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2 COR. I. 1, 4.
Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the
will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto
the Church of God, which is at Corinth, with
all the saints which are in the whole of
Achaia: grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort; Who comfort us in all our affliction,
that we may be able to comfort them that are in
any affliction through the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.
It is meet to enquire, first, why to the
former Epistle he adds a second: and what can
be his reason for thus beginning with the mercies
and consolation of God.
Why then does he add a second Epistle?
Whereas in the first he had said, "I will
come to you, and will know not the word of them
which are puffed up, but the power;" (1
Cor. iv. 19.) and again towards the end
had promised the same in milder terms, thus,
"I will come unto you when I shall have passed
through Macedonia; for I do pass through
Macedonia; and it may be that I shall abide,
or even winter with you;" (1 Cor. xvi.
5, 6.) yet now after along interval, he
came not; but was still lingering and delaying
even though the time appointed had passed away;
the Spirit detaining him in other matters of far
greater necessity than these. For this reason
he had need to write a second Epistle, which he
had not needed had he but a little out-tarried
his time.
But not for this reason only, but also because
they were amended by the former; for him that
had committed fornication whom before they
applauded and were puffed up about, they had cut
off and separated altogether. And this he shows
where he says, "But if any hath caused
sorrow, he hath caused sorrow not to me, but in
part (that I press not too heavily) to you
all. Sufficient to such a one is this
punishment which was inflicted by the many."
(2 COR. II. 5, 6.) And as he
proceeds, he alludes again to the same thing
when he says, "For behold that ye were made
sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it
wrought in you, yea, what clearing-of
yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what
fear, yea, what longing, yea, what zeal,
yea, what avenging! In every thing ye approved
yourselves to be pure in this matter." (2
Cor. vii. 11.) Moreover, the collection
which he enjoined, they gathered with much
forwardness. Wherefore also he says, "For I
know your readiness of which I glory on your
behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath
been prepared for a year past." (2 Cor.
ix. 2.) And Titus too, whom he sent, they
received with all kindness, as he shows when he
says again, "His inward affection is more
abundantly toward you, whilst he remembereth the
obedience of you all, how with fear and
trembling ye received him." (2 COR. VII.
15.) For all these reasons he writes the
second Epistle. For it was right that, as
when they were in fault he rebuked them, so upon
their amendment he should approve and commend
them. On which account the Epistle is not very
severe throughout, but only in a few parts
towards the end. For there were even amongst
them Jews who thought highly of themselves, and
accused Paul as being a boaster and worthy of no
regard; whence also that speech of theirs;
"His letters are weighty, but his bodily
presence is weak, and his speech of no
account:" (2 COR. X. 10.) meaning
thereby, when he is present he appears of no
account, (for this is the meaning of, "his
bodily presence is weak,") but when he is away
he boasts greatly in what he writes, (for such
is the signification of "his letters are
weighty.") Moreover, to enhance their own
credit these persons made a pretence of receiving
nothing, to which he also alludes where he
says, "that wherein they glory, they may be
found even as we." (2 COR. XI. 12.)
And besides, possessing also the power of
language, they were forthwith greatly elated.
Wherefore also he calls himself "rude in
speech," (2. Cor. xi. 6.) showing that
he is not ashamed thereof; nor deems the
contrary any great acquisition. Seeing then it
was likely that by these persons some would be
seduced, after commending what was right in
their conduct, and beating down their senseless
pride in the things of Judaism, in that out of
season they were contentious to observe them, he
administers a gentle rebuke on this subject
also.
Such then, to speak summarily and by the way,
appears to me the argument of this Epistle. It
remains to consider the introduction, and to say
why after his accustomed salutation he begins,
as he does, with the mercies of God. But
first, it is necessary to speak of the very
beginning, and inquire why he here associates
Timothy with himself. For, he saith, "Paul
an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of
God, and Timothy our brother." In the first
Epistle he promised he would send him; and
charged them, saying, "Now if Timothy come,
see that he be with you without fear." (1
Cor. xvi. 10.) How then is it that he
associates him here in the outset with himself?
