"What then? Israel hath not obtained that, which he seeketh for;
but
the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded."
He had said that God did not cast off His people; and to show in what
sense He had not cast them off, he takes refuge in the Prophets
again.* And having shown by them that the more part of the Jews
were lost, that he might not seem to be again bringing forward an
accusation of his own, and to make his discourse offensive, and to
be attacking them as enemies, he takes refuge in David and Isaiah,
and says, Ver. 8. "According as it is written, God hath given them
the
spirit of slumber." (Is. xxix. 10.)
Or rather we should go back to the beginning of his argument.
Having then mentioned the state of things in Elijah's time, and
shown what grace is, he proceeds, "What then? Israel hath not
obtained that which he seeketh for." Now this is as much what an
accuser would say, as what one who was putting a question. For the
Jew, he means, is inconsistent with himself when he seeketh for
righteousness, which he will not accept. Then to leave them with no
excuse, he shows, from those who have accepted it, their unfeeling
spirit, as he says, "But the election hath obtained it," and
they are
the condemnation of the others. And this is what Christ says, "But
if
I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them
out? Wherefore they shall be your judges." (Luke xi. 19.) For to
prevent any one from accusing the nature of the thing, and not their
own temper, he points out those who had obtained it. Hence he uses
the word with great propriety, to show at once the grace from above
and the zeal of these. For it is not to deny free-will that he speaks of
their having "obtained" (as by chance, Gr. epetuce) it, but to
show
the greatness of the good things, and that the greater part was of
grace, though not the whole? For we too are in the habit of saying,
"so and so chanted to get" (same word), "so and so met
with," when
the gain has been a great one. Because it is not by man's labors, but
by God's gift, that the greater part was brought about. "And the
rest
was blinded."
See how he has been bold enough to tell with his own voice the
casting off of the rest. For he had indeed spoken of it already, but it
was by bringing the prophets in as accusers. But from this point he
declares it in his own person. Still even here he is not content with
his own declaration, but brings Isaiah the prophet in again. For after
saying, "were blinded," he proceeds; according as it is
written, God
hath given them the spirit of slumber." Now whence came this
blinding? He had indeed mentioned the causes of it before, and
turned it all upon their own heads, to show that it was from their
unseasonable obstinacy that they had to bear this. And now he
speaks of it too. For when he says, "Eyes that they should not see,
and ears that they should not hear," he is but finding fault with
their
contentious spirit. For when they had "eyes to see" the
miracles, and
were possessed of "ears to hear" that marvellous Teaching,
they
never used these as were fitting. And the "He gave," do not
imagine
to mean here an agency, but a permission only. But.
"slumber" (kataanuxis lit. piercing) is a name he here gives
to the
habit of soul inclinable to the worse, when incurably and
unchangeably so. For in another passage David says, "that my glory
may sing unto Thee, and I may not be put to slumber" (Ps. xxx. 12,
LXX.): that is, I may not alter, may not be changed. For as a man who
is hushed to slumber in a state of pious fear would not easily be
made to change his side; so too he that is slumbering in wickedness
would not change with facility. For to be hushed to slumber here is
nothing else but to be fixed and riveted to a thing. In pointing then to
the incurable and unchangeable character of their spirit, he calls it
"a
spirit of slumber." Then to show that for this unbelief they will
be
most severely punished, he brings the Prophet forward again,
threatening the very things which in the event came to pass.
Ver. 9. "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a
stumblingblock."
(Ps. lxix. 22, 23.)
That is, let their comforts and all their good things change and
perish, and let them be open to attack from any one. And to show
that this is in punishment for sins that they suffer this, he adds,
"and
a recompense unto them."
Ver. 10. "Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow
Thou down their back alway." Do these things then still require any
interpreting? Are they not plain even to those ever so senseless?
