Verse 16. — With him is strength and wisdom. In the judgment the reprobate will first be condemned before the elect are endowed with glory. A little above it had been said: With him is wisdom and strength; but now it is said: With him is strength and wisdom. For because almighty God, when by the mystery of his mercy he was made man, first brought forth the doctrine of meekness, and afterward in the judgment showed of how great strength he is, rightly above wisdom is mentioned before strength, when it is said of the Only-begotten of the Father: With him is wisdom and strength.
But because, coming to judge, he will appear in the terror of his power, and, having repelled the reprobate, will make known to his elect in the perpetual kingdom of what sort is the wisdom of the Father, rightly in the following sentence strength is said to be with him first, and wisdom afterward. In the earlier words, then, in which it says: With him is wisdom and strength, it openly indicates that what, being meek, he taught as to how one should believe, he will show, in the power of judgment, to be terrible. But in the following words, in which it says: With him is strength and wisdom, it demonstrates more clearly than light that first in the judgment he destroys the reprobate by his power, and afterward shines into the minds of the elect with the perfect light of the eternal kingdom.
But because before the day of the final judgment he does not cease daily to judge by hidden dispositions the deeds of mortals, it returns to that which is now being done, when it is subjoined: