DENIS THE CARTHUSIAN
Enarration on the Epistle: "Whatever is born of God conquers the world," etc. (1 John 5:4–12)
This epistle is taken from the First Canonical Epistle of the Apostle Saint John. Therefore, Blessed John says: "Whatever is born of God through faith formed by charity and through the observance of the divine commandments, conquers the world"—that is, worldly vanities and impieties, and both the prosperity and adversity of this age—so that one is neither pridefully elevated by prosperity nor cast down from the tenor of virtue by adversity, but remains constant between both, overcoming persecutions and temptations.
Whence Bede says here: "All who are devoted to God's precepts with true devotion despise both the adversities and the flatteries of this world with equal mind, loving even death itself as the entrance into the heavenly homeland."
But an objection may be raised against these things: For if all who are born of God through faith formed by charity, and who truly serve God, conquer the world, then no one existing in charity can lose it; because if one loses it, one is overcome by the world. Finally, many who are born of God in the manner described above are overcome by the world, by the devil, by sin—according to what the Lord says in the Apocalypse: "I have this against you, that you have abandoned your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent." Therefore the Apostle warns: "Let him who stands take heed lest he fall."
But if someone should say that Saint John here speaks of those who are born of God not only through the infusion of faith and charity, but also through eternal predestination, still the argument stands, since some such persons relapse and repent again, like King David, though so greatly chosen by God.
One might also perhaps answer that those born of God, insofar as they are such, conquer the world, because as long as they remain in the state and power of virtue which they received from God through spiritual regeneration, they conquer the world. According to which sense, John himself says: "Everyone who is born of God does not sin"—concerning which Augustine speaks: "Insofar as he is born of God, he does not sin."
A person born of God and predestined conquers the world finally, because although he may be overcome by the world and err, since he is predestined, he will not perish finally, but in faith and charity—with which the world is conquered—he will close his final day. But those born of God and not predestined conquer the world only temporarily.
Moreover, lest anyone think that he subdues the world by his own powers and rather by God's assistance, it is added: "And this is the victory that conquers the world: our faith." Not an unformed and bare faith, but faith formed through charity and working through that same charity. For faith without works is dead in itself, just as a body without a soul. Hence it is said to the Hebrews: "Through faith they conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness." And the Apostle exhorts the Ephesians: "In all things taking up the shield of faith, in which you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one." Likewise, the Prince of the Apostles, when he had said, "The devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour," immediately added: "Resist him, strong in faith." Indeed, through faith we invoke the help of Christ, who also declares: "In the world you will have pressure, but take courage: I have conquered the world."
Hence it is added: "Who is it that conquers the world with its errors and vices, if not the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" The Son indeed natural, co-eternal with the Father, consubstantial, co-equal, existing of the same numerical nature with the Father, but another in person—because in Jesus Christ there are two natures, namely true divinity and perfect humanity, but one person, because His humanity was assumed to the uncreated and personal being of the Eternal Word and subsisted in the same suppositum.
Nevertheless, an objection may be raised against these things: that many wicked and reprobate persons believe this, who are subject to the world through vices. But the answer is plain: because the Apostle now speaks of formed faith. Concerning those others, Paul testifies: "They profess that they know God, but in their deeds they deny Him." Therefore Bernard says: "Do you think that one considers Jesus the Son of God who is neither terrified by His threats, nor drawn by His promises, nor obeys His precepts, nor acquiesces to His counsels? Does not such a one, even if he confesses that he knows God, nevertheless deny Him by his deeds?"
Therefore, whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God conquers the world. He also conquers himself, for he brings his intellect into captivity by believing things that transcend reason, and he prevails against the vain argumentation of the wise of this world who have attempted to reject the Christian faith, not yielding but contradicting them.
"This is He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ." For He came by the water of regeneration, that is, of Baptism, and by the blood of redemption—that is, for the salvation of the human race, He proceeded in such a way that through the water of Baptism and the blood of His own body, He bestowed salvation and grace upon men.
"He did not come in water only," as did John the Baptist, whose baptism washed bodies but did not purify souls, because it did not take away sins nor confer grace; it was preparatory for Christ's Baptism. [Christ came] in baptismal water regenerating us: for by the touch of His most pure flesh, He bestowed regenerative power upon the waters, and redeemed us by His own [blood], according to that [passage]: "But also from His side, at the time of death..." From the Apocalypse: "He loved us and washed us from our sins in His blood." Whence the Apostle says to the Hebrews: "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins." Finally, by the power and merit of the passion and blood of Christ, the water of Baptism and the other sacraments operate, sanctify, and bestow grace—whence they are said to have flowed from the side of Christ pierced on the cross.
Christ also came "in water" because, for our sake, He deigned to be baptized by the Forerunner; "blood and water went forth."
