Lectio 4 Lecture 4 Regnum mortis ab Adam usque ad Moysen Reign of death from Adam to Moses ^5:13 Usque ad legem enim peccatum erat in mundo: peccatum autem non imputabatur, cum lex non esset. [n. 421] ^5:13 For until the law sin was in the world: but sin was not imputed, when the law was not. [n. 421] ^5:14 Sed regnavit mors ab Adam usque ad Moysen etiam in eos qui non peccaverunt in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae, qui est forma futuri. [n. 424] ^5:14 But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned, after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of him who was to come. [n. 424] 421. Postquam Apostolus ostendit originem peccati et mortis, sive ingressum utriusque in mundum, hic manifestat quod dixerat. 421. After tracing the origin of sin and death and their entry into the world, the Apostle now clarifies what he has said. Et primo manifestat ipsum dictum; First, he explains his statement; secundo manifestat similitudinem quam innuebat dicens, ibi propterea sicut, etc.; second, he clarifies the comparison he suggested, when he said: wherefore as by one man (Rom 5:12); tertio exponit similitudinem, ibi qui est forma futuri, et cetera. third, he explains it, at who is a figure of him who was to come. Dixerat autem quod peccatum et mors in omnes transierunt, et hoc quidem, secundum expositionem Augustini, manifestare intendit per hoc quod etiam sub lege peccatum remansit, quasi lege illud excludere non valente. Now he had stated that sin and death passed on to all men. Here, in line with Augustine’s exposition, he intends to explain this by the fact that sin remained even under the law, implying that it was unable to expel it. Circa quod duo facit. In regard to this he does two things: Primo manifestat propositum quantum ad peccatum; first, he explains his statement as far as sin is concerned; secundo, quantum ad mortem, ibi sed regnavit, et cetera. second, as far as death is concerned, at but death reigned. Circa primum duo facit. In regard to the first he does two things: Primo ostendit peccatum fuisse etiam sub lege; first, he shows that sin existed under the law; secundo quid circa peccatum lex facit, ibi peccatum autem, et cetera. second, what the law did in regard to sin, at but sin was not imputed. 422. Dicit ergo primo: dictum est quod omnes peccaverunt in Adam, quia nec etiam lex peccatum abstulit. Usque ad legem, id est etiam sub lege, ut usque teneatur inclusive, peccatum erat in mundo, quod quidem potest intelligi de lege naturae et de lege Moysi: similiter et de peccato actuali et de peccato originali. 422. First, therefore, he says: it has been stated that all have sinned in Adam, because even the law did not take away sin. Until the law, i.e., even under the law, as until is taken inclusively, sin was in the world. This can be understood of the natural law and the law of Moses; similarly, of actual sin and original sin. Peccatum enim originale erat in parvulo usque ad legem naturae, id est usque ad usum rationis per quem homo huiusmodi leges advertit. Ps. L, 7: in peccatis concepit me mater mea. Nec tamen cessat hoc peccatum lege naturali adveniente in homine, sed magis excrescit per additionem peccati actualis, quia, ut dicitur Eccle. VII, 21: non est homo iustus in terra qui faciat bonum, et cetera. For original sin was in the child until the law of nature, i.e., until he reached the use of reason through which man adverts to these laws: in sins did my mother conceive me (Ps 51:5). Nor does this sin pass away with the coming of the natural law in a man; rather, it grows through the addition of actual sin, because, as stated in Ecclesiastes: there is not a just man on earth who does good and never sins (Eccl 7:20). Sed si intelligamus de lege Moysi, tunc quod dicitur peccatum fuisse in mundo usque ad legem, potest intelligi non solum de originali, sed etiam de actuali; quia et ante legem et sub lege peccatum utrumque permansit, Prov. XX, 9: quis potest dicere: mundum est cor meum? But if we understand it of the law of Moses, then the statement that sin was in the world until the law can be understood not only of original sin but also of actual, because both sins continued in the world before the law and under the law: who can say: I have made my heart clean? (Prov 20:9). 423. Quamvis autem lex peccatum non auferret, peccati tamen cognitionem fecit, quod antea non cognoscebatur. 