Commentary on 2 Thessalonians (Super II Epistolam ad Thessalonicenses Lectura)

Gather yourselves together, that I may announce to you the things that are to come, in the last days, et cetera. These words are fitting for this epistle. For two things are touched upon which belong to it, namely its fruit, and its subject matter. Hence it says that I may announce, et cetera. For in it there is treated of those things which are to come in the last days, which are three, namely: the dangers of the Church, in the time of Antichrist. 2 Tim. 3, 1: in the last days perilous times will be at hand, et cetera. Likewise, the punishments of the wicked. Ps. 72, 17: until I enter into the sanctuary of God, et cetera. Nevertheless, on account of deceits you have set [it] for them; you have cast them down while they were being lifted up. Likewise, the rewards of the good. Prov. ult.: strength and beauty are her garment. And of these things this epistle treats. The usefulness is shown, because gather yourselves together. Thus from this epistle a gathering is acquired, namely of those agreeing in the truth, because they were disagreeing about the future judgment, on account of what he says in the first epistle: then we who are alive, et cetera. Ps. 146, 2: he will gather the dispersions of Israel. Likewise a gathering of wills, because when they consider that whatever things are temporal will perish at the end of the world, it is given to be understood that they gather them to seek one thing, namely the heavenly reward. Ecclus. 30, 24: gather your heart in his holiness. Likewise a gathering of thoughts unto one stable truth. Is. ult.: but I come to gather their works and their thoughts, et cetera. Thus therefore the fruit and the subject matter are clear, because in the first he fortified them against past persecutions, here he fortifies them against future ones.

This epistle is divided into the greeting, and the epistolary narration, at "we ought to give thanks," etc. Again, first the persons greeting are set down; second, the persons greeted; third, the goods wished for. Now these are the same persons as in the first. But three persons greeting are set down, so that the authority of the epistle might appear more robust. Eccles. 4:12: A threefold cord is broken with difficulty. To the church of the Thessalonians, etc. Church means a congregation: which ought to be in God, otherwise it is evil. Of the good one it is said, Ps. 49:5: Gather together his saints to him, etc. In Christ, that is, in faith in him. Rom. 5:2: through whom we have access by faith into this grace. Then he wishes them good things, and first, peace. For it is the beginning of all spiritual gifts. 1 Cor. 15:10: By the grace of God I am what I am. Again, peace, which is the end of men. Ps. 147:14: who has placed your ends as peace, etc. And this from God, etc. James 1:17: Every excellent gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, descending from the Father of lights, etc. And from the Lord Jesus, etc. 2 Pet. 1:4: through whom he has given us the greatest and precious things. We ought to give thanks, etc.

This is the epistolary narration. And first he instructs them concerning the things to come in the last days; second, he admonishes them familiarly concerning certain matters, in the third chapter, at "for the rest, brothers," etc. Again, first he admonishes, as has been said, as to the rewards of the good, and the punishments of the wicked; second, as to the dangers in the time of Antichrist, chapter 2, at "but we ask you," etc. Again, first he gives thanks concerning the preparation for the future judgment; second he describes the judgment itself, at "if indeed it is just." Again, first he gives thanks for their progress; second he shows the fruit of the progress; third, the sign.

He says therefore, we ought to give thanks, etc. For because in the first epistle he commended them for faith and charity and other goods in which they abounded, therefore he says, we ought always to give thanks for you, because the good that you have, I reckon as my own. 3 John 4: I have no greater grace than this, that I hear my children walk in truth. And this to God, without whom nothing good can be done. And this is fitting, because we give thanks for great goods. 2 Macc. 1:11: Having been delivered by God from great dangers, let us give magnificent thanks. Why? Because spiritual goods grow exceedingly. For they are kept perilously, unless a man makes progress in them.

Now among these gifts of God, the first is faith, through which God dwells in us, and in this we make progress according to the intellect. Eph. 3:17: that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts. And thus man makes progress through knowledge, devotion, and adherence. The second is charity, through which God is in us according to effect. 1 John 4:16: God is charity, and he who abides in charity abides in God, and God in him. And therefore he says, and it abounds. Prov. 15:5: in abundant justice, there is the greatest strength, etc. 1 Thess. 4:9: But concerning brotherly charity we had no need to write to you, for you yourselves have learned from God to love one another, etc.

And then the progress is set down, when he says: so that I glory in it among others, because I reckon what is yours as mine. For the good of disciples is the glory of prelates. Prov. 10:1: A wise son makes a father glad, etc. Prov. 17:6: The crown of old men is their children's children, etc. 2 Cor. 9:2: for which I glory concerning you.

