Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians

^A clearly teaching that He is indeed His Father, but Creator and Lord of the creature. He had indeed promised in the first Epistle

Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians

"The Father of mercies." It is the custom of the saints to name God according to the benefits received from Him. In the victory of wars: "I will love you, O Lord, my strength." But when he is liberated from the darkness and gloom of the mind: "The Lord is my light." Now, however, he calls Him the God of mercies and consolation. See the humility of this holy man. Liberated from the afflictions that had come upon him because of his preaching, he does not say that he was delivered because he was worthy, but through mercies and compassion. "Who comforts us." He did not say, "Who does not allow us to be afflicted" (for He knows that afflictions are useful), but, "Who comforts us." ^B By saying, "In all affliction," he indicates both continuous afflictions and continuous consolations. "So that we may be able to comfort them." Observe the excellent modesty of his spirit: He says, I did not receive consolation because I was worthy of consolation, but so that, by the example of the consolation which was effected towards me, I might be able to comfort others who are in afflictions. Thus, the consolation was for the benefit of others, not for me. Or, the consolation, he says, which happened in me, was for the sake of comforting others as well, namely those who were grieving over my afflictions.

5-7. "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also our consolation abounds through Christ. But whether we are afflicted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which is accomplished in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also suffer, and our hope for you is firm. Whether we receive consolation, it is for your consolation and salvation: knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so you shall be ^C of the consolation."

Lest any should think that the apostles are not under God's care, because they endure continuous afflictions, see how he extols the matter. The afflictions and calamities which we endure, he says, are Christ's: these, indeed, also abound in us, as if to say: We suffer not only what Christ suffered, but even more. He also says this elsewhere: "And I fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ." This alone, by itself, without any other divine consolation, is sufficient for comfort—to know that the afflictions that they themselves suffer belong to Christ—not to mention that the consolation of Christ was also abounding towards them, providing them with occasions for joy, as if he were to say: Afflictions are abundant, but the consolation is much greater. "So also our consolation abounds through Christ." Temptations and afflictions, he says, indeed abound in us, but even more

^A abound our consolations; how so? Because they not only dissipate the afflictions, but also prepare us to rejoice, and provide crowns and awards. The consolation, he says, is not in proportion to the afflictions, but much greater. For, he says, the consolation abounds. "Whether we are afflicted," he says, "it is for your consolation and salvation that we are afflicted." How? Because it was permitted to us, had we ceased from preaching, to live in security and without fear. But we choose rather to be afflicted and endangered, that we might save you through the preaching and exhort you toward faith. Therefore, for the sake of your salvation we endure afflictions, "which is at work in you," that is, from the power of the Holy Spirit, who works the signs. "Which is at work," that is, in you. "In endurance." The salvation, he says, is at work in you, since you are in endurance of the same sufferings as we are. For just as we, in preaching, are tempted, so also are you, in learning. And he witnesses to their great virtue, that they received the preaching in the midst of temptations. "And our hope." [Phot.] What hope? That the salvation will be at work in you, even if the same sufferings as ours happen to you. How? By being comforted, we are comforted for the sake of your salvation, receiving from this a proof, he says, and an unquestionable knowledge that you too will be comforted, so that we are comforted in no less measure in the temptations from which we are being delivered, but in the same way we also fully know and are confident that you will be comforted. From where is this clear? From the same thing, he says. For just as you are participants in the temptations and ^B afflictions, so shall you be in the consolation. "Firm for you," that is, whatever you suffer, we are confident that you will not be subverted, nor will you despair, neither because of what you suffer, nor because of those things you see us suffering. "For your consolation and salvation." Having said above that "we are afflicted for your salvation," so that it might not seem a grievous thing, he now adds that we also receive consolation for your salvation: that we might not, by losing heart, neglect your salvation, or that you might be comforted, seeing us being comforted by God. For just as, he says, you are participants in the sufferings, so it was logical that you should be participants also in the consolation. "Knowing that as you are participants in the sufferings." For we know this: that just as you are participants in the temptations, so it is necessary that you also be participants in the consolation. For seeing us receive consolation, you will be of good cheer, that since you have fallen into affliction, you too will receive consolation just as we do. For just as you are participants in the sufferings, so also will you participate in the consolation. And consolation could be said to be either the removal of the ^C afflictions, or the being delivered unexpectedly from the present dangers; or that, established in the midst of dangers, you might endure with manly and great courage the things that befall you, strengthened by the hope of things to come:

which could not happen unless Christ, our true God, extended His hand. ^A

"We do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened beyond measure, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. But we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver us. In whom we have had hope that He will also still deliver us, while you also help together by prayer for us, that the gift might be given to us by many persons through the thanks of many on your behalf."

^B After he has mentioned affliction indefinitely, he now says of what affliction he speaks: "That you may be ignorant of nothing concerning me," he says—which is a sign of love—or that you might not, being ignorant of what happened to us, feel resentment that we did not come to you according to our promises. "Of our affliction." This he had also foretold in the previous Epistle: "For a door is opened to me, and there are many adversaries." "That we were burdened beyond measure." Great, he says, was the temptation, and surpassing my strength; for it is possible for a great temptation to be borne manfully by someone. "So that we despaired even of life." [CHRYSOSOTM] "We were despaired of," he says; we did not expect to live, but we reasoned within ourselves that we would surely die. For this is what "We ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves" means. This was what circumstances answered to us: that we were certainly going to perish. And for what reason did God permit us to come into such dangers? "That we should not trust in ourselves." What he says is effectively this: that we should not be proud, he says, that we should not be lifted up by our achievements; which he also says more clearly further on: "And lest I should be exalted by the excellence of the revelations, there was given to me a messenger of Satan," meaning those who were afflicting and harassing him, calling each one of these men Satan. I was permitted, he says, to endure temptations and afflictions, that my pride might be restrained and I might learn to be modest. Therefore, although I besought God, I did not obtain my request, but remained enduring daily the medicine of ^C modesty, namely, affliction. So great was the affliction, he says, that it almost forced us out of life. Such an affliction David calls the gates of hell and of death, and the pains or the shadow of death. "But we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves." The sentence, that is, the decree and the judgment. And it is the same as if he said: As far as we and our own thought were concerned, the expectation of death was present, but God did not permit it to proceed into action, teaching us not to trust in our own virtue ^D or will, but in Him alone, because even things that seem hopeless and impossible to our own minds,

^A are possible, indeed easy, to God. He says that God did this, not because Paul himself needed to learn this—for who knew better than he that one must hope in God alone?—but so that others might learn it through us.

Or in this way: We have despaired of ourselves entirely, so that we might have hope in God alone. For he who has already despaired of himself, how would he hope to be saved by his own counsel or power or defense? Thus, it follows that one should commit everything concerning oneself to God.

—Another interpretation. [JOANNES.] "The sentence," that is, the decision, the expectation, the judgment. Circumstances were uttering such a voice; the events were giving such an answer, that we would surely die. However, this did not pass into actual experience, but stood only at the level of our own suspicion. For while the nature of events declared this, the power of God did not permit that declaration to come into effect, but allowed it only to occur in our own minds. "Therefore," he says, "we have had the sentence of death in ourselves." Just as we say, "The disease responded into health," or "responded into death," meaning it came to pass, it was finished, it had its end; so also now, by "sentence of death," one must understand its end and outcome. ^B

[PHOTIUS.] We were "despaired of living," he says, and were counted among the dead, not by others, but looking at and considering within ourselves the extreme end of death. And it is not that we "thought" it, he says, but we "had" it, denoting the unambiguity and presence of death. Thus the affliction was beyond measure and beyond our strength, so that Paul was already dead as far as his own power was concerned. And this happened, he says, that we might live beyond all hope, so that we might not trust in ourselves at all, but in God who raises the dead.

"Who raises," he says, "who even now has raised us who were dead." For, he says, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, and this was not because others had passed judgment upon us, but we ourselves within ourselves. And we did not [merely] think, but "we had" it, which indicates an indubitable and firm judgment, so that it is clear that if God had not raised us, we would have been dead. ^C But if Paul, who is enlarged in afflictions, who prides himself in afflictions as if in crowns and proclamations—if he says these things and assigns the whole of his salvation to God, what else ought we to do? Or how, if we are led to trust in ourselves, shall we not be justly forsaken by the God who saves and protects us?

"Who raises the dead." At once he indicates the magnitude of the danger, almost saying that He raised us when we had become dead, and at the same time he reminds them of the teaching of the resurrection, on which he had spoken at length in the first Epistle. "Who from so great a death." He did not say "danger," but "death," which signifies the magnitude of the dangers, and he again sets forth the resurrection, ^D as if he were saying: Why do some disbelieve in the resurrection? He is already giving proofs of it.

^A For God raised up even such as were dead in every part. “Who will also deliver us.” This shows his life to be in constant expectation of afflictions. For “He will deliver” was the word of one who knew he would always have temptations and afflictions. Observe, however, his modesty. Paul asks for the assistance of the Corinthians which comes from prayer; this is to teach the necessity of prayer. “You also helping together by prayer.” God will deliver us, while you also cooperate through prayer, so that, he says, He may grant the common gift to me and to you, so that “by many persons”—that is to say, through many persons, namely yours—thanks may be given to God for the grace bestowed upon me.

And in another way: “That from many persons,” that is, ^B accepting the prayer of you all, He may further deliver us, and at the same time thanks may be given for the gift bestowed upon us. He did not say, “that His grace towards me may be thanked,” but “the gift,” which we are accustomed to say of lofty and miraculous things that surpass human nature. He said, “the gift bestowed upon us by many may be thanked,” having first said, “from many persons.” Why is this, if not because by “from many persons” he signifies those who ought to give thanks, and by “by many” he indicates the ways in which one ought to give thanks? For he is not satisfied that they should give thanks in one way alone, but in many; so grateful is he, and so well does he know that the benefit bestowed upon him is great, or rather, as he says, a “gift.” Because he does not think himself sufficient for giving thanks, nor yet the many with him, unless they give thanks in many ways as well, then he subjoins, “on your behalf.”

And in another way: ^C [PHOT.] That is to say, Why are we to assist you with prayer? Why are we to give thanks? Because the fact that I have been rescued and will continue to be rescued, he says, is not merely my own help and consolation, but yours no less. Cooperate then with your prayer, give thanks as though doing these things on your own behalf. For my consolation and salvation is yours. And this, he says, I do not say now as an admonition, but I always boast in this, that you are so disposed towards me, as to consider my salvation and consolation to be your own. For my boasting, he says, is this, that you are so disposed towards me, and so regard me as I do you. Who persuaded you, O Paul, to be so convinced and to boast so? The testimony of my conscience, he says: from what I have done, he says, for you, from the great benefits I know I have conferred upon you, from the fact that I labored among you more abundantly than among others, these things persuade me to think this about you, that you also consider my consolation and salvation your own. And for this reason I also make it my boast: your ardent and glowing love towards me. ^D For from this is born the fact that you consider my consolation and salvation as your very own. For this is our boasting, according to the testimony of my conscience. And when conscience bears witness, the truth is certain.

^A

Chapter One

"For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in the simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you. For we do not write other things to you, but what you read or even acknowledge. I hope, however, that you will acknowledge even to the end, just as you have acknowledged us in part, that we are your boasting, just as you are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus."

Because he had said above that he had obtained mercy through the mercies of God, for fear that he might make the hearer more slothful upon hearing this, he says that one ought to have the resources of salvation from within oneself, from a good conscience. "For the testimony," he says, "of our conscience," as if he were saying: Our conscience, which testifies good things to us, and that we have conducted ourselves in the world with simplicity, has given us a greatest occasion for consolation—or rather, not for consolation only, but also for boasting. "That with simplicity." Without guile, without any pretense or covering. "Not with fleshly wisdom." We have not conducted ourselves with the cunning and twisting of words that obscures the truth. See, moreover, how he rejects and flees from those things in which the false apostles boasted. "But by the grace of God." That is, by the signs and wonders, which were the gifts of God. "And more abundantly toward you." How? Because, along with the signs, he had also preached the Gospel among them without cost. And see: the good work which was his own, he attributes to the grace of God. "For we do not write other things to you." Since he had spoken much about himself, that he had preached the Gospel without cost, lest anyone think these are but a swell of words, destitute of works, he brings them forward as witnesses that he speaks the truth. For we do not write other things to you—that is, things foreign and alien to us (for he had previously written that he had preached the Gospel to them without cost)—but those things we write to you, he says, which you read—that is, those things of which you are reminded, which belong to us. For reading ^B is a reminder, and knowledge coming from above. And what do I say, he asks, as to things of which you are reminded? Since indeed you acknowledge that they are proper to us, not needing even to be reminded because of their obviousness, but knowing them accurately even before the reminder. "I hope, however." Do you see that he speaks nothing arrogantly, but attributes everything to God? For I hope in God, he says, that you will acknowledge even to the end that we are such as the epistles show. And from this, the past life is also revealed. "As," he says, "in part,"—that is, you have known us ^C in part. He shows modesty by saying this. [Photius] "I hope," he says, "that you will acknowledge it even to the end." What? "That we are your boasting." And not only we, but you also are my boasting. For just as you have known this very thing in part now, so I hope that you will also acknowledge it perfectly in that day, when everyone will find the reward for the things he has done. ^D

each of them will receive the retribution for what he has done. For from those things which you obtain, while you obey me and my ^A preaching, then you will know perfectly, and not in part, that we are your boast. And I, too, shall make your salvation and your access [to God] my boast: "That we are your boast." Then, lest he appear to be vain by speaking of himself, he makes his achievements common property; for if such, he says, we are shown to be "in the day of the Lord," that is, in the judgment (for one must not look at current things, such as the reproaches and insults that we, the apostles, hear); if, therefore, we are shown to be such, "we are your boast." How? Because you have made use of such teachers, who have taught nothing human. And we, too, shall boast in you that we have obtained such disciples, who are not shaken or offended by their teachers being treated ill. ^B

CAPUT II.

Concerning the love which he had toward them, and his sparing them so as not to cause them grief, even though by causing grief he produced utility: as in the case of him who had been rebuked for fornication, whom he also forgives.

I, 15. "And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second grace, and through you to pass into Macedonia, and ^C again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you be sent forward on my journey to Judæa. When, therefore, I intended this, was I perhaps using fickleness? Or the things I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, yes, and No, no?"

"And in this confidence." What confidence? That I might boast in you, that your boast might be love for us, and that we are conscious of no evil in ourselves. [PHOT.] In this expectation, he says, in this hope, which guarantees that you also will be my boast in that day, and I will be yours. If, then, I intended to come in this confidence, it is clear that the desire was intense and great. For it was not a human [desire], but for the common profit and the salvation of souls. Thus, I was torn away from my intention against my will. For I would not willingly have neglected such a profit. He placed this forward as a firm and most truthful defense; such was his concern, to provide no occasion for a stumbling block to anyone. "That you might have a second grace." Grace both through the former epistle and through my presence. That you might have a double grace, both through the letters and through [my] presence. By "grace" he means the joy. "And through you to pass into Macedonia." And yet in the former Epistle he had said: "I will come to you when I shall pass through Macedonia," but here he says that I intended to come to you first. What then? Is he contrary to himself? By no means. But he says this: I was so far from being slothful about coming to you that, as far as my own mind is concerned, ^D I wished to come to you even before seeing Macedonia, but the matters, he says, did not turn out according to my intention. "And"

^A in the previous Epistle he said, "that you may send me on my journey," and, "if I travel." Now, however, he says where he intended to travel, namely, into Judea. For at that time he was ignorant of where he was ordered by the Spirit to depart, but now he had heard. Do you see him being led everywhere by the Spirit? "When I therefore determined this." Having determined this, therefore, namely, to come to you, for what reason did I not come? Was it as one who is fickle, unstable, and ^B contradictory to his own words? God forbid. But what is the cause? "For the things I determine," he says, "I do not determine according to the flesh, so that there might be with me 'Yes, Yes,' and 'No, No.'" Which he himself has set down interrogatively. And look at what he means. The carnal man, he says, and he who determines according to the flesh—that is, he who is not led in his actions by the operation of the Spirit—is master of himself, and it is free for him to go where he wishes; but he who is led by the Spirit, to him it is not free to go where he wishes. For he is subject to the Lord the Paraclete, and is compelled to obey his ^C will, so that it was not as one who is unstable, fickle, and a liar that I postponed my coming, but the Spirit, by whom I am led, was the cause, having directed me elsewhere than I had wished. See his wisdom: that which the slanderers were making a cause for reproach—namely, that having promised, he did not come—he himself turns into an occasion for praise, namely, that he does not have authority over himself, but is led by the Spirit wherever it seems good to Him. "Or the things which I determine, do I determine according to the flesh?" ^D [PHOTIUS]: Some are puzzled, saying: Whether what Paul determines and promises concerning the dogmas of the faith, he determines and promises according to the flesh, or according to the spirit? For if according to the spirit, it will not be his "Yes, Yes, and No, No." And if according to the flesh, how are they divine, how are they spiritual? What, then, do they say? That concerning the dogmas of the faith, he himself neither promises anything nor determines anything. For the promises are the Lord's, and the decrees are of that great counsel. Paul is only a herald and a minister, as he himself says, "of the mysteries of Christ." It is fitting, therefore, that he does not of himself determine or promise anything concerning these matters. But if concerning the dogmas of the faith, they say, it is not permitted to him either to determine or to promise, while again he ought not to determine according to the flesh (since he himself also rejects this while saying: "Or the things which I determine, do I determine according to the flesh?"), if therefore he does not determine in either case, in what will he make determinations or promises? We say, therefore, that there are divine and human things, or, if you prefer, spiritual and carnal things. And of spiritual things, there is also a great variety. But for now, to the matter at hand. Some things are virtues, others are the very word of the preaching, and others are not this word itself, but nevertheless are adapted to those who have received the word of the preaching, in which it is permitted to Paul both to determine and to command. For he says, "I have no commandment of the Lord, yet I give counsel, as one who has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful."

^A And of carnal things, some are contrary to the Spirit, while others are not contrary to the Spirit, but merely different and not the same as those that are spiritual. Those that are contrary are, for example, impiety, unbelief, theft, adultery, and the like. Those that are merely different and not contrary are food, sleep, vigilance, and the like. Having therefore exhibited the differences among both the spiritual and the carnal, in so far as they serve the purpose at hand, one must also add this consideration: that just as much difference arises from those who promise and determine, so also do differences arise from the things that are promised and determined. For those who are promising and determining concerning each of the things spoken of will make their counsel and their promise either according to the flesh or according to the spirit. But concerning the preaching, ^B Paul will neither take counsel nor make a promise; he will only preach and minister in the way he was set apart and sent. But the false apostles will both counsel and give promises, for they adulterate and peddle the word of the Lord. Yet concerning things that are appropriate for the faithful, but which have not been commanded by Christ—which are themselves also spiritual—he will both determine and give judgment, as we also said before. And it is manifest that from this alone the difficulty is solved; for it has been found that he will both counsel and give judgment and make laws. ^C Nevertheless, it must still be said that as for those carnal things which are also contrary to the Spirit, he will take counsel, but spiritually, with a view to their eradication and flight. The false apostles, however, will take counsel, but according to the flesh, that is, in a way opposed to the Spirit. But concerning those carnal things that are not contrary to the Spirit, Paul will also take counsel about these, yet he will do so by mortifying himself, by struggling with hunger and thirst, and it is clear that he will do so spiritually. The false apostles will act in the opposite way. In brief, Paul will in no case determine according to the flesh in a way that is contrary to the Spirit. But according to the flesh, in the sense of being in a state other than the will of the Spirit, he has often determined, though not in his preaching. Far be it! Not in other spiritual matters, but in carnal ones that are not contrary to the Spirit. He did not want to be beaten, yet he was beaten. He wanted to go to the Corinthians, yet he was prevented. He did not want Timothy to be ill, yet he was ill, and there are countless other such things. ^D But now, "according to the flesh," he has taken to mean that which is by free will, by one's own authority, by one's own command. But consider also this. What then? When Paul made a promise, did he not promise by the operation of the Spirit, but in ignorance of whether he would fulfill the things he promised? We say that the Apostle did not foresee everything, which is why he even prays for things that are not expedient, as in the case of the thorn of his flesh; and again: "For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought." And it is also shown in the Acts that he wanted to go somewhere and was prevented by the Spirit. And this happened beneficially, so that no one might assume them to be greater than human nature. For indeed also...

in this way it frequently happened to them that people wanted to sacrifice to them as gods, as in Lycaonia.

18-20. *But God is faithful, that our word which was towards you was not Yes and No.* For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but Yes has been in Him. For however many are the promises of God, in Him is the Yes, and in Him the Amen, to the glory of God through us.

^B He dissolves an emergent objection. If you are ignorant, someone might say, of whether what was promised will be, and you frequently say in some matter "Yes," and it is found to be "No," we fear lest in some way your word, that is, the word preached to us concerning the faith, might be "Yes and No." And he says: My promising to come was mine, and therefore it failed; but the preaching is God’s, and it will not fail. ^C "For faithful," he says, "is God," that is, truthful. "That our word..." For, he says, our word and preaching was not Yes and No, but will be Yes and Yes. For this reason He is truthful, because it was not Yes and No. And then he says which word did not become Yes and No, but remained unshaken. "For the Son of God," he says, "who was preached among you did not become Yes and No," that is, He was not preached one way now and another way at another time. "But Yes in Him," that is, the things preached concerning Christ Himself have become unshaken. For this reason he lists the multitude of those who preached: "By me," he says, "and Silvanus and Timothy," and again, "by us," referring to the multitude, thereby making the preaching credible and showing humility, when he names his own disciples, Timothy and Silvanus, as partners in the preaching. "But Yes in Him." ^D [OF JOHN.] I have not overturned, he says, what I previously said in the preaching. Nor have I discoursed to you one thing now and another thing then. For this is not of faith, but of a wandering mind. "But Yes and in Him it has become," that is, what I said remains unshaken and firm. "For however many are the promises of God." In the preaching there are many things promised: the resurrection of the dead, adoption, the hopes of the coming age. He says, therefore: Not only does the preaching always remain and abide as it was preached, but also the promises in it. For they are of God. Or he calls the preaching itself the promise. For the conjunction "for" signifies this. For the faith in Christ had been promised long ago. "In Him the Yes." For however many, he says, are the promises of God in Him the God—that is, through God Himself—have the "Yes and the Amen." For having the fulfillment, they "have the Yes and the Amen" so as to bring glory to God through us. Or thus: For however many are the promises of God, in Him they have "the Yes and the Amen through us," as if he were saying: He indeed is the one in Him through

^A His own promises, yet He does this through us, so that God may be glorified, because He does such great things through men.

I, 21-23. Now He who confirms us with you into Christ, and who anointed us, is God, who also sealed us and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. But I call upon God as a witness to my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are helpers of your joy; for by faith you stand.

^B Since he said: "Through us the promises are fulfilled," he amends this and says: As if though we were but servitors, the Father Himself does it: "He who confirms us," and He who gave, fulfills His own promises. — [PHOT.] The phrase, "He who confirms us," and what follows, is said either by an ellipsis of the whole statement, something being omitted, or by an ellipsis of the single word "is," as for example: He who confirms us and does the other things, is God. Now if it is by the ellipsis of a word, one ought to place a comma at "anointed us," so that "God" may follow in a completed statement. For example: God is He who confirms us, and anointed us, and sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. And it is clear that these clauses following "God" will also be read with a completed punctuation. But if it were understood as an ellipsis of an entire sentence, then even that first period up to "God" will be read with a middle punctuation, as will what follows. But the difficulty in this will be that the missing element, ^C when supplied for the perfection of the sense, will end either as a complete sentence or as a comma. "And anointed us, God." Those who were anointed in the Old Testament became either priests or prophets or kings. And now, he says, we are anointed so that we may become kings, holding sovereignty over the passions; and priests, sacrificing our own bodies, according to the verse: "Present your members as a living sacrifice." And prophets, being taught great mysteries. The Father anoints and seals through the Holy Spirit; for this, he says, the anointing and the sealing is an earnest of the Paraclete. For this reason he did not say "gave the Spirit," but "an earnest of the Spirit," confirming future hopes. For the earnest confirms and stabilizes the entire contract. Therefore ^D even the present earnest of the Spirit confirms for us the future good things which "eye has not seen and ear has not heard." "And gave the earnest of the Spirit." Extrinsically it must be understood: He who confirms us into Christ, who anointed and sealed, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, He, he says, is the one who fulfills His own promises. Observe how he has declared the Holy Trinity most clearly. The Father is He who confirms us into Christ and anointed through the Holy Spirit; He Himself also fulfills the promises. And understand "fulfills" to apply to all of them.

