The following quote by Ambrose is important because it is an ancient source for the concept that Christ suffered sufficiently for all, but efficaciously for the elect. This idea is much older than Lombard and Aquinas. Ambrose is quoted by John Davenant (Dissertation on the Death of Christ, in An Exposition of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians, 2:400) and others to argue for a dual aspect to Christ’s death.
[Hat tip to Dr. Curt Daniel for first bringing the above to my attention]
"A certain creditor," it says, "had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty" [St. Luke 7:41]. 24. Who are those two debtors if not the two peoples, the one from the Jews, the other from the Gentiles, beholden to the Creditor of the heavenly treasure? It says, "The one owed five hundred pence, the other fifty" [St. Luke 7:41]. Extraordinary is that penny on which the King's image is written, which bears the imprint of the Emperor [cf. St. Mark 12:15–16]. To this Creditor we owe not material wealth, but assays of merits, accounts of virtues, the worth of which is measured by the weight of seriousness, the likeness of righteousness, the sound of confession. Woe is me if I do not have what I have received, truly, because only with difficulty can anyone pay off the whole debt to this Creditor; woe is me if I do not ask, "Remit my debt." For the Lord would not have taught us so to pray that we ask for our sins to be forgiven [cf. St. Matthew 6:12] if He had not known that some would only with difficulty be worthy debtors [cf. St. Luke 11:4]. 25. But which is the people which owes more if not we by whom more is believed? God's words were believed by them [cf. Romans 3:2], but His Virgin Birth by us. Ye have the talent [cf. St. Matthew 25:15], the Virgin Birth; ye have the hundredfold fruit of faith [cf. St. Matthew 13:8]. Emmanuel was believed, God with us [cf. St. Matthew 1:23]; the Cross, the Death, the Resurrection of the Lord were believed. Although Christ suffered for all, yet He suffered for us particularly, because He suffered for the Church [etsi christus pro omnibus passus est, pro nobis tamen specialiter passus est, quia pro ecclesia passus est]. Therefore, there is no doubt that he who has received more, owes more [cf. St. Luke 12:48]. And according to me, perhaps he who owed more offended more, but through the Lord's mercy, the case is changed, so that he who owed more loves more, if he nevertheless attains Grace. For he who gives it back possesses Grace, and he who possesses it repays, insofar as he possesses, for the possession consists in the repayment and the repayment in the possession. 26. And, therefore, since there is nothing which we can worthily repay to God—for what may we repay for the harm to the Flesh He assumed, what for the blows, what for the Cross, the Death, and the Burial? Woe is me if I have not loved! I dare to say that Peter did not repay and thereby loved the more; Paul did not repay—he, indeed, repaid death for death, but did not repay other debts, because he owed much. I hear himself saying, because he did not repay, "Who hath given to Him first, that he might be recompensed again?" [Romans 11:35]. Even if we were to repay cross for Cross, death for Death, do we repay that we possess all things from Him, and by Him, and in Him [cf. Romans 11:36]? Therefore, let us repay love for our debt, charity for the gift, grace for wealth; for he to whom more is given loves more [cf. St. Luke 7:42–43].Saint Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke, trans. Theodosia Tomkinson (Etna: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1998), 201–202.
[Hat tip to Dr. Curt Daniel for first bringing the above to my attention]
He [the devil] had brought the human race under the perpetual slavery of an inherited liability by that heavy debt which our improvident ancestor transmitted by inheritance to his posterity. But then the Lord Jesus came, He gave His life for the life of all, and shed His blood for the blood of all.Ambrose of Milan, The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, trans. H. Walford, A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (London; Oxford; Cambridge: Oxford; James Parker and Co.; Rivingtons, 1881), 271–72; Letter 41.7 (The Brother to His Sister [To Marcellina]).
Another translation:
He [the devil] had reduced the human race to everlasting captivity under a heavy debt of inherited liability, which our forefather [Adam], being under debt, had transmitted by legacy to his posterity. The Lord Jesus came; He offered His death for the death of all; He poured out His blood for the blood of everyone.Saint Ambrose, Letters, trans. Sister Mary Melchoir Beyenka, O.P., FC 26 (New York: Fathers of the Church, Inc., 1954), 387; Letter 62 (41) To Marcellina.
(7.26) Let us look to what remains, “Why have you rejected me, and why go I sorrowful, while my enemy afflicts me and breaks my bones? They who trouble me have reproached me, while it is said to me day by day, ‘Where is your God?’ Why are you sorrowful, my soul?” [Ps. 41 (42).10–12] and so on. The first entreaty contains a complaint, because the possession of goods was being deferred whereas the benefit of them was already needed. The second entreaty arose because the coming of Christ, awaited eagerly by the wise, and proclaimed by the law, and promised by the prophets, was being postponed. The hearts of the just were burning with a greater impatience for that very reason, because they knew that He would come for the redemption of all men … yes, of the entirety of men, to open the way of virtue to them in the track of the Gospel, and to point out the paths of good works, even as He Himself said in Proverbs: “The Lord created me, the beginning of his ways” [Prov. 8:22 LXX].
26. Let us look at the rest. Why, he says, have you rejected me, and why do I go about sad, while my enemy afflicts me and breaks my bones? They who trouble me have reproached me, while it is said to me every day, ‘Where is your God?’ Why are you sad, my soul (Ps 41, 10-12)? and so on. The first appeal contains a complaint that goods were being deferred when their benefit were already needed. The second appeal arose because the coming of Christ, awaited eagerly by the wise, proclaimed by the law, and promised by the prophets, was being postponed. The hearts of the just were burning with a greater impatience, since they knew that he would come for the redemption of all – yes of everyone – to open the way of virtue to them through the Gospel [et eo inpatientius aestuabant corda iustorum, quoniam ad omnium redemptionem cognouerant esse uenturum – quoque uniuersorum, quibus euangelico], and to show the paths of good works, even as he said in Proverbs: The Lord created me, the beginning of his ways (Prou 8, 22).
II.7. 26. Videamus cetera. Quare inquit me reppulisti et quare tristis incedo, dum adfligit me inimicus, confringit ossa mea? Exprobrauerunt mihi qui tribulant me, dum dicitur mihi cottidie: ubi est deus tuus? Quare tristis es, anima (Ps 41, 10–12)? et reliqua. Prima interpellatio querellam habuit, quod conperendinarentur bona, quorum iam fructus desiderabatur. Secunda interpellatio, quod expectatus prudentibus Christi differebatur aduentus, quem lex adnuntiauerat, quem prophetae pollicebantur, et eo inpatientius aestuabant corda iustorum, quoniam ad omnium redemptionem cognouerant esse uenturum – quoque uniuersorum, quibus euangelico tramite uiam uirtutis aperiret bonorumque operum semitas demonstraret, sicut ipse dixit in Prouerbiis: Dominus creauit me principium uiarum suarum (Prou 8, 22).
Bio:
Wiki
Wiki
No comments:
Post a Comment