Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times.

“Now I write these things unto you, not that I know there are any such persons among you; nay, indeed I hope that God will never permit any such report to reach my ears, He "who spared not His Son for the sake of His holy Church." But foreseeing the snares of the wicked one, I arm you beforehand by my admonitions, as my beloved and faithful children in Christ, furnishing you with the means of protection against the deadly disease of unruly men, by which do ye flee from the disease [referred to] by the good-will of Christ our Lord. Do ye therefore, clothing yourselves with meekness, become the imitators of His sufferings, and of His love, wherewith He loved us when He gave Himself a ransom for us, that He might cleanse us by His blood from our old ungodliness, and bestow life on us when we were almost on the point of perishing through the depravity that was in us. Let no one of you, therefore, cherish any grudge against his neighbour. For says our Lord, "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you." Give no occasion to the Gentiles, lest "by means of a few foolish men the word and doctrine [of Christ.] be blasphemed." For says the prophet, as in the person of God, "Woe to him by whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles."”

“Do not wonder that the whole world was redeemed, for it was no mere man but the Only-begotten Son of God who died for it. The sin of one man, Adam, availed to bring death to the world; if by one man's offense death reigned for the world, why should not life reign all the more "from the justice of the one?" If Adam and Eve were cast out of paradise because of the tree from which they ate, should not believers more easily enter into paradise because of the Tree of Jesus? If the first man, fashioned out of the earth, brought universal death, shall not he who fashioned him, being the Life, bring everlasting life? If Phinees by his zeal in slaying the evildoer appeased the wrath of God, shall not Jesus, who slew no other, but "gave himself a ransom for all," take away God's wrath against man?”

“Was Christ then a ransom for the Heathen? Undoubtedly Christ died even for Heathen; and you cannot bear to pray for them. Why then, you ask, did they not believe? Because they would not: but His part was done. His suffering was a "Testimony," he says; for He came, it is meant, "to bear witness to the truth" of the Father, and was slain. Thus not only the Father bore witness to Him, but He to the Father. "For I came," He saith, "in my Father's name." And again, "No man hath seen God at any time." And again, "That they might know Thee, the only true God." And, "God is a Spirit." And He bore witness even to the death. But this, "in due time," means, In the fittest time. "He gave himself a ransom," he saith, how then was He delivered up by the Father? Because it was of His goodness. And what means "ransom"? God was about to punish them, but He forbore to do it. They were about to perish, but in their stead He gave His own Son, and sent us as heralds to proclaim the Cross. These things are sufficient to attract all, and to demonstrate the love of Christ.”

“Above he said that God wills all to be saved, and he proved this on the part of God, who is one of all, and on the part of Christ, who is one mediator of all; here he proves the same thing on the part of testimony. And first he brings forward other witnesses; second, his own testimony, at the words "in which I am placed." He says therefore: "he gave himself for all." But did it perhaps suddenly come into God's mind, that he who had chosen to save the Jews only should will to save the whole world? Excluding this he says, "the testimony of which was in its own times"; as if to say: this law is not sudden, but attested of old through the Law and through the Prophets. Isaiah 44:8: "You are my witnesses." Acts 10:43: "To this all the prophets bear witness," etc. "It was confirmed," namely by the fulfillment and showing of signs, and by the preaching of the apostles. "In its own times," namely in which it had been predetermined to come to pass. Ecclesiastes 3:1: "All things have their time." Or: the testimony of the apostles was confirmed at determined times. Acts 1:8: "You shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth," etc. Then, when he says "in which I am placed," he sets forth his own testimony. And first he shows his office; second, the use of his office, at the word "truth." He says therefore, "in which," namely in the office of bearing witness, "I am placed," namely by God. John 15:16: "I have placed you that you may go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit may remain." "I a preacher," because he placed me for this, that I should preach. Mark, last chapter: "Going into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature." But in any craft there are two kinds: some working in a ministerial way, and some who arrange concerning others, namely the master-builders; but in the office of the Church, those who arrange are the apostles; and therefore he says "apostle," as it were with authority. 1 Corinthians 9:2: "You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." Now the use of the office is to preach the truth, and this is the office of preachers, that they speak the truth. Proverbs 8:7: "My throat shall meditate truth." Ephesians 4:25: "Speak the truth." But there is no teaching which does not have some truth; but a teaching is condemned in this, that it mixes falsity with truth. And therefore he says, "I speak the truth, I do not lie." Proverbs 8:8: "All my words are right." Job 6:30: "You shall not find iniquity in my tongue." And this is the use of the office, namely to preach the truth without lying, which pertains to my office, who am "teacher of the Gentiles." Now a teacher generates knowledge in the soul of the disciple. But knowledge is not of the false; hence one who teaches what is false is not a teacher. But on the contrary, Matthew 23:8: "Do not be called Rabbi." I answer: he does not forbid the ministry of teaching, but the ambition of office. Acts 9:15: "This man is a vessel of election to me, to carry my name," etc. Isaiah 49:6: "I have given you as a light of the Gentiles," etc. And I ought to teach them "in faith and truth," because he ought to teach faith and good morals. And he says "in faith," that is, concerning those things which pertain to the present state, in which we live according to faith, and "in truth" as regards the state of glory. Then, when he says "I will," he descends to the particular ranks of men. And concerning this he does two things: first he admonishes men about prayer, second, women, at the words "likewise also women." He says therefore, "I will," etc. He requires three things from men in praying: first, that prayer be assiduous; second, pure; third, quiet. Assiduous, as at every time and in every place. And he says "I will," because it is good that a man should pray, and I the teacher will that men pray "in every place," not in Jerusalem only, as the Jews, nor on Mount Gerizim, as the Samaritans, John 4:21. In every place a man can pray spiritually and mentally. Zephaniah 2:11: "Men shall worship him from his own place, all the islands of the Gentiles," etc. But how does the Lord reprove the Pharisees standing at the corners, Matthew 6:5? I answer: mental prayer can be done anywhere, but outward signs of prayer ought not to be made in every place, because a man ought not to appear singular in outward things, since on account of this vain glory could be had. But why then are churches made? I answer: not that a place is of necessity to prayer, but for its well-being; because prayer requires solitude and quiet. Likewise pure. Therefore he says "lifting up pure hands." Augustine: what we do outwardly in praying, we do so that our affection may be stirred up inwardly. For genuflections and things of this kind are not in themselves acceptable to God, but because through these, as through signs of humility, a man is inwardly humbled, just as the raising of the hands signifies the raising of the heart. Lamentations 3:41: "Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to the Lord in heaven." "Lifting up," etc., that is, praying with devotion of heart. Job 8:5f: "If you rise at dawn to God, and entreat the Almighty, if you walk clean and upright, at once he will awaken to you, and will render the dwelling of your righteousness peaceful." Likewise quiet. Therefore he says "without anger and disputation." And he sets down two things. First, namely, that the mind be without anger, which disquiets the soul toward inflicting harm on one's neighbor, from which the soul of the one praying