Thomas Aquinas

After the Apostle has amplified the state of the fault that infects, here he commends the benefit of justifying grace. Concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the benefit itself; second he explains himself, at the place "for by grace you are," etc. Now he describes that benefit with respect to three causes. First with respect to the efficient cause; second with respect to the formal, or exemplary, cause; third with respect to the final cause.

Now the efficient cause of the divine justifying benefit is the charity of God. And with respect to this he says: "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his exceeding great charity." Now he says "because of his exceeding great charity," because we can consider a fourfold goodness and efficacy of the divine love. First, because he brought us into being. Wisdom 11:25: "For you love all things that are, and hate none of the things which you have made," etc. Second, because he made us to his own image, and capable of his beatitude. Deuteronomy 33:2-3: "With him are thousands of saints, in his right hand a fiery law; he has loved the peoples, all the saints are in his hand." Third, because he repaired men corrupted through sin. Jeremiah 31:3: "I have loved you with an everlasting charity, and therefore," etc. Fourth, because for our salvation he gave his own Son. John 3:16: "So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son." Whence Gregory: "O inestimable love of charity! That you might redeem a slave, you handed over your Son."

Now he says "who is rich in mercy," because when the love of man is caused by the goodness of the one who is loved, then that man who loves, loves out of justice, inasmuch as it is just that he should love such a one. But when love causes goodness in the beloved, then it is a love proceeding from mercy. Now the love with which God loves us causes goodness in us, and therefore mercy is set down here as, so to speak, the root of divine love. Isaiah 63:7: "He has dealt bountifully with them according to his indulgence, and according to the multitude of his mercies." In the same place: "The multitude of your tender mercies and of your compassions is upon me."

Now God is said to be rich in mercy, because he has it infinite and unfailing, which man does not have. For in three things man shows mercy with a limit and a limitation. First indeed in bestowing temporal benefits, and this mercy is finite, not exceeding the limits of one's own capacity. Tobit 4:8: "As you are able, so be merciful"; but God is rich also towards all who call upon him, as is said in Romans 10:12. Second, the mercy of man is finite because he forgives only an offense against himself, and in this too there ought to be a measure, namely that he not forgive so indiscriminately that the one whom he forgives becomes more insolent, more prone and more ready to offend again. Ecclesiastes 8:11: "For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear." But nothing can harm God, and therefore he can forgive every offense. Job 35:6: "If you sin, what will you harm him?" And a little after: "Moreover if you act justly, what will you give him?" Third, man shows mercy by remitting punishment, and in this too a measure must be kept, namely that you not act against the justice of a higher law; but God can remit the punishment of all, since he is bound by no law of a superior. Job 34:13: "Whom has he appointed over the earth? Or whom has he set over the world which he made?" Thus therefore the mercy of God is infinite, because it is not constrained by the narrowness of riches, nor restricted by fear of harm, nor by the law of a superior.

Now the exemplary cause of the benefit is that it was conferred in Christ. And with respect to this he says: "when we were dead in sins, he brought us to life together in Christ," etc. Here he touches on a threefold benefit, namely: of justification, of resurrection from the dead, and of ascension into heaven, through which three we are made like to Christ.

He says therefore with respect to the first — so that the text be read as suspended — "But God, who is rich," etc., "when we were dead in sins, he brought us to life together in Christ," that is, he made us live together with Christ. Hosea 6:3: "He will bring us to life after two days," etc. "He brought to life together," I say, here namely by way of justice. Psalm 65:9: "Who has set my soul to live." And this "in Christ," that is, through the grace of Christ, by whose grace, namely Christ's, you are saved. Romans 8:24: "For we are saved by hope."

But with respect to the second he says: "and he raised us up together with Christ," with respect to the soul in reality, and with respect to the body in hope. Romans 8:11: "He who raised him up from the dead will also bring to life our mortal bodies," etc.

But with respect to the third he says: "and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," namely now through hope, and finally in the future in reality, because, as is said in John 12:26: "Where I am, there also shall my minister be," etc. Likewise Apocalypse 3:21: "He who shall overcome, I will give him to sit with me on my throne, as I also have overcome, and have sat with my Father on his throne." Now the Apostle in these things uses the past tense for the future, declaring as though already done what is future, because of the certainty of hope. Thus therefore he brought to life together with respect to the soul, finally raised up with respect to the body, made to sit together with respect to both.

Consequently, when he says "that he might show," etc., he shows the final cause of the benefit conferred. This indeed can be read in two ways, because "the ages to come" can be taken either in this life, or in the life to come.

For if they are taken in this life, then "age" is a certain measure of time and the period of one generation, so that it may be said thus: I say that us, who are the firstfruits of those who sleep, he brought to life together in Christ, and this that he might show, in the ages to come — that is, to those who are to be after us — the abundant riches of his grace, and this not by our merits, but by his own goodness, which is, namely, upon us in Christ Jesus, that is, through Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:15f: "Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. But for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me Christ might show all patience, for the instruction of those who are to believe in him unto eternal life." Thus therefore God bestowed abundant gifts of grace on the first saints, so that those who came after might more easily be converted to Christ.

Or "age" can be taken otherwise, namely in the other life, of which it is said in Ecclesiasticus 24:14: "and even to the age to come I shall not cease." But although there is one age there, because there is eternity there, he nevertheless says "in the ages to come," on account of the multitude of the saints participating in eternity: so that there may be said to be as many ages there as there are participated eternities. Of these ages it is said in Psalm 144:13: "Your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages."

He says therefore according to this sense: I say that he brought us to life in hope, namely through Christ, or in grace, that he might show, in the ages to come — that is, might fulfill in the other life — the abundant riches of his grace, that is, the abundant grace which even in this world, while he forgives many sins and grants the greatest gifts, he speaks of: which indeed superabounds in the other life, because there it is possessed without failing. John 10:10: "I have come that they may have life," namely of grace, "in this world, and have it more abundantly," namely of glory in the fatherland. And this "in his goodness." Psalm 72:1: "How good is God to Israel." Lamentations 3:25: "The Lord is good to them that hope in him, to the soul that seeks him." And this "above us," that is, above our desire, above our understanding, and above our capacity. Isaiah 64:4: "The eye has seen us, O God, besides you, the things which you have prepared for them that wait for you." And this "in Christ Jesus," that is, through Christ Jesus, because just as grace is conferred on us through Christ, so also is glory consummated. Psalm 83:12: "The Lord will give grace and glory." For through him we are made blessed, through whom we are justified.

Now he says "that he might show," because the treasure of grace is hidden in us, because we have it in earthen vessels, as is said in 2 Corinthians 4:7; and 1 John 3:1: "Behold what manner of charity the Father has given us, that we should be called and should be the sons of God." And a little after: "Now we are the sons of God, and it has not yet appeared," etc. But that hidden treasure, because it has not yet appeared, will be shown in the ages to come, because in the fatherland all things will be open to us that pertain to the manifest glory of the saints. Romans 8:18: "The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared to the future glory that shall be revealed in us."