Lectio 3 Lecture 3 Sanguis Christi sacrificium novum Christ’s blood the new sacrifice ^9:11 Christus autem assistens pontifex futurorum bonorum, per amplius et perfectius tabernaculum, non manufactum, id est, non hujus creationis: [n. 435] ^9:11 But Christ, taking the position of high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation: [n. 435] ^9:12 neque per sanguinem hircorum aut vitulorum, sed per proprium sanguinem introivit semel in sancta, aeterna redemptione inventa. [n. 439] ^9:12 Neither by the blood of goats or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption. [n. 439] ^9:13 Si enim sanguis hircorum et taurorum, et cinis vitulae aspersus inquinatos sanctificat ad emundationem carnis: [n. 442] ^9:13 For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of a heifer, being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: [n. 442] ^9:14 quanto magis sanguis Christi, qui per Spiritum Sanctum semetipsum obtulit immaculatum Deo, emundabit conscientiam nostram ab operibus mortuis, ad serviendum Deo viventi? [n. 444] ^9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Spirit offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? [n. 444] 435. Supra posuit Apostolus significationem eorum, quae pertinent ad Vetus Testamentum et primum tabernaculum, hic ponit conditiones eorum, quae pertinent ad secundum tabernaculum, quod repraesentabat Novum Testamentum. 435. Having shown the signification of things pertaining to the Old Testament and the first tabernacle, the Apostle now describes the condition of things pertaining to the second tabernacle, which represented the New Testament. Et circa hoc duo facit. Here he does two things. Primo enim ponit illam significationem; First, he sets forth that signification; secundo probat quoddam quod supposuerat, ibi si enim sanguis hircorum. second, he proves something he had presupposed, at for if the blood of goats. 436. Sciendum est autem quod si considerentur supradicta, quinque dicta sunt de secundo tabernaculo, scilicet quis intrabat, quia solus pontifex; secundo, dignitas et conditio loci quo intrabat, quia dicebatur sancta sanctorum; tertio, quomodo intrabat, quia cum sanguine; quarto, quando intrabat, quia semel in anno; quinto, quare intrabat, quia pro expiatione peccatorum. Hic autem apostolus illa quinque explicat. 436. It should be noted that if the things already said are considered, five things have already been said of the second tabernacle, namely, who entered it, because it was the high priest; second, the dignity and the condition of the place he entered, because it was called the holy of holies; third, how he entered, because he entered with blood; fourth, when he entered, because once a year; fifth, why he entered, because it was to expiate for sins. Et primo quis sit ille qui intrat, quia Christus. Pontifex enim est princeps sacerdotum. Talis autem est Christus. I Pet. V, 4: cum apparuerit princeps pastorum, et cetera. Supra IV, 14: habentes ergo pontificem magnum qui penetravit caelos Iesum, et cetera. But here the Apostle explains all this, first of all, who enters, namely, Christ. For the high priest is the prince among the priests. But Christ was such: and when the prince of pastors shall appear (1 Pet 5:4); having therefore a great high priest that has passed into the heavens (Heb 4:14). Sed quilibet pontifex dispensator est alicuius testamenti. In quolibet autem testamento duo consideranda sunt, scilicet finis repromissus in illo testamento, et ea quae traduntur in illo. Bona autem repromissa in Veteri Testamento erant bona temporalia. Is. c. I, 19: si volueritis et audieritis me, bona terrae comedetis. Ille ergo pontifex erat bonorum temporalium. Sed Christus est pontifex bonorum caelestium. Matth. V, 12: gaudete et exultate, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in caelis. Est ergo pontifex futurorum bonorum, quia per pontificatum eius introducimur in bona futura. Ps. LXIV, 5: replebimur in bonis domus tuae. But every high priest is a dispenser of a testament. However, there are two things to be considered in every testament: namely, the end promised in that testament, and the things handed down in it. But the goods promised in the Old Testament were temporal goods: if you be willing and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land (Isa 1:19). Therefore, the other was a high priest of temporal goods; But Christ is the high priest of heavenly goods: rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven (Matt 5:12). Therefore, he is an high priest of the good things to come, because by his high priesthood we are brought to goods to come: we shall be filled with the good things of your house (Ps 65:5). Item in Veteri dispensabantur figuralia; sed Christus dispensat spiritualia, quae per illa figurabantur. Lc. XI, 13: Pater vester de caelis dabit spiritum bonum petentibus se. Furthermore, figurative things were dispensed in the Old Testament, but Christ dispenses the spiritual things they prefigured: your Father from heaven will give the good spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13). Sic ergo per bona futura possunt intelligi vel bona caelestia, et hoc