423. But although the law did not remove sin, it produced knowledge of sin which previously was not recognized. Unde subdit peccatum autem non imputabatur. Quod quidem planum est, si intelligatur de lege naturali. Quamvis enim peccatum originale sit in parvulo ante legem naturalem, et reputetur ei a Deo, non tamen imputatur ei apud homines. Hence he continues, but sin was not imputed. This is obvious, if it is understood of the natural law. For although original sin is in the child before the natural law and is counted against him by God, it was not imputed to him by men. Si autem intelligatur de lege Moysi, planum est quantum ad aliqua peccata actualia, quod non imputabantur ante legem, sicut illa quae specialiter sunt per legem prohibita, quae homines peccata non reputabant, sicut quod dicitur Exod. XX, 17: non concupisces, et cetera. Imputabantur tamen quaedam peccata prout erant contra legem naturae. Unde et Gen. XXXIX, 11 s. Joseph legitur in carcerem missus propter adulterium sibi impositum. But if it be understood of the law of Moses, it is clear that some actual sins were not imputed before the law, as those which are specifically forbidden by the law, which men did not regard as sins; for example, you shall not covet (Exod 20:17). But certain sins were imputed, inasmuch as they were against the law of nature. Hence, Joseph is sent to prison on a charge of adultery (Gen 39:11ff.). 424. Consequenter agit de morte, dicens: quamvis peccata ante legem non imputarentur, tamen mors, scilicet spiritualiter, id est peccatum vel aeterna damnatio, de qua dicitur in Ps. XXXIII, 21: mors peccatorum pessima, regnavit, id est potestatem suam exercuit in homines, ducendo eos in damnationem, ab Adam, per quem peccatum intravit in mundum, usque ad Moysen, sub quo data est lex, Io. I, 17: lex per Moysen data est. Non solum in eos qui peccaverunt actualiter, sed etiam in eos qui non peccaverunt in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae, qui actualiter peccavit. Os. VI, 7: ipsi autem sicut Adam transgressi sunt pactum, ibi praevaricati sunt in me, quia etiam pueri damnationem incurrebant. 424. Then he deals with death, saying: although sins were not imputed before the law, yet death, i.e., spiritual, i.e., sin or eternal damnation, of which it is written: the death of the wicked is very evil (Ps 34:21), reigned, i.e., exercised its power over men, by bringing them to damnation, from Adam through whom sin entered the world, unto Moses, under whom the law was given: the law was given through Moses (John 1:17), not only over those who sinned actually, but even over them also who have not sinned, after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who sinned actually: but like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me (Hos 6:7), because even the children incurred damnation. 425. Potest etiam et sub hoc sensu intelligi de morte corporali, per quam manifestatur peccatum fuisse etiam cum non imputabatur, quasi dicat peccatum autem non imputabatur, ante legem, sed ex hoc deprehenditur fuisse quia regnavit mors, scilicet corporalis, primo quidem aliquas passiones inducendo, puta famem, et sitim et aegritudinem, et tandem totaliter dissolvendo, etiam in eos, qui non peccaverunt in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae, id est in pueros, qui non peccaverunt actualiter: quoniam etiam isti mortem corporalem antea et postea patiuntur, secundum illud Ps. LXXXVIII, 47: quis est homo qui, et cetera. 425. Under this sense it is also possible to understand bodily death, through which is shown the presence of sin, even when it was not imputed. As if to say: sin indeed was not imputed before the law, but we know that it existed, because death reigned, i.e., bodily, first by bringing suffering, such as hunger, thirst and sickness, and finally by destroying life, even over them who have not sinned, after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, i.e., even over children who committed no actual sins, because even they suffered bodily death before and after the law: what man can live and never see death? (Ps 89:48). 426. Ambrosius autem aliter ista verba exposuit, scilicet de peccato actuali tantum et de lege Moysi. Et secundum eum inducuntur haec verba ad manifestandum, quod per primum parentem peccatum in hunc mundum intravit et in omnes transivit. 426. Ambrose explained these words in another way, namely, of actual sin only, and of the Mosaic law. According to him these words were written to explain that sin entered this world through the first parent and passed on to everyone. Usque enim ad legem, id est, ante legem Moysi, peccatum erat in mundo, scilicet peccatum actuale. Homines enim multipliciter peccabant contra legem naturae. Unde dicitur Gen. XIII, 13: homines Sodomitae pessimi erant. Peccatum autem non imputabatur cum lex non esset, quod est intelligendum, non quin imputaretur quasi puniendum apud homines, cum quidam legantur ante legem puniti ab hominibus pro peccatis, ut patet Gen. XXXIX et XL, sed non imputabatur quasi a Deo puniendum. Tunc enim non credebant homines quod Deus humana facta vel puniret vel praemiaret, secundum illud Iob XXII, 14: circa cardines caeli perambulat, nec nostra considerat. Sed postea lege divinitus data innotuit quod peccata imputantur a Deo ad poenam, et non solum ab hominibus. Et ideo quia homines non credebant se puniendos a Deo pro peccatis, libere et absque fraeno peccabant ubi humanum iudicium non timebant. Et ideo subdit: sed mors, id est peccatum, regnavit, id est, omnimodam suam potestatem exercuit, ab Adam usque ad Moysen, exclusive. Nam per Moysen data est lex, quae incepit regnum peccati diminuere, incutiens timorem divini iudicii, secundum illud Deut. V, 29: quis det eos talem habere mentem, ut timeant me, et custodiant universa mandata mea? Regnavit, inquam, peccatum usque ad Moysen, non tamen in omnes, sed in eos qui peccaverunt in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae. For until the law, i.e., before the law of Moses, sin was in the world, namely, actual sin. For men sinned against the law of nature in manifold ways. Hence, it is said: the men of Sodom were the wickedest (Gen 13:13). But sin was not imputed, when the law was not, not as though it was not imputed as something to be punished by men, since there are records of men being punished for sin before the time of the law (Gen 39–40); but it was not considered as something to be punished by God. For at that time men did not believe that God would punish or reward men’s actions: he walks about the poles of heaven, nor does he consider our things (Job 22:14). But after the law was given by God, it was recognized that sins are imputed by God for punishment and not only by men. Consequently, because men did not believe that they would be punished by God for their sins, they sinned freely and without restraint, whenever they did not fear human judgment. Hence he adds: But death, i.e., sin, reigned, i.e., exercised its power in every way, from Adam unto Moses excluded. For when the law was given through Moses, it began to weaken the reign of sin, inculcating fear of divine judgment: oh, that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and keep my commandments (Deut 5:28). Sin reigned, I say, until Moses, not over all, but over them who have sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam. Dicit enim Ambrosius in libris antiquis non inveniri hanc negationem non, unde credit a corruptoribus appositam. Adam quippe magis credidit promissioni diaboli quam comminationi divinae, ut patet Gen. III, et ita quodammodo diabolum praetulit Deo. Sic igitur in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae praevaricantur idololatrae, qui, relicto Dei cultu, diabolum colunt. In tales ergo mors, id est peccatum, totaliter regnavit, quia eos omnino possedit. Fuerunt autem ante legem Moysi veri Dei cultores, qui et si peccarent, non tamen peccatum in eis regnabat, quia non totaliter eos a Deo separabat: sed peccabant sub Deo, id est, sub fide unius Dei, etiam si peccarent mortaliter: vel sub caritate Dei, cum peccabant venialiter. For Ambrose says that not is not found in the ancient manuscripts; hence, he believes it was added by corrupters. Adam, indeed, believed the devil’s promise more than God’s threat, as is clear in Genesis 3; in a way, then, he preferred the devil to God. Therefore, idolaters sin in the likeness of Adam’s sin, because they abandon the worship of God to venerate the devil. Over such, therefore, death, i.e., sin, reigned completely, because it possessed them entirely. But there were true worshippers of God before the law; yet even if they sinned, sin did not reign over them, because it did not separate them totally from God. Rather, they sinned under God, i.e., under faith in the one God, if they sinned mortally, or under the charity of God, if they sinned venially. 427. Ex utraque harum expositionum potest conflari tertia, quae magis videtur ad intentionem Apostoli pertinere. 427. From both these interpretations a third can he obtained which seems more in accord with the Apostle’s intention. Dixerat enim quod per unum hominem peccatum in hunc mundum intravit, et quia peccatum est transgressio legis divinae, posset alicui videri, quod hoc non esset verum quantum ad tempus ante legem, praesertim cum supra IV, 15 dixerit: ubi non est lex, nec praevaricatio. Et ideo posset aliquis credere, quod non per unum hominem peccatum in mundum intravit, sed magis per legem. Et ideo ad hoc excludendum dicit, quod usque ad legem, id est, tempus ante legem, peccatum erat in mundo, et originale et actuale, non tamen erat peccatum cognitum; praesertim quasi a Deo puniendum. Et hoc est quod subdit peccatum autem non imputabatur, scilicet quasi contra Deum existens, cum lex, scilicet divinitus data, non esset. For he had said that by one man sin entered into this world (Rom 5:12); but because sin is a transgression of the divine law, it might seem that this would not be true during the time before the law, especially since he had stated: for where there is no law, neither is there transgression (Rom 4:15). Consequently, one might suppose that sin entered the world not through a man but through the law. To exclude this he says, until the law, i.e., the time before the law, sin was in the world, both original and actual, but it was not recognized as something to be punished by God. And this is what he adds, but sin was not imputed, namely, as something against God, when the law, i.e., the divinely given law, was not. 428. Fuerunt enim aliqui, ut dicit Philosophus in V Ethicorum, qui crediderunt quod nihil est iustum naturaliter, et per consequens nec iniustum, sed per solam positionem legis humanae. Et secundum hoc non imputabatur aliquod peccatum, quasi contra Deum existens, et praecipue peccatum originale, id est non cognoscebatur. 428. For there were certain persons, as the Philosopher says (Ethics V.10), who believed that nothing is just by nature and, consequently, nothing unjust, but only because there is a human law. According to this, a sin was not imputed as being contrary to God, especially original sin, since it was not known. Sed quod ista reputatio hominum esset falsa, ostenditur per effectum, quia mors corporalis regnavit ab Adam, per quem intravit originale peccatum in mundum usque ad Moysen, sub quo data fuit lex; et ita cum mors sit effectus peccati praecipue originalis, manifestum est quod ante legem fuit peccatum originale in mundo. But the error of this opinion is shown by the effect, because bodily death reigned from Adam, through whom original sin entered the world, until Moses, under whom the law was given. Consequently, since death is the effect of sin, especially original, it is clear that before the law there was original sin in the world. Et ne aliquis dicat quod moriebantur propter peccata actualia, ad hoc excludendum dicit quod regnavit etiam in eos qui non peccaverunt proprio actu, scilicet pueros, et etiam in iustos qui non peccaverunt mortaliter, qui tamen peccaverunt in primo homine, ut supra dictum est. Et ideo subdit in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae, inquantum similitudinem illius peccati traxerunt per originem simul cum similitudine naturae; quasi dicat, quod moriebantur absque proprio peccato, demonstrat quod in eis erat diffusa similitudo peccati Adae per originem. Et hoc est quod Apostolus manifestare intendit, scilicet, quod per Adam peccatum originale in mundum intravit. But lest anyone suppose that they died on account of actual sins, he excludes this, when he says that it reigned even over them who have not sinned by their own act, namely, children and the just who did not sin mortally, but did sin in the first man, as has been stated. Therefore, he adds, after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, inasmuch as they contracted the likeness of that sin through their origin along with the likeness of nature. As if to say: the fact that they died without personal sin shows that the likeness of Adam’s sin had been spread in them in virtue of origin. And this is what the Apostle intends to convey, namely, that original sin entered the world through Adam. 429. Deinde, cum dicit qui est forma futuri, etc., exponit similitudinem, quae intelligebatur in adverbio sicut. Unde dicit qui, scilicet Adam, est forma, id est, figura quaedam, futuri, id est Christi, tamen per contrarium. 429. Then when he says, who is a figure of him, he explains the likeness which was understood in the adverb, as (Rom 5:12). Hence he says, who, namely, Adam, was a figure of the one who was to come, i.e., of Christ, although in an opposite way. Nam sicut per Adam peccatum et mors in mundum intravit, ita per Christum intravit iustitia et vita. I Cor. XV, 47: primus homo de terra terrenus: secundus de caelo caelestis. For just as sin and death entered the world through Adam, so justice and life entered through Christ: the first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven (1 Cor 15:47). Sunt autem et aliae similitudines inter Christum et Adam, quod scilicet sicut corpus Adae formatum fuit sine coitu, ita et corpus Christi de Virgine. Et sicut de latere Adae dormientis sumpta est mulier, ita ex latere Christi dormientis in cruce fluxit sanguis et aqua, ut dicitur Io. XIX, 34, quae significant sacramenta quibus est formata Ecclesia. There are other likenesses between Christ and Adam, namely, that just as Adam’s body was formed without intercourse, so Christ’s body from the Virgin. Again, just as the woman was taken from the side of the sleeping Adam, so from the side of the sleeping Christ flowed blood and water (John 19:34), which signify the sacraments by which the Church was formed. Lectio 5 Lecture 5 Vita omnium per iustitiam uni Life of all through the justice of one