2-4
Col. 2:16-23
16 μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω ἐν βρώσει καὶ ἐν πόσει ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς ἢ νεομηνίας ἢ σαββάτων, 17 ἅ ἐστιν σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων, τὸ δὲ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 18 μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἃ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων, εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, 19 καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλήν, ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων ἐπιχορηγούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ θεοῦ. 20 εἰ ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου, τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε, 21 μὴ ἅψῃ μηδὲ γεύσῃ μηδὲ θίγῃς, 22 ἅ ἐστιν πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει, κατὰ τὰ ἐντάλματα καὶ διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων; 23 ἅτινά ἐστιν λόγον μὲν ἔχοντα σοφίας ἐν ἐθελοθρησκίᾳ καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ [καὶ] ἀφειδίᾳ σώματος, οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ τινι πρὸς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαρκός.
16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things which all perish as they are used), according to human precepts and doctrines? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting rigor of devotion and self-abasement and severity to the body, but they are of no value, serving only to indulge the flesh.
| Supra ostendit legalia esse impleta in Christo propter circumcisionem in eo impletam, quae est legalium professio, hic concludit eos non obligari ad legalia praecepta caeremonialia. Caeremonialia vero erant quatuor, scilicet sacrificia, sacra, sacramenta, et observantiae. Sacrificia immolabantur Deo, ut oves, vituli, et huiusmodi. Sacra erant sicut vasa, et solemnia tempora. Sacramenta erant tria, scilicet circumcisio, agnus paschalis, et consecratio sacerdotum. Observantiae autem erant ea, quae pertinebant ad singularem conversationem populi Israel, ut cibi, vestes, et huiusmodi. Quaedam vero praedictorum pertinebant ad quosdam, ut sacrificia, vasa, et alia huiusmodi; quaedam ad omnes. De primis autem non facit mentionem, sed de tangentibus totum populum, sicut nunc Baptismus.
| 118. – Above, Paul showed that the law was fulfilled in Christ because of the circumcision he received, for this is an acknowledgment of the law. Here, he concludes that they are not obliged to observe the ceremonial commands of the law. There were four kinds of ceremonial matters: sacrifices, sacred things, sacraments, and observances. The sacrifices were those things which were immolated to God, such as sheep, oxen and the like. The sacred things included utensils and religious festivals. There were three sacraments: circumcision, the paschal lamb, and the consecration of priests. The observances were those matters that were related to the unique customs in the life of the people of Israel, things such as food, clothing and the like. Some of the above matters, such as the sacrifices, the utensils and so on, pertained only to some of the people; other matters were connected to all the people. Paul does not mention those things which pertained just to some, but only those which affected all, just as baptism now affects us all.
| | Facit autem mentionem de observantiis, quia abstinebant a certis cibis, Lev. c. XI, 26, ut de quadrupedibus, ab his quae ungulam non dividunt. In potu etiam, vas quod non haberet operculum, immundum erat, et quicquid in eo erat. Et ideo quantum ad hoc dicit nemo vos iudicet in cibo, id est condemnabiles putet in hoc quod utimini cibis vel potibus prohibitis in lege. Rom. c. XIV, 3: qui non manducat, manducantem non iudicet, et cetera.
| 119. – He does mention the observances, because they abstained from certain foods, such as four-legged animals that do not have a divided hoof (Lev 11:26). In regard to drink, a vessel without a cover was unclean, as was anything in it. And so with respect to these matters he says, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, that is, let no one condemn you for taking food and drink forbidden in the law: “Let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him” (Rom 14:3).
