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"Who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His might, when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed." There are many men, who form good hopes not by abstaining from their sins, but by thinking that hell is not so terrible as it is said to be, but milder than what is threatened, and temporary, not eternal; and about this they philosophize much. But I could show from many reasons, and conclude from the very expressions concerning hell, that it is not only not milder, but much more terrible than is threatened. But I do not now intend to discourse concerning these things. For the fear even from bare words is sufficient, though we do not fully unfold their meaning. But that it is not temporary, hear Paul now saying, concerning those who know not God, and who do not believe in the Gospel, that "they shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction." How then is that temporary which is everlasting? "From the face of the Lord," he says. What is this? He here wishes to say how easily it might be. For since they were then much puffed up, there is no need, he says, of much trouble; it is enough that God comes and is seen, and all are involved in punishment and others in vengeance. "And from the glory of His might," he says "when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed." Is God glorified? Yea, he says, in all the Saints. How? For when they that puff so greatly see those who were scourged by them, who were despised, who were derided, even those now near to Him, it is His glory, or rather it is their glory, both theirs and His; His indeed, because He did not forsake them; theirs, because they were thought worthy of so great honor. For as it is His riches, that there are faitful men, so also it is His glory that there are those who are to enjoy His blessings. It is the glory of Him that is good, to have those to whom He may impart His beneficence. "And to be marveled at," he says, "in all them that believed," that is, "through them that believed." See here again, "in" is used for "through." For through them He is shown to be admirable, when He brings to so much splendor those who were pitiable and wretched, and who had suffered unnumbered ills, and had believed. His power is shown then; because although they seem to be deserted here, yet nevertheless they there enjoy great glory; then especially is shown all the glory and the power of God.

"Because our testimony unto you was believed in that day." That is, when those are brought into public view, who have suffered unnumbered ills, designed to make them apostatize from the faith, and yet have not yielded, but have believed, God is glorified. Then is shown the glory of these men also. "Judge none blessed," it says, "before his death." On this account he says, in that day will be shown those who believed.

It contains a double meaning; for he will come to punish the wicked and to glorify the good. For he himself will appear glorious and marvelous to those who believe, following the example and faith of the apostles, when they are crowned, and the Gospel testifies to them on the day of the Lord. However, he will appear severe to the unbelievers, when they begin to be confined by eternal punishments. For the glory of the disciples is the crown, and its truth is the punishment of the unbelievers; because what was preached was not believed.

because our testimony has been believed by you They also call their testimony evangelical teaching, that which indeed was entrusted to them, because they received evangelical teaching from those preaching it.

When the people who now oppose the Gospel and exalt themselves see that those whom they tormented have become partakers of endless glory, then the glory of God will be openly revealed. For their glory is His glory, so that by the very means through which He glorifies the saints, He Himself is also glorified. Just as His wealth consists in the fact that there are faithful ones, so also His glory consists in the fact that there are such people who will enjoy His blessings. That is, through those who believed. Here the preposition "in" (εν) is used instead of "through" (δια). For when He deems worthy of such glory those who are wretched and persecuted by all, then His power will be revealed. And in another sense, when those who endured countless afflictions, being compelled to abandon the faith, and yet did not abandon it, stand in the midst of the judgment seat, then the glory of God and their glory will be revealed. He will be wonderful, he says, God on that day, because "you believed our testimony" and preaching, that is, because you believed and made yourselves worthy of those blessings which will then be granted to the faithful. He well said above: "on that day," for then they will show themselves in deed to be truly believing, but now many pretend to be believers. Therefore the Wise One also says: do not count a man happy before his death.

Then when he says, "when he shall come," he treats of the saints' reward. And first, he sets out the reward; second, the merit of the saints, at "those who have believed." He commends the glory of the saints as regards its essence, a participation in the glory of God, when he says "to be glorified"; and as regards its overflow, at "and to be made wonderful." He says, therefore, "when he shall come." Christ is most certainly glorious; "that every tongue may confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:11). "To be glorified in his saints," because the good is diffusive of itself; or "to be glorified in his saints," who are his members, and in whom he dwells, and in whom he is glorified when his own glory, namely, the glory of the head, flows down all the way to his members. "You are my servant, Israel, because in you I will be glorified" (Isa 49:3). And this will surpass all wonder, hence he says, "to be made wonderful." For wonder is a stupor that results from tremendous impressions made on the imagination. But so great will be the glory of the saints that it cannot enter the thoughts of men, and this is why he says "to be made wonderful." "They will wonder at the suddenness of an unhoped-for salvation" (Wis 5:2). Then he sets out the saints' merit, at "in all those who have believed." And he sets out first, the merit of faith; second, the support of prayer, at "wherefore we also." He says, therefore: there will be this glory "because our testimony was believed upon you," which we believed concerning Christ, "in that day," i.e., for the sake of that day, since the good things we do are done for the sake of that day. And he says this "testimony" is "upon you," i.e., beyond human understanding. "Many things are shown you beyond the understanding of man" (Sir 3:25). For faith has no merit where human reason offers proof. Unless it were "upon you," there would be no great merit in believing. Or he says "upon you," i.e., for you who submit it rules over your intellect so that it humbly believes. "Bringing into captivity every intellect unto the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). Thus the Gloss explains it. Or it can be understood in another way that is more according to the letter: I say that Christ will be glorified in you, who have believed, on the day of judgment, when the Apostles will stand as judges. And then the "testimony" which is "upon you," i.e., the testimony concerning the promptitude of your faith, will be certain and "believed," i.e., believable.