And then he sets down the sign of progress, namely patience, which is shown most of all in tribulations. James 1:12: Blessed is the man who endures temptation, etc. In tribulations there are two things to be kept, namely patience, lest one depart from the faith. James: patience has a perfect work. And faith in persecutions. 1 Cor. 4:12: We suffer persecution and we endure it. Hence he says, in faith, in all your persecutions and tribulations. These tribulations indeed are named from thistles, by which we are pricked inwardly through afflictions. Gen. 3:18: it shall bring forth to you thorns and thistles. Ps. 24:17: The tribulations of my heart are multiplied.

And these things the saints endure on account of two things: namely, on account of the terror of the wicked. For if God does not spare the good in this world, how will he spare the wicked in the future? 1 Pet. 2: but if first from us, what is the end of those who do not believe the Gospel of God, etc. Jer. 49:12: Behold, they to whom there was no judgment, that they should drink the cup, etc. Second, to increase merit. Hence he says, that worthy, etc. For, as it is said in Matt. 11:12, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away. And Luke, last chapter: was it not necessary for Christ to suffer these things, and so enter into his glory? Rom. 8:17: if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together with him. Hence he says, for which you also suffer. For the tribulation which is borne for God makes one worthy of the kingdom of God. Matt. 5:10: Blessed are they who suffer persecution, etc. 1 Pet. 4:15: let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a reviler, or a coveter of what belongs to others.

