His charge to Timothy. He tells him of his approaching death and desires him to come to him.
He requireth him to be earnest vvhile he may, because the time vvil come vvhen they vvil not abide Catholike preaching, 5 and to fulfil his course, as him self novv hath done. 9 and to come vnto him vvith speede, because the rest of his traine are dispersed, and he dravveth novv to heauen.
1I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming and his kingdom:Ti scongiuro dinanzi a Dio, ed a Gesù Cristo, il quale giudicherà i vivi, ed i morti, per la venuta, e pel regno di lui:I Testifie before God and IESVS Christ vvho shal iudge the liuing and the dead, and by his aduent, and his kingdom:Testificor coram Deo, et Jesu Christo, qui judicaturus est vivos et mortuos, per adventum ipsius, et regnum ejus: 2Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine.Predica la parola, pressa a tempo, fuori di tempo: riprendi, supplica, esorta con ogni pazienza insegnando.Preach the vvord. vrge in season, out of season, reproue, beseeche, rebuke in al patience and doctrine.prædica verbum, insta opportune, importune: argue, obsecra, increpa in omni patientia, et doctrina. 3For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears:Imperocché verrà tempo, che non potran patire la sana dottrina, ma secondo le proprie passioni per prurito di udire moltiplicheranno a se stessi i maestri:For there shal be a time vvhen they vvil not beare sound doctrine: but according to their ovvne desires they vvil heape to them selues maisters, hauing itching eares, and from the truth certes theyErit enim tempus, cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt, sed ad sua desideria coacervabunt sibi magistros, prurientes auribus, 4And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables.E si ritireranno dall'ascoltare la verità, e si volgeranno alle favole.vvil auert their hearing, and to fables they vvil be conuerted.et a veritate quidem auditum avertent, ad fabulas autem convertentur. 5But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. Be sober.Ma tu veglia sopra tutte le cose, sopporta le afflizioni, fa' l'uffizio di predicator del vangelo, adempi il tuo ministero. Sii temperante.But be thou vigilant, labour in al things, doe the vvorke of an Euangelist, fulfil thy ministerie. Be sober.Tu vero vigila, in omnibus labora, opus fac evangelistæ, ministerium tuum imple. Sobrius esto. 6For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand.Imperocché io sono già alle libagioni, e il tempo del mio scioglimento è imminente.For I am euen novv to be sacrificed: & the time of my resolutiō is at hand.Ego enim jam delibor, et tempus resolutionis meæ instat.
7I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith.Ho combattuto nel buon arringo, ho terminata la corsa, ho conversata la fede.I haue fought a good fight, I haue consummate my course, I haue kept the faith.Bonum certamen certavi, cursum consummavi, fidem servavi. 8As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.Del resto è serbata a me la corona della giustizia la quale a me renderà il Signore giusto giudice in quella giornata: né solo a me, ma anche a coloro che desiderano la sua venuta. Affrettati di venir tosto da me.Concerning the rest, there is laid vp for me a crovvne of iustice, vvhich our Lord vvil render to me in that day, a iust iudge: and not only to me, but to them also that loue his comming. Make hast to come to me quickly.In reliquo reposita est mihi corona justitiæ, quam reddet mihi Dominus in illa die, justus judex: non solum autem mihi, sed et iis, qui diligunt adventum ejus. Festina ad me venire cito. 9For Demas hath left me, loving this world, and is gone to Thessalonica:Imperocché Demade mi ha abbandonato per l'amore di questo secolo, e se n'è ito a Tessalonica:For Demas hath left me, louing this vvorld, and is gone to Thessalonica:Demas enim me reliquit, diligens hoc sæculum, et abiit Thessalonicam: 10Crescens into Galatia, Titus into Dalmatia.Crescente in Galazia, Tito in Dalmazia.Crescens into Galatia, Titus into Dalmatia.Crescens in Galatiam, Titus in Dalmatiam. 11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.Il solo Luca è con me. Prendi teco Marco, e menalo con te: imperocché egli mi è di ajuto nel ministero.Luke only is vvith me. Take Marke, and bring him vvith thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministerie.Lucas est mecum solus. Marcum assume, et adduc tecum: est enim mihi utilis in ministerium. 12But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.E ho spedito Tichico ad Efeso.But Tychicus I haue sent to Ephesus.Tychicum autem misi Ephesum. 13The cloak that I left at Troas, with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee: and the books, especially the parchments.Il pallio, che lasciai a Troade in casa di Carpo, venendo, portalo teco, e i libri, particolarmente le carta pecore.The cloke that I left at Troas vvith Carpus, cōming bring vvith thee, and the bookes, especially the parchement.Penulam, quam reliqui Troade apud Carpum, veniens affer tecum, et libros, maxime autem membranas.
14Alexander the coppersmith hath done me much evil: the Lord will reward him according to his works:Alessandro ramaio mi ha fatto molti mali: lo ricompenserà il Signore secondo le opere sue:Alexander the Coppersmith hath shevved me much euil, our Lord vvil revvard him according to his vvorkes:Alexander ærarius multa mala mihi ostendit: reddet illi Dominus secundum opera ejus: 15Whom do thou also avoid: for he hath greatly withstood our words.Dal quale guardati anche tu: imperocché egli si è opposto fortemente alle nostre parole.vvhom doe thou also auoid, for he hath greatly resisted our vvordes.quem et tu devita: valde enim restitit verbis nostris. 16At my first answer, no man stood with me: but all forsook me. May it not be laid to their charge!Nella mia prima difesa nissuno fu per me, ma tutti mi abbandonarono: non sia ad essi imputato.In my first ansvver no man vvas with me, but al did forsake me: be it not imputed to them.In prima mea defensione nemo mihi affuit, sed omnes me dereliquerunt: non illis imputetur. 17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching may be accomplished and that all the Gentiles may hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.Il Signore però mi assistè, e mi confortò affinchè sia per me compiuta la predicazione, e la odano tutte le genti: e fui liberato dalla bocca del leone.But our Lord stoode to me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching may be accomplished, and al Gentiles may heare: and I was deliuered from the mouth of the lion.Dominus autem mihi astitit, et confortavit me, ut per me prædicatio impleatur, et audiant omnes gentes: et liberatus sum de ore leonis. 18The Lord hath delivered me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.Il Signore poi mi libererà da ogni opera mala: e mi salverà nel celeste suo regno, a cui gloria pe' secoli de' secoli. Così sia.Our Lord • hath deliuered' me from al euil vvorke: and vvil saue me vnto his heauenly kingdom to vvhom be glorie for euer & euer. Amen.Liberavit me Dominus ab omni opere malo: et salvum faciet in regnum suum cæleste, cui gloria in sæcula sæculorum. Amen. 19Salute Prisca, and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.Saluta Prisca, e Aquila, e la casa di Onesiforo.Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus.Saluta Priscam, et Aquilam, et Onesiphori domum. 20Erastus remained at Corinth. And Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.Erasto restò a Corinto. E Trofimo lo lasciai malato a Mileto.Erastus remained at Corinth. And Trophimus I left sicke at Milêtum.Erastus remansit Corinthi. Trophimum autem reliqui infirmum Mileti.
21Make haste to come before winter. Eubulus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren, salute thee.Sollecita di venir da me prima del verno. Ti saluta Eubulo, e Pudente, e Lino, e Claudia, e tutti i fratelli.Make hast to come before vvinter. Eubûlus and Pudens and Linus and Claudia, and al the brethren, salute thee.Festina ante hiemem venire. Salutant te Eubulus, et Pudens, et Linus, et Claudia, et fratres omnes. 22The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.Il Signor Gesù Cristo col tuo spirito. La grazia con voi. Così sia.Our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith thy spirit. Grace be vvith you. Amen.Dominus Jesus Christus cum spiritu tuo. Gratia vobiscum. Amen.
4:1
I charge thee (literally, testify to thee) before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead; that is all those that have been dead for so many ages since the beginning of the world; and the living, that is those who shall be found living at the end of the world, but who shall die, and be presently raised again. See 1 Corinthians 15:52.
Witham
By his coming.[Ver. 1. Per adventum, kata ten epiphaneian.] The sense by the Greek seems to be, who shall judge them at or by his coming, rather than I charge thee by his coming, as others translate. (Witham)
4:2
Witham
In season,[Ver. 2. Eukairos akairos, Tempestivè, intempestivè.] out of season; that is whether the hearers are willing to hearken to thee or not. Or, as others understand it, whether it be convenient or inconvenient for thee to signify that the ministers of God must not desist from preaching, whatever troubles they are under. (Witham)
4:3
Witham
Having itching ears;[Ver. 3. Prurientes auribus, knethomenoi; if it agreed with teachers, it should be knethomenous.] that is the hearers have such ears, running after novelties and such doctrine as favours their passions. (Witham)
4:5
Witham
Be thou vigilant, etc. It may either be expounded, watch in all things; or, take pains in all things. The latter seems the true construction. (Witham)
Challoner
An evangelist; a diligent preacher of the gospel. (Challoner)
Fulfil thy ministry.[Ver. 5. Ministerium tuum imple, plerophoreson. St. Chrysostom, (log. th. p. 371.) toutesti, pleroson; and so again, (ver. 17) praedicatio impleatur, plerophorethe, toutesti, says St. Chrysostom, p. 376, plerothe. St. Chrysostom doubtless understood Greek as well as Erasmus or Mr. Legh, who therefore need not have accused the Latin interpreter as if he knew not Greek, so as to distinguish betwixt plerophorein and pleroun.] So even Dr. Wells, in his amendments to the Protestant translation, which hath, make full proof of thy ministry. See Luke 1:1. See also St. Chrysostom on this place.
Witham
Be sober. There is nothing for this in the Greek, nor in St. Chrysostom. The Latin interpreter seems to have added it, as being contained in the other Greek words in this verse. (Witham)
4:6
I am even now ready to be sacrificed.[Ver. 6. Jam delibor, ede spendomai. See St. Chrysostom (om. th. p. 372) that sponde, libamen, is more than thusia, hostia.] Literally, to be immolated. See Philippians 2:17.
Witham
The time of my dissolution (literally, resolution) is at hand. This makes many judge that this letter was written during his last imprisonment; but the sense perhaps may be, that being old and worn out with labours, he could not live long. (Witham)
4:7
I have fought a good fight, or strived a good strife.[Ver. 7. Certamen certavi, ton agona egonismai. It is not expressed by machomai and mache.] The Latin and Greek may signify any kind of striving for a prize.
Witham
I have kept the faith, not only the Christian faith, but been faithful in my office. (Witham)
4:8
Witham
A crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me. These words confirm the Catholic doctrine, that good works performed with the assistance of God's grace, deserve and are meritorious of a reward in heaven: it is what is signified, 1. by a crown of justice, 2. from a just judge, 3. which he will render or give as a reward. Yet we own with St. Augustine that we have no merit, but what is also a gift of God from his grace and mercy, and grounded on his promises. (Witham)
"A crown of justice," which the Protestants translate, of righteousness; but let us see how the learned St. Augustine, 1400 years ago, expounds the apostle's meaning: "How should he repay as a just judge, unless he had first given as a merciful Father?" (De grat. et lib. arb. ch. VI.) See Hebrews 6:10. God is not unjust, that he should forget your works; this the Protestants change into, God is not unrighteous.
4:9
Calmet
Demas hath, etc. The Demas here mentioned, is the same that was at Rome with St. Paul in his first voyage, in A.D. 61 or 62, and of whom he makes mention in his epistle to the Colossians 4:14., also in that to Philemon 1:24. He was perverted in this last voyage, in 65, and abandoned his master in the time of danger. It is not ascertained whether he entirely renounced his faith, or whether God gave his grace to rise from his fall; or whether the love of the world, with which St. Paul here reproaches him, was only a passing fault, and an effect of pure human infirmity. St. Epiphanius (haeres. 51.) presumes that he renounced the faith, and was engaged in the heresies of Cerintus, Ebion, and others, who held Jesus Christ to be no more than a mere man. Many moderns, Grotius, Menochius, Cornel.[Cornelius a Lapide?], etc. believed that he returned with St. Paul: and Estius himself seems to think that he was the same Demas of which St. Ignatius speaks, writing to the Magnesians, calling him a worthy bishop of God. But this is founded on a false supposition, that this letter was written during his first confinement at Rome, or at least before St. Paul wrote his epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. (Calmet)
Witham
Loving this world; that is his safety, and to avoid persecutions. (Witham)
4:10
Calmet
Crescens into Galatia, Titus, etc. These two did not abandon the faith, but only left St. Paul to preach the gospel, with his consent. Crescens went from Rome into Galatia, or into Gaul, as it is found written in the Greek. Theodoret, Eusebius, St. Epiphanius, etc. say that Galatia, in the Greek, is often put for Gaul, in profane authors. On this account it is said by some, that Crescens preached in Gaul. Adon makes him founder of the Church of Vienne, in Dauphinè; an opinion still prevalent in that city. The feast of St. Crescens is kept by the Latin Church, on the 27th of June. (Calmet)
Theodoret
As to Titus, it cannot be doubted but he went into Dalmatia for the purpose of the ministry, and by the order of St. Paul. Thence it seems most probable that he went into Crete, where he governed the Church as bishop, and there died. (Theodoret; St. Chrysostom; Theophylactus; Estius, etc.)
4:11
St. Chrysostom
Luke. St. Luke was always much attached to St. Paul. It is thought he accompanied him to the time of his martyrdom. When St. Paul says Luke alone was with him, we must understand that no other disciple was at that time with him; not that the faithful of Rome, whose faith was so lively and charity so ardent, had abandoned him in this time of danger. (St. Chrysostom, hom. X. p. 610.)
Mark. This is John Mark, cousin of Barnabas, of whom mention was made, Acts 13:12. etc. also Colossians 4:10. He rather wavered in faith at the beginning, but was afterwards much attached to the apostle. (Calmet)\
4:12
Calmet
Tychicus. Theodoret and some others have inferred from this verse, that Timothy was not at Ephesus at this time; otherwise St. Paul would have here said, I have sent Tychicus to thee. Timothy, in quality of bishop of Ephesus, had the inspection of the whole province of Asia; hence St. Paul might have presumed, that Tychicus would not be able to find him in that city. But these reasons do not appear sufficiently convincing. Tychicus might have been the bearer of this epistle; then St. Paul might say, I have sent him to carry it. Or St. Paul might have sent him before, and here tells Timothy of it; because, on account of the distance of Rome from Ephesus, he might not have yet heard of his arrival. Mention has been made of Tychicus before, Acts. 20:4.; Ephesians 6:71.; Colossians 4:70. (Calmet)
4:13
Witham
The cloak[Ver. 13. Penulam, phelonen, some manuscripts phailonen, and phailonen. St. Chrysostom, (om. 1. p. 375.) entautha ton imation legei; though he takes notice, that some understood glossokomon, entha ta biblia.] which I left at Troas. It is expounded a cloak by St. Chrysostom, St. Jerome, etc. Others think he may mean some coffer, or trunk, in which were his books and some things that he valued. (Witham)
4:14
Witham
The Lord will render[Ver. 14. Reddet, apodosei, in some manuscripts though in more, apodoe. The commentary of St. Chrysostom agrees with the Latin.] to him. We read shall render, not only in the Latin and Syriac, but also in divers Greek manuscripts which Dr. Wells again prefers before the ordinary Greek copies, in which we read, The Lord render or reward him, as in the Protestant translation. If that was the true reading, we must take the words by way of a prophecy, and not as an imprecation or curse. (Witham)
4:16
Witham
At my first defence, or trial, when I appeared before Nero and my judges, no man stood with me; all, or almost all, abandoned me in that danger: may it not be laid to their charge. (Witham)
4:17
St. Chrysostom
The Lord stood, etc. All agree that Nero is here meant by the lion. St. Chrysostom thinks that St. Paul was set at liberty after this first justification of his conduct, but that having afterwards converted the cupbearer of Nero, he was by him beheaded. (St. Chrysostom, hom. X. p. 611.)
Bible de Vence
But the Lord assisted and fortified me on this occasion by a vision, in which he assured me that he would prolong my life for the more perfect preaching of the gospel. (Bible de Vence)
The times predicted by the apostle in this epistle, (ver. 3. and 4.) are now arrived; and the warnings he gives to Timothy and to all preachers of the word, should be sedulously attended to: preach the word: be instant in season and out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and doctrine. There will arrive a time when men will not bear sound doctrine; eager in the extreme to hear what flatters, they will have recourse to a variety of teachers not lawfully sent or ordained, calculated to tickle their ears: Assentatores populi, multitudinis levitatem voluptate quasi titillantes. (Cicero) In the same sense Plutarch says: ta ota apoknaiousin. It is yours, adds St. Paul, os kalos stratiotes Christou Iesou, [2 Timothy 2:3.] as a valiant soldier of Jesus Christ, to oppose yourself as a wall to all these evils, to attend to every branch of your ministerial duty, not to yield to either opponents or dangers, and to see that the gospel is both preached and practised in all its purity. Thus may the Church find in you, and in her other ministers, what she is soon to lose in me, knowing as I do that my course is nearly run.
That by me the preaching may be accomplished, (or fulfilled) and that all the Gentiles may hear it. This is an argument that he wrote this letter in his first imprisonment.
Witham
And I was delivered from the mouth of the lion; that is, according to the common exposition, from Nero. (Witham)
4:22
4:5
An evangelist ... a diligent preacher of the gospel.
4:22
St. Paul, having preached the faith in the island of Crete, he ordained his beloved disciple and companion, Titus, bishop, and left him there to finish the work which he had begun. Afterwards the Apostle, on a journey to Nicopolis, a city of Macedonia, wrote this Epistle to Titus, in which he directs him to ordain bishops and priests for the different cities, shewing him the principal qualities necessary for a bishop. He also gives him particular advice for his own conduct to his flock, exhorting him to hold to strictness of discipline, but seasoned with lenity. It was written about thirty-three years after our Lord’s Ascension.
4:1
In the liturgy The Epistle for holy Doctors, and for S. Dominike August. 4.
4:3
3. There shal be a time.] If euer this time come (as needes it must that the Apostle foresavv and foretold) novv it is vndoubtedly. The Apostle prophecied of our nevv delicate preachers. for the properties fall so iust in euery point vpon our nevv Maisters and their Disciples, that they may seeme to be pourtered out, rather then prophecied of. Neuer vvere there such delicate Doctors that could so pleasantly clavv and so svveetly rubbe the itching eares of their hearers, as these, vvhich haue a doctrine framed for euery mans phamsie, lust, liking and desire. Esa. 30. v. 10. the people not so fast crying, Speake placentia, things that please: but the Maisters as fast vvarranting them to doe placentia.
4:6
The martyrdom of saincts is so acceptable to God, that it is counted as it vvere a sacrifice in his sight, and therfore hath many effectes both in the partie that suffereth it, and in others that are partakers of the merite as of a sacrifice: vvhich name it hath by a Metaphore.
4:8
8. Acrovvne of iustice.] This place conuinceth for the Catholikes, Vvorkes meritorious. that al good vvorkes done by Gods grace after the first iustification, be truely and properly meritorious, and fully vvorthy of euerlasting life: and that therevpon heauen is the due and iust stipend, crovvne, or recompense, vvhich God by his iustice ovveth to the persons so vvorking by his grace. for he rendreth or repaieth heauen as a iust iudge, How heauen is due both of iustice and mercie. and not onely as a merciful giues. and the crovvne vvhich he paieth, is not onely of mercie or fauour or grace, but also of iustice. It is his merciful fauour and grace, that vve vvorke vvel & merite heauen: it is his iustice, for those merites to giue vs a crovvne correspondent in heauen. S. Augustine vpon these vvordes of the Apostle, expresseth both breifely thus, Hovv should be repay as a iust iudge, vnles he had first giuen as a merciful father. 〈◊〉. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 6.
And vvhen you heare or read any thing in the Scriptures, that may seeme to derogate from mans vvorkes in this case, it is alvvaies meant of vvorkes considered in their ovvne nature and valure, not implying the grace of Christ, by vvhich grace it cōmeth, & not of the vvorke in it self that vve haue a right to heauen & deserue it vvorthily: It is not of vs, but of Gods grace, that vvorkes be meritorious. vvhich the Apostle in the 6 to the Hebrues more then insinuateth, saying these vvordes, God is not vniust, to forget your vvorke & loue vvhich you haue shovved in his name &c. As though he vvould say, Mat. 20. that he vvere vniust if he did forget to recompense their vvorkes. The parable also of the men sent into the vineyard, proueth that heauen is our ovvne right, bargained for and vvrought for, and accordingly paid vnto vs as our hire at the day of iudgement, To such good vvorkes heauē is due: to say the contrarie, is to derogate from Gods grace. for that is 〈◊〉 and 〈Greek〉 vvhereby the Scripture so often calleth it. It is the goale, the marke, the price, the hire, of al striuing, running, labouring, due both by promis and by couenant and right dette. See a notable place in S. Augustine in Psal. 83. in fine: and 100 in initie, & ho. 14. c. 2. li. 50. hom: S. Cyprian also, and namely the later end of his booke de opere & •••mosyna: and thou shalt easily contemne the contrarie falshod, vvhich doth not so much derogate from mans vvorkes, as from Gods grace vvhich is the cause and ground of al vvorthines in mans merites. S. Augustines vvordes be these, In Ps. 100. Marke that he to vvhom our Lord gaue grace, hath our Lord also his detter. He found him a giuer, in the time of mercie: he hath him his detter in the time of iudgement. See the place and the rest her coted, vvhere he examineth and explicateth the matter at large.
4:10
Concordance Col. 4, 14.
4:18
•vvil deliuer
4:19
Concordance 2 Timo. 1, 16.
4:21
This Linus vvas coadiutor with & vnder •. Peter, & so counted secōd in the number of Popes.
4:1
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 11
… He also died, and rose again, and ascended into the heavens to Him that sent Him, and is sat down at His right hand, and shall come at the end of the world, with His Father’s glory, to judge the living and the dead, and to render to every one according to his works.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Chap. iv. 1 . “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 17.18
… For, being slain by them, He has risen again, and has requited them meanwhile by temporary discipline, save that for those who are not corrected He keeps it in store for the time when He shall judge the quick and the dead.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.12
… so also, when He says, “It is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared by my Father,” it is I think plain in what relation both are to be taken. For that other also is of the same kind, “I will not judge;” whereas He Himself shall judge the quick and dead.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 47.9
… “God sitteth upon His Holy Seat.” What is His Holy Seat? Haply saith one, The Heavens, and he understandeth well. For Christ hath gone up, as we know, with the Body, wherein He was crucified, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; thence we expect Him to come to judge the quick and the dead.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.30
… which chariot of clouds He intimateth to be His holy and faithful ones in the Gospel, where He saith, “From this time ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.” Leaving out that coming wherein He shall be Judge of quick and dead,
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 147
… to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” And not only when glorifying, but also when exhorting and protesting, the Apostle conjoins the Christ with God the Father. To the blessed Timothy he exclaims “I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 170
We have left no means untried, of courtesy, of sternness, of entreaty, of eloquence before the most pious emperor, and the illustrious assembly, testifying before God who sees all things and our Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the world in justice,
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 2.4
… Hence Paul also, in admonishing his disciple to be instant in preaching, when he says, I charge thee before God and Christ Jesus, Who shall judge the quick and the dead by His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word, be instant opportunely, importunely (
4:2
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 1
… For discerning the time is one of the duties most urgent on us, for the practice of virtue; so that the blessed Paul, when instructing his disciple, teaches him to observe the time, saying, ‘Stand (ready) in season, and out of season
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.3
3. The Christian ought not to grudge another’s reputation, nor rejoice over any man’s faults; he ought in Christ’s love to grieve and be afflicted at his brother’s faults, and rejoice over his brother’s good deeds. He ought not to be indifferent or silent before sinners. He who shows another to be wrong ought to do so with all tenderness,
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 204.4
… will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” Let him remember the words, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged;” and “Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.” [In a word, brethren, if my offences admit of cure, why does not such an one obey the teacher of the Churches, “Reprove, exhort, rebuke”?
