Chapter 1
Romans 1.11 - In allusion to the gnostic edifice also in the Epistle to the Romans, he says, “For I desire to see you, that I may impart unto you a spiritual gift, that ye may be established.” [Rom. 1. 11] It was impossible that gifts of this sort could be written without disguise. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.4)
Rom 1.11, 12, 17 - For, in fine, the agreement and harmony of the faith of both (i.e.teacher and scholar) contribute to one end—salvation. We have in the apostle an unerring witness: “For I desire to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, in order that ye may be strengthened; that is, that I may be comforted in you, by the mutual faith of you and me.” [Rom. 1. 11, 12] And further on again he adds, “The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” [Rom. 1. 17] The apostle, then, manifestly announces a twofold faith, or rather one which admits of growth and perfection; for the common faith lies beneath as a foundation. To those, therefore, who desire to be healed, and are moved by faith, He added, “Thy faith hath saved thee.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.1)
Rom 1.16, 17 - (according to L. L. Welborn, Early Patristic Readings of Romans p 75 "t]o be sure, these identifications [of references to the Epistle to the Romans in Clement] have not been reflected consistently in translations or in the secondary literature. Thus in the translation included in vol. 2 of The Ante-Nicene Fathers, references to Rom. 1:16-17 are missing in Strom. 2.8.2, 2.53.5, and 2.126.3, although these allusions are crucial to the structure of Clement's arguments).
Rom 1.16 - "I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of god unto salvation to every one that beheveth; to the Jew, and to the Greek; for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith" (Tertullian Against Marcion 5)
Rom 1.16 - Megethius: "Apostolus non dixit: Secundum euangelia mea, sed secundum euangelium meum." (Adamantius, Dialogue 1.6)
Rom 1.16 - Habeo uestrum codicem et lego ubi dicit apostolus quia Deus iudicabit occulta hominum secundum euangelium rneum per Iesum Christum. (Adamantius, Dialogue 2.5)
Rom 1.17 “Now the just shall live by faith,” [Rom. 1.17], etc. which is according to the covenant and the commandments; since these, which are two in name and time, given in accordance with the [divine] economy—being in power one—the old and the new, are dispensed through the Son by one God. As the apostle also says in the Epistle to the Romans, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith,” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.6)
Rom 1.17 - Now I shall simply say, in opposition to all the heretics, and principally against the followers of Marcion, and against those who are like to these, in maintaining that the prophets were from another God ...To this effect also Paul, His apostle, says in the Epistle to the Romans, “But now, without the law, has the righteousness of God been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; for the just shall live by faith.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.31.1,2)
Rom 1.18 - When, again, he declares that "the wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness," (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 1.18, 20 - L. L. Welborn Early patristic readings of Romans - "[t]o be sure, these identifications have not been reflected consistently in translations or in the secondary literature" (p. 80)
Rom 1.20 - God is a Spirit, not pervading matter, but the Maker of material spirits, and of the forms that are in matter; He is invisible, impalpable, being Himself the Father of both sensible and invisible things. Him we know from His creation, and apprehend His invisible power by His works [Rom 1.20] (Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation 4)
Rom 1.20 - He, as I suppose, who from the beginning of all things has given to man, as primary witnesses for the knowledge of Himself, nature in her (manifold) works, kindly providences, plagues and indications (Rom. 1. 20) but who in spite of all this evidence has not been acknowledged; or he who has been brought out to view once for all in one only copy of the gospel—and even that without any sure authority—which actually makes no secret of proclaiming another god? (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.16)
Rom 1.21, 23, 25 - the holy apostle of the Lord, reprehending the Greeks, will show thee: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and changed the glory of God into the likeness of corruptible man, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” [Rom 1.21,23,25] (Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation 8)
Rom 1.22 - “Professing themselves wise, they became fools.” [Rom 1.22] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.27)
Rom 1.24 - Nevertheless, let us ask those who deny that the good God is also a just judge what shall they say in response to these things which the Apostle says, namely that God "handed them over to the desires of their heart to impurity to the degrading of their bodies." For in this not only will their system, once completely excluded, be forced out, but even our own explanation. For how shall it be just that whoever is handed over — granted that it is on account of their own sins that they are handed over — nonetheless are handed over to lusts and handed over to this, to the devotion of their own bodies to impurities and lusts? For example, anyone who is handed over to the dungeon for punishment cannot be charged with the accusation that he is in darkness. Or, anyone handed over to fire cannot, for this very reason, be blamed for why he is burnt. Likewise in the case of those who are handed over to sinful desires and impurities so that they degrade their bodies, it will not seem fitting for them to be charged when, situated amongst lusts and impurities, they defile their bodies with degradations. Well then, Marcion and all who spring forth from his school like a brood of vipers shall not dare to touch the solution of these matters, not even with their fingertips, since they have thrown away the Old Testament on account of these sorts of problems, wheresoever they happened to have read such things in it. But what good did it do them? For they are no less strangled by similar problems in the New Testament. (Origen, Commentary on Romans 1.18)
Rom 1:24 - Surely, all this must be taken into consideration by those who cut the Godhead into two; and those who suppose that the good Father of our Lord is someone other than the God of the Law must be told this - Suppose the good God leads into temptation the one who does not gain his prayer. And suppose the Father of the Lord gives up those who had previously committed any sin "in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves." (Rom 1.24) He gives them up "to the dishonorable" passions and "to an unfit mind and to improper conduct" (Rom 1.26, 28) Assuming all this, would those so condemned not have been "in the lusts of their hearts" even if they had not been given up to them by God? Would they not have fallen into "dishonorable passions" even if they had not been given up to them by God? Would they not have fallen into an "unfit mind" quite apart from being given up to it by God? Now I know very well that these problems are extremely troubling to the people I am talking about, and that is why they fabricate a God other than the Creator of heaven and earth, since they find many such statements in the Law and the prophets and take offense at a God who they think could not be good if He utters such words.(Origen De Oratione 29) Hagit Amirav, Rhetoric and tradition: John Chrysostom on Noah and the flood takes Origen as citing a Marcionite objection to the passage "Origen comments that the paradox which is entailed by this type of exegesis did not escape the notice of the 'heretics' or more precisely, the Marcionites [who see this] presents a major paradox, since it implies that irrational people become even more irrational — which is difficult to perceive as a corrective divine punishment." p 99.
Rom 1.26, 27 - Such godless people "God has given over," the apostle says, "to shameful lusts. For the women change their natural use to that which is against nature, and in like manner the men, also, having abandoned the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men doing strange things, and receiving in themselves the fitting recompense for their perversity." [Rom 1.26,27] (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.10)
Chapter 2
Rom 2.2 - The truth, therefore, will be His, whose is also the wrath, which has to be revealed to avenge the truth [cf. Rom 1.18]. Likewise, when adding, "We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth," (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 2.2 - So that both the gospel and Christ must be His, to whom appertain the law and the nature which are to be vindicated by the gospel and Christ-even at that judgment of God which, as he previously said, was to be according to truth (Tertullian Against Marcion 5:13)
Romans 2:12, 13 - As many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law. For not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified.(Epiphanius, Panarion 42)
Rom 2.14, 15 - “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves,” [Rom. 2. 14, 15] according to the apostle (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.19)
Rom 2.14 - For when a man "who has not the law does naturally the things contained in the law, he, not having the law, is a law unto himself." (Acts of Archelaus 30)
Rom 2.14, 15 - "They had no instructor to restrain their lusts, nor one to say, “Do not commit adultery;” nor, “Lust not;” or, “Travel not by lust into adultery;” or further, “Influence not thy passions by desire of adornment.” (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 3.2)
Rom 2.15 - who are enrolled among the righteous, derive their righteousness when as yet there was no law of Moses, and when as vet the prophets had not arisen and discharged the functions of prophecy? Were they not constituted righteous in virtue of their fulfilling the law, "every one of them showing the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing them witness?" (Acts of Archelaus 30)
Rom 2.16 - But how will he judge? According to the gospel, he says ,by Christ. So then both the gospel and Christ belong to him whose are both law and nature, and both these will by the gospel and by Christ receive vindication from God in that judgement of God already referred to as according to truth. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 2.17 - 20 - The beneficent action of the law, the apostle showed in the passage relating to the Jews, writing thus: “Behold, thou art called a Jew and restest in the law, and makest thy boast in God, and knowest the will of God, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who hast the form of knowledge and of truth in the law.” [Rom. 2. 17–20] (Strom 1.27)
Rom 2:20 - Which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law." (Epiphanius Panarion 42 Scholion 3 and 30)
Rom 2:21 -Hence his attack upon transgressors of the law, who teach men not to steal yet themselves steal, as a loyal servant of the God of the law, not as attainting the Creator himself under these heads, as one who while forbidding to steal gave command for deception against the Egyptians in the matter of gold and silver—for after this fashion they hurl back other complaints against him (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 2.24 - "God’s name is dishonored because of them." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.18)
Rom 2.24 - No, his attack was as clearly against the Jews as was his introduction of the prophetic rebuke, For your sakes the name of God is blasphemed. How preposterous then that he should himself blaspheme the God whom he rebukes evil men for causing to be blasphemed. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 2.25 - To illustrate: the noble apostle circumcised Timothy, though loudly declaring and writing that circumcision made with hands profits nothing (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.9)
Rom 2.25 - and that according to the letter the law has in it no advantage (Acts of Archelaus 40)
Rom 2.25 - Circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the Law; but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision (Epiphanius Panarion 42)
Rom 2.25 - Indeed, Marcion, who is a man who takes no pleasure at all in allegorical interpretation, is completely at a loss in explaining the Apostle's words, "Circumcision is of value." Not even concerning the details which are mentioned was he able to give an account in any respect whatsoever. Indeed, not only was Marcion accustomed to oppose the God of the law who gave circumcision, and to mark him out with a certain derision but all the heretics who repudiate the Old Testament, in company with the pagans. "So be it," they say, "Circumcision may indicate some mystery and may even contain an allegorical figure. Was it then proper that the forms of figures and enigmas of the law be established with pain and danger for the little children, with torments for the infant, tender and still innocent? Did the Lawgiver not have anywhere to put mystical figures except in the mutilation of shameful places? And was the law of the omnipotent and eternal God not able to arrange for a sign of the covenant except in the obscene parts of the bodily members? Is he then a good God who has ordered newborn human beings to be wounded immediately after they first look upon the light of a new day? And if, as it seems to you, he is Creator of soul and body, either he reprimands himself for forming that bodily part superfluously, since he immediately commands it to be sliced off, and he is correcting his own error through the sufferings of these unfortunate wretches; or he is unjustly commanding the removal of something he has made to be a necessary and useful bodily part. Moreover, if it is important to God to lead many people to the worship and practice of his religion, the greatest obstacle springs from circumcision, because everyone turns away from pain and flees from the derisive mockery which results from shameful deformity. Hence circumcision must be considered to be more of a hindrance to religion than an emblem of it." Either pagans opposed to the Lawgiver or heretics make great noises like these and many others similar to them. I think it necessary to respond to both groups, but first to the pagans ... Enough has been said against the pagans, to whom it was not proper to speak more openly concerning the mysteries of our law. Now our discourse should be directed against those who indeed believe in Christ but do not receive the law and the prophets." (Origen, Commentary on Romans 2.13)
Rom 2.28 - and "the Jew which is one inwardly" will be a subject of the self-same God as he also is who is "a Jew outwardly" (Against Marcion 5:13 )
Rom 2.28 - when he also said that "he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh," (Acts of Archelaus )
Rom 2.28 - Now it is quite within the purpose of the God of the law that circumcision should be that of the heart, not in the flesh; in the spirit, and not in the letter. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 2.29 - And, in truth, he wins his praise “not from men, but from God,” [Rom. 2.29] by the performance of what the Lord has taught. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.12)
Rom 2.29 - in which former there is praise, not of men, but of God. (Acts of Archelaus 30)
Chapter 3
Rom 3.8 - It may be these people whom the Apostle is inveighing against in his Epistle to the Romans when he writes, "We are slanderously charged by some people with saying that we are to do evil things so that good consequences may follow. No! Such a view is justly condemned." [Rom. 3.8] These are the people who, when they read, twist the Scriptures by their tone of voice to serve their own pleasures. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.4)
Rom 3.16 - 18 - In the same way as Paul, prophecy upbraids the people with not understanding the law. “Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known.” [Isa. lix. 7, 8; Rom. 3. 16, 17] “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” [Ps. 36.1; Rom. 3.18] “Professing themselves wise, they became fools.” [Rom. 1.22] “And we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.” [1 Tim. 1. 8] “Desiring to be teachers of the law, they understand,” says the apostle, “neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.” [1 Tim. 1. 7] “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.” [1 Tim. 1.5] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.27)
Rom 3.19 - Had the Creator's law for this reason concluded all things under sin, and brought the whole world under accusation, and stopped every mouth, so that no man might glory because of it, but that grace might be reserved for the glory of Christ, not the Creator's Christ but Marcion's Christ (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 3.20 - Further, he averred that the same apostle made this statement most obviously on the subject of the resurrection of the flesh. when he also said that he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh [Rom 2.28], and that according to the letter the law has in it no advantage [Rom 4.1]. And again he adduced the statement, that Abraham has glory, but not before God [Rom 4.2]; and that by the law there comes only the knowledge of sin. (Acts of Archelaus 40)
Rom 3.20 - How, then, is the law still said to be not good by certain heresies that clamorously appeal to the apostle, who says, “For by the law is the knowledge of sin?” [Rom. 3.20] To whom we say, The law did not cause, but showed sin. For, enjoining what is to be done, it reprehended what ought not to be done. And it is the part of the good to teach what is salutary, and to point out what is deleterious; and to counsel the practice of the one, and to command to shun the other. Now the apostle, whom they do not comprehend, said that by the law the knowledge of sin was manifested, not that from it it derived its existence. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.7)
Rom 3.20 - Well, the body tills the ground, and hastes to it; but the soul is raised to God: trained in the true philosophy, it speeds to its kindred above, turning away from the lusts of the body, and besides these, from toil and fear, although we have shown that patience and fear belong to the good man. For if “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” [Rom. 3.20] as those allege who disparage the law, and “till the law sin was in the world;” [Rom. 5. 13] yet “without the law sin was dead,” [Rom. 7.6] we oppose them. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 3:20 - Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Origen, Commentary on Romans 3.6; Sebastian Moll writes p. 62 "Although Marcion is[n't] mentioned by name .. the similarity of critique and especially the tree-metaphor in 3,3 makes it most likely that Origen's heretical adversaries are always the Marcionites. Cf. also Adv. Marc. V.14,10-14)
Rom 3.20, 21 - The law belongs to him to whom belongs the faith of Christ: the distinction is not between two gods but two courses of divine action. He enjoins us who are justified, not by the law but by the faith of Christ (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 3.21, 22, 26 - Wherefore also Paul says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested” [Rom. 3. 21, 22] and again, that you may better conceive of God, “even the righteousness of God by the faith of Jesus Christ upon all that believe; for there is no difference.” [Rom, 3. 26] And, witnessing further to the truth, he adds after a little, “through the forbearance of God, in order to show that He is just, and that Jesus is the justifier of him who is of faith.” And that he knows that what is just is good, appears by his saying, “So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good,” [Rom. 7. 12] using both names to denote the same power. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.8)
Rom 3.23, 24 - Had the Creator's law for this reason concluded all things under sin, and brought the whole world under accusation, and stopped every mouth, so that no man might glory because of it, but that grace might be reserved for the glory of Christ, not the Creator's Christ but Marcion's Christ (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 3.29 - For God is not only Lord of the Jews, but of all men, and more nearly the Father of those who know Him. For if to live well and according to the law is to live, also to live rationally according to the law is to live; and those who lived rightly before the Law were classed under faith, [Rom. 3. 29, 10. 12, etc.] and judged to be righteous,—it is evident that those, too, who were outside of the Law, having lived rightly, in consequence of the peculiar nature of the voice, though they are in Hades and in ward, [1 Pet. iii. 19] on hearing the voice of the Lord, whether that of His own person or that acting through His apostles, with all speed turned and believed. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 6.6)
Rom 3.29, 30 - “Is He the God of the Jews only, and not also of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles: if indeed He is one God,” [Rom. 3.29, 30] exclaims the noble apostle. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.3)
Chapter 4
Rom 4.1, 2 - and that according to the letter the law has in it no advantage. And again he adduced the statement, that Abraham has glory, but not before God (Acts of Archelaus 40)
Rom 4.2 - "But Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.7)
Rom. 4. 3 - And on learning the way of truth, let us walk on the right way, without turning till we attain to what we desire. It was therefore with reason that the king of the Romans (his name was Numa), being a Pythagorean, first of all men, erected a temple to Faith and Peace. “And to Abraham, on believing, righteousness was reckoned.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.1)
Rom 4.3 - Vain, too, is [the effort of] Marcion and his followers when they [seek to] exclude Abraham from the inheritance, to whom the Spirit through many men, and now by Paul, bears witness, that "he believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.8.1)
? Rom 4.7, 8 - Wherefore says the apostle, “Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” [Rom. 6.14] Addressing those who have believed, he says, “For by His stripes we were healed.” (1 Pet. 2. 24) Mistake is the involuntary action of another towards me, while a crime (ἀδικία) alone is voluntary, whether my act or another’s. These differences of sins are alluded to by the Psalmist, when he calls those blessed whose iniquities (ἀνομίας) God hath blotted out, and whose sins (ἁμαρτίας) He hath covered. Others He does not impute, and the rest He forgives. For it is written, “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, and in whose mouth there is no fraud.” [Ps. 32. 1, 2; Rom. 4. 7, 8] This blessedness came on those who had been chosen by God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For “love hides the multitude of sins.” [1 Pet 4.8 cf. Rom 4.7] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.15)
Rom 4.15 - The Law brings wrath, where there is no law there is no transgression (Origen, Commentary on Romans 4.4; Sebastian Moll, the Arch-Heretic Marcion writes p. 62 "Although Marcion is[n't] mentioned by name .. the similarity of critique and especially the tree-metaphor in 3,3 makes it most likely that Origen's heretical adversaries are always the Marcionites. Cf. also Adv. Marc. V.14,10-14")
Chapter 5
Rom 5.1 - according to L. L. Welborn Early patristic readings of Romans p 75 "[t]o be sure, these identifications have not been reflected consistently in translations or in the secondary literature (Clement Stromata 2.41.1)
Rom 5.1 - He enjoins us who are justified, not by the law but by the faith of Christ, to have peace towards God. Which god? Him whose enemies we have never been, or him against whose law and nature we have been in rebellion? (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 5.3 - 5 - Divinely, therefore, Paul writes expressly, “Tribulation worketh, patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed.” [Rom. 5. 3–5] For the patience is on account of the hope in the future. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.21)
Rom 5.4, 5 - And the apostle, succinctly describing the end, writes in the Epistle to the Romans: “But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Rom. 6. 22) And viewing the hope as twofold—that which is expected, and that which has been received—he now teaches the end to be the restitution of the hope. “For patience,” he says, “worketh experience, and experience hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is given to us.” [Rom. 5. 4, 5] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.22)
Rom 5.6 - according to L. L. Welborn Early patristic readings of Romans p 75 "[t]o be sure, these identifications have not been reflected consistently in translations or in the secondary literature" (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.78.1 - 126.4)
Rom 5.6 - 10 - But again, showing that Christ did suffer, and was Himself the Son of God, who died for us, and redeemed us with His blood at the time appointed beforehand, he says: “For how is it, that Christ, when we were yet without strength, in due time died for the ungodly? But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Irenaeus Against Heresies 3.16.9)
Rom 5.6 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Epiphanius Panarion Scholion 4 and 31)
Rom 5.8, 9 - Ait ergo ita: Commendat autem deus caritatem suam in nobis quia si, eum adhuc peccatores essemus, Christus pro nobis mortuus est, multo magis iustifimti in sanguine eius salui erimus ab ira per ipsum" (Adamantius Dialogue 5.12)
Rom 5.12, 14 - It follows, as the argument reveals, that it is in relation to the final consummation that Salome says, "How long will human beings go on dying?" Scripture uses the word "human being" in two senses, the visible and the spiritual one subject to salvation and one not. Sin is called the death of the soul. That is why the Lord answers with circumspection, "As long as women give birth," that is to say, as long as sexual desire is still at work. "Therefore as sin entered the world through one human being, and death penetrated to all human beings through sin in that all sinned, death also held dominion from Adam to Moses," [Rom 5.12,14] says the Apostle (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.9)
Rom 5.12 - Archelaus said: By all means. Now let us select some instance from among those statements which you allege to be on your side; so that if these be once found to have been properly dealt with, other questions may also be held to rank with them; and if the case goes otherwise, I shall come under the condemnation of the judges, that is to say, I shall have to bear the shame of defeat. You say, then, that the law is a ministration of death, and you admit that death, the prince of this world, reigned from Adam even to Moses; for the word of Scripture is this: even over them that did not sin. Manes said: Without doubt death did reign thus, for there is a duality, and these two antagonistic powers were nothing else than both unbegotten. Archelaus said: Tell me this then—how can an unbegotten death take a beginning at a certain time? For from Adam is the word of Scripture, and not before Adam. Manes said: But tell me, I ask you in turn, how it obtained its kingdom over both the righteous and the sinful. Archelaus said: When you have first admitted that it has had that kingdom from a determinate time and not from eternity, I shall tell you that. Manes said: It is written, that death reigned from Adam to Moses. Archelaus said: And consequently it has an end, because it has had a beginning in time. And this saying is also true, that death is swallowed up in victory. It is apparent, then, that death cannot be unbegotten, seeing that it is shown to have both a beginning and an end. Manes said: But in that way it would also follow that God was its maker. Archelaus said: By no means; away with such a supposition! For God made not death; neither has He pleasure in the destruction of the living. Manes said: God made it not; nevertheless it was made, as you admit.Tell us, therefore, from whom it received its empire, or by whom it was created. Archelaus said: If I give the most ample proof of the fact that death cannot have the substance of an unbegotten nature, will you not confess that there is but one God, and that an unbegotten God? Manes said: Continue your discourse, for your aim is to speak with subtlety. Archelaus said: Nay, but you have put forward those allegations in such a manner, as if they were to serve you for a demonstration of an unbegotten root. Nevertheless the positions which we have discussed above may suffice us, for by these we have shown most fully that it is impossible for the substances of two unbegotten natures to exist together. The judges said: Speak to those points, Archelaus, which he has just now propounded. Archelaus said: By the prince of the world, and the wicked one, and darkness, and death, he means one and the same thing, and alleges that the law has been given by that being, on the ground of the scriptural statement that it is the ministration of death, as well as on the ground of other things which he has urged against it. Well, then, I say that since, as wehave explained above, the law which was written naturally on men's hearts did not keep carefully by the memory of evil things, and since there was not a sufficiently established tradition among the elders, inasmuch as hostile oblivion always attached itself to the memory, and one man was instructed in the knowledge of that law by master, and another by himself, it easily came about that transgressions of the law engraved by nature did take place, and that through the violation of the commandments death obtained its kingship among men. For the race of men is of such a nature, that it needs to be ruled by God with a rod of iron. And so death triumphed and reigned with all its power on to Moses, even over those who had not sinned, in the way which we have explained: over sinners indeed, as these were its proper objects, and under subjection to it—men after the type of Cain and Judas; but also over the righteous, because they refused to consent to it, and rather withstood it, by putting away from themselves the vices and concupiscence of lusts—men like those who have arisen at times from Abel on to Zacharias; Those, therefore, who assert that He appeared putatively, and was neither born in the flesh nor truly made man, are as yet under the old condemnation, holding out patronage to sin; for, by their showing, death has not been vanquished, which "reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." death thus always passing, up to the time of Moses, upon those after that similitude. But after Moses had made his appearance, and had given the law to the children of Israel, and had brought into their memory all the requirements of the law, and all that it behooved men to observe and do under it, and when he delivered over to death only those who should transgress the law, then death was cut off from reigning over all men; for it reigned then over sinners alone, as the law said to it, Touch not those that keep my precepts. Moses therefore served the ministration of this word upon death, while he delivered up to destruction all others who were transgressors of the law; for it was not with the intent that death might not reign in any territory at all that Moses came, inasmuch as multitudes were assuredly held under the power of death even after Moses. And the law was called a ministration of death from the fact that then only transgressors of the law were punished, and not those who kept it, and who obeyed and observed the things which are in the law, as Abel did, whom Cain, who was made a vessel of the wicked one, slew. However, even after these things death wished to break the covenant which had been made by the instrumentality of Moses, and to reign again over the righteous; and with this object it did indeed assail the prophets, killing and stoning those who bad been sent by God, on to Zacharias. But my Lord Jesus, as maintaining the righteousness of the law of Moses, was angry with death for its transgression of the covenant and of that whole ministration, and condescended to appear in the body of man, with the view of avenging not Himself, but Moses, and those who in a continuous succession after him had been oppressed by the violence of death. That wicked one, however, in ignorance of the meaning of a dispensation of this kind, entered into Judas, thinking to slay Him by that man's means, as before he had put righteous Abel to death. But when he had entered into Judas, be was overcome with penitence, and hanged himself; for which reason also the divine word says: O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? And again: Death is swallowed up of victory. It is for this reason, therefore, that the law is called a ministration of death [Rom 7.11 - 12] because it delivered sinners and transgressors over to death; but those who observed it, it defended from death; and these it also established in glory, by the help and aid of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts of Archelaus 30)
