It must always be most especially held, that you always esteem yourself less than all, and thus humility and patience will be preserved: because whatever you suffer from a greater, you are content. 'In solicitude not slothful.' Not only ought he to whom the solicitude of the Church belongs be unwearied and eager, but you also ought to be solicitous for one another concerning your progress and life. 'Fervent in spirit.' Then we are fervent in spirit, if we flee from carnal acts: because the Lord feels nausea at the lukewarm. 'Serving the Lord.' Not the world, nor the vices, but the Redeemer. 'Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, instant in prayer.' On account of the joy of future hope, be patient in tribulation. 'Count it all joy,' he says, 'when you fall into various temptations.'
'Blessing at all times.' In prosperity and in adversity. 'Communicating to the necessities of the saints.' Remember by what works the saints obeyed God, and be partakers with them, and minister to them who despised all their own goods for Christ, so that there your abundance may supply their want, that their abundance also may be a supplement to your want. 'Pursuing hospitality.' As Lot compelled even unwilling guests. And as he says: 'Do not forget hospitality, for by it some have pleased God, having received angels to lodging': and the other testimonies. 'Bless those who persecute you: bless, and curse not.'
Lest we should think that both could be done, he says: not only must we not curse in return, but we must even bless: as the apostle Peter says: 'Not rendering evil for evil, or curse for curse: but on the contrary blessing.' 'To rejoice with those who rejoice.' But now it is done perversely, in that we weep with those who rejoice: if anyone is praised, we envy; if anyone falls, we rejoice: whereas if we were of the body, we would grieve at one member cut off from our body. 'To weep with those who weep.' At Mary's weeping the Lord is moved to tears, giving us an example, not for Lazarus, nor for the unbelief of the Jews: because they did not then for the first time disbelieve his signs, as some suppose. 'To weep with those who weep': it is fitting for us, is understood. If:
if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with it. 'Being of the same mind one toward another.' That, as to your own, so also to your brother's need you may consent with perfect charity. 'Not minding high things.' He is proud in his thoughts who does not reserve his wrong to God. 'But consenting to the humble.' To the humble, that is, to humility. 'Be not wise in your own conceits.' Do not glory in human wisdom: but be fools in this world, that you may be wise, as it is written: 'Blessed is the man whom thou shalt instruct, O Lord, and shalt teach him out of thy law.' 'To no one rendering evil for evil.' It is human wisdom, if you seek how to render the like to an evildoer. For it is folly in the world, if to him who strikes your cheek you offer the other also.
But if you are of such great patience and kindness, you will be held approved not only before God, but also among men. 'Providing good things not only before God, but also before all men.' Only beware lest you do it in order to please, not God and man, but men alone. 'If it be possible, as far as in you lies, having peace with all men.' Whether it be in your power that it may be done, that which is yours, do you keep peace both with friends and with enemies, and say with the prophet: 'With those who hated peace I was peaceable.' To no one therefore ought we to do evil by way of injury, or to harm: but rather on the contrary to desire their salvation, and their conversion to the Lord. So that, if good can be done, it may be the reward of your good will:
but if it cannot be done, let the fault be of another's dissension. But do you declare with the prophet: 'With those who hated peace I was peaceable.' This you fulfill in this way, when you wish useful and salutary things for your enemies, because by such a wish the fruit remains with the one who wishes, even if the goodwill is neglected on the other side. 'Not defending yourselves, most beloved.' That is, do not, by defending your own cause with words, prepare strifes and hatreds: but rather overcome by yielding the wrath of the raging man. Because to have fled the assault of another's malice is to have overcome it: in this way you may either soften troublesome animosity by reason, or avoid it by humility. 'But give place to wrath.' Either flee, or permit yourselves to be harmed. For it is written: 'Vengeance is mine.'
