Caput 1 Chapter 1 Salutatio, Introductio Themae Salutation, Introduction Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Paulus apostolus Paul the apostle ^1:1 Paulus, servus Jesu Christi, vocatus apostolus, segregatus in Evangelium Dei, [n. 15] ^1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God. [n. 15] 15. Haec epistola in duas partes dividitur scilicet: in salutationem et epistolarem tractatum, qui incipit ibi primum quidem, etc. 15. This letter is divided into two parts, namely, the greeting and the body of the letter, which begins at first, I give thanks (Rom 1:8). Circa primum tria facit. In the first part three things are done. Primo describitur persona salutans; First, the person sending the greeting is described; secundo personae salutatae, ibi omnibus qui sunt Romae; second, the persons greeted, at to all who are at Rome (Rom 1:7); tertio salus optata, ibi gratia vobis, etc. third, the blessings invoked, at grace to you (Rom 1:7). Circa primum duo facit. Primo describitur persona auctoris; secundo commendatur eius officium, ibi quod ante promiserat, etc. Concerning the first, he does two things. First, the person of the author is described; second, his office is commended, at which he had promised before (Rom 1:2). 16. Persona autem scribens describitur a quatuor. 16. The person writing is described by four things. Primo quidem ex nomine, cum dicit Paulus. Circa quod tria consideranda sunt. First, by his name, Paul, concerning which one should consider three things. Primo proprietas eius. Hoc enim nomen, secundum quod his litteris describitur, non potest Hebraicum esse quia apud Hebraeos non invenitur hoc elementum P, sed potest esse Graecum vel Latinum. Si tamen aliquod elementum ei propinquum sumatur id quo est P potest esse Hebraeum. First, its accuracy; for this name, as it is spelled here, cannot be Hebrew because Hebrew does not have the letter P in its alphabet; but it can be Greek and Latin. Still, if it be taken as some letter close to P, it can be Hebrew. 17. Secundo, consideranda est eius significatio. Secundum enim quod potest Hebraeum esse idem est quod mirabilis vel electus; secundum autem quod est Graecum idem est quod quietus; secundum vero quod est Latinum idem est quod modicus. 17. Second, one should consider its meaning. Considered as Hebrew, it means ‘wonderful’ or ‘chosen’; taken as Greek, it means ‘quiet’; taken as Latin, it means ‘small.’ Et haec quidem ei conveniunt. Electus quidem fuit quantum ad gratiam, unde Act. IX, 15: vas electionis est mihi iste. Mirabilis fuit in opere, Eccli. XLIII, 2: vas admirabile opus Excelsi. Quietus in contemplatione, Sap. VIII, 16: intrans in domum meam conquiescam cum illa. Modicus per humilitatem, I Cor. XV, 9: ego autem sum minimus apostolorum. And these meanings suit him. For he was chosen as regards grace; hence he is a chosen vessel of mine (Acts 9:15). He was wonderful in his work: a marvelous vessel, the work of the Most High (Sir 43:2). He was quiet in contemplation: when I enter my house, I shall find rest with her (Wis 8:16). He was small by humility: I am the least of the apostles (1 Cor 15:9). 18. Tertio, considerandum est quando sit hoc nomen Apostolo impositum cum tamen ante Saulus vocaretur, ut habetur Act. IX. 18. Third, one should consider when that name was conferred on the Apostle, since he had formerly been called Saul, as is found in Acts 9. Circa hoc triplex est opinio. There are three opinions about this. Hieronymus dicit quod cum prius vocaretur Saulus postmodum voluit vocari Paulus, propter quoddam insigne suum quod fecit, scilicet quia convertit Sergium Paulum proconsulem, ut habetur Act. XIII, 7, sicut Scipio dictus est Africanus quia devicit Africam. Jerome says that whereas he had formerly been called Saul, later he wished to be called Paul on account of something notable he had done, namely that he converted Sergius Paulus, a proconsul (Acts 13:7), just as Scipio was called Africanus because he had conquered Africa. Alii vero dicunt quod hoc nomen impositum est sibi propter profectum virtutum qui ex hoc nomine signatur, ut dictum est. Imponuntur enim divinitus quibusdam nomina a principio nativitatis ad designandum gratiam quam a principio consequuntur, sicut patet de Ioanne Baptista, Lc. I, 13; quibusdam vero mutantur nomina ad designandum profectum virtutis