Caput 5 Chapter 5 Children of Light Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Secundus adventus The second coming ^5:1 De temporibus autem, et momentis, fratres, non indigetis ut scribamus vobis. [n. 106] ^5:1 But of the times and moments, brethren, you do not need us to write to you: [n. 106] ^5:2 Ipsi enim diligenter scitis quia dies Domini, sicut fur in nocte, ita veniet: [n. 108] ^5:2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night. [n. 108] ^5:3 cum enim dixerint: Pax et securitas: tunc repentinus eis superveniet interitus, sicut dolor in utero habenti, et non effugient. [n. 109] ^5:3 For when they shall say: peace and security; then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as the pains upon her who is with child, and they shall not escape. [n. 109] ^5:4 Vos autem, fratres, non estis in tenebris, ut vos dies illa tamquam fur comprehendat: [n. 113] ^5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. [n. 113] ^5:5 omnes enim vos filii lucis estis, et filii diei: non sumus noctis, neque tenebrarum. [n. 115] ^5:5 For all you are the children of light and children of the day: we are not of the night nor of darkness. [n. 115] ^5:6 Igitur non dormiamus sicut et ceteri, sed vigilemus, et sobrii simus. [n. 116] ^5:6 Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do: but let us watch, and be sober. [n. 116] ^5:7 Qui enim dormiunt, nocte dormiunt: et qui ebrii sunt, nocte ebrii sunt. [n. 118] ^5:7 For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunk, are drunk in the night. [n. 118] ^5:8 Nos autem, qui diei sumus, sobrii simus, induti loricam fidei et caritatis, et galeam spem salutis: [n. 119] ^5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, having on the breastplate of faith and charity and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation. [n. 119] ^5:9 quoniam non posuit nos Deus in iram, sed in acquisitionem salutis per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, [n. 121] ^5:9 For God has not appointed us unto wrath: but unto the purchasing of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, [n. 121] ^5:10 qui mortuus est pro nobis: ut sive vigilemus, sive dormiamus, simul cum illo vivamus. ^5:10 Who died for us: that, whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with him. ^5:11 Propter quod consolamini invicem, et aedificate alterutrum, sicut et facitis. [n. 122] ^5:11 For which cause, comfort one another and edify one another, as you also do. [n. 122] ^5:12 Rogamus autem vos, fratres, ut noveritis eos qui laborant inter vos, et praesunt vobis in Domino, et monent vos, ^5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you; ^5:13 ut habeatis illos abundantius in caritate propter opus illorum: pacem habete cum eis. ^5:13 That you esteem them more abundantly in charity, for their work’s sake. Have peace with them. 106. Supra correxit in eis corrigenda, hic monet eos in futurum, et 106. In what he had written before, Paul corrected them in matters which needed to be improved upon, and now he begins to instruct them concerning the future. primo ponit monitionem; He first gives them a warning and secundo orationem, ibi ipse autem Deus. then provides a prayer with the words, and may the God of peace himself. Haec autem duo sunt nobis necessaria. Nam quia bona quae facimus sunt ex libero arbitrio, ideo indiget homo monitione, et quoniam sunt etiam ex gratia, ideo oratione. These two things are indeed necessary for us. For the good deeds that we do are the result of free will, and so a man could profit from a warning. And since these deeds are also the result of grace, man needs prayer as well. Circa primum duo facit, quia Concerning the first point he does two things: primo hortatur, ut praeparent se ad futurum iudicium; Paul first urges the Thessalonians to prepare themselves for the coming judgment; secundo ostendit praeparandi modum, ibi propter quod consolamini. second, he shows them how they should prepare themselves, at for which cause, comfort. Iterum prima in duas, quia In addition, he divides the first part into two: primo ostendit qualis sit conditio futuri iudicii; he points out a feature of the coming judgment and secundo qualiter praeparent se ad illud, ibi igitur non dormiamus. then he shows in what manner they ought to prepare themselves for the judgment, at therefore, let us not sleep. Item prima in duas, quia There is also a subdivision of the first section into two further parts that include primo praemittit conditionem futuri iudicii; this feature of the coming judgment and secundo exponit, ibi cum enim. then an explanation, at for when. Item primo quietat eorum sollicitudinem circa scientiam futuri adventus; In the first part Paul puts to rest their concern for knowledge about the future coming, and secundo ostendit quid circa illum sciant, ibi ipsi enim. then treats what they did know about it, at for you yourselves. 