I will avenge, as it were, my own wrong, not yours, since he who touches you touches also the apple of my eye: and 'he who shall scandalize one of these little ones,' and the rest. 'I will repay, says the Lord.' According to the literal history he promises them the hope of vengeance, that even so he may provoke them to patience and mercy: that they may not deny to others what God denies to no one. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink.' That is, that you may confound evil with kindness, and chastise the ungrateful with grace. 'For doing this, you will heap coals of fire upon his head.' So that, when he understands that coals are being heaped upon him through your mercy that is not owed him, he may afterward be converted and love him whom he formerly hated:
for it is not mercy, if you do it in order that something worse may befall him, whom you are commanded to pray for as an enemy. 'Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.' In the sentiments or movements of minds he is said to have conquered who has drawn the other to his own side, as a heretic or a pagan. If therefore he receive from you a repayment of evil, he has conquered you, and has subjected you to the likeness of his passion by his vice. But if by your patience you have made him cease from wrath or injury, you have conquered, and, gaining your neighbour, you have triumphed from sin unto salvation. CHAPTER XIII. 'Let every soul be subject to the powers.' This is directed against those who thought they ought so to use Christian liberty that they should render to no one either honour or tribute:
to whom he speaks thus in order to humble them: but it can also be understood of ecclesiastical powers, that we should be humble toward priests. 'Let it be subject to the higher powers.' Ecclesiastical, or of the world. 'For there is no power but from God. And those that are, are ordained by God. Therefore he who resists the power resists the ordinance of God.' He does not wish a Christian to be proud, lest he suffer not for Christ but for pride, as he says elsewhere: 'See how you walk circumspectly, redeeming the time, for the days are evil'; just as he himself redeemed the time when he said, 'Most excellent Felix': not that Felix was thereby just, for it is given him according to his station: because Solomon says, 'Since power was given you by God':
'but though you were ministers of his kingdom, you did not judge rightly.' For he is appointed to judge you justly, and that you may fear, and even so not sin: how then did the prophet say, 'Because they reigned, and not by me': by money, and by greater means, they reigned through ambition. 'But those who resist purchase to themselves damnation.' Because through their pride they are damned. 'For princes are not a terror to the good work.' As he says of the heretic, since he is condemned by his own judgment. 'But to the evil.' The evil man fears, but the good man, if for the sake of justice, does not fear to die. 'Do you wish not to fear the power? Do good, and you shall have praise from it.' The damnation of the evil is the praise of the good;
for naturally all know both that innocence is worthy of reward, and malice worthy of punishment. 'Do good, and you shall have praise from it.' Even if not from it, yet by occasion of it. For either you act justly, and the just power will praise you, or, though the unjust power condemn you who act justly, the just God will crown you. And through this, do you hold to justice, do you live well. And whether it condemn or absolve, you shall have praise by occasion of it. 'For it is God's minister to you for good.' 'But if you do evil, fear.' Because he who governs you is solicitous for your good. 'For not without cause does he bear the sword.' The sword of the spirit which Peter bore, and Paul himself, and it has its office over you if you sin. This spiritually. 'For it is God's minister, an avenger unto wrath to him who does evil.'
'Therefore be subject of necessity.' As happened to Ananias and Sapphira, and to Simon Magus: because God wishes to correct sinners. 'Not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.' Not only lest he be angry, but also because he knows that honour is owed even by the just to the princes of your people, who can even without cause rise up, but also lest you be condemned for the conscience of sin. 'For therefore also you pay tribute.' 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's': for whoever has that from which he may pay tribute, how can he not be subject in those things which are appointed to him by God? This also concerning priests. 'For they are the ministers of God, serving unto this very thing.' 'The labourer is worthy of his hire':
so that they might even so believe, lest Christ should seem to have taught pride the more: while they punish sinners, they are proved to minister to God. 'Render to all their dues: to whom tribute, tribute.' 'Incline your ear to the poor, and pay your debt': even alms is called a debt. 'To whom custom, custom.' Our custom is that we give to those passing by, or that we, as those passing by, bestow on those sitting by the way and the needy. 'Custom' (vectigal) is so called from carrying (vehendo). 'To whom fear, fear; to whom honour, honour.' How then, besides God, are you to fear no other? but so, he says, conduct yourself that you fear no one: for the fear of God expels human fear. 'Owe no one anything, except to love one another.' This alone ought to remain:
always the debt of love, which is always necessary. 'For he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.' A neighbour is, according to the word of the Lord, every man who needs mercy. 'For, You shall not commit adultery; You shall not kill; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is comprised in this word.' You shall love the Lord your God perfectly, on account of idolatry, and your neighbour as yourself, on account of injustice. For thence injustice is born, because we love ourselves more than others. 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself. Love works no evil to a neighbour.' All the law and the prophets are contained in this word: for as you do not wish evil to be done to yourself, so you wish good to be done to yourself.
