"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for
the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers."
AGAIN, he is speaking of Christ's concern for us, still holding to the
same topic, and showing what great things He hath done for us, and
how "He pleased not Himself." {Rom. xv. 3.) And besides this,
there
is another point which he makes good, that those of the Gentiles are
debtors to a larger amount unto God. And if to a larger amount, then
they ought to bear with the weak among the Jews. For since he had
spoken very sharply to such, lest this should make these elated, he
humbles their unreasonableness, by showing that it was by "promise
made to the fathers" that they had the good things given them.
while
they of the Gentiles had them out of pity and love toward man only.
And this is the reason of his saying, "And that the Gentiles might
glorify God for his mercy." But that what is said may be made
plainer, it is well to listen once more to the words themselves, that
you may see what Christ's having been made "a Minister of the
circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto
the fathers," means. What then is that which is stated? There had
been a promise made to Abraham, saying, "Unto thee will I give the
earth, and to thy seed, and in thy seed shall all the nations be
blessed." (Gen. xii. 7; xxii. 18.) But after this, they of the seed
of
Abraham all became subject to punishment. For the Law wrought
wrath unto them by being transgressed, and thenceforward deprived
them of that promise made unto the fathers. Therefore the Son came
and wrought with the Father, in order that those promises might
come true, and have their issue. For having fulfilled the whole Law in
which He also fulfilled the circumcision, and having by it, and by the
Cross, freed them from the curse of the transgression, He suffered
not this promise to fall to the ground. When then he calls Him "a
Minister of the circumcision," he means this, that by having come
and fulfilled the Law, and been circumcised, and born of the seed of
Abraham, He undid the curse, stayed the anger of God, made also
those that were to receive the promises fit for them, as being once
for all freed from their alienation. To prevent then these accused
persons from saying, How then came Christ to be circumcised and
to keep the whole Law? he turns their argument to the opposite
conclusion. For it was not that the Law might continue, but that He
might put an end to it, and free thee from the curse thereof, and set
thee entirely at liberty from the dominion of that Law. For it was
because thou hadst transgressed the Law, that He fulfilled it, not that
thou mightest fulfil it, but that He might confirm to thee the promises
made unto the fathers, which the Law had caused to be suspended,
by showing thee to have offended, and to be unworthy of the
inheritance. And so thou also art saved by grace, since thou wast
cast off. Do not thou then bicker, nor perversely cling to the Law at
this unsuitable time, since it would have cast thee also out of the
promise, unless Christ had suffered so many things for thee. And He
did suffer these, not because thou wast deserving of salvation, but
that God might be true. And then that this might not puff up him of
the Gentiles, he says.
Ver. 9. "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His
mercy."
But what he means is this. Those of the Jews would have had
promises, even though they were unworthy. But thou hadst not this
even, but wast saved from love towards man alone, even if, to put it
at the lowest, they too would not have been the better for the
promises, unless Christ had come. But yet that he might amalgamate
(or temper, kerash) them and not allow them to rise up against the
weak, he makes mention of the promises. But of these he says that it
was by mercy alone that they were saved. Hence they are the most
bound to glorify God. And a glory it is to God that they be blended
together, be united, praise with one mind, bear the weaker, neglect
not the member that is broken off. Then he adds testimonies, in
which he shows that the man of the Jews ought to blend himself with
those of the Gentiles; and so he says, "As it is written, For this
cause
I will confess to Thee among the Gentiles, O Lord, and will sing unto
Thy Name." (Ps. xviii. 46.)
Ver. 10-12. "And, rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people. And,
Praise
the Lord, all ye Gentiles" (Dent. xxxii. 43).;. "and let all
people laud
Him." (Ps. cxvii. 1.) "And, There shall be a root of Jesse,
and He that
shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles
trust." (Is. xi. I, 10.)
Now all these quotations he has given to show that we ought to be
united, and to glorify God; and also, to humble the Jew, that he may
not lift himself up over these, since all the prophets called these, as
well as to persuade the man of the Gentiles to be lowly, by showing
him that be had a larger grace to answer for. Then he concludes his
argument with a prayer again.
Ver. 13. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost."
That is, that ye may get clear of that heartlessness (aqumias)
towards one another, and may never be cast down by temptations.