respectu Novi Testamenti; vel bona spiritualia respectu Veteris, quod eorum figura erat. Thus, therefore, by the good things to come can be understood either heavenly goods, and this in regard to the New Testament, or spiritual things, in regard to the Old, which was their figure. Iste pontifex non est negligens, sed assistens. Pontifex enim mediator est inter Deum et populum: Christus vero mediator est: I Tim. II, 5: mediator Dei et hominum homo Christus Iesus. Deut. V, 5: ego medius et sequester fui inter Dominum et vos. Et ideo ipse assistit Patri ad interpellandum pro nobis, supra VII, 25; Rom. VIII, 34: Christus Iesus qui etiam interpellat pro nobis. Item assistens nobis ad auxiliandum. Ps. XV, 8: a dextris est mihi ne commovear. Act. VII, 55: ecce video caelos apertos et Iesum stantem a dextris Dei. This high priest is not negligent, but taking the position, he assists. For a high priest is a mediator between God and the people; but Christ is a mediator: the mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5): I was the mediator and stood between the Lord and you (Deut 5:5); and therefore, he assists the Father by interceding for us: always living to make intercession for us (Heb 7:25); Christ Jesus who also makes intercession for us (Rom 8:34). Again, he assists us with his aid: he is at my right hand that I be not moved (Ps 16:8); behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:55). Sic ergo patet quis intrabat. Thus, it is clear who entered. 437. Secundo ostendit dignitatem interioris tabernaculi, quia dicit per amplius, et conditionem, quia et perfectius, utpote quia est immobile. Is. XXXIII, 20: oculi tui videbunt tabernaculum quod nequaquam ultra transferri poterit. Hoc autem est tabernaculum caelestis gloriae. Ps. XIV, 1: Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo? Dicitur autem tabernaculum, quia est locus peregrinorum. Non enim debetur nobis ex conditione naturae; sed tantum per gratiam. Is. XXXII, v. 18: sedebit populus meus in pulchritudine pacis, in tabernaculis fiduciae, in requie opulenta. Est ergo peramplius propter multitudinem bonorum immensam, quod designatur in auctoritate praedicta: sedebit, et cetera. Bar. c. III, 24: o Israel, quam magna est domus Dei. 437. Second, he shows the dignity of the inner tabernacle when he says, by a greater, and its condition when he says, and more perfect tabernacle, inasmuch as it is unmovable: your eyes shall see Jerusalem, a rich habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be removed (Isa 33:20). But this is the tabernacle of heavenly glory: Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle? (Ps 15:1). But it is called a tabernacle because it is the habitation of pilgrims. For it is not due to us by reason of the condition of our nature, but only through grace: my people shall sit in the beauty of peace, and in the tabernacle of confidence, and in wealthy rest (Isa 31:18). Therefore, it is greater, because of the measureless multitude of good things, which is designated in the authority cited: my people shall sit in the beauty of peace (Isa 31:18); O Israel, how great is the house of God (Bar 3:24). Illud autem quod dicitur per amplius, dupliciter legitur: uno modo, quod sit una dictio, quasi valde peramplius, et sic construitur littera: Christus assistens pontifex futurorum bonorum intravit in sancta sanctorum, dico quae sunt tabernaculum peramplius. But there are two ways of reading the phrase, by a greater: in one way, so that it is one phrase as though meaning very great; then the reading is this: when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered into the holy of holies, which, I say, is a very large tabernacle. Alio modo, quod ly per sit praepositio, quod magis exprimitur in Graeco, et tunc construitur sic: Christus introivit in sancta per tabernaculum amplius, id est, magis amplum et perfectum. Item perfectius, quia ibi cessabit omnis imperfectio. I Cor. XIII, 10: cum venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est. Item est alterius conditionis, quia istud factum fuit manu hominis, hoc autem non; sed manu Dei. Ex. XV, 17: sanctuarium tuum, Domine, quod fundaverunt manus tuae, et cetera. II Cor. V, 1: scimus enim, quia si terrestris domus nostra huius habitationis dissolvatur, quod aedificationem habemus ex Deo domum non manufactam sed aeternam in caelis. Infra XI, 10: expectabat enim fundamenta habentem civitatem, cuius artifex est et conditor Deus. In another way, so that the by is a preposition, which is expressed better in Greek, and then the construction is this: Christ entered into the holies by a greater tabernacle, i.e., more ample and perfect. It was more perfect, because all imperfection ceased there: when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away (1 Cor 13:10). Furthermore, it is of a different condition because the Old was made by human hands, but this by the hand of God: your sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established (Exod 15:17); we know if your 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); for he looked for a city that has foundations: whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:10). Et ideo dicit non manufactum, id est, non huius creationis, quia non est manufactum, sicut Vetus; nec est huius creationis, id est, in bonis sensibilibus creatis, sed est in bonis spiritualibus. Hence, he says, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, because it is not made with hands as the Old, nor is it of this creation, i.e., in sensible created goods, but it is in spiritual goods. 