"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is, that
they
might be saved."
HE is now going again to rebuke them more vehemently than before.
Wherefore he again does away with every suspicion of hatred, and
makes a great effort beforehand to correct misapprehension. Do not
then, he says, mind words or accusations, but observe that it is not
in any hostile spirit that I say this. For it is not likely that the
same
person should desire their salvation, and not desire it only, but even
pray for it, and yet should also hate them, and feel aversion to them.
For here he calls his exceeding desire, and the prayer which he
makes (eudokian), "heart's desire." For it is not the being
freed from
punishment only, but that they may also be saved, that he makes so
great a point of, and prays for. Nor is it from this only, but also from
the sequel that he shows the good-will that he hath towards them.
For from what is open to him, as far as he can, he forces his way,
and is contentious to find out some shadow at least of an excuse for
them. And he hath not the power, being overcome by the nature of
the facts.
Ver. 2. "For I bear them record," says he, " that they
have a zeal of
God, but not according to knowledge."
Ought not this then to be a ground for pardoning and not for
accusing them? For if it is not of man that they are separated, but
through zeal, they deserved to be pitied rather than punished. But
observe how adroitly he favors them in the word, and yet shows their
unseasonable obstinacy.
Ver. 3. "For they being ignorant," he says, "of God's
righteousness."
Again the word would lead to pardon. But the sequel to stronger
accusation, and such as does away with defence of any kind.
"And going about," he says, "to establish their own
righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
And these things he says to show, that it was from a petulancy and
love of power that they erred, rather than from ignorance, and that
not even this righteousness from the deeds of the Law did they
establish. (Matt. xxi. 38; John. xii. 19, 42.) For saying "going
about to
establish" is what one would do to show this. And in plain words
indeed he has not stated this (for he has not said, that they fell short
of both righteousnesses), but he has given a hint of it in a very
judicious manner, and with the wisdom so befitting him. For if they
are still "going about" to establish that, it is very plain
that they have
not yet established it. If they have not submitted themselves to this,
they have fallen short of this also. But he calls it their "own
righteousness," either because the Law was no longer of force, or
because it was one of trouble and toil. But this he calls God's
righteousness, that from faith, because it comes entirely from the
grace from above, and because men are justified in this case, not by
labors, but by the gift of God. But they that evermore resisted the
Holy Ghost, and vexatiously tried to be justified by the Law, came
not over to the faith. But as they did not come over to the faith, nor
receive the righteousness thereupon ensuing, and were not able to
be justified by the Law either, they were thrown out of all resources.
Ver. 4. "For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to
every
one that believeth.
See the judgment of Paul. For as he had spoken of a righteousness,
and a righteousness, lest they of the Jews which believed should
seem to have the one but be excluded from the other, and to be
accused of lawlessness (for even these there was no less cause to
fear about as being still newly come in), and lest Jews should again
expect to achieve it, and should say, Though we have not at present
fulfilled it, yet we certainly will fulfil it, see what ground he takes.
He
shows that there is but one righteousness, and that has its full issue
in this, and that he that hath taken to himself this, the one by faith,
hath fulfilled that also. But he that rejects this, falls short as well
of
that also. For if Christ be "the end of the Law," he that hath
not
Christ, even if he seem to have that righteousness, hath it not. But
he that hath Christ, even though he have not fulfilled the Law aright,
hath received the whole. For the end of the physician's art is health.
As then he that can make whole, even though he hath not the
physician's art, hath everything; but he that knows not how to heal,
though he seem to be a follower of the art, comes short of
everything: so is it in the case of the Law and of faith. He that hath
this hath the end of that likewise, but he that is without this is an
alien from both. For what was the object of the Law? To make man
righteous. But it had not the power, for no one fulfilled it. This then
was the end of the Law and to this it looked throughout, and for this
all its parts were made, its feasts, and commandments, and
sacrifices, and all besides, that man might be justified. But this end
Christ gave a fuller accomplishment of through faith. Be not then
afraid, he says, as if transgressing the Law in having come over to
the faith. For then dost thou transgress it, when for it thou dost not
believe Christ. If thou believest in Him, then thou hast fulfilled it
also,
and much more then it commanded. For thou hast received a much
greater righteousness. Next, since this was an assertion, he again
brings proof of it from the Scriptures.