And before our words, the very issue of facts has anticipated us in
bearing witness to what was said. For at what time have they ever
been so open to attacks? at what time such an easy prey? at what
time hath He so "bowed down their backs?" At what time have
they
been set under such bondage? And what is more, there is not to be
any unloosing from these terrors. And this the prophet hath also
hinted. For he does not say only, "bow Thou down their back,"
but,
"forever bow Thou down." But if thou art disposed to dispute,
O Jew,
about the issue, from what hath gone before learn also the present
case. Thou didst go down to Egypt; and two hundred years passed,
and God freed thee speedily from that bondage, and that though
thou wert irreligious, and wentest a whoring with the most baneful
whoredom. Thou wast freed from Egypt, and thou didst worship the
calf, thou didst sacrifice thy sons to Baalpeor, thou didst defile the
temple, thou didst go after every sort of vice, thou didst grow not to
know nature itself. The mountains, the groves, the hills, the springs,
the rivers, the gardens didst thou fill with accursed sacrifices, thou
didst slay the prophets, didst overthrow the altars, didst exhibit
every excess of wickedness and irreligion. Still, after giving thee up
for seventy years to the Babylonians, He brought thee back again to
thy former freedom, and gave thee back the temple, and thy country,
and thy old form of polity and there were prophets again, and the gift
of the Spirit. Or rather, even in the season of thy captivity thou wast
not deserted, but even there were Daniel, and Ezekiel, and in Egypt
Jeremiah, and in the desert Moses. After this thou didst revert to thy
former vice again, and wast a reveller (exebakceuqhs 2 Macc. xiv.
33), therein, and didst change thy manner of life (politeian to the
Grecian in the time of Antiochus the impious Dan. viii. 14; 1 Macc. iv.
54). But even then for a three years and a little over only were ye
given up to Antiochus, and then by the Maccabees ye raised those
bright trophies again.
But now there is nothing of the sort, for the reverse hath happened
throughout. And this is ground for the greatest surprise, as the vices
have ceased, and the punishment hath been increased, and is
without any hope of a change. For it is not seventy years only that
have passed away, nor a hundred, nor yet twice as many but three
hundred, and a good deal over, and there is no finding even a
shadow of a hope of the kind. And this though ye neither are
idolaters, nor do the other audacious acts ye did before. What then is
the cause? The reality hath succeeded to the type, and grace hath
shut out the Law. And this the prophet foretelling from of old said,
"And ever bow Thou down their back." See the minuteness of
prophecy, how it foretells their unbelief, and also points out their
disputatiousness, and shows the judgment which should follow, and
sets forth the endlessness of the punishment. For as many of the
duller sort, through unbelief in what was to come to pass, wished to
see things to come by the light of things present, from this point of
time God gave proof of His power on either part, by lifting those of
the Gentiles who believed. above the heaven, but bringing down
such of the Jews as believed not to the lowest estate of desolation,
and giving them up to evils not to be ended. Having then urged them
severely both about their not believing, and about what they had
suffered and were yet to suffer, he again allays what he had said by
writing as follows:
Ver. II. "I say then, Have they stumbled, that they should fall?
God
forbid."
When he has shown that they were liable to evils without number,
then he devises an allayment. And consider the judgment of Paul.
The accusation he had introduced from the prophets, but the
allayment he makes come from himself. For that they had sinned
greatly, he would say, none will gainsay. But let us see if the fall is
of
such kind as to be incurable, and quite preclude their being set up
again. But of such kind it is not. You see how he is attacking them
again, and under the expectation of some allayment he proves them
guilty of confessed sins. But let us see what even by way of
allayment he does devise for them. Now what is the allayment?
"When the fulness of the Gentiles," he says, "shall have
come in,
then shall all Israel be saved," at the time of his second coming',
and
the end of the world. Yet this he does not say at once. But since he
had made a hard onset upon them, and linked accusations to
accusations, bringing prophets in after prophets crying aloud
against them, Isaiah, Elijah, David, Moses, Hosea, not once or twice,
but several times; lest in this way he should both by driving these
into despair, make a wall to bar their access to the faith, and should
further make such of the Gentiles as believed unreasonably elated,
and they also by being puffed up should take harm in matter of their
faith, he further solaces them by saying, "But rather through their
fall
salvation is come unto the Gentiles." But we must not take what is
here said literally, but get acquainted with the spirit and object of
the
speaker, and what he aimed to compass. Which thing I ever entreat
of your love. For if with this in our minds we take up what is here
said, we shall not find a difficulty in any part of it. For his present
anxiety is to remove from those of the Gentiles the haughtiness
which might spring in them from what he had said. For in this way
they too were more likely to continue unshaken in the faith, when
they had learnt to be reasonable, as also those of the Jews were,
when quit of despair, more likely to come with readiness to grace.
Having regard then to this object of his, let us so listen to all that
is
said on this.
passage. What does he say then? And whence does he show that
their fall was not irremediable, nor their rejection final? He argues
from the Gentiles, saying as follows:
"Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to
provoke them to jealousy."
This language is not his own only, but in the Gospels too the
parables mean this. For He who made a marriage feast for His Son,
when the guests would not come, called those in the highways.