| | Item facit mentionem de sacris ad temporum solemnitatem pertinentibus. In veteri autem lege erat solemnitas iugis, ut sacrificium vespertinum et matutinum; quaedam autem quae certis temporibus fiebant, et horum: quaedam fiebant pluries in anno, quaedam semel tantum, sicut Pascha, Scenopegia, et Pentecostes; sed sabbatum, et Neomenia pluries, quia illud qualibet hebdomada, istud semel in mense. Et huius ratio erat, quia omnia festa tendunt ad honorem Dei. Impendimus autem Deo honorem, vel propter aliquod aeternum, et sic est iuge sacrificium; vel propter aliquod temporale, et hoc quantum ad totum hominum statum; et sic sunt duo, scilicet creationis beneficium, et sic est sabbatum. Ex. XX, v. 8: memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices, et ratio ponitur ibi: quia septimo die requievit. Et ratio allegorica est, quia significat quietem Christi in sepulchro; et anagogice, quietem animae in Deo. Aliud est beneficium propagationis et conservationis, quod etiam fit per tempus. Et quia Iudaei observabant tempora a luna, ideo dicit festum Neomeniae, id est, novae lunae. Sunt etiam aliae causae, scilicet liberationis specialis, et sic superadditae sunt aliae solemnitates; et ideo dicit aut in parte diei festi, aut Neomeniae, quae fit quolibet mense aut sabbatorum, pro qualibet septimana. Et dicit sabbatorum, quia sabbatum est requies, et isti habebant plura sabbata, quia septimum diem et septem septimanas, scilicet Pentecosten, quae in septima septimana est a Pascha, quae est principium anni, et septimum mensem, et septimum annum, in quo fit remissio debitorum. Item septima septimana annorum, id est, in iubilaeo. Et ideo dicit sabbatorum; quasi dicat: nullus vos condemnet, quia haec non observatis.
| 120. – He also mentions sacred matters related to the religious festivals and ceremonies. Under the Old Law there were continuous religious ceremonies, like the morning and evening sacrifices. There were other ceremonies held at certain definite times. Some of these were held several times during the year, as the sabbath every week, and the now moon every month. Others came only once a year, as the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and Pentecost. The reason for all this is that all religious ceremonies are held for the honor of God. Now we give honor to God either because of something which is eternal, and thus we have continuous religious ceremonies; or we honor him because of certain temporal benefits which affect all people. There are two such benefits. First, the gift of creation; and thus we have the religious ceremony of the sabbath: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex 20:8). The reason for keeping the sabbath is that God rested on the seventh day. The allegorical reason for the sabbath is that it signifies Christ’s rest in the tomb, and the anagogical reason would be that it signifies the soul’s rest in God. The other gift is that of procreation and preservation, which are also for a time. And since the Jewish people calculated the time by the moon, he says, a new moon. There are also other reasons for honoring God, as a special rescue or deliverance; and so other festivals were added to the above. And so he says, or with regard to a festival or a new moon, every month, or sabbath[s], every seventh period. He says sabbath[s] because a sabbath is a rest, and they had several sabbaths: the seventh day; and seven weeks, that is Pentecost, which is the end of the seventh week following the Passover, which is the beginning of the year; and the seventh month; and the seventh year, when sins are forgiven; and after seven periods of seven years there was a Jubilee. With this in mind Paul says, or sabbath[s], meaning: Let no one condemn you for not observing these feasts.
| | Et hoc quia sunt umbrae futurorum, scilicet Christi. Et ideo veniente veritate, debet cessare umbra. Corpus autem Christi, id est, corpus pertinens ad Christum. Quando quis videt umbram, sperat quod corpus sequatur. Legalia autem sunt umbra praecedens Christum, et eum figurabant venturum. Et ideo dicit corpus, id est, veritas rei pertinet ad Christum; sed umbra ad legem.
| 121. – For these are only a shadow of what is to come, that is, of Christ. And when the truth comes, the shadow should cease, but the substance belongs to Christ. When someone sees a shadow, he expects the body or substantial reality to follow. Now the legal observances of the law were the shadow going before Christ, and they signified his coming; and so Paul says, the substance, that is, the truth of the thing, belongs to Christ, but the shadow belongs to the law.
| | Deinde cum dicit nemo vos seducat, etc., loquitur contra seductores et deceptores. Et primo monet ut non decipiantur; secundo arguit deceptos, ibi si ergo mortui. Item primo reddit cautos a seductione; secundo ostendit per quid seducantur, ibi volens in humilitate; tertio in quo deficiat, ibi quae non vidit.
| 122. – Then (v. 18), he speaks against those who were trying to seduce and deceive them. First, he warns them not to be misled; secondly, he argues against those already misled (v. 20). As to the first, he cautions them about being misled; secondly, he shows how they might be deceived, insisting on self-abasement; and thirdly, the shortcomings of those who would mislead them (18b).
| | Dicit ergo nemo vos seducat, scilicet a veritate quam dixi. Eph. V, 6: nemo vos seducat inanibus verbis.
| 123. – He says, let no one [seduce] you away from the truth that I have told you: “Let no one deceive you with empty words” (Eph 5:6).
