Lecture 7 — Put on the new man

^4:20^ But you have not so learned Christ: [n. 238]

^4:21^ Yet if you have heard him and have been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus: [n. 239]

^4:22^ To put off, according to former way of life, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desire of error. [n. 240]

^4:23^ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: [n. 242]

^4:24^ And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth. [n. 245]

237. Having shown the depravity of the gentile’s conduct, the Apostle points out now that Christ’s teaching is completely contrary to such a way of life and condition. Because some men who distorted Christian doctrine held there is no life after the present one, but that man’s soul, like the rest of the animals, dies with his body, the Apostle makes clear:

first, that Christ’s teaching is contrary to their former life and condition;

second, the requisites of Christ’s teaching, at to put off.

238. Thus he affirms: it was said that they, **despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness **(Eph 4:19), but you have not learned that Christ is to be so imitated. How should he be imitated? You yourselves have been taught by God that you must love one another (1 Thess 4:9). Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned (2 Thess 2:14). And how shall we retain them? When you had received of us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but, as it is indeed, the word of God, who works in you that have believed (1 Thess 2:13). Therefore, rooted and built up in him and confirmed in the faith, as also you have learned; abounding in him in thanksgiving (Col 2:7).

239. This certainly will happen if you have heard him, for hearing is the servant of instruction. If here is the equivalent of because. And this is the declaration which you have heard (1 John 1:5); this is in reference to the proclamation of the faith. He that harkens to me shall not be confounded (Sir 24:30). And the ear that hears the reproofs of life shall abide in the midst of the wise. He that rejects instruction despises his own soul: but he that yields to reproof possesses understanding (Prov 15:31–32). If also you have been taught in him how what pertains to faith must be kept and fulfilled. They did as they were taught (Matt 28:15), as the truth is in Jesus. As though he said: if you have heard the faith of Christ preached and how this faith must be put into practice, you have been taught what Jesus is like, who is himself the truth which is imparted to you. You must not, therefore, behave as those who despair.

240. How should they live? He adds to put off, according to the former way of life, the old man. The passage has two variant readings. One is the infinitive, to put off; then it would be construed with what preceded to read: the truth about which you were instructed in Jesus was to put off the old man. The more common reading has an imperative, put off; in this case the signification is: since the life and teachings of the gentiles are contrary to those of Jesus, in which you have been taught, the only alternative is that you discard the old man.

Hence he makes two points here since vices must first be eradicated before virtues can be cultivated:

first, he instructs them to put aside their former condition, their old way of living;

second, how they must take on a new way of life characteristic of Jesus, at and be renewed in the spirit.

241. Hence, he says put off, according to former way of life, the old man; and three considerations follow. First, what does the old man mean?

Some hold that the old man is exterior and the new man interior. But it must be said that the old man is both interior and exterior; he is a person who is enslaved by a senility in his soul, due to sin, and in his body whose members provide the tools for sin. Thus a man enslaved to sin in soul and body is an old man. He is already on the way to corruption, or is actually beginning to decay since that which decays and grows old is near its end (Heb 8:13). And so a man subjected to sin is termed an old man because he is on the way to corruption. On this account he goes on, corrupted according to the desire of error. Anything will corrupt when it deviates from the order of its nature. Man’s nature longs for what accords with reason; and truth is reason’s perfection and good. Hence, when someone’s reason sways toward error, and his desire is corrupted from this error, he is referred to as an old man.

This, he says, is according to evil desire. Make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences (Rom 13:14); many are the unprofitable and hurtful desires which drown men into destruction and perdition (1 Tim 6:9). Some people are lured into these cravings through their own weakness. Malice will draw others to them, as it does those who say that God does not have a providential care. Therefore he adds of error because the mind and affections of those who maliciously err become corrupted. Possibly the desire of error refers to whatever makes men err, according to what is written: these things they thought, and were deceived: for their own malice blinded them (Wis 2:21); the imprudence of fools errs (Prov 14:8).

The Apostle indicates how to leave the old man behind: stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds (Col 3:9). The substance of human nature is not to be rejected or despoiled, but only wicked actions and conduct. Have your manner of life good among the gentiles (1 Pet 2:12); be an example of the faithful, in word, in conduct, in charity, in faith, in chastity (1 Tim 4:12).

242. Next, when he says be renewed, he indicates the new condition they are to take on.

Concerning this, he shows three things:

first, through what means we can obtain this newness;

second, in whom this newness resides;

third, what the newness is.

243. Regarding the first he says be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Notice that although spirit is frequently said to be in man, nevertheless three spirits are discernible in him. One is the Holy Spirit: do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16). Another is his spiritual reason: for the flesh lusts against the spirit; and the spirit against the flesh (Gal 5:17). Finally, there is man’s imaginative spirit: know, O Israel, that the prophet was foolish, the man was mad, and spiritual (Hos 9:7), that is, his imagination went wild. Therefore, the Spirit of your mind may point to the Holy Spirit. He then states that the cause of renewal is the Holy Spirit who dwells in our mind: God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts (Gal 4:6). Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created: and you shall renew the face of the earth (Ps 104:30).

Or spirit could refer to the rational spirit and would be identical with our mind, similar to the expression: in despoiling of the body of the flesh (Col 2:11), that is, the body which the flesh is. Likewise here, in the spirit of your mind would refer to the spirit which the mind is. He would qualify it in this way since there is another spirit within us, differing from the mind, and which is common to both us and the beasts.

244. However, he states be renewed in the spirit of your mind; what is not spoiled is new and does not require a renewal. If Adam had not become tainted neither he nor ourselves would need a renovation. Yet, once he was corrupted, both he and his offspring are in need of a renovation. In the present life we must be renewed in soul; our body will be in the future when this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality (1 Cor 15:52). Hence he says be renewed in the spirit since, unless the spirit is renewed in this life, the body will never be renewed.

Or, in the spirit of your mind can be interpreted as in your mind which was made spiritual and will return to the same.

245. And put on the new man discloses in whom this renewal takes place.

Here it is to be remembered that Adam introduced sin into all men, and thus became for everything the primary source of oldness. Likewise, the primary source of newness and renovation is Christ. As in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive (1 Cor 15:22). For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but a new creature (Gal 6:15). Therefore, put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 13:14).

246. Who, according to God, is created in justice and holiness of truth makes known what the renovation is. It admits of a triple explanation. If who refers to man’s spirit, it would mean: the spirit, which our mind is, was created by God in the freshness of original justice; or, by a second creative act was renewed to be just again: created in Christ Jesus in good works (Eph 2:10).

Or, who might have reference to the new man, Christ. Then the text could be construed as: who is created, that is, formed in the Virgin’s womb according to God by the Holy Spirit and not human seed. Or, he was created according to an existence of grace, as well as a fullness in justice toward men and holiness before God that was not fictitious but of truth: in holiness and justice before him (Luke 1:75). Or it could mean that holiness is in his heart, truth on his tongue, and justice in his actions.