2 Corinthians 6:11–16

Paul is saying this because of the freedom he enjoyed in a pure conscience. A mind with a bad conscience is afraid to speak, loses its train of thought and makes verbal slips. People whose heart is enlarged are happy with themselves because they are confident that they have behaved well.

"Our mouth is open unto you, O ye Corinthians." And what kind of sign of love is this? or what meaning even have the words at all? 'We cannot endured' he says, 'to be silent towards you, but are always desiring and longing to speak to and converse with you;' which is the wont of those who love. For what grasping of the hands is to the body, that is interchange of language to the soul. And along with this he implies another thing also. Of what kind then is this? That 'we discourse unto nothing.' For since afterwards he proposes to rebuke, he asks forgiveness, using the rebuking them with freedom as itself a proof of his loving them exceedingly. Moreover the addition of their name is a mark of great love and warmth and affection; for we are accustomed to be repeating continually the bare names of those we love.

"Our heart is enlarged." For as that which warmeth is wont to dilate; so also to enlarge is the work of love. For virtue is warm and fervent. This both opened the mouth of Paul and enlarged his heart. For, 'neither do I love with the mouth only,' saith he, 'but I have also a heart in union. Therefore I speak with openness, with my whole mouth, with my whole mind.' For nothing is wider than was Paul's heart which loved all the faithful with all the vehemence that one might bear towards the object of his affection; this his love not being full entireness with each.

Having enumerated his labors and through the order of his narrative shown the Corinthians how they ought to imitate him, he wishes, finally, to reproach them as not loving him enough. But before this he shows them his own love, and says: I always desire to speak and converse with you, and moreover freely and boldly; for this is what the words "our mouth is open" mean. He speaks thus because he wants to give them relief, showing that boldness in speech is a sign of the greatest love. And I express love not only with my lips, but also with my heart, having it enlarged for you. For the flame of love both opened my mouth and enlarged my heart, and made it spacious, so as to give room to all of you. Therefore he also adds the following.

After teaching them the use of grace as to good outward actions, the Apostle now instructs them about this use in regard to internal devotion, which consists in joy of heart, which causes the heart to enlarge. In regard to this he does three things. First, he offers himself as an example of this enlargement; secondly, he shows that they have no contrary example, nor could they have (v. 12); thirdly, he exhorts them to enlarge their hearts (v. 13). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he gives a sign of an expanded heart; secondly, he mentions the expansion of heart he had (v. 11b).

Now the sign of an expanded heart is an open mouth, because it adheres immediately to the heart. Hence, the things we express by the mouth are express signs of the thoughts of the heart: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34). And this is what he says: our mouth is open to you. For the mouth is closed sometimes when the things in the heart are not outwardly apparent, but it is opened when the things in the heart are manifested: "After this Job opened his mouth" (Job 3:1); "And he opened his mouth and taught them" (Matt. 5:2). But that it might not seem to pertain to the vice of vanity that he manifest himself, he gives a reason, saying, to you, i.e., for your benefit we manifest to you the secrets of our heart: "Not seeking my own advantage, but that of many" (1 Cor. 10:33).

The cause of this enlargement comes from enlarging and widening the heart. Hence he says, our heart is wide [enlarged]: "The raising of the eyes is the enlarging of the heart" (Prov. 21:4, Vulgate). But sometimes the heart is narrow, namely, when it is pressed together and confined in a small place, as when a person cares for nothing but earthly things and scorns the heavenly, not being able to grasp them with his mind. But sometimes is it wide, namely, when a person seeks and desires great things. Such was the case with the Apostle, who did not regard the things which are seen, but desired heavenly things. Hence he says, our heart is enlarged, i.e., expanded for desiring great things.

"Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections." And this reproof, see it administered with forbearance, as is the wont of such as love exceedingly. He did not say, 'ye do not love us,' but, 'not in the same measure,' for he does not wish to touch them too sensibly. 'You receive one,' he says, 'but I a whole city, and so great a population.' And he said not, 'ye do not receive us,' but, 'ye are straitened;' implying indeed the same thing but with forbearance and without touching them too deeply.

You, he says, are not cramped in my heart, a heart spacious enough no matter how many of you there are. But in your hearts there is great narrowness, and you cannot spaciously accommodate me, though I am but one. That is, I love you to the highest degree, but you, although you love me and have me in your hearts, do so in a cramped way, not spaciously.

Then he shows that they have no contrary example from the Apostle, saying, You are not restricted by us [straightened]. As if to say: from the fact that we show you the largeness of our heart, you do not have an example or a reason why you should be straightened. But if you do this, then indeed you are straightened, but not by us, but in your own affections, i.e., by yourselves. Here it should be noted that to be straightened is the same as to be enclosed in something, from which no exit appears. But they have been deceived by a false apostle to such a degree that they did not believe salvation was possible without observing legal ceremonies. As a result, they became slaves, whereas they had been free according to the faith of Christ. Hence, the confinement of this slavery did not come to them from the Apostle, but from their bowels, i.e., from the hardness of their hearts: "Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children" (Lk. 23:28).

"Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged."

And yet it is not an equal return, first to be loved, afterwards to love. For even if one were to contribute that which is equal in amount, he is inferior in that he comes to it second. 'But nevertheless I am not going to reckon strictly,' saith he, 'and if ye after having received the first advances from me do but show forth the same amount, I am well-pleased and contented.' Then to show that to do this was even a debt, and that what he said was void of flattery, he saith, "I speak as unto my children." What meaneth, "as unto my children?" 'I ask no great thing, if being your father I wish to be loved by you.' And see wisdom and moderation of mind. He mentions not here his dangers on their behalf, and his labors, and his deaths, although he had many to tell of: (so free from pride is he!) but his love: and on this account he claims to be loved; 'because,' saith he, 'I was your father, because I exceedingly burn for you,' [for] it is often especially offensive to the person beloved when a man sets forth his benefits to him; for he seems to reproach. Wherefore Paul doth not this; but, 'like children, love your father,' saith he, which rather proceeds from instinct; and is the due of every father.

Paul blunts the force of his accusations by calling the Corinthians his children.

Show the same mutuality and equality of friendship on your part as well, and open your hearts just as I have opened mine. He shows that this is how it ought to be, for he says: "I speak as to children." I ask nothing great when, being a father, I desire to be loved by my children, for this is the duty of children.

Then he urges them to enlarge their hearts, saying, In return [having the same recompense], widen your hearts also. As if to say: if you had been deceived and straightened by a false apostle, then do not continue in that state, but try to have a large heart, as we have, because you love the same recompense as we. Therefore he says, having the same recompense as we: "For we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation" (2 Cor. 1:7). I speak as to children, and not to enemies, as to children of God, namely, heirs of eternal life: "And if children, then heirs" (Rom. 8:17). Having the same recompense, I say, widen your hearts also, i.e., have a large heart and free with the freedom of the Spirit, which is in the faith of Christ, and be not straightened in the slavery of legal observances.

E can the truth itself and God the Word receive? In what respect can the life and the true light be made better? And if this be so, how much more unnatural is it that wisdom should ever be capable of folly; that the power of God should be con-joined with infirmity; that reason should be obscured by unreason; or that darkness should be mixed up with the true light? And the apostle says, on this place, "What communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? ". But they will not prevail; for the truth prevails, and there is no communion betwixt light and darkness, no concord between Christ and Belial.

For it is not the place that sanctifies the man, but the man the place. And if the ungodly possess the place, do thou avoid it, because it is profaned by them. For as holy priests sanctify a place, so do the profane ones defile it. If it be not possible to assemble either in the church or in a house, let every one by himself sing, and read, and pray, or two or three together. For "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Let not one of the faithful pray with a catechumen, no, not in the house: for it is not reasonable that he who is admitted should be polluted with one not admitted. Let not one of the godly pray with an heretic, no, not in the house. For "what fellowship hath light with darkness?"

