and therefore the Apostle admonished them that their manners should be without covetousness, being content only with present necessities, taking no anxious thought for the future. According to what he had exhorted elsewhere, saying: Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. And lest perchance they should say: What shall we do, if it should befall that we lack necessities? — he straightway added consolation, bringing in a testimony from the book of Joshua the son of Nun. For He Himself, almighty God, said: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. After the death of Moses, the Lord said to Joshua: As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: be strong and of good courage; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And as this example pertains to Joshua, so also does it pertain to every elect one who has his hope placed in God.
For by no means does He lie, if we place our hope in Him. So then — understand: He is with us — that we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man shall do unto me. By the name of man is here understood not only any carnal adversary, but also the ancient enemy, who is called man (homo), taking his name from his office, in that he deceives man; even as Christ is called a lion, on account of His strength. Whence the prophet says: Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man, that is, from the devil. Therefore in all tribulations and temptations we ought to cry out this verse of the Psalmist or of the Apostle, saying: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what any enemy or adversary shall do unto me.
Remember your prelates, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose end of conversation beholding, imitate their faith. All prelates and teachers indeed, in so far as they preach good things and do good works, are to be heard and imitated; but in so far as they either do not preach rightly, or live ill, they are neither to be heard nor imitated. For example: he who by preaching rightly lives well is both to be heard and to be imitated; but if he does neither, he is not to be imitated, nor heard. But if he preaches rightly, though he live ill, he is not to be despised so as not to be heard; whence the Lord says: What they say, do; but what they do, do not do.
Because therefore these had good prelates, namely the holy apostles and their successors, he exhorts them to be mindful of them, and, considering the end of their conversation, to imitate their perseverance unto the end in right faith and good works. Their faith, that is, the firmness of all good things; because, therefore, the end of their conversation was good, therefore imitate their faith. And he calls their firmness or perseverance 'faith.' Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and to-day, and the same for ever. These words pertain to what went before, where he testified that the Lord had said: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. They might reply:
This does not pertain to our help, since it was not promised to us, but rather God promised it to Joshua. To this the Apostle replies: Do not despair, for as this promise pertains to Joshua, so does it pertain to you; because Christ Jesus, being of one essence with the Father, was Himself at that time, is now, and shall be for ever. Do not suppose that He who then was is not now; for the same who was yesterday is the same also for ever. Now 'yesterday' signifies the past time, 'to-day' the present, and 'for ever' the future without term; as though he said: Before the ages, in the ages, and after the ages, He shall abide for ever; as the prophet says of Him: But Thou art the selfsame, and Thy years shall not fail.
Be not led away by divers and strange doctrines. Divers and strange doctrines are the new dogmas of heretics, whereby the simpler are led away and separated from the truth; likewise the superstitions of the Jews, who teach that men should abstain from certain foods which the Law forbids, while they allow certain others; because, therefore, there were among them some who were carnally wise, who by the observance and distinction of foods were seducing certain ones, drawing them away from the doctrine of the Gospel, which says: All things are clean to the clean — the Apostle addresses them, that they be not led away by their strange doctrine; which he manifests more openly, adding: For it is best that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, which have not profited them that walked therein.
It is best, he says, and most perfect, to establish the heart and to strengthen the mind in the grace of the New Testament, that you may have perfect faith, believing that all things are clean to the clean, and not to establish it in distinctions and observances of foods, calling certain foods clean, certain unclean, which have profited nothing to those who walked in those observances. After the coming of the Lord, all those things which came to pass in figure ceased; and especially after the Lord said: It is not that which enters into the mouth that defiles a man, but all things are clean to the clean. For indeed He saw all things which He had made, and they were very good.
For it is better to hold fast the faith together with perfect work, than to dispute concerning the distinction of foods, rejecting those things which God has created clean; for the one perfect observance is to abstain from sin, since it profits nothing to abstain from foods if one does not abstain from sins. For though those men bestowed zeal upon observances of this kind, it profited them nothing, if they had not faith. In that they kept the Law, it profited them; in that they did not eat certain foods, they gained no advantage. We have an altar, whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle. He here refers to the legal custom and its mystery, and to the spiritual sense.
