Ista admonitio duo continet, quorum primum pertinet ad exteriorem exhibitionem. Unde dicit: non solum debemus scandala infirmorum vitare, sed etiam nos qui sumus firmiores in fide, debemus sustinere imbecillitates infirmorum. Sicut enim in materiali aedificio eliguntur aliqua firmiora ad sustinendum totum aedificii pondus quod ex fragiliori materia superponitur, sicut sunt fundamenta et columnae; ita etiam in spirituali Ecclesiae aedificio, non solum eliguntur, sed efficiuntur aliqui firmiores, ut sustineant pondus aliorum. Unde in Ps. LXXVI, 4 dicitur: ego confirmavi columnas eius. Et Gal. VI, 2: alter alterius onera portate. Sustinent autem firmiores imbecillitates infirmorum, dum eorum defectus patienter ferunt, et pro posse sublevare nituntur. This admonition contains two parts: the first pertains to external behavior. Hence he says: not only should we avoid scandalizing the weak, but we who are stronger in faith ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. For as in a material edifice certain stronger material is selected to support the edifice’s entire weight, upon which weaker material is set, as are the foundation and pillars, so in the spiritual edifice of the Church stronger men are not only chosen but made stronger to support the weight of the others. Hence it says in a psalm: I have strengthened its pillars (Ps 75:4) and in Galatians: bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2). But the stronger support the failings of the weak, when they endure the shortcomings of the weak patiently and, so far as they can, try to help them. Secundum autem pertinet ad interiorem intentionem. Unde dicitur: et non debemus nobis placere, ita scilicet ut semper illud velimus impleri quod nobis placet, sed debemus condescendere voluntatibus aliorum, ut faciamus ea quae aliis placent et quae eis sunt utilia. I Cor. X, 33: sicut et ego per omnia omnibus placeo. The second pertains to the internal intention. Hence it is said: and not to please ourselves, i.e., always desire the fulfillment of what pleases us, but we should condescend to the wills of others, so as to do what pleases them and is useful to them: just as I try to please all men in everything I do (1 Cor 10:33). 1143. Deinde cum dicit unusquisque vestrum, etc., manifestat propositam admonitionem, 1143. Then when he says, let every one of you, he clarifies his admonition: et primo quantum ad secundam partem; first, in regard to the second part; secundo quantum ad primam, ibi propter quod suscipite invicem, et cetera. second, in regard to the first, at wherefore, receive one another. Circa primum duo facit. In regard to the first he does two things: Primo exponit quod dixerat; first, he explains what he had said; secundo rationem inducit, ibi etenim Christus non sibi, et cetera. second, he presents a reason, for Christ did not please himself. 1144. Dicit ergo primo: ita dictum est quod nos non debemus nobis placere, et hoc quidem est, quia unusquisque nostrum, qui sumus firmiores, debet placere proximo suo infirmo, id est, condescendere ei in his quae ei placent, non tamen in his quae mala sunt, sicut Is. XXX, 10 quidam requirunt: loquimini nobis placentia, et cetera. Et ideo subdit in bonum. 1144. First, therefore, he says: it has been stated that we should not please ourselves, precisely because every one of us who are stronger, ought to please our weak neighbor, i.e., condescend to him in matters that please him, but not in matters that are evil, as some request in Isaiah: speak to us pleasing things (Isa 30:10). Hence he adds: unto good. Similiter etiam non debemus intendere ut hominibus placeamus propter humanum favorem vel gloriam, cum in Ps. LII, 6 dicatur: Deus dissipavit ossa eorum qui hominibus placent, sed ad honorem Dei, et utilitatem proximorum. Unde subdit ad aedificationem, id est propter hoc quod aliorum voluntati condescendentes, ipsi aedificentur in fide et dilectione Christi. Supra XIV, 19: quae aedificationis sunt, invicem custodiamus. Similarly, we should not have the intention of pleasing men for the sake of human favor or glory, since it says in a psalm: God will scatter the bones of those who please men (Ps 53:5), but for the honor of God and the benefit of our neighbor. Hence he adds: unto edification i.e., because we condescend to their will, they are strengthened in the faith and love of Christ: let us follow after the things that are of peace and keep the things that are of edification, one towards another (Rom 14:19). 1145. Deinde, cum dicit etenim Christus, assignat rationem eius quod dixerat exemplo Christi. 