438. Vel per tabernaculum potest Christi corpus intelligi, in quo contra diabolum pugnavit. Ps. XVIII, 5: in sole posuit tabernaculum suum. Quod est peramplius, quia in ipso habitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis corporaliter, Col. II, 9. Item perfectius est, quia vidimus gloriam eius, gloriam quasi unigeniti a Patre plenum gratiae et veritatis, Io. I, 14. Item non manufactum, quia non ex virili semine. Dan. II, 45: abscissus est lapis de monte sine manibus. 438. Or, by the tabernacle can be understood Christ’s body, in which he fought against the devil: he has set his tabernacle in the sun (Ps 19:6), which is very large, because in him dwells all the fullness of the godhead corporeally (Col 2:9), and more perfect, because we have seen his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14); and not made with hands, because not of human seed: a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands (Dan 2:34). 439. Tertio ostendit quomodo intrabat, quia non sine sanguine, sed ille cum sanguine vitulorum et hircorum, sicut dicitur Lev. XVI, Christus vero non sic, scilicet sanguine alieno. Ideo dicit neque per sanguinem hircorum aut vitulorum, sed per proprium sanguinem, quem pro salute nostra immolavit in cruce. Matth. c. XXVI, 28: hic est sanguis meus Novi Testamenti qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. 439. Third, he shows how he entered, because not without blood, but with the blood of calves and goats, as it says in Leviticus (Lev 16); but Christ not so, i.e., not with another’s blood: therefore, he says, neither by the blood of goats or of calves, but by his own blood, which he offered on the cross for our salvation: this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for you and for many unto the remission of sins (Matt 26:28). Dicit autem pluraliter vitulorum et hircorum, non quod simul essent plures, sed quia per diversos annos pluries intrabat. But he uses the plural, of goats and of calves, not that more than one was offered at one time, but because he entered many times in various years. Christus autem significatur per hircum propter similitudinem carnis peccati, Rom. VIII, 3. Item per vitulum propter fortitudinem, et quia utitur duobus testamentis tamquam duobus cornibus. Hab. III, 4: cornua in manibus eius. But Christ is signified by the goat because of the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom 8:3); by the calf because of courage and because he uses the two testaments as two horns: horns are in his hands (Hab 3:4). 440. Quarto quando intrabat, quia semel in anno: Christus autem per totum tempus, quod est quasi annus. Introivit semel in sancta, et semel etiam fudit sanguinem suum. I Pet. III, 18: Christus semel pro peccatis nostris mortuus est. Rom. VI, 10: quod enim mortuus est peccato, mortuus est semel. Item semel intravit, nam ex quo intravit caelestia, semper est ibi. Et ideo dicit quod intravit semel in sancta. 440. Fourth, when he entered, because once a year. But Christ throughout all of time, which is as a year, entered once into the holies and poured out his blood once: Christ died once for our sins (1 Pet 3:18); for in that he died for sin, he died once (Rom 6:10). Furthermore, he entered once; for from the fact that he entered heaven, he is there always. Hence, he says, he entered once into the holies. 441. Quinto ostendit quare intravit, quia ad offerendum pro populi ignorantia, non pro sua, quia non habebat. Sanguis enim Christi magis quam ille valet ad hoc, quia per ipsum inventa est aeterna redemptio, quasi dicat: per istum sanguinem redempti sumus, et hoc in perpetuum, quia virtus eius est infinita. Infra X, 14: una oblatione consummavit in sempiternum sanctificatos. Ps. CX, 8: redemptionem misit dominus populo suo. 441. Fifth, he shows why he entered, namely, to make an offering for the ignorance of the people, not for his own, because he had none. For the blood of Christ is more powerful, because by it he obtained eternal redemption. As if to say: we are redeemed by that blood; and this forever, because his power is infinite: by one oblation he has perfected for ever those who are sanctified (Heb 10:14); he has sent redemption to his people (Ps 111:9). Hoc autem quod dicit inventa, ad duo potest referri, scilicet et ad desiderium Dei, quod habebat de salute nostra. Iob XXXIII, v. 24: inveni in quo ei propitier. Ez. XVIII, v. 32: nolo mortem peccatoris. Item ad desiderium patrum, quo desiderabant redimi. Nullus autem invenit modum ita congruum sicut Christus. Et ideo signanter dicit inventa. The fact that he says obtained can refer to two things, namely, the desire God had for our salvation: I have found wherein I may be merciful to him (Job 33:24); I desire not the death of him that dies (Ezek 18:32); or to the desire of the fathers to be redeemed. For no one found a way so suitable as Christ, therefore, he says quite significantly, obtained. 