The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

Timothy our brother . That is our co-Apostle; so the Pope calls Bishops his brethren, a Bishop his canons, an abbot his monks

The Father of mercies. A Hebraism for “ most merciful.” See note to Rom. xv. 5. S. Bernard says learnedly and piously (Serm. 5 de Natali Dom.) : “ He is rightly called the Father of mercies, not the Father of judgments or vengeances , not only because it is more the nature of a father to pity than to be angry , even as a father pitieth his children that fear him , but rather because it is from Himself that He draws the cause and origin of His mercy , but from us , that is, from our sins , draws the cause and origin of His judgment and vengeance. But if it is because of this that He is the Father of mercy, why ts He called the Father of mercies l The Apostle in one Word, in one Son , brings before us a double mercy in the words * Father of mercies? not merely Father of a single mercy, in speaking of the God not of comfort merely , but * of all comfort? who comforteth us, not in this or that tribulation, but in all. 1 Many are the mercies of the Lord? says a certain person, meaning that many are the tribulations of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all. There is one Son of God, one Word; but our 4 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE manifold misery calls for, not only great pity, but a multitude of mercies . Perhaps , however , because of the double substance which is to be found in our human nature, both of which are miserable , , the misery of man may not unsuitably be said to be twofold although in both it be of manifold forms . Truly the tribulations of our body and soul are increased exceedingly, but He who saves man wholly rescues him from the troubles of both? Notice that S. Bernard seems to refer the phrase “Father of mercies ” to the Son ; and rightly enough, but it is not the intention of the Apostle to do so. S. Paul plainly means the same Person by “ the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father of mercies.”

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our con - solation also aboundeth in Christ 44 The sufferings of Christ ” are, (1.) as S. Ambrose takes it, those which we suffer for Christ; (2.) such as Christ suffered ; (3.) those which Christ regards as His own, in accordance with S. Matt xxv. 40 and Acts ix. 4, as (Ecumenius understands the words. Theophylact adds that the word 44 abound ” is used to point to the fact that Christ suffered more in His members than in Himself. This is true by way of extension, but not in the way of intension. In S. Laurence Christ suffered the fire, in S. Stephen the stones, in Ignatius the wild beasts ; but His suffering and sorrow in Himself were greater and more intense than what all these suffered. The meaning, therefore, is this, according to Theophylact : Do not be downcast whoever of you suffers from afflictions and various ills, because, however great your sufferings may be, so great is your consolation. But here observe, (1.) as Theophylact does, that S. Paul does not merely say that the comfort equals the sufferings, but that it abounds and is greater than they are; and, therefore, whoever is afflicted may bear his troubles patiently, nay, joyfully and gladly, and so may gain the victory over them. (2.) The sufferings of Christ have this characteristic, that Christ gives consolation in proportion to them, and the greater the suffering the greater the comfort On the other hand the sufferings of the world are vinegar without honey, and as they increase, so do desolation and mourning and woe. (3.) It follows from this that the suffering of the Cross is not to be fled DEUS CONSOLATOR 5 from but embraced, as the mother of so much Divine comfort and joy. So S. Andrew, Ignatius, Xavier embraced it, and prayed daily for the Cross, and would not be set free from it unless God would give them a heavier one

And whether we be afflicted , , it is for your consolation. We suffer tribulations that we may console and save you, and may animate you, by our patience and hope in God and His comfort, to bravely bear, as we do, afflictions on behalf of the faith. So Ambrose. Cf. Chrysostom (Horn, i de Spe et Fort in Tentat. Serv.). Which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings. This salvation, as the wished for end, produces patience. Others, as Theophylact, take it, “ Salvation is wrought in patience.” Ambrose takes it to mean that patience is the meritorious cause of salvation, and that salvation, therefore, produces patience as its final cause, for the efficient and final causes have a mutual relation. Salvation as the final cause, orders and works patience, and in turn patience, as the efficient cause, works out salvation. The meaning, then, is that your consolation and salvation alike effectually produce patience, our exhortation animates you to hope for salvation, and to bear bravely on its behalf whatever sufferings arise from obedience to the faith. My exhortation or consolation, therefore, works effectually endurance by stirring you up to it; the salvation thence hoped for works endurance objectively. Just so the resolution to attain some end makes us lay hold of and employ means

That by the means of many persons, Primasius reads this, “ By a company of many persons,” that is, children, youths, and old men. S. Paul’s meaning is, that through many people in a great concourse of men, thanks may be publicly given to God for A GOOD CONSCIENCE 7 S. Paul’s deliverance and safe return, as the common father and Apostle of all. For the gift bestowed upon us . That thanks may be given, says Vatablus, by many, on our behalf, for the gift of grace that was given to us. As gratitude demands that thanks be given, in proportion to the benefit bestowed, to the great Giver for our creation, redemption, justification, education, and growth, so also should thanks be given for the gift of deliverance

For our rejoicing is this , the testimony of our conscience. “For” introduces the reason why the Corinthians should give thanks and pray for Paul. It is because he was their Apostle, who, with great grace and efficacy, preached to them the Gospel and converted them ; and in proof of this he calls upon his own conscience and theirs. Observe here the force and quiet that come from a good conscience. “ No theatre,” says Cicero, “ for virtue is so great as that of conscience.” Juvenal, too {Sat. xiii.), says: “ The summit of happiness is to have a mind conscious of its own integrity.” S. Augustine again {contra Secund. Munich, c. i.) says : “ Think of Augustine what you like, my conscience shall not be my accuser in the presence of God.” See notes to i Tim. L 5. Not with fleshly wisdom. I have not preached with human philosophy or eloquence, but with grace, zeal, efficacy, and the Holy Spirit

We are your rejoicing, , even as ye also are ours . We are the object of your rejoicing as your teachers ; ye, as good disciples, are the object of our rejoicing ; and this rejoicing will chiefly be seen in the day when the Lord will come to judge all men

I was minded to come unto you before, t that ye might have a second benefit . The first benefit was that of his First Epistle ; his second would have been his visit to them in person. So Theophylact Or else the first benefit was his first visit, when he converted them ; his second would be his second visit, to confirm them in the faith

And to pass by you into Macedonia. To pay them a flying visit, and then return from Macedonia to them again, so as to 8 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE stay longer with them. This is what he means in i Cor. xvi. 5, where he says that he would come to them after he had passed through Macedonia. Here he adds further to this that he also wished to see them on his way to Macedonia* So the Greek Fathers harmonise the passages ; but Lyranus and S. Thomas reconcile them differently, but not so probably

When I therefore was thus minded* did I use lightness t That is, when I proposed to come to you and did not. The Greek word for lightness is derived from the woid for a stag- In a like way we speak of the wisdom of the serpent, the innocence, of the dove; the stubbornness of the ass, the headiness of the elephant Or the things that I purpose , do I purpose according to the flesh t S. Paul did not form his determinations relying on human prudence and lightness, which readily change men’s designs, through worldly advantage or convenience, or the influence of superiors, nky, through the mere fickleness and changeability of natural inclination. So Ambrose. That with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay . I was not so unstable and purposeless as at one time to promise to come and at another to refuse, as boys often do. So Anselm