CCLXXXV. An illustration of the interpretation from a similar saying of Christ

In this commentary all things are so fitted and connected that they mutually procure credibility and splendor for one another. For if prayer must be made ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, for all men, what is more evident than that prayers of every kind must be poured forth? And if—

—prayers of every kind must be poured forth, and δεήσεις, προσευχαί, ἐντεύξεις, εὐχαριστίαι must be made, who does not perceive that prayer must be made for all? But force and strength will accrue to these things if they are compared with the illustrious doctrine of Christ. At the beginning Christ reports¹ the precept of the ancient law and the depraved interpretation of the Jews, saying: ἠκούσατε, ὅτι ἐῤῥέθη, “you have heard that it was said”: ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου, “you shall love your neighbor.” In the law of Leviticus² there is רע, which, like the word πλησίον, designates any other whatever, since every man is another man’s nearest neighbor and associate through the conjunction of nature; whence the Alexandrian interpreters also³ rendered רע by ἕκαστον, each one. Yet he is accustomed to be called πλησίος in a stricter sense who is joined with us by a closer bond, such as are reckoned friends, relatives, those of the same tribe, and followers of the same religion. Hence the Alexandrians also⁴ rendered the word אח, brother, by πλησίον. Furthermore, the Jews interpreted the law in this narrower signification, and from it, as Christ continues⁵, concluded by inference: καὶ μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου, “and you shall hate your enemy.” But they called enemies not only those by whom they had been injured, but also⁶ all who did not profess the same religion as they.

Opposing his own doctrine to so manifest a corruption of the law, Christ adds⁷: ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, “but I say to you”; behold the majesty of the legislator, who establishes precepts in his own name and sanctions laws by his own right: ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, “love your enemies,” both those who have injured you and those who follow institutions alien to yours: εὐλογεῖτε τοὺς καταρωμένους—

—ὑμᾶς, “speak well of those who speak evil of you”; for εὐλογεῖν, ברך, is frequently to speak well of someone, and καταρᾶσθαι, to speak evil of someone⁸: καλῶς ποιεῖτε⁹ τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς, “do good to those who hate you”; for καλῶς ποιεῖν, היטיב, is the same as¹⁰ ἀγαθοποιεῖν, to do good: καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς, καὶ διωκόντων ὑμᾶς, “and pray for those who persecute¹¹ and harass you.” By these words Christ restores the commandment of charity, discloses its amplitude, and prescribes its functions.

He restores the commandment of charity by repeating the law, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου, “you shall love your neighbor.” Then he discloses its amplitude and, to that end, rejects the corruption introduced by the Jews, μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου, “you shall hate your enemy”; and he distributes all men into two classes, τῶν πλησίων καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, of friends and enemies, and divides the latter class into four orders, τῶν ἐχθρῶν simply, τῶν καταρωμένων, τῶν μισούντων, and τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων καὶ διωκόντων, and declares that the law of charity must be observed toward every one of the orders. But what orders does he enumerate, or what offices of charity does he enjoin toward each? The orders which he enumerates are so constituted that it is manifest to men that those who are contained in the consequent order are more hostile to us than those who are contained in the preceding one. For in the first order are enumerated those who are called ἐχθροί simply; καταρώμενοι follow; μισοῦντες come after these; and ἐπηρεάζοντες καὶ διώκοντες close the series. But ἐπηρεάζοντες καὶ διώκοντες are more hostile to us than μισοῦντες; these oppose us more bitterly than καταρώμενοι; and the latter exercise their enmities against us more savagely—

—than those who are simply called ἐχθροί. Therefore, the discourse increases, and degrees of graver enmity are proposed continuously.

From this we understand that the offices of charity enjoined upon us toward τοὺς ἐχθρούς must be fulfilled much more toward τοὺς πλησίους, and that the things which we are commanded to perform toward τοὺς ἐπηρεάζοντας καὶ διώκοντας ought by a much greater right to be conferred upon τοὺς μισοῦντας καὶ τοὺς καταρωμένους καὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς. But we are commanded, προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς καὶ διωκόντων ὑμᾶς, “pray for those who persecute you and assail you by deeds and works.” Therefore, let no one deny that this very office of prayer must by a far stronger right be fulfilled toward those who regard us less unjustly and whom Christ calls τοὺς μισοῦντας, τοὺς καταρωμένους καὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς.

But when these things are compared with Paul’s testimony, five consequences most opportune for the present matter are elicited. And I. it is elicited that Christ, by a distributed discourse which increases through degrees, commands by implication that very thing which Paul prescribes by signifying infinitely and absolutely. For Christ directly commands that prayer be made for those who persecute and harass us; but by the form and habit of a distributed and increasing discourse he signifies by implication that prayer must be made for all: he signifies that prayer must be made for those who demonstrate their hostile mind toward us by deeds; but he signifies by implication that prayer must much more be made for those who pursue us only with internal hatred, who assail us by words alone, who differ from us merely in nation or in sacred rites, and who are our friends and relatives. He signifies, namely, that prayer must be made for absolutely all men. But to this returns what Paul signifies infinitely and absolutely when he admonishes that prayer must be made ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, for all men. It is elicited II. that the testimonies of Christ and Paul differ only in the manner and mode of expressing one and the same thing, and therefore are altogether similar and plainly worthy of being compared with and illustrating one another. It is elicited III. that Paul’s infinite words, ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, can and indeed also must be resolved in such a way that they distributively embrace τοὺς πλησίους, τοὺς ἐχθρούς, τοὺς καταρωμένους, τοὺς μισοῦντας καὶ τοὺς ἐπηρεάζοντας καὶ διώκοντας: relatives, enemies, revilers, haters,—

—persecutors, that is, all men whatsoever. It is elicited IV. that those¹² who circumscribe and contract the apostolic oracle oppose both the words used by Paul, ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, which of themselves bear complete universality, and the doctrine of Christ. Finally, it is elicited V. that the intimate origin and supreme cause of the apostolic exhortation that prayers of every kind be poured forth for all men is contained in that law of charity by which it is enjoined upon each and every one, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου, “you shall love your neighbor,” namely, whomsoever you have as a sharer of the same human nature.