And this will be by your abounding in hope. Now this is the cause of
all good things, and it comes from the Holy Ghost. But it is not
simply from the Spirit, but on condition of our contributing our part
also. This is why he says, "in believing." For this is the way
for you
to be filled with joy, if ye believe, if ye hope. Yet he does not say if
ye
hope, but, "if ye abound in hope," so as not to find comfort
in
troubles only, but even to have joy through the abundance of faith
and hope. And in this way, ye will also draw the Spirit to you. In this
way, when He is come ye will continually keep to all good things. For
just as food maintaineth our life, and by this ruleth the body, so if we
have good works, we shall have the Spirit; and if we have the Spirit,
we shall also have good works. As also, on the other hand, if we
have no works, the Spirit flieth away. But if we be deserted by the
Spirit, we shall also halt in our works. For when this hath gone, the
unclean one cometh: this is plain from Saul. For what if he doth not
choke us as he did him, still he strangles us in some other way by
wicked works. We have need then of the harp of David, that we may
charm our souls with the divine songs, both these, and those from
good actions. Since if we do the one only, and while we listen to the
charm, war with the charmer by our actions, as he did of old (1 Sam.
xix. 10); the remedy will even turn to judgment to us, and the
madness become the more furious. For before we heard, the wicked
demon was afraid lest we should hear it and recover. But when after
hearing it even, we continue the same as we were, this is the very
thing to rid him of his fear. Let us sing then the Psalm of good
deeds, that we may cast out the sin that is worse than the demon.
For a demon certainly will not deprive us of heaven, but doth in
some cases even work with the sober-minded. But sin will assuredly
cast us out. For this is a demon we willingly receive, a self-chosen
madness. Wherefore also it hath none to pity it or to pardon it. Let us
then sing charms over a soul in this plight, as well from the other
Scriptures, as also from the blessed David. And let the mouth sing,
and the mind be instructed. Even this is no small thing. For if we
once teach the tongue to sing, the soul will be ashamed to be
devising the opposite of what this singeth. Nor is this the only good
thing that we shall gain, for we shall also come to know many things
which are our interest. For he discourseth to thee both of things
present, and things to come, and of things seen, and of the invisible
Creation. And if thou wouldest learn about the Heaven, whether it
abideth as it is or shall be changed, he gives thee a clear answer,
and will say, "The heavens shall way old as doth a garment, and as
a
vesture shall thou fold them up, O God, and they shall be
changed." (Ps. cii. 26.) And if thou wishest to hear of the form of
them again, thou shall hear, "That spreadeth forth the Heaven like
a
curtain" (derrin). And if thou be minded to know further about the
back of them, he will tell thee again, "that covereth His upper
chambers with waters." (Ps. civ. 2, 3.) And even here he does not
pause, but will likewise discourse with thee on the breadth and
height, and show thee that these are of equal measure. For, "As far
as the east," he says, "is from the west, so far hath He set
our
iniquities from us. Like as the heaven's height above the earth, so is
the Lord's mercy upon them that fear Him." (ib. ciii. 12, 11.) But
if
thou wouldest busy thyself with the foundation of the earth, even
this he will not hide from thee, but thou shall hear him singing and
saying, "He hath founded it upon the seas." (ib. xxiv. 2.) And
if of
earthquakes thou art desirous to know, whence they come, he will
free thee from this difficulty also, by saying, "That looketh upon
the
earth, and maketh it tremble." (ib. civ. 32.) And if thou enquire
the
use of the night, this too mayest thou learn, and know from him. For
"therein all the beasts of the forest do move." (ib. 20.) And
in what
way the mountains are for use, he will tell thee, "The high
mountains
are for the stags." And why there are rocks, "The rocks are a
refuge
for the porcupines." (ib. 18.) Why are there trees yielding no
fruit?
learn from him, for "there the sparrows build their nests."
(ib. 17.)
Why are there fountains in the wildernesses? hear, "that by them
the
fowls of the heaven dwell, and the wild beasts." (ib. 12.) Why is
there
wine? not that thou mayest drink only (for water is of a nature to
suffice for this), but that thou mayest be gladdened also, "For
wine
maketh glad the heart of man." (ib. 15.) And by knowing this you
will
know how far the use of wine is allowable. Whence are the fowls and
the wild beasts nourished? thou wilt hear from his words, "All
these
wait upon Thee, to give them their meat in due season." (ib. 27.)
If
thou sayest, For what purpose are the cattle? he will answer thee,
that these also are for thee, "That causeth the grass," he
says, "to
grow for the cattle, and the green herb for the service (or retinue)of
men." (ib. 14.) What is the use of the moon? hear him saying,
"He
made the moon for seasons." (Ps. cxv. 19.) And that all things seen
and those not seen are made, is a thing that he has also clearly
taught us by saying, "Himself spake, and they were made, He
commanded, and they were created." (ib. xxxiii. 9.) And that there
is
an end of death, this he also teaches when he says, "God shall
deliver my soul from the hand of hell when He shall receive me."
