For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
All Commentaries on Romans 1:16 Go To Romans 1
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
97. After eliciting the good will of the Roman believers, to whom he was writing, by showing his affection for them [n. 74], the Apostle now begins to instruct them in matters pertinent to the teachings of the Gospel for which he had been set apart. First he shows them the power of the gospel grace; secondly, he urges them to perform the works of this grace, at chapter 12, there [n. 953] at I beseech you. In regard to the first he does to things: first, he sets forth what he intends; secondly, he explains it, there [v. 18; n. 109] at For the wrath of God. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he sets forth the power of the gospel grace; secondly, he explains, there [v. 17; n. 102] at For the justice; thirdly, he supports his explanation, there [17b; n. 104] at As it is written. 55 98. He says, therefore: I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because, although "the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor :18). For it is the power of God. This can be understood in two ways. In one way, that the power of God is manifested in the Gospel: "He has shown the people the power of his works" (Ps 111:6); in another way, that the Gospel itself contains in itself God’s power, in the sense of Ps 68 (v. 33): "He will give to his voice a voice of power." 99. In regard to this power three things can be considered. First, to what it extends. This is answered when he says, for salvation: "Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your soul" (James 1:21). This happens in three ways: first, insofar as sins are forgiven by the word of the Gospel: "You are made clean by the word I have spoken to you" (Jn 15:3). Secondly, insofar as a man obtains sanctifying grace through the Gospel: "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" (Jn 17:17). Thirdly, insofar as it leads to eternal life: "You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). 100. The second consideration is how the Gospel confers salvation, namely, through faith, which is indicated when he says, to everyone who believes. This happens in three ways. First, through preaching: "Preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mk 16:15). Secondly, by confessing the faith: with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom 10:10). Thirdly, by the Scripture; hence even the written words of the Gospel have a saving power, as Barnabas cured the sick by placing the Gospel upon them. 56 15 In Quodlibet 12, Q. 9, A. 2 corp., Thomas mentions that St. Cecilia carried a bit of the text of the gospel next to her heart, but he points out that she did not add other words or characters to the text. This would have indicated a superstitious belief in magic phrases or signs. Nonetheless, one must beware the superstitions of characters, because this is superstitious.15 Hence in Ezekiel 9:6, those were saved who had written on their foreheads a Tau, which is the sign of the cross. 101. The third thing to be considered is the people for whom the Gospel works salvation, namely, both the Jews and the Gentiles. For God is God not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, as he says below in 3(:19); hence he adds to the Jews first and also to the Greeks. By Greek is meant all the Gentiles, because the Gentiles’ wisdom arose from the Greeks. But since he says below (10:12) There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, why does he say here that the Jew is first? The answer is that there is no distinction as far as the goal of salvation to be obtained is concerned, for both obtain an equal reward, just as in the vineyard the early and the late workers received one coin in Matt 20(:10). But in the order of salvation the Jews are first, because the promises were made to them, as is said below in chapter 3(:2), whereas the Gentiles were included in their grace like a branch grafted into a cultivated olive tree, as is said in chapter 11(:24). Also, our savior was born from the Jews: "Salvation is from the Jews" (Jn 4:22). 102. Then he explains how the Gospel works unto salvation when he says, For the justice of God is revealed in it from faith unto faith. This can be understood in two ways. 57 In one way it can refer to the justice by which God is just: "The Lord is just and has loved justice" (Ps 11:7). Taken this way, the sense is that the justice of God, by which he is just in keeping his promises, is revealed in it [in eo], namely, in the man who believes the Gospel, because he believes that God has fulfilled what he promised about sending the Christ. And this is from faith, namely, [the faithfulness] of God who promised: "The Lord is faithful in all his words (Ps 145:13); to faith, namely of the man who believes. Or it can refer to the justice of God by which God makes men just. For the justice of men is that by which men presume to make themselves just by their own efforts: Not knowing the justice of God and seeking to establish their own justice, they did not submit to the justice of God (Rom 10:3). This justice [of God] is revealed in the gospel inasmuch as men are justified by faith in the gospel in every age. Hence he adds, from faith to faith, i.e., proceeding from faith in the Old Testament to faith in the New, because in both cases men are made just and are saved by faith in Christ, since they believed in his coming with the same faith as we believe that he has come. Therefore, it is stated in 2Cor 4(:13), "We have the same type of faith as he had who wrote, ‘I believed, and so I spoke’." 