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2 COR. V. 11.
Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we
persuade men but we are made manifest unto God;
and I hope that we are made manifest also in
your consciences.
KNOWING therefore, he says, these
things, that terrible seat of judgment, we do
every thing so as not to give you a handle nor
offence, nor any false suspicion of evil
practice against us. Seest thou the strictness
of life, and zeal of a watchful soul? 'For we
are not only open to accusatation,' he saith'
'if we commit any evil deed; but even if we do
not commit, yet are suspected, and having it in
our power to repel the suspicion, brave it, we
are punished.'
Ver. 12. "We are not again commending
ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you
occasion of glorying in our behalf."
See how he is continually obviating the
suspicion of appearing to praise himself. For
nothing is so offensive to the hearers as for any
one to say great and marvellous things about
himself. Since then he was compelled in what he
said to fall upon that subject, he uses a
corrective, saying, 'we do this for your
sakes, not for ours, that ye may have somewhat
to glory of, not that we may.' And not even
this absolutely, but because of the false
Apostles.
Wherefore also he added, "To answer them that
glory in appearance, and not in heart." Seest
thou how he hath detached them from them, and
drawn them to himself; having shown that even
the Corinthians themselves are longing to get
hold of some occasion, whereby they may have it
in their power to speak on their behalf and to
defend them unto their accusers. For, says
he, 'we say these things not that we may
boast, but that ye may have wherein to speak
freely on our behalf;' which is the language of
one testifying to their great love: 'and not
that ye may boast merely: but that ye may not be
drawn aside.' But this he does not say
explicitly, but manages his words otherwise and
in a gentler form, and without dealing them a
blow, saying, "That ye may have somewhat to
glory towards those which glory in appearance."
But neither this does he bid them do
absolutely, when no cause exists, but when they
extol themselves; for in all things he looks out
for the fitting occasion. He does not then do
this in order to show himself to be illustrious,
but to stop those men who were using the thing
improperly and to the injury of these. But what
is "in appearance?" In what is seen, in what
is for display. For of such sort were they,
doing every thing out of a love of honor, whilst
they were both empty inwardly and wore indeed an
appearance of piety and of venerable seeming,
but of good works were destitute.
Ver. 13. "For whether we are beside
ourselves, it is to God; or whether we are of
sober mind, it is unto you."
And if, saith he, we have uttered any great
thing, (for this is what he here calls being
beside himself, as therefore in other places
also he calls it folly;--2 COR. XI. 1,
17, 21.) for God's sake we do this,
lest ye thinking us to be worthless should
despise us and perish; or if again any modest
and lowly thing, it is for your sakes that ye
may learn to be lowly-minded. Or else,
again, he means this. If any one thinks us to
be mad, we seek for our reward from God, for
Whose sake we are of this suspected; but if he
thinks us sober, let him reap the advantage of
our soberness. And again, in another way.
Does any one say we are mad? For God's sake
are we in such sort mad. Wherefore also he
subjoins; Ver. 14. "For the love of God
constraineth us, because we thus judge."
'For not the fear of things to come only,' he
saith, 'but also those which have already
happened allow us not to be slothful nor to
slumber; but stir us up and impel us to these
our labors on your behalf.' And what are those
things which have already happened?
"That if one died for all, then all died."
'Surely then it was because all were lost,'
saith he. For except all were dead, He had
not died for all. For here the opportunities of
salvation exist; but there are found no longer.
Therefore, he says, "The love of God
constraineth us," and allows us not to be at
rest. For it cometh of extreme wretchedness and
is worse than hell itself, that when He hath
set forth an act so mighty, any should be found
after so great an instance of His provident care
reaping no benefit. For great was the excess of
that love, both to die for a world of such
extent, and dying for it when in such a state.
Ver. 15. "That they which live should no
longer live unto themselves, but unto Him who
for their sakes died and rose again."