| | Seducunt enim in humilitate isti pseudo-apostoli introducentes legalia, quia utebantur simulata sanctitate. Sanctitas autem in duobus consistit, scilicet in humili conversatione, et cultura Dei. Isti autem ostendebant humilem conversationem, cum apparebat eos non curare de rebus mundi. Et ideo dicit in humilitate. Eccli. XIX, 23: est qui nequiter se humiliat, et interiora eius plena sunt dolo. Item dicebant se praedicare ad reverentiam Dei. Et ideo dicit et religione Angelorum. Religio enim est secundum Tullium, quae cuidam naturae, quam divinam vocant, cultum et caeremoniam affert. II Tim. III, 5: habentes quidem speciem pietatis, virtutem autem eius abnegantes.
| 124. – For these pseudo-apostles were seducing them by their “humility,” bringing in observances taken from the law, for they pretended to be holy. But holiness consists of two things: a humble manner of life, and the worship of God. Now these people appeared to lead a humble life since they seemed to have no care for the things of the world; and so Paul says they were insisting on self-abasement. “There is one who is humble in an evil way, and within he is full of deceit” (Sir. 19:23). Again, they claimed to be preaching out of reverence for God; and so Paul says, and [religion] of angels: for religion, according to Cicero, consists in ceremonies and worship for a divine nature: “Holding the form of religion but denying the power of it” (2 Tim 3:5).
| | Et secundum Glossam legitur sic: in religione, etc., quia per hoc intendunt, quod videantur esse Angeli, id est, nuntii Dei. Matth. VII, 15: attendite a falsis prophetis et cetera. Vel in religione Angelorum ad litteram, quia vetus lex est tradita per Angelos in manu mediatoris, ut dicitur Gal. III, 19. Hebr. c. II, 2: si enim qui per Angelos dictus est sermo, factus est firmus, et cetera. Et isti dicebant cultum legis observandum quia tradita per Angelos.
| 125. – The Gloss has this passage as reading, “in the religion of angels,” for in this way these seducers wanted to seem like angels, that is, as messengers, of God: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing yet inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt 7:15). Or, “in the religions of angels,” can be understood in a literal sense, because the Old Law was made known by angels, as we see from Galatians (3:19); “For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Heb 2:2). These people maintained that the worship mandated in the law had to be kept, because it had been given through angels.
| | Sed tamen triplex est eorum defectus, scilicet scientiae, iustitiae et fidei. Et quantum ad primum dicit volens quae non vidit, id est, intellexit persuadere, et semper repetere: nemo vos seducat. Isti enim nesciebant quo fine data esset lex. I Tim. I, v. 7: volentes esse legis doctores, non intelligentes neque quae loquuntur, neque de quibus affirmant.
| 126. – The shortcomings of such people were threefold; they were defective in their knowledge, in their justice, and in their faith. As to their knowledge, Paul says that such a person was taking his stand on [things that were not seen], that is, things that were not understood. Such a one did not know why the law was given: “Desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions” (1 Tim 1:7).
| | Quantum ad secundum dicit ambulans frustra inflatus, licet sic humilitatem praetendant. Et ponit duo, scilicet quod religio eorum sit inutilis, quia ambulant frustra, scilicet operantes opera quae non prosunt ad vitam aeternam. Sap. III, 11: inutilia sunt opera eorum. Iob XXXIX, 16: frustra laboravit nullo timore cogente. Item, quod praetendunt falsam humilitatem. Unde dicit inflatus, et cetera. Differentia est inter inflatum et pinguem; quia pingues, veritatis sunt pleni, inflati vero vacui, sed vento extensi. Qui ergo vere sunt humiles, sunt pleni, sed qui apparent tantum inflati, sunt vacui. Sap. IV, 19: dirumpe illos inflatos sine voce. Hoc sensu intelligitur illud scientia inflat I Cor. VIII, 1. Haec sapientia est gravis, scilicet quia inflat, non quae ex Deo. Matth. XVI, 17: caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, et cetera.
| 127. – As to the justice of such persons he says they were puffed up without reason, in vain, although they pretended to be humble. And he mentions two things. First, that their religion was useless, because they went about without reason, in vain, that is, doing things that were of no value for eternal life: “Their labors are unprofitable” (Wis 3:11); “Though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear restraining her” (Job 39:16). They also showed a false humility, and so he says that such a one was puffed up by his sensuous mind. There is a difference between one who is puffed up and one who is robust. A person who is robust is full with truth, while one who is puffed up is empty, and just extended with wind. Therefore, those who are truly humble are full, but those who are only puffed up are empty. “He will burst those who are puffed up” (Wis 4:19) [Vulgate]. This is the meaning of 1 Corinthians (8:1): “Knowledge puffs up.”
| | Quantum ad tertium dicit non tenens caput, scilicet Christum per fidem. Et talis decipitur, quia sine Christo est in tenebris. I Tim. VI, 3: si quis non acquiescit sanis verbis, et cetera.
| 128. – With regard to their faith he says that they were not holding fast to the Head, that is, Christ, by faith. Such people are deceived, because without Christ they are in the dark: “If any one does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing” (1 Tim 6:3).
| | Sed quare est caput? Respondet, dicens: quia ab eo dependet totum bonum corporis, scilicet Ecclesiae. In corpore enim naturali sunt duo bona, scilicet compactio membrorum, et augmentum corporis. Et hoc habet Ecclesia a Christo. Ex eo enim dependet totum corpus. Rom. XII, 5: multi unum corpus sumus in Christo. Et ideo dicit coniunctiones; in corpore enim est duplex coniunctio membrorum, scilicet secundum contactum, quia manus est coniuncta ulnae, haec pectori, et sic de aliis. Alia est connexio seu coniunctio nervorum. Et ideo dicit coniunctum et connexum. Sic in Ecclesia est coniunctio per fidem et scientiam. Eph. IV, 5: unus dominus, una fides, unum Baptisma. Sed hoc non sufficit, nisi sit connexus charitatis, et connexio sacramentorum; et ideo dicit subministratum per nexus, quia per charitatem unus subministrat alteri. Augetur etiam per Christum, qui crescit, scilicet corpus, constructum sic, in augmentum Dei, id est quod Deus facit in nobis. Ps.: beatus vir cuius est auxilium abs te, ascensiones in corde suo disposuit, et cetera. Vel Dei, id est Christi, qui Deus corpus auget, dum augetur Ecclesia. Eph. IV, v. 12: ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerii, in aedificationem corporis Christi, et cetera.
| 129. – Why is Christ the Head? Paul answers: because the entire good of the body, which is the Church, depends on him. For there are two goods in a natural body: the union or joining together of its members and its growth. And the Church obtains these from Christ, for the entire body depends on him: “We, though many, are one body in Christ” (Rom 12:5). In a body the members are joined in two ways. One way is by contact, as the hand is joined to the wrist, and the wrist to the forearm, and so on. The other way is by a connection, as being joined by nerves. And so Paul refers to joints and ligaments. So also in the Church, its members are joined by faith and understanding: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5). But this is incomplete without the ligaments of charity and the sacraments. Thus Paul says, nourished through ligaments, because it is through charity that one person supplies another. This body is developed by Christ, because it grows with a growth that is from God, that is, with a growth that God produces in us: “Blessed are the men whose strength is in thee, ... they go from strength to strength” (Ps 84:5). Or, from God, that is, from Christ, who, as God, increases the body, the Church being enlarged: “For the equipment of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12).
| | Deinde cum dicit si ergo mortui, etc., arguit etiam deceptos. Et primo ponit rationem redargutionis ex conditione deceptorum; secundo ex conditione eorum in quibus decipiebantur, ibi quae omnia sunt.
| 130. – Then (v. 20), he rebukes those who have already been deceived. First, he bases the reason for his rebuke on the condition of those who have been deceived; and secondly, on the matters about which they were misled (22).
| | Conditio eorum erat libertas, quia sicut erant mortui peccato, ita et legi. Unde servare eam non debebant. Dicit ergo si ergo mortui estis cum Christo, mortui legi, ab elementis mundi, id est a legalibus observantiis, quia Iudaei serviebant Deo vero, tamen sub elementis, sed gentiles ipsis elementis; quid adhuc, veritate cognita, tamquam viventes in mundo, ut Iudaei, discernitis, tangenda et comedenda, scilicet dicentes: ne tetigeritis hoc, quia peccatum est, neque gustaveritis de porco et anguilla, Lev. c. XI, 7 et 11.
| 131. – Their condition was one of freedom, because just as they were dead to sin, so also they were dead to the law. Thus they were not obliged to keep it. Paul says, therefore, If with Christ you died, being dead to the law, to the [elements], that is, to the observances of the law (for the Jewish people served the true God, but under the elements; while the Gentiles served the elements themselves), why, since you know the truth, do you live as if you still belonged to the world, like the Jews live? Why do you submit to regulations about what is to be handled and eaten; regulations such as do not handle, because it is a sin; do not taste pork or eels (Lev 11:7, 11)?
| | Deinde cum dicit quae omnia, etc., ostendit qualia sunt ex parte legalium, dicens, quod sunt noxia, et vana, et gravia. Unde dicit quae omnia sunt in interitu, quia mortifera post passionem Christi, ponentibus spem in eis; sed post tempus gratiae divulgatae simpliciter omnibus sunt mortifera. Quod dico propter opinionem Hieronymi et Augustini, quae supra Gal. II cap. ponitur. Ad interitum ergo et in mortem perducentia sunt. Et si dicatur: quare ergo legimus vetus testamentum? Dico quod legimus ad testimonium, non ad usum. Et ideo dicit sunt in interitu ipso usu, id est non assumuntur ad testimonium, sed ad usum.
| 132. – Then (v. 22), he describes these legal observances, saying that they are harmful, vain, and burdensome; thus Paul says, which all perish as they are used, because after the passion of Christ they were deadly to all those who placed their hope in them; but after grace had been spread among the people, such things were deadly to all, absolutely. (I am saying this because it is the opinion of Jerome and Augustine which I mentioned in commenting on the second chapter of Galatians). And so they lead to destruction and death. Why, then, do we still read the Old Testament? I answer that we read it as a witness, but not as something to be observed. Thus Paul says, which all perish as they are used, that is, if they are not regarded merely as a witness, but are observed.
| | Item sunt vana, quae non innituntur rationi nec auctoritati. Sed haec non innituntur auctoritati divinae, sed humanae, unde dicit secundum praecepta. Sed numquid non sunt praecepta a Deo? Respondeo sic: ad tempus, quousque venerit veritas. Matth. XV, 6: irritum fecistis mandatum Dei propter traditiones vestras. Item non innituntur rationi, quia sunt habentia rationem sapientiae in superstitione; quasi dicat: non habent rationem, quae inducant nisi ad superstitionem, idest, ad religionem supra modum, et extra tempus ipsorum observatum. Et in humilitate, scilicet simulata tantum secundum deiectionem; quia qui liberatur per Christum a servitute legis, non debet se iterum supponere servituti. Gal. c. V, 1: nolite iterum sub iugo servitutis contineri. Servantur tamen aliqua, quae et si non auctoritate divina, tamen humana ratione sunt utilia;
| 133. – Further, things that are not founded on reason or authority are vain. But these things are not founded on divine authority, but on human authority. Thus Paul says, according to human precepts. But these precepts were from God, were they not? I say that they were, but were to be only for a time, until the truth should come: “For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God” (Mt 15:6). Furthermore, they are not founded on reason, because they have indeed an appearance of wisdom [in superstition], meaning, they are based on reasons that lead to superstition, that is, to a religion that is extreme and past its time. And their reasons lead to self-abasement, which is not genuine, because a person who has been freed from the slavery of the law by Christ, should not submit himself to this slavery again: “Do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1). Sometimes precepts that do not rest on divine authority are observed because they are useful for some human purpose.
| | sed hoc deficit hic. Sunt enim gravia haec, secundum se considerata. Tria autem desideramus, scilicet quietem, honorem, et sufficientiam, quae haec legalia non habent. Subtractio enim ciborum contraria est saturitati. Inducunt etiam laborem, propter observantias multiplices. Nec sunt ad honorem, sed ad confusionem multam, ut illa aspersio cineris, et huiusmodi. Act. XV, 10: hoc est onus, quod neque nos, neque patres nostri portare potuimus. Non ad parcendum corpori, id est, Ecclesiae, non in honore aliquo, id est non ad honorem Dei, sed ad saturitatem carnis, id est, ad implendum carnalem affectum.
| 134. – But this is not the case here, for these precepts considered in themselves are a burden. We desire three things: rest, honor and a fulness; and these are not produced by these legal observances. For the ban on foods is opposed to fulness, and becomes a burden because so many rules are involved. Further, these observances do not produce honor, but bring much confusion, as when ashes are sprinkled about, and the like: “A yoke upon the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear” (Ac 15:10). Such practices lead to a severity to the body, that is, the Church, and not to the honor of God; rather they serve only to indulge the flesh, i.e., to satisfy carnal desire.
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