Section CVII

To these most excellent reasons this also is added: that, according to the same Victorinus, Christ, in order that he might exempt all from the necessity of perishing and give to all the opportunity and power of attaining blessed immortality, underwent death for all and poured forth his innocent and divine blood. For, expounding¹ the apostolic words, “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom is glory forever and ever,” he speaks thus²:

Let us be mindful what the Apostle is doing in this epistle: because he rebukes the Galatians and desires to correct them, that they may have faith in Christ and from him alone expect the hope of salvation, the hope of eternity, the remission of sins; and that they may not at all believe that either the works of the Law, or sabbaths, or circumcision profit them. Therefore at the beginning he prays for peace and grace for them from God, and then added, from Christ, because in Christ are all our goods; and he proves that all things are in Christ and all things through Christ, when he says, “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from the present evil age.” Therefore by his benefit, by his grace—from God the Father indeed, but by his Passion—we are delivered from the present malignant age; and we are delivered through Christ, but by the power of God, namely, of the God to whom belongs glory through all eternity. If, therefore, God is eternal, his glory also is unto eternity. And by the will of God Christ, having discharged the mystery, gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us all; deliverance is from the will of God through Christ. But if it is through Christ, nothing further is to be sought, and those things which the Galatians add are vain, namely, Judaism, works of the Law, the observance of the sabbath, and circumcision.

Then, proceeding³ to the things which immediately follow in Paul⁴, “I marvel that you are so quickly transferred from him who called you into grace, unto another gospel,” he continues:

Since the Gospel which the Apostle Paul announces is certain—namely, Christ the Son of God, the power of God unto salvation⁵—

—to all who believe, whether Greeks or Jews—and nothing besides; but all the hope of salvation and of the grace of God concerning us is in faith⁶ concerning Christ, so that, when we believe him to be the Son of God, to have suffered for us, and to have risen, from this we too rise, with the remission of sins—which is the true Gospel that Paul announces—if anyone adds anything else, namely Judaism and circumcision and the observance of the sabbath and the rest, such a one sins and is alien to the truth. Since, therefore, the Galatians thought that Judaism was to be added to the Gospel of the Apostle, for this reason, he says, “I marvel that you are so quickly transferred.” For first, it is a sin to be transferred quickly; for there is no reason when something is changed quickly. Let us see, then, from whom: “From him,” he says, “who called you into grace.” For Christ, who suffered for us all, called us into grace, if we believe in him; for it is not a great thing to attain his grace, provided only that we follow him, believing that by his mystery he furnished these things—and that freely, without labor and without great works. Since this has been furnished to us by him, to be transferred quickly from him is a great cause for wonder, since they preferred to be transferred unto another gospel, joining the discipline of Judaism to it. But there is one Gospel, and only one: to believe Christ to be the Son of God; that Christ, by his Passion and his advent in the flesh and his Resurrection and Passion, loosed all sins, conquered death, and destroyed all corruption. This alone is the Gospel. Therefore he adds, “which is not another”; for it alone is that which we said above. There is no other; neither to merit salvation from works, nor from the observance of the sabbath, nor from circumcision, is the Gospel, that is, our salvation.

But when he considers these words⁷, “Not as though I had already attained—”

—“or were already perfected; but I follow after, if by any means I may comprehend, in that I also have been comprehended by Christ,” he employs this⁸ commentary:

You see that he says he is still in this life, and for that reason expressed doubt above⁹. For he still follows Christ through all his sufferings, that he may comprehend Christ, that is, that he may arrive at Christ, having been made a participant in all his sufferings. For Christ by all his sufferings freed all who follow, and in a certain manner comprehended all—but all who would follow. He who wishes to follow and comprehend Christ must follow Christ in all his sufferings, that he may comprehend Christ in that in which he also has been comprehended by Christ. For if Christ by his sufferings freed all, he comprehended all by his sufferings; in these, therefore, we are. That is, having been made a participant with Christ through his sufferings, he comprehends Christ in that in which he was comprehended by Christ.

By these testimonies, which are altogether most clear, it is signified, first, a) that God did not permit the human race to lie in that ruin into which it had fallen through the fault of our first parents, and to remain in that death which it had brought upon itself; but chose an order of reformation by which it could both rise from the fall and overcome death.

It is signified, secondly, b) that the efficient and principal cause of that same reformed order was God the Father himself¹⁰, whom his connatural mercy and φιλανθρωπία, love of mankind, moved¹¹, that he might succor ruined men, extend his hand to them, and impart the faculty of immortality δωρεάν, freely and wholly gratis¹².

Then, indeed, it is signified, c) that the other efficient cause was—

—Christ, who¹³, following his own love toward men and altogether most freely¹⁴, gave himself for our sins, and therefore suffered and rose again, that he might deliver us from the present malignant age, loose all sins, conquer death, and destroy all corruption.

Of these benefits d) he desired and willed all, as far as lay in him, to be participants, and therefore comprehended all in his sufferings and denied to no one at all the opportunity of attaining immortality.

Nevertheless e) those alone attain it who do not neglect the faculty freely received, believe in him, and comprehend Christ in that in which they themselves were comprehended by Christ.