916. Et est notandum quod hoc adverbium donec potest designare causam excaecationis Iudaeorum. Propter hoc enim permisit Deus eos excaecari, ut plenitudo gentium intraret, sicut patet ex supradictis. 916. It should be noted that the word until can signify the cause of the blindness of the Jews. For God permitted them to be blinded, in order that the full number of the gentiles come in. Potest etiam designare terminum, quia videlicet usque tunc caecitas Iudaeorum durabit, quousque plenitudo gentium ad fidem intrabit. Et huic concordat quod infra subdit de futuro remedio Iudaeorum, cum dicit et tunc, scilicet cum plenitudo gentium intraverit, omnis Israel salvus fiet, non particulariter sicut modo, sed universaliter omnes. Os. I, 7: salvabo eos in Domino Deo suo. Mich. ult.: revertetur et miserebitur nostri. It can also designate the termination, i.e., that the blindness of the Jews will last up to the time when the full number of the gentiles will come to the faith. With this agrees his next statement, namely, and then, i.e., when the full number of the gentiles has come in, all Israel should be saved, not some, as now, but universally all: I will save them by the Lord their God (Hos 1:7); he will again have compassion upon us (Mic 7:19). 917. Deinde cum dicit sicut scriptum est, etc., probat quod dixerat de futura salute Iudaeorum. 917. Then when he says, as it is written, he proves what he had said about the future salvation of the Jews: Et primo probat hoc per auctoritatem; first, he proves this with an authority; secundo per rationem, ibi secundum Evangelium meum, et cetera. second, with a reason, at as concerning the Gospel. 918. Dicit ergo primo: dico quod omnis Israel salvus fiet, sicut scriptum est Is. LVI, 20 ubi nostra littera sic habet: veniet ex Sion redemptor, et eis qui redeunt ad Iacob, hoc foedus meum cum eis, dicit Dominus. Sed Apostolus hoc inducit secundum litteram LXX et tangit tria verba hic posita. 918. First, therefore, he says: I say that all Israel should be saved, as it is written, where our text says: a redeemer will come from Zion and this will be my covenant with them that return to Jacob says the Lord (Isa 59:20). But the Apostle uses the Septuagint and touches on three things. Primo salvatoris adventum, cum dicit veniet, Deus scilicet humanatus ad salvandum nos, ex Sion, id est ex populo Iudaeorum, qui significatur per Sion, quae erat arx Ierusalem, quae est metropolis Iudaeae. Unde dicitur Zachariae IX, 9: exulta satis, filia Sion, iubila, filia Ierusalem, ecce rex tuus venit tibi, et cetera. Io. IV, 22: salus ex Iudaeis est. First, the coming of a Savior, when he says: there shall come he that shall deliver, namely, God in human flesh to save us, out of Zion, i.e., from the Jewish people who are signified by Zion, the citadel of Jerusalem, a city in Judea. Hence it says in Zechariah: rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, our king comes to you (Zech 9:9), and in John: salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). Vel dicit, ex Sion eum venire, non quia sit ibi natus sed quia inde doctrina eius exivit in universum mundum, per hoc quod apostoli in coenaculo Sion Spiritum Sanctum receperunt. Is. II, 3: de Sion exibit lex. Or he says that he comes from Zion, not because he was born there, but because his doctrine went from there into the whole world, inasmuch as the apostles received the Holy Spirit in the cenacle in Zion: out of Zion shall go forth the law (Isa 2:3). 919. Secundo ponit salutem per Christum Iudaeis oblatam, dicens qui eripiat, et avertat impietatem a Iacob. Et potest ereptio referri ad liberationem a poena. Ps. CXIV, 8: eripiet animam meam de morte. Quod vero dicit avertet impietatem a Iacob, potest referri ad liberationem a culpa. Ps. XIII, 7: avertet Dominus captivitatem plebi suae. 919. Second, he touches on salvation by Christ offered to the Jews, saying: he who shall deliver and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This could refer to deliverance from punishment: he will snatch my soul from death (Ps 115:8). He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob could refer to deliverance from guilt: O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion (Ps 53:6). Vel utrumque refertur ad liberationem a culpa sed dicit qui eripiat, propter paucos, qui nunc difficulter quasi cum quadam violentia convertuntur. Amos III 12: quomodo si eruat pastor de ore leonis duo crura, aut extremum auriculae, sic eruentur filii Israel. Dicit autem avertet impietatem a Iacob, ad ostendendum facilitatem conversionis Iudaeorum in fine mundi. Mich. ult.: quis Deus similis tui, qui aufers iniquitatem, et transfers peccatum reliquiarum haereditatis tuae? Or both could refer to liberation from guilt, but he says he who shall deliver, because of the few, who now are converted with great difficulty and with, so to speak, a certain violence: as if a shepherd should get out of the lion’s mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear, so shall the children of Israel be taken out (Amos 3:12). But he says he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob to show the ease with which the Jews will be converted at the end of the world: who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? (Mic 7:18). 