103. Or it can mean from the faith of the preachers to the faith of the hearers: "How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?" (Rom 10:14) Or from faith in one article to faith in another, because justification requires belief in all the articles: "Blessed is he who reads and hears the words of this prophecy" (Rev 1:3). 58 It can be taken as from present faith into future faith, i.e., into the full vision of God, which is called faith by reason of the certainty and solidity of the knowledge, [while] this [present faith is called faith] by reason of the knowledge of the Gospel: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" (1Cor 13:12). 104. He supports this explanation when he adds, As it is written: My just man lives by faith (Hab 2:4). This follows the Septuagint text, for in our text, which follows the Hebrew truth, it says "The just man lives by his faith." It says My just man, i.e. justified by me and reputed just before me, as is said below in chapter 4(:2), But if Abraham was justified by works of the Law, he has glory, but not before God. For what do the Scriptures say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." Hence it adds, lives by faith, i.e. by the life of grace: "The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal 2:20). 105. Four things must be considered here concerning faith [n. 106-108]. First, what faith is. For it involves willed assent, with certitude, to that which is not seen: because, as Augustine says, no one believes unless he is willing. According to this definition a believer differs from a doubter, who assents to neither side; he also differs from one holding an opinion, who assents to one side not with certitude but with fear concerning the other side; he differs also from one who knows scientifically, who through certitude assents by the necessity of reason. Accordingly, faith is midway between scientific knowledge and opinion. 106. The second consideration is whether faith is a virtue. Clearly it is not, if faith is taken for that which is believed, as in the statement: "This is the Catholic faith, 59 that we venerate one God in Trinity." But if it is taken for the habit by which we believe, then sometimes it is a virtue and sometimes not. For a virtue is a principle of a perfect act. But an act depending on two principles cannot be perfect, if either of the principles lacks its perfection, just as riding cannot be perfect, if the horse does not run well or the rider does not know how to guide the horse. Now the act of faith, which is to believe, depends on the intellect and on the will moving the intellect to assent. Hence, the act of faith will be perfect, if the will is perfected by the habit of charity and the intellect by the habit of faith, but not if the habit of charity is lacking. Consequently, faith formed by charity is a virtue; but not unformed faith. 107. The third point to be considered is that the same numerical habit of faith which was not formed by charity becomes a virtue with the advent of charity, because, since charity is outside the essence of faith, the substance of faith is not changed by the coming or going of charity. 108. Fourthly, we must consider that just as the body lives its natural life through the soul, so the soul lives the life of grace through God. First of all, God dwells in the soul through faith: "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Eph 3:17); but this indwelling is not perfect, unless faith is formed by charity, which by the bond of perfection unites us to God, as Col 3(:14) says. Consequently, the phrase, lives by faith, must be understood of formed faith. 109. Then when he says, the wrath of God is revealed, he proves what he had said, namely, that the power of the gospel’s grace exists for all men unto salvation. First, he shows that it is necessary for salvation; 60 secondly, that it is efficacious or sufficient, at chapter 5, there [n. 381] at Being justified therefore by faith. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he shows that the power of gospel grace was necessary for the Gentiles’ salvation, because the wisdom in which they trusted could not save them; secondly, he shows that it was necessary for the Jews, because circumcision, the Law and other things in which they trusted, did not bring them salvation. Chapter 2, there [n. 169] at Therefore you have no excuse. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he states his intention; secondly, he manifests it, there [v. 19; n. 113] at Because what is known about God. 110. And he sets forth three things. First, punishment, when he says: Rightly do I say that the justice of God is revealed in it, for in it the wrath of God is revealed, i.e., God’s vengeance, which is called wrath in comparison to angry men who seek vengeance exteriorly; although God takes vengeance with a tranquil spirit: "You, our Lord, judge with tranquility" (Wis 12:18). Of this anger of God, John says: "He that does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him" (John 3:36). This is stated, because some philosophers said that punishments for sin are not from God, contrary to what is said in Psalm 94(:19), "He that chastises the nations, does he not chastise us?" 61 That is why he adds, from heaven, because they believed that God’s providence was so occupied with the heavens that it did not extend to earthly affairs: "He walks among the poles of the clouds, nor does he consider us" (Job 22:14). But as it says in Ps 102(:19), "From heaven the Lord looked at the earth." Or he is said to prove their iniquity from heaven, because they should have recognized the power of the Creator above all from the greatness of the heavens: "The heavens will reveal his iniquity" (Job 20:27). Or from heaven he will come to judge: "Jesus will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). 111. Secondly, he mentions the sin for which the punishment is inflicted. First, the sin against God, when he says: against all ungodliness. For just as godliness refers to worship paid to God, as to the highest parent, so ungodliness is a sin against divine worship: "The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself" (Ezek 18:20). Secondly, he sets forth the sin committed against man, when he says: and injustice. For justice is that through which men come together and engage one another reasonably: "Your justice will help a son of man" (Jb 35:8). 112. Thirdly, he sets out the knowledge they had of him, when he says: of men who suppress the truth of God, i.e., true knowledge of God, by their wickedness. For true knowledge of God, by its very nature, leads men to good, but it is bound, as though held captive, by a love of wickedness through which, as Ps 11(:1) says, "truths have vanished from among the sons of men." 62 113. Then when he says: For what can be known about God, he manifests what he has said, but in reverse order. For he first admits that wise men among the Gentiles knew the truth about God; secondly, he shows that there was ungodliness and injustice among them, there [v.20b; n. 123] at So that they are without excuse; thirdly, that they have incurred God’s wrath, there [v. 32; n. 166] at Who, knowing the justice of God. In regard to the first he does three things. First, he shows what they knew about God; secondly, from whom they obtained this knowledge, there [v.19b; n. 116] at For God has made it clear; thirdly, how they obtained it, there [v.20; n. 117] at For the invisible things. 114. First, therefore, he says: Rightly do I say that they have suppressed the truth about God. For they did possess some true knowledge of God, because what is known about God, i.e., what can be known about God by men through reason, is manifest in them, i.e., is manifest to them from something in them, i.e. from an inner light. Therefore, it should be noted that some things about God are entirely unknown to man in this life, namely, what God is. Hence Paul found in Athens an altar inscribed "To the unknown God" (Acts 17:23). The reason for this is that man’s knowledge begins with things connatural to him, namely, sensible creatures, which are not proportioned representing the divine essence. 63 16 De Divinis Nominibus chapter 7, lecture 4. 115. But man is capable of knowing God from such creatures in three ways, as Denis says in The Divine Names.16 He knows him, first of all, through causality. For since these creatures are subject to change and decay, it is necessary to trace them back to some unchangeable and unfailing principle. In this way, it can be known that God exists. Secondly, he can be known by the way of excellence. For all things are not traced back to the first principle as to a proper and univocal cause, as when man produces man, but to a common and exceeding cause. From this it is known that God is above all things. Thirdly, he can be known by the way of negation. For if [God ]is a cause exceeding [his effects], nothing in creatures can belong to him, just as a heavenly body is not properly called heavy or light or hot or cold. And in this way, we say that God is unchangeable and infinite; and we use other negative expressions to describe him. Men had such knowledge through the light of reason bestowed on them: "Many say, ‘O, that we might see some good!’ Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord" (Ps 4:6). 116. Then when he says God has manifested it to them, he shows by what author such knowledge was manifested to them and says that it was God: "He teaches us more than the beasts of the earth" (Jb 35:11). Here it should be noted that one man manifests something to another by unfolding his own thought by means of such external signs as vocal sounds or writing. But God manifests something to man in two ways: first, by endowing him with an inner light through which he knows: "Send out your light and you truth" (Ps 43:3); secondly, by 64 proposing external signs of his wisdom, namely, sensible creatures: "He poured her out," namely, wisdom, "over all his works" (Sir 1:9). Thus God manifested it to them either from within by endowing them with a light or from without by presenting visible creatures, in which, as in a book, the knowledge of God may be read. 117. Then when he says, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, he shows the manner in which they received such knowledge. Here the first points to be considered are the things they have known about God. He mentions three. First, the invisible things of him, through which one understands God’s essence, which, as was said [n. 114], cannot be seen by us: "No one has ever seen God" (Jn 1:18), i.e., in his essence, no one living in this mortal life: "To the king of ages, immortal, invisible" (1 Tim 1:17). He says, invisible things, using the plural, because God’s essence is not known to us in regard to what it is, i.e., as it is in itself one. That is the way it will be known in heaven: "On that day the Lord will be one and his name one" (Zech 14:9). But it is now manifested to us through certain likenesses found in creatures, which participate in manifold ways that which is one in God. Accordingly, our intellect considers the one divine essence under the aspects of goodness, wisdom, power and so on, all of which are one in God. Therefore he calls these the invisible things of God, because the one reality in God which corresponds to these names or notions is not seen by us: "So that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear" (Heb 11:3). 65 Another thing known about God is his power, in virtue of which all things proceed from him as from a principle: "Great is the Lord and abundant in power" (Ps 147:5). This power the philosophers knew to be eternal; hence it is called his eternal power. The third thing known is what he calls divinity, namely, they knew God as the ultimate end unto which all things tend. For the divine good is called the common good in which all things participate; on this account he says, divinity, which signifies participation, rather than "deity," which signifies God’s essence: "For in him the whole fullness of divinity dwells bodily" (Col 2:9). These three things are referred to the above-mentioned three ways of knowing. For the invisible things of God are known by the method of negation; the eternal power by the method of causality; the divinity by way of excellence. 118. Secondly, one must consider the medium through which they knew those things. This is designated when he says, by the things that are made. For just as an art is shown by an artist’s works, so God’s wisdom is shown by his creatures: "From the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their creator" (Wis 13:5). 119. Thirdly he shows how God is known through them when he says, clearly seen, being understood. For it is by the intellect that God is known, not by the senses or imagination, which do not extend beyond bodily things: "But God is spirit" (John 4:24); "Behold my servant understands [intelligit]" (Is 52:13). 66 17 Gregory the Great, Expositio in librum Iob, book 8. 120. Fourthly, he designates the things from which God is known by this medium when he says, from the creature of the world. In one way, this can be understood as referring to man: "Preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), either on account of the excellence of man, who in the order of nature is less than the angels’ but greater than lower creatures: "Yet you have made him less than the angels; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen" (Ps 8:5), or because he has something in common with every creature. For he has existence in common with stones, life in common with trees, sense in common with animals, and intelligence in common with angels, as Gregory says.17 In another way it can be understood of all creation. For no creature by its own natural power can see God’s essence in itself. Hence it is said even of the Seraphim, "with two wings they covered their head" (Is 6:2). But just as man understands God through visible creatures, so an angel understands God by understanding its own essence. 121. Or, creature of the world can be taken to mean not created things but the creation of things, as though it were said: from the creation of the world. In this case, one interpretation would be that the invisible things of God are understood by means of things made since the creation of the world and not only since the time of grace. Another interpretation would be that from the creation of the world men began to know God through the things that were made: "All men have looked on it" (Jb 36:25). 122. But a gloss says that by the invisible things of God is meant the person of the Father: "Whom no man has ever seen or can see" (1 Tim 6:16); by the eternal power the person of the Son: "Christ the power of God" (1 Cor 1:24); by divinity the person of the Holy Spirit, to whom goodness is appropriated. Not that philosophers under the lead of 67 reason could arrive by means of created things to a knowledge of the persons, so as to know what are proper to each, which do not signify any causal connection with creatures; but [this is said] by way of appropriation. Yet they are said to have failed in the third sign, i.e., in the Holy Spirit, because they did not mention anything corresponding to the Holy Spirit, as they did for the Father, namely the very first principle, and for the Son, namely the first mind created, which they called the Father’s understanding [paternum intellectum], as Macrobius says in his book on The Dream of Scipio.