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 43.43
… but for every nation and part of the world, concerning the Word of truth, the source of our salvation. Again, since unreasoning action and unpractical reasoning are alike ineffectual, he added to his reasoning the succour which comes from action; he paid visits, sent messages, gave interviews, instructed, reproved, rebuked,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 40.3
… Since it is written, as the holy Apostle Paul says, whose teaching you cannot controvert: “Be instant, in season, out of season, reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and doctrine.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 23
How then doth He say elsewhere, “Reprove, rebuke, exhort,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Commentary on Galatians 6
This he says not as though he were wearied or overpowered; he who chose to do and suffer all for his disciples’ sake; he who said, “Be instant in season, out of season;” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Ver. 2 . “Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 18
… Let food and baths and dinners and the other things of this life have their appointed time; but let the teaching of heavenly philosophy have no separate time, let every season belong to it. For Paul saith, “In season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 127.7
… the needs of the Church at length brought me to Rome in company with the reverend pontiffs, Paulinus and Epiphanius—the first of whom ruled the church of the Syrian Antioch while the second presided over that of Salamis in Cyprus,—I in my modesty was for avoiding the eyes of highborn ladies, yet she pleaded so earnestly, “both in season and out of season”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 35.3
… For, since the Lord commands us to speak and proclaim the truth, and in teaching to rebuke what is wrong, and to labour in season and out of season, as I can prove by the words of the Lord and of the apostles,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 4.16
… “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me?” And is he not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth?” And in the same place: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.28
… Not only should I so flee from sin, but I should earn good desert, however much I so spake. For a man blessed of Thee would not enjoin a sin upon his own true son in the faith, to whom he wrote, “Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 2.11
Chapter 11.— 16. For this reason, then, we hold them to be enemies, because we speak the truth, because we are afraid to be silent, because we fear to shrink from pressing our point with all the force that lies within our power, because we obey the apostle when he says, "Preach the word; be instant in season out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.69
… But the war which the spiritual wage is that correction which is in love: their sword is the word of God. To such a war they are aroused by the trumpet of the apostle sounding with a mighty force: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 28.6
6. Come down, Peter: thou wast desiring to rest on the mount; come down, “preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 123
… but if it is intended to remind me of the advice which recommended silence, and of the so-called œconomy, I am very much obliged, but I do not accept the suggestion. For the divine Apostle charges us to take quite the opposite course. “Be instant in season and out of season.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.16
… Which thing we shall perhaps better shew, if we bring forward the authority of Paul, who to two who were his disciples, and endowed with a like charity, supplies nevertheless different aids for preaching. For in admonishing Timothy he says, Reprove, entreat, rebuke, with all long-suffering and doctrine (
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 3.53
… Moreover your Fraternity knows well what the canons say about bishops who desire to inspire fear by blows. For we have been made shepherds, not persecutors. And the excellent preacher says, Argue, beseech, rebuke, with all longsuffering and doctrine (
4:3
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 2.21
… For their Mother—that is, Leto —secretly stirred them up (whence also she is called Leto, according to the meaning of the Greek word, because she secretly stirred up men), without the knowledge of the Demiurge, to give forth profound and unspeakable mysteries to itching ears.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.13
… truly, they share the nature of savage beasts. But we must strive to convert the rawness of Scripture into well-cooked food, not letting what is written grow flabby and wet and thin, as those do who have itching ears,
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.68
Paul, in the second to Timothy: “There will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine; but according to their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers itching in hearing, tickling their ears; and shall turn away their hearing indeed from the truth, but they shall be converted unto fables.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.2
… this sin of wilfulness, the Apostle, writing to Timothy, after many injunctions to bear witness to the faith and to preach the word, adds, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears will heap up teachers to themselves after their own lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 15.9
… For men have fallen away from the right faith ; and some preach the identity of the Son with the Father , and others dare to say that Christ was brought into being out of nothing . And formerly the heretics were manifest; but now the Church is filled with heretics in disguise . For men have fallen away from the truth, and have itching ears
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 27
I. I am to speak against persons who pride themselves on their eloquence; so, to begin with a text of Scripture, “Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one,” not only in thy system of teaching, but also in thy hearing, and in thy tone of mind. For there are certain persons who have not only their ears
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Ver. 3 . “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 133.4
4. Such being the state of the case, what object is served by “silly women laden with sins, carried about with every wind of doctrine, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth?” Or how is the cause helped by the men who dance attendance upon these, men with itching ears
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 97.4
4. It is such whom the apostle foresaw through the Holy Spirit, when he said: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
St Vincent of Lérins † AD 445 The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 7
… how vehemently, the blessed apostle Paul inveighs against certain, who, with marvellous levity, had “been so soon removed from him who had called them to the grace of Christ to another Gospel, which was not another;” “who had heaped to themselves teachers after their own lusts, turning away their ears from the truth, and being turned aside unto fables;”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 15
… But these things are suited to the minds of those of whom the Apostle speaks, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts: and will turn away indeed their hearing from the truth, and turn aside unto fables
4:4
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Ver. 4 . “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and be turned unto fables.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 2.4
… that He might be both the true Son of God, by whom we were made, and the true Son of man, by whom we are made anew. Why do you conjure up this fabulous First Man of yours, and refuse to acknowledge the first man of the apostle? Is this not a fulfillment of what the apostle says: "Turning away their ears from the truth, they will give heed to fables?"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 15.5
… The fictions of the poets are more respectable than thine, in this at least, that they deceive no one; while the fables in thy books, by assuming an appearance of truth, mislead the childish, both young and old, and pervert their minds. As the apostle says, they have itching ears, and turn away from hearing the truth to listen to fables.
4:5
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Letters 2
… But inasmuch as, since we composed that written defence of our conduct, again some of the brethren who are of one mind with us begged us to make separately with our own lips a profession of our faith, which we entertain with full conviction
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 29
“And what,” saith one, “is a working?” and what “a gift?” and what “a ministration?” They are mere differences of names, since the things are the same. For what “a gift” is, that is “a ministration,” that he calls “an operation” also. Thus fulfil thy ministry; (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Ver. 5 . “But watch thou in all things, endure affliction.”
4:6
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Antiochians 8
Ye presbyters, “feed the flock which is among you,” till God shall show who is to hold the rule over you. For “I am now ready to be offered,”
Tertullian † AD 220 Scorpiace 13
… “For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; there is laid up for me the crown which the Lord will give me on that day”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 8
… I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.17
… “I am now offered up, and the time of my assumption is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. There now remains for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me in that day; and not only to me, but to all also who love His appearing.”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 2.22.5
… “The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom,” indicating his speedy martyrdom; which he also foretells still more clearly in the same epistle, when he writes, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.46
46. Daniel, whose meat was the scanty portion of a prophet , did not fear the lions’ den. The Apostles rejoiced in suffering and death for the Name of Christ. To Paul his sacrifice was the crown of righteousness
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 18
… yea, rather, they departed rejoicing ; the one as hastening to meet his friends, received his death with exultation; and the other shrunk not from the time when it came, but gloried in it, saying, ‘For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans the-argument
… xiii. 24 .) And the Epistle to Timothy he sent also from Rome, when in prison; which also seems to me to be the last of all the Epistles; and this is plain from the end: “For I am now ready to be offered,” he says, “and the time of my departure is at hand.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 20
… xxii. 22, 23 ), much more must we, who offer not senseless animals, but ourselves, exhibit more strictness, and be pure in all respects, that we also may be able to say as did Paul, “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 8
“Yea, and if I am offered.” He said not, “and if I die even,” nor did he when writing to Timothy, for there, too, he has made use of the same expression, “For I am already being offered.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 1
… i. 23 .) For it had now been preached for a long time. I think then that the Epistle to Timothy was written after this; and when he was now come to the very end of his life, for there he says, “for I am already being offered” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 1
… “Do thy diligence,” he says, “to come shortly unto me,” and, “when thou comest, bring with thee the books, but especially the parchments.” ( 2 Tim. iv. 9, 13 .) And he seems to have written this Epistle when his end was approaching. For he says, “I am now ready to be offered up”; and again, “At my first answer no man stood with me.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
… and this in no ordinary way, but in words adapted to comfort him and fill him with joy; so as to have it considered as a sacrifice rather than a death; a migration, as in fact it was, and a removal to a better state. “For I am now ready to be offered up” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.24
… henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness;’ which he would not have said if he had any sin.” It is for them, then, to explain how he could have said this, when there still remained for him to encounter the great conflict, the grievous and excessive weight of that suffering which he had just said awaited him.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 14
… Let us see what he says when his final sufferings were approaching, writing to Timothy: “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 3
… Listen to him now demanding the payment of a debt, who had first received unmerited grace: “For,” saith he, “I am now ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
4:7
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 7.52
… Those whose piety is grounded on the teaching of Jesus also run until they come to the end of their course, when they can say in all truth and confidence: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 35
… “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 To the Bishops of Egypt 2
… But of these things I have no care; for I know and am persuaded that they who endure shall receive a reward from our Saviour; and that ye also, if ye endure as the Fathers did, and shew yourselves examples to the people, and overthrow these strange and alien devices of impious men, shall be able to glory, and say, We have ‘kept the Faith
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 49
… This explains why the saint was zealous to preach as far as Illyricum, and not to shrink from proceeding to Rome , or even going as far as the Spains , in order that the more he laboured, he might receive so much the greater reward for his labour. He boasted then that he had fought the good fight, and was confident that he should receive the great crown
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 43.78
78. But when, after he had finished his course, and kept the faith,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.15
… Paul writes well; He says: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Two Homilies on Eutropius 2.17
… so in the case of the soul I say the contrary that the graceless soul can become full of grace. For what was more graceless than the soul of Paul when he was a blasphemer and insulter: what more full of grace when he said “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 22
… Perceivest thou that the expression is that of lowliness and of humility? For he already dwelt in Heaven. And hence also it was that he said, “For I know nothing against myself” ( 1 Cor. iv. 4 .); and again, “I have finished the course.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 12
… That is, I consider that I have not as yet apprehended all virtue, as if one were speaking of a runner. Not as yet, saith he, have I completed all. And if in another place he saith, “I have fought the good fight” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Ver. 7 . “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 2.3
… and so let us have the satisfaction of reciting his deeds with those of the other martyrs of Alexandria, and that he may be able to meet the people who bark against him with the words: “From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.40
… Yet it was these which afterwards made him bold to say: “I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.22
22. However, she has finished her course, she has kept the faith, and now she enjoys the crown of righteousness.
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 1.16
… nor again that one may be greater or less than another, and yet that, relatively to their own status and capacity, men may be called righteous who are not righteous when compared with others. For instance, the Apostle Paul, the chosen vessel who laboured more than all the Apostles, was, I suppose, righteous when he wrote to Timothy,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.24
“But see,” say they, “how the apostle says, ‘I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness;’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius 35
“What, then, is the meaning of that which the same apostle says: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day;’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 16
… and let us see whether these merits of his were really his own—I mean, whether they were obtained by him of himself, or were the gifts of God. “I have fought,” says he, “the good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 111.6
… when apparently we ought to have said, He served with a faithful service, he served as a soldier with a strenuous soldier-service. But such as the form of expression is, “the love which Thou hast loved me;” one similar to it is also used by the apostle, “I have fought a good fight;”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 5.17
… those things which are behind, he reaches forth to those that are before, pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” whither he ever directs his mental gaze, and hastening towards it with all speed of heart, proclaims with confidence, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
4:8
Tertullian † AD 220 The Chaplet, or De Corona 15
Keep for God His own property untainted; He will crown it if He choose. Nay, then, He does even choose. He calls us to it. To him who conquers He says, “I will give a crown of life.” Be you , too, faithful unto death, and fight you , too, the good fight, whose crown the apostle
Tertullian † AD 220 On Patience 14
… And if he had wished to have his children also restored, he might again have been called father; but he preferred to have them restored him “in that day.”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 31
… For then is one a prophet indeed, when, having announced beforetime things about to be, he can afterwards show that they have actually happened. Ye were the disciples of a good Master. These words I address to you as if alive, and with propriety. For ye hold already the crown of life and immortality which is laid up for you in heaven.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 To the Bishops of Egypt 2
… these strange and alien devices of impious men, shall be able to glory, and say, We have ‘kept the Faith ;’ and ye shall receive the ‘crown of life,’ which God ‘hath promised to them that love Him .’ And God grant that I also together with you may inherit the promises, which, were given, not to Paul only, but also to all them that ‘have loved the appearing
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 8
… Those that are confined in the darkness of ignorance He enlightens: for this reason He is true Light. Portioning requital in accordance with the desert of deeds, He judges: for this reason He is righteous Judge.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 62
… For to Peter too He speaks thus, “I will give thee the keys of the Heavens.” And Paul also makes this clear where he saith, “Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also which have loved His appearing.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 8
… “When men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.” ( Matt. v. 11 .) Now, if to be evil spoken of renders men thus blessed, to be evil entreated, what may not that achieve? Hearken to what this blessed one himself saith elsewhere; “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness:” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 3
And the present season too has its crowns. Hear Paul saying, “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge shall give me…and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved His appearing.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
Ver. 8 . “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 14
… so that, as after his evil merits he obtained grace, so now, after his good merits, he might receive the crown. Observe, therefore, what follows: “There is henceforth laid up for me,” he says, “a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 70.9
… What is it, not to look back. “Of the things behind forgetful,” he saith. Therefore thou followest, being called to the heavenly reward, whereof hereafter thou wilt glory. For the same Apostle saith, “There remaineth for me a crown of righteousness, which in that day the Lord, the just Judge, shall render to me.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 84.16
… but by His grace I have been made innocent. But He who first showed mercy, can He deny His debt? “He loveth mercy and truth. He will give grace and glory.” What grace, but that of which the same one said: “By the grace of God I am what I am”? What glory, but that of which he said, “There is laid up for me a crown of glory”?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 101.2
… For I had asserted, that as he raised our fears by the former testimony, so did he encourage us by the latter. When he said, “The Lord, the righteous Judge, shall render to me at that day:” he addeth, “and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 5.17
… “But not to me only, but to all also who love His coming;”
4:9
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 1
… There were, besides, heresies commencing from the Jewish teachers, as he has shown in his former Epistle. Nor does he only comfort him by letters, he invites him to come to him: “Do thy diligence,” he says, “to come shortly unto me,” and, “when thou comest, bring with thee the books, but especially the parchments.” (
4:10
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.14.1
… That he was not merely a follower, but also a fellow-labourer of the apostles, but especially of Paul, Paul has himself declared also in the Epistles, saying: “Demas hath forsaken me, … and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me.”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.4.6
6. Timothy, so it is recorded, was the first to receive the episcopate of the parish in Ephesus, Titus of the churches in Crete.
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.4.9
9. As to the rest of his followers, Paul testifies that Crescens was sent to Gaul;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 1
… a man, whose high qualities, sufficiently visible in many other instances, are especially shown in his firm adherence to his Teacher, whom he constantly followed. Thus at a time when all had forsaken him, one gone into Galatia, another into Dalmatia, hear what he says of this disciple: “Only Luke is with me.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 1
… Behold how those indeed that were in Rome turned away from him; for hear him saying, “This thou knowest, that all that are in Asia turned away from me.” ( 2 Tim. i. 15 .) And again, “Demas forsook me”: and “at my first defence no one took my part.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philemon 3
Why then does he put Luke last? And yet he elsewhere says, “Only Luke is with me” ( 2 Tim. iv. 11 .), and “Demas,” he says, was one of those who “forsook him, having loved the present world.” (
4:11
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 2.22.6
6. In his second epistle to Timothy, moreover, he indicates that Luke was with him when he wrote,
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.4.7
… One of these books is the Gospel, which he testifies that he wrote as those who were from the beginning eye witnesses and ministers of the word delivered unto him, all of whom, as he says, he followed accurately from the first. The other book is the Acts of the Apostles which he composed not from the accounts of others, but from what he had seen himself.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 1
… xv. 10 .) And the reason is, that the author of this Book, that is, the blessed Luke, was his companion: a man, whose high qualities, sufficiently visible in many other instances, are especially shown in his firm adherence to his Teacher, whom he constantly followed.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 34
… but still he did not so reverence him, as to overlook (what was necessary). Now which of them advised best, it is not for us to pronounce: but thus far (we may affirm), that it was a great arrangement of Providence, if these were to be vouchsafed a second visitation, but those were not to be visited even once.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philemon 3
Why then does he put Luke last? And yet he elsewhere says, “Only Luke is with me” (
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Chaplet, or De Corona 8
… Esaias mentions that he ordered Hezekiah medicine when he was sick. Paul, too, knows that a little wine does the stomach good. Let Minerva have been the first who built a ship: I shall see Jonah and the apostles sailing. Nay, there is more than this: for even Christ, we shall find, has ordinary rai ment; Paul, too, has his cloak.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Prayer 15
… As, e.g. , it is the custom of some to make prayer with cloaks doffed, for so do the nations approach their idols; which practice, of course, were its observance becoming, the apostles, who teach concerning the garb of prayer, would have comprehended in their instructions , unless any think that is was in prayer that Paul had left his cloak with Carpus!
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… both that “my face ye shall see no more,” for in heart I am with you: and that it was not they alone (who should see him no more): for, “ye shall see my face no more, ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the Kingdom.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 9
… their great use is in the winter, and yet he had them. What shall we say of Paul, when he writes thus to Timothy, “Do thy diligence to come before winter”? ( 2 Tim. iv. 21 .) He gives him orders too and says, “The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus bring when thou comest, and the books, especially the parchments.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 3.4
… Such is the state of man; if we are a little careless we learn our weakness, and find that our power is limited. Do you suppose that the Apostle Paul, when he wrote
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Tertullian † AD 220 On the Flesh of Christ 16
… As earth was converted into this flesh of ours without the seed of a human father, so also was it quite possible for the Son of God to take to Himself the substance of the selfsame flesh, without a human father’s agency.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 14 . “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 3.4
… but if well, why smitest thou Me?” We do not disparage the Apostle, but declare the glory of God Who suffered in the flesh and overcame the evil inflicted on the flesh and the weakness of the flesh—to say nothing of what the Apostle says elsewhere:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 16.22
… Hostile imprecations are forbidden, for it is said, "Bless, and curse not." But prophetic announcements are often found in the writings of the saints, as when the Apostle Paul says: "Alexander the coppersmith has done me much evil; the Lord shall reward him according to his works."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.21
… and curse not;” while it is both written of the Lord, that He cursed the cities which received not His word; and the above-mentioned apostle thus spoke respecting a certain man, “The Lord will reward him according to his works.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.22
… “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord will reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.” Then he adds for whom he prays, thus expressing it: “At my first defence no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 12
… by opposing the brotherhood in a spirit of hatred. Whereas for such as had not broken off the bonds of love, but had given way through fear, he prays that they may be forgiven. For so he says: “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 111.2
… no coppersmith like Alexander doth many evil deeds,
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus pref
Some men, distinguished neither by family nor education, and without any of the honourable notoriety that comes of an upright life, are ambitious of achieving fame by wicked ways. Of these was the famous Alexander, the coppersmith,
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 23
And full well did He say, “turn again and rend you:” for they feign gentleness, so as to be taught: then after they have learnt, quite changing from one sort to another, they jeer, mock and deride us, as deceived persons. Therefore Paul also said to Timothy,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… But if they sin willingly, spring away from them. And in another place too he says this. For he says, “Withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly” ( 2 Thess. iii. 6 ): and in speaking to Timothy about the coppersmith, he gives him the like advice, and says, “Of whom be thou ware also.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 4
… For this he has intimated by saying, “For all men have not faith.” And here he seems to me not to glance at dangers, but at the men who contradicted and hindered his word, as did Alexander the copper-smith. For he says, “he greatly withstood our words.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 15 . “Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.”
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 2.22.3
… “At my first answer,” he says, “no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 2.22.6
6. In his second epistle to Timothy, moreover, he indicates that Luke was with him when he wrote, but at his first defense not even he.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians introductory-discourse
… Therefore he says, “So that my bonds became manifest in Christ in the whole prætorium,” calling the palace of Nero the prætorium. But he was bound and let go again, and this he showed to Timothy by saying, “At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 3
… Or he is speaking of deliverance, “unto salvation”; that is, I shall also escape the present as I did the former danger. Of this same matter he says, “At my first defense no one took my part, but all forsook me; may it not be laid to their account. But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 16 . “At my first answer,” he says, “no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.25
… This did also the brethren, and such fruit did they bear, who out of Macedonia supplied what was wanting unto him. But how doth he grieve for certain trees, which did not afford him the fruit due unto him, when he saith, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 88.13
… Often too, friends and acquaintances, their worldly interests at stake, in their terror forsake the Saints; of which saith the Apostle, “all men forsook me: may it not be laid to their charge.”
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St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Letters 2
… But inasmuch as, since we composed that written defence of our conduct, again some of the brethren who are of one mind with us begged us to make separately with our own lips a profession of our faith, which we entertain with full conviction
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 33
… And the reason was, “it was not they” themselves “that spake,” but the power of the Spirit. Thus for instance did Paul overcome Agrippa, and Nero, who surpassed all men in wickedness. “For the Lord,” saith he, “stood with me, and strengthened me, and delivered me out of the mouth of the lion.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 38
… This too is useful in other respects. When we wish not to be overmuch grieved, let us say: “If we have received good things at the hand of the Lord, shall not we endure evil things?” ( Job ii. 10 .) And when Paul told them from whence he had been delivered, (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 4
… Yea, we ourselves have had the answer of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver.” ( 2 Cor. i. 8, 9, 10 .) And again, “And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion; and the Lord will deliver me.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 17 . “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Jerome's Apology for Himself Against the Books of Rufinus 2.3
… and so let us have the satisfaction of reciting his deeds with those of the other martyrs of Alexandria, and that he may be able to meet the people who bark against him with the words: “From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 2.22.5
5. Wherefore he adds to the words, “And he delivered me from the mouth of the lion,” this sentence: “The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 18 . “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 19 . “Salute Priscilla and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 10.7
… For in proof, that they were frequently sick, hear what Paul saith respecting Timothy, “Use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and thine often infirmities.” And again, of another he saith, “But Trophimus I have left at Miletus sick.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 20 . “Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philemon 3
… iv. 10 .) All these things, although they are mentioned elsewhere, yet nevertheless ought not to be passed over here without enquiry, nor ought we merely to hear them as things of course. But how comes he to say that he who forsook him salutes them? For “Erastus,” he says, “abode at Corinth.” (
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 65
… The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and with all everywhere that are the called of God through Him, by whom be to Him glory, honour, power, majesty, and eternal dominion, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen.
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.2
1. After the martyrdom of Paul and of Peter, Linus was the first to obtain the episcopate of the church at Rome. Paul mentions him, when writing to Timothy from Rome, in the salutation at the end of the epistle.
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.4.9
9. As to the rest of his followers, Paul testifies that Crescens was sent to Gaul; but Linus, whom he mentions in the Second Epistle to Timothy
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 5.6.1
1. “ The blessed apostles having founded and established the church, entrusted the office of the episcopate to Linus. Paul speaks of this Linus in his Epistles to Timothy.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 9
… 8 .) And yet he had no such great need of sandals, for at that season a man may go even unshod; their great use is in the winter, and yet he had them. What shall we say of Paul, when he writes thus to Timothy, “Do thy diligence to come before winter”? (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 21 . “Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens and Linus, and Claudia.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
Ver. 22 . “The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit.”
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1. I testify before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming and his kingdom, preach the word. — For "I testify" the Greek is διαμαρτυρομαι, that is, I beseech, and, as Theophylactus and Anselm say, I adjure thee, O Timothy, before God and by God, and by Jesus Christ, whom I invoke as witnesses (for this is what the Hebrew heid signifies) and avengers of this my beseeching, that thou shouldest earnestly preach the Gospel, in season and out of season, considering that thou shalt render an exact account to Christ the judge on the day of judgment for this preaching done or neglected. Note: The Apostle here, now about to die, addresses Timothy as it were with his last words: for he gives him final admonitions and as it were makes a testament, in which before all things he commends to him as Bishop the office of preaching. For this is the first and greatest office of a Bishop, to which a Bishop is bound by divine law, as the Council of Trent teaches, sess. XXIV, cap. IV. Let Bishops and pastors who do not preach be terrified here, says Theophylactus. Note, "before God," namely the Father: for it follows, "and Jesus Christ," God therefore is here distinguished from Jesus Christ, and consequently denotes not the essence, but the person of the Father. Secondly, it is said "Christ shall judge the living and the dead," that is, the just and sinners, says Chrysostom; but this is mystical. "The living" therefore he understands literally men, namely those who shall be found alive on the day of judgment; "the dead," those who shall have died before that day. See what is said I Thessal. cap. iv, vers. 16. Thirdly, "by his coming" is not of the one adjuring or beseeching (for thus in Greek it ought to be διά, not κατά), but only designates the time and manner in which Christ shall judge the living and the dead, namely by his coming, or in his illustrious coming (for this is the Greek ἐπιφάνεια), when namely Christ shall come not poor and humble, as formerly, but glorious to judgment, in which his blessed and eternal kingdom with all the Saints shall gloriously enter, and as it were be inaugurated before the whole world, says Chrysostom. Let the Bishop, the Parochial Priest, the preacher, the confessor awake and tremble under such a testimony. "Who hearing these things," says St. Augustine, lib. I Against Cresconius, cap. vi, "if he faithfully serves God, if he is not a deceitful worker, shall rest from this diligence and earnestness? who under such a testimony shall dare to be idle?" St. Gregory justly complains, hom. 17 in the Gospel: "Behold," he says, "the whole world is full of priests, and yet in God's harvest a worker is found very rarely: because we indeed undertake the priestly office, but we do not fulfill the work of the office."
