Fulgentius of Ruspe — Commentary on Scripture

1 Corinthians 9:9

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

These animals accomplish their life and purpose in this world according to the incomprehensible will of the Creator. They render no account of their deeds because they are not rational. “Is God concerned about oxen?” Human beings, however, because they have been made rational, will render an account to God for themselves and for all the things which they have received for use in this present life.

1 Corinthians 11:23

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

The blessed Paul, recalling the most sacred mystery of that supper, makes known no other cup than the one called the new covenant by the Lord: “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you.”

1 Corinthians 11:25

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

The word cup means nothing other than the new covenant in the Lord.… The grace of suffering was intended by the Lord when the word cup is used. For what did he wish to be understood when he said to the sons of Zebedee, “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” … and “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?” A stone’s throw from his disciples he is torn away to die for the sins of humanity. This is his cup of suffering. He shows his feelings of human weakness, saying … “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me.”.

1 Corinthians 14:40

Let all things be done decently and in order.

If we take a closer look at the origin of sin, I think that it is nothing else than the inordinate love by a rational creature of the things set in order by God.

1 Corinthians 15:41

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

The diversity of corporeal natures demonstrates that each one of them is not what it is because of what it could always have had all by itself. Rather it is what it is because of what it has received from the plan and working of the one omnipotent, unchangeable and all-wise Creator. If any corporeal creature whatsoever were of one and the same nature as the holy Trinity, which is the one God, it would not exist in any place locally, nor would it ever undergo change because of passage of time, nor would it move from one place to another, nor would it be circumscribed by the fact of its mass.

1 Corinthians 15:53

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

The masculine and feminine sexes will remain just as their bodies were created. Their glory will vary according to the diversity of their good works. For all the bodies of both men and women, all that will exist in that kingdom will be glorious.

1 Corinthians 15:56

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

By that sting, the human race first wounded itself unto death in such a way that he made death also pass to and through his offspring.

1 Kings 8:27

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

Therefore, the one God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, fills up the whole, contains the whole; as the whole is in each thing, so the whole is in everything; as the whole is in small things, so the whole is in the largest creatures. This is true of nature but not of grace. When it creates human beings, it does not by the same act save them. While it makes them, it does not by the same act remake them. While it makes that sun to rise over the good and the evil, it does not do the same when the sun of justice rises on those on whom the light, not of the flesh but of the heart, is poured by the gift of prevenient mercy. As it belongs to all to be born through nature, it does not in the same way belong to all to be reborn through grace. Since the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit by nature are one God, eternal and infinite, there is nothing in heaven, nothing on earth, nothing above the heavens, nothing in any nature that he made that has not been made, where the same one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, could be missing. In God, just as there is no mutability of times…

Therefore, the one God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, fills up the whole, contains the whole; as the whole is in each thing, so the whole is in everything; as the whole is in small things, so the whole is in the largest creatures. This is true of nature but not of grace. When it creates human beings, it does not by the same act save them. While it makes them, it does not by the same act remake them. While it makes that sun to rise over the good and the evil, it does not do the same when the sun of justice rises on those on whom the light, not of the flesh but of the heart, is poured by the gift of prevenient mercy. As it belongs to all to be born through nature, it does not in the same way belong to all to be reborn through grace. Since the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit by nature are one God, eternal and infinite, there is nothing in heaven, nothing on earth, nothing above the heavens, nothing in any nature that he made that has not been made, where the same one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, could be missing. In God, just as there is no mutability of times, so there is no spatial capacity. As Solomon truly said at the dedication of the temple in these words: “Even heaven and the highest cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built.”

1 Thessalonians 2:4

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

In all good works, be careful lest you be stirred by desire for human praise. You ought to be praised in your good works, but insofar as you do them, you ought not to expect human praises. The human tongue may praise you, but desire praise from God alone. And thus it may come about that while you do not seek human praise, God may be praised in your deeds. Recall how much the Lord forbids us to do our righteous works to garner human praise, saying, “take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” Therefore, when he says that we should look out lest we do our righteous deeds before human beings, that we may be seen by them, and again he commands that our light shine before human beings, is he not commanding contrary things? Certainly not, but he commands that good deeds be done in such a way that we wish, not that we ourselves but that God be praised in our works. For the apostle too avoided human glory in his works but sought God’s glory. So he says, writing to the Thessalonians, “Nor, indee…

In all good works, be careful lest you be stirred by desire for human praise. You ought to be praised in your good works, but insofar as you do them, you ought not to expect human praises. The human tongue may praise you, but desire praise from God alone. And thus it may come about that while you do not seek human praise, God may be praised in your deeds. Recall how much the Lord forbids us to do our righteous works to garner human praise, saying, “take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” Therefore, when he says that we should look out lest we do our righteous deeds before human beings, that we may be seen by them, and again he commands that our light shine before human beings, is he not commanding contrary things? Certainly not, but he commands that good deeds be done in such a way that we wish, not that we ourselves but that God be praised in our works. For the apostle too avoided human glory in his works but sought God’s glory. So he says, writing to the Thessalonians, “Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed—God is witness—nor did we seek praise from human beings, either from you or from others.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

