Homily
XXI.
2 Cor. x. 1, 2
Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and
gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you,
but being absent am of good courage toward you: yea, I beseech
you, that I may not when present show courage with the confidence,
wherewith I count to be bold against some, which count of us as if
we walked according to the flesh.
Having completed, in
such sort as behoved his discourse of almsgiving, and having shown
that he loves them more than he is loved, and having recounted the
circumstances of his patience and trials, he now opportunely enters
upon points involving more of reproof, making allusion to the false
apostles, and concluding his discourse with more disagreeable
matter, and with commendations of himself. For he makes this his
business also throughout the Epistle. Which also perceiving, he
hence oftentimes corrects himself, saying in so many words883
; “Do we
begin again to commend ourselves?” (
Ch. iii.
1.) and further on; “We
commend not ourselves again, but give you occasion to
glory:”
(
Ch.
v. 12.) and afterwards;
“I am become a
fool in glorying; ye have compelled me.”
(
Ch. xii. 11.) And many such correctives
doth he use. And one would not be wrong in styling this
Epistle
an eulogium of
Paul; he makes such large mention both of his
grace
and his
patience. For since there were some amongst them who
thought great things of themselves, and set themselves above the
Apostle, and
accused him as a boaster, and as being nothing, and
teaching no sound
doctrine; (now this was in itself the most
certain evidence of their own corruptness;) see how he begins his
rebuke of them; “Now I
Paul myself.” Seest thou what
severity, what
dignity, is here? For what he would say is this,
‘I beseech you do not compel me, nor leave me to use my
power
against those that hold us cheap, and think of us as
carnal.’
This is severer than those
threats towards them uttered in the
former
Epistle; “Shall I come unto you with a
rod, or in
love and
a spirit of
meekness?” (
1 Cor. iv. 21.) and then again; “Now some
are puffed up as though I were not coming to you; but I will come,
and will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the
power.” (
ib. 18, 19.) For in this place he
shows both things, both his
power, and his philosophy and
forbearance; since he so beseeches them, and with such earnestness,
that he may not be compelled to come to a display of the avenging
power pertaining to him, and to
smite and chastise them and exact
the extreme penalty. For he implied this in saying, “But I
beseech you, that I may not when present show
courage with the
confidence, wherewith I
count to be
bold against some which
count
of us as if we walked according to the
flesh.” For the present,
however, let us speak of the commencement. “Now I
Paul
myself.” Great emphasis, great weight
884
is here. So he says elsewhere,
“Behold I
Paul say unto you;” (
Gal. v. 2.) and again, “As
Paul the
aged;” (
Philem. 9.) and again in another place,
“Who hath been a succorer of many, and of me.” (
Rom. xvi. 2.) So also here, “Now
I
Paul myself.” This even is a great thing, that himself
beseecheth; but that other is greater which he added, saying, “by
the
meekness and
gentleness of
Christ.” For with the wish of
greatly shaming them, he puts forward that “
meekness and
gentleness,” making his entreaty in this way more forcible; as if
he had said, ‘
Reverence the
gentleness of
Christ by which I
beseech you.’ And this he said, at the same time also showing
that although they should lay ever so
strong885
a necessity upon him, he himself is
more inclined to this: it is from being
meek, not from want of
power, that he does not proceed against them: for
Christ also did
in like manner.
“Who in your presence am lowly among you, but
being absent am of good courage toward you.” What, pray, is
this? Surely he speaks in irony, using their speeches. For they
said this, that ‘when he is present indeed, he is worthy of no
account, but poor and contemptible; but when absent, swells, and
brags, and sets himself up against us, and threatens.’ This at
least he implies also afterwards, saying, “for his letters,”
say they, “are weighty, but his
bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no
account.” (v. 10.) He either then speaks in
irony, manifesting great severity and saying, ‘I, the base, I,
the mean, when present, (as they say,) and when absent, lofty:’
or else meaning that even though he should utter great things, it
is not out of pride, but out of his confidence in them.
