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Chapter 30Erud.1.30

De vii gradibus in modo obediendi.

The Seven Steps of Obedience

The chapter opens by listing seven grades of obedience from Bernard of Clairvaux and introduces the first step: to obey willingly rather than from self-will.

The manner of obedience, however, contains seven steps, which blessed Bernard traces out in his discourse on the way of life, namely: that someone may obey willingly, simply, cheerfully, swiftly, courageously, humbly, and without giving up. So the first step is to obey willingly. 'For every human will is prone to evil from youth.'✦1 . . Since from that first transgression's distress there was born an inborn love of one's own will, which, abandoning the will of the Creator, subjected itself to servitude precisely where it wished to rule.2 However heavy it may be, one cannot ascend the first step of obedience who has not set aside the will of the one commanding, but only his own.

Obedience of the Will and Heart

Willing obedience means drawing the heart away from self-will and lovingly embracing the commander's will, exemplified by Christ and praised by scripture.

. . So commands from superiors should be taken on willingly, and the heart itself must be drawn away from its own stubborn turns back inward, until by its own will it comes to love the command of the one who commands. This is what it means to obey willingly: to carry out the will of the one who commands of your own accord. This is Bernard, on the first step. This is what I called above filial obedience, because acts of service done under compulsion are not pleasing to God. Hence the psalmist: 'I will sacrifice to you willingly.'✦ On this point Christ himself has given us an example, who delighted in obedience as in food, according to that passage in John 4: 'My food,' he says, 'is to do the will of him who sent me.'✦

Paul's Ready Surrender

Paul's immediate prayerful submission, 'Lord, what do you want me to do?', is presented as a model of willing obedience seldom imitated today.

In the same way, Paul—who, the moment he heard the voice of the Lord, said to him, as we read in Acts chapter 9: 'Lord, what do you want me to do?' See how willingly he offered himself to obey, ready to do whatever that one might wish to command—as if he were saying, 'My heart is ready, God, my heart is ready.'✦3 Hence blessed Bernard explains that word elsewhere: 'O,' he says, 'a brief word, yet full and living and efficacious: "Lord, what do you want me to do?"' How few are found in this pattern of obedience—who4 . . They do not ask, every hour, without ceasing—not what they themselves want, but what the Lord may will—saying, 'Lord, what do you want me to do?' .

The Blind Man and Resistant Wills

Unlike Paul, many are like the blind man of the Gospel, timid and perverse, choosing whom to obey and reversing the order of authority.

. . Alas, we have more imitators of that Gospel blind man than of the apostles. . . Their timidity and perversity demand that one be compelled to complain to them, 'What do you want me to do for you?'✦5 . .

Augustine and the Reversal of Desire

Augustine and classical authorities teach that true obedience makes the commanded will one's own desire, transforming submission into freedom.

They discern and choose the ones before whom they will obey the one commanding—or rather, the ones before whom it is necessary for their teacher to obey their will. Bernard says this. Augustine, on the other hand, says in book ten of the Confessions: 'Best Lord, your servant is the one who does not look to hear from you what he himself has wished, but rather to wish what he has heard from you.' Hence Lucan also says: Whatever you are commanded to do, make it your own desire.

Freedom in Willing Submission

Philosopher and poet confirm that unwilling obedience is slavery, while willing submission makes obedience easy and free.

As the philosopher says: 'If you obey unwillingly, you are a slave; if willingly, you are free.'6 And as the comic poet Terence says,7 Nothing is so easy that it doesn't become difficult when you do it unwillingly.

The Second Step: Simple Obedience

Simple obedience avoids questioning, murmuring, and excuse-making, imitating Abraham's uncomplaining readiness to obey God's command.

The second step, as blessed Bernard says, is simply to obey. 'We see many people,' he says, 'after the command of the one in charge, raising many questions, so that…' . . 'Why this precept?' 'Whence does this come?' 'Whose counsel does this find?'—and from there comes murmuring… . . '…and from there comes frequent excuse-making, pretense of impossibility, calling friends to one's defense. Not so did Abraham act—he simply obeyed.'

