Secundo, ibi dicimus enim, ad hoc ostendendum assumit auctoritatem Scripturae, quasi dicat, hoc ideo quaero: dicimus enim, etc., quod reputatur fides Abrahae ad iustitiam, Gen. XV, 6. Second, at for we say, to show this he appeals to the authority of Scripture (Gen 15:6), as if to say: I ask this, for we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice. Tertio ex hac auctoritate concludit solutionem praemissae quaestionis, sub interrogatione tamen, dicens quomodo ergo reputata est? Scilicet fides Abrahae ad iustitiam, in circumcisione, id est, quando erat circumcisus, an in praeputio, id est quando erat incircumcisus? Third, from this text he concludes to the answer, although he states it in the form of a question: how then was it reputed to him, namely, Abraham’s faith as justice; that is, when he was in circumcision, i.e., when he was circumcised, or in uncircumcision, i.e., when still uncircumcised? 340. Et respondet non in circumcisione, sed in praeputio. Et hoc manifestum est ex serie narrationis Scripturae. Nam Gen. c. XV, 6 legitur, quod fides reputata est Abrahae ad iustitiam, circumcisionem autem accepisse legitur Gen. XVII, 23 s. Si igitur Abraham, adhuc incircumcisus existens iustificatus est per fidem, manifestum est quod iustitia fidei, per quam gratis remittuntur peccata, non est solum in circumcisione, sed etiam in praeputio, id est, in gentilitate. 340. He answers: not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. This is obvious from the reported sequence of events. For Genesis reports that faith was reckoned to Abraham as justice (Gen 15:6), but the fact of receiving circumcision is not recorded until Genesis (17:23 et seq.). Therefore, if Abraham, still uncircumcised, was justified by faith, it is plain that the justice of faith, through which sins are forgiven gratis, occurs not only in circumcision but also in uncircumcision, i.e., in gentiles. Lectio 2 Lecture 2 Circumcisionis signaculum justitiae fidei Circumcision the seal of faith’s justice ^4:11 Et signum accepit circumcisionis, signaculum justitiae fidei, quae est in praeputio: ut sit pater omnium credentium per praeputium, ut reputetur et illis ad justitiam: [n. 341] ^4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith which is in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all those who believe, being uncircumcised: that unto them also it may be reputed to justice: [n. 341] ^4:12 et sit pater circumcisionis non iis tantum, qui sunt ex circumcisione, sed et iis qui sectantur vestigia fidei, quae est in praeputio patris nostri Abrahae. ^4:12 And he might be the father of circumcision; not to those only who are of the circumcision, but to those also who follow the steps of the faith that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham. ^4:13 Non enim per legem promissio Abrahae, aut semini ejus ut haeres esset mundi: sed per justitiam fidei. [n. 351] ^4:13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world: but through the justice of faith. [n. 351] ^4:14 Si enim qui ex lege, haeredes sunt: exinanita est fides, abolita est promissio. [n. 354] ^4:14 For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void: the promise is made of no effect. [n. 354] ^4:15 Lex enim iram operatur. Ubi enim non est lex, nec praevaricatio. [n. 356] ^4:15 For the law works wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression. [n. 356] 341. Ostenso quod beatitudo remissionis peccatorum non solum est in circumcisione, sed etiam in praeputio, exemplo Abrahae qui tempore praeputii est iustificatus, hic respondet cuidam obiectioni. 341. Having shown that the blessing of forgiveness of sins is obtained not only in circumcision but also in uncircumcision on the ground that Abraham was justified when he was still uncircumcised, the Apostle now responds to an objection. Posset enim aliquis dicere: si Abraham iustificatus est ante circumcisionem, ergo sine causa et frustra circumcisus est. For someone could say: if Abraham was justified before circumcision, then he was circumcised without reason and for no purpose. Ad hanc ergo obiectionem excludendam To exclude this objection, primo proponit, quod circumcisio non erat causa iustitiae, sed signum; he first states that circumcision was not the cause but the sign of justice; secundo ostendit quid ex hoc signo consequatur, ibi ut sit pater, etc.; second, he shows what he obtains from this sign, at that he might be the father; tertio ostendit modum quo consequatur non his tantum, et cetera. third, how he obtains it, at not to those only. 342. Circa primum duo facit. Primo proponit circumcisionem esse signum. Gen. c. XVII, 11: circumcidetis carnem praeputii vestri, ut sit in signum foederis inter me et vos. 342. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he states that circumcision is a sign: you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a sign of the covenant between you and me (Gen 17:10). Secundo ostendit cuius rei sit signum, dicens, quod sit signaculum iustitiae fidei, id est quae est per fidem, quae, quidem fides, est in praeputio, id est quam Abraham habuit adhuc incircumcisus existens. Second, he shows what it is a sign of, saying: a seal of the justice of the faith, i.e., the justice that comes through faith, which faith is in uncircumcision, i.e., which Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised. 343. Dicitur autem signaculum dupliciter. Uno modo quasi expressum signum habens similitudinem rei signatae, secundum illud Ezech. XXVIII, 12: tu signaculum similitudinis, et cetera. Habet autem circumcisio expressam similitudinem cum fide Abrahae, primo quidem, quantum ad rem creditam. Credidit enim multiplicationem sui seminis, et ideo congruenter accepit signum in membro generationis. Secundo, quantum ad effectum huius fidei, quae est remotio culpae, quae signatur per remotionem superfluae pelliculae. 343. Seal is said in two ways. In one way, a seal is a visible sign possessing a likeness to the thing signified, as in Ezekiel: you were the seal of likeness, full of wisdom (Ezek 28:12). Circumcision had this visible likeness to Abraham’s faith. First, in regard to what he believed. For Abraham believed that his seed would be multiplied; hence, it was fitting to receive its sign in the organ of reproduction. Second, in regard to the effect of his faith, namely, the removal of fault, and this is signified by the removal of superfluous skin. Alio modo signaculum dicitur signum aliquid occultans quod revelandum est amicis, sicut patet de sigillo; et secundum hoc dicitur Apoc. V, 9: dignus est agnus qui occisus est accipere librum et aperire signacula eius. Claudebatur ergo sub signaculo circumcisionis secretum incarnationis Christi ex semine Abrahae. In another way, seal means a sign hiding something which is to be revealed to friends, as is clear in the case of a sigillo: worthy are you, who were slain, to take the scroll and to open its seals (Rev 6:9). Hence, the secret of the Incarnation of Christ from the seed of Abraham was enclosed under the seal of circumcision. 344. Consequenter ostendit quid consequatur ex dictis. 344. Then he shows what follows from what has been said. Consequitur enim ex hoc quod Abraham in praeputio iustificatus per fidem, postea circumcisionem accepit, ut sit pater non solum circumcisorum, sed etiam credentium in praeputio. Et hoc est quod dicit ut sit pater, id est ex praedictis consequitur, quod Abraham sit pater omnium credentium per praeputium, id est qui sunt in statu praeputii. Vel Abraham sit pater per praeputium, id est per id quod habuit in praeputio, ut reputetur et illis ad iustitiam, hoc scilicet quod credunt, sicut reputatum est Abrahae. Et de hac paternitate dicitur Matth. III, 9: potens est Deus de lapidibus istis, etc. Et sit pater circumcisionis, id est circumcisorum, qui ex eo originem ducunt. Unde Io. VIII, 39: pater noster Abraham est. For Abraham, still uncircumcised, was justified by faith and later received circumcision. From this he obtains the honor of being the father not only of the circumcised but also of uncircumcised believers. And this is what he says: that he might be the father, i.e., from the foregoing it comes about that Abraham might be the father of all those who believe, being uncircumcised, i.e., who are in the state of uncircumcision. Or Abraham is the father through uncircumcision, i.e., in virtue of what he had in uncircumcision, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice, namely, the fact that they believe, just as it was reckoned to Abraham. The power of this fatherhood is indicated in Matthew: God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham (Matt 3:9). And he might be the father of circumcision, who derive their origin from him: Abraham is our father (John 8:39). 