Now, I speak to the true Christians. If you believe, hope and love otherwise [than the pagans do], then live otherwise and gain approval for your distinctive faith, hope and charity by distinctive actions. Pay attention to the apostle when, in earnest admonition, he says: "Do not bear the yoke with unbelievers. For what has justice in common with iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?… Or what part has the believer with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?"

Shall we stoop to say of mammon who have been reborn in Christ? Formed to God's eternal image, shall we serve the fleeting world? God forbid that celestial flame should be mingled with earth's mire.

These words clearly indicate an act which is absolutely forbidden and is displeasing to God and perilous for the one who would venture to commit it.

In the second place any sexual infatuation whatever, so long as it intends marriage, will be regarded as "love", and "love" will be held to excuse a man from all the guilt, and to protect him from all the consequences, of marrying a heathen, a fool, or a wanton.

Whence the apostle says: "What part hath he that believeth with an infidel? or what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? "

They fail to understand, it seems, that "we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ that each man may be rewarded for what he has done with his body, whether it is good or bad," that is, in order that a man may receive his reward for what he has done by means of his body. So then, "if any man be in Christ he is a new creation," no longer inclined to sin; "old things are passed away," we have washed off the old life; "behold new things have happened," there is chastity instead of fornication, continence instead of incontinence; righteousness instead of unrighteousness. "What is there in common between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship between light and darkness? Or what harmony between Christ and Belial? What community is there between a believer and an unbeliever? What agreement between the temple of God and idols? Having then these promises let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

And though ye allow that the universe was created in six days, yet ye find no mention of the making of a third heaven, and far less of the eight or nine which ye venture to affirm. How great is your knowledge! how great your wisdom! how great your intelligence! how great your inconsistency! No man can serve two masters, as has well been said by the Lord, but if one will serve God, let him serve him, or if Mammon, then Mammon. And again he says, through Paul: Ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils. And again: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with lawlessness, and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

That marriage is not to be contracted with Gentiles. In Tobias: "Take a wife from the seed of thy parents, and take not a strange woman who is not of the tribe of thy parents." Also in Genesis, Abraham sends his servant to take from his seed Rebecca, for his son Isaac. Also in Esdras, it was not sufficient for God when the Jews were laid waste, unless they forsook their foreign wives, with the children also whom they had begotten of them. Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "The woman is bound so long as her husband liveth; but if he die, she is freed to marry whom she will, only in the Lord. But she will be happier if she abide thus." And again: "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? Far be it from me. Or know ye not that he who is joined together with an harlot is one body? for two shall be in one flesh. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." Also in the second to the Corinthians: "Be not joined together with unbelievers. For what participation is there between righteousness and unrighteousness? or what communication hath light with darkness? " Also concerning Solomon in the third book of Kings: "And foreign wives turned away his heart after their gods."

But if we consider what the apostles thought about heretics, we shall find that they, in all their epistles, execrated and detested the sacrilegious wickedness of heretics. For when they say that "their word creeps as a canker," how is such a word as that able to give remission of sins, which creeps like a canker to the ears of the hearers? And when they say that there can be no fellowship between righteousness and un-righteousness, no communion between light and darkness, how can either darkness illuminate, or unrighteousness justify? And when they say that "they are not of God, but are of the spirit of Antichrist," how can they transact spiritual and divine matters, who are the enemies of God, and whose hearts the spirit of Antichrist has possessed? Wherefore, if, laying aside the errors of human dispute, we return with a sincere and religious faith to the evangelical authority and to the apostolical tradition, we shall perceive that they may do nothing towards conferring the ecclesiastical and saving grace, who, scattering and attacking the Church of Christ, are called adversaries by Christ Himself, but by His apostles, Antichrists.

