Patet autem ex his quae dicta sunt, quod gratia ipsius Christi, quae dicitur capitis, secundum quod Christus est caput Ecclesiae, est infinita quantum ad influentiam. Ex hoc enim quod habuit unde effunderet absque mensura Spiritus dona, accepit virtutem effundendi ipsa absque mensura, ut scilicet gratia Christi non solum sufficiat ad salutem hominum aliquorum, sed hominum totius mundi, secundum illud I Io. II, 2: ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, et non pro nostris tantum, sed etiam totius mundi, ac etiam plurium mundorum, si essent.
From what has been said, it is clear that the grace of Christ which is called capital grace, insofar as he is head of the Church, is infinite in its influence. For from the fact that he possessed that from which the gifts of the Spirit could flow out without measure, he received the power to pour them out without measure, so that the grace of Christ is sufficient not merely for the salvation of some men, but for all the people of the entire world: he is the offering for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the entire world (1 John 2:2), and even for many worlds, if they exsited.
545. Habet etiam Christus denuntiandi veritatem divinam opportunam facultatem, quia omnia sunt in potestate eius; unde dicit Pater diligit Filium, et omnia dedit in manu eius: quod quidem potest referri ad Christum secundum quod homo, et secundum quod Deus; sed aliter et aliter.
545. Christ also had the ability appropriate for declaring divine truth, because all things are in his power; hence he says, the Father loves the Son, and he has given all things into his hand. This can refer to Christ both as man and as God, but in different ways.
Si enim referatur ad Christum, secundum naturam divinam, tunc diligit non designat principium, sed signum: non enim possumus dicere quod Pater omnia Filio dat, quia diligit eum, propter duo. Primo, diligere est actus voluntatis; dare autem naturam Filio, est generare ipsum. Si ergo Pater daret voluntate naturam Filio, voluntas Patris esset principium generationis Filii; et sic sequeretur quod Pater generaret Filium voluntate, et non natura: quod est haeresis Ariana.
If it refers to Christ according to his divine nature, then loves does not indicate a principle but a sign: for we cannot say that the Father gives all things to the Son because he loves him. There are two reasons for this. First, because to love is an act of the will; but to give a nature to the Son is to generate him. Therefore, if the Father gave a nature to the Son by his will, the will of the Father would be the principle of the generation of the Son; and then it would follow that the Father generated the Son by will, and not by nature; and this is the Arian heresy.
Secundo autem, quia dilectio Patris ad Filium est Spiritus Sanctus. Si ergo dilectio Patris ad Filium esset ratio quare dedit omnia Pater in manu Filii, sequeretur quod Spiritus Sanctus esset principium generationis Filii; quod est inconveniens. Dicendum est ergo, quod ly diligit importat signum tantum, ut dicatur, quod dilectio perfecta, qua Pater diligit Filium, est signum quod Pater dedit omnia in manu eius, quae scilicet Pater habet. Matth. XI, 27: omnia mihi tradita sunt a Patre meo. Infra XIII, 3: sciens quia omnia dedit ei Pater in manus.
Second, because the love of the Father for the Son is the Holy Spirit. So, if the love of the Father for the Son were the reason why the Father put everything into his hands, it would follow that the Holy Spirit would be the principle of the generation of the Son; and this is not acceptable. Therefore, we should say that love implies only a sign. As if to say: The perfect love with which the Father loves the Son, is a sign that the Father has given all things into his hand, i.e., everything which the Father has: all things have been given to me by my Father (Matt 11:27); Jesus, knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands (John 13:3).
Si referatur autem ad Christum, secundum quod homo, sic ly diligit dicit rationem principii, ut dicatur Pater omnia in manu Filii tradidisse, scilicet quae in caelis et quae in terris sunt, secundum illud Matth. ult., 18: data est mihi omnis potestas in caelo et in terra. Hebr. I, 2: quem constituit heredem universorum. Et huius traditionis ratio est, quia diligit eum; unde dicit Pater diligit Filium: dilectio enim Patris ratio est creandi quamlibet creaturam. Sap. XI, 25: diligis omnia quae sunt, et nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti. De dilectione autem Filii habetur Lc. c. III, et Matth. III, 17: hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo complacui mihi. Et Coloss. I, v. 13: transtulit nos in regnum Filii dilectionis suae, idest Filii sui dilecti.
But if loves refers to Christ as man, then it implies the notion of a principle, so that the Father is said to have put everything into the hands of the Son, everything, that is, that is in heaven and on earth: all authority has been given to me, in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18); he has appointed him the heir of all things (Heb 1:2). And the reason why the Father gives to the Son is because he loves the Son; hence he says, the Father loves the Son, for the Father’s love is the reason for creating each creature: you love everything which exists, and hate nothing which you have made (Wis 11:25). Concerning his love for the Son we read: this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matt 3:17); he has brought us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, that is, i.e., of his beloved Son (Col 1:13).
