2 Corinthians 6:1-10
1. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that
ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
1. Nos vero adiuvantes (vel, collaborantes) etiam obsecramus,
ne frustra gratiam Dei receperitis.
2. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the
day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.)
2. Dicit enim (Ies. 49, 8) Tempore accepto exaudivi te, et in die
salutis auxiliatus sum tibi: ecce, nunc tempus acceptum: ecce, nunc dies
salutis.
3. Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
3. Nullum dantes ulla in re offensionem, ut ne vituperetur
ministerium:
4. But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God,
in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
4. Sed in omnibus commendantes nos tanquam Dei ntinistri,
in patientia multa, in afflictionibus, in necessitatibus, in angustiis,
5. In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings,
in fastings;
5. In plagis, in carceribus, in seditionibus, in laboribus, in vigiliis,
in ieiuniis;
6. By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by
the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
6. In sinceritate, in scientia, in tolerantia, in mansuetudine,
in Spiritu Sancto, in caritate non ficta,
7. By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness
on the right hand and on the left,
7. In sermone veritatis, in potentia Dei, per arma iustiti(dextra
et sinistra:
8. By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers,
and yet true;
8. Per gloriam et ignominiam, per infamiam, et bonam famam: tanquam
impostores, tamen veraces:
9. As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live;
as chastened, and not killed;
9. Tanquam ignoti, tamen celebres: tanquam morientes, et ecce, vivimus;
tanquam castigati, tamen morte non affecti:
10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
10. Tanquam moerore affecti, semper tamen gaudentes: tanquam inopes,
multos tamen ditantes: tanquam nihil habentes, et omnia possidentes.
1. Assisting. He has repeated the instructions of embassy with which
the ministers of the gospel have been furnished by God. After they have
faithfully communicated these instructions, they must also use their endeavor,
that they may be carried into effect, in order that their labor may not
be in vain. They must, I say, add continual exhortation’s, that their embassy
may be efficacious. This is what he means by sunergou~nteV, (fellow-workers,)
that is, devoted to the advancement of the work; for it is not enough to
teach, if you do not also urge. In this way, the particle su>n would have
a relation to God, or to the embassy, which he assigns to his servants.
For the doctrine of the gospel is helped by exhortations, so as not to
be without effect, and ministers connect their endeavors with God’s commission;
as it is the part of an ambassador to enforce by arguments, what he brings
forward in the name of his prince.
The particle su>n may also be taken as referring to the endeavors of
ministers in common; for if they do the Lord’s work in good earnest, they
must mutually lend a helping hand to each other, so as to give assistance
to each other. I rather prefer, however, the former exposition. Chrysostom
interprets it as referring to the hearers, with whom ministers are fellow-workers,
when they rouse them up from slothfulness and indolence.
Ministers are here taught, that it is not enough simply to advance doctrine.
They must also labor that it may be received by the hearers, and that not
once merely, but continually. For as they are messengers between God and
men, the first duty devolving upon them is, to make offer of the grace
of God, and the second is, to strive with all their might, that it may
not be offered in vain.
2. For he saith, In an acceptable time. He quotes a prediction of Isaiah,
exceedingly appropriate to the exhortation of which he speaks. It is without
doubt of the kingdom of Christ that he there speaks, as is manifest from
the context. The Father, then, appointing his Son a leader, for the purpose
of gathering together a Church, addresses him in these words:
“I have heard thee in an acceptable time.” (Isaiah 49:8.)
We know, however, what a degree of correspondence there is between the
Head and the members. For Christ was heard in our name, as the salvation
of all of us is entrusted into his hand, and nothing else has he taken
under his charge. Hence we are all admonished in the person of Christ —
not to slight the opportunity that is afforded for obtaining salvation.
While the rendering of the Greek interpreter is, eujpro>sdekton, (acceptable,)
the word made use of by the Prophet is, ˆwxr, (ratson,) that is, benevolence,
or free favour.
The quotation must be applied to the subject in hand in this way: “As
God specifies a particular time for the exhibition of his grace, it follows
that all times are not suitable for that. As a particular day of salvation
is named, it follows that a free offer of salvation is not made every day.”
Now this altogether depends on the providence of God, for the acceptable
time is no other than what is called in Galatians 4:4, the fullness of
the time. The order of arrangement also must be observed. First, he makes
mention of a time of benevolence, and then afterwards of a day of salvation.
By this it is intimated, that salvation flows to us from the mercy of God
exclusively, as from a fountainhead. Hence we must not seek the cause in
ourselves, as if we by means of our own works moved God to assign to us
his favor, for whence comes the day of salvation? It is because it is the
acceptable time, that is, the time which God has in his free favor appointed.