^A "For I spared you." Having said above that he did not have authority of himself, since he was sent elsewhere by the Spirit, ^B how does he now say, "I spared you, so I did not come to Corinth"? But we say that when he was permitted by the Spirit to go, he did not go, because he was sparing them. Or, together with the prohibition of the Spirit, this too was an impediment; or even in this, he was forbidden by Him. For there were some who had sinned and had not repented, and he was awaiting their repentance, and for this reason he said, "I spared." Yet he had been granted the power to punish those who sinned, as Elymas the sorcerer bears witness. "Not that we lord it over your faith." That is to say, on account of faith we do not lord it over you. For example: you did not become believers in order that you might be ruled and punished by us. For even if that were the case, he says, you yourselves stand in the faith, and there is no need of sparing or punishment for the sake of the faith. But he says this to resolve an objection that seemed to arise. For as if some were about to be indignant and say, "What are you saying, that you spared us? Have we believed for this reason, so that we might hear from you that you spared us? If you had not spared us, what then? Would you have punished us? Would you have handed us over to torments?" Thus, so that they might not reason in this way, he anticipates it by saying: I did not say "I spared you" as if, on account of faith, I had received authority and lordship over you both to punish and to spare, but "I spared" I said, not wishing you to be grieved. For if I had come to you mourning, I know that you too, seeing me mournful, would have been grieved. I, on the contrary, am a fellow-worker of your spiritual joy, which I shall be, if, the deed that grieves me having been removed from among you, I come to you with joy. For you too will rejoice with me in a spiritual way. Then, as if they were in doubt about something—"What then? Do you flee from and hate what makes us grieve?"—he adds again: Not always, he says, but on the contrary, sometimes I even pursue and love it, when through your being grieved I find the gain of your salvation. But I do not always wish you to be grieved, but rather, corrected, to be in joy and exultation. "But we are fellow-workers." Since it seemed a matter of arrogance to say, "I spared you"—for one spares those over whom he has authority—he addresses this and says, "Not that we have authority over your faith," did I say "I spared you"; (for faith is a matter of mind and choice, and no one compels one who is unwilling to believe); but because "we are fellow-workers of your joy," for this reason I said, "I spared you." And see what this is. Being delighted on your account, he says, I cooperate with you in order that you might also rejoice at my happiness on your behalf. If, therefore, I had come on account of those who had sinned, no longer rejoicing but mourning, I would have cast you into sorrow as well. I therefore spared coming, so that I might not become a cause of dejection for you. "For you stand in the faith." By saying "you stand in the faith," he intimates that they were also being shaken in other respects, which he makes clear as he proceeds, at the end of this Epistle. ^C And mark what this is. I, he says, being delighted concerning you, in this I am a help to you, that you might rejoice in my joy, which on account of those who had sinned I had in no way experienced, as it ^D is for your sake, in delight. If, therefore, I had come,

^A I would have saddened you, and I also would have been cast into mourning. I therefore spared you and abstained from the journey, so that I would not be a cause of sadness to you. "For you stand in faith." By saying "You stand in faith," he shows that they had lapsed in other things, which he also makes manifest in what follows, namely, in the end of the Epistle.

II, 1-3. "But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow." For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad, except he who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote this same thing to you, that I might not, when I came, have sorrow from those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. By saying "again," he shows that he too had already been affected by sorrow on their account. "For if I make you sorrowful." In the phrase "For if I make you sorrowful," if the "if" is taken to mean "since," nothing obscure or strange is encountered. The discourse is indeed conciliatory. For he says: Although I make you sorrowful by rebuking and turning away from you, yet am I glad on this very account, that I am so much a care to you ^B that you are pricked by my aversion and sorrow. For what, he asks, so delights me as the perception of those who are rebuked? For this feeling offers an indication of the utility that is to result from the rebuke. "And I wrote this same thing to you." When or what did he write? At the end of the present Epistle. He wrote, however, leading those who had sinned to repentance. "For if I come again, my God will humble me, and I shall mourn for many of those who have sinned before and have not repented." This, therefore, he says, I wrote beforehand, so that they might be corrected, and I might not have sorrow from those from whom I ought to have rejoiced as they stand upright. "Having confidence in you all." And this, he says, he declares not because he wishes for himself alone to rejoice, but for you also. For I am confident that the correction of the brethren begets joy both for me and for you. For my joy becomes an occasion for your joy, so much, he says, do you love me.

II, 4-7. "For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears: not that you should be sorrowed, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly for you. But if any one has caused sorrow, he has not caused sorrow to me, but in part, that I might not burden you all. Sufficient to such a one is this rebuke, which is given by many: so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and console him, ^C lest perhaps, by overmuch sorrow, such a one should be swallowed up."

Since, therefore, the correction of the brethren procures common joy, I greatly desire it, and when it is not achieved, I am grieved and worn out. Therefore, the accusations and rebukes which I wrote, I wrote out of affliction and anguish of heart. Not aiming to cause you sorrow—for this would be otherwise foolish—but that you should be sorrowed spiritually and for the sake of correction. Yet he does not say this, but wishing to comply with them he says: "That you might know my love." For that I am anxious and worn out over those things in which you sin is a sign of the ^D greatest love. "More abundantly for you." More, he says, than for the rest of my...

disciples. For there were many believers and approved ones at Corinth. "But in part, that I may not burden you all." [ΘΕΟΔΩΡ.] He wished to say something greater, and to show that the whole body of the Church shared in the grief, but, passing over the other believers, he made mention only of the Corinthians. For this is what "in part" signifies, and "that I may not burden." Then he unfolds his paternal affection, saying: "Sufficient to such a one is this rebuke." By these things he wishes love to be confirmed toward him who had committed fornication, about whom he wrote in the first Epistle; for indeed all had been turned away from him by his instructions. And see what he does. He makes them partakers of the grief, as if all were equally grieved at what had happened, so that they might also be partakers of the forgiveness being given, and he says: "But if any has caused grief," speaking of the fornicator, "he has not caused grief to me only, but in part to you also." For this is what "in part" means. "And I said 'in part'," he says, "that I might not burden," that is, that I might not stir up all of you against him. Or thus, with a hyperbaton: "He has grieved all of you in part; but I said this, that I might not burden the fornicator by saying that so great a people had grieved him. ^B 'Sufficient to such a one is this rebuke.'" For this reason, he puts his name neither above nor here, sparing him, lest by the mention of his name the anger of the Corinthians against him might boil up again. "So that, on the contrary, you should rather forgive him." Not only, says he, release the rebuke, but also console him, and keep him in his former rank and dignity. For consolation is opposite to rebuke. But observe: lest you think that he who had committed the fornication had done sufficient penance and so might hereafter become more slothful, he says: "Forgive." Even if he is not worthy, he says, to receive forgiveness as a debt, yet you should forgive, lest he be swallowed up by excessive grief, as Judas was from immeasurable grief. "Or be swallowed up by Satan." He indicates his abundant grief and mourning.

II, 5-11

you," he says, "are puffed up" 19—they now felt irreconcilable hatred for. "That I might know the proof of you." Namely, in obedience. "For to this end did I write," meaning that ^A just as you heard me and cut yourselves off from him, so too you might hear me in receiving him. He says this, "If you are obedient in all things." And he wrote this not only for the sake of his salvation, so that he might not be swallowed up by excessive grief, but he also wishes to exhort them to be persuaded.

"To whom you forgive anything." See, however, how he places them in the first position, while himself he places in the subsequent one. Then, lest those hearing "To whom you forgive anything" think that they are lords over forgiving and not forgiving, he also adds himself, saying, "And I." "For your sakes," he says, "I have forgiven." For I knew that by forgiving, I would be grateful to you for this. Then, lest it be thought that he had granted this for the sake of men, he adds, "In the person of Christ," that is, doing this according to Christ, as if even in the sight of Christ he were doing such a thing. Or, "In the person of Christ," that is, for the glory of Christ, so that His name and face might be glorified through kindness. For indeed the glory of Christ is the kindness of His own disciples. If, ^B therefore, what is done is done for the glory of Christ, how can you not forgive or not receive him? "In the person of Christ." That is, for the glory of Christ, or as if Christ Himself also were commanding this, which most of all persuaded them. "Lest we be circumvented by Satan." I say this, he says, lest we be deceived by Satan. For if he were left thus and were swallowed up by excessive grief, it would come to pass that we would be circumvented by the devil; for he, snatching what was not his own, would diminish the flock of Christ, and dissipate our body, for you are all members of one another. "For we are not ignorant of his devices." Because they are varied and deceitful and plotting evil. For he does not trip us up only from ^C the fact that he casts one into fornication, but also from the grief that is taken up in repentance, he can trip one up unto despair, if it be excessive. Since therefore we are easily captured by him both from that which we sin and from that which we repent, are we not clearly circumvented?

CHAPTER III.

"But when I had come to Troas for the Gospel of Christ, and a door was opened unto me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother: but having taken my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia."

I did not travel in an ordinary manner, but to the Gospel, that is, for the sake of preaching it. "And a door was opened unto me." He means to say that besides the afflictions, the absence of Titus also afflicted him, showing how great it is to be deprived of a brother. And yet he did not say: "I did not preach, or I did not have care for the salvation of those who were coming to the faith," but, "I had no rest in my spirit;" that is, I was grieving and anxious. The preaching, therefore, was not on that account ^D

^A hindered. And such was the grief, he says, that even though a door was opened to me—that is, although there were many disciples and the word was running its course—nevertheless I was troubled by the absence of Titus. Through these words he shows the usefulness of Titus, in that without him, even though a door was open, he still had no relaxation, because he was not present. He says this both while commending Titus to the Corinthians—for he was about, in fact, to send him back to them—and while demonstrating his own concern for them, showing that even though Titus was useful in the preaching and in all things, he still preferred their benefit. Therefore, he did send him and will send him, even when he himself greatly needed his presence.

"But when I had taken leave of them." "Taken leave" does not mean that he had chosen not to preach. Far from it! (For what kind of situation would that be, if the gospel were hindered on account of Titus's absence?) But it is as if he were saying: I did not remain with them for as long as they had wished; and this, perhaps, was also with the Spirit permitting it, although the absence of Titus did contribute something. And perhaps Titus was also useful for the preaching. ^B

II, 14–17. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and makes known the fragrance of his knowledge through us in every place. For we are a sweet fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: to some indeed a fragrance of death leading to death, but to others a fragrance of life leading to life. And who is qualified for these things? For we are not as the many, peddling the word of God, but as out of sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ." ^C

Then, since he had recounted many griefs—those in Asia, those in Troas, and the very fact of not having come to them—he adds, "But thanks be to God who leads us in triumph," so that they might not think these words were those of one lamenting. That is, we give thanks to God who makes us manifest and makes us conspicuous through the fact that we are afflicted with evils; he makes us manifest, that is, through the victories and trophies that we have against the devil. For this is what triumph signifies. For in our suffering of evils, the victories against the devil are established. For to the extent that one suffers more, one conquers more. "In Christ." That is, through or on account of Christ and the preaching. "And the fragrance of his knowledge." The fragrance of his knowledge signifies two things: both that the preaching is a heavenly perfume, and that it has not been revealed and made plain to all, just as he says elsewhere, "For now we see in a mirror, in an enigma." For just as a fragrance indicates that a perfume is somewhere, yet it does not make manifest the very essence of that which is exhaling it, so also the knowledge which is had through preaching indicates and teaches that God exists, but what he is in his essence, it does not. "Makes manifest through us." For we are, he says, a censer ^D of this perfume and heavenly incense, carrying its fragrance everywhere. "For we are a fragrance of Christ." Not only, he says, do we preach a fragrance, but we ourselves, the apostles, are a fragrance unto Christ the God.

^A veluti emergens. How? By sacrificing ourselves ^B or dying daily through external afflictions, and being reckoned as Christ’s victims. “In those who are being saved.” We are, therefore, a sweet fragrance, and we preach a sweet fragrance, whether anyone is saved by it through faith, or anyone perishes through unbelief. For just as the sun and honey are not perceived according to their own nature by those who are dim-sighted or afflicted with some defect—yet the sun is not dark because of this, nor the honey bitter—so too with the preaching and with us: even if some perish through unbelief, it does not cease to be a spiritual ointment for that reason. On the contrary, it is a cause for wonder that it convicts and refutes the wicked, for it is said that ointment suffocates pigs, and fire consumes thorns. [JOHN] For whether one is saved, he says, or perishes, the Gospel remains, possessing its own virtue. For its work is not perdition, but the ingratitude of those [who perish]. “To some the odor of death unto death.” Not according to its own nature, but according to their own wickedness. For even Christ was a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to those who perish. — Another interpretation. [GREGORY OF NYSSA.] According to the disposition present in each, the sweet scent became either life-giving or death-bearing. Just as, if the same ointment is presented to a beetle and to a dove, it does not produce the same effect in both, but the dove becomes stronger through the fragrance of the ointment, while the beetle is destroyed. So also with Paul and that divine incense: if someone were a dove, like Titus or Silvanus or Timothy, he participated with him in the good odor of life, progressing in every good thing by taking examples from him; but if he were someone like Demas, or Alexander, or Hermogenes, not bearing the incense of temperance, he was driven away by the sweet odor like a beetle. “And for these things who is sufficient?” Do you think we are sufficient for such a grace, so as to be the sweet fragrance of Christ? “By no means, but the whole is of grace.” He here hints at the false apostles, who claimed the grace of God as their own accomplishment, and he says: Therefore I said, “Who is sufficient?” and I have ascribed everything to God, because I am not like the others, that is, the false apostles, who peddle and corrupt the gift of God. For when God gives a gift, if someone says that he has obtained it by his own labors, he makes the grace of God alien. Or he says this: Therefore, to those who are perishing it is an odor of death, but to those who are being saved an odor of life, because we do not peddle the word, like some who change it according to the circumstances and the persons for the sake of shameful gain, but we preach the truth, so that both the worthy may be saved, and the unworthy may perish because of their own unbelief. Indeed, we speak from sincerity what we have seen and heard from Christ. “But as of God.” But as those who have received and learned from God, and who speak in the sight of God, and as in Christ, that is, instructed ^D and taught by Christ, we speak. Amazing, how much truth he has attributed to the preaching!

o acceperunt et didicerunt, et qui in conspectu Dei loquuntur: et tanquam per Christum, id est, Christo instructi et edocti loquimur. Papæ, quantam veritatem prædicationi asseruit! llbracketA 1-3. Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some do, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; in that you show that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, the hearts.

Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians

"Do we begin again to commend ourselves?" Perhaps someone will say, he remarks, that we are setting these things forth because we wish to commend ourselves to you and bring them forward. "Or do we need, as some do..." Read this as a question: Do we need letters of commendation, either from you to others, or from others to you, that is, letters that might recommend and present us? By this, however, he designates the false apostles. "You are our letter." Instead of a letter, he says, that could recommend us, we have you and your approval according to God. For the approval of the disciples is a proof of the virtue of the teacher. If, therefore, we have you for others as a medium of commendation, we would by no means have needed commendation to you. "Written in our hearts." For, he says, because we have you in our mind so as even to seem to have been written upon us, due to the fact that it cannot be erased, we carry you around everywhere, and because of your virtue we have a commendation ^B among others. Which is what he also says in the first Epistle: "For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." "Known and read." By the fact that we carry you around everywhere in our memory. Therefore, you are known through this 'reading.' Yet by 'reading' he calls his own discourse and remembrance concerning them. "That you are a letter of Christ." How? By the fact that his law and his commandments remain and are kept among you, in the place of written characters. "Delivered by us." But we have been the ministers of this knowledge and of this preaching to you. And just as Moses became the minister of the Law, so also we of the preaching; and as he inscribed the tablets, so we your hearts. Then from this he comes to a comparison of the old Law and the new, and says: That one was written in ink, but this one in the Spirit; ^C that one in stones, but this one in tablets of flesh, that is, in hearts. And by as much as the Spirit surpasses ink, and the heart surpasses stones, by so much, he says, is the new [covenant] also superior to the Law and the old.

III, 4-6. We have such confidence through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. Who also made us sufficient to be ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Then, since demonstrating that the New [Covenant] is greater than the Law ^D and of the old, it was understood as the sequel, and also that the minister of the old...

[...of the Old], and that the apostles are greater than Moses, the minister of the Old Testament; for because the things are greater, for this very reason the ministers are also greater. But he attributes the whole matter to God, and says: ^A "Such confidence have we through Christ toward God; ^B not that we are sufficient of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God." It is a hyperbaton; for our sufficiency is from God, and the rest is inserted in the middle. We are of good courage, he says, and we have confidence toward God, having through Christ this confidence, that we are not sufficient to serve in such a ministry, and not even to grasp the magnitude of the matter in our minds, or to think anything at all about it, but that it pleased Him to make us sufficient for such a great matter. "Not of the letter, but of the Spirit." For the Law brought letters, but the preaching of Christ brings the outpouring of the Spirit. For the Law also was indeed spiritual, but it did not bestow the Spirit, which the preaching does, as if to say: To us it was not entrusted to give letters, as to Moses, but the Spirit. For through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, there came to be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. "For the letter killeth." The Law, he says, kills. For if it catches someone sinning, it destroys him. "For any man, he says, that hath set at naught Moses' law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses." But the Spirit, if it finds those dead in sins, through baptism gives them life.

CHAPTER IV.

Regarding the ministry according to the Spirit, and a glory more divine than that which was according to the Law.

III, 7-11. ^C "But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven in stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which was passing away, how shall not rather the ministration of the Spirit be with glory? For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory."

Having taught in the preceding [section] the excellence of the New [Testament] over the Old—that the latter was in stones and in ink, but the former in spirit and in hearts—he now wishes to show that the New is greater also in glory. ^D And since the Old had a sensible glory, namely the face of Moses, but the New has an intelligible one, he shows its excellence by means of a syllogism. And observe: he immediately calls it the ministry of death, both in letters and in stones, as if he were saying: There was no help there, or remission, as in the case of baptism, but only letters and inexorable punishment, as that which was engraved in stones. He calls the Law the ministry of death. And observe, he did not say that it is productive of death (for it did not itself impel one to sin or death); but a ministry. For it served the Lawgiver, and for those deserving of death, the Law [was] of death. [THEOD.] The ministry of the Law, the ministry...

of death, he called it, because the Law used to punish those who transgressed. If, therefore, he says, where there is punishment and death and letters engraved in stone, he who conveyed these received such great glory on his face, much more do those who minister to the divine Spirit enjoy a greater glory, ^A “so as not to be able to gaze.” He extols the glory of the Law in order to increase all the more that of the New. Or [he says] this is an accusation against the Jews, that they were, he says, so dull that they were not even capable of seeing the sensible glory “because of the glory of his face.” Having above exalted the glory of the Law, he now gently diminishes it. For it was not the Law that had the glory, but Moses. And even Moses did not have a permanent glory, but one being done away with, that is, ceasing. For since he had above exalted the things of the Law, he now diminishes them in order to diminish the Jewish things along with them. ^B “How will the ministry of the Spirit not be rather…?” Just as he called the Law the ministry of death, so by consequence he ought to have called the New the ministry of life. But he passes over this in silence and says the greater thing. For he calls it the ministry of the Spirit, which also has the power to provide life. And he calls it the ministry of the Spirit because of the supervention of the Holy Spirit, as if it were the preparative for the supervention of the Holy Spirit. “For if the ministry of condemnation…” By a logical syllogism he makes the comparison. For if there is glory in the Law, he says, even though it was a minister of death and condemnation, much more, according to consequence, is there not only glory in the New, but it even surpasses it. For indeed, “It surpasses.” For whereas the Law took sinners and punished them, the preaching [of the Gospel], taking sinners in baptism, not only releases them from guilt (even though that alone would have been enough), ^C but also justifies and sanctifies, and calls them to adoption, and promises the hopes of future goods. Whence he also calls it the ministry of righteousness, as justifying the ungodly.

“For indeed it has not been glorified.” And why, he says, do I make a comparison of the New and the Law? So great is the difference and the glory of the New, that, he says, in the part of comparison, (for this is what he says in “this part,” that is, of the comparison), the Old will not seem to have even any glory, even though it was glorified, when compared to the New. “In this part.” [THEOD.] For so great is, he says, the glory that will accrue to the ministers of grace, that one would not reasonably call that which accrued to Moses even a glory, if he looks at these. For in the night, the light of a lamp ^D seems to be most shining, but in the middle of midday it is hidden, and is not even thought to be light. And he called the Law “being done away with,” as having ceased at the presence of Christ, but the gift of Grace remains, as not being destined to receive an end. If, therefore, that one, he says, attained to glory, it is evident that this one will attain it many times over. “That which has been glorified.” To wit, the Law which had glory through the face of Moses. “In this part.” In the part of comparison.

and juxtaposition, the glory of Moses is not anything if one compares it with the new. “Because of the excelling glory,” which it possesses, that is, the new. “For if that which is passing away was through glory.” Then he also shows the difference from that which is permanent. For if the law, which was to be abolished and to cease, says he, was given through glory, how much more will the new, which always exists and shall exist, be in an intelligible glory? ^B 11, 12-15. “Having, therefore, such a hope, we use great boldness; and not as Moses placed a veil over his face, that the children of Israel should not look toward the end of that which is being abolished. But their senses were hardened. For even unto this day the same veil remains in the reading of the Old Testament, not being uncovered, because it is abolished in Christ; but even unto this day, when Moses is read, a veil is laid upon their heart.”

Since the infirmity of the hearers did not see the glory of the New (for it was not sensible, but rather dazzling), he re-directs them to the future time. Therefore he also mentions hope: “Having such a hope,” he says. Such—what kind? That we have been deemed worthy of greater things than the ancient Israelites. “We use great boldness.” Since, therefore, we who are ministers of the New Testament have been deemed worthy of greater things, we preach the proclamation with great boldness, hiding nothing, nor being held back, nor fearing that we might trouble your conscience because of the absurdity of the proclamation, just as ^C Moses used to trouble the sight of the Jews. For you are able to see the beauty which is in the proclamation, and you would not be struck, seeing it with neither the mind nor the intelligible sight. “And not as Moses.” And as if someone had said: Why do you preach openly, and not speak in the manner of a veil, shadowing it? Why? Firstly, because we are confident in the purity of the proclamation; secondly, because you are also able to see the beauty which is in the proclamation. For you are not dim-sighted, as the Jews are. For by as much as the New Testament is greater, by so much is the excellence of those who are taught greater also. “That the children of Israel should not look.” In order that they might not look, he says, upon his face—that which was to be abolished and cease from its glory. But wanting to show that ^D that glory was of short duration, as compared to the glory which always remains in the New, he says, “Toward the end of that which is being abolished,” as if he were to say: When the Israelites were unable to look upon the glory, then that glory had an end and ceased. It was so short-lived that it ceased as soon as it had begun; and yet, he says, they were not even able to look upon that, so weak were they. “But their senses were hardened.” That is, their mind was hardened; and so much so, that not only were they then unable to see the glory of Moses, but even now they are unable to see the things in the Law as they should. For even to this day, he says, the reading of the Law has the same veil upon them. For just as when the reading is covered

they cannot perceive what is in it, nor know that in Christ the Law is abolished and ceases. For where, one might ask, does the Law contain this, that in Christ and through Jesus it will be abolished? The Law itself, indeed, says it. For when it said: «A prophet will the Lord raise up for you,» it added: «Him you shall hear in all things whatsoever he says.» This implies that even if he should say what is contrary to the Law, it is regarding Christ that he speaks. Moreover, he himself broke the Sabbath, healing on it. And he further ordained certain things, such as: «You have heard that it was said to the ancients this, but I say to you.» And that a wife should not be put away for hatred only, and many other things. Then, because God commanded them to sacrifice in the Temple only, and therein enclosed the sacrifices, and then abolished that, is it not manifest that He would abolish the sacrifices and all the legal priestly rites? So that the Law contains its own abolition ^B both sensibly and intelligibly. «Not unveiled,» so that they might know that in Christ the Law is abolished. [CYRIL] For Christ removes the veil. For since He Himself is the truth, He makes the shadow and the duplicity of the Law cease, as in book 131 of the commentary on Luke. [PHOTIUS] A commandment was given to those in Paradise, but it went into abeyance and ceased, and was, as it were, abolished. It was given to those in the time of Noah, and that likewise was abolished and ceased. It was given to those in the time of Abraham, but the Law rendered most of this null by changing it with countless additions and ordering other things. The Law was given through Moses; this too is abolished and ceases—not that another is introduced which is also to be abolished, but that the evangelical Law is introduced, which remains forever. All those prior ones, therefore, were abolished, but the Law is the end of that which is being abolished, since after it no other is abolished. ^C But if the Law is the end of that which is being abolished, the person that introduces it is surely the end of that which is being abolished, just as the Giver of the Gospel reigns and shall reign unto the age of ages. «A veil lies upon their heart.» Then, because he had said that a veil lies upon the reading of the Old Testament, lest anyone should suppose that the obscurity of the Law was the cause of its not being understood, he says it more clearly, showing that the fault is theirs and not the Law's. «For a veil,» he says, «lies upon their heart.» Hence they are unable to know the meaning of the Law. For if they had known, they would have departed from it and believed in Christ. For this is what the Law desires. ^D When it turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all with open face reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. For indeed, Moses, when speaking to the Jews, had

as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. For indeed, Moses, when speaking to the Jews, had the veil, but when entering unto God, he used to take off the veil. Moses, therefore, was a type of them. For they themselves also, whenever they are engrossed in the Law, have the veil, which does not allow them to behold the Law itself; but when they turn to the Lord, their veil is taken away. Then, however, they will be converted, when, having abandoned the Law, they believe in Christ and receive the grace that is from the Spirit in baptism; for here he calls the Spirit "Lord," saying, "Now the Lord is the Spirit." Then, lest any of the weaker hearers, having heard that Moses, when turning to the Lord, used to take off the veil, but that he himself, when admonished by Paul to turn to the Spirit, might think that he is not turning to the Lord, he adds: "Now the Lord is the Spirit." Do not fear, he says; even when you turn to the Spirit, you turn to the Lord. For the Spirit is Lord, and co-throned, and co-worshipped, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son. ^B "There is liberty." This is said by way of comparison to the Law: for there was a yoke and slavery, but in the faith of Christ there is liberty. "But we all," he says, are so much within liberty and nobility, that we all with unveiled face (for there is no place for a veil among the faithful), beholding the glory of the Lord, are transformed. For just as silver, when placed opposite the sun, itself also emits certain rays by the impact of the sun, so also we, being purified in baptism through the Spirit and illuminated by His rays, emit a certain intelligible brightness. He also wishes to lead them into the order of the apostles in that which he says: "But we all, beholding the glory of the Lord in a mirror," that is, illuminated by the Spirit. "From glory to glory." Into that same splendor, he says, we are changed, by the transmutation made from the glory of the Spirit to our own glory; and we reach, he says, such and so great a glory, as it is likely for him to reach who is illuminated by the Comforter and is marked by a dim image of His glory. What can those who oppose the Spirit say to these things? From the glory of the divine Spirit, he says, to our glory. As if to say: thence we receive it. ^C

CAPUT V. On the divine glory and the life that follows, that it is known by the saints.

