Sermon 299
SERMO 299
ON THE BIRTHDAY OF THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL
(In which it is disputed against the heresy of the Pelagians)
Peter, first of the Apostles; Paul, the last.
To preaching to preachers, and such great preachers, of whom we have heard and sung, that their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world, without a doubt, no words of ours suffice. We owe devotion, we do not fulfill your expectation. For you expect of us today to preach the apostles Peter and Paul, whose solemn day this is. I acknowledge what you expect; and where I acknowledge, I succumb. For I see what is expected, and from whom. But because their God deigns to be praised by all of us, let not his servants disdain to be preached in some measure by those who serve you.
The same argument is discussed.
As you know, all who know the holy Scriptures, the apostle Peter was chosen first among the disciples, whom the Lord, present in the flesh, elected: but Paul was not among them, not with them; but long afterward, not inferior to them. Therefore Peter, the first of the Apostles, Paul, the last: but God, whose servants they are, whose heralds they are, whose preachers they are, is the first and the last. Peter is the first among the Apostles, Paul is the last among the Apostles: God is both the first and the last, before whom nothing exists and after whom nothing exists. Therefore God, who commended Himself as the first and the last in eternity, Himself joined the first and the last Apostles by their passion. The passion of both is united in solemnity, the life of both resonates in love. Their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Where they were chosen, where they preached, where they also suffered, we all know. But how do we know them, except because their sound has gone out to all the earth?
The words of the apostles about their imminent passion. By God's grace, we are made debtors and redeemers. The strength of the martyrs comes from God. Paul confirmed by revelation about his future passion and victory.
We heard Paul predicting his own imminent and approaching passion, when his Epistle was read: "For I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing." From here, let us say something: the words of those who have gone out to the ends of the earth help us. First, see the holy devotion. He said he is being sacrificed, not dying: not because he does not die who is sacrificed; but not everyone who dies is sacrificed. Therefore, to be sacrificed is to die for God. For the word is derived from the sacrifice. Everything that is sacrificed is killed for God. For the Apostle understood to whom his blood in passion was owed: for he became a debtor for his blood, for which the blood of his Lord was shed. That one shed his blood, and he pledged all. As many as receive that faith, owe what they receive: and this because he deigned to make both debtors and payers. For who among us, in such poverty and weakness of infirmity, is capable of repaying such a creditor? But as it is written: "The Lord gave the word to those who proclaim it with great power": the word, by which they are made known; the power, by which they suffer. Therefore, he made himself victims, he consecrated sacrifices for himself, he filled the martyrs with the Spirit, he equipped the confessors with power. For he said to them: "For it is not you who speak." Therefore, although he was going to suffer, although he was about to shed his blood for the faith of Christ; yet he rightly says: "What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” And what comes to mind? "I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord." You were thinking of repayment, you were inquiring what you would return; and it occurred to you as if to the one who would repay: "I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord." Surely you were about to repay? Behold, you receive. Therefore, what you receive, because you received what you should, you accept from whom to repay; a debtor when you have received, a debtor when you repay. For what shall I repay, he says? "I will take the cup of salvation." Therefore, you also receive this, the cup of passion, the cup about which the Lord said: "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" But behold, now the cup is in your hand, now the passion is imminent: what do you do so as not to tremble? what do you do so as not to waver? what do you do so that you may be able to drink what you now carry? What shall I do, he says? And there I will accept: I will be a debtor; because I will call on the name of the Lord. "For I," he says, "am already being poured out." It was confirmed to him by revelation: for human weakness would not dare to promise this to itself. His confidence was not from himself, but from him who gave everything, whom he understood when he said above: "For what do you have that you did not receive?" Therefore, he says, "I am already being poured out, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight." Ask his conscience: it does not hesitate, because it glories in the Lord. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." With merit you finished the race, because you kept the faith. Furthermore, he says, a crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day.
The crown of righteousness is promised not only to martyrs, but to all who keep the faith. The desire for the coming of Christ the future judge.