must be free. Sirach 28:3: "Man keeps anger against man, and seeks healing from God." Likewise a man ought to be free from disputation, which can be understood in two ways. In one way, according to the Gloss, that we should not dispute against God, being incredulous of his words, and murmuring against his ordinance. Romans 9:20: "O man, who are you that you should answer back to God," etc. Likewise against one's neighbor, that we should not break peace with him, which is done through disputation. For peace is necessary to one who prays. Matthew 18:19: "If two of you shall agree on earth, concerning any matter which they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father." Then, when he says "likewise also women," he sets women in order, and first as to prayer, second as to teaching, at the words "let women in silence." Likewise, first he shows what is required of a woman praying; second he explains what he had said, at the words "not in braided." Concerning the first it must be known that all things which are required for a man praying are required also for women. And therefore he says "likewise also women," as if to say: let them keep all the things that have been said. But he adds two things, namely adornment and modesty, saying "in adorned attire with modesty," the reason for which is, that it is natural that, just as women are of softer body than men, so also of weaker reason. Now it belongs to reason to order the acts and the effects of each thing. But adornment consists in due order and disposition. Thus in inward comeliness, unless all things be ordered by disposition through reason, they do not have spiritual beauty. And therefore, because women fall short in reason, he requires adornment from them. Likewise modesty concerns a shameful act, and therefore it is praiseworthy in those who are accustomed to fall easily into shameful acts, of which sort are the young and women, and therefore this is praised in them, but not in the old and the perfect. Sirach 26:19: "Grace upon grace is a holy and modest woman." Likewise he requires sobriety; hence there follows "and with sobriety." For because in women reason is weak, and sobriety preserves the power of reason, therefore drunkenness is most especially reproved in women. Hence of old among the Romans wine was not given to them. "Not with braided hair, and gold," etc. He explains what he had said, and first concerning adornment, second concerning modesty, at the words "but what becomes." Concerning the first, first he excludes bodily adornment; second he sets down spiritual adornment, at the words "but what becomes." Concerning the first he says: what I said about adorned attire, I do not mean of the exterior, because "not with braided hair," that is, not with the head or the whole body adorned. But women adorn the head especially, which is natural to woman, as is said 1 Corinthians 11:15. And therefore they have adornments on the head. But on the head there is a twofold covering. One is natural, namely the hair, as is said 1 Corinthians 11:5; the other artificial, and in both they adorn themselves, because they braid their hair. Hence he says "not with braided," that is, curled. Isaiah 3:24: "Instead of curled hair there shall be baldness." Likewise he forbids artificial things, when he says "or with gold, or pearls." 1 Peter 3:3: "Not the outward braiding of hair, or the wearing of gold, or of apparel, or the adornment of garments," etc. Or: "not with braided hair, and gold," that is, not having hair braided with gold, or pearls. But as to the whole body he says "or with costly garment"; for this the apostle condemns here, and Isaiah 3:17. But is this indeed a sin? I answer: it must be said that according to Augustine two things are to be considered in the adornment of women, namely simple adornment and painted adornment. Simple adornment, as in garment, and in gold, and things of this kind, can be done with sin in three ways: namely from a depraved intention, as if they intend the stirring of concupiscence, ostentation, or vain glory. Proverbs 7:10: "Prepared to capture souls." Second, if it be done contrary to the custom of one's homeland, which is done in various ways. For what exceeds the accustomed measure of one's homeland comes from lightness of mind. Third, if it exceeds the condition of one's own state. But if right intention, the custom of one's homeland, and the condition of one's state are preserved, it is not a sin. But concerning the painted kind, it is always a sin. For women are not permitted to be adorned except for the sake of men, and men do not wish to be deceived, so that painted women should appear to them. Let there be, therefore, not such adornment, but such as becomes women "professing godliness." For the exterior works of man are as it were a certain profession of the interior man, just as religious have their habit for this, and clerics likewise. Hence unless the interior agrees with the exterior, it is a pretense. So too concerning other interior works. For inwardly we ought to cultivate godliness, that is, to have the worship of God, but outwardly to promise and to render it through good works, which agree with godliness; and likewise to have inwardly, just as we show outwardly. Or, I say, that they ought to adorn themselves not outwardly, but according to what becomes them "professing," that is, what they ought to profess, godliness through good works. Sirach 19:27: "The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the walk of a man declare concerning him."”

“Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle,.... He was ordained or appointed to be a preacher of the Gospel from all eternity, and was separated or set apart unto it in time, and was put into the ministry of it by Christ himself, and was not a common or ordinary preacher of the word, but an apostle, an extraordinary officer in the Gospel church. I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not; which are a sort of an oath, or an appeal to Christ the omniscient God, for the truth of what he said, concerning his ordination to the Gospel; see a like phrase in Rom 9:1. The phrase, "in Christ", is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in three of Beza's ancient copies, and in some others, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity; the Gospel of the uncircumcision, or which was to be preached to the uncircumcised Gentiles, was committed to this apostle; and his work and ministry lay among them, and therefore he is called the apostle of the Gentiles: and so he was in faith and verity; which may regard the subject matter of his teachings and ministry; it was the faith and truth of the Gospel, even the whole of it, the faith which was once delivered to the saints, and the truth as it is in Jesus; or else the character of the apostle, as a teacher, that he was a true and faithful one, who with all integrity and veracity, fully and faithfully preached the Gospel; and since he was appointed a teacher of it to the Gentiles, this is another argument why they, as well as the Jews, should be prayed for.”

“Who gave himself a ransom - The word λυτρον signifies a ransom paid for the redemption of a captive; and αντιλυτρον, the word used here, and applied to the death of Christ, signifies that ransom which consists in the exchange of one person for another, or the redemption of life by life; or, as Schleusner has expressed it in his translation of these words, Qui morte sua omnes liberavit a vitiositatis vi et poenis, a servitute quassi et miseria peccatorum. "He who by his death has redeemed all from the power and punishment of vice, from the slavery and misery of sinners." As God is the God and father of all, (for there is but one God, Ti1 2:5), and Jesus Christ the mediator of all, so he gave himself a ransom for all; i.e., for all that God made, consequently for every human soul; unless we could suppose that there are human souls of which God is not the Creator; for the argument of the apostle is plainly this: 1. There is one God; 2. This God is the Creator of all; 3. He has made a revelation of his kindness to all; 4. He will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth; and 5. He has provided a mediator for all, who has given himself a ransom for all. As surely as God has created all men, so surely has Jesus Christ died for all men. This is a truth which the nature and revelation of God unequivocally proclaim. To be testified in due time - The original words, το μαρτυριον καιροις ιδιοις, are not very clear, and have been understood variously. The most authentic copies of the printed Vulgate have simply, Testimonium temporibus suis; which Calmet translates: Rendant ainsi temoignage au tems marqu; "Thus rendering testimony at the appointed time." Dr. Macknight thus: Of which the testimony is in its proper season. Wakefield thus: "That testimony reserved to its proper time" Rosenmullen: Haec est doctrina, temporibus suis reservata. "This is the doctrine which is reserved for its own times;" that is, adds he, quoe suo tempore in omni terrarum orbe tradetur, "the doctrine which in its own time shall be delivered to all the inhabitants of the earth." Here he translates μαρτυριον, doctrine; and contends that this, not testimony, is its meaning, not only in this passage, but in Co1 1:6; Co1 2:1, etc. Instead of μαρτυριον, testimony, one MS., Cod. Kk., vi. 4, in the public library, Cambridge, has, μυστηριον, mystery; but this is not acknowledged by any other MS., nor by any version. In D*FG the whole clause is read thus: οὑ το μαρτυριον καιροις ιδιοις εδοθη· The testimony of which was given in its own times. This is nearly the reading which was adopted in the first printed copies of the Vulgate. One of them now before me reads the passage thus: Cujus testimonium temporibus suis confirmatum est. "The testimony of which is confirmed in its own times." This reading was adopted by Pope Sixtus V., in the famous edition published by him; but was corrected to the reading above, by Pope Clement VIII. And this was rendered literally by our first translator: Whos witnessinge is confermyd in his timis. This appears to be the apostle's meaning: Christ gave himself a ransom for all. This, in the times which seemed best to the Divine wisdom, was to be testified to every nation, and people, and tongue. The apostles had begun this testimony; and, in the course of the Divine economy, it has ever since been gradually promulgated; and at present runs with a more rapid course than ever.”

“It is as man that He discharged the oifice of Mediator, since He could hum- ble Himself and suffer only in His human nature. The second Divine Person, who had assumed the human nature, gave dignity and value to His sufferings. He is our only Mediator of redemption. " A mediator should have something in common with both of those between whom he mediates. As He partakes of the nature of man, because He came unto men, so also of that of God, because He comes from God." St. Chrysostom.”

“gave himself-- (Tit 2:14). Not only the Father gave Him for us (Joh 3:16); but the Son gave Himself (Phi 2:5-8). ransom--properly of a captive slave. Man was the captive slave of Satan, sold under sin. He was unable to ransom himself, because absolute obedience is due to God, and therefore no act of ours can satisfy for the least offense. Lev 25:48 allowed one sold captive to be redeemed by one of his brethren. The Son of God, therefore, became man in order that, being made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, as our elder brother He should redeem us (Mat 20:28; Eph 1:7; Pe1 1:18-19). The Greek implies not merely ransom, but a substituted or equivalent ransom: the Greek preposition, "anti," implying reciprocity and vicarious substitution. for all--Greek, "in behalf of all": not merely for a privileged few; compare Ti1 2:1 : the argument for praying in behalf of all is given here. to be testified--Greek, "the testimony (that which was to be testified of, Jo1 5:8-11) in its own due times," or seasons, that is, in the times appointed by God for its being testified of (Ti1 6:15; Tit 1:3). The oneness of the Mediator, involving the universality of redemption (which faith, however, alone appropriates), was the great subject of Christian testimony [ALFORD] (Co1 1:6; Co1 2:1; Th2 1:10).”