From: Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21
Adam’s Original Sin
[15b] For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace
of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for
many. [17] If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one
man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free
gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
[18] Then as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s
act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men. [19] For as by one
man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by One Man’s obedience many
will be made righteous.
[20b] [W]here sin increased, grace abounded all the more, [21] so that, as sin
reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Commentary:
12-21. Four important teachings are discernible in this passage: 1) Adam’s sin
and its consequences, which include, particular death (verses 12-14); 2) the con-
trast between the effects of Original Sin and those of the Redemption wrought by
Christ (verses 15-19); 3) the role of the Law of Moses in relation to sin (especially
verses 13, 20), anticipating what is explained more elaborately in Chapter 7; 4)
the final victory of the reign of grace (verses 20-21). These teachings are closely
connected by one single idea: only Jesus Christ can justify us and bring us to
salvation. The Apostle refers to Adam as a “type of the One who was to come”,
that is, Jesus, the Messiah, who is the true head of the human race; and he also
stresses that Christ, by His obedience and submission to the Father’s will, coun-
ters the disobedience and rebellion of Adam, restoring to us— superabundantly —
the happiness and eternal life which we lost through the sin of our First Parents.
Here we can see the clash of the two kingdoms—the kingdom of sin and death
and the kingdom of righteousness and grace. These two kingdoms were estab-
lished, the first by Adam and the second by Christ, and spread to all mankind.
Because the superabundance of Christ’s grace is the more important factor,
Adam’s sin is referred to in no great detail. St. Paul takes it as something every-
one is familiar with. All Christians have read about or been told about the account
of the Fall in Genesis (Genesis 3) and they are familiar with many passages in
Sacred Scripture which confirm and explain something which is self-evident—that
all men are mortal and that the human race is subject to a whole series of afflic-
tions (cf. Sirach 25:33; Wisdom 2:23-24; Psalm 51:7; Job 14:4; Genesis 8:21;
etc.).
12-14. This passage can be elaborated on as follows: just as sin entered the
world through the action of a single individual man, so righteousness is attained
for us by one man—Jesus Christ. Adam, the first man, is a type of the “new
Adam”: Adam contained within himself all mankind, his offspring; the “new
Adam” is “the first-born of all creation” and “the head of the body, the Church”
(Colossians 1:15, 18) because He is the redeeming Word Incarnate. To Adam
we are linked by flesh and blood, to Christ by faith and the Sacraments.
When, in His infinite goodness, He raised Adam to share in the divine life, God
also decreed that our First Parent would pass on to us his human nature and
with it all the various gifts that perfected it and the grace that sanctified it. But
Adam committed a sin by breaking God’s commandment and as a result he im-
mediately lost the holiness and righteousness in which he had been installed,
and because of this disloyalty he incurred God’s wrath and indignation and, as
consequence, death—as God had warned him. By becoming mortal and falling
under the power of the devil, Adam “was changed for the worse”, in both body
and soul (cf. Council of Trent, “De Peccato Originali”, Canon 1). From then on
Adam and his descendants pass on a human nature deprived of supernatural
gifts, and men are in a state of enmity with God, which means that they cannot
attain eternal beatitude.
The fact of Original Sin is a truth of faith. This has been stated once again so-
lemnly by [Pope] Paul VI: “We believe that in Adam all have sinned. From this it
follows that, on account of the original offense committed by him, human nature,
which is common to all men, is reduced to that condition in which it must suffer
the consequences of that Fall [...]. Consequently, fallen human nature is deprived
of the economy of grace which it formerly enjoyed. It is wounded in its natural po-
wers and subjected to the dominion of death which is transmitted to all men. It is
in this sense that every man is born in sin. We hold, therefore, in accordance
with the Council of Trent, that Original Sin is transmitted along with human na-
ture, “not by imitation but by propagation”, and is, therefore, incurred by each
person individually” (”Creed of the People of God”, 16).
Our own experience bears out what divine Revelation tells us: when we examine
our conscience we realize that we have this inclination towards evil and we are
conscious of being enmeshed in evils which cannot have their source in our holy
Creator (cf. Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 13). The obvious presence of evil in
the world and in ourselves convince us of the profound truth contained in Revela-
tion and moves us to fight against sin.
“So much wretchedness! So many offenses! Mine, yours, those of all mankind....
“Et in peccatis concepit me mater mea!” In sin did my mother conceive me!
(Psalm 51:5). I, like all men, came into the world stained with the guilt of our
First Parents. And then...my own sins: rebellions, thought about, desired, com-
mitted....
“To purify us of this rottenness, Jesus chose to humble Himself and take on the
form of a slave (cf. Philippians 2:7), becoming incarnate in the spotless womb of
our Lady, His other, who is also your Mother and mine. He spent thirty years in
obscurity, working like everyone else, at Joseph’s side. He preached.He worked
miracles.... And we repaid Him with a cross.
“Do you need more motives for contrition?” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way of the
Cross, IV, 2).
13-14. Both the commandment imposed by God on Adam, and the Mosaic Law,
threatened the transgressor with death; but the same cannot be said of the
period between Adam and Moses. In that period also people did sin against the
natural law written on every person’s heart (cf. 2:12ff). However, their sins “were
not like the transgression of Adam”, because the natural law did not explicitly
bind under pain of death. If, nevertheless, they in fact had to die, this proves,
the Apostle concludes, that death is due not to personal sins but to original sin.
It is also proved, the Fathers of the Church usually add, by the fact that some
people die before reaching the use of reason, that is, before they are capable of
sinning.