And lest he himself should appear to boast beyond measure, and claim the Lord for himself alone: "Not only," he says, "to me, but to all those who love His appearing." He could not have better or more briefly indicated what men ought to do to deserve that crown of righteousness. For we all do not have to expect the shedding of blood; few are martyrs, but many are faithful. Can you not be martyred like Paul? You can keep the faith: by keeping the faith you love His appearing. For if you fear the coming of the Lord, you do not love His appearing. The Lord Christ is now hidden; He will be manifested in His own time, as the just judge, who was unjustly accused under a judge. He will come: and how will He come? He will come to judge. For He will not be judged again, but He will indeed judge, as we know, as we believe, the living and the dead. I ask anyone paying attention to me to hear me; I ask; let them answer not to me, but to themselves: Do you want this judge to come? "I do," he says. See what you are saying: if you truthfully say, if you want Him to come, see in what condition He finds you. For the judge will come: humility has already been bestowed upon you; power will come. For He will not come in such a manner that He will be clothed in a body, born of a mother, suck milk, be swaddled in clothes, laid in a manger; finally, now grown, He will not be mocked by men, be held, be scourged, be hung, be silent when judged. Do not by any chance expect Him to come because you think He will come humbly again. He was silent when He was to be judged; He will not be silent when judging. He was hidden here so that He would not be recognized: "For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." Therefore, when He was already here, hidden in His power, silent under another's; what we expect to come will be the opposite of this concealment and this silence. For God will come manifest. He who first came hidden, will come manifest. Behold, you have the opposite of that concealment: see the opposite of that silence. "Our God will come and will not keep silence." He kept silence when hidden; "for as a sheep to be led to the slaughter." He kept silent when hidden; "for as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." He kept silent when hidden; for in His humility His judgment was taken away. He kept silent when hidden; for He was thought to be merely a man: but God will come manifest, our God and He will not keep silence. What then, you who were saying, "I want Him to come": do you not yet fear? "A fire shall go before Him." If you do not fear the judge, do you not fear the fire?
The crown is owed to those serving faithfully.
But if you keep the faith, you truly love its manifestation, you should confidently expect the crown of righteousness: for it is not given to such as a gift, but owed. For even the apostle Paul demands it as a debt: He says, "The Lord, the just judge, will grant it to me on that day." He will grant it, because He is just: He made Himself a debtor to me by promise. He commanded, I heard: He preached, I believed. I fought the good fight, I finished the course.
He owes for his gifts .......................................................
moral, which is good ...........................................................
You save, away you have. Qu.....................................................................
Did you receive? But these, I say.......................................................
his. Before such things giv..........................................................
beret?
Savior Christ Jesus. Paul the foremost sinner, because he was superior in cruelty to the other persecutors. For his deserved punishment, salvation was granted to him. Christ the healer proved the power of his skill in Paul's healing.
Behold the Apostle himself................................
and deserving of all acceptance...
into the world sinners
Of whom I am the first. Christ, he says: Jesus, that is, Christ the Savior. For this is the Latin for Jesus. And let grammarians not inquire how Latin it is, but Christians how true. For Salvation is a Latin name. To save and savior were not Latin before the Savior came: when He came to the Latins, He made these words Latin. Therefore, Christ Jesus, Christ the Savior, came into the world. And as if we were to ask, Why? He says: To save sinners. Therefore Jesus came. For we read the name itself also translated and explained in some way in the Gospel: They shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins. Therefore, the saying is worthy of all acceptance, worthy of belief: that is, because Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Not because he sinned earlier, but because he sinned more than others. Just as we say in the arts that a physician is first, though younger in age but superior in skill; a craftsman first, an architect first: we are accustomed to speak thus. So the Apostle called himself the first sinner. For no one persecuted the Church more severely. Therefore, if you inquire what was due to sinners, to whom Jesus came, you will not find anything due to sinners except punishment. If you seek what was due, it is punishment: if you seek what was given, it is salvation: instead of punishment, salvation. Punishment was due, salvation was given: punishment was owed, a crown was given. Nothing was owed to Paul, formerly Saul, the first sinner, surpassing others in cruelty, nothing was owed to him except punishment, and great punishment; and he is called from heaven: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? He is restrained, that he may spare, so that he may be spared. The wolf is turned into a sheep: it is not enough to say into a sheep, rather into a shepherd. By a heavenly voice, he is killed and made alive, struck and healed. The persecutor is cast down, the preacher is raised up. What grace is this, but grace? For what good merit preceded? It is called grace because it is given freely. He says: Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. But I obtained mercy for this reason. Could he then say: The Lord will render to me on that day a just judge? If the Lord were to render to the first sinner on that day a just judge, what would He render except what is due to the first sinner, great punishment, eternal punishment? This was previously due, but it was not given. Therefore, he says, I obtained mercy. I did not receive what was due: but I obtained mercy as the first sinner, so that in me Christ Jesus might display all longsuffering, for the instruction of those who are going to believe in Him for eternal life. What does it mean, for instruction? That any criminal, any person involved in crimes, should not despair of pardon, which Saul received. The great Physician, that is Jesus, the great Physician, coming to the region of the sick, where His medicine would be famous, chose such a one to cure, about whom there was much despair. Such then, now, who was once such, says: I am now about to be sacrificed, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Were you the one who rushed headlong, who dragged Christians to death, who, when Stephen was being stoned, served as the custodian of the garments so that all might stone him with their hands? Were you that one? I was, he says, but I am not now. Why were you, and are not now? Because I obtained mercy. So, Paul, you received what was not due to you. Now confidently say what is due to you, say now. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. How confidently he demands the debt, to whom it was given not to owe the penalty. Say now to your Lord, say confidently, say assuredly, say with full confidence: I was formerly in my wickedness, I enjoyed your undeserved mercy; your gifts crown the debt. Let this suffice. Let us come to Peter; and let us render not worthy ability, but solemn devotion: from the last to the first; for we also strive from the last to the first.
Peter, now well, is foretold his suffering, to whom, when he was weak, had been foretold his denial.
To the holy Peter, the first apostle, the Lord Jesus himself in the Gospel, which we just heard being read, foretold his own passion saying: "When you were younger, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." And the Evangelist subsequently explained to us what had been said: "This he said," he said, "signifying by what death he would glorify God." The Lord Christ himself foretold his passion and his cross to him, but now to one who loves, not denies. The physician preserved both times in him: he denied when he was sick, he loved when he was healthy. The Lord showed Peter to himself, showing Peter to Peter, when he had rashly promised with a certain confidence that he would die for Christ, when Christ had come to die for Peter. "Will you lay down your life for me?" he said. "Amen, I say to you; before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." I will heal you: but first you must recognize that you are sick. Therefore, in that foretold denial, the Lord showed Peter to Peter: but in that love, the Lord showed Christ to Peter. "Do you love me?" he said. "I do love you." "Feed my sheep." This was said once, twice, thrice. Three times love was confessed, three times fear was condemned. And because he loved, his passion was indicated to him. For to love up to the point of passion through the love of Christ was indeed to love.
Peter unwillingly to suffer. Death, the punishment for sin.
But what is that, brothers, which does not move you? Another, he said, will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go. Therefore, did Peter not willingly come to such grace of passion? Behold Paul: For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand; it appears in these words that he is almost rejoicing as if he is hurrying to the passion: but to this one: Another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go. Willing Paul and unwilling Peter? Rather if we understand, willing Paul and willing Peter, and unwilling Paul and unwilling Peter. While I explain this as best I can, I need your attention. Death cannot be loved, it can be endured. For if it is loved, those who accepted it for the sake of faith did nothing great. Would we say they were great men, strong men if we saw them rejoicing at feasts? If we saw them overflowing with pleasures, would we praise fortitude or patience in them? Why? Because they would be doing something opposite to sufferings, opposite to troubles, they would be in joys, in pleasures, in delights; thus would they be praised as great, as strong, as very patient? But we do not praise martyrs in this way. Great men, strong men, patient men. Do you want to know that it must be endured, not loved? Ask the name: it is called passion. By nature, therefore, not only humans, but all living beings whatsoever, avoid and dread death. Therefore, great martyrs, because they bravely accepted what is very hard for the kingdom of heaven, and bearing in mind the promises, they endured troubles. See the Lord saying: Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down one’s life for one’s friends. If this is not hard, what great thing does love do, because it loves delights for my sake? No. But because it endures death. For the words of your lips; it is the voice of martyrs; For the words of your lips, that is, for your admonitions and promises, I have kept hard ways. Therefore, as far as the condition of nature and the force of habit refuse death: but while what will be after death is loved, what we do not want is accepted, so that we may reach where we want to go. Behold where it comes from: Another will carry you where you do not wish to go. He expressed nature, not devotion. This nature of our weakness the Lord himself transformed in himself, when about to suffer, he said to the Father: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. For I am already being poured out—it is the speech of one suffering, not of one delighting. Thus our death is from punishment, offered to us. We received this from the root, the spreading branches of the human race. Adam first earned this by sinning. From the woman came the beginning of sin, as Scripture speaks, and through her we all die. And: Through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin, death; and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Thus in our nature both guilt and punishment. God made nature without guilt, and if it persisted without guilt, certainly punishment would not follow. From there we come, from there we derive both, and from here we contract many things. Therefore, in our nature both guilt and punishment: in Jesus's flesh, punishment without guilt, so that both guilt might be healed and punishment. Another, he said, will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go. This is punishment: but through punishment one reaches the crown. Paul despised punishment: therefore, looking to the crown, he despised punishment, and he said, I am already being poured out, the crown of righteousness is due to me. The way to pass through is hard, but great is the destination. And Peter knew where he was heading: therefore he also accepted the passion with full devotion; but he endured the passion, did not love it. He endured the passion, loved what followed, and because he loved where he was going, he endured the way.
Paul also is shown to have been unwilling to die.
We have said that both were unwilling and both were willing; both, if it could be, were unwilling for punishment, yet both equally desired the crown. But let us demonstrate that Paul also was unwilling for punishment. For the Lord Himself was a witness to Peter: because He too transformed you into Himself when He said: Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Therefore, the Lord testified to Peter: but Paul himself testifies to himself. For he says in one place concerning this mortal body: We groan, being burdened. According to another Scripture: The corruptible body weighs down the soul, and the earthly habitation depresses the mind that muses upon many things. Therefore, he says, we groan, being burdened: clearly under the weight of this corruptible body. We groan, being burdened. If you groan, willingly lay down that burden. He surely stated that he groaned under this load, was burdened under the weight of this corruptible body: see whether he wants to be stripped of this burden under which he groans, under which he is burdened. This does not follow: but what does he say? In which we do not wish to be unclothed. O voice of nature, confession of pain! The body is heavy, the body is burdensome, the body is corruptible: it is groaned under it, and it is not willingly abandoned, and not willingly cast aside. We do not wish, he says, to be unclothed. Will you remain groaning thus? And if you groan, having been burdened, why do you not want to be stripped? No, he says. Consider what follows: We do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed over. I groan under this earthly tunic, I hasten to the heavenly garment: I want to receive that, I do not want to lay this aside. In which we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed over. Therefore, Paul, shall I understand you, what do you say? Will injustice be done to that heavenly garment, so that it comes to you over these rags of mortality and corruption, that this may be underneath, that above; this inside, that outside? By no means, he says: I do not say so. I do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed over. But not in a way that corruption might lie hidden under incorruption, but that mortal may be swallowed up by life. You have exclaimed well, who knows the Scriptures. But lest anyone ignorant of the Scriptures thinks my words follow, these are Paul's words, all these are apostolic words: We groan, being burdened, in which we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed over, so that mortal may be swallowed up by life. You hold well what you say elsewhere speaking of the resurrection of the body: This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Now when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Which in that place he says: so that mortal may be swallowed up by life; this in this place: Death is swallowed up in victory. Nowhere is death: not below, not above; not inside, not outside. For death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your contention? it will be said to death in the future resurrection of the body, and such a change, that death is swallowed up in victory. When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, it will be said to death: Where, O death, is your contention? That contention makes it so you are borne where you do not wish to be. Where, O death, is your contention? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin.