For the precept of the Law was that on the tenth day of the seventh month from the Passover feast — namely on the feast of propitiation — they should take a calf and a goat, and offer them within the camp: but the high priest alone should bear the blood of those animals into the Holy of Holies, to pray for the people; but their flesh should be carried outside the camp, and there be burned up, nor was it lawful for anyone serving the tabernacle to eat of them. Now spiritually those two animals, namely the calf and the goat, bear the figure of the Lord and Saviour: He is the calf which the loving father slew at the return of the prodigal son; He is also the goat, since He was offered up for sinners.
That high priest also, who with the blood of those animals entered into the Holy of Holies to pray for the people, bore the type of this true High Priest, who with the blood of His Passion penetrated the inner sanctuary of the heavenly homeland, to pray for His faithful. Those animals were immolated within the camp, but their flesh was burned outside the camp, because our Redeemer too was immolated in Jerusalem, as it were within the camp, by the voices and the judgement of the sons of Israel, but their flesh — His body — was burned outside Jerusalem, upon the cross, by the fire of His Passion; for when He was condemned to death, the Jews crying out:
He is guilty of death; crucify, crucify Him — in a manner, so far as pertained to them, He was immolated; which the Evangelist Mark, wishing to show us that it was so, says: It was the third hour when they crucified Him — namely with their tongues. For at the sixth hour He was lifted up on the cross outside Jerusalem, and there His body was burned with the fire of His Passion. Now that altar of the Jews, which was made outside the camp, where the flesh was consumed, is the altar of the Church, where daily the body of Christ is consecrated.
We have therefore the altar of the Church, where the Lord's body is consecrated, whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle of their own body — namely fornicators, adulterers, drunkards, the unclean, and those who sow discords among brethren, and all who serve the pleasures and desires of their flesh. For he that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgement to himself. For of those animals whose blood is brought in for sin into the Holy Place by the high priest, the bodies are burned outside the camp. How these things pertain to the Lord has, I think, been sufficiently said.
But because He Himself is the Head of all the elect, by the flesh of those animals may be understood all the elect, who outside the camp — that is, outside the conversation of worldly and carnal men — mortify their members with their vices and concupiscences, or who, after the example of the Lord's Passion, undergo the palm of martyrdom. According to what the blessed Peter exhorts, saying: Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps. Their blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest, when their praiseworthy life is presented to God the Father through the true Priest Jesus, who is our advocate, interceding for us. And fittingly by the blood is life understood: for the life of man is in the blood.
Or their blood is brought into the Holy Place, when their souls are carried up to the heavenly places with the triumph of their passion. And well are they consumed upon the altar, because the holy martyrs fulfil all these things in the faith whereby they believe they are to be rewarded by God. Of those things which are consecrated on this altar, they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle: since to those things which the holy martyrs fulfil by enduring in perfect faith, they dare not approach who live carnally, and are held bound by the love of this world. Wherefore — understand: the mystery being fulfilled. And Jesus, that He might sanctify the people by His own blood — the people who believe in Him — suffered outside the gate.
As the book of the Gospels testifies, the Lord suffered outside the gate of Jerusalem, in the place of the beheaded, which was called Calvary. Therefore, that the Lord might turn the shadow and the figure into truth — which was prefigured concerning Himself and His members — and might redeem by His own blood and cleanse the people that believe in Him, He suffered outside Jerusalem. Let us therefore go forth unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. Because, therefore, the Lord suffered for us, the Apostle exhorts us to imitate Him, saying: Since, then, He suffered outside the camp, that He might sanctify us, let us go forth unto Him outside the conversation of carnal men, mortifying our members with their vices and concupiscences.
Let us also imitate His Passion, by enduring martyrdom for Him. For this is to bear His reproach — to suffer the same things which He suffered. For His cross seems to be His reproach to the heathen, but to us it is sanctification and redemption. Let us therefore go forth unto Him outside the camp, despising things present, loving things to come, contemning things visible, desiring to pursue things eternal. For here we have no abiding city, but we seek one to come. It is certain that in this world we cannot have an eternal dwelling, nor a city that ever abides, since the world passes away and the lust thereof.
