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2 COR. X. 1. 2.
Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness
and gentleness of Christ, I who in your
presence am lowly among you, but being absent am
of good courage toward you: yea, I beseech
you, that I may not when present show courage
with the confidence, wherewith I count to be
bold against some, which count of us as if we
walked according to the flesh.
Having completed, in such sort as behoved his
discourse of almsgiving, and having shown that
he loves them more than he is loved, and having
recounted the circumstances of his patience and
trials, he now opportunely enters upon points
involving more of reproof, making allusion to
the false apostles, and concluding his discourse
with more disagreeable matter, and with
commendations of himself. For he makes this his
business also throughout the Epistle. Which
also perceiving, he hence oftentimes corrects
himself, saying in so many words; "Do we
begin again to commend ourselves?" (Ch.
iii. 1.) and further on; "We commend not
ourselves again, but give you occasion to
glory:" (Ch. v. 12.) and afterwards;
"I am become a fool in glorying; ye have
compelled me." (Ch. xii. 11.) And many
such correctives doth he use. And one would not
be wrong in styling this Epistle an eulogium of
Paul; he makes such large mention both of his
grace and his patience. For since there were
some amongst them who thought great things of
themselves, and set themselves above the
Apostle, and accused him as a boaster, and as
being nothing, and teaching no sound doctrine;
(now this was in itself the most certain
evidence of their own corruptness;) see how he
begins his rebuke of them; "Now I Paul
myself." Seest thou what severity, what
dignity, is here? For what he would say is
this, ' I beseech you do not compel me, nor
leave me to use my power against those that hold
us cheap, and think of us as carnal.' This is
severer than those threats towards them uttered
in the former Epistle; "Shall I come unto
you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of
meekness?" (1 Cor. iv. 21.)and then
again; "Now some are puffed up as though I
were not coming to you; but I will come, and
will know, not the word of them that are puffed
up, but the power." (ib.
19.) For in this place he shows both
things, both his power, and his philosophy and
forbearance; since he so beseeches them, and
with such earnestness, that he may not be
compelled to come to a display of the avenging
power pertaining to him, and to smite and
chastise them and exact the extreme penalty.
For he implied this in saying, "But I
beseech you, that I may not when present show
courage with the confidence, wherewith I count
to be bold against some which count of us as if
we walked according to the flesh." For the
present, however, let us speak of the
commencement. "Now I Paul myself."
Great emphasis, great weight is here. So he
says elsewhere, "Behold I Paul say unto
you;" (Gal. v. 2.) and again, "As
Paul the aged;" (Phile. 9.)and again in
another place, "Who lath been a succorer of
many, and of me." Rom. xvi. 2.) So also
here, "Now I Paul myself." This even is a
great thing, that himself beseecheth; but that
other is greater which he added, saying, "by
the meekness and gentleness of Christ." For
with the wish of greatly shaming them, he puts
forward that "meekness and gentleness," making
his entreaty in this way more forcible; as if he
had said, ' Reverence the gentleness of
Christ by which I beseech you.' And this he
said, at the same time also showing that
although they should lay ever so strong a
necessity upon him, he himself is more inclined
to this: it is from being meek, not from want
of power, that he does not proceed against
them: for Christ also did in like manner.
"Who in your presence am lowly among you, but
being absent am of good courage toward you."
What, pray, is this? Surely he speaks in
irony, using their speeches. For they said
this, that ' when he is present indeed, he is
worthy of no account, but poor and
contemptible; but when absent, swells, and
brags, and sets himself up against us, and
threatens.' This at least he implies also
afterwards, saying, "for his letters," say
they, "are weighty, but his bodily presence is
weak, and his speech of no account." (v.
10.) He either then speaks in irony,
manifesting great severity and saying, ' I,
the base, I, the mean, when present, (as
they say,) and when absent, lofty: ' or else
meaning that even though he should utter great
things, it is not out of pride, but out of his
confidence in them.
