Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 2 · Section 3 · Subsection 41 – Subsection 42
41. Quest. In what sense the Apostle saith, Circumcision is profitable, v. 25.
Seeing the Apostle in other places vtterly reiecteth circumcision, as Gal. 5.2. If ye be circumcised, Christ shall not profit you any thing: and, v. 5. for in Iesus Christ neither doth circumcision atta…le any thing, &c. hence two doubts arise. 1. how the Apostle saith here, Circumcision is profitable, if thou doe the law. 2. seeing none could keepe the law, how could circumcision profit them.
Ans. 1. In those places the Apostle speaketh of circumcision then abrogated in the times of the Gospel: but here he hath respect vntounto the times of the law, while circumcision was an ordinarie sacrament of the old Testament.
2. Circumcision was profitable, because ex parte Dei, on Gods behalfe, it was a seale of all his gratious promises, if on their part, they did performe the condition, which was to walke in obedience: this condition was added, to meete with their hypocrisie, which stood vponupon the outward ceremonie, thinking it sufficient for them to be circumcised in the flesh: whereas circumcision without obedience, was no better then vncircumcision: and to stirre vp the faithfull to expresse their faith by their obedience, and to looke vntounto Christ, in whom their disobedience was pardoned, and their imperfect obedience by his righteousnes supplied. Pareus.
3. Thus Augustine dissolueth this doubt, shewing that there were two kind of precepts giuen the Iewes: the morall, and ceremoniall: the morall were perpetuall, not onelyonly concerning those times, but they doe bind also now vnderunder the new Testament: the ceremonies were onelyonly for those times: si observabantur & intelligebantur, non modo nihil oberant, sid proderant, tanquam & illi tempori & illi genti congruentia, if they were obserued, and vnderstood, they did not onelyonly not hurt, but they were profitable, as agreeable to those times, and to that people: to this purpose August. exposit. inchoat. ad Galat. this solution follow Hugo Cardinal. distingue tempora, & salvatur Scriptura, distinguish the times, and the Scripture is reconciled: here the Apostle speaketh of the times before the manifestation of the Gospel: so also Gorrhan. hic loquitur pro tempore adventus Christi, here he speaketh of the time before the comming of Christ, there of the time after.
4. Some giuegive this solution further, that in those times, profuit circumcisio, sed non ad salutem, circumcision profited, but not vntounto saluation without the spirituall obseruation of the law: gloss. ordinar. as Hierome in his commentarie vponupon this place, (if he were the author) sheweth that circumcision was profitable to these ends: 1. vt agnosceretur populus Dei inter gentes, that the people of God hereby might be discerned among the Gentiles: and therefore the people were not circumcised in the desert, because they onelyonly were there: (though other reasons may be giuen thereof, Mart.) deinde vt corpora tum agnoscarentur in bello, that the circumcised bodies of the Iewes might be discerned in warre: further it signified their chastitie: and thereby Christ was signified, to come of the seede of Abraham, who should make an ende of carnall circumcition. These and other such profitable vses of circumcision may be alleadged. But the Apostle meaneth onelyonly, the profitable vse thereof, as furthering their saluation, as it was a seale of the righteousnes of faith, and brought with it the circumcision of the heart in the obedience of the law: si Christo credas, & spiritualiter observes, if thou beleeue in Christ, and spiritually keepe the law: gloss. interlin.
5. Origen hath two other expositions: the first is, that the Apostle speaketh not here of carnall circumcision, but of the spirituall circumcision of the heart: which the Apostle speaketh on afterward: and this circumcision consisteth in ceasing from sinne, which is not sufficient, vnlesse also we doe the works of righteousnes in keeping of the law: and his reason is, because the Apostle saith, If thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made vncircumcision: non est possibile carnalem circumcisionem in praeputium verti, it is not possible for carnal circumcision to be turned to vncircumcision: therfore such vncircumcisiō the Apostle speaketh not of. Contra. 1. the Apostle in this place speaketh euidently of two circumcisions, the one carnall, which of it selfe is not profitable without the keeping of the lawe, and the other spirituall, which is the circumcision of the heart: of the former he speaketh here, because he saith to the Iewe, thy circumcision, which was the circumcision of the flesh wherein they gloried: and the circumcision of the heart, consisted not onelyonly in ceasing from sinne, but in keeping also the lawe: it is in the spirit, and is acceptable to God, v. 29. but a cessation from sinne onelyonly without obedience, is not accepted of God. 2. the meaning of the other words is, that such remission facta est abominalis Deo, &c. is become abominable vntounto God, as if it were vncircumcision, Lyran. non plus valet, quam praeputium, it auaileth no more then vncircumcision, Gorrhan: yea and Origen himselfe so expoundeth afterward, his circumcision, shall be turned into vncircumcision, that is, nihil profuturam, it shall not profit him at all.