345. Deinde ostendit per quem modum sit pater etiam incircumcisorum, quia per imitationem. Et hoc est quod dicit ut sit, inquam, pater non his tantum qui sunt in circumcisione, id est qui sunt circumcisi, sed etiam his qui sectantur vestigia fidei patris nostri Abrahae, qui est in praeputio, id est, quam Abraham habuit adhuc incircumcisus. Io. VIII, 39: si filii Abrahae estis, opera eius facite. 345. Then he shows the manner in which he is the father even of the uncircumcised, namely, by imitation. And this is what he says: that he might be the father . . . not to those only who are of the circumcision, but to those also who follow the steps of the faith that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham, i.e., which Abraham had, while he was still uncircumcised: if you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did (John 8:39). 346. Et quia hic de circumcisione fit mentio, oportet circa ipsam tria considerare, scilicet quare sit instituta, quam vim habuit et quare sit mutata. 346. Since we are speaking of circumcision, it is fitting to consider three things about it, namely, why it was instituted, what power it had, and why it was changed. 347. Circa primum considerandum quod circumcisio, sicut et aliae legis caeremoniae, est propter duo instituta. 347. In regard to the first it should be noted that circumcision, just as the other ceremonies of the law, was instituted for two purposes. Primo quidem propter cultum divinum, ad quem homines secundum huiusmodi caeremonialia disponebantur. First, for divine worship, for which men were disposed in accordance with these ceremonies. Et secundum hoc circumcisio habet triplicem institutionis causam, quarum prima est ad significandum fidem et obedientiam qua Abraham se Deo subiecit, ut scilicet illi qui circumcisionem acciperent Abrahae traditam, fidem et obedientiam ipsius observarent. Dicitur enim Hebr. IV, 11: fide Abraham circumcisus est; et ideo facta est circumcisio in membro generationis ad significandum fidem ipsius circa prolem futuram, ut dictum est. In keeping with this, circumcision had three reasons for being instituted, the first of which was to signify the faith and obedience by which Abraham submitted to God, so that those who accepted the circumcision of Abraham should observe his faith and obedience. For it is stated in Hebrews: by faith Abraham was circumcised (Heb 4:11). Hence, circumcision was instituted to signify his faith in future descendants, as has been stated. Secunda est ad exprimendum in signo corporali id quod spiritualiter erat faciendum, ut scilicet sicut a membro generationis, quod principaliter concupiscentiae deservit, abscindebatur superflua pellicula, ita etiam a corde hominis omnis superflua concupiscentia tolleretur, secundum illud Ier. IV, 4: circumcidimini Domino, et auferte praeputium cordium vestrorum, et cetera. The second reason was to express in a bodily sign something that was to occur spiritually, namely, just as superfluous skin was removed from the organ of reproduction, which is the chief servant of concupiscence, so every superfluous desire should be removed from man’s heart, as Jeremiah says: circumcise yourself to the Lord, remove the foreskin of your hearts (Jer 4:4). Tertia est ut per hoc signum populus ille Deum colens, ab omnibus aliis populis distingueretur. Et inde est quod mandavit Dominus circumcidi filios Israel, qui inter alias nationes erant habitaturi, qui prius in deserto solitarii manentes circumcisi non erant. The third reason was to distinguish the people worshipping God from all other people. This is why God commanded circumcision for the children of Israel, who were to dwell among the other nations after first living alone and uncircumcised in the desert. 348. Alia autem ratio circumcisionis et omnium caeremonialium accipitur per comparationem ad Christum, ad quem comparatur, sicut figura ad veritatem et membra ad corpus, secundum illud Col. II, 17: quae sunt umbra futurorum, corpus autem Christi. 