(Matt. xxii. 9.) And He who planted the Vineyard, when the
husbandmen slew the Heir, let out His Vineyard to others. (ib. xxi. 38,
etc.) And without any parable, He Himself said, "I am not sent but
unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel." (ib. xv. 24.) And to
the
Syrophoenician woman, when she persevered, He said somewhat
further besides. "It is not meet," He says, "to take the
children's
bread, and cast it to the dogs." (ib. xv. 26.) And Paul to those of
the
Jews that raised a sedition, "It was necessary that the word of God
should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye judge
yourselves unworthy, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles." (Acts xiii.
46.)
And throughout it is clear that the natural course of things was this,
that they should be the first to come in, and then those of the
Gentiles; but since they disbelieved, the order was reversed; and
their unbelief and fall caused these to be brought in first. Hence it is
that he says, "through their fall salvation is come to the
Gentiles, for
to provoke them to jealousy." But if he m ntions what the course of
things issued in, as if the chief design of Providence, do not feel
surprised. For he wishes to sob ace their down-stricken souls, and
his meaning is about this. Jesus came to them; they did not receive
Him, though He did countless miracles, but crucified Him. Hence He
drew the Gentiles to Him, that the honor they had, by cutting them to
the heart for their insensibility might at least out of a moroseness
against others persuade them to come over. For they ought to have
been first admitted, and then we. And this was why he said, "For it
is
the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth; to the
Jew first, and also to the Gentile." (Rom. i. 16.) But as they had
started off, we the last became first. See then how great honors he
gathers for them even from this. One that he says, we were then
called, when they were not willing; a second that he says, the reason
of our being called was not that we only might be saved, but that
they also, growing jealous at our salvation, might become better.
What does he say then? that if it were not for the Jews' sake, we
should not have been called and saved at all? We should not before
them, but in the regular order. Wherefore also when He was speaking
to the disciples, He did not say barely, "Go to the lost sheep of
the
House of Israel" (Matt. x.
6), but, "Go rather to the sheep," to show that to those parts
also
they must come after these. And Paul again saith not, "It was
necessary that the word of God should have been spoken unto you,"
but "should first have been spoken unto you" (Acts xiii. 46),
to show
that in the second place it must be to us also.
And this was both done and said, that they might not be able,
shameless though they were, to pretend that they were overlooked,
and that was why they did not believe. This then was why Christ,
though he knew all things before, yet came to them first.
Ver. 12. "Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and
the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their
fulness?"
Here he is speaking to gratify them. For even if these had fallen a
thousand times, the Gentiles would not have been saved unless they
had shown faith. As the Jews likewise would not have perished
unless they had been unbelieving and disputatious. But as I said, he
is solacing them now they are laid low, giving them so much the
more ground to be confident of their salvation if they altered. For if
when they stumbled, he says, so many enjoyed salvation, and when
they were cast out so many were called, just consider what will be
the case when they return. But he does not put it thus, When they
return. Now he does not say "how much more their" return, or
their
altering, or their well-doing, but "how much more their
fulness," that
is, when they are all about coming in. And this he said to show that
then also grace and God's gift will do the larger part, or almost the
whole.
Ver. 13, 14. "For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the
Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office; if by any means I may
provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some
of them."
Again he endeavors much to get himself clear of untoward
suspicion. And he seems to be blaming the Gentiles, and to be
humbling their conceits, yet he gives a gentle provocation to the Jew
also. And indeed he goes round about seeking to veil and allay this
great ruin of theirs. But he finds no means of doing it, owing to the
nature of the facts. For from what he had said, they deserved but the
greater condemnation, when those who were far short of them had
taken the good things prepared for them. This is why then he passes
from the Jews to those of the Gentiles, and puts in between his
discourse the part about them, as wishing to show that he is saying
all these things in order to instruct them to be reasonable. For I
praise you, he means, for these two reasons one, because I am
necessitated to do so as being your commissioned minister; the
other that through you I may save others. And he does not say, my
brethren, my kinsmen; but, "my flesh." And next, when pointing
out
their disputations spirit, he does not say, "if by any means I
may"
persuade, but, "provoke to jealousy and save;" and here again
not
all, but, "some of them." So hard were they! And even amid his
rebuke he shows again the Gentiles honored, for they are causes of
their salvation, and not in the same way. For they became purveyors
of blessings to them through unbelief, but these to the Jews by faith.
Hence the estate of the Gentiles seems to be at once equal and
superior. For what wilt thou say, O Jew? that if we had not been east
out, he would not have been called so soon? This the man of the
Gentiles may say too, If I had not been saved, thou wouldest not
have been moved to jealousy. But if thou wouldest know wherein we
have the advantage, I save thee by believing, but it is by stumbling
that thou hast afforded us an access before thyself. Then perceiving
again that he had touched them to the quick, resuming his former
argument, he says, Ver. 15. "For if the casting away of them be the
reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life
from the dead?"
