Translated using ChatGPT.
Lecture 1
After the Apostle has shown the necessity of the grace of Christ — because without it neither the knowledge of truth profited the Gentiles, nor circumcision and the Law the Jews, for salvation — he now begins to commend the power of grace. Concerning this he does two things. First, he shows what goods we obtain through grace; second, from what evils we are freed by it, at the words, “Therefore, just as through one man…” and so forth.
Concerning the first he does two things. First, he sets forth the manner of arriving, or the way by which we come to grace; second, he shows the goods which we obtain through grace, at the words, “And we glory in the hope of the glory…” and so forth.
Concerning the first he does two things. First, he exhorts to the proper use of grace; second, he shows us access to grace, at the words, “Through whom we have access…” and so forth.
He says therefore first: it has been said that faith is reckoned to all who believe in the resurrection of Christ unto justice, which resurrection is the cause of our justification. Therefore, being justified by faith — insofar as by faith in the resurrection we share in its effect — let us have peace toward God, namely by subjecting ourselves and obeying Him. Job 22:21: “Acquaint yourself with Him and be at peace.” Job 9:4: “Who has resisted Him and had peace?”
And this is through Jesus Christ our Lord, who has led us to this peace. Ephesians 2:14: “He is our peace.” Hence he adds: through whom — namely Christ — we have access, as through a mediator. 1 Timothy 2:5: “Mediator of God and men.” Ephesians 2:18: “Through Him we have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Access, I say, into this grace, that is, into the state of grace. John 1:17: “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” In which — that is, through which grace — we have not only risen from sins, but we also stand, fixed and uplifted in affection toward heavenly things. Psalm 122:2: “Our feet were standing.” And again: “We have risen and stand upright.”
And this is through faith, through which we obtain grace — not because faith precedes grace, since rather faith itself is through grace. Ephesians 2:8: “By grace you have been saved through faith,” namely because the first effect of grace in us is faith.
Then when he says, “We glory in the hope of the glory,” he shows what goods have come to us through grace. First, he says that through grace we have the glory of hope; second, that through grace we have glory in God, at the words, “Not only so…” and so forth.
Concerning the first he does three things. First, he shows the greatness of hope in which we glory; second, its intensity, at “Not only so…”; third, its firmness, at “Hope does not confound…”
The greatness of hope is considered from the greatness of the thing hoped for, which he sets forth saying: “We glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God,” that is, because we hope to obtain the glory of God’s children. For through the grace of Christ we have received the spirit of adoption of the sons of God, as is said below (Rom 8:15), and Wisdom 5:5: “Behold how they are counted among the sons of God.”
To sons is due the inheritance of the Father (Rom 8:17). This inheritance is the glory which God has in Himself. Job 40:9: “If you have an arm like God…” And such hope has been instilled in us through Christ. 1 Peter 1:3–4: “He has begotten us again to a living hope… to an incorruptible inheritance.”
This glory, which will be completed in us in the future, is now begun in us through hope. Romans 8:24: “In hope we were saved.” Psalm 5:11: “All who love your name shall glory in you.”
Then when he says, “Not only so…” he shows the intensity of this hope. For one who strongly hopes willingly endures even difficult and bitter things for its sake — as a sick man who strongly hopes for health willingly drinks a bitter medicine.
Therefore a sign of the strong hope we have through Christ is that we not only glory in hope of future glory, but also in the evils we suffer for it. Hence he says: “Not only do we glory,” namely in hope of glory, “but we also glory in tribulations,” through which we come to glory. Acts 14:22: “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” James 1:2: “Count it all joy…”
He then gives the reason, saying: “Knowing…” where he sets forth four things in order. First is tribulation, of which it is said that tribulation works patience — not as an efficient cause, but as matter and occasion for exercising patience. Romans 12:12: “Patient in tribulation.”
