Lectio 4 Lecture 4 Mediator Novi Testamenti Mediator of the New Testament ^9:15 Et ideo Novi Testamenti mediator est: ut morte intercedente, in redemptionem earum praevaricationum, quae erant sub priori testamento, repromissionem accipiant qui vocati sunt aeternae haereditatis. [n. 447] ^9:15 And therefore he is the mediator of the New Testament: that by means of his death for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, they who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. [n. 447] ^9:16 Ubi enim testamentum est, mors necesse est intercedat testatoris. [n. 450] ^9:16 For where there is a testament the death of the testator must of necessity come in. [n. 450] ^9:17 Testamentum enim in mortuis confirmatum est: alioquin nondum valet, dum vivit qui testatus est. [n. 450] ^9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is as yet of no strength, while the testator lives. [n. 450] ^9:18 Unde nec primum quidem sine sanguine dedicatum est. [n. 452] ^9:18 Whereupon neither was the first indeed dedicated without blood. [n. 452] ^9:19 Lecto enim omni mandato legis a Moyse universo populo, accipiens sanguinem vitulorum et hircorum cum aqua, et lana coccinea, et hyssopo, ipsum quoque librum, et omnem populum aspersit, [n. 454] ^9:19 For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people. [n. 454] ^9:20 dicens: hic sanguis testamenti, quod mandavit ad vos Deus. ^9:20 Saying: this is the blood of the testament which God has enjoined unto you. ^9:21 Etiam tabernaculum et omnia vasa ministerii sanguine similiter aspersit. [n. 458] ^9:21 The tabernacle also and all the vessels of the ministry, in like manner, he sprinkled with blood. [n. 458] ^9:22 Et omnia pene in sanguine secundum legem mundantur: et sine sanguinis effusione non fit remissio. [n. 460] ^9:22 And almost all things, according to the law, are cleansed with blood: and without shedding of blood there is no remission. [n. 460] 447. Supra exposuit Apostolus illa, quae agebantur in Veteri Testamento, et aperuit illorum mysticam expositionem, hic ex his arguit ad propositum, scilicet quod Novum Testamentum praefertur Veteri; quia potest quod non poterat Vetus. 447. Having explained things done in the Old Testament and disclosed their mystical explanation, the Apostle now uses these facts to prove his thesis, namely that the New Testament is preferred to the Old, because it can do what the Old could not. Et circa hoc facit duo. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim proponit conclusionem intentam; First, he states the intended conclusion; secundo probat quoddam quod supposuerat, ibi ubi enim testamentum. second, he proves something he had presupposed, at for where there is a testament. Iterum prima in duas. The first is divided into two parts. Primo enim concludit ex dictis, quod Christus est mediator; In the first he concludes from the foregoing that Christ is a mediator; secundo hoc ostendit, non potuisse Vetus Testamentum, ibi quae erant sub priori. in the second, that the Old Testament could not do this, at which were under the former testament. 448. Dicit ergo: et ideo, quia scilicet Christus intravit in sancta, aeterna redemptione inventa, id est, perducens ad aeterna, quod Vetus non poterat facere, unde oportet quod istud Testamentum sit aliud ab illo, sicut novum a veteri. Ier. XXXI, 31: feriam domui Israel et domui Iuda, et cetera. Apoc. XXI, v. 5: ecce nova facio omnia. Ideo huius Novi Testamenti mediator est Christus inter Deum et hominem. I Tim. II, 5: mediator Dei et hominum, homo Christus Iesus. 448. He says: and therefore, i.e., because Christ entered into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption, i.e., leading us to eternal things, which the Old could not do; it was fitting that this Testament be distinct from that, as the new from the old: I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah (Jer 31:31); behold, I make all things new (Rev 21:5). Therefore he is the mediator of the new testament between God and man: the mediator of God and men, the man Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:5). In omni autem testamento est aliquid quod promittitur, et aliquid per quod testamentum confirmatur. In Novo autem Testamento promittuntur caelestia et spiritualia. Item ista promissio per mortem Christi confirmata est. Et ideo Christus mediator est Novi Testamenti, ut repromissionem aeternae beatitudinis ac haereditatis aeternae, recipiant qui vocati sunt. But in every testament there is something promised and something by which that testament is confirmed. But in the New Testament heavenly and spiritual things are promised. Furthermore, that promise was confirmed by the death of Christ. And so, Christ is the mediator of the new testament: that . . . they who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance and eternal beatitude. Et dicit vocati, quia hoc munus non est ex operibus, sed ex vocatione Dei. Rom. VIII, 30: quos autem praedestinavit, hos et vocavit. I Thess. II, 12: contestati sumus ut ambularetis digne Deo, qui vocavit vos in suum regnum et gloriam. Unde dicit aeternae haereditatis, id est, aeternae gloriae, quae est haereditas nostra. I Pet. I, 3 s.: regeneravit nos in spem vivam per resurrectionem Iesu Christi ex mortuis, in haereditatem incorruptibilem, et incontaminatam, et immarcescibilem conservatam in caelis. Ps. CXXVI, 4: ecce haereditas Domini. Item: Dominus pars haereditatis meae. He says, called, because this reward is not for our works but from God’s call (cf. Rom 9:12): whom he predestined, them he also called (Rom 8:30); we testified to every one of you that you could walk worthy of God who has called you unto his kingdom and glory (1 Thess 2:12); hence, he says, of eternal inheritance, i.e., of eternal glory, which is our inheritance: he has regenerated us unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven for you (1 Pet 1:3); behold the inheritance of the Lord (Ps 127:3); the Lord is the portion of my inheritance (Ps 16:5). Istam autem haereditatem habemus per mortem Christi. Unde dicit ut morte intercedente. I Pet. III, 9: in hoc vocati estis, ut benedictionem haereditate possideatis. Huius mortis effectus est redemptio a praevaricatione peccati. I Petr. I, 18 s.: non corruptibilibus auro et argento redempti estis de vestra vana conversatione, sed pretioso sanguine agni immaculati. But we have that inheritance through the death of Christ; hence, he says, that by means of his death: unto this you are called, that you may inherit a blessing (1 Pet 3:9). The effect of this death is redemption from the transgressions under the first covenant: you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, but with the precious blood of an unspotted lamb (1 Pet 1:18). 