Pars 4, Cap. 10
Breviloquium · Pars IV: De incarnatione Verbi
Capitulum X. De passione Christi quantum ad exitum passionis.
De exitu autem passionis Christi et fructu haec indubitanter tenenda sunt, quod anima Christi post passionem descendit ad infernum sive ad limbum, ad liberationem non omnium, sed eorum qui inter membra Christi decesserunt per - fidem vivam, vel per fidei Sacramenta. — Post haec tertia die resurrexit a mortuis resumendo corpus, quod prius vivificaverat, sed non tale, quale prius fuerat; quia prius fuit passibile et mortale, postquam autem resurrexit, impassibile et immortale, vivens perpetuo. — Deinde post quadraginta dies ascendit ad caelos, ubi, super omnem creaturam exaltatus, sedet ad dexteram Patris1. Quod dictum intelligitur non quantum ad situm, qui non competit Deo Patri, sed quantum ad excellentiam bonorum, quia residet in potioribus bonis Patris. — Postremo, interiectis decem diebus, misit in Apostolos promissum Spiritum sanctum, per quem congregata est Ecclesia gentium et ordinata secundum diversas distributiones officiorum et gratiarum.
Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia, sicut Christus in quantum Verbum increatum perfectissime omnia formavit, sic in quantum incarnatum omnia perfectissime reformare debuit. Decet enim perfectissimum principium opus non dimittere citra perfectum, debuit ergo reparatorium principium redemptionis humanae remedium perducere2 ad perfectum. Ad hoc autem, quod esset perfectissimum, oportuit, quod esset sufficientissimum et efficacissimum.
Quia ergo sufficientissimum, ideo se extendit ad caelestia, terrestria et infernalia. Quia ergo per Christum sunt infernalia recuperata, terrestria remediata, caelestia redintegrata; ita quod primum horum fecit per veniam, secundum per gratiam et tertium per gloriam: ideo post passionem anima descendit ad inferos ad liberandum in inferno detentos; deinde resurrexit a mortuis ad vivificandum in peccatis mortuos; ascendit ad caelos reducendo captivitatem3 ad redintegrandum Ierusalem caelestem; misit Spiritum sanctum ad aedificandum Ierusalem terrestrem. Quae omnia necessario consequuntur et exiguntur ad sufficientiam reparationis humanae.
Rursus, quia remedium illud fuit efficacissimum tam in eos qui Christi adventum praecesserunt, quam in eos qui sequuntur, qui tamen ad ipsum Christum accesserunt et accedunt et eius membra fuerunt et sunt; tales autem sunt qui adhaerent ei per fidem, spem et caritatem: ideo remedium illud efficaciam habere debuit primo in eos qui in Christum crediderunt, credendo speraverunt et sperando amaverunt; ac per hoc statim debuit ad inferos descendere ad ipsorum liberationem. Unde aperta ianua caeli per Christi passionem, qui satisfaciendo amoverat rhomphaeam4 mutando sententiam divinam eripuit de inferno omnia membra sua.
Debuit etiam habere efficaciam praecipuam in eos qui Christi adventum sequuntur, ut attrahendo ad fidem, spem et caritatem tandem ad gloriam perduceret caelestem. Ut igitur aedificaret ad fidem, qua credimus Christum verum hominem et verum Deum, qua etiam credimus, eum voluisse nos redimere per mortem et ad vitam nos reducere posse per resurrectionem; ideo voluit resurgere ad vitam immortalem, interiecto tamen spatio temporis debito, scilicet triginta sex horarum; in quo ostenditur, quod vere mortuus fuit; nec magis accelerare debuit, ne, si citius resurgeret, crederetur, quod non vere mortuus fuisset, sed se mortuum finxisset; nec amplius differre, ne, si semper iaceret in morte, crederetur impotens, et quod nullos posset ad vitam revocare; ideoque resurrexit tertia die5.
Amplius, ut erigeret ad spem, ad caelestem ascendit gloriam, quam speramus. Sed quia spes non oritur nisi ex fide immortalitatis futurae; ideo non statim ascendit, sed spatio quadraginta dierum interiecto, in quo per multa signa et argumenta veram astrueret resurrectionem, per quam animus solidaretur in fide et sublevaretur ad sperandam gloriam caelestem6.
Postremo, ut inflammaret ad caritatem, misit ignem Spiritus sancti in die Pentecostes. Et quia nullus hoc igne impletur, nisi qui petit, quaerit et pulsat cum instanti et importuno spei desiderio; ideo non statim post ascensionem misit, sed decem dierum spatio interiecto, in quo discipuli ieiunantes, orantes et gementes disposuerunt se ad Spiritus sancti susceptionem. — Ac per hoc, sicut debitam servavit horam in patiendo7, sic in resurgendo, sic in ascendendo in caelum, sic in mittendo Spiritum sanctum, et propter fundationem trium virtutum praedictarum et propter multa mysteria, quae in his temporibus implicantur.
