Chapter XV.
He briefly takes up again the same points of dispute,
and shrewdly concludes from the unity of the divine power in the Father
and the Son, that whatever is said of the subjection of the Son is to
be referred to His humanity alone. He further confirms this on
proof of the love, which exists alike in either.
182.
Let
us then
shortly sum up our conclusion on the whole matter. A unity of
power puts aside all idea of a degrading subjection. His giving
up of power, and His victory as conqueror won over death, have not
lessened His power. Obedience works out subjection. Christ
has taken obedience upon Himself, obedience even to taking on Him our
flesh, the cross even to gaining our salvation. Thus where the
work lies, there too is the Author of the work. When therefore,
all things have become subject to Christ, through Christ’s
obedience, so that all bend their knees in His name, then He Himself
will be all in all. For now, since all do not believe, all do not
seem to be in subjection. But when all have believed and done the
will of God, then Christ will be all and in all. And when Christ
is all and in all, then will God be all and in all; for the Father
abides ever in the Son. How, then, is He shown to be weak, Who
redeemed the weak?
183. And lest thou shouldst by chance
attribute to the weakness of the Son, that it is written, that God hath
put all things in subjection under Him; learn that He has Himself
brought all things into subjection to Himself, for it is written:
“Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus, Who shall change our vile body that it may be
fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working, whereby
He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.”
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Thou has learnt, therefore, that
He can subdue all things unto Himself according to the working of His
Godhead.
184. Learn now how He receives all things in
subjection according to the flesh, as it is written: “Who
wrought in Christ, raising Him from the dead, and setting Him at His
own right hand in the heavenly places, above principality and power and
might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world,
but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His
feet.”
2758
According to the flesh then all things are given to Him in subjection;
according to which also He was raised from the dead, both in His human
soul and His rational subjection.
185. Many nobly interpret that which is
written: “Truly my soul will be in subjection to
God;”
2759
He said soul
not Godhead, soul not glory. And that we might know that the Lord
has spoken through the prophet of the adoption of our human nature, He
added: “How long will ye cast yourselves upon a
man?”
2760
As also He
says in the Gospel: “Why do ye seek to kill Me, a
man?”
2761
And He
added again: “Nevertheless they desired to refuse My price,
they ran in thirst, they blessed with their mouth, and cursed with
their heart.”
2762
For the
Jews, when Judas brought back the price,
2763
would not receive it, running on in
the thirst of madness, for they refused the grace of a spiritual
draught.
186. This is the reverent interpretation of
subjection, for since this is the office of the
Lord’s Passion, He will be subject
in us in that in which He suffered. Do we ask wherefore?
That “neither angels, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature may separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.”
2764
We see then, from what has been
said, that no creature is excepted; but that every one, of whatever
kind it may be, is enumerated among those he mentioned
above.
187. At the same time, we must also think of
the words which, after first saying “Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ?”
2765
he wrote
next: “Neither death, nor life, nor any other creature can
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus.” We see, then, that the love of God is the same as
the love of Christ. Thus it was not without reason that he wrote
of the love of God, “which is in Christ Jesus,” lest
otherwise thou mightest imagine that the love of God and of Christ was
divided. But there is nothing that love divides, nothing that the
eternal Godhead cannot do, nothing that is unknown to the Truth, or
deceives Justice, or escapes the notice of Wisdom.
2757
Phil. iii. 20, 21
.
2758
Eph. i. 20, 21
.
2759
Ps. lxii. 1
.
2760
Ps. lxii. 3
.
2761
S.
John viii. 40
.
2762
Ps. lxii. 4
.
2763
S.
Matt. xxvii. 4
.
2764
Rom. viii. 38, 39
.
2765
Rom. viii. 35
.