Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 3. No temptation beyond strength
10:12 Wherefore, he who thinks that he stands, let him take heed lest he fall. [n. 532]
10:13 Let no temptation take hold on you, except such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but with the temptation will also make the success, so that you may be able to bear it. [n. 534]
532. Having established first the punishment of the Jews, and second the reason for the punishment, here he concludes third, that by their example they should be careful about evil.
He first warns that they be careful of falling; second, he teaches them how to be careful at let no temptation take hold on you; third, he promises firm help at and God is faithful.
533. In the first, he lays out four things troubling the wise, namely, the great number of those falling, when he says, wherefore; the uncertainty of those standing, when he adds, he who thinks that he stands; the necessity of caution, when he adds, let him take heed; and the ease with which ruin comes, when he says, lest he fall.
Therefore he says, wherefore, as if saying: even those who have enjoyed the benefits of God, nevertheless have perished for their sins. Wherefore, from consideration of them, he who thinks by some conjecture that he stands, which is to say, that he is in grace and charity, let him take heed, by diligent attention, lest he fall by sinning or by making others sin. How did you fall, Lucifer? (Isa 14:12) A thousand fall at your side (Ps 91:7). Thus see how you walk carefully (Eph 5:15).
534. Next when he says let no temptation take hold on you, he teaches the manner of being wary, namely, by being careful of temptation. There he first teaches which temptation to flee; second, which one to endure, at except such as is human. First he makes known, for it knocks that it may enter: for this reason temptation is said; second because it attacks so that it might prevail; wherefore it is added, let it not take hold on you.
Therefore he says temptation, as though he had said: lest you fall, let no temptation, namely of sin, take hold on you, drawing you into consenting to sin, except such as is human.
This is explained in two ways. One way concerns an interior evil temptation, and then there is the consent; as though he said: let no love of sin take hold on you, except perhaps concerning those evils without which human life cannot be lived. For there is no man who always does good and does not sin (1 Kgs 8; 2 Chr 6:36).
In another way it can be explained about the temptation of an exterior good. And then there is an exhortation, as follows: let no temptation take hold on you, except such as is human, namely, tolerance of present tribulations for Christ’s sake. Augustine says: human temptation is to be suffered for Christ’s sake: because you had been accepted by God, it was necessary that temptation should test you (Tob 12:13).
535. Next when he says God is faithful, he shows the ready help in temptation. He commends God as help, because he gives us the power to resist, which is noted at but with the temptation will also make the success; he also gives us perseverance, which is noted at so that you may be able to bear it; truly faithful is God, who gives us power so that we may not be vanquished, grace so that we may merit, constancy so that we may conquer.
Therefore he says faithful, as though he were saying: I urge you and I advise you for this, what you are able to do: the Lord is faithful in all his words, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: because the devil certainly could, if he were permitted, because there is no power upon the earth that compares to him (Job 41:24).
And he gives strength to the weary (Isa 40:29). Therefore consider it all joy, brothers, when you meet with various temptations (Jas 1:2). Augustine says: he who gives the devil permission to tempt, is the very one who gives mercy to the tempted. The success, I say, so that you might be able to bear it, so that you may not sink in grief, but rather you may overcome: which is done by humility, as Augustine says. For they do not crackle in the furnace who do not have the wind of pride.
536. It should be noted concerning he who thinks that he stands, that we are impelled to fall first by the feebleness of our strength, in the way that children, the aged, and the weak fall: they will fall in their weakness (Isa 40:30), which happens by instability and a lukewarmness for acting well.
Second, by the burden of sins, in the way that donkeys fall under burdens too heavy: those who work iniquity have fallen (Ps 36:12), which happens by neglecting repentance: because sin, which by penance, etc.
Third, by the great number of people pulling us down, in the way that a tree or a house falls by many people pulling on it, as said above: neither let us commit fornication, which happens by the incitement of the enemy.
Fourth, by the slipperiness of the path, in the way that the careless fall on a slippery floor: take heed lest perhaps you slip with your tongue, and fall and in the sight of your enemies (Sir 28:30), which happens by careless guarding of the senses.
