Lecture 3
Lectio 3
The second coming
Adventus secundus
25:31 And when the Son of man will come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then will he sit upon the seat of his majesty. [n. 2079]
25:31 Cum autem venerit Filius hominis in maiestate sua, et omnes angeli cum eo, tunc sedebit super sedem maiestatis suae; [n. 2079]
25:32 And all nations will be gathered together before him, and he will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; [n. 2083]
25:32 et congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes, et separabit eos ab invicem, sicut pastor segregat oves ab hoedis; [n. 2083]
25:33 and he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. [n. 2090]
25:33 et statuet oves quidem a dextris suis, hoedos autem a sinistris. [n. 2090]
25:34 Then the King will say to those who will be on his right hand: come, you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [n. 2091]
25:34 Tunc dicet Rex his qui a dextris eius erunt: venite, benedicti Patris mei, possidete paratum vobis regnum a constitutione mundi. [n. 2091]
25:35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; [n. 2096]
25:35 Esurivi enim, et dedistis mihi manducare; sitivi, et dedistis mihi bibere; hospes eram, et colligistis me; [n. 2096]
25:36 naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me. [n. 2101]
25:36 nudus, et operuistis me; infirmus, et visitastis me; in carcere eram, et venistis ad me. [n. 2101]
25:37 Then the just will answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; thirsty, and gave you drink? [n. 2098]
25:37 Tunc respondebunt ei iusti dicentes: Domine, quando te vidimus esurientem, et pavimus te? Sitientem et dedimus tibi potum? [n. 2098]
25:38 And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in? Or naked, and covered you? [n. 2102]
25:38 Quando autem te vidimus hospitem, et collegimus te? Aut nudum, et cooperuimus te? [n. 2102]
25:39 Or when did we see you sick or in prison, and come to you? [n. 2102]
25:39 Aut quando te vidimus infirmum, aut in carcere, et venimus ad te? [n. 2102]
25:40 And the King answering, will say to them: amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these, my least brethren, you did it to me. [n. 2098]
25:40 Et respondens Rex dicet illis: amen dico vobis, quamdiu fecistis uni de his fratribus meis minimis, mihi fecistis. [n. 2098]
25:41 Then he will say to those also who will be on his left hand: depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. [n. 2106]
25:41 Tunc dicet et his qui a sinistris erunt: discedite a me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum, qui paratus est diabolo et angelis eius: [n. 2106]
25:42 For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink. [n. 2109]
25:42 esurivi enim, et non dedistis mihi manducare: sitivi, et non dedistis mihi potum, [n. 2109]
25:43 I was a stranger, and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not cover me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. [n. 2109]
25:43 hospes eram, et non collegistis me; nudus, et non operuistis me; infirmus, et in carcere, et non visitastis me. [n. 2109]
25:44 Then they also will answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you? [n. 2110]
25:44 Tunc respondebunt et ipsi dicentes: Domine, quando te vidimus esurientem, aut sitientem, aut hospitem, aut nudum, aut infirmum, aut in carcere, et non ministravimus tibi? [n. 2110]
25:45 Then he will answer them, saying: amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. [n. 2111]
25:45 Tunc respondebit illis dicens: amen dico vobis, quamdiu non fecistis uni de minoribus his, nec mihi fecistis. [n. 2111]
25:46 And these will go into everlasting punishment, but the just, into life everlasting. [n. 2112]
25:46 Et ibunt hi in supplicium aeternum, iusti autem in vitam aeternam. [n. 2112]
2078. Above, the Lord set out various parables pertaining to the judgment; now here he treats clearly about his judgment,
2078. Supra Dominus praemisit diversas parabolas pertinentes ad iudicium; hic autem manifeste de suo iudicio agit:
and he does three things:
et tria facit.
first, he treats of the coming of the judge;
Primo agit de adventu iudicis;
second, of the gathering together of those to be judged;
secundo de congregatione iudicandorum;
third, of the judgment.
tertio de iudicio.
The second is at and all nations will be gathered together before him; the third, at then will the King say to those who will be on his right hand: come.
Secunda ibi et congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes; tertia ibi et dicet Rex et cetera.
Concerning the first, there are four things to be considered:
Circa primum quatuor sunt consideranda.
first, the condition of the judge’s coming is touched upon;
Primo tangitur conditio iudicis venientis;
second, his dignity;
secundo dignitas;
third, the ministers;
tertio ministri;
fourth, his judicial authority.
quarto iudiciaria auctoritas.
2079. When it says, and when the Son of man will come, there is no doubt that the same is the Son of God.
2079. In hoc quod dicitur cum venerit Filius hominis, non est dubium quin idem sit Filius Dei.
But why does he name the Son of man rather than the Son of God? One reason is that he will judge insofar as he is the Son of man; and he has given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man (John 5:27). And this for three reasons. First, that he might be seen by all: for in the form of the divinity he will be visible only to the good, so if he should be seen by all, then he must be seen in the form of a man. Every eye will see him (Rev 1:7). Likewise, owing to Christ’s merit: for he merited this by his passion; he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also has exalted him (Phil 2:8–9). Likewise, that the one who is to judge might appear in the form in which he was judged; and O that a man might so be judged with God, as the Son of man is judged with his companion (Job 16:22). Likewise, out of God’s clemency, that men might be judged by a man; for we have not a high priest, who can not have compassion on our infirmities (Heb 4:15). Therefore, this judge will be the Son of man.
Sed quare potius nominat Filium hominis quam Filium Dei? Una ratio est, quia inquantum Filius hominis iudicabit; Io. V, 27: potestatem dedit ei iudicium facere, quia Filius hominis est. Et hoc propter tria. Primo ut ab omnibus videatur: in forma enim divinitatis non poterit videri nisi a bonis, unde si ab omnibus videri debeat, debet videri in forma hominis. Apoc. I, 7: videbit eum omnis oculus. Item propter meritum Christi: hoc enim ipse meruit per suam passionem; ad Philipp. II, 8: humiliavit semetipsum factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis; propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum. Item ut appareat iudicaturus in forma in qua iudicatus fuit; Iob XVI, 22: utinam sic iudicaretur vir cum Deo, quomodo iudicatur Filius hominis cum collega suo. Item ex Dei clementia, ut homines ab homine iudicentur; ad Hebr. IV, 15: non habemus pontificem qui non possit compati infirmitatibus nostris. Iste ergo erit Filius hominis.
2080. And whose will the dignity be? He will come in his majesty; and then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty (Luke 21:27). But what can be understood by majesty? One should say that it is the divinity, for although he appears in the form of a man, nevertheless he will appear with the divinity. Hence the Apostle, for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with commandment, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God (1 Thess 4:16). And Acts also speaks about this (Acts 9). Or, in his majesty, i.e., in glory, because his body will be glorious; and he will come with a glorious company; hence above, for the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father (Matt 16:27).
2080. Et cuius erit dignitas? Veniet in maiestate sua; Lc. XXI, 27: videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube cum potestate magna et maiestate. Sed quid per maiestatem potest intelligi? Dicendum quod divinitas, quia licet appareat in forma hominis, tamen apparebit cum divinitate. Unde Apostolus, I Thess. c. IV, 15: Dominus in iussu et in voce archangeli, et in tuba Dei descendet de caelo. Et de hoc dicitur etiam Act. IX. Vel in maiestate, idest in gloria, quia suum corpus erit gloriosum; et veniet cum societate gloriosa; unde supra XVI, 27: Filius hominis venturus est cum gloria.
2081. And for this reason he adds next, and all the angels with him. Here he treats of the ministers. And it can be understood as about the heavenly spirits; who makes your angels spirits (Ps 103:4). And why will he come with them? Because they are the guardians of men; he has given his angels charge over you; to keep you in all your ways (Ps 90:11). So they will be present as though witnesses that the good have accepted their protection, and the wicked have not, but rejected it; we would have cured Babylon, but she is not healed (Jer 51:9).
2081. Et ideo subdit et omnes angeli cum eo. Hic agit de ministris. Et potest intelligi de caelestibus spiritibus; Ps. CIII, 4: qui facit angelos suos spiritus. Et quare veniet cum istis? Quia custodes sunt hominum; Ps. XC, 11: angelis suis Deus mandavit de te. Ideo aderunt tamquam testes, quia boni custodiam suam receperunt, mali autem non, sed repulerunt; Is. l, 7: curavimus Babylonem, et non est sanata.
Or, all the angels, i.e., the preachers, or teachers of truth; for the lips of the priest will keep knowledge, and they will seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts (Mal 2:7). Judicial power belongs to them, as Augustine says. The Lord will enter into judgment, and all his saints with him (Isa 3:14); her husband is honorable in the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land (Prov 31:23).
Vel omnes angeli, idest praedicatores, vel doctores veritatis; Mal. II, 7: labia sacerdotis custodiunt scientiam, et legem requirunt ex ore eius. Istis competit iudiciaria potestas, ut dicit Augustinus. Is. III, 14: Dominus ad iudicium veniet et omnes sancti eius cum eo; Prov. ult., 23: nobilis in portis vir eius, quando sederit cum senatoribus terrae.
2082. Then there follows the judicial power: then will he sit upon the seat of his majesty. We should not understand this as a bodily seat; but the holy men and the angels are his seat. He will sit on them, for he will exercise judgment through them. It says about the men above, that they will sit on twelve thrones (Matt 19:28). It says about the angels: whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers (Col 1:16). And, you who sit upon the cherubims (Ps 79:2); and, you have sat on the throne, who judge justice (Ps 9:5).
2082. Tunc sequitur iudiciaria potestas: tunc sedebit super sedem maiestatis suae. Non debemus intelligere secundum sedem corporalem; sed sedes eius homines sancti sunt et angeli. In eis sedebit, quia per eos iudicium exercebit. De hominibus dicitur supra c. XIX, 28 quod sedebunt super sedes duodecim et cetera. De angelis dicitur Col. I, 16: sive throni, sive dominationes etc. et in Ps. LXXIX, v. 3: sedes super cherubim; et Ps. IX, 5: sedisti super thronum, qui iudicas iustitiam.
2083. Next the gathering together is set out; second, the division.
2083. Consequenter ponitur congregatio; secundo divisio.