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2 COR. II. 12, 13.
Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of
Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in
the Lord, I had no relief for my spirit,
because I found not Titus my brother.
THESE words seem on the one hand to be
unworthy of Paul, if because of a brother's
absence he threw away so great an opportunity of
saving; and on the other, to hang apart from
the context. What then? Will ye that we
should first prove that they hang upon the
context, or, that he hath said nothing unworthy
of himself? As I think, the second, for so
the other point also will be easier and clearer.
How then do these (words) hang upon those
before them? Let us recall to mind what those
were, and so we shall perceive this. What then
were those before? What he said at the
beginning. "I would not have you," saith
he, "ignorant concerning our affliction which
befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down
exceedingly, beyond our power." (2 Cor.
i. 8.) Now having shown the manner of his
deliverance, and inserted the intermediate
matter, he is of necessity led to teach them
again that in yet another way he had been
afflicted. How, and in what way? In not
finding Titus. (vii. 6; viii. 6, 16,
22, 23, xii. 18.) Fearful indeed,
and enough to prostrate the soul, is it even to
endure trials; but when there is none to comfort
and that can help to bear the burden, the
tempest becometh greater. Now Titus is he,
whom further on he speaks of as having come to
him from them, and of whom he runs through many
and great praises, and whom he said he had
sent. With the view then of showing that in
this point also he had been afflicted for their
sakes, he said these things.
That the words then in question hang on what
went before is from all this plain. And I will
attempt to prove also that they are not unworthy
of Paul. For He doth not say that the absence
of Titus impeded the salvation of those who were
about to come over, nor yet that he neglected
those that believed on this account, but that he
had no relief, that is, 'I was afflicted, I
was distressed for the absence of my brother;
'showing how great a matter a brother's absence
is; and therefore he departed thence. But what
means, "when I came to Troas, for the
Gospel?" he saith not simply 'I arrived,"
but 'so as to preach.' But still, though I
had both come for that and found very much to
do, (for "a door was opened unto me in the
Lord,") I had, saith he, "no relief,"
not that for this he impeded the work. How then
saith he, Ver. 13. "Taking my leave of
them, I went from thence?"
That is, 'I spent no longer time, being
straitened and distressed.' And perhaps the
work was even impeded by his absence. And this
was no light consolation to them too. For if
when a door was opened there, and for this
purpose he had come; yet because he found not
the brother, he quickly started away; much
more, he saith, ought ye to make allowance for
the compulsion of those affairs which lead us and
lead us about everywhere, and suffer us not
according as we desire either to journey, or to
tarry longer amongst those with whom we may wish
to remain. Whence also he proceeds in this
place again to refer his journeyings to God, as
he did above to the Spirit, saying, Ver.
14. "But thanks be to God, which always
causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh
manifest through us the savor of His knowledge
in every place."
For that he may not seem as though in sorrow to
be lamenting these things, he sendeth up thanks
to God. Now what he saith is this: 'Every
where is trouble, every where straitness. I
came into Asia, I was burdened beyond
strength. I came to Troas, I found not the
brother. I came not to you; this too bred in
me no slight, yea rather, exceeding great
dejection, both because many among you had
sinned, and because on this account I see you
not. For, "To spare you," he saith, "I
came not as yet unto Corinth." That then he
may not seem to be complaining in so speaking,
he adds, 'We not only do not grieve in these
afflictions, but we even rejoice; and, what is
still greater, not for the sake of the rewards
to come only, but those too even which are
present.
For even here we are by these things made
glorious and conspicuous. So far then are we
from lamenting, that we even call the thing a
triumph; and glory in what happeneth.' For
which cause also he said, "Now thanks be unto
God, Which always causeth us to triumph,"
that is, 'Who maketh us renowned unto all.
For what seemeth to be matter of disgrace,
being persecuted from every quarter, this
appeareth to us to be matter of very great
honor.'
Wherefore he said not, "Which maketh us seen
of all," but, "Which causeth us to
triumph:" showing that these persecutions set
up a series of trophies against the devil in
every part of the world. Then having mentioned
along with the author, the subject also of the
triumph, he thereby also raiseth up the hearer.
'For not only are we made to triumph by God,
but also "in Christ;'" that is, on account
of Christ and the Gospel. 'For seeing it
behooveth to triumph, all need is that we also
who carry the trophy are seen of all, because we
bear Him. For this reason we become observed
and conspicuous.'
Ver. 14. "And which maketh manifest
through us the savor of His knowledge in every
place."
He said above, "Which always causeth us to
triumph." Here he saith "in every place,"
showing that every place and every time is full
of the Apostles' labors. And he uses yet
another metaphor, that of the sweet savor. For
'like as those who bear ointment, so are we,'
saith he, 'manifest to all'; calling the
knowledge a very precious ointment. Moreover,
he said not, 'the knowledge;' but "the savor
of the knowledge;" for such is the nature of
the present knowledge, not very clear nor
uncovered. Whence also he said in the former
Epistle, "For now we see in a mirror
darkly." (1 Cor. xiii. 12.) And here
he calls that which is such a "savor." Now he
that perceiveth the savor knoweth that there is
ointment lying somewhere; but of what nature it
is he knows not yet, unless he happens before to
have seen it. 'So also we. That God is, we
know, but what in substance we know not yet.
We are then, as it were, a Royal censer,
breathing whithersoever we go of the heavenly
ointment and the spiritual sweet savor.' Now
he said this, at once both to set forth the
power of the Preaching, in that by the very
designs formed against them, they shine more
than those who prosecute 'them and who cause the
whole world to know both their trophies and their
sweet savor: and to exhort them in regard to
their afflictions and trials to bear all nobly,
seeing that even before the Recompense they reap
this glory inexpressible.
Ver. 15. " For we are a sweet savor of
Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in
them that perish."
Whether, saith he, one be saved or be lost,
the Gospel continues to have its proper virtue:
and as the light, although it blindeth the
weakly, is still light, though causing
blindness; and as honey, though it be bitter to
those who are diseased, is in its nature sweet;
so also is the Gospel of sweet savor, even
though some should be lost who believe it not.
For not It, but their own perverseness,
worketh the perdition. And by this most of all
is its sweet savor manifested, by which the
corrupt and vicious perish; so that not only by
the salvation of the good, but also by the
perdition of the wicked is its excellence
declared. Since both the sun, for this reason
most especially that he is exceeding bright,
doth wound the eyes of the weak: and the
Saviour is "for the fall and rising again of
many," (Luke ii. 34. ) but still He
continueth to be a Saviour, though ten thousand
fall; and His coming brought a sorer punishment
upon them that believe not, but still it
continueth to be full: of healing. Whence also
he saith, "We are unto God a sweet savor;"
that is, 'even though some be lost we continue
to be that which we are.' Moreover he said not
simply "a sweet savor," but "unto God."
And when we are a sweet savor unto God, and
He decreeth these things, who shall henceforth
gainsay?
The expression also, "sweet savor of
Christ," appears to me to admit of a double
interpretation: for he means either that in
dying they offered themselves a sacrifice: or
that they were a sweet savor of the death of
Christ, as if one should say, this incense is
a sweet savor of this victim.
The expression then, sweet savor, either
signifieth this, or, as I first said, that
they are daily sacrificed for Christ's sake.
Seest thou to what a height he hath advanced the
trials, terming them a triumph and a sweet savor
and a sacrifice offered unto God. Then,
whereas he said, "we are a sweet savor, even
in them that perish," lest thou shouldest think
that these too are acceptable, he added, Ver.
16. "To the one a savor from death unto
death, to the other a savor from life unto
life."
For this sweet savor some so receive that they
are saved, others so that they perish. So that
should any one be lost, the fault is from
hismelf: for both ointment is said to suffoctae
swine, and light (as I before observed,)to
blind the weak. And such is the nature of good
things; they not only correct what is akin to
them, but also destroy the opposite: and in
this way is their power most displayed. For so
both fire, not only when it giveth light and
when it purifieth gold, but even when it
consumeth thorns, doth very greatly display its
proper power, and so show itself to be fire:
and Christ too herein also doth discover His
own majesty when He "shall consume"
Antichrist "with the breath of His mouth, and
bring him to nought with the manifestation of
His coming." (2 Thess. ii. 8. )
"And who is sufficient for these things?"
Seeing he had uttered great things, that 'we
are a sacrifice of Christ and a sweet savor,
and are every where made to triumph,' he again
useth moderation, referring all to God.
Whence also he saith, "and who is sufficient
for these things?" 'for all,' saith he,
'is Christ's, nothing our own.' Seest thou
how opposite his language to the false
Apostles'? For they indeed glory, as
contributing somewhat from themselves unto the
message: he, on the contrary, saith, he
therefore glorieth, because he saith that
nothing is his own. "For our glorying is
this, the testimony of our conscience, that not
in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we
behaved ourselves in the world." And that
which they considered it a glory to acquire, I
mean the wisdom from without, he makes it his to
take away. Whence also he here saith, "And
who is sufficient for these things?" But if
none are sufficient, that which is done is of
grace.
Ver. 17. "For we are not as the rest,
which corrupt the word of God."
'For even if we use great sounding words, yet
we declared nothing to be our own that we
achieved, but all Christ's. For we will not
imitate the false apostles; the men who say that
most is of themselves.' For this is "to
corrupt," when one adulterates the wine; when
one sells for money what he ought to give
freely. For he seems to me to be here both
taunting them in respect to money, and again
hinting at the very thing I have said, as that
they mingle their own things with God's; which
is the charge Isaiah brings when he said,
"Thy vintners mingle wine with water:"
(Is. i. 22, LXX.) for even if this
was said of wine, yet one would not err in
expounding it of doctrine too. 'But we,'
saith he, 'do not so: but such as we have been
entrusted with, such do we offer you, pouring
out the word undiluted.' Whence he added,
"But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the
sight of God speak we in Christ."
'We do not,' saith he 'beguile you and so
preach, as conferring a gift on you, or as
bringing in and mingling somewhat from
ourselves, "but as of God;" that is, we do
not say that we confer any thing of our own, but
that God hath given all.' For "of God"
means this; To glory in nothing as if we had it
of our own, but to refer every thing to Him.
"Speak we in Christ."
Not by our own wisdom, but instructed by the
power that cometh from Him. Those who glory
speak not in this way, but as bringing in
something from themselves. Whence he elsewhere
also turns them into ridicule, saying, "For
what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but
if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as
if thou hadst not received it." (1 Cor.
iv. 7.) This is the highest virtue, to
refer every thing to God, to consider nothing
to be our own, to do nothing out of regard to
men's opinion, but to what God willeth. For
He it is that requireth the account. Now
however this order is reversed: and of Him that
shall sit upon the tribunal and require the
account, we have no exceeding fear, yet tremble
at those who stand and are judged with us.
Whence then is this disease? Whence hath it
broken out in our souls? From not meditating
continually on the things of that world, but
being rivetted to present things. Hence we both
easily fall into wicked doings, and even if we
do any good thing we do it for display, so that
thence also loss cometh to us. For instance,
one has looked on a person often with unbridled
eyes, unseen of her or of those who walk with
her, yet of the Eye that never sleeps was not
unseen. For even before the commission of the
sin, It saw the unbridled soul, and that
madness within, and the thoughts that were
whirled about in storm and surge; for no need
hath He of witnesses and proofs Who knoweth all
things. Look not then to thy fellow-servants:
for though man praise, it availeth not if God
accept not; and though man condemn, it harmeth
not if God do not condemn. Oh! provoke not so
thy Judge; of thy fellow-servants making great
account, yet when Himself is angry, not in
fear and trembling at Him. Let us then despise
the praise that cometh of men. How long shall
we be low-minded and grovelling? How long,
when God lifteth us to heaven, take we pains to
be trailed along the ground? The brethren of
Joseph, had they had the fear of God before
their eyes, as men ought to have, would not
have taken their brother in a lonely place and
killed him. (Gen. xxxvii.) Cain again,
had he feared that sentence as he should have
feared, would not have said, "Come, and let
us go into the field:" (Gen. iv. 8,
LXX.) for to what end, O miserable and
wretched! dost thou take him apart from him that
begat him, and leadest him out into a lonely
place? For doth not God see the daring deed
even in the field? Hath thou not been taught by
what befel thy father that He knoweth all
things, and is present at all things that are
done? And why, when he denied, said not God
this unto him: 'Hidest thou from Me Who am
present every where, and know the things that
are secret?' Because as yet he knew not aright
to comprehend these high truths. But what saith
he? "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth
unto Me." Not as though blood had a voice;
but like as we say when things are plain and
clear, "the matter speaketh for itself."
Wherefore surely it behoveth to have before our
eyes the sentence of God, and all terrors are
extinguished. So too in prayers we can keep
awake, if we bear in mind with whom we are
conversing, if we reflect that we are offering
sacrifice and have in our hands a knife and fire
and wood; if in thought we throw wide the gates
of heaven, if we transport ourselves thither and
taking the sword of the Spirit infix it in the
throat of the victim: make watchfulness the
sacrifice and tears the libation to Him. For
such is the blood of this victim. Such the
slaughter that crimsons that altar. Suffer not
then aught of worldly thoughts to occupy thy soul
then. Bethink thee that Abraham also, when
offering sacrifice, suffered nor wife nor
servant nor any other to be present. Neither
then do thou suffer any of the slavish and
ignoble passions to be present unto thee, but go
up alone into the mountain where he went up,
where no second person is permitted to go up.
And should any such thoughts attempt to go up
with thee, command them with authority, and
say, "Sit ye there, and land the lad will
worship and return to you;" (Gen. xxii.
5. LXX.) and leaving the ass and the
servants below, and whatever is void of reason
and sense, go up, taking with thee whatever is
reasonable, as he took Isaac. And build thine
altar so as he, as having nothing human, but
having outstepped nature. For he too, had he
not outstepped nature, would not have slain his
child. And let nothing disturb thee then, but
be lift up above the very heavens. Groan
bitterly, sacrifice confession, (for, saith
he, "Declare thou first thy transgressions
that thou mayest be justified," Is. xliii.
26. LXX.), sacrifice contrition of
heart. These victims turn not to ashes nor
dissolve into smoke nor melt into air; neither
need they wood and fire, but only a
deep-pricked heart. This is wood, this is
fire to burn, yet not consume them. For he
that prayeth with warmth is burnt, yet not
consumed; but like gold that is tried by fire
becometh brighter.
And withal observe heedfully one thing more, in
praying to say none of those things that provoke
thy Master; neither draw near [to pray]
against enemies. For if to have enemies be a
reproach, consider how great the evil to pray
against them. For need is that thou defend
thyself and show why thou hast enemies: but thou
even accusest them. And what forgiveness shalt
thou obtain, when thou both revilest, and at
such a time when thyself needest much mercy,
For thou drewest near to supplicate for thine
own sins: make not mention then of those of
others, lest thou recall the memory of thine
own. For if thou say, 'Smite mine enemy,'
thou hast stopped thy mouth, thou hast cut off
boldness from thy tongue; first, indeed,
because thou hast angered the Judge at once in
beginning; next, because thou asketh things at
variance with the character of thy prayer. For
if thou comest near for forgiveness of sins, how
discoursest thou of punishment? The contrary
surely was there need to do, and to pray for
them in order that we may with boldness beseech
this for ourselves also. But now thou hast
forestalled the Judge's sentence by thine own,
demanding that He punish them that sin: for
this depriveth of all pardon.
But if thou pray for them, even if thou say
nothing in thine own sins' behalf, thou hast
achieved all. Consider how many sacrifices
there are in the law; a sacrifice of praise, a
sacrifice of acknowledgment, a sacrifice of
peace, a sacrifice of purifications, and
numberless others, and not one of them against
enemies, but all in behalf of either one's own
sins or one's own successes. For comest thou
to another God? To him thou comest that said,
"Pray for your enemies." (Luke vi. 27,
35. Rom. xii. 14.) How then dost thou
cry against them? How dost thou beseech God to
break his own law? This is not the guise of a
suppliant. None supplicates the destruction of
another, but the safety of himself. Why then
wearest thou the guise of a suppliant, but hast
the words of an accuser? Yet when we pray for
ourselves, we scratch ourselves and yawn, and
fall into ten thousand thoughts; but when
against our enemies, we do so wakefully. For
since the devil knows that we are thrusting the
sword against ourselves, he doth not distract
nor call us off then, that he may work us the
greater harm. But, saith one, 'I have been
wronged and am afflicted.'
Why not then pray against the devil, who
injureth us most of all. This thou hast also
been commanded to say, "Deliver us from the
evil one." He is thy irreconcileable foe, but
man, do whatsoever he will, is a friend and
brother.
With him then let us all be angry; against him
let us beseech God, saying, "Bruise Satan
under our feet;" (Rom. xvi. 20.) for he
it is that breedeth also the enemies [we
have]. But if thou pray against enemies, thou
prayest so as he would have thee pray, just as
if for thine enemies, then against him. Why
then letting him go who is thine enemy indeed,
dost thou tear thine own members, more cruel in
this than wild beasts. 'But,' saith one,
'he insulted me and robbed me of money;' and
which hath need to grieve, he that suffered
injury, or he that inflicted injury? Plainly
he that inflicted injury, since whilst he gained
money he cast himself out of the favor of God,
and lost more than he gained: so that he is the
injured party. Surely then need is not that one
pray against, but for him, that God would be
merciful to him. See how many things the three
children suffered, though they had done no
harm. They lost country, liberty, were taken
captive and made slaves; and when carried away
into a foreign and barbarous land, were even on
the point of being slain on account of the
dream, without cause or object. (Dan. ii.
13.) What then? When they had entered in
with Daniel, what prayed they? What said
they? Dash down Nabuchodonosor, pull down his
diadem, hurl him from the throne? Nothing of
this sort; but they desired "mercies of
God." (Dan. ii. 18. LXX.) And
when they were in the furnace, likewise. But
not so ye: but when ye suffer far less than
they, and oftentimes justly, ye cease not to
vent ten thousand imprecations. And one saith,
'Strike down my enemy as Thou overwhelmedst
the chariot of Pharaoh;' another, 'Blast
his flesh;' another again, 'Requite it on
his children.' Recognize ye not these words?
Whence then is this your laughter? Seest thou
how laughable this is, when it is uttered
without passion. And so all sin then
discovereth how vile it is, when thou strippest
it of the state of mind of the perpetrator.
Shouldest thou remind one who has been angered
of the words which he said in his passion, he
will sink for shame and scorn himself and wish he
had suffered a thousand punishments rather than
those words to be his. And shouldest thou,
when the embrace is over, bring the unchaste to
the woman he sinned with, he too will turn away
from her as disgusting. And so do ye, because
ye are not under the influence of the passion,
laugh now.
For worthy to be laughed at are they, and the
words of drunken old gossips; and springing from
a womanish littleness of soul. And yet
Joseph, though he had been sold and made a
slave, and had tenanted a prison, uttered not
even then a bitter word against the authors of
his sorrows. But what saith he? "Indeed I
was stolen away out of the land of the
Hebrews;" (Gen. xl. 15.) and addeth
not by whom. For he feels more ashamed for the
wickedness of his brethren, than they who
wrought them. Such too ought to be our
disposition, to grieve for them who wrong us
more than they themselves do. For the hurt
passeth on to them. As then they who kick
against nails, yet are proud of it, are fit
objects of pity and lamentation on account of
this madness; so they who wrong those that do
them no evil, inasmuch as they wound their own
souls, are fit objects for many moans and
lamentations, not for curses. For nothing is
more polluted than a soul that curseth, or more
impure than a tongue that offereth such
sacrifices. Thou art a man; vomit not forth
the poison of asps. Thou art a man; become not
a wild beast. For this was thy mouth made, not
that thou shouldest bite but that thou shouldest
heal the wounds of others. 'Remember the
charge I have given thee,' saith God, 'to
pardon and forgive. But thou beseechest Me
also to be a party to the overthrow of my own
commandments, and devourest thy brother, and
reddenest thy tongue, as madmen do their teeth
on their own members.' How, thinkest thou,
the devil is pleased and laughs, when he hears
such a prayer? and how, God is provoked, and
turneth from and abhorreth thee, when thou
beseechest things like these? Than which, what
can be more dangerous? For if none should
approach the mysteries that hath enemies: how
must not he, that not only hath, but also
prayeth against them, be excluded even from the
outer courts themselves? Thinking then on these
things, and considering the Subject of the
Sacrifice, that He was sacrificed for
enemies; let us not have an enemy: and if we
have, let us pray for him; that we too having
obtained forgiveness of the sins we have
committed, may stand with boldness at the
tribunal of Christ; to whom be glory for ever.
Amen.
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