Homilies on 2 Corinthians 12.1–12.5

“Working together with him, then, we also beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘At an acceptable time I listened to you, and on a day of salvation I helped you.’”

Since he had said, “God beseeches, and we are ambassadors and entreat you, be reconciled to God,” so that they might not fall back, he again frightens and rouses them from this, saying, “We beseech you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” “For do not let us grow careless because he beseeches,” he says, “and has sent ambassadors; but for this very reason let us hasten to please God and to gather a spiritual merchandise” (which he said above too: “The love of God controls us,” that is, presses, drives, urges us on), “so that you may not, after so great care, fall back and show nothing noble, and so fall away from such great goods. Do not think, then, because he has sent men to beseech, that this will always be so. It will be until his second coming; until then he beseeches, as long as we are here; but after that, judgment and punishment.” That is why he says, “We are controlled.” For he always urges them on not only from the greatness of the goods and from God’s love for humankind, but also from the shortness of the time. That is why elsewhere he says, “For salvation is nearer to us now,” and again, “The Lord is near.” But here he does something more: he leads them on not only from the remaining time being short and small, but also from this time alone being fit for salvation. “For behold,” he says, “now is the acceptable time; behold, the day of salvation.” “Let us not betray the opportune time, then, but show an earnestness worthy of the grace. For this is why we too are urgent, knowing both the shortness and the fitness of the time.” That is why he said, “Working together, we also beseech.” “Working together with you; for we work together with you rather than with God, for whom we are ambassadors. For he needs nothing; but the whole salvation passes over to you.” And if he does say that he works together with God, he does not decline that either; for elsewhere he says, “For we are God’s fellow workers.” In this way, he says, he saves men again. “And we beseech.” For when God beseeches, he does not simply beseech, but holds out these claims: that he gave the righteous Son, who did not even know sin, and made him sin for us sinners, so that we might become righteous; having these claims, and being God, he ought not to beseech, and that men who have offended, but to be besought every day; yet he beseeches. “But we beseech, having no claim of our own to mention, nor any benefit, but one thing only, to beseech on behalf of God, who has shown such things. And we beseech you to receive the benefit and not to thrust away the gift. Be persuaded by us, then, and do not receive the grace in vain.” For so that they might not think that this alone is required, to believe the one who calls, he adds this, demanding earnestness about one’s life. For one who has been freed from sins and become a friend to wallow again in former things is to go back to enmity, and to receive the grace in vain as regards one’s life. For we gain nothing great from grace toward salvation if we live impurely; rather we are harmed the more, being weighed down by this too in our sins, because after such knowledge and such a gift we have gone back to the former evils. But he nowhere puts this, so as not to make the statement harsh; he says only that we gain nothing. Then he recalls a prophecy too, urging them on and pushing them to rise up to lay hold of their own salvation: “For he says, ‘At an acceptable time I listened to you, and on a day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” “Acceptable time”—what is it? The time of the gift, of grace, when there is no account to be demanded for sins nor penalty to pay, but along with release one may enjoy countless goods: righteousness, sanctification, and all the rest. For how much one would have had to labor to obtain this time! But behold, without our having labored at all, it has come, bringing forgiveness of everything before. That is why he calls it acceptable, because it received even those who had offended countless times, and not simply received them, but led them to the highest honor; as when an emperor arrives, it is not a time for courts but for grace and salvation. That is why he calls it acceptable, while we are still in the arena, while we are working in the vineyard, while the eleventh hour remains.

Let us come forward and show a good life; for it is easy. For one who contends at such a time, when so great a gift has been poured out, so great grace, will easily obtain the prizes. For with the kings below too, at the time of their festivals and when they appear in consular dress, even one who has offered little receives great gifts; but on the days when they sit in judgment, there is need of great exactness and great scrutiny. So let us too contend at the time of this gift; it is a day of grace, of divine grace; so we shall easily obtain the crowns. For if he accepted and freed us when we were full of such great evils, will he not much more accept us when we have been freed from all and contribute our own part?