1145. Then when he says, for Christ, he assigns the reason for what he had said and uses the example of Christ: Et primo proponit exemplum Christi; first, he mentions the example of Christ; secundo ostendit eius exemplum esse a nobis imitandum, ibi quaecumque scripta sunt; second, he shows that we should imitate this example, for whatever things were written; tertio subiungit rationem, ut id implere possimus, ibi Deus autem pacis et cetera. third, he adds a prayer so that we can fulfill it, at now the God of peace. 1146. Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit exemplum, dicens: dictum est quod non debemus nobis placere, scilicet secundum nostram privatam voluntatem, etenim Christus, qui est caput nostrum, non sibi placuit, dum elegit pati pro nostra salute, et ea quae suae propriae voluntati erant contraria, scilicet naturali voluntati humanae, ut impleret divinam, quae sibi et Patri erat communis, secundum illud Matth. XXVI, 42: non mea voluntas, sed tua fiat. 1146. In regard to the first he does two things: first, he presents the example, saying: it has been stated that we should not please ourselves, i.e., according to our own private will; for Christ, who is our head, did not please himself, when he chose to suffer for our salvation and do things contrary to his own will, namely, his natural human will, in order to accomplish the divine will, which was common to him and the Father: not my will but yours be done (Matt 26:42). 1147. Secundo ad hoc auctoritatem inducit, dicens sed sicut scriptum est in Psalmo ex persona Christi dicentis ad Patrem: O Pater, improperia Iudaeorum improperantium tibi, id est, te blasphemantium per sua mala opera et per hoc quod veritati tuae doctrinae contradicunt, ceciderunt super me, quia videlicet opprimere me voluerunt, quia voluntatem tuam eis proponebam, et eorum mala opera redarguebam. Io. XV, 24: sed oderunt me et Patrem meum. 1147. Second, he appeals to an authority, saying: but as it is written in a psalm in the person of Christ speaking to the Father: O Father, the reproaches of those, i.e., the Jews, who reproached you, i.e., blasphemed you by their evil works and by contradicting the truth of your doctrine, fell upon me, because they willed to oppress me, because I instructed them about your will and rebuked their evil deeds: they have hated both me and my Father (John 15:24). Potest et hoc referri ad peccata totius humani generis, quia omnia peccata quodammodo sunt improperia Dei, inquantum per ea lex Dei contemnitur. Is. I, 4: dereliquerunt Dominum, blasphemaverunt sanctum Israel. Sic ergo improperia improperantium Deo ceciderunt super Christum, inquantum ipse pro peccatis omnium mortuus est. Is. c. LIII, 6: Deus posuit in eo iniquitates omnium nostrum. I Petr. II, 24: peccata nostra pertulit in corpore suo super lignum. This can also refer to the sins of the whole human race, because all sins in a way reproach God, inasmuch as God’s awe is scorned by them: they have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the holy one of Israel (Isa 14:4). Thus, therefore, the reproaches of those reproaching God fell on Christ, inasmuch as he died for the sins of all: the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isa 1:4); he bore our sins in his body on the tree (1 Pet 2:24). 1148. Deinde, cum dicit quaecumque enim scripta sunt, etc., ostendit quod hoc exemplum Christi sit nobis imitandum, dicens quaecumque enim scripta sunt in Sacra Scriptura, vel de Christo vel de membris eius, scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam. Nulla enim necessitas fuit haec scribere, nisi propter nos, ut ex his instruamur. II Tim. III, v. 16: omnis Scriptura divinitus inspirata, utilis est ad docendum et erudiendum, et cetera. 1148. Then when he says, for whatever things were written, he shows that we must imitate this example of Christ, saying: for whatever things were written in Sacred Scripture about Christ or his members were written for our learning. There was no need to write this except for our instruction: all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for correction, and for training in justice (2 Tim 3:16). Quid autem in Scripturis ad nostram doctrinam contineatur, ostendit subdens ut per patientiam et consolationem Scripturarum, id est quas Scripturae continent. Continetur enim in Sacra Scriptura patientia sanctorum in malis sustinendis. Iac. ult.: patientiam Iob audistis. Continetur etiam in eis consolatio, quam Deus eis exhibuit, secundum illud Ps. XCIII, 19: secundum multitudinem dolorum meorum in corde meo, consolationes tuae laetificaverunt animam meam. Unde et I Petr. I, 11 dicitur: praenuntians eas, quae in Christo sunt, passiones, quod pertinet