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2. Be instant (in preaching) in season, out of season. — In Greek εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως, that is, seasonably and unseasonably. It is a proverb signifying the same as assiduously and urgently, although Primasius from Augustine takes these words properly thus: "The word," he says, "is seasonable to one who listens willingly, unseasonable to one unwilling." And St. Caesarius, Bishop of Arles, homily 26: "What is it," he says, "seasonable, unseasonable, except seasonable to those willing, unseasonable to those unwilling? To those willing to hear the word of God, it should be offered; to those loathing it, it should be pressed upon, lest perhaps standing before the tribunal of Christ they say against us that they were not admonished by us, and the blood of their souls be required from our hands." For what one now hears unwillingly, afterwards pondering he will grasp, will receive willingly, will be converted and will give thanks. As a sick man, to whom a stone or ulcer is cut while bound, suffers, cries out, and even wishes to drive away the physician: yet once cut and healed he gives thanks. See Augustine, book On Pastors, chapter VII. Hear St. Gregory, part III of the Pastoral, chapter IV: "About to speak unseasonably," he says, "he first spoke seasonably: because namely before the mind of the hearer, unseasonableness destroys itself by its own baseness, if unseasonableness does not know how to have seasonableness." Argue, beseech, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. — For argue in Greek is ἔλεγξον, that is, convince by arguments. "For if you rebuke someone without arguments, you will seem rash, and no one will bear with you," says Chrysostom, and he whom you rebuke will become shameless and hard, and obstinate. Secondly, for beseech, rebuke, in Greek the order is different, for ἐπιτίμησον, that is, rebuke, comes first: but παρακάλεσον, that is, beseech or exhort, follows. Our translator therefore transposed these words, so that he might better signify the alternation of affections which Paul here prescribes, namely that the Bishop ought now to argue with those erring and sinning, now to beseech, soon again to rebuke more sharply. For, as Blessed Innocent says, distinction LXXXIII, chapter Error: "Error which is not resisted is approved; and truth, when not defended, is oppressed: for to neglect, when you are able to overturn, the perverse, is nothing other than to foster them; nor is it free from the scruple of hidden complicity, he who ceases to openly oppose a crime when he is able." The Apostle therefore says: "Argue, beseech, rebuke," as if to say: Rebuke is the same as cutting in surgery: beseeching however is a soothing medicine. Apply this therefore to rebuke, lest, if rebuke alone be used, as if it were cutting, it torment the man with excessive pain and drive him to pusillanimity, indignation, or even desperation. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus and others. For just as physicians now use gentle medicines, now sharp ones: so the Bishop and any spiritual physician ought to deal with his people now with blandishments, now with harsher words, as Abraham the monk and Bishop of Carrhae did, as Theodoret says in the Philotheos, chapter XVII. But St. Prosper, book III On the Contemplative Life, chapter v, refers these to different persons: "Argue," he says, "equals, beseech elders, rebuke juniors; but for this reason he adds: In all patience; because one chastised gently shows reverence to the one chastising; but offended by excessive harshness and rebuke, he neither receives the rebuke nor salvation." Note: The Apostle commands that reproof be made first, in, that is with, all patience; and as it is in Greek μακροθυμία, that is, long-suffering. Secondly, in, that is with, doctrine, by which namely you may teach solidly that another has erred, and show him the way of truth. For men wish to be convinced and led by reason. These two gifts are necessary for a teacher, preacher and monitor, namely doctrine and patience, lest he become angry at the slowness and hardness of him whom he teaches and monitors; but let him bear with him, have compassion, and grieve more over his fall than he who has fallen. Thus Chrysostom. Whence St. Augustine gives a beautiful lesson to those who wish to admonish or reprove others, in his epistle to the Galatians, in that chapter vi, verse 1: "Such a one instruct in the spirit of meekness," namely that he who is about to reprove another, before the reproof let him examine his conscience, whether he is moved to it by love; nor let him descend to it, unless having examined his conscience he finds himself impelled by love of his neighbor to reprove him. "For whatever," he says, "you shall say with a lacerated mind, is the impulse of one punishing, not the charity of one correcting: love, and say what you will." Hence Theophylactus rightly observes that it is not said simply: "Reprove in patience," but: "In all patience," that is, he says, which is demonstrated in all ways, namely by works, words and money; so that in every direction the patience of the teacher and monitor may be constant and perfect; so that he never show his own anger and wrath, however difficult, troublesome and rebellious the hearer or sinner may be to him. Thus indeed he will imitate God, who admonishes sinners, teaches them, waits for them in much patience. Whence God is said by the Hebrews to have slow feet, long ears, strong hands, and wide nostrils; and God himself, although most hostile to his people on account of the worship of the calf, commanded and willed to be called upon and invoked by Moses with these names, Exodus xxxiv, 6: "Lord God, merciful and clement, patient, and of much compassion." Where for patient in Hebrew is ארך אפים erech appaim, that is, long in nostrils, that is in anger, as if to say long to anger, slow to wrath; for anger is chiefly revealed in the face and nostrils, whence the angry are said to wrinkle and raise the nose, and because they breathe out anger through the nostrils, hence the Hebrews by appaim, that is nostrils, signify anger. Again, long in nostrils, that is wide in nostrils, by enallage of quantity, by which length is put for width. Now that wide nostrils is the same as μακρόθυμος, that is long-suffering and slow to wrath: for those who have narrow nostrils become angry quickly, because they receive more quickly the smoky and bilious vapors ascending from the stomach, and expel them more slowly on account of the narrowness of the passages in the nostrils: whence in Hebrew the choleric man who becomes angry quickly is called קצר אפים ketsar appaim, that is narrow or constricted in nostrils. For such a one, as I have said, is quick to anger. On the contrary, those who have wide nostrils become angry slowly: for such men expel bile more easily, and moreover admit much cold air, by which the heat of bile is tempered: whence they are more placid, and for this reason slow to anger is said in Hebrew erech appaim, that is long or wide in nostrils, and thus God, as being most patient and most clement, is called anthropopathic.
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3. There will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine: but according to their own desires they will heap to themselves teachers, itching in the ears. — He gives the reason why he said: "Preach the word, be instant, reprove, beseech," namely because many voluptuous and licentious men will seek teachers like themselves, namely heretics, who indulging the curiosity and desires of men, will draw them away from sound faith and the severity of Christian life to their errors and the licentiousness of life and morals. Note the word "heap," that is, rashly, without judgment and discrimination, as lust drives them, and the desire for novelty and desires, they will gather to themselves teachers, not ordained and approved by Bishops, but such as the people themselves have demanded, just as stones are tumultuously heaped by many, and collected into one heap and pile. Whence St. Chrysostom: "The word 'heap,'" he says, "signifies a confused crowd and multitude of teachers." Beautifully and truly Tertullian, in the book On Prescription, chapter XXX: "Their (the heretics') ordinations are rash, light, inconstant: for now they place neophytes, now those bound to the world, now apostates from us." Add, that in this age we have seen and now also see cobblers, hucksters, tailors and embalmers, and those viler than these. Note secondly, that "itching in the ears" is to be referred not to the teachers, but to the hearers who heap teachers to themselves. For in Greek it is κνηθόμενοι τὴν ἀκοήν, in the nominative. Add, that teachers itch not in the ears, but in the tongue, but disciples in the ears. The sense therefore is, those who itch in the ears, heap to themselves teachers accommodated to their itchings and desires, as if to say: These men full of vain and carnal desires, because they itch in the ears, that is, because they love to hear new things, curious things, soft things, voluptuous things, hence they seek for themselves teachers not who bite and scrape away vices with the word, but who flatter themselves and their vices, and who scratch the ears, and sew a pillow under every elbow, while they preach honeyed and popularly pleasing things. Whence St. Cyprian, book III, Testimonies 67 to Quirinus, reads, "they will heap to themselves teachers, itching in hearing, scratching ears." Thus the Jews itched in the ears, when they delighted in the eloquence of the Prophets, as in a harp, but neglected their commandments, nay mocked them; because, as the Lord says to Ezekiel xxxiii, 31: "Thou art to them as a musical song, which is sung with a sweet and pleasant voice: and they hear thy words, and do them not." Such was the itching of those who said to the Prophets: "See us not those things that are right, speak to us pleasing things" (in Hebrew חלקות chalakot, that is, soft things, mild things, flattering things, sweet things), "see us errors," Isaiah chapter xxx, verse 10. Note: voluptuous men are aptly said to labor under the disease of itching, which brings long pain from brief pleasure. For, as Plato says in the Philebus: "Just as it is pleasant and delightful to scratch an itch, but afterwards it produces foul odors and pains: so the pleasure of vices is pleasant to the taste, but afterwards it has much gall and aloe."
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5. But thou be watchful, labour in all things, do the work of an Evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. Be sober. — Because, as he said, wicked teachers and heretics press upon us, who will turn the people from sound faith to erroneous fables, therefore here he enjoins upon Bishop Timothy keen vigilance against them, so that like Argus with a hundred eyes he may observe them, and like a shepherd drive wolves from his flock. Secondly, for labour the Greek is κακοπάθησον, that is, endure evils, bear and persevere for the Gospel. Thirdly, he calls "the work of an Evangelist" not the writing, but the preaching of the Gospel: for it is the part of an Evangelist to evangelize the word of God, both by voice and by holy life, as Anselm says. Fourthly, for fulfil thy ministry the Greek is τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον, which Erasmus, Vatable and others translate, make full proof of thy ministry, that is, of thy preaching; so that namely thou render it fully approved. But more simply, as I said on Rom. xiv, 5, our translator here and elsewhere renders the Greek πληροφόρησον as fulfil, that is, fully perfect thy ministry, so that namely thou completely execute and discharge thy office of teaching, preaching and ruling: for this is incumbent upon thee as a Bishop. This will come to pass if thou preach assiduously, and if thy life correspond to thy doctrine, so that those under thee may see that thou seekest not thine own advantages, but for the Gospel willingly endure all hardships and dire things for the love of Christ: for all eyes are fixed upon thee. Thus a Bishop, Pastor, doctor and anyone should see that he adorn the station which he has obtained. Thus St. Cyprian daily taught and exhorted his people, as he himself confesses at the beginning of the book On Discipline and Good Modesty, when he says: "I always strive, especially through daily treatments of the Gospels, to provide you through the Lord with increases of faith and knowledge. For what else can be done more usefully in the Church of the Lord, what more fitting to the office of a Bishop can be found, than that the doctrine of divine things, insinuated and imparted through him by the word, may enable the faithful to attain to the promised kingdom of heaven? This certainly, both my duty and my work, is the daily votive business which I strive to obtain even while absent." Thus he himself, exiled, taught the people by letters, whom when present he daily taught by living voice in preaching. Whence Pontius in his Life says of him: "So great was his desire for sacred discourse," he says, "that he wished for himself the vows of passion to befall him, so that while speaking of God, he might be slain in the very work. And these were the daily acts destined as a sacrifice pleasing to God." Fifthly, "be sober" is not in the Greek, nor in the Syriac, nor in Ambrose, Primasius, Haymo and other ancients. Whence it seems to have crept in, especially since after those things which are far more perfect, namely after "labour in all things, do the work of an Evangelist, fulfil thy ministry," it seems quite coldly to be added, "Be sober"; there is therefore suspicion, as Francis Lucas notes in his Notes, that this has crept in here from another translation of an ambiguous Greek word. For the Greek σὺ δὲ νῆφε, which our translator with the Syriac renders, but thou be watchful, can be translated, but thou be sober: and thus in that place where we have, but thou be watchful, Ambrose reads, be sober, nor does he afterwards recognize either be watchful or be sober. And the same Ambrose explains be sober by be watchful: "He admonishes," he says, "and exhorts that he be watchful."
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6. For I am now being poured out as a libation, and the time of my dissolution is at hand. — Note: The conjunction 'for' gives the reason why he exhorted Timothy so earnestly to vigilance and preaching, and to fulfill his ministry, namely because death was imminent to him, as if to say: These admonitions of mine are sharp because they are final: I shall not address you again by living voice. See therefore, O Timothy, that you impress these final admonitions deeply upon yourself, and keep them before your eyes throughout your whole life, as if in them you always behold me admonishing you as if present. Note: For 'I am being poured out,' the Greek is σπένδομαι, that is, 'I am offered as a libation and immolated, I pour out my blood as a libation to God, I consecrate and sacrifice it through martyrdom.' It is known from Leviticus that sacrifices, or victims, had their libation of wine and oil: for sacrifices were as it were a banquet of God, in which the victims were as it were food for God, but the libation was drink. Paul therefore calls the victims here the nations converted by him and offered to Christ; but he calls the libation his own blood, by which he sanctified this victim and consecrated it to God. See what is said in Romans xv, 16, and Philippians II, 17. Chrysostom and Theophylactus note here that Paul does not call himself a victim, but a libation. For this is more fitting: for a victim was often not wholly offered, but a libation was always wholly offered to God. Add that the pouring out and shedding of blood and martyrdom are signified more properly and clearly by a libation than by a victim. From God's revelation and inspiration therefore Paul foreknew that death, and consequently martyrdom, was imminent to him. St. Peter foreknew the same, as appears from his second epistle, cap. I, 14: 'I am assured,' he says, 'that the putting off of my tabernacle is swift.' Hence note secondly: 'The time of my dissolution' he calls the time of death. For death is not destruction, but a dissolution of man, whereby namely the body is returned to the earth as to a mother, and the soul to God as to a father, who in that resurrection will join them together, and bind and glorify them eternally. Whence Tertullian, in the Scorpiaco, cap. XIII, reads 'the time of my diversion,' that is, of my return and regression, to God namely, is at hand; and St. Cyprian, epistle 9 to the Martyrs, reads 'the time of my assumption is at hand.' These words of Paul, says Augustine in Psalm xxxi, are 'of one exulting rather at the presence of death, and yearning for the crown, than fearing and tormenting himself.' Thus the martyrs, hearing the news of death, exulted and rejoiced. So St. Cyprian, hearing the sentence of the Emperor Valerian against him, 'It is pleasing that Thascian Cyprian be executed by the sword,' replied: 'Thanks be to God, who deigns to free me from the chains of this body.' Note thirdly, the word 'is at hand,' which Baronius and others explain as 'draws near,' namely because under this same Emperor Nero after nine years I Paul shall be punished by the sword. For they think he wrote this not from his second, but from his first imprisonment, as if Paul said: My old age, my labors, my preaching, my hardships, my persecutions foretell to me, nay certainly announce to me, that I shall not live long, but shall die shortly, namely after a few years, that is, eight. This opinion is favored first by what he says in verse 17: 'That by me the preaching may be fulfilled:' by which he signifies that he still has some time to preach. Secondly, by what he says in verse 11: 'Bring Mark with you: for he is useful to me for the ministry,' namely of my preaching. Thirdly, by the fact that in verse 8 he summons Timothy to him from Greece; for summoned by him in the first year of his first imprisonment, he came to him in the second year of the same, as appears in Philippians I, 1, where Paul from his bonds greets the Philippians with Timothy. Fourthly, by what he says in verse 11: 'Luke is with me alone;' for after his first imprisonment Luke left Paul and preached in Africa and Egypt: unless you say that he returned to him from there before Paul's death, to be present at his martyrdom, as the acts of Linus, which are extant in Mombritius in the martyrdom of St. Paul, testify that he was actually present, but these are of doubtful authority. The same could be said of Timothy and Mark. By these and many other conjectures Baronius, and from him some modern learned men, judge very probably that this epistle was written from his first imprisonment. But the authority of the ancients draws to the contrary. For that it was written from his second imprisonment, Eusebius in lib. II of his History, cap. XXII; Jerome, in his book on Ecclesiastical Writers, on Paul; St. Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Anselm and others here, and the Syrian, who at the end of the epistle says: 'It was written from Rome, when Paul was again brought before Nero,' hold to be the case. It favors this, that Demas in the beginning adhered to Paul in his bonds, as Paul says to Philemon, verse 24, but here in verse 9 he says that Demas abandoned him, namely in his second imprisonment, as it appears. Again it favors what I shall say concerning Trophimus, verse 20. Finally it urges "for I am now being poured out," that is to say, I am now being sacrificed, death presses upon me: and thus all the ancients already cited understood it. For these words plainly signify: "The time of my departure is at hand," and: "I have finished my course." The same must be done by Christians, since the Gentiles also did the same. For Socrates, says Nazianzenus to Philagrius, "condemned to death by the Athenians, and being in prison, discoursed with his disciples concerning the body as if it were some other prison-house; and when he could have escaped, he refused; but after the hemlock was offered to him, he accepted it most willingly, just as if he were not receiving a deadly draught, but were inviting his friends to drink by his example." Whence also Cicero, in book I of De Oratore, says that good and wise men, such as Socrates was, die like swans with praise and pleasure, because namely they foresee and in a manner divine what good is in death; and as from Plato and Seneca to Marcia, chapter xxiii: "The mind of the wise man is wholly inclined toward death, he wills this, he meditates on this, he is always borne by this desire, tending outward."
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7. A good fight have I fought. — In Greek, τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, that is, I have agonized that noble agon, namely strenuous and excellent, and therefore seemly and glorious, by which for the spreading of the faith of Christ I have generously overcome many labors, hardships, persecutions and afflictions; and I trust with most certain hope that the impending martyrdom will easily be overcome by me with the grace of God, so that namely I may place martyrdom as a crown upon my agon. Thus from Augustine through Beda. Paul alludes here, as often elsewhere, to the Olympic contests, in which they contended by wrestling and fighting; and to the stadium, in which they contended by running: where he who was victor was rewarded with a prize and crown by the brabeutes, that is by the president of the contest, whose duty it was to give the prize to him who had surpassed others in the agon or the race. Thus here both the agon and the stadium of Paul is his life, status and office of evangelizing; the wrestling and the race are labors and passions; the victory of the agon is that by which contending against the flesh, the demon, the world, heretics, pagans, and all sorts of peoples, he conquered all and subjected them to Christ; the victory of the stadium of his is both that already mentioned, and this, namely that in the spreading of the Gospel he surpassed and exceeded holy men and other Apostles; the crown is the great degree and accumulation of heavenly glory, which God, the brabeutes, was soon to give to him. After the manner of St. Paul, blessed Agatha, having nobly run her agon, now dying, said: "Thou hast seen, O Lord, and beheld my agon, how I fought in the stadium; but because I would not obey the commands of the princes, I was ordered to be tortured in the breast. O Lord, who hast kept me from infancy, who hast taken from me the love of the world, who hast made me superior to the torments of executioners, receive my soul." I have finished my course. — Some think the course to be the same as the contest and agon which preceded; as if Paul, having said generally: "A good fight have I fought," here explained it in particular, saying: "I have finished my course," that is to say, by contending in the race I conquered, and as victor I reached the finish. But it is better that others distinguish the agon from the race: for the agon was of boxers and athletes wrestling, contending and fighting; but the race was of runners and stadium-racers. Whence the Apostle distinguishes these in 1 Corinthians, chapter ix, verse 26: "I," he says, "so run, not as uncertain; so do I fight, not as beating the air." Hence also Theodoret, explaining that: "A good fight have I fought," that is, he says, fighting against the whole host of the devil, with enemies routed and defeated I have erected a trophy. Paul therefore compares his labors and contests to the spreading of the Gospel partly to an agon, partly to a race, because this race of his was an agon. For in this race and stadium of the Gospel it was necessary for him to contend against demons, Jews, magistrates and other pagans and impious men, who in this race strove to hinder Paul, to stop him, and to prevent the spreading of the Gospel. These are the words of Paul, not boasting, but consoling and exhorting Timothy to follow him in this race, that is to say, I have run from the prisons to the finish line, I go forth victorious from the stadium to the crown, rejoice therefore and follow me as I go before, O Timothy, I hand on to you the torch. Thus Chrysostom, who says: "Thus Paul ran as if winged, nay swifter than any winged creature, as if he had fiery wings, by which he flew through the world, deaths, snares, hardships, delights, enticements and all impediments to the Gospel." This course therefore of Paul signifies his progress, both in virtues, and more especially in labors and the preaching of the Gospel, and finally the course and journeys of Paul through lands and seas for the spreading of the Gospel throughout the whole world. Note here: This was the order and course of the pilgrimage of St. Paul. First, he went from Damascus into Arabia, to Galatians I, 17; from Arabia after three years he returned to Damascus, thence he went to Jerusalem to see Peter, to Galatians I, 18; from Jerusalem, through Caesarea, he came to Tarsus; thence with Barnabas to Antioch, whence he was sent by the Church to Jerusalem to carry alms to the poor of Jerusalem; thence returning to Antioch, sent by the Holy Spirit he went to Seleucia, soon into Cyprus. From this through Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, he reached Jerusalem again, and attended the first Council of Jerusalem, Acts xv; whence again sent by the Apostles with Silas and Barnabas he traversed Syria and Cilicia; then Phrygia, Galatia and Mysia. Thence he came to Troas, where called by a vision into Macedonia, entering Europe he passed through Boeotia, Achaia, Epirus. And thus from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum he filled all the regions round about with the preaching of the Gospel, Romans xv, 19. And finally returning to Jerusalem, thence he was sent bound to Rome; but being released, he traversed Italy, Spain, and other places; until coming to Rome a second time, with Peter, he overcame and cast down Simon Magus, and at last by the command of Nero, struck on the head, he obtained the laurel of martyrdom. Wherefore deservedly Chrysostom, homily 73 to the People, vol. V: "As much," he says, "as the sun traverses the earth sending forth its own rays, so much did this blessed one (Paul) have solicitude and care for all the Churches, which were (or rather which through him were to be and to be established) throughout the whole world. You have seen the breadth of soul, you have seen the greatness of mind." The Emperor Vespasian, as Xiphilinus testifies, laboring under a lethal disease, nevertheless treated the affairs of the state equally as when well, being warned by physicians to set them aside and rest, replied: "It befits an Emperor to die standing." But Paul not only standing, but even running fell: for he did not cease to run in this his struggle, until life abandoned him, and thus he consummated his course in death. I have kept the faith. — "The faith," namely Christian faith, or rather faith, that is fidelity: for this is required in a fighter and a runner. For no one shall be crowned in the struggle and the stadium, unless he has fought faithfully and lawfully to the end. Whence Primasius understands by faith perseverance, as if to say: I was a faithful athlete, I persevered eagerly in this struggle and course undertaken to the end of life. No one broke or diminished my constancy, no one my courage, no one my fidelity, not the Jews, not the Gentiles, not kings, not Philosophers, not demons, not chains, not stripes, not pleasures, not temptations, not terrors: but rather all these things added strength and courage to me as I struggled and ran. O how sweet and pleasant it will be for one about to die, if with Paul in the hour of death, as conscience testifies, he can say to himself: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith!" Let us therefore struggle generously, let us run strenuously, while we live and are vigorous; so that in that last moment and point of life, on the horizon, I say, of eternity, which will separate and determine us forever from this temporal life, and will transfer us to that other which is all of eternity, we may rejoice concerning the life passed, hope most excellently concerning the future, and say: "I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."
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8. In the rest is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord will render to me in that day, a just judge. — For "in the rest" in Greek is λοιπόν, that is what remains, as Ambrose translated it, which we commonly say, for the rest. Secondly, from the fact that Paul constantly asserts that this crown is laid up for him in the heavens, Anselm thinks that Paul received a revelation of his own predestination and election to glory. But this place neither proves nor requires this. For Paul asserts this only from confidence in his good conscience, just as from the same, but not from divine revelation, he said: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." For a conscience well-assured to itself, as it can say: "I have fought a good fight," etc., not because it has the certainty of faith or divine revelation in this matter, but only a certain moral security, and a sure opinion and confidence flowing from the memory of a well-lived past life and from the testimony of its own conscience: thus consequently with like confidence it can say: "A crown of justice is laid up for me." With similar hope and constancy both others and St. Ambrose, dying, said: "Nor do I fear to die, nor do I refuse to live; for we have a good Lord." St. Augustine adds, lib. II On the Merits of Sins, cap. xvi: "Therefore," he says, "Paul rejoiced certain and secure in such words, because he who had already revealed to him that same passion had made him certain and secure of the victory (of death and martyrdom), not by the fullest reality, but by the firmest hope." For that Paul was not altogether certain, but doubted about his glory and salvation, is evident from I Cor. cap. ix, vers. 27: "I chastise," he says, "my body, and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway." Note thirdly, that "crown of justice" is called that which is due to justice, that is to every virtue. Thus Chrysostom and his followers. Secondly, as Anselm, "crown of justice," that is just, which I have justly merited, and which will be adjudged to me by the just sentence of the judge. Hence it is clear that we merit beatitude and eternal glory by good works ex condigno. For this is what "crown of justice" signifies, which Christ does not give, but renders for merit, not as a giver, but as a just judge. Therefore to each virtue will be its own crown, and it will vary according to merits. For, as St. Augustine says, serm. 37 On the Saints: "In the flowers of the heavenly Church neither roses nor lilies are lacking. Let each one now strive, dearest ones, for both honors, to receive the most ample crowns of dignities, either white ones from virginity, or purple ones from passion, or laurel ones from doctrine;" and let them look to and await that of Daniel cap. xii, vers. 13: "They that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity." The same St. Augustine, lib. II Questions on the Gospels, Question XXXIX: "All things," he says, "can be said of that ineffable enjoyment of truth, and so much more can all things be said, the less anything can be said worthily; for it is both light to the illuminated, rest to the exercised, and homeland to those returning, and food to the needy, and crown to the victorious; and whatever temporal goods passing through the parts of creatures the error of the unfaithful seeks, truer and remaining eternal in the creator of all will be found together by the piety of the sons." Note that this crown is to be given in "that day," namely the celebrated and public day, namely on the day of general judgment; not that it is not given before, namely immediately from death in particular judgment, as the Greeks and Armenians held, whom the Council of Florence condemns, but because in the universal judgment it will be given full and consummated, namely of body and soul, and public before the whole world, the crown. Here the question is raised, whether God owes this crown to the just by justice, so that He is bound by the obligation of justice to give them this crown, and therefore what and what kind of justice is in God? For it seems unworthy to place any debt in God, and to make God a debtor to man. On the other hand, however, Scripture here says that God will render this crown to the Saints as a crown of justice, that is, owed to them by justice. Thus also in Matthew xx, He commands that wages be given to the workers, which He promised and covenanted to them for their daily labour. Again, Scripture often says that God will render to each according to their works, that is, according to the merits of their works, whether punishment or reward, as they have deserved; and that He will justly avenge the impious and punish them with the fire of hell. Therefore in God there is justice both vindicative and distributive and commutative, by which He does this. But Paul signifies the same thing more clearly to the Hebrews, vi, 10: "For God," he says, "is not unjust, that he should forget your work and the love which you have shown in his name," that is to say, Lest God appear to be unjust, He altogether does not forget your labour, but will repay to it the reward owed. Whence it follows that God owed this reward to their labour by justice. So that these and many other similar sentences of St. Paul and of Holy Scripture may be understood, I say first, in God there is vindicative or punitive justice. This is evident, because by this God punishes the damned and sinners. There is also in God distributive and commutative justice. This is evident from this passage in the crown and reward which God distributes to the Blessed, according to each one's merits, and which He exchanges with them as it were as a price for a thing or work rendered. I say second, in God there is no debt of vindicative justice, by which namely God is bound to punish sinners, nor is there in God a debt of distributive justice, and much less of commutative justice. I mean a formal, perfect and absolute debt, such as exists among men and equals; by which namely God is bound absolutely by justice to give the just a reward, as a man is bound to give a worker whom he has hired the price which he stipulated. This is evident first, because, as Scripture teaches everywhere, God has the most absolute dominion of all things and of His creatures, which He cannot alienate from Himself, and bind and constrain by such a bond, namely by a debt of justice so tight and rigid. Second, because every creature is under the power of God, as a servant under a master, and that by the fullest right of servitude, as to all and each thing which it possesses. Just as therefore a master can deny to a servant a thing, for instance a garment promised, indeed even take away one given, and rescind and annul the promise without injustice, because whatever a servant possesses as a servant, all that is his master's: so much more can God do the same with men and His angels. Whence if a master to a servant, and by impossibility God to the just should deny the reward which He promised, it would indeed be changeable and unfaithful, yet it would not be properly unjust. Third, because our works are not only commanded and owed to God, but they themselves are wholly God's, and all their merit, and all right to reward, in its entirety is God's, and everything depends on God in being and in preservation, just as all other things and creatures; indeed from God's grace a meritorious work receives all its value and merit, and therefore all these things intimately depend on the free will of God, in whose hand it is absolutely whether they be or be not in the nature of things: in no way therefore can God be bound or obliged by them, since at any moment He can abrogate them, indeed annihilate them. Add, that the divine will can be bound or determined by nothing external, but only by itself. Fourth, because obligation and debt signify imperfection, namely exigency and real debt, and therefore signify right, eminence and dominion of the creditor over the debtor, and that he can by right compel him to payment. Which cannot befit God: for God, as St. Augustine says, lib. II of the Confessions, cap. IV, "pays debts owing to none." Thus Anselm, in the Proslogion, cap. x and xi; St. Thomas, Ludovicus Molina and Gabriel Vasquez, I part., Question XXI, art. 4. I say third, yet this merit of good works is said to be a debt, and their reward is called a crown of justice: First, because the work itself, and the good act itself, is by its nature worthy of such a reward, namely eternal life, and proportioned to it: both because grace, and an act proceeding from grace is the seed of glory; and because Christ merited for us this faculty of meriting; especially with God's promise added, by which He promised both to Christ and to us that He would give a reward to our good works. There is therefore justice interposed here, if not on the part of God, certainly on the part of the thing. Secondly, God is also a debtor to the just by reason of His faithfulness, or truthfulness, which is a part of distributive justice. For God is faithful, and He fulfills His faith when He gives and bestows upon the just the reward which He promised. Thirdly, moreover God is a debtor here by reason of a certain commutative justice, yet presupposed and remaining His promise, by which He promised a reward for such a work. By justice, I say, not rigid, but such as can exist between a father and son, a servant and master, a creature and Creator: because God by His mere liberality promised to good works this reward, and consequently, as St. Augustine says, serm. 16 De Verbis Apostoli: "He made Himself a debtor not only to Himself, but also to Christ and to us, so that we can say to Him: Render what Thou hast promised, because we have done what Thou hast commanded." Thus also Chrysostom, hom. 3 in Matth.; Cyprian, tract. De Orat. et Eleemosyna; Fulgentius, praef. ad Monimum, say that God becomes a debtor to us when we do good works. Just as therefore, although a son is something of the father's, and by piety is bound to obey the father, yet there is a certain paternal right and justice by which the father is bound by a certain justice to give to obedient, laboring, striving, and victorious sons the reward which he promised: so also God to us, although we are His sons and servants, yet laboring and striving, is bound by a similar justice to give the reward which He promised. And the reason is, because God promised this reward not freely, but under the condition of works, as a reward for their merit. Therefore, when the work has been performed by us and completed, God owes us this reward as a reward: therefore by justice. For he who promised a reward for work performed is bound to pay it by justice, not however by faithfulness alone. For by faithfulness one is bound to pay what he promised, even without any condition or merit of works, so that he may be faithful and truthful. And this is signified here by the crown of justice, which God renders to the good as a just judge, and from it, Matt. xx, God pays the laborers the penny promised, as the price of a day's labor: whence it is evident consequently that the laborers have a right of justice to this penny. Paul signifies the same thing when he says Heb. vi, 10: "For God is not unjust," etc., that is to say, God would be unjust if He forgot your work and labor. You will say, how therefore does God retain His high and absolute right and dominion over all things, if He is altogether bound by justice to give us a reward? I answer: God always retains this high and transcendent right, because He could and can rescind and annul this promise of His and this obligation without injustice. If, however, He wishes it to remain ratified, as He does wish, because He is immutable and faithful in His promises, then consequently He wishes this obligation and debt of justice to remain, by which God of His own accord from His infinite benignity deigned to bind Himself to us, and wishes to remain bound. You will say secondly: All our works are God's, therefore we can give God nothing which God would recompense. I answer: Although they are God's, they are also ours, because we do them freely, and God made us their masters. If therefore we do them and refer them to God's glory and worship, we give God a certain good, namely worship, which He Himself accepts. For which He in turn promises and pays us a reward. There is therefore between us and God a certain exchange and covenant, and consequently a certain debt of commutative justice, although not so much, nor so rigid as between men. You will say thirdly: It is unworthy of God that He be a debtor to man. I answer: It would be unworthy if He were a debtor from necessity or utility to Himself; but it is not unworthy in this state of things, in which this debt arises from God's infinite benignity, which deals so familiarly with His creature, as if it were not naturally a servant, but free, and with it as with an equal He enters into a covenant, and binds Himself to it by His justice. Whence St. Augustine, serm. 3 De Verbis Domini: "O great," he says, "goodness of God! to whom, although we ought to render obedience by reason of our condition, as servants to the Lord, slaves to the Redeemer, He promises us the rewards of friendship, so that from us He may obtain the obedience of due servitude." Whoever wishes to read more on this matter, let him read Francis Suarez in his opuscula, relectio II De Libertate divina, and relectio De Justitia. Christ the judge will give the crown of justice to those who have a good conscience toward themselves and have often desired His coming in life, and have prepared themselves for it by living well and prepare themselves daily, as you do, O Timothy, and that you may do so more ardently, I tacitly exhort you here. "For those who love the coming of the judge," says Anselm, "are only those who know they have the merit of justice in their cause;" and, as St. Gregory says, "only those who know they have a good cause in judgment;" "and those who," as St. Augustine says in epistle 80, "await it with the same sincerity of faith, firmness of hope and ardor of charity." Again Theodoret: "He loves," he says, "the coming of the Lord, who follows His laws and institutes his life from them." Most beautifully indeed here Chrysostom in the moral homily 9 asks how we can love the second coming of Christ and prepare ourselves for it; and he answers that we shall attain this if first we love the coming of Christ and procure it for ourselves, by doing what He Himself says in John chapter xiv, 23: "If any man love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him;" and consequently, if we esteem all earthly things to be mud and clay; if we bear injuries and all adversities patiently and bravely with Christ; if in every temptation we adhere steadfastly to God, and fix all our hope and love upon Him; if finally we always set before our eyes this crown of justice. St. Basil relates, in homily 20 On the Forty Martyrs, that when they were cast into an icy pool, they were surrounded by light from heaven, and the heavenly angels adorned each with his own crown and showed it to them: seeing which their keeper was so inflamed that he turned to Christ, and stripping off his garments, eagerly leaped into this icy pool, and joined himself to the other thirty-nine, so that the fortieth, who had grown weak and had come out of the pool, might obtain the palm and crown.
