Homilies on 2 Corinthians 28.1–29.1

"But be it so, I myself did not burden you; yet, being crafty, I caught you by guile. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Not in the same steps?" [2 Cor 12:16–18]. These words are said by Paul very obscurely, but not in vain nor at random. For since the discourse was about money and the defense concerning it, what was said was fittingly shadowed over. What, then, is said? He said, "I did not take, but I am ready even to give besides and to spend"; and he discoursed much about this both in the first letter and in this one. But now he says something else, introducing the argument as from an objection and refuting it beforehand. What he says is this: I did not take advantage of you; but someone may perhaps say, "He did not take himself, but being crafty he arranged for those sent by him to ask something of you in their own person, and through them he received it himself, putting himself outside the appearance of having taken, while receiving through others." But no one could say even this; and you are witnesses. That is why he carries on the argument by questions, saying, "I urged Titus, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did he not walk as I did?" That is, he did not take either. Do you see how great the intensity of his exactness was, not only keeping himself clean of gain, but so ordering those sent by him as to give not even a small pretext to those who wished to find fault? For this is much greater than what the patriarch did. For he, returning from victory, when the king offered spoils, said he would take nothing except what his men had eaten [Gen 14:21–24]; but this man neither enjoyed even necessary food himself, nor allowed his companions to share in it, [so abundantly stopping the mouths of the shameless.] That is why he does not declare it, nor say that they did not take either, but what was far greater than this: he brings the Corinthians themselves forward as witnesses that they had taken nothing, so that he may not seem to bear witness in his own person, but from their vote; which we usually do in matters that are fully agreed and about which we are confident. "Tell me," he says, "did any of those sent to you take advantage of you?" He did not say, "Did anyone take anything from you?" but calls the thing "taking advantage," attacking them and greatly shaming them, and showing that to take from the unwilling is taking advantage. And he did not say, "Did Titus?" but, "Did any?" For you could not say even this, he says, that so-and-so did not take, but another did. "I urged Titus." This too strikes home. For he did not say, "I sent Titus," but "I urged," showing that even if he had taken, he would have taken justly; but nevertheless even so he remained clean. That is why he asks them again, saying, "Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit?" What is "in the same spirit"? He ascribes the whole to grace, and shows that this whole praise was the achievement not of our labors but of the gift of the Spirit and of grace. For it was a very great grace, even when in want and hungry, not to take, for the sake of the building up of the disciples. "Not in the same steps?" That is, they did not deviate even a little from this exactness, but kept the same rule.

"Again, do you think that we are defending ourselves to you?" [2 Cor 12:19]. Do you see how everywhere he fears lest he get a reputation for flattery? Do you see the apostolic prudence, how continually he sets this down? For earlier he said, "We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an occasion to boast" [2 Cor 5:12]; and at the beginning of the letter, "Do we need letters of commendation?" [2 Cor 3:1]. "But all things for your building up." Again he heals them. And not even here does he say plainly, "For this reason we do not receive, because of your weakness," but, "so that we may build you up"; saying it more clearly than before, and uncovering what he was laboring with, yet not in a striking way. For he did not say, "because of your weakness," but, "so that you may be built up." "For I fear lest perhaps, when I come, I may find you not such as I wish, and I may be found by you such as you do not wish" [2 Cor 12:20]. He is about to say something great and burdensome. That is why he sets down the defense too, both by saying, "All things for your building up," and by adding, "I fear," softening the harshness of what was going to be said. For this was no longer a matter of arrogance or of a teacher's authority, but of a father's solicitude, when he fears more than the sinners and trembles at the prospect of correcting them. But not even so does he run them down, nor declare it, but says doubtfully, "lest perhaps, when I come, [I find you] not such as I wish." He did not say "wicked," but "not such as I wish," showing through everything the names of friendship. And "find" too is the language of one who indicates the unexpected, as also "be found by you." For the thing is not of choice, but of necessity, which takes its cause from you. That is why he said, "such as I do not wish"; but more strikingly, "such as you do not wish." For in the end it was his wish, not his primary wish, but a wish nevertheless. For he could have said again, "such as I do not wish," and so shown his love; but he did not wish to slacken the hearer. Or rather, his word would have become harsher so; but now he both struck harder and showed himself gentler. For this is characteristic of his wisdom: having said it obscurely, he uncovers it, saying, "lest perhaps there be strife, jealousies, angers, slanders, whisperings, swellings." And what he was going to put first, he puts last; for they were arrogant against him. So that he might not seem to seek his own interest primarily, he speaks first of the common one.

For all these things were born from jealousy: the slanders, the accusations, the divisions. For like some evil root, jealousy bore anger, accusation, arrogance, all the rest, and was increased the more by them. "Lest when I come again my God should humble me before you" [2 Cor 12:21]. And "again" was the language of one striking them. For the former things are enough, he says; as he said at the beginning, "To spare you I did not come again to Corinth" [2 Cor 1:23]. Do you see how he shows both indignation and tender affection? And what is "humble"? Surely it is glory to accuse, to punish, to demand an account, to sit in the rank of a judge; but nevertheless he calls it humiliation. So far was he from being ashamed of that humiliation, that "his bodily presence is weak and his speech of no account," that he even wished to be in it continually, and prayed against the opposite. And he says this more clearly further on, and counts this above all as humiliation, to fall into such a necessity of chastising and punishing. And why did he not say, "lest when I come I be humbled," but, "lest when I come my God should humble me"? Because, if it were not for him, I would not have turned to it, I would not have cared. For I do not exact a penalty as one who has authority and is self-willed, but because of his command. Above he set it down saying, "I may be found such as you do not wish"; but here he lowers his tone, and speaks more gently and mildly, saying, "and I shall mourn many of those who have sinned before and have not repented." Not simply those who have sinned, but those who have not repented. And he did not say "all," but "many"; and not even these does he make known, giving them from this too an easy return to repentance, and making plain that repentance can correct offenses; he mourns those who do not repent, those incurably sick, those who remain in the wound. Consider, then, apostolic virtue, when, conscious of nothing evil in himself, he laments over others' evils and is humbled for what others have done wrong. For this is above all the mark of a teacher, to share the pain of the disciples' calamities so, to beat the breast and mourn over the wounds of those under his rule.

Then he names the kind of sin too: "for the uncleanness and sexual immorality and licentiousness which they practiced." Here he hints at sexual immorality; but if one examines carefully, every kind of sin too can be called by this name. For even if the fornicator and the adulterer are called unclean above all, yet the other sins too produce uncleanness in the soul. For this very reason Christ too calls the Jews unclean, not charging them with sexual immorality only, but with other wickedness too. That is why he says, "[Clean the inside,] so that the outside also may be clean" [Matt 23:26]; and, "Not what goes in defiles a man, but what comes out" [Matt 15:11]; and elsewhere it is said, "Everyone who is proud in heart is unclean before the Lord" [Prov 16:5 LXX]. And rightly. For nothing is cleaner than virtue, nothing more unclean than vice; the one is brighter than the sun, the other more foul-smelling than mire. And those who [wallow] in the mire and live in darkness would themselves bear witness to this, when someone enables them to look up toward themselves even a little. For as long as they are by themselves and drunk with the passion, as though living in darkness they lie shamelessly with great disgrace, perceiving even then where they are, but not exactly; but when they see one of those who live in virtue reproving them, even merely appearing, then they recognize their own wretchedness more clearly, and as though a ray had been let in, they cover their own shame, and blush before those who are aware of it, even if one is a slave and the other free, one a king and the other a subject. So Ahab was ashamed on seeing Elijah, caught by his mere appearance before Elijah had said anything; and while the accuser was silent, he passed the vote condemning himself, uttering the words of those who are caught, and saying, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" [1 Kgs 21:20]. So Elijah himself then spoke with great boldness to that tyrant. So Herod, not bearing the shame of reproof (for the voice of the prophetic tongue, shining brightly and clearly, showed it more plainly), cast John into prison [Matt 14:3–4], as one naked who tries to put out the lamp so as to be in the dark again. Or rather, he himself did not dare to put it out, but put it, as it were, under the bushel into the prison; but that wretched and miserable woman compelled this to happen. But not even so could they cover the reproof, but kindled it the more. For both those who then asked why John lived in prison learned the reason, and all who afterwards inhabited land and sea, those who lived then and now and who will live hereafter, have clearly known and will know these wicked dramas, both of their licentiousness and of their bloodshed, and no time will be able to blot out the memory of them.