Death is a consequence of original sin, because that sin brought with it the loss
of the “preternatural” gift of immortality (cf. Gen 2:17; 3:19). Adam incurred this
loss when, through a personal act of his, he broke an explicit, specific command
of God. Later, under the Mosaic Law, there were also certain precepts which
involved the death penalty if broken (cf., for example, Exod 21:12ff; Lev 24:16).
In the period from Adam to Moses there was no law which stated: If you sin, you
shall die. However, people in that period were all subject to death, even those
who committed no sin “like the transgression of Adam”, that is, what is termed
“actual sin”.
Therefore, death is due to a sin—original sin—which attaches to each man, wo-
man and child, yet which is not an “actual sin”. This original sin is the cause of
death, and the fact that everyone dies is the proof that everyone is affected by
original sin. The Second Vatican Council sums up this teaching as follows: “The
Church, taught by divine Revelation, declares that God has created man in view
of a blessed destiny that lies beyond the limits of his sad state on earth. More-
over, the Christian faith teaches that bodily death, from which man would have
been immune had he not sinned (cf. Wis 1:13; 2:23-24; Rom 5:21; 6:23; Jas 1:
15), will be overcome when that wholeness which he lost through his own fault
will be given once again to him by the almighty and merciful Savior. For God has
called man, and still calls him, to cleave with all his being to him in sharing for
ever a life that is divine and free from all decay” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 18).
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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 12:35-38
The Need for Vigilance and the Parable of the Steward
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Commentary:
35-39. In the preaching of Christ and of the Apostles we are frequently exhorted
to be watchful (cf. Matthew 24:42; 25:13; Mark 14:34) — for one thing, because
the enemy is always on the prowl (cf. 1 Peter 5:8), and also because a person in
love is always awake (cf. Song of Songs 5:2). This watchfulness expresses itself
in a spirit of prayer (cf. Luke 21:36; 1 Peter 4:7) and fortitude in faith (cf. 1 Corin-
thians 16:13). See the note on Matthew 25:1-13.
[The note on Matthew 25:1-13 states:
1-13. The main lesson of this parable has to do with the need to be on the alert:
in practice, this means having the light of faith, which is kept alive with the oil of
charity. Jewish weddings were held in the house of the bride’s father. The virgins
are young unmarried girls, bridesmaids who are in the bride’s house waiting for
the bridegroom to arrive. The parable centers on the attitude one should adopt
up to the time when the bridegroom comes. In other words, it is not enough to
know that one is “inside” the Kingdom, the Church: one has to be on the watch
and be preparing for Christ’s coming by doing good works.
This vigilance should be continuous and unflagging, because the devil is forever
after us, prowling around “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pe-
ter 5:8). “Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with cha-
rity, watch with good works [...]; make ready the lamps, make sure they do not
go out [...], renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the
Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of His love and bring you into His banquet
room, where your lamp can never be extinguished” (St. Augustine, “Sermon”,
93).]
35. To enable them to do certain kinds of work the Jews used to hitch up the flo-
wing garments they normally wore. “Girding your loins” immediately suggests a
person getting ready for work, for effort, for a journey etc. (cf. Jeremiah 1:17;
Ephesians 6:14; 1 Peter 1:13). Similarly, “having your lamps burning” indicates
the sort of attitude a person should have who is on the watch or is waiting for
someone’s arrival.
*********************************************************************************************
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. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Please pray for this ministry and support it through this tinyurl PayPal link:
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“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” — St Jerome
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Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)
For: Tuesday, October 22, 2013
29th Week in Ordinary Time
Or Solemnity: Anniversary of the Dedication of Consecrated Churches
(whose dates of dedication are unknown)
Optional Memorial (some areas): Bl John Paul II, Pope
From: Luke 12:35-38
The Need for Vigilance and the Parable of the Steward
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
35-39. In the preaching of Christ and of the Apostles we are frequently exhorted
to be watchful (cf. Matthew 24:42; 25:13; Mark 14:34) — for one thing, because
the enemy is always on the prowl (cf. 1 Peter 5:8), and also because a person in
love is always awake (cf. Song of Songs 5:2). This watchfulness expresses itself
in a spirit of prayer (cf. Luke 21:36; 1 Peter 4:7) and fortitude in faith (cf. 1 Corin-
thians 16:13). See the note on Matthew 25:1-13.
[The note on Matthew 25:1-13 states:
1-13. The main lesson of this parable has to do with the need to be on the alert:
in practice, this means having the light of faith, which is kept alive with the oil of
charity. Jewish weddings were held in the house of the bride’s father. The virgins
are young unmarried girls, bridesmaids who are in the bride’s house waiting for
the bridegroom to arrive. The parable centers on the attitude one should adopt
up to the time when the bridegroom comes. In other words, it is not enough to
know that one is “inside” the Kingdom, the Church: one has to be on the watch
and be preparing for Christ’s coming by doing good works.
This vigilance should be continuous and unflagging, because the devil is forever
after us, prowling around “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pe-
ter 5:8). “Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with cha-
rity, watch with good works [...]; make ready the lamps, make sure they do not
go out [...], renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the
Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of His love and bring you into His banquet
room, where your lamp can never be extinguished” (St. Augustine, “Sermon”,
93).]
35. To enable them to do certain kinds of work the Jews used to hitch up the flo-
wing garments they normally wore. “Girding your loins” immediately suggests a
person getting ready for work, for effort, for a journey etc. (cf. Jeremiah 1:17;
Ephesians 6:14; 1 Peter 1:13). Similarly, “having your lamps burning” indicates
the sort of attitude a person should have who is on the watch or is waiting for
someone’s arrival.
*********************************************************************************************
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.