In the mean time, we must keep in view what Paul designs to teach — that
there is need of prompt expedition, that we may not allow the opportunity
to pass unimproved, inasmuch as it displeases God, that the grace that
he offers to us should be received by us with coolness and indifference.
Behold now is the time. The Prophet had spoken of the time, when Christ
was to be manifested in the flesh for the redemption of men. Paul transfers
the prophecy to the time when Christ is revealed by the continued preaching
of the gospel, and it is with good reason that he does so, for as salvation
was once sent to the whole world, when Christ appeared, so now it is sent
to us every day, when we are made partakers of the gospel. Here we have
a beautiful passage, and affording no ordinary consolation, because, while
the gospel is preached to us, we know assuredly that the way is opened
up for us into the kingdom of God, and that there is a signal of divine
benevolence raised aloft, to invite us to receive salvation, for the opportunity
of obtaining it must be judged of by the call. Unless, however, we embrace
the opportunity, we must fear the threatening that Paul brings forward
— that, in a short time, the door will be shut against all that have not
entered in, while opportunity was afforded. For this retribution always
follows contempt of the word.
3. Giving no offense. We have already on several occasions remarked,
that Paul sometimes commends the ministry of the gospel generally, and
at other times his own integrity. In the present instance, then, he speaks
of himself, and sets before us in his own person a living picture of a
good and faithful apostle, that the Corinthians may be led to see how unfair
they were in their judgment, in preferring before him empty blusterers.
For as they assigned the praise to mere pretences, they held in the highest
esteem persons that were effeminate and devoid of zeal, while, on the other
hand, as to the best ministers, they cherished no views but such as were
mean and abject. Nor is there any reason to doubt, that those very things
that Paul makes mention of to his own commendation, had been brought forward
by them in part as a ground of contempt; and they were so much the more
deserving of reproof, inasmuch as they converted into matter of reproach,
what was ground of just praise.
Paul, therefore, treats here of three things: In the first place, he
shows what are the excellences, on the ground of which preachers of the
gospel ought to be esteemed; secondly, he shows that he is himself endowed
with those excellences; thirdly, he admonishes the Corinthians not to acknowledge
as Christ’s servants those who conduct themselves otherwise than he prescribes
here by his example. His design is, that he may procure authority for himself
and those that were like him, with a view to the glory of God and the good
of the Church, or may restore it where it has fallen into decay; and secondly,
that he may call back the Corinthians from an unreasonable attachment to
the false apostles, which was a hindrance in the way of their making so
much proficiency in the gospel as was necessary. Ministers give occasion
of stumbling, when by their own misconduct they hinder the progress of
the gospel on the part of their hearers. That Paul says he does not do;
for he declares that he carefully takes heed not to stain his apostleship
by any spot of disgrace.
For this is the artifice of Satan — to seek some misconduct on the part
of ministers, that may tend to the dishonor of the gospel. For when he
has been successful in bringing the ministry into contempt, all hope of
profit is at an end. Hence the man who would usefully serve Christ, must
strive with his whole might to maintain the credit of his ministry. The
method is — to take care that he be deserving of honor, for nothing is
more ridiculous than striving to maintain your reputation before others,
while you call forth upon yourself reproach by a wicked and base life.
That man, therefore, will alone be honorable, who will allow himself in
nothing that is unworthy of a minister of Christ.
4. In much patience. The whole of the enumeration that follows is intended
to show, that all the tests by which the Lord is accustomed to try his
servants were to be found in Paul, and that there was no kind of test to
which he had not been subjected, in order that the faithfulness of his
ministry might be more fully established. Among other things that he enumerates,
there are some that are under all circumstances required for all the servants
of Christ. Of this nature are labors, sincerity, knowledge, watchings,
gentleness, love, the word of truth, the Spirit, the power of God, the
armor of righteousness. There are other things that are not necessary in
all cases; for in order that any one may be a servant of Christ, it is
not absolutely necessary, that he be put to the test by means of stripes
and imprisonments. Hence these things will in some cases be wanting in
the experience of the best. It becomes all, however, to be of such a disposition
as to present themselves to be tried, as Paul was, with stripes and imprisonments,
if the Lord shall see meet.
Patience is the regulation of the mind in adversity, which is an excellence
that ought invariably to distinguish a good minister. Afflictions include
more than necessities; for by the term necessity here I understand poverty.