Rom 5:12, 14 - But the law coming, which was given by Moses, and testifying of sin that it is a sinner, did truly take away his (death's) kingdom, showing that he was no king, but a robber; and it revealed him as a murderer. It laid, however, a weighty burden upon man, who had sin in himself, showing that he was liable to death. For as the law was spiritual, it merely made sin to stand out in relief, but did not destroy it. For sin had no dominion over the spirit, but over man. For it behooved Him who was to destroy sin, and redeem man under the power of death, that He should Himself be made that very same thing which he was, that is, man; who had been drawn by sin into bondage, but was held by death, so that sin should be destroyed by man, and man should go forth from death. For as by the disobedience of the one man who was originally moulded from virgin soil, the many were made sinners [Romans 5:19] and forfeited life (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.18)
Rom 5.13 - For if “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” [Rom. 3. 20] as those allege who disparage the law, and “till the law sin was in the world” [Rom. 5. 13] yet “without the law sin was dead,” [Rom. 7. 6] we oppose them. For when you take away the cause of fear, sin, you have taken away fear; and much more, punishment, when you have taken away that which gives rise to lust. “For the law is not made for the just man,” [Tim. 1. 9] says the Scripture. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 5.13 - Well, the body tills the ground, and hastes to it; but the soul is raised to God: trained in the true philosophy, it speeds to its kindred above, turning away from the lusts of the body, and besides these, from toil and fear, although we have shown that patience and fear belong to the good man. For if “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” [Rom. 3. 20] as those allege who disparage the law, and “till the law sin was in the world;” [Rom. 5. 13] yet “without the law sin was dead,” [Rom. 7. 6] we oppose them. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 5.14 - Now, we who are spiritual are sons, he says, who have been left here to arrange, and mould, and rectify, and complete the souls which, according to nature, are so constituted as to continue in this quarter of the universe. "Sin, then, reigned from Adam unto Moses," as it has been written. For the Great Archon exercised dominion and possesses an empire with limits extending as far as the firmament. And He imagines Himself alone to be God, and that there exists nothing above Him, for (the reason that) all things have been guarded by unrevealed Siope. (Philosophumena 7.13)
Rom 5.14 - It brings us the glad tidings of this economy of the Saviour altogether to be praised, to wit, that to them who had wandered astray the way of salvation was shown, and that to the despairing the grace of salvation was made known, which blesses all in different modes; searching after the erring, enlightening the blinded, giving life to the dead, setting free the slaves, redeeming the captives, and becoming all things to all of us in order to be the true way of salvation to us: and all this He does, not by reason of our goodwill toward Him, but in virtue of a benignity that is proper to our Benefactor Himself. For the Saviour did all, not in order that He might acquire virtue Himself, but that He might put us in possession of eternal life. He made man, indeed, after the image of God, and appointed him to live in a paradise of pleasure. But the man being deceived by the devil, and having become a transgressor of the divine commandment, was made subject to the doom of death. Whence, also, those born of him were involved in their father's liability in virtue of their succession, and had the reckoning of condemnation required of them. For death reigned from Adam to Moses. But the Lord. in His benignity toward man, when He saw the creature He Himself had formed now held by the power of death, did not turn away finally from him whom He had made in His own image, but visited him in each generation, and forsook him not; and manifesting Himself first of all among the patriarchs, and then proclaiming Himself in the law, and presenting the likeness of Himself in the prophets, He presignified the economy of salvation. (Gregory Thaumaturgus Second Homily)
Rom 5.17 - All, therefore, are outside of the [Christian] dispensation, who, under pretext of knowledge, understand that Jesus was one, and Christ another, and the Only-begotten another, from whom again is the Word, and that the Saviour is another, whom these disciples of error allege to be a production of those who were made Aeons in a state of degeneracy. Such men are to outward appearance sheep; for they appear to be like us, by what they say in public, repeating the same words as we do; but inwardly they are wolves. Their doctrine is homicidal, conjuring up, as it does, a number of gods, and simulating many Fathers, but lowering and dividing the Son of God in many ways. These are they against whom the Lord has cautioned us beforehand; and His disciple, in his Epistle already mentioned, commands us to avoid them, when he says: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Take heed to them, that ye lose not what ye have wrought." And again does he say in the Epistle: "Many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit which separates Jesus Christ is not of God, but is of antichrist." These words agree with what was said in the Gospel, that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Wherefore he again exclaims in his Epistle, "Every one that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, has been born of God;" knowing Jesus Christ to be one and the same, to whom the gates of heaven were opened, because of His taking upon Him flesh: who shall also come in the same flesh in which He suffered, revealing the glory of the Father. Concurring with these statements, Paul, speaking to the Romans, declares: "Much more they who receive abundance of grace and righteousness for life, shall reign by one, Christ Jesus." It follows from this, that he knew nothing of that Christ who flew away from Jesus; nor did he of the Saviour above, whom they hold to be impassible. For if, in truth, the one suffered, and the other remained incapable of suffering, and the one was born, but the other descended upon him who was born, and left him gain, it is not one, but two, that are shown forth. But that the apostle did know Him as one, both who was born and who suffered, namely Christ Jesus, he again says in the same Epistle: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized in His death? that like as Christ rose from the dead, so should we also walk in newness of life." (Irenaeus Against Heresies, 3.16.8, 9)
Rom 5.19 - For as by one man's disobedience sin entered, and death obtained [a place] through sin; so also by the obedience of one man, righteousness having been introduced, shall cause life to fructify in those persons who in times past were dead. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3.21.10)
Rom 5:20 - The Law came in so that transgression may abound (Origen, Commentary on Romans 3.6; Sebastian Moll writes p. 62 "Although Marcion is[n't] mentioned by name .. the similarity of critique and especially the tree-metaphor in 3,3 makes it most likely that Origen's heretical adversaries are always the Marcionites. Cf. also Adv. Marc. V.14,10-14)
Rom 5.20 - All therefore speak falsely who disallow his (Adam's) salvation, shutting themselves out from life for ever, in that they do not believe that the sheep which had perished has been found. [Luke 15:4] For if it has not been found, the whole human race is still held in a state of perdition. False, therefore, is that, man who first started this idea, or rather, this ignorance and blindness— Tatian. As I have already indicated, this man entangled himself with all the heretics. This dogma, however, has been invented by himself, in order that, by introducing something new, independently of the rest, and by speaking vanity, he might acquire for himself hearers void of faith, affecting to be esteemed a teacher, and endeavouring from time to time to employ sayings of this kind often [made use of] by Paul: In Adam we all die; [1 Corinthians 15:22] ignorant, however, that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. [Romans 5:20] Since this, then, has been clearly shown, let all his disciples be put to shame, and let them wrangle about Adam, as if some great gain were to accrue to them if he be not saved; when they profit nothing more [by that], even as the serpent also did not profit when persuading man [to sin], except to this effect, that he proved him a transgressor, obtaining man as the first-fruits of his own apostasy. But he did not know God's power. Thus also do those who disallow Adam's salvation gain nothing, except this, that they render themselves heretics and apostates from the truth, and show themselves patrons of the serpent and of death. (Irenaeus Against Heresies 3.23.8)
Rom 5.20 - The apostle, however, suggests that “where sin abounded, there has grace much more abounded.” How, in fact, can he be regarded as saved, who can at the same time be said to be lost—lost, that is, in the flesh, but saved as to his soul? Unless, indeed, their argument now makes it necessary that the soul should be placed in a “lost” condition, that it may be susceptible of salvation, on the ground that is properly saved which has been lost. We, however, so understand the soul’s immortality as to believe it “lost,” not in the sense of destruction, but of punishment, that is, in hell. (Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh 34)
Rom 5.20, 21 - By a figure we die in our baptism, but in a reality we rise again in the flesh, even as Christ did, “that, as sin has reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Rom. 5. 21] But how so, unless equally in the flesh? For where the death is, there too must be the life after the death, because also the life was first there, where the death subsequently was. Now, if the dominion of death operates only in the dissolution of the flesh, in like manner death’s contrary, life, ought to produce the contrary effect, even the restoration of the flesh; so that, just as death had swallowed it up in its strength, it also, after this mortal was swallowed up of immortality, may hear the challenge pronounced against it: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” [1 Cor. 15. 55] For in this way “grace shall there much more abound, where sin once abounded.” [Rom. 5. 20] In this way also “shall strength be made perfect in weakness,” [1 Cor. 12. 9] —saving what is lost, reviving what is dead, healing what is stricken, curing what is faint, redeeming what is lost, freeing what is enslaved, recalling what has strayed (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 47)
Rom 5.20, 21 - and Christ by whose faith we shall be justified, will belong to him to whose peace it is needful that his enemies should sometime be brought back. But the law, he says, entered in besides, that the offence might abound. Why? So that grace, he says,might much more abound. Which god's grace, if not his whose is the law? Unless you think the Creator with this intent interposed the law, that he might provide business for the grace of that other god who was even his enemy—not to mention, unknown to him— so that as in his own days sin had reigned unto death, so also grace should reign in righteousness unto life through Jesus Christ his adversary. (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 5.20, 21 - if no one had sinned before the law was given through Moses, then Marcion and the other heretics, who want to accuse the law based on these words of the Apostle, seem to seize this opportunity, as if the reason the law was given was in order that sin, which did not exist before the law, might abound (Origen, Commentary on Romans 5,6)
Chapter 6
Rom 6.3 - Et iterum: Aut ignoratis quia quicunque baptizati sumus in Christo in morte ipsius baptizati sumus. (Adamantius Dialogue 5.12)
Rom 6.3,4 - [and] knowing Jesus Christ to be one and the same [rather than separate beings as the heretics claim), to whom the gates of heaven were opened, because of His taking upon Him flesh: who shall also come in the same flesh in which He suffered, revealing the glory of the Father. Concurring with these statements, Paul, speaking to the Romans, declares: “Much more they who receive abundance of grace and righteousness for [eternal] life, shall reign by one, Christ Jesus.” [Rom. 5. 17] It follows from this, that he knew nothing of that Christ who flew away from Jesus; nor did he of the Saviour above, whom they hold to be impassible. For if, in truth, the one suffered, and the other remained incapable of suffering, and the one was born, but the other descended upon him who was born, and left him again, it is not one, but two, that are shown forth. But that the apostle did know Him as one, both who was born and who suffered, namely Christ Jesus, he again says in the same Epistle: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized in His death? that like as Christ rose from the dead, so should we also walk in newness of life.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.16.8, 9)
Rom 6.3, 4 - Now it would not at all have been consistent that any rule of holiness and righteousness should be especially enjoined for the flesh, if the reward of such a discipline were not also within its reach; nor could even baptism be properly ordered for the flesh, if by its regeneration a course were not inaugurated tending to its restitution; the apostle himself suggesting this idea: Do you not know, that so many of us as are baptized into Jesus Christ, are baptized into His death? We are therefore buried with Him by baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised up from the dead, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [Romans 6:3-4] And that you may not suppose that this is said merely of that life which we have to walk in the newness of, through baptism, by faith, the apostle with superlative forethought adds: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of Christ's death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection. By a figure we die in our baptism, but in a reality we rise again in the flesh, even as Christ did, that, as sin has reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans [5:21] (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 47)
Rom 6.3 - Blush, O flesh, who hast "put on" [Rom 13.4] Christ! Suffice it thee once for all to marry, whereto "from the beginning" thou wast created, whereto by "the end" thou art being recalled! Return at least to the former Adam, if to the last thou canst not! Once for all did he taste of the tree; once for all felt concupiscence; once for all veiled his shame; once for all blushed in the presence of God; once for all concealed his guilty hue; once for all was exiled from the paradise of holiness; once for all thenceforward married. If you were "in him," [1 Cor 15.22] you have your norm; if you have passed over "into Christ," [Rom 6.3] you will be bound to be (yet) better. Exhibit (to us) a third Adam, and him a digamist; and then you will be able to be what, between the two, you cannot.(Tertullian, On Monogamy 17)
Rom 6.4 - Now the corruptible and mortal putting on immortality, what else is it but that which is "sown in corruption and raised in incorruption," [1 Corinthians 15:42] —for the soul is not corruptible or mortal; but this which is mortal and corrupting is of flesh,—in order that, "as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly? " [1 Corinthians 15:49] For the image of the earthy which we have borne is this, "Dust you are, and unto dust shall you return." [Genesis 3:19] But the image of the heavenly is the resurrection from the dead, and incorruption, in order that "as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life." [Romans 6:4] But if any one were to think that the earthy image is the flesh itself, but the heavenly image some other spiritual body besides the flesh; let him first consider that Christ, the heavenly man, when He appeared, bore the same form of limbs and the same image of flesh as ours, through which also He, who was not man, became man, that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." [1 Corinthians 15:22] (Methodius, Treatise on the Resurrection 13)
Rom 6.5 - For what great thing is it, if a man restrains himself in what he knows not? He, in fulfilment of the precept, according to the Gospel, keeps the Lord’s day, [Rom. 6. 5] when he abandons an evil disposition, and assumes that of the Gnostic, glorifying the Lord’s resurrection in himself. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.1)
Rom 6.6 - To the multitude, then, this vain labour is desirable. But to us the apostle says, “Now we know this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” [Rom. 6. 6] Does not the apostle then plainly add the following, to show the contempt for faith in the case of the multitude? “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as appointed to death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. Up to this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten, and are feeble, and labour, working with our hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat; we are become as it were the offscourings of the world.” [1 Cor. 9. 9, 11, 12, 13] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom 6:6 - For that must be living after the world, which, as the old man, he declares to be crucified with Christ, [Romans 6:6] not as a bodily structure, but as moral behaviour. Besides, if we do not understand it in this sense, it is not our bodily frame which has been transfixed (at all events), nor has our flesh endured the cross of Christ; but the sense is that which he has subjoined, that the body of sin might be made void [Rom 6.6], by an amendment of life, not by a destruction of the substance, as he goes on to say, that henceforth we should not serve sin [Rom 6:6]; and that we should believe ourselves to be dead with Christ, in such a manner as that we shall also live with Him. On the same principle he says: Likewise reckon also yourselves to be dead indeed. To what? To the flesh? No, but unto sin. (Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh 47)
Rom 6.6, 7 - For “to bring themselves into captivity,” and to slay themselves, putting to death “the old man, who is through lusts corrupt,” and raising the new man from death, “from the old conversation,” by abandoning the passions, and becoming free of sin, both the Gospel and the apostle enjoin. [Rom. 6. 6, 7; 2 Cor. 10. 5; Eph. 4. 22–24; Col. 3. 8, 9, etc.] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.3)
Rom 6.7 - Wherefore also He drove him out of Paradise, and removed him far from the tree of life, not because He envied him the tree of life, as some venture to assert, but because He pitied him, [and did not desire] that he should continue a sinner for ever, nor that the sin which surrounded him should be immortal, and evil interminable and irremediable. But He set a bound to his [state of] sin, by interposing death, and thus causing sin to cease, Romans 6:7 putting an end to it by the dissolution of the flesh, which should take place in the earth, so that man, ceasing at length to live to sin, and dying to it, might begin to live to God. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3.23.6)
Rom 6.9 -Christus uero resurrexit a mortuis et ultra iam non moritur, neque mors ei ultra dominabitur; sicut enim primus Adam mortuus est, ita et primus Christus resurrexit. (Adamantius Dialogue 5.11)
Rom 6.9 - And again, Knowing that Christ, rising from the dead, dies no more: for, as himself foreseeing, through the Spirit, the subdivisions of evil teachers [with regard to the Lord's person], and being desirous of cutting away from them all occasion of cavil, he says what has been already stated, [and also declares:] But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies. [Romans 8:11] This he does not utter to those alone who wish to hear: Do not err, [he says to all:] Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is one and the same, who did by suffering reconcile us to God, and rose from the dead; who is at the right hand of the Father, and perfect in all things; who, when He was buffeted, struck not in return; who, when He suffered, threatened not; [1 Peter 2:23] and when He underwent tyranny, He prayed His Father that He would forgive those who had crucified Him. For He did Himself truly bring in salvation: since He is Himself the Word of God, Himself the Only-begotten of the Father, Christ Jesus our Lord. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.16.9)
Rom 6.9, 10 - Dixi iam quia hi qui ante Christum resurrexerunt rursum mortui sunt, Christus autem, surgens a mortuis, iam non moritur nee inors ei ultra dominabitur, quod enim mortuus (est) peccato mortuus est semel, quod autem uiuit uiuit deo. (Adamantinus Dialogue 5.12)
Rom 6:10 - I have learned that certain of the ministers of Satan have wished to disturb you, some of them asserting that Jesus was born in appearance, was crucified in appearance, and died in appearance ... A swarm of such evils has burst in upon us. But ye have not "given place by subjection to them, no, not for one hour." For ye are the fellow-citizens as well as the disciples of Paul, who "fully preached the Gospel from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum," and bare about "the marks of Christ" in his flesh. Mindful of him, do ye by all means know that Jesus the Lord was truly born of Mary, being made of a woman; and was as truly crucified. For, says he, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the Lord Jesus." And He really suffered, and died, and rose again. For says [Paul], "If Christ should become passible, and should be the first to rise again from the dead." And again, "In that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." Otherwise, what advantage would there be in [becoming subject to] bonds, if Christ has not died what advantage in patience what advantage in [enduring] stripes (Ignatius to the Tarsians 2, 3)
Rom 6.12 - If, then, any one allege that in this respect the flesh of the Lord was different from ours, because it indeed did not commit sin, neither was deceit found in His soul, while we, on the other hand, are sinners, he says what is the fact. But if he pretends that the, Lord possessed another substance of flesh, the sayings respecting reconciliation will not agree with that man. For that thing is reconciled which had formerly been in enmity. Now, if the Lord had taken flesh from another substance, He would not, by so doing, have reconciled that one to God which had become inimical through transgression. But now, by means of communion with Himself, the Lord has reconciled man to God the Father, in reconciling us to Himself by the body of His own flesh, and redeeming us by His own blood ... If, therefore, flesh and blood are the things which procure for us life, it has not been declared of flesh and blood, in the literal meaning (proprie) of the terms, that they cannot inherit the kingdom of God; but [these words apply] to those carnal deeds already mentioned, which, perverting man to sin, deprive him of life. And for this reason he says, in the Epistle to the Romans: "Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, to be under its control: neither yield ye your members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves to God, as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.14.3, 4)
Rom 6.14, 15 - Those who drag in a doctrine of moral indifference do violence to some few passages of Scripture, thinking that they support their own love of pleasure; in particular, the passage "Sin shall have no authority over you; for you are not subject to sin but to grace." [Rom 6.14] But there are other such passages, which there is no good reason to record for these purposes, as I am not equipping a pirate ship! Let me quickly cut through their attempt. The admirable Apostle in person will refute their charge in the words with which he continues the previous quotation: "Well then! Shall we sin because we are no longer under Law but under grace? God forbid!" [Rom 6.15] With these inspired prophetic words, at a single stroke he undoes the sophistical skill at the service of pleasure. So they have not understood, it seems, that "we must all appear before Christ’s tribunal, where each must receive what is due to him for his physical conduct, good or bad," [2 Cor 5.10] that is, where a person may receive recompense for what he has done by means of his body. [2 Cor 5.17] "So that, if a person is in Christ, he is recreated" [in a way no longer subject to sin. "The past is gone" – we have washed away the old life. "Look, new things have emerged" – chastity instead of sexual looseness, self-control instead of license, righteousness instead of unrighteousness. "What have righteousness and lawlessness in common? What fellowship is there between light and darkness? Can Christ agree with Beliar? What have the faithful to do with the faithless? Can there be a compact between the Temple of God and idols?" [2 Cor 6.14-16] "These are the promises made to us. Let us purify ourselves of anything that can stain flesh or spirit, aiming at the goal of holiness in the fear of God." [2 Cor 7.1] Those who attack God’s creation under the pious name of self-control quote the words spoken to Salome, which we have mentioned previously. I fancy the passage comes from the Gospel according to the Egyptians ... (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.8,9)
Rom 6.16 - How can a combination of immoderation and dirty language be freedom? "Everyone who sins is a slave," [John 8.34; Rom 6.16] says the Apostle. How can the man who has given himself over to every lust be a citizen according to the Law of God when the Lord has declared, "I say, you shall not lust"? [Matt 5.28] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.4)
Rom 6.19 - Testem quoque horum quae dico producam Paulum apostolum dicentem: Sicut enim exhibuistis membra uestra seruire iniustitiae et immunditiae ad iniquitatem, ita nunc exhibete membra uestra Deo seruire in iustitia (Adamantius, Dialogue 3.7)
Rom 6.19 - But, (the Jewish Christian heretics = the evionim, אביונים) being ignorant of Him who from the Virgin is Emmanuel, they are deprived of His gift, which is eternal life; [Romans 6:23] and not receiving the incorruptible Word, they remain in mortal flesh, and are debtors to death, not obtaining the antidote of life. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.19.1)
Rom 6.20 - 23 - But the cavillers did not know even this, as the apostle says, “that he who loveth his brother worketh not evil;” for this, “Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal; and if there be any other commandment, it is comprehended in the word, Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself.” [Rom. 13. 8–10] So also is it said, “Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” [Luke 10. 27] And “if he that loveth his neighbour worketh no evil,” and if “every commandment is comprehended in this, the loving our neighbour,” the commandments, by menacing with fear, work love, not hatred. Wherefore the law is productive of the emotion of fear. “So that the law is holy,” and in truth “spiritual,” [Rom. 7. 12, 14] according to the apostle. We must, then, as is fit, in investigating the nature of the body and the essence of the soul, apprehend the end of each, and not regard death as an evil. “For when ye were the servants of sin,” says the apostle, “ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things in which ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Rom. 6. 20–23] The assertion, then, may be hazarded, that it has been shown that death is the fellowship of the soul in a state of sin with the body; and life the separation from sin. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 6.22 - And the apostle, succinctly describing the end, writes in the Epistle to the Romans: “But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” [Rom. 6. 22] And viewing the hope as twofold—that which is expected, and that which has been received—he now teaches the end to be the restitution of the hope. “For patience,” he says, “worketh experience, and experience hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is given to us.” [Rom. 5. 4, 5] On account of which love and the restoration to hope, he says, in another place, “which rest is laid up for us.” [? Heb. 4. 8, 9] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.22)
Chapter 7
Rom 7.2 - Yet again in speaking about the Law he makes use of an analogy. "The married woman," he says, "is tied to her husband by law during his lifetime," and so on. And again, "The wife is under the marriage bond as long as her husband is alive. If he dies she is free to marry, provided it is in the Lord. But in my view her greatest blessing is to remain as she is." Now, in the former passage he says, "You have died to the Law" – not to marriage! – "with a view to becoming another’s, one who belongs to him was raised from the dead," at once Bride and Church. The Bride and Church must be pure alike from inward thoughts contrary to truth and from outward tempters, that is, the adherents of heretical sects who try to persuade her to sexual unfaithfulness to her one and only husband almighty God. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.12)
Rom 7.2 - Marriage is (this): when God joins “two into one flesh;” or else, finding (them already) joined in the same flesh, has given His seal to the conjunction. Adultery is (this): when, the two having been—in whatsoever way—disjoined, other—nay, rather alien—flesh is mingled (with either): flesh concerning which it cannot be affirmed, “This is flesh out of my flesh, and this bone out of my bones.” [Gen. ii. 23, in reversed order] For this, once for all done and pronounced, as from the beginning, so now too, cannot apply to “other” flesh. Accordingly, it will be without cause that you will say that God wills not a divorced woman to be joined to another man “while her husband liveth,” as if He do will it “when he is dead;” whereas if she is not bound to him when dead, no more is she when living. (Tertullian On Monogamy 9)
Rom 7.2 - Now that the law is husband of the soul Paul clearly exhibits in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, "The law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth; for the woman that hath a husband is bound to the husband while he liveth, to the husband who is law," (Origen Commentary on Matthew 12.1)
Rom 7.2 - 6 - We read him withal writing to the Romans: 'But the woman who is under an husband, is bound to her living husband; but if he shall have died, she has been emancipated from the law of the husband. Doubtless, then, the husband living, she will be thought to commit adultery if she shall have been joined to a second husband. If, however, the husband shall have died, she has been freed from (his) law, (so) that she is not an adulteress if made (wife) to another husband.' [Quae, autem sub viro est mulier, viventi viro vincta est; si autem obierit, evacuata est a lege viri. Nempe ergo vivente viro adulterare putabitur, si facto fuerit alii viro; si vero obierit vir, liberata est a lege, quod non sit adultera, facta alii viro] But read the sequel as well in order that this sense, which flatters you, may evade (your grasp). “And so,” he says, “my brethren, be ye too made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that ye may be made (subject) to a second,—to Him, namely, who hath risen from the dead, that we may bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sin, which (passions) used to be efficiently caused through the law, (wrought) in our members unto the bearing of fruit to death; but now we have been emancipated from the law, being dead (to that) in which we used to be held, unto the serving of God in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.” [Sed et sequentia recognosce, quo sensus iste, qui tibi blanditur, evadat. Itaque, inquit, fratres mei, mortificamini et vos legi per corpus Christi, ut efficiamini alteri, ei scilicet, qui a mortuis resurrexit, uti fructum feramus] Therefore, if he bids us “be made dead to the law through the body of Christ,” (which is the Church) and the references there. which consists in the spirit of newness,) not “through the letter of oldness,” (that is, of the law,)—taking you away from the law, which does not keep a wife, when her husband is dead, from becoming (wife) to another husband—he reduces you to (subjection to) the contrary condition, that you are not to marry when you have lost your husband; (Tertullian On Monogamy 13) - the type of interpretation that Tertullian is responding to is epitomized by the Second Epistle of Callistus.
Rom 7.4 - How can marriage in the past be a mere invention of the Law, and marriage as ordained by our Lord be different, when it is the same God whom we worship? "Man must not pull apart that which God has joined together." [Matt 19.6] That is reasonable. Far more so that that Son will preserve the things which the Father has ordained. If the Law and gospel come from the same being, the Son cannot fight against himself. The Law is alive because it is spiritual, [Rom 7.14] if we interpret it in the light of true knowledge. But we "have died to the Law through Christ’s body with a view to belonging to another, the one who was raised from the dead," the one who was prophesied by the Law, "so that we may bear fruit for God." [Rom 7.4] So "the Law is holy; the commandment is holy, righteous and good." [Rom 7.12] We died to the Law, that is to say, to the sin exposed by the Law, which the Law does not engender but reveals. It enjoins what we ought to do and bans what we ought not to do. It shows up the sin that is hidden, "so that sin may be seen for what it is." [Rom 7.14] But if legally constituted marriage is sin, I do not know how anyone can claim to know God while saying that God’s commandment is sin. If the Law is holy, marriage is holy. Accordingly, the Apostle points this mystery in the direction of Christ and the Church. [Eph 5.32] just as "that which is born of the flesh is flesh, so that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit" [John 3.6] not just in the process of birth but in its education. So "the children are holy," [1 Cor 7.14] objects of delight, when the Lord’s words have brought the soul to God as a bride. Anyway, there is a distinction between fornication and marriage, as great as separates the devil from God. "So you too have died to the Law through Christ’s body with a view to belonging to another, the one who was raised from the dead." [Rom 7.4] It is implied that you have become attentive in your obedience, since it is actually congruent with the truth of the Law that we are servants of the same Lord who gives us his instructions at a distance. (Strom 3.12)
Rom 7.4, 7, 8, 13, 14 - For he says that "we are dead to the law." It may be contended that Christ's body is indeed a body, but not exactly flesh. Now, whatever may be the substance, since he mentions "the body of Christ," whom he immediately after states to have been "raised from the dead," none other body can be understood than that of the flesh, in respect of which the law was called (the law) of death. But, behold, he bears testimony to the law, and excuses it on the ground of sin: "What shall we say, therefore? Is the law sin? God forbid." "God forbid!" (See how) the apostle recoils from all impeachment of the law. I, however, have no acquaintance with sin except through the law. I, however, have no acquaintance with sin except through the law. But how high an encomium of the law (do we obtain) from this fact, that by it there comes to light the latent presence of sin! It was not the law, therefore, which led me astray, but “sin, taking occasion by the commandment.” Why then do you, (O Marcion,) impute to the God of the law what His apostle dares not impute even to the law itself? Nay, he adds a climax: “The law is holy, and its commandment just and good.” Now if he thus reverences the Creator’s law, I am at a loss to know how he can destroy the Creator Himself. Who can draw a distinction, and say that there are two gods, one just and the other good, when He ought to be believed to be both one and the other, whose commandment is both “just and good?” Then, again, when affirming the law to be “spiritual” he thereby implies that it is prophetic, and that it is figurative. Now from even this circumstance I am bound to conclude that Christ was predicted by the law but figuratively, so that indeed He could not be recognised by all the Jews. (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 7.5 - Et iterum: Cum enim essetis in carne, uitia peccatorum, quce per legem sunt, operabantur in uobis, nunc autem non estis in carne sed in spiritu (Adamantius Dialogue 5.22)
Rom 7.6 - Well, the body tills the ground, and hastes to it; but the soul is raised to God: trained in the true philosophy, it speeds to its kindred above, turning away from the lusts of the body, and besides these, from toil and fear, although we have shown that patience and fear belong to the good man. For if “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” [Rom. 3. 20] as those allege who disparage the law, and “till the law sin was in the world;” [Rom. 5. 13] yet “without the law sin was dead,” [Rom. 7. 6] we oppose them. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 7.6 - I am aware, of course, that certain mindless people have treated "newness of the Spirit" in such a way that they can say that the Spirit is new, as if he did not exist previously nor was he known by the ancients. And they do not realize that in this they are uttering the most serious blasphemy. For the Spirit is in the law, he is in the Gospels, he is always with the Father and the Son; and he always is, was, and shall be, just like the Father and the Son. Consequently, he is not new, but he renews those who believe when he leads them from the old evils to the new life and the new observance of the religion of Christ, and when he makes spiritual men out of carnal ones. (Origen, Commentary on Romans 8.6)
Rom 7.7 - At this point, I think that I ought not to leave on one side without comment the fact that the Apostle preaches the same God whether through the Law, the prophets, or the gospel. For in his letter to the Romans he attributes to the Law the words "You shall not lust" which in fact appear in the text of the gospel. [Matt 5.27; Rom 7.7] He does so in the knowledge that it is one single person who makes his decrees through the Law and the prophets, and is the subject of the gospel’s proclamation. He says, "What shall we say? Is the Law sin? Of course not. But I did not know sin except through the Law. I did not know lust, except that the Law said, ‘You shall not lust.’" [Rom 7.7] If the heretics who assail the creator suppose that Paul was speaking against him in the words that follow: "I know that nothing good lodges in me, in my flesh, that is to say," they had better read the words which precede and come after these. He has just said, "Sin lodges in me," which makes it appropriate to go on to, "Nothing good lodges in my flesh." [7.17-18 and then Clement immediately follows with citations from Rom 7.20, 23-4 then 8.2 -4] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.11)
Rom 7.7 (see Rom 7.4 for full context) "What shall we say, therefore? Is the law sin? God forbid." (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 7.8 (see Rom 7.4 for full context) "sin, taking occasion by the commandment." (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 7.8 - "Wherefore, brethren, having received no small occasion for repentance, while we have the opportunity, let us turn unto God that called us, while we still have Him as One that receiveth us. For if we renounce these enjoyments and conquer our soul in not doing these its evil desires, we shall partake of the mercy of Jesus. But ye know that the day of judgment even now "cometh as a burning oven," and some "of the heavens shall melt," and all the earth shall be as lead melting on the fire, and then the hidden and open works of men shall appear. Almsgiving therefore is a good thing, as repentance from sin; fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving than both; "but love covereth a multitude of sins." But prayer out of a good conscience delivereth from death. (2 Clement 14)
Rom 7.9 - And the mind of the flesh is enmity towards God. For it does not submit itself to the law of God; for it cannot do so, [Romans 8:7] because it is in the flesh, in which dwells no good, [Romans 7:18] because the Spirit of God is not in it. For this cause justly does the Scripture say regarding such a generation as this: My Spirit shall not dwell in men for ever, because they are flesh. Whosoever, therefore, has not the Spirit of God in him, is none of His: (Clement of Rome First Epistle on Virginity 8)
Rom 7.9 - If, then, it is said that sin has revived in a soul, how is it that certain people introduce from the phrase of the Apostle where he says, "But I was once alive without the law," the doctrine of μετενσωμάτωσις, which teaches that the souls of men were previously in beasts or birds or fish, and thus came to men? And, [they assert,] because of this the Apostle said, "But I was once alive without the law," as if before he came into this human body he lived at the rank, for example, of either birds or animals, where there was no law. And it is certain that if one who revives was at one time alive, it will appear, therefore, that the soul was never at that rank where it was not possible for sin without the law to exist or to be alive. Let these things be said against those who drag the Apostle's words into the doctrine of the impious. We, on the other hand, consider that death of sin to be given by the kindness of God at the time when we were living without law. (Origen, Commentary on Romans 6.8)
Rom 7.12 - Wherefore also Paul says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested;” [Rom. 3. 21, 22] and again, that you may better conceive of God, “even the righteousness of God by the faith of Jesus Christ upon all that believe; for there is no difference.” [Rom, 3. 26] And, witnessing further to the truth, he adds after a little, “through the forbearance of God, in order to show that He is just, and that Jesus is the justifier of him who is of faith.” And that he knows that what is just is good, appears by his saying, “So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good,” [Rom. 7. 12] using both names to denote the same power. But “no one is good,” except His Father. It is this same Father of His, then, who being one is manifested by many powers. And this was the import of the utterance, “No man knew the Father,” [Luke 10. 22; John 17. 25] who was Himself everything before the coming of the Son. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.8)
Rom 7.12 - Jesus, accordingly, does not charge him with not having fulfilled all things out of the law, but loves him, and fondly welcomes his obedience in what he had learned; but says that he is not perfect as respects eternal life, inasmuch as he had not fulfilled what is perfect, and that he is a doer indeed of the law, but idle at the true life. Those things, indeed, are good. Who denies it? For “the commandment is holy,” [Rom. 7. 12] as far as a sort of training with fear and preparatory discipline goes, leading as it did to the culmination of legislation and to grace. [Gal 3.24] (Quis Dives Salvetur 9)
Rom 7.12, 14 - "Man must not pull apart that which God has joined together." [Matt 19.6] That is reasonable. Far more so that that Son will preserve the things which the Father has ordained. If the Law and gospel come from the same being, the Son cannot fight against himself. The Law is alive because it is spiritual, [Rom 7.14] if we interpret it in the light of true knowledge. But we "have died to the Law through Christ’s body with a view to belonging to another, the one who was raised from the dead," the one who was prophesied by the Law, "so that we may bear fruit for God." [Rom 7.4] So "the Law is holy; the commandment is holy, righteous and good." [Rom 7.12] We died to the Law, that is to say, to the sin exposed by the Law, which the Law does not engender but reveals. It enjoins what we ought to do and bans what we ought not to do. It shows up the sin that is hidden, "so that sin may be seen for what it is." [Rom 7.14] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.12)
Rom 7.12 - 14 - But the cavillers did not know even this, as the apostle says, “that he who loveth his brother worketh not evil;” for this, “Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal; and if there be any other commandment, it is comprehended in the word, Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself.” [Rom. 13. 8–10] So also is it said, “Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” [Luke 10. 27] And “if he that loveth his neighbour worketh no evil,” and if “every commandment is comprehended in this, the loving our neighbour,” the commandments, by menacing with fear, work love, not hatred. Wherefore the law is productive of the emotion of fear. “So that the law is holy,” and in truth “spiritual,” [Rom. 7. 12, 14] according to the apostle. We must, then, as is fit, in investigating the nature of the body and the essence of the soul, apprehend the end of each, and not regard death as an evil. “For when ye were the servants of sin,” says the apostle, “ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things in which ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Rom. 6. 20–23] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 7.12, 13 - "Itaque lex quidem sancta, et mandatum sanctum et iustum et bonum. Et iterum: Ut peccatum appareat peccatum, per bortum mihi operatum est mortem." (Adamantius Dialogue 2.20)
Rom 7:12 - (cf. Rom 7.4 for full context) "The law is holy, and its commandment just and good." (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 7.13 (cf. Rom 7.4 for full context) Then, again, when affirming the law to be "spiritual" (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.13)
Rom 7.14 - καὶ τὸ ἐπράθητε ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.5 L. L. Welborn Early patristic readings of Romans - "[t]o be sure, these identifications have not been reflected consistently in translations or in the secondary literature" p. 80) Although I see Isa 50.1 LXX
Rom 7.17, 18 (see above Rom 7.7 for full context) He has just said, "Sin lodges in me," which makes it appropriate to go on to, "Nothing good lodges in my flesh." [Rom 7.17-18] On top of this he continues, "If I act contrary to my will, the effect is not mine but the effect of sin lodging in me," which, he says, "is at war with" God’s "Law and my own reason and takes me prisoner under the Law of sin which is in my very bones. What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body which is doomed to death?" (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.11)
Rom 7.17 - For the law, says he, of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death, — that, surely, which he previously mentioned as dwelling in our members. Our members, therefore, will no longer be subject to the law of death, because they cease to serve that of sin, from both which they have been set free. (Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh 46)
Rom 7.18 - looking forward to the time when he shall become like Him who died for him, for He, too, was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, [Romans 8:3] to condemn sin, and to cast it, as now a condemned thing, away beyond the flesh, but that He might call man forth into His own likeness, assigning him as [His own] imitator to God, and imposing on him His Father's law, in order that he may see God, and granting him power to receive the Father; [being] the Word of God who dwelt in man, and became the Son of man, that He might accustom man to receive God, and God to dwell in man, according to the good pleasure of the Father. On this account, therefore, the Lord Himself, who is Emmanuel from the Virgin, Isaiah 7:4 is the sign of our salvation, since it was the Lord Himself who saved them, because they could not be saved by their own instrumentality; and, therefore, when Paul sets forth human infirmity, he says: For I know that there dwells in my flesh no good thing, [Romans 7:18] showing that the good thing of our salvation is not from us, but from God. And again: Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [Romans 7:24] Then he introduces the Deliverer, [saying,] The grace of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.20.2)
Rom 7.18 - for every man is a liar; to will is present with him, but he finds not means to perform (Irenaeus 4.36.8)
Rom 7.20, 23, 24 (see above Rom 7.7 for full context) On top of this he continues, "If I act contrary to my will, the effect is not mine but the effect of sin lodging in me," which, he says, "is at war with" God’s "Law and my own reason and takes me prisoner under the Law of sin which is in my very bones. What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body which is doomed to death?" [7.20, 23-4 then 8.2 -4] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.11)
Rom 7.20 - Our members, therefore, will no longer be subject to the law of death, because they cease to serve that of sin, from both which they have been set free. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and through sin condemned sin in the flesh, [Romans 8:3] — not the flesh in sin, for the house is not to be condemned with its inhabitant. He said, indeed, that sin dwells in our body. [Romans 7:20] But the condemnation of sin is the acquittal of the flesh, just as its non-condemnation subjugates it to the law of sin and death. In like manner, he called the carnal mind first death, Romans 8:6 and afterwards enmity against God; but he never predicated this of the flesh itself. (Tertullian On the Resurrection 46)
Rom 7.23 - For he in a previous verse ascribed sin to the flesh, and made it out to be "the law of sin dwelling in his members," and "warring against the law of the mind." (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 7.23 - For a little afterwards, he has described what is, as it were, the death of death itself: “Death,” says he, “is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin”—here is the corruption; “and the strength of sin is the law”—that other law, no doubt, which he has described “in his members as warring against the law of his mind,”—meaning, of course, the actual power of sinning against his will. Now he says in a previous passage, that “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh 51)
Rom 7.24 - And again, "So on earth too the soul of the philosopher particularly despises the body, tries to escape from it, and seeks to secure an existence on its own." [Plato, Phaedo 65 C-D] This clearly harmonizes with the divine Apostle’s words: "Wretch that I am, all too human, who shall rescue me from this body of death?" [Rom 7.24] – unless he is using the phrase "body of death" metaphorically of the common mind of those who have been seduced into vice. Long before Marcion, Plato, in the first book of the Republic, clearly saw sexual intercourse as the origin of birth and rejected it accordingly. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.3)
Rom 7.24 - "sicut apostolus Paulus clamabat liberari a corpore mortis huius. Ista tria sunt quae requiro." (Adamantius Dialogue 3.1)
Rom 7.24 - On this account, therefore, the Lord Himself, who is Emmanuel from the Virgin, [Isaiah 7:4] is the sign of our salvation, since it was the Lord Himself who saved them, because they could not be saved by their own instrumentality; and, therefore, when Paul sets forth human infirmity, he says: For I know that there dwells in my flesh no good thing, [Romans 7:18] showing that the good thing of our salvation is not from us, but from God. And again: Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.20.3)
Rom 7.25 - Ego ipse mente quidem seruio legi dei, carne autem legi peccati. Nihil ergo nunc (damnationis est) his, qui sunt in Christo Iesu. Lex enim spiritus uitae in Christo Iesxi liberauit nos a fege peccati et mortis." (Adamantius Dialogue 5.27)
Chapter 8
Romans 8:2-4, 10, 11; 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 - On top of this he continues, "If I act contrary to my will, the effect is not mine but the effect of sin lodging in me," which, he says, "is at war with" God’s "Law and my own reason and takes me prisoner under the Law of sin which is in my very bones. What a wretched man I am. Who will rescue me from this body which is doomed to death?" [Rom 7.20, 23-4] Once again, since he never remotely gets tired of doing good, he does not hesitate to add, "The Law of the Spirit has freed me from the Law of sin and death," since through his Son "God has pronounced judgment upon sin in the flesh so that the Law’s ordinance might find fulfillment in us, whose lives are governed by the Spirit not by the flesh." [Rom 8.2-4] In addition to all this, he makes what he has already said even clearer by asserting at the top of his voice, "The body is a dead thing because of sin," [Rom 8.10] showing that if it is not the soul’s temple it remains the soul’s tomb. When it is consecrated to God, he is going to continue, "the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lodges in you, and he will give life even to your mortal bodies through his indwelling Spirit." [Rom 8.11] So again he attacks the hedonists and adds, "The object of the flesh is death, since those whose lives are governed by the flesh follow the flesh in their objectives; and the object of the flesh is hostility to God, for it is not subject to God’s Law. Those who live on the level of flesh cannot please God" should not be understood as some people lay down, but as I have already argued. Then in distinction from these people, he addresses the Church. "You are not living by the flesh but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God is dwelling in you. Anyone without Christ’s Spirit is not of him. But if Christ is in you, then your body is a dead thing because of sin, but the Spirit is life through righteousness. So, brothers, we are in debt. Not to the flesh, to follow it in our lives; for if you follow the flesh in the way you live, you are on the way to death. But if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live. For all who are guided by God’s Spirit are sons of God." He goes on to speak against the high birth and freedom which the heretics adduce so abominably as they vaunt their licentiousness. "You have not received a spirit of slavery to drive you once again towards fear. You have received a Spirit that makes us sons and enables us to cry out, ‘Abba,’ ‘Father.’" [Rom 8.5-15] That is to say, we have received the Spirit to enable us to know the one to whom we pray, our real Father, the one and only Father of all that is, the one who like a Father educates us for salvation and does away with fear. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.11)
Rom 8.2, 11, 3, 4 - “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death;” so that “He that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you;” having “condemned sin” which is in the body to its destruction; “that the righteousness of the law" (Methodius from Photius, Bibliotheca, cod. 234)
Rom 8.3 - For he who holds, without pride and boasting, the true glory (opinion) regarding created things and the Creator, who is the Almighty God of all, and who has granted existence to all; [such an one,] continuing in His love John 15:9 and subjection, and giving of thanks, shall also receive from Him the greater glory of promotion, looking forward to the time when he shall become like Him who died for him, for He, too, was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, Romans 8:3 to condemn sin, and to cast it, as now a condemned thing, away beyond the flesh, but that He might call man forth into His own likeness, assigning him as [His own] imitator to God, and imposing on him His Father's law, in order that he may see God, and granting him power to receive the Father; [being] the Word of God who dwelt in man, and became the Son of man, that He might accustom man to receive God, and God to dwell in man, according to the good pleasure of the Father. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.20.2)
Rom 8.3 - If the Father sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, Romans 8:3 it must not therefore be said that the flesh which He seemed to have was but a phantom. For he in a previous verse ascribed sin to the flesh, and made it out to be the law of sin dwelling in his members, and warring against the law of the mind. On this account, therefore, (does he mean to say that) the Son was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, that He might redeem this sinful flesh by a like substance, even a fleshly one, which bare a resemblance to sinful flesh, although it was itself free from sin. Now this will be the very perfection of divine power to effect the salvation (of man) in a nature like his own. For it would be no great matter if the Spirit of God remedied the flesh; but when a flesh, which is the very copy of the sinning substance— itself flesh also— only without sin, (effects the remedy, then doubtless it is a great thing). The likeness, therefore, will have reference to the quality of the sinfulness, and not to any falsity of the substance. Because he would not have added the attribute sinful, if he meant the likeness to be so predicated of the substance as to deny the verity thereof; in that case he would only have used the word flesh, and omitted the sinful. But inasmuch as he has put the two together, and said sinful flesh, (or flesh of sin,) he has both affirmed the substance, that is, the flesh and referred the likeness to the fault of the substance, that is, to its sin. But even suppose that the likeness was predicated of the substance, the truth of the said substance will not be thereby denied. Why then call the true substance like? Because it is indeed true, only not of a seed of like condition with our own; but true still, as being of a nature not really unlike ours. And again, in contrary things there is no likeness. Thus the likeness of flesh would not be called spirit, because flesh is not susceptible of any likeness to spirit; but it would be called phantom, if it seemed to be that which it really was not. It is, however, called likeness, since it is what it seems to be. Now it is (what it seems to be), because it is on a par with the other thing (with which it is compared). But a phantom, which is merely such and nothing else, is not a likeness. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 8:3 - The famous Alexander, too, instigated by his love of disputation in the true fashion of heretical temper, has made himself conspicuous against us; he will have us say that Christ put on flesh of an earthly origin, in order that He might in His own person abolish sinful flesh. Now, even if we did assert this as our opinion, we should be able to defend it in such a way as completely to avoid the extravagant folly which he ascribes to us in making us suppose that the very flesh of Christ was in Himself abolished as being sinful; because we mention our belief (in public), that it is sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven; and we further declare that it will come again from thence in all the pomp of the Father's glory: it is therefore just as impossible for us to say that it is abolished, as it is for us to maintain that it is sinful, and so made void, since in it there has been no fault. We maintain, moreover, that what has been abolished in Christ is not carnem peccati, sinful flesh, but peccatum carnis, sin in the flesh,— not the material thing, but its condition; not the substance, but its flaw; and (this we aver) on the authority of the apostle, who says, He abolished sin in the flesh. Now in another sentence he says that Christ was in the likeness of sinful flesh, not, however, as if He had taken on Him the likeness of the flesh, in the sense of a semblance of body instead of its reality; but he means us to understand likeness to the flesh which sinned, because the flesh of Christ, which committed no sin itself, resembled that which had sinned—resembled it in its nature, but not in the corruption it received from Adam; whence we also affirm that there was in Christ the same flesh as that whose nature in man is sinful. In the flesh, therefore, we say that sin has been abolished, because in Christ that same flesh is maintained without sin, which in man was not maintained without sin. Now, it would not contribute to the purpose of Christ's abolishing sin in the flesh, if He did not abolish it in that flesh in which was the nature of sin, nor (would it conduce) to His glory. For surely it would have been no strange thing if He had removed the stain of sin in some better flesh, and one which should possess a different, even a sinless, nature! Then, you say, if He took our flesh, Christ's was a sinful one. Do not, however, fetter with mystery a sense which is quite intelligible. For in putting on our flesh, He made it His own; in making it His own, He made it sinless. A word of caution, however, must be addressed to all who refuse to believe that our flesh was in Christ on the ground that it came not of the seed of a human father, let them remember that Adam himself received this flesh of ours without the seed of a human father. As earth was converted into this flesh of ours without the seed of a human father, so also was it quite possible for the Son of God to take to Himself the substance of the selfsame flesh, without a human father's agency. (Tertullian On the Flesh of Christ 16)
Rom 8:3 - For, he says, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of transgression and death----evidently that law which he has already said dwells in our members. Consequently our members will no longer be held to the law of death, because neither are they held to the law of transgression, from both which laws they have been set free. For, that wherein the law was powerless, that in which it was being made weak through the flesh, God, having sent his own Son in the likeness of the flesh of transgression, and by means of transgression, hath condemned transgression in the flesh----not the flesh in the transgression, for neither is a house to be condemned along with its inhabitant. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 46)
Rom 8:3 - The apostle, with this in mind, that the flesh does nothing of itself that is not imputed to the soul, none the less judges the flesh sinful, lest because it seems to be set in motion by the soul it should be thought to have been set free of judgement. So also when he enjoins upon the flesh some works of praise----Glorify and uplift God in your body ---though aware that these activities are performed by the soul, yet he enjoins them on the flesh as well, just because he also promises it the fruits of them.(Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 16)
Rom 8:3 - Wherefore He says, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” [John xvi. 33]. And this He said, not as holding before us any contest proper only to a God, but as showing our own flesh in its capacity to overcome suffering, and death, and corruption, in order that, as sin entered into the world by flesh, and death came to reign by sin over all men, the sin in the flesh might also be condemned through the selfsame flesh in the likeness thereof; [Rom. v. 12; viii. 3] and that that overseer of sin, the tempter, might be overcome, and death be cast down from its sovereignty, and the corruption in the burying of the body be done away, and the first-fruits of the resurrection be shown, and the principle of righteousness begin its course in the world through faith, and the kingdom of heaven be preached to men, and fellowship be established between God and men. (Gregory Thaumaturgus, Topic 12)
Rom 8:3 - Now although the flesh is sinful, and we are forbidden to walk in accordance with it, [Gal. v. 16] and its works are condemned as lusting against the spirit, [ibid 17] and men on its account are censured as carnal, [Rom. viii. 5] yet the flesh has not such ignominy on its own account. For it is not of itself that it thinks anything or feels anything for the purpose of advising or commanding sin. How should it, indeed? It is only a ministering thing, and its ministration is not like that of a servant or familiar friend—animated and human beings; but rather that of a vessel, or something of that kind: it is body, not soul. (Tertullian On the Soul 40)
Rom 8:4 - 6, 9 - Ut iustificatio legis impleatur in nobis, qui non secundum carnem ambul mus, sed secundum spiritum. Qui enim secundum carnem ambulant, quae carnis sunt, sapiunt; qui uero secundum spiritum, quce sunt spiritus. Prudentia enim carnis inimica est deo , prudentia uero spiritus uita et pax. Uos autem non estis in carne sed in spiritu. (Adamantius, Dialogue 1. 22)
Rom 8:5 - The apostle, however, himself here comes to our aid; for, while explaining in what sense he would not have us “live in the flesh,” although in the flesh—even by not living in the works of the flesh—he shows that when he wrote the words, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” it was not with the view of condemning the substance (of the flesh), but the works thereof (Tertullian Against Marcion 8:14)
Rom 8:5, 9 - As in the other letter writes the Apostle to his disciples: "Those here who are under the influence of the flesh, think of the flesh are their thoughts; only, you, yourselves are under the influence of the flesh, but of the Spirit" (Eznik, De Deo 429:295)
Rom 8:5 - For so, too, does the apostle say, that to savour according to the flesh is death, but to savour according to the spirit is life eternal in Jesus Christ our Lord. Again, through the holy prophetess Prisca the Gospel is thus preached: that the holy minister knows how to minister sanctity. For purity, says she, is harmonious, and they see visions; and, turning their face downward, they even hear manifest voices, as salutary as they are withal secret. (Tertullian, On Chastity 10)
Rom 8:6 - Animal men, again, are instructed in animal things; such men, namely, as are established by their works, and by a mere faith, while they have not perfect knowledge. We of the Church, they say, are these persons (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1:6)
Rom 8:6 - But the condemnation of sin is the acquittal of the flesh, just as its non-condemnation subjugates it to the law of sin and death. In like manner, he called the carnal mind first death, Romans 8:6 and afterwards enmity against God; but he never predicated this of the flesh itself. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 46)
Rom 8:7, 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30; 36, 37 - And the Saviour has said to us, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [Matt. 26. 41] “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God,” explains the apostle: “for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed, can be. And they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” And in further explanation continues, that no one may, like Marcion regard the creature as evil. “But if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” And again: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. If we suffer with Him, that we also may be glorified together as joint-heirs of Christ. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to the purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. And whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” [Rom. viii. 7, 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30] You see that martyrdom for love’s sake is taught. And should you wish to be a martyr for the recompense of advantages, you shall hear again. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” [Rom. vii. 24, 25] “But if we also suffer for righteousness’ sake,” says Peter, “blessed are we. Be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to him that asks a reason of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear, having a good conscience; so that in reference to that for which you are spoken against, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ. For it is better to suffer for well-doing, if the will of God, than for evil-doing.” But if one should captiously say, And how is it possible for feeble flesh to resist the energies and spirits of the Powers? [Eph. vi. 12] well, let him know this, that, confiding in the Almighty and the Lord, we war against the principalities of darkness, and against death. “Whilst thou art yet speaking,” He says, “Lo, here am I.” See the invincible Helper who shields us. “Think it not strange, therefore, concerning the burning sent for your trial, as though some strange thing happened to you; But, as you are partaken in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice; that at the revelation of His glory ye may rejoice exultant. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on you.” [1 Pet. iv. 12, 13, 14] As it is written, “Because for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.” [Rom. viii. 36, 37] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom 8:7 - In other passages also he is accustomed to put the natural condition instead of the works that are done therein, as when he says, that “they who are in the flesh cannot please God." Now, when shall we be able to please God except whilst we are in this flesh? There is, I imagine, no other time wherein a man can work. If, however, whilst we are even naturally living in the flesh, we yet eschew the deeds of the flesh, then we shall not be in the flesh; since, although we are not absent from the substance of the flesh, we are notwithstanding strangers to the sin thereof. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 10)
Rom 8:8 - For although he says that in his flesh dwells no good thing; Romans 8:18 although he affirms that they who are in the flesh cannot please God, Romans 8:8 because the flesh lusts against the Spirit; Galatians 5:17 yet in these and similar assertions which he makes, it is not the substance of the flesh, but its actions, which are censured. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 10)
Rom 8:8 - h in such a way as to appear to condemn the flesh; but no one can suppose him to have any such view as this, since he goes on to suggest another sense, even though somewhat resembling it. For when he actually declares that they who are in the flesh cannot please God, he immediately recalls the statement from an heretical sense to a sound one, by adding, But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. Romans 8:8-9 Now, by denying them to be in the flesh who yet obviously were in the flesh, he showed that they were not living amidst the works of the flesh, and therefore that they who could not please God were not those who were in the flesh, but only those who were living after the flesh; whereas they pleased God, who, although existing in the flesh, were yet walking after the Spirit. And, again, he says that the body is dead; but it is because of sin, even as the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 46)
Rom 8.9 - So also may we take the Scripture: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ;” [1 Cor. iii. 1] so that the carnal may be understood as those recently instructed, and still babes in Christ. For he called those who had already believed on the Holy Spirit spiritual, and those newly instructed and not yet purified carnal; whom with justice he calls still carnal, as minding equally with the heathen the things of the flesh: “For whereas there is among you envy and strife, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” [1 Cor. iii. 3]“Wherefore also I have given you milk to drink,” he says; meaning, I have instilled into you the knowledge which, from instruction, nourishes up to life eternal. But the expression, “I have given you to drink” (ἐπότισα), is the symbol of perfect appropriation. For those who are full-grown are said to drink, babes to suck. “For my blood,” says the Lord, “is true drink.” [John vi. 55] In saying, therefore, “I have given you milk to drink,” has he not indicated the knowledge of the truth, the perfect gladness in the Word, who is the milk? And what follows next, “not meat, for ye were not able,” may indicate the clear revelation in the future world, like food, face to face. “For now we see as through a glass,” the same apostle says, “but then face to face.” [1 Cor. xiii. 12] Wherefore also he has added, “neither yet are ye now able, for ye are still carnal,” minding the things of the flesh,—desiring, loving, feeling jealousy, wrath, envy. “For we are no more in the flesh,” [Rom. viii. 9] as some suppose. For with it [they say], having the face which is like an angel’s, we shall see the promise face to face. How then, if that is truly the promise after our departure hence, say they that they know “what eye hath not known, nor hath entered into the mind of man,” who have not perceived by the Spirit, but received from instruction “what ear hath not heard,” [Cor. ii. 9] or that ear alone which “was rapt up into the third heaven?” [Cor. xii. 2–4] But it even then was commanded to preserve it unspoken. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 1.6)
Rom 8.9 - Those that are superior to Pleasure, who rise above the passions, who know what they do—the Gnostics, who are greater than the world. “I said, Ye are Gods; and all sons of the Highest.” [Ps. lxxxii. 6] To whom speaks the Lord? To those who reject as far as possible all that is of man. And the apostle says, “For ye are not any longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit.” [Rom. viii. 9] And again he says, “Though in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.” [2 Cor. x. 3] “For flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” [1 Cor. xv. 50] “Lo, ye shall die like men,” the Spirit has said, confuting us. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.20)
Rom 8:9 - so also, when man is grafted in by faith and receives the Spirit of God, he certainly does not lose the substance of flesh, but changes the quality of the fruit [brought forth, i.e.,] of his works, and receives another name, showing that he has become changed for the better, being now not [mere] flesh and blood, but a spiritual man, and is called such. Then, again, as the wild olive, if it be not grafted in, remains useless to its lord because of its woody quality, and is cut down as a tree bearing no fruit, and cast into the fire; so also man, if he does not receive through faith the engrafting of the Spirit, remains in his old condition, and being [mere] flesh and blood, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Rightly therefore does the apostle declare, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;" and, "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God:" not repudiating [by these words] the substance of flesh, but showing that into it the Spirit must be infused. And for this reason, he says, "This mortal must put on immortality, and this corruptible must put on incorruption." And again he declares, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.10.2)
Rom 8:9 - Since, however he has declared of men which are yet alive in the flesh, that they are not in the flesh, Romans 8:9 meaning that they are not living in the works of the flesh, you ought not to subvert its form nor its substance, but only the works done in the substance (of the flesh), alienating us from the kingdom of God. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 49)
Rom 8:9 - And those who are virgins rejoice at all times in becoming like God and His Christ, and are imitators of them. For in those that are such there is not "the mind of the flesh." In those who are truly believers, and "in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells" Romans 8:9 —in them "the mind of the flesh" cannot be (Clement of Rome, First Epistle on Virginity 8)
Rom 8:9, 11 - In the same manner, therefore, as Christ did rise in the substance of flesh, and pointed out to His disciples the mark of the nails and the opening in His side (now these are the tokens of that flesh which rose from the dead), so "shall He also," it is said, "raise us up by His own power." And again to the Romans he says, "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies." What, then, are mortal bodies? Can they be souls? Nay, for souls are incorporeal when put in comparison with mortal bodies; for God "breathed into the face of man the breath of life, and man became a living soul." (Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.7.1)
Rom 8:9,15 - But we do now receive a certain portion of His Spirit, tending towards perfection, and preparing us for incorruption, being little by little accustomed to receive and bear God; which also the apostle terms "an earnest," that is, a part of the honour which has been promised us by God, where he says in the Epistle to the Ephesians, "In which ye also, having heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, believing in which we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance." This earnest, therefore, thus dwelling in us, renders us spiritual even now, and the mortal is swallowed up by immortality. "For ye," he declares, "are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." This, however does not take place by a casting away of the flesh, but by the impartation of the Spirit. For those to whom he was writing were not without flesh, but they were those who had received the Spirit of God, "by which we cry, Abba, Father." If therefore, at the present time, having the earnest, we do cry, "Abba, Father," what shall it be when, on rising again, we behold Him face to face; when all the members shall burst out into a continuous hymn of triumph, glorifying Him who raised them from the dead, and gave the gift of eternal life? For if the earnest, gathering man into itself, does even now cause him to cry, "Abba, Father," what shall the complete grace of the Spirit effect, which shall be given to men by God? It will render us like unto Him, and accomplish the will(14) of the Father; for it shall make man after the image and likeness of God. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.8.1)
Rom 8:10 - Likewise, if the body indeed is dead because of sin (from which statement we see that not the death of the soul is meant, but that of the body), but the spirit is life because of righteousness, Romans 8:10 it follows that this life accrues to that which incurred death because of sin, that is, as we have just seen, the body. (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 8:11 - And again, "Knowing that Christ, rising from the dead, dies no more:" Romans 6:9 for, as himself foreseeing, through the Spirit, the subdivisions of evil teachers [with regard to the Lord's person], and being desirous of cutting away from them all occasion of cavil, he says what has been already stated, [and also declares:] "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies." Romans 8:11 This he does not utter to those alone who wish to hear: Do not err, [he says to all:] Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is one and the same, who did by suffering reconcile us to God, and rose from the dead; who is at the right hand of the Father, and perfect in all things (Irenaeus Against Heresies 3.16.9)
Rom 8:11 - Now the body is only restored to him who had lost it; so that the resurrection of the dead implies the resurrection of their bodies. He accordingly subjoins: He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies. Romans 8:11 In these words he both affirmed the resurrection of the flesh (without which nothing can rightly be called body, nor can anything be properly regarded as mortal), and proved the bodily substance of Christ; inasmuch as our own mortal bodies will be quickened in precisely the same way as He was raised (Tertullian, Against Heresies 5.14)
Rom 8:11 - Now, if life thus extirpates death from the body, it can accomplish this only by penetrating there where that is which it is excluding. But why am I resorting to knotty arguments, when the apostle treats the subject with perfect plainness? For if, says he, the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because of His Spirit that dwells in you; Romans 8:11 so that even if a person were to assume that the soul is the mortal body, he would (since he cannot possibly deny that the flesh is this also) be constrained to acknowledge a restoration even of the flesh, in consequence of its participation in the selfsame state. From the following words, moreover, you may learn that it is the works of the flesh which are condemned, and not the flesh itself: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: for if you live after the flesh you shall die; but if you, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. (Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh 46)
Rom 8:11 - Moreover, when the apostle in his epistle prays, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of knowledge,” He must be other (than Christ), who is the God of Jesus Christ, the bestower of spiritual gifts. And once for all, that we may not wander through every passage, He “who raised up Christ from the dead, and is also to raise up our mortal bodies,”8173 must certainly be, as the quickener, different from the dead Father, or even from the quickened Father, if Christ who died is the Father. (Tertullian, Against Praxeas, 28)
Rom 8:15 - - And on account of this, (they maintain) that at his baptism the Holy Spirit as a dove came down--that is, the Logos of the mother above, (I mean Sophia)--and became (a voice) to the animal (man), and raised him from the dead. This, he says, is what has been declared: "He who raised Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortal and natural bodies." (Philosophumena 6.30)
Rom 8.15 - “For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner,” he writes to Timothy. [2 Tim. i. 7, 8; Rom. viii. 15] Such shall he be “who cleaves to that which is good,” according to the apostle, [Rom. xii. 9] “who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law.” [Rom. xiii. 8] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.17)
Rom 8:15 - Advancing from faith and fear to knowledge, man knows how to say Lord, Lord; but not as His slave, he has learned to say, Our Father. Having set free the spirit of bondage, which produces fear, and advanced by love to adoption, he now reverences from love Him whom he feared before. For he no longer abstains from what he ought to abstain from out of fear, but out of love clings to the commandments. “The Spirit itself,” it is said, “beareth witness when we cry, Abba, Father.” (Excerpts of Theodotus 19) Rom 8.17 - Praise and declare to me Thy Father God; Thy utterances save; Thy hymn teaches [Eph. v. 14] is probably from a hymn of the Church, which is here referred to as His, as it is adopted into Scripture.] that hitherto I have wandered in error, seeking God. But since Thou leadest me to the light, O Lord, and I find God through Thee, and receive the Father from Thee, I become “Thy fellow-heir,” [Rom. viii. 17] since Thou “wert not ashamed of me as Thy brother.” [Heb. ii. 11] Let us put away, then, let us put away oblivion of the truth, viz., ignorance; and removing the darkness which obstructs, as dimness of sight, let us contemplate the only true God, first raising our voice in this hymn of praise: Hail, O light! For in us, buried in darkness, shut up in the shadow of death, light has shone forth from heaven, purer than the sun, sweeter than life here below. That light is eternal life; and whatever partakes of it lives. But night fears the light, and hiding itself in terror, gives place to the day of the Lord. Sleepless light is now over all, and the west has given credence to the east. For this was the end of the new creation. For “the Sun of Righteousness,” who drives His chariot over all, pervades equally all humanity, like “His Father, who makes His sun to rise on all men,” and distils on them the dew of the truth. He hath changed sunset into sunrise, and through the cross brought death to life; and having wrenched man from destruction, He hath raised him to the skies, transplanting mortality into immortality, and translating earth to heaven—He, the husbandman of God, (Exhortation 11)
Rom 8:17 - So that the subject in this passage is not that corruption which they ascribe to the outward man in the utter destruction of the flesh, with the view of nullifying the resurrection. So also he says elsewhere: If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together; for I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:17-18 Here again he shows us that our sufferings are less than their rewards. Now, since it is through the flesh that we suffer with Christ— for it is the property of the flesh to be worn by sufferings— to the same flesh belongs the recompense which is promised for suffering with Christ. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 40)
Rom 8:18 - Even the apostle ought not to be known for any one statement in which he is wont to reproach the flesh. For although he says that in his flesh dwells no good thing; Romans 8:18 although he affirms that they who are in the flesh cannot please God, Romans 8:8 because the flesh lusts against the Spirit; Galatians 5:17 yet in these and similar assertions which he makes, it is not the substance of the flesh, but its actions, which are censured. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 10)
Rom 8:18 - Inasmuch, therefore, as the opinions of certain [orthodox persons] are derived from heretical discourses, they are both ignorant of God's dispensations, and of the mystery of the resurrection of the just, and of the [earthly] kingdom which is the commencement of incorruption, by means of which kingdom those who shall be worthy are accustomed gradually to partake of the divine nature (capere Deum); and it is necessary to tell them respecting those things, that it behoves the righteous first to receive the promise of the inheritance which God promised to the fathers, and to reign in it, when they rise again to behold God in this creation which is renovated, and that the judgment should take place afterwards. For it is just that in that very creation in which they toiled or were afflicted, being proved in every way by suffering, they should receive the reward of their suffering; and that in the creation in which they were slain because of their love to God, in that they should be revived again; and that in the creation in which they endured servitude, in that they should reign. For God is rich in all things, and all things are His. It is fitting, therefore, that the creation itself, being restored to its primeval condition, should without restraint be under the dominion of the righteous; and the apostle has made this plain in the Epistle to the Romans, when he thus speaks: "For the expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature has been subjected to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope; since the creature itself shall also be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." Romans 8:19, etc.(Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.32.1)
Rom 8:19 - 22 Et licet nolint hi qui Scripturas apostolicas interpolaverunt istiusmodi sermones inesse libris eorum quibus possit Creator Iesus Christus probari, exspectat ibi tamen omnis creatura filios Dei, quando liberentur a delicto, (Origen Commentary on Ezekiel 1.7 Ulrich Schmid Marcion und sein Apostolos p. 104)
Rom 8:19 And His place should be above the Conterminous Spirit, near the refined and imitative Sonship and the Non-Existent One. But this would be in accordance with what has been written, he says: And the creation itself groans together, and travails in pain together, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Now, we who are spiritual are sons, he says, who have been left here to arrange, and mould, and rectify, and complete the souls which, according to nature, are so constituted as to continue in this quarter of the universe. Sin, then, reigned from Adam unto Moses, Romans 5:14 as it has been written. (Philosophumena 6.17)
Rom 8:19 - 21 - When, therefore, he says, the entire Sonship shall have come, and shall be above the conterminous spirit, then the creature will become the object of mercy. For (the creature) groans until now,Romans 8:19-22 and is tormented, and waits for the manifestation of the sons of God, in order that all who are men of the Sonship may ascend from thence. When this takes place, God, he says, will bring upon the whole world enormous ignorance, that all things may continue according to nature, and that nothing may inordinately desire anything of the things that are contrary to nature. But (far from it) (Philosophumena 6.15)
Rom 8:21 - The apostle, too, has confessed that the creation shall be free from the bondage of corruption, [so as to pass] into the liberty of the sons of God. Romans 8:21 And in all these things, and by them all, the same God the Father is manifested, who fashioned man, and gave promise of the inheritance of the earth to the fathers, who brought it (the creature) forth [from bondage] at the resurrection of the just, and fulfils the promises for the kingdom of His Son; subsequently bestowing in a paternal manner those things which neither the eye has seen, nor the ear has heard, nor has [thought concerning them] arisen within the heart of man, 1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 64:4 For there is the one Son, who accomplished His Father's will; and one human race also in which the mysteries of God are wrought, which the angels desire to look into; 1 Peter 1:12 and they are not able to search out the wisdom of God, by means of which His handiwork, confirmed and incorporated with His Son, is brought to perfection; that His offspring, the First-begotten Word, should descend to the creature (facturam), that is, to what had been moulded (plasma), and that it should be contained by Him; and, on the other hand, the creature should contain the Word, and ascend to Him, passing beyond the angels, and be made after the image and likeness of God. (Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.36.3) Rom 8:21 - Nay, but as a king, when he draws near to his city, does first of all send on before him his life-guardsmen,1841 his ensigns and standards and banners,1842 his generals and chiefs and prefects, and then forthwith all objects are roused and excited in different fashions, while some become inspired with terror and others with exultation at the prospect of the king’s advent; so also my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truly perfect one, at His coming will first send on before Him His glory, and the consecrated heralds of an unstained and untainted kingdom: and then the universal creation will be moved and perturbed, uttering prayers and supplications, until He delivers it from its bondage. And it must needs be that the race of man shall then be in fear and in vehement agitation on account of the many offences it has committed. (Acts of Archelaus 37)
Rom 8.24 -25 (see above Rom 7.7 for full context) And should you wish to be a martyr for the recompense of advantages, you shall hear again. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” [Rom. 7. 24, 25] “But if we also suffer for righteousness’ sake,” says Peter, “blessed are we. Be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to him that asks a reason of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear, having a good conscience; so that in reference to that for which you are spoken against, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ. For it is better to suffer for well-doing, if the will of God, than for evil-doing.” But if one should captiously say, And how is it possible for feeble flesh to resist the energies and spirits of the Powers? [Eph. 6. 12] well, let him know this, that, confiding in the Almighty and the Lord, we war against the principalities of darkness, and against death. “Whilst thou art yet speaking,” He says, “Lo, here am I.” See the invincible Helper who shields us. “Think it not strange, therefore, concerning the burning sent for your trial, as though some strange thing happened to you; But, as you are partaken in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice; that at the revelation of His glory ye may rejoice exultant. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on you.” [1 Pet. 4. 12, 13, 14] As it is written, “Because for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.” [Rom. 8. 36, 37] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom 8.26 - If he but form the thought in the secret chamber of his soul, and call on the Father “with unspoken groanings,” [Rom. viii. 26] He is near, and is at his side, while yet speaking. Inasmuch as there are but three ends of all action, he does everything for its excellence and utility; but doing aught for the sake of pleasure, which he leaves to those who pursue the common life. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.7)
Rom 8.26 - Herein also you ought to recognise the Paraclete in His character of Comforter, in that He excuses your infirmity597 from (the stringency of) an absolute continence. (Tertullian Against Praxeas 3)
Rom 8.28, 29 - No one would, I say, voluntarily choose to do this. “For if God foreknew those who are called, according to His purpose, to be conformed to the image of His Son,” for whose sake, according to the blessed apostle, He has appointed “Him to be the first-born among many brethren," [Rom. viii. 28, 29] are they not godless who treat with indignity the body which is of like form with the Lord? (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 3.3)
Rom 8:32 - And not poses he in thesis that this however someone else who judged him and cast him into the gehenna, but this is the Father who gave him to the dead. And over again that this is he who gave his soul (= life) in a living ransom of many (Eznik, De Deo 404)
Rom 8:35 Let us bear about a deep love for the Creator; let us cleave to Him with our whole heart; let us not wickedly waste the substance of reason, like the prodigal. Let us obtain the joy laid up, in which Paul exulting, exclaimed, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” [Rom. viii. 35] To Him belongs glory and honour, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen. (Cleement of Alexandria, Fragments, Cassiodorus)
Rom 8:36, 37 - (see above Rom 7.7 for full context) As it is written, “Because for Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.” [Rom. viii. 36, 37] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom 8:36 - "propter te morte afficimur tota die" (Adamantius, Dialogue 1.20)
Rom 8:38 - “Or life, that of our present existence,” and “death,” [Rom 8.38]—that caused by the assault of persecutors, and “angels, and principalities, and powers,” apostate spirits. (Clement of Alexandria, Catanae)
Rom 8:38, 39 - For I am persuaded that neither death,” through the assault of persecutors, “nor life” in this world, “nor angels,” the apostate ones, “nor powers” (and Satan’s power is the life which he chose, for such are the powers and principalities of darkness belonging to him), “nor things present,” amid which we exist during the time of life, as the hope entertained by the soldier, and the merchant’s gain, “nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,” in consequence of the energy proper to a man,—opposes the faith of him who acts according to free choice. “Creature” is synonymous with activity, being our work, and such activity “shall not be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Rom. viii. 38, 39] You have got a compendious account of the gnostic martyr. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.14)
Chapter 9
Rom 9:10, 13 - But that our faith was also prefigured in Abraham, and that he was the patriarch of our faith, and, as it were, the prophet of it, the apostle has very fully taught, when he says in the Epistle to the Galatians: "He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. But the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, announced beforehand unto Abraham, that in him all nations should be blessed. So then they which be of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham." For which [reasons the apostle] declared that this man was not only the prophet of faith, but also the father of those who from among the Gentiles believe in Jesus Christ, because his faith and ours are one and the same: for he believed in things future, as if they were already accomplished, because of the promise of God; and in like manner do we also, because of the promise of God, behold through faith that inheritance in the kingdom. The history of Isaac, too, is not without a symbolical character. For in the Epistle to the Romans, the apostle declares: "Moreover, when Rebecca had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac," she received answer from the Word, "that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth, it was said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people are in thy body; and the one people shall overcome the other, and the eider shall serve the younger." From which it is evident, that not only [were there] prophecies of the patriarchs, but also that the children brought forth by Rebecca were a prediction of the two nations; and that the one should be indeed the greater, but the other the less; that the one also should be under bondage, but the other free; but [that both should be] of one and the same father. Our God, one and the same, is also their God, who knows hidden things, who knoweth all things before they can come to pass; and for this reason has He said, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.21.2)
? Rom 9:14 - For there is no unrighteousness with God according to the apostle. [οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστιν ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον] (Clement of Alexandria's Stromata 4.24)
Chapter 10
Rom 10.2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 8, 9, 19 - 21 (begins with material from Rom 12:2; 9,10 - 18.21) And the same apostle owns that he bears witness to the Jews, “that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.” [Rom. x. 2, 3] For they did not know and do the will of the law; but what they supposed, that they thought the law wished. And they did not believe the law as prophesying, but the bare word; and they followed through fear, not through disposition and faith. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness,” [Rom. x. 4] who was prophesied by the law to every one that believeth. Whence it was said to them by Moses, “I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are not a people; and I will anger you by a foolish nation, that is, by one that has become disposed to obedience.” [Rom. x. 19; Deut. xxxii. 21] And by Isaiah it is said, “I was found of them that sought Me not; I was made manifest to them that inquired not after Me,” [Isa. xlv. 2; Rom. x. 20, 21] —manifestly previous to the coming of the Lord; after which to Israel, the things prophesied, are now appropriately spoken: “I have stretched out My hands all the day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people.” Do you see the cause of the calling from among the nations, clearly declared, by the prophet, to be the disobedience and gainsaying of the people? Then the goodness of God is shown also in their case. For the apostle says, “But through their transgression salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy” [Rom. xi. 11] and to willingness to repent. And the Shepherd, speaking plainly of those who had fallen asleep, recognises certain righteous among Gentiles and Jews, not only before the appearance of Christ, but before the law, in virtue of acceptance before God,—as Abel, as Noah, as any other righteous man. He says accordingly, “that the apostles and teachers, who had preached the name of the Son of God, and had fallen asleep, in power and by faith, preached to those that had fallen asleep before” Then he subjoins: “And they gave them the seal of preaching. They descended, therefore, with them into the water, and again ascended. But these descended alive, and again ascended alive. But those, who had fallen asleep before, descended dead, but ascended alive. By these, therefore, they were made alive, and knew the name of the Son of God. Wherefore also they ascended with them, and fitted into the structure of the tower, and unhewn were built up together; they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity, but wanted only this seal.” [Hermas, Similitudes, p. 49] “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves,” (Rom. 2. 14] (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.9)
Rom 10:2 - Now the body is only restored to him who had lost it; so that the resurrection of the dead implies the resurrection of their bodies. He accordingly subjoins: "He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies." In these words he both affirmed the resurrection of the flesh (without which nothing can rightly be called body, nor can anything be properly regarded as mortal), and proved the bodily substance of Christ; inasmuch as our own mortal bodies will be quickened in precisely the same way as He was raised; and that was in no other way than in the body. I have here a very wide gulf of expunged Scripture tO leap across; however, I alight on the place where the apostle bears record of Israel "that they have a zeal of God"-their own God, of course--"but not according to knowledge. For," says he, "being ignorant of (the righteousness of) God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God; for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Hereupon we shall be confronted with an argument of the heretic, that the Jews were ignorant of the superior God, since, in opposition to him, they set up their own righteousness--that is, the righteousness of their law--not receiving Christ, the end (or finisher) of the law. But how then is it that he bears testimony to their zeal for their own God, if it is not in respect of the same God that he upbraids them for their ignorance? They were affected indeed with zeal for God, but it was not an intelligent zeal: they were, in fact, ignorant of Him, because they were ignorant of His dispensations by Christ, who was to bring about the consummation of the law; and in this way did they maintain their own righteousness in opposition to Him. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5:14)
Rom 10:3 - 4 - He does not call the law given by Moses commandments of men, but the traditions of the elders themselves which they had invented, and in upholding which they made the law of God of none effect, and were on this account also not subject to His Word. For this is what Paul says concerning these men: For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. Romans 10:3-4 And how is Christ the end of the law, if He be not also the final cause of it? For He who has brought in the end has Himself also wrought the beginning; and it is He who does Himself say to Moses, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have come down to deliver them; Exodus 3:7-8 it being customary from the beginning with the Word of God to ascend and descend for the purpose of saving those who were in affliction. (Irenaeus Against Heresies, 4.12.4)
Rom 10.4 - Who then is perfect? He who professes abstinence from what is bad. Well, this is the way to the Gospel and to well-doing. But gnostic perfection in the case of the legal man is the acceptance of the Gospel, that he that is after the law may be perfect. For so he, who was after the law, Moses, foretold that it was necessary to hear in order that we might, according to the apostle, receive Christ, the fulness of the law. [Deut. xviii. 15; Rom. x. 4] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.21)
Rom 10:5 - With regard to those (the Marcionites) who allege that Paul alone knew the truth, and that to him the mystery was manifested by revelation, let Paul himself convict them, when he says, that one and the same God wrought in Peter for the apostolate of the circumcision, and in himself for the Gentiles Peter, therefore, was an apostle of that very God whose was also Paul; and Him whom Peter preached as God among those of the circumcision, and likewise the Son of God, did Paul [declare] also among the Gentiles. For our Lord never came to save Paul alone, nor is God so limited in means, that He should have but one apostle who knew the dispensation of His Son. And again, when Paul says, "How beautiful are the feet of those bringing glad tidings of good things, and preaching the Gospel of peace," he shows clearly that it was not merely one, but there were many who used to preach the truth. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.13.1)
Rom 10.6, 9 - As it has been clearly demonstrated that the Word, who existed in the beginning with God, by whom all things were made, who was also always present with mankind, was in these last days, according to the time appointed by the Father, united to His own workmanship, inasmuch as He became a man liable to suffering, [it follows] that every objection is set aside of those who say, "If our Lord was born at that time, Christ had therefore no previous existence." For I have shown that the Son of God did not then begin to exist, being with the Father from the beginning; but when He became incarnate, and was made man, He commenced afresh the long line of human beings, and furnished us, in a brief, comprehensive manner, with salvation; so that what we had lost in Adam—namely, to be according to the image and likeness of God—that we might recover in Christ Jesus. For as it was not possible that the man who had once for all been conquered, and who had been destroyed through disobedience, could reform himself, and obtain the prize of victory; and as it was also impossible that he could attain to salvation who had fallen under the power of sin,—the Son effected both these things, being the Word of God, descending from the Father, becoming incarnate, stooping low, even to death, and consummating the arranged plan of our salvation, upon whom [Paul], exhorting us unhesitatingly to believe, again says, "Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, to bring down Christ; or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to liberate Christ again from the dead." Romans 10:6-7 Then he continues, "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." Romans 10:9 And he renders the reason why the Son of God did these things, saying, "For to this end Christ both lived, and died, and revived, that He might rule over the living and the dead." Romans 14:9 (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.18.1,2)
Rom 10:8, 9, 10, 11 - “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed; that is, the word of faith which we preach: for if thou confess the word with thy mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” [Rom. x. 10, 11, 8, 9] There is clearly described the perfect righteousness, fulfilled both in practice and contemplation. Wherefore we are “to bless those who persecute us. Bless, and curse not.” [Rom. xii. 14] “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of a good conscience, that in holiness and sincerity we know God” by this inconsiderable instance exhibiting the work of love, that “not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.” [2 Cor. i. 12] So far the apostle respecting knowledge; and in the second Epistle to the Corinthians he calls the common “teaching of faith” the savour of knowledge. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.16)
Rom 10.10 - Heracleon, the most distinguished of the school of Valentinians, says expressly, “that there is a confession by faith and conduct, and one with the voice. The confession that is made with the voice, and before the authorities, is what the most reckon the only confession. Not soundly: and hypocrites also can confess with this confession. But neither will this utterance be found to be spoken universally; for all the saved have confessed with the confession made by the voice, and departed. [Rom. x. 10] Of whom are Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and many others. And confession by the lip is not universal, but partial. But that which He specifies now is universal, that which is by deeds and actions corresponding to faith in Him. This confession is followed by that which is partial, that before the authorities, if necessary, and reason dictate. For he will confess rightly with his voice who has first confessed by his disposition. [Rom. x. 10] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.9)
Rom 10.10,11 - (immediately after Rom 8.36,37) But it is God that makes proclamation to us, and He must be believed. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be put to shame.” [Rom. x. 10, 11] (followed by Rom ch 12) (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom 10:10 - It is better for a man to be silent and be [a Christian], than to talk and not to be one. “The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. [1 Cor. 4. 20] Men “believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth,” the one “unto righteousness,” the other “unto salvation.” (Ignatius, Long Version Epistle to the Ephesians 10 not present in earlier versions)
Rom 10: 14, 15, 17 - “Lord, who hath believed our report?” [Isa. liii. 1] Isaiah says. For “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” saith the apostle. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe on Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those that publish glad tidings of good things.” [Rom. x. 17, 14, 15] You see how he brings faith by hearing, and the preaching of the apostles, up to the word of the Lord, and to the Son of God. We do not yet understand the word of the Lord to be demonstration. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.6)
Rom 10:15 - With regard to those (the Marcionites) who allege that Paul alone knew the truth, and that to him the mystery was manifested by revelation, let Paul himself convict them, when he says, that one and the same God wrought in Peter for the apostolate of the circumcision, and in himself for the Gentiles. Galatians 2:8 Peter, therefore, was an apostle of that very God whose was also Paul; and Him whom Peter preached as God among those of the circumcision, and likewise the Son of God, did Paul [declare] also among the Gentiles. For our Lord never came to save Paul alone, nor is God so limited in means, that He should have but one apostle who knew the dispensation of His Son. And again, when Paul says, "How beautiful are the feet of those bringing glad tidings of good things, and preaching the Gospel of peace," Romans 10:15; Isaiah 52:7 he shows clearly that it was not merely one, but there were many who used to preach the truth. And again, in the Epistle to the Corinthians, when he had recounted all those who had seen God after the resurrection, he says in continuation, "But whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so you believed," 1 Corinthians 15:11 acknowledging as one and the same, the preaching of all those who saw God after the resurrection from the dead. (Irenaeus Against Heresies 3.13.1)
Rom 10.19, 20, 21 - (begins with material from Rom 12:2; 9,10 - 18.21) And the same apostle owns that he bears witness to the Jews, “that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.” [Rom. x. 2, 3] For they did not know and do the will of the law; but what they supposed, that they thought the law wished. And they did not believe the law as prophesying, but the bare word; and they followed through fear, not through disposition and faith. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness,” [Rom. x. 4] who was prophesied by the law to every one that believeth. Whence it was said to them by Moses, “I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are not a people; and I will anger you by a foolish nation, that is, by one that has become disposed to obedience.” [Rom. x. 19; Deut. xxxii. 21] And by Isaiah it is said, “I was found of them that sought Me not; I was made manifest to them that inquired not after Me,” [Isa. xlv. 2; Rom. x. 20, 21] —manifestly previous to the coming of the Lord; after which to Israel, the things prophesied, are now appropriately spoken: “I have stretched out My hands all the day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people.” Do you see the cause of the calling from among the nations, clearly declared, by the prophet, to be the disobedience and gainsaying of the people? Then the goodness of God is shown also in their case. For the apostle says, “But through their transgression salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy” [Rom. xi. 11] and to willingness to repent. And the Shepherd, speaking plainly of those who had fallen asleep, recognises certain righteous among Gentiles and Jews, not only before the appearance of Christ, but before the law, in virtue of acceptance before God,—as Abel, as Noah, as any other righteous man. He says accordingly, “that the apostles and teachers, who had preached the name of the Son of God, and had fallen asleep, in power and by faith, preached to those that had fallen asleep before” Then he subjoins: “And they gave them the seal of preaching. They descended, therefore, with them into the water, and again ascended. But these descended alive, and again ascended alive. But those, who had fallen asleep before, descended dead, but ascended alive. By these, therefore, they were made alive, and knew the name of the Son of God. Wherefore also they ascended with them, and fitted into the structure of the tower, and unhewn were built up together; they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity, but wanted only this seal.” [Hermas, Similitudes, p. 49] “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves,” [Rom. ii. 14] (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.9)
Rom 10:17 - Now nothing can be expounded of another god which is applicable to the Creator; otherwise the apostle would not have been just in reproaching the Jews with ignorance in respect of a god of whom they knew nothing. For where had been their sin, if they only maintained the righteousness of their own God against one of whom they were ignorant? But he exclaims: “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God; how unsearchable also are His ways!” Whence this outburst of feeling? Surely from the recollection of the Scriptures, which he had been previously turning over, as well as from his contemplation of the mysteries which he had been setting forth above, in relation to the faith of Christ coming from the law. If Marcion had an object in his erasures, why does his apostle utter such an exclamation, because his god has no riches for him to contemplate? So poor and indigent was he, that he created nothing, predicted nothing—in short, possessed nothing; for it was into the world of another God that he descended. The truth is, the Creator’s resources and riches, which once had been hidden, were now disclosed. For so had He promised: “I will give to them treasures which have been hidden, and which men have not seen will I open to them.” Hence, then, came the exclamation, “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God!” For His treasures were now opening out. This is the purport of what Isaiah said, and of (the apostle’s own) subsequent quotation of the self-same passage, of the prophet: “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?” Now, (Marcion,) since you have expunged so much from the Scriptures, why did you retain these words, as if they too were not the Creator’s words? (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.14)
Chapter 11
Rom 11:11 (immediately after citation of 10:2 - 4, 19 - 21) Then the goodness of God is shown also in their case. For the apostle says, “But through their transgression salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy [Rom. xi. 11] and to willingness to repent. And the Shepherd, speaking plainly of those who had fallen asleep, recognises certain righteous among Gentiles and Jews, not only before the appearance of Christ, but before the law, in virtue of acceptance before God,—as Abel, as Noah, as any other righteous man. He says accordingly, “that the apostles and teachers, who had preached the name of the Son of God, and had fallen asleep, in power and by faith, preached to those that had fallen asleep before” Then he subjoins: “And they gave them the seal of preaching. They descended, therefore, with them into the water, and again ascended. But these descended alive, and again ascended alive. But those, who had fallen asleep before, descended dead, but ascended alive. By these, therefore, they were made alive, and knew the name of the Son of God. Wherefore also they ascended with them, and fitted into the structure of the tower, and unhewn were built up together; they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity, but wanted only this seal.” [Hermas, Similitudes, p. 49, supra.] “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves,” [Rom. ii. 14] according to the apostle. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.9)
Rom 11:16 - Paul, too, very plainly set forth the material, animal, and spiritual, saying in one place, As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; 1 Corinthians 15:48 and in another place, But the animal man receives not the things of the Spirit; 1 Corinthians 2:14 and again: He that is spiritual judges all things. 1 Corinthians 2:15 And this, The animal man receives not the things of the Spirit, they affirm to have been spoken concerning the Demiurge, who, as being animal, knew neither his mother who was spiritual, nor her seed, nor the Æons in the Pleroma. And that the Saviour received first-fruits of those whom He was to save, Paul declared when he said, And if the first-fruits be holy, the lump is also holy, Romans 11:16 teaching that the expression first-fruits denoted that which is spiritual, but that the lump meant us, that is, the animal Church, the lump of which they say He assumed, and blended it with Himself, inasmuch as He is the leaven. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.8.3)
Rom 11.17 - This truth, therefore, [he declares], in order that we may not reject the engrafting of the Spirit while pampering the flesh. "But thou, being a wild olive-tree," he says, "hast been grafted into the good olive-tree, and been made a partaker of the fatness of the olive-tree." As, therefore, when the wild olive has been engrafted, if it remain in its former condition, viz., a wild olive, it is "cut off, and cast into the fire;" but if it takes kindly to the graft, and is changed into the good olive-tree, it becomes a fruit-bearing olive, planted, as it were, in a king's park (paradiso): so likewise men, if they do truly progress by faith towards better things, and receive the Spirit of God, and bring forth the fruit thereof, shall be spiritual, as being planted in the paradise of God. But if they cast out the Spirit, and remain in their former condition, desirous of being of the flesh rather than of the Spirit, then it is very justly said with regard to men of this stamp, "That flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God;" just as if any one were to say that the wild olive is not received into the paradise of God. Admirably therefore does the apostle exhibit our nature, and God's universal appointment, in his discourse about flesh and blood and the wild olive. For as the good olive, if neglected for a certain time, if left to grow wild and to run to i wood, does itself become a wild olive; or again, if the wild olive be carefully tended and grafted, it naturally reverts to its former fruit-bearing condition: so men also, when they become careless, and bring forth for fruit the lusts of the flesh like woody produce, are rendered, by their own fault, unfruitful in righteousness. For when men sleep, the enemy sows the material of tares; and for this cause did the Lord command His disciples to be on the watch. And again, those persons who are not bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, and are, as it were, covered over and lost among brambles, if they use diligence, and receive the word of God as a graft, arrive at the pristine nature of man--that which was created after the image and likeness of God. But as the engrafted wild olive does not certainly lose the substance of its wood, but changes the quality of its fruit, and receives another name, being now not a wild olive, but a fruit-bearing olive, and is called so; so also, when man is grafted in by faith and receives the Spirit of God, he certainly does not lose the substance of flesh, but changes the quality of the fruit [brought forth, i.e.,] of his works, and receives another name, showing that he has become changed for the better, being now not [mere] flesh and blood, but a spiritual man, and is called such. Then, again, as the wild olive, if it be not grafted in, remains useless to its lord because of its woody quality, and is cut down as a tree bearing no fruit, and cast into the fire; so also man, if he does not receive through faith the engrafting of the Spirit, remains in his old condition, and being [mere] flesh and blood, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.10.1)
Rom 11:21 - As I have heard from a certain presbyter (= Polycarp), who had heard it from those who had seen the apostles, and from those who had been their disciples, the punishment [declared] in Scripture was sufficient for the ancients in regard to what they did without the Spirit's guidance. For as God is no respecter of persons, He inflicted a proper punishment on deeds displeasing to Him. As in the case of David, 1 Samuel 18 when he suffered persecution from Saul for righteousness' sake, and fled from King Saul, and would not avenge himself of his enemy, he both sung the advent of Christ, and instructed the nations in wisdom, and did everything after the Spirit's guidance, and pleased God. But when his lust prompted him to take Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, the Scripture said concerning him, Now, the thing (sermo) which David had done appeared wicked in the eyes of the Lord; 2 Samuel 11:27 and Nathan the prophet is sent to him, pointing out to him his crime, in order that he, passing sentence upon and condemning himself, might obtain mercy and forgiveness from Christ: And [Nathan] said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe-lamb, which he possessed, and nourished up; and it had been with him and with his children together: it ate of his own bread, and drank of his cup, and was to him as a daughter. And there came a guest unto the rich man; and he spared to take of the flock of his own ewe-lambs, and from the herds of his own oxen, to entertain the guest; but he took the ewe-lamb of the poor man, and set it before the man that had come unto him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man that has done this thing shall surely die (filius mortis est): and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he has done this thing, and because he had no pity for the poor man. And Nathan said unto him, You are the man who has done this. 2 Samuel 12:1, etc. And then he proceeds with the rest [of the narrative], upbraiding him, and recounting God's benefits towards him, and [showing him] how much his conduct had displeased the Lord. For [he declared] that works of this nature were not pleasing to God, but that great wrath was suspended over his house. David, however, was struck with remorse on hearing this, and exclaimed, I have sinned against the Lord; and he sung a penitential psalm, waiting for the coming of the Lord, who washes and makes clean the man who had been fast bound with [the chain of] sin. In like manner it was with regard to Solomon, while he continued to judge uprightly, and to declare the wisdom of God, and built the temple as the type of truth, and set forth the glories of God, and announced the peace about to come upon the nations, and prefigured the kingdom of Christ, and spoke three thousand parables about the Lord's advent, and five thousand songs, singing praise to God, and expounded the wisdom of God in creation, [discoursing] as to the nature of every tree, every herb, and of all fowls, quadrupeds, and fishes; and he said, Will God whom the heavens cannot contain, really dwell with men upon the earth? 1 Kings 8:27 And he pleased God, and was the admiration of all; and all kings of the earth sought an interview with him (quærebant faciem ejus) that they might hear the wisdom which God had conferred upon him. 1 Kings 4:34 The queen of the south, too, came to him from the ends of the earth, to ascertain the wisdom that was in him: 1 Kings 10:1 she whom the Lord also referred to as one who should rise up in the judgment with the nations of those men who do hear His words, and do not believe in Him, and should condemn them, inasmuch as she submitted herself to the wisdom announced by the servant of God, while these men despised that wisdom which proceeded directly from the Son of God. For Solomon was a servant, but Christ is indeed the Son of God, and the Lord of Solomon. While, therefore, he served God without blame, and ministered to His dispensations, then was he glorified: but when he took wives from all nations, and permitted them to set up idols in Israel, the Scripture spoke thus concerning him: And King Solomon was a lover of women, and he took to himself foreign women; and it came to pass, when Solomon was old, his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God. And the foreign women turned away his heart after strange gods. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord: he did not walk after the Lord, as did David his father. And the Lord was angry with Solomon; for his heart was not perfect with the Lord, as was the heart of David his father. 1 Kings 11:1 The Scripture has thus sufficiently reproved him, as the presbyter remarked, in order that no flesh may glory in the sight of the Lord. It was for this reason, too, that the Lord descended into the regions beneath the earth, preaching His advent there also, and [declaring] the remission of sins received by those who believe in Him. 1 Peter 3:19-20. Now all those believed in Him who had hope towards Him, that is, those who proclaimed His advent, and submitted to His dispensations, the righteous men, the prophets, and the patriarchs, to whom He remitted sins in the same way as He did to us, which sins we should not lay to their charge, if we would not despise the grace of God. For as these men did not impute unto us (the Gentiles) our transgressions, which we wrought before Christ was manifested among us, so also it is not right that we should lay blame upon those who sinned before Christ's coming. For all men come short of the glory of God, and are not justified of themselves, but by the advent of the Lord,— they who earnestly direct their eyes towards His light. And it is for our instruction that their actions have been committed to writing, that we might know, in the first place, that our God and theirs is one, and that sins do not please Him although committed by men of renown; and in the second place, that we should keep from wickedness. For if these men of old time, who preceded us in the gifts [bestowed upon them], and for whom the Son of God had not yet suffered, when they committed any sin and served fleshly lusts, were rendered objects of such disgrace, what shall the men of the present day suffer, who have despised the Lord's coming, and become the slaves of their own lusts? And truly the death of the Lord became [the means of] healing and remission of sins to the former, but Christ shall not die again in behalf of those who now commit sin, for death shall no more have dominion over Him; but the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, requiring from His stewards and dispensers the money which He had entrusted to them, with usury; and from those to whom He had given most shall He demand most. We ought not, therefore, as that presbyter remarks, to be puffed up, nor be severe upon those of old time, but ought ourselves to fear, lest perchance, after [we have come to] the knowledge of Christ, if we do things displeasing to God, we obtain no further forgiveness of sins, but be shut out from His kingdom. And therefore it was that Paul said, For if [God] spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest He also spare not you, who, when you were a wild olive tree, were grafted into the fatness of the olive tree, and were made a partaker of its fatness. (Irenaeus Against Heresies 4.27)
Rom 11:22 - “Behold, therefore,” says Paul, “the goodness and severity of God: on them that fell, severity; but upon thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness,” [Rom. xi. 22] that is, in faith in Christ. (Strom 1.8)
Rom 11:26 - But as many as feared God, and were anxious about His law, these ran to Christ, and were all saved. For He said to His disciples: Go to the sheep of the house of Israel, Matthew 10:6 which have perished. And many more Samaritans, it is said, when the Lord had tarried among them, two days, believed because of His words, and said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying, for we ourselves have heard [Him], and know that this man is truly the Saviour of the world. John 4:41 And Paul likewise declares, And so all Israel shall be saved; Romans 11:26 but he has also said, that the law was our pedagogue [to bring us] to Christ Jesus. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4,2,8)
Rom 11:32 - Just as the physician is proved by his patients, so is God also revealed through men. And therefore Paul declares, For God has concluded all in unbelief, that He may have mercy upon all; Romans 11:32 not saying this in reference to spiritual Æons, but to man, who had been disobedient to God, and being cast off from immortality, then obtained mercy, receiving through the Son of God that adoption which is [accomplished] by Himself. For he who holds, without pride and boasting, the true glory (opinion) regarding created things and the Creator, who is the Almighty God of all, and who has granted existence to all; [such an one,] continuing in His love John 15:9 and subjection, and giving of thanks, shall also receive from Him the greater glory of promotion, looking forward to the time when he shall become like Him who died for him, for He, too, was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, Romans 8:3 to condemn sin, and to cast it, as now a condemned thing, away beyond the flesh, but that He might call man forth into His own likeness, assigning him as [His own] imitator to God, and imposing on him His Father's law, in order that he may see God, and granting him power to receive the Father; [being] the Word of God who dwelt in man, and became the Son of man, that He might accustom man to receive God, and God to dwell in man, according to the good pleasure of the Father. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3.20.2)
