2 Corinthians 12:10–19

The modern world, when it praises its little Caesars, talks of being strong and brave: but it does not seem to see the eternal paradox involved in the conjunction of these ideas. The strong cannot be brave. Only the weak can be brave; and yet again, in practice, only those who can be brave can be trusted, in time of doubt, to be strong. The only way in which a giant could really keep himself in training against the inevitable Jack would be by continually fighting other giants ten times as big as himself. That is by ceasing to be a giant and becoming a Jack. Thus that sympathy with the small or the defeated as such, with which we Liberals and Nationalists have been often reproached, is not a useless sentimentalism at all, as Mr. Wells and his friends fancy. It is the first law of practical courage. To be in the weakest camp is to be in the strongest school.

The truth is that the tradition of Christianity (which is still the only coherent ethic of Europe) rests on two or three paradoxes or mysteries which can easily be impugned in argument and as easily justified in life. One of them, for instance, is the paradox of hope or faith—that the more hopeless is the situation the more hopeful must be the man. Stevenson understood this, and consequently Mr. Moore cannot understand Stevenson. Another is the paradox of charity or chivalry that the weaker a thing is the more it should be respected, that the more indefensible a thing is the more it should appeal to us for a certain kind of defence. Thackeray understood this, and therefore Mr. Moore does not understand Thackeray.

Energetic people use energy as a means, but only very tired people ever use energy as a reason. Athletes go in for games, because athletes desire glory. Invalids go in for calisthenics; for invalids (alone of all human beings) desire strength. So long as the German Army points to its heraldic eagle and says, "I come in the name of this fierce but fabulous animal," the German Army will be all right. If ever it says, "I come in the name of bayonets," the bayonets will break like glass, for only the weak exhibit strength without an aim.

It is a good sign in a nation when such things are done badly. It shows that all the people are doing them. And it is a bad sign in a nation when such things are done very well, for it shows that only a few experts and eccentrics are doing them, and that the nation is merely looking on. Suppose that whenever we heard of walking in England it always meant walking forty-five miles a day without fatigue. We should be perfectly certain that only a few men were walking at all, and that all the other British subjects were being wheeled about in Bath-chairs. But if when we hear of walking it means slow walking, painful walking, and frequent fatigue, then we know that the mass of the nation still is walking. We know that England is still literally on its feet.

It is only we who play badly who love the Game itself. You love glory; you love applause; you love the earthquake voice of victory; you do not love croquet. You do not love croquet until you love being beaten at croquet. It is we the bunglers who adore the occupation in the abstract. It is we to whom it is art for art's sake. ... Our play is called amateurish; and we wear proudly the name of amateur, for amateurs is but the French for Lovers. We accept all adventures from our Lady, the most disastrous or the most dreary. ... The good painter has skill. It is the bad painter who loves his art. The good musician loves being a musician, the bad musician loves music.

All pessimism has a secret optimism for its object. All surrender of life, all denial of pleasure, all darkness, all austerity, all desolation has for its real aim this separation of something so that it may be poignantly and perfectly enjoyed. I feel grateful for the slight sprain which has introduced this mysterious and fascinating division between one of my feet and the other. The way to love anything is to realise that it might be lost. In one of my feet I can feel how strong and splendid a foot is; in the other I can realise how very much otherwise it might have been. The moral of the thing is wholly exhilarating. This world and all our powers in it are far more awful and beautiful than even we know until some accident reminds us. If you wish to perceive that limitless felicity, limit yourself if only for a moment.

And this is really all that we can do when we fight something really stronger than ourselves; we can deal it its death-wound one moment; it deals us death in the end. It is something if we can shock and jar the unthinking impetus and enormous innocence of evil; just as a pebble on a railway can stagger the Scotch express.

This weakness is mighty in Christ, as the Apostle has said, When I am weak, then I am strong. This humility excludes frailty.

Not in the amount of money, not in the pride of power, not in the height of glory is victory gained, but the Lord freely gives his help to those who seek him through excessive affliction. Such was Paul, who made his afflictions his boast. Therefore he was able to say, "When I am weak, then I am strong." … Do you see where affliction leads you? To hope that does not disappoint..

"Wherefore I take pleasure in many weaknesses." Of what sort? tell me. "In injuries, in persecutions, in necessities, in distresses."

Seest thou how he has now revealed it in the clearest manner? For in mentioning the species of the infirmity he spake not of fevers, nor any return of that sort, nor any other bodily ailment, but of "injuries, persecutions, distresses." Seest thou a single-minded soul? He longs to be delivered from those dangers; but when he heard God's answer that this befitteth not, he was not only not sorry that he was disappointed of his prayer, but was even glad. Wherefore he said, "I take pleasure," 'I rejoice, I long, to be injured, persecuted, distressed for Christ's sake.' And he said these things both to check those, and to raise the spirits of these that they might not be ashamed at Paul's sufferings. For that ground was enough to make them shine brighter than all men. Then he mentions another reason also.

"For when I am weak, then am I strong." 'Why marvellest thou that the power of God is then conspicuous? I too am strong "then;"' for then most of all did grace come upon him. "For as His sufferings abound, so doth our consolation abound also."

Where affliction is, there is also consolation; where consolation, there is grace also. For instance when he was thrown into the prison, then it was he wrought those marvellous things; when he was shipwrecked and cast away upon that barbarous country, then more than ever was he glorified. When he went bound into the judgment-hall, then he overcame even the judge. And so it was too in the Old Testament; by their trials the righteous flourished. So it was with the three children, so with Daniel, with Moses, and Joseph; thence did they all shine and were counted worthy of great crowns. For then the soul also is purified, when it is afflicted for God's sake: it then enjoys greater assistance as needing more help and worthy of more grace. And truly, before the reward which is proposed to it by God, it reaps a rich harvest of good things by becoming philosophic. For affliction rends pride away and prunes out all listlessness and exerciseth unto patience: it revealeth the meanness of human things and leads unto much philosophy. For all the passions give way before it, envy, emulation, lust, rule desire of riches, of beauty, boastfulness, pride, anger; and the whole remaining swarm of these distempers. And if thou desirest to see this in actual working, I shall be able to show thee both a single individual and a whole people, as well under affliction as at ease; and so to teach thee how great advantage cometh of the one, and how great listlessness from the other.

Whosoever, then, seeketh to find his soul, must deliver his body unto the destruction of all afflictions, and behold, he will find his soul in the destruction of his body, and the health of the man of the spirit in the sickness of the carnal man, even as Paul also testifieth, saying, "When I am sick, it is then that I am strong."

And if these severities will seem to be more grievous than martyrdoms, yet once more he says: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake." He also says, in verses occurring in a previous part of the epistle: "Our condition is such, that we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; and are in need, but not in utter want; since we are harassed by persecutions, but not forsaken; it is such that we are east down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in our body the dying of Christ.

Plainly, a Christian will "glory" even in the flesh; but (it will be) when it has endured laceration for Christ's sake, in order that the spirit may be crowned in it, not in order that it may draw the eyes and sighs of youths after it.

Paul does not say that he enjoyed these things but that he had learned to cope with them.

I desired, he says, as a human being, to be delivered from afflictions, but after I heard what I heard, I boast and am of good cheer, that is, I rejoice, I find pleasure in weaknesses. Then, lest you think that he means fever and other illnesses, he explains these weaknesses to you, saying that they consist "in reproaches" and so on. This, on the one hand, puts to shame the false apostles who boast in afflictions, as opponents of God, and on the other hand, persuades the disciples not to be ashamed of their teacher, but rather to take pride in him, since the dangers exist by the will of God and for the glory of Christ.

What do you marvel that the power of God is revealed in weaknesses? For I too become stronger amidst them, having in myself the most abundant grace, as, for example, in those cases when, being in prison, I converted the jailer (Acts 16:31), when, having suffered shipwreck, I brought fear upon the barbarian islanders (Acts 28:4–6), when, standing before the judge in chains, I overcame both him and my accusers (Acts 26:31). Thus, he appeared strong, courageous, and glorious when he was weak, that is, when he was in danger.

The other effect is joy. Hence he says: For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses. In regard to this he does two things. First, he mentions the effect of joy; secondly, he assigns the reason for it (v. 10b).

He mentions the effect of joy and the matter of joy. He says therefore: because the power of Christ dwells in me in all tribulations, I am content, i.e., I am greatly pleased and take joy in the infirmities I mentioned: "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials" (Jas. 1:2). The weaknesses in which he rejoices abundantly on account of Christ's grace are then listed. First, those which come from an internal cause, namely, his infirmities; hence he says, in my weaknesses: "Their infirmities were multiplied: afterwards they made haste" (Ps. 16:5, Vulgate), namely, toward grace. Secondly, those that come from an external cause: first, as to the word, when he says, in insults: "Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" (Ac. 15:4); then as to deed, and this either as to a lack of good things, when he says, in hardships, i.e., in the lack of things necessary and in the poverty by which he was pressed: "Contribute to the needs of the saints" (Rom. 12:13). Or as to experiencing evils inflicted, and this as to external things: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake" (Matt. 5:10), when he says, in bodily persecutions, which we experience from place to place and everywhere, as well as to internal things, saying, in calamities, i.e., in anxieties of soul: "I am straitened on every side" (Dan. 13:22, Vulgate). But in all these things the material which makes for joy is that they are for Christ. As if to say: I am pleased because I suffer for Christ: "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief" (1 Pet. 4:15).

He assigns the reason for this joy, when he says, for when I am weak, then I am strong, i.e., when as a result of what is in me or as a result of persecutions, I fall into any of the aforesaid, God's help is applied to me to strengthen me: "Your consolations cheer my soul" (Ps. 94:19); "Let the weak say, I am strong" (Jl. 3:10, Vulgate); "Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day" (2 Cor. 4:16). And in Ex. (1:12) it says that the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they multiplied.

Paul is saying that he has been forced to disclose the truth of the matter. He is certainly not foolish, having spoken the truth about himself, but is abasing himself in this way in order to make it clear that he is not putting his own merits on display voluntarily.

Having fully completed what he had to say about his own praises, he did not stay at this; but again excuses himself and asks pardon for what he said, declaring that his doing so was of necessity and not of choice. Still nevertheless, although there was necessity, he calls himself "a fool." And when he began indeed, he said, "As foolish receive me," and "as in foolishness;" but now, leaving out the 'as,' he calls himself "foolish." For after he had established the point he wished by saying what he did, he afterwards boldly and unsparingly grapples with all failing of the sort, teaching all persons that none should ever praise himself where there is no necessity, seeing that even where a reason for it existed, Paul termed himself a fool for so doing. Then he turns the blame also of his so speaking not upon the false Apostles, but wholly upon the disciples. For "ye," he saith, "compelled me." 'For if they gloried, but were not by doing so leading you astray nor causing your destruction, I should not have been thus led on to descend unto this discussion: but because they were corrupting the whole Church, with a view to your advantage I was compelled to become foolish.' And he did not say, 'For I feared lest if they obtained the highest estimation with you, they should sow their doctrines,' yet this indeed he set down above when he said, "I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve, so your minds should be corrupted." Here however he does not so express himself, but in a more commanding manner and with more authority, having gained boldness from what he had said, "For I ought to have been commended of you." Then he also assigns the reason; and again he mentions not his revelations nor his miracles only, but his temptations also.

"For in nothing was I behind the chiefest Apostles." See how he here too again speaks out with greater authoritativeness. For, before indeed he said, "I reckon I am not a whit behind," but here, after those proofs, he now boldly speaks out asserting the fact, as I said, thus absolutely. Not that even thus he departs from the mean, nor from his proper character. For as though he had uttered something great and exceeding his deserts, in that he numbered himself with the Apostles, he thus again speaks modestly, and adds, "Although I be nothing."

Again he justifies himself for boasting. Earlier he said, "receive me, even as foolish" and "as if in foolishness," but now he calls himself foolish already without the particle "as"; for having done what he desired, he boldly subjects himself to such abasement, sufficiently teaching us not to boast without necessity, since Paul even when such necessity existed calls himself foolish. "You compelled me," that is, I said this being impelled by concern for your salvation, seeing that the false apostles whom you obey are corrupting you by their boasting. Therefore I resolved for your sake to tell you something about myself.

You should have been, he says, the ones recounting my labors and glorifying them; but since you did not do this, and listened to the false apostles, and were corrupted, I have said this for your salvation.

Above he said hesitantly: "I think that I am not in the least inferior to the most eminent Apostles" (11:5), but now he speaks with greater force: "I am not in the least inferior," that is, he should not be considered lower than the apostles — Peter and the others. But here again he did not depart from his custom and added: "though I am nothing." Note his prudence. He does not compare himself with the false apostles, nor does he even deign to mention them, as one incomparably higher than they, but affirms that he is equal to the apostles. At the same time, he hints that the Corinthians insult the apostles when they place one equal to them below the false apostles.

Having commended himself, the Apostle now asks pardon for what he has said, showing that he was compelled to say these things which pertain to his glory. First, he lays the blame for his glorying on the Corinthians; secondly, he explains and clarifies this (v. 11b).

First, therefore, he says: I confess that in all these commendations I have been a fool, i.e., it seems to you that I have performed the work of a fool. But this was not done of myself or willingly; rather, I was compelled, and it was your fault, because you forced me to it, i.e., gave me the occasion. For subjects frequently compel their prelates to do things which seem unwise to do, although considering the time and place, they were done wisely.

Then he explains what he had said in a general way, namely, that they were the cause of his commending himself, when he says: for I ought to have been commended by you. Here he says that they were the cause of his commending himself: first, by neglecting the good they should have done, in which he enlarges upon their ingratitude; secondly, by committing evil, in which he execrates their malice (v. 20). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he reminds them what they ought to have done by showing the cause (v. 11c); secondly, he rejects their excuse (v. 13).

He says therefore: yes, you compelled me, because you should have done what I have done; hence he says: for I ought to have been commended by you, which you have not done when in was necessary, that is, when the false apostles by belittling me and preferring themselves rendered vile the doctrine and gospel of Christ delivered by me. Hence, because you did not commend me, then in order that the faith of Christ not die among you, I undertook to commend myself. But this is in conflict with his earlier statement (3:1): "Do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?" So why would he wish to be commended by them? I answer that the Apostle did not need commendations for himself, but for others, namely, that in commending himself his doctrine would be held in greater authority and the false apostles refuted.

But because they could say: "we did not commend you, because there is nothing commendable about you," the Apostle proves to them that they had good cause to commend him, when he says: For I am not at all inferior to these superlative apostles, thus showing that there was much in him commendable. First, as to the past good things he did; secondly, as to the good things he intends to do (v. 14). First, in general as to all the churches; secondly, in particular as to what he did among them (v. 11d); thirdly he excludes an objection (v. 13).

He says therefore: I deserved to be commended by you, because there are many things in me worthy of commendation, for I am not at all inferior, namely, Peter and James and John, who are superlative apostles, i.e., who seem to some to be worthier apostles than I. For the false apostles said that they had been taught by Peter and John, who had been taught by Christ, and that Peter and John observed the ceremonies of the Law; hence, that they too should observe them. But because I have done nothing else among you, either as to preaching or to converting believers or performing miracles and undertaking labours, but rather have done more, because "I worked harder than any of them" (1 Cor. 15:10), for that reason I am more to be commended. Or they were called superlative apostles, that is, Peter, James and John, because they were the first ones converted to Christ: "Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me" (1 Cor. 15:8). If it is taken in this sense, even then I have done nothing less than they, because in the short time after I was converted, I labored more.

Paul humbles himself only to rise to his true height. He talks about his patience because for a long time he put up with them as if they were sick people. His intention was to cure them of their errors by using the medicine of signs and wonders.

"Although I be nothing, the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you."

'Look not thou at this,' he says, 'whether I be mean and little, but whether thou hast not enjoyed those things which from an Apostle it was meet thou shouldest enjoy.' Yet he did not say 'mean,' but what was lower, "nothing." For where is the good of being great, and of use to nobody? even as there is no advantage in a skilful physician if he heals none of those that be sick. 'Do not then,' he says, 'scrutinize this that I am nothing, but consider that, that wherein ye ought to have been benefitted, I have failed in nothing, but have given proof of mine Apostleship. There ought then to have been no need for me to say aught.'

"The signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, and by signs and wonders." Amazing! what a sea of good works hath he traversed in a few words! And observe what it is he puts first, "patience." For this is the note of an Apostle, bearing all things nobly. This then he expressed shortly by a single word; but upon the miracles, which were not of his own achieving, he employs more. For consider how many prisons, how many stripes, how many dangers, how many conspiracies, how many sleet-showers of temptations, how many civil, how many foreign wars, how many pains, how many attacks he has implied here in that word, "patience!" And by "signs" again, how many dead raised, how many blind healed, how many lepers cleansed, how many devils cast out! Hearing these things, let us learn if we happen upon a necessity for such recitals to cut our good deeds short, as he too did.

"If, then, a marriage of this kind (contracted before conversion) stands ratified before God, why should not (one contracted after conversion) too go prosperously forward, so as not to be thus harassed by pressures, and straits, and hindrances, and defilements, having already (as it has) the partial sanction of divine grace? "Because, on the one hand, the wife in the former case, called from among the Gentiles to the exercise of some eminent heavenly virtue, is, by the visible proofs of some marked (divine) regard, a terror to her Gentile husband, so as to make him less ready to annoy her, less active in laying snares for her, less diligent in playing the spy over her. He has felt "mighty works; he has seen experimental evidences; he knows her changed for the better: thus even he himself is, by his fear, a candidate for God.

Paul rightly puts patience before signs and wonders, because attitudes matter more than abilities.

Though "I am nothing," he says, but do not pay attention to that; rather, notice that I omitted nothing of what is proper to the apostles, for you yourselves are witnesses that I fulfilled everything.

The first quality of an apostle is patience and the courageous endurance of all things. But notice his humility. How many dangers, how many outward and inward struggles he summed up in a single word — patience. For that which was his own doing, that is, patience, he expressed in one word; but as for the signs, which belonged not to him but to the grace of God — in many words. Listen.

What the difference is between a sign and a wonder has been said in another place. But lest anyone think that this was said only about beneficial acts, he adds: "and powers." For "power" clearly points to something punitive as well. Notice here too how many dead, lepers, blind, demoniacs — all who received his benefactions, as well as those punished by him, such as Elymas — he encompasses so briefly.

But granting that I did nothing in regard to the other churches for which I might be commended, nevertheless I have done many special things among you, and for these you could have commended me; hence he says, even though I am nothing, i.e., granting that I did nothing in comparison to them, nevertheless, the effect of my power is present among you. First, as to our preaching, by which you were converted to the faith, and I am your apostle. Yet the signs of a true apostle, i.e., of my preaching, were performed among you by God, inasmuch as believing, you were converted: "You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord" (1 Cor. 9:2); "For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). Secondly, by the manner of life through which faith is strengthened, because when one's life agrees with his doctrine, the doctrine has greater authority, and the virtue of the preacher is more apparent through patience: "The learning of a man is known by patience" (Prov. 19:11, Vulgate); therefore he says, in all patience. Thirdly, as to working miracles; hence he says, with signs and wonders and mighty works: "And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it" (Mk. 16:20).

These three things are distinct, because "might" [virtus] is common to all miracles, for might is the full extent of a power. Therefore, something is called mighty [virtuosum] because it proceeds from great power [virtute]. Therefore, because miracles come from great power, namely the divine, they are therefore called "powers" [virtutes]. But "sign" refers to a lesser miracle, and "wonder" to a greater one. Or he says "signs" as to miracles performed in regard to the present and "wonders" in regard to miracles concerning the future. Or signs and wonders refer to miracles done contrary to nature; for example, giving sight to the blind, raising from the dead, and so on. But mighty deeds are things according to nature, not performed in the way nature does, as for a sick man to be healed immediately, when one's hands are placed on him; for nature produces the same effect step by step. Or mighty deeds mean the virtues of the mind, such as chastity and so on.

Paul is telling the Corinthians that they were better off than other churches. Corinth was the only place where he preached the gospel without being paid for it.

"For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the Churches?"

'Ye were partakers,' he says, 'of no less grace than the others.' But perhaps some one will say, 'What can be the reason that he turns the discourse upon the Apostles, abandoning the contest against the false Apostles?' Because he is desirous to erect their spirits yet further, and to show that he is not only superior to them, but not even inferior to the great Apostles. Therefore, surely, when he is speaking of those he says, "I am more;" but when he compares himself with the Apostles, he considers it a great thing not to be "behind," although he labored more than they. And thence he shows that they insult the Apostles, in holding him who is their equal second to these men.