Cheerful and Unmurmuring Obedience

The third step is cheerful obedience, which adorns submission with brightness of face and sweetness of word, as God loves a cheerful giver.

This is that one. That's why the Apostle tells the Philippians in chapter two: 'Do everything,' he says, 'without grumbling.'✦ So the truly obedient person should regard himself toward his own teacher as a sheep or a beast of burden—that is to say,8 —so that, simply following his teacher's will, he is led at his pleasure, according to the psalmist's words: 'I have become like a beast of burden before you, and I am always with you.' And elsewhere it is said to the Lord: 'You led your people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron.' The third step, he says, is cheerfulness. 'God loves a cheerful giver,' he says, 'not someone who gives out of sadness or out of necessity.'✦ And so brightness of face and sweetness in one's words greatly adorn the obedience of the one who submits.

The Clouded Face of Reluctant Obedience

A sad and clouded demeanor reveals withdrawn devotion, while a cheerful countenance befits those who keep God's commandments.

. . On the contrary, a clouded composure of the body and a face darkened by the shadows of sadness signify that devotion or cheerfulness has withdrawn from the mind. Whence the poet: Above all, keep your face cheerful.

Swift Obedience and Simon of Cyrene

Those who obey sadly resemble Simon of Cyrene or the demons, compelled and sorrowful, whereas God's word runs swiftly and desires a swift follower.

So he spoke. And from this the psalmist says: 'I am prepared and I am not troubled, so that I may keep your commandments.' So those who obey in sadness are like Simon of Cyrene, who carried the cross under compulsion, as we read in Matthew 26.✦ Such was the obedience of the demons, who, compelled and sorrowful at the Lord's command, came out of the bodies of those they possessed. But demonic obedience doesn't please God, no more than canine patience does. The fourth step, he says, is to comply swiftly. 'For his word runs swiftly, and he desires to have a swift follower.' 'So I ran in the way of your commandments, when you enlarged my heart.'

Immediate Following of Christ

Peter, Andrew, James, and John left all at Christ's first word, showing swift obedience that knows no delay, led by the swift grace of the Holy Spirit.

So he said. Hence Peter and Andrew, at the first word, immediately left their nets and their boat and followed the Savior, as we read in Matthew 4. The same is recorded there concerning James and John, namely that they followed Him at once, leaving behind their nets and their father.✦ For as Saint Ambrose says, 'The grace of the Holy Spirit knows no sluggish delays.' Hence Saint Bernard, as cited above, says, 'The faithful obedient one knows no delay; tomorrow flees from him,' . .

Zacchaeus and the Swift Runner

Bernard teaches that the obedient person gathers all the senses to fulfill commands swiftly, as Zacchaeus hurried down to receive Christ joyfully.

The one who gives instructions to the person receiving him prepares the eyes for seeing, the ears for hearing, the tongue for speaking, the hands for working, the feet for walking. He gathers his whole self so that he may carry out the will of the one who commands. These are Bernard's words. And this is what is said in Proverbs 15: 'The mind of the just will meditate on obedience.' Bernard also gives an example of swiftness in obedience from Zacchaeus, to whom the Lord said, as we read in Luke 19: 'Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, because today I must stay at your house.'✦ He hurried down and joyfully received him. From this it is also said in Proverbs 22: 'You have seen a man swift in his work; he will stand before kings, and he will not be before the lowly.' The fifth step, he says, is to act manfully, according to that word of the Psalm: 'Act manfully,' he says, 'and let your heart be strengthened.'

Courageous Obedience unto Death

The fifth step is manful obedience, which braves tribulation and persecution, following Christ who was obedient even to a shameful death.

Thus Christ obeyed the Father manfully, so that for obedience He did not refuse to die. For He chose to lose His life rather than obedience, and therefore He became obedient even to death — even a shameful death.✦ Whence blessed Bernard, in the same place, exhorts perfect and religious men to a similar resolve in this way: 'It is not,' he says, 'a mark of fortitude either to march toward disobedience or to be led away from obedience. So if tribulation thunders, if persecution strikes back, . . If the wicked block your path, you still must not abandon the way of obedience, but say: 'I am ready, and I am not troubled, so that I may keep your commandments.' The sixth, he says, is to obey humbly — namely,

Humble Obedience and Perseverance

The sixth step is humble obedience, counting oneself useless after doing all; the seventh is perseverance, for to begin is common, but to persevere is rare.