920. Tertio ostendit modum salutis, cum dicit et hoc testamentum, scilicet novum, erit illis a me cum abstulero peccata eorum. Vetus enim testamentum peccata non auferebat, quia, ut dicitur Hebr. X, 4: impossibile est sanguine taurorum et hircorum auferri peccata. Et ideo propter imperfectionem Veteris Testamenti promittitur eis Novum Testamentum. Ier. XXXI, 31: feriam domui Israel, et domui Iuda foedus novum. Quod quidem habebit efficaciam ad remissionem peccati per sanguinem Christi. Matth. c. XXVI, 28: hic sanguis meus Novi Testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Mich. ult.: deponet iniquitates nostras, et proiiciet in profundum maris omnia peccata nostra. 920. Third, he shows the manner of salvation when he says: and this is to them my covenant, a new one from me, when I shall take away their sins. For the old covenant did not remove sins, because it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Heb 10:4). Therefore, because the Old Testament was imperfect, a New Testament is promised to them: I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jer 31:31) and it will have the power to remit sin through the blood of Christ: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28); he will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mic 7:19). 921. Deinde, cum dicit secundum Evangelium meum, etc., probat propositum per rationem. 921. Then when he says, as concerning the Gospel, he proves his statement with a reason: Et primo inducit probationem; first, he presents the proof; secundo removet obiectionem, ibi sine poenitentia enim. second, he removes an objection, at for the gifts and the calling. 922. Dicit ergo primo quod eorum peccata auferentur et quod postquam peccata habent, manifestum est quod sunt inimici Christi. Secundum Evangelium quidem inimici, id est quantum ad doctrinam Evangelii pertinet, quam impugnant, propter vos, id est ad utilitatem vestri cedit, ut supra dictum est. Unde dicitur Lc. XIX, 27: verumtamen inimicos meos illos qui noluerunt me regnare super se, adducite huc, et interficite ante me. Io. XV, 24: nunc autem et viderunt, et oderunt me, et Patrem meum. 922. First, therefore, he says that their sins will be taken away and that after they have sins, they are enemies of Christ. As concerning the Gospel, indeed, which they resist, they are enemies for your sake, i.e., it has turned out to your benefit. Hence, it says in Luke: as for those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me (Luke 19:27); and in John: but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father (John 15:24). Vel secundum Evangelium dicit, quod eorum inimicitia ad utilitatem Evangelii pertinet, cuius praedicatio, occasione talis inimicitiae, ubique diffunditur. Col. I, 5 s.: in verbo veritatis Evangelii, quod pervenit ad vos, sicut et in universo mundo est, fructificat et crescit. Or as concerning the Gospel means their enmity has helped the Gospel, which has been spread everywhere by reason of such enmity: in the word of truth of the Gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing (Col 1:5). 923. Sed sunt charissimi Deo propter patres, et hoc secundum electionem, quia scilicet ob gratiam patrum eorum semen elegit. Deut. IV, 37: dilexit patres tuos, et elegit semen eorum post eos. 923. But they are most dear to God for the sake of the forefathers, and this as touching the election, because he chose their descendants on account of their forefathers’ grace: the Lord loved your fathers and chose their descendants after them (Deut 10:15). Quod non est sic intelligendum quasi merita praestita patribus fuerint causa aeternae electionis filiorum sed quia Deus ab aeterno elegit gratis et patres et filios, hoc tamen ordine ut filii propter patres consequerentur salutem, non quasi merita patrum sufficerent ad filiorum salutem, sed per quamdam abundantiam divinae gratiae et misericordiae hoc dicit, quae intantum patribus est exhibita, ut propter promissiones eis factas, etiam filii salvarentur. This does not mean that the merits established by the fathers were the cause of the eternal election of the descendants, but that God from all eternity chose the fathers and the sons in such a way that the children would obtain salvation on account of the fathers; not as though the merits of the fathers were sufficient for the salvation of the sons, but through an outpouring of divine grace and mercy, the sons would be saved on account of the promises made to the fathers. Vel intelligendum est secundum electionem, id est quantum ad electos ex illo populo, sicut supra dictum est, electio consecuta est. Si autem sunt Domino charissimi, rationabile est quod a Deo salventur, secundum illud Is. LXIV, 4: oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te quae praeparasti, et cetera. Or it can mean as touching the election, i.e., as regards those elected from that people, salvation was obtained. For if they are dear to God, it is reasonable that they be saved by God: the eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what things you have prepared for them that wait for you (Isa 64:4). 924. Deinde cum dicit sine poenitentia enim sunt, etc., excludit obviationem. 924. Then when he says, for the gifts and the calling, he excludes an objection. Posset enim aliquis obviando dicere quod Iudaei, et si olim fuerint charissimi propter patres, tamen inimicitia, quam contra Evangelium exercent, prohibet ne in futurum salventur. Sed hoc Apostolus falsum esse asserit, dicens sine poenitentia enim sunt, scilicet dona et vocatio Dei, quasi dicat: quod Deus aliquid aliquibus donet, vel aliquos vocet, hoc est sine poenitentia, quia de hoc Deum non poenitet, secundum illud I Reg. c. XV, 29: triumphator in Israel non parcet, nec poenitudine flectetur. Ps. CIX, 5: iuravit Dominus, et non poenitebit eum. For someone might claim that even though the Jews were formerly beloved on account of their forefathers, nevertheless the hostility they exert against the Gospel prevents them from being saved in the future. But the Apostle asserts that this is false, saying: for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. As if to say: that God gives something to certain ones or calls certain ones is without repentance, because God does not change his mind: the triumpher in Israel will not spare, and will not be moved to repentance (1 Sam 15:29); the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind (Ps 110:4). 925. Sed videtur falsum. Dicit enim Dominus Gen. VI, 6: poenitet me fecisse hominem. Et Ier. XVIII, 9 s.: loquar de gente et de regno, ut aedificem et plantem illud. Si fecerit malum in oculis meis, poenitentiam agam super bonum quod locutus sum ut facerem ei. 925. However, this seems false, for the Lord says: it repents me that I made man (Gen 6:7) and if that nation against which I have spoken shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them (Jer 18:8). Sed dicendum est quod sicut Dominus irasci dicitur, non propter hoc quod in eo sit commotio irae sed quia ad modum irati se habet quantum ad punitionis effectum, ita quandoque poenitere dicitur, non quasi in eo sit poenitentiae commutatio sed quia ad modum poenitentis se habet dum mutat quod fecerat. The answer is that just as God is said to grow angry, not because the emotion of anger is in him but because he is related to the effect of punishments after the manner of an angry man, so he is said to repent, not because the change involved in repentance is in him but because he changes what he had done after the manner of one who repents. 926. Sed adhuc videtur hoc quod dona et vocatio non sint sine poenitentia, quia dona divinitus concessa, frequenter amittuntur, secundum illud Matth. XXV, 28: tollite itaque ab eo talentum, et date ei qui habet decem talenta. Vocatio enim Dei etiam quandoque mutari videtur, cum scriptum sit Matth. XXII, 14: multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi. 926. Nevertheless, it does seem that God’s gifts are not without repentance, because they are frequently lost, as in Matthew: take the talent from him and give it to him that has ten talents (Matt 25:28). Furthermore, God’s call seems to be changed sometimes, since it is written: many are called but few are chosen (Matt 22:14). Sed dicendum est quod donum hic accipitur pro promissione, quae fit secundum Dei praescientiam vel praedestinationem. Vocatio autem hic accipitur pro electione, quia propter certitudinem utriusque, quod Deus promittit, iam quodammodo dat: et quos elegit, iam quodammodo vocat. Et tamen ipsum temporale Dei donum et temporalis vocatio, non irritatur per mutationem Dei quasi poenitentis sed per mutationem hominis, qui gratiam Dei abiicit, secundum illud Hebr. XII, v. 15: contemplantes ne quis desit gratiae Dei. But it should be noted that gift is taken here for a promise made according to God’s foreknowledge or predestination, and calling is taken for election. Because both are so certain, whatever God promises is as good as given and whomever he elects is somehow already called. Such temporal gifts and callings are not voided by a change in God, as though he repented of them, but by a change in man who casts them off: take heed lest anyone be wanting in the grace of God (Heb 12:15). 927. Potest etiam quod hic dicitur aliter intelligi, ut dicamus quod dona Dei quae dantur in baptismo et vocatio qua baptizatus vocatur ad gratiam, sunt sine poenitentia hominis baptizati, quod quidem hic inducitur, ne aliquis desperet de futura Iudaeorum salute, propter hoc quod non videntur de peccato suo poenitere. 927. This passage can also be taken to mean that God’s gifts which are bestowed in baptism, and the calling by which the baptized person is called, exist without the repentance of the baptized person. Furthermore, it was introduced to counteract any despair about the future salvation of the Jews, since they do not seem to repent of their sin. Sed contra hoc quod dicitur, est quod Petrus dicit Act. II, 38: poenitentiam agite, et baptizetur unusquisque vestrum. But against this interpretation are the words of Peter: repent and be baptized every one of you (Acts 2:38). Sed dicendum est quod duplex est poenitentia: interior et exterior. Interior quidem consistit in contritione cordis, qua quis dolet de peccatis praeteritis, et talis poenitentia requiritur a baptizato, quia, ut Augustinus dicit in libro de