6. Origen hath an other exposition: he thinketh that the Apostle may also speake of such circumcision, as remained a while among the faithfull after the comming of Christ: that although the Apostle allowed not the Gentiles to be circumcised, to whom he saith, Galat. 5. That if they were circumcised, Christ should not profit them: yet he beareth with the Iewes, to whom he speaketh here, to be circumcised, least they might hauehave beene hindred from comming vntounto Christ: so their circumcision he maketh like, to Peters discerning of meates, which were some cleane, some vncleane by the Lawe, and to Pauls purifying himselfe.
Contra. There is great difference betweene these speaches, circumcision is profitable, and circumcision hindreth or hurteth not: After the Gospel was preached, and some ceremonies of the Lawe yet in fact remained, beeing in right abolished, the toleration of such things for a time, was no impediment to the beleeuing Iewes, but yet it furthered them not: no more then Timothie his circumcision did profit him, or Pauls purifying, which both were done not for any benefit to themselues: but least they might hauehave giuen offence, and so hindered others: But the Apostle speaketh here of the profit which circumcision brought: which was onelyonly during the continuance of such legall sacraments, which were profitable vntounto them then, as beeing seales vntounto them of the righteousnesse of faith in Christ: so then circumcision with other legall tites was profitable vnderunder the lawe: but after the ceremonies were abolished, they became vnprofitable in the meane time betweene both, as they profited not such as beleeued of the circumcision, so they hindred not, if they did not repose their trust and confidence in them: Therefore of all these expositions I resolue of the first, that the Apostle here speaketh of circumcision, as it was an ordinarie sacrament vnderunder the lawe, not yet abolished.
Quest. 42. How circumcision was availeable for infants.
Obiect. If circumcision did not profit, except they kept the law: this doubt will be made that then it was not profitable at all vntounto infants, who could not keepe the lawe.
Answ. 1. Hugo answeareth, that circumcision did not profit infants ex virtute sua, sed ex virtute & fide parentium, by it owne vertue, but by the vertue and faith of the parents: But although the beleeuing parents may obtaine graces by their faith for others: yet formally none are iustified before God, but by their owne faith, or some grace infused by the spirit of God: for as the parents sinnes cannot condemne the child, so the parents faith cannot saue the infant.
2. Gorrhan thinketh, that circumcision herein was avayleable, quia peccatum originale delebat, because it blotted out originall sinne: But it is euident by this place, that the circumcision of the flesh did not outwardly conferre grace: for then circumcision could neuer be turned to vncircumcision: that is to be of no more force without keeping of the law, then if they had not beene circumcised at all.
3. Augustine, as Pet. Martyr alleadgeth him, not citing the place, reporteth the opinion of some, which affirmed, that a man beeing once baptized, though he were an euill liuer, yet in the ende should be saued, but should suffer many things in this life: the like opinion the Iewes might hauehave of their circumcision: and so it might be profitable to infants, but more profitable to those, that also kept the law: But the Apostle denieth circumcision to be profitable any thing at all without keeping the law, because it is turned into vncircumcision: it is no more availeable, then if they were not circumcised at all.
4. Wherefore the best solution is, that the Apostle speaketh not here of infants, sed de adultis, but of those which were of yeares and discretion: that circumcision did not profit them, vnlesse they kept the law: as baptisme now is not any helpe vntounto saluation to Christians, that lead an euill life: As for infants they were then saued by the couenant of grace sealed in circumcision, as now in baptisme.