For our preaching, unless it be confirmed by the powers of the Lord, is not received by unbelievers; that we may know that even faith is from God, who gives the powers that signs may be wrought, through which unbelievers believe. 'That man is approved' — by being praised. 'But he whom God commendeth' — by showing forth signs. CHAPTER 11. 'Would that you would bear with me. Bear with me a little, for you bear much with others. A little of my foolishness, but do also support me.' He calls himself foolish, because it was necessary for him to say certain true things about himself, in order to show far more foolish those who praise themselves falsely and with no compelling necessity. 'For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ.'
I am not inflamed by the goad of human envy, but as a father I guard you with divine jealousy, that we may be able to unite you spotless to Christ, preserved with the greater care in proportion as you are to be joined to a better bridegroom. 'But I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted.' The serpent seduced Eve by lying about God, saying that God had threatened by mere terror, and would not bring death upon them if they sinned: so also now the false apostles used to say that the precepts of the Gospel were added to the Law, or that it should be kept in such a way, and that its keeping alone would suffice. But even now the serpent likewise seduces, asserting that hell is named only for the sake of terror:
affirming, moreover, that it either does not exist at all, or is not eternal. 'And they should fall away' from true chastity, from simplicity. A chaste mind is one that desires to please one husband, and to whom His once-promised things alone suffice. 'Which is in Christ' — namely, to believe that the words are God's. 'For if he that cometh preacheth another Christ, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit whom you have not received, or another gospel which you have not received, you might well bear with it.' If they bestowed on you anything more than what you received through us, you would rightly admit them when they come against us and disparage us. 'For I suppose that I have done nothing less' among you 'than the great apostles.' If less than the great, how much more than those who are nothing!
Or else, lest you think that you have received anything less than the other Churches, to whom Peter and the rest preached. 'For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge.' He shows that those men are unskilled in knowledge, but glory in swollen speech. 'But in all things I have been made manifest to you.' He shows his own integrity, because he did all things according to God: since he never sought from them either avarice, or gluttony, or vainglory. 'Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself that you might be exalted?' If perhaps I have sinned only in this, that for your benefit I omitted even things lawful. 'Because I preached to you the Gospel of God gratis, I despoiled other Churches, receiving support.' Because I did not receive from you even the daily bread which the Lord ordained.
'For your ministry.' While I ministered the Gospel to you. 'And when I was with you' — while I was with you, and did not receive from you, I received from the Macedonians who were far off, lest you should believe that I preached the Gospel for the sake of earthly gain. 'And I was in want, I was burdensome to no man.' This is the greater thing, that while I was in want, I was unwilling to receive. 'For what was lacking to me, the brethren supplied who came from Macedonia.' Because I in no way ran to your hands, 'and in all things I have kept myself without being burdensome to you' — you who did not have the false apostles, nor were weak. 'And so will I keep myself.' Because you still have such men, lest they find occasion through us. 'The truth of Christ is in me.' As Christ never changed what He once determined, nor ever lied.
'For this glorying shall not be broken off in me.' It is glory to despise, for God's sake, even things permitted — especially if they suffer want. 'In me, in the regions of Achaia.' Where those men are: therefore he received elsewhere. 'Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth.' God knows whether I love you or not: nay, for this very reason I do not receive, because I love you. 'But what I do, and will do, that I may cut off the occasion of them that desire occasion.' Here he gives the reason why he himself does not receive. The false apostles taught, that is, pursuing gluttony or avarice, and vainglory, seeking occasion: so that if he had received bread, they would demand gold; so that if they preach for God's sake, as they say, it might at once appear: for surely if they do not receive, neither will they teach.
'That wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.' Such men... For such are the false apostles, saying 'Thus saith the Lord,' when the Lord did not send them, and speaking visions from their own heart. 'They are crafty workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder.' A crafty worker flees one thing, does another, and under the simple garb of the preaching of Christ a beast-like rapacity is concealed: such men, in order to please, and by pleasing to receive, must needs flatter, and by flattering deceive, saying those things that please, not those that profit the hearer. 'For Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.' It is not so easy that faith should be given to dreams and certain visions as though angelic:
lest perchance Satan should transform himself into an angel of light, and deceive and beguile the incautious. 'It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers be transformed as ministers of justice.' No wonder if ministers of avarice feign that they preach righteousness. 'Whose end shall be according to their works.' An evil end awaits evil works. 'Again I say, lest any man think me foolish.' For he had already said above, 'Bear with a little of my foolishness,' and had given the reason: that he was jealous over them with the zeal of God, and was not going to relate certain things about himself out of desire for glory; lest, that is, being turned to hatred of him, they should follow the false apostles. 'Otherwise receive me as foolish, that I also may glory a little. As you will, receive me.'
'What I speak, I speak not according to God, but as it were in foolishness.' If the Apostle, compelled by necessity, denies that one ought to glory according to God, but out of foolishness, of the people of God — what is to be said of those men is manifest. 'In this matter of glorying.' For there is another substance of true glory. 'Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I also will glory.' For to glory in nobility of birth is carnal. 'For you gladly suffer the foolish, whereas yourselves are wise.' For I see that you, though you are taught that these things are of no moment, have so easily consented to the foolish. 'For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage' — into the bondage of the Law, of the priests, who exercised dominion over the people.
'If a man devour you, if a man take from you.' If a man devour, that is, consumes your substance by taking or plundering it. 'If a man be lifted up' — by money, by Jewish pride, or of birth, or of knowledge. 'If a man strike you on the face.' If a man even upbraids you to your face, or assails you with insults. 'I speak according to dishonour.' It is the greatest dishonour, if the sons of God should boast in earthly nobility. 'As though we had been weak in this part.' As though in this respect we had anything less than they, and did not rather preach to you things true and strong. 'Wherein any man is bold — I speak in foolishness — I am bold also.' I can be bold if I will. 'They are Hebrews, so am I. They are Israelites, so am I. They are the seed of Abraham, so am I.'
If they glory in this, that they are Hebrews — I too am of this race. 'They are ministers of Christ, so am I. I speak as one less wise.' It is to be noted that, if a man glories even in the ministry of Christ, he glories carnally. 'I am more' — than they. 'In very many labours, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure.' He did not say, 'I preached to so many,' but leaving aside all his glorious deeds, he enumerates the things he endured. 'In deaths often. Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes save one.' In the Acts of the Apostles it occurs once, that he received five times nine-and-thirty stripes, as a transgressor of the Law. 'Thrice was I beaten with rods; once was I stoned.'
These things are not all found in the Acts of the Apostles, because not all things that are contained there are contained in the Epistles either. 'Thrice I suffered shipwreck.' It has it once. 'A night and a day I was in the depth of the sea' — in the utmost peril, when the mass of the waves seemed about to cover the ship drawn down into the deep. 'In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles.' He speaks of the nation and people of the Jews. 'In perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea.' When those sailing were in peril, and drove the ship onto the shore, because the prow remained fixed and immovable, but the stern was broken up by the force of the sea. 'In perils among false brethren' — who crept in secretly to spy out our liberty. 'In labour.'
Of the hands. 'And distress' — misery. 'In many watchings, in hunger and thirst, in many fastings, in cold and nakedness.' Hunger is of necessity, fasting of the will. 'Besides those things which are without, my daily instance' (pressing care). As if he said, besides those things which are now customary, and by very habit are counted lighter. 'The solicitude of all the Churches.' He shows what that is. 'Who is weak' — with the weak I am weak, with those who perish I count myself to perish. 'And I am not weak?' In faith. 'Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?' — with grief. 'If I must needs glory' — in these things, if they wish to glory, let them glory in the things in which I do, though compelled; but because they have not these, therefore they glory in carnal things.
'I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.' He designated all the aforesaid sufferings by the name of infirmity, because these prevail against human weakness. 'The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not.' About to speak of a matter as it were difficult — that the Jews had stirred up against him even the princes of the Gentiles — he first implores the testimony of God, lest it should be thought a matter of true boasting, that even kingdoms rose up against him and could prevail nothing; and he enumerates these things, moreover, to show what difference there is between true and false apostles. 'At Damascus the governor of the nation under Aretas the king guarded the city' — of the Damascenes.
'That he might apprehend me; and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands.' He was the governor of that nation over which Aretas reigned. CHAPTER 12. 'If I must glory — it is not indeed expedient.' Nor is it expedient for me, because I am compelled by necessity. 'But I will come to the visions and revelations of the Lord.' As if he said, my infirmities are mine, but the visions are not mine, but the Lord's. 'I know a man in Christ.' Whether he speaks of himself, and for the sake of humility speaks as it were of another, or whether truly of another, both can stand. 'Fourteen years ago, whether in the body I know not, or out of the body I know not, God knoweth, such a one caught up even to the third heaven.'