Ver. 5. "For Moses," he says, "describeth the
righteousness which is
of the Law."
What he means is this. Moses showeth us the righteousness
ensuing from the Law, what sort it is of, and whence. What sort is it
then of, and what does it consist in? In fulfilling the commandments.
"He (R. T. the man), that doeth these things," He says,
"shall live by
(or in), them." (Lev. xviii. 5.) And there is no other way of
becoming
righteous in the Law save by fulfilling the whole of it. But this has
not been possible for any one, and therefore this righteousness has
failed them. (diapeptwken). But tell us, Paul, of the other
righteousness also, that which is of grace. What is that then, and of
what does it consist? Hear the words in which he gives a clear
sketch of it. For after he had refuted the other, he next goes on to
this, and says, Ver. 6, 7, 8, 9. "But the righteousness which is of
faith
speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into
heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above): or, Who shall
descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the
dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth,
and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach. That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be
saved.
To prevent the Jews then from saying, How came they who had not
found the lesser righteousness to find the greater? he gives a reason
there was no answering, that this way was easier than that. For that
requires the fulfilment of all things (for when thou doest all, then
thou shall live): but the righteousness which is of faith doth not say
this, but what? "It thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved." Then again that we may not seem to be making it
contemptible by showing it to be easy and cheap? observe how he
expands his account of it. For he does not come immediately to the
words just given, but what does he say? "But the righteousness
which is of faith saith on this wise; Say not in thine heart, Who shall
go up into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down); or, Who shall
descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the
dead.") For as to the virtue manifested in works there is opposed a
listlessness, which relaxeth our labors, and it requireth a very
wakeful soul not to yield to it: thus, when one is required to believe,
there are reasonings which confuse and make havoc of the minds of
most men, and it wants a soul of some vigor to shake them
thoroughly off. And this is just why he brings the same before one.
And as he did in Abraham's case, so he does here also. For having
there shown that he was justified by faith, lest he should seem to
have gotten so great a crown by a mere chance, as if it were a thing
of no account, to extol the nature of faith, he says, "Who against
hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many
nations. And being not weak in faith, he considered his own body
now dead, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at
the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving
glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what He had promised
He was able also to perform" (Rom. iv. 18-21): so he showed that
there is need of vigor, and a lofty soul, that takes in things beyond
expectation, and stumbles not at appearances. This then he does
here also, and shows that it requires a wise mind, and a spirit
heavenly (Gr. heaven-reaching) and great. And he does not say
merely, "Say not," but, "Say not in thine heart,"
that is, do not so
much as think of doubting and saying with thyself, And how can this
be? You see that this is a chief characteristic of faith, to leave all
the
consequences of this lower world, and so to seek for that which is
above nature, and to cast out the feebleness of calculation, and so to
accept everything from the Power of God. The Jews, however, did
not merely assert this, but that it was not possible to be justified by
faith. But himself turns even what had taken place to another
account, that having shown the thing to be so great, that even after it
had taken place it required faith, he might seem with good reason to
bestow a crown on these: and he uses the words which are found in
the Old Testament, being always at pains to keep quite clear of the
charges of love of novelties, and of opposition to it. For this, which
he here says of faith, Moses says to them of the commandment, so
showing that they had enjoyed at God's hand a great benefit. For
there is no need to say, he means, that one must go up to heaven, or
cross a great sea, and then receive the commandments, but things
so great and grand hath God made of easy access to us. And what
meaneth the phrase, "The Word is nigh thee?" That is, It is
easy. For