Yet this again condemns them, since, while others gained by their
sins, they did not profit by other men's well doings. But if he asserts
that to be their doing which necessarily happened, be not surprised:
since (as I have said several times)it is to humble these, and to
exhort the other, that he throws his address into this form. For as I
said before, if the Jews had been cast away a thousand times over,
and the Gentiles had not shown faith, they would never have been
saved. But he stands by the feeble party, and gives assistance to the
distressed one. But see also even in his favors to them, how he
solaces them in words only. "For if the casting away of them be the
reconciling of the world," (and what is this to the Jews?)
"what shall
the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" Yet even this was
no boon to them, unless they had been received. But what he means
is to this effect. If in anger with them He gave other men so great
gifts, when He is reconciled to them what will He not give? But as the
resurrection of the dead was not by the receiving of them, so neither
now is our salvation through them. But they were cast out owing to
their own folly, but it is by faith that we are saved, and by grace from
above. But of all this nothing can be of service to them, unless they
show the requisite faith. Yet doing as he is wont, he goes on to
another encomium, which is not really one, but which only seems to
be, so imitating the wisest physicians, who give their patients as
much consolation as the nature of the sickness allows them. And
what is it that he says?
Ver. 16. "For if the first-fruits be holy, the lump also is holy;
and if the
root be holy, so are the branches;"
So calling in this passage by the names of the first-fruit and root
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, the prophets, the patriarchs, all who
were of note in the Old Testament; and the branches, those from
them who believed. Then since the fact met him that many had
disbelieved, observe how he undermines (upotemnetai, see p. 345) it
again, and says, Ver. 17. "And if some of the branches be broken
off."
And yet above thou didst say that the more part perished, and a few
were saved only. How came it then that speaking of those that
perished, thou hast used a "some," which is indicative of
fewness? It
is not, he replies, in opposition to myself, but out of a desire to
court
and recover those that are distressed. Observe how in the whole of
the passage one finds him working at this object, the wish to solace
them. And if you deny it, many contradictions will follow. But let me
beg you to notice his wisdom, how while he seems to be speaking
for them, and devising a solace for them, he aims a secret blow at
them, and shows that they are devoid of all excuse, even from the
"root," from the "first-fruit." For consider the
badness of the
branches, which, when they have a sweet root, still do not imitate it;
and the faultiness of the lump, when it is not altered even by the
firstfruit.
"And if some of the branches were broken off." However, the
greater part were broken off. Yet, as I said, he wishes to comfort
them. And this is why it is not in his own person, but in theirs, that
he brings in the words used, and even in this gives a secret stroke at
them, and shows them to have fallen from being Abraham's kinsmen.
(Matt. iii. 9.) For what he was desirous of saying was, that they had
nothing in common with them. (John viii. 39.) For if the root be holy,
and these be not holy, then these are far away from the root. Then
under the appearance of solacing the Jews, he again by his
accusation smiteth them of the Gentiles. For after saying, "And if
some of the branches were broken off," he proceeds.
"And thou being a wild olive wert grafted in."
For the less esteem the man of the Gentiles is of, the more the Jew is
vexed at seeing him enjoy his goods. And to the other, the disgrace
of the little esteem he was of, is nothing to the honor of the change.
And consider his skilfulness. He does not say, "thou weft"
planted
"in," but "thou weft grafted in," by this again
cutting the Jew to the
heart, as showing that the Gentile man was standing in his own tree,
and himself lying on the ground. Wherefore he does not stop even
here, nor after he had spoken of grafting in does he leave off (and yet
in this he declared the whole matter), but still he dwells over the
prosperous state of the Gentile, and enlarges upon his fair fame in
the words, "And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the
olive tree." And he seems indeed to have viewed him in the light of
an addition. But he shows that he was no whir the worse on that
account, but in possession of everything, that the branch which had
come up out of the root had. Lest then on hearing the words, "and
thou weft grafted in," thou shouldest suppose him to be lacking
when compared with the natural branch, see how he makes him
equal to it by saying, that "with them thou partakest of the root
and
fatness of the olive:" that is, hast been put into the same noble
rank,
the same nature. Then in rebuking him, and saying, Ver. 18. "Boast
not against the branches." He seems indeed to be comforting the
Jew, but points out his vileness and extreme dishonor. And this is
why he says not, "boast not," but, "boast not
against" do not boast
against them so as to sunder them. For it is into their place that ye
have been set, and their goods that ye enjoy. Do you observe how he
seems to be rebuking the one, while he is sharp upon the other?
