English text used: Pelagius, Commentaries on the Thirteen Epistles of Paul with the Libellus Fidei (trans. Thomas P. Scheck; Ancient Christian Writers 76; New York: The Newman Press, 2022), hereafter “Scheck”
Latin text consulted: Alexander
Souter, Pelagius's Exposition of Thirteen Epistles of St. Paul, II: Text and
Apparatus Criticus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1926), hereafter
“Souter”
2 Thess 1:8
“To
give vengeance in a flame of fire.” If at God’s command the flame was able not
to touch the three youths at all [cf. Dan. 3:50], why should the same power not
be believed to be able to become more severe to some, milder to others? This
contradicts those who have dreamed up a punishment of conscience, since this
[other kind] seemed impossible to them (hoc contra eos qui propterea poenam
conscientiae somniarunt, quia hoc illis inpossibile uidebatur). (Scheck, 309;
Souter, 441)
I
believe that this criticism is primilary directed against Origen’s purgatorial
and corrective understanding of punishment, but Jerome’s views may also be
included. Jerome tended to understand hellfire as metaphorical for the bitter
pangs of conscience that will afflict sinners. Cf. Jerome, Com in Isa
30:27-29; 50:11; In Ezek. 44:4. J. P. O’Connell, The Eschatology of
St. Jerome, Dissertationes ad Lauream 16, Pontificia Facultas Theologica
Seminarii Sanctae Mariae ad Lucum (Mundelein, IL., 1948), 145-46, noticed the
similarity between Jerome’s description of hell and the language of Origen.
“Whether Jerome means to say that the fire or that the furnace is metaphorical
is not perfectly evident. However, [these passages] could be interpreted in us
to suspect Jerome of Origenistic leanings in regard to the nature of hell’s
punishments since they speak of remorse as the meaning of hellfire, other texts
in Jerome show that he did not exclude the understanding of hell as extrinsic
punishment. The Origenistic error is not merely explaining the fire and
torments of hell as the sinner’s consciousness of his guilt, but the denial of
other punishments (149). (Scheck, 406-7 n. 1)
2 Thess 2:15
Now
it is the apostolic tradition that is celebrated throughout the whole world,
such as the mysteries of baptism (apostolica autem traditio est, quae in toto
mundo celebratur, ut baptismi sacramenta). (Scheck, 312; Souter, 446)
1 Tim 2:4
“Who
wants all men to be saved.” Based on this, it is proven that God does not use
force to make anyone believe, nor does he remove the freedom of choice (Hinc
probatur deum nemini ad credendum uim inferre nec tollere arbitrii libertatem);
moreover, one resolves by this passage the matter concerning the hardening of
Pharaoh and the remaining objection of the questions of this sort [cf. Exod
7:22; Rom 9:17-18]. “And to come to the knowledge of the truth.” If, however,
they themselves want to consent to the God who calls (Si ipsi tamen uoca[n]ti
deo consentire uoluerint). (Scheck, 318; Souter, 480)
To
my knowledge, the late Augustine was the first to teach the views that
Pelagius, following his predecessors, rejects here. Augustine claimed that God
does not will that all people be saved but that the “all” in 1 Tim 2:4 is
limited to “all the predestined.” Those who are so predestinated cannot resist
divine grace. See A. Hwang, “Augustine’s Interpretation of 1 Tim 2:4 in the
Context of His Developing View of Grace,” Studia Patristica 43 (2006):
137-42. The Council of Trent’s Decree on Justification, ch. 5, affirmed
clearly that God wills the salvation of all without exception and that humans
are able to reject divine grace and can refuse to assent to it (cf. Canon 4).
(Scheck, 408 n. 4)
1 Tim 2:5
“For
there is one God.” One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that is, [there
is] one nature of deity in three persons (Unus deus pater et filius et spiritus
sanctus: id est, una in tribus personis natura [est] deitatis), [and lest
anyone should say to him, “Why did Christ alone merit this?” he answers that
there had to be one mediator, just as there is one God] “And one mediator of
God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Just as God is one, so too there is one
mediator between God and all men, that is, there is no one else like
him, not Moses, not any of the prophets, since he was both God and man. But
since he was going to speak about his being delivered up, he named him now
solely a man. (Scheck, 318; Souter, 480)
1 Tim 2:15
.
. . since through baptism which is the production of the children of God
(quia per baptismum quod est filiorum dei generatio). . . (Scheck, 319; Souter,
483)
Titus 2:13
He
calls Christ the great God because we await his advent (Christum
dicit magnum deum, quia ipsius expectamus aduentum). (Scheck, 346; Souter, 532)
Titus 3:5
“By
the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Since the Holy
Spirit renewed us through baptism (Qui[a] nos sanctus spiritus per
baptismum renouauit). (Scheck, 346; Souter, 533)
