Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Subsection 30 – Subsection 32
Quest. 30. How Christ is said to be a stumbling stone and rocke of offence, v. 33.
1. In the citing of this testimonie three things are to be noted. 1. that this former testimonie is collected out of two places of Isay, the first words, I lay in Sion a stone, are taken out of the 28. c. v. 16. the other, a rocke of offence, and a stumbling stone, are found, c. 8.14. 2. The Apostle in both places admitteth diuerse words, onelyonly alleadging that, which was most pertinent to his purpose. 3. whereas the Prophet saith, I lay in Sion, lapidem probationis, a stone of triall, and the Apostle translateth it, lapidem offendiculi, a stumbling stone, Iunius lib. 2. parall. 15. doth thus reconcile them, that which the Prophet setteth downe in generall, that Christ is a stone of triall to all, the Apostle doth particularly applie, and by way of consequent vntounto beleeuers: that vntounto them, he is a stone of triall, in that they take occasion to stumble at him: But other interpreters thinke, that these words, a stumbling stone, and rocke of offence, are rather cited out of the other place, Isai, 8.14. where both these words are found.
2. How Christ is a stumbling stone and rocke of offence, is diuersely interpreted. 1. the ordinarie glosse which Gorrhan followeth, doth thus earnestly distinguish betweene a rocke and a stone, the one is rough and vnhewne, the stone is wrought and fashioned: so Christ was a rocke of offence, before he was as it were hewed and squared in his passion, when they tooke offence at Christ, because he made himselfe the Sonne of God: but in his passion, he was a stone to stumble at, for then most of all they were offended at him. But this is too curious. 2. Faius thinketh that he was a rocke of offence and scandall in respect of the Iewes, and a stumbling stone to the Gentiles: the one were thereby turned out of the way, and the other were kept from comming into the way: But this is alleadged specially against the Iewes, that stumbled at Christ: as he was a stumbling blocke to them, so he was foolishnes to the Gentiles. 3. Tolet annot. 39. doth thus distinguish these two: the stone to stumble at, is the stone, which men fall vponupon, and so the Iewes were offended at Christ; the rock of offence, is that which falleth vponupon them: so Christ was lapis offensionis propter eorum incredulitatem, a stumbling stone, because of their incrudulitie: and a rocke of offence, per punitionem, by their punishment: so the ordinarie gloss. Christ is called the one in respect of his stare and condition, quo apparuit malis, wherein he appeared to the euill: and the other, in regard of that, quod in futura faciet malis, which in time to come he shall doe vntounto the wicked in punishing of them: he is a stumbling stone, in praesenti per culpam, in the present by their fault, which beleeued not vponupon him: in futura per poenam, and a rocke of offence in time to come by their punishment: Gorrhan. And this difference Tolet would further approoue, by the signification of the words: for abeu is a little stone, fir for one to stumble at, but tzur a rocke, is a great stone able to ouerwhelme one: and both these kind of offenses are noted by our Sauiour, Matth. 21.44. Whosoeuer shall fall on that stone shall be broken, but on whom it falleth, he shall be broken all to powder: so Augustine well obserueth this difference, serm. 40. de verb. Domini. Iudaeos offendisse in Christum, &c. that the Iewes stumbled at Christ, when he was a small stone in the world: but beeing a great rock in the day of iudgement, he shall fall vponupon them, &c.
All this is a truth, that Christ shall fall vponupon them, that fell and were offended at him: but this is not the Apostles meaning here, for he alleadgeth this testimonie for proofe of that, which he alleageth before, they hauehave stumbled at the stumbling stone: And Saint Peter likewise vnderstandeth this place, that Christ passiuely is a stone and rocke of offence to stumble at, not actiuely in falling vponupon them, 1. Pet. 2.8. a stone to stumble at, and a rocke of offence to them which stumble at the word, &c. so then the one word is foreign, an exposition of the former.
3. Now these were the things, which the Iewes were offended at in Christ, 1. at the vilitie and basenes of his person: for they expected a glorious Messiah, that should be of power and state in the world. 2. at his conuersation, because he did companie with sinners: 3. at his doctrine, because he reprooueth them for their corruptions of life, and superstitious doctrines, Martyr, Pareus. 4. They blasphemed both his humanitie, in saying he was a man giuen to eating and drinking, a companion of Publicans and sinners, & in blaspheming his diuine nature, saying that he cast out deuils through Belzebub the prince of the deuils.
