Lecture 2 — Likeness to Christ

^3:9^ And may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, which is of God: justice in faith. [n. 118]

^3:10^ That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings: being made conformable to his death, [n. 120]

^3:11^ If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead. [n. 123]

^3:12^ Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect: but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus. [n. 124]

^3:13^ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forth myself to those that are before, [n. 129]

^3:14^ I press towards the mark, to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

118. Above, he showed that he scorned past gains for the sake of Christ, that is, in order to know and win Christ; here he intends to explain these things:

first, how he desires to gain Christ and be found in him by justice;

second, by enduring sufferings, at being made conformable.

In regard to the first, he does two things: first, he shows which justice he abandoned;

second, which one he now seeks, at but that which is of the faith.

119. It should be noted that justice is taken sometimes as the special virtue through which a man fulfills what is right in matters pertaining to life in society, in the sense that it directs a person in this matter; for temperance deals with one’s own internal passions, but justice deals with another person. In another way justice is a general virtue, inasmuch as a man observes the law for the common good. This is the sense in which it is used in Scripture for the observance of the divine law: I have done what is just and right (Ps 119:121) i.e., the law, which he obeyed out of love, as though moved by his own initiative. In this way it is a virtue, but not if he is moved in some other way, such as by an external cause or for the sake of gain or because of punishments, where to obey might be personally displeasing.

According to this there are two kinds of justice: one is moral justice; the other is legal justice, which makes one obey the law not from love but from fear. Therefore he says, not having my justice, which is of the law, because as Augustine says: the slight difference between the law and the Gospel is fear and love; and: for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship (Rom 8:15).

But if your righteousness is your own, how is it from the law? I answer that it is indeed mine, because I accomplish such works with human power without the inward vesture of sanctifying grace; but it is from the law as from the one teaching. Or, it is mine to presume to obey it by myself: Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it (Rom 10:5).

120. Concerning this justice which he seeks, he states three things: namely, the method of acquiring it, its author, and its fruit.

The method is that it is not obtained except by** faith of Christ**: since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1); the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Rom 3:22).

For the author is God and not man: it is God who justifies (Rom 8:33); and to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness (Rom 4:5). Therefore he says, which is of God: justice in faith: the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him (Acts 5:32).

The fruit is knowledge of him and the power of his resurrection and to be in the company of his saints. These things can be explained in two ways according to the two forms of knowledge.

In one way, in terms of knowledge available in this life. In that case one must know three things about him: first, his person, namely, that he is true God and true man; hence he says, that I may know him: have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). Second, the glory of his resurrection; hence he says, and the power of his resurrection, i.e., the powerful resurrection performed by his own power. Third, how to imitate him, when he says, and the fellowship of his sufferings, namely, be associated with him in his passion: Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Pet 2:21).

In the other way, by practical knowledge, which begins from what is later, which is the last thing accomplished but the first thing intended. The first thing intended is the knowledge of God through his essence, to which faith leads: they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest (Jer 31:34); therefore, he says, that I may know him. Second, that not only the soul will be glorified, but the body also; hence he says, and the power of his resurrection, namely, by which we shall rise: if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain (1 Cor 15:14). Third, the value of the fellowship of his sufferings, because we shall know how much it benefits us to be associated with his passion: God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor 1:9).

121. Then when he says, being made conformable to his death, he shows how he would like to grow and be found in him by enduring his sufferings:

first, he mentions the endurance;

second, its fruit, at if by any means.

122. He says, therefore: let me be found not only having justice but also conformable to his death, that I might suffer for justice and truth as Christ did: I bear on my body the marks of Jesus (Gal 6:17).

123. But its fruit is that** if by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead**. For one reaches glory by sufferings endured here: for if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his (Rom 6:5); if we have died with him, we shall also live with him (2 Tim 2:11); fellow heirs of God with Christ, provided we suffer with him (Rom 8:17).

He says, if by any means, because of its difficulty, arduousness and labor: for the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matt 7:14); prepare to meet your God, O Israel! (Amos 4:12). For Christ rose by his own power, but man not by his own power, but by the grace of God: he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you (Rom 8:11).

Or it can refer to meeting the saints, when they shall meet Christ descending from heaven to judge.

124. Then when he says, not as though I had already attained, he shows how his desire is deferred:

first, he shows what he thinks of himself;

second, he asks them to think the same thing of themselves, at let us therefore (Phil 3:15).