Love therefore is the fulness of the law. The consummation of the law: because even not to do good is evil. 'And this, knowing the time, that it is the hour.' You ought not therefore always to be little ones and sucklings, as he says to the Hebrews. He enumerates, or recapitulates. He put 'hour' for 'time.' 'That now we rise from sleep.' Let us rise from the sleep of sloth and ignorance. For now the knowledge of God shines. 'For now our salvation is nearer.' While the knowledge of God draws near, salvation draws near, perfect understanding draws near to salvation, and becomes firmer by believing. 'Than when we believed.' When we first believed. 'The night has passed, but the day has drawn near.' He compares ignorance to night, but knowledge to day. 'Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light.'
As we cast off ignorance, let us at the same time cast off the works of ignorance, and put on the armour of knowledge, that is, good works. 'He who does evil hates the light: but he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God.' 'Let us walk honestly, as in the day.' Knowing that we are always seen by the eyes of God. Every sin is done more freely by night; but in the day one cannot sin freely, on account of fear and shame. 'Not in revellings.' A revelling is a gathering for a banquet. We therefore have not such, but spiritual banquets from the Apostle. 'When you come together,' he says, 'each one of you has a psalm,' and the rest. 'And drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and emulation.'
'Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be weighed down with surfeiting,' and the rest of the testimonies concerning drunkenness. Upon drunkenness follows unchastity, for drunkenness is the fuel of lust. But even if these be absent, and there be jealousy and envy, James proves that we ought not to glory, saying: 'Glory not, and be not liars against the truth,' and the rest. But 'put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh.' He who says that he abides in Christ ought so to walk even as He walked: let Christ alone be seen in us, not the old man. 'In its concupiscences.' Solomon says: 'Go not after thy lusts,' and again: 'If thou give to thy soul her concupiscence, she will make thee a joy to thine enemies.'
By no means must that be done which the flesh desires. CHAPTER XIV. 'Now him that is weak in the faith.' Here he begins to treat of the distinction among those who had believed in Christ, since some of them were perfect in faith, others as yet less firm. And those who were perfect ate even of meats offered to idols, if any set such before them, indifferently and equally, as they would other foods. But others hesitated, and shunned these as though unclean; to such it is said that they should eat herbs. Yet some think this passage was spoken of those who had believed from among the Jews and from among the Gentiles, since those who had believed from among the Jews still reckoned, as it were according to the Law, certain meats unclean and certain days more holy, such as the Sabbath, or the new moons.
To these, as being weak, it is commanded to eat herbs, which are eaten indifferently by all. Those who were stronger in the faith, that is, who had believed from among the Gentiles, held all meats and all days to be equal; to them it is said that they should esteem nothing common of itself, save to him who has esteemed it common, as he added below: 'I know and am confident in the Lord that nothing is common of itself,' and the rest. 'Receive'—take up, or sustain. Obliquely he rebukes those who reckoned themselves strong, so as to make use of meats. 'Not in disputes of thoughts.' Judge not according to your own thoughts him whom the Law does not judge. 'For one believes that he may eat all things.'
That is, he who is older, and has either already subdued the flesh, or has such great faith that he cannot be moved to lust or to sin. 'But he that is weak, let him eat herbs.' Weak, that is, in respect of God, or of youth, or of the heat of the body, or of faith. 'Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; and let not him that eats not judge him that eats.' They had rivalry among themselves: those who did not eat judged those who ate as carnal, and the latter mocked the former as wishing to die quickly, and as weak, because they ate of things offered to idols. 'For God has taken him up.' 'Likewise as thou also.' 'Who art thou that judgest another's servant?' As holy James says:
He who judges his brother judges the Law, namely, and shows himself wiser than the Law. 'To his own master he stands or falls.' Whether he lives or dies, since the one abstains for God's sake, and the other eats for the Lord's sake. 'But he shall stand: for God is able to establish him.' The God who made those three boys, fed on pulse, appear better than those who ate of the king's table, is able to do this also: to keep a man standing longer in the body, or to fast, or to abstain from meats. 'For one judges one day above another; another judges every day alike.' The Jews could not judge one day above another, since concerning fasting the Law is not laid down, but as each one can, or wills; and he who fasts more has the greater reward.
