Caput 10
Chapter 10
Fides et Confessio ad Salvationem
Faith and Confession for Salvation
Lectio 1
Lecture 1
Christus finis legis est
Christ is the end of the law
10:1 Fratres, voluntas quidem cordis mei, et obsecratio ad Deum, fit pro illis in salutem. [n. 813]
10:1 Brethren, the will of my heart, indeed and my prayer to God is for them unto salvation. [n. 813]
10:2 Testimonium enim perhibeo illis quod aemulationem Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam. [n. 815]
10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [n. 815]
10:3 Ignorantes enim justitiam Dei, et suam quaerentes statuere, justitiae Dei non sunt subjecti. [n. 817]
10:3 For they, being ignorant of the justice of God and seeking to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the justice of God. [n. 817]
10:4 Finis enim legis, Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti. [n. 819]
10:4 For the end of the law is Christ: unto justice to everyone who believes. [n. 819]
10:5 Moyses enim scripsit, quoniam justitiam, quae ex lege est, qui fecerit homo, vivet in ea. [n. 820]
10:5 For Moses wrote that the man who practices the justice which is based on the law shall live by it. [n. 820]
10:6 Quae autem ex fide est justitia, sic dicit: ne dixeris in corde tuo: Quis ascendet in caelum? id est, Christum deducere: [n. 823]
10:6 But the justice which is of faith, speaks thus: do not say in your heart: who will ascend into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down; [n. 823]
10:7 aut, quis descendet in abyssum? hoc est, Christum a mortuis revocare.
10:7 Or who will descend into the abyss? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.
10:8 Sed quid dicit Scriptura? Prope est verbum in ore tuo, et in corde tuo: [n. 826] hoc est verbum fidei, quod praedicamus. [n. 829]
10:8 But what says the Scripture? The word is near you; even on your mouth and in your heart. [n. 826] This is the word of faith, which we preach. [n. 829]
10:9 Quia si confitearis in ore tuo Dominum Jesum, et in corde tuo credideris quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus eris.
10:9 For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him up from the dead, you shall be saved.
813. Postquam Apostolus ostendit quomodo per electionem gratiae Dei gentiles sunt ad fidem vocati et etiam aliqui ex Iudaeis de maiori parte populi Iudaici offendentibus et scandalizatis, hic agit specialiter de casu Iudaeorum.
813. After showing how the gentiles have been called to faith by the election of God’s grace and also some of the Jews, i.e., a minority who did not stumble and fall, the Apostle now discusses in more detail the fall of the Jews.
Et circa hoc tria facit.
In regard to this he does three things.
Primo manifestat causam casus eorum quem supra tetigerat; ex qua ostenditur casus eorum esse miserandus;
First, he explains the cause of their fall, over which he laments; from which he shows the cause of their fall to be miserable;
secundo, ostendit casum eorum non esse universalem, ibi cap. XI dico ergo: numquid, etc.;
second, he shows that their fall is not universal, at I say then (Rom 11:1);
tertio ostendit casum eorum non esse inutilem neque irreparabilem, ibi dico ergo: numquid, et cetera.
third, that it is neither unprofitable nor irreparable, at I say then (Rom 11:1).
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things:
Primo ostendit casum eorum esse miserandum ex sua causa;
first, he shows that their fall is lamentable, considering its cause;
secundo ostendit quod non est totaliter excusabilis, ibi sed dico: numquid non audierunt, et cetera.
second, that it is not wholly inexcusable, at but I say: have they not heard? (Rom 10:18).
Circa primum duo facit.
In regard to the first he does two things:
Primo ostendit se ad Iudaeos habere miserationis affectum;
first, he shows that he feels pity for the Jews;
secundo ostendit causam miserationis, ibi testimonium enim illis, perhibeo, et cetera.
second, the cause of his pity, at for I bear them witness.
814. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod Iudaei in legem iustitiae non pervenerunt propter hoc quod offenderunt in lapidem offensionis, nec tamen contra eos indignor sed eorum misereor. Et ideo dico vobis, O fratres, qui conversi estis tam ex gentibus quam ex Iudaeis. Matth. XXIII, 8: omnes vos fratres estis, voluntas quidem cordis mei, id est ex intimo cordis affectu procedens est ad salutem eorum, ut scilicet ipsi salventur sicut et ego salvatus sum. I Cor. VII, 7: volo omnes homines esse sicut meipsum. Act. XXVI, 29: opto apud Deum omnes qui audiunt tales fieri, qualis et ego sum. Et in hoc Deo conformabatur, qui, ut dicitur I Tim. II, 4, vult omnes homines salvos fieri.
814. First, therefore, he says: I have said that the Jews have not attained the law of justice, because they stumbled over the stumbling block. But I am not indignant against them; rather, I feel compassion. And, therefore, I say to you, brethren, whether you be converts from the gentiles or from the Jews: you are all brethren (Matt 23:8), the will of my heart is for their salvation, namely, that they be saved, as I have been saved: I wish that all were as I myself am (1 Cor 7:7); would to God that all who hear me this day might become such as I am (Acts 26:29). In this he was conformed to God, who desires all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4).
Nec sola voluntas est in salutem eorum, sed etiam voluntatis effectus; unde subdit et obsecratio, scilicet mea, fit ad Deum pro illis in salutem. I Reg. XII, 23: absit a me hoc peccatum in Domino, ut cessem orare pro vobis. Iac. ult.: orate pro invicem ut salvemini.
Not only his will but his prayer is directed to their salvation, but even the affection of his will, hence, he adds: and my prayer to God is for them unto salvation: far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you (1 Sam 12:23); pray for one another that you may be saved (Jas 5:16).
Et ex hoc patet, quod orandum est pro infidelibus ut salventur, quia et ipsa fides est donum Dei. Eph. II, 8: gratia salvati estis per fidem, et non ex vobis, Dei enim donum est.
This makes it clear that we should pray for unbelievers that they may be saved, because faith is a gift from God: by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8).
815. Deinde, cum dicit testimonium, etc., assignat causam suae miserationis, quia scilicet non ex certa malitia, sed ex ignorantia peccabant.
815. Then when he says, for I bear them witness, he discloses the cause of his compassion, namely, because they sinned from ignorance, not from set malice.
Et circa hoc tria facit.
In regard to this he does three things.
Primo enim proponit eorum ignorantiam;
First, he cites their ignorance;
secundo ostendit quid ignorabant, ibi ignorantes enim Dei, etc.;
second, he shows the area of their ignorance, at for they, being ignorant of the justice;
tertio ostendit veritatem eorum quae ignorabant, ibi Moyses enim dicit, et cetera.
third, he proves the truth of those matters about which they were ignorant, at for Moses wrote.
816. Dicit ergo primo: ideo salutem eorum volo, et propter hoc oro, misertus eorum, quia testimonium perhibeo de illis quod aemulationem quidem Dei habent, scilicet quia zelo Dei Christum et eius membra persequuntur. Io. XVI, 2: veniet hora, in qua omnis qui interficit vos, arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo. Et huius rei testis esse poterat, quia et ipse aliquando fuerat in simili causa. Phil. III, 6: secundum aemulationem persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei. Sed non secundum scientiam, quia scilicet eorum zelus per rectam scientiam non ordinatur dum ignorant veritatem. Is. V, 13: propterea captivus ductus est populus meus, quia non habuit scientiam. I Cor. XIV, 38: si quis autem ignorat, ignorabitur.
816. First, therefore, he says: I desire and pray for their salvation and I grieve for them, because I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, i.e., out of zeal for God they persecute Christ and his members: the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God (John 16:2). He is a good witness to this, because he himself had once been in a similar state of mind: as to zeal a persecutor of the Church (Phil 3:6), but not according to knowledge, namely, because their zeal was not guided by correct knowledge as long as they were ignorant of the truth: therefore, my people go into exile for want of knowledge (Isa 5:13); if anyone does not recognize this, he will not be recognized (1 Cor 14:38).
817. Deinde, cum dicit ignorantes enim, etc., ostendit cuius rei scientiam non haberent.
817. Then when he says, for they, being ignorant, he shows wherein they were ignorant.
Et primo proponit quod intendit;
First, he makes his statement;
secundo manifestat propositum, ibi finis enim legis Christus, et cetera.
second, he explains it, at for the end of the law is Christ.