Thomas Aquinas

Above he showed how the faithful ought to conduct themselves for the future; here he commends them for a benefit bestowed on him in the past. And first he sets down the commendation; second he ends the epistle with a prayer and a salutation, at "But God," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he commends them for the benefit bestowed; second he explains the benefit more fully, at "not as though," etc. Likewise the first part is divided into three sections, because first he sets down the joy conceived from their benefit; second he commends their benefit, at "that at length," etc.; third he excuses the delay, at "being occupied," etc.

He says therefore: I admonish you to rejoice, but I have rejoiced because of the things you have done, not in the things themselves, but in the Lord. Hab. 3:18: "But I will rejoice in the Lord," etc. I have rejoiced, I say, greatly, because it was on account of my children. Then the matter of the joy is set down, at "that at length," etc. Good works are works of mercy, and they are called flowers, because just as fruit comes forth from a flower, so from these the enjoyment of the blessed life is received. Ecclus. 24:23: "My flowers are the fruit of honor and of honesty." When therefore a good work is interrupted, and afterward resumed, it is said to flower again. Now these people had at one time provided for the Apostle, and again now they have provided; therefore he says that they have flowered again. And he explains this, when he adds "to feel for me," that is, to have compassion for me. Above 1:7: "as it is right for me to feel this for you all," etc. 1 Macc. 10:20: "that you may feel with us the things that are ours, that you may keep friendship with us," etc. "As you also felt formerly," namely when you provided for me. And this "at length, at some time," because although late, yet at some time you did it. Rom. 1:10: "if somehow at length at some time I may have a prosperous journey," etc.

Then when he says "being occupied," etc., he excuses the delay; as if he were to say: I do not impute it to negligence or fault, but to necessity, because you were occupied on account of the tribulations which you suffered. Ecclus. 40:1: "Great occupation is created for all men," etc.

Then when he says "not as though on account of," etc., he explains the benefit, and first the cause of the joy; second the benefit by which they flowered, at "and you also know"; third he recalls the present benefit, at "but I have all things." Likewise first he excludes the estimated cause of the joy; second he declares his own constancy of mind, at "for I have learned," etc.; third he approves their beneficence, at "nevertheless you have done well."

He says therefore: I do not rejoice on account of the want driven away by you, which was grievous. Is. 48:10: "I have chosen you in the furnace of poverty." But nevertheless it does not weigh down the mind, except of those who delight in riches, or who glory in substance. And this is so because the Apostle is not saddened by poverty, the reason for which is the constancy of his mind, which he sets down first, second its cause, at "I can do all things," etc. Likewise first he sets down constancy in a particular case, second generally in all things, at "everywhere," etc.

He says therefore: I do not fear poverty, because I have learned, etc. Nothing so shows the mind of a perfect wise man, as that he knows how to make use of any state. For just as he is a good commander who works in any army according to its requirement, and the leather-worker who out of any hide makes the best shoes: so that man is perfect who knows how to make use of any state, so that if he is in a great one, he is not lifted up, and if in the least, he is not cast down. And therefore he says "I have learned," etc. Is. 50:5: "The Lord God has opened my ear, and I do not contradict, I have not gone back," etc. And this suffices, if I have little; if much, I know how to temper myself.

And therefore he explains himself, saying "I know how to be humbled." Now humility sometimes denotes a certain virtue, Luke 14:12, and 18:14: "he who humbles himself shall be exalted"; sometimes a casting-down, Ps. 104:18: "they humbled his feet in fetters." And thus he speaks here, saying "I know how to be humbled," that is, to bear abjection moderately, as is fitting. And because men are exalted through riches and are weighed down through poverty, therefore he calls the exaltation "abundance." And in each there is danger, because from abundance the mind is raised up against God, from poverty it is cast down. And therefore it is said Prov. 30:8: "Give me neither poverty nor riches." But the Apostle speaks better, because by virtue he knows how to make use of each, and this "everywhere," that is in every place, in affairs, states, and conditions, "I am instructed." 2 Cor. 6:4: "in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God," etc.

Then when he says "I can do all things," etc., he sets down the cause of his constancy, saying "I can do all things," as if he were to say: I could not sustain these insults, unless the hand of God were strengthening me. Ez. 3:14: "the hand of the Lord was with me." Is. 40:31: "they who hope in the Lord shall have strength, they shall take up wings like eagles," etc.

But is what we have sent then superfluous, since you know how to be in want? No, because although I know how to suffer want, which is a virtue, nevertheless the assistance ought not to be withheld from me. Rom. 12:13: "sharing in the necessities of the saints." Heb. 10:34: "for you had compassion also on them that were in bands." And thus the cause of the joy is clear.

Second he recalls the past benefit, at "and you know." For from certain ones he was accepting nothing, namely from the Corinthians and the Thessalonians, and because the Corinthians were avaricious, and would have ministered with disturbance, and because the Thessalonians were given over to idleness, he labored, giving them an example of laboring. But these were good both in his absence and in his presence. Hence he says 2 Cor. 11:8: "I despoiled other churches, taking wages for your ministry." By reason of the spiritual thing given and the temporal thing received. 1 Cor. 9:11: "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things?" "Because even to Thessalonica," etc.

And this is an argument that the Pope can receive from one church for the aid of others, but not without any cause whatsoever. Now it must be known, that when someone gives something to someone, two things are to be considered, namely the substance of the gift and the merit of the giver. He who rejoices over temporal things, rejoices over the substance of the gift, and seeks only the giver, and this one is a hireling; but he who seeks the merit of the giver, seeks the fruit of virtue and justice, and such a one is a shepherd. "The fruit," I say, "which abounds in your account." "Account" is said in two ways. Either according as it is a power of the soul, and thus every virtue belongs to reason. Rom. 12:1: "your reasonable service." Sometimes it is reasoning and computation. Matt. 18:23: "who wished to settle accounts with his servants." Therefore he speaks of abundance "in account," because they gave more than they were bound to; because some only gave in his presence, but these were even sending to Rome.

"But I have the things which you sent." "I am filled, having received," namely these things, "which you sent, an odor," etc. Lev. 3:5 and 4:31: "offer a holocaust for an odor of sweetness to the Lord." For the devotion of those offering is a sweet odor to God, and among all sacrifices alms are worth much. Heb. 13:16: "But do not forget beneficence and communion, for by such sacrifices God is won over."

Then when he says "But God," etc., he finishes the epistle with a prayer, and first he sets down the prayer, "But my God." God is one for all through creation and power, but "mine," because I serve him singularly. Rom. 1:9: "for God is my witness, whom I serve." "May he fulfill," etc., because you have fulfilled mine. And this the Lord is able to do, because he abounds according to riches. Rom. 10:12: "the same Lord over all, rich unto all who call upon him," etc. And this is true "in glory," namely his own, because there the whole desire will be fulfilled. Ps. 16:15: "I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear." Ps. 102, v. 5: "who fills your desire with good things." And this is "in Christ," that is, through Christ. 2 Pet. 1:4: "through whom he has granted to us the greatest and precious things." "And for all these things, to God" — the Trinity — "and to our Father, be glory." 1 Tim. 1:17: "to God alone be honor and glory forever and ever." An "age" is a space or duration of the generation or memory of men.

Having first set down the prayer, and second the giving of thanks, third he sets down the salutation, saying "greet every saint," that is, the faithful in Christ, because sanctified through Christ. Heb. 13:12: "that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, he suffered outside the gate." "Especially," etc. And by this it is understood that he converted many from the household of Caesar. Above, ch. 1:13: "that my bonds became manifest in Christ in the whole praetorium, and to the rest of the men," etc. But although it is said in Matt. 11:8: "they who are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings," yet for the sake of promoting the good, and hindering the wicked, it seems lawful for the saints to dwell in the courts of kings, but not for the sake of delights and the desire of pleasures. And he says "who are of Caesar's household," so as to encourage them to joy and to faith. Then he sets down his own salutation by his own hand, saying "the grace of the Lord," etc.