Poenitentia: nemo suae voluntatis arbiter constitutus, potest novam vitam inchoare, nisi poeniteat eum veteris vitae, alioquin fictus ad baptismum accedit. This can be answered by recalling that repentance is of two kinds: interior and exterior. Interior repentance consists in the heart’s contrition by which one is sorry for past sins. Such repentance is required of the baptized, because, as Augustine says: no one who is arbiter of his own will can begin the new life, unless he repents of the old life; otherwise, he would approach dissembling. Exterior vero poenitentia consistit in exteriori satisfactione quae a baptizato non requiritur, quia per gratiam baptismalem liberatur homo non solum a culpa sed etiam a tota poena per virtutem passionis Christi, qui pro peccatis omnium satisfecit, sicut supra VI, 3 dictum est: quicumque baptizati sumus in Christo Iesu, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus. Unde dicitur Tit. III, 5 s.: per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus Sancti, quem effudit in nos abunde. But exterior repentance consists in making satisfaction outwardly, and this is not required of the baptized person, because by baptismal grace man is freed not only of guilt but of all penalty, in virtue of the passion of Christ who satisfied for the sins of all: all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in his death (Rom 6:3); by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit which he poured out upon us richly (Titus 3:5). 928. Sed cum claves Ecclesiae et omnia alia sacramenta in virtute passionis Christi operentur, videtur quod pari ratione omnia alia sacramenta liberent hominem a culpa et a tota poena. 928. But since the keys of the Church and all the other sacraments work by the power of Christ’s passion, it seems that by the same reasoning all the other sacraments should liberate man from guilt and from all punishment. Sed dicendum est, quod passio Christi operatur in baptismo per modum cuiusdam generationis, quae requirit ut homo totaliter priori vitae moriatur, ad hoc ut novam vitam accipiat. Et ideo tollitur in baptismo totus reatus poenae, qui pertinet ad vetustatem prioris vitae. Sed in aliis sacramentis operatur virtus passionis Christi per modum sanationis ut in poenitentia. Sanatio autem non requirit, ut statim omnes infirmitatis reliquiae auferantur. Et eadem ratio est in aliis sacramentis. But the answer is that Christ’s passion works in baptism in the manner of a generation, which requires that a man die completely to his former life to receive a new life. And because the debt of punishment belongs to the oldness of the former life, it is taken away in baptism. But in the other sacraments Christ’s passion works in the manner of a cleansing, as in the sacrament of penance. But a cleansing does not require that right away every remnant of weakness be taken away. And the same argument applies to the other sacraments. 929. Sed cum confessio peccatorum pertineat ad exteriorem poenitentiam, quaeri potest utrum a baptizato confessio peccatorum requiratur: et videtur quod sic. Dicitur enim Matth. III, 6, quod baptizabantur homines a Ioanne, confitentes peccata sua. 929. But since the confession of sins is relevant for exterior repentance, one could ask whether confession of sins is required at baptism. And it seems that it is, because Matthew says that men were baptized by John, confessing their sins (Matt 3:6). Sed dicendum est quod baptismus Ioannis erat baptismus poenitentiae, quia scilicet accipiendo illum baptismum quodammodo se profitebantur poenitentiam accepturos de peccato suo et ideo conveniens erat ut confiterentur, ut secundum modum peccati eis poenitentia statueretur. Sed baptismus Christi est baptismus remissionis omnium peccatorum, ita quod non restat baptizato aliqua satisfactio pro peccatis praeteritis, propter quod nulla est confessionis vocalis necessitas. Ad hoc enim necessaria est confessio in sacramento poenitentiae, ut sacerdos per potestatem clavium convenienter poenitentem solvat vel liget. But the answer is that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, namely because by receiving that baptism they declared that they would undertake penance for their sins, and so it was fitting that they should confess so that penance could be meted out to them in accord with the nature of their sins. But Christ’s baptism is a baptism for the remission of all sins, such that the baptized person no longer owes any satisfaction for his past sins, and for this reason there is no need for vocal confession. The reason confession is necessary in the sacrament of penance is so that the priest can, by the power of the keys, fittingly loose or bind the penitent. 930. Deinde cum dicit sicut enim aliquando, etc., assignat rationem futurae salutis Iudaeorum post eorum incredulitatem. 930. Then when he says, for as you also, he gives the reason for the future salvation of the Jews after their unbelief. Et primo ponit similitudinem inter utriusque populi salutem; First, he shows a similarity between the salvation of both people; secundo huius similitudinis causam ostendit, ibi conclusit enim Deus, et cetera. second, the cause of this similarity, at for God has concluded.