Prohibiting us to speak to the Gentiles, that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath of God is come upon them to the end.

“"Who both killed the Lord," he says-but, perhaps, they did not know Him,-assuredly they did know Him. What then? Did they not slay and stone their own prophets, whose books even they carry about with them? And they did not do this for the sake of truth. There is therefore not only a consolation under the temptations, but they are reminded not to think that (the Jews) did it for the truth's sake, and be troubled on that account. "And drave out us," he says. And we also, he says, have suffered numberless evils. "And please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they may be saved." "Contrary to all men," he says. How? Because if we ought to speak to the world, and they forbid us, they are the common enemies of the world. They have slain Christ and the prophets, they insult God, they are the common enemies of the world, they banish us, when coming for their salvation. What wonder if they have done such things also to you, when they have done them even in Judaea? "Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved." It is a mark of envy therefore to hinder the salvation of all. "To fill up their sins alway. But the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost." What is "to the uttermost"? These things are no longer like the former. There is here no return back, no limit. But the wrath is nigh at hand. Whence is this manifest? From that which Christ foretold. For not only is it a consolation to have partakers in our afflictions, but to hear also that our persecutors are to be punished. And if the delay is a grievance, let it be a consolation that they will never lift up their heads again; or rather he hath cut short the delay, by saying, "The wrath," showing that it was long ago due, and predetermined, and predicted.”

