哥林多前書講道集 第 44 章

Now if Timothy come, see that he may be with you without fear.

Perhaps someone thinks this exhortation unworthy of the manly courage of Timothy;

but it was said not for Timothy's sake, but for the sake of the hearers, lest by their plotting against him they should do harm to themselves;

for that man was ever set in the midst of dangers.

For 'as a child with a father he served with me in the Gospel,' he says.

But lest, from their insolence toward the disciple, they should proceed also against the teacher and become worse, he checks them from afar off, saying:

'That he may be with you without fear;'

that is, that none of those desperate men rise up against him.

For he too was likely to rebuke them for those things concerning which Paul also had written;

for indeed he had promised to send him for this very purpose.

'For I have sent Timothy unto you,' he says, 'who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every Church.'

In order, then, that they might not, trusting in noble birth and wealth and the support of the populace and outward wisdom, assail him and spurn him and plot against him, being pained at his reproofs, or, for the things wherein the teacher had rebuked them, demand satisfaction of that man by way of retaliation—for this cause he says:

'That he may be with you without fear.'

For do not name to me those outside, the Greeks and the unbelievers;

it is of you that I make this demand, for whose sake also the whole Epistle was composed, and whom he had struck with fear even at the very beginning and in the opening words.

Then from his ministry he makes him worthy of credit, saying:

'For he worketh the work of the Lord.'

For look not, he says, at this—whether he is not rich, whether he is not well-educated, nor whether he is aged—but at what he is charged with and accomplishes:

'For he worketh the work of the Lord.'

And this suffices him in the place of all—of noble birth, and wealth, and age, and wisdom.

And he was not content with this, but added—

and higher up: 'Who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord;'

'he shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ.'

Since, then, he was both young, and alone had been entrusted with the correction of so great a people, and both these things tended toward contempt, with good reason he adds:

'Let no one therefore despise him.'

And he does not demand this only, but also greater honor;

'But set him forward on his journey in peace;'

that is, without fear—not stirring up strifes and contentions, not enmities and hostilities, but yielding to him submission and honor, as attending to a teacher.

'for I look for him with the brethren.'

And this too was calculated to make them fear.

For that, knowing that everything which Timothy might suffer would be reported to him, they might become more gentle, on this account he added:

And in another way too he here makes him worthy of credit, seeing that, though about to depart, he waits for him; and he shows his love toward those Corinthians, when he is seen to have sent for their sake one so useful.

Now concerning Apollos the brother, I besought him much that he would come unto you with the brethren.

This man seems both to be well-educated and to be older than Timothy.

Why ever then did he not send the elder man, but the younger in his stead? See how he soothes this matter too, both calling him brother and saying that he had besought him much, in these words:

For lest he should seem to have preferred Timothy to him, and for this reason not to have sent him, and so kindle greater envy, he added:

'I besought him much that he would come.'

What then? Did that man not yield nor consent, but resisted and contended? He does not say this, but, that he might neither cast blame on Apollos nor make excuse for himself, he says:

'And it was not at all his will that he should come now.'

Then, lest they should say that these were pretenses and an excuse, he added:

'But he will come to you when he shall have opportunity.'

By this he both made his defense on that man's behalf, and gave rest to them who longed for him, through the hope of his coming.

Then, showing that they ought to place their hopes of salvation not in their teachers only, but also in themselves, he says:

'Watch, stand fast in the faith.'

For there is no standing still in that realm, but one is ever being carried onward;

so then, to stand fast is precisely to stand in the faith.

'Let all your things be done in love.'

In saying these things he seems indeed to be exhorting them, yet he is also laying hold of them as of men grown slack.

'Watch,' as to men who were sleeping;

'Stand fast,' as to men who were being shaken;

'Be manly, be strong,' as to men grown soft;

'Let all your things be done in love,' as to men who were factious.

And the words 'Watch, stand fast' are addressed to those who were being deceived;

the word 'Be manly' is addressed to those who were plotting against them;

and the words 'Let all your things be done in love' are addressed to those who were factious and sought to tear the Church apart—love, which is the bond of perfectness, and the root and fountain of all good things.

But what is the meaning of 'all things in love'? Whether one rebukes, he says, or rules, or is ruled, or learns, or teaches—let all things be done with love;

since indeed all the aforesaid evils arose from love having been neglected.

For if this had not been neglected, they would not have been puffed up, they would not have said:

'I am of Paul, and I of Apollos';

if it had been present, they would not have gone to law before the world—nay, rather, they would not have gone to law at all;

if it had been present, that man would not have taken his father's wife, they would not have despised the weaker brethren, they would not have had their sects, they would not have vaunted themselves vaingloriously over their spiritual gifts.

For this reason he says, 'Let all things be done with love.'

'I beseech you, brethren—you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have appointed themselves to the ministry of the saints.'

And at the very beginning of the Epistle he made mention of this man, saying:

'And I baptized also the household of Stephanas';

and now he calls him the firstfruits, not of Corinth alone, but of the whole of Greece.

And this too is no small praise, to have been the first to come to Christ.

Wherefore also in the Epistle to the Romans, praising certain persons on this very ground, he said:

'Who also were in Christ before me.'

And he did not say that they believed first, but 'They became firstfruits,' showing that together with the faith they also displayed a most excellent manner of life—as in the case of fruits, offering themselves worthy on every side.

For the firstfruits must needs be better than the rest whereof they are the firstfruits;

and this indeed Paul testified concerning these men by this very expression.

For not only did they believe genuinely, as I said, but they also displayed much reverence, and virtue in its full vigor, and a generous zeal in acts of mercy.

And not from this alone, but from another quarter also he shows their reverence—namely, from their having filled their whole household with piety.

And that they abounded in good works also, he makes plain by what follows, saying:

'They appointed themselves to the ministry of the saints.'

Did you hear how great is the praise of their hospitality? For he did not say 'They minister,' but 'They appointed themselves';

this manner of life they chose for all time; this is the pursuit to which they devote themselves.

'That you also may submit yourselves to such.'

That is, 'That you may join in taking up the burden both in the expenditure of money and in the service of the body, that you may share in the fellowship.'

For to them also the labor will be light when they have fellow-helpers, and the fruit of the beneficence will pass on to a greater number.

And he did not say simply 'Work together,' but also 'In whatsoever things they may bid you, obey them,' displaying the intensity of the obedience required.

And lest he should seem to be showing favor to them, he added:

'And to every one that labors and works together with us.'

Let this, he says, be a common rule;

for I do not speak of those men in particular, but if anyone is like them, let this man too enjoy the same treatment.

For this reason, as he begins to commend them, he calls the Corinthians themselves as witnesses, saying:

'I beseech you—you know the house of Stephanas.'

'For you yourselves also know,' he says, 'how they toil, and you have no need to learn it from us.'

'And I rejoiced at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because that which was lacking on your part they themselves supplied;

for they refreshed my spirit and yours.'

For since it was likely that they had grown savage against these men (for these were the ones who had come and disclosed to him the matters concerning the faction;

for it was through these that they wrote also the things concerning the virgins and concerning those that had married)—see how he soothed them, having said at the beginning of the Epistle:

'For it hath been declared unto me concerning you by them which are of the house of Chloe';

and by concealing these men, and bringing those others into the midst;

for it was likely that those had made the disclosure through these men;

but here he says, 'That which was lacking on your part they supplied, and they refreshed my spirit and yours';

showing that they had come in the stead of all, and had chosen to undertake so great a journey abroad on their behalf.

How then may this private good become common? If you shall make amends for the deficiency by your goodwill toward them, if you honor them, if you receive them gladly, if you share with them in the good work.

'Acknowledge therefore such men.'

And while praising those who had come, he interweaves those others also into the encomium—linking the senders with the sent—saying that 'They refreshed my spirit and yours.'