449. Sed numquid in Veteri Testamento poterat fieri ista redemptio a peccatis? Et respondet, quod non, quia illae praevaricationes erant sub priori testamento; quasi dicat: quia virtute sacramentorum prioris testamenti removeri non poterant. Rom. III, 9: causati sumus Iudaeos et Graecos omnes sub peccato esse. 449. But could that redemption from sins have been accomplished in the Old Testament? He answers: no; because those transgressions . . . were under the former covenant. As if to say: because they could not be removed by the power of the sacraments of the former covenant: because we have charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin (Rom 3:19). Sed contra, quia David et multi alii sancti habuerunt remissionem peccatorum. But is it not a fact that David and many other saints obtained remission of their sins? Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod quantum ad istum effectum, qui est introitus caeli, non, quia per mortem Christi aperta est ianua vitae. Nullus enim ante mortem Christi intravit. Zach. IX, 11: tu vero in sanguine testamenti tui eduxisti vinctos tuos de lacu, in quo non est aqua. Sed quantum ad maculam, sic ipsi consecuti sunt; sed non virtute sacramentorum veteris legis, sed in fide Christi. I answer that so far as entering heaven is concerned, they did not, because the door to life was opened by the death of Christ: for no one entered before Christ’s death: you also by the blood of your testament have sent forth your prisoners out of the pit, wherein is not water (Zech 9:11). But so far as the stain of sin was concerned, they obtained it, not in virtue of the sacraments of the old law, but by faith in Christ. Sic ergo Novum Testamentum est excellentius quam Vetus, quia confirmatum est morte Christi, per quam remittuntur peccata, et quia exhibet promissionem. Thus, therefore, the New Testament is more excellent than the Old, because it has been confirmed by the death of Christ, by which sins are remitted, and because he shows forth the promise. 450. Deinde cum dicit ubi enim testamentum, probat illud quod supposuit, scilicet quod Novum Testamentum sit confirmatum per mortem Christi. 450. Then when he says for where there is a testament, he proves what he had supposed, namely, that the New Testament was confirmed by the death of Christ. Et primo probat hoc per auctoritatem legis humanae; First, he proves this on the authority of human law; secundo per auctoritatem legis divinae, ibi unde nec primum. second, on the authority of divine law, at whereupon neither was the first. 451. Dicit ergo: dictum est, quod Novum Testamentum confirmatur per mortem Christi intercedentem, quia ad hoc quod testamentum valeat, oportet quod mors testatoris interveniat; et ideo Novum Testamentum non haberet robur, nisi intervenisset mors Christi. Unde dicitur Io. XI, 50: expedit vobis, ut unus moriatur homo pro populo. 451. He says, therefore: it has been stated that the New Testament was confirmed by the intervening death of Christ, because where there is a testament the death of the testator must of necessity come in. Therefore, the New Testament would have no strength unless the death of Christ had come in: it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people (John 11:50). Mors autem testatoris ad duo necessaria est. Primo ut testamentum habeat firmitatem, quia cum sit expressivum ultimae voluntatis, potest semper mutari ante mortem. Unde dicit, quod testamentum confirmatum est in mortuis, id est, per mortem. Et isto modo confirmatum est Novum Testamentum per mortem Christi. Matth. XXVI, 28: hic est sanguis meus Novi Testamenti, scilicet confirmator et dedicator. But the death of the testator is necessary for two reasons: first, that the testament might be valid, because, since it expresses the last will, it can always be changed before death; hence, he says, for a testament is of force after men are dead, i.e., through death. That is the way the New Testament has been confirmed by the death of Christ: this is my blood of the New Testament, namely, its confirmer and dedicator (Matt 26:28). Secundo necessaria est mors testatoris ad hoc ut testamentum valeat et habeat efficaciam. Unde dicit alioquin nondum valet, quia nullus potest petere aliquid, nec etiam haeredes haereditatem ex vi testamenti, nisi post mortem testatoris. Ideo Christus voluit mortem suam pro nobis interponere. Second, the death of the testator is necessary in order that the testament be in force and be efficacious; hence, he says, otherwise it is as yet of no strength, because no one can seek anything, nor an heir his inheritance by reason of the testament, till after the death of the testator. Therefore, Christ willed to interpose his death for our sake. 452. Deinde cum dicit unde nec primum. Hoc idem probat per auctoritatem legis divinae, scilicet per illud quod habetur in Veteri Testamento. 452. Then when he says whereupon neither was the first, he proves the same thing on the authority of divine law, by something in the Old Testament. Et circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim ostendit convenientiam inter utrumque Testamentum; First, he shows the agreement between the two Testaments; secundo ostendit differentiam, ibi necesse est ergo. second, their difference, at it is necessary therefore (Heb 9:23). Circa primum duo facit, quia In regard to the first he does two things: