EPISTOLA I AD TIMOTHEUM

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623DHe instructs Timothy and teaches him concerning the ordination of the episcopate, and of the diaconate, and of all ecclesiastical discipline, writing to him from Laodicea by Tychicus the deacon.

VERS. 2.-- Grace, and mercy, and peace from God the Father. [Vulg. Gratia, misericordia, et pax, "Grace, mercy, and peace"] In this salutation he sets down three things, which he desires, whereas in others he had set down only two. Mercy is here taken for that which in other epistles is called grace, that is, the remission of sins. Peace is tranquillity of mind, a foretaste of eternal peace. These are wont to be desired for all in common. But grace, which he here adds, is desired for bishops, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit, wherewith the ministers of God are armed.

VERS. 3.-- As I besought. After the salutation, first 624Cconcerning the false [apostles] to be driven off: here he begins with those 624Dteaching that the law is still to be kept.

I besought. (AMBR.) He says I besought, that he might show the affection of charity, and the form of humility.

Fables and genealogies. (AUG., lib. II contra adversarios legis et Proph., c. 1.) A certain heretic, an enemy of the law and of the prophets, supposes that the Apostle in this place called the divine oracles fables, etc., as far as which the sacred page nowhere relates.

VERS. 4.-- Genealogies. Genealogies were those by which certain Jews related that they were of the race of Abraham and of David: as though on that account it were owed them, or by which they related that Christ was not sprung from David.

VERS. 5.-- Now the end. In faith is the building up of God, because from faith is hope, and thence charity, which is the fulfilling of the law. Or construe thus: Certain men teach 625Aand give heed to fables and genealogies, but the end and fulfilment of the law is charity, wherefore there is no need of others. Of the commandment. It is said of the commandment, for "of the commandments," the fulfilling of which is the love of God and of one's neighbour. Whence: On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets (Matth. XXII). [Vulg. Matt. 22:40 universa lex]

(AUG., in psal. XXXI.) The end is called a boundary, etc., as far as let covetousness therefore be bridled, let charity be aroused.

A good conscience. Conscience for hope. For he despairs of coming to that which he loves, in whom the scruple serupulus of an evil conscience is present. And of faith unfeigned. Or, not of clay and frail, or, in which no one feigns for himself whatever he pleases, but which is catholic only.

VERS. 6.-- From which. Here he reproves the adversaries, 625Bwho handed on the things of the law.

Not understanding, etc. For if at any time they have begun to be rebuked and convicted of their depraved and false opinion, in order to defend that which they have said with the lightest rashness and the most open falsity, they utter many words out of the holy books, wishing to be teachers of the law, although they do not understand what they say, or of what things.

VERS. 8.-- But we know. Lest he should seem to accuse the law, he adds: But we know, etc. But lest again he should seem to bring it in, he subjoins: Knowing this, that the law is not laid down for the just: [Vulg. sciens hoc quia lex justo non est posita] because not from it is a man just, but from faith. To what end, then, is the law necessary for him? For this it was given, that it might either punish the guilty, or restrain him that wills to sin. Yet the just man, even if he needs it not, 625Cuses it, that so he might be in authority to others, and might attest things to come by deeds. Use it lawfully. He who knows that the law was given for a time, and under Christ forsakes it. Now for the just, through remission, there is no need of the law, from which they are free through Christ. But manifold is the manner of using the law lawfully, so that in one respect the just man, and in another respect the unjust man, is rightly said to use the law lawfully. For the unjust man uses it lawfully when, understanding why it was given, he is led by its threatening, as by a schoolmaster, to grace, through which he may become just. But the just man also uses it lawfully when, by holding it, he lays it upon the unjust, so that, when among the unjust the disease of ingrown concupiscence has begun to be increased by the incitement of the prohibition and by the heaping up of transgression, they may flee to justifying grace, and through it, delighted by the sweetness of justice, may escape 625Dthe penalty of the threatening letter.

VERS. 12.-- I give thanks to him who, etc. Here he shows that evils had been his in the law. But the good things are these; [the evils] forgiven, that he is faithful, and placed in the ministry, whence also strong: by which things he shows that the law is uselessly drawn on after the Gospel.

VERS. 13.-- But the mercy of God. Both they who sin knowingly, as David, and they who sin ignorantly, which is the more easily pardoned, obtain mercy. I obtained mercy, from this, that I did it ignorantly. Or ignorance is set down as the cause of mercy, yet not properly, since the ignorance was evil, but the mercy gratuitous.

VERS. 14.-- It hath superabounded. Over greater goods 626Athan formerly evils. Because he not only forgave sins, but gave faith and love. Of which none must doubt: That Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. [Vulg. quod Christus Jesus venit, "that Christ Jesus came"] And this word is faithful, [Vulg. Fidelis sermo, "a faithful saying"] that is, true and acceptable, because useful.

VERS. 15.-- Of all acceptation, because it saves both body and soul. Or, this word is human. Another reading: That I say not divine, because if a man who receives a man into his hospitality is called human, how much more human is he who receives man into himself. Because Christ Jesus. There was no cause of coming for Christ, save that he might save sinners.

First. That is, worse, because a persecutor, than whom there was none greater: For no one was fiercer among persecutors, therefore no one greater among sinners, he was first therefore 626Bnot in order of time, but in greatness of iniquity.

VERS. 16.-- But for this cause mercy, etc. [Vulg. Sed ideo misericordiam] Moreover he judges that for this cause he had obtained mercy, that no sinner now, pressed by whatsoever crimes, should despair of himself, but rather should presume by this example that he will obtain the same pardon: exceedingly great and truly vast is the gift. In me. Whom God appointed a fit preacher to the nations, in whom he showed forth so great an example of his mercy.

VERS. 17.-- Invisible. Because the other gods are visible. It is not said to the invisible alone, because there are also certain invisible creatures, as the soul, which nevertheless can be apprehended by sense: because all its powers can be known, but it is not God to us. God, therefore, is invisible to 626Cmen in his nature, according to that word: No man hath seen God at any time. But he is seen when he wills and as he wills, not as he is, but he wills to appear as it were in a form. But in the world to come the sons shall see him as he is. To God alone. Who alone is God by nature, that is, alone creates, which is understood of the Trinity itself, not of the Father alone, as some will have it: because he says not, to the Father alone, but to God alone. For the Trinity itself is preached by us as the one and only God. And the Only-begotten, according as he is God with God, and the Holy Spirit, is in his own nature immortal and invisible.

VERS. 18.-- This commandment. After he has recounted what and how great are the benefits of the Father and of Christ toward sinners, he shows how he is to imbue the people with ecclesiastical discipline.

626DVERS. 19.-- Conscience. He calls [conscience] the thoughts, in which humility is above all to be kept, which being despised certain men have fallen into great errors, as was shown at the beginning of the Epistle to the Romans.

VERS. 20.-- Whom I have delivered. The Apostle excommunicated both, that in this way the kingdom of Satan might be shut out by Satan. For there is no creature, whether one that abides in the truth giving glory to God, or one that has not stood in charity, seeking its own glory, which, will it or nill it, does not serve the divine providence. But willing, he does with it that which is good. But of that one which wills not this, that is done which is just. Yet that is not repaid to it which is justly done concerning it, but with what mind it itself acts, because God has neither denied free will 627Ato the rational creature, but has retained to himself the power by which he justly orders the unjust. I have delivered. Yet not so that they should perish, because Satan can do nothing unless permitted, who vexes those given over to him, whence: Now sin no more, lest worse befall thee (Joan. V). [Vulg. ne deterius tibi aliquid contingat, "lest some worse thing befall thee"] And so the apostolic power itself used Satan for the correction of men. For the prevaricating angels, with their prince the devil, are rightly called procurators, or agents of the divine providence, and the devil is called the magistrate of this world, but a magistrate under God the emperor does nothing save as much as is permitted him, and the procurators and agents of this world do nothing save as much as the Lord allows.

627BVERS. 1.-- I beseech. Hitherto concerning the false apostles, here concerning prayers. First of all. [Vulg. primum omnium] That is, that supplications be made before all things. Here the order of the Mass is shown, which is a special kind of prayer. Supplications. Or that prayer which is made beside or before the consecration. Prayers. That is, in the consecration itself. Petitions. Or interpellations, as it were of debt, that what is here transacted may be perfected in eternal life, as when the people is blessed by the bishop. Thanksgivings. Concerning things done, which conclude the whole as though the whole were from God: as, Let us bless the Lord. For all. That we may follow the clemency of God, because God wills all men to be saved, although according to justice he reprobates certain ones. That quiet from persecution.

VERS. 3.-- For this. Lest anyone should think that these things are not 627Cto be done for those whom the Church suffers, he adds: For this is good. And lest anyone should think that salvation could be had by the worship of the one God and by a good life without participation in the body of Christ, that is, without the faith of the Church. One, he says, God, and one mediator, that all men be saved may never come to pass save through the mediator, God the Word, which always was, yet according to the flesh was made.

VERS. 4.-- The mediator of God, etc. This is that arbiter whom Job desires, saying: Would that there were an arbiter for us. [Vulg. Job 9:33 Non est qui utrumque valeat arguere, "There is none that may be able to reprove both"]

(AUG., lib. IX de Civit. Dei, c. 15.) A mediator between God and men, it behoved that he should have something like to God, etc., as far as another good one, who reconciles 627Denemies, Jesus Christ.

VERS. 7.-- And in truth Truth to come is the reality and the reward of faith. Dost thou ask, the reward? let faith go before. For we believe that we may know, we do not know that we may believe. For what is faith, save to believe what thou seest not? faith therefore is, to believe what thou seest not. Truth, to see what thou hast believed.

VERS. 8.-- I will therefore that men, etc. (AUG., serm. 93 de Tempore.) Christ lifted up his hands for us upon the cross, etc., as far as that thy works may come into thy mind.

Anger, toward one's neighbour; contention, toward God.

VERS. 9.-- Not in plaited hair, etc. Lest by all these things, beyond the measure and the manners of their own person, they should give study to the occasion of stirring up 628Aconcupiscence, but rather through all good works let them be promising and showing outwardly the piety of the mind.

VERS. 11.-- A woman in silence. He has said that the office of praying befits all, and in what manner, and for whom, and why, and that prayer must be made everywhere. Now he says that the office of teaching befits men alone, and determines what manner of men ought to be ordained thereto.

VERS. 12.-- To teach, etc. Behold, he not only taught that a woman should have a humble and honourable habit, but also denied her the authority of teaching, and commanded that she be made subject to the man, that as well in habit as in obedience she may be under the power of the man from whom she draws her origin.

VERS. 14.-- Adam was not seduced. (AUG., lib. II de Gen. 628Bad litteram, c. ult.) For since the Apostle calls him a transgressor in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, etc., as far as in no wise do I think that he could have been seduced.

VERS. 15.-- She shall be saved. Although the woman was the cause of sin, yet she shall be saved, not only the virgin and the continent, but also the married woman, even if she never ceases from the work of marriage, if through the bearing of children, going on, she shall have departed out of this world. If she continue in faith and love and sanctification, that besides her own husband she know not another. With sobriety. That is, temperance, that she use even her own husband temperately.

VERS. 1.-- He desireth a good work. A work, not a dignity, 628Ca labour, not delights, not to grow greater by eminence, but to grow less by humility, that he may become the servant and minister of men for Christ's sake, that also, Rachel of fair countenance being left aside for a time, yet not forsaken, he may with Jacob go in unto Lia, blear of eyes, and may come down from the mountain with Moses to the plains, from the leisure of contemplation to the labour of action.

VERS. 2.-- Blameless. The same as to Titus, without crime. A thing almost against nature, as without sin: but let one be chosen, by whose comparison the rest may be called a flock. The husband of one wife, etc. That is, married but once after baptism. For if even before he had a wife who has died, it is not imputed to him, to whom, being wholly new, neither fornications nor the other things which were before are any longer a hindrance. Sober, etc. The ministers of the temple are forbidden 628Dto drink wine and strong drink, lest their hearts be weighed down by drunkenness, and that the sense may be vigorous, may always be spare.

VERS. 3.-- Not covetous. Seeking nothing beyond food and clothing.

VERS. 6.-- Lest into pride. The priest of a moment knows not humility, the measures of persons, or to despise himself, has not fasted, has not wept, has not corrected himself, has not given out to the poor. Into arrogance, which is the ruin of the devil, they fall who in the point of an hour, being not yet disciples, become masters.

But it behoveth, etc. This clause agrees with the beginning, that he be blameless not only among those of his own household, but among strangers, Jews, Gentiles, heretics, 629Aso that they who disparage religion may not dare to disparage his right.

VERS. 10.-- No crime, etc. A crime is a grave sin, most worthy of accusation and of condemnation.

VERS. 15.-- The Church. The calling together of many unto the worship of the one God. The pillar of truth. [Vulg. columna et firmamentum veritatis, "the pillar and ground of the truth"] Well sustaining the truth in herself, lest it fall, although she be afflicted.

VERS. 16.-- He appeared unto angels. Not in God only does that which is hidden become known to the angels, but here also it appears to them, when it is wrought and made public; therefore he is said to have appeared to the angels not now in the form of lowliness but in power; he therefore who was before seen lowly, death being overcome, appeared in majesty, that the angels, acknowledging the mystery which before lay hid, declared 629Bin the flesh, bending the knee to him as to God, might give thanks, because they had learned the truth. In the world. So that the perfidy of the world may not be able to merit pardon for its error. As the Lord says of the Jews: If I had not come, and had spoken to them, they would not have sin, etc. (Joan. XV).

VERS. 1.-- Now the Spirit manifestly saith. What things to come the Holy Spirit had revealed to him for the instruction and the warning of the Church; he keeps not silence, saying that there shall be men of pestilent doctrine, that the Church, being forewarned, may be watchful, lest it be circumvented by men of this kind, as if he should say: So is the house of God worthy, but the Spirit manifestly saith. And therefore, for its loftiness, lay not aside thy care.

629CVERS. 2.-- Cauterized. A cautery is an iron so called from taking heed.

VERS. 3.-- Which God hath created. [Vulg. quod Deus creavit] This is the doctrine of the saints, that of demons.

VERS. 5.-- It is sanctified. The food becomes holy and wholesome, not hurtful to the soul or to the body, the word sanctifies, the prayer obtains, but the devil tempts through food.

VERS. 8.-- For bodily. It is here given to be understood that Timothy exercised himself in watchings, fastings, prayers and good works, not being so intent upon works of mercy. Piety, which works good things for the brethren and avails to merit God.

VERS. 11.-- Command these things. He admonishes him, that his advancement might in all things be an example to others, that in 629Da young man the discipline might seem wonderful, and grave, that his acts might excuse [him] - and that he be held not as a youth but as an elder, and that his elders in age might blush, if they did not show themselves after his pattern, grave in conversation and in manners.

VERS. 14.-- Prophecy. He called the inspiration of the Holy Spirit prophecy, through which he foreknew what he was about to do concerning this man and concerning the rest. Therefore he says: Which was given thee by prophecy: because, by the revealing of the Spirit, the Apostle knew that Timothy was worthy of the episcopal honour. Of the presbyter. [Vulg. presbyterii, "of the presbytery"] For of the presbyters, because they cannot be fewer than three. And he calls a presbyter a bishop; or because one lays on hands, the rest assenting.

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VERS. 1.-- Rebuke not an elder. Lest, taking it ill that he has been corrected by a lesser, he be more exasperated than profit.

VERS. 2.-- As sisters. That, seeing themselves to be admonished for love's sake, they may the more easily correct themselves. In all chastity. In addressing young women a young man is rightly admonished concerning chastity.

VERS. 3.-- Honour widows that are widows indeed. That is, those who are destitute of the help of all their own, and who cannot labour with their hands, whom poverty weakens and age wears out: to whom God is hope, and every work, prayer.

VERS. 4.-- To parents. The parents are the same who above are the sons and the grandsons. Whence also in the law of the world 630Ba parent is bidden to succeed a parent by degree. To whom we render a mutual return, since we were brought up by our fathers, and nourish others by a like law.

VERS. 5.-- Desolate, let her trust. Seeing that from no quarter has she support, she is with her whole mind devoted to God, from whom alone she hopes for the help of life and of salvation

VERS. 6.-- She that is in delights. It is a kind of imposture to wish to have the honour of a widow, and not to obey God, and to do one thing and profess another, since she professes religion

VERS. 8.-- Hath not care. Care must be spent upon parents, as Jesus commended his mother to John.

VERS. 10.-- The feet. (AUG., in Tract. 58 in Joan.) Let us in humility do these things one for another, which he that is exalted did humbly, etc., as far as the effect of humility is confirmed. 630COf the saints. Whose, I ask? Of those who are in tribulation, not of the saints simply: for there can be saints, and such as are cherished by all with the highest deference. Do not follow after these that abound in plenty of things, but the afflicted, and those who are unknown to many. Do not give these things to the prelate of the Church to be distributed, do thou rather minister, that thou mayest receive the reward not nesolius of the outlay alone, but of the service: give out with thine own hands, do thou sow the furrow of piety.

VERS. 11.-- Avoid. That is, do not so far care for their vows of chastity as to undertake them to be maintained by the alms of the Church.

VERS. 12.-- Having. (AUG., de Bono viduitatis, cap. 8, 9, 10.) If in the conjugal bond chastity be preserved, damnation is not feared, etc., as far as 630Devery woman of this kind is like the wife of Lot, who looked back.

They have made void. Even if not by marrying, yet by willing: not because marriages are condemned, but the fraud of the purpose, and the broken faith of the vow is condemned, and the will which departs from the purpose is damnable, whether marriages follow or follow not.

VERS. 15.-- They are turned back after Satan. By looking back from that excellent purpose of widowed chastity, or of virginal, they have fallen and perished.

VERS. 17.-- Who well. Here he treats of the honour of presbyters, as if he should say: That which I have said of widows, observe: and this also command concerning presbyters, that the presbyters 631Awho rule well in life and in doctrine be accounted worthy.

VERS. 19.-- Against a presbyter receive not an accusation, etc. He who corrects is wont not to be loved, and therefore, an occasion being had, he is easily accused. Against this he admonishes, that an accusation against a presbyter is not to be received easily.

VERS. 20.-- Before all, etc. (AUG., serm. 16 de Verb. Dom.) Sometimes thou oughtest to reprove the sinner between thee and him alone, etc., as far as but when it is sinned openly, it must be reproved openly.

VERS. 21.-- I testify before God. That is, let God be my witness, that I have saved my soul for thee, beware.

VERS. 23.-- Do not still drink water, etc. Because he had admonished to chastity, on this occasion he forbids immoderate abstinence, 631Bwhich he [Timothy] himself had entered upon.

VERS. 24.-- Some men's sins, etc. Because he had said that nothing is to be done without prejudgment, he determines where prejudgment is necessary, and where not, dividing goods and evils into manifest and hidden, as if he should say: therefore there is need of examination, because as some things are manifest, which it behoves not to examine, so some things are hidden, concerning which without previous examination a prejudgment cannot be made. Made manifest. [Vulg. manifesta, "manifest"] He says this of those things concerning which it is clear with what mind they are done, these go before unto judgment, because if judgment follows these, it is not rash. They follow after. As the evils which are hidden shall not themselves lie hid in their own time, when the time of Christ shall have come, in which they may be made manifest: so also of good things. Let us therefore judge of these: 631Clet those be left to the judgment of God.

VERS. 1.-- Whosoever. It must be known that certain men preached a liberty common to all in Christ. Which indeed is true of spiritual liberty, not of carnal, as they understood it: therefore the Apostle here speaks against them, bidding servants be subject to their own masters. Let not servants demand what is said of the Hebrews, that they should serve six years, and be dismissed free without price, which is mystical.

VERS. 4.-- Proud. Pride assuredly, not reason, leads him, since he bursts forth into conflict for the seeking of favour, which is shunned by the meek and the good. Languishing. For he does not utterly die by refusing the faith, 631Dnor does he grow strong unto the knowledge of the truth, but as with repeated attacks he languishes about questions and strifes of words. Questions. The question was whether he should be a servant, since all are sprung from the same fathers, and Christ has redeemed all.

VERS. 9.-- For they that will. This is said to those who will and are not, that they may not desire. Now to the rich another thing is said, namely, not to be highminded, but to give to the poor. They fall into temptation and the snare of the devil, because the root of all evils, etc. [Vulg. 6:9 et in laqueum diaboli; 6:10 Radix enim omnium malorum est cupiditas] There is no kind of evil which does not sometimes arise from covetousness, because the root of all evils is covetousness.

VERS. 10.-- Covetousness. In the Greek there stands, φιλαργυρία. 632AIf therefore avarice, which properly is the love of money, is taken in place of the genus which is covetousness, a species is put.

With many sorrows. [Vulg. doloribus malis, "with evil sorrows"] For the avaricious sustain the torment of anxiety so much the more, the more they desire the things which either, being had, pass away, or which they cannot have.

VERS. 11.-- But thou, man, etc. [Vulg. Tu autem, o homo Dei, "But thou, O man of God"] He does not say that he fears this concerning that man, but he knew that this would come into the hands of the churches. Flee these things. For nothing is so harsh and so pernicious as if an ecclesiastical man, and most of all he who holds a lofty place, should give study to the riches of this world: because he harms not only himself but also the rest, to whom he gives a contrary pattern. Piety. Piety is that we condescend to the needy, which the covetous man does not do. 632BFaith. He who has a true faith concerning God does not desire to become rich amid miseries, nor is the world of more worth to him than God.

VERS. 13.-- I charge thee. In Timothy the Apostle speaks to all his successors. And Christ Jesus. By the example of Christ he exhorts.

VERS. 15.-- Blessed and only, etc. He says this not of the Father only, but of God who is the Trinity itself.

VERS. 16.-- Who only hath immortality He has it by nature, others from him by grace. Inaccessible, whom none of men. [Vulg. lucem inhabitat inaccessibilem : quem nullus hominum vidit, "he inhabiteth light inaccessible: whom no man hath seen"] Because none comes to it of himself, but to whom it is given, it is given by his gift, which the Prophet understood, saying: Come ye to him, and be enlightened (Psal. XXXIII), etc.

VERS. 17.-- To the rich of this world. Above he treated of 632Cthose who wish to become rich, saying that they fall into temptation and the snare of the devil, here he treats of those who are rich, admonishing them not to hope in riches. And because he said that evils come from covetousness, and persuaded the contrary, lest the rich should seem cast off, he determines. Not to be highminded. The Apostle did not dread riches, but their disease, that is, pride, which is the worm of the rich. Great is the mind which among riches is not tempted with that disease. He is great who does not therefore think himself great, because he is rich. But he who therefore thinks himself great is proud, is needy, swells in the flesh, cracks in the heart, begs, is puffed up, not full. To enjoy. For temporal things God gives in this life to use, eternal things to enjoy: the former, whence we may do good; the latter whence we may be made good.

632DVERS. 19.-- To lay up in store. Unto this are riches sent before that shall not perish.

VERS. 20.-- O Timothy. Timothy, precious to God. Τίμιος precious, Θεὸς God.

Profane. As is, hypostasis, which word relates both to person and to substance. Whence also the heretics, by the multiplication of this name, wished to bring in that there are three substances. Understand profane words to be those which are against religion, others are not to be avoided

VERS. 21.-- Promising, they have erred concerning the faith, etc. For these love nothing so much as to promise knowledge, and to deride, as it were unskilfulness, the faith of true things (which little ones are commanded to believe).