ad patientiam, et posteriores glorias, quod pertinet ad consolationem. But what is contained in Scripture for our instruction is shown when he says: that, through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, i.e., which the Scriptures contain. For in Sacred Scripture is contained the patience of the saints in enduring evils: you have heard of the patience of Job (Jas 5:11). In them is also contained consolation, which God gave them, as it says in a psalm: when the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul (Ps 94:19). Hence it also says in 1 Peter: predicting the sufferings of Christ, which pertains to patience, and the subsequent glory, which pertains to consolation (1 Pet 1:11). Quem autem fructum ex hac doctrina suscipiamus, ostendit subdens spem habeamus. Per hoc enim quod ex Sacra Scriptura instruimur eos, qui patienter propter Deum tribulationes sustinuerunt, divinitus consolatos fuisse, spem accipimus, ut et ipsi consolemur, si in ipsis fuerimus patientes. Iob XIII, 15: et si occiderit me, in ipso sperabo. What the fruit of this doctrine will be for us he indicates when he says: that we might have hope. For by the instruction from Sacred Scripture that those who suffered tribulations patiently for God were divinely consoled, we receive the hope that we ourselves will be consoled, if we have been patient in them: if he should slay me, I will hope in him (Job 13:15). 1149. Deinde cum dicit Deus autem patientiae, etc., quia videbatur nimis arduum ut purus homo possit exemplum Christi imitari, secundum illud Eccle. II, 12: quid est homo ut sequi possit regem, factorem suum? Ideo adhibet orationis suffragium, dicens Deus autem patientiae, scilicet dator, Ps. LXX, v. 5: tu es patientia mea, et solatii, idest qui spiritualem consolationem largitur, II Cor. c. I, 3: Pater misericordiarum et Deus totius consolationis, det vobis, a quo est omne datum optimum, ut dicitur Iac. I, 17, idipsum sapere in alterutrum, idest ut invicem idem sapiatis, II Cor. ult.: idem sapite, pacem habete, non quidem secundum consensum in peccatum, sed secundum Iesum Christum, de quo dicitur Eph. II, 14: ipse est pax nostra, qui fecit utraque unum. Ut, per hoc quod idem sapiatis, unanimes, existentes per fidem et caritatis consensum, secundum illud Ps. secundum aliam litteram: qui habitare facit unanimes in domo, uno ore, idest una oris confessione, quae ex unitate fidei procedit, I Cor. I, 10: idipsum dicatis omnes; ut, pro conformitate cordis, honorificetis Deum, omnium Creatorem, idipsum etiam existentem Patrem Domini nostri Iesu Christi, per quem nos sibi in filios adoptavit. I Reg. II, 30: qui honorificaverit me, honorificabo eum. Mal. I, 6: si ego Pater, ubi est honor meus? 1149. Then when he says, now may the God of patience, because it seemed exceedingly difficult for a mere man to be able to imitate the example of Christ, as it says in Ecclesiastes: what is man that he should be able to follow the king, his maker? (Eccl 2:12), he makes use of a prayer, saying: now may the God of patience, i.e., the giver: you are my patience (Ps 71:5), and of comfort, i.e., who bestows spiritual consolation: the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Cor 1:3), grant you, from whom is every best gift (Jas 1:17), that you be of one mind, that is, agree with one another: agree with one another, live in peace (2 Cor 13:11), not consenting in sin, but according to Christ Jesus, of whom it is said: he is our peace, who has made us both one (Eph 2:14). That, by the fact that you agree on the same things, with one mind, existing through faith and consensus of charity, as it says in a psalm: who makes men of one mind to dwell in a house (Ps 67:7), i.e., with one confession of the voice coming from unity of faith, 1 Corinthians: I appeal that all of you agree (1 Cor 1:10), that for the conformity of the heart, you may glorify God, Creator of all things, he himself existing as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom he adopted us as his sons: those who honor me I will honor (1 Sam 2:30); if I am a father, where is my honor? (Mal 1:6) 1150. Deinde, cum dicit propter quod suscipite invicem, manifestat primam partem admonitionis, in qua dixerat quod firmiores debent imbecillitatem infirmorum sustinere. 