Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 3 · Subsection 32 – Subsection 37
33. Quest. Of Pauls iourney to Ierusalem, wherefore he taketh it in hand, v. 25.
1. Because the Apostle had before signified his great desire, which he had to see the Romanes, and now there was no let in those parts, because he had preached the Gospel to all those countries, ne put aretur veluti irridere eos, &c. least he might seeme to mocke them, because he came not yet vntounto them: he sheweth the cause of his stay, which was to carrie to the Saints at Ierusalem certaine collections from the Gentiles, Chrysost. and the Apostle vseth a participle of the present tense, foreign, ministring, to shew that this busines should not stay him long, it was euen now in hand, Erasmus.
2. But it will be obiected, that the Apostle should not hauehave preferred the ministration of almes before the preaching of the Gospel, which he intended in Spaine: as the Apostles themselues resolued, that it was not meete, that they should leaue the word, and minister vntounto tables, Act. 6. To this obiection it is diuersely answeared. 1. generally it is not fit to leaue the preaching of the word to distribute almes, but in casu, & ad tempus, in some case, and for a time, Gorrhan. 2. duo commoda sunt anteferenda, &c. two commodities together are to be preferred before one: now the Apostle went to Ierusalem to distribute almes, yet withall he purposed to preach vntounto the brethren, and to confirme their faith. 3. and beside the Churches of the Grecians who were mooued by S. Paul vntounto this contribution, committed the same to his fidelitie, so that this office was as it were imposed vponupon him by them, Par. 4. adde hereunto, that it was a part of his Apostolike office: for when the Apostles appointed him to preach to the vncircumcision, they charged him to remēber the pore, Gal. 2.10. S. Paul therefore was carefull to execute this charge committed vntounto him, Mart.
3. To minister. 1. The word foreign, ministring, though generally it signifie any office of the ministrie, yet here it is taken more specially, for that function, which was peculiar to the Deacons in distributing of almes, Beza. 2. Origen inferreth hereupon, that this epistle to the Romanes was written after the first and second to the Corinthians, because the almes and collection, whereunto he mooueth the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 9.4. by the example of the Macedonians, was now readie.
4. To the Saints. 1. Ambrose thinketh, that these were they, which had renounced all wordly things, & totus se dederunt obsequijs divinis, and gaue themselues wholly to the seruice of God, to giuegive an example of perfection vntounto other beleeuers: so also Lyranus. 2. Haymo thinketh, they were such as had impoverished themselues, by laying their goods at the Apostles feete, and bringing all in common: as we read Act. 4. 3. but these Saints rather at Ierusalem, were in great necessitie for these two causes especially; both in regard of the great famine, which was ouer all the world vnderunder Claudius Caesar, but cheefely in Iudea, which was a drie countrie, specially that part which was toward Arabia Petraea, and beside they were in the time of persecution spoiled and stripped of their goods: as the Apostle saith, Heb. 10.34. Yee suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods: according as Isay prophesied 59.15. he that refrayneth from euill, maketh himselfe a pray. 4. those Saints hauehave a double commendation, as Chrysostome noteth, à virtute & paupertate, from their vertue, they are Saints, and from their povertie, they are called in the next verse, the poore Saints. 5. Origen obserueth well, that they are called Saints, not because they were at Ierusalem, but quos non locus, sed conversatio sancta, & fidei perfectio, such whom not the place, but the perfection of faith and their holy conuersation made spirituall. 6. Haymo saith, that some Doctors deliuered this, that Saint Paul gat such liberall contributions from the Gentiles, for the poore Saints at Ierusalem, that sometime he sent them, tres, aut quin que modios argenti, three or fiue bushels of silver: but whence he hath that report, he sheweth not.
Quest. 34. Of the collection gathered among the Gentiles for the Iewes, and the reasons thereof.