There was hugely more sense in the old people who said that a wife and husband ought to have the same religion than there is in all the contemporary gushing about sister souls and kindred spirits and auras of identical colour. As a matter of fact, the more the sexes are in violent contrast the less likely they are to be in violent collision. The more incompatible their tempers are the better. Obviously a wife's soul cannot possibly be a sister soul. It is very seldom so much as a first cousin. There are very few marriages of identical taste and temperament; they are generally unhappy. But to have the same fundamental theory, to think the same thing a virtue, whether you practise or neglect it, to think the same thing a sin, whether you punish or pardon or laugh at it, in the last extremity to call the same thing duty and the same thing disgrace--this really is necessary to a tolerably happy marriage; and it is much better represented by a common religion than it is by affinities and auras. And what applies to the family applies to the nation. A nation with a root religion will be tolerant. A nation with no religion will be bigoted.

For, says the apostle: "What fellowship has light with darkness?" Since there is a distinct and irreconcilable contradiction between light and darkness, the person partaking of both has a share in neither, because of the opposition of the parts drawn up against each other at the same time in his mixed life. His faith provides the lighted part, but his dark habits put out the lamp of reason. Since it is impossible and inconsistent for light and darkness to exist in fellowship, the person containing each of the opposites becomes an enemy to himself, being divided in two ways between virtue and evil. He sets up an antagonistic battle line within himself. And just as it is not possible, when there are two enemies, for both to be victors over each other (for the victory of the one causes the death of his adversary), so also in this civil war brought about by the confusion in his life, it is not possible for the stronger element to win without the other becoming completely destroyed. For how will the army of reverence be stronger than evil, when the wicked phalanx of the opponents attacks it? If the stronger is going to win, the enemy must be completely slaughtered. And thus virtue will have the victory over evil only when the entire enemy gives way to it through an alliance of the reasonable elements against the unsound ones.… For it is not possible for the good to exist in me, unless it is made to live through the death of my enemy. As long as we keep grasping opposites with each of our hands, it is impossible for there to be participation in both elements in the same being. For, if we are holding evil, we lose the power to take hold of virtue.

Do not err, my brethren. Those that corrupt families shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And if those that corrupt mere human families are condemned to death, how much more shall those suffer everlasting punishment who endeavour to corrupt the Church of Christ, for which the Lord Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, endured the cross, and submitted to death! Whosoever, "being waxen fat," and "become gross," sets at nought His doctrine, shall go into hell. In like manner, every one that has received from God the power of distinguishing, and yet follows an unskilful shepherd, and receives a false opinion for the truth, shall be punished. "What communion hath light with darkness? or Christ with Belial? Or what portion hath he that believeth with an infidel? or the temple of God with idols?" And in like manner say I, what communion hath truth with falsehood? or righteousness with unrighteousness? or true doctrine with that which is false?

There cannot be two contradictory loves in one man. Just as there is no harmony between Christ and Belial, between justice and iniquity, so it is impossible for one soul to love both good and evil. You who love the Lord, hate evil, the devil; in every deed, there is love of one and hatred of the other. "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me." … You who love the things that are good, hate the things that are bad. You cannot love good unless you hate evil.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."

He said not, 'Intermix not with unbelievers,' but rather dealing sharply with them, as transgressing what was right, 'Suffer not yourselves to turn aside,' saith he, "For what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity?" Here in what follows he institutes a comparison, not between his own love and theirs who corrupt them, but between their nobleness and the others' dishonor. For thus his discourse became more dignified and more beseeming himself, and would the rather win them. Just as if one should say to a son that despised his parents, and gave himself up to vicious persons, 'What art thou doing, child? Dost thou despise thy father and prefer impure men filled with ten thousand vices? Knowest thou not how much better and more respectable thou art than they?' For so he detaches him more [readily] from their society than if he should express admiration of his father. For were he to say indeed, 'Knowest thou not how much thy father is better than they?' he will not produce so much effect; but if, leaving mention of his father, he bring himself before them, saying, 'Knowest thou not who thou art and what they are? Dost thou not bear in mind thine own high birth and gentle blood, and their infamy? For what communion hast thou with them, those thieves, those adulterers, those impostors?' by elevating him with these praises of himself, he will quickly prepare him to break off from them. For the former address indeed, he will not entertain with overmuch acceptance, because the exalting of his father is an accusation of himself, when he is shown to be not only grieving a father, but such a father; but in this case he will have no such feeling. For none would choose not to be praised, and therefore, along with these praises of him that hears, the rebuke becometh easy of digestion. For the listener is softened, and is filled with high thoughts, and disdains the society of those persons.