348. The other purpose of circumcision and all the ceremonies is based on a relation to Christ, to whom they are compared as the figure to the reality and as the members to the body: these are only a shadow of what is to come, but the body belongs to Christ (Col 2:17). Sic igitur per circumcisionem corporalem significatur circumcisio spiritualis fienda per Christum. Primo quidem in animam, quantum per ipsum peccatorum reatus et concupiscentiae praescinduntur. Col. II, 11: in quo, Christo, circumcisi estis circumcisione non manufacta, in expoliatione corporis carnis, sed in circumcisione Domini nostri Iesu Christi. Accordingly, by bodily circumcision is signified the spiritual circumcision to be accomplished by Christ: first in the soul, inasmuch as it is through him that concupiscence and the effects of sin are removed by Christ: in him, namely, Christ, also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ (Col 2:11). Secundo vero quantum ad corpus, quando scilicet etiam in resurrectione ab electorum corporibus omnis passibilitas et mortalitas auferetur; et ideo circumcisio fiebat octavo die, quia significat octavam aetatem resurgentium: nam septima est quiescentium in Christo. Sex autem aetates sunt quibus saeculum currit. Unde et circumcisio facta legitur cultellis petrinis Ios. V, 2 et Ex. IV, 25, ad significandum quod spiritualis circumcisio fienda erat per petram, qui est Christus, ut dicitur I Cor. X, 4. Non tamen hoc generaliter observabatur, quod necesse esset circumcisionem fieri cum petra. Second, in regard to the body, namely, when in the resurrection all possibility of suffering and death is removed from the bodies of the elect. Hence, circumcision took place on the eighth day, because it signified the eighth era. For the seventh is the era of those who are at rest in Christ, while the other six are the eras during which the world runs its course. Again, circumcision was done with knives of stone (Josh 5:2) to signify that spiritual circumcision was to be effected by the rock, who is Christ, as is said (1 Cor 10:4). However, it was not the general practice to use a knife made of stone. 349. Circa secundum vero est sciendum, quod sicut hic Glossa dicit, et est Bedae, idem salutare curationis auxilium circumcisio in lege contra originalis peccati vulnus praebebat, quod baptismus agere tempore revelatae gratiae consuevit. Ex quo patet quod virtus circumcisionis se extendebat ad deletionem originalis peccati. 349. In regard to the second question, namely, what power circumcision had, it should be noted that, as the Gloss says here—the quotation is taken from Bede—during the law, circumcision offered the same curative help against the wound of original sin as baptism is wont to give in the era of revealed grace. This shows that the power of circumcision extended to the removal of original sin. Quidam tamen dicunt quod gratia in circumcisione non conferebatur: non enim potest esse Dei gratia sine iustitia. Argumentatur autem Apost. Gal. II, 21: si iustitia est per legem, ergo Christus gratis mortuus est, id est sine causa. However, some say that grace was not conferred in circumcision; for without justice God’s grace cannot be present. But the Apostle says in Galatians: if justification were through the law, then Christ died to no purpose (Gal 2:21). Et eodem modo argumentari possumus: si ex circumcisione est gratia iustificans, Christus gratis mortuus est; sed hoc non potest esse, nam remissio peccati numquam fit sine gratia. Tit. III, 7: iustificati igitur gratia ipsius, etc. And we can argue in the same way: if justifying grace were through circumcision, Christ died to no purpose. But this cannot be, for sin is never forgiven without grace: justified by his grace we have peace with God (Titus 3:7). Et ideo alii dicunt quod in circumcisione dabatur gratia, quantum ad effectus privativos, scilicet remotionis culpae, non autem quantum ad effectus positivos, puta operationem iustitiae. Therefore, others say that grace was conferred in circumcision to produce privative effects, namely, to remove guilt, but not positive effects, namely, the work of justice.