"And the Spirit is He who testifies"—that is, the Holy Spirit bears witness that Christ is the Truth, because according to His divinity He is essentially true and Truth itself, just as is the Father. Indeed, the Three Persons are one Truth, just as one Essence; therefore, those things which the Catholic faith preaches must most certainly be believed.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit testified to this when, at Christ's baptism, He descended and remained upon Him, as the Evangelists describe. Also, on the most sacred day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, descending upon the disciples in fire or tongues of fire, gave most clear testimony to Christ, and through the preaching and miracles of the Apostles testified that Christ was the true Only-Begotten of God, blessedly exalted above all the heavens. For which reason Christ, with His passion at hand, foretold: "When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness concerning Me."
Nor is it remarkable that the Holy Spirit thus testifies concerning Christ on earth, since "there are three who bear witness in heaven"—that is, in the Church Triumphant—"the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit." These three most blessed Persons bear witness concerning Themselves to all the Blessed; for they testify this by showing Themselves to them through the beatific vision. "And these three are one" in essence, namely one God, one Creator, one King and Prince of all.
"And there are three who bear witness on earth"—that is, in the Church Militant—concerning the true humanity of Christ: the spirit, that is, the rational soul which Christ emitted when dying, when He said, "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit"; water and blood, which flowed from the side of Christ and testify that He had true humanity, not a phantasmal flesh. These three bear witness materially, just as even inanimate things are said to praise God—although the soul of Christ bears witness efficiently. "And these three are one"—not substantially, as the Three Persons are, but rather subjectively, because they agree in one suppositum; or complementarily, because they concur in the assertion of the same truth and have the same effect in bearing witness to the truth, or in the sacraments of the Church.
Concerning this passage, Albertus Magnus writes: "The integrity of the Christian faith appears to consist principally in four things: first, in the Trinity of Persons; second, in the unity of Essence; third, in the truth of Christ's humanity; fourth, in the identity of Christ's person." These four are touched upon in the words previously cited: the first when it is said, "There are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Spirit"; the second when it is added, "And these three are one"; the third when it follows, "There are three who bear witness on earth"; the fourth when it is joined, "These three are one."
"If we receive the testimony of men..." This can be understood in two ways. First, generally: If we receive the testimony of men—because in human affairs and causes, testimony is established by men, according to that [passage]: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established"—"the testimony of God is greater," that is, more certain and more excellent, because God is infinitely more worthy, and neither can deceive nor be deceived, as men can, whose testimony is very often mixed with fraud and falsehood; for which reason it is written: "A false witness shall not go unpunished."
Second: If we receive the testimony of men—namely, the testimony [of the Prophets] concerning Christ—this testimony is certain and infallible, not spoken by human sense but by the instinct of the Holy Spirit, according to that [passage] of Peter: "For prophecy was not brought by the will of man at any time, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit."
"The testimony of God is greater" because of the excellence of the witness; for "that because of which one thing is such, that thing itself is more so." Because this is the testimony of God, which is greater than that of men, because He has testified concerning His own—that is, that Jesus is His Son, "My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"—and has testified that He is His natural [Son]. God the Father testified this at Christ's baptism and at His transfiguration, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him." Whence also the most blessed Prince of the Apostles says in his second Canonical Epistle: "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when such a voice was borne to Him by the Magnificent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him.'"
"Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony of God the Father in himself"—that is, he has the fruit of the paternal testimony, because he acquiesces to His testimony and is reckoned among the adoptive sons of God, provided he believes with a faith formed by charity working through it. Wherefore Bede speaks: "If you have deserved to have God's testimony, if you possess a witness to your faith or of an unimpaired conscience, what harm can the slander or persecution of men do to you? For if God is for us, who can be against us?"
"But whoever does not believe in the Son"—that is, whoever does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God—"makes Him a liar," namely the Father—that is, insofar as it depends on him, by his unbelief he so conducts himself that he considers the eternal Father to be a liar, because he does not believe the testimony which God the Father testified concerning His Son, saying: "This is My beloved Son," etc.
Therefore, heretics and pagans and Jews presume in vain to honor God, since they despise the Son of God. For "whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."
"And this is the testimony which we Apostles bear concerning God"—or, "this is the testimony," that is, the fruit and end of the testimony of God the Father concerning His Son—"that God the Father has given us eternal life through His Son." For already He has given it to us in hope and in merit, and has given grace and power to attain it.
"And this eternal life"—namely, full beatitude—"is in His Son," that is, in the clear vision of the divinity of the Son of God, indeed of the entire most glorious Trinity. Whence Christ promised to His lover and obedient servant: "I will manifest Myself to him." And again He speaks to the Father: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the true God, and Him whom You have sent, Jesus Christ."
Moreover, this life is in the Son of God because through the passion and merit of Christ it has been recovered and procured for us.
"Whoever has the Son"—by faith and charity—"has life": the life of grace in reality, and the life of glory in hope; or, he has life—that is, Christ Himself, who is true God and eternal life.
"Whoever does not have the Son" by faith and charity "does not have the aforementioned life," although he may have natural life. According to which sense the Savior says in John: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you."
CONTINUE
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