IV, 1, 2. "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as God has had mercy on us, we do not faint, but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

"Therefore." This is a hyperbaton. Therefore we do not faint: therefore for what reason? Because we are deemed worthy of such things. "Since we have this ministry." Since he had spoken many and great things about the apostles, saying, "We behold the glory of the Lord in a mirror and are trans- ^D

- ^A formed," even though he communicated the message by saying, "But we all," yet what has been said was spoken primarily with reference to the apostles, he henceforth directs the discussion concerning them. "Having this ministry," he says, that is, we are nothing more than ministers of the preaching. Next, he says, "As we have received mercy," showing that we were not even worthy to become ministers, but even this we have through the mercy of God. "We do not lose heart." That is, we do not despair in the face of afflictions, temptations, and dangers. "But we have renounced." As for afflictions, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced and pushed away the hidden things of shame, that is, doing such things in secret which, when revealed, bring shame. He alludes to the false apostles, who had a guise of piety but were wicked in secret. How have we renounced the hidden things of shame? By living, he says, without ^B guile and without pretense. He who conducts himself thus renounces the doing of any of the condemned things. "The hidden things of shame." We have renounced the hidden things of shame, he says, meaning we practice nothing in secret that is worthy of shame, and although we do not lose heart in afflictions, as you yourselves see, neither in our thoughts do we contemplate anything else worthy of shame; for instance, we do not admit into our minds indifference, irresolution, hesitation, ingratitude, or anything else of this kind. But just as we do not lose heart in public, so we do not contemplate anything worthy of shame in secret, but have renounced all the hidden things of shame. Then, "Not walking in craftiness," and so forth. For it is the mark of craftiness and deceit to display one thing while thinking another. "Nor falsifying the word." And not only, he says, do we practice a life and conduct free from craftiness, but we do not falsify the word of God and the preaching, either by seeking monetary gain from it, or by changing with the times and persons, teaching this now and that then, which is what the false apostles were doing. "But by the manifestation of the truth." There is nothing, he says, hidden among us, nor do we hide one thing and speak another, but through the manifestation of the truth we commend and present ourselves as we are, to every conscience of men. — [PHOT.] For the false apostles were ^C not recommending themselves by the manifestation of the truth, but by assuming the mask of truth, not even before God, but for the sake of pleasing only those who were deceived. "To every conscience of men." We recommend ourselves to every conscience of men, both believers and unbelievers, by our conduct, from which, he says, we conduct ourselves. Since it is possible to deceive men, he sets God as the overseer of his own conduct.

Chapter V

If our Gospel is also veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing, in whom the God of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine upon them. For we do not preach ourselves, but

^A Christum Jesum Dominum, nos ipsos autem servos vestros propter Jesum.

Since he had said that he had manifested himself to the conscience of all men through the true manifestation, that is, the preaching, but the fact that the preaching was not manifest to all—which is clear from those who did not believe—was set against him, he says: The blame is not ours, or the obscurity of the Gospel, but of their own perdition and blindness. "In whom the god of this world." Of those who are outside the flock of Christ, some were from the beginning unbelieving toward the word of the preaching, while others believed indeed, but because they did not have depth of earth, they fell away again from the faith; all of these Paul calls perishing. Now, however, the discourse concerns those who from the beginning did not believe him. ^B For to these the Gospel is entirely veiled, and he says that in those perishing men who did not believe at all, the senses were blinded, so as not even to receive the light of faith. As for "the god of this world," the Manichaeans and Marcionites say he means the evil god; for there are two gods among them. But we say it is He who presides over all. But just as He is called God of heaven and earth, and God of the present day, and God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and is not on that account not God of the rest, so also understand in this way, "the god of this world." Or in this way, with a hyperbaton: of the unbelievers of this world. For here they are unbelievers, but then every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to Christ when he comes in the Father's glory. Cyril, in his first book against Julian, says that the god of this world is the one who was thought by the unbelievers to be God, namely Satan (for him they worshipped). ^C Another way. That is: God blinded the senses of the unbelievers of this world, for the future world does not have unbelief. "He blinded the senses of the unbelievers." Not that He Himself did it—far from it!—but that He permitted it to happen, on account of free will; as he says elsewhere: "God gave them up to dishonorable passions," meaning, He permitted them to be given up. For because they turned away from Christ, He left them; for salvation belongs to those who want it, not to those who are forced. It is not that they were also harmed, those who were faithlessly disposed and were illuminated by the light of Christ, like a weak sight [exposed] to the solar ray. "Lest it should shine upon them." See that he did not say, "He blinded them so that they might not believe," but, "Lest it should shine upon them," showing that they first did not believe and thus later became unworthy of the illumination. ^D For the Lord Himself also says, "not to cast pearls before swine." And the word "to shine" is well placed. For now we have a dim radiance of true knowledge, and as it were from a most luminous sun, a dim ray. This he also signifies elsewhere, saying: "We see now through a mirror."

^A in a riddle,” and, “We have the earnest of the Spirit and the fragrance of knowledge.” — “Of the Gospel of the glory of Christ.” For the Gospel is the glory of Christ. Christ is indeed to be glorified for countless things: because He created, because He preserves what was created, because He gives life to all things, but most especially because of the cross, of which the Gospel is the herald. “Who is the image of God.” As it were in passing, he says what it is that the Gospel conceals from the unbelievers: that it is God, he says, who was crucified. For He is the express image of the Father. For because the Apostle knows an "image" as that which is in all respects equal and similar, see what he says elsewhere: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.” He calls Christ the image of God, as God of God, since in Himself He shows the Father. Therefore he says, “He that sees me, sees the Father.” — “For we do not preach ourselves.” Earlier he said, “Not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully.” How? “Because we do not preach ourselves,” he says, “but Christ the Lord; and ourselves your servants for His sake.” By saying this, he alludes to their teachers, of whom he wrote that they would say, “I am of Paul, and I of Apollo, and I of Cephas,” ^B who also exercised authority over them.

IV, 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, is He who has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Why do you call yourself our servant? he asks. Why? Because you have been loved by my God. For He Himself, who at the beginning of creation said, "Let light shine out of darkness," is He who shone—that is, He shone in our hearts. He shone, he says, illuminating us and revealing His own knowledge and glory. “In the face of Jesus Christ.” That is, through the face of Christ. For through the Son we have received the true knowledge of the Father, just as He Himself says in the Gospels, speaking to the Father: “I have manifested Thy name to men, and I have glorified Thee upon the earth.” And it was manifested to us through Jesus. ^C That there is a Father, and that He does not wish to be worshipped or appeased by the savor of offerings and blood, and that God is worshipped in a Trinity of the same essence and power. Whence He is also called the Angel of the great counsel. “For the light of the knowledge.” See how Paul manifests the unchangeable nature and equal honor of the holy Trinity, by calling the holy Trinity Light, Light, Light. Speaking above concerning the Spirit, he says, “Beholding the glory, as the light of the Lord, we are transformed into the same image.” Again concerning the Son: “Lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them.” Now concerning the Father he says, “For the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.”

concerning the Son: “Lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them.” Now concerning the Father he says, “For the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.”

CHAPTER VI

OF OECUMENIUS, BISHOP OF TRICCA

On infirmity according to the body, and on the laying aside and full restoration of the body.

^A IV, 7-10. *But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us: we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not

e eodem rursum dixit. Propterea, inquit, a Deo permittimur tradi in mortem, ut manifestetur quod surrexerit Christus. Qui enim in dies nos suscitat, certe seipsum quoque excitavit. ^A Likewise: "For this reason we deliver ourselves to death, that the life of the Lord may be manifested and may work in us." When? Clearly, in the future age. It is as if he were saying: "We, therefore, for the sake of Christ, deliver ourselves to death, so that Christ may then deliver us from the intellectual death of condemnation and lead us to the intellectual life." "So death indeed." As if to follow from this, he says, that death performs its work and has power and operation in us, but life in you. As if he were saying: "We die for the sake of the preaching, so that you may live through it, that deathless and eternal life, believing in Christ." [ΦΩΤ.] The passions and afflictions, and the deadly calamities, these are now working in us, he says; but faith and piety (which is the true life) are in you. ^B And piety is life, because it procures that deathless and painless and eternal life in the heavens. "But having the same spirit of faith." Having the same spirit as David, he says, we also speak the same things as he, namely: "I believed, therefore I spoke." For whereas he previously established the resurrection by considerations and reasonings, he now introduces it from faith. "Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us through Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but even if our outward man is perishing, yet the inward is being renewed day by day."

We say this, knowing that the Father who raised the Lord will also raise us. Whence do we know this? From faith, obviously. "And he will raise us through Jesus." For He himself shall come with a command, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet, and shall raise the dead, and present them at his own tribunal. "For all things are for your sakes." Here he trains them, regarding the resurrection and the other goods, to render thanks to no man, but to God alone. For the false apostles attributed the grace to themselves, as if God had bestowed these things because of their own exhortations leading to God. "For all things," that is, all goods, "are for your sakes," not for this one or that one, but for the common good. And this, he says, has happened so that the grace of God might abound, being provided to many. And this grace increasing, the thanksgiving toward Him will also increase ^C in abundance. "Therefore we do not lose heart." Since, therefore, we know that all things that happen to us end in the thanksgiving of God, we do not lose heart nor do we succumb to temptations. He calls the body the "outward man," which is corrupted while being scourged, pursued, and bound. He calls the soul the "outward man," which, he says, flourishes again day by day through hope and joy, and through the knowledge that it suffers on behalf of God. "For the light, momentary affliction of our suffering, works for us, incomparably and beyond measure, an eternal weight..."

of glory," while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Observe the turn ^A of phrase, meant to embolden us to endure temptations. For "momentary," he says—that is, the short-lived, the brief—is for the sake of the cessation of affliction. And he was not content to say "momentary," but he adds also "light." "It works," he says, "an eternal weight of glory." And not simply so, but he does this "incomparably and beyond measure." And observe the abundance of the recompense. For to the "momentary" he will measure out the "eternal," to the "light," the "weighty," and to the "affliction," the "glory." And the augmentations of the recompenses do not even stop there, but he adds also "incomparably" and "beyond measure."

"While we look not..." Since he had called affliction, which is heavy, "light," he explains how the present affliction is light. If, he says, we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For if you set the things there against the things here, the present things appear light; for they are temporal, whereas those are eternal.

V, 1-4. "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, desiring to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up by life."

Because he is about to treat the discourse concerning the resurrection, toward which the Corinthians were disposed more weakly, he anticipates them ^B by saying "We know," as though they also knew and did not doubt regarding the resurrection.

— Another. [PHOT.] He has set forth many things above, showing that it is even for our benefit that afflictions consume the body; now he says something more, that even the total corruption of our body, which happens through death, is useful. For from the corruptible, he says, we receive it as incorruptible.

Observe, however, how great an excellence he has shown by this comparison. This is earthly, that is heavenly—that is, receiving incorruption from heaven; this is a house of a tabernacle, which signifies easy dissolution, that is eternal. Then he also calls that "not made with hands." Clearly, he is not disparaging this present body as being "made with hands," but he is increasing the praise of the other. "If our earthly house..." An earthly house, indeed, is the short-lived life here; but the tabernacle is the body of our souls. For the house is one thing, and the tabernacle of which the house is the owner is another, and we ourselves, ^C of whom the tabernacle is properly the own, are something else. If, therefore, he says, the house of our tabernacle be dissolved—that is, the short-lived life which is lived here—we shall have a house not made with hands, that is, eternal life, not needing our work or our hands for its formation. Well did he call the future one "not made with hands" by way of contrast to the present life. For the present ^D

^A life consists of meat, drink, and clothing. So says the holy Methodius in his discourse *On the Resurrection*. — Another. He calls the earthly house our conduct in the present life, and the tabernacle our body. If, therefore, the present things have an end, we have a house not made with hands, eternal and heavenly. — Another. He calls the earthly house of the tabernacle the body. "We have a building from God." That is, the renewal, the resurrection. "In the heavens." That is, prepared in the heavens as incorruptible, that is to say, through heavenly grace. For indeed, "in this" stands for "on account of this." "We groan." You, he says, groan, as is natural, because your body is being corrupted in afflictions. But we, to whom the hope of resurrection is clear, groan because it is not being entirely corrupted. Why? Because we desire to put on over it our incorruptible body. And well does he say, "To put on over it." For this mortal body is clothed over with incorruption. "Our dwelling." He did not say "tabernacle," but "dwelling," ^B indicating for it a secure rest and habitation. — Another. [THEODORE] Here he has called incorruption a dwelling. And he did not say "To be clothed," but "To be clothed upon," since we do not put on a different body, but this corruptible one puts on incorruption over itself. "That from heaven." Not because it descends from heaven, but because it receives incorruption from God. "If indeed, being clothed, we shall not be found naked." [JOHN] That is, even if we lay aside the body, we shall not be found there without a body, but with it having become incorruptible. Yet some say: "If indeed [well,] having been clothed, we shall not be found naked." For, he says, so that not everyone might take confidence from the resurrection alone: "If indeed, having been clothed," that is, having received incorruption and an incorruptible body, "we shall not be found naked" of glory. For the resurrection is common to all, but the glory is not equal; rather, some are in honor, and others in dishonor. "We shall not be found naked." Lest they think that everything is accomplished by the resurrection alone and by the change of the body, he adds: If indeed, having put on incorruption itself, we are not found naked of glory and honor. For incorruption will be for some unto good, and for others unto evil, as it makes both honors and punishments endure forever. We groan, he says, not desiring to be rid of ^C the body, but longing to be free from its passions. For we do not yearn to put off the body, but to put on incorruption over it. "Being burdened." Since the common opinion of men was opposed to him: "Why," he says, "do you groan, that you might put off the body?" Although all men groan that they might not die, he says. Nor do we groan that we might put off the body and be unclothed, but that we might put on incorruption over it. For we are not burdened, he says, because it is a body, but because it is mortal and corruptible. "Wherefore we do not desire to be unclothed." The "wherefore" stands for "because." "That what is mortal might be swallowed up by life." We hasten, he says, to put on [incorruption] over it, so that the now mortal and corruptible body might be swallowed up by incorruption and immortality. [Note: *in this* is taken for *because of this*, *wherefore* for *because*.] ^D

^A V, 5-9. Moreover, He who formed us for this very thing is God: who also gave us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore, being always confident and knowing that while we are present in the body, we are away from the Lord (for we walk by faith and not by sight). We are confident and desire rather to be away from the body and to be present with the Lord. And therefore we strive, whether present at home or absent abroad, to be pleasing to Him.

Who, he asks, will bring about this change of the body? Who? God, who formed us for this very thing, that we might be incorrupt and immortal. By this, he shows that the opinion about this is not a new one, but that we were indeed created for immortality; but since death, by the envy of the devil, entered into the world, God again discovered for us another way to immortality. «Who also gave us the earnest.» And that He formed us for the purpose of becoming immortal is manifest from the fact that He gave the Spirit, which He would by no means have given to those who were not going to be such. He says everywhere the "earnest of the Spirit," making Him a debtor to give also that which is perfect. «Of the Spirit.» He Himself, he says, will make the change toward immortality. For this must be understood as implied from without. «While we are present in the body.» Rightly «while we are present,» as though dwelling in a foreign land. For we are sojourners and pilgrims. By this he means: Firmly knowing that to remain in the bodily life keeps us away from the fellowship with Christ, we desire rather to be absent from the body, and to be with Christ. «For we walk by faith.» Lest anyone should say: What then? When we are in the body, are we estranged from Christ? He adds: «For we walk by faith and not by sight,» as if he had said: I said for this reason, «We are away from the Lord,» because we see Him now through faith. For by it we walk, and are, as it were, led to the knowledge of Him; but then by sight, that is, by direct vision, which he says ^B elsewhere: «For now we see through a glass, in an enigma, but then face to face.» «But we are confident.» The *but* is a pleonasm and is redundant. «And we desire rather to be absent from the body.» Since, therefore, we know what makes for the being present with the Lord, we are confident in desiring to be absent from the body, and this, he says, we covet: «And therefore we strive.» What he says, *strive*, means either that we exert ourselves or that we boast. «To be pleasing to Him.» For lest they should think it sufficient for them to be away from the body in relation to Christ, he adds, «To be pleasing to Him.» For this either makes the presence with Him blessed, or most miserable, if we are not pleasing to Him.

V, 10, 11. For we must all be made manifest ^{C D}

he adds, «To be pleasing to Him.» For this either makes the presence with Him blessed, or most miserable, if we are not pleasing to Him. V, 10, 11. For we must all be made manifest ^A before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may refer what was done through the body according to what he did, whether good or evil. Knowing therefore that terror of the Lord, we persuade men, but to God we are made manifest. I hope, however, that we are also made manifest in your consciences.

Thereafter he also terrifies them with more grievous things. Yet, having made mention of the trembling judgment seat, he relates not only sad things but also more favorable ones, from what will happen there. «Things done through the body.» That is, things that have been administered or performed by the body itself, he says. For he shall refer according to what he did, whether good or evil. Since the body has obeyed the soul both in honorable things and in those that are not, it also receives retribution together with it. And this stops the mouths of those who say that another body is raised up at that time ^B. For it is not proper that one body should have sinned, and another should be punished; nor that one should have performed excellent deeds, and another should be crowned or rewarded. «According to what he did:» that is, towards what it has operated. Indeed, it is not the soul alone that refers these things, but the body; this is, according to what it has operated, suffering together and being glorified together with its yoke-fellow body. Thus says the holy Methodius in his book *On the Resurrection*. «Knowing therefore that terror of the Lord.» He refers to that tribunal and the worthy recompense. «We persuade men.» We persuade on this account, so that we may not scandalize any of you. For it does not condemn only the doing of somethingwicked, but it also punishes the being thought to do it, if, being able to dispel such a suspicion, we treat it with contempt. In another way: «we persuade» belongs to counsel and exhortation, which is why it is to be written with the long omega. «But to God we are made manifest.» For there is no need to persuade God, who knows all things. «I hope, however, that we are also made manifest in your consciences.» I hope, he says, that we shall not scandalize you either, but such as we are, such we are in your knowledge. For this is what he means: «In your consciences.» ^C

CAPUT VII. Concerning Paul’s love toward God and his brotherly love according to God.

V, 12, 13. For we do not again commend ourselves to you: but we give you an occasion of glorying on our behalf, that you may have something against those who glory in appearance, and not in heart. For whether we are beside ourselves, it is for God: or whether we are sober, it is for you.

He continuously purges the suspicion that he might seem to be boasting, ^D and says: We have come to these words, not commending ourselves—that is, not extolling or praising ourselves—but providing you, he says, with an occasion to boast on our behalf against the pseudo-apostles. For since they slander us, I have come to these words, he says, so that you may have something to boast about on our behalf. «That you may have.» One should understand «something external» to be added. Something which you may answer in our defense, something which you may say, something which you may boast of. «Against those who glory in appearance.» He speaks about the pseudo-apostles, who do everything for human [...]

^A applause and ambition. They had the mask of piety and dignity, but they were devoid of good works. For this is what he means: «And not in heart,» because they possessed nothing good within. «For whether we are beside ourselves.» If, he says, we speak of great things (for this is what «beside ourselves» means, since it is characteristic of madmen to speak great and inflated things), we do so for the sake of God. Why? Lest you, thinking us base, should despise the preaching that comes from us. But if we speak of anything moderate, we do so for your sake, that we may teach you to be humble. Or in another way: If anyone thinks we are mad, we receive from God the reward for whom we are held to be such. But if he thinks we are sober, let him himself enjoy the benefit that comes from sobriety. Or in another way: «If we are mad,» he says, «we are mad for God.» For it is for the sake of your salvation, which God cares for, that we speak such things, so that having recognized who we are, you may be saved by believing what is preached by us. But if we are sober, believe.

Another interpretation: ^B «Whether we are beside ourselves,» and the rest; he well attaches this to what was said before: «I hope that we are manifested also in your consciences.» For we are not again commending ourselves. We do not need, he says, a testimonial before you. For if anyone says that we are mad, this is referred to God, and it requires the judgment from there, not from you. This is what he said elsewhere: «To me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you. He who judges me is the Lord.» Whether, then, he says, we are beside ourselves, such judgment is reserved for God, not for you. If we appear to anyone at all to be sober, you should rather consider us to be sober above all others. «For the seal of my apostleship,» he says elsewhere, «you are in the Lord.» You ought, therefore, so to think and reckon concerning us. And not only that, but also against those who glory in appearance, to say and contend for the same things on our behalf.

^C 14-16. For the love of Christ urges us, because we have judged this: that if one died for all, then all have died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him no longer.

The love of Christ, he says, contains us and impels us, and does not allow us to be sluggish in the labors undertaken for your sake. Therefore, he says, he also speaks these things, that you might be saved by considering us worthy of belief. For a virtuous teacher knows how to persuade his disciples. «Judging this.» The love of Christ, he says, contains and impels us, since we have judged this to be true. What? «That one died for all.» Since all men were dead, therefore He also died for all. «That those who live»

posthac non sibi vivant. » If, therefore, we ought not to live for ourselves, we, too, naturally strive to do so. And you, too, should naturally ^A learn to despise the temptations that come upon you. "But for Him who died for all." There are three reasons why it is necessary for us to strive to do all things for the Lord’s sake. One, because He Himself created us; second, because He died for us; third, because He raised up our first-fruits—that is to say, His own flesh—for our sake, and led them into the heavens, so that He might also lead you there, where your first-fruit exists. Observe where he has directed the discourse. For what necessity, after all, was there for the divine Word to take on humanity and be incarnate, if this—our restoration and resurrection—had not been ordained? ^B "We know no one according to the flesh." Since, therefore, all were dead in sin and live through Christ, we know no one who lives according to the flesh—that is, according to the former conduct that was in sins. For such a state is death, not life. But now, those who truly live, live according to the Spirit. For they have been regenerated in baptism. Therefore, they have new life, and not the old. "According to the flesh." That is, as one living. And, he says, no one any longer lives according to the flesh (for that is not life, but death) to such a degree that, in order to show that living according to the flesh has been cast out, and that we now live according to the Spirit, even Christ Himself ceased from living according to the flesh. How so? Not that He abandoned the body (far from it! For He will come again with it as His own, the judge of all), but because He was delivered from its natural frailties, such as hunger, and thirst, and sleep, and weariness. For now He possesses an impassible and incorruptible body. "Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh." Just as with us "according to the flesh" is what is in sins, and what is outside these is "not according to the flesh," so also with Christ, "according to the flesh" is to be subject to natural frailties; but not to be subject to them is "not according to the flesh." And just as He, he says, has been set free, so also have we. Thus Clemens has it in the fourth book of the *Outlines* (*Hypotyposes*).

V, 17-19. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. But all things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, ^D and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation, inasmuch as God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and has placed in us the word of reconciliation.