546. Consequenter cum dicit qui credit in Filium, habet vitam aeternam, ostendit fructum fidei: et
546. Then when he says, he who believes in the Son has eternal life he shows the fruit of faith.
primo ponit fidei praemium;
First, he sets forth the reward for faith.
secundo infidelitatis supplicium, ibi qui autem incredulus est etc.
Second, the penalty for unbelief, at he who does not believe in the Son.
547. Sed praemium fidei est inaestimabile, quia vita aeterna; et ideo dicit qui credit in Filium habet vitam aeternam. Et hoc ex praemissis ostenditur. Si Pater omnia dedit Filio, scilicet quae habet, et ipse habet vitam aeternam: ergo et Filio dedit ut sit vita aeterna. Infra V, 26: sicut Pater habet vitam in semetipso, sic dedit et Filio habere vitam in semetipso: quod quidem competit Christo inquantum est verus et naturalis Dei Filius. I Io. ult., v. 20: ut sitis in vero Filio eius Christo: hic est verus Deus, et vita aeterna. Qui credit in eum habet illud in quod tendit, scilicet ipsum Filium in quem credit; sed ipse est vita aeterna: ergo qui credit in eum, habet vitam aeternam. Infra X, 17: oves meae vocem meam audiunt . . . et ego vitam aeternam do eis.
547. The reward for faith is beyond our comprehension, because it is eternal life. Hence he says, he who believes in the Son has eternal life. And this is shown from what has already been said. For if the Father has given everything he has to the Son, and the Father has eternal life, then he has given to the Son to be eternal life: for as the Father has life in himself, so he has also given to the Son to have life in himself (John 5:26): and this belongs to Christ insofar as he is the true and natural Son of God. That you may be in his true Son, Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).Whoever believes in the Son has that toward which he tends, that is, the Son, in whom he believes. But the Son is eternal life; therefore, whoever believes in him has eternal life: my sheep hear my voice . . . and I give them eternal life (John 10:27–28).
548. Supplicium autem infidelitatis est intolerabile et quantum ad poenam damni, et quantum ad poenam sensus.
548. The penalty for unbelief is unendurable, both as to the punishment of loss and as to the punishment of sense.
Quantum quidem ad poenam damni, quia privatur vita; unde dicit qui autem incredulus est Filio, non videbit vitam. Non autem dicit non habebit sed non videbit: quia vita aeterna in visione verae vitae consistit. Infra XVII, 3: haec est vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te solum Deum verum, et quem misisti Iesum Christum: quam quidem visionem et cognitionem increduli non habebunt; Iob XX, v. 17: non videat rivulos lactis etc., idest dulcedinem vitae aeternae. Dicit autem non videbit, quia videre vitam ipsam, est proprium praemium fidei formatae.
As to the punishment of loss, because it deprives one of life; hence he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life. He does not say, will not have, but shall not see, because eternal life consists in the vision of the true life: this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3): and unbelievers will not have this vision and this knowledge: let him not see the brooks of honey (Job 20:19), that is, the sweetness of eternal life. And he says, will not see, because to see life itself is the proper reward for faith united with love.
Quantum vero ad poenam sensus, quia graviter punitur; unde dicit sed ira Dei manet super eum. Ira enim in Scripturis pro afflictione qua Deus malos punit, accipitur; unde cum dicit ira Dei Patris manet super eum, idem est ac si dicat: sentient poenam a Deo Patre. Et licet Pater omne iudicium dederit Filio, ut dicitur infra V, 22 tamen Baptista refert hoc ad Patrem, intendens per hoc Iudaeos reducere ad credendum Filio. Et de isto iudicio dicitur Hebr. X, 31: horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis. Dicit autem manet super eum, quia ista poena numquam ab incredulis desistet; et quia omnes qui nascuntur in ista vita mortali, habent secum iram Dei, quam accepit primus Adam. Eph. II, 3: eramus natura, idest per nativitatem, Filii irae. Ab hac autem ira non liberamur nisi per fidem Christi; et ideo qui non credunt in Christum Filium Dei, manet in eis ira Dei.