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Hasten to come to me quickly — so that, bound in chains and abandoned by almost everyone and now about to die, I may entrust to you alone the public affairs of the Churches, and other matters which I can neither commit to writing nor dare to: and so that the faithful of Rome may suffer no disturbance at my death, but may receive consolation, strength and courage from you. Thus Chrysostom. 9. For Demas has left me, loving this world — that is, preferring to idle, rest softly and indulge himself in the world, rather than to be in danger with Paul for Christ. Thus Chrysostom with his followers, and Primasius: "It was necessary," he says, "that he who loved the pleasures of the world should leave him (Paul) who did not love them." Some think that Demas, repenting later, returned to Paul. For he mentions him as it were his helper in the epistle to Philemon, verse 24. But this is uncertain, since it is uncertain whether the epistle to Philemon was written after this one: for many wish this to be the last of all. If we believe Dorothaeus in the Synopsis, Demas, falling away from Paul, became a priest of idols. See where apostates rush. Crescens into Galatia — supply, went sent by me to preach the Gospel there. By Galatia Theodoret and others understand Gaul: for that this was called Galatia, just as the Gauls were called Galatae by the Greeks, Ammianus Marcellinus teaches, book XV. Certainly that this Crescens was sent into Gaul and ruled the Church of Vienne is established both from Eusebius, book III of the History, chapter IV; and from the Roman Martyrology, June 27; unless you say that from Galatia he went into Gaul.
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11. Luke alone is with me. — The Romans relate, according to Baronius, in the year of Christ 69, that Peter with Paul were shut up in Rome in the same Mamertine prison for nine months, and from there were led out to martyrdom. What he says therefore, that Luke alone is with him, he means alone, namely, who is free, who can freely help him and manage his affairs. Add that Peter was indeed in the same prison, but in another part of the prison. Take Mark and bring him with you: for he is useful to me in the ministry — namely the Gospel, so that he may preach it here and elsewhere. This Mark is not the same as Mark the Evangelist, but was called by his proper name John, with the cognomen Mark, cousin of Barnabas, as is clear from Colossians iv, 10. This Mark had abandoned Paul in his travels out of fear of dangers and labors; whence he was rejected by Paul, as is clear from Acts xv, 37; but later, when he repented and labored strenuously, Paul received him into favor and companionship: whence he also earnestly commends him to the Colossians. 11. But Tychicus I sent to Ephesus — namely so that he might supply the place of Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, called away from me to Rome, at Ephesus. Note Paul's solicitude for the Churches while in chains, striving so that those which he could not instruct himself, he might instruct and confirm through his disciples. Hence he sent Crescens into Galatia, Titus into Dalmatia, Tychicus to Ephesus, Mark and others elsewhere.
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13. The cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come bring with you, and the books, but especially the parchments. — By the cloak Ambrose, Haymo and Anselm understand a senatorial garment left to Paul by his father, which Roman citizens and those admitted to citizenship from abroad used when they came to Rome. For senators went about in cloaks, and Romans in cloaks entered the senate house. Paul, however, as a Tarsian, was a Roman citizen, and because he was noble, he was of senatorial rank. But what need had a captive and one about to die of a senatorial garment? Secondly, the Syrian translator renders בית כתב bet ketabe, that is, a case of books. Whence Baronius also thinks it was a volume of the law. But this seems to be understood not by the cloak, but by the books which the Apostle adds. Thirdly, others, to whom Tertullian favors, in his book On Prayer, chapter twelve, think the "cloak" to be a sacred vestment which we call a Chasuble or Planetary vestment, which is said to be called penula, from the Greek ἀπό τοῦ φαίνεσθαι ὅλον, because namely it appears whole, and covers the whole body. Whence also Planetary is said from the Greek ἀπό τοῦ πλανᾶν, that is from wandering about. Fourthly, better and more commonly others, such as Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Jerome, in his third dialogue Against the Pelagians, take "cloak" for a mantle or similar outer garment for warding off cold and rain. For thus Juvenal writes of a cloak in Satire 5: "And the cloak would drip with much rain." And Lampridius in his life of Severus says: "The cloak," he says, "he permitted to be used within the city by the elderly for the sake of cold, although this kind of garment had always been for traveling or rain." Thus Lazarus Baysius, in his book On Clothing, chapter sixteen. Paul therefore asks this mantle to be brought to him, both because it was more convenient for him, as being something he was already accustomed to; and so that no one in prison should be burdened, but that he himself might clothe himself, and protect his body against the injuries of sharp winter. For winter was approaching, as is evident from verse 21. Note: Carpus, whom Paul mentions here, seems to be the one whom St. Dionysius praises, and whose wonderful vision of Christ appearing and saying to him, when he was indignant and seeking vengeance on his unbelieving enemies: "Carpus, strike against me, for I am prepared to suffer again for the salvation of men," he recounts in his eighth letter to Demophilus; except that Carpus, of whom Paul speaks here, was at Troas; but Carpus, of whom Dionysius speaks, dwelt in Crete; whence Baronius thinks there were two Carpuses. Others, however, with Anselm, make them one and the same Carpus, who was first Bishop at Laodicea, which is near Troas, and then at Crete. Note secondly: The Apostle, in prison and near to death, asks to have brought to him books and parchments, in which namely was written Holy Scripture, or the books of the Old Testament. He calls "books" the older ones, written by others; but "parchments" the more recent ones written by himself. Where note how Paul fled idleness, and how devoted he was to the study of Holy Scripture, so that he wished to die in it: indeed, as Solon used to say, "We must learn as long as we live." See the sayings in the first epistle, chapter four, verse 13.
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14. Alexander the coppersmith showed me much evil: the Lord will render to him according to his works: 15. whom you also avoid; for he greatly resisted our words. — This Alexander first believed in Christ, and appeased the tumult raised against Paul at Ephesus, Acts xix, 33. From which place it is clear that he was a Jew, but dwelt at Ephesus. He is called here "coppersmith," not because he was a keeper or receiver of the treasury, as Anselm wishes, but because he was a worker of bronze and brazen vessels. For this is what the Greek word χαλκεύς signifies. He afterwards fell away from the faith, as is evident from the first epistle, chapter one, last verse, and greatly resisted Paul and the Gospel, and showed him much evil, that is, exhibited, caused, inflicted it. For this is what the Hebrew הראה hera signifies, that is, showed, as I said in I Corinthians iv, 9. And it is aptly said "showed" rather than "inflicted," because the wicked harm the good, not so much by the deed itself, as by their impious will, wish, desire: for the good, fortified by their patience, cannot be harmed or afflicted by any evils in deed itself, but overcome all things, and with their mind fixed in heaven they transcend them. Note: For "will render," Our text in Greek reads ἀποδώσει, others read ἀποδῷ, that is, may he render, as if Paul wishes not from a desire for vengeance, but from zeal for justice that the impious Alexander be punished by God.
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16. In my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. — Hence Baronius thinks this epistle was written from the first imprisonment, when Paul was already about to be released and was almost free. For, as follows, Paul afterwards immediately went throughout the whole world to evangelize, as if to say: When I first pleaded my cause before Nero, I so pleaded it that I did not bend his mind by his help, and he judged me to be released. And this was done by God's counsel, so that I might survive for nine more years, and proceed through Spain and other provinces to complete my preaching. But the truer and more common opinion, supported by no fewer conjectures than the former, indeed by greater ones, is that this epistle was written from the second imprisonment, as I said at verse 6, and shall say again at verse 20. Hence secondly, others understand by the first defense here that which Paul made first, when he was shut up in prison a second time, shortly before his martyrdom, as if to say: When I first stood before Nero in the second imprisonment, my companions forsaking me, God stood by me, so that I might boldly preach before him, and all nations might hear this my free preaching before Nero, and thus be confirmed in faith; especially because I was then delivered from death, which Nero was thought to inflict upon me immediately; but God softened him, until after nine months Nero, raging and furious against Paul, killed him. Hence Theophylactus on what follows: "That by me the preaching might be fulfilled," that is, he says, "be established," "and all nations hear," namely the glory of my free confession and preaching. Again, hear the care which God has for me. But since the Apostle says absolutely here that he was delivered from the mouth of the lion, that is Nero, so that he could complete his preaching, it seems he was absolutely released from imprisonment, and survived not nine months, but several more years to complete his preaching. Hence thirdly, most excellently Eusebius, lib. II Hist., cap. XXII, Bede, Anselm and others, understand by the first defense here that which Paul made in the first imprisonment, when namely in the second year of Nero he was captured at Jerusalem, sent to Rome itself, and there remained for two years. For then, deserted by his own, fearing Nero's pride and fury, he had God as his helper, who made Nero benevolent to him, so that he was freed from prison, and for nine years traveled through Spain and other provinces evangelizing, until captured a second time he made his second defense before Nero: but with a different outcome. For Nero, now maddened by so many cruel deeds of his, and raging against Paul and Peter, because they were introducing a new God, Christ, and because they had cast down Simon Magus, whom he held in favor, flying through their prayers; and specifically raging against Paul, because he had converted his cupbearer to Christ, as Chrysostom says, and because he had drawn his concubines from him to faith and chastity, as Baronius teaches from Ambrose and Chrysostom: for these reasons, I say, raging Nero condemned Paul to the sword and to death. Paul therefore writes this from the second imprisonment, which had happened to him in the first. You will say, it seems wonderful that after so long a time, namely nine years having elapsed, he finally writes this to Timothy, who had long since understood it. I answer: Although Timothy learned it from another source, yet not from Paul's letters, who, going away to Spain and other regions, was very far from Timothy, and gave no letters to Timothy in the meantime. Returning therefore to Rome for the second imprisonment, Paul aptly refreshes those things which happened in the first, both so that he might stir and excite Timothy's memory of them, and rather because he wished to write and record these things for future ages. Morally, St. Ambrose understands by defense here the passion and persecution of Paul: "For passion," he says, "is life to Christians, and persecution is defense: for pressure inflicted for justice will defend them on the day of judgment, making the faithless guilty."
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17. And the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me. — "For it is necessary that the divine should be present where human aid fails," says Philo, book II of the Life of Moses. And, as Origen says, homily 9 on Numbers: "Then especially is the grace of God present, when the savagery of men is stirred up;" "and there," as Ambrose testifies, in the book On Joseph, "there is more help where there is more danger." St. Gregory Thaumaturgus experienced this very thing, who in the persecution of Decius, fleeing and hiding with his deacon on a hill, when he was betrayed and the persecutors had surrounded the hill on all sides and were searching it, "exhorted his companion," says Nyssenus in his Life, "to stand firm in trust toward God, and to commit his salvation to Him, just as he himself did, extending his hands to prayer, and although the persecutors had drawn near, to cast off fear that had shaken his faith. He gave an example to his deacon of what he was commanding by presenting himself, with unmoved eyes, and outstretched hands, and bearing lofty and upright, gazing toward heaven. Thus it came about that the searchers, passing by two trees standing somewhat apart from each other (for Gregory praying with his companion appeared to them to be two trees), affirmed that they saw no one: when they had departed, the betrayer, seeing that they were not trees but men, fell at the feet of St. Gregory, believed his word, and he who a little before had been a persecutor became one of the fugitives." The same Gregory, when he prayed for his people afflicted in the same persecution, "suddenly filled with anguish, seemed to hear a sound, to which he applied his ears; soon he stood upright and remained unmoved, then as if joyful from victory he pronounced that passage from Psalm 123: Blessed be God who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. When those asking questioned what he had seen, he said that he had seen in that hour a great ruin, the devil being overcome by a certain young man in torments and martyrdom. He added his name, calling him Troadius. When they were sent down into the city, they reported that it had truly happened thus." Thus Nyssenus. That by me the preaching may be fully known, and that all nations may hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. — Some think that Paul was freed from his first imprisonment by the familiarity and assistance of Seneca the philosopher, who was the teacher of Nero. Whence there are extant letters of Seneca to Paul, and of Paul to Seneca, but of doubtful, indeed suspect, credibility. But Paul here teaches the contrary, namely that he was abandoned by men, and escaped this danger by the aid of God alone. Note: The cause which moved God to snatch Paul from his chains was that through him the preaching of the Gospel might be fully known, in Greek πληροφορηθῇ, which Vatablus and others translate as "might be fully persuaded," or "that full faith might be made in the Gospel." But Our author more simply translates it "might be fulfilled," that is, might be completed and finished, as I said on Romans 14:5, and this is more apt in this place; for Paul had already made full faith in the Gospel wherever he had preached: hence it was not necessary for his life to be prolonged for this. He was therefore preserved by God in life, so that he might preach in Spain and elsewhere, propagate and complete the preaching of the Gospel, and that all nations might hear it. Secondly Chrysostom notes the modesty of Paul; for he does not say: "That I might fulfill;" but, "that by me the preaching might be fulfilled," as if to say: This preaching entrusted to me snatched me from my chains and preserved me, "just as if someone bearing purple and a royal insignia were preserved by it," says Chrysostom. Note thirdly: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion," that is of the devil, says Ambrose; or of Festus the Procurator of Judaea, says Primasius. But most excellently Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, St. Thomas and Eusebius, book II of the History, chapter 22, understand by the lion Nero, who was cruel as a lion: of whom it could most truly be said that passage from Proverbs chapter 19, 12: "As the roaring of a lion, so also is the wrath of a king." Nero therefore was a lion, because he was proud and fierce beyond what can be said, equally as he was luxurious, being accustomed to use the works of Simon Magus familiarly: whence he was the first (for before him Tiberius from the things that were reported admired Christ, and even threatened danger to the accusers of Christians) to stir up a savage persecution against Christians. Hear Tacitus, book XV: "To those perishing," he says, "mockeries were added, so that covered with the skins of beasts they might die torn by dogs. Many were fixed to crosses, or burned by flame; most were reserved for this, so that when daylight failed, they might be kept for use as nocturnal light. Nero had offered his gardens for this spectacle, and was holding a circus game, mixed among the people in the dress of a charioteer, or standing in the circle." Was he not a lion, who killed the princes of the Apostles, Peter by the cross, Paul by the sword? Was he not a lion, who removed his mother and his teacher Seneca from the world? Was he not a lion, who by his savagery stirred up the sedition of the whole people against himself? When he tried to flee from it, at the third milestone from the City he killed himself with his own hand, saying: "I have lived shamefully, let me die more shamefully." See Severus Sulpicius, book II of the History.
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18. The Lord hath delivered me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom. — "From every evil work," that is, from every danger and hostile attack, such as those which he recounts in II Corinthians xi, 23. Secondly and rather, "from every evil work," that is, from every sin, as if to say: The Lord hath delivered me not only from the bodily lion threatening death, namely from Nero, but also from sin, which is a spiritual and more savage lion killing the soul; so that in any temptation, tribulation and terror, strengthened by God, neither by word, nor by deed, nor by any other sign, however slight, would I deny God or the faith; but rather both by word and by life I have professed and celebrated the name and glory of God everywhere. Note: For "delivered," the Greek, Syriac, Chrysostom, Ambrose and the ancients commonly read ῥύσεται, that is, "will deliver." And this responds more aptly both to what precedes and what follows, as if to say: Just as the Lord delivered me from the mouth of the bodily lion, namely Nero; so indeed I am confident that henceforth he will deliver me from the spiritual lion, that is, from every evil work, namely from every sin, and thus he will "save me," in Greek σώσει, that is, "will preserve me," "unto his heavenly kingdom," so that, preserved from sin and unharmed and uninjured by it, defending this innocence I may undergo martyrdom, and thus merit to enter the kingdom of heaven. The preposition "in," therefore, when he says "unto the kingdom," does not signify place, as if it were the same as "in the heavenly kingdom"; but it signifies the final cause, as if to say: He will save me to this end, that namely I may attain the heavenly kingdom. Thus Theophylactus, Anselm, Bede and others.
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20. And Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. — Miletus is a city of Asia, not far from Ephesus, celebrated for excellent wool and coverlets, which are called Milesian from there. Hence again it is clear that this epistle was written from the second captivity, not from the first. For in the first captivity (which was brought upon Paul by the Jews at Jerusalem on account of Trophimus, because they thought Paul had brought Trophimus, uncircumcised and a Gentile, into the temple, Acts xxi, 29), when Paul was bound at Jerusalem and sent to Rome, he did not pass through Miletus, as is evident from Acts xxvii. But when he was released from the first captivity, as he traveled through various places, so Paul revisited Miletus, and there left Trophimus sick, and coming to Rome he was captured a second time: for it is not likely that there were two Trophimuses, or that for Miletus one should read here Melita; as if not at Miletus, but at Melita, that is, Malta (which, when Paul was first bound and sent from Jerusalem to Rome, he passed through, as is evident from Acts xxviii, 1), he left Trophimus sick, as Baronius wishes; for both the Greek and Syriac and Latin consistently read Mileti, not Melitae. From this place it is evident that Paul after the first captivity not only went to Spain and other new provinces; but also revisited Asia and other former provinces and Churches, that he might perfect them in faith and morals, confirm them, and if anything evil had grown up, correct and cut it away. That this is so is evident from the fact that Paul, foreseeing from his captivity also his speedy liberation, wrote and promised this to the Syrians and others not once, but a second and third time. For to the Hebrews, in the last chapter, at the end: "Know," he says, "that our brother Timothy is sent; with whom, if he come shortly, I shall see you." And to the Philippians ii, 24: "I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come to you shortly." And to Philemon, verse 22: "Prepare me also a lodging: for I trust through your prayers that I shall be given to you." From which places our Salmeron, tom. XV, tract. 59, rightly concludes that Paul, freed from captivity, not only visited Spain, but also revisited Syria, Asia, Macedonia and Greece.
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21. Eubulus and Pudens and Linus salute thee. — This Pudens was a Roman Senator, a man most noble and illustrious, namely the father of Novatus and Timothy, of St. Praxedis and St. Pudentiana, or Potentiana, in whose house synaxes were held, which were later converted into a church, called the title, that is, the church of the Shepherd. This Pudens, therefore, a Roman Senator, was the host of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The place was shown to me in his former house, now a church, where St. Peter is said to have celebrated. In the same place I saw a well, into which St. Pudentius with his sister St. Praxedis used to put the blood which they wrung out with a sponge from the wounds of the Martyrs, and other relics of theirs. For thus the inscription reads, carved on stone in capital letters at the very entrance of the church: IN THIS HOLY MOST ANCIENT CHURCH, TITLED OF ST. THE SHEPHERD BY ST. POPE PIUS DEDICATED, ONCE THE HOUSE OF ST. PUDENS THE SENATOR, AND THE LODGING OF THE HOLY APOSTLES — THREE THOUSAND BODIES OF BLESSED MARTYRS REST, WHICH THE HOLY VIRGINS OF CHRIST PUDENTIANA AND PRAXEDIS BURIED WITH THEIR OWN HANDS. But Linus was first a companion of Paul. Whence St. Ignatius, in his epistle to the Trallians, speaks of him thus: "St. Stephen served Blessed James, Timothy and Linus served Paul, Anacletus and Clement served Blessed Peter." Later, however, Linus adhered to Blessed Peter, and in his absence from the City, he performed his functions in it. Whence also he succeeded Blessed Peter in the pontificate. Thus Baronius and others.
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22. Grace be with you, Amen. — By grace he understands the grace of God, by which they may be grateful to God, and works of virtue pleasing to Him may be powerfully wrought. See Chrysostom here in the moral homily 10, and Theophylactus, how and in what manner we ought to seek grace not of men, but of God.