“But I beseech you, that I may not when present
show courage with the confidence, wherewith I count to be bold
against some which count of us as if we walked according to the
flesh.” Seest thou how great his indignation, and how complete
his refutation of those sayings of theirs? For he saith, ‘I
beseech you, do not compel me to show that even present I am strong
and have power.’ For since they said that ‘when absent, he is
quite bold against us and exalteth himself,’ he uses their very
words, ‘I beseech therefore that they compel me not to use my
power.’ For this is the meaning of, “the confidence.” And
he said not, ‘wherewith I am prepared,’ but ‘wherewith I
count.’ ‘For I have not yet resolved upon this; they however
give me reason enough, but not even so do I wish it.’ And yet
he was doing this not to vindicate himself, but the Gospel. Now
if where it was necessary to vindicate the Message, he is not
harsh, but draws back and delays, and beseeches that there may be
no such necessity; much more would he never have done any thing of
the kind in his own vindication. ‘Grant me then this favor,’
he saith, ‘that ye compel me not to show, that even when present
I am able to be bold against whomsoever it may be necessary; that
is, to chastise and punish them.’ Seest thou how free he was
from ambition, how he did nothing for display, since even where it
was matter of necessity, he hesitates not to call the act,
boldness. “For I beseech you,” he says, “that I may not
when present show courage with the confidence, wherewith I think to
be bold” against some. For this especially is the part of a
teacher, not to be hasty in taking vengeance, but to work a
reformation, and ever to be reluctant and slow in his
punishments. How, pray, does he describe those whom he
threatens? “Those that count of us as though we walked
according to the flesh:” for they accused him as a hypocrite,
as wicked, as a boaster.
[2.] Ver. 3. “For though we walk in
the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
Here he goes on to alarm them also by the
figure886
he uses,
‘for,’ says he, ‘we are indeed encompassed with
flesh; I own
it, but we do not
live by the
flesh;’ or rather, he said not even
this, but for the present reserves it, for it
belongs to the
encomium on his
life: but first discourseth of the
Preaching, and
shows that it is not of man, nor needeth aid from beneath.
Wherefore he said not, ‘we do not
live according to the
flesh,’
but, “we do not
war according to the
flesh,” that is, ‘we
have undertaken a
war and a combat; but we do not
war with
carnal
weapons, nor by help of any human succors.’
Ver. 4.
“For our weapons are not of the flesh.”
For what sort of weapons are of the flesh?
Wealth, glory, power, fluency, cleverness, circumventions887
, flatteries,
hypocrisies, whatsoever else is similar to these. But ours are
not of this sort: but of what
kind are they?
“Mighty before God.”
And he said not, ‘we are not carnal,’ but,
“our weapons.” For as I said, for the present he discourseth
of the Preaching, and refers the whole power to God. And he says
not, ‘spiritual,’ although this was the fitting opposite888
| 888 τὸ πρὸς
ἀντιδιαστολὴν. |
to
“
carnal,” but “mighty,” in this implying the other also,
and showing that their
889
weapons are
weak and powerless.
And mark the absence of
pride in him; for he said not, ‘we are
mighty,’ but, “our
weapons are mighty before
God.” ‘We
did not make them such, but
God Himself.’ For because they were
scourged, were
persecuted, and
suffered wrongs incurable
890
without
number, which things were
proofs of
weakness: to show the
strength of
God he says, “but they are mighty before
God.”
For this especially shows His
strength, that by these things He
gains the
victory. So that even though we are encompassed with
them, yet it is He that warreth and worketh by them. Then he goes
through a long eulogium upon them, saying,
“To the casting down of strong holds.”
And lest when hearing of strong holds thou shouldest think of aught
material891
, he
says,
Ver. 5.
“Casting down imaginations.”
First giving emphasis by the figure, and then
by this additional expression declaring the spiritual892
character of
the
warfare. For these strongholds besiege
souls, not bodies.
Whence they are stronger than the others, and therefore also the
weapons they require are mightier. But by strongholds he means
the Grecian
pride, and the
strength of their sophisms and their
syllogisms. But nevertheless, ‘these
weapons,’ he says,
‘
confounded every thing that stood up against them; for they cast
down
imaginations,
‘And every high thing that is exalted against the
knowledge of God.’ He persisted in the metaphor that he might
make the emphasis greater. ‘For though there should be
strongholds,’ he saith, ‘though fortifications, though any other thing soever, they
yield and give way before these weapons.
“And bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ.” And yet the name, “captivity,” hath
an ill sound with it; for it is the destruction of liberty.