If therefore we ought not to live unto
ourselves, 'be not troubled,' says he, 'nor
be confounded when dangers and deaths assail
you.' And he assigns besides an indubitable
argument by which he shows that the thing is a
debt. For if through Him we live who were
dead; to Him we ought to live through Whom we
live. And what is said appears indeed to be one
thing, but if any one accurately examine it, it
is two: one that we live by Him, another that
He died for us: either of which even by itself
is enough to make us liable; but when even both
are united consider how great the debt is.
Yea, rather, there are three things here.
For the First-fruits also for thy sake He
raised up, and led up to heaven: wherefore also
he added, "Who for our sakes died and rose
again."
Ver. 16. "Wherefore we henceforth know no
man after the flesh."
For if all died and all rose again; and in such
sort died as the tyranny of sin condemned them;
but rose again "through the laver of
regeneration and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost;" (Titus iii. 5.) he saith with
reason, "we know none" of the faithful "after
the flesh." For what if even they be in the
flesh? Yet is that fleshly life destroyed, and
we are born again by the Spirit, and have
learnt another deportment and rule and life and
condition, that, namely, in the heavens. And
again of this itself he shows Christ to be the
Author. Wherefore also he added, "Even
though we have known Christ after the flesh,
yet now we know Him so no more."
What then? tell me. Did He put away the
flesh, and is He now not with that body? Away
with the thought, for He is even now clothed in
flesh; for "this Jesus Who is taken up from
you into Heaven shall so come. So? How? In
flesh, with His body. How then doth he say,
"Even though we have known Christ after the
flesh, yet now henceforth no more?" (Acts
i. 11.) For in us indeed "after the
flesh" is being in sins, and "not after the
flesh" not being in sins; but in Christ,
"after the flesh" is His being subject to the
affections of nature, such as to thirst, to
hunger, to weariness, to sleep. For "He did
no sin, neither was guile found in His
mouth." (1 Pet. ii. 22.) Wherefore
He also said, "Which of you convicteth Me of
sin?" (John viii. 46.) and again,
"The prince of this world cometh, and he hath
nothing in Me." (ib. xiv. 30.) And
"not after the flesh" is being thenceforward
freed even from these things, not the being
without flesh. For with this also He cometh to
judge the world, His being impassible and
pure. Whereunto we also shall advance when
"our body" hath been "fashioned like unto His
glorious body." (Phil. iii. 21,)
Ver. 17. "Wherefore if any man is in
Christ, he is a new creature."
For seeing he had exhorted unto virtue from His
love, he now leads them on to this from what has
been actually done for them; wherefore also he
added, "If any man is in Christ," he is "a
new creature." "If any," saith he, "have
believed in Him, he has come to another
creation, for he hath been born again by the
Spirit." So that for this cause also, he
says, we ought to live unto Him, not because
we are not our own only, nor because He died
for us only, nor because He raised up our
First-fruits only, but because we have also
come unto another life. See how many just
grounds he urges for a life of virtue. For on
this account he also calls the reformation by a
grosser name, in order to show the transition
and the change to be great. Then following out
farther what he had said, and showing how it is
"a new creation," he adds, "The old things
are passed away, behold, all things are become
new."
What old things? He means either sins and
impieties, or else all the Judaical
observances. Yea rather, he means both the one
and the other. "Behold, all things are become
new."
Ver. 18. "But all things are of God."
Nothing of ourselves. For remission of sins
and adoption and unspeakable glory are given to
us by Him. For he exhorts them no longer from
the things to come only, but even from those now
present. For consider. He said, that we
shall be raised again, and go on unto
incorruption, and have an eternal house; but
since present things have more force to persuade
than things to come, with those who believe not
in these as they ought to believe, he shows how
great things they have even already received,
and being themselves what. What then being,
received they them? Dead all; (for he saith,
"all died;" and, "He died for all;" so
loved He all alike;) inveterate all, and
grown old in their vices. But behold, both a
new soul, (for it was cleansed,) and a new
body, and a new worship, and promises new, and
covenant, and life, and table, and dress, and
all things new absolutely. For instead of the
Jerusalem below we have received that mother
city which is above (Gal. iv. 26); and
instead of a material temple have seen a
spiritual temple; instead of tables of stone,
fleshy ones; instead of circumcision, baptism;
instead of the manna, the Lord's body;
instead of water from a rock, blood from His
side; instead of Moses' or Aaron's rod, the
Cross; instead of the promised [land], the
kingdom of heaven; instead of a thousand
priests, One High Priest; instead of a lamb
without reason, a Spiritual Lamb. With these
and such like things in his thought he said,
"all things are new." But "all" these
"things are of God," by Christ, and His
free gift. Wherefore also he added, "Who
reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and
gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation."
