Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Subsection 1 – Subsection 4
Quest. 1. Why the Apostle beginneth this treatise with an oath; I speake the truth in Christ, &c.
1. Hugo Cardinal. referreth it to the former doctrine of the certaintie of predestination, because he had said, nothing could separate him from the louelove of God in Christ. 2. Origen and Chrysostome hauehave relation to the Apostles extraordinarie wish, v. 3. that he wisheth to be seperated from Christ for his brethrens sake; which because it might seeme strange and incredible, and contrarie to the Apostles confidence vttered before, that nothing could seperate him from Christ, he therefore vseth this vehement asseueration, to shew, that he spake from his heart. 3. Gryneus thinketh, that the Apostle by this vehement speach doth purge himselfe from those cauills and suspitions, which were taken vp of him, as that he was an innouator of the law, a pestilent and seditious fellow. 4. Haymo thinketh, that the Apostle hereby doth confirme his louelove toward his nation, & sheweth his greefe and sorow for them, as it followeth in the next verse. 5. But the verie occasion indeed, why the Apostle breaketh out into this speach is, because he was to entreate of the reiection of the Iewes, and vocation of the Gentiles; which left it might seeme to proceed from the hatred of his nation, he protesteth his louelove toward them, both by shewing his sorrowe for their hardnesse of heart, c. 9. and by his prayer for their conuersion, c. 10. and in staying the insulting of the Gentiles ouer them, c. 11. Lyran. and so he protesteth that he speaketh the truth from his heart as he was bound in conscience, otherwise bearing a most louing affection toward his nation: to this purpose, Calvin, Martyr, Pareus, Tolet annot. 2.
Quest. 2. Of the forme and words of the Apostles oath.
1. I speake the truth in Christ, &c. Origen is here somewhat curious, that there is some truth in Chrst, some not in Christ, as the Pythonisse that cryed after the Apostles, that they were the seruants of the most high God, Act. 16. and Caiphas, that ignorantly spake the truth, yet did not speake the truth in Christ. 2. but S. Paul here doth nothing els, but call Christ to witnesse, that he speaketh the truth, and so he appealeth to three witnesses, Christ, his owne conscience, and the Holy Spirit, Theophyl. Pareus.
2. My conscience bearing me witnesse, &c. Origen againe here doth distinguish of the conscience; for the Gentiles also had a conscience, which did accuse or excuse them, Rom. 2.15. but such a conscience, that is a witnesse both of good and euill, cannot be said to beare witnesse in the holy Ghost: only the Apostles conscience vbi cogitatio non habet quod accuset, where the thoughts hauehave nothing to accuse of, is said to beare witnesse in the holy Ghost; as Lyranus interpreteth, a conscience bene ordinata, rectified and well setled.
3. I lie not. 1. here are these two things seene in Paul, which Aristotle requireth in a wise man, which are non mentiri, not to lie, and the other, mentientem manifestare, to be able to detect a lyar, and to manifest the truth: as here S. Paul toucheth both, Gryneus. 2. and this is added, because one may lie in telling the truth, supposing it to be false: so the Apostle ioyneth both together, veritie in his words and sinceritie in his minde, Pareus. 3. and further it is the manner of the Hebrewe speach, for more certaintie, to denie the contrarie to that which is affirmed, as 1. Sam. 3.18. Samuel told him euerie whit, and bidde nothing from him: and Ioh. 1.20. He confessed, and denied not: and so is it here: Tolet … commentar.
Quest. 3. Whether it were lawefull for Paul to grieue for the Iewes, whose reiection was according to Gods appointment.
v. 2. I hauehave great heauinesse, &c. 1. That it is lawfull to mourne for the calamities, that fall vponupon those, whom we wish well vntounto, appeareth 1. by the example of holy men, that hauehave so mourned: as Samuel for Saul, Dauid for Absalom, Ieremie for the captiuitie of his people, our Blessed Sauiour for Ierusalem. 2. Christians are not without naturall affection, as to reioyce for prosperous things, so to mourne for the contrarie: and griefe ariseth à lasione rei amatae, from the hurt of the thing beloued.
2. But for the solution of this doubt, two things are to be considered in respect whereof the minde is diuersly carried: for in our griefe, as we respect the calamitie which is befallen, we doe mourne, but looking vntounto Gods prouidence we are well apayed, and do moderate our passions, submitting them to the will of God: like as naturall men among the heathen did preferre the publike state of the commonwealth before their priuate calamities: as Crassus when his sonne was slaine, encouraged the souldiers to fight manfully, for that chance onelyonly concerned him: And as a iudge, in the execution of offenders, though as a man he grieueth, that they should be put to death, yet he is well resolued and contented in the contemplation of iustice, that the equitie of the lawe for the example of others should take place: yea as God himselfe delighteth not in the death of any, yet is well pleased in the punishment of the wicked, according to the rule and course of his iustice: So S. Paul here doth put on as it were two affections, one was naturall of humanitie, in pitying the fall of his nation, the other was supernaturall in submitting himselfe and his will to the will and purpose of God.
Quest. 4. Of the meaning of the word foreign, which the Apostle vseth, v. 3.
1. Concerning the two Greeke words foreign, with the Greeke letter foreign, and foreign, with foreign, Budaeus maketh this difference betweene them: he would hauehave the first to signifie the things themselues, which are dedicated to sacred vses, the other the persons, that were deuoted to destruction: and he deriueth them both from the word foreign, of hanging or setting vp: that as the one were set vp in the temples, so the others names were set vp in places of execution, in hatred and detestation of them: But Beza verie well obserueth, that in the Scriptures they are both vsed in the same sense: so also Tolet annot. 3.
2. Chrysostome interpreteth anathema, separatum, separated, from the common vse: and it first was vsed of such things, as for honour sake were separated, and not to be touched: then secondarily of such things as were separated and accused, and worthie to be detested of all: and this sense of the word is agreeable to the words of the Apostle, as the preposition foreign signifieth, from Christ: as Beza well noteth here: so then, that was anathema, which was so separate from common vse, as it was not lawefull to be redeemed, but it must be killed: and some things were so separated for honour sake, as the sacrifices: some for horror and detestation, as the leprous persons, which were separated from the congregation, Pareus: and in this sense doth the Apostle vse the word anathema here, which answeareth to the Hebrew word cherem, which signifieth to bequeath to destruction.
3. Whereupon Hierome will hauehave this word to signifie to kill: and so he thinketh the Apostle speaketh of the killing of his bodie: but cherem simply signified not killing, but with horror and detestation: as of a thing accursed.
4. Some take the better sense of the word, as it signifieth some precious thing and treasure: whose opinion Chrysostome maketh mention of with some derision: but that it cannot be so taken here, it shall be shewed in the next question.