The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

Now I Paul myself beseech you. Hitherto I have pleaded the cause of others, the poor ; now I am going to speak for myself. I beseech you to observe my admonitions and the precepts which, as your Apostle, I have given you concerning a true Christian life. By the gentleness of Christ He beseeches them, says Theophylact, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, that reverencing them they may lovingly hear, receive, and obey the entreaty of Paul In the second place, he does it to signify that he imitates the meekness of Christ, not His severity. I do not order you, he seems to say, although by virtue of my apostleship I might, but I beseech you by Digiti; / ^.oosle 138 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE the gentleness of Christ, which I imitate and ever keep before me. For Christ in rebuking, teaching, and guiding men, showed wondrous patience, kindness, and gentleness, as when He received into grace Matthew, the Magdalene, and other sinners, and most lovingly forgave them all their guilt and punishment without harsh words or blows. In presence am base among you . When I am with you, I seem in outward appearance mean and base (cf. ver. 10); but when away from you, I am bold and confident. He speaks ironically ; for, as the next verse tells us, the false apostles, who held him up to execration, used to say : “ Why do you make so much of Paul ? He is a base and worthless fellow. Apollos and others have far more grace and eloquence ; there is no comparison between them. By the side of them he is ignorant and unpolished. Why, then, does he take upon himself, why does he presume, when away from you, to send you such threatening letters, rebuking you, ordering, scolding, excommunicating you ? ” S. Paul imitates the false apostles, and repeats their words, as much as to say : “ I am not the domineering, insolent, severe, threatening man, when absent, that my detractors make me, but I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ” Cf. vers. 9, 10 (Chrysostom)

But I beseech you that I may not be bold, I beseech you to lovingly receive my admonitions, lest when I come to you and see your disobedience, rebellion, and contumacy, I use my boldness and power to inflict excommunication and other spiritual punishment, which I am thought to have already inflicted arbitrarily (Anselm). The Latin version reads the passive, I am thought but Theophylact takes it actively — I think, I propose to boldly punish some evil-disposed persons. Which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. As though we lived a carnal life, or better, as though we used carnal means, such as fleshly, human, and political wisdom, in doing by letter what I dare not do in person. The Apostle says that they walk, fight, and glory according to the flesh, who, after the manner of carnal and crafty men, walk and boast CARNAL WEAPONS 139 in outward gifts, such as birth, prudence, eloquence, good looks, sagacity, and by means of these seek to gain the applause of men, and so win them to their side and overthrow their enemies. That this is his meaning is evident from the contrast drawn between these arms and spiritual arms in ver. 4. So, in xl 18, he says that the false apostles boast according to the flesh, i.e., of external gifts. In v. 15, 16, again, he says that he knows no one, not even Christ, according to the flesh. In 2 Cor. i., he contrasts the natural and carnal wisdom of philosophers and orators with the spiritual wisdom of Christians, and especially of Apostles. Cf. also Gal. iii. 3

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal Carnal weapons are such as serve for carnal and bodily warfare and life, as the honours, pleasures, and power of this world. This the Apostles did not use in their task of subduing the world to Christ Or rather, as said above, carnal weapons are human arts, sciences, reasonings, systems, eloquence, flatteries, boasting, hypocrisies, affected gravity and prudence, all of which are used by men of the world to gain influence and respect ; while true and solid authority, such as Paul and the other Apostles had, is the gift of God, and is not to be obtained by external gifts or by assumed gravity, but rather by the display of virtue, wisdom, and holiness. But mighty through God Or, are the power of God. Through them God works powerfully in the minds of the hearers — converts them to the faith, makes them accept our preaching, brings them under subjection to Christ, so that we gain credence to what we say, and obtain what we want. These weapons are, says Anselm, (1.) Vehement spiritual zeal; (2.) Efficacious preaching, through God seeming to lend weight and force to our words; (3.) Wisdom; (4.) Courtesy; (5.) Holiness; (6.) Miracles; (7.) Frequent prayer; (8.) Purity of intention ; (9.) Patience ; (10.) Charity. When they see us men of the most blameless life, seeking not their wealth or honours, but their salvation only, and that by many labours, sacri* flees, afflictions, daily death and martyrdom, and preaching to them with such zeal and ardour that all acknowledge Christ, and glorify Him and His Father — by all these things, as though by a 140 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE most powerful dart, they are struck and wounded in their consciences, they yield, and believe our words and our doctrines. By these weapons do we Apostles destroy the vices and storm the kingdom of the devil, even the whole world. Hence apostleship and preaching of the Gospel are rightly called a warfare. C f. i Tim. i. 18. To the pulling down of strong holds . All reasonings, syllogisms, sophisms, eloquence, philosophic virtues, worldly power, grace, friendship, and all that the Gentiles and devils opposed to the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles (Chrysostom and Anselm)