If anyone lives in Christ, he says—that is, in His faith or through His faith—he is a new creation. For he has come to a new and youthful life (since we have been born from above through the Spirit) so as to live, not the life that is spent in sins, but that which is in the Spirit. "The old things have passed away." What old things? Either he means sins and impieties, or all the Jewish observances. — Another way. How did the old things pass away? Soul and body have been made new for us (for they have been purified by baptism). The New Testament has been given. Instead of the earthly Jerusalem, the heaven. Instead of—

a sense-perceptible temple, a spiritual temple. Instead of stone tablets, ^A tablets of flesh; instead of circumcision, baptism. Instead of manna, the body of the Master; instead of water given from the rock, the blood of the Master; instead of the rod of Moses, the Cross; instead of the land of promise, the kingdom of heaven. Instead of the myriad priests under the law, one High Priest, Christ; instead of an unblemished sheep, the Son of God; instead of the mere name of adoption, true adoption. For it is a new creation, both in relation to the life that was led in sins, and in relation to the customs and precepts given according to the law. "And all things are from God." All these things, he says, have been gifted to us from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through the Mediator, His Son. For we did not run to Him, but He Himself called us through the slaughter and immolation of His Son. "And having given to us the ministry of reconciliation." O the depth of benevolence and philanthropy! For it is not that after He sent His Son as an ambassador for reconciliation, and He was slain, He henceforth neglected us; but even after the Son had died, He again entrusted to us, the apostles, the ministry of reconciliation. "As that God was in Christ." For indeed, he says, in the first place, that is, before the ^B passion, God—that is to say, the Father—was through Christ as a mediator, reconciling the world to Himself. "Not counting their sins against them." For thus, and in no other way, could reconciliation happen: if sins were first forgiven; for if He had demanded the penalty for sins, no one, he says, would have been left who could be reconciled. "And having placed in us the word." The Father, therefore, was, even before the Cross, he says, reconciling the world to Himself through His Son, who also has now placed in us the word and the ministry of reconciliation. For since His Son was crucified, He left us to exhort those who are upon the earth to reconciliation. Have you seen the magnitude of the ineffable goodness? Therefore, we have not come to impose anything burdensome upon you, but to make you friends with God. "We are ambassadors, therefore, for Christ, as though God were exhorting through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For Him who knew no sin, He made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." O how He has exalted the matter! For Christ, he says, we are ambassadors. For we have undertaken His work. We are ambassadors, therefore, in place of Christ, ^C as though the Father were exhorting through us. For He does not exhort only through Christ, but now, after He has been crucified for us, He exhorts through us. "We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." Being ambassadors for Christ, therefore, we also exhort on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For you are the enemies and the ones who hate; you, therefore, be reconciled, be made friends. "For Him who knew no sin." Observe his artistry and wisdom. Henceforth, as an ambassador, he also puts forward the reason by which they might be persuaded. For so that, he says, I may say nothing of the first things—that you have insulted, that He is a benefactor, that He did not demand a penalty, that He was the first to ^D be reconciled—

but for this at least which He has now done, is it not right that you should be reconciled to Him? And what is that? “He,” he says, “who knew no sin,” that is, His Son, who is Himself righteousness and sanctification ^A, Him God the Father made to be sin; that is, He allowed Him to be crucified as an evildoer and one condemned. He did not say a sinner, but sin, which is a greater thing. And Christ did not die in vain, or without bringing us any benefit, but in order that He might make us righteous. Others have interpreted it thus: [OECUM.] “Sin” is called the victim that is offered for sins, as the prophet also says, “They shall eat the sins of my people,” that is, the victims for sins. The Father, therefore, made the Son a victim for sins. “He made Him to be sin,” that is, so that He might be condemned as a sinner. “That we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” He did not say, We might become righteous, but “righteousness itself,” which was a greater thing, and the righteousness of God. And the righteousness of God is not that which is from works, but that we should be justified by forgiveness ^B, in Him, through Him.

“Working together, we also exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” He says, for “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry may not be blamed.”

These things indeed, he says, God has done through His Son, and we also continue working together and exhorting; exhorting you, but working together with God. For this is His zeal, that you should be saved, as he says elsewhere, “We are God’s fellow-workers,” from which, he says, we continue in this: “Not to receive the grace of God in vain.” We, the apostles, exhort you to receive the benefit of God, and not to reject it, and that the grace may not happen ^C and be received in vain and without profit. For for those who have been reconciled to God through faith to remain in their former life is nothing else than for the grace of God to have come in vain and to no purpose, and for those who received it to be in no way benefited. For if He has forgiven sins, and we are again filled with them, what is the profit? “Now is the acceptable time.” And what is the acceptable time and the day of salvation? That of the gift, that of grace. The current time, he says, is that in which the remission of sins is set forth, and righteousness is given freely. Since, therefore, the time is of grace, naturally, he says, I have heard thee in this, as if to say, when the time of judgment comes, one will no longer be easily heard. Therefore, he who in the time of grace applies himself to a good manner of life will easily attain the prizes and will be heard by God. For He receives even those who have committed ten thousand wrongs, having forgiven them their sins. “No offense in anything.” The thought ^D is connected in this way: Working together, he says,

and exhorting, we continue, giving no offense to anyone. Consider, however, the counsel in the order of the narration, as if he were saying: In all things I direct my life and conduct, ^A so that I may not only leave no room for accusation, but not even for displeasure or blame from anyone, lest someone—he says—take hold against our ministry and work. For if they themselves should stumble, the blame would naturally revert to the preaching; for they might have said: if the preaching were anything good, wicked men would not have been counted worthy of it. Having said this, he implies to them that we must take care to live an upright life, so that the blame may not rebound upon the faith. “For by their fruits,” he says, “you will know them.” ^B VI, 4-10: *But in everything let us show ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in instability, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in sincerity, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God, through the weapons of righteousness on the right and on the left, through glory and dishonor, through evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.*

Not only, he says, have we striven to be pure from accusations and complaints, but we have also shown and demonstrated ourselves in everything as ministers of God. But how could this be, and how does one demonstrate himself as a minister of God, if not through his conduct and life? Observe clearly that he did not say, “Let us appear,” but, “Let us show,” that is, “Let us demonstrate,” which implies a proof through works and truth. “In much patience.” Bearing all things courageously that may be said. Therefore he also adds, “Much.” And consequently he enumerates the things in which they were situated and, by bearing them courageously, showed themselves to be ministers of God. “In necessities.” Necessities denote the intensity of affliction, that is, when ills are inescapable. ^C “In distresses.” The release, he says, was very difficult. “In imprisonments.” This, even if it were the only thing, is too burdensome; but when all these things occur at once, behold the struggle. “In instability.” When one is hunted and has no place to stand. “In labors.” The things already mentioned were brought against him by his enemies. Consequently, he also speaks of what he brought upon himself, as if those other things were not enough. By “labors,” he means both the manual work he did and the exhaustion he underwent for the sake of the preaching. “In sincerity.” By sincerity, he calls [to mind] chastity, the cost-free Gospel, ^D and that which is pure in all things. “And in knowledge.” In the wisdom of God, in true knowledge—not as the false apostles, boasting in human wisdom. — Another [THEODORE]: To say, Even regarding the

known and the unknown, let us strive to show ourselves long-suffering and useful. As for what he says, ^A “in purity,” this means [not in ignorance], that is, in chastity or purity. — Another: By “purity” he speaks of the despising of money; for he did not accept from the Corinthians what was necessary for his needs. And by “knowledge,” I think, he means doctrine. “In long-suffering.” It required an adamant soul, so that being pricked from every side, one would not only be long-suffering, but also benign. “For being reviled,” he says, “we bless.” — “In the Holy Spirit.” Then he shows whence he became such a one. In the Spirit, he says, we have persevered. And then he set down the help of the Spirit, when he had brought what was from himself. “In love unfeigned.” This is the cause of all good things. This made him such as he was, this made the Spirit to remain. “In the word of truth.” Which he says elsewhere, “Not handling the word of God deceitfully.” Then also, “In the power of God,” by which, he says, we have performed all things; for he ascribes all things to God. “By the armor of righteousness, of the right hand and of the left.” If you wish to know, he says, from whence or by what means we accomplished these good things, listen. “By the armor of righteousness,” he says, “of the right hand and of the left,” which, even if they seem to be contrary to each other, yet they are weapons of righteousness. And “right” he calls those that seem as it were on the right, that is, honors and glories from men, by which, he says, we were not puffed up, nor were we exalted to empty glory. For that reason they became weapons of righteousness. “Left,” however, are those contrary to these. Such as temptations, persecutions, insults, by which we were not cast down nor defeated, as if he said: We always remained the same, neither being exalted by good things, nor made soft by evil ones. — Otherwise [ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM]: “Left” he calls those that seem to be painful. And yet these are what possess the reward. And for what reason does he call them so? Either according to the opinion of the many, or because God commanded us to pray not to enter into temptation. ^B “By glory and dishonor.” Then he says “left and right.” And see, those honors brought by the very men themselves, he has placed into his own achievement. For, indeed, it is a great thing not to be corrupted by pride on account of honors. “As deceivers, and yet true.” These are the praises and the reproaches. “As unknown, and yet well known.” This is both glory and dishonor. For to some they were known and highly sought after, but the others did not even deign to know them. “As dying.” According to the intensity and the zeal of those warring against us. “And behold, we live.” According to the power of God. “As chastened.” But these things, he says, God allowed, ^C chastening indeed, yet not abandoning until death. “As sorrowful.” By those on the outside, because of what we suffer, we are thought to be dejected, but always and in each case, we are incessantly rejoicing. Look at the holy soul. It not only bore temptations bravely, but also rejoiced in them, knowing it suffered for Christ. “As poor.” We persevered as poor, but we made many rich, either with spiritual wealth or even with bodily wealth. ^D

For they all had ^A open houses or families, which did whatever the apostles commanded. “As having nothing.” For he had nothing; yet he was giving commandments to the world. For if it had been possible, he says, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. It is also permitted to understand these things regarding spiritual matters. For he who had heard secret words, was he not the richest of all?

VI, 14 16. Our mouth is opened unto you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. Now for a recompense in the same, I speak as unto my children: be ye also enlarged, and be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

^B Having gone through his own struggles, he comes to the discourse concerning conduct and the way of life. First, however, he wishes to persuade them that, while he loves them more, he is loved less, and he says: “Our mouth is opened,” which is to say: We cannot be silent toward you, we always yearn for you; this is the characteristic of those who love and speak with candid freedom. In another way: This means, you provide us the opportunity and boldness to open our mouth among you. For whenever someone loves fervently, but the others do not requite the love in like manner, they provide the one who loves ^C with the opportunity and faculty to justify and prove his case toward them with many proofs; “It is opened,” he says. For by the multitude and the strength of the justifications, and even though we wish to be silent, it nonetheless bursts forth from within and leaps over of its own accord, and opens and extends the lips to speak. And then he begins the justifications. We love you exceedingly, he says, and we have you in our hearts, and we are enlarged, and we rejoice in having you, and we ourselves have made the beginning of love. But you are as those who are straitened. If you receive us into your ^D bowels, you do not keep us confined within them; but neither do you show, as a recompense for those who have initiated this great affection of love toward you, the same affection; but what is more grievous, you prefer the love of unbelievers to our love, who love you more. But I speak to you as to children, that at least as a recompense and reward, you yourselves be enlarged, and receive us as we have received you into our bowels, and love, separating yourselves and distancing yourselves from the love of the unbelievers, just as by nature faith and unbelief, righteousness and unrighteousness, light from darkness, Christ from the Antichrist, the believer himself from the unbeliever, and the temple of God from a temple of idols are divided and separated from one another. If therefore you are of righteousness, of light, of Christ, believers, and the temple of God, separate and stand apart—

^A from darkness, from injustice, from Antichrist. For these things belong to unbelievers and to those who have prepared themselves as temples of idols, from whom it is necessary for you to be cut off and separated. For then the Lord also will receive you and will dwell within you and will walk among you, making straight all the paths and ways. — Or even in this way: “Our mouth is opened,” instead of “We are ready and prepared to teach you all things with simplicity and breadth of heart.” Therefore, you also receive us readily. “Our heart is enlarged.” For just as heat is accustomed to expand, so too is love. — For love is a something warm, as if he said: I love not only with my mouth, but also with my heart; I hold all within. Therefore he says, ^B “You are not restricted in us,” because affection expands the soul itself. — “Our heart is enlarged” to teach you all things. “But you are restricted in your own affections,” that is, in the love toward God which you owe to me. Thus Clement has it in the fourth book of the *Outlines*: “But you are restricted in your own affections.” I myself, he says, am not restricted, since I have all of you within; but you, since you have me in your affections, are restricted; for you do not love me similarly. You have me, indeed, but yet you are restricted. For he says further down, “If even the more I love, the less I am loved.” But provide the same remuneration, that is, recompense and equality of friendship, as children, and be you also enlarged as I am. For indeed it is disgraceful, when I have received all of you within, that you all should not be able to contain me alone. — Otherwise. [PHOT.] “But the same remuneration as to children I speak.” It is said by ellipsis. For there is wanting either “receive” or “provide.” It can be understood even without ellipsis, so that the “but” (δέ) may be redundant. The redundant use of conjunctions is frequent in the inspired Paul, just as is the ellipsis. And the passage might be interpreted by the redundancy of the conjunction, ^C representing such a meaning: “You are restricted in your own affections.” And then, to what end? To the same remuneration. But it is unjust to be restricted in regard to the same remuneration; therefore, “I speak as to children.” For I still seek the love of children. “Be widened” also yourselves unto the same remuneration, and love us, as we also love you. “As to children I speak.” Then he shows also the love that is owed; for children owe it to their parents. “Do not become unevenly yoked.” Then, so that they might not think he is in need of their love, he shows that he wishes to be loved for their own profit. For he says: This is what it means to love me, not to lean toward the unbelievers, and to mingle with them, and to be corrupted by them. But “unevenly yoked” is from the metaphor of the scales of a balance. — “For what participation has righteousness with lawlessness?” Instead of persons, he has set forth the things themselves. What, he says, is the fellowship between you and the unbelievers? Just as there is no ^D justice with lawlessness, as even [alt-version omitted]

^A neither light with darkness, nor Christ with Belial—that is, the apostate and Satan; for Belial in the Hebrew tongue signifies an apostate. "Or what concord has Christ with Belial?" Wishing to urge them by all means to depart from the unbelievers, he did not say, "between the righteous and the unrighteous," but used a stronger expression. He did not say, "between the workers of light and darkness," but used something of greater force. He did not say, "between the ministers of Christ and Satan," but used that which was more fearful. Then, so that he might not appear to be comparing mere things, he descends to the persons themselves. "With a believer," he says, "with an unbeliever." Or in this way: As, he says, there is nothing in common between the things mentioned above, so neither is there between a believer and an unbeliever. "Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?" That is, what is the similarity? They, he says, are the temple of idols, you are the temple of God; what fellowship, then, is there between you and them? That you are the temple of God ^B is evident, so that we may hear the prophet Jeremiah.

VI, 16-18. "For you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean; and I will receive you, and I will be to you a Father, and you shall be to me sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

"I will dwell," he says, as in temples. But what he adds, "I will walk," is indicative of the affection which He bears toward us. "Come out from among them." Namely, from the unbelievers and the unclean. But as for the words, "Be separate," it is as if to say, "Be solitary," so far as they are concerned. Consider also how he did not say, "Do not do anything unclean," but, "Do not touch [it]." "And I will receive you." For if you come out from them, he says, you shall have a dwelling with me. "And you shall be to me as sons." The prophet proclaims beforehand the adoption now granted through faith and the laver of baptism.

VII, 1. "Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all pollution of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

"Having therefore these promises." Which ones? That we are the temples of God and have Him dwelling and walking within us, that we are the sons and people of God. "From all pollution." For some sins pollute the body, such as fornication and adultery; but others pollute the spirit, that is, the soul, such as unclean thoughts, keeping of grudges, and abuse. ^C — In another way also. By "spirit" in this place, he means the soul; calling the participation in idols the "unclean spirit," and fleshly sin, the sin in action. "Perfecting holiness." It is not enough, he says, to abstain from impurities and pollutions, but it is necessary also to do what is profitable. Therefore he says, "Perfecting holiness," that is, doing what is good. And holiness ^D

themselves. It is understood, moreover, as holiness, temperance, and purity, or a cleansing from every affection. Then he says: "By the fear of God." For it happens that some of the things which are worthy of praise are done for the sake of trying to please men, or for the sake of simulation and vain glory. Or, "Through the fear of God." For by the fear of God, holiness is easily attained. ^B

CHAPTER VIII

VII, 2, 3. "Capaces estote nostri: neminem laesimus, neminem corrupimus, neminem circumvenimus. Non hoc ad condemnandum dico. Siquidem jam ante dixi quod in cordibus nostris sitis ad commoriendum et convivendum."

He moves the discussion to the subject of love again. Since he had stung them by saying that they were departing from him, but clinging to the unbelieving and the unclean, he now reconciles them to himself and says: "Capaces estote nostri" ["Receive us"], that is, accept us and our words; for now we are as it were cast out of your minds. Then, also hinting at the false apostles, he says: "Neminem laesimus [We have wronged no one], aut corrupimus" ["or corrupted"], with impious dogmas, "aut circumvenimus" ["or defrauded"], seeking gain or profit from the discourse or the preaching. Or, "Capaces estote" ["Receive us"], that is, admit us into your souls. "Non ad condemnandum dico" ["I do not speak to condemn"]. I do not say these things in order to condemn you. Whence is this manifest? From love. Because, he says, you are in our hearts ^C to die together and to live together. "For I have said before that you are in our hearts." It is possible both to be loved and to be in someone's heart, and yet not in such a way as to desire to die together and to live together; yet in this way you are loved by me. And what manner of love is it to live together? It is certainly so. For there are some who grieve with their friends when they are doing poorly, but envy them when they are running a good course. But we do not act thus.

"Multa mihi fiducia erga vos, multa mihi gloriatio de vobis, impletus sum consolatione, vehementer exundo gaudio in omni afflictione nostra."

Then he softens the severity of the rebuke in another way as well. I do not say these things, he says, as one condemning you, but because I have great boldness toward you, which is also a form of love.

Another way. [Phot.] If you have us in your hearts, if you so love as even to desire to die together and to live together, why do you rebuke and chide us? For this very reason, he says. For because I love ^D vehemently, I use great boldness of speech toward you, and I do not fear any offense, lest I might somehow harden you, or cause you to fall into indignation, or into despair, or, on the contrary, lead you into contempt. For he who truly loves is released from every evil suspicion concerning those who are loved, and henceforth both does and says all things confidently. Or also in this way: Whence is it manifest that I did not speak for the purpose of condemnation? Because we hold you in our hearts, and so forth. But whence is this manifest?

^A I boast, he says, in you. For this does not arise from elsewhere, than from trusting and relying greatly. Therefore he also says: "I am filled with consolation," and what follows: "Great is my boasting on your behalf." These things seem indeed to be contrary to the first things, where he condemned them for cleaving to unworthy ones; but there is nothing contrary. For the praise granted through these words makes the benefit from the reproofs acceptable, as being spoken by one who loves, as if he were saying: For did I say those things as one who had condemned you? By no means. But that you might advance towards virtue. ^B Through trusting you, and acting with boldness towards you. Otherwise: He was rebuking them before, in the instances in which they were inclining towards the unbelievers through love. But he now praises them, in the instances in which they had zealously corrected those things for which they were accused in the former epistle. For this is the mark of an impartial judge: to both rebuke what has been sinned, and to hold up what has been rightly done in praise. "I am filled with consolation." With what? Because, while you corrected those things for which I had blamed you in the first epistle, you comforted me by the very deeds themselves, so as no longer to grieve; and not only this, he says, but you also filled me with joy, so brief and manifest was the correction. This is what it means: "I am superabundant in joy." And so great, he says, is the joy, that it sufficed us for the bearing of every affliction.

VII, 5-8. "For indeed when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted in everything: outside were fightings, inside were fears. But God, who comforts the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus: and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation which he received from you; when he announced to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me: so that I even rejoiced more. For although I grieved you by the epistle, I do not repent, even if I did repent."

Then he narrates the affliction, and extols it with his speech, that he may show a greater joy on account of them, such as could obscure so great an affliction; for we continued, he says. "Outside were fightings." From the unbelievers, whom he is accustomed to call "those outside." "Inside were fears." On account of the believers, lest they should somehow grow soft through temptations. "But God who comforts the humble." And who is he who comforts the humble and those who have no help among men? ^D "God," clearly; He, he says, comforted us through the coming of Titus. He makes his coming something great. For he wishes to render the man trustworthy and a friend to them. "And not only by his coming." Not only, he says, was his coming a cause of joy to me, but also that he was comforted and gladdened by you. For since you had been corrected, he himself was comforted by your change, and we were comforted together with him. Do you see how he makes Titus familiar to them? This was the one who was sent to them with the first epistle. "And was comforted on your behalf,"

^A he says, "by your transformation; declaring to us your longing." He also defines the consolation itself. For he says: "He cheered us, declaring to us your longing," because, he says, you longed to see me. "Your mourning." You were not just weeping, he says, but mourning at my rebuke that was in the first epistle. "Your zeal." He did not say anger, but what was more than that, zeal, he says, which you felt against the fornicator and the false apostles who were speaking against us. "So that I rejoiced more." I was not grieving, he says, because of the afflictions I mentioned.

Otherwise. ^B [PHOT.] At what did he rejoice more? At the grief, rather, which I endured in the aforementioned trials and distresses? Or the grief I endured because I had grieved you in the epistle? But the second is more appropriate. For the following words fit this sense better. It is possible, however, for both to be true. He says, therefore, that the joy cheered him more than the grief saddened him. Then he says: "And if I grieved you in the epistle, yet you were grieved unto repentance," which is to be grieved according to God.

And this is the thinking according to the sequence. But the things in between are circumlocutions, causes, and repetitions. For this divine man is accustomed to weave circumlocution upon circumlocution and to stuff full his discourse, which is why a repetition is needed. For example, "I do not regret it," has been inserted between the aforementioned cohesion of the passage. ^C Then: "Even if I did regret it." The cause for this follows: "For I see that that epistle..." And this sentence itself is not simple, but is wrapped around. For he says: "If it did grieve you for an hour." He did not say: "If it did grieve you," but, "If for an hour." And the phrase, "Now I rejoice," is a repetition of what he had said, "So that I rejoiced more." For since he had filled his discourse with a density of circumlocutions, and saw that it was being shut away into obscurity, he made use of repetition. Then he thus rendered that statement: "But that you were grieved unto repentance," which, as has been said before, is linked to the above, such as: "So that I rejoiced more, because, if I did grieve you in the epistle," yet it is that you were grieved unto repentance. And this too, however, is wrapped around. The simpler sense is: "So that I rejoiced, because you were grieved unto repentance."

These things I have discussed with such subtle detail not because Paul boasted in them, nor because we decided to praise him for them, but to put to shame those outsiders who reproach the Church for lack of learning. ^D For it is demonstrated through these things that, in that upon which those people, while nearly struck dumb with wonder, worship the Paeanian and the son of Olorus—I mean in circumlocutions—he leaves them far behind, and the others too. Although the life of the former was worn out in this labor, the latter did not even deign to look upon these things except for incidental use. And one may see such a thing in his words a thousand times over,

^A namely, that those things which others do not achieve even with applied care, grace provides to those who honor it, even when they do not seek it, teaching them to despise spending leisure and labor upon these things. For in those matters in which they would say there is ignorance, when he wishes, he takes up those things which belong to eloquence even without labor, and has them ready at hand, and that more abundantly than those who have this as their goal, and who spend their lives upon these things. By these very things, therefore, study and labor are shown to be vain and useless when grace does not assist. «For though I have made you sorry,» because of the rebuke, «with the letter.» Although, he says, those things were written in the first epistle to such an extent that I exceeded the measure of rebuke, and because of this repented that I had done so, yet the great gain which resulted from them does not allow me to repent further. He says this, however, not because he exceeded the measure in his rebuke, but because he makes the matter itself an occasion for praise. ^B

VII, 8. For I see that that letter, even if it made you sorry for an hour, now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry according to God, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance unto salvation, a repentance not to be regretted: but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold this very thing, that you were made sorry after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. ^C

«Though it made you sorry for an hour.» For the sorrow was hourly and momentary, but the gain is long and continuous. «Now I rejoice.» It would have been consistent to say, "But it brought much usefulness." But he did not say this, but came to his own care for them, and to their praises. «But that you were made sorry to repentance.» For what gain would it be to me that you were made sorry? Consider, however, that while he attributed the causing of sorrow to the epistle, he does not say that repentance was produced by it, but from their own virtue. For he did not say, "Because it made you sorry to repentance," but, «Because you were made sorry to repentance.» «For you were made sorry according to God.» For this is the good sorrow, just as it is evil to be made sorry according to man. «That you might suffer loss from us in nothing.» If we had remained silent, he says, and had not rebuked you, we would have been the ones causing you loss, for not having provided an occasion for repentance. Afterward he philosophizes about the sorrow which is according to God, separating it from the sorrow of the world, and says: «For godly sorrow produces repentance unto salvation, a repentance not to be regretted,» just as that which is of the world produces death, when someone is saddened because of money or because of glory. For since the remedy of sorrow has been prepared solely for being saddened because of sins, it is only in this that it is useful, but in other things it is even harmful. For we use it contrary to nature; for it is ordained for only so much as to be on account of

^A sins.

Another Interpretation. [Phot.]