So great is virtue, so immortal the memory it has, so does it strike its opponents with terror even by words alone. For why did he cast him into prison? Why did he not despise him? Was he going to drag him into court? Did he exact a penalty for the adultery? Were not his words only a reproof so far? Why then does he fear and tremble? Were they not words and bare speech? But they stung more than deeds. He did not bring him into court, but he dragged him into another tribunal, that of conscience, and set as judges over him all who then with authority passed their votes in their minds. That is why the tyrant trembled, not bearing the brightness of virtue. Do you see how great a thing philosophy is? It made a prisoner more glorious than a tyrant, and the tyrant fears and trembles at him. But he only bound him; that defiled woman rushed even to slaughter. And yet the charge bore rather on him. For John did not meet her and say, "Why do you live with the tyrant?" not because she was not accountable (how could that be?), but he wished to correct the whole from this side. That is why he blamed him; and not even him vehemently. For he did not say, "O defiled and utterly [wicked man, you have trampled on] the law of God, despised what was commanded, made your power law." Nothing of the kind; but even in his reproofs the man's gentleness was great, great his mildness: "For it is not lawful for you," he says, "to have the wife of your brother Philip" [Mark 6:18]. The word is that of one teaching rather than reproving, instructing rather than punishing, setting right rather than exposing, correcting rather than trampling. But, as I said, light is hateful to the thief; the righteous man is burdensome to sinners even by simply appearing: "For he is grievous to us even to behold" [Wis 2:15]. For they do not bear his rays, as those with diseased eyes do not bear the sun's. And to many of the wicked he is burdensome not only when he appears, but even when heard of. For this reason that defiled woman, or rather child-murderess, though she had neither seen him nor heard his voice, rushed to his slaughter; and she brings the girl whom she had reared licentiously to come even to murder: so excessively did she fear him. And what does she say? "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist" [Matt 14:8]. Where are you being carried, down the precipices, wretched and miserable woman? Is the accuser present? Is he seen and troubling you? Others said, "He is grievous to us even to behold"; but to her, as I said, even when heard of. That is why she says, "Give me here on a platter the head of John." And yet he lives in prison because of you, and is bound with a chain, and you may revel in your passion and say thus: "I have mastered the king, so that he did not even [break off] my adultery, but even bound the one who accused it." Why are you mad and raging, when even after the reproof of your sin you have your bridegroom? Why do you seek a table of the Furies and prepare a banquet of avenging demons? Do you see how worthless, how cowardly, how unmanly vice is, how when it most prevails, then it becomes weaker? For this woman was not so troubled before casting John into prison as she is disturbed now that he is bound, and she urges, saying, "Give me here on a platter the head of John." And why "here"? "I fear," she says, "lest the murder be shadowed over, lest some rescue him from the danger." And why do you not seek the whole corpse, but the head? "The tongue that grieved me, this I long to see silent." But the opposite is true, as indeed happened, wretched and miserable woman: it will cry out more loudly after this, when cut off. For then it cried out in Judea only, but now it will reach the ends of the world; and wherever you go into a church, whether in the land of the Moors, or of the Persians, or even to the British Isles themselves, you hear John crying, "It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother Philip." But she, knowing nothing of philosophy, presses and chokes and pushes the senseless tyrant to the murder, fearing lest he should ever change. But learn again from this the strength of virtue. She does not bear the righteous man even shut up, even bound and silent. Do you see how weak vice is, how unclean? For instead of dishes she brings a human head on a platter. What could be more defiled, more accursed, more shameless than that girl? What a cry she let out in ...

[End of Homily 28:] ... in the theater of the devil and the banquet of demons? Do you see tongue against tongue, the one bringing saving medicines, the other carrying poison? But why did she not order him to be slaughtered inside at the banquet, where her pleasure would have been greater? She feared lest, if he came and was seen, he would change them all by his look, by his boldness. That is why she asks for the head, wishing to set up a glorious trophy of sexual immorality; and the girl gave it to her mother [Matt 14:11]. Do you see the wages of the dancing, the spoils of the devilish plot? I do not mean the head of John, but the man she lived with himself. For if one examines carefully, the trophy will be against the king; and the woman who conquered was defeated, and the beheaded man [was crowned and proclaimed victor, even after death] shaking more violently the minds of those who had sinned. And that what has been said is no boast, ask Herod himself; who, when he heard of Christ's signs, said, "This is John; he has been raised from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him" [Matt 14:2]. So vigorous did he keep his fear and so continual his agony; and no one could cast off the dread of his conscience, but that incorruptible judge remained choking him and every day demanding satisfaction for the murder. Knowing these things, then, let us not fear suffering evil, but doing evil; for the one is victory, the other defeat. That is why Paul too said, "Why do you not rather suffer wrong? But you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and that your brothers" [1 Cor 6:7–8]. For in suffering evil are the crowns and the prizes and the proclamation. And one may see this in all the saints. Since, then, [they were all so crowned,] let us all travel this road; and let us pray not to enter into temptation; but if it comes, let us stand with great courage and show the readiness that is fitting, so that we may obtain the good things to come, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, might, honor, now and always and to the ages of ages.

