
second, to mutual admonition, at but exhort one another.
186. Dicit ergo videte. Unusquisque enim in se debet considerare in quo statu sit. Gal. VI, 4: opus suum probet unusquisque. Ier. II, 23: vide vias tuas in convalle. Videte ergo, fratres, quantum ad quemlibet in se, quia quilibet est pars societatis, et unicuique mandavit Deus de proximo suo, Eccli. XVII, 12. Videte, id est, probate unus alium, ne forte sit in aliquo vestrum, etc., quasi dicat: multi inter vos sunt in statu perfecto, tamen propter fragilitatem et arbitrii libertatem posset esse malum in aliquo vestrum. Iob IV, 18 s.: ecce qui serviunt ei, non sunt stabiles, et in angelis suis reperit pravitatem, quanto magis hi qui habitant domos luteas, et terrenum habent fundamentum? Io. VI, 71: nonne ergo duodecim vos elegi, et unus ex vobis diabolus est? Non ergo aliquis sit tantum sollicitus de se; sed etiam de quolibet suae societatis.
186. He says, therefore, take heed. For every man should consider the state in which he is: let everyone prove his own work (Gal 6:4); see your ways in the valley (Jer 2:23). Take heed, brethren, each one to himself, because each is part of the assembly, and to each one God gave commandment concerning his neighbor (Sir 19:12): take heed, i.e., let one prove the other, lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God. As if to say: many of you are in a perfect state, yet because of weakness and free will, there could be evil in some of you: behold, they who serve him are not steadfast; and in his angels he found wickedness. How much more shall they who dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation? (Job 4:18–19); have I not chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil? (John 6:71). Therefore no one should be solicitous for himself only, but also for each member of his group.
Sed quid? Ne sit in aliquo vestrum cor malum incredulitatis. Ecce malum de quo loquitur Apostolus, scilicet cor incredulum, id est, non firmum in fide, in quo consistit malitia animae: quia sicut bonum animae est in adhaerendo Deo Ps. LXXII, 27: mihi autem adhaerere Deo bonum est, quod scilicet est per fidem ita recedere a Deo per incredulitatem est malum hominis. Ier. II, 19: scito et vide, Israel, quia malum et amarum est reliquisse te Dominum, et cetera. Et ideo dicit discedendi, quia per incredulitatem recedit a Deo vivo. Ier. II, 13: me dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae.
But why? Lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. This is the evil about which the Apostle speaks, namely, an unbelieving heart, i.e., not firm in faith. In this does wickedness consist, because just as the soul’s good consists in clinging to God: it is good for me to adhere to my God (Ps 73:27), through faith, so man’s evil consists in withdrawing from God: know and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for you to have left the Lord, your God (Jer 2:19). And again he says, to depart, because one departs by unbelief, from the living God: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water (Jer 2:15).
Dicit autem a Deo vivo, quia et est vita in se et est vita animae. Io. I, 4: in ipso vita erat. Quod ideo dicit, ut ostendat quod per recessum a Deo, homo incurrit mortem spiritualem.
But he says, from the living God, because he is life in himself and is the life of the soul: in him was life (John 1:4). He says this to show that by withdrawing from God, man incurs spiritual death.
187. Sed si inveniatur istud malum in aliquo, numquid desperandum est? Non, sed magis debet exhortari, id est, admoneri: ideo dicit sed adhortamini vosmetipsos per singulos dies, id est, continue scilicet discutiendo conscientiam suam, et inducendo ad bonum, donec hodie cognominatur, id est, donec durat praesens tempus gratiae, quod est totum sicut unus dies. Io. IX, 4: me oportet operari opera eius qui misit me, donec dies est.
187. But if that evil should be found in anyone, should he despair? No; he should be admonished all the more. Therefore, he says: but exhort one another every day, i.e., continually, namely, by discussing your conscience and by exhorting to good, while it is called today, i.e., while the present time of grace lasts: I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day (John 9:4).
Et hoc ideo ut non obduretur aliquis ex vobis fallacia peccati. Sicut enim supra dictum est cor obduratur per obstinationem in malum. Sed per hoc aliquis firmiter inhaeret peccato, quia fallitur. Naturale enim est appetitui adhaerere bono; sed recedit a bono, quia decipitur. Prov. XIV, 22: errant qui operantur malum; et Prov. XIII, 13, secundum aliam litteram: animae dolosae errant in peccatis. Sap. V, 6: ergo erravimus a via veritatis.
And this in order that none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For, as has been stated above, the heart is hardened by persisting in evil. But a person clings to sin because he is deceived. Or, it is natural for the appetite to cling to the good; but it withdraws from good, because it is deceived: they err who work evil (Prov 14:22); and, according to another line: deceitful souls go astray in sins (Prov 13:13); I have strayed from the path of truth (Wis 5:6).
188. Consequenter cum dicit participes, etc., exponit conditionem monitionis, quasi dicat: ista conditio magis est efficax quam illa, quia illi tantum audierunt, nos autem participes facti sumus Christi. Et loquitur proprie, quia in Veteri Testamento erat tantum auditus, nec conferebatur gratia ex opere operato; sed in Novo Testamento et est auditus fidei et datur gratia ipsi operanti. Unde sumus facti participes Christi. Io. I, 16: de plenitudine eius accepimus omnes.
188. Then when he says partakers, he explains the condition of the warning. As if to say: that condition is more powerful than the other, because they only hear, but we share in Christ. And he speaks properly, because in the Old Testament, there was only hearing, and grace was not conferred ex opere operato; but in the New Testament there are both the hearing of faith and the grace given to the very one acting. Whence we are made partakers of Christ: from his fullness we have all received (John 1:16).
