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2 COR. I. 12.
For our glorying is this, the testimony of our
conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity,
not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of
God, we behaved ourselves in the world.
Here again he openeth to us yet another ground
of comfort, and that not small, yea rather,
exceeding great, and well fitted to upraise a
mind sinking under perils. For seeing he had
said, God comforted us, and God delivered
us, and had ascribed all to His mercies and
their prayers, lest he should thus make the
hearer supine, presuming on God's mercy only
and the prayers of others, he showeth that they
themselves had contributed not a little of their
own. And indeed he showed as much even before,
when he said, "For as the sufferings of
Christ abound [in us,] so our consolation
also aboundeth." (ver. 5.) But here he is
speaking of a certain other good work, properly
their own. What then is this? That, saith
he, in a conscience pure and without guile we
behave ourselves every where in the world: and
this availeth not a little to our encouragement
and comfort; yea, rather, not to comfort
merely, but even unto somewhat else far greater
than comfort, even to our glorying. And this
he said, teaching them too not to sink down in
their afflictions, but, if so be they have a
pure conscience, even to be proud of them; and
at the same time quietly though gently hitting at
the false Apostles. And as in the former
Epistle he saith, "Christ sent me to preach
the Gospel, not in wisdom of words, lest the
Cross of Christ should be made of none
effect:" (1 Cor. i. 17.) and, "that
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of
men, but in the power of God;" (ib. ii.
5.) so here also, "Not in wisdom, but in
the grace of Christ."
And he hinted also something besides, by
employing the words, "not in wisdom," that
is, 'not in deceit,' here too striking at the
heathen discipline. "For our glorying,"
saith he, "is this, the testimony of our
conscience;" that is, our conscience not
having whereof to condemn us, as if for evil
doings we were persecuted. For though we suffer
countless horrors, though from every quarter we
be shot at and in peril, it is enough for our
comfort, yea rather not only for comfort, but
even for our crowning, that our conscience is
pure and testifieth unto us that for no
evil-doing, but for that which is
well-pleasing to God, we thus suffer; for
virtue's sake, for heavenly wisdom's, for the
salvation of the many. Now that previous
consolation was from God: but this was
contributed by themselves and from the purity of
their' life. Wherefore also he calls it their
glorying, because it was the achievement of
their own virtue. What then is this glorying
and what doth our conscience testify unto us?
"That in sincerity," that is to say, having
no deceitful thing, no hypocrisy, no
dissimulation, no flattery, no ambush or
guile, nor any other such thing, but in all
frankness, in simplicity, in truth, in a pure
and unmalicious spirit, in a guileless mind,
having nothing concealed, no festering sore.
"Not in fleshly wisdom;" that is, not with
evil artifice, nor with wickedness, nor with
cleverness of words, nor with webs of
sophistries, for this he meaneth by 'fleshly
wisdom:' and that whereupon they greatly prided
themselves, he disclaims and thrusts aside:
showing very abundantly that this is no worthy
ground for glorying: and that not only he doth
not seek it, but he even rejecteth and is
ashamed of it.
"But in the grace of God we behaved our selves
in the world."
What is, "in the grace of God?" Displaying
the wisdom that is from Him, the power from
Him given unto us, by the signs wrought, by
overcoming sages, rhetoricians, philosophers,
kings, peoples, unlearned as we are and
bringing with us nothing of the wisdom that is
without. No ordinary comfort and glorying,
however, was this, to be conscious to
themselves that it was not men's power they had
used; but that by Divine grace they had
achieved all success.
["In the world."] So not in Corinth
only, but also in every part of the world.
"And more abundantly to you-ward." What
more abundantly to you-ward? "In the grace of
God we behaved ourselves." For we showed both
signs and wonders amongst you, and greater
strictness, and a life unblameable; for he
calls these too the grace of God, ascribing his
own good works also unto it. For in Corinth he
even overleapt the goal, making the Gospel
without charge, because he spared their
weakness.
Ver. 13. "For we write none other things
unto you, than what ye read or even
acknowledge."