Then, as he always does, setting himself in the midst and bidding them take the example from there, he does this here too. That is why he adds, “giving no offense in anything, so that our ministry may not be blamed”; persuading them not from the time only, but also from [those who had done well]. And see how free of pride: for he did not say, “Look at us, that we are such”; but for the present he relates his own affairs to remove an accusation. And he sets down two superlatives of a blameless life, saying, “no offense in anything.” And he did not say “accusation,” but what was much less, “offense,” that is, blame—giving no one ground to condemn us. “So that our ministry may not be blamed,” that is, so that no one may lay hold of it. And again he did not say, “so that it may not be accused,” but so that it may not have even an ordinary charge, nor anyone be able to reproach it in anything. “But in everything commending ourselves as ministers of God.” This is far greater. For to be free from accusation is not equal to showing such things that one appears on every side as a minister of God; to be freed from accusation is not equal to teeming with praises. And he did not say “appearing,” but “commending,” that is, proving. Then he says how they came to be such. How then? “In much endurance,” he says, laying the foundation of good things. And he did not say simply “endurance,” but “much,” and shows its greatness too. For to bear one thing or two is nothing great; but he adds the snowstorms of temptations, saying, “in afflictions, in necessities.” This is an intensifying of affliction, when the evils are inescapable and a kind of necessity of dreadful things pours over one, hard to get out of. “In distresses”: either those of hunger and other necessities, or simply those of temptations. “In beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults.” And yet each of these by itself was unbearable: to be scourged alone, to be bound alone, and to be unable to stand anywhere, being driven about (for this is “in tumults”); but when all come, and all come at once, consider what a soul it needs. Then besides the things from outside he sets down his own: “in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in purity.” By these he hints at the toils he endured going about and working, the nights in which he taught, or in which he also worked. And with all these he did not neglect fasting either, though these things were as good as countless fasts. By purity here he means either chastity again, or purity in everything, or incorruptibility, or preaching the gospel free of charge. “In knowledge.” What is “in knowledge”? In the wisdom given by God, the true knowledge; not like those who seem to be wise and boast of outside learning, but are deficient in this. “In long-suffering, in kindness.” For this too belonged to a noble soul: when provoked and goaded on every side, to bear everything with long-suffering. Then, showing how he became such, he added, “in the Holy Spirit.” “For in him we achieve all these things,” he says. But see when he set down the help from the Holy Spirit: when he had shown his own part. And he seems to me to mean something else by this too. What is it? That we are filled with much of the Spirit, and prove our apostleship from this too, from being counted worthy of spiritual gifts. For even if this is grace, he himself is the cause too, having drawn the grace by his good deeds and sweat. And if someone should say that besides what has been said he shows that even in spiritual grace he gave no offense, he would not miss the sense. For those among them who had received tongues and were puffed up were blamed; for one may receive a spiritual gift and not use it as one should. “But not we,” he says; “but in the Spirit too,” that is, in the gifts too, “we were blameless.” “In love unfeigned.” [3.] This is the cause of all good things; this made him such, this made the Spirit remain with him, through whom everything was achieved by him. “In the word of truth”—which he says in many places: “We have continued neither adulterating the word of God nor counterfeiting it.” “In the power of God.” As he always does, ascribing nothing to himself but the whole to God, and reckoning his own good deeds to him, so he has done here too. For since he had uttered great things and said that he had shown a blameless life in everything and the highest wisdom, he ascribes these to the Spirit and to God. For what was said was no ordinary thing. For if it is hard even for one living in peace to do well and be blameless, consider what a soul it needs for one troubled by so many temptations to shine in everything. And he did not endure these only, but much more than these, which he sets down next. And the wonder is not that he was blameless sailing amid such waves, nor that he endured everything nobly, but that he endured everything with pleasure, as he makes plain to us by what follows, saying thus: “by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left.” Do you see the presence of mind and the vigor of spirit? For he shows that afflictions are weapons, not only not casting down, but walling around and making stronger. He calls “left” the things that seem painful; for these too are such as have the reward. Why then does he call them so? Either according to the opinion of the many, or because God commanded us to pray not to enter into temptation.