in thy mind and in thy tongue is thy salvation. There is no long
journey to go, no seas to sail over, no mountains to pass, to get
saved. But if you be not minded to cross so much as the threshold,
you may even while you sit at home be saved. For "in thy mouth and
in thy heart" is the source of salvation. And then on another score
also he makes the word of faith easy, and says, that "God raised
Him
from the dead." For just reflect upon the worthiness of the Worker,
and you will no longer see any difficulty in the thing. That He is Lord
then, is plain from the resurrection. And this he said at the beginning
even of the Epistle. "Which was declared to be the Son of God with
power . . . by the resurrection from the dead." (Rom. i. 4.) But
that the
resurrection is easy too, has been shown even to those who are very
unbelieving, from the might of the Worker of it. Since then the
righteousness is greater, and light and easy to receive, is it not a
sign of the utmost contentiousness to leave what is light and easy,
and set about impossibilities? For they could not say that it was a
thing they declined as burdensome. See then how he deprives them
of all excuse. For what do they deserve to have said in their defence,
who choose what is burdensome and impracticable, and pass by
what is light, and able to save them, and to give them those things
which the Law could not give? All this can come only from a
contentious spirit, which is in a state of rebellion against God. For
the Law is galling (epakqhs), but grace is easy. The Law, though they
dispute never so much, does not save; Grace yieldeth the
righteousness resulting from itself, and that from the Law likewise.
What plea then is to rescue them, since they are disposed to be
contentious against this, but cling to that to no purpose whatever?
Then, since he had made a strong assertion, he again confirms it
from the Scripture.
Ver. 11-13. "For the Scripture saith, "he proceeds,
"Whosoever
believeth on Him, shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference
between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich
unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the Name
of the Lord shall be saved."
You see how he produces witnesses, whether to the faith, or to the
confession of it. For the words, "Every one that believeth,"
point out
the faith. But the words, "Whosoever shall call upon," set
forth
confession. Then again to proclaim the universality of the grace, and
to lay their boasting low, what he had before demonstrated at length,
he here briefly recalls to their memory, showing again that there is
no difference between the Jew and the uncircumcised. "For there
is,"
he says, "no difference between the Jew and the Greek." And
what
he had said about the Father, when he was arguing this point, that he
says here about the Son. For as before he said in asserting this,
"Is
He the God of the Jews only? Is He not of the Gentiles also? Yes, of
the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God" (Rom. iii. 29, 30):--So he
says
here also, "For the same Lord over all is rich unto all (and upon
all)." (Rom. iii. 22.) You see how he sets Him forth as exceedingly
desiring our salvation, since He even reckons this to be riches to
Himself; so that they are not even now to despair, or fancy that,
provided they would repent, they were unpardonable. For He who
considereth it as riches to Himself to save us, will not cease to be
rich. Since even this is riches, the fact of the gift being shed forth
unto all. For since what distresseth him the most was, that they, who
were in the enjoyment of a prerogative over the whole world, should
now by the faith be degraded front these thrones, and be no wit
better off than others, he brings the Prophets in constantly as
foretelling, that they would have equal honor with them. "For
whosoever," he says, "believeth on Him shall not be
ashamed" (Is.
xxviii. 16); and, "Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the
Lord shall be saved." (Joel ii. 32.) And the "whosoever"
is put in all
cases, that they might not say aught in reply. But there is nothing
worse than vainglory. For it was this, this most especially, which
proved their ruin. Whence Christ also said to them, "How can ye
believe, which receive glory one of another, and seek not the glory
which cometh of God only?" (John v. 44.) This, with ruin, exposes
men also to much ridicule and before the punishment in the other
world involves them in ills unnumbered in this. And if it seem good,
that you may learn this clearly, leaving for the present the heavens
which that puts us out of, and the hell which it thrusts us into, let us
investigate the whole matter as here before us. What then can be
more wasteful than this? what more disgraceful, or more offensive?
