Friday, September 27, 2024

Francisco Suarez (1548-1617) on 1 Timothy 3:15

  

For the Church is compared to a column as to something that, by stability and firmness, preserves the truth sincere and pure and secures all the faithful in the truth against all oppressors of it whatever. But if the Church could err, how, I ask, could the faith of believers or the truth of things to be believed, depend on it? But that this is the opinion and sense of Paul seems so clear from the words that it scarce needs any exposition or persuasion, but only the reading of an unperturbed mind. Hence all authors as well as ancient as more recent declare that the Church is said to be the pilar of truth on account of it being immoveable in the truth. But it is called the ground, either because it has the truth made firm my prodigies and virtues which could be done by no other than by God himself, as Ambrose expounds, or because by it all believers are made firm in the truth, as is rightly taught by St. Thomas, and as is indicated by Chrysostom when he says: “The pillar of the world is the Church, which contains the faith to be preached; indeed, the truth of the Church is the pillar and ground.”

 

And more clearly Theodoret says: “HE called the Church the assembly of believers, whom he said were the pillar and ground of the truth, because as founded on Peter, they remain fixed and immoveable; and they preach the truth of the dogmas by the very realities.” And Jerome also adds on the same place: “The Church is called the pillar, on which now alone holds up the building.” Next Augustine, con.1 on Psalm 110, treating of the words, “He has founded the earth on its firmness,” interpreting by ‘earth’ the Church, he expounds: “It will not be caused to fall for ages of ages, because it is predestined to be the column and ground of the truth.” Therefore, because it cannot decline from the truth in those things that it believes firmly and holds to be revealed by God, it is for that reason the pillar and ground.” (Francisco Suarez, Defense of the Catholic and Apostolic Faither Against the Errors of Anglicanism, 2 vols. [trans. Peter L. P. Simpson; New York: Lucairos Occasio Press, 2013], 1:61-62 [Book 1, Chapter 4])

 

 

[W]e showed that the first words are understood of a visible Church wherein someone can behave; but the word ‘which’ refers to the same Church; therefore the visible Church is pillar and ground of the truth, and hence it is perpetual, because, as I showed above, this property can never be separated from the Church. Add that this property can never agree with the Church is the Church is at tome time to be invisible; for it is the pillar and ground of the truth by always and without fail teaching the truth and correcting errors; but it could not do this with authority and efficaciously if it was invisible, for there could always be doubt whether it was the true Church speaking. (Ibid., 1:90 [Book 1, Chapter 7])

 

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