"But if thou boast," he says, "thou bearest not the root,
but the root
thee."
Now what is this to the branches that are cut off? Nothing. For, as I
said before, while seeming to devise a sort of weak shadow of
consolation, and in the very midst of his aiming at the Gentile, he
gives them a mortal blow; for by saying, "boast not against
them,"
and, "if thou boast, thou bearest not the root," he has shown
the Jew
that the things done deserved boasting of, even if it was not right to
boast, thus at once rousing him and provoking him to faith, and
smiting at him, in the attitude of an advocate, and pointing out to him
the punishment he was undergoing, and that other men had
possession of what were their goods.
Ver. 19. "Thou wilt say then," he goes on, "The branches
were
broken off that I might be grafted in."
Again he establishes, by way of objection, the opposite to the former
position, to show that what he said before, he had not said as
directly belonging to the subject, but to draw them to him. For it was
no longer by their fall that salvation came to the Gentiles, nor was it
their fall that was the riches of the world. Nor was it by this that we
were saved, because they had fallen, but the reverse. And he shows
that the providence in regard to the Gentiles was a main object, even
though he seems to put what he says into another forth. And the
whole passage is a tissue of objections, in which he clears himself of
the suspicion of hatred, and makes his language such as will be
acceptable.
Ver. 20. "Well," he praises what they said, then he alarms
them again
by saying, "Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou art
grafted in by faith."
So here another encomium, and for the other party an accusation.
But he again lays their pride low by proceeding to say, "be not
highminded,
but fear." For the thing is not matter of nature, but of belief
and unbelief. And he seems to be again bridling the Gentile, but he is
teaching the Jew that it is not right to cling to a natural kinsmanship.
Hence he goes on with, "Be not high-minded," and he does not
say,
but be humble, but, fear. For haughtiness genders a contempt and
listlessness. Then as he is going into all the sorrows of their
calamity, in order to make the statement less offensive, he states it
in the way of a rebuke given to the other as follows:
Ver. 21. "For if God spared not the natural branches," and
then he
does not say, neither will He spare thee," but "take heed,
lest He also
spare not thee." So paring (upotemnomenos) away the distasteful
from his statement, representing the believer as in the struggle, he at
once draws the others to him, and humbles these also.
Ver. 22. "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on
them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou
continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."
And he does not say, Behold thy well doing, behold thy labors, but,
"Behold the goodness of God" toward man, to show that the
whole
comes of grace from above, and to make us tremble. For this reason
for boasting should make thee to fear: since the Lord (despoths)
hath been good unto thee, do thou therefore fear. For the blessings
do not abide by thee unmovable if thou turnest listless, as neither do
the evils with them, if they alter; "For thou also," he says,
"unless
thou continue in the faith, wilt be cut off."
Ver. 23. "And they also, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be
grafted
in."
For it was not God that cut them off but they have broken
themselves off and fallen, and he did well to say have broken
themselves off. For He hath never yet so (Say. conj. Ms. corr. outos)
east them off, though they have sinned so much and so often. You
see what a great thing a man's free choice is, how great the efficacy
of the mind is. For none of these things is immutable, neither thy
good nor his evil. You see too how he raises up even him in his
despondency, and humbles the other in his confidence; and do not
thou be faint at hearing of severity, nor thou be confident at hearing
of goodness. The reason why He cut thee off in severity was, that
thou mightest long to come back. The reason why He showed
goodness to thee was, that thou mightest continue in (he does not
say the faith, but) His goodness, that is, if thou do things worthy of
God's love toward man. For there is need of something more than
faith. You see how he suffers, neither these to lie low, nor those to
be elated, but he also provokes them to jealousy, by giving through
them a power to the Jew to be set again in this one's place, as he
also had first taken the other's ground. And the Gentile he put in fear
by the Jews, and what had happened to them, lest they should feel
elated over it. But the Jew he tries to encourage by what had been
afforded to the Greek. For thou also, he says, wilt be cut off if thou
growest listless, (for the Jew was cut off), and he will be grafted in
if
he be earnest, for thou also wast grafted in. But it is very judicious
in
him to direct all he says to the Gentile, as he is always in the habit
of
doing, correcting the feeble by rebuking the stronger. This he does
in the end of this Epistle too, when he is speaking of the observance
of meats. Then, he grounds this on what had already happened, not
upon what was to come only. And this was more likely to persuade
his hearer. And as he means to enter on consecutiveness of
reasonings, such as could not be spoken against, he first uses a
demonstration drawn from the power of God. For if they were cut off,
and cast aside, and others took precedence of them in what was
theirs, still even now despair not.