For from Him are all the good things. For He
that made us friends is Himself also the cause
of the other things which God hath given to His
friends. For He rendered not these things unto
us, allowing us to continue enemies, but having
made us friends unto Himself. But when I say
that Christ is the cause of our reconciliation,
I say the Father is so also: when I say that
the Father gave, I say the Son gave also.
"For all things were made by Him;" (John
i. 3.) and of this too He is the Author.
For we ran not unto Him, but He Himself
called us. How called He us? By the
sacrifice of Christ.
"And gave unto us the ministry of
reconciliation."
Here again he sets forth the dignity of the
Apostles; showing how great a thing was
committed to their hands, and the surpassing
greatness of the love of God. For even when
they would not hear the Ambassador that came,
He was not exasperated nor left them to
themselves, but continueth to exhort them both
in His own person and by others. Who can be
fittingly amazed at this solicitude? The Son
Who came to reconcile, His True and
Only-Begotten, was slain, yet not even so
did the Father turn away from His murderers;
nor say, "I sent My Son as an Ambassador,
but they not only would not hear Him, but even
slew and crucified Him, it is meet henceforth
to leave them to themselves:" but quite the
contrary, when the Son departed, He entrusted
the business to us; for he says, "gave unto us
the ministry of reconciliation.
Ver. 19. "To wit, that God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not
reckoning unto them their tresspasses."
Seest thou love surpassing all expression, all
conception? Who was the aggrieved one?
Himself. Who first sought the reconciliation?
Himself. 'And yet,' saith one, 'He sent
the Son, He did not come Himself.' The
Son indeed it was He sent; still not He alone
besought, but both with Him and by Him the
Father; wherefore he said, that, "God was
reconciling the world unto Himself in
Christ:" that is, by Christ. For seeing he
had said, "Who gave unto uS the ministry of
reconciliation;" he here used a corrective,
saying, "Think not that we act of our own
authority in the business: we are ministers;
and He that doeth the whole is God, Who
reconciled the world by the Only-Begotten."
And how did He reconcile it unto Himself?
For this is the marvel, not that it was made a
friend only, but also by this way a friend.
This way? What way? Forgiving them their
sins; for in no other way was it possible.
Wherefore also he added, "Not reckoning unto
them their tresspasses." For had it been His
pleasure to require an account of the things we
had transgressed in, we should all have
perished; for "all died." But nevertheless
though our sins were so great, He not only did
not require satisfaction, but even became
reconciled; He not only forgave, but He did
not even "reckon." So ought we also to
forgive our enemies, that ourselves too may
obtain the like forgiveness.
"And having committed unto us the word of
reconciliation."
For neither have we come now on any odious
office; but to make all men friends with God.
For He saith, 'Since they were not persuaded
by Me, do ye continue beseeching until ye have
persuaded them.' Wherefore also he added,
Ver. 20. "We are ambassadors therefore on
behalf of Christ, as though God were
entreating by us; we beseech you on behalf of
Christ, be ye reconciled to God."
Seest thou how he has extolled the thing by
introducing Christ thus in the form of a
suppliant; yea rather not Christ only, but
even the Father? For what he says is this:
'The Father sent the Son to beseech, and to
be His Ambassador unto mankind. When then He
was slain and gone, we succeeded to the
embassy; and in His stead and the Father's we
beseech you. So greatly doth He prize mankind
that He gave up even the Son, and that knowing
He would be slain, and made us Apostles for
your sakes; so that he said with reason, "All
things are for your sakes." (2 COR. IV.
