2 Timóteo 1
Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
2 Timóteo 1:7
Just as a man would not have wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of God unless, according to the prophet's words, he had received "the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, of counsel and of fortitude, of knowledge and of godliness, and of fear of God," and just as he would not have power and love and sobriety, except by receiving the Spirit of whom the apostle speaks, "We have not received the spirit of fear but of power and love and sobriety," so also he would not have faith unless he received the spirit of faith. — LETTERS 194.4.17
2 Timóteo 1:9
Why, then, is it that, in what follows, where they mention what the Pelagians themselves think, they say they confess that "grace also assists the good purpose of every one, but that yet it does not infuse the desire of virtue into a reluctant heart"? They say this as if man of himself, without God's assistance, has a good purpose and a desire of virtue, hence this preceding merit is supposedly worthy of being assisted by the subsequent grace of God. For they think perhaps that the apostle thus said, "For we know that he works all things for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to the purpose," so as to wish the purpose of man to be understood. This purpose is then viewed as a good merit that the mercy of the God who calls might follow. They are ignorant that it is said, "Who are called according to the purpose," so that this may be understood as the purpose of God, not man. Thus those whom he foreknew and predestinated as conformed to the image of his Son, he elected before the foundation of the world.… This then is the purpose of God, in relation to which it is said, "He works together all things for good for those who are called according to his own purpose." Indeed subsequent grace assists man's good purpose, but the purpose itself would not exist if grace did not precede. — AGAINST TWO LETTERS OF THE PELAGIANS 2.10.22
2 Timóteo 1:10
Is he not at the same time a lamb and a lion in both his suffering and his resurrection? Let us discern the lamb in the suffering. "He was," as we just reminded you, "mute as a lamb before its shearer, and he opened not his mouth." Let us discern the lion in the suffering. Jacob has said, "Thou hast risen: resting thou hast slept as a lion. Let us discern the lamb in the resurrection. When the Apocalypse is speaking of the everlasting glory of virgins, it says, "They follow the lamb wherever he goes." Let us discern the lion in the resurrection. The Apocalypse also says, "The lion of the tribe of Judah has overcome to open the scroll." Why is he a lamb in his suffering? Because, although he was innocent, he suffered death. Why is he a lion in his suffering? Because he slew death when he himself was slain. Why is he a lamb in his resurrection? Because his innocence is everlasting. Why is he a lion in his resurrection? Because his power is everlasting. — SERMONS 4.1
2 Timóteo 1:12
Paul says [elsewhere], "I have kept the faith," but the same apostle also says, "For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have deposited with him against that day." "That which I have deposited with him" means: What I have commended to him, for some [Latin] copies do not have the word depositum but commendatum, which is clearer. Now what do we commend to God's keeping save those things which we pray he will preserve? Is not our very faith among these? For what did the Lord commend for the apostle Peter, by his prayer for him, when he said to him, "I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith shall not fail"? This means that God would preserve his faith and that it would not fail by giving way to temptation. — PROCEEDINGS OF PELAGIUS 14.35