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Ambrosiaster

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 1,043 passages across 16 books

Commentary

481–500 of 1,043
2 Timothy 2:18

Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

These heretics deny that Christians shall rise in a future life and insist that the resurrection happens in the natural birth of children.

COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY

2 Timothy 2:20

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Paul indicates that the church has diverse members, who are at differing levels of maturity. The heretic Novatian believes that this passage applies to the world, since he defends the general truth and holiness of his church. But this is wrong. COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.Chrysostom: As in a great house it is likely there should be a great difference of vessels, so here also, in the whole world. He speaks here not of the church only but of the world at large. For do not think, I pray, that he means it of the church. For there he would not have any vessels of wood or of earth but all of gold or silver, which is the body of Christ, which is that “pure virgin, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.”

Homilies on 2 Timothy 6

2 Timothy 4:13

The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

The paenula is the distinctive dress of a Roman citizen, thus a garment that Paul would have needed on his journeys to identify him as such.

COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY

Acts 1:17

For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

God is no respecter of persons. Even Saul and Judas had been good at one time. How could someone who was not good have a share in the Savior's ministry? In the plan of God it was decided that we would be considered worthy for the time for which he was chosen. It is no wonder that these men were considered good, because all nature is good and no substance is evil, but rather transgression, which arises from the will.

Acts 3:15

And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Now the Jews deserved to be punished all the more, because they did not know Christ the Creator, either by nature or by the law. He is our head. At God's behest we recognize Him as the author of our life. And to this gift God adds the Gentiles, indiciating that we have been saved by the grace of God.

Acts 3:17

And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

Paul also says that the Jews did not believe in Christ because they were ignorant (Rom. 10:3). They wanted to show their zeal for God, but not knowing his will or plan, they acted against him even though they claimed to be defending him. Paul says of them that it was not out of malice or envy but out of ignorance that they did not accept Christ. Not realizing that this was the Christ whom God had promised, they said they were waiting for someone else. Preferring the righteousness which they had from the law over him who is the righteousness of God in faith.

Colossians 1:13

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Freed thus from the condition of darkness, that is, plucked from the infernal place, in which we were held by the devil both because of our own and because of Adam’s transgression, who is the father of sinners, we were translated by faith into the heavenly kingdom of the Son of God. This was so that he might show us by what love God loved us, when, raising us from deepest hell, he led us into heaven with his true Son. .

Colossians 1:16

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Before all things came to be, he was born. But Paul also says that all things were created “in him.” He is saying that the potency of all things may be believed to be in him, and since in fact all things came into existence through him. This last means that he is the head of every creature, since they began to exist only by virtue of existing with respect to him. .

Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Christ is the head of the church, if things heavenly and earthly live together in him, such that if the whole body is ever deprived of its head, that is, separated from its Creator, there would be an insane and empty chaos. .

Colossians 1:19

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

The fullness is in him and remains in him. This means that he surpasses all things and cannot be surpassed, that he may fashion, refashion, restore the fallen, raise the dead. Thus he says, “Just as the Father has life in himself; so he gives it to the Son to have life in himself.” .

Colossians 1:21

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

As he recalls God’s gift to the Gentiles, Paul shows by how much more they are debtors with respect to God’s grace. For they were enemies of his counsel, by which he had decided to visit the human race through his servant Moses. They did not receive his teaching and power but worshiped their own idols, even the evil works. They adored the works which they themselves had fabricated. .

Colossians 1:24

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Paul confesses that he rejoices in the tribulations which he suffers, because he sees growth in the faith of believers. Thus his suffering is not empty, when by what he suffers he adds to his life. He claims that these sufferings are joined to those of Christ, whose teaching they follow. .

Colossians 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The mystery which has been hidden from the ages, he asserts, has now been revealed, that is, shown forth in the time of the apostles: that the Gentiles have been admitted without circumcision to the faith of Christ, which was promised to the Jews. .

Colossians 2:8

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

He calls that philosophy worldly by which men who desire to be wise in earthly terms are seduced. .

Colossians 2:9

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

All that the Father has, he has given to the Son when he begot him bodily in the fullness of divinity, so that as he is the head, the creation is his body. Therefore, whatever can be supposed to be a heavenly creature must be seen as fully subordinate to Christ, so that no lesser being may be thought worthy of worship. .

Colossians 2:11

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

[Paul] says that the Gentiles were dead, because they refused to receive the law, which had been given as a witness to the Creator, and then as a means of condemning vice. With Christ has come the forgiveness of sin, since freedom from sin is impossible without this gift, which saves us from the “penalty of death.” .

Colossians 2:14

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Paul expounds here the nature of God’s gracious care through its various sources. He recalls the many deeds by which God has brought rescue to the human race, so that he has not only remitted our transgressions but also lifted that sin, which from Adam’s disobedience (which he calls the signed bond) did not allow us to rise from the dead…. Because death came from sin, when sin in fact was overcome, the resurrection of the dead became a reality. Indeed this could not have been done, if he had not nailed it to the cross. While the Savior conquers sin by not sinning, he holds man to be culpable and, being innocent, is killed by him: thus he crucifies sin. Sin being overcome is said to be put to death; the cross is not the death of the Savior, but of sin. .

Colossians 2:18

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

It happens that persons become bound up with the worship of earthly things under the form of philosophy, so that, held by these, they do not rise…. They end up simulating true religion. They become inflated by watching the movements of the stars, which Paul calls angels, not by divine authority but by human superstition, which brings nothing but damnation. .

Colossians 2:20

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

The problem is that the Colossians worship worldly things, put their hope in them, and not in Christ alone … so that these rules have been cut off from the head, who is Christ, and thus have become the basis of a pseudoreligion and a sacrilege. .

Colossians 3:14

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

When love is in command, the way of the law is followed: when the full mind does the operation, it is done with love. .

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