Don't let yourself get puffed up over the strength of your work, but when you've done everything well, say: 'We are useless servants; we've only done what we were supposed to do.'✦ This is commanded by the Lord in Luke chapter seventeen: 'When,' he says, 'you have done all the things that were commanded you, say,' etc.✦ The seventh, he says, is to obey without ceasing — that is, to persevere. 'To begin is common enough; to persevere is rare.' That's Bernard. This is what the Apostle says in First Corinthians chapter nine: 'Those who run in the stadium — all of them run, but only one receives the prize.'✦ 'So then,' he says, 'run' — that is,✦ perseveringly, 'so that you may lay hold of the prize' — because whoever perseveres to the end 'will be saved,' as we read in Matthew chapter ten.✦✦

Summary of Filial Obedience

The chapter concludes by summarizing these seven steps as the filial obedience owed to superiors.

These things concern the filial obedience that ought to be shown to superiors.

Read the original Latin

Modus autem obediencie continet vii gradus, quos in sermone de uia uite prosequitur beatus bernardus, videl. ut obediatur libenter, simpliciter, hilariter, uelociter, viriliter, humiliter, indesinenter siue perseueranter. Itaque primus gradus est obedire libenter. ‘omnis enim voluntas hominis ab adolescencia prona est in malum . . . quoniam ab illa prime preuaricacionis angustia innatus est amor proprie voluntatis, que uoluntatem creatoris relinquens ibi subiecta est seruituti, ubi voluit dominari. Quantumlibet tamen graue sit, non potest primum obediencie gradum ascendere, qui voluntatem precipientis non fecerit, sed suam .

. . Ex uoluntate igitur suscipienda sunt imperia maiorum et ipsum cor a voluntariis reflexionibus suis abducendum, donec propria voluntate diligat imperantis mandatum. hoc est enim libenter obedire: voluntatem imperantis voluntarie adimplere.’ Hec bernardus de primo gradu. Hec est, quam dixi supra, filialis obediencia, quia non placent deo coacta seruicia. unde psalmista: ‘voluntarie sacrificabo tibi.’ Super hoc exemplum nobis prebuit christus in semetipso, qui delectabatur in obediencia tanquam in cibo, iuxta illud in iohanne iiii: ‘Meus,’ inquit, ‘cibus est, ut faciam voluntatem eius, qui misit me.’

Similiter et paulus, qui statim audita uoce domini dixit ei, sicut legitur in actibus ix: ‘Domine, quid me vis facere?’ Ecce quam libenter se offerebat obedire, paratus facere, quicquid ille uellet precipere, ac si diceret: ‘Paratum cor meum, deus, paratum cor meum.’ unde uerbum illud sic exponit alibi beatus bernardus: ‘O,’ inquit, ‘verbum breue, sed plenum et viuum et efficax: “Domine, quid me vis facere?” Quam pauci reperiuntur in hac forma obediencie, qui . . . non quid ipsi et quid dominus velit, omni hora requirant dicentes sine intermissione: “Domine, quid me vis facere?” .

. . Heu, plures habemus imitatores illius euangelici ceci quam apostoli . . . , quorum pusillanimitas et peruersitas exigit, ut ab eis oporteat queri, quid uis, ut faciam tibi . . .

Discernunt et eligunt, in quibus obediant imperanti, immo in quibus preceptorem suum obedire necesse sit eorum voluntati.’ Hec bernardus. Econtra uero dicit augustinus in libro confessionum x: ‘Obtimus, domine, minister tuus est, qui non intuetur hoc audire a te, quod ipse uoluerit, sed pocius hoc uelle, quod a te audierit.’ Hinc eciam dicit lucanus:

Tu quicquid iubeare, uelis.

ut enim dicit philosophus: ‘si inuitus pares, seruus es; si volens, liber. ’ Et ut dicit terencius comicus,

nulla est tam facilis res, quin difficilis sit, dum facias inuitus.