There must remain in our heart a distinction between a beneficial and a harmful sadness. The benefit of the distinction is that we see that a spirit given over to eternal things does not collapse because of the loss of temporal solace. Rather it is able to feel a salutary sadness concerning those things in which it considers that it acted either below, or apart from, the standard which it ought to have observed. So Paul teaches that each type of sadness is different, no less in deed than in word. Finally, he shows that in one there is progress toward salvation but in the other an ending in death, saying, “For godly sorrow produces a beneficial repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.”

1 Timothy 1:6

From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

In the ark and in the house, one and the same church was prefigured. As for those who perished outside the ark in the flood and in those who died by the sword outside that house, a twofold mystery can be considered: In the flood the baptism of Christians is prefigured. So it seems to me to apply now for the current time, and not unfittingly. Heretics, if they remain outside the church, by their baptism, deserve punishment, not life. Those who, denying Christ, leave the church catholic, will perish in eternal punishment. For blessed Peter expounds the mystery of the ark in these words, … “while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water: this prefigured baptism, which saves you now; it is not a removal of dust from the body but an appeal to God for a clean conscience.” With similar intent the apostle Paul teaches, “The aim of this instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

1 Timothy 3:15

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

We know through the grace of God that the holy church is called a virgin, as the apostle says, “I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ,” but in that one virgin herself, virgins in the plural are also named. For we read, “Virgins will be brought to the king after her.” Nor is there any doubt that there is one church which is spread throughout the whole world which is called by the apostle “the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” Still this is one church in such a way that in it many are called churches.

2 Corinthians 3:5 · 2 passages

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

In this debt which you demand from us and you repay, do not doubt that I am assisted, so that God, who works in us both to will and to bring to completion the work of the good will, himself gives that I may worthily think and worthily speak. For in good thoughts, “Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather our qualification comes from God.” And for this reason we do not fail for want because by a free gift our sufficiency is from him in whom there is no want. Just as he does not need our goods, so he always abounds in giving, nor does he become needy by giving who gives that by which he is always filled; nor is there any pleasing gift of thought, word or deed offered by us to him which he himself has not given with free kindness. Wherefore the holy giving of God is always free because no demand based on human merits has ever preceded, because even if a human being has any good merit, it comes from him from whom comes “every good and perfect gift.”.

Nor can any human being be fit either for thinking or for doing anything good unless he is first helped by the free gift of divine assistance. “For God is the one who, for his own good purpose, works ‘in them’ both to desire and to work,” as the vessel of election [Paul] affirms; also by his teaching, we know that “we of ourselves are not qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather our qualification comes from God.” Therefore, he supplies us with all the sufficiency of good, and his fullness is not lessened when he gives who kindly shares every good with us that we may have them.… Everything which is created, just as before it was created it did not exist, so before it receives was unable to possess; and just as it cannot subsist without the working of him who made it, so it is unable to will or to do good unless God continuously deigns to help. For from him is the beginning of a good will, from him the ability to do good works, from him perseverance in a good way of life, from him in the present age is given true humility of heart and in the future the happiness…

Nor can any human being be fit either for thinking or for doing anything good unless he is first helped by the free gift of divine assistance. “For God is the one who, for his own good purpose, works ‘in them’ both to desire and to work,” as the vessel of election [Paul] affirms; also by his teaching, we know that “we of ourselves are not qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather our qualification comes from God.” Therefore, he supplies us with all the sufficiency of good, and his fullness is not lessened when he gives who kindly shares every good with us that we may have them.… Everything which is created, just as before it was created it did not exist, so before it receives was unable to possess; and just as it cannot subsist without the working of him who made it, so it is unable to will or to do good unless God continuously deigns to help. For from him is the beginning of a good will, from him the ability to do good works, from him perseverance in a good way of life, from him in the present age is given true humility of heart and in the future the happiness of eternal reward, that they may be without end happy who now without falsity are humble.

2 Corinthians 4:13

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

Paul the apostle says that he has the same spirit of faith which the blessed David had, which the holy Moses received, just as he himself testifies, saying, “Since then we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: ‘I believed, therefore, I spoke.’ We too believe and therefore speak.” How did they have the one spirit of faith, if they believed differently concerning the faithful God? For the difference in belief is great if what Paul says, “There is no injustice with God,” differs from what Moses and David say, “There is no iniquity in God.” And if, as Paul says, he has the same spirit of faith which the prophets also had and yet his belief is different from their faith, let the apostle be declared a liar (God forbid), he who testifies that Christ speaks in him. “You are looking for proof of Christ speaking in me?” But since Christ has truly spoken in Paul, Paul is not a liar. And when he says that he has the same spirit of faith, he does not lie; the belief of each is in agreement so that what Moses and David have said.… This is also what Paul says.

