Physical Exercise By Saint Paul

[kafka]

{4:7} But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety.
{4:8} For the exercise of the body is somewhat useful. But piety is useful in all things, holding the promise of life, in the present and in the future.

In the Latin, modicum is used with utilis (ad modicum utilis est) in the Latin Vulgate to express physical exercise in this passage of Saint Paul to Timothy. In the English it can be literally translated as "is useful within bounds" or "useful to a certain extent" or non-literally "somewhat useful" in the above translation. So Saint Paul is not disapproving of physical exercise, he is merely pointing out that it has a limited usefulness.

Human nature is soul and body and spirit. Body and soul have a profound interaction and union. Human nature is in a fallen, weakened and selfish state. So physical exercise can be useful in order to aid the soul, which is will-intellect-act, in performing and even cooperating with grace to a limited extent, e.g. it can relieve stress in the body and soul, it can help clear the mind, strengthen the will, temporarily set a weakened human nature in order, etc. However physical exercise cannot overcome or cure human nature of the consequences of Adam's sin, personal sin, or the troubles of this first world-age. So it is limited, or somewhat useful.

Piety on the otherhand, is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is primarily moral (of the will) and secondarily of the intellect. It is the power or virtue assisting one in willing and placing God, the things of God, and the things of the future and eternal world-age of God above all other things, for example oneself, sin, inordinate attachments to people and things. Piety aids the will and intellect in discerning good from evil. It strengthens the will and intellect in overcoming the things of this first world-age. So it is always useful in the present, because it aids love-faith-hope in ordering the entire person (soul-body-spirit) toward God, the things of God, and the future in God in spite of the troubles of this first world-age. It helps one hold onto the promise of eternal life which is the state of sanctifying grace.

And this infused gift will remain in the soul forever in the future world-age of the New Heaven and New Earth. That is why Saint Paul adds, "and in the future". Piety will always assist the supernatural virtue of love in the saved human person in the things God has planned for us in eternity. Whatever that may be!

Edited November 19, 2010 by kafka

[Seven77]

A good read. Thanks for sharing that!

[Tally Marx]

Yes, thank you!