'Acknowledge therefore such men, that for your sakes they left their country and their home.'

Did you see his prudence? He shows that they bestowed a favor not upon Paul alone, but upon those others as well, in that they carried the whole city about with them in their persons;

which both made these men trustworthy, and did not suffer those others to sever themselves from them, inasmuch as it was through them that they had presented themselves to Paul.

'All the Churches of Asia salute you.'

He is ever gathering and cementing the members together by means of the salutation;

'Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord.'

For with these he abode, being a tentmaker.

'With the Church that is in their house.'

And this too is no small virtue, to have made even one's house a church.

'All the brethren salute you.'

'Greet one another with a holy kiss.'

This addition of the holy kiss he inserts here only.

Why so? They had been greatly divided from one another by their saying, 'I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ';

by the one being hungry and the other drunken;

by their having strifes and jealousies and lawsuits.

And from the spiritual gifts too there was much envy, much arrogance.

Since therefore he had joined them together by his exhortation, he fittingly bids them also be joined together through the holy kiss.

For this unites, and gives birth to one body;

this is holy, when it is not with guile and under condemnation.

'The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.'

He shows that the Epistle was composed with much diligence;

wherefore also he added this.

'If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.'

By this one word he struck fear into all: those who were making their own members the members of a harlot, those who were causing offence to the brethren through things sacrificed to idols, those who were named after men, those who disbelieved the resurrection.

And he not only struck fear, but also showed the road of virtue and the fountain of vice.

For just as love toward Him, when it becomes fervent, quenches and thrusts out all kinds of sins;

so when it is weaker, it causes these to spring up.

For what reason was this said? And why also

in the Hebrew tongue? Because pride was the cause of all their evils;

and this pride the wisdom from without produced, and this was the head of their evils, which above all tore Corinth asunder;

so, in repressing their pride, he uses not even the Greek language but the Hebrew, showing that not only is he not ashamed of his lack of learning, but even embraces it with much warmth.

But what is 'Maranatha'? 'Our Lord has come.'

For what reason then does he say this very thing? Confirming the word of the dispensation, from which especially he had put together the seeds of the resurrection;

and not this only, but also putting those men to shame, as though he were saying:

The common Master of all deigned to descend so far, and are you in the very same state, and do you persist in sinning? And do you not shudder at the exceeding greatness of His love, the head of all good things? For consider this one thing only, he says, and it will suffice you for advancement in every virtue, and you will be able to quench every sin.

'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.'

This is the mark of a teacher, to help not only with counsels but also with prayers.

'My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.'

For lest they should think that he ended in this way merely to flatter them, he says:

For it has nothing human nor fleshly, but is a kind of spiritual love;

for indeed the word was that of one who loved exceedingly.

For since he was separated from them by distance, as though by the stretching out of a right hand, he embraces them with the hands of love, saying, 'My love be with you,' as though he were saying:

By these words he shows that what was written was not of wrath nor of anger, but of tender care; seeing that, after so great an accusation, he does not turn away from them, but even loves and embraces them, though they are far off, being poured out upon them through these Epistles and letters.

For thus ought he to act who would set others right;

since he who acts merely out of anger only satisfies his own passion;

but he who, after having corrected the sinner, also displays the marks of love, shows that even those things he said in rebuke were of affection.

So then let us also instruct one another, and let neither him who reproves be angry;

for this is not of correction but of passion;

nor let him who is reproved be vexed;

for what is done is a healing, not an enmity.

But if physicians' sons cauterize and are not blamed—often even failing of their end—and even those who are burned and cut, though in pain, count as benefactors those who stir up this pain;

much more ought he who receives a reproof to be so disposed, and to attend to him who corrects as to a physician, and not as to an enemy.

And let us too who administer the rebuke approach with much gentleness, with much discretion; and if you see your brother sinning, as Christ commanded, do not make the reproof public, but between you and him alone, not reproaching nor trampling on him when he is down, but yourself grieving and pining away;

and hold yourself ready also to be reproved, if you should be at fault in anything.