“Through glory and dishonor, through ill report and good report.” What are you saying? That you enjoy glory, you count this a great thing? “Yes,” he says. Why? To bear dishonor is great; but does sharing glory not need a vigorous soul? A vigorous one indeed, and very great, so as not to be thrown when enjoying it. That is why he prides himself on this as an extraordinary thing; for he shone alike in both. How does it become a weapon of righteousness? Because teachers being in honor leads many to piety; and it is a proof of good works, and glorifies God. And this too belongs to God’s skill, to bring in the preaching through opposite things. Consider: was Paul bound? This too was for the gospel: “For my circumstances,” he says, “have turned out for the advance of the gospel, [so that most of the brothers,] confident because of my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Did he enjoy glory again? This again made them more eager. “Through ill report and good report.” For he bore nobly not only the things in the body, the afflictions and all he enumerated, but also what touches the soul alone; for these too are apt to trouble greatly. Jeremiah at any rate, though he bore many temptations, gave up at these, and when he was reproached he said, “I will not prophesy, nor name the name of the Lord.” And David too in many places laments reproach. And Isaiah, after much, exhorts about this, saying, “Do not fear the reproach of men, and do not be overcome by their contempt.” And Christ too says to the disciples, “When they say every evil word against you falsely, rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven”; and elsewhere, “and leap for joy.” He would not have set so great a reward if the contest were not great. For in tortures the body shares the pains with the soul; for the toil is both of body and of soul; but there it is of the soul alone. Many at any rate have fallen through these alone and destroyed their own souls. And to Job the reproaches from his friends seemed more burdensome than the worms and the wounds. For there is nothing, nothing more unbearable [to the afflicted than a word that stings the] soul. That is why he sets these too with the dangers and the sweat, saying, “through glory and dishonor.” For many of the Jews too would not believe because of the glory of the many; for they feared, not that they might be punished, but that they might be put out of the synagogue; that is why he says, “How can you believe, who receive glory from one another?” And we may see many who despised all dreadful things but were defeated by glory. “As deceivers, and true”: this is “through ill report and good report.” “As unknown, and well known”: this is “through glory and dishonor.” For to some they were known and much sought after, while others did not think them worth knowing. “As dying, and behold, we live”: as condemned to death and sentenced; which itself was a matter of dishonor.

He said this showing both God’s [unspeakable] power and their endurance. “For as far as the plotters were concerned, we died, and everyone thinks so; but because of God we escaped the dangers.” Then, showing why God permits these things, he added, “as chastened and not killed,” showing the great gain that comes to them from temptations even before the rewards, and their enemies helping them against their will. “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” “For to those outside we are suspected of being in dejection; but we do not attend to them, but have our pleasure at its height.” And he did not say “rejoicing” only, but added its continuance too: “always rejoicing,” he says. What, then, could equal this life, in which, though so many dreadful things come upon it, the joy becomes greater? “As poor, yet making many rich.” Some say that spiritual wealth is meant here; but I would say material wealth too; for they were rich in this too, having the houses of everyone open to them in a new way. And he showed this by what follows, saying, “as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” “And how is this possible?” Rather, how is the opposite possible? For one who possesses much has nothing, but one who has nothing has acquired everything. And not here only, but in the other things too, opposites came about through opposites. And if you wonder how one who has nothing has everything, let us bring this very man into the midst, who gave commands to the world, and was master not of their money only but of their very eyes: “For if possible,” he says, “you would have dug out your eyes and given them to me.” He says this teaching them not to be troubled at the opinions of the many, even if they call them deceivers, even if they do not know them, even if they think them condemned, in poverty, having nothing, dejected in their cheerfulness; for neither is the sun visible to the blind, nor the pleasure of the sober plain to madmen. For only the faithful are right judges of things, and they do not rejoice and grieve at the same things as others. For if someone inexperienced in contests saw a boxer with wounds and wearing a crown, he would think he was pained by the wounds, not knowing the pleasure of the crown. So these men too, since they know what we suffer but not why we suffer, rightly suspect only these things, seeing the wrestlings and the dangers, but no longer the prizes and the crowns and the purpose of the contests.

What then were all the things Paul possessed, when he said, “as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”? Things of this life, spiritual things. For he whom cities received as an angel, for whom they would have dug out their eyes and given them, for whom they laid down their own necks—how did he not have everything of theirs? And if you wish to see the spiritual things too, you will see him richest of all in these. For one who was so much the friend of the King of all as to share secrets with the Master of the angels—how was he not more abundantly supplied than all, and did he not have everything? Demons would not otherwise have been so subject to him, passions and diseases would not have fled so. So we too, when we suffer anything for Christ, let us not only bear it nobly but even rejoice; if we fast, let us be disposed as if feasting; if we give to the poor, let us think we are receiving; for one who does not give so will not give easily. When you want to scatter, then, do not look only at the fact that you spend, but that you gain more, and that before the other. And not only in almsgiving, but in every virtue, reckon not the bitterness of the labors but the sweetness of the prizes; and before all, the cause of the wrestlings, our Lord Jesus; and you will easily enter the contests and live all your time in pleasure. For nothing is so apt to produce pleasure as a good conscience. That is why Paul, beaten every day, rejoiced and exulted; while those now, enduring none of these things even in a dream, grieve and lament, for no other reason than not having a wise mind. For why, tell me, the lament? Because you are poor and lack necessities? Then you ought to lament the more for this, not because you weep, not because you are poor, but because you are small-souled; not because you have no money, but because you value money so highly. Paul died daily and did not weep, but even rejoiced; he fought continual hunger and was not pained, but even took pride in it.

But you, because you do not have all the year’s supplies laid up, grieve and beat yourself? “Yes,” he says; “for he cared only for his own affairs, but I care for servants and children and wife.” On the contrary, he cared not only for his own affairs but for those of the whole world. You care for one house, he for the poor in Jerusalem, so many as they were, for those in Macedonia, for the poor everywhere, for those who gave to them no less than for those who received. For his care for the world was double: both that they might not lack necessities and that they might be rich in spiritual things. And hungry children do not grieve you as much as all the affairs of the faithful grieved him. Why do I say the affairs of the faithful? He was not free even from care for unbelievers, but was so wasted by it that he prayed even to be accursed for them; but you, even if famine prevailed ten thousand times, would never choose to die for anyone at all. You care for one wife, he for all the churches throughout the world: “For my care,” he says, “is for all the churches.” How long, then, man, will you play, comparing yourself with Paul, and not stop this great smallness of soul? For we ought to weep not when we are in poverty, but when we sin; for this deserves lament, while the other things deserve even laughter. “But it is not only this that grieves me,” he says, “but that so-and-so is in power, while I am without honor and cast aside.” And what of it? For blessed Paul too seemed to the many to be without honor and cast aside. “But he was Paul,” he says. Then it is not the nature of things but the weakness of your mind that causes your dejection. So do not lament poverty, but yourself for being so disposed; or rather, do not lament yourself, but set yourself right; and do not seek money, but pursue what makes people brighter than countless riches: wisdom and virtue. When this is present, poverty does no harm; when it is absent, money is of no profit. For what profit, tell me, is there in the rich who have impoverished souls? You do not count yourself as wretched as that rich man counts himself, because he does not have everyone’s goods. And if he does not weep as you do, open up his conscience, and you will see the lamentations.

Do you want me to show you your wealth, so that you may stop calling those rich in money blessed? Do you see this heaven, how beautiful, how great, how lofty it lies? He does not enjoy this beauty more than you, nor could he push you aside and make it all his own; for as it was made for him, so it was made for you. And the sun, this bright and far-shining star that gladdens our eyes, is it not set before all in common, and do not all enjoy it equally, rich and poor? And the crown of the stars and the circle of the moon, are they not likewise open to all? Or rather, if I must say something wonderful, we poor enjoy them more than they do. For they, mostly drowned in drunkenness, spending their time in revels and deep sleep, do not even perceive these things, living under roofs and in the shade; but the poor above all are those who delight in these elements. And if you examine the air poured out everywhere, you will see the poor man enjoying it purer and more abundantly. For travelers and farmers delight in these more than those in the city, and among those in the city the craftsmen more than those who are drunk all day. And the earth, is it not open to all in common? “No,” someone says. How do you say this, tell me? “Because the rich man cuts off many parts for himself both in the city and in the fields.” What then? Because he cuts them off, does he enjoy them alone? Not at all, even if he contends ten thousand times; for he is compelled to distribute the fruits to all, and he farms grain and wine and oil for you, and serves you everywhere. And of the long enclosures and the buildings, after the unspeakable expense and the labors and the hardships, he prepares the use for you, taking a little money from you for so great a service. And in baths and everywhere one may see the same thing happening: the rich enjoying all these things with money and cares and labors, but the poor with a few obols and without anxiety. And he enjoys the earth no more than you; for surely he does not fill ten bellies and you one. “But he partakes of more costly foods.” In the first place this is no great advantage; but even here we shall find you having more. For this costliness seems enviable to you because it has more pleasure; but this is greater with the poor man—not pleasure only, but health too. And in this alone the rich man has the advantage, that he makes his body weaker and gathers more sources of illness. For all the poor man’s affairs are managed according to nature, but his end in corruption and sickness through excess.

[6.] If you will, let us see this by an example too. If a furnace had to be lit, and one [threw in silken garments and fine linens,] countless, and kindled it so, but another with wood of oak and pine, what more would the one have than the other? Nothing, but rather less. What then (for nothing prevents us turning the same example another way), if one threw on wood and another burned bodies, at which furnace would you gladly stand, that of wood or that of bodies? Plainly that of wood; for it burns according to nature and is a pleasant sight to those who see it; but the other would drive everyone away with the reek and the fluid and the smoke and the stench of bones. … having heard, and did you loathe the furnace? Such are the bellies of the rich. For one would find more rottenness in them than in that furnace, and foul-smelling winds and unclean fluxes, because there is much indigestion everywhere and in every part through surfeit. For since the natural heat is not enough to work everything up, [but smothered by them, the excess lies] above, causing great disgust. To what then might one compare their bellies? But do not be annoyed at my words, but refute me if I do not speak the truth. To what then might one compare them? For what has been said is not enough to show their wretchedness. I have found another image too. What is it? As with the sewers, where much rubbish of dung, hay, straw, stones, and mud causes continual blockages, and the stream of filth then overflows from above, so it happens with these men’s belly: when it is blocked below, more of these wicked fluxes bubble up from above. But not so with the poor; but as [streams that water] gardens are clean, so their bellies are clean of such excesses. But not so the bellies of the rich, or rather of those who live in luxury; they are filled with [fluxes, phlegm, bile,] rotten [blood], and other such things. That is why no one living continually in luxury will hold out even for a short time, but will live in continual illnesses. So I would gladly ask them why food was given: that we may be destroyed or nourished? That we may be sick or healthy? That we may be weak or strong? Plainly for nourishment and health and strength. Why then have you used it for the opposite, making disease and weakness for the body by it? But not so the poor man: he buys health and vigor and strength with plain food. So do not weep because of poverty, the mother of health, but even rejoice; and if you wish to be rich, despise wealth. For it is not having money, but not needing to have it, that is true abundance. If we achieve this, we shall be more abundantly supplied than all the rich here, and there we shall obtain the good things to come; which may we all obtain, by the grace and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory, might, and honor to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.