Thomas Aquinas

After the Apostle has reprimanded the Corinthians for this, that they judged the apostles rashly and presumptuously despised them, here he presses on toward their correction, and first by a word of admonition; second, by example, where he says I beg you therefore, brothers, etc.; third, by the scourge of correction, where he says as though I were not going to come, etc. Concerning the first he does three things.

First he sets forth the manner of admonition, saying these things, namely what I have said to you thus far in the course of the epistle, I write not that I may confound you, namely with an evil confusion, which sends into despair, although I would wish you to be confounded with the confusion which avoids sin, according to that word of Ecclesiasticus 4:25: there is a confusion that brings sin, and there is a confusion that brings grace and glory. But I admonish you of the aforesaid things, as sons. Ecclesiastes 7:25: do you have sons? Instruct them, and take care of them from their childhood.

Second he shows the fitting manner of admonishing, saying for although you should have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet not many fathers. Here it must be considered that a father is one who first begets: but a tutor is one who nourishes and instructs one already born. Galatians 3:24: the law was our tutor in Christ. Therefore the Apostle says he is their father in Christ, because he first preached the Gospel to them. Hence, assigning the reason for what he had said, he adds for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel I have begotten you. Now generation is a process toward life, and man lives in Christ through faith. Galatians 2:20: but that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God. But faith, as is said in Romans 10:17, is from hearing, and hearing through the word. Hence the word of God is the seed by which the Apostle begot them in Christ. Hence James 1:18: of his own will he begot us by the word of truth. But he calls others tutors, because after they had received the faith, these helped them: so that the same comparison is to be understood, as regards the preaching of the Gospel, of the tutor to the father, which was set out above in III, 6ff., as of the one who waters to the one who plants, and of the one who builds upon to the one who lays the foundation.

Then, when he says I beg you therefore, brothers, he presses on to correct them by his own example. And first he exhorts them to imitate his example, saying: therefore since you are sons, since it belongs to good sons to imitate their fathers, I beg you, be imitators of me, namely that you may not judge rashly, just as I do not, because I do not presume to judge even myself, and that you may think humbly of yourselves, and more highly of others. Hence it was not without cause that he used this manner of speaking: we are weak, you are strong. 2 Thessalonians 3:9: that we might give ourselves as a pattern to you, for you to imitate.

It must be noted, however, that those whom above he named sons, he now names brothers. But he had called them his sons in Christ, because he had begotten them not for himself, but for Christ, and because he himself had been begotten by Christ, he consequently had them as brothers and sons. Therefore they ought to imitate him as a father only insofar as he himself imitated Christ, who is the principal father of all. And by this, occasion is taken away from subjects of clinging to the bad examples of their superiors. Hence in this subjects ought to imitate their superiors only in that in which these superiors themselves imitate Christ, who is the infallible rule of truth; hence he set himself as an example to the apostles. John 13:15: I have given you an example, that as I have done, etc. Which example indeed Paul followed, according to that saying of Job 23:11: my foot has followed his steps, I have kept his way, and have not declined from it.

Second he removes the excuse of ignorance, saying for this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my most dear and faithful son in the Lord, according to that saying of Philippians 2:20, speaking of Timothy: I have no one so like-minded, who is solicitous for you with sincere affection. Who will remind you of my ways, that is, who will teach you my proceedings, that is, all my works, and admonish you to follow them, according to that saying of Jeremiah 6:16: ask about the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk in it. Which ways indeed are in Christ, and therefore you ought not to disdain to follow them, according to that saying of Psalm 24:4: show me your ways, O Lord. And let this not seem burdensome to you, because I impose this on all in common. Hence he adds as I teach everywhere in the Church. Colossians 1:5f: you have heard the gospel of truth, which has come to you, as also in the whole world. Or what he says my ways is to be referred to works, but what he says as also everywhere is to be referred to teachings. For to this end Timothy had been sent, that he might induce them to imitate his works, and to hold to the Apostle's teachings.

Then, when he says as though I were not going to come to you, he threatens them with the scourge of correction. And first he shows that they are worthy of the scourge of correction, saying as though I were not going to come to you, some are puffed up, namely among you, as though not fearing to be convicted of their pride by me, and yet they are worthy of scourges: for the humble are corrected by words alone, but the proud need scourges, according to that saying of Job 40:7: look upon all the proud, and confound them.

Second he foretells to them his coming, by which he will come to judge, where first he foretells the coming, saying but I will come to you quickly. And because it is said in Proverbs 16:9: the heart of man disposes his way, but it is the Lord's to direct his steps, therefore he adds if the Lord will. James 4:15: if the Lord will, and if we shall live, we will do this or that. Second he foretells to them his judicial knowledge, when he says and I will know, namely in judicial order, according to that saying of Job 29:16: the cause which I did not know, I investigated most diligently. Not the speech of those who are puffed up, but the power, as if to say: not on account of these things will those be approved by my examination who abound in words, but if they should abound in power; because, as is said in Proverbs 14:23, where words are very many, there is often poverty.

Third he assigns the reason, saying for the kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power, that is, those who abound in speech do not for that reason belong to the kingdom of God, according to that saying of Matthew 7:21: not everyone who says to me: Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father.

Lastly he threatens them with correction, reserving nevertheless the correction to their own choice, saying what do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, namely of discipline, to chastise you, or in charity, that is, in a showing of love, and in a spirit of gentleness, so that I may do nothing harsher with you? For this depends on you; for if you remain in the way of folly, it is necessary for me to come to you with a rod, according to that saying of Proverbs 22:15: folly is bound up in the heart of a child, and the rod of discipline will drive it away. But if you correct yourselves, I will show you charity and gentleness, Galatians, last chapter: you who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of gentleness. But he does not say this as though, if coming with the rod, he would not come with charity, since it is written in Proverbs 13:24: he who spares the rod, hates his son; but he who loves him, instructs him diligently — but because he who is chastised with the rod does not always feel the sweetness of charity, as do those whom he consoles gently.