And that what I say may become clearer, let us exercise the argument by way of a supposition;

for God forbid that in the very truth of things one should easily find such an example;

Let there be some brother dwelling together with a virgin, orderly indeed and chaste, yet let him not even so escape the evil report.

If then you hear this cohabitation talked about, do not make light of it, nor say:

'For has he no mind of his own? Does he not himself know what is expedient? Do not love in vain, and do not hate in vain;

for what concern is it of mine to take up a needless enmity?' These are the foolish words of beasts, or rather of demons.

For it is not possible to be hated in vain by one who does this for the sake of correction, but rather it is for great benefits and unspeakable crowns.

But if you should say, 'What then, has he no mind of his own?' you shall hear from us that he has not;

for if in the courts of the world those who are wronged are unable to speak on their own behalf when boiling with anger—and yet this fellow-feeling is no accusation—

how much more those who are held fast by an evil habit? For this reason I say that even if he be ten thousand times prudent, he has not a wakeful mind.

He was wiser than David, a man who said, 'The hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom Thou hast made known to me'; but when he looked upon the wife of his soldier with unjust eyes, then—as he said of those sailing on a raging sea—'All his wisdom was swallowed up';

and he needed others to set him right, and did not even perceive amid what evils he was.

Wherefore also, lamenting his sins, he said:

'As a heavy burden they weighed heavy upon me.'

'My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.'

The sinner therefore has no mind;

Say not, then, these things, nor add that, 'It is no concern of mine';

'For each man shall bear his own burden.'

For indeed a very great charge arises against you also, that having seen him gone astray you did not raise him up.

For if, according to the law of the Jews, one must not overlook the beast of burden of one's enemy, what pardon shall he obtain who overlooks—not a beast of burden, nor an enemy's soul, but a friend's soul—perishing? For it does not even suffice for our defense that the other man has a mind of his own;

since we too, though we have often given much exhortation, have not sufficed for our own selves, nor become useful.

This then consider also concerning that erring man, that it is likely he will more readily receive excellent counsel from you than from himself, and do not say:

'But what concern is this of mine?' Fear him who first spoke this word;

for the saying, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' comes to the same thing as this;

hence are born all evils, that we account the things of our own body to be alien to us.

What do you say? You have no concern for your brother? But to whom shall he be a concern? To the unbeliever, who exults and reproaches and leaps upon him? Or to the devil, who thrusts him down and trips him up? And whence comes this? 'Because I accomplish nothing,' he says, 'by speaking and counseling what is fitting.'

But how is it clear that you will not succeed? For this too, in turn, is the mark of utter folly: while the outcome lies still in uncertainty, to incur the charge of an admitted sloth.

And yet God, who foreknew things to come, often spoke and did not prevail, and even so He did not desist—and this though He knew that He was not about to persuade.

But if He who foreknew that He would accomplish nothing more does not refrain from setting things right, what excuse will you have—you who are wholly ignorant of the future, yet grow slack and numb? For many, having often made the attempt, did succeed;

and when they had most of all despaired, then most of all did they attain their end.

But even if you accomplish nothing further, you have done your own part.

Therefore do not become inhuman, nor unmerciful, nor careless.

For that these words are the marks of cruelty and of sloth is plain from this consideration.

For why is it that, when one of the members of your body is ailing, you do not say:

'What is it to me, and how is it clear that, if it receives care, it will be made whole?' Rather, you do everything, so that even if you help it not at all, you may not have to accuse yourself that any of the things which ought to be done was left undone.

Then shall we so care for the members of the body, yet neglect those of Christ? And where is this deserving of pardon? For if I do not bend you by saying, 'Take thought for your own member, that at least out of fear you may become better,' I remind you of the body of Christ.

For how is it not worthy of horror to see his flesh rotting away, and to overlook it? And if indeed you had a servant or a donkey afflicted with a sore, you would not endure to overlook it;

yet when you see the body of Christ filled with scab, do you pass it by? And do you not consider these things worthy of ten thousand thunderbolts? For this reason all things have been turned upside down—because of this inhumanity, because of this sloth.

Wherefore, I beseech you, let us cast out this cruelty;

approach that man who dwells together with the virgin, and speak a small word of praise concerning the brother, composing it out of the other advantages which he possesses;

and as though bathing him with warm water by your praises, so soften the swelling of his wound;

count yourself also wretched, accuse the common race of men, show that we all are involved in sins, ask pardon, saying that you are undertaking matters greater than yourself, but that love persuades one to venture all things.

Then in giving counsel, do this not in a commanding manner, but in a brotherly one;

and having soothed the pain that will arise from the incision of the coming reproof, and having often made use of an apology, and having entreated him not to be angered;

when you have bound him fast with these things, then apply the blow, neither making the matter too tight nor too loose, so that he may neither leap away from thence nor despise it from hence.

For if on the one hand you do not deal a decisive blow, you have accomplished nothing further;

but if on the other you strike too violently, you have caused him to bolt away.

Wherefore, when after all these things you are about to reprove, again mingle praise with the reproofs;

and since the thing that is being done cannot in itself be a subject of praise (for it is not worthy of commendation to dwell together with a young maiden), work this out from the intention of him who dwells with her, and say: 'I know indeed that you do this for God's sake, and that, beholding the desolation and the unprotected state of that poor woman, you stretched out a hand.'

And even if he does not act with this intention, do you nevertheless speak thus, and after this add these things too, again making use of an apology, and saying: 'I say these things not in command, but as a reminder;'

'you do it for God's sake, I too know;

but let us see whether some other evil is not born of this;

and if there be none, keep it within, and hold fast to this good zeal—no one hinders you;

but if some harm arise from this greater than the gain, let us take heed, I beseech you, lest in hastening to give rest to one soul, we cause ten thousand to stumble.'

And do not straightway add the punishments laid up for those who cause offence, but take his own testimony to help you, saying:

'You have no need to learn these things from me; you yourself also know that if anyone offends one of these little ones, how great a penalty is threatened;'

and having thus sweetened your speech, and smoothed away his wrath, apply the medicine of correction.

But if he again pleads her desolation as an excuse, do not even so refute the pretext, but say to him:

'Let none of these things frighten you; you will have a sufficient defence—the offence given to others;

for it was not out of sloth, but out of care for them, that you desisted from this zeal.'

And let the part of counsel be in brief;

for indeed it needs no great instruction;

but let the part of pardon, on the other hand, be much and repeated;

and take refuge in love continually, casting a shade over the burdensomeness of what has been said, and giving him the authority, saying: 'I indeed exhort and counsel these things, but he himself is master of being persuaded;'

'for I do not constrain nor compel, but entrust the whole to your own judgement.'

If we handle the reproof in this manner, we shall be able easily to set right those who sin;

whereas what we now do belongs rather to wild beasts and irrational creatures than to human beings.

For if now certain persons perceive someone sinning in such matters, to that man they say nothing at all, but among themselves, like drunken old women, they whisper with one another;

and nowhere here does the saying, 'Love not at random, hate not at random,' seem to them to have any place; but whenever they desire to speak evil, they despise the not-being-hated-at-random—rather, even the being punished (for from this is born not only hatred, but also punishment);

but whenever correction is needed, they bring forward this very thing and ten thousand other pretexts.

For these things you ought then to have considered—when you speak evil, when you slander: the 'Hate not at random,' and the 'I accomplish nothing,' and the 'It is no concern of mine.'

But now, then indeed you meddle vehemently and inquisitively, and you despise hatred and ten thousand evils;

yet whenever it is necessary to take thought for the salvation of the brother, then you wish to be some unmeddlesome and unburdensome person.