2 Corinthians 5:7

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Nevertheless, when we hear at the same time of the justified and the glorified, let us not assign both the work of justification and glorification to the same moment in the present time. For the grace of justification is given in the present time, but the grace of glorification is saved as a future grace. The one is of faith, the other of sight. Paul says that now “we walk by faith, not by sight.” What the saints believe now, then they will see.

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Human beings … because they have been made rational will render an account to God for themselves and for all the things which they have received for use in this present life and, according to the nature of their works, will receive either punishment or glory. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or bad.” … Therefore, eternal life will be given in the future only to the one to whom forgiveness of sins has been given in this world. Only he will receive forgiveness of sins here who renounces his sins and hastens to the highest and true God with true conversion of heart. For that [judgment] will not be a time of forgiveness but of retribution. There mercy will not justify the sinner, but justice will distinguish the just and the sinner.

2 Corinthians 6:2 · 2 passages

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

There they will be tortured endlessly, not only with the hellish punishment of soul together with body but also by the very darkness of the will set in evil. Here for such people there will be the evil will itself for a heaping up of punishment, because of which there remains for them torment without end. They now scorn the opportunity offered by the acceptable time and on the day of salvation; they do not seek to be helped by God. God has conveyed this time to us in the words of the prophet, saying, “In an acceptable time, I heard you and on the day of salvation, I helped you.” When the blessed apostle inserted this testimony in his letter, he immediately added, “Behold, now is the very acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation.”

For the blessed Paul also knew the distance between the present world and the world to come. He knew that only in the present world could the blessing of salvation be acquired but that only in the world to come could a just reward be given to individuals according to the quality of their works, good or wicked. So, when he had repeated the prophetic testimony which God speaks: “In an acceptable time, I heard you, and on the day of salvation, I helped you,” he immediately followed it up by adding, “Behold now is a very acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.” But concerning the future he says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.” Therefore, eternal life will be given in the future only to the one to whom forgiveness of sins has been given in this world. Only he will receive the forgiveness of sins here who renounces his sins and hastens to the highest and true God with true conversion of heart. For the future will not be a time of forgiveness but of retribut…

For the blessed Paul also knew the distance between the present world and the world to come. He knew that only in the present world could the blessing of salvation be acquired but that only in the world to come could a just reward be given to individuals according to the quality of their works, good or wicked. So, when he had repeated the prophetic testimony which God speaks: “In an acceptable time, I heard you, and on the day of salvation, I helped you,” he immediately followed it up by adding, “Behold now is a very acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.” But concerning the future he says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.” Therefore, eternal life will be given in the future only to the one to whom forgiveness of sins has been given in this world. Only he will receive the forgiveness of sins here who renounces his sins and hastens to the highest and true God with true conversion of heart. For the future will not be a time of forgiveness but of retribution. There mercy will not justify the sinner, but justice will distinguish the just and the sinner.

2 Corinthians 8:9

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Therefore, it is proper to the Son alone mercifully to have received the form of a servant. That taking up of the form of a servant pertained to the person of God the Word. It did not with resulting confusion pass into the divine nature. Therefore, that taking up of the form of a servant, according to which the Son of God, who is the Lord of all things and in whom dwells all the fullness of divinity, became a true and complete human being, took away from him nothing of his divine fullness. It took away nothing of the power, because in that one person remained without confusion a divine nature and a human nature. Hence it is that in one and the same Christ both the truth of the human nature shone forth and the eternal immutability of the divine nature remained. Neither was anything diminished in him at all or changed which he had by nature from eternity, through that which he received from time. In his exterior aspect, he became a servant, but he did not cease to be by nature the Lord of all things. According to the flesh, he became poor; nonetheless, according to his divinity, he rem…

Therefore, it is proper to the Son alone mercifully to have received the form of a servant. That taking up of the form of a servant pertained to the person of God the Word. It did not with resulting confusion pass into the divine nature. Therefore, that taking up of the form of a servant, according to which the Son of God, who is the Lord of all things and in whom dwells all the fullness of divinity, became a true and complete human being, took away from him nothing of his divine fullness. It took away nothing of the power, because in that one person remained without confusion a divine nature and a human nature. Hence it is that in one and the same Christ both the truth of the human nature shone forth and the eternal immutability of the divine nature remained. Neither was anything diminished in him at all or changed which he had by nature from eternity, through that which he received from time. In his exterior aspect, he became a servant, but he did not cease to be by nature the Lord of all things. According to the flesh, he became poor; nonetheless, according to his divinity, he remained rich. Hence it is that the blessed apostle asserts that Christians have been enriched by his poverty, saying, “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” He would in no way have made us rich by his poverty if, having become poor, he did not have in himself the riches of his divine nature. He became poor according to the form of a servant; he remained rich according to the form of God.