Above, he dealt with their fitness for the future judgment; here he deals with the form of the judgment. And first he sets down the judgment as to the punishment of the wicked and the rewards of the good; secondly, he treats each part separately, at the words in flame. Again, first he sets down the judgment as to the punishment of the wicked; secondly as to the rewards of the good, at the words when he shall come. As to the first he had said above you endure as an example, etc., here he adds, if indeed it is just; "if" is used for "because." Hence another text has if indeed. Or if indeed may be referred to the example of just judgment; as if he were to say: it is just that you suffer these things, if indeed you merit from this. But the first reading and exposition is better. It is just to render in return. Ps. 93:2: rise up, you who judge the earth, render a reward to the proud. Is. 33:1: woe to you who plunder, shall you not also be plundered? Tribulation, namely of eternal damnation. Rom. 8:35: tribulation, or distress, etc. And to you who are troubled, rest. Lk. 16:25: you received good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise evil things. But now he is comforted here, while you are tormented. Apoc. 14:13: for from now on the Spirit says, that they may rest from their labors. With us, that is, an equal glory. But is this really true? I answer. Equality is twofold, namely absolute, of quantity, and of proportion. And the first is not equal as to man's participation, but is equal as to the beatitude participated, which is God; for man participates according to more and less, namely according as he loves God more ardently or less ardently. But according to the second, there will be a complete equality, because the glory of Peter stands to the grace given him and his merit just as the glory of Linus stands to his. This, I say, will be at the revelation, etc. Jn. 5:22: the Father has given all judgment to his Son, and this insofar as he is the Son of Man; hence it follows and has given him power to execute judgment, because in human form he will appear to all, but now he does not appear, because his humanity lies hidden in the glory of God, but then it will appear. Is. 40:5: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, etc. And this with the angels of his power, his ministers. Matt. 25:31: when the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, and all his angels with him, etc. Then when he says in flaming fire, he treats of both, namely the punishment of the wicked and the rewarding of the good; but in the punishment of the wicked he shows it to be bitter, just, and lasting. He says therefore rendering vengeance, that is, of him who judges those to be punished in flaming fire, the face of the world burning, and enveloping the reprobate, and thrusting them down forever. Ps. 96:3: fire shall go before him, etc. Again, it will be just on account of a twofold fault, namely of unbelief and of evil life. As to the first he says who have not known, that is, have not wished to know, God. Job 21:14: we do not wish the knowledge of your ways. 1 Cor. 14:38: he who is ignorant shall be ignored, etc. As to the second he says who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 10:16: not all obey the Gospel. Disobedience is so great a sin that through it death came into this world, as is said in Rom. 5:19. Again it will be lasting, because they shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction. And it can be read in two ways, according as punishment is twofold, namely of sense and of loss. Concerning the punishment of sense it can be understood thus: they shall suffer, that is, shall endure eternal punishments without end, and this in destruction, because they shall always be dying. For it is otherwise with the punishments of this life and those of the next. For here, the more bitter they are, the shorter they are, because they are extinguished; but those are most grievous, because they are the punishments of death, and are without end. Hence it is said that they will always be as it were in death. Ps. 48:15: death shall feed upon them. Is., last chapter: their worm shall not die. But the punishment of loss is twofold, because they will be separated from the vision of God. Hence he says from the face of the Lord, namely removed. Job 13:16: no hypocrite shall come before his face. The other is the privation of the vision of the glory of the saints. Is., last chapter: let the wicked be taken away, that he may not see the glory of the saints, etc. Or otherwise, from the face of the Lord, etc. In this is shown the cause of the bitterness of the punishment of sense. For someone's sentence is voided, either on account of a higher judge, or on account of the power of a superior; but this will not be the case, because this judgment will proceed from the face of the Lord. Ps. 16:2: from your countenance let my judgment come forth, etc. And therefore he says they shall suffer punishment, that is, shall endure it, from the face of the Lord. Then when he says when he shall come, he treats of the rewarding of the saints. And first he sets down the reward; secondly the merit, at the words who have believed. He commends the glory of the saints, both as to its essence, through participation in the glory of God, when he says to be glorified, etc., and as to its surpassing character, at the words and to be marveled at. He says therefore when he shall come: Christ is indeed glorious. Phil. 2:11: every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. To be glorified in his saints, because good is by its nature communicative of itself; or to be glorified in his saints, who are his members, in whom he dwells, and in whom he is glorified, when his glory, namely that of the head, is passed down even to his members. Is. 49:3: you are my servant, Israel, for in you I will be glorified. And this will exceed all wonder. Hence he says to be marveled at, etc. For wonder is a kind of astonishment arising from a great impression on the imagination. But so great is the glory of the saints that it cannot fall within the estimation of men. And therefore he says to be marveled at. Wis. 5:2: they shall marvel at the suddenness of unhoped-for salvation, etc. Then he sets down the merit, at the words who have believed, etc. And he sets down first the merit of faith, secondly the aid of prayer, at the words in which. He says therefore: this will be the glory, because our testimony has been believed upon you, which we believed concerning Christ, in that day, that is, on account of that day, because the good things we do are on account of that day. And he says this testimony is upon you, that is, above human sense. Ecclus. 9: very many things are above the sense of man, etc. For faith has no merit where human reason supplies proof. For unless it were above you, it would not be of great merit to believe. Or he says upon you, that is, it has dominion over you as you humbly submit your understanding to belief. 2 Cor. 10:5: bringing every understanding into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Thus the Gloss explains it. Or otherwise, and more according to the letter: I say that Christ will be glorified in you, who have believed, on the day of judgment, when the apostles will judge; and then the testimony, which is upon you, that is, concerning the readiness of your faith, will be certain and believed, that is, credible. Then when he says in which we pray, etc., he adds the aid of prayer, and first he sets forth what he asks; secondly to what end, at the words that may be glorified; thirdly by what means he might obtain what he asks, at the words according to the grace. Now he asks one thing on God's part, and two things on our part. He says therefore in which, that is, on account of which day, we also pray always. Rom. 1:9: without ceasing I make remembrance of you always in my prayers. 1 Kings 13:23: far be this sin from me before the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you. But to what end? That our God may deem you worthy of his calling, that is, may make you live worthily in the world according to your calling. Eph. 4:1: that you walk worthily of the calling by which you have been called. Again, on our part he asks two things: on the part of the will, that they may fully enjoy every goodness; hence he says that he may fulfill every desire of goodness, that is, may fulfill in you the desire of every good. Phil. 1: who works in us to will and to accomplish according to good will. Again, on the part of the understanding, that they may believe perfectly; therefore he says and the work of faith. Rom. 10:10: for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And this may you work in virtue, that is, in constancy and fortitude, so that by no fear you may cease from confessing him. Or thus, in which, that is, on account of which day we pray, that God may deem it worthy to give you that to which he called you. 1 Pet. 3:9: to this you have been called, that you may possess a blessing by inheritance. And may he fulfill every good which you desire, which is in eternal life, when we shall have God. Ps. 102:5: who fills your desire with good things. Again, may he fulfill the work of faith, which will be when that which here we see through a glass and in a riddle, we shall then see face to face. But to what end? That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified, etc., that is, that it may be for the glory of Christ; and that through you, both in the present and in the future, the name of Christ may be glorified in your good deeds. Matt. 5:16: let them see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Conversely, of evil deeds it is said in Is. 52:5, and Rom. 2:24: the name of God is blasphemed through you. But by what shall we be able to attain that? According to the grace of our God, which is the root of all our good deeds. 1 Cor. 15:10: by the grace of God I am what I am, etc.