"But I beseech you, that I may hot when
present show courage with the confidence,
wherewith I count to be bold against some which
count of us as if we walked according to the
flesh. Seest thou how great his indignation,
and how complete his refutation of those sayings
of theirs? For he saith, ' I beseech you,
do not compel me to show that even present I am
strong and have power.' For since they said
that ' when absent, he is quite bold against us
and exalteth himself,' he uses their very
words, ' I beseech therefore that they compel
me not to use my power.' For this is the
meaning of, "the confidence." And he said
not, ' wherewith I am prepared,' but '
wherewith I count.' 'For I have not yet
resolved upon this; they however give me reason
enough, but not even so do I wish it.' And
yet he was doing this not to vindicate himself,
but the Gospel. Now if where it was necessary
to vindicate the Message, he is not harsh, but
draws back and delays, and beseeches that there
may be no such necessity; much more would he
never have done any thing of the kind in his own
vindication. ' Grant me then this favor,' he
saith, ' that ye compel me not to show, that
even when present I am able to be bold against
whomsoever it may be necessary i that is, to
chastise and punish them.' Seest thou how free
he was from ambition, how he did nothing for
display, since even where it was matter of
necessity, he hesitates not to call the act,
boldness. "For I beseech you," he says,
"that I may not when present show courage with
the confidence, wherewith I think to be bold"
against some. For this especially is the part
of a teacher, not to be hasty in taking
vengeance, but to work a reformation, and ever
to be reluctant and slow in his punishments.
How, pray, does he describe those whom he
threatens? "Those that count of us as though
we walked according to the flesh:" for they
accused him as a hypocrite, as wicked, as a
boaster.
Ver. 3. "For though we walk in the flesh,
we do not war according to the flesh.
Here he goes on to alarm them also by the figure
he uses, ' for,' says he, 'we are indeed
encompassed with flesh; I own it, but we do
not live by the flesh;' or rather, he said not
even this, but for the present reserves it, for
it belongs to the encomium on his life: but
first discourseth of the Preaching, and shows
that it is not of man, nor needeth aid from
beneath. Wherefore he said not, 'we do not
live according to the flesh,' but, "we do not
war according to the flesh," that is, ' we
have undertaken a war and a combat; but we do
not war with carnal weapons, nor by help of any
human succors.'
Ver. 4. "For our weapons are not of the
flesh." For what sort of weapons are of the
flesh? Wealth, glory, power, fluency,
cleverness, circumventions, flatteries,
hypocrisies, whatsoever else is similar to
these. But ours are not of this sort: but of
what kind are they?
"Mighty before God."
And he said not, 'we are not carnal,' but,
"our weapons." For as I said, for the
present he discourseth of the Preaching, and
refers the whole power to God. And he says
not, 'spiritual,' although this was the
fitting opposite to "carnal," but "mighty,"
in this implying the other also, and showing
that their weapons are weak and powerless. And
mark the absence of pride in him; for he said
not, 'we are mighty,' but, "our weapons are
mighty before God." 'We did not make them
such, but God Himself.' For because they
were scourged, were persecuted, and suffered
wrongs incurable without number, which things
were proofs of weakness: to show the strength of
God he says, "but they are mighty before
God." For this especially shows His
strength, that by these things He gains the
victory. So that even though we are encompassed
with them, yet it is He that warreth and
worketh by them. Then he goes through a long
eulogium upon them, saying, "To the casting
down of strong holds." And lest when hearing
of strong holds thou shouldest think of aught
material, he says, Ver. 5. "Casting down
imaginations."
First giving emphasis by the figure, and then
by this additional expression declaring the
spiritual character of the warfare. For these
strongholds besiege souls, not bodies. Whence
they are stronger than the others, and therefore
also the weapons they require are mightier. But
by strongholds he means the Grecian pride, and
the strength of their sophisms and their
syllogisms. But nevertheless, 'these
weapons,' he says, ' confounded every thing
that stood up against them; for they cast down
imaginations, 'And every high thing that is
exalted against the knowledge of God.' He
persisted in the metaphor that he might make the
emphasis greater. ' For though there should be
strongholds,' he saith, ' though
fortifications, though any other thing soever,
they yield and give way before these weapons.
