Lectio 2
Lecture 2
Sufficentia per Christum
Contentment through Christ
4:10 Gavisus sum autem in Domino vehementer, quoniam tandem aliquando refloruistis pro me sentire, sicut et sentiebatis: occupati autem eratis. [n. 165]
4:10 Now I rejoice in the Lord exceedingly that now at length your thought for me has flourished again, as you also once thought; but you were busy. [n. 165]
4:11 Non quasi propter penuriam dico: ego enim didici, in quibus sum, sufficiens esse. [n. 169]
4:11 I do not speak on account of my want. For I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. [n. 169]
4:12 Scio et humiliari, scio et abundare (ubique et in omnibus institutus sum): et satiari, et esurire, et abundare, et penuriam pati.
4:12 I know both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound (everywhere and in all things I am instructed): both to be full and to be hungry: both to abound and to suffer need.
4:13 Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat. [n. 174]
4:13 I can do all things in him who strengthens me. [n. 174]
4:14 Verumtamen bene fecistis, communicantes tribulationi meae. [n. 175]
4:14 Nevertheless, you have done well in communicating to my tribulation. [n. 175]
4:15 Scitis autem et vos Philippenses, quod in principio Evangelii, quando profectus sum a Macedonia, nulla mihi ecclesia communicavit in ratione dati et accepti, nisi vos soli: [n. 176]
4:15 And you also know, O Philippians, that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, except you alone. [n. 176]
4:16 quia et Thessalonicam semel et bis in usum mihi misistis. [n. 177]
4:16 For unto Thessalonica also you sent once and again for my use. [n. 177]
4:17 Non quia quaero datum, sed requiro fructum abundantem in ratione vestra.
4:17 Not that I seek the gift: but I seek the fruit that may abound to your reason.
4:18 Habeo autem omnia, et abundo: repletus sum, acceptis ab Epaphrodito quae misistis odorem suavitatis, hostiam acceptam, placentem Deo. [n. 179]
4:18 But I have all and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things you sent, an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. [n. 179]
4:19 Deus autem meus impleat omne desiderium vestrum secundum divitias suas in gloria in Christo Jesu. [n. 180]
4:19 And may my God supply all your want, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. [n. 180]
4:20 Deo autem et Patri nostro gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
4:20 Now to God and our Father be glory, world without end. Amen.
4:21 Salutate omnem sanctum in Christo Jesu.
4:21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.
4:22 Salutant vos, qui mecum sunt, fratres. Salutant vos omnes sancti, maxime autem qui de Caesaris domo sunt.
4:22 The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you: especially they that are of Caesar’s household.
4:23 Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum spiritu vestro. Amen.
4:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
165. Superius ostendit Apostolus qualiter fideles se debeant habere in futurum, hic commendat eos de praeterito sibi impenso beneficio. Et
165. Above, the Apostle showed how the faithful should conduct themselves in regard to the future; here he commends them for past benefits conferred by them.
primo ponit commendationem;
First, he gives the commendation;
secundo terminat epistolam in oratione et salutatione, ibi Deus autem, et cetera.
second, he ends the epistle with a prayer and a greeting, at and may my God supply.
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things.
Primo commendat eos de beneficio impenso;
First, he commends them for past favors;
secundo beneficium diffusius exponit, ibi non quasi, et cetera.
second, he explains the favor more fully, at I do not speak.
Item prima pars dividitur in tres particulas, quia
The first is divided into three parts:
primo ponit gaudium conceptum ex eorum beneficio;
first, he expresses the joy he experienced from their favor;
secundo commendat eorum beneficium, ibi quoniam tandem, etc.;
second, he commends their favor, at that now at length;
tertio excusat tarditatem, ibi occupati, et cetera.
third, he excuses their slowness, at but you were busy.
166. Dicit ergo: moneo ut gaudeatis, sed ego gavisus sum propter ea quae fecistis, non in rebus, sed in Domino. Hab. III, 18: ego autem in Domino gaudebo, et cetera. Gavisus sum, inquam, vehementer, quia propter filios meos.
166. He says, therefore: I urged you to rejoice; but now I rejoice, because of what you have done and for the things themselves, but I do so in the Lord: I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Hab 3:18). I rejoice, I say, exceedingly, because of my children.
167. Deinde ponitur materia gaudii, ibi quoniam tandem, et cetera. Bona opera sunt opera misericordiae, et dicuntur flores, quia sicut ex flore fructus provenit, ita ex eis fruitio vitae beatae percipitur. Eccli. XXIV, 23: flores mei fructus honoris et honestatis. Quando ergo opus bonum intermittitur, et postea resumitur, dicitur reflorere. Isti autem aliquando providerant Apostolo, et iterum nunc providerunt; ideo dicit eos refloruisse. Et hoc exponit, cum subdit pro me sentire, id est mihi compati. Supra I, 7: sicut est mihi iustum hoc sentire pro omnibus vobis, et cetera. I Mach. X, 20: quae nostra sunt sentias nobiscum, ut conserves amicitias ad nos, et cetera. Sicut et olim sentiebatis, scilicet quando mihi providistis. Et hoc tandem aliquando, quia licet tarde, tamen aliquando fecistis. Rom. I, 10: si quomodo tandem aliquando prosperum iter habeam, et cetera.
167. Then he states the reason for his joy when he says, that now at length your thought for me has flourished again. Good works are acts of mercy and they are called flowers, because just as the fruit is produced after the flower, so from acts of mercy the fruit of eternal life is received: my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit (Sir 24:17). Therefore, when a good work is interrupted and then resumed, it is said to flower again. But they once provided for the Apostle, and now they provided again; therefore he says that they have flourished again. He explains this when he says that it was your thoughts for me that flourished, i.e., you sympathized with me: as it is right for me to think this for you all (Phil 1:7); you are to be called the king’s friend and you are to take our side and keep friendship with us (1 Macc 10:20). As you also once thought, of old, namely, when you provided for me. And you have done this now at length, i.e., although it is late, you have done something. Always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you (Rom 1:10).
168. Deinde cum dicit occupati, etc., excusat tarditatem; quasi dicat: non imputo negligentiae vel culpae, sed necessitati, quia eratis occupati propter tribulationes quas passi estis. Eccli. XL, 1: occupatio magna creata est omnibus hominibus, et cetera.
168. Then when he says, but you were busy, he excuses their slowness. As if to say: I do not lay it to negligence but to necessity, because you were busy with the tribulations you suffered: much labor was created for every man (Sir 40:1).
169. Deinde cum dicit non quasi propter, etc., beneficium exponit, et
169. Then when he says, I do not speak on account of my want, he begins to comment on the favor they did.
primo causam gaudii;
First, why it is a reason for joy;
secundo beneficium quo floruerunt, ibi scitis autem et vos;
second, he mentions a past favor, at and you also know;
tertio commemorat beneficium praesens, ibi habeo autem omnia.
third, he commends it, at but I have all and abound.
Item primo excludit causam gaudii aestimatam;
In regard to the first he does three things: first, he excludes a supposed reason for joy;
secundo declarat propriam mentis constantiam, ibi ego enim didici, etc.;
second, he mentions his own constancy of mind, at for I have learned;
tertio approbat beneficentiam, ibi verumtamen bene fecistis.
third, he approves their kindness, at nevertheless, you have done well.