CORNELIUS A'LAPIDE'S COMMENTARY ON TITUS, PHILEMON AND HEBREWS

This is an original translation from the Latin text of the Commentary of Cornelius aLapide on Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews by Michael Miller in sewn hardcover, 498 pages.  Published by Loreto Publications.

Hebrews is one of Saint Paul's most important epistles and is theologically complex. Even though he was the Apostle to the Gentiles, he penned this for his Hebrew Christians in order to strengthen their knowledge and resolve in the face of persecution from their fellow unconverted Hebrews.

Titus

Titus was of Gentile and Greek descent on both sides and, if we are to believe Chrysostom in his first homily, came from Corinth. Hence, the Apostle, writing the second time to the Corinthians, repeatedly mentions Titus, and used him as an administrator among his own people for collecting alms and other church matters. This Titus, having been converted to Christ and baptized by Paul, was one of his disciples. And he was an outstanding helper and interpreter in Paul’s preaching. Hence, in 2 Corinthians 12:13 Paul calls Titus his brother.

Philemon

Philemon, not a Jew but a Gentile, was a citizen of Colossus, a nobleman among his people, a remarkable man by his life, morals, and profession of the Christian faith. His house in Colossus still stood intact at the time of Theodoret, as he relates, and likewise that it started to be a church in S. Paul’s time, so that Paul might congregate the faithful there. Thus also, Archippus, the Bishop of the Colossians, lived there, as Paul implies in verse 2. this house, now dedicated to God as a Church, remained for many centuries.  Paul wrote this epistle in chains in Rome before the year 60 A.D., although he now hoped to be liberated from them shortly, as is clear from verse 22. He sent this Epistle through Onesimus himself together with the Epistle to the Colossians.

Hebrews

Paul here proposes and proves to the Hebrews: First, the divinity and dignity of Christ; Second, that his priesthood, i.e., Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross foreshadowed by all the old sacrifices, was alone sufficient to accomplish the redemption of us all; Third, he shows that Christ’s office was to be the expiator of all sins by His own blood, our redeemer, mediator, and pontiff who opens the gates of Heaven; Fourth, he shows the difference of the New Testament and its superiority over the Old; Fifth, he consoles those who were despoiled as apostates and harassed in various ways by the Jewish authorities, with the permission of their Roman overlords, on account of their faith in Christ and their defection from the law of Moses. Indeed, if we are to believe S. Chrysostom, the purpose of the entire Epistle is to console and strengthen these same Christians. Finally, as was Paul’s custom, he concludes the Epistle with moral instruction and ethical precepts.