Translated by Qwen.
1 Pet 2:20b. But if, when doing good, you patiently endure tribulations unjustly inflicted upon you, this is grace, that is, a thing very acceptable to God. For such endurance is satisfactory for sins committed against God, and meritorious of greater grace in this life, and of fuller glory in heaven. Through it, moreover, humans are conformed to Christ who suffered most unjustly. Therefore it is added: For to this you have been called, that is, graciously drawn to the same fate and to the law of the Gospel, that you may be patient in adversities unjustly inflicted.
For which reason Christ says to the disciples: “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you, for the servant is not greater than his master” (John 15:20). And again He testifies: “As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you.” As if to say: Just as I am loved by the Father, and nevertheless afflicted with adversities in this world, so I love you, and yet I expose you to tribulations. Hence Paul acknowledges: “All who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
But an objection may be raised against what has been said: that to be punished in this life for one’s own sins seems meritorious, since God does not punish twice for the same thing, as is found in the ancient translation of the prophet Nahum, where our Vulgate reads: “Affliction shall not rise up a second time” (Nah. 1:9). Otherwise, penance or amendment enjoined in confession would not be satisfactory and meritorious, although everything one does or endures out of charity is held to be meritorious.
The answer is this: According to the rigor of justice, to endure the due punishment for one’s own fault is not meritorious in itself, considering the inherent connection between punishment and fault. Nevertheless, insofar as one willingly accepts that punishment for one’s faults out of charity, with contrition, and endures it for God’s honor as compensation for the injury inflicted upon Him, it is rightly held to be meritorious. Therefore, since it is so acceptable to God to endure injuries equanimously without one’s own fault, one ought duly to obey even harsh masters with reverence, even though they are sometimes troublesome and unjust to their servants.
Finally, there is a threefold degree of patience:
The first is to patiently endure rebukes and corrections for one’s own faults.
The second is to willingly endure adversities without one’s own fault, yet not explicitly for justice (as religious are sometimes corrected by their superiors to be tested, exercised, and made perfect).
The third is to endure them equanimously without one’s own fault, precisely for the sake of justice.
The first degree is good; the second, better; the third, best and perfect.
1 Pet 2:21–23. Consequently, the most blessed Peter teaches full patience by the example of Christ, and recalls the benefits of Christ. Because Christ also suffered for us, that is, for our salvation, for the blotting out of our sins, for the manifold grace to be merited for us, for the glory to be bestowed upon us. For which reason He says in John: “I lay down My life for My sheep.” And through Isaiah God the Father speaks: “For the transgression of My people I have struck Him.”
Leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps, that is, that for His sake and out of love for Him you may willingly endure adversities, since servants and members ought to conform themselves to their head and lord. For which reason He Himself says: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23); and again, “He who does not bear his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” Hence the Apostle John says: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
When St. Peter had said, “Christ suffered for us,” why did he add, “for you,” and not rather, “for us,” unless perhaps so that his exhortation might be more strongly impressed upon the hearts of those to whom he wrote?
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. The same is written in Isaiah. For He was God and man, and the Savior of all; therefore it was by no means fitting that fault should be in Him. And His humanity was most perfectly confirmed in goodness from the very beginning of the Incarnation. Who, when He was reviled by the Jews saying, “He has blasphemed,” “He is guilty of death,” and, “Let Him be crucified,” did not revile them in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten. Rather, He prayed for His crucifiers, and like a lamb before its shearer, He was dumb (Isa. 53:7). He delivered Himself to Him that judged Him unjustly, that is, to Pilate, who unjustly sentenced Him to a most cruel death; He permitted Himself to be handed over by the Jews. Nay, He went of His own accord and most willingly to Him, out of most ardent charity and supreme obedience, by which He desired to suffer for us as God the Father had ordained. Therefore Isaiah speaks: “He delivered His soul unto death” (Isa. 53:12). And He Himself says: “No one takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:18).
1 Pet 2:24. Who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that is, endured the most bitter punishment for our sins on the cross, in His own most immaculate body, most tenderly and nobly constituted, and therefore most keenly perceptive of pain, and supremely capable of suffering. This is what Isaiah says: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:4, 6). That we, being dead to sins, that is, cleansed from vices, should live unto righteousness, that is, be devoted and subject to virtuous acts, and in all things obey Christ, who is true righteousness. For He is made unto us from God wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, as Paul asserts (1 Cor. 1:30). Concerning whom the Lord also speaks through Isaiah: “My righteousness is near to be revealed.” By whose bruises we are healed from vices, which are the infirmities of souls.
1 Pet 2:25. For you were as sheep going astray, namely, before your conversion to Christ. All these words are as if taken from Isaiah. Where it is also read: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” The Psalmist also says: “I have gone astray like a lost sheep” (Ps. 118:176). But you are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, that is, to Christ, who nourishes and strengthens your souls with manifold food: namely, with His own body and blood, with the bread of good works, with the bread of tears and compunction, with the refreshment of contemplation, and with the sweetness of interior consolation.
Who is also called the Bishop of souls, that is, one attentive to their salvation, or overseer of their salvation. For “Bishop” is interpreted as “overseer”: from epi, which means “over,” and skopeō, “to watch/attend.” Another manuscript reading has: To the shepherd and visitor of your souls. For Christ has visited us, the Daystar from on high (Luke 1:78), who also daily visits the souls of the elect with the light of His grace and mercies. This same Savior is also our king and high priest, an advocate interceding for us. Concerning whom it is written to the Hebrews: “Because He continues forever, He has an everlasting priesthood. Therefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:24–25).
CONTINUE
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