Secundus gradus, ut dicit beatus bernardus, est obtemperare simpliciter. ‘Multos,’ inquit, ‘videmus post precipientis imperium multas facere questiones, ut . . . “quare hoc preceptum sit,” “unde hoc venit,” “cuius consilium hoc inuenit”; inde murmuratio, . . . inde frequens excusatio, impossibilitatis simulatio, amicorum aduocatio: non sic abraham fecit, sed simpliciter obediuit.’

Hec ille. Hinc et apostolus ad philipenses iio, ‘Omnia,’ inquit, ‘facite sine murmuratione.’ Itaque verus obediens erga suum preceptorem se habere debet ut ouis uel iumentum, sc. ut simpliciter eius uoluntatem sequens ducatur ad eius libitum, secundum illud psalmiste: ‘ut iumentum,’ inquit, ‘factus sum apud te, et ego semper tecum.’ Hinc et alibi dicitur ad dominum: ‘Deduxisti sicut oues populum tuum in manu moysi et aaron.’ Tercius, inquit, gradus est hilariter. ‘Hilarem enim datorem diligit deus, non ex tristicia, inquit, aut ex necessitate. Itaque serenitas in uultu, dulcedo in sermonibus multum colorant obedienciam obsequentis .

. . Econtra uero nubilosa corporis compositio et facies tristicie tenebris obfuscata deuotionem uel hilaritatem ab animo recessisse significant. unde poeta:

Super omnia uultus accessere boni.’

Hec ille. Hinc et psalmista: ‘paratus sum et non sum turbatus, ut custodiam mandata tua.’ Itaque qui obediunt in tristicia, similes sunt symoni cyreneo, qui crucem ferebat in angaria, sicut legitur in matheo xxvi. Talis erat obediencia demonum, qui iubente domino coacti ac tristes exibant de corporibus obsessorum. Sed deo non placet demoniaca obediencia, sicut nec canina paciencia. Quartus, inquit, gradus est obsecundare uelociter. ‘Nam velociter currit sermo eius et velocem desiderat habere sequentem. unde viam, inquit, mandatorum tuorum cucurri, cum dilatasti cor meum.’

Hec ille. Hinc petrus et andreas ad primam vocem continuo relictis rethibus et naui secuti sunt saluatorem, ut legimus in matheo iiii. Idem ibidem habetur de iacobo et iohanne, quod sc. secuti sunt eum statim relictis rethibus et patre. ut enim dicit beatus ambrosius, ‘nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gracia.’ unde beatus bernardus, ubi supra, ‘Fidelis,’ inquit, ‘obediens nescit moras, crastinum fugit, . . .

precipientem precipit, parat oculos visui, aures auditui, linguam voci, manus operi, pedes itineri. Totum se colligit, ut voluntatem conpleat imperantis.’ Hec bernardus. Et hoc est quod dicitur in prouerbiis xv: ‘Mens iusti meditabitur obedienciam.’ Exemplum quoque de obedientis velocitate ponit bernardus de zacheo, cui dictum est a domino, sicut legitur in luca xix: ‘zachee, festinans descende, quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere. Qui festinans descendit et illum gaudens accepit.’ Hinc eciam dicitur in prouerbiis xxii: ‘vidisti hominem uelocem in opere suo; coram regibus stabit, nec erit ante ignobiles.’ Quintus, inquit, gradus est adimplere uiriliter, iuxta illud psalmi: ‘viriliter,’ inquit, ‘agite et confortetur cor uestrum etc.’

