John Chrysostom

"Not glorying beyond" our "measure," that is, "in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you according to our province unto further abundance, so as to preach the Gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's province in regard of things ready to our hand."

He sets forth a large accusation of them on these grounds, both that they boasted of things without their measure, and of other men's labors; and that whilst the whole of the toil was the Apostles', they plumed themselves upon their labors. 'But we,' says he, 'showed these things in our deeds. We will not imitate those men therefore, but will say such things where our deeds bear us witness. And why,' saith he, 'do I say, you?' "for I have hope that as your faith groweth;" for he doth not assert absolutely, preserving his own character, but, 'I hope,' he says, 'if you make progress, that our province will be extended even farther, "to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond." For we shall advance farther yet,' he says, 'so as to preach and labor, not so as to boast in words of what other men have labored.' And well did he call it "province and measure," as though he had come into possession of the world, and a rich inheritance; and showing that the whole was wholly God's. 'Having then such works,' he says, 'and expecting greater, we do not boast as they do who have nothing, nor do we ascribe any part to ourselves, but the whole to God.'

"For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth."

He did not say, we are so, "but whom the Lord commendeth." Seest thou how modestly he speaks? But if as he proceeds he stirreth up loftier words, wonder not, for this also cometh of Paul's prudence. For if he had gone on in every part to speak lowly words, he would not have hit these men so effectually, nor have extricated the disciples from their error. For it is possible both by modesty ill-timed to do harm, and by saying something admirable of one's self at a proper time to do good. As therefore he also did. For there was no little danger in the disciples being persuaded into any mean opinion of Paul. Not that Paul sought the glory that cometh of men. For had he sought this, he would not have kept silence so long on those great and marvellous matters of "fourteen years ago;" (Chap. xii. 20) nor would he, when necessity was laid upon him, have so shrunk back and hesitated to speak of them; very evidently he would not even then have spoken, had he not been compelled. Certainly then it was not from a desire after the glory which cometh from men that he said these things, but out of tender care for the disciples. For since they cast reproaches at him as a braggart, and as boastful in words but able to show nothing in deeds, he is compelled subsequently to come to those revelations. Although he had it in his power to convince them by his deeds, at the time when he said these things: yet he still persists, nevertheless, in using menaces in words. For he was most especially free from vain-glory; and this his whole life proves, both before and after this.

Being about to enter upon his own praises he uses much previous correction. And he does this not once or twice, although the necessity of the subject, and what he had often said, were sufficient excuse for him. For he that remembereth sins which God remembered not, and who therefore saith that he was unworthy of the very name of the Apostles, even by the most insensate is seen clearly not to be saying what he is now going to say, for the sake of glory. For if one must say something startling, even this would be especially injurious to his glory, his speaking something about himself; and to the more part it is offensive. But nevertheless he regarded not timidly any of these things, but he looked to one thing, the salvation of his hearers. But still in order that he might not cause harm to the unthinking by this, by saying, I mean, great things of himself, he employs out of abundant caution these many preparatory correctives, and says, "Would that ye could bear with me," whilst I play the fool in some little things, yea, rather, "ye do indeed bear with me." Beholdest thou wisdom? For when he says, "would that," it is as putting it at their disposal: but when he even asserts [that they do], it is as confiding greatly in their affection, and as declaring that he both loves and is loved. Yea, rather, not from bare love merely, but from a sort of warm and insane passion he says that they ought to bear with him even when he plays the fool.

And therefore he added, "For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy." He did not say, "for I love you," but uses a term far more vehement than this. For those souls are jealous which burn ardently for those they love, and jealousy can in no other way be begotten than out of a vehement affection. Then that they may not think, that it is for the sake of power, or honor, or wealth, or any other such like thing, that he desires their affection, he added, "with a jealousy of God." For God also is said to be jealous, not that any should suppose passion, (for the Godhead is impassible,) but that all may know that He doeth all things from no other regard than their sakes over whom He is jealous; not that Himself may gain aught, but that He may save them. Among men indeed jealousy ariseth not from this cause, but for the sake of their own repose; not because the beloved ones sustain outrage, but lest these who love them should be wounded, and be outshone in the good graces, and stand lower in the affections, of the beloved. But here it is not so. "For I care not," he says, "for this, lest I should stand lower in your esteem; but lest I should see you corrupted. For such is God's jealousy; and such is mine also, intense at once and pure." Then there is also this necessary reason; "For I espoused you to one husband, as a pure virgin." "Therefore I am jealous, not for myself, but for him to whom I have espoused you." For the present time is the time of espousal, but the time of the nuptials is another; when they sing, "the Bridegroom hath risen up." Oh what things unheard of! In the world they are virgins before the marriage, but after the marriage no longer. But here it is not so: but even though they be not virgins before this marriage, after the marriage they become virgins. So the whole Church is a virgin. For addressing himself even to all, both husbands and wives, he speaks thus. But let us see what he brought and espoused us with, what kind of nuptial gifts. Not gold, not silver, but the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore also he said, "We are ambassadors on behalf of Christ," and beseeches them, when he was about to receive the Bride.