(ib.
xlix. 15.) Whence was our body made? he also tells us; "He
remembereth that we are dust" (ib. ciii. 14); and again, whither
goeth
it away? "It shall return to its dust." (ib. civ. 29.) Why was
this
universe made? For thee: "For thou crownest him with glory and
honor, and settest him over the works of Thy hands." (ib. viii. 5,
6.)
Have we men any community with the Angels? This he also tells us,
saying as follows, "Thou hast made him a little lower than the
Angels." Of the love of God, "Like as a father pitieth his own
children, even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear Him." (ib.
ciii.
13.) And of the things that are to meet us after our present life, and
of
that undisturbed condition, he teacheth, "Re turn unto thy rest, O
my
soul." (ib. cxvi. 7.) Why the Heaven is so great, this he will also
say.
For it is because "the heavens declare the glory of God." (ib.
xix. x.)
Why day and night were made,--not that they may shine and give us
rest only, but also that they may instruct us. "For there are no
speeches nor words, the sounds of which (i.e. day and night) are not
heard." (ib. 3.) How the sea lies round about the earth, this too
thou
wilt learn from hence. "The deep as a garment is the envelopment
thereof." For so the Hebrew has it. But having a sample in what I
have mentioned, ye will have a notion of all the rest besides, the
things about Christ, about the resurrection, about the life to come,
about the resting, about punishment, about moral matters, all that
concerns doctrines, and you will find the book filled with countless
blessings. And if you fall into temptations, you will gain much
comfort from hence. If you fall into sins even, you will find countless
remedies stored up here, or if into poverty or tribulation, you will see
many havens. And if thou be righteous thou wilt gain much security
hence, and if a sinner much relief. For if thou be just and art
illtreated,
thou wilt hear him say, "For Thy sake are we killed all the
day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter." (Ps. xliv.
22.)
"All these things have come upon us, and yet have we not forgotten
Thee." (ib. 17.) And if thy well-doings make thee high, thou wilt
hear
him say, "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy
sight
shall no man living be justified" (ib. cxliii. 2), and thou wilt be
straightway made lowly. And if thou be a sinner, and hast despaired
of thyself, thou wilt hear him continually singing, "To-day, if ye
will
hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation" (ib.
xcv. 7, 8), and thou wilt be stayed up speedily. And if thou have a
crown even on thy head, and art high-minded, thou wilt learn that "a
king is not saved by a great host, neither shall a giant be saved by
the greatness of his might" (ib. xxxiii. 16): and thou wilt find
thyself
able to be reasonable. If thou be rich, and in reputation, again thou
wilt hear him singing, "Woe to them that trust in their own might,
and
boast themselves in the multitude of their riches," (ib. xlix. 6.)
And,
"As for man, his days are as grass" (ib. ciii. 15), And His
glory shall
not go down with him, after him (ib. xlix. 17): and thou wilt not think
any of the things upon the earth are great. For when what is more
splendid than all, even glory and power, is so worthless, what else of
things on earth is worth accounting of? But art thou in
despondency? Hear him saying, "Why art thou so sorrowful, O my
soul, and why dost thou so disturb me? Trust in God, for I will
confess unto Him." (ib. xlii. 5.) Or dost thou see men in honor who
deserve it not? "Fret not thyself at them that do wickedly. For as
the
grass shall they be dried up, and as the green herb shall they soon
fall away." (ib. xxxvii. 1, 2.) Dost thou see both righteous and
sinners
punished? be told that the cause is not the same. For "many"
he
says, "are the plagues of sinners." (ib. xxxii. 10.) But in
the case of
the righteous, he does not say plagues, but, "Many are the troubles
of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all."
(ib.
xxxiv. 19.) And again, "The death of the sinner is evil." (ib.
21.) And,
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His
saints." (ib. cxvi.
15.) These things do thou say continually: by these be instructed.
For every single word of this has in it an indiscoverable ocean of
meaning. For we have been just running over them only: but if you
were minded to give these passages accurate investigation, you will
see the riches to be great. But at present it is possible even by what I
have given, to get cleared of the passions that lie on you. For since
he forbids our envying, or being grieved, or despondent out of
season, or thinking that riches are anything, or tribulation, or
poverty, or fancying life itself to be anything, he frees thee from all
passions. So for this let us give thanks to God, and let us have our
treasure always in hand, "that by patience and comfort of the
Scriptures we may have hope" (Rom. xv. 4), and enjoy the good
things to come. Which God grant that we may all attain, by the grace
and love toward man of our Lord Jesus Christ. By Whom and with
Whom, etc.
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