“Above, the apostle showed what his entrance to them was like; here he shows what their conversion was like. And concerning this he does two things: for first he shows that they were converted perfectly through firm faith; second, how they stood firm bravely in tribulations, at the words *for you*. He therefore first sets down their good deeds for which he gives thanks, and gives the reason. He says therefore *for this cause* — because I preached to you solicitously, as a father to his sons, therefore *we give thanks* for your good deeds, as a father does for the good deeds of his sons. 3 John, v. 4: *I have no greater grace than this, that I hear my children walking in truth.* Phil. 4:6: *with thanksgiving.* But for what? *Because when you had received from us,* etc. A preacher ought to give thanks when his word profits in his hearers. And he says the words *heard of God from us*, that is, through us. Ps. 84:9: *I will hear what the Lord God speaks in me.* Rom. 10:17: *for faith is from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.* *You received it*, that is, you held it firmly in your heart, *not as the word of men*, because the words of man are vain. 2 Cor. 13:3: *do you seek a proof of him who speaks in me, Christ?* 2 Peter 1:21: *for prophecy was not brought at any time by human will, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit.* And why do you give thanks? Because this very thing, that you have believed, God has worked in you. Phil. 2:12: *it is God who works in you to will and to accomplish, according to good will.* Isaiah 26:13: *you have wrought all our works in us, O Lord.* Then when he says *for you*, he shows how they stood firm bravely in tribulations. And concerning this he does two things: for first he sets down the tribulations in which they stood; second, what remedy he proposed to apply, at the words *but we*. Likewise the first is divided into two, for first he commends their patience in adversities; second he rebukes those who brought on the adversities, at the words *who the Christ*. He says therefore: you received the word not as it is of men, but as it truly is the word of God, because you exposed yourselves for it even unto death. For by this, that a man dies on account of Christ, it is testified that the words of faith are the words of God. And therefore martyrs is the same as witnesses. *In Judea.* For there the faith of Christ was first announced. Isaiah 2:3: *out of Sion shall the law go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.* There also the persecution of the faith first occurred. Acts 8:1: *and there was on that day a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem,* etc. Hebrews 10:32: *but call to mind the former days, in which, being enlightened, you endured a great fight of afflictions.* And these suffered similar sufferings. And therefore he says *the same things suffered from your own countrymen*, that is, from the unbelieving Thessalonians. Matt. 10:36: *a man's enemies,* etc. Then when he says *who both the Lord*, he vituperates the Jews, from whom the persecution began. And first he recalls their fault; second the reason for the fault, at the words *that they may fill up*. Concerning the first he does three things: first he sets down their fault in comparison to the ministers of God; second in comparison to Christ himself; third in comparison to the whole human race. The ministers of God are the preachers. But preaching is principally from Christ, figurally from the prophets, executively from the apostles. Against these three the Jews rose up. And first he speaks of Christ, at the words *who both the Lord*. Matt. 21:38: *this is the heir, come, let us kill him.* Nor does it stand in the way that the Gentiles killed him, since they themselves with their own voices demanded that he be killed by Pilate. Jer. 12:8: *my inheritance is become to me as a lion in the forest, it has given forth its voice against me,* etc. Second he speaks of the prophets, at the words *and the prophets*. Acts 7:52: *which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they killed those who foretold of the coming of the just one, of whom you now have been the betrayers and murderers.* Third he speaks of the apostles, *and us*, namely the apostles. Matt. 10:17: *they will deliver you up in councils,* etc. Second he sets down the fault in comparison to God, at the words *they please not God*, although they believed that in this they were rendering service to God, John 16:2. But because they have a zeal of God not according to knowledge, therefore they please not God, because they do not act from right faith, and *without faith it is impossible to please God*, Hebrews 11:6. Isaiah 5:25: *the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people,* etc. Third he shows their fault in comparison to the whole human race, when he says *they are adverse to all men*. Genesis 16:12: *his hand against all,* etc. But they are adverse in this, that they prohibit and impede the preaching to the Gentiles and their conversion. Acts 11:2, Peter is reproved because he went to Cornelius. Likewise Luke 15:28, the elder son, namely the people of the Jews, is troubled because the younger son, that is, the people of the Gentiles, is received by the father. Isaiah 45:10: *woe to him that says to his father: what do you beget?* Numbers 11:29: *who would grant that all the people might prophesy?* But the reason for this fault is from the divine permission, by which he wills that they fill up their sins. For of all things that happen, whether good or evil, there is a certain fixed measure, because nothing is infinite. And the measure of all these is in foreknowledge. Of good things indeed, in his preparation. Eph. 4:7: *for to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the giving of Christ.* But of evil things, in permission, because if some are evil, nevertheless not as much as they wish, but as much as God permits. And therefore they live so long, until they arrive at that point which God permits. Matt. 23:32: *fill up the measure of your fathers,* etc. And therefore he says *that they may fill up*, etc. For God gave the Jews, after the passion of Christ, a space of penance of forty years, and they were not converted, but added sins to sins. And therefore God did not permit further. Hence he says here *the wrath of God has come*, etc. 4 Kings 22:13: *the wrath of God is greatly enkindled against us, because our fathers did not hear the words of this book,* etc. Luke 21:23: *for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people,* etc. And do not believe that this wrath is for a hundred years, but even to the end of the world, when the fullness of the Gentiles has entered, etc. Luke 19:44 and 21:6 and Matt. 24:2: *there shall not be left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down.* Then when he says *but we*, he shows the remedy which he proposed to apply, namely that he personally would go to them. And concerning this he does two things: for first he sets down the purpose of his visitation; second the impediment, at the words *but Satan hindered*; third the reason why he wished to go, at the words *for what is*. He says therefore *but we, brethren, being taken away from you*, from whom we were separated, or on account of your tribulations, *in presence*, that is, lacking conversation, *and in sight*, that is, lacking vision: for these two things the presence of a friend is necessary, because it is consoling; *but not in heart*, because in heart we are present. 1 Cor. 5:3: *I indeed, absent in body, but present in spirit.* *We have hastened the more abundantly [to see your] face,* etc. So that as in heart, so also in body he might be present. Rom. 15:23: *having a desire to come to you for many years now past,* etc. *We have hastened*, he says in the plural, because he writes in the person of three, namely himself, Silvanus, and Timothy. Therefore also *we wished to come to you*, all perhaps once, but *I Paul, once and again*, that is, twice I proposed, *but Satan hindered us*, that is, he procured impediments, perhaps through storms of the air. Apoc. 7:1: *these are the angels who hold the winds.* Then when he says *for what is*, he shows the reason for the purpose. First as to the future; second as to the present, at the words *for you*, etc. He says therefore: I desire to see you, and I give thanks for your good deeds, which are our hope. For for these we hope for rewards from God, when he shall come to render to each according to his works. For the greatest recompense to a preacher is from those whom he converts. *Or joy*, because their joy is the joy of the apostle, just as their good is the good of the apostle; for the good of an effect is traced back to the good of the cause. *Or a crown of glory*, because for their contests, he also who led them to contend is crowned. For the leader who led the soldiers into battle will be crowned. Ecclus. 30:2: *he that teaches his son shall be praised in him, and shall glory in him in the midst of them of his household,* etc. This, I say, hope, what is it? Is it not you? Yes indeed, thus in the future *before our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming*. But also in the present, *for you are*, among all the faithful, *our glory*. 1 Cor. 9:15: *it is better for me to die, than that any man should make my glory void.* *And joy*, in which I rejoice over your good deeds in the present.”

“Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved,.... Speaking or preaching the Gospel is the ordinary means of saving souls, or of acquainting them with the way of salvation, the necessity of it, and of the application of it to them, and with this end and view it is preached: now though the Jews disbelieved the Gospel, and despised the ministry of it, and disavowed any such use and end of it, yet such was their envy at the Gentiles, and their hatred of them, that could they have believed it to be the means of salvation, they would have forbidden the preaching of it to them, as they now did; and it is certain, that even the believing Jews, through ignorance, did at first disapprove of the ministry of the word to the Gentiles; see Act 11:1 such was the aversion of that nation to all others, and which perfectly agrees with their general sentiments, which forbid the explanation of the law to the Gentiles; and therefore it need not be wondered at, that they should do all that in them lay to hinder the entrance and spread of the Gospel among them, of which take the following proof (f): "whoever has not the holy name sealed and bound in his flesh (i.e. is not circumcised) "it is forbidden to make known to him a word of the law", and much less to study in it--and whoever is not circumcised, and they give to him , "the least thing in the law", it is as if he destroyed the world, and dealt falsely with the name of God--Hillell and Shammai did not make known to Onkelos a word of the law, until he was circumcised--and the traditions are, that even though a man is circumcised, yet if he does not do the commands of the law, lo, he is as a Gentile in all things, and "it is forbidden to teach him the words of the law":'' nay, it is a rule with the Jews (g), that "if a Gentile studies in the law, he is guilty of death:'' and thus were they left in providence, to judicial blindness and hardness of heart, to fill up their sins alway; the measure of their own and their fathers' iniquities; see Mat 23:32 a phrase expressive of the abounding of their sins, and of their being under a divine appointment, and of their being limited and restrained by a divine power, and overruled by infinite wisdom, to answer some ends and purposes of God's glory; for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost: which is to be understood, not of their wrath and fury being come to its highest degree and pitch against the followers of Christ, but of "the wrath of God", as the Vulgate Latin version and Beza's ancient copy express it; and designs not so much "eternal punishment", as the Ethiopic version renders the phrase, or everlasting wrath and damnation on the reprobate part of that people, as temporal ruin and destruction, which was now near at hand, and hung over their heads; and therefore is said to be come to them, and which in a little time fell upon their nation and city, and temple, even to the uttermost, to the last degree; and was, as the Arabic version renders it, "wrath consuming"; or "the consummation, and that determined poured upon the desolate", spoken of in Dan 9:27 and which, as it is come upon them, will remain "unto the end", as the phrase may also be rendered; unto the end of the world, until the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, and then God's elect among the Jews shall obtain mercy, and be called, and so all Israel shall be saved, Rom 11:25. (f) Zohar in Lev. fol. 30. 2, 3. (g) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 59. 1. Maimon. Hilchot Melachim, c. 10. sect. 9.”

“To full up the measure of their sins, after which God’s justice would punish them. (Witham) — The Jews filled up the measure of their iniquities by the opposition they every where manifested to the religion of Christ. The earliest Fathers of the Church testify that they dispersed people into every nation to blaspheme the name of Christ; and hence sprang the evil fame which Christians bore among the pagans. See the apologies of St. Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, &c. — For the wrath of God is come upon them to the end. It seems a foretelling of their entire destruction, which happened not long after under Vespasian and Adrian. (Witham)”

“Forbidding--Greek, "Hindering us from speaking," &c. to fill up their sins alway--Tending thus "to the filling up (the full measure of, Gen 15:16; Dan 8:23; Mat 23:32) their sins at all times," that is, now as at all former times. Their hindrance of the Gospel preaching to the Gentiles was the last measure added to their continually accumulating iniquity, which made them fully ripe for vengeance. for--Greek, "but." "But," they shall proceed no further, for (Ti2 3:8) "the" divine "wrath has (so the Greek) come upon (overtaken unexpectedly; the past tense expressing the speedy certainty of the divinely destined stroke) them to the uttermost"; not merely partial wrath, but wrath to its full extent, "even to the finishing stroke" [EDMUNDS]. The past tense implies that the fullest visitation of wrath was already begun. Already in A.D. 48, a tumult had occurred at the Passover in Jerusalem, when about thirty thousand (according to some) were slain; a foretaste of the whole vengeance which speedily followed (Luk 19:43-44; Luk 21:24).”