Wherefore we ought to strive with our utmost strength toward the heavenly city Jerusalem, which has God as its inhabitant, who shall abide eternally. Through Him therefore let us always offer to God the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips confessing His name. Through Him, that is, through Christ, we ought to offer to God the Father the sacrifice of praise and thanksgivings for all good things. He calls it the fruit of lips, because these same praises and thanksgivings merit the fruit of rewards; whence the Apostle says: For with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. As, then, they used to offer cattle, we, however, offer none of these things, but ought to offer to God thanksgiving alone. Of this sacrifice the Psalmist says: Offer to God the sacrifice of praise.
But to do good and to share, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. A beneficent man (beneficus) is called one who is generous and given to almsgiving; hence beneficence (beneficentia) means the largess of alms. Of beneficence, he says, and of communication forget not — that is, of the largess of alms and of the communication whereby you ought to communicate and share with others out of your means, forget not. Though others have plundered your substance, yet out of those things which you have, forget not to give alms, as the prophet says: Blessed is he that considereth the needy and the poor. For with such sacrifices and gifts of alms God is won over to be gained; whence He says through the prophet:
I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. Regard is to be had not to the poor man, who seems to receive, but rather to Him who commanded to give; for the alms which is bestowed on the poor on earth is received back from God in heaven. And do not think that it is he who is to repay you what he received; for you gave earthly things, you shall gain eternal ones. Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. Prelates and preachers are to be obeyed in every way, in so far as their doctrine and their morals are holy and pious. But if they have strayed from the way of rectitude, like the scribes and Pharisees, let us not do such things as they do, but such as they say, unless perchance they have proved contrary in the faith. For if they have proved contrary in the faith, they are not only to be avoided, but even to be fled from.
But if they teach well, though they differ in morals, hear Christ speaking of such in the person of the scribes and Pharisees: The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, observe and do; but do not according to their works, for they say, and do not. For they watch, as they that shall render an account for your souls, that they may do it with joy, and not grieving.
Obedience indeed is to be rendered to all prelates and rulers, unless perchance they have erred from the truth of the faith; yet especially to those who watch, that is, who watch without ceasing in good example, in preaching, and in the care of outward things, being solicitous how they may render an account for them. Therefore we ought to be subject to our prelates, who are solicitous for us, inasmuch as they are to render an account for us, that they may do this with joy and not grieving — that is, that they may exercise care over you with gladness and a cheerful mind, and be not with murmuring and perturbation of soul; since very often the evil conversation and disobedience of subjects provoke the minds of prelates to bitterness, so far that they become more slothful and more sorrowful concerning their advancement.
Or we ought to obey them, that on the day of judgement they may render an account for us with joy, secure concerning the reward, and not grieving, anxious concerning our condemnation. For this is not profitable for you. Understand: that they should exercise care over you with grieving, or render an account for you with sadness. Pray for us. Here he destroys the pride and haughtiness of mind of certain prelates, who, puffed up with the disease of pride, disdain to entreat their subjects that they may pour forth prayers for them.
If therefore he who was called by God to this end, that he should become the teacher and master of all nations, did not disdain to ask that his subjects, whom he had gained for the Lord, should pray for him, how much more do those who are full of envy, rapine, and besprinkled with other vices need to be aided by the prayers of their subjects? There follows: For we trust that we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. The Apostle is blamed by the Jews, that he did not love his own nation as the Gentiles; and therefore he addresses them mildly and beseechingly, showing that he has good will toward all — that is, both toward Jews and toward Gentiles.