For that this disorder is a wasteful one is plain from the people who
spend to no purpose whatsoever on theatres horse-races, and other
such irrelevant expenditures: from those that build the fine and
expensive houses, and fit up everything in a useless style of
extravagance, on which I must not enter in this discourse. But that a
person diseased in this way must needs be extravagant, and
expensive, and rapacious, and covetous, anybody can see. For that
he may have food to give the brute, he thrusteth his hand into the
substance of others. And why do I talk of substance? It is not money
only but souls also that this fire devoureth, and it worketh not death
here only, but also hereafter. For vanity is the mother of hell, and
greatly kindleth that fire, and the venomous worm. One may see that
it hath power even over the dead. And what can be worse than this?
For the other passions are put an end to by death, but this even after
death shows its force, and strives to display its nature even in the
dead corpse. For when men give orders on their death-bed to raise
to them fine monuments, which will waste all their substance, and
take pains to lay out beforehand a vast extravagance in their funeral,
and in their lifetime insult the poor that come to them for a penny
and a single loaf, but when they are dead give a rich banquet to the
worm, why seek any more exorbitant thraldom to the disease? From
this mischief also irregular loves are conceived. For there are many
whom it is not the beauty of the appearance, nor the desire of lying
with her, but the wish to boast that "I have made conquest of such
an one," hath even drawn into adultery. And why need I mention the
other mischiefs that spring of this? For I had rather be long (3 Mss.
dihnekws) the slave of ten thousand savages, than of vanity once.
For even they do not put such commands Upon their captives, as
this vice lays upon its votaries. Because it says, Be thou every one's
slave, be he nobler or be he lower than thyself. Despise thy soul,
neglect virtue, laugh at freedom, immolate thy salvation, and if thou
doest any good thing, do it not to please God, but to display it to the
many, that for these things thou mayest even lose thy crown. And if
thou give alms, or if thou fast, undergo the pains, but take care to
lose the gain. What can be more cruel than these commands? Hence
grudging beareth sway, hence haughtiness, hence covetousness,
the mother of evils. For the swarm of domestics, and the black
servants liveried in gold, and the hangers on, and the flatterers, and
the silver-tinselled chariots, and the other absurdities greater than
these, are not had for any pleasure's sake or necessity, but for mere
vanity. Yes, one will say, but that this affliction is an evil, anybody
can see; but how we are to keep quite clear of it, this is what you
should tell us. Well then, in the first place, if you persuade yourself
that this disorder is a baneful one, you will have made a very good
beginning towards correcting it. For when a man is sick, he speedily
sends for the physician, if he be first made acquainted with the fact
that he is sick. But if thou seekest for another way besides to escape
from hence, look to God continually, and be content with glory from
Him; and if thou find the passion tickling thee, and stirring thee to
tell thy well-doings to thy fellow-servants, bethink thyself next, that
after telling them thou gainest nothing. Quench the absurd desire,
and say to thy soul, Lo, thou hast been so long big with thy own
welldoings
to tell them, and thou hast not had the courage to keep them
to thyself, but hast blabbed them out to all. What good then hast
thou gotten from this? None at all, but loss to the utmost, and
avoidance of all that had been gathered together with much labor.
And besides this, consider another thing also, which is, that most
men's opinion is perverted, and not perverted only, but that it withers
away so soon. For supposing they do admire you for the time, when
the occasion has gone by they will have forgotten it all, and have
taken away from thee the crown God had given, and have been
unable to secure to thee that from themselves. And yet if this were
abiding, it were a most miserable thing to exchange that for this. But
when even this hath gone, what defence shall we be able to make for
betraying the abiding one for the sake of the unabiding one, for
losing such blessings for the sake of credit with a few? And indeed
even if they who praise were numerous, even for this they were to be
pitied, and the more so the more numerous those who do it. But if
thou art surprised at what I have said, hear Christ giving His
sentence in this way, "Woe unto you, when all men speak well of
you." (Luke vi. 26.) And so indeed it should seem. For if in every
art
you look to the workmen (dhmiourgous) in it to be judges of it, how
come you to trust the proving of virtue to the many, and not most of
all to Him Who knoweth it more surely then any, and is best able to
applaud and to crown it? This saying then, let us inscribe both on
our walls and our doors and our mind, and let us keep constantly
saying to ourselves, "Woe unto us, when all men speak well of
us."
