77. Deinde cum dicit Deus enim, etc., confirmat fiduciam et excludit quatuor falsas existimationes.
77. Then when he says, for it is God who works in you, he strengthens their confidence, and he excludes four false opinions.
Unam hominum credentium quod homo per liberum arbitrium possit salvari absque divino auxilio. Contra hoc dicit Deus, et cetera. Io. XIV, 10: Pater in me manens, ipse facit opera: et XV, 5: sine me nihil potestis facere.
The first is the opinion of those who believe that man can be saved by his own free will without God’s help. Against this he says: for it is God who works in you, both to will and to accomplish: the Father who dwells in me does his works (John 14:10); apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Alii omnino negant liberum arbitrium, dicentes quod homo necessitatur a fato, vel a providentia divina. Et hoc excludit, cum dicit in vobis. Quia interius per instinctum movet voluntatem ad bene operandum. Is. c. XXVI, 12: omnia enim opera nostra operatus es in nobis.
The second is the opinion of those who deny free will altogether and say that man is necessitated by fate or by divine providence. He excludes this when he says, in you, because he moves the will from within to act well: you have wrought for us all our works (Isa 26:12).
Tertia Pelagianorum, sicut et primi, dicentium electiones esse in nobis, sed prosecutiones operum in Deo, quia velle est a nobis sed perficere a Deo. Et hoc excludit, dicens et velle et perficere. Rom. IX, 16: non est volentis, scilicet velle, sine auxilio Dei, neque currentis, scilicet currere, sed miserentis est Dei.
The third, like the first, is that of the Pelagians who say that choices are in us, but the performing of works in God, because willing comes from us, but accomplishing comes from God. He excludes this when he says, both to will and to accomplish: it depends not upon man’s will, i.e., without God’s help, or exertion, but upon God’s mercy (Rom 9:16).
Quarta quod Deus facit omne bonum in nobis, et hoc per merita nostra. Hoc excludit, cum dicit pro bona voluntate, scilicet sua, non pro meritis nostris, quia ante gratiam Dei nihil boni meriti est in nobis. Ps. L, 20: benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua, et cetera.
The fourth is the opinion that God accomplishes every good in us and does this through our merits. He excludes this when he says according to his good will, and not our merits, because before we get God’s grace there is no good merit in us: do good to Zion in your good pleasure (Ps 51:18).
Lectio 4
Lecture 4
Paulus ministros misit
Paul sends ministers
2:14 Omnia autem facite sine murmurationibus et haesitationibus: [n. 78]
2:14 And do all things without murmurings and hesitations: [n. 78]
2:15 ut sitis sine querela, et simplices filii Dei, sine reprehensione in medio nationis pravae et perversae: inter quos lucetis sicut luminaria in mundo, [n. 80]
2:15 That you may be blameless and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation: among whom you shine as lights in the world. [n. 80]
2:16 verbum vitae continentes ad gloriam meam in die Christi, quia non in vacuum cucurri, neque in vacuum laboravi. [n. 83]
2:16 Holding forth the word of life to my glory in the day of Christ: because I have not run in vain, nor labored in vain. [n. 83]
2:17 Sed et si immolor supra sacrificium, et obsequium fidei vestrae, gaudeo, et congratulor omnibus vobis. [n. 85]
2:17 Yes, even if I be made a victim upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and congratulate with you all. [n. 85]
2:18 Idipsum autem et vos gaudete, et congratulamini mihi.
2:18 And for the selfsame thing, you also should rejoice and congratulate with me.
2:19 Spero autem in Domino Jesu, Timotheum me cito mittere ad vos: ut et ego bono animo sim, cognitis quae circa vos sunt. [n. 86]
2:19 And I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy unto you shortly, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know the things concerning you. [n. 86]
2:20 Neminem enim habeo tam unanimem, qui sincera affectione pro vobis sollicitus sit. [n. 88]
2:20 For I have no man so of the same mind, who with sincere affection is solicitous for you. [n. 88]
2:21 Omnes enim quae sua sunt quaerunt, non quae sunt Jesu Christi. [n. 90]
2:21 For all seek the things that are their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ’s. [n. 90]
2:22 Experimentum autem ejus cognoscite, quia sicut patri filius, mecum servivit in Evangelio. [n. 92]
2:22 Now know the proof of him: that as a son with the father, so has he served with me in the Gospel. [n. 92]
2:23 Hunc igitur spero me mittere ad vos, mox ut videro quae circa me sunt. [n. 93]
2:23 Therefore I hope to send him unto you immediately: as soon as I see how it will go with me. [n. 93]
2:24 Confido autem in Domino quoniam et ipse veniam ad vos cito.
2:24 And I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come to you shortly.
2:25 Necessarium autem existimavi Epaphroditum fratrem, et cooperatorem, et commilitonem meum, vestrum autem apostolum, et ministrum necessitatis meae, mittere ad vos: [n. 94]
2:25 But I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow laborer and fellow soldier, but your apostle: and he that has ministered to my wants. [n. 94]
2:26 quoniam quidem omnes vos desiderabat: et moestus erat, propterea quod audieratis illum infirmatum. [n. 96]
2:26 For indeed he longed after you all: and was sad, because you had heard that he was sick. [n. 96]
2:27 Nam et infirmatus est usque ad mortem: sed Deus misertus est ejus: non solum autem ejus, verum etiam et mei, ne tristitiam super tristitiam haberem. [n. 97]
2:27 For indeed he was sick, near to death: but God had mercy on him. And not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. [n. 97]
2:28 Festinantius ergo misi illum, ut viso eo iterum gaudeatis, et ego sine tristitia sim.