"Except it be that I myself was not a burden to you?" Again he has pronounced their rebuke with great severity. And what follows is of yet more odious import.

"Forgive me this wrong." Still, nevertheless, this severity contains both words of love and a commendation of themselves; if, that is, they consider it a wrong done to them, that the Apostle did not consent to receive aught from them, nor relied on them enough to be supported by them. 'If,' says he, 'ye blame me for this:' he did not say, 'Ye blame me wrongly,' but with great sweetness, 'I ask your pardon, forgive me this fault.'

And observe his prudence. For because the mooring this continually tended to bring disgrace upon them, he continually softens it down; saying above, for instance, "As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting shall not be stopped in me;" then again, "Because I love you not? God knoweth....But that I may cut off occasion from them that desire occasion, and that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we." And in the former Epistle "What is my reward then?" Verily, "that when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel without charge." And here "Forgive me this wrong." For every where he avoids showing that it is on account of their weakness he taketh not from them; and here not to wound them. And therefore here he thus expresses himself; 'If ye think this to be an offense, I ask forgiveness.' Now he spoke thus, at once to wound and to heal. For do not say this, I pray thee; 'If thou meanest to wound, why excuse it? but if thou excusest it, why wound?' For this is wisdom's part, at once to lance, and to bind up the sore.

Lest anyone should say: true, you are great, but still you have not done what the apostles did in other churches, therefore he says: what do you lack? Did you receive a lesser gift compared to the other churches?

He rebukes them with great severity, saying: if you hold it against me that I did not burden you, but preached the Gospel to you without putting you to any expense, then I ask for indulgence; forgive me this fault. At the same time, these words also contain praise for them, since they considered it an offense that he did not deign to take anything from them.

Then he excludes an objection, when he says, For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches? For the Corinthians could answer and say: it is true that you have done many good and great things, but others have done more and greater things than you. Therefore, we are not willing to commend you to them or in comparison with them. But he excludes this, saying: For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches? i.e., than the other churches of Christ have obtained through him in spiritual matters. As if to say: nothing, because they preached the faith and the Apostle preached the faith; they showed signs and wonders, and so did the Apostle. In fact not only do you not have less, but even more, because the other apostles live on the revenues of those to whom they preached, but not the Apostle. For he took nothing from the Corinthians; hence he says: except that I myself did not burden you by taking what was yours. As if to say: you received nothing less, unless perhaps you count it as less that I have not taken anything from you, which however is more: "You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me" (Ac. 20:34); "With toil and labor we worked night and day" (2 Th. 3:8); "Who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe" (Is. 33:15). But if you count this an injury, namely, that I refused to take anything from you (as I did not), because I did not love you, and it seems to you that I have done wrong, spare me. Hence he says in irony, forgive, that is, spare me this wrong! In this manner it says in Eph. (4:32): "Forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Paul's desire was to gain the Corinthians themselves and not their money. Once they understood that, they would have more affection for him.

"Behold this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children."

What he says is this; 'It is not because I do not receive of you that I do not come to you; nay, I have already come twice; and I am prepared to come this third time, "and I will not be a burden to you."' And the reason is a noble one. For he did not say, 'because ye are mean,' 'because ye are hurt at it,' 'because ye are weak:' but what? "For I seek not yours, but you." 'I seek greater things; souls instead of goods; instead of gold, salvation.' Then because there still hung about the matter some suspicion, as if he were displeased at them; he therefore even states an argument. For since it was likely they would say, 'Can you not have both us and ours?' he adds with much grace this excuse for them, saying, "For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children;" instead of teachers and disciples, employing the term parents and children, and showing that he does as a matter of duty what was not of duty. For Christ did not so command, but he says this to spare them; and therefore he adds also something further. For he did not only say that "the children ought not to lay up," but also that the parents ought to. Therefore since it is meet to give...

Paul is telling the Corinthians that if he had more to give them, he would be bound to do so, as a loving parent.

Lest it seem that he constantly displays his disinterestedness as though intending to accept something later, he therefore says: it is not because I take nothing that I do not come to you; I have already been to you a second time, I am already preparing to set out a third time, and I will not burden you. Why? Not because you are afraid, and not because you are weak, but because "I seek not yours, but you," that is, your salvation and your souls, not your possessions.

Since they would probably have said: you cannot have both us and our possessions, and that is why you are not disposed toward us, he provides the reasoning that parents ought to give to children, using the words "parents" and "children" in place of "teachers" and "disciples," and showing in this way that he strictly fulfills his duty and his role.

Here he shows that he is worthy of commendation in regard to good things he intends to do. He does three things. First, he states his resolution concerning the future good he intends to do; secondly, he assigns the reason for this resolution (v. 14c); thirdly, he applies a likeness to his reason (v. 14d).