The first is divided into two parts:

first, he shows how far short he is of the perfection intended;

second, he explains this, at brethren, I do not count myself.

In regard to the first he does two things.

First, he shows that he has not arrived at perfection;

second, that he is tending toward it, at but I follow after.

125. In tending toward it he seeks two things, namely, to obtain what he desires, and to enjoy it; for he would be seeking in vain, if he were not to enjoy it and inhere in it; therefore he says, not as though I had already attained, namely, the glory I seek: but the righteous live forever . . . therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord (Wis 5:16); or were already perfect: when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away (1 Cor 13:10).

126. But this attitude is contrary to the command to be perfect: be therefore perfect (Matt 5:48), and be perfect (Gen 17:1).

I answer that perfection is twofold, namely, of heaven and of earth. For man’s perfection consists in adhering to God through charity, because a thing is perfect to the degree it adheres to its perfection. But the soul can adhere to God in two ways: in one way, perfectly, so that a person actually refers his actions to God and knows him as he can be known; and this is in heaven. But adherence in this life is of two kinds: one is necessary for salvation, and all are bound to it, namely, that a person in no case place his heart in anything against God, and that he habitually refer his whole life to him. The Lord says of this way: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matt 22:37). The other is of supererogation, when a person adheres to God above the common way. This is done when he removes his heart from temporal things, the better to approach heaven, because the smaller covetousness becomes, the more charity grows.

Therefore, what is said here refers to the perfection of heaven.

127. Then when he says, but I follow after, he shows his efforts toward it, saying, I follow after, namely, after Christ: he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12) and: my sheep hear my voice . . . and they follow me (John 10:27). And this, if I may by any means apprehend: so run that you may obtain the prize (1 Cor 9:24).

But on the other hand God is incomprehensible, because it is said in Jeremiah: if the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the descendants of Israel (Jer 31:37).

I answer that in one sense, to comprehend means to enclose, as a house comprehends us; in another sense, it means to attain and hold.

In the first sense he is incomprehensible, because he cannot be enclosed in a created intellect, since he is most simple and because you do not know or love him to the degree that he is knowable and loveable, as a person who does not know a truth by demonstration does not know it demonstratively but as a matter of opinion. But God knows himself, as far as he is knowable. The reason for this is that a thing is known according to the mode of its own being and truth. God, however, is infinite light and truth, whereas our light is finite. Hence he says, I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, that is, comprehend him in the second way, i.e., by attaining: I held him, and would not let him go (Song 3:4).

128. Wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus. This can be taken in three ways: for all glory depends on apprehending God, i.e., that God be present to our soul. But not all have equal happiness: because some see more clearly, just as some will love more ardently and will rejoice more. Hence each person will have a definite amount according to God’s predestination; therefore, he says, wherein I am also apprehended. As if to say: I intend to apprehend in such an amount as has been decided by Christ.

Or, I follow after in order to apprehend, as I am also apprehended. As if to say: that I may see him as he sees me: we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2), not through a likeness, but through his essence.

Or, to apprehend, by seeing Christ in glory, in which I am apprehended, i.e., in that glory in which he appeared, when I was converted.

129. Then when he says, brethren, I do not count myself, he explains what he had said:

first, about his lack of perfection;

second, the consequence, at but one thing I do.

130. He says: I do not count myself to have apprehended. As if to say: I am not so vain as to attribute to myself something I do not yet have; but I follow after. This can be taken in three ways: in one way thus: but one thing I do, namely, forgetting the things that are behind . . . I press towards the mark. Or, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but I press towards one thing, namely, the mark, to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Or, I do not count myself to have apprehended, namely, that which is above: one thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after (Ps 27:4).

Then he shows what he deserted, namely, temporal profit or temporal goods, or past merits, because a man should not count his past merits.

131. Second, he shows what his destination is, namely, stretching forth myself to those that are before, i.e., which pertains to faith in Christ or greater merits or heavenly things: they go from strength to strength (Ps 84:5).

He says stretching forth, because a person who wishes to take anything must exert himself as much as he can. But the heart should stretch itself by desire: the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom (Wis 6:20). To the prize, which is the reward only of those who run: in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize (1 Cor 9:24); to this prize destined for me by God, namely, **of the high calling of God: those whom he predestined he also called (Rom 8:30), and this in Christ Jesus, i.e., by faith in Christ.