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2 COR. IV. 1, 2.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as
we obtained mercy we faint not, but we have
renounced the hidden things of shame.
SEEING he had uttered great things and had
set himself and all the faithful before Moses,
aware of the height and greatness of what he had
said, observe how he moderates his tone again.
For it was necessary on account of the false
Apostles to exalt his hearers also, and again
to calm down that swelling; yet not to do it
away, since this would be a trifler's part.
Wherefore he manages this in another manner, by
showing that not of their own merits was it, but
all of the loving-kindness of God. Wherefore
also he says, "Therefore seeing we have this
ministry." For nothing more did we
contribute, except that we became ministers,
and made ourselves subservient to the things
given by God. Wherefore he said not
'largess,' nor 'supply,' but 'ministry.'
Nor was he contented with this even, but
added, "as we obtained mercy." For even this
itself, he saith, the ministering to these
things, is of mercy and loving-kindness. Yet
it is mercy's to deliver from evils, not to
give so many good things besides: but the mercy
of God includes this also.
"We faint not." And this indeed is to be
imputed to His loving-kindness. For the
clause, "as we obtained mercy," take to be
said with reference both to the "ministry,"
and to the words, "we faint not." And
observe how earnestly he endeavors to lower his
own things. 'For,' saith he, 'that one who
hath been counted worthy of such and so great
things, and this from mercy only and
loving-kindness, should show forth such
labors, and undergo dangers, and endure
temptations, is no great matter. Therefore we
not only do not sink down, but we even rejoice
and speak boldly.' For instance, having
said, "we faint not," he added, Ver. 2.
"But we have renounced the hidden things of
shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling
the word of God deceitfully."
And what are "the hidden things of shame?"
We do not, he saith, profess and promise great
things, and in our actions show other things,
as they do; wherefore also he said, "Ye look
on things after the outward appearance;" but
such we are as we appear, not having any
duplicity, nor saying and doing such things as
we ought to hide and veil over with shame and
blushes. And to interpret this, he added,
"not walking in craftiness." For what they
considered to be praise, that he proves to be
shameful and worthy of scorn. But what is,
"in craftiness?" They had the reputation of
taking nothing,, but they took and kept it
secret; they had the character of saints and
approved Apostles, but they were full of
numberless evil things. But, saith he, "we
have renounced" these things: (for these are
what he also calls the "hidden things of
shame;"
being such as we appear to be, and keeping
nothing veiled over. And that not in this
[our] life only, but also in the Preaching
itself. For this is, "nor handling the word
of God deceitfully."
"But by the manifestation of the truth."
Not by the countenance and the outward show,
but by the very proof of our actions.
"Commending ourselves to every man's
conscience."
For not to believers only, but also to
unbelievers, we are manifest; lying open unto
all that they may test our actions, as they may
choose; and by this we commend ourselves, not
by acting a part and carrying about a specious
mask. We say then, that we take nothing, and
we call you for witnesses; we say that we are
conscious of no wickedness, and of this again we
derive the testimony from you, not as they
(sc. false Apostles) who, veiling over their
things, deceive many. But we both set forth
our life before all men; and we lay bare the
Preaching, so that all comprehend it.
Then because the unbelievers knew not its
power, he added, this is no fault of ours, but
of their own insensibility. Wherefore also he
saith, Ver. 3, 4. "But if our Gospel is
veiled, it is veiled in them that are lost; in
whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes
of the unbelieving."
As he said also before, "To some a savor from
death unto death, to others a savor from life
unto life," (ch. ii. 16.) so he saith
here too. But what is "the God of this
world?" Those that are infected with
Marcion's notions, affirm that this is said of
the Creator, the just only, and not good; for
they say that there is a certain God, just and
not good. But the Manichees say that the devil
is here intended, desiring from this passage to
introduce another creator of the world besides
the True One, very senselessly. For the
Scripture useth often to employ the term God,
not in regard of the dignity of that so
designated, but of the weakness of those in
subjection to it; as when it calls Mammon
lord, and the belly god. But neither is the
belly therefore God, nor Mammon Lord, save
only of those who bow down themselves to them.
But we assert of this passage that it is spoken
neither of the devil nor of another creator, but
of the God of the Universe, and that it is to
be read thus; "God hath blinded the minds of
the unbelievers of this world." For the world
to come hath no unbelievers; but the present
only. But if any one should read it even
otherwise, as, for instance, "the God of
this world;" neither doth this afford any
handle, for this doth not show Him to be the
God of this world only. For He is called
"the God of Heaven," (Ps. cxxxvi. 26.
&c.) yet is He not the God of Heaven only;
and we say, 'God of the present day;' yet we
say this not as limiting His power to it alone.
And moreover He is called the "God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob;" (Exod. iii. 6. &c.) and
yet He is not the God of them alone. And one
may find many other like testimonies in the
Scriptures. How then "hath" He "blinded"
them? Not by working unto this end; away with
the thought! but by suffering and allowing it.
