From: Ephesians 2:1-10
Salvation As a Free Gift
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Commentary:
1-10. St Paul moves on to consider those who make up the Church — Jews and
Gentiles. Despite the sinful situation in which both found themselves (vv. 2-3),
God in is great mercy (vv. 4-5) has acted on them and made them to be like
Christ, now victorious and seated in heaven (vv. 6-7); this he has done through
the unmerited gift of faith (vv. 8-10).
1-2. “You”: he is referring to Christians of Gentile origin, in contrast with “we”
(v. 3), Christians of Jewish background.
Prior to his conversion to Christ a pagan was, as it were, en route to death, that
is, liable to condemnation on account of sin—both original sin and sin caused by
worldly behavior, that is, actions opposed to God. That is what the Apostle
means here by “this world”—a world which is under the power of the devil (cf. note
on Jn 1:10). The description of the devil as “prince of the power of the air” reflects
the notion, widely held in ancient times, that demons dwelt in the earth’s atmos-
phere, from where they exercised a baneful influence over mankind (cf. Mt 12:24;
Jn 12:31). St Paul uses the language of his time without taking on board the cos-
mology it implies. He is teaching theology, and the devil he identifies as the one
who is at work in the “sons of disobedience”, “the rebels”—an apposite descrip-
tion, for Satan is characterized by his rebellion against God, and his influence on
men leads them into rebellion to seek their fulfillment in created things or in
things of their own fashioning, thereby refusing to give God his primary place. St
Paul could see this happening in the pagan world around him (cf. Rom 1:18-23);
and in fact it happens in all periods of history when man refuses to recognize
God: “Although set by God in a state of rectitude, man, enticed by the evil one,
abused his freedom at the very start of history. He lifted himself up against God,
and sought to attain his goal apart from him. Although they had known God, they
did not glorify him as God, but their senseless hearts were darkened, and they
served the creature rather than the Creator (cf. Rom 1:21-25) [...] Often refusing
to acknowledge God as his source, man has also upset the relationship which
should link him to his last end; and at the same time he has broken the right or-
der that should reign within himself as well as between himself and other men
and all the rest of creation” (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 13).
3. Before the coming of Christ, those who were Jews were likewise guilty of sin
and merited denunciation. St Paul has already discussed this in his Letter to the
Romans (cf. Rom 2:1 - 3:10); now he sketches out the same ideas, to empha-
size that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, obtains salvation through Christ (v. 5).
The Jews know the true God and have the benefits of the Law; therefore, their
sinfulness derives not so much from the seductions of the world and the devil as
from human passion. The “desires of the body and mind” does not refer simply
to the weakness of human nature (cf. Jn 1:14) or lustful desires but to all the de-
sires and appetites of human nature when it does not obey God—to man’s tenden-
cy to do whatever he wants, even when he knows that it conflicts with God’s law
(cf. Rom 7:5; 2 Cor 7:1; Col 2:13). The Jews also were subject to this power of
the flesh, for they were “children of wrath, like the rest of mankind”.
“Children of wrath”: this expression of man’s state of enmity towards God; it does
not imply that God sees man as his enemy but that by sinning man incurs divine
punishment. It has this effect for Jews and Gentiles alike.
In this verse the Apostle is referring to the behavior of both Jews and Gentiles;
thus, the words “by nature” do not exactly mean the weakness of human nature
as such but rather refer to the fact that man, if left to his own devices, cannot
avoid sin and therefore cannot escape God’s wrath. St John Chrysostom, St Je-
rome and other Fathers read “by nature” as opposed to “by grace”. This would
mean that “by nature” refers to human existence considered on its own, that is,
unaided by grace—life in a state of sin, which would mean it merited God’s wrath.
But the reason why this is so is that human nature has been debilitated by origi-
nal sin; some Fathers in fact, including St Augustine, read this passage as a
recognition of the fact of original sin. Certainly St Paul is at least implying that
there is such a thing as original sin, as St Thomas Aquinas explains: “He says
that we were (children of wrath) ‘by nature’, that is, by our natural origin, but not
meaning nature as such, for (sheer) nature is good and comes from God: he is
referring to nature in its vitiated form” (”Commentary on Eph, ad loc.”).
4. God’s mercy is the greatest expression of his love because it shows the total
gratuitousness of God’s love towards the sinner, whereby instead of punishing
him he forgives him and gives him life. The words “God, who is rich in mercy”
have great theological and spiritual depth: they are a kind of summary of all St
Paul’s teaching about God’s approach to people who are under the rule of sin,
who are “by nature children of wrath”.