Sumus autem participes gratiae, primo per susceptionem fidei. Eph. III, 17: habitare Christum per fidem in cordibus vestris. Secundo per sacramenta fidei. Gal. III, 27: quicumque in Christo baptizati estis, Christum induistis. Tertio per participationem corporis Christi. I Cor. X, 16: panis quem frangimus, nonne participatio corporis domini est?
Hence, we are partakers of grace, first, by accepting the faith: that Christ by faith may dwell in your hearts (Eph 3:17); second, by the sacraments of faith: as many of you as have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ (Gal 3:27); third, by partaking of the body of Christ: the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of Christ? (1 Cor 10:16).
189. Sciendum autem quod duplex est participatio Christi. Una imperfecta, quae est per fidem et sacramenta; alia vero perfecta, quae est per praesentiam et visionem rei; primam iam habemus in re, sed secundam in spe. Tamen cum hoc spes habet hanc conditionem, scilicet si perseveramus. Unde dicit si tamen initium, et cetera. Quicumque enim in Christo baptizatur, suscipit quamdam novam naturam, et formatur quodammodo Christus in ipso. Gal. IV, 19: filioli mei, quos iterum parturio donec formetur in vobis Christus.
189. But it should be noted that there are two ways of sharing in Christ: one is imperfect through the faith and the sacraments; the other is perfect through the presence and vision of the reality. But the first we already possess in reality; the second we possess in hope. But because hope has this condition, namely, that we persevere, he says, if we hold the beginning of his substance firm unto the end. For whoever is baptized in Christ receives a new nature and Christ is somehow formed in him: my little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you (Gal 4:19).
Hoc quidem in nobis vere perficietur in patria, sed hic tantum initium, et hoc per fidem formatam, quia informis mortua est. Iac. II, 20: fides sine operibus mortua est. Unde ista non est nobis initium participationis Christi, sed fides formata. Infra XI, 1: est autem fides sperandarum substantia rerum, id est, fundamentum, et quasi initium.
This will be truly completed in us in heaven, but here it is only the beginning; and this by formed faith, because unformed faith is dead: faith without works is dead (Jas 2:26). Hence, unformed faith is not a beginning of partaking of Christ, but formed faith: faith is the substance of things to be hoped for (Heb 11:1), i.e., the foundation and the beginning.
190. Dicit ergo: sumus participes Christi, si tamen tenemus usque in finem firmum initium substantiae eius, scilicet fidem formatam.
190. He says, therefore, we are partakers of Christ; yet so, if we hold the beginning of his substance, namely formed faith, firm unto the end.
Sed contra: videtur quod timor magis sit initium, quia dicit Ps. CX, 9: initium sapientiae timor Domini.
But it seems that fear is the beginning, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111:10).
Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod fides formatur per caritatem. Caritas autem non est sine timore casto. Et ideo fides formata semper habet timorem istum secum annexum. Unde et fides et timor sunt initium.
I answer that faith is formed by charity; but charity does not exist without chaste fear. Therefore, formed faith always has fear annexed to it. Hence, faith and fear are the beginning.
Illud autem quod addit dum dicitur, hodie, etc., totum expositum est.
Every part then which was added onto while it is said, has been explained.
191. Deinde cum dicit quidam enim audientes, exponit quod dixerat de culpa illorum, quasi dicat: vos estis effecti participes Christi, si non obduraveritis corda vestra sicut isti qui audierunt, sed exacerbaverunt, sed non universi, id est, non tamen omnes. Duo enim, scilicet Caleb et Iosue, permanserunt, ut habetur Num. XIV, 6, et alios etiam confortabant.
191. Then when he says, for some who heard, he explains what he had said about their sin. As if to say: you are made partakers of Christ, if you do not harden your hearts, as they who have heard and yet were rebellious, but not all, that is, nevertheless, not all; for two, namely, Caleb and Joshua, remained and consoled the others.
Et per hoc datur intelligi, quod cum non tota Ecclesia cadat, sed tantum aliqui, licet plures, quod nihilominus mali punientur, sed non boni, sicut in illis duobus. III Reg. c. XIX, 18: reliqui mihi septem millia virorum, qui non curvaverunt genua sua Baal. Rom. XI, 5: reliquiae secundum electionem Dei salvae factae sunt.
And by this we are given to understand that, since not the whole Church falls but only some, the wicked are punished, but not the good, as in those two: and I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal (1 Kgs 19:18); there is a remnant saved according to the election of grace (Rom 11:5).
192. Deinde cum dicit quibus autem, etc., exponit illud quod dixerat de poena.
192. Then when he says and with whom, he explains what he had said about the punishment.
Et primo illud quod dixerat offensus fui;
First, he had said I was offended (Heb 3:10);
secundo illud quod dixerat iuravi in ira, etc., ibi quibus autem iuravit, et cetera.
second, he had said I have sworn in my wrath (Heb 3:11).
193. Dicit ergo quibus autem offensus est quadraginta annis? Nonne, et cetera. Ex quo patet, quod istud quod supra dixit, quadraginta annis, refertur ad illud offensus fui. Unde dicit, quod fuit eis offensus per illos quadraginta annos.
193. He says, therefore: and with whom was he offended forty years? Was it not with those who sinned? From this it is clear that forty years refers to the statement, I was offended. Hence, he says that he was offended through those forty years.