Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 12 · Section 3 · Subsection 21
21. Quest. Of the communicating to the necessitie of the Saints, and of hospitalitie.
v. 13. Communicating to the necessitie of the Saints, &c. 1. The word is foreign, vses, rather then necessities, as the vulgar Latin readeth; and Erasmus, least we should thinke, that they are not to be succoured, but in extreame necessitie, Beza. Tolet answeareth, that yet the other word necessitie, is better retained, because all that want, are in necessitie, annot. 23. but, the word should be foreign, if it were to be translated, necessities, as Erasmus noteth also. 2. And yet though we are commanded to minister to the vses of the Saints, we must not giuegive supplie, delicijs, to their dainties, and bestow superfluously vponupon them, Theophyl. as afterward in time of superstition, liberalitie was turned into superfluitle. 3. Origen maketh mention of an other reading, as though the word should be foreign, memories: which Ambrose followeth, and giueth this sense, that we should remember the Saints, to imitate and follow their life and godly example: but the vsuall reading is rather to be receiued, and so Chrysostome, Theophylact, and the Syrian interpreter read. 4. And where the Apostle saith, communicating, Haymo following Origen obserueth, that the Apostle saith not, giuegive, as it were of almes, but communicate: honestiori vocabulo vsus est, the Apostle vseth a fitter terme, to shew that the Saints had as it were an interest in their goods: and beside, as Calvin obserueth, this word sheweth, a communicating in affection; that they should release them,Heb. 13.4. as though they themselues suffered with them; as the Apostle saith, remember th…se that are in bonds, as if your selues were bound with thē: Chrysost. obserueth further vponupon this word (communicate,) quod plus accipiant, quā praestant, they receiue more then they bestow: res ista negotiatio est, for this matter is a kind of marchandise, the one cōmunicateth tē poral things, the other spiritual, making them partakers of their prayers. 5. But Tolets glosse is here very corrupt, sit particeps meritorum, he that giueth is partaker of their merits, which the Saints hauehave in their sufferings: for the passions of the Saints merit not, though the Lord crowne their sufferings in merciemercy: the Apostle saith, the afflictions or sufferings of this life, are not worthie of the glorie which shall be reuealed, Rom. 8. but God indeede shall reward the works of charitie exercised vponupon the Saints: in which sense our Sauiour saith, Luk. 18. make ye friends of the vnrighteous mammon, that when ye want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations: for although good works are not the cause of euerlasting life, yet they are a rule, according to the which God will giuegive euerlasting life, Martyr. 6. Now the Apostle nameth the Saints, which were the faithfull redeemed by Christs blood, and sanctified by his spirit: shewing that although charitie should be extended to all, yet specially we should preferre domesticos fidei, such as are of the houshold of faith, Gualt. as the Apostle saith, Gal. 6.10. and by this is signified, that we should not exercise our charitie on them onelyonly which are knowne vntounto vsus, but euen vponupon strangers, and all the godly, Osiand. as the Samaritane did shew merciemercy on him, that fell among the cues: and further, here we learne what the dutie is, which we should performe vntounto the Saints: not in caruing and painting their images, when they are dead, but in succouring their necessities while they liue, Pareus. 7. So here there are three speciall motiues vntounto this dutie of beneficence, compassio necessitatis, dilectio sanctitatis, liberalitas communicationis, the compassion of necessitie, the louelove of sanctitie, and in communicating liberalitie, Gorrhan.
Following, or pursuing hospitalitie. 1. Chrysostome obserueth, how the Apostle in eueryevery one of these precepts vseth emphaticall phrases: as he said before continue in prayer, not, pray onelyonly: and communitie to the vses of the Saints, not giuegive: so here he saith not, embrace hospitalitie, but pursue, follow it. 2. in those daies, the Apostles and other disciples went preaching from citie to citie, and they had not their publica hospitia, common hospitals to receiue strangers, and therefore this exhortation was then most needefull, Osiand. 3. Origen obserueth, and so Haymo, that where he saith, follow hospitalitie, he would not, that we should onelyonly receiue them, that come vntounto vsus, sed requiramus, but we should seeke them, and follow them, and vrge them to come home vntounto vsus, as Abraham and Lot did: the same note hath Chrysostome, and Martyr, Gualter: for the word foreign, signifieth to pursue, to apprehend one that fleeth: and so the Saints, which otherwise of modestie would not offer themselues, should be invited, and intreated, and followed after, Tolet. 4. Gorrhan further noteth in this word, that it signifieth, that assidue, we should continually practise hospitalitie: … frequentia hospitum sit nobis onerosa, that the frequencie of strangers should not be burthensome vntounto vsus. 5. And seeing that hospitalitie was euen commended among the heathen, who worshipped Iuppiter foreign, the God of hospitalitie, yet the Athenians made it a capital offence not to shew the way to a stranger; much more should it be practised among Christians: and the Apostle here doth not exhort vntounto any base seruice, for it is a princely and noble worke to giuegive hospitalitie: as it is said of Titus the Emperour, that he was wont to say, that he had lost that day wherein he had not conferred some benefit: the Israelites were mooued vntounto hospitalitie vponupon this reason, because they had bin sometime strangers: and we, in regard of that, which may fall out hereafter, ought to be stirred vp to this dutie: for who can promise any certentie of habitation to himselfe, or his posteritie after him, Mar.