"But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is toward Christ." "For although the destruction be yours [alone], yet is the sorrow mine as well." And consider his wisdom. For he does not assert, although they were corrupted; and so he showed when he said, "When your obedience is fulfilled," and "I shall bewail many which have sinned already;" but still he does not leave them to get shameless. And therefore he says, "lest at any time." For this neither condemns nor is silent; for neither course were safe, whether to speak out plainly or to conceal perpetually. Therefore he employs this middle form, saying, "lest at any time." For this is the language neither of one that entirely distrusts, nor entirely relies on them, but of one who stands between these two. In this way then he palliated, but by his mention of that history threw them into an indescribable terror, and cuts them off from all forgiveness. For even although the serpent was malignant, and she senseless, yet did none of these things snatch the woman from punishment. "Beware then," he says, "lest such be your fate, and there be naught to screen you. For he too promising greater things, so deceived." Whence it is plain that these too, by boasting and puffing themselves up, deceived.

And he does not say, "Lest by any means as Adam was deceived:" but shows that those men are but women who are thus abused, for it is the part of woman to be deceived. And he did not say, "so ye also should be deceived:" but keeping up the metaphor, he says, "so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is toward Christ." "From the simplicity, I say, not from wickedness; neither out of wickedness [is it], nor out of your not believing, but out of simplicity." But, nevertheless, not even under such circumstances are the deceived entitled to forgiveness, as Eve showed. But if this does not entitle to forgiveness, much more will it not do so, when through vain-glory any is so.

"For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we did not preach:" showing hereby that their deceivers were not Corinthians, but persons from some other quarter previously corrupted: wherefore he saith, "he that cometh." "If ye receive a different Spirit, if a different Gospel which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear" with him. What sayest thou? Thou that saidst to the Galatians, "If any preach another Gospel to you than that ye have received, let him be anathema;" dost thou now say, "ye do well to bear" with him? And yet on this account it were meet not to bear with, but to recoil, from them; but if they say the same things, it is meet to bear with them. How then dost thou say, "because they say the same things, it is not meet to bear with them?" for he says, "if they said other things, it were meet to bear with them." Let us then give good heed, for the danger is great, and the precipice deep, if men run past this carelessly; and what is here said giveth an entrance to all the heresies. What then is the sense of these words? Those persons so boasted as if the Apostles taught incompletely, and they were introducing somewhat more than they. For it is probable that with much idle talk, they were bringing in senseless rubbish so as to overlay these doctrines. And therefore he made mention of the serpent and of Eve who was thus deceived by the expectation of acquiring more. And alluding to this in the former Epistle also, he said, "Now ye are become rich, ye have reigned as kings without us;" and again, "we are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ."

Since then it was probable that using the wisdom which is without, they talked much idly, what he says is this: that "if these persons said any thing more, and preached a different Christ who ought to have been preached, but we omitted it, ye do well to bear with them." For on this account he added, "whom we did not preach." "But if the chief points of the faith are the same, what have ye the more of them? for whatsoever things they may say, they will say nothing more than what we have said." And observe with what precision he states the case. For he did not say, "if he that cometh saith any thing more;" for they did say something more, haranguing with more authority and with much beauty of language; wherefore he did not say this, but what? [If] "he that cometh preacheth another Jesus," a thing which had no need of that array of words: "or ye receive a different Spirit," (for neither was there need of words in this case;) that is to say, "makes you richer in grace;" or "a different Gospel which ye did not accept," (nor did this again stand in need of words,) "ye do well to bear" with him.