It should be noted in regard to the first that sometimes it happens that the reason why some do not receive at one time is that they might be keeping themselves in reserve for another time, in which they can receive both more and more boldly. Therefore, lest they suppose something like this of the Apostle, namely, that he refused to take anything from them the first time, in order that he might receive more the second time, he says that he not only did this in the past, but is prepared to do the same in the future; hence he says, Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden. As if to say: not even then will I burden you by taking what is yours: "So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way" (2 Cor. 11:9); "I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go" (Job. 27:6). He says, here for the third time I am ready to come, and not "this third time I am coming," because he certainly was prepared to go to them a third time, yet he went only twice. For he was prepared to go the first time; he went and they were converted. He was ready a second time, but he was prevented on account of their sin. It was for this that he apologized in the beginning of this letter. Now he was ready to go a third time, and he went. Hence he went twice, but he was ready to go three times.

Then he gives the reason for this good resolution, when he says: for I seek not what is yours but you. The reasoning is this: it is clear that an artisan arranges his work according to the end he has in view, but when preachers preach, some intend revenue and temporal goods; consequently they arrange and direct all their preaching to this. Others intend the salvation of souls; consequently, they arrange their preaching according as they deem it expedient for the salvation of souls. Therefore, because the Apostle in his preaching aimed at the salvation of the Corinthians and he saw that it was expedient to take no revenue from them, both in order to shame the false apostles and also because they were covetous, he refused to take any revenue. Hence he assigns this reason: I will not burden you by taking anything, because I seek not what is yours by my preaching, but you and your salvation are what I aim to procure: "Not that I seek the gift; but I seek the fruit" (Phil. 4:17). Therefore the Lord said to the apostles: "I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19), not of money. This is also prefigured in Gen. (chap. 47), where we read that Joseph brought some Egyptians for the service of the king, because the good preacher should be intent upon converting believers to the service of Christ.

He adapts a simile to this reasoning, when he says: for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. First, he presents the simile; secondly, he adapts it (v. 15); thirdly, he criticizes their ingratitude (v. 15b).

He says therefore: I do not seek what is yours. This is clear from a simile. For we observe that parents according to the flesh should lay up for their children, because children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. Therefore, since I am your spiritual father and you are my children, I do not want you to lay up for me, but I for you.

But there is a question here about parents according to the flesh, for it says in Ex. (20:12): "Honor your father and your mother," which includes that we must minister to their needs. Therefore the children are bound to lay up for their parents. I answer that this precept binds children to minister to and help their parents in necessity, but not to gather and lay up for them. For laying up and gathering have an eye on the future. But in nature the children succeed the parents and not vice versa, except in some sad cases. Therefore the love of parents naturally induces them to lay up for the children. It is in this way that the Apostle speaks; but in Ex. (chap. 20) the Lord is speaking about helping them in case of necessity.

Another question that arises concerns the statement that the children should not lay up for their parents, but the parents for the children. Therefore, since prelates are our spiritual parents, it seems that princes and others do wrong when they give their riches to prelates. I answer that they gave them to prelates not for themselves, but for the poor, and this is what the Lord teaches: "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matt. 6:20). Hence they are given to prelates as dispensers to the poor.

Now Paul is openly expressing the love and affection which he had for them, since he is prepared not only to spend lavishly on their behalf but even to die for the salvation of their souls.

"I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls."

'For the law of nature indeed has commanded the parents to lay up for the children; but I do not do this only, but I give myself also besides.' And this lavishness of his, the not only not receiving, but giving also besides, is not in common sort but accompanied with great liberality, and out of his own want; for the words, "I will be spent," are of one who would imply this. 'For should it be necessary to spend my very flesh, I will not spare it for your salvation.' And that which follows contains at once accusation and love, "though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." 'And I do this,' he says, 'for the sake of those who are beloved by me, yet love me not equally.' Observe then, now, how many steps there are in this matter. He had a right to receive, but he did not receive; here is good work the first: and this, though in want; the second; and though preaching to them, the third; he gives besides, the fourth; and not merely gives, but lavishly too, the fifth; not money only, but himself, the sixth; for those who loved him not greatly, the seventh; and for those whom he greatly loved, the eighth.

Let us then also emulate this man! For it is a serious charge, the not loving even; but becomes more serious, when although one is loved he loveth not. For if he that loveth one that loveth him be no better than the publicans; he that doth not so much as this ranks with the beasts; yea rather, is even below them. What sayest thou, O man? Lovest thou not him that loveth thee? What then dost thou live for? Wherein wilt thou be of use hereafter? in what sort of matters? in public? in private? By no means; for nothing is more useless than a man that knows not to love.

I, he says, not only will take nothing from you, but rather will give to you, for such is the meaning of the word "spend." And why do I say "spend" money? I myself "will be spent," that is, if for the salvation of your souls I need to lose my body, I will not spare it.

In these words is expressed both condemnation and love. I do this, he says, for the sake of those loved by me, but who do not love me in return. See how many degrees this self-denial has: he did not take what was owed to him; the second — while being in need; the third — while preaching to them; the fourth — he gives; the fifth — not simply, but generously, for out of lack; the sixth — his very self; the seventh — for those who love but little; the eighth — for those who are greatly loved.