4. But where it is said, I lay in Sion a stumbling blocke, fowre things are here obserued. 1. who layeth this stone God. 2. who was this stone, Christ. 3. where layed, in Sion, in the Church of God, among the Iewes: to what end, to stumble at: yet this was not the principall end for Christ was appointed to be a precious, and eiect stone: but he is, a stone to stumble at, through the obstina…ie and hardnesse of heart of vnbeleeuers: both these ends are set forth by Simeon, Luk. 2.34. This child is appointed for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel: and by Saint Peter, 1. ep. c. 2.7. VntoUnto you which beleeue, it is a precious (stone) &c. and to those, which are disobedient, &c. a stone, to stumble at: But the principall … which the Lord intendeth, is the building and raising vp of many by this stone: the accidentall end, is the falling, and stumbling of many through their owne vnbeleefe.
Quest. 31. Of the meaning of these words, he that beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed.
1. The Apostle here followeth the translation of the Septuagint in the originall Isay. 28.16, the words are, be that beleeueth, shall not make hast: Beza thinketh, that the Septuagint for iachish, which signifieth, be made hast; did read …, ashamed: But allowing that the Septuagint did read the originall, as now it is, there is no great difference in the sense: for that which the Prophet did expresse by metaphor, the Septuagint doe mandate properly: Tolet annot. 35. or rather they put the consequent for the antecedent, … the effect for the …: because he which is rash and maketh hast, is ashamed in the end, and confounded him. lib. 2. per act. 15.
2. Touching the meaning of the Prophets words, be that beleeueth… shall not make hast: 1. Lyranus giueth this sense: that in the prophets times, the faithfull should with patience waite for the comming of the Messiah, and not seeke to preuent the time: and when the Messiah should come in the flesh, they should not make hast, in wishing his second comming before the time. 2. Paulus Burgensis thinketh to mend this exposition, and maketh it … worse: he vnderstandeth it of those; which were not hastie to beleeue in Christ, but yet at the length beleeued, as Christ saith to his two Disciples, Luk. 24.25. O slow of heart to beleeue all, that the Prophets hauehave spoken: But this was a rebuke vntounto them, whereas the other is a commendation of those which beleeue.
3. Martyr better expoundeth it of the patience of the Saints, which doe waite for the fulfilling of Gods promises in due time, not hasting to vse vnlawfull meanes: and more particularly the Prophet there reprooueth those which would not wait vponupon God for his deliuerance, but depended vponupon present helpes; Iun. annot. as also it hath a spirituall application against those, which made hast in endeuouring to be iustified by their owne workes, and so preuented and forestalled their iustification by faith.
4. And whereas the Apostle saith, shall not be confounded: some doe referre it to the day of iudgement, when the faithfull shall not be confounded or ashamed, cum venerit no futuro, when Christ shall come in iudgement: gloss. interline. Haymo: But it is more generall, shewing that the faithfull neither in the time present, nor to come shall be ashamed; and not to be confounded, signifieth, non frustrari, not to be frustrate or disappointed of their hope; Mar, and here more is vnderstood then said, he shall not be confounded, that is, shall be confirmed, comforted, established, Faius: so Dauid saith, Psal. 25.1. In thee hauehave I trusted, let me not be confounded.
Quest. 32. Whether it be the propertie of faith to make one not to be ashamed, which is ascribed to hope. c. 5.5.
This doubt is easily remooued, for though hope hauehave this propertie, that he which hath a stedfast hope in the end, is not ashamed, because he is made partaker of his hope, whereas he which hath a vaine confidence, is abashed and ashamed, when he seeth himselfe deceiued, and disappointed, yet this propertie hope hath, because it is grounded vponupon faith, which is by the Apostle called the ground of things hoped for, Heb. 11.1. therefore this effect, not to be ashamed, is ascribed also to faith, because it is alwaies accompanied with hope, and hope is included in faith: Martyr.