2:28 Therefore, I sent him the more speedily: that seeing him again, you may rejoice, and I may be without sorrow.
2:29 Excipite itaque illum cum omni gaudio in Domino, et ejusmodi cum honore habetote; [n. 98]
2:29 Receive him therefore with all joy in the Lord: and treat with honor such as he is. [n. 98]
2:30 quoniam propter opus Christi usque ad mortem accessit, tradens animam suam ut impleret id quod ex vobis deerat erga meum obsequium.
2:30 Because for the work of Christ he came to the point of death: delivering his life, that he might fulfill that which on your part was wanting towards my service.
78. Supra Apostolus induxit ad faciendum opera salutis, hic docet eos modum faciendi. Et
78. Above, the Apostle exhorted them to do works leading to salvation; here he teaches them how.
primo docet ipsum modum,
First, he teaches them the way to do these works;
secundo assignat rationem eius, ibi ut sitis, et cetera.
second, he gives the reason, at that you may be blameless.
79. Docet duplicem modum faciendi, scilicet sine murmure et sine dubitatione. Opera enim virtutum sunt difficillima, et in his habet locum murmuratio. I Cor. X, 10: neque murmuraveritis, sicut quidam eorum murmuraverunt, et perierunt ab exterminatore. Et ne dubitetis an fiant. Iac. I, 6: qui enim haesitat, similis est fluctui maris, qui a vento movetur, et circumfertur, et cetera.
79. First, he points out two ways to act, namely, without murmurings and hesitations. For virtuous works are very difficult, and offer a fertile field for grumbling: we must not grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer (1 Cor 10:10). Furthermore, they should not hesitate about doing them: he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind (Jas 1:6).
80. Ponit autem huius rationem, et
80. He gives reasons for this:
primo ex parte eorum;
first, on their part,
secundo ex parte Apostoli, ibi ad gloriam, et cetera.
and then on the part of the Apostle, at to my glory.
81. Circa primum ponitur triplex ratio. Prima in comparatione ad fideles, cum dicit ut sitis sine querela. Lc. I, 6: incedentes in omnibus mandatis et iustificationibus Domini sine querela, et cetera. Sine peccato autem nullus esse potest, sed bene sine querela. Unde ad hoc monet.
81. On their part he gives three reasons: first, in regard to the faithful when he says, that you may be blameless: walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:6). For no one can exist without sin, but he can without grumbling; hence he urges them to do this.
Secundo in comparatione ad Deum, ibi simplices, et cetera. Filius enim est similis patri; Deus autem simplex est; unde simplices simus sicut filii Dei, quod est, quando intentio est ad unum. Iac. I, 8: vir duplex animo, inconstans est in omnibus viis suis. Matth. c. X, 16: estote prudentes sicut serpentes, et simplices sicut columbae.
Second, in regard to God, and sincere children of God. For a son is like his father. But God is innocent; hence we are innocent sons of God, when our intention is directed to one object: a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (Jas 1:8); be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matt 10:16).
Tertio in comparatione ad infideles, ibi sine reprehensione, etc., id est ut bene se habeant ad infideles, ut scilicet sint sine offensione, in medio nationis pravae, quantum ad mala opera, et perversae, quantum ad infidelitatem: et hoc est quando non possunt infamari ab eis. I Tim. V, 14: nullam occasionem date adversario maledicti gratia.
Third, in regard to unbelievers, without reproof, i.e., behave well toward unbelievers and give no offense in the midst of a crooked, as to evil works, and perverse generation, as to unbelief. And this is when they cannot be defamed by them: give the enemy no occasion to revile us (1 Tim 5:14).
82. Et huius ratio ponitur, ibi inter quos, et cetera. Quia qualitercumque mundus varietur, luminaria caeli clara manent. Matth. c. V, 14: vos estis lux mundi, et cetera. Lucens non quantum ad essentiam, quia sic tantum Deus lux est. Io. I, 4: et vita erat lux hominum, et cetera. At vero sancti non sic. Io. I, 8: non erat ille lux, et cetera. Sed sunt lux, inquantum habent aliquid lucis illius qui erat lux hominum, scilicet Verbi Dei irradiantis nobis. Et ideo dicit verbum vitae continentes, scilicet verbum Christi. Io. VI, 69: Domine, ad quem ibimus? Verba vitae aeternae habes. Ps. CXVIII, 105: lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum, et cetera.
82. He gives the reason for this when be says, among whom you shine as lights in the world, because no matter how the world changes, the lights of the world remain bright: you are the light of the world (Matt 5:14). They are luminous, not in essence, because God alone is light in this way: the life was the light of man (John 1:4). The same is true of the saints: he was not the light (John 1:8). But they are light inasmuch as they have some of that light which was the light of men, i.e., of the Word of God radiating on us. Therefore he says, holding forth the word of life, i.e., the word of Christ: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:69); your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Ps 119:105).
83. Deinde ponit rationem ex parte Apostoli, ibi ad gloriam meam.
83. Then he gives a reason on the part of the Apostle, at to my glory.