After he had been amongst them, agreeably to
that promise of his teacher, "I have sent unto
you Timothy who shall put you in remembrance of
my ways which be in Christ," (1 Cor. iv.
17.) and had set everything in order, he had
returned back to Paul; who on sending him, had
said, "Set him forward on his journey in peace
that he may come to me, for I expect him with
the brethren." (1 Cor. xvi. 11.)
Since then Timothy was restored to his
teacher, and after having with him set in order
the things in Asia, (for, says he, "I will
tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost," 1 Cor.
xvi. 8;) had crossed again into Macedonia;
Paul not unreasonably associates him hereafter
as abiding with himself. For then he wrote from
Asia, but now from Macedonia. Moreover,
thus associating him he at once gains increased
respect for him, and displays his own exceeding
humility: for Timothy was very inferior to
himself, yet doth love bring all things
together. Whence also he everywhere makes him
equal with himself; at one time saying, "as a
child serveth a father so he served with me;"
(Phil. ii. 22.) at another, "for he
worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do;"
(1 Cor. xvi. 10.) and here, he even
calleth him, "brother;" by all making him an
object of respect to the Corinthians amongst
whom he had been, as I have said, and given
proof of his worth.
"To the Church of God which is at
Corinth." Again he calleth them "the
Church," to bring and bind them all together
in one. For it could not be one Church, while
those within her were sundered and stood apart.
"With all the saints which are in the whole of
Achaia. In thus saluting all through the
Epistle addressed to the Corinthians, he would
at once honor these, and bring together the
whole nation. But he calls them "saints,"
thereby implying that if any be an impure
person, he hath no share in this salutation.
But why, writing to the mother city, does he
address all through her, since he doth not so
everywhere? For instance, in his Epistle to
the Thessalonians he addressed not the
Macedonians also; and in like manner in that to
the Ephesians he doth not include all Asia;
neither was that to the Romans written to those
also who dwell in Italy. But in this Epistle
he doth so; and in that to the Galatians. For
there also he writeth not to one city, or two,
or three, but to all who are scattered every
where, saying, "Paul an Apostle, (not from
men neither through man, but through Jesus
Christ, and God the Father, Who raised Him
from the dead,) and all the brethren which are
with me, unto the Churches of Galatia. Grace
to you and peace." (Gal. i. 1--3.)
To the Hebrews also he writes one Epistle to
all collectively; not distinguishing them into
their several cities. What then can be the
reason of this? Because, as I think, in this
case all were involved in one common disorder,
wherefore also he addresses them in common, as
needing one common remedy. For the Galatians
were all of them infected. So too were the
Hebrews, and so I think these (Achaians)
also.
So then having brought the whole nation together
in one, and saluted them with his accustomed
greeting, for, saith he, "Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ:" (2 Cor i. 2.) hear how aptly
to the purpose in hand he begins, "Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort." (ver. 3.) Do you ask, how is
this aptly to the purpose in hand? I reply,
Very much so; for observe, they were greatly
vexed and troubled that the Apostle had not come
to them, and that, though he had promised, but
had spent the whole time in Macedonia;
preferring as it seemed others to themselves.
Setting himself then to meet this feeling
against him, he declares the cause of his
absence; not however directly stating it, as
thus; "I know, indeed, I promised to come,
but since I was hindered by afflictions forgive
me, nor judge me guilty of any sort of contempt
or neglect towards you:" but after another
manner he invests the subject at once with more
dignity and trustworthiness, and gives it
greatness by the nature of the consolation, so
that thereafter they might not so much as ask the
reason of his delay. Just as if one, having
promised to come to one he longed for, at length
arriving after dangers innumerable, should say,
",Glory to Thee, O God, for letting me
see the sight so longed for of his dear
countenance! Blessed be Thou, O God, from
what perils hast Thou delivered me!" for such
a doxology is an answer to him who was preparing
to find fault, and will not let him so much as
complain of the delay; for one that is thanking
God for deliverance from such great calamities
he cannot for shame drag to the bar, and bid
clear himself of loitering. Whence Paul thus
begins, "Blessed be the God of mercies,"
implying by the very words that he had been both
brought into and delivered from mighty perils.
For as David also doth not address God every
where in one way or with the same titles; but
when he is upon battle and victory, "I will
love Thee, he saith, O Lord my strength;
the Lord is my bucklers:" when again upon
delivery from affliction and the darkness which
overwhelmed him, "The Lord is my light and my
salvation;" (Ps. xxvii. 1.) and as the
immediate occasion suggests, he names Him now
from His loving-kindness, now from His
justice, now from His righteous
judgment:--in like way Paul also here at the
beginning describeth Him by His
loving-kindness, calling Him "the God of
mercies," that is, "Who hath showed me so
great mercies as to bring me up from the very
gates of death."
And thus to have mercy is the peculiar and
excellent attribute of God, and the most
inherent in His nature; whence he calleth Him
the "God of mercies."
And observe, I pray you, herein also the
lowly-mindedness of Paul. For though he were
in peril because of the Gospel he preached; yet
saith he not, he was saved for his merit, but
for the mercies of God. But this he afterwards
declareth more clearly, and now goes on to say,
"Who comforteth us in all affliction." (2
Cor. i. 4.) He saith not, "Who
suffereth us not to come into affliction:"
but, "Who comforteth in affliction." For
this at once declareth the power of God; and
increaseth the patience of those afflicted.
For, saith he, "tribulation worketh
patience." (Rom. v. 3.) And so also the
prophet, "
Thou hast set me at large when I was in
distress." (Ps. iv. 1.) He doth not
say, "Thou hast not suffered me to fall into
affliction," nor yet, "Thou hast quickly
removed my affliction," but, whilst it
continueth, "Thou hast set me at large:"
(Dan. iii. 21. &c.) that is, "hast
granted me much freedom and refreshment."
Which truly happened also in the case of the
three children, for neither did He prevent
their being cast into the flame, nor when so
cast, did He quench it, but while the furnace
was burning He gave them liberty. And such is
ever God's way of dealing; as Paul also
implies when he says, "Who comforteth us in
all affliction."
But he teaches something more in these words:
Do you ask what? Namely, that God doeth this
not once, nor twice, but without intermission.
For He doth not one while comfort, another
not, but ever and constantly. Wherefore he
saith, "Who comforteth," not, "Who hath
comforted," and, "in all affliction," not,
"in this or that," but, "in all."
"That we may be able to comfort them which are
in any affliction through the comfort wherewith
we ourselves are comforted of God." See you
not how he is beforehand with his defence by
suggesting to the hearer the thought of some
great affliction; and herein also is his modesty
again apparent, that he saith not for their own
merits was this mercy showed, but for the sake
of those that need their assistance; "for,"
saith he, "to this end hath He comforted us
that we might comfort one another." And hereby
also he manifesteth the excellency of the
Apostles, shewing that having been comforted
and breathed awhile, he lieth not softly down as
we, but goeth on his way to anoint, to nerve,
to rouse others. Some, however, consider this
as the Apostle's meaning. "Our consolation
is that of others also:" but my opinion is that
in this introduction, he is also censuring the
false Apostles, those vain boasters who sat at
home and lived in luxury; but this covertly
and, as it were, incidentally, the leading
object being to apologise for his delay.
"For," [he would say,] "if for this end
we were comforted that we might comfort others
also, do not blame us that we came not; for in
this was our whole time spent, in providing
against the conspiracies, the violence, the
terrors which assailed us."