442. Deinde cum dicit si enim sanguis, etc., probat unum quod supposuit, scilicet istud ultimum: aeterna redemptione inventa; quasi dicat: ita dixi, quod per proprium sanguinem fecit aeternam redemptionem, in quo apparet eius maxima efficacia. Quod autem ita sit probo per locum a minori, quia si sanguis brutorum animalium faciebat quod minus est, sanguis Christi poterit facere quod maius est. 442. Then when he says for if the blood, he proves one of the things he had supposed, namely, the statement, having obtained eternal redemption. As if to say: I have said that he wrought eternal redemption by his own blood, in which his greatest efficacy appears. That it is so, I prove by arguing from what is less; because if the blood of brute animals accomplished less, the blood of Christ can accomplish what is greater. Unde circa hoc facit duo. Hence in regard to this he does two things. Primo enim ponit antecedens; First, he lays down the antecedent; secundo consequens, ibi quanto magis sanguis Christi? second, the consequent, at how much more shall the blood of Christ? 443. Circa primum sciendum est, quod in veteri lege erat duplex mundatio. Una quae fiebat in die expiationis, de qua habetur Lev. XVI, 29; et de ista iam dictum est, et ista videbatur directe ordinari ad emundationem a peccato. Alia erat contra irregularitatem legis, de qua dicitur Num. XIX, 2 ss., quod praecepit Dominus quod Eleazar acciperet vaccam rufam a Moyse sine macula, aetatis integrae, quae non traxisset iugum, et eductam extra castra immolaret in conspectu populi, et tingeret digitum in sanguine eius, et aspergeret septies contra tabernaculum, et quod combureret totam, scilicet carnem, pellem, et etiam fimum eius cum hyssopo, ligno cedrino et cocco bis tincto, quo facto vir mundus colligebat cineres, et in loco mundo effundebat extra castra. Et de ipsis ponebantur in aqua, qua immundus, qui scilicet tetigisset cadaver mortui, aspergebatur die tertio et septimo cum hyssopo, et ita mundabatur, nec aliter poterat mundari. Ista est sententia Apostoli. 443. In regard to the first it should be noted that there were two cleansings in the old law: one took place on the day of atonement, as already stated, and seemed to be directly ordained to cleansing from sin. The other was against legal irregularity, as mentioned in Numbers, where the Lord commanded Eleazar to take from Moses a red cow without blemish, of full age and which has not carried the yoke, and bring her forth outside the camp and immolate her in the sight of all. Then dipping his finger in her blood, he should sprinkle it over against the door of the tabernacle seven times; and then burn her entirely, i.e., her flesh, hide, and even her dung, with hyssop, cedar wood, and scarlet twice dyed. After this was done, a man that was clean was to gather up the ashes of the cow and pour them forth in a clean place outside the camp. Some of these ashes were to be put in water with which an unclean person, who touched the corpse of a man, was to be sprinkled on the third day, and on the seventh with hyssop. In this way and in no other way could he be cleansed (Num 19:2). That is the opinion of the Apostle. Itaque quantum ad primum dicit si enim sanguis hircorum aut taurorum. Quantum vero ad secundum dicit et cinis vitulae aspersus sanctificat inquinatos, non gratiam conferendo, sed ad emundationem carnis, id est, ab irregularitate, quia carnaliter impediebantur, quasi immundi a cultu divino, non tamen auferebant peccata. Sed tantum, ut dicit Augustinus, aliquando virtute illius aspersionis mundabantur a lepra corporali. Et ideo dicit ad emundationem carnis. Therefore in regard to the first he says, if the blood of goats and of oxen; but as to the second he says, and the ashes of a heifer, being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, not by conferring grace, but to the cleansing of the flesh, i.e., from an irregularity carnally hindering them, as though unclean, from divine worship. But they did not take away sins, but only, as Augustine says, sometimes by virtue of that sprinkling they were cleansed from bodily leprosy; hence, he says, to the cleansing of the flesh. 444. Deinde cum dicit quanto magis, etc., ponit consequens; quasi dicat: si sanguis et cinis hoc possunt, quid poterit sanguis Christi? Certe multo plus. 444. Then when he says, how much more shall the blood of Christ, he lays down the consequent. As if to say: if blood and ashes can do this, what could Christ’s blood do? Certainly much more. Et ponit Apostolus tria, quae ostendunt efficaciam sanguinis Christi. Primo quis est ille cuius est sanguis ille, qui scilicet est Christus. Ex quo patet quod eius sanguis mundat. Matth. I, 21: ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum. Then the Apostle mentions three things, which show the efficacy of Christ’s blood: first, he shows whose blood it is, namely, it is Christ’s. From this it is evident that his blood cleanses: for he will save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21).