Casting down imaginations . Or, with Theophylact reasonings. The Syriac and Erasmus give imaginations; the Latin version, counsels . By our weapons we destroy all the counsels of the prudent of this world, by which they strive to overthrow the Gospel, to strengthen against it their heathenism, and to put their philosophers before Christ and us. And every high thing . Every height, both of human and philosophic wisdom, as well as of diabolic magic, such as of Simon Magus and others, and of royal and imperial power. Imaginations and heights were the two towers set up by the Gentiles against the Apostles, one of which seemed impregnable through its intricate wiles, and the other by its height and strength. Yet both yielded to the weapons of the Apostles. That exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. That knowledge of God given to us by Christ, and which we, His Apostles, teach throughout the world ; faith, that is, in the Three in One, in the Son of God, in His Incarnation and death, in the Cross and its Redemption. And bringing into captivity. Every thought, every intellect, however full of resources, however exalted in wisdom, must surrender as a conquered foe, and obey the Gospel of Christ. When S. Paul says “every thought” or “every intellect,” he does not mean to imply that all the philosophers and mighty men of the world who heard the Gospel preached were converted, but that the THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL 141 weapons of the Apostles were so powerful that they were able to subdue to the faith of Christ any thoughts and reasonings of the human intellect, however full of wiles, however highly exalted. As a matter of fact, they did subdue these powers in those who took these weapons, and admitted them into their soul, and so were converted. Many of all classes of philosophers and orators, illustrious for their learning and wisdom, were subdued by the weapons of the Apostles, and brought to believe in Christ. Such were Dionysius the Areopagite, Clement of Rome, Paul the proconsul, Justin the philosopher, Athenagoras, and others

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, Paul had said that his weapons were powerful to subdue any Gentiles or heathen wise men. He now goes on to say that this same power is able to punish all disobedience on the part of the faithful, or amongst heretics. I am ready, he says, and it is easy for me, to punish the disobedience of the false Apostles who depreciate me, by excommunicating them. When your obedience is fulfilled. For I am unwilling to involve you in the same punishment I would rather that you yourselves correct what needs correction, and I am waiting until you fulfil what you have been ordered. Then when you have done that, I will unsheathe the sword of excommunication against those contumacious detractors. From this doctors lay down that this sword should not be drawn except against the disobedient, and those who, after having been warned, are still rebellious and obstinate

For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure . This is his third scornful charge against the false apostles. They stretch out themselves and more than that by their boastful words, but let us see what good as a matter of fact they do. Whom have they converted ? What cities or countries have they visited ? They have never left their own home. Did they bring you into the Church ? 144 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE Ye are not their work, but mine in the Lord. It is I who have taken you and subdued you : you are my lot, the possession assigned me by the Lord. I can triumph over you and other provinces reaching to Judaea that I have subdued. And just as P. Scipio was called Africanus, and L. Scipio, Asiaticus, from the provinces they conquered, so might S. Paul have the agnomen of Corinthiacus, Achaicus, Macedonicus, Thracicus, Asiaticus, &c. Ver. 1 5. — Without our measure . The provinces not assigned us by God. This is again a blow aimed at the false apostles, who were in the habit of boasting groundlessly of the many regions they had visited and converted. Not boasting . . . of other metis labours . A fourth charge against the false apostles, who had entered into his labours at Corinth, where he had laid the foundations of the faith (Chrysostom). Doctors remark that heretics never go to unbelievers from zeal for the Gospel and for martyrdom, and convert them first of all to Christianity, but content themselves with endeavouring to attract the faithful. It may be said: Surely the Emperor Valens, when the Goths were anxious to be converted to Christianity, sent Arian Bishops, who made them Arians ( Freculphus , lib. iv. c. 20). I reply : This is true ; but the Arians did not themselves take the initiative and go to the barbarous Goths from zeal for the faith, to plant among them the true faith, after the Apostolic manner, in hunger, thirst, persecutions, and deaths. The Goths invited them, and Valens consented. There is no difficulty in instilling poison into those who wish for it Moreover, most of the Goths had previously been of the orthodox faith ; but Ulphilas their Apostle, having been deceived by the Arians, deceived them in his turn and made them Arians, as Theodoret expressly says {Hist, lib. iv. cap. ult,). But having hope when your faith is increased, I hope that when your faith is increased you will have no need of me; then I shall be able to go on to other nations to preach the Gospel (Chrysostom). That we shall be enlarged by you. Or magnified in you, (1.) I SPIRITUAL JURISDICTION *45 hope that in those more distant regions I shall preach and bring back great glory. The teacher, says Theophylact, is magnified when his disciples grow in wisdom. (2.) It is better to refer the words magnified in you to what follows — oucording to our rule abundantly. I hope, as you increase in the faith, to be magnified through you according to our rule, i.e., to extend our rule, the bounds of my apostolate, to the regions beyond you, so that they, seeing your faith, holiness, and grace, may be provoked by your example, and eagerly await me and receive the Gospel. As the Holy Land was divided by lot among the twelve tribes by fixed boundaries (Ps. lxxviii. 54), so was the whole earth divided as by a measuring-line among their antitypes, the twelve Apostles, that they might bring it under subjection to Christ. Thomas, e.g. y evangelised India ; Andrew, Achaia ; John, Asia. Abundantly. That my lot may be increased and spread further and further. I have not yet fixed any certain bounds to my province, nor has God, but I am always looking for and striving after its extension