Second he sets the effect of patience: “Patience produces testing.” Sirach 2:5: “Gold is tested in fire…” For we easily endure loss for the sake of something we love more. Thus if someone patiently endures temporal losses for eternal goods, it is proven that he loves eternal goods more.
An objection is raised from James 1:3: “The testing of your faith produces patience.” The answer is that “testing” can be understood in two ways: as the trial itself (thus tribulation tests patience), or as the state of being proven — and so patience produces proven character, because by enduring one is shown to be tested.
Third he adds: “Testing produces hope,” because once a person is proven, hope can be held that he will be admitted to God’s inheritance. Wisdom 3:5: “God tested them and found them worthy.” Thus tribulation prepares the way for hope.
Then when he says, “Hope does not confound,” he shows its firmness — because hope does not fail unless a person fails it. Psalm 31:1: “In you, Lord, I have hoped; let me never be put to shame.”
He gives two arguments for the certainty of hope: first from the gift of the Holy Spirit, second from the death of Christ.
He says: we know hope does not confound because the charity of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.
“Charity of God” can mean either the love by which God loves us (Jer 31:3), or the love by which we love God (Rom 8:38). Both are poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit — who is the love of the Father and the Son — because by receiving Him we participate in divine love and become lovers of God. And our loving Him is a sign that He loves us (Prov 8:17; 1 John 4:10).
God’s love for us is said to be poured into our hearts because it is manifested there by the gift of the Spirit (John 3:24). Our love for God is poured out because it extends to perfect all acts of the soul (1 Cor 13:4).
From either meaning it follows that hope does not confound: if God loves us, He will not deny Himself to those He loves (Deut 33:3); if we love Him, He has prepared eternal goods for us (John 14:21).
Lecture 2
After showing the firmness of hope through the gift of the Spirit, the Apostle now shows it through the death of Christ.
He first proposes a question, then shows the difficulty, then determines the truth.
He says: it has been said that hope does not confound — which appears if one considers that Christ, when we were still weak (with the weakness of sin; Ps 6:2), died for the ungodly (1 Pet 3:18). Just as bodily sickness disorders the humors, so sin disorders the affections.
He died at the appointed time — remaining in death until rising on the third day (Matt 12:40). This is great if we consider who died, and also for whom — the ungodly. Such a great act must be for some fruit, namely the salvation of mankind (Ps 30:9).
Then he shows the difficulty: “Scarcely will anyone die for a just man.” Perhaps someone might dare to die for a good man — but what Christ did, dying for the ungodly, is unheard of. Hence it is rightly wondered why He did this.
Another reading: “just” means one exercised in virtue; “good” means innocent. One might die for the innocent out of compassion, but dying for the just comes from zeal for virtue, which is rarer.
Then he answers: God commends His love toward us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us (John 3:16). This shows immense divine love — seen both in the gift of the Son and in our unworthiness (Eph 2:4–5).
Therefore: if Christ died for us while we were sinners, much more, now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath (Matt 3:7).
He then shows the necessity of this conclusion by arguing from lesser to greater: if when we were enemies we were reconciled through His death, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
A man is called God’s enemy in two ways: by resisting His commandments (Job 15:26), or insofar as God hates sin in him (Wis 11:24; Sir 12:7). Remove sin through Christ and reconciliation follows (2 Cor 5:19).
Christ’s death can be considered in three ways: as death itself (not pleasing, since death entered through sin), as the act of killers (displeasing), or as proceeding from Christ’s will — in obedience (Phil 2:8) and charity (Eph 5:2). In this last way it is meritorious and satisfactory, sufficient for reconciliation — even for those who killed Him, some of whom were saved when He prayed, “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34).
Finally he shows the goods we already possess: we not only glory in hope, but in God — being united to Him now by faith and charity (1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17) through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received reconciliation (Col 1:20).
It can also be connected thus: we shall be saved from evils, and not only that, but we shall glory in God — because we shall be one with Him in the future (John 17:22).
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