For it is usual with the Scripture so to
speak, as when it saith, "God gave them up
unto a reprobate mind." For when they
themselves first disbelieved, and rendered
themselves unworthy to see the mysteries; He
Himself also thereafter permitted it. But what
did it behove Him to do? To draw them by
force, and reveal to those who would not see?
But so they would have despised the more, and
would not have seen either. Wherefore also he
added, "That the light of the Gospel of the
glory of Christ should not dawn upon them."
Not that they might disbelieve in God, but
that unbelief might not see what are the things
within, as also He enjoined us, commanding not
to "east the pearls before the swine."
(Matt. vii. 6.) For had He revealed even
to those who disbelieve, their disease would
have been the rather aggravated. For if one
compel a man laboring under ophthalmia to look at
the sunbeams, he the rather increases his
infirmity. Therefore the physicians even shut
them up in darkness, so as not to aggravate
their disorder. So then here also we must
consider that these persons indeed became
unbelievers of themselves, but having become
so, they no longer saw the secret things of the
Gospel, God thenceforth excluding its beams
from them.
As also he said to the disciples, "Therefore
I speak unto them in proverbs, (Mat. xiii,
13.) because hearing they hear not." But
what I say may also become clearer by an
example; suppose a Greek, accounting our
religion to be fables. This man then, how will
he be more advantaged? by going in and seeing
the mysteries, or by remaining without?
Therefore he says, "That the light should not
dawn upon them," still dwelling on the history
of Moses. For what happened to the Jews in
his case, this happeneth to all unbelievers in
the case of the Gospel. And what is that which
is overshadowed, and which is not illuminated
unto them? Hear him saying, "That the light
of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the
Image of God, should not dawn upon them."
Namely, that the Cross is the salvation of the
world, and His glory; that this Crucified
One himself is about to come with much
splendor; all the other things, those present,
those to come, those seen, those not seen, the
unspeakable splendor of the things looked for.
Therefore also he said, "dawn," that thou
mayest not look for the whole here, for that
which is [here] given is only, as it were, a
little dawning of the Spirit. Therefore, also
above as indicating this, he spoke of
"savor;" (c. ii. 16.) and again,
"earnest," (c. i. 25.) showing that the
greater part remaineth there. But neverthelesss
all these things have been hidden from them; but
had been hidden because they disbelieved first.
Then to show that they are not only ignorant of
the Glory of Christ, but of the Father's
also, since they know not His, he added,
"Who is the Image of God?" For do not halt
at Christ only. For as by Him thou seest the
Father, so if thou art ignorant of His
Glory, neither wilt thou know the Father's.
Ver. 5. "For we preach not ourselves, but
Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your
servants for Jesus' sake."
And what is the nature of the connexion there?
What hath this in common with what has been
said? He either hints at them as exalting
themselves, and persuading the disciples to name
themselves after them: as he said in the former
Epistle, "I am of Paul and I of
Apollos;" or else another thing of the gravest
character. What then is this? Seeing that
they waged fierce war against them, and plotted
against them on every side; 'Is it,' he
says, 'with us ye fight and war? [Nay but]
with Him that is preached by us, "for we
preach not ourselves." I am a servant, I am
[but] a minister even of those who receive the
Gospel, transacting every thing for Another,
and for His glory doing whatsover I do. So
that in warring against me thou throwest down
what is His. For so far am I from turning to
my own personal advantage any part of the
Gospel, that I will not refuse to be even your
servant for Christ's sake; seeing it seemed
good to Him so to honor you, seeing He so
loved you and did all things for you.'
Wherefore also he saith, "and ourselves your
servants for Christ's sake." Seest thou a
soul pure from glory? 'For in truth,' saith
he, 'we not only do not take to ourselves aught
of our Master's, but even to you we submit
ourselves for His sake.'
Ver. 6. "Seeing it is God that said,
Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined
in your hearts."
Seest thou how again to those who were desirous
of seeing that surpassing glory, I mean that of
Moses, he shows it flashing with added lustre?
'As upon the face of Moses, so also hath it
shined unto your hearts,' he saith. And
first, he puts them in mind of what was made in
the beginning of the Creation, sensible light
and darkness sensible, showing that this
creation is greater. And where commanded He
light to shine out of darkness? In the
beginning and in prelude to the Creation; for,
saith he, "Darkness was upon the face of the
deep. And God said, Let there be light, and
there was light." Howbeit then indeed He
said, "Let it be, and it was:" but now He
said nothing, but Himself became Light for
us. For he said not, 'hath also now
commanded,' but "hath" Himself "shined."
Therefore neither do we see sensible objects by
the shining of this Light, but God Himself
through Christ. Seest thou the invariableness
in the Trinity? For of the Spirit, he says,
"But we all with unveiled face reflecting in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed
into the same image from glory to glory even as
from the Lord the Spirit." (c. iii.