Bl. John Paul II chose these words of Scripture, “dives in misericordia”, as the
title of one of his encyclicals, an encyclical which explores the divine dimension
f the mystery of Redemption. Here is how the Pope sums up biblical teaching on
mercy: “The concept of ‘mercy’ in the Old Testament has a long and rich history
[...]. It is significant that in their preaching the prophets link mercy, which they
often refer to because of the people’s sins, with the incisive image of love on
God’s part. The Lord loves Israel with the love of a special choosing, much like
the love of a spouse (cf. e.g. Hos 2:21-25 and 15; Is 54:6-8) and for this reason
he pardons its sins and even its infidelities and betrayals. When he finds repen-
tance and true conversion, he brings his people back to grace (cf. Her 31:20;
Ezek 39:25-29). In the preaching of the prophets “mercy” signifies a “special po-
wer of love”, which “prevails over the sin and infidelity” of the chosen people [...].
The Old Testament encourages people suffering from misfortune, especially
those weighed down by sin — as also the whole of Israel, which had entered into
the covenant with God — “to appeal for mercy”, and enables them to count upon
it” (”Dives In Misericordia”, 4).
In the New Testament also there are many references to God’s mercy, some-
times very touching ones, like the parable of the prodigal son (cf. Lk 15: 32);
others take a more dramatic form, for example, Christ’s sacrifice, the supreme
expression of the love of God, which is stronger than death and sin. “The ‘Cross
of Christ’, on which the Son, consubstantial with the Father, ‘renders full justice
to God’, is also ‘a radical revelation of mercy’, or rather of the love that goes
against what constitutes the very root of evil in the history of man: against sin
and death” (”ibid.”, 8).
5-6. The power of God works in the Christian in a way similar to that in which it
worked in Christ. St Paul here uses almost the same language as he did earlier
(cf. 1:20), to show how radical is the change produced in men by Christ’s salva-
tion.
Just as a dead person is unable to bring himself back to life, so those who are
dead through sin cannot obtain grace, supernatural life, by their own effort. Only
Christ, by means of the Redemption, offers us that new life which begins with ju-
stification and ends with resurrection and eternal happiness in heaven. The Apos-
tle is speaking here of that life of grace, and therefore of our future resurrection
and glorification with Christ in heaven; he refers to this as if it were an accom-
plished fact, and the reason he does so is this: Jesus Christ is our head and we
form one body with him (cf. Gal 3:28), and therefore we share in the head’s con-
dition. Christ, after his resurrection, sits at the right hand of the Father. “The bo-
dy of Christ, which the Church is”, St Augustine comments, “must be at the
right hand, that is, in the glory of heaven, as the Apostle says: ‘we have been
raised up with him and made to sit with him in heaven.’ Even though our body is
not yet there, our hope is already placed there” (”De Agone Christiano”, 26).
From the moment of our incorporation into Christ by Baptism, his resurrection
and exaltation is something which is already present in us in an incomplete way:
“Thus by Baptism”, Vatican II teaches, “men are grafted into the paschal mys-
tery of Christ; they die with him, are buried with him, and rise with him (cf. Rom
6:4; Eph 2:6; Col 3:1; 2 Tim 2:11f). They receive the spirit of adoption as sons in
which ‘we cry, Abba, Father’ (Rom 8:15) and thus become true adorers such as
the Father seeks (cf. Jn 4:23)” (”Sacrosanctum Concilium”, 6). See the note on
Rom 6:9-10.
The Redemption has already been accomplished, and man has available to him
all the grace he needs for salvation: the gates of heaven are open wide; it is now
the responsibility of every individual to make room for grace in his soul, to avail
of grace to respond to our Lord’s call. Through Christ, “we have been reborn spi-
ritually, for through him we are crucified to the world,” St Zozimus comments.
“By his death that decree of death has been destroyed which Adam caused and
which was passed on to every soul — that sentence which we incur through our
descent, from which absolutely no one is free prior to being set free by Baptism”
(”Epist. ‘Tractoria’, Dz-Sch”, 231).
8-9. Salvation is the work of God, a gratuitous gift of God: it originates in God’s
mercy. It acts in man by means of faith, that is, by man’s acceptance of the sal-
vation offered him in Jesus Christ. But even faith, St Paul tells us, is a divine gift;
man cannot merit it by his own efforts alone; it is not exclusively the outcome of
human freedom; at all stages, from the very beginning, recognition and accep-
tance of Christ as Savior means that God’s grace is at work.