Et quoniam Spiritus sanctus, qui caritas est et per caritatem habetur, est omnium origo charismatum; ideo, cum descendit Spiritus sanctus, effusa est plenitudo charismatum ad corpus Christi mysticum consummandum. Et quia diversa membra debent esse in corpore perfecto et diversorum membrorum diversa officia et exercitia et diversorum officiorum diversa charismata; hinc est, quod uni datur per Spiritum sermo sapientiae, alii sermo scientiae, alii fides, alii gratia sanitatum, alii operatio virtutum, alii prophetia, alii discretio spirituum, alii genera linguarum, alii interpretatio sermonum; quae omnia operatur unus atque idem Spiritus, dividens singulis, prout vult1, secundum suam liberalissimam providentiam et providentissimam largitatem.
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Chapter X. On the passion of Christ as regards the outcome of the passion.
Now concerning the outcome of the passion of Christ and its fruit these things are to be held beyond doubt: that the soul of Christ after the passion descended to hell, or to the limbo, for the liberation not of all, but of those who had died among the members of Christ through a living faith, or through the sacraments of faith. — After these things, on the third day he rose again from the dead, taking up again the body which he had before given life to — yet not such as it had been before; for before it was passible and mortal, but after he rose again, impassible and immortal, living perpetually. — Then after forty days he ascended to the heavens, where, exalted above every creature, he sits at the right hand of the Father1. Which saying is understood not as regards position, which does not belong to God the Father, but as regards the excellence of goods, because he abides in the more excellent goods of the Father. — Lastly, ten days having been interposed, he sent into the Apostles the promised Holy Spirit, through whom the Church of the gentiles was gathered together and was ordered according to the various distributions of offices and of graces.
Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since, just as Christ, in so far as he is the uncreated Word, most perfectly formed all things, so in so far as he is incarnate he had most perfectly to re-form all things. For it befits a most perfect principle not to leave a work short of the perfect; therefore the reparatory principle had to bring the remedy of human redemption through2 to the perfect. And for this, that it should be most perfect, it was required that it be most sufficient and most efficacious.
Since therefore it was most sufficient, therefore it extended itself to things heavenly, earthly and infernal. Since therefore through Christ things infernal were recovered, things earthly remedied, things heavenly restored — so that the first of these he did through pardon, the second through grace and the third through glory — therefore after the passion the soul descended to the lower regions to liberate those detained in hell; then he rose again from the dead to give life to those dead in sins; he ascended to the heavens, leading back captivity3, to restore the heavenly Jerusalem; he sent the Holy Spirit to build up the earthly Jerusalem. All which things follow necessarily and are required for the sufficiency of human reparation.
Again, since that remedy was most efficacious both toward those who went before Christ's coming and toward those who follow, who nevertheless have come and do come to Christ himself and have been and are his members — and such are they who cling to him through faith, hope and charity — therefore that remedy had to have its efficacy first upon those who believed in Christ, and believing hoped, and hoping loved; and through this it had at once to descend to the lower regions for their liberation. Hence, the gate of heaven having been opened through the passion of Christ, who by making satisfaction had removed the flaming sword4, by changing the divine sentence he snatched out of hell all his members.
It had also to have its chief efficacy upon those who follow Christ's coming, so that by drawing them to faith, hope and charity it might at last bring them through to the heavenly glory. In order therefore that he might build up unto faith, by which we believe Christ to be true man and true God, by which we also believe that he willed to redeem us through death and is able to lead us back to life through the resurrection; therefore he willed to rise again to immortal life, an owed space of time having nevertheless been interposed, namely of thirty-six hours; in which it is shown that he truly died; nor ought he to have hastened it more, lest, if he rose again too soon, it should be believed that he had not truly died but had feigned himself dead; nor to have deferred it longer, lest, if he lay always in death, he should be believed powerless and unable to recall any to life; and so he rose again on the third day5.
Further, that he might raise up unto hope, he ascended to the heavenly glory which we hope for. But because hope does not arise except from faith in a future immortality, therefore he did not ascend at once, but with a space of forty days interposed, in which through many signs and arguments he might establish the true resurrection, through which the mind might be made firm in faith and lifted up to hope for the heavenly glory6.
Lastly, that he might inflame unto charity, he sent the fire of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. And because no one is filled with this fire except him who asks, seeks and knocks with an urgent and importunate desire of hope; therefore he did not send at once after the ascension, but with a space of ten days interposed, in which the disciples, fasting, praying and groaning, disposed themselves for the reception of the Holy Spirit. — And through this, just as he kept the owed hour in suffering7, so in rising again, so in ascending into heaven, so in sending the Holy Spirit, both on account of the founding of the three foresaid virtues and on account of the many mysteries which are enfolded in these times.