For even they that so speak slander one afterward as a vain person,
and fond of honor, and covetous of their good word. But God doeth
not so. But when He seeth thee coveting the glory that cometh of
Him, then He will praise thee most, and respect (qaumasetai om. in
most Mss.) thee, and proclaim thee conqueror. Not so man; but,
when he finds thee slavish instead of free, by gratifying thee often by
bare words with false praise, he snatches from thee thy true meed,
and makes thee more of a menial than a purchased slave. For those
last men get to obey them after their orders, but thou even without
orders makest thyself a slave. For thou dost not even wait to hear
something from them, but if thou merely knowest wherein thou
mayest gratify them, even without their command thou doest all.
What hell then should we not deserve, for giving the wicked
pleasure, and courting their service before they give orders, while we
will not hearken to God, even when He every day commands and
exhorts us? And yet if thou art covetous of glory and praise, avoid
the praise that cometh of men, and then thou wilt attain to glory.
Turn aside from fair speeches, and then thou wilt obtain praises
without number both from God and from men. For there is no one we
are used to give so much glory to, as the man who looks down upon
glory, or to praise and respect so much as the man who thinks scorn
of getting respected and praised. And if we do so, much more will
the God of the universe. And when He glorifieth thee and praiseth
thee, what man can be more justly pronounced blessed? For there is
not a greater difference between glory and disgrace, than between
the glory from above and that of men. Or rather, there is a much
greater, aye an infinite difference. For if this, even when it does not
get put beside any other, is but a base and uncomely one, when we
come to scrutinize it by the other's side, just consider how great its
baseness will be found to be! For as a prostitute stands at her place
and lets herself out to any one, so are they that be slaves of vanity.
Or rather, these be more base than she. For that sort of women do in
many instances treat those enamoured of them with scorn. But you
prostitute yourself to everybody, whether runaway slaves, or thieves,
or cut-purses (for it is of these and such as these that the playhouses
that applaud you consist), and those whom as individuals
you hold to be nothing worth, when in a body, you honor more than
your own salvation and show yourself less worthy of honor than any
of them. For how can you be else than less worthy, when you stand
in need of the good word of others, and fancy that you have not
enough by yourself, unless you receive the glory that cometh of
others? Do you not perceive, pray, beside what I have said, that as
you are an object of notice, and known to every body, if you should
commit a fault, you will have accusers unnumbered; but if unknown,
you will remain in security? Yes, a man may say, but then if I do well
I shall have admirers unnumbered. Now the fearful thing is, that it is
not only when you sin, but even when you do aright, that the
disorder of vanity does you mischief, in the former case subverting
thousands, in the present bereaving thee entirely of thy reward. It is
then a sad thing, and replete with disgrace of every kind, to be in
love with glory even in civil matters. But when even in spiritual you
are in the same plight what excuse is there left remaining for you,
when you are not minded to yield God even as much honor as you
have yourself from your servants? For even the slave "looketh to
the
eyes of his master" (Ps. cxxiii. 2), and the hireling to his
employer,
who is to pay him wages, and the disciple to his master. But you do
just the contrary. Having left the God that hired thee, even thy
Master, thou lookest to thy fellow-servants; and this knowing that
God remembers thy well-doings even after this life, but man only for
the present. And when thou hast spectators assembled in Heaven,
thou art gathering together spectators upon earth. And where the
wrestler struggles, there he would be honored; but thou, while thy
wrestling is above, art anxious to gain thee a crown below. And what
can be worse than madness like this? But let us look, if it seem
proper, at the crowns also. For one is formed by haughtiness, and a
second by grudging against another, and a third by dissimulation
and flattery, another again by wealth, and another by servile
obsequiousness. And like as children at their childish play put
crowns of grass upon one another, and many a time laugh at him
that is crowned behind his back; thus now also they that pass their
praises upon thee, many a time joke by themselves at their putting
the grass upon us. And would it were grass only! But now the crown
is laden with much mischief, and ruins all our well-doings. Taking
then the vileness of it into consideration, flee from the damage
entailed. For how many would you have to praise you? A hundred?
or twice, or thrice, or four times as many? Or rather, if you please,
put them at ten times or twenty times as many, and let there be two
or four thousand, or if you will, even ten thousand to applaud you.
