13. Of this weakness of his,
he saith in another place, “We made ourselves small among you,
even as a nurse cherisheth her children.”2510
For in that passage the context
indicates this: “For neither at any time,” saith he, “used we
flattering words, as ye know, nor an occasion of
covetousness;
God
is witness: nor of men sought we
glory, neither of you, nor yet of
others when we might have been burdensome to you as the
Apostles of
Christ: but we made ourselves
small among you, even as a
nurse
cherisheth her
children.” What therefore he saith to the
Corinthians, that he had
power of his apostleship, as also the
other
Apostles, which
power he testifieth that he had not used;
this also he saith in that place to the Thessalonians, “When we
might have been burdensome to you as
Christ’s
Apostles:”
according to that the
Lord saith, “The workman is worthy of his
hire.” For that of this he speaks, is indicated by that which he
above set down, “Neither for occasion of coveteousness,
God is
witness.” By reason, namely, of this which by right of the
Lord’s appointment was due to good
evangelists, who not for its
sake do evangelize but
seek the
kingdom of
God, so that all these
things should be added unto them, others were taking
advantage
thereof, of whom he also saith, “For they that are such serve not
God, but their own
belly.”
2511
From whom the
Apostle wished so to
cut off this occasion, that even what was justly due to him, he
would forego. For this himself doth openly show in the second to
the Corinthians, speaking of other
Churches supplying his
necessities. For he had come, as it appears, to so great indigence,
that from distant
Churches were sent supplies for his necessities,
while yet from them among whom he was, he accepted nothing of that
kind. “Have I
committed a
sin, “saith he, “in humbling myself
that ye might be exalted, because I have
preached to you the
Gospel
of
God freely? Other
Churches I despoiled, taking
wages of them to
minister unto you: and when I was present with you and wanted, to
no man was I burdensome. For that which was lacking to me the
brethren which came from
Macedonia supplied, and in all things I
have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and will keep
myself. It is the
truth of
Christ in me, that this
glory shall not
be infringed in me in the
regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I
love you not?
God knoweth. But what I do, I also mean to do, that I
may
cut off occasion from them which
seek occasion, that wherein
they
glory they may be found as also we.”
2512
Of this occasion, therefore, which
he here saith that he
cuts off, he would have that understood which
he saith in the former place, “Neither for occasion of
covetousness,
God is witness.” And what he here saith, “In
humbling myself that ye might be exalted:” this in the first to
the same Corinthians, “I became to the
weak as
weak;” this to
the Thessalonians, “I became
small among you, as a
nurse
cherisheth her
children.”
2513
Now then observe what follows:
“So,” saith he, “being affectionately desirous of you, we are
minded to impart unto you not alone the
Gospel of
God, but our own
souls also; because ye are become most dear to us. For ye remember,
brethren, our
labor and toil,
night and day working, that we might
not burden any of you.” For this he said above, “When we might
be burdensome to you, as
Christ’s
Apostles.” Because, then, the
weak were in
peril, lest, agitated by false suspicions, they should
hate an, as it were, venal
Gospel, for this cause, trembling for
them as with a
father’s and a mother’s
bowels of
compassion,
did he this thing. So too in the Acts of the
Apostles he speaks the
same thing, when, sending from Miletus to
Ephesus, he had called
thence the presbyters of the
Church, to whom, among much else,
“
Silver,” saith he, “and
gold, or
apparel of no man have I
coveted; yourselves know, that to my necessities and theirs who
were with me these
hands have
ministered. In all things have I
shown you that so
laboring it behoveth to help the
weak, mindful
also of the words of the Lord Jesus, for that He said, More blessed
is it rather to give than to receive.”
2514
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