Wherefore then has he used it? With a meaning of its own, in
regard to another point. For the word “captivity” conveys two
ideas, the loss of liberty, and the being so violently overpowered
as not to rise up again. It is therefore in respect to this
second meaning that he took it. As when he shall say “I robbed
other churches,” (2 Cor.
xi. 8.) he does not
intend the taking stealthily, but the stripping and taking their
all, so also here in saying, “bringing into captivity.” For
the fight was not equally maintained, but he conquered with great
ease. Wherefore he did not say, ‘we conquer and have the
better,’ only; but ‘we even bring “into captivity;”’ just
as above, he did not say, ‘we advance engines against the
“strongholds:”’ but, ‘we cast them down, for great is the
superiority of our weapons.’ ‘For we war not with words,’
he saith, but with deeds against words, not with fleshly wisdom,
but with the spirit of meekness and of power. How was it likely
then I should hunt after honor, and boast in words, and threaten by
letters;’ (as they accused him, saying, “his letters are
weighty,”) ‘when our might lay not in these things?’ But
having said, “bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ,” because the name of “captivity” was
unpleasant, he presently afterwards put an end to the metaphor,
saying, “unto the obedience of Christ:” from slavery unto
liberty, from death unto life, from destruction to salvation. For
we came not merely to strike down, but to bring over to the truth
those who are opposed to us.
[3.] Ver. 6. “And being in readiness
to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be
fulfilled.”
Here he alarmed these893
also, not those
894
alone: ‘for,’ says he, ‘we
were waiting for you, that when by our exhortations and
threatenings we have reformed you, and
purged and separated you
from their
fellowship; then, when those only are left who are
incurably
diseased, we may
visit with
punishment, after we see that
you have really
895
separated
from them. For even now indeed ye obey, but not perfectly.’
‘And yet if thou hadst done it now,’ saith one, ‘thou
wouldest have
wrought greater
gain.’ ‘By no means, for if I
had done it now, I should have involved you also in the
punishment. Howbeit it behoved to
punish them, indeed, but to
spare you. Yet if I spared, I should have seemed to do it out of
favor: now this I do not desire, but first to amend you, and then
to proceed against them.’ What can be tenderer than the
heart
of the
Apostle? who because he saw his own mixed up with aliens,
desires indeed to
inflict the blow, but forbears, and restrains his
indignation until these shall have withdrawn, that he may
smite
these alone; yea rather, not these even. For he therefore
threatens this, and says he is desirous to separate unto
punishment
them alone, that they also being amended by the
fear may change,
and he let loose his
anger against no one. For just like a most
excellent
physician, and common
father, and patron, and
guardian896
, so did he
all things, so cared he for all, removing impediments, checking the
pestilent, running about every whither. For not by fighting did
he so achieve the
work, but advancing as if to a ready and an easy
victory, he
planted his trophies, undermining, casting down,
overthrowing the strongholds of the
devil, and the engines of the
demons; and carried over their whole booty to the
camp of
Christ.
Nor did he even take
breath a little, bounding off from these to
those, and from those again to others, like some very able general,
raising trophies every day, or rather every hour. For having
entered into the
battle with nothing but a little tunic
897
, the
tongue
of
Paul took the cities of his
enemies with their men and bows and
spears and
darts and all.
For he spake only; and, falling upon his enemies
more fiercely than any fire, his words drave out the demons and
brought over unto him the men that were possessed of them. For
when he cast out that demon, the evil one, fifty thousand sorcerers
coming together burnt their books of magic and revolted to the
truth. (See Acts xix.
19.) And like as
in a war, when a tower has fallen or a tyrant been brought low, all
his partizans cast away their arms and run unto the [opposing]
general; so truly did it happen then also. For when the demon was
cast out, they all having been besieged, and having cast away, yea
rather having destroyed, their books, ran unto the feet of Paul.
But he setting himself898
against the
world as though against
a single
army, no where stayed his march, but did all things as if
he were some man endued with
wings899
: and now restored a
lame, now
raised a dead man, now
blinded a third, (I mean the
sorcerer,) nor
even when shut up in a
prison indulged in
rest, but even there
brought over to himself the jailor, effecting the
goodly captivity
we treat of.
[4.] Let
us also imitate him after our power. And why do I say, after our
power? For he that wills may come even near unto him, and behold
his valor, and imitate his heroism. For still he is doing this
work, “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is
exalted against the knowledge of God.” And although many
heretics have attempted to cut him in pieces; yet still, even
though dismembered, he displayeth a mighty strength. For both
Marcion and Manichæus use him indeed, but after cutting him in
pieces; but still even so they are refuted by the several
members. For even a hand only of this champion being found among
them puts them utterly to the rout; and a foot only, left amongst
others, pursues and prostrates them, in order that thou mayest
learn the superabundance of his power, and that, although shorn of
his limbs even, he is able to destroy all his adversaries.
