Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 14 · Section 3 · Subsection 10
Quest. 10. What it is to esteeme one day aboue an other, v. 5.
1. Some doe apply this difference of dayes vntounto abstinence from certaine kind of meats vponupon one day, rather then an other: some make choice of dayes to fast in, an other omnem diem, i. continuum vitae tempus exigit in abstinentta, doth thinke rather to spend euerie day, that is, all the time of his life in fasting: Origen: so also Chrysostome, Ambrose, Anselme, the ordinar. interlin. gloss. as Haymo giueth a particular instance, how some abstained from eating of flesh, the 2.4.6. day, and did eate flesh, the 3.5. and 7. day: some abstained all their life, as Monkes, and Heremites: But it is not like, neither doe we finde, that any in those times did bind themselues to a continuall abstinence all their life.
2. Theodoret retaining the same sense, applyeth it onelyonly to the Iewes conuerted to the faith, who did some of them abstaine from the eating of swines flesh, and other meats forbidden by the lawe, onelyonly at certaine times, some did refraine altogether: But it is not like that they which made conscience of eating such meats, would at any time eate thereof, seeing they did it in respect of the lawe, which generally forbad the vse of such meates.
3. Haymo maketh mention of an other interpretation: by the day vnderstanding the Scripture, which illuminateth the soule, as the day bringeth light: so he esteemeth one day aboue an other, who is able to penetrate and search into some places of Scripture, and not into other: but he esteemeth euerie day alike, who is conversant indifferently in eueryevery place of Scripture: But this allegorizing of Scripture is not eueryevery where to be admitted, and in this place it is very impertinent.
4. Augustine in his exposition of this epistle, hath a strange interpretation, he esteemeth one day before an other, that discerneth of men according to the time, as if a man to day bring forth good fruites, he iudgeth him a good man: but if he change, and the next day do euill workes, he taketh him to be so according to the day or time, as he findeth him: but he that iudgeth euerie day alike is God, who knoweth qualis quis que omni die futurus sit, what euerie one is like to be at all times, eueryevery day: But the words following are against this sense, v. 6. He which obserueth the day, obserueth it to the Lord: it is not then the Lord himselfe, that obserueth the day, for he obserueth it to the Lord.
5. Neither can this be vnderstood of the observation of the festiualls which were kept by the heathen: for they were Satanicall, and to be abhorred: they therefore which were converted from gentilisme, were vtterly to relinquish them.
6. Tolet and Faius, will hauehave it vnderstood of the abstinence from certaine meates and drinkes, which the Iewes were bound vntounto vponupon certaine dayes; as they did eate no vnleauened bread for 7. dayes together in the time of the Pasch: and they which had taken vponupon them the vowe of Nazarites for a time, (for some were Nazarites during their whole life,) did abstaine from wine and strong drinke: but this is not the meaning of the Apostle: for he speaketh not here of preferring one meate before an other, but one day before an other.
7. Wherefore I preferre Hieromes interpretation, lib. 2. contra Iovinian. who thinketh that the Apostle speaketh of the observation of the Iudaicall feasts, which they which were newely converted to the Christian faith, could not at the first neglect: such were the Iudaicall Sabbath, the feast of the newe moone, of the Pasch, Pentecost, feast of tabernacles: thus also Pet. Martyr, Calvin, Beza, Osiander, Gryneus, Gualter, vnderstand the Apostle to speake de ferijs Iudaeorum, of the feasts of the Iewes: who in that they were addicted yet to the legall rites, infirmitatis erat, it was their infirmitie: but in that they would not doe any thing, which they iudged in their conscience vnlawfull, pietatis erat, it was their pietie: Herein the Apostle beareth with their weakenes for a time: but afterward when the Gospel was published, they which did retaine still the Iudaicall feasts as necessarie, were counted schismatikes, if not among the heretikes: such were the Ebionites, who kept both the Lords day with the Christians, and the old Sabbath with the Iewes: and so doe the Ethiopians to this day.