1. It hath pleased them of Macedonia, &c. Origen here obserueth, subtiliter & verecundè dum Corinthios laudat, hortatur Romanos, modestly and cunningly, while he praiseth the Corinthians, he exhorteth the Romans, that they should contribute likewise: and Chrysostome addeth, that the Apostle doth not directly stirre them vp by the example of the Macedonians and Corinthians, putassent id contumeliose fieri, the Romans would hauehave scorned it, beeing the Lords of the world: as he provoketh the Corinthians by the forwardnes of the Macedonians, 2. Cor. 8. yet he wisely insinuateth as much.
2. In that it is said, it pleased them, their alacritie and cheerefulnes is expressed: he extorted it not from them, but they willingly conferred it: as he writeth to the 2. Corinth. 9. that God loueth a cheerefull giuer: the vulgar latine readeth, probaverunt, they allowed or approoued this collection, tanquam rem honestum, as an honest thing: not onelyonly their will was vntounto it, but their iudgement and approbation, the word is foreign, they pleased, or it seemed good vntounto them.
3. To make some distribution: the word is foreign, communication. 1. Origen noteth this difference, that in spiritualibus communionem posuit, in carnalibus ministerium, he placeth communication in spirituall things, and ministerie in carnall: for spirituall things, non tam debentur, quàm commodantur, are not so much owing, as lent, but carnall ex debito exiguntur, are exacted of due debt: but this difference is not perpetuall: for here a communication is said to be in carnall things. 2. Theophylact giueth this reason, why it is called a communication: quia in communem vtilitatem caedit tam praebentis, quàm accipientis, it is to the common benefit both of the giuer, and receiuer. 3. Mr. Calvin thinketh it conteineth a reason of this collection, quia propter corporis vnitatem, &c. because there ought to be one common and mutuall regard, in respect of the vnitie of the bodie, which is all one in Christ. 4. some thinke that it is the same, with foreign, a collection, which word Saint Paul vseth, 1. Cor. 16. when eueryevery one did viritim in commune conferre, did contribute something in common: Pareus, Gorrhan, Faius. 5. but I preferre the reason rendred by the Greeke scholiast, why it is called a communication, because of the mutuall exchange and entercourse betweene them, ipsi pecunias, sancti intercessionem apud Deum contribuerunt, they contributed mony, and the Saints their prayers and intercession vntounto God: so it is called a communication, because it was mutuall, the one gaue carnall, the other spirituall things, as is shewed in the verse following: so the Apostle calleth it, a communicating concerning the matter of giuing and receiuing, Phil. 4.15. 6. Chrysostome further noteth that the Apostle saith not, almes, but communication, somewhat to extenuate it, in respect of the Saints, to whom it was a kind of debt: and he saith, a certaine, or some communication, in respect of the Romans, ne videatur Romanis avaritiam exprobrare, least he should seeme to vpbraide the Romans with couetousnesse: Theophylact.
Quest. 35. How the Gentiles are said to be debters to the Iewes.
1. Their debters are they, &c. 1. not the poore are debters to the rich, quia tenentur pro ijs orare, because they are bound to pray for them: Hugo. 2. nor debters onelyonly in respect of God, à quo misecordiam pectant, of whom they looke for merciemercy, gloss. interl. 3. not yet onelyonly in generall, because the rich debent vsum necessariorum, do owe the vse of necessarie things vntounto the poore: as the wise man saith, Prov. 3.27. withhold not good from the owners thereof. 4. but the Gentiles are said to be debters, because they had receiued spirituall things from the Iewes, as the Apostle expoundeth afterward.
2. There are two kind of debts, one is ex debito necessitatis, by a debt of necessitie, and so the people are bound to giuegive of their temporalls vntounto their Pastors and Ministers; and there is debitum honestatis, a debt of honesty, and so the rich are bound to giuegive vntounto the poore, Hugo Card. but this distinction rather is to be receiued: there is debitum ciuile, a ciuill debt, and so the people pay carnall things for spirituall, and debitum naturale, a natural debt or equitie, and so for a benefit receiued euerie one is bound to shewe the like againe, Gorrhan, Par.