VII, 12-16. Proinde, tametsi scripsi vobis, non id feci ejus causa qui læserat, nec ejus causa qui læsus fuerat, sed ob id ut studium nostrum quod pro vobis est manifestaretur apud vos coram Deo. Idcirco consolationem accepimus ex consolatione vestri; quin uberius insuper gavisi fuimus ob gaudium Titi, quod refocillatus sit spiritus ipsius ab omnibus vobis. Quod si quid apud illum fui gloriatus de vobis, non sum pudefactus: sed sicut omnia in ^C veritate locuti sumus vobis, ita et gloriatio nostra qua usus eram apud Titum, veritas facta est: et viscera ipsius abundantius erga vos affecta sunt dum recolit omnium vestrum obedientiam, quemadmodum cum timore ac tremore exceperitis ipsum. Gaudium quod in omnibus fiduciam habeam in vobis. Quisnam est qui injuria affecit? et quis injuria affectus est? Scortatores. Ipsi namque seipsos injuria affecerunt, et a seipsis injuria affecti sunt. ^D Λέγει δὲ τοῦτο. Τὰς τοσαύτας, φησὶν,

φησὶν, ^A eκκλησίες, οὐχ ἕνεκεν τῶν πεπορνευκότων ὑμῖν ἔγραψα πρωτοτύπως, ἀλλ᾿ ἕνεκεν ὑμῶν ἀσφαλιζόμενος ὑμᾶς, μή πως ὁδῷ βαδίζον, καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς ἔλθῃ τὸ κακὸν. Μικρὰ γὰρ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοί. ᾿Αλλὰ τότε μὲν οὕτως. Νῦν δὲ, φησίν, ἕνεκεν τοῦ δεῖξαι ὑμῖν πῶς ἐν σπουδῇ καὶ ἐν φροντίδι ὑμᾶς ἔχω, ὅπερ τὸ αὐτὸ μὲν ἔστι τῷ πρώτῳ, ἀγαπητικώτερον δὲ εἴρηται. « Οὐδὲ εἶνεκεν τοῦ ἀδικηθέντος. » Οὐ τοῦτο λέγει, τὸ, Ἕνεκεν ἐκείνων οὐκ ἔγραψα, ἀλλὰ τὸ, Οὐ πρωτοτύπως δι' ἐκείνους, ἀλλὰ διά τε ὑμᾶς καὶ δι' ἐκείνους. « Τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Ἂν μὲν, φησίν, ἀγάπη παρ' ἐμοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ φανερωθῆναι αὐτὴν ἐζήτουν, ὡσανεὶ ἐφορῶντος, φησί, Θεοῦ ὅτι ἀληθεύω. « Διὰ τοῦτο. » Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν σπουδὴν τὴν περὶ ὑμᾶς ἐπέδειξα, καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἡμῖν κατώρθωται. « Ἐπὶ τῇ παρακλήσει ὑμῶν. » Δύο λέγει παρακληθῆναι παρ' αὐτῶν παρακλήσεις, μίαν μὲν, διότι αὐτὸς οὐ μάτην ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ Ἐπιστολῇ, καὶ ἐκεῖνοι τὸ ἐπιτιμηθὲν διωρθώσαντο, δευτέραν δὲ, ὅτι τὸν Τίτον ἀνέπαυσαν. Αὐτὸς δέ φησιν· « Ἐπὶ τῇ χαρᾷ Τίτου, » δεικνὺς ὅτι πολλὴν χάριν αὐτοῖς ὁ Τίτος ὡμολόγει. Ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ χαίρειν ἐκεῖνον, τήν τε ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀναπαύσεως καὶ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς εὐχαριστίας αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰς αὐτὴν δηλοῖ. Διὸ καὶ προκρίνει τὴν παράκλησιν ταύτην, τῆς προτέρας παρακλήσεως· καὶ ταῦτα λέγει, μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην Τίτου ἐφελκόμενος· ἔμελλε γὰρ πάλιν σὺν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ πέμπειν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτούς. Τί δὲ ἦν ἡ ἀνάπαυσις Τίτου ἐφ᾽ ᾧ καὶ ἔχαιρεν; ἢ αὐτὴ ἡ διόρθωσις αὐτῶν, ἐφ᾽ ᾖ καὶ Παῦλος παρακέκλητο, ἢ ἡ εἰς πάντα ὑπακοὴ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ μετ᾿ εὐλαβείας καὶ πίστεως ξενία καὶ ὑποδοχὴ αὐτῶν. Καὶ γὰρ τεκμήριον εὐσεβείας, ἡ εἰς τὸν κήρυκα αὐτῆς τιμὴ καὶ εὐλάβεια. Μᾶλλον παρεκλήθημεν, φησίν, ἐπὶ τῇ διορθώσει ὑμῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐχάρημεν ἐπὶ τῇ χαρᾷ Τίτου, ὅτι διὰ τῆς διορθώσεως ὑμῶν, ἀναπέπαυται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ. « Εἴ τι αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. » Καὶ ἀρετῆς μαθητῶν ἔλεγχος, τί τὸν διδάσκαλον ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν καυχάσθαι, ^B καὶ ἀγάπης διδασκάλων δεικτικόν. « Οὐ κατησχύνθην. » Οὐ γὰρ ἐφάνην ψευδόμενος. « Εἴ τι κεκαύχημαι, οὐ κατησχύνθην. » Πρὸς ἓν κόμμα λόγου τὰς δύο λέξεις ἐκληπτέον, καὶ τὴν ἐπαγομένην τῆς προτέρας πρὸς αἰτίαν ἀποδοτέον, ὑποστίζοντας ἐν τῷ, « Κεκαύχημαι· » ἤ, ὅπερ ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ, μᾶλλον ἑκατέραν λέξιν ὡς ἴδιον νόημα παριστῶσαν, κατὰ τελείαν στιγμὴν στίζοντας ἀναγνωστέον. Καὶ εἴη ἂν ἑκατέρας λέξεως ὁ νοῦς ἀπηρτισμένος τοιοῦτος· « Κεκαύχημαι, » φησίν, οἷον καλῶς καὶ πρεπόντως ἐκαυχησάμην. « Κεκαύχημαι. » Εὗρον τὴν καύχησιν τετελεσμένην. Εἶτα, « Οὐ κατησχύνθην. » Οὐκ ἐψεύσθην τῆς ἐλπίδος, οὐκ ᾐσχύνθην ἐφ᾽ οἷς προσεδόκησα τοιαῦτα. Ταῦτα δὲ εἰπὼν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ τύπου τῶν λέξεων καὶ τῆς προφορᾶς αὐτῶν, τὴν χαρὰν ἐδήλου, καὶ τὴν παράκλησιν ἣν εἶχεν. Οὕτως ἦν δυνατὸς ἐναργῶς διὰ τῶν λόγων παραστῆσαι τὸ

σα τοιαῦτα. Ταῦτα δὲ εἰπὼν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ τύπου τῶν λέξεων καὶ τῆς προφορᾶς αὐτῶν, τὴν χαρὰν ἐδήλου, καὶ τὴν παράκλησιν ἣν εἶχεν. Οὕτως ἦν δυνατὸς ἐναργῶς διὰ τῶν λόγων παραστῆσαι τὸ consolationem quam habebat: ^A thus he was able to manifest effectively in his words what he had in his mind. Then, our boasting also for Titus, or concerning Titus, which took place toward you. For that which precedes seems to indicate this, namely: “But as we spoke all things in truth.” For as all things, he says, so also it is concerning Titus. Or rather, as it also seems good to us: “Our boasting which is concerning you, which is before Titus,” that is, which took place in the presence of Titus. For the things previously said require this meaning. “His spirit has been refreshed.” ^B “I have boasted,” “I have not been put to shame.” But that which says, “But as all things in truth,” will not contradict this. For in the same way, he says, as the things I said to you are true, so also what I said to Titus concerning you came to pass in truth. And he saw nothing of what I had said to him concerning you to be false, so that even his bowels were affected toward you more abundantly than others—that is, more than the bowels of others—and so on. “But as all things in truth.” He had written many things concerning Titus, and now, as if in passing, he confirms the things stated concerning him. For even as those things, he says, were true, so also are those things concerning which we boasted of you. “And his bowels.” That is, his affection. And this serves to commend Titus to them, as one vehemently burning with love for them and bound to them. ^C Therefore he said “bowels,” and not “love.” For the term “bowels” signifies something more. “While he remembers the obedience of you all.” Then, so that the words might not seem to be mere flattery, he also sets forth the cause of the affection, by this means exhorting them all the more. And this also honors Titus, as one who always had them in his mind, and them too, as those who were able to win over Titus in such a way. “With fear and trembling you received him.” Then he also speaks of the intensity of the obedience; for it was not only obedience, but fear and trembling, lest they might again offend in some point, as had already happened in the case of the one who had committed fornication. “Because in everything I have confidence in you.” Even if it is necessary to rebuke, I do not fear that you will be broken off. Even if it is necessary to boast on your behalf, I do not fear that I shall be found a liar. ^D By saying this, he also prepares the way for the discourse concerning almsgiving. “In everything I have confidence in you.” That is, in every way; this means, whether it be necessary to boast before Titus, or before anyone else whomsoever, or in every matter. Whether it be necessary to rebuke and turn away the fornicator, or to receive and call back the one who is repenting, or whether any other thing needs to be done, in all things I have confidence in you.

CAPUT IX

VIII, 1-2. Moreover, brethren, I make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia; that through much proof of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty have abounded to the riches of their simplicity.

He weaves the discourse on almsgiving very artfully. For he does not descend from rebuke to—

^A admonition. For in truth, he would have made the word unacceptable, but he begins with encomiums. He wishes to move the discourse concerning almsgiving among them, and he says: "The grace of God," calling the gift of almsgiving grace. For it is a gift of God to be someone merciful, just as it is to perform healings. "Which has been given in the churches of Macedonia." See the inventiveness of the Apostle. He did not say immediately, "Give alms," but he recounts those things admirably achieved by others concerning almsgiving; for by praising those, he rather exhorts these to a similar emulation. "Of Macedonia." He did not say, "In part," but he praises the whole nation, saying, "In the churches of Macedonia." "For in much proof of affliction." They were so afflicted, he says, that they also became proven by their endurance. Nor is this so wonderful, but that from such great affliction such joy has sprouted in them. "For the abundance of their joy," he says—namely that it abounded—which is to be supplied from the common sense. "And their deep poverty." And just as affliction gave birth to joy, so also did their deep poverty—that is, the great poverty. For they had been despoiled by their own tribesmen. "Into the riches of simplicity," that is, of abundance; as if he were to say: "O, the miracle! Poverty not only provided copious riches, but even abounded," for it is not judged by the measure of what is given, but by the will of those who provide: just as also the widow ^B whose two copper coins were preferred above the rest.

VIII, 3–6. For according to their power, I testify, and beyond their power, they were willing, with much pleading begging us to accept the ministry and the participation of the service toward the saints: and not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God: so that we exhorted Titus, that as he had begun before, so he might also complete this grace for you.

For I testify to them that they gave according to their power. What do I say, according to their power? Indeed, they were willing even beyond their power. This is the second encomium. For we did not exhort them. "With much pleading." Behold, the third encomium. We did not beseech them, but they us. Then, increasing the plea, he says: "They begged us that we might accept." Another [note: Photius]. In this part of the discourse, he testifies six noble deeds of the Macedonians. First, that it was "according to their power." It is great, indeed, for one to perform almsgiving as far and as much as one is able; but he says what is greater, that it was "beyond their power," that is, depriving themselves. Third, that they were willing—that is, they did not need outside exhortation for this, but of their own accord they chose what is good. Fourth, that it was with "much pleading," which is of a fervent will, and one pouring out almsgiving. For they did not ^C give as though ^D bestowing a favor upon others, but as though they themselves were...

gainers, they entreated and besought, and did not cease in their entreaties. Entreating us, he says. ^A Fifth, because it was even beyond what Paul had expected. Observe to what a point he elevated the matter: "They rendered me, too," he says, "more magnanimous; for I myself," he says, "did not expect that they could provide such abundant alms." But these things did not satisfy them; rather, for the completion of the period, he has placed what is greater than all. For what was it, he says, that they did, who contributed according to their power and beyond their power, and of their own accord, and by entreating and beseeching, and beyond our expectations? O greatness of virtue and alms, truly worthy of Paul’s praises! What was that which they did? "They gave themselves," he says, "first to the Lord, and to us, by the will of God." ^B They did not give a part and keep a part for themselves, but gave themselves entirely to the Lord, as though they did not even leave for themselves the means of living, but having given all things, they committed all their own providence and concerns to the Lord. Wherefore also Paul, considering the greatness of the noble deed, adds, "By the will of God." This is as much as to say: Do not wonder, O man; they had God as their helper, whom they had drawn to themselves through their own resolve. And where God helps, nothing is impossible. Observe also how at the end he calls this same thing grace and a fellowship of good works, because they gave themselves entirely. "And [the] fellowship of the ministry." Since they were emulators of men, he calls the object grace and a gift, so that they might run to it. He calls the alms "fellowship," showing that while they indeed contribute money, those who receive it bring in for them the help from God. ^C "And not as we had hoped." This must be understood both with regard to the afflictions and the quantity. For we did not hope, he says, that being in such affliction, they would either give, or give so much. "But they gave themselves." They did not give themselves partly to the Lord, he says, and partly to mundane affairs, but gave themselves entirely, through and through, to the Lord, and to us, not rashly, but by the will of God: that is, doing this because it was the pleasure and will of God. "So that we exhorted Titus." And to such a degree, he says, did they surrender themselves to this, that I came to send Titus to you regarding this matter, so that you would not be inferior to the Macedonians. "That just as he had before begun." ^D He conciliates Titus to them. For he shows that he had also proposed from himself to go to the Corinthians, so that they might not be inferior to the Macedonians—this was a matter of Titus's love. "That just as he had before begun," he says: that is, he had proposed and begun that it was necessary to come to you; "so also he might complete it." This is: might fulfill the attempted enterprise. This is to prepare him to lead you to the work which pertains to the alms. "So also he might complete it among you." As the rest, he says, had been finished for you, to which he testifies in the preceding chapters. Observe also how he everywhere calls alms a gift. For even this grace, he says, [he calls] such.

VIII, 7, 8. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and speech and knowledge and all diligence, and in that

^A love from you toward us, [so may you abound] in this grace also. ^B "I do not speak according to a command, but by the diligence of others, and testing the genuineness of your love." Consider again the exhortation with encomiums. "You abound," he says, that is, you have everything in abundance. In faith, that is, toward God; in speech, that is, in wisdom; in knowledge, that is, in concerning dogmas; and in all diligence, in that which pertains to other virtue. "And in that love from you toward us," and just as you abound, he says, in loving us. For although they did not love him as he himself loved them, nevertheless they did love. But he was directing these words toward this, that they might similarly love him. "That you may abound in this grace also." Again, he calls alms a gift. But "you abound," either [it means] you have more than the poor Macedonians, or that you are liberal. "I do not speak according to a command." Since he had both admonished them much and highly praised the Macedonians, so that he might not seem burdensome to anyone, he says, "I do not speak according to a command," that is, not as ordering, nor as compelling, but "by the diligence of others," that is, for this reason I recounted the diligence of the Macedonians, that is, their alms, so that through their diligence I might make you, who are loved by me, more approved. For "testing" is, declaring [you] more approved. — [PHOT.] For the clear proof and test of love toward God, or if you will, toward Paul, is almsgiving to one's neighbors. For I am convinced, he says, that both God, and we because of Him, are loved by you; but the more perfect demonstration and confirmation of genuine love is shown through almsgiving to the poor.

VIII, 9-11. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake He became poor, being rich, that you might become rich by His poverty. And in this I give counsel. For this is profitable for you, who have begun not only to do, but also to desire, from a year ago. But now fulfill that which you have begun to do: so that just as there was a readiness of will, so it may be fulfilled out of what you have."

"For you know the grace of our Lord." For He became poor in our flesh. Then He was condemned and crucified: and this for the sake of us unworthy ones. If therefore He, he says, became poor for your sake, will you not even give money for His sake? "Being rich." Insofar as He is and is understood to be God: as being ineffable, unintelligible, invisible, incomprehensible, having a glory that is ineffable, light that cannot be expressed, greatness that is incomparable. "That you might become rich by His poverty." For if He, he says, had not become poor, we would not have become rich. But we have been enriched with the remission of sins, with holiness, with adoption, with the kingdom of heaven itself. "And in this I give counsel." See how he strives not to be considered grievous or odious. "My judgment," he says, "and counsel I give, I do not impose any necessity, and indeed I give this counsel because the matter is what is more profitable for you."

^A "Who indeed not only to perform." And subsequently he states his judgment. Those who, he says, not only have a beginning for doing, but also for willing, that is, for doing willingly and without anyone urging, "Now also finish the doing," that is, complete that which you began to will. He desires to attach spontaneity to these as well, as to the Macedonians. "That just as the readiness." That the good work, he says, may not stop at readiness, but even as the readiness came from a judgment and from voluntary will, so also may the completion of the readiness come from having, that is, from having and bringing. For if someone does not have, he has completed it by his readiness. For if readiness is set forth according to what someone has, it is acceptable, not according to what he does not have. "For it is not that there should be relief for others, ^B but distress for you, but out of equality in the present time your abundance [is] for the destitution of those who hunger." That their abundance may also come to be for your destitution, so that equality may come to be, as it is written: "He who had much had nothing left over, and he who had a little had no less." For when readiness is set forth, he says, according to the portion one has, it is acceptable before God, even if it be small, and even if it be absolutely nothing. For according to what one has, he says—not according to what one does not have—is it required. "For it is not that there should be relief for others." For it is not that others should be fed with relief that it is necessary for you to give beyond your power, so as to endure destitution and affliction from this. But he says this because of their imperfection. For since he praised the Macedonians because they gave beyond their power, it is clear that he wishes these to do this as well. ^C Indeed, passing further along, he enigmatically establishes that it is necessary to give beyond one's power. "But out of equality." You abound, he says, in wealth, but they in confidence toward God, to whom the things of the alms are to be given. Give, therefore, to them the surplus of your wealth, and take the surplus of the confidence toward God. But having said "out of equality," he quietly urges them not to give [only] the surplus, but even that very thing which is the need. For this, he says, is the case: if you give surplus, you receive surplus. If you give abundantly, you shall receive abundantly. But if you desire to procure perfect confidence toward God, empty yourself as well, and distribute even out of that which is necessary. For the acceptance of the gift is out of equality. "In the present time." In this time, he says. For in the future, none of these things can be displayed. ^D And in another way: [PHOT.] In the present time effect the equality. For in the future you shall receive manifold more. And temporal is that which appears to be a loss (for "in the present time," he says), but everlasting is the unspeakable wealth. "As it is written." Having shown that they not only give, but also receive back, and receive back greater things (for even if he said "That equality may come to be," he said it while urging them to abundance. For it is not equal to give

money and receive in turn boldness toward God), now from the testimony of the Old Testament he wishes to establish this, ^A that even if you do not share, nothing more will accrue to you by hoarding. For even if they do not receive from us, they will not be diminished on that account. For God, for whose sake they are poor, will not overlook them. "For you accepted the plundering of your possessions with joy," he says, writing to them. For it is praiseworthy that they began to act of their own accord, having been only advised to desire it. But it is greater that the desire itself sprang from their own mind as well, and they demonstrated a willing spirit. If, therefore, he says, you have demonstrated the greater, fulfill also the lesser.

VIII, 16-18. But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnestness for you, ^B because he accepted the appeal. But being more earnest, he went to you of his own accord. We have also sent with him the brother whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the churches.

Having discoursed as much as was necessary concerning almsgiving, subsequently he praises those who were sent for this purpose, so that becoming above suspicion, they might the more lead them to contribute with a ready mind. And he calls the stirring of Titus to this the work of God, in this way adding authority and gravity to the contribution; for if it were not something great, by no means would he have been stirred by God to this. "Because he accepted the appeal." And from where is it evident, he says, that God prompted Titus? From where? Because he accepted the appeal, that is to say, he was appealed to by me, yet he also was moved to this from within himself. For this reason, being more earnest than the appeal from me, he went of his own accord, that is, willingly and of his own promptitude. ^C Observe also the wisdom: he says that the coming of Titus is the work of God, and that he himself had made an appeal, and that Titus did not even need an appeal.

"And we have sent with him the brother." Many say it was Luke, because of the writing of the Gospel; many, indeed, say Barnabas. For they say that even the unwritten preaching is called a Gospel. And it is more so, for the things that follow after this are more suitable to Barnabas. "Whose praise is in the Gospel." For he does not merely preach, he says, but does so with praise. And that praise has come not to one, but to all the churches, he says. — [PHOTIUS] Why then does he mention the name of Titus, but not those of these men? Because they knew Titus, but did not know these. And because he says about them as much as was sufficient only for recommendation, and to flee the suspicion of the misappropriation of money. "Whose praise is in the Gospel." The word "is" is lacking, which one must think out and understand in common also for what follows. For example, "Whose praise [is]

^A in the Gospel." He does not merely preach and announce the Gospel in an admirable manner and one worthy of praise, "but he has also been appointed." By whom? By the Churches. For what purpose? To be our companion in our travel for the sake of the preaching. Next, he has been appointed not only for the preaching—for one must understand from the common sense also the "not only," and so on, in this grace—that is, that just as he has been appointed to be our companion in travel and to preach the Gospel, so too [is he appointed] to serve in the alms. For this reason, then, he has also been sent now for such a purpose. As if to say, he was appointed by the Churches for this from the beginning, and is not being improvised by us now; but having been appointed, he was appointed companion of our travel ^B and to minister and serve in this grace that is being administered.

"And not only that, but he has also been appointed by the Churches as our companion in travel, with this grace that is being administered by us, for the glory of the Lord Himself and our readiness, avoiding this, that anyone should blame us in this abundance that is being administered by us, providing for honest things, not only before the Lord, but also before men." He does not say, "He is well-regarded only in preaching the Gospel," but "he has also been appointed by the Churches." "Our companion in travel." I have said also that he honors Barnabas for the appointment and judgment of the Churches. For he says he is well-regarded not only for preaching the Gospel, but he has also been appointed by the Churches to be our companion ^C in travel in the preaching. And he who is a partner in this is evidently a partner also in the tribulations and dangers with Paul. And he says not only has he been appointed our companion in travel, but he has also been appointed in this grace that is being administered by us, that is, for the receiving of the money of the alms. These things can also be understood of Luke. "For the glory of the Lord." Such, he says, is he who has been appointed by the Churches to receive the money from you, so that from the things he does, Christ may be glorified, and you may become rather more eager for the contribution. "Avoiding [or, managing] this." Being protected, being secured in this, "that no one should blame us." For this reason, he says, we have sent such men, fearing and guarding ^D lest anyone have a wicked suspicion against us, as if we were embezzling the money. "In this abundance," he says, "that is being administered by us." That is, because of the contribution being large and rich that is going to be made by you. For the multitude of the money is sufficient to cast a wicked suspicion upon us among the wicked, if we had not sent such chosen men for the reception of it. But he did not say, "Lest you be scandalized concerning us," so as not to provoke them, but, "Lest anyone." — "Pro-

- ^A viding for what is honest." See how he humbles himself. He did not say, "Since I have a clear conscience, let him who suspects some evil cry out." But what then? "For this reason," he says, "I have come to this security and precision, because we provide for what is honest," that is, to be well-spoken of, not only before God, but also before men. For in proportion to the weakness of some people's disposition, he says, it is necessary for us to humble ourselves.

"We have sent with them our brother, whom we have proved in many things many times to be diligent, but now much more diligent based upon the great confidence which he has toward you. Whether as regards Titus, he is my companion and fellow-worker toward you; or as regards our other brothers, they are the apostles of the Churches, the glory of Christ. Therefore, show the proof of your love, and of our boasting concerning you, to them and to the face of the Churches."

^B Behold, he has added a third person, and this one, too, with praise. "Whom we have proved." He exalts the man through his own approval of him. The intensification of the praise is in the words, "In many things and many times." "Given great confidence." Because, he says, he is confident that he will not be disappointed in coming to you, he has become (or: was) more diligent than he was before. "Whether as regards Titus." Since he has demonstrated their virtue, he now exhorts them for their sake, and in that very exhortation he praises them, and says: If it is necessary to say something about Titus, I can say these things, that he is a companion to me, and my fellow-worker toward you, and toward your salvation and faith. And it is a great praise. If it is necessary to say something about the others, he says, I can say these things, that they are our brothers, the apostles of the Churches, namely, by ^C election. "The glory of Christ." Because, he says, from their manner of life, they procure glory for Christ. For He says, "That seeing your good works, they may glorify your Father who is in the heavens." "Therefore, show the proof of your love." A proof, that is, a demonstration, a test, a display. The proof, he says, of the love with which you love me, and of the boasting which we boast concerning you, show forth toward them. Because, he says, I do not boast concerning you in vain, as if he were saying: If you wish to show that you love me, and that I justly boast concerning you, love them, show thoughtfulness toward them. "To the face of the Churches." That is, and toward the honor of the Churches that sent them. For if you honor them, you have honored the ^D Churches that sent them. And he does not say "of men," but "of Churches," making his discourse at once more venerable and irrefutable.

"For as concerning the ministry which is towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. For I know the readiness of your mind, concerning which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since last year; and the zeal among you has stirred up the greater number."

^A "For the administration," that is, for almsgiving. Since he has said much about this almsgiving, and wishes to say much more, he now says: "It is superfluous for me to write to you," saying this in order to attract them the more. For a person of whom such an opinion is held, that he has no need of advice, is ashamed if he appears inferior to that opinion. "For I know your promptness." It is the sign of a confident man to be persuaded, and furthermore to boast of it all the more to others. "That Achaia." This, he says, was my boasting to the Macedonians, that not only Corinth, but all Achaia has been prepared for the almsgiving. Achaia is a province in which Corinth is situated. He did not say "contributes," or "collects," but "has been prepared," that is, it is ready, it has completed the whole matter, and now merely awaits those who are to minister. ^B "And the zeal from you." For it is possible for zeal to be taken in connection with Christ also. If, therefore, you have become providers of contributions for others as well, would it not be absurd if you yourselves were to fail in your own duty? "Has stirred up the greater number." And yet he has spoken concerning the Macedonians, that they came to this task voluntarily and with speed. How then does he now say that "The zeal from you has stirred up them"? It stirred up the greater number, but not all. Furthermore, understand the spontaneous zeal in this way: as if he were to say, "We did not persuade or exhort them, but we praised you because you were prepared since last year, and that was enough to stir them up."

IX, 3-5. "I have sent, however, these brothers, that our boasting ^C on your behalf may not be made void in this part, so that, just as I was saying, you may be ready; lest perhaps, if the Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say you—might be put to shame in this matter of boasting. Therefore I considered it necessary to exhort the brothers, that they might go to you ahead, and might prepare your previously promised blessing, so that it may be in readiness, thus, as a blessing and not as avarice."

