By mistake I was sent a book from IVP’s ANCIENT CHRISTIAN TEXTS series. This series is different than their other series, the ANCIENT CHRISTIAN COMMENTARY ON SCRIPTURE. In this series, the full text of commentaries on Scripture from the patristic period (A.D. 95-750) that have been unnoticed or untranslated are given their full consideration in order to provide fresh sources of valuable commentary from this era not available in English before.

The particular book sent to me was a collection of commentary writings by Ambrosiaster on Galatians-Philemon. I’m glad they made this mistake because it came in handy in a recent debate surrounding the resurgence of conversations around the ideas of hell and universalism thanks to Rob Bell’s new book. Because it’s hard to give a review of such a book, I’ll illustrate it’s worth through this story.

A few weeks ago at Scot McKnight’s blog, Jesus Creed, I was reading one of the many posts on Love Wins and the ensuing conversation about hell, particularly the belief in eternal conscious torment. One particular commenter claimed that this idea and view of hell—eternal conscious torment—is a recent theological innovation. This person claimed it was the result of the Enlightenment and “modern” thinking.

As a ThM historical theology student I knew this was a highly ignorant thing to suggest and just plain wrong. Not only is the idea in Scripture, but I knew from my readings of primary sources in the early church that the church’s belief in this idea of hell definitely stretches back to the patristics. I just happened to get Ambrosiaster’s commentary book a few days before, so I picked it up and went to 2 Thessalonians 1, where Paul comforts this early church community through their immense suffering and persecution. This is what he writes in 2 Th 1:4-10 (translation Ambrosiaster’s, similar to the NIV):

Therefore we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and afflictions which you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be made worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you are suffering—since indeed God deems it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant rest with us to you who are afflicted, which the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. (113-114)

Now look at Ambrosiaster’s comments on vs 6-9 (highlighted above):

Since Paul says that evidence of God’s righteous judgment appears both in the good and the bad he goes on to add: Since indeed God deems it just to render to everyone according to his works. What could be more just than that those who oppress good people in this world and frighten them with persecutions should in the future suffer what they inflict on others? Meanwhile, those good people will be in peace with the other saints who will come out of great tribulation and receive the eternal kingdom when Christ comes again from heaven with his heavenly host and ministering fire, to take revenge on the pagans who do no know that God is the Father of Jesus Christ and on the Jews who say they know God but do not believe the gospel of Christ which God the Father gave him to pass on to his servants. In the presence of the Lord and the glory of his majesty, fire will burn them all up, and they will pay the due penalty of eternal death. They will always be conscious and not completely unaware, for in some way the penalty itself will keep them in being until it to is consumed. (114, emph mine.)

And vs 10:

This has double meaning. Christ will come to punish the bad and glorify the good. He himself will appear bright and wonderful in those who believe in the example and faith of the apostles when they were crowned. The gospel will bear witness to them in the day of the Lord, for he will appear to be harsh toward unbelievers when they start to be afflicted by eternal punishment. The disciples’ crown is their master’s glory, and his truth is the punishment of unbelievers because they did not believe what was preached. (114, emph. mine)

You can’t get much clearer than this: patristic church leaders taught and held the belief of eternal conscious torment in hell for unbelievers.

Ambrosiaster wrote late 4th century, most likely written in the 370’s before the first council of Constantinople in 381. By the end of the fourth century his commentaries had become a standard work of Latin biblical study and retained its influence even after the publication of the Vulgate. (xvi) We even know that he was read by Augustine, with several of his theological themes being traceable back to Ambrosiaster (xxi) His works were in wide circulation through the rest of the patristics and was widely admired and imitated throughout the Middle Ages, as well. (xxi)

What I like about this commentary series, particularly this work of Ambrosiaster, is it gives people in the 21st century a glimpse not only into the historical and cultural milieu of the time—such as a bit of the Arian controversy, worry over false teachers, Manichaeans, and pagan conversions of the time—but it also reminds us of what the Church has always believed—such as this example of Church teachings regarding judgment of unbelievers and eternal punishment.

As an academic I have a great interest in historical theology as it helps us understand the historical progression of the Christian faith and what factors—historical, cultural, sociological—helped influence that development. As a pastor I also have great interest in historical theology, because it reminds us of what the Church has always believed regarding what is central to the Christian faith. And given the massive upheaval in the Church right now regarding that very thing—what is central to the Christian faith—I think there is great value in books like ANCIENT CHRISTIAN TEXTS series’ “Commentaries on Galatians-Philemon” by Ambrosiaster. They are highly readable translations of these original Latin and Greek texts with an introduction of the patristic father’s life, theology, and legacy, along with their original translation of the text and commentary.

I would highly recommend this book and entire series for both students of history and pastors of the present, in order to get a glimpse into an era long forgotten for the sake of our 21st century world.