"For God is able," he says, "to graft them in
again," since He doeth
things beyond expectation. But if thou wishest for things to be in
order, and reasons to be consecutive, you have from yourselves a
demonstration which more than meets your wants.
Ver. 24. "For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, which is wild
by
nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree,
how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be
grafted into their own olive tree."
If then faith was able to do what was contrary to nature, much more
will it that which is according to nature. For if this person, who was
cut off from those by nature his fathers, came contrary to nature
unto Abraham, much more wilt thou be able to recover thine own.
For the Gentile's evil lot is according to nature (he being by nature a
wild olive), and the good contrary to nature (it being contrary to
nature for him to be grafted into Abraham), but thy lot on the
contrary is the good by nature. For it is not upon another root, as the
Gentile, but on thine own that thou art to be fixed if thou art minded
to come back. What then dost thou deserve, when after the Gentile
had been able to do what was contrary to nature, thou art not able to
do that which is according to nature, but hast given up even this?
Then as he had said "contrary to nature," and, "wert
grafted in," that
you may not suppose the Jew to have the advantage, he again
corrects this by saying that he also is grafted in. "How much more
shall these," says he, "which be the natural branches be
grafted into
their own olive-tree?" And again, "God is able to graft them in."
And
before this he says, that if they "abide not still in unbelief,
they shall
be also grafted in." And when you hear that he keeps speaking of
"according to nature," and "contrary to nature," do
not suppose that
he means the nature that is unchangeable, but he tells us in these
words of the probable and the consecutive, and on the other hand of
the improbable.
For the good things and the bad are not such as are by nature, but
by temper and determination alone. And consider also how
inoffensive he is. For after saying that thou also wilt be cut off, if
thou dost not abide in the faith, and these will be grafted in, if they
"abide not still in unbelief," he leaves that of harsh aspect,
and
insists on that of kindlier sound, and in it he ends, putting great
hopes before the Jews if they were minded not to abide so.
Wherefore he goes on to say, Vet. 25. "For I would not, brethren,
that
ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise m your
own conceits."
Meaning by mystery here, that which is unknown and unutterable,
and hath much of wonder and much of what one should not expect
about it. As in another passage too he says, "Behold, I tell you a
mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." (1
Cor.
xv. 51.) What then is the mystery?
"That blindness in part hath happened unto Israel." Here again
he
levels a blow at the Jew, while seeming to take down the Gentile. But
his meaning is nearly this, and he had said it before, that the unbelief
is not universal, but only "in part." As when he says,
"But if any hath
caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part" (2 Cor. if. 5):
And,
so here too he says what he had said above, "God hath not cast off
His people whom He foreknew" (Rom. xi. 2): and again, "What
then?
Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid" (ib. 11):
This
then he says here also; that it is not the whole people that is pulled
up, but many have already believed, and more are likely to believe.
Then as he had promised a great thing, he adduces the prophet in
evidence, speaking as follows. Now it is not for the fact of a
blindness having happened that he quotes the passage (for every
one could see that), but that they shall believe and be saved, he
brings Isaiah to witness, who crieth aloud and saith, Ver. 26.
"There
shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away
ungodliness from Jacob." (Is. lix. 20.)
Then to give the mark that fixes its sense to salvation, to prevent any
one from drawing it aside and attaching it to times gone by, he says,
Ver. 27. "For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away
their sins."
Not when they are circumcised, not when they sacrifice, not when
they do the other deeds of the Law, but when they attain to the
forgiveness of sins. If then this hath been promised, but has never
yet happened in their case, nor have they ever enjoyed the remission
of sins by baptism, certainly it will come to pass. Hence he proceeds,
Ver. 29. "For the gifts and calling of God are without
repentance."
And even this is not all he says to solace them, for he uses what had
already come about. And what came in of consequence, that he
states as chiefly intended, putting it in these words, Ver. 28. "As
concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as
touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes."
That the Gentile then might not be puffed up, and say, "I am
standing, do not tell me of what would have been, but what has
been," he uses this consideration to bring him down, and says,
"As
concerning the GOspel, they are enemies for your sakes." For when
you were called they became more captious.
Nevertheless God hath not even now cut short the calling of you, but
He waiteth for all the Gentiles that are to believe to come in, and then
they also shall come. Then he does them another kind favor, by
saying, "As touching election, they are beloved for the fathers
sakes." And what is this? for wherein they are enemies, punishment
is theirs: but wherein they are beloved, the virtue of their ancestors
has no influence on them, if they do not believe. Nevertheless, as I
said, he ceaseth not to solace them with words, that he may bring
them over. Wherefore by way of fresh proof for his former assertion,
he says, Ver. 30-32. "For as ye in times past have not believed God,
yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so have
these also now not believed, that through your mercy they may also
obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He
might have mercy upon all."
He shows here that those of the Gentiles were called first. Then, as
they would not come, the Jews were elected, and the same result
occurred again. For when the Jews would not believe, again the
Gentiles were brought over. And he does not stop here, nor does he
draw the whole to a conclusion at their rejection, but at their having
mercy shown them again. See how much he gives to those of the
Gentiles, as much as he did to the Jews before. For when ye, he
would say, "in times past did not obey," being of the
Gentiles, then
the Jews came in. Again, when these did not obey, ye have come.
However, they will not perish forever. "For God hath concluded them
all in unbelief," that is, hath convinced them, hath shown them
disobedient; not that they may remain in disobedience, but that He
may save the one by the captiousness of the other, these by those
and those by these. Now consider; ye were disobedient, and they
were saved. Again, they have been disobedient, and ye have been
saved. Yet ye have not been so saved as to be put away again, as the
Jews were, but so as to draw them over through jealousy while ye
abide.
Ver. 33. "Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments!"
Here after going back to former times, and looking back to God's
original dispensation of things whereby the world hath existed up to
the present time, and having considered what special provision He
had made for all occurrences, he is stricken with awe, and cries
aloud, so making his hearers feel confident that certainly that will
come to pass which he saith. For he would not have cried aloud and
been awe-struck, unless this was quite sure to come to pass. That it
is a depth then, he knows: but how great, he knows not. For the
language is that of a person wondering, not of one that knew the
whole. But admiring and being awe-struck at the goodliness, so far
forth as in him lay, he heralds it forth by two intensitive words,
riches and depth, and then is awestruck at His having had both the
will and the power to do all this, and by opposites effecting
opposites. "How unsearchable are His judgments." For they are
not
only impossible to be comprehended, but even to be searched. "And
His ways past finding out;" that is, His dispensations for these
also
are not only impossible to be known, but even to be sought into. For
even I, he means, have not found out the whole, but a little part, not
all. For He alone knoweth His own clearly. Wherefore he proceeds:
Vet. 34, 35. "For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath
been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be
recompensed unto him again?"
What he means is nearly this: that though He is so wise, yet He has
not His Wisdom from any other, but is Himself the Fountain of good
things. And though He hath done so great things, and made us so
great presents, yet it was not by borrowing from any other that He
gave them, but by making them spring forth from Himself; nor as
owing any a return for having received from him, but as always being
Himself the first to do the benefits; for this is a chief mark of
riches,
to overflow abundantly, and yet need no aid. Wherefore he proceeds
to say, "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all
things."
Himself devised, Himself created, Himself worketh together (Vulg.
sugkratei, Mss. sugkrotei ). For He is rich, and needeth not to receive
from another. And wise, and needeth no counsellor. Why speak I of a
counsellor? To know the things of Him is no one able, save Himself
alone, the Rich and Wise One. For it is proof of much riches that He
should make them of the Gentiles thus well supplied; and of much
wisdom that He should constitute the inferiors of the Jews their
teachers. Then as he was awe-struck he offers up thanksgiving also
in the word, "To Whom be glory forever. Amen.
For when he tells of any great and unutterable thing of this kind, he
ends in wonder with a doxology. And this he does in regard to the
Son also. For in that passage also he went on to the very same thing
that he does here. "Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who
is
over all God blessed forever. Amen. (Rom. ix. 5.)
Him then let us also imitate, and let us glorify God in all things, by a
heedful way of life, and let us not feel confidence in the virtues of
our
ancestry, knowing the example that has been made of the Jews. For
this is not, certainly it is not, the relationship of Christians, for
theirs
is the kinsmanship of the Spirit. So the Scythian becometh
Abraham's son: and his son on the other hand more of an alien to
him than the Scythian. Let us not then feel confidence in the welldoings
of our fathers (most Mss. "of others"), but if you have a
parent who is a marvel even, fancy not that this will be enough to
save you, or to get you honor and glory, unless you have the
relationship of character to him. So too if you have a bad one, do not
think that you will be condemned on this account, or be put to
shame if at least you order your own doings aright. For what can be
less honorable than the Gentiles? still in faith they soon became
related to the Saints. Or what more nearly connected than the Jews?
