Paul the Apostle

Also known as: Paulus, the Apostle Saint Paul
Dates: c. 5–c. 64/67 AD
Role: Apostle to the Gentiles

Apostle to the Gentiles. Fourteen epistles attributed to him in the Tridentine canon.

Preliminaries

DECREES OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (SESSION IV). — Fourteen epistles listed in the canon
"fourteen Epistles of Paul the Apostle: to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, to the Hebrews"
TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Lapide refers to his Pauline commentaries
"My method here is the same as it was in the Pauline commentaries"
THE LIFE OF CORNELIUS A LAPIDE. — Lapide's published works include commentaries on all epistles of Saint Paul
"on all the Epistles of the Apostle Saint Paul"

Pope Clement VIII, Jerome's Prefaces, On Worship

II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Called "a vessel of election and teacher of the nations"; visited Damascus, Arabia, Jerusalem to see Peter; after fourteen years took Barnabas and Titus to set forth the Gospel to the Apostles
"the apostle Paul, a vessel of election and teacher of the nations, who spoke from the consciousness of so great a guest within him"
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Boasts of learning the law of Moses and the Prophets at the feet of Gamaliel; writes to Timothy and commands Titus
"Paul the apostle boasts that he learned the law of Moses and the Prophets at the feet of Gamaliel"
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Called a vessel of election because he was an armory of the law and holy Scriptures
"Why is the apostle Paul called a vessel of election? Surely because he was an armory of the law and the holy Scriptures."
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Speaks wisdom among the perfect, wisdom hidden in mystery predestined before the ages
"Paul speaks wisdom among the perfect -- wisdom, however, not of this age"
II. JEROME TO PAULINUS. — Writes to seven churches, instructs Timothy and Titus, intercedes with Philemon
"Paul the Apostle writes to seven churches, for the eighth, to the Hebrews, is placed by most outside the number."
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Called "the persecutor" who carries the name of Jesus to the nations; Antioch possesses him, Athens listens, Corinth receives, Ephesus drives out and blesses, Rome drinks of his blood
"Paul, the persecutor, is not slow to appear at his side; he carries the name of Jesus to the nations, of which he is the apostle"
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire cites "the spirit of the flesh, as the apostle Saint Paul says"
"one must conquer the spirit of the flesh, as the apostle Saint Paul says"
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire refers to "one of the companions of Saint Paul" as the author of the Acts narrative
"the acts of that miraculous foundation will be told to you by the pen of one of the companions of Saint Paul"
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire devotes extended passage to Paul's unique character; compares him to Aristotle and Plato; describes his conversion on horseback
"Saint Paul resembles nothing; he has no analogue in any secular literature, nor in any sacred literature."
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Describes Paul's unique Greek style steeped in Hebraism; compares to David and Saint John; recounts his conversion scene
"Paul has a language of his own, a sort of Greek wholly steeped in Hebraism, abrupt turns, bold, brief"
ON THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES. — Lacordaire says once Paul is studied and savored, the Scriptures are the reader's
"Once Saint Paul has been studied and savored, my dear Emmanuel, the Scriptures are yours."

Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture

Chapter I: On the Excellence, Necessity, and Fruit of Sacred Scripture — "Burning with love, hurling fiery flames of divine love everywhere"; arms faithful with patience and consolation of Scripture (Romans 15:4)
"For who would not clothe himself in chaste purity of soul... when it hears Paul burning with love"
Chapter I: On the Excellence, Necessity, and Fruit of Sacred Scripture — Reading of Paul converted heretic Augustine to orthodoxy and continence
"The reading of Paul was able not only to join the heretic Augustine to the orthodox"
Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Attributes ability to discern to distributions of graces (1 Corinthians 12); learned law at feet of Gamaliel
"St. Paul, attributes the ability not to natural powers of intellect but to the distributions of graces"
Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study — Appeared in likeness to Chrysostom as he dictated commentaries, whispering into his ear
"someone appearing in the likeness of St. Paul was seen standing beside him"
Sacred Writers as Pens of the Holy Spirit — Same authority as Moses; both pens of Holy Spirit
"the same truth, authority, reverence, zeal, and diligence must be attributed to Moses as to Paul"
II. The Richness of the Old Testament — In Hebrews 11, by example of fathers kindles martyrdom: "They were stoned, sawn asunder"
"Thus the Apostle in the entire chapter 11 of Hebrews"
Peroration and Conclusion of Section One — Invoked: as Paul assisted Chrysostom, so may Moses assist Lapide
"just as St. Paul assisted St. Chrysostom, so he himself may stand by me"

Commentary on the Pentateuch of Moses

Canons Bearing a Torch Before the Pentateuch — The Lord who delivered the law to Moses at Sinai is called an angel by Paul in Galatians 3:19
"is called an angel by Paul in Galatians 3:19"

Chapter I (The Six Days of Creation)

Heaven and Earth: Four Interpretations — Cited for calling the empyrean the "third heaven"
"Paul calls the third heaven"
Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Cited for dominion over the viper
"Paul over the viper"