Bede the Venerable: Jerome on the Fire of Present Temptations

Each one, in fact, is tempted, drawn on and lured by his own concupiscence, and so on, drawn on from the right way and lured into evil. About this verse Jerome writes against Jovinian (Against Jovinian 2.3):

Just as in good works, (he says) the perfecter is God, for it depends not on the will or striving but on God's having mercy (Romans 9:16), and helping us to be able to reach the goal, so in evils and sins the seeds are our own prompting, perfection the devil's. When he sees that on the foundation of Christ we have built hay, wood, straw, he adds fire; let us build gold, silver, precious stones, (1 Corinthians 3:12) and he will not dare to tempt. Although even in this let there not be definite and secure possession. In truth a lion sits in ambush in hiding that he may kill the innocent. (Psalm 10:8 (9:29)) And, The furnace tests the vessels of the potter, the temptation of tribulations, however, the righteous men. (Sirach 27:6)

Bede the Venerable, Commentary on the Seven Catholic Epistles, at James 1:14 (Cisterian Studies Series, #82, p. 14), translated by Dom David Hurst, O.S.B.

Theophylact: Faith Leads to Forgiveness and Imputed Righteousness by Baptism

5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. We, the faithful, hope to be justified not by the law, but by the Holy Spirit. How? By faith. Faith must come first; then, by the visitation of the Holy Spirit, we receive forgiveness of sins and are counted righteous by baptism. Theophylact, The Explanation of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians (at Gal. 5:5), Chrysostom Press (House Springs, Missouri 2011), trans. Christopher Stade, p. 68

Theophylact: The Law Pushes us to Christ - Through Faith we are Counted Righteous

22. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. The law, the Apostle affirms, is unable to free men from sin; indeed, it had the opposite effect of enclosing them in sin. This means that the law shows us that we are sinners, and impels us to desire remission from sins and run to the only one who is able to provide it -- Christ. The Jews neither perceived their sins, nor desired remission of their sins. God gave the law to "enclose" them, that is, to confine and restrain them with rebukes, reveal to them their sin and compel them to seek the way to forgiveness. This way is faith in Christ, through which we are blessed and counted righteous. Theophylact, The Explanation of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians (at Gal. 3:22), Chrysostom Press (House Springs, Missouri 2011), trans. Christopher Stade, p. 54

Theophylact: Christ's Atonement is Like the Substitution of an Innocent Man for the Guilty

13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. One might argue: "It is true that he who does not fulfill the law is accursed, and that faith justifies. But how do we know that the curse has been lifted? We fear that having once been under the yoke of the law, we still remain under the curse." Anticipating such an objection, Paul demonstrates that the curse has been removed through Christ. He paid the price by Himself becoming the curse and thereby redeeming us from the condemnation of the law. Christ (in His human nature) escaped that curse by fulfilling the law, but we, unable to fulfill it, were guilty under the law. This is like an innocent man who chooses to die in place of a guilty man condemned to death. Therefore, Christ accepted the curse of being hung from a tree and thereby loosed the curse to which we are liable for not fulfilling the law. This was a curse that lay upon us, but not upon Him, because He fulfilled the law perfectly, committing no sin. Theophylact, The Explanation of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians (at Gal. 3:13), Chrysostom Press (House Springs, Missouri 2011), trans. Christopher Stade, p. 50

Theophylact: Faith Alone Justifies

11-12. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith; and the law is not of faith; but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. Having established that the law renders men accursed, but faith brings blessings, now the Apostle shows that it is faith alone which makes men righteous, not the law. He cites Habakkuk, who says, The just shall live by faith (Hab. 2:4), and not by the law. For the law demands works as well as faith. Aptly does Paul add the phrase, in the sight of God, because, in the sight of men, those who appear to keep the law -- such as the Pharisees, who justify themselves before men -- appear equally righteous. Therefore, since the law did not make us righteous, instead brought us under a curse because it was so difficult to fulfill, grace came to reveal faith as a gentler path by which we may be justified and blessed. Behold, now it has been revealed that not only before the law did faith bless and make men righteous, but even more so after the law. Theophylact, The Explanation of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians (at Gal. 3:11-12), Chrysostom Press (House Springs, Missouri 2011), trans. Christopher Stade, pp. 49-50

Theophylact: Abraham was Counted Righteous by Faith

6a. Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Paul is saying, "Surely you ought to know the power of faith from the miracles which you yourselves have performed. Furthermore, consider your forefather, whom you greatly esteem, and you will find that he too was counted righteous by faith. If he who lived before grace is justified by faith, so much the more should they who are deemed worthy of grace cling to faith. Theophylact, The Explanation of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians (at Gal. 3:6), Chrysostom Press (House Springs, Missouri 2011), trans. Christopher Stade, p. 49

Theophylact: Justification is Imputation Based on Christ's Death - Not Our Works

21a. I do not frustrate the grace of God. Having stated his argument, Paul makes this affirmation: "I will not reject Christ's gift to me by again embracing the law. By His death the Lord has justified me -- counted me as righteous -- quite apart from any works of mine." Theophylact, The Explanation of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians (at Gal. 2:21a), Chrysostom Press (House Springs, Missouri 2011), trans. Christopher Stade, p. 46