But not this only is the point to be admired in him that thus he prosecuted his comparison, but that he imagined another thing also still greater and more astounding; in the first place, prosecuting his speech in the form of interrogation, which is proper to things that are clear and admitted, and then dilating it by the quick succession and multitude of his terms. For he employs not one or two or three only, but several. Add to this that instead of the persons he employs the names of the things, and he delineates here high virtue and there extreme vice; and shows the difference between them to be great and infinite so as not even to need demonstration. "For what fellowship," saith he, "have righteousness and iniquity?"

It is the same now with us who are baptized: neither the wetness of the water in which we are baptized nor the oiliness of the oil with which we are anointed remain with us after our death. But the Holy Spirit, who is mingled in our souls and bodies through the oil and the water, does remain with us, both in this life and after our death.

Shall we stoop to say of mammon who have been reborn in Christ? Formed to God's eternal image, shall we serve the fleeting world? God forbid that celestial flame should be mingled with earth's mire.

But, for these purposes, "There is nought of communion between light and darkness," between life and death or else we rescind what is written, "The world shall rejoice, but ye shall grieve.

His Christ, therefore, in order to avoid all such deceits and fallacies, and the imputation, if possible, of belonging to the Creator, was not what he appeared to be, and reigned himself to be what he was not-incarnate without being flesh, human without being man, and likewise a divine Christ without being God! But why should he not have propagated also the phantom of God? Can I believe him on the subject of the internal nature, who was all wrong touching the external substance? How will it be possible to believe him true on a mystery, when he has been found so false on a plain fact? How, moreover, when he confounds the truth of the spirit with the error of the flesh, could he combine within himself that communion of light and darkness, or truth and error, which the apostle says cannot co-exist? Since however, Christ's being flesh is now discovered to be a lie, it follows that all things which were done by the flesh of Christ were done untruly, -every act of intercourse, of contact, of eating or drinking, yea, His very miracles.

What business, then, have their things with their judges? What commerce have they who are to condemn with them who are to be condemned? The same, I take it, as Christ has with Belial. With what consistency do we mount that (future) judgment-seat to pronounce sentence against those whose gifts we (now) seek after? For you too, (women as you are, ) have the self-same angelic nature promised as your reward, the self-same sex as men: the self-same advancement to the dignity of judging, does (the Lord) promise you.

Lest it should seem that he says this for his own benefit, he shows that he needs their love for their benefit, speaking as if to say: to love me means that you should not mingle with unbelievers and not turn aside to their part. He did not say: do not mingle, but: "do not be unequally yoked," that is, do not offend justice by inclining and joining yourselves to those to whom you ought not. For the word ἑτεροζυγεῖν is used in the case when one speaks of unequal scales, when one pan of the balance outweighs the other. Here he draws a distinction not between himself and the unbelievers, but between the virtue and nobility of the Corinthians and the baseness of the unbelievers. Just as a father, seeing his son in association with depraved people, says to him: what fellowship is there between your nobility and their vileness; so too the apostle says: you are righteousness itself, and they are lawlessness: so what do you have in common with them?

Then when he says, Do not be mismated with unbelievers, he teaches them the use of grace as to avoiding unbelievers. In regard to this he does three things. First, he exhorts them; secondly, the reason for the exhortation (v. 14b); thirdly, he confirms this reason with an authority (v. 16b).