"But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge." For since those that corrupted the Corinthians had the advantage in this, that they were not rude; he mentions this also, showing that he was not ashamed of, but even prided himself upon it. And he said not, "But though I be rude in speech," yet so also are they, for this would have seemed to be accusing them as well as himself, and exalting these: but he overthrows the thing itself, the wisdom from without. And indeed in his former Epistle he contends even vehemently about this thing, saying that it not only contributes nothing to the Preaching, but it even throws a shadow on the glory of the Cross; for he says, "I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom unto you, lest the cross of Christ should be made void;" and many other things of the same kind; because "in knowledge" they were "rude," which is also the extremest form of rudeness. When therefore it was necessary to institute a comparison in those things which were great, he compares himself with the Apostles: but when to show that which appeared to be a deficiency, he no longer does this, but grapples with the thing itself and shows that it was a superiority. And when indeed no necessity urged him, he says that he is "the least of the Apostles," and not worthy even of the title; but here again when occasion called, he says that he is "not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles." For he knew that this would most advantage the disciples. Wherefore also he adds, "Nay, in every thing we have made it manifest among all men to you ward." For here again he accuses the false Apostles as "walking in craftiness." And he said this of himself before also, that he did not live after the outward appearance, nor preach "handling the word deceitfully and corrupting it. But those men were one thing and appeared another. But not so he. Wherefore also he every where assumes a high tone, as doing nothing with a view to men's opinion nor concealing aught about himself. As he also said before, "by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience," so now again he saith "in every thing we have made it manifest to you." But what does this mean? "We are rude," he said, "and do not conceal it: we receive from some persons and we do not keep it secret. We receive then from you, and we pretend not that we do not receive, as they do when they receive, but we make every thing that we do manifest unto you;" which was the conduct of one that both had exceeding confidence in them, and told them every thing truly.

"I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto you." Here finally he speaks reproachfully, but his former words prevent these from seeming offensive; for he said, "Bear with me in a little foolishness:" and before all his other achievements makes this his first boast. For this worldly men look to especially, and on this also those his adversaries greatly prided themselves. Therefore it is that he does not first enter on the subject of his perils, nor yet of his miracles, but on this of his contempt of money, because they prided themselves on this; and at the same time he also hints that they were wealthy. But what is to be admired in him is this, that when he was able to say that he was even supported by his own hands, he did not say this; but says that which especially shamed them and yet was no encomium on himself, namely, "I took from others." And he did not say "took," but "robbed," that is, "I stripped them, and made them poor." And what surely is greater, that it was not for superfluities, but for his necessities, for when he says "wages," he means necessary subsistence. And what is more grievous yet, "to minister unto you." We preach to you; and when I ought to be supported by you, I have enjoyed this at others' hands. The accusation is twofold, or rather three-fold; that when both living amongst them and ministering to them, and seeking necessary support, he had others supplying his wants. Great the excess, of the one negligence, of the other in zeal! For these sent to him even when at a great distance, and those did not even support him when amongst them.

"And when I was present with you, and was in want, I was not a burden on any man." For he did not say, "ye did not give to me," but, "I did not take," for as yet he spares them. But nevertheless even in the subduedness of his language he covertly strikes them again, for the word, "present," is exceedingly emphatic, and so is "in want." For that they might not say, "what matter then, if you had [enough]?" he added, "and was in want." "I was not a burden" on you. Here again he hits them gently, as making such contributions reluctantly, as feeling them a burden. Then comes the reason also, full of accusation and fraught with jealousy. Wherefore also he introduced it, not in the way of a leading point, but as informing them whence and by whom he was supported, so as to stimulate them again, in an unsuspicious way, as to the point of alms-giving; "For the measure of my want," he says, "the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied." Seest thou how he provokes them again, by bringing forward those that had ministered to him? For inspiring them first with a desire of knowing who these could be, when he said, "I robbed other churches;" he then mentions them also by name; which would incite them also unto almsgiving. For he thus persuades those who had been beaten [by them] in the matter of supporting the Apostle, not to be also beaten in the succor they gave to the poor. And he says this also in his Epistle to the Macedonians themselves, "For in my necessities ye sent unto me once and again, even in the beginning of the Gospel;" which point also was a very great commendation of them, that from the very beginning they shone forth. But observe how everywhere he mentions his "necessity," and no where a superfluity.