And since the Holy Spirit, who is charity and is had through charity, is the origin of all the charisms; therefore, when the Holy Spirit descended, the fullness of the charisms was poured out for the consummating of the mystical body of Christ. And because diverse members ought to be in a perfect body, and of diverse members diverse offices and exercises, and of diverse offices diverse charisms; hence it is that to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another the grace of healings, to another the working of powers, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of speeches; all which things one and the same Spirit works, dividing to each severally, as he wills1, according to his most liberal providence and his most provident largesse.
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- 1Cfr. Marc. 16, 19. et Act. 1, 1. seqq.; ibid. 2, 1. seqq. de missione Spiritus sancti. — Explicatio annexa dictionis sedere ad dextram Patris est secundum Glossam in Ps. 109, 1; de qua vide tom. III. pag. 395, nota 7. Cfr. etiam II. Sent. d. 2. p. II. dub. 2. — De hoc cap. vide III. Sent. d. 22. q. 4-6. — Edd. dextram Dei Patris. Superius pro perpetuo E I M O S in sempiternum, D in aeternum. Inferius pro Apostolos B discipulos.Cf. Mark 16, 19 and Acts 1, 1 and following; ibid. 2, 1 and following, on the mission of the Holy Spirit. — The explanation appended to the expression to sit at the right hand of the Father is according to the Gloss on Psalm 109, 1; on which see tom. III, p. 395, note 7. Cf. also II Sent., d. 2, p. II, dub. 2. — On this chapter see III Sent., d. 22, qq. 4–6. — The editions have dextram Dei Patris. Above, for perpetuo E I M O S have in sempiternum, D in aeternum. Below, for Apostolos B has discipulos.
- 2Ed. 1 per remedium ducere.Edition 1 has per remedium ducere.
- 3Respicitur Ps. 67, 19: Ascendisti in altum, cepisti captivitatem. Cfr. Eph. 4, 8. — De redintegranda Ierusalem caelesti vide II. Sent. d. 9. q. 7.Psalm 67, 19 is looked to: Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast taken captivity. Cf. Ephesians 4, 8. — On the restoring of the heavenly Jerusalem see II Sent., d. 9, q. 7.
- 4Respicitur Gen. 3, 24, ubi dicitur, quod Deus eiecit Adam ex paradiso « et collocavit ante paradisum voluptatis Cherubim et flammeum gladium » etc. Iuxta August., Enarrat. in Ps. 149, 6. n. 12, et Isidor., XVIII. Etymolog. c. 6, rhomphaea (graece ῥομφαία] et framea et spata significant gladium bis acutum; cfr. Eccli. 21, 4. et Apoc. 2, 12. — Vide III. Sent. d. 18. a. 2. q. 3. — Post aperta H I O Q V addunt est, et pro qui non pauci codd. et 2 substituunt quae.Genesis 3, 24 is looked to, where it is said that God cast Adam out of paradise « and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubim and a flaming sword » etc. According to Augustine, Enarrationes on Psalm 149, 6, n. 12, and Isidore, Etymologies XVIII, c. 6, rhomphaea (in Greek ῥομφαία] and framea and spata signify a sword sharp on both edges; cf. Ecclesiasticus 21, 4 and Apocalypse 2, 12. — See III Sent., d. 18, a. 2, q. 3. — After aperta H I O Q V add est, and for qui not a few codices and 2 substitute quae.
- 5Epist. I. Cor. 15, 4. — Superius pro debuit, quod plures codd. et 2 omittunt, B H voluit.Epistle I Corinthians 15, 4. — Above, for debuit, which several codices and 2 omit, B H have voluit.
- 6Vide I. Cor. 15, 5. seqq. et I. Thess. 4, 12. seqq.See I Corinthians 15, 5 and following, and I Thessalonians 4, 12 and following.
- 7Secundum Glossam Bedae in Marc. 15, 33. Christus eadem hora mortem moriendo destruxit, qua Adam peccando mortem huic mundo invexerat. Cfr. tom. III. pag. 463, nota 9. Ibid. pag. 458, nota 2. ex Augustino affertur ratio mystica horarum 36, quibus Christus requievit in sepulcro. — Aliquanto superius edd. repletur pro impletur.According to the Gloss of Bede on Mark 15, 33: Christ by dying destroyed death at the same hour at which Adam by sinning had brought death into this world. Cf. tom. III, p. 463, note 9. Ibid., p. 458, note 2, the mystical reason of the thirty-six hours during which Christ rested in the sepulchre is adduced from Augustine. — Somewhat above, the editions have repletur for impletur.
- 1Epist. I. Cor. 12, 8-11. Vulgata hinc inde plura addit. — Superius vocibus diversa officia 1 interserit sunt.Epistle I Corinthians 12, 8–11. The Vulgate adds several things here and there. — Above, between the words diversa officia edition 1 inserts sunt. ---