He says therefore, Do not be mismated [bear the yoke] with unbelievers. Here it should be noted that a yoke is anything which binds several to do something. Hence, because some come together sometimes to do something good, which is from God, and some to do something evil, which is from the devil, we speak of God's yoke and the devil's yoke. God's yoke is charity, which binds a man to serve God: "Take my yoke upon you" (Matt. 11:29). But the devil's yoke is for doing evil: "The yoke of his burden" (Is. 9:4). Therefore he says this: Do not be mismated, i.e., do not take part in works of unbelief, with unbelievers; and this for two reasons. First, because there were some among them who considered themselves wiser, not refraining from idolatry; as a result they scandalized the lowly. But there were others who took part with the Jews in the traditions of their elders. Hence, the Apostle exhorts them and says, do not be mismated with unbelievers, i.e., do not communicate with the Jews in the traditions of the Law or with Gentiles in the worship of idols, for both groups were unbelievers.

He gives the reason for this when he says, For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? This is based on two distinctions: one regards the cause and the other the state. The distinction as to cause is twofold, namely, as to habitual and as to efficient cause. The habitual cause is also twofold: one as to effect, and this is what he says: For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity [justice with injustice]? As if to say: you should not bear the yoke with unbelievers, because there is one habit in you and another in them. In you it is the habit of justice; in them it is the habit of iniquity. But the higher justice is to render to God what is his, and this is to worship him. Hence, since you worship God, the habit of justice is in you. But the greatest iniquity is to take from God what is his and give it to the devil: "I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly" (Is. 1:13); "What has straw in common with wheat" (Jer. 23:28). The other habitual cause is in regard to the intellect; and this distinction is that the faithful are enlightened with the light of faith, but unbelievers are in the darkness of errors. As to this he says, Or what fellowship has light with darkness? As if to say: it is not right for you to communicate with them, because it is not a suitable fellowship, because you are light through knowledge of the faith: "For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (Eph. 5:8), but they are darkness through ignorance: "The way of the wicked is like deep darkness" (Prov. 4:19). Hence, from the beginning the Lord separated the light from the darkness, as it says in Gen. (1:18).

"And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Beliar? Or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?"

Seest thou how he uses the bare names, and how adequately to his purpose of dissuasion. For he did not say, 'neglect of righteousness,' [but] what was stronger [iniquity]; nor did he say those who are of the light, and those who are of the darkness; but he uses opposites themselves which can not admit of their opposites, 'light and darkness.' Nor said he those who are of Christ, with those who are of the devil; but, which was far wider apart, Christ and Beliar, so calling that apostate one, in the Hebrew tongue. "Or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?" Here, at length, that he may not seem simply to be going through a censure of vice and an encomium of virtue, he mentions persons also without particularizing. And he said not, 'communion,' but spoke of the rewards, using the term "portion."

The Holy Spirit is our true baptism, and for this reason we remain always baptized, for he is in us always, and nothing can deprive us of our baptism apart from the denial of God and consorting with demons. In such cases the Holy Spirit really does depart, because he cannot agree to remain in a place where Satan dwells. "For what fellowship does Christ have with Satan or the believer with the unbeliever, or God's temple with that of demons?"

Do not be satisfied with what has been said, but desiring by every means to urge them to separate from the unbelievers, he did not say: what fellowship do those who are in the light have with those who abide in darkness, or: the followers of Christ and the children of Belial, but in place of the persons he put the very things themselves – light and darkness; which expresses much more; likewise Christ and Belial, which means apostate. Through this he made his speech more threatening. "Or what partnership does a believer have with an unbeliever?" Here he mentioned the persons, so that it would not seem that he only condemns evil or praises virtue.

As to the efficient cause he says, What accord has Christ with Belial? As if to say: you are the servants of Christ and his members: "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Cor. 12:27), but they are members of the devil. The devil is called Belial, without a yoke, because he refused to submit to God's yoke: "For long ago you broke your yoke and burst your bonds" (Jer. 2:20). That there cannot be concord between Christ and Belial is clear from Christ's words: "For the ruler of this world is coming; he has no power over me" (Jn. 14:30), as well as from the devil's words: "What have you to do with us, O Son of God?" (Matt. 8:29).

