Thomas Aquinas

After the Apostle has suggested the reason for the delay — namely, that he might not bring sorrow — and has treated of his own sorrow, here he consequently treats of the one causing sorrow. And concerning this he does three things. For first he aggravates the fault of the one causing sorrow; second, the punishment inflicted on him for his fault, there sufficit illi, etc.; third, he exhorts them to have mercy toward the one causing sorrow, there ita ut e contrario, et cetera.

He says therefore first: I wrote to you through many tears, which I shed on account of the sorrow conceived and on account of the punishment to be inflicted on the sinner, but if anyone has caused me sorrow — namely that enormous fornicator, of whom it is said I Cor. 5:1: fornication is altogether heard of among you, et cetera. This one, I say, even if he caused sorrow, did not sadden me, but in part, that is, he did not sadden me alone, but you and us. Not all, but in part. And I say this, not that I may burden you all, that is, that I may not impose this burden on all of you, speaking mockingly, as if he were to say: you are not so good, and do not love me so much, that you should all grieve on account of my sorrow and the sin of the brother. Or: that I not burden all of you — not only those who did not grieve over the sin. Or it should be said otherwise, and better: he did not sadden me, but in part, et cetera.

For it must be known that someone is sometimes saddened totally, and sometimes not totally. One is indeed saddened totally, when because of sorrow he is absorbed by grief; and this is the sorrow which works death, as is said below, chapter 7:10, which indeed, according to the Philosopher, does not fall upon the wise man. But one is not saddened totally when, although he is saddened by some evil which he suffers or sees happening, nevertheless he rejoices from other good causes, and this sorrow is according to God and falls upon the wise man. Therefore, because the Apostle says he was saddened, lest he be believed to have been totally absorbed by sorrow, which is not of the wise man, he says he was saddened in part, as though not totally. And according to this it is read thus: the fornicator, namely, saddened me on account of his sin, but he did not sadden me totally, because although on his account, because of the sin, I had sorrow, yet in you, on account of the many good things you do, and in him, on account of the penance he has done, I have joy. And I say in part, that I not burden all of you, that is, that I not impose on you this burden, namely, that you have saddened me.

But lest these, on account of the Apostle's sorrow, should still wish to punish him more, he shows them that the punishment was sufficient, saying: sufficient for such a one is — namely, for him who saddened me by sinning so gravely — the rebuke which is made by many, that is, so manifest and public a correction, which was such that he was separated from all communion, that is, excommunicated from the Church and handed over to Satan, as is found in I Cor. 5:5. This punishment, therefore, is sufficient on account of the causes stated. Or it can be called sufficient, not as regards the judgment of God, but as much as was expedient for the time and the person. For it is better thus to preserve the spirit of gentleness in correcting, so that through penance the fruit of correction may follow, than if he be corrected too harshly, and the sinner despair and be plunged into greater sins. And therefore it is said, Ecclesiasticus 21:5: rebuke and injuries will annul substance.

Therefore, because the punishment was sufficient and he did penance, he consequently leads them to show mercy, saying ita ut e contrario magis, etc., where he does three things. First he commands that they spare him, namely the sinner; second he assigns the reason for this, there ne forte, et cetera. Third he leads them to observance of this admonition, there propter quod, et cetera.

He says therefore first: I say that the punishment is sufficient for him, and to such an extent that I wish that, on the contrary, you rather forgive, that is, remit. Luke 6:37: forgive, and it shall be forgiven you. Eph. 4:32: forgiving one another, just as God also in Christ has forgiven you. And not only should you forgive, but, what is more, comfort him. And this by setting before oneself examples of sinners who were restored to the state of grace, as is said of David, Peter, Paul, and Magdalene, and by the words of God: Ez. 18:32: I do not desire the death of the sinner, et cetera. I Thess., last chapter: rebuke the restless, comfort the fainthearted, et cetera.

He adds, moreover, the reason for this admonition: lest perhaps such a one be absorbed by too abundant sorrow. For someone, on account of sin and the punishment of sin, is sometimes so sunk in sorrow that he is absorbed, since he has no comforter; and this is an evil, because from this there does not follow the fruit of penance which is hoped for, namely correction, but rather, despairing, he gives himself over to all sins, as Cain, when he said: greater is the iniquity, etc., Gen. 4:13; and Eph. 4:19: who, despairing, have given themselves over, et cetera. And on account of this it is said, II Kings 2:26, that despair is a dangerous thing. And therefore David said in Ps. 68:16: nor let the deep swallow me up, et cetera. And therefore, lest this happen, he says comfort him, namely so that he may cease from sin. Isaiah 27:9: this is all the fruit, that sin be taken away.

Furthermore the Apostle, not only by reason but from other causes, leads them to this when he says propter quod obsecro, et cetera. And he leads them in three ways. First by entreaties, saying propter quod, namely lest he be absorbed, I beseech, I who am able to command. Philemon v. 8: having much confidence in Christ Jesus to command you, et cetera. Evil prelates do the contrary. Ez. 34:4: with austerity you commanded them, et cetera. That you confirm your charity toward him. This is done if you show your charity toward him, and do not abhor him on account of his sins, nor despise him, but by your consolation cause him to hate his sin, and to love justice. Luke 22:32: and you, once converted, confirm your brothers, et cetera.

Second, he leads them by precept, saying for I wrote this for this reason, namely that I might know the proof of you, whether you are obedient in all things. And he says in all things, namely whether in those things which please you, or in those which displease you. For first he had commanded them to excommunicate him, and thus they carried out the Apostle's command; but now, second, he commands them to spare him. And therefore he says whether you are obedient in all things.

Third, from the commemoration of a benefit, when he says but to whom you have forgiven anything, etc., as if he were to say: you ought to do this, because I also have done it. For thus you forgave someone and asked me that I should forgive, and I forgave. And this is what he says: but to whom you have forgiven anything, I also, namely, have forgiven. And this is evident. For I also, what I have forgiven, etc.; where four things are touched upon as necessary for a forgiveness or remission of this kind.

The first is discretion, namely that it not be remitted indiscriminately and rashly. And therefore he says if anything, namely in due measure. Prov. 4:25: let your eyelids go before, et cetera. The second is the end, because it ought not to be done on account of love or hatred, but on account of some benefit to the Church or to some persons. And therefore he says for your sake. The third is authority, because it ought not to be done by one's own authority, but by that of Christ, who remits sins by authority; but others, to whom it has been entrusted, do so by ministry, and as members of Christ. And therefore he says in the person of Christ, namely not by my own authority. And yet whatever is remitted, Christ remits. John 20:23: whose sins you shall forgive, et cetera. The fourth is necessity; hence he says that we may not be circumvented by Satan. For the devil has deceived many, some indeed by dragging them to the perpetration of sins, but others to excessive rigidity against sinners, so that if he cannot have them through the perpetration of crimes, he may at least destroy those whom he already has through the austerity of prelates, who, not correcting them mercifully, lead them into despair, and thus he destroys these, and the devil's snare encloses those. Eccles. 7:17: do not be excessively just, et cetera. I Peter 5:8: your adversary the devil, et cetera. And this will happen to us, if we do not forgive sinners. And therefore, that we may not be circumvented by Satan, I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything. For we are not ignorant of his thoughts, namely those of Satan. This is true in general, but in particular no one can know his thoughts, except God alone. Job 41:4: who has uncovered the face of his garment? et cetera.