CCLXXXVIII. Grotius's opinion concerning the relation between the third clause and the preceding clauses; it is refuted by suitable arguments

Having commended the prayers either which must be poured forth universally for all men, or which must be offered specifically for kings and rulers, the Apostle proceeds: τοῦτο γάρ, “for this,” which I have commended and insisted should be done, καλόν, is honorable and most consonant with duty; this is the force of τοῦ καλοῦ when it is referred to human acts¹, and it has the same force as honorable, laudable, and τὸ προσῆκον, that which is expressed according to virtue;—

—καὶ ἀπόδεκτον, “and worthy of being received,” according to the native signification of ἀπόδεκτον, which Hesychius renders ἐπαινετόν, laudable, and the ancient Glosses with the Vulgate interpret as acceptable: ἐνώπιον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ, “in the sight of God our Savior,” for ἐνώπιον is not an adverb, but is used elliptically² for κατ’ ἐνώπιον, לפני, of God our Savior.

Now that these things are connected with the preceding is established by a twofold indication: the logical, which shines forth from the sequence of the discourse, and the grammatical, which is contained in the particle γάρ, for. But what is the nature of this connection, and what things are mutually joined? Grotius meets the latter question³, writing: “Τοῦτο γάρ: this, namely, that we pray for the rulers of the republic. And what? We pray that kings and princes may be found endowed with a sound mind together with royal power, says Justin Martyr. This prayer obtained its effect in some part in Hadrian, Severus, and Antoninus, who were quite equitable toward Christians; but more perfectly in Constantine and the Roman princes after him, and thereafter also in the kings of other peoples.” He judged, namely, that the pronoun τοῦτο was referred not to all the things which precede but only to the last phrase. That the sagacious interpreter departed from the truth in this matter is demonstrated by several things. It is demonstrated 1) by the consensus of the Greeks and Latins, into whose mind it never came to join the words τοῦτο γάρ here with only the proximate phrase. It is demonstrated 2) by the agreement of nearly all the more recent writers, who interpret τοῦτο γάρ as this which is to pray for all. It is demonstrated 3) by the idea which spontaneously occupies the minds of readers and which dictates that all the antecedents be joined with the things which follow. It is demonstrated 4) by the very form of the discourse in which the preceding things are expressed. For they are expressed not in two propositions, but in one and the same complex proposition, which consists both of the principal member, παρακαλῶ οὖν πρῶτον πάντων ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχάς, ἐντεύξεις, εὐχαριστίας ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, and of the incidental member, ὑπὲρ βασιλέων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ ὄντων. But when this form of discourse has been observed, everyone sees that the phrase τοῦτο γάρ—

—no less than the verb παρακαλῶ, must necessarily be referred to all the things which precede. It is demonstrated 5) by the things which Paul has in order to declare the mode and reason of the connection between τοῦτο γάρ and the antecedents.

For when he writes, τοῦτο γὰρ καλὸν καὶ ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ, he declares that the connection between these things and the preceding is causal and that the causes flow from a twofold source. And first, that they flow from the fact that it is καλόν to execute what he set forth before; and then from the fact that this very thing is ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ. But each cause is universal and cannot without absurdity be limited by the compass of kings and rulers. The first cause is universal, whether the words which Paul uses are regarded in themselves or compared with those which Christ employed. For Paul writes, τοῦτο γὰρ καλόν: “what I have admonished concerning the pouring forth of prayers is honorable and expressed according to the norm of duty.” But who would take these things of prayers which are offered only for kings and rulers? Who would not rather refer them to the prayers by which God is supplicated universally ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, and specifically ὑπὲρ βασιλέων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ ὄντων? Moreover, Christ derives the office of prayers from that law⁴ by which it is declared to each one, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου, “you shall love your neighbor.” But this law is of infinite amplitude, extends to all, and cannot be restricted without a Jewish transgression. Indeed, it cannot be restricted without perversely distorting this other saying of Christ⁵, pertaining altogether to the same thing: καὶ καθὼς θέλετε, ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς ὁμοίως, “and as you will that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise.” For everyone wills and desires for himself that he be aided before God by the work and prayers of all. Therefore the first cause which Paul employed to enjoin the office of prayers, and which he expressed in these words, τοῦτο γὰρ καλόν, is altogether universal and so constituted that it cannot be referred only to the proximate phrase, ὑπὲρ βασιλέων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ ὄντων.