And indeed from evil-speaking there arises hatred both toward men and toward God, and this does not greatly concern you;

but from private counsel and reproofs of this kind, there will be for you friendship both with this man and with God.

And even if he himself hates you, God on this account remains loving you the more;

or rather, not even so will he hate you as when he hated you for speaking evil;

but then indeed he will turn away from you as from an enemy and foe, whereas now he will esteem you more venerable than any father.

And even if he is openly displeased, in his mind and privately he will know many thanks are owed to you.

Considering these things, therefore, let us take care of our members, and let us not

whet our tongue against one another, nor speak words of drowning, undermining our neighbour's good name, and, as in war and battle, striking and being struck.

For what profit is there henceforth of fasting or of vigil, when the tongue is drunk, and feeds upon a table more unclean than dogs' flesh, becoming blood-drinking, and pouring forth filth, and making the mouth a sewer and channel of foulness—or rather far more loathsome than this? For that which proceeds from thence defiled the body;

but that which proceeds from hence has often choked the soul to death.

These things I say, not vainly caring for those who are evil spoken of (for they are even worthy of crowns, when they bear nobly the things said against them), but for you who speak.

For the Scriptures vainly count the one who is evil spoken of as blessed, but the one who speaks evil they cast out of the sacred mysteries—nay, even out of the very enclosures;

'For the one who slanders his neighbour in secret,' it says, 'him did I drive out;'

and it declares such a one to be unworthy even of the reading of the sacred books.

'For why,' it says, 'do you declare My statutes, and take up My covenant in your mouth?' Then, stating the cause, it says:

'Sitting, you spoke against your brother.'

And here indeed it did not distinguish whether the things were true or false;

but elsewhere it forbade even this, showing that even if you speak the truth, these things are not to be uttered by you.

'For judge not,' it says, 'that you be not judged;'

since the one too who spoke evil of the publican was condemned, and that though he accused him with truth.

'What then,' one says, 'if someone be insolent and defiled—must we not set him right, nor reprove him?' We must reprove and set him right, yet in the manner I described before;

but if you do this by reviling, take heed lest, imitating that Pharisee, you suffer the things which he suffered.

For no gain comes from thence—neither to you who speak, nor to that man who is thus accused as he hears.

But the one who slanders becomes ever more shameless (for so long as he is unnoticed, he still knows how to feel shame;

but once he becomes evident and conspicuous, he casts off from himself even the restraint that remained).

And the one who listens, in turn, will be harmed all the more.

For if he is conscious of good deeds in himself, he is puffed up, swollen with pride at another man's accusations;

and if he is conscious of sins, he is made all the more eager for wickedness.

And the speaker himself, in turn, will acquire an evil reputation in the eyes of his hearer, and will provoke God more grievously against himself.

Therefore, I beseech you, let us cast out every foul-smelling word;

and if there is anything good for edification, let us speak that.

But do you desire to avenge yourself on that man? Why then do you take vengeance on yourself in his stead? For he who is eager to avenge himself on those who have grieved him, let him avenge himself in the manner that Paul commanded us to avenge ourselves:

'If your enemy hungers, feed him.'

But if you do not do this, and only plot against him, you are thrusting the sword against yourself.

Wherefore, if that man speaks ill of you, requite him with commendations and praises;

for in this way you will both be able to avenge yourself on him, and you will free yourself from any evil suspicion.

For the man who grieves at being spoken ill of seems to suffer this from an evil conscience;

but the man who laughs at what is said gives the greatest proof that he is conscious of no evil in himself.

Since, therefore, you benefit neither the hearer, nor yourself, nor the one being slandered, and you thrust the sword against yourself, at least from this consideration become more prudent.

For it were fitting indeed that you should be persuaded by the kingdom of heaven and by the things that seem good to God;

but since you are of a grosser disposition, and bite like a wild beast, be disciplined at least by this, so that, brought to your senses by these words, you may become able to be regulated solely by the things that seem good to God, and, becoming superior to every passion, may attain the heavenly good things;

which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honour, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.