Now this is common to many ministers, there being few of them that are
not in poor circumstances; but at the same time not to all. For why should
a moderate amount of riches prevent a man from being reckoned a servant
of Christ, who, in other respects, is pious, is of upright mind and honorable
deportment, and is distinguished by other excellences. As the man that
is poor is not on that account to be straightway accounted a good minister,
so the man that is rich is not on that account to be rejected. Nay more,
Paul in another passage glories not less in his knowing how to abound,
than in knowing how to be in want. (Philippians 4:12.) Hence we must observe
the distinction that I have mentioned, between occasional and invariable
grounds of commendation.
5. In tumults. In proportion to the calmness and gentleness of Paul’s
disposition was there the greater excellence displayed in his standing
undaunted in the face of tumults; and he takes praise to himself on this
account — that while he regarded tumults with abhorrence, he nevertheless
encountered them with bravery. Nor does the praise simply consist in his
being unmoved by tumults, (this being commonly found among all riotous
persons,) but in his being thrown into no alarm by tumults that had been
stirred up through the fault of others. And, unquestionably, two things
are required on the part of ministers of the Gospel — that they should
endeavor to the utmost of their power to maintain peace, and yet on the
other hand go forward, undaunted, through the midst of commotions, so as
not to turn aside from the right course, though heaven and earth should
be mingled. Chrysostom, however, prefers to understand ajkatastasi>aiv
to mean — frequent expulsions, inasmuch as there afforded him a place of
rest. In fastings. He does not mean — hunger arising from destitution,
but a voluntary exercise of abstinence.
Knowledge may be taken in two senses — either as meaning doctrine itself,
or skill in acting properly and knowingly. The latter appears to me the
more likely, as he immediately adds — the word of truth. The Spirit is
taken by metonymy, to denote spiritual graces. Frivolous, however, is the
cavil of Chrysostom, who infers from this, that the other excellences are
peculiar to the Apostle, because he makes mention of the Spirit separately,
as if kindness, knowledge, pureness, armor of righteousness, were from
any other source, than from the Holy Spirit. He makes mention, however,
of the Spirit separately, as a general term in the midst of particular
instances. The power of God showed itself in many things — ill magnanimity,
in efficacy in the maintaining of the truth, in the propagation of the
Gospel, in victory over enemies, and the like.
7. By the armor of righteousness. By righteousness you must understand
— rectitude of conscience, and holiness of life. He employs the metaphor
of armor, because all that serve God require to fight, inasmuch as the
devil is always on the alert, to molest them. Now they must be completely
armed, because, if he does not succeed in one onset, he thereupon makes
a new attempt, and attacks them at one time from before, at another from
behind — now on this side, and then on that.
8. By honor and dishonor. This is no slight test for subjecting a man
to trial, for to a man of a noble spirit nothing is more unpleasant, than
to incur disgrace. Hence we may observe in all histories, that there have
been few men of heroism that have not fallen back, on being irritated by
insults. Hence it is indicative of a mind well established in virtue, not
to be moved away from one’s course by any disgrace that may be incurred
— a rare virtue, but one without which you cannot show. that you are a
servant of God. We must, it is true, have a regard to good character, but
it must be only in so far as the edification of our brethren requires it,
and in such a way as not to be dependent on reports — nay more, so as to
maintain in the same even course in honor and in dishonor. For God allows
us to be tried even by the slander of wicked men, with the view of trying
us,whether we act uprightly from disinterested motives; for if one is drawn
aside from duty by the ingratitude of men, that man shows that he had not
his eye directed to God alone. As then we see that Paul was exposed to
infamy and insults, and yet did not on that account stop short, but held
forward with undaunted courage, and broke through every impediment so as
to reach the goal, let us not give way, if the same thing should befall
us.
As deceivers. Here he relates, not simply in what estimation he was
held by the wicked and those that were without, (1 Corinthians 5:12,) but
also what views were entertained of him by those that were within. Now
let every one consider with himself, how unseemly was the ingratitude of
the Corinthians, and how great was his magnanimity in struggling forward,
in spite of such formidable obstacles. By indirect representations, however,
he sharply reproves their perverse judgment, when he says that he lives
and is joyful, while they despised him as one that was dead and overwhelmed
with grief. He reproaches them, also, with ingratitude, when he says, that
he made many rich, while he was contemned on account of his poverty. For
they were of the number of those whom he enriched by his wealth: nay more,
all of them to a man were under obligations to him on many accounts. Thus
he said previously, by way of irony, that he was unknown, while at the
same time the fruit of his labor was everywhere known and celebrated. But
how cruel to despise the poverty of the man who supplies you from his abundance!
He means spiritual riches, which ought to be much more esteemed than earthly.
