Bonaventure

In his own words on 2 Timothy

• 2 Timothy 2:6

  We must speak first of the sustainment of the intellect. But, as the Apostle says, the farmer who toils must be the first to partake of the fruit. For the preacher himself must first be filled and sweetened before offering anything to others. Yet, there are many who want to be considered prophets and to be heard as prophets, and their bread or food is tasteless and improperly cooked and cold, and they hold the people, but to little avail.

  Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 17

• 2 Timothy 2:6

  It belongs to those having principal authority to receive support authoritatively, as the Gloss says on Second Timothy 2: The laboring farmer ought to be the first to partake of the fruits: there the Gloss says: "To take for himself what is necessary from those among whom he serves God and whom he tends as a cultivator of the vineyard, or feeds as a flock, is not begging but authority": so to those to whom sub-principal authority belongs, it belongs to them to receive by way of supplication. This the Holy Spirit disposed for the benefit of the Church, so that they might build up not only by the word of preaching, but also equally by the word and the example of humility.

  Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 2

• 2 Timothy 2:13

  Since the first principle, by the very fact that it is first, is supreme, whatever it has it has in the highest degree; therefore it is necessary that it be most righteous. Since therefore in rendering retribution it acts according to righteousness—just as it cannot act against itself, nor deny itself, nor assail its own justice—so necessarily, its righteousness requiring it, sin must be punished according to the magnitude of the fault, especially in those who, despising the law of mercy, have through impenitence struck against the severity of justice. Since therefore it belongs to the severity of justice to consider fault not only with respect to the root, but also with respect to the aggravating circumstances, it is most fitting that the just judge exact the due punishments from the impious down to the last farthing, so that the disgrace of sin may not remain without the beauty of justice; and just as power is manifest in creating and wisdom in governing and clemency in restoring, so may supreme justice be made manifest in punishing.

  Breviloquium, Part 7

• 2 Timothy 2:13

  From the observance of the law a man becomes reverent, faithful, devout, pious, meek, chaste, generous, truthful, content with his own possessions — that is, liberal in heart and undefiled in mind. On the contrary, from the transgression of the law a man becomes an idolater, a blasphemer, undevout, impious, a murderer, an adulterer, a thief, a liar, covetous, and carnal. Therefore the transgressor of the law and the observer are more distant from one another than hell is from paradise, because the one is at the center and the other is at the circumference; nor can the God of heaven do otherwise, because He is just and "cannot deny Himself."

  Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 7

• 2 Timothy 2:19

  And Paul says of it: "You too, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise." Through this seal, the friends are distinguished from the enemies, free men from slaves, heavenly men from the earthly. This seal is imprinted on the forehead of the contemplative soul and on the foreheads of the elect. This seal was imprinted on those standing upon Mount Sion. In the Second Epistle to Timothy, it is written: "The sure foundation of God stands firm." This is the seal by which "the Lord knows who are His." He knows through an express seal through which the soul calls upon the name of the Lord out of its inner depths.

  Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 23

• 2 Timothy 3:5

  Some are content to have exterior holiness, namely in word and gesture and outward conduct; but this is to adorn holiness outwardly, like a man who whitewashes himself outwardly and makes a sepulcher of the dead, which outwardly is whitewashed. But just as "feigned righteousness is not righteousness, but double iniquity," so feigned holiness is not holiness, but rather iniquity. Against such the Apostle says: "In the last times there will be men who are lovers of pleasures, having the appearance of piety, but denying its power." "Having the appearance of piety," "that is, of religion," says the Gloss. Those having the appearance of piety are hypocrites. For such a one is a son of perdition. Of such a one it is said: "With the breath of his lips he shall strike the impious one," namely him who will have the greatest appearance of piety. Therefore the second exercise of the gift of piety is through the custody of interior holiness. But some have no mercy on their soul; indeed, they do the worst they can to their soul. They supremely hate their soul; they could not do worse to it than they do, because they do everything the devil suggests to them. "Have pity on your soul!" And some under the appearance of piety take up things that are against their soul. They say: I will go to baseness under the appearance of piety. What piety is this? Certainly none.

  Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 3