Concluding Blessing Deliver us, O Christ, from every evil work, and make us safe in Thy heavenly kingdom: grant that perpetual light may shine upon us, and ETERNITY of ages. Amen.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Praemissis periculis temporum novissimorum, et idoneitate Timothei ad resistendum, hic ostendit quomodo resistat. Et primo ponitur monitio; secundo eius necessitas, ibi erit enim. Item, primo ponitur eius contestatio; secundo admonitio, ibi praedica verbum. In contestatione sunt duo consideranda, scilicet coram quibus contestetur, et per quem. Contestatur autem coram duobus, scilicet coram eo qui est nostra beatitudo, et coram eo qui nos in beatitudinem introducit. Beatitudo autem nostra Deus est. Ps. XXXII, 12: beata gens cuius est dominus Deus eius. Et ideo dicit testificor coram Deo, id est, testem invoco Deum quod hanc monitionem faciam. Hic enim testis non decipitur. II Cor. c. I, 23: ego autem Deum testem invoco in animam meam. Et Christo, cuius est introducere in beatitudinem. Rom. V, 2: per quem et accessum habemus per fidem in gratiam istam. Vel aliter introducit quidem, quia ipse iudicaturus est vivos et mortuos. Et tunc vivos dicit illos, qui vivi reperientur in adventu eius, qui morientur quidem, sed quia in modico tempore resurgent, dicuntur vivi. I Thess. IV, 14: nos qui vivimus, qui residui sumus in adventu domini, non praeveniemus eos qui dormierunt. Vel vivos dicit bonos, scilicet qui vivunt vita gratiae, et mortuos, malos. I Io. c. III, 14: qui non diligit, manet in morte. Et hos etiam iudicat. Act. X, 10: ipse est qui constitutus est a Deo iudex vivorum et mortuorum. Sed cum Christus sit Deus, quomodo utitur hic hac copula coram Deo et Christo? Respondeo. Potest dici quod dicitur coram Deo, scilicet patre, et Christo, id est filio. Pater enim est fons divinitatis. Deinde cum dicit et per adventum, etc., contestatur per duo desiderabilia sanctis: primum est adventus Christi. Lc. XII, v. 36: similes hominibus expectantibus dominum suum quando revertatur a nuptiis. Apoc. ult.: veni, domine Iesu. Secundum est regnum eius. Matth. VI, 10: adveniat regnum tuum. Regnat quidem secundum potestatem generalem super omnem creaturam. Matth. ult.: data est mihi omnis potestas in caelo et in terra. Sed specialiter et spiritualiter in sanctis regnat in praesenti per gratiam, et in futuro per gloriam. Qui sancti non sunt de hoc mundo. Io. XVIII, 36: regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Sed hoc regnum hic inchoatur, et in futuro consummabitur, quando omnia regna ei subiicientur et volentia, et nolentia. Ps. CIX, 1: donec ponam inimicos tuos, et cetera. Consequenter cum dicit praedica verbum, ponitur monitio, et hoc ut instet doctrinae, quae est duplex. Una ad omnes, quam ponit primo; alia ad aliquos, et hanc ponit secundo, ibi argue. Item, primo monet eum ad generalem doctrinam exequendam; secundo docet modum exequendi. Dicit ergo praedica verbum, scilicet Evangelii. Mc. ult.: euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. In praedicatione duo sunt, scilicet denunciatio veritatis, et instructio ad mores. Et haec duo debet praedicator facere. Lc. ult.: incipiens a Moyse, et omnibus prophetis, interpretabatur illis in omnibus Scripturis, et cetera.
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Modus est instantia et continuatio, unde dicit insta opportune, importune. II Cor. XI, 28: instantia mea quotidiana, et cetera. Sed dicit importune. Contra, Eccli. XX, 22: ex ore fatui reprobabitur parabola; non enim dicit illam in tempore suo. Item, Prov. XV, v. 23: sermo opportunus optimus est. Dicendum est quod praedicator secundum veritatem, semper debet praedicare opportune, sed secundum existimationem falsam audientium, debet praedicare importune, quia praedicator veritatis semper est bonis opportunus, et malis importunus semper. Io. VIII, v. 47: qui ex Deo est, verba Dei audit, propterea vos non auditis, quia ex Deo non estis. Eccli. VI, 21: quam aspera est nimium sapientia indoctis hominibus. Si homo enim vellet hanc servare opportunitatem, ut solum diceret his qui volunt audire, prodesset tantum iustis; sed oportet quod aliquando etiam praedicet malis ut convertantur. Et ad hoc additur importune. Is. LVIII, 1: clama, ne cesses, et cetera. Consequenter cum dicit argue, ponitur doctrina in speciali, quam primo ponit; secundo modum, ibi in omni patientia. Instituens autem aliquem, specialiter potest eum instituere, vel de pertinentibus ad fidem; puta ut doceat veritatem, et removeat errorem; et quantum ad hoc primum dicit argue, scilicet errores. Tit. II, 15: argue cum omni imperio. Vel de pertinentibus ad bonos mores, et ad hoc debet inducere aliquando bonum, et superiorem, et tunc debet placide et benigne monere; unde dicit obsecra. I Tim. V, 1: seniorem ne increpaveris, sed obsecra ut patrem. Gal. VI, v. 1: vos qui spirituales estis, huiusmodi instruite in spiritu lenitatis, et specialiter si non peccat ex malitia. Si autem instruat vel instituat malum, debet eum increpare; ideo dicit increpa. Tit. I, 13: ob quam causam increpa illos dure, ut sani sint in fide. Iob V, v. 17: increpationem domini ne reprobes. Sed quis modus? In omni patientia, ne iratus appareas, et ex ira instruas, sed tranquille. Prov. XIX, 11: doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur. Ps. XCI, 14: bene patientes erunt ut annuntient. Et doctrina, scilicet de his quae ad fidem, et in his quae ad mores. Ier. III, 15: pascent vos scientia et doctrina. Deinde cum dicit erit enim, ostendit necessitatem monitionis praemissae. Est autem triplex necessitas praedictorum. Et prima ex parte audientium; secunda ex parte Timothei, ibi tu vero; tertia ex parte apostoli, ibi ego enim iam. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo proponit necessitatem; secundo exponit dictum suum, ibi et a veritate. Necessitas prima est auditorum perversitas in audiendo, ut utilia nolint audire, sed curiosa. Dicit ergo quantum ad primum: insta, dum nolunt audire sanam doctrinam, erit enim tempus cum sanam doctrinam, etc., quando erunt mali doctores. Act. XX, 29: ego scio quoniam lupi rapaces intrabunt in vos post discessionem meam. Unde dicit non sustinebunt, id est, erit eis odiosa vestra doctrina, scilicet Christi. Prov. VIII, v. 8: iusti sunt omnes sermones mei, non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum. Alia perversitas, quia volunt inordinate audire curiosa et noxia. Prov. I, 22: usquequo, parvuli, diligitis infantiam, et stulti ea quae sunt sibi noxia cupient, et imprudentes odibunt scientiam?
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Ideo dicit sed ad sua desideria coacervabunt, id est, multiplicabunt, et cetera. Contra quos dicitur Iac. III, 1: nolite plures magistri fieri, fratres mei, scientes quoniam maius iudicium sumitis. Et est coacervatio quando indigni et insufficientes multiplicantur, et magis coacervatio est, si fiant quatuor indigni, quam si centum boni; quia, ut habetur Sap. VI, 26, multitudo sapientium, sanitas est orbis terrarum. Is. XXX, 10: loquimini nobis placentia. Et hoc est secundum sua desideria, quia unus vult audire unum, alius alium, et sic quaerunt diversos magistros. Et dicit magistros prurientes auribus, scilicet auditores. Pruritum dicitur habere in pedibus, qui non vult quiescere. In auribus vero, qui semper audire vult nova, inaudita, et curiosa, et quandoque noxia. Act. XVII, 21, Athenienses ad nihil aliud vacabant, nisi aut discere, aut audire aliquid novi. Et ideo multiplicatur doctrina haeretica. Prov. IX, 17: aquae furtivae dulciores sunt, et panis absconditus suavior, et cetera. Consequenter cum dicit et a veritate exponit dictum: et primo ponit quod dixerat, quod sanam doctrinam non sustinent, cum dicit a veritate auditum avertent. Sana doctrina est quando non habet admixtam falsitatem, ergo sanam doctrinam non sustinent, dum veritatem nolunt audire. Os. c. IV, 1: non est veritas, et non est misericordia, et non est scientia Dei in terra. Io. c. VIII, 45: si veritatem dico vobis, quare non creditis mihi?
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Secundo quod dixerat: coacervabunt, etc., exponit cum dicit ad fabulas autem convertentur. Fabula est composita ex miris in quibus deficit veritas. Et talia homines habentes in auribus pruritum, volunt audire. I Tim. c. IV, 7: ineptas et inanes fabulas devita. Deinde cum dicit tu vero, ponitur necessitas ex parte Timothei, cui erat officium commissum; et ideo necessarium erat quod praedicaret. Et primo monet eum ad sollicitudinem; secundo inducit eum ad laborem; tertio moderatur laborem.
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Dicit ergo tu vero vigila. Quasi dicat: isti sic faciunt, tu vero, et cetera. Matth. c. XXIV, 42: vigilate, quia nescitis qua hora dominus vester venturus sit. Lc. II, 8: et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes, et custodientes vigilias noctis supra gregem suum. Rom. XII, 8: qui praeest in sollicitudine. Sed quia sollicitudo sine labore, inanis est, ideo primo inducit ad universaliter laborandum; secundo determinat in quo est laborandum; tertio laborandi necessitatem. Dicit ergo: vigila, sed sic, quod aliquid facias; et ideo labora. Sap. III, 20: bonorum laborum gloriosus est fructus. Et hoc in omnibus, id est, in omni genere hominum. Is. XXXII, 15: beati qui seminatis super omnes aquas. Mc. ult.: praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae. Unde mox determinat in quo est laborandum, dicens opus fac Evangelistae, id est, evangeliza. Hoc enim est nobile opus; quia ad hoc Christus est missus. Lc. IV, 43: aliis civitatibus oportet me evangelizare, quia ideo missus sum. Is. XLI, 27: primus ad Sion dicet: ecce adsum, et Ierusalem Evangelistam dabo. Evangelista autem dicitur aliquando qui scripsit Evangelium, et sic sunt quatuor; quandoque qui praedicat ipsum, et sic dicitur hic et Eph. IV, 11. Necessitas autem huius laboris, quia est ministerium tuum, tibi commissum. Et ideo imple, scilicet praedicando. Col. IV, 17: dicite Archippo: vide ministerium quod accepisti in domino, ut illud impleas. Ille autem implet officium Evangelistae, qui verbo praedicat, et opere implet. Act. I, 1: coepit Iesus facere et docere. Consequenter inducit ad moderantiam, dicens sobrius esto, vel sobrietati corporali, quae decet praedicatorem. Ebrietas enim est inimica sapientiae. Eccle. II, 3: cogitavi abstrahere a vino carnem meam. Vel potius sobrietas ponitur hic pro discretione. Act. XXVI, 25: verba sobrietatis, et veritatis eloquor. I Petr. V, 8: sobrii estote, et cetera.
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Supra monuit eum, ut instaret doctrinae, et hoc propter audientes, et propter ipsum Timotheum, hic inducit tertiam necessitatem, scilicet ex parte apostoli, et est, quia in brevi erat subtrahendus de mundo. Et primo praenuntiat suam mortem imminere; secundo mandat quod visitet eum, ibi festina. Circa primum duo facit: primo designatur instantia mortis eius; secundo securitas morientis, ibi bonum certamen. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo nuntiat passiones quas patiebatur; secundo praedicit mortem quae expectabatur, ibi et tempus meae. Quantum ad primum dicit: ego enim iam delibor, quasi dicat: statim ego delibor. Sanctorum autem passio dicitur immolatio. Phil. II, 17: sed et si immolor super sacrificium, et obsequium fidei vestrae gaudeo. Ps. CXV, 17: tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis, scilicet pro te patiendo. Antiquitus in sacrificiis, quae ex humidis offerebantur, quaedam fiebant praegustationes; et hae vocabantur delibationes. Rom. XI, 16: quod si delibatio sancta est, et massa, et cetera. Et ideo vocat passiones imminentes delibationes. Et quamvis iamdiu eas sim expertus, tempus tamen meae resolutionis instat. Est autem duplex resolutio, scilicet animae a corpore. Eccle. ult.: et revertatur pulvis in terram suam, unde erat: et spiritus redeat ad Deum qui dedit illum. Item est resolutio corporis in pulverem. Gen. III, 19: pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris. Deinde cum dicit bonum, ostendit securitatem suae mortis. Sed sciendum est, quod est differentia inter mortem iusti et peccatoris quia, ut dicitur Prov. XI, 7, mortuo homine impio, nulla erit ultra spes. Quia enim spem habet in istis rebus transitoriis, ideo spem non habet in aeternis. Sed iustus habet spem in aeternis, et non in terrenis. Primo ergo ponit meritum suae securitatis; secundo securitatem de praemio, ibi in reliquo. Meritum huius vitae est in tribus, scilicet in resistendo malis, in proficiendo in bonis, et in bene utendo Dei donis. Primum dicitur quoddam certamen; unde hic dicit bonum certamen certavi. Sed certamen dicitur bonum, primo, si sit pro bonis; puta si sit pro fide et iustitia, sicut apostoli. Iud. I, 3: de communi vestra salute necesse habui scribere vobis, deprecans supercertari semel traditae sanctae fidei. Eccli. c. IV, 33: pro iustitia agonizare pro anima tua, et usque ad mortem certa pro iustitia. Secundo, propter modum certaminis, si scilicet sollicite et legitime certetur. Supra II, v. 5: non coronabitur, nisi qui legitime certaverit. I Cor. IX, 29: sic pugno, non quasi aerem verberans, sed castigo corpus meum, et cetera. Tertio, propter difficultatem certaminis. Sap. X, 12: et certamen forte dedit illi, ut vinceret. Secundum quod est profectus in bonis dicitur cursus, unde sequitur cursum consummavi. I Cor. IX, 24: sic currite, ut comprehendatis. Et dicitur cursus profectus sanctorum, quia cum festinatione currunt, ut meliorantes consumment, agitati stimulis charitatis. Hebr. IV, 11: festinemus ergo ingredi in illam requiem. Ps. CXVIII, 32: viam mandatorum tuorum cucurri. Sed adhuc certamen et cursus mortis restabat: ergo non consummaverat cursum, nec certaverat. Dicendum est quod sicut homo qui bene incipit et intendit finire, habet opus perfecte, sic et apostolus: iam enim incoeperat, et finire intendebat. Bonus usus donorum Dei est duplex, scilicet conservatio fidei et ideo dicit fidem servavi, quod facit qui utitur donis Dei ad gloriam Dei et salutem proximorum. Matth. XXIV, v. 45: quis, putas, est fidelis servus et prudens, quem constituit dominus super familiam suam? I Tim. I, 12: fidelem me existimavit ponens in ministerio. Vel servavi in me virtutem fidei. Rom. XIV, 23: omne quod non est ex fide, peccatum est. Propter quod Matth. X, 16: estote prudentes sicut serpentes, id est, custodite fidem, tamquam caput et fundamentum virtutum. Deinde cum dicit in reliquo, ponitur spes de praemio, quod primo ponit; secundo ostendit datorem eius, ibi quam reddet; tertio ponit participes praemii, ibi qui diligunt. Dicit ergo: ex quo pugnavi et cursum consummavi, nihil restat nisi quod coroner. Corona iustitiae dicitur quam Deus ex sua iustitia reddet. Sed contra: quia vita aeterna ex gratia datur. Rom. VI, 23: gratia Dei vita aeterna, et cap. VIII, 18: non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam; non ergo ex iustitia. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod est tibi gratia quantum ad radicem merendi; iustitia quantum ad actum, qui procedit ex voluntate. Vel corona iustitiae est, quae datur ex iustitia, quia datur iustis secundum opera iusta. Is. III, 10: dicite iusto, quoniam bene fructum adinventionum suarum comedet, et cetera. Haec corona duplex est: quaedam principalis, quaedam secundaria. Prima est praemium essentiale, quae nihil est aliud quam gaudium de veritate. Is. XXVIII, 5: in illo die erit dominus exercituum corona gloriae, et sertum exultationis residuo populi sui. Deus est ergo corona nostra. Secunda est corona, quae debetur specialibus operibus, et haec est aureola, et una debetur martyribus. Supra II, 5: non coronabitur, nisi qui legitime certaverit. Et ad hoc est quod dicit bonum certamen certavi. Alia debetur virginibus. Sap. IV, 2: in perpetuum coronata triumphat, incoinquinatorum certaminum praemium vincens. Et ad hoc est cursum consummavi. Apoc. XIV, 4: hi sequuntur agnum, et cetera. Tertia est doctorum. Prov. IV, 9: dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te. Et ad hoc dicit fidem servavi. Et dicit reposita, id est, secundum aeternam praedestinationem reservata. Supra I, v. 12: scio cui credidi, et certus sum quia potens est depositum meum servare in illum diem.
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Dator huius est Deus, ideo dicit quam reddet mihi dominus, scilicet per suam iustitiam, in illa die. Nam haec est corona gloriae, et haec duplex, scilicet animae; et haec redditur sanctis in illa die, scilicet in morte. Unde hic dicit tempus meae resolutionis instat. II Cor. V, 1: si terrestris domus nostra huius habitationis dissolvatur, aedificationem habemus ex Deo. Alia est corporis, et haec reddetur in illa die, scilicet iudicii. I Cor. XV, 43: seminatur in ignobilitate, et cetera. Participes huius sunt omnes sancti, unde dicit non solum autem mihi, scilicet reponitur. Apoc. ult., 20: veni, domine Iesu. Cant. V, 1: veniat dilectus meus in hortum suum, ut comedat fructum pomorum suorum. Qui non diligunt Deum, nihil habent ut diligant adventum eius. Amos V, 18: vae desiderantibus diem domini. Quia corona solum charitati debetur. Io. XIV, 21: qui diligit me, diligetur a patre meo, et ego diligam eum, et manifestabo ei meipsum.
Rogat visitari, et primo vocat eum ad se; secundo significat suum statum, ibi Alexander; tertio concludit epistolarem salutationem, ibi salutant te. Item primo mandat ut veniat: secundo assignat ei socium, ibi Marcum assume; tertio ostendit quid deferat, ibi penulam. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo vocat eum; secundo causam vocationis assignat, ibi demas. Dicit ergo: quia in brevi sum recessurus de mundo, festina ad me venire cito. Et hoc ut invicem consolarentur, et ut iuvarent eum in praedicatione Evangelii, pro quo erat sollicitus in vinculis existens. Prov. c. XVIII, 19: frater qui adiuvatur a fratre, quasi civitas firma. Causa vocationis est, quia societate debita erat destitutus. Et primo a quodam qui propter suam culpam recesserat; secundo, quia quosdam miserat ad praedicandum. Dicit ergo demas enim, etc., id est, praeposuit amorem huius saeculi, amori meo. I Io. II, 15: si quis diligit mundum, non est charitas patris in eo. Crescens, quidam discipulus, abiit in Galatiam, missus ab apostolo. Titus etiam missus ab eo, abiit in Dalmatiam, ubi finaliter dicitur fuisse episcopus. Iob XXXVIII, 35: numquid mittes fulgura, et ibunt? Lucas est mecum solus, hunc retinuit in praedicatione Evangelii, in qua fuit gratiosus. II Cor. VIII, 18: cuius laus est in Evangelio per omnes Ecclesias.
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Deinde cum dicit Marcum assume, et adduc, assignat ei socium; et circa hoc duo facit. Primo assignat ei socium; secundo huius rationem. Hic Marcus alio nomine dicitur Ioannes, et consobrinus Barnabae. Act. XV, 37 s. dicitur quod Barnabas volebat assumere Marcum, sed Paulus nolebat. Et propter hoc dissensio facta est inter eos, ita ut discederet ab eis. Col. ult.: Marcus consobrinus Barnabae. Ratio est, quia est mihi utilis, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit penulam, etc., dicit quid portet. Carpus est sanctus quidam. Penula secundum Hieronymum erat volumen legis, quod habebant in charta per modum rotuli, et hoc vocat penulam. Vel penula dicitur vestis aliqua; sed, secundum Chrysostomum, erat vestis communis. Et quia apostolus Romae erat pauper, non accipiens ab aliis, ideo voluit ut sibi vestis portaretur. Haymo dicit, quod erat specialis vestis in signum nobilitatis. Unde Act. XXII, 25, Paulus dixit se civem Romanum. Pater enim Pauli serviebat Romanis in Tarso Ciliciae; et ex hoc factus fuit civis Romanus: et penula erat vestis in signum consulis. Et forte pater suus erat ibi consul. Vel penula dicitur mantica ubi erant libri, quod videtur, quia sequitur et libros. Sed quid apostolo de libris pleno spiritu sancto? Item instabat sua resolutio. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod propter duo. Primo ut in legendo haberet solatium. I Mac. XII, 9: habentes solatio sanctos libros. In libris enim est remedium contra tribulationes. Vel dicit hoc ne perderentur, sed remanerent fidelibus. Item quanto magis appropinquabat morti, tanto magis instabat servitio Scripturarum; sicut de Ambrosio dicitur quod usque ad ultimam aegritudinem non cessavit scribere; unde scribens illum Ps. XLVII, 2: magnus dominus, et laudabilis nimis, etc., mortuus est.
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Maxime autem membranas. Membranae sunt chartae non scriptae, vel schedulae, ubi scripserat epistolas, vel praedicationes suas. Deinde cum dicit Alexander, etc., ostendit quae apud ipsum fuerunt, et quae apud ipsum sunt. Et primo ex parte hominum; secundo ex parte Dei, ibi dominus autem mihi astitit. Iterum prima in duas; quia primo significat ei de quodam, qui ei adversabatur; secundo de negligentia eorum qui eum non iuvabant, ibi in prima mea defensione, et cetera. Item, primo; praemittit culpam inique impugnantis; secundo ostendit poenam eius futuram, ibi reddet ei, etc.; tertio ostendit quomodo sit etiam secundum Ecclesiam puniendus, ibi quem et tu devita. Videtur quod hic Alexander fuit artifex aeris, vel custos aerarii; et erat de his qui dixerunt legalia esse de necessitate salutis servanda. I Tim. I, 19: circa fidem naufragaverunt, ex quibus est Hymenaeus et Alexander. Et dicunt quidam, quod iste est de quo dicitur Act. XIX, 24, quia concitavit seditionem in apostolum; sed nomen dissonat, quia ille Demetrius, hic Alexander, et Lucas; quia ille Ephesi, iste Romae fuit.
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Et subiungit multa mala mihi ostendit. Et nota quod non dicit fecit, sed quod ostendit, quia impii adversus iustos animum ostendere possunt, sed non semper explent, Ier. c. I, 19. Ier. XV, 20: bellabunt adversum te, et non praevalebunt, quia ego tecum sum. Iob V, 12: qui dissipat cogitationes malignorum, ne possint adimplere manus eorum quod coeperunt. Qui apprehendit sapientes in astutia eorum, et consilium pravorum dissipat. Deinde cum dicit reddet illi dominus, etc., ponit poenam eius futuram. Sed nota quod non ponit verbum optativum, reddat, sed dicit, reddet; quia significatur poenam esse paratam a Deo, quod praevidebat apostolus ex eius pertinacia. Ps. LXI, 13: quia tu reddes unicuique iuxta opera sua. Tamen cum hoc quod reservatur ei poena in futurum, Ecclesia debet etiam eum punire excommunicando. Unde subiungit quem et tu devita, scilicet tamquam haereticum. Tit. III, 10: haereticum hominem post unam et secundam correctionem devita.
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Cuius etiam dicti reddit rationem, dicens valde enim restitit verbis nostris. Act. VII, 51: vos semper spiritui sancto restitistis. Consequenter ponit negligentiam non iuvantium eum; et primo reprehendit eorum culpam; secundo petit eis veniam, ibi non illis imputetur.
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Dicit ergo in prima mea, et cetera. Glossa dicit, quod apostolus saepe contra Alexandrum prave docentem pugnavit, et in persona nullus ei affuit. Sed hic non videtur esse sensus eius, quia iste Alexander non erat tantus, quod apostolus indigeret aliis ad disputandum cum eo. Sed dicendum est, quod, sicut dicitur Act. XXV, 21: Paulus appellans missus est Romam, et ideo oportuit quod praesentaretur Caesari, ut discuteretur missionis suae causa, et Iudaei venerunt contra eum. Et hoc apostolus appellat suam primam defensionem. In qua discipuli defuerunt ei, timentes ne a crudeli Nerone punirentur. Eccli. LI, 10: respiciens eram ad adiutorium hominum, et non erat. Is. LXIII, v. 3: torcular calcavi solus, et de gentibus non est vir mecum. Sed posset dici, quod hoc fuit, quia a principio nullus scivit. Sed hoc est falsum, immo ex quadam pusillanimitate recesserunt. Ps. LXXXVII, 19: elongasti a me amicum, et proximum, et notos meos a miseria. Iob VI, v. 15: fratres mei praeterierunt me, et cetera. Sed quia fecerunt ex infirmitate, orat pro eis, et non excommunicat, dicens non illis imputetur. Lc. VI, 28: orate pro calumniantibus vos. Deinde cum dicit dominus autem, ostendit quid agitur circa eum ex parte Dei, cuius auxilium primo ponit; secundo huius effectum, ibi et audiant. Dicit ergo: omnes me dereliquerunt, sed ubi deest homo, offert se Deus. Ps. XXIV: quoniam pater meus et mater mea dereliquerunt me, dominus autem suscepit me. Unde dicit dominus mihi astitit, scilicet ad adiuvandum me. Ier. XX, 11: dominus mecum est tamquam bellator fortis. Ps. XV, 8: providebam dominum in conspectu meo semper, quoniam a dextris est mihi ne commovear. Et quomodo? Et confortavit me, fortitudinem animi dando, ut non stupescerem coram Caesare. Ez. III, 14: manus domini erat mecum, me confortans. Et hoc ut per me, etc. quod impletur quando ad plures diffunditur, et quando quod ore dicitur, opere impletur. Act. IX, 15: vas electionis, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit et audiant, ponitur effectus auxilii divini. Et primo quantum ad praeterita; secundo quantum ad futura; tertio agit gratias. Sed duplex est beneficium circa praeterita, scilicet liberationis a culpa et a poena. Dicit ergo: dominus mihi astitit, et ideo in illa vocatione liberatus fui, quia non fui condemnatus a Caesare; sed permissum est mihi, quod irem quo vellem. Et ideo dicit et audiant omnes gentes, ut scilicet alii secum confortentur ad veniendum. Ps. XCV, 5: annuntiate inter gentes gloriam eius. Et ut Iudaeorum insultatio deprimeretur.
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Et subdit liberatus sum de ore leonis, id est, de crudelitate Neronis. Prov. XIX, 12: sicut fremitus leonum, ita ira regis. Prov. XXVIII, 15: leo rugiens, et ursus esuriens princeps impius super populum pauperem.