Behold how great a necessity presses upon him, that what he had concealed for fourteen years, he was afterward compelled to disclose. 'And I know such a man — whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not, God knoweth — that he was caught up into paradise.' In that he repeats again 'whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not,' he shows that this was another vision. 'And he heard secret words' — hidden — 'which it is not lawful for a man to utter.' Either things which it is granted to no man to speak, or things which it is impossible for human nature to relate. 'For such a one I will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, save in my infirmities.' Whether for such a vision, or for such a man. But for myself nothing — whether for my own power, because it is not mine, but the Lord's revelation.
'For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish, for I will say the truth.' Here he seems to show that he speaks as it were of another, when he says that he too has grounds for glorying, but is unwilling. 'But I forbear, lest any man should think.' There are also hidden things which I could bring forth in truth, but I forbear, that is, I do not do it. 'Above that which he seeth in me.' The manifest things suffice, even though the hidden be concealed. 'Or heareth anything from me.' Let each man estimate me only from those things which he sees in me, or hears from me. 'And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given to me a goad of my flesh, an angel of Satan.' How great are the things I conceal! that fittingly a goad was necessary for me, to remind me that I am a man. 'To buffet me.'
Satan buffeted him, either by stirring up tribulations, or by inflicting pains: for some say that he laboured under frequent headache. Others say that he was goaded by the titillation of the flesh; but it is rather to be believed that they were continual tribulations. 'For which thing thrice I besought the Lord, that it might depart from me.' We understand that even the saints have asked for certain contrary things; and at the same time we learn that an importunate petition earns even a refusal, if it does not earn the effect. For when God does not grant what is not expedient, then He hears the more. 'And He said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee, for power is made perfect in infirmity.' The grace which thou hast, or which delivers thee — which power, unless it be one belonging to that to which it pertains, does not exalt. And who doubts that this pertains to righteousness?
This perfection of power the Apostle assuredly did not yet possess; he was not yet equal to the angels of God: but there was in him the infirmity of exalting himself, which had to be restrained even by an angel of Satan, lest he should be exalted by the greatness of the revelations. Why by an angel of Satan? Because frequently even an antidote against the venom of serpents is compounded from serpents themselves. What then is 'My grace is sufficient for thee,' but 'lest by failing thou shouldst succumb under the buffeting of the angel of Satan'? And what is:
'Power is made perfect in infirmity' — save that in this place of infirmity the perfection of power can thus far exist, so that by the very presence of infirmity elation may be repressed, so that to its perfection may pertain even both the knowledge of its own imperfection in truth, and the confession of it in humility? 'Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities' — after I have known that to profit which I thought to harm. 'That the power of Christ may dwell in me' — not in worldly might. 'For which cause I please myself in infirmities, in reproaches' — not in honours; 'in necessities' — not in ease; 'in persecutions' — not in salutations; 'in distresses' — not in riches; 'for Christ' — not for avarice, or for any crime.
As the Saviour also says, that we should suffer for the sake of righteousness alone. 'For when I am weak, then am I powerful.' The greatest power is to be weak for Christ. 'I am become foolish; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you.' It is the mark of a foolish man to relate his own labours and to boast his own virtues. But this you compelled, you who, when you ought to have satisfied others concerning me — that I was in no way inferior to the great apostles — now again have need that we ourselves should commend us to you. 'For in nothing was I inferior to those who are above measure apostles.' How much more than these! 'Although I be nothing, yet the signs of my apostleship have been wrought upon you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.' I indeed am nothing, because I am a man.
but the apostleship has shown its signs in you, that is, the power of might and wonders. 'For what is there that you have had less than the other Churches' to whom other apostles preached, 'except that I myself was not burdensome to you?' — because I received nothing from you. 'Pardon me this injury.' If you count this an injury, forgive it. 'Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek not the things that are yours, but you.' Nor ought children to lay up treasure for their parents. I seek your salvation, not your gifts. 'But parents for their children.' I ought rather to give you what I have. 'But I most gladly will spend' — whatever I have — 'and be spent myself for your souls.' Though loving you more, I am loved less.
What I have I spend with toil, and I myself am spent for your souls: for perfect love not only spends freely all that it has, but also is itself gladly spent, where it is needful. 'But be it so, I did not burden you.' Through all things he clears himself, always interrogating their conscience, and at the same time showing how they should beware of those men. 'But being crafty, I caught you by guile.' Did I circumvent you through any of those whom I sent to you? I asked Titus, and I sent with him a brother — perchance. 'Did Titus overreach you?' Not at all, no. 'Did we not walk in the same spirit?' Did he bring you anything to convey to me, or teach otherwise than you see me teach? 'Did we not walk in the same steps?'
