The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the Second Epistle to the Corinthians
When S. Paul says “every thought” or “every intellect,” he does not mean to imply that all the philosophers and mighty men of the world who heard the Gospel preached were converted, but that the weapons of the Apostles were so powerful that they were able to subdue to the faith of Christ any thoughts and reasonings of the human intellect, however full of wiles, however highly exalted. As a matter of fact, they did subdue these powers in those who took these weapons, and admitted them into their soul, and so were converted. Many of all classes of philosophers and orators, illustrious for their learning and wisdom, were subdued by the weapons of the Apostles, and brought to believe in Christ. Such were Dionysius the Areopagite, Clement of Rome, Paul the proconsul, Justin the philosopher, Athenagoras, and others.
Ver. 6 . — And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, Paul had said that his weapons were powerful to subdue any Gentiles or heathen wise men. He now goes on to say that this same power is able to punish all disobedience on the part of the faithful, or amongst heretics. I am ready, he says, and it is easy for me, to punish the disobedience of the false Apostles who depreciate me, by excommunicating them.
When your obedience is fulfilled. For I am unwilling to involve you in the same punishment. I would rather that you yourselves correct what needs correction, and I am waiting until you fulfil what you have been ordered. Then when you have done that, I will unsheathe the sword of excommunication against those contumacious detractors. From this doctors lay down that this sword should not be drawn except against the disobedient, and those who, after having been warned, are still rebellious and obstinate.
Ver. 7 . — Do ye look on things after the outward appearance ? The Latin version takes this in the indicative. Ye see how openly and manifestly the truth has been set before your eyes, that I am not only a disciple of Christ, but also an Apostle endowed with such spiritual power as you see with your own eyes (Anselm).
Ver. 8 . — Of our authority , which the Lord hath given us for edification . The Council of Trent (sess. xxv. c. 3) lays down from these words that the sword of excommunication should be soberly and cautiously drawn for edification; otherwise we see that it is rather despised than dreaded, and produces ruin rather than salvation, not only to the excommunicated, but also to the whole Church.
Ver. 10. — For his letters , say they, are weighty and powerful. My detractors, the false apostles, say that my letters are hard and bitter, severe and threatening, but my appearance is mean, contemptible, and puny. Nicephorus (lib. ii. c. 37) thus describes the stature and form of S. Paul from tradition and early representations: “ Paul was small of stature , spare in form, round-shouldered , and somewhat inclined to stoop . His face was pale, and showed the marks of years. His head was small , and his eyes shone with a pleasant light. He had bushy eyebrows , a nose beautifully curved and somewhat long, and a thick and long beard, which, like his hair, was plentifully interspersed with white.” S. Chrysostom (Hom. de Princip. Apost.) says that “ Paul was but three cubits high, and yet he touched the heavens.” Lucian again, in his Philopater, laughs at Paul for having a head bald in front.
And his speech contemptible. Unlearned, inelegant, unadorned.
Ver. 12. — For we dare not make ourselves of the number. I do not, like the false Apostles, boast of what I do not possess. I measure myself by my own foot, by the gifts of God, and by the things God’s grace has done for me, says Photius, and so I do not arrogate to myself more than God has given me.
Paul speaks ironically. The false Apostles were in the habit of disparaging Paul’s words and deeds, as though in him there was nothing great but his letters, which were high-flown enough, but were not borne out by his presence, than which nothing was more despicable. They would boast that in this they far excelled him. Therefore, says Paul, in scorn of their pride, I, a mere dwarf, do not dare to class myself with these giants, or to compare myself with them. None the less their boast of their greatness is baseless; while whatever I declare is true, and I measure myself by my own greatness, the grace I have received, and the things that I have really done.
The Latin version omits the last clause, “are not wise.” The Syriac, Vatablus and others apply it to the false apostles, not to Paul. They commend themselves, but they do not see that they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among themselves. They do foolishly in thus exalting themselves and making themselves giants. They act like a man who should measure his height by himself, instead of by a yard-measure, like a pigmy who boasts of his gigantic size : they have no other cause for their boasting than their self-delusion. Photius supplies after “they do not understand,” that they are ridiculous to all, or, as S. Augustine says, in Ps. xxxv., they do not understand what they say and what they boast of.
Ver. 13. — But we will not boast of things without our measure . This is the second charge brought by S. Paul against the false Apostles. They boast so largely that one would think they have preached the Gospel in every part of the world (Theophylact). I, however, boast not falsely, or beyond my measure ; I measure myself by the true measure of the gifts and provinces that God has marked out for me. This measure reaches from Judaea through the intervening countries to Corinth. Just as kings glory in having extended their realms far and wide, so do I, as a doctor sent by Christ, glory in having extended His sway, and I hope to extend it still further.
Rule here denotes the measuring-line used by surveyors to fix the boundaries of fields and other grounds (cf. ver. 16). Measure denotes (1.) that by which anything is measured, as a yard-measure or a foot-measure ; (2.) it denotes the quantity of the measuring-line ; and (3.) the act of measuring ; (4.) it stands for the thing measured, a bushel of wheat or an acre of land ; corn to the amount of a bushel, land to the amount of an acre. In any of these last three senses the word may be used here, but best of all in the second.
Ver. 14. — For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure . This is his third scornful charge against the false apostles. They stretch out themselves and more than that by their boastful words, but let us see what good as a matter of fact they do. Whom have they converted ? What cities or countries have they visited ? They have never left their own home. Did they bring you into the Church ?
Ye are not their work, but mine in the Lord. It is I who have taken you and subdued you : you are my lot, the possession assigned me by the Lord. I can triumph over you and other provinces reaching to Judaea that I have subdued. And just as P. Scipio was called Africanus, and L. Scipio, Asiaticus, from the provinces they conquered , so might S. Paul have the agnomen of Corinthiacus, Achaicus, Macedonicus, Thracicus, Asiaticus, &c.
Ver. 15. — Without our measure . The provinces not assigned us by God. This is again a blow aimed at the false apostles, who were in the habit of boasting groundlessly of the many regions they had visited and converted.
Not boasting . . . of other men’s labours . A fourth charge against the false apostles, who had entered into his labours at Corinth, where he had laid the foundations of the faith (Chrysostom). Doctors remark that heretics never go to unbelievers from zeal for the Gospel and for martyrdom, and convert them first of all to Christianity , but content themselves with endeavouring to attract the faithful. It may be said: Surely the Emperor Valens, when the Goths were anxious to be converted to Christianity, sent Arian Bishops, who made them Arians ( Freculphus , lib. iv. c. 20). I reply : This is true ; but the Arians did not themselves take the initiative and go to the barbarous Goths from zeal for the faith, to plant among them the true faith, after the Apostolic manner, in hunger, thirst, persecutions, and deaths. The Goths invited them, and Valens consented. There is no difficulty in instilling poison into those who wish for it. Moreover, most of the Goths had previously been of the orthodox faith ; but Ulphilas their Apostle, having been deceived by the Arians, deceived them in his turn and made them Arians, as Theodoret expressly says (Hist. lib. iv.).