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Secundo liberatus fuit a culpa; unde dicit liberavit me dominus ab omni opere malo. Aliqui vero liberantur a poena, incidentes in culpam negationis a fide. Ps. XVII, 18: eripuit me de inimicis meis fortissimis, et ab his qui oderunt me, et cetera. Et hoc per Deum. Sap. VIII, 21: non possum esse continens nisi Deus det. In futuro salvum faciet. Is. XLV, 17: Israel salvatus est in domino salute aeterna. Et dicit in regnum caeleste. Lc. XXII, 29: ego dispono vobis sicut disposuit mihi pater meus regnum. Matth. V, 12: merces vestra copiosa est in caelis. Et ideo agit gratias, cui gloria. I Tim. I, v. 17: regi saeculorum. Deinde cum dicit saluta, etc., iniungit ei aliorum salutationem; secundo eum salutat ex parte aliorum; tertio ex parte sua. Item circa primum primo iniungit aliorum salutationem; secundo determinat tempus veniendi.
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Dicit ergo saluta Priscam, scilicet quae est mulier, et aquilam, virum Priscae, quos praemittit, quia forte devotiores, et Onesiphori domum. Sed quare non eum, sed domum? Quia forte mortuus erat, et ideo salutat familiam; vel forte quia erat cum eo Romae. Determinans tempus veniendi, primo ostendit necessitatem; secundo prosequitur propositum. Necessitas est propter alios remanentes in aliis locis. Item propter turbationem maris. Deinde ponit personas salutantes, ut patet. Et modo consueto, ne corrumpatur epistola scribit manu sua: gratia vobiscum. Amen.
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1. Testificor coram Deo et Jesu Christo. Plenior est oratio Graeca: Obtestor igifur ego coram Deo et Domino Jesu Christo. Jam tertium Timotheo cum obtestatione praecipit; bis enim id fecit in priori Epistola cap. 5. et 6. Sensus est: Jgitur ego Paulus de his, quae statim dicturus sum, te obtestor, id est ea tibi dico et praecipio coram testibus omnium maximis ac metuendis, ne qua parte desis ofiicio, scilicet coram Deo Patre et Filio ejus Jesu Christo Domino nostro, qui non solum testes esse poterunt praecepti dati, sed et judices ejusdem violati. Unde subjungit mentionem judicii. Qui judicaturus est vivos et mortuos. Nimirum accepta universalis judicii potestate a Patre, quemadmodum B. Peti-ns affirmat Act 10.: Quoniam ipse est, qui constitutus est a Deojudex vivorum et mortuorum, haud dubie secundum humanam naturam. Idem Petrus 1. epist. 4. Qui reddent, inquit, rationem ei, qui paratus est judicare vivos et mortuos. Eodem modo loquuntur symbola, Apostolicum, Constantinopolitanum et Athanasii. Quaeritur ergo, quo sensu dicatur: judicaturus vivos tt mortuos, cum judicium universale non sit exercendum, nisi post universalem omnium resurrectionem, quando omnes quidem viventes erunt, eed iidem prius mortui, hic autem sermo manifeste distinguat inter vivos et mortuos, tanquam diversos. Fuere, qui vivos et mortuos intelligerent animas et corpora, quemadmodum refert Theophylactus. Nam animae semper vivunt, corpora sunt in morte, donec resurgant. Sed id facile refellitur; nam de personis judicandis loquitur Apostolus, non de partibus ejusdem personae. Quidam vivos interpretantur justos, mortuos, peccatores. At vero Graeci commentatores vivos intelligunt eos, qui Domino ad judicium veniente vivi reperientur, ut resurrectione a mortuis opus non habeant; mortuos vero, quos adventus ille mortuos reperiet, ideoque ad vitam suscitandos. Huic commentario Cajetanus subscribit, eumque confirmat ex 1 Thess. 4., ubi de adventu Domini disserens Apostolus, inter mortuos et vivos distinguit his verbis: Et mortui, qui in Christo sunt, resurgent primi; deinde nos, qui vivimus, qui residui sumus, simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Christo etc. Addit Cajetanus, ex praesenti loco haberi, quod non solum electi, de quibus ad Thessalonicenses erat sermo, verum etiam reprobi, quicunque tunc vivi reperientur nulla morte intercedente vivi judicabuntur. Hic sensus, quia multos homines, etiam malos, a morte eximit, a plerisque Latinorum non recipitur, quandoquidem Scriptura sacra passim moriendi necessitatem omnibus hominibus communem praedicat. Quocirca mortuos quidem intelligunt, quos adventus Domini mortuos inveniet; vivos autem, quos viventes deprehendet, ita tamen, ut hi celeri morte, quam ignis conflagratorius iis inferet occupati, mox una cum aliis olim mortuis resurgant, ad tribunal judicis sistendi. Quae expositio caeteris praeferenda nobis videtur. Quod enim omnes sine exceptione morituri sint et a morte resurrecturi, late ostendimu3 ad distinct. 43. lib. 4. Sent., refutatis etiam, quae in diversum adferebantur argumentis. Quo faciunt et ea, quae in Apostolum 1 Oor. 15. et 1 Thess. 4. commentati sumus.
Per adventum ipsius et regnum ejus. De secundo Christi adventu loquitur, et de regno ejus tunc manifestando; et quidem juxta nostram lectionem videtur haec pars referenda ad verbum: testificor sive obtestor; ut sit obtestatio per adventum et regnum Christi, velut rem onmibus fidelibus summopere desideratam, quomodo Rom. 12. obsecrat per misericordiam Dei et 1 Cor. 1. per nomen Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Atque ita fere Latini. Sed sciendum, in Graeco non esse praepositionem <5ta, quae solet ad obtestationes adhiberi; sed xaxa, quae accusativo juncta frequenter tempori subservit, nunquam obtestationi, aut obsecrationi. Adde, quod Graeca non habent conjunctionem praepositam, sed sonant hoc modo: Secundum apparitionem ipsitis et regnum ipsius, id est in apparitione sua et regno, uti vertunt recentiores. Jungendum autem erit cum eo, quod proxime praecessit, ut sensus sit: Qui Christus vivos et mortuos judicaturus est, tunc quando manifestus ad judicium veniet palam et gloriose regnaturus, omnibus jam ei subjectis; sicut dicitur 1 Corinth. 15. Haec Graecorum est expositio, cui et Syriaca versio favet: In apparitione regni sui.
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2. Praedica verbum. Huc pertinet illa terribilis obtestatio, scilicet ut officium praedicationis ac caetera, quae sunt hominis Dei munia, diligenter et constanter exsequatur. Ostendunt haec non tam Timothei in officio tarditatem, aut negligentiam, quam Pauli pro Ecclesia curam et solicitudinem; tametsi in Timotheo omnes Episcopos et Pastores officii sui commonitos esse voluit Spiritus sanctuo, qui in Paulo loquebatur. Verbum, antonomastice pro sermone doctrinae Evangelicae positum est, ut saepe alibi. Porro praedicationem verbi primo loco nominavit; quod id sit praecipuum Episcopi munus, teste etiam Synodo Tridentina, sess. 5. cap. 2. de reformat. et sess. 24. cap. refurm. 4.
Insta opportune, importune. Insta, id est incumbe operi, instanter age, quod agendum est. Non enim tantum ad praedicationem refertur, sed ad caetera, quae sequuntur. Opportune, importune. Graece suxaiptoq, axatpcoc, id est tempestive, intempestive, ut alii verterunt. Sed quomodo etiam importune et intempestive? cum teste Salomone Proverb. 15. Sermo opportunus sit optimus, et ab eodem laudetur, qui profert verbum in tempore suo, Proverb. 25., et juxta eundem omnia su um tempus habeant, Ecclesiast. 3.? Unde et ipse Paulus Coloss. 4. petit orari pro se, ut quomodo oportet, mysterium Christi eloquatur. Respondeo, semper opportune fieri, quod fit utiliter ad salutem: licet alia consideratione fiat importune, spectato nimirum homine exteriore et affectu sensuali, sive ejus qui agit, sive ejus circa quem agitur. Nam ad utrumque referri potest, quod ait: Opportune, importune. Priori modo sensus est: Insta operi, sive tibi sit opportunum et commodum, sive sit importunum, intempestivum et incommodum; adeo ut etiam tempus somni et refectionis intermittas, quo saluti proximorum consulas. Quomodo Tobias intempestive, quantum ad seipsum, exercuit opus sepulturae, quando alias nocte, alias relicto prandio abiit ad mortuos sepeliendos. Quomodo et Christus cum discipulis suis importune praedicavit et beneficia sanitatum impendit turbis ad se concurrentibus; quando nec spatium habebant panem manduc?ndi. Marc. 3. et 6. Rursus hoc modo importune praedicat, qui non solum tempore pacis Ecclesiae, verum etiam tempore persecutionis et periculi imminentis, praedicat populo Christianam et Catholicam veritatem. Atque hunc sensum Graeci interpretes adferunt. Quanquam non minus commode et ad eum, cui fit praedicatio, praeceptum Apostoli refertur. Praedicat enim pastor alicui opportune, importune; cum praedicat, monet, corripit, quandocunque accessum ad eum habere potest, etiamsi parum tempestivum, dummodo opportunis ad persuadendum verbis utatur, et spes sit etiam tunc aliquid proficiendi. Sic in Evangelio nocturnus pulsator et vidua injuriam passa sua importunitate extorserunt, illo ab amico tres panes, ista ab impio judice, ut de adversario vindicaretur. Videatur Lucae 11. et 18. Ea namque illis erat importunitas opportuna; ut sine qua non obtinuissent quod petebant. Ita vulgo dicimus, importune solicitandum esse apud magnates, si quid impetratum volumus. Hunc sensum breviterindicat Augustinus inenarrat. Psalm. 128. dicens: Sonet verbum Dei; volentibus, opportune; nolentibus, importune. Sunt qui putent proverbialem esse sermonem, quo significetur, assidue et incessanter incumbendum esse operi. Qui tamen sensus per superiora recte explicatur.
Argue, obsecra, increpa. In Graeco hic est ordo: Argue, increpa, obsecra. Quod postremum etiam verti potest, hortare; quemadmodum Ambrosianus legit. Sensus ost: Argue, seu redargue falsam doctrinam, falsosque doctores; increpando corrige malos mores; obsecra et exhortare, ut juste vivant et moribus sint incorruptis. Igitur repetit Apostolus hoc praecepto quatuor partes Episcopalis officii supra commemoratas: et quidem eodem servato ordine secundum Graecam lectionem, cum dicit: Praedica, argue, increpa, exhortare.
In omni patientia et doctrina. Monet, ut cum omni patientia de doctrina faciat ea, quae modo praecepit, nam ad omnia praedicta vult hanc partem referri Theophylactus, cum patientia quidem, aut ut Graece est longanimitate seu lenitate, quia plerumque redargutiones, increpationes, exhortationes nihil, aut parum proficiunt, nisi ab animo patiente ac mansueto proficisci intelligantur. Cum doctrina vero, ut qui aberrant aut peccant, doctrina et ratione convicti, facilius sanentur. Convenit cum hoc loco, quod supra cap. 2. scripsit, oportere servum Domini mansuetum esse ad omnes, docibilem, patientem, cum modestia corripientem eos qui resistunt. Et ex hoc Apostoli loco salutarem Episcopis monitionem tradit synodus Trid. sess. 13. cap. reform. 1.
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3. Erit enim tempus, cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt. Haec, inquit, causa est, cur tantopere te excitem ad ofiicium gnaviter exercendum. Nam prospicio futurum et quidem brevi, ut multi eorum, qui Christum professi sunt, a sinceritate fidei recedant, imo sanam doctrinam audire non sustineant. Itaque ne malum hoc tuae negligentiae imputetur, utque ab eo, quantum fieri potest, gregem tuum conserves; quam diligentissime tuo incumbe officio. Differt haec praedictio ab illa superioris capitis: In novissimis diebus instabunt tempora periculosa etc, quod illa magis proprie respiciat falsos magistros, haec vero ad auditcres ac discipulos pertineat. Nisi enim essent, qui ejusmodi magistros libenter audirent et obsequiis foverent: statim elanguesceret eorum studium nova dogmata disseminandi.
Sed ad sua desideria coacervabunt sibi magistros. Id est, uno et altero magistro non contenti, alios super alios inducent, velut acervum magistrorum sibi imposituri; idque pro suis pravis desideriis seu concupiscentiis et corruptis affectibus; quia nimirum carnalibus cupiditatibus libidinis ac gulae dediti, magistros quaerent, qui istiusmodi moribus consentanea doceant. Tales imprimis fuere quicunque prodierunt ex schola Simonis. Tales sunt et nostro saeculo Lutherani et quotquot fere post Lutherum novi doctores emerserunt; utpote, qui uno ore praescripta ecclesiae jejunia, ' vota monastica et quicquid est piarum observationum ac legum ecclesiasticarum contemnunt. Hoc loco studiose annotant Graeci, quam sit ecclesiae perniciosum, episcopos et pastores plebis ac vulgi suffragiis eligi. Vulgus enim, ait Theophylactus, nihil pro ratione facit; sed eos, qui cupiditatibus ipsius consentiant, evehit; quique ad voluptatem et gratiam omnia et dicant et agant, hos eligit ac promovet. Haec ille.
Prurientes auribus. Participium est nominativi casus, ut liquet ex Graeco: proinde pendet a fronte verbi, coacervabunt. Eleganti metaphora significatur altera causa, cur magistros sibi coacervacuri sint; quia scilicet ad audiendum semper aliquid novi curiositas eos incitabit. Quo vitio notati sunt a Luca Athenienses Actor. 17. Quanquam alii metaphoram pertinere putant non tam ad curiositatis vitium, quam ad voluptatem audiendi, quae grata sunt et jucunda; ut sensus sit, homines tam delicatis auribus futuros, ut veritatis cura posthabita, magistros sibi adsciscant, qui placentia loquendo, piurientes eis aures suaviter scalpant ac demulceant. Utrique intellectui satis quadrat, quod sequitur.
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4. Et a veritate quidem auditum avertent, ad fabulas autem convertentur. Id est, ab integritate sanae doctrinae, quae voluplates et carnalia desideria castigat, aures avertent; offendit enim et talium hominum auribus molesta est hujusmodi veritas. Ad fabulas autem audiendas, insana quadam curiositate, sese convertent. Fabulas, intellige primum Judaicas. Sic enim praecipit Tit. 1. Ut sani sint in fide, non intendentes Judaicis fabulis. Meminit earum etiam 1. ad Timoth. 1. Deinde et fabulas haereticorum; ut Simonis magi atque aliorum ejusdem farinae: quas prolixe recensent in sui3 libris Irenaeus et Epiphanius.
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5. Tu vero vigila in omnibus labora. Non liquet utram in partem converti debeat particula, in omnibus; tametsi Graeca magis exigunt, ut ad praecedens verbum referatur. Nani pro verbo labora, Graece est xaxo7:a{b]aov, id est mala patere, afflictiones tolera. Quod praeceptum per se consistit: sicut et supra cap. 2. ubi dicebatur: Labora sicut bonus miles Christi. Sensus igitur est: Cum ea quae dixi jamjam immineant: tu adversus haec vigila in omnibus, id est omnes partes officii tui diligenter exsequere, atque in afflictionibus et laboribus obdura; nec adversariis cede, nec periculis.
Opus fac Evangelistae. Opus Evangelistae facit, qui Evangelium, sicut oportet, praedicat, id est, integram et sanam Evangelii doctrinam auditoribus cum omni sinceritate annunciat, nec sua quaerens, nec auribus serviens. Ministerium tuum imple. Erasmus ita vertit: Ministerium tuum ad plenum probatum reddito. Theophylacti interpres: Ministerium tuum certifica. Nam tale quid significari putant Graeco verbo TCXrjpocpdpTrjoov. Qua de re nos accurate egimus, quum tractaremus illud Rom. 14. Unusquisque in suo sensu abundet. Hoc certe loco non aliud significare voluit Paulus, quam quod noster interpres expressit. Quod et liquet ex Graecorum commentariis. Unde nec Hentenius Oecumenii interpres, etsi in multis Erasmi imitator, hanc partem aliter transtulit. Est autem sensus obvius: In munere ac ministerio tuo ita versare, ut nihil omittas eorum, quae a buno et fideli ministro Evangelii jure exiguntur.
Sobrius esto. Hanc partem Graeca non habent, ut nec agnoscunt Syrus interpres et Ambrosianus. At neque in omnibus est manuscriptis Latinis. Denique Pelagius, Primasius et Haimo cum non exponant, arguuntur non legisse. Plusquam verisimile est, ex occasione additam esse, cum pro eo: Tu vero vigila, quaedam Latina versio haberet: Tu vero sobrius esto; ut et legitur in Ambrosiano textu secundum editiones antiquiores. Nam Graeca vox utroque modo verti potest; et res, quae significantur, cognatae sunt, sobrium esse et vigilare. Nec dubium, quin alicubi magis conveniat sobrii, quam vigilantis significatio; ut 1 Petr. 5. Sobrii estote et vigilate. Nam alioqui repetitio esset ejusdem: verum hoc loco magis congruit verbum vigila, quod proprium est episcopi et pastoris. Nec admodum opus erat ad sobrietatem hortari Timotheum, quem ab aquae potu revocaverat epist. superiore.
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6. Ego enim jam delibor. Ex his verbis et sequentibus colligunt omnes pene interpretes, Paulum hanc Epistolam scripsisse omnium postremam, imminente jam passione mortis. Id enim significare videtur totus hic locus, quum dicit: se jam immolari et tempus suae resolutinnis instare: se consummasse cursum suum, nec aliud esse reliquum, quam ut repositam sibi coronam justitiae percipiat. Verum jam dudum in argumento Epistolae ostendimus, inter ejus scriptionem et Pauli obitum ferme novem aut decem annos intercessisse. Constat quoque eam, quae ad Philemonem scripta est, in qua tamen hospitium parari sibi petit, tanquam mox e carcere liberando: hac longe posteriorem esse, uti suo loco monstrabitur. Quare quae hic ab Apostolo dicuntur, non ita sunt accipienda, quasi plane sentiat, se jamjam rapiendum ad martyrium; praesertim cum alia quaedam ejusdem epistolae repugnent huic intellectui; quemadmodum in argumento declaratum est et adhuc infra docebimus: sed tantum significant, ipsum etsi de tempore mortis ac passionis incertum, tamen paulatim per carceres et tribunalia parari ad victimam. Existimat quidem Cardinalis Baronius, qui de his rebus accurate scripsit tom. 1. Annal. Eccles., ista Pauli de instanti suo obitu verba sic accipienda, quod fortasse divinitus ipsi revelatum esset, se sub Nerone capite plectendum. Sed quoniam Nero tunc etiamnum juvenis erat et permultis adhuc annis imperare poterat; non satis causae Paulo fuisse videtur ex ejusmodi revelatione, ut diceret, tempus suae resolutionis instare. Quocirca non apparet, haec a Paulo dicta fuisse per revelationem aliquam de instante martyrio sibi factam; sed ipsum ex praesenti rerum suarumstatu, quid tandem sibi eventurum esset, prudenter ac probabiliter conjecisse, quod et alibi interdum facit, velut ad Philipp. 1. et 2. Illud etiam considerandum est, Paulum loqui, ut jam senem et laboribus confectum; qui proinde non multum vitae tempus sibi reliquum arbitretur. Ac quoniam non dubitabat, se martyrio finiendum, idcirco et de eo tanquam brevi futuro loquitur. Ego eidm, inquit, jam delibor, seu potius, immolor; quomodo legit Augustinus. Nam et ipse interpres ita vertit ad Philippenses 2.: Sed etsi immolor etc. Sensus et connexio est: Idcirco cum tam seria obtestatione te discipulum meum officii tui admoneo, quod jam senex sim et incertus, quamdiu futurus superstes. Jam enim, tanquam victima Christo destinata, per hos carceres et gravissimos quos patior adversariorum impetus immolari incipio. Passionem suam immolationem vocat, quia actus ille martyrii, quo quis usque ad mortem certat pro veritate, gratissimum est Deo sacriticium snirituale, idemque magnam habens convenientiam cum sacrificio corporali. Notandum est autem, verbum Graecum aTtev^ou-ai non quamvis immolationem significare, sed eam proprie, quae fit in foederibus sanciendis. Unde, sicut in epist. ad Philipp., cum ait, se immolari super sacrificio fidei ipsorum, significat, Philippensium fidem, quam ab ipso didicerant, morte sua sancitum atque confirmatum iri, perinde, ut olim caesis victimis foedera sanciri solent: ita hic insinuat, mortem, qua pro Christo immolandus erat, fore doctrinae suae, quam mundo praedicaverat, sanctionem.
Et tempus resolutionis meae instat. Id est magis ac magis appropinquat, nec admodum longe potest abesse. Resolutionem suam vocat mortem, sive quod morte corpus in cineres resolvatur; seu potius, quod per eam solvatur vinculum, quo anima corpori est colligata. Sic idem Apostolus ad Philippenses 2. desiderium habet dissolvi et esse cum Christo. Nec dissimili phrasi Petrus Apostolus 2. epist. 1. mortem suam vocat depositionem tabernaculi. Qua ratione rursum hic quaeri potest, an sicut B. Petrus eo loco certum se esse affirmat ex Christi Domini revelatione velocem esse sui tabernaculi depositionem, ita Paulus ex revelatione divinitus accepta scribat tempus suae resolutionis instare. Sic enim multi sentiunt haec a Paulo dici, quod significationem mortis ac martyrii sui instantis a Deo accepisset, sicut et Petrus. Sed de ea re, quid nobis probabile videatur, jam supra diximus. Neque vero negamus, Paulum aeque ut Petrum coelesti oraculo admonitum fuisse passionis instantis. Sed id multo post scriptam hanc epistolam factum putamus.
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7. Bonum certamen certavi. Haec partim subjungit ad sui ipsius consolationem, partim ut Timotheum ad imitationem accendat. Certamen bonum, id est pulchrum, egregium ac praeclarum. Id enim significat Graecum xaXov. Loquitur autem de certamine suscepto a tempore suae conversionis ad fidem Christanam, ex quo non destitit ad coronam propositam contendere per omne genus bonorum operum, praesertim ministerii Apostolici; nec non per lolerantiam laborum, afflictionumetpersecutionum. Metaphora sumpta est ab iis, qui pro praemio certant seu lucta, seu cursu, seu alio genere ludi: quod significat Graeca vox aytov. Quamquam hic certamen, quod cursu fit intelligi videtur; nam sequitur:
Cursum consummavi. Non cursum vitae, sed certaminis, qualis scilicet est eorum, qui in stadio currunt. Hanc enim comparationem adducit etiam 1 Cor. 9. Porro consummasse se dicit hunc cursum, quamvis adhuc, ut minimum, exfremus actus restaret passionis et mort's; quia jam, ut ante dictum est, ad metam certaminis appropinquabat, ac de reliqua parte stadii percurrenda certam habebat in Domino fiduciam. Hoc enim fere modu rem istam declarat August. lib. 2. de pec. mer. cap. 16. Nam et Christus morti quidem propinquus, sed nondum morte consummatus dixit: Consummatum est Joan. 19.
Fidem servavi. Non haec jactantiae verba sunt, sed bonae conscientiae; ut et superiora. Fidem inlelligit eam, quam miles imperatori, quamque minister ac dispensator domino suo debet, id est fidelitatem. Non enim magnum erat tanto Apostolo, non defecisse a fide Christiana, ad quam tanto miraculo vocatus, tantis revelationibus instructus fuerat, sed quia commissura erat ei munus evangelicae praedicationis in gentibus, de eo fideliter et perseveranter inter tot adversitates administrato gloriabatur, dicens: fidem servavi. Hoc ergo significat, quod alio loco commendat dicens: Hic jam quaeritur inter dispensatores, ut fidelis guis inveniatur. 1 Cor. 4. Et ibi quidem tanquam adhuc in medio cursu constitutus, non audet pronuntiare se talem esse: Neque enim, inquit, meipsum judico, hic autem cursu jam pene consummato, fidenter dicit, fidem servavi, paulo post auditurus illud: Euge serve bone et fidelis, intra in gaudium Domini tui: juxta id, quod sequitur.
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8. In reliquo reposita est mihi corona justitiae. In reliquo, Graece, Aontov, quod reliquum est, uti legit Ambrosianus. Praemium certaminis feliciter absoluti vocat coronam, metaphoram retinens cursorum, quibus corona praemii loco solet proponi. Coronam justitiae plerique interpretantur coronam pro bonis ac justis operibus debitam: quomodo dicitur, corona certaminis, praemium laboris. Alii coronam justitiae pro corona justa dictam volunt, Hebraea phrasi: quemadmodum Jes. 62. corona gloriae legitur, id est corona gloriosa. Sed hoc ferme recidit cum priori. Porro coronam intelligit vitam aeternam, id est eam, quam Jacobus Apostolus vitae coronam appellat cap. 1. Hanc coronam sibi repositam dicit Paulus, non alibi quam apud Deum; quia a Deo sibi reddendam certissime expectabat. Quo sensu supra dixit cap. 1. Certus sum, quia potens est depositum meum servare, tale etiam est illud Sap. 5. Justi in perpetuum vivent, et apud Dominum est merces eorum. Hic jam quaeritur, quomodo vocet Apostolus justitiae coronam, quae est corona misericordiae; dicente Psalmista: Qui coronat te in misericordia et miserationibus. Respondeo, ista non minus consentire, quam quod in Scvipturis vita aeterna aliquando merces, aliquando gratia vocatur. Merces, quia datur pro meritis bonorum operum: gratia, quoniam haec ipsa merita sunt Dei dona. Sic eadem vita aeterna corona justitiae est, quia legitime certanti debetur; corona misericordiae, quia nec certare legitime posset homo nisi Deus daret, nec ad coronam pervenire, nisi lapsus et errata certando commissa misericorditer idem Dominus condonaret. Confer quae diximus ad illud Rom. 6. Gratia Dei vita aeterna.