Fifth, by different kinds of stumbling blocks, in the way that a bird is caught in the middle of many snares: some trust in chariots (Ps 20:7). The just man falls seven times a day (Prov 24:16), which happens by the corruption of creation.
Sixth, by the ignorance of what should be done, in the way that the blind fall easily: if the blind lead the blind (Matt 15:14), which happens by neglecting to learn the necessary things.
Seventh, by the example of others falling, in the way that the angels fell after the example of Lucifer: a thousand fall at your side (Ps 91:7). A just man falling down before the wicked is a fountain stirred up by the foot, and a ruined spring (Prov 25:26), which happens by the imitation of the wicked.
Eighth, the weightiness of bodies, for the body that is corrupted drags down the soul, in the way that a stone around the neck of someone swimming does: a mountain falling melts away (Job 14:18), which happens by excess tinder in the flesh.
Lecture 4
One bread, one body
10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from the service of idols. [n. 537]
10:15 I speak as to the prudent: you yourselves judge what I say. [n. 539]
10:16 The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the Body of the Lord? [n. 541]
10:17 For we, being many, are one bread, one body: all that partake of one bread. [n. 542]
537. Above, by the consideration of the punishment of the Jews, he warned them to refrain from committing similar sins; here he warns them especially to be careful about eating the foods sacrificed to idols.
He first sets forth the admonition to beware of the food of idols; second, he offers the reason for this admonition at what then? Do I say (1 Cor 10:19); third, he teaches the way of being careful from what has been said, at whatever is sold in the market, eat (1 Cor 10:25).
In the first part, he warns to beware of eating the food of idols, first, out of fear of a comparable punishment; second, by the sharing of the holy altar, at I speak as to the prudent; third, from a comparison to the sacrifice of the law, at behold Israel according to the flesh (1 Cor 10:18).
538. In the first part, so that they will obey his commands, first he argues by inference when he says wherefore; second, he wins them over by sweet words, when he calls them my dearly beloved; third he instructs by exhorting, when he adds, flee.
Therefore he says wherefore, as though he were saying: because the sacraments alone do not save, and whoever falls is punished, and the help of God is not lacking, wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from the service of idols, that is from all honoring of an idol. The Gloss says: therefore the Apostle urges them to fly from the superstition of idolatry, whether lest wise men should eat the food of idols as a stumbling block for the weak to whom they seemed to be worshiping idols; or lest those very weak ones should be idol-worshippers, by eating in honor of idols. Therefore, flee from the service of idols, whether apparent, as when the wise eat; or actual, as when the weak eat.
539. Next when he says I speak as to the prudent, he warns them to be wary of eating the food of idols because of the sharing of the sacrament of the altar.
He first guesses what will be said by their own judgment; second, he shows what this is, namely, that by sharing the Eucharist, we are made one with Christ at the chalice of benediction; third, he proves that this is the way it is, that we all are one in his mystical body, at for we, being many, are one bread.
540. Therefore he says as to the prudent, as though saying: I speak to you as to the prudent. Or like this: I speak to you something from above, namely, what comes after, as to the prudent. Or like this: I speak to those among you who are weak, as I have spoken above to the prudent. And thus, you yourselves, greater ones, judge what I say: if I have scorned to go to judgment with my servant (Job 31:13).
541. Judge, he says, what follows the chalice of benediction, that is, the drink in the chalice, by which those partaking are blessed: in the same way he took the chalice also after he had eaten, saying: this is the chalice (Luke 22:20). Which we bless, that is, which we the faithful exalt by believing and giving thanks; or which we bless, that is, which we priests consecrate; is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ? Making us one with him, according to Augustine: nor do you change me into you, like the food of your flesh, but rather you are changed into me.
Here, therefore is his reason: just as someone partaking in the chalice of the Lord is made one with him, so also someone partaking in the chalice of demons becomes one with them; but union with demons is most greatly to be fled from, therefore also partaking of the food of idols in veneration of them. And thus, fly from the worship of idols.
