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ROM. XI. 7.
"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
stumbling-block." (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 first-fruit. "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
high-minded, 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 well-doings 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 alms-giving
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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