It is proven against the Pelagians that death is from sin.
Surely death is not from sin? For what other death was he speaking of, when he was talking about the resurrection of the body? This corruptible must put on incorruption: death will be swallowed up in victory. This is the resurrection of the body. There it will be said: Where is your struggle, death? To whom, except the death of the body? Because the discourse is about the resurrection of the body. Where is your struggle, death? Where is your sting, death? But the sting of death is sin. The sting of death is sin, by which sting death has been caused, not which sting death has made: just as the poison is the cup of death, because it causes death, not because it is made from death. Therefore, the Lord in resurrection ends this punishment: but even to the faithful and the saints he leaves death for struggle. Death is left to you for contest. For God could have taken away death from you having been justified, but he left it for the struggle, so that there might be something to despise for the sake of faith. For of those whom He wished, He acted. Enoch was translated, and Elijah was translated, and they live. Did their justice merit this? Or was it the grace of God and the benefit of God and a special privilege? So that the Creator might show His power in all things, He has entrusted us with what He can do.
The example of Enoch and Elijah does not support the error of the Pelagians, that death is of nature, not of sin.
Therefore, it is in vain for those who say that we do not die because of sin, as pertains to the death of the body, but that it is natural for us to die, and that Adam would have died even if he had not sinned, to oppose us with Enoch and Elijah. They speak very inconsiderately; and if they attend to it, they speak against themselves. For what do they say? If death is due to sin, why did Enoch and Elijah not die? Do you not see, you who say this, that you claim death is natural, denying that it is because of sin? You say it is natural; I say it is because of sin: it is indeed natural, but of a nature already corrupted, already condemned to this punishment. Accordingly, you say it is natural; I say it is because of sin that the body dies. And you ask me: If it is because of sin, why did Enoch and Elijah not die? And I reply: Rather, if it is natural, why did Enoch and Elijah not die? Enoch and Elijah live; they were translated, wherever they may be, they live. And if a certain conjecture of faith from the Scripture of God is not mistaken, they are to die. For the Apocalypse mentions certain two miraculous prophets, and the same are to die, and to rise again in the sight of men, and to ascend to the Lord: and they are understood to be Enoch and Elijah, although their names are not mentioned there. And if perhaps you, who are of such a mind, have not accepted this Scripture; or if you accept it, you scorn it and say, They are not mentioned by name: let them live, as you think, never to die. Still, tell me: If death is because of sin, why did they not die? I retort to you: If death is natural, why did they not die? I say, that they live because the sin was finished: you say, if you can, that nature is finished.
He orders that the increasing Pelagians be guarded against.
We spoke of one thing after another and by chance: but in a way that pertains to the stability of our faith, against some disputers who are wickedly growing numerous. But let them not overcome our patience: nor let them overthrow our faith. Let us be cautious and vigilant against new disputations, human indeed, not divine. Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Apostles, let us listen to the Apostle calling out: "Avoid profane novelties of words; for they greatly contribute to impiety." But we want you to be wise indeed in goodness, but innocent in evil. Adam has died, but that serpent has not yet died. He whispers, and does not cease to hiss. His ultimate punishment is reserved: but he seeks companions for his damnation. Let us listen to the friend of the bridegroom, zealous for the groom not for himself: "For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God; I have betrothed you to one husband, to present a chaste virgin to Christ. And I fear," he says, "lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." We have all heard the apostolic words, let us all observe them, let us all beware of the serpent's venom. For we cannot say, "We have not heard, we did not know," when we have just sung: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." The words running to the ends of the earth have come to us: we have received them, written them down, instructed readers. The reader is not silent, the disputant is in labor: why does the deceiver not cease?