And the bread which we break, that is, the receiving of the bread broken on the altar, is it not a participation of the Body of the Lord? Making us one with Christ: because under the species of bread the Body of Christ is received.
542. Next when he says for we, being many, are one bread, he shows that we all are one in his mystical body. There he first sets forth unity; second, he gives the reason for the unity, at all that partake of one. In the first, he deals with unity in two ways: the first is unity of incorporation, by which we are transformed into Christ, when he says one bread. The second is unity of life and sense, which we have received from Christ our head, where he adds, one body.
He says therefore for we are one bread, as though saying: by this it is clear, that we are one with Christ, for we are one bread, by the union of faith, hope, and charity, and we being many, are one body, by our working under him the works of charity. Namely, the body of this head, which is Christ. I say many, that is, all, who of one bread, that is the Body of Christ, and of one chalice, that is his Blood, partake, by a worthy participation, namely, a spiritual one, not only a sacramental one. Augustine says: receive, for the Church of Christ is called one bread and one body, for the fact that just as one bread is composed of many grains of wheat, and one body of many members, so the Church of Christ is constructed of many believers bound together by charity. This unity is discussed below in chapter twelve.
543. Here it is asked about all in Moses were baptized (1 Cor 10:2). The Gloss has: purified by having seen those things of the law.
Against this: matters of the law did not justify.
I answer that they did not justify causatively, but dispositively, by what they removed, for they worked in the mode of a sign, not a cause.
544. Again, about and the rock was Christ (1 Cor 10:4), the Gloss says: the rock did not give water, rather Christ did.
Against this: speak to the rock, and it will give you water (Num 20:8).
I answer that the rock was giving as the source, not as the cause.
545. Again, about all did eat the same spiritual food (1 Cor 10:3), the Gloss says: if someone ate of this bread, he will not die forever, namely, whoever eats with his heart, not who stuffs his mouth.
Against this: then it is not necessary to eat sacramentally.
I answer that it means not who only stuffs his mouth.
546. Again regarding the same spiritual drink (1 Cor 10:4), the Gloss has: the effect is the same in those sacraments, but not as great as in ours.
Against this: the old sacraments did not effect what they represented.
I answer that the effect is the same, but with a difference: for theirs was by the mode of a sign: ours by the mode of a cause.
547. Again concerning but these things were done in a figure (1 Cor 10:6), the Gloss says: all punishments are less than Gehenna.
Against this: lacking the vision of God is a greater suffering than Gehenna, according to John Chrysostom.
I answer that he speaks of temporal sufferings.
548. Again, about let him take heed lest he fall (1 Cor 10:12), the Gloss says: but there is no one who doesn’t fall.
Against this: many are without mortal sins.
I answer that there are two kinds of falls, one is falling away from the Lord by mortal sin, the other is falling in the Lord by venial sin.
549. Again, about God is faithful (1 Cor 10:13), the Gloss says: the one who gives permission to the devil to tempt, gives mercy to the tempted.
Against this: what happens by permission, happens licitly. Therefore the devil tempts licitly.
I answer that permission is taken here for permitting, not conceding.
550. Again, you yourselves judge. Against this: inferiors shouldn’t judge of things above them.
I answer that they shouldn’t judge by a judgment of superordination, but they are allowed a judgment of discretion.
551. Again, about which we bless, the Gloss has: we priests.
Against this: what is lower is blessed by the greater.
I answer that in the sacrament of the altar, the blessing of the priest is directed toward the starting point, that is, the bread, not the ending point, that is, the Body of Christ.
552. Again, the bread which we break. Against this: at that time there is no longer bread there.
I answer that the thing signified is put in place of the sign, that is, the bread for the species of bread.
553. Again about is not the partaking, the Gloss has: in the sacrament it is eaten in pieces, but it remains whole in heaven.
Against this: Christ under the form of the sacrament cannot be divided into pieces.
I answer that the pieces of the sacrament are eaten, not pieces of him.
554. Again, the Gloss has in the same place: in that sacrament he entrusted his Body and Blood, which means, he made us into them.
Against this: he did not really make us the Body of Christ.
I answer that it is the signifying of it, for which reason, the relation is simple.