Thomas Aquinas

What has gone before fortified the faithful against the deceptions of worldly wisdom; here he instructs and fortifies them against heretics, who wish to draw them to the observances of the law. He first teaches them to avoid these men; secondly he excludes their false seduction, at the words no one , etc. Again, the first part is divided into two: first he shows that the observances of the law have been fulfilled in Christ; secondly he excludes them, showing that they are not bound to them, at the words no one you .

Now among the legal observances, the first is circumcision, in which the Jews professed observance of the old law, just as we in Baptism profess observance of the new law. Gal. V, 3: I testify to every man circumcising himself, that he is a debtor to do the whole law . Hence he says that the faithful are circumcised with a certain spiritual circumcision. From this it follows that that ceases.

Hence, first he shows with what circumcision they are circumcised; secondly, in what this circumcision is received, at the words buried together ; thirdly he assigns the reason for this circumcision, at the words and you, when you were dead . Concerning the first, it must be known that circumcision is twofold, namely carnal and spiritual. But through Christ we are circumcised, not with carnal circumcision, but with spiritual. And therefore he first excludes the carnal; secondly he establishes the spiritual.

He says therefore: in whom , namely Christ, you were circumcised with a circumcision not made by hand . Rom. II, 28: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew who is one in secret, and the circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter , etc. In the despoiling of the body of the flesh . This can be read in two ways.

In one way, thus: I say, circumcised, with a circumcision not made by hand — I say you, remaining, in the despoiling , etc., that is, of carnal corruption, according to that word of I Cor. XV, 50: flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God , etc.; as if he were to say: you are circumcised for this reason, because you no longer have the vices of the flesh. Below, III, 9: stripping off from yourselves the old man with his deeds , etc.

Or, I say, with a circumcision not made by hand — for that circumcision made by hand consists in the despoiling of the body of the flesh , which is cut off from the other. Hence another text has: the skin of the flesh , that is, of the body of the flesh, that is, a part of the body, which is flesh — not that the body is one thing and the flesh another. And he says of the flesh , alluding to the law, where mention is made of the flesh. Gen. XVII, 11: you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin , etc. And this in order to show that it is a certain carnal observance.

But we are not circumcised with such a circumcision, but with the circumcision of Christ. For just as Christ assumed the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, passible flesh, in order to free us from sin, so too the remedies of the law, in order to free us from observance of the law. Or which Christ works in us, which is spiritual circumcision, as is said in Rom. II, 29, not in the letter, but in the spirit .

Secondly he shows that we have obtained it in Baptism, and thus Baptism is spiritual circumcision. And first he shows that in Baptism the figure of Christ's death is displayed; secondly that in it conformity to Christ's resurrection is received, at the words in whom also you rose again . He says therefore buried together , etc. Because in it the likeness of Christ's death is expressed, so that, just as Christ was placed first on the cross, and afterward in the tomb, so he who is baptized is placed under the water, and three times, just as Christ remained three days in the tomb. Buried together, that is, baptized in the likeness of Christ's death, so that just as in it he destroyed sin, so also in Baptism. And just as he rose from the tomb, so also do we rise from sins in reality, and from the corruption of the flesh in hope. And this through faith in the working of God , because he was raised up by the power of God. Ps. XL, 11: raise me up, and I will repay them , etc. And believing this resurrection, one becomes a partaker of this resurrection. Rom. VIII, 11: he who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies . But Christ also raised himself up. For the working of the Father and the Son is the same. Ps. CVII, 3: I will rise at dawn , etc.

Then, when he says and you, when , etc., he shows the reason for the likeness; and first he shows the likeness; secondly the manner of what has been said, at the words blotting out , etc. The text is not difficult. I said you were circumcised, because you were buried together with Christ in Baptism. And he compared Baptism to burial and death. But it can be said that it would be more to the purpose if it were said that first it is shown that Baptism is circumcision; secondly he shows the reason why, namely, that sin is a superfluity, and the flesh of the foreskin is a superfluity. It is the same, therefore, to lay aside sin and the foreskin. But in Baptism sin is laid aside; therefore it is the same as circumcision.

And therefore he says when you were dead in your sins , that is, on account of your sins. Ps. XXXIII, 22: the death of sinners is the worst. And in the foreskin of your flesh , that is, of carnal concupiscence, which pertains to original sin — as though bound by the guilt of evil deeds and of mortal sin. Doing this, Christ brought you to life together with him , etc. Eph. II, 1: when you were dead in your trespasses and sins , etc. And this by removing from you all sin, forgiving and remitting to you all your sins . It is the same, therefore, to be circumcised and to be brought to life together, and this in Baptism through the remedy of the death of sin, and when we are circumcised through the removal of original sin.

But how did he forgive? I answer: It must be said that man, by sinning, incurs two things, namely the guilt of fault, and servitude to the Devil. And therefore he tells how sins are forgiven. First as to the removal of diabolical servitude; secondly he sets down the taking away of the guilt of fault, at the words despoiling , etc.

He says therefore blotting out , etc. This decree can be understood in two ways. In one way, as the old law. Eph. II, 15: making void the law of commandments contained in decrees , etc. And thus he speaks here to the Jews; as if he were to say: and you he brought to life together with him.

A handwriting is a document written by hand, and it is properly made as security for contracts. Whoever breaks the decree of God becomes guilty of fault. And this guilt consists both in the memory of man, thereby disturbed and stained, and in the memory of God who is to judge, and of the demons who are to torment. This, therefore, remaining in memory, is called the handwriting: Christ, then, is he who forgave all things, and this by blotting out the handwriting , that is, the memory of the transgression, which , the handwriting or the decree, was against us , because both were against us. The law indeed, because it produced the knowledge of sin, and did not help; the handwriting, however, because the memory of the transgression was for the sake of punishing. And he says of the decree , because he does not remit in such a way as to make it so that you did not sin, but because it is not in the memory of God for punishing, nor in the memory of the demon for accusing, nor in you for causing sorrow. Ps. XXXI, 1: blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered , etc.

Or he speaks in common, not only to the Jews, but to all. One decree was made to the first man, Gen. II, 16: eat of every tree of Paradise, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil do not eat. In whatever day you eat of it, you shall die the death . But man transgressed a decree of this kind, and because of this there is in memory a handwriting contrary to us, which Christ blotted out. And how? On the cross , when he took it out of the way , etc.

For it was the custom that, when one paid all that to which he was bound, the handwriting was torn up. But man was in sin; Christ, however, paid for good things by suffering. Ps. LXVIII, 5: what I did not steal, then I paid . And therefore, together with the death of Christ, this handwriting was destroyed; and therefore he says he took it out of the way , that is, he removed it from the nature of things, and this by fastening it to the cross , through which, making satisfaction to God, he took away our sin.

Then, when he says despoiling , etc., he shows how he freed us from servitude to sin. For granted that a usurer, on account of a security, holds a man captive, the destruction of the security would not suffice, unless he were freed. So too Christ. And therefore he says despoiling , etc. This despoiling refers to the saints who died before the Passion of Christ, and thus Christ freed them by despoiling hell of them. Zach. IX, 11: you also, by the blood of your covenant, have sent forth your prisoners out of the pit, in which there was no water . Is. XLIX, 25: indeed even the captivity shall be taken away from the strong man, and what has been taken from the mighty one shall be saved .

But if it is understood of the living, thus he despoiled them, namely, of the demons. Lc. XI, 22: but if a stronger one coming upon him overcomes him, he will take away all his armor in which he trusted, and will distribute his spoils . Io. XII, 31: the prince of this world shall be cast out . He says therefore despoiling the principalities and powers , that is, the demons themselves. Eph. ult.: against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness , etc.

He led forth those saints confidently, as one having authority: into heaven, as regards the dead; and as regards the living, into the kingdom of his glory or of his grace. Or he led forth , that is, led outside, that is, he expelled the principalities from man. Is. LI, 9: put on strength, O arm of the Lord , etc. Openly , that is, by evident judgment, by which it may be known that they were led forth. For formerly the whole world served idols; now it does not. Or openly , that is, in the presence of a multitude of angels, both because he descended to the hell of the saints, and because he ascended into heaven. And this triumphing in himself , that is, in his own power. Phil. III, 21: according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself .

Another text has it thus: and stripping himself of the flesh, he made a show of the principalities and powers, triumphing confidently . And it is explained thus: stripping himself of the flesh , that is, of mortality. I Cor. XV, v. 50: flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God , that is, the mortality of carnal corruption. Rom. VI, 9: Christ rising from the dead dies now no more; death shall no longer have dominion over him . II Cor. V, 16: and if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him no longer. He made a show , that is, he offered in himself an example, of how they are to be conquered.

The rest is not changed.