Rom 11.32, 33 - It does not follow because men are endowed with greater and less degrees of intelligence, that they should therefore change the subject-matter [of the faith] itself, and should conceive of some other God besides Him who is the Framer, Maker, and Preserver of this universe, (as if He were not sufficient for them), or of another Christ, or another Only-begotten. But the fact referred to simply implies this, that one may [more accurately than another] bring out the meaning of those things which have been spoken in parables, and accommodate them to the general scheme of the faith; and explain [with special clearness] the operation and dispensation of God connected with human salvation; and show that God manifested longsuffering in regard to the apostasy of the angels who transgressed, as also with respect to the disobedience of men; and set forth why it is that one and the same God has made some things temporal and some eternal, some heavenly and others earthly; and understand for what reason God, though invisible, manifested Himself to the prophets not under one form, but differently to different individuals; and show why it was that more covenants than one were given to mankind; and teach what was the special character of each of these covenants; and search out for what reason "God Romans 11:32 has concluded every man in unbelief, that He may have mercy upon all;" and gratefully describe on what account the Word of God became flesh and suffered; and relate why the advent of the Son of God took place in these last times, that is, in the end, rather than in the beginning [of the world]; and unfold what is contained in the Scriptures concerning the end [itself], and things to come; and not be silent as to how it is that God has made the Gentiles, whose salvation was despaired of, fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers with the saints; and discourse how it is that "this mortal body shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption;" 1 Corinthians 15:54 and proclaim in what sense [God] says, "That is a people who was not a people; and she is beloved who was not beloved;" Hosea 2:23; Romans 9:25 and in what sense He says that "more are the children of her that was desolate, than of her who possessed a husband." Isaiah 54:1; Galatians 4:27 For in reference to these points, and others of a like nature, the apostle exclaims: "Oh! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" Romans 11:33 (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 1.10.3)
Rom 11.33 - And the treasures of wisdom are unfailing, in admiration of which the apostle says, “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom!” [Rom. xi. 33] (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 3.12)
Rom 11.33 - Further, in the Epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians it is written, “An ocean illimitable by men and the worlds after it.” Consequently, therefore, the noble apostle exclaims, “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!” [Rom. xi. 33] And was it not this which the prophet meant, when he ordered unleavened cakes (ἐγκρυφίαι) to be made, intimating that the truly sacred mystic word, respecting the unbegotten and His powers, ought to be concealed? (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.12)
Rom 11.33, 34 - But you do not even deny God intelligently, you treat of Him ignorantly; nay, you accuse Him with a semblance of intelligence, whom if you did but know Him, you would never accuse, nay, never treat of. You give Him His name indeed, but you deny the essential truth of that name, that is, the greatness which is called God; not acknowledging it to be such as, were it possible for it to have been known to man in every respect, would not be greatness. Isaiah even so early, with the clearness of an apostle, foreseeing the thoughts of heretical hearts, asked, Who has known the mind of the Lord? For who has been His counsellor? With whom took He counsel?...or who taught Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding? With whom the apostle agreeing exclaims, Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:33 His judgments unsearchable, as being those of God the Judge; and His ways past finding out, as comprising an understanding and knowledge which no man has ever shown to Him, except it may be those critics of the Divine Being, who say, God ought not to have been this, and He ought rather to have been that; as if any one knew what is in God, except the Spirit of God. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 2.2)
Rom 11.33, 34 - For where had been their sin, if they only maintained the righteousness of their own God against one of whom they were ignorant? But he exclaims: “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God; how unsearchable also are His ways!” Whence this outburst of feeling? Surely from the recollection of the Scriptures, which he had been previously turning over, as well as from his contemplation of the mysteries which he had been setting forth above, in relation to the faith of Christ coming from the law. If Marcion had an object in his erasures, why does his apostle utter such an exclamation, because his god has no riches for him to contemplate? So poor and indigent was he, that he created nothing, predicted nothing—in short, possessed nothing; for it was into the world of another God that he descended. The truth is, the Creator’s resources and riches, which once had been hidden, were now disclosed. For so had He promised: “I will give to them treasures which have been hidden, and which men have not seen will I open to them.” Hence, then, came the exclamation, “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God!” For His treasures were now opening out. This is the purport of what Isaiah said, and of (the apostle’s own) subsequent quotation of the self-same passage, of the prophet: “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?” Now, (Marcion,) since you have expunged so much from the Scriptures, why did you retain these words, as if they too were not the Creator’s words? (Tertullian Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 11.34 - But this very declaration of His they will hastily pervert into an argument of His singleness. “I have,” says He, “stretched out the heaven alone.” Undoubtedly alone as regards all other powers; and He thus gives a premonitory evidence against the conjectures of the heretics, who maintain that the world was constructed by various angels and powers, who also make the Creator Himself to have been either an angel or some subordinate agent sent to form external things, such as the constituent parts of the world, but who was at the same time ignorant of the divine purpose. If, now, it is in this sense that He stretches out the heavens alone, how is it that these heretics assume their position so perversely, as to render inadmissible the singleness of that Wisdom which says, “When He prepared the heaven, I was present with Him?” —even though the apostle asks, “Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His counsellor?” meaning, of course, to except that wisdom which was present with Him. (Tertullian, Against Praxeas 19)
Rom 11:36 - Those who bestow laudatory addresses on the rich appear to me to be rightly judged not only flatterers and base, in vehemently pretending that things which are disagreeable give them pleasure, but also godless and treacherous; godless, because neglecting to praise and glorify God, who is alone perfect and good, “of whom are all things, and by whom are all things, and for whom are all things,” [Rom. xi. 36] they invest with divine honours men wallowing in an execrable and abominable life, and, what is the principal thing, liable on this account to the judgment of God (Clement of Alexandria, Quis Dives Salvetur 1)
Rom 11:36 - They moreover affirm that the Saviour is shown to be derived from all the Æons, and to be in Himself everything by the following passage: Every male that opens the womb. Exodus 13:2; Luke 2:23 For He, being everything, opened the womb of the enthymesis of the suffering Æon, when it had been expelled from the Pleroma. This they also style the second Ogdoad, of which we shall speak presently. And they state that it was clearly on this account that Paul said, And He Himself is all things; Colossians 3:11 and again, All things are to Him, and of Him are all things; Romans 11:36 and further, In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead; Colossians 2:9 and yet again, All things are gathered together by God in Christ. Ephesians 1:10 Thus do they interpret these and any like passages to be found in Scripture. (Irenaeus Against Heresies 1.3.4) [cmp Methodius Oration on Simeon and Ana 3 - "Then, after your hymn of thanksgiving, we shall usefully inquire what cause aroused the King of Glory to appear in Bethlehem. His compassion for us compelled Him, who cannot be compelled, to be born in a human body at Bethlehem. But what necessity was there that He, when a suckling infant, that He who, though both in time, was not limited by time, that He, who though wrapped in swaddling clothes, was not by them held fast, what necessity was there that He should be an exile and a stranger from His country? Should you, forsooth, wish to know this, you congregation most holy, and upon whom the Spirit of God has breathed, listen to Moses proclaiming plainly to the people, stimulating them, as it were, to the knowledge of this extraordinary nativity, and saying, Every male that opens the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord. Exodus 31:19 O wondrous circumstance! O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Romans 11:33 It became indeed the Lord of the law and the prophets to do all things in accordance with His own law, and not to make void the law, but to fulfil it, and rather to connect with the fulfilment of the law the beginning of His grace."]
Chapter 12
Rom 12:1 - Those who have become acquainted with the secondary (i.e., under Christ) constitutions of the apostles, are aware that the Lord instituted a new oblation in the new covenant, according to [the declaration of] Malachi the prophet. For, “from the rising of the sun even to the setting my name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice;” as John also declares in the Apocalypse: “The incense is the prayers of the saints.” Then again, Paul exhorts us “to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” And again, “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of the lips.” Now those oblations are not according to the law, the handwriting of which the Lord took away from the midst by cancelling it; but they are according to the Spirit, for we must worship God “in spirit and in truth.” And therefore the oblation of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual; and in this respect it is pure. For we make an oblation to God of the bread and the cup of blessing, giving Him thanks in that He has commanded the earth to bring forth these fruits for our nourishment. And then, when we have perfected the oblation, we invoke the Holy Spirit, that He may exhibit this sacrifice, both the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ, in order that the receivers of these antitypes may obtain remission of sins and life eternal. Those persons, then, who perform these oblations in remembrance of the Lord, do not fall in with Jewish views, but, performing the service after a spiritual manner, they shall be called sons of wisdom. (Fragment of Irenaeus 37)
Rom 12.1 - For in this way grace shall there much more abound, where sin once abounded. Romans 5:20 In this way also shall strength be made perfect in weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9 — saving what is lost, reviving what is dead, healing what is stricken, curing what is faint, redeeming what is lost, freeing what is enslaved, recalling what has strayed, raising what is fallen; and this from earth to heaven, where, as the apostle teaches the Philippians, we have our citizenship, from whence also we look for our Saviour Jesus Christ, who shall change our body of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like His glorious body Philippians 3:20-21 — of course after the resurrection, because Christ Himself was not glorified before He suffered. These must be the bodies which he beseeches the Romans to present as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Romans 12:1 But how a living sacrifice, if these bodies are to perish? How a holy one, if they are profanely soiled? How acceptable to God, if they are condemned? Come, now, tell me how that passage (in the Epistle) to the Thessalonians— which, because of its clearness, I should suppose to have been written with a sunbeam— is understood by our heretics, who shun the light of Scripture: And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And as if this were not plain enough, it goes on to say: And may your whole body, and soul, and spirit be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Here you have the entire substance of man destined to salvation, and that at no other time than at the coming of the Lord, which is the key of the resurrection. (Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Body 47)
Rom 12.2, 9, 10, 11,18, 21 - For we regard as worldly those, who hope in the earth and carnal lusts. “Be not conformed,” says the apostle, “to this world: but be ye transformed in the renewal of the mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Hospitality, therefore, is occupied in what is useful for strangers; and guests (ἐπίξενοι) are strangers (ξένοι); and friends are guests; and brethren are friends. “Dear brother,”2245 says Homer. Philanthropy, in order to which also, is natural affection, being a loving treatment of men, and natural affection, which is a congenial habit exercised in the love of friends or domestics, follow in the train of love. And if the real man within us is the spiritual, philanthropy is brotherly love to those who participate, in the same spirit. Natural affection, on the other hand, is the preservation of good-will, or of affection; and affection is its perfect demonstration; and to be beloved is to please in behaviour, by drawing and attracting. And persons are brought to sameness by consent, which is the knowledge of the good things that are enjoyed in common. For community of sentiment (ὁμογνωμοσύνη) is harmony of opinions (συμφωνία γνωμῶν). “Let your love be without dissimulation,” it is said; “and abhorring what is evil, let us become attached to what is good, to brotherly love,” and so on, down to “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, living peaceably with all men.” Then “be not overcome of evil,” it is said, “but overcome evil with good.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 2.9)
Rom 12.3 - For the Church has been planted as a garden (paradisus) in this world; therefore says the Spirit of God, "Thou mayest freely eat from every tree of the garden," that is, Eat ye from every Scripture of the Lord; but ye shall not eat with an uplifted mind, nor touch any heretical discord. For these men do profess that they have themselves the knowledge of good and evil; and they set their own impious minds above the God who made them. They therefore form opinions on what is beyond the limits of the understanding. For this cause also the apostle says, "Be not wise beyond what it is fitting to be wise, but be wise prudently," that we be not east forth by eating of the "knowledge" of these men (that knowledge which knows more than it should do) from the paradise of life. Into this paradise the Lord has introduced those who obey His call, "summing up in Himself all things which are in heaven, and which are on earth; " but the things in heaven are spiritual, while those on earth constitute the dispensation in human nature (secundum hominem est dispositio). These things, therefore, He recapitulated in Himself: by uniting man to the Spirit, and causing the Spirit to dwell in man, He is Himself made the head of the Spirit, and gives the Spirit to be the head of man: for through Him (the Spirit) we see, and hear, and speak. (Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.20.2)
Rom 12.3 - it is possible for someone to be wiser than he ought to be in respect to each of the virtues. It is even possible for someone to be wiser than he ought to be in respect to chastity, as are those who attend to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons that utter lies in their hypocrisy and that forbid marriage to these, having seared consciences, and have them abstain from foods that God has created. They are wiser than is fitting in respect to chastity. But those who practice excess and fornication are less wise than they ought to be. Yet I say that the heretics are wiser than they ought to be concerning Christ, those who deny that he is the Son of the Creator God, but is of some other better god, who knows what. Moreover, they who deny that he came in the flesh and was born of a virgin but rather assign to him a heavenly body are wiser than they ought to be in respect to Christ. (Origen, Commentary on Romans 9.2)
Rom 12.8 - 13 - “He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Given to hospitality; communicating to the necessities of the saints.” (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 3.12)
Rom 12.9 What, then, are the salutary ear-guards, and what the regulations for slippery eyes? Conversations with the righteous, preoccupying and forearming the ears against those that would lead away from the truth.Evil communications corrupt good manners,says Poetry. More nobly the apostle says, Be haters of the evil; cleave to the good. Romans 12:9 For he who associates with the saints shall be sanctified. From shameful things addressed to the ears, and words and sights, we must entirely abstain. And much more must we keep pure from shameful deeds: on the one hand, from exhibiting and exposing parts of the body which we ought not; and on the other, from beholding what is forbidden. For the modest son could not bear to look on the shameful exposure of the righteous man; and modesty covered what intoxication exposed— the spectacle of the transgression of ignorance. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.6)
Rom 12.9 - “For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner,” he writes to Timothy. 2 Tim. i. 7, 8; Rom. viii. 15. Such shall he be “who cleaves to that which is good,” according to the apostle, Rom. xii. 9. “who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law.” Rom. xiii. 8. If, then, this God, to whom we bear witness, be as He is, the God of hope, we acknowledge our hope, speeding on to hope, “saturated with goodness, filled with all knowledge.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom 12.9, 10, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19 - Now, (Marcion,) since you have expunged so much from the Scriptures, why did you retain these words, as if they too were not the Creator’s words? But come now, let us see without mistake the precepts of your new god: “Abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good.” Rom. xii. 9. Well, is the precept different in the Creator’s teaching? “Take away the evil from you, depart from it, and be doing good.” Ps. xxxiv. 14. Then again: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.” Rom. xii. 10. Now is not this of the same import as: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self?” Lev. xix. 18. (Again, your apostle says:) “Rejoicing in hope;” Rom. xii. 12. that is, of God. So says the Creator’s Psalmist: “It is better to hope in the Lord, than to hope even in princes.” Ps. cxviii. 9. “Patient in tribulation.” Rom. xii. 12. You have (this in) the Psalm: “The Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation.” Ps. xx. 1. “Bless, and curse not,” Rom. xii. 12. (says your apostle.) But what better teacher of this will you find than Him who created all things, and blessed them? “Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” Rom. xii. 16. For against such a disposition Isaiah pronounces a woe. Isa. v. 21. “Recompense to no man evil for evil.” Rom. xii. 17. (Like unto which is the Creator’s precept:) “Thou shalt not remember thy brother’s evil against thee.” Lev. xix. 17, 18. (Again:) “Avenge not yourselves;” Rom. xii. 19. for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.” Rom. xii. 19, quoted from Deut. xxxii. 25. “Live peaceably with all men.” Rom. xii. 18. The retaliation of the law, therefore, permitted not retribution for an injury; it rather repressed any attempt thereat by the fear of a recompense. Very properly, then, did he sum up the entire teaching of the Creator in this precept of His: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Rom. xiii. 9. Now, if this is the recapitulation of the law from the very law itself, I am at a loss to know who is the God of the law. I fear He must be Marcion’s god (after all). (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 12.14 - “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed; that is, the word of faith which we preach: for if thou confess the word with thy mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom. x. 10, 11, 8, 9. There is clearly described the perfect righteousness, fulfilled both in practice and contemplation. Wherefore we are “to bless those who persecute us. Bless, and curse not.” Rom. xii. 14. “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of a good conscience, that in holiness and sincerity we know God” by this inconsiderable instance exhibiting the work of love, that “not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.”
Rom 12.16 - He taught by His commandment that we who have been set free should, when hungry, take that food which is given by God; and that, when placed in the exalted position of every grace [that can be received], we should not, either by trusting to works of righteousness, or when adorned with super-eminent [gifts of] ministration, by any means be lifted up with pride, nor should we tempt God, but should feel humility in all things, and have ready to hand [this saying], "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 6:16 As also the apostle taught, saying, "Minding not high things, but consenting to things of low estate;" Romans 12:16 that we should neither be ensnared with riches, nor mundane glory, nor present fancy, but should know that we must "worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone," and give no heed to him who falsely promised things not his own, when he said, "All these will I give you, if, falling down, you will worship me." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.22.2)
Rom 12.17 - And let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man; [Romans 12:17; 2 Corinthians 8:31] abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting [an evil report] against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive (Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians 6)
Rom 12.19 - But what parts of the law can I defend as good with a greater confidence than those which heresy has shown such a longing for?—as the statute of retaliation, requiring eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and stripe for stripe. Now there is not here any smack of a permission to mutual injury; but rather, on the whole, a provision for restraining violence. To a people which was very obdurate, and wanting in faith towards God, it might seem tedious, and even incredible, to expect from God that vengeance which was subsequently to be declared by the prophet: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”Deut. xxxii. 35; Rom. xii. 19. Therefore, in the meanwhile, the commission of wrong was to be checked by the fear of a retribution immediately to happen; and so the permission of this retribution was to be the prohibition of provocation, that a stop might thus be put to all hot-blooded injury, whilst by the permission of the second the first is prevented by fear, and by this deterring of the first the second fails to be committed. By the same law another result is also obtained, even the more ready kindling of the fear of retaliation by reason of the very savour of passion which is in it. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 2.18)
Rom 12.19 - "But I say unto you which hear" (displaying here that old injunction, of the Creator: "Speak to the ears of those who lend them to you"), "Love your enemies, and bless those which hate you, and pray for them which calumniate you." These commands the Creator included in one precept by His prophet Isaiah: "Say, Ye are our brethren, to those who hate you." For if they who are our enemies, and hate us, and speak evil of us, and calumniate us, are to be called our brethren, surely He did in effect bid us bless them that hate us, and pray for them who calumniate us, when He instructed us to reckon them as brethren. Well, but Christ plainly teaches a new kind of patience, when He actually prohibits the reprisals which the Creator permitted in requiring "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," and bids us, on the contrary, "to him who smiteth us on the one cheek, to offer the other also, and to give up our coat to him that taketh away our cloak." No doubt these are supplementary additions by Christ, but they are quite in keeping with the teaching of the Creator. And therefore this question must at once be determined, Whether the discipline of patience be enjoined by the Creator? When by Zechariah He commanded, "Let none of you imagine evil against his brother," He did not expressly include his neighbour; but then in another passage He says, "Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour." He who counselled that an injury should be forgotten, was still more likely to counsel the patient endurance of it. But then, when He said, "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay," He thereby teaches that patience calmly waits for the infliction of vengeance. Therefore, inasmuch as it is incredible that the same (God) should seem to require "a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye," in return for an injury, who forbids not only all reprisals, but even a revengeful thought or recollection of an injury, in so far does it become plain to us in what sense He required "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,"--not, indeed, for the purpose of permitting the repetition of the injury by retaliating it, which it virtually prohibited when it forbade vengeance; but for the purpose of restraining the injury in the first instance, which it had forbidden on pain of retaliation or reciprocity; so that every man, in view of the permission to inflict a second (or retaliatory) injury, might abstain from the commission of the first (or provocative) wrong. For He knows how much more easy it is to repress violence by the prospect of retaliation, than by the promise of (indefinite) vengeance. Both results, however, it was necessary to provide, in consideration of the nature and the faith of men, that the man who believed in God might expect vengeance from God, while he who had no faith (to restrain him) might fear the laws which prescribed retaliation. This purpose of the law, which it was difficult to understand, Christ, as the Lord of the Sabbath and of the law, and of all the dispensations of the Father, both revealed and made intelligible, when He commanded that "the other cheek should be offered (to the smiter)," in order that He might the more effectually extinguish all reprisals of an injury, which the law had wished to prevent by the method of retaliation, (and) which most certainly revelation had manifestly restricted, both by prohibiting the memory of the wrong, and referring the vengeance thereof to God. Thus, whatever (new provision) Christ introduced, He did it not in opposition to the law, but rather in furtherance of it, without at all impairing the prescription of the Creator. If, therefore, one looks carefully into the very grounds for which patience is enjoined (and trial to such a full and complete extent), one finds that it cannot stand if it is not the precept of the Creator, who promises vengeance, who presents Himself as the judge (in the case). If it were not so,--if so vast a weight of patience--which is to refrain from giving blow for blow; which is to offer the other cheek; which is not only not to return railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; and which, so far from keeping the coat, is to give up the cloak also--is laid upon me by one who means not to help me,--(then all I can say is,) he has taught me patience to no purpose, because he shows me no reward to his precept--I mean no fruit of such patience. There is revenge which he ought to have permitted me to take, if he meant not to inflict it himself; if he did not give me that permission, then he should himself have inflicted it; since it is for the interest of discipline itself that an injury should be avenged. For by the fear of vengeance all iniquity is curbed. But if licence is allowed to it without discrimination, it will get the mastery--it will put out (a man's) both eyes; it will knock out(8) every tooth in the safety of its impunity. This, however, is (the principle) of your good and simply beneficent god--to do a wrong to patience, to open the door to violence, to leave the righteous undefended, and the wicked unrestrained! (Tertullian Against Marcion 4.16)
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Rom 13.1 - But Polycarp said, "To thee I have thought it right to offer an account; for we are taught to give all due honour to the powers and authorities which are ordained of God." (Irenaeus, Martyrdom of Polycarp 10)
Rom 13.1 (context is an attack against the Marcionites and Valentinians) This is the Father of our Lord, by whose providence all things consist, and all are administered by His command; and He confers His free gifts upon those who should [receive them]; but the most righteous Retributor metes out [punishment] according to their deserts, most deservedly, to the ungrateful and to those that are insensible of His kindness; and therefore does He say, "He sent His armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."(8) He says here, "His armies," because all men are the property of God. For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and all that dwell therein." Wherefore also the Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Romans, "For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive unto themselves condemnation. For rulers are not for a terror to a good work, but to an evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same; for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, the avenger for wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing." Both the Lord, then, and the apostles announce as the one only God the Father, Him who gave the law, who sent the prophets, who made all things; and therefore does, He say, "He sent His armies," because every man, inasmuch as he is a man, is His workmanship, although he may be ignorant of his God. For He gives existence to all; He, "who maketh His sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sendeth rain upon the just and unjust." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.36.6)
Rom 13.1, 4, 6 - As therefore the devil lied at the beginning, so did he also in the end, when he said, "All these are delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give them." For it is not he who has appointed the kingdoms of this world, but God; for "the heart of the king is in the hand of God." And the Word also says by Solomon, "By me kings do reign, and princes administer justice. By me chiefs are raised up, and by me kings rule the earth." Paul the apostle also says upon this same subject: "Be ye subject to all the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: now those which are have been ordained of God." And again, in reference to them he says, "For he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, the avenger for wrath to him who does evil." Now, that he spake these words, not in regard to angelical powers, nor of invisible rulers--as some venture to expound the passage--but of those of actual human authorities, [he shows when] he says, "For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, doing service for this very thing." This also the Lord confirmed, when He did not do what He was tempted to by the devil; but He gave directions that tribute should be paid to the tax-gatherers for Himself and Peter; because "they are the ministers of God, serving for this very thing." (Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.24.1) Origen (Against Celsus Book 8) hints that the proper interpretation implies tribute to angelic power.