"And bringing every thought into captivity to
the obedience of Christ." And yet the name,
"captivity," hath an ill sound with it; for
it is the destruction of liberty. Wherefore
then has he used it? With a meaning of its
own, in regard to another point. For the word
"captivity" conveys two ideas, the loss of
liberty, and the being so violently overpowered
as not to rise up again. It is therefore in
respect to this second meaning that he took it.
As when he shall say "I robbed other
churches," (2 COR. XI. 8.) he does not
intend the taking stealthily, but the stripping
and taking their all, so also here in saying,
"bringing into captivity." For the fight was
not equally maintained, but he conquered with
great ease. Wherefore he did not say, 'we
conquer and have the better,' only; but 'we
even bring "into captivity;" ' just as
above, he did not say, ' we advance engines
against the "strongholds: "' but, ' we cast
them down, for great is the superiority of our
weapons." For we war not with words,' he
saith, but with deeds against words, not with
fleshly wisdom, but with the spirit of meekness
and of power. How was it likely then I should
hunt after honor, and boast in words, and
threaten by letters;' (as they accused him,
saying, "his letters are weighty,") ' when
our might lay not in these things?' But having
said, "bringing every thought into captivity to
the obedience of Christ," because the name of
"captivity" was unpleasant, he presently
afterwards put an end to the metaphor, saying,
"unto the obedience of Christ:" from slavery
unto liberty, from death unto life, from
destruction to salvation. For we came not
merely to strike down, but to bring over to the
truth those who are opposed to us.
Ver. 6. "And being in readiness to avenge
all disobedience, when your obedience shall be
fulfilled."
Here he alarmed these also, not those alone:
'for,' says he, 'we were waiting for you,
that when by our exhortations and threatenings we
have reformed you, and purged and separated you
from their fellowship; then, when those only
are left who are incurably diseased, we may
visit with punishment, after we see that you
have really separated from them. For even now
indeed ye obey, but not perfectly. 'And yet
if thou hadst done it now,' saith one, 'thou
wouldest have wrought greater gain.' 'By no
means, for if I had done it now, I should
have involved you also in the punishment.
Howbeit it behoved to punish them, indeed, but
to spare you. Yet if I spared, I should have
seemed to do it out of favor: now this I do not
desire, but first to amend you, and then to
proceed against them.' What can be tenderer
than the heart of the Apostle? who because he
saw his own mixed up with aliens, desires indeed
to inflict the blow, but forbears, and
restrains his indignation until these shall have
withdrawn, that he may smite these alone; yea
rather, not these even. For he therefore
threatens this, and says he is desirous to
separate unto punishment them alone, that they
also being amended by the fear may change, and
he let loose his anger against no one. For just
like a most excellent physician, and common
father, and patron, and guardian, so did he
all things, so cared he for all, removing
impediments, checking the pestilent, running
about every whither. For not by fighting did he
so achieve the work, but advancing as if to a
ready and an easy victory, he planted his
trophies, undermining, casting down,
overthrowing the strongholds of the devil, and
the engines of the demons; and carried over
their whole booty to the camp of Christ. Nor
did he even take breath a little, bounding off
from these to those, and from those again to
others, like some very able general, raising
trophies every day, or rather every hour. For
having entered into the battle with nothing but a
little tunic, the tongue of Paul took the
cities of his enemies with their men and bows and
spears and darts and all.