‘This however,’ saith one, ‘is an instance of perversion,
that those who are battling with each other should all use
him.’ An instance of perversion certainly, but not in Paul,
(God forbid,) but in them who use him. For he was not
parti-colored900
, but uniform
and clear, but they perverted his words to their own notions.
‘And wherefore,’ saith one, ‘were they so spoken as to give
handles to those that wished for them?’ He did not give
handles, but their frenzy used his words not rightly; since this
whole
world also is both wonderful and great, and a sure
proof of
the
wisdom of
God, and “the heavens declare the
glory of
God, and
day unto day uttereth
speech, and
night unto
night declareth
knowledge;” (
Ps.
xix. 1, 2.) but
nevertheless, many have
stumbled at it and in contrary directions
to one another. And some have admired it so much above its worth
as to think it
God; whilst others have been so insensible of its
beauty as to assert it to be unworthy of
God’s creating
hand901
, and to
ascribe the greater share in it to a certain
evil matter. And yet
God provided for both points by making it
beautiful and great that
it might not be deemed
alien from his
wisdom; yet defective and not
sufficient unto itself that it might not be suspected to be
God.
But nevertheless those who were
blinded by their own reasonings
fell away into contradictory notions, refuting one another, and
becoming each the other’s accuser, and vindicating the
wisdom of
God even by the very reasonings which led them
astray. And why do
I speak of the sun and the
heaven? The
Jews saw so many
marvels
happen before their
eyes, yet straightway worshipped a
calf.
Again they saw
Christ casting out
demons, yet called him one that
had a
demon. But this was no imputation against him that cast
them out, but an
accusation of their understanding who were so
blinded.
Condemn not then
Paul on account of their
judgment who
have used him
amiss; but understand well the
treasures in him, and
develop his
riches, so shalt thou make
noble stand against all,
fenced by his
armor. So shalt thou be able to stop the mouths
both of
Greeks and
Jews. ‘And how,’ saith one, ‘seeing they
believe him not?’ By the things
wrought through him, by the
reformation effected in the
world. For it was not of human
power902
| 902 [Some remarks of Hodge in loco are
worth quoting here as confirming Chrysostom’s view of the passage
and showing its permanent application. “The conflict to which
the Apostle refers is that between truth and error. When the
Gospel was first proclaimed it found itself in conflict with all
the forms of religion and philosophy then prevailing among men.
To the wise of this world the Gospel appeared as foolishness. It
was, however, the wisdom and power of God. The conflict then
begun has continued ever since, and is now as deadly as at any
former period. Men of science and philosophers are as confident
in their conclusions, and as much disposed to exalt themselves, or
their opinions, against the knowledge of God as ever. There is no
doubt as to the issue of this contest. It is a contest between
God and man, in which, of course, God must prevail. The
instructive lesson which the Apostle designs here to inculcate is
that this warfare must not be conducted on the part of the
advocates of the Gospel with carnal weapons. They must not rely
upon their own resources and attempt to overcome their enemies by
argument. They must not become philosophers and turn the Gospel
into a philosophy. This would be to make it a human conflict on
both sides. It would be human reason against human reason, the
intellect of one man against the intellect of another man. Paul
told the Corinthians in his former Epistle that he did not appear
among them as a philosopher, but as a witness; he came not with the
words of man’s wisdom: he did not rely for success on his
powers of argument or of persuasion, but on the demonstration of
the Spirit. The faith which he labored to secure was not to be
founded on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God; not on
arguments addressed to the understanding but on the testimony of
God. That testimony has the same effect which intuition has. It
reveals the truth to the mind and conscience as self-evident: and
therefore it cannot be resisted. A rationalistic Christian, a
philosophizing theologian, therefore, lays aside the divine for the
human, the wisdom of God for the wisdom of man, the infinite and
infallible for the finite and the fallible.” The whole history
of the Church shows that whenever high imaginations were cast down
and strongholds overthrown, it was by the simple testimony of the
word of God, presented not as something to be proved but as
something to be believed. C.] |
that so
great things could be done, but the Might of the Crucified,
breathing on him, made him such as he was, and showed him more
powerful than
orators and
philosophers and tyrants and kings and
all men. He was not only able to
arm himself and to strike down
his
adversaries, but to make others also such as himself.
Therefore in order that we may become useful both to ourselves and
to others, let us continually have him in our
hands, using his
writings for a meadow and
garden of
delight903
| 903 ἀντὶ
λειμῶνος καὶ παραδείσου ἐντρυφῶντες. |
. For so shall we be able both to
be
delivered from vice and to choose
virtue, and to obtain the
promised good things, 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.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