Rom 13.7 - 'If it cometh into the region of the rulers of the way of the midst, they come forth to meet it in exceedingly great fear and they are afraid of it. And the soul giveth the mystery of the fear unto them and they are afraid before it. And it giveth the destiny to its region, and it giveth the counterfeiting spirit to its own region, and it giveth the apology and the seals to every one of the rulers who are on the ways, and it giveth the honour and the glory and the laud of the seals and the songs of praise to all those of the region of the Light,'--concerning this word, my Lord, thou hast spoken aforetime through the mouth of our brother
Paul: 'Give tax to whom tax is due, give fear to whom fear is due, give tribute to whom tribute is due, give honour to whom honour is due, and give laud to whom laud is due, and owe not any other anything,' |-that is, my Lord: The soul which receiveth mysteries, giveth apology to all regions. (Pistis Sophia 3.113)
Rom 13.7 - 'If it cometh into the region of the rulers of the way of the midst, they come forth to meet it in exceedingly great fear and they are afraid of it. And the soul giveth the mystery of the fear unto them and they are afraid before it. And it giveth the destiny to its region, and it giveth the counterfeiting spirit to its own region, and it giveth the apology and the seals to every one of the rulers who are on the ways, and it giveth the honour and the glory and the laud of the seals and the songs of praise to all those of the region of the Light,'--concerning this word, my Lord, thou hast spoken aforetime through the mouth of our brother
Paul: 'Give tax to whom tax is due, give fear to whom fear is due, give tribute to whom tribute is due, give honour to whom honour is due, and give laud to whom laud is due, and owe not any other anything,' |-that is, my Lord: The soul which receiveth mysteries, giveth apology to all regions. (Pistis Sophia 3.113)
Rom 13.8 - Rightly therefore does the apostle declare, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;" and, "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God:" not repudiating [by these words] the substance of flesh, but showing that into it the Spirit must be infused. And for this reason, he says, "This mortal must put on immortality, and this corruptible must put on incorruption." And again he declares, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." He sets this forth still more plainly, where he says, "The body indeed is dead, because of sin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because of His Spirit dwelling in you." And again he says, in the Epistle to the Romans, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5.10.2)
Rom 13.8 - Well, the body tills the ground, and hastes to it; but the soul is raised to God: trained in the true philosophy, it speeds to its kindred above, turning away from the lusts of the body, and besides these, from toil and fear, although we have shown that patience and fear belong to the good man. For if “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” as those allege who disparage the law, and “till the law sin was in the world;” yet “without the law sin was dead,” we oppose them. For when you take away the cause of fear, sin, you have taken away fear; and much more, punishment, when you have taken away that which gives rise to lust. “For the law is not made for the just man,” [1 Tim. i. 9] says the Scripture. Well, then, says Heraclitus, “They would not have known the name of Justice if these things had not been.” And Socrates says, “that the law was not made for the sake of the good.” But the cavillers did not know even this, as the apostle says, “that he who loveth his brother worketh not evil;” for this, “Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal; and if there be any other commandment, it is comprehended in the word, Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself.” So also is it said, “Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” And “if he that loveth his neighbour worketh no evil,” and if “every commandment is comprehended in this, the loving our neighbour,” the commandments, by menacing with fear, work love, not hatred. Wherefore the law is productive of the emotion of fear. “So that the law is holy,” and in truth “spiritual,” according to the apostle. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 13.8 - "For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner," he writes to Timothy. Such shall he be "who cleaves to that which is good," according to the apostle, "who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law." If, then, this God, to whom we bear witness, be as He is, the God of hope, we acknowledge our hope, speeding on to hope, "saturated with goodness, filled with all knowledge." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromatra 4.7)
Rom 13.9 - Now the apostle says, "I will know not the speech of those that are puffed up, but the power;" if ye understand the Scriptures magnanimously (which means truly; for nothing is greater than truth). For in that lies the power of the children of wisdom who are puffed up. He says, as it were, I shall know if ye rightly entertain great thoughts respecting knowledge. "For God," according to David, "is known in Judea," that is, those that are Israelites according to knowledge. For Judea is interpreted "Confession." It is, then, rightly said by the apostle, "This Thou, shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not steal, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is comprehended in this word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." For we must never, as do those who follow the heresies, adulterate the truth, or steal the canon of the Church, by gratifying our own lusts and vanity, by defrauding our neighbours; whom above all it is our duty, in the exercise of love to them, to teach to adhere to the truth. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 7.16)
Rom 13.9 - The retaliation of the law, therefore, permitted not retribution for an injury; it rather repressed any attempt thereat by the fear of a recompense. Very properly, then, did he sum up the entire teaching of the Creator in this precept of His: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Now, if this is the recapitulation of the law from the very law itself, I am at a loss to know who is the God of the law. I fear He must be Marcion's god (after all). If also the gospel of Christ is fulfilled in this same precept, but not the Creator's Christ, what is the use of our contending any longer whether Christ did or did not say, "I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it? " In vain has (our man of) Pontus laboured to deny this statement. If the gospel has not fulfilled the law, then all I can say is, the law has fulfilled the gospel. But it is well that in a later verse he threatens us with "the judgment-seat of Christ,"--the Judge, of course, and the Avenger, and therefore the Creator's (Christ). This Creator, too, however much he may preach up another god, he certainly sets forth for us as a Being to be served, if he holds Him thus up as an object to be feared. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 13.9 - And very properly. It was not meet that those who had received liberty should be "entangled again with the yoke of bondage"--that is, of the law; now that the Psalm had its prophecy accomplished: "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us, since the rulers have gathered themselves together against the Lord and against His Christ.'' All those, therefore, who had been delivered from the yoke of slavery he would earnestly have to obliterate the very mark of slavery--even circumcision, on the authority of the prophet's prediction. He remembered how that Jeremiah had said, "Circumcise the foreskins of your heart;" as Moses likewise had enjoined, "Circumcise your hard hearts"--not the literal flesh. If, now, he were for excluding circumcision, as the messenger of a new god, why does he say that "in Christ neither circumcisoin availeth anything, nor uncircumcision? For it was his duty to prefer the rival principle of that which he was abolishing, if he had a mission from the god who was the enemy of circumcision. Furthermore, since both circumcision and uncircumcision were attributed to the same Deity, both lost their power in Christ, by reason of the excellency of faith--of that faith concerning which it had been written, "And in His name shall the Gentiles trust?"--of that faith "which," he says "worketh by love." By this saying he also shows that the Creator is the source of that grace. For whether he speaks of the love which is due to God, or that which is due to one's neighbor--in either case, the Creator's grace is meant: for it is He who enjoins the first in these words, "Thou shalt love God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength;" and also the second in another passage: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." "But he that troubleth you shall have to bear judgment." From what God? From (Marcion's) most excellent god? But he does not execute judgment. From the Creator? But neither will He condemn the maintainer of circumcision. Now, if none other but the Creator shall be found to execute judgment, it follows that only He, who has determined on the cessation of the law, shall be able to condemn the defenders of the law; and what, if he also affirms the law in that portion of it where it ought (to be permanent)? "For," says he, "all the law is fulfilled in you by this: 'Thou shalt love thy neighhour as thyself.' " If, indeed, he will have it that by the words "it is fulfilled" it is implied that the law no longer has to be fulfilled, then of course he does not mean that I should any more love my neighbour as myself, since this precept must have ceased together with the law. But no! we must evermore continue to observe this commandment. The Creator's law, therefore, has received the approval of the rival god, who has, in fact, bestowed upon it not the sentence of a summary dismissal, but the favour of a compendious acceptance; the gist of it all being concentrated in this one precept! (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.4)
Rom 13.9 - Quod enim dixit: Non occides, non adulterabis, non furaberis, et si quid aliud est mandatum, in hoc verbo restauratur: Diliges proximum tuum sicut te ipsum. Caritas proximo malum non operatur; plenitudo ergo legis est caritas (Adamantius, Dialogue 2.17)
Rom 13.10 - But that this is the first and greatest commandment, and that the next [has respect to love] towards our neighbour, the Lord has taught, when He says that the entire law and the prophets hang upon these two commandments. Moreover, He did not Himself bring down [from heaven] any other commandment greater than this one, but renewed this very same one to His disciples, when He enjoined them to love God with all their heart, and others as themselves. But if He had descended from another Father, He never would have made use of the first and greatest commandment of the law; but He would undoubtedly have endeavoured by all means to bring down a greater one than this from the perfect Father, so as not to make use of that which had been given by the God of the law. And Paul in like manner declares, Love is the fulfilling of the law: [Romans 13:10] and [he declares] that when all other things have been destroyed, there shall remain faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of all is love; [1 Corinthians 13:13] and that apart from the love of God, neither knowledge avails anything, [1 Corinthians 13:2] nor the understanding of mysteries, nor faith, nor prophecy, but that without love all are hollow and vain; moreover, that love makes man perfect; and that he who loves God is perfect, both in this world and in that which is to come. For we do never cease from loving God; but in proportion as we continue to contemplate Him, so much the more do we love Him. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.14.2)
Rom 13.10 - "God," then, being good, "is love," it is said. Whose "love worketh no ill to his neighhour," neither injuring nor revenging ever, but, in a word, doing good to all according to the image of God. "Love is," then, "the fulfilling of the law;" like as Christ, that is the presence of the Lord who loves us; and our loving teaching of, and discipline according to Christ. By love, then, the commands not to commit adultery, and not to covet one's neighbour's wife, are fulfilled,[these sins being] formerly prohibited by fear. The same work, then, presents a difference, according as it is done by fear, or accomplished by love, and is wrought by faith or by knowledge. Rightly, therefore, their rewards are different. To the Gnostic "are prepared what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man;" but to him who has exercised simple faith He testifies a hundredfold in return for what he has left,--a promise which has turned out to fall within human comprehension. Come to this point, I recollect one who called himself a Gnostic. For, expounding the words, "But I say unto you, he that looketh on a woman to lust after, hath committed adultery," he thought that it was not bare desire that was condemned; but if through the desire the act that results from it proceeding beyond the desire is accomplished in it. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.17)
Rom.13.11 - Wherefore the mysteries are for the most part celebrated by night, indicating the withdrawal of the soul from the body, which takes place by night. "Let us not then sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as an helmet the hope of salvation." And as to what, again, they say of sleep, the very same things are to be understood of death. For each exhibits the departure of the soul, the one more, the other less; as we may also get this in Heraclitus: "Man touches night in himself, when dead and his light quenched; and alive, when he sleeps he touches the dead; and awake, when he shuts his eyes, he touches the sleeper." "For blessed are those that have seen the Lord," according to the apostle; "for it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light." By day and light he designates figuratively the Son, and by the armour of light metaphorically the promises. So it is said that we ought to go washed to sacrifices and prayers, clean and bright; and that this external adornment and purification are practised for a sign. Now purity is to think holy thoughts. Further, there is the image of baptism, which also was handed down to the poets from Moses as follows:-- "And she having drawn water, and wearing on her body clean clothes." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.22)
Rom 13.12, 13 - Let revelry keep away from our rational entertainments, and foolish vigils, too, that revel in intemperance. For revelry is an inebriating pipe, the chain of an amatory bridge, that is, of sorrow. And let love, and intoxication, and senseless passions, be removed from our choir. Burlesque singing is the boon companion of drunkenness. A night spent over drink invites drunkenness, rouses lust, and is audacious in deeds of shame. For if people occupy their time with pipes, and psalteries, and choirs, and dances, and Egyptian clapping of hands, and such disorderly frivolities, they become quite immodest and intractable, beat on cymbals and drums, and make a noise on instruments of delusion; for plainly such a banquet, as seems to me, is a theatre of drunkenness. For the apostle decrees that, putting off the works of darkness, we should put on the armour of light, walking honestly as in the day, not spending our time in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.4)
Rom 13.13 - As seems to me, not that they thought the Divinity could not hear those who speak silently, but because they wished prayers to be right, which no one would be ashamed to make in the knowledge of many. We shall, however, treat of prayer in due course by and by. But we ought to have works that cry aloud, as becoming "those who walk in the day." "Let thy works shine," and behold a man and his works before his face. "For behold God and His works." For the gnostic must, as far as is possible, imitate God. And the poets call the elect in their pages godlike and gods, and equal to the gods, and equal in sagacity to Zeus, and having counsels like the gods, and resembling the gods,--nibbling, as seems to me, at the expression, "in the image and likeness." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.26)
Rom 13.13, 14 - If a man marries in order to have children he ought to practice self-control. He ought not to have a sexual desire even for his wife, to whom he has a duty to show Christian love. He ought to produce children by a reverent, disciplined act of will. We have learned not "to pay attention to physical desires," "walking decorously as in the light of day" – that is, in Christ and the shining conduct of the Lord’s way – "not in drunken carousing, sexual promiscuity, or jealous quarreling." Further, we ought to examine not merely one single form of self-control in sexual matters, but the other objects which our soul self-indulgently desires, not content with bare necessities but making a fuss about luxury. Self-control means indifference to money, comfort, and property, a mind above spectacles, control of the tongue, mastery of evil thoughts. It actually happened that some angels suffered a failure of self-control, were overpowered by sexual desire, and fell from heaven to earth. Valentinus in his letter to Agathopus says, "Jesus showed his self-control in all that he endured. He lived in the practice of godhead. He ate and drank in a way individual to himself without excreting his food. Such was his power of self-control that the food was not corrupted within him, since he was not subject to corruption." So we embrace self-control out of the love we bear the Lord and out of its honorable status, consecrating the temple of the Spirit. It is honorable "to emasculate oneself" of all desire "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven" and "to purify the conscience from works of death to the service of the living God." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.7)
Rom 13.14 "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Ignatius, to the Tarsians 8)
Rom 13.14 - Let the women wear a plain and becoming dress, but softer than what is suitable for a man, yet not quite immodest or entirely gone in luxury. And let the garments be suited to age, person, figure, nature, pursuits. For the divine apostle most beautifully counsels us to put on Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the lusts of the flesh. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 3.11)
Rom 13.14 - For the Scripture has said, The elders who are among you, honour; and, seeing their manner of life and conduct, imitate their faith. [Hebrews 13:7] And again it says, Imitate me, my brethren, as I imitate Christ. [1 Corinthians 11:1] Those, therefore, who imitate Christ, imitate Him earnestly. For those who have put on Christ [Romans 13:14] in truth, express His likeness in their thoughts, and in their whole life, and in all their behaviour: in word, and in deeds, and in patience, and in fortitude, and in knowledge, and in chastity, and in long-suffering, and in a pure heart, and in faith, and in hope, and in full and perfect love towards God. (Clement of Rome First Epistle on Virginity 6, 7)
Chapter 14
Rom 14.1 - For the Lord enjoined "to labour for the meat which endureth to eternity." And the prophet says," Blessed is he that soweth into all waters, whose ox and ass tread," [that is,] the people, from the Law and from the Gentiles, gathered into one faith. "Now the weak eateth herbs," according to the noble apostle. The Instructor, divided by us into three books, has already exhibited the training and nurture up from the state of childhood, that is, the course of life which from elementary instruction grows by faith; and in the case of those enrolled in the number of men, prepares beforehand the soul, endued with virtue, for the reception of gnostic knowledge. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 6.1)
Rom 14.3 - Well? Did not the righteous of past days share gratefully in God’s creation? Some of them married and produced children without loss of self-control. The ravens brought bread and meat as food to Elijah. The prophet Samuel brought the leftovers from the haunch which had provided him with a meal and gave it to Saul to eat. They claim to be their superiors in lifestyle, but they will never remotely be able to match their praxis. So "if anyone refrains from eating, he is not to denigrate one who eats. If anyone eats, he is not to judge one who abstains, since God has accepted him." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.6)
Rom 14.3 - About the time of this man, bishops, priests, and deacons, who had been twice married, and thrice married, began to be allowed to retain their place among the clergy. If also, however, any one who is in holy orders should become married, Callistus permitted such a one to continue in holy orders as if he had not sinned. And in justification, he alleges that what has been spoken by the Apostle has been declared in reference to this person: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?" But he asserted that likewise the parable of the tares is uttered in reference to this one: "Let the tares grow along with the wheat;" or, in other words, let those who in the Church are guilty of sin remain in it. (Philosophumena 9.7)
Rom 14.3, 6 - We are not, then, to abstain wholly from various kinds of food, but only are not to be taken up about them. We are to partake of what is set before us, as becomes a Christian, out of respect to him who has invited us, by a harmless and moderate participation in the social meeting; regarding the sumptuousness of what is put on the table as a matter of indifference, despising the dainties, as after a little destined to perish. “Let him who eateth, not despise him who eateth not; and let him who eateth not, not judge him who eateth.” And a little way on he explains the reason of the command, when he says, “He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, and giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” [Rom. 14. 6] So that the right food is thanksgiving. And he who gives thanks does not occupy his time in pleasures. And if we would persuade any of our fellow-guests to virtue, we are all the more on this account to abstain from those dainty dishes; and so exhibit ourselves as a bright pattern of virtue, such as we ourselves have in Christ. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.1)
? Rom 14.8 - From the heretics we have spoken of Marcion from Pontus who deprecates the use of worldly things because of his antipathy to their creator. The creator is thus actually responsible for his self-control, if you can call it self-control. This giant who battles with God and thinks he can withstand him is an unwilling ascetic who runs down the creation and the formation of human beings. If they quote the Lord’s words addressed to Philip, "Let the dead bury their dead; for your part follow me," they should also reflect that Philip’s flesh was of the same formation, and he was not endowed with a polluted corpse. Then how could he have a body of flesh without having a corpse? Because when the Lord put his passions to death he rose from the grave and lived to Christ. [Col. 3.1,5; Rom 14.8] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.4)
Rom 14.9 - And he renders the reason why the Son of God did these things, saying, "For to this end Christ both lived, and died, and revived, that He might rule over the living and the dead." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.18.2)
Rom 14.10 - Very properly, then, did he sum up the entire teaching of the Creator in this precept of His: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Now, if this is the recapitulation of the law from the very law itself, I am at a loss to know who is the God of the law. I fear He must be Marcion's god (after all). If also the gospel of Christ is fulfilled in this same precept, but not the Creator's Christ, what is the use of our contending any longer whether Christ did or did not say, "I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it? " In vain has (our man of) Pontus laboured to deny this statement. If the gospel has not fulfilled the law, then all I can say is, the law has fulfilled the gospel. But it is well that in a later verse he threatens us with "the judgment-seat of Christ,"--the Judge, of course, and the Avenger, and therefore the Creator's (Christ). This Creator, too, however much he may preach up another god, he certainly sets forth for us as a Being to be served, if he holds Him thus up as an object to be feared. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 14.10 - for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and "we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself." (Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians 6)
Rom 14.13 - Certainly, to observe these things is customary for not a few of the heretics, and we shall not immediately say: It is good for them that they do not eat flesh or drink wine. But clearly it truly is good not to eat flesh and not to drink wine that is no longer neutral or indifferent in that manner in which he has set forth in what follows, "in what the brother is offended." For it is good not to put an offence or stumbling block before a brother. For on this account he also says elsewhere, "Be without offense, both to Jews and to Greeks and to the Church of God." And let them see, therefore, if they are acting properly who, by every means, compel those who, for whatever reason, abstain from tasting flesh and wine, obviously in order for the suspicion to seem to be removed through this, [a suspicion] by which they are scrupulously thought to be clinging to the distinctions of foods. For surely they should pay attention to the fact that the Apostle has not said: It is good to eat flesh and to drink wine, but not to eat flesh and not to drink wine, if a brother is offended in this. So then, he did not want that, for the sake of those who judge that something is to be eaten, one who is offended by this should be compelled to eat; but, for the sake of the one who does not think something should be eaten, he orders even those who judge that it should be eaten to abstain. (Origen Commentary on Romans 10.3)
Rom 14. 15 - For after remarking, But if Christ be preached, that He rose from the dead, [1 Corinthians 15:12] he continues, rendering the reason of His incarnation, For since by man came death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. And everywhere, when [referring to] the passion of our Lord, and to His human nature, and His subjection to death, he employs the name of Christ, as in that passage: Destroy not him with your meat for whom Christ died. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3.18.3)
Rom 14.15 - Let us, therefore, be studiously on our guard at all times, that we do not smite our brethren and give them to drink of a disquieting conscience through our being to them a stumbling-block. For “if for the sake of meat our brother be made sad, or shocked, or made weak, or caused to stumble, we are not walking in the love of God. For the sake of meat thou causest him to perish for whose sake Christ died.” For, in “thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their sickly consciences, ye sin against Christ Himself. For, if for the sake of meat my brother is made to stumble,” let us who are believers say, “Never will we eat flesh, that we may not make our brother to stumble.” These things, moreover, does ever one who truly loves God, who truly takes up his cross, and puts on Christ, and loves his neighbour; the man who watches over himself that he be not a stumbling-block to any one, that no one be caused to stumble because of him and die because he is constantly with maidens and lives in the same house with them—a thing which is not right—to the overthrow of those who see and hear. Evil conduct like this is fraught with stumbling and peril, and is akin to death. But blessed is that man who is circumspect and fearful in everything for the sake of purity! (Clement of Rome, Second Treatise on Virginity 5)
Rom 14.16 - “For if,” it is said, “I bestow all my goods, and have not love, I am nothing.” On this love alone depend the law and the Word; and if “thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy neighbour,” this is the celestial festival in the heavens. But the earthly is called a supper, as has been shown from Scripture. For the supper is made for love, but the supper is not love (agape); only a proof of mutual and reciprocal kindly feeling. “Let not, then, your good be evil spoken of; for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink,” says the apostle, in order that the meal spoken of may not be conceived as ephemeral, “but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” He who eats of this meal, the best of all, shall possess the kingdom of God, fixing his regards here on the holy assembly of love, the heavenly Church. Love, then, is something pure and worthy of God, and its work is communication. “And the care of discipline is love,” as Wisdom says; “and love is the keeping of the law.” And these joys have an inspiration of love from the public nutriment, which accustoms to everlasting dainties. Love (agape), then, is not a supper. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.1)
Rom 14.17 - If, as they claim, they have already attained the state of resurrection, and for that reason repudiate marriage, they should stop eating and drinking. For the Apostle said that the stomach and food would be dispensed with in the resurrection. Then how can they hunger and thirst and suffer the flesh and all the other things from which the person who has attained through Christ the fullness of the expected resurrection will be free? Even those who worship idols fast and practice sexual abstinence. "The kingdom of God does not consist in eating and drinking," he says. It is possible even for the Magi by a mental effort to abstain alike from wine, animal food, and sex, although they worship angels and spiritual beings. Just as humility is a form of meekness and does not mean maltreating the body, so asceticism is a virtue of the soul practiced privately, not openly. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.6)
Rom 14.17 - In one of his letters Paul has no hesitation in addressing his "yokefellow." He did not take her around with him for the convenience of his ministry. He says in one of his letters, "Do we not have the authority to take around a wife from the Church, like the other apostles?" But the apostles in conformity with their ministry concentrated on undistracted preaching, and took their wives around as Christian sisters rather than spouses, to be their fellow-ministers in relation to housewives, through whom the Lord’s teaching penetrated into the women’s quarters without scandal. We know the dispositions made over women deacons by the admirable Paul in his second letter to Timothy. Furthermore, this same writer said strongly that "the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking" – or abstinence from wine or meat – "but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.6)
Rom 14.19, 21 - Everything created by God is good. None is to be rejected provided it is taken in a spirit of gratitude. It is sanctified by God’s Word and by prayer." It follows of necessity that there is no ban on marriage, or eating meat, or drinking wine, for it is written, "It is good to refrain from eating meat and drinking wine," if a person might give offense by eating, and, "It is good to stay as I am." But both the person who takes his food gratefully, and the one who equally gratefully abstains with an enjoyment marked by self-discipline must follow the Logos in their lives. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.12)
Rom 14.20, 21 - Thus the apostle, in his solicitude for us, discriminates in the case of entertainments, saying, that if any one called a brother be found a fornicator, or an adulterer, or an idolater, with such an one not to eat; 1 Corinthians 5:11 neither in discourse or food are we to join, looking with suspicion on the pollution thence proceeding, as on the tables of the demons. It is good, then, neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, Romans 14:21 as both he and the Pythagoreans acknowledge. For this is rather characteristic of a beast; and the fumes arising from them being dense, darken the soul. If one partakes of them, he does not sin. Only let him partake temperately, not dependent on them, nor gaping after fine fare. For a voice will whisper to him, saying, Destroy not the work of God for the sake of food. Romans 14:20 For it is the mark of a silly mind to be amazed and stupefied at what is presented at vulgar banquets, after the rich fare which is in the Word; and much sillier to make one's eyes the slaves of the delicacies, so that one's greed is, so to speak, carried round by the servants. And how foolish for people to raise themselves on the couches, all but pitching their faces into the dishes, stretching out from the couch as from a nest, according to the common saying, that they may catch the wandering steam by breathing it in! (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.1)