Observe the foresight of Paul. "I have sent," says he, "them, that our boasting may not be made vain, and we may be found liars, having said that you are prepared—'in this part,' that is, of the almsgiving." For since he had said, "that our boasting may not be made void," ^D he confined it to the almsgiving. "Just as I was saying." For he had said this to the Macedonians, that Achaia had been prepared since last year. "Lest perhaps, if they come with me." He exhorts them through human thoughts and arguments, as they are still weaker. "Lest perhaps," he says, "it is likely that they will come with me." "And find you." He softens the expression. "We might be put to shame," as having boasted in vain. He says this so that, speaking more gently, we might not say that you are put to shame. Unless it be that there was shame for both: for these, as ones who failed in their duty; for himself, as one who had boasted falsely. In this argument or matter,

^A however, let us not be ashamed, but only in this boasting regarding alms. "Proinde necessarium." For it was truly necessary both to free them from shame, and to free himself from seeming to have lied. "Ut prius accederent ad vos." Since he had said in the preceding, "It is superfluous for me to write regarding this," inasmuch as they were already prepared: lest he appear to say contrary things, he does not further discuss now about giving, but about giving quickly and abundantly and with a prompt mind: through these things, he establishes that also. "Ut ea sit in promptu." That, namely, the alms, with abundance. "Sic tanquam benedictio." Thus, that is to say, with joy and promptitude of mind. For no one who gives a blessing is either pained, or gives out of necessity. For that man, namely the miser, is pained by casting away, and from necessity gives things which he possessed with a miserly mind: but now for you, the gift itself is an occasion of salvation.

^B IX, 6-9. "Hoc autem: Qui parce sementem facit, is parce messurus est. Et qui sementem facit in magnificentia, copiose messurus est, unusquisque juxta propositum cordis, non ex mœrore aut ex necessitate: nam hilarem datorem diligit Deus. Potens est autem Deus efficere, ut omnis gratia in vos exuberet, ut in omnibus semper omnem sufficientiam habentes exuberetis in omne opus bonum, quemadmodum scriptum est: Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, justitia ejus manet in sæculum."

Parce, he says, and thinly. "Hoc autem." The work, he says, of alms has itself in this manner. And subsequently he calls it seed, so that looking towards the harvest, and because he who has sown much or little will reap in proportion, they might become more prompt towards the contribution. "Et qui sementem facit in magnificentia." Abundantly, he says, and largessly. "Unusquisque juxta propositum cordis." He returns to the former things, saying nearly: The things which it behooves to be said regarding alms are these: otherwise, let each one bestow just as he has proposed. "Non ex mœrore." For it is not avarice or ^C gain that should be sought. "Aut ex necessitate." For we compel no one, he says. For in the higher parts he said: "Non imperando loquor," and again: "Consilium autem do." "Nam hilarem datorem diligit Deus." He confirms also by testimony that one ought not to give out of sadness. "Ut omnis gratia in vos exuberet." All, he says, grace, as much of spiritual as of carnal things, so that you may be able to bestow abundantly. Or that God is able, while you bestow carnal and small things, to pay back in return spiritual and great ones, and to make them abound. Not only, he says, to fill, but even to give beyond necessity. "Omnem sufficientiam." Consider the wisdom: in carnal things he prays for them sufficiency, but in spiritual things he prays ^D for exuberance and opulence. "Dispersit, dedit pauperibus." He brings the prophet to them, exhorting to liberality. For to disperse [sc. to sow/scatter] is indicative of liberality. "Justitia ejus." For almsgiving makes men just, just as fire cleansing the

^A offenses. "It remains to the age." For it is never extinguished.

"He that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for food, may he supply and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness." ^B In the order of prayer, he hints that one ought not to fear lest, by giving much, he himself be found in need. For God, who supplies seed to the one scattering the physical seed, and who nourishes the body with bread, how would He neglect the one who scatters the spiritual seed? "May He supply and multiply." He will supply your carnal needs abundantly, so that your almsgiving may also be multiplied; for this he now calls "seed." "And increase the fruits." For from the seed of almsgiving, He increases the fruits of righteousness. But he said all these things figuratively. "Which produces through us." Be enriched, he says, in this sincerity and liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God. But what is it that makes others also give thanks to God for the things which we have obtained? Beneficence, clearly. Be enriched, then, in beneficence. For this will cause even those who receive it to give thanks to God through us. "For the ministry of this service." That is, the generosity and the contribution of these monies, and the spiritual liturgy which is performed by us. "Not only supplies." He says it accomplishes not only this—supplying the deficiencies and the need of the saints—but it also causes thanksgiving to God to abound, because it is offered by many. For it is surely a thing to be highly praised when ^C one both feeds the needy and causes God to be thanked; for these two are works that are greatly commended. It abounds, he says, through the proof of this ministry—that is, through the proven almsgiving, which has shown its usefulness by experience, which we administer to you, he says. "But also abounds." How does the thanksgiving to God abound? How? Because the saints are glorifying God. Not only because their need has been removed by the almsgiving, but also because you are, he says, subject to the confession of the Gospel. For proof of being subject to the evangelical precepts is doing good; for the Lord discoursed at length regarding almsgiving. And by the sincerity of the fellowship ^D towards them and towards all, and by their prayer on your behalf, longing for you because of the exceeding grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. And because through the

of God upon you. Thanks be to God for His ineffable gift. And because through the subjection and obedience of the Gospel, you are also subject to this, that is, to the sincerity toward them, namely the abundance of alms and the communion, and not only toward them, but toward all. For these saints, he says, give thanks to God even for what you bestow upon others. “And by their prayer for you.” And for this, he says, they give thanks to God, because the obedience of the Gospel has made you so approved and so lovely, that they continually pray to see you. For he says, “They who long for you because of the pre-eminent grace of God.” They long for you, he says, not because of riches, but so that they may be spectators of the grace given to you by God. For because of the pre-eminent grace of God in ^B you, for this reason they long to see you. Observe, however, the prudence: while extolling them, he attributes everything to God, calling the thing itself the grace of God. “Thanks be to God.” Then, having recognized the grace of God, he himself glorifies God. “Thanks be to God,” he says, “for His ineffable gift.” And he calls that gift here: the fact that the Corinthians have become subject to the Gospel, and that He has bestowed upon us through the alms so many good things, as many as he has enumerated, and that He will give even greater things for it in the future.

CHAPTER X

X, 1-3. But I, Paul, myself beseech you by the ^C gentleness and meekness of Christ, who in presence am humble indeed among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beseech you, that I may not, when present, be bold with that confidence wherewith I am thought to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For walking in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

Great is the dignity. “I, Paul,” he says, that is, the Apostle, the teacher of the world: as also in another place, “Behold, I, Paul, tell you.” For having completed the discourse concerning alms, he begins discourses more rebukeful against the false apostles and those who slandered him. And he commends himself, since he had fallen into the necessity of doing this, lest the preaching also should be held cheap, if he himself were reputed vile and abject because of silence; and he puts forth the noble deeds of the grace given to him with ^D abundance, and his own endurance and the struggles he endured for Christ. “I beseech you.” He wishes to say this: I pray you, do not compel my slanderers (into forcing me) to use my power against them, I pray you. Just as we are accustomed to say: Persuade them not to lead me to this: “By the gentleness and meekness of Christ.” It is indeed a great thing that Paul beseeches: but when he also makes his supplication by the meekness of Christ, it is the more tre-

-^A mendous. “Who in appearance am humble among you.” He speaks this according to irony, having used the words of his detractors. For they were saying that his presence was weak, but his letters were heavy. He says, therefore: "I beseech you, who when present am humble," as they themselves say, "but when absent am bold to write greater things than what pertain to me." Or he says this: "I am humble, yet being confident in your love, I dare to write such things." But what do you pray? "That I may not be bold," he says, that is, that I may not be forced to use my power in a bold manner when I come to you and am present. For he calls his spiritual power confidence, because he is able to easily defend himself against his opponents. By what power? "Wherewith I think to be bold," as if he were saying: "I have not yet judged it necessary to use it, but I still think of daring to use my power." The phrase, "That I may not be bold when I am present." Since they were saying that when present he is base, he also says, "Lest I be forced to punish them when present by my boldness." Do you see how he is humble? For when it is necessary to use power, he hesitates and shrinks ^B back, and calls the action "boldness." For this is the mark of an excellent teacher, to provide room for repentance through delay. "Who think of us as walking according to the flesh." Against whom, he says, do you have to use your spiritual power when present? "Against some," he says, "who think of us as walking according to the flesh." For the false apostles were slandering him as a hypocrite and an impostor, and one who did everything for show, and he says: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh," that is, we do not live carnally. Or he says "We war" concerning the preaching. For having undertaken a war against intelligible and sensible enemies, we do not use carnal weapons; this is, "We do not war according to the flesh." For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And thus we do not war according to the flesh, because the weapons ^C which we use against those who resist are not carnal. Carnal weapons might be riches, strength, power, glory, eloquence. We, therefore, do not conquer by these, but by their opposites: poverty, dishonor, weakness, simplicity. Therefore, he calls them "mighty through God." For in this they have the wonderful and the mighty power from God, that though they are such things, they have overcome the world. Consider also his lack of pride: he did not say, "We are the mighty ones," but "Our weapons are through God"; for He gave the power to them, not we ourselves, he says. "To the pulling down of strongholds." Our weapons are mighty for the pulling down of strongholds. And he says well, "pulling down," showing that we do not set up engines of war, but we immediately pull down everything that is contrary. And he says "strongholds," meaning, for example, the Greek syllogisms, their error, and their pride. Then in order ^D that

^A he might make the emphasis greater, he says: "And every height that is exalted." He continued in the metaphor that he might strengthen the impression. Our weapons, he says, whether you call them a stronghold or a height—that is, certain towers and ramparts, and whatever that thing is which is acting in an exalted way and resisting the knowledge of God that is acquired through preaching—they utterly destroy everything. "And bringing into captivity every thought." And so we subject every thought and every human plan to the King and Supreme Commander, Christ, so that none of those things which are conquered might ever be able to resist or fight back again. For this is what "bringing into captivity" signifies, that is, taking captive from the tyranny of the evil one, leading them from slavery into freedom.

And we are in readiness to punish all disobedience when your obedience has been fulfilled. Do you look at things according to the face? If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again for himself, that just as he himself is Christ's, so also we are Christ's. For if I boast somewhat more regarding our authority, which the Lord gave us for building up and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed. ^B

Here he also struck them with fear. For he says: We are waiting for you, so that when we have corrected you through exhortation and instruction and separated you from them, then we may inflict the punishment upon those unbelievers alone. Since, therefore, we are prepared for this, we are prevented by you, because you are mixed in with them. For there is a danger, he says, lest the punishment touch you as well because you are mixed. But while saying these things, he designates the false apostles so that they might be corrected. "When your obedience has been fulfilled." You are obeying for now, he says, but not perfectly; therefore he says: "When your obedience has been fulfilled." ^C

"Do you look at things according to the face?" Having frightened the false apostles, he henceforth also chides them, speaking to them more sharply. "Do you look at things according to the face?" he says. That is, do you judge from things that appear, for example, if someone is wealthy, if someone is boastful, if someone is vainglorious, if someone wears the mask of virtue? It should be read as a question. [ΘΕΟΔ. ΓΕΝΝΑΔ.] Do you wish, he says, to test each one of us and investigate our affairs? Use, therefore, exactitude in doing this. This should be read with a tone of reproach: that is, are you not receiving your investigation from the things that are simply apparent on the surface, rather than from works of truth? "If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's." For even the false apostles were boasting as if they were Christ's. "Let him consider this again for himself." If, he says, one is at all a participant in the grace that is from Christ, let him consider this from himself and not wait to learn it from us through rebuke. "So also we are Christ's." For the time being, he says, they share in this and have nothing more than we do. For ^D

^A they were indeed Christ’s, but we were another's. He said this by way of a manner of speaking, for as he proceeds he shows that he is not Christ’s in the same way they were, but there was an immense gap. Whence he says: "For if I should boast somewhat more," as if to say, "The statement is sufficient for now: 'So also are we.'" For if I say anything more than this, I shall not be ashamed. For, he says, I will speak the truth. "Of our authority"—the power to strike and punish those who set themselves against us. Then, correcting what was offensive in the statement, he says: "For edification and not for your destruction." As if to say: We received the power to build you up in the faith, not to punish anyone. How then, someone might say, do you now hold out the authority given to you by Christ, and earlier you said, "Having in readiness to punish all disobedience," if you have received the power not for punishment but for edification? ^B Because this very thing, he says, is most of all your edification: to remove hindrances and stumbling blocks, such as by abolishing the false apostles. We received it for this purpose, that we might edify. But if anyone is incurably sick, we shall also use the other operation, pulling him down and casting him off, so that edification may be the primary use, and demolition only consequent. "I shall not be ashamed." I shall not, he says, be shown to be a liar or a boaster.

X, 9-11. "That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, he says, are weighty and powerful, but the presence of the body is weak, and speech contemptible. Let such a one consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such we are also when present in deed." ^C Therefore, he says, I spoke so modestly the words, "I shall not be ashamed," and said nothing great, that I might not appear as if I would terrify you by letters. Then he uses the words of those who were slandering him. And so that they might not again say, "For the letters indeed are weighty," and the rest, for this reason, he says, I spoke so moderately. "But the presence of the body is weak." For those who were slandering him used to say that he boasted in his letters and wrote terrible things, but having arrived, he was a contemptible person and was proved not to be what he wrote. "Let such a one consider this." Those who say these things, he says, let them know this, that we are the same both present and absent. And as we are in word and letters when absent, such are we also when present in deed. That is, we do not only threaten when absent, ^D but we are also powerful when we arrive, to bring into effect what we threaten.

X, 12, 13. "For we dare not class or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they themselves measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God has dealt to us, as a measure to reach even to you."

^A In this passage, he brings those arrogant ones into the middle and rebukes them, conducting his discourse by irony, and says: "For we do not dare to classify, that is, to count together; or to compare, that is, to set ourselves over against certain ones who recommend themselves by boastful false speech." Do you see how he mocked them? We do not dare, he says, even to count ourselves with those who recommend themselves, nor in comparison to them to set ourselves even a little above them. He calls "daring" the act of becoming like one of them, and of having any similarity to them whatsoever, showing the absurdity of the thing and that it is an abomination before God. Therefore, he says, we do not dare, for great punishment is stored up for such persons. He says this while at the same time exhorting the Corinthians to flee from a plague of this kind, and separating and distinguishing them from such people. For if we dared to recommend ourselves as they do, we would not be such as we are when we are present, as we are when we are absent by letters, but we would change here and there; by our epistles we would be one set of people, and when present another, changing according to the habits and occasions of the times, now indeed sycophants, but now appearing formidable: servants and ministers to the will of princes, but lords and judges of the humble. For he who recommends himself does everything look- ^B ing toward his own gain, always changing and transforming himself for his own advantage. But we are not as one of them, nor do we have any participation or similarity toward them; for we do not dare to become such people. How, therefore, are we one set of people by our letters when absent, and others when present? For that is not our way, but that of those who recommend themselves. We, however, do not recommend ourselves in anything, but we measure ourselves, that is, we scrutinize ourselves and inquire, making our own conscience the investigator, lest anything be done that ought not to be, lest anything unseemly be thought. And we compare ourselves, lest perhaps we do that which is contrary to what we preach and what we have announced, lest anything be dissonant with our former life. Furthermore, we also compare ourselves with ourselves—not with those who are gathered with us. We do not make, he says, those who are gathered with us an external spectacle and a theater for our comparison and inquiry, but we constitute ourselves judges and arbiters, which is a matter of incorrupt judgment. ^D The false apostles, however, recommending themselves, do everything in the opposite way—for display and for the pleasure of the multitude. Therefore, they neither measure themselves nor scrutinize themselves, but it suffices them for every happiness to please the multitude of those who are gathered with them. Therefore, we have not boasted, nor will we boast, into the measureless as they do; but if we say anything, or do anything, or write anything, we speak, act, and write according to the measure of our rule. He himself, however, does not say "our measure," but when he said "measure," he adds, "which God has dealt to us," showing that even his measure itself is from God. Or in this way.

^A Do not think that, saying "the measure of the rule," I defined the measure for myself; but I speak of that measure, that is to say, through which God has dealt to us. And what is that? Many other things, but for the present, the coming through the preaching to you and reaching you. We have this measure from God, through which He apportioned and ordered us to reach even unto you and to preach the Gospel. Or the whole passage from "For we dare not," up to the words "who do not understand," ^B can be taken as said against those arrogant ones; and the phrase, "But they themselves among themselves" as said on account of those who commend themselves. For instance: "For they, measuring themselves among themselves and comparing themselves," do not perceive that they are acting arrogantly and deceiving themselves. For just as he who is wise in his own eyes is exceedingly foolish, so also he who is great and lofty in his own eyes is ridiculous and lowest of all. "But they themselves among themselves." We do not dare, he says, to compare ourselves to those who are great and who even surpass us, but remaining by ourselves, we measure ourselves; and according to our measures we speak, and write, and act. "And comparing themselves." We, he says, indeed measure ourselves; but they compare themselves to themselves. For they do not deem it worthy, he says, to be compared to any person, but only to themselves. "Who do not understand": that is, they do not perceive nor do they realize how they are ridiculous to those who see them. For they do not escape notice, he says, to anyone. Or it means that they praise themselves among one another. "But we will not boast beyond measure." We, he says, will not boast into things beyond measure, like these men. For it was likely that they, lying, would say: "We converted the world, we reached the ends of the earth teaching." These things he calls "beyond measure," exceeding their capacity and their measure. ^C"But according to the measure of the rule." For just as God, distributing a vineyard, so also He apportioned the world to us the Apostles, he says. Therefore, according to the measure of the rule which God has dealt to us, we will boast and we will speak, he says. And what is your measure? "Even unto you," he says. To have reached even unto you; since, therefore, we have reached even unto you, this also is to us a measure given by God, so that we may boast even unto you—for from the common sense it must be resumed: "We will boast," or "Let us boast."

"For we do not extend ourselves as though we did not reach even unto you. For we have ^D reached even unto you in the Gospel of Christ. Not boasting of things beyond measure in other men's labors; but having hope that as your faith grows, we shall be greatly magnified in you according to our rule, into an abundance, to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, not in another man's rule, to boast of things ready to hand. But he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends."

^A For no one, he says, could say that by not arriving—that is, not reaching—you, we extend ourselves, claiming to have arrived at you, boasting in vain with words. For in truth, we have reached you; and we reached you in the Gospel of Christ. This means, not simply by appearing, but by preaching the Gospel to you. ^B "As not reaching"—that is, not being able to reach or arrive at you. "We extend ourselves," that is, by the pride of words. "In the Gospel of Christ." For it is likely that the false apostles, even without preaching where they arrived, boasted on account of this. "Not boasting beyond measure"—that is, beyond our measure, he says, and surpassing our power in the labors of others. For it is likely that the false apostles, when others had preached somewhere, would simply arrive and ascribe the preaching to themselves. But we, he says, do not glory in the labors of others. "But having hope." He asserts nothing, but says, we hope in God. For when the faith of the disciples grows, the teachers are praised. For this is what "your faith growing" means. "To be magnified in you." We hope, he says, that as you grow in faith, we may be shown to be great in you. "According to our rule unto superabundance," that is, to be magnified in you more than now. For this is what "unto superabundance" means, "according to our rule," that is, according to our measure, which was entrusted to us by God. He well calls it a rule and measure, as one who had entered upon the possession and inheritance of the world. "To reach the parts beyond you." And thus, he says, we shall be magnified in you, so that we may also evangelize and teach in the regions that are beyond you; which indeed he also did. "Not in another man's rule." And it is not ^C as the false apostles act, he says, that we must boast in another's rule and territory, and where another has labored. For this is what he says: "Of those things that are ready to hand." Where, he says, the seed of doctrine had been sown. "But he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord." Those men, therefore, he says, boast in vain; but we, even though we have performed these things even unto you, and are still to perform them in the future, do not boast in ourselves, but in God. For he who boasts, he says, ought to boast in the Lord. For indeed, even the measure by which we reached you, we have from God. "For not he who commends himself." But who were those commending themselves? The false apostles, evidently. But whom does the Lord commend? Paul, certainly. For "according to the measure," he says, "of the rule which God has divided to us." Therefore, God who has divided, Himself also commends.

[XI, 1-3.] "I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your thoughts may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

^A Intending to enter upon his own praises, he makes use of much corrective preamble, avoiding the odiousness of appearing to praise himself. The necessity of the argument led him to this, fearing that it might result in the ruin of his disciples if he himself were held in contempt while the false apostles were thought to be something. "I wish you would bear with me," he says, while he is doing a work and deed of foolishness. "Yet indeed you do bear with me." For I know, he says, that you love me, and you bear with all my ways. "For I am jealous over you." He did not say, "I love you," but what is greater: "I am jealous over you," he says, that is to say, I love you fervently. Then, lest they think that he loves them for the sake of human things, such as money or glory, he adds: "With a godly jealousy," that I might profit you. "For I have betrothed you." His entire speech is directed toward the Church. For this is a virgin after her nuptials; the present time is that of the betrothal, and the time of the wedding chamber is the one to come, as it is said that the Bridegroom has risen. And what is the dowry? The kingdom of heaven. David was the bridesman of this betrothal when he said, "Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear." And Paul himself, being a bridesman, said: "We are ambassadors for Christ," he says, "that he might receive the bride." The things that happened in the case of Abraham, who sent his servant to betroth a Gentile virgin for his son, were a figure of this; and God sent the prophets of old, and the apostles later, to betroth the Church of the Gentiles to the Son. "To present you to Christ." I have betrothed you, he says, to Christ. Therefore, I am jealous for his sake, not for my own. "But I fear, lest by any means." For even if the ruin were yours, the fear is common. He does not state definitively that you have been corrupted, lest he make them more shameless, but speaks ambiguously: "Lest by any means," although they had been corrupted. For even that serpent, I mean, promised greater things to the first-created, just as the false apostles do to these. He shows that the deception is womanish. "By his craftiness." But just as he did not grant pardon to the woman for the serpent being cunning, so the craftiness of the false apostles will not grant it to you. "So your minds should be corrupted." Meaning, that they be transferred from the simplicity of Christ to the craftiness from without. He shows, moreover, that the faith requires a soul free of deceit and sincere, which receives all things by faith, and reasons nothing out.

^B If indeed he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or another Gospel which you have not accepted, you would do well to bear with him. ^C For the time being, he shows that the false apostles are interlopers and foreigners. But observe: he did not say, "If they speak anything more," (for it was likely that those men would babble and deceive the hearers with the beauty of their words as if with magic tricks), but he says, "Another Christ," that is: If he who comes makes you richer in spiritual gifts. And neither... ^D

of these things needs the subtlety of words. ^A — [PHOT.] Or also in this way. Through the argument of reduction to the absurd, he deters them from paying attention to the false apostles, as if he were saying: If the false apostle preaches another Jesus—for he refers to this one as "coming," as though breaking in and entering from outside—if, therefore, this one, he says, preaches another Jesus whom it was necessary to be preached by us, and we did not preach him, or if it was necessary for you to receive another Spirit and you did not receive it from us, or if it was necessary for you to accept another Gospel and you did not accept it from us, then you would justly pay attention to them. ^B But if this is impossible (for neither the false apostles themselves will dare to say this, nor do you yourselves), how is it not entirely absurd to prefer them over us, who were in no way inferior even to the preeminent apostles? "Whom we did not preach." Whom it was necessary to be preached, and we did not preach. "Which you did not receive." Which it was necessary for you to receive, and you did not receive. "Or another Gospel." For not even this needs external wisdom. Consider, however, how he shows that they say nothing more perfect. "Whom we did not preach," he says, "which you did not receive." And again, "Which you did not accept," showing by the circumscription that they teach nothing more. For one ought to direct the mind not to those who speak more, but to those who speak the truth. "Which you did not accept." Which it was necessary for you to accept, and you did not accept. ^C "You would bear with it gladly." What are you saying, O Paul? You who, writing to the Galatians, say: "If anyone preaches to you a Gospel contrary to what you received, let him be anathema," now to these you write: "You would bear with it gladly?" And yet, for this very reason, you ought not to have borne with it. If they were saying the same things as you, only then would it be appropriate to bear with it. But look! For great is the danger to him who does not pay attention; for it gives an opening to all heresies. In this way the false apostles boasted, as if Paul were teaching imperfectly and they themselves, he says, were saying something more and more perfect. For by using external education, they mixed nonsense with true dogmas. Therefore, they were also corrupting many. ^D This, then, is what he says now: If these men are indeed saying something more perfect, and another Christ ought to have been preached, and we left it out, then you would do well to bear with it. For this reason he says, "Whom we did not preach." But if the heads of the faith are the same, he says, and they will say nothing more as far as the dogma is concerned, why do they have more standing among you? For however much they may talk nonsense, he says, they will say nothing more than what we said, except for the pride of their words. [PHOT.] But the phrase "You would bear with it gladly" is not that of one praising such a disposition, but of one refuting it more fully. For a little before, he called bearing with these people and paying attention to them a "corruption." What, therefore, is it that he refutes? Your love, he says, is without excuse when, although both we and the false apostles appear to be saying the same things, you depart from us and attach yourselves to them. For you will not have as an excuse the novelty of the love, and the distinctive change toward the perfection of dogmas. For novelty is accustomed to tickle and pull along the more simple-minded. But for you, not even this excuse was left, the novelty of fraud and the matter

^A of your ignorance being stripped away.

"For I consider that I am not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles." ^B Even if I am untrained in speech, yet not in knowledge. But in everything we have been made manifest in all things to you. Did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the Gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking pay for the service of you, and when I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone.

Next, he compares himself to Peter and those who were with him, wishing to show this: If, he says, they are wiser than I, they are also wiser than those others; bringing his argument to an absurd deduction. See, moreover, how humbly he thinks of himself. "I consider," he says, that is, I deem, I opine; asserting nothing. He does not mean the vulgar apostles, but the most eminent: designating Peter, James, and John. ^C He says this because the necessity for it now arises. Elsewhere, however, he says: "I am not fit to be called an apostle."

"Even if I am untrained in speech." Since the false apostles prided themselves in this—in not being untrained—he shows that he does not flee from being untrained, but rather prides himself in it. Therefore he also sets it down. And he does this elsewhere, too, where he shows that being wise makes for the detriment of the preaching. "For I came," he says, "not with the excellence of speech or wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied."

"By speech." [PHOT.] Speech and knowledge do not always signify the same things in the divine Paul; but at times he calls "speech" the having of the gift of teaching, and "knowledge" the understanding of the message of the preaching, but without the ability to help and teach others; at other times he calls "speech" being practiced in Greek wisdom, while having nothing of the divine, but only jabbering much in words, and "knowledge" being perfected in wisdom, so that one might himself know the matter accurately and be able to teach others and bring them to Christ. Again, elsewhere, he calls "speech" simply, as we are accustomed to do, the oral expression, and "knowledge" the awareness in dogmas. An example of the first is when he says: «To one indeed is given the word of wisdom, but to another the word of knowledge.» Of the second, what is now proposed: «Untrained in speech, but not in knowledge.» Of the third: «You have been enriched in him in every word and in every knowledge.»

"But in everything we have been made manifest." For the word "we are" is missing, to be supplied by common understanding. What is it, then, "In which we have been made manifest to you"? That we have been in no way inferior to the most eminent apostles; that we are not untrained in knowledge, but fit to teach and perfect you in the faith; and simply in all things we have been known to you, and there is not even one accusation against us, nor any pretext of ignorance, unless perhaps you wish to take this as a pretext for sin, that I received nothing from you. In shaming them, he says this, in place of: Unless perhaps the good deeds ^D

^A of ours, and that over which others boast, you have decided to deem these as sin on our part, and you turn into an accusation against us that very thing by which I aimed to exalt you. This is the utterance of Paul, who is highly confident in his life and his conduct according to God, because he shows that those very ones have nothing at all to say against him, and he exposes their ingratitude and wickedness, in that, having nothing at all for which to reproach him—but rather being just to hold him in great admiration—they nonetheless loved the false apostles no less, if not even more, than Paul. "Yet not in knowledge." He is alluding to the false apostles, implicitly, as being ignorant of the knowledge of God, which is destructive. "But in everything we have been made manifest." He alludes to the false apostles, as being deceitful and shadowy men, wearing a mask of piety. But we, he says, are not so. For in every matter, and in all that we do, we are manifest to you, in no duplicity or hypocrisy, he says. "Did I commit a sin?" He uses this remark as a goad. You consider me, he says, discarded and low, rather, if I committed a sin by humbling myself with hunger, and receiving nothing from you? This I did, he says, so that you might be exalted in things pertaining to God. For seeing that I received nothing, you were edified. But if I had received, you would have been scandalized. "I despoiled other churches." ^B And yet, he could have said that "I ate from the labor of my hands," but making his speech more biting, he says: I received from others that which I might serve to you for the preaching. The word "despoiled," however, means as if to say I plundered, I stripped. For he does not mean receiving by stealth—far from it. Rather, the term "wages" denotes the necessary expenses themselves. And there was a great accusation against them, that they did not even provide these for him, and, what is worse, that he had to do so for your service. For while preaching to you, I was fed by others. "And when I was present with you and in need." The accusation is threefold: that he was there preaching to them, and was in need of necessary food. For not only did you not send to me from elsewhere, he says, as the Macedonians did, but you did not even feed me when I was present. "I have not been a burden"—or it means I did not grow weary, nor did I break my endurance. By this means, he makes their sin seem lighter, because, he says, "I did not ask." Or also in this way: And even so, he says, being in need, I did not become a burden, nor did I neglect, nor did I become more sluggish toward the preaching, but all that was necessary for your salvation was done by me, while I myself spent my time in need. ^C XI, 9-12. "For the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied the lack of my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself. The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting of mine will not be stopped in regard to me in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows. But what I do, and will do, is that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity, that in what they boast, they may be found just as we are."

^B By the expression, "That which was lacking," he shows ^A that he had taken nothing beyond his necessary need. But the Philippians had sent to him. For this reason he also placed the name there, leading them to an emulation of almsgiving. « And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome. » He shows that they also considered it a burden to provide his food. He rightly adds, « And I will keep it. » For do not think, he says, that I have said these things so that I might subsequently take from you. I have not only kept myself from being burdensome, but I will also continue to do so. « The truth of Christ is in me. » Then, so that they might not think that he had said these things in order to entice them into giving, he says, « The truth of Christ is in me, » that is, I speak in truth, that this boasting—namely, that of not taking—will not be stopped. He calls this his boasting, so that they might not think that he was angry at the fact that he had not received from them. « It will not be stopped. » That is, it will not be cut off, nor will it fail. How will it not fail? If he does not take even in the future. « In all of Achaia. » That is, in the whole province. Or, that the boasting which has accrued to me in the regions of Achaia, because I preached freely, will not be stopped. He was severely judging them as weak for not accepting from them. For if he boasted in this, he ought not to have accepted anywhere. But elsewhere he writes that he did not accept from those who were easily scandalized. « Or because I do not love you? » What then? Do you hate us, and for that reason choose to take nothing from us? God knows, he says, that I do not avoid taking for that reason, but for the cause which he subjoins. « But what I do. » I do preach without cost, and I will always do this. « That I may cut off the opportunity. » He states the reason why he does not take. The false apostles were watching, so that if they found that he had taken, they might make the matter an opportunity for reviling. Desiring, therefore, to cut off their opportunity, he says: « That in what they boast. » Perhaps they were even feigning not to receive, and for this reason he did not say, "In what they do," but « In what they boast, they may be found just as we are. » Furthermore, since the false apostles were rich and took nothing, they boasted in this as well. Therefore, in what they boast—in the not taking, he says—may they be found similar to us, and not have anything more than we do. For it is absurd that, while they are inferior in other things, they should have the advantage here. ^C For such as these are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And it is no wonder. For Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. It is no great thing, then, if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. ^D What are you saying? Are those who preach Christ and the Gospel (for so you spoke of them above) false apostles? Yes, he says. For by hypocritically pretending this in public, they secretly introduce unholy doctrines. « Deceitful workers. » They do labor, but they pull up what has been well planted. For by putting on the mask of truth, they thus inflict harm, and dressed in the outward appearance of apostles and wearing sheepskin, within

^A they are wolves, transforming themselves, just as their master transforms himself. Wherefore he also deceives many, and being an angel of darkness, he is seen as an angel of light, deceiving the eyes. And it is not to be wondered at. For if one must wonder, that which is worthy of wonder is how the devil reaches such a pitch of audacity. — ^B It is not, he says, to be wondered at. Why? Because they are altogether bound to imitate their master, who, being an angel of darkness, disguises himself as if he were an angel of light. "As ministers of righteousness." The ministers of righteousness are the holy apostles, for they minister to God by justifying through the power of the Gospel. "Whose end shall be." For even if they deceive you, he says, they shall not be able to escape the ever-watchful eye of Christ.

§ XI, 16-21. Again I say, let no one think me a fool. Otherwise, even as a fool, receive me, that I also may boast a little. What I say, I do not say according to the Lord, but as it were in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. Since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves. For you bear it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one receives, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face: I speak by way of reproach, as though we were weak.

^C "Again I say." Already, indeed, he had used much preparation and correction, but he was not content with that alone. "Let no one think me a fool." Yet he said above: "I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness": how then does he say in this place: "Let no one think me a fool"? Because that—namely, praising oneself—is indeed foolishness; but I, he says, do not use these words as a fool, but I am compelled to lead you away from the false apostles. Therefore he says: "Let no one think me a fool." For I do not descend to my own praises voluntarily, but out of necessity. Another point. It is a word of foolishness to call one a fool who is not, nor acts the things of a fool. For a fool is one who boasts in vain and glories emptily, who is both a fool ^D and speaks words of foolishness, and does the things of a fool. But he who speaks both great and true things about himself, and does so for the sake of the benefit of the soul, will appear to speak words of foolishness, so far as concerns the similarity of the utterance of the words, but he is not a fool, but rather most prudent, and he does the things that are most prudent, because he even despised irrational slander for the sake of the salvation and benefit of others. It is not, therefore, contradictory to have said a little before, "I wish you would bear with me in a little word of foolishness," and now to say: "Let no one think me a fool." Let no one, therefore, think me a fool; for I am not about to say what I am about to say for my own sake, but for your sake. If not, even as a fool you may think me and receive me. For I do not turn away even from being thought a fool for your salvation. For the things that I am about to say will contribute to your strengthening and the benefit of your soul. "If not." If you would not be persuaded, but seeing that there is a necessity, do not think me free from foolishness [when I...]

say these things], at least—as he says—endure me like a fool, so that I also may boast as the false apostles do. For they, boasting to your harm, lead me to these words. "What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord." For to boast is not according to the Lord; for the Lord commands us not to boast. The words, therefore, are not according to the Lord, but the purpose of the words is very much according to the Lord. ^A "But as in foolishness." Then, so that he might not give them an occasion for greater insult by admitting that he himself speaks not according to the Lord and that he speaks in foolishness, he does not first say, "in foolishness," but "as in foolishness"; then he says, "In this confidence of boasting." That is: in this part of my boasting, I do not speak according to the Lord. What part is that? That he is about to boast, "I am a Hebrew, and an Israelite, and the seed of Abraham." But such things do not pertain to the boasting of Christ; wherefore he also calls these things "according to the flesh." For the boasting in Christ is meekness, self-control, sanctification. That being a Hebrew and an Israelite is not "according to the Lord," hear him saying: "There is neither Jew nor Greek" (Galat. III, 28). And, "In Christ Jesus you are all one." "Many boast according to the flesh." He says, "from things external," for example, from nobility, from having circumcision, and from being a Hebrew. ^B "For you suffer it gladly." Thus, you yourselves are the cause, since you suffer them gladly. "Being wise, you suffer the foolish." For if it is the mark of a fool to boast in things that are truly good, it is much more so to boast in things that are not. He is hinting at the false apostles. And, he says, it is burdensome that, even though you are wise, you suffer them. "For if you were foolish, you would have indeed found forgiveness; but now, you err while possessing knowledge." "If anyone brings you into bondage." See how much of a servile spirit he convicts them of, and how excessively they had bowed down to the false apostles. "If anyone devours you, if anyone takes from you." You see that even what was said before, "that in which they boast they may be found as we are," was said by way of concession, and so that he might not refute them from the very beginning. For now, he shows them to be hypocrites, pretending not to take, yet taking all the same. ^C For he says, "If anyone takes," and, what is greater, "If anyone devours." For this indicates that they were being crushed by the false apostles. "If anyone exalts himself." He says your bondage is not moderate, nor are the masters gentle, but rather they are burdensome and insurrectionary against you. "If anyone smites you on the face." Do you see the intensity of their arrogance and tyranny, and that they treated them as though they were slaves? "I speak according to dishonor." He says, not that you are being struck, but that you suffer no less than those who are struck in the face, as if he were saying: "I say this to your shame." What, therefore, could be more shameful than this, when, even after they have taken away your money, your freedom, and your honor, they are not even then gentle? "But with more insolence than if you were bought with silver?" For this reason he says, "I speak according to dishonor." ^D "As if we were weak." The meaning of this is obscure.

^A Since the matter was burdensome, he put it this way so as to mask the offensiveness with obscurity. For what he says is this: "Are we not also able to do the same things? Why do you endure them, as if we were unable to do these things?" Otherwise: Why, he says, do you endure them in these things? As if we were weak or unable to treat you in such a way? The statement is extremely stinging, which is why he put it obscurely. For if, he says, you honor them for this reason, because they insult you, exalting themselves and all but striking you in the face, we also are able to do these things. As if we were inferior to them in these matters, you subject yourselves to them. Do you see how full of rebuke the statement is? He traces the whole cause of their madness to these things. For this reason, then, he says, I am compelled to free you from their arrogance, not that I might make myself illustrious.

^B XI, 21-23. "In whatever anyone dares, I am speaking in foolishness, I also dare. Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they the seed of Abraham? I also. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more."

Consider again how he is not content with such great preparations and corrections, but now calls the thing itself daring and foolishness; and he practically says: I am come to these things driven by necessity. He does this, teaching us not to come to such speeches without necessity. "In whatever matter anyone dares to boast" (for these things must be supplied), "I also dare. Are they Hebrews? I also." For not all Hebrews were also Israelites; for there were also Moabites and Ammonites. Therefore, he manifested his nobility. But it is to be read as a question. As to what he says, "Are they ministers of Christ," he utters this according to the speech of the false apostles. "I am more." That is, more, more excellently. And again, he calls the thing foolishness. Some say that he ought to have expressed the word not by way of a question, but to deny entirely that they are ministers of Christ. But we say that he did this before when he called them false apostles. ^C Here, then, the discourse arrived at an investigation, and it was not fitting for him to declare it beforehand, but to provide the proof through works, that he indeed was a minister of Christ, while they were not. "I speak as a fool." This is: even if I seem to some to be foolish in saying, "I am more." For what complete foolishness is it to say that one is a minister to a greater degree than the false apostles?

XI, 23-27. "In labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one; thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was ^D

^A stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the deep. In journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren: in labour and painfulness, in watchings often.

Then he further places the seal of his apostleship or embassy. But what he says, "More abundantly," and, "Above measure," is not said by way of comparison to the false apostles. "In deaths often." "For daily I die," he says. For he was exposing himself to death-dealing perils. "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one." Why save one? The Law was such that he who received more than forty stripes should be held infamous. They had therefore determined to give one less, so that even if the striker, carried away by the momentum of the striking, should inflict one extra, he might inflict forty, and he who was being struck might not become infamous. "Thrice was I beaten with rods." Do you see that Luke has not written down for us all that Paul suffered in the Acts? For he did not labour on the writing of his history for the sake of [Paul's] glory; therefore he passed over many of the things said here. "Thrice I suffered shipwreck." For as he made long and transmarine journeys for the sake of preaching, he suffered all the things mentioned. And "a night and a day" swimming, he survived after a shipwreck. The phrase, "Thrice I suffered shipwreck," he interprets by saying that humanity has suffered shipwreck three times: once in paradise through the transgression, a second time in the flood, and a third time after having received the Law. "A night and a day I have been in the deep." The Apostle calls "night" here the life lived before the coming of Christ in the dark formation, and "day," the manner of life after Christ's coming in the luminous ^B baptism. "In perils of rivers." For he was indeed compelled to ferry across rivers. "In perils of robbers." For everywhere the devil was warring, rousing robbers, the nations of the Greeks, and his kinsmen the Jews—who indeed warred even more, being pained and goaded on account of the faith. And there was no place safe for him, neither city, nor desert, nor anything else. "In perils among false brethren." See another kind of danger, that which comes from the falsely so-called, hypocritical brethren. And see: these dangers [were followed by] toils and painfulness, and these in turn were followed by dangers, and there was no respite.

"In hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?" ^C

Throughout the whole of the habitable and uninhabitable world, there were contests and gymnasia—on land, at sea, within, without, from kin, from strangers, from relatives, from pretended brethren. And he did not even have the necessary food, nor bare cover^Ding...

[OECUMENII TRICCA EPISCOPI.]

bis preceptor: but he wrestled naked, and fought under the pressure of hunger. Nor was he only not distressed, but he even gave thanks to Christ the agonothete. Consider, however, that while he narrates all the things he suffered, he does not say how many he converted and brought to Christ, at once behaving modestly, and at the same time teaching that even if nothing more had resulted for the one laboring, yet the rewards are still laid up for him. "Besides those things that are without." For the things left out were more numerous than those enumerated; nay, he did not even state individually the things that were mentioned, but only those whose number could easily be grasped, saying, "Five times," and, "Thrice," and, "Once." But of those whose number was large and unknown, he is silent, and says, "More abundantly," and, "Beyond measure," and, "Often." ^B By "conspiracies" he means the common and unanimous assaults from his persecutors. They conspired, he says, against me by common counsel. "The care of all the Churches." For if the prefect of a single household cannot even catch his breath, what is it likely that the apostle suffered, who had the care of the whole world amidst so many dangers? "Who is weak, and I am not weak?" And lest anyone should say that he indeed had care, but not great care, he sets forth the intensity of that care. Who is weak, he says, by any infirmity, whether spiritual or carnal, and I am not weak? He does not say, "I am a companion and sharer of the infirmity," but, "I am affected just as he himself is who is weak." He says, moreover, "Who," whether great or mean or abject, "who is offended?" Consider how again he expressed the exuberance of his grief. "I am set on fire," he says, "and I am burned." And while he rejoiced in suffering other things, knowing that he suffered for Christ, here, however, he was wounded in his soul: and so this grieved him the more. ^C

XI, 30. "If it is necessary to boast, I will boast of the things that pertain to my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie. In the city of Damascus, the ethnarch of Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes, wishing to take me; and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands."

He says nothing at all about signs. For those were a gift of God, but these displayed his own endurance along with divine assistance. He calls "infirmity" his persecutions, afflictions, or temptations. For these are an infirmity of human nature: namely, to be pressed by hunger, to suffer shipwreck, to be beaten. Or he calls "infirmity" the affliction brought upon him by the infirmity of men. For those who were offended and were weak, afflicted him. This is the apostolic character; through these things the Gospel was woven. "In the city of Damascus, the ethnarch." ^D See how great the war was. The ruler himself was personally guarding the city. But if Paul had not been vehemently inflamed against his adversaries, he would never have goaded the ethnarch to such madness as to guard the city for his sake. "Aretas the king's..."

^A Aretas was the father-in-law of Herod. "And through a window in a basket." He knew what had been said, that we should pray not to enter into temptation; hence he does not throw himself into temptations, but where it is given to escape even by human contrivance, he does not refuse. For he was preserving himself for the preaching, and cared more for the salvation of his disciples than for his own. Thus he says elsewhere: "It is good for me to depart and be with Christ; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you." ^B A basket (sargane) is a rope, yet it is also a type of hamper.

XII, 1-4. "It is not expedient for me, doubtless, to glory; I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) how that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

"It is not expedient for me, doubtless, to glory." Although he said many things above, how then does he say here, "It is not expedient for me"? Because he was coming to another kind of glorying, which made him renowned, namely that of his revelations. He says, therefore, "This is not expedient for me," lest it should carry me into pride. For otherwise things that abide with one ^C and things that are customarily bruited about among others are wont to press in; not that this was going to happen to him—far from it—but he is instructing us to keep such things to ourselves, because the recounting of them is able to lift one into pride. Otherwise: instead of, "But to glory in things other than those of my infirmity is not expedient for me." For he said a little before, "If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmity." Then, having set the example of infirmity in between, he adds, giving an answer to what was said, as if to say: But as for those things which are not of infirmity, but rather of sublimity and power, concerning these, he says, it is not expedient for me to glory. How then do you speak of these things as well? I did not wish to, he says. But because of your salvation, I undertake ^D even the things I do not wish to. And observe how most wisely he handles the matter. He does not remain entirely silent, that he might be of benefit, nor does he express everything openly, but even this one thing he does obscurely, that he might avoid vainglory—and that only under the pressure of the necessity then weighing upon him from the false apostles; instructing us through this not to say great things about ourselves, even if it be true, unless there is great necessity. "It is not expedient for me." Or rather, lest someone conceive a greater estimation of me than is my due, which he says in passing: "Lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me." "I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord." Great indeed was the revelation he spoke of, yet, though he could have spoken of many, he mentioned this one. For that he could have spoken of many, he says in passing, "And..."

ne excellentia aut exuberantia revelationum extollerer," ^A therefore he set it down obscurely, that he might show that he speaks against his will. "I know a man in Christ." He added "in Christ," lest the false apostles—for nothing was too bold for them—should say that he had been lifted up by demons, like Simon Magus. "Before fourteen years." The time is not added inopportunely, but for two reasons: first, to show that one who had kept silent for fourteen years would not have spoken even now if he had not been thoroughly compelled. For since the false apostles seemed to be something great and were drawing everyone to themselves, he was finally compelled to show that he was greater than they, in order to persuade them to give heed to his words; and [second], to suggest that if, fourteen years ago, he was deemed worthy of such things, how great is he now, after so many labors for Christ? "Whether in the body." He repeats the saying, "Whether in the body, I know not; or out of the body, I know not," a second time, not, as one might think, by repeating himself, and saying both things about the same rapture; but he sets the one down concerning the rapture to the heavens, and the other, again, concerning the rapture thence into paradise. But even if he were positing it about the same rapture, this would not be a tautology. For in recounting a wondrous and supernatural thing, he persists with insistence in professing his ignorance. "Whether out of the body, I know not." He speaks modestly, not hiding his ignorance. For it would have been permitted him to be silent about this. "And I know such a man." He was caught up as far as the third heaven, and again into paradise. But why was he caught up at all? So that not even in this should he be inferior to the rest of the apostles, who had lived bodily with the Lord. "Into paradise." For the name of this place was ^B everywhere quite celebrated, whence it was also promised to the thief. "Arcana verba." It was perhaps granted to no other man besides Paul to hear such things. "Quæ fas non sit homini loqui." Where are those who wrote a falsely inscribed "Revelation"?

XII, 5-9. "Of such a man will I glory; but of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth anything of me. And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given to me a sting in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me, that I should not be exalted. For which thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity. Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me."

See how devoid he is of pride, and how he relates these things as if they were about someone else. "Of such a man," he says, "will I glory." ^D This he does to shade his discourse.

^A For that he himself was the one who was caught up, he implies by saying, "For if I should wish to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will speak the truth." And above he said, "To glory is not expedient for me." But what is inexpedient about glorying over another by speaking the truth? "But of myself I will not glory." And for what reason, when another was caught up, do you glory? It is manifest, therefore, that you are speaking about yourself, even if shaded. "Except in my infirmities." This means, in my afflictions, in my persecutions. "For if I should wish to glory, I shall not be a fool." And how did he say above, "I would that you could bear with me a little in my foolishness"? And again, "That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as it were in foolishness"? We respond that he did not say, "I shall not be a fool," in regard to the act of glorying, but in regard to not lying. Whence he adds, "For I will speak the truth." Rightly, he says, "I shall not be a fool." For it is not the act of a fool, when it is for the salvation and benefit of souls and when necessity is pressing, to proclaim the grace granted to him by God. Nay rather, it is the act of one who is very wise and fond of men to despise even the suspicion of arrogance for the sake of the salvation of men. "But I refrain, lest any man should think of me." I refrain, that is, I spare, I avoid. He did not say, "Lest any man *believe* or *say*," but "Lest any man even *think*," or suppose, he says, something greater than my own worth. For this reason he always kept silence about the things concerning himself and hid them, and unless necessity seized him somewhere, he did not even speak about himself. And even when he did speak, he shaded those things, so that they might not have a greater opinion about him. For if men once thought they were gods because of the greatness of their signs, and wished to sacrifice bulls, what would they have thought if he had manifested his revelations and boasted about the things that concerned him? ^B [PHOT.] The phrase, "And by the excellence of the revelations," is to be taken in connection with, "I will come to visions and revelations." "Lest I should be exalted." Lest I, he says, should think myself great, or lest I should be exalted and glorified by men, which is even better. For the soul of Paul would not have needed some bridle in order not to think itself great. "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh." He speaks of his bonds, the stripes, the stonings, the prisons. "The messenger of Satan." A messenger of Satan is called a man who serves the opposing demon. And a thorn means the temptations and afflictions which such people brought upon him. ^C [JOHN] Some, therefore, have said that he speaks of a certain headache, originating from the devil. But it is not so. For the body of Paul was not handed over to the hands of the devil. What then is that which is said? "Satan" is called "adversary" in the Hebrew tongue. And in the Third Book of Kings, the Scripture called adversaries by this name. And when it recounts concerning Solomon, it says thus: "There was no Satan in his days," that is, an adversary, warring and troubling him. That which he says, therefore, is this: God did not allow the preaching to proceed without labor, curbing our disposition, or...

^A permitted adversaries to rush upon us. He calls a messenger ^B of Satan ^C Alexander the coppersmith, Hymenæus, and Philetus, who said that the resurrection had already occurred, and all those who resist the word of the preaching.

— Another. [THEODORE.] Some say that Paul suffered from a headache, but this is not so. For it would not be consistent that the body of Paul should be handed over to Satan, since he himself even commanded him and set limits, when he handed over the fornicator, saying: "for the destruction of the flesh," and the devil did not exceed the limit.

— Another. What then is it? Satan is called "adversary" in the Hebrew tongue. He calls the "messengers of Satan" those who object to the preaching, such as those around Alexander, Hymenæus, and Philetus. This, therefore, is what he says: God did not allow the preaching to proceed without trouble, he says, but allowed us to suffer evil in the body, so that men might not think something greater of us, seeing so many signs, but nowhere a temptation or anything of the opposing sort. But why did he not say "messengers of Satan" (for those who withstand are many), but as if of one, he says "a messenger of Satan"? Because in every place some one person was found who was resisting and stirring up the crowd, and when he led the way, the others followed. ^D "That he may buffet me." He did not say "might buffet" [in the aorist], but to signify that he always had one who stood against him, he said "might buffet" [in the present]. "For this I thrice besought the Lord." And this is a quality of a modest soul, to confess that he did not easily bear the ambushes, and that he asked often and did not obtain. For "thrice" signifies "frequently." "My grace is sufficient for thee." You have the perfection, he says, do not seek more; for it is sufficient for you that I have given you such grace as to raise the dead, to perform mighty works; do not ask also that the preaching proceed for you without danger. "For my power is made perfect in weakness." But perhaps you grieve, he says, that you suffer these things, and it seems to argue my weakness. Therefore, know that this very thing shows my power all the more, and the opposite also cuts it off. For my power, he says, is made perfect in weakness: when you who suffer persecution are superior to the persecutors: when you who are troubled overcome those who trouble you. For then my power is demonstrated, when, through the fact that you, being weak, are afflicted with evils, the preaching prevails everywhere. And observe: he himself assigned one cause for why the buffetings were given to him, namely, "Lest I should be exalted," he says. God, however, said another cause: it is, he says, in order that my power might be shown through your perceived weakness. For my power takes its perfection and end from your weakness. For if the preaching had been administered by some wise men and kings, some would certainly have attributed the subjection of all to the power of the ministers: but now the weakness of the ministers demonstrates the power of God, and perfects it. That is to say, it shows that it holds its perfection. "I will therefore most gladly glory." In order that they might not think...

this to be the word of one lamenting, he says: “I will therefore most gladly glory.” Why? Because my weakness shows the power of God and renders me more celebrated, strengthening me like iron against persecutions; as if he were to say: I indeed sought the opposite, but after I heard these things from God, I glory more willingly in infirmities; “That the power of Christ may dwell in me.” For by as much as temptations and afflictions are intensified, by so much is the power of Christ increased. ^B “To dwell,” this is, as it were, to tarry in a tent; that is, let it dwell as a whole in a whole.

XII, 10-12. “Wherefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful. I am become foolish in glorying; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you. For I have attained nothing less than the apostles who are exceeding great, although I am nothing. The signs of the apostle were wrought upon you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.”

Then, that no one might think he was speaking of a bodily infirmity—such as a fever or some other course of illness—he says: “In reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ.” For these he calls infirmity. ^C But “I take pleasure” means: I desire to be in these things and I rejoice. These things also put to shame the false apostles who gloried in the opposite of these, and he persuades them not to be ashamed of the master’s afflictions. For all such things are bright and pleasant, having Christ as the cause and origin of suffering. “For when I am weak.” For when he was cast into prison, he made its foundations to shake. When he had suffered shipwreck and was cast out onto the barbarian island, he was then more glorified. When he approached the tribunal bound, he was then most of all superior to the judge and the accusers. Do you see that when he was weak—that is, when he was in dangers and reproaches and scourges—he was then powerful and glorious? “I have become foolish in glorying.” Oh, the immensity of his humility! Having gone through things so paradoxical, to which human ears were not worthy to listen, he calls himself foolish. But someone might say: “How have we compelled you?” Because the false apostles, he says, were glorying. If you had not been attending to their words and perishing, I would never have come to these words. Do you see that their perdition made the necessity of this glorying? For since they considered the false apostles to be something great, they were learning adulterated and perverse doctrines from them. — Otherwise. “I have become foolish,” he says in saying these things. He does not say this assertively—for he himself knew that he had uttered nothing which was foolish—but he says this as if by way of interrogation and doubt toward them, as if ^D after having gone through these things, I seemed foolish to you? And of this, he says, the cause reverts to you. For you yourselves compelled me, the

pseudapostles being attached to you, to come to these arguments. "I ought to have been commended by you," he says. For you ought to have vindicated my words and opinions; but since you inclined toward those others, I was forced to come to these arguments. "For in nothing was I inferior." Above he says: "I reckon that I was not a whit inferior," but now, asserting it, he says: "In nothing was I inferior," or failed, or became behindhand, to Peter and the others. Opportune, however, is his coming to the apostles, as if to say: Not only am I superior to the pseudapostles, but I am even equal to the apostles. ^B "Though I am nothing." As if having said something great and exceeding his power, he corrects it. He did not say: I am abject, but what is much more lowly: "I am nothing." But you, he says, do not look at this, if I am nothing; but observe this: if I have not performed all things that characterize and mark an apostle. "In all patience." You, he says, are witnesses of the words. But the mark of an apostle consists mostly in bearing all things virilely. Consider, however, what he says: "patience." For what was of his own virtue, he put in a single expression; but the signs, which were not his own but of the grace of God, he explained through many. Yet consider how humble Paul is; how many prisons, how many stripes, how many dangers and plots, how many inundations of temptations, how many wars—both internal and external—he passed over with a single expression, namely: "patience." "In signs and wonders." How many dead raised, and blind given sight, and lepers cleansed, and demons cast out did he intimate when he said: "In signs, and wonders, and ^C powers," the three denoting one and the same thing.

XII, 13, 14. "For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the Churches, unless it be that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this injustice. Behold, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you. For I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children."

Lest anyone say: You are indeed great, but yet you have not worked as much as the other apostles in the other Churches, he says, "For what is there in which you were made inferior?" That is, have you less than the rest of the Churches? Have you partaken of a lesser grace, he says? "Unless that I myself." He uses stinging language. Unless perhaps someone blames me for this, that while I dwell with you and am present, I procure your salvation with all my strength, and while absent, I point out by letters the way to the things that must be done, and in none of the things that are useful to you have I been slothful, both absent and present. If in this I sin, forgive me this injustice, and pardon one who does injustice. — ^D [PHOT.] Unless it be that, because I myself did not give way while doing all things for your sake, nor neglected you, is this why you were inferior? Do you count this as an injustice? Forgive me this injustice. "Behold, for the third time I am ready to come." Twice, he says, I have come; behold, I am prepared to come a third time, and in nothing will I neglect your salvation. Then, lest they think

^A that he must now, on his coming, be supported by them, especially since he has treated this very matter at great length in what preceded, from this point forward he removes this suspicion: "I desire you, not what is yours; and I love you, not what is yours, as the false apostles do." Then, also from common sense and nature, he confirms his speech, placing himself in the place of a father, and them in the place of children.

"I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls, even if, loving you more abundantly, I am loved less." ^B "But suppose that I have not myself burdened you, but being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you? I entreated Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?" Again you think that we are making our defense to you. Do you see how many degrees of excellence the actions of Paul possess? He could have taken, since Christ commanded this, and he did not take: behold one. And he was in need: behold two. And he was preaching to them: behold three. And not only does he not take, but he even adds his own flesh, if it were necessary: four. ^C Then, with his flesh, his very soul itself: five. And this for those who did not love him in the least: six. And not even when those who love him do not return his love does he cause any hindrance: seven. "But I," he says, "taking for you the position of a father, not only will I not take, but I will even provide; and not money, but myself and my own flesh." For this is what "[I will] be spent" means, that is, even if it should be necessary for my flesh to be spent for your sake, I shall not spare it. "Even if I love you more abundantly." And these things I do, he says, for those who are indeed loved very much, but who love less.

"But suppose that I have not myself burdened you." He advances the discourse through a question, and says: this is admitted, that I have not burdened you by taking anything. "But being crafty, I caught you with guile," that is, I treated you with guile and maneuvered. ^D And I, for my part, have taken nothing in person. Was it therefore by means of some others that I did this, having sent some and taken through them? By no means. For those who came to you followed in my footsteps. "Did I take advantage of you through him?" That is, through them. But observe: he calls it "taking advantage" to take from those unwilling. And he quietly reproaches them as well, as if they themselves thought they were being taken advantage of if they should feed Paul. "I entreated Titus." And this is said reproachfully. For I did not send, but I entreated, showing that even if he had taken, he would not have sinned. For he did not go of his own accord, but was entreated; and yet, not even so did he take. But he had sent some other person along with Titus. "Did we not walk in the same spirit?" That is, not in the same grace as I? He calls "spirit" here that which is a spiritual gift. And he calls "gift" the thing of which it is judged that it is difficult not to take it. But observe how he attributes his own accomplishments to God. "Did we not walk in the same steps?"

^A That is, that they were not different in the slightest from my diligence. But see that he not only did not take it himself, but also persuaded those whom he sent not to take it. "Do you think again that we are excusing ourselves to you?" He fears lest he might take on the reputation of being a flatterer. Wherefore he also said above: "Are we again commending ourselves, and do we need letters of recommendation?" Therefore, we do not say these things because we are flattering you, or excusing ourselves to you, but as in the sight of God, and while He sees, we speak, and in Christ, that is, through Christ we speak. But how could it be possible for someone speaking in the sight of God and speaking through Christ to speak for the sake of flattery or adulation? ^B XII, 19-21. In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edification. For I fear lest perhaps when I come I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I might be found by you such as you do not wish: lest there be contentions, jealousies, anger, rivalries, slanders, whisperings, pride, insubordination; lest again when I come, my God should humble me before you, and I might mourn for many of those who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed.

We do not speak to you, therefore, for your favor or for flattery, but for your edification and benefit, that, having abandoned the false apostles, you might cling only to us and to our words. Or is it because for this reason we did not take anything, that you, being weak, might not have an occasion of stumbling? "For I fear." Do you see his fatherly providence? Others sinned, and Paul is afraid. "Lest perhaps when I come." He still hesitates and does not assert. "I shall not find you such as I wish." That is, corrupted; and I too, led by necessity, might be found such as you do not wish, that is, punishing those who are incurably ill. "Lest perhaps contentions, jealousies." He says further what kind of people he does not wish to find. With these vices, he says. He calls them contentions, because they were divided: "Rivalries" as a prelude to war. "Pride," because they puffed themselves up against him, but honored the false apostles. "Lest again when I come." It should, he says, be enough that there were previous things. "My God should humble me." He calls the taking of vengeance upon the guilty his own humiliation, showing that it was not without great necessity that he would take it. And he shows that it is for their sake that he endures everything, both to be humbled or brought low, and to mourn, by saying, "My God." ^D For the "My," being added, signifies the ardent love of Christ. — Another [THEODORE]. He called their transgression his own humiliation, confirming what he had already said: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn?" "And I might mourn for many." Observe the apostolic virtue, that, being conscious of no evil in himself, he mourns for the things committed by others. But he did not say, "all," but "many," and he does not manifest even these, giving space for repentance, and so that they might not become more shameless. "And have not repented." He

asks, "Where are the Novatians?" "From uncleanness." Uncleanness can be spoken of in regard to individual sins; for nothing is more foul than sin. ^B

XIII, 1-4. "This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I have foretold, and I foretell, as present the second time, and being absent now I write to those who have sinned before and to all the others, that if I come again, I will not spare. Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you." ^C

Having come a second time, if then I also come now, I come the third time. And what is this? "Just as," he says, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every doubtful word is established and receives its end," so in my two or three comings, every comminatory word shall be established against you and shall receive its end. Consider, moreover, that he used the comings instead of witnesses. "For I have foretold." And I have already foretold, and now I foretell. Just as I said when I was present with you the second time, behold, even now while absent, I foretell for the third time. Behold, three other witnesses. There were indeed two comings, and the one that is about to be; two and three witnesses. Behold again, three other witnesses. The twice being present and foretelling, and now once while absent. And he cleverly interpreted the Scripture regarding the witnesses to apply to the three comings and the three admonitions.

"And to all the others." To those, on the one hand, who have sinned, so that they might be corrected; to all the others, on the other hand, so that they might be witnesses, because, he says, there is no cause in me, if I punish those who have not repented. "That if I come again, I will not spare." What have you foretold, and what do you write now? He says that if I come again, that is, once more, I will not spare, showing that he still spares, and that, too, despite [the people] erring. "Since you seek a proof." [THEODORE, PHOTIUS] "Proof" means an experience. He was not punishing for this reason, as if to give a proof, but because they were sinning. And this is said against those who were saying that his personal presence was weak. "Since," he says, "you wish to test whether Christ speaks in me." For you mock me as if I were deserted by Christ. You wish to take the experience, as it seems, of Christ speaking in me, although you have clearly learned his power. And this very thing—to seek a proof—was a sin. For to tempt [God], and especially after so much, was the act of ungrateful, ignorant, and unstable people.

"Who toward you is not weak." What is intended by that addition, "toward you," and "in you"? For Christ is not powerful toward them alone, but everywhere. And we say that the word is comminatory, as if he were saying: You have an experience from those things that have happened to you, that Christ is not weak. Or that he shows his power at this time in those among you who can be corrected: for as for those who are sick beyond remedy, he will exact punishment in the future.

XIII, 4-6. "For even though he was crucified out of weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak

^A in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. Test yourselves, to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test."

"For even though he was crucified out of weakness." Many are troubled who do not pay attention to the power of the expressions. Observe, then, that there are three types of weakness. One is that of bodily ailments. The second is that of one who is weak in faith, of whom he himself says: "As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him." The third is that which arises from persecutions and temptations. For Paul calls these, too, weakness, as in the passage: "For my power is made perfect in weakness," that is to say, in persecutions and dangers. And again: "Therefore I am content with weaknesses," and ^B explaining this, he adds: "in insults, in hardships, in persecutions." And again: "For when I am weak, then I am strong," as if at that time grace were assisting him most powerfully. According to this manner of weakness, then, the Lord was crucified, having endured plots, and danger, and insult. Yet, he says, this did not damage his power. Or thus: He calls weakness that which seemed so to the unbelievers, as if to say: Even if, according to the opinion of unbelievers, he was crucified out of weakness (granting this, that is, for the sake of concession), yet he lives, he says, by the power of God. Upon hearing "power of God," do not have the impious thought that he was unable to vivify his own flesh, and that for this reason the power of the Father became necessary. For if Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, how could the Power be destitute of strength, and that for his own flesh? He who gives life to others, indeed to all. But Paul speaks indifferently of the things of the Father as belonging to the Son, and conversely, the things of the Son as belonging to the Father. For that Christ himself raised his own flesh, hear him saying: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." If, however, Paul says that what the Son performed was done by the Father, do not be troubled. For he knows that he said: "All that the Father has is mine." And he said to the Father: "All mine are thine." ^C [PHOTIUS.] For because of our weaknesses and sins, the strong and sinless one was crucified. Or "out of weakness," as the Jews said: "He saved others; he cannot save himself." Or "out of weakness," as it is consistent for you to suppose. [THEODORET.] For if you are still seeking proof, you will consequently suppose that he endured the cross out of weakness. "Yet he lives." For even if he endured the passion of the cross because of the mortal nature of the body, yet he lives, and is Life, as God and Son of God. "By the power of God." That is to say, as God, as powerful, as one who suffered even voluntarily. Or also thus: Even if he was crucified, he says, as having taken on passible and weak nature, yet he lives, having risen from the dead, and bearing the almighty and divine nature within himself. "For we also are weak." Just as he

he says, received no injury in his power from the fact that we endure persecutions and insults, he therefore added, "In him." For the phrase "And we are weak in him" signifies either that what we suffer, we suffer for his sake, or that we might seem weak to you because we do not punish or hand over to torment, but we do this also in Christ. For he himself taught us to bear and to be patient, but just as he taught us to bear and be patient, so also he taught us to show a punitive, tormenting, or vindictive power toward those who are insensitive and do not repent; for he himself acts thus. "In him." That is, because of him and because of his preaching, we are weak in persecutions and in dangers. But just as we are partners with him in sorrows, so also we shall be partners in joy. Hence he adds, "But we shall live with him." [ΦΩΤ.] That is, we shall be shown living among you, not in a common way, but with Christ himself. And not living merely in this way, but having life from his power, through which he himself, having trampled down death and plundered hell, both rose again and lives. And this life and this power is clearly punitive toward those who perform the works of the evil one, just as it is saving for those who perform repentance. And concerning these he says: do not despise us, seeing us persecuted and suffering ten thousand things; so too was Christ despised when he was crucified, but when he had risen, he did all that he willed. And we also, what we suffer, we suffer for his sake. So, if we suffer, yet he lives and is powerful; and we, with him—that is, with his will—both live and are able to do what we wish toward you, and especially toward you, because we have many justifications against you, seeing that you are disobedient. "From the power of God toward you." [ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΟΥ.] Understand this also in the same way as the above. "But he lives from the power of God." And the phrase "toward you," as if to say, we shall live for you, that is, for your benefit. Or, "For your sake," since, he says, we have converted you, or we shall live with you then. "Test yourselves." See what kind of case he constructs. And what, he says, do I say about myself—that Christ speaks in me? For you yourselves also, unless you have become reprobate, have Christ within you. But if you do, he says, much more do I. Therefore, make a trial of yourselves, lest anyone has been led astray from the right doctrines by the teaching of the false apostles. [ΦΩΤ.] Or do you not test yourselves as to whether you are in the faith? Or do you not prove yourselves? For what is it to seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, and ^C not yet to be surely persuaded that Christ speaks in the teacher, other than to also test yourselves whether you are believers, and to doubt even concerning yourselves? Or rather, even to be utterly ignorant that Christ is in you. For if Christ is not in the teacher, much less is he in the disciples. But how, he says, do you not recognize that Christ is in you, he who also enriched you with diverse gifts? Or have you, through your deeds, presented yourselves as reprobate, and fallen away from these? And this he says in order to say that if you have gifts and power against the impure spirits ^D

unless you have deprived yourselves of these by becoming reprobate, would I not much more have power against those who seek to fulfill the desires of impure demons, which is what you are? Or even in this way: Are you seeking proof of me? Test yourselves, keenly prove yourselves whether you are in the faith. For as it appears, you have fallen away even from this; for ^B otherwise you would not be seeking proof. Then, as if tempering the vehemence of the rebuke, he says, "Or do you not recognize yourselves," that Jesus Christ is in you? This is instead of: "I recognize you thus, that Christ is in you." But if you yourselves are ignorant of this, then the accusation is yours. Therefore, you have rendered yourselves reprobate. At the same time, he also puts them to shame. As if to say: If I recognize that Christ is in you, and you have not become reprobate, why do you still seek proof of him in me? It is clear that the passage can be understood in three ways: by counsel and exhortation, as others think; by questioning and accusation; and by rebuke and censure, as it is now set forth. "Or do you not recognize yourselves?" But how could they know? From the signs which they used to perform, if they were still performing them, he says. "Unless in some respect you are reprobate." In this place he also secretly accuses them of a wicked life: for both faith and a right life are needed for signs. And so, although you may be in the faith, unless you also conform your life accordingly, you are reprobate, he says, and Christ is not in you, nor does he show by signs that he is present among you. "But I hope that you will know." But if you are not altogether reprobate, I hope that through the punishment which will be meted out to you, you will know that we are not reprobate. It would have been right, then, for you to know and recognize in another way that we are approved. But since you do not wish to, you will know this through your punishment. ^C XIII, 7-9. "But I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is honest, and we may be as though we were reprobate; for we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak, but you are strong. This, moreover, we also pray for: your perfection."

See the philosophical mind; he was despised, he was mocked as being able to do nothing, but only boasting in letters. And not only does he defer manifesting his own power—which he could do by inflicting punishment upon them—but he even prays that he may never fall into the necessity of demonstrating it. — [PHOT.] How then do you both hope to be shown approved, and yet again pray that it might not happen? I pray that you might be improved, and that I might not have need to inflict punishment upon you, nor to be shown as approved through it. This I pray, in this I rejoice. If, however—

you persist in sin, ^A despising the punishment, I shall punish, though anxious and heavy-hearted; nevertheless, I will punish. For it is easy for me to hope for this. “Not that we might appear approved.” For from their not sinning, he could no longer exhibit his punitive power, and he would again be judged as unapproved and weak. “But we, as unapproved.” He rightly says “as unapproved.” For he was not, as a matter of truth, going to become unapproved—since he is not punished if he does not sin, but is rather most approved—but due to the suspicion of the many, he said, “as unapproved.” “For we can do nothing against the truth.” If someone lives truly and piously, he says—for he now calls piety “truth,” as the impious life is something bastardized—if we wish to inflict punishment, we cannot; for God does not cooperate. For we have no power against the truth, that is, against piety. “But our power is” for its sake, so that we may compel those who do not live according to it to choose it through punishment. “We rejoice when we are weak.” What then? Since I am not able, even if I wish, to act against the truth, do I therefore grieve? By no means. I rejoice when we are considered weak, in that we do not inflict punishment. But you are strong, in that you are unassailable by my punitive power, due to your living rightly. “And this we pray for.” Do we then only rejoice? We do indeed also pray for your restoration—that is, your approval, and to be perfected in life and sound doctrines—rather than that we, by punishing those who are failing, show ourselves to be powerful.

^A “For this reason I write these things while absent, that when present I may not use severity, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.” Since he severely rebuked them everywhere, but especially at the end of the epistle, he now apologizes through such words and says: For this reason I wrote thus, as wishing the severity to be only in the letters, and not to be displayed in deeds. “According to the authority which the Lord gave me.” So if I inflict punishment, he says, it is not I who inflict punishment, but Christ, who gave me this authority, through me as a medium. But observe that, in apologizing, he has rendered his word more fearsome. What then? Someone might say to him: For this reason ^C have you received authority, that you might punish humans who are created in the image of God? And did the benevolent Christ appoint you for this at all? I have not received authority for tearing down and for the destruction of souls, he says, but for building up. For this very act—punishing the guilty—is a building up of the Church, while the rest are made firmer and more approved through the punishment of these.

“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, think the same thing, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love...”

of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. ^A

After I have done what was mine, he says—that is, offered counsel and threatened—it remains for you to bring your own contribution. This is to "rejoice." You will rejoice when you are corrected, both now and in the future. "Rejoice." Knowing that what I threatened, I did not threaten so as to do it, nor do I desire this; rather, I pray that it does not happen. I threatened so that, being corrected, you might suffer nothing grievous. Therefore, "rejoice." "Be perfect," that is, be complete, fulfill what is lacking, be perfected in virtue, and do the rest. For if you accomplish these things, not only will you suffer nothing terrible, but the God of love and peace will be with you. "Be comforted." Since the tribulations were many, he says, be comforted both by yourselves and by others; furthermore, from your conscience, take up an inclination toward a better change. "Live in peace." He also requested this in the introduction to the first epistle, for they were divided among themselves. What, then, does he desire? That they might think the same thing and have peace; for it happens that one can think the same thing regarding dogmas, yet not have peace with one another. "And the God of love." God is called the God of love, because He has loved us; and of peace, because He has united the heavenly with the earthly through peace. From love, moreover, comes peace. If you do these things, he says, God will be with you. Or he is praying that it may be so. ^B "With a holy kiss." Not deceitful, he says, and fraudulent, like Judas. For this reason we kiss, so that we may rekindle the love we have for one another. "All the saints greet you." Those who are present he unites through a kiss, and those who are absent through a greeting. For both the greeting and the salutation proceed from the same mouth. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." After he united everyone, which is his custom, he now does the same: he prays for them the grace of the Son, by which He saved us—by grace and not because of our works—having been slain for us, and the love of God, by which He loved us, having given His only-begotten Son for us, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, that is, His participation and reception, through which we are all sanctified by the advent of the Paraclete, the God of the Spirit. ^C

The End of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, by divine favor.

It was sent from Philippi by Titus and Luke. ^D

ARGUMENT OF THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS

^A He writes this from Rome, having already seen and taught them. The occasion of the epistle was this: The Galatians, having been well taught by the Apostle and having believed sincerely in Christ, were, after the Apostle’s departure, ^B snatched away by certain persons so that they might be circumcised. Having learned these things, the Apostle writes to them. And first, he bears witness to the faith they possessed and their sincere disposition in Christ; but he expresses indignation that they acted foolishly and changed. Then he discusses the law and the faith according to Abraham. Furthermore, he makes clear from the law and from the wives of Abraham, interpreting them allegorically, that the shadow and circumcision were given for a time, and that they subsequently became idle at the coming of Christ. And having demonstrated these things, he consequently commands them no longer to heed the deceivers, but rather to hold fast to the faith in Christ, and to know that the grace in Christ abolishes circumcision according to the flesh. And thus, again exhorting and instructing them regarding morals, he concludes the epistle.

THEODORET

The preface, and almost the entire epistle, is full of heat. The cause was this: Certain persons who had believed out of the Jews, and who still adhered to the paternal law, persuaded many of the believers in Galatia to be circumcised and to observe Sabbaths and new moons. They persuaded them, saying that one must not obey Paul, who had appeared but a few days earlier, but rather those around Peter, James, and John. For these, they said, having been with Christ, do not forbid circumcision. And truly, these men, using condescension toward the Jews, did not forbid circumcision; however, these others, concealing the reason—namely, that they did not forbid it out of condescension—by that fact alone lured them to circumcision and rendered Paul despicable, saying that he was not a disciple of Christ, but of the apostles, while those around Peter were disciples of Christ Himself. Then they said that Paul himself is seen to have circumcised elsewhere: "Why then, pray tell, does he not circumcise you?" For in truth, Paul had circumcised Timothy by way of dispensation. To these things, therefore, he writes, and immediately from the very opening he directs himself to that