"For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto
us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through
Christ." Not to depress the disciples by an
aggravated account of his sufferings; he
declareth on the other hand that great and
superabundant was the consolation also, and
lifteth up their heart not hereby alone, but
also by putting them in mind of Christ and
calling the sufferings "His," andprior to the
consolation deriveth a comfort from the very
sufferings themselves. For what joy can I have
so great as to be partaker with Christ, and for
His sake to suffer these things? What
consolation can equal this? But not from this
source only does he raise the spirits of the
afflicted, but from another also. Ask you what
other? In that he saith, "abound:" for he
doth not say, "As the sufferings of Christ"
are "in us," but as they "abound," thereby
declaring that they endure not His sufferings
only, but even more than these. For, saith
he, "not whatsoever He suffered, that have we
suffered; "but even more," for, consider,
"Christ was cast out, persecuted, scourged,
died," but we, saith he, "more than all
this," which even of itself were consolation
enough. Now let no one condemn this speech of
boldness; for be elsewhere saith, "Now I
rejoice in my sufferings, and fill up on my part
that which is lacking of the afflictions of
Christ in my flesh." (Col. i. 24.)
Yet neither here nor there is it from boldness
or any presumptousness. For as they wrought
greater miracles than He according to that
saying of His, "he that believeth on Me shall
do greater works than these," (John xiv.
12.) but all is of Him that worketh in
them; so did they suffer also more than He,
but all again is of Him that comforteth them,
and fitteth them to bear the evils that betide
them.
With which respect Paul aware how great a thing
he had said, doth again remarkably restrain it
by adding, "So our comfort also aboundeth
through Christ; "thus at once ascribing all to
Him, and proclaiming herein also His
loving-kindness; for, he saith not, "As our
affliction, such our consolation;" but "far
more;" for, he saith not, "our comfort is
equal to our sufferings," but, "our comfort
aboundeth," so that the season of struggles was
the season also of fresh crowns. For, say,
what is equal to being scourged for Christ's
sake and holding converse with God; and being
more than match for all things, and gaining the
better of those who cast us out, and being
unconquered by the whole world, and expecting
hence such good things "as eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man!" (1 Cor. ii. 9.) And
what is equal to suffering affliction for
godliness' sake, and receiving from God
consolations infinite, and being rescued from
sins so great, and counted worthy of the
Spirit, and of being sanctified and justified,
and regarding no man with fear and trembling,
and in peril itself outshining all.
Let us then not sink down when tempted. For no
self-indulger hath fellowship with Christ, nor
sleeper, nor supine [person], nor any of
these lax and dissolute livers. But Whoso is
in affliction and temptation, this man standeth
near to Him, whoso is journeying on the narrow
way. For He Himself trode this; whence too
He saith, " the Son of Man hath not where to
lay His head." So then grieve not when thou
art in affliction; considering with Whom thou
hast fellowship, and how thou art purified by
trials; and how great gain is thine. For there
is nothing miserable save the offending against
God; but this apart, neither afflictions nor
conspiracies, nor any other thing hath power to
grieve the right-minded soul: but like as a
little spark, if thou cast it into a mighty
deep, thou presently puttest it out, so doth
even a total and excessive sorrow if it light on
a good conscience easily die away and disappear.
Such then was the spring of Paul's continual
joy: because in whatever was of God he was full
of hope; and did not so much as take count of
ills so great, but though he grieved as a man
yet sank not. So too was that Patriarch
encompassed with joy in the midst of much painful
suffering; for consider, he forsook his
country, underwent journeyings long and hard;
when he came into a strange land, had "not so
much as to set his foot on." (Acts. vii.