Yet still by unbelief they were made aliens. For that relationship is of
nature and necessity, after which we are all relations. For of Adam
we all sprung, and none can be more a relation than another, both as
regards Adam and as regards Noah, and as regards the earth, the
common mother of all. But the relationship worthy of honors, is that
which does distinguish us from the wicked. For it is not possible for
all to be relations in this way, but those of the same character only.
Nor do we call them brothers who come of the same labor with
ourselves, but those who display the same zeal. In this way Christ
giveth men the name of children of God, and so on the other hand
children of the devil, and so too children of disobedience, of hell,
and of perdition likewise. So Timothy was Paul's son from goodness
and was called" mine own son" (1 Tim. i. 2): but of his
sister's son
we do not know even the name. And yet the one was by nature
related to him, and still that availed him not. But the other being both
by nature and country far removed from him (as being a native of
Lystra), still became most nearly related. Let us then also become
the sons of the Saints, or rather let us become even God's sons. For
that it is possible to become sons of God, hear what he says, "Be
ye
therefore perfect, as your father which is in Heaven." (Matt. v.
48.)
This is why we call Him Father in prayer, and that not only to remind
ourselves of the grace, but also of virtue, that we may not do aught
unworthy of such a relationship. And how it may be said is it
possible to be a son of God? by being free from all passions, and
showing gentleness to them that affront and wrong us. For thy
Father is so to them that blaspheme Him. Wherefore, though He says
various things at various times, yet in no case does He say that ye
may be like your Father, but when He says, "Pray for them that
despitefully use you, do good to them that hate you" (ib. v. 44),
then
He brings in this as the reward. For there is nothing that brings us so
near to God, and makes us so like Him, as this well-doing. Therefore
Paul also, when he says, "Be ye followers of God"
(Eph. v. 1), means them to be so in this respect. For we have need of
all good deeds, chiefly however of love to man and gentleness, since
we need so much of His love to man ourselves. For we commit many
transgressions every day. Wherefore also we have need to show
much mercy. But much and little is not measured by the quantity of
things given, but by the amount of the givers' means. Let not then
the rich be high-minded, nor the poor dejected as giving so little, for
the latter often gives more than the former. We must not then make
ourselves miserable because we are poor, since it makes almsgiving
the easier for us. For he that has got much together is seized
with haughtiness, as well as a greater affection to that (or "lust
beyond that") he has. But he that hath but a little is quit of
either of
these domineering passions: hence he finds more occasions for
doing well. For this man will go cheerfully into a prison-house, and
will visit the sick, and will give a cup of cold water. But the other
will
not take upon him any office of this sort, as pampered up
(flegmainwn, by his riches. Be not then out of heart at thy poverty.
For thy poverty makes thy traffic for heaven the easier to thee. And if
thou have nothing, but have a compassionating soul, even this will
be laid up as a reward for thee. Hence too Paul bade us "weep with
them that weep"
(Rom. xii. 15), and exhorted us to be to prisoners as though bound
with them. (Heb. xiii. 3.) For it is not to them that weep only that it
yieldeth some solace that there be many that compassionate them,
but to them who are in other afflicting circumstances. For there are
cases where conversation has as much power to recover him that is
cast down as money. For this then God exhorts us to give money to
them that ask, not merely with a view to relieve their poverty, but that
He may teach us to compassionate the misfortunes of our
neighbors. For this also the covetous man is odious, in that he not
only disregards men in a beggared state, but because he gets
himself trained (aleifetai) for cruelty and great inhumanity. And so he
that, for their sakes, thinks little of money, is even on this account
an
object of love, that he is merciful and kind to man. And Christ, when
He blesseth the merciful, blesseth and praiseth not those only that
give the alms of money, but those also who have the will to do so.
Let us then be so inclinable to mercy, and all other blessings will
follow, for he that hath a spirit of love and mercy, if he have money,
will give it away, or if he see any in distress, will weep and bewail
it;
if he fall in with a person wronged, will stand up for him; if he sees
one spitefully entreated, will reach out his hand to him.
For as he has that treasure-house of blessings, a loving and merciful
soul, he will make it a fountain for all his brethren's needs, and will
enjoy all he rewards that are laid up with God (Field with 4 Mss. tw
Qew). That we then may attain to these, let us of all things frame our
souls accordingly. For so, while in this world, we shall do good
deeds without number, and shall enjoy the crowns to come. To
which may we all attain by the grace and love toward man, etc.
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