[Homily 29.] "This is the third time I am coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established" [2 Cor 13:1]. From many other places, but especially from this one too, one can see Paul's philosophy and his great tender affection: how he is lavish in [exhortations, but slow] in punishments. For he did not punish them at once when they sinned, but warned them once and a second time; and not even when they disobeyed so does he punish them, but warns again, saying, "This is the third time I am coming to you," and before I come, I write again. Then, so that the delay may not produce carelessness, see how he sets this right too, continually threatening and holding up the blow, and saying, "If I come again, I will not spare" [2 Cor 13:2]; and, "lest when I come I mourn many" [2 Cor 12:21]. And he does and says this imitating in this too the Master of all; for God too continually threatens and often warns, but does not often chastise and punish. This he too does; and for this reason he said earlier, "To spare you I did not come again to Corinth" [2 Cor 1:23]. What is "to spare you"? So that, finding you sinners and remaining uncorrected, I might not bring chastisement and punishment. And here, "This is the third time I am coming to you; by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." He joins what is not written to what is written [Deut 19:15]; which he did elsewhere too, saying, "He who is joined to a prostitute is one body; for the two, he says, shall become one flesh" [1 Cor 6:16; Gen 2:24]. And yet this was said of lawful marriage; but he used it for this purpose profitably, so as to frighten them more. So he does here too, putting his visits and his warnings in place of witnesses. What he says is this: I spoke once, and a second time, when I was present; I speak now too by letter. And if you listen to me, what I desired has happened; but if you disobey, it is necessary at last to make good what has been said and bring the punishment. That is why he says, "I have said beforehand, and I say beforehand, as when present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who sinned before and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare." For if "by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established," I came a second time and spoke, and I speak now too through the letter; I must at last make it true. For do not think that letters have less force than presence; for as I said when present, so I write now when absent. Do you see a father's solicitude? Do you see teaching and fitting forethought? He neither kept silent nor chastised, but both forewarns often, and continues threatening, and puts off the punishment; and if they should remain uncorrected, then he threatens to bring it in fact. And what did you say beforehand when present, and write now when absent? "That if I come again, I will not spare." Having first shown that he cannot do this unless compelled, and calling the thing mourning and humiliation ("lest when I come my God should humble me before you, and I mourn"), and having defended himself to them, that he forewarned once and a second and a third time, and that he does and contrives everything so as to stave off the punishment and to make them better by fear of his words, then he set down this burdensome and fearful thing, saying, "that if I come again, I will not spare." He did not say, "I will both chastise and exact a penalty," but again sets down the punishment itself in fatherly words, showing his heart and his mind that shares their pain, because he always put it off out of sparing them. Then, so that they may not think now too that there is again a postponement and a mere threat in words, for this reason he said before, "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established," and, "that if I come again, I will not spare." What he says is this: I will no longer put it off, but will certainly bring it, and will make good what I have said.

Then with great anger and vehement indignation against those who ridiculed him as weak and mocked his presence, saying, "His presence is weak and his speech of no account," as though directing himself at them, he says, "since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me" [2 Cor 13:3]. For he said this at once striking these and attacking those. What he says is this: since you wish to test whether Christ dwells in me, and demand an account, and for this reason ridicule me as mean and contemptible, as being destitute of that power, you will know that we are not destitute, if you give occasion, which God forbid. "What then? Tell me, do you punish for this reason, because they seek a proof?" No, he says; for if I sought this, I would have punished them as sinners from the first and not have borne with them. And that he does not seek this, he showed more clearly further on, saying, "But I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is good, though we be as unapproved" [2 Cor 13:7].