Then he applies the simile, in which he proposed two things: one is that the children should not lay up for the parents, and this is now clear. The other is that parents should lay up for and give to the children; in regard to this he says: therefore, because I am your father, I am ready to give to you, and this is what he says: I will most gladly spend good things on you, not only spiritual goods by preaching and giving examples, but even temporal goods, which he did, inasmuch as he preached to them and served them with the revenues of other churches. Every prelate should minister these three things to his subjects; hence the Lord said to Peter three times: "Feed my sheep" (Jn. 21:17), i.e., food them by word, feed them by example, feed them by temporal subsidies. Not only will I give those things to you, but I am ready to die for your salvation; hence he says, and be spent for your souls: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15:13); "He laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 Jn. 3:16); "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (Jn. 10:11).

Then he criticizes their ingratitude when he says, If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less? As if to say: gladly will I be spent for you, although you are ungrateful, because although I love you the more, I am loved the less. This comparison can be explained in two ways. First, in this way: although I love you the more than the other apostles, yet I am loved the less, namely, by you, than the false apostles are loved, whom you love more than me. Thus it is evident that I love you more than they, because I seek only your salvation, but they seek only your goods. In another way thus: although I love you the more than the other churches, nevertheless I am loved less by you than by the other churches: "For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:8). That he loved the Corinthians more than he loved the other churches is clear from the fact that he labored more for them. But that for which we labor more, we love more.

Paul makes explicit all the charges which an opponent might make against him in order to clear himself on all counts. For he did not deal deviously with the Corinthians but straightforwardly. On the one hand he wanted to make provision for them in the sight of God and on the other he did not want their wealth in this life. He might have been suspected of despising them because the sums which they offered him were too small, but this was not the case.

Paul has spoken these words very obscurely, but not without a meaning or purpose. For seeing he was speaking about money, and his defence on that score, it is reasonable that what he says must be wrapt in obscureness. What then is the meaning of what he says? He had said, 'I received not, nay I am ready even to give besides, and to spend;' and much discourse is made on this subject both in the former Epistle and in this. Now he says something else, introducing the subject in the form of an objection and meeting it by anticipation. What he says is something like this; 'I indeed have not made a gain of you: but perhaps some one has it to say that I did not receive [of you] indeed myself, but, being crafty, I procured those who were sent by me to ask for something of you as for themselves, and through them I myself received, yet keeping myself clear of seeming to receive, by receiving through others. But none can have this to say either; and you are witnesses.'

And in another place Paul writeth to his disciples, "Peradventure like a crafty man I have carried you off with guile;" and here also he closely uniteth guile with cunning.

The meaning of these words is as follows: he himself did not "burden you," but someone might suspect that I, while accepting nothing myself, being a crafty man, instructed those sent by me so that they would ask you for something on their own behalf, in order that through this cunning, while exacting, I might appear not to exact. Whether this is fair—look and judge for yourselves. He calls this matter "craftiness" in order to reproach and shame them, and to show that they could have been giving against their will and as if as a result of deception—for craftiness consists precisely in taking from someone against their will. It is the greatest disgrace for them if they consider themselves victims of craftiness because they support their teacher.

Then when he says, But granting that I myself did not burden you, he removes a suspicion. First, he mentions the suspicion; secondly, he excludes it (v. 17); thirdly, he assigns the reason for the exclusion (v. 19).

Their suspicion might be that the reason he did not take anything for himself was that others might take more from them. Therefore, he says: But granting, that is, granting that I myself, in my person and in those who are with me, did not burden you by taking anything, but as you believed, I was crafty and got the better of you by guile, i.e., I took many more of your goods through other persons. But this is false, because I have done nothing by guile: "For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile" (1 Th. 2:3). For he was an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile (Jn. 1:47).

Paul is saying that the people whom he sent to them did not suggest that if they wanted the apostle to be welldisposed toward them they should offer him more money. Commentary on Paul's Epistles.

Wherefore also he proceeds by question, saying, "I exhorted Titus, and with him I sent the brother. Did Titus make a gain of you?" 'walked he not just as I walked.' That is to say, neither did he receive. Seest thou how intense a strictness [is here], in that he not only keeps himself clear of that receiving, but so modulates those also who are sent by him that he may not give so much as a slight pretence to those who were desirous of attacking him. For this is far greater than that which the Patriarch did. For he indeed, when he had returned from his victory, and the king would have given him the spoil, refused to accept aught save what the men had eaten; but this man neither himself enjoyed [from them] his necessary food, nor allowed his partners to partake of such: thus abundantly stopping the mouths of the shameless. Wherefore he makes no assertion, nor does he say that they did not receive either; but what was far more than this, he cites the Corinthians themselves as witnesses that they had received nothing, that he may not seem to be witnessing in his own person, but by their verdict; which course we are accustomed to take in matters fully admitted and about which we are confident. 'For tell me,' he says, 'Did any one of those who were sent by us make unfair gain of you?' He did not say, 'Did any one receive aught from you?' but he calls the things 'unfair gain;' attacking them and shaming them exceedingly, and showing that to receive of an unwilling [giver] is 'unfair gain.' And he said not 'did Titus?' but, "did any?" 'For ye cannot say this either,' he says, 'that such an one certainly did not receive, but another did. No single one of those who came did so.' "I exhorted Titus." This too is severely said. For he did not say, 'I sent Titus,' but, 'I exhorted' him; showing that if he had received even, he would have done so justly; but, nevertheless, even so he remained pure. Wherefore he asks them again, saying, "Did Titus take any advantage of you? Walked we not by the same spirit?" What means, "by the same spirit?" He ascribes the whole to grace and shows that the whole of this praise is the good result not of our labors, but of the gift of the Spirit and of Grace. For it was a very great instance of grace that although both in want and hunger they would receive nothing for the edification of the disciples. "Walked we not in the same steps?" That is to say, they did not depart the least from this strictness, but preserved the same rule entire.

Then he excludes this suspicion when he says, Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? First, in general; secondly, in particular. In general in the following way: if I had wanted to snatch anything from you by others, I would have sent those who might obtain these things. But did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you, by using them to extort your goods? As if to say: No: "We have taken advantage of no one" (2 Cor. 7:2); "That no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter" (1 Th. 4:16).

It is obvious that since nothing like this was done by any of Paul's colleagues, the unanimous verdict on him was that he was of good character, with no trace of avarice in him.

A rebuke is contained in these words as well. He does not say: I sent, but: I urged, showing that even if Titus took anything, he took it by right, because he came at the request; but he nevertheless remained blameless. Together with him he also sent a certain other brother.

That is, was it not by the same spiritual gift? He calls the disinterestedness amid straitened circumstances a gift, and though it was his own doing, he ascribes it to God.

And they (those sent by me) did not deviate from my path in anything, but showed the same strictness toward themselves. Notice how Paul not only established himself in this strictness, but also his co-workers, having taught them not to stain themselves even with rightful collection.

He excludes their suspicion in particular when he says: I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. As if to say: none of those whom I sent to you overreached you. For I sent Titus to you with entreaties. And this is what he says: I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him, namely, Barnabas or Luke: "With him," namely Titus, "we are sending the brother," namely one of those mentioned, "who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel" (2 Cor. 8:18). But did Titus take advantage of you? As if to say: No: "But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus" (2 Cor. 8:16). That Titus did not overreach them he proves by showing that Titus was of the same mind as the Apostle, and he mentions two points of similarity: first, in the heart; hence he says: Did we not act in the same spirit?, i.e., have the same will; or we were inspired by the same spirit to act well and correctly: "Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, 'I believed, and so I spoke,' we too believe, and so we speak" (2 Cor. 4:13). Secondly, in work; hence he says: Did we not take the same steps, i.e., intent on the same works? That is to say, in the steps of Christ, for I walk in the steps of Christ: "I have kept his way," namely, Christ's, "and have not turned aside" (Job 23:11); "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). And Titus follows my steps: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). Therefore, if he agrees with me in will and in work, and I have not overreached you and do not intend to overreach you, the conclusion is evident. That he did not overreach them is clear from Matt. (7:16): "By their fruits you shall know them."

Paul wants the Corinthians to love and respect him, without becoming a burden on their finances.

"Again, think ye that we are excusing ourselves unto you?"

Seest thou how he is continually in fear, lest he should incur the suspicion of flattery? Seest thou an Apostle's prudence, how constantly he mentions this? For he said before, "We commend not ourselves again, but give you occasion to glory;" and in the commencement of the Epistle, "Do we need letters of commendation?"

"But all things are for your edifying." Again he is soothing them. And he does not here either say clearly, 'on this account we receive not, because of your weakness;' but, 'in order that we may edify you;' speaking out indeed more clearly than he did before, and revealing that wherewith he travailed; but yet without severity. For he did not say, 'because of your weakness;' but, 'that ye may be edified.'

He was afraid of bringing upon himself the reproach of flattery, and therefore says: we say this not in order to win your favor, nor in order to justify ourselves, but before the face of God, "in Christ," that is, for the sake of Christ. So then, we say what actually was the case, and what is known to God, and not in order to win your favor. He said the same thing at the very beginning as well.

He did not say: I did all this and did not accept from you because you are weak (for that would be too harsh), but "for your edification" — so that you, he says, would not be scandalized concerning me — for this reason I did not accept, for your own benefit.

Then he adds the reason, which excludes their opinion. First, he states their opinion; secondly, he excludes it (v. 19). Their opinion was that the Apostle, as one guilty and culpable, was writing all the words of this epistle to justify himself, and that they were not true, but merely invented to justify himself. Therefore, he sets down their opinion, saying: Have you been thinking all along, i.e., from the beginning of this epistle, that we have been defending ourselves before you, i.e., that the words of this epistle are not true, but are fabricated as an excuse?

But he excludes this: for a person who excuses himself in that way has two things: one is that he does not use true words, but fabrications; the other is that he was not wont to suffer the loss of reputation and glory. Hence, it is especially because of the loss of reputation that they make excuses. But neither of these is verified in us. Therefore, your opinion is not true. That neither of these is verified in us is clear, because we do not employ false words. This he proves first by God's testimony, because it is in the sight of God that we are speaking. As if to say: God is my witness, that I speak the truth: "Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven" (Job 16:19). Secondly, by the testimony of Christ, because we have been speaking in Christ, i.e., by Christ in whom there is not falsity: "But as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ" (2 Cor. 2:17). Furthermore, we do not seek our own glory or fear loss of reputation, because all things which I have said about my revelations and tribulations, I do or say for your upbuilding, namely, that you continue in virtue and expel the false apostles: "Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." (Rom. 14:19); "Let all things be done for edification." (1 Cor. 14:26); "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine" (Jn. 12:30).