Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 3 · Subsection 24
Quest. 24. Of the things which Christ wrought by S. Paul, as signes, wonders, how they differ, v. 19.
In word and deede, &c. These words must not be ioyned, with the obedience of the Gentiles, but with the former words, which Christ hath not wrought by me, &c. in word, and deede. 1. the latter Chrysostome vnderstandeth of S. Pauls conuersation, that both by his doctrine and life he converted the Gentiles. 2. the most by deeds, vnderstand his miracles, as Origen, opere signorum, by the worke of signes: Haymo, factis miraculorum, by the deeds of miracles: so also Lyranus, Tolet, and of our writers, Martyr, Osiander, Hyperius, with others: but the Apostle speaketh of signes and wonders afterward. 3. Gualter vnderstandeth, by deed, indefessam industriam, assiduos labores, his neuer wearied industrie, his continuall labours, his trauailes, imprisonment, and other afflictions, for the preaching of the Gospel. 4. Pareus better comprehendeth both: as by word, are vnderstood, not onelyonly his publike preachings, but his priuate exhortations also, and his epistles and writings, so by the deede or fact, both are signified, his great labours and trauails, as also his example of godly life: Pet. Martyr refuseth this sense, because these labours were common to the Apostle with others: so was also his preaching: but these notwithstanding were more excellent in the Apostles then in others, and therefore are fitly alleadged by him, as arguments of his Apostleship.
v. 19. With the power of signes and wonders, &c. 1. Some take signes to be the generall word, for all these things here rehearsed by the Apostle: as the first signe they make to be his excellent gift of teaching: the second, the holy actions of his life, the third, his miracles, the fourth, the power of the holy Ghost, Hyperius: but the Apostle ioyning signes and wonders together, doth euidently distinguish them from word and deed, before mentioned. 2. Origen thus distinguisheth signes and wonders: the signes are, wherein, beside some wondrous thing done, aliquid futuurm ostenditur, somewhat to come is signified, but prodigia, wonders, wherein mirabile tantum aliquid, onelyonly some wondrous thing is shewed: but he confesseth that alwayes this distinction holdeth not, and that in Scripture sometime o… is taken for an other. 3. Haymo somewhat differeth here from Origen, a signe he thinketh to containe both quiddam mirabile, & quiddam futuri, some strange thing, and it sheweth also somewhat to come: but a wonder he taketh to be that, wherein onelyonly something is shewed, that is to come: and therefore he thinketh they are called prodigia, as if one should say, porrodigia, or porrodicentia, telling things a farre off: Hugo Cardinal giueth an other notation of the word, as if it should be said, procul à digito, farre off from the finger, such a thing as was neuer seene. 4. Lyranus, gloss. interlin. Gorrhan vnderstand signes, to be minima miracula, the lesse miracles, and wonders to be maiora, the greater, and so to differ only in degree. 5. Tolet taketh those to be signes, which though they are supernaturally done, yet may be done also in some sort by naturall meanes, as the healing of sickenesses and infirmities: but wonders doe altogether exceede the power and worke of nature, as is the raising of the dead, the healing of them that are borne blind: so also Faius. 6. But howsoeuer there may be some difference in other places betweene signes and wonders, yet here they are taken for one and the same, namely the great works, which were done by the Apostles: as Haymo confesseth: for all the miracles which the Apostles wrought, were signes, quibus veritas praedicationis probabatur, whereby the truth of their preaching was confirmed, Martyr: they were also wonders, for the strangenes of the …orke, which drewe men into admiration.
By the power of the spirit of God, &c. 1. which is added, to shewe a difference between true and false miracles, which as they differ in the end, the one beeing to confirme the truth, the other to deceiue, so they hauehave diuerse beginnings: for the true miracles are wrought by the spirit of God, the false by the working of Sathan, 2. Thess. 2.9. 2. Origen also obserueth an excellencie betweene the miracles of S. Paul, and the other Apostles, who converted many nations vntounto God, and the miracles of Moses and Aaron, who did convert thereby verie few of the Egyptians. 3. and whereas these things are said here to be done by the power of the spirit, which elswhere are ascribed vntounto God, Heb. 2.4. God bearing witnes by signes: and Mark. 16.17. in my name (saith Christ) they shall cast out deuils, therein manifestly is prooued the diuinitie of Christ, and the holy Ghost, and the vnitie of essence of the Blessed Trinitie. 4. the word foreign, power, vertue, is taken here two waies, in the first place, with the power of signes, it signifieth the efficacie of the signes, which they wrought in the heart of those which were converted, in the latter, by the power of the spirit, is signified, the efficient cause of this efficacie, namely the power of the spirit, Beza.