Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 3 · Subsection 33
Quest. 33. Whom the Apostle vnderstandeth, v. 23. we which hauehave the first fruits of the spirit.
1. We neither vnderstand with Origen, primitias spiritus, the first fruites of the spirit, to be the spirit it selfe, which is called the first fruites, that is, the cheefe and more excellent spirit aboue all other: for the spirit is one thing, and the fruits, that is, the gifts of the spirit an other.
2. Nor yet with Augustine, by the creature is vnderstood the soule, and the bodie, wherein man communicateth with other creatures, and by the spirit, the spirituall part of man, which is offered as the first fruits vntounto God; Augustine lib. 83. quest. c. 67. for the Apostle speaketh here of man sanctified by the spirit, diuerse from the creatures before mentioned.
3. Nor yet are the Apostles here vnderstood onelyonly, which had receiued the excellent and miraculous gifts of the spirit: as Origen also hath this other exposition, which Ambrose followeth, epistol. 22. Anselme, Lyranus, Thomas, gloss. interlin. Gorrhan, Perer. disput. 15. Haymo, Gualter.
4. But the common exposition is to be preferred, which Chrysostome and Theodoret follow: that the faithfull are here insinuated which hauehave receiued the grace of iustification: so also Calvin, Martyr, Beza, Pareus, Osiander: for though the Apostles had more excellent gifts then others, yet here they are not compared with other faithfull, but the other faithfull are compared with the creatures before spoken of: that if they sigh and grone, then we much more, that hauehave receiued the first fruits of the spirit: which doe shew that as we hauehave but the beginning now, so we shall hauehave the perfection and accomplishment afterward in the kingdome of God, Gryneus: as the first fruits in the law, spem faciebant futurae messis, did giuegive certaine hope of the haruest to come, Pareus.
5. And whereas the Apostle addeth, wayting for the adoption, euen the redemption of our bodies, he must be vnderstood to speake of the perfection of our adoption, and redemption, now begunne in our soules, and bodies in part, but then perfited, when our bodies shall be freed from corruption: And Origen giueth a good satisfaction here, because the Apostle saith, we are saved by hope: we are now then adopted, redeemed, in hope: but when these things shall be perfited and finished, we shall hauehave r…m, not spem, the thing, not the hope: And another doubt also may be answeared, that although saluation, and sighing cannot stand together: for a man cannot sigh for that he hath, yet because he saith we are saued in hope, we may sigh for the accomplishment of that, which we hope for: Gryneus: so then the Apostle speaketh of our adoption and redemption, as it shall be perfited and consummate in the next life, not as it is inchoate and begunne here in this: for we are now redeemed, and now are we the sonnes of God by adoption, as the Apostle said before, v. 15. But yet we hauehave not full possession of our inheritance, as Saint Iohn saith, 1. epist. 3.2. We are now the sonnes of God, yet it appeareth not what we shall be: our adoption is taken three waies in Scripture, 1. one is of our election, as the Apostle saith, Ephes. 2.3. We are predestinate to be adopted in Christ. 2. the second is of our vocation, whereof the Apostle spake before, v. 19.3. and there is an adoption in our glorification, when we shall hauehave a full and perfect fruition of eternall glorie, which the Apostle meaneth in this place: Pareus.
6. Origen, by the bodie here vnderstandeth the Church: but the Apostle, the redemption of our bodie: now the Church is not our bodie, but Christs: The Apostle meaneth then, that when our mortall bodie shall be deliuered from corruption, then shall our adoption be perfect, which now the Saints doe sigh and long for.