For since he spoke great things of himself and
seemed to be bearing witness to himself, an
odious thing, he again appeals to them as
witnesses of what he says. For, he saith, let
no one think that what I say is a boastful
flourish of writing; for we declare unto you
what yourselves know; and that we lie not ye
more than all others can bear us witness. For,
when ye read, ye acknowledge that what ye know
that we perform in our actions, this we say also
in our writings, and your testimony doth not
contradict our epistles; but the knowledge which
ye had before of us is in harmony with your
reading.
Ver. 14. "As also ye did acknowledge us in
part."
For your knowledge of us, he saith, is not
from hearsay but from actual experience. The
words "in part" he added from humility. For
this is his wont, when necessity constraineth
him to say any highsounding thing, (for he
never doth so otherwise, ) as desiring quickly
to repress again the elation arising from what he
had said.
"And I hope ye will acknowledge even to the
end."
Seest thou again how from the past he draws
pledges for the future; and not from the past
only, but also from the power of God? For he
affirmed not absolutely, but cast the whole upon
God and his hope in Him.
"That we are your glorying, even as ye also
are our's, in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
Here he cuts at the root of the envy that his
speech might occasion, by making them sharers
and partners in the glory of his good works.
'For these stick not with us, but pass over
unto you also, and again from you to us.' For
seeing he had extolled himself, and produced
proof of the past and given security for the
future; lest his hearers should reflect on him
for talking proudly, or, as I have said, be
hurried to enviousness, he makes the rejoicing a
common one and declares that this crown of
praises is theirs. For if, he says, we have
shown ourselves to be such, our praise is your
glory: even as when ye also are approved, we
rejoice and leap for joy and are crowned. Here
also again he displays his great humility by what
he says. For he so levels his expressions, not
as a master discoursing to disciples, but as a
disciple unto fellow-disciples of his own rank.
And observe how he lifts them on high and fills
them with philosophy, sending them on to That
Day. For, he saith, tell me not of the
present things, that is, the reproaches, the
revilings, the scoffings of the many, for the
things here are no great matter, neither the
good nor the painful; nor the scoffings nor the
praises which come from men: but remember, I
pray, that day of fear and shuddering in the
which all things are revealed. For then both we
shall glory in you, and ye in us; when ye shall
be seen to have such teachers, who teach no
doctrine of men nor live in wickedness nor give
[men] any handle; and we to have such
disciples, neither affected after the manner of
men nor shaken, but taking all things with
readiness of mind, and unseduced by sophistries
s from what side soever. For this is plain even
now to those that have understanding, but then
to all. So that even if we are afflicted now,
we have this, and that no light, consolation
which the conscience affordeth now, and the
manifestation itself then. For now indeed our
conscience knoweth that we do all things by the
grace of God, as ye also know and shall know:
but then, all men as well will learn both our
doings and yours: and shall behold us glorified
through each other.
For that he may not appear himself alone to
derive lustre from this glorying, he gives to
them also a cause of boasting, and leads them
away from their present distresses. And as he
did in respect to the consolation when he said,
"We are comforted for your sakes," (ver.
6.) so he does here also, saying, 'we glory
on your account, as ye also on ours,' every
where making them partakers of every thing, of
his comfort, his sufferings, his preservation.
For this his preservation he ascribes to their
prayers. "For God delivered us," he saith,
"ye helping together by prayer." In like
manner also he makes the gloryings common. For
as in that place he says, "Knowing that as ye
are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the
consolation:" so here too, "we are your
glorying, as ye also are ours."
Ver. 15. "And in this confidence I was
minded to come before unto you." What
confidence? 'In relying exceedingly on you,
glorying over you, being your glorying, loving
you exceedingly, being conscious to myself of
nothing evil, being confident that all is
spiritual with us, and having you as witnesses
of this.'
"I was minded to come unto you, and by you to
pass into Macedonia."
And yet he promised the contrary in his former
Epistle, saying thus: "Now I will come unto
you when I shall have passed through
Macedonia: for I do pass through
Macedonia." (1 Cor. xvi. 5.) How is
it then that he here says the contrary? He doth
not say the contrary: away with the thought.
For it is contrary indeed to what he wrote, but
not contrary to what he wished.
Wherefore also here he said not, 'I wrote
that I would pass by you into Macedona; but,
'I was minded.' For though I did not write
on that wise,' he says, 'nevertheless I was
greatly desirous, and 'was minded,' even
before, to have come unto you: so far was I
from wishing to be later than my promise that I
would gladly have come before it.' "That ye
might have a second benefit." What is, a
second benefit? 'That ye might have a double
benefit, both that from my writings, and that
from my presence.' By "benefit" he here
means pleasure.
Ver. 16, 17. "And by you to pass into
Macedonia, and to come again from Macedonia
unto you, and of you to be set forward on my
journey unto Judaea. When I therefore was
thus minded, did I show fickleness?"
Here in what follows, he directly does away
with the charge arising out of his delay and
absence. For what he says is of this nature.
"I was minded to come unto you." 'Wherefore
then did I not come? Is it as light-minded
and changeable?' for this is, "did I show
fickleness?" By no means. But wherefore?
"Because what things I purpose, I purpose
not according to the flesh." What is, "not
according to the flesh?" I purpose not
'carnally.'
Ver. 17. "That with me there should be the
yea yea and the nay nay."
But still even this is obscure. What is it
then he says? The carnal man, that is, he
that is rivetted to the present things and is
continually occupied in them, and is without the
sphere of the Spirit's influence, has power to
go every where, and to wander whithersoever he
will. But he that is the servant of the
Spirit, and is led, and led about by Him,
cannot everywhere be lord of his own purpose,
having made it dependent upon the authority
thence given; but it so fares with him as if a
trusty servant, whose motions are always ruled
by his lord's biddings and who has no power over
himself nor is able to rest even a little,
should make some promise to his
fellow-servants, and then because his master
would have it otherwise should fail to perform
his promise. This then is what he means by,
"I purpose not according to the flesh." I am
not beyond the Spirit's governance, nor have
liberty to go where I will. For I am subject
to lordship and commands, the Comforter's,
and by His decrees I am led, and led about.
For this cause I was unable to come, for it
was not the Spirit's will. As happened also
frequently in the Acts; for when he had
purposed to come to one place, the Spirit bade
him go to another. So that it was not from
lightness, that is, fickleness in me that I
came not, but that being subject to the Spirit
I obeyed Him. Didst mark again his accustomed
logic? That by which they thought to prove that
"he purposed according to the flesh," namely,
the non-fulfilment of his promise, he uses as
the special proof that he purposed according to
the Spirit, and that the contrary had been
purposing according to the flesh. What then?
saith one: was it not with the Spirit that he
promised what he did? By no means. For I
have already said that Paul did not foreknow
every thing that was to happen or was expedient.
And it is for this reason that he says in the
former Epistle, "that ye may set me forward on
my journey whithersoever I go;" (1 Cor.
xvi. 6.) entertaining this very fear that
after he had said, 'into Judaea,' he might
be compelled to go elsewhither; but now when his
intention had been frustrated, he says it,
"And of you be set forward on my journey unto
Judaea." So much as was of love, he states,
namely, the coming to them; but that which had
no reference to them, his going, namely, from
them into Judaea, he doth not add definitely.
When however he had been proved wrong, he
afterwards says here boldly, "toward
Judaea." And this too befel for good, lest
any among them should conceive of them (the
Apostles, Acts xiv. 13.) more highly than
they deserved. For if in the face of these
things they wished to sacrifice bulls to them.
upon what impiety would they not have driven,
had they not given many instances of human
weakness? And why marvel if he knew not all
things that were to happen, seeing that ofttimes
he even in prayers knoweth not what is
expedient.
"For," saith he "we know not what we should
pray for as we ought." And that he may not
seem to be speaking modestly, he not only saith
this, but instances wherein he knew not in
prayers what was expedient. Wherein then was
it? When he entreated to be delivered from his
trials, saying, "There was given to me a
thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to
buffet me. Concerning this thing I besought
the Lord thrice. And he said unto me, My
grace is sufficient for thee: for My power is
made perfect in weakness." (2 COR. XII.
7--9.) Seest thou how he knew not to ask
what was expedient, and so although he asked
often he obtained not.
Ver. 18. "But as God is faithful, our
word toward you was not yea and nay."
He skillfully overturns a rising objection.
For one might say, If after having promised,
thou hast put off coming, and yea is not yea,
and nay nay, with thee, but what thou sayest
now thou unsayest afterwards, as thou didst in
the case of this Journey: woe is unto us, if
all this were the case in the Preaching too.
Now lest they should have these thoughts and be
troubled thereat, he says, "But as God is
faithful, our word toward you was not yea and
nay." This, saith he, was not the case in
the Preaching, but only in our travels and
journeyings; whereas whatever things we have
said in our preaching, these abide steadfast and
unmoveable, (for he calleth his preaching
here, "word.") Then he bringeth proof of
this that cannot be gainsaid, by referring all
to God. What he saith is this; 'the promise
of my coming was my own and I gave that promise
from myself: but the preaching is not my own,
nor of man, but of God, and what is of God it
is impossible should lie.' Whereupon also he
said, "God is faithful," that is,
"true." 'Mistrust not then what is from
Him, for there is nought of man in it.'
And seeing he had said "word," he adds what
follows to explain what kind of word he means.
Of what kind then is it?
Ver. 19. "For the Son of God," saith
he, "Who was preached among you by us, even
by me, and Silvanus, and Timothy, was not
yea and nay."
For on this account he brings before them the
company of the teachers also, as thence too
giving credibility to the testimony by those who
taught, and not who heard it only. And yet
they were disciples; however in his modesty he
counts them as in the rank of teachers. But
what is, "was not yea and nay?" I have
never, he saith, unsaid what before I said in
the Preaching. My discourse to you was not now
this, now that. For this is not of faith, but
of an erring mind.
"But in Him was the yea." That is, just as
I said, the word abideth unshaken and
steadfast."
Ver. 20. "For how many soever be the
promises of God," in Him is the yea, and in
Him the Amen, unto the glory of God by us."
What is this, "how many soever the promises of
God?" The Preaching promised many things;
and these many things they proffered and
preached. For they discoursed of being raised
again, and of being taken up, and of in
corruption, and of those great rewards and
unspeakable goods. As to these promises then,
he saith that they abide immoveable, and in them
is no yea and nay, that is, the things spoken
were not now true, and now false, as was the
case about my being with you, but always true.
And first indeed he contends for the articles of
the faith, and the word concerning Christ,
saying, "My word" and my preaching, "was
not yea and nay;" next, for the promises "for
how many soever be the promises, of God, in
Him is the yea." But if the things He
promised are sure and He will certainly give
them, much more is He Himself and the word
concerning Him, sure, and it can not be said
that He is now, and now is not, but He
"always" is, and is the same. But what is,
"In Him is the yea, and the Amen." He
signifies that which shall certainly be. For in
Him, not in man, the promises have their being
and fulfilment. Fear not, therefore; for it
is not man so that thou shouldest mistrust; but
it is God Who both said and fulfilleth.
"Unto the glory of God through us." What
is, "unto [His] glory through us?" He
fulfilleth them by us, that is, and by His
benefits towards us unto His glory; for this is
"for the glory of God." But if they be for
the glory of God, they will certainly come to
pass. For His own glory He will not think
little of, even did He think little of our
salvation. But as it is, He thinketh not
little of our salvation either, both because He
loveth mankind exceedingly, and because our
salvation is bound up with His glory from these
things accruing. So that if the promises are
for His glory, our salvation also will
certainly follow; to which also, in the
Epistle to the Ephesians, he reverteth
continually, saying, "to the maintenance of
His glory;" (Eph. i. 14.) and every
where he layeth down this, and shows the
necessity of this result. And in this regard he
here saith, that His promises lie not: for
they not only save us, but also glorify Him.
Dwell not on this therefore that they were
promised by us; and so doubt. For they are not
fulfilled by us, but by Him. Yea, and the
promises were by Him; for we spoke not to you
our own words, but His.
Ver. 21, 22. "Now He which stablisheth
us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is
God; Who also sealed us, and gave us the
earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." Again,
from the past He stablisheth the future. For
if it is He that establisheth us in Christ;
(i.e., who suffereth us not to be shaken from
the faith which is in Christ;) and He that
anointed us and gave the Spirit in our hearts,
how shall He not give us the future things?
For if He gave the principles and the
foundations, and the root and the fount, (to
wit, the true knowledge of Him, the partaking
of the Spirit,) how shall He not give the
things that come of these: for if for the sake
of these those are given, much more will he
supply those. And if to such as were enemies he
gave these, much more when now made friends will
He "freely give" to them those. Wherefore
He said not simply "the Spirit," but named
"earnest," that from this thou mightest have a
good hope of the whole as well. For did He not
purpose to give the whole, He would never have
chosen to give "the earnest" and to waste it
without object or result. And observe Paul's
candor. For why need I say, saith he, that
the truth of the promises standeth not in us?
The fact of your standing unwavering and fixed
is not in us, but this too is of God; "for"
saith he, "He who stablisheth us is God."
It is not we who strengthen you: for even we
also need Him that stablisheth. So then let
none imagine that the Preaching is hazardous in
us. He hath undertaken the whole, He cared
for the whole.
And what is, "anointed," and "sealed?"
Gave the Spirit by Whom He did both these
things, making at once prophets and priests and
kings, for in old times these three sorts were
anointed. But we have now not one of these
dignities, but all three preeminently. For we
are both to enjoy a kingdom and are made priests
by offering our bodies for a sacrifice, (for,
saith he, "present your members a living
sacrifice unto God;) and withal we are
constituted prophets too: for what things "eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard," (1 Cor.
ii. 9.) these have been revealed unto us.
And in another way too we become kings: if we
have the mind to get dominion over our unruly
thoughts, for that such an one is a king and
more than he who weareth the diadem, I will now
make plain to you. He hath many armies, but we
again have thoughts exceeding them in number;
for it is impossible to number the infinite
multitude of the thoughts within us. Nor is
their multitude all that one is to consider, but
also that in this multitude of thoughts, there
are many generals, and colonels, and captains,
and archers, and slingers. What else makes a
king? His apparel? But this one too is
arrayed in a better and braver robe, which
neither doth moth devour nor age impair. A
crown too he hath of curious workmanship, that
of glory, that of the tender mercies of God.
For saith [the Psalmist], "Bless the
Lord, O my soul, that crowneth thee with pity
and tender mercies." (Ps. ciii. 2, 4.)
Again, that of glory: "For thou hast crowned
him with glory and honor." (Ps. viii.
6.) And" with favor Thou hast crowned us
with a shield." (Ps. v. 12. LXX.)
Again, that of grace: "For thou shalt
receive a crown of grace upon thy head."
(Prov. i. 9. LXX.) Seest thou this
diadem of many wreaths, and surpassing the other
in grace. But let us institute anew and from
the beginning a stricter inquiry into the
condition of these kings. That king hath
dominion over his guards, and issues orders to
all, and all obey and serve him; but here I
show you greater authority. For the number here
is as great or even greater: it remains to
inquire into their obedience. And bring me not
forth those that have ruled amiss, since I too
bring those that have been driven from their
kingdom and murdered by their very body guards.
Let us then bring forth these instances, but
seek for those of either kind who have ordered
well their kingdom. And do thou put forward
whom thou wilt. I oppose unto thee the
patriarch against all.
For when he was commanded to sacrifice his son,
consider how many thoughts then rose up against
him. Nevertheless, he brought all under
submission, and all trembled before him more
than before a king his guards; and with a look
only he stilled them all and not one of them
dared so much as mutter; but down they bowed and
as unto a king gave place, one and all, though
much exasperated and exceeding relentless. For
even the heads of spears raised upright by many
soldiers are not as fearful as were then those
fearful thoughts, armed not with spears, but
what is harder to deal with than many spears,
the sympathy of nature! Wherefore they had
power to pierce his soul more than sharpened
spear point. For never spear could be so sharp
as were the goads of those thoughts, which,
sharpened and upraised from beneath, from his
affections, were piercing through and through
the mind of that righteous man. For here there
needs time and purpose and a stroke and pain,
and then death follows; but there, there needed
none of these, so much were the wounds speedier
and acuter. But still though so many thoughts
were then in arms against him, there was a deep
calm, and they stood all in fair array;
adorning rather than daunting him. See him at
least stretching out the knife, and set forth as
many as thou wilt, kings, emperors, Caesars,
yet shalt thou tell of nought like this, have no
like mien to point to, so noble, so worthy of
the heavens. For that righteous man erected a
trophy at that movement over the most arbitrary
of tyrannies. For nothing is so tyrannical as
nature; and find ten thousand tyrannicides, one
like this shalt thou never show us. For it was
the, triumph in that moment of an angel, not a
man. For consider. Nature was dashed to the
ground with all her weapons, with all her host:
and he stood with outstretched hand, grasping
not a crown, but a knife more glorious than any
crown, and the throng of angels applauded, and
God from heaven proclaimed him conquerer.
For seeing that his citzenship was in heaven,
thence also he received that proclamation.
(Phil. iii. 20.) What could be more
glorious than this? rather, what trophy could
ever be equal to it? For if on occasion of a
wrestler's success, not a herald below but the
king above should have risen up and himself
proclaimed the Olympic Victor, would not this
have seemed to him more glorious than the crown,
and have turned the gaze of the whole theatre
upon him? When then no mortal king, but God
Himself, not in this theatre but in the theatre
of the universe, in the assembly of the angels,
the archangels, proclaimeth his name with
uplifted voice shouting from heaven, tell me
what place shall we assign to this holy man?
But if you will, let us listen too to the voice
itself. What then was the voice? "Abraham,
Abraham, lay not thy hand upon Isaac, neither
do thou any thing unto him. For now I know
that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy
son, thy well-beloved, for My sake."
(Gen. xxii. 11, 12.) What is this?
He that knoweth all things before they are, did
He now know! And yet even to man the
Patriarch's fear of God was evident: so many
proofs had he given that his heart was right
toward God, as when He said to him, "Get
thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred;" (Gen. xii. 1.) when for His
sake and the honor due to Him he relinquished to
his sister's son his priority; when He
delivered him out of so great perils; when He
bade him go into Egypt, and on his wife's
being taken from him, he repined not, and more
instances besides; and as I said, from these
things even man would have learned the
Patriarch's fear of God, much more than God
Who waiteth not for the acts to know the end.
And how too justified he him, if He knew not?
For it is written, "Abraham believed, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness."
(Gen. xv. 6. Rom. iv. 3.)
What then means this, "Now I know?" The
Syriac hath, "Now thou hast made known;"
that is, to men. For I knew of old, even
before all those commandments. And why, to men
even, "now?" for were not those acts enough
to prove his mind was right toward God? They
were enough indeed, but this one so much greater
than them all that they appear nothing beside
it. As exalting then this good work and showing
its superiority to all, He so spake. For of
things which exceed and surpass all that went
before, most men are wont to speak so: for
instance, if one receive from another a gift
greater than any former one, he often says,
"Now I know that such an one loves me," not
hereby meaning that he knew not in the time
past, but as intending to declare what is now
given to be greater than all. So also God,
speaking after the manner of men, saith, "Now
I know," intending only to mark the exceeding
greatness of the exploit; not that He "then"
came to know either his fear or the greatness of
it. For when He saith, "Come, let Us go
down and see," (Gen. xi. 7; xviii.
21.) He saith it not as needing to go down,
(for He both filleth all things and knoweth all
things certainly,) but to teach us not to give
sentence lightly. And when He saith, "The
Lord looked down from Heaven:" (Ps. xiv.
2.) it describeth His perfect knowledge by a
metaphor taken from men. So also here He
saith, "Now I know," to declare this to be
greater than all which had preceded it. Of this
itself too He furnisheth proof by adding,
"Because thou sparedst not thy son, thy
well-beloved, for My sake; He saith not
"thy son" only, but yet more, "thy
well-beloved." For it was not nature only,
but also parental fondness, which having both by
natural disposition and by the great goodness of
his child, he yet dared in him to spurn. And
if about worthless children parents are not
easily indifferent, but mourn even for them;
when it is his son, his only-begotten, and his
well-beloved, even Isaac, and the father
himself is on the point of immolating him; who
can describe the excessiveness of such
philosophy? This exploit outshineth thousands
of diadems and crowns innumerable. For the
wearer of that crown, both death ofttimes
assaileth and annoyeth, and before death,
assaults of circumstances without number; but
this diadem shall no one have strength to take
from him that weareth it; no not even after
death; neither of his own household, nor of
strangers. And let me point you out the
costliest stone in this diadem. For as a costly
stone, so this comes at the end and clasps it.
What then is this? the words, "for My
sake?" for not herein is the marvel, that he
spared not, but that it was "for His sake."
Oh! blessed right hand, of what a knife was it
accounted worthy? oh! wondrous knife, of what
a right hand was it accounted worthy? Oh!
wondrous knife, for what a purpose was it
prepared? to what an office did it serve? to
what a type did it minister? How was it
bloodied? how was it not bloodied? For I know
not what to say, so awful was that mystery. It
touched not the neck of the child, nor passed
through the throat of that holy one: nor was
crimsoned with the blood of the righteous;
rather it both touched, and passed through, and
was crimsoned, and was bathed in it, yet was
not bathed. Perchance I seem to you beside
myself, uttering such contradictions. For, in
truth, I am beside myself, with the thought of
the wondrous deed of that righteous man; but I
utter no contradictions. For indeed the
righteous man's hand thrust it in the throat of
the lad, but God's Hand suffered it not, so
thrust, to be stained with blood of the lad.
For it was not Abraham alone that held it
back, but God also: and he by his purpose gave
the stroke, God by His voice restrained it.
For the same voice both armed and disarmed that
right hand, which, marshalled under God, as
if under a leader, performed all things at His
beck, and all were ministered at His voice.
For observe; He said, "Slay," and
straightway it was armed: He said, "Slay
not," and straightway it was disarmed: for
every thing [before] had been fully prepared.
And now God showed the soldier and general to
the whole world; this crowned victor to the
theatre of the angels; this priest, this king,
crowned with that knife beyond a diadem, this
trophy-bearer, this champion, this conqueror
without a fight. For as if some general having
a most valiant soldier, should use his mastery
of his weapons, his bearing, his ordered
movements to dismay the adversary; so also
God, by the purpose, the attitude, the
bearing only of that righteous man, dismayed and
routed the common enemy of us all, the Devil.
For I deem that even he then shrunk away
aghast. But if any one say, 'And why did he
not suffer that right hand to be bathed, and
then forthwith raise him up after being
sacrificed?' Because God might not accept
such bloody offerings; such a table were that of
avenging demons. But here two things were
displayed, both the loving kindness of the
Master, and the faithfulness of the servant.
And before, indeed, he went out from his
country: but then he abandoned even nature.
Wherefore also he received his principal with
usury: and very reasonably. For he chose to
lose the name of father, to show himself a
faithful servant. Wherefore he became not a
father only, but also a priest; and because for
God's sake he gave up his own, therefore also
did God give him with these His own besides.
When then enemies devise mischief, He allows
it to come even to the trial, and then works
miracles; as in the case of the furnace and the
lions; (Dan. iii. and vi.)but when
Himself biddeth, readiness attained, He
stayeth His bidding. What then, I ask, was
wanting further in this noble deed? For did
Abraham foreknow what would happen? Did he
bargain for the mercy of God? For even though
he were a prophet, yet the prophet knoweth not
all things. So the actual sacrifice afterwards
was superfluous and unworthy of God. And if it
was fit he should learn that God was able to
raise from the dead, by the womb he had learnt
this much more marvellously, or rather he learnt
it even before that proof, for he had faith.
Do not then only admire this righteous man, but
also imitate him, and when thou seest him amid
so great uproar and surge of waves sailing as in
a calm, take thou in hand in like way the helm
of obedience and fortitude. For look, pray,
not only at this that he built up the altar and
the wood; but remember too the voice of the
lad, and reflect what hosts like snow storms
assaulted him to dismay him, when he heard the
lad say, "My father, where is the lamb?"
Bethink thee how many thoughts were then stirred
up armed not with iron, but with darts of
flame; and piercing into and cutting him through
on every side. If even now many, and those not
parents, are broken down, and would have wept,
did they not know the end: and many, I see,
do weep, though they know it; what must it be
thought he would feel, who begat, who nurtured
him, in old age had him, had him only, him
such an one, who sees, who hears him, and is
presently about to slay him? What intelligence
in the words! What meekness in the question!