Rom 14:23 - Marcion, by whom the evangelical and apostolic Scriptures have been interpolated, completely removed this section from this epistle; and not only this but he also cut up everything from the place where it is written 'all that is not of faith is sin' to the end [usque ad finem cuncta dissecuit] (Origen Commentary on Romans 10:43 Rufinus translation)
Chapter 15
Rom 15.4 - For what things the Scripture speaks were written for our instruction, that we, through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures, might have the hope of consolation (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.5)
Rom 15.4 - Furthermore, we have ordained in like manner seven subdeacons who shall stand by (imminerent) the seven notaries, and bring into one full and accurate account the histories of the martyrs, and lay them before us for our examination. And this, too, we urge you all to do, so that no doubt or questioning of these things may arise in later times; "for whatsoever things were written, were written for our learning." And whatsoever things are written in truth in our times, are directed to the learning of future times. And therefore we enjoin these duties to be put in charge of the most faithful, that nothing false may be found in them, from which an offence (which may God forbid) may arise to the faithful. (Pope Fabian, First Epistle) earliest known reference to chapter 15 or 16 outside of the Marcionite Church or Alexandria
Rom. 15:13 - “For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner,” he writes to Timothy. Such shall he be “who cleaves to that which is good,” according to the apostle, “who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law.” [Rom. 8. 8] If, then, this God, to whom we bear witness, be as He is, the God of hope, we acknowledge our hope, speeding on to hope, “saturated with goodness, filled with all knowledge.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom. 15:13, 15 - 19, 30 - And Paul in his Epistle to the Romans says But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Romans 8:9 And again he says: But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Romans 8:11 And again: As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:14-15 And again: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. Romans 9:1 And again: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13 And again, writing to those same Romans, he says: But I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I dare not to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought by me, [Rom 15.20] to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And again: Now I beseech you, brethren, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and by the love of the Spirit. Romans 15:30 And these things, indeed, are written in the Epistle to the Romans. (Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confessional Faith 10,11)
Rom 15.15, 18 - The apostle himself, too, states the same thing in his first epistle, where he says: According to the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. And again: For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought by me by word and deed. I am the last of all the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle. But by the grace of God I am what I am. And it, is his wish to have to deal with those who sought the proof of that Christ who spoke in him, for this reason, that the Paraclete was in him: and as having obtained His gift of grace, and as being enriched with magnificent, honour, he says: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you; for strength is made perfect in weakness. (Acts of Archelaus 34)
Rom 15.19 - For you are the fellow citizens as well as the disciples of Paul, who fully preached the Gospel from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, [Romans 15:19] and bore about the marks of Christ in his flesh. (Pseudo-Ignatius to the Tarsians 2)
Rom 15.19 - For as many things as belong to peace and love, these have I taught. Round about from Jerusalem, and as far as Illyricum, (Acts of the Apostles Peter and Paul)
Rom. 15:27 - Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in want, but thou shalt share all things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if ye are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? (Didache 4.8)
Rom. 15:29 - "Wherefore instruction, which reveals hidden things, is called illumination, as it is the teacher only who uncovers the lid of the ark, contrary to what the poets say, that “Zeus stops up the jar of good things, but opens that of evil.” “For I know,” says the apostle, “that when I come to you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ;” designating the spiritual gift, and the gnostic communication, which being present he desires to impart to them present as “the fulness of Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery sealed in the ages of eternity, but now manifested by the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all the nations, in order to the obedience of faith,” that is, those of the nations who believe that it is. But only to a few of them is shown what those things are which are contained in the mystery." (Clement of Alexandria Stromata 5.10)
Rom. 16:16 - For this very thing, the shameless use of a kiss, which ought to be mystic, occasions foul suspicions and evil reports. The apostle calls the kiss holy. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.11)
Rom. 16:17 - 19 - And again it says When a man speaks in season, it is honourable to him. Proverbs 25:11 And again it says: Let your speech be seasoned with grace. For it is required of a man to know how to give an answer to every one in season. For he that utters whatsoever comes to his mouth, that man produces strife; and he that utters a superfluity of words increases vexation; and he that is hasty with his lips falls into evil. For because of the unruliness of the tongue comes anger; but the perfect man keeps watch over his tongue, and loves his soul's life. For these are they who by good words and fair speeches lead astray the hearts of the simple, and, while offering them blessings, lead them astray. (Clement of Rome, First Epistle on Virginity 12)
Rom 16.18 - Let us, therefore, ask of the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth workmen into the harvest; Matthew 9:37-38 such workmen as shall skilfully dispense the word of truth; workmen who shall not be ashamed; faithful workmen; workmen who shall be the light of the world; Matthew 5:14 workmen who work not for the food that perishes, but for that food which abides unto life eternal; John 6:27 workmen who shall be such as the apostles; workmen who imitate the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; who are concerned for the salvation of men; not hireling John 10:12-13 workmen; not workmen to whom the fear of God and righteousness appear to be gain; not workmen who serve their belly; not workmen who with fair speeches and pleasant words mislead the hearts of the innocent; Romans 16:18 not workmen who imitate the children of light, while they are not light but darkness— men whose end is destruction; Philippians 3:9 not workmen who practise iniquity and wickedness and fraud; not crafty workmen; 2 Corinthians 11:13 not workmen drunken and faithless; nor workmen who traffic in Christ; not misleaders; not lovers of money; not malevolent. (Clement of Rome, First Epistle on Virginity 13)
Rom 16.19 - And we are tender who are pliant to the power of persuasion, and are easily drawn to goodness, and are mild, and free of the stain of malice and perverseness, for the ancient race was perverse and hard-hearted; but the band of infants, the new people which we are, i.s delicate as a child. On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children, so to speak, when he says, "I would have you wise toward good, but simple towards evil." (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 1.15)
Rom 16.25 - 27 - Marcion, by whom the evangelical and apostolic Scriptures have been interpolated, completely removed this section from this epistle; and not only this but he also cut up everything from the place where it is written 'all that is not of faith is sin' to the end [usque ad finem cuncta dissecuit] (Origen Commentary on Romans 10:43 Rufinus translation)
Rom. 16:25- we have no other foundation to show for your doctrines than our law? "Now, certainly the introduction to Christianity is through the Mosaic worship and the prophetic writings; and after the introduction, it is in the interpretation and explanation of these that progress takes place, while those who are introduced prosecute their investigations into "the mystery according to revelation, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest in the Scriptures of the prophets," (Origen Against Celsus 2)
Rom. 16:25 - others, gain, which to the pure in soul and body exhibit "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest by the Scriptures of the prophets," (Origen Against Celsus 3)
Rom. 16:26 - For some do not interpret this Scripture of the Lord, although He also bore flesh, but of the perfect man and the gnostic, inferior in comparison with the angels in time, and by reason of the vesture [of the body]. I call then wisdom nothing but science, since life differs not from life. For to live is common to the mortal nature, that is to man, with that to which has been vouchsafed immortality; as also the faculty of contemplation and of self-restraint, one of the two being more excellent. On this ground Pythagoras seems to me to have said that God alone is wise, since also the apostle writes in the Epistle to the Romans, “For the obedience of the faith among all nations, being made known to the only wise God through Jesus Christ;” and that he himself was a philosopher, on account of his friendship with God. Accordingly it is said, “God talked with Moses as a friend with a friend.” That, then, which is true being clear to God, forthwith generates truth. And the gnostic loves the truth. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
Rom 14.3 - About the time of this man, bishops, priests, and deacons, who had been twice married, and thrice married, began to be allowed to retain their place among the clergy. If also, however, any one who is in holy orders should become married, Callistus permitted such a one to continue in holy orders as if he had not sinned. And in justification, he alleges that what has been spoken by the Apostle has been declared in reference to this person: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?" But he asserted that likewise the parable of the tares is uttered in reference to this one: "Let the tares grow along with the wheat;" or, in other words, let those who in the Church are guilty of sin remain in it. (Philosophumena 9.7)
Rom 14.3, 6 - We are not, then, to abstain wholly from various kinds of food, but only are not to be taken up about them. We are to partake of what is set before us, as becomes a Christian, out of respect to him who has invited us, by a harmless and moderate participation in the social meeting; regarding the sumptuousness of what is put on the table as a matter of indifference, despising the dainties, as after a little destined to perish. “Let him who eateth, not despise him who eateth not; and let him who eateth not, not judge him who eateth.” And a little way on he explains the reason of the command, when he says, “He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, and giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” [Rom. 14. 6] So that the right food is thanksgiving. And he who gives thanks does not occupy his time in pleasures. And if we would persuade any of our fellow-guests to virtue, we are all the more on this account to abstain from those dainty dishes; and so exhibit ourselves as a bright pattern of virtue, such as we ourselves have in Christ. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.1)
? Rom 14.8 - From the heretics we have spoken of Marcion from Pontus who deprecates the use of worldly things because of his antipathy to their creator. The creator is thus actually responsible for his self-control, if you can call it self-control. This giant who battles with God and thinks he can withstand him is an unwilling ascetic who runs down the creation and the formation of human beings. If they quote the Lord’s words addressed to Philip, "Let the dead bury their dead; for your part follow me," they should also reflect that Philip’s flesh was of the same formation, and he was not endowed with a polluted corpse. Then how could he have a body of flesh without having a corpse? Because when the Lord put his passions to death he rose from the grave and lived to Christ. [Col. 3.1,5; Rom 14.8] (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.4)
Rom 14.9 - And he renders the reason why the Son of God did these things, saying, "For to this end Christ both lived, and died, and revived, that He might rule over the living and the dead." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.18.2)
Rom 14.10 - Very properly, then, did he sum up the entire teaching of the Creator in this precept of His: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Now, if this is the recapitulation of the law from the very law itself, I am at a loss to know who is the God of the law. I fear He must be Marcion's god (after all). If also the gospel of Christ is fulfilled in this same precept, but not the Creator's Christ, what is the use of our contending any longer whether Christ did or did not say, "I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it? " In vain has (our man of) Pontus laboured to deny this statement. If the gospel has not fulfilled the law, then all I can say is, the law has fulfilled the gospel. But it is well that in a later verse he threatens us with "the judgment-seat of Christ,"--the Judge, of course, and the Avenger, and therefore the Creator's (Christ). This Creator, too, however much he may preach up another god, he certainly sets forth for us as a Being to be served, if he holds Him thus up as an object to be feared. (Tertullian, Against Marcion 5.14)
Rom 14.10 - for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and "we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself." (Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians 6)
Rom 14.13 - Certainly, to observe these things is customary for not a few of the heretics, and we shall not immediately say: It is good for them that they do not eat flesh or drink wine. But clearly it truly is good not to eat flesh and not to drink wine that is no longer neutral or indifferent in that manner in which he has set forth in what follows, "in what the brother is offended." For it is good not to put an offence or stumbling block before a brother. For on this account he also says elsewhere, "Be without offense, both to Jews and to Greeks and to the Church of God." And let them see, therefore, if they are acting properly who, by every means, compel those who, for whatever reason, abstain from tasting flesh and wine, obviously in order for the suspicion to seem to be removed through this, [a suspicion] by which they are scrupulously thought to be clinging to the distinctions of foods. For surely they should pay attention to the fact that the Apostle has not said: It is good to eat flesh and to drink wine, but not to eat flesh and not to drink wine, if a brother is offended in this. So then, he did not want that, for the sake of those who judge that something is to be eaten, one who is offended by this should be compelled to eat; but, for the sake of the one who does not think something should be eaten, he orders even those who judge that it should be eaten to abstain. (Origen Commentary on Romans 10.3)
Rom 14. 15 - For after remarking, But if Christ be preached, that He rose from the dead, [1 Corinthians 15:12] he continues, rendering the reason of His incarnation, For since by man came death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. And everywhere, when [referring to] the passion of our Lord, and to His human nature, and His subjection to death, he employs the name of Christ, as in that passage: Destroy not him with your meat for whom Christ died. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3.18.3)
Rom 14.15 - Let us, therefore, be studiously on our guard at all times, that we do not smite our brethren and give them to drink of a disquieting conscience through our being to them a stumbling-block. For “if for the sake of meat our brother be made sad, or shocked, or made weak, or caused to stumble, we are not walking in the love of God. For the sake of meat thou causest him to perish for whose sake Christ died.” For, in “thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their sickly consciences, ye sin against Christ Himself. For, if for the sake of meat my brother is made to stumble,” let us who are believers say, “Never will we eat flesh, that we may not make our brother to stumble.” These things, moreover, does ever one who truly loves God, who truly takes up his cross, and puts on Christ, and loves his neighbour; the man who watches over himself that he be not a stumbling-block to any one, that no one be caused to stumble because of him and die because he is constantly with maidens and lives in the same house with them—a thing which is not right—to the overthrow of those who see and hear. Evil conduct like this is fraught with stumbling and peril, and is akin to death. But blessed is that man who is circumspect and fearful in everything for the sake of purity! (Clement of Rome, Second Treatise on Virginity 5)
Rom 14.16 - “For if,” it is said, “I bestow all my goods, and have not love, I am nothing.” On this love alone depend the law and the Word; and if “thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy neighbour,” this is the celestial festival in the heavens. But the earthly is called a supper, as has been shown from Scripture. For the supper is made for love, but the supper is not love (agape); only a proof of mutual and reciprocal kindly feeling. “Let not, then, your good be evil spoken of; for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink,” says the apostle, in order that the meal spoken of may not be conceived as ephemeral, “but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” He who eats of this meal, the best of all, shall possess the kingdom of God, fixing his regards here on the holy assembly of love, the heavenly Church. Love, then, is something pure and worthy of God, and its work is communication. “And the care of discipline is love,” as Wisdom says; “and love is the keeping of the law.” And these joys have an inspiration of love from the public nutriment, which accustoms to everlasting dainties. Love (agape), then, is not a supper. (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.1)
Rom 14.17 - If, as they claim, they have already attained the state of resurrection, and for that reason repudiate marriage, they should stop eating and drinking. For the Apostle said that the stomach and food would be dispensed with in the resurrection. Then how can they hunger and thirst and suffer the flesh and all the other things from which the person who has attained through Christ the fullness of the expected resurrection will be free? Even those who worship idols fast and practice sexual abstinence. "The kingdom of God does not consist in eating and drinking," he says. It is possible even for the Magi by a mental effort to abstain alike from wine, animal food, and sex, although they worship angels and spiritual beings. Just as humility is a form of meekness and does not mean maltreating the body, so asceticism is a virtue of the soul practiced privately, not openly. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.6)
Rom 14.17 - In one of his letters Paul has no hesitation in addressing his "yokefellow." He did not take her around with him for the convenience of his ministry. He says in one of his letters, "Do we not have the authority to take around a wife from the Church, like the other apostles?" But the apostles in conformity with their ministry concentrated on undistracted preaching, and took their wives around as Christian sisters rather than spouses, to be their fellow-ministers in relation to housewives, through whom the Lord’s teaching penetrated into the women’s quarters without scandal. We know the dispositions made over women deacons by the admirable Paul in his second letter to Timothy. Furthermore, this same writer said strongly that "the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking" – or abstinence from wine or meat – "but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.6)
Rom 14.19, 21 - Everything created by God is good. None is to be rejected provided it is taken in a spirit of gratitude. It is sanctified by God’s Word and by prayer." It follows of necessity that there is no ban on marriage, or eating meat, or drinking wine, for it is written, "It is good to refrain from eating meat and drinking wine," if a person might give offense by eating, and, "It is good to stay as I am." But both the person who takes his food gratefully, and the one who equally gratefully abstains with an enjoyment marked by self-discipline must follow the Logos in their lives. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.12)
Rom 14.20, 21 - Thus the apostle, in his solicitude for us, discriminates in the case of entertainments, saying, that if any one called a brother be found a fornicator, or an adulterer, or an idolater, with such an one not to eat; 1 Corinthians 5:11 neither in discourse or food are we to join, looking with suspicion on the pollution thence proceeding, as on the tables of the demons. It is good, then, neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, Romans 14:21 as both he and the Pythagoreans acknowledge. For this is rather characteristic of a beast; and the fumes arising from them being dense, darken the soul. If one partakes of them, he does not sin. Only let him partake temperately, not dependent on them, nor gaping after fine fare. For a voice will whisper to him, saying, Destroy not the work of God for the sake of food. Romans 14:20 For it is the mark of a silly mind to be amazed and stupefied at what is presented at vulgar banquets, after the rich fare which is in the Word; and much sillier to make one's eyes the slaves of the delicacies, so that one's greed is, so to speak, carried round by the servants. And how foolish for people to raise themselves on the couches, all but pitching their faces into the dishes, stretching out from the couch as from a nest, according to the common saying, that they may catch the wandering steam by breathing it in! (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 2.1)
Rom 14:23 - Marcion, by whom the evangelical and apostolic Scriptures have been interpolated, completely removed this section from this epistle; and not only this but he also cut up everything from the place where it is written 'all that is not of faith is sin' to the end [usque ad finem cuncta dissecuit] (Origen Commentary on Romans 10:43 Rufinus translation)
Chapter 15
(chapter 15 and 16 unknown to Irenaeus and Tertullian)
Rom 15.4 - For what things the Scripture speaks were written for our instruction, that we, through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures, might have the hope of consolation (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.5)
Rom 15.4 - Furthermore, we have ordained in like manner seven subdeacons who shall stand by (imminerent) the seven notaries, and bring into one full and accurate account the histories of the martyrs, and lay them before us for our examination. And this, too, we urge you all to do, so that no doubt or questioning of these things may arise in later times; "for whatsoever things were written, were written for our learning." And whatsoever things are written in truth in our times, are directed to the learning of future times. And therefore we enjoin these duties to be put in charge of the most faithful, that nothing false may be found in them, from which an offence (which may God forbid) may arise to the faithful. (Pope Fabian, First Epistle) earliest known reference to chapter 15 or 16 outside of the Marcionite Church or Alexandria
Rom. 15:13 - “For God hath not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me his prisoner,” he writes to Timothy. Such shall he be “who cleaves to that which is good,” according to the apostle, “who hates evil, having love unfeigned; for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law.” [Rom. 8. 8] If, then, this God, to whom we bear witness, be as He is, the God of hope, we acknowledge our hope, speeding on to hope, “saturated with goodness, filled with all knowledge.” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.7)
Rom. 15:13, 15 - 19, 30 - And Paul in his Epistle to the Romans says But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Romans 8:9 And again he says: But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Romans 8:11 And again: As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:14-15 And again: I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. Romans 9:1 And again: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13 And again, writing to those same Romans, he says: But I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I dare not to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought by me, [Rom 15.20] to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And again: Now I beseech you, brethren, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and by the love of the Spirit. Romans 15:30 And these things, indeed, are written in the Epistle to the Romans. (Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confessional Faith 10,11)
Rom 15.15, 18 - The apostle himself, too, states the same thing in his first epistle, where he says: According to the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. And again: For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought by me by word and deed. I am the last of all the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle. But by the grace of God I am what I am. And it, is his wish to have to deal with those who sought the proof of that Christ who spoke in him, for this reason, that the Paraclete was in him: and as having obtained His gift of grace, and as being enriched with magnificent, honour, he says: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you; for strength is made perfect in weakness. (Acts of Archelaus 34)
Rom 15.19 - For you are the fellow citizens as well as the disciples of Paul, who fully preached the Gospel from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, [Romans 15:19] and bore about the marks of Christ in his flesh. (Pseudo-Ignatius to the Tarsians 2)
Rom 15.19 - For as many things as belong to peace and love, these have I taught. Round about from Jerusalem, and as far as Illyricum, (Acts of the Apostles Peter and Paul)
Rom. 15:27 - Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in want, but thou shalt share all things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if ye are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal? (Didache 4.8)
Rom. 15:29 - "Wherefore instruction, which reveals hidden things, is called illumination, as it is the teacher only who uncovers the lid of the ark, contrary to what the poets say, that “Zeus stops up the jar of good things, but opens that of evil.” “For I know,” says the apostle, “that when I come to you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ;” designating the spiritual gift, and the gnostic communication, which being present he desires to impart to them present as “the fulness of Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery sealed in the ages of eternity, but now manifested by the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all the nations, in order to the obedience of faith,” that is, those of the nations who believe that it is. But only to a few of them is shown what those things are which are contained in the mystery." (Clement of Alexandria Stromata 5.10)
Chapter 16
Rom. 16:16 - For this very thing, the shameless use of a kiss, which ought to be mystic, occasions foul suspicions and evil reports. The apostle calls the kiss holy. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.11)
Rom. 16:17 - 19 - And again it says When a man speaks in season, it is honourable to him. Proverbs 25:11 And again it says: Let your speech be seasoned with grace. For it is required of a man to know how to give an answer to every one in season. For he that utters whatsoever comes to his mouth, that man produces strife; and he that utters a superfluity of words increases vexation; and he that is hasty with his lips falls into evil. For because of the unruliness of the tongue comes anger; but the perfect man keeps watch over his tongue, and loves his soul's life. For these are they who by good words and fair speeches lead astray the hearts of the simple, and, while offering them blessings, lead them astray. (Clement of Rome, First Epistle on Virginity 12)
Rom 16.18 - Let us, therefore, ask of the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth workmen into the harvest; Matthew 9:37-38 such workmen as shall skilfully dispense the word of truth; workmen who shall not be ashamed; faithful workmen; workmen who shall be the light of the world; Matthew 5:14 workmen who work not for the food that perishes, but for that food which abides unto life eternal; John 6:27 workmen who shall be such as the apostles; workmen who imitate the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; who are concerned for the salvation of men; not hireling John 10:12-13 workmen; not workmen to whom the fear of God and righteousness appear to be gain; not workmen who serve their belly; not workmen who with fair speeches and pleasant words mislead the hearts of the innocent; Romans 16:18 not workmen who imitate the children of light, while they are not light but darkness— men whose end is destruction; Philippians 3:9 not workmen who practise iniquity and wickedness and fraud; not crafty workmen; 2 Corinthians 11:13 not workmen drunken and faithless; nor workmen who traffic in Christ; not misleaders; not lovers of money; not malevolent. (Clement of Rome, First Epistle on Virginity 13)
Rom 16.19 - And we are tender who are pliant to the power of persuasion, and are easily drawn to goodness, and are mild, and free of the stain of malice and perverseness, for the ancient race was perverse and hard-hearted; but the band of infants, the new people which we are, i.s delicate as a child. On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children, so to speak, when he says, "I would have you wise toward good, but simple towards evil." (Clement of Alexandria, Instructor 1.15)
Rom 16.25 - 27 - Marcion, by whom the evangelical and apostolic Scriptures have been interpolated, completely removed this section from this epistle; and not only this but he also cut up everything from the place where it is written 'all that is not of faith is sin' to the end [usque ad finem cuncta dissecuit] (Origen Commentary on Romans 10:43 Rufinus translation)
Rom. 16:25- we have no other foundation to show for your doctrines than our law? "Now, certainly the introduction to Christianity is through the Mosaic worship and the prophetic writings; and after the introduction, it is in the interpretation and explanation of these that progress takes place, while those who are introduced prosecute their investigations into "the mystery according to revelation, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest in the Scriptures of the prophets," (Origen Against Celsus 2)
Rom. 16:25 - others, gain, which to the pure in soul and body exhibit "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest by the Scriptures of the prophets," (Origen Against Celsus 3)
Rom. 16:26 - For some do not interpret this Scripture of the Lord, although He also bore flesh, but of the perfect man and the gnostic, inferior in comparison with the angels in time, and by reason of the vesture [of the body]. I call then wisdom nothing but science, since life differs not from life. For to live is common to the mortal nature, that is to man, with that to which has been vouchsafed immortality; as also the faculty of contemplation and of self-restraint, one of the two being more excellent. On this ground Pythagoras seems to me to have said that God alone is wise, since also the apostle writes in the Epistle to the Romans, “For the obedience of the faith among all nations, being made known to the only wise God through Jesus Christ;” and that he himself was a philosopher, on account of his friendship with God. Accordingly it is said, “God talked with Moses as a friend with a friend.” That, then, which is true being clear to God, forthwith generates truth. And the gnostic loves the truth. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 4.3)
"Clement of Alexandria and Origen are the only ante-Nicene fathers to quote from Rom. 15-16" (Morton Scott Enslin, Christian History p. 265