3. If the Gentiles be made partakers of their spirituall things, &c. 1. The spirituall things of the Iewes are these, as Chrysostome obserueth, ex ipsis est Christus, ex ipsis sunt Apostoli, Prophetae, &c. of them was Christ, of them came the Apostles, and Prophets: from them came the Gospel. 2. Origen hath here an excursion, running out to a mysticall and allegoricall sense: by the Saints at Ierusalem, he vnderstandeth those which are spirituall, by the Gentiles, those which are yet imperfect: in whom, the flesh must spiritualibus ministrare praeceptis, minister and be obedient vntounto the spirituall precepts: and not lascivire in carnalibus, waxe wanton still in carnall things: but this is farre from the Apostles meaning.
4. Chrysostome obserueth an emphasis in euerie word, as he saith the Gentiles ought to minister, as they, quiregibus tributa persolvunt, which vse to pay tribute vntounto kings; the word foreign, signifieth properly to execute some publike ministerie: and it is sometimes referred to spirituall offices: it is here vsed to signifie, that this office of the Gentiles in communicating to the necessities of the Saints, was both publicum & sacrum, publike and sacred, it was as a sacrifice vntounto God, Calv. Beza: And whereas the Apostle saith, their spirituall things, but not their carnall: Chrysostome sheweth the reason of this difference, because carnalia sunt omnium communia, things carnall are common to all.
Quest. 36. In what manner almes ought to be given.
Diuerse necessarie considerations touching the distribution of almes may be obserued out of the 28. and 27. verses. 1. whereas they of Macedonia and Achaia, did minister vntounto the necessitie of the Saints of Ierusalem, which was farre distant and remote from those countreys of Grecia: therein we hauehave an example, not onelyonly to stretch forth our hand, to the needie, that are among our selues, but to extend our liberalitie to other churches abroad, that are in want and necessitie. 2. whereas it seemed good vntounto them, therein appeareth their chearefulnes and willingnes, that they gaue of a willing and readie minde, as S. Paul exhorteth the Corinthians, 2. epist. c. 9.3. 3. they did communicate vntounto the Saints: for though we must doe good to all, yet specially we are bound to doe it to the houshold of faith. 4. and in that the Apostle saith, yee are debters, he sheweth that they were bound hereunto, by the common bond of charitie, and Christianitie: that although in respect of any ciuill bond, they were free, and their almes was an offering of their freewill and franke mind: yet in charitie before God, they were bound thereunto.
Quest. 37. What the Apostle meaneth, by sealing of the fruite, v. 28.
When I hauehave sealed vntounto them. 1. the vulgar Latine readeth, hauehave assigned, so Lyran. Haymo, but the Greeke word foreign, signifieth rather, consignans vel obsignans, sealing, confirming, then assigning, and setting ouer. 2. Origen vnderstandeth it of that seale quo imago Dei exprimitur, whereby the image of God is expressed, that he which giueth, giuegive in simplicitie of heart, seeking no praise of men: for then, opus suum signaculo divinae imaginis signat, he doth seale his worke with the signe of the diuine image. 3. some take it literally, cum sub sigillo cuius que ecclesiae ostendero, &c. when I hauehave shewed vnderunder the seale of euerie Church, how much euerie one hath sent, gloss. interlin. Hugo. 4. Erasmus referreth it to the Macedonians, it should be vntounto them, tanquam thesaurus in tuto reconditus, as a treasure surely laid vp: so also before him Chrysostome and Theophylact, in aerarium regium condam, I will lay it vp as in the kings treasurie. 5. the Greeke scholiast thus, in coelis repositurus, he will lay it vp as it were in heauen. 6. But the Apostle vseth onelyonly a metaphoricall speech, taken from those which vse to seale the treasure, or letters committed vntounto them: the Apostle saith no more but this, after I hauehave faithfully deliuered vntounto them, this collection committed vntounto me: so Calvin, Mart. Pareus, with others.