Who then is here at work? The Devil that he
might set nature in a flame? God forbid! but
God, the more to prove the golden soul of the
righteous man. For when indeed the wife of Job
speaks, a Devil is at work. For of such sort
the advice is. But this one uttereth nothing
blasphemous, but what is both very devout and
thoughtful; and great the grace that overspread
the words, much the honey that dropped
therefrom, flowing from a calm and gentle soul.
Even a heart of stone these words were enough to
soften. But they turned not aside, nay, shook
not that adamant. Nor said he, 'Why callest
thou him father, who in a little while will not
be thy father, yea, who hath already lost that
title of honor?' And why doth the lad ask the
question? Not of impertinence merely, not of
curiosity, but as anxious about what was
proposed. For he reflected that had his father
not meant to make him a partner in what was
done, he would not have left the servants
below, and taken him only with him. For this
reason, too, surely, it is that when they were
alone, then he asks him, when none heard what
was said. So great was the judgment of the
lad. Are ye not all warmed towards him, both
men and women? Doth not each one of you
mentally infold and kiss the child, and marvel
at his judgment; and venerate the piety which,
when he was both bound and laid on the wood,
made him not be dismayed nor struggle nor accuse
his father as mad; but he was even bound and
lifted up and laid upon it, and endured all in
silence, like a lamb, yea, rather like the
common Lord of all. For of Him he both
imitated the gentleness, and kept to the type.
For "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep dumb before his shearer."
(Is. liii. 7.) And yet Isaac spake; for
his Lord spake also. How dumb then? This
meaneth, he spake nothing wilful or harsh, but
all was sweet and mild, and the words more than
the silence manifested his gentleness. For
Christ also said, "If I have spoken evil,
bear witness of the evil; but if well, why
smitest thou Me? " (John xviii. 23) and
manifested His gentleness more than if He had
help His peace.
And as this one speaketh with his father from
the altar, so too doth He from the Cross,
saying," Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do."
What then said the Patriarch? (ver. 8.)
"God will provide Himself a lamb for a
burnt-offering, my son." Either uses the
names of nature; the former, father; the
latter, son; and on either side arduous is the
war stirred up, and mighty the storm, and yet
wreck no where: for religion triumphed over
all. Then after he heard of God, he spoke no
further word nor was impertinently curious. Of
such judgment was the child even in the very
bloom of youth.
Seest thou the king, over how many armies, in
how many battles which beset him, he hath been
victorious? For the barbarians were not so
fearful to the city of Jerusalem when they
assaulted her oftentimes, as were to this man
the thoughts on every side besieging him: but
still he overcame all. Wouldest thou see the
priest also? The instance is at hand. For
when thou hast seen him with fire and a knife;
and standing over an altar, what doubtest thou
after as to his priesthood? But if thou
wouldest see the sacrifice also, lo, here a
twofold one. For he offered a son, he offered
also a ram, yea, more and above all, his own
will. And with the blood of the lamb he
consecrated his right hand, with the sacrifice
of his son, his soul. Thus was he ordained a
priest, by the blood of his only-begotten, by
the sacrifice of a lamb; for the priests also
were consecrated by the blood of the victims
which were offered to God. Wouldest thou see
the prophet also? It is written, "Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he
saw it, and was glad." (Levit. viii.
John viii. 56.)
So also art thou thyself made king and priest
and prophet in the Layer; a king, having
dashed to earth all the deeds of wickedness and
slain thy sins; a priest, in that thou offerest
thyself to God, having sacrificed thy body and
being thyself slain also, "for if we died with
Him," saith he, ''we shall also live with
Him;" (2 Tim. ii. 11.) a prophet,
knowing what shall be, and being inspired of
God, and sealed. For as upon soldiers a
seal, so is also the Spirit put upon the
faithful. And if thou desert, thou art
manifest [by it] to all. For the Jews had
circumcision for a seal, but we, the earnest of
the Spirit. Knowing then all this, and
considering our high estate, let us exhibit a
life worthy of the grace, that we may obtain
also the kingdom to come; which may we all
obtain through the grace and love towards men of
our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the
Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be
glory, power, honor, now and for ever, and
world without end. Amen.
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