For he spake only; and, falling upon his
enemies more fiercely than any fire, his words
drave out the demons and brought over unto him
the men that were possessed of them. For when
he cast out that demon, the evil one, fifty
thousand sorcerers coming together burnt their
books of magic and revolted to the truth. (See
Acts xix. 19.) And like as in a war, when
a tower has fallen or a tyrant been brought low,
all his partizans cast away their arms and run
unto the [opposing] general; so truly did it
happen then also. For when the demon was cast
out, they all having been besieged, and having
cast away, yea rather having destroyed, their
books, ran unto the feet of Paul. But he
setting himself against the world as though
against a single army, no where stayed his
march, but did all things as if he were some man
endued with wings: and now restored a lame, now
raised a dead man, now blinded a third, (I
mean the sorcerer,) nor even when shut up in a
prison indulged in rest, but even there brought
over to himself the jailor, effecting the goodly
captivity we treat of.
Let us also imitate him after our power. And
why do I say, after our power? For he that
wills may come even near unto him, and behold
his valor, and imitate his heroism. For still
he is doing this work, "casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that is
exalted against the knowledge of God." And
although many heretics have attempted to cut him
in pieces'; yet still, even though
dismembered, he displayeth a mighty strength.
For both Marcion and Manichaeus use him
indeed, but after cutting him in pieces; but
still even so they are refuted by the several
members. For even a hand only of this champion
being found among them puts them utterly to the
rout; and a foot only, left amongst others,
pursues and prostrates them, in order that thou
mayest learn the superabundance of his power,
and that, although shorn of his limbs even, he
is able to destroy all his adversaries. ' This
however,' saith one, 'is an instance of
perversion, that those who are battling with
each other should all use him.' An instance of
perversion certainly, but not in Paul, (God
forbid,) but in them who use him. For he was
not parti-colored, but uniform and clear, but
they perverted his words to their own notions.
' And wherefore,' saith one, ' were they so
spoken as to give handles to those that wished
for them?' He did not give handles, but their
frenzy used his words not rightly; since this
whole world also is both wonderful and great,
and a sure proof of the wisdom of God, and '
the heavens declare the glory of God, and day
unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
declareth knowledge;" (Ps. xix. 1, 2.)
but nevertheless, many have stumbled at it and
in contrary directions to one another. And some
have admired it so much above its worth as to
think it God; whilst others have been so
insensible of its beauty as to assert it to be
unworthy of God's creating hand, and to
ascribe the greater share in it to a certain evil
matter. And yet God provided for both points
by making it beautiful and great that it might
not be deemed alien from his wisdom; yet
defective and not sufficient unto itself that it
might not be suspected to be God. But
nevertheless those who were blinded by their own
reasonings fell away into contradictory notions,
refuting one another, and becoming each the
other's accuser, and vindicating the wisdom of
God even by the very reasonings which led them
astray. And why do I speak of the sun and the
heaven? The Jews saw so many marvels happen
before their eyes, yet straightway worshipped a
calf. Again they saw Christ casting out
demons, yet called him one that had a demon.
But this was no imputation against him that cast
them out, but an accusation of their
understanding who were so blinded. Condemn not
then Paul on account of their judgment who have
used him amiss; but understand well the
treasures in him, and develop his riches, so
shalt thou make noble stand against all, fenced
by his armor. So shalt thou be able to stop the
mouths both of Greeks and Jews. 'And how,'
saith one, 'seeing they believe him not?' By
the things wrought through him, by the
reformation effected in the world. For it was
not of human power that so great things could be
done, but the Might of the Crucified,
breathing on him, made him such as he was, and
showed him more powerful than orators and
philosophers and tyrants and kings and all men.
He was net only able to arm himself and to
strike down his adversaries, but to make others
also such as himself. Therefore in order that
we may become useful both to ourselves and to
others, let us continually have him in our
hands, using his writings for a meadow and
garden of delight. For so shall we be able both
to be delivered from vice and to choose virtue,
and to obtain the promised good things,
whereunto may we all attain, through the grace
and love towards men of our Lord Jesus
Christ, with Whom to the Father with the
Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now
and for ever, and world without end. Amen.
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