Homily V.

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 second⁵⁴⁷

547 So Chrysostom, referring apparently to the first sentence in the Homily. It is manifest at least, that the preceding sentence required “the former” here, and not “the second.”

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. (Bible:2Cor.8.23 Bible:2Cor.12.18">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 triumph⁵⁴⁸

548 [The Rev. Vers. renders this clause “leadeth us in triumph,” in accordance with Meyer, Beet, et al. The principal reason is that the causative sense of the A.V. is against all Hellenistic and New Testament usage, while on the other hand the neuter sense of the verb to “triumph over us” easily passes into the transitive, to lead us in triumph. C.]

549 συνεχῆ.

[2.] 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 healing⁵⁵⁰

550 σωτήριος.

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.⁵⁵¹

551 [Rather the sense is a sweet-smelling savor of Christ, something revealing, as perfumes do, the nature of that from which it proceeds, and so a means of diffusing the knowledge of Christ. There does not seem to be any reference to sacrifice, as Chrysostom conceives, nor to the incense of the sanctuary, but simply to the grateful and pervasive influence of a perfume. It cannot be hid. It cannot be resisted. Wherever Paul went he diffused abroad the fragrance of the name of Christ, and thus he pleased God. The “savor of Christ,” therefore, is not the savor of which he is the author but that of which he is the subject. A savor respecting Christ. The Gospel and those who preach it are well-pleasing to God, as grateful to Him as the purest and most fragrant incense, whether men receive it and are saved, or whether they reject it and are lost. Chrysostom well brings out the solemn and affecting truth that the sweet savor is manifested in both classes, in them that perish as well as in them that are saved. C.]

[3.] 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 himself: for both ointment is said to suffocate 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 ridicule⁵⁵²

552 κωμῳδεῖ.

[4.] 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 her⁵⁵³

553 Or, him.

554 σύρεσθαι.

555 ταῦτα φιλοσοφεἷν.

556 βοᾷ.

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 I and 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.

[5.] 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 accusest⁵⁵⁷

557 Some mss. have κακηγορεῖς, revilest.

558 τὸ πᾶν ἤνυσας.

559 θυσία σωτηρίου, the rendering of the LXX, for the peace-offering, Lev. iii. 1. &c.

560 εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην.

561 ὑπόθεσιν.

562 Ben. Ed. ‘to Whom be glory, power, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.’

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