Homilies on Second Corinthians: Homily III
Homily
III.
2 Cor. i. 12
For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world.
Here again he openeth to us yet another ground of comfort, and that not small, yea rather, exceeding great, and well fitted to upraise a mind sinking under perils. For seeing he had said, God comforted us, and God delivered us, and had ascribed all to His mercies and their prayers, lest he should thus make the hearer supine, presuming on God’s mercy only and the prayers of others, he showeth that they themselves had contributed not a little of their own. And indeed he showed as much even before, when he said, “For as the sufferings of Christ abound [in us,] so our consolation also aboundeth.” (ver. 5.) But here he is speaking of a certain other good work, properly their own. What then is this? That, saith he, in a conscience pure and without guile we behave ourselves every where in the world: and this availeth not a little to our encouragement and comfort; yea, rather, not to comfort merely, but even unto somewhat else far greater than comfort, even to our glorying. And this he said, teaching them too not to sink down in their afflictions, but, if so be they have a pure conscience, even to be proud of them; and at the same time quietly though gently hitting at the false Apostles. And as in the former Epistle he saith, “Christ sent me to preach the Gospel, not in wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect:” (1 Cor. i. 17.) and, “that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God;” (ib. ii. 5.) so here also, “Not in wisdom, but in the grace of Christ.”
And he hinted also something besides, by employing the words, “not in wisdom,” that is, ‘not in deceit,’ here too striking at the heathen discipline. “For our glorying,” saith he, “is this, the testimony of our conscience;” that is, our conscience not having whereof to condemn us, as if for evil doings we were persecuted. For though we suffer countless horrors, though from every quarter we be shot at and in peril, it is enough for our comfort, yea rather not only for comfort, but even for our crowning, that our conscience is pure and testifieth unto us that for no evil-doing, but for that which is well-pleasing to God, we thus suffer; for virtue’s sake, for heavenly wisdom’s, for the salvation of the many. Now that previous consolation was from God: but this was contributed by themselves and from the purity of their life. Wherefore also he calls it their glorying, because it was the achievement of their own virtue. What then is this glorying and what doth our conscience testify unto us? “That in sincerity,” that is to say, having no deceitful thing, no hypocrisy, no dissimulation, no flattery, no ambush or guile, nor any other such thing, but in all frankness, in simplicity, in truth, in a pure and unmalicious spirit, in a guileless mind, having nothing concealed, no festering sore. “Not in fleshly wisdom;” that is, not with evil artifice, nor with wickedness, nor with cleverness of words, nor with webs of sophistries, for this he meaneth by ‘fleshly wisdom:’ and that whereupon they greatly prided themselves, he disclaims and thrusts aside: showing very abundantly that this is no worthy ground for glorying: and that not only he doth not seek it, but he even rejecteth and is ashamed of it.
“But in the grace of God we behaved ourselves in the world.”
What is, “in the grace of God?” Displaying the wisdom that is from Him, the power from Him given unto us, by the signs wrought, by overcoming sages, rhetoricians, philosophers, kings, peoples, unlearned as we are and bringing with us nothing of the wisdom that is without. No ordinary comfort and glorying, however, was this, to be conscious to themselves that it was not men’s power they had used; but that by Divine grace they had achieved all success.
[“In the world. ”] So not in Corinth only, but also in every part of the world.
“And more abundantly to you-ward.” What more abundantly to you-ward? “In the grace of God we behaved ourselves.” For we showed both signs and wonders amongst you, and greater strictness, and a life unblameable; for he calls these too the grace of God, ascribing his own good works also unto it. For in Corinth he even overleapt the goal, making the Gospel without charge, because he spared their weakness.
Ver. 13. “For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge.”
For since he spoke great things of himself and seemed to be bearing witness to himself, an odious thing, he again appeals to them as witnesses of what he says. For, he saith, let no one think that what I say is a boastful flourish of writing; for we declare unto you what yourselves know; and that we lie not ye more than all others can bear us witness. For, when ye read, ye acknowledge that what ye know that we perform in our actions, this we say also in our writings, and your testimony doth not contradict our epistles; but the knowledge which ye had before of us is in harmony with your reading.