As to the punishment of sense, because one is being severely punished; he says: the wrath of God rests on him. For in the Scriptures wrath indicates the pain with which God punishes the evil. So when he says, the wrath of God, the Father, rests on him, it is the same as saying: they will feel punishment from God the Father. Although the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22), the Baptist refers this to the Father in order to lead the Jews to believe in the Son. Concerning this judgment it is said: it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:31). He says, rests on him, because this punishment will never be absent from the unbelieving, and because all who are born into this mortal life have God’s anger with them, which was first received by Adam: we were by nature, that is, through birth, children of anger (Eph 2:3). And we are freed from this anger only by faith in Christ; and so those who do not believe in Christ, the Son of God, remain in the wrath of God.
Caput 4
Chapter 4
Conversio Gentium
Conversion of the Gentiles
Lectio 1
Lecture 1
Mulier Samariae
The Samaritan woman
4:1 Ut ergo cognovit Iesus quia audierunt Pharisaei quod Iesus plures discipulos facit, et baptizat quam Ioannes: [n. 550]
4:1 When Jesus therefore understood that the Pharisees had heard that he makes more disciples and baptizes more than John, [n. 550]
4:2 quamquam Iesus non baptizaret, sed discipuli eius: [n. 554]
4:2 although Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples did, [n. 554]
4:3 reliquit Iudaeam. Et abiit iterum in Galilaeam. [n. 556]
4:3 he left Judea and went again into Galilee. [n. 556]
4:4 Oportebat autem eum transire per Samariam. [n. 558]
4:4 And he had to pass through Samaria. [n. 558]
4:5 Venit ergo in civitatem Samariae, quae dicitur Sichar, iuxta praedium quod dedit Iacob filio suo Ioseph. [n. 560]
4:5 He came therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. [n. 560]
4:6 Erat autem ibi fons Iacob. Iesus autem fatigatus ex itinere, sedebat sic supra fontem. Hora autem erat quasi sexta. [n. 561]
4:6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from his journey, sat on the well. It was about the sixth hour. [n. 561]
4:7 Venit mulier de Samaria haurire aquam. Dixit ei Iesus: da mihi bibere. [n. 566]
4:7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her: give me a drink. [n. 566]
4:8 Discipuli enim eius abierant in civitatem, ut cibos emerent. [n. 570]
4:8 For his disciples were gone into the city to buy food. [n. 570]
4:9 Dixit ergo ei mulier illa Samaritana: quomodo tu, Iudaeus cum sis, bibere a me poscis, quae sum mulier Samaritana? Non enim coutuntur Iudaei Samaritanis. [n. 572]
4:9 Then the Samaritan woman said to him: how can you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans. [n. 572]
549. Posita doctrina Christi de spirituali regeneratione, et quod Christus gratiam spiritualis regenerationis Iudaeis communicaverat, hic consequenter ostendit quomodo ipsa gratia etiam ad gentes derivata est per Christum. Salutaris autem gratia Christi derivata est dupliciter in gentibus: per doctrinam et per miracula. Marc. ult., 20: illi autem profecti praedicaverunt ubique, ecce doctrina, Domino cooperante, sequentibus signis, ecce miracula.
549. Having set forth the teaching of Christ on spiritual regeneration, and that Christ had given this grace of spiritual regeneration to the Jews, he now shows how Christ gave this grace to the gentiles. Now the salutary grace of Christ had been dispensed in two ways to the gentiles: through teaching and through miracles. Going forth, they preached everywhere: this is the teaching; the Lord cooperated with them, and confirmed the word with signs. These are the miracles (Mark 16:20).
Primo ergo ostendit futuram gentium conversionem per doctrinam;
First, he shows the future conversion of the gentiles through teaching.
secundo futuram gentium conversionem per miracula, ibi post duos autem dies exiit inde.
Second, their future conversion through miracles, at now after two days, he departed from there (John 4:43).
Circa primum duo facit.
As to the first, he does two things.
Primo praemittit quaedam praeambula ad doctrinam;
First, he sets down certain matters preliminary to the teaching.
secundo proponit doctrinam, et eius effectum, ibi respondit Iesus, et dixit ei: si scires donum Dei etc.
Second, he presents the teaching and its effect, at Jesus answered and said to her: if you knew the gift of God (John 4:10).
Quantum ad primum tria praeambula praemittit.
As to the first, he sets down three preliminary facts.
Primum ex parte ipsius docentis;
First, what relates to the one teaching.
secundum ex parte eius de quo doctrina erat, ibi erat autem ibi fons Iacob;
Second, something about the matter taught, at now Jacob’s well was there.
tertium ex parte personae audientis, ibi venit mulier de Samaria, etc.
Third, something about who received the instruction, at there came a woman of Samaria.
Ex parte autem docentis, praeambulum est eius accessus ad locum doctrinae; et ideo dicit ut ergo cognovit Iesus, etc.
As to the person teaching, the preliminary remark is about his journey to the place where he taught; thus he says, when Jesus therefore understood.