Quam reddet mihi Dominus in illa die. Non dixit, dabit, sed reddet, veluti debitum quoddam, et creditum, sive depositum, quod jure reddendum sit. Annotarunt hoc studiose Theophylactus et Oecumenius. Dominum intelligit Christum, qui venturus est judex vivorum et mortuorum. Nam de eo statim subjungit: Sed et iis, qui diJigunt adventum ejus; quod huc necessario referendum est. flinc vero satis apparet, Christum ut hominem non modo judicaturum, verum etiam coronas daturum, id est electos suos donaturum beatitudine coelesti. Sed id facturum intellige, quatenus per sententiam adjudicabit Apostolo Paulo, caeterisque electis coronam ipsis debitam, dicens: Venite benedicti Patris mei percipite regnum etc. Nam efficienter et proprie creaturam beatificare, solius est increatae potestatis. Jam quod addit: in illa die, consueta notatio est temporis extremi judicii: quam alibi diem Domini vocat. Sed dicet aliquis: Si demum in illa die reddenda est electis corona: non igitur ante illam diem datur animabus separatis, utcumque purgatae fuerint. Respondeo, Paulum loqui de praemio, quod homini datur, non animae soli. Dicit enim: Quam reddet mihi, scilicet Paulo. Atqui proprie Paulus non erit ante judicii diem, quando a morte resuscitabitur ad vitam. Ex tunc enim incipiet vita aeterna hominis; quam hic coronam appellat. Quaeritur autem, an ex hoc loco statui possit, Apostolum fuisse certum de sua salute, videlicet ea certitudine, cui falsum subesse nequeat. Id enim significare videntur illa ejus verba: Quam reddet mihi Dominus; quae quidem sunt verba Scriptuiae, ac proinde verissima. Sed obstat huic sententiae, quod in Epist. ad Phil. 3. velut haud plane adhuc certus, ita loquitur: Si quomodo occurram ad resurrectionem, quae est ex mortuis. Scripta est autem ad Thilip. Epistola post istam ad Timotheum; quemadmodum in argumento utriusque Epistolae satis loculente probavimus. Itaque respondeo, Paulum hic non simpliciter affirmare, quidfuturum sit; sed vel sermonem esse bonae fiduciae, quasi dicat: quam coronam certa spe a Domino exspecto; vel potius intelligi conditionem, si usque ad mortem perseveravero. Nam quod hic de se dicit, mox extendit ad omnes alios diligentes adventum Domini; de quibus utique certitudinem absolutam non habebat.
Justus judex. Addit hoc illi, quod praecessit Dominus per appositionem, praefixo in Graecis articulo. Unde alii vertunt: Qui est justus judex. Haec justitia Christi judicis in eo consistit, quod redditurus sit unicuique secundum opera sua; sicut ipse Dominus diserte de se testatur M&tth. 16. dicens: Fiiius hominis venturus est in gloria Patris sui cum angelis suis; et tunc reddet unicuique secundum opera ejus. Porro totus hic locus, ubi coronam justitiae, et justum judicem nominat Apostolus, et reddendi verbo utitur, aperte refellit haereticos, qui merita bonorum operum audire non sustinent. Etenim si Christus, ut justus judex redditurus est Paulo et omnibus electis coronam justitiae pro fide servata cursuque consummato; est igitur in his operibus ratio meriti respectu ejusmodi coronae. Neque vero haec operum merita adversus Christi gratiam astruunt Catholici, quod impudenter calumniatur Calvinus. Est enim Catholicorum doctrina, tantam erga nos esse Dei bonitatem, ut nostra velit esse merita, quae sunt ipsius dona; et pro his, quae ipse largitus est, aeterna praemia sit donaturus: ut habet decretalis Epistola Coelestini Pontificis ad Episcopos Galliae cap. 12., unde et a concilio "Tridentino verba repetuntur, sess. 6. cap. 16. Quam Ecclesiae Catholicae doctrinam dum negant haeretici, procul dubio bonitati et gratiae Dei, quae nostrorum effectrix est meritorum, detrahunt. Consule Augustinum lib. de gratia et lib. arb. cap. 17. de corr. et grat. cap. 13. et hom. 14. inter 50. Quibus locis haec Apostoli verba tractat eo modo, quo diximus.
Non solum autem mihi, sed et iis, qui diligunt adventum ejus. Graece: Sed et omnibus iis, qui dilexerint apparitionem ejus; tametsi suspicio est, notam distributivam omnibus in Graeco adjectitiam esse. Nam Hentenius in Oecumenio non reddit: Ambrosianus quoque ac caeteri veteres Latini non legunt: denique nec Syrus interpres in suo Graeco reperit. Atqui omnino proclivius est hanc voculam addere, quam auferre; propterea, quod sensus eam postulare videatur. Ob quam causam ab omnibus subintelligitur; atque a Patribus Tridentinis etiam addita fuit sess. 6. cap. 16. Sensus enim est: Nec mihi solum reddet Dominus coronam justitiae, sed et omnibus, qui invenientur dilexisse ejus adventum, quo manifestus et gloriosus apparebit universo mundo.
Diligunt adventum Domini3 qui sanctis operibus ad eum sese praeparantes, ipscm se exspectare et diligere declarant, quomodo domini sui adventum diligit servus, qui ea facit, quae domino placent, ut cum ille venerit, paratus inveniatur. Non diligit autem, qui quasi dominus non sit venturus, ea facit, quae novit illi displicere. Hanc enim utriusque servi comparationem ipse Dominus adducit Luc. 12. Caeterum ex hac parte sententiae constat per coronam justitiae Paulum non intellexisse praemium aliquod accidentale, sibique peculiare, sicut nonnulli intellexerunt: sed vitam aeternam, quae praemium est essentiale. Facit enim eam coronam omnibus adventum Domini diligentibus communem.
Festina ad me venire cito. Graece OTtoudaaov, id est stude, da operam, ut venias ad me cito. Cur Timotheum, quem Asianis Ecclesiis Episcopum praefecerat, Romam ad se evocet Apostolus, non levem profecto causam fuisse existimandum est, quamvis eam hic non explicet; nisi, quod ex sequentibus conjicere licet, ejus ministerio uti ipsum voluisse ad promovendum Christi negotium, eo quod aliis adjutoribus esset pene destitutus. Nam quod nonnulli causam banc adferunt, ut priusquam moreretur, eum videret, ex supradictis vanum apparet; nec ea causa satis digna est tanto Apostolo. Quod ait, cito, non sentit continuo literis acceptis Timotheo veniendum esse. Cur enim tam multa in hac Epistola ei praecepisset de regenda Ecclesia, si statim erat eum habiturus praesentem? Sed cito, id est ut infra declarat, ante hyemem; ne scilicet in alterum annum differat profectionem. Cum enim Paulus Romam venerit sub tempus vernum, uti facile colligitur ex ult. cap. Act, probabile fit, hanc Epistolam, quae ab illo tempore aut prima fuit, aut secunda, scriptam fuisse paulo post idem tempus; id est ineunte aestate proxima, quemadmodum et Baronius opinatur. Ex hoc Apostoli loco habemus, Episcopos a suis Ecclesiis ad tempus posse abesse ob graves causas.
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9. Demas enim me reliquit, diligens hoc saeculum. Dereliquerat Paulum captivum Demas, ut apparet, periculo territus, ac suae securitati et quieti consulere volen3. Hoc enim est, quod ait: Diligens hoc saeculum, id est hujus vitae commodorum amore ductus, ita ut tam Pauli, quam Evangelii curam privatis commodis postponeret. Ubi tamen non est significatum, quod a fide Christi defecerit: imo vero, si, quod nobis admodum verisimile est, haec Epistola scripta fuit e carcere Romano prima aut secunda, tantum ad tempus Apostolum reliquisse putandus est. Nam postea ad eum reversus, iterum sese illi adjutorem exhibuit. Quod manifeste probant Epistolae posterius scriptae ad Coloss. et ad Philem., in quibus Demas inter salutantes nominatur, et ita quidem, x\t in altera connumeretur adjutoribus Pauli. Cui sententiae subscribit etiam Hieronymus in fine comment. epist. ad Philem. Quocirca fabulosum putamus, quod scribit Dorotheus in Synopsi: Demam Pauli discipulum, postquam ab eo recessit, factum fuisse apud Thessalonicenses idolorum sacerdotem. Quod fictum arbitror occasione sumpta ex eo, quod subjicit Apostolus, eum abiisse Thessalonicam. Nec illud probabile, quod scribit Epiphanius haer. 51., Demam via veritatis relicta fuisse haereticum, eadem sentientem cum Cerintho, Ebione et aliis, qui Christum nudum hominem asserebant. Mihi sane vero similius est, eum, ut Pauli discipulum, bonam operam postea navasse Ecclesiae Dei; ac forte eundem esse, quem Ignatius in epist. ad Magnesianos Deman vocat ipsorum Episcopum a£ioftsov, ut loquitur, id est Deo dignum. Et abiit Thessalonicam. Sive ut rebus suis privatis illic vacaret, sive ut procul abesset a periculo. Ac forte Thessalonica erat £111 patria.
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10. Crescens in Galatiam. Repetendum, abiit, seu profectus est; non tamen amore hujus saeculi, quemadmodum Demas, sed vel Evangelii causa missus illuc a Paulo, vel certe dimissus ob aliam justam necessitatem. Pro Galatia Galliam in textu legendam esse contendit Epiphanius haer. 51. Sed ei nulla suffragantur exemplaria. Caeterum Theodoretus legit quidem Galatiam, sed Galliam interpretatur. Nam ut auctor est Ammianus lib. 15. Gallos sermo Graecus Galatas appellare solet; quod Galatae a Gallis originem traxerint. Unde quod legitur 1 Macch. 8. Romanos subegisse Galatiam, de Gallis intellexit Josephus, aut ejus saltem interpres lib. 12. Ant. cap. 17. Huc accedit, quod antiqua martyrologia Bedae, Usuardi, Adonis, et aliorum, ad quintum Cal. Julii uno ore testantur, Creycentem non tantum in Galatia, sed etiam in Galliis Evangelium praedicasse, sedesque ibi Viennensem et Moguntinam erexisse. Verum hoc ipsum argumento est, Galatiam non Galliam hic intelligi; cum secundum fidem martyrologiorum Crescens a Paulo in Galatiam missus, quae est Asiae minoris regio, transitum inde fecerit in Gallias; ac rursum ad Galatas reversus, quibus specialiter datus erat Episcopus, tandem apud eos martyrio vitam finierit. Adde, quod in Actis et Epistolis Apostolicis uno semper et consueto modo Galatia sumi videtur, pro ea scilicet regione minoris Asiae, quae hoc nomine erat notissima.
Titus in Dalmatiam. Haec regio est Illyrici. Scribit autem Apostolus Rom. 15. se usque ad Illyricum replevisse Evangelium Christi. Quare non dubium, quin et Titus illuc Evangelii causa, Paulo volente, profectus fuerit. Ad hunc jam ante peculiarem scripserat Epistolam: Creta Provincia ei demandata. Cujus et in 2. ad Cor. epist. frequentem cum laude facit mentionem.
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11. Lucas est mecum solus. Hunc Apostoli Pauli sectatorem, et omnis ejus peregrinationis individuum comitem appellat Hieronymus in catal. Qui et Evangelium scripsit et Apostolorum acta, Pauli praesertim, prosecutus est usque ad biennium Romae completum in priore captivitate.
Marcum assume, et adduc tecum. Non de Marco EvangeKsta loquitur, qui Petri ccmes fuit; sed de Joanne consobrino Barnabae, cui cognomen erat Marco; sicut Act. 12. et 15. dicitur. Hunc autem cum Timotheo Romam venisse, quod hic Paulus exoptat, discimus ex Epistolis ad Colossenses et Philemonem postea scriptis. Nam in utraque Marcus est in numero salutantium: Timotheus autem Paulo conjunctus in titulo.
Est enim mihi utilis in ministerium. Non privatum, sed Evangelicum: ad quod aliquando visus fuerat inutilis. Nam Act. 15. propter eum facta fuerat dissensio inter Barnabam et Paulum; Barnaba volente eum assumere comitem ad opus Evangelii, Paulo autem negante eum recipiendum esse, propterea quod ipsos in priore expeditione Evangelica deseruisset. Verum postea correctus, et ab eodem Paulo utilis, imo perutilis, ut in Graeco est, ad Evangelii ministerium judicatus, Romam una cum Timotheo nunc ad id munus evocatur.
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12. Tychicum autem misi Ephesum. Ne forte diceret Timotheus: Quem igitur Ephesi relinquam meo loco, functurum officio Episcopi, si Marcum etiam vis, ut mecum adducam? occurrit Apostolus, dicens, se Tychicum misisse Ephesum, ad hoc scilicet, ut vices Timothei suppleat absentis. Tanta erat Pauli solicitudo pro Ecclesiis, ut ne maxima quidem urgente necessitate vellet eas suis pastoribus destitui, nisi vicariis idoneis prius substitutis. Utrum autem per Tychicum haec ipsa Epistola missa fuerit, una cum Epistola ad Ephesios, ut sentit Baronius, existimans hoc loco praeteritum tempus exponendum per praesens, misi, id est mitto: an vero, quod aliis placet, diverso tempore missae fuerint, et utra ante alteram: nos, ut perplexum et cognitu non necessarium, in medio relinquimus. Si Baronii sententia placet, potest, quod hic dicitur, sic exponi: Misi, id est mittendum jam destinavi. Vel certe sic, ut praeteritum referatur ad tempus, quo Timotheus literas erat lecturus. Nam sane ejusdem temporis verbo utitur Apostolus in epist. ad Philem. dicens de Onesimo, quem remisi; cum sit omnium sententia, per ipsum Onesimum eam Epistolam missam fuisse.
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13. Penulam, quam reliqui Troade apud Carpum, veniens affer tecum. De penula, quam Paulus requirit, variae sunt interpretum sententiae, pro varia significatione vocabuli Graeci cpeXovTj, aut cpaiXov/]. Utrumque enim in codicibus legitur. Ac primum, falluntur, qui exponunt de pallio consulari. Nam id neque significatur ea voce, neque Paulo convenit. Eodem fere loco habendum, quod Ambrosianus penulam interpretatur vestem senatoriani. Caeterum constat, ea voce Romanis significari vestem aptam imbribus ac frigori depellendo; qua potissimum iter agentes uti solent: quam Hieronymus in 3. dialog. contra Pelagianos lacernam, acdeeamultipraesentem locum accipiunt. Alii significare putant scriniolum, seu thecam librariam; quam Syrus inteipres Hebraeo more domum scriptorum vocat, id est arculam, in qua scripta conservantur. Sed mirum, si Paulus ex loco tam remoto, vestem, aut arculam adferri sibi jubeat; quasiRomae non essent, qui talia aut facerent, aut venderent. Illud quoque praeposterum videtur, ut vestem itinerariam reliquerit iter facturus eandemque repetat itinere peracto. Quod si arculam libris, chartisque refertam, velut Pauli bibliothecam intelligas, erit exposirio multo probabilior: praesertim quia librorum ac membranarum mentio subnectitur. At vero nonnulli antiquiores Graecam vocem interpretati sunt volumen. Unde Hieronymus ad Damasum scribens in Epist. 125. qu. 2. sic ait: Volumen Hebraeum replico, quod Paulus cpeXdvrjv juxta quosdam vocat. Loquitur autem de volumine Hebraeo veteris instrumenti. Quae sane expositio non parvam habet probabilitatem. Nam Graecum cpeXXog librum, id est corticem arboris significat; ex quo volumina olim fiebant. Ac notum est, veteris Scripturae libros ita scribi solere, ut convolvi possent, eo videlicet modo, quo adhuc in Judaeorum synagogis visuntur. Nec mireris, Paulum e tam longinquo reposcere hujusmodi volumen. Cum enim sacrosanctum haberetur, nec passim exstabat, nec facile librariis describendum committebatur. Quod vero quidam penulam interpretatur vestem sacram, quam Latini planetam vocant, vulgo casulam; non est unde solide probetur. Graecis enim ea vestis non ^sAovrj, sed cpatvoAtov nuncupatur, vocabulo diversae originis ac soni. Verum satis haec de penula Pauli. Restat, ut de Troade et Carpo brevissime dicamus. Trcas Asiae minoris civitas erat, eadem cum Troja, decemiali Graecorum obsidione celeberrima. Ad eam Faulus ter accessisse legitur. Primum Act. 16., iterum 2 Cor. 2., tertio Act. 20. Quo postremo accessu penulam illic reliquit, quando et mortuum ibidem suscitavit. Quod quidem factum est anno uno ante scriptam banc Epistolam. Carpus Troade Paulum hospitio suscepit, dignus habitus, cui idem Apostolus res suas in depositum commendaret, quique post obitum in numero Sanctorum ab Ecclesia honoretur. De quo vide martyrologia ad 3. Idus Oct. Ab hoc diversus esse videtur, etsi nonnulli confundant, Carpus ille Cretensis, aeque ab hospitalitate laudatus, de quo Dionysius quiddam memoria dignum refert in Epistola ad Demophilum. Rursum diversus ab utroque Polycarpus Smyrnae Episcopus et Christi martyr insignis.
Et libros, maxime autem membranas. Si penulam accipimus arcam librariam, erit haec pars supplementum et expositio praecedentis, quasi dicat Apostolus: Veniens adfer tecum arcam seu scrinium una cum libris et membranis in eo repositis. Si volumen intelligatur: distinguenda erunt haec tria; ut volumen sit liber Scripturae sacrae, sicut ante dictum est; libri sint alii codices in chartis descripti; membranae vero, quod idem vocabulum hic in Graeco est, sint schedae pelliceae, in quibus, uti verisimile est, Paulus quaedam scitu digna ad juvandam memoriam annotaverat. Unde. velut de iis singulariter solicitus, dicit: maxime membranas; tametsi Syrus interpres, alio forte respiciens, vertit: fasciculum voluminum, id est membranas in volumina complicatas. Porro circahunclocum animadvertenda quaedam sunt. Primum satis ex eo liquere, quod scripta sit a Paulo haec Epistola brevi post ipsius in urbem adventum, et proinde multis annis ante mortem. Non enim reposceret vestem aut arculam, aut libros ab annis ferme decem Troade relictos. Deinde, si diem obitus jamjam sibi instare sentiebat, quorsum requirit ista, sibi jam nulli usui futura? Postremo, quantum existimare debeant omnes Episcopi et Pastores, sibi necessariam esse lectionem et studium Scripturae sacrae, quantumcunque etiam profecerint; quoniam Paulus ab ipso Domino mysteria religionis edoctus et tot annis Apostolatu functus, adhuclibros desiderat, quoslegat.
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14. Alexander aerarius multa mala mihi ostendit. Graeca vox xa^*£UC, fabrum aerarium significat, ne quaestorem aerarium quispiam hic suspicetur. Hunc Alexandrum, si tamen idem est, tanquam haereticum Paulus excommunicaverat, ut ipse testatur 1 Tim. 1. Quo Pauli facto irritatus, multo etiam magis sanae doctrinae resistebat. Erat autem Judaeus, Ephesius, idemque fidem Christi professus. Neque enim aliter excommunicari poterat. Idem, ut apparet, quo acceptam, quam putabat, injuriam ulcisceretur, Pauli captivi causam apud Neronis amicos exagitabat, tanquam hominis seditiosi ac nova dogmata disseminantis, atque veterem Judaeorum religionem, quae Romae permissa erat, expugnantis. Hujusmodi falsos fratres Paulus, in ipsis etiam vinculis constitutus, quae pro Christo toJerabat, infestos habuit. Multa, inquit, mala mihi ostendit, fecit, exhibuit, intulit: multis malis me affecit. Hebraea phrasis est, eademque frequens in Scripturis. Unde illa in Psalmis: Quis ostendit nobis bona? Ostende nobis Domine misericordiam tuam. Quantas ostendisti mihi tribulationes multas et malas? Et quod praesenti loco simillimum est: Ostendisti populo tuo dura. Sic ipse Paulus Tit. 3. Omnem ostendentes mansuetudinem.
Reddet illi Dominus secundum opera Graece reddat, imprecantis modo. ejus Cui lectioni suffragantur tam Latini codices manuscripti non pauci, quam veteres ennarratores Ambrosianus, Pelagius, Primasius et Sedulius. Ad eundem modum legunt Hieronymus lib. 3. ad dial. contra Pelagianos cap. 1. atque in exposit. cap. 8. Eccles. et Gregorius, seu quisquis auctor, in Concordia locorum script. interrog. ult. Et ille quidem affirmat, haec esse verba male precantis, dicitque quaerendum, quomodo talia clementer dicta sint: hic vero sensum conatur explicare, quemadmodum et Graeci interpretes. At e diverso in editione Syriaca futurum legitur enuntiativum. Similiter et apud Augustinum lib. 16. contra Faustum cap. 22. et lib. 1. de serm. Dom. in monte cap. 37. Quo posteriore loco sic habet: Non ait, reddat, sed reddet illi Dominus secundum opera ejus. Quod verbum praenuntiantis est} non imprecantis. Atque haec Augustini verba multi Latinorum in suas enarrationes retulerunt. Sed priore loco apud Augustinum esse legendum reddat, videtur indubitatum, quia ibi docet, quomodo sint accipiendae hujusmodi imprecationes. Unde eundem loco posleriore vitiato codice usum fuisse, crediderim: Syrum vero interpretem maluisse sensum dare, quam verbum reddere, quod videbatur offensurum. Quae res etiam scribis imperitioribus occasionem dedit mutandae lectionis. Caeterum imprecatorius hic sermo nihilo magis offendere debuit, quam aliae tam multae, quae in Psalmis et Prophetis leguntur adversus impios execrationes, quas charitati contrarias esse nemo dixerit orthodoxus. Nam quod Paulus, pro quo persequente et saeviente Stephanus, quando lapidabatur, oravit, parem omnino charitatis affectum erga suos inimicos gesserit, vel ex eo perspicuum est, quod ad Rom. 9. scribit, se optasse pro illis esse anathema, quodque rursus cap. 10. sic ait: Voluntas cordis mei et obsecratio ad Deum fit pro illis ad sulutem. Loquitur enim de Judaeis, qui ipsum capitaliter oderant. Non ergo malevolentiae vel impatientiae fuit, quod hic dicit: Reddat illi Dominus. Sed aut intelligendum est, eum hoc Prophetico spiritu praenuntiasse cum approbatione justitiae divinae, quomodo multa similia in Psalmis et Prophetis dicuntur, aut revera vindictam iili divinam, quatenus justa est, imprecatum fuisse, praesupposita tamen ejus impoenitentia, ut qui malitiose peccans, spem emendationis nullam praeberet. Sic enim et animae martyrum interfectorum Apoc. 6. Deum orant: ut sanguinem ipsorum vindicet de iis, qui habitant in terra. Nec dissimile illud Nehemiae 4. adversus malignos irrisores populiDei: Ne operias, inquit, iniquitatem eorum, et peccatum eorum coram facie tua non deleatur, quia irriserunt aedificantes. Sensum hunc tradit Cajetanus in eo, quod dicit, haec esse verba cupientis divinam justitiam. Nam quod Apostolus ad divinam justitiam respiciat, manifestum est, quia addit: secundum opera ejus. Hoc autem genus imprecationis seu maledicti licitum et sanctum esse, docet S. Thomas in 2. sec. q. 25. art. 6. ad 3. et q. 76. art. 1. in cor. et ad 3. Notandum obiter, Dominum hic convenienter intelligi Christum, quemadmodum superius ibi: Reddet mihi Dominus. Ubi et justum judicem eum appellavit, non ob aliud, quam quia redditurus est unicuique secundum opera sua.
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15. Quem et tu devita. Id est, observa et cave tibi ab illo. Id enim significat Graecum cpuXaoaou, quo ct Lucas usus est Act. 21., ubi nos habemus: ut abstineant se ab idolis immolato etc. Innuit autem Paulus, Alexandrum fuisse hominem, qui circumcursaret, quiquenunc Romae esset, nunc alibi: adeo quidem, ut etiam Timotheum, qui Ephesi erat, aggressurus videretur; sive ut eum retraheret ad legem Mosis, sive ut legis adversarium, Pauliqne discipulum vexaturus. jp
Valde enim restitit verbis nostris. Cum in Alexandro duo mala notentur; alterum quod adversarius esset doctrinae Pauli, alterum quod ipsum Paulum multis malis afficeret: hoc posteriori dissimulato, tantum prius illud adfert pro ratione, cur Timotheo cavendus esset, quia nimirum Pauli sermonibus ac doctrinae vehementer fuerat adversatus, ut discamus, haeieticos ob eam potius causam cavendos esse, quia falsa docent, quam quia temporaliter nocent.
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16. In prima mea defensione nemo mihi adfuit. Id est, auxilium aut patrocinium praestitit. Certiorem nunc facit Timotheum de successu causae suae, pro qua reus et captus Romam ductus fuerat. Itaque primam suam defensionem vocat, quando primum omnium ad tribunal Neronis causam dixit. Ubi jam impleri coepit illud, quod Dominus ei Hierosolymis apparens futurum praedixerat Act. 23. his verbis: Constans esto. Sicut enim testificatus es de me in Jerusalem, sic te oportet et Romae testificari. Hoc autem contigisse primo anno, quo Romam venit, etsi Lucas in Actis ejus non meminerit, dubium esse non potest, scienti mcrem Romanum de captivis audiendis ac memoria repetenti ea, per quae satis jam probatum est, hanc Epistolam eodem anno scriptam fuisse. Quam si scripsisset, ut multi putant, instante martyrio: non utique post tot annos de prima sua defensione, quid actum esset, Timotheo significaret; praesertim cum ex aliis Epistolis certo constet, eum interea Romae Paulo adfuisse. Bespondet quidem Cajetanus, Paulum loqui de defensione non omnium prima, sed quam primam habuit post secundum suum adventum in urbem Romam. Verum caetera, quae partim in argumento, partim in hoc capite de tempore scriptae hujus Epistolae dicta a nobis sunt et dicenda, hujusmodi responsionem non admittunt. Ut interim praeteream, quod proxime dicit Apostolus: Ut per me praedicatio impleatur, et audiant omnes gentes; quo ex loco Sasboldus colligit, Apostolum loqui de prima defensione sui quum primo Romam venisset.
Sed omnes me dereliquerunt. Id est, omnium amicorum ope fui destitutus. Loquitur de iis, qui prodesse poterant; ut qui gratia valebant apud aulicos. Tantus enim omnes invaserat communis periculi metus, ut Pauli captivi causam nullus auderet commendare. Caeterum a Luca familiari suo, de quo supra dixit: Lucas est mecum solus, desertum eum fuisse, nequaquam est verisimile. Potest et ita exponi: Omnes, id est pene omnes.
