Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 3 · Subsection 30
Quest. 30. Whether Saint Paul in person preached in Spaine, as here he intendeth, v. 24.
There are here two famous opinions, the one varying from the other. 1. Many of the auncient Fathers doe thinke, that as Saint Paul at this time purposed, so he went and preached in Spaine: as Dorotheus in synops. patriarch. & Apostolor. Paul beginning his preaching at Ierusalem, &c. vsus que ad Italiani & Hispaniam praedicando progressus est, went forward in preaching, euen vntounto Italie and Spaine: Cyrill. cateches. 17. in Hispaniam vsus que promptitudinem praedicationis extendit, he extended the readines of his preaching euen vntounto Spaine: Chrysost. homil. 76. in Matth. videas eam ab Hyerosolymis vsus que ad Hispanias currentem, thou maiest see him comming forth from Ierusalem euen vntounto Spaine: so also in some places Hierome, as in 11. c. of Isay: ad Italiam & Hispanias alienigenorum portatus est nauibus, he was carried into Italie and Spaine, in straungers shippes: so also Theodoret in c. 4.2. epist. ad Timoth. Paul vponupon his appeale, beeing sent by Festus to Rome, his defense beeing heard was set free, & in Hispaniam profectus est, and went into Spaine, Grego. lib. 32. c. 22. affirmeth the same, that Paul went into Spaine, Paulus cum nunc Iudaeam, nunc Corinthum, nunc Hispanias peteret, quid se aliud, quàm aquilam esse demonstrabat, Paul sometime going to Iudea, and to Corinthus, sometime to Spaine, what did he else shew himselfe to be, then an eagle? so also Anselme vponupon the 16. chapter of this Epistle, nec falsum loquitur Paulus, qui se in Hispaniam profecturum pollicetur, neither did Saint Paul speake false, when he promised to goe into Spaine, &c. imitans solis cursum ab Oriente ad Occidentem, imitating the course of the Sunne from the East to the West.
Tolet, beside the testimonie of these Fathers, vseth two reasons, to shew that it was very probable, that Paul according to his purpose here visited Spaine. 1. First because beeing deliuered from his imprisonment in Rome, where he continued two yeares in custodie, he beeing set at libertie, in the 6. yeare of Nero, in those eight yeares space, before his martyrdome at Rome, which was in the 14. yeare of Nero, might performe his promise here made, of going into Spaine. 2. the Apostle, veluti spiritu prophetico, &c. as with a propheticall spirit foretelleth his iourneying into Spaine, it was then vndoubtedly fulfilled: Tolet ann. 15.
Contra. 1. It is verie probable, that S. Paul was deliuered after his first imprisonment, as hath beene shewed before, 12. generall quest. vponupon this whole Epistle: but then he returned to visite the East Churches, as he oftentimes promised in his Epistles sent vntounto them from Rome, as to the Philipp. 2.24. I trust in the Lord, that I my selfe also shall come shortly: to Philemon, v. 23. prepare mee lodging, for I trust through your prayers to be giuen vntounto you, &c. 2. neither doth S. Paul here make an absolute promise, or speake prophetically: but saith onelyonly, when I shall take my iourney into Spaine, I will come to you: and Erasmus thinketh, that the words here vsed foreign, may be translated, vt si, that if, or, as the Ecclesiasticall expositor, siquando, if at any time I goe into Spaine, &c. And that this was no propheticall speach, appeareth further, because he saith, I trust to see you, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you: but this was not done, when Saint Paul came to Rome, for there beeing deteined in hold for two yeares together, he could not be so accompanied by them, hauing not his libertie, for he purposed then not to stay at Rome, but onelyonly to see them in his passage, after that I hauehave beene somewhat filled with your companie: This his purpose then fayling in some part, was not propheticall, for then it should hauehave been performed in eueryevery point: and fayling in one part, might also in the rest, so that Saint Paul thus spake, humana tantum ratione & coniectura, non impulsu spiritus, by humane coniecture and reason, not by the impulsion and moouing of the spirit: Martyr.
2. The other opinion is, which I hold more probable, that Saint Paul was hindred of his purpose, and did not visite Spaine at all.
1. Hierome speaketh hereof vncertainely, as writing against Helvidius he saith, that it cannot be concluded that Paul went into Spaine, because he so purposed, cum varijs de causis impederi potuerit, seeing he might by diuerse causes and meanes be hindered: and vponupon the 3. to the Ephesians he saith, Paulus vel ad Hispanias perrexit, vel ire disposuit, Paul either went into Spaine, or disposed to goe.
2. But Gelasius, as he is cited by Gratian, Caus. 22. qu. 2. c. 5. affirmeth directly that Paul performed not, what he promised concerning his going into Spaine; Cum ad Hispaniam se promisisset iturum, dispositione divina maioribus occupatus ex causis implere non potuit, quod promisit: when he had promised to goe into Spaine, beeing occupied in greater assures, God so disposing, he would not fulfill, what he promised: Pererius disput. 2. num. 5. would thus shift off Gelasius authoritie: 1. that he saith not, that Paul neuer went into Spaine, but not at that time, when he purposed. 2. and this was no decree belonging to the faith, but onelyonly the sentence of the Pope, tanquam particularis Doctoris, as of some particular Doctor.