15.) "We are therefore ambassadors on
behalf of Christ," that is, instead of
Christ; for we have succeeded to His
functions.' But if this appears to thee a
great thing, hear also what follows wherein he
shows that they do this not in His stead only,
but also in stead of the Father. For therefore
he also added, "As though God were entreating
by us." 'For not by the Son Himself only
doth He beseech, but also by us who have
succeeded to the office of the Son. Think not
therefore,' he says, 'that by us you are
entreated; Christ Himself, the Father
Himself of Christ, beseeches you by us. What
can come up to this excess [of goodnes]? He
was outraged who had conferred innumerable
benefits; having been outraged, He not only
exacted not justice, but even gave His son that
we might be reconciled. They that received Him
were not reconciled, but even slew Him.
Again, He sent other ambassadors to beseech,
and though these are sent, it is Himself that
entreats. And what doth He entreat? "Be ye
reconciled unto God." And he said not,
'Reconcile God to yourselves; for it is not
He that beareth enmity, but ye; for God never
beareth enmity. Urging moreover his cause,
like an ambassador on his mission, he says,
Vet. 21. "For Him who knew no sin He
made to be sin on our account."
'I say nothing of what has gone before, that
ye have outraged Him, Him that had done you no
wrong, Him that had done you good, that He
exacted not justice, that He is first to
beseech, though first outraged; let none of
these things be set down at present. Ought ye
not in justice to be reconciled for this one
thing only that He hath done to you now?' And
what hath He done? "Him that knew no sin He
made to be sin, for you." For had He
aChieved nothing but done only this, think how
great a thing it were to give His Son for those
that had outraged Him. But now He hath both
well achieved mighty things, and besides, hath
suffered Him that did no wrong to be punished
for those who had done wrong. But he did not
say this: but mentioned that which is far
greater than this. What then is this? "Him
that knew no sin," he says, Him that was
righteousness itself, "He made sin," that is
suffered as a sinner to be condemned, as one
cursed to die. "For cursed is he that hangeth
on a tree." (Gal. iii. 13.) For to die
thus was far greater than to die; and this he
also elsewhere implying, saith, "Becoming
obedient unto death, yea the death of the
cross." (Phil. ii. 8.) For this thing
carried with it not only punishment, but also
disgrace. Reflect therefore how great things
He bestowed on thee. For a great thing indeed
it were for even a sinner to die for any one
whatever; but when He who undergoes this both
is righteous and dieth for sinners; and not
dieth only, but even as one cursed; and not as
cursed [dieth] only, but thereby freely
bestoweth upon us those great goods which we
never looked for; (for he says, that "we
might become the righteousness of God in
Him;") what words, what thought shall be
adequate to realize these things? 'For the
righteous,' saith he, 'He made a sinner;
that He might make the sinners righteous.'
Yea rather, he said not even so, but what was
greater far; for the word he employed is not the
habit, but the quality itself. For he said not
"made" [Him] a sinner, but "sin;" not,
'Him that had not sinned' only, but "that
had not even known sin; that we" also "might
become," he did not say 'righteous,' but,
"righteousness," and, "the righteousness of
God." For this is [the righteousness] "of
God" when we are justified not by works, (in
which case it Were necessary that not a spot
even should be found,) but by grace, in which
case all sin is done away. And this at the same
time that it suffers us not to be lifted up,
(seeing the whole is the free gift of God,)
teaches us also the greatness of that which is
given. For that which was before was a
righteousness of the Law and of works, but this
is "the righteousness of God."