eorum, ut Chrysostomus dicit, sicut patet de Abraham et de Petro. Others say that this name was conferred on account of the growth in virtue, which is signified by this name, as was said. For names are conferred by God on certain men at the very beginning of their lives to indicate the grace they receive at the beginning, as in the case of John the Baptist (Luke 1:13). In other cases the names of persons are changed to indicate their growth in virtue, as Chrysostom says. This is clear in the cases of Abraham (Gen 17) and Peter (Matt 16). Alii vero dicunt, et melius, quod Paulus fuit a principio binomius. Consuetum enim erat apud Iudaeos ut simul cum nominibus Hebraicis assumerent sibi nomina illarum gentium quibus serviebant, sicut Graecis servientes nominabantur nominibus Graecorum, ut patet de Iasone et Menelao. But others have a better explanation, namely, that Paul always went by two names. For it was customary among the Jews, along with their Hebrew name, to take a name from among the people they served; thus, those who served the Greeks took Greek names, as is clear in the cases of Jason and Menelaus (2 Macc 4). 19. Hoc autem nomen Paulus ab antiquo celebre fuit apud Romanos, et ideo, cum diceretur Saulus secundum Hebraeos, vocatus est etiam Paulus secundum Romanos, quo nomine non videtur usus nisi postquam coepit gentibus praedicare. Unde, Act. XIII, 9, dicitur: Saulus qui et Paulus. Et hoc magis approbat Augustinus. 19. Now the name Paul was held in esteem among the Romans from the earliest times; accordingly, he was called Saul among the Hebrews and Paul among the Romans, although he does not seem to have used the latter until he began to preach to the gentiles. Hence, it is said: but Saul, who is also called Paul (Acts 13:9). This third opinion is the one Augustine favors. 20. Secundo describitur persona scribentis ex conditione, cum dicit servus Christi. 20. Second, the writer’s person is described by his station, when he says, a servant of Christ. Videtur autem esse abiecta conditio servitutis si absolute consideretur. Unde et sub maledicto pro peccato infligitur, Gen. IX, 25: maledictus Chanaan puer, servus servorum erit fratrum suorum. Sed redditur commendabilis ex eo quod additur Iesu Christi. Now the state of servitude seems a lowly one, if it be considered absolutely; this is why it is imposed with a curse as a punishment for sin: cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers (Gen 9:25). But it is made commendable by reason of what is added, namely, of Jesus Christ. Iesus enim interpretatur salvator, Matth. I, 21: ipse salvum faciet etc. Christus interpretatur unctus, secundum illud Ps. XLIV, 8: unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, etc., per quod designatur dignitas Christi et quantum ad sanctitatem, quia sacerdotes ungebantur ut patet Ex. XXIX, 7; et quantum ad potestatem, quia etiam reges ungebantur ut patet de David et de Salomone; et quantum ad cognitionem, quia etiam prophetae ungebantur ut patet de Eliseo. For Jesus means savior: he will save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21); Christ means anointed: therefore God, your God, has anointed you (Ps 45:7). This indicates Christ’s dignity both in regard to his holiness, since priests were anointed, as is clear from Exodus 29; and in regard to his power, since kings, too, were anointed, as is clear in the cases of David and Solomon; and in regard to his knowledge, since prophets were also anointed, as in the case of Elisha. Quod autem aliquid subiiciatur suae saluti et spirituali unctioni gratiae, laudabile est, quia tanto aliquid est perfectius quanto magis suae perfectioni subiicitur, sicut corpus animae et aer luci, Ps. CXV, 16: O Domine, quia ego servus tuus sum. Furthermore, it is praiseworthy for a person to be subjected to his own well-being and to the spiritual anointing of grace, because a thing is perfect to the extent that it is subjected to its perfection, as the body to the soul and air to light: O Lord, I am your servant (Ps 116:16). 21. Sed contra est quod dicitur Io. XV, 15: iam non dicam vos servos sed amicos. 