Non illis imputetur. Alexandro peccanti in Spiritum sanctum divinam ultionem imprecatus fuerat: his autem, qui tantum ex humana quadam infirmitate et metu peccabanr, veniam a Deo precatur. Hoc enim est, quod optative dicit: Non illis imputetur, scilicet in culpam apud Deum, id est, Deus remittat, non puniat. Hoc enim dicit, quod pro suis persecutoribus, inter quos Paulus fuerat, Stephanus dixerat: Domine, ne statuas illis hoc peccatum Act. 7. Porro non ita pro his orat Paulus, quasi non etiam pro malitiose peccantibus, ut haereticis et apostatis orandum sit, sed quod impetrandi fiducia pro his multo minor sit quam pro illis.
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17. Dominus autem mihi astitit et confortavit me. Cum essem, inquit, ita desertus et destitutus omnium auxilio; Christus Dominus mihi praesto fuit, meque corroboravit, ne succumberem in mea defensione, ac ne metu mortis dicerem aut facerem quidquam, quod esset praeter dignitatem causae susceptae. Sic enim ipse pollicitus est, Luc. 21. dicens: Ego dabo vobis os et sapientiam, cui non poterunt resistere et contradicere omnes adversarii vestri. Porro quod recentiores quidam interpretes Erasmum secuti pro verbo astitit, reddere maluerunt adfuit, non probamus. Diversum est enim in Graeco verbum ab eo, quod paulo ante habetur: Nemo mihi adfuit, idem autem cum co, quod Act. 27. verbis Pauli legitur: Astitit mihi hac nocte angelus. Et mox angeli verbis: Ne timeas Paule, Caesari te oportet assistere. Quo loco ipse etiam Era6mus alterum astitit, alterum sisti vertendum sibi putavit. Igitursecundum Graeca vocabula, aliud est adesse, aliud assistere. Illud significat opem ferre: istud praesentem astare. Quare sicut in Actis eo sermone significatum est, angelum Paulo praesentem sese exhibuisse per revelationem, ita et hoc loco Christum Dominum. Similis est locus Act. 23., qui sic habet: Sequenti autem nocte assistens ei Dominus, ait: Constans esto etc. Ex qua locorum collatione jam promptum est intelligere, Paulum dicentem: Dominus mihi astitit, non solum loqui de praesentia auxilii divini, sed de apparitione Dominica sibi facta, qua singulariter in illo periculo fuerit confortatus. An autem apparuerit ei Dominus per angelum, an per seipsum, non liquet: nisi quod ordinarium sit, talia per angelorum ministeria fieri. Nam et de Christo Domino legitur, quod apparuit illi angelus de coelo confortans eum, Luc. 22.
Ut per me praedicatio impleatur et audiant omnes gentes. Quamvis hac parte significari possit causa, propter quam astiterit ei Dominus et confortaverit eum: magis tamen videtur esse sermo narrantis, quid sibi a Domino per revelationem dictum fuerit, nimirum haec aut similia verba: Constans esto, ne timeas. Adhuc enim oportet, ut per te praedicatio impleatur, et audiant omnes gentes. Sic enim expositus hic locus maximam omnino similitudinem habet cum utroque loco Act. jam paulo ante citato. Impleatur, Graece n\ripo<poprft-Q, quod alius quidam vertit: confirmetur, alius sic reddit sententiam: Ut per me fieret fides praeconii seu praedicationis. Fallit hos opinio de significatione verbi Graeci, de qua satis alibi diximus. Rectius hoc loco Erasmus, Lonicerus et Hentenius, qui cum nostro interprete: impleretur aut expleretur verlerunt. Ita superius hoc ecdem capite: Ministerium tuum imple. Et huic significationi respondet Theophylacti et Oecumenii commentarius. Denique eam explicat, quod hic adjungitur: Etaudiant omnesgentes. Itaque sensus est, Dominum Paulo per visum dixisse: Oportet, ut per te Evangelii praeconium impleatur, ad plenum perducatur, id est longius et usque ad terminum tibi a me decretum protendatur, ita ut audiant illud omnes gentes: hoc est, ut latissime per gentes, quarum tu es Apostolus, propagetur Evangelii mei doctrina. Non enim auditum inanem intelligit, sed cura effectu fidei. Simile illud Rom. 15. Ita ut ab Jerusalem per circuitum usque ad Illyricum repleverim Evangelium Christi, id est longe, lateque propagaverim. Vide ejus loci commentarium. Quod igitur Joanni de repetendo prophetandi officio dictum legitur Apoc. 11., idem de iustaurando Evangelii praeconio Paulus sibi dictum indicat; tanquam et ipse audiret a Domino: Oportet te iterum praedicare gentibus, et populis, et linguis, et regibus multis. Porro sive pars ista narrative, sicut eam exposuimus, intelligatur; sive, quod aliis placet, causaliter: illud tamen significari non dubium est, Evangelii praedicationem per Paulum adhuc implendam esse, ut audiant omnes gentes. Ex quo datur intelligi, Paulum postea vinculis solutum ac liberum in varias orbis partes Evangelium sua praedioatione divulgasse. Quare nec in postremis vinculis, nec instante martyrio scripta est ab eo haec Epistola; sed multo ante, videlicet in priore captivitate Romana; quandoquidem Romae bis tantum incarceiatum eum fuisse historiae produnt. Unde nec in superioribus alia cogitanda est prima defensio, quam qua e primis vinculis causam dixit. Id quod etiam sagaciter observavit in suo comm. Sasboldus, ut illic monuimus.
Et liberatus sum de ore leonis. Liberatus, Graece, ereptus. Neque enim significat se liberatum e vinculis; cum haec ipsa e vinculis scribat, et toto biennio vinctus permanserit: sed praesenti periculo, quod tunc metucbatur, eieptum fuisse. Leonem plerique Neronem Caesarem interpretantur, ita dictum ob ferociam animi. Nam etsi primo ac secundo imperii sui anno mansueti atque benefici principis nomen promereri visus fuerit: mox tamen in apertam saevitiam prorumpere coepit, ut de eo historici testantur. Agebatur autem tertius annus imperii ejus, quando Paulus primum ad tribunal ejus stetit. Alii vero, quod probabilius est, hac sermonis figura non aliud significari putant, quam periculi magnitudinem, e quo divina ope fuerit ereptus, ut si diceret ereptum se e faucibus mortis. Sic enim fere accipitur ilia phrasis in Scripturis. Neque verisimile est, Paulum apud ipsumNeronem causamtuncdixisse, sed apud judicem quempiam inferiorem.
4:18
18. Liberavit me Dominus ab omni opere tnalo. Graece et Syriace: Et eripiet me. Similiter Ambrosianus, et manuscripta quaedam Latina legunt in futuro: Liberabit autem me. Nec est in Graeco inter praeteritum verbum et futurum ea soni similitudo, quae mutationem alterius in alterum facile admitteret. quemadmodum in Latino. Denique futurum postulat ejusdem temporis verbum subsequens, et salvum faciet. Sunt autem optimae fiduciae verba, quae hunc sensum habent: Non solum fune ereptus sum e vitae periculo; verum etiam ceito confido fore, ut idem Christus Dominus in posterum me conservet, si non a persecutione et periculo, certe ab omni opere malo, quo scilicet a confessione nominisejusrecederem; id est, non patiatur me superari a tentatione, sed daturus sit constantiam usque ad mortem. Unde sequitur:
Et salvum faciet in regnum suum coeleste, quasi dicat: etsi a morte prae senti non eripiat, futurum tamen confido, ut me salvet, perducendo in regnum suum coeleste, ubi perpetua vita et salute cum eo fruar. Vocat regnum coeleste, ad distinctionem terreni et temporalis; quum illud sit spirituale et aeternum. Cui gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Observa contra Arianos, Apostolum ea Christo adscribere, quae alibi Deo velut propria triluit, ut 1 Tim. 1. et Rom. ult.
4:19
19. Saluta Priscam et Aquilam. More suo salutationes aliquot subnectit. Quod codices tam Graeci, quam Latini variant, ut alii Priscam legant, alii Priscillam, mirandum non est. Nam Priscilla a Prisca diminutivum est; quo fere gaudent mulieres appellari. Atque hoc nomen ter legitur Act. 18. Cur autem Priscam priori loco nominet, uxorem scilicet ante virum, quaeri potest. Sed de eo satis dictum est Rom. ult., ubi inter salutationes eodem ordine nominantur. Et Onesiphori domum. Id est, familiam ejus domesticam. De Onesiphoro et ejus in Paulum humanitate, habemus supra cap. 1.
4:20
20. Erastus remansit Corinthi. Hic unus erat eorum, qui Paulo ministrabant, ut habetur Act. 19. Idem Rom. ult. arcarius civitatisvocatur, scilicetCorinthiorum, sicut ibi expositum est. Is Corinthi remanserat anno superiore, quando per eas partes Paulus iter faciebat, ut innuilur eodem loco Actorum. Remanserat autem detentus, ut verisimile est, publicis officii sui negotiis.
Trophimum autem reliqui infirmum Mileti. Fuit et hic e comitibus Pauli, ut liquet ex Act. 20. et 21., ubi modo Asianus, modo Ephesius appellatur. De hoc constat ex Actorum historia, quod una cum Paulo Mileto discesserit ac Hierosolymam pervenerit; ubi templum ingressus occasionem attulit Judaeis commovendi tumultum adversus Paulum. Neque vero Paulus postea Miletum reversus legitur, sed ex Hierosolyma captivus Romam perductus est itinere longe diverso. Quomodo igitur potuit Trophimum Mileti infirmum reliquisse? Respondendum videtur, aut mendum- irrepsisse in hunc locum, ut Mileti pro Melitae scriptum sit, veluti suspicatur Baronius: aut, si suspicionem non admittas, quod nulla ei suffragantur exemplaria, Melitem a Paulo Miletum vocatam esse, transpositis, ut interum fit, vocalibus. Est autem Melita insula, ad quam Paulus Romam proficiscens navigio appulit Act. ult., ubi et patrem principis insulae morbo liberavit, et omnes ejusdem insulae infirmos curavit. Cur autem Trophimum itineris sui comitem non etiam curaverit; eadem ratio a nobis reddenda est, quae reddita est alibi de Epaphrodito et Timotheo. Neque tamen ex ea infirmitate mortuus est Trophimus. Nam postea a Paulo Arelatem destinatus fuit episcopus; de cujus fonte, ut ait Zosimus Papa, tota Gallia fidei rivulos accepit. Legitur in martyrologiis ad quartum Cal. Januarii. Additiuncula B. P. Etiam in Creta fuisse urbem, cui nomen esset Miletus, Grammatici probant ex Hom. 2. Iliad. et ex Strab. lib. 12. In hac potuit relinqui Trophimus aegrotus, quum Cretam adnavigaret Paulus captivus, ut legitur Act. 27. Strabonis testimonium hac in re eo plus valere debet, quod fuerit Cretensis. Porro cur haec de Erasto et Trophimo commemoret Apostolus, intelligitur ex eo, quod sequitur:
4:21
21. Festina ante hyemem venire. Graece: Cura, ut ante hyemem venias. Cum enim sociis Evangelii non solum prioribus illis, verum etiam his duobus destitutus sim; valde mihi opera tua est necessaria. Dicitautem: ante hyemem, Timotheo consulens, quod hyberno tempore periculosa sit navigatio. Salutant te Eubulus, et Pudens, et Linus, et Claudia. Pudens vir erat apud Romanos clarissimus, senatorii ordinis, Pater sanctarum Praxedis et Pudentianae virginum, de quo vide martyrologium ad 14. Cal. Junii. Linus vero idem, qui Petro proximus in episcopatu Roroano postea successit, et anteaPauIo ministravit, Ignatio teste in epist. ad Trallianos. Additiuncula B. P. De hoc Pudente ac de Claudia, quae hic nominatur, ipsius uxore, nuper elaboratum magnaque industria ex veteribus ethnicis erutum prodiit Syntagma viri nobilitate et doctrina atque ingenio egregii, Francisci Moncaei Frigidae Vallis Toparchae, Tornaci excusum. Est ei titulus: Ecclesiae Christianae veteris Britanicae incunabula regia.
Et fratres omnes. Post nominato9 praecipuos hac generali clausula reliquos omnes, qui Romae erant, fideles complectitur.
4:22
22. Dominus Jesus Christus cum spiritu tuo. Id est, tecum sit per gratiam suam. Unde sequitur: Gratia vobiscum. Amen. Vobiscum, id est tecum, et cum universa Ecclesia tibi commissa. Pro vobiscum, usfr3 uuujv, quod hodie constanter habent codices Graeci, in Graecorum commentariis legitur et studiose exponitur: usfr' t)u.u)V nobiscum. Dicunt enim, Paulum hic etiam sibi ipsi gratiam Dei precari. Mihi probabilior est vulgata codicum lectio. Nam ut Epistolam ad Titam, quamvis ad eum solum scribat, ita claudit: Gratia cum omnibus vobis. Amen. Graeca subscriptio post finem Epistolae sic habet: Scripta e Roma ad Timotheum secunda, quum Paulus iterum sisteretur Caesari Neroni. Sed hujusmodi Graecae subscriptiones, ut incerti sunt auctoris, kita non magnae auctoritatis.
4:1
… Correlative to the Kingdom of God (II Tim. 4:1), which "has come" and yet must still come (Mt. 4:17; 6:10), the p. of the King-Messiah, reality and end toward which everything tends, assumes different aspects, according to the …
… Speaking of the afterlife, P. dwells on the final resurrection, which had its meritorious and formal cause in that of Christ, head of the Mystical Body (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:12-58). The Universal Judgment follows (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:16; 2 Tim. 4:1). The fate of sinners is barely touched upon (cf. 2 Thess. 1:5 ff.) by P., who dwells so much on the happiness of the just. …
4:2
… (σχίσματα) among you" (1 Cor. 1:10-13). "O Timothy, guard the deposit; avoid the impious discussions of the false gnosis, τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως; some, who have adhered to it, have gone far from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20-21; 1:3-4; 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:13-14; 4:2-4). "From anyone who fosters divisions, separate after a first and second warning" (Tit. 3:10-11). "If anyone does not bring you the doctrine of Christ, do not receive him into your …
4:3
… The A. is like the ideal type; in reality he manifests himself in a plurality of opponents of Christ, authors of the final "apostasy" (cf. I Tim. 4, 1-2; II Tim. 3, 1-5; 4, 3-4; Tertullian, De praescriptione, 4, 33). Polycarp (Ad Phil., 7, 2) echoes his master John.
4:5
… class of catechists called in the New Testament "evangelists" or proclaimers of the "good news," to whom were added the "doctors" or "teachers," that is, persons endowed by the Spirit with the "gift" of teaching (cf. Acts 21:8; 8:5 ff., 40; Eph. 4:11; II Tim. 4:5; Rom. 12:7; I Cor. 12:8: to the "evangelists" was perhaps entrusted the first evangelization, and to the "doctors" or "teachers" the task of perfecting instruction, always in dependence …
In his last letter the Apostle urges Timothy to be a good E. (II Tim. 4:5). In Ephesians (4:11) Paul enumerates certain gifts or charisms, each of which has its own determined purpose (apostolate, prophecy, office of the E., governance of communities, teaching); …
4:6
I. DOGMATIC THEOLOGY. - In Sacred Scripture death is described as a dissolution (Phil. 1:25; II Tim. 4:6), as laying aside one's tabernacle (II Pt. 1:14), a going out from the body: the body returns to the earth, whence it had come (Gen. 3:19; Ps. 145:4; Eccles. 12:7); the soul, before …
As for the question of origin, the second Roman imprisonment must be excluded, during which Paul — already once delivered from the lion's mouth (II Tim. 4, 17) — sees his own end as imminent (ibid. 4, 6 f.) and awaits salvation only in the heavenly Kingdom (ibid. 4, 18). In the letters of the imprisonment, on the contrary, he manifests confidence that he will be released (Eph. 6, …
He affirms this in 51 in I Thess. 5:10; in 57-58 in I Cor. 6:14; II Cor. 4:14, and after 64 in II Tim. 4:6-7; in 61 (W. Michaelis, Die Datierung des Philipperbriefes, Gütersloh 1933, dates Phil. between 53 and 56) in Phil. 1:21-23 he declares that the true life, with Christ, is the one that …
… however, must have been the treatment given to St. Paul during his second imprisonment, if Onesiphorus (v.) must overcome great difficulty to track down the Apostle (2 Tim. 1:17), who finds himself abandoned (cf. 2 Tim. 4:9-15) and awaits death (2 Tim. 4:6 ff.; v. PAOLO APOST., I). It is generally held that the Babylon of 1 Pet. 5:13 is Rome, according to a metaphor not infrequent in rabbinic usage (texts in H. L. Strack-P. …
4:7
… the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the just Judge, will render to me on that day, and not only to me but also to those who desire his coming" (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Thus Sacred Scripture teaches that the justified man can, with Grace, bear fruit in good works, which he must perform, and that these are meritorious before God.
4:8
… (Lutherans and Calvinists) on account of the theory of justification by faith alone, which equally saves all, is a dogma of faith defined by the Council of Florence (Denz-U, 693; cf. ibid., 842), and clearly affirmed by Scripture (Mt. 17, 27; I Cor. 3, 8; II Tim. 4, 8; cf. Jn. 14, 2; I Cor. 15, 41) and by the Fathers, especially on the occasion of the exegesis of the parable of the laborers, who receive the same reward (cf. St. Gregory of Nazianzus, …
PARADISE. - In the New Testament, P. is the place of beatitude in heaven, the glorious and radiant seat of God, where the just will enjoy eternal happiness (Lk. 23:43; II Cor. 12:4; Apoc. 2:7); there they will share, as a reward, in the divine "joy" and "kingdom" (Mt. 25:21, 23, 34; II Tim. 4:8).
In the New Testament writings, p. preserves the fundamental sense of "presence," and only by force of the context can it imply the sense of "return." Like the "manifestation" (II Tim. 1:10; 4:8) or the "revelation" (I Pt. 1:7, 13) of Jesus, his p. is a presence begun with the nativity, which must culminate in his supreme appearance as universal king-judge. …
… determine T.'s age when he was elected bishop of Ephesus; if Paul, an "old man" of about 65 years, calls him "young" (ibid. 4:12), he could have been 35-40 years old. After Paul's martyrdom, from Rome, where he had been summoned by him (II Tim. 1:4; 4:8, 21), he returned to Ephesus, remaining there perhaps even after the coming of St. John; if he died there a martyr under the emperor Nerva and the proconsul Peregrinus (97 A.D.), perhaps …
4:9
… preach (Acts 28:30 f.). Different, however, must have been the treatment given to St. Paul during his second imprisonment, if Onesiphorus (v.) must overcome great difficulty to track down the Apostle (2 Tim. 1:17), who finds himself abandoned (cf. 2 Tim. 4:9-15) and awaits death (2 Tim. 4:6 ff.; v. PAOLO APOST., I). It is generally held that the Babylon of 1 Pet. 5:13 is Rome, according to a metaphor not infrequent in rabbinic usage (texts …
… Apostle to reorganize the Churches of the island, he was shortly afterward summoned by him to Nicopolis in Epirus with a brief letter (v. PASTORAL LETTERS; TIMOTHY) written perhaps from Macedonia in 66. During Paul's last imprisonment, T. went to Dalmatia (II Tim. 4:9); in the following years, according to unanimous tradition, he was bishop of Crete until his death, which occurred in advanced old age.
4:10
CRESCENS. - Disciple of St. Paul, mentioned in II Tim. 4:10. The Latin name Crescens (Tacitus, Hist., I, 76, the name of a freedman of Nero; Annal., XV, 11, of a centurion), Hellenized as Κρήχνης, suggests a person of Latin origin; …
DEMAS. - Disciple of St. Paul, mentioned in II Tim. 4:10 with a rather unflattering note: "D. has abandoned me out of love for the present age, and has gone off to Thessalonica." The name (Δηλᾶς) may be an abbreviation of Δημήτριος. …
Galatia is also mentioned in 1 Macc. 8:2 and in 2 Tim. 4:10; but, since the Greeks translated the Latin Gallia also with Γαλατία, in both texts it could be a question of Gaul; and the peoples conquered by the Romans according to 1 Macc. 8:2 …
4:11
… Paul (Acts 21:18-26:32). Then, when the prisoner is transferred from Caesarea to Rome, L. accompanies him (Acts 27:22-28:29). He is at Paul's side, though perhaps not continuously, at the time of the two Roman imprisonments (Col. 4:24; Phil. 24; II Tim. 4:11).
… In 2 Tim. 4:11 Paul begs Timothy to take M. with him and bring him to Rome, because he was "useful to him in the ministry."
4:12
… From the second Roman imprisonment Paul (II Tim. 4:12), probably to facilitate Timothy's journey to Rome, sent to Ephesus Tychicus, who had already carried out other missions there (Eph. 6:21 ff.).
Tychicus (Τυχικός « fortunate », Tychicus)
… absence (Titus 3:12); it is likely that he sent Artemas there and that T. followed the Apostle to Rome, if from there in A.D. 66-67 St. Paul recommends to Timothy that he come together with Mark, telling him that he has already sent T. toward Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:12) to take his place temporarily.
4:13
If the Acts had been written later, for example after the martyrdom of Paul (the year 67), the author, who intended to prove that the Apostles were witnesses of Christ, would have had to speak of this supreme testimony of the Apostle; after Paul's last journey to the East (II Tim. 4, 13, 20), the words he spoke to the Ephesian presbyters on his return from the third missionary journey would not have been left without explanation: "I know that you all will see my face …
… or morals, denying it for the biblical parts that contain historical, profane, natural-science information, etc. (Holden, in 1662; F. Lenormant [v.]; S. Di Bartolo [v.], regarding the obiter dicta, particular incidental matters such as, for example, 2 Tim. 4:13; Tob. 11:9, etc. [Cardinal Newman]), and that therefore have no connection with the attainment of the ultimate end (G. Semeria).
… A cloak of the same kind as the paenula (ρελένη) was requested by St. Paul from Timothy (II Tim. 4:13), having been left by him at Troas, with Carpus, along with some of his books. …
4:15
… you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels..." (Mt. 25, 31-46; cf. Mk. 13, 26-27; Lk. 21, 27). The Apostles echoed the Master's teaching (Acts 10, 42; 17, 31; 24, 25; Rom. 2, 16; 14, 10; I Cor. 3, 4; 4, 5; II Cor. 5, 10; II Tim. 4, 15; II Thess. 2, 5; II Pt. 2, 9; Jude 15; Rev. 20, 12).
4:17
As for the question of origin, the second Roman imprisonment must be excluded, during which Paul — already once delivered from the lion's mouth (II Tim. 4, 17) — sees his own end as imminent (ibid. 4, 6 f.) and awaits salvation only in the heavenly Kingdom (ibid. 4, 18). In the letters of the imprisonment, on the contrary, he manifests …
4:18
As for the question of origin, the second Roman imprisonment must be excluded, during which Paul — already once delivered from the lion's mouth (II Tim. 4, 17) — sees his own end as imminent (ibid. 4, 6 f.) and awaits salvation only in the heavenly Kingdom (ibid. 4, 18). In the letters of the imprisonment, on the contrary, he manifests confidence that he will be released (Eph. 6, 19 f.; Col. 4, 3 f.; Phil. 1, 25 ff.; 2, 24; Philem. 22).
4:19
They appear again at Rome (Rom. 16:3), then at Ephesus (II Tim. 4:19). They moved, perhaps for reasons of commerce, from one center to another, leading with them their own workers already Christian, or gathering others whom they converted to the faith, …
4:20
ERASTUS. - A name that occurs three times in the New Testament: 1) Acts 19:22; 2) Rom. 16:23; 3) 2 Tim. 4:20; but it is uncertain whether these refer to one, two or three individuals. …
(I Tim. 1:3), at Miletus (II Tim. 4:20), at Crete (Tit.
Trophimus (Τρόφυμος, "Nourished", "Pupil"), Saint
served for the Israelites, stirred up a riot, in which Paul was arrested by the Roman tribune Claudius Lysias (Acts 21:27-33). In 66-67, while he was following the Apostle on his last journey to the East, an illness forced him to stop at Miletus (II Tim. 4:20). According to C. Spicq, G. Ricciotti, P. De Ambroggi, perhaps Paul was already under arrest at that time and certain persons were accompanying him, among them T.
4:21
2 Tim. 4:21.
Uncertain in any case is the time of his pontificate; according to the testimony of Eusebius he governed for 12 years, and therefore probably from 67 to 79. The same Eusebius, taking up the opinion of St. Irenaeus, says that L. is the same person to whom St. Paul sent greetings to Timothy (II Tim. 4:21). According to the Liber Pontificalis, L. was born in Tuscany; he would have established, according to the precept of St. Paul, that women should enter church always with their heads …
Pudens and Pudentiana (Pudens, Poúdēs or Spoudēs)
PUDENS AND PUDENTIANA (Pudens, Poúdēs or Spoudēs). - A member of the Roman community, mentioned by St. Paul in II Tim. 4:21, during his second Roman imprisonment; Pudens, together with Eubulus (v.), Linus (v.), Claudia and all the brethren, greets Timothy.
4:22
… It was at this time that St. Paul stayed there, the first time during the third journey (Acts 20:15-18), when he gathered there the leaders of the Church of Ephesus, and the other, it seems, after his first imprisonment (2 Tim 4:22), when he left there his companion Trophimus. …
… The community will, however, have to know the content of these letters from the voice of those through whom Paul exercises his superior authority as Apostle (I Tim. 2:1 ff.; 4:12; 6:3 ff., 21; Tit. 2:1 ff.; 3:15; II Tim. 4:22).
… (ibid. 2:12 "spirit of the world"; etc.), and the activity of the Holy Spirit in man (ibid. 14:12, 32; I Thess. 5:16; II Thess. 2:2: the charisms) or man under the influence of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 14:14-16; "with your spirit"; Gal. 6:18; Phil. 4:23; II Tim. 4:22; Philem. 25), and the person of the Holy Spirit. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.