We trust, he says — both I and my companions — that we have good will toward all men, willing to live honestly, as much toward the Jews as toward the Gentiles. Do not bring forth any accusations or detractions, since our conscience in nothing reproaches or condemns us, as though we had not good will toward you. And I beseech you the more earnestly to do this, that I may be the more speedily restored to you. It is indeed my will to come, and therefore I earnestly beseech you to pray for me, that my desire of coming to you may quickly be fulfilled. And it is to be noted that he first asks of them the support of prayer, and then not simply, but with his whole intent and all his zeal, he pours forth a devout prayer for them to the Lord, saying:
Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep in the blood of the eternal testament, our Lord Jesus Christ. By the God of peace is here understood God the Father, from whom true peace proceeds, who is the lover of peace, and who reconciled us through the blood of His Son: He brought again the great Shepherd of the sheep from the dead — that is, from the sepulchre, which is properly the place of the dead — raising Him up on the third day: according to what the Son Himself, drawing near to His Passion, prayed, saying: Father, glorify Thy Son — that is, raise up Thy Son. And what does the same God the Father say to Him in the psalm? Arise, O my glory; arise, O psaltery — that is, the choir of all the virtues. To whom the Son: I will arise at the dawning of the day.
God the Father therefore led forth His Son from the dead, that is, from hell or from the tomb, according to what the Psalmist had foretold: 'You will not give Your Holy One to see corruption.' And, so to speak, the Son Himself raised Himself by the power of the Word; for just as the whole Trinity led Him forth from the dead, since those three Persons work indivisibly. Now the great Shepherd is the Lord Jesus, because He leads His sheep to the pastures of the way and to the pleasant meadows of the verdant paradise. He is the Shepherd who says in the Gospel: 'I am the good Shepherd.' His sheep are the elect, of whom He Himself says: 'My sheep hear My voice, and they follow Me, and I give them eternal life.' 'May He make you fit.'
That is, may He prepare you and render you perfect in every good work, that you may do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 'May the God of peace,' he says, 'make you fit in every good thing'; that is, may He make you fit in right faith, in sound doctrine, in perfect action, that you may be able to fulfil His will, He Himself working in you what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ. For from yourselves you can have nothing good, unless He goes before you and follows after you, according to what the Psalmist entreats when he says: 'His mercy shall go before me, and His mercy shall follow me.'
The Apostle also says elsewhere: 'It is God who works in you both to will and to accomplish,' since through Him we were made and redeemed, and through Him whatever good we have is supplied to us. 'To whom be glory,' that is, to God the Father and to Jesus Christ, unto all ages to come. Amen. Now 'Amen' is a confirmation, standing for 'let it be so,' or 'it is true as I have said.' 'And I beseech you, brethren, that you bear with this word of consolation; for I have written to you in few words.' Note that he called the whole epistle a single 'word,' and did not say, 'I beg you to bear patiently with a word of admonition,' because they were faint-hearted, but 'a word of consolation,' that is, a word of comfort, a word of exhortation.
For I have not written many things to you, but few, in comparison with those things which I would say to you if I were present, fearing to be a burden to you. 'Know that our brother Timothy has been set at liberty.' Timothy was a fellow-bishop of the blessed Apostle and a helper in preaching, whom he says was set at liberty by him and directed to preaching, either from Athens, where perhaps the Apostle had left him. It can also be understood that he had been detained in prison, and was then set free. 'With whom,' that is, with Timothy. 'If he comes to us more speedily, I will see you.' He wishes to make them gentler, saying that he will come to them together with him. 'Greet all your leaders and all the saints.'
Just as he had written this epistle to all the Hebrews in general, so he greets them all in general and wishes them well, not only the prelates but also all those subject to them, whom he calls saints, who had become holy in baptism; and at the same time he speaks kindly to them, since he now greets them honourably, so that they might perceive that they were loved by him not with mere outward show, but with the whole affection of his mind. 'The brethren from Italy greet you.' By these words he most plainly indicates to us that he wrote this epistle at Rome, which is situated in the region of Italy, and, as it seems to the learned, he was at that time in prison. 'Grace be with you all. Amen.' Grace is so called because it is given freely (gratis);
and by the name of grace we ought here to understand perfect faith together with the practice of good works, and also the remission of sins, which the faithful receive at the time of baptism, and likewise the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is given in baptism through the laying on of the bishops' hands—all of which are given freely by God. The Apostle therefore prays that those to whom he was writing might possess all these things. Let us too pray to the Lord with devout supplication, that by the intercession of the excellent Apostle we may be made possessors of these gifts in the present, and, keeping most perfectly the faith which he taught and adorning it with good works, may deserve to attain, with Christ as our guide, to the contemplation of the heavenly vision. Amen.