While almost all of the works in this vault use Victorian translations, due to the English translations of this commentary being in copyright, it was machine-translated (by Claude, 2026) from the public-domain Latin. It has not been checked by a human translator.
Commentary on Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, long printed among the works of Ambrose. Its author, whom Erasmus first called “Ambrosiaster”, wrote at Rome while Damasus was bishop there (366–384). Chapter 2 of the Epistle; the verse numbers are the Benedictine editors’.
(Verse 1.) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou doest the same things which thou judgest. Since he has shown that the one who does evil and the one who consents to those who do it are both worthy of death, he teaches that the man who does such things but does not consent to others who do them will be inexcusable too, lest he should think he could excuse himself. For it is not just that such a man should be let off unpunished; since by hypocrisy he makes himself appear other than he is, when he is found out to be worse. For he deceives, so that while he deserves punishment he appears worthy of honour.
(Verse 2.) But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. That is, we are not ignorant that God will judge these things in truth, since we ourselves judge them. For if they displease us, how much more do they displease God, who is more just and is jealous for His own work! In saying that God will judge these things in truth, then, he strikes terror; so that God, whom these faithless men call unconcerned, he declares will judge the wicked according to truth — that is, will repay each one most exactly according to his measure, and will not spare.
(Verse 3.) And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? That is: because the power of judging crimes and debaucheries has been given to you, and you do the same things, and there is no one to judge you for the present, will you escape the judgment of God? Certainly not. For if you have escaped God’s judgment in this world — since all this power and judgment is from Him — you will not escape it in the world to come. For God will judge in His own person, and before Him flattery and respect of persons have no place. Or else, if it seems just to anyone that such a man should be free from punishment, let him say so. But if it is just that he should not escape, let him believe that God will judge; so that what he judges to be just may be true and be fulfilled, and that he may confess that God, the Maker of the world, providently and carefully calls His own work to account. For if He made it and neglects it, He is called a bad workman; since by neglecting it He shows that what He made was not good. But since it cannot be denied that He made good things — for it is unworthy and incredible that the Good should have made evil things — it must be said that He takes care of them; for it would be an insult and an accusation against Him if He were represented as neglecting the good things He had made, since by His nod and providence life itself is sustained through the service of the elements; as the Lord Himself says: Who maketh His sun to rise on the good and on the evil, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Does not He who bestows such care, then, see to it that He preserves what He has made, so as to reward those who love Him and condemn those who despise Him?
(Verse 4.) Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and patience and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God calleth thee to repentance? He says this so that a man may not think he has now escaped because the goodness of God bears with him while he long continues in sin; nor think His patience to be despised, as though He cared nothing for human affairs. Let him understand rather that he is passed over for this reason, that the judgment of God has been promised as something to come, not in this life; so that in the life to come he will repent of not having believed God to be judge. For when he is set in punishment he will repent, but without the fruit of repentance, because he did not believe the judgment of God which he now sees to be true. For one whom the long-suffering of patience did not amend must needs be corrected more harshly — indeed, be tormented with everlasting punishments. He speaks most severely, knowing that a malicious mind cannot easily be called back from its vices except by fear.
(Verses 5–6.) But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds. He who hopes that his sins will go unpunished not only persists, remaining unconverted and unmanageable, but sins more bitterly still, confident that there will be no vengeance hereafter, having an impenitent heart, not knowing that he is gathering up wrath for himself in the day of wrath. For he must needs be struck with a more severe punishment — indeed, be tormented in everlasting flames — who not only would not amend himself during the long patience of God, but even added contempt and heaped up his sins. The day of wrath is the day on which sinners will be punished; it is wrath for them because they feel the punishment in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. For it will be revealed, that is, acknowledged — what is now denied to be coming. And so, when that is shown which is believed not to exist, it is revealed. For it is shown to those who deny it, while to believers it is plain; so that even against their will they may confess the righteous judgment of God, when He renders to every man according to his deeds. Will they not confess that this is justly done when they see the evils they did to one another avenged?