Reflecting then on these things, let us fear
these words more than hell; let us reverence the
things [they express] more than the kingdom,
and let us not deem it grievous to be punished,
but to sin. For were He not to punish us, we
ought to take vengeance on ourselves, who have
been so ungrateful towards our Benefactor. Now
he that hath an object of affection, hath often
even slain himself, when unsuccessful in his
love; and though successful, if he hath been
guilty of a fault towards her, counts it not fit
that he should even live; and shall not we,
when we outrage One so loving and gentle, cast
ourselves into the fire of hell? Shall I say
something strange, and marvellous, and to many
perhaps incredible? To one who hath
understanding and loveth the Lord as it behoveth
to love Him, there will be greater comfort if
punished after provoking One so loving, than if
not punished. And this one may see by the
common practice. For he that has wronged his
dearest friend feels then the greatest relief,
when he has wreaked vengeance on himself and
suffered evil. And accordingly David said,
"I the shepherd have sinned, and I the
shepherd have done amiss; and these the flock,
what have they done? Let Thy hand be upon me,
and upon my father's house." (2 Sam.
xxiv. 17. LXX.) And when he lost
Absalom he wreaked the extremest vengeance upon
himself, although he was not the injurer but the
injured; but nevertheless, because he loved the
departed exceedingly, he racked himself with
anguish, in this manner comforting himself.
Let us therefore also, when we sin against Him
Whom we ought not to sin against, take
vengeance on ourselves. See you not those who
have lost true-born children, that they
therefore both beat themselves and tear their
hair, because to punish themselves for the sake
of those they loved carries comfort with it.
But if, when we have caused no harm to those
dearest to us, to suffer because of what hath
befallen them brings consolation; when we
ourselves are the persons who have given
provocation and wrong, will it not much rather
be a relief to us to suffer the penalty? and
will not the being unpunished punish? Every one
in a manner will see this. If any love Christ
as it behoveth to love Him, he knoweth what I
say; how, even when He forgiveth, he will not
endure logo unpunished; for thou undergoest the
severest punishment in having provoked Him.
And I know indeed that I am speaking what will
not be believed by the many; but nevertheless it
is so as I have said. If then we love Christ
as it behoveth to love Him, we shall punish
ourselves when we sin. For to those who love
any whomsover, not the suffering somewhat
because they have provoked the beloved one is
unpleasing; but above all, that they have
provoked the person loved. And if this last
when angered doth not punish, he hath tortured
his lover more; but if he exacts satisfaction,
he hath comforted him rather. Let us therefore
not fear hell, but offending God; for it is
more grievous than that when He turns away in
wrath: this is worse than all, this heavier
than all. And that thou mayest learn what a
thing it is, consider this which I say. If
one that was himself a king, beholding a robber
and malefactor under punishment, gave his
well-beloved son, his only-begotten and true,
to be slain; and transferred the death and the
guilt as well, from him to his son, (who was
himself of no such character,) that he might
both save the condemned man and clear him from
his evil reputation; and then if, having
subsequently promoted him to great dignity, he
had yet, after thus saving him and advancing him
to that glory unspeakable, been outraged by the
person that had received such treatment: would
not that man, if he had any sense, have chosen
ten thousand deaths rather than appear guilty of
so great ingratitude?
This then let us also now consider with
ourselves, and groan bitterly for the
provocations we have offered our Benefactor;
nor let us therefore presume, because though
outraged He bears it with long-suffering; but
rather for this very reason be full of remorse.
For amongst men too, when one that hath been
smitten on the right cheek offers the left also,
he more avengeth himself than if he gave ten
thousand blows; and when one that hath been
reviled, not only revileth not again but even
blesseth, he hath stricken [his adversary]
more heavily, than if he rained upon him ten
thousand reproaches. Now if in the case of men
we feel ashamed when offering insults we meet
with long-suffering; much rather, in respect
to God, ought they to be afraid who go on
continually sinning yet suffer no calamity.
For, even for evil unto their own heads is the
unspeakable punishment treasured up for them.
These things then bearing in mind, let us above
all things be afraid of sin; for this is
punishment, this is hell, this is ten thousand
ills. And let us not only be afraid of, but
also flee from it, and strive to please God
continually; for this is the kingdom, this is
life, this is ten thousand goods. So shall we
also even here obtain already the kingdom and the
good things to come; 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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