'Let every one abound in his own sense.' In such a matter only, let each one so act as he thinks better, or is able, or as the health of his body permits. 'He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord; and he that eats, eats unto the Lord.' He regards the day unto the Lord who fasts for God's sake, or who abstains being zealous for wisdom, 'for he gives thanks to God.' And he that eats not, eats not unto the Lord, and gives thanks to God. He preaches the Gospel, through which thanks are rendered to the Lord; because he eats for God's sake, that he may be able to have strength to build up the body of Christ—not for gluttony, nor for luxury. 'For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.' By his example many are saved and give thanks to God.
For he who gives thanks by voice, gives thanks alone; but he who does so by deed, makes many give thanks. 'For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord.' Blessed is he who does all things for God's sake; but we, on the contrary, either live to ourselves, or die to men. 'Whether therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.' 'For to this end Christ died and rose again, that He might have dominion both over the living and the dead.' The coming of God will both find the living and raise up the dead. Nothing therefore prejudges: whether He find thee living, or raise thee up again, only that thou be just. 'But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother?' By what authority? as though he ate not for God's sake, but for gluttony. 'Or why dost thou despise thy brother?' as though he abstained for men's sake.
'For we shall all stand.' Then the Lord will judge concerning these things—what and how we have done. 'Before the judgment-seat of God.' Doubt not that Christ, who is to judge, is God. For it is written: 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' He proves by Scripture that all shall render account to God alone. 'So then every one of us shall render account for himself to God.' Not for another, nor shall men render account for themselves concerning those things whereon the Law is silent. For if one, seeing another sinning, keeps silent, he shall render account for him. 'I have set thee a watchman to the house of Israel,' it is said to the prophet. 'Let us not therefore judge one another any more.' It suffices that hitherto you have done these things in ignorance.
'But judge this rather, that you put not a stumbling-block or a scandal before a brother.' Hence he subtly enters upon the subject of abstinence, and says that they ought not to eat, although they be strong, lest the younger, by their example, or the weaker, should eat and be offended or scandalized. 'I know and am confident in the Lord Jesus that nothing is common.' Lest they should say, 'The things which God created, dost thou call common?'—not for this reason do I say it, that I reckon anything to be common. 'Through Him.' Through Christ all things are cleansed; for whatever among the foods was not accepted of the Jews was common. 'Save to him who esteems anything to be common, to him it is common.' In his own conscience. 'For if because of food thy brother is grieved.'
He did not say 'because of fasting,' if thou either compel him to eat, or by thine example provoke him who eats unwillingly what he cannot bear. 'Now thou walkest no longer according to charity.' Now thou lovest not thy neighbour as thyself, if thou considerest not his ruin as thine own. 'Destroy not by thy food him for whom Christ died.' He did not say 'thine abstinence.' 'Let not therefore our name be blasphemed.' But it is blasphemed if, because of foods, contentions arise. 'For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink.' Not by food are we justified—and he did not say 'fasting and sobriety,' but 'meat and drink.' 'But righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.' But by fasting it is more easily acquired.
Where there is righteousness—as in loving one's neighbour as oneself—there also is peace; and where there is peace, there also is joy, for where there is dissension, there is sorrow. 'For he who in this serves Christ pleases God and is approved of men.' No one can doubt that he is holy. 'Therefore let us follow the things that are of peace'—that we judge not one another—'and let us keep the things that are of edification toward one another.' Abstinence is edification; for food, even if it destroy not a brother, does not edify. 'Destroy not the work of God for the sake of food'—the man whom God made. 'All things indeed are clean.' He repeats it, lest he seem to condemn the creature. 'But it is evil for the man'—the very clean thing becomes evil to him—'who eats through a stumbling-block'—another's, not his own. 'It is good not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine.'
He explains what it is by which the weak one is offended. 'Nor in that in which thy brother is offended, or scandalized.' In whatsoever food or drink another is scandalized, it is not to be taken. 'Or is made weak'—from the faith. 'Wine and women make wise men to apostatize.' 'Thou hast faith with thyself; have it before God.' If thou reckonest thyself faithful in this, so eat that no weak one may see thee—which cannot and ought not to be, that a man eat shut away. 'Blessed is he who judges not himself in that which he approves.' Who considers not himself in that wherein he proves himself weak, but fears lest another perish. 'But he who discerns, if he eat, is condemned.'
