That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“"That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." He spoke there of glory, he speaks of it also here. He said, that they are glorified, so that they might even boast. He said, what was much more, that they also glorify God. He said, that they will receive that glory. But here too he means; For the Master being glorified, the servants also are glorified. For those who glorify their Master, are much more glorified themselves, both by that very thing, and apart from it. For tribulation for the sake of Christ is glory, and that thing he everywhere calls glory. And by how much the more we suffer anything dishonorable, so much the more illustrious we become. Then again showing that this also itself is of God, he says, "according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ"; that is, this grace He Himself has given us, that He may be glorified in us, and that He may glorify us in Him. How is He glorified in us? Because we prefer nothing before Him. How are we glorified in Him? Because we have received power from Him, so that we do not at all yield to the evils that are brought upon us. For when temptation happens, at the same time God is glorified, and we too. For they glorify Him, because He has so nerved us; they admire us, because we have rendered ourselves worthy. And all these things are done by the grace of God.”

“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.”

“That the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you,.... This is the end of the apostle's prayer, and which is answered by the fulfilment of the things prayed for; as the name of Christ and his Gospel are dishonoured, by the unbelief, cowardice and the unworthy walk of professors; so they are glorified in and by the saints, by their faith, patience, and good works in this world; which not only themselves adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, but cause others to glorify him likewise; and Christ will be glorified in them hereafter, by the glory which will be conferred upon them, and which will reflect glory upon him; when all the gracious designs of God are accomplished on them and the work of faith is finished in them; for should not these be completed, Christ would lose the glory of redemption and salvation, which by means of these will be given by the saints to him to all eternity: and ye in him; that is, that ye may be glorified; the saints are now glorified in him as their head and representative, being raised together and made to sit together in heavenly places in him; and when the work of grace is finished upon their souls, they will be glorified together with him and by him; and in the resurrection morn shall appear in glory with him both in soul and body, and shall be made like him, and everlastingly enjoy him and see him as he is; the Alexandrian copy reads and us "in him"; and all this will be as it is wished for, "according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ"; according to the grace and free favour of God in election, and of Jesus Christ in, redemption, and of the blessed Spirit in sanctification; for election, redemption, calling, justification, pardon, adoption, and the whole of salvation from first to last are of grace and not of works; and according to this, all these things must be prayed for the application of, and must be expected only on such a foot; and to this must all be ascribed, the glory of which is the ultimate end of God, in all he has done, does, or will do for his people. Next: 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2”

“That the name of our Lord - This is the great end of your Christian calling, that Jesus who hath died for you may have his passion and death magnified in your life and happiness; that ye may show forth the virtues of him who called you from darkness into his marvellous light. And ye in him - That his glorious excellence may be seen upon you; that ye may be adorned with the graces of his Spirit, as he is glorified by your salvation from all sin. According to the grace - That your salvation may be such as God requires, and such as is worthy of his grace to communicate. God saves as becomes God to save; and thus the dignity of his nature is seen in the excellence and glory of his work. 1. It is an awful consideration to the people of the world, that persecutions and afflictions should be the lot of the true Church, and should be the proof of its being such; because this shows more than any thing else the desperate state of mankind, their total enmity to God; they persecute, not because the followers of God have done or can do them hurt, but they persecute because they have not the Spirit of Christ in them! Men may amuse themselves by arguing against the doctrine of original sin, or the total depravity of the soul of man; but while there is religious persecution in the world, there is the most absolute disproof of all their arguments. Nothing but a heart wholly alienated from God could ever devise the persecution or maltreatment of a man, for no other cause but that he has given himself up to glorify God with his body and spirit, which are his. 2. The everlasting destruction of the ungodly is a subject that should be continually placed before the eyes of men by the preachers of the Gospel. How shall a man be induced to take measures to escape a danger of the existence of which he is not convinced? Show him the hell which the justice of God has lighted up for the devil and his angels, and in which all Satan's children and followers must have their eternal portion. All the perfections of God require that he should render to every man his due. And what is the due of a sinner or a persecutor, of one who is a determinate enemy to God, goodness, and good men? Why, everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. And if God did not award this to such persons, he could not be the God of justice. 3. The grand object of God in giving his Gospel to mankind is to save them from their sins, make them like himself, and take them to his eternal glory. He saves according to the measure of his eternal goodness; the scanty salvation contended for and expected by the generality of Christians, it would be dishonorable to God to administer. He saves according to his grace. His own eternal goodness and holiness is the measure of his salvation to man; not the creeds and expectations of any class of Christians. To be saved at all, we must not only be saved in God's way, and upon his own terms, but also according to his own measure. He who is not filled with the fullness of God cannot expect the glory of God. 4. Another proof of the fall and degeneracy of men is, their general enmity to the doctrine of holiness; they cannot bear the thought of being sanctified through body, soul, and spirit, so as to perfect holiness in the fear of God. A spurious kind of Christianity is gaining ground in the world. Weakness, doubtfulness, littleness of faith, consciousness of inward corruptions, and sinful infirmities of different kinds, are by some considered the highest proofs of a gracious state; whereas in the primitive Church they would have been considered as evidences that the persons in question had received just light enough to show them their wretchedness and danger, but not the healing virtue of the blood of Christ.”

“That the name of our Lord, &c. The name of God is glorified by the virtuous lives of Christians, but more especially by that constancy and firmness evinced by the faithful under the hands of the executioner. It is an act of the most perfect charity, to lay down our lives in defence of his truths and the glory of his name, and the most disinterested testimony of our allegiance to him. Nothing appeared more admirable than the constancy of the first Christians, and nothing contributed more to the conversion of the Gentiles than the firmness with which they maintained, even in death, the truths that had been taught them. For, said they, this religion is certainly true, since there is nothing they are not willing to suffer in defence of it. (Calmet) — And you in him, &c. If Christians are any way instrumental in procuring the glory of God, let them not attribute it to themselves, but to God alone, form whom comes every gift. If they procure his glory before men, he at the day of final retribution will clothe them with never-fading robes of immortality, in the presence of men and Angels. If it be glorious for God to be adored by such faithful servants, it is much more glorious for Christians to be rewarded by such a Master: for it is the glory of a servant to be faithful to his master, and the glory of the master to recompense his servant. (Estius, Grotius, Theophylactus, &c.)”

“the name of our Lord Jesus--Our Lord Jesus in His manifested personality as the God-man. in you, and ye in him--reciprocal glorification; compare Isa 28:5, "The Lord of hosts shall be . . . a crown of glory and . . . a diadem of beauty unto . . . His people," with Isa 62:3, "Thou (Zion) shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem," &c. (Joh 21:10; Gal 1:24; Pe1 4:14). The believer's graces redound to Christ's glory, and His glory, as their Head, reflects glory on them as the members. the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ--There is but one Greek article to both, implying the inseparable unity of God and the Lord Jesus. Next: 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2”