Power And The Gospel

Non enim erubesco super evangelium, virtus enim Dei est in salutem omni credenti... Hoc est, sicut quidam doctores erubescebant, qui doctrinam coelestem adjunctis miraculis corroborare nequibant. Virtus enim Dei est, etc. Nulla major virtus est quam quae, devicta morte, homini perditam reddidit vitam, quamvis incredulis infirmitas videbatur? Definiens ergo quid sit evangelium, pronuntiat. Virtus enim Dei est, inquit, in salutem omni credenti. Quod autem dixit quod virtus Dei est in salutem, videtur ostendere, quod sit aliqua virtus Dei quae non sit ad salutem, sed ad perditionem: sicut in Psalmis legitur: In virtute tua disperde illos; virtus enim in dextera est qua salvamur, ut virtus in qua disperdit, sinistra dicatur Sedulius Scotus, Collectanea in omnes B. Pauli epistolas, In Epistolam ad Romanos, Caput Primam Source: Migne PL 103.18c-d

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, it is a power of God for the salvation of all who believe ... 1 That is, not as certain teachers who have been ashamed, who were unable to confirm heavenly teaching with adjoining miracles. 'For it is a power of God.' What power is greater than that which having conquered death returns a destroyed life to a man, although weakness deemed it unbelievable? Therefore he proclaims the definition of the Gospel, that it is a power of God for the salvation of all who believe. That he said it is a power of God for salvation, seems to show that there is a power of God that is not for salvation, but for damnation, as is read in the Psalms, 'With your power scatter them.' 2 For as there is a power of the right hand by which we are saved, so it may be said there is a power of the left hand by which He scatters. Sedulius Scotus, Commentary On The Letters of Saint Paul, On the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 1 1 Rom 1.16 2 Ps 58.12

Prayer And Righteousness

Quod sine intermissione mentionem vestri faciam in omnibus orationibus meis. Dicit Apostolus: Semper gaudete, sine intermissione orate. Quis autem postest ita semper orare, et sine defectu vel intermissione precibus insistere, ut nec alimentis sumendis, aut dormiendi tempus habeat? Aut ergo dicendum est, eum semper orare et non deficere, qui canonicis orationibus quotidie juxta ritum ecclesiasticae traditionis, psalmodiis, precibusque consuetis Dominum laudare et rogare non desistit. Et hoc est quod Psalmista dicebat: Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore, semper laus ejus in ore meo. Aut certe omnia quae justus secundum Deum gerit et dicit, ad orationem esse reputanda: qui eim justus est, sine intemissione quae justa sunt agit, per hoc sine intermissione justus orabit, nec unquam ab oratione cessabit, sive justus esse desistet. Sedulius Scotus, Collectanea in omnes B. Pauli epistolas, In Epistolam ad Romanos, Caput Primam Source: Migne PL 103.16 b-c

Without ceasing I remember you in all my prayers... 1 The Apostle says, 'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.' 2 But who can always pray and without fault or intermission take to prayer, so that he neither takes food or has time to sleep? Therefore it must be said that to pray always and not to stop is of him who keeps the canonical ours every day according to the rite of the Church which has been handed down, and with Psalms and the accustomed prayers does not cease to praise and entreat God. And this is what the Psalmist said, 'I shall bless the Lord at all times, His praise always in my mouth.' 3 Or certainly it may be that everything which the righteous man does and says is according to God and should be reputed to him as prayer, for he who is righteous does what is righteous without interruption, and by this the righteous man shall pray without intermission, not at any time ceasing from prayer, or from being righteous. Sedulius Scotus, Commentary On The Letters of Saint Paul, On the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 1 1 Rom 1.9 2 1 Thes 5.16-17 3 Ps 33.2

Separated For The Gospel

Segregatus in evangelium Dei. Εὐαγγέλιον, bonum nuntium interpretatur, quo peccatores ad indulgentiam convocantur. Apostolus autem quo modo in Judaismo locum doctoris habebat, ut pote Pharisaeus, ita a Judaismi praedicatione separatum se dicit in evangelium Dei, ut a lege dissimulans Christum praedicaret. Aliter: Segregatus, hoc est, a grege apostolico separatus, ut gentibus praedicaret. Sicut in Actibus apostolorum Spiritus sanctus dicit: Segregate mihi Saulum et Barnabam, in opus ad quod elegi eos. Segregatus dicitur in evangelium Dei, sicut alibi ipse de se dicit: Cum autem placuit Deo, qui me segregavit de utero matris meae, ut revelaret Filium suum in me: ex quo intelligimus, quod justi separentur a ventre. Ergo et Paulus quidem segregatus in Evangelium dicitur, segregatus a ventre matris suae. Causas in eo et merita quibus in hoc segregari debuerit, vidit ille quem non latet mens: praevidit enim quod abundantius quam caeteri omnes laboraturus esset in evangelio, quod in siti, et in fame, et in frigore, et in nuditate, in periculis latronum, in periculis fluminum, in periculis maris praedicaturus esset evangelium Christi. In evangelium Dei. Unum atque idem est dicere, et evangelium Dei, evangelium Christi, quod ipse Dominus dicit: Ego et Pater unum sumus. Et iterum dicit ad Patrem: Omnia mea tua sunt, et tua mea. Ergo evangelium Patris, evangelium Filii est. Sedulius Scotus, Collectanea in omnes B. Pauli epistolas, In Epistolam ad Romanos, Caput Primam Source: Migne PL 103.12a-c

Separated for the Gospel of God... 1 Euaggelion is translated as good news, by which sinners are called to forgiveness. The Apostle held the position of teacher in Judaism, while a Pharisee, and thus he says that he was separated from the preaching of Judaism for the Gospel of God, so that detached from the law he might preach for Christ. Otherwise, he was separated from the flock of the Apostles so that he might preach to the Gentiles. As in the Acts of the Apostles when the Holy Spirit says, 'Set apart for me Saul and Barnabas, I have chosen them for a work.' 2 It is said, then, he was separated for the Gospel of God and also elsewhere he says of himself, 'When it was pleasing to God, he separated me from the womb of my mother, so that He might reveal His Son in me.' 3 From which we understand that the righteous are separated from the womb. Therefore Paul is said to be separated for the Gospel by being separated from the womb of his mother. The reasons and merits by which he deserved to be separated for this, He sees whom nothing escapes, for He foresees that he would labour more abundantly then any other in the the Gospel, so that in thirst and in hunger, and in cold and in nakedness, and in peril of bandits and in peril of rivers and of seas, he would preach the Gospel of Christ. 4 'For the Gospel of God.' One and the same thing is it to say the Gospel of God and the Gospel of Christ, since the Lord says, 'I am the Father are one.' And again He says to the Father, 'Everything mine is yours and yours is mine.' 5 Therefore the Gospel of the Father is the Gospel of the Son. Sedulius Scotus, Commentary On The Letters of Saint Paul, On the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 1 1 Rom 1.1 2 Acts 13.2 3 Galat 1.15-16 4 2 Cor 11.27 5 Jn 10.30, 17.10