This fruit. Almes and other workes of merciemercy, are called a fruit in three respects. 1. in regard of the efficient cause, which is first the spirit, as good workes are called the fruits of the spirit, Galat. 5.22. then of faith and charitie, they are the fruites. 2. in respect of the obiect, vponupon whom such workes of merciemercy are shewed and exercised, they are fructus pietatis, a fruit of their pietie, when God stirreth vp the hearts of others to supply their necessities, which depend vponupon God. 3. in respect of the giuer and worker, they are fruits, as Chrysostome obserueth, lucrum acquirere contributeres, that the giuers of almes do purchase gaine vntounto themselues, for God will reward them, and recompence their benignitie.
Quest. 38. What the Apostle meaneth by the aboundance of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, v. 29.
1. Some by this benediction or blessing vnderstand, the plentifull almes and contribution which the Apostle should finde among the Romanes: for so he calleth their beneficence, foreign, blessing, 2. Cor. 9.5. Erasmus. 2. Chrysostome and Theophylact mislike not this sense, poteris pro benedictione eleemosynam intelligere, you may vnderstand for blessing, almes, &c. but they adde further, this aboundance of blessing to be, vniuersa bona, all good things, digna benedictione. i. laude, worthie of blessing, that is, praise: so they vnderstand blessing, of the praise and commendation, which their vertues were worthie of, not actiuely, of the blessing which the Apostle should conferre vponupon them: so also the Greeke scholiast: I shall finde you omnibus bonis ornatos, furnished with all good things. M. Calvin also followeth this sense, that the Apostle at his comming should reioyce, quod spiritualibus Euangelij divitijs affluerent, that they abounded in all spirituall riches of the Gospel: But it is euident by the text it selfe, that the Apostle, saying, I shall come in the aboundance of blessing, that it sheweth rather what the Apostle shall bring with him, then what he should there finde.
3. Some referring it to S. Paul, doe vnderstand this aboundance of blessing, of the gift and power of miracles, whereby the Apostle should come furnished, to confirme the Gospel among them: Ambrose: so also Hugo, miracula multa mihi dabit facere inter vos, God shall giuegive me power to worke many miracles among you: but in this sense, this blessing, should be too much restrained.
4. Theodoret applyeth it to the many troubles and afflictions, out of the which the Lord had deliuered Paul, and so aboundantly blessed them: but he speaketh of such blessing as he should receiue to bestow vponupon them: as Origen well saith, & venieutis gratia, & suscipientium merita pariter designantur, both the great grace of the commer, and the worthines of the receiuer is expressed.
5. So then, the Apostles meaning is, that he should so come, vt benedictione Evangelij impleam, that I shall fill you with the blessing of the Gospel, Oecum. that he should come in abundantia honorum spiritualiuos, in the aboundance of spirituall grace, Lyran. he should afferre copiam spiritualium honorum, bring then aboundance of spirituall things, Martyr: he hopeth adventum suum fore frugiferum, that his comming vntounto them shall be fruitfull: Beza and Haymo well expound it by that place, c. 1.11. I long to see you, that I might bestowe vponupon you some spirituall gift.
6. Origen here further obserueth, that the Apostle spake thus by the spirit, and by the gift of prophesie, supra hominem nam que est haec scire de futuris, for it is aboue mans teach to knowe concerning things to come, that he should not onelyonly come vntounto them, but come in the aboundance of blessing: And indeede, the Apostles going to Rome, was reuealed by the spirit; as S. Luke testifieth, Act. 19.20. that he purposed by the spirit, after he had bin at Ierusalem, to see Rome also: but his other purpose of going into Spaine was not by diuine reuelation, but humane disposition: and therefore it is probable he failed in the one, as hath beene shewed before, though not in the other.