Thomas Aquinas

Above he showed that he counts past gains as nothing for the sake of Christ, and he showed that he intended to know Christ, and to gain Christ, and this he intends here to explain in particular. And first, how he desires to gain Christ and be found in him through righteousness; second, through endurance of the passion, at the place "conformed," etc. Concerning the first, first he shows what the righteousness is which he abandoned; second, what the righteousness is which he seeks, at the place "but," etc.

But it must be known that righteousness is sometimes taken as a special virtue, by which a man establishes rectitude in those things which pertain to common life together, and insofar as it is directive in these matters. For temperance concerns the interior passions, but righteousness is toward another. In another way righteousness is called a general virtue, insofar as a man keeps the law for the sake of the common good, and in this way it is frequently put in sacred Scripture for the observance of the divine law. Ps. 118:121: "I have done judgment and righteousness," namely, the law, which he kept out of love, as it were moved from himself: and thus it is a virtue. But not so, if kept in another way, that is, from some exterior cause, namely either for the sake of gain, or for the sake of penalties, and if the observance is displeasing to him. And according to this there is a twofold mode of righteousness: one is of moral righteousness, the other is of legal righteousness, by which one keeps the law not out of love, but out of fear. And therefore he says "not having my righteousness, which is from the law," because, as Augustine says, the brief difference between the law and the Gospel is love and fear. Rom. 8:15: "You have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption," etc.

But if it is yours, how is it from the law? He answers: rather it is mine, because by human power, without the habit of interior justifying grace, I do such works, but it is from the law, as from one who teaches. Or it is mine, in that I presume to keep it by myself. Rom. 10:5: "For Moses wrote, that the righteousness which is from the law, the man who does it shall live in it."

Concerning this righteousness, which he seeks, he says three things: namely the manner of obtaining it, the author, and the fruit. The manner is that he does not obtain it, except from faith in Christ. Rom. 5:1: "Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 3:22: "But the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all who believe." The author, however, is God, and not man. Rom. 8:33: "God, who justifies." Rom. 4:5: "But to him who believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned unto righteousness, according to the purpose of the grace of God." And therefore he says "which is from God," etc. Acts 5:32: "And the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to all," etc.

The fruit is the knowledge of him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his holy ones. And concerning this, according to a twofold knowledge, it can be treated in two ways.

In one way, by expounding concerning the knowledge of the way, and thus it is necessary to know three things about him. First, his person, namely that he is true God and true man. And therefore he says "to know him." John 14:9: "I have been with you so long a time, and you have not known me," etc. Second, the glory of his resurrection. Hence he says "and the power of his resurrection," that is, a resurrection full of power, wrought by his own power. Third, how they might imitate him, at the place "and the fellowship," namely that we be joined with him in the passion. 1 Peter 2:21: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps."

Second, concerning experiential knowledge, and he begins from what is posterior, which is last in execution, and first in intention. The first is the recognition of God through essence, to which faith leads. Jer. 31:34: "All shall know me, from the least of them even to the greatest, says the Lord," etc. And therefore he says "to know him." Second, because not only is the soul glorified, but from this the body also will be glorious. Therefore he says "and the power of his resurrection," namely by which we shall rise again. 1 Cor. 15:14: "If Christ has not risen, our faith is vain," etc. Third, the fellowship, because through experience we shall have how much the fellowship of his passion avails. 1 Cor. 1:9: "But God is faithful, through whom you have been called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

Then, when he says "conformed," etc., he shows how he wishes to gain and be found in him through endurance of the passion. And first he sets forth the endurance, second the fruit, at the place "if by any means," etc. He says therefore: may I be found not only having righteousness, but "conformed to his death," so that I may suffer for the sake of righteousness and truth, as Christ did. Gal., last chapter: "For I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body." The fruit indeed is, "if by any means," etc. For from the sufferings endured here, man arrives at glory. Rom. 6:5: "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." 2 Tim. 2:11: "If we are dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him." Rom. 8:17: "If yet we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him." And he says "if by any means," on account of the difficulty, the arduousness, and the labor. Matt. 7:14: "Narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it," etc. Amos 4:12: "Prepare to meet your God, O Israel," etc. For Christ rose by his own power, but man not by his own power, but by the grace of God. Rom. 8:11: "He who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies, on account of his Spirit dwelling in you." Or it can be understood of the meeting of the saints, when they will meet Christ descending from heaven to judgment.

Then, when he says "for what already," etc., he shows how his desire is deferred. And first he shows what he feels about himself; second he exhorts others to feel the same about themselves, at the place "for as many as are perfect," etc. Again the first part is divided into two, because first he shows how he falls short of interior perfection; second he explains this, at the place "brothers, I," etc.

Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows that he has not arrived at perfection; second, that he presses on toward it, "but I follow after," etc. Tending toward another thing he intends two things, namely to obtain what is sought and to enjoy it. For he would seek in vain, if he did not enjoy it and cling to it. And therefore he says "not that I have already received," namely the glory which I seek. Wisdom 5:17: "They shall receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty from the hand of their own God." "Or that I am already perfect." 1 Cor. 13:10: "When that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away."

But on the contrary: "Be perfect," Matt. 5:48, and Gen. 17:1: "Be perfect." I respond. It must be said that perfection is twofold, namely of the homeland and of the way. For the perfection of man consists in this, that he cling to God through charity, because each thing is perfect according to the manner in which it clings to its own perfection. But the soul can cling to God perfectly in two ways. In one way, so that it refers all its action to God actually, and knows him as he is knowable: and this is the perfection of the homeland. But the clinging of the way is twofold. One is of the necessity of salvation, to which all are bound, namely that one apply his heart in nothing to that which is against God, but habitually refer his whole life to him. And in this way the Lord says, Matt. 22:37: "You shall love the Lord your God," etc. The other is of supererogation, when someone clings to God beyond the common state, which comes about by removing the heart from temporal things, and thus he draws nearer to the homeland; because the more desire fails, the more charity grows. What therefore is said here is understood of the perfection of the homeland.

Then, when he says "but I follow," etc., he shows the effort toward it, saying "I follow," namely Christ. John 8:12: "He who follows me does not walk in darkness," etc. John 10:3: "My sheep hear my voice, and follow." And this, "if by any means I may comprehend." 1 Cor. 9:25: "So run, that you may comprehend." But on the contrary, God is incomprehensible, for Jer. 31:37 it is said: "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below searched out," etc.

I respond. It must be said that to comprehend in one way is to enclose, just as a house encloses us. In another way it is the same as to attain and to hold. In the first way, then, he is incomprehensible, because he cannot be enclosed within a created intellect, since he is most simple, for you do not see him nor love him perfectly, as he is visible and lovable, just as one who does not know a demonstration, knows it not demonstratively, but by opinion. But God perfectly knows himself as he is knowable. The reason for this is that a thing is known according to the mode of its being and truth. But God is light and infinite truth, but our light is finite. And therefore he says "I follow, if by any means I may comprehend," understanding this in the second way, namely by attaining. Canticle, last chapter: "I held him, and will not let him go," etc.

"In which also I am comprehended." This is understood in three ways. For the whole of glory consists in the said comprehension of God, namely that God be present to our soul. But not all have equal blessedness, because some see more clearly, just as also some will love more ardently and rejoice more. Hence each one will have a certain measure, and this from divine predestination. And therefore he says "in which also I am comprehended"; as if to say: in such a measure I intend to comprehend, according as it has been disposed for me by Christ. Or, I follow that I may comprehend as I am comprehended; as if to say: that I may see him as he himself sees me. 1 John 3:2: "We shall see him as he is," that is, not through a likeness, but through essence. Or, I may comprehend by seeing Christ glorious. "In which I am comprehended," that is, in that glory in which he appeared when I was converted.

Then, when he says "brothers, I," etc., he explains what he had said; and first concerning the defect of perfection; second concerning the following after, at the place "but one thing," etc. He says therefore "I," etc.; as if to say: I am not so proud as to attribute to myself what I do not have, but "I follow," etc.; which is read in three ways: in one way thus: "one thing I think," namely that "the things which are behind," etc. Or, I do not think that I have comprehended, but I follow after one thing, namely "toward the mark," etc. Or, I do not think that I have comprehended that above. Ps. 26:4: "One thing have I asked," etc.

And then he shows what he has abandoned, whether temporal gains or temporal goods, or past merits, because man ought not to compare past merits to God. Second he shows toward what he tends, namely "to those," etc., that is, either the things which pertain to the faith of Christ, or greater merits, or heavenly things. Ps. 83:6: "He has disposed ascents in his heart," etc.

And he says "stretching forth." For he who wishes to grasp something, stretches himself as much as he can. But the heart ought to stretch itself through desire. Wisdom 6:21: "The desire of wisdom leads to an everlasting kingdom," etc. But toward what does he tend? Toward "the appointed prize," which is the reward of him alone who runs. 1 Cor. 9:24: "All indeed run, but one receives the prize." I say, moreover, toward this prize appointed for me by God, which is "of the supernal calling of God." Rom. 8:30: "Whom he predestined, these he also called," etc. And this "in Christ Jesus," that is, through faith in Christ.