Sic christus uiriliter obediuit patri, ita ut pro obediencia non recusauerit mori. Maluit enim amittere vitam quam obedienciam, ideoque factus est obediens usque ad mortem eciam ignominiosam. unde et beatus bernardus viros perfectos ac religiosos ibidem ad simile hortatur hoc modo: ‘Non est,’ inquit, ‘fortitudinis uel ad inobedienciam ire uel ab obediencia abduci. Itaque si tribulatio intonat, si persecutio resultat, . . . si maligni tuum iter impediunt, tu tamen obediencie viam non deseras, sed dicas, paratus sum et non sum turbatus, ut custodiam mandata tua.’ Sextus, inquit, est obedire humiliter, videl.

ne de fortitudine operis eleuemur, sed cum omnia bene fecerimus, dicamus: ‘Serui inutiles sumus; quod debuimus facere, fecimus.’ Hoc precipitur a domino in luca xvii: ‘Cum,’ inquit, ‘feceritis omnia, que precepta sunt uobis, dicite’ etc. Septimus, inquit, est obedire indesinenter, id est perseueranter. ‘Incipere siquidem est multorum, perseuerare paucorum.’ Hec bernardus. Hoc est quod dicit apostolus Ia ad corintheos ix: ‘Qui in stadio currunt, omnes quidem currunt, sed unus accipit brauium. Sic ergo,’ inquit, ‘currite,’ sc. perseueranter, ‘ut conprehendatis,’ quia, qui perseuerauerit usque in finem, hic ‘saluus erit,’ ut legitur in matheo x.

Hec de obediencia filiali, que debet superioribus exhiberi.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Gen.8.21 — The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, and the LORD said in his heart, 'I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the inclination of the heart of man is evil from his youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living thing as I have done.'
  2. ↩Ps.54.6 — Behold, God is my help; the Lord is among those who uphold my life.
  3. ↩John.4.34 — Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.
  4. ↩Ps.57.7 — They set a net for my steps, and my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit before me, but they fell into the middle of it. Selah.
  5. ↩Mark.10.51;Matt.20.32 — And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabboni, that I may see again." Matt.20.32 — And Jesus stopped and called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?"
  6. ↩Phil.2.14 — Do everything without grumbling and arguing,
  7. ↩2Cor.9.7 — Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
  8. ↩Matt.27.32 — As they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.
  9. ↩Matt.4.22 — And immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
  10. ↩Luke.19.5 — And when Jesus came to the place, looking up, he said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house."
  11. ↩Phil.2.8 — And he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
  12. ↩Luke.17.10 — So also you, when you have done all that was commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what we were obligated to do.'
  13. ↩Luke.17.10 — So also you, when you have done all that was commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what we were obligated to do.'
  14. ↩1Cor.9.24 — Do you not know that those who run in a stadium all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
  15. ↩1Cor.9.24 — Do you not know that those who run in a stadium all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
  16. ↩1Cor.9.24 — Do you not know that those who run in a stadium all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
  17. ↩Matt.10.22 — And you will be hated by all because of my name; but the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Echoes Genesis 8:21 ('for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth'), though the Latin phrasing here ('omnis enim voluntas hominis ab adolescencia prona est in malum') does not match a single Vulgate verse exactly. Candidate allusion awaiting Moses resolution.
  2. 2 ↩The phrase 'ab illa prime preuaricacionis angustia' refers to the distress or narrowness resulting from the first transgression (the Fall). 'Angustia' carries a figurative sense of spiritual constriction or anguish.
  3. 3 ↩The quoted phrase 'My heart is ready, God, my heart is ready' echoes Psalm 57:7 (Vulgate) / Psalm 108:1.
  4. 4 ↩The Latin sentence appears incomplete after 'qui.' The text may be truncated or corrupt; translation reflects the fragmentary state.
  5. 5 ↩quid uis ut faciam tibi echoes the blind man's words to Jesus (Mark 10:51; Matthew 20:32), here turned ironically against the disobedient.
  6. 6 ↩The quotation is attributed generically to 'the philosopher' (philosophus), likely a Stoic commonplace; the specific source is unresolved.
  7. 7 ↩The quotation from Terence is cut off here and presumably continues in the next section. The specific line and its source in Terence's works remain to be identified.
  8. 8 ↩'sc.' expands the abbreviation 'scilicet' ('namely, that is to say'), marking an authorial gloss that introduces the scriptural comparison in the next sentence.

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