Thanks And Teaching

Gratias autem Deo, quod fuistis servi peccati; obedistis autem ex corde in eam formam doctrinae, in qua traditi estis. Perfectis hic loquitur pro quibus etiam in capite hujus epistolae gratias egit Dei suo, quia fides eorum nuntiabatur in universo mundo. Agit autem gratias, non quia servi fuerunt peccati, sed quia servi facti justitiae, consuetudinis necessitatem, et indignam peccati abjecerunt servitutem, quia insolitum et difficule est mutare affectum, et sicut saecularis sapientia dicit, membra cohaerentia absque sanguinis damno separari, impossibile est. Obedistis autem in eam formam in quam traditi estis. Ecce mutatus affectus: et pro quo vere debetur gratiarum actio. Videtur hic aliquibus Apostolum non sentire unum esse, doctrinam, et formam doctrinae sed minus aliquid significare formam doctrinae quam ipsam doctrinam, ut forma doctinae sit quod hic videmnus per speculum et in aenigmate; doctinae vero, videre facie ad faciem. Vel forma doctrinae est consummata et bene formata doctrina justitiae. Alli aliter: proponunt enim tres formas in doctina fidei; rationalem, spiritualem, intellectualem. Rationalis est in sacramentis et moribus, apta illis hominibus, quibus Dominus dicit in parabolis annuntiandum regnum Dei. Spiritualis est in lectionis studio et meditationis, et majorum doctrina, conveniens eis quibus Dominus dicit: Vobis datum est nosse mysterium regni Dei. Intellectualis est in amoris illuminati affectu, quae propria est mundorum cordium, quae Deum videre merentur. Rationalis exigit voluntariam obedientiam, et activam perfectionem, spiritualis sobrium sensum, et humilem contemplationem: intellectualis pacificam et familiarem experientiam. De sursum enim veniens hic intellectus non formatur a ratione, sed ipse sibi conformat rationem, non ut eum capiat, sed ut illuminata ab eo, aliquando in eum consentiat. De prima ergo doctinae forma dicit hic Apostolus, in quam illi traditi sunt qi obedientur semetipsos in eam tradiderunt. Guillelmus S Theodorici Abbas, Expositio In Epistolam Ad Romanos Source: Migne PG 180.609b-610a

Thanks be to God, that you who were slaves to sin, have become obedient from the heart in that form of teaching to which you were given. 1 Here he speaks to those perfect, for whom he gave thanks to God at the begining of his letter, because their faith has been proclaimed in the whole world. 2 And he gives thanks not that there were once slaves of sin, but because they have been made servants of righteousness, they who had been cast down into a necessity of habit and into disgraceful servitude, which state it is rare and difficult to change, and as the wisdom of the world says, it is impossible to separate joined members without the loss of blood. 'You have become obedient in that way of teaching to which you were given.' Behold, the disposition is changed, and for that truly there should be thanksgiving. It seems here that to some the Apostle's 'teaching' and 'form of teaching', are not one, but 'form of teaching' signifies something less than teaching itself, so that the 'form of teaching' may be what we see here though a mirror in mystery, and then 'teaching' is face to face. 3 Or the form of teaching is the perfection and well formed teaching of righteousness. Others say otherwise; they propose there are three forms in the teaching of faith: rational, spiritual, intellectual. The rational is in the sacraments and way of life, fitting for those men to whom the Lord spoke in the parables proclaiming the kingdom of God. And the spiritual is in the pursuit of reading and meditation, and this greater teaching is fitting for those to whom the Lord said: 'To you is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom.' 4 The intellectual is the illumination of love, which is the possession of the pure of heart, they who merit to see God. 5 So of the rational is voluntary obedience, and perfection of activity. Of the spiritual is is a sober mind and humble contemplation. Of the intellectual is peace and experience of what is familiar. For that intellect coming from above is not shaped by reason, but it shapes reason to itself; reason does not grasp it, but it is illuminated by it when it finds something agreeable in it. Concerning the first teaching, then, the Apostle speaks here, in which they are given who obediently give themselves to it. William of St Thierry, Commentary on Romans 1 Rom 6.17 2 Rom 1.8 3 1 Cor 13.12 4 Lk 8.10 5 Mt 5.8