Lecture 4 — Legal precepts abolished

^2:16^ Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon or of the sabbaths, [n. 118]

^2:17^ Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ. [n. 121]

^2:18^ Let no man seduce you, willing in humility and religion of angels, walking in the things which he has not seen, in vain puffed up by the sense of his flesh: [n. 122]

^2:19^ And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, grows into the increase of God. [n. 128]

^2:20^ If then you be dead with Christ from the elements of this world, why do you yet decree as though living in the world? [n. 130]

^2:21^ Touch not: taste not: handle not.

^2:22^ Which all are unto destruction by the very use, according to the precepts and doctrines of men. [n. 132]

^2:23^ Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honor to the filling of the flesh. [n. 134]

118. Above, Paul showed that the law was fulfilled in Christ because of the circumcision he received, for this is an acknowledgment of the law. Here, he concludes that they are not obliged to observe the ceremonial commands of the law. There were four kinds of ceremonial matters: sacrifices, sacred things, sacraments, and observances. The sacrifices were those things which were immolated to God, such as sheep, oxen and the like. The sacred things included utensils and religious festivals. There were three sacraments: circumcision, the paschal lamb, and the consecration of priests. The observances were those matters that were related to the unique customs in the life of the people of Israel, things such as food, clothing and the like. Some of the above matters, such as the sacrifices, the utensils and so on, pertained only to some of the people; other matters were connected to all the people.

Paul does not mention those things which pertained just to some, but only those which affected all, just as baptism now affects us all.

119. He does mention the observances, because they abstained from certain foods, such as four-legged animals that do not have a divided hoof (Lev 11:26). In regard to drink, a vessel without a cover was unclean, as was anything in it. And so with respect to these matters he says, let no man therefore judge you in meat, that is, let no one condemn you for taking food and drink forbidden in the law: let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him (Rom 14:3).

120. He also mentions sacred matters related to the religious festivals and ceremonies.

Under the old law there were continuous religious ceremonies, like the morning and evening sacrifices. There were other ceremonies held at certain definite times. Some of these were held several times during the year, as the sabbath every week, and the new moon every month. Others came only once a year, as the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and Pentecost.

The reason for all this is that all religious ceremonies are held for the honor of God. Now we give honor to God either because of something which is eternal, and thus we have continuous religious ceremonies; or we honor him because of certain temporal benefits which affect all people. There are two such benefits. First, the gift of creation; and thus we have the religious ceremony of the sabbath: remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exod 20:8). The reason for keeping the sabbath is that God rested on the seventh day. The allegorical reason for the sabbath is that it signifies Christ’s rest in the tomb, and the anagogical reason would be that it signifies the soul’s rest in God. The other gift is that of procreation and preservation, which are also for a time. And since the Jewish people calculated the time by the moon, he says, the new moon. There are also other reasons for honoring God, as a special rescue or deliverance; and so other festivals were added to the above. And so he says, or in respect of a festival day or of the new moon, every month, or of the sabbaths, every seventh period. He says sabbaths because a sabbath is a rest, and they had several sabbaths: the seventh day; and seven weeks, that is Pentecost, which is the end of the seventh week following the Passover, which is the beginning of the year; and the seventh month; and the seventh year, when sins are forgiven; and after seven periods of seven years there was a Jubilee. With this in mind Paul says, or sabbaths, meaning: let no one condemn you for not observing these feasts.

121. For these are a shadow of things to come, that is, of Christ. And when the truth comes, the shadow should cease, but the body is of Christ. When someone sees a shadow, he expects the body or substantial reality to follow. Now the legal observances of the law were the shadow going before Christ, and they signified his coming; and so Paul says, the body, that is, the truth of the thing, belongs to Christ, but the shadow belongs to the law.

122. Then when he says, let no man seduce you, he speaks against those who were trying to seduce and deceive them.

First, he warns them not to be misled;

second, he argues against those already misled, at **if then you be ** dead.

As to the first, he cautions them about being misled;

second, he shows how they might be deceived, willing in humility;

and third, the shortcomings of those who would mislead them, at walking in the things which he has not seen.

123. He says, let no man seduce you away from the truth that I have told you: let no one deceive you with empty words (Eph 5:6).

124. For these pseudo-apostles were seducing them by their humility, bringing in observances taken from the law, for they pretended to be holy.

But holiness consists of two things: a humble manner of life, and the worship of God. Now these people appeared to lead a humble life since they seemed to have no care for the things of the world; and therefore he says, in humility. There is one who is humble in an evil way, and within he is full of deceit (Sir 19:23). Again, they claimed to be preaching out of reverence for God; and so Paul says, and religion of angels, for religion, according to Cicero, consists in ceremonies and worship for a divine nature: holding the form of religion but denying the power of it (2 Tim 3:5).

125. The Gloss has this passage as reading, in religion of angels, for in this way these seducers wanted to seem like angels, that is, as messengers, of God: beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing yet inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15). Or, religion of angels, can be understood in a literal sense, because the old law was made known by angels (Gal 3:19). For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Heb 2:2). These people maintained that the worship mandated in the law had to be kept, because it had been given through angels.

126. The shortcomings of such people were threefold; they were defective in their knowledge, in their justice, and in their faith.

As to their knowledge, Paul says that such a person was willing things which he has not seen, that is, things that were not understood, and always returned to: let no man seduce you. Such a one did not know why the law was given: desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions (1 Tim 1:7).

127. As to the justice of such persons he says they were walking in vain puffed up, although they pretended to be humble. And he mentions two things. First, that their religion was useless, because they went about without reason, in vain, that is, doing things that were of no value for eternal life: their labors are unprofitable (Wis 3:11); though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear restraining her (Job 39:16).

They also showed a false humility, and so he says that such a one was puffed up by the sense of his flesh. There is a difference between one who is puffed up and one who is robust. A person who is robust is full with truth, while one who is puffed up is empty, and just extended with wind. Therefore, those who are truly humble are full, but those who are only puffed up are empty. He will burst those who are puffed up (Wis 4:19). This is the meaning of knowledge puffs up (1 Cor 8:1). This wisdom is grave, namely because it puffs up, which is not from God. Flesh and blood have not revealed it to you (Matt 16:17).

128. With regard to their faith he says that they were not holding the head, that is, Christ, by faith. Such people are deceived, because without Christ they are in the dark: if anyone does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing (1 Tim 6:3).

129. Why is Christ the head? Paul answers: because the entire good of the body, which is the Church, depends on him. For there are two goods in a natural body: the union or joining together of its members and its growth. And the Church obtains these from Christ, for the entire body depends on him: we, though many, are one body in Christ (Rom 12:5). And therefore he says, by joints and bands; for in a body the members are joined in two ways. One way is by contact, as the hand is joined to the wrist, and the wrist to the forearm, and so on. The other way is by a connection, as being joined by nerves. And so Paul refers to** joints** and ligaments. So also in the Church, its members are joined by faith and understanding: one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:5). But this is incomplete without the ligaments of charity and the sacraments. Thus Paul says, nourished by bands, because it is through charity that one person supplies another.

This body is developed by Christ, because it** grows, thus constructed, into the increase of God**, that is, with a growth that God produces in us: blessed are the men whose strength is in you . . . they go from strength to strength (Ps 84:5). Or, of God, that is, from Christ, who, as God, increases the body, the Church being enlarged: for the equipment of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Eph 4:12).

130. Then when he says if then you be dead, he rebukes those who have already been deceived.

First, he bases the reason for his rebuke on the condition of those who have been deceived;

and second, on the matters about which they were misled, at which all are unto destruction.

131. Their condition was one of freedom, because just as they were dead to sin, so also they were dead to the law. Thus they were not obliged to keep it. Paul says, therefore, if then you be dead with Christ, being dead to the law,** from the elements of this world**, that is, to the observances of the law (for the Jewish people served the true God, but under the elements; while the gentiles served the elements themselves), why, since you know the truth, do you yet decree as though living in the world, like the Jews live? Why do you submit to regulations about what is to be handled and eaten; regulations such as touch not, because it is a sin; taste not pork or eels (Lev 11:7; 11)?

132. Then when he says, which all are unto destruction, he describes these legal observances, saying that they are harmful, vain, and burdensome.

Thus Paul says, which all are unto destruction, because after the passion of Christ they were deadly to all those who placed their hope in them; but after grace had been spread among the people, such things were deadly to all, absolutely. (I am saying this because it is the opinion of Jerome and Augustine which I mentioned in commenting on the second chapter of Galatians). And so they lead to destruction and death.

Why, then, do we still read the Old Testament? I answer that we read it as a witness, but not as something to be observed. Thus Paul says, are unto destruction by the very use, that is, if they are not regarded merely as a witness, but are observed.

133. Further, things that are not founded on reason or authority are vain.

But these things are not founded on divine authority, but on human authority. Thus Paul says, according to the precepts and doctrines of men. But these precepts were from God, were they not? I say that they were, but were to be only for a time, until the truth should come: for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God (Matt 15:6).

Furthermore, they are not founded on reason, because they have indeed a show of wisdom in superstition, meaning, they are based on reasons that lead to superstition, that is, to a religion that is extreme and past its time. And their reasons lead to** humility** which is not genuine, because a person who has been freed from the slavery of the law by Christ, should not submit himself to this slavery again: do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1). Sometimes precepts that do not rest on divine authority are observed because they are useful for some human purpose.

134. But this is not the case here, for these precepts considered in themselves are a burden. We desire three things: rest, honor and a fullness; and these are not produced by these legal observances. For the ban on foods is opposed to fullness, and becomes a burden because so many rules are involved. Further, these observances do not produce honor, but bring much confusion, as when ashes are sprinkled about, and the like: a yoke upon the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear (Acts 15:10). Such practices lead to not sparing the body, that is, the Church, **not in any honor **of God; rather they serve only to the filling of the flesh, i.e., to satisfy carnal desire.