On the basis of this passage in Ephesians and other passages of Scripture, the
Church has taught: “According to the passages of Sacred Scripture and the ex-
planations of the Holy Fathers [specified] we, with God’s help must believe and
preach the following: The free will of man was made so weak and unsteady
through the sin of the first man that, after the Fall, no one could love God as
was required, or believe in God, or perform good works for God unless the grace
of divine mercy anticipated him [...]. Even after the coming of Christ this grace of
faith is not found in the free will of all who desire to be baptized but is conferred
through the generosity of Christ, according to what has already been said and
according to what the Apostle Paul teaches: ‘It has been granted to you that for
the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake’
(Phil 1:29). And also: ‘he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion
at the day of Jesus Christ’ (Phil 1:6). And again: ‘By grace you have been saved
through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God’ (Eph 2:8). And
the Apostle says of himself: ‘As one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy’ (1
Cor 7:25; cf. 1 Tim 1:13) [...]. And Scripture says further: ‘What have you that
you did not receive?’ (1 Cor 4:7). And again: ‘Every good endowment and every
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights’ (Jas 1:17). And
again: ‘No one can receive anything except what is given from heaven’ (Jn 3:27)”
(Second Council of Orange, “De Gratia”, conclusion).
The Second Vatican Council provides the same teaching: “’By faith man freely
commits his entire self to God [...]; before this faith can be exercised, man must
have the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior help of
the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes
of the mind and ‘makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth’ (”De Gratia”,
can . 7; “Dei Filius”)’’ (”Dei Verbum”, 5).
When St Paul says that faith does not come from works (v. 9), he is referring to
things man can do on his own, without the help of grace. If faith did come from
works, then man would have something to boast to God about, something which
would bring salvation without dependence on Christ—which would be inadmissible,
because then our Lord’s death would make no sense, nor would even the Incar-
nation of the Word, whom “God has made our wisdom, our righteousness and
sanctification and redemption; therefore, as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts,
boast of the Lord”’ (1 Cor 1:30-31). See also the notes on Jas 2:14; Rom 3:20-
31; 9:31.
10. The Christian became a new creation—”we are his workmanship”— when he
was inserted into Christ at Baptism (cf. 2 Cor 5:17). Once justified by Baptism,
he should live in a manner consistent with his faith, that is, with his new life. The
life of grace in fact moves him to do those good works which God wishes to see
performed (he had already laid down that this should be so) and which perfect
the work of salvation. Deeds, works, prove the genuineness of faith: “faith by it-
self, if it has no works, is dead” (Jas 2:17). Without these works — the practice
of the theological and moral virtues—not only would faith be dead; our love for
God and neighbor would be false.
Having said that, it is also true that to bring about this renewal in man God
counts on man’s readiness to respond to grace and on his carrying out “good
works”.
Christian Tradition has always taught that the fruits of faith are a proof of its vita-
lity. For example, this is what St Polycarp has to say: “It does my heart good to
see how the solid roots of your faith, which have such a reputation ever since ear-
ly times, are still flourishing and bearing fruit in Jesus Christ [...]. Many desire to
share in your joy, well knowing that it is by the will of God that you are saved
through Jesus Christ” (”Letter to the Philippians”, chap. 1).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Luke 12:13-21
Parable of the Rich Fool
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Commentary:
13. This man is only interested in his own problems; he sees in Jesus only a tea-
cher with authority and prestige who can help sort out his case (cf. Deuteronomy
21:17). He is a good example of those who approach religious authorities not to
seek advice on the way they should go in their spiritual life, but rather to get them
to solve their material problems. Jesus vigorously rejects the man’s request — not
because He is insensitive to the injustice which may have been committed in this
family, but because it is not part of His redemptive mission to intervene in matters
of this kind. By His word and example the Master shows us that His work of sal-
vation is not aimed at solving the many social and family problems that arise in
human society; He has come to give us principles and moral standards which
should inspire our actions in temporal affairs, but not to give us precise, techni-
cal solutions to problems which arise; to that end He has endowed us with intel-
ligence and freedom.
15-21. After His statement in verse 15, Jesus tells the parable of the foolish rich
man: what folly it is to put our trust in amassing material goods to ensure we
have a comfortable life on earth, forgetting the goods of the spirit, which are what
really ensure us — through God’s mercy — of eternal life.
This is how St. Athanasius explained these words of our Lord: “A person who
lives as if he were to die every day — given that our life is uncertain by definition
— will not sin, for good fear extinguishes most of the disorder of our appetites;
whereas he who thinks he has a long life ahead of him will easily let himself be
dominated by pleasures” (”Adversus Antigonum”).
19. This man’s stupidity consisted in making material possession his only aim in
life and his only insurance policy. It is lawful for a person to want to own what he
needs for living, but if possession of material resources becomes an absolute, it
spells the ultimate destruction of the individual and of society. “Increased posses-
sion is not the ultimate goal of nations nor of individuals. All growth is ambivalent.
It is essential if man is to develop as a man, but in a way it imprisons man if he
considers it the supreme good, and it restricts his vision. Then we see hearts har-
den and minds close, and men no longer gather together in friendship but out of
self-interest, which soon leads to strife and disunity. The exclusive pursuit of pos-
sessions thus becomes an obstacle to individual fulfillment and to man’s true
greatness. Both for nations and for individual, avarice is the most evident form
of underdevelopment” (Paul VI, “Populorum Progressio”, 19).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.