Another distinction regards the state of faith. In regard to this he says, Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? As if to say: there is not the same part on both sides, because the part of the believer is God, whom he has as a reward and as the end of his happiness: "The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup" (Ps. 16:5). But the part of the unbeliever is earthly goods: "Because this is our portion and this is our lot" (Wis. 2:9); "And he will punish him and put him with the hypocrites" (Matt. 24:51).

It is obvious that the things Paul lists are opposites and that we are to flee from the ones and cling to the others. No one can serve two masters. Christ has proclaimed that we should go away from the devil, who wants to represent himself falsely as God. He has promised us eternal life, so we should be strangers to the treachery and wrong-headedness of unbelievers. He has forbidden the worship of idols because they are incompatible with the temple of God. We are temples of the living God. There is nothing more damaging to us than idols, because they tempt us to depart from our faith in the one true God.

Let us all pray unto God for the catechumens, that He that is good, He that is the lover of mankind, will mercifully hear their prayers and their supplications, and so accept their petitions as to assist them and give them those desires of their hearts which are for their advantage, and reveal to them the Gospel of His Christ; give them illumination and understanding, instruct them in the knowledge of God, teach them His commands and His ordinances, implant in them His pure and saving fear, open the ears of their hearts, that they may exercise themselves in His law day and night; strengthen them in piety, unite them to and number them with His holy flock; vouchsafe them the layer of regeneration, and the garment of incorruption, which is the true life; and deliver them from all ungodliness, and give no place to the adversary against them; "and cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and dwell in them, and walk in them, by His Christ; bless their goings out and their comings in, and order their affairs for their good."

"We are God's temples; as the prophet said, I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people," if our behaviour conforms to the commandments both as individuals and also as a society, as the Church. "Wherefore come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you and be to you a Father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." He prophetically commands us to be separate not from those who are married, as they assert, but from the heathen who are still living in immorality, and also from the heretics we have mentioned, as unclean and godless persons.

The Dignity For Which We Are Made

"Know to what extent the Creator has honoured you [the human being] above all the rest of creation. The sky is not an image of God, nor is the moon, nor the sun, nor the beauty of the stars, nor anything of what can be seen in creation. You alone have been made the image of the Reality that transcends all understanding, the likeness of imperishable beauty, the imprint of true Divinity, the recipient of beatitude, the seal of the true light. When you turn to Him you become that which He is Himself… There is nothing so great among beings that it can be compared with your greatness. God is able to measure the whole Heaven with His span. The earth and sea are enclosed in the hollow of His hand. And although He is so great and holds all creation in the palm of His hand, you are able to hold Him, He dwells in you and moves within you without constraint, for He has said, 'I will live and move among them' (2 Corinthians 6:16)." - "Second Homily on the Song of Songs (PG 44,765)"

"What agreement hath a temple of God with idols? For ye are a temple of the living God."

Now what he says is this. Neither hath your King aught in common with him, "for what concord hath Christ with Beliar?" nor have the things [aught in common'], "for what communion hath light with darkness?" Therefore neither should ye. And first he mentions their king and then themselves; by this separating them most effectually. Then having said, "a temple of God with idols," and having declared, "For ye are a temple of the living God," he is necessitated to subjoin also the testimony of this to show that the thing is no flattery. For he that praises except he also exhibit proof, even appears to flatter. What then is his testimony? For,

"I will dwell in them, saith he, "and walk in them. I will dwell in," as in temples, "and walk in them," signifying the more abundant attachment to them.

"And they shall be my people and I will be their God." 'What?' saith he, 'Dost thou bear God within thee, and runnest unto them? God That hath nothing in common with them? And in what can this deserve forgiveness? Bear in mind Who walketh, Who dwelleth in thee.'