107. Dicit ergo: necesse erat, quod scriberem de praemissis, quia indiguistis. Sed de temporibus, scilicet aestate, hyeme, vel potius, quae tempora futura sint, non erat necesse, quia quaedam de his sunt soli divinae scientiae reservata. Matth. XXIV, 36 et Mc. XIII, v. 32: de die illa, vel hora nemo scit, neque angeli in caelo, neque Filius, nisi Pater, et cetera. Act. I, 7: non est vestrum nosse tempora, vel momenta, et cetera. Eccle. VII, 1: quid necesse est homini maiora se quaerere, cum ignoret quid conducat sibi in vita, numero dierum vitae suae? et cetera. 107. First then, Paul says it was necessary for me to write about the preceding matters because you needed to know about them. But of the times, that is, of summer, winter, or rather of what the future times will be, it was not necessary to write. Because certain of these things are reserved for only the divine knowledge: but of that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Mark 13:32; Matt 24:36). It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority (Acts 1:7). The more words, the more vanity, and what is man the better? For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? (Eccl 6:11). 108. Et ideo hoc non est necesse scribere, quia illud quod sciendum est vos scitis, quia scilicet dies Domini sicut fur in nocte, et cetera. Sunt autem omnes dies Domini. Ps. CXVIII, v. 91: ordinatione tua perseverant dies. Sed iste specialiter est Domini, quia facit in omnibus suam voluntatem, quae impletur in bonis, qui perducuntur ad finem praescitum a Deo, scilicet salutem. I Tim. II, 4: vult omnes homines salvos fieri, et cetera. In malis, quia punientur. Ps. LXXIV, 3: dum accepero tempus, ego iustitias iudicabo. Iste veniet sicut fur, id est, ex impraemeditatione. Lc. XIII, 36: si sciret paterfamilias qua hora fur veniret, et cetera. II Petr. c. III, 10: adveniet dies Domini sicut fur. Apoc. III, 3: veniam tibi tamquam fur. 108. And so it is not necessary to write about this, for you yourselves know what ought to be known, that the day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night. In fact, all days depend on the Lord: by your appointment they stand this day (Ps 119:91). But this day especially belongs to the Lord, because his will is fulfilled in everyone: it is accomplished in the good people who are led to salvation as an end foreknown by God: who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:4); and in the evil people who are punished: at the set time which I appoint I will judge with equity (Ps 75:2). It shall so come as a thief, that is, unannounced: if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have been awake (Luke 12:39). The day of the Lord will come like a thief (2 Pet 3:10). I will come like a thief (Rev 3:3). Quomodo autem dies dicitur venire in nocte? Sed sciendum quod utrumque est, quia in die venit propter manifestationem cordium I Cor. c. IV, 5: quoadusque veniat Dominus, qui et illuminabit abscondita tenebrarum, et manifestabit consilia cordium, sed in nocte propter incertitudinem. Matth. XXV, 6: media nocte clamor factus est, ecce sponsus venit, et cetera. Incertum enim est qua hora erit. But why is it said that the day shall come during the night? It should be understood that both are involved because he comes during the day for the uncovering of our hearts: before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart (1 Cor 4:5); but he comes at night because of the surprise element: behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him (Matt 25:6). Actually, it is not certain at what hour it will occur. 109. Deinde cum dicit cum enim dixerint, exponit quae dixerat, et 109. Then when he says: for when they shall say, he explains the things he had mentioned.