Contra. 1. He saith simply that Paul did not performe what he had promised, he speaketh not of any time: neither did Saint Paul set any time, when he would come. 2. the sentence of one of their Popes, though but as a priuate and particular Doctor (howsoeuer we doe esteeme it) in their valuation should counteruaile the priuate opinion of any Doctor beside: but this was not the Popes priuate sentence, it is inserted into the decrees, and so a rule of their Canon law. 3. and not onelyonly Gelasius, but Innocentius ad Decentium, an other of their Popes is in the same mind, neminem excepto Petro Hispanos, &c. that no man except Peter onelyonly did teach Spaine, or other Provinces of the West.
Pererius answeareth, that Paul did not teach in Spaine in such sort, as that by him the nation was conuerted, Churches planted, Pastors and Bishops constituted: for in those things they receiued direction from Peter at Rome: neither did S. Paul continue there so long a time, to doe these things, beeing either called thence by other waightie affaires of the Church, or not finding that successe of his labours, which he expected, he would not spend his labour in vaine: yet this followeth not, but that Paul was in Spaine, though he continued not there so long, for the foresaid purposes.
Contra. 1. Although we produce not this testimonie, as approouing eueryevery part thereof: for it is more vnlike, that Peter preached in Spaine beeing the Apostle of the circumcision, then Paul, to whome the Apostleship ouer the vncircumcision was committed: yet it may serue to prooue that which is intended, that Paul is denied to hauehave beene in Spaine. 2. Innocentius words are generall; that none beside Peter, taught in Spaine: if Paul taught not there, he was not there: for he went, if at all, to teach. 3. and how is it like, that S. Paul should preach there, and none converted, no Church planted, no Pastors elected: would S. Paul take so long a iourney, to the vtmost coasts of the West, to doe nothing? and is it like, that he going thither by the direction of the Spirit, went to no purpose? And how commeth it to passe, that their best Catholikes beeing now in Spaine, he will lay such an imputation vponupon it, that it was then worse, then all other countries, and more hardly subdued to the faith: these are but weake and simple coniectures. Other answers Pererius hath beside, but not worth the while to answer, specially in a matter of no greater moment. 4. Beside these testimonies, Thomas Aquine in his commentarie here, is of the same minde, that Paul was not in Spaine: and Dominicus Sotus himselfe a Spaniard, yet thinketh, that Paul preached not there: though it had beene a great honour to that nation, to hauehave so noble a founder, yet he is not partiall in seeking the credit of his countrey by a thing vnlikely and improbable: Sotus reasons, I confesse are but weake: that S. Paul was two yeares in custodie at Rome, and then he could not be permitted to visit Spaine, and in the ende of those two yeares, he was put to death vnderunder Nero: and because no mention is made of S. Pauls iourney into Spaine in the Acts of the Apostles: for after those two yeares of imprisonment at Rome, Paul was set at libertie, and suffered not till 8. yeares after in the 14. yeare of Nero. Neither doth S. Luke set downe all the Acts of S. Paul, but onelyonly such, as he did before he was brought to Rome vponupon his appeale. 5. Now other probable coniectures shall be alleadged of this opinion, that S. Paul neuer was in Spaine.
1. I omit Pet. Martyrs reason, that S. Paul hoped also, se vinculis liberandum, &c. that he should be deliuered from his bonds at Rome, but it did not so fall out: and beeing there in captiuitie still, he could not visit Spaine: for it is more probable, that S. Paul was deliuered out of his first captiuitie at Rome, as hath beene shewed before, qu. 12. generall.
2. Gualters coniecture also hath no great certentie, toties praepeditus praeter animi voluntatem, &c. that Paul beeing so often hindred beside his will and purpose, might be hindred now also.
3. I rather thus reason with M. Calvin, the best euidence for S. Pauls beeing in Spaine is out of this place: for els where I find no such purpose of the Apostle: but this text prooueth it not: de spe enim tantum loquitur, for he speaketh onelyonly of his hope, wherein he might be deceiued, as other faithfull men often are in their hopes.
But the best reason, against S. Pauls going into Spaine is this: if euer he were there, then either at his first comming to Rome, or at his second: but in neither: if in his first, then either at his arriuall there, after he had seene and visited the brethren: but that was not, for he was kept two yeares in bonds vnderunder the custodie of a souldier, Act. 28. or after the two years expired, when he was set at libertie: but then he returned to visit the East Churches, as he signified he would in diuers of his Epistles written from Rome: and it is not like, that he went first into Spaine, and then backe againe into Grecia and Asia, for these are East from Rome, Spaine lieth toward the West. Neither at his second comming to Rome is it like he went into Spaine, for then he was againe apprehended by Nero, and there suffered his glorious martyrdome: it is very probable, that in his second comming to Rome he intended to fulfill this his promise, and to be accompanied by the brethren of Rome thitherward, but that he was intercepted at Rome, and so the Lord thought good to crowne him with the glorie of martyrdome. But about this matter, beeing no point of faith, it is needlesse to contend much.