5.) Then again a famine awaited him which
made him once more a wanderer; after the famine
again came the seizure of his wife, then the
fear of death, and childlessness, and battle,
and peril, and conspiracies, and at the last
that crowning trial, the slaying of his
only-begotten and true son, that grievous
irreparable [sacrifice.] For think not, I
pray you, that because he readily obeyed, he
felt not all the things he underwent. For
though his righteousness had been, as indeed it
was, inestimable, yet was he a man and felt as
nature bade. But yet did none of these things
cast him down, but he stood like a noble
athlete, and for each one was proclaimed and
crowned a victor. So also the blessed Paul,
though seeing trials in very snow-showers
assailing him daily, rejoiced and exulted as
though in the mid-delights of Paradise. As
then he who is gladdened with this joy cannot be
a prey to despair; so he who maketh not this his
own is easily overcome of all; and is as one
that hath unsound armor, and is wounded by even
a common stroke: but not so he who is well
encased at all points, and proof against every
shaft that cometh upon him. And truly stouter
than any armor is joy in God; and whoso hath
it, nothing can ever make his head droop or his
countenance sad, but he beareth all things
nobly. For what is worse to bear than fire?
what more painful than continual torture? truly
it is more overpowering in pain than the loss of
untold wealth, of children, of any thing;
for, saith he, "Skin for skin, yea, all
that a man hath will he give for his life."
(Job ii.4.) So nothing can be harder to
bear than bodily pain; nevertheless, because of
this joy in God, what even to hear of is
intolerable, becomes both tolerable and longed
for: and if thou take from the cross or from the
gridiron the martyr yet just breathing, thou
wilt find such a treasure of joy within him as
admits not of being told.
And doth any one say, What am I to do; for
now is no time of martyrdom? What sayest thou?
Is now no time of martyrdom? Never is it not a
time; but ever is it before our eyes; if we
will keep them open. For it is not the hanging
on a cross only that makes a Martyr, for were
this so, then was Job excluded from this
crown; for he neither stood at bar, nor heard
Judge's voice, nor looked on executioner;
no, nor while hanging on tree aloft had his
sides mangled; yet he suffered worse than many
martyrs; more sharply than any stroke did the
tale of those successive messengers strike, and
goad him on every side: and keener the gnawings
of the worms which devoured him in every part
than thousand executioners.
Against what martyr then may he not worthily be
set? Surely against ten thousand. For in
every kind [of suffering] he both wrestled and
was crowned; in goods, and children, and
person, and wife, and friends, and enemies,
and servants, (for these too even did spit in
his face,) in hunger and visions and pains and
noisomeness; it was for this I said he might
worthily be set, not against one nor two nor
three, but against ten thousand Martyrs. For
besides what I have mentioned, the time also
maketh a great addition to his crown; in that it
was before the Law, before Grace, he thus
suffered, and that, many months, and each in
its worst form; and all these evils assailed him
at once. And yet each individual evil by itself
intolerable, even that which seemeth most
tolerable, the loss of his goods. For many
have patiently borne stripes, but could not bear
the loss of their goods; but rather than
relinquish any part of them were content even to
be scourged for their sake and suffer countless
ills; and this blow, the loss of goods,
appeared to them heavier than all. So then here
is another method of martyrdom for one who bears
this loss nobly. And doth any ask, How shall
we bear it nobly? When thou hast learned that
by one word of thanksgiving thou shall gain more
than all thou hast lost. For if at the tidings
of our loss we be not troubled, but say,
"Blessed be God," we have found far more
abundant riches. For truly such great fruit
thou shalt not reap by expending all thy wealth
on the needy, by going about and seeking out the
poor, and scattering thy substance to the
hungry, as thou shalt gain by the same word.
And so neither Job do I admire so much in
setting wide his house to the needy, as I am
struck with and extol his taking the spoiling of
his substance thankfully. The same in the loss
of children it happeneth to see. For herein,
also, reward no less than his who offered his
son and presented him in sacrifice shall thou
receive, if as thou seest thine die thou shall
thank the God of love. For how shalt such an
one be less than Abraham? He saw not his son
stretched out a corpse, but only looked to do
so. So if he gain in the comparison by his
purpose to slay and his stretching forth his hand
to take the knife, (Gen. xxii. 10.) yet
doth he lose in that the child is lying dead
here. And besides, he had some comfort in the
prospect of a good work done, and the thought
that this so excellent achievement was the work
of his own fortitude, and that the voice he
heard came from above made him the readier. But
here is no such thing. So that he had need have
a soul of adamant, who can bear with calmness to
see a child, his only one, brought up in
affluence, in the dawn of fair promise, lying
upon the bier an outstretched corpse. And
should such an one, hushing to rest the heavings
of nature, be strengthened to say the words of
Job without a tear, "The Lord gave, the
Lord hath taken away;" (Job. i. 21.)