If he considers what he has said, he judges; this is what 'he discerns' means, for judgment comes from discretion, and discretion from judgment—nay, it is the very same thing. 'Because it is not of faith.' Not of the faith which works through charity. 'And whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' Whatever does not edify is not of faith, and therefore is sin. CHAPTER XV. 'Now we who are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.' If ye are truly strong, so act as I became weak to the weak, that I might gain the weak. 'And not to please ourselves.' Not ourselves, but let our neighbours praise us, since the Lord scatters the bones of those who please themselves; 'as I in all things please all men, not seeking what is profitable to myself, but what is profitable to many, that they may be saved.'
'Let every one of you please his neighbour.' For he cannot edify one to whom he is not pleasing by his example; since those cannot be edified by words who are destroyed by examples. 'Unto good, unto edification. For even Christ pleased not Himself.' He shows the manner of pleasing, lest we please unto vainglory; and at the same time, when he says 'unto good edification,' he shows that there is an evil kind. He who is Christ's disciple seeks not his own, even as He, for the sake of others' salvation, even died and endured the most bitter reproaches of those saying: 'Ah, thou that destroyest the temple'; and: 'If He be the Son of God, let Him come down from the cross and free Himself'; and the rest. 'But as it is written: The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon Me.'
Whatever reproaches are cast upon the saints for God's sake are cast upon God, as He says: 'While it is said to me daily, Where is thy God?' Or: 'He that despises you despises Me.' 'For whatsoever things were written, were written for our instruction.' Nothing therefore was written without cause, whether the punishments of sinners, or the merits of the just, or the temptations of the just; for they were known both to God and to themselves, but their deeds are recorded so that we may imitate them in all things. 'That through patience'—that we too, for the edification of the brethren, if need be, may likewise suffer these things. 'And consolation.' It is a consolation of our patience if we know that the Lord and the saints suffered those things which we suffer, as He says: 'Marvel not if the world hate you.'
'We may have hope of the Scriptures.' Through the consolation of the Scriptures we await the future hope by patience, as it is written: 'Great peace have they that love thy law, and there is no stumbling-block to them.' They cannot therefore despair, or be moved from the faith, who make use of consolation. 'Now the God of patience and of comfort grant unto you.' Not of impatience, nor of dissension, but of patience and of comfort, even unto consummation; for without Him we are nothing—for from Him is my patience. 'To be of one mind toward one another according to Jesus Christ.' That each may so seek the salvation of another as his own, that he may persevere unanimously in the faith. 'That being of one mind, with one mouth you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
Then is God truly honoured, if He is praised with one mind and with concordant voice. 'If two or three be gathered together in My name,' and the rest. 'Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received you, unto the honour of God.' 'Bear ye one another's burdens, and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ.' If He bore our infirmities and received us who were impious, because He was God—how much more ought we, who are alike, to bear with one another! 'For I say that Christ Jesus...' Again he brings the Jews and the Gentiles to unity. I affirm to you that Christ came to you, first promised to you through the prophets, and that the Gentiles were called for the mercy of God; yet now you are made one body through the death of Christ.
He was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God. For He had not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. 'To confirm the promises of the fathers.' Because Christ had been promised to them, as He Himself says: 'I am not come but to the sheep that were lost of the house of Israel.' 'But that the Gentiles honour God for His mercy.' Because the Gentiles are unequal to the giving of thanks, according to that gratuitous mercy which God bestowed on them; or because for Israel's sake the Gentiles were called, that they might provoke them to emulation. 'As it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee among the Gentiles, O Lord, and will sing to thy name.' He shows that greater thanks are to be rendered to God by the Gentiles.
For to whom more is forgiven, he loves the more; and he takes away arrogance from the Jews, while he teaches that the salvation of the Gentiles was likewise foretold, although they themselves never heard it. In these Christ confesses that they obtained mercy, since they too are in His body. And again he says: 'Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people.' And again: 'Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and magnify Him, all ye peoples.' Because with them you are called unto salvation. And again Isaiah says: 'There shall be a root of Jesse'—whose son is David, of whose seed came Mary, of whom Christ was born; and that saying is fitting to this place: 'The ruler shall not depart from the thighs of Judah'—against the Jews, since Christ truly has come, in whom all the Gentiles have believed. 'And He that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles.'