Ver. 14. “As also ye did acknowledge us in part.”
For your knowledge of us, he saith, is not from hearsay but from actual experience. The words “in part” he added from humility. For this is his wont, when necessity constraineth him to say any highsounding thing, (for he never doth so otherwise,) as desiring quickly to repress again the elation arising from what he had said.
“And I hope ye will acknowledge even to the end.”
[2.] Seest thou again how from the past he draws pledges for the future; and not from the past only, but also from the power of God? For he affirmed not absolutely, but cast the whole upon God and his hope in Him.
“That we are your glorying, even as ye also are our’s, in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here he cuts at the root of the envy that his speech might occasion, by making them sharers and partners in the glory of his good works. ‘For these stick not with us, but pass over unto you also, and again from you to us.’ For seeing he had extolled himself, and produced proof of the past and given security for the future; lest his hearers should reflect on him for talking proudly, or, as I have said, be hurried to enviousness, he makes the rejoicing a common one and declares that this crown of praises is theirs. For if, he says, we have shown ourselves to be such, our praise is your glory: even as when ye also are approved, we rejoice and leap for joy and are crowned.
Here also again he displays his great humility by what he says. For he so levels his expressions, not as a master discoursing to disciples, but as a disciple unto fellow-disciples of his own rank. And observe how he lifts them on high and fills them with philosophy, sending them on to That Day. For, he saith, tell me not of the present things, that is, the reproaches, the revilings, the scoffings of the many, for the things here are no great matter, neither the good nor the painful; nor the scoffings nor the praises which come from men: but remember, I pray, that day of fear and shuddering in the which all things are revealed. For then both we shall glory in you, and ye in us; when ye shall be seen to have such teachers, who teach no doctrine of men nor live in wickedness nor give [men] any handle; and we to have such disciples, neither affected after the manner of men nor shaken, but taking all things with readiness of mind, and unseduced by sophistries from what side soever. For this is plain even now to those that have understanding, but then to all. So that even if we are afflicted now, we have this, and that no light, consolation which the conscience affordeth now, and the manifestation itself then. For now indeed our conscience knoweth that we do all things by the grace of God, as ye also know and shall know: but then, all men as well will learn both our doings and yours: and shall behold us glorified through each other. For that he may not appear himself alone to derive lustre from this glorying, he gives to them also a cause of boasting, and leads them away from their present distresses. And as he did in respect to the consolation when he said, “We are comforted for your sakes,” (ver.
6.) so he does here also, saying, ‘we glory on your account, as ye also on ours,’ every where making them partakers of every thing, of his comfort, his sufferings, his preservation. For this his preservation he ascribes to their prayers. “For God delivered us,” he saith, “ye helping together by prayer.” In like manner also he makes the gloryings common. For as in that place he says, “Knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also of the consolation:” so here too, “we are your glorying, as ye also are ours.”
Ver. 15. “And in this confidence I was minded to come before unto you.”
What confidence? ‘In relying exceedingly on you, glorying over you, being your glorying, loving you exceedingly, being conscious to myself of nothing evil, being confident that all is spiritual with us, and having you as witnesses of this.’
“I was minded to come unto you, and by you to pass into Macedonia.”
And yet he promised the contrary in his former Epistle, saying thus: “Now I will come unto you when I shall have passed through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.” (1 Cor. xvi. 5.) How is it then that he here says the contrary? He doth not say the contrary: away with the thought. For it is contrary indeed to what he wrote, but not contrary to what he wished.
Wherefore also here he said not, ‘I wrote that I would pass by you into Macedonia; but, ‘I was minded.’ ‘For though I did not write on that wise,’ he says, ‘nevertheless I was greatly desirous, and ‘was minded,’ even before, to have come unto you: so far was I from wishing to be later than my promise that I would gladly have come before it.’ “That ye might have a second benefit.” What is, a second benefit? ‘That ye might have a double benefit, both that from my writings, and that from my presence.’ By “benefit” he here means pleasure.