for those words' sake alone, he shall stand
with Abraham himself and with Job be proclaimed
a victor. And if, staying the wailings of the
women and breaking up the bands of mourners, he
shall rouse them all to sing glory [to God],
he shall receive above, below, rewards
unnumbered; men admiring, angels applauding,
God crowning him.
And sayest thou, How is it possible for one
that is man not to mourn? I reply, If thou
wilt reflect how neither the Patriarch nor
Job, who both were men, gave way to any thing
of the kind; and this too in either case before
the Law, and Grace, and the excellent wisdom
of the laws [we have]: if thou wilt account
that the deceased has removed into a better
country, and bounded away to a happier
inheritance, and that thou hast not lost thy son
but bestowed him henceforward in an inviolable
spot. Say not then, I pray; thee, I am no
longer called "father," for why an thou no
longer called so, when thy son abideth?
For surely thou didst not part with thy child
nor lose thy son? Rather thou hast gotten him,
and hast him in greater safety. Wherefore, no
longer shalt thou be called "father" here
only, but also in heaven; so that thou hast not
lost the title "father," but hast gained it in
a nobler sense; for henceforth thou shalt be
called father not of a mortal child, but of an
immoral; of a noble soldier; on duty
continually within [the palace]. For think
not because he is not present that therefore he
is lost; for had he been absent in a foreign
land, the title of thy relationship had not gone
from thee with his body. Do not then gaze on
the countenance of what lieth there, for so thou
dost but kindle afresh thy grief; but away with
thy thought from him that lieth there, up to
heaven. That is not thy child which is lying
there, but he who hath flown away and sprung
aloft into boundless height. When then thou
seest the eyes closed, the lips locked
together, the body motionless, Oh be not these
thy thoughts, "These lips no longer speak,
these eyes no longer see, these feet no longer
walk, but are all on their way to corruption!"
Oh say not so: but say the reverse of this,
"These lips shall speak better, and the eyes
see greater things, and the feet shall mount
upon the clouds; and this body which now rotteth
away shall put on immortality, and I shall
receive my son back more glorious. But if what
thou seest distress thee, say to thyself the
while, This is [only] clothing and he has put
it off to receive it back more precious; this is
an house and it is taken down to be restored in
greater splendor. For like as we, when
purposing to take houses down, allow not the
inmates to stay, that they may escape the dust
and noise; but causing them to remove a little
while, when we have built up the tenement
securely, admit them freely; so also doth
God; Who taking down this His decaying
tabernacle hath received him the while into His
paternal dwelling and unto Himself, that when
it hath been taken down and built anew He may
then return it to him more glorious.
Say not then, "He is perished and shall no
more be;" for these be the words of
unbelievers; but say, "He sleepeth and will
rise again," "He is gone a journey and will
return with the King." Who sayeth tiffs? He
that hath Christ speaking in him. "For,"
saith he, "if we believe that Jesus died and
rose again" and revived, "even so them also
which Sleep in Jesus will God bring with
Him." (1 Thess. iv. 14.) If then
thou seek thy son, there seek him where the
King is, where is the army of the Angels; not
in the grave; not in the earth; lest whilst he
is so highly exalted, thyself remain grovelling
on the ground.
If we have this true wisdom, we shall easily
repel all this kind of distress; and "the God
of mercies and Father of all comfort" comfort
all our hearts, both those who are oppressed
with such grief and those held down with any
other Sorrow; and grant us deliverance from all
despair and increase of spiritual joy; and to
obtain the good things to come; whereunto may
all we attain, through the grace and
loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ,
with Whom unto the Father, together with the
Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now
and ever, and world without end. Amen.
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