Now therefore by saying "present," and in "want" he showed that he ought to have been supported by the Corinthians; and by the words, "they supplied the measure of my want," he shows that he did not so much as ask. And he assigns a reason which was not the real one. What then is this? That he had received from others; "for," says he, "the measure of my want those that came supplied." "For this reason," he says, "I was not a burden; not because I had no confidence in you." And yet it is for this latter reason that he so acts, and he shows it in what follows; but does not say it plainly, but throws it into the shade, leaving it to the conscience of his hearers. And he gives proof of it covertly in what follows, by saying, "And in every thing I kept myself from being burdensome, and so will I keep myself." "For think not," says he, "that I say these things that I may receive." Now the words "so will I keep myself," are severer, if he has not even yet confidence in them; but once for all had given up the idea of receiving aught from them. He shows, moreover, that they even considered this to be a burden; wherefore he said, "I have kept myself from being burdensome, and so will I keep myself."

"As the truth of Christ is in me." "Do not think that I therefore have spoken, that I may receive, that I may the rather draw you on: for," saith he, "as the truth is in me, No man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia." For that none should think again that he is grieved at this, or that he speaks these things in anger, he even calls the thing a "glorying." And in his former Epistle too he dressed it out in like terms. For so that he may not wound them there either, he says, "What then is my reward? That when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge." And as he there calls it "reward," so doth he here "glorying," that they may not be excessively ashamed at what he said, as if he were asking and they gave not to him. "For, what, if even ye would give?" saith he, "Yet I do not accept it." And the expression, "shall not stop me," is a metaphor taken from rivers, or from the report, as if running every where, of his receiving nothing. "Ye stop not with your giving this my freedom of speech." But he said not, "ye stop not," which would have been too cutting, but it "no man shall stop me in the regions of Achaia." This again was like giving them a fatal blow, and exceedingly apt to deject and pain them, since they were the only persons he refused [to take from]. "For if he made that his boast, it were meet to make it so every where: but if he only does so among us, perchance this is owing to our weakness." Lest therefore they should so reason and be dejected, see how he corrects this.

What sayest thou? they that preach Christ, they that take not money, they that bring not in a different gospel, "false apostles?" 'Yes,' he saith, and for this very reason most of all, because they make pretense of all these things for the purpose of deceiving. "Deceitful workers," for they do work indeed, but pull up what has been planted. For being well aware that otherwise they would not be well received, they take the mask of truth and so enact the drama of error. 'And yet,' saith one, 'they take no money.' That they may take greater things; that they may destroy the soul. Yea rather, even that was a falsehood; and they took money but did it secretly: and he shows this in what follows. And indeed he already hinted this where he said, "that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we:" in what follows, however, he hinted it more plainly, saying, "If a man devour you, if a man take you captive, if a man exalt himself, ye bear with him." But at present he accuses them on another account, saying, "fashioning themselves." They had only a "fashion;" the skin of the sheep was but outside clothing.

"And no marvel; for if even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light, is it a great thing if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness?"

So that if one ought to marvel, this is what he ought to marvel at, and not at their transformation. For when their teacher dares do any thing, no marvel that the disciples also follow. But what is "an angel of light?" That hath free liberty to speak, that standeth near to God. For there are also angels of darkness; those which be the devil's, those dark and cruel ones. And the devil hath deceived many so, fashioning himself "into," not becoming, "an angel of light." So do also do these bear about them the form of an Apostle, not the power itself, for this they cannot. But nothing is so like the devil as to do things for display. But what is "a ministry of righteousness?" That which we are who preach to you a Gospel having righteousness. For he either means this, or else that they invest themselves with the character of righteous men. How then shall we know them? "By their works," as Christ said. Wherefore he is compelled to place his own good deeds and their wickedness side by side, that the spurious may become evident by the comparison.

"That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorifying."

Seest thou how glorying is not "after the Lord?" For He saith, "When ye shall have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants." Howbeit, by itself indeed it is not "after the Lord," but by the intention it becomes so. And therefore he said, "That which I speak," not accusing the motive, but the words. Since his aim is so admirable as to dignify the words also. For as a manslayer, though his action be of those most strictly forbidden, has often been approved from the intention; and as circumcision, although it is not 'after the Lord,' has become so from the intention, so also glorying. And wherefore then does he not use so great strictness of expression? Because he is hastening on to another point, and he freely gratifies even to superfluity those who are desirous to find a handle against him, so that he may say only the things that are profitable; for when said they were enough to extinguish all that suspicion. "But as in foolishness." Before he says, "Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness," but now "as in foolishness;" for the farther he proceeds, the more he clears his language. Then that thou mayest not think that he plays the fool on all points, he added, "in this confidence of glorying." In this particular he means.