18.) And of the Son; "That the light of
the glorious Gospel of Christ, Who is the
Image of God, should not dawn upon them."
(v. 4.) And of the Father; "He that
said Light shall shine out of darkness shined in
your hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
For as when he had said, "Of the Gospel of
the glory of Christ," he added, "Who is the
Image of God," showing that they were
deprived of His glory also; So after saying,
"the knowledge of God," he added, "in the
face of Christ,' to show that through Him we
know the Father, even as through the Spirit
also we are brought unto Him.
Ver. 7. "But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of
the power may be of God, and not from
ourselves."
For seeing he had spoken many and great things
of the unspeakable glory, lest any should say,
'And how enjoying so great a glory remain we in
a mortal body?' he saith, that this very thing
is indeed the chiefest marvel and a very great
example of the power of God, that an earthen
vessel hath been enabled to bear so great a
brightness and to keep so high a treasure. And
therefore as admiring this, he said, "That
the exceeding greatness of the power may be of
God, and not from ourselves;" again alluding
to those who gloried in themselves. For both
the greatness of the things given and the
weakness of them that receive show His power;
in that He not only gave great things, but also
to those who are little. For he used the term
"earthen" in allusion to the frailty of our
mortal nature, and to declare the weakness of
our flesh. For it is nothing better constituted
than earthenware; so is it soon damaged, and by
death and disease and variations of temperature
and ten thousand other things easily dissolved.
And he said these things both to take down their
inflation, and to show to all that none of the
things we holds is human. For then is the power
of God chiefly conspicuous, when by vile it
worketh mighty things. Wherefore also in
another place He said, "For My power is made
perfect in weakness." (2 COR. XII. 9.)
And indeed in the Old [Testament] whole
hosts of barbarians were turned to flight by
gnats and flies, wherefore also He calleth the
caterpillar His mighty forces; (Joel ii.
25.) and in the beginning, by only
confounding tongues, He put a stop to that
great tower in Babylon. And in their wars
too, at one time, He routed innumerable hosts
by three hundred men; at another He overthrew
cities by trumpets; and afterwards by a little
and poor stripling, David, He turned to
flight the whole army of barbarians. So then
here also, sending forth twelve only He
overcame the world; twelve, and those,
persecuted, warred against.
Let us then be amazed at the Power of God,
admire, adore it. Let us ask Jews, let us
ask Greeks, who persuaded the whole world to
desert from their fathers' usages, and to go
over to another way of life? The fisherman, or
the tentmaker? the publican, or the unlearned
and ignorant? And how can these things stand
with reason, except it were Divine Power which
achieveth all by their means? And what too did
they say to persuade them? 'Be baptized in the
Name of The Crucified.' Of what kind of
man? One they had not seen nor looked upon.
But nevertheless saying and preaching these
things, they persuaded them that they who gave
them oracles, and whom they had received by
tradition from their forefathers, were no
Gods: whilst this Christ, He Who was nailed
[to the wood,] drew them all unto Himself.
And yet that He was indeed crucified and
buried, was manifest in a manner to all; but
that He was risen again, none save a few saw.
But still of this too they persuaded those who
had not beheld; and not that He rose again
only, but that He ascended also into Heaven,
and cometh to judge quick and dead. Whence then
the persuasiveness of these sayings, tell me?
From nothing else than the Power of God.
For, in the first place, innovation itself was
offensive to all; but when too one innovates in
such things, the matter becomes more grievous:
when one tears up the foundations of ancient
custom, when one plucks laws from their seat.
And besides all this, neither did the heralds
seem worthy of credit, but they were both of a
nation hated amongst all men, and were timorous
and ignorant. Whence then overcame they the
world? Whence cast they out you, and those
your forefathers who were reputed to be
philosophers, along with their very gods? Is
it not quite evident that it was from having God
with them? For neither are these successes of
human, but of some divine and unspeakable,
power. 'No,' saith one, 'but of
witchcraft.' Then certainly ought the power of
the demons to have increased and the worship of
idols to have extended. How then have they been
overthrown and have vanished, and our things the
reverse of these? So that from this even it is
manifest that what was done was the decree of
God; and not from the Preaching only, but
also from the title of life itself. For when
was virginity so largely planted every where in
the world? when contempt of wealth, and of
life, and of all things besides? For such as
were wicked and wizards, would have effected
nothing like this, but the contrary in all
respects: whilst these introduced amongst us the
life of angels; and not introduced merely, but
established it in our own land, in that of the
barbarians, in the very extremities of the
earth. Whence it is manifest that it was the
power of Christ every where that effected all,
which every where shineth, and swifter than any
lightning illumeth the hearts of men. All these
things, then, considering, and accepting what
hath been done as a clear proof of the promise of
the things to come, worship with us the
invincible might of The Crucified, that ye may
both escape the intolerable punishments, and
obtain the everlasting kingdom; of which may all
we partake through the grace and love towards men
of our Lord Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory
world without end. Amen.
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