In Platonic phrase, indeed, the body is a prison, but in the apostle's it is "the temple of God," because it is in Christ.

For He saith, That I will dwell in you, and will walk in (you), and will be their God, and they shall be to Me a people. Wherefore depart from the midst of them, be separate, and touch not the unclean.' This (thread of discourse) also you spin out, O apostle, when at the very moment you yourself are offering your hand to so huge a whirlpool of impurities; nay, you superadd yet further, 'Having therefore this promise, beloved, cleanse we ourselves out from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting chastity in God's fear.

The unfaithful are temples of idols, or even the very idols themselves, while you are the temple of God—not of the one about whom they tell fables, but of the living God. So what "compatibility," that is, likeness, similarity is there between you and them? Lest it should seem that he flatters, he confirms by Scripture that they are the temple of God. The indwelling of God in us is conditioned by purity of life, and His walking in us is acquired by diligence. For God dwells in a person when he is pure, and when He moves him to some other work, it is said that He walks in him; this means: when God becomes his God, he enters into the rank of the patriarchs.

As to the state of grace he says, What agreement has the temple of God with idols? As if to say: there is no agreement. Hence, you are a temple of God by grace: "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). Therefore, you should not communicate with unbelievers, who are temples of idols. But it should be noted that in Ez. 25, the Lord forbids idols to be worshipped in God's temple. Much more then are men forbidden, whose souls are God's temple, to violate them by partaking of idols: "If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him" (1 Cor. 3:17).

Then when he says, For you are the temple of the living God, he strengthens his reason with an authority. In regard to this he does two things. First, he confirms what he had concluded by reason of an admonition; secondly, he confirms the admonition itself (v. 17). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he reviews what he intends to prove; secondly, he quotes an authority to support his conclusion (v. 17c).

He says therefore: rightly do I say that there is no agreement between the temple of God and idols, i.e., you should not take part in them, because you are the temple of the living God, and not of a dead one, as idolaters are.

To prove this he cites an authority, proving this very point from the use to which a temple is put. For the use of a temple is that God dwell in it, because a temple is a place consecrated for God to dwell in: "The Lord is in his holy temple" (Ps. 11:4). This authority is taken from Lev. (26:11), which says: "And I will make my abode among you". In this authority four things are touched as pertaining to this use. The first pertains to operating grace, which consists in God's being is someone through grace; and this is what he says, I will live in them, namely, in the saints, adorning them with grace. For although God is said to be in all things by his presence, power, and essence, he is not said to dwell in them, but only in the saints through grace; the reason being that God is in all things by his activity, inasmuch as he joins himself to them as giving esse and conserving it, but in the saints by their very activity, by which they attain to God and in a way comprehend him, which is to love and to know. For those who know and those who love have within themselves the thing known and loved. The second pertains to cooperating grace, by which the saints make progress with God's help; as to this he says, I will move among them, i.e., I will promote them from virtue to virtue, for this progress is impossible without grace: "By the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10). For just as operating grace makes us to be something in the being [esse] of justice, so cooperating grace makes us progress in that being [esse]. The third pertains to God's benefits: and this is either the benefit of his protection through providence; hence, he touches this when he says, and I will be their God, i.e., I will protect them by my providence: "Happy the people whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 144:15), or the benefit of recompense. As if to say: I will be their God, i.e., I will give them myself as a reward: "Your reward shall be very great" (Gen. 15:1); "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God" (Heb. 11:16). The fourth pertains to correct worship and service offered by the saints; as to this he says, and they shall be my people, i.e., they will worship me and obey me as mine and not another's: "We are the people of his pasture, the sheep of his hand" (Ps. 95:4).

Or they could refer to bodily presence; then it is explained this way: For I will live in them by assuming flesh: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14), and I will move among them bodily by living with them: "Afterward she appeared upon earth and lived among men." (Bar. 3:37), and I will be their God by glory: "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us" (Deut. 4:7). And they shall be my people, i.e., they will worship me in faith.