Still these be no better than so many daws cawing from above. Or
rather taking the assemblage of the angels into consideration, these
will seem more vile than even worms, and their good word of not so
much solidity as a cobweb, or a smoke, or a dream. Hear then how
Paul, who saw through these things thoroughly, is so far from
seeking after them, that he even deprecates them, in the words "But
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ." (Gal.
vi.
14.) This glory then be thou also emulous of, that thou mayest not
provoke the Master, because in so doing thou art insulting God, and
not thyself alone. For if thou even wert a painter, and hadst some
pupil, and he were to omit showing thee his practice of the art, but
set forth his painting publicly just to any body that chanted to
observe it, thou wouldest not take it quietly. But if this even with thy
fellow-servants were an insult, how much more with the Master! But
if you have a mind to learn on other grounds to feel scorn for the
thing, be of a lofty mind, laugh at appearances, increase thy love of
real glory, be filled with a spiritual temper, say to thy soul as Paul
did, "Knowest thou not that we shall judge angels?" (1 Cor.
vi. 3) and
having by this roused it up, go on to rebuke it, and say, Thou that
judgest the angels, wilt thou let thyself be judged of off-scourings,
and be praised with dancers, and mimics, and gladiators, and
horsedrivers?
For these men do follow after applause of this sort. But do
thou poise thy wing high above the din of these, and emulate that
citizen of the wilderness, John, and learn how he was above
regarding the multitude, and did not turn him to look at flatterers, but
when he saw all the dwellers in Palestine poured forth about him,
and wondering, and astonished at him, he was not puffed up with
such honor as this, but rose up against them, and discoursing to his
great concourse as if to one youth, he thus rebuked them and said,
"Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers!" (Matt. iii. 7.) Yet it
was for him
that they had run together, and left the cities, in order to see that
holy personage, and still none of these things unnerved him. For he
was far above glory, and free from all vanity. So also Stephen, when
he saw the same people again, not honoring him, but mad upon him,
and gnashing their teeth, being lifted above their wrath, said, "Ye
stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart." (Acts vii. 51.) Thus also
Elias, when those armies were present, and the king, and all the
people, said, "How long halt ye upon both your hips?" (1 Kings
xviii.
21, LXX. true sense of "halt.") But we flatter all, court all,
with this
servile obsequiousness buying their honor. Wherefore all things are
turned upside down, and for this favor the business of Christianity is
betrayed, and everything neglected for the opinion of the generality.
Let us then banish this passion, and then we shall have a right
notion of liberty, and of the haven, and the calm. For the vain man is
ever like persons in a storm, trembling, and fearing, and serving a
thousand masters. But he that is clear of this thraldom, is like men in
havens, enjoying a liberty untainted. Not so that person, but as many
acquaintances as he has, so many masters has he, and he is forced
to be a slave to all of them. How then are we to get free from this
hard bondage? It is by growing enamoured of another glory, which is
really glory. For as with those that are enamoured of persons, the
sight of some handsomer one doth by its being seen take them off
from the first: so with those that court the glory which cometh from
us men, the glory from heaven, if it gleameth on them, has power to
lead them off from this. Let us then look to this, and become
thoroughly acquainted with it, that by feeling admiration of its
beauty, we may shun the hideousness of the other, and have the
benefit of much pleasure by enjoying this continually. Which may we
all attain to by the grace and love toward man, etc.
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