Thomas Aquinas, on Eph 4:32

“And be ye kind one to another; merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.”

“Next, when he says be ye kind one to another he determines what pertains to the new man which is contrary to the above mentioned passions. Opposed to bitterness is kindness; so he says be ye kind one to another since "the spirit of wisdom is benevolent" (Wis. 1:6). Mercy is contrary to anger, thus he mentions merciful: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful" (Lk. 6:36). Opposed to indignation is a pardoning attitude; whence he says forgiving one another even as God hath forgiven you in Christ. "Forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also" (Col. 3:13). "He that spared not even his own Son," and shortly afterwards, "how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?" (Rom. 8:32).”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.