1150. Then when he says, wherefore, receive one another, he clarifies the first part of the admonition in which he had said that the stronger should bear with the failings of the weak. Et circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does three things: Primo resumit admonitionem; first, he resumes the admonition; secundo inducit rationem exemplo Christi, ibi sicut et Christus, etc.; second, he presents a reason from the example of Christ, at as Christ also; tertio subiungit rationem, ibi Deus autem spei, et cetera. third, he adds a reason, at now may the God of hope. 1151. Dicit ergo primo propter quod, id est, quia ea quae scripta sunt ad nostram doctrinam ordinantur, scilicet exempla Christi et aliorum sanctorum, consequenter, suscipite invicem, secundum caritatis affectum, ut scilicet unus sustineat ea quae sunt alterius, sicut vult se sustineri quantum caritas permittit: et unus alium etiam suscipiat ad adiuvandum et promovendum. Supra c. XIV, 1: infirmum in fide suscipite. 1151. First, therefore, he says: wherefore, i.e., because the things that have been written are directed to our instruction, namely, the examples of Christ and the other saints, receive one another in the love of charity, namely, so that one bears things that pertain to another, just as he would like to be helped as far as charity permits, and so that one may bear with another to help and enable him to advance: him who is weak in faith take unto you (Rom 14:1). 1152. Deinde, cum dicit sicut et Christus suscepit vos, etc., assignat rationem exemplo Christi. 1152. Then when he says, as Christ also has received you, he assigns a reason from the example of Christ. Et, primo, ponit eius exemplum, dicens sicut et Christus suscepit vos, scilicet in sua protectione et cura. Is. XLII, 1: ecce servus meus, suscipiam eum. Lc. I, 54: suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae. Et hoc in honorem Dei, in quem omnia referebat. Io. VIII, 49: honorifico Patrem meum, et vos inhonorastis me. First, he presents the example, saying: as Christ also has received you, i.e., took you under his care and protection: behold, my servant whom I uphold (Isa 42:1); he has helped Israel, his servant, in remembrance of his mercy (Luke 1:54). And this unto the honor of God, to whom he referred all things: I honor my Father and you dishonor me (John 8:49). Ex quo datur intelligi, quod nos invicem debemus suscipere in his quae pertinent ad honorem Dei. From this we are given to understand that we should bear up one another in things pertaining to the honor of God. 1153. Secundo, ibi dico enim Christum, etc., manifestat quod dixerat. 1153. Second, when he says, for I say that Christ, he clarifies what he had said: Et primo quidem quantum ad Iudaeos; first, with respect to the Jews; secundo, quantum ad gentiles, ibi gentes autem, et cetera. second, with respect to the gentiles, at but that the gentiles. 1154. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod Christus vos suscepit, qui estis congregati in unitate fidei ex Iudaeis et gentibus. Et hoc patet quantum ad utrosque. Dico, ergo, Christum ministrum fuisse circumcisionis. Est enim ipse auctor fidei quantum ad omnes, secundum illud Hebr. XII, 2: aspicientes in auctorem fidei, et cetera. Sed in propria persona non exhibuit seipsum nisi Iudaeis, secundum illud Matth. XV, 24: non sum missus nisi ad oves quae perierunt domus Israel. Is. XLII, 2: non audietur vox eius foris. Et hoc quidem propter veritatem Dei, ut scilicet veritas Dei promittentis comprobaretur. Supra III, 4: est autem Deus verax. Unde subdit ad confirmandas promissiones patrum, id est, ut per hoc implerentur promissiones patribus factae. Lc. I, v. 69: erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo David pueri sui; sicut locutus est per os sanctorum. II Cor. I, 20: quotquot sunt promissiones Dei, in illo est. 1154. First, therefore, he says: it has been stated that Christ welcomed you who are assembled in the unity of faith composed of Jews and gentiles. And this is clear with respect to both: for I say, therefore, that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision, for he is the author of everyone’s faith, as it says in Hebrews: looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). But he showed himself in person only to the Jews, as it says in Matthew: I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 15:24); and in Isaiah: his voice will not be heard outside (Isa 42:2). And this for the truth of God, i.e., that the truth of God’s promise may be acknowledged: God is truth (Rom 3:4). Hence he continues: to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spoke from the mouth of his holy prophets (Luke 1:69); for all the promises of God find their yes in him (2 Cor 1:20). 1155. Deinde, cum dicit gentes autem, etc., ostendit etiam gentes susceptas a Christo. 1155. Then when he says, but that the gentiles, he shows that even the gentiles were accepted by Christ: Et primo proponit quod intendit; first, he states his proposition;