'You think all this while that we excuse ourselves to you.' Not, as I said above, that we may please you, do we say these things: but lest, when we come, it be necessary for us to vindicate more sharply. 'We speak before God in Christ, but all things, dearly beloved, for your edification.' Whom it is impossible to deceive. 'For I fear lest perhaps, when I come, I should not find you such as I would, and I should be found by you such as you would not.' If I do not find you righteous, I too shall be found severe by you. He uses no flatteries. 'Lest perhaps there be among you contentions, envyings, animosities, dissensions, detractions, whisperings, swellings, seditions.'
If he said that he would vindicate himself most severely because of these things, what would he do if he found in our times, in which, in comparison with other crimes, these are not even reckoned to be sins? Contention is where something is defended not by reason, but by obstinacy of mind. A whisperer is so called because he murmurs, and speaks evil not to anyone's face, but of that person to others. 'And again, when I come, my God humble me among you.' This too I fear. 'And I bewail many of those who have sinned before, and have not done penance for the uncleanness and fornication' — against the Novatians, deniers of penance. If he bewails those not doing penance, surely he rejoices over those who do. 'And the impurity which they have committed.'
Impurity is graver, being as it were a monstrous fornication, such as that man committed who took his father's wife. CHAPTER 13. 'Behold, this third time I am coming to you.' For twice already he had been. 'In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand' — according to the Law. 'For I have foretold, and do foretell, as present, and now absent, to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare.' Those who have afterward sinned, neither will I spare them, because the ruin of the former ought to have made these more cautious. 'Do you seek a proof of Christ, who speaks in me?' Do you tempt Christ in me, whether He is able to vindicate you? And it is to be noted that his doctrine is proved to be not human but Christ's, and whoever reproves it is without doubt found stubborn against God.
'Who toward you is not weak.' It can be said that He is not weak, but powerful, nor are you yourselves ignorant of it. 'But is mighty in us.' If He is mighty even in you, how much more in us who are more capable of Him! 'For although He was crucified.' That He was crucified is ours; that He lives is His own. 'Through weakness' — of human nature. 'But He liveth by the power of God: for we also are weak in Him.' But we too are indeed weak in the present, yet in the future with Him — not by our own, but by God's power — we shall live. 'But we shall live with Him by the power of God' in us. If you provoke us who are weak, you will find us live with Christ in the power of God, when we begin to vindicate ourselves against you. 'Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.'
If you are in the faith, know us from yourselves; pass sentence upon the one who sins, and see whether vindication does not at once proceed by a word. 'Do you not know your own selves, that Christ Jesus is in you, unless perhaps you be reprobates?' Do you not know that Christ, the power of God, is in you? — if indeed you are not reprobates, that is, if He has not forsaken you through your negligence. 'But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates.' I trust that we shall perceive it, according as I see you conduct yourselves. 'Now we pray to God that you may do no evil.' For if you do anything, we, vindicating ourselves, shall appear approved; but we prefer to seem reprobates, only that you may do what is good. 'Not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is good.'
It is to be understood, 'I pray.' 'And that we ourselves may be as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.' For our sentence does not prevail against the innocent, but only against him who has sinned. 'For we rejoice when we are weak, but you are strong.' We rejoice if it be not necessary that our power should appear: as it appeared in Ananias and Sapphira through Peter, and ours in the Magician. 'This also we pray for, your perfection' — that you may be perfect and mighty. 'Therefore I write these things being absent, that I may not, being present, deal more harshly according to the power which the Lord hath given me.' For if you do not correct yourselves, I shall deal yet more harshly than I say. 'Unto edification' — that both you may amend, and others may fear to sin. 'And not unto destruction' — yours:
as those men usurp for themselves. 'For the rest, brethren, rejoice, be perfect.' It is to be noted that, writing to the whole Church, he says they ought to be perfect, and that he bids the laity exhort one another; as he says elsewhere, 'I would that all men were even as myself.' But because there follows, 'Everyone hath his proper gift from God,' perfection is in the power of the giver, not of the receiver. 'Be exhorted, be of one mind, have peace.' This is unity. 'And the God of peace and of love shall be with you.' But if the author of dissension and hatred be with you, you shall also be with him for ever. 'Salute one another with a holy kiss' — not a feigned one. 'All the saints salute you' — not the rich.
'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communication of the Holy Spirit.' Against the Arians, who cavil that the Father is greater, because He is always named first. 'Be with you all. Amen.' As it is with certain who are more righteous among you, so let it be with you all.