21. This seems to conflict with John: no longer do I call you servants, but friends (John 15:15). Sed dicendum quod duplex est servitus. Una timoris, quae non competit sanctis, Rom. VIII, 15: non accepistis spiritum servitutis iterum in timore, etc., alia humilitatis et amoris, quae sanctis convenit secundum illud Lc. XVII, 10: dicite: servi inutiles sumus. But one should say that there are two kinds of servitude: one is the servitude of fear, which does not befit saints: you have not received the spirit of slavery again in fear: but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons (Rom 8:15); the other is that of humility and love, which does befit saints: say: we are unworthy servants (Luke 17:10). Cum enim liber est qui est causa sui, servus autem qui est causa alterius, sicut ab alio movente motus: si quis sic agat causa alterius, sicut ab alio motus, sic est servitus timoris, quae cogit hominem operari contra suam voluntatem; si vero aliquis agat causa alterius, sicut propter finem, sic est servitus amoris, quia amicorum est bene facere et obsequi amico propter ipsum, ut Philosophus dicit in IX Ethic. For while a free man is one who exists for his own sake, a servant is one who exists for the sake of another, as moving by reason of another’s moving him; if then a person acts for the sake of another as though moved by him, the service is one of fear, which forces a man to act in opposition to his own will. But if he acts for the sake of another as an end, then it is the servitude of love; because a friend serves and does good to his friend for the friend’s own sake, as the Philosopher says in the ninth book of the Ethics. 22. Tertio commendatur a dignitate cum dicitur vocatus apostolus. 22. Third, the person writing is described by his dignity when it says, called to be an apostle. Dignitas apostolatus est praecipua in Ecclesia, secundum illud I Cor. XII, 28: quosdam quidem posuit Deus in Ecclesia primum apostolos. Apostolus enim idem est quod missus, secundum illud Io. XX, 21: sicut misit me Pater et ego mitto vos, scilicet ex eadem dilectione et cum eadem auctoritate. The apostolic dignity is the foremost in the Church, in accord with 1 Corinthians: God has appointed in the Church, first, apostles (1 Cor 12:28). For apostle means ‘sent’: as the Father has sent me, even so I send you (John 20:21), i.e., out of the same love and with the same authority. Dicit autem vocatus apostolus ad designandum gratiam, id est vocatus ad hoc quod sit apostolus; Hebr. V, 4: nemo assumit sibi honorem, etc.; vel ad designandum excellentiam, ut sicut urbs antonomastice vocatur ipsa Roma, ita apostolus vocatur Paulus, secundum illud I Cor. XV, 10: abundantius illis omnibus laboravi; vel ad designandum humilitatem, ut sit sensus: non audeo me dicere apostolum sed homines me ita vocant. Sic, I Cor. XV, 9, non sum dignus vocari apostolus. Moreover, he says, called to be an apostle, to indicate a gift: one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God as Aaron was (Heb 5:4); or to emphasize excellence, so that just as Rome is antonomastically called ‘the city,’ so Paul is called the apostle: I worked harder than any of them (1 Cor 15:10); or to show his humility, as though to say: I do not dare to call myself an apostle, but men call me that: I am unfit to be called an apostle (1 Cor 15:9). 23. Quarto describitur persona scribentis ex officio cum dicit segregatus in Evangelium Dei. 23. Fourth, the person writing is described by his office when it says, separated unto the Gospel of God. Segregatus, inquam, vel per conversionem ab infidelibus, secundum illud Gal. I, 15: cum autem placuit ei qui me segregavit ex utero matris meae, scilicet synagogae; vel segregatus per electionem ab aliis discipulis, secundum illud Act. XIII, 2: segregate mihi Saulum, etc. Separated, I say, from unbelievers by his conversion: but when he who had set me apart from the womb of my mother, i.e., of the synagogue (Gal 1:15); or separated from other disciples by his being chosen: set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them (Acts 13:2). Evangelium autem idem est quod bona annuntiatio. Annuntiatur enim in ipso coniunctio hominis ad Deum, quae est bonum hominis, secundum illud Ps. LXXII, 28: mihi autem Deo adhaerere bonum est. Gospel means good news. For it announces the news of man’s union with God, which is man’s good: it is good for me to cleave to God (Ps 73:28). 24. Triplex autem coniunctio hominis ad Deum annuntiatur in Evangelio. 24. Indeed, a threefold union of man with God is announced in the Gospel.