Not to boast in another man's line. I do not meddle with the bounds, the provinces, and districts measured out and assigned, or occupied by other Apostles, so as to enter into things got ready by others, and to boast of other men's labours as if they were mine. He calls “ made ready to his hand ” those regions which had already received the Gospel from others ; he refuses to seize upon the tilled fields of others, but rather chooses to be the first to plant the faith in any place he goes to. Cf. Rom. xv. 20. . The Greek kolvwv denotes the measuring-line of surveyors. Here the Apostle calls all those regions measured out to him, as it were, by God his rule. This “rule*' he was daily extending, from his desire to* preach everywhere; “as though,” says Chrysostom, “he had come into possession of the earth and a fat inheritance. 11 “ Paul was,” says Theophylact, “like a builder of the world, measuring it by his rule and building accordingly.” The Greek icavwv stands also for the builder’s measuring-rod, but seems by S. Paul to be referred rather to the surveyor's. VOL. II. K I46 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE

But he that glorieih let him glory in the Lord, Let him glory in truth as before the Lord. Secondly, and better, to glory in the Lord is to glory with the glory given by the Lord, which alone commends a man, and vouches for him by the wonders which it works through him. This is the genuine meaning, for S. Paul contrasts glorying in one’s self with glorying in the Lord. To glory in self is to commend self ; to glory in the Lord is to be commended by the Lord, and to glory in that commendation. Still it follows from this, thirdly, that he who truly glories should glory not in himself but in the Lord, by referring all that has been received to Him, whose gifts they are, by giving to Him all the glory, and directing everything to His praise and glory (Chrysostom). By these words the Apostle shows where, when, and in what we should glory, and at the same time clears himself of all charge of ostentation and desire of vainglory. He says implicitly: These great and fine things I say about myself, not because I wish to glory in myself, but because I wish to give the praise to the Lord, from whom I have received all my glory, and the ground of my glorying. Cf. 1 Cor. L 31, note. Learn from this that true praise and glory come from God alone, and far excel all human glory; for, (1.) man’s praise is but small and poor, men being but worms of earth; but God’s glory is, as He is, boundless. (2.) Man’s glory is outward and apparent only — within it is empty and ready to vanish away; but God’s glory is inward and substantial; hence it fills and satisfies the soul. (3.) Man’s glory is untrustworthy, feigned, and hypocritical — many laugh at you behind your back while praising you to your face; but God’s glory is faithful and true. (4.) Man’s glory is unstable, and, like a reed, is shaken by the slightest breath of rumour — they who praise you to-day will rail at you to-morrow ; but God’s glory is stable and constant (5.) Man’s glory is short-lived: mortals to die to-morrow praise you, and your praise will die with them. Where now are the praises of Caesar, Pompey, Augustus ? They have passed away — they are gone like smoke; but the praise of God is eternal God will praise thee for ever before the angels THE WORTH OF MEN’S PRAISE 147 and blessed ones, because thou didst despise the world's glory, and sought for that true glory which lasts for ever with God. (6.) Man's glory is imperfect, maimed, and alloyed ; a man is praised by some, blamed by others ; as many men as there are, so many opinions and judgments are there. God's glory is entire and perfect, for whoever God praises is praised also by the inhabitants of heaven. (7.) Man's glory is erroneous and groundless. Men glorify the high-born, the rich, the powerful, even if they be villains, crimestained, and tyrants. God’s glory is most true and most certain, for He praises none but those endowed with virtue and true wisdom. Again, men glory in themselves, in their sagacity, virtue, fortitude — all things of naught ; and therefore they glory in what is false, in nothing, in what is not. God’s glory is to glory in God, of whom is all good and from whom flow all things to us, and to say, “ Not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but unto Thy name give the praise.” (8.) Man’s glory stands in the mouth of them that praise, confers no benefit on thee, impresses on thee no good. Therefore it is not in thee, but in Him that glorifies thee ; just as honour is not in him that is honoured, but in him that confers it But God’s glory is both in God and in thee, for it is efficacious and fruitful. God does not merely beatify thee in thy soul with the light of glory, and in thy body with glorious gifts, but He communicates to the Blessed His own very Divine and uncreated glory, to be possessed and enjoyed. Oh, blind and insensate children of Adam, by nature greedy of praise, created and bom to glory I Why do ye not seek after glory instead of its smoke and shadows ? Why strive for what is false and fallacious and leave the true ? Why seek for glory where it is not? You seek it on earth: it is not there, but in heaven. You seek it among men : it dwells among the angels and before God. You seek it in time: it is found in eternity. Thou, then, O Lord, art my glory ; Thou art the joy of my heart. In thee will I glory and exalt all the day long. For myself I will glory in nothing save my infirmities. Let Jews, let worldly men seek glory from one another. I will require that which is from God alone. All human glory, all worldly honour, all temporal heights, I48 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE when compared with Thy eternal glory are but vanity, foolishness, and reproach. O my Truth, my Mercy, my Glory, my God, O Blessed Trinity, to Thee alone be praise, honour, and glory; to Thee alone be blessing, wisdom, and thanksgiving ; to Thee, our God, be honour, virtue, and strength for ever and ever. Amen

For not he that commendeth himself is approved. How is it, then, that Saints have sometimes commended themselves, as, e.g, Hezekiah, in Isa. xxxviii. 3, and S. Paul in the next chapter, and in 2 Tim. iv. ? I answer, They do indeed commend themselves, but at the same time they tacitly refer all their praise to God’s grace as its first cause, and say : “ By the grace of God I am what I am.” Again, this self-commendation came not from themselves, but was inspired into them by the Holy Spirit, who spoke by their mouth. The Holy Spirit suggested to each writer of the Holy Scriptures what he should write. CHAPTER XI I Out of kis jealousy over the Corinthians , who seemed to make more account of the false apostles than of him, he entereth into a forced commendation of himself 5 of his equality with the chief apostles , 7 of his preaching the gospel to them freely , and without any their charge , 13 shewing that he was not inferior to those deceitful workers in any legal prerogative , 23 and in the service of Christy and in all kind of sufferings for his ministry , far svperior. XTOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly : and indeed bear ’ * with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy : for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge ; but wt have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things. 7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely ? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man : for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied : and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you and so will I keep myself 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 1 1 Wherefore ? because I love you not ? God knoweth. 12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion ; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel ; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness ; whose end shall be according to their works. 16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool ; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. 17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. M9 ISO SECOND EPISTLE TO TIIE 8 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you , if a man take of you , if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the* face. 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Ilowbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews ? so am I. Are they Israelites ? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham ? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep ; 26 In joumeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren ; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak ? who is offended, and I bum not ? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me : 33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. After declaring his love for the Corinthians, he proceeds (ver. 4) to defend his apostleship against the false apostles, pointing out that they had bestowed no more of the Spirit, nor given more Christian doctrine than S. Paul. ii. He says, moreover (ver. 7), that they preached the Gospel for the sake of gain, but he freely. iii. He insists (ver. 22) on his being equally with them a Hebrew, and what they were not, a minister